WO2001072538A1

WO2001072538A1 - Stabilising strut, especially for a vehicle chassis

Info

Publication number: WO2001072538A1
Application number: PCT/EP2001/003380
Authority: WO
Inventors: Konrad Huber; Hans Merkle; Hansjörg Schmieder
Original assignee: Progress-Werk Oberkirch Ag
Priority date: 2000-03-27
Filing date: 2001-03-24
Publication date: 2001-10-04
Also published as: DE10014603C2; DE10014603A1; AU5473401A

Abstract

A stabilising strut (10), especially for a motor vehicle chassis, especially a Watt strut, has a long strut body (12) which is configured in the form of a profile. The strut body (12) is configured as a profile that is open on one side in the cross section, at least axially, in sections and consists of at least two profile parts (14, 16) joined together in the longitudinal direction, said profile parts partially overlapping each other in the longitudinal direction and being interconnected in the area of the overlap.

Description

Stabilizing strut, in particular for a chassis of a vehicle

The invention relates to a stabilizing strut, in particular for a chassis of a vehicle, in particular a Watt strut, with an elongated strut body which is designed as a profile.

Such a stabilizing strut is generally known for its use.

A special stabilizing strut that is used in some chassis of vehicles is the wattage strut. The wattage strut is part of the wattage linkage, which is primarily used in rigid-axle vehicles to reduce lateral movements of the rigid axle. With the wattage linkage, a lever rotatably mounted in the middle is tial stored and guided on both sides by an equally long stabilizing strut or wattage strut attached to the car body. With this articulation, only an exact vertical movement of the guided lever is possible.

However, the invention is not limited to a wad strut.

The stabilizing struts known to date have an elongated strut body which is designed as a profile.

The strut body of the known stabilizing struts is formed in one piece in the longitudinal direction of the strut body. The strut body of the known stabilizing struts is formed in two parts in the circumferential direction. The profile of the known stabilizing struts is usually a circumferentially closed box profile, with a bottom section which is U-shaped in cross section, the open side of the U being closed with a cover plate which extends over the entire length of the strut body. Such a profile which is closed on all sides ensures the bending stiffness required for such a stabilizing strut. Other known designs of stabilizing struts are pipes which are completely closed at all times.

A disadvantage of the known stabilizing struts is that they have a high weight due to their prescribed design, and, since the cover plate has to be welded or soldered to the base profile over the entire axial length, the manufacturing process is also time-consuming and material-consuming, and therefore costly. Another disadvantage is that the surface technology in the interior of the stabilizing strut cannot be applied properly. For example, the inside of the closed profile cannot be painted, which increases the risk of corrosion.

The invention is therefore based on the object of developing a stabilizing strut and a method for producing the same of the type mentioned in such a way that the stabilizing strut is lighter in weight despite the guaranteed flexural rigidity, the manufacturing process can be carried out at less cost, and the surface technology can be used well on the inside.

With regard to the stabilizing strut mentioned at the outset, this object is achieved in that the strut body is designed as a profile which is at least axially sectionally open on one side in cross section and is joined in the longitudinal direction from at least two profile parts which are partially overlapping in the longitudinal direction and are connected to one another in the overlap region.

In this case, a multi-part construction is accepted in the longitudinal direction of the strut body, but it has the advantage that bearing bushes arranged on the longitudinal ends of the assembled strut body can have non-parallel bearing axes. This can be advantageous for structural reasons of the chassis in which the stabilizing strut is to be installed, because the given spatial conditions can be better exploited in this way. This is not easy to achieve with the conventional designs mentioned at the beginning. Due to the multi-part design of the strut body in the axial direction, the individual pro Join the fil parts with an angular offset to each other, which means that a not exactly stabilizing strut can be produced in this way. Because the strut body is designed as a profile open on one side in the longitudinal direction, weight is saved compared to the known stabilizing struts and the closing of a box profile with a cover plate is avoided. In this way, the manufacture of the stabilizing strut is also less expensive. The at least two-part overlapping design of the stabilizing strut in the longitudinal direction also contributes to increasing the bending stiffness of the open profile.

The profile parts can be joined with their respective open sides pointing in the same direction to the strut body, it is also preferred if the profile parts are joined with their respective open sides pointing in the opposite direction to the strut body.

In the latter embodiment, a closed box profile is created in the overlap area of the profile parts, as a result of which the bending stiffness can be increased still further.

Further advantages and features result from the following description and the attached drawing.

It goes without saying that the features mentioned above and those yet to be explained below can be used not only in the combination indicated in each case, but also in other combinations or on their own without departing from the scope of the present invention. Embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawing and are described in more detail below with reference to this. Show it:

Figure 1 is a broken overall view of a stabilizing strut in plan view.

FIG. 2 shows a section of the stabilizing strut in FIG. 1 in a side view;

Fig. 3 is a section along the line III-III in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section along the line IV-IV in Fig. 1;

4a is a sectional illustration comparable to FIG. 4 according to an exemplary embodiment modified compared to FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows a sectional illustration comparable to FIG. 3 according to an exemplary embodiment modified compared to FIG. 1;

6 shows a detail of a stabilizing strut according to a further exemplary embodiment in plan view;

7 shows a still further exemplary embodiment of a stabilizing strut in a top view;

8 shows a still further exemplary embodiment of a stabilizing strut in plan view; and 9 shows a section along the line IX-IX in FIG. 8.

1 to 4 show a stabilizing strut provided with the general reference number 10. The stabilizing strut 10 is used in a chassis of a vehicle as a wattage strut.

The stabilizing strut 10 has an elongated strut body 12 which is designed as a profile.

The strut body 12 is joined in the longitudinal direction of the strut body 12 from at least two profile parts 14 and 16, which are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the strut body 12 in an overlap region, partially overlapping one another, and connected to one another. For this purpose, an axial end section 18 of the first profile part 14 is inserted into an axial end section 20 of the second profile part 16. The axial end section 20 of the second profile part 16 is correspondingly shaped with an enlarged cross section. Conversely, however, the axial end section 18 of the first profile part 14 could also be shaped with a cross section that is reduced compared to the rest of the profile part 14.

The axial end section 18 and the axial end section 20 are integrally connected to one another via hole welds 22, 24 or via butt weld seams 23 and 25 and via a hole weld 26 and via a fillet weld 27 (cf. also FIG. 3).

1, the profile parts 14 and 16 are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the strut body 12 in a straight alignment to one another, the profile parts 14 and 16 due to the in Longitudinal multi-part design can also be joined to each other with an angular offset, so that in such a case the strut body 12 does not assume a straight, but a bent course.

At the end opposite the axial end section 18, the first profile part 14 has a bearing bush 28 with a bearing opening 29. Correspondingly, the second profile part 16 has at its end opposite the axial end section 20 a bearing bush 30 with a corresponding bearing opening, not shown.

The bearing bushes 28 and 30 can be integrally formed on the profile part 14 or 16 or welded as a piece of pipe.

Bearing axes 32 and 34 shown in FIG. 1 run parallel to one another in the exemplary embodiment shown, however, due to the multi-part design of the strut body 12 in the longitudinal direction, as described above, the bearing axes 32 and 34 cannot be parallel to one another by a corresponding angular offset of the profile parts 16 and 14 run if such a stabilizing strut is desired due to structural conditions of the vehicle, which can also be achieved with a straight alignment of the profile parts 14 and 16 if the bearing bushes 28 and 30 are not formed at right angles to the strut body 12 thereon. The bearing bushes 28 and 30 can also consist of the same stamped parts, which are welded to the profile parts 14 and 16 accordingly or are connected to them in some other way. The strut body 12 is shaped in cross section as a profile that is open on one side at least axially in sections along its longitudinal direction. As can be seen from FIGS. 3 and 4, the strut body 12 is essentially shaped as a U-profile, which has a base section 36 and two wall sections 38 and 40 running transversely thereto. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, perforations 39 and 41 are formed in the bottom section and in the wall sections 38 and 40, whereby a further reduction in weight is achieved, but the bending stiffness is not impaired.

In contrast to FIG. 1, the profile can also have different cross-sectional shapes and different cross-sectional sizes, for example widening or narrowing. In this way, the bending stiffness can be further improved by widening or contraction.

The strut body 12 is in cross-section, i.e. in the circumferential direction, axially in sections open on one side, with longitudinal edges 42 and 44 of the strut body 12, which represent free ends of the wall sections 38 and 40, axially sectionally connected to one another to form a closed profile. The longitudinal edges 42 and 44 are designated by way of example for the profile part 16, it being understood as a matter of course that the profile part 14 also has such longitudinal edges.

The profile parts 14 and 16 are each formed in one piece.

The one-piece connection of the longitudinal edges 42 and 44 is by at least one, in the embodiment shown several Tabs 46 realized, which are integrally formed on at least one of the longitudinal edges 42 and 44, respectively.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, a tab 46 and a tab 48 are integrally formed on both the longitudinal edge 42 and the longitudinal edge 44, the tabs 46 and 48 lying opposite one another and between the longitudinal edges 42 and 44 via a weld seam 50 or soldered seam or another connection method.

In the longitudinal direction of the strut body 12, a plurality of such pairs of straps consisting of straps 46 and 48 are arranged so that the strut body 12 is a closed profile in the regions in which the straps 46 and 48 are present.

The pairs of tabs from the tabs 46 and 48 form webs extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the strut body 12.

However, such webs can also run obliquely to the longitudinal direction of the strut body 12, as will be described later with the aid of another exemplary embodiment.

4a shows a slightly modified exemplary embodiment compared to FIGS. 1 to 4, in which the at least one tab 46 'is integrally formed on the longitudinal edge 44' of the wall section 40 ', while the free end of the tab 46' with the opposite longitudinal edge 42 "is welded over a fillet weld 43 '. For this purpose, the free end of the flap 46' slightly projects beyond the longitudinal edge 42 'on the side, as a result of which the fillet weld 43 * can be set in a simple manner. The first profile part 14 and the second profile part 16 are each produced as stamped parts, the tabs 46 and 48 remaining on the longitudinal edges 42 and 44 due to the stamping process when stamping out from a plate-shaped blank.

With an overall one-piece design of the strut body 12, it can thus be produced inexpensively from a single plate-shaped blank by punching, reshaping to form the profile and integrally connecting the tabs 46 and 48.

Also, as already mentioned, the bearing bushings 28 and 30 can be integrally formed in one piece with the strut body 12 in the previously described punching process from the plate-shaped blank.

In a method for producing the stabilizing strut 10, it can thus be formed from a plate-shaped blank into a profile by shaping the strut body 12 into a profile that is open on one side in the longitudinal direction, and the longitudinal edges 42 and 44 of which are at least axially in one piece to form a closed profile are connected, in the exemplary embodiment shown by means of the tabs 46 and 48, which, before being joined, are also bent into the corresponding position according to FIG. 4 in the forming process in which the U-profile is formed.

The tabs 46 and 48 are formed in the manufacturing process, as already mentioned, during punching on the plate-shaped blank by leaving material to stand. In the case of the two-part design of the stabilizing strut 10 in the longitudinal direction of the strut body 12 with a first profile part 14 and a second profile part 16, the two profile parts 14 and 16 are overlapped with their axial end sections 18 and 20 after their completion, as shown in FIG. 1, and joined by the hole welds 22, 24 and 26 or the fillet weld 27.

3, the profile parts 14 and 16 are joined with their respective open side pointing in the same direction to the strut body 12, in FIG. 5 in a modified exemplary embodiment the profile part 14 'and the profile part 16' with their respective open side in opposite direction to the strut body 12 'added. In the overlap region A of the profile parts 14 'and 16', an axially closed profile of the strut body 12 'is thus created. Instead of the bottom-side hole weld 26 in FIG. 3, the profile part 14 'and 16' are welded to one another here via butt joint seams 52 and 53, and the side hole welds 22 and 24 in FIG. 3 are shifted further downward in FIG. 5.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show modifications for the geometric arrangement and configuration of the tabs 46 and 48 in FIGS. 1 to 4.

6 shows a tab arrangement comprising three tabs 54, 56 and 58, which together span a V. The tab 54 is joined to the welds 60 and 62 with the tabs 56 and 58. The same V-shaped arrangement can also be achieved if there were only two tabs, both of which are integrally formed on the longitudinal edge 44 ', point in the manner of a V in opposite directions obliquely to the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal edge 44' and accordingly with the opposite one Longitudinal edge 42 'are welded. The tabs 56 and 58 can also be designed like the tab 54, as indicated by broken lines, so that overall a continuous zigzag arrangement of tabs is created and a high bending stiffness is achieved.

7 shows a tab arrangement which is formed from arc-shaped tabs 64, 66 and 68, each of the tabs 64, 66 and 68, as shown for tab 64, at two axially spaced locations on the same longitudinal edge 42 " The tabs 64, 66 and 68 are welded with their apexes 70 to the longitudinal edge 44 'on the opposite longitudinal edge 44'.

Neighboring tabs 64 and 66 or 64 and 68 are also welded together at points of contact 72 and 74, respectively.

The preceding exemplary embodiments show that there are various possibilities for designing a tab connection of the longitudinal edges of the profile open on one side within the scope of the invention.

FIGS. 8 and 9 finally show a further exemplary embodiment of a stabilizing strut 80 which differs from the previous exemplary embodiments. separates that its strut body 82 is substantially shaped as a triangular cross-section, which is closed at longitudinal edges 84 and 86 by directly connecting the longitudinal edges 84 and 86.

Such a profile can also be formed from a plate-shaped blank by a shaping process to form the triangular profile cross section, the longitudinal edges 84 and 86 then being connected to one another by a weld seam. In this way, a completely closed box profile is realized, which is in one piece or in one piece, and thus can be produced inexpensively and with little expenditure of time.

In a modification of this configuration, the profile can also be U-shaped in sections and deformed into the triangular cross section shown by only connecting the longitudinal edges 84 and 86 directly in sections.

Claims

claims

1. Stabilizing strut, in particular for a chassis of a motor vehicle, in particular Watt strut, with an elongated strut body (12; 82), the strut body (12; 82) being designed as a profile, characterized in that the strut body (12; 82) as in Cross-section, at least axially in sections, of a profile which is open on one side and is joined in the longitudinal direction from at least two profile parts (14, 16) which are partially overlapping in the longitudinal direction and are connected to one another in the overlap region.

2. Stabilizing strut according to claim 1, characterized in that the profile parts (14, 16) with their respective open sides pointing in the same direction to the strut body (12; 82) are joined.

3. Stabilizing strut according to claim 1, characterized in that the profile parts (14 ', 16') with their respective open sides pointing in the opposite direction to the strut body (12; 82) are joined.