Land vehicles: wheels and axles – Axle – With provision to interfit with vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-16
2001-04-24
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Land vehicles: wheels and axles
Axle
With provision to interfit with vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
active
06220674
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to composite-link rear axle arrangements having a flexurally rigid and torsionally resilient transverse member and a longitudinal member attached to each end of the transverse member by a plug connection in which each longitudinal member is adapted to receive a wheel carrier at one end and to be articulated to a vehicle body at the other end.
A conventional composite-link rear axle arrangement disclosed in German Offenleguengsschrift No. 44 41 971 has a transverse member and two longitudinal members which are attached to the respective opposite ends of the transverse member. In this arrangement, the longitudinal members are appropriately designed at one end to receive a wheel carrier and at the other end for articulation to a vehicle body. In addition, the transverse member is designed to be flexurally rigid but torsionally resilient and the longitudinal members are connected to the transverse member so that a stabilizer effect can be achieved with respect to the compression and expansion movements of the wheels, permitting the transverse and longitudinal forces acting on the vehicle wheels to be absorbed by the entire composite-link rear axle. Usually, the transverse member and each longitudinal member are produced from an aluminum alloy, the opposite ends of the transverse member being plugged into corresponding recesses in the longitudinal members which are provided for this purpose. The plug connections thus made between the transverse member and the longitudinal members are then rigidly attached by an appropriate method such as by adhesive bonding, welding, riveting or appropriate shaping. This attachment technique may vary depending, in particular, on whether the transverse member is designed, for example, as an extruded part with a semi-open profile and whether the longitudinal member is a casting or has a ribbed extruded shape.
Such conventional composite-link rear axle arrangements do not have the best possible design. In general, the outer regions of the transverse member are designed so that they are received in a groove-like guide of the corresponding longitudinal member. Since the traverse member is made of a light metal having a substantially lower modulus of elasticity than that of steel, the flange width of the light-metal profile of the transverse member must be extremely large in the outer region if a predetermined torsional rigidity is to be ensured. Consequently, when torsion occurs in use there is a correspondingly pronounced cambering of the outer regions of the transverse member flange regions. This cambering causes the outer flange regions of the transverse member to be displaced in the direction transverse to the vehicle, referred to herein as a Y axis displacement, which is sometimes very pronounced. Since the outer regions of the transverse member which are plugged into the longitudinal member are generally firmly clamped in the direction of the vehicle transverse axis i.e., the Y-direction, by a welded joint, or by screws, or the like, the torsional rigidity of the transverse member is increased undesirably. The result is that, because of this high rigidity, the stabilizer effect to be achieved is likewise too high.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a composite-link rear axle arrangement for a motor vehicle which overcomes disadvantages of the prior art.
Another object of this invention is to provide a composite-link rear axle arrangement in which the torsional rigidity of the transverse member is reduced and the resulting stabilizer effect correspondingly reduced.
These and other objects of the invention are attained by providing a composite link rear axle arrangement having a plug connection between a transverse member and a longitudinal member which includes a sliding bearing so that slight displacement of the transverse member, essentially in its longitudinal direction corresponding to the vehicle transverse axis, is possible in the region of the plug connection. Because the plug connection allows a slight sliding movement of the outer regions of the transverse member in the direction of the vehicle transverse axis, the torsional rigidity of the transverse member is reduced and, consequently, the stabilizer effect is likewise reduced to an appropriate amount. A slight sliding movement of the outer regions of the transverse member in the direction of the vehicle transverse axis i.e., the Y-direction, thus makes it possible to avoid the above-mentioned disadvantages after prior art.
There are a large number of possibilities for designing and developing a composite-link rear axle according to the invention in an advantageous way.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1133173 (1915-03-01), Oehler
patent: 4434998 (1984-03-01), Kaltwasser
patent: 4582338 (1986-04-01), Colanzi
patent: 5129672 (1992-07-01), Hiromoto et al.
patent: 5188389 (1993-02-01), Baechler et al.
patent: 5409255 (1995-04-01), Alatalo et al.
patent: 5800024 (1998-09-01), Steimmel et al.
patent: 5915727 (1999-06-01), Bonnville
patent: 5954351 (1999-09-01), Koschinat
patent: 3133312 (1983-03-01), None
patent: 3636878 (1986-10-01), None
patent: 3818412 (1988-05-01), None
patent: 19542523 (1997-05-01), None
patent: 0136269 (1984-09-01), None
patent: 0713791 (1995-11-01), None
Baker & Botts L.L.P.
Morano S. Joseph
Nguyen Long Bao
Volkswagen AG
LandOfFree
Composite-link rear axle does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Composite-link rear axle, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Composite-link rear axle will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2497219