AIR-SUSPENSION MODULE FOR A RIGID AXLE WITH SIMPLIFIED INSTALLATION

Abstract

An air-suspension module for a rigid axle including an air-bellows mount and an air-bellows module supported on the air-bellows mount in the operational state of the air-suspension module, the air-bellows module having an air-suspension bellows designed to change its shape and a supporting body connected to the air-suspension bellows, one of the components of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body having a coupling projection protruding along a virtual projection path, which engages with a coupling recess formed at the respectively other component along the projection path, a translatory relative movement of the supporting body being physically limited relative to the air-bellows mount, orthogonally with respect to the projection path and in a direction along the projection path; one of the components of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body having a latching body and the respectively other component of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body having a latching recess such that the latching body is in a form-locking latching engagement with the latching recess, so that a translatory relative movement of the supporting body relative to the air-bellows mount is physically limited in the two opposite directions along the projection path.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. An air-suspension module for a rigid axle of a commercial motor vehicle, comprising an air-bellows mount and an air-bellows module supported on the air-bellows mount in the operational state of the air-suspension module, the air-bellows module having an air-suspension bellows designed to change its shape and a supporting body connected to the air-suspension bellows, one of the components of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body having a coupling projection protruding along a virtual projection path, which in the operational state of the air-suspension module engages with a coupling recess formed on the respectively other component of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body along the projection path, a translatory relative movement of the supporting body, in the operational state of the air-suspension module, being physically limited relative to the air-bellows mount, orthogonally with respect to the projection path and in a direction along the projection path, wherein one of the components of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body has a latching body and the respectively other component of the air-bellows mount and the supporting body has a latching recess such that in the operational state of the air-suspension module the latching body is in a form-locking latching engagement with the latching recess, so that a translatory relative movement of the supporting body relative to the air-bellows mount is physically limited in the two opposite directions along the projection path.

17. The air-suspension module as recited in claim 16, wherein the latching engagement is an insuperable latching engagement.

18. The air-suspension module as recited in claim 17, wherein at least prior to an insertion of the coupling projection into the coupling recess and thus prior to establishing the latching engagement, at least an engagement section of the latching body, designed for the direct form-locking engagement with the latching recess, is preloaded towards its engagement position and is displaceable from the engagement position against this preload.

19. The air-suspension module as recited in claim 16, wherein at least prior to an insertion of the coupling projection into the coupling recess and thus prior to establishing the latching engagement, at least an engagement section of the latching body, designed for the direct form-locking engagement with the latching recess, is preloaded towards its engagement position and is displaceable from the engagement position against this preload.

20. The air-suspension module as recited in claim 19, wherein the engagement section is preloaded by a spring towards the engagement position.

21. The air-suspension module as recited in claim 20, wherein the latching body is a spring and the engagement section is a section of the spring.

22. The air-suspension module as recited in claim 21, wherein the spring is a bow spring having two spring legs situated opposite each other across a spring gap and connected to each other by a spring bow, at least one engagement section being formed on each of the spring legs.

23. The air-suspension module as recited in claim 20, wherein the spring is a bow spring having two spring legs situated opposite each other across a spring gap and connected to each other by a spring bow, at least one engagement section being formed on each of the spring legs.

24. The air-suspension module as recited in claim 16, wherein the coupling projection is tapered along the projection path in the direction away from its supporting structure and/or the coupling recess widens in the direction toward an insertion opening, through which the coupling projection engages into the coupling recess in the operational state of the air-suspension module.

25. The air-suspension module as recited in claim 16, wherein the coupling projection is formed on the air-bellows mount and the coupling recess is formed on the supporting body.

26. The air-suspension module as recited in claim 16, wherein the latching body is formed on the supporting body and the latching recess is formed on the coupling projection.

27. The air-suspension module as recited in claim 16, wherein the supporting body has an inner body section including the coupling recess and an outer body section surrounding the inner body section.

28. The air-suspension module as recited in claim 27, wherein the inner body section and/or the outer body section are sleeve sections.

29. The air-suspension module as recited in claim 16, wherein the latching body and the latching recess are surrounded by a section of the supporting body in the operational state of the air-suspension module.

30. The air-suspension module as recited in claim 16, wherein the latching body is removable from the rest of the air-suspension module.

31. The air-suspension module as recited in claim 30, wherein the spring is a bow spring having two spring legs situated opposite each other across a spring gap and connected to each other by a spring bow, at least one engagement section being formed on each of the spring legs, and wherein the bow spring as the latching body is withdrawable in a direction crosswise with respect to the projection path both from the coupling recess as well as from the coupling projection engaging in the coupling recess.

32. A rigid axle for a commercial vehicle, comprising an axle body extending along an axle direction and having at least one air-suspension module as recited in claim 16, at least one air-bellows mount protruding from the axle body crosswise with respect to the axle direction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] The invention may take physical form in certain parts and arrangement of parts, a preferred embodiment of which will be described in detail and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which forms a part hereof and wherein:

[0043] FIG. 1 a rough schematic view along the axle direction of a rigid axle sectioned in its transverse center of the related art having a sectional plane that is orthogonal with respect to the axle direction of the rigid axle,

[0044] FIG. 2 a rough schematic lateral view along the axle direction of a rigid axle according to the invention,

[0045] FIG. 3 a rough schematic sectional view of an air-suspension module according to the invention, mounted on an axle body of the rigid axle from FIG. 2, which is indicated only in rough schematic fashion, in a sectional plane orthogonal with respect to the axle direction of the rigid axle,

[0046] FIG. 4 a rough schematic sectional view of the magnifying glass enlargement IV-IV from FIG. 3; and

[0047] FIG. 5 a rough schematic sectional view along the sectional plane V-V in FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0048] Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for the purpose of illustrating preferred and alternative embodiments of the invention only and not for the purpose of limiting the same, in FIG. 1, a rigid axle of the related art is generally denoted by reference symbol 10′. The rigid axle 10′ is, as is customary in rigid axles, formed or developed in mirror symmetry with respect to a vertical longitudinal central plane. A vertical longitudinal central plane in an operational state installed on a vehicle runs in parallel to the roll axis and in parallel to the yaw axis and orthogonally to the pitch axis of the vehicle. In FIG. 1, the viewer looks onto the part of the rigid axle 10′ situated behind a sectional plane parallel to the vertical longitudinal central plane.

[0049] The axle body 12′ extending along the axle direction A′ that is orthogonal to the drawing plane of FIG. 1 and parallel to the pitch axis of a vehicle comprising the rigid axle 10′ is pivoted on a bearing block 14′ about a swivel axis S′ that is parallel to the axle direction A′. A damper 16′ is hinged with its one end on bearing block 14′ and with its other end on axle body 12′. The damper 16′ dampens a swivel movement of the axle body 12′ about the swivel axis S′.

[0050] In the background, FIG. 1 shows a brake disk 18′ concentrically situated about the wheel axis D′ defined by the rigid axle 10′ and a brake caliper 20′ grasping the brake disk 18′ in interaction with the brake disk 18′.

[0051] On the side of the axle body 12′ facing away from the bearing block 14′, a conventional air-bellows mount 22′ is fastened by bolts on its mounting end 22a′. On the bearing end 22b′ of the air-bellows mount 22′ opposite the mounting end 22a′, an air-bellows module 24′ is anchored. The air-bellows module 24′ comprises a supporting body 26′ and an air-bellows 28′.

[0052] On its end remote from the bearing end 22b′ or from the supporting body 26′, the air-bellows 28′ is connectible or connected to a vehicle frame F′, indicated merely by dot-dash lines, for example by two threaded pins 30′.

[0053] On its end situated remotely from the air bellows 28′, the supporting body 26′ is firmly connected to the bearing end 22b′, by two screws 32′ for example.

[0054] The air-bellows mount 22′ and the air-bellows module 24′ jointly form an air-suspension module 34′.

[0055] Producing this firm connection of the supporting body 26′ to the bearing end 22b′ by the screws 32′ is cumbersome and may be substantially simplified by the present invention.

[0056] In a rough schematic top view, FIG. 2 shows a rigid axle 10 according to the invention, more precisely its one half, which extends up to the mirror symmetry plane SE that is parallel to the yaw axis and to the roll axis of the vehicle comprising the rigid axle 10 and is orthogonal to the axle direction A. The rigid axle 10 is in mirror symmetry with respect to this mirror symmetry plane SE.

[0057] Identical and functionally equivalent components and component sections as in FIG. 1 are indicated in the FIGS. 2 through 5 relating to a specific embodiment of the invention by the same reference symbols, but without apostrophe.

[0058] In addition to the components already known from FIG. 1, FIG. 2 also shows, on the side of the brake disk 18 facing away from axle body 12, a wheel flange 36, on which a wheel, more precisely a wheel rim, may be fastened by lug nuts in a manner known per se.

[0059] FIG. 3 shows a rough schematic sectional view in the sectional plane III-III of FIG. 2 through the axle body 12 and the air-bellows mount 22 retained thereon in the installed position together with the air-bellows module 24 secured thereon by latching engagement. The axle body 12 is illustrated only in a simplified manner, for example without the fastening formation for the longitudinal end of the damper 16 that is to be fastened on the axle body 12. The axle body 12 is presently not relevant. FIG. 3 is primarily to illustrate the construction of the air-suspension module 34.

[0060] At the bearing end 22b, a coupling projection 38 is formed or developed in one piece with the rest of the air-bellows mount 22, which protrudes from the latter along a projection path V. The coupling projection 38 is explained in greater detail further below in connection with the magnifying glass enlargement of FIG. 4.

[0061] The coupling projection 38 protrudes into a coupling recess 40, which is defined by an inner sleeve section 42 of the supporting body 26. The inner sleeve section 42 is an essentially cylindrical sleeve section, whose cylinder axis Z42 is collinear with the projection path V.

[0062] In the present case, the projection path V is a rectilinear projection axis V.

[0063] The inner sleeve section 42 is surrounded by an outer sleeve section 44, which is likewise an essentially cylindrical sleeve section. In the illustrated example, the cylinder axis Z44 of the outer sleeve section 44 is collinear with the cylinder axis Z42 and with the projection path V. Between the inner sleeve section 42 and the outer sleeve section 44, there is an air-filled cavity 46, which is open on the side facing away from the air bellows 28.

[0064] At their axial longitudinal ends situated closer to the air bellows 28, the sleeve sections 42 and 44 end in a joint bottom 48, which is essentially frustoconically shaped in the illustrated example. The bottom 48, widening in the direction toward the air bellows 28, together with a clamping block 50, serve, in a manner known per se, to secure an elastic skin 52 of the air bellows 28 in position. At the longitudinal end of the air bellows 28 situated remotely from the supporting body 26, an end plate 54 is situated, which is anchored in form-locking fashion in the elastomer material of the elastic skin 52 of the air bellows 28. The end plate 54 supports the aforementioned threaded pins 30, by which the air bellows 28 and the air-bellows module 24 as a whole may be fastened on the vehicle frame F.

[0065] In the operation of the air-suspension module 34, the air bellows 28 acts as an air spring, so that the end plate 54 and supporting body 26 are able to approach each other and move away from each other along a spring path W essentially coinciding with the projection path V. The end plate 54 and the supporting body 26 are also able to rotate relative to each other about an axis of rotation that is orthogonal to the spring path W, in particular parallel to the axle direction A. For a compression and expansion of the air bellows 28, the elastic skin 52 is flexed in a manner known per se, in particular flexed as uniformly as possible in the circumferential direction about spring path W.

[0066] In contrast to the fastening solution of the related art in FIG. 1, the supporting body 26 of the air-compression module 34 of FIGS. 2 and 3 is not screwed to the air-bellows mount 22, but is rather latched to it. In spite of the latching, the supporting body 26 is secured in position without play on the air-bellows mount 22, i.e. it cannot be brought closer to the air-bellows mount 22 and cannot be removed from it. Since the inner sleeve arrangement 42 abuts against the coupling projection 38 circumferentially around the projection path V, the supporting body 26 is also translatorily immovable orthogonally to the projection path V relative to the air-bellows mount 22.

[0067] An advantageous constructional example for the embodiment or development of the attachment of the supporting body 26 on the air-bellows mount 22 is explained below with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 4 shows the detail of the air-suspension module 34 contained in the magnifying glass IV of FIG. 3 in an enlarged manner. FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of the air-suspension module 34 along the sectional plane V-V in FIG. 4.

[0068] The coupling projection 38 in the illustrated exemplary embodiment is surrounded by a preferably flat contact surface 56, which is formed in one piece on the air-bellows mount 22. The inner sleeve section 42 physically abuts against this contact surface 56 with its end face, situated remotely from bottom 48, surrounding an insertion opening 57 of the inner sleeve section 42. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the inner sleeve section 42 slightly protrudes axially beyond the outer sleeve section 44. However, this need not be so.

[0069] The inner sleeve section 42 has two retaining openings 58 situated diametrically opposite each other relative to the cylinder axis Z42 of the inner sleeve section 42, in which a latching body 60 in the form of a bow spring 62 is accommodated (see also FIG. 5). The retaining openings 58, only one of which is provided with a reference symbol in the figures for better clarity, may take the form of simple slots. These slots preferably run crosswise to the projection path V or crosswise to cylinder axis Z42.

[0070] The U-shaped bow spring 62 as the latching body 60 has two essentially parallel spring legs 62a and 62b, which are connected to each other by a spring bow 62c bridging the spring gap 61 between the spring legs 62a and 62b. A section of the spring legs 62a and 62b, which is curved and bulged toward the respectively opposite spring leg, is an engagement section 60a and 60b, respectively, on the latching body 60, which engages into a latching recess 64 in the air-bellows mount 22 and there preferably in the coupling projection 38. The spring legs 62a and 62b and consequently the engagement sections 60a and 60b, respectively, are in the present case preloaded toward each other by the spring bow 62c, crosswise with respect to the projection path V or to the cylinder axis Z42.

[0071] The latching recess 64 comprises two essentially parallel grooves 64a and 64b in the coupling projection 38, which run crosswise and in particular orthogonally with respect to the projection path V, and into which the engagement sections 60a and 60b, respectively, protrude in their engagement position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0072] During the assembly of the air-suspension module 34, with the insertion movement of the coupling projection 38 along the virtual projection path V into the coupling recess 40, the engagement sections 60a and 60b may be displaced from the engagement position against the preload of the spring bow 62c by the coupling projection 38, due to its shape tapering along the projection path V, until the latching recess 64 in the form of the two grooves 64a and 64b aligns with the engagement sections 60a and 60b, respectively, and thus the engagement sections 60a and 60b, on account of being preloaded by the spring bow 62c, are able to move automatically into the respectively associated groove 64a and 64b, back into their engagement position.

[0073] Of the initially separate components of the air-bellows mount 22 and the air-bellows module 24, it then suffices for the purpose of assembling the air-suspension module 34 to screw the air-bellows mount 22 to to the axle body 12 and to screw the air-bellows module 24 to the vehicle frame F using the threaded pins 30. If the axle body 12, which is likewise connected to the vehicle frame F via the bearing block 14 explained in connection with FIG. 1, with the vehicle wheels fastened on the axle body 12 is then set on a firm ground, the coupling projection 38 moves about the swivel axis S (see FIG. 3) relative to the vehicle frame F toward the latter. In the process, the tapered surface of the coupling projection 38 acts as an insertion aid in order to insert the coupling projection 38 into the coupling recess 40. During this insertion movement, driven by the force due to the weight of the vehicle frame F, the engagement sections 60a and 60b are displaced from their engagement position, as described above, until, due to the corresponding spatial arrangement of the latching recess 64, they are able to shift back into their engagement position, whereby the latching engagement of the latching body 60 with the latching recess 64 is established without application of a tool on the air-suspension module 34.

[0074] The latching body 60 may be withdrawn from the supporting body 26 and the coupling projection 38 in the direction of arrow 66 shown in FIG. 5 crosswise with respect to the projection path V and crosswise with respect to the mutually converging preload directions of the engagement sections 60a and 60b. For this purpose, a tool, such as for example a screwdriver or any other metal rod, may be inserted as a lever into the loop formed by the spring bow 62c, and the bow spring 62 may be driven out along arrow 66 by applying the lever to a section of the solid cast component of the air-bellows mount 22. In this manner, it is possible to separate the air-bellows module 24 from the air-bellows mount 22 for repair and maintenance purposes.

[0075] For coupling the air-bellows mount 22 again to the air-bellows module 24, it suffices to situate a bow spring 62 in the retaining openings 58 in order to repeat the above-described automatic, tool-free coupling of the air-bellows mount 22 and the air-bellows module 24.

[0076] While considerable emphasis has been placed on the preferred embodiments of the invention illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated that other embodiments, and equivalences thereof, can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the invention. Furthermore, the embodiments described above can be combined to form yet other embodiments of the invention of this application. Accordingly, it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the invention and not as a limitation.