Structure of a vehicle subframe

Abstract

A structure of a vehicle underframe (100) attached to a vehicle, wherein a wheel hub (50) is connected to a vehicle body by means of a lower arm (40) and an upper arm (30), which are arranged one above the other, and wherein the lower arm (40) is connected in a transverse direction of the vehicle, wherein the structure of the vehicle underframe (100) comprises: a plate-shaped body (10) which is attached to a lower section of the vehicle body and to which the lower arm (40) is attached in the transverse direction of the vehicle, and a mounting bracket (20) which projects upwards from the body (10), wherein the upper arm (30) is pivotably connected to an upper section of the mounting bracket (20), wherein the mounting bracket (20) has: a column-shaped base (20a) which is erected upwards from an upper surface of the plate-shaped body (10), and a fastening section (20b) which is formed on an upper section of the base (20a), wherein the upper arm (30) is pivotably connected to it.

Description

Background of the invention; Field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to the structure of a vehicle subframe, and in particular to a vehicle subframe which is integrally provided with a mounting bracket on a top side thereof in order to improve space utilization in order to enable the use of a double wishbone suspension even in compact passenger vehicles (e.g. vehicles of the compact class). Related technology

[0002] Types of independent suspension widely used in passenger cars include strut suspensions (e.g. McPherson strut) and double wishbone suspensions.

[0003] A strut suspension features a structure for supporting the vehicle body, in which a strut, consisting of a shock absorber and a spring, is mounted. The lower end of the strut is attached to the top of a wheel hub, and a lower arm, connected to a subframe, is attached to the underside of the wheel hub. While it offers the advantages of simplicity, ease of maintenance and repair, and a compact design, the strut suspension has disadvantages due to the high frictional force generated by the shock absorber and the limited lateral support it provides.

[0004] A double wishbone suspension is a structure in which two V-shaped (or Y-shaped) arms—an upper arm and a lower arm—are attached to the top and bottom of a wheel hub, respectively. It is advantageous because it allows for relatively free control of wheel alignment and vehicle attitude, and because it offers high stability for improved steering and handling. While it offers the benefits of greater design freedom, excellent stability, and good vibration isolation, a double wishbone suspension has the particular disadvantage of requiring considerable space, which limits its use primarily to medium-sized or larger passenger vehicles.

[0005] Fig. Figure 1A represents the structure of a double wishbone suspension in the related technology. An upper arm and a lower arm, each connected to the top and bottom of a wheel hub respectively, have shapes in which their ends diverge into two branches to form a V-shape (or a Y-shape), as the term "wishbone" suggests. The lower arm is attached to a lateral direction (a vehicle width direction) of a subframe (attached to a lower section of an engine compartment formed between longitudinal members on both sides), and the upper arm incorporates a shock absorber and is attached to a vehicle body (specifically to the upper section of a longitudinal member of the vehicle body, located on both sides of the engine compartment).

[0006] However, in the double wishbone suspension of the aforementioned technique, the upper arm was attached to a panel section of the vehicle body, thus limiting the modularization of the suspension and necessitating an additional assembly process. Furthermore, the length (a) of the upper arm had to be provided in a suitable dimension (to prevent excessive changes in camber angle, tread pattern, and track width), and to ensure stability at a connecting section, the upper arm should be attached to a section of the vehicle body with high stability (e.g., to or near a longitudinal member of the vehicle body). However, the size and arrangement of the wheel hub are limited (since there was a tendency to position the upper arm at a distance from the longitudinal member for the purpose of harmonious wheel alignment), which leads to the disadvantage that it is difficult to ensure a suitable length for the upper arm.

[0007] If the cross-section of a vehicle body longitudinal member is enlarged to accommodate the shock absorber and / or to improve the stability of the vehicle body, the length of the lower arm can only be further restricted.

[0008] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 1B, a structure was developed in which a shock absorber is arranged longitudinally along the vehicle body to absorb the force of a vehicle collision and prevent the front of the vehicle from dipping. In this mounting structure, the front of the shock absorber is connected to a bumper mounted on the front of the vehicle, and the rear of the shock absorber is connected to a rocker arm. The rocker arm is in the form of a triangular plate and is mounted to the vehicle body to allow it to pivot forward and backward. It has one side connected to the shock absorber and another side connected to a pushrod that is linked to the wheel hub.

[0009] Consequently, if the wheel hub is set into a vertically oscillating motion due to impacts from the road surface, the pushrod pivots the rocker arm (in the direction indicated by the arrow), and the shock absorber compresses and rebounds along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle body to absorb the impact exerted by the pushrod. Furthermore, in the event of a front-end collision, the force of the impact transmitted through the bumper is primarily absorbed by the shock absorber, and a portion of the impact is transferred by the rocker arm to the pushrod, which then pushes downwards on the wheel hub to lift the front of the vehicle. This movement of the pushrod counteracts the tendency of the front of a vehicle to dip in the event of an impact and reduces the risk of injury to the occupants.

[0010] Consequently, if the impact absorption structure described above is used, then the rocker arm and pushrod must necessarily be provided, which leads to further restrictions regarding the installation space of the upper arm and the conditions for design requirements.

[0011] The information disclosed in the section “Background of the Invention” is provided solely for a better understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be regarded as an admission or any indication that this information belongs to the prior art as it is (already) known to the person skilled in the art.

[0012] Furthermore, DE 10 2008 046 126 B4 discloses a known structure of a vehicle subframe attached to a vehicle. More specifically, DE 10 2008 046 126 B4 discloses a front section structure of a vehicle body, comprising a front component of the vehicle and a suspension frame arranged behind the front component in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, wherein a side panel element extends in the longitudinal direction, and a lower end panel element extends in the longitudinal direction, connecting the front component and the suspension frame and is arranged below the side panel element, wherein the lower end panel element is formed in a rectangular or square cylindrical shape, and two opposing walls of the lower end panel element are each attached to the suspension frame.

[0013] DE 198 47 356 A1 further discloses a wheel hub which is connected to the vehicle body in the transverse direction by means of a lower and an upper arm, wherein the vehicle subframe has a plate-shaped body which is attached to a lower area of ​​the vehicle body. Brief explanation of the invention

[0014] It is an object of the present invention to provide a structure of a vehicle subframe which is able to ensure a suitable length for an upper arm, improve support stability and modularize the suspension.

[0015] The present invention provides a vehicle subframe structure according to claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are described in the dependent claims and below.

[0016] According to the present invention, a structure of a vehicle subframe, which is attached to a vehicle, wherein a wheel hub is connected to a vehicle body by a lower arm and an upper arm, which are arranged one above the other (e.g. one above the other or one above the other), and wherein the lower arm is connected in a transverse direction of the vehicle, comprises: a plate-shaped body, which is attached to a lower section of the vehicle body and to which the lower arm is attached in the transverse direction of the vehicle, and a mounting bracket, which projects upwards from the body, wherein the upper arm is pivotably connected to an upper section of the mounting bracket.

[0017] According to the invention, the mounting bracket comprises: a rod-shaped base which is erected upwards from an upper surface of the plate-shaped body, and a mounting section which is formed on an upper section of the base, wherein the upper arm is pivotably connected to it.

[0018] In another embodiment, the fastening section is aligned in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0019] In a further embodiment, the upper arm is designed with an end section thereof (of the upper arm) which diverges or runs apart into two branches to form a V-shape, wherein the fastening section may have hinge brackets which are installed on one side or on the other side thereof (of the fastening section), and wherein a respective end of the two branched or diverging sides (or branches) of the upper arm is pivotably connected to the respective hinge bracket.

[0020] The vehicle body can have a shock absorber arranged along a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, wherein a front end of the shock absorber is connected to a bumper and a rear end of the shock absorber is connected to a rocker arm which is connected to the wheel hub by means of a push rod, wherein the mounting section can have a rocker arm bracket which is installed between the joint brackets, wherein the rocker arm bracket is pivotably connected to the rocker arm and the rocker arm is pivotable in a front-to-back direction of the vehicle.

[0021] An upper surface of the mounting section is attached below a longitudinal beam of the vehicle body and directly connected to it.

[0022] The present invention, as described above, has the effect of ensuring a suitable length for an upper arm. Furthermore, with an improved degree of design freedom for the arrangement, space between components can be more easily ensured, and the effect of being able to use double wishbone suspensions in compact vehicles can be achieved.

[0023] Whereas in the referenced technique an upper arm was attached to a vehicle body in a double wishbone structure, requiring the subframe, shock absorber and upper arm to be attached to the vehicle body one after the other, the subframe of the present invention has the additional effect that the upper arm can be pre-assembled to the subframe and then attached to the vehicle body to simplify the assembly process.

[0024] Since a fastening section of the present invention is further fixed to a longitudinal member of the vehicle body, support stability can be ensured even if not only an upper arm but also a rocker arm is attached.

[0025] The devices of the present invention have other features and advantages, which will become clear or be explained in more detail from the accompanying drawings included herein and the following detailed description, which together serve to explain certain principles of the present invention. Brief description of the drawings Fig. Figure 1A is a cross-sectional view of the structure of a double wishbone wheel suspension in the related technology. Fig. 1B is a view showing a shock absorber arranged in the longitudinal direction of a vehicle body to reduce the force of an impact in a frontal collision, and a pushrod and rocker arm. Fig. Figure 2 is a perspective view of a subframe according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Fig. Figure 3 is a view and a partial exploded view of a subframe which is attached to a vehicle body towards the underside of a drive train, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Fig. Figure 4 is a perspective view of an attached subframe according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, wherein a shock absorber is arranged in a longitudinal direction and a rocker arm and a push rod are attached. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of a section in Fig. 4.

[0026] It should be clear that the attached drawings are not necessarily to scale and represent a somewhat simplified depiction of various properties in order to illustrate the basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of the present invention, including, for example, specific dimensions, directions, positions, and shapes as disclosed herein, are partly determined by the respective intended application and usage environment.

[0027] In all drawings, the same reference numerals refer to identical or equivalent components of the present invention. Detailed description

[0028] Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. Although the invention is described in connection with the exemplary embodiments, it is clear that the present description is not intended to limit the invention to these exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the invention is intended not only to cover the exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, variations, and other embodiments that may be included within the scope and meaning of the invention as defined by the attached claims.

[0029] A subframe 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention was developed to be attached to a vehicle in which a wheel hub 50 is connected to the vehicle body on both sides by means of a lower arm 40 and an upper arm 30, which are arranged on the top and bottom respectively, and in particular to a vehicle which uses a double wishbone suspension. The structure of a vehicle subframe according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention is described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0030] With reference to Fig. 2 According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the subframe 100 has a plate-shaped body 10 in the form of an “I” (or an “H”) and a mounting bracket 20, which is attached to both sides (e.g. on one side each) of the upper surface of the body 10.

[0031] The body 10 defines an open section 11 on or in both sides of it, so that the lower arm 40 is inserted and attached therein, and an upper arm 30 is attached to the mounting bracket 20.

[0032] The mounting bracket 20 has a rod-shaped or column-shaped base 20a, which is erected upwards from the top of the plate-shaped body 10, and a mounting section 20b, which is formed on the top of the base 20a and with which the upper arm 30 is (pivotably) connected.

[0033] The upper arm 30 of the double wishbone suspension has one end that is divided into two branches to form a "V" shape and a "Y" shape, respectively, so that the mounting section 20b is formed in a rod shape which is arranged in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. A joint bracket 21a and 21b, respectively, is installed on one side and the other side of the mounting section 20b to pivotally connect the respective end of the upper arm 30 to it.

[0034] Another end of the upper arm 30 is pivotably connected to the wheel hub 50.

[0035] A rocker arm bracket 22 can also be installed between the joint brackets 21a and 21b to conform to the structure described above, in which the rocker arm (reference numeral 60 in Fig. 4) is attached so that the rocker arm 60 is rotatably / pivotably connected (designed with a rotating shaft) in a front-to-back direction.

[0036] A bolt hole 23 is provided in the upper surface of the fastening section 20b in order to attach and connect the fastening section 20b to the lower surface of the longitudinal member of the vehicle body, e.g. by means of a bolt.

[0037] As in Fig. As described in section 3, the subframe 100, configured as above, is attached to the vehicle body towards the underside of the drivetrain between longitudinal members located on both sides in an engine compartment. (Although in Fig. (Not shown in Figure 3 for the purpose of understanding the drawing), the lower arm 40 is attached to the open section 11, and the upper arm 30 is attached to the joint brackets 21a and 21b of the mounting section 20b. The upper arm 30 is bolted, fastened, and connected below the longitudinal member of the vehicle body and may be manufactured with a length (b) that is longer than the length (a) in the related technology.

[0038] Referring to Fig. 4 and Fig. 5. The subframe 100 of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention can also be used in a technique in which a shock absorber 61 is arranged in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body and the rocker arm 60 and a push rod 62 are attached.

[0039] This means that the rocker arm 60 is pivotably connected to the rocker arm bracket 22, which is formed on the mounting section 20b, and the push rod 62, which connects the rocker arm 60 and the wheel hub 50, is attached between the joint brackets 21a and 21b on both sides, to which the upper arm 30 is connected, so that the loads can be transferred more stably from the vehicle body and / or the ground.

[0040] The fastening section 20b is fixed directly to the lower surface of the longitudinal member of the vehicle body, which has high rigidity, so that the shock absorber 61 and the upper arm 30 can be supported more stably.

[0041] To facilitate the explanation and precise definition of the attached claims, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “inner”, “outer”, “forward” and “rearward” are used to describe properties of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of these features shown in the drawings.

[0042] The preceding description of certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention served the purpose of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to precisely the disclosed forms, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The exemplary embodiments were selected and described to illustrate certain principles of the invention and its practical applicability, thereby enabling the person skilled in the art to produce and apply various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as well as various alternatives and variations thereof. It is intended that the scope of the invention is defined by the accompanying claims.

Claims

[1] A vehicle underframe structure (100) attached to a vehicle, wherein a wheel hub (50) is connected to a vehicle body by means of a lower arm (40) and an upper arm (30) arranged one above the other, and wherein the lower arm (40) is connected in a transverse direction of the vehicle, wherein the vehicle underframe structure (100) comprises: a plate-shaped body (10) which is attached to a lower section of the vehicle body and to which the lower arm (40) is attached in the transverse direction of the vehicle, and a mounting bracket (20) which projects upwards from the body (10), wherein the upper arm (30) is pivotably connected to an upper section of the mounting bracket (20), wherein the mounting bracket (20) has: a column-shaped base (20a) which is erected upwards from an upper surface of the plate-shaped body (10), and a fastening section (20b) which is formed on an upper section of the base (20a), wherein the upper arm (30) is pivotably connected to it. [2] The structure of the vehicle subframe (100) according to claim 1, wherein the fastening section (20b) is aligned in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. [3] The structure of the vehicle subframe (100) according to claim 1, wherein the upper arm (30) is formed with an end section thereof which diverges into two branches to form a V-shape, wherein the fastening section (20b) has hinged brackets (21a, 21b) which are installed on one side and on the other side thereof, and wherein each end of both diverging sides of the upper arm (30) is pivotably connected to the respective joint mount (21a,21b). [4] The structure of the vehicle subframe (100) according to claim 3, wherein the vehicle body has a shock absorber (61) which is arranged along a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, wherein a front end of the shock absorber (61) is connected to a bumper and a rear end of the shock absorber (61) is connected to a rocker arm (60) which is connected to the wheel hub (50) by means of a push rod (62), and wherein the fastening section (20b) has a rocker arm bracket (22) which is installed between the joint brackets (21a, 21b), wherein the rocker arm bracket (22) is pivotably connected to the rocker arm (60) and the rocker arm (60) is pivotable in a front-to-back direction of the vehicle. [5] The structure of the vehicle subframe (100) according to claim 1, wherein an upper surface of the fastening section (20b) is attached below a longitudinal member of the vehicle body and is directly connected to it.

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