Fastening component and shock absorber for chassis of motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a fixing member for fixing a stabilizer to a shock absorber. The fixing member comprises a first part and a second part. The first part is provided with a penetrating portion at the fixing section, the stabilizer can be fixed on a fixing component at the penetrating portion, the first part is connected with the second part, and the fixing section protrudes relative to the outer side face of the second part at the base section of the second part. A welded connection is formed between the fixing member and a damper tube of the damper at a second portion, the second portion having an inner side in addition to an outer side. The inner side of the second part serves for the second part to rest on the damper tube and is a corresponding structure of the outer contour of the damper tube present in the rest region. The second portion forms a joint surface at least at the edge section defining the base section substantially longitudinally with respect to the fixed section, the joint surface being used to form a fillet weld of the welded connection. Here, the edge section has a convexly curved course.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a fixing member for fixing a stabilizer to a shock absorber. The fixing member includes a first part and a second part. The first part is provided with a through portion at a fixing section, where the stabilizer can be fixed to the fixing member. The first part is connected to the second part, and the fixing section projects relative to the outer side surface of the second part at the base section of the second part. A welded joint can be formed between the fixing member and the shock absorber tube of the shock absorber at the second part. The second part has an inner side surface in addition to the outer side surface, and the inner side surface of the second part is used to abut the second part against the shock absorber tube and is configured as a corresponding structure of the outer contour of the shock absorber tube existing in the abutting area. In addition, the present invention also relates to a shock absorber having the aforementioned fixing member. Background Art

[0002] In the chassis of a motor vehicle, the use of a stabilizer is known. When the vehicle body sways, the stabilizer generates a restoring moment about the sway axis, thereby reducing the body tilt of the vehicle body. The stabilizer generally consists of stabilizer legs and a stabilizer back connecting these stabilizer legs. Here, the stabilizer back is usually connected to the vehicle body, and the stabilizer legs are respectively fixed to the corresponding axles. In some cases, each stabilizer leg is also partially fixed to the corresponding shock absorber, and for this purpose, a fixing member is provided at the shock absorber tube of the corresponding shock absorber.

[0003] A fixing member for fixing a stabilizer to a shock absorber is known from document JP 3695726 B2. The fixing member has a first part and a second part. The first part is used to fix the stabilizer at the through portion, and the fixing member is fixed to the shock absorber tube of the shock absorber at the second part. The second part abuts the shock absorber tube of the shock absorber with its inner side surface. For this purpose, the inner side surface of the second part is a corresponding structure of the outer contour of the shock absorber tube, and the first part projects in a tabular manner relative to the outer side surface of the second part. The fixing member is fixed to the shock absorber tube through a welded joint. In a variant of document JP3695726 B2, the welded joint is formed at the apex of the second part. Specifically, this is achieved by resistance projection welding the inner side surface of the second part to the shock absorber tube of the shock absorber. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Based on the above prior art, the object of the present invention is to provide a fixing member for fixing a stabilizer to a shock absorber, and the fixing member can be fixed to the shock absorber tube of the shock absorber through a welded joint, where the welded joint can be formed with relatively low cost and can be formed in a load-bearing manner.

[0005] This object is achieved by combining the preamble of claim 1 with its characterizing part. The dependent claims recited after claim 1 respectively reflect advantageous improvement solutions of the present invention. In addition, the shock absorber fixes the fixing member according to the present invention at its container tube by means of a welded connection, and the shock absorber is the subject matter of claim 14.

[0006] According to the present invention, the fixing member for fixing the stabilizer at the shock absorber comprises a first part and a second part. The first part is provided with a through portion at the fixing section, at which the stabilizer can be fixed to the fixing member. In addition, the first part is connected to the second part, wherein the fixing section projects relative to the outer side surface of the second part at the base section of the second part, at which a welded connection can be formed between the fixing member and the shock absorber tube of the shock absorber, and the second part has an inner side surface in addition to the outer side surface. The inner side surface of the second part is used here to bring the second part into abutment against the shock absorber tube and is configured for this purpose as a corresponding structure of the outer contour present in the abutment area of the shock absorber tube.

[0007] Thus, the fixing member according to the present invention establishes a connection between the stabilizer and the shock absorber, wherein the fixing member is fixed at the shock absorber tube of the shock absorber by means of a welded connection for this purpose, while the stabilizer is fixed to the fixing member at the through portion of the fixing member. The through portion is formed here at the fixing section of the first part of the fixing member according to the present invention, so that the stabilizer is fixed at the first part of the fixing member. Preferably, the stabilizer is detachably fixed here in such a way that the fixing element of the stabilizer passes through the through portion, which can be achieved, for example, by means of a threaded connection. In the state in which the fixing member is welded to the shock absorber tube, the fixing section of the first part of the fixing member is particularly oriented substantially in the direction of the longitudinal central axis of the shock absorber.

[0008] In contrast thereto, the welded connection of the fixing member to the shock absorber tube of the shock absorber is carried out at the second part, by means of which the fixing member is placed on the shock absorber tube for welding and remains here after the welded connection is completed. For this purpose, the second part of the fixing member is equipped with an inner side surface, which is a corresponding structure of the outer contour, which the shock absorber tube has in the abutment area of the fixing member. Then, at the outer side surface facing away from the inner side surface, the first part is also connected to the second part, wherein the first part projects relative to the second part with its fixing section here.

[0009] The present invention now includes the technical teaching that the second part forms a joint surface at least in the edge section, which edge section defines the base section substantially longitudinally relative to the fixing section, and the joint surface is used for forming a fillet weld of the welded connection. Here, the edge section has a convexly curved course.

[0010] In other words, at least along the edge section, a joint surface is defined at the second part, and through this edge section, the extension of the base section of the second part is defined substantially longitudinally with respect to the fixed section. The joint surface is used here to manufacture the fillet weld of the welded connection between the second part of the fixing member and the shock absorber tube. In addition, the edge section extends convexly, that is, bends outward.

[0011] This design of the fixing member has the following advantages here. That is, since the joint surface is formed at the edge of the second part and combined with the abutment against the shock absorber tube, the weld for connecting the fixing member and the shock absorber tube can be formed with relatively low cost. Since the joint surface is formed at the edge, a lapping portion lapping the shock absorber tube is thus formed, and at this lapping portion, the fixing member is welded to the shock absorber tube along the fillet weld. Since the edge section and thus the joint surface formed thereby extend convexly and curvedly, the high load-carrying capacity of the weld formed at the joint surface is also ensured.

[0012] Preferably, the edge section is a part of the edge of the second part, and the shape of the second part of the fixing member is preferably defined by the circumferential edge in particular.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the present invention, since the first part is provided with two legs on both sides of the fixed section, the first part has a C-shaped configuration. The two legs are respectively adjacent to the middle fixed section in a laterally oriented manner and respectively also protrude with respect to the outer side surface of the second part. The rigidity of the first part can be significantly improved by this C-shaped configuration, thereby improving the load-carrying capacity of the fixing member in the installed state. When the fixed section is oriented substantially along the direction of the longitudinal central axis of the shock absorber, the legs of the first part then preferably extend substantially transversely to the longitudinal central axis of the shock absorber. Preferably, the fixed section and the corresponding legs are respectively clamped at an obtuse angle, but alternatively or additionally thereto, an acute angle can also be respectively clamped between one leg or both legs and the fixed section.

[0014] In an improved version of the above embodiment, the legs respectively have a first height in the region of the corresponding transition part transitioning to the fixed section, and the legs respectively decrease from the first height to a second height starting from the region of the corresponding transition part. Specifically, the first height of the legs corresponds to the height of the fixed section. Alternatively or additionally thereto, the first height of each leg continuously decreases to the second height, and this preferably occurs linearly.

[0015] According to a feasible design of the present invention, since the second part connects leg sections that are laterally oriented relative to the base section at the central base section, the second part has a C-shaped configuration. In particular, in combination with the C-shaped configuration of the first part, a fixing member structure suitable for being fixed to the shock absorber tube and capable of bearing can be realized. Preferably, the laterally oriented leg sections are connected to the base section respectively with at least substantially straight extensions.

[0016] Very particularly preferably, the joint surface near the edge section is formed by the edge section defining the leg section. Thereby, the joint surface and thus the weld can be constructed to be relatively long, thereby improving the load-bearing capacity of the welded joint. In particular, the joint surface extends at the outer side of the C-shaped configuration of the second part here. However, within the scope of the present invention, the joint surface can also be formed at least at the edge section of the inner side of the C-shaped configuration of the second part.

[0017] In particular, both the first part and the second part are C-shaped, wherein the legs of the first part protrude at one of the leg sections of the second part respectively.

[0018] In an improved embodiment of the present invention, the second part and the first part are integrally constructed together, whereby the fixing member is integrally constructed. Thereby, the fixing member can be manufactured as a molded part with relatively low cost. Preferably, the second part transitions into the first part via a rounded transition section, whereby the rigidity of the fixing member can be advantageously increased.

[0019] In an embodiment of the present invention, the through portion is a through hole. This enables a problem-free connection of the stabilizer.

[0020] In addition, the present invention also relates to a shock absorber for a motor vehicle chassis. The shock absorber includes a container tube here, and a welded joint is formed between the shock absorber and the fixing member according to one or more of the foregoing variant embodiments at the container tube. The shock absorber is preferably a telescopic damper, which can specifically be a single-tube damper or a double-tube damper. Description of the Drawings

[0021] The following described advantageous embodiments according to the present invention are shown in the drawings.

[0022] Wherein:

[0023] Figure 1 A perspective view of a shock absorber according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0024] Figures 2 to 5 Shown is Figure 1 Different views of the fixing member of the shock absorber according to the preferred feasible design of the present invention shown; and

[0025] Figure 6 shows Figure 1 another perspective view of the shock absorber shown above. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] Figure 1 A perspective view of the shock absorber 1 is shown, which is designed according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is used in the chassis of a motor vehicle. The shock absorber 1 is a telescopic damper here and includes a shock absorber tube 2, and one end of a piston rod 3 protrudes from the shock absorber tube. Here, the shock absorber 1 is particularly a twin-tube damper and has a structure generally known to those skilled in the art.

[0027] A fixing member 4 is fixed to the shock absorber tube 2, which is designed according to a preferred feasible design of the present invention and is used to fix a stabilizer to the shock absorber 1. Here, the fixing member 4 is fixed to the shock absorber tube 2 by a welded joint and has a through portion 5 at which the stabilizer can be fixed.

[0028] In Figures 2 to 5 the fixing member 4 is shown in different views, and the fixing member is integrally constructed, where the fixing member 4 is particularly manufactured as a formed part. The fixing member 4 includes a first part 6 here, which protrudes relative to the outer side 7 of the second part 8 of the fixing member 4, and two legs 10 and 11 respectively connected thereto are provided on both sides of a fixing section 9. The fixing section 9 is provided with a through hole 12 forming the through portion 5, and is particularly as Figure 3 can be seen in Figure 5 clamped at an obtuse angle with each of the legs 10 and 11 respectively, whereby the first part 6 of the fixing member 4 has a C-shaped configuration. In

[0029] In addition, from Figure 3 it can be seen that each of the legs 10 or 11 of the first part 6 continuously decreases from a first height of the fixing section 9 to a second height.

[0029] In addition, from Figure 3 it can be seen that the second part 8 of the fixing member 4 also has a C-shaped configuration. This C-shaped configuration is defined by a circumferential edge 13 here. The second part 8 has an inner side 14 in addition to the outer side 7, and the fixing member 4 abuts against the shock absorber tube 2 of the shock absorber 1 at the inner side 14. For this purpose, the inner side 14 is a corresponding structure corresponding to the outer contour of the shock absorber tube 2 in the abutting area. The outer side 7 also has a shape corresponding to the inner side 14, whereby the second part 18 is generally a partial section of a hollow cylinder. This can be seen particularly when observing Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 simultaneously.

[0030] The C-shaped form of the second part 8 includes a base section 15, to which two leg sections 16 and 17 extending transversely thereto are adjacent. The base section 15 and the two leg sections 16 and 17 define, together with the associated edge sections 18, 19, and 20, the outer side of the C-shaped form of the second part 8, wherein the outer side forms, in this case, a joint surface 21, which is used to form a fillet weld for the welded connection to the damper tube 2. While the edge sections 19 and 20 extend substantially straight and thus also define, at least at the outer side of the C-shaped form, the substantially straight course of the leg sections 16 and 17, the edge section 18 of the base section 15, which is defined substantially longitudinally with respect to the fixed section 9, is convexly curved.

[0031] As can also be seen Figures 2 to 5 from, the first part 6 and the second part 8 transition into one another via an intermediate transition section 22, wherein the transition section 22 is rounded in this case.

[0032] Finally, Figure 6 another view of the damper 1 is also shown Figure 1 in which a fillet weld 23 extending along the joint surface 21 of the fixing member 4 can be seen, via which the fixing member 4 is welded when lapping the damper tube 2 of the damper 1. A weld seam can thus be formed between the fixing member 4 and the damper tube 2 at low cost, wherein, due to the convexly curved edge section 18, the welded connection formed in this case also has a high load-bearing capacity.

[0033] With the aid of the inventive design of the fixing member, a load-bearing welded connection can thus be achieved at low cost.

[0034] List of reference signs:

[0035] 1 Damper

[0036] 2 Damper tube

[0037] 3 Piston rod

[0038] 4 Fixing member

[0039] 5 Through-hole

[0040] 6 First part

[0041] 7 Outer side

[0042] 8 Second part

[0043] 9 Fixed section

[0044] 10 Leg

[0045] 11 Leg

[0046] 12 through-holes

[0047] 13 edge

[0048] 14 inner side

[0049] 15 base section

[0050] 16 leg section

[0051] 17 leg section

[0052] 18 edge section

[0053] 19 edge section

[0054] 20 edge section

[0055] 21 joint surface

[0056] 22 transition section

[0057] 23 fillet weld.

Claims

1. A fixing member (4) for fixing a stabilizer to a shock absorber (1), the fixing member comprising a first part (6) and a second part (8), wherein, The first part (6) is provided with a through portion (5) at a fixed section (9), at which the stabilizer can be fixed to the fixed member (4). The first part (6) is connected to the second part (8), and the fixed section (9) projects relative to the outer side surface (7) of the second part at the base section of the second part. A welded connection can be formed between the fixed member (4) and the shock absorber tube (2) of the shock absorber (1) at the second part. The second part has an inner side surface (14) in addition to the outer side surface (7), and the inner side surface (14) of the second part (8) is adapted to abut the second part (8) against the shock absorber tube (2) and is configured as a corresponding structure of the outer contour of the shock absorber tube (2) present in the abutment area. It is characterized in that the second part (8) forms a joint surface (21) at least in an edge section (18), the edge section longitudinally defining the base section (15) relative to the fixed section (9), the joint surface being for a fillet weld (23) of the welded connection, and the edge section (18) having a convexly curved course.

2. The fixing member (4) according to claim 1, characterized in that, Since the first part (6) is provided with two legs (10, 11) on both sides of the fixed section (9), the first part (6) has a C-shaped configuration, the two legs being respectively laterally oriented and adjacent to the intermediate fixed section (9), and also respectively projecting relative to the outer side surface (7) of the second part (8).

3. The fixing member (4) according to claim 2, characterized in that, The fixed section (9) and the corresponding legs (10, 11) are each clamped at an obtuse angle.

4. The fixing member (4) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The legs (10, 11) each have a first height in the respective transition into the fixed section (9), where the legs (10, 11) respectively decrease from the first height to a second height starting from the area of the respective transition.

5. The fixing member (4) according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first height of the legs corresponds to the height of the fixed section (9).

6. The fixing member (4) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, The respective legs (10, 11) continuously decrease from the first height to the second height.

7. The fixing member (4) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that Since the second part (8) is respectively connected to leg sections (16, 17) that are laterally oriented relative to the base section at the intermediate base section (15), the second part (8) has a C-shaped configuration.

8. The fixing member (4) according to claim 7, characterized in that, The leg sections (16, 17) are respectively connected to the base section (15) at least substantially straightly extending.

9. The fixing member (4) according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that, The joint surface (21) near the edge section (18) is formed by edge sections (19, 20) that define the leg sections (16, 17).

10. The fixing member (4) according to any one of claims 7 to 9 and any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that The legs (10, 11) project at each of the leg sections (16, 17).

11. The fixing member (4) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The second part (8) and the first part (6) are constructed integrally.

12. The fixing member (4) according to claim 11, characterized in that, The second part (8) transitions to the first part (6) via a rounded transition section (22).

13. The fixing member (4) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The through portion (5) is a through hole (12).

14. A shock absorber (1) for a chassis of a motor vehicle, the shock absorber comprising a container tube (2), the shock absorber forming a welded connection with a fixing member (4) according to any one or more of claims 1 to 13 at the container tube.

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