WHEEL SUSPENSION FOR A VEHICLE

Abstract

Wheel suspension has a steering knuckle support with two hole openings opposed to one another in an axial direction and form openings of a mounting hole, two axle pins spaced apart axially, extend in axial direction and engage in the mounting hole through the hole openings, and a chassis component supported at axial end portions of the axle pins to be swivelable relative to the steering knuckle. A first contact area at the hole openings has a conical inner circumferential surface. The conical inner circumferential surfaces of the first contact areas narrow in diameter toward one another in axial direction. The axle pins have a second contact area with a conical outer circumferential surface that narrow in diameter toward one another in axial direction and contact the conical inner circumferential surfaces of the first contact areas.

Claims

1.-13. (canceled)

14. A wheel suspension for a vehicle, comprising: a steering knuckle support provided two hole openings that are opposed to one another in an axial direction and form openings of at least one mounting hole which is provided in the steering knuckle support and which extends in axial direction; two axle pins that are axially spaced apart extend in the axial direction and engage in the at least one mounting hole through the hole openings; a chassis component supported at axial end portions of the two axle pins to be swivelable relative to the steering knuckle support around a swiveling axis extending in the axial direction; a respective first contact area is provided at each hole opening and each having a conical inner circumferential surface, wherein the conical inner circumferential surfaces of each respective first contact areas narrow in diameter toward one another in axial direction; and a respective second contact area with a conical outer circumferential surface of each of the two axle pins have a conical outer circumferential surface, wherein the conical outer circumferential surfaces of each respective second contact areas narrow in diameter toward one another in axial direction and contact the conical inner circumferential surfaces of the first contact areas.

15. The wheel suspension according to claim 14, wherein the first contact areas are formed by conical washers inserted into the hole openings and at which the conical inner circumferential surfaces are provided.

16. The wheel suspension according to claim 15, wherein each of the conical washers is connected to the steering knuckle support so as to be rigid against rotation with respect to the swiveling axis.

17. The wheel suspension according to claim 15, wherein the conical washers each have a cylindrical tube portion at their respective axial ends which face one another, which cylindrical tube portion, inside the at least one mounting hole, contacts the steering knuckle support by its outer circumferential surface and contacts the respective axle pin by its inner circumferential surface.

18. The wheel suspension according to claim 14, wherein the two axle pins are screwed into the at least one mounting hole.

19. The wheel suspension according to claim 14, wherein the at least one mounting hole is a through-hole, the two axle pins each have an axially through-going cavity, and an inner part is provided that extends in axial direction through the axially through-going cavities.

20. The wheel suspension according to claim 19, wherein two axial securing elements are provided at the inner part, the two axle pins being arranged therebetween and secured to the inner part in axial direction by positive engagement.

21. The wheel suspension according to claim 19, wherein the inner part is connected to one of the two axle pins to be rigid against rotation.

22. The wheel suspension according to claim 19, wherein a recess with an inner circumferential surface, which is nonround in cross section, is provided in each instance in front sides of the end portions of the two axle pins, this inner circumferential surface being engaged by a correspondingly shaped outer circumferential surface of an insert that is inserted into the recess, surrounds the inner part and is connected to the inner part to be rigid against rotation.

23. The wheel suspension according to claim 22, wherein a respective joint is arranged on the end portions of each of the two axle pins, wherein the chassis component is mounted at the end portions of the two axle pins by the respective joints to be swivelable around the swiveling axis relative to the steering knuckle support.

24. The wheel suspension according to claim 14, wherein the chassis component is a steering knuckle.

25. The wheel suspension according to claim 24, wherein a vehicle wheel is mounted on the steering knuckle to be rotatable around a wheel rotation axis.

26. The wheel suspension according to claim 14, wherein a plurality of chassis links connect the steering knuckle support to a chassis frame.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0027] The invention will be described in the following with reference to a preferred embodiment form referring to the drawings. The drawings show:

[0028] FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view of a wheel suspension;

[0029] FIG. 2 is a section from FIG. 1 with a steering knuckle support;

[0030] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an area of the wheel suspension identified by A in FIG. 2;

[0031] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of an area of the wheel suspension identified by B in FIG. 2;

[0032] FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view of the steering knuckle support in a detail view; and

[0033] FIG. 6 is a view of a quantity of components which serve for articulating a steering knuckle to the steering knuckle support.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0034] Different views and partial views of a wheel suspension 1 according to one aspect of the invention are shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. The wheel suspension 1 has a steering knuckle support 2 in which is provided a mounting hole 3 which extends in an axial direction x and is formed as a through-hole. Further, the wheel suspension 1 has two axle pins 5, which are arranged axially spaced apart, extend in axial direction x, have in each instance an axially through-going cavity 4 and are screwed into the mounting hole 3, these axle pins 5 extending out of the mounting hole 3 in each instance by an axial end portion 6. A joint 7, 8 is arranged in each instance on the axial end portions 6. Further, the wheel suspension 1 has an inner part 9 which extends in axial direction x through the through-going cavities 4 of the axle pins 5, a steering knuckle 27 which is mounted to be swivelable around a swiveling axis 10 extending in axial direction x relative to the steering knuckle support 2 by the joints 7 and 8 at the axial end portions 6 of the axle pins 5, and a vehicle wheel 11, which is mounted at the steering knuckle 27 to be rotatable around a wheel rotation axis 12. The steering knuckle support 2 is connected to a chassis frame 15 of a vehicle via two control arms 13 and 14 which can be seen from the detail view in FIG. 5. Further, a plurality of component parts, e.g., the axle pins 5, the joints 7 and 8 and the inner part 9, are shown in FIG. 6.

[0035] The axial ends of the mounting hole 3 form hole openings into which, in each instance, a conical washer 16 is inserted, a first contact area with a conical inner circumferential surface 17 being provided at the latter. The conical inner circumferential surfaces 17 of the first contact areas narrow in diameter toward one another in axial direction x. The axle pins 5 further have a second contact area with a conical outer circumferential surface 18. The conical outer circumferential surfaces 18 of the second contact areas narrow in diameter toward one another in axial direction x and contact the conical inner circumferential surfaces 17 of the first contact areas. Further, the conical washers 16 have, in each instance, at their axial ends facing one another a cylindrical tube portion 19 which contacts the steering knuckle support 2 inside the mounting hole 3 by its outer circumferential surface and the respective axle pin 5 by its inner circumferential surface.

[0036] FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of an area of the wheel suspension 1 identified by A in FIG. 2. A recess 20 with an inner circumferential surface, which is hexagonal in cross section, is provided in the front side of the axial end portion 6 of the axle pin 5. A correspondingly shaped outer circumferential surface of an insert 21 inserted into the recess 20 and surrounds the inner part 9 engages at this inner circumferential surface. The insert 21 is provided as an axial projection at an annular disk 22 and is formed integral with and/or is rigidly connected to this annular disk 22. Accordingly, the axle pin 5 is connected to the insert 21 and/or to the annular disk 22 so as to be rigid against rotation. The outer circumferential surface of the inner part 9 further has a flat portion 29 at which the inner circumferential surface of the annular disk 22 and/or of the insert 21 engages by a flat portion. The inner part 9 is therefore connected to the annular disk 22 and/or the insert 21 so as to be rigid against rotation. Further, a nut 23 by which the annular disk 22 is fixed in position with the insert 21 is screwed on to the end of the inner part 9. The annular disk 22 axially contacts the front side of the axial end portion 6 of the axle pin 5. An inner joint part 24 of the joint 7 is supported on the axial end portion 6 of the axle pin 5 and is fixed to the latter by the annular disk 22. The inner joint part 24 is supported moveably in an outer joint part 25 of the joint 7, the outer joint part 25 being fixedly connected to the steering knuckle 27. Further, a sealing ring 26 is provided which seals the conical washer 16 relative to the steering knuckle 27. The sealing ring 26 is carried in a recess incorporated in a front side of the conical washer 16 remote of the mounting hole 3.

[0037] FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of an area of the wheel suspension 1 identified by B in FIG. 2. A recess 20 with an inner circumferential surface which is hexagonal in cross section is provided in the front side of the axial end portion 6 of the axle pin 5. A correspondingly shaped outer circumferential surface of an insert 21, which is inserted into the recess 20 and surrounds the inner part 9 engages at this inner circumferential surface. The insert 21 is provided as an axial projection at an annular body 28 and is formed integral with and/or is rigidly connected to this annular body 28. Accordingly, the axle pin 5 is connected to the insert 21 and/or to the annular body 28 so as to be rigid against rotation. Further, the annular body 28 is axially fixed in position. The annular body 28 axially contacts the front side of the axial end portion 6 of the axle pin 5. An inner joint part 24 of the joint 8 is supported on the axial end portion 6 of the axle pin 5 and is fixed to the latter. An inner joint part 24 of the joint 8 is supported on the axial end portion 6 of the axle pin 5 and is fixed to the latter. The inner joint part 24 is movably supported in an outer joint part 25 of the joint 8, the outer joint part 25 being fixedly connected to the steering knuckle 27. Further, a sealing ring 26 is provided that seals the conical washer 16 relative to the steering knuckle 27. The sealing ring 26 is carried in particular in a recess incorporated in a front side of the conical washer 16 remote of the mounting hole 3. Further, a rotary encoder 30 is coupled to the inner part 9 and/or the annular body 28. The rotation of the steering knuckle 27 around the swiveling axis 10 relative to the steering knuckle support 2 can be detected the rotary encoder 30.

[0038] The annular disk 22, which is axially fixed to the inner part 9, and the annular body 28, which is axially fixed to the inner part 9, in each instance form axial securing elements, the axle pins 5 being arranged between the axial securing elements and accordingly secured at the inner part 9 in axial direction x via positive engagement.

[0039] Thus, while there have shown and described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.