AXLE MOUNTING UNIT

Abstract

Axle mounting unit (1), in particular for commercial vehicles, comprising a surrounding element (10), an end element (20), at least one fastening element (30) and a securing device (40), wherein the axle mounting unit (1) is configured for mounting a first chassis part (A), in particular an axle, with a second chassis part (L), in particular a control arm, wherein the surrounding element (10) is configured to be arranged on the first chassis part (A), wherein the end element (20) is configured to be arranged on the second chassis part (L), wherein the surrounding element (10) has at least two legs (12) which each extend in a leg direction (S), wherein the end element (20) extends between the two legs (12) or is configured to extend between the two legs (12), wherein the fastening element (30) braces the end element (20) with the surrounding element (10) or is configured to brace the end element (20) with the surrounding element (10), wherein the securing device (40) is a form-fit securing device and/or is a means for creating a form-fit securing device, wherein the form-fit securing device serves to limit and/or prevent a displacement of the separated part in the leg direction (S) in a positive-locking manner in the event of mechanical failure or the severing of a part of the axle assembly unit (1), in particular a part of the leg (12).

Claims

1.-13. (canceled)

14. An axle mounting unit for commercial vehicles, comprising: a surrounding element; an end element; at least one fastening element; and a securing device; wherein the axle mounting unit is configured to clamp a first chassis part that comprises an axle, to a second chassis part that comprises a control arm; wherein the surrounding element is configured to be arranged on the first chassis part; wherein the end element is configured to be arranged on the second chassis part; wherein the surrounding element has at least two legs which each extend in a leg direction; wherein the end element is configured to extend between the two legs; wherein the fastening element is configured to brace the end element with the surrounding element; wherein the end element has at least one lead-through which is configured for one of the legs to extend therethrough; wherein the securing device includes a form-fit securing device configured to create a positive locking; wherein the form-fit securing device is configured to limit and/or prevent a displacement of a separated part of the leg in the direction of the leg in a positive-locking manner in an event of mechanical failure or the severing of the part of the leg; wherein the securing device comprises a recess which is configured to plastically deform the fastening element when the end element is clamped with the surrounding element, so that the recess forms a positive-locking connection with the plastically deformed part of the fastening element; wherein the fastening element is fixed on the surrounding element such that the fastening element can only be released destructively from the surrounding element; and wherein the recess is arranged within the at least one lead-through of the end element.

15. The axle mounting unit according to claim 14, wherein the legs are configured to extend on both sides of the first chassis part.

16. The axle mounting unit according to claim 15, wherein the surrounding element comprises a U-shaped bracket.

17. The axle mounting unit according to claim 16, wherein the securing device is part of at least one of the surrounding element, the end element, and the fastening element.

18. The axle mounting unit according to claim 17, wherein the securing device comprises a projection which extends perpendicular to the direction of the leg, and wherein the projection extends from one leg.

19. The axle mounting unit according to claim 18, wherein the ratio of the mean diameter of the leg to the diameter of the projection is in a range from 0.49 to 0.92.

20. The axle mounting unit according to claim 19, wherein the ratio is within a range of from 0.63 to 0.80.

21. The axle mounting unit according to claim 20, wherein the ratio is within a range of from 0.65 to 0.785.

22. The axle mounting unit according to claim 19, wherein the recess is annular.

23. The axle mounting unit according to claim 22, further comprising: a spring pad configured to be arranged between the first chassis part and the second chassis part, and wherein the spring pad has at least one opening through which is configured for a leg to extend through the at least one opening.

24. The axle mounting unit according to claim 14, wherein the surrounding element comprises a U-shaped bracket.

25. The axle mounting unit according to claim 14, wherein the securing device is part of at least one of the surrounding element, the end element, and the fastening element.

26. The axle mounting unit according to claim 25, wherein the securing device comprises a projection which extends perpendicular to the direction of the leg, and wherein the projection extends from one leg.

27. The axle mounting unit according to claim 26, wherein the ratio of the mean diameter of the leg to the diameter of the projection is in a range from 0.49 to 0.92.

28. The axle mounting unit according to claim 27, wherein the ratio is within a range of from 0.63 to 0.80.

29. The axle mounting unit according to claim 28, wherein the ratio is within a range of from 0.65 to 0.785.

30. The axle mounting unit according to claim 14, wherein the recess is annular.

31. The axle mounting unit according to claim 14, further comprising: a spring pad configured to be arranged between the first chassis part and the second chassis part, and wherein the spring pad has at least one opening through which is configured for a leg to extend through the at least one opening.

32. A method of mounting an axle mounting unit for commercial vehicles, comprising: providing a surrounding element; providing an end element; and providing a fastening element; connecting the surrounding element to the end element; arranging of the surrounding element on a first chassis part, that comprises an axle; arranging the end element on a second chassis part that comprises a control arm; and clamping the surrounding element with the end element by the fastening element; wherein the fastening element is plastically deformed during clamping such that the fastening element is irreversibly fixed to the surrounding element and/or to the end element; and wherein the axle mounting unit includes an axle mounting unit according to claim 14.

Description

[0027] Further advantages and features of the present invention result from the following description with reference to the figures. Individual features of the represented embodiments may also be used in other embodiments, unless this has been expressly excluded. The figures showing:

[0028] FIG. 1 a view of an axle mounting unit;

[0029] FIG. 2 a surrounding element;

[0030] FIG. 3 a sectional view through one leg of a surrounding element;

[0031] FIG. 4 a partial view of an axle mounting unit;

[0032] FIGS. 5 and 6 each a means of creating a form-fit securing device on an axle mounting unit.

[0033] FIG. 1 shows an axle mounting unit 1, which includes a surrounding element 10. An end element 20 is arranged between the legs 12 of the surrounding element 10. The end element 20 is braced with the end element 20 by means of the fastening elements 30 so that the first chassis part A is braced with the second chassis part L. Between the first chassis part A, which in the embodiment shown is formed by an axle tube, and the second chassis part L, which in the embodiment form shown is formed by a trailing arm, an spring pad 50 is arranged so that the locally occurring surface pressure on the first chassis part A and on the second chassis part L is minimized. FIG. 1 shows schematically that the left leg 12, which extends like the right leg 12 in leg direction S, may be separated by a separating tool T along the separating line TL. The mechanical tension in leg 12 can cause the separated part to move or fly away in leg direction S, so that this separated part can cause damage and/or injury to persons. In order to prevent this, the axle mounting unit 1 shown in FIG. 1 has a securing device 40 which is not detectable, to limit and/or prevent this displacement of the cut-off part in the leg direction S.

[0034] FIG. 2 shows a surrounding element 10 of an axle mounting unit 1. This surrounding element 10 has two legs 12 which are aligned parallel to each other and extend in leg direction S. Each of these legs 12 has a projection 42 in the upper third (the third facing the free end of the leg), which extends transversely to the leg direction S. This projection 42 forms at least a part of the securing device of the axle mounting unit 1.

[0035] FIG. 3 shows two different principal forms of projection 42 from FIG. 2. The location of the section (B—B) shown in FIG. 3 can be seen in principle from FIG. 2. In the upper half of FIG. 3 an oval or elliptical shape of the projection 42 of leg 12 is shown, where the diameter of projection D42 is larger than the diameter D12 of leg 12. In the lower part of FIG. 3 an alternative shape of projection 42 of leg 12 is shown, where projection 42 has a circular cross-section.

[0036] FIG. 4 shows a section of an assembled or mounted axle mounting unit 1. The leg 12 of the surrounding element 10 has a projection 42, which in the mounted state shown here has a gap in leg direction S to the end element 20. This leg 12 of the surrounding element 10 is guided through the lead-through 22 of the end element 20. If the leg 12 or the surrounding element 10 is cut through below the projection 42 in leg direction S and/or fails mechanically, the projection 42 limits and/or prevents a displacement of the (above) cut-off part in a form fit or positive-locking manner, so that the projection 42 in combination with the end element 20 forms a securing device 40. In order to be able to clamp the surrounding element 10 and the end element 20 together, the axle mounting unit 1 has at least one fastening element 30. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the leg 12 shown extends through an opening 52 of the spring pad 50, this opening 52 being configured in such a way that it is large enough so that the projection 42 can be guided through the opening 52 to simplify the assembly.

[0037] FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 show an exemplary embodiment for a securing device 40, which represents a means of creating a positive locking protection. FIG. 5 shows a situation shortly before the fastening element 30 is braced with the end element 20 or the surrounding element 10. The fastening element 30 has a ring-shaped projection in negative leg direction S, which is configured to be plastically deformed by clamping the fastening element 30 with the end element 20 in such a way that a securing device 40 forms in the ring-shaped recess 44 of the end element 20, as shown in FIG. 6.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0038] 1—axle mounting unit [0039] 10—surrounding element [0040] 12—leg [0041] 20—end element [0042] 22—lead-through [0043] 30—fixing element [0044] 40—securing device [0045] 42—projection [0046] 44—recess [0047] 50—spring pad [0048] 52—opening [0049] A—first chassis part [0050] D12—diameter of the leg 12 [0051] D42—diameter of projection 42 [0052] L—second chassis part [0053] S—leg direction [0054] T—cutting tool [0055] TL—dividing line