Suspension for vehicles

A suspension for vehicles includes a suspension arm and a shock absorbing module integrally connected, wherein the shock absorbing module is disposed in the front and rear direction of a vehicle to absorb shocks and vibrations of the vehicle through translational motion in the front and rear direction thereof. The suspension for vehicles can significantly lower the vehicle height, enabling the implementation of an ultra-low-floor platform, and may be applied to vehicles that require securing loading space.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0063815, filed May 17, 2023, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE

Field of the Present Disclosure

The present disclosure relates to suspension for vehicles, and more particularly, to suspension for vehicles that converts the rotation motion of a suspension arm into translational motion of the shock absorbing module to absorb shocks applied to the suspension arm.

Description of Related Art

Car suspension is a device that connects an axle to a vehicle body so that vibrations or impacts from the road surface when a vehicle is running are not transferred directly to the vehicle body, preventing damage to the vehicle body or cargo and improving ride comfort.

A typical suspension system is configured to support the weight of the vehicle body with the stiffness of springs and alleviate the vertical vibration of wheels.

The conventional suspension system needs to be connected to the vehicle body to configure a strut or shock absorber that operates in the vertical direction, and includes a disadvantage in that the overall vehicle height inevitably increases as a top mount of the strut or shock absorber is raised to satisfy the wheel stroke.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Various aspects of the present disclosure are directed to providing suspension for vehicles in which a shock absorbing module connecting a suspension arm and a vehicle body converts the rotation motion of the suspension arm into translational motion to absorb shocks, and that can compensate for the disadvantages of the high vehicle height by being able to lower the height, and that can dramatically free vehicle package space while maintaining the vertical vibration absorption performance of an existing suspension system.

An objective of the present disclosure is to provide suspension for vehicles that enables implementation of ultra-low-floor platforms, rolling chassis, and skateboard-type chassis platforms required to secure loading space in purpose built vehicles (PBV), electric vehicles, and mobilities.

To achieve the objectives of the present disclosure, there is provided suspension for vehicles including: a suspension arm connected to a wheel of the vehicle; a damper housing connected to a vehicle body; a shock absorbing module connecting the suspension arm and the damper housing and configured to convert rotation motion of the suspension arm into translational motion of the shock absorbing module to absorb shocks applied to the suspension arm.

The shock absorbing module may be disposed in a front and rear direction of a vehicle to perform the translational motion in the front and rear direction of the vehicle when the suspension arm rotates.

The shock absorbing module may include: a damper engaged to the suspension arm and configured to receive the rotation motion of the suspension arm and convert the rotation motion of the suspension arm into a translational motion of the damper in a front and rear direction of a vehicle; and a damper spring connected to the damper and configured to generate a damping force while being compressed by the translational motion of the damper.

The shock absorbing module may further include: a damper gear mounted in the damper housing, connected to the suspension arm, and configured to rotate together with the suspension arm in response that the suspension arm rotates; a ball screw gear mounted in the damper housing and configured to rotate in gear-engagement with the damper gear; a ball screw including an end portion thereof connected to the ball screw gear and rotating together with the ball screw gear; and a ball nut coupled to the ball screw to move along the ball screw when the ball screw rotates, and connected to the damper to translate the damper.

An external ring of an arm bearing may be fixedly coupled to each of a front surface and a rear surface of the damper housing, and the suspension arm and the damper gear may be coupled with an internal ring of the arm bearing so that when the suspension arm rotates, the internal ring of the arm bearing and the damper gear may rotate with respect to the external ring of the arm bearing.

A bush may be coupled to each of a front surface and a rear surface of the damper housing, and the suspension arm and the damper gear may be connected through the bush.

The damper gear may include a diameter greater than the ball screw gear, so that when the damper gear rotates one turn, the ball screw gear may rotate more than one turn.

One or more ball screws may be provided parallel to the damper.

Each end portion of the ball screw may be rotatably coupled to each of a front surface and a rear surface of the damper housing by a support bearing.

The suspension for vehicles may further include: a damper rod connected concentrically with the damper gear to rotate together with the damper gear, wherein the damper may perform the translational motion along the damper rod.

The suspension for vehicles may further include: a bump stopper coupled to the damper rod to limit a translational stroke of the damper.

The suspension for vehicles may further include: a damper bearing include a center portion thereof penetrated by the damper rod, and in which an end portion of the damper spring is supported by the damper bearing to prevent rotation of the damper spring while the damper rod rotates.

The damper and the ball screw may be spaced apart in a left and right direction of the vehicle and are placed in parallel.

The ball screw and the damper may be spaced apart in a vertical direction of the vehicle and are placed in parallel.

An actuator configured for length change in the front and rear direction of the vehicle may be connected to a connection portion between the damper and the ball nut, wherein by operation of the actuator, rotation of the ball screw; the ball screw gear, the damper gear, and the suspension arm may be induced, wherein due to the rotation of the suspension arm, vehicle height may be adjusted.

The suspension arm connected to the shock absorbing module may be a double-wishbone type upper arm or a lower arm.

Suspension for vehicles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes a configuration in which a suspension arm and a shock absorbing module are integrally connected, and the shock absorbing module is disposed in the front and rear direction of a vehicle to absorb shocks and vibrations of the vehicle through translational motion in the front and rear direction, can significantly lower the vehicle height compared to an existing suspension system to compensate for the disadvantages of the high vehicle height, and can dramatically free vehicle package space while maintaining the vertical vibration absorption performance of the existing suspension system.

Furthermore, the suspension for vehicles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure can implement ultra-low-floor platforms, rolling chassis, and skateboard-type chassis platforms, etc. required to secure loading space in purpose built vehicles (PBV), electric vehicles, and mobilities.

Furthermore, in the suspension for vehicles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, because the suspension arm and the shock absorbing module are designed as an integrated module, a high degree of design freedom in position selection may be ensured, and thus, it is advantageous to platform sharing for small mobilities.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereafter, various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and the same or similar components are provided the same reference numerals regardless of the numbers of figures and are not repeatedly described.

Terms “module” and “unit (part/portion)” that are used for components in the following description are used only for the convenience of description without including discriminate meanings or functions.

In the following description, if it is decided that the detailed description of known technologies related to the present disclosure makes the subject matter of the exemplary embodiments described herein unclear, the detailed description is omitted.

Furthermore, the accompanying drawings are provided only for easy understanding of embodiments included in the specification, and the technical spirit included in the specification is not limited by the accompanying drawings, and all changes, equivalents, and replacements should be understood as being included in the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

Terms including ordinal numbers such as “first”, “second”, etc. may be used to describe various components, but the components are not to be construed as being limited to the terms. The terms are used only to distinguish one component from another component.

It is to be understood that when one element is referred to as being “connected to” or “coupled to” another element, it may be directly connected to or directly coupled to another element or be connected to or coupled to another element, including the other element intervening therebetween.

On the other hand, it should be understood that when one element is referred to as being “directly connected to” or “directly coupled to” another element, it may be connected to or coupled to another element without the other element intervening therebetween.

Singular forms are intended to include plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

It will be further understood that the terms “comprise” or “have” used in the present specification, specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, components, parts, or a combination thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numerals, steps, operations, components, parts, or a combination thereof.

Furthermore, the terms “unit” or “control unit” included in motor control unit (MCU), hybrid control unit (HCU), etc. are just widely used terms for naming controllers that control specific vehicle functions, and do not mean generic function units.

A controller may include a communication device that communicates with another controller or a sensor to control corresponding functions, a memory that stores an operating system or logic commands and input/output information, and one or more processors that perform determination, calculation, decision, etc. for controlling the corresponding functions.

Suspension for vehicles according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described hereafter with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown inFIGS.1to7, the suspension for vehicles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a suspension arm100connected to a wheel10; a damper housing200connected to a vehicle body20; a shock absorbing module300that connects the suspension arm100and the damper housing200and converts the rotation motion of the suspension arm100into translational motion of the shock absorbing module to absorb shocks applied to the suspension arm.

As an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a knuckle30is coupled to the wheel10, and one end portion of the suspension arm100is rotatably coupled to the knuckle30.

The vehicle body20may be a member or sub-frame of a vehicle located on the side of the suspension arm100, and the damper housing200is coupled to the vehicle body20.

The damper housing200is formed in a rectangular frame structure, and a relatively long side thereof is disposed to extend in the front and rear direction of the vehicle.

The shock absorbing module300is disposed to be located within the damper housing200, and due to the provided configuration, there is an advantage in that the external size of the shock absorbing module300may be configured compactly.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the suspension arm100connected to the shock absorbing module300may be either a double-wishbone type upper arm110or lower arm120.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a suspension arm-integrated suspension system in which the double-wishbone type lower arm120and the shock absorbing module300are integrally connected will be described as an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

The shock absorbing module300according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is disposed in the front and rear direction of the vehicle within the damper housing200, and includes a structure that absorbs shocks while performing translational motion in the front and rear direction of the vehicle when the suspension arm100rotates.

The shock absorbing module300includes: a damper310that receives the rotation motion of the suspension arm100and translates in the front and rear direction of the vehicle; and a damper spring320which is connected to the damper310and generates a damping force while being compressed by the translational motion of the damper310.

The damper310may include a shock absorber, and the damper spring320may include a compression coil spring.

The shock absorbing module300according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a damper gear330connected to the suspension arm100and rotating together when the suspension arm100rotates; a ball screw gear340that rotates in gear-engagement with the damper gear330; a ball screw350including one end portion thereof connected to the ball screw gear340and rotating together with the ball screw gear340; and a ball nut360which is coupled to the ball screw350to move along the ball screw350when the ball screw350rotates, and connected to the damper310to translate the damper310.

In the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, an external ring410of an arm bearing400is fixedly coupled to a front surface210and a rear surface220of the damper housing200, and the suspension arm100and the damper gear330are coupled with an internal ring420of the arm bearing400, so that when the suspension arm100rotates, the internal ring420of the arm bearing400and the damper gear330rotate with respect to the external ring410of the arm bearing400.

The arm bearing400includes: the external ring410and the internal ring420; and a plurality of balls430disposed between the external ring410and the internal ring420.

The external ring410is press-fitted and fixed to the front surface210and the rear surface220of the damper housing200, and the internal ring420rotates relative to the external ring410by the plurality of balls430.

The internal ring420of the arm bearing400located on the front surface210of the damper housing200is combined with the suspension arm100and the damper gear330, and thus, when the suspension arm100rotates, the internal ring420of the arm bearing400and the damper gear330of rotate with respect to the external ring410of the arm bearing400and the damper housing200.

The arm bearing400is configured to fix the damper housing200and the suspension arm100and support rotation of the suspension arm100.

In the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown inFIG.4, a bush500may be coupled to the front surface210and the rear surface220of the damper housing200, and the suspension arm100and the damper gear330may be connected through the bushes500.

The bush500made of steel or plastic may be coupled to the front surface210and the rear surface20of the damper housing200instead of the arm bearing400, and when the bush500is applied, it is advantageous to ensure ride comfort and handling performance compared to a configuration in which the arm bearing400is applied.

The damper gear330according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes a diameter greater than the ball screw gear340, so that when the damper gear330rotates one turn, the ball screw gear340rotates more than one turn. Due to the provided configuration, when the suspension arm100rotates, the damper310and the damper spring320operate rapidly to speed up the responsiveness of the shock absorbing performance.

The damper gear330and the ball screw gear340are externally meshed with each other.

To satisfy the operating stroke of the damper310, the gear ratio between the damper gear330and the ball screw gear340and the pitch of the ball screw350may be set as design factors, and due to the provided configuration, it is possible to optimize the damping force and spring stiffness according to the operating lever ratio.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, one or more ball screws350may be provided and arranged in parallel with the damper310.

One ball nut360is coupled to one ball screw350, and typically one to three ball screws350are arranged in parallel to each other. Furthermore, the plurality of ball nuts360are configured to be connected to each other to be integrated and move simultaneously.

It is possible to optimize the quantity and axis arrangement of the ball screw350and the ball nut360according to vehicle resources, and due to the provided configuration, optimization of operating efficiency according to vehicle load may be realized on the same platform.

When a lead screw is used instead of the ball screw350, efficiency is reduced and noise is generated due to friction. To prevent this, it would be more desirable to apply the ball screw350instead of the lead screw.

For smooth rotation of the ball screw350relative to the damper housing200, both end portions of the ball screw350may be rotatably coupled to the front surface210and the rear surface220of the damper housing200by a support bearing600.

The shock absorbing module300according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a damper rod370connected concentrically with the damper gear330to rotate together with the damper gear330.

One end portion of the damper rod370is connected to the center portion of the damper gear330while the other end portion of the damper rod370extends in the longitudinal direction of the damper310and is inserted into the damper310. Accordingly, the damper310is configured to perform translational motion along the damper rod370.

The shock absorbing module300according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a bump stopper380coupled to the damper rod370to limit the translational stroke of the damper310.

The bump stopper380is made of rubber to absorb shock and prevent noise when in contact with the damper310moving in translation, but is not limited thereto.

The shock absorbing module300according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a damper bearing390including the center portion thereof penetrated by the damper rod370, and in which one end portion of the damper spring320is supported to prevent the rotation of the damper spring320when the damper rod370rotates.

The damper bearing390is rotatably coupled to the damper rod370, and one end portion of the damper spring320is supported on one side of the damper bearing390.

Thus, even when the damper gear330and the damper rod370rotate, the damper bearing390does not rotate, and the damper spring320supported by the damper bearing390is also prevented from rotating, enabling the smooth translational motion of the damper310. Furthermore, smooth compression of the damper spring320is possible, resulting in sufficient shock-absorbing performance and damping performance.

FIG.5is a view showing the operation of the suspension for vehicles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

When the wheel10is bumped and the suspension arm100rotates as the wheel center portion moves upward as shown by arrow M1(arrow R1), the damper gear330rotates clockwise (arrow R2), the ball screw gear340and the ball screws350rotate counterclockwise (arrow R3), the ball nut360moves toward the ball screw gear340along the ball screw350(arrow M2), and by the movement of the ball nut360, the damper310and the damper spring320are compressed by translational motion of the ball nut360in the direction of arrow M3, exhibiting shock absorption and damping performance.

In the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown inFIGS.1and5, the damper310and the ball screw350may be provided in a structure arranged in parallel while being spaced apart in the left and right direction of the vehicle.

When the package space in the vertical direction of the vehicle is compact, the damper310and the ball screw350are spaced apart in the left and right direction of the vehicle to provide an optimal arrangement structure, and due to the provided configuration, freedom of design for layout structure may be increased.

As an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the ball screw350and the damper310may be spaced apart in the vertical direction of the vehicle and disposed in parallel as shown inFIG.6.

When the package space in the left and right direction of the vehicle is compact, the ball screw350and the damper310are spaced apart in the vertical direction of the vehicle to provide an optimal arrangement structure, and due to the provided configuration, freedom of design for layout structure may be increased.

In the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown inFIG.7, an actuator700configured for length change in the front and rear direction of the vehicle may be provided and connected to a connection portion between the damper310and the ball nut360. The actuator700may be a motor. By operating the actuator700connected to the damper gear330through the damper310, the rotation of the ball screw350, the ball screw gear340connected to the ball screw350, the damper gear330in gear-engagement with the bass screw gear340, and the suspension arm100connected to the damper gear330may be induced, and due to the rotation of the suspension arm100, it is possible to adjust the vehicle height.

As described above, the suspension for vehicles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes a configuration in which the suspension arm100and the shock absorbing module300are integrally connected, and the shock absorbing module300is disposed in the front and rear direction of a vehicle to absorb shock and vibration of the vehicle through translational motion in the front and rear direction, can significantly lower the vehicle height compared to an existing suspension system, and can compensate for the disadvantages of the high vehicle height, and can dramatically free the vehicle package space while maintaining the vertical vibration absorption performance of the existing suspension system.

Furthermore, the suspension for vehicles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure can implement ultra-low-floor platforms, rolling chassis, and skateboard-type chassis platforms, etc. required to secure loading space in purpose built vehicles (PBV), electric vehicles, and mobilities.

Furthermore, in the suspension for vehicles according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, because the suspension arm100and the shock absorbing module300are designed as an integrated module, a high degree of design freedom in position selection may be ensured, and thus, it is advantageous to platform sharing for small mobilities.

In the present specification, a singular expression includes the plural form unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.