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Wheel suspension for motor vehicles

Wheel suspension for motor vehicles description/claims

The invention relates to a wheel suspension for motor vehicles according to the preamble of claim 1.

A wheel suspension such as this is shown, for example, in DE 38 43 613 A1 in which the lower and optionally the upper transverse arm of the wheel guidance are individual transverse arms which, in conjunction with a track rod which is articulated to the body or to the steering of the motor vehicle, form track-stable wheel guidance. The advantage of such a wheel suspension with detached transverse arms lies especially in formation of a virtual steering axle which, for the most part, can be designed independently of structural constraints so that favorable axle values such as camber, axle pin rake, roll radius, and the disturbing-force lever arm for the driven wheels (dimension a), etc. are adjustable. In conjunction with the spring system and damping of the motor vehicle there can be a McPherson strut unit with a telescoping shock absorber which is coupled in a structurally favorable manner to the forward lower transverse arm of the wheel suspension by way of a rubber-metal sleeve bearing.

The object of the invention is to propose a wheel suspension of the generic type which is further improved with respect to driving comfort.

This object is achieved according to the invention with the characterizing features of claim 1. Advantageous developments of the invention are described by the dependent claims.

According to the invention, it is proposed that at least the front lower transverse arm is arranged such that the coupling point of the McPherson strut unit on the transverse arm when the wheel is deflected, viewed in the transverse direction of the vehicle, runs parallel to the longitudinal axis of the McPherson strut unit. As has been recognized, with this measure squeezing of the lower rubber-metal sleeve bearing can be prevented which otherwise occurs relative to the transverse arm as a result of a tilt of the McPherson strut unit which changes over the spring path of the wheel during deflection and rebound. This results in an improved response behavior in the spring system of the motor vehicle; stick-slip effects which may occur on the telescoping shock absorber are eliminated.

A design of the wheel suspension which is also advantageous with respect to the other driving properties of the motor vehicle consists in that the lower forward transverse arm is positioned essentially in the transverse direction of the motor vehicle and the rear lower transverse arm is positioned approx. 45° to the rear tilted inside thereto.

Furthermore, the body-side bearing points of the lower transverse arms can be aligned essentially horizontally at the same height, with which unwanted migration of the indicated lower bearing point of the McPherson strut unit over the entire spring path of the wheel suspension is likewise advantageously avoided.

In the conventional manner the tilt of the McPherson strut unit can be approx. 5 to 10 degrees up to the rear and up to the inside in order to effect easily manageable matching of the wheel-guiding transverse arms to the McPherson strut unit, in addition to a structurally favorable arrangement of the McPherson strut unit.

In this connection, the horizontal plane defined by the two lower transverse arms can also be aligned perpendicular to the tilt of the McPherson strut unit viewed in the transverse direction of the vehicle by a suitable design of the wheel carrier-side coupling points.

Finally, the body-side bearing of the forward lower transverse arm in the transverse direction of the motor vehicle can be made stiffer than in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the McPherson strut unit. This results in an additional improvement of driving comfort and the damping properties of the wheel suspension relative to the body of the vehicle without adversely affecting the guiding properties of the forward transverse arm.

One embodiment of the invention will be detailed below. The figures are schematic.

FIG. 1 shows, with one wheel carrier, two lower, detached transverse arms, a suggested track rod and a McPherson strut unit;

FIG. 2 shows a side view S of FIG. 1 of the wheel suspension; and

FIG. 3 shows a top view of the wheel arrangement as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIGS. 1 to 3 show the lower plane of the front left wheel suspension 10 for motor vehicles, which wheel suspension is composed essentially of two lower, individual transverse arms 12, 14, one wheel carrier 16, a track rod 18 which is only suggested, and a McPherson strut unit 20. The direction of travel of the motor vehicle is indicated by F. The wheel which is not shown is attached to the wheel flange 22 which is pivoted-mounted in the wheel carrier 16.

The transverse arms 12, 14 are separate transverse arms which are coupled to the body of the motor vehicle which is not shown (or an auxiliary frame) via angularly movable rubber-metal sleeve joints 12a, 14a and to the wheel carrier 16 via ball joints 12b, 14b (compare FIG. 2).

The third wheel guiding element, located in the lower plane of the wheel suspension 10 is the track rod 18 which is connected via a ball joint 18a to a steering means of the motor vehicle which is not shown and also is coupled to one steering arm 16a of the wheel carrier 16 via a ball joint 18b.

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• Utility Patent

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