Transverse link for a wheel suspension of a vehicle and method for the production thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10589588-B2
Application number	US-201715823621-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 28, 2017
Priority date	Dec 2, 2016
Publication date	Mar 17, 2020
Grant date	Mar 17, 2020

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a transverse link for a wheel suspension of a vehicle that includes at least one wheel-side attachment structure and at least one structure-side attachment structure. The wheel-side and structure-side structures are connected to each other by a connection structure which extends therebetween. The connection structure and/or at least one of the attachment structures is/are produced by a generative production method. At least one of the attachment structures is constructed as a generatively produced bushing which has an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve surrounding the inner sleeve. The sleeves are connected to each other by a fold-like structure. The present disclosure further provides a method for producing such a transverse link.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A transverse link for a wheel suspension of a vehicle, the transverse link comprising:
at least one wheel-side attachment structure;
at least one structure-side attachment structure; and
a connection structure connecting and extending between the attachment structures,
wherein the connection structure is produced by a conventional production method, and
wherein at least one of the attachment structures is constructed as a generatively produced bushing printed on the connection structure and having an outer sleeve surrounding an inner sleeve and a fold structure connecting the inner and outer sleeves.

2. The transverse link according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the attachment structures that is produced in the generative manner is constructed at least partially in at least one of a porous, a bionic, a grid, and a honeycomb structure.

3. The transverse link according to claim 1 , wherein the connection structure and the attachment structures are at least two different materials.

4. The transverse link according to claim 3 , wherein the different materials are different metals and different metal alloys.

5. The transverse link according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the attachment structures is a ball joint or a journal.

6. A generatively produced attachment structure for use in a transverse link for a wheel suspension of a vehicle, the transverse link comprising:
a wheel-side attachment structure;
a structure-side attachment structure;
wherein at least one of the wheel-side attachment structure and the structure-side attachment structure is generatively produced and comprises an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve surrounding the inner sleeve; and
a connection structure produced by a conventional production method and connecting and extending between the attachment structures;
wherein the inner sleeve is connected to the outer sleeve by at least one of a fold structure, an undulated structure, and a bone structure, and the outer sleeve is generatively produced and printed on the connection structure.

7. The generatively produced attachment structure according to claim 6 , wherein at least one of the generatively produced attachment structures is at least one of a bushing, a ball joint, and a journal.

8. The generatively produced attachment structure according to claim 6 , wherein at least one of the generatively produced attachment structures is at least two different materials.

9. The generatively produced attachment structure according to claim 8 , wherein the different materials are different metals and different metal alloys.

10. The generatively produced attachment structure according to claim 6 , wherein the structure-side attachment structure is at least one of a bushing and a journal, and the wheel-side attachment structure is a ball joint.

11. The generatively produced attachment structure according to claim 6 , wherein the structure-side attachment structure is a journal received by a journal retention member.

12. A method for producing a transverse link for a wheel suspension of a vehicle, the method comprising:
producing at least one wheel-side attachment structure and at least one structure-side attachment structure; and
connecting the at least one wheel-side attachment structure to the at least one structure-side attachment structure by a conventionally produced connection structure extending therebetween,
wherein at least one of the attachment structures is produced by a generative production method and is printed on the connection structure, and
wherein at least one of the attachment structures is constructed as a generatively produced bushing having an outer sleeve surrounding an inner sleeve, wherein the inner and outer sleeves are connected to each other by a fold structure.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Souschek Rainer
• Koch Raphael
• Mainz Daniel
• Kueppers Theo

Classifications

• B60G7/008

  Attaching arms to unsprung part of vehicle (B60G7/005, B60G7/006 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60G2204/41

  Elastic mounts, e.g. bushings · CPC title

• B60G7/00 Primary

  Pivoted suspension arms; Accessories thereof (means for maintaining substantially constant wheel camber during suspension movement B60G3/26; {articulations for wheels B60G5/00; leaf spring attaching means B60G11/10, B60G11/12; trailing arm twist beam axle attaching means B60G21/052; articulations in general F16C}) · CPC title

• B60G2206/122

  the arm having L-shape · CPC title

• B60G2206/80

  Manufacturing procedures · CPC title