Blank for an axle beam, wheel suspension comprising an axle and a method for manufacturing an axle
AssigneeVolvo Lastvagnar AB
InventorsLeon Fuks, Roland Svensson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A blank for an axle beam intended to support a wheel axle is formed from a continuous piece and, at its respective ends, has, on the one hand, a bushing constituting a bearing for a kingpin for supporting a wheel spindle and, on the other hand, lug-shaped protrusions on each side of the bushing, and a wheel axle made from such a blank. The invention can provide a blank which is suitable both for steerable and non-steerable wheel axles for vehicles.
Claims21
A blank for an axle beam for supporting a wheel axle, the blank being formed in one continuous piece and having a bushing for a kingpin for supporting a wheel spindle at each end of the blank, wherein the blank has protrusions at the ends, the protrusions being situated on each side of a plane through longitudinal axes of the bushings, the protrusions each having a first part adapted to define a locking surface for the wheel spindle when the axle beam is used to support a fixed, non-steerable wheel axle, and the protrusions each having a second part adapted to define an end stop for limiting deflection of rotary motion of the wheel spindle when the axle beam is used to support a steerable wheel axle.
A wheel suspension comprising
- an axle beam and
- a wheel spindle disposed at each end of the axle beam, the wheel spindle having a kingpin mounted in a bushing of the axle beam, the wheel spindles having respective wheel axles,
- the axle beam being formed from a blank made in one continuous piece and having the bushings for the kingpin for supporting the wheel spindles at respective ends of the blank, wherein the blank has protrusions on each end of the blank, the protrusions being situated on each side of a plane through longitudinal axes of the bushings, the protrusions being adapted to define locking surfaces for a respective wheel spindle when the axle beam is used to support a fixed, non-steerable wheel axle, and the protrusions are being adapted to define an end stop for limiting deflection of rotary motion of the wheel spindle when the axle beam is used to support a steerable wheel axle.
A wheel suspension comprising
- an axle beam and
- a wheel spindle disposed at each end of the axle beam, the wheel spindle having a kingpin mounted in a bushing of the axle beam, the wheel spindles having respective wheel axles,
- the axle beam being formed from a blank made in one continuous piece and the bushings for the kingpin for supporting the wheel spindles at respective ends of the blank, wherein, at each end, the blank has first parts situated on each side of a plane through longitudinal axes of the bushings, the first parts being produced from protrusions and each having a locking surface for the wheel spindles of a fixed, non-steerable wheel axle.
A wheel suspension comprising
- an axle beam and
- a wheel spindle disposed at each end of the axle beam, the wheel spindle having a kingpin which is mounted in a bushing of the axle beam, the wheel spindles having respective wheel axles,
- the axle beam being formed from a blank made in one continuous piece and having the bushings for the kingpin for supporting the wheel spindles at respective ends of the blank, wherein the blank has, at each end, parts situated on each side of a plane through longitudinal axes of the bushings, the parts being produced from protrusions to prevent rotation of the wheel spindle about the kingpin when the axle beam is used to support a fixed, non-steerable wheel axle.
A method for manufacturing an axle beam formed from a continuous, one piece blank, the blank having bushings at its ends, each bushing for a kingpin for supporting a wheel spindle, the blank having protrusions situated on each side of a plane through longitudinal axes of the bushings, the method comprising one of
- producing from the protrusion a first part adapted for use as a locking surface for preventing rotation of the wheel spindle about the kingpin when the axle beam is used to support a fixed, non-steerable wheel axle, and
- producing from the protrusion a second part adapted for use as an end stop for limiting the deflection of rotary motion of the wheel spindle when the axle beam is used to support a steerable wheel axle,
- wherein one of either the first part and the second part is adapted to be produced from the same blank.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.