Lightweight steering knuckle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10202148-B2
Application number	US-201414895934-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 6, 2014
Priority date	Jun 7, 2013
Publication date	Feb 12, 2019
Grant date	Feb 12, 2019

Abstract

A steering knuckle comprising a bearing connection interface (formed by a sleeve element) for connecting a wheel bearing to the steering knuckle and further connection interfaces (formed by a bracket for connection of a ball joint) for connecting the steering knuckle to an upper and lower vehicle suspension control arm. A sleeve element bore is adapted to one of receive a wheel bearing outer ring or serve as the outer ring. The sleeve element and the bracket are joined by a composite body comprising a fiber-reinforced material. The fiber-reinforced material comprises a long fiber molding compound is overmolded to a first (sleeve element) joining surface and to a second (bracket) joining surface. The first joining surface is a radially outer surface thereof. The long-fiber molding compound flows into a recessed portion of the first joining surface for mechanically locking the sleeve element to the composite body in an axial direction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A steering knuckle comprising:
a bearing connection interface for connecting a wheel bearing to the steering knuckle, and
comprising a further connection interface for connecting the steering knuckle to one of an upper control arm or a lower control arm of a vehicle suspension,
wherein the bearing connection interface is formed by a sleeve element, whereby a bore of the sleeve element is adapted to one of (a) receive an outer ring of the wheel bearing or (b) serve as the outer ring;
wherein the further connection interface is formed by a bracket for connection of a ball joint; and
wherein the sleeve element and the bracket are joined via a composite body comprising a fibre-reinforced material,
wherein the fibre-reinforced material comprises a long-fibre moulding compound that is overmolded to a first joining surface on the sleeve element and to a second joining surface on the bracket, whereby the first joining surface is a radially outer surface of the sleeve element; and
wherein the first joining surface is provided with a recessed portion into which the long-fibre moulding compound flows, for mechanically locking the sleeve element to the composite body in an axial direction, wherein the recessed portion is a continuous circular groove.

2. The steering knuckle according to claim 1 , wherein the continuous circular groove has a first curved portion and a second curved portion at first axial periphery and second axial periphery of the continuous circular groove.

3. The steering knuckle according to claim 2 ,
wherein the wheel bearing is a double-row angular contact bearing; and
wherein the sleeve element serves as the bearing outer ring and has a substantially constant thickness, such that a radially inner surface of the outer ring has a corresponding first curved portion and a corresponding second curved portion,
wherein the corresponding first curved portion and the corresponding second curved portion form part of a first outer raceway and a second outer raceway for a first row of rolling elements and a second row of rolling elements.

4. The steering knuckle according claim 1 , wherein the bracket further comprises a plurality of stub portions with a center axis that is radially displaced relative to the first joining surface, and
wherein the second joining surface is formed by a radially outer surface of each stub portion.

5. The steering knuckle according to claim 4 ,
wherein the plurality of stub portions are arranged circumferentially around a vertical axis that is parallel to an axial midplane of the sleeve element.

6. The steering knuckle according claim 4 , wherein the bracket further comprises a tubular element for receiving a stem of the ball joint,
wherein the stub portions are arranged circumferentially around the tubular element.

7. The steering knuckle according to claim 4 , wherein
each of the plurality of stub portions further includes internal thread.

8. The steering knuckle according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first joining surface and the second joining surface is roughened in order to create a surface texture.

Assignees

• Skf Ab

Inventors

• Schaake Richard
• Schramm Edo
• Vissers Cornelius Petrus Antonius
• Gomez Marc
• Peters Gilbert

Classifications

• B60G2206/50

  Constructional features of wheel supports or knuckles, e.g. steering knuckles, spindle attachments · CPC title

• B60B27/00

  Hubs (non-metallic B60B5/00; of high resiliency B60B9/00) · CPC title

• F16C35/06

  Mounting {or dismounting} of ball or roller bearings; Fixing them onto shaft or in housing · CPC title

• B60B5/02

  made of synthetic material · CPC title

• B62D7/18 Primary

  Steering knuckles; King pins · CPC title