ADJUSTMENT UNIT AND ADJUSTMENT DEVICE FOR ADJUSTING A RELATIVE POSITION OF COMPONENTS SUPPORTED AGAINST ONE ANOTHER

Abstract

An adjustment unit including a bearing having an inner core formed with a passage extending in the longitudinal direction of the inner core. A spacing element is arranged in the passage, which spacing element has an opening for receiving a bearing pin, the opening extends along a longitudinal axis which defines the attachment axis of the bearing, and the attachment axis and the bearing axis are adjustable relative to one another by adjusting the spacing element. The spacing element is movably arranged in the direction of extension of the passage. When the bearing is installed, the spacing element is axially adjusted along the attachment axis and causes a translational deflection of the inner core transversely to the attachment axis.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. An adjustment unit comprising: a bearing having an inner core formed with a passage extending in the longitudinal direction of the inner core, wherein a spacing element is disposed in the passage and has an opening for receiving a bearing pin, wherein the opening extends along a longitudinal axis, which defines the attachment axis of the bearing, and wherein the attachment axis and the bearing axis are adjustable relative to one another by an adjustment of the spacing element, wherein the spacing element is movably arranged in the direction of extension of the passage, wherein, in the installed state of the bearing, the spacing element is axially adjusted along the attachment axis and causes a translational deflection of the inner core transversely to the attachment axis.

12. The adjustment unit according to claim 11, wherein the spacing element is arranged non-rotatably in the inner core.

13. The adjustment unit according to claim 11, the passage of the inner core has a longitudinal axis extending at an angle to the bearing axis.

14. The adjustment unit according to claim 11, wherein the spacing element is displaceable along at least one guide rail arranged on the inner core, wherein the guide rail extends at an angle relative to the bearing axis in the longitudinal direction of the passage.

15. The adjustment unit according to claim 14, wherein the spacing element has at least one guide element, which is received in the guide rail.

16. The adjustment unit according to claim 11, wherein the spacing element is formed with an internal thread.

17. An adjustment device for adjusting a relative position of two components supported against one another, comprising: an adjustment unit which comprises a bearing in which a spacing element is arranged, wherein the bearing is received in a bearing receptacle of the respective one component, wherein the bearing receptacle is embraced by a bearing holder arranged on the respective other component, and wherein the bearing, the spacing element and the bearing holder are penetrated by a bearing pin which can be fixed to the bearing holder by means of a screwable nut, wherein the adjustment unit is designed according to claim 11.

18. The adjustment device according to claim 17, wherein the bearing pin is in operative connection with the inner core via the spacing element in order to deflect the inner core over an adjustment travel transverse to the attachment axis.

19. The adjustment device according to claim 18, wherein the adjustment travel can be adjusted as a function of an axial travel distance of the spacing element.

20. The adjustment device according to claim 18, wherein the adjustment travel can be adjusted as a function of a number of rotations of the bearing pin.

21. The adjustment unit according to claim 12, the passage of the inner core has a longitudinal axis extending at an angle to the bearing axis.

22. The adjustment unit according to claim 12, wherein the spacing element is displaceable along at least one guide rail arranged on the inner core, wherein the guide rail extends at an angle relative to the bearing axis in the longitudinal direction of the passage.

23. The adjustment unit according to claim 12, wherein the spacing element is formed with an internal thread.

24. The adjustment unit according to claim 23, wherein the spacing element is formed with an internal thread.

25. The adjustment unit according to claim 24, wherein the spacing element is formed with an internal thread.

26. The adjustment unit according to claim 25, wherein the spacing element is formed with an internal thread.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0042] Further advantages and possible applications of the present invention will be apparent from the following description in conjunction with the exemplary embodiment shown in the drawings.

[0043] In the drawings:

[0044] FIG. 1 shows an adjustment unit according to the invention,

[0045] FIG. 2 shows an adjustment unit according to the invention arranged in a bearing receptacle of a control arm;

[0046] FIG. 3 shows a control arm on which an adjustment device according to the invention is arranged;

[0047] FIG. 4 shows a subframe and a control arm, which are supported against one another via an adjustment device according to the invention;

[0048] FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of an adjustment device according to the invention with a spacing element in the center position;

[0049] FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of an adjustment device according to the invention with a deflected spacing element; and

[0050] FIG. 7 shows a sectional view of an adjustment device according to the invention with a deflected spacing element;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0051] FIG. 1 shows an adjustment unit according to the invention, which is designated as a whole by the reference numeral 10.

[0052] The adjustment unit 10 comprises a bearing 11, which is presently designed as a rubber-metal bearing 11. The bearing 11 comprises an inner core 12, which is connected to an outer sleeve 16 via an elastomer body 14. The inner core 12 of the bearing 11 is presently substantially cylindrical in shape and extends in the direction of the bearing axis L. The inner core 12 has a passage 18, which is presently formed as a substantially rectangular, continuous recess 18, which extends in the axial direction of the bearing 11.

[0053] A spacing element 20 is arranged in the passage 18, which spacing element comprises an opening 22 for receiving a bearing pin 24 presently not shown. The opening 22 is formed with an internal thread, which is also not shown. The opening 22 defines an attachment axis A of the bearing 11, which runs parallel to the bearing axis L. In the present case, the attachment axis A and the bearing axis L overlap. Presently, the spacing element 20 is of cube-shaped design and is arranged, by means of two parallel edges 26, 28 in a precisely fitting manner in the passage 18 of the inner core 12, in order to prevent the spacing element 20 from rotating relative to the inner core 12.

[0054] The spacing element 20 is linearly adjustable or movable in the direction of extension of the bearing 11 within the passage 18. In the present case, the spacing element 20 is guided in a guide rail 32 via a guide element 30, which is designed, for example, as a guide pin 30. The guide rail 32 is arranged on an inner wall 13 of the inner core 12, and can in particular be formed as a slot, indentation or groove of the inner wall 13. It is also possible that the guide rail 32 is formed, for example, as a rail-like separate component 32. The guide rail 32 extends at an angle to the bearing axis L in the longitudinal direction of the passage 18. This means that the guide rail 32 has an inclination relative to the bearing axis L.

[0055] Presently, the inner core 12 has a further guide rail 33 opposite the guide rail 32. The two guide rails 32, 33 are essentially identically constructed and are parallel to one another.

[0056] The spacing element 20 is linearly movable within the passage 18 along the longitudinal axis of the passage 18. In the installed state of the adjustment unit 10, the linear movement of the spacing element 20 forcedly occurs along the attachment axis A, causing a translational deflection of the inner core 12 and thus of the entire bearing 11 transversely to the attachment axis A.

[0057] It is also conceivable that the passage 18 has a hexagonal shape, for example, and extends in the longitudinal direction of the bearing 11 at an angle relative to the bearing axis L, the bearing axis L and the longitudinal axis of the passage 18 extending substantially in the same plane. In this alternative embodiment, the spacing element 20 has a hexagonal shape complementary to the passage 18. The spacing element 20 is linearly movable in the passage 18, wherein the longitudinal axis of the passage 18 has an inclination or angle with respect to the bearing axis L. Due to the positive guidance of the spacing element 20 along the attachment axis A, the spacing element displaces the inner core 12 of the bearing 11 in a translational manner, wherein the direction of action of the displacement extends transversely to the attachment axis A.

[0058] FIG. 2 shows a wishbone 34 of a vehicle, which is formed at each of its ends with a first bearing receptacle 36 and a second bearing receptacle 38. An adjustment unit 10 as shown in FIG. 1 is arranged in the first bearing receptacle 36, via which the wishbone 34 can be connected, for example, to a subframe 40, which is presently not shown. The adjustment unit 10 comprises a guide rail 32 which is aligned in such a way that the direction of action of displacement of the inner core 12 extends along the longitudinal axis of the control arm. In the installed state of the control arm 34, a 90 rotated arrangement of the bearing enables, for example, the adjustment of wheel position gradients, such as the toe and/or camber angle variation over a suspension travel.

[0059] FIG. 3 shows a wishbone 34 according to FIG. 1, wherein an adjustment device according to the invention is arranged on the wishbone 34, which adjustment device is designated in its entirety by the reference numeral 50. The adjustment device 50 comprises an adjustment unit 10, which in the present case is received in the first bearing receptacle 36 of the wishbone 34 and is fixed via a bearing pin 24 to a double shear bearing holder 52. The adjustment unit 10 is concealed behind the bearing holder 52 in a space-saving manner and advantageously has the same installation space requirement as a conventional rubber-metal bearing 11, via which a control arm 42 can be connected to a subframe 40.

[0060] FIG. 4 shows the attachment of the wishbone 34 to a subframe 40, which is provided via the adjustment device 50. In this case, the subframe 40 has two longitudinal members 42 extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle X, which are connected to one another via two cross members 44 extending in the transverse direction of the vehicle Y. The direction of travel is indicated by F. A plurality of bearing holders 46, 52 are arranged laterally on the subframe 40 for attaching wheel guide elements, of which only one wishbone 34 is shown.

[0061] The adjustment device 50 according to the invention is arranged in an attachment region of the subframe 40, which is difficult to observe and/or access due to limited installation space. The bearing 11 of the adjustment device 50 is fastened to the double shear bearing holder 52 of the subframe 40 via a screw connection by means of a bearing pin 24. By turning the bearing pin 24, the distance between the subframe 40 and the wishbone 34 can be easily adjusted in the transverse direction Y of the vehicle, for example in order to change wheel position variables such as the toe and/or the camber.

[0062] The use of the adjustment device 50 is not limited to wheel suspensions. It can also be used for mounting an assembly on the subframe 40, for example.

[0063] FIG. 5 shows a cross-section of the adjustment device 50 according to FIG. 3 along the attachment axis A in an oblique view from above. The adjustment device 50 comprises an adjustment unit 10, which comprises a bearing 11 that is received in a bearing receptacle 36 of the wishbone 34. The bearing receptacle 36 is embraced by a double shear bearing holder 52 having two bearing brackets 54, 56. The bearing 11 and the bearing brackets 54, 56 are penetrated by a bearing pin 24 which is formed, for example, with a partial thread and which is fixed in the bearing holder 52 by a nut 58. The bearing pin 24 is adjacent to an attachment axis A of the bearing 11.

[0064] The inner core 12 of the bearing 11 is presently formed with a substantially rectangular passage 18. In the passage 18, a guide rail 32 designed in particular as a groove is arranged on the inner core 12. The guide rail 32 extends in the longitudinal direction of the passage 18, wherein the guide rail 32 extends at an angle relative to the bearing axis L and thus to the attachment axis A. That is, the guide rail 32 has an inclination relative to the bearing axis L as well as the attachment axis A.

[0065] A presently cube-shaped spacing element 20 is guided in the guide rail 32 by means of at least one guide element 30. For example, a guide element 30 in the form of a guide pin 30 is arranged on the spacing element 20 and is guided in the guide rail 32.

[0066] The spacing element 20 has an opening 22 in which the bearing pin 24 is received. The spacing element 20 is shown in a central position in the axial longitudinal direction of the bearing 11. In the present case, the bearing axis L and the attachment axis A overlap. The opening 22 is formed with an internal thread, not shown herein, which engages an external thread of the bearing pin 24. The bearing pin 24 is screwed into the internal thread, wherein rotation of the bearing pin 24 causes the spacing element 20 to move axially along the bearing pin 24. The nut 58 of the bearing pin 24 is presently not yet tightened. Due to the positive guidance of the spacing element 20 along the bearing pin 24, the guide element 30 displaces the inner core 12 over an adjustment travel transverse to the attachment axis. That is, the inner core 12 and thus the entire bearing 11 are displaceable transversely to the bearing pin 24. As soon as the desired adjustment travel of the bearing 11 and thus of the wishbone relative to the subframe, not shown, is reached, the nut 58 of the bearing pin 24 is tightened. Thus, the force flow again runs through the end faces of the inner core 12.

[0067] FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 each show the adjustment device 50 according to FIG. 5, wherein the spacing element 20 is arranged in differently deflected positions along the bearing pin 24. The adjustment device 50 shown is provided in particular for camber or toe correction. When the bearing pin 24 is rotated, the positive guidance of the spacing element 20 along the bearing pin 24 and an interaction of the guide element 30, not shown, with the guide rail 32, results in a displacement of the inner core 12 of the bearing 11 transversely to the bearing pin 24 or attachment axis A. The displacement of the inner core 12 changes the relative position of the inner core 12 and of the entire bearing 11 with respect to the attachment axis A, which is adjacent to the bearing pin 24. This changes the position of the control arm 42 relative to the bearing brackets 54, 56 of the bearing holder 52, which is arranged on a subframe 40, for example.

[0068] Due to the geometric design of the guide rail 32, the displacement of the control arm 34 can be adjusted as a function of the position of the spacing element 20 along the bearing pin 24, successively as a function of the number of rotations of the bearing pin 24, so that the control arm 24 approaching a respective end stop can be easily detected.

[0069] A distance between the control arm 34 and the subframe 40, presently not shown, can be adjusted in the described manner by rotating the bearing pin 24. Thus, in FIG. 6, a distance between the control arm and the subframe 40, presently not shown, is reduced by deflecting the spacing element 20 in one direction, whereas in FIG. 7, the distance between the control arm 34 and the subframe 40 is increased by deflecting the spacing element 20 in the respective other direction.