US 2012/0175857 A1Published application

Vehicle Suspension System

AssigneeEdison2 LLC

InventorsRonald Christopher Mathis, Bradley W. Jaeger

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Abstract

A structurally efficient vehicle suspension system capable of being isolated from the main vehicle structure by being housed within a vehicle's wheel thereby reducing risks of injury during a crash and permitting advantageous redesign of suspension geometry. In the primary embodiment of this invention, the essentially longitudinal links providing wheel travel are outboard of the steering. The upper and/or lower suspension links may be arranged so as to form either a solid triangular-like structure or a “wishbone” form having two separate arms. In addition, the spring/damper unit of the suspension can be configured in a number of different embodiments variously using telescopic dampers, coil springs, rotary dampers, rubber springs, air springs, torsion bars, bell cranks linked to pushrods or pullrods and leaf springs. The spring/damper unit may also be housed in an appropriately enlarged kingpin axis carrier.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A suspension assembly for a vehicle wheel having a known axis of travel comprising:

a substantially rigid mounting structure attached to a vehicle;
a king pin axis to which said mounting structure is attached;
a steering carrier assembly pivotally attached to said king pin axis wherein vertical movement of the wheel occurs outboard of said steering carrier assembly;
a steering link track rod movably attached to said steering carrier assembly;
at least one upper suspension link with at least two ends oriented along its length generally parallel to the axis of travel of the vehicle having a pivot axis generally perpendicular to the axis of travel of the vehicle and pivotally attached on a first sprung end to said steering carrier assembly, said at least one upper suspension link being required to enable vertical movement of the wheel;
at least one lower suspension link with at least two ends oriented along its length generally parallel to the axis of travel of the vehicle, said at least one lower suspension link spaced below and away from said at least one upper suspension link having a pivot axis generally perpendicular to the axis of travel of the vehicle pivotally attached on a first sprung end to said steering carrier assembly, said at least one lower suspension link being required to enable vertical movement of the suspension;
and
a wheel carrier attached by a first bearing assembly to a second unsprung end of each said at least one upper suspension link and by a second bearing assembly to a second unsprung end of each said at least one lower suspension link;
and
a spring/damper unit having a sprung end and an unsprung end, attached on its sprung end to said king pin axis and on its unsprung end to said wheel carrier;
wherein the suspension and steering geometry are substantially independent of each other and wherein further at least one of said at least one upper suspension link and said at least one lower suspension link is a solid triangular structure having three sides forming three vertices, one vertex formed by two sides thereof being located where each suspension link attaches to said wheel carrier.

8 more elements

A suspension assembly for a vehicle wheel having a known axis of travel comprising:

a substantially rigid mounting structure attached to a vehicle;
a king pin axis to which said mounting structure is attached;
a steering carrier assembly pivotally attached to said king pin axis wherein vertical movement of the wheel occurs outboard of said steering carrier assembly;
a steering link track rod movably attached to said steering carrier assembly;
at least one upper suspension link with at least two ends oriented along its length generally parallel to the axis of travel of the vehicle having a pivot axis generally perpendicular to the axis of travel of the vehicle and pivotally attached on a first sprung end to said steering carrier assembly, said at least one upper suspension link being required to enable vertical movement of the wheel;
at least one lower suspension link with at least two ends oriented along its length generally parallel to the axis of travel of the vehicle, said at least one lower suspension link spaced below and away from said at least one upper suspension link having a pivot axis generally perpendicular to the axis of travel of the vehicle pivotally attached on a first sprung end to said steering carrier assembly, said at least one lower suspension link being required to enable vertical movement of the suspension;
and
a wheel carrier attached by a first bearing assembly to a second unsprung end of each said at least one upper suspension link and by a second bearing assembly to a second unsprung end of each said at least one lower suspension link;
and
a spring/damper unit having a sprung end and an unsprung end, attached on its sprung end to said king pin axis and on its unsprung end to said wheel carrier;
wherein the suspension and steering geometry are substantially independent of each other and wherein further at least one of said at least one upper suspension link and said at least one lower suspension link is a wishbone-shaped structure having two arms joined at one end to form a vertex, that end being located where the suspension link attaches to said wheel carrier.

8 more elements

A suspension assembly for a vehicle wheel having a known axis of travel, a chassis structure and at least one axle structure comprising:

a substantially rigid mounting structure attached to a vehicle;
a king pin axis to which said mounting structure is attached;
a steering carrier assembly pivotally attached to said king pin axis wherein vertical movement of the wheel occurs outboard of said steering carrier assembly;
a steering link track rod movably attached to said steering carrier assembly;
at least one upper suspension link with at least two ends oriented along its length generally parallel to the axis of travel of the vehicle having a pivot axis generally perpendicular to the axis of travel of the vehicle and pivotally attached on a first sprung end to said steering carrier assembly, said at least one upper suspension link being required to enable vertical movement of the wheel;
at least one lower suspension link with at least two ends oriented along its length generally parallel to the axis of travel of the vehicle, said at least one lower suspension link spaced below and away from said at least one upper suspension link having a pivot axis generally perpendicular to the axis of travel of the vehicle pivotally attached on a first sprung end to said steering carrier assembly, said at least one lower suspension link being required to enable vertical movement of the suspension;
and
a wheel carrier attached by a first bearing assembly to a second unsprung end of each said at least one upper suspension link and by a second bearing assembly to a second unsprung end of each said at least one lower suspension link;
and
a spring/damper unit having at least one spring and at least one damper each having two connection points attached at one connection point to said king pin axis and at the other connection point to said wheel carrier;
wherein the suspension and steering geometry are substantially independent of each other.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/405,244Filed 25 Feb 2012
Priority: 22 Apr 2010
Published: 12 Jul 2012
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

B60G 3/20
With two or more pivoted arms, e.g. parallelogram: all arms being rigid
B60G 2200/18
Independent suspensions: multilink suspensions, e.g. elastokinematic arrangements
B60G 2204/30
Mounting of suspension elements: in-wheel mountings
B60G
Vehicle suspension arrangements

Family

Application12/765,567Continuation in part · filed 22 Apr 2010
Application13/405,244Continuation in part
US 2011/0260422 A1Published application
US 8,152,184 B2Related patent
US 8,840,126 B2Related patent
US 2012/0175857 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.