Four-point link and method for producing a four-point link

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11097584-B2
Application number	US-201816607887-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2018
Priority date	Apr 28, 2017
Publication date	Aug 24, 2021
Grant date	Aug 24, 2021

Abstract

A four-point link for a vehicle includes a core element and a main laminate comprising a fiber reinforced plastics composite material, which wraps around the core element. The core element comprises four load-introducing elements and a foam core, and the four load-introducing elements (4) are connected by positive engagement to the foam core (5). The four-point link has four additional windings, wherein a respective additional winding wraps around a first, second, third and fourth load-introducing element and operatively connects a respective one of the latter to the main laminate. Compressive forces can be introduced into the main laminate (3) by means of every additional winding (6).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A four-point link for a vehicle, comprising:
a core element comprising four load introducing elements and a foam core, and said four load introducing elements connected by positive engagement to said foam core;
a main laminate comprising a fiber reinforced plastic composite material, said main laminate wound around said core element,
said four-point link further comprising four additional windings comprising a fiber reinforced plastic composite material, wherein a first additional winding of said four additional windings wraps around a first load-introducing element of said four load-introducing elements and operatively connects said first load-introducing element to said main laminate, a second additional winding wraps around a second load-introducing element of said four load-introducing element and operatively connects said second load-introducing element to said main laminate, a third additional winding wraps around a third load-introducing element of said four load-introducing elements and operatively connects said third load-introducing element to said main laminate, a fourth additional winding wraps around a fourth load-introducing element of said four load-introducing elements and operatively connects said fourth load-introducing element to said main laminate, and wherein compressive forces can be introduced into said main laminate by each of said additional winding.

2. The four-point link according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said four load-introducing elements has at least one guide projection for guiding an associated additional winding.

3. The four-point link according to claim 1 , wherein each of said four load-introducing elements has two wrap regions ( 8 ), and wherein a winding length of a respective additional winding corresponds to the formation of said wrap regions.

4. The four-point link according to claim 1 , wherein each of said four load-introducing elements has an anchoring region for connecting every load-introducing element to said foam core by positive engagement.

5. The four-point link according to claim 1 , wherein said foam core is formed from a polymer foam.

6. The four-point link according to claim 1 , wherein said additional windings are formed from one of a glass fiber reinforced plastics composite material or a carbon fiber reinforced plastics composite material.

7. The four-point link according to claim 1 , wherein said load-introducing elements are formed from one of a metal material and a fiber reinforced plastics composite material.

8. A method for producing a four-point link for a vehicle comprising:
providing four load-introducing elements in a mold for a foam core;
producing the foam core in the mold such that the four load-introducing elements are integrated in the foam core by positive engagement;
singly wrapping every load-introducing element and the foam core with a main laminate so as to enable a transmission of force between the load-introducing elements and the main laminate;
wrapping a first additional winding around the first load-introducing element so as to result in an additional operative connection to the main laminate;
wrapping a second additional winding around the second load-introducing element so as to result in an additional operative connection to the main laminate;
wrapping a third additional winding around the third load-introducing element so as to result in an additional operative connection to the main laminate;
wrapping a fourth additional winding around the fourth load-introducing element so as to result in an additional operative connection to the main laminate; and hardening the four-point link.

Assignees

• Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen

Inventors

• Müller Ingolf
• Bürgmann Manfred
• Stieglitz Andre
• Bauer Philipp

Classifications

• B60G7/00

  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

• B29K2075/00

  Use of {PU, i.e.} polyureas or polyurethanes {or derivatives thereof}, as moulding material · CPC title

• B60G2206/7101

  Fiber-reinforced plastics [FRP] · CPC title

• B29K2709/08

  Glass · CPC title

• B29K2105/12

  of short lengths, e.g. chopped filaments, staple fibres or bristles · CPC title