IP Library Granted Patent US 7,699,326
Granted Patent B2
US 7,699,326 · App. 11/813,961 · Granted Apr 20, 2010

In-wheel suspension

Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,699,326
App. No.
11/813,961
Granted
Apr 20, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

An in-wheel suspension including a vehicle body-side member ( 90 ). The vehicle body-side member ( 90 ) is coupled with a vehicle body at least two coupling portions ( 92 a, 92 b, 92 c ), one of which is positioned above a wheel center and the other of which is positioned below the wheel center, via respective elastic members ( 96 a, 96 b, 96 c ). The elastic member ( 96 b ) arranged at the upper coupling portion ( 92 b ) has portions with high rigidity, and portions with low rigidity formed in an oblique direction that extends upward and toward an inside of a vehicle from a position outside of the vehicle. The elastic member ( 96 a, 96 c ) arranged at the lower coupling portion ( 92 a, 92 c ) has portions with high rigidity, and portions with low rigidity formed in an oblique direction that extends downward and toward the inside of the vehicle from a position outside of the vehicle.

Claims (16)

1. An in-wheel suspension, comprising:

a tire/wheel assembly support member that supports a tire/wheel assembly;

a vehicle body-side member that supports the tire/wheel assembly support member via a sliding mechanism such that the tire/wheel assembly support member can move in a substantially vertical direction; and

at least one of a spring element and an attenuation element that is arranged between the tire/wheel assembly support member and the vehicle body-side member, wherein

the vehicle body-side member is coupled with a vehicle body at least two coupling portions, one of which is positioned above a wheel center and the other of which is positioned below the wheel center, via respective elastic members, and

at least one of a structure (a) and a structure (b) is provided, wherein

(a) the elastic member arranged at the upper coupling portion has portions with high rigidity, and portions with low rigidity formed in an oblique direction that extend upward and toward an inside of a vehicle from a position outside of the vehicle; and (b) the elastic member arranged at the lower coupling portion has portions with high rigidity, and portions with low rigidity formed in an oblique direction that extend downward and toward the inside of the vehicle from a position outside of the vehicle.

2. The in-wheel suspension according to claim 1 , wherein

the elastic member arranged at the upper coupling portion is a bushing, and the portions with low rigidity are formed in a direction in which an axis of the bushing extends; and

the elastic member arranged at the lower coupling portion is a bushing, and the portions with low rigidity are formed in a direction in which an axis of the bushing extends.

3. An in-wheel suspension comprising:

a tire/wheel assembly support member that supports a tire/wheel assembly;

a vehicle body-side member that support the tire/wheel assembly support member via a sliding mechanism such that the tire/wheel assembly support member can move in a substantially vertical direction;

at least one of a spring element and an attenuation element that is arranged between the tire/wheel assembly support member and the vehicle body-side member;

a first elastic member which is used for coupling the vehicle body-side member with a vehicle body; and

a second elastic member which is used for coupling the vehicle body-side member with the vehicle body, and whose moment length is longer than a moment length of the first elastic member.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 17, 2007
From: YAMADA, MASAHIKO
To: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 019567/0314 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2005-249401 · Aug 30, 2005 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20080203693A1 · Aug 28, 2008