IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,796,235

Granted Patent B2

US 9,796,235 · App. 14/781,193 · Granted Oct 24, 2017

Suspension device for in-wheel motor driven wheel

Inventors: Yutaka Matayoshi (Yokosuka, JP); Tomoki Hirabayashi (Kamakura, JP); Sakiko Suzuki (Yokohama, JP); Jun Tamura (Zama, JP)

Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

B60G15/067 B60G3/06 B60G3/20 B60G13/005 B60G15/062 B60K7/0007 B60G2200/142 B60G2200/144 B60G2200/18 B60G2200/422 B60G2202/312 B60G2204/129 B60G2204/1484 B60G2204/182 B60G2204/30 B60G2204/422 B60G2300/50

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 9,796,235
App. No.: 14/781,193
Granted: Oct 24, 2017
Kind: B2

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Abstract

A suspension device for an in-wheel motor driven wheel is provided. An upper suspension arm is pivotally supported on the vehicle body for supporting the wheel in a vehicle upper position higher than an axle. A link member pivotally connects the wheel to the upper suspension arm and has an absorber connecting portion connected to a lower end of the shock absorber. The shock absorber connecting portion is disposed in the vehicle bottom position lower than an upper end portion of the in-wheel motor unit. The shock absorber is disposed between the vehicle body and the in-wheel motor unit and inclined so as to be closer to the vehicle body toward the lower end.

Claims (41)

1. A suspension device for an in-wheel motor driven wheel in which a wheel driven by an in-wheel motor unit is suspended on a vehicle body by a suspension structure member and a shock absorber, the suspension structure member comprising:

an upper suspension arm pivotally supported on the vehicle body for supporting the wheel in a vehicle upper position higher than an axle, and

a link member pivotally connecting the wheel to the upper suspension arm and having a shock absorber connecting portion connected to a lower end of the shock absorber and a wheel supporting portion connected to a knuckle, the shock absorber connecting portion being disposed in the vehicle bottom position lower than an upper end portion of the in-wheel motor unit, and the shock absorber being disposed between the vehicle body and the in-wheel motor unit and inclined so as to be closer to the vehicle body toward the lower end of the shock absorber, and the wheel supporting portion being supported on the knuckle such that the link member and the knuckle are rotatable about a kingpin axis.

2. The suspension device for the in-wheel motor driven wheel as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the in-wheel motor unit has a rotating electrical machine, and the output shaft of the rotating electrical machine is inclined with respect to the axle of the wheel, and a vehicle body-side end surface of the in-wheel motor unit is inclined so as to be parallel to the axial direction of the shock absorber.

3. The suspension device for the in-wheel motor driven wheel as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the shock absorber includes a damper and a coil spring, the damper is disposed inside of the coil spring, and the axial position of the coil spring is more offset in the vehicle exterior side than the axial position of the damper.

4. The suspension device for the in-wheel motor driven wheel as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the shock absorber includes a damper and a coil spring, the damper is disposed inside the coil spring, and an outer diameter of the lower part of the coil spring is smaller than an outer diameter of the upper part of the coil spring.

5. The suspension device for the in-wheel motor driven wheel as claimed in claim 4 , wherein

the shock absorber is disposed in a central position between a wheel-side surface of the side member supporting the vehicle body and a vehicle body-side end surface of the in-wheel motor unit.

6. The suspension device for the in-wheel motor driven wheel as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the shock absorber includes a damper and a coil spring, the damper is disposed outside of the coil spring and between the vehicle body and the shock absorber connecting portion, and the coil spring is disposed between the vehicle body and the link member.

7. The suspension device for the in-wheel motor driven wheel as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the shock absorber connecting portion is connected to the lower end of the shock absorber to be rotatable in the vertical direction, and, when the wheel is in a straight travelling state, the direction of the rotation axis of the shock absorber, a wheel-side surface of the side member supporting the vehicle body, and a vehicle body-side end surface of the in-wheel motor unit are parallel to each other.

8. The suspension device for the in-wheel motor driven wheel as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the shock absorber connecting portion is connected to the lower end of the shock absorber to be rotatable in the vertical direction and offset from the axle in either rearward or forward position of the vehicle, and, when the wheel is in a straight travelling state, the direction of the rotating axis of the shock absorber is inclined with respect to a wheel-side surface of the side member supporting the vehicle body and a vehicle-side end surface of the in-wheel motor unit.

9. The suspension device for the in-wheel motor driven wheel as claimed in claim 2 , wherein

10. The suspension device for the in-wheel motor driven wheel as claimed in claim 2 , wherein

11. The suspension device for the in-wheel motor driven wheel as claimed in claim 3 , wherein

the shock absorber includes the damper and the coil spring, the damper is disposed inside the coil spring, and an outer diameter of the lower part of the coil spring is smaller than an outer diameter of the upper part of the coil spring.

12. The suspension device for the in-wheel motor driven wheel as claimed in claim 2 , wherein

13. The suspension device for the in-wheel motor driven wheel as claimed in claim 2 , wherein

the shock absorber connecting portion is connected to the lower end of the shock absorber to be rotatable in the vertical direction, and, when the wheel is in a straight travelling state, the direction of the rotation axis of the shock absorber, a wheel-side surface of the side member supporting the vehicle body, and the vehicle body-side end surface of the in-wheel motor unit are parallel to each other.

14. The suspension device for the in-wheel motor driven wheel as claimed in claim 3 , wherein

15. The suspension device for the in-wheel motor driven wheel as claimed in claim 4 , wherein

16. The suspension device for the in-wheel motor driven wheel as claimed in claim 5 , wherein

17. The suspension device for the in-wheel motor driven wheel as claimed in claim 6 , wherein

18. The suspension device for the in-wheel motor driven wheel as claimed in claim 2 , wherein

the shock absorber connecting portion is connected to the lower end of the shock absorber to be rotatable in the vertical direction and offset from the axle in either rearward or forward position of the vehicle, and, when the wheel is in a straight travelling state, the direction of the rotating axis of the shock absorber is inclined with respect to a wheel-side surface of the side member supporting the vehicle body and the vehicle-side end surface of the in-wheel motor unit.

19. The suspension device for the in-wheel motor driven wheel as claimed in claim 3 , wherein

20. The suspension device for the in-wheel motor driven wheel as claimed in claim 4 , wherein

Assignments (1)

ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 29, 2015

From: MATAYOSHI, YUTAKA; HIRABAYASHI, TOMOKI; SUZUKI, SAKIKO; TAMURA, JUN

To: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.

Reel/Frame 036683/0214 →

Priority Claims (1)

JP 2013-095797 · Apr 30, 2013 · national

Continuity (1)

Related Publication 20160052359A1 · Feb 25, 2016