Check rail with a ball-and-socket joint

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a check rail for a rail suspension in a vehicle. The check rail may include a check rail body, and a ball-and-socket joint pan formed in the check rail body, wherein the ball-and-socket joint pan may include a circumferential inner wall and a receiving opening, with a ball-and-socket joint pin with an articulated ball in the ball-and-socket joint pan, and with a plastic injection layer configured to embed the articulated ball in the ball-and-socket joint pan between the circumferential inner wall of the ball-and-socket joint pan and the articulated ball.

Claims

1. A check rail for a wheel suspension in a vehicle, comprising: a check rail body; a ball-and-socket joint pan formed in the check rail body, wherein the ball-and-socket joint pan comprises a circumferential inner wall and a receiving opening; a ball-and-socket joint pin with an articulated ball in the ball-and-socket joint pan; a sprayed plastic injection layer on the circumferential inner wall that is configured to embed the articulated ball in the ball-and-socket joint pan between the circumferential inner wall of the ball-and-socket joint pan and the articulated ball; and a round plate that closes off the receiving opening and secures the articulated ball in the ball-and-socket joint pan, wherein the sprayed plastic injection layer is at least on sections of a surface of the round plate, and wherein the surface faces an inner chamber of the ball-and-socket joint pan; wherein a central recess breaks through a bottom of the ball-and-socket joint pan and has no plastic injection layer, and the articulated ball dips at least partially into the central recess.

2. The check rail according to claim 1, wherein the inner wall forms a circumferential inner surface of the ball-and-socket joint pan, and wherein the sprayed plastic injection layer is configured to compensate a difference in shape between the circumferential inner surface and a ball-shaped jacket surface of the articulated ball.

3. The check rail according to claim 2, wherein the circumferential inner surface is a cylindrical or a rectangular inner surface of the ball-and-socket joint pan.

4. The check rail according to claim 1, wherein an inner chamber of the ball-and-socket joint pan is shaped to be cylindrical or rectangular.

5. The check rail according to claim 1, wherein the articulated ball is embedded in the sprayed plastic injection layer.

6. The check rail according to claim 1, wherein the bottom of the ball-and-socket joint pan is level, or funnel-shaped, or shaped like a spherical shell.

7. The check rail according to claim 1, wherein the round plate is firmly bonded to the check rail body.

8. The check rail according to claim 7, wherein the round plate is firmly bonded to the check rail body by a welding connection, a soldering connection, or by an adhesive connection.

9. The check rail according to claim 1, wherein the check rail body is formed in one piece from steel or from an extruded profile.

10. The check rail according to claim 1, wherein the check rail body further comprises: a long shank and a short shank extending from the long shank in a bent manner, wherein the long shank comprises a first long shank end and a second long shank end, wherein the short shank comprises a short shank end, wherein the ball-and-socket joint pan is formed in the first long shank end, and wherein the second long shank end comprises a bearing receptacle configured to receive a bearing.

11. The check rail according to claim 10, wherein the short shank end comprises a casing-shaped bearing receptacle configured to receive a rotary bearing.

12. The check rail according to claim 1, wherein the check rail is a transversal rail.

13. A method for manufacturing a check rail for a wheel suspension in a vehicle, comprising: providing a check rail body and a ball-and-socket joint pan formed in the check rail body, wherein the ball-and-socket joint pan comprises a circumferential inner wall and a receiving opening; introducing a ball-and-socket pin with an articulated ball into the ball-and-socket joint pan to position the articulated ball in the ball-and-socket joint pan; and injecting a plastic injection layer between the circumferential inner wall of the ball-and-socket joint pan and the articulated ball, wherein injecting the plastic injection layer comprises spraying the plastic injection layer onto the circumferential inner wall of the ball-and-socket joint pan; wherein the articulated ball dips at least partially into a central recess breaking through a bottom of the ball-and-socket joint pan, and the plastic injection layer is injected such that the central recess has no plastic injection layer.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising: closing the receiving opening with a round plate, wherein the round plate is connected in a firmly bonded manner to the check rail body, and wherein the plastic injection layer is injected after the closing of the receiving opening with the round plate.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the plastic injection layer is injected through a bottom-side recess of the ball-and-socket joint pan.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Examples of the present disclosure are explained in detail with reference made to the attached drawings.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a ball-and-socket joint of a check rail according to a first example;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a check rail with a ball-and-socket joint according to a second example; and

(4) FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a method for producing a check rail for a wheel suspension of a vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a ball-and-socket joint of a check rail 100 according to a first example in a sectional side view. The check rail 100, in particular a transversal rail, is set into a wheel suspension of a vehicle, wherein the wheel suspension comprises a wheel carrier for supporting a wheel of the vehicle. Therefore, the check rail 100 according to the present disclosure makes possible an effective receiving of forces which act during the travel of the vehicle on the check rail 100.

(6) In the view shown in FIG. 1 the check rail 100 is shown only in sections.

(7) The check rail body 101 is formed here especially in one piece from metal, especially steel, or from an extruded profile. A formed, one-piece check rail body 101 consisting of metal, in particular of steel has an especially advantageous mechanical stability. If the check rail body 101 is formed from an extruded profile, an especially advantageous manufacture of the check rail 100 is ensured.

(8) The check rail 100 comprises a check rail body 101 in which a ball-and-socket joint pan 103 is formed, wherein the ball-and-socket joint pan 103 comprises a circumferential inner wall 105, and wherein the circumferential inner wall 105 delimits an inner chamber 107 of the ball-and-socket joint pan 103.

(9) Der check rail 101 also comprises a receiving opening 111 through which a ball-and-socket joint pin 109 is run so that an articulated ball 113 of the ball-and-socket joint pin 109 is received in the ball-and-socket joint pan 103. In the view shown in FIG. 1 the receiving opening 111 is shown only schematically since the receiving opening 111 is closed by a round plate 115 after the introduction of the articulated ball 113.

(10) The round plate 115 is firmly bonded to the check rail body 101, in particular by a welding connection or a soldering connection or by an adhesive connection. Die round plate 115 closes off the receiving opening 111 and secures the articulated ball 113 in the ball-and-socket joint pan 103. Therefore, the round plate 115 ensures that the articulated ball 113 does not slide out unintentionally from the ball-and-socket joint pan 103 when forces act on the check rail 100.

(11) The ball-and-socket joint pan 103 has a bottom 117 which has a central recess 119 into which the articulated ball 113 dips at least partially. As is only schematically shown in FIG. 1, the central recess 119 breaks through the bottom 117. In the example shown in FIG. 1 the bottom 117 is formed to be level, wherein the bottom 117 can nevertheless be alternatively shaped like a funnel or like a spherical shell.

(12) After the articulated ball 113 has been received in the ball-and-socket joint pan 103 and the receiving opening 111 has been closed off by the round plate 115, plastic is injected from underneath the check rail body 101 through the central recess 119 of the bottom 117 into the inner chamber 107 of the ball-and-socket joint pan 103.

(13) As a consequence, a plastic injection layer 123 develops between the inner wall 105 of the ball-and-socket joint pan 103 and a jacket surface 121 of the articulated ball 113. The plastic injection layer 123 formed in the inner space 107 of the ball-and-socket joint pan 103 is only schematically shown in the view selected in FIG. 1.

(14) The articulated ball 113 is effectively embedded in the ball-and-socket joint pan 103 by the plastic injection layer 123 formed between the inner wall 105 of the ball-and-socket joint pan 103 and the jacket surface 121 of the articulated ball 113. This ensures a loss-proof receiving of the articulated ball 113 in the ball-and-socket joint pan 103 and the rotary movement of the articulated ball 113 in the ball-and-socket joint pan 103 is made possible with a low resistance.

(15) Since the inner wall 105 shown in FIG. 1 can have corners and edges and in particular forms a cylindrical or rectangular inner surface of the ball-and-socket joint pan 103, the plastic injection layer 123 compensates a difference in shape between the circumferential inner surface of the ball-and-socket joint pan 103 and the ball-shaped jacket surface 121 of the articulated ball 113

(16) Die plastic injection layer 123 is sprayed to this end on the inner wall 105 so that the articulated ball 113 is embedded in an especially effective manner in the plastic injection layer 123.

(17) In addition, the plastic injection layer 123 can be sprayed at least partially on its surface 125 of the round plate 115 which surface faces the inner chamber 107 of the ball-and-socket joint pan 103. This can bring about an especially effective fastening of the round plate 115 on the check rail body 101.

(18) As a result of the fact that the ball-and-socket joint pan 103 is formed in the check rail body 101, no additional housing or an additional bearing shell for receiving the articulated ball 113 is necessary, as a result of which the weight of the check rail 100 can be reduced and in addition the manufacturing costs of the check rail 100 can be lowered.

(19) The articulated ball 113 can be effectively received in the ball-and-socket joint pan 103 and the articulated ball 113 can be secured by the round plate 115 in a loss-proof manner in the ball-and-socket joint pan 103. The articulated ball 113 is especially effectively embedded in the ball-and-socket joint pan 103 by the plastic injection layer 123 injected between the inner wall 105 of the ball-and-socket joint pan 103 and the jacket surface 121 of the articulated ball 113 and can carry out rotary movements inside the ball-and-socket joint pan 103 with a reduced resistance.

(20) FIG. 2 shows a check rail 100 with a ball-and-socket joint according to a second embodiment.

(21) The check rail body 101 of the check rail 100 comprises a long shank 127 and a short shank 129 extending in a bent manner from the long shank 127. The long shank 127 comprises a first long shank end 131 and a second long shank end 133. The short shank 129 comprises a short shank end 135.

(22) A ball-and-socket joint pan 103 of a ball-and-socket joint is formed in the first long shank end 131. In the view shown in FIG. 2 according to the second example an articulated ball 113 of a ball-and-socket joint pin 109, which articulated ball is introduced into the ball-and-socket joint pan 103, is not shown. Refer for this to the schematic view of a ball-and-socket joint pin 109 according to the first example in FIG. 1.

(23) A round plate 115 is arranged on the first long shank end 131, which plate is connected in a firmly bonded manner to the check rail body 101, in particular by a welding connection, e.g., a laser welding connection MAG welding connection, friction welding connection or a soldered connection or by an adhesive connection. When the ball-and-socket joint pin 109, not shown in FIG. 2, has been introduced through a receiving opening 111 into the ball-and-socket joint pan 103, the round plate 115 closes off the receiving opening 111 and secures the articulated ball 13, which is not shown in FIG. 2, in the ball-and-socket joint pan 103.

(24) After the round plate 115 has been fastened onto the check rail body 101, a plastic injection layer 123 not shown in FIG. 2 is injected between a circumferential inner wall 105 of the ball-and-socket joint pan 103 and a jacket surface 121 of the articulated ball 113, which surface is not shown in FIG. 2. A difference in shape between the inner wall 105 of the ball-and-socket joint pan 103 and the articulated ball 113 can be compensated by the plastic injection layer 123. In this manner the articulated ball 113 is effectively embedded in the ball-and-socket joint pan 103.

(25) An especially effective fastening of the check rail 100 can be ensured by the ball-and-socket joint arranged on the first longitudinal shank end 131.

(26) The second longitudinal shank and 133 of the longitudinal shank 127 comprises a bearing receptacle 137 for receiving a bearing, in particular an elastomeric bearing.

(27) The short shank end 135 of the short shank 129 comprises a casing-shaped bearing receptacle 139 for receiving another rotary bearing.

(28) Furthermore, several more perforations 141 are formed in the check rail body 101.

(29) Therefore, the check rail 100 has three ends 129, 131, 133 for each receiving a different bearing so that the check rail 100 can be advantageously fastened to a wheel suspension, in particular to a wheel carrier of a vehicle and to one or more structural body parts of the vehicle.

(30) As a consequence, forces acting on the check rail 100 can be especially advantageously received by the check rail 100.

(31) FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a method 200 for producing a check rail 100 for a wheel suspension.

(32) The method 200 comprises as the first step the making available 201 of a check rail body 101 in which a ball-and-socket joint pan 103 is formed, wherein the ball-and-socket joint pan 103 has a circumferential inner wall 105 and a receiving opening 111.

(33) The method 200 comprises as the second step the introduction 203 of a ball-and-socket pin 109 with an articulated ball 113 into the ball-and-socket joint pan 103 in order to position the articulated ball 113 in the ball-and-socket joint pan 103.

(34) The method 200 comprises as the third step the injecting 205 of a plastic injection layer 123, after the introduction of the ball-and-socket joint pan 109, between the circumferential inner wall 105 of the ball-and-socket joint pan 103 and the articulated ball 113.

(35) Here, after the introduction 203 of the ball-and-socket joint pin 109 into the ball-and-socket joint pan 103, the receiving opening 111 is closed with a round plate 115, wherein the round plate 115 is connected in a firmly bonded manner to the check rail body 101, and wherein the plastic injection layer 123 is injected after the closing of the receiving opening 111 with a round plate 115.

(36) An especially effective manufacture of the check rail 100 can be ensured by the method 200. The plastic can be injected in particular through a central recess 119 of a bottom 117 of the ball-and-socket joint pan 103 into an inner chamber 107 of the ball-and-socket joint pan 103. After the plastic has hardened, the plastic injection layer 123 is maintained between the circumferential inner wall 105 of the ball-and-socket joint pan 103 and the articulated ball 113 in order to form the ball-and-socket joint.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

(37) 100 check rail 101 check rail body 103 ball-and-socket joint pan 105 inner wall 107 inner chamber 109 ball-and-socket joint pin 111 receiving opening 113 articulated ball 115 round plate 117 bottom 119 central recess 121 jacket surface of the articulated ball 123 plastic injection layer 125 surface der round plate 127 long shank 129 short shank 131 first longitudinal shank end 133 second longitudinal shank end 135 short shank end 137 bearing receptacle 139 casing-shaped bearing receptacle 141 perforation 200 method for manufacturing a check rail 201 first method step: Making a check rail body available 203 second method step: Introduction of a ball-and-socket joint pin 205 third method step: Injection of a plastic injection layer