Joint pin, fastening arrangement and motor vehicle

Abstract

A pivot pin (2) with a longitudinal direction, a conically tapered fastening part (4) and a joint part (6) connected to the fastening part (4), wherein the fastening part (4) has at least one recess (12) extending substantially in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the pivot pin (2), into which a fastening means for securing the pivot pin (2) can engage, characterized in that the recess (12) is designed as a cavity open to two opposite sides of the fastening part (4), or in that the fastening part (4) has two or more recesses running parallel to each other.

Description

The invention relates to a pivot pin having a longitudinal direction, a conically tapering fastening portion and a joint portion connected to the fastening portion, wherein the fastening portion has at least one recess which extends substantially in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the pivot pin and in which a fastening means for securing the pivot pin can engage, a fastening arrangement for a ball joint having such a pivot pin, and a motor vehicle.Such pivot pins are known from the prior art and can be used in a chassis in particular in the automotive sector. In the chassis of an automobile, it is ensured via articulated connections that the interaction of moving parts and the kinematic specifications during driving operation are fulfilled. In this case, a guide joint is connected, for example, via a conical connection to a pivot bearing. The conical connection consists in a conically tapering fastening portion being pressed into a likewise conically designed receptacle. When certain taper ratios are selected, a relatively firm connection is achieved via a self-inhibiting effect and the connection is thus further secured against detachment. However, impact-like loads during driving operation do not exclude loosening, so that the connection is usually additionally secured by a lock nut. The lock nut is screwed onto a shaft portion lying opposite the opening of the receptacle, which may be configured as a threaded bolt, for example, wherein the shaft portion protrudes from the component to which the joint pin is to be fastened.The correct and secure nut support requires additional machining effort. As a function of the component, direct accessibility for cutting tools is not always ensured, so that special solutions are required. One possibility for machining the nut bearing surface can be realized, for example, by way of side milling cutters which move from the front to the machining position or else by way of special tools which, by the receptacle, which is designed, for example, as a conical bore, undertake the machining of the nut bearing surface from below. This has a time-, cost- and investment-intensive effect on the mechanical machining. Such an arrangement with a lock nut is space-intensive in height.From the point of view of the customer service, depending on the position in the chassis, there can be a more difficult dismantling / assembly due to the space conditions. The exposed mother additionally represents a point of application for corrosive influences, which could impair the secure dressing in the long term under unfavorable boundary conditions. For safety reasons, however, a secure fastening of these joints to the moving chassis parts must be ensured because of the prevailing forces.DE 24 49 381 A1 discloses a wheel suspension for motor vehicles, in which the ball joint has a plate-shaped part as a fastening element. This fastening element is fixed in a receptacle by means of screws running transversely to the joining direction.The generic DE 199 06 673 A1 describes a coupling between two components, comprising a plug with a head, neck and shoulder, and a receptacle with a head receptacle, a central portion and a collar, wherein at least one clamping body is provided, which is adjustable in such a way that it penetrates laterally into the central portion when the plug is inserted into the receptacle and, supported on a shoulder connecting the head to the neck, transmits a force acting in the insertion direction to the shoulder, wherein the shoulder is supported axially on the collar. The clamping body can be a screw formed radially to the longitudinal axis of the coupling.DE 10 2017 217 277 B3 discloses a joint arrangement for a chassis, which has a ball joint with a ball stud which is mounted with a ball part in a rotationally and pivotably movable manner with respect to a joint housing and which projects with a stud part at least partially into a chassis component. A circumferential groove is formed on the pin part of the ball pin, which groove receives an inwardly projecting section of a pin-side end of a sealing bellows.DE 10 2007 020 811 A1 discloses a releasable mounting of a ball joint in a wheel carrier of a motor vehicle, wherein the wheel carrier has a slotted bore with integrally formed clamping jaws and a clamping screw passing through the latter for receiving the housing of the ball joint.FIGS. 1 to 2 show, using the example of a guide joint which produces a movable connection between the suspension arm 108 and the component 112 in the form of a pivot bearing, such a connection which corresponds to the current state of the art and is known per se in terms of its arrangement and implementation. The guide joint establishes an articulated connection between the suspension arm 108 and the component 112. It compensates for angular changes of the mentioned parts with respect to one another, which arise during driving, for example, as a result of compression and rebound movements and as a result of steering movements. The suspension arm 108 is firmly connected to the component 112 via a conical connection of its pivot pin 102. In this case, the hinge pin 102 has a conical fastening portion 104 in the form of a conical shank which is pressed into a receptacle 110 which is fitted in the component 112 to which the suspension arm 108 is to be fastened. On the side opposite the fastening portion 104, the joint pin 102 has a joint or ball portion which is not visible in FIG. 1, since it is surrounded by the housing of the guide joint and is thus concealed.The fastening portion 104 is held in the receptacle 110 by a force-fit connection. However, it could slip out of the receptacle 110 in the event of impact-like loads, for which reason the fastening portion 104 in the form of the threaded bolt protrudes with a shank or bolt portion at the top from the component 112 and is secured against undesired loosening by a lock nut 114 and a washer 116.FIG. 2 shows a cross section of the hinge pin 102 according to the prior art from FIG. 1. In the lower region of the figure, the joint portion 106 of the ball joint can also be seen here, since the pivot bearing is not shown in this figure. It can be seen that the hinge pin 102 sits in a bottle neck in the component 112 similar to a cork, but during the joining process has emerged again from the component 112 with a threaded portion, so that this threaded portion now protrudes from the component 112. The counter nut 114 was subsequently screwed onto the threaded portion, so that the fastening portion 104 is seated firmly in the receptacle 110 and cannot leave the latter even in the event of strong impacts or other acting forces.The object of the present invention is to further develop a hinge pin of the type mentioned at the beginning in such a way that simplified assembly is possible. It is likewise the object of the present invention to configure such a pivot pin in such a way that the susceptibility to corrosion is reduced.The object is achieved according to the invention in that the recess is designed as a cavity which is open on two mutually opposite sides of the fastening portion, or in that the fastening portion has two or more recesses which run parallel to one another. It is thus possible to mechanically secure the hinge pin by means of a form-fit connection without the component into which the hinge pin is inserted being accessible from the opposite side. In other words, it is sufficient if the receptacle into which the hinge pin is inserted is accessible along the joining direction and, if applicable, from one side transversely to the joining direction. In this way, the assembly and also the disassembly for maintenance purposes are significantly simplified. In addition, the susceptibility to corrosion, which exists in the region of the lock nut according to the prior art, is reduced.In the context of the present description, the fact that the recess extends substantially in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is understood in particular to mean that an angle between a longitudinal direction of the recess and a plane which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the hinge pin is less than 10°, preferably less than 5°. In an advantageous special case, the longitudinal direction of the hinge pin and the longitudinal direction of the recess are exactly perpendicular to one another. The angle referred to is then 0°.Within the scope of the present description, a recess is understood to mean, in particular, a cavity in an otherwise completely filled volume. A recess may be in the form of a hole, a notch, a groove, a depression or another cavity.In the context of the present description, a fastening means is understood to mean, in particular, a part or a feature of a component which enables a positive connection between two components. In particular, this can be a screw or a bolt, but also a projection, a barb, a latching nose or the like.In a preferred embodiment, the recess is configured as a groove. Such a groove can be milled into the fastening portion, for example. The groove can have a partially circular or semicircular profile. The profile is preferably designed symmetrically about a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the fastening portion or of the joint pin. Such a groove is then particularly suitable for interacting with a bolt, a screw or another fastening means with a cylindrical base body. Alternatively, the groove can also have a rectangular profile, for example. Such a groove can then cooperate with latching noses or barbs, which snap or latch into the groove.It is advantageously possible for the groove to be configured so as to run circumferentially around the fastening portion. This then results in a substantially or completely rotationally symmetrical fastening portion. In particular, the lateral surface of the fastening portion can be configured rotationally symmetrically, whereas the end surface can have non-rotationally symmetrical portions. This configuration simplifies assembly, since the hinge pin can be inserted into a receptacle in any orientation around its longitudinal axis, which at the same time generally corresponds to the joining direction.In one embodiment, it is possible for the recess to be designed as a cavity which is open on two mutually opposite sides of the fastening portion. In other words, the recess then completely penetrates the fastening portion. Such a recess can be a through bore, for example. In principle, however, it is also possible to configure the recess to be open only to one side, for example as a blind hole. The recess may have a circular cross section. Such a recess is particularly suitable for cooperating with a bolt or a screw, but requires an alignment of the component before assembly.The cavity or the recess can have an internal thread. If the cavity is a blind hole or a through bore, a screw can be screwed into the cavity. If the cavity does not have an internal thread, the fastening means must be secured in another way. This can be achieved, for example, by the component into which the hinge pin is inserted having a matching opening with an internal thread. A screw can then pass through the component during the assembly process, then pass through a groove or passage bore, which are each arranged according to the invention in the fastening portion, and then engage into a bore provided with an internal thread in a second wall or in a base body of the component.It is preferred that the conically designed fastening portion has a taper ratio between 1:5 and 1:10. In such a taper ratio, a self-locking effect in a known manner results in a secure fit of the pressed-in taper pin in the receptacle. The conical portion of the receptacle then advantageously has the same cone ratio accordingly.An advantageous embodiment provides that the recess, as viewed along the longitudinal direction, is arranged in an end region of the fastening portion lying opposite the joint portion. This results in a particularly simple assembly with simultaneous maximizing of the frictional connection between the conical fastening portion and the receptacle into which it is pressed. An end region is understood here in particular to mean a region which is less than 30% of an extent in the longitudinal direction, preferably less than 20% of an extent in the longitudinal direction, away from an end of the corresponding component. In this case, an end face of the fastening portion can be considered as the end of the component. This is arranged at an end of the joint pin opposite the joint portion.It is possible for the fastening portion to have two or more recesses running parallel to one another. Accordingly, two or more fastening means can then engage in the recesses. In the special case of two parallel recesses, a particularly symmetrical force distribution results. The fastening means secure the conical pin against slipping out in the joining direction. If the fastening means act asymmetrically on the fastening portion, torques can result which can lead to increased wear. A symmetrical configuration, for example with two recesses running at the same distance from a central axis of the fastening portion and corresponding fastening means, can prevent this.The object is furthermore achieved by a fastening arrangement for a ball joint, having a joint pin according to the invention of the type described above and having a receptacle for the fastening portion of the joint pin, wherein the receptacle has at least one through-opening which, in the joined state, is arranged congruently with the recess in the fastening portion. In other words, the through-opening and the recess then overlap in such a way that the fastening means simultaneously traverses the through-opening and engages in the recess. It is possible that behind the receptacle, viewed in alignment through the through-opening, a further opening or a further cavity is arranged, in which the fastening means can then engage after passing through the receptacle. The further cavity can have an internal thread.The object is likewise achieved by a motor vehicle having a pivot pin according to the invention or a fastening arrangement according to the invention.Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail on the basis of the drawings and the following description. The following are shown: FIG. 3 : a first exemplary embodiment of a joint pin according to the invention in a schematic perspective view, FIG. 4 : shows the first exemplary embodiment in a fully assembled state, FIG. 5 is a section along the line A-A from FIG. 4; and FIG. 6 is a section along the line B-B from FIG. 5.FIG. 3 shows a first exemplary embodiment of a joint pin 2 according to the invention in a schematic perspective view. The hinge pin 2 has already been inserted into the guide hinge 8 and is now positioned below the receptacle 10, into which it can be inserted along its longitudinal axis M. The receptacle 10 is arranged in the component 20, which can be, for example, a suspension arm of a motor vehicle.The hinge pin 2 has a conical fastening portion 4 which in turn has a recess 12 in the form of a circumferential groove. The groove is arranged in an edge region of the fastening portion 4. It has a partially circular, approximately semicircular profile. The groove is arranged in the vicinity of the end face 14 of the fastening portion 4.As already described, the component 20 has a receptacle 10 for the fastening portion 4 running from bottom to top in the direction of the longitudinal axis M in the figure. The receptacle 10 is designed as a cavity shaped corresponding to the fastening portion 4. Two holes 16 run transversely thereto through the component 20, which holes can receive the two fastening means configured as screws 18. The two holes 16 are provided with internal threads at least in their rear part, so that the screws 18 can be screwed into the holes 16. The cavity shown by the receptacle 10 intersects with the cylindrical holes 16, so that the holes 16 are divided into a front portion and a rear portion, which are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the receptacle 10, and which are connected by a middle portion intersecting with the receptacle 10. Thus, the fastening portion 4 also partially penetrates the holes 16 when it is press-fitted into the receptacle 10. The holes 16 can be embodied as blind holes. The recess 12 designed as a groove is designed and arranged in such a way that it lies at the height of the holes 16 when the fastening portion 4 has reached the desired position. When the screws 18 are now inserted into the holes 16, the screws 18 engage into the groove simultaneously on sides lying opposite one another with respect to the longitudinal axis M, so that the fastening portion 4 and thus the entire hinge pin 2 is secured against movements in the direction of the longitudinal axis M. A form-fitting connection results.FIG. 4 shows the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 3 in a fully assembled state. It can be seen that the hinge pin 2 has been fitted into the receptacle 10 of the component 20. The guide joint 8 is thus in its working position. As in FIG. 3, it covers the spherical joint portion of the joint pin 2. the screws 18 have been screwed into the holes 16, so that the joint pin is secured against slipping or falling out in the axial direction.FIG. 5 shows a section along the line V-V from FIG. 4, it can be seen that the receptacle 10 follows the conical shape of the fastening portion 4 of the joint pin 2, so that a contact over a large area is produced between the two components. In the figure, the screw 18 covers a part of the fastening portion 4 since it engages in its groove.The hole 16 is designed as a blind hole. It has a portion which, in the situation shown, is located in front of the fastening portion 4 when viewed in the direction of movement of the screw 18 oriented perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the hinge pin 2 during screwing in, and a portion which is located behind the fastening portion 4. In particular, the portion of the hole 16 behind the fastening portion can expediently have an internal thread.FIG. 6 shows a section along the line VI-VI from FIG. 5, the fastening portion 4 is shown uncut, so that it can be seen that in this perspective, on the side of the groove facing away from the joint portion, the screws 18 are partially covered by the fastening portion 4. The end face 14 of the fastening portion 4 is therefore visible in the figure. In this way, an axial securing of the pivot pin 2 is achieved by the overlapping of the screw shafts of the screws 18 with the groove.List of reference characters2 Pivot pin 4 Fastening portion 8 Guide joint 10 Receptacle 12 Recess 14 End side 16 Hole 18 Screw 20 Component 102 Pivot pin 104 Fastening portion 106 Joint portion 108 Transverse link 110 Receptacle 112 Component 114 Lock nut 116 Washer M Longitudinal axis

Claims

Hinge pin (2) having a longitudinal direction, a conically tapering fastening portion (4) and a hinge portion (6) connected to the fastening portion (4), wherein the fastening portion (4) has at least one recess (12) which extends substantially in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the hinge pin (2) and in which a fastening means can engage for securing the hinge pin (2), characterized in that the recess (12) is designed as a cavity which is open to two mutually opposite sides of the fastening portion (4), or in that the fastening portion (4) has two or more recesses which run parallel to one another.Hinge pin (2) according to claim 1, characterised in that the fastening portion (4) has a taper ratio between 1:5 and 1:10.Hinge pin (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the recess (12), as viewed along the longitudinal direction, is arranged in an end region of the fastening portion (4) lying opposite the hinge portion (6).Hinge pin (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cavity has an internal thread.Hinge pin (2) according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the recess (12) is designed as a groove.Fastening arrangement for a ball joint, having a joint pin (2) according to one of Claims 1 to 5 and having a receptacle (10) for the fastening portion (4) of the joint pin (2), characterized in that the receptacle (10) has at least one through-opening which, in the joined state, is arranged congruently with the recess (12) in the fastening portion (4).Motor vehicle having a pivot pin (2) or a fastening arrangement according to one of the preceding claims.

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