Front suspension on a two-track vehicle

Abstract

Front wheel suspension on a two-track vehicle, the wheel carrier (4) or pivot bearing of which is guided by at least one link (3) which is connected to the wheel carrier (4) and an axle carrier (1) or the vehicle body via a joint connection (2), where measures are provided by which, as a result of an impact of the vehicle on an obstacle (P), the front wheel suspension is deformed in such a way that, with further impact-related deformation of the vehicle's front structure, the wheel is displaced away from the vehicle interior towards the longitudinal side of the vehicle, and wherein this deformation of the front wheel suspension is triggered by the obstacle (P) or another object caused by it penetrating the front of the vehicle into the space (S) between the two articulated joints of the handlebar (3), which is bridged by the handlebar (3) and extends forward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, characterized in that an attachment part (5) projecting into the space (S) bridged by the steering arm (3) and extending forward is provided on or in the area of ​​the front wheel suspension, which is displaced by the impacting obstacle (P) or the other object mentioned in such a way that at least one of the two joint connections (2) is opened or destroyed and thus the steering arm (3) is exposed relative to the axle carrier (1) or the wheel carrier and as a consequence of this the wheel is displaced away from the vehicle interior towards the longitudinal side of the vehicle during further impact-induced deformation of the vehicle front structure.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a front wheel suspension on a two-track vehicle, the wheel carrier or pivot bearing of which is guided by at least one link connected to the wheel carrier and an axle carrier or the vehicle body via a joint connection, wherein measures are provided by which, as a result of an impact of the vehicle on an obstacle, a deformation of the front wheel suspension occurs in such a way that, with further impact-related deformation of the vehicle front structure, the wheel is displaced away from the vehicle interior towards the longitudinal side of the vehicle, and wherein this deformation of the front wheel suspension is triggered by the obstacle or, caused by it, another object penetrating the vehicle front structure into the space between the two joint connections of the link, which is bridged by the link and extends forward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.For the state of the art, reference is made in particular to DE 10 2008 015 182 A1, DE 10 2010 031 089 A1, DE 38 00 944 C1, EP 0 098 401 A1 or DE 37 10 892 C2, and especially to DE 195 42 496 C1.

[0002] The fundamental aim is to design a vehicle, such as a passenger car, to be as safe as possible, especially in the event of an accident, i.e., when the vehicle collides with an obstacle. To minimize the risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in such a collision, the vehicle parts located in front of the passenger compartment (i.e., the front end) should not intrude into the passenger compartment upon impact. With regard to the front wheels of the vehicle, the aforementioned DE 195 42 496 C1 proposes a design for the wheel-guiding control arms such that, in the event of an offset impact (i.e., when the vehicle impacts an obstacle with its corner section), the wheel is pivoted laterally outwards. To achieve this, a rear control arm strut is designed to be longitudinally deformable, i.e., shortenable, and thus energy-absorbing.

[0003] A special case of offset impact is a low-overlap impact, i.e., an impact with a narrow obstacle relative to the vehicle's width. This can be particularly critical if the obstacle penetrates the vehicle's front structure without impacting the actual crash structure, which in the case of typical passenger cars consists of a front axle carrier and an engine mount. If such an obstacle, as a result of the impact, penetrates the space between a front axle carrier and the vehicle's front wheel(s), it could potentially act on the wheel's suspension in such a way that the wheel tends to be displaced towards the vehicle's longitudinal axis. This can lead to unfavorable deformations and potentially intrusion into the vehicle's interior.However, what is desirable is that, as a result of an impact, the wheel is ideally displaced in a straight line towards the door sill of the vehicle body.

[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide a remedy for this problem described above.

[0005] The solution to this problem, for a front wheel suspension according to the preamble of claim 1, is characterized in that an attachment is provided on or in the area of ​​the front wheel suspension, projecting into the space bridged by the steering linkage and extending forward, which is displaced by the impacting obstacle or by the other object mentioned in such a way that at least one of the two joint connections is opened or destroyed, thereby exposing the steering linkage relative to the axle carrier or the wheel carrier. As a consequence, with further impact-induced deformation of the vehicle's front end, the wheel is displaced away from the vehicle interior towards the longitudinal side of the vehicle. Advantageous embodiments and further developments are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0006] First, let's briefly explain the concept of the space extending forward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle between the wheel carrier (= swivel bearing) and the axle carrier (= front axle carrier), or the vehicle body, or that area of ​​the vehicle body to which the aforementioned steering linkage is attached via the articulated joint, and which is bridged by the steering linkage. This space can be approximately described as a rectangle when projected vertically onto the road surface on which the vehicle is moving, with a certain extent in the transverse direction of the vehicle and a correspondingly greater extent in the longitudinal direction. Viewed in the transverse direction of the vehicle, this space is essentially bridged by the aforementioned steering linkage.

[0007] According to the invention, an attachment protrudes into this space in the area of, or extending from, one of the two pivot joints of the steering linkage. In the event of a corresponding impact with an obstacle with low overlap, the negative consequences of which are to be reduced or minimized by the present invention, this attachment ensures that the wheel is partially released from its suspension by disengaging the aforementioned pivot joint. For this to occur, the obstacle (or another object caused by it) must strike the attachment, whereupon the attachment, for example via the lever arm formed by the attachment, causes the desired disengagement of the pivot joint. As a consequence, during the further impact-induced deformation of the vehicle's front structure, the wheel can be displaced laterally outwards from the interior of the vehicle, i.e., towards the respective longitudinal side of the vehicle adjacent to the wheel.This "partial release" from the wheel suspension is achieved by detaching the or a suitable wheel-guiding control arm, whereby the detachment of its articulated connection can be accomplished by opening or destroying the joint. Basically, the articulated connection between this control arm and the wheel carrier or pivot bearing on which the (steerable) front wheel of the vehicle is mounted can be opened or destroyed, or the articulated connection between said control arm and the front axle carrier or the vehicle body, to which the control arm is articulatedly attached, can be opened or destroyed, or in other words, interrupted or broken, generally "released".

[0008] In this context, it should be expressly pointed out that the obstacle against which the vehicle initially collides, for example in the form of a pole, need not be the object that penetrates the space spanned by the driver and strikes the attachment according to the invention. Rather, the object striking the attachment according to the invention may have been caused to strike the attachment directly or indirectly by the aforementioned obstacle.

[0009] Typically, viewed in the direction of vehicle travel, the attachment according to the invention is located in front of the control arm, which is to be detached from its articulated connection and which, when the articulated connection is functioning, acts as a tension strut. An axle carrier is usually provided, so that the attachment projects into the space between the axle carrier and the wheel. In view of the available installation space, it is then advisable to detach the articulated connection between the aforementioned wheel-guiding control arm and the axle carrier by means of the attachment according to the invention when an obstacle with minimal overlap enters the space between the axle carrier and the wheel and impacts this attachment. By detaching or breaking the articulated connection, the aforementioned control arm is exposed relative to the axle carrier, and the wheel can then shift as desired towards the longitudinal side of the vehicle facing the impact during the subsequent deformation caused by the impact.

[0010] The attachment according to the invention can be fastened at different locations; the essential point is that, in the event of an impact of the vehicle against an obstacle, whereupon this obstacle or another object triggered by it enters the aforementioned space, this attachment is displaced in such a way that the joint connection of the steering system adjacent to the attachment is released, i.e., opened or destroyed. In a preferred embodiment, the attachment can be fastened to the joint connection via the joint connection or a fastening screw, wherein the joint of this joint connection itself can be designed, for example, as an elastomeric bearing or rubber bearing, the interior of which is penetrated by the aforementioned fastening screw in a known manner.In this embodiment, the lever arm formed by the attachment can cause the attachment to shear off the fastening screw and thus detach the joint connection due to an impact-induced displacement of the attachment. Alternatively or additionally, the attachment can be shaped in such a way that, with the aforementioned displacement, it destroys essential components of the joint connection that are crucial for its load-bearing function. These components expressly include not only the joint itself, but also the section of the wheel carrier, axle carrier, or vehicle body to which the joint of the joint connection is preferably detachably attached. For example, the attachment can be a so-called...a punched rib or a punched ring or generally a suitably shaped cutting edge which, in the event of an impact-induced displacement of the attached part onto the joint connection, in particular onto a receptacle on the axle carrier for an elastomer bearing forming the joint or the like, has a destructive effect.

[0011] According to an alternative embodiment, the attachment component according to the invention can be formed by extending the aforementioned fastening screw of the joint connection. For example, this fastening screw can be designed to be so rigid that the impact impulse of the obstacle (or the aforementioned other object) is introduced into the joint connection practically undistorted as a lateral force, whereupon this joint connection breaks open and, as a result, the handlebar is released or exposed as desired.

[0012] According to a further embodiment, the attachment can also be mounted or articulated laterally to the joint, for example on the axle carrier, and have a wedge-shaped surface onto which, as a consequence of the impact, i.e., during the course of the impact, the obstacle or, triggered by it, the aforementioned other object strikes. With a suitable arrangement of this attachment, this object or obstacle can then, during the course of the impact, which extends until the vehicle comes to a standstill, slide along the wedge-shaped surface or the like in such a way that, via a leverage effect, this attachment is again displaced in such a way that it exerts a destructive force on the aforementioned joint.

[0013] The invention will now be explained in more detail using two exemplary embodiments, with the attached Fig. 1 shows the top view (= vertical projection onto the roadway) of the essential part of a first front wheel suspension according to the invention in the area of ​​the left front wheel of a passenger car, of which in Fig. 2 a perspective view in particular of the attachment part fastened to the joint between the steering linkage and the axle carrier is shown and in Fig. 3 the effect of this attachment in the event of impact-induced displacement is shown. Fig. 4 shows a similar view Fig. 1 a second embodiment.

[0014] First, let's look at the first embodiment and focus on Fig. 1. Reference numeral 1a designates the left-hand front node of a partially depicted front axle carrier 1 of a passenger car. Further components of this front axle carrier 1, depicted only fragmentarily in figurative or abstract terms, are a longitudinal member 1b, a transverse tube 1c, a cross member 1d, and a deformation element 1e located in front of node 1a when viewed in the direction of travel F. This element is quasi-clamped between node 1a and the vehicle's bumper (not shown) and absorbs a portion of the impact energy, at least in the event of a collision with a wider overlap, i.e., when the vehicle collides head-on with a wider obstacle.

[0015] A wheel-guiding link 3, which here functions as a tension strut, is pivotally attached to node 1a of the front axle carrier 1 via a joint connection 2. At its other end, this link 3 is also connected via a joint connection (not shown) to the wheel 4, which lies virtually inside the left-hand front wheel of the vehicle and is therefore in Fig. 1. The wheel carrier 4 of this wheel is attached by 4 joints, which are not visible. As can be seen in particular from... Fig. As can be seen from Figure 3, the joint connection 2 between the control arm 3 and the front axle carrier 1 is formed by an elastomer bearing 2a pressed into a receptacle in the control arm 3, as well as by so-called joint tabs 2b in or on the node 1a of the front axle carrier 1 and a fastening screw 2c, by means of which the elastomer bearing 2a is attached to the joint tabs 2b in a known manner.

[0016] An additional tubular attachment element 5 is provided at this joint connection 2, which - as shown in particular from Fig. 1 emerges - protrudes into the space S between the front axle carrier 1 or this joint connection 2 and the wheel 4. In the present embodiment, this tubular attachment element 5, which possesses a certain stiffness sufficient for its function explained below, is attached to the joint connection 2 by means of the fastening screw 2c already described. As again Fig. Figure 3 shows that the tubular attachment part 5 has at least at its end facing the joint connection 2 a bottom or end wall 5a in which a through-hole for the fastening screw 2c is provided, which is dimensioned in such a way that the attachment part 5 is pressed practically like a washer by the screw head against the facing joint tab 2b of the front axle carrier 1.

[0017] In the Fig. 1, Fig. Figure 3 is abstractly designated by the letter P as a narrow obstacle relative to the vehicle's width, which the attachment 5 will collide with if the vehicle, and thus its front axle carrier 1, moves a small distance further in the direction of travel F. Specifically, this obstacle P can be a component of a larger obstacle (not shown) that the vehicle has already collided with shortly before traveling in the direction of travel F, and whereupon this component P of the obstacle has penetrated the front of the vehicle. In an extreme case, this obstacle P can also be a component of the vehicle itself, which has been deformed and displaced by the vehicle's impact with another obstacle in such a way that this component, as obstacle P, collides with the attachment 5 if the front axle carrier 1 moves slightly further in the direction of travel F.(In this context, the claims and the character description refer to "another object").

[0018] When the obstacle P hits the attachment 5, this attachment 5 will be thrown with its free end opposite the Fig. The position shown in 1 is shifted against the direction of arrow F, as is generally or initially the case in Fig. 3 is shown. Also from Fig. Figure 2 shows that in the end section of the attachment 5 facing the joint 2, a so-called punched rib 5b is provided on the outside, i.e., in this case on the cylindrical surface of this attachment 5, which represents a hollow cylinder. With the aforementioned displacement of the attachment 5, which is shown in the illustration of Fig. If the attachment 5 is rotated around the opening in the front wall 5a as a pivot point, the impact impulse of the obstacle P can, via the lever arm formed by this attachment 5 with respect to this pivot point, destroy the punched rib 5b and the joint tab 2b. Additionally, the fastening screw 2c or its head can be torn off the shaft. Regardless of the specific sequence of events resulting from such an impact-induced displacement of the attachment 5, the joint connection 2 will be destroyed. As a consequence, the link 3 can detach from the joint connection 2, and the wheel 4, which was guided by this link 3 when the joint connection 2 was intact, gains an additional degree of freedom. This allows the wheel 4 (with the wheel carrier) to move approximately in the direction of arrow A. Fig. 1 to swerve towards the side of the vehicle not shown.

[0019] The same effect is achieved in the second embodiment now explained according to Fig. 4 achieved. In this Fig.4 are identical elements to those in the first embodiment, identified by the same reference numerals. In particular, an attachment 5 is also provided here, which in this case has the basic shape of a wheel chock used to secure parked vehicles, especially trailers, against rolling away. This attachment 5 therefore has a wedge-shaped ramp 5f and, opposite this, on the so-called base 5g, one or two cutting edges 5s, which, due to the suitable arrangement of the attachment 5, face the joint 2, which is to be released in the event of an impact with minimal overlap.As can be seen, the attachment 5 is articulated to the deformation element 1e via its area opposite the cutting edges 5s and thus located at the front in the direction of travel F, such that when the obstacle P impacts this run-up surface 5f and slides along it, as long as the vehicle is still moving slightly in the direction of travel F during the impact, the attachment 5 with the cutting edges 5s is pivoted impulsively towards the joint connection 2 in such a way that this joint connection 2 is destroyed and thereby opened as desired. Of course, numerous design modifications to the described embodiments are possible without departing from the scope of the patent claims.

Claims

[1] Front wheel suspension on a two-track vehicle, the wheel carrier (4) or pivot bearing of which is guided by at least one link (3) which is connected to the wheel carrier (4) and to an axle carrier (1) or to the vehicle body via a joint connection (2), where measures are provided by which, as a result of an impact of the vehicle on an obstacle (P), the front wheel suspension is deformed in such a way that, with further impact-related deformation of the vehicle's front structure, the wheel is displaced away from the vehicle interior towards the longitudinal side of the vehicle, and wherein this deformation of the front wheel suspension is triggered by the obstacle (P) or another object caused by it penetrating the front of the vehicle into the space (S) between the two articulated joints of the handlebar (3), which is bridged by the handlebar (3) and extends forward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, characterized by, that an attachment part (5) is provided on or in the area of ​​the front wheel suspension projecting into the space (S) bridged by the steering arm (3) and extending forwards, which is displaced by the impacting obstacle (P) or the other object mentioned in such a way that at least one of the two joint connections (2) is opened or destroyed and thus the steering arm (3) is exposed relative to the axle carrier (1) or the wheel carrier and as a consequence of this the wheel is displaced away from the vehicle interior towards the longitudinal side of the vehicle in the event of further impact-related deformation of the vehicle front structure. [2] Front wheel suspension according to claim 1, characterized by , that the attachment (5) is arranged on the joint connection (2) in such a way that the attachment (5) is displaced by the obstacle (P) or the other object mentioned in a lever-like manner and thereby destroys the joint connection (2). [3] Front wheel suspension according to claim 2, characterized by, that the attachment part (5) is attached to the joint connection (2) via the fastening screw (2c) of the joint connection (2) or is formed by an extension of the said fastening screw (2c) projecting into the said space. [4] Front wheel suspension according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the attachment (5) is tubular in shape. [5] Front wheel suspension according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the attachment (5) is provided with a wedge-shaped ramp for the obstacle (P) or the other object mentioned and is arranged in such a way that, during the course of the impact, the obstacle (P) or the other object driven by the obstacle (P) slides along this ramp and thereby displaces this attachment (5) towards the joint in a manner that destroys the joint connection. [6] Front wheel suspension according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the attachment (5) has at least one punched rib (5b) or cutting edge or punched ring which, in the event of an impact-induced displacement of the attachment (5), acts destructively on the joint connection (2).

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