KNUCKLE AND BUSHING ASSEMBLY

• US 20120001398A1
• Filed: 12/30/2010
• Published: 01/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aludyne North America Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Diversified Machine Incorporated
• Inventors: Darcy-Sharma, Michelle Anne
• Granted Patent: US 8,444,158 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/124.125
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 33/00 Producing bushes for bearings
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2007/00 Use of natural rubber as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2019/00 Use of rubber not provided for in a single one of main groups B29K2007/00 - B29K2011/00, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 11/12 Links, pins, or bushes
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/14 Mounting of suspension arms
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/143 on the vehicle body or chassis
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/41 Elastic mounts, e.g. bushings
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/4104 Bushings having modified rigidity in particular directions
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/416 Ball or spherical joints
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/50 Constructional features of wheel supports or knuckles, e.g. steering knuckles, spindle attachments
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 3/06 the arm being rigid
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 7/006 Attaching arms to sprung or unsprung part of vehicle, characterised by comprising attachment means controlled by an external actuator, e.g. a fluid or electrical motor B62D7/146 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 7/02 Attaching arms to sprung part of vehicle B60G7/006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 1/3835 characterised by the sleeve of elastic material, e.g. having indentations or made of materials of different hardness F16F1/3807, F16F1/387 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 1/387 comprising means for modifying the rigidity in particular directions spherical or conical sleeves F16F1/393
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49622 Vehicular structural member making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49872 Confining elastic part in socket
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49918 At cup or tube end

Abstract

A suspension coupling for use in a vehicle suspension system the suspension coupling including a knuckle and bushing assembly wherein the knuckle member is a cast aluminum piece having a passage for receiving a two-piece bushing having a formed, metal inner member and a molded, elastomeric outer member having extension members at each end. The bushing member is press-fit into the knuckle member and exhibits higher stiffness in the radial and axial directions and lower stiffness in the torsional and conical directions.

Claims

1. A knuckle and bushing assembly for use in a suspension system of a vehicle, the knuckle and bushing assembly comprising:

a knuckle member having a first passage having a first end located at a first side of the knuckle member and a second end located at a second side of the knuckle member, the first passage in the knuckle member having an axial extent defining a center axis of the passage;

a bushing located within and having an interference fit with the first passage of the knuckle member, the bushing having a bushing passage extending from a first end of the bushing to a second end of the bushing, the bushing passage defining an axis being substantially aligned with the axis of the first passage of the knuckle member, and the bushing having a first annular reduced portion located in an exterior surface of the bushing;

wherein the knuckle member has a first extension member extending at least partially in a direction aligned with the center axis of the passage, the first extension member extending over at least a portion of the first end of the bushing and the knuckle member has a second extension member extending at least partially in a direction aligned with the center axis of the passage, the second extension member extending over at least a portion of the second end of the bushing such that the first and second extension members of the knuckle member secure the bushing within the first passage of the knuckle member.

2. The knuckle and bushing assembly of claim 1 wherein the bushing includes a shaped elastomeric body.

3. The knuckle and bushing assembly of claim 1 wherein the bushing includes a molded rubber body.

4. The knuckle and bushing assembly of claim 1 wherein the bushing includes a molded natural rubber body.

5. The knuckle and bushing assembly of claim 1 wherein the bushing is configured to include a generally circumscribing ear and recess structure that will deflect in first, second and third directions in response to axial, conical and torsional forces applied to the bushing during operation.

6. The knuckle and bushing assembly of claim 1 wherein the ear structure increases the axial stiffness of the bushing while the recess substantially reduces the conical stiffness and the torsional stiffness of the bushing member.

7. The knuckle and bushing assembly of claim 1 wherein the bushing includes a generally annular intermediate portion having an uncompressed diameter that is larger than the diameter of the first passage in the knuckle member.

8. The knuckle and bushing assembly of claim 1 wherein the annular intermediate portion when loaded in compression in the passage of the knuckle member has a radial section thickness less than or equal to about three millimeters.

9. The knuckle and bushing assembly of claim 1 wherein the first passage of the knuckle member has an interior wall that includes an arcuate portion in a region proximate each of the first and second sides of the knuckle member.

10. The knuckle and bushing assembly of claim 5 wherein the ear structure includes a pair of ears that generally circumscribe the bushing, each of the ears having a contoured outer surface defining a generally circumscribing contoured recessed area between the ears.

11. The knuckle and bushing assembly of claim 5 wherein the interference fit includes at least one of the ears contacting the first extension member.

12. An integrated knuckle and bushing assembly for use in a suspension of a vehicle, the integrated knuckle and bushing assembly comprising:

a knuckle member having a passage extending there through, the knuckle member for providing support for a suspension member;

a bushing having a passage extending there through, the bushing being located axially aligned in the passage in the knuckle member, the bushing having plurality of annular reduced portions located in an exterior surface of the bushing for providing improved radial, torsional and conical support to the suspension member to be located within the passage in the bushing; and

wherein the knuckle member has a first formed extension on a first side of the passage in the knuckle member and a second formed extension one a second side of the passage in the knuckle member, the first and second formed extension members for securing the bushing within the passage of the knuckle member.

13. A method for manufacturing an integrated knuckle and bushing assembly for use in a suspension assembly in a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

producing a knuckle member having a passage extending there through, the knuckle member for providing support for a suspension member, the knuckle member having a first extension member located at one end of the passage of the knuckle member and further defining the passage and a second extension member located at a second end of the passage of the knuckle member and further defining the passage;

producing a bushing having a passage extending there through and plurality of annular reduced portions located in an exterior surface of the bushing;

locating the bushing to be axially aligned in the passage in the knuckle member, the bushing for providing improved radial, torsional and conical support to the suspension member to be located within the passage in the bushing; and

forming the first extension member to extend at least partially in a direction aligned with the center axis of the passage and over at least a portion of the first end of the bushing; and

forming the second extension member to extend at least partially in a direction aligned with the center axis of the passage and over at least a portion of the second end of the bushing to secure the bushing within the passage of the knuckle member.

14. The method for manufacturing an integrated knuckle and bushing assembly of claim 13, wherein the step of producing a knuckle member further comprises the step of casting a knuckle member comprising aluminum.

15. The method for manufacturing an integrated knuckle and bushing assembly of claim 13 wherein the step of producing a knuckle member further comprises the step of machining at least one arcuate wall in the first passage prior to the step of forming the first and second extension members.

16. The method for manufacturing an integrated knuckle and bushing assembly of claim 13 wherein the step of producing the bushing member includes the steps of producing an inner member having a predefined shape, locating the inner member in a mold, molding an outer member on the inner member, the outer member including a plurality of extension members for improving the stiffness exhibited by the bushing member within the passage to exhibit a lower torsional and conical stiffness while exhibiting a higher radial and axial stiffness.

17. The method for manufacturing an integrated knuckle and bushing assembly of claim 13 wherein the step of locating the bushing includes locating the bushing in radial compression within the passage of the knuckle member.

18. The method for manufacturing an integrated knuckle and bushing assembly of claim 16 wherein the step of forming the inner member includes the step of cold forming the inner member from a steel material, the inner member being formed to have a rounded center portion and two end portions extending in opposite directions from the center portion.

19. The method for manufacturing an integrated knuckle and bushing assembly of claim 16 wherein the step of forming the inner member includes the step of forming the two end portions of the inner member to have a frusto-conical shape wherein the narrow portion of each end portion is located proximal the center portion and the broader portion of each end portion is located distal. the center portion of the inner member.

20. The method for manufacturing an integrated knuckle and bushing assembly of claim 13 wherein the step of producing the bushing includes the step of molding an outer member from an elastomeric material selected from the group including a synthetic material, a rubber, a natural rubber material that is over-molded on an inner member.