EP0087270A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Improvements to the mounting of power unit and suspension assemblies in front wheel drive vehicles
Assignee: KNIGHT, ROBERT JOSEPH
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Filing: 1983-02-17
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2003-02-17
Abstract
Abstract A front wheel drive vehicle in which the suspension assemblies (7) are mounted on the power unit (6) which together with the gearbox and final drive (26) and the steering gear (27) form a combined assembly (5). The combined assembly (5) is resiliently mounted by flexible mountings (28, 30) in the vehicle body (1). Various suspensions and any engine arrangement including inclined transverse engines can be used for the power unit (6). The construction provides for attenuation of vibrational forces from the power unit and the front wheels.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert Joseph Knight
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 05:43
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60G; B60G99/00; B60G3/00; B60G3/18; B60G3/20; B60G3/24; B60G7/00; B60G7/02; B60K; B60K5/00; B60K5/12; B60G2200/00; B60G2200/10; B60G2200/40; B60G2200/422; B60G2200/44; B60G2204/00; B60G2204/10; B60G2204/14; B60G2204/147; B60G2204/15; B60G2204/40; B60G2204/422; B60G2206/00; B60G2206/01; B60G2206/60
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
82 words
A front wheel drive vehicle comprising a body (1) and a front mounted power unit (6) characterised in that the suspension assemblies (7) and steering assembly (27) are mounted on the power unit (6) to form a combined assembly (5) and the combined assembly (5) to which the body (1) is resiliently mounted by flexible mountings (28,30,35, 36,37,44) such that vibration forces from the power unit (6) and the front wheels (8) are attenuated in the combined assembly and the flexible mountings.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
82 words
A front wheel drive vehicle comprising a body (1) and a front mounted power unit (6) characterised in that the suspension assemblies (7) and steering assembly (27) are mounted on the power unit (6) to form a combined assembly (5) and the combined assembly (5) to which the body (1) is resiliently mounted by flexible mountings (28,30,35, 36,37,44) such that vibration forces from the power unit (6) and the front wheels (8) are attenuated in the combined assembly and the flexible mountings.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
A front wheel drive vehicle according to claim 1 characterised in that the flexible mountings (28,30,35,37,44)are arranged such that the resultant plane of minimum stiffness of the assembly of mountings is substantially in the direction of the plane of maximum imbalance of the power unit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
102 words
A front wheel drive vehicle according to claims 1 or 2 characterised in that the combined assembly (5) is mounted in the vehicle body by a pair of lower mountings (28) one at either side of the vehicle each of which have axes of substantial stiffness in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and which extend between-the lower part of the combined assembly (5) and the body (1) and at least one upper mounting (31) which also has its plane of maximum stiffness substantially longitudinally of the vehicle such that the mountings are substantially parallel and control the combined assembly in pitch.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A front wheel drive vehicle according to claim 3 characterised in that the pair of mountings (28) and the upper mounting (31) each extend rearwardly of the combined assembly to the vehicle body (1).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
87 words
A front wheel drive vehicle according to claims 1 or 2 characterised in that the flexible mountings of the combined assembly each have an axis of maximum stiffness (A,B) substantially perpendicular to an axis of minimum stiffness and the mountings (35) behind the combined assembly (5) have their axes of maximum stiffness (A) substantially vertical and the other mountings (36, 43) in front of the combined assembly have their axes of maximum stiffness (B) substantially perpendicular to the plane of maximum imbalance of the power unit (6).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
A front wheel drive vehicle according to claim 5 characterised in that the power unit (6) extends transversely of the vehicle and is inclined rearwardly such that the axies of maximum stiffness (B and A) intersect behind the front axle centreline of the vehicle.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
53 words
A front wheel drive vehicle according to any one of claims 3, 4, 5 or 6 characterised in that the mountings include a low spring rate mounting (32,37,44)which acts in the plane of maximum imbalance of the power unit (6) to assist in supporting the vehicle body (1) on the combined assembly (5).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
A front wheel drive vehicle according to claim 3, 4, 6 or 7 characterised in that the lower mounting (28) or other mountings (36,43) are interconnected by means of a roll bar or tube.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
A front wheel drive vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 8 characterised in that the suspension assemblies (7) are of the spring and wishbone type and are mounted entirely upon the combined assembly (5).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
57 words
A front wheel drive vehicle according to any one claims 1 to 8 characterised in that the suspension assemblies (7) are of the MacPherson strut type (40) having their lower ends connected by wishbones or livers (42) to the combined assembly (5) and their upper ends connected to the vehicle body (1) by means of'flexible mountings 41.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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