Abstract: A vehicle configuration wherein the center of mass of the vehicle is approximately superimposed upon the passenger and driver centers of mass when seated within the vehicle. An occupant's center of mass can be approximated using a standard center of mass position approximation, or a combination of any number of standard center of mass position approximations. The vehicle's center of mass can be approximately superimposed upon the occupant's center of mass in at least the longitudinal and vertical directions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to all terrain vehicles having at least a pair of laterally spaced apart seating surfaces.

Abstract: A vehicle configuration wherein the center of mass of the vehicle is approximately superimposed upon the passenger and driver centers of mass when seated within the vehicle. An occupant's center of mass can be approximated using a standard center of mass position approximation, or a combination of any number of standard center of mass position approximations. The vehicle's center of mass can be approximately superimposed upon the occupant's center of mass in at least the longitudinal and vertical directions.

Abstract: A vehicle configuration wherein the center of mass of the vehicle is approximately superimposed upon the passenger and driver centers of mass when seated within the vehicle. An occupant's center of mass can be approximated using a standard center of mass position approximation, or a combination of any number of standard center of mass position approximations. The vehicle's center of mass can be approximately superimposed upon the occupant's center of mass in at least the longitudinal and vertical directions.

Abstract: A vehicle configuration wherein the center of mass of the vehicle is approximately superimposed upon the passenger and driver centers of mass when seated within the vehicle. An occupant's center of mass can be approximated using a standard center of mass position approximation, or a combination of any number of standard center of mass position approximations. The vehicle's center of mass can be approximately superimposed upon the occupant's center of mass in at least the longitudinal and vertical directions.

Abstract: A vehicle configuration wherein the center of mass of the vehicle is approximately superimposed upon the passenger and driver centers of mass when seated within the vehicle. An occupant's center of mass can be approximated using a standard center of mass position approximation, or a combination of any number of standard center of mass position approximations. The vehicle's center of mass can be approximately superimposed upon the occupant's center of mass in at least the longitudinal and vertical directions.

Abstract: A vehicular single wheel suspension of a double-track rear wheel being steerable by an actuator of a double-track vehicle has a wheel carrier guided by a longitudinal control arm and by two transverse control arms. The transverse control arms are connected to the wheel carrier by a bolt via a rubber bearing having a minimal degree of rotary freedom. The longitudinal control arm is mounted on the wheel carrier via one rubber bearing having a minimal degree of rotary freedom, such that the wheel carrier is swivelable relative to the longitudinal control arm about a substantially vertical swivel axis. The swivel axis is formed by the rubber bearing wherein the resulting degree of rotary freedom is bound by a tie rod element connected to the wheel carrier via an articulated joint. The tie rod element is movable in the transverse direction of the vehicle by an actuator adjuster element.

Abstract: A rear axle is provided for a motor vehicle, in particular a passenger car, with two independent wheel suspensions, each of which include, but is not limited to a wheel carrier and a three-link arrangement connected therewith in an articulated manner with a longitudinal link and two transverse links. The two transverse links are each arranged in vehicle longitudinal direction next to each other, and with a transverse leaf spring arrangement, which is connected to the two independent wheel suspensions.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a novel suspension concept specifically designed for handling quality as well as travel and articulation. The foundation for this concept can be viewed as the integration of two different types of independent suspension systems—the double wishbone independent suspension system and Ford's twin I-beam front suspension system. Included in this concept is a novel configuration of two pairs of links per wheel whereby the length of each link in one of the two pairs pair is analogous to the vehicle's track width. Both spring and damping functions for the suspension system are provided by the novel segmented air shock absorber, this shock absorber being disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/854,055. This concept discussed herein is suitable for use on either the front or rear of a vehicle, that uniquely offers the handling quality like an independent suspension system and the travel and articulation capabilities potentially superior to that of a solid axle.

Abstract: Multi-link rear wheel axle for a vehicle connects a wheel support (4) to a vehicle body (5) with link arms in upper and lower link planes (8, 6). The upper link plane (8) has a link arm (18) configured as a track rod and front and rear transverse link arms (14, 18) with articulation points (13, 15) for the wheel support (4) and the vehicle body (5). A longitudinal link arm (16) connects the rear transverse link (14) via an articulation point (22) near the wheel support (4) to the front transverse link (18) via an articulation point (24) near the vehicle body. Front and rear transverse link arms (10, 12) in the lower link plane (6) have articulation points (13, 15) for the wheel support (4) and the vehicle body (5) and form a virtual pole (20) outside the lower link plane (6) and behind the axle.

Abstract: An independent wheel suspension system for a motor vehicle includes an upper strut plane and a lower strut plane. Each of the upper strut plane and lower strut planes includes one longitudinal strut and one transverse strut. Each of the struts has a wheel side end for connection of a wheel holder and a body side end for connection of a body. The wheel-side ends of the longitudinal struts and the wheel-side ends of the transverse struts of the two strut planes are articulatedly connected either directly or indirectly to the wheel holder. The body-side ends of first struts of the two strut planes are articulatedly connected directly to the body. The body-side ends of second struts of the two strut planes are articulatedly connected indirectly to the body via a common coupling element.

Abstract: A vehicle may include a CVT unit or a power source which requires ambient air. An air inlet for an air intake system coupled to the CVT unit or the power source which requires ambient air may be provided in a side of a cargo carrying portion of the vehicle. The vehicle may include a rear radius arm suspension.

Abstract: A vehicle suspension comprises an assembly of a hub carrier and a support arm, the support arm being attached to the hub carrier at two points spaced from each other in the direction of travel and extending inwardly therefrom to a support arm attachment point for fixing to a chassis, and a trailing link extending from the assembly in a direction transverse to that of the support arm, toward a trailing link attachment point for fixing to the chassis. The trailing link preferably extends from the assembly in a forward direction, and is preferably connected directly to the hub carrier. A strut can extend upwardly toward an attachment point for fixing to a chassis, to provide a spring and damper. The support arm can comprise a pair of arms extending divergently from the attachment point to each of the two points. The hub carrier can include a pivot pin extending in a fore/aft alignment, passing through two pivot points on the support arm thereby to define the two points.

Abstract: Wheel suspension for a wheeled vehicle, with a lower rocking lever (12) with an inner end being movably connected to a vehicle frame (14) via a lower arm part (16) of a double armed rocker (18) which is pivotable about a substantially horizontal axle (20) in the vehicle frame, and with an outer end being articulately attached to a lower part of a wheel hub (24), and an upper support arm (28) with an outer end being articulately attached to an upper end of the wheel hub (24), and with an inner end, being articulately connected to the vehicle frame (14). The upper support arm (28) is connected to an upper arm part (34) of the double armed rocker (18) via a coupling link (36), which is articulately connected to the upper support arm (28) as well as the upper arm part (34) of the double armed rocker (18), wherein the lower rocking lever (12) has an inclination obliquely downwardly outwardly from the vehicle frame (14) in a neutral position of the wheel hub (24).

Abstract: A suspension apparatus includes a first suspension arm having a front end section pivotally supported on a vehicle body. The first suspension arm extends toward a rear of a vehicle from the front end section. A second suspension arm has an outer end section and an inner end section. The outer end section is attached to the first suspension. The inner end section is disposed at an inner side of the outer end section in a vehicle width direction and is pivotally supported on the vehicle body. An elastic joining section is provided on the second suspension arm and connects the second suspension arm to the first suspension arm with a plurality of elastic bodies disposed substantially in parallel in the vehicle width direction. A knuckle is supported by the first suspension arm and the wheel and is supported between the plurality of elastic bodies.

Abstract: An arm material for an upper arm or a lower arm is provided which constitutes a double wishbone suspension or the like of an automobile and which has a flat, hollow, closed cross-sectional shape and enables further decreases in size, decreases in weight, and increases in strength. An arm material for an automobile suspension has a body made from a parts material made by metal. The parts material made by metal has a flat, hollow, closed cross-sectional shape having a pair of opposing long sides and is formed from a single member in its lengthwise direction. The body has at least a first bent portion which is bent in a plane roughly parallel to the pair of long sides.

Abstract: A trailing arm for a rear independent suspension of a motor vehicle. The arm (10) includes a beam-like mounting structure (32) and a plurality of components including a first component (38, 40) for the mounting of a first bush (20) for articulated connection of the trailing arm (10) to the vehicle structure, a second component (42) for support of a wheel-carrying spindle; a third component (50, 56) for the mounting of a second bush (22) for articulated connection of the trailing arm (10) to a first rod (12), a fourth component (58) for the mounting of a third bush (24) for articulated connection of the trailing arm (10) to a second rod (12), a fifth component (28) for support of a spring, a sixth component (64) for connection of the trailing arm (10) to a shock absorber (16), and a seventh component (66) for connection of the trailing arm (10) to a torsion bar (18).

Abstract: A link arm (81) for restraining lateral movement of a pivotable vehicle suspension system (1), wherein a first end (90) of the arm (81) is pivotally connected to a wheel-mounting end of the system (1) and a second end (91) of the arm (81) is pivotally mounted to a frame of the vehicle such that the arm (81) may pivot relative to the frame in unison with the wheel-mounting end and restrain lateral movement of the system (1) relative to the frame. The first end (90) has a bearing (90) through which a pivot pin (71) extends. The second end (91) has a ball and socket joint 91 (ball joint) enabling pivoting of the arm (81) relative to the frame about more than one axis.

Abstract: This invention relates to individual wheel drives for individually suspended, spring-mounted wheels of a vehicle comprising one universal joint shaft (2) connecting the output shaft socket (10) of a drive device with the input shaft socket of a wheel, having one main section (4) and at least one end section (8) situated on one end thereof, via a universal joint (6), rotatingly coupled with the associated shaft socket (10), the universal joint shaft (2) having a permanent inclination which compensates an offset between drive device and wheel, and means being provided for reducing a permanent deviation defined by the inclination. The end section (8) associated with the universal joint (6) and the shaft socket (10) coupled therewith are coupled with each other via a bevel wheel pair (16, 18), the deflection angle ? of which corresponding at least partly with the corresponding permanent deflection angle between universal joint shaft (2) and shaft socket (10).

Abstract: Method and arrangement for providing a suspension for a wheel on a motor vehicle. The wheel suspension includes a stub axle (36, 37) connected to a stub axle carrier (34, 35), a suspension arm (18, 19) which connects the stub axle carrier to the vehicle, and a stabilizer bar (9) fixed transversely to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The suspension arm (18, 19) is fixed against rotation to an outer end (14, 15) of the stabilizer bar and rotatably attached in at least one position (22, 23) axially separated from the outer end of the stabilizer bar. The invention also relates to a vehicle provided with such an arrangement.

Abstract: In an independent wheel suspension including a wheel-guiding strut which is mounted on a vehicle body, a wheel carrier is so supported on the strut by several elastic pivoting bearings, that a high degree of driving comfort is provided by a controlled accommodation of lateral, longitudinal and vertical forces.

Abstract: A suspension for coupling a steer axle assembly to a vehicle frame is provided that moves one or more of the spring reaction points outboard to increase roll stiffness and enable the use of a lighter axle. In one embodiment of the invention, the suspension includes a spring coupled to the vehicle frame and a shock absorber having a first end coupled to the spring and a second end coupled to a component of the steer axle assembly, such as the kingpin, at a location outboard of a longitudinal frame rail of the vehicle frame.

Abstract: A vehicular suspension includes a trailing arm and a substantially plate-like lower arm. The trailing arm is pivotably supported at its front end on a vehicle body via an elastic joint and extends from the front end toward the rear of the vehicle body. The lower arm extends in the vehicle width direction with its inner end pivotably supported on the vehicle body and its outer end fixed to a rear part of the trailing arm. A flat first seating surface of an end plate welded to the rear end of the trailing arm is superimposed on a flat second seating surface provided at the outer end of the lower arm, and an inner periphery of a closed rectangular opening formed on the second seating surface is welded to the first seating surface by a weld. The second seating surface of the lower arm protrudes from a main body portion via a slant surface.

Abstract: An independent rear suspension for a motor vehicle chassis includes a pair of independent rear corner modules. Each rear corner module includes a generally-longitudinally-extending leaf spring whose forward end is adapted to be pivotally mounted to the vehicle chassis at a first forward attachment point, and whose rearward end is nonrotationally-coupled to a knuckle, such that the leaf spring operates as a trailing arm to longitudinally position the knuckle relative to the chassis. A shackle adapted to be pivotally mounted on the chassis at a second forward attachment point includes an eye that encompasses a portion of the spring intermediate the first and second end of the spring. The shackle permits a predetermined, nonzero range of relative longitudinal, transverse, and torsional movement of the intermediate portion of the leaf spring while otherwise transferring vertical loads from the intermediate portion of the spring to the chassis.

Abstract: A swing arm of a suspension system for supporting the body of a motor vehicle comprises a main swing arm body on which a support portion for supporting a suspension damper is provided, a support member fixed to a rear portion of the main swing arm body and having supporting parts for supporting first to third suspension arms, and a support reinforcing member for reinforcing at least the supporting parts of the support member for supporting the second and third suspension arms. The main swing arm body, the support member and the support reinforcing member are produced by individually press-forming single steel plates and the swing arm is formed by joining the main swing arm body, the support member and the support reinforcing member.

Abstract: A front wheel suspension system for a vehicle includes a wheel carrier for supporting a wheel, an upper control arm for mounting to an upper end of the wheel carrier, a lower control arm for mounting to a lower end of the wheel carrier, and a strut assembly for mounting on the lower control arm to absorb up-and-down impacts transmitted from the wheel, the strut assembly being inclined in a direction and designed to apply damping force to the lower control arm when the vehicle wheel bumps. A device is provided to generate a reacting force acting against the damping force of the strut assembly, the reacting force being applied to the lower control arm to compensate for the damping force.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for mounting a spring to a connecting arm forming a portion of a vehicle wheel suspension in which the apparatus includes a connector affixed to the end of the spring and disposed on one side of the connecting arm, a lock disposed on the other side of the connecting arm, and fasteners extending through the connecting arm for attaching the connector to the lock.

Abstract: A rear wheel suspension system for vehicles includes a wheel carrier for rotatably supporting a wheel. The wheel carrier has upper, lower, front and rear ends. An upper control arm is provided to connect the upper end of the wheel carrier to a vehicle body, while a lower control arm is provided to connect the lower end of the wheel carrier to a vehicle body. The lower control arm includes front and rear control links, and a trailing arm is disposed in a longitudinal direction with respect to the vehicle body and connecting the front end of the wheel carrier to the vehicle body. When the wheel is aligned such that a toe angle of the wheel becomes “0”, the front control link and the trailing arm are aligned such that a longitudinal axis of the front control link of the lower control arm intersects a longitudinal axis of the trailing arm at a wheel center.

Abstract: A fluid-filled bushing for supporting on a vehicle body an end portion of a suspension arm. The bushing is designed such that the frequency to keep the dynamic spring constant of the fluid-filled bushing to a minimum, or the frequency to keep the loss coefficient of the same to a maximum is set in the vicinity of the rigid resonance frequency f0 (for example, 600 Hz) of the suspension arm. As a result, a transmission force (transmission force N=resonance magnification &ugr;×dynamic spring constant K*) due to the vibration in the vicinity of the above-mentioned rigid resonance frequency transmitted from the road surface through the suspension arm is reduced, so that it is possible to improve road noise.