Land vehicles – Wheeled – Running gear
Patent
1990-12-06
1992-10-20
Tyson, Karin L.
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Running gear
384255, G01B 524, B62D 1700
Patent
active
051564149
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention concerns a system controlling the geometry of a vehicle wheel.
As regards modern vehicles, be they mass-produced or racing cars, the vehicle-wheel geometry is an important factor of roadability and steering. The expression geometry covers the three main characteristics of a wheel suspended from a vehicle, namely turning radius, camber angle and caster angle.
Regarding the wheel camber angle, it will be either zero or very slight on most vehicles and is selected positive or negative. This camber angle is the acute angle subtended between a vertical and the median wheel plane. This angle is defined to be negative when the wheel axis is inside the vertical. Inversely it is positive when the wheel axis moves away from the vertical. The caster angle is the angle subtended by the pivot-axis of a wheel steering pin and the vertical. If the intersection of the pivot axis with the support plane is in front of the center of the contact surface of the tire, the caster is said to be positive. In the opposite case, there is negative caster. In the vehicles of the prior art, the best compromise is sought between the camber and the caster angles. This compromise must lead to minimizing such drawbacks as anomalous tire wear, vehicle instability, driving disagreeability or reaction forces on the steering wheel. As a rule therefore the camber angle is positive for private cars and negative for sports or racing cars.
The object of the present invention is to create a system controlling the geometry of a vehicle wheel, of simple design and increased reliability.
For that purpose the invention proposes a system controlling the geometry of a vehicle wheel comprising a hub-support which shall receive the rotating wheel and which is mounted on the vehicle by means of at least one suspension assembly component which can freely pivot with respect to the vehicle, this system being characterized in that to vary the wheel turning radius, the suspension component is mounted to the vehicle by means of a cam which can be rotated to change the angle subtended between the suspension component and the vehicle.
The invention further proposes a control system for the geometry of a vehicle wheel comprising a hub support mounted to the vehicle by means of two suspension components freely pivoting relative to the vehicle, said control system being characterized in that to vary at least two parameters of the geometry, either separately or in combination, each suspension component is mounted to the vehicle by means of a cam which can be rotated to vary the angle between each suspension component and the vehicle.
Other features and advantages of the present invention are elucidated below in the description and in relation to the attached drawing.
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the suspension assembly of a vehicle equipped with the system of the invention,
FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 however with a slight wheel steering angle,
FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the rear axle zone of a vehicle equipped with systems controlling the turning radius and the camber,
FIGS. 4 and 5 are two diagrammatic views similar to FIGS. 1 and 2 but showing a system of the invention in a second embodiment mode,
FIGS. 6A, 6B and 6C are diagrams of the suspension assembly showing the evolution of the camber angle through first and second angles y and z.
FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C are diagrams of the suspension assembly showing the evolution of the caster angle through first and second angles I and m.
As shown by FIG. 1, the suspension assembly 10, which herein is the rear support assembly of a vehicle of which the frame 12 is partly shown, comprises a wheel 14 with a tire 16. The wheel 14 is mounted in rotating manner on a suspension triangle 18 by means of an omitted hub support. The suspension triangle 18 comprises two arms 20 and 22 of which the free ends 24 and 26 are mounted on the frame 12. The end 24 of the arm 20 is pivotably mounted on a swivel 28 itself mounted on a shaft 30 housed in the vehicle frame 12.
In the invention, the end
REFERENCES:
patent: 996473 (1911-06-01), Estes
patent: 2154569 (1939-04-01), Hicks
patent: 2835521 (1958-05-01), White
patent: 3124370 (1964-03-01), Traugott
patent: 4026578 (1977-05-01), Mattson
patent: 4842295 (1989-06-01), Hawkins
patent: 4973076 (1990-01-01), Fayard
Fayard Jean C.
Timoney Charles
ELF France
Tyson Karin L.
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