Patent WO-2018116214-A2 (WO)
Inventor: RAFFAELLI ANDREA
Filed: 2017-12-20
Abstract: The present invention relates to a forecarriage of a rolling motor vehicle with three or four wheels, comprising: a forecarriage frame 16; at least one pair of front wheels 10', 10" kinematically connected to each other and to the forecarriage frame by a kinematic roll mechanism 20 which enables the same to roll in a synchronous and specular manner; a roll control system 100 comprising a rod 1 10 having a first 1 1 1 and a second end 1 12 opposite each other which connect by means of hinging means 101 ', 101 " and 102', 102" a first 60 and a second anchoring portion 60 of forecarriage 8 directly to each other. At least one of said first 60 and second anchoring portions 60 is subject to roll movements of said two front wheels 10', 10 ". The hinging means 101 ', 101 " and 102', 102" are configured to passively follow the movements of said two anchoring portions. The hinging means 101 ', 101 " at the first end 1 1 1 of the rod comprise at least a first roll hinge 101 ' which has its hinge axis substantially orthogonal to a rolling plane of the two front wheels and is connected to the first anchoring portion 60. The roll control system comprises a first damper device suitable to dampen - in a predetermined angular range- the rotation movements of said rod with respect to said first roll hinge at the first end 1 1 1. Said angular range corresponds to the angular roll range of the rod. Said first damper device comprises a connecting rod-crank kinematic mechanism 210, 220 which is connected to rod 1 10 at the connecting rod 210 by means of a first cylindrical hinge 201, and to said first anchoring portion 60 at crank 220 by means of a second cylindrical hinge 202 so as to define an articulated quadrilateral. The connecting rod is connected to the crank by means of a cylindrical articulation hinge 203. Such three hinges 201, 202 and 203 all have a hinge axis parallel to the hinge axis of the first roll hinge 101 '. The connecting rod is engaged in the articulation hinge or in the first hinge with an axial mobile coupling. The crank consists of an axial damper 222 or comprises an axial damper 222, which is arranged coaxially to the crank and has a predetermined axial stroke. Said first damper device further comprises an actuator 230 which is suitable to impart an axial shift movement to the connecting rod relative to the articulation hinge or to the first hinge to vary the distance H defined between such two hinges. The actuator is operable to vary such a distance by rotating the crank around the second hinge 202 and thus varying the configuration of the connecting rod-crank kinematic mechanism between: a damped rolling configuration, in which the connecting rod is aligned with the crank and said articulated quadrilateral is degenerated into a triangle thus defining an extensible strut countering the rotation of the rod within said predetermined angular range, said strut having an axial excursion which corresponds to said axial stroke and in turn defines said predetermined angular roll range of the rod; and - at least one free rolling configuration, wherein the connecting rod is misaligned with respect to the crank and said articulated quadrilateral has a non-degenerate configuration which leaves the rolling movements free. The first damper device further comprises an actuator 230 which is suitable to impart an axial shift movement. The first damper device further comprises release means 240 to assist the actuator in the passage from the dampened roll configuration to at least one free roll Such release means are configured to impress on the crank a release rotation around the second hinge 202 such as to trigger a misalignment between the crank and the connecting rod.