Abstract:
A vehicle suspension structure includes a frame member having a first side portion and a bottom portion. The bottom portion extends in a first direction relative to the first side portion. The structure also includes a suspension mounting member attached to the first side portion of the frame member. The suspension mounting member extends in a second direction that is opposite of the first direction. The structure also includes a support bracket attached to the bottom portion of the frame member and the suspension mounting member. The structure further includes a suspension member rotatably coupled to the suspension mounting member and supporting a vehicle wheel.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The present invention generally relates to a vehicle suspension, and more specifically to reinforcing components that attach a rear vehicle swing-arm type suspension to a vehicle body. 
   BACKGROUND 
   A typical rear suspension for a front wheel drive vehicle may include a pair of trailing arms that rotatably interconnect a pair of rear wheels to the body of the vehicle. In many of these applications, each trailing arm has a socket that is rotatably connected one of a pair of tubular frame members that are provided to stiffen the body. Also, the trailing arms may be interconnected by a rear cross member. A spindle is used to rotatably interconnect each trailing arm with a rear wheel. 
   Additionally, springs and shock absorbers are typically provided to dampen the relative rotation of the trailing arms relative to the body, thereby permitting the rear wheels to move at least vertically relative to the body while preventing the body from experiencing the vertical motion and jolts experienced by the rear wheels. 
   Typically, each trailing arm is positioned directly under a tubular frame member and connected thereto with a bracket. The bracket may include a pair of opposing plates that are welded to the tubular frame member with a portion of the trailing arm located between portions of the plates. A bolt may be inserted through holes in the plates and the trailing arm to permit rotation of the trailing arm relative to the frame. 
   For lateral support, the trailing arms may be connected to the body with a lateral adjustable-length bar, or the trailing arms may be interconnected by a cross member. To provide lateral stiffness, the plates that interconnect the trailing arms to frame members are generally stiff, reinforced members that extend along the tubular frame members to resist deflection. 
   Additionally, many vehicles include spot welds to connect body panels and other components. Many times, spot welds are provided to stiffen two adjacent components while fixing the components in a relative position. Beads, or elongated arcuate portions formed within a stamped metal component may also be provided to stiffen a component. 
   While the above described interconnection for a trailing arm to a vehicle body provides for a structurally stiff connection that resists deflection of the plates under loading as forces are transmitted between the trailing arms and the tubular frame members, the connection requires that the trailing arm socket is positioned directly below the tubular frame member. 
   SUMMARY 
   An illustrative embodiment of a vehicle suspension structure includes a frame member having a first side portion and a bottom portion. The bottom portion extends in a first direction relative to the first side portion. The structure also includes a suspension mounting member attached to the first side portion of the frame member. The suspension mounting member extends in a second direction that is opposite of the first direction. The structure also includes a support bracket attached to the bottom portion of the frame member and the suspension mounting member. The structure further includes a suspension member rotatably coupled to the suspension mounting member and supporting a vehicle wheel. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Referring now to the drawings, preferred illustrative embodiments are shown in detail. Although the drawings represent some embodiments, the drawings are not necessarily to scale and certain features may be exaggerated, removed, or partially sectioned to better illustrate and explain the present invention. Further, the embodiments set forth herein are not intended to be exhaustive or otherwise limit or restrict the claims to the precise forms and configurations shown in the drawings and disclosed in the following detailed description. 
       FIG. 1  is a partial bottom view of a vehicle, according to an embodiment. 
       FIG. 2  is a view of a portion of  FIG. 1 , illustrating portions of a rear suspension according to an embodiment. 
       FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of the rear suspension of  FIG. 1 , taken along the line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 , with portions removed for clarity. 
       FIG. 4  is a partial perspective view of the vehicle of  FIG. 1 , with portions removed for clarity. 
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of portion  5  of  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 6  is an enlarged partial perspective view, taken generally from the same vantage as  FIG. 5 , with fewer portions removed. 
       FIG. 7  is a sectional view taken along line  7 - 7  in  FIG. 5 . 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a bracket illustrated in  FIG. 5 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1  illustrates a portion of a vehicle  20 , as viewed from below. Vehicle  20  includes a body  22 , a first tubular frame member  24 , a second tubular frame member  26 , and a rear suspension  28 . Body  22  includes a floor pan  32  and a trunk pan  34 . The frame members  24 ,  26  extend generally longitudinally along the bottom of the body  22  to stiffen the body  22  and provide an attachment for the rear suspension  28 . 
   As best seen in  FIG. 2 , the rear suspension  28  includes a cross member  40  interconnecting a first suspension member, or first trailing arm,  42  and a second suspension member, or second trailing arm,  44 . The first trailing arm  42  is connected to a first spindle  50 , a first shock absorber  52 , and a first coil spring  54 . The first trailing arm  42  extends from a first forward end  56 , having a first socket  58 , to a first rearward end  60 . A first trailing arm pin  62  extends through the first socket  58 . 
   The second trailing arm  44  is connected to a second spindle  70 , a second shock absorber  72 , and a second coil spring  74 . The second trailing arm  44  extends from a second forward end  76 , having a second socket  78 , to a second rearward end  80 . A second trailing arm pin  82  extends through the second socket  78 . 
     FIG. 3  illustrates a side view of the rear suspension  28 , showing relative positioning of components when the rear suspension  28  is in about a loaded configuration. As will be appreciated, in the loaded configuration, the springs  54 ,  74  are partially compressed due to the weight of the vehicle  20  being partially supported by the rear wheels (not shown) via the rear suspension  28 . In an unloaded configuration (not shown), the springs  54 ,  74  are not compressed. The trailing arms  42 ,  44  rotate about the axes of pins  62 ,  82  relative the frame members  24 ,  26 . The spindles  50 ,  70  interconnect the trailing arms  42 ,  44  to rear wheels of the vehicle  20 , while permitting relative rotation therebetween. 
     FIGS. 4-7  illustrate a portion of the vehicle  20  showing the attachment between the first frame member  24  and the first trailing arm  42  to include a first suspension mounting member, or first trailing arm bracket  90  and a first support bracket, or first reinforcing bracket,  92 . The trailing arm bracket  90  includes an inboard ear  100 , an outboard ear  102 , and a ear connector  104  extending therebetween. 
   Referring to  FIG. 8 , the reinforcing bracket  92  includes a first reinforcing bracket portion  110 , a second reinforcing bracket portion  112 , and a third reinforcing bracket portion, or frame support portion,  114 . The first reinforcing bracket portion  110  has a first reinforcing bracket surface  116 . The first reinforcing bracket surface  116  includes a first mating surface  118  generally defining a first plane P 1 , and a first bead surface  120 . The second reinforcing bracket portion  112  has a second reinforcing bracket surface  122 . The second reinforcing bracket surface  122  includes a second mating surface  124  generally defining a second plane P 2 , and a second bead surface  126 . The first reinforcing bracket portion  110  has a first reinforcing bracket bead  128  formed therein. The first reinforcing bracket bead  128  extends from the third reinforcing bracket portion  118  toward the second reinforcing bracket portion  112 , and includes a generally curvilinear wall  130  with a first bead wall portion  132  that extends away from the first plane P 1 , a second bead wall portion  134  that extends generally parallel to the plane P 1 , and a third bead wall portion  136  that extends from the second bead wall portion  134  to the plane P 1 . 
   The second reinforcing bracket portion  112  includes a trailing arm connecting portion  140  and a second reinforcing bracket bead  142  formed therein. The second reinforcing bracket bead  142  is partially defined by the second bead surface  126 . In the embodiment shown, the trailing arm connecting portion  140  is an aperture extending through the thickness T of the second reinforcing bracket portion  112  and extending from the second plane P 2 , and the second reinforcing bracket bead  142  partially encircles the trailing arm connecting portion  140 . 
   In the embodiment shown, the first plane P 1  is generally perpendicular to the second plane P 2 . Therefore, the first reinforcing bracket portion  110  and the second reinforcing bracket portion  112  are orientated at about a right angle relative to one another. Also, the third reinforcing bracket portion  114  and the second reinforcing bracket portion  112  are orientated at about a right angle relative to one another. The first reinforcing bracket bead  128  intersects the second reinforcing bracket bead  142 . As illustrated, the first reinforcing bracket bead  128  and the second reinforcing bracket bead  142  provide a channel C ( FIG. 7 ) generally defined by a surface portion of the reinforcing bracket  92  that is not co-planar with either plane P 1  or plane P 2 . Additionally, the beads  128 ,  142  may be described as portions of the reinforcing bracket  92  having a bead surface  120 ,  126  that is not co-planar with either plane P 1  or plane P 2 . 
   As best seen  FIG. 7 , the ear connector  104  has a trailing arm bead  150  formed therein that extends between the inboard ear  100  and the outboard ear  102 . The inboard ear  100  includes an inboard aperture  152 , and the outboard ear  102  includes an outboard aperture  154 . The first trailing arm pin  62  extends through the first socket  58 , as mentioned earlier, the trailing arm connecting portion  140 , the inboard aperture  152 , and the outboard aperture  154 . 
     FIGS. 5 and 6  further illustrate a pair of spot welds  160  that fix the trailing arm connecting portion  140  to the inboard ear  100 . A pair of bolts  162  connect the first reinforcing bracket portion  110  to the first frame member  24 . The first frame member  24  is illustrated to further include a generally elongated tubular body  166  that extends longitudinally along the body  22 . 
   Thus, the trailing arm connecting portion  140  of the reinforcing bracket  92  is stiffened by both the spot welds  160  and the second reinforcing bracket bead  142 , notwithstanding the connection of the first trailing arm pin  62 . In addition, the inboard ear  100  is stiffened by both the spot welds  160  and the second reinforcing bracket bead  142 . Accordingly, the trailing arm bracket  90  is stiffened (by the spot welds  160  and the second reinforcing bracket bead  142 ) to resist deflection under loading as forces are transmitted between the first trailing arm  42  and the first tubular frame member  24 . Also the reinforcing bracket  92  provides increased stiffness to the connection between the first frame member  24  and the first trailing arm  42  due to the angle between the planes P 1  and P 2 , and the bracing provided by the first reinforcing bracket bead  128 . Therefore, the first trailing arm  42  is not positioned directly under the first tubular frame member  24 , but is positioned laterally to the first tubular frame member  24 , as best seen in  FIG. 5 . Also, the stiffness of the trailing arm bracket  90  is increased by the reinforcing bracket  90  and the interconnection thereto. 
   As best illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the first tubular member  24  is formed of a sheet steel having a thickness R. The tubular body  166  of the frame member  24  is illustrated to include an inboard frame wall  170  with an inboard tab  172  extending therefrom, an outboard frame wall  174  with an outboard tab  176  extending therefrom, and an integral connecting frame wall  178  extending therebetween. In the embodiment illustrated, the tabs  172 ,  176  are seam welded to the body  22 . Thus provided, the frame member  24  is generally defined by a generally rectangular tubular frame portion that includes four sides defined by a portion of the body  22 , the inboard frame wall  170 , the outboard frame wall  174 , and the connecting frame wall  178 . For purposes of this discussion, the tubular frame portion does not include the tabs  172 ,  176 . 
   Also illustrated in  FIG. 7  is a first flow path Q for fluids (not shown) that collect between the inboard ear  100  and the reinforcing bracket  92 .  FIG. 5  illustrates a second flow path Q′ for fluids (not shown) that also collect between the inboard ear  100  and the reinforcing bracket  92 . Fluids enter the partially enclosed space between the first frame member  24 , the inboard ear  100  and the reinforcing bracket  92 . These fluids drain through the first reinforcing bracket bead  128 , through the second reinforcing bracket bead  142 , and out of the partially enclosed space (note that the views of  FIGS. 4-8  are inverted such that fluids drain in the direction of arrow D in  FIG. 7 ). 
   With reference again to  FIGS. 4-7 , the ears  100 ,  102  of the trailing arm bracket  90  have folded edges  190  that provide additional stiffness to the ears  100 ,  102  to resist deflection under loading as forces are transmitted between the first trailing arm  42  and the first tubular frame member  24 . 
   As will be appreciated, the reinforcing bracket  92  is a stamped metal bracket where a sheet of metal is punched and stamped. Additionally, the trailing arm bracket  90  may be stamped metal. In the embodiment illustrated, the first reinforcing bracket portion  110 , the second reinforcing bracket portion  112 , and the third reinforcing bracket portion  114  are generally defined by the same thickness T. 
   As best seen in  FIG. 2 , the axis of the first trailing arm pin  62  is not parallel or co-axial with the axis of the second trailing arm pin  82 , and portions of the first frame member  24  are not parallel to portions of the second frame member  26 . Therefore, trailing arm brackets, such as the trailing arm bracket  90  and reinforcing brackets, such as the reinforcing bracket  92  permit a trailing arm to be rotatably secured to a vehicle body while permitting the trailing arm to be positioned at a location other than directly under a tubular frame member. 
   The preceding description has been presented only to illustrate and describe exemplary embodiments of the methods and systems of the present invention. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to any precise form disclosed. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. The invention may be practiced otherwise than is specifically explained and illustrated without departing from its spirit or scope. The scope of the invention is limited solely by the following claims.