SUSPENSION SPRING UNIT FOR A VEHICLE CHASSIS

Abstract

A suspension spring unit can be positioned between a vehicle body and a wheel support. The suspension spring unit may form a constituent part of the vehicle chassis, configured with spring bodies made from a fiber composite material. At least two ring bodies arranged in series may be made from a fiber composite material and may have a respectively closed contour. The two ring bodies may be connected to one another via at least one connecting element.

Claims

1.-10. (canceled)

11. A suspension spring unit for a vehicle chassis, the suspension spring unit being positionable between a vehicle body and a wheel support, the suspension spring unit comprising: spring bodies comprising fiber composite material; at least two ring bodies that are arranged in series and comprise fiber composite material, the at least two ring bodies having a respectively closed contour; and a connecting element that connects the at least two ring bodies.

12. The suspension spring unit of claim 11 wherein the connecting element is one of at least two connecting elements, wherein the at least two connecting elements are arranged diametrically opposite one another on the at least two ring bodies, wherein a spring direction runs through the at least two connecting elements.

13. The suspension spring unit of claim 12 wherein the at least two ring bodies have an oval configuration, wherein the at least two ring bodies have an elongate configuration in a transverse direction that runs transversely with respect to the spring direction.

14. The suspension spring unit of claim 13 wherein the closed contour of the at least two ring bodies comprise two substantially straight main sections that run generally parallel to one another in the transverse direction and two radius sections that connect the main sections.

15. The suspension spring unit of claim 13 wherein the transverse direction is defined by way of the oval configuration, with the transverse direction extending along an elongate axis of the at least two ring bodies.

16. The suspension spring unit of claim 13 wherein a ratio of a length of an axis in the transverse direction to a length of an axis of the at least two ring bodies that runs in the spring direction is between 2:1 to 10:1.

17. The suspension spring unit of claim 11 wherein the fiber composite material comprises fiber layers that run predominantly in a circumferential direction of the at least two ring bodies.

18. The suspension spring unit of claim 11 wherein the connecting element is one of at least two connecting elements, wherein the at least two connecting elements are arranged diametrically opposite one another on the at least two ring bodies, wherein a spring direction runs through the at least two connecting elements, the suspension spring unit further comprising a guide element that guides the at least two ring bodies and prevents buckling of the at least two ring bodies out of the spring direction.

19. The suspension spring unit of claim 11 wherein the at least two ring bodies comprise a circumferential cross section of flat configuration in a manner of a flat belt.

20. The suspension spring unit of claim 19 wherein the connecting element is connected to the circumferential cross section in such a way that the flat belt runs with an unchanged cross-sectional profile through a connecting point to the connecting element.

Description

PREFERRED EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0016] Further measures which improve the invention will be shown in greater detail in the following text together with the description of one preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention using the figures, in which:

[0017] FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic view of a suspension spring unit having spring bodies made from a fiber composite material, and

[0018] FIG. 2 shows the suspension spring unit in a loaded state, with the result that the ring bodies exhibit an elastic deformation.

[0019] FIG. 1 shows a suspension spring unit 1 in a diagrammatic view with perspectively shown ring bodies 10 which are manufactured from a fiber composite material and form spring bodies of the suspension spring unit 1. The suspension spring unit 1 can serve in a way which is not shown in greater detail for a vehicle chassis of a vehicle, and the suspension spring unit 1 can be arranged, for example, between a vehicle body and a wheel support, and thus can form a constituent part of a vehicle chassis.

[0020] By way of example, the suspension spring unit 1 comprises three ring bodies 10 which are connected to one another by way of connecting elements 11. In order to also connect the suspension spring unit 1 to the vehicle body and the wheel support, the upper ring body 10 and the lower ring body 10 in each case comprise further connecting elements 11 on the outer side.

[0021] The connecting elements 11 are arranged on the ring bodies 10 diametrically opposite one another, with the result that a spring direction 12 which runs through the connecting elements 11 is defined. If the suspension spring unit 1 is loaded compressively via the outer connecting elements 11, the ring bodies 10 compress in the spring direction 12, with the result that the length of the suspension spring unit 1 is shortened correspondingly.

[0022] The ring bodies 10 are configured with a closed, constant contour, and the ring bodies 10 comprise a flat belt with a constant circumferential cross section. The ring bodies 10 are manufactured from a fiber composite material and comprise fiber layers 14, as shown by way of example on the upper ring body 10. The fiber layers 14 run in the circumferential direction 15, and the circumferential direction 15 defines the circulating direction of the ring bodies 10. An advantageous load case with regard to the loading of the ring bodies 10 is produced by way of the profile of at least one predominant part of the fiber layers 14 in the circumferential direction 15, since the ring bodies 10 are loaded only transversely with respect to the circumferential direction 15, with the result that the fibers of the fiber layers 14 can correspondingly absorb the loading, and the ring bodies 10 are loaded in the longitudinal direction of the fibers of the fiber layer 14.

[0023] The three ring bodies 10 which are shown by way of example are of geometrically identical configuration, but the ring bodies 10 can also comprise different configurations and can be connected to one another by way of the connecting elements 11. When the suspension spring unit 1 compresses, the spring travels of the individual ring bodies 10 are added to form an overall spring travel, it also not being absolutely necessary for the stiffness of the individual ring bodies 10 to be identical, and it being possible for the ring bodies 10 to comprise different spring rates.

[0024] The exemplary embodiment shows a suspension spring unit 1 having ring bodies 10 of oval configuration, and the ring bodies 10 have a transverse direction 13 which runs transversely with respect to the spring direction 10, shown by way of example on the lower ring body 10. The ring bodies 10 therefore comprise a greater extent which runs in the transverse direction than the height of the ring bodies 10 in the spring direction 12.

[0025] The ring bodies 10 which are shown by way of example are configured as flattened rings, and the closed contour of the ring bodies 10 is formed by way of two substantially straight main sections 10a which run approximately parallel to one another in the transverse direction 13 and in two radius sections 10b which connect the main sections 10a.

[0026] FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic side view of the suspension spring unit 1 according to FIG. 1, the suspension spring unit 1 being loaded via the outer connecting elements 11 with a compressive force, indicated by way of arrows. The compressive force which is applied to the suspension spring unit 1 is equally great in each of the bodies and elements as a result of the series connection in the ring bodies 10 and in the connecting elements 11. As a result of the applied compressive loading, the ring bodies 10 are shown with a deformation, in particular the main sections 10a of the ring bodies 10 comprise a deflection 17 which is configured inward into the ring bodies 10.

[0027] A guide element 16 is shown by way of example on the left-hand side of the ring bodies 10, and the guide element 16 serves to guide the ring bodies 10 via the radius sections 10b which connect the main sections 10a to one another in an arcuate manner in the transverse direction 13. The guide element 16 therefore guides the ring bodies 10 via the radius sections 10b. The guide element 16 is configured in such a way that the radius sections 10b can slide in the guide element 16 in the spring direction 12, with the result that the guide element 16 serves only to guide the ring bodies 10 and does not exert any forces on the latter. In addition, a further guide element 16 can be provided in the same way on the right-hand side so as to lie opposite the guide element 16 which is shown. The guide element 16 is configured as a rail and prevents, in particular, lateral twisting of the individual ring bodies 10.

[0028] By way of the suspension spring unit 1 which is shown in the exemplary embodiment for the present invention, a spring unit is provided which can serve as a vehicle suspension spring and is provided from a fiber composite material with a very low weight. Here, the suspension spring unit 1 can comprise a considerably lower weight than conventional steel springs, but the suspension spring unit 1 can have the same spring characteristic and performance as a corresponding steel spring.

[0029] The implementation of the invention is not restricted to the preferred exemplary embodiment which is specified in the above text. Rather, a number of variants are conceivable which make use of the described solution, even in the case of embodiments of a fundamentally different type. All of the features and/or advantages which proceed from the claims, the description or the drawings, including structural details or spatial arrangements, can be essential to the invention both per se and in the widest variety of combinations.

LIST OF DESIGNATIONS

[0030] 1 Suspension spring unit [0031] 10 Ring body [0032] 10a Main section [0033] 10b Radius section [0034] 11 Connecting element [0035] 12 Spring direction [0036] 13 Transverse direction [0037] 14 Fiber layer [0038] 15 Circumferential direction [0039] 16 Guide element [0040] 17 Deflection