CHECK RAIL WITH A BALL-AND-SOCKET JOINT

• US 20180312024A1
• Filed: 04/24/2018
• Published: 11/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Benteler Automobiltechnik GmbH (Benteler International AG)
• Original Assignee: Benteler Automobiltechnik GmbH (Benteler International AG)
• Inventors: Meyer, Stephan, Mehner, Hauke, Jaeger, Reinhard
• Granted Patent: US 10,967,693 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14344 Moulding in or through a hole in the article, e.g. outsert moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14491 Injecting material between coaxial articles, e.g. between a core and an outside sleeve for making a roll
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/04 Bearings
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/30 Vehicles, e.g. ships or aircraft, or body parts thereof vanes or blades B29L2031/08, air bags B29L2022/027
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/148 on the unsprung part of the vehicle, e.g. wheel knuckle or rigid axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/416 Ball or spherical joints
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/423 Rails, tubes, or the like, for guiding the movement of suspension elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/122 the arm having L-shape
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/71 Light weight materials
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/7104 Thermoplastics
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/81012 by injection moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 3/02 with a single pivoted arm
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 7/001 Suspension arms, e.g. constructional features B60G7/006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 7/005 Ball joints B60G7/006 takes precedence; for steering linkage B62D7/16; ball joints per se F16C11/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 7/008 Attaching arms to unsprung part of vehicle B60G7/005, B60G7/006 take precedence

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a check rail for a rail suspension in a vehicle. The check rail may include a check rail body, and a ball-and-socket joint pan formed in the check rail body, wherein the ball-and-socket joint pan may include a circumferential inner wall and a receiving opening, with a ball-and-socket joint pin with an articulated ball in the ball-and-socket joint pan, and with a plastic injection layer configured to embed the articulated ball in the ball-and-socket joint pan between the circumferential inner wall of the ball-and-socket joint pan and the articulated ball.

Claims

1. A check rail for a wheel suspension in a vehicle, comprising:

a check rail body;

a ball-and-socket joint pan formed in the check rail body, wherein the ball-and-socket joint pan comprises a circumferential inner wall and a receiving opening;

a ball-and-socket joint pin with an articulated ball in the ball-and-socket joint pan; and

a plastic injection layer configured to embed the articulated ball in the ball-and-socket joint pan between the circumferential inner wall of the ball-and-socket joint pan and the articulated ball.

2. The check rail according to claim 1, wherein the inner wall forms a circumferential inner surface of the ball-and-socket joint pan, and wherein the plastic injection layer is configured to compensate a difference in shape between the circumferential inner surface and a ball-shaped jacket surface of the articulated ball.

2-1. The check rail according to claim 2, wherein the circumferential inner surface is a cylindrical or a rectangular inner surface of the ball-and-socket joint pan.

4. The check rail according to claim 1, wherein an inner chamber of the ball-and-socket joint pan is shaped to be cylindrical or rectangular.

5. The check rail according to claim 1, wherein the articulated ball is embedded in the plastic injection layer.

6. The check rail according to claim 1, wherein the plastic injection layer is sprayed onto the inner wall.

7. The check rail according to claim 1, wherein the ball-and-socket joint pan comprises a bottom having a central recess, wherein the articulated ball dips at least partially into the central recess.

8. The check rail according to claim 7, wherein the recess breaks through the bottom and has no plastic injection layer.

9. The check rail according to claim 7, wherein the bottom is level, or funnel-shaped, or shaped like a spherical shell.

10. The check rail according to claim 1, further comprising:

a round plate that closes off the receiving opening and secures the articulated ball in the ball-and-socket joint pan.

11. The check rail according to claim 10, wherein the plastic injection layer is sprayed at least in sections on a surface of the round plate, and wherein the surface faces an inner chamber of the ball-and-socket joint pan.

12. The check rail according to claim 10, wherein the round plate is firmly bonded to the check rail body.

13. The check rail according to claim 12, wherein the round plate is firmly bonded to the check rail body by a welding connection, a soldering connection, or by an adhesive connection.

14. The check rail according to claim 1, wherein the check rail body is formed in one piece from steel or from an extruded profile.

15. The check rail according to claim 1, wherein the check rail further comprises:

a long shank and a short shank extending from the long shank in a bent manner, wherein the long shank comprises a first long shank end and a second long shank end, and wherein the short shank comprises a short shank end, wherein the ball-and-socket joint pan is formed in the first long shank end, and wherein the second long shank end comprises a bearing receptacle configured to receive a bearing.

16. The check rail according to claim 15, wherein the short shank end comprises a casing-shaped bearing receptacle configured to receive a rotary bearing.

17. The check rail according to claim 1, wherein the check rail is a transversal rail.

18. A method for manufacturing a check rail for a wheel suspension in a vehicle, comprising:

providing a check rail body and a ball-and-socket joint pan formed in the check rail body, wherein the ball-and-socket joint pan comprises a circumferential inner wall and a receiving opening;

introducing a ball-and-socket pin with an articulated ball into the ball-and-socket joint pan to position the articulated ball in the ball-and-socket joint pan; and

injecting a plastic injection layer between the circumferential inner wall of the ball-and-socket joint pan and the articulated ball.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

closing the receiving opening with a round plate, wherein the round plate is connected in a firmly bonded manner to the check rail body, and wherein the plastic injection layer is injected after the closing of the receiving opening with a round plate.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein a die plastic injection layer is injected through a bottom-side recess of the ball-and-socket joint pan in the ball-and-socket joint pan.