Patent Publication Number: US-2007108714-A1

Title: Rear suspension system

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
      This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2005-0108115 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Nov. 11, 2005, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      (a) Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a rear suspension system of a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a rear coupled torsion beam axle (CTBA) suspension system having enhanced durability.  
      (b) Description of the Related Art  
      Generally, a suspension system of a vehicle absorbs shocks transmitted from the road and controls vehicle body dynamics during acceleration, deceleration, and cornering.  
      A conventional rear suspension system includes a plurality of trailing arms, a rod, a beam, and a plurality of reinforcing members. The rod and the beam connect the trailing arms to each other, and the reinforcing members connect each trailing arm to the beam.  
      Portions of the beam and the reinforcing members where the two connect are particularly prone to being cracked or broken by shocks from the road or vibrations of the vehicle body.  
      The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention has been made in an effort to provide a rear suspension system with enhanced durability.  
      A rear suspension system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: a plurality of trailing arms, each connected to a rear wheel; a beam connecting the trailing arms to each other and defining a space therein; and a plurality of reinforcing members, each with one end connected to one of the trailing arms and the other end contacting an interior surface of the beam, and comprising at least one curved portion, curved along the beam axis.  
      In one embodiment, there are two curved portions: one near the end connected to the trailing arm, and the other near the end contacting the interior surface of the beam. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a rear suspension system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of a rear suspension system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 3  is a drawing showing a reinforcing member of a rear suspension system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      An exemplary embodiment of the present invention will hereinafter be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
      A rear suspension system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of trailing arms  103 , a beam,  100 , and a plurality of reinforcing members  300 .  
      The trailing arms  103  are each connected to a rear wheel (not shown), the beam  100  connects the trailing beams  103  to each other, and the beam  100  defines a space therein.  
      One end of the reinforcing member  300  is attached to the trailing arm  103 , and the other end contacts an interior surface of the beam  100 . The reinforcing member  300  includes at least one curved portion  301 ,  303 .  
      A rod  105  connecting the trailing arms to each other may be disposed in the space defined within the beam  100 . In one embodiment, the rod  105  has a cross-section in the shape of a V.  
      In addition, the end of the reinforcing member  300  that contacts the beam  100  is divided into two branches, and the rod  105  is disposed between the two branches. The branches narrow toward this end such that the V-shaped rod  105  can be inserted between the two branches.  
      The curved portions are curved along the axis of the beam  100 . In one embodiment, there are two curved portions: a first curved portion  301  and a second curved portion  303 .  
      The first curved portion  301  is formed near the end attached to the trailing arm  103 , and the second curved portion  303  is formed near the other end, which contacts the interior surface of the beam  100 .  
      The first curved portion  301  is curved toward the other end, and the second curved portion  303  is curved such that the end thereof is parallel with the rod  105 .  
      As described above, since the reinforcing member  300  includes two curved portions  301  and  303 , durability of the reinforcing member  300  and the beam  100  are enhanced.  
      While this invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be practical exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.