WHEEL SUSPENSION

Abstract

A wheel suspension having at least one chassis suspension link, a first track rod and a second track rod. A deflecting lever connects the first track rod and the second track rod to one another and the deflecting lever is mounted on the at least one chassis suspension link. To produce a simple structure of the bearing system, the bearing system is in the form of a slide bearing which is accommodated by a bearing section of the at least one chassis suspension link, in which a fastener, that connects the deflecting lever and the at least one chassis suspension link, is fitted.

Claims

1-9. (canceled)

10. A wheel suspension (1) comprising: at least one chassis suspension link (3, 4), a first track rod (5), a second track rod (6), and a deflecting lever (7) connecting the first track rod (5) and the second track rod (6) to one another and being mounted on the at least one chassis suspension link (3), the bearing system (10, 30) being in a form of a slide bearing (13, 31) which is accommodated by a bearing section (3a) of the at least one chassis suspension link (3), and a fastener (20, 34), connecting the deflecting lever (7) and the at least one chassis suspension link (3), is fitted in a slide bearing (13, 31).

11. The wheel suspension (1) according to claim 10, wherein the slide bearing (13, 31) has a two-component bearing bush (14, 32) with a first bearing bush component (14a, 32a) and a second bearing bush component (13b, 32b).

12. The wheel suspension (1) according to claim 11, wherein the first bearing bush component (14a, 32a) and the second bearing bush component (14b, 32b) are prestressed against one another.

13. The wheel suspension (1) according to claim 11, wherein the first bearing bush component (14a, 32a) and the second bearing bush component (14b, 32b) each have at one end a respective a section (15) extending radially outward, each of which is in contact with a step (18a) in the bearing section (3a).

14. The wheel suspension (1) according to claim 10, wherein the bearing bush (14, 32) is made from a thermoplastic material.

15. The wheel suspension (1) according to claim 10, wherein the fastener (20) comprises a sleeve (16) which, on an outer surface thereof, has an all-round ridge (17) positioned essentially in a middle, and a securing screw (19) that passes through the sleeve (16).

16. The wheel suspension (1) according to claim 10, wherein the fastener (34) is made as one piece and comprises a bearing segment (35) and a connecting segment (36).

17. The wheel suspension (1) according to claim 16, wherein the bearing segment (35) has a substantially flange-shaped section (37), which is at least partially in contact with a radially outward-extending section (33) of the first bearing bush component (32a).

18. The wheel suspension (1) according to claim 17, wherein on the bearing segment (36), on a side facing away from the substantially flange-shaped section (37), a substantially annular element (38) is fitted, which is at least partially in contact with a radially outward-extending section (33) of the second bearing bush component (32b).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Advantageous embodiments of the invention, which will be explained below, are illustrated in the drawings, which show:

[0021] FIG. 1: A schematic representation of a wheel suspension with a bearing system;

[0022] FIG. 2; A sectioned view along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1, and

[0023] FIG. 3: A schematic view of a bearing system according to a second embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a wheel suspension 1 with a bearing system 10. The wheel suspension 1 has a steering system 2 in the form of a toothed rack mechanism. In addition the wheel suspension 1 comprises an upper chassis suspension link 3 and a lower suspension link 4 which are in the form of wishbone transverse links, a first track rod 5 and a second track rod 6, a deflecting lever 7, a wheel carrier 8 and a connecting section 9. The upper chassis suspension link 3 and the lower suspension link 4 can also be non-integral wishbone transverse links.

[0025] The first track rod 5 is connected to the steering system 2 end by way of an articulated joint 11 to the deflecting lever 7. At one end the deflecting lever is connected by an articulated joint 11 to the second track rod 6, At its other end the deflecting lever 7 is mounted on the upper chassis suspension link 3 by way of the bearing system 10. The articulated joint 11, which connects the first track rod 5 to the deflecting lever 7, is arranged between the bearing system 10 and the articulated joint 11 of the second track rod 6. The second track rod 6 is connected to the connecting section 9 by an articulated joint 11. The wheel carrier 8 and the connecting section 9 are made integrally, in one piece. By means of respective articulated joints 11 the wheel carrier 8 is connected to the upper chassis suspension link 3 and the lower chassis suspension link 4. On the lower chassis suspension link 4 is arranged a spring damper 12.

[0026] FIG. 2 shows a sectioned view along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1. This view shows the bearing system 10 according to a first embodiment. The bearing system 10, which mounts the deflecting lever 7 on the upper chassis suspension link 3, has exactly one degree of freedom. For this, the bearing system 10 is made as a slide bearing 13. The slide bearing 13 comprises a two-part bearing bush 14 with a first bearing bush component 14a and a second bearing bush component 14b. The first bearing bush component 14a and the second bearing bush component 14b are accommodated in a through-going bore 18 that extends through the upper chassis suspension link 3. At each end the through-bore 18 has an abrupt diameter increase, so that in each case a step 18a is formed. The first and the second bearing bush components 14a, 14b have, respectively, a section 15 that extends outward in the radial direction. In the assembled position these sections 15 rest, without play, against the respectively corresponding steps 18a of the upper chassis suspension link 3. The two-part bearing bush 14 consists of a thermoplastic plastic material characterized by a low coefficient of friction and high wear resistance. For this, for example polyethylene (PE) or polyoxymethylene (POM) can be used as the plastic. The first and second bearing bush components 14a, 14b can be provided in the form of plastic semifabricates for the subsequent assembly process.

[0027] In the bearing bush 14 is fitted a fastener 20, which connects the deflecting lever 7 and the upper chassis suspension link 3 to one another. In the embodiment shown the multi-component fastener 20 comprises a sleeve 16 and a securing screw 19. The sleeve 16 is made of metal but can also be made of a plastic. On its outer surface the sleeve 16 has an all-round ridge 17 arranged essentially in the middle. In contact with this ridge 17 are arranged the first bearing bush component 14a and the second bearing bush component 14b opposite one another. The first bearing bush component 14a and the second bearing bush component 14b rest against the ridge 17 with no play. In that way the first bearing bush component 14a and the second bearing bush component 14b secure the sleeve 16 against axial displacement. The all-round ridge 17 on the outer surface of the sleeve 16 absorbs axial forces and transmits them. By means of the securing screw 19 the upper chassis suspension link 3 is screwed to the deflecting lever 7.

[0028] During the assembly of the bearing system 10, first one of the two bearing bush components 14a or 14b is inserted into the through-bore 18. Then, the sleeve 16 is inserted into the bearing bush component 14a or 14b already inserted into the through-bore 18. For the axial fixing of the first and second bearing bush components 14a, 14b it is provided that axially extending wall sections 21 of the upper chassis suspension link 3, which delimit the through-bore 18 at each respective end, are rolled or bent over so that they overlap the respective sections 15. Furthermore, in this way a prestress is applied on the first and second bearing bush components 14a, 14b, To seal the bearing system 10 at least one corrugated seal (not shown) is provided. The at least one corrugated seal seals the bearing system 10 holding the deflecting lever 7 onto the upper chassis suspension link 3 against the surroundings.

[0029] FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a bearing system 30 according to a second embodiment. The bearing system 30 is also designed as a slide bearing 31. The slide bearing 31 comprises a two-part bearing bush 32 with a first bearing bush component 32a and a second bearing bush component 32b. The first and second bearing bush components 32a, 32b are accommodated by the through-bore 18 extending through the upper chassis suspension link 3. The first and second bearing bush components 32a, 32b have in each case radially outward-extending sections 33 at one end. With their respective sections 33 the first bearing bush component 32a and the second bearing bush component 32b rest in contact with the chassis suspension link 3.

[0030] To connect the chassis suspension link 3 and the deflecting lever 7, a fastener 34 is located in the two-part bearing bush 32. The fastener 34 comprises a bearing segment 35 and a connecting segment 36. The bearing segment 35 has at its free end a flange-shaped section 37 which projects axially and radially beyond the section 33 of the first bearing bush component 32a and is in contact therewith. On the opposite side of the section 37 an annular element 38 can be pushed over the connecting segment 36 onto the bearing segment 35. The annular element 38 rests in part against the radially outward-extending section 33 of the second bearing bush component 32b. By means of a securing element such as a circlip 39 fitted on the bearing segment 35, the fastener 34 is secured against axial displacement. The connecting segment 36 is provided with an external thread so that the fastener 34 can be screwed into the deflecting lever 7. For this, in the bearing segment 35 a tool engagement aperture 40 is provided, so that the fastener 34 can be screwed into a corresponding internal thread in the deflecting lever 7.

INDEXES

[0031] 1 Wheel suspension [0032] 2 Steering system [0033] 3 Upper chassis suspension fink [0034] 3a Bearing section [0035] 4 Lower suspension link [0036] 5 First track rod [0037] 6 Second track rod [0038] 7 Deflecting lever [0039] 8 Wheel carrier [0040] 9 Connecting section [0041] 10 Bearing system [0042] 11 Articulated joint [0043] 12 Spring damper [0044] 13 Slide bearing [0045] 14 Bearing bush [0046] 14a First bearing bush component [0047] 14b Second bearing bush component [0048] 15 Section [0049] 16 Sleeve [0050] 17 Ridge [0051] 18 Through-bore [0052] 18a Step [0053] 19 Securing screw [0054] 20 Fastener [0055] 30 Bearing system [0056] 31 Slide bearing [0057] 32 Bearing bush [0058] 32a First bearing bush component [0059] 32b Second bearing bush component [0060] 33 Section [0061] 34 Fastener [0062] 35 Bearing segment [0063] 36 Connecting segment [0064] 37 Section [0065] 38 Annular element [0066] 39 Circlip [0067] 40 Tool engagement aperture