ROLL STABILIZER FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

A roll stabilizer for a motor vehicle includes a torsion bar and a vibration damper located on the torsion bar. The vibration damper is configured to vibrate relative to the torsion bar. The vibration damper includes two half-shells formed together about the torsion bar. Damper elements are disposed between the half-shells. The damper elements can be adjusted via an adjustment component to alter the rigidity of the damper elements.

Claims

1.-11. (canceled)

12. A roll stabilizer for a motor vehicle, comprising: a torsion bar comprising two torsion bar parts; an actuator disposed between the torsion bar parts for transferring a torque; a vibration damper for reducing vibrations of the roll stabilizer; and a damper spring disposed between the torsion bar and the vibration damper.

13. The roll stabilizer of claim 12, wherein the vibration damper includes a damper element configured to vibrate with respect to the torsion bar.

14. The roll stabilizer of claim 12, wherein the damper element is configured to vibrate along a vibrational axis of the vibration damper.

15. The roll stabilizer of claim 14, wherein the vibration damper is configured to be oriented in any rotational direction with respect to a longitudinal axis of the roll stabilizer.

16. The roll stabilizer of claim 15, wherein the vibration damper is configured to be oriented such that the vibrational axis coincides with a direction of vibration of the roll stabilizer.

17. The roll stabilizer of claim 12, wherein the vibration damper includes an adjustment component for adjusting a rigidity of the damper spring.

18. The roll stabilizer of claim 13, wherein the adjustment component comprises at least one adjusting screw configured to facilitate varying the clamping force on the damper spring.

19. The roll stabilizer of claim 18, wherein the adjustment component is configured to facilitate adjusting the rigidity of the damper spring to disruptive frequencies of the roll stabilizer that are to be eliminated.

20. The roll stabilizer of claim 12, wherein the damper spring comprises an elastomer having a first side retained on the torsion bar and a second side retained on a damper element.

21. The roll stabilizer of claim 20, wherein the damper element includes two half-shell components that form an annular clamp.

22. The roll stabilizer of claim 21, wherein the first side is clamped between an upper retaining clamp and lower retaining brackets so as to press the first side against the torsion bar.

23. The roll stabilizer of claim 22, wherein the upper retaining clamp and the lower retaining brackets enable orienting the vibration damper in any rotational direction with respect to a longitudinal axis of the torsion bar.

24. The roll stabilizer of claim 22, wherein the second side is clamped between the two half-shell components by way of an adjusting screw.

25. The roll stabilizer of claim 36, wherein the two half-shell components and the adjusting screw comprise an adjustment component whereby rigidity of the elastomer may be adjusted.

26. A vibration damper for reducing vibrations of a roll stabilizer for a motor vehicle, comprising: an upper retaining clamp and one or more lower retaining brackets for attaching to a torsion bar comprising the roll stabilizer; damper elements attached to opposite ends of the upper retaining clamp; an annular clamp for clamping the damper elements; and an adjustment component for varying the rigidity of the damper elements.

27. The vibration damper of claim 26, wherein the annular clamp comprises first and second half-shell components that may be oriented such that a vibrational axis of the vibration damper coincides with a direction of vibration of the roll stabilizer.

28. The vibration damper of claim 26, wherein the adjustment component is configured to facilitate adjusting the rigidity of the damper elements to disruptive frequencies of the roll stabilizer that are to be eliminated.

29. A method for reducing an undesired vibration of a roll stabilizer for a motor vehicle, comprising: fastening an upper retaining clamp and one or more lower retaining brackets to a torsion bar comprising the roll stabilizer; fastening an annular clamp onto damper elements comprising the upper retaining clamp; orienting a vibrational axis to coincide with a direction of the undesired vibration of the roll stabilizer; and adjusting the damper elements to a frequency of the undesired vibration.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein adjusting the damper elements includes adjusting a rigidity of the damper elements.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein orienting the vibrational axis includes orienting the annular clamp in a rotational direction with respect to a longitudinal axis of the torsion bar.

Description

[0020] The invention shall be explained in greater detail below based on an exemplary embodiment illustrated in a total of eight figures. Therein:

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a roll stabilizer according to the invention,

[0022] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a vibration damper for the roll stabilizer according to FIG. 1,

[0023] FIG. 3 shows the vibration damper according to FIG. 2 in a cross section along the line in FIG. 4,

[0024] FIG. 4 shows the vibration damper according to FIG. 2,

[0025] FIG. 5 shows the vibration damper according to FIG. 2 in a cross section along the line V-V in FIG. 4,

[0026] FIG. 6 shows an enlarged section of section VI in FIG. 3,

[0027] FIG. 7 shows the vibration damper from FIG. 2 in an exploded view, and

[0028] FIG. 8 shows details of the vibration damper according to FIG. 2.

[0029] The roll stabilizer illustrated in FIG. 1 has a divided torsion bar 1 comprising torsion bar parts 2, 3 disposed end to end, between which an actuator 4 is functionally disposed. The actuator 4 has an electric motor (not shown) with a gearing, the output shaft of which is connected to one torsion bar part 2 for conjoint rotation therewith, wherein a housing 5 of the actuator 4 is connected to the other torsion bar part 3 for conjoint rotation therewith. A torque can be applied to the torsion bar 1 through actuation of the actuator 4. The torsion bar 1 is supported on a vehicle body (not shown) via two stabilizer bearings 6. Angled torsion bar ends 7, 8 are connected in the known manner to wheel mounts (not shown).

[0030] Both torsion bar parts 2, 3 each have a vibration damper 9, which shall be explained in greater detail below.

[0031] FIG. 2 shows the vibration damper 9 in a perspective view. It has a damper element 10, formed here by two half-shell components 1 1, forming an annular clamp. A damper spring 12 is clamped between two opposing ends of the two components 1 1, formed in the exemplary embodiment by a plate-shaped elastomer component 13. A retention device 14 for clamping the vibration damper 9 to the torsion bar parts 2, 3 is also provided, which shall be described in greater detail below.

[0032] FIG. 3 clearly shows that the two components 11 are screwed together with adjusting screws 15. The clamping of the plate-shaped elastomer component 13 depends on the how tightly the adjusting screws are turned. It can be derived from FIGS. 2 and 3 that the elastomer components 13 bear in a planar manner at their sides on the circumferential ends of the components 11. The axial lengths of the elastomer components 3 correspond in the exemplary embodiment to the lengths of the components 11. A small annulus 20 can be seen in FIG. 3, formed between the damper element 10 and the torsion bar parts 2, 3 (not shown). This annulus 20 allows the damper element 1 0 to vibrate transverse to the torsion bar, with a resilient deformation of the damper spring 12.

[0033] FIGS. 4 and 5 clearly show clamping screws 16 of the retention device 14, which are used to attach the upper retaining clamps 17 to the lower retaining brackets 18. When the clamping screws 16 are tightened, the retaining bracket 18 and the upper retaining clamp 17 are pressed against the torsion rod parts 2, 3 (not shown). As a result, it is possible to secure the vibration damper 9 in an arbitrary rotational orientation on the tube-shaped torsion bar parts 2, 3 with this retention device 14.

[0034] FIG. 6 shows an enlargement of a detail in FIG. 3 showing the attachment of the damper spring 12 at one end to the retention device 14, and at the other end to the damper element 10. The plate-shaped elastomer component 13 is attached by means of adhesive in the exemplary embodiment to a circumferential section of the upper retaining clamp 17 at is longitudinal edge 19. It can be clearly seen here in particular that the plate-shaped elastomer component 13 has an exposed spring section F with a spring length s. This spring section F extends over the entire length of the elastomer component 13. The rest of the elastomer component 13 is clamped at a clamping section E between the two components 11. The retaining clamp 17 is axially long enough in the exemplary embodiment that the elastomer component can be glued to the retaining clamp 17 along the entire length of its longitudinal edge 19.

[0035] FIG. 7 clearly shows the individual parts of the vibration damper 9 in an exploded view. In particular, it can be clearly seen that the plate-shaped elastomer component 13 is disposed axially between angled flaps 21 on the upper retaining clamp 17, provided for receiving screws.

[0036] FIG. 8 clearly shows the plate-shaped elastomer component 13 permanently secured to the upper retaining clamp 17.

[0037] The vibration damper 9 described herein has a preferred direction of vibration transverse to the plate-shaped elastomer component 19, which is deflected in a resilient manner at its exposed spring section F when the damper element 10 vibrates. The length s of the spring is substantially selected to determine the appropriate resonant frequency of the vibration damper 9; the length s of the spring is incorporated to the third power in calculating the resonant frequency. The length s of the spring therefore substantially determines the rigidity of the damper spring 12.

[0038] The two components 11 of the damper element 10 collectively form an adjustment component 22 with the adjusting screws 15, by means of which the rigidity of the damper spring 12 can likewise be adjusted. It has been discovered that the clamping tension applied to the plate-shaped elastomer component 13 has a substantial effect on the rigidity thereof. Accordingly, a precise resonant frequency for the vibration damper 9 can be set by means of the adjusting screws 15.

[0039] The type of vibration of the vibration damper can be indicated depending on the installation orientation of the tangential vibration transverse to the torsion bar.

[0040] In one variation, the vibration dampers described herein can also be attached to the angled ends 7, 8 of the torsion bars, or to the housing 5 of the actuator 4.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0041] 1. torsion bar [0042] 2. torsion bar part [0043] 3. torsion bar part [0044] 4. actuator [0045] 5. housing [0046] 6. stabilizer bearing [0047] 7. torsion bar end [0048] 8. torsion bar end [0049] 9. vibration damper [0050] 10. damper element [0051] 11. component [0052] 12. damper spring [0053] 13. plate-shaped elastomer component [0054] 14. retention device [0055] 15. adjusting screw [0056] 16. clamping screw [0057] 17. upper retaining clamp [0058] 18. retaining bracket [0059] 19. longitudinal edge [0060] 20. annulus [0061] 21. flap [0062] 22. adjustment component