SUPPORT LINK ARM

Abstract

The support link arm according to the invention has an elongate link arm member. A ball joint socket is disposed on a first longitudinal and of the link arm member. The link arm member in a sheet-metal shell construction mode is formed from sheet metal and has a cavity portion. The ball joint socket is a forging or casting from metal and possesses a fastening appendage which is configured in a materially integral manner so as to be in one piece with said ball joint socket. The ball joint socket by way of the fastening appendage engages in the cavity portion of the link arm member and is joined to the link arm member.

Claims

1. Support link arm having an elongate link arm member, wherein a ball joint socket is disposed on a first longitudinal end of the link arm member, wherein the link arm member is formed from sheet metal, and wherein the link arm member in the vertical cross section has a height and a width, wherein the height is of a larger dimension than the width of the link arm member and the link arm member has a cavity portion, and the ball joint socket is a forging or casting from metal and has a fastening appendage, wherein the ball joint socket by way of the fastening appendage engages in the cavity portion of the link arm member and is joined to the link arm member.

2. Support link arm according to claim 1, wherein the link arm member is assembled from shell segments, in particular from two sheet-metal shells.

3. Support link arm according to claim 1, wherein lateral walls of the cavity portion and the fastening appendage contact one another.

4. Support link arm according to claim 1, wherein support flanks which are in contact with support portions provided on the link arm member are configured on the fastening appendage.

5. Support link arm according to claim 1, wherein the link arm member in portions is configured so as to be rectangular in the vertical cross section.

6. Support link arm according to claim 1, wherein the link arm member in portions is configured so as to be H-shaped in the vertical cross section.

7. Support link arm according to claim 1, wherein an attachment point for a spring and damping element is provided between the first longitudinal end and the second longitudinal end.

8. Support link arm according to claim 1, wherein the cavity portion has two mutually spaced apart, opposite lateral walls, wherein one bearing opening is provided in each lateral wall and the fastening appendage has a bearing opening, wherein the bearing openings in the lateral walls and the bearing opening in the fastening appendage are disposed so as to be mutually coaxial.

9. Support link arm according to claim 1, wherein the fastening appendage has a support joint receptacle.

10. Support link arm according to claim 1, wherein the link arm member has at least one bead which is oriented in the longitudinal direction of said link arm member.

11. Support link arm according to 0 claim 1, wherein the link arm member has at least one predetermined kinking point.

12. Support link arm according to claim 1, wherein the ball joint socket and the link arm member are joined in a materially integral manner, in particular by welding.

13. Support link arm according to claim 1, wherein the ball joint socket and the link arm member are joined in a form-fitting manner, in particular by riveting.

14. Support link arm according to claim 1, wherein a bearing receptacle is provided on the second longitudinal end, the latter lying opposite the first longitudinal end.

15. Support link arm according to claim 1, wherein the link arm member has a yield point Rp0.2 between and including 480-880 MPa, a tensile strength Rm between and including 580-1050 MPa, and a minimum elongation at break A80 mm of >8%, and the ball joint socket has a yield point Rp0.2 between and including 400-600 MPa, a tensile strength Rm between and including 600-820 MPa, and a minimum elongation at break A5 of more than >14%.

Description

[0047] The invention is described in more detail hereunder by means of exemplary embodiments which are illustrated in the drawings, in which:

[0048] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a support link arm according to the invention in a perspective illustration;

[0049] FIG. 2 shows the support link arm in another perspective;

[0050] FIG. 3 shows the components of the support link arm in an exploded illustration;

[0051] FIG. 4 shows the support link arm in a plan view and without the rear shell segment in terms of the installed position in a vehicle;

[0052] FIG. 5 shows the plan view of the support link arm having the rear shell segment;

[0053] FIG. 6 shows a vertical cross section through the support link arm of FIG. 5 along the line A-A;

[0054] FIG. 7 shows a vertical cross section through the support link arm of FIG. 5 along the line B-B;

[0055] FIG. 8 shows the components of a second embodiment of a support link arm in an exploded illustration;

[0056] FIG. 9 shows a lateral view of the support link arm and without the rear shell segment in terms of the installed position in a vehicle;

[0057] FIG. 10 shows the illustration corresponding to that of FIG. 9 in a plan view;

[0058] FIG. 11 shows a third embodiment of a support link arm according to the invention having an exploded illustration of the components thereof;

[0059] FIG. 12 shows a lateral view of the support link arm of FIG. 11 and without the rear shell segment in terms of the installed position in a vehicle;

[0060] FIG. 13 shows the illustration of the support link arm corresponding to that of FIG. 12 in a plan view;

[0061] FIG. 14 shows a fourth embodiment of a support link arm in a lateral view and without the illustration of the rear shell segment in terms of the installed position in a vehicle; and

[0062] FIG. 15 shows the illustration of the support link arm corresponding to that of FIG. 14 in a plan view.

[0063] A first embodiment of a support link arm 1 according to the invention is explained by means of FIGS. 1 to 7. FIGS. 8 to 10 show a second embodiment of a support link arm 2. FIGS. 11 to 13 clarify a third embodiment of a support link arm 3. FIGS. 14 and 15 illustrate a fourth embodiment of a support link arm 4.

[0064] Each support link arm 1 to 4 has an elongate link arm member 5 having a first longitudinal end 6 and a second longitudinal and 7. A ball joint socket 8 is disposed on the first longitudinal end 6.

[0065] The ball joint socket 8 is a forging or casting from metal, in particular from steel or aluminum, or an aluminum alloy, respectively. A fastening appendage 9 is molded in a materially integral manner on the ball joint socket 8 so as to be in one piece with the latter.

[0066] The link arm member 5 is formed from sheet metal and on the first longitudinal and 6 has a cavity portion 10. The link arm member 5 is assembled from two shell segments in the form of sheet-metal shells 11, 12. The sheet-metal shells 11, 12 contact one another on joining faces and thereon are joined in a materially integral manner, in particular welded. The sheet-metal shells 11, 12 at the joining faces thereof are placed in a butt joint such that a stepless external face results along the joining faces. The assembled sheet-metal shells 11, 12 on the first longitudinal end thereof that faces the ball joint socket 8 form the cavity portion 10. The ball joint socket 8 by way of the fastening appendage 9 engages in the cavity portion 10 and is joined to the link arm member 5.

[0067] The sheet-metal shell 11 which in the installed position of the respective support link arm 1 to 4 is the rear sheet-metal shell 11 is omitted in FIGS. 4, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14 and 15.

[0068] In the support link arm 1, the ball joint socket 8 and the link arm member 5 are joined in a form-fitting manner by a rivet connection 13. To this end, rivets are inserted through the link arm member 5 and the fastening appendage 9 of the ball joint socket 8 in the region of the cavity portion 10. To this end, mutually adapted through openings for rivets are provided in the sheet-metal shells 11, 12 and the fastening appendage 9.

[0069] The connection between the ball joint socket 8 and the support link arm 2 in the support link arm 2 also takes place by riveting. The openings provided for a rivet connection 13 can be seen in FIG. 8.

[0070] A materially integral join between the ball joint socket 8 and the link arm member 5 is provided in the support link arms 3 and 4. To this end, the link arm member 5 and the ball joint socket 8 are welded to one another. The materially integral connection takes place in particular on joining faces between the cavity portion 10 and the fastening appendage 9.

[0071] Each link arm member 5 of the support link arms 1 to 4 in the vertical cross section has a height h and a width b. The height h is sized so as to be larger than the width b, cf. to this end in particular the illustration of FIGS. 6 and 7.

[0072] The link arm member 5, in terms of the external cross-sectional contour, is configured so as to be substantially rectangular, having a longer side of the rectangle which corresponds to the height h. Said longer side in terms of the installed position of a support link arm 1 to 4 is disposed in the vehicle height direction. The link arm member 5 has a correspondingly high modulus of resistance.

[0073] The link arm member 5 is in particular configured so as to be rectangular in the cavity portion 10 (FIG. 6). The link arm member 5 in regions in the central longitudinal portion is configured so as to be H-shaped in the vertical cross section (FIG. 7).

[0074] Each sheet-metal shell 11, 12 has a bead 14 which extends in the longitudinal direction of the link arm member 5. The lateral walls 15, 16, running mutually parallel in the region of the bead 14, of the sheet-metal shells 11, 12 contact one another and form a vertical web 17. The lateral walls 15, 16, or the sheet-metal shells 11, 12, respectively, above and below the vertical web 17 configure cavity portions 18, 19 which in the longitudinal direction of the link arm member 5 extend from the first longitudinal end 6 to the second longitudinal end 7.

[0075] A bearing receptacle 20 is provided on the second longitudinal and 7 of the link arm member 5. The bearing receptacle 20 is formed by bearing openings 21, 22 in the lateral walls 15, 16 which at a mutual spacing run so as to be mutually parallel in the second longitudinal end 7. Each bearing opening 21, 22 has an encircling ring 23 which is directed inward in the direction toward the interior space of the link arm member 5. The bearing receptacle 20 forms a second attachment point for a body-proximal joint. A rubber mount is usually installed in the bearing receptacle 20.

[0076] The support link arms 1 to 4 have a further third attachment point in the form of a support joint receptacle 24. A spring/damper element is connected there. A support joint installed in the support joint receptacle 24 forms a force-introduction point for spring forces and damper forces which act perpendicularly and are greater than the horizontal forces.

[0077] The support joint receptacle 24 in the support link arm 1 is formed by bearing openings 25, 26, 27 which are disposed so as to be mutually coaxial. The cavity portion 10 in both mutually spaced apart, opposite lateral walls 15, 16 has in each case one bearing opening 25, 26. A bearing opening 27 is furthermore configured in the fastening appendage 9. The bearing openings 25, 26 in the lateral walls 15, 16, and the bearing opening 27 in the fastening appendage 9 are disposed so as to be congruent, or mutually coaxial, respectively, and form the support joint receptacle 24. This design embodiment is particularly advantageous when the spacing between the ball joint, or the ball joint socket 8, respectively, and a spring/damper element is small, because particularly great forces act in this instance and a high degree of stiffness is required. The high loadbearing capability is in particular implemented in that the bearing opening 27 in the fastening appendage 9 is designed in solid material.

[0078] The support joint receptacle 24 in the support link arm 2 is configured in the fastening appendage 9. To this end, the fastening appendage 9, proceeding from the ball joint socket 8, has a front support joint portion 28 which is adjoined by an end portion 29. The front support joint portion 28 is embodied so as to be thicker than the end portion 29. A bearing opening 30 which penetrates the width of the fastening appendage 9 is configured in the support joint portion 28. Regions of the support joint portion 28 which are on the rear side are embodied so as to be radiused. The free ends of the sheet-metal shells 11, 12 have a clearance 31 which is adapted to the contour of the rear-side region of the support joint portion 28. The sheet-metal shells 11, 12 are placed on the support joint portion 28 and joined to the latter. Prong-shaped protrusions 32 of the end portion 29 protrude rearward into the cavity portion 10 of the link arm member 5. Support flanks 33 which are in contact with support portions 34 in the link arm member 5 and support the sheet-metal shells 11, 12 are configured on the fastening appendage 9.

[0079] In the support link arms 3 and 4, the support joint receptacle 24 is configured by mutually communicating bearing openings 35, 36 in the lateral walls 15, 16 of the sheet-metal shells 11, 12 of the link arm member 5. The fastening appendage 9 is shorter and terminates in front of the support joint receptacle 24. The bearing openings 35, 36 have in each case one encircling, inward-directed ring 37, said rings 37 forming the bearing seat in the support joint receptacle 24.

[0080] The lateral walls 15, 16 in the cavity portion 10 and the fastening appendage 9 are in mutual contact and are mutually supporting. On the fastening appendage 9, support flanks 33 which are in contact with support portions 34 provided on the link arm member 5 are also configured in the support link arms 1, 3 and 4.

[0081] The link arm members 5 of the support link arms 1 to 4 in the proximity of the attachment proximal to the axial support, thus in the region of the second longitudinal end 7, have a predetermined kinking point 38. The latter is configured by a bead 39 which runs in the z-direction and extends across the entire height h of the link arm member 5. The predetermined kinking point 38 has the effect that the link arm member 5 kinks in a targeted manner when a specific force level acting on the wheel in the vehicle transverse direction is exceeded. A collapsing action of the link arm member 5 is also initiated by way of the predetermined kinking point 38 in the event of an impact with less overlap and a lower force acting on the wheel in the vehicle longitudinal direction. As a result of the bead 39 which runs in the z-direction, thus in the height direction of the link arm member 5, the link arm member 5 in the region of the predetermined kinking point runs in a curved manner, or in the longitudinal extent of said link arm member 5 has a curved longitudinal profile, respectively.

[0082] The link arm members 5 of the support link arms 1 to 4 have a yield point R.sub.p0.2 between and including 480-880 MPa, a tensile strength R.sub.m between and including 580-1050 MPa, and a minimum elongation at break A.sub.80mm of >8%. The ball joint sockets 8 of the support link arms 1 to 4 have a yield point R.sub.p0.2 between and including 400-600 MPa, a tensile strength R.sub.m between and including 600-820 MPa, and a minimum elongation at break A5 of more than >14%.

[0083] The support link arms 1 to 4 having a link arm member 5 and a ball joint socket 8 in the material combination and having the mechanical properties as set out above, and the geometric design, complement one another in a synergistic manner and guarantee that the support link arm 5 meets high and highest requirements in terms of stiffness and also withstands the highest dynamic loads. The geometric design embodiment relates to the installed position of the support link arms 1 to 4 in a motor vehicle. The link arm member 5 in the vertical cross section has a height h and a width b. It is essential for the height h to be sized so as to be larger than the width b.