Semi-trailing arm axle for a motor vehicle

A semi-trailing arm axle for a motor vehicle, the semi-trailing arm axle comprising:

• at least one wheel (4) being supported by a semi-trailing arm (1);
• the semi-trailing arm (1) being mounted on one of a body and a support frame by at least one mounting (2, 3);
• at least one wheel bearing (5) connecting each wheel (4) to the semi-trailing arm (1);
• and
• the semi-trailing arm (1) being a sole element that controls wheel tracking for each wheel (4) supported by the semi-trailing arm (1);
• wherein the semi-trailing arm (1) comprises first, second, third and fourth members (10, 11, 12, 13) that form a quadrilateral which lies in a substantially horizontal plane, the first, the second, the third and the fourth members (10, 11, 12, 13) are coupled at coupling points, the coupling points have selectively chosen rigidities such that the first member (11) is attached by at least one mounting to one of the body and the support frame, the second member (13) is connected, via the at least one wheel bearing (5), to the wheel (4), and the first and the second members (11, 13) are connected to one another by the third and the fourth members (10, 12).

A semi-trailing arm axle for a motor vehicle, the semi-trailing arm axle comprises a semi-trailing arm (1) supporting a wheel (4), via a wheel carrier (7) and a wheel bearing (5),

• the semi-trailing arm (1) being flexible about a vertical axis and being a lone wheel-tracking element,
• the semi-trailing arm (1) comprising first, second, third and fourth members (11, 13, 10, 12), the first member (11) being coupled to either a body or a support frame of the vehicle by at least one mounting (2, 3) and the second member (13) being fixed to the wheel (4) via the wheel carrier (7) and the wheel bearing (5) such that the wheel is pivotable about a wheel contact point (RAP) in relation to a forward direction of travel, and the third and the fourth members (10, 12) are respectively coupled to the first and the second members (11, 13) at coupling points such that the first, the second, the third and the fourth members (11, 13, 10, 12) form a quadrilateral, the coupling points at which the third member (10) couples the first and the second members (11, 13) define leading axis and the coupling points at which the fourth member (12) couples the first and the second members (11, 13) defines a trailing axis, the leading axis and the trailing axis intersect at a virtual pivoting point (9) which is located behind the wheel contact point (RAP) in relation to the forward direction of travel and at a distance further from the semi-trailing arm (1) than the wheel contact point (RAP).