Abstract: A vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle may include a base portion and a modular portion. The base portion may be a four wheel vehicle having an operator area with seating for at least two occupants in a side-by-side arrangement. The modular portion may be coupled to the base portion resulting in a six wheel vehicle. The wheels of the modular portion may be powered by an engine of the base portion.

Abstract: A quadricycle includes a four-wheel suspension system that is structured to maintain contact between the ground and the wheels when traversing uneven terrain, as well as to permit a rider to lean into a curve in order to facilitate steering the vehicle. The suspension assemblies are relatively wide to resist rollover accidents. Shock absorbers within the suspension assemblies are angled from vertical to provide both a vertical force component and a horizontal force component in order to permit leaning into a curve while resisting excessive leaning. The quadricycle's drivetrain is structured to increase clearance between the ground and many drivetrain components. Smaller components of the spindle and wheel hub assembly are protected by larger components of the suspension assembly.

Abstract: On a jackscrew used to adjust spring tension on the suspension of some vehicles, a bearing is provided to allow one or both spring cups (and hence one or both ends of the spring) to rotate freely relative to each other about the axis of the spring. This relieves undesirable forces between the vehicle body and its undercarriage.

Abstract: A wheel is described in which the axle carrier is pivoted to a forked McPherson strut support, which in turn is joined with a McPherson strut on the one hand and a control arm on the other, wherein a dual bearing is present between the control arm and the forked McPherson strut support. The advantage to this is that the two bearings of the dual bearing can vary in stiffness, so that the resultant degree of freedom makes it possible to more exactly influence steering behavior, thereby enabling an improvement in the overall steering behavior of the vehicle. Even given an unchanged bearing bush stiffness by comparison to prior art, the greater distance between the bearing bushes and steering axis reduces the angle by which the forked McPherson strut supports can turn in the event of lateral forces.

Abstract: A suspension arm assembly for a vehicle includes a pivot pipe pivotally attached to a vehicle body frame, a pair of pipes extending in a lateral direction of a vehicle body, a joint member attached to distal end portions of the pipes, and a substantially U-shaped band. Proximal end portions of the pipes are connected to the pivot pipe and spaced apart from each other in a front-rear direction, and distal end portions thereof are arranged close to each other, thereby forming a substantially triangular profile. The joint member includes a plate portion and a boss portion having a knuckle attached thereto. The distal end portions of the pipes are operatively connected to a convex surface of the U-shaped band, and the plate portion of the joint member is attached to the pipes for covering the U-shaped band.

Abstract: A wheel suspension system for a vehicle having a body supported on a set of wheels each provided with a rim and an axle generally consisting of a lower control arm pivotally connectable to a first portion of such body; an upper control arm pivotally connectable to a second portion of such body; a roller bearing having inner and outer races, disposed within such rim, coaxially relative to the rotational axis of the rim; a steering knuckle mounted on the outer race of the bearing, having a first portion pivotally connected to the lower control arm and a second portion pivotally connected to the upper control arm, defining a steering axis intersecting the rotational axis of the rim; and a hub member mounted on the inner race and connectable to an axle receivable through an opening provided in the steering knuckle.

Abstract: [Problem] To control a camber angle to an adequate value by the use of a lateral force acting on a wheel, without causing a displacement of a tire ground contact point. [Means for solution] A suspension device includes a link mechanism replaceable by a first virtual link 11 which, when a lateral force acts at a tire ground contact point, inclines a wheel in a camber angle direction with respect to a vehicle body so as to increase the lateral force, and a second virtual link 12 which is connected virtually and rotatably between the first virtual link 11 and the vehicle body 1 and which is arranged to allow the wheel 2 to move in the up-and-down direction with respect to the vehicle body 1 in accordance with a load variation of the wheel in the up-and-down direction.

Abstract: A tilting chassis vehicle has a differential gear driving opposed half shafts (16,18). Each half shaft is connected to a respective wheel hub. Pivoting tie rods (24,26) are provided between the chassis (12) and these wheel hubs, and a control arm (48) is provided between the chassis and the differential carrier to constrain movement thereof. The arrangement gives a novel tilting vehicle with shaft drive and low centre of gravity.

Abstract: A tilting suspension system is provided for a vehicle comprising at least a first and a second wheel (2,3) disposed on a common axle, the module comprising a suspension system adapted to support the at least first and second wheels allowing both tilting and vertical displacement of the at least first and second wheels, said module comprising tilting means (14) pivotally connected to the suspension system, so that tilting of the tilting means results in the suspension system being tilted together with the at least first and second wheels, the tilting means being connected to the suspension system through first and second shock absorbing means, so that a vertical displacement of one or both of the first or second wheels (2, 3) results in a force being exerted on one or both of the first and second wheels, respectively, varying in a non-linear manner as a function of the vertical displacement of the at least first and second wheels.

Abstract: A wheel suspension is connected to a wheel carrier, which is connected to the vehicle body or an auxiliary frame via wheel guide members spaced vertically apart from each other. The wheel guide members are arranged above and below a horizontal plane. An elastokinematic axis and a kinematic trailing axis are formed, which results in an ideal swivel axis for the wheel. The wheel guide members comprise two open wishbones, which diverge in the direction of the body-sided bearings and are disposed in two planes, are spaced apart, and are hinged to the wheel carrier on both sides of a vertical wheel center transverse plane. The wheel guide members comprise an A-frame arm and a steering tie rod, the A-frame arm being hinged in front of the vertical wheel center transverse plane and located in an inclined plane, resulting in a pitching pole for antidive and antisquat.

Abstract: A vehicle suspension attachment assembly 10 including a spring 17, a pair of spring seats 16, 18 which are coupled to the spring 17, a bushing 25 which is coupled to seat 16, and an attachment member 24 which is received by the seat 16 and the bushing 25 and which is substantially concentric to the seat 16 and to the bushing 25, thereby reducing the overall packaging requirements of a vehicle suspension 12 incorporating the assembly 10.

Abstract: A cross-car suspension system with MacPherson strut replaces the lower control arms, coil springs, and anti-roll bar assembly in the prior art with a simple composite beam. By carefully designing the shape of the beam, the material system and the pivot locations, the ride and roll stiffness and camber and toe characteristics of the original prior art suspension system can be preserved while significantly reducing weight.

Abstract: A motor vehicle fitted with a system for controlling the camber (&thgr;) of the wheels of the vehicle on a bend, including, for each wheel of at least one front axle and/or rear axle of the vehicle, a suspension having a pair of suspension upper and lower arms, articulated at their outboard ends to a hub carrier and attached at their inboard ends to the body of the vehicle. The lower and upper arms of each pair are articulated at their respective inboard ends to a pivot transfer lever which is, in turn, mounted on the body by an articulation, the axis of rotation of which is contained in a longitudinal and vertical plane of the vehicle, the pivot transfer lever being capable of pivoting in such a way as to incline the wheels on the appropriate side.

Abstract: To enlarge the up and down stroke of a front wheel without changing the layout of a steering shaft and a tie rod. An upper arm and a lower arm are arranged in an upward and downward manner, respectively. The upper and lower arms are pivotably attached to a vehicle body and respective outer end portions thereof are connected by a knuckle. The upper arm constitutes substantially a triangular shape and is provided with a front pipe, a rear pipe and a vehicle body attaching portion. Furthermore, a joint pipe is provided with a ring-like portion and a ball joint is attached thereto. A rear end portion of the vehicle body attaching portion, an escape portion in the vicinity thereof and an attaching center of a cushion attaching portion provided on the joint pipe, are respectively arranged forward from a joint center line passing through center of the ball joint and orthogonal to a vehicle body center line.