Method for conditioning a vehicle chassis comprising rubber bearings

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for conditioning a chassis (1.1) comprising rubber bearings of a vehicle (1), wherein the vehicle (1) is moved several times over a conditioning section (2) which is arranged to cause multiple compression of spring devices of the chassis (1.1) when the vehicle (1) is moved over the conditioning section (2).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for conditioning a chassis comprising rubber bearings of a vehicle.

[0002] In suspension systems with rubber bushings, the rubber bushings have a significant influence on the suspension's settling behavior. In particular, the axle alignment values ​​of the suspension can be strongly affected by differing hysteresis characteristics and / or stiffnesses of the rubber bushings. It is therefore advantageous to condition the suspension before final adjustments.

[0003] The present invention is based on the objective of enabling reliable conditioning of a vehicle chassis comprising rubber bearings in a simple manner.

[0004] This problem is solved according to the invention by a method for conditioning a chassis comprising a rubber bearing of a vehicle with the features of claim 1.

[0005] In the inventive method for conditioning a vehicle chassis comprising rubber bearings, the vehicle to be conditioned is moved repeatedly over a conditioning track. The conditioning track is configured to cause multiple compression of the chassis's spring assemblies as the vehicle moves over it, with each wheel of the vehicle typically having its own individual spring assembly. The vehicle can be moved over the conditioning track under its own power or by means of an external motion device. The conditioning track typically includes a plurality of speed bumps to cause the spring assemblies to compress.Preferably, separate speed bumps are provided for the left and right wheels of the vehicle, with the speed bumps for the left and right wheels preferably arranged offset from each other with respect to the vehicle's direction of travel. Preferably, the conditioning section comprises several differently designed speed bumps. The conditioning section is designed to cause a relatively strong, preferably substantially complete, compression of the suspension components and thereby generate a relatively high load on the suspension's rubber bushings.

[0006] By repeatedly moving the vehicle over the conditioning track and applying a defined load to the rubber bearings of the suspension through compression, a defined nominal stiffness of the rubber bearings can be achieved – based on the so-called Mullins effect. The method according to the invention therefore enables the reliable conditioning of a vehicle's suspension system comprising rubber bearings in a simple manner.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment, the conditioning section comprises several differently configured conditioning segments, each specifically designed to produce different suspension compression behaviors when the vehicle is moved over it. Typically, these differently configured conditioning segments include differently shaped speed bumps to achieve these different suspension compression behaviors. Preferably, the vehicle is moved over the conditioning section at least once in a forward direction and at least once in a reverse direction (opposite the forward direction) to achieve a defined sequence of different suspension compression behaviors and thus enable particularly reliable conditioning.

[0008] Preferably, when moving forward, the vehicle is moved in one direction of travel of the vehicle, and when moving backward, it is moved against the direction of travel of the vehicle, in order to enable particularly reliable conditioning.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the conditioning section comprises a torsion conditioning section, which is configured to induce torsional rigidity of the chassis when the vehicle moves over it, and a vibration conditioning section, which is configured to induce multiple, brief compressions of each suspension spring assembly when the vehicle moves over it. The torsion conditioning section preferably includes several speed bumps with a relatively large extent in the direction of vehicle movement, with separate speed bumps for the left and right wheels of the vehicle, arranged at a relatively large distance from each other relative to the vehicle's direction of movement to induce torsional rigidity.The vibration conditioning section preferably comprises several speed bumps with a relatively small extent in the direction of vehicle travel, with separate speed bumps for the left and right wheels of the vehicle. These bumps are arranged at a relatively small distance from each other in relation to the direction of vehicle travel to cause repeated, brief compression of the suspension components. The inclusion of the torsion conditioning section and the vibration conditioning section allows for particularly reliable conditioning.

[0010] Preferably, the twisting conditioning section is arranged before the vibration conditioning section with respect to the forward direction, and the vehicle is moved successively in the forward direction, the reverse direction and again in the forward direction over the conditioning section in order to achieve particularly reliable conditioning.

[0011] Advantageously, the vehicle is moved over the conditioning track at a speed between 5 km / h and 20 km / h, preferably between 10 km / h and 15 km / h, in order to achieve a particularly advantageous suspension behavior of the chassis when moving the vehicle over the conditioning track.

[0012] An embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying figure, which shows a schematic diagram of a vehicle and a conditioning track over which the vehicle is moved several times according to the invention.

[0013] The figure shows a vehicle 1 with a chassis 1.1 comprising four wheels 1.2a - 1.2b. The chassis 1.1 further comprises four spring assemblies (not shown here), each assigned in a known manner to one of the four wheels 1.2a - 1.2d, as well as a plurality of rubber bearings (also not shown here).

[0014] The figure further shows a conditioning section 2, over which the vehicle 1 is moved several times according to the invention for the conditioning of the chassis 1.1.

[0015] The conditioning section 2 comprises a twisting conditioning section 2.1 and a vibration conditioning section 2.2, wherein the twisting conditioning section 2.1 is arranged upstream of the vibration conditioning section 2.2 with respect to a forward direction V of the conditioning section 2.

[0016] The torsion conditioning section 2.1 comprises three torsion floor thresholds 2.1.1 a - 2.1.1 c, which are arranged offset from each other with respect to the forward direction V, wherein, when viewed along the forward direction V, the first torsion floor threshold 2.1.1 a and the third torsion floor threshold 2.1.1 c are arranged on a left half of the conditioning section 2 and the second torsion floor threshold 2.1.1b is arranged on a right half of the conditioning section 2, so that the torsion floor thresholds 2.1.1 a - 2.1.1 c cause a twisting of the chassis 1.1 when the vehicle 1 moves over the torsion conditioning section 2.1.

[0017] The vibration conditioning section 2.2 comprises eight vibration thresholds 2.2.1a - 2.2.1h, which are arranged offset from one another with respect to the forward direction V. When viewed along the forward direction V, the first vibration threshold 2.2.1a, the third vibration threshold 2.2.1c, the fifth vibration threshold 2.2.1e, and the seventh vibration threshold 2.2.1g are located on the right half of the conditioning section 2, and the second vibration threshold 2.2.1b, the fourth vibration threshold 2.2.1d, the sixth vibration threshold 2.2.1f, and the eighth vibration threshold 2.2.1h are located on the left half of the conditioning section 2. Thus, as the vehicle 1 moves over the vibration conditioning section 2.2, vibration thresholds 2.2.1a - 2.2.1h cause a vibration. This is caused by multiple short-term compression of each of the spring devices of the chassis 1.1 assigned to one of the four wheels 1.2a - 1.2d.

[0018] According to the invention, the vehicle 1 is moved several times over the conditioning track 2.

[0019] Preferably, starting from the position shown in the figure, the vehicle 1 is first moved in the forward direction V over the conditioning section 2, then moved in a reverse direction R opposite to the forward direction V over the conditioning section 2, and then moved again in the forward direction V over the conditioning section 2, wherein the vehicle 1 is moved in a direction of travel F of the vehicle 1 when moving in the forward direction V and is moved in the opposite direction to the direction of travel F of the vehicle 1 when moving in the reverse direction R.

[0020] Advantageously, the vehicle is moved over the conditioning track 2 at a speed between 10 km / h and 15 km / h both when moving forward V and when moving backward R. Reference symbol list 1 vehicle 1.1 Chassis 1.2a - 1.2d Wheels 2 Conditioning section 2.1 Twist conditioning section 2.1.1a - 2.1.1c Torsion thresholds 2.2 Vibration conditioning section 2.2.1a - 2.2.1h Vibrating floor sleepers F Direction of travel R Reverse direction V Forward direction

Claims

[1] Method for conditioning a chassis (1.1) of a vehicle (1) comprising rubber bearings, wherein the vehicle (1) is moved several times over a conditioning section (2) which is designed to cause a multiple compression of spring devices of the chassis (1.1) when the vehicle (1) is moved over the conditioning section (2). [2] Method according to claim 1, wherein the conditioning route (2) comprises a plurality of differently configured conditioning sections (2.1, 2.2), and wherein the vehicle (1) is moved at least once in a forward direction (V) over the conditioning route (2) and at least once in a reverse direction (R) opposite to the forward direction (V) over the conditioning route (2). [3] Method according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle (1) is moved in a direction of travel (F) of the vehicle (1) when moving in the forward direction (V) and is moved opposite to the direction of travel (F) of the vehicle (1) when moving in the reverse direction (R). [4] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the conditioning section (2) comprises a torsion conditioning section (2.1) which is designed to cause torsion of the chassis (1.1) when the vehicle (1) moves over the torsion conditioning section (2.1), and a vibration conditioning section (2.2) which is designed to cause a multiple, brief compression of each spring device of the chassis (1.1) when the vehicle (1) moves over the vibration conditioning section (2.2). [5] Method according to claims 2 and 4, wherein, with respect to the forward direction (V), the torsion conditioning section (2.1) is arranged in front of the vibration conditioning section (2.2), and wherein the vehicle (1) is moved successively in the forward direction (V), the reverse direction (R) and again in the forward direction (V) over the conditioning section (2). [6] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the vehicle (1) is moved over the conditioning section (2) at a speed between 5 km / h and 20 km / h, preferably between 10 km / h and 15 km / h.

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