METHOD FOR PRODUCING A CHASSIS COMPONENT

Abstract

A method of producing a chassis component which includes a housing that is connected to a structural component by a weld. A receiving opening is formed in the structural component and the housing is pushed into the receiving opening, where a surface on the housing and a surface on the structural component are in contact with one another. At least one of the two surfaces in contact is formed as an oblique surface relative to the other of the two surfaces so that, before welding, a line contact exists between the two surfaces. Alternatively, the receiving opening in the structural component can be made slightly undersize relative to the housing geometry that is pushed into the receiving opening.

Claims

1-14. (canceled)

15. A method of producing a chassis component (1), having a housing (5) which is connected to a structural component (3) by a weld (7), the method comprising: forming a receiving opening (19) in the structural component (3) and pushed the housing (5) into the receiving opening (19) such that a first surface on the housing and a second surface on the structural component are in contact with each other; and forming at least one of the first and the second surfaces, which are in contact with each other, as an oblique surface (41; 31; 47) relative to the other of the first and the second surfaces, such that before welding, a line contact exists between the first and the second surfaces.

16. The method of producing a chassis component according to claim 15, further comprising making the receiving opening (19) in the structural component (3) slightly undersize relative to a housing geometry that is pushed into the receiving opening (19).

17. The method of producing a chassis component according to claim 15, further comprising making the housing geometry (27) so as to have either a constant cross-section or a conical cross-section.

18. The method of producing a chassis component according to claim 15, further comprising making the receiving opening (19), in the structural component (3), by a stamping process.

19. The method of producing a chassis component according to claim 18, further comprising making the receiving opening to be shaped with a recession (41) which extends obliquely to a central axis of the receiving opening (19).

20. The method of producing a chassis component according to claim 15, further comprising forming the oblique surface (31; 47) facing toward the structural component (3) on the housing (5).

21. The method of producing a chassis component according to claim 20, further comprising forming the oblique surface (47) on the housing on a step (29).

22. The method of producing a chassis component according to claim 15, further comprising making a connection of the through-going opening (19) to the housing (5) with a clearance fit such that there is an annular gap (33) therebetween.

23. The method of producing a chassis component according to claim 22, further comprising closing the annular gap (33) between the housing (5) and the through-going opening (19) by displacement of volume fractions of at least one of the housing (5) and the structural component (3).

24. The method of producing a chassis component according to claim 23, further comprising compressing a rim of the through-going opening axially.

25. The method of producing a chassis component according to claim 22, further comprising closing the annular gap (33), between the housing (5) and the through-going opening (19), by coating a welded assembly (3; 5) formed by the housing and the structural component.

26. The method of producing a chassis component according to claim 15, further comprising welding to one another outer surfaces (21; 49) of the receiving opening (19) and the housing (5) that extend, in each case, parallel to a central axes of the receiving opening (19) and the housing (5).

27. A chassis component (1) comprising a structural component (3) and a ball joint housing (5), the housing (5) being connected to the structural component (3) by a weld (7), a receiving opening (19) being formed in the structural component (3) and the housing (5) being pushed into the receiving opening (19) such that a first surface, on the housing, and a second surface, on the structural component, being in contact with one another, at least one of the first and the second surfaces being an oblique surface (41; 31; 47) relative to the other of the first and the second surfaces such that, before welding, a line contact exists between the first and the second surfaces, and the chassis component (1) being designed as either a flange joint or a multi-point link.

28. The chassis component (1) according to claim 27, wherein the ball joint housing (5) is part of one of a radial ball joint, an axial ball joint and a ball sleeve joint.

29. A method of producing a chassis component, the method comprising: forming a receiving opening in a structural component; pushing a ball joint housing into the receiving opening such that a first surface on the ball joint housing contacts a second surface on the structural component; forming one of the first surface and the second surface as an oblique surface with respect to the other of the first second and the first surface such that when pushed into contact with one another, a line contact is established therebetween; and welding the ball joint housing to the structural component at the line of contact between the first and the second surfaces.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] With reference to the figure descriptions given below, the invention is explained in more detail. In the figures, the same indexes denote the same or functionally equivalent components or elements.

[0026] FIG. 1: Illustration of the chassis component

[0027] FIGS. 2-4: Connection between the housing and the structural component, with an annular gap

[0028] FIGS. 5-7: Connection between the housing and the structural component, with an undersize fit and an oblique surface

[0029] FIGS. 8-9: Connection between the housing and the structural component, with a plurality of oblique surfaces

[0030] FIGS. 10-12: Connection between the housing and the structural component, with an undersize fit and parallel outer surfaces of the structural component and the housing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a chassis component 1 with a ball joint. A structural component 3, which serves for example to form a connection to some other component in a chassis, is connected to a housing 5 by means of a weld 7. The weld 7 is produced by resistance welding with no filler. Inside the housing 5 is arranged a ball socket 9, into which a joint ball 11 of a ball pin 13 is fitted so that it can rotate and swivel. The ball socket 9 extends beyond the equator of the joint ball 11 and is secured by a radially inward shaped rim 15 of the housing 5. A sealing bellows 17 protects the ball joint against dirt and/or moisture from the outside.

[0032] The sequence of FIGS. 2 to 4 makes clear the structure and the production method of the housing 3; 5 as a whole. In the structural component 3 a receiving opening 19 is produced by stamping. In this, a smooth section 21 of the stamped surface can be adjacent to an upper or a lower side of the structural component. A stamping break-out surface 23 can have a slightly conical shape comparable with a conical recess. Furthermore, the rim 35 of the receiving opening 19 can have a recession 41 in the form of a chamfer, an oblique surface or a rounded surface, which extends obliquely relative to the central axis of the receiving opening 19.

[0033] The housing is closed at the bottom and in that area has a spherically curved base area 25, which merges into an annular wall 27 that extends in the axial direction. In this example component the annular wall 27, which forms the geometry of the housing, has a constant cross-section.

[0034] At the transition between the base area 25 and the annular wall 27 a step 29 with an oblique surface 31 facing toward the structural component 3 is formed. The outer diameter of the step 29 is larger than the receiving opening 19 in the structural component 3, and in turn the receiving opening 19 is larger than the outer diameter of the annular wall 27 which, incidentally or alternatively to the oblique surface 31 of the step, can also be shaped conically and therefore with an oblique surface.

[0035] To assemble the structural component 3 with the housing 5, the housing 5 with its annular wall 27 is pushed into the receiving opening 19 until the structural component is in contact with the oblique surface 31 of the housing 5. In the case illustrated, between the housing 5 and the receiving opening made as a through-going opening 19 there is a clearance fit with an annular gap 33. Thereafter, welding electrodes (not shown) are placed axially on the housing 5 and on the structural component 3 under some axial pressure. For this the underside of the step 29 can be used to good advantage, since the welding electrode can be positioned very close to a weld 7 to be produced. In the contact zone of the oblique surface 31 against the wall of the through-going opening 19, the material is melted and the weld 7 is produced.

[0036] In a further work step the annular gap 33 is closed. Either a coating is used, which penetrates into the annular gap 33, or volume fractions of the housing 5, for example of the annular wall 27, and/or of the structural component, are displaced. In a particularly simple manner which also preserves the geometry of the housing, the rim 35 of the through-going opening 19 can be axially compressed so that material is pushed radially inward and seals the annular gap 33 reliably.

[0037] FIGS. 5 to 7 show a deviation from the production method described in relation to FIGS. 2 to 4. The difference is that relative to the geometry of the housing, i.e. to the outer diameter of the annular wall 27 which is pushed into the receiving opening 19, the receiving opening 19 is made slightly undersized.

[0038] Below an annular groove 37 provided for holding the sealing bellows 17, a centering bevel 39 is formed on the outer shell surface of the annular wall 27. The length area between the centering bevel 39 and the step 29 is in the shape of a cone with an oblique surface 31 relative to the receiving opening 19. Alternatively, the receiving opening 19 too can be stamped conically and the area between the centering bevel 39 and the step 29 can be made with a constant outer diameter. In the simplest version the length area can also have a constant cross-section and the receiving opening a constant diameter. The orientation of the smooth section 21 in the receiving opening 19 can be chosen as desired. An advantageous trend is for the smooth section 21 to face upward as in FIG. 5 and for there to be a chamfer 41 of the recession at the transition from the receiving opening 19 to the upper side 43. In this variant the sometimes burr-forming transition from the stamping fracture 23 to the underside 45 of the structural component 3 is melted during welding. If the smooth section 21 faces downward, this has the advantage that there is particularly good line contact between the structural component 3 and the housing 5.

[0039] FIG. 6 shows the assembly situation when the housing 5 is inserted into the receiving opening 19 and the structural component 3 is resting against the centering bevel 39. This secures the radial position of the structural component 3 relative to the housing 5. In a further production stage an axial preload is exerted by means of welding electrodes (not shown) on the two components 3; 5.

[0040] FIG. 7 shows the housing 5 and the structural component 3 with the weld 7. The weld 7 extends over the full axial length of the through-going opening 19. In FIG. 7 the chamfer 41 on the through-going opening 19 is made on the underside 45. If, as described above, the chamfer 41 is made on the upper side 43, then the area is also filled with displaced melted material.

[0041] FIGS. 8 and 9 show a variant in which features of the configuration in the variant according to FIGS. 2 to 4 are combined with features of the variant according to FIGS. 5 to 7.

[0042] Thus, on the housing 5 is formed an oblique surface 31 facing toward the structural component 3, and the diameter of the receiving opening 19 is slightly undersized relative to this oblique surface 31. Furthermore, the step is made with a further oblique surface 47 relative to the structural component 3. The assembly sequence corresponds to the description concerning FIGS. 2 to 7, but with the difference that the weld zone is radially longer, extending as far as the outer diameter of the step 29. Consequently, the gap between the structural component 3 and the housing 5 is completely closed. Basically, compared with the design according to FIGS. 2 to 7 the radial extension of the second oblique surface 47 can be smaller, since the first oblique surface 31 already has a supporting effect in the axial projection.

[0043] FIGS. 10 to 12 show an embodiment in which the receiving opening 19 of the structural component 3 is divided into a smooth section 21 and a stamping break-out 23, and the housing 5 again has a centering bevel 39 facing toward the receiving opening 19. For the sake of clarity, the detail marked X in FIG. 10 is shown enlarged in FIG. 11. FIG. 12 shows the same detail, but immediately before welding. The largest diameter of the centering bevel 39 is larger than the inside diameter of the receiving opening 19, so that there is an overlap between the joint partners 3; 5. Immediately before welding there is again along the centering bevel 39 a line contact between the two joint partners 3; 5. After the beginning of welding, in the axial direction the centering bevel 39 is first covered. Following on from the centering bevel 39 where its diameter is largest, in the axial extension of the housing 5 there is an area with a cylindrical outer surface 49.

[0044] Thereafter the joint partners 3; 5 are moved farther relative to one another, forming a weld 7 which, viewed in section, extends in the axial direction and is of rectangular shape. The rectangular weld 7, with sides that extend parallel to the central axis of the structural component 3 and the housing 5, extends over part of the material thickness of the structural component 3. Over the remainder of the material thickness the structural component 3 and the housing 5 are again apart from one another with an annular gap 33 between them. The weld 7 connects the smooth section 21 of the receiving opening 19 to the housing 5. The annular gap 33 is delimited by the housing 5 and the stamping break-out. In this arrangement the annular gap 33 widens out toward its open side. After the end of the welding process the structural component 3 is fixed to the housing 5 in such manner that with its underside 45 it is a distance away from the second oblique surface 47. The underside 45 and the second oblique surface 47 are at an angle of 45 to one another. The second oblique surface 47 is formed on the step 29.

INDEXES

[0045] 1 Chassis component [0046] 3 Structural component [0047] 5 Housing [0048] 7 Weld [0049] 9 Ball socket [0050] 11 Joint ball [0051] 13 Ball pin [0052] 15 Rim [0053] 17 Seal [0054] 19 Receiving opening, through-going opening [0055] 21 Smooth section [0056] 23 Stamping break-out [0057] 25 Base area [0058] 27 Housing geometry, annular wall [0059] 29 Step [0060] 31 Oblique surface [0061] 33 Annular gap [0062] 35 Rim [0063] 37 Annular groove [0064] 39 Centering bevel [0065] 41 Recess, chamfer [0066] 43 Upper side [0067] 45 Underside [0068] 47 Second oblique surface [0069] 49 Cylindrical outer surface