An axle for a vehicle, wherein the axle includes a transverse axle portion having a longitudinal end. The axle including a first axle portion connecting the transverse portion to a chassis of the vehicle and a second axle portion connecting the transverse portion to a wheel carrier for supporting a vehicle wheel. A vibration damper is arranged in a receiver in one of the axle portions.

An axle assembly includes a first rail assembly, a second rail assembly and an open-section twist beam connected to the first rail assembly and the second rail assembly. The twist beam includes an upper wall, a lower wall and rear wall wherein the upper wall and the lower wall are connected by the rear wall to define an open portion of the twist beam where the upper wall and the lower wall are separated by a vertical distance. The open portion of the twist beam is forward facing. The axle assembly further includes a torsion bar that extends through and is connected within the open portion of the twist beam.

A system for opening and closing a closure of a vehicle, such as a door or a tailgate, is provided. The system includes a motor such as an electric motor which may be coupled to the closure via an output linkage, with the output linkage mechanically coupled to the closure and operable to move the closure between a closed position and an open position. The output linkage may include a driven pulley which may be coupled to the motor. The output linkage may include a driven pulley and a cable. The output linkage may include a leadscrew threadedly engaging a nut. A high-bandwidth MR clutch having a high dynamic response may selectively couple the motor with the closure to provide a haptic or tactile feedback to a user interacting with the closure as it is opened or closed.

The twist axle assembly includes a pair of trailing arms that are spaced apart from one another in a first direction. The twist axle assembly also includes a twist beam, which has an open shaped cross-sectional shape, that extends in the first direction between a pair of opposing end portions. The open cross-sectional shape of the twist beam includes a base and a pair of side walls. The end portions of the twist beam are fixedly attached with the trailing arms. A pair of beam reinforcements are fixedly attached with the trailing arms and with the base of the twist beam. The beam reinforcements are fixedly attached with the twist beam through at least one of fasteners, adhesives, resistance spot welding, cold metal transfer welding, laser welding, and brazing.

An embodiment rear side member of a vehicle includes a front portion extending forward in a vehicle length direction, a rear portion extending rearward in the vehicle length direction and disposed offset to an inside of the vehicle with respect to the front portion, and a transition portion in a curved shape connecting a rear end of the front portion and a front end of the rear portion and passing through both a first point configured to engage with a first arm of a first type suspension and a second point configured to engage with a second arm of a second type suspension different from the first type suspension.

A torsion axle assembly for supporting of a vehicle body on an undercarriage, including an elongated inner member having an inner member longitudinal axis; a torsion arm interconnected with the elongated inner member and the undercarriage; an elongated enclosure interconnected with the vehicle body and having an interior space; and resilient polymeric material residing within the interior space to support the elongated inner member within the interior space, such that the inner member longitudinal axis resides at an unloaded camber angle to an elongated enclosure longitudinal axis when none of the weight of the vehicle body is borne by the torsion axle assembly and at a loaded camber angle when the weight of the vehicle body is borne by the torsion axle assembly, such that the unloaded camber angle is greater than the loaded camber angle. A vehicle having such a torsion axle assembly and a method are disclosed.

The twist axle assembly includes a pair of spaced apart trailing arms and a twist beam of which extends in a first direction between the trailing arms. The twist beam includes a pair of end portions and a middle portion. The twist beam further has a pair of side walls and at least one additional wall that extends between the side walls. The side walls in the middle portion are generally parallel with the side walls of the end portions. The twist beam is generally hour-glass shaped with the middle portion having a first width and the end portions have a greater second width. The twist beam also tapers from the first width of the middle portion to the second widths of the end portions for gradually increasing a torsional stiffness from the middle portion to the end portions.

The invention relates to a method for producing a bent torsional profile comprising the following process steps: a) provision of a plate made of planar sheet metal, b) reshaping of the plate through the introduction of a bent trough oriented in the longitudinal direction of the plate in a central length portion (6) of the plate at a distance from the front edges of the plate, forming legs between the trough and the longitudinal edges of the plate, c) reshaping of the legs in such a manner that an open profile is created, d) reshaping of the legs in such a manner that a hollow profile is produced, wherein a longitudinal gap is formed between the two legs over the entire longitudinal extent thereof and wherein an air gap is created between the legs and the trough in the region of the trough, e) joining of the two legs over the entire longitudinal gap.

The twist axle assembly includes a pair of spaced apart trailing arms and a twist beam which is made of a single piece and is operably connected with the trailing arms. The twist beam has a top wall, a bottom wall and a pair of side walls. The twist beam presents a pair of end portions which are bent to present edges that face towards one another when viewed in cross-section, and the twist beam presents a middle portion which extends between the end portions. The middle portion has an opening with a generally elliptical shape formed into the bottom wall for reducing a torsion stiffness of the middle portion of the twist beam in comparison to the end portions.

An installation structure of an in-wheel motor unit including a motor, a speed reducer, and a housing, for installing the in-wheel motor unit on a carrier of a suspension apparatus such that the housing is sandwiched by and between the carrier and a bearing unit, wherein the bearing unit and the housing are fastened at first fastening positions, and the carrier and the housing are fastened at second fastening positions the number of which is the same as that of the first fastening positions, wherein each first fastening position and the corresponding second fastening position form a pair, so as to provide a plurality of fastening-position pairs, and wherein the first and second fastening positions of each pair are located at the same position or located close to each other when viewed in a wheel axis direction which is a direction in which a rotation axis of a wheel extends.