Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
  • B60G15/00—Resilient suspensions characterised by arrangement, location or type of combined spring and vibration damper, e.g. telescopic type
  • B60G15/02—Resilient suspensions characterised by arrangement, location or type of combined spring and vibration damper, e.g. telescopic type having mechanical spring
  • B60G15/06—Resilient suspensions characterised by arrangement, location or type of combined spring and vibration damper, e.g. telescopic type having mechanical spring and fluid damper
  • B60G15/067—Resilient suspensions characterised by arrangement, location or type of combined spring and vibration damper, e.g. telescopic type having mechanical spring and fluid damper characterised by the mounting on the vehicle body or chassis of the spring and damper unit
  • B60G15/068—Resilient suspensions characterised by arrangement, location or type of combined spring and vibration damper, e.g. telescopic type having mechanical spring and fluid damper characterised by the mounting on the vehicle body or chassis of the spring and damper unit specially adapted for MacPherson strut-type suspension
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
  • B60G2200/00—Indexing codes relating to suspension types
  • B60G2200/40—Indexing codes relating to the wheels in the suspensions
  • B60G2200/46—Indexing codes relating to the wheels in the suspensions camber angle
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
  • B60G2202/00—Indexing codes relating to the type of spring, damper or actuator
  • B60G2202/30—Spring/Damper and/or actuator Units
  • B60G2202/31—Spring/Damper and/or actuator Units with the spring arranged around the damper, e.g. MacPherson strut
  • B60G2202/312—The spring being a wound spring
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
  • B60G2204/00—Indexing codes related to suspensions per se or to auxiliary parts
  • B60G2204/10—Mounting of suspension elements
  • B60G2204/12—Mounting of springs or dampers
  • B60G2204/124—Mounting of coil springs
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
  • B60G2204/00—Indexing codes related to suspensions per se or to auxiliary parts
  • B60G2204/10—Mounting of suspension elements
  • B60G2204/12—Mounting of springs or dampers
  • B60G2204/124—Mounting of coil springs
  • B60G2204/1242—Mounting of coil springs on a damper, e.g. MacPerson strut
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
  • B60G2204/00—Indexing codes related to suspensions per se or to auxiliary parts
  • B60G2204/10—Mounting of suspension elements
  • B60G2204/12—Mounting of springs or dampers
  • B60G2204/128—Damper mount on vehicle body or chassis
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
  • B60G2204/00—Indexing codes related to suspensions per se or to auxiliary parts
  • B60G2204/40—Auxiliary suspension parts; Adjustment of suspensions
  • B60G2204/418—Bearings, e.g. ball or roller bearings
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
  • B60G2204/00—Indexing codes related to suspensions per se or to auxiliary parts
  • B60G2204/40—Auxiliary suspension parts; Adjustment of suspensions
  • B60G2204/43—Fittings, brackets or knuckles
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
  • B60G2204/00—Indexing codes related to suspensions per se or to auxiliary parts
  • B60G2204/40—Auxiliary suspension parts; Adjustment of suspensions
  • B60G2204/44—Centering or positioning means
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
  • B60G2204/00—Indexing codes related to suspensions per se or to auxiliary parts
  • B60G2204/40—Auxiliary suspension parts; Adjustment of suspensions
  • B60G2204/45—Stops limiting travel
  • B60G2204/4502—Stops limiting travel using resilient buffer
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60G—VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS
  • B60G2204/00—Indexing codes related to suspensions per se or to auxiliary parts
  • B60G2204/61—Adjustable during maintenance

Definitions

• the present invention relates to the struts of Mac Pherson type suspensions. These struts contain a cylinder and a spring surrounding the cylinder. The cylinder provides transverse guidance holding the wheel carrier, and generally contains a shock absorber. The invention relates in particular to the fasteners which constitute a filtering and connecting piece ensuring the anchoring to the body of the upper part of the Mac Pherson struts and which, if necessary, also provide support for the spring. In the case of struts for steered wheels, a bearing provides the necessary degree of freedom of rotation between the wheel carrier and the bearing surface on the body.
• These fasteners include a filtering and decoupling joint, here called an elastic joint, on the path for transmitting the forces from the rod of the jack to the body. Sometimes, they also have one or more elastic shims separate from the elastic joint, on the path of transmission of the forces from the spring to the body. This separate elastic block allows independent filtering of the forces transmitted by the spring and provides better comfort. Or the path for transmitting the forces from the spring to the body also passes through the elastic articulation. There are many alternative embodiments of such fasteners.
• the present invention relates only to struts in which the force transmitted by the shock absorber rod passes through the elastic joint and in which the vehicle load does not pass through said elastic joint.
• the objective of the invention is to improve the compactness of the struts, more precisely the compactness of the assembly located in the upper part of the strut, in order to give free rein to stylists who wish to design hoods for more and more plunging. It is indeed advantageous to have as few constraints as possible on the size of the suspensions. Another objective of the invention is to reduce the cost price of such fasteners, without prejudice to their quality of filtering out the vibrations appearing when the vehicle is traveling on a roadway. This filtering is very important for passenger comfort.
• the invention relates to a top attachment for Mac Pherson vehicle suspension, comprising : • a mounting range on the vehicle body,
• a central opening intended to receive the rod of a strut having a body and a rod sliding in said body, the central opening determining the position of an axis around which the body rotates relative to the rod,
• a central frame comprising on one side said central opening and on the other a rim
• An external frame comprising said mounting surface, said external frame comprising a flange surrounding a central orifice,
• said fastener is such that •
• the central reinforcement and external reinforcement are shaped relative to each other so that the central reinforcement does not pass through the central orifice
• the central reinforcement and external reinforcement are positioned in relation to one another so that the external reinforcement at least partially surrounds the central reinforcement, and so that the anchoring surfaces partially overlap radially, the anchoring surfaces being axially offset,
• said bearing surface and said centering surface for the cup being included axially between the mounting surface and the flange.
• said fastener is such that said elastic shim is made of an elastomeric material devoid of metal reinforcement in its thickness between the mounting surface and the bearing surface for the bearing.
• said fastener is such that
• the central reinforcement and external reinforcement are positioned in relation to each other so that the external reinforcement at least partially surrounds the central reinforcement, and such that the anchor surfaces partially overlap radially, the anchor surfaces being axially offset,
• the central frame has a substantially truncated side wall developing on the side of said central opening opposite the side receiving the strut, the virtual apex of the cone being located on the side of said central opening receiving the strut, said side wall having a maximum diameter ⁇ M , the radially outer face of said side wall comprising said anchoring surface of the elastic joint,
• the outer frame includes an upper flange incorporating said mounting surface on the body, said flange being extended by a substantially truncated side wall comprising the anchoring surface of the elastic joint, said substantially truncated side wall extending axially from side opposite to said mounting surface, said substantially truncated wall having a minimum diameter ⁇ m , with ⁇ M strictly greater than ⁇ m
• the central opening geometrically perfectly defines the mounting of the strut on the fastener because it is an area through which one of the frames rests on the strut rod; there is no degree of freedom between the rod and said frame.
• the proposed attachment fulfills the articulation functions allowing movements of the strut around the turning axis when the attachment is used for a steering wheel. In all uses, it fulfills the functions of filtering the spring by the elastic shim, and filtering the shock absorber by the articulation.
• this type of suspension generally includes a so-called shock stop: it is an elastomer block against which the body of the shock absorber strikes when the suspension comes into travel stop.
• the invention allows an advantageous implantation of said impact stop.
• the suspension comprises a bowl mounted on the rod and containing at least partially an impact stop concentric to the strut, said bowl being in contact with said central opening of said central frame, said bowl having a surface of support in the axial extension of the rim of the external frame.
• the invention makes it possible to pass the load transmitted to the body through the impact stop without passing m through the articulation, or through the bearing in the case of use on steered wheels. Indeed, shocks, even filtered by the shock stop, are detrimental to the good behavior of the bearing, and the elastic articulation of this type of fastener is not designed to take up large loads because the load of the spring does not does not pass through said joint.
• the suspension comprises a spring, the first turn of which is included axially between the mounting surface and the edge of the outer frame, or else, in the case of steered wheels, comprises a spring and a bearing, one of the cages of which constitutes said cup or is resting on said cup, the bearing being included axially between the mounting surface and the flange, and the other of the cages of which rotates with the spring to follow the orientation of the steered wheels
• the invention makes it possible to reduce the number of parts constituting the upper anchoring of the strut on the vehicle body. It allows a very high bearing to be installed, at the same height as the elastic joint. Thus, the bearing does not cause any excess thickness relative to the fastener itself.
• the overall height of the fastener is dictated only by the proportions of the elastic articulation ensuring the decoupling between the rod of the strut jack and the vehicle body, as well as the filtering ensuring in particular better acoustic comfort.
• Figure 1 shows a first variant
• Figure 2 shows a second variant distinguished from the first by the way the bearing is supported
• Figure 3 shows an exploded view of this second variant
• Figure 4 shows a third variant in which the housing of the fastener on the vehicle body is different
• Figure 5 shows the third variant in a configuration in travel stop.
• a strut 1 of a Mac Pherson type wheel suspension which we see in particular the rod 10 of the jack.
• the rod 10 slides in a body 11 to which is connected a wheel carrier (not shown).
• a wheel carrier not shown
• the damping force is opposed to the relative movement of the rod 10 and of the body 11
• the body 2 of the vehicle is partially seen.
• the fastener A is the member allowing both the mounting of the strut 1 on the body 2 and the filtering of rolling vibrations, and which allows a certain movement of the jack relative to the body 2.
• the fastener A is in functional connection with other elements by the following parts:
• a bearing surface 52 for a cup (here the cup is one of the cages of the bearing B, which corresponds to a particular embodiment) transmitting the load seen by the spring 4 to the body 2,
• a centering surface of said cup here the cylindrical face 360
• the fastener A comprises an elastic block 5 independent of the elastic joint 33.
• the elastic block 5, preferably made of elastomeric material, is inserted on the path transmission of the support forces of the spring 4 on the body 2 of the vehicle.
• a bearing B whose balls 6 can be seen is interposed between the spring 4 and the shim 5.
• the upper cup of the spring and the first cage 61 of the bearing B form here one and the same room.
• the first turn 41 of the spring 4 is substantially flat, and rests on a cushion 60, which is also preferably made of elastomeric material.
• This cushion 60 makes it possible to distribute the load of the spring 4 well on the periphery of the first cage 61, at least on a pre-dimensioned support arc. Said cushion 60 also provides a first damping stage attenuating the vibrations of the spring 4. More generally, any form of cushion inserted between the first turn of the spring 4 and the first cage 61 of the bearing can be used, for example a sheath in which the first turn is inserted. In order to effectively cushion, a rubber is preferably used. strong hysteresis.
• the second cage 62 of the bearing B is brought into contact, when the fastener is mounted or when the strut is mounted on the vehicle, with said elastic wedge 5.
• the first cage 61 of the bearing has a suitable shape so that the fairly direct support of the spring 4 thereon does not interfere with the rolling of the balls 6. It has the appearance of an S, part of which serves as seat 610 for supporting the spring 4, and of which another part serves as a raceway 611 for the balls 6.
• the second cage 62 is shaped in an approximate manner.
• the raceway 611 comprises a slightly curved track, extended by a core 612 oriented substantially parallel to the axis of the bearing B. This core provides the bearing B with the rigidity necessary for the integration of the function usually provided by the first cage.
• This core 612 is itself extended by a substantially radially oriented bearing surface, materializing the seat 610 of the spring 4.
• a standard bearing can be used.
• the cup will most often be independent of the bearing cage.
• the cup can be pre-mounted on attachment A for a strut for a non-steerable wheel, or be applied under the bearing for a strut for a steerable wheel
• first turn 41 of the spring 4 and the group of balls 6 of the bearing B are substantially coplanar
• the first turn surrounds the balls 6 of the bearing B. This allows a great compactness of the attachment
• the first turn of the spring 4, the balls 6 of the bearing B and the elastic joint 33 are all substantially coplanar (plane perpendicular to the axis of the rod of the jack), that is to say are all at the same level in the fastener.
• the fastener A comprises a central frame 31 comprising a flange 31R and a central opening 15 cooperating with the rod 10
• the top of the rod 10 is rigidly mounted on the central opening of said central frame 31, via a shoulder 14, thanks to a threaded rod 12 passing through the central frame 31 and receiving a nut 13.
• the rod 10 "guides" the central frame 31 in the sense that its position in space is determined by the attitude of the rod
• the central frame will therefore faithfully follow the vibrations of the rod, the vertical deflection of the rod due to the shock absorber, or even the deflection of the rod due to the turning of the wheels
• the strut jack is positioned with a side of central frame 31
• the fastener B also includes an external frame 32, comprising a mounting surface 320 for mounting on the body 2.
• the fastener is rigidly fixed by direct support of the external frame 32 on the body 2, using screws 21.
• the outer frame 32 has a central passage allowing access to the fixing of the rod 10 of the jack on the central frame 31.
• the outer frame 32 has a flange 32R opposite the mounting surface 320.
• the elastic articulation 33 is secured to an anchoring surface 321 arranged on said outer frame 32, and is secured to an anchoring surface 311 arranged on said central frame 31.
• the anchoring surfaces are opposite from one another, and are substantially parallel to each other, when the fastener is seen in section as in the various figures.
• the central frame 31 has a substantially truncated side wall, developing on the side of said central opening 15 opposite the side receiving the strut, that is to say the rod 10 of the jack.
• the virtual top of the cone is located on the side of said central opening 15 receiving said strut.
• the side wall reaches a maximum radial size at the upper edge 31R thereof. We see in Figure 3 the maximum diameter ⁇ M.
• the radially outer face of said side wall comprises said anchoring surface 311 of the elastic joint 33
• the external frame 32 includes an upper flange incorporating said mounting surface 320 on the body 2
• the upper flange is here extended on the central side by a connecting wall, here a quasi-cylindrical wall 323 extending axially on the side opposite to said range mounting.
• a connecting wall here a quasi-cylindrical wall 323 extending axially on the side opposite to said range mounting.
• the frame exté ⁇ eure extends into a substantially frustoconical side wall comprising the anchoring surface 321 of the elastic joint 33
• the passage left at the center of the external frame 32 is minimal at the bottom edge 32R of the external frame 32, said passage having to this level a minimum diameter ⁇ m
• the diameter ⁇ M of the central reinforcement 31 is strictly greater than the diameter ⁇ m of the external reinforcement 32.
• the anchoring surfaces of the elastic joint on said central reinforcement 31 and external 32 are substantially frustoconical and are oriented as shown in the different figures, i.e. point towards the strut, and not towards the vehicle body
• said central frame 31 and outer frame 32 are shaped and positioned relative to each other so that a displacement of the central frame along the axis of said cylinder, in a direction away said cylinder of said mounting surface, brings said anchoring surfaces of the elastic articulation from one another, and shaped and positioned relative to one another so that the projection, parallel to the the axis of said cylinder, of said anchoring surface on the central frame is superimposed at least in part with the projection, parallel to the axis of said cylinder, of said anchoring surface on the external frame.
• the end of the outer frame 32 opposite said mounting surface 320 has a flat 322 substantially perpendicular to the axis of the strut, in the extension of the flange 32R, here extending the flange 32R radially towards the largest radii .
• the lower rim 32R is covered with a bead 34 of rubber protruding from the side opposite to the mounting surface.
• a lower bowl 35 whose base is pierced to allow the head of the rod 10 of the jack to pass is mounted under the fastener.
• the lower bowl 35 is oriented opposite the outer frame 32, that is to say that its concavity is opposite to the concavity of the central frame 31. This bowl 35 is designed to contain an impact stop 7.
• the elastic joint 33 provides axial (the functional clearance described above allows) and radial filtering of the upper end of the rod 10 relative to the frame 32 , therefore relative to the chassis 2.
• it allows the inclination of the rod 10 around a virtual center of rotation situated approximately at the intersection of the normals centered on the frustoconical bearing surfaces serving as anchoring of the elastic articulation 33 on said central 31 and outer 32 frames. As known, these movements are necessary for turning the wheels.
• a filling 36 cooperates with the second cage 62 of the bearing B
• this is made of the same material as the elastic joint. It is therefore a filling 36 of rubber, dimensioned to be in slight compression against the second cage 62 of the bearing B, so as to center it.
• This filling 36 thus constitutes, by its cylindrical surface 360, a male part which can be inserted inside the bearing B, the second cage 62 of which looks like a suitable female part. Note that the role of this filling in the resumption of the bearing load B is negligible, this being transmitted by the second cage 62 directly on the elastic block 5 Centering can also be carried out on the radially outer wall of the elastic block 5
• the first cage 61 As for the first cage 61, it is held in place for example by a sealing lip, as known per se, acting only to oppose the accidental separation of the cages during handling of the bearing during its mounting on the fastener and during the mounting of the clip in the strut.
• the elastic wedge 5 is also secured to the underside of the flange of the outer frame 32.
• the clip A incorporates the outside frame 32 and the central armature 31. This can be carried out in a single injection operation on the armatures previously adhered, making it possible to obtain, by a single overmolding on the external armature 32, both the filtering and the decoupling of the rod 10 of the jack (elastic joint 33), a support for the lower bowl containing the shock stop (bead 34), the rebound stop which is here integrated into the elastic joint 33 itself, and a second stage for filtering the spring (elastic shim 5) with a bearing surface 52, as well as a filling 36 for centering and retaining a cup, here the bearing B.
• the second stage of filtering the spring 4 can be made from the same material Thanks to a judicious arrangement of the anchoring surfaces on the external and central armatures of the elastic joint 33, the examples illustrating the invention thus show that said surfaces play the role of anti-dismantling safety for the strut, which does not only is favorable to the cost price of the fastener thanks to the possible removal of an element, but also ensures greater compactness of the fastener.
• the inclination of the anchoring surfaces having a truncated shape, still allows sufficient relative mobility of said contact surfaces, by elastically urging the elastomer block 33.
• the elastic articulation plays its role of decoupling allowing the relative movement between the body and the strut, with substantially the same mobility as what is commonly encountered. Filtering skills are not affected.
• the second and third variants have in common the inclination of the plane of the bearing B relative to the axis of the jack, said plane no longer being perpendicular to said axis as in FIG. 1, but being inclined by approximately 4 ° relative to at the perpendicular.
• An inclination of about half of the inclination of the pivot axis relative to the axis of the jack seems favorable. In Figure 2, this is achieved by an elastic wedge 5 'bias. In Figure 4, we obtain this result because the support of the attachment to the body 2 'is itself inclined.
• a spring 4 is shown, the first turn 41 of which is retremte with respect to the other turns.
• the diameter of the second turn 42 is larger than the diameter of the first turn 41. This further improves the compactness, as shown in Figure 5.
• the impact stop 7 visible in FIG. 5 is the same as that visible in the other figures, the compression by the body 11 having deformed it until it fills all the volume available inside the bowl 35.
• the second turn 42 is also substantially in the same plane as the first turn 41, as the bearing B and as the elastic joint 33.
• first turn 41 of the spring 4 is included axially between the mounting surface 320 and the flange 32R.
• the second turn 42 is also included axially between the mounting surface 320 and the flange 32R.
• the upper attachment A for the strut of a Mac Pherson suspension comprises an elastic articulation 33 for filtering and decoupling on the path of transmission of the forces from the shock absorber rod to the body 2, and an elastic shim 5 separate on the path of transmission of the forces from the spring 4 to the body 2.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Vehicle Body Suspensions (AREA)
• Fluid-Damping Devices (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=9522643

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Families Citing this family (28)

Family Cites Families (19)

• 1998
  • 1998-06-26 WO PCT/FR1998/001366 patent/WO2000000359A1/fr not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1998-06-26 EP EP98933737A patent/EP1089890A1/de not_active Withdrawn
• 2000
  • 2000-12-22 US US09/746,666 patent/US6412798B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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