Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Patent
1991-08-16
1993-01-12
Tyson, Karin L.
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
267277, B60G 21055
Patent
active
051784068
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to vehicle suspension systems. More particularly it relates to an anti-roll torsion bar arrangement for a vehicle suspension, wherein the anti-roll torsion bar is able to be torsionally loaded by an actuator so that, with suitable control of the actuator in response to a vehicle operating condition, roll of the vehicle can be reduced.
Examples of vehicle suspensions incorporating anti-roll torsion bar arrangements of the above types are disclosed in GB-2189751A and WO89/04262. One of the problems associated with a conventional passive anti-roll torsion bar, as has been widely used hitherto in vehicle suspensions, is that a torsion bar which is stiff enough to resist vehicle roll when cornering has a disadvantageous effect on the ride of the vehicle when it is not cornering, by restricting the ability of the vehicle suspension at opposite sides of the vehicle to operate independently. By loading the torsion bar in response to a vehicle operating condition, e.g. vehicle lateral acceleration as detected by a suitable sensor, the torsion bar can be made to resist roll when the vehicle corners without requiring the torsion bar to be so stiff as to disadvantageously affect the ride quality of the vehicle when it is not cornering. The actuator may, as disclosed in WO89/04262, load the torsion bar directly by applying a torsional input thereto at one end thereof.
One of the problems associated with such a torsion bar and actuator installation is that, if a torsion bar of low torsional stiffness (so as not to affect vehicle ride when not cornering) is to store sufficient energy effectively to resist vehicle roll during cornering, the actuator which torsionally loads the bar has to put a large torsional input into the bar. This in turn produces a problem in that high stresses in the torsion bar are generated, requiring the bar to be of a high performance, and hence expensive, material.
A further problem associated with such an anti-roll torsion bar installation is that known as "packaging", i.e. accommodating the torsion bar and associated components in the vehicle in a way which is generally convenient, taking account of factors such as the amount of space occupied by such components. At the same time, of course, there should be no disadvantage caused to the performance of the torsion bar arrangement.
Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide an anti-roll torsion bar arrangement which overcomes or reduces at least one of the above mentioned problems, namely that of the required properties of the torsion bar and that of the packaging of the torsion bar arrangement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention we provide an anti-roll torsion bar arrangement for a vehicle suspension system, comprising a torsion bar adapted to extend transversely of the vehicle; a first arm fast with one end of the torsion bar to extend transversely of the torsion bar therefrom, the arm being adapted for connection to a movable suspension part of the vehicle at the adjacent side thereof; a second arm at the other end of the torsion bar to extend transversely of the torsion bar therefrom, the second arm being adapted for connection to a suspension part of the vehicle at the adjacent side thereof; an actuator operable to effect angular movement between said second arm and said other end of the torsion bar, about the torsional axis of the torsion bar; a support member for said torsion bar, extending lengthwise thereof and supporting the torsion bar for angular movement about its torsional axis, and mounting means for said support member, said mounting means comprising brackets secured to said support member and spaced from one another lengthwise of the support member, said brackets extending transversely of the support member and being adapted for connection to the vehicle structure for pivotal movement about an axis spaced from said support member and torsion bar.
The manner in which a torsion bar arrangement according to the invention is advant
REFERENCES:
patent: 2256069 (1941-09-01), Wagner
patent: 3197233 (1965-07-01), Van Winsen
patent: 4206935 (1988-06-01), Sheppard et al.
GKN Technology Limited
Tyson Karin L.
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