Suspension with non-rotating shock absorber

Abstract

A RevoKnuckle-type suspension for a wheeled vehicle has a hub mounted to a bearing carrier for rotation relative thereto about a steering axis, and a shock absorber connected non-rotatably to the bearing carrier. The shock absorber has an outer cylinder having an axially-extending guide hole defined therein, and a piston and attached piston rod retained for axial reciprocation in the guide hole. The guide hole and at least one of the piston and the piston rod retained therein have respective complementary-shaped, non-circular cross-sectional shapes which engage one another to resist axial rotation of the piston and/or the piston rod within the guide hole. The carrier is therefore restrained against rotation relative to the vehicle sprung structure without the need for any additional component(s) such as a control arm or stabilizer, as required in a traditional RevoKnuckle-type suspension.

Claims

1. A suspension for a wheeled vehicle comprising: a hub bearing for rotatably supporting a wheel and mounted to a bearing carrier for rotation relative thereto about a steering axis; a shock absorber having a cylinder connected non-rotatably to the bearing carrier and having an axially-extending guide hole defined therein, and a piston and attached piston rod retained axially movably in the guide hole, the guide hole and at least one of the piston and the piston rod retained therein having respective complementary-shaped cross-sectional shapes, wherein the piston and/or the piston rod defines at least one guide groove running axially therealong, and at least one guide element projects inwardly from an inner surface of the guide hole and engages the respective at least one guide groove to resist axial rotation of the piston and/or the piston rod within the guide hole; and a top-mount bearing securing the piston rod non-rotatably to vehicle sprung structure.

2. A vehicle suspension comprising: a shock absorber having a cylinder connected non-rotatably to a hub bearing carrier, and a piston and attached piston rod axially movable inside an axial guide hole defined within the cylinder, at least one guide groove defined by and running axially along an interior surface of the guide hole, and at least one guide element projecting outwardly from the at least one of the piston and piston rod to engage the respective at least one guide groove to prevent rotation relative thereto; and a top-mount bearing securing the piston rod non-rotatably to vehicle sprung structure.

3. A suspension for a wheeled vehicle comprising: a shock absorber having a cylinder connected non-rotatably to a carrier on which a hub bearing is mounted for rotation about a steering axis, and a piston and attached piston rod retained axially movably within the cylinder, wherein the piston rod defines at least one guide groove running axially therealong, and at least one guide element projects inwardly from an inner surface of the guide hole and engages the respective at least one guide groove to prevent rotation relative thereto; and a top-mount bearing securing the piston rod non-rotatably to vehicle sprung structure.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment for a disclosed suspension,

(2) FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional representation of a shock absorber of a further exemplary embodiment of a suspension,

(3) FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross-sectional representation of a shock absorber of a further exemplary embodiment of a suspension,

(4) FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross-sectional representation of a shock absorber of a further exemplary embodiment of a suspension,

(5) FIG. 5 shows a schematic cross-sectional representation of a shock absorber of a further exemplary embodiment of a suspension, and

(6) FIG. 6 shows a schematic cross-sectional representation of a shock absorber of a further exemplary embodiment of a suspension.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.

(8) In the different figures, identical parts are always provided with the same reference numbers, which is why they are also usually described only once.

(9) FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment for a suspension 1 according to the invention for a vehicle which is not shown.

(10) The suspension 1 has a hub bearing 2 on which a vehicle wheel, which is not shown, is rotatably mountable about a substantially horizontal rotational axis 3. The hub bearing 2 has a hub flange 4 with wheel screws 5 mounted thereon, onto which wheel nuts which are not shown can be screwed, in order to connect the vehicle wheel to the hub flange 4 in a non-rotational manner. The hub flange 4 is mounted rotatably about the rotational axis 3 on a supporting component 6 of the hub bearing 2.

(11) Furthermore, the suspension 1 has a carrier 7 on which the hub bearing 2 is rotatably mounted about a substantially vertical steering rotational axis 8. For this purpose, the hub bearing 2 is movably connected via an upper articulation 9 and a lower articulation 10 to the carrier 7.

(12) In addition, the suspension 1 has a shock absorber 11 which has a cylinder 12 connected non-rotatably to the carrier 7, a piston 19 retained within in the cylinder 12 for reciprocating axial movement relative thereto, and a piston rod 13 attached to the piston. An axially elastically deformable protective element 14 is arranged on the cylinder 12 to protects the shock absorber 11 from contamination.

(13) The suspension 1 has a top-mount bearing 15 to which an upper end of the piston rod 13 is attached and via which the piston rod 13 can be connected to unsprung structure of the vehicle (not shown). The protective element 14 leads to the top-mount bearing 15.

(14) In addition, the suspension 1 has a spring element 16 in the form of a coil or helical spring which, on the one hand, is supported on the top-mount bearing 15 and, on the other hand, on a spring seat 17 arranged on the cylinder 12.

(15) Between the cylinder 12, on the one hand, and the piston 19 and/or the piston rod 13, on the other, is arranged at least one anti-twist protection with which the cylinder 12 is protected against twisting about its longitudinal center axis 18 relative to the piston 19 or the piston rod 13. In addition, the top-mount bearing 15 is configured in such a manner that the piston rod 13 can be connected to the vehicle body via the top-mount bearing 15.

(16) In order to create the anti-twist protection, an axially-extending guide hole 22 defined by and within the cylinder 12 and in which the piston 19 and/or the piston rod 13 is guided for axial movement relative thereto (during functioning of the shock absorber 11 to dampen jounce and rebound of the bearing carrier 7 and attached components) has a non-circular cross-sectional area, and the piston 19 and/or the piston rod 13 has a correspondingly shaped non-circular cross-sectional area.

(17) FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional representation of a shock absorber 211 of an exemplary embodiment for a suspension according to the invention, wherein a guide hole 22 is defined by the inner guide surface of the cylinder 21 and the piston rod 23 is retained in the guide hole for axially-guided movement relative thereto. The guide hole 22 has a cross-sectional area or shape which is non-circular, and the outer surface of the piston rod 23 has a complementary shaped cross-sectional area or shape. In the depicted embodiment, the cross-sectional area of the guide hole 22 deviates from being entirely circular by having a facet 24 formed as a flattened surface or chord. The cross-sectional shape of the piston rod 23 is likewise configured as primarily (but not entirely) circular, deviating from circular by having a facet 25 formed as a flattened surface or chord which corresponds to the interior surface of the guide hole 22. Otherwise, the suspension 20 may be configured in accordance with the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

(18) FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross-sectional representation of a shock absorber 311 of a further exemplary embodiment for a suspension according to the invention. A guide hole 28 is defined within the cylinder 27 and a piston rod 29 is mounted therein for axial reciprocating movement. The inner surface of the guide hole 28 is oval in cross-sectional shape and the outer surface of the piston rod 29 is correspondingly shaped. The engagement between the respective non-circularly-shaped surfaces of the piston rod 29 and the guide hole 28 therefore resist axial rotation of the piston rod relative to the cylinder 25.

(19) FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross-sectional representation of a shock absorber 411 of a further exemplary embodiment of a suspension 31 according to the invention. A guide hole 33 arranged on the cylinder 32, in which guide hole the piston rod 34 is displaceably guided, has a cross-sectional shape deviating from a circular shape, wherein the piston rod 34 has a correspondingly shaped cross-sectional area. The respective cross-sectional shapes of the guide hole 33 and of the piston rod 34 are polygonal or rectangular in design. In addition, the suspension 31 may be configured in accordance with the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

(20) FIG. 5 shows a schematic cross-sectional representation of a shock absorber 511 of a further exemplary embodiment of a suspension according to the invention. An outer surface 37 of the piston rod 38 has a guide groove 39 formed therein and running axially along the piston rod 38. The guide hole 40 of the cylinder 41 has a guide element 42 which extends or projects radially inward from the inner surface thereof and engages with the guide groove 39. In FIG. 5, the clearance between the guide element 42 and the guide groove 39 is exaggerated for clarity, as will be apparent to a person of skill in the pertinent arts.

(21) FIG. 6 shows a schematic cross-sectional representation of a shock absorber 611 in a further exemplary embodiment of a suspension according to the invention. A guide groove 47 running axially along the guide hole 45 is arranged on the guide hole 45 of the cylinder 46, wherein on an outside 37 of the piston rod 48 a radially outwardly pointing guide element 49 engaging with the guide groove 47 is arranged.

(22) While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.