Arrangement of a stabilizer on a wheel suspension for motor vehicles

The invention relates to an arrangement of a stabilizer (44), which is configured in two parts, on a wheel suspension for a motor vehicle, characterized in that the stabilizer parts (43) thereof can be rotated relative to one another in the same or opposite direction by means of an associated motor/gear unit (46). Each stabilizer part (43) comprises a hollow-cylindrical outer torsion bar (49) whose end on the gear side (45) is connected to a gear output (50a) and whose end distal from the gear is connected for drive purposes to an inner torsion bar (47) which is guided through the hollow-cylindrical outer torsion bar (49) and out of the end (45) on the gear side of the hollow-cylindrical outer torsion bar. The inner torsion bar (47) is directly or indirectly connected to an output lever (41) which is articulated on a wheel suspension element (16). According to the invention, the gear (50) of the motor/gear unit is disposed with its gear output (50a) between the actuator motor (48) and the output lever (41) in the transverse direction of the vehicle (y).

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the U.S. National Stage of International Application No. PCT/EP2009/009236, filed Dec. 23, 2009, which designated the United States and has been published as International Publication No. WO 2010/083875 and which claims the priority of German Patent Application, Serial No. 10 2009 005 899.0, filed Jan. 23, 2009, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an arrangement of a stabilizer on a wheel suspension for motor vehicles.

For example, DE 101 26 928 A1, DE 10 2004 002 550 A1 or DE 102 42 552 B4 disclose arrangements of two-part stabilizers with an actuating device for affecting the spring rates and the driving characteristics of motor vehicles. The roll behavior and banking of the motor vehicle can be reduced by adjusting the split torsion bars of the overall U-shaped stabilizer in opposite directions, or the tendency to slant, for example during braking, can be compensated through adjustment in the same direction.

DE 10 2007 007 214 A1 discloses a generic arrangement of such two-part stabilizer. The parts of this stabilizer can be controlled and rotated relative to each other with a motor/gear unit. Each of the stabilizer parts has an outer hollow bar with a gear-side end that is connected with the gear output of the motor/gear unit. The end of the hollow bar distal from the gear is drivingly connected with an inner solid bar which passes through the hollow bar and exits from its gear-side end. The inner solid bar supports indirectly or directly a driven lever which is connected to a wheel suspension element.

The stabilizer parts are subjected to severe torsion stresses during an active adjustment of the roll, slant or self-steering behavior. Such torsion stresses can be reduced by increasing the diameter of the respective stabilizer part. The effective spring length of the stabilizer part corresponds to the length of a load path extending from the gear output of the motor/gear unit via the hollow bar and the solid bar passing therethrough to the driven lever and transmits an actuation moment on to the wheel suspension element.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the invention to provide an arrangement of a two-part stabilizer on a wheel suspension of a motor vehicle, with which the torsional stresses in the stabilizer parts generated during the operation are reduced.

The object is attained according to an aspect of the invention by a two-part stabilizer which is arranged on a wheel suspension of a motor vehicle and includes stabilizer parts which can be rotated with respect to one another with an associated motor/gear unit in a same or in an opposite direction, wherein each stabilizer part includes a hollow-cylindrical outer torsion bar having a gear-side end connected with a gear output and having a gear-distal end which is drivingly connected with an inner torsion bar, which extends through the hollow-cylindrical outer torsion bar and is guided out of its gear-side end, with the inner torsion bar connected directly or indirectly with a driven lever which is attached to a wheel suspension element, wherein the gear of the motor/gear unit is arranged with its gear output in the transverse direction of the vehicle between the actuator motor and the driven lever.

According to the present invention, the axial arrangement of the motor/gear unit and of the driven lever for each of the stabilizer parts is selected such that the gear with its gear output is arranged in the transverse direction of the vehicle between the actuator motor and the driven lever. In this way, the gear with its gear output is moved closer to its driven lever in the axial direction of the stabilizer part, as compared to an axial arrangement wherein the gear with the associated gear output is arranged on the side of the actuator motor that faces away from the driven lever. According to the invention, the length of the hollow-cylindrical outer torsion rod connected with the gear output can then be extended without increasing the overall length of the stabilizer part in the transverse direction of the vehicle. Such a length increase of the stabilizer parts in the transverse direction of the vehicle would lead to problems with the installation space.

The ends of the stabilizer parts facing each other in the center of the vehicle would have to be interlaced in this situation which is quite complex.

The motor/gear unit can be arranged coaxially with the torsion axis of the stabilizer part. The respective stabilizer part can then be guided through the center of the gear/actuator motor unit.

The hollow-cylindrical outer torsion bar connected with the gear output, i.e., the hollow bar, operates in the stabilizer part as a first torsion spring which is connected in series with the returned inner torsion bar operating as a second torsion spring of the stabilizer part. To attain an additional intentional yieldability of the stabilizer part, the end of the inner torsion bar exiting the hollow bar can be drivingly connected with an additional hollow-cylindrical outer torsion bar operating as a third torsion spring. This additional outer torsion bar may support the driven lever in form of a sleeve and be returned towards the gear. This produces an interlaced arrangement having two hollow rods with an inner solid bar guided in the hollow rods.

The respective stabilizer part can be supported for rotation in the region of the transition to the driven lever on a bearing disposed on the car body or on the gear/actuator motor unit. The bending moments which are applied by the wheel guiding elements on the stabilizer parts during an adjustment operation can then be largely absorbed by the bearing, whereas only torsion moments are applied to the motor/gear unit.

It is advantageous for the installation space if the bearing is formed directly in a housing of the actuator motor/gear unit. In this way, the gear output and hence the gear-side end of the hollow-cylindrical outer torsion bar can be moved even closer to the driven lever.

To further increase the effective spring length, the stabilizer part can be extended beyond the driven lever in the transverse direction of the vehicle towards the vehicle wheel with a projecting length. The stabilizer part can then be moved into direct proximity of the vehicle wheel, wherein in this case only a required unobstructed space of the vehicle wheel must be taken into consideration when dimensioning the projecting length.

To further increase the yieldability of the stabilizer part, in addition and/or alternatively to the aforementioned embodiments, the driven lever can be implemented not as a rigid element, but as a spring element with predetermined spring hardness. The driven element can preferably be inserted between the stabilizer part and the wheel suspension element in form of a leaf spring.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1shows in a schematic diagram a rear wheel suspension10for the rear wheels12of a motor vehicle, which includes wheel-guiding suspension arms, with only a lower suspension arm16being shown inFIG. 1as an example. The trapezoidal suspension arm16is pivotally supported on a wheel carrier (not visible) and on an auxiliary frame20on the car body. The auxiliary frame20has two lateral longitudinal rails20aand two crossbeams20band is attached, in a manner not shown, to the car body of the motor vehicle by way of damping bearings. The arrangement illustrated inFIG. 1is only depicted somewhat beyond the center plane40.

In addition, a shock absorber22and an unillustrated support spring are arranged between the lower trapezoidal suspension arm16and the car body of the motor vehicle in a conventional manner. The wheel suspension10can in modified form also be used as a wheel suspension for the front steered wheels of a motor vehicle.

Furthermore, a substantially U-shaped two-part stabilizer44is supported on the wheel suspension10for rotation via bearings53, wherein the driven lever41of the stabilizer44which extends substantially in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is attached to the lower suspension arm16of the wheel suspension10. During operation, the driven lever41can transmit an adjusting force FVto the lower suspension arm16via the attachment point42.

Only the left-side stabilizer parts43of the stabilizer44are shown in both figures. The right-side stabilizer parts can be constructed identically.

The effect of the two-part stabilizer44on the suspension arms16can be adjusted by two electromechanical actuating devices46, each composed of an electric motor48and a, for example, self-inhibiting reduction gear50.

The reduction gear50and the electric motor48are hereby each coaxially aligned with the substantially transverse stabilizer parts43of the stabilizer44.

The transverse stabilizer parts43of the stabilizer44, which is split approximately in the vertical longitudinal center plane40of the vehicle, are adjusted via the motor-operating units46.

Each of the stabilizer parts43of the stabilizer44is constructed in detail according toFIG. 2(unillustrated arrangement is mirror symmetric):

The stabilizer part43is constructed of a solid bar47and a radially outer, tubular hollow bar49. The two rods47,49are made of spring steel and can therefore be twisted. The hollow bar49may optionally have an open cross-sectional profile.

The gear-side end45of the hollow bar49is drivingly connected by, for example, a flange connection50awith the output of the reduction gear50, for example a ring gear52, and extends from the output through the electric motor41to approximately the vehicle center40. The effective spring length of the hollow bar49is indicated inFIG. 2with l1. The end of the hollow bar49distal from the gear is in fixed rotative engagement with the solid bar by way of a spline44d.

The solid bar47now extends in the opposite sense via a second effective spring length l2towards the outside of the vehicle through the hollow bar49, through the coaxially aligned electric motor48and through the reduction gear50—a so-called harmonic drive gear.

The solid bar47further extends with a section47afreely beyond the attachment location of the driven lever41and terminates with an additional spline44d, by which the solid bar47is in turn drivingly connected with a return hollow shaft51. The return hollow shaft51extends over a third effective spring length l3. This results in an overall load path extending from the gear output50ato the driven lever41via the effective spring lengths l1, l2, l3of the hollow shafts49,51and the solid bar47.

As can be seen, the hollow shaft51supports the driven lever41and is adjacently supported for rotation directly in a housing section48aof the gear50by a formed bearing neck44fand via a needle bearing49.

As illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2, the stabilizer44and its stabilizer parts43and the motor/gear unit46are constructed coaxially with a straight alignment.

As further illustrated in bothFIG. 1andFIG. 2, the axial arrangement consisting of the driven lever41and the motor/gear unit46is configured such that the gear50with its gear output50ais arranged in the transverse direction y of the vehicle between the actuator motor48and the driven lever41. In this way, the gear-side end45of the hollow bar49is moved as close as possible to the driven lever41. The axial spacing a between the driven lever41and the gear-side end45of the hollow bar49is therefore reduced to a minimum installation length, with installation space remaining only for the bearing53. The effective spring length l1of the hollow bar49is then extended commensurately, thereby increasing the yieldability of the stabilizer part43and reducing its torsion stress.

As further illustrated inFIG. 1, the stabilizer part43projects in the transverse direction y of the vehicle with a projecting length b beyond the bearing of the driven lever. The projecting length b of the stabilizer43is dimensioned such that the entire installation space between the driven lever41and the vehicle wheel12minus a required clearance c is utilized, which is required for adjustment of the toe angle/camber angle of the vehicle wheel12. The effective spring length l2of the solid bar47and the effective spring length l3of the returned hollow shaft51are therefore also substantially elongated. The softness of the stabilizer part43can be additionally increased by implementing the driven lever41as an additional spring element.