WHEEL SUSPENSION FOR MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

The disclosure concerns a motor vehicle with at least one rear axle having exclusively longitudinal control arms for wheel suspension. In order to create additional installation space in the region of the rear axle and at the same time improve a cornering stability of the motor vehicle, at least one vehicle component is arranged at least partially between wheel carriers of the rear axle, and at least one sliding body or rolling body is arranged on at least one wheel carrier, via which body this wheel carrier is or may be supported on the vehicle component in the vehicle transverse direction.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle comprising: at least one rear axle having exclusively longitudinal control arms for wheel suspension, wherein at least one vehicle component is arranged at least partially between wheel carriers of the at least one rear axle; and at least one sliding body arranged on at least one of the wheel carriers such that, via the at least one sliding body, the at least one of the wheel carriers is supported on the at least one vehicle component in a vehicle transverse direction.

2. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one sliding body is arranged offset towards a rear relative to a wheel rotational axis running through the wheel carrier in the vehicle transverse direction.

3. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one sliding body is arranged offset towards a ground relative to a wheel rotational axis running through the at least one of the wheel carriers in the vehicle transverse direction.

4. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one sliding body is arranged on a side of one of the wheel carriers facing the vehicle component.

5. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1 further comprising at least one additional sliding body that is arranged spaced apart from the at least one sliding body on a side of one of the wheel carriers facing the vehicle component such that, via the at least one additional sliding bodies, the wheel carrier facing the vehicle component is supported on the vehicle component in the vehicle transverse direction, and a surface of the vehicle component comes into contact with the at least one and additional sliding bodies being curved, wherein contact between the at least one and additional sliding bodies on one side and a surface of another side of the wheel carrier creates a displacement of the at least one and additional sliding bodies along the surface that causes a change in camber and tracking.

6. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle component is a housing of a battery.

7. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein the housing is arranged between side longitudinal members of a chassis.

8. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein at least one portion of the housing that faces the at least one of the wheel carriers is reinforced.

9. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle component is a portion of a luggage compartment floor.

10. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1 further comprising at least a second vehicle component with the at least one vehicle component being arranged at least partially between the wheel carriers and spaced apart from each other in the vehicle transverse direction, wherein on the at least one component and a second vehicle component, the at least one of the wheel carriers is supported in the vehicle transverse direction.

11. A vehicle suspension comprising: a rear axle having exclusively longitudinal control arms for wheel suspension, wherein a housing, having a reinforced portion and being arranged between side longitudinal chassis members, for a battery is arranged between wheel carriers of the rear axle; and a rolling body is arranged on one of the wheel carriers such that, via the rolling body, the one of the wheel carriers is supported on the battery in a vehicle transverse direction.

12. The vehicle suspension as claimed in claim 11, wherein the rolling body is arranged offset towards a rear relative to a wheel rotational axis running through the one of the wheel carriers in the vehicle transverse direction.

13. The vehicle suspension as claimed in claim 11, wherein the rolling body is arranged offset towards a ground relative to a wheel rotational axis running through the one of the wheel carriers in the vehicle transverse direction.

14. The vehicle suspension as claimed in claim 11 further comprising an additional rolling body that is arranged spaced apart from the rolling body on a wheel carrier side facing the housing such that, via the and additional rolling bodies, the one of the wheel carriers is supported on the housing in the vehicle transverse direction, wherein a surface of the housing contacts the additional rolling bodies, each sliding body being curved such that a displacement of the additional rolling bodies along the surface causes a change in camber and tracking from contact between the additional rolling bodies.

15. The vehicle suspension as claimed in claim 11 further comprising a portion of a luggage compartment of a vehicle floor with the housing being arranged at least partially between the wheel carriers, and spaced apart in the vehicle transverse direction such that, on each of the portion of the luggage compartment and the housing, the one of the wheel carriers is supported in the vehicle transverse direction.

16. A rear axle for a vehicle comprising: exclusively longitudinal control arms for wheel suspension, wherein a housing, having a reinforced portion and being arranged between side longitudinal chassis members, for a battery is arranged between wheel carriers of a suspension; and a sliding body is arranged on one of the wheel carriers such that, via the sliding body, the one of the wheel carriers is supported on the battery in a vehicle transverse direction.

17. The rear axle for a vehicle as claimed in claim 16, wherein the sliding body is arranged offset towards a rear relative to a wheel rotational axis running through the one of the wheel carriers in the vehicle transverse direction.

18. The rear axle for a vehicle as claimed in claim 16, wherein the sliding body is arranged offset towards a ground relative to a wheel rotational axis running through the one of the wheel carriers in the vehicle transverse direction.

19. The rear axle for a vehicle as claimed in claim 16 further comprising an additional sliding body that is arranged spaced apart from the sliding body on a wheel carrier side facing the housing such that, via the additional sliding bodies, the one of the wheel carriers is supported on the housing in the vehicle transverse direction, wherein a surface of the housing contacts the additional sliding bodies, with each sliding body being curved, such that a displacement of the additional sliding bodies along the surface causes a change in camber and tracking from contact between the additional sliding bodies.

20. The rear axle for a vehicle as claimed in claim 16 further comprising a portion of a luggage compartment of a vehicle floor with the housing being arranged at least partially between the wheel carriers, and spaced apart in the vehicle transverse direction such that, on each of the portion of the luggage compartment and the housing, the one of the wheel carriers is supported in the vehicle transverse direction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic top view of a conventional motor vehicle, without action of a lateral load;

[0024] FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic top view of the motor vehicle shown in FIG. 1 under action of a lateral load;

[0025] FIG. 3 a diagrammatic top view of an exemplary embodiment of a motor vehicle according to the disclosure under the action of a lateral load; and

[0026] FIG. 4 a diagrammatic rear view of the motor vehicle shown in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] As required, detailed embodiments of the present disclosure are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the disclosure 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 disclosure.

[0028] In the various figures, the same parts always carry the same reference signs so these are usually only described once.

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic top view from above of a conventional motor vehicle 1 without an action of a lateral load. The motor vehicle 1 has a rear axle 2, of which FIG. 1 shows a single, longitudinal control arm 3, on one end region of the rear axle 2, a wheel carrier 4 is attached, and another end of the rear axle 2 is pivoted on a sprung mass (not shown) of the motor vehicle 1. A wheel 5 is rotatably mounted on the wheel carrier 4. The rear axle 2 has exclusively longitudinal control arms 3 for wheel suspension. A forward travel direction of the motor vehicle 1 is indicated by arrow 6.

[0030] FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic top view from above of the motor vehicle 1 shown in FIG. 1 under the action of a lateral load, or a load occurring in the vehicle transverse direction, as indicated by arrow 7. The load action may occur during travel of the motor vehicle 1, for example when the motor vehicle 1 is travelling around a left-hand bend of a road. Action of the load elastically deforms the longitudinal control arm 3. This may cause the motor vehicle 1 to oversteer, which is undesirable.

[0031] FIG. 3 shows a diagrammatic top view from above of an exemplary embodiment of a motor vehicle 8 according to the disclosure under the action of a lateral load, or a load acting in the vehicle transverse direction, as indicated by arrow 7. The motor vehicle 8 has a rear axle 2, of which a single longitudinal control arm 3 is shown in FIG. 3, on one end region of the rear axle 2 a wheel carrier 4 is attached and another end of the rear axle 2 is pivoted on a sprung mass (not shown) of the motor vehicle 8. A wheel 5 is rotatably mounted on the wheel carrier 4. The rear axle 2 has exclusively longitudinal control arms 3 for wheel suspension. The forward travel direction of the motor vehicle 8 is indicated by arrow 6.

[0032] Furthermore, the motor vehicle 8 has a battery 9 in the form of a traction battery arranged in a region of the rear axle 2. A housing 10 of the battery 9 is arranged partially between the wheel carriers 4 of the rear axle 2, wherein FIG. 3 shows only one wheel carrier 4 of the rear axle 2. The housing 10 is arranged between side longitudinal members (not shown) of a chassis (not shown) of the motor vehicle 8. At least one portion of the housing 10 facing the wheel carrier 4 shown is configured so as to be reinforced.

[0033] A rolling body 12 is arranged on a side 11 of each wheel carrier 4 facing the housing 10, on which body a respective wheel carrier 4 is or may be supported on the housing 10 in the vehicle transverse direction, as shown in FIG. 3. The wheel-shaped rolling body 12 is arranged so as to be rotatable on bearing knuckles 13 via radial and/or axial bearings (not shown), wherein these knuckles 13 are fixed to a side 11 of the wheel carrier 4. The rolling body 12 is offset towards a rear relative to a wheel rotational axis 14 running through the wheel carrier 4 in the vehicle transverse direction, in order to be able to achieve a tracking change under the action of the load. Also, the rolling body 12 is offset towards a ground relative to the wheel rotational axis 14 running through the wheel carrier 4 in the vehicle transverse direction, as shown in FIG. 4, in order to be able to achieve a camber change under the action of the load. Alternatively, a sliding body (not shown) may be arranged on the side 11 of the wheel carrier 4, via which body the wheel carrier 4 is or may be supported accordingly on the housing 10 in the vehicle transverse direction.

[0034] By supporting the wheel carrier 4 on the housing 10 via the rolling body 12, and by the lateral load action on the wheel 5 or wheel carrier 4, the longitudinal control arm 3 is deformed elastically (as shown in FIG. 3) or flexed in a direction of the battery 9, whereby the wheel 5 (as shown) is deflected around a vertical axis (not shown). This causes a tracking change or a desired understeer of the motor vehicle 8.

[0035] Alternatively, at least two sliding bodies or rolling bodies 12 may be arranged spaced apart from each other on the side 11 of the wheel carrier 4 facing the housing 10, via which bodies 12 the wheel carrier 4 is or may be supported on the housing 10 in the vehicle transverse direction. Here, a surface of the housing 10 coming into, or standing in, contact with the sliding bodies or rolling bodies 12 may be configured curved, such that contact between the sliding bodies or rolling bodies 12 on one side and the surface on another side, and/or a displacement of the sliding bodies or rolling bodies 12 along the surface, causes a change in camber and/or tracking.

[0036] FIG. 4 shows a diagrammatic rear view of the motor vehicle 8 shown in FIG. 3. It can be seen in particular that the rolling body 12 is arranged offset towards the ground relative to the wheel rotational axis 14 running through the wheel carrier 4 in the vehicle transverse direction. By supporting the wheel carrier 4 on the housing 10 via the rolling body 12, and under the lateral load action on the wheel 5 or wheel carrier 4, the longitudinal control arm 3 is deformed elastically or twisted about its longitudinal axis, whereby the wheel 5 is deflected about a substantially horizontal axis (not shown). This causes a camber change.

[0037] While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the disclosure. 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 disclosure. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the disclosure.