Patent attributes
A suspension apparatus for an automotive vehicle employs, as its main element, a main suspension member 10. The main suspension member 10 includes a main portion 12 constituted by a pipe; two body-side attachment portions 14, 16 that are fixed to opposite ends of the main portion 12, respectively; and a wheel-side attachment portion 18 that is fixed to a rear-side portion of the main portion 12. The opposite ends of the pipe constituting the main portion 12 are located near to each other, such that the main portion 12 has a generally C-shaped configuration in its side view. The body-side attachment portions 14, 16 are attached to a body of the vehicle such that those portions 14, 16 are pivotable about their pivotal axes. The pivotal axes of the two body-side attachment portions 14, 16 are offset from each other in a direction perpendicular to those axes, or are inclined relative to each other. Otherwise, those pivotal axes are offset from each other in the direction perpendicular thereto, and simultaneously are inclined relative to each other. The wheel-side attachment portion 18 is attached to a wheel-holding member, not shown, that holds a wheel 30 such that the wheel 30 is rotatable. Thus, the main suspension member 10 can function as both a suspension spring and a suspension link.
