Utility Vehicle Chassis Joint With Laser-Roughened Support Areas
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing commercial vehicle chassis designs experience relative movements between connected chassis parts due to clamping forces, leading to potential offsets in the longitudinal or circumferential direction, which are undesirable for stability and performance.
Innovation Solution
A chassis design featuring a second chassis element with a roughened surface structure created through laser beam processing, providing a tight fit and positive connection with the first chassis element, ensuring secure force transfer without permanent offsets, using materials like nodular iron casting and spheroidal graphite cast iron for enhanced hardness and toughness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If clamping forces are used to connect chassis parts, then the connection is simple and allows basic elasticity, but relative movements occur leading to offsets in longitudinal or circumferential direction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a roughened surface structure specifically at the support areas where the second chassis element contacts the first chassis element. This localized surface modification increases friction and prevents relative movement at the critical contact zones while maintaining the overall simplicity of the clamping connection. The roughening is applied only where needed rather than throughout the entire component.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs preliminary action by pre-structuring the support surfaces with roughened patterns before the clamping connection is assembled. This preliminary surface preparation ensures that when the clamping forces are applied, the roughened surfaces immediately engage to prevent offsets, rather than relying on the clamping force alone to create sufficient friction.
2Reliability
If roughened surface structure is created through blasting process, then firm fit is achieved in contact zones, but the surface hardness may be insufficient to prevent permanent offsets under high loads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes composite materials by combining the base material of the chassis elements with a surface treatment layer created through laser beam processing. This surface layer has different properties than the base material - specifically, it exhibits increased hardness and a roughened topography. The combination of the roughened surface structure with the hardened surface layer creates a composite effect that provides both firm fit and sufficient hardness to prevent permanent offsets.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the physical and chemical parameters of the surface material through laser beam processing. The laser treatment changes the surface hardness parameter and creates a roughened surface structure, transforming the surface properties to achieve both firm fit and resistance to permanent deformation under load.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design ensures safe and stable transfer of operating forces between chassis parts, preventing permanent offsets and maintaining vehicle stability by creating a strong, tight fit through the use of laser-processed, high-hardness surfaces on the second chassis element.
Implementation Method 1
The surface structure created by the blasting process, namely laser beam machining, exhibits a greater hardness than the starting material, and in particular, a surface hardness that causes the protruding peaks of the surface structure created by the machining to dig into the opposing material.
Implementation Method 2
The surface structure produced in a blasting process results in a particularly firm fit in the zones of direct contact between the support area formed on the inside of the second chassis element and the outside and thus the surface of the first chassis element.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The invention relates to a chassis for a utility vehicle, having a first J chassis element extending transversely with respect to the vehicle longitudinal direction and a second chassis element (5) fixed to the outer side thereof, wherein the second chassis element (5) is supported against the outer side of the first chassis element via at least one roughened supporting area (11, 12). In order to avoid relative movements between the chassis elements connected by clamping forces in a utility vehicle chassis, the roughening comprises a surface structure produced by machining the the supporting area (11, 12) in a blasting process and preferably a laser beam process. The invention further relates to specific individual parts of such a chassis, specifically an axle shell, an axle guide (5), and a brake carrier.