JPH0880755A - Axle suspension type rear wheel suspension device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide an axle suspension type rear wheel suspension device for a vehicle securing the strength and durability with a simple structure and capable of applying prescribed alignments to wheels without increasing the cost. CONSTITUTION: The fitting face 14 of the axle housing 12 of an axle suspension type rear wheel suspension device 10 is formed thinner than normal, and the center Y of a differential 16 is displaced to the rear side of a vehicle relative to the virtual line L connecting the connection portion centers X of the axle shaft 20 to the right and left wheels 28. The wheels 28 are set to the toe-in state. When the fitting face 14 is merely formed thinner, prescribed alignments (toe and camber) can be applied to the wheels 28, no other special mechanism is required, the structure is simplified, the strength and durability are secured, and the cost is not increased.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an axle suspension type rear wheel suspension system for a vehicle in which left and right wheels are connected by a pair of axle shafts connected via a differential.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Among vehicle suspension systems, the left and right wheels are
The axle suspension type rear wheel suspension system connected by a pair of axle shafts connected via a differential is
It has a simple structure and is inexpensive, and can secure strength and durability, and is mainly used for vehicle models such as trucks.

By the way, as shown in FIG. 5, in the conventional axle suspension type rear wheel suspension system 40, in the usual case, the center Y _{1 of the} differential 42 is the axle shaft 44.
Is provided on an imaginary line L ₁ connecting the centers X ₁ (that is, the center of the bearing 46) connected to the left and right wheels with each other. That is, the axle housing 48
The dimension S ₃ between the mounting surface 50 of the shaft and the center Y _{1 of the} differential 42 is provided so as to match the dimension S ₄ between the mounting surface 50 of the axle housing 48 and the imaginary line L. As a result, the wheel alignment of the wheels 52 (toe and camber) is set to 0 degrees. However, in this type of axle suspension type rear wheel suspension system 40, the tolerance of each component and the axle shaft 44 are supported. The wheel alignment may change during traveling (for example, toe-out) due to factors such as the clearance of the bearing 46 that operates or the rigidity of the axle housing 48. Therefore, in this case, driving stability of the vehicle is deteriorated. Further, while the vehicle is turning, it is preferable to set the wheel alignment to the negative camber because of the bending of the tire or the like.

For this reason, there has been proposed a camber-applying device in which the rear wheels are provided with a predetermined camber angle (Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 3-96205).

[0005]

However, in the camber imparting device having the structure disclosed in the above publication, the rear axle housing itself is formed in a shape corresponding to the camber angle, or at the wheel-side end portion of the rear axle housing. Since the joint mechanism is provided to give a camber angle to the wheels, it is necessary to change the design and production of the axle housing itself every time the camber angle setting is changed, and the joint mechanism is extremely complicated and durable. It is difficult to secure the property and strength, and there is a drawback that the cost becomes high.

In consideration of the above facts, the present invention secures strength and durability with a simple structure and can impart a predetermined alignment to the wheels without increasing the cost. The aim is to obtain a suspension system.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an axle suspension type rear wheel suspension system for a vehicle, wherein the left and right wheels are connected by a pair of axle shafts connected via a differential. The rear wheel suspension device is characterized in that the center of the differential is displaced with respect to an imaginary line connecting the centers of the connecting portions of the pair of axle shafts with the wheels to each other.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an axle suspension type rear wheel suspension system for a vehicle according to the first aspect, wherein the axle shaft is swingable to a side gear which constitutes the differential. It is characterized by being movably connected.

[0009]

In the axle suspension type rear wheel suspension system for a vehicle according to claim 1, the center of the differential, that is, the center of connection between the pair of axle shafts and the differential is
The pair of axle shafts are provided so as to be displaced with respect to an imaginary line connecting the centers of the connecting portions with the wheels. In this case, the structure for shifting can be realized by forming the mounting surface of the differential and the axle housing to be thin by a predetermined amount, or changing the meshing position between the side gear and the axle shaft that form the differential.

As a result, a predetermined alignment (toe and camber) can be imparted to the wheel, and further,
No other special mechanism is required, the structure is simplified, strength and durability are secured, and the cost does not increase.

In the axle suspension type rear wheel suspension system for a vehicle according to a second aspect of the present invention, the axle shaft is swingably connected to the side gear constituting the differential, so that the shift of the differential center is caused by the gear meshing tolerance. It becomes possible to set a large value as it exceeds. Even in this case, the drive force is smoothly transmitted from the differential to the axle shaft.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

In the axle suspension type rear wheel suspension system 10, a differential 16 is fastened and fixed to a mounting surface 14 of an axle housing 12 by bolts and nuts 18. An axle shaft 20 is housed inside the axle housing 12. Axle shaft 20
Has one end supported by the axle housing 12 via a bearing 22, and the wheel 2 with a brake backing plate 24 and an outer retainer 26 interposed.
Connected to eight.

On the other hand, the other end of the axle shaft 20 is
Reaching the inside of the differential 16, side gear 3
It fits in the serrations provided at 0.

Here, in the axle suspension type rear wheel suspension system 10 according to this embodiment, the center of the connecting portion of each axle shaft 20 with the left and right wheels (that is, the center of the bearing 22).
A center Y of the differential 16 is provided so as to be displaced in the vehicle front-rear direction with respect to an imaginary line L connecting X to each other. That is, the mounting surface 14 of the axle housing 12
S between the center and the center Y of the differential 16
₁ is set to be larger than the dimension S ₂ between the mounting surface 14 of the axle housing 12 and the virtual line L. Further, in this case, the central axis of the axle housing 12 is parallel (coincident) with the virtual line L.

The size of each of these parts is set, for example, by
This can be performed by forming the mounting surface 14 of the axle housing 12 to be thinner than a usual case by a predetermined amount (for example, by deleting a predetermined amount).

As a result, the axis line M of the axle shaft 20 is arranged in a state of being inclined rearward of the displacement angle θ with respect to the imaginary line L, and the wheels 28 are in a toe-in state.

In the axle suspension type rear wheel suspension system 10 having the above structure, the mounting surface 14 of the axle housing 12 is simply formed to be thinner by a predetermined amount than in the usual case, so that the center Y of the differential 16, that is, the axle shaft 20. The center of connection with the differential 16 can be displaced from the imaginary line L connecting the center X of the connection portion of the axle shaft 20 with the wheel 28 to each other.
Thereby, a predetermined alignment (toe) can be given to the wheel 28. Further, in this case, the axle suspension type rear wheel suspension system 10 does not need any other special mechanism, has a simple structure, secures strength and durability, and does not increase cost.

In this embodiment, the mounting surface 14 of the axle housing 12 is formed to be thinner by a predetermined amount than usual, so that the center Y of the differential 16 is displaced from the imaginary line L. Although it was configured,
Not limited to this, the mounting surface 14 and the differential 16
It is also possible to set the differential 16 itself (for example, the dimensions and arrangement position of the parts such as the side gear 30) so that the dimension S ₁ between the center Y and the center Y of the differential 16 becomes large. Can be applied to the wheels 28.

Further, in this embodiment, the center Y of the differential 16 is provided so as to be displaced in the vehicle front-rear direction with respect to the imaginary line L so that a predetermined toe angle is given to the wheel 28. However, it is also possible to give a predetermined camber angle to the wheels 28. In this case, the center Y of the differential 16 with respect to the virtual line L
Can be carried out by displacing in the vertical direction of the vehicle. Furthermore, by providing the center Y of the differential 16 with respect to the imaginary line L while displacing both in the vehicle front-rear direction and the vehicle up-down direction, it is possible to impart both the toe angle and the camber angle, which is even more effective.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the axle shaft 20 is connected to the side gear 30 by being fitted and connected to the serrations provided in the side gear 30, but the invention is not limited to this. It may be configured to be swingably connected to 30.

For example, as shown in FIG. 4, a projection 32 is formed on the axle shaft 20 while the side gear 3 is formed.
0 may be provided with a fitting groove 34 corresponding to the convex portion 32, and by fitting the convex portion 32 into the fitting groove 34, the axle shaft 20 may be swingably connected to the side gear 30. In this case, since the axle shaft 20 is swingably connected to the side gear 30, it is possible to set the above-described displacement of the center Y of the differential 16 to a value large enough to exceed the meshing tolerance of the side gear 30 and the like. Become. Even in this case, since the driving force is smoothly transmitted from the differential 16 to the axle shaft 20, the range of the set angle of alignment (the range in which the center Y can be displaced) is expanded, which is more effective.

[0023]

As described above, the vehicle axle suspension type rear wheel suspension system according to claim 1 can impart a predetermined alignment (toe and camber) to the wheels, and further another special mechanism. Is not required, the structure is simplified, strength and durability are secured, and the cost is not increased.

Further, in the axle suspension type rear wheel suspension system for a vehicle according to the second aspect of the present invention, the displacement of the differential center can be set so large as to exceed the meshing tolerance of the gears, and the differential to the axle shaft can be set. It has an excellent effect that the driving force is smoothly transmitted.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway plan view showing a configuration of an axle suspension type rear wheel suspension system for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a partially cutaway plan view of an axle housing of an axle suspension type rear wheel suspension system of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1. FIG.

3 is a partially cutaway plan view of the differential of the axle suspension type rear wheel suspension system of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an axle shaft and side gears of an axle suspension type rear wheel suspension system for a vehicle according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway plan view showing the configuration of a conventional axle suspension type rear wheel suspension system for a vehicle.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Axle suspension type rear wheel suspension system 12 Axle housing 16 Differential 20 Axle shaft 30 Side gear

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An axle-suspended rear wheel suspension system for a vehicle in which left and right wheels are connected by a pair of axle shafts connected via a differential, wherein the centers of connection portions of the pair of axle shafts with the wheels are connected to each other. An axle suspension type rear wheel suspension system for a vehicle, wherein the center of the differential is displaced with respect to an imaginary line. 2. The axle suspension type rear wheel suspension system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the axle shaft is swingably connected to a side gear constituting the differential.