The invention relates to an arrangement of a pivotable wheel bearing unit, the wheel bearing unit being attached in relation to the vehicle such that it can be pivoted about a pivot axis in two mutually opposite directions.
The vehicle wheels, which are normally supported by a wheel mounting on a wheel suspension, can have their camber and/or track adjusted by means of an apparatus, as described in DE 35 09 440 C2. For this purpose, a measured value describing the current driving state of the vehicle is determined on the vehicle, even from its wheel. That value is supplied to a control circuit, is converted into actuating signals and is passed on to an actuating drive. The actuating drive actuates an actuating element which, in turn, pivots the wheel in relation to a vertical plane which is perpendicular to the roadway and aligned in the direction of travel. The wheel can be set to have either a negative camber or a positive camber, for example.
It is an object of the invention to provide a wheel bearing unit which can be adjusted by means of such an apparatus, and particularly to provide a suitable attachment of the wheel bearing unit that can be pivoted in relation to the vehicle. The object is to configure the attachment of the wheel bearing unit such that the unit can be employed in existing axle designs of vehicle manufacturers without major changes to the axle design.
This object is achieved by the features described herein. The wheel bearing unit can be pivoted in relation to the vehicle. The bearing unit is attached to a wheel carrier fixed to the vehicle such that the bearing unit can be pivoted about a pivot axis in at least two mutually opposite directions, for example in order to change the camber when the vehicle is at a standstill or is being driven. The pivot axis is spaced at a distance from the mid-axis of the wheel bearing unit, wherein the mid-axis corresponds to the axis of rotation of the vehicle wheel, and the pivot axis extends transversely with respect to the mid-axis. The wheel bearing unit may be pivoted about the pivot axis by an auxiliary power-operated actuating element.
The actuating element is actuated, for example, by a linear or rotationally acting drive. Drives of this type, for example, may be electric motor-operated recirculating ball screws, electric motor-operated racks or hydraulic drives, and they act on the actuating element either directly or through gear mechanisms, for example with force/power multiplication. The actuating element may, for example, be a pressure-thrust rod, which is fixed in an articulated manner to the wheel mounting and is possibly also fixed in an articulated manner to the actuating drive or to the gear mechanism. In this case, the actuating element acts on a joint axis which is imaginary and extends parallel to the pivot axis. The joint axis and the pivot axis lie in a common imaginary pivoting plane and are pivotable about the pivot axis with the wheel mounting. The mid-axis passes through the pivoting plane at a height between the pivot axis and the pivot.
The above described wheel mounting can be pivoted along with the vehicle wheel and relative to the wheel carrier fixed to the vehicle. The wheel mounting is thus supported and fixed to the wheel carrier in an articulated manner such that it can be pivoted about the pivot axis and at one or more attachment points through which the pivot axis passes. Forces on the wheel are passed on to the wheel carrier through this or these attachment point or points. Under certain circumstances, a further support for the wheel is provided at the level of the joint axis, where the actuating element is guided transversely with respect to the standing plane of the wheel.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention which refers to the accompanying drawings.
Further configurations of the invention are explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment.
The wheel bearing unit 1 is supported on a wheel carrier 2. The unit 1 is formed by a hub 3 and an outer body 4 and two rows of cage-guided antifriction elements 5. The hub 3 is rotatably mounted concentrically with respect to the outer body 4 in the outer body 4, which is fixed against rotation in relation to the vehicle. In this case, the hub 3 and the outer body 4 are supported on each other via the antifriction elements.
The outer body 4 is provided with at least one lever 6, which protrudes radially from the mid-axis 1a of the wheel bearing unit 1 and on which a pivot eye 6a is formed. The lever 6, as can be seen in
The wheel carrier 2 is fixed to the vehicle, not illustrated, such that it can be pivoted about a vertical axis L1. The carrier 2 has a journal 2a and a guide 2b. The mid-axis of the journal 2a is the pivot axis 8. The lever 6 is seated on the journal 2a with the eye 6a such that it can be pivoted about the journal 2a. As an alternative, the lever 6 has a corresponding journal, which is accommodated such that it can be pivoted in an eye of the carrier.
An actuating element 9 is guided in the guide 2b such that it can move longitudinally, i.e., to left and right in the Figure or transversely of the vehicle. The actuating element 9 in this case has a joint eye 9a at which it can be pivoted about the joint axis 7a.
The wheel bearing unit 1 is attached to the wheel carrier 2 such that the bearing unit can be pivoted about the pivot axis 8 in two opposite directions marked by the double arrow. If the wheel bearing unit 1 is inclined by the angle α+ outward laterally, the wheel is inclined with positive camber and, if the wheel bearing unit 1 is inclined by the angle α− inward laterally, the wheel is inclined with negative camber. In
The pivot axis 8 is spaced at a distance from the mid-axis 1a of the wheel bearing unit 1 and the axis 8 runs transversely with respect to the mid-axis 1a. The joint axis 7a and the pivot axis 8 run parallel to each other and are in a common pivoting plane E1 which is imaginary. That plane E1 can be pivoted about the pivot axis 8, together with the wheel bearing unit 1. The mid-axis 1a pierces the pivoting plane E1 between the pivot axis 8 and the joint axis 7a. In this case, the pivot axis 8 in the illustrations according to
The pivot axis 8 passes through a projection plane P (in this case the plane of the Figure) which is oriented in the same direction as the mid-axis 1a. The shortest distance H1 from the point of passage P1 of the axis 8 to the mid-axis 1a has a length relationship of at least 2.5:1 with respect to a further shortest distance H2 between a point P2 of the joint axis and the mid-axis 1a. At the point P1, the pivot axis 8 passes through the projection plane P perpendicularly. At the point P2, the joint axis 7a passes through the projection plane P perpendicularly.
The invention is provided on arrangements with wheel bearing units 1 which are both articulated and unarticulated, and on both driven and non-driven wheels.
In the design of the wheel bearing unit 1 described in
It is also conceivable for the hub to have a radial flange or the like, by which the wheel bearing unit is pivotably accommodated on the wheel carrier. In this case, the hub is mounted such that it is fixed against rotation in relation to the vehicle, and the outer body with the wheel is rotatably mounted on the hub.
The hub 3 of the wheel bearing unit 1 has a flange 12, which is provided for the fixing of a brake disk pot 13 with a brake disk 14. Alternatively, a wheel and a brake disk are arranged separately from each other on the wheel bearing unit either one on the hub and one on the outer body or both on the outer body and separately from each other. Since the brake disk 14 is pivoted with the outer body 4, further elements of the disk brake arranged directly on the brake disk can also be pivoted with the outer body 4.
Although the present invention has been described in relation to a particular embodiment thereof, many other variations and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore, that the present invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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103 25 056.5 | Jun 2003 | DE | national |
Number | Date | Country | |
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0256826 A1 | Dec 2004 | US |