Connecting assembly for a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9482268-B2
Application number	US-201214238762-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 11, 2012
Priority date	Oct 7, 2011
Publication date	Nov 1, 2016
Grant date	Nov 1, 2016

Abstract

A connecting assembly for a vehicle, with a structural component ( 11 ) having a connection area ( 14 ), a joint ( 7 ) having a bearing element ( 4 ) and an inner joint component ( 3 ) fitted and able to move in the latter and which extends outward the assembly, in an axial direction ( 5 ). The bearing element ( 4 ) together with the connection area ( 14 ) form an insert, and a cast element ( 9 ) is produced by casting around and enclosing the insert. The structural component ( 11 ) and the inner joint component ( 3 ) extend out of the cast element ( 9 ). The insert has a closing component ( 12 ) that engages with a mutual interlock with the structural component ( 11 ) to form, together with the structural component ( 11 ), a joint holder ( 8 ) that secures the bearing element ( 4 ) with an interlock, in the axial direction ( 5 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A connecting assembly for a vehicle, the connecting assembly comprising:
a structural component ( 11 ) having an interior surface and comprising a connection area ( 14 ), and the connection area of the structural component defines a receiving opening ( 15 ),
a joint ( 7 ) comprising a bearing element ( 4 ) and an inner joint component ( 3 ) that is received and movable within the bearing element and which extends in an axial direction ( 5 ) outward through a socket opening ( 6 ) in the bearing element,
a closing component ( 12 ) having an interior surface that mates with an exterior surface of the bearing element ( 4 ) on an axial side of the bearing element ( 4 ) adjacent the socket opening ( 6 ),
the bearing element ( 4 ) and the inner joint component ( 3 ) are received within the connection area ( 14 ) such that the interior surface of the structural component ( 11 ) mates with the exterior surface of the bearing element ( 4 ) on an axial side of the bearing element ( 4 ) opposite the socket opening ( 6 ), and such that the closing component ( 12 ) engages the structural component ( 11 ) on the axial side of the bearing element ( 4 ) opposite the socket opening ( 6 ) to interlock the closing component ( 12 ) and the structural component ( 11 ), the bearing element ( 4 ) and the inner joint component ( 3 ) being secured in the axial direction between the interior surfaces of the structural component ( 11 ) and the bearing element ( 4 ),
the bearing element ( 4 ), together with the connection area ( 14 ), form an insert which comprises the closing component ( 12 ), and the structural component ( 11 ) being interlocked with the closing component ( 12 ) to form a joint holder ( 8 ), and
the insert is encased within a cast element ( 9 ) that is cast around the insert such that the structural component ( 11 ) extends radially outward through the cast element and the inner joint component ( 3 ) extends axially out of the cast element.

2. The connecting assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the joint holder ( 8 ) axially encloses the bearing element ( 4 ).

3. The connecting assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the closing component ( 12 ) extends through the receiving opening of the structural component in the axial direction ( 5 ).

4. The connecting assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the structural component ( 11 ) and the closing component ( 12 ) are directly connected to one another, with interlock, by one of a screw locking connection, a rotary locking connection and an insertion and rotary locking connection.

5. The connecting assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the closing component ( 12 ) comprises at least one engagement element ( 16 ) which extends axially from the closing component and has a radial projection ( 17 ) that projects radially outwardly from the at least one engagement element, and the structural component ( 11 ) and the closing component ( 12 ) are interlockingly connected to one another via the at least one engagement element ( 16 ).

6. The connecting assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the structural component ( 11 ) comprises the receiving opening ( 15 ), and the engagement element ( 16 ) extends axially through the receiving opening ( 15 ) such that the radial projection ( 17 ) engages an edge ( 18 ) of the structural component that delimits the receiving opening ( 15 ).

7. The connecting assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the edge ( 18 ) comprises at least one axially through-going cut-out ( 21 ) that is arranged about a circumference of the receiving opening either next to or spaced away from the engagement element ( 16 ), and the at least one axially through-going cut-out ( 21 ) has dimensions that enable the engagement element ( 16 ) to pass axially therethrough.

8. The connecting assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the structural component ( 11 ) has a contact surface on an axial side of the structural component that is opposite the closing component ( 12 ), and the radial projection ( 17 ) of the engagement element ( 16 ) axially abuts against the contact surface.

9. The connecting assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the structural component ( 11 ) has at least one slot ( 22 ), which opens in a circumferential direction and which receives and engages with the radial projection of the engagement element ( 16 ).

10. The connecting assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the connection area ( 14 ) and the closing component ( 12 ) are each ring-shaped.

11. The connecting assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the connection area ( 14 ) has an axially extending securing element ( 19 ) which is curved radially inward relative to the axial direction ( 5 ) and which mates with only a portion of the exterior surface of the bearing element ( 4 ) in the axial direction ( 5 ) on the axial side of the bearing element opposite from the socket opening.

12. The connecting assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the bearing element ( 4 ), the connection area ( 14 ) and the closing component ( 12 ) are fixedly connected to one another by the cast element ( 9 ).

13. The connecting assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the inner joint component ( 3 ) forms a ball pin comprising a joint ball ( 2 ), and the joint ball ( 2 ) is received and enclosed within the bearing element ( 4 ).

Assignees

• Nachbar Frank
• Adamczyk Dirk
• Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen

Inventors

• Nachbar Frank
• Adamczyk Dirk

Classifications

• Y10T403/32631

  Universal ball and socket · CPC title

• F16C11/0685 Primary

  Manufacture of ball-joints and parts thereof, e.g. assembly of ball-joints · CPC title

• F16C11/0623

  Construction or details of the socket member · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• B60G2204/42

  Joints with cam surfaces · CPC title