Land vehicles – Wheeled – Running gear
Patent
1993-06-18
1994-09-06
Focarino, Margaret A.
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Running gear
296194, 296205, 296 29, 280692, B62D 2111, B62D 2300, B60G 1506
Patent
active
053441877
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD
The invention relates to improvements in vehicle body fabrication, and more particularly to an improved spring strut mounting assembly in a vehicle bodywork.
BACKGROUND
In the customary series production of motor vehicles, the entire running gear is pre-assembled, fitted and bolted into the body of the vehicle from below. A bearing block, generally in the form of a casting, is installed at the upper end of a spring strut assembly of the running gear. Other elements of the running gear, such as dampers or shock-absorbers, springs, links etc., are pre-assembled onto the bearing block.
Supporting members, typically made from sheet-metal construction, are provided to the vehicle body in the region of the spring strut mounting assembly to secure a spring strut cup on the body. The spring strut cup is usually fabricated as a casting.
During the assembly of the vehicle body and the running gear, the bearing block of the spring strut assembly is brought in contact with and bolted to the spring strut cup on the body.
The spring strut cup and bearing block construction in the customary series production of motor vehicles is expensive and is necessitated by the above described pre-assembly operations.
THE INVENTION
Objects
It is therefore a principle object of the present invention to provide an improved spring strut mounting assembly which is similar to mountings seen in the prior art, but which eliminates the need for a conventional spring strut cup and therefore is simpler in construction and less expensive.
Other or further objects will become evident from the following detailed description, drawings and appended claims.
DRAWINGS
An exemplary embodiment of the invention with further details, features and advantages is explained with greater detail with reference to the drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is an exploded isometric view of a forward spring strut mounting assembly 1 for a vehicle body constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention and illustrating assembly without the need for a prior art spring strut cup 6 (shown in phantom);
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the spring strut mounting assembly 1 illustrated in FIG. 1, with the spring strut 7 and longitudinal member 2 removed for clarity; and
FIG. 3 is a view generally similar to the view illustrated in FIG. 2 except that the spring strut 7 with its bearing block 11 have been mounted into a free space 13 and attached to free ends 3a, 4a, 5a of members 3, 4, 5 via fasteners extended through holes 15a, 15b, 15c formed in the upper bearing block 11.
SUMMARY
According to the invention, a spring strut mounting assembly for a motor vehicle includes supporting members for mounting to the vehicle body and configured relative to each other such that the converging free ends of each corresponding supporting member define three boundary points along a free space region for mounting an upper bearing block of a spring strut. In this manner, the upper bearing block may be directly disposed in the free space region and connected to the free ends of each of the supporting members which bound the free space region. As a result, a spring strut cup attached to the body, normally used in the prior art and disposed in the free space region, can be dispensed with completely.
This does not entail any functional disadvantages since in the prior art embodiments, two parts (the bearing block on the spring strut, and the spring strut cup attached to the body) are superimposed and bolted together. In the present invention, only one part (i.e., the bearing block) is necessary, particularly if both parts are designed as light metal castings.
Despite the elimination of the spring strut cup attached to the body, there is virtually no extra effort involved in the assembly procedure since the bearing block on the spring strut is now bolted directly to the supporting frame parts rather than to the spring strut cup.
In theory, it is possible to eliminate the spring strut cup from the spring strut mounting assembly in most vehicle body constructions.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1542510 (1925-06-01), Lancia
patent: 2047336 (1936-07-01), Stout
patent: 2507421 (1950-05-01), Rose
patent: 4811812 (1989-03-01), Cassese
patent: 5085484 (1992-02-01), Mori
patent: 5244248 (1993-09-01), Bovellan
Kreis Gundolf
Timm Heinrich
Audi A.G.
English Peter
Feix Thomas C.
Focarino Margaret A.
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