WO2000009351A1

WO2000009351A1 - A device for establishing the location of a component of a vehicle relative to a chassis of the vehicle

Info

Publication number: WO2000009351A1
Application number: PCT/NO1999/000248
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sven BJØRKGÅRD
Original assignee: Kongsberg Automotive Asa
Priority date: 1998-08-10
Filing date: 1999-08-10
Publication date: 2000-02-24
Also published as: DE19983462B3; NO983662D0; DE19983462T1; AU5310199A; NO310228B1; BR9912933A; NO983662L

Abstract

A device for establishing the location of a component of a vehicle relative to a chassis (24) of the vehicle. The component is connected to the chassis via a roll stabilizer device with two reaction arms (12) and a torsion bar (2). End portions (4) of the torsion bar (2) are mounted in the chassis (24), by means of respective bearings (27), thus enabling the end portions (4) to rotate relative to each other about a longitudinal axis (3) of the torsion bar (2), and the end portions (4) are rigidly connected to a first end portion (8) of the respective reaction arms (12). A second end portion of the reaction arms (12) is connected to the component, thus enabling the reaction arms (12) to rotate relative to the component about an axis of rotation which extends parallel to the torsion bar's (2) longitudinal axis (3). According to the invention the device includes an angle indicating device (50) which has a first part (52), which is securely connected to the chassis (24) and a second part (54), which is rotationally rigidly connected to an end portion (4, 6) of the torsion bar (2), and a measuring device (98), for establishing the end portions' (4) angle of rotation relative to the chassis (24).

Description

A device for establishing the location of a component of a vehicle relative to a chassis of the vehicle.

The invention relates to a device for establishing the location of a component of a vehicle relative to a chassis of the vehicle, wherein the component is connected to the chassis via a roll stabilizer device with two reaction arms and a torsion bar, where first end portions of the torsion bar are mounted in one of either the chassis or the component, hereinafter called the chassis, by means of respective bearings, thus enabling the end portions to rotate relative to each other about a longitudinal axis of the torsion bar, and the end portions are rigidly connected to a first end portion of the respective reaction arms, a second end portion of the reaction arms being connected to the other of either the component or the chassis, hereinafter called the component, thus enabling the reaction arms to rotate relative to the component about respective axes of rotation which extend parallel to the torsion bar's longitudinal axis. A stabilizer device of the above-mentioned type is disclosed in DE 37 30338 C2. A device of the type mentioned at the beginning is known in the prior art, where the location of the component, e.g. a wheel axle housing or a driver's cabin of the vehicle, can be established by means of link arms extending from the chassis to the component. A disadvantage of this device is that the link arms and any measuring devices connected thereto, are separate components of the vehicle which have to be mounted on the main assembly line during production of the vehicle. It is desirable, however, that as many components as possible of the vehicle form part of part assemblies which are mounted in separate assembly lines, and that the part assemblies are mounted on the main assembly line, thereby increasing the production rate.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of the above-mentioned type which is not encumbered by the above-mentioned drawback.

The characteristic of the invention is presented by the characteristic features set forth in the claims. The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the drawing which schematically illustrates embodiments of the device according to the invention.

Fig. 1 illustrates a longitudinal section through a roll stabilizer device. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a first stabilizer device supporting a wheel axle housing.

Fig. 3 illustrates an enlarged longitudinal section through an end portion of the first stabilizer device according to figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a side view of a driver's cabin which is mounted on a chassis of a vehicle.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a second stabilizer device supporting the driver's cabin illustrated in fig. 4.

Fig. 6 illustrates an enlarged longitudinal section through an end portion of the second stabilizer device according to figs. 4 and 5.

The roll stabilizer device 1 which is illustrated in figs. 1 and 2 comprises a torsion bar 2 which has a longitudinal axis 3, and whose end portions 4, 6 are rigidly connected to first end portions 8, 10 of two respective reaction arms 12, 14, the torsion bar's end portions 4, 6 being welded to the first end portions 8, 10 of the reaction arms 12, 14. The second end portions 16, 18 of the reaction arms 12, 14 are in the form of bearings which rotatably connect the reaction arms to respective wheel axle housings 34', 34" of a vehicle 22, the bearings' longitudinal axes being indicated by reference numerals 32' and 32" respectively. It should be understood, however, that the lengths of the reactions arms may be different and that the longitudinal axes of the reactions arms in that event do not coincide. The wheel axle housing is also connected to a chassis 24 (fig. 3) of the vehicle 22 by means of springs and guide arms (not shown) which help to control the wheel axle housing's movement relative to the chassis 24.

In order to permit a connection of the end portions 4, 6 of the torsion bar 2 to the chassis 24, thus enabling the connection itself to compensate for any deviation between axes 36, 38 of the end portions and the longitudinal axis 3 of the torsion bar, since these axes ought to be in alignment, each first end portion 8, 10 of the reaction arms 12, 14 has a recess 20, see fig. 3, wherein there is arranged a female part portion 26 of a spherical bearing 27, 29, where there is inserted into this female part portion 26 a dowel 28, which comprises a male part portion 30 of the bearing 27, 29, and which can be connected to the chassis 24. The female part portion 26 which is a bearing shell, whose internal surface is in the form of a surface portion of a sphere, is supported axially against a shoulder 40 of the associated reaction arm and secured by means of a lock ring 42. The recess is slidably sealed by means of a packing 44.

In order to establish the wheel axle housing's position relative to a reference plane PI of the chassis 24, one of the dowels 28, but preferably each dowel 28 comprises an angle indicating device 50 for indicating angles between the reaction arms 12, 14 and the chassis 24, e.g. the angles α, β between the arms' longitudinal axes 60 and 62 respectively and an intersecting line 64 and 66 respectively between a vertical plane through these longitudinal axes 60, 62 and the plane PI . This indicating device 50 comprises a stationary part 52, which is securely connected to a portion of the dowel 28, and a movable part which is in the form of an axle 54 which extends centrally through a bore 56 of the dowel 28, and is rotationally rigidly connected to the adjacent end portion of the torsion bar 2. In order that the axle 54 should also be capable of compensating for deviation from nominal fitting dimensions, it may be axially slidable relative to the torsion bar's end portions 4, 6. The connection between the axle and the torsion bar may be designed in a similar way to an arched toothed coupling. The axle may further include universal joints or be flexible.

The axle 54 thus transfers information concerning twisting of the associated end portion 4, 6 of the torsion bar 2 and thereby an angular displacement of the associated reaction arm 12, 14 relative to the chassis to the indicating device 50. The indicating device 50 converts this information to an electrical signal. This signal is transferred via an electrical wire 58 to a device 98 for influencing the behavioural parameters of the vehicle. Instead of being a device which converts the information to an electrical signal, the indicating device 50 may comprise a valve, such as a hydraulic or pneumatic valve, which is influenced by the axle 54, and which is arranged to transmit pressure fluid signals to a device for influencing the behavioural parameters of the vehicle.

Due to the fact that it is installed in the above-mentioned manner, the angle indicating device(s) can form part of a part assembly which includes the stabilizer device 1, thereby avoiding the necessity of mounting it on the main assembly line for the vehicle and the costly assembly time thereby involved. A roll stabilizer device 1 as illustrated in figs. 4-6 can also be provided between a driver's cabin 72 and a chassis 24 of a vehicle 22, whereby the same reference numerals are employed for components with the same function as in figs. 1- 3.

Thus a first angle indicating device corresponding to the above described angle indicating device 50 can be used for establishing the location of the driver's cabin relative to the chassis 24.

Fig. 4 illustrates that the driver's cabin 72 rests on springs 74, 76 on the chassis 24, the springs helping to control the relative movement of the driver's cabin 72 and the chassis 24 and attempting to return the driver's cabin 72 to an initial position relative to the chassis 24. The driver's cabin 72 may be moved away from the initial position on account of, e.g., the force of the air which influences the driver's cabin when the vehicle is moved relative to the ambient air. It may also be due to the fact that the driver's cabin is loaded in such a manner that, e.g. the weight of its rear portion increases.

The roll stabilizer device 1 is connected to the chassis 24 near the axis 80 and to the driver's cabin near the axis 82. First angle indicating devices 50 can therefore be arranged to measure the angles α and β between the reaction arms' longitudinal axes 60, 62 and a plane P I of the chassis 24 in respective vertical planes which comprise these longitudinal axes 60, 62.

In addition a further or second angle indicating device 90 is provided with a part 92 which is stationary relative to the chassis 24, and which in the embodiment illustrated in fig. 6 is mounted axially on the outside of the stationary part 52 of the first indicating device 50.

In order to establish a height h of a location 86 of the driver's cabin 72, e.g. relative to the plane PI, a first end portion of a link arm 84 is linked to the driver's cabin 72 at the location 86. The link arm's second end portion is linked to a first end portion of a second link arm 88, whose second end portion in turn is rigidly connected to an axle 94 of the angle indicating device 90.

By measuring an angle γ between the second link arm's longitudinal axis and the plane PI by means of the angle indicating device 90, the height h can thereby be calculated on the basis of the angle γ and the distance between the location 86 and the axis 80 of the axle 54. Information concerning this height h can be transferred via a wire 96 to a control device 98 which monitors the driver's cabin's location relative to the chassis 24.

In the above the device according to the invention has been described in connection with a roll stabilizer device with a torsion bar, which is connected to the chassis, and with reaction arms, which are connected to a component which is movable relative to the chassis, but it will be understood that the torsion bar may instead be connected to the component and that the reaction arms may be connected to the chassis. Moreover, it has been stated that the bearings for mounting the torsion bar in the chassis are spherical, but it will be understood that other devices may be employed for compensation of angular deviation between these bearings' longitudinal axes and the torsion bar's longitudinal axis, inasmuch as it is ensured that the bearings form part of the roll stabilizer assembly and permit a measurement of twisting of the torsion bar's end portion(s) relative to the chassis.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. A device for establishing the location of a component of a vehicle relative to a chassis (24) of the vehicle (22), wherein the component (34', 34", 72) is connected to the chassis (24) via a roll stabilizer device with two reaction arms (12, 14) and a torsion bar (2), where end portions (4, 6) of the torsion bar (2) are mounted in one of either the chassis (24) or the component (34', 34", 72), hereinafter called the chassis (24), by means of respective bearings (27, 29), thus enabling the end portions (4, 6) to rotate relative to each other about a longitudinal axis (3) of the torsion bar (2), and the end portions (4, 6) are rigidly connected to a first end portion (8, 10) of the respective reaction arms (12, 14), a second end portion (16, 18) of the reaction arms (12, 14) being connected to the other of either the component (34', 34", 72) or the chassis (24), hereinafter called the component (34', 34", 72), thus enabling the reaction arms (12, 14) to rotate relative to the component (34', 34", 72) about respective axes of rotation (32', 32") which extend parallel to the torsion bar's (2) longitudinal axis (3), characterized in that the device comprises at least one first angle indicating device (50) which has a first part (52), which is arranged to be securely connected to the chassis (24), and a second part (54) which is rotationally rigidly connected to an end portion (4, 6) of the torsion bar (2), together with a measuring device (98), for establishing the end portions' (4, 6) angle of rotation relative to the chassis (24).

2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a second indicating device (90) for establishing the distance between a location of the chassis (24) and a location (86) of the component (34', 34", 72), the location (86) of the component (34', 34", 72) being located at a distance from the reaction arms' (12, 14) axis of rotation (82).

3. A device according to claim 2, characterized in that the location of the chassis (24) is located on the torsion bar's (2) longitudinal axis (3).

4. A device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first part (52) of the first indicating device (50) is securely connected to a bearing part (28) of the associated bearing (27, 29) where the bearing part (28) is arranged to be securely connected to the chassis (24), and that the second part (54) of this indicating device is rotationally rigidly connected to the end portion (4, 6) of the torsion bar (2).

5. A device according to claim 4, characterized in that the bearings (27, 29) are spherical bearings, that the bearing part (28) of the mounting device which is arranged to be securely connected to the chassis (24) is a male part (28, 30) of the spherical bearing, and that the bearing part which is securely connected to the torsion bar (2) is a flexible axle (54).

6. A device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the component is a wheel axle housing (34', 34").

7. A device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the component is a driver's cabin (72).

8. A device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that there are provided two first angle indicating devices (50), each of which is connected to its end portion (4, 6) of the torsion bar (2).