Combination of motor vehicles and motor vehicles comprising such a combination

Abstract

Motor vehicle assembly and motor vehicle comprising such an assembly. The invention relates to a motor vehicle assembly (1) comprising: - a steering knuckle (3), intended to be fixed to a body structure, - a caliper bracket (9), intended to support a brake caliper (7), - a fastening system (11), designed to secure said caliper bracket to said steering knuckle. According to the invention, the fastening system (11) comprises: - a mounting flange carried by said caliper bracket, having a single mounting hole, - a receiving housing carried by said steering knuckle, adapted to cooperate with said mounting flange and having a single mounting hole intended to cooperate with said mounting hole formed on said mounting flange, said mounting holes being intended to receive a single fastening element. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising such an assembly. Figure 2

Description

Title of the invention: Motor vehicle assembly and motor vehicle comprising such an assembly Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of motor vehicles, in particular to the field of motor vehicle steering systems.

[0002] The invention relates more particularly to a motor vehicle assembly comprising a fixing system ensuring fixing between a caliper support and a steering knuckle.

[0003] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising such an assembly. Prior art

[0004] A motor vehicle comprises, at the level of each of its steered wheels, a spindle, an element secured to each end of the steered axle in which the hubs of the wheels of the motor vehicle are engaged.

[0005] Reference is made to [Fig.l] showing an example of embodiment of the prior art.

[0006] Each steering wheel hub is mounted on a steering knuckle 101, at a axis 103.

[0007] The steering knuckle 101 consists of a part fixed to the axle of the body structure. It takes the form of a metal axle designed to hold the wheels in their axis of rotation.

[0008] The steering knuckle 101 also supports a brake caliper 105 belonging to the braking system of the motor vehicle.

[0009] To do this, the brake caliper 105 is mounted on the steering knuckle 101 by means of a caliper support 107, fixed on the steering knuckle 101.

[0010] The stub axle carrier 101 comprises for this purpose two fixing orifices 109, 111 intended to cooperate with complementary fixing orifices 113, 115 provided on the caliper support 107.

[0011] The fixing of the caliper support 107 on the steering knuckle 101 is ensured by means of a fixing system comprising two fixing screws 117 engaged with the fixing holes 109, 111 of the steering knuckle 101 and the fixing holes 113, 115 of the caliper support 107.

[0012] Given the relatively restricted access to the fixing holes 109, 111 of the stub axle carrier 101, fixing the caliper support 107 to the stub axle carrier 101 is complex to achieve.

[0013] Also, when a maintenance operation on the motor vehicle requires dismantling the caliper and / or the steering knuckle 101, the operator must unscrew the two screws of fixing 117 engaged with the fixing holes 109, 111, 113, 115 of the steering knuckle 101 and the caliper support 107.

[0014] The implementation of this dismantling step is relatively complex, particularly given the relatively restricted access.

[0015] Also, the time required to dismantle the caliper and / or the steering knuckle 101 is relatively long. Statement of the invention

[0016] The present invention aims to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, and to this end relates to a motor vehicle assembly comprising: - a steering knuckle, intended to be fixed to a body structure of said motor vehicle, - a caliper support, intended to support a brake caliper of a wheel of said motor vehicle, - a fixing system, designed to ensure the fixing of said caliper support on said steering knuckle, remarkable in that said fixing system comprises: - a fixing flange carried by said caliper support or by said stub axle carrier, comprising a single fixing hole, - a receiving housing, carried by said stub axle or by said caliper support, adapted to cooperate with said fixing flange, said receiving housing comprising a single fixing orifice intended to cooperate with said single fixing orifice made on said fixing flange, said fixing orifices being intended to receive a single fixing element.

[0017] The fastening system according to the invention allows mounting of the caliper support on the spindle carrier by means of a single fastening element which cooperates with a single fastening orifice carried by the fastening flange and with a single fastening orifice carried by the receiving housing.

[0018] Consequently, compared to the prior art, a fixing hole and the associated tapping, as well as the fixing element received in the corresponding fixing hole, are eliminated.

[0019] This reduces the time required to assemble and disassemble the assembly comprising the caliper support and the steering knuckle compared to the prior art.

[0020] Also, the fact of providing a fixing flange cooperating with a receiving housing makes it possible to reinforce the fixing of the assembly.

[0021] According to optional characteristics of the assembly according to the invention: - said fixing flange is carried by said caliper support and said receiving housing is carried by said stub axle; - said fixing flange consists of an insertion portion designed to be introduced into said receiving housing and its geometric shape is substantially rectangular; - said fixing flange consists of an insertion portion designed to be introduced into said receiving housing and its geometric shape is substantially trapezoidal; - said receiving housing comprises a receiving slot having a geometric shape complementary to that of said fixing flange; - said fixing holes are made in the middle of said receiving housing and in the middle of said introduction portion of said fixing flange.

[0022] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising an assembly, remarkable in that said assembly is according to the invention Brief description of the drawings

[0023] Other features, purposes and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, for the understanding of which reference should be made to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0024] [Fig.l] shows in perspective an assembly comprising a caliper support, a caliper and a steering knuckle according to an embodiment of the prior art.

[0025] [Fig.2] shows in perspective an assembly according to the invention comprising a caliper support, a caliper and a stub axle.

[0026] [Fig.3] is a perspective view of the caliper support and the caliper according to the invention.

[0027] [Fig.4] is a perspective view of the rocket carrier according to the invention.

[0028] [Fig.5] illustrates an operation of mounting and dismounting the caliper support on the steering knuckle according to the invention. Description of the embodiments

[0029] In the remainder of the description, elements having an identical structure or similar functions are designated by the same reference.

[0030] Reference is made to [Fig.2] showing an assembly 1 of a motor vehicle according to the invention, seen in perspective from outside the motor vehicle when the assembly 1 is mounted in the motor vehicle.

[0031] Assembly 1 includes a steering knuckle 3, intended to be fixed to a body structure of the motor vehicle 1 and supporting at the level of an axle 5 the hub of each steering wheel of the motor vehicle.

[0032] More specifically, the steering knuckle 3 consists of a part intended to be fixed to the axle of the body structure. The steering knuckle 3 takes the form of a metal axle designed to maintain the wheels on their axis of rotation.

[0033] The steering knuckle 3 also supports a brake caliper 7 of a wheel of the vehicle au- car, belonging to the braking system of the motor vehicle.

[0034] The brake caliper 7 is mounted on the steering knuckle 3 by means of a caliper support 9, intended to support the brake caliper 7 and to be fixed on the steering knuckle 3.

[0035] The fixing of the caliper support 9 on the stub axle carrier 3 is ensured by means of a fixing system 11 adapted to allow the fixing of the caliper support 9 on the stub axle carrier 3.

[0036] Reference is made to figures 3 and 4 showing respectively in perspective the stirrup 7 and its stirrup support 9, and the stub axle 3.

[0037] According to the invention, the fixing system 11 comprises a fixing flange 13 carried by the stirrup support 9 and a complementary receiving housing 15, carried by the stub axle carrier 3.

[0038] According to an alternative embodiment not illustrated in the figures, the fixing flange 13 can be carried by the stub axle carrier 3 while the receiving housing 15 can be carried by the stirrup support 9.

[0039] The complementary receiving housing 15 is adapted to cooperate with the fixing flange 13.

[0040] In the embodiment example given in the figures, the fixing flange 13 defines a male shape while the receiving housing 15 defines a female shape complementary to the fixing flange 13. This makes it possible to block the caliper support 9 relative to the stub axle carrier 3 according to two degrees of freedom, reinforcing the fixing of the caliper support 9 on the stub axle carrier 3.

[0041] In this regard, the receiving housing 15 includes a receiving slot 17 having a geometric shape complementary to that of the fixing flange 13 and defining a receiving space for the fixing flange 13.

[0042] The fixing flange 13 consists of an insertion portion 19 designed to be introduced into the receiving housing 15.

[0043] In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the geometric shape of the infeed portion 19 of the mounting flange 13 is substantially rectangular. However, according to an alternative embodiment not shown in the figures, the geometric shape of the infeed portion 19 may not be rectangular. For example, the infeed portion 19 of the mounting flange 13 may be trapezoidal.

[0044] The fixing system 11 further comprises a single fixing orifice 21 made on the fixing flange 13 and a single fixing orifice 23 made in the receiving housing 15 and adapted to cooperate with the single fixing orifice 21 of the fixing flange 13.

[0045] In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the fixing orifices 21, 23 are made in the middle of the receiving housing 15 and in the middle of the introduction portion 19 of the fixing flange 13, this in order to optimize the maintenance of the fixing flange 13 in the receiving housing 15.

[0046] However, according to an alternative embodiment not shown in the figures, the fixing orifices 21, 23 can be made at a location separate from the middle of the receiving housing 15 and from the middle of the introduction portion 19 of the fixing flange 13.

[0047] The fixing holes 21, 23 are intended to receive a single fixing element, for example a fixing screw 25 (visible in [Fig.2] and in [Fig.5]). Thus, the fixing holes 21, 23 are through-holes respectively relative to the receiving housing 13 and to the fixing flange 15.

[0048] According to an alternative embodiment not shown in the figures, the single fixing element consists of a bolt.

[0049] We refer to [Fig.5] which schematically shows the mounting of the stirrup 7 and stirrup support 9 on the stub axle 3.

[0050] In order to carry out the assembly 1, an operator inserts the fixing flange 13 of the caliper support 9 into the receiving housing 15 carried by the stub axle carrier 3. This step is represented by the arrow 27.

[0051] When the mounting flange 13 of the caliper support 9 is introduced into the receiving housing 15 of the spindle carrier 3, the operator can finalize the fixing of the mounting flange 13 in the receiving housing 15 by means of the single fixing element, for example the fixing screw 25, which cooperates with the fixing hole 21 carried by the mounting flange 13 and with the fixing hole 23 carried by the receiving housing 15.

[0052] In order to disassemble assembly 1, for example when a maintenance operation on the motor vehicle is to be carried out, the operator removes the single fastening element and then moves the caliper support 9 and the caliper 7 relative to the hub carrier 3 fixed to the body structure of the motor vehicle. This step is represented by arrow 29.

[0053] Thus, the assembly 1 is mounted and dismounted by linear sliding of the caliper support 9 and the caliper 7 relative to the stub axle carrier 3. Thus, the assembly 1 is particularly simple to implement.

[0054] Thanks to the present invention, the fixing of the caliper support 9 on the stub axle carrier 3 is obtained by means of the single fixing element, which cooperates with the single fixing orifice 21 carried by the fixing flange 13 and with the single fixing orifice 23 carried by the receiving housing 15.

[0055] Thus, compared to the prior art, a fixing orifice and a fixing element are eliminated, while reinforcing the fixing of the assembly thanks to the presence of the fixing flange 13 which cooperates with the fixing housing 15.

[0056] As goes without saying, the present invention is not limited to the sole embodiments of this motor vehicle assembly and of this motor vehicle comprising such an assembly, described above solely as illustrative examples, but on the contrary it embraces all variants involving the technical equivalents of the means described as well as their combinations if these fall within the scope of the invention.

Claims

Claims

1. Motor vehicle assembly (1) comprising: - a steering knuckle (3), intended to be fixed to a body structure of said motor vehicle, - a caliper support (9), intended to support a brake caliper (7) of a wheel of said motor vehicle, - a fixing system (11), designed to ensure the fixing of said caliper support (9) on said steering knuckle (3), characterized in that said fixing system (11) comprises: - a fixing flange (13) carried by said caliper support (9) or by said steering knuckle (3), comprising a single fixing orifice (21), - a receiving housing (15), carried by said steering knuckle (3) or by said caliper support (9), adapted to cooperate with said fixing flange (13), said receiving housing (15) comprising a single fixing orifice (23) intended to cooperate with said single fixing orifice (21) made on said fixing flange (13), said fixing holes (21,23) being intended to receive a single fixing element.,

2. Motor vehicle assembly (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said fixing flange (13) is carried by said caliper support (9) and in that said receiving housing (15) is carried by said steering knuckle (3).

3. Motor vehicle assembly (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said fixing flange (13) consists of an insertion portion (19) designed to be introduced into said receiving housing (15) and whose geometric shape is substantially rectangular.

4. Motor vehicle assembly (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said fixing flange (13) consists of an insertion portion (19) designed to be introduced into said receiving housing (15) and whose geometric shape is substantially trapezoidal.

5. Motor vehicle assembly (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said receiving housing (15) comprises a receiving slot (17) having a geometric shape complementary to that of said fixing flange (13).

6. Motor vehicle assembly (1) according to one of claims 3 or 4 or according to claim 5 combined with one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that said fixing orifices (21, 23) are made in the middle of said receiving housing (15) and in the middle of said introduction portion (19) of said fixing flange (13).

7. Motor vehicle comprising an assembly (1), characterized in that said assembly (1) is according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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