Dr. Ing. H.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft

Reinhard Kunert

Norbert Schote

Wilhelm Frasch

Karl Sommerer

Matthias Dietz

Robert Klosterhuber

George Wahl

Francesco Germano

Wilhelm Kroniger

Swen Zschocke

Lutz Bauer

Fritz Gerber

A device suspends a steerable wheel on a vehicle via a wheel carrier that is pivotable about a steering axis and on which the wheel is rotatably mounted. The device includes an upper link including a first end and a second end. The upper link is pivotably mounted on the vehicle by the first end and supports the wheel carrier by the second end via a wheel carrier arm. A lower link includes a wheel-side end on which the wheel carrier is pivotably mounted and a vehicle-side end that is pivotably mounted on the vehicle. A stabilizer is pivotably supported in support bearings on the vehicle. The stabilizer includes a free end connected to a coupling rod that extends in a bent manner around a wheel-side region of a spring strut and another end that is mounted on the wheel carrier.

Device for suspending a steerable wheel

As a result of a configuration and position of an upper transverse link and of a lower transverse link, a wheel pivot axis is created which has a point of intersection with an area region of a vertical wheel central transverse plane and a wheel central longitudinal plane. An adjustment of the wheel in a toe-out sense takes place under the influence of braking forces and an adjustment of the wheel in a toe-in sense takes place under the influence of drive forces. Furthermore, as a result of different mount characteristics at the lower transverse link and at the track rod, it is ensured that, in the event of side forces, the wheel which is at the outside of the corner is adjusted in a toe-out sense.

Wheel suspension for a front axle of a motor vehicle

A wheel suspension for the rear wheels of a motor vehicle is created, with three links being provided in an upper link plane, and with a foremost link as viewed in the direction of travel being provided as a track rod and the two further links being provided as separate individual links at both sides of a vertical wheel central transverse plane. A triangular link is arranged in the lower link plane, which triangular link holds a spiral or air spring and a damper strut spaced apart from one another. By corresponding pole formations defined by the links, elastokinematic or imaginary pivot axes are formed, which permits an elastokinematic adjustment of the wheel in a toe-in sense under the influence of braking forces, side forces and load shift forces. The wheel suspension is also configured such that an elastokinematic adjustment of the wheel in a toe-out sense is obtained in the event of wheel loads and drive forces.

Wheel suspension for the rear wheels of a motor vehicle

The subframe contains a framework which is cast as a single part and has profiled hollow members for the longitudinal and cross members. The cross members are connected to each other via supporting pillars at the corners, or are integrally formed on the supporting pillars. Arms which protrude outward are integrally formed on the supporting pillars or on the longitudinal and cross members, the end sides of which arms have connecting bearings toward the vehicle body. A differential is held on the two cross members, the differential having one mounting on the front cross member and two mountings on the rear cross member. The longitudinal members have a curved passage opening for the drive shafts of the differential. Mountings for wheel guiding links are arranged on the outside of the longitudinal member.

Subframe for a rear axle of a motor vehicle

A transverse or oblique link is provided for a front vehicle axle. The link contains a first and a second link arm, the first link arm has a deformation section situated at a front in the direction of travel and a section situated behind it in the direction of travel. Furthermore, the first link arm is configured in such a manner that, in an accident, it is deformed in an energy-absorbing manner predominantly in its deformation section. In order to force a deformation in the deformation section, the flexural rigidity of the section about a bending axis running in the transverse direction of the vehicle is increased in comparison to the flexural rigidity of the deformation section. Upon contact with a curb, the two sections can be deformed in an energy-absorbing manner.

Transverse or oblique link

To achieve a low wheel spring rate at low wheel loads and a higher wheel spring rate at higher wheel loads, each wheel of a rear-wheel suspension is equipped with a torsion bar spring which cooperates by way of a pressure rod connected with the wheel carrier. An adjusting device is connected with the torsion bar spring to act upon an additional spring element which can take up a controlled elastic position or a blocked position.

Wheel suspension

A wheel suspension is connected to a wheel carrier, which is connected to the vehicle body or an auxiliary frame via wheel guide members spaced vertically apart from each other. The wheel guide members are arranged above and below a horizontal plane. An elastokinematic axis and a kinematic trailing axis are formed, which results in an ideal swivel axis for the wheel. The wheel guide members comprise two open wishbones, which diverge in the direction of the body-sided bearings and are disposed in two planes, are spaced apart, and are hinged to the wheel carrier on both sides of a vertical wheel center transverse plane. The wheel guide members comprise an A-frame arm and a steering tie rod, the A-frame arm being hinged in front of the vertical wheel center transverse plane and located in an inclined plane, resulting in a pitching pole for antidive and antisquat.

Wheel suspension for driven rear wheels of a motor vehicle

A subframe for a motor vehicle, particularly for a rear axle of a motor vehicle, includes of a chassis frame which can be fastened to the vehicle body and which comprises at least cross members which are connected with side members. Bearings for suspension links are provided on the side members, and a transmission assembly is disposed in the chassis frame between the side members and the cross members. The side member structure of each side comprises in each case two members which are arranged above one another and which have a through-opening for axle shafts of the transmission assembly between one another and converge approximately at the end side and are connected with the cross members. By way of a three-point bearing, the transmission assembly is connected with the cross members and the side members, and the axle shafts of the assembly extend through the through-opening toward the wheel.

Subframe for a motor vehicle

A wheel suspension for an axle of a motor vehicle has a transverse control arm and tension strut, the transverse control arm being held on the wheel carrier by way of a joint, and the body-side bearings of the transverse control arm and of the tension strut as well as of the connection bearing between the transverse control arm and the tension strut being constructed with a defined characteristic for the elastokinematic adjustment of the wheel under the effect of lateral and peripheral forces acting upon the wheel. The transverse control arm with the connected tension strut is arranged below a wheel drive shaft and--with respect to the driving direction--in front of a tie rod. In the top view, the tension strut extends diagonally toward the front, the transverse control arm and the tie rod having a positive position with respect to one another. They form a wheel steering pole situated outside the track width and behind the wheel center transverse plane. In front of the wheel center transverse plane and outside the wheel center longitudinal plane, a point of intersection is formed through an axis extending through the wheel-carrier-side joint of the transverse control arm and the body-side bearing of a McPherson spring strut or, alternatively, of an upper side double arm and spring strut assembly.

Wheel suspension system with elastokinematic wheel adjustment

A wheel suspension for an axle of a motor vehicle, particularly a McPherson front axle, has a transverse control arm and a pivotally connected tension strut, the transverse control arm being held on the wheel carrier by way of a joint, and the body-side bearings of the transverse control arm and of the tension strut as well as of the connection bearing between the transverse control arm and the tension strut being constructed with a defined characteristic for the elastokinematic adjustment of the wheel under the effect of peripheral forces acting upon the wheel. The transverse control arm with the connected tension strut is arranged in an approximately horizontal plane and extends below the wheel spin axis approximately in a wheel center transverse plane. The tension strut is pivotally connected to the transverse control arm by way of a connection bearing and extends at an angle diagonally with respect to a longitudinal center axis of the vehicle. The transverse control arm is arranged, in each case, at a distance in the perpendicular and longitudinal direction with respect to a tie rod of a steering gear arranged below the wheel spin axis and--with respect to the driving direction--in front of the transverse control arm.

An auxiliary frame for a wheel suspension system of a motor vehicle is fastened to the vehicle body and has bearing receiving devices for links of the wheel suspension. The auxiliary frame is constructed in two parts and has a first cross member which is connected with a second cross member by way of fastening bolts which, at the same time, are used for the fastening of link bearings on the auxiliary frame. This design results in the constructional expenditures of the connections to the link bearings being substantially reduced.

Auxiliary frame for a wheel suspension system of a motor vehicle

A rear axle suspension for a motor vehicle with a wheel guide member retained directly at the wheel carrier which includes a first wheel-outer guide arm and a second wheel-inner guide arm. Both guide arms are pivotally connected at the vehicle body by way of elastic joints, whereby one joint of the first guide arm is constructed yielding longitudinally and together with the further elastic joint of the second guide arm forms an approximately transversely extending guide rotary axis and an imaginary wheel guide pole to the rear of the axis of rotation of the wheel and outside of the track width. The wheel guide member includes a spring strut connected with the guide body by way of a wheel-adjusting device which is constructed as part of a wheel inner guide member and is positioned obliquely to the vehicle longitudinal center axis. The spring strut has as part of the wheel inner guide member a smaller length than an adjoining rigid guide member part of the guide member. The spring strut is constructed to be elastically deflectable and retains the wheel-outer guide arm constructed in one piece with the guide body displaceable within limits by way of the control bearing support on the body side.

Growing community of inventors

Weissach, Germany

Reinhard Kunert