초록 ▼

A suspension system (16a) for a vehicle (12a) is composed of wheels (18, 19) that are mounted on wheel-mounting members (20) journalled within upright axle carriers (24) on opposite sides of a body (14). Spring assemblies (114, 116) are mounted either directly on the wheel-mounting members (20) or o

A suspension system (16a) for a vehicle (12a) is composed of wheels (18, 19) that are mounted on wheel-mounting members (20) journalled within upright axle carriers (24) on opposite sides of a body (14). Spring assemblies (114, 116) are mounted either directly on the wheel-mounting members (20) or on lower trailing arms (62) at locations closely adjacent axle carriers 24, with the upper ends of the spring assemblies connected to overhead portions (120) of body (14) for supporting substantially the entire weight of the body directly on the wheel-mounting members. A pair of upper and lower trailing arms (60, 62) are pivotally mounted on axle carriers (24) while the opposite ends of the trailing arms are pivotally connected to upright members (72a). A tie assembly (82) extends transversely across body (14) to pivotally interconnect with the lower portions of upright members (72a). The central portions of tie assembly (82) is pivotally connected to body (14) at a roll axis (92) located above the center of gravity (94) of the body. The outer ends of a pair of upper, generally transverse link members (100, 102) are pivotally connected to the upper end portions of upright members (72a) while the inward ends of the link members are pivotally connected to the vehicle body (14) at locations above roll axis (92).

대표청구항 ▼

1. A suspension system for a vehicle having a body, comprising: (A) vehicle support means on opposite sides of the body; (B) spring means to nominally carry substantially all of the weight of the body on said vehicle support means; and (C) tie assembly means interposed between said vehicle supp

1. A suspension system for a vehicle having a body, comprising: (A) vehicle support means on opposite sides of the body; (B) spring means to nominally carry substantially all of the weight of the body on said vehicle support means; and (C) tie assembly means interposed between said vehicle support means and the body, said tie assembly means having: first means for pivotally interconnecting said tie assembly means and the body about along a longitudinal roll axis disposed at an effective elevation above the reaction center whereby as the vehicle negotiates a curve, the resulting centrifugal force acting on the vehicle tilts the body toward the center of the curve relative to said tie assembly means and second means for interconnecting said tie assembly means to said vehicle support means to permit the roll axis defined by said first interconnection means to shift laterally outwardly relative to said vehicle support means in the direction away from the center of the curve that the vehicle is negotiating thereby precluding the roll axis from serving as the reaction center of the vehicle. 2. The suspension system according to claim 1, wherein: (A) said tie assembly means comprises a transverse tie structure extending laterally across the body; (B) said first interconnecting means pivotally interconnecting said tie structure to said body at an effective location above the reaction center; and (C) said second interconnecting means including arm assemblies pivotally interconnected at one end portion to said vehicle support means and at opposite end portions to outer end portions of said transverse tie structure. 3. The suspension system according to claim 2, wherein: (A) said tie structure being generally triangular in shape; and (B) said first interconnecting means interconnecting the upper apex portion of said triangularly shaped tie structure to the body at the lateral center of the body. 4. The suspension system according to claim 2, wherein: (A) said tie structure includes a lower crossmember extending across the body; and (B) said first interconnecting means includes a pair of nominally diagonally disposed links having first end portions pivotally connected to spaced-apart locations along said lower crossmember, and second upper end portions extending towards each other and pivotally connected to laterally spaced-apart locations of the body. 5. The suspension system according to claim 4, wherein lines extending along the lengths of said diagonal lower links intersect each other at a location above the reaction center. 6. The suspension system according to claim 2, wherein said arm assemblies extend generally longitudinally relative to the length of the vehicle. 7. The suspension system according to claim 2, further comprising: (A) upright members pivotally connected to outer end portions of said tie structures; and (B) a pair of transverse upper links having their outer end portions pivotally connected to said upright members at locations spaced above the outer end portions of said tie structures and having their inward end portions pivotally connected to the body at locations spaced above said first interconnection means for interconnecting said tie structures to the body. 8. The suspension system according to claim 7, wherein the inward ends of said upper links are conjointly connected together and to the body. 9. The suspension system according to claim 7, wherein said arm assemblies include a pair of vertically spaced-apart upper and lower arms extending between said vehicle support means and said upright members. 10. The suspension system according to claim 9, wherein said pairs of vertically spaced arms are trailing arms having their forward end portions pivotally connected to corresponding vehicle support means and having their rearward end portions pivotally connected to corresponding upright members. 11. The suspension system according to claim 9, wherein said spring means have lower end portions that are pivotally attached to said lower arm means at locations closely adjacent said vehicle support means and upper end portions connected to the body. 12. The suspension system according to claim 1, further comprising antiroll means to limit the tilt of the body relative to said tie assembly means. 13. The suspension system according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle support means includes a wheel-mounting member having wheel-mounting axle means thereon. 14. The suspension system according to claim 13, wherein said spring means being mounted closely adjacent said wheel-mounting members and interconnected with overhead portions of the body. 15. The suspension system according to claim 13, wherein said spring means are mounted on said wheel-mounting members and interconnected with overhead portions of the body. 16. The suspension system according to claim 1: (A) further comprising axle means extending across the body to interconnect laterally related vehicle support means; (B) wherein said tie assembly means comprises a nominally upright member having its upper end portion pivotally connected to said body by said first interconnection means; and wherein said second interconnection means interconnecting a lower portion of said upright member to said axle means to permit said upright member to pivot relative to said axle means and simultaneously slide lengthwise of said upright member relative to said axle means while restraining said upright member against movement relative to said axle means in the direction transversely to the length of said upright member. 17. The suspension system according to claim 16, wherein said vehicle support means include wheel-mounting members, and wherein said spring means are mounted on or closely adjacent said wheel-mounting members. 18. The vehicle suspension system according to claim 17, wherein said spring means have a lower portion fixedly connected to said axle means at locations closely adjacent said wheel-mounting members and upper end portions interconnected with overhead portions of the body. 19. The suspension system according to claim 1: (A) further comprising axle means extending across the body to interconnect laterally related vehicle support means; (B) said tie assembly comprising a transverse tie structure extending laterally across the body; (C) said first interconnecting means pivotally interconnecting said tie structure to said body at an effective location above the reaction center; and (D) said second interconnecting means including arm assemblies pivotally interconnected at one end portion to said axle means and at opposite end portions to outer end portions of said transverse tie structure. 20. A suspension system for a wheeled vehicle, said suspension system comprising: (A) wheel-mounting assemblies for the wheels, each wheel-mounting assembly having a stub axle thereon; (B) arm assemblies having first end portions pivotally connected to corresponding wheel-mounting assemblies; (C) an upright member pivotally connected to the second end portion of each of said arm assemblies; (D) a tie assembly: (i) extending transversely across the body; (ii) having outer end portions pivotally interconnected with corresponding upright members; and (iii) having means for pivotally connecting said tie assembly to the body at a roll axis in such a manner to tilt the body in the direction opposite to the direction of the lateral forces acting on the vehicle body, such as during cornering; (E) a pair of generally transverse upper link members having their outer end portions pivotally connected to corresponding upright members at a location above the locations that the tie assembly is interconnected to said upright members and having their inward end portions pinned to the body at location(s) spaced above the elevation in which said tie assembly is connected to the body; and, (F) spring means for supporting the weight of the body thereon on said wheel mounting assemblies. 21. The suspension system according to claim 20, wherein each of said arm assemblies include a pair of upper and lower trailing arms pivotally connected at first end portions to corresponding wheel-mounting members and pivotally connected at second end portions to corresponding upright members. 22. The suspension system according to claim 20, wherein: said tie assembly includes upwardly extending portions; and, said connection means pivotally interconnecting said upwardly extending portion of said tie assembly to the body at locations above the reaction center. 23. The suspension system according to claim 22, wherein said tie assembly includes a generally triangularly shaped tie structure extending laterally across the body and said connection means interconnecting the upper apex portion of said triangular tie structure to the body. 24. The suspension system according to claim 22, wherein said tie assembly includes a tie structure generally in the shape of an inverted Tee composed of a lower transverse member and a central, upwardly extending member and said connection means interconnecting said upwardly extending member to the body. 25. The suspension system according to claim 20, wherein said tie assembly includes: (A) a cross member extending transversely across the body to pivotally interconnect with corresponding upright members; and (B) a pair of diagonal, lower link members having their lower end portions pivotally connected to the cross member at spaced-apart locations along the cross member, said lower link members extending generally diagonally upwardly from said cross member and inwardly to pivotally interconnect with the body at laterally spaced-apart locations on said body. 26. The suspension system according to claim 25, wherein said lower link members are nominally oriented so that lines extending along the length of said lower link members intersect each other at a location above the reaction center. 27. The suspension system according to claim 26, wherein said lines nominally intersect each other at the lateral center of the body. 28. The suspension system according to claim 20, wherein said spring means extend upwardly from said arm assemblies to interconnect with the body at locations laterally offset from the lateral center of the body. 29. The suspension system according to claim 20, further comprising forward antiroll means to limit the swing of the body relative to said tie assembly. 30. The suspension system according to claim 20, further comprising rear antiroll means to limit the swing of the body relative to said tie assembly. 31. The suspension system according to claim 1, wherein said spring means are connected to the body.