This application is the U.S. National Stage of International Application No. PCT/EP2014/003246, filed Dec. 4, 2014, which designated the United States and has been published as International Publication No. WO 2015/086133 and which claims the priority of German Patent Application, Serial No. 10 2013 020 563.8, filed Dec. 9, 2013, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d).
The invention relates to an actively adjustable wheel suspension for the wheels of an axle of a motor vehicle.
So-called active systems for calming the body of a motor vehicle are well known. Rotary actuators are normally used for this purpose to rotate a torsion bar. By applying a torque upon the torsion bar, active forces are produced, which can affect the wheel movement or the body motion of the motor vehicle.
A generic actively adjustable wheel suspension for the rear wheels of an axle of a motor vehicle is disclosed in EP 2 389 299. Each wheel of the axle is hereby supported on a subframe via several wheel control elements and is operatively connected via its wheel control elements with an adjustable torsion bar. Associated to each of the torsion bars, oriented in motor vehicle transverse direction, is a rotary actuator—also oriented in motor vehicle transverse direction—, via which the torque can be applied upon the torsion bars, i.e. provision of active forces to counteract e.g. a rolling motion. The two rotary actuators, oriented in motor vehicle transverse direction, are accommodated in a common housing, which is supported with a mounting upon a cross member of the subframe. Since the arrangement of the torsion bars, rotary actuators and the housing requires relatively much installation space, package space in vehicle longitudinal direction and vehicle transverse direction is not utilized in an optimum manner
The invention is based on the object to provide an actively adjustable wheel suspension for the wheels of a motor vehicle, such that a space-saving arrangement for the components necessary for the active wheel suspension is ensured.
This object is achieved by an actively adjustable wheel suspension for the wheels of an axle of a motor vehicle, wherein each wheel is articulated on the body side via a plurality of wheel control elements, and each wheel is operatively connected with a rotary actuator which is supported on the body side and includes a torsion bar, and wherein the two rotary actuators can be activated for active adjustment via a control unit, wherein the rotary actuators and the torsion bars of the rotary actuators are oriented in motor vehicle longitudinal direction, and wherein the rotary actuators include each at least one strut, oriented in motor vehicle transverse direction, for torque support.
The subclaims set forth advantageous refinements of the invention.
in known manner, each wheel of the actively adjustable wheel suspension is articulated via several wheel control elements on the body side, and each wheel of the axle is operatively connected with a rotary actuator which is supported on the body side and includes a torsion bar. Furthermore, provision is made for a control unit, by which the two rotary actuators can be actively activated, i.e. adjusted.
According to the invention, the rotary actuators supported on the body side as well as the torsion bars of the rotary actuators are oriented in motor vehicle longitudinal direction. To provide torque support, the rotary actuators have each at least one strut oriented in motor vehicle transverse direction and secured on the body side by fastening means.
Since in accordance with the invention, only the struts are now oriented in motor vehicle transverse direction for torque support, the active wheel suspension according to the invention is characterized by a particularly space-saving arrangement.
A further advantage is that motor vehicles with a conventional torsion bar stabilizer can be equipped or retrofitted rapidly and cost-effectively in a simple manner with an active chassis because as a result of the arrangement and design of the rotary actuators and torsion bars in accordance with the invention and absence of the conventional torsion bar stabilizer, installation space is freed up which is sufficient for the arrangement of these components.
Preferably, the body-side articulation of the wheel control elements or the body-side mounting/securement of the rotary actuators/struts of the rotary actuators is realized upon a subframe. The subframe has, for this purpose, two longitudinal members oriented in vehicle longitudinal direction, a rear cross member oriented in vehicle transverse direction, and a front cross member oriented in vehicle transverse direction. The front cross member is hereby configured with an open cross-section, by which a stabilizer lane, oriented in motor vehicle transverse direction, is formed. In addition, the control unit is hereby arranged in the stabilizer lane and secured to the front cross member by fastening means. This arrangement has proven advantageous because positioning of the control unit in the stabilizer lane ensures a space-saving arrangement that is protected from external influences.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the strut of a rotary actuator is configured in the shape of a housing, and the control unit is integrated in the housing-shaped strut. This embodiment is characterized by its small number of components and accompanied by a faster and more cost-effective installation.
As an alternative, the strut of a rotary actuator has a fastening portion to which the control unit can be attached. This embodiment has the advantage that a simple installation is ensured.
Preferably, a subframe is again provided for the body-side mounting and includes two longitudinal members oriented in vehicle longitudinal direction, a rear cross member oriented in vehicle transverse direction, and a cross member oriented in vehicle transverse direction. Furthermore, the front cross member has again an open cross section to form a stabilizer lane in motor vehicle transverse direction. The housing-shaped strut of the one rotary actuator and the control unit integrated in the housing-shaped strut, or the strut, having the fastening portion, of the one rotary actuator, and the control unit attached to the fastening portion as well as the strut of the other rotary actuator, are arranged in the stabilizer lane and secured to the front cross member. The positioning of the components housing-shaped strut with integrated control unit and the strut of the other rotary actuator in the stabilizer lane again ensures a protected and space-saving arrangement.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, the two struts are formed as a single-part housing structure, in which the control unit is integrated.
The advantage of this embodiment is that a uniform module is made available that can be mounted quickly instead of a conventional stabilizer.
Preferably hereby is that the single-part housing structure and the rotary actuators are formed as a single-part structural unit. Alternatively, the single-part housing structure and the rotary actuators are constructed in several parts, with the rotary actuators being secured by fastening means on the single-part housing structure.
Advantageously, the fastening means can hereby lie in a plane of symmetry of the rotary actuator or perpendicular thereto. Thus, it is possible to use the left-hand rotary actuator as identical part on the right-hand side, and vice versa.
Preferably, a subframe is again provided for the body-side installation and includes two longitudinal members oriented in vehicle longitudinal direction, a rear cross member oriented in vehicle transverse direction, and a front cross member oriented in vehicle transverse direction. In addition, the front cross member again is formed with an open cross section to form a stabilizer lane oriented in motor vehicle transverse direction. The housing structure accommodating hereby the control unit and the two rotary actuators is disposed in the stabilizer lane and secured to the front cross member. This ensures in an advantageous manner that acting forces and torques are absorbed by the common housing structure, i.e. there is no longer a direct introduction into the subframe. This has the positive effect that slighter forces and torques are transmitted via the fastening points housing structure—subframe, with the result that the subframe can be dimensioned more lightweight.
According to an alternative arrangement, the uniform module, comprised of the single-part housing structure, the rotary actuators supported in the housing structure, and the control unit integrated in the housing structure, is again disposed on a subframe. The subframe includes hereby two longitudinal members oriented in vehicle longitudinal direction and a rear cross member oriented in vehicle transverse direction. The common housing structure is secured, preferably in the form of a transverse strut, to both longitudinal members. The housing structure is hereby dimensioned such that the subframe can be formed in the absence of the front cross member. The arrangement, design, and dimensioning ensures in an advantageous manner that the housing structure additionally assumes the function of a subframe cross member. This ensures a particularly weight-reduced design of the subframe.
Further advantages and applications of the present invention will become apparent from the following description in conjunction with the embodiments illustrated in the drawings.
In the description, in the claims, and in the drawing, the terms used in the below list of reference signs and associated reference signs are used.
In the drawing, it is shown in:
To avoid repetitions, the following description and the figures identify same structures and components by same reference numerals, so long as no further differentiation is necessary or useful.
A rotary actuator 12 with torsion bar 14 is associated to each wheel. The unit of rotary actuator 12 with torsion bar 14 further includes at least one strut 16 for torque support and a lever element 18. The torsion bars 14 respectively interact with the wheel via the lever element 18 so that the rolling motion, body motion, curve slope, pitching motion of the motor vehicle can be influenced through appropriate adjustment of the torsion bars 14. Further illustrated is a control unit 20 via which the rotary actuators 12 can be activated in a targeted manner.
The subframe 22 has two longitudinal members 24 oriented in vehicle longitudinal direction FL, and a rear cross member 26 oriented in vehicle transverse direction FQ as well as a front cross member 28 oriented in vehicle transverse direction FQ.
As is clearly apparent from
As is further apparent from
In the configuration of the components of rotary actuators 12, torsion bars 14, and control unit 20, as shown in
According to
In contrast thereto, the embodiment of the subframe 32, as illustrated in
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2013 020 563 | Dec 2013 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2014/003246 | 12/4/2014 | WO | 00 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2015/086133 | 6/18/2015 | WO | A |
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