Motor vehicle comprising running gear attachment guide means

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10625552-B2
Application number	US-201515127714-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2015
Priority date	Mar 27, 2014
Publication date	Apr 21, 2020
Grant date	Apr 21, 2020

Abstract

A motor vehicle includes a bodywork structural element and a running gear, such as a vehicle back end, that includes at least one arm. The at least one arm includes a top attachment end that is received in a sheet metal clevis supported on a bottom surface of a floor of the bodywork structural element. The attachment end includes at least one transverse tubular sleeve that is received with reduced play between two parallel flanks of the clevis, and an attachment screw capable of passing through two coaxial bores of both flanks and the transverse tubular sleeve to enable attachment of the attachment end into the clevis. The clevis guides the attachment end into a position for aligning the bores of the flanks and the sleeve.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A motor vehicle comprising:
a structural bodywork element; and
a running gear that comprises at least one arm comprising an upper attachment extremity that is received in a sheet metal clevis supported on a lower face of a floor of the structural bodywork element,
wherein said attachment extremity comprises at least one transverse tubular sleeve that fits with limited clearance between two parallel flanks of said clevis,
wherein said sleeve is mounted on the arm in fixed position with respect to the arm,
wherein an attachment screw is configured to pass through two coaxial bores in both flanks and said transverse tubular sleeve so as to enable attachment of said attachment extremity into the clevis, and
wherein:
the clevis comprises means for guiding the attachment extremity into a position in which the bores in the flanks and in the sleeve are aligned, and
the means for guiding has an arch shape with an open portion downwardly facing in a direction perpendicular to the floor.

2. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each flank has means for guiding a corresponding axial end of the tubular sleeve towards the position in which the bores in the flanks and in the sleeve are aligned.

3. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 2 , wherein each guide means extends perpendicular from one face of said flank oriented towards the sleeve, and each guide means is arranged in a transverse plane, has an arch shape and is configured to determine an immobilized position for the end of the tubular sleeve butting against the guide means, the tubular sleeve being coaxial to the bore in the flank, and includes a rib arranged around the arch shape.

4. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 3 , wherein each guide means includes a series of lugs arranged around the arch shape.

5. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each guide means includes a rib arranged around the arch shape.

6. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the arch shape of the rib is semi-circular and an internal diameter of the rib corresponds to an external diameter of the sleeve.

7. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the arch shape of the rib is trapezoidal and matches an external diameter of the sleeve.

8. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the concavity of the rib is oriented to enable the end of the tubular sleeve to be moved to the immobilized position by raising said sleeve into the rib.

9. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the running gear includes a rear axle that is semi-rigid and comprises:
a central tubular arm comprising a transverse section, a central portion of which has the attachment extremity, and two trailing arms extending on either side of the transverse section,
two cross arms, which have first ends articulated with a cradle attached beneath the lower face of the floor of the structural bodywork element, and second ends articulated with the ends of the trailing arms,
wherein the rear axle includes an attachment element that includes an upper ring that includes a bore to receive a cylindrical elastomer element in turn to coaxially receive the tubular sleeve, and a lower ring that holds the central arm and that includes a foot and a semi-cylindrical cover that are attached to one another.

10. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
a first member comprises the structural bodywork element and the clevis joined to a lower face of a floor of the structural bodywork element,
a second member comprises the running gear, and
the second member is joined to first member using the clevis and the attachment screw.

11. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
the clevis extends below the lower face of the floor of the structural bodywork element.

Assignees

• Renault Sas

Inventors

• Willemenot Johann
• Rioult Olivier

Classifications

• B60G2200/324

  with a single pivot point and a triangular "T" or "U"-shaped axle, e.g. DeDion arrangement · CPC title

• B60G7/02 Primary

  Attaching arms to sprung part of vehicle {(B60G7/006 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60G2204/4302

  for fixing suspension arm on the vehicle body or chassis · CPC title

• B60G2204/143

  on the vehicle body or chassis · CPC title

• B60G2204/4404

  Retainers for holding a fixing element, e.g. bushing, nut, bolt etc., until it is tightly fixed in position · CPC title