METHOD FOR PRODUCING A BALL JOINT AND/OR A CHASSIS COMPONENT, AND CHASSIS COMPONENT OF THIS TYPE

Abstract

A method for producing a ball joint (18) and/or a chassis component (19), in which a joint ball (1) is made, in which the joint ball (1) is placed in an injection-molding die, in which the joint ball (1) is partially overmolded with a plastic material, and in which the plastic material is hardened to form an injection-molded joint housing (2) for the joint ball (1). A joint housing (2) is formed using the joint ball without a joint pin (10), and the joint ball (1) has respective pole surfaces (3, 4) on two sides remote from one another.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A method for producing at least one of a ball joint (18) and a chassis component (19), in which a joint ball (1) is located, the method comprising: placing the joint ball (1) in an injection-molding die, partially overmolding the joint ball (1) with a plastic material, hardening the plastic material to form an injection-molded joint housing (2) for the joint ball (1), and, during formation of the joint housing (2), the joint ball (1) overmolded without a joint pin (10), and the joint ball (1) has respective first and second pole surfaces (3, 4) on two sides remote from one another.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the ball joint (18) has a central longitudinal axis (5), and the first and the second pole surfaces (3, 4) are located on sides of the joint ball (1) opposite one another in a direction of the central longitudinal axis (5).

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising placing injection-molding process parts of the injection-molding die in contact with the first and the second pole surfaces (3, 4) such that, during the injection-molding, contact of the plastic material with the first and the second pole surfaces (3, 4) and, hence interference with mobility of the joint, is prevented.

14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising using a joint ball (1) which has one of a blind hole or a through-going opening (6) that extends in the direction of a central longitudinal axis (5) of the ball joint (18).

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising after producing the joint housing (2), one of joining, press-fitting and adhesively bonding the joint pin (10) into the blind hole or the through-going opening (6).

16. The method according to claim 11, further comprising making the joint housing (2) with a first housing opening (8), in an area of the first pole surface (3), and with a second housing opening (9), in an area of the second pole surface (4).

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising press-fitting the joint pin (10) into the blind hole or the through-going opening (6) in an area of a first housing opening (8), and, during the press-fitting of the joint pin (10), supporting the joint ball (1) in an area of a second housing opening (9) by a counter-support (13).

18. The method according to claim 16, further comprising closing the second housing opening (9) remote from the joint pin (10), by a covering element (15), and, in the area of the second housing opening (9) and/or the covering element (15), introducing a lubricant between the covering element (15) and the second pole surface (4) of the joint ball (1) facing toward the covering element (15).

19. A chassis component with a ball joint (18) produced according to claim 11, the chassis component having a basic body (21), wherein the basic body (21) and the joint housing (2) of the ball joint (18) are made integrally as one piece.

20. The chassis component according to claim 19, further comprising a structure in a form of one of a control arm, a coupling rod, a pendulum support, a track rod, a suspension joint and an axle support.

21. A method of producing at least one of a ball joint (18) and a chassis component (19), in which a joint ball (1) is made, the method comprising: placing the joint ball (1) in an injection-molding die, partially overmolding the joint ball (1) with a plastic material, hardening the plastic material to form an injection-molded joint housing (2) for the joint ball (1), and during formation of the joint housing (2), the joint ball (1) is overmolded without any joint pin (10) being present and first and second pole surfaces (3, 4), on opposed sides of the joint ball (1), rest against the injection-molding die, during the overmolding, so as to avoid interfering with required mobility of the joint ball (1) following manufacture of the ball joint (18).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the following figures, which show:

[0024] FIG. 1: A schematic representation of a first drive-train of a working machine;

[0025] FIG. 2: A schematic representation of a second drive-train of a working machine;

[0026] FIG. 3: A schematic representation of a third drive-train of a working machine;

[0027] FIG. 4: A schematic representation of a fourth drive-train of a working machine;

[0028] FIG. 5: A simplified flow chart of the method according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0029] FIG. 1 shows in greatly simplified and schematic form a drive-train 1 of a working machine. In this case the drive-train 1 comprises first, second and third vehicle axles I, II, III, wherein the first axle I is designed to be a front axle and the second and third axles II and III are rear axles. Arranged on the first vehicle axle there are two wheels R1, R1′, on the second vehicle axle II there are two wheels R2, R2′ and on the third vehicle axle III there are again two wheels R3, R3′. In addition, two detection means S1, S1′ are associated with the first vehicle axle I, two detection means S2, S2′ with the second vehicle axle II, and two detection means S3, S3′ likewise with the third vehicle axle III. In this case the detection means S1, S1′, S2, S2′, S3, S3′ are rotational speed sensors.

[0030] In addition the first vehicle axle I has a differential gear system 4, the second vehicle axle II a differential gear system 6 and the third vehicle axle III a differential gear system 7. The differential gear systems 4, 6, 7 are in this case in the form of transverse differential gear systems. Thus, they enable rotational speed equalization between the wheels R1, R1′, R2, R2′ and R3, R3′; of the respective vehicle axles I, II, III.

[0031] Furthermore, between the first and second vehicle axles I, II a differential gear system 5 is arranged and between the second and third vehicle axles II, III a differential gear system 8 is arranged. The two differential gear systems 5, 8 are in this case in the form of longitudinal differential gear systems and enable rotational speed equalization between the first and second vehicle axles I, II and the second and third vehicle axles II, III, respectively.

[0032] A drive element 2 provides the necessary drive power. The drive element 2 can in particular be in the form of an internal combustion engine. It is also conceivable, however, that it could be an electric motor. By means of broken lines, transmission devices 3 are represented. These are in particular driveshafts provided between the respective differential gear systems 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and between the differential gear system 5 and the drive element 2. By means of the transmission devices 3 the rotational speed and the torque is transmitted. So long as the working machine and its drive-train 1 are moving in a forward travel direction F, the wheels R1, R1′ of the first vehicle axle I cover a particular trajectory whereas the wheels R2, R2′ of the second vehicle axle II cover the same stretch after a time interval. In the same way the wheels R3, R3′ of the third vehicle axle III cover the same stretch after a further interval. If now one of the detection means S1, S1′ of the first vehicle axle I identifies an unacceptable wheel rotational speed of one of the wheels R1, R1′, then the control unit (not shown here) emits a signal to lock the differential gear system 4. A similar process takes place if for one of the wheels R2, R2′ of the second vehicle axle II or one of the wheels R3, R3′ of the third vehicle axle III an unacceptable value of the wheel rotational speed is detected. Correspondingly, the differential gear system 6 and/or the differential gear system 7 is locked or a signal to lock those differential gear systems 6, 7 is emitted.

[0033] So long as for both wheels R, R1′, R2, R2′, R3, R3′ of a vehicle axle I, II, III an unacceptable wheel rotational speed value is detected at the same time, a signal to lock the differential gear system 5 and/or the differential gear system 8 is emitted and those differential gear systems 5, 8 are locked.

[0034] Since the distances between the vehicle axles I, II, III are not variable, if there is an unacceptable wheel rotational speed at one of the vehicle axles I, II, III it can be concluded that there is a traction reduction and this can be calculated if one of the later vehicle axles II, III passes over exactly the same area. Correspondingly, when this situation is reached or already shortly before, a signal to lock the differential gear system 6 or the differential gear system 7 is emitted.

[0035] Also not shown are further detection means, which for example are in the form of GPS sensors. These can be provided in addition to the existing detection means S1, S1′, S2, S2′, S3, S3′.

[0036] In the embodiment of the drive-train 1 illustrated here, the differential gear systems 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 are arranged centrally. This means that they are the same distance away from the left-hand and right-hand sides of the working machine. Furthermore, the second vehicle axle II is in the form of a so-termed drive-through axle. This means that the differential gear system 6, besides the rotational speed equalization at the second vehicle axle II, also ensures a drive-through to the differential gear system 8 and thereby also to the third vehicle axle III.

[0037] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a second drive-train 1. This differs from the drive-train 1 described in FIG. 1, in that the differential gear systems 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 are this time no longer arranged centrally. Rather, relative to the travel direction F the differential gear systems 4, 6 and 7 are offset parallel to and by the same distance from the differential gear systems 5 and 8. Furthermore, the differential gear system 5 is now connected to the differential gear system 8 by way of the transmission devices 3, while the differential gear system 8 is connected via the transmission devices 3 to the differential gear system 6 and the differential gear system 7. From this it follows that the second vehicle axle II is no longer a drive-through axle. However, the method according to the invention can be carried out in the same way with the existing drive-train.

[0038] FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of an alternative design and therefore a third drive-train 1. This differs from the embodiment described in FIG. 1 in that the differential gear system 8 between the second and third vehicle axles II, III is omitted. All the other elements of the drive-train 1 and their functional interconnections are the same as in the arrangement and functional mode described in FIG. 1.

[0039] FIG. 4 shows schematically a different version of the drive-train 1 in FIG. 2. In contrast to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the drive-train 1 shown in this case comprises a direct connection by way of transmission devices 3 between the differential gear system 6 and the differential gear system 5 and also the differential gear system 7 and the differential gear system 5. In all other respects the embodiments of the drive-train 1 shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 are the same.

[0040] In general it should be noted that the wheels R1, R2, R3 are all arranged on the left-hand side of the working machine and the wheels R1′, R2′, R3′ are arranged on the right-hand side of the working machine.

[0041] FIG. 5 shows a greatly simplified flow chart of the method according to the invention. In a first step A, a signal to unlock the respective differential gear systems 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 is emitted. This signal can be emitted independently of any previous program or process sequence, in order to ensure that all the differential gear systems 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 are in an unlocked or open condition. Advantageously, the first process step A can also be carried out when the vehicle is started. Alternatively, it is also conceivable that the first process step A is suppressed when the vehicle is started, so that all the differential gear systems 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 remain in their last-set operating conditions.

[0042] In a second process step B, a rotational speed of at least one wheel R1, R1′, R2, R2′, R3, R3′ is determined. This is done in particular with reference to the detection means S1, S1′, S2, S2′, S3, S3′.

[0043] Thereafter, in a third step C a comparison is carried out between the rotational speed determined and an acceptable rotational speed. So long as the rotational speed determined corresponds to the acceptable rotational speed, having regard to a tolerance range of the acceptable rotational speed, the process reverts from the third process step C to the second process step B. In particular, the purpose of this is that periodically the corresponding wheel rotational speed is determined again and a comparison is carried out. In this, the time interval for the repeated carrying out of the determination and comparison of the wheel rotational speed, i.e. the period length, can be fixed or varied with reference to further parameters.

[0044] So long as in the third process step C it is found that the rotational speed determined has adopted or reached an unacceptable rotational speed value, in a fourth process step D a signal to lock the differential gear system 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 concerned is generated and emitted by a control unit (not shown here). In addition the process reverts from the fourth process step D to the first process step A. Due to the reversion between the fourth and first process steps D, A, it is ensured that the differential gear system 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 concerned remains in a locked condition only for as long as is necessary for optimum driving operation.

[0045] This reversion also takes place periodically. This at the same time means that the locking condition of the differential gear system 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 concerned produced in the fourth process step D persists during a certain time interval before a signal to unlock the differential gear system 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 is emitted in the first process step A. The period length after which the change from the fourth process step D to the first process step A takes place, can be influenced by driving dynamics parameters X. Thus, such driving dynamics parameters X can in particular contribute toward shortening a specified period length. In particular this happens when the working machine begins driving round a curve or when a limit value for a curve radius is reached or exceeded, at which limit a locked differential gear system 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 has a disadvantageous influence on the driving dynamics of the working machine.

[0046] The sequence for the method according to the invention described in FIG. 5 pictures the determination of a wheel rotational speed, and if the wheel rotational speed is unacceptable, a differential gear system 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 concerned is locked for only one of the wheels R1, R1′, R2, R2′, R3, R3′ of the working machine. Correspondingly, the sequence shown in FIG. 5 can be scaled as desired and extended to other wheels R1, R1′, R2, R2′, R3, R3′ of the working machine. In particular, the process sequence shown can be extended in such manner that with a plurality of locked differential gear systems 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 a weighting can be applied, to indicate for which of these differential gear systems 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 an unlocking signal should be emitted as a priority. Correspondingly, it is also conceivable that this information should influence the driving dynamics parameters X in relation to the period length of the reversion from the fourth process step D to the first process step A.

INDEXES

[0047] 1 Drive-train [0048] 2 Drive element [0049] 3 Transmission device [0050] 4 Differential gear system [0051] 5 Differential gear system [0052] 6 Differential gear system [0053] 7 Differential gear system [0054] 8 Differential gear system [0055] I, II, III Vehicle axle [0056] R1, R1′ Wheel [0057] R2, R2′ Wheel [0058] R3, R3′ Wheel [0059] S1, S1′ Detection means [0060] S2, S2′ Detection means [0061] S3, S3′ Detection means [0062] A, B, C, D Process step [0063] X Driving dynamics parameter