阅读说明：本技术 用于机动车的车轮悬架设备、机动车及用于运行这种车轮悬架设备的方法 (Wheel suspension device for a motor vehicle, motor vehicle and method for operating such a wheel suspension device ) 是由 A·格拉斯 W·施密德 于 2019-02-05 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及一种用于机动车(10)的车轮悬架设备(20),所述机动车具有车体(12)和至少一个车轮(14)并且能通过所述车轮(14)支撑在行车道(16)上,所述车轮悬架设备包括至少一个弹簧元件(32),所述弹簧元件具有渐进的弹簧特性曲线,通过所述弹簧元件能使车轮(14)以弹性方式支撑在车体(12)上,还包括高度调节装置(34),借助于所述高度调节装置能调节车体(12)的高度,同时不发生弹簧元件(32)的弹簧刚度的变化。(The invention relates to a wheel suspension device (20) for a motor vehicle (10) which has a vehicle body (12) and at least one wheel (14) and which can be supported on a carriageway (16) by means of the wheel (14), comprising at least one spring element (32) which has a progressive spring characteristic curve and by means of which the wheel (14) can be supported on the vehicle body (12) in a resilient manner, and a height adjustment device (34) by means of which the height of the vehicle body (12) can be adjusted without a change in the spring rate of the spring element (32) occurring.)

1. A wheel suspension device (20) for a motor vehicle (10) which has a vehicle body (12) and at least one wheel (14) and which can be supported on a driving track (16) by means of the wheel (14), comprising at least one spring element (32) which has a progressive spring characteristic curve and by means of which the wheel (14) can be supported on the vehicle body (12) in a resilient manner,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

also included is a height adjustment device (34) by means of which the height of the vehicle body (12) can be adjusted without a change in the spring rate of the spring element (32).

2. Wheel suspension device (20) according to claim 1,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the spring element (32) is formed from a fibre-reinforced synthetic material.

3. Wheel suspension device (20) according to claim 2,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the fibre-reinforced synthetic material is a glass fibre-reinforced synthetic material.

4. Wheel suspension device (20) according to any of the preceding claims,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the spring element (20) is designed as a serpentine spring.

5. Wheel suspension device (20) according to any of the preceding claims,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the height adjustment device (34) has at least one adjustment element (36) whose length is adjustable, whereby the height of the vehicle body (12) is adjustable without a change in the spring rate of the spring element (32).

6. Wheel suspension device (20) according to claim 4,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the adjusting element (36) is arranged between the vehicle body (12) and the spring element (32) or between the wheel (14) and the spring element (32) with reference to a force flow extending from the vehicle body (12) through the spring element (32) and the adjusting element (36) to the wheel (14).

7. Wheel suspension device (20) according to any of the preceding claims,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the height adjustment device (34) can be driven hydraulically and/or electrically, so that the height of the vehicle body (12) can be adjusted hydraulically and/or electromechanically.

8. Wheel suspension device (20) according to any of the preceding claims,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

a wheel suspension device (20) includes a vehicle body (12) and a wheel (14).

9. Wheel suspension device (20) according to any of the preceding claims,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

an electronic computing device (48) is also provided, which is designed to determine the load of the vehicle body (12), to actuate the height adjustment device (34) as a function of the determined load, and to thereby enable a height adjustment of the vehicle body (12) without a change in the spring rate of the spring element (32) occurring.

10. A motor vehicle (10) having a vehicle body (12), at least one wheel (14) by means of which the vehicle body (12) can be supported on a roadway (16) of the motor vehicle (10), and a wheel suspension device (20) comprising at least one spring element (32) having a progressive spring characteristic curve by means of which the wheel (14) can be supported on the vehicle body (12) in a resilient manner,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

also included is a height adjustment device (34) by means of which the height of the vehicle body (12) can be adjusted without a change in the spring rate of the spring element (32).

11. Method for operating a wheel suspension system (20) of a motor vehicle (10) which has a vehicle body (12) and at least one wheel (14) and which can be supported on a carriageway (16) by means of the wheel (14), comprising at least one spring element (32) which has a progressive spring characteristic curve and by means of which the wheel (14) can be supported on the vehicle body (12) in an elastic manner, wherein a height of the vehicle body (12) is adjusted by means of a height adjustment device (34) of the motor vehicle (10) without a change in a spring rate of the spring element (32) occurring.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a wheel suspension device for a motor vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention further relates to a motor vehicle according to the preamble of claim 10. The invention also relates to a method for operating such a wheel suspension system.

Background

Such a wheel suspension device for a motor vehicle and a motor vehicle having such a wheel suspension device are known, for example, from the document DE 102009020108 a 1. In this case, the motor vehicle has a body, which is designed as a self-supporting body, for example, in which a person, for example a driver of the motor vehicle, can rest. The motor vehicle furthermore has at least one or more wheels, wherein the vehicle body or the motor vehicle as a whole can be supported on a roadway for the motor vehicle by means of the respective wheel. The motor vehicle further has a wheel suspension system comprising at least one spring element having a progressive spring characteristic. The wheel is supported or supportable in a resilient manner or on the vehicle body by means of a spring element.

Furthermore, DE 102006010054 a1 discloses a wheel suspension system with a spring adjustment device for a motor vehicle whose vehicle body is supported in a distributed manner by at least one helical compression spring on a hub carrier or the like, which is articulated to the vehicle body in a movable manner by means of a control arm mechanism.

Furthermore, a wheel suspension device is known from EP 1666282B 1, which comprises a vehicle body and a wheel movably articulated on the vehicle body by means of a control arm mechanism, and which has a hub carrier and at least one helical compression spring which is supported on the one hand on the vehicle body and on the other hand on the hub carrier or the control arm mechanism.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a wheel suspension device, a motor vehicle and a method, which make it possible to achieve a particularly high level of driving comfort, in particular even in different load states of the vehicle body.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a wheel suspension device having the features of claim 1, by a motor vehicle having the features of claim 10, and by a method having the features of claim 11. Advantageous embodiments with suitable developments of the invention are given in the remaining claims.

A first aspect of the invention relates to a wheel suspension device for a motor vehicle, which has a vehicle body and at least one wheel and can be supported on a roadway by means of the wheel, which motor vehicle is preferably designed as a motor vehicle, in particular as a passenger vehicle. In its completely manufactured state, the motor vehicle has a body which is designed, for example, as a self-supporting body. In addition, the motor vehicle has at least one wheel or a plurality of wheels in its completely manufactured state, wherein the vehicle body or the motor vehicle as a whole is supported or can be supported in the vehicle height direction on the roadway by the respective wheel. If the motor vehicle is traveling along the traffic lane in a state in which the motor vehicle is supported on the traffic lane by the corresponding wheel, the corresponding wheel rolls on the traffic lane.

The wheel suspension device comprises at least one spring element having a progressive spring characteristic, wherein the at least one wheel is supported or supportable elastically/resiliently on the vehicle body by the spring element. In the fully manufactured state of the motor vehicle, the wheel is movably held on the vehicle body, so that the wheel can be moved relative to the vehicle body at least in the vehicle height direction. The spring element allows a relative movement between the wheel and the vehicle body in the vehicle height direction, so that the wheel can be sprung in and out in the vehicle height direction relative to the vehicle body. When the wheel is moved in the vehicle height direction relative to the vehicle body and in the process in the direction of the vehicle body, the spring element is tensioned, in particular compressed, for example. When ejected, the wheel moves downward in the direction of the vehicle height and is thereby moved away from the vehicle body, thereby, for example, unloading or extending the spring element. In particular, the spring element is designed as a pressure spring element.

In order to be able to achieve a particularly high level of driving comfort and at the same time a particularly advantageous driving behavior of the motor vehicle, in particular even in different load states of the vehicle body, the invention provides that the wheel suspension device has a height adjustment device, by means of which the height of the vehicle body can be adjusted without a change in the spring rate of the spring element. In other words, the height of the vehicle body, in particular relative to the roadway, can be adjusted by means of the height adjustment device, i.e. can be moved in the vehicle height direction, without changing the spring rate of the spring element. Thus, by means of the height adjustment device, for example, in a state in which the vehicle body is supported on the traffic lane by the wheels, the spacing between the vehicle body and the traffic lane in the vehicle height direction is adjustable, adjustable or changeable. In other words, the feature that the height of the vehicle body can be adjusted by means of the height adjustment device is understood to mean that the previously described spacing can be adjusted, adjusted or changed. In addition, the feature that the height of the vehicle body can be adjusted by means of the height adjustment device is understood to mean that the height of the vehicle body can be adjusted in a targeted manner or actively by means of the height adjustment device, so that a so-called static height adjustment or height adjustability is achieved or can be achieved by means of the height adjustment device, within the scope of which the height of the vehicle body is adjusted in a targeted manner or actively by means of the height adjustment device, i.e. the vehicle body is moved in the height direction relative to the roadway and can be moved away from the roadway or selectively toward the roadway in the process, without the spring stiffness of the spring element changing.

In the height adjustment of the vehicle body, no change in the spring stiffness of the spring element occurs, in particular by the spring element not changing in length, in particular along its line of action of force and/or along its geometric spring center line, during or during the height adjustment of the vehicle body. In other words, the height adjustment of the vehicle body is not accompanied by a change in the length of the spring element, so that the spring rate does not change.

As is generally known and customary, the spring characteristic describes the relationship between a deformation, in particular a change in length, of the spring element, in particular extending along a force action line and/or a geometric spring center line of the spring element, and the spring force caused by the deformation and provided by the spring element, wherein the spring characteristic of the spring element is progressive according to the invention. Thus, the spring force provided by the spring element increases proportionally more as the compression of the spring element increases. The spring stiffness of the spring element can be understood here to mean the respective local slope of the spring characteristic curve, which is associated with the respective deformation, in particular compression, of the spring element, so that the spring stiffness is smaller in the first state of the spring element than in the second state of the spring element, for example, which is compressed more strongly in the second state than in the first state.

If, for example, the vehicle body is initially unloaded and the vehicle body is supported by the at least one wheel, for example, on a roadway extending at least substantially horizontally, the spring element is, for example, initially in a first state in which it is completely unloaded, but can also be compressed and thus tensioned. In particular, for example, in the first state, the spring element is slightly tensioned, in particular slightly compressed or pressed. If, for example, the vehicle body is subsequently loaded without height adjustment of the vehicle body taking place, the vehicle body is first lowered. This means that the vehicle body moves downward in the vehicle height direction toward the direction of the traffic lane. The spring element is thereby tensioned, in particular compressed, starting from the first state and is thereby brought, for example, into the previously described second state, in which the spring element is tensioned, in particular compressed, more strongly relative to the first state. The spring rate thus has a first value in the first state and a second value greater than the first value in the second state. In other words, the spring rate in the second state is greater than the spring rate in the first state. When the load of the vehicle body increases, that is to say when the weight of the system including the load of the vehicle body increases, it is desirable to increase the spring rate in such a way that, for example, the natural frequency of the vehicle body, also referred to as vehicle body, can be kept at least substantially the same or constant despite an increase in the load or despite a greater mass of the motor vehicle. A particularly favorable and particularly safe driving situation can then be ensured.

In order to be able to maintain this increase in the spring rate of the spring element, which is caused by an increased body load, also referred to as the vehicle load (Zuladung), and in this case to achieve a sufficient vehicle height or a sufficient ground clearance of the motor vehicle, the body can be moved upward in the vehicle height direction away from the roadway by means of the height adjustment device, while maintaining the second state of the spring element. This ensures a particularly high level of driving comfort, for example, while maintaining a high spring rate of the spring element, which is caused by the vehicle load. In this case, high driving comfort and safe driving conditions can be achieved without the use of air springs, so that provision is preferably made for the spring element to be designed as a mechanical spring element or as a mechanical spring, in particular as a serpentine spring. The invention is based on the following recognition:

the use of air springs as body springs (Aufbaufeder) is well known, by means of which the wheels are supported in a resilient manner on the body of the motor vehicle. Compared with a common mechanical spring, the air spring can compensate the spring-in when the load of the vehicle body is increased by increasing the internal pressure of the air spring. This results in the motor vehicle reaching its normal equilibrium position again. On the other hand, a pressure increase or pressure increase leads to a corresponding increase in the spring rate of the air spring. In particular in combination with adjustable or variable dampers, such an increase in the spring rate ideally leads to a constant natural frequency of the vehicle body despite a higher vehicle mass due to the increased load. This makes it possible to achieve a load balancing, by means of which the body spring, also referred to as a support spring, can be designed particularly flexibly for unloaded or empty motor vehicles, so that a particularly high level of comfort can be achieved compared to conventional steel springs.

Conventional steel springs must have a high spring rate already for unloaded motor vehicles, so that they do not spring too strongly when the load of the motor vehicle increases and therefore there is sufficient residual spring travel. In both spring variants, the spring rate is generally increased by means of an additional spring, also referred to as a damper, during the spring-in stroke, so that the upper stop is only reached at the designed maximum force. In the case of conventional steel springs, a damper is also required in order to increase the spring stiffness strongly and to reduce the spring travel in the vehicle load. The damper, also referred to as an additional damper, is connected in parallel with the inherent support spring and only starts operating from a certain spring-in, in particular, due to the loading of the vehicle body. This leads to an abrupt change in the overall spring rate when the damper is used or activated, which can have an adverse effect on the driving comfort.

In contrast, air springs have, in addition to their advantages, a performance which is negative in terms of comfort technology. The following equation shows the relationship between the spring stiffness of an air spring and the pressure present in the air spring, the volume of gas or air absorbed therein, the effective area and the polytropic exponent:

here, c denotes a spring rate, n denotes a polytropic index, p denotes a pressure, a denotes an effective area, and V denotes a volume. If the air spring is slowly compressed or compressed, the polytropic exponent is 1. If the frequency is increased, for example, to 1 hertz, which is in the range of typical body frequencies, the polytropic exponent is increased up to 2. As a result, the air spring is dynamically hardened, and its spring rate increases. This has a negative effect on the comfort, in that high forces enter the vehicle body, which is designed, for example, as a self-supporting body, during the spring-in.

In order to avoid the disadvantages and problems described above, according to the invention, instead of a conventional air spring, a spring element is used which acts as a vehicle body spring or support spring with a progressive spring characteristic curve, so that the spring element is a progressive spring element, i.e. a progressive vehicle body spring. Furthermore, the previously described static height adjustment is provided. By the combination according to the invention of a progressive body spring and a static height adjustment, the advantages of the air spring can be utilized without the disadvantages of dynamic hardening of the air spring. The following two advantages of the air spring can be achieved in particular by using a progressive body spring and a static height adjustment device: load balancing by static height adjustment, and low spring rate of the support spring near the empty/unloaded position to maximize comfort.

Load balancing by means of static height adjustment is to be understood to mean, as already mentioned, that the vehicle body which has fallen due to the increase in load and is therefore close to the traffic lane can be moved away again in the vehicle height direction upwards from the traffic lane in order to be adjusted thereby to the vehicle balancing position, as in the unloaded state. In other words, by means of the static height adjustment, it is possible for the motor vehicle to occupy or have the same equilibrium position and therefore the same ground clearance in the stowed state of its body as in the unloaded state of the body. The aforementioned support springs, which have a low spring rate in the vicinity of the free position in order to maximize comfort, are to be understood to mean that the progressive body spring, also referred to as support spring, can be designed to be particularly soft for the unloaded state of the vehicle body, so that the spring rate is significantly lower in the undeformed state of the spring element and in the state of only small deformation than in the state of relatively strong deformation of the spring element. A particularly high driving comfort can be achieved due to the substantially soft design of the spring element if the vehicle body and thus the motor vehicle are not loaded or are only slightly loaded subsequently.

A further advantage of a progressive body spring is that its spring rate increases progressively or exponentially as the load on the body increases, so that an adaptation of the vibration frequency (Schwingzahl) can be achieved.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the mechanical spring element, that is to say the spring element which is different from the pneumatic spring, is formed from a fiber-reinforced plastic material, whereby a progressive spring characteristic curve can be achieved particularly advantageously.

In this case, it has proven to be particularly advantageous if the fiber-reinforced synthetic material is a glass fiber-reinforced synthetic material (GFK).

In a further embodiment of the invention, the spring element is designed as a serpentine spring.

For progressive springs, in particular progressive steel springs, the progressive spring characteristic curve or the progression thereof is achieved by different slopes of the spring turns, wherein the turns are formed, for example, by spring steel wire. This generally results in more and more turns contacting each other and thus being closed as the spring insertion increases and thus as the compression of the progressive spring increases. Closing is to be understood as meaning that the windings which are in contact with one another and are therefore closed no longer take part in the spring or elastic deformation of the spring. However, the mutual contact of the individual turns, also referred to as spring turns, leads to damage of the conventionally provided lacquer layer, which is applied to the turns themselves or to the substrate forming the turns. This may cause corrosion of the spring, for example, formed of steel, which may lead to failure, in particular to fracture, of the spring. By forming the spring element from a fibre-reinforced synthetic material, in particular from a glass-fibre-reinforced synthetic material, the aforementioned disadvantages and problems can be avoided.

In order to be able to carry out the height adjustment in a particularly simple, effective and efficient manner, a further embodiment of the invention provides that the height adjustment device has at least one adjustment element, the length of which is adjustable, as a result of which the vehicle body is height-adjustable, without a change in the spring rate of the spring element occurring. In other words, to adjust the vehicle body height, the length of the adjusting element is adjusted, i.e. modified or changed. By increasing the length of the adjusting element, the vehicle body is moved away from the roadway, for example, in the vehicle height direction. By reducing the length of the adjusting element, the vehicle body, for example, is lowered and thereby moved in the vehicle height direction in the direction of the roadway.

In this case, it has proven to be particularly advantageous if the adjusting element is arranged between the vehicle body and the spring element or between the wheel and the spring element, based on the force flow extending from the vehicle body through the spring element and the adjusting element to the wheel. If the adjusting element is arranged, for example, between the vehicle body and the spring element, the vehicle body is lifted, for example, in this way, i.e., moved away from the roadway in the vehicle height direction, i.e., the vehicle body is moved away from the spring and the wheel in the vehicle height direction in the case of an increase in the length of the adjusting element. In order to lower the vehicle body, the vehicle body is moved in the vehicle height direction downwards in the direction of the springs and the wheels, with the length of the adjusting element being reduced.

If, for example, the adjusting element is arranged between the wheel and the spring element, the vehicle body is lifted, for example, in that, in the case of an increased length or an increased length of the adjusting element, the spring and the vehicle body move away from the wheel or relative to the wheel in the vehicle height direction upward and in this case away from the roadway. In order to lower the vehicle body, for example, the spring element and the vehicle body are moved in the vehicle height direction downward in the direction of the wheels or relative to the wheels in the direction of the roadway, if the length of the adjusting element is reduced or reduced. By means of this arrangement of the adjusting element, the vehicle body can then be raised and lowered particularly efficiently and with only a low force requirement.

A further embodiment is characterized in that the height adjustment device, in particular the adjustment element, can be operated hydraulically and/or electrically, so that the vehicle body can be adjusted hydraulically and/or electromechanically. In order to hydraulically adjust the height of the vehicle body, hydraulic fluid is introduced into the chamber, for example, as a result of which the length of the adjusting element is increased. Thereby, the vehicle body is lifted. For example, in order to lower the vehicle body, at least a portion of the hydraulic fluid received in the chamber is drained from the chamber. For this purpose, the adjusting element comprises a cylinder, in particular a hydraulic cylinder, in the chamber of which a hydraulic fluid can be introduced. Hydraulic and electromechanical height adjustment are advantageous in relation to pneumatic height adjustment, since undesired spring movements and the resulting shortening of the length of the adjusting element, which may be caused, for example, by the compression of a gas received in the chamber, can be avoided, for example, by means of hydraulic or electromechanical height adjustment.

In order to achieve an electromechanical height adjustment, the adjusting element has, for example, a threaded spindle as a first component, which has a first thread in the form of an external thread, and a corresponding nut, which has a second thread in the form of an internal thread corresponding to the external thread, which is arranged on the threaded spindle as a second component. Here, the nut is screwed onto the threaded spindle and is screwed to the threaded spindle. Furthermore, the adjusting element comprises, for example, at least one electric motor, by means of which a relative rotation between the spindle and the nut can be brought about. In other words, the spindle and the nut can be rotated relative to each other by means of the electric motor. In particular, the spindle and the nut can be rotated relative to one another about a rotational axis by means of an electric motor, wherein it is preferably provided that one of the structural elements can be rotated about the rotational axis, while the respective other structural element is fixed against rotation about the rotational axis. Thereby, one of the structural elements can be rotated relative to the other structural element by means of the electric motor, while rotation of the other structural element about the axis of rotation is avoided.

Thus, if, for example, one of the structural elements is rotated relative to the other structural element in a first rotational direction by means of the electric motor, this relative rotation is converted by means of the thread into a translational relative movement between the structural elements, so that, for example, the nut is moved translationally relative to and along the threaded spindle.

If, for example, one of the components is rotated in a first direction of rotation by means of an electric motor, the nut is thereby moved in a translational manner in the first direction relative to the spindle. This results, for example, in an increase in the length of the adjusting element. If, for example, one of the structural elements is rotated relative to the other structural element by means of the electric motor in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction, a translational movement of the nut relative to the spindle in a second direction opposite to the first direction is thereby caused, for example. This results, for example, in a shortening of the length of the adjusting element. In this case, one of the structural elements is connected at least indirectly, in particular directly, to the spring, while the other structural element is connected indirectly, in particular directly, to the vehicle body. This is provided in particular when the adjusting element is arranged between the spring and the vehicle body. If the adjusting element is arranged, for example, between the spring and the wheel, one of these structural elements is connected, for example, at least indirectly, in particular directly, to the wheel, while the other structural element is connected, at least indirectly, in particular directly, to the spring element. If, for example, one of the structural elements is rotated by means of the electric motor in a first direction of rotation, the vehicle body is thereby moved away from the roadway upward in the vehicle height direction, for example. However, if one of the structural elements is rotated by means of the electric motor in the second direction of rotation, the vehicle body is thereby lowered and is therefore moved in the direction of the roadway in the vehicle height direction, for example.

The adjusting element can thus have at least two adjusting parts which can be moved relative to one another, in particular in a translatory manner, for the height adjustment of the vehicle body. For example, to lift the vehicle body, one of the adjustment parts is moved in translation in the first direction relative to the other adjustment part. For example, one of the adjustment members is moved in translation relative to the other adjustment member in a second direction opposite to the first direction, for example, in order to lower the vehicle body. One of the adjusting parts can be the above-mentioned nut, while the other adjusting part is a threaded spindle or vice versa. The adjusting parts are moved relative to one another, for example hydraulically and/or electrically, so that a hydraulic and/or preferably electromechanical height adjustment of the vehicle body can be achieved.

Another embodiment is characterized in that the wheel suspension apparatus according to the invention comprises a vehicle body and a wheel.

In order to achieve a particularly high level of driving comfort, it is provided in a further embodiment of the invention that the wheel suspension device comprises an electronic computer which is designed to determine the load of the vehicle body, to actuate the height adjustment device as a function of the determined load, and to thereby effect a height adjustment of the vehicle body without a change in the spring rate of the spring element occurring. The height adjustment of the vehicle body is thus effected, for example, automatically by means of the electronic computing device, so that the desired equilibrium position of the vehicle body or of the motor vehicle can be adjusted automatically as a whole, in particular with predeterminable values. In this way, for example, the equilibrium position can be adjusted in such a way that the motor vehicle has the same equilibrium position in the loaded state as in the unloaded state. For this purpose, no assistance from the driver of the motor vehicle is required. It is of course conceivable for the electronic computing device to be designed to detect at least one input by a person, to actuate the height adjustment device as a function of the detected input, and to thereby effect a height adjustment of the vehicle body, in particular without a change in the spring rate of the spring element. The person can effect the input, for example, via at least one operating element of the motor vehicle. In this way, for example, the driver of the motor vehicle can adjust his desired equilibrium position or his desired ground clearance. In still other words, for example, the driver can raise and lower the vehicle body as needed.

A second aspect of the invention relates to a motor vehicle, preferably designed as a motor vehicle, in particular as a passenger vehicle, having a vehicle body, preferably designed as a self-supporting body, and at least one wheel or a plurality of wheels. The vehicle body can be supported on a roadway for the motor vehicle by means of the respective wheels, in particular downward in the vehicle height direction. Furthermore, the motor vehicle comprises a wheel suspension device, in particular a wheel suspension device according to the invention. The wheel suspension device comprises at least one spring element with a progressive spring characteristic curve, by means of which the respective wheel is supported in a resilient manner on the vehicle body.

In order to be able to achieve particularly high driving comfort, a height adjustment device is provided according to the invention, by means of which the height of the vehicle body can be adjusted, in particular relative to the roadway, without a change in the spring rate of the spring element occurring. The advantages and advantageous embodiments of the first aspect of the invention can be regarded as advantages and advantageous embodiments of the second aspect of the invention and vice versa.

A third aspect of the invention relates to a method for operating a wheel suspension system, in particular a wheel suspension system according to the invention, of a motor vehicle which has a vehicle body and at least one wheel and which can be supported by the wheel, in particular in the vehicle height direction, downwards on a traffic lane. In the method, the wheel suspension device comprises at least one spring element with a progressive spring characteristic, by means of which the wheel is supported in a resilient manner on the vehicle body. In the method, the height of the vehicle body, in particular relative to the roadway, is adjusted by means of a height adjustment device of the motor vehicle, without a change in the spring rate of the spring element occurring. The advantages and advantageous embodiments of the first and second aspects of the invention can be regarded as advantages and advantageous embodiments of the third aspect of the invention and vice versa.

Further advantages, features and details of the invention emerge from the following description of a preferred embodiment and from the drawings. The features and feature combinations mentioned above in the description and the features and feature combinations mentioned below in the description of the figures and/or shown in the figures alone can be used not only in the respectively given combination but also in other combinations or alone without departing from the scope of the invention.

Drawings

The drawing shows a schematic, sectional front view of a motor vehicle according to the invention, which is designed as a motor vehicle, in particular as a passenger vehicle, in a single view.

Detailed Description

The sole figure shows a schematic, sectional front view of a motor vehicle 10 designed as a motor vehicle, in particular as a passenger vehicle, with a body in the form of a self-supporting body 12. The motor vehicle 10 has at least one wheel 14, by means of which the motor vehicle 10 is supported in the vehicle height direction downward or can be supported on a traffic lane 16 of the motor vehicle 10. The vehicle height direction is illustrated in the figure by the double arrow 18. In particular, the motor vehicle 10 has a plurality of wheels, of which the wheel designated by 14 can be seen in the figure. The motor vehicle 10 preferably has at least or exactly four wheels, wherein the above and the following embodiments with respect to the wheel 14 can also be easily transferred to other wheels. The motor vehicle 10 further comprises a wheel suspension device 20 by means of which the wheels 14 are movably connected to the body 12. The wheel suspension device 20 allows a relative movement between the wheel 14 and the body 12 at least in the vehicle height direction, so that the wheel 14 can move upwards in the vehicle height direction relative to the body 12 and thus spring in. Further, the wheels 14 may be moved downward relative to the vehicle body 12, for example, in the vehicle height direction. To this end, the wheel suspension device 20 comprises a control arm mechanism 22, which also has control arms 24, 26 and 28, which are referred to as wheel control arms or guide control arms. The control arms 26 and 28 are designed, for example, as transverse control arms and are coupled to the body 12 in an articulated manner on the one hand and to a hub carrier 30 of the wheel suspension system 20 in an articulated manner on the other hand, wherein the wheel 14 is mounted rotatably on the hub carrier 30. The control arm 24 is coupled to the body 12 in an articulated manner on the one hand and to the hub carrier 30 in an articulated manner on the other hand. During the spring-in and spring-out of the wheel 14 relative to the body 12, the wheel carrier 30 can pivot relative to the control arms 24, 26 and 28 and can be recognized as a whole, the wheel 14 being articulated to the body 12 by means of the wheel suspension device 20.

Furthermore, the wheel suspension arrangement 20 comprises at least one spring element 32, by means of which the wheel 14 is supported or can be supported on the body 12 in a resilient manner. The spring element 32 is designed as a mechanical spring element or as a mechanical spring, so that the spring element 32 is a different spring than a pneumatic spring, and thus than an air spring. In particular, the spring element 32 is designed as a helical spring, in particular as a helical compression spring. It has proven to be particularly advantageous if the spring element 32 is designed as a serpentine spring. Since the spring element 32 is designed as a mechanical spring element, the spring element 32 is formed from a solid material, that is to say from a material which is present in the solid state in the aggregated state at a temperature of 25 degrees celsius. The material forming the spring element 32 is also referred to as stock; the spring element 32 has an inherent stiffness or is dimensionally stable and can be elastically deformed in this case.

The spring element 32, which is designed as a mechanical spring or as a mechanical spring element, is supported at least indirectly on the wheel 14 on the one hand and on the body 12 on the other hand. On the wheel side, the spring element 32 is supported on the wheel 14 via the control arm mechanism 22 and in this case via the control arm 24 and the hub carrier 30. If a spring-in of the wheel 14 occurs, which moves upward in the vehicle height direction relative to the vehicle body 12 within the spring-in range, the spring element 32 is tensioned, in particular compressed or compressed. The spring element 32 thus provides a spring force, by means of which the wheel 14 can be moved downward again in the vehicle height direction relative to the vehicle body 12, whereby the wheel 14 springs out, for example. In order to damp vibrations of such a spring-in and spring-out movement of the wheel 14, a damper, not shown in the figures, is provided, for example, by means of which a subsequent relative movement between the wheel 14 and the body 12 can be damped, i.e., damped, in the vehicle height direction. In particular, the springing in and springing out of the wheel 14 relative to the body 12 may be damped by means of a damper. The spring element 32 has a progressive spring characteristic curve, so that the spring element 32 is designed as a progressive support spring or as a progressive body spring. In other words, the spring element 32 has a progressive characteristic. Preferably, the hydraulic damper is arranged or connected in parallel with the spring element 32 and is coupled at least indirectly to the vehicle body 12 on the one hand and to the wheel 14 on the other hand.

In order to now be able to achieve a particularly high level of comfort and particularly advantageous driving behavior of the motor vehicle 10, the wheel suspension system 20 and therefore the motor vehicle 10 comprise a height adjustment device 34, by means of which the height of the vehicle body 12 can be adjusted without a change in the spring rate of the spring element 32 occurring. The feature described, i.e. the feature that the vehicle body 12 is height-adjustable by means of the height adjustment device 34, in particular relative to the traffic lane 16, is to be understood to mean that the vehicle body 12 can be moved in the vehicle height direction relative to the traffic lane 16 by means of the height adjustment device 34, while the vehicle body 12 is supported on the traffic lane 16 by means of the wheels 14.

The figure shows the spring element 32, for example, in a first state in which the body 12 or the motor vehicle 10 as a whole is unloaded. If the vehicle body 12 is now loaded, so that the mass of the motor vehicle 10 as a whole is increased, the vehicle body 12 descends in the direction of the traffic lane 16 when the height adjustment of the vehicle body 12 is first stopped. By this lowering of the vehicle body 12, the vehicle body 12 is moved in the vehicle height direction downward in the direction of the traffic lane 16, as a result of which the spring element 32 is compressed and thereby tensioned from the first state. As a result, the spring element 32 reaches a second state, in which the spring element 32 is compressed more strongly and is therefore tensioned more strongly relative to the first state. Since the spring element 32 has a progressive spring characteristic curve, the spring rate of the spring element 32 is higher or greater in the second state than in the first state. In other words, the spring rate of the spring element 32 has a first value in the first state and a second value greater than the first value in the second state, wherein the respective value is a positive number greater than zero or a positive value greater than zero.

In order to now maintain a high spring rate, while at the same time achieving a sufficient ground clearance, i.e. a sufficient distance in the vehicle height direction between the vehicle body 12 and the traffic lane 16, the vehicle body 12 is moved away from the traffic lane 16 in the vehicle height direction upward by means of the height adjustment device 34, while at the same time the second state of the spring element 32 and thus a greater spring rate than the first state is maintained, i.e. at the same time no change in the spring rate of the spring element 32 occurs.

This is achieved in the exemplary embodiment illustrated in the figures in that the height adjustment device 34 has at least one adjustment element 36. The adjusting element 36 is coupled on the one hand at least indirectly, in particular directly, to the spring element 32, in particular to an end 38 thereof, in particular in an articulated manner. On the other hand, the adjusting element 36 is coupled at least indirectly, in particular directly, to the body 12, in particular in an articulated manner. The adjusting element 36 has a first adjusting part 40 and a second adjusting part 42, wherein the adjusting part 40 is coupled to the spring element 32 and the adjusting part 42 is coupled to the body 12. The adjusting parts 40 and 42 can be moved in translation relative to one another in a direction of movement indicated in the figure by the double arrow 44, wherein the direction of movement runs obliquely or parallel to the vehicle height direction.

The height adjustment device 34, in particular the adjustment element 36, has a drive 46, by means of which the adjustment parts 40 and 42 can be moved in translation relative to one another in the direction of movement. If one of the adjusting parts 40 and 42 is now moved in translation relative to the respective other adjusting part 42 or 40 in a first direction, which coincides with the direction of movement, for example by means of the drive 46, the vehicle body 12 is thereby moved away, i.e. lifted, in the vehicle direction upward from the roadway 16, for example, without a change in the spring rate of the spring element 32 occurring. If one of the adjusting parts 40 or 42 is moved in translation relative to the respective other adjusting part 42 or 40, for example by means of the drive 46, in a direction opposite to the first direction and thus coinciding with the direction of movement, the vehicle body 12 is thereby moved, for example, in the vehicle height direction downwards in the direction of the roadway 16 and thus lowered without a change in the spring rate of the spring element 32 occurring. The change in the spring rate of the spring element 32 during the lifting and lowering of the vehicle body 12 does not occur in particular in that the length of the spring element 32 does not change during the lowering or lifting of the vehicle body 12.

This is achieved in that, with reference to a force flow which extends from the vehicle body 12 via the adjusting element 36 and the spring element 32 to the wheel 14 and via the latter to the roadway 16, the adjusting element 36 is arranged between the vehicle body 12 and the spring element 32, so that the adjusting element 36 and the spring element 32 are arranged or connected in series with one another in the described force flow. As an alternative thereto, it is conceivable for the adjusting element 36 to be arranged between the spring element 32 and the wheel 14, so that the adjusting element 36 and the spring element 32 are also arranged or connected in series with one another in the force flow. The drive means 46 is preferably a hydraulic drive means, so that the adjustment members 40 and 42 can be hydraulically moved in translation relative to each other. Furthermore, it can be provided that the drive 46 is an electric drive, so that the drive 46 is designed as an electric motor, for example. The adjusting parts 40 and 42 can thus be moved, for example, in an electromotive translatory manner relative to one another.

In order to be able to achieve a particularly high stability/robustness of the spring element 32, in particular with respect to corrosion, it is preferably provided that the spring element 32 is formed from a glass fiber-reinforced synthetic material, and thus from a fiber-reinforced synthetic material.

One of the adjusting parts 40 and 42 has, for example, a piston rod and a piston connected thereto, wherein the respective other adjusting part 42 or 40 has a cylinder in which the piston is received in a translatory manner. The cylinder and the piston form a chamber which can be supplied, for example, with a working medium, in particular a hydraulic fluid. For example, if hydraulic fluid is introduced into the chamber, for example, the piston and the piston rod are displaced out of the cylinder, thereby causing an increase in length or an increase in length of the adjusting element 36. By means of this increase in length of the adjusting element 36, the body 12 is lifted, for example. If at least a part of the hydraulic fluid initially received in the chamber is drawn out of the chamber, the piston and the piston rod are thereby moved into the cylinder, which causes the length of the adjusting element 36 to be shortened or reduced. By this shortening of the length, the vehicle body 12 is lowered. The adjusting element 36 thus has, for example, a hydraulic cylinder, by means of which the height of the vehicle body 12 can be hydraulically adjusted.

In order to achieve an electrical or electromechanical height adjustment of the body 12, for example, one of the adjusting parts 40 and 42 is designed as a threaded spindle, and the respective other adjusting part 42 or 40 is designed as a nut which is screwed onto the threaded spindle via corresponding threads of the nut and the threaded spindle. In the exemplary embodiment shown in the figures, one of the adjusting parts is, for example, an adjusting part 40, which is designed as a threaded spindle or has a piston rod and a piston connected thereto. The other adjusting element is, for example, an adjusting element 42, which is thus designed as the cylinder or as a nut.

By means of the drive 46, the spindle and the nut can be rotated relative to one another about an axis of rotation, wherein this relative rotation between the spindle and the nut is converted by means of the thread into a translatory relative movement between the nut and the spindle. Within the scope of such a translational relative movement between the nut and the threaded spindle, for example, the nut moves translationally relative to the threaded spindle along the threaded spindle. Then, the vehicle body 12 is raised or lowered depending on the direction in which the lead screw and the nut are rotated relative to each other.

In order to achieve a particularly high level of driving comfort, the motor vehicle 10, in particular the wheel suspension system 20, comprises an electronic computing device 48, which is illustrated particularly schematically in the figures. Within the scope of the method for operating the wheel suspension system 20, the load of the vehicle body 12 is determined, for example, by means of the electronic computing device 48. Alternatively or additionally, the spring-in state of the wheel 14 relative to the vehicle body 12 and/or the distance between the vehicle body 12 and the traffic lane 16 in the vehicle height direction is determined by means of the electronic computing device 48. Depending on the determined load and/or depending on the determined spring-in and/or depending on the determined distance, the electronic computing device 48 actuates the drive device 46, as a result of which a height adjustment of the vehicle body 12 is achieved without a change in the spring rate of the spring element 32 occurring. As a result, the same equilibrium position and thus the same ground clearance of the motor vehicle 10 can always be achieved independently of the load, without personnel having to actively participate in this. Since the height adjustment takes place without a change in the spring rate of the spring element 32, for example, a greater spring rate of the spring element 32 can be maintained in the loaded state compared to the unloaded state, so that particularly favorable driving characteristics and particularly high driving comfort can be ensured.