Active anti-roll device

Abstract

Active anti-roll device to be fitted to a wheel set (4) of a motor vehicle (1), the said wheel set including two wheel supports (8b, 9b) coupled, with mobility in a so-called vertical direction (Z), to a frame (2) of the said vehicle, the said anti-roll device including a torsion bar (10) linked to the frame and the free ends of which are intended to be coupled respectively to the said wheel supports, characterised by the fact that it includes at least one actuator (13, 16) presenting a first zone connected to an eccentric point, relative to the median axis of the said vehicle, of the said torsion bar, by an actuator-bar linkage (14), and a second zone connected to the said frame by an actuator-frame linkage (15), the said at least one actuator presenting actuation means to create a relative displacement between the said first and second zones, the said at least one actuator being so arranged as to adjust a substantially vertical distance between the said eccentric point and the said frame as a function of a control signal, the said active anti-roll device including control means to transmit a control signal to the said at least one actuator.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a simplified diagrammatic view of the rear of a vehicle including an active anti-roll device in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a simplified diagrammatic view from above of the vehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1, the vehicle taking a bend to the right;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1, the vehicle including an active anti-roll device in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3 for the second embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 6 to 12 are simplified diagrammatic views showing example embodiments of an actuator-bar linkage and an actuator-frame linkage;

FIGS. 13 to 16 are functional kinematic diagrams showing example embodiments of an active anti-roll device actuator; and

FIG. 17 is a functional kinematic diagram showing a third embodiment of the active anti-roll device.

Claims

1. Active anti-roll device (5a, 5b) to be fitted to a wheel set (3, 4) of a motor vehicle (1), the said wheel set including two wheel supports (8b, 9b) coupled, with mobility in a so-called vertical direction (Z), to a frame (2) of the said vehicle, the said anti-roll device including a torsion bar (10) linked to the frame and the free ends of which are intended to be coupled respectively to the said wheel supports, characterised by the fact that it includes at least one actuator (13, 16, 20, 140) presenting a first zone connected to a point eccentric relative to the median axis of the said vehicle, of the said torsion bar, by an actuator-bar linkage (14), and a second zone connected to the said frame by an actuator-frame linkage (15), the said at least one actuator presenting actuation means to create a relative displacement between the said first and second zones, the said at least one actuator being arranged so as to adjust a substantially vertical distance between the said eccentric point and the said frame as a function of a control signal, the said active anti-roll device including control means to transmit a control signal to the said at least one actuator.

2. Active anti-roll device as described in claim 1, characterised by the fact that a said actuator includes hydraulic actuation means.

3. Active anti-roll device as described in claim 1, characterised by the fact that a said actuator includes electrical actuation means.

4. Active anti-roll device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised by the fact that the said first zone of a said actuator (13a, 13b) is linked to the said second zone of the said actuator by a pivot linkage (60, 84) of axis (Y1, Y3) parallel with a transversal direction (Y) of the said frame, the said first zone being so arranged that the axis of the said pivot linkage and the eccentric point of the torsion bar are in a substantially horizontal plane relative to the said frame, the said actuator including force reduction means coupled to the said actuation means and able to cause pivoting of the said first zone relative to the said second zone.

5. Active anti-roll device as described in claim 4, characterised by the fact that the said force reduction means include a screw/nut reducer (71), the said actuation means being able to cause rotation of the said screw (70) about a longitudinal direction of the said frame, the said screw being able to drive the said nut (72) in translation along the said longitudinal axis, the said nut and one of the said zones (55) of the actuator being fixed one relative to the other, the said screw being linked to the other of the said zones (56) of the actuator by a pivot linkage (66) of axis (Y2) parallel with a transversal direction of the said frame.

6. Active anti-roll device as described in claim 4, characterised by the fact that the said force reduction means include a sector of circle (91) and a worm screw (87), the said actuation means being able to rotate the said worm screw, the said worm screw being able to rotate the said sector of circle about the axis (Y3) of the said pivot linkage, the said sector of circle and the said first zone (80) being fixed one relative to the other.

7. Active anti-roll device as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised by the fact that the said first zone of a said actuator (13c, 13d) is connected to the said second zone of the said actuator by a sliding linkage (106, 124) of slide axis (Z6, Z7) orientated in the said vertical direction (Z), the said actuator including force reduction means coupled to the said actuation means and able to cause translation of so-called vertical direction of the said first zone relative to the said second zone.

8. Active anti-roll device as described in claim 7, characterised by the fact that the said force reduction means include a rack (103) and a pinion (109), the said actuation means being able to rotate the said pinion to drive the said rack in translation along the said slide axis of so-called vertical direction, the said rack and the said first zone (100) being fixed one relative to the other.

9. Anti-roll device as described in claim 7, characterised by the fact that the said force reduction means include a screw/nut reducer (120), the said actuation means being able to rotate the said screw (119) about an axis of so-called vertical direction, the said screw being able to drive the said nut (122) in translation along the said axis of so-called vertical direction, the said nut and the said first zone (110) of the actuator being fixed one relative to the other.

10. Active anti-roll device as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterised by the fact that it includes two actuators (13, 16) connected, on the one hand, to the said frame and, on the other, to two respective eccentric points situated on either side of the centre of the said torsion bar.

11. Active anti-roll device as described in claim 10, characterised by the fact that the said control means are able to transmit two control signals to the said actuators respectively, in such a manner that when a first of the said actuators increases the substantially vertical distance between the said eccentric point which is associated with it and the said frame, a second of the said actuators reduces the substantially vertical distance between the said eccentric point which is associated with it and the said frame.

12. Active anti-roll device as described in claim 10 or 11, characterised by the fact that a first of the said actuators has a more rapid response time than a second of the said actuators.

13. Anti-roll device as described in any one of claims 10 to 12, characterised by the fact that a first of the said actuators has shorter stroke than a second of the said actuators.

14. Anti-roll device as described in any one of claims 1 to 13, characterised by the fact that the actuator-bar linkage (14) of a said actuator permits rotation of the first zone of the said first actuator relative to the said torsion bar about an axis (L) of the said torsion bar.

15. Anti-roll device as described in claim 14, characterised by the fact that the actuator-bar linkage of the said actuator permits rotation of the first zone of the said first actuator relative to the said torsion bar about a longitudinal direction (X) of the said vehicle.

16. Anti-roll device as described in claim 15, characterised by the fact that the actuator-bar linkage of the said actuator permits translation of the said first zone of the said actuator relative to the said torsion bar along the said axis (L).

17. Anti-roll device as described in any one of claims 1 to 16, characterised by the fact that the said second zone of a said actuator is fixed relative to the said frame.

18. Anti-roll device as described in claim 1, characterised by the fact that the said at least one actuator (140) includes two first zones connected to two eccentric points of the said torsion bar (10), situated on either side of the centre of the said torsion bar, by two actuator-bar linkages (14, 17), the said at least one actuator being able to adjust a substantially vertical distance between each of the said eccentric points and the said frame as a function of the said control signal.

19. Anti-roll device as described in claim 18, characterised by the fact that at least one of the said actuator-bar linkages permits translation of the said torsion bar relative to the corresponding said first zone in a transversal direction of the said frame, the said at least one actuator including force reduction means including a screw/nut reducer (144), the said actuation means being able to rotate the said screw (143) about a transversal direction (Y) of the said frame, the said screw being able to drive the said nut (145) in translation in the said transversal direction, the said nut being linked by a pivot linkage (146) of axis (X10) parallel with a longitudinal direction of the said frame to a third zone of the said at least one actuator, the said third zone being linked to the said two first zones in such a manner that, when one of the said first zones performs a displacement relative to the said frame in a direction of displacement, the other of the said first zones performs a displacement relative to the frame in a direction opposite to the direction of displacement.