Steering linkage for a wheel suspension of a motor vehicle, as well as wheel suspension for a wheel of a front axle of a motor vehicle.

Abstract

Control arm (10) for a wheel suspension of a motor vehicle, comprising a control arm base (12) with a bearing point on the motor vehicle body side, wherein the bearing point on the motor vehicle body side is designed in the form of a bearing eye (14), wherein the bearing eye (14) is designed as a predetermined breaking point that breaks when a predetermined abuse load is exceeded, characterized by the fact that The handlebar base (12) in the area of ​​the bearing eye (14) has a stop (24) extending in the direction of the bearing axis (20), which - when viewed in the installed state of the handlebar (10) - is oriented extending to the rear in the longitudinal direction (x-direction) of the vehicle, wherein the stop (24) is dimensioned and positioned such that - when viewed in the installed state of the handlebar (10) - if a defined, maximum permissible pivoting movement of the handlebar (10) in a vehicle body-side bearing console (22) about the vehicle vertical direction (z-direction) is exceeded, the stop (24) contacts a support surface (26) provided on the vehicle body.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a control arm for a wheel suspension of a motor vehicle according to the type specified in the preamble of patent claim 1 and to a wheel suspension for a wheel of a front axle of a motor vehicle according to the type specified in the preamble of patent claim 5.

[0002] In a so-called small-overlap crash, i.e. a frontal collision with a small width overlap, there is a known risk that - because of the small lateral width overlap, the rigid longitudinal and / or cross member structures of the vehicle body do not contribute to absorbing the impact energy - the front wheel on the collision side will penetrate the passenger cell and injure vehicle occupants.

[0003] DE 10 2013 016 766 A1 discloses a method for controlling improved deformation behavior in the front end of a motor vehicle during small-overlap deformation. The method provides that a wheel, which in a non-collision situation is guided relative to the vehicle body by load-bearing guide means, is influenced in the event of a collision by interrupting the load transfer to the wheel by at least one load-transmitting guide means. The wheel is deflected rearward and outward, viewed in the longitudinal and transverse directions of the vehicle, and is consequently guided toward rigid areas, in particular sills.

[0004] Load-transmitting guide means, hereinafter referred to as control arms, are well known in the art. Reference is made merely as an example to JP 2007 001 394 A, which already discloses a control arm having a bearing eyelet, which is pivotably mounted on the vehicle body via a chassis bearing pressed into the bearing eyelet.

[0005] A generic control arm for a wheel suspension of a motor vehicle, having all the features of the preamble of patent claim 1, is known from CN 2 01 694 013 U. In addition, reference is made to the disclosure of US 10 543 726 B2.

[0006] The invention is based on the object of developing a control arm for a wheel suspension of a motor vehicle according to the type specified in the preamble of patent claim 1 in such a way that in the event of a small overlap crash, a targeted failure of the control arm is ensured, but without weakening the function of the control arm during operation as well as in special and misuse events.

[0007] This problem is solved by the characterizing features of patent claim 1 in conjunction with its preamble features.

[0008] Subclaims 2 to 4 represent advantageous developments of the handlebar according to the invention.

[0009] The control arm according to the invention, in particular a wishbone, comprises, in a known manner, a control arm base with a wheel-side bearing point and a vehicle body-side bearing point. The vehicle body-side bearing point is designed in the form of a bearing eye into which a chassis bearing can be inserted or pressed. Via the chassis bearing insertable into the bearing eye, the control arm can be pivotally mounted or mounted on the vehicle body about the bearing axis in a known manner.

[0010] The bearing, which can be inserted or pressed into the bearing eye, is designed in particular in the form of a rubber-metal bearing, via which the control arm - when installed - can be pivotally mounted on the vehicle body about the bearing axis, which is essentially aligned in the vehicle's longitudinal direction. For the sake of completeness, it should be noted that in the following, a vehicle-fixed coordinate system is used for directional information. The x-axis runs along the vehicle's longitudinal axis and points in the direction of travel (= forward travel), the y-axis runs along the vehicle's transverse axis and - accordingly - points to the left, and the z-axis is aligned upwards along the vehicle's vertical axis.

[0011] The bearing eye is designed as a predetermined breaking part that breaks open when a specified misuse load is exceeded.

[0012] The abuse load is selected such that the bearing eyelet only breaks open if a correspondingly specified maximum permissible moment load and / or a correspondingly specified maximum tensile load are exceeded, which is to be expected only in a small-overlap crash, i.e., a frontal collision with a small overlap, and the width of the overlap is exceeded. This ensures the operation of the control arm during normal driving as well as in other special and / or abuse events, such as driving very quickly over a high curb or similar.

[0013] This ensures a simple, targeted failure of the steering rod in the event of a small-overlap crash. Another advantage of this design, namely the design of the bearing eyelet as a predetermined breaking point, is that it is structurally simple to implement, thus ensuring cost-effective production of the steering rod.

[0014] According to the invention, the control arm is characterized in that the control arm base has a button-shaped stop in the area of ​​the bearing eyelet, extending in the direction of the bearing axis, which - when the control arm is installed - is oriented to extend rearward in the x-direction (=> vehicle longitudinal axis). The stop is dimensioned in its extension length and positioned in its arrangement relative to the bearing eyelet such that - again when the control arm is installed - when a specified, maximum permissible pivoting movement of the control arm about the vertical axis (z-direction) in a bearing bracket on the vehicle body is exceeded, the stop contacts a support surface provided on the vehicle body. The maximum permissible pivoting movement of the control arm about the vertical axis in the bearing bracket on the vehicle body is selected such that this only occurs in the event of a small overlap crash, i.e.a frontal collision with a small overlap, resulting in the rearward deflection of the control arm or the wheel-side bearing point of the control arm in the x-direction (=> vehicle's longitudinal axis). The effect of this design is that in the event of a small-overlap crash, a lever effect is created due to the support of the stop on the intended support surface, thus advantageously supporting the intended, targeted breakage of the bearing eye.

[0015] In order to ensure a targeted breaking open of the bearing eye, the bearing eye preferably has two essentially opposite predetermined breaking points, viewed in the radial direction r of the bearing eye.

[0016] According to a first embodiment, the predetermined breaking points are designed in the form of two notches which - viewed in the installed state of the control arm - are introduced into the axially end-side annular end face of the bearing eye which is oriented forwards in the x-direction (=> vehicle longitudinal axis) of the motor vehicle.

[0017] A second embodiment provides that the predetermined breaking points are designed in the form of two - viewed in the circumferential direction of the bearing eye - locally limited material removals of the bearing eye surface.

[0018] The advantage of forming the predetermined breaking points in the form of notches or material removal is that they can be produced quickly and cost-effectively using machining and / or forming processes.

[0019] The invention is further based on the object of developing a wheel suspension for a wheel of a front axle of a motor vehicle according to the type specified in the preamble of patent claim 5 in such a way that, in the event of a small overlap crash, a simplified separation of the support arm is ensured and, as a result, penetration of a wheel into the passenger compartment is prevented.

[0020] This problem is solved by the characterizing features of patent claim 5 in conjunction with its preamble features.

[0021] Subclaims 6 to 9 represent advantageous developments of the wheel suspension.

[0022] In a conventional manner, the wheel suspension for a wheel on the front axle of a motor vehicle is articulated or guided to the vehicle body via a link assembly. Furthermore, the wheel suspension is designed such that in the event of a small-overlap crash, i.e., a frontal collision with an obstacle with a small overlap, the load transfer from one link of the link assembly to the wheel on the side of the accident is interrupted, and the wheel is deflected rearward and outward in the vehicle's longitudinal and transverse directions (x and y directions).

[0023] According to the invention, the link interrupting the load transmission is designed according to one of claims 1 to 4.

[0024] The wheel suspension according to the invention proves to be particularly advantageous because - in contrast to the prior art according to DE 10 2013 016 766 A1 - no additional destruction device is required to interrupt the load transmission of a control arm, so that in comparison to the prior art according to DE 10 2013 016 766 A1, a space-saving, fewer-component, structurally significantly simplified and thus particularly cost-effective wheel suspension is provided.

[0025] The control arm is preferably designed as a wishbone. The arrangement of the control arm is arbitrary and package-dependent, i.e., the control arm can be arranged as a support arm together with a trailing arm in the lower control arm plane. However, it is also conceivable to arrange the control arm with at least one additional trailing arm in the upper control arm plane.

[0026] In order to ensure a simple and cost-effective design for the control arm mounting on the vehicle body, the control arm is preferably pivotally mounted about the bearing axis, which is essentially aligned in the x-direction (=> vehicle longitudinal axis), using a rubber-metal bearing pressed into the bearing eye. A further effect of the rubber-metal bearing is that in the event of a small overlap crash and the resulting deflection of the control arm backwards in the x-direction, i.e. against the direction of travel, the resulting cardanic twisting in the rubber-metal bearing generates a high restoring moment M in the vehicle body-side bearing bracket about the vertical axis, so that the combination of the restoring moment M and the tensile force acting on the control arm ensures the intended tearing open of the bearing eye or the predetermined breaking points of the bearing eye.

[0027] A further preferred embodiment of the wheel suspension according to the invention provides that the chassis bearing of the control arm on the vehicle body side is mounted between two bearing legs of the bearing bracket aligned substantially in the y-direction, i.e., the transverse direction of the vehicle, and that a support surface for the stop on the control arm base side is formed on the rear bearing leg, viewed in the x-direction. The support surface formed on the rear bearing leg and the stop formed on the control arm base are positioned relative to one another and dimensioned such that after a specified, maximum permissible pivoting movement of the control arm in the vehicle body-side bearing bracket about the vehicle's vertical direction (z-direction) is exceeded, the stop contacts the support surface formed on the rear bearing leg.By contacting the stop with the support surface, a lever effect is advantageously created, with the result that the intended, targeted breaking open of the bearing eye is supported.

[0028] Preferably, the control arm assembly of the wheel suspension is mounted on the vehicle body via a subframe.

[0029] Further advantages and possible applications of the present invention will become apparent from the following description in conjunction with the embodiment shown in the drawing.

[0030] In the drawing means: Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of a handlebar according to the invention; Fig. 2 the handlebars Fig. 1 when installed in a wheel suspension; Fig. 3 the wheel suspension Fig. 2 in a small overlap crash situation; Fig. 4 the handlebar according to the invention in a second embodiment; Fig. 5 a further design of the handlebar from Fig. 4; Fig. 6 the handlebars Fig. 4 when installed in a wheel suspension, and Fig. 7 the handlebar on Fig. 4 in a small overlap crash situation.

[0031] In the following description and in the figures, to avoid repetition, identical parts and components are marked with the same reference symbols unless further differentiation is necessary or useful.

[0032] Fig. Figure 1 shows a control arm for a wheel suspension of a motor vehicle, designated overall by reference numeral 10. The control arm 10 comprises a control arm base 12 and a bearing eye formed at one end of the control arm base 12 and designated overall by reference numeral 14 for receiving a chassis bearing (not shown here). Fig. 1 further shows, the bearing eye 14 has two radially oppositely arranged predetermined breaking points 16-1, 16-2, which in the present case are designed in the form of two notches.

[0033] In installed condition, cf. Fig. 2, the control arm 10 is pivotally mounted between two bearing legs 22-1, 22-2 of a bearing bracket 22 arranged on the vehicle body via a chassis bearing pressed into the bearing eye 14 and designed in the form of a rubber-metal bearing 18 about a bearing axis 20 aligned substantially in the x-direction. Fig. 2, the two notches are introduced into the front annular end face 14-1 of the bearing eye 14, viewed in the x-direction (= direction of travel). The notches are dimensioned such that, when a predetermined misuse load is exceeded, the bearing eye 14 deliberately breaks open to enable the link 10 to be separated.

[0034] The abuse load is selected such that the bearing eye 14 only breaks open if a correspondingly specified maximum permissible moment load and / or a correspondingly specified maximum tensile load is exceeded, which is to be expected in particular only in a small-overlap crash, i.e., a frontal collision with a small overlap, i.e., a frontal collision with a small overlap, is exceeded. This means that the operation of the link 10 during normal driving as well as during other special and / or abuse events, such as driving very briskly over a high curb or similar, is ensured.

[0035] In a small overlap crash situation, such as in Fig. 3, the link 10 is deflected backwards in the x-direction (opposite to the direction of travel) about the bearing point - referred to here as the U3 point. The backward deflection of the link 10 creates a cardanic interlock in the rubber-metal bearing 18, which generates a high restoring moment M at the U3 point about the z-axis. The combination of the restoring moment M and the tensile force F acting on the link 10 is sufficient to trigger a targeted failure of the bearing eye 14, i.e. the bearing eye 14 first breaks at the predetermined breaking points 16-1 and 16-2 designed as notches, then tears open completely and releases the link 10, thus ensuring the earliest possible separation of the link 10.

[0036] The Fig. The embodiment of the handlebar 10 shown in Figure 4 essentially corresponds to that shown in Fig. 1 illustrated embodiment; according to the Fig. 4, only the two radially opposite predetermined breaking points are designed as - viewed in the circumferential direction of the bearing eye 14 - locally limited material removal in the outer bearing eye surface 14-2 of the bearing eye 14. The behavior in a small-overlap crash situation corresponds to that to Fig. 3 outlined.

[0037] According to the Fig. 5, a stop 24 is formed on the handlebar base 12 in the area of ​​the bearing eye 14. As Fig. 6, the stop 24 is arranged on the handlebar base 12 in such a way that, when the handlebar 10 is installed, the stop 24 is aligned so as to extend backwards in the x-direction (= direction of travel). In addition, as Fig. 6 - a support surface 26 is formed on the opposite bearing leg 22-1 of the bearing bracket 22, ie on the rear bearing leg 22-1 of the bearing bracket 22 in the x-direction (direction of travel).

[0038] The stop 24 and the support surface 26 are positioned and dimensioned so that in a small overlap crash situation, cf. Fig. 7, after exceeding a specified, maximum permissible pivoting movement of the link 10 around the U3 point, the stop 24 comes into contact with the support surface 26. This creates an additional leverage effect, which advantageously Fig. 3 described, targeted breaking open of the bearing eye 14 is supported.

Claims

[1] Control arm (10) for a wheel suspension of a motor vehicle, comprising a control arm base (12) with a motor vehicle body-side bearing point, wherein the motor vehicle body-side bearing point is designed in the form of a bearing eye (14), wherein the bearing eye (14) is designed as a predetermined breaking part which breaks open when a predetermined misuse load is exceeded, characterized by , that the control arm base (12) has, in the region of the bearing eye (14), a stop (24) extending in the direction of the bearing axis (20) which - viewed in the installed state of the control arm (10) - is oriented to extend rearward in the vehicle's longitudinal direction (x-direction), wherein the stop (24) is dimensioned and positioned such that - viewed in the installed state of the control arm (10) - when a specified, maximum permissible pivoting movement of the control arm (10) in a motor vehicle body-side bearing bracket (22) about the vehicle's vertical direction (z-direction) is exceeded, the stop (24) contacts a support surface (26) provided on the motor vehicle body. [2] Handlebar (10) according to claim 1, characterized by that the bearing eye (14) is designed to have two radially oppositely arranged predetermined breaking points (16-1, 16-2). [3] Handlebar (10) according to claim 2, characterized bythat the predetermined breaking points (16-1, 16-2) are designed in the form of two notches which are introduced into one of the two annular end faces of the bearing eye (14), wherein the notches are introduced into the end face (14-1) which - viewed in the installed state of the control arm - is oriented forwards in the vehicle longitudinal direction (x-direction). [4] Handlebar (10) according to claim 2, characterized by that the predetermined breaking points (16-1, 16-2) are designed in the form of two - viewed in the circumferential direction of the bearing eye (14) - locally limited material removals of the bearing eye surface (14-2). [5] Wheel suspension for a wheel of a front axle of a motor vehicle, in which the wheel is articulated and guided on the motor vehicle body via a control arm assembly and which is designed in such a way that, in the event of a frontal collision with an obstacle with a small width overlap, a load transfer of a control arm (10) of the control arm assembly to the wheel is interrupted and the wheel is deflected to the rear and outside in the vehicle's longitudinal and transverse directions (x, y directions), characterized by that the handlebar (10) is designed according to one of claims 1 to 4. [6] Wheel suspension according to claim 5, characterized by that the control arm (10) is designed as a wishbone and is arranged together with a longitudinal control arm in a lower or upper control arm plane. [7] Wheel suspension according to one of claims 5 or 6, characterized bythat on the vehicle body side, the control arm (10) is pivotally mounted about the bearing axis (20) aligned in the vehicle longitudinal direction (x-direction) via a rubber-metal bearing (18). [8] Wheel suspension according to claim 7, characterized by in that the rubber-metal bearing (18) of the control arm (10) is mounted between two bearing legs (22-1, 22-2) of a bearing bracket (22) which are aligned in the vehicle's transverse direction (y-direction), the rear bearing leg (22-1) viewed in the vehicle's longitudinal direction (x-direction) having a support surface (26) for the stop (24) formed on the control arm base (12), the stop (24) and the support surface (26) being positioned and dimensioned such that after a specified, maximum permissible pivoting movement of the control arm (10) in the vehicle body-side bearing bracket (22) about the vehicle's vertical direction (z-direction) is exceeded, the stop (24) contacts the support surface (26) formed on the rear bearing leg (22-1). [9] Wheel suspension according to one of claims 5 to 8, characterized by that the steering assembly is mounted on the vehicle body via a subframe.

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