STABILIZER BAR FOR A CHASSIS OF A VEHICLE, PENDULUM SUPPORT FOR SUCH A STABILIZER BAR, AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SUCH A STABILIZER BAR OR SUCH A PENDULUM SUPPORT

Abstract

A stabilizer for a chassis of a vehicle, having a curved stabilizer body (2) that forms a torsion spring, with a pendulum support (5, 6) and with a connecting section (7, 8, 46, 48), the connecting section (7, 8, 46, 48) is made of a metal and connects the stabilizer body (2) to the pendulum support (5, 6). The connecting section (7, 8, 46, 48) and the stabilizer body (2) are connected to one another by a snap-in and/or latch joint. To reduce assembly effort and expense and, at the same time, to join the stabilizer body (2) to the pendulum support (5, 6) in a secure manner, the stabilizer (1) and the pendulum support (5, 6) are characterized in that the connecting section has an opening (22) in which a plastic bearing shell (11) is arranged for fitting of a joint ball (23) of the pendulum support (5, 6).

Claims

1-14. (canceled)

15. A stabilizer for a chassis of a vehicle comprising: a curved stabilizer body (2) that forms a torsion spring, with a pendulum support (5, 6) and with a connecting section (7, 8, 46, 48), and the said connecting section (7, 8, 46, 48) being made of a metal and connecting the stabilizer body (2) to the pendulum support (5, 6), wherein the connecting section (7, 8, 46, 48) and the stabilizer body (2) are connected to one another by a snap-in and/or latch joint, and the connecting section (7, 8, 46, 48) has an opening (22) in which a plastic bearing shell (11) is arranged for the movable fitting of a joint ball (23) of the pendulum support (5, 6).

16. The stabilizer according to claim 15, wherein the bearing shell (11) is held in a form-enclosed manner on a rim (32) of the opening (22), and the rim (32) of the opening (22) is of circular shape, and the rim (32) of the opening (22) has at least one notch (35, 36) into which the plastic of the bearing shell (11) extends.

17. The stabilizer according to claim 15, wherein the bearing shell (11) has a bearing shell opening (24), out of which the pendulum support (5, 6) and the joint ball (23) and/or a joint pin (25) connected to the joint ball (23) extends, and a rim of the bearing shell opening (24) has an all-round holding groove (27) for holding a sealing bellows rim (28).

18. The stabilizer according to claim 15, wherein the bearing shell (11) has a plurality of stiffening ribs (29) on its outer circumference, which ribs are supported on the connecting section (7, 8, 46, 48), and the stiffening ribs (29) are arranged on a side (30) of the bearing shell (11) and/or the connecting section (7, 8, 46, 48) which faces away from the bearing shell opening (24).

19. The stabilizer according to claim 15, wherein the connecting section (7, 8, 46, 48) is made from at least one shaped sheet-metal element (33, 34), and the connecting section (7, 8, 46, 48) has a first connecting area (9), for connection to the pendulum support (5, 6), and a second connecting area (10), for connection to the stabilizer body (2).

20. The stabilizer according to claim 19, wherein the first connecting area (9) contains the opening (22) for receiving the bearing shell (11), and the first connecting area (9) is substantially flat and/or the first connecting area (9) has bent-up rim areas (37, 38) for stiffening the connecting section (7, 8, 46, 48).

21. The stabilizer according to claim 19, wherein the second connecting area (10) is of tubular form, and the second connecting area (10) comprises at least one elastically deformable securing element (18, 47) for forming the snap-in and/or latch joint with the stabilizer body (2).

22. The stabilizer according to claim 15, wherein the connecting section (7, 8, 46, 38) is made from a first sheet-metal element (33) and a second sheet-metal element (34), and the first sheet-metal element (33) forms a first connecting area (9), for connection to the pendulum support (5, 6), whereas a second connecting area (10) for connection to the stabilizer body (2) is formed by a combination of the first sheet-metal element (33) and the second sheet-metal element (34).

23. The stabilizer according to claim 22, wherein the first sheet-metal element (33) and the second sheet-metal element (34) are permanently connected to one another in a material-merged manner by welding, and the first sheet-metal element (33) and the second sheet-metal element (34) have contact webs (39, 40, 41, 42) that correspond with one another, which are in contact with one another and are connected to one another in a material-merged manner.

24. The stabilizer according to claim 15, wherein the connecting section (7, 8, 46, 48) has a stop (20) for limiting a plug-on movement for plugging the connecting section (7, 8, 46, 48) onto an end of the stabilizer body (2), and the stop (20) is in the form of a bent-up sheet-metal tab.

25. A pendulum support for the stabilizer according to claim 15, with the connecting section (7, 8, 46, 48), the connecting section (7, 8, 46, 48) is made of a metal and is designed for connection to the stabilizer body (2) by a snap-in and/or latch joint, and the connecting section (7, 8, 46, 48) has an opening (22) in which a plastic bearing shell (11) is arranged for the movable fitting of a joint ball (23) of the pendulum support (5, 6).

26. A method for producing the stabilizer according to claim 15, wherein the connecting section (7, 8, 46, 48) is arranged in an injection-molding die and the bearing shell (11) is made from plastic by an injection-molding process and is, at the same time, arranged in the opening (22) of the connecting section (7, 8, 46, 48).

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein together with the connecting section (7, 8, 46, 48), at least the joint ball (23) and the pendulum support (5, 6) and/or a joint pin (25) of the pendulum support (5, 6) is arranged in the injection-molding die, the joint ball (23) is arranged in the opening (22) of the connecting section (7, 8, 46, 48), and the bearing shell (11) is made by the injection-molding process while, at the same time, the bearing shell (11) is connected to the connecting section (7, 8, 46, 48) and the joint ball (23) is held in the bearing shell (11).

28. The method according to claim 26, wherein a connecting area (10) of the connecting section (7, 8, 46, 48) is plugged onto an end of the stabilizer body (3, 4) in order to form the snap-in and/or latch joint, and at least one securing element (18, 47). of the connecting section (7, 8, 46, 48). latches and/or snaps into a holding structure (19) of the stabilizer body (2).

29. A method for producing the pendulum support according to claim 26, wherein the connecting section (7, 8, 46, 48) is arranged in an injection-molding die and the bearing shell (11) is made from plastic by an injection-molding process and is, at the same time, arranged in the opening (22) of the connecting section (7, 8, 46, 48).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Below, the invention is explained in greater detail with reference to the figures. In these, the same indexes denote the same, similar, or functionally equivalent components or elements. The figures show:

[0028] FIG. 1: A perspective front view of a stabilizer according to the invention,

[0029] FIG. 2: A detail from the perspective front view of a stabilizer according to the invention, shown in FIG. 1,

[0030] FIG. 3: A sectioned side view of the detail shown in FIG. 2,

[0031] FIG. 4: A perspective side view of two sheet-metal elements for forming a connecting section for a stabilizer according to the invention, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3,

[0032] FIG. 5: A perspective side view of the connecting section shown in FIG. 4, before being connected to a joint ball of a pendulum support,

[0033] FIG. 6: A perspective side view of the connecting section shown in FIG. 5, after being connected to a joint ball of a pendulum support,

[0034] FIG. 7: A perspective side view of a second connecting section,

[0035] FIG. 8: A sectioned perspective side view of the second connecting section shown in FIG. 7, and

[0036] FIG. 9: A perspective side view of a further connecting section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a perspective front view of a stabilizer 1 according to the invention. This is a torsion spring device loaded in torsion, which can be used in the chassis of a vehicle for avoiding rolling movements of the vehicle. The stabilizer 1 has a stabilizer body 2. The stabilizer body 2 is in the form of a bar or rod. Moreover, the stabilizer body is curved. In this case, two ends of the stabilizer body 2 or two stabilizer body ends 3, 4, remote from one another, are arranged so that the stabilizer body 2 is essentially U-shaped. At the same time, the two stabilizer body ends 3, 4 form the limbs of the essentially U-shaped design of the stabilizer body 2. In this example embodiment, the stabilizer body 2 is made from a fiber-reinforced plastic or a fiber-reinforced plastic composite. For example, continuous glass or carbon fibers can be used as the fiber material, which are embedded in a duroplastic or thermoplastic matrix. In this case, the stabilizer body 2 can be made hollow or tubular, or made from solid material.

[0038] The stabilizer 1 has two pendulum supports 5, 6. In this case, the pendulum support 5 is associated with the stabilizer body end 3 and the pendulum support 6 with the stabilizer body end 4.

[0039] Furthermore, the stabilizer 1 has two connecting section 7, 8. Here, the connecting section 7 is associated with the stabilizer body end 3 and the connecting section 8 with the stabilizer body end 4. In detail, the connecting sections 7, 8 are respectively arranged between the stabilizer body ends 3 and 4 and the associated pendulum supports 5 and 6. Thus, the connecting sections 7, 8 serve, as it were, as an interface for force transfer and/or for forming a connection between the stabilizer body 2 and the respective pendulum supports 5 and 6.

[0040] FIG. 2 shows a detail of the perspective front view of the stabilizer 1 according to the invention shown in FIG. 1. To be specific, the stabilizer body end 3 with the pendulum support 5 and the connecting section 7 are shown in this case. The following explanations of this also analogously apply to the stabilizer body end 4, the pendulum support 6 and the connecting section 8.

[0041] The connecting section 7 has a first connecting area 9. The connecting section 7 is joined to the pendulum support 5 by means of this first connecting area 9. Moreover, the connecting section 7 has a second connecting area 10. The connecting section 7 is joined to the stabilizer body end 3 by means of the second connecting area 10. Here, the connecting section 7 or the second connecting area 10 is connected to the stabilizer body end 3 with interlock, by virtue of a snap-in and/or latch joint (not shown). For this, the second connecting area 10 is plugged onto the stabilizer body end 3.

[0042] The first connecting area 9 and the second connecting area 10 together form the connecting section 7 and merge directly or integrally into one another. In the longitudinal direction of the connecting section 7, the two connecting areas 9, 10 form two ends of the connecting section 7 that face away from one another. The connecting section 7 is made from a metal, in this example embodiment aluminum.

[0043] In the first connecting area 9 the connecting section 7 has a bearing shell 11. The bearing shell 11 is made of a plastic and is firmly connected to the first connecting area 9. A first end 12 of the pendulum support 5 is fitted in the bearing shell 11 in an articulated manner. A second end 13 of the pendulum support 5, remote from the first end 12, has a connection component 14. The connection of the first end 12 to the connecting section 7 is in the form of an articulated joint 15. In this example embodiment, the articulated joint 15 is in the form of a ball joint 15. In the area of the second end 13, a further articulated joint 16 is provided. In this example embodiment, the said further articulated joint 16 is also in the form of a ball joint. In this case, according to the example embodiment shown here, a pin section 17 extends out of the connection component 14. The pin section 17 can be connected to a chassis component (not shown), for example a wheel carrier or a control arm.

[0044] FIG. 3 shows a sectioned side view of the detail according to FIG. 2. The second connecting area 10 is tubular. An inner diameter or inner contour of the second connecting area 10 is made to match an outer diameter or outer contour of the stabilizer body end 3, with a view to forming a form-enclosing joint.

[0045] The connecting section 7 or second connecting area 10 has an elastically deformable securing element 18. In this example embodiment, the securing element 18 is in the form of a snap-in or latching hook. The stabilizer body end 3 has a holding structure 19 designed to co-operate with the securing element 18. In this example embodiment, the holding structure 19 is in the form of a depression in the outer surface of the stabilizer body end 3. By virtue of the co-operation of the securing element 18 and the holding structure 19, the snap-in and/or latch joint of the connecting section to the stabilizer body 2 is formed. For this, the securing element 18 is latched or snapped into the holding structure 19.

[0046] Furthermore, the connecting section 7 has a stop 20. By means of the stop 20 a plug-on movement of the connecting section 7, for plugging the second connecting area 10 onto the stabilizer body end 3, is limited. In this example embodiment, the stop 20 is arranged on the second connecting area 10. In this case, a front face 21 of the stabilizer body end 3 encounters the stop 20. Here, the stop 20 is in the form of a bent-up sheet tab.

[0047] In the first connecting area 9, the connecting section 7 has an opening 22. The bearing shell 11 is fitted into the said opening 22. The outside and the inside of the bearing shell 11 are essentially in the shape of a spherical section. Within the bearing shell 11 a joint ball 23 is fitted and can move. In this case, the bearing shell 11 surrounds the joint ball 23 in such a manner that the joint ball 23 is securely held inside the bearing shell 11.

[0048] The bearing shell 11 has a bearing shell opening 24, out of which part of the joint ball 23 and a joint pin 25, attached to the joint ball 23, extend. The joint pin 25 connects the first end 12 of the pendulum support 5 to the second end 13 thereof. A sealing bellows 26 is associated with the first end 12. The articulated joint 15 is protected against environmental influences by means of the sealing bellows 26. In this example embodiment, the bearing shell 11 has, on a side facing toward the sealing bellows 26, a holding groove 27. A sealing bellows rim 28 of the sealing bellows 26 is arranged and held in the holding groove 27.

[0049] On a side facing away from the pendulum support 5, the bearing shell 11 has a plurality of stiffening ribs 29. In the sectioned representation shown here, only one stiffening rib 29 can be seen. The stiffening rib 29 is supported on a side or surface 30 of the connecting section 7 that faces away from the pendulum support 5.

[0050] The bearing shell 11 has a groove-like slot 31 for receiving a rim 32 of the opening 22. Thus the bearing shell 11 grips the rim 32 so that the bearing shell 11 is held onto the opening 22 or the rim 32 in a form-enclosed manner.

[0051] FIG. 4 shows a perspective side view of two sheet-metal elements 33, 34 for forming the connecting section 7 or 8 for the stabilizer 1 according to FIGS. 1 to 3. The first sheet-metal element 33 comprises the first connecting area 9. In this representation, the bearing shell 11 has not yet been fitted into the opening 22 as it is in FIGS. 1 to 3. The rim 32 of the opening 22 is essentially circular.

[0052] In this example embodiment, the rim 32 has notches 35 and 36. In particular, the notches 35, 36 are in the form of cut-outs in the rim 32. In this case, as an example, the notches 35, 36 are formed opposite or mirror-symmetrically relative to one another. While the bearing shell 11 is being made and arranged as in FIGS. 2 and 3, the plastic of the bearing shell 11 penetrates into the notches 35, 36. This prevents or blocks any twisting or rotation of the bearing shell 11 about the mid-point of the opening 22.

[0053] The first sheet-metal element 33 has two bent-up rim areas 37, 38. In this example embodiment, the bent-up rim areas 37, 38 extend perpendicularly to the surface 30 of the first connecting area 9 in which the opening 22 is arranged. The bent-up rims areas 37, 38 stiffen the first sheet-metal element 33 and the connecting section 7, particularly, in the first connecting area 9.

[0054] The second connecting area 10 of the connecting section 7, shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, is formed by virtue of a combination or co-operation of the two sheet-metal elements 33, 34. To produce the tubular second connecting area 10, the second sheet-metal element 34, and a section of the second sheet-metal element 34 provided for forming the second connecting area 10, are in each case designed as a half-shell. The first sheet-metal element 33 has contact webs 39, 40 in the section for forming the second connecting area 10. For this, the second sheet-metal element 34 has contact webs 41, 42 designed to correspond with the said webs 39, 40. In this case, the contact webs 39 to 42 each, at the same time, form a rim section.

[0055] To form the connecting section 7 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the two sheet-metal elements 33 and 34 are positioned one over the other in such a manner that the contact webs 39 to 42 are in contact with one another. In detail, here, on the one hand, the contact webs 39 and 41 and, on the other hand, the contact webs 40 and 42 are in contact. Then, the first sheet-metal element 33 and the second sheet-metal element 34 are joined in a material-merged way, for example by a welded joint. The material-merged connection is made in the area of the contact webs 39 to 42.

[0056] FIG. 5 shows a perspective side view of the connecting section 7 after the two sheet-metal elements 33 and 34 have been joined together, as in FIG. 4, but before the connection to the joint ball 23 of the pendulum support 5. To produce the stabilizer 1 and the pendulum support 5 in combination with the connecting section 7, the connecting section 7 together with the joint ball 23 are arranged in an injection-molding die (not shown). In this example embodiment, the joint ball 23 is connected to the joint pin 25. As indicated by the arrow 43, the joint ball 23 is inserted into the opening 22 of the connecting section 7. The connecting section 7 and the joint ball 23 are positioned relative to one another in such a manner that those components are orientated relative to one another as illustrated in FIG. 3. After the connecting section 7 and the joint ball 23 have been so arranged in the injection-molding die, the bearing shell 11 is made by an injection-molding process. In this case, the bearing shell 11 is, at the same time, arranged or injection-molded in the opening 22 and on the rim 32 of the connecting section 7.

[0057] FIG. 6 shows a perspective side view of the connecting section 7, as in FIG. 5, after its connection to the joint ball 23 of the pendulum support 5. Correspondingly, the bearing shell 11 is here formed by the injection-molding process. It can also be seen that, after the injection-molding of the bearing shell 11, the pendulum support 5 has been completed. In addition, the connecting component 14 is formed with the articulated joint 16 at the second end 13 of the pendulum support 5. Thus, the pendulum support 5 in combination with the connecting section 7 form an assembly. This assembly comprising the connecting section 7 and the pendulum support 5 is then plugged onto the stabilizer body end 3, as indicated by the arrow 44. For this, the second connecting area 10 is pushed onto the stabilizer body end 3 far enough for the front 21 of the stabilizer body end 3 to encounter the stop 20 and for the securing element 18 to latch or snap into the holding structure 19, shown in FIG. 3, to form the snap-in and/or latch connection.

[0058] The stabilizer body end 3 has a flattened area 45 on its outer periphery. The flattened area 45 co-operates with a correspondingly shaped inner contour of the second connecting area 10 of the connecting section 7. Thereby a rotation-opposing feature is formed, which prevents any relative movement of the connecting section 7 in the circumferential direction about the stabilizer body end 3.

[0059] FIG. 7 shows a perspective side view of a second connecting section 46. The second connecting section 46 can be used as an alternative to the connecting section 7 or 8 shown in the previous FIGS. 1 to 6. The essential structure of the second connecting section 46 corresponds to the structure of the connecting section 7 or 8. Accordingly, reference should be made to the previous description. The same features as before are given the same indexes.

[0060] An essential difference is that the connecting section 46 is formed from a single sheet-metal element. In this case, the sheet metal of the connecting section 46 is deformed in such a manner that the connecting section 46 is produced in a double layer in the first connecting area 9.

[0061] Furthermore, in this second connecting section 46, the second connecting area 10 has a second securing element 47. The second securing element 47 is formed correspondingly or mirror-symmetrically to the securing element 18, shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0062] As an example, the bearing shell 11 is, in this case, shown without stiffening ribs 29. Alternatively, the bearing shell 11 for the second connecting section 46 can have stiffening ribs, as in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0063] FIG. 8 shows a sectioned perspective side view of the second connecting section 46 shown in FIG. 7. It is easy to see the double-layered structure of the sheet-metal element for forming the connecting section 46 in the first connecting area 9. Furthermore, it is easy to see that the two securing elements 18 and 47 are arranged opposite one another or mirror-symmetrically relative to one another.

[0064] In FIGS. 7 and 8, the second connecting section 46 is shown with the bearing shell 11, but without the joint ball 23. In fact, however, when the bearing shell 11 has been formed the joint ball 23 is movably arranged within it. In this case, the bearing shell 11 and the connection between the joint ball 23 and the second connecting section 46, by means of the bearing shell 11, are produced in accordance with the method explained with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. Owing to the omission of the joint ball 23, the structure of the bearing shell 11 and the co-operation with the first connecting area 9, as already explained with reference to the previous FIGS. 2 to 6, can be seen clearly.

[0065] FIG. 9 shows a perspective side view of a further connecting section 48. This further connecting section 48 corresponds in its structure essentially to the previously described connecting sections 7, 8 and 46. Accordingly, reference should again be made to the previous description. The same features as before are given the same indexes. As already in the second connecting section 46 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the said further connecting section 48 too is formed from a single sheet-metal element. In this case, however, the sheet metal of the further connecting section 48 is shaped in such a manner that in the first connecting area 9 it has a single-layered structure. For the sake of greater clarity, in this representation too the joint ball 23 has been omitted.

INDEXES

[0066] 1 Stabilizer [0067] 2 Stabilizer body [0068] 3 Stabilizer body end [0069] 4 Stabilizer body end [0070] 5 Pendulum support [0071] 6 Pendulum support [0072] 7 Connecting section [0073] 8 Connecting section [0074] 9 First connecting area [0075] 10 Second connecting area [0076] 11 Bearing shell [0077] 12 First end [0078] 13 Second end [0079] 14 Connecting component [0080] 15 Articulated joint [0081] 16 Articulated joint [0082] 17 Pin section [0083] 18 Securing element [0084] 19 Holding structure [0085] 20 Stop [0086] 21 Front face [0087] 22 Opening [0088] 23 Joint ball [0089] 24 Bearing shell opening [0090] 25 Joint pin [0091] 26 Sealing bellows [0092] 27 Holding groove [0093] 28 Sealing bellows rim [0094] 29 Stiffening rib [0095] 30 Surface [0096] 31 Groove-like seating [0097] 32 Rim [0098] 33 First sheet-metal element [0099] 34 Second sheet-metal element [0100] 35 Notch [0101] 36 Notch [0102] 37 Bent-up rim area [0103] 38 Bent-up rim area [0104] 39 Contact web [0105] 40 Contact web [0106] 41 Contact web [0107] 42 Contact web [0108] 43 Arrow [0109] 44 Arrow [0110] 45 Flattened area [0111] 46 Second connecting section [0112] 47 Securing element [0113] 48 Further connecting section