Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Patent
1995-07-31
1997-01-28
Dickson, Paul N.
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
280689, B60G 1118
Patent
active
055971750
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention concerns rear axles of motor vehicles and their suspension devices.
More precisely, it relates to a U- or H-shaped axle, termed semi-rigid axle, of the type comprising two longitudinal suspension arms each carrying a wheel stub axle, connected by a transverse beam which constitutes the transverse branch of the H or U and has an open section the opening of which faces toward the front of the vehicle, this axle being connected to the suspended part of the vehicle by elastic articulations and by struts each comprising a damper and a coil spring disposed concentrically, of which the respective points of attachment to the suspension arms are close to the wheel stub axles.
In its principle, such an axle aims to cause a part of the function of elasticity of the suspension to be performed by a flexible structure comprising the two suspension arms and the open-section transverse beam which is principally subjected to torsional stress. This type of axle affords high rigidity with respect to the transverse and longitudinal forces while remaining relatively flexible in torsion.
An axle is known which has the general shape of a U or H and possesses high rigidity with respect to lateral skid, i.e. with respect to a transverse force exerted on the rear wheels. This axle comprises two tubular suspension arms resisting bending and interconnected by a beam welded at the end, reinforcements being provided in the region of connection between the suspension arms and this beam. The transverse beam is constituted by a section member having an open section while the tubular suspension arms may be made in the form of two semi-shells welded together.
Such an axle has the drawback of being only slightly rigid in the zone of transmission between the suspension arm and the transverse beam, which requires the presence of reinforcing press-formed members on the tubular arms. Further, the manufacture of such arms is of relatively high cost and the arms are a source of problems of corrosion resulting from their welded construction and their tubular shape.
An object of the invention is to propose a rear set of wheels of a vehicle, of the type comprising an H- or U-shaped axle which is of simpler construction and does not have the drawbacks of the known arrangements while being capable of resisting the various mechanical stresses encountered.
For this purpose, a rear set of wheels comprising an axle of the previously-defined type is characterized in that each suspension arm comprises at least one metal plate fixed in its front part to the transverse beam and carrying in its rear part the wheel stub axle and the attachment of the strut, this plate having, in at least a part of its length, a width which increases from a rear part toward a front part, substantially in accordance with a substantially parabolic function.
According to other characteristics:
--each suspension arm comprises a metal plate and a metal lateral flange perpendicular to the plate and extending along the outer edge of the latter, this lateral flange carrying an element for the articulation to the suspended part of the vehicle and the wheel stub axle;
--each suspension arm comprises two substantially parallel metal plates fixed in their front part to the transverse beam and carrying in their rear part the wheel stub axle and the attachment of the wheel strut, a metal lateral flange perpendicular to the plates and extending along the outer edge of the latter, and at least one metal intermediate flange fixed between and perpendicular to the plates and extending throughout the length of these plates, said plates having, in at least a part of their length, a width which varies by increasing from a rear part toward a front part, in accordance with a substantially parabolic function, and said lateral flange and said intermediate flange forming a box structure connected to the transverse beam;
--each suspension arm comprises two metal intermediate flanges fixed between and perpendicular to the plates and extending throughout the length of these plates, these
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patent: 3767224 (1973-10-01), Schneeweiss
patent: 3951225 (1976-04-01), Schwenk
patent: 4165099 (1979-08-01), Wagner et al.
patent: 4232881 (1980-11-01), Kolbel et al.
patent: 4486030 (1984-12-01), Takata et al.
patent: 4625995 (1986-12-01), Aubry et al.
Dickson Paul N.
Sollac
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