Axle Unit

Abstract

An axle unit includes an axle tube and a suspension arm element, wherein the axle tube extends substantially along a tube axis, wherein the suspension arm element has a first joining region comprising a recess, wherein the first joining region of the suspension arm element is adjacent to the axle tube, wherein the suspension arm element is substantially transverse to the tube axis, and wherein a weld portion between the suspension arm element and the axle tube is located in the first joining region.

Claims

1.-13. (canceled)

14. An axle unit, comprising: an axle tube; and a suspension arm element; wherein the axle tube extends substantially along a tube axis; wherein the suspension arm element includes a first joining region comprising a recess; wherein the first joining region of the suspension arm element is adjacent to the axle tube, and wherein the suspension arm element is substantially transverse to the tube axis; wherein a weld portion between the suspension arm element and the axle tube is located in the first joining region; wherein the suspension arm element surrounds the axle tube with a suspension arm arc angle relative to the tube axis; wherein the suspension arm arc angle is less than 180°; wherein the axle tube and the suspension arm element are secured to each other exclusively in the first joining region; wherein the axle tube includes a pressure half and a tension half; and wherein the weld portion is located exclusively in the pressure half of the axle tube.

15. The axle unit as claimed in claim 14, wherein no weld connection between the axle tube and the suspension arm element exists in the tension half of the axle tube.

16. The axle unit as claimed in claim 14, wherein the weld portion extends maximally over a weld arc angle relative to the tube axis, wherein the weld arc angle is less than 120°.

17. The axle unit as claimed in claim 16, wherein the weld arc angle is less than 100°.

18. The axle unit as claimed in claim 17, wherein the weld arc angle is less than 90°.

19. The axle unit as claimed in claim 16, wherein the suspension arm arc angle is within the range 1.05 to 2.5 times.

20. The axle unit as claimed in claim 19, wherein the suspension arm angle is within the range of 1.2 to 2 times the weld arc angle.

21. The axle unit as claimed in claim 20, wherein the suspension arm angle is within the range of 1.6 to 1.8 times the weld arc angle.

22. The axle unit as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first joining region comprises a recess on the suspension arm element, and wherein the weld portion includes a peripheral face on the first joining region.

23. The axle unit as claimed in claim 22, wherein the peripheral face has a medium length and wherein a ratio of the medium length to a circumference of the axle tube in a region of the first joining region is from 0.4 to 1.3.

24. The axle unit as claimed in claim 23, wherein the ratio of the medium length to the circumference of the axle tube is from 0.6 to 0.1.

25. The axle unit as claimed in claim 24, wherein the ratio of the medium length to the circumference of the axle tube is from 0.85 to 0.95.

26. The axle unit as claimed in claim 14, wherein the suspension arm element adjacent to the joining region includes two suspension arm webs substantially opposite each other, wherein the suspension arm webs each have a minimum web width, wherein the first joining region has a maximum cutout extension parallel to the tube axis, and wherein a ration of the sum of the minimum web widths to the maximum cutout extension is from 0.1 to 1.

27. The axle unit as claimed in claim 26, wherein the ration of the sum of the minimum web widths of the maximum cutout extension is from 0.2 to 0.8.

28. The axle unit as claimed in claim 27, wherein the ration of the sum of the minimum web widths of the maximum cutout extension is from 0.3 to 0.5.

28. The axle unit as claimed in claim 14, further comprising: a carrier element configured to secure a spring element to the axle unit, wherein the carrier element is configured to be secured to the axle tube via a second joining region, and wherein the second joining region comprises a recess on the carrier element.

29. The axle unit as claimed in claim 14, wherein the suspension arm element is a single-piece, integral casting.

30. The axle unit as claimed in claim 14 further comprising: a carrier element configured to secure a spring element to the axle unit, wherein the carrier element is configured to be secured to the axle tube via a second joining region, and wherein the second joining region comprises a recess on the carrier element.

31. The axle unit as claimed in claim 30, wherein the carrier unit is secured to the axle tube exclusively in the second joining region.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In the drawings:

[0019] FIG. 1 shows a partially cutaway, side view of a preferred embodiment of the axle unit according to the invention;

[0020] FIG. 2 shows a detail view of an embodiment according to the invention of the axle unit according to the invention; and

[0021] FIG. 3 shows a top view of a preferred embodiment of the axle unit according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a partially cutaway, side view of a preferred embodiment of the axle unit according to the invention. In particular, the first joining region 5, the axle tube 2 and the carrier element 7 (preferably provided) are shown cut away. Via the first joining region 5, the suspension arm element 4 is secured to the axle tube 2 by means of a weld connection. The weld portion 54 provided in the first joining region 5 extends preferably with a weld arc angle α relative to the tube axis R. Furthermore, preferably, the weld portion 54 extends only in the pressure half 22 of the axle tube 2, while no weld connection between the suspension arm element 4 and the axle tube 2 exists in the tension half 24 of the axle tube 2. The carrier element 7 preferably has a second joining region 72 in which it is secured to the axle tube 2.

[0023] FIG. 2 shows a detail view of the first joining region 5 already shown in FIG. 1, wherein the weld portion 54 preferably extends over a weld arc angle α relative to the tube axis R. Preferably, the suspension arm element 4 surrounds the axle tube 2 with a suspension arm arc angle φ which is preferably less than 180°. Furthermore, preferably, the suspension arm arc angle φ is significantly larger than the weld arc angle α. Because the suspension arm element 4 surrounds the axle tube 2 with a suspension arm arc angle φ which is significantly greater than the weld arc angle α, preferably a very large force transmission face is available for transmission of weight and retaining forces to the axle tube 2. Furthermore, due to the preferred restriction of the expansion of the weld seam or weld portion 54 to the pressure half 22 of the axle tube 2, the occurrence of tensile stresses in the region of the weld connection between the suspension arm element 4 and the axle tube 2 is avoided, whereby the service life may be extended significantly. Preferably, the weld arc angle α has an angle of around 105°.

[0024] FIG. 3 shows a top view of a preferred embodiment of the suspension arm element 4 according to the invention. This illustrates the preferred, substantially oval geometry, preferably deviating from the circular form at least in regions, of the first joining region 5. Preferably, the region of the pivotable suspension of the suspension arm element 4 on the frame of a truck is provided on the left side of the suspension arm element 4. In this region, the suspension arm element 4 extends preferably planar symmetrically to a suspension arm center axis L. It is furthermore shown that a retaining portion 6 is arranged eccentrically to the suspension arm center plane, to simplify mounting of the carrier element 7 (not shown, see FIG. 1). Furthermore, FIG. 3 shows the weld portion 54 of the suspension arm element 4 which is preferably configured as a recess, and along the inner face of which a weld connection may be produced to the axle tube 2 (not shown). The peripheral face 55 of the weld portion 54 preferably has a medium length K which stands in a ratio to the circumference of the axle tube. Furthermore, FIG. 3 shows a preferred feature of the axle unit, in which the suspension arm element 4 has a first suspension arm web 45 and a second suspension arm web 45 in the joining portion 5. The suspension arm webs 45 have a minimum web width B, wherein parallel to the tube axis R, the weld portion 54 has a cutout extension A which stands in a specific ratio to the sum of the web widths B. The web width B is preferably measured in the top view of the suspension arm element 4 shown in FIG. 3. Preferably, the web widths B are smaller than the cutout extension A. In the present example, the sum of the two web widths B is approximately 0.3 to 0.5 times the cutout extension A.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0025] 2 Axle tube [0026] 4 Suspension arm element [0027] 45 Suspension arm web [0028] 5 First joining region [0029] 54 Weld portion [0030] 55 Peripheral face [0031] 6 Retaining portion [0032] 7 Carrier element [0033] 72 Second joining region [0034] A Cutout extension [0035] B Web width [0036] K Central length [0037] L Suspension arm center axis [0038] R Tube axis [0039] α Weld arc angle [0040] φ Suspension arm arc angle