Axle Tie Rod

Abstract

An axle tie rod adapted to be secured to an axle tube of a utility vehicle includes a connecting element and at least one link element, wherein the connecting element has a first connecting section in which a welded connection with the link element can be produced, wherein the connecting element has a second connecting section in which a welded connection with an axle tube can be produced, and wherein the second connecting section is configured to engage around the axle tube.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. An axle tie rod configured to be secured to an axle tube of a utility vehicle comprising: a connecting element; and at least one link element; wherein the connecting element has a first connecting section configured to be welded with the link element; wherein the connecting element has a second connecting section configured to be welded with the axle tube; wherein the second connecting section is configured to engage around the axle tube; and wherein the first connecting section is located in a region of the connecting element which extends in a plate shape and extends between a connecting region on a frame of the utility vehicle and the axle tube.

17. The axle tie rod as claimed in claim 16, wherein the connecting element has in the second connecting section a welding window which includes a cutout in which the welded connection between the connecting element and the axle tube can be produced.

18. The axle tie rod as claimed in claim 16, wherein the connecting element has in a first state an excess dimension with respect to an external configuration of the axle tube.

19. The axle tie rod as claimed in claim 16, wherein in the first state of the connecting element a first cross-sectional face of a volume around which the second connecting section engages is 1.02 to 1.3 times a second cross-sectional area of the external configuration of the axle tube in the region of the second connecting section.

20. The axle tie rod as claimed in claim 19, wherein in the first state of the connecting element the first cross-sectional face of the volume around which the second connecting section engages is 1.05 to 1.15 times a second cross-sectional area of the external configuration of the axle tube in the region of the second connecting section.

21. The axle tie rod as claimed in claim 20, wherein in the first state of the connecting element the first cross-sectional face of the volume around which the second connecting section engages is 1.1 to 1.15 times a second cross-sectional area of the external configuration of the axle tube in the region of the second connecting section.

22. The axle tie rod as claimed in claim 16, wherein the connecting element has a tensile region with which a tensile element can be placed in engagement in order to constrict the second connecting section to reduce the size of the first cross-sectional face.

23. The axle tie rod as claimed in claim 16, wherein the tensile element transmits a force to the connecting element such that a tensile force which runs essentially parallel to the circumference of the axle tube acts in the second connecting section.

24. The axle tie rod as claimed in claim 16, wherein in a second state the connecting element is prestressed with respect to the axle tube.

25. The axle tie rod as claimed in claim 24, wherein in the second state the connecting element is welded to the axle tube in the region of the second welding window.

26. The axle tie rod as claimed in claim 17, wherein the welding window is arranged on the connecting element such that the connecting element can be secured on a compression half or a tensile half of the axle tube.

27. The axle tie rod as claimed in claim 24, wherein in the second state the connecting element is welded to the link element in the region of the second connecting section.

28. The axle tie rod as claimed in claim 16, wherein the link element has an axle opening having an excess dimension with respect to the external geometry of the axle tube where the axle tube can be introduced with play into the axle opening.

29. The axle tie rod as claimed in claim 16, wherein the link element comprises a first link part and a second link part, and wherein the first and second link parts are configured to be welded to the connecting element on opposite sides thereof.

30. A method for producing an axle tie rod, comprising: providing a connecting element; providing a link element; providing an axle tube; arranging the connecting element on the link element such that a second connecting section of the connecting element is substantially aligned with an axle opening on the link element; securing a first connecting section of the connecting element to the link element; introducing the axle tube into the axle opening and the second connecting section; and securing the second connecting section to the axle tube.

31. The method as claimed in claim 30, wherein before the axle tube is secured to the second connecting section, the second connecting section is secured partially to the link element in a materially joined fashion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Further advantages and features of the present invention can be found in the following description with reference to the appended figures. It is apparent here that individual features which are shown in only individual figures can also be used in other embodiments of other figures insofar as this has not been explicitly ruled out or is impossible owing to technical conditions. In the drawings:

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the axle tie rod according to the invention;

[0025] FIG. 2 shows a further perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the axle tie rod according to the invention with an axle tube arranged therein; and

[0026] FIG. 3 shows a partially sectional side view of a preferred embodiment of the axle tie rod according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0027] The axle tie rod 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 has a link element 5 which is composed of a first link part 52 and of a second link part 53. Furthermore, the axle tie rod 1 has a connecting element 4 which is preferably welded to the link element 5 in a first connecting section 41. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the connecting element 4 preferably has two first connecting sections 41, wherein one of the first connecting sections 41 is welded to the first link part 52, and a second first connecting section 41 (not shown) is welded to the second link part 53. The connecting element 4 also has a second connecting section 42 which is preferably embodied curved in an annular shape, in order to enclose an axle tube 2 (not shown) and preferably secure it in an at least frictionally locking fashion. Furthermore, the second connecting section 42 has at least one welding window 45, wherein the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 has two welding windows 45. The connecting element 4 also has a tensile region 46 in which a tensile element 6 (not shown) can be arranged in order to transmit a tensile force to the tensile region 46. As a result of the force acting on the tensile region 46, the second connecting section 42 of the connecting element 4 is preferably elastically deformed in such a way that the spacing enclosed by the second connecting section 42 is constricted. In this way, the second connecting section 42 can be secured in a frictionally locking fashion to an axle tube 2. A welded connection to the axle tube 2 (not shown) is advantageously produced in the region of the welding window 45, particularly preferably in the region of the two welding windows 45. The link element 5 preferably has a supporting section 55. A spring element, preferably the air spring of a utility vehicle, can be secured to the link element 5 at the supporting section 55. Furthermore, in each case the first link part 52 and the second link part 53 preferably have one half of the supporting section 55. A welding seam is particularly preferably formed at the seam at which the link parts 52 and 53 are in contact with one another, in order to secure the link parts 52, 53 to one another. On the side shown on the left in the figure, the axle tie rod 1 preferably has a part in the form of a bushing with which the axle tie rod 1 can be rotatably secured to the bearing plug of a frame of a utility vehicle. In this context, the part in the form of a bushing is particularly preferably welded both to the first link part 52 and to the second link part 53. The connecting element 4 can particularly preferably also be welded tight to the bearing part in the form of a bushing.

[0028] In the preferred embodiment of the axle tie rod 1 according to the invention shown in FIG. 2, only the first link part 52 of the link element 5 is illustrated, in order to avoid obstructing the view to the connecting element 4. In this context, in particular the second connecting section 42 and the axle opening 51 provided on the link element 5 or on the first link part 52 can be seen. The tensile element 6 is preferably embodied as a bolt, wherein a nut for tensioning of the bolt against the tensile region 46 of the connecting element 4 is provided. The regions of the first connecting section 41 and of the second connecting section 42 which are indicated in bold and in black are welding seams connecting to the link element 5 which are produced in the preferred sequence of the method according to the invention. Furthermore, the welding windows 45 in which a welded connection can be produced between the axle tube (not shown) and the second connecting section 42 are shown.

[0029] The sectional view of the connecting element 4 and of the axle tube 2 shown in FIG. 3 illustrates, in particular, the cross-sectional face Q.sub.42 of the volume enclosed by the second connecting section 42 in relationship to the relatively small cross-sectional face Q.sub.2 of the axle tube 2. In this way, the axle tube 2 can be inserted with a certain amount of play into the second connecting section 42. In order to distribute the force transmitted by the axle tube 2 to the link element 4 in a particularly uniform fashion onto the link element 5 and with a favorable force flux, in the present example, the link element 4 surrounds the axle tube 2 in the clockwise direction in the second connecting section 42. In contrast to the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, it is therefore ensured that the material of the connecting element 4 is continuous on the upper side of the connecting element 4, in order to apply the upwardly acting force, from the axle tube 2 onto the connecting element 4, in a particularly favorable fashion into the connecting element 4 and therefore also into the link element 5. Furthermore, it is illustrated that the axle tube 2 has a compression half 21 on its upper side and a tensile half 22 on its underside in the figure. It is particularly preferred that the one welding window 45 or the preferably multiplicity of welding windows 45 of the connecting element 4 are each arranged either in the compression half 21 or in the tensile half 22. In this way, thrust stresses in the region of the welding seam can be avoided. Preferably a tensile element 6 engages in the tensile region 46 of the connecting element 4 in order to force the second connecting region 42 against the axle tube 2. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the connecting element 4 is preferably illustrated in its first state, wherein by pulling together the tensile element 6 it is possible to constrict the second connecting section 42, and the axle tie rod 1, in particular the connecting element 4 can therefore preferably be placed in the second state.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0030] 2 Axle tube [0031] 4 Connecting element [0032] 5 Link element [0033] 6 Tensile element [0034] 21 Compression half [0035] 22 Tensile half [0036] 41 First connecting section [0037] 42 Second connecting section [0038] 45 Welding window [0039] 46 Tensile region [0040] 51 Axle opening [0041] 52 First link part [0042] 53 Second link part [0043] 55 Supporting section [0044] Q.sub.42 Cross-sectional face of second connecting section [0045] Q.sub.2 Cross-sectional face of axle tube [0046] R Tube axis