GB2150090A - Axle support arm - Google Patents

Axle support arm Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2150090A
GB2150090A GB08331054A GB8331054A GB2150090A GB 2150090 A GB2150090 A GB 2150090A GB 08331054 A GB08331054 A GB 08331054A GB 8331054 A GB8331054 A GB 8331054A GB 2150090 A GB2150090 A GB 2150090A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
arm
axle
arms
vehicle
deformation
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB08331054A
Other versions
GB8331054D0 (en
Inventor
Clive Millar
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Ford Motor Co
Original Assignee
Ford Motor Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Ford Motor Co filed Critical Ford Motor Co
Priority to GB08331054A priority Critical patent/GB2150090A/en
Publication of GB8331054D0 publication Critical patent/GB8331054D0/en
Publication of GB2150090A publication Critical patent/GB2150090A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
    • B60G21/00—Interconnection systems for two or more resiliently-suspended wheels, e.g. for stabilising a vehicle body with respect to acceleration, deceleration or centrifugal forces
    • B60G21/02—Interconnection systems for two or more resiliently-suspended wheels, e.g. for stabilising a vehicle body with respect to acceleration, deceleration or centrifugal forces permanently interconnected
    • B60G21/04—Interconnection systems for two or more resiliently-suspended wheels, e.g. for stabilising a vehicle body with respect to acceleration, deceleration or centrifugal forces permanently interconnected mechanically
    • B60G21/05—Interconnection systems for two or more resiliently-suspended wheels, e.g. for stabilising a vehicle body with respect to acceleration, deceleration or centrifugal forces permanently interconnected mechanically between wheels on the same axle but on different sides of the vehicle, i.e. the left and right wheel suspensions being interconnected
    • B60G21/051—Trailing arm twist beam axles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
    • B60G7/00—Pivoted suspension arms; Accessories thereof
    • B60G7/001—Suspension arms, e.g. constructional features
    • 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
    • B60G2206/012—Hollow or tubular elements
    • 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
    • B60G2206/016—Constructional features of suspension elements, e.g. arms, dampers, springs allowing controlled deformation during collision
    • 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
    • B60G2206/10—Constructional features of arms
    • B60G2206/11—Constructional features of arms the arm being a radius or track or torque or steering rod or stabiliser end link
    • 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
    • B60G2206/20—Constructional features of semi-rigid axles, e.g. twist beam type axles
    • 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
    • B60G2206/20—Constructional features of semi-rigid axles, e.g. twist beam type axles
    • B60G2206/203—Constructional features of semi-rigid axles, e.g. twist beam type axles with outwardly bent trailing arms to increase the width of the support or wheelbase
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
    • B60G2800/00—Indexing codes relating to the type of movement or to the condition of the vehicle and to the end result to be achieved by the control action
    • B60G2800/22—Braking, stopping
    • B60G2800/222—Braking, stopping during collision

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Vehicle Body Suspensions (AREA)

Abstract

An axle support arm 10 which extends fore and aft in a vehicle is supported at one end 12 on the vehicle body and supports a wheel spindle 18 at its other end 16. Between the ends, the arm is deformed (at 24) so as to be bendable under an impact acting along its length, as in the event of a crash, but to be rigid under normal operating conditions where the forces acting on the arm are generally at an angle to the length of the arm. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Axle Support Arm This invention relates to a support arm for a vehicle road wheel axle. The support arm is to be arranged fore and aft in the vehicle, and is particularly suitable as part of a twist, or torsion, beam axle structure.
One of the car designer's tasks is to ensure that, in the event of a crash, the car occupants are protected so far as possible against injury. With a conventional twist beam axle, the fore and aft trailing arms on which the wheel spindles are mounted are relatively rigid and in the event of a rear end impact, may be pushed into the passenger compartment with undesirable consequences.
According to the present invention, there is provided a fore and aft support arm for a vehicle road wheel axle, the arm having a first end to be mounted on a vehicle body, a second end for receiving an axle, and a region between the ends adapted to deform under a compressive force acting along the arm which is greater than any such force imposed under normal operating conditions to allow the distance between the ends of the arm to shorten.
The arm is preferably tubular, and the deformable region between the ends may be formed by a deformation of part of the tube wall. The deformation may be produced by squashing the tube from above.
The deformable region is preferably formed in such a way as to avoid reducing the strength of the arm in bending, or in other words, the deformation is not so much as to prevent the arm performing its useful function. The deformable region also reduces the maximum end load which the arms can transmit.
The invention also provides a twist beam axle having a pair of axle support arms as set forth above, and a torsion beam connecting the support arms.
In the event of a crash, the support arms will buckle about the deformable regions, and the straight line distance between the ends of the arms will shorten. This will relieve the first ends of the arms from the longitudinal forces which would otherwise be produced at those ends and which would tend to push the body structure forward in the rear passenger area.
The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a twist beam rear axle incorporating an arm in accordance with the invention, taken on the line I-I from Fig.
2; Figure 2 is a plan view of the axle shown in Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a section through the arm shown in Figs. 1 and 2, taken on the line Ill-Ill from Fig. 1: and Figure 4 shows the arm in a deformed condition such as would occur after a crash.
An arm 10 has a first end 12 which will be mounted on a vehicle body so that it can pivot on the vehicle about the axis of the bushing 14. The arm has a second end 16, and a wheel spindle, shown schematically at 18, will be fixed to this end, for example by welding.
A torsion beam 20 extends between the arm 10 shown and another arm (not shown) which will be mounted on the opposite side of the vehicle. The beam 20 is welded to each arm, and additionally a bracing piece 22 is welded between the beam and each arm. This assembly of arms 10 and beam 20, in this example, forms a rear axle for a vehicle, with the rear wheels mounted on spindles 1 8 and trailing relative to the ends 1 2 of the arms.
The torsion beam will twist when the wheels move up and down to different extents, in a manner which is well known.
Adjacent the first end 1 2 of the arm, the tubular cross section of the arm is deformed at 24 to the shape shown in Fig. 3. This can be done simply by squashing the tube which forms the arm. The degree of squashing must be controlled so that the arm still has sufficient strength to cope with all the loads imposed on it in normal running of the vehicle on which it is fitted. These loads are usually imposed at an angle to the length of the arm, and the deformation 24 will be intended not to weaken the arm in bending in this plane.
In the event of a crash however, when a large external force acts on the rear of the vehicle, there will be a tendency to push the wheels mounted on the spindles 1 8 forwards.
This will produce a compressive force acting between the ends of the arms. The arms will thus also be pushed forwards, but because of the deformed portions 24, the arms are weakened in compression and will fold as shown in Fig. 4, so that the distance a between the ends of the arm will shorten (see Figs. 1 and 4) and the full impact from the crash will not be transmitted through the bushings 14 to the vehicle body.
The arm 10 may be weakened in any suitable way, and not only in the way described above. As one alternative example, a part may be cut out of the tubular arms.
1. A fore and aft support arm for a vehicle road wheel axle, the arm having a first end to be mounted on a vehicle body, a second end for receiving an axle, and a region between the ends adapted to deform under a compressive force acting along the arm which is greater than any such force imposed under normal operating conditions, to allow the distance between the ends of the arm to shorten.
2. An arm as claimed in Claim 1 which is tubular, and wherein the deformable region
**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Axle Support Arm This invention relates to a support arm for a vehicle road wheel axle. The support arm is to be arranged fore and aft in the vehicle, and is particularly suitable as part of a twist, or torsion, beam axle structure. One of the car designer's tasks is to ensure that, in the event of a crash, the car occupants are protected so far as possible against injury. With a conventional twist beam axle, the fore and aft trailing arms on which the wheel spindles are mounted are relatively rigid and in the event of a rear end impact, may be pushed into the passenger compartment with undesirable consequences. According to the present invention, there is provided a fore and aft support arm for a vehicle road wheel axle, the arm having a first end to be mounted on a vehicle body, a second end for receiving an axle, and a region between the ends adapted to deform under a compressive force acting along the arm which is greater than any such force imposed under normal operating conditions to allow the distance between the ends of the arm to shorten. The arm is preferably tubular, and the deformable region between the ends may be formed by a deformation of part of the tube wall. The deformation may be produced by squashing the tube from above. The deformable region is preferably formed in such a way as to avoid reducing the strength of the arm in bending, or in other words, the deformation is not so much as to prevent the arm performing its useful function. The deformable region also reduces the maximum end load which the arms can transmit. The invention also provides a twist beam axle having a pair of axle support arms as set forth above, and a torsion beam connecting the support arms. In the event of a crash, the support arms will buckle about the deformable regions, and the straight line distance between the ends of the arms will shorten. This will relieve the first ends of the arms from the longitudinal forces which would otherwise be produced at those ends and which would tend to push the body structure forward in the rear passenger area. The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a twist beam rear axle incorporating an arm in accordance with the invention, taken on the line I-I from Fig. 2; Figure 2 is a plan view of the axle shown in Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a section through the arm shown in Figs. 1 and 2, taken on the line Ill-Ill from Fig. 1: and Figure 4 shows the arm in a deformed condition such as would occur after a crash. An arm 10 has a first end 12 which will be mounted on a vehicle body so that it can pivot on the vehicle about the axis of the bushing 14. The arm has a second end 16, and a wheel spindle, shown schematically at 18, will be fixed to this end, for example by welding. A torsion beam 20 extends between the arm 10 shown and another arm (not shown) which will be mounted on the opposite side of the vehicle. The beam 20 is welded to each arm, and additionally a bracing piece 22 is welded between the beam and each arm. This assembly of arms 10 and beam 20, in this example, forms a rear axle for a vehicle, with the rear wheels mounted on spindles 1 8 and trailing relative to the ends 1 2 of the arms. The torsion beam will twist when the wheels move up and down to different extents, in a manner which is well known. Adjacent the first end 1 2 of the arm, the tubular cross section of the arm is deformed at 24 to the shape shown in Fig. 3. This can be done simply by squashing the tube which forms the arm. The degree of squashing must be controlled so that the arm still has sufficient strength to cope with all the loads imposed on it in normal running of the vehicle on which it is fitted. These loads are usually imposed at an angle to the length of the arm, and the deformation 24 will be intended not to weaken the arm in bending in this plane. In the event of a crash however, when a large external force acts on the rear of the vehicle, there will be a tendency to push the wheels mounted on the spindles 1 8 forwards. This will produce a compressive force acting between the ends of the arms. The arms will thus also be pushed forwards, but because of the deformed portions 24, the arms are weakened in compression and will fold as shown in Fig. 4, so that the distance a between the ends of the arm will shorten (see Figs. 1 and 4) and the full impact from the crash will not be transmitted through the bushings 14 to the vehicle body. The arm 10 may be weakened in any suitable way, and not only in the way described above. As one alternative example, a part may be cut out of the tubular arms. CLAIMS
1. A fore and aft support arm for a vehicle road wheel axle, the arm having a first end to be mounted on a vehicle body, a second end for receiving an axle, and a region between the ends adapted to deform under a compressive force acting along the arm which is greater than any such force imposed under normal operating conditions, to allow the distance between the ends of the arm to shorten.
2. An arm as claimed in Claim 1 which is tubular, and wherein the deformable region between the ends is formed by a deformation of part of the tube wall.
3. An arm as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the deformation may be produced by squashing the tube from above.
4. A twist beam axle having a pair of axle support arms as set forth above, and a torsion beam connecting the support arms.
5. A fore and aft support arm for a vehicle road wheel axle, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
6. A twist beam axle substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
GB08331054A 1983-11-21 1983-11-21 Axle support arm Withdrawn GB2150090A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB08331054A GB2150090A (en) 1983-11-21 1983-11-21 Axle support arm

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB08331054A GB2150090A (en) 1983-11-21 1983-11-21 Axle support arm

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB8331054D0 GB8331054D0 (en) 1983-12-29
GB2150090A true GB2150090A (en) 1985-06-26

Family

ID=10552119

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB08331054A Withdrawn GB2150090A (en) 1983-11-21 1983-11-21 Axle support arm

Country Status (1)

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GB (1) GB2150090A (en)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2220175A (en) * 1988-07-02 1990-01-04 Ford Motor Co Vehicle rear suspension unit
EP0803383A2 (en) * 1996-04-22 1997-10-29 Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Front wheel suspension for small-size motor vehicle
WO1999058354A1 (en) * 1998-05-07 1999-11-18 Lemförder Metallwaren Ag Axle suspension for rigid axles in automobiles
GB2338941A (en) * 1998-06-08 2000-01-12 Brenderup Trailers As A safety tow-bar for trailers used on road vehicles
DE102008061833A1 (en) * 2008-12-11 2010-06-24 Zf Friedrichshafen Ag Wishbone of a motor vehicle
FR3041899A1 (en) * 2015-10-02 2017-04-07 Peugeot Citroen Automobiles Sa REAR VEHICLE REAR TRAIN STROKE WITH MEANS OF ACTION FOR SHORTENING SHOCK

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2034259A (en) * 1978-10-18 1980-06-04 Daimler Benz Ag Independent front-wheel suspension for a vehicle

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2034259A (en) * 1978-10-18 1980-06-04 Daimler Benz Ag Independent front-wheel suspension for a vehicle

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2220175A (en) * 1988-07-02 1990-01-04 Ford Motor Co Vehicle rear suspension unit
EP0803383A2 (en) * 1996-04-22 1997-10-29 Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Front wheel suspension for small-size motor vehicle
EP0803383A3 (en) * 1996-04-22 1998-05-27 Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Front wheel suspension for small-size motor vehicle
US5911426A (en) * 1996-04-22 1999-06-15 Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Front wheel suspension for small size motor vehicle
WO1999058354A1 (en) * 1998-05-07 1999-11-18 Lemförder Metallwaren Ag Axle suspension for rigid axles in automobiles
GB2338941A (en) * 1998-06-08 2000-01-12 Brenderup Trailers As A safety tow-bar for trailers used on road vehicles
GB2338941B (en) * 1998-06-08 2002-02-13 Brenderup Trailers As Safety tow-bar for trailers
DE102008061833A1 (en) * 2008-12-11 2010-06-24 Zf Friedrichshafen Ag Wishbone of a motor vehicle
FR3041899A1 (en) * 2015-10-02 2017-04-07 Peugeot Citroen Automobiles Sa REAR VEHICLE REAR TRAIN STROKE WITH MEANS OF ACTION FOR SHORTENING SHOCK

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB8331054D0 (en) 1983-12-29

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WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)