Axle Unit

Abstract

The invention relates to an axle unit comprising an axle tube and a link element, wherein the axle tube substantially extends along a tube axis, wherein the link element has a joining portion with a first welding portion and a second welding portion, wherein the link element is arranged with its joining portion adjacent to the axle tube and substantially transversely with respect to the tube axis, wherein, in the first welding portion and in the second welding portion, a welded joint can be produced between the link element and the axle tube.

Claims

1.-14. (canceled)

15. An axle unit, comprising: an axle tube substantially extending along a tube axis; an a link element having a joining portion with a first welding portion and a second welding portion spatially separated from the first welding portion, wherein the link element is arranged with the joining portion adjacent to the axle tube and substantially transversely with respect to the tube axis; and a welded joint between the link element and the axle tube in the first welding portion and in the second welding portion; wherein the second welding portion includes a recess on the link unit, and wherein the second welding portion has an encircling edge configured to receive a weld seam.

16. The axle unit as claimed in claim 15, wherein the link element has an arm portion and a supporting portion, wherein the arm portion and the supporting portion are adjacent to the joining portion on substantially opposite sides of the joining portion.

17. The axle unit as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first welding portion has two side seams extending at least in regions transversely with respect to a link axis, and wherein the first welding portion has at least one transverse seam extending substantially parallel to the link axis.

18. The axle unit as claimed in claim 17, wherein the side seams each have a side seam length, and wherein a ratio of the side seam length to a circumference of the axle tube in a region of the joining portion is from 0.2 to 0.7.

19. The axle unit from claim 18, wherein the ratio of the side seam length to the circumference of the axle tube is from 0.25 to 0.6.

20. The axle unit from claim 19, wherein the ratio of the side seam length to the circumference of the axle tube is from 0.45 to 0.5.

21. The axle unit as claimed in claim 17, wherein at least one of the side seams and the first welding portion extend over an arc angle with respect to the link axis, and wherein the arc angle is from 120° to 195°.

22. The axle unit of claim 21, wherein the arc angle is from 140° to 185°.

23. The axle unit of claim 22, wherein the arc angle is from 170° to 180°.

24. The axle unit as claimed in claim 21, wherein the arc angle does not exceed 180°.

25. The axle unit as claimed in claim 17, wherein the side seams and the transverse seam merge into one another in rounded weld seam portions.

26. The axle unit as claimed in claim 17, wherein the sum of the side seam lengths of the side seam and of the transverse seams results in a joining length of the first welding portion, wherein a ratio of the joining length to a circumference of the axle tube in a region of the joining portion is from 1 to 2.5.

27. The axle unit of claim 26, wherein the ratio of the joining length to the circumference of the axle tube is from 1.25 to 2.

28. The axle unit of claim 27, wherein the ratio of the joining length to the circumference of the axle tube is approximately 1.5.

29. The axle unit as claimed claim 15, wherein the encircling edge has an edge length, and wherein a ratio of the edge length to a circumference of the axle tube in a region of the joining portion is from 0.4 to 1.3.

30. The axle unit of claim 29, wherein the ratio of the edge length to the circumference of the axle tube is from 0.06 to 1.

31. The axle unit of claim 30, wherein the ratio of the edge length to the circumference of the axle tube is from 0.85 to 0.95.

32. The axle unit as claimed claim 15, wherein the second welding portion is configured on the link element such that two link webs are located adjacent to the second welding portion and opposite each other, wherein the link webs have a minimum web width, wherein the second welding portion has a section extent collinearly to the minimum web widths, and wherein a ratio of the sum of the minimum web widths to the section extent is from 0.1 to 1.

33. The axle unit of claim 32, wherein the ration of the sum of the minimum in web widths to the section extent is from 0.2 to 0.8.

34. The axle unit of claim 33, wherein the ration of the sum of the minimum in web widths to the section extent is from 0.3 to 0.4.

35. The axle unit as claimed in claim 15, wherein the link element comprises an integral cast part.

36. The axle unit as claimed in claim 16, wherein the arm portion and supporting portion are separate components, and wherein the arm portion is integral with the joining portion.

37. The axle unit as claimed in claim 15, wherein the connection between axle tube and link element is first produced in the first welding portion and subsequently produced in the second welding portion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Further advantages and features of the invention emerge from the description below with respect to the attached figures, in which:

[0020] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a preferred embodiment of the axle unit according to the invention,

[0021] FIG. 2 shows a top view of the view shown in FIG. 1 of a preferred embodiment of the axle unit according to the invention,

[0022] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the axle unit according to the invention,

[0023] FIG. 4 shows a further view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 of the axle unit according to the invention, and

[0024] FIG. 5 shows a further preferred embodiment of the axle unit according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a preferred embodiment of the link element 4 according to the invention which, on its left side, has an arm portion 42, a joining portion 5 adjacent to the latter and a supporting portion 44 adjacent in turn to the joining portion. Illustrated schematically on the left of the arm portion 42 is a bearing eye at which the link element can be connected pivotably to the frame of a vehicle, in particular commercial vehicle. The joining portion 5 of the link element 4 preferably has a first welding portion 52 which preferably has a side seam 56. It cannot be seen in the figure that a second side seam 56 is provided on that side of the link element 4 which faces away from the observer. The link element 4 is welded to an axle tube 2 (not shown) at the side seam 56. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the side seam 56 extends here with respect to a link axis with an arc angle φ which, in the present example, is slightly larger than 180°. Furthermore, the side seam 56 has a side seam length S. The link axis is preferably oriented here parallel to the direction of observation in the figure, and it is particularly preferred that the cross section of the link element 4 changes only slightly if at all in the region of the joining portion 5 over the course along the link axis L. The link element 4 shown in FIG. 1 is designed in particular for connection to an axle tube 2 of cylindrical or hollow-cylindrical design. Particularly preferably, the axle tube 2 can be fitted here into the joining portion 5 of the link element 4 transversely with respect to the link axis L and can be subsequently welded to the link element 4 along the side edge 56. A second welding portion 54 of the joining portion 5, which welding portion is designed as a recess on the upper side of the link element 4, is illustrated by dashed lines.

[0026] FIG. 2 shows the underside of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 of the link element 4. The joining portion 5 here has the first welding portion 52 and the second welding portion 54. The first welding portion 52 has two side seams 56 and two transverse seams 57. The second welding portion 54 has an encircling edge 55 along which a welding connection can be produced to the axle tube 2 (not shown).

[0027] The perspective view in FIG. 3 illustrates the connecting region between the link element 4 and the axle tube 2. The joining portion 5 is shown here from its underside, wherein in particular the first welding portion 52 can be seen. The first welding portion 52 has a side seam 56 and a transverse seam 57. The side seam 56 and the transverse seam 57 are connected to each other here in their lower region via a rounded weld seam portion 58.

[0028] FIG. 4 shows a top view of the embodiment already shown in FIG. 3 of the axle unit according to the invention. In particular the second welding portion 54 which has an encircling edge 55 can be clearly seen here. As illustrated schematically, the encircling edge has an edge length K. Furthermore, the circumference of the axle tube 2 is illustrated, said circumference preferably being measured at the outer surface of the axle tube 2 perpendicularly to the tube axis R. Furthermore, FIG. 4 shows the preferred feature of the axle unit, according to which the link element 4 has a first link web 45 and a second link web 45 in the joining portion 5. The link webs 45 here have a minimum web width B, wherein at the same time the second welding portion 54 has, collinearly to the direction of extent of the web width B, a section extent A which is at a certain ratio to the sum of the web widths B. The web width B is preferably measured here in each case half way along the respective transition region of the link webs 45 to the adjacent regions of the link element 4. The web widths B are preferably smaller than the section extent A. In the present example, the sum of the two web widths B is approximately 0.6-0.8 times the section extent A. Furthermore, the preferred slightly elliptical shape of the second welding portion 54 is visible in FIG. 4.

[0029] FIG. 5 shows a particularly preferred embodiment of the axle unit, in which the joining portion 5 is formed integrally with the arm portion 42, and the supporting portion 44 is designed as a separate component and can be secured to the joining portion 5 and/or to the axle tube 2. The first welding portion 52 extends here with an arc angle φ of somewhat less than 180°, preferably 170° to 175°. By this means, it is possible in a particularly simple manner to arrange the axle tube 2 in the joining portion 5 and subsequently to secure the axle tube with a thermal welding process. Advantageously in this embodiment, first of all a semi-finished product consisting of axle tube 2, joining portion 5 and arm portion 42 can be produced, wherein a supporting portion 44 can subsequently be secured to the semi-finished product. In order to permit use of the link element 4 in various types of commercial vehicle, it is preferred that, depending on the application, a supporting portion 44 with a certain length and a certain fastening geometry for a pneumatic spring is selected and is secured to the assembly consisting of axle tube 2, joining portion 5 and arm portion 42.

DESIGNATIONS

[0030] 2—axle tube [0031] 4—link element [0032] 42—arm portion [0033] 44—supporting portion [0034] 45—link web [0035] 5—joining portion [0036] 52—first welding portion [0037] 54—second welding portion [0038] 55—encircling edge [0039] 56—side seam [0040] 57—transverse seam [0041] 58—rounded weld seam portion [0042] A—section extent [0043] B—minimum web width [0044] K—edge length [0045] L—link axis [0046] φ—arc angle [0047] R—tube axis [0048] S—side seam length [0049] U—circumference