FOUR-POINT LINK

Abstract

A four-point link (1) for a wheel suspension of a vehicle, having a core element (2), a thread (3) and four bushings (6). The thread (3) is pre-impregnated with a resin. The core element (2) has a torsional element (4) and four supporting arms (5) integrally connected to the torsional element (4). A bushing (6) is arranged, on each respective distal end of the supporting arms (5), for holding a respective bearing element. The core element (2) and the respective bushings (6) are at least partially wrapped with the thread (3) in order to connect the bushing (6), in each case, to the thread (3) at least in a non-positive manner. In addition, a method for producing the above-mentioned four-point link (1).

Claims

1-12. (canceled)

13. A four-point link (1) for a wheel suspension of a vehicle, the four-point link comprising: a core element (2), a thread (3) or a plurality of parallel threads (3), and four bushings (6), each thread (3) being immersed in or pre-impregnated with a resin, the core element (2) comprising a torsional element (4) and four supporting arms (5) integrally connected to the torsional element (4), and a respective bushing (6) being arranged, on each respective distal end of the supporting arms (5), for holding a respective bearing element, and the core element (2) and the respective bushings (6) being at least partially wrapped around with the thread (3), in each case, in order to connect, at least by friction, the bushing (6) to the thread (3).

14. The four-point link (1) according to claim 13, wherein the thread or the plurality of parallel threads (3) is wrapped many times around the core element (2) and the respective bushings (6).

15. The four-point link (1) according to claim 13, wherein the core element (2) is made from a foam material.

16. The four-point link (1) according to claim 13, wherein the bushings (6) are, in each case, made from either a metallic material or a fiber-reinforced plastic.

17. The four-point link (1) according to claim 13, wherein the thread (3) is laid, on each supporting arm (5), substantially parallel to a respective longitudinal axis (7) of the supporting arm (5) concerned.

18. The four-point link (1) according to claim 13, wherein the thread (3) is laid, on respective end faces (8) of the supporting arms (5), within an angular range of 15 to 45 relative to a respective longitudinal axis (7) of the supporting arm (5) concerned.

19. The four-point link (1) according to claim 13, wherein the thread (3) is laid, on the torsional element (4), within an angular range of 40 to 60 relative to a longitudinal axis (9) of the four-point link (1).

20. The four-point link (1) according to claim 13, wherein the core element (2) has cutouts (10) to accommodate a plurality of thread turns.

21. The four-point link (1) according to claim 13, wherein each of the bushings (6) is at least partially connected with interlock to a respective load-transfer element (11), and the load-transfer element (11) is connected, at least by friction, to the thread (3).

22. A method of producing a four-point link (1), for a wheel suspension of a vehicle, having a core element (2), a thread (3) or a plurality of parallel threads (3) and four bushings (6), each thread (3) being pre-impregnated with a resin, the core element (2) having a torsional element (4) and four supporting arms (5), and a bushing (6) being arranged, on each respective distal end of the supporting arms (5), for holding a respective bearing element, the method comprising: producing the core element (2) such that the four supporting arms (5) are integrally connected to the torsional element (4), connecting each respective bushing (6) to a respective distal end of the supporting arm (5) concerned, and at least partially wrapping the core element (2) and the respective bushings (6) with the pre-impregnated thread (3) to form at least a frictional connection between the bushing (6) concerned and the thread (3).

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising holding the core element (2) on a robot arm (12) such that during the wrapping with the thread (3) the core element (2) is guided by the robot arm (12).

24. The method according to claim 22, further comprising holding the core element (2) on a spindle (16), and guiding the thread (3) with a robot arm (12) in order to wrap the core element (2) in the thread (3).

25. A four-point link (1) for a wheel suspension of a vehicle, the four-point link comprising: a core element having a torsional element and four supporting arms being integrally connected to the torsional element, and each of the four supporting arms extending from the torsional element and having a distal end; four bushings being coupled to the distal ends of the four supporting arms, respectively, and the four bushings being arranged for respectively supporting bearing elements; and at least one thread being pre-impregnated with a resin, and the at least one thread being wrapped around the torsional element and the four supporting arms of the core element and the four bushings to at least frictionally connect the bushings and the at least one thread.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Below, preferred example embodiments of the invention are explained in greater detail with reference to the drawings, in which the same or similar elements are given the same indexes. The drawings show:

[0026] FIG. 1: A schematic view from above, of a four-point link according to the invention,

[0027] FIG. 2: A schematic edge view of the four-point link according to the invention shown in FIG. 1,

[0028] FIG. 3: A schematic view from above, of a core element with four bushings arranged on it, for the four-point link according to the invention shown in FIG. 1,

[0029] FIG. 4: A schematic side view of the core element shown in FIG. 3,

[0030] FIG. 5: A schematic sectioned representation of a partially illustrated, different example embodiment of a four-point link according to the invention,

[0031] FIG. 6: A schematic diagram to illustrate a method for producing the four-point link of FIG. 1 according to the invention, and

[0032] FIG. 7: A schematic diagram to illustrate another method for producing the four-point link of FIG. 1 according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0033] According to FIG. 1 a four-point link 1 according to the invention for a wheel suspensionnot shown hereof a vehiclealso not shown herecomprises a core element 2, a thread 3 and four bushings 6. The thread 3 is shown as an example and in a very simplified form. In particular, the thread 3 essentially forms the entire surface of the four-point link 1. The core element 2 consists of a torsional element 4 and four supporting arms 5 integrally connected to the torsional element 4. At each distal end of the respective supporting arm 5 is arranged a corresponding bushing 6 for holding in each case a bearing elementnot shown here , in particular a molecular joint. The four-point link 1 is used, for example, in a semitrailer tractor as a chassis connection and then fulfils the functions of a wishbone link and the stabilizer. Thus, the four-point link 1 is responsible for the transverse guiding and in particular for the longitudinal guiding of the axle. Furthermore, the four-point link 1 also ensures roll stabilization.

[0034] In that the core element 2 and the respective bushings 6 are wrapped around by the thread 3, the bushings 6 and the thread 3 are connected to one another at least by friction. The core element 2 is not load-bearing and serves only to determine the shape of the thread 3. The thread 3 consists of a plurality of endless fibers and is pre-impregnated with a resin. In contrast the core element 2 is made from a foam material. Furthermore, each bushing 6 is made from a metallic material. The core element 2, the thread 3 and the bushings 6 are quasi-integral, being intrinsically connected.

[0035] In particular, just one thread 3 is wrapped around the core element 2 and the respective bushings 6. On each supporting arm 5 the thread 3 is laid essentially parallel to a respective longitudinal axis 7 of the supporting arm 5 concerned, in order to absorb bending stresses. Moreover, on the torsional element 4 the thread 3 is laid at an angle of around 40 to around 60, preferably 45 relative to a longitudinal axis 9 of the four-point link 1, in order to absorb shear stresses produced by torsion.

[0036] FIG. 2 shows the four-point link 1 of FIG. 1, viewed from an edge. On each end face 8 of the supporting arm 5 concerned, the thread 2 is laid at an angle of around 20 relative to a respective longitudinal axis 7 of the supporting arm 5 concerned, in order to absorb shear stresses produced by a transverse force.

[0037] FIG. 3 shows the core element 2 and the bushings 6 attached thereto as in FIG. 1. However, the core element 2 is shown before being wrapped with the thread 3. The core element 2 has a number of cutouts 10, preferably two, to accommodate a plurality of thread turns. The two cutouts 10 locally reduce the thickness of the torsional element 4 and thereby avoid clumping of the material is this area on the outside of the torsional element 4, where there are numerous cross-over points of the thread 3. In addition, on the torsional element 4 there are formed four contact surfaces 13 for supporting the turning points of the thread 3 as necessitated by the load.

[0038] FIG. 4 shows the core element 2 of FIG. 3 viewed from the side. FIG. 4 shows in particular the flat structure of the core element 2, which results in a flat structure of the finished four-point link 1. This saves fitting space. Furthermore, it is apparent from FIG. 3 that the respective distal ends of the respective supporting arms 5 are at least in part complementary to the corresponding bushings 6as shown in FIG. 3.

[0039] FIG. 5 shows another example embodiment of the four-point link 1 according to the invention, viewed in cross-section. Specifically, a distal end of one of the supporting arms 5 is shown. One of the four supporting arms 5 is described below, but the description applies just as well to the other three supporting arms 5, which are essentially formed identically. A bushing 6 arranged on the supporting arm 5 is at least partially connected in a form-fitting manner with a load-transfer element 11. In particular the load-transfer element 11 is at least partially of semicircular shape in order to enclose the bushing 6 in part. The load-transfer element 11 is provided essentially in order to transfer compressive forces from the bushing 6 into the thread 3 connected radially thereto. The thread 3 and the load-transfer element 11 are connected with one another by friction. The load-transfer element 11 is made from a sheet-metal element.

[0040] FIG. 6 shows a preferred method for producing the four-point link 1 according to the invention. The core element 2 with the four bushings 6 attached thereto is held on a robot arm 12 that can move in three dimensions. In addition the pre-impregnated thread 3 is wound onto a rotatable spindle 14 and is unwound from the spindle 14 through a fixed guiding element 15 and wrapped around the core element 2. During the wrapping of the core element 2 with the thread 3, the core element 2 is guided by the robot arm 12.

[0041] FIG. 7 shows another preferred method for producing the four-point link 1 according to the invention. The core element 2 with the four bushings 6 attached on it is held on a preferably rotatable spindle 16. In addition the pre-impregnated thread 3 is also wound onto a rotatable spindle 14 and is unwound from the spindle 14 through a guiding element 15 arranged on the robot arm 12 and then wrapped round the core element 2. Thus, the robot arm 12 guides the thread 3 via the guiding element 15 around the core element 2 in order to wrap the latter with the thread 3. For the wrapping of a torsional element 4 formed on the core element 2 essentially all over its surface, the core element 2 is taken off the spindle 16 and re-attached at least once.

[0042] The invention is not limited to the above-described example embodiments. Other further developments emerge in particular from the description.

INDEXES

[0043] 1 Four-point link [0044] 2 Core element [0045] 3 Thread [0046] 4 Torsional element [0047] 5 Supporting arm [0048] 6 Bushing [0049] 7 Longitudinal axis of a supporting arm [0050] 8 End face of a supporting arm [0051] 9 Longitudinal axis of the four-point link [0052] 10 Cutout [0053] 11 Load-application element [0054] 12 Robot arm [0055] 13 Contact surface [0056] 14 Spindle [0057] 15 Guiding element [0058] 16 Spindle