Front wheel suspension system for a vehicle

[0002] (a) Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a front wheel suspension system for a vehicle.

[0004] (b) Description of the Related Art

[0005] Generally, a steerable wheel suspension system connects an axle and a vehicle body to each other, and absorbs vibrations and impacts from a road surface while the vehicle is being driven, to enhance safety and ride comfort.

[0006] To absorb impacts, the vehicle suspension system is connected flexibly in a vertical direction. To endure driving force, braking force and centrifugal force generated from the wheels, the suspension system is connected firmly in a horizontal direction.

[0007] As is well known, the suspension system includes a shock absorber disposed between, for example, a lower link and an upper link or a vehicle body.

[0008] When a vehicle is in a turn, if the shock absorber is located insuitably, damping force of the shock absorber acts in a direction where a toe-in of outer wheels with respect to a turning direction is increased, resulting in an oversteer phenomenon. Particularly, such an oversteer phenomenon caused by the damping force of the shock absorber is more serious in the case of a double-wishbone type suspension system in which a lower control arm is separated in order to have an imaginary moving center, deteriorating handling performance of the vehicle.

[0009] Therefore, the present invention has been made in an effort to solve the above-described problem.

[0010] It is an objective of the present invention to provide a front wheel suspension system that can prevent an oversteer phenomenon during the turning of a vehicle.

[0011] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a front wheel suspension system for a vehicle including a wheel carrier for supporting a wheel, an upper control arm for mounting to an upper end of the wheel carrier, separated lower control arms for mounting to a lower end of the wheel carrier, and a strut assembly for mounting on one of separated lower control arms 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 one of the separated lower control arms when the vehicle bumps, wherein a device is provided to generate reacting force acting against the damping force of the strut assembly, the reacting force being applied to one of the separated lower control arm to compensate for the oversteer effect by the damping force.

[0012] Preferably, the device for generating reacting force comprises a connecting rod for mounting on the lower control link, and a stabilizer bar one end of which is coupled to a top of the connecting rod, the connecting rod being inclined in a direction opposite to that in which the strut assembly is inclined, the stabilizer bar functioning as an anti-roll device for the vehicle.

[0013] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention;

[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a front wheel suspension system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0015] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a front wheel suspension system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0016] FIG. 3 is a top view of a front wheel suspension system illustrating a posture variation of a front wheel according to an operation of a shock absorber;

[0017] FIG. 4 is a top view illustrating an operation of a front wheel suspension system illustrating a posture variation of a front wheel according to an operation of a reaction element; and

[0018] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of an operation of a front wheel suspension system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0020] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a front wheel suspension system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] The inventive suspension system comprises a wheel carrier 2 rotatably supporting a wheel 4. The wheel carrier 2 is provided with an axle hole 6 in which a spindle (not shown) is mounted. The suspension system further comprises an upper control arm 10 for connecting a vehicle body (not shown) to an upper end of the wheel carrier 2, and a lower control arm 8 for connecting the vehicle body to the wheel carrier 2. The lower control arm 8 includes front and rear control links 12 and 14.

[0022] The suspension system further comprises a strut assembly 30 having a shock absorber 32 and a spring 34. The strut assembly 30 is disposed between the front lower link 12 and the vehicle body to absorb up-and-down impacts transmitted from the wheel. The strut assembly 30 is inclined to a front side of the vehicle body.

[0023] A connecting rod 38 is mounted on the front lower link 12 and inclined to a rear side of the vehicle body. One end of a stabilizer bar 36 used as an anti-roll device is fixed on a top of the connecting rod 38.

[0024] As the strut assembly 30 is inclined to the front side of the vehicle body, when the wheel 4 bumps during the vehicle's turn, as shown in a phantom line of FIG. 3, the suspension system is displaced rearward by damping force F of the strut assembly 30 applied to the front lower link 12. This causes the wheel 4 to be displaced in a toe-in state.

[0025] When the wheel 4 is displaced in the toe-in state, oversteer occurs during the vehicle's turn.

[0026] Therefore, the connecting rod 38 inclined to the rear side of the vehicle and the fixing of one end of the stabilizer bar 36 to the connecting rod 38 function as a reacting force generating means acting against the damping force of the strut assembly 30 to prevent the wheel from displacing into the toe-in state when the vehicle is in a turn.

[0027] The stabilizer bar 36 is disposed such that it can apply a rotational moment to the wheel 4, the rotational moment being identical in magnitude to correct the oversteer phenomenon by the strut assembly 30.

[0028] That is, as shown in FIG. 4, when the wheel 4 bumps during the vehicle's turn, a reacting force R of the stabilizer bar 38 is applied to the front lower link 12 through the connecting rod 38 inclined to the rear side of the vehicle. As a result, as shown in the phantom line of FIG. 4, the suspension system is displaced frontward, leading the wheel to a toe-out state.

[0029] Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 5, the damping force F of the strut assembly 30 and the reacting force R of the stabilizer bar 36 compensate foreach other. As a result, the lower control link 12 is not displaced to have a toe-in state.

[0030] That is, the rotation moment of the wheel which is applied by the strut assembly compensates for the rotation moment of the wheel which is applied by the stabilizer bar. Not much toe variation is generated, thereby preventing oversteer during the vehicle's turn.

[0031] While this invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.