Hybrid arm and method of manufacturing same

• US 10,442,262 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2015
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Iljin USA (Iljin)
• Original Assignee: Iljin USA (Iljin)
• Inventors: Kwon, Tae-Sung, Lee, Sung-Geun, Yu, Byong Suk, Jeong, Se Woong, Kim, Hyun-Woo, Kwon, Hyuk, Kwon, Ig-Jin, Yoon, Young In, Park, Min Kook, Kwon, Soon Chan
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Drew J
• Application Number:
  US15/569,951
• Publication Number:
  US 20180154719A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,421 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14 incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. injection moulding around inserts or for coating articles B29C45/1671 takes precedence
• 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 2200/154 the lateral arm having an L-shape
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/416 Ball or spherical joints
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/418 Bearings, e.g. ball or roller bearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/013 with embedded inserts for material reinforcement
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/014 with reinforcing nerves or branches
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/122 the arm having L-shape
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/70 Materials used in suspensions
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/7104 Thermoplastics
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/81012 by injection moulding
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/8201 by welding
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 7/00 Pivoted suspension arms; Accessories thereof means for maintaining substantially constant wheel camber during suspension movement B60G3/26; articulations for wheels B60G5/00; leaf spring attaching means B60G11/10, B60G11/12; trailing arm twist beam axle attaching means B60G21/052; articulations in general F16C
• 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 7/02 Attaching arms to sprung part of vehicle B60G7/006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2304/03 Reducing weight
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/06 Ball-joints; Other joints having more than one degree of angular freedom, i.e. universal joints universal joints in which flexibility is produced by means of pivots or sliding or rolling connecting parts F16D3/16
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 3/22 the rolling members being balls, rollers, or the like, guided in grooves or sockets in both coupling parts

Abstract

A hybrid arm according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include: a first body made of a metal material and formed with a plurality of end portions; a second body formed so as to fill an inner side of the first body by being insert-injection-molded to the first body; and a ball joint formed integrally at a first end portion among the plurality of end portions of the first body. The ball joint may include: a reinforcement member coupled to the first end portion; a bearing member formed with a space therein; a ball stud including a ball rotatably inserted into the space of the bearing member and a rod extending upward of the ball; and a housing interposed between the reinforcement member and the bearing member and formed integrally with the second body.

Claims

1. A hybrid arm comprising:

a first body made of a metal material and formed with a plurality of end portions;

a second body formed so as to fill an inner side of the first body by being insert-injection-molded to the first body; and

a ball joint formed integrally at a first end portion among the plurality of end portions of the first body,

wherein the ball joint comprises;

a reinforcement member coupled to the first end portion;

a bearing member formed with a space therein;

a ball stud including a ball rotatably inserted into the space of the bearing member and a rod extending upward of the ball; and

a housing interposed between the reinforcement member and the bearing member and formed integrally with the second body by insert-injection-molding molten plastic,

wherein the first body and the second body have the shape of “

λ

”

,

wherein an opening is formed at a lower end of the reinforcement member,

wherein a concave portion is formed in an inner circumferential surface of the reinforcement member along a circumferential direction,

wherein the housing includes a protrusion that is formed within the concave portion such that the molten plastic is inserted into and solidified in the opening of the reinforcement member and the concave portion during insert-injection-molding, and

wherein the housing supports an outer circumferential surface of the bearing member and surrounds the inner circumferential surface, the lower end and an outer circumferential surface of the reinforcement member.

2. The hybrid arm of claim 1, wherein a through-hole portion is formed in the reinforcement member to face the inner side of the first body to allow molten plastic to pass through.

3. The hybrid arm of claim 1, wherein the bearing member includes a first bearing and a second bearing,

wherein a first protrusion portion, an inner circumferential surface of which protrudes upward, is formed in one of the first and second bearings, and

wherein a second protrusion portion, which corresponds to the first protrusion portion and an outer circumferential surface of which protrudes downward, is formed in the other one of the first and second bearings.

4. The hybrid arm of claim 1, wherein an edge of the first body extends downward to form first and second lateral reinforcement portions,

wherein a lower end of the first lateral reinforcement portion extends toward the inner side of the first body to form a first extension portion,

wherein a lower end of the second lateral reinforcement portion extends toward the inner side of the first body to form a second extension portion, and

wherein the first and second extension portions are formed in a shape that gradually increases in area toward the reinforcement member.

5. The hybrid arm of claim 4, wherein a first circular arc portion corresponding to an outer circumferential surface of the reinforcement member is formed at the first end portion of the first body,

wherein a first bonding portion is formed at one side of the first lateral reinforcement portion so as to contact the outer circumferential surface of the reinforcement member,

wherein a second circular arc portion corresponding to the outer circumferential surface of the reinforcement member is formed at one side of the first extension portion,

wherein a second bonding portion is formed at one side of the second lateral reinforcement portion so as to contact the outer circumferential surface of the reinforcement member, and

wherein a third circular arc portion corresponding to the outer circumferential surface of the reinforcement member is formed at one side of the second extension portion.

6. The hybrid arm of claim 5, wherein the reinforcement member is welded to the first circular arc portion, the first bonding portion, the second circular arc portion, the second bonding portion, and the third circular arc portion.

7. The hybrid arm of claim 5, wherein the second body is formed so as to surround inward and outward surfaces of the first and second lateral reinforcement portions and inward and outward surfaces of the first and second extension portions.

8. The hybrid arm of claim 7, wherein the second body is formed of a material different from the first body, and a plurality of reinforcement ribs extending downward are provided in an inner side of the second body.

9. The hybrid arm of claim 1, wherein a plurality of button holes are formed in the first body, and

wherein when the second body is insert-injection-molded with the first body, a plurality of button portions integrally coupled to the plurality of button holes are formed.

10. A method of manufacturing a hybrid arm which includes a first body made of a metal material and formed with a plurality of end portions, a second body formed to fill an inner side of the first body, and a ball joint formed integrally at a first end portion among the plurality of end portions of the first body, the method comprising:

forming the first body by processing a metal plate material;

coupling a reinforcement member to the first end portion of the first body;

fixing a rod of a ball stud such that an outer circumferential surface of a bearing member is spaced apart from an inner circumferential surface of the reinforcement member; and

insert-injection-molding the second body and a housing of the ball joint to the first body,

wherein the first body and the second body have the shape of “

λ

”

,

wherein an opening is formed at a lower end of the reinforcement member,

wherein a concave portion is formed in an inner circumferential surface of the reinforcement member along a circumferential direction,

wherein during insert-injection-molding, the housing is interposed between the reinforcement member and the bearing member and is formed integrally with the second body by molten plastic,

wherein, during insert-injection-molding, the molten plastic is inserted into and solidified in the opening of the reinforcement member and the concave portion, and

wherein the housing supports an outer circumferential surface of the bearing member and surrounds the inner circumferential surface, the lower end and an outer circumferential surface of the reinforcement member.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein a through-hole portion is formed in the reinforcement member to allow molten plastic to pass through, and

wherein coupling the reinforcement member to the first end portion of the first body comprises welding the reinforcement member to the first end portion of the first body such that the through-hole portion faces the inner side of the first body.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein forming the first body by processing the metal plate material comprises:

forming first and second lateral reinforcement portions extending downward of the first body by processing an edge of the metal plate material; and

forming first and second extension portions by processing lower ends of the first and second lateral reinforcement portions.