Four-point link

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10864788-B2
Application number	US-201716302732-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 11, 2017
Priority date	May 24, 2016
Publication date	Dec 15, 2020
Grant date	Dec 15, 2020

Abstract

A four-point link (1) for a wheel suspension of a vehicle, having a core element (2), a thread (3) and four bushings (6). The thread (3) is pre-impregnated with a resin. The core element (2) has a torsional element (4) and four supporting arms (5) integrally connected to the torsional element (4). A bushing (6) is arranged, on each respective distal end of the supporting arms (5), for holding a respective bearing element. The core element (2) and the respective bushings (6) are at least partially wrapped with the thread (3) in order to connect the bushing (6), in each case, to the thread (3) at least in a non-positive manner. In addition, a method for producing the above-mentioned four-point link (1).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A four-point link for a wheel suspension of a vehicle, the four-point link comprising:
a core element,
a thread or a plurality of parallel threads, and
four bushings,
each thread being immersed in or pre-impregnated with a resin,
the core element defining a longitudinal axis of the four-point link and comprising a torsional element and four supporting arms integrally connected to the torsional element, and
a respective bushing being arranged, on each respective distal end of the supporting arms, for holding a respective bearing element,
the core element and the respective bushings being at least partially wrapped around with the thread, in each case, in order to connect, at least by friction, the bushing to the thread, and
the core element has cutouts that accommodate a plurality of thread cross-over points to maintain a consistent material thickness of the torsional element.

2. The four-point link according to claim 1 , wherein the thread or the plurality of parallel threads is wrapped many times around the core element and the respective bushings, the core element has a plurality of contact surfaces for supporting turning points of the thread, and the contact surfaces extend laterally relative to the longitudinal axis of the four-point link.

3. The four-point link according to claim 1 , wherein the core element is made from a foam material.

4. The four-point link according to claim 1 , wherein the bushings are, in each case, made from either a metallic material or a fiber-reinforced plastic.

5. The four-point link according to claim 1 , wherein the thread is laid, on each supporting arm, substantially parallel to a respective longitudinal axis of the supporting arm concerned.

6. The four-point link according to claim 5 , wherein the thread is laid, on respective end faces of the supporting arms, within an angular range of 15° to 45° relative to the respective longitudinal axis of the supporting arm concerned.

7. The four-point link according to claim 6 , wherein the thread is laid, on the torsional element, within an angular range of 40° to 60° relative to the longitudinal axis of the four-point link.

8. The four-point link according to claim 1 , wherein the cutouts that accommodate the plurality of thread cross-over points reduce the material thickness of the torsional element.

9. The four-point link according to claim 1 , wherein each of the bushings is at least partially interlocked to a respective load-transfer element, and the load-transfer element is connected, at least by friction, to the thread.

10. A method of producing a four-point link, for a wheel suspension of a vehicle, having a core element, a thread or a plurality of parallel threads and four bushings, each thread being pre-impregnated with a resin, the core element having a torsional element and four supporting arms, and a bushing being arranged, on each respective distal end of the supporting arms, for holding a respective bearing element, the method comprising:
producing the core element such that the four supporting arms are integrally connected to the torsional element,
connecting each respective bushing to a respective distal end of the supporting arm concerned,
at least partially wrapping the core element and the respective bushings with the pre-impregnated thread to form at least a frictional connection between the bushing concerned and the thread,
forming cutouts in the core element that accommodate a plurality of thread cross-over points to maintain a consistent material thickness of the torsional element, and
forming a plurality of contact surfaces on the core element that extend laterally relative to a longitudinal axis of the four-point link and support turning points of the thread.

11. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising holding the core element on a robot arm such that during the wrapping with the thread, the core element is guided by the robot arm.

12. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising holding the core element on a spindle, and guiding the thread with a robot arm in order to wrap the core element in the thread.

13. A four-point link for a wheel suspension of a vehicle, the four-point link comprising:
a core element having a torsional element and four supporting arms being integrally connected to the torsional element, and each of the four supporting arms extending from the torsional element and having a distal end, and the core element defining a longitudinal axis of the four-point link;
four bushings being coupled to the distal ends of the four supporting arms, respectively, and the four bushings being arranged for respectively supporting bearing elements;
at least one thread being pre-impregnated with a resin, and the at least one thread being wrapped around the torsional element and the four supporting arms of the core element and the four bushings to at least frictionally connect the bushings and the at least one thread;
the core element has two cutouts located on opposite lateral sides of the longitudinal axis of the four-point link, the two cutouts reduce a material thickness of the torsional element and accommodate a plurality of cross-over points of the thread to maintain the material thickness of the torsional element consistent; and
the core element has a plurality of flattened contact surfaces that support turning points of the thread and extend laterally relative to the longitudinal axis of the four-point link.

Assignees

• Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen
• Schaefer Mwn Gmbh

Inventors

• Müller Ingolf
• Heimann Jens
• Bürgmann Manfred
• Lobo Casanova Ignacio
• Stieglitz Andre
• Sohl Carsten
• Hörtdörfer Valentin

Classifications

• B60G2206/7104

  Thermoplastics · CPC title

• B60G2206/7101

  Fiber-reinforced plastics [FRP] · CPC title

• B60G7/001 Primary

  Suspension arms, e.g. constructional features (B60G7/006 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60G2206/12

  with two attachment points on the sprung part of the vehicle · CPC title

• B60G2206/017

  forming an eye for the bushing · CPC title