Wheel support device, suspension system and vehicle comprising the said support device

Abstract

A support device connects a wheel to suspension elements of a vehicle, the wheel having a radius R′. The support device includes rods articulated at their lower ends to the suspension elements and at their upper ends to the wheel carrier so as to confer on the wheel a degree of camber freedom relative to the suspension elements. The camber movement takes place around an instantaneous center of rotation. The device is also configured in such manner that Y and Z are respectively the abscissa and ordinate of the instantaneous position of the instantaneous center of rotation in the camber plane, wherein such position, during a camber deflection from 0° to 1°, satisfies the following conditions: Y≦0.125*R Z≦−0.0625*R Z≦0.66225*Y+0.02028*R

1 . Support device connecting a wheel to suspension elements of a vehicle, said wheel having a radius ‘R’ and designed to rest on the ground, said support device comprising rods articulated at respective lower ends thereof to the suspension elements and at respective upper ends thereof to a wheel carrier to confer on said wheel a degree of camber freedom relative to said suspension elements, the camber movement taking place around an instantaneous centre of rotation, the instantaneous position of which defined by horizontal and vertical coordinates Y and Z in a camber plane, said instantaneous position, during a camber deflection from 0° to −1°, simultaneously satisfying the following conditions measured from where the wheel center vertical plane contacts the ground: 
 Y≦0.125*R    Z≦−0.0625*R    Z≦0.66225*Y+0.02028*R    
   
   
       2 . Device according to  claim 1 , configured such that said conditions are also satisfied during a camber deflection from 0° to −2°.  
   
   
       3 . Device according to  claim 1 , configured such that said conditions are also satisfied during a camber deflection from 0° to −3°.  
   
   
       4 . Device according to  claim 1 , configured such that said conditions are also satisfied during a camber deflection from 0° to −4°.  
   
   
       5 . Support device according to  claim 1 , configured such that the position of said instantaneous centre of rotation, at zero camber, also satisfies the following conditions: 
 −0.125*R≦Y≦0.125*R    Z≦−0.0625*R    
   
   
       6 . Support device according to  claim 5 , in which the position of said instantaneous centre of rotation, at zero camber, also satisfies the following condition: 
 −0.0625*R≦Y≦0.0625*R    
   
   
       7 . Support device according to  claim 1 , in which the position of said instantaneous centre of rotation, at a camber of −1°, also satisfies the following condition: 
 Z≦0.66225*Y−0.15*R    
   
   
       8 . Support device according to  claim 1 , in which the position of said instantaneous centre of rotation, at a camber of −2°, also satisfies the following condition: 
 Z≦0.66225*Y−0.1625*R    
   
   
       9 . Support device according to  claim 1 , in which the position of said instantaneous centre of rotation, at a camber of −3°, also satisfies the following condition: 
 Z≦0.66225*Y−0.1719*R    
   
   
       10 . Support device according to  claim 1 , in which the position of said instantaneous centre of rotation, at a camber of −4°, also satisfies the following condition: 
 Z≦0.66225*Y−0.1844*R    
   
   
       11 . Support device according to  claim 1 , in which the position of said instantaneous centre of rotation, at a camber of −5°, also satisfies the following condition: 
 Z≦0.66225*Y−0.1969*R    
   
   
       12 . Support device according to  claim 1 , configured such that the position of said instantaneous centre of rotation, at zero camber, also satisfies the following condition: 
 Z≧−0.9375*R    
   
   
       13 . Support device according to  claim 1 , configured such that a vertical distance between ground level and the instantaneous centre of rotation at a camber of 1° is greater than at a camber of −1°.  
   
   
       14 . Support device according to  claim 1 , designed to be connected to a MacPherson strut.  
   
   
       15 . Support device according to  claim 1 , further comprising control means for influencing the camber of the wheel.  
   
   
       16 . Support device according to  claim 15 , in which the control means comprise a damper.  
   
   
       17 . Support device according to claims  15  or  16 , in which the control means comprise a spring.  
   
   
       18 . Support device according to  claim 1 , in which the an axially innermost one of the rods is connected on the one hand to the wheel carrier by a pivot joint and on the other hand to the suspension elements by a swivel joint.  
   
   
       19 . Suspension system for a vehicle, comprising the support device according to  claim 1 .  
   
   
       20 . Suspension system according to  claim 19 , also comprising a rigid axle.  
   
   
       21 . Vehicle comprising a suspension system according to  claim 19.