Spring device for a wheel suspension for a vehicle

1 . A spring device for a wheel suspension for a vehicle, the spring device comprising an elongated elastic torsion device configured to rotate about a central longitudinal axis (R) at a load (L), the torsion device comprising:

an elongated internal profile having a longitudinal axis along the central longitudinal axis (R);

an elongated external profile comprising an elongated cavity having a longitudinal axis along the central longitudinal axis (R),

at least three elongated elastic elements having a longitudinal axis parallel to the central longitudinal axis (R);

wherein the internal profile and the elongated elastic elements are at least partially located in the cavity of the external profile,

wherein the elongated elastic elements, respectively, are arranged at different angular positions about the central longitudinal axis (R) between the internal profile and the external profile so that a rotation about the central longitudinal axis (R) is realized under load by an elastic deformation of the elongated elastic elements,

wherein the elongated elastic elements comprise an internal cavity configured to comprise a pressurized gas,

wherein the internal profile comprises at least one protrusion or projection towards the external profile abutting one side of a respective elastic element,

wherein the external profile comprises at least one projection towards the internal profile abutting the opposite side of a respective elastic element,

wherein each of the elastic elements is partially bounded on two opposite sides by the projection of the internal profile and the projection of the external profile, respectively,

wherein the respective projections of the internal profile and the external profile comprise a radial part:

against which the elastic element can abut; and

wherein a combined radial extension of the radial part of the internal projection and the radial part of the external projection is greater than the radial distance between the internal profile and the external profile abutting the elastic element on either side, such that the projections are configured to physically block one another from rotating past each other;

wherein the spring device has a respective opening at the radial part of the respective projection of the internal profile or the external profile according to the radial direction, respectively between the respective projection and the internal circumference of the external profile or the external circumference of the internal profile, respectively, and wherein a portion of the elastic element expands in a substantially tangential direction through this opening beyond the angular position of the radial part during compression.

2 . The spring device of claim 1 , wherein the projections are so configured that:

at an angular displacement in the operating range of the spring device, an area (A) of the spring device exhibits a variation of 50% or less, and wherein the operating range is 20° or more; and/or

in the operating range of the spring device, the course of the cross-sectional area and/or the volume of the internal cavity of the elastic elements as a function of the angular displacement of the internal profile relative to the external profile of the spring device, has a course that deviates 5% or less from a linear course.

3 . The spring device of claim 1 , wherein the distance of the radial part of the respective projections of the internal profile and the external profile extends in the radial direction in the range from 55% to 95% of the distance between the internal profile and the external profile at the level of the elastic element.

4 . The spring device according to claim 3 , wherein the respective opening is configured to allow the elastic element and its internal cavity to expand through the respective opening beyond the angular position of the radial part.

5 . The spring device according to claim 4 , wherein the respective projection at the end of the respective radial part located closest to the external profile or the internal profile respectively is a respective tangential part extending along a direction deviating 15° or less from a tangential direction.

6 . The spring device according to claim 1 , wherein the spring device furthermore comprises a compressed air circuit and a controller for adjusting gas pressure in the internal cavity:

at a predetermined gas pressure; and/or

in function of reaching a desired angular position of the torsion device; and/or

in function of reaching a desired spring constant of the torsion device.

7 . A resilient single-acting actuator comprising a spring device according to claim 1 , wherein the single-acting actuator is configured to be actuated by changing the pressure in a gas in the interior cavity of the elongated elastic elements, so that by increasing the pressure in the gas, a rotation of the internal profile relative to the external profile about the central longitudinal axis (R) can be realized according to a certain direction of rotation.

8 . A resilient double-acting actuator comprising two spring devices according to claim 1 coupled together,

wherein both spring devices are configured to realize a rotation about the central longitudinal axis (R) of the internal profile relative to the external profile of at least one of the spring devices, wherein upon increasing the pressure in a gas in the internal cavity of the elongated elastic elements of the first spring device a rotation about the central longitudinal axis (R) according to a first direction of rotation is realized and upon increasing the pressure in a gas in the internal cavity of the elongated elastic elements of the second spring device a rotation about the central longitudinal axis (R) according to a second direction of rotation is realized which is opposite to the first direction of rotation.

9 . A resilient double-acting actuator according to claim 8 , wherein the two spring devices are radially coupled so that the internal profile of the first spring device coincides and/or is radially coupled to the external profile of the second spring device for rotation about a common longitudinal axis along the central longitudinal axis (R).

10 . A resilient double-acting actuator according to claim 8 , wherein the two spring devices coincide with their internal profile and/or are axially coupled for rotation about a common longitudinal axis along the central longitudinal axis (R).

11 . An assembly comprising two or more spring devices according to claim 1 , wherein the assembly comprises two or more torsion devices; and furthermore comprises a compressed air circuit for coupling the gas supply of two or more torsion devices; and/or

wherein the compressed air circuit is configured to control the compressed air in function of distributing the load between the two or more torsion devices.

12 . A wheel suspension for a vehicle comprising a spring device according to claim 1 and/or

a resilient single-acting actuator comprising a spring device according to claim 1 , wherein the single-acting actuator is configured to be actuated by changing the pressure in a gas in the interior cavity of the elongated elastic elements, so that by increasing the pressure in the gas, a rotation of the internal profile relative to the external profile about the central longitudinal axis (R) can be realized according to a certain direction of rotation, or

a resilient double-acting actuator comprising two intercoupled spring devices according to claim 1 , wherein both spring devices are configured to realize a rotation about the central longitudinal axis (R) of the internal profile relative to the external profile of at least one of the spring devices, wherein upon increasing the pressure in a gas in the internal cavity of the elongated elastic elements of the first spring device a rotation about the central longitudinal axis (R) according to a first direction of rotation is realized and upon increasing the pressure in a gas in the internal cavity of the elongated elastic elements of the second spring device a rotation about the central longitudinal axis (R) according to a second direction of rotation is realized which is opposite to the first direction of rotation,

wherein:

the wheel suspension comprises a wheel arm having a wheel axle for mounting a wheel; and

the torsion device is configured to apply the wheel arm rotatably about the longitudinal axis (R) to a frame of a vehicle by applying the internal profile to the wheel arm and the external profile on the frame of the vehicle or vice versa.

13 . A vehicle comprising one or more wheel suspensions according to claim 12 , wherein the one or more wheel suspensions are mounted on the frame of the vehicle.

14 . The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the vehicle also comprises a compressed air circuit coupled to the wheel suspensions for determining the pressure of a gas in the internal cavities of the elongated elements of the torsion devices of the wheel suspensions.

15 . The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the vehicle also comprises a controller coupled to the compressed air circuit configured, by altering the pressure of a gas in the internal cavities of the elongated elements of the torsion devices of the wheel suspensions by means of the compressed air circuit, to:

determine the distance between the ground plane (G) and the frame of the vehicle; and/or

determine the distance between the base (G) and the wheel axle and/or the distance between the wheel axle and the frame of the vehicle.

16 . A vehicle according to claim 15 , wherein the vehicle comprises at least one lift axle having an actuator coupled to the wheel arm that is engaged in a driving mode and controlled in a lifting mode for determining the distance between the ground plane (G) and the wheel axle and/or the distance between the wheel axle and the frame of the vehicle.

17 . A vehicle according to claim 16 , wherein the lift axle comprises a resilient double-acting actuator, wherein one of the two spring devices functions as actuator of the lift axle.

18 . The vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein the vehicle includes one or more of the following vehicles:

a land vehicle;

a road vehicle;

an off-road vehicle;

rail vehicle;

aeroplane;

a trailer;

a carriage;

a truck;

a tow tractor;

a tractor;

a car;

a bicycle or motorcycle;

a trike;

a quad.