Suspension of a vehicle axle

The invention relates to a suspension for a rigid tubular axle body having vehicle axle which is articulated with its front end to a chassis fixed bearing point with at least a respective support arm on either side of the median longitudinal plane, and the distance it is rigidly connected to the axle, for example welded or clamped, is, and means for amplifying the axle body in the region of the connection with the supporting arm, whereby a protruding from the axle of each support arm to the rear forms the lower bearing of an air spring, on top of which rests the chassis.

Such axle suspension is known for example from EP-A-0600198. As a means for amplifying the axle body a two-piece sleeve is used which is welded on one side to the axle body and on the other hand to the support arm, the latter having an opening for receiving the axle body with the reinforcing sleeve disposed thereon. The two-part sleeve has opposed apertures through which the sleeve parts are welded to the axle body. By welded to the axle tube through the plug welding sleeve arises between two parts of a gap in which is due to penetration of moisture corrosion. This gap must therefore be consuming permanently elastic reliably sealed at both sleeve ends. Nevertheless, by this measure that occurs between the two parts fretting caused by normal use, not prevented. The axle body has the known suspension over its entire length a uniform wall thickness. The known axle assembly requires a high assembly effort to reduce the main objective of the present invention is to take no deformation of the axle beam or corrosion in purchasing.

This object is achieved with an axle suspension of the type mentioned in accordance with the invention, for example in that an axle tube serves as axle housing, whose wall thickness is increased in the area of ​​connection with the arm or by radius arms.

Such axle tubes can be relatively easily produced with corresponding swaging and forging devices. The installation of additional strengthening members, such as is necessary in the prior art, is completely eliminated. Rather, a constriction of the axle body is avoided due to increased wall thickness just where the axle beam is clamped or welded on or in the support arms. The invention also offers the substantial advantage that a weight reduction of the axle can be carried out. So far, a greater wall thickness of the axle was to use when she was required to cope with the bending moments, only in the clamping area to prevent deformation. With the invention, the axle over virtually its entire length a lower wall thickness than previously given, while only being provided in the field of clamping and welding-a greater wall thickness.

Here preferably the increased wall thickness forms at each of the two Achseinspannungen an annular region or two ring portions of the axle beam.

The increased wall thickness can be achieved either by the fact that the outer diameter of the axle body is constant along its length substantially, ie the reinforced wall portion projecting from the Achskörperwandung radially inward. but it is also possible to keep the inner diameter of the axle body over its length substantially constant. In this case, the area of ​​enlarged wall thickness of the outer peripheral surface of the axle body moves outward. to allow a combination of the two options, namely the areas of increased wall thickness to the outside and simultaneously jump inside, is also possible, depending on the technical requirements.

The outer and inner diameter of the increased wall thickness portions are, for example larger than the outer diameter and / or smaller than the remainder of the axle body Innendurchmseer.

Other objects, features, advantages and applications of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the drawing. All of the described and / or illustrated features, alone or in any meaningful combination, form the subject matter of the invention also independent of their inclusion in individual claims or their reference.

Show it:<dl id="dl0001" compact="compact"><dt>Fig. 1</dt><dd>a schematic side view of the invention having Fahrzeugachsaufhängung in one side of a (to be seen in vertical section) vehicle axle area, the assembly at the opposite end of the axle is preferably formed according to, and </dd><dt>FIG. 2</dt><dd>the Fahrzeugachsaufhängung of Fig. 1 in the region of one end of the axle body in plan view.</dd></dl>

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the Fahrzeugachsaufhängung for a rigid tubular axle body has in each case at least one support arm 2 on both sides of the vehicle longitudinal center plane. The respective arm 2 with its front end hinged to a chassis fixed bearing point 3 and behind rigidly connected at a distance to the axle body. 1 Shown is a version in which the axle body 1 is welded to the support arm 2 by the axle body is accommodated in one holes 7 of side walls 8 of the support arms 2nd However, the axle body 1 can also be clamped for example by means of U-bolts, to the support arms 2 or spring pads on guide rods. A protruding from the axle beam 1 of each rearward support arm 4 forms the lower bearing of an air spring 5, on the upper side of the chassis 6 rests.

The axle body 1 is formed by an axle tube, the wall thickness is increased in the area of ​​connection with the bracket. 2 In the cases illustrated, the increased wall thickness forms coherent ring portions of the axle body. 1

An increased wall thickness of the tubular axle body 1 in the region of the connection with the supporting arm 2 is in the case shown in Fig. 2 achieved in that the axle beam 1 has a substantially constant outer diameter over its entire length, while the inside diameter in the region of the connection with the support arm 2 of a leads to the creation of radially inwardly projecting greater wall thickness.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

<dl id="dl0002" compact="compact"><dt>1</dt><dd>axle body</dd><dt>2</dt><dd>support arm</dd><dt>3</dt><dd>bearing point</dd><dt>4</dt><dd>mounting arm</dd><dt>5</dt><dd>air spring</dd><dt>6</dt><dd>chassis</dd><dt>7</dt><dd>openings</dd><dt>8th</dt><dd>Sidewall</dd></dl>