Control Arm and a Method for Forming the Same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016059651-A1
Application number	US-201414473093-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 29, 2014
Priority date	Aug 29, 2014
Publication date	Mar 3, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for forming a control arm is provided. The method includes providing an insert and a mold and also includes overcasting the insert within a metal in the mold. The insert defines a recess that is shaped for receiving a mating component. After the insert is overcast within the metal, the mating component may be positioned or mounted within the recess of the insert. A related control arm is also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for forming a vehicle control arm, comprising:
positioning an insert within a mold, the mold defining a void that corresponds to a shape of the vehicle control arm, the insert defining a recess for receiving a mating component of a vehicle suspension; casting a metal over the insert within the mold in order to form a cast arm of the vehicle control arm with the metal and the insert; and removing the vehicle control arm from the mold after said step of casting.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mating component is a torsion bar and the recess is positioned and shaped for receiving an end portion of the torsion bar.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the insert comprises steel and the cast arm comprises iron.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the insert comprises iron, steel or aluminum and the cast arm also comprises iron, steel or aluminum.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mold comprises sand, said step of positioning comprising casting the insert within a sand-core of the mold.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the mold, said step of positioning comprising mounting the insert within the mold after said step of forming.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal does not fill the recess of the insert after said step of casting.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the recess of the insert is not broached after said step of casting.

9 . A control arm for a vehicle, comprising:
an arm extending between a first end portion and a second end portion; a bushing support portioned at the first end portion of the arm; a ball joint support positioned at the second end portion of the arm; an insert overcast within the arm such that at least a portion of the insert is disposed within the arm, the insert defining a recess for receiving a torsion bar.

10 . The control arm of claim 9 , wherein the insert is positioned adjacent the first end portion of the arm.

11 . The control arm of claim 10 , wherein the insert is positioned between the bushing support and the ball joint support on the arm.

12 . The control arm of claim 9 , wherein the insert is constructed of a first material and the arm is constructed with a second material, the first and second materials being different.

13 . The control arm of claim 12 , wherein the first material comprises steel and the second material comprises iron.

14 . The control arm of claim 9 , wherein the insert and the arm are constructed with a common material.

15 . The control arm of claim 9 , wherein the recess of the insert is a hexagonal recess.

16 . A method for forming a vehicle control arm, comprising:
providing an insert and a mold, the insert defining a recess that is shaped for receiving a mating component, the mold defining a void, the void of the mold conforming to a shape of the vehicle control arm; overcasting the insert within a metal in the mold; and removing the vehicle control arm from the mold after said step of overcasting.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the mating component is a torsion bar and the recess is positioned and shaped for receiving an end portion of the torsion bar.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the insert comprises steel and a cast arm of the vehicle control arm comprises iron.

19 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising forming the mold and positioning the insert within the mold prior to said step of overcasting.

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the metal does not fill the recess of the insert after said step of overcasting.

Assignees

• Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen

Inventors

• Holmes Eric
• Hopkinson Harold
• Jones Barbara

Classifications

• B22D19/00

  Casting in, on, or around objects which form part of the product (B22D23/04 takes precedence; alumino-thermic welding B23K23/00; coating by casting molten material on the substrate C23C6/00) · CPC title

• B60G2200/144

  with two lateral arms forming a parallelogram · CPC title

• B22D19/16

  for making compound objects cast of two or more different metals, e.g. for making rolls for rolling mills (casting compound ingots B22D7/02) · CPC title

• B22D29/00 Primary

  Removing castings from moulds, not restricted to casting processes covered by a single main group; Removing cores; Handling ingots {(B22D13/10, B22D11/124, B22D17/00 take precedence)} · CPC title

• B60G3/06 Primary

  the arm being rigid · CPC title