Automobile Suspension Lower Arm Damper Mounting Geometry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional multi-link suspension systems with five I-links face challenges in minimizing damper inclination to reduce sliding friction while ensuring road clearance, particularly when the lower end of the damper is mounted to the lower arm.
Innovation Solution
The automobile suspension device features a 5-link configuration where the lower arm has a U-shaped cross-section with damper mounting portions positioned lower than the straight line connecting the wheel-side and vehicle-body-side pivots, and a bulge on the bottom surface to accommodate the damper pivot, allowing the damper to incline vertically and reducing sliding friction while maintaining road clearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the lower end of the damper is mounted to the lower arm, then the shock absorbing effect is enhanced, but the damper inclination cannot be minimized due to layout limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the damper mounting portion from a conventional position on the lower arm to a position on the vehicle body below the lower arm. This spatial repositioning in a different dimension (vertical direction relative to the lower arm) enables the damper to be mounted vertically without interfering with the lower arm's road clearance, thus resolving the contradiction between shock absorbing effectiveness and damper inclination angle.
2Device complexity
If the damper mounting portion is positioned on the lower arm, then the structure is simplified, but the road clearance cannot be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the damper mounting function from the lower arm structure by providing a dedicated mounting portion on the vehicle body. This segmentation allows the lower arm to focus solely on maintaining road clearance while the damper mounting is handled by a separate structure on the vehicle body, thus resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and road clearance requirements.
3Loss of energy
If the damper is mounted vertically to reduce sliding friction, then the shock absorbing performance is improved, but the lower arm geometry becomes constrained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mounting portion on the vehicle body that acts as a mediator between the damper and the lower arm. This intermediary structure enables the damper to be mounted vertically to minimize sliding friction while allowing the lower arm to maintain its required geometry for road clearance, thus resolving the contradiction between reducing energy loss and maintaining geometric flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
A five-link automobile suspension device is configured to support a lower end of a damper with a lower arm, and is capable of reducing sliding friction while ensuring a road clearance. Embodiments include a lower arm connecting a wheel support and a vehicle body, and a damper that has a lower end connected to the lower arm and is disposed to incline upward toward a vehicle-width-direction inner side in a rear view. A wall surface of the lower arm has a damper mounting portion, which supports a pivot of the damper, at a position lower than a straight line connecting a pivot on a wheel side and a pivot on a vehicle-body side of the lower arm. A bottom surface of the lower arm has a bulge formed at a position under the damper mounting portion.