Wheel link for receiving a bearing in a vehicle

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a wheel link for receiving a bearing in a vehicle that comprises a single-piece wheel link body having a first wheel link end, a second wheel link end, and a connecting section that connects the first wheel link end and the second wheel link end. The single-piece wheel link body extends along a wheel link longitudinal axis. A sleeve-shaped eyelet is formed in the first wheel link end. And the first wheel link end is bulged to form a bearing sleeve for the bearing, increasing a diameter of the sleeve-shaped eyelet and a length of the eyelet transversely with respect to the wheel link longitudinal axis beyond the dimensions of the connecting section.

Claims

1. A method for producing a wheel link for receiving a bearing in a vehicle, comprising: provisioning a single-piece wheel link body with a first heel link end and a second wheel link end; producing a first aperture in the first wheel link end; and mechanically widening the first aperture, wherein regions of an outer face of the first wheel link end that delimit the first aperture are reshaped towards the outside of the first wheel link end during the mechanical widening to obtain a first sleeve-shaped eyelet for receiving a first bearing; producing a second aperture in the second wheel link end; and mechanically widening the second aperture, wherein regions of the outer face of the second wheel link end that delimit the second aperture are reshaped towards the outside of the second wheel link end during the mechanical widening to obtain a second sleeve-shaped eyelet for receiving the first bearing or a second bearing, wherein the first sleeve-shaped eyelet and the second sleeve-shaped eyelet form a bearing sleeve, wherein the first sleeve-shaped eyelet and the second sleeve-shaped eyelet are formed as collars which project on both sides of their respective wheel link ends.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first aperture is mechanically widened by a stationary rani, a rotating ram, or a roller burnishing tool, or any combination thereof.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: plastically deforming the first wheel link end before the production of the first aperture in the first wheel link end.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein plastically deforming the first wheel link end comprises flattening the first wheel link end or the single-piece wheel link body, or both.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first bearing is a sleeve-shaped beating, the method further comprising: introducing the sleeve-shaped bearing into the bearing sleeve formed by the first sleeve-shaped eyelet and the second sleeve-shaped eyelet.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising: plastically deforming the first wheel link end and the second wheel link end before the production of the first aperture in the first wheel link end and the second aperture in the second wheel link end.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein plastically deforming the second wheel link end comprises flattening the second wheel link end or the single-piece wheel link body, or both.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: forming the single-piece wheel link body from a solid material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further exemplary examples of the disclosure will be explained in greater detail with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a wheel link in accordance with the present disclosure; and

(3) FIG. 2 shows a method for producing a wheel link in accordance with the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(4) FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic illustration of a wheel link 100 having a single-piece wheel link body 101 which has a first wheel link end 103, a second wheel link end 104, and a connecting section 105 which connects the first wheel link end 103 and the second wheel link end 104. The single-piece wheel link body 101 extends along a wheel link longitudinal axis 107. A sleeve-shaped eyelet 109 is formed in the first wheel link end 103, and the first wheel link end 103 is bulged to form a bearing sleeve 111 for receiving a bearing, in order to increase a diameter of the sleeve-shaped eyelet 109 and a length of the sleeve-shaped eyelet transversely with respect to the wheel link longitudinal axis 107 beyond the dimensions of the connecting section 105.

(5) Furthermore, a further sleeve-shaped eyelet 110 is formed in the second wheel link end 104, and the second wheel link end 104 is bulged to form a further bearing sleeve 112 for receiving a further bearing.

(6) In one example, the cross section of the wheel link body 101 changes in the direction of the wheel link ends 103 and 104, with the result that the transition between the wheel link body 101 and the wheel link end 103 and the transition between the wheel link body 101 and the wheel link end 104 is free from edges and/or apertures.

(7) The fixed seat of a bearing in the bearing sleeve 111 is determined via a minimum contact area between the wheel link end 103 and the outer face of the bearing. The size of the contact area between the bearing and the bearing sleeve is directly proportional to the holding force which acts between the bearing and the bearing seat.

(8) FIG. 2 shows a method 200 for producing the wheel link 100 for receiving a bearing in a vehicle.

(9) The intermediate products of the wheel link 100 are shown as a cross section in a side view transversely with respect to the link longitudinal axis 107.

(10) The method 200 comprises the production 201 of an aperture 203 in the wheel link end 103. A further aperture 204 is optionally produced in the further wheel link end 104.

(11) Subsequently, the mechanical widening 205 of the aperture 203 and of the aperture 204 is carried out. Those regions of the outer face 207 of the wheel link end 103 which delimit the aperture 203 are preferably reshaped towards the outside during the widening 205, in order to obtain a sleeve-shaped eyelet 109 for receiving a bearing. In one example, those regions of the outer face 207 of the wheel link end 103 which delimit the aperture 203 can be reshaped towards the outside after the widening 205.

(12) In one example, the regions of the outer face 208 of the wheel link end 104 are reshaped towards the outside during the widening 205, in order to obtain a sleeve-shaped eyelet 110 for receiving a further bearing.

(13) In one example, the widening 205 of the apertures 203, 204 takes place by way of incremental plastic deformation.

(14) The regions which are reshaped towards the outside can form circumferential collars which border the sleeve-shaped eyelets 109 and 110. The outer sides of the collars can be concavely formed.

(15) The reshaping of the wheel link ends 103 and 104 can also comprise only one part of the material of the wheel link end, with the result that non-deformed regions can surround the sleeve-shaped eyelets 109 and 110 in the wheel link ends 103 and 104.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

(16) 100 Wheel link

(17) 101 Wheel link body

(18) 103 First wheel link end

(19) 104 Second wheel link end

(20) 105 Connecting section

(21) 107 Wheel link axis

(22) 109 Eyelet

(23) 110 Eyelet

(24) 111 Bearing sleeve

(25) 112 Bearing sleeve

(26) 200 Method for producing a wheel link

(27) 201 Production of an aperture

(28) 203 Aperture

(29) 204 Aperture

(30) 205 Mechanical widening

(31) 207 Outer face

(32) 208 Outer face