FORK LEG FOR ROTATING A WHEEL OF A MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

A fork leg for rotating a wheel of a motor vehicle is provided with a fastening flange for the coaxial, torque-proof fastening of a steering rod, an extension region protruding from the fastening flange substantially perpendicularly to the steering axis for bridging a lateral distance to the wheel, a coupling point for the articulated connection of a rocker which is connected to the wheel and a connection piece which is connected integrally to the extension region and to the coupling point, wherein the connection piece is shaped to accommodate a large steering angle.

Claims

1. A fork leg for rotating a wheel of a motor vehicle, the fork leg comprising: a fastening flange for the coaxial, torque-proof fastening of a steering rod which is rotatable about a steering axis, an extension region protruding from the fastening flange rod substantially perpendicular to the steering axis for bridging a lateral distance to the wheel, a coupling point for the articulated connection of a rocker which is connected to the wheel, and a connection piece which is connected integrally to the extension region and to the coupling point, wherein the connection piece has a bridging region running downwards substantially parallel to the steering axis from the extension region in the direction of gravity and a transmission region which is connected to the bridging region and to the coupling point, wherein a receiving angle for engaging around a wheel face of a wheelhouse of the motor vehicle in a maximally deflected extreme position of the wheel is formed between the bridging region and/or the extension region on the one hand and the transmission region on the other hand.

2. The fork leg according to claim 1, wherein the receiving angle is substantially arc-shaped for engaging around the arc-shaped wheel face in an angular range.

3. The fork leg according to claim 1, wherein the bridging region of the connection piece has a greater extent transverse to the longitudinal extent thereof than the extension region.

4. The fork leg according to claim 1, wherein the transmission region of the connection piece is designed as a hollow chamber profile.

5. A wheel module for a motor vehicle, the wheel module comprising: a wheel for moving the motor vehicle, a wheelhouse for receiving the wheel, wherein the wheelhouse has a wheel face for limiting the wheelhouse downwards and to the outside of the motor vehicle, a steering rod rotatably mountable on a support frame of the motor vehicle for transmitting a steering movement to the wheel, a fork leg connected to the steering rod according to claim 1, a rocker articulated to the coupling point of the fork leg and to the wheel, and a shock absorber connected to the rocker and the fork leg for damping vibrations of a relative movement of the wheel, wherein the transmission region of the fork leg partially protrudes laterally from the wheelhouse in the maximally deflected extreme position of the wheel.

6. The wheel module according to claim 5, wherein a radial distance of the transmission region to the wheel face in the maximally deflected extreme position of the wheel in the region of the receiving angle is substantially the same size over an angular range.

7. The wheel module according to claim 5, wherein a horizontal distance of the bridging region to the wheel face in the maximally deflected extreme position of the wheel in the region of the receiving angle is substantially the same size over an angular range.

8. The wheel module according to claim 5, wherein the wheel face is semicircular.

9. The wheel module according to claim 5, wherein the steering rod is rotatable by a total steering angle δ where 120°≤δ≤360°, in particular 135°≤δ≤200°, preferably 150°≤δ≤180° and particularly preferably 165°≤δ≤175°.

10. The wheel module according to claim 5, wherein the wheel in at least one maximally deflected extreme position to a starting position provided for forward driving can be rotated by a steering angle Δδ where 85°≤Δδ≤100°.

11. The wheel module according to claim 9, wherein 135°≤δ≤200°.

12. The wheel module according to claim 9, wherein 150°≤δ≤180°.

13. The wheel module according to claim 9, wherein 165°≤δ≤175°.

14. The wheel module according to claim 10, wherein 90°≤Δδ≤95°.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In the following, the wheel module is explained by way of example with reference to the attached drawings using preferred exemplary embodiments. In the figures:

[0018] FIG. 1: shows a schematic perspective view of a wheel module,

[0019] FIG. 2: shows a schematic side view from the outside of a wheel module according to FIG. 1, shown in reduced form,

[0020] FIG. 3: shows a schematic plan view of the wheel module from FIG. 2,

[0021] FIG. 4: shows a schematic front view of the wheel module from FIG. 2,

[0022] FIG. 5: shows a schematic perspective view of a fork leg of the wheel module from FIG. 1,

[0023] FIG. 6: shows a schematic perspective view of a fork leg of the wheel module of FIG. 5, and

[0024] FIG. 7: shows a schematic side view from the outside of a fork leg from FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The wheel module 10 shown in FIG. 1 for a motor vehicle designed as a multi-track passenger car has a steering rod 14 which can be rotated by a steering actuator 12. The steering rod 14 can be directly or indirectly rotatably mounted via a steering head bearing on a support frame of the motor vehicle, wherein the steering rod 14 is in particular immovably mounted in the axial direction of the steering rod 14, for example by an axial bearing. A fork leg 20 is attached in a torque-proof manner to the steering rod 14 via a fastening flange 18 and forms a coupling point 24 on the horizontal level of an axis of rotation of a wheel 22 to be steered of the wheel module 10. A rocker 26 is connected in a pivoted manner at the coupling point 24, wherein the rocker 26 is connected at the other end thereof to the wheel 22 in an articulated and coaxial manner. A shock absorber 28 is attached to the wheel 22 and/or to the rocker 26, which is attached at the other end thereof to the steering rod 14 and/or to the fork leg 20. A level control device can be provided between the shock absorber 28 and the steering rod 14. The wheel 22 can in particular be driven and/or decelerated by a wheel hub drive.

[0026] The fork leg 20 has an extension region 30 which protrudes substantially horizontally from the fastening flange 18 and from which a connection piece 32 extends to the coupling point 24. The connection piece 32 has a bridging region 34 running downward predominantly in the vertical direction from the extension region 30 and from which a transmission region 36 protrudes, which extends in the vertical direction and in the radial direction of the wheel 22. A substantially L-shaped receiving angle 38 is formed on the upper side between the bridging region 34 and the transmission region 36, which, in particular together with the extension region 34, can have a substantially U-shaped section. In an extreme position of the wheel 22 rotated by approximately 90° for forward travel, the receiving angle 38 can engage around a wheel face 40 which delimits the lower edge of a wheelhouse, so that the wheel face 40 can engage in a receiving space delimited by the receiving angle 38 without striking the fork leg, as shown in FIG. 2. The receiving angle 38 can follow the curved course of the wheel face 40, so that a substantially constant distance is provided in the extreme position between the transmission region 36 and the wheel face, as shown in FIG. 2, and between the bridging region 34 and the wheel face, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0027] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the receiving angle 38 can have sides that run substantially at right angles, in the uppermost region in particular in the vertical direction and in the horizontal direction, which are connected to one another via a rounded transition in the manner of a radius. A sharp-edged corner with notch effects can thus be avoided. In addition, the receiving angle 38 on the surface of the connection piece 32 can be rounded to follow the semicircular course of the wheel face 40, as shown in FIG. 7.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0028] 10 Wheel module [0029] 12 Steering actuator [0030] 14 Steering rod [0031] 18 Fastening flange [0032] 20 Fork leg [0033] 22 Wheel [0034] 24 Coupling point [0035] 26 Rocker [0036] 28 Shock absorber [0037] 30 Extension region [0038] 32 Connection piece [0039] 34 Bridging region [0040] 36 Transmission region [0041] 38 Receiving angle [0042] 40 Wheel face