Chassis suspension component with eccentric disc stop and method for producing a chassis suspension component

Abstract

The invention relates to a chassis suspension component with a bracket made from a formable base material, preferably sheet steel, and comprising at least one slot for receiving a connecting bolt and at least one stop for an eccentric disc which is or can be connected rotationally fixedly to the connecting bolt. In order to be able to produce the eccentric stop process-reliably and economically without the risk of crack formation, the invention proposes to provide a tab formed from the base material and folded relative to a body portion of the suspension component and having a recess surrounding the slot, which recess defines two elongate stop faces running parallel to each other, wherein the stop faces serve as a stop for the eccentric disc. The invention also relates to a method for producing a chassis suspension component.

Claims

1. A chassis suspension component with a bracket made from a formable base material, the chassis suspension component comprising: at least one slot configured for receiving a connecting bolt; and at least one stop for an eccentric disc configured to be connected rotationally fixedly to the connecting bolt, wherein a tab formed from the base material and folded relative to a body portion of the chassis suspension component comprises a recess surrounding the slot, wherein the recess defines two elongate stop faces running parallel to each other, and wherein the stop faces serve as a stop for the eccentric disc.

2. The chassis suspension component according to claim 1, wherein the recess is configured so as to be elongate.

3. The chassis suspension component according to claim 1, wherein the recess has round or rounded corners.

4. The chassis suspension component according to any of claim 1, wherein the tab is folded such that a fold line runs transversely to the longitudinal axis of the at least one slot.

5. The chassis suspension component according to claim 1, wherein the base material, with the exception of the folded tab, is formed as a substantially channel-like body with two legs, wherein at least one of the legs comprises the at least one slot.

6. The chassis suspension component according to claim 5, wherein the tab is folded at an end face of the leg comprising the at least one slot.

7. The chassis suspension component according to claim 5, wherein the folded tab and the leg comprising the tab delimit a gap, wherein the width of the gap lies in the range from 0.1 to 10 mm.

8. The chassis suspension component according to claim 5, wherein the height of the tab is smaller than the height of the leg comprising the tab.

9. The chassis suspension component according to claim 1, wherein the recess in the tab delimits a yoke-shaped web of the tab, wherein the web has a width which amounts to at least twice the thickness of the tab.

10. The chassis suspension component according to claim 9, wherein a minimal width of the web amounts to less than 15 times, the thickness of the tab.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 a perspective view of a channel-shaped chassis suspension component;

(2) FIG. 2 in a perspective view, a portion of the chassis suspension component from FIG. 1 with a connecting bolt provided with an eccentric disc;

(3) FIG. 3a in a side view, a portion of the chassis suspension component according to FIG. 1 but in a state in which the tab of the chassis suspension component according to the invention has not been folded;

(4) FIG. 3b in a side view, the portion of the chassis suspension component shown in FIG. 3a with folded tab;

(5) FIG. 4 in a top view, a portion of the chassis suspension component with folded tab according to FIG. 1;

(6) FIG. 5 a perspective view of a further exemplary embodiment of a channel-like chassis suspension component with folded tab as an eccentric stop;

(7) FIG. 6 in a side view, a portion of the chassis suspension component from FIG. 5 but without the connecting bolt and without the eccentric disc; and

(8) FIG. 7 in a top view, a portion of the chassis suspension component from FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(9) FIG. 1 shows diagrammatically a chassis suspension component 2 for a motor vehicle. The chassis suspension component 2 shown symbolically is a control arm. The chassis suspension component 2 has an eccentric stop which allows the tracking and/or camber of the chassis suspension to be adjusted.

(10) The chassis suspension component 2 is made from sheet metal, preferably sheet steel, which is shaped after being cut from a blank. The chassis suspension component is preferably made of high strength steel, in particular from multiphase or complex phase steel which for example has a tensile strength of at least 800 MPa and a yield strength of at least 680 MPa. The metal thickness of the chassis suspension component 2 lies for example in the range from 1 to 4 mm, preferably in the range from 1.5 to 3 mm.

(11) The chassis suspension component 2 has a substantially U-shaped or channel-like cross-sectional profile. Two mutually aligned passage holes 4 in the form of slots 4 are made in the legs 6 of the channel-like chassis suspension component 2. A connecting bolt 20 is pushed through the slots 4 of the channel-like chassis suspension component 2 and through a bearing bush (not shown) or similar arranged between the legs 6 (see FIG. 2). By sliding the connecting bolt 20 along the longitudinal axis of the slots 4, the camber of the assigned vehicle wheel, i.e. the angle of the wheel plane to the vertical, and the tracking of the vehicle wheels, can be set via the chassis suspension component 2 or the control arm.

(12) A folded tab 8 is formed on at least one of the legs 6, preferably on both legs 6 of the chassis suspension component 2, wherein the tab 8 has a recess 10 surrounding the slot 4 of the leg 6 including the tab 8. The recess 10 of the tab here defines two elongate stop faces 16 running parallel to each other, which serve as a stop for an eccentric disc 18. The eccentric disc 18 is inserted in the recess 10 and is or can be connected rotationally fixedly to the connecting bolt 20.

(13) Further recesses 12 are made in the legs 6 of the chassis suspension component 2, and are formed for example so as to be circular, oval or also in the form of a slot. These additional recesses 12 have various functions. At least two of the mutually aligned circular recesses (passage holes) 12 may also serve as connecting points for a bearing bush of a pivot bearing. The relatively large elongate recesses (slots) 12 reduce the weight of the chassis suspension component 2. Also, recesses 14 are formed in the base surface of the chassis suspension component 2 connecting the legs 6. The recesses 14 are open towards the end faces of the suspension component 2 and delimited by a U-shaped cut edge.

(14) FIG. 2 shows a portion of the end of the chassis suspension component 2 including the folded tabs, wherein the connecting bolt 20 provided with eccentric discs 18 is received in the mutually aligned slots 4 of the legs 6. The eccentric discs 18 received in the recesses 10 of the folded tabs 8 are connected rotationally fixedly to the connecting bolt 20. For example, for this the connecting bolt 20 has an axial groove (not shown) in which the annular eccentric disc 18 engages by form fit with a protrusion protruding radially inwardly at its passage opening.

(15) The recess 10 of the tab 8 defines a yoke-like web 22. The mutually parallel stop faces 16 are connected together by mutually parallel portions 22.1, 22.2 of the yoke-like web 22. The corners 24 of the recess 10 are configured so as to be round or rounded. Accordingly, the transitions between the two portions 22.1, 22.2 running parallel to each other and a middle part 23 of the yoke-like web 22 are preferably formed as arcuate web portions. The width B of the web 22 preferably amounts to around 3 to 4 times the metal sheet thickness D of the tab 8. It is furthermore evident that the fold line X of the tab 8 runs substantially orthogonally to the longitudinal axis of the slot 4 surrounded by the recess of the tab 8.

(16) FIG. 3a shows a portion of the chassis suspension component 2 with the tab 8 including the recess 10 in a state in which the tab 8 has not yet been folded. It is evident that the height H.sub.L of the tab 8 is significantly smaller than the height H.sub.S of the leg 6 including the tab 8. The height H.sub.L of the tab 8 amounts for example to around 0.8 times the height H.sub.S of the leg 6 including the tab 8. FIG. 3b shows the portion of the chassis suspension component 2 shown in FIG. 3a in the same view with folded tab 8.

(17) FIG. 4 shows in a top view the portion of the control arm 2 shown in FIG. 3b. The leg 6 and the tab 8 running parallel thereto delimit a gap 26. The gap 26 has a gap width which lies for example in the range from 0.5 to 1 mm. The fold angle of the tab 8 is preferably substantially 180°.

(18) FIGS. 5 to 7 show a further exemplary embodiment of a chassis suspension component 2′ which has folded metal tabs 8 as an eccentric stop. The chassis suspension component 2′ shown is a single-shell, channel-like control arm (spring control arm). The control arm 2′ is made from sheet steel and has a first end portion 2.1 which is configured for connection to a chassis suspension carrier, for example a rear axle carrier, a second end portion 2.1 which is configured for connection on the wheel side, a portion 2.3 of greater width formed between the two end portions 2.1, 2.2 and defining a spring seat 2.4 for supporting a coil spring (not shown), and a connecting portion 2.5 formed between the spring seat 2.4 and the second end portion 2.2 for connection of a damper (not shown).

(19) The end portion 2.1 of the control arm 2′ has for its connection two mutually aligned slots 4 formed in the legs 6 of the channel-like control arm body. The longitudinal axes of the slots 4 run substantially parallel to each other and in the direction of the longitudinal extension of the control arm 2′.

(20) A connecting bolt 20 is inserted in the slots 4 and connected rotationally fixedly to two eccentric discs 18. The tabs 8 serving as eccentric stops are formed integrally on the single-shell control arm 2′. They are formed on the end face of both legs 6 and folded by around 180° so that they run parallel to the outside of the legs 6. The tabs 8 have recesses 10 in which the eccentric discs 18 are received. The respective recess 10 defines two elongate stop faces 16 running parallel to each other as stops for the eccentric disc 18.

(21) The recess 10 surrounding the slot 4 in the respective tab 8 here defines a yoke-like web 22, wherein the two stop faces 16 are connected together by web portions 22.1, 22.2 running parallel to each other. The corners 24 of the recess 10 are rounded. Accordingly, the transitions between the recesses 22.1, 22.2 and the middle part 23 of the yoke-like web 22 are configured so as to be arcuate. The width B of the web 22 amounts for example to around 3 to 4 times the metal sheet thickness D of the tab 8. The fold line X of the tab 8 runs substantially orthogonally to the longitudinal axis of the slot 4. The leg 6 and the tab 8 running parallel thereto delimit a gap 26 with a gap width for example in the range from 0.5 to 3 mm.

(22) The execution of the invention is not restricted to the exemplary embodiments depicted in the drawing. Rather numerous variants are conceivable which also make use of embodiments of the invention disclosed in the attached claims and deviating from the examples shown.

(23) While several examples of the invention are shown in the accompanying figures and described in detail hereinabove, other aspects will be apparent to, and readily made by, those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. Accordingly, the foregoing description is intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive. The invention described hereinabove is defined by the appended claims and all changes to the invention that fall within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.