MULTIPOINT CONTROL ARM

Abstract

a multipoint control arm having a metallic base body (6), with three or more joint holding openings (11, 12, 13), and a plurality of joints (3, 4, 5) which, in each case, are seated in a respective one of the joint holding openings (11, 12, 13). A first joint, or at least one first joint (3) has a joint housing (19) inserted into a corresponding joint holding opening (11) and an inner joint portion (20) which is fitted and able to move in the joint housing (19) and extends out of the latter. The metallic base body (6) and the joint housing (19) of the first joint (3) are both embedded in a casing body (7), made from a fiber-reinforced plastic.

Claims

1-16. (canceled)

17. A multipoint control arm comprising: a metallic base body (6) having at least three joint holding openings (11, 12, 13), a plurality of joints (3, 4, 5), and each one of the plurality of joints being seated in a respective one of the joint holding openings (11, 12, 13), at least a first one of the plurality of joints (3) having an inner joint portion (20) which is movably mounted, a casing body (7) made of fiber-reinforced plastic, and one of: the metallic base body (6) and a joint housing (19) of the first joint (3) being embedded within the casing body, or the metallic base body (6) being embedded, by virtue of the casing body (7), at the same time an integrated joint housing is formed.

18. The multipoint control arm according to claim 17, wherein the joint holding opening (11) associated with the first joint (3) is formed by a hole provided in the base body (6), into which the joint housing (19) of the first joint (3) is inserted or pressed.

19. The multipoint control arm according to claim 17, wherein the first joint (3) is a ball joint, and the inner joint portion thereof is a ball stud.

20. The multipoint control arm according to claim 17, wherein second and third joints (4, 5) of the plurality of joints are one of sleeve joints, ball sleeve joints or rubber mountings, and each the second and the third joints comprises an elastomeric mounting body (24) and an inner mounting portion (22) at least partially surrounded by the mounting body (24).

21. The multipoint control arm according to claim 20, wherein the rubber mounting of each of the second and the third joints (4, 5) has an outer sleeve (23) that surrounds the mounting body (24) thereof.

22. The multipoint control arm according to claim 20, wherein the casing body (7) surrounds the joint holding openings (12, 13) associated with the rubber mountings of the second and the third joints (4, 5).

23. The multipoint control arm according to claim 20, wherein the joint holding openings (12, 13), associated with the rubber mountings of the second and the third joints (4, 5), are formed, in each case, by one or more ring bodies (14, 15; 30, 31) provided on the base body (6), in which the respective rubber mounting is seated.

24. The multipoint control arm according to claim 23, wherein the one or more ring bodies (14,15) are, in each case, formed of two half-rings (16, 17) which, relative to a line (18) passing through mid-points thereof are offset from one another.

25. The multipoint control arm according to claim 20, wherein the rubber mounting of each of the second and the third joints (4, 5) is connected, in a materially-merged manner, to the casing body (7) by way of the mounting body (24) thereof or an outer sleeve (23).

26. The multipoint control arm according to claim 17, wherein the fiber-reinforced plastic is a thermoplast mixed with relatively short fibers.

27. The multipoint control arm according to claim 17, wherein the fiber-reinforced plastic is injection-molded around the metallic base body (6) and the joint housing (19).

28. A method of producing a multipoint control arm having a metallic base body (6) with at least three joint holding openings (11, 12, 13) and a plurality of joints (3, 4, 5), each one of the plurality of joints being seated in a respective one of the joint holding openings (11, 12, 13), at least a first one of the plurality of joints (3) having an inner joint portion (20) which is movably mounted, a casing body (7) made of fiber-reinforced plastic, and either: the metallic base body (6) and a joint housing (19) of the first joint (3) being embedded within the casing body, or the metallic base body (6) being embedded, by virtue of the casing body (7), at the same time an integrated joint housing is formed, the method comprising: making the first joint (3) during a primary joint production step; making at least second and third joints (4, 5) of the plurality of joints during a secondary joint production step; making the metallic base body (6) and providing the metallic base body with the at least three joint holding openings (11, 12, 13) during a base body production step; inserting the first joint (3) with its joint body (19) into one of the at least three joint holding openings (11) during a primary joint insertion step that comes after the primary joint production step and the base body production step; during an embedding step that comes after the primary joint insertion step, injection molding the fiber-reinforced plastic molded around the base body (6) and the joint housing (19) of the first joint (3), such that the casing body (7) in which the base body (6) and the joint housing (19) are embedded is formed from the fiber-reinforced plastic; and inserting each of the second joint and the third joint (4, 5) into other openings of the at least three joint holding openings (12, 13), during a secondary joint insertion step that comes after the secondary joint production step and the base body production step.

29. The method according to claim 28, further comprising performing the secondary joint insertion before the embedding step, so that during the embedding step the fiber-reinforced plastic is injection-molded around the second and the third joints (4, 5) together with the base body (6) and the joint housing (19) of the first joint (3).

30. The method according to claim 28, further comprising pressing the second and the third joints (4, 5) into the other openings of the at least three joint holding openings (12, 13) during the secondary joint insertion step after the embedding step.

31. The method according to claim 28, further comprising forming the first joint (3) as a ball joint and forming the second and the third joints as rubber mountings.

32. A method of producing a multipoint control arm having a metallic base body (6) with at least three joint holding openings (11, 12, 13) and a plurality of joints (3, 4, 5), each one of the plurality of joints being seated in a respective one of the joint holding openings (11, 12, 13), at least a first one of the plurality of joints (3) having an inner joint portion (20) which is movably mounted, a casing body (7) made of fiber-reinforced plastic, and either: the metallic base body (6) and a joint housing (19) of the first joint (3) being embedded within the casing body, or the metallic base body (6) being embedded, and by virtue of the casing body (7), at the same time an integrated joint housing is formed, the method comprising: making the inner joint portion (20) of the first joint (3) during a primary joint production step; making second and third joints (4, 5) of the plurality of joints during a secondary joint production step; making the metallic base body (6) and providing the metallic base body with the at least three joint holding openings (11, 12, 13) during a base body production step; arranging the inner joint portion (20) of the first joint (3) in one of the joint holding openings (11) during a primary joint insertion step that comes after the primary joint production step and the base body production step; and during an embedding step that comes after the primary joint insertion step, injection molding the fiber-reinforced plastic around the base body (6) and the inner joint portion (20) of the first joint (3), such that the casing body (7), in which the metallic base body (6) is embedded, and the joint housing (19), for the joint inner portion (20) of the first joint (3), are formed from the fiber-reinforced plastic.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0054] Below, the invention is described with reference to preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawings, which show:

[0055] FIG. 1; A perspective view of a three-point control arm according to a first embodiment, which has a control arm body carrying a ball joint and two rubber mountings,

[0056] FIG. 2: A perspective view of a metallic base body for the first embodiment, with three joint holding openings,

[0057] FIG. 3: The view as in FIG. 2, in which the ball joint is inserted into one of the joint holding openings,

[0058] FIG. 4: A perspective view of a three-point control arm according to a second embodiment, which has a control arm body carrying a ball joint and two rubber mountings,

[0059] FIG. 5: A perspective view of a metallic base body for the second embodiment, with three joint holding openings,

[0060] FIG. 6: The view as in FIG. 5, in which the ball joint is inserted into one of the joint holding openings, and

[0061] FIG. 7: The view as in FIG. 6, in which, respectively, one of the rubber mountings is inserted into each joint holding openings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0062] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a three-point control arm 1 according to a first embodiment, which comprises a control arm body 2 that supports a ball joint 3 and two rubber mountings 4 and 5. The control arm body 2 comprises a base body 6 made of sheet-metal, which can be seen in the perspective view of FIG. 2, the body being embedded in a casing body 7 consisting of fiber-reinforced plastic, which determines the external appearance of the control arm body 2.

[0063] The base body 6 has two base body arms 8 and 9 which merge into one another in a base body transition zone 10. In addition the base body 6 has three joint holding openings 11, 12 and 13, the joint holding opening 11 being in the form of a through-hole provided in the base body transition zone 10. The joint holding openings 12 and 13 are provided at the free ends of the base body arms 8 and 9 remote from the base body transition zone 10 and are each formed by a ring body 14 and 15 respectively, each ring body being formed of two half-rings 16 and 17 which, along a line 18 passing through their mid-point, are offset relative to one another. Moreover, the base body 6 is formed mirror-symmetrically relative to a central plane 33 of the control arm that passes through the mid-point M of the joint holding opening 11 and extends perpendicularly to the line 18, as illustrated only schematically.

[0064] The ball joint 3 is inserted into the joint holding opening 11 of the base body 6, as can be seen in FIG. 3 which shows a perspective view of the base body 6 with the ball joint 3 inserted into the joint holding opening 11. It can also be seen in FIG. 3 that the ball joint 3 has a joint housing 19 and a ball stud 20. The ball stud 20 is fitted and able to move in the joint housing 19 and extends out of the latter. Furthermore the joint housing 19 is press-fitted into the joint holding opening 11 so that the ball joint 3 with its joint housing 19 is connected to the base body 6 by friction force. The assembly 21 so formed is placed into an injection-molding die and around it is injection-molded the fiber-reinforced plastic which, after hardening or setting, forms the casing body 7.

[0065] After that, the rubber mountings 4 and 5 are inserted into the joint holding openings 12 and 13, the rubber mountings in each case comprising an inner mounting portion 22, an outer sleeve 23 surrounding the inner mounting portion 22 and, between the inner mounting portion 22 and the outer sleeve 23 an elastomeric mounting body 24, by means of which the inner mounting portion 22 is connected to the outer sleeve 23. The rubber mountings 4 and 5 with their outer sleeves 23 are in each case press-fitted into the respective joint holding openings 12 or 13. Finally, a sealing bellows 25 too is fitted onto the ball joint 3.

[0066] From FIG. 1 it can also be seen that the control arm body 2 has two control-arm arms 26 and 27, which merge into one another in a control arm body transition zone 28 in which the ball joint 3 is seated. The joint housing 19 of the ball joint 3 is embedded in the casing body 7 and is therefore secured therein with interlock. At the free ends of the control-arm arms 26 and 27 remote from the control arm body transition zone 28 the rubber mountings are provided, and the joint holding openings 12 and 13 are surrounded by the casing body 7. Furthermore the control arm body 2 has stiffening ribs 29 formed by the casing body 7. In particular, relative to its central plane 33 the control arm body 2 is mirror-symmetrical.

[0067] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a three-point control arm 1 according to a second embodiment. In the figure features identical or similar to those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same indexes as in the first embodiment. The three-point control arm 1 according to the second embodiment comprises a control arm body 2 which carries a ball joint 3 and two rubber mountings 4 and 5. The control arm body 2 has a base body 6 made of sheet-metal, shown in perspective in FIG. 5, which is embedded in a casing body 7 consisting of fiber-reinforced plastic, which determines the external appearance of the control arm body 2.

[0068] The base body 6 has two base body arms 8 and 9, which merge into one another in a base body transition zone 10. In addition the base body 6 has three joint holding openings 11, 12 and 13, of which the joint holding opening 11 is provided in the form of a through-hole in the base body transition zone 10. The joint holding openings 12 and 13 are provided, respectively, at the free ends of the base body arms 8 and 9 remote from the base body transition zone 10 and are in each case formed by ring bodies 30 and 31 which, along a line 18 passing through their mid-points, are offset relative to one another. Moreover, relative to a central plane 33 of the control arm that passes through the mid-point M of the joint holding opening 11 and is perpendicular to the line 18, the base body 6 is mirror-symmetrically formed as is illustrated only schematically.

[0069] The ball joint 3 is inserted into the joint holding opening 11 of the base body 6, as shown in FIG. 6 which is a perspective view of the base body 6 with the ball joint 3 inserted into the joint holding opening 11. In addition it can also be seen in FIG. 6 that the ball joint 3 has a joint housing 19 and a ball stud 20. The ball stud 20 is fitted and can move within the joint housing 19, out of which it extends. Moreover, the joint housing 19 is press-fitted into the joint holding opening 11 so that the ball joint 3, with its joint housing 19, are connected to the base body 6 by friction force.

[0070] Thereafter, the rubber mountings 4 and 5 are inserted into the joint holding openings 12 and 13 of the base body 6, as shown in FIG. 7 which is a perspective view of the base body 6 with the ball joint 3 inserted into the joint holding opening 11 and the rubber mountings 4 and 5 inserted, respectively, into the joint holding openings 12 and 13. In this case the rubber mountings 4 and 5 each have an inner mounting portion 22, an outer sleeve 23 surrounding the inner portion 22 and, between the inner portion 22 and the outer sleeve 23, an elastomeric mounting body 24 by means of which the inner portion 22 is connected to the outer sleeve 23. In particular, the rubber mountings 4 and 5 are in each case press-fitted with their outer sleeves 23 into the respective joint holding openings 12, 13.

[0071] Then the assembly 32 so formed is placed in an injection-molding die and the fiber-reinforced plastic is injected around it; after this has hardened or set, it forms the casing body 7. Finally, a sealing bellows 25 is also fitted onto the ball joint 3,

[0072] From FIG. 4 it can be seen that the control arm body 2 too has two control arm body arms 26 and 27, which merge into one another at a control arm body transition zone 28 in which the ball joint 3 is seated. The joint housing 19 of the ball joint 3 is embedded in the casing body 7 and therefore secured therein with interlock. At the free ends of the control arm body arms 26 and 27 remote from the control arm body transition zone 28, the rubber mountings 4 and 5 are provided, the joint holding openings 12 and 13 being surrounded by the casing body 7. In this case the outer sleeves 23 of the rubber mountings are connected to the casing body 7 in a material-merged manner. Furthermore, the control arm body 2 has stiffening ribs 29 formed by the casing body 7. In particular, this control arm body 2 also is formed mirror-symmetrically relative to the central plane 33 of the control arm.

INDEXES

[0073] 1 Three-point control arm [0074] 2 Control arm body of the three-point control arm [0075] 3 Ball joint [0076] 4 Rubber mounting [0077] 5 Rubber mounting [0078] 6 Base body of the control arm body [0079] 7 Casing body of the control arm body [0080] 8 Arm of the base body [0081] 8 Arm of the base body [0082] 10 Transition zone of the base body [0083] 11 Joint holding opening/through-hole [0084] 12 Joint holding opening [0085] 13 Joint holding opening [0086] 14 Ring body [0087] 15 Ring body [0088] 16 Half-ring [0089] 17 Half ring [0090] 18 Line [0091] 19 Joint housing of the ball joint [0092] 20 Ball stud of the ball joint [0093] 21 Assembly comprising the base body and the ball joint [0094] 22 Inner portion of the rubber mounting [0095] 23 Outer sleeve of the rubber mounting [0096] 24 Elastomeric mounting body of the rubber mounting [0097] 25 Sealing bellows [0098] 26 Arm of the control arm body [0099] 27 Arm of the control arm body [0100] 28 Transition zone of the control arm body [0101] 29 Stiffening ribs on the control arm body [0102] 30 Ring body [0103] 31 Ring body [0104] 31 Assembly comprising the base body, the ball joint and the rubber mountings [0105] 33 Central plane of the control arm [0106] M Mid-point of the through-hole