WO2005080103A1

WO2005080103A1 - Vechicle chassis

Info

Publication number: WO2005080103A1
Application number: PCT/SE2005/000112
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mats Engman; Johan ÅKESON
Original assignee: Scania Cv Ab (Publ)
Priority date: 2004-02-19
Filing date: 2005-02-01
Publication date: 2005-09-01
Also published as: SE525832C2; BRPI0506571A; CN100465008C; SE0400379D0; BRPI0506571B1; SE0400379L; CN1922045A; DE112005000281T5

Abstract

Vehicle chassis (10) with cross-members (20) and with a stabiliser (30) comprising a transverse torsion bar (32) supported relative to the chassis. To ensure that the stabiliser encroaches as little as possible upon available space in the chassis, it is proposed that the torsion bar (32) extends inside a cross-member (20) of the vehicle chassis.

Description

Vehicle chassis

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a vehicle chassis with cross-members and with a stabiliser comprising a transverse torsion bar supported relative to the chassis.

BACKGROUND

The transverse torsion bar is supported for pivoting relative to the chassis and has its ends rigidly connected to longitudinal arms. Each of the free ends of the arms is connected to an element suspended resiliently relative to the chassis, e.g. a wheel or a side of a cab, so that when one arm end is pushed up or down on one side of the vehicle, the other arm end follows on the other side in order to prevent the chassis and the resiliently suspended elements from being at too great an angle to one another. However, the transverse torsion bar of the stabiliser and the cross-members of the chassis together occupy valuable space which might otherwise be utilised for other purposes, e.g. for reducing the dimensions of the chassis.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One object of the present invention is therefore to utilise better than previously the space in a vehicle chassis of the kind indicated in the introduction, so that the stabiliser encroaches as little as possible upon the available space in the chassis.

This is achieved by the features indicated in the claims set out below.

According to one version of the invention, the torsion bar extends inside a cross- member of the vehicle chassis. The cross-member and the torsion bar thus advantageously share a common space in the vehicle chassis, with the result that the space which would otherwise be occupied by the torsion bar can be devoted to other purposes. A further advantage of this arrangement is that the forces from the stabiliser which act upon the chassis can be absorbed in a region of the chassis which is strengthened by the cross-member.

If the vehicle has two stabilisers situated in mutual proximity, their torsion bars may be situated beside one another or concentrically to one another, inside one and the same cross-member. This arrangement may be used in the front portion of a transport vehicle whereby one stabiliser is arranged for the front wheel suspension and the other stabiliser is arranged for the cab forward suspension.

Other features and advantages of the invention are indicated by the following detailed description and by the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view with cutaway portions of a vehicle chassis with a stabiliser arrangement according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic sideview with cutaway portions of part of a vehicle chassis with an alternative embodiment of a stabiliser arrangement according to the invention; and FIG. 3 is a view corresponding to FIG. 2 of a further alternative embodiment of a stabiliser arrangement according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 depicts part of a vehicle chassis denoted generally by ref. 10. The chassis 10 comprises a pair of mutually spaced longitudinal members 12, 12 which in the example depicted comprise U-shaped members, each with a web 14 and a pair of flanges 16. The longitudinal members 12, 12 are linked by a number of cross- members 20, only one of which appears in the drawing. The cross-member 20 is depicted in FIG. 1 in the form of a box member with closed cross-section, but other, open cross-sections are also possible.

In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, a stabiliser 30 is arranged. The stabiliser 30 comprises in a known manner a torsion bar or torsion stem 32. According to the invention, the torsion stem 32 extends inside the cross-member 20. More specifically, the torsion stem 32 is accommodated within the transverse hollow space bounded by the cross-member 20. Each end portion of the torsion stem 20 further extends through an undepicted aperture in the respective web 14 of the longitudinal members 12, in which it is supported by a swivel bearing 36. The bearing 36 may be a swivel bearing or a bushing, e.g. a rubber bushing which allows the torsion stem 32 a certain angular movement. Each end of the torsion stem 32 is further connected firmly to one end of a respective arm 34. The other end of each of the arms 34 is intended to be connected pivotably in a conventional manner to the respective side of an undepicted forward or rear wheel suspension or an undepicted cab suspension.

A transport vehicle with a spring-suspended cab usually has a separate stabiliser for the cab alongside the stabiliser for the wheel suspension. In such cases the cab (not depicted) may be resiliently suspended on the chassis via pneumatic springs, e.g. rubber bellows.

FIGS. 2 and 3 depict schematically a stabiliser 30 for the undepicted wheel suspension of the chassis and a stabiliser 30' for an undepicted vehicle cab which is separately spring-suspended relative to the chassis 10. According to the invention, the respective torsion stems 32 and 32' of the two stabilisers 30 and 30' extend inside a common cross-member 20.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 2, the torsion stems 32, 32' of the stabilisers 30, 30' are located side by side inside an H-shaped member 20. To ensure that the arms 34, 34' of the stabilisers 30, 30' are clear of one another, the arm 34' for the vehicle cab's stabiliser 30' in the example depicted is angled away from the arm 34 for the wheel suspension's stabiliser 30. The arms 34' might of course also extend sideways outside the arms 34.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 3, the torsion stems 32, 32' of the stabilisers 30, 30' are arranged concentrically inside a box member 20. More specifically, the larger- dimensioned torsion stem 32 for the wheel suspension's stabiliser 30 has a hollow tubular configuration so that the torsion stem 32' of the second stabiliser 30 can extend concentrically therein. The hollow torsion stem 32 may be supported by an undepicted first bushing relative to the web 14 of the longitudinal web 12, while the second torsion stem 32' may be supported by an undepicted second bushing relative to the hollow torsion stem 32. The stabilisers 30 and 30' will thus be functionally independent of one another.

Claims

1. A vehicle chassis (10) with cross-members (20) and with a stabiliser (30) comprising a transverse torsion bar (32) which is supported relative to the chassis, characterised in that the torsion bar (30) extends inside a cross-member (20) of the vehicle chassis.

2. A vehicle chassis according to claim 1, whereby end portions of the torsion bar (32) are supported for pivoting relative to longitudinal members (12) of the vehicle chassis.

3. A vehicle chassis according to claim 1 or 2, whereby a further torsion bar (32') for the stabiliser (30') extends inside the cross-member (20).

4. A vehicle chassis according to claim 3, whereby the torsion bars (32, 32') are arranged side by side inside the cross-member.

5. A vehicle chassis according to claim 3, whereby the torsion bars (32, 32') are arranged coaxially to one another.