US 12,291,067 B2
Vehicle provided with a suspension and an electromechanical rotary device for controlling the suspension, and method for controlling motion of a vehicle suspension
Marco Di Vittorio, Turin (IT); Giordano Greco, Turin (IT); Simone Marchetti, Turin (IT); Piero Monchiero, Turin (IT); Nicola Amati, Alpignano (IT); Salvatore Circosta, Gioiosa Ionica (IT); Renato Galluzzi, San Benigno Canavese (IT); and Andrea Tonoli, Avigliana (IT)
Assigned to MARELLI SUSPENSION SYSTEMS ITALY S.p.A., Corbetta (IT)
Appl. No. 17/999,758
Filed by MARELLI SUSPENSION SYSTEMS ITALY S.P.A., Corbetta (IT)
PCT Filed May 27, 2021, PCT No. PCT/IB2021/054623
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 23, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/240415, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 2, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 102020000012553 (IT), filed on May 27, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0234417 A1, Jul. 27, 2023
Int. Cl. B60G 17/015 (2006.01); B60G 13/14 (2006.01); B60R 16/033 (2006.01)
CPC B60G 17/0157 (2013.01) [B60G 13/14 (2013.01); B60G 2202/22 (2013.01); B60G 2202/42 (2013.01); B60G 2202/442 (2013.01); B60G 2204/20 (2013.01); B60G 2204/4191 (2013.01); B60G 2204/421 (2013.01); B60G 2204/424 (2013.01); B60G 2400/0516 (2013.01); B60G 2400/202 (2013.01); B60G 2500/104 (2013.01); B60G 2600/182 (2013.01); B60G 2800/916 (2013.01); B60R 16/033 (2013.01); B60Y 2400/86 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle body;
at least one hub adapted to support a wheel, whereby the wheel is rotatable about the hub; and
a suspension connecting the hub to the vehicle body, so that the hub is pivotable vertically with respect to the vehicle body, said suspension including:
a suspension arm hinged to the vehicle body and to the hub;
a spring, adapted to bias said suspension arm toward a predetermined neutral position of equilibrium of static forces with respect to the vehicle body;
an electromechanical rotary actuator, integrally connected to the vehicle body and comprising an electric machine coupled to a reduction gear, said reduction gear including at least one reduction stage comprising an output shaft having a rotation axis parallel to a hinge axis of the suspension arm to the vehicle body;
a leverage adapted to transfer motion from the at least one reduction stage to said suspension arm by said output shaft of said at least one reduction stage, said leverage and output shaft of the at least one reduction stage comprising or being formed by components configured substantially as rigid bodies;
one or more sensors adapted to detect parameters indicative of motion of the suspension arm;
an electronic control unit adapted to control torque and the angular position of the electric machine of the electromechanical rotary actuator, based on signals transmitted by the one or more sensors; and
a battery adapted to power the electromechanical rotary actuator and receive electricity from the electromechanical rotary actuator;
the electromechanical rotary actuator being operable between an active adjustment condition, wherein said electromechanical rotary actuator is configured to be electrically powered by the battery and to transmit to said suspension arm, via the leverage, a force causing a relative motion of said suspension arm with respect to the vehicle body, performing a positive work on the suspension, and a damping condition, wherein said electromechanical rotary actuator is configured to electrically power the battery and transmit to said suspension arm, via the leverage, a force opposing the relative motion of said suspension arm with respect to the vehicle body, performing a negative work on the suspension;
said electromechanical rotary actuator being operable between said active adjustment condition and said damping condition on command of the electronic control unit, to respectively give motion to said suspension arm with a maximum frequency higher than 5 Hz or dampen the motion of said suspension arm with a maximum frequency greater than 5 Hz.