JPH0979249A - Suspension arm integral type ball joint - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce a cost by eliminating a joining process connecting a sheet metal-made suspension arm to a ball joint, by forming a socket part of the ball joint in the sheet metal-made suspension arm. SOLUTION: A ball part 15 of a ball stud 14 is mounted in a socket part 10 through a resin-made ball seat 16, and its flange 17 is fitted to a ball seat holding recessed part 11. A metal-made cap 18 is fitted to an arranged hole 12, and a calking part 13 is fixed to the inside. A lower surface of the cap 18 retains the flange 17 of the ball seat 16. A dust cover 20 is mounted between the cap 18 and a shaft part 19 of the ball stud 14. Accordingly, by forming a socket part 10 of a ball joint 3 in a sheet metal-made suspension arm 2, a joining process, joining the suspension arm to the ball joint while taking care for dimensional accuracy for mounting in the priorart, and a joining part for this process can be eliminated, so that a cost can be reduced.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a suspension arm and a ball joint which are a part of a suspension component of an automobile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a suspension arm and a ball joint have been joined as follows. In the conventional example shown in FIG. 4, the socket 52 of the ball joint 51 is press-fitted into the mounting hole 58 of the suspension arm 57 made of sheet metal from below, and the flange portion 5 integrally formed on the lower portion of the socket 52.
The suspension arm 57 and the ball joint 51 are joined by sandwiching the sheet metal suspension arm 57 between the metal ring 3 and the snap ring 55 fitted into the annular groove 54 on the upper portion of the socket 52 later. The outer peripheral surface of the socket 52 and the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole 58 are knurled so as to mesh with each other so that they do not rotate relative to each other.

A conventional example shown in FIG. 5 is a ball joint 6
The socket 62 of No. 1 is inserted into the mounting hole 68 of the suspension arm 67 made of sheet metal from below, and the flange portion 63 integrally formed on the lower part of the socket 62 is attached to the suspension arm 67.
The suspension arm 67 and the ball joint 61 are joined to each other by a welded portion 64 which is annularly welded between the upper portion of the socket 62 and the peripheral portion of the mounting hole 68.

A conventional example shown in FIG. 6 is a ball joint 7
The joint plate portion 73 formed integrally with the socket 72 of No. 1 and extending to one side and the sheet metal suspension arm 77 are overlapped with each other, and the bolt 7 is inserted into the bolt insertion holes 74 and 78 penetrating the both.
The suspension arm 77 and the ball joint 71 are joined by tightening with a nut 76 through 5.

[0005]

However, in the conventional example shown in FIG. 4, knurling, annular groove 54 processing, snap ring 55 fitting, and other joining work are troublesome, and the use of snap ring 55 reduces costs. There was a problem that was high.

In the conventional example shown in FIG. 5, the socket 6 is used.
Considering the influence of heat exerted on the resin ball seat (not shown) in No. 2, it was difficult to weld the socket 62. There is also a method of welding the socket 62 to the suspension arm 67 before mounting the ball seat in the socket 62. However, in this case also, the dimensional change of the socket 62 occurs due to the influence of heat, so that the characteristic value of the ball joint 61 is changed. There was a problem that they would be scattered.

In the conventional example shown in FIG. 6, a clearance is required between the inner peripheral surface of each bolt insertion 74, 78 and the outer peripheral surface of the bolt 75. Therefore, after tightening with the bolt 75 and the nut 76, the ball joint 71. There is a problem that the arm assembly pitch P from the center of the above to the center of the other end of the suspension arm 77 varies due to the clearance. There is also a problem that the cost is high due to the use of the bolt 75 and the nut 76.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and to form a socket portion of a ball joint on a suspension arm made of sheet metal, so that the step of joining the suspension arm made of sheet metal and the ball joint can be eliminated, and thus high precision is achieved. It is an object of the present invention to provide a suspension arm-integrated ball joint that can obtain an arm assembly pitch and a stable ball joint characteristic value and can also reduce costs.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, a suspension arm integrated type ball joint according to the invention of claim 1 is such that a socket portion of the ball joint is formed on a suspension arm made of sheet metal by plastic working,
It is characterized in that a ball stud is attached to the socket portion via a ball seat, and a cap is fitted to the ball stud via the ball seat.

A suspension arm-integrated ball joint according to a second aspect of the present invention comprises a suspension arm made of sheet metal, which is composed of a first arm plate and a second arm plate which are overlapped with each other, and a socket portion of the ball joint is provided on the first arm plate. Is formed by plastic working, the caulking part for cap fixing is formed on the second arm plate, the ball stud is attached to the socket part via the ball seat, the cap is fitted to the ball stud via the ball seat, and the caulking part is formed. It is characterized by crimping and fixing the cap.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION One embodiment of a ball joint with a suspension arm embodying the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The suspension arm-integrated ball joint 1 includes a suspension arm 2 made of sheet metal and a ball joint 3 which are integrated so as to share a socket portion 10 described later.

The sheet metal suspension arm 2 includes a first lower arm plate 4 and an upper second arm plate 5 which overlap each other.
And a mounting tube portion 6 welded (7) to the left end of them. As shown in FIG. 3, reinforcing ribs 8 are bent and formed on both edges of the arm plates 4 and 5, and overlapping edges of the arm plates 4 and 5 are welded (9). As shown in FIG. 2, on the right part of the first arm plate 4, a socket part 10 having a substantially inverted conical shape and a shallow ball seat holding recess 11 along the opening edge of the socket part 10 are formed by plasticity. It is formed by working (specifically, press working). A disposing hole 12 is provided in the right portion of the second arm plate 5, and a circumferential caulking portion 13 is formed by bending the edge of the disposing hole 12 upward.

The ball portion 15 of the ball stud 14 is mounted on the socket portion 10 via a resin ball seat 16, and the flange 17 of the ball seat 16 is fitted in the ball seat holding recess 11. A metal cap 18 is fitted in the mounting hole 12 and is fixed by swaging the swaging portion 13 inward (FIG. 2 → FIG. 1). The lower surface of the cap 18 holds the flange 17 of the ball seat 16. Shaft 19 of cap 18 and ball stud 14
A dust cover 20 is attached between and.

According to the suspension-joint type ball joint 1 constructed as above, the socket portion 1 of the ball joint 3 is attached to the sheet metal suspension arm 2.
Since 0 is formed, various joining steps for the suspension arm and the ball joint, which have been conventionally performed while paying attention to the mounting dimensional accuracy, and joining parts therefor can be eliminated, and the cost can be reduced. In addition, even during the joining process, it is possible to eliminate the factors that cause variations in the ball joint characteristic values that are particularly seen in welding, so stable ball joint characteristic values (moderate rotational / swing friction torque, no play, durability, etc.) Can be obtained. Further, the arm assembly pitch P from the center of the socket portion 10 to the center of the mounting cylinder portion 6 is not affected by the assembling condition of the other parts of the ball joint 3, so that the accuracy is high.

The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above-described embodiment, and may be embodied with appropriate modifications within the scope not departing from the spirit of the invention, for example, as follows. (1) Change the shape of the socket 10 to a hemispherical shape or the like. (2) The caulking portion 13 is formed of a plurality of protrusions arranged side by side on the circumference at intervals. (3) Divide the ball seat 16 into two parts.

[0016]

Since the suspension arm integrated type ball joint of the present invention is configured as described above, the socket portion of the ball joint is formed in the suspension arm made of sheet metal so that the suspension arm made of sheet metal and the ball joint are connected. This has an excellent effect that the joining process can be eliminated, a highly accurate arm assembly pitch and a stable ball joint characteristic value can be obtained, and the cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a form example of a suspension arm-integrated ball joint embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway front view of a socket portion formed in the suspension arm.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a conventional suspension arm and a ball joint partially broken away.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing another suspension arm and a ball joint of the related art, partially broken away.

FIG. 6 is a front view showing still another conventional suspension arm and a ball joint partially broken away.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Suspension Arm Integrated Ball Joint 2 Sheet Metal Suspension Arm 3 Ball Joint 4 First Arm Plate 5 Second Arm Plate 10 Socket Part 13 Caulking Part 14 Ball Stud 15 Ball Part 16 Ball Seat 17 Flange 18 Cap

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A suspension arm made of sheet metal is formed with a socket portion of a ball joint by plastic working, a ball stud is attached to the socket portion via a ball seat, and a cap is fitted to the ball stud via the ball seat. A ball joint with integrated suspension arm. 2. A suspension arm made of sheet metal is composed of a first arm plate and a second arm plate which are overlapped with each other, a socket portion of a ball joint is formed on the first arm plate by plastic working, and the second arm plate is capped. A caulking part for fixing is formed, a ball stud is attached to the socket part via a ball seat, a cap is fitted to the ball stud via a ball seat, and the caulking part is caulked to fix the cap. Suspension arm integrated ball joint.