Twist beam axle assembly and method of manufacturing same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10202014-B2
Application number	US-201515326487-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 15, 2015
Priority date	Jul 18, 2014
Publication date	Feb 12, 2019
Grant date	Feb 12, 2019

Abstract

A twist axle assembly ( 20 ) of a vehicle includes a pair of trailing arms ( 22 ) and a twist beam ( 24 ) extending along an axis (A) between first and second twist beam ends ( 26, 28 ). The twist axle assembly ( 20 ) further includes a bushing ( 38 ) interconnected to each one of the first and second twist beam ends ( 26, 28 ) and a respective trailing arm ( 22 ) for establishing a weld-less joint between the twist beam ( 24 ) and the trailing arm ( 24 ). In an embodiment, the twist beam ( 24 ) and bushings ( 38 ) are tubular, and the bushings ( 38 ) are press-fit or molded onto the respective first or second twist beam ends ( 36, 38 ). In a further embodiment, the trailing arms ( 26 ) define an orifice ( 40 ) aligned on the axis (A), and the tubular bushings ( 38 ) are press-fit into the orifices ( 40 ) of the trailing arms ( 26 ) to establish the weld-less joint.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A twist axle assembly of a vehicle, comprising:
a pair of trailing arms;
a twist beam extending along an axis A between first and second twist beam ends; and
a bushing disposed between and interconnected via a weld-less connection to each one of said first or second twist beam ends and a respective trailing arm to establish a weld-less joint between said twist beam and said trailing arms.

2. A twist axle assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein each of said twist beam and said pair of bushings are tubular.

3. A twist axle assembly as set forth in claim 2 , wherein each of said pair of bushings are press-fit onto said respective first or second twist beam ends to establish said weld-less connection therebetween.

4. A twist axle assembly as set forth in claim 2 , wherein each of said pair of bushings are molded onto said respective first or second twist beam ends to establish said weld-less connection therebetween.

5. A twist axle assembly as set forth in claim 2 , wherein each of said trailing arms defines an orifice aligned on said axis A, and wherein said pair of tubular bushings are each press fit into a respective orifice of said trailing arms to establish said weld-less connection therebetween.

6. A twist axle assembly as set forth in claim 2 , wherein said twist beam is comprised of a metal tube extending longitudinally around said axis A between said first and second twist beam ends.

7. A twist axle assembly as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said pair of bushings are comprised of an elastic material for allowing said pair of bushings to be tuned to provide the proper stiffness requirement for said weld-less joint between said trailing arms and said twist beam.

8. A method of forming a twist axle assembly of a vehicle, comprising:
providing a pair of trailing arms and a twist beam extending along an axis A between first and second twist beam ends;
providing a pair of bushings;
establishing a weld-less connection between each one of the bushings and one of the first or second twist beam ends of the twist beam; and
establishing a weld-less connection between each of the pair of bushings and a respective trailing arm to establish a weld-less joint between the trailing arms and the twist beam.

9. A method as set forth in claim 8 , wherein each of the twist beam and the pair of bushings are tubular, and said step of establishing a weld-less connection between the bushings and the twist beam further includes press-fitting the bushings onto a respective end of the twist beam.

10. A method as set forth in claim 8 , wherein each of the twist beam and the pair of bushings are tubular, and said step of establishing a weld-less connection between the bushings and the twist beam further includes molding the bushings onto a respective end of the twist beam.

11. A method as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the trailing arms each define an orifice aligned on the axis A, and said step of establishing a weld-less connection between the bushings and the trailing arms includes press-fitting each of the bushings into a respective orifice of the trailing arm.

12. A method as set forth in claim 8 , wherein said step of establishing a weld-less connection between the bushings and the twist beam further includes bolting each of the bushings onto the respective trailing arm.

13. A method as set forth in claim 8 , where said step of providing the pair of bushings includes providing a pair of bushings comprised of an elastic material.

Assignees

• Magna Int Inc
• Womack Darren Andrew
• Langworthy Kevin Richard

Inventors

• Womack Darren Andrew
• Langworthy Kevin Richard

Classifications

• B60G21/052 Primary

  Mounting means therefor · CPC title

• B60B35/00 Primary

  Axle units; Parts thereof (steerable vehicle stub axles B62D ){; Arrangements for lubrication of axles} · CPC title

• B60G2206/82

  Joining · CPC title

• B60G21/051

  Trailing arm twist beam axles · CPC title

• F16F1/3732

  having an annular or the like shape, e.g. grommet-type resilient mountings · CPC title