Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
  • B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
  • B62D17/00—Means on vehicles for adjusting camber, castor, or toe-in
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
  • B60G3/00—Resilient suspensions for a single wheel
  • B60G3/02—Resilient suspensions for a single wheel with a single pivoted arm
  • B60G3/04—Resilient suspensions for a single wheel with a single pivoted arm the arm being essentially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle
  • B60G3/06—Resilient suspensions for a single wheel with a single pivoted arm the arm being essentially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle the arm being rigid
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
  • B60G7/00—Pivoted suspension arms; Accessories thereof
  • B60G7/008—Attaching arms to unsprung part of vehicle
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
  • B60G2200/00—Indexing codes relating to suspension types
  • B60G2200/10—Independent suspensions
  • B60G2200/14—Independent suspensions with lateral arms
  • B60G2200/142—Independent suspensions with lateral arms with a single lateral arm, e.g. MacPherson type
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
  • B60G2200/00—Indexing codes relating to suspension types
  • B60G2200/40—Indexing codes relating to the wheels in the suspensions
  • B60G2200/46—Indexing codes relating to the wheels in the suspensions camber angle
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
  • B60G2200/00—Indexing codes relating to suspension types
  • B60G2200/40—Indexing codes relating to the wheels in the suspensions
  • B60G2200/462—Toe-in/out
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
  • B60G2200/00—Indexing codes relating to suspension types
  • B60G2200/40—Indexing codes relating to the wheels in the suspensions
  • B60G2200/462—Toe-in/out
  • B60G2200/4622—Alignment adjustment
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
  • B60G2204/00—Indexing codes related to suspensions per se or to auxiliary parts
  • B60G2204/10—Mounting of suspension elements
  • B60G2204/12—Mounting of springs or dampers
  • B60G2204/129—Damper mount on wheel suspension or knuckle
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
  • B60G2204/00—Indexing codes related to suspensions per se or to auxiliary parts
  • B60G2204/10—Mounting of suspension elements
  • B60G2204/14—Mounting of suspension arms
  • B60G2204/148—Mounting of suspension arms on the unsprung part of the vehicle, e.g. wheel knuckle or rigid axle
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
  • B60G2204/00—Indexing codes related to suspensions per se or to auxiliary parts
  • B60G2204/40—Auxiliary suspension parts; Adjustment of suspensions
  • B60G2204/416—Ball or spherical joints
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
  • B60G2204/00—Indexing codes related to suspensions per se or to auxiliary parts
  • B60G2204/40—Auxiliary suspension parts; Adjustment of suspensions
  • B60G2204/419—Gears
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
  • B60G2204/00—Indexing codes related to suspensions per se or to auxiliary parts
  • B60G2204/40—Auxiliary suspension parts; Adjustment of suspensions
  • B60G2204/42—Joints with cam surfaces
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
  • B60G2204/00—Indexing codes related to suspensions per se or to auxiliary parts
  • B60G2204/62—Adjustable continuously, e.g. during driving
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
  • B60G2206/00—Indexing codes related to the manufacturing of suspensions: constructional features, the materials used, procedures or tools
  • B60G2206/01—Constructional features of suspension elements, e.g. arms, dampers, springs
  • B60G2206/50—Constructional features of wheel supports or knuckles, e.g. steering knuckles, spindle attachments

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an angle setting device for wheeled vehicles such as road vehicles and crosscountry trucks.
• the two steerable forward wheels of the vehicle are each swingable around an upright standing wheel spindle, which is turnable during steering, which spindle carries the wheel shaft around which one of the forward wheels rotates.
• the wheel spindle is in its turn carried by a spring wheel suspension.
• the wheel spindle stands perpendicularly to the road on which the wheels shall run and that the wheel shaft is parallel with the road and in a neutral position for forward movement is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and that the wheel shafts of both sides are aligned with each other and with the linkage for the steering so that the wheels are tangential to the turning circle of each wheel when cornering.
• the steering arrangement of the vehicle is constructed with a number of angle deviations in relation to the normal "angles" at the described theoretical starting point.
• Such angles are the inclination of the wheels, the camber angle, which shall compensate for the change of the wheel inclination which in most spring systems is created when the spring is compressed, the spindle bolt inclination, KPI, which shall compensate for the case that, for construction reasons, the turning axis of the spindle must be located inside the central plane of the wheel, which compensation sometimes is exaggerated to influence certain road properties, the shaft inclination, the caster angle, which is the inclination backwards or forwards of the spindle bolt and provides a force to bring the wheels back for steering straight forward, "toe-in", which is a setting of the wheel shafts so that the wheels in a neutral steering position are directed forwardly - inwardly in relation to each other to compensate for the tendency towards opposite turning which arises through the use of play in the steering mechanism under force influence during movement.
• each wheel stands perpendicular to the road and parallel with the rolling direction of the wheel, which during turning means tangentially to the circle arch of the wheel for its rolling.
• the said angles are therefore intended to compensate for imperfections in the steering mechanisms and also for forces which arise during movement, especially at high speeds.
• the object of the invention is to bring about an angle setting device by means of which a compensating setting of the vehicle wheels can be obtained, which gives an ideal wheel setting for low tyre wear and the best driving properties in all conditions and circumstances, even extreme ones. To achieve this the following is required:
• a controlling member is arranged which steers the angle setting mechanism in such a way that the wheels under the present forces and running circumstances will obtain an optimal angle setting with regard to driving properties and tyre wear.
• Fig. 1 the angle setting mechanism, schematically;
• Fig. 2 the control member, also schematically;
• Fig. 3 an embodiment example of an angle setting mechanism;
• Fig. 4 the mechanism substantially according to Fig. 3 but shown with some details added.
• Fig. 1 the angle setting device denoted with 1 is shown schematically. It consists of the main components an inner bearing 2 by means of which an inner member 3 carrying a bearing called the intermediate bearing 4 for an outer part 5 is turnably journalled along an axis A. The outer part is then journalled in the inner member 2 along an axis B which has an angle a to the axis A.
• the outer part 5 carries in turn an outer bearing 6 for a shaft 9 to a working member 7, the position of which is indicated with an imagined point 8.
• the rotation axis for the working member 7, called C has an angle of ⁇ in relation to the axis B.
• angles ⁇ and ⁇ are shown to be of equal size.
• This embodiment is presupposed also in the following description of the preferred embodiment of the invention.
• the axis C can be arranged to constitute an extension of the axis A.
• the indication point 8 then lies on this axis A-C. It can be said that the bearing 2 is the carrying part of the mechanism and the working member its setting part in different cases.
• the bearing 2 should correspond to the wheel suspension carried by a spring system, whereas the working member is the vehicle wheel.
• Its angle setting corresponds accordingly to the angle setting of the axis C.
• This angle setting can be obtained with every angle within a cone having its tip starting from the crossing between the axes A and B and symmetrically located in relation to the axis A.
• This means that the indication point 8 can be moved to every position of a spherical cap, the central angle of which is equal to 2 ⁇ .
• FIG. 1 This is indicated in Fig. 1 in which the central axis D indicates a turning of the outer part 5 of the bearing 4 by 180° so that the point 8 is displaced outside the central axis A-C of the arrangement.
• the point 8 will describe a circle around its common central axis A-C. This circular line is the largest possible one with the set dimensions and value of the angle ⁇ .
• the point 8 may be made to follow a smaller circle and thus every conceivable circle inside the maximum and down to 0 with the position shown in Fig. 1 by continuous lines can be covered.
• By turning the part 3, also every angle position for the point 8 in every conceivable circle arch can be made.
• the point 8 can, within the maximal circle line by simultaneous turning of the parts 3 and 5 in their bearings, be made to assume every position within said maximal circle.
• the outer part 5 with its central axis C can be made to assume every angle position in relation to the axis A within the imagined cone which is made during rotation of the axis C around the axis A. Every such angle position with corresponding position of the point 8 is accordingly obtained through a certain relation between the turning of the part 3 in the bearing 2 and the turning of the part 5 in the bearing 4, see arrows.
• the track for the movement of point 8 between two positions can be decided by adjustment of the turning relation between the axes A and B and thereby the displacement of the axis C.
• the working part 7 if it is a vehicle wheel, with its axis 9 is to rotate, this will occur in the bearing 6 around the angle-adjustable axis C. If the working part 7 is a driven wheel it must be attached to a driving mechanism for its rotation.
• angle movements for said compensation can be made by deviation from the synchronism between the turning in the axes A and B, which shall be explained below.
• the working member 7 can be said to correspond to the steerable wheel itself.
• a bearing which is indicated at 6, a braking arrangement and, in the case of front wheel driven cars, a driving arrangement are required.
• the latter shall allow for angle movement of the central axis C in relation to the axis A when turning occurs along the axis B within the position D for the axis C.
• This can, as for the known front wheel driven constructions, be brought about by means of a driving joint.
• a control arrangement to bring about the coordinated turnings of the axes A and B is also required.
• This control arrangement 10 shall allow steering by turning the wheels with different turning angles for the inner and outer wheel when cornering for adaptation to the rolling circles of different sizes. Moreover, they shall allow a change of the wheel setting angles for a first trimming to a starting position and also later changes for adaptation to different driving conditions.
• the distribution unit 22 is arranged to give the inner and outer wheel different turning angles when cornering. This difference of the turning angles is dependent on the width of the vehicle, which is constant, and the turning angle of the wheels, which represents the steering direction, and its momentary value will therefore have to be recoupled so that different turning angles are obtained. These units and their functions correspond accordingly to what is obtained by a conventional steering arrangement.
• Each pair of control lines can also be influenced by means of angle setting units 24 and 25.
• the turning of the wheels for steering which means displacement in one plane, is obtained with the present steering arrangement by turning the axes A and B synchronously in opposite rotation directions compared to each other.
• the angle setting occurs by means of the turning in the two axes being mutually different.
• the dividing unit 22 causes said synchronous turning in the axes A and B (however with a different degree of angle turning for each of the two wheels), whereas the angle setting units 24 and 25 cause differentiated influence of the turning of the axes by means of the control lines.
• the two units 24 and 25 are coordinated with regard to their differentiation effect which, however, does not have to be equal in all situations, by means of a coordination unit 26.
• factors may be measured conditions such as compressed springs of the steered wheels, wherein such factors can be sensed by a sensor unit 28.
• a unit 29 for the starting trimming of the setting angles can be arranged, which setting angles are to be regarded as basic settings.
• a manoeuvre unit 30 may be present which is manually operable by the driver.
• the arrangement shown in fig. 2 allows usual steering by turning the wheels in a plane by means of the steering wheel 23.
• the vehicle may be set for certain starting angles by means of the trimming unit 29 and this can accordingly occur centrally with the unit 29 arranged in an easily accessible place and not, as in a conventional steering arrangement, trimming of each setting member separately.
• Temporarily, retrimming of the starting angles can occur dependent on different conditions such as the loading down of the vehicle, the condition of the road or side winds during measuring of how these conditions influence the contact of the wheels against the road by means of the sensor units 28.
• the driver by means of the operating unit 30 can adapt the wheel setting to special conditions, such as cross-country driving.
• the sensor unit may be excluded and all retrimming, for example adjustment to the loading of the vehicle, can be left to the driver to carry out by means of the unit 30.
• the steering arrangement according to the invention can be provided with servosupport.
• a mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the wheels shall exist so that if the servo effect fails steering may nevertheless be carried out.
• the setting units 1, the control lines 15, 17, 16, 18 and the division unit 22 should accordingly be able to work mechanically in such a way that for servosupport an outer force can be added.
• the steerable wheel 7 is represented only by a tyre profile and it is suspended on its axle spindle 9, which in the bearing 6 is rotatably journalled in the setting device 1, which in its turn is carried by the part 2 here shown as an axle pipe.
• the part 3, which is journalled in the part 2, is here shown as a housing which via the journalling 4, carries the part 5 which also here has the form of a housing.
• This in turn carries the axle spindle 9 which is rotatable in the bearing 6, here shown as a ball bearing.
• the axes A, B and C are marked as well as the fixed angle between the axes A and B and the angle ⁇ between the axes B and C. a and ⁇ are of equal size.
• the axis C for the axle spindle 9 is shown in a set angle position with A and C aligned with each other. The largest deflection to the opposite direction is marked with the axis D.
• Fig. 4 describes the embodiment more technically and with mechanical nomenclature with reference by means of new reference numbers.
• an axle spindle 33 is shown, on which the wheel with braking arrangements can be mounted non-turnable on the axle spindle.
• the axle spindle is supported by a bearing 34 and is by means thereof rotatably journalled in the setting arrangement, here 35, which in its turn is supported by a wheel attachment 36.
• the wheel attachment 36 is resiliently suspended by means of a spring leg 37 and an arm 41. Any other resilient arrangement, for example comprising only slewing brackets, may however be used.
• a driving shaft 38, journalled at 49, is movably arranged on a not shown gear box. from which a corresponding driving shaft to the steerable wheel at the other side of the vehicle extends.
• the driving shaft 38 is united via a driving joint 39 with the axle spindle 33 so that the driving connection can be maintained in different turning positions for the axle spindle.
• the bearing 34 of the axle spindle is carried by an outer housng 40.
• the housing 40 is journalled via bearing 43 in an inner housing 42 which in turn is journalled via bearing 44 in the wheel attachment 36.
• the latter journalling represents the above-mentioned turning axis A and the journalling 43 has such an angle (the angle ⁇ ) that its central axis represents the axis B.
• a gear ring 45 is journalled on a hollow shaft 43 in the housing 42 at 48 with its central axis in the axis A.
• This is in connection with a gear ring 46 which is connected with the bearing housing 40 at a point where the two gear rings which are set at an angle to each other, meet (at the top of fig. 4).
• the housing 42 is also turnable around the axis A when the angled bearing 43 for the gear ring 46 is brought onto the house 40.
• Fig. 4 shows how the coupling to the wheel setting units can be made.
• the housing 42 is provided with an arm
• a second arm 51 is arranged which shall be connected to the second driving line 17/18 for turning the housing 40.
• the embodiment example shown is only one conceivable embodiment.
• the power transmission between the steering wheel and the setting unit can be carried out in a number of different ways. Since the setting units must be movable under spring loading in relation to the steering wheel, corresponding movement possibility in the driving lines is required. Besides by means of the arms 50, 51 shown here, this can occur, for example by means of racks and displaceable, bendable rods, made with the driving lines, as bendable shafts, link systems or as, for instance, hydraulic power transmission.
• the embodiment example is related to steerable vehicle wheels such as the front wheels of passenger cars and lorries. Since the arrangement according to the invention can be constructed for setting of the wheel angles as well as for turning for cornering, this application is presumably the most interesting.
• Vehicles having bogies have increase tyre wear in that the bogie wheels, which are set for rolling in a straight line, in bends will slide sidewards towards the road when the bogie is turned. A possibility for resetting of the wheel angles when turning should eliminate this said disadvantage.
• the inventive idea also includes further applications where a wheel setting arrangement is required on a vehicle, for example in such cases which have been mentioned above.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Transportation (AREA)
• Vehicle Body Suspensions (AREA)
• Arrangement And Driving Of Transmission Devices (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=20404204

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Families Citing this family (23)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 1996
  • 1996-10-11 SE SE9603714A patent/SE507494C2/sv not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1997
  • 1997-10-10 EP EP97945150A patent/EP0929436A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1997-10-10 WO PCT/SE1997/001694 patent/WO1998016418A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1997-10-10 AU AU46420/97A patent/AU4642097A/en not_active Abandoned

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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