Vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle has a body, a flat component arranged under the body, and at least one axle carrier arrangement for two front or two rear wheel suspensions. The axle carrier arrangement includes a left-hand suspension arm bracket for connecting at least one suspension arm of the left-hand wheel suspension, a right-hand suspension arm bracket for connecting at least one suspension arm of the right-hand wheel suspension, and a center suspension arm bracket for connecting at least one suspension arm of the lefthand wheel suspension and at least one suspension arm of the right-hand wheel suspension. The three suspension arm brackets are each mounted on the body and the flat component, wherein the three suspension arm brackets are three separate components that are not directly connected, and wherein at least one of the suspension arm brackets has a bearing for an electric machine that drives the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising: a body; a flat component mounted underneath the body; and at least one axle carrier arrangement for two front or two rear wheel suspensions, the axle carrier arrangement comprising three suspension arm brackets which are: a left-hand suspension arm bracket for attaching at least one suspension arm of a left-hand wheel suspension, a right-hand suspension arm bracket for attaching at least one suspension arm of a right-hand wheel suspension, and a center suspension arm bracket for attaching at least one suspension arm of the left-hand wheel suspension and at least one suspension arm of the right-hand wheel suspension, wherein the three suspension arm brackets are each fastened on the body and on the flat component, wherein the three suspension arm brackets are three separate component parts not connected directly, and wherein at least one of three suspension arm brackets comprises a bearing for an electric machine driving the vehicle.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein all three suspension arm brackets comprise a bearing for the electric machine driving the vehicle.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the three suspension arm brackets is connected to the body rigidly.

4. The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the suspension arm brackets is connected to the flat component rigidly.

5. The vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the flat component is connected in a non-destructive releasable manner to all three suspension arm brackets.

6. The vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the body is connected in a non-destructive releasable manner to all three suspension arm brackets.

7. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the flat component is connected in a non-destructive releasable manner to the body at at least one body attachment point.

8. The vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the flat component is formed as a structural reinforcement so that the axle carrier arrangement is only load-bearing by fixing the three suspension arm brackets on the flat component and on the body.

9. The vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the at least one suspension arm bracket connected to the body rigidly and the at least one suspension arm bracket connected to the flat component rigidly have a screw connection without any elastic bearing.

10. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the flat component is formed as a structural reinforcement so that the axle carrier arrangement is only load-bearing by fixing the three suspension arm brackets on the flat component and on the body.

11. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the flat component is formed as an underbody of the vehicle.

12. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the flat component formed as the underbody is designed as a lower aerodynamic closure of the vehicle.

13. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the flat component has, on each side, a recess for a wheel of the vehicle.

14. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the flat component extends at least over 10% of a perpendicular area projection of the vehicle.

15. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the flat component extends at least over 20% of a perpendicular area projection of the vehicle.

16. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the flat component extends at least over 30% of a perpendicular area projection of the vehicle.

17. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the flat component has a maximum thickness of 150 mm.

18. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the flat component has a maximum thickness of 20 mm.

19. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the flat component comprises a plate element and a reinforcement structure fitted on the plate element and/or integrated in the plate element.

20. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the three suspension arm brackets and/or the flat component is made from pressed composite material or fiber-composite material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a diagrammatically simplified view of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention;

(2) FIG. 2 is a first detail of the vehicle according to the embodiment of the invention;

(3) FIG. 3 is a second detail of the vehicle according to the embodiment of the invention; and

(4) FIG. 4 is a center suspension arm bracket of the vehicle according to the embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(5) FIG. 1 shows a vehicle 1. A body 2, two front wheels 3 and two rear wheels 4 are shown purely diagrammatically and in simplified form. The rear wheels 4 are located on an axle carrier arrangement 5. The vehicle 1 furthermore includes a flat component 6, formed as an underbody. The underbody forms an aerodynamically optimized lower closure of the vehicle 1.

(6) FIG. 2 shows in detail a rear section of the vehicle 1. A left-hand suspension arm bracket 7, a right-hand suspension arm bracket 8 and a center suspension arm bracket 9 can be seen. The three suspension arm brackets 7, 8, 9 form the axle carrier arrangement 5. The three suspension arm brackets 7, 8 9 are individual component parts which are not directly connected to one another. More particularly, the included component parts 7, 8, 9 are made of pressure cast aluminium or fiber-reinforced plastics.

(7) FIG. 2 furthermore shows a left-hand wheel suspension 10 and a right-hand wheel suspension 11. The two wheel suspensions 10, 11 serve to mount the two rear wheels 4 (not shown in FIG. 2).

(8) The left-hand wheel suspension 10 is connected by suspension arms 12 to the left-hand suspension arm bracket 7 and to the center suspension arm bracket 9. The right-hand wheel suspension 11 is connected by suspension arms 12 to the right-hand suspension arm bracket 8 and to the center suspension arm bracket 9.

(9) Furthermore, the two wheel suspensions 10, 11 have further suspension arms 13 which connect the wheel suspensions 10, 11 directly to the body.

(10) FIG. 2 furthermore shows a section of the flat component 6 which is designed as an underbody. The flat component 6 is made up of at least one plate element 14 and one reinforcement structure 15. Both the plate element 14 and also the reinforcement structure 15 extend practically in a horizontal plane. The flat component 6 has only a very small thickness in the plane perpendicular thereto. The flat component 6 can also be designed slightly curved or in complex geometryaccording to the aerodynamic requirements.

(11) Recesses 19 are preferably provided on both sides in the plate element 14. The recesses 19 engage partially round the rear wheels 4. The flat component 6 thereby forms an aerodynamically optimized cover of the vehicle 1 in the lower region.

(12) FIG. 2 furthermore shows an electric machine 17 which is arranged between the three suspension arm brackets 7, 8 , 9. Each of the suspension arm brackets 7, 8, 9 has a bearing 18. The electric machine 17 is fastened at three points by way of these bearings 18.

(13) FIG. 3 shows the same detail as FIG. 2, wherein in FIG. 3 for clarity the electric machine 17 and the two wheel suspensions 10, 11 are omitted. Body attachment points 16 are marked more particularly in FIG. 3. The three suspension arm brackets 7, 8, 9 and the flat component 6, more particularly the reinforcement structure 15, are connected via these body attachment points 16 directly to the body 2.

(14) The body attachment points 16 are formed as screw fittings. These are more particularly rigid screw fittings without rubber bearings.

(15) The axle carrier arrangement 5 according to the invention with the three suspension arm brackets 7, 8, 9 taken by themselves do not represent a fixed supporting structure, since the three suspension arm brackets 7, 8, 9 represent individual component parts. Only the screw connection both with the flat component 6 and with the body 2 results in a supporting structure on which the two wheel suspension 10, 11 can be mounted. This structural concept has no duplications. Only the overall connected unit is in a position to deal with the operating loads which occur. Since a major part of the loads is processed via the flat component 6, which is designed as a shear panel and underbody, the three suspension arm brackets 7, 8, 9 can be designed with a very light construction.

(16) The flat component 6, which is designed as an underbody and shear panel, is rigidly screwed to the rest of the vehicle 1 and thus enables an aerodynamically optimum configuration in order to noticeably reduce the air resistance value of the vehicle 1.

(17) The reduction in the bending parts in the supporting structure helps to minimize the structural space. It is thereby possible, in particular, to arrange the electric machine 17, even with the transmission and differential, between the suspension arm brackets 7, 8, 9.

(18) FIG. 4 shows the center suspension arm bracket 9 in detail. The center suspension arm bracket 9 is screwed to the body 2 via the two body attachment points 16. The center suspension arm bracket 9 is connected to the flat component 6 via two connection points 20. A secondary line 21 runs from each body attachment point 16 to the opposite connection point 20. For a bending-moment-free configuration of the center suspension arm bracket 9 material is provided along the major part of the overall length of the two secondary lines 21. The center suspension arm bracket 9 is for this preferably made in one piece. The center suspension arm bracket 9 is recessed along a secondary line 21 at the bearing 18 for the electric machine 17.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(19) 1 Vehicle 2 Body 3 Front wheels 4 Rear wheels 5 Axle carrier arrangement 6 Flat component, more particularly underbody 7 Left-hand suspension arm bracket 8 Right-hand suspension arm bracket 9 Center suspension arm bracket 10 Left-hand wheel suspension 11 Right-hand wheel suspension 12 Suspension arm 13 Further suspension arm 14 Plate element 15 Reinforcement structure 16 Body attachment points 17 Electric machine 18 Bearing 19 Recesses 20 Connection points 21 Secondary lines

(20) The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.