Shock absorber, running gear equipped with said shock absorber and motor vehicle equipped with said running gear

Abstract

Shock absorber for a motor vehicle, said shock absorber (1) being configured to be fixed between a chassis and an arm of said vehicle, said shock absorber (1) comprising a shock absorber body (12) extending axially in a damping direction, said shock absorber body being configured to be movable in a damping direction when absorbing vibrations, said shock absorber further comprising an attachment member (14) for said arm, said attachment member (14) axially extending said shock absorber body (12) and being configured to allow passage of a shaft of said vehicle in a direction transverse to said shock absorber body, said attachment member (14) and said shock absorber body (12) being fixed to each other, said attachment member (14) defining a passage orifice (16) of said shock absorber body (12),said shock absorber body (12) being configured to be axially inserted into said orifice (16) freely before fixing said shock absorber body (12) and the attachment member (14). Figure for the abstract: Figure 2,

Description

Title of the invention: Shock absorber, running gear equipped with said shock absorber and motor vehicle equipped with said running gear

[0001] The invention relates to a shock absorber for a motor vehicle. It also relates to a running gear, in particular a front end, of a motor vehicle equipped with said shock absorber. It also relates to a motor vehicle equipped with said running gear.

[0002] In this field, shock absorbers are known comprising a shock absorber body, configured to be movable in a damping direction when absorbing vibrations, and a fork for attaching the shock absorber to a lower connecting rod of the vehicle. Said fork and said shock absorber body are attached to each other by a distal end of said shock absorber body.

[0003] A difficulty linked to these shock absorbers is that, taking into account the manufacturing dispersions of the shock absorber body and / or the fork, the length of the latter varies which has repercussions on the total axial length of the shock absorbers and is detrimental to their good performance.

[0004] The invention aims to at least partially overcome the above drawbacks and to this end proposes a shock absorber for a motor vehicle, said shock absorber being configured to be fixed between a chassis and an arm of said vehicle, said shock absorber comprising a shock absorber body, extending axially in a damping direction, said shock absorber body being configured to be movable in said damping direction when absorbing vibrations, said shock absorber further comprising a member for attachment to said arm, said attachment member axially extending said shock absorber body and being configured to allow passage of a shaft of said vehicle in a direction transverse to said shock absorber body, said attachment member and said shock absorber body being fixed to each other, said attachment member defining a passage orifice of said shock absorber body,said shock absorber body being configured to sink axially into said orifice freely before fixing said shock absorber body and the attachment member.

[0005] This means that the shock absorber body can be introduced into the passage orifice, or even open axially through said passage orifice without axially abutting against said attachment member. In other words, a cross-section of said shock absorber body is less than or equal to a cross-section of said passage orifice at least along said passage orifice and at the level of the immediately adjacent part of said shock absorber body located at an entry surface of said shock absorber body into said orifice. In other words, the configuration of the body shock absorber and the passage hole allows to decide when fixing the shock absorber body on the attachment member their relative axial positioning.

[0006] Thanks to this free insertion of the shock absorber body into the attachment member, the manufacturing tolerances in terms of the length of the shock absorber body and / or the attachment member can be absorbed by inserting the shock absorber body more or less into said passage orifice and then proceeding to fix the shock absorber body on the attachment member, once the attachment member is positioned at the correct dimension along the shock absorber body, this depending on their respective dimensions according to the damping direction.

[0007] According to various additional characteristics of the invention, which may be taken together or separately and which form as many embodiments of the invention: - said attachment member and said shock absorber body are welded to each other, - said shock absorber body is tubular, - said shock absorber body is of circular cross-section, - said attachment member comprises a fork, - said fork comprises a stamped and / or folded sheet metal part, - said fork comprises a base and two prongs, - said teeth define between them a space for passage of said shaft, - said passage orifice of the attachment member is located, in particular centered, at the level of said base, - said passage orifice has a closed contour, - said passage orifice has smooth walls, - said shock absorber body opens through said passage orifices, - said shock absorber body has a constant cross section at least along its passage in said orifice, - said shock absorber body has a constant cross-section along its entire length, - said cross section of the shock absorber body corresponds to a cross section of said orifice so as to ensure axial wedging of the shock absorber body on said attachment member, - said shock absorber comprises a weld, in particular in the form of a weld bead, between said shock absorber body and said connection member, - said weld is located on one side and / or the other of said passage orifice.

[0008] The invention also relates to a running gear, in particular a front gear, of a motor vehicle comprising a shock absorber as mentioned above.

[0009] According to various additional characteristics of the invention, which may be taken together or separately and which form as many embodiments of the invention: - said train comprises said shaft, - said shaft is configured to drive a wheel of the vehicle, - said train comprises a first steering triangle, - said first triangle comprises said arm, - said arm forms a connecting rod, - said train comprises a second steering triangle, - said first triangle is a lower triangle and said second triangle is an upper triangle.

[0010] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising a front axle as described above.

[0011] The invention will be better understood, and other aims, details, characteristics and advantages thereof will appear more clearly during the detailed explanatory description which follows, of at least one embodiment of the invention given by way of purely illustrative and non-limiting example, with reference to the appended schematic drawings among which:

[0012] [Fig-1] partially illustrates, schematically, in perspective, an example of running gear according to the invention;

[0013] [Fig.2] schematically illustrates, in perspective, a shock absorber body and an attachment member, fixed to each other, of an example of a shock absorber according to the invention;

[0014] [Fig.3], schematically illustrates, in perspective, a part marked III at the [Fig.2] ;

[0015] [Fig.4], schematically illustrates, in perspective, the attachment member represented in Figures 2 and 3.

[0016] As illustrated in [Fig.l], the invention relates to a shock absorber 1 for a motor vehicle.

[0017] Said shock absorber 1 is configured to be fixed between a chassis and an arm 2 of said vehicle. The fixing of the shock absorber to the arm 2 takes place here in the lower part of the shock absorber 1 and the fixing to the chassis takes place in the upper part of the shock absorber 1, in particular by means of an upper cup 4. Said shock absorber 1 is configured for vibration absorption in a damping direction Z. It comprises here for this purpose a jack 6 and / or a return spring 8, extending between the upper cup 4 and a lower cup 10.

[0018] Said shock absorber 1 comprises a shock absorber body 12, extending axially in the damping direction Z. Said shock absorber body 12 is furthermore configured to be movable in the damping direction Z when absorbing vibrations by said shock absorber 1. Said shock absorber body 12 is here integral and in the extension of a piston, not visible in this figure, of the cylinder 6. Said shock absorber body 12 and said lower cup 10 are integral with each other.

[0019] Said shock absorber 1 further comprises a member 14 for attachment to said arm 2. Said attachment member 14 axially extends the shock absorber body 12 and is configured to allow passage of a shaft, not illustrated, of said vehicle in a transverse direction Y, in particular perpendicular, to the shock absorber body 12.

[0020] As illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, said attachment member 14 and said shock absorber body 12 are fixed, advantageously welded, to each other.

[0021] According to the invention, said attachment member 14 defines an orifice 16 for passage of said shock absorber body 12 (more visible in [Fig. 4]). Said passage orifice 16 opens out through said attachment member 14. Said shock absorber body 12 is further configured to be axially inserted into said orifice 16 freely before attachment. In other words, said shock absorber body 12 is configured so that, before attachment of the shock absorber body 12 to the attachment member 14, the shock absorber body 12 can be introduced into said passage orifice 16, without the shock absorber body 12 abutting axially on said attachment member 14, so that said attachment member 14 can be attached at the desired location along said shock absorber body 12.

[0022] It is thus possible to absorb the manufacturing tolerances in terms of the dimension of the shock absorber body 12 and / or the attachment member 14, according to the damping direction Z.

[0023] Said shock absorber body 12 is preferably formed of a tube or a rod. It is, for example, cylindrical, in particular tubular. Alternatively, said shock absorber body 12 is solid.

[0024] Said shock absorber body 12 comprises a lateral flank 32. The lateral flank 32 of the shock absorber body 12 is located opposite the thickness of material of the attachment member 14 at the level of said passage orifice 16, in particular by an external face of said lateral flank 32. Said shock absorber body 12 further has opposite longitudinal ends 18, 18', namely a free distal end 18, and / or a proximal end 18', connected to a rod 30 of the piston of the jack 6. Said longitudinal ends of said shock absorber body 18, 18' are connected by the lateral flank 32. Said distal end 18 is close to said attachment member 14. Said shock absorber body 12 is here closed at its distal end 18. The latter is, for example, frustoconical.

[0025] Said passage orifice 16 has a closed contour. It is, for example, of circular cross section. Likewise, said shock absorber body 12 has a circular cross section, in particular of the external face of its lateral flank 32.

[0026] Said passage orifice 16 has a substantially constant cross-section along said damping direction Z. According to the illustrated embodiment, it has a radius 17 facilitating the introduction of said shock absorber body 12 during assembly and / or welding. However, at the very least, said attachment member 14 does not form an axial stop for said shock absorber body 12.

[0027] Said shock absorber body 12, in particular the external face of its lateral flank 32, preferably has a constant cross section at least along its passage in said passage orifice 16 and / or in the immediate vicinity of said passage orifice 16. Said cross section of the shock absorber body 12 is here constant along its entire length, with the exception of its ends 18, 18', the distal end 18 being lower and the proximal end 18' being upper.

[0028] The thickness of material of the shock absorber body 12 preferably has a constant cross section at least along its passage in said passage orifice 16 and / or in the immediate vicinity of said passage orifice 16. At the very least, it does not form an axial stop on said attachment member 14.

[0029] Said cross section of the shock absorber body 12, in particular of the external face of its lateral flank 32, is advantageously in correspondence with a cross section of said passage orifice 16 so as to ensure axial wedging of the shock absorber body 12 on said attachment member 14, in particular good perpendicularity of the shock absorber body 12 on said attachment member 14. In the illustrated embodiment, a diameter of the external face of the lateral flank 32 is equal to or just less, apart from any clearance, than a diameter of said passage orifice 16. There is thus no or very little movement of the shock absorber body 12 in the passage orifice 16, before fixing.

[0030] Said passage orifice 16 and / or said shock absorber body 12, in particular the external face of its lateral flank 32, preferably has smooth walls so that they can easily fit into each other during assembly.

[0031] In the illustrated embodiment, said shock absorber body 12, in particular its lateral flank 32, opens out through said passage orifices 16, for example by a few millimeters.

[0032] Said shock absorber further comprises here a weld 34, in particular in the form of a weld bead, between said shock absorber body 12 and said attachment member 14. Said weld bead 34 is located, for example, on one side and / or the other of said passage orifice 16. In the illustrated embodiment, it is only present at the level of an upper face of said attachment member 14.

[0033] As illustrated in [Fig.4], said attachment member 14 comprises, in particular, a fork 20. Said fork 20 is formed here from a stamped and / or folded sheet metal part. Said fork 20 comprises a base 22 and two teeth 24.

[0034] Said base 22 comprises a plate 26 and two lateral flanks 28 extending along two large opposite sides of said plate 26. Said passage orifice 16 of the attachment member is located, in particular centered, at the level of said base 22, in particular at the level of its plate 26. Said plate 26 is substantially flat, without a bowl.

[0035] Said teeth 24 define between them a space 26 for passage of said shaft. Here they extend substantially in said damping direction Z and form a stirrup. They originate, in particular, from said plate 26, for example at two opposite sides of said plate 26. They bear on said lateral flanks 28.

[0036] Said teeth 24 have at their distal end slots allowing the passage of a fixing element 36 of the shaft 2, for example a bolt.

[0037] As illustrated in [Fig.l], the running gear according to the invention is, in particular, a front end of a motor vehicle. It comprises a shock absorber as described above.

[0038] Said train also comprises here said shaft passing between the teeth 24 of the attachment member 14. Said shaft is configured, for example, for driving a wheel 70 of the vehicle.

[0039] According to the illustrated embodiment, said train further comprises a first steering triangle 50. Said first triangle 50 here comprises said arm 2 or connecting rod. Said first triangle 50 is articulated on a frame 60. Said train also comprises a second steering triangle 52. Said first triangle 50 is, for example, a lower triangle and / or said second triangle 52 is, for example, an upper triangle. Said first and / or second triangle are linked to a hub 72 of the wheel 70.

[0040] Said train also comprises here an anti-roll bar 54 and / or a steering bar, not shown. Said anti-roll bar 54 is connected to said frame 60. It is fixed at one of its ends to said shock absorber 1, in particular at the level of said shock absorber body 12. Said shock absorber body 12 here comprises for this purpose an attachment flange 74.

Claims

Claims

1. Shock absorber for a motor vehicle, said shock absorber (1) being configured to be fixed between a chassis and an arm (2) of said vehicle, said shock absorber (1) comprising a shock absorber body (12) extending axially in a damping direction (Z), said shock absorber body being configured to be movable in said damping direction (Z) when absorbing vibrations, said shock absorber further comprising an attachment member (14) to said arm (2), said attachment member (14) axially extending said shock absorber body (12) and being configured to allow passage of a shaft of said vehicle in a direction (Y) transverse to said shock absorber body, said attachment member (14) and said shock absorber body (12) being fixed to each other, said attachment member (14) defining a passage orifice (16) of said shock absorber body (12),said shock absorber body (12) being configured to be axially inserted into said orifice (16) freely before fixing said shock absorber body (12) and the attachment member (14).,

2. A shock absorber according to claim 1 wherein said attachment member (14) and said shock absorber body (12) are welded to each other.

3. Shock absorber according to any one of the preceding claims in which said passage orifice (16) has a closed contour,

4. A shock absorber according to any preceding claim wherein said shock absorber body (12) opens through said passage orifices (16).

5. A shock absorber according to any preceding claim wherein said shock absorber body (12) has a constant cross section at least along its passage in said orifice (16).

6. Shock absorber according to the preceding claim in which said cross section of the shock absorber body (12) is in correspondence with a cross section of said orifice (16) so as to ensure axial wedging of said shock absorber body (12) on said attachment member (14).

7. A shock absorber according to any preceding claim comprising a weld (34) between said shock absorber body (12) and said attachment member (14) on one side and / or the other of said passage orifice (16).

8. Running gear, in particular front gear, of a motor vehicle comprising a shock absorber according to any one of the preceding claims.

9. Motor vehicle comprising a running gear according to the preceding claim.

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