Motor vehicle spring axle suspension equipped with leaf spring, stabilizer and shock absorber

Abstract: Motor vehicle spring axle suspension comprising leaf spring, stabilizer and shock absorber. In a known spring axle suspension the stabilizer is fastened at the bottom to the sprung axle, between one half-support and a cast projection forming the other half-support (cast half-support) of a leaf-spring bracket; wherein an extended leaf-spring bracket is provided for. The shock absorber can be screwed underneath on a plate clamped between the sprung axle and the leaf spring. According to the invention it is proposed, in a spring axle suspension (1), to fasten stabilizer (4) and shock absorber (5) on a common fastening plate, clamped between the sprung axle (6) and the spring (3), by means of leaf-spring brackets (14). The fastening plate (7) is equipped, on the rear, with an integrated eyelet for fastening the shock absorber and, on the front, with an integrated half-support (9) for supporting the stabilizer (4).

Description: The invention regards a spring axle suspension for motor vehicles, in particular commercial vehicles, with a leaf spring that runs between the articulation points of the vehicle chassis, as well as a stabilizer and a shock absorber, in which the stabilizer and shock absorber are fastened to the sprung axle by means of a leaf-spring bracket. From DE 38 25 105 A1 a spring suspension is known of the type mentioned above, in which the stabilizer is screwed to the cast half-support on the lower threaded end of a leaf-spring bracket located underneath the sprung axle. For this reason, the leaf-spring bracket is longer than the corresponding leaf-spring bracket located on the other side of the sprung axle. A shock absorber extending upwards is fastened onto the top side of the leaf spring by means of the leaf-spring bracket. According to the prior art, it is also known to fasten the shock absorber on a plate clamped between the sprung axle and the spring. One disadvantage is represented by the somewhat complicated structure and the considerable number of elements required for fastening the stabilizer and the shock absorber, as well as the disadvantage mentioned above of the need to make the leaf spring brackets of a sprung axle of a different length, where on the leaf-spring bracket there is a cast-part of the support for clamping the stabilizer. On the basis of the aforementioned prior art, the aim of the present invention is to devise a spring suspension of the type referred to, which provides simple means of fastening the stabilizer and the shock absorber. This aim is achieved by means of the features of the characterizing part of Claim 1. The invention is further improved by the features of the dependent claims 2 to 6. Basically the invention consists in fastening the stabilizer and the shock absorber by means of a single plate set between the sprung axle and the leaf spring located above it, and fastened by leaf-spring brackets. The fastening plate is equipped with a substantially closed eyelet for fastening the lower part of the shock absorber, and, on the other side of the sprung axle, with half-support to which the lower part of the stabilizer (together with another half of the support) can be fastened. The fastening eyelet and/or the half-support form one piece with the fastening plate, wherein the fastening plate is, advantageously a spring-steel strip-shaped piece. This invention eliminates the separate fastening means of the prior art referred to previously. The spring-steel fastening plate is relatively light-weight, stable, easy to manufacture and to assemble, and the articulation points of the stabilizer and shock absorber are on the opposite sides to the sprung axle, particularly in relatively easily accessible points, on which the stabilizer and the shock absorber can be assembled in a relatively simple and particularly fast way. Similarly stability of the fastening is guaranted. A noteworthy advantage is afforded by the fact that, similar or even identical spring-leaf brackets can be used on a sprung axle. Particularly advantageous is the fact that, to fasten a stabilizer only one support-half needs to be produced; the other half is formed by the fastening plate itself. Furthermore, as emerges from the foregoing description, the invention eliminates the costly manufacture, up to now necessary, of the other half of the support in cast iron, which involves particular mechanical treatment. Advantageously, in a diffent embodiment, one half-support, which forms a single piece with the fastening plate, is manufactured with a basically semi-circular cross section, and placed vertically bent downwards at right angles to the base of the fastening plate, wherein upper and lower screws are provided for fastening the other half-support of the stabilizer bearing onto the axle. In a different embodiment, of particular advantage is the fact that the half-support (bent downwards), built as a single piece with the fastening plate, forms a radiused angle of approximately 100° to 120°, a lower downwards slanting flange being provided for fastening. The advantage of this embodiment with respect to the previously described one is that clearance from the ground is further increased. In the integrated fastening setup it is possible to use short identical spring-leaf brackets. It is moreover possible to easily add or replace individual parts. From NL-A-8 703 122 there is known an axle suspension for motor vehicles substantially of the type previously referred to. However, the eyelets and the half-supports making up a single piece with the fastening plate for fastening the lower part of the shock absorber or stabilizer are not provided for. The same applies to the axle suspension devices referred to in EP-A-0 352 541 and in the "Revue Technique Diesel" No. 164, July 1990, page 85, which describe the fastening of either a stabilizer or a shock absorber. The invention is described and explained hereinafter, on the basis of examples, with reference to the attached drawing, wherein: Fig. 1 shows a schematic, vertical view of a spring axle suspension in the region of the sprung axle of a commercial vehicle. Fig. 2 shows an enlarged detail of Fig. 1, in an exploded view. Fig. 3 shows a vertical view of another spring axle suspension similar to that of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 shows a detail of Fig. 3, similar to the exploded view of Fig. 2. A spring axle suspension (1) for a sprung axle (6) of a commercial vehicle includes, among other things, a spring (3) built as leaf-spring packet, running between the articulation points of the vehicle chassis (2) (hence, not like the so-called half-elliptic spring); the articulation points being not shown in the drawing. The axle suspension (1) is moreover equipped with a stabilizer, fastened to the chassis, the inside lower end of which is connected to the sprung axle (6), as described in detail hereinafter. The spring suspension (1) moreover includes a shock absorber (5), the upper part of which is fastened to the vehicle chassis (2), whilst its lower part is fastened in the region of the sprung axle (6), as in the case of the stabilizer (4). In detail, for fastening the lower part of both stabilizer (4) and shock absorber (5) a single plate is provided for, clamped between the sprung axle (6) and the leaf spring (3) by means of two leaf-spring brackets. The fastening plate (7) has a substantially closed integrated eyelet (8) for fastening the lower part of the shock absorber (5), whilst on the front end there is a half-support (9) bent downwards and having a semi-circular cross section, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This half-support (9) is fastened with another half-support (15) by means of horizontal, upper and lower screws (11), so as to obtain the seat of the stabilizer (4) on the axle (6). The example of a spring axle suspension (1), shown in Figs. 3 and 4, comprises a fastening plate (7) with a half-support (10) formed thereon; this half-support is bent downwards and forms a radiused angle of approximately 100° to 120° wherein a lower fastening flange (12) is provided, slanting but not protruding beyond the diameter of the stabilizer bearing on the axle (6) (even when a screw is inserted).

Claims: A spring axle suspension (1) for motor vehicles, in particular commercial vehicles, with a leaf spring (3) running between the articulation points of the vehicle chassis, a stabilizer (4) and a shock absorber (5), wherein stabilizer (4) and shock absorber (5) are fastened to the sprung axle (6) through leaf-spring brackets (14), characterized in that the stabilizer (4) and shock absorber (5) have a common fastening plate (7), which is clamped between the sprung axle (6) and the leaf spring (3) by means of the leaf-spring brackets (14), the plate (7) comprising a fastening eyelet (8) at one end for fastening the shock absorber (5) from below and a half-support (9, 10) at the other end for fastening the stabilizer (4) from below; the fastening eyelet (8) and the half-support (9, 10) being formed in a single piece with the fastening plate (7). An axle suspension according to Claim 1, characterized in that the fastening plate (7), together with the fastening eyelet (8) and the half-support (9, 10), forms spring-steel strip piece. An axle suspension according to either Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterized in that the half-support (9) is essentially of a semi-circular cross section and bent vertically downwards, at right angle to the base of the fastening plate (7), and in that upper and lower horizontal screws (11) are provided for fastening of the other half-support (15) of the stabilizer (4) (Figs. 1 and 2). An axle suspension according to either Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterized in that the half-support (10) which is bent downwards forms a radiused angle of approximately 100° to 120°, with a lower slanting fastening flange (12) (Figs. 3 and 4). An axle suspension according to any of the claims from Claim 1 to 4, characterized in that the fastening plate (7) has a through hole (13) for inserting the lower pin of the spring screw in an adjacent centering seat of the axle (6). An axle suspension according to any of the claims from Claim 1 to 5, characterized in that the spring (3) forms a leaf-spring piece packet.

Inventors: MUELLER HEINRICH, MUELLER, HEINRICH, Müller, Heinrich
Applicants: IVECO MAGIRUS, IVECO MAGIRUS AG
Application year: 1993
Main classification: B60G11
IPC codes: B60G21, B60G15, B60G11, B60G5