Vehicle Suspension (Variants)

Abstract

A vehicle suspension comprises a frame, a front axle and a rear axle and two L-shaped levers mounted on the frame. The axles are rigid or have independent suspension, or one is rigid and one has independent suspension. Each axle is attached movably to the frame by means of a bearing unit and two reactive tie rods. One end of each of the L-shaped levers is kinematically connected to the corresponding axle while the other ends are interconnected by a connecting tie rod. An increase in the stability of the suspension is achieved.

Claims

1. A vehicle suspension comprising a frame with a front and a rear axles, respectively, attached to the opposite parts thereof, wherein the suspension includes two rigid axles, each being movably attached to the frame by means of a bearing assembly and two reaction rods, and is supplemented by two L-shaped arms mounted on the frame such that one end of each of said arms is kinematically coupled with the corresponding axle, and another ends are interconnected by a connecting rod.

2. The suspension according to claim 1, including a subframe, whereon the rigid axle is installed, and the subframe is connected to the frame through rubber-metal hinges and a spring element with a shock absorber.

3. The suspension according to claim 1, wherein each L-shaped arm is mounted on the subframe and is kinematically coupled with the corresponding axle.

4. The suspension according to claim 1, wherein the connecting rod is made of two parts connected by a linear actuator.

5. A vehicle suspension comprising a frame with a front and a rear axles, respectively, attached to the opposite parts thereof, wherein the suspension comprises two axles with independent suspension, each of the axles being movably attached to the frame by means of a bearing assembly and two reaction rods, and is supplemented by two L-shaped arms mounted on the frame such that one end of each of said arms is kinematically coupled with the corresponding axle, and another ends are interconnected by a connecting rod.

6. The suspension according to claim 5 wherein the connecting rod is made of two parts connected by a linear actuator.

7. A vehicle suspension comprising a frame with a front and a rear axle, respectively, attached to the opposite parts thereof, wherein the suspension comprises an axle with independent suspension movably attached to the frame by means of a bearing assembly or by means of a bearing assembly and two reaction rods and a rigid axle movably attached to the frame by means of a bearing assembly or by means of a bearing assembly and two reaction rods, and is supplemented by two L-shaped arms mounted on the frame such that one end of each of said arms is kinematically coupled with the corresponding axle, and other ends are interconnected by a connecting rod.

8. The suspension according to claim 7, it comprises including a subframe, whereon the rigid axle is installed, and the subframe is connected to the frame through rubber-metal hinges and a spring element with a shock absorber.

9. The suspension according to claim 7, wherein each L-shaped arm is mounted on the subframe and is kinematically coupled with the corresponding axle.

10. The suspension according to claim 7, wherein the connecting rod is made of two parts connected by a linear actuator.

11. The suspension according to claim 8, wherein each L-shaped arm is mounted on the subframe and is kinematically coupled with the corresponding axle.

12. The suspension according to claim 9, wherein the connecting rod is made of two parts connected by a linear actuator.

13. The suspension according to claim 2, wherein each L-shaped arm is mounted on the subframe and is kinematically coupled with the corresponding axle.

14. The suspension according to claim 3, wherein the connecting rod is made of two parts connected by a linear actuator.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The features of the invention believed to be novel and the elements characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The figures are for illustration purposes only and are not drawn to scale. The invention itself, however, both as to organization and method of operation, may best be understood by reference to the detailed description which follows taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0027] The essence of the proposed invention is further explained by schematic drawings, where:

[0028] FIGS. 1, 2 show a general kinematic scheme of the suspension.

[0029] FIGS. 3, 9, 10, 11, 13 show a general view of the suspension.

[0030] FIGS. 4, 5 illustrate the operation of the suspension arms.

[0031] FIG. 6 illustrates the first embodiment of the suspension comprising two rigid axles.

[0032] FIG. 7 illustrates the second embodiment of the suspension comprising two axles with independent suspension.

[0033] FIG. 8 illustrates the third embodiment of the suspension comprising one axle with independent suspension and one rigid axle.

[0034] FIG. 12 shows the inclination of the frame of a vehicle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT(S)

[0035] In describing the embodiment of the present invention, reference will be made herein to FIGS. 1-12 of the drawings in which like numerals refer to like features of the invention.

[0036] Each variant of the proposed vehicle suspension (FIGS. 1, 2) consists of a frame 1, a front axle 2, a rear axle 3, two L-shaped arms 4 mounted on the frame 1, an axle rod 5 and a connecting rod 6. One end of each L-shaped arm is connected to the corresponding axle 2 or 3, and another end are interconnected by a connecting rod 6. The front axle 2 and the rear axle 3 assembled with the wheels 7 are attached to the frame 1 by means of a bearing assembly 8. Linear actuator 9 is mounted on the connecting rod 6. The rigid axle is movably mounted on a subframe 10 and is connected to it by means of the bearing assembly 8 and two reactive rods 11. The subframe 10 is connected to the frame 1 via rubber-metal hinges 12 and a spring element with a shock absorber 13. In case of using the subframe 10, the L-shaped arm 4 is installed thereon. The suspension also comprises acceleration and frame tilt sensors 1, which are connected to the corresponding inputs of the onboard computer provided with the corresponding software product (not shown). The output of the onboard computer is connected to a linear actuator drive 9 (not shown). A vehicle containing a variant of the proposed suspension also includes a steering mechanism and a brake mechanism (not shown). In the variants of the proposed suspension, the methods for coupling transmission with driving wheels 7 are no different from the traditional ones.

[0037] Each variant of the proposed vehicle suspension operates as follows: for proper operation of the suspension, at the assembling stage it is necessary to adjust the length of the connecting rod 6 so that in the initial state the front axle 2, the rear axle 3 and the frame 1 are parallel. Due to gravity the vehicle suspension self-aligns and evenly distributes its weight among four wheels 7, being four points of support (FIGS. 1, 2, 3). When the vehicle is moving and its wheel 7 on one of the axles 2 or 3 runs over an obstacle, the L-shaped arms 4 may turn freely due to rubber-metal hinges 14 (which are shown schematically). When this happens, the position of axles 2 and 3 relative to the frame 1, L-shaped arms 4, and as a result, under the action of gravity, the vehicle suspension self-adjusts and evenly distributes its weight among four wheels 7, while the frame 1 reaches the position of the average plane for four contact points of the wheels 7 (FIGS. 4, 5).

[0038] The suspension overcomes small obstacles due to springing properties of spring elements with shock absorbers 13 and rubber-metal hinges 12 as well as spring elements with shock absorber 15. Axles' 2 and 3 connection using two reactive rods 11 allows a significant reducing of the load on the bearing assembly 8.

[0039] Linear actuator 9 installed on the connecting rod 6 serves to extend the performance of the suspension. When the vehicle is in a horizontal position, the change in the length of the rod 6 compared to the nominal length occurs due to the linear actuator 9 and allows tilting of the vehicle frame 1 to the right or to the left in order to compensate for the slope of the roadway, to pass a turn, or to allow passengers to leave the vehicle. The length of the connecting rod 6 may be changed by the linear actuator 9 according to the signals from the acceleration and tilt sensors input to the onboard computer or manually (FIGS. 12, 13).

[0040] Axles 2 and 3 can be both rigid, and with independent wheels 7 suspension and they may be installed in different combinations: two rigid axles (FIG. 6), two axles with independent suspension (FIGS. 7, 13), or one axle with independent suspension and one rigid axle (FIGS. 8, 9, 10, 11). At the same time, each variant of the suspension operates in the above manner.

[0041] The proposed vehicle suspension may be used in the following products: [0042] baby buggies and motorized wheelchairs; [0043] passenger cars with both conventional internal combustion engines (ICE) and electric motors. The use of the proposed vehicle suspension in a passenger car allows to double the suspension travel without increasing the length of the springs and shock absorbers. Passing the turns with body tilt is easily implemented as well (like in case of a motorcycle); [0044] a golf cart, a dolly, a lunar rover and the like.

[0045] Support on all four wheels 7 (uniform and constant weight distribution) is achieved without the use of spring elements, but only due to the connection of all the wheels 7 with each other and the gravity.

[0046] Suspension is fully operational with four wheels 7 of different diameters.

List of Items in the Drawings

[0047] 1—frame [0048] 2—front axle [0049] 3—rear axle [0050] 4—L-shaped arm [0051] 5—axle rods [0052] 6—connecting rod [0053] 7—wheel [0054] 8—bearing assembly [0055] 9—linear actuator [0056] 10—subframe [0057] 11—reactive rod [0058] 12—rubber-metal hinge [0059] 13—spring element with shock absorber.

[0060] While the present invention has been particularly described, in conjunction with one or more specific embodiments, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims will embrace any such alternatives, modifications and variations as falling within the true scope and spirit of the present invention.