CONNECTING ARRANGEMENT FOR A STABILIZER OF A VEHICLE

Abstract

A connecting arrangement for a stabilizer of a vehicle, with at least one lever that extends transversely to a longitudinal direction. The lever has a bearing eye provided with a non-circular inner circumferential contour. A torsion-bar spring with a rotation axis extends in the longitudinal direction. The torsion-bar spring has an outer circumferential contour, at least at one end, that matches the inner circumferential contour of the bearing eye and which fits into the bearing eye. The wall of the bearing eye is cut through by at least one slit extending in the longitudinal direction, by which two opposite wall sections of the wall are separated from one another. The two wall sections are pressed against the non-circular outer circumferential contour of the torsion-bar spring by at least one releasable clamping element.

Claims

1-13. (canceled)

14. A connecting arrangement for a driver's cabin stabilizer of a vehicle, the connecting arrangement comprising: two levers (4, 5) that extend transversely to a longitudinal direction (y), and each of the two levers comprises a bearing eye (6) being provided with a non-circular inner circumferential contour (7), a torsion-bar spring (3) with a rotational axis (2) extending in the longitudinal direction (y), the torsion-bar spring being provided, at each of its two ends (8, 9), with a non-circular outer circumferential contour (10) that matches the inner circumferential contour (7) of the bearing eye (6) that is associated with the respective end and fits into the bearing eye (6), walls (11) of the bearing eyes (6) of the two levers (4, 5) are, in each case, cut through by at least one slit (12) that extends along the longitudinal direction (y), by virtue of the at least one slit, in each case, two wail sections (13, 14) of the walls (11) opposite one another are separated from one another, such that the wall sections (13, 14) are pressed, in each case, by releasable clamping means against the respective non-circular outer circumferential contour (10) of the torsion-bar spring (3).

15. The connecting arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the slit (12) cuts through the wall (11) in a radial direction relative to the rotational axis (2).

16. The connecting arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the wall sections (13, 14) are each pressed radially, by the clamping means, relative to the rotational axis (2) against the outer circumferential contour (10) of the torsion-bar spring (3).

17. The connecting arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the clamping means comprise, in each case, at least one screw-bolt (16) that extends transversely to the longitudinal direction (y) and is positioned a distance from the rotational axis (2), the two wall sections (13, 14) are bolted to one another by the at least one screw-bolt.

18. The connecting arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the at least one screw-bolt (16) extends through a first one (13) of the wall sections and is screwed into a second wall section (14) in such manner that a bolt head (29) of the at least one screw-bolt (16) rests against a contact surface (18) of the first wall section (13) that faces away from the second wall section (14).

19. The connecting arrangement according to claim 17, wherein, in each case, the screw-bolt (16) extends through the slit (12).

20. The connecting arrangement according to claim 14, wherein, in each case, the wall (11) is formed integrally as one piece so that the wall sections (13, 14) merge into one another.

21. The connecting arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the wall (11) is, in each case, cut through by at least two slits (12, 19) that extend in the longitudinal direction (y), and by which the wall sections (13, 14) are separated from one another so that the wall sections (13, 14) form separate components.

22. The connection arrangement according to claim 21, wherein the clamping means comprises, in each case, at least two screw-bolts (16, 20) that extend in the longitudinal direction (y) and are spaced away from the rotational axis (2), and the two wall sections (13, 14) are screwed together, by the at least two screw-bolts, with the screw-bolts (16, 20) extending through the slits (12, 19).

23. The connecting arrangement according to claim 21, wherein the slits (12, 19), in each case, cut through the wall (11) at locations opposite one another relative to the rotational axis (2).

24. The connecting arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the non-circular inner and outer circumferential contours (7, 10) are, in each case, polygonal contours,

25. The connecting arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the torsion-bar spring (3) is a tube.

26. The connecting arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the torsion-bar spring (3) is mounted on a first vehicle component and the levers (4, 5) are mounted spaced away from the torsion-bar spring (3) on a second vehicle component, one of the vehicle components being a driver's cabin (27) and the other of the vehicle components being a vehicle chassis (28).

27. A connecting arrangement for a driver's cabin stabilizer of a vehicle, the connecting arrangement comprising: two levers that extend transversely to a longitudinal direction, and each of the two levers comprising a bearing eye provided with a non-circular inner circumferential contour, a torsion-bar spring defining a rotational axis which extends in the longitudinal direction, a non-circular outer circumferential contour, that matches the inner circumferential contour of the respective bearing eye, being provided at each opposed end of the torsion-bar spring, at least one sat, that extends along the longitudinal direction, cuts through walls of the bearing eyes of the each of the two levers to form respective first and second wall sections, by virtue of the at least one slit, the respective first and the second wall sections are separated from one another, and the respective first and the second wall sections are pressed toward one another, against the respective non-circular outer circumferential contour of the torsion-bar spring, by a respective releasable clamping member.

28. A connecting arrangement for a driver's cabin stabilizer of a vehicle, the connecting arrangement comprising: a torsion-bar spring (3) defining a rotational axis (2) that extends in a longitudinal direction (y), the torsion-bar spring having a first axial end and an opposed second axial end, and each of the first and the second axial ends of the torsion-bar spring having a non-circular outer circumferential contour; a first lever being couplable to the first axial end of the torsion-bar spring such that the first lever extends transversely to the rotational axis of the torsion-bar spring, the first lever having a first wall section and a second wall section with at least one slit separating the first wall section from the second wall section, and the second wall section being connectable to the first wall section by a first releasable clamping member, the first and the second wall sections each forming a bearing eye of the first lever having a non-circular inner circumferential contour that matches the non-circular outer circumferential contour of the first axial end of the torsion-bar spring, the bearing eye of the first lever receiving the first axial end of the torsion-bar spring, and the first and the second wall sections being connected to one another by the first releasable clamping member to secure the first lever to the torsion-bar spring; a second lever being couplable to the second axial end of the torsion-bar spring such that the second lever extends transversely to the rotational axis of the torsion-bar spring, the second lever having a third wall section and a fourth wall section with at least one slit separating the third wall section from the fourth wall section, the fourth wall section being connectable to the third wall section by a second releasable clamping member; and the third and the fourth wall sections forming a bearing eye of the second lever having a non-circular inner circumferential contour that matches the non-circular outer circumferential contour of the second axial end of the torsion-bar spring, the bearing eye of the second lever receiving the second axial end of the torsion-bar spring, and the third and the fourth wall sections being connected to one another by the second releasable clamping member to secure the second lever to the torsion-bar spring.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] Below, the invention is described with reference to preferred embodiments relating to the drawings, which show:

[0030] FIG. 1: A perspective view of a driver's cabin stabilizer, in which two different embodiments of the invention are realized,

[0031] FIG. 2: A side view of a lever of the driver's cabin stabilizer,

[0032] FIG. 3: A side view of another lever of the driver's cabin stabilizer, and

[0033] FIG. 4: An exploded representation of part of the driver's cabin stabilizer comprising the other lever.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a driver's cabin stabilizer 1, which comprises a torsion-bar spring 3 that extends with its rotational axis 2 in a longitudinal direction y and two levers 4 and 5 connected thereto, which levers extend transversely to the rotational axis 2 away from the torsion-bar spring 3. To facilitate orientation, in addition to the longitudinal direction y the directions x and z are also shown, such that the directions x, y and z in that order form a system of coordinates. When the stabilizer 1 is fitted into a vehicle, the direction x is preferably a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the direction y is preferably a transverse direction of the vehicle and the direction z is preferably a vertical direction of the vehicle. Thus, the term “longitudinal direction” for the direction y refers in particular to the direction of the longitudinal extension of the torsion-bar spring 3 of the stabilizer 1.

[0035] The levers 4 and 5 each have a bearing eye 6, which is provided with a non-circular inner circumferential contour 7. This is easiest to see in FIGS. 2 and 3, which show side views of the levers 4 and 5 in detail. The two ends 8 and 9 of the torsion-bar spring 3 are each provided with a non-circular outer circumferential contour 10 that matches the inner circumferential contour 7, so that the torsion-bar spring 3 fits with its end 8 in the bearing eye 6 of the lever 4 and with its end 9 in the bearing eye 6 of the lever 5, in such manner that the torsion-bar spring 3 is connected in a rotationally fixed manner with its end 8 in the lever 4 and with its end 9 in the lever 5. In this case the non-circular contours 7 and 10 are approximately triangular.

[0036] The connection of the lever 4 to the torsion-bar spring 3 realizes a first embodiment of a connecting arrangement and the connection of the lever 5 to the torsion-bar spring 3 realizes a second embodiment of a connecting arrangement. Here, in particular, the same indexes are used for identical and/or functionally equivalent and/or similar features in the two embodiments.

[0037] The lever 4 has a wall 11 that delimits its bearing eye 6, which wall is cut through by a slit 12 extending in the longitudinal direction y and radially in relation to the rotational axis 2. This slit 12 separates two wall sections 13 and 14 of the wall 11 from one another, the sections merging into one another in an area 15 of the wall 11 located diametrically opposite the slit 12 in relation to the rotational axis 2. Through the wall section 13 and through the slit 12 extend screw-bolts 16 and 17, which are screwed into the wall section 14 and which rest with their bolt heads against a contact surface 18 provided on a side of the wall section 13 facing away from the wall section 14. The screw-bolts 16 and 17 form clamping means by which the two wall sections 13 and 14 are pressed toward one another in the area of the slit 12, so that the wall sections 13 and 14 are pressed against the outer circumferential surface 10 of the end 8 of the torsion-bar spring 3.

[0038] The lever 5 also has a wall 11 that delimits its bearing eye 6, which is cut through by a slit 12 extending in the longitudinal direction y and in a radial direction relative to the rotational axis 2. However, the wall 11 of the lever 5 is additionally cut through by a slit 19 extending in the longitudinal direction y and in a radial direction relative to the rotational axis, such that the slits 12 and 19 are diametrically opposite one another relative to the rotational axis 2. The slits 12 and 19 separate two wall sections 13 and 14 of the wall 11 from one another, which in the lever 5 form components separate from one another. Through the wall section 13 and through the slit 12 extend screw-bolts 16 and 17, which are screwed into the wall section 14 and which have their bolt heads 29 resting against a contact surface 18 provided on a side of the wall section 13 facing away from the wall section 14. In addition, screw-bolts 20 and 21 extend through the wall section 13 and the slit 19, which are screwed into the wall section 14 and which have their bolt heads 29 resting against a contact surface 22 provided on the side of the wall section 13 facing away from the wall section 14. The screw-bolts 16, 17, 20 and 21 form clamping means by virtue of which the two wall sections 13 and 14 are pressed toward one another in the area of the slits 12 and 19 so that the wall sections 13 and 14 are pressed against the outer circumferential surface 10 of the end 9 of the torsion-bar spring,

[0039] FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of part of the driver's cabin stabilizer 1 that contains the lever 5, in which seals 23 are shown which in the assembled condition of the stabilizer 1 are inserted into the slits 12 and 19 and through which the respective screw-bolts pass. It can also be seen that in the area of its end 9 the torsion-bar spring 3 is expanded. A corresponding expanded area is provided in the area of the end 8.

[0040] From FIG. 1 it can also be seen that a plug 24 is inserted in the end 8 of the torsion-bar spring 3 formed as a tube. This plug serves on the one hand to oppose the pressure forces exerted by the wall sections 13 and 14 on the outer circumferential surface 10 of the end 8 of the torsion-bar spring 3, so that any deformation of the end 8 due to the forces can be avoided. In addition, the plug 24 forms in particular a holder for, or part of a bearing by means of which the torsion-bar spring 3 is mounted on the driver's cabin 27 of a vehicle (the cabin being indicated only schematically). In the end 9 of the torsion-bar spring 3 a corresponding plug is inserted, which also forms a holder for, or part of a bearing by means of which the torsion-bar spring 3 is mounted on the driver's cabin 27. Furthermore the levers 4 and 5 have additional bearing eyes 25 into which bearings 26 are inserted, by means of which the levers 4 and 5 are mounted on a vehicle chassis 28 of the vehicle (this too being indicated only schematically), so that the levers 4 and 5 with their additional bearing eyes 25 and/or with the bearings inserted therein are mounted on the driver's cabin 27.

[0041] Although two embodiments are realized in the stabilizer 1 shown, this should not be regarded as limiting. Needless to say, the lever 5 can be provided with only one slit and can be connected to the torsion-bar spring 3 in the same manner as the lever 4. Alternatively, the lever 4 can be provided with two slits and connected to the torsion-bar spring 3 in the same way as the lever 5.

INDEXES

[0042] 1 Stabilizer [0043] 2 Rotational axis [0044] 3 Torsion-bar spring [0045] 4 Lever [0046] 5 Lever [0047] 6 Bearing eye [0048] 7 Inner circumferential contour of the bearing eye [0049] 8 End of the torsion-bar spring [0050] 9 End of the torsion-bar spring [0051] 10 Outer circumferential contour [0052] 11 Wall [0053] 12 Slit [0054] 13 Wall section [0055] 14 Well section [0056] 15 Transition zone [0057] 16 Screw-bolt [0058] 17 Screw-bolt [0059] 18 Contact surface [0060] 19 Slit [0061] 20 Screw-bolt [0062] 21 Screw-bolt [0063] 22 Contact surface [0064] 23 Seal [0065] 24 Plug [0066] 25 Bearing eye [0067] 26 Bearing [0068] 27 Driver's cabin [0069] 28 Vehicle chassis [0070] 29 Bolt head [0071] x Direction [0072] y Longitudinal direction [0073] z Direction