JPS6322711A - Double-link type suspension device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To increase the degree of freedom for setting the outer end position of an upper arm and make a device compact by connecting a knuckle supporting a wheel and the upper arm with an extension arm and covering a shock absorber with the closed cross section of the extension member. CONSTITUTION:The lower section 3b of a knuckle 3 supporting a wheel 1 is connected to a lower arm 7, and the inner end of the lower arm 7 is connected to a vehicle body 9 via a rubber bush 8. The upper section 3a of the knuckle 3 is pivotally supported by the lower end of an extension member 4, and the upper end of the extension member 4 is pivotally supported by an upper arm 5. In addition, a shock absorber 14b is vertically suspended between the vehicle body 9 and the lower section of the extension member 4. The extension member 4 is formed into a closed cross section shape, thus covering nearly a half of the periphery of the shock absorber 14b and others. Accordingly, a king pin axis 11 is a line passing a joint section between the knuckle 3 and extension member 4 and a joint section between the knuckle 3 and lower arm 7 and is indifferent to the upper arm 5.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] This invention relates to a double link suspension device, and in particular to a shock absorber installed between two suspension arms, upper and lower, and a vehicle body side and a wheel side. The present invention relates to a double wishbone suspension device comprising:

[Conventional technology]

As a conventional double link type suspension device, for example, the one described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-96007 (
There are a first conventional example) and a second conventional example described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 135314/1983. That is, in the suspension device of the first conventional example, the upper part of the knuckle is extended to above the wheel, and the upper arm is interposed between the upper end and the vehicle body, and the lower arm is interposed between the lower part of the knuckle and the vehicle body. The configuration is such that Further, the suspension device of the second conventional example has a structure in which the upper arm is lengthened and the kingpin axis is set regardless of the upper arm.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

By the way, the upper arm of the double link suspension, as well as the lower arm, cannot be made too short and must be kept at a predetermined length in order to suitably set the suspension geometry.

Therefore, when considering the above-mentioned conventional technology, in the case of the first conventional example, the inner end of the upper arm is supported by the vehicle body and the upper end of the knuckle is connected to the outer end, so the upper arm cannot be shortened for the above-mentioned reason. Therefore, the wheel house expands toward the engine room side to correspond to its length.

Further, the shock absorber is arranged inside the knuckle so that the upper part of the knuckle extends above the tire and is parallel to this. For these two reasons, the technique of the first conventional example has a problem in that the width of the wheel house becomes large, and as a result, the width of the engine room is forced to become small. In particular, in the first conventional example,
The upper part of the knuckle and the shock absorber are arranged parallel to each other, but since one knuckle turns with the wheel during steering, there needs to be a sufficient gap between the two so that it does not interfere with the shock absorber when turning. shall be. Therefore, in this conventional example, the width of the wheel house is particularly large. In addition, in the case of this first conventional example, since the knuckles turn together with the wheels during steering,
Since the upper end of the knuckle and the upper arm were connected by a ball joint with a large height dimension, there was also the problem that the height of the wheel house had to be increased accordingly.

In addition, in the second conventional example, since the distance between the upper arm and the lower arm is small, changes in the camber angle and caster angle due to assembly errors of the suspension components are large, and the camber angle and caster angle are There is a problem in that the longitudinal stability is not sufficient because it changes greatly due to vertical swinging.

This invention was made by focusing on the problems of the prior art, and by separating the elements of setting the kingpin axis and setting the camber angle, the degree of freedom in setting the outer end position of the upper arm is increased. The purpose of the present invention is to increase the width of the wheel house, set the wheel alignment appropriately, and reduce the width and height of the wheel house as much as possible, thereby increasing the width of the engine room, etc. inside the wheel house.

[Means for solving problems]

In this invention, the lower part of a knuckle that supports a wheel and the vehicle body side are swingably connected by a lower arm, and an extension member extending upward is rotated about a line passing through the joint between the knuckle and the lower arm. The shock absorber is rotatably connected to the upper part of the knuckle, and an upper arm connects the upper part of the extension member and the vehicle body side, and a shock absorber is installed along the extension member between the vehicle body side and the wheel side. The extension member has an open cross section that opens toward the shock absorber, and is arranged so that the open cross section covers at least a portion of the outer periphery of the shock absorber.

[Effect]

The kingpin axis is set as a line passing through the joint between the knuckle and the extension member and the joint between the knuckle and the lower arm. It was limited to the area between the joints, which is close to the axle. Therefore, interference between the parts, particularly interference between the extension member and the shock absorber, which occurs during steering can be suppressed. In this way, since the extension member does not turn when steered, it is possible to bring it as close to the shock absorber as possible, so the extension member has an open section that opens toward the shock absorber.
This open cross section allows the shock absorber to be placed close to the shock absorber so as to cover at least a portion of its outer periphery. As a result, the space required between the shock absorber and the wheel is extremely small, so the width of the wheel house can be made narrower, and the width of the engine room can be expanded.

In addition, damage to the shock absorber and conle spring due to flying stones can be prevented. Furthermore, the change in camber angle due to the vertical movement of the wheel is determined by both the upper and lower arms, but as mentioned above, the upper arm is independent of the setting of the kingpin axis, so it can be made longer, and it can be made longer by the extension member. Since the distance from the lower arm can be increased, wheel alignment can be suitably set, such as by suppressing changes in the camber angle caused by vertical movement of the wheel.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the invention.

This embodiment is a Wishbone type front suspension device, in which 1 is a wheel, 2 is a brake disc, and 3 is a knuckle. The knuckle 3 rotatably supports the wheel 1, and its lower part 3b is connected to a lower link 7 via a ball joint 6, and the inner end of the lower arm 7 is connected to a bracket on a vehicle body 9 via a rubber bush 8. Ru.

The upper part 3a of the knuckle arm 3 is rotatably coupled to the lower end (of the extension member) of the extension bracket 4, and the upper end of the extension bracket 4 is pivotably coupled to the upper arm 5. That is, the upper part 3a of the knuckle 3 and the extension bracket 4
As particularly shown in FIG. 3, the connecting portion 10 includes a connecting bracket 10a fixed to the lower end of the extension bracket 4, a bolt 10b passing through the connecting bracket 10a and a hole 3c in the upper part 3a of the knuckle 3, and a bolt 10a. The knuckle 3 rotates relative to the lower end of the extension bracket 4. It can be fitted freely on the outside. Therefore, this knuckle arm 3 has a connecting part between the upper part 3a of the knuckle 3 and the extension bracket 4 (two bearings 10d).
.

10d (rotation center axis), and the joint between the lower part 3b of the knuckle 3 and the lower arm 7 (rotation center of the ball joint 6)
The axis passing through the reconnection part (i.e., the kingpin axis 11
) can be rotated around the

The connecting bracket loa, the bolt 10b, the sleeve 10c, the bearing 10d, etc. are bearings that connect the upper part 3a of the knuckle 3 to the extension bracket 4 so as to rotate around the king pin shaft 11, so they do not roll. A sliding bearing may be used instead of the bearing 10d, or other means may be used, such as connecting the knuckle 3 to the extension bracket 4 with the center of rotation aligned with the kingpin shaft 11.

The extension bracket 4 is curved to the outside of the vehicle body so as to bypass the upper part of the wheel 1 as it extends upward, and its upper end is positioned above the wheel 1 and swings to the outer end of the upper arm 5 via a rubber bush 12. movably coupled.

The inner end of the upper arm 5 is swingably connected to a bracket of the vehicle body 9 via a rubber bush 13. The upper arm 5 and the extension bracket 4 can be connected to each other by a rubber bush 12 because the extension bracket 4 moves only by swinging relative to the upper arm 5.

In particular, as shown in FIG. 2.4, the rubber bushings 12 are fitted onto both ends of a shaft 4a that passes through the upper end of the extension bracket 4 on a horizontal plane, and are attached to the upper arm 5.
The tip of the rubber bush 12 forms an outer cylinder of the rubber bush 12, and by twisting the rubber 12a forming the rubber bush 12, the upper arm 5 and the extension bracket 4 swing relative to each other.

Further, between the vehicle body 9 and the lower part of the extension bracket 4, a shock absorber 14b is provided approximately parallel to the extension bracket 4.
is constructed vertically. The shock absorber 14b is connected via a rubber bushing 14d to the lower end of this tube and the inside of the lower end of an extension bracket 4 to which the upper part 3a of the knuckle 3 is rotatably connected, and the upper end of the piston rond protruding from the tube is connected to the vehicle body 9. mount rubber 14a
Connect via. Further, a coil spring 14c is disposed coaxially around the outer periphery of the shock absorber 14.

The extension bracket 4 covers the outside of the tube of the shock absorber 14b and the outside of the lower half of the coil spring 14C. That is, the extension bracket 4 is made of a press-molded plate, and has an open cross section as shown in FIG.
The aforementioned parts such as the shock absorber 14b are bubbled inside, and the extension bracket 4 covers approximately half of the periphery of the shock absorber 14b and the coil spring 14C. The cross-sectional shape of the extension bracket 4 ensures the strength of the extension bracket 4 itself, and also makes it possible to reduce the space between the shock absorber 14b and the wheel 1 by narrowing the space they occupy in the wheel house.

16 is a drive shaft, which is coupled to an axle 18 via a constant velocity joint 17.

A knuckle arm 19 shown in FIG. 2 is integral with the knuckle 3, and is connected to a steering linkage (not shown) so that steering force is transmitted to the knuckle 3. In this embodiment, the driving force is transmitted to the front wheel, which is the axle l, for example, an FF (front engine)
A front suspension of an automobile having a front drive (front drive) or 4WD (four wheel drive) drive type is shown.

In this embodiment, the width direction center line 19 of the wheel 1 and the kingpin shaft 11 intersect above the ground contact surface 20 of the wheel 1, and the intersection of the ground contact surface 20 and the king pin shaft 11 is The king pin shaft 11 is positioned outward from the widthwise center line 19 of the vehicle to form a negative scrub.
The connecting part 10 (specifically, the center line of Porto 10b),
Since this is done by the position of the joint between the knuckle 3 and the lower arm 7 (rotation center of the ball joint 6), the upper arm 5 has no setting for setting the scrub to negative, positive or zero. Not involved. Therefore, the rubber bush 12 connecting the upper arm 5 and the extension bracket 4 is connected to the king pin shaft 1.
In this embodiment, the rubber bushes 12 are arranged above the wheels 1 and moved toward the outside of the vehicle, overlapping them in the width direction of the vehicle, thereby making it possible to obtain an optimal wheel alignment. Upper arm 50 while ensuring the length of 5
The connection point on the vehicle body side is also located near the outside in the width direction of the vehicle. This is one of the reasons why it is possible to narrow the width of the wheel house and expand the width of the engine room, etc. inside the wheel house.

In this way, it is possible to secure the length of the upper arm 5 and reduce the difference in length with the lower arm 7, thereby obtaining optimal wheel alignment, and increasing the vertical distance between the arms 5 and 7. As a result, it is possible to reduce changes in the camber angle and caster angle due to assembly errors of the suspension components, and also to reduce the change in the wheel 1
Changes in the camber angle during vertical movement of the arm 5.7 are less likely to occur, and both arms 5.7
Since the stiffnesses of , increase in proportion to the square of these distances, these stiffnesses increase and the limit performance of camber angle changes improves.

In addition, the vehicle weight is determined by the mount rubber 14a, coil spring 14c, and shock absorber 14b tube.
It is supported by the wheel 1 via the lower part of the extension bracket 4 and the upper part 3a of the knuckle 3, and the vertical movement of the wheel 1 is attenuated by the expansion and contraction of the shock absorber 14b and absorbed by the deflection of the coil spring 14c.

Here, when the wheel 1 moves up and down, the knuckle 3 and the extension bracket 4 move up and down together with this, and the lower arm 7 and the upper arm 5 swing up and down, and accordingly, the shock absorber 14b and Although the coil spring 14c expands and contracts, since both movements are in the vertical direction, no interference occurs between the upper part 3a of the knuckle 3 and the extension bracket 4, and the shock absorber 14b and the coil spring 14c.

Further, when a steering force is applied to the knuckle 3 from a steering linkage (not shown) via the knuckle arm 19, the knuckle 3 rotates about the king pin shaft 11, and the wheel 1 is steered. At this time, what rotates around the king shaft 11 are the knuckle 3, the wheel 1, and the axle 18.
Since it is rotatable around 0b, the extension bracket 4 does not rotate. As a result, only the above-mentioned vertical movement that is integral with the wheel 1 occurs in the extension bracket 4, and the only relative movement with the upper arm 5 is rocking. There is no need to use the rubber bushing 12, and the rubber bushing 12 is sufficient. The height of the rubber bushing 12 is smaller than that of the ball joint (the rubber bushing is approximately 40B smaller than the ball joint and rubber bushing normally used in the arms of double wishbone suspensions), so the height of the wheel house is smaller than the ball joint. can be made smaller.

This also allows the hood of the engine room to be lowered.

Furthermore, since no rotation occurs in the extension bracket 4 during steering, there is no relative movement between the extension bracket 4, the shock absorber 14b, and the coil spring 14c due to steering, so there is no risk of interference between them. . For this reason, the cross-sectional shape of the extension bracket 4 is made open as described above, and the shock absorber 14 is placed inside the extension bracket 4.
The extension bracket 4 covers approximately half of the periphery of the shock absorber 1 (b, etc.), making it possible to extremely narrow the distance between the shock absorber 14b and the axle 1. .Therefore,
Coupled with the increase in the degree of freedom in the arrangement of the upper arm 5, it becomes possible to enlarge the engine room by reducing the width of the wheel house.

In this case, since the tube of the shock absorber 14b and the lower part of the coil spring 14c are covered by the extension bracket 4, the shock absorber 14 may be damaged by flying stones etc.
There is no risk of damaging the spring 146C or the coil spring 146C.

Furthermore, the relative movement force in the longitudinal direction that occurs between the vehicle body and the wheels 1 when the vehicle starts and brakes is input to the upper arm 5 at a midpoint point P on the extension line of the king pin shaft 11. Therefore, this input is at a position closer to the vehicle body than when it is at the tip of the upper arm 5, and therefore, the load on the vehicle body mounting portion of the upper arm 5 due to the input is reduced. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the weight of the vehicle body attachment part and to make the rubber bush 13 smaller and softer. Being able to soften the rubber bushings 13 means that the ability to absorb vibration input from the wheel 1 side increases, and as a result, it is possible to reduce vibrations of the vehicle body and muffled noise caused by the vibrations.

Note that in this embodiment, the shock absorber 14
Since the lower end of b is connected to the upper part 3a of the knuckle 3, and the lower arm 7 does not support the weight of the vehicle, the rigidity of the lower arm 7 and the rubber bush 8 can be reduced, and the drive shaft 16 can be Although the surrounding space can be increased, the lower end of the shock absorber 14b can also be supported by the lower arm 7 in some cases. However, even in this case, it goes without saying that the portion of the shock absorber 14b that is parallel to the extension bracket 4 may be covered with the extension bracket 4 as described above.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, the kingpin shaft can be moved through the joint portion between the knuckle and the extension member rotatably connected thereto, and the rejoining portion between the knuckle and the lower arm. In order to achieve this, the kingpin shaft was made independent of the upper arm, and the members that rotate together with the wheels during steering were limited to the portion between the reconnection portions, which is close to the axle. For this reason,
Interference between members that occurs during steering can be suppressed as much as possible. Also, the change in camber angle due to the vertical movement of the wheel is determined by both the upper and lower arms.
As mentioned above, the upper arm is independent of the setting of the kingpin axis, so it can be made as long as necessary, and the extension member can increase the vertical distance between it and the lower arm, which reduces the camber angle caused by the vertical movement of the wheel. This has the effect that wheel alignment can be suitably set, such as by being able to keep changes small.

Further, since there is no relative movement between the extension member and the shock absorber during steering, it is possible to narrow the space between them, so that the wheel house can be narrowed and the width of the engine room can be expanded. In particular, since the extension member has an open cross section and covers the shock absorber, it is possible to extremely narrow the distance between the shock absorber and the wheel, which significantly increases the width of the engine room. It has the effect of contributing. The extension member also prevents the shock absorber tube and coil spring from being damaged by flying stones or the like.

As shown in FIG. 6, in addition to having both the effects resulting from the first conventional example and the effects resulting from the second conventional example, the present invention has the following advantages: (1) Since the extension member does not rotate during steering, the upper arm and the extension member The joint can be made into a rubber bushing,
The height of the joint can be made smaller than when using a pole joint. Therefore, by lowering the height of the wheel house, it is also possible to lower the hood of the engine compartment.

■The relative movement force in the longitudinal direction that occurs between the vehicle body and the wheels when the vehicle starts or brakes is input on the extension line of the kingpin shaft in the upper arm, so compare this with the case where this human force is at the tip of the upper arm. Therefore, the load on the vehicle body mounting portion of the upper arm due to the input is reduced. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the weight of the vehicle body attachment part and to make the joint smaller and softer. Being able to soften the joint makes it possible to suppress vibration transmission to the vehicle body and reduce muffled noise caused by this.

■Since the upper arm is independent of the setting of the king pin shaft, the upper arm's attachment position to the vehicle body can be moved outward in the vehicle body width direction, and its tip position can be freely set. For this reason as well as the above-mentioned reason, the width of the engine room can be expanded, and the length of the upper arm can be suitably determined in terms of setting the wheel alignment.

It also has its own unique effects.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially spherical front view showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
The figure is a perspective view of Figure 1 excluding the wheels, and Figure 3 is A- of Figure 2.
4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B in FIG. 2, FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C in FIG. 2, and FIG. It is a list shown in comparison with the effects of the second conventional example. 1...wheel, 3...knuckle, 3a...upper part, 3
b...lower part, 4...extension bracket (extension member),
5... Upper arm, 6... Ball joint, 7
...Lower arm, 8, 12.13...Rubber bush, 9...Ic, 10...Connection part, 10b...Bolt, 11...King pin shaft, 14b...Shock absorber, 14C... ...Coil spring, 16...
Drive Shaft Patent Applicant Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Representative Patent Attorney Tetsuya Mori Patent Attorney Naihi Yoshiaki Representative Patent Attorney Tadashi Shimizu Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A lower arm is used to swingably connect the lower part of the knuckle that supports the wheel to the vehicle body, and the extension member that extends upward is rotated about a line that passes through the connection between the knuckle and the lower arm. The upper part of the extension member is freely connected to the upper part of the knuckle, the upper arm of the extension member is connected to the vehicle body side by an upper arm, and a shock absorber is installed between the vehicle body side and the wheel side along the extension bracket, The double-link type suspension device is characterized in that the extension bracket has an open cross section that opens toward the shock absorber, and is arranged so that the open cross section covers at least a part of the outer periphery of the shock absorber. (2) The double link suspension device according to claim 1, wherein the lower end of the shock absorber is connected to the upper part of the knuckle in the same way as the extension member.