Pivot bearing with turned damper clamping

#The invention concerns a pivot bearing for a wheel suspension, in particular for a front axle for a motor vehicle, containing a wheel bearing receiver, a steering arm, a spring strut receiver with a damper clamping and a carrier rib.

#Pivot bearings constitute a connection between the damper or spring strut, the wheel bearing, the steering gear and the transverse control arm on the front axle of a motor vehicle.

#DE 102 12 873 B4 discloses a pivot bearing in which the spring strut is inserted with its free lower end into a clamping ring provided on the pivot bearing, which clamping ring is tightened by means of a bolt-nut connection such that the pivot bearing is held securely on the lower end of the spring strut. The disadvantage of such a pivot bearing is the massive construction which has a high weight due to the extensive clamping oriented against the inside of the vehicle; this is undesirable in modern vehicles since the aim is to reduce fuel consumption.

#An embodiment example of the invention is described with reference to the figures, wherein the invention is not restricted merely to the embodiment example. The drawings show:

#FIG. 1 a perspective view of a pivot bearing according to the invention,

#FIG. 2 a perspective view of a pivot bearing according to the invention,

#FIG. 1 shows a pivot bearing 1 according to the invention. The wheel bearing receiver 11 serves for installation of a wheel bearing (not shown). The arrow directions FA and FI shown in the drawings point respectively towards the vehicle outside FA and the vehicle inside FI when the pivot bearing 1 is in fitted state. The spring strut receiver 2 arranged on the pivot bearing 1 serves for fixing of the spring strut or shock absorber (not shown). The damper clamping 3 on the pivot bearing 1 according to the invention is arranged on the spring strut receiver 2 in the direction of the vehicle outside FA. In conventional pivot bearings, the clamping usually takes place on the vehicle inside of the pivot bearing. In order to make the pivot bearing 1 as light as possible, all unnecessary material has been omitted and existing structures are utilised repeatedly in their function. Thus the carrier rib 6 also serves as a support surface 14 for the clamping element 13. Firstly this avoids additional protrusions for fixing the clamping element on the spring strut receiver in the direction of the vehicle inside FI as known from the prior art, and secondly existing carrier ribs 6 which serve for stabilisation and reinforcement of the pivot bearing 1 or spring strut receiver 2 can be utilised for a further function. The carrier rib 6 or receiver surface 14 preferably runs tangential to the outer diameter of the spring strut receiver 2.

#The carrier rib 6 is arranged at right angles to the clamping element 13, leading to an even distribution of force on the spring strut clamping. The clamping element 13 is preferably a bolt, as shown from FIGS. 3 and 5, but other clamping elements are also conceivable. The damper clamping 3 of the pivot bearing 1 according to the invention has a slot 5 which allows the clamping of the spring strut in the pivot bearing 1. By tightening using the clamping element 13, the clamp sides 4 move together, whereby the inner diameter of the spring strut receiver 2 is constricted and hence the spring strut is clamped. The opening 8 arranged in the region between the wheel bearing receiver 11 and the damper clamping 3 serves for relative movement of the two clamp sides 4. This means that the opening 8 allows clamping together, whereby the two clamp sides 4 can be moved towards each other. The opening 8 is preferably formed as large as possible to prevent unnecessary weight of the pivot bearing 1, but nonetheless only large enough for the pivot bearing 1 to withstand the necessary loads. The form or contour of the opening 8 is designed such that in the case of braking or under load, no induced stress peaks occur in the pivot bearing 1 which would overstress the pivot bearing 1. FIG. 5 shows the optimum contour of the opening 8 and spring strut receiver 2. In order to avoid a high deformation of the pivot bearing 1 or spring strut receiver 2 under load, e.g. under braking moments, as a reinforcement a carrier structure 9 is provided on the spring strut receiver 2 which is arranged on the outer diameter of the spring strut receiver 2 through two connecting points 10 of the carrier structure. The connecting points 10 of the carrier structure preferably lie above each other in the direction of the centre axis of the spring strut receiver 2. The carrier structure 9 runs together starting from the two connecting points 10 of the carrier structure in the direction of the steering arm 12. With this form or structure of the carrier structure 9, the weight of the pivot bearing 1 is greatly reduced in comparison with pivot bearings known from the prior art which also have reinforcement to prevent high deformation, as the open-work structure of the carrier structure 9 of the pivot bearing 1 according to the invention entails weight savings. The spring strut receiver 2 on the opposite side of the damper clamping 3 or in the direction of the vehicle inside FI has two continuous webs 7 in the peripheral direction of the centre axis of the spring strut, which surround the spring strut of the shock absorber (not shown). Preferably the recess 15 between the webs 7 is formed oval or slot-like. Due to the recess 15 or the two webs 7, the weight of the pivot bearing 1 is further reduced. FIG. 2 shows the webs 7 which are preferably arranged on the upper and lower edge of the spring strut receiver. Also a different number of webs 7 is conceivable. The form of the recess 15 lying in-between is optimised such that there too, in case of load, no induced stress peaks occur.

#FIG. 3 shows a side view of the pivot bearing 1 according to the invention in which a clamping element 13 is inserted. Preferably a bolt is used for this. The head of the clamping element 13 lies on the support surface 14 of the carrier rib 6. Thus the carrier rib 6 serves for damper clamping 3 and for stabilisation or strengthening of the pivot bearing 1 or spring strut receiver 2.