Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.a.

Fca Italy S.p.a.

Perri, Eugenio

Eugenio Perri

Bruno Martina

A vehicle suspension system of the MacPherson type includes a pair of wheel supports, and two shock absorbers each having a body bolted to a corresponding wheel support with a top end connected to structure of the vehicle. A leaf spring is set transverse to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and has a central portion connected to the vehicle structure, and two ends connected to the respective wheel supports. The leaf spring is made of a single piece having opposite ends each having a forked shape, with two prongs made of a single piece with the leaf spring, wherein each prong is connected separately to the corresponding wheel support. The suspension system does not include other connection elements between each wheel support and the vehicle structure so that suspension components can be assembled on the leaf spring prior to installation on the vehicle structure.

Motor-vehicle suspension system of the MacPherson type, including a transverse leaf spring

A motor-vehicle multi-link suspension system includes, for each wheel, two lower transverse arms and a substantially longitudinal or inclined lower arm, each having one end pivotally connected to a respective wheel support and the opposite end pivotally connected to the motor-vehicle structure. A leaf spring is arranged transversally with respect to the longitudinal direction of the motor-vehicle. The leaf spring is supported by elastic supports arranged symmetrically at intermediate positions between the center of the leaf spring and the ends thereof. Ends of the leaf spring are pivotally connected to upper parts of the two wheel supports. Two jack-type shock absorbers have opposite ends swingably connected to the respective wheel support and the motor-vehicle structure. The end portions of the leaf spring also fulfill the function of triangular upper transverse arms of the multi-link suspension. Preferably the leaf spring is made of a composite material.

Motor vehicle multi-link suspension system including a transverse leaf spring

A motor-vehicle suspension system comprises, for each wheel, at least one transverse control arm having an outermost end articulated to a respective wheel support and an innermost end articulated to the frame of the motor vehicle. A transverse leaf spring is set centrally between the two transverse arms, and has its ends connected to the innermost ends of the transverse arms. The connection of each transverse arm to the leaf spring is such as to enable oscillations of the transverse arm in a substantially horizontal plane with respect to the leaf spring and minor relative sliding between the connected ends of the arm and the leaf spring in the longitudinal direction of the leaf spring.

Growing community of inventors

Turin, Italy

Eugenio Perri