Land vehicles – Wheeled – Running gear
Patent
1989-11-20
1992-04-21
Rice, Kenneth R.
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Running gear
280707, 280723, 280714, 137 45, 13762523, B60G 1164
Patent
active
051061201
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates a vehicle suspension system.
It is known that when a vehicle such as an automobile travels around a corner, centrifical forces acting on the vehicle tend to cause body roll which if severe can cause instability. The problem is more pronounced with vehicles which have a relatively high centre of gravity such as trucks or vans.
Some attempts have been made to provide antiroll suspensions to alleviate the effects of centrifugal forces which act on the vehicle body during cornering. One arrangement utilizing an antiroll bar is disclosed in Australian patent application No. 40,435/78. That arrangement includes a strut which includes an hydraulic ram which can be locked so as to have a fixed length in which condition the antiroll bar is effective. The ram can be unlocked so that the strut is variable in length and the effectiveness of the antiroll bar is eliminated.
Other arrangements, such as U.S. Pat. No. 2,849,225, utilize rams to alter the geometry of the suspension when the vehicle is cornering with a view to reducing body roll. The arrangements, generally speaking, suffer from over-complexity.
The object of the present invention is to provide a relatively simple form of antiroll suspension.
According to the present invention there is provided a antiroll suspension for a vehicle comprising a bar which, in use, is mounted transversely on the vehicle for rotation about an axis, first and second arms extending from the bar, third and fourth arms pivotally connected to the first and second arms respectively, the third and fourth arms being coupled to the axles of a pair of wheels of the vehicle, and wherein at least one of the arms includes an extensible ram which on operation thereof to effectively alter the length of said at least one arm, and control means to control extension and retraction of said at least one arm generally in proportion to laterally directed centrifical forces applied to the vehicle, in use.
The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a vehicle turning on a circular path,
FIG. 2 is a front view of the vehicle,
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a vehicle having the vehicle suspension of the invention,
FIG. 4 is a schematic rear view of the suspension,
FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of the suspension,
FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a control system for the suspension,
FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a control valve for the system,
FIG. 8 is a modified form of control system,
FIG. 9 is a modified form of control valve for the system,
FIG. 10 is a schematic view of an antiroll suspension which incorporates a preferred form of pendulum activated valve,
FIG. 11 is a longitudinal cross section through the preferred form of valve,
FIG. 12 is a cross sectional view along the line 12--12,
FIG. 13 shows the valve element rotated in a clockwise direction,
FIG. 14 shows the valve element rotated in a anti clockwise direction,
FIG. 15 is a schematic view of a modified form of the invention system, and
FIG. 16 is a graph showing a typical pressure variation versus angular displacement of the valve element.
FIG. 1 shows a vehicle 2 travelling in a circular path 4 of radius R. The vehicle will be subjected to a centrifugal acceleration which is proportional to V.sup.2 /R where V is velocity of vehicle. The accelaration tends to rotate the vehicle about an axis 6 which is generally horizontal and tangential to the circular path 4, the inner side 8 of the vehicle tending to lift whereas the outer side 10 of the vehicle tending to move closer to the road 3. In accordance with the invention, the vehicle 2 has modified rear and front suspensions 15 and 17 (see FIG. 3) which tends to counteract the body roll. Thus, on cornering, the suspension tends to raise the side of the vehicle on the outside of the turn and this causes a consequential lowering of the vehicle on the inner side of the turn, as will be explained hereinafter.
FIG. 3 diagrammatically illustrates a vehicle chassis 14 to which the rear and front s
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Finlay Tamara L.
Rice Kenneth R.
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