Portal Axle Arrangement and Motor Vehicle

Abstract

A portal axle arrangement 1 for a motor vehicle includes at least one portal housing 2 and at least one suspension arm 5, 6. The at least one portal housing 2 includes a receiving section 7 for a portal gear and at least one connecting section 8, 9 for the at least one suspension arm 5, 6, in which the at least one connecting section 8, 9 is designed as a support section. A motor vehicle including such a portal axle arrangement is also provided.

Claims

1-10: (canceled)

11. A portal axle arrangement (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising: at least one portal housing (2); and at least one suspension arm (5, 6) wherein the at least one portal housing (2) includes a receiving section (7) for a portal gear and at least one connecting section (8, 9) for the at least one suspension arm (5, 6), and wherein the at least one connecting section 8, 9 is configured as a support section.

12. The portal axle arrangement (1) of claim 11, wherein the at least one connecting section (8, 9) has a curvature (10, 11).

13. The portal axle arrangement (1) of claim 11, wherein the at least one suspension arm (5, 6) is configured for supporting a spring force, and the at least one connecting section (8, 9) and the at least one suspension arm (5, 6) are connected to each other in a plane that is at least approximately parallel to a spring force direction (14) of the spring force.

14. The portal axle arrangement (1) of claim 11, wherein the portal housing (2) has a homogenized transition between the receiving section (7) and the at least one connecting section (8, 9).

15. The portal axle arrangement (1) of claim 11, wherein the at least one connecting section (8, 9) and the at least one suspension arm (5, 6) are form-lockingly connected to each other in order to transmit transverse loads.

16. The portal axle arrangement (1) of claim 11, wherein the portal housing (2) is a cast housing and includes a cavity (15) that extends, starting from the receiving section (7), into the at least one connecting section (8, 9).

17. The portal axle arrangement (1) of claim 11, wherein the at least one suspension arm (5, 6) has an I-shaped or rectangular cross-section.

18. The portal axle arrangement (1) of claim 11, wherein the at least one suspension arm (5, 6) is made of metal or fiber-plastic composite.

19. The portal axle arrangement (1) of claim 11, wherein: the at least one portal housing (2) comprises two portal housings (2); the at least one suspension arm (5, 6) comprises four suspension arms (5, 6); and the four suspension arms (5, 6) are identically shaped.

20. A motor vehicle, comprising the portal axle arrangement (1) of claim 11.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] In the following, exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in greater detail with reference to figures. Diagrammatically and by way of example:

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a portal axle arrangement including a portal housing and two suspension arms in a top view according to an example embodiment;

[0023] FIG. 2 shows a portal axle arrangement including a portal housing and two suspension arms in a side view according to an example embodiment;

[0024] FIG. 3 shows a portal housing of a portal axle arrangement in a sectional view according to an example embodiment;

[0025] FIG. 4 shows connection between a connecting section of a portal housing and a suspension arm of a portal axle arrangement according to an example embodiment; and

[0026] FIG. 5 shows a suspension arm of a portal axle arrangement having an I-shaped cross-section according to an example embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] Reference will now be made to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are shown in the drawings. Each embodiment is provided by way of explanation of the invention, and not as a limitation of the invention. For example, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be combined with another embodiment to yield still another embodiment. It is intended that the present invention include these and other modifications and variations to the embodiments described herein.

[0028] FIG. 1 shows a portal axle arrangement 1 including a portal housing 2, a wheel carrier 3, an axle bridge 4, and two suspension arms 5, 6 in a top view. FIG. 2 shows the portal axle arrangement 1 in a side view. The portal axle arrangement 1 forms a portion of a portal axle of a low-profile vehicle.

[0029] The portal housing 2 has a receiving section 7 for a portal gear and two connecting sections 8, 9, which are designed as support sections, for the suspension arms 5, 6. The connecting sections 8, 9 each initially extend, starting from the receiving section 7, straight in the vehicle longitudinal direction and, in the further extension, have a curvature 10, 11 and a free end 12, 13, respectively. The portal housing 2 has a homogenized transition between the receiving section 7 and the connecting sections 8, 9, which enables a uniform distribution of power flow and avoids concentrations of stress.

[0030] The suspension arms 5, 6 are utilized for connecting the portal axle arrangement 1 to a vehicle body and as support for a suspension/damping device having a spring force direction 14 and are manufactured as identical components. The connecting sections 8, 9 and the suspension arms 5, 6 are connected to each other, respectively, in a plane that is parallel to the spring force direction 14. The connections between the connecting sections 8, 9 and the suspension arms 5, 6 are arranged at the free ends 12, 13 of the connecting sections 8, 9. The connecting sections 8, 9 are structurally associated with the portal housing 2 and functionally form sections of the suspension arms 5, 6.

[0031] FIG. 3 shows a portal housing 2 of a portal axle arrangement 1 in a sectional view. The portal housing 2 is manufactured in a casting process and has a cavity 15 for accommodating the one portal gear. The cavity 15 extends, starting from the receiving section 7, into the connecting section 8 and is manufactured with the aid of a casting core. For the rest, reference is additionally made, in particular, to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 and the associated description.

[0032] FIG. 4 shows a connection between a connecting section 8 of a portal housing and a suspension arm 5 of a portal axle arrangement 1. The connecting section 8 and the suspension arm 5 are connected to each other with the aid of a fit 16 having abutting surfaces in the direction of the transversal load and with the aid of bolts 17. The suspension arm 5 has a rectangular cross-section and reinforcing ribs. For the rest, reference is additionally made, in particular, to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 and the associated description.

[0033] FIG. 5 shows a suspension arm 5 of a portal axle arrangement 1 with an I-shaped cross-section. For the rest, reference is additionally made, in particular, to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 and the associated description.

[0034] The term “can” refers, in particular, to optional features of the invention. Accordingly, there are also refinements and/or exemplary embodiments of the invention that, additionally or alternatively, have the particular feature or the particular features.

[0035] Specific features can also be extracted in isolation from the combinations of features described in the present case, if necessary, and, after resolving a structural and/or functional relationship that may exist between the features, can be used in combination with other features to delimit the subject matter of the claim.

[0036] Modifications and variations can be made to the embodiments illustrated or described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. In the claims, reference characters corresponding to elements recited in the detailed description and the drawings may be recited. Such reference characters are enclosed within parentheses and are provided as an aid for reference to example embodiments described in the detailed description and the drawings. Such reference characters are provided for convenience only and have no effect on the scope of the claims. In particular, such reference characters are not intended to limit the claims to the particular example embodiments described in the detailed description and the drawings.

REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0037] 1 portal axle arrangement [0038] 2 portal housing [0039] 3 wheel carrier [0040] 4 axle bridge [0041] 5 suspension arm [0042] 6 suspension arm [0043] 7 receiving section [0044] 8 connecting section [0045] 9 connecting section [0046] 10 curvature [0047] 11 curvature [0048] 12 end [0049] 13 end [0050] 14 spring force direction [0051] 15 cavity [0052] 16 fit [0053] 17 bolt