SUSPENSION FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

A suspension for a wheel of an axle of a motor vehicle, comprising a wheel support, which is mounted on the vehicle body via a plurality of links and which has a first supporting element and a second supporting element. A vehicle wheel is mounted rotatably on the first supporting element and the first supporting element is rotatable relative to the second supporting element for transmitting a steering torque by a steering actuator arranged on the wheel support. The first supporting element is attached to the vehicle body by an upper wishbone, and the second supporting element is attached to the vehicle body exclusively by a lower wishbone.

Claims

1-9. (canceled)

10. A suspension for a wheel of an axle of a motor vehicle, comprising: a wheel support, which is mounted on the vehicle body via several links, and which has a first supporting element and a second supporting element, wherein a vehicle wheel is mounted rotatably on the first supporting element, wherein the first supporting element is rotatable relative to the second supporting element for transmitting a steering torque by means of a steering actuator arranged on the wheel support, wherein the first supporting element is attached to the vehicle body by an upper wishbone, and the second supporting element is attached to the vehicle body exclusively by means of a lower wishbone.

11. The suspension according to claim 10, wherein the upper wishbone is a link rod.

12. The suspension according to claim 10, wherein the lower wishbone is a trapezoidal link.

13. The suspension according to claim 10, wherein the first supporting element is mounted in a guide bushing of the second supporting element.

14. The suspension according to claim 10, wherein, the second supporting element is mounted in a guide bushing of the first supporting element.

15. The suspension according to claim 10, wherein the second supporting element has a recess for the steering actuator.

16. The suspension according to claim 15, wherein the steering actuator has an electric motor as well as gearing.

17. The suspension according to claim 10, wherein the first supporting element is actively connected to the steering actuator.

18. The suspension according to claim 10, wherein the suspension comprises three assemblies, comprising the two-part wheel support, the upper wishbone, as well as the lower wishbone.

19. The suspension according to claim 11, wherein the lower wishbone is a trapezoidal link.

20. The suspension according to claim 11, wherein the first supporting element is mounted in a guide bushing of the second supporting element.

21. The suspension according to claim 12, wherein the first supporting element is mounted in a guide bushing of the second supporting element.

22. The suspension according to claim 11, wherein the second supporting element has a recess for the steering actuator.

23. The suspension according to claim 12, wherein the second supporting element has a recess for the steering actuator.

24. The suspension according to claim 13, wherein the second supporting element has a recess for the steering actuator.

25. The suspension according to claim 14, wherein the second supporting element has a recess for the steering actuator.

26. The suspension according to claim 11, wherein the first supporting element is actively connected to the steering actuator.

27. The suspension according to claim 12, wherein the first supporting element is actively connected to the steering actuator.

28. The suspension according to claim 13, wherein the first supporting element is actively connected to the steering actuator.

29. The suspension according to claim 14, wherein the first supporting element is actively connected to the steering actuator.

Description

[0022] The following is shown:

[0023] FIG. 1 a lateral top view of the suspension according to the invention;

[0024] FIG. 2 a front view of the wheel support; and

[0025] FIG. 3 a view of the wheel support from below.

[0026] FIGS. 1 to 3 show, in a schematic representation, a suspension, as a whole characterized by the reference numeral 10, for a wheel of a steered axle of a motor vehicle.

[0027] FIG. 1 shows the suspension 10 for a wheel of an axle of a motor vehicle. The suspension 10 comprises a wheel support 11, which is formed in two parts and has a first supporting element 12 as well as a second supporting element 14. A vehicle wheel, which is not shown here, is rotatably mounted on the first, wheel-side supporting element 12. The first supporting element 12 has a wheel bearing 16 as well as connection options 18 for a hub unit.

[0028] An upper wishbone 20, which is formed as a link rod in this case, connects the first supporting element 12 to the body of the vehicle. The link rod 20 is connected to the first supporting element 12 by means of a ball joint 22. Thus, the vehicle wheel can move freely up and down and execute steering movements. The vehicle wheel transmits all of the wheel forces occurring to the link rod 20, which is connected to the vehicle body via a bearing 23.

[0029] The second supporting element 14 has a cylindrical guide bushing 24, in which a guide column, which is not shown here, of the first supporting element 12 is accommodated. In this manner, the first supporting element 12 is rotatably mounted as relates to the second supporting element 14. Alternatively, it is also conceivable that the first supporting element 12 is formed as a guide bushing 24, which accommodates a guide column assigned to the second supporting element 14, wherein the first supporting element 12 can be rotated as relates to the second supporting element 14.

[0030] In this case, the second supporting element 14 has a cup-shaped recess 30 for accommodating a steering actuator 31. The steering actuator 31 is attached directly to the second supporting element 14 of the wheel support 11 in a manner beneficial to the installation space and with a simple design and comprises an electric motor and gearing 32. The electric motor drives the gearing 32 in order to provide the required steering torque. The steering torques provided by the steering actuator 31 are supported on the vehicle body via a trapezoidal link 26.

[0031] The trapezoidal link 26 encompasses the cup-shaped recess 30 of the second supporting element 14. The second supporting element 14 is formed with two bearing pins 28, by means of which the trapezoidal link 26 is connected to the second supporting element 14. The trapezoidal link 26 is connected to the body of the vehicle by means of two joints 33. As clearly shown in FIG. 1, the trapezoidal link 26 is a flat wishbone, which is mounted relatively broadly on the vehicle body. Due to its broad design, it can transfer forces acting horizontally as well as longitudinal forces during acceleration of the motor vehicle in order to enable stable control of the vehicle. At the same time, the trapezoidal link 26 supports the steering torques supplied by the steering actuator 31 on the vehicle body.

[0032] FIG. 2 shows the two-part wheel support 11 from the front. The embodiment of the suspension 10 according to the invention consists of three assemblies, namely the upper link rod 20, the lower trapezoidal link 26, and the two-part wheel support 11, comprising a first supporting element 12 and a second supporting element 14. Thus, the suspension 10 of the axle according to the invention has a simple design with a low number of components and takes up little installation space in an advantageous manner.

[0033] In this case, the guide column 36 of the first supporting element 12 is accommodated in a cylindrical guide bushing 24 of the second supporting element 14. The first supporting element 12 is thereby rotatably mounted in the second supporting element 14. The first supporting element 12 is actively connected to the gearing 32, particularly a planetary gear unit 32, of the steering actuator 31 accommodated in the second supporting element 14. In this manner, the rotation of the first supporting element 12 is enabled by means of the steering actuator 31.

[0034] The wheel support 11 of the axle according to the invention is shown from below in FIG. 3. The trapezoidal link 26 encompasses the recess 30, in which the steering actuator 31, comprising an electric motor and gearing 32, is accommodated in a manner beneficial to installation space. In this case, the gearing 32 is designed as a planetary gear unit 32, which enables compact drive technology with high output in an advantageous manner.

[0035] The steering actuator 31 converts electrical signals of the steering movement into a mechanical movement of the planetary gear unit 32. The planetary gear unit 32 has a planetary gear 34, which is actively connected to the first supporting element 12 of the wheel support 11. In particular, the transfer of force takes place from the planetary gear unit 32 to the first supporting element 12, and thus to the vehicle wheel, via an output shaft 36 arranged on the planetary gear 34. In this case, the guide column 36 of the first supporting element 12 is designed as an output shaft 36 of the planetary gear unit 32. Thus, with the aid of the steering actuator 31, the first supporting element 12 can be rotated as relates to the second supporting element 14, and a desired steering angle of the vehicle wheel can be adjusted.