Title of Invention

METHOD FOR FIXING AN AXLE TO THE BODY OF A MOTOR VEHICLE AND SUPPORT THEREFOR

Abstract

A method for fastening an axle to the body of a motor vehicle by means of bearing blocks arranged obliquely to the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle and intended for receiving bearings arranged on the axle, having the successive steps, mounting of the bearing blocks by means of welding on bearing receptacles of the body which are spaced from one another transversely to the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle; making bores on the bearing blocks at a distance from one another which corresponds essentially to the distance between the bearings of the axle; securing the axle to the bearing blocks by means of a releasable connection of the bearings of the axle and of the bearing blocks.

Full Text

Method for fastening an axle to the body of a motor vehicle and bearing block therefor The present invention relates to a method for fastening an axle to the body of a motor vehicle by means of bearing blocks arranged obliquely to the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1 and to a bearing block as claimed in claim 6, The abovementioned axle is, in particular, a composite-link rear axle, such as is known, for example, from DE 197 52 347 Al. This has a crossmember connecting two longitudinal members, on - each of which a wheel carrier for receiving a wheel is provided. At one end of the respective longitudinal member is provided, in this case, a bearing by means of which the longitudinal member can be secured to the substructure of the body of the motor vehicle in a bearing block, so that the axle can be fixed to the body by the two bearings of the longitudinal members being secured. In this case, to receive the bearings of the longitudinal members, such bearing blocks are set obliquely on the body at a specific angle to the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle, in order to exert a positive influence on the self-steering effect of the axle, that is to say, for example, to counteract an oversteering of the motor vehicle during cornering. Bearing blocks known hitherto are designed, in this context, as screwed bearing blocks, that is to say as bearing blocks which are secured to the body at the bearing receptacle via a screw connection. The releasable screw connection, in this case, has the task of allowing a defined adjustability of the axle via the bearing blocks, so that, for example, an inclination of the axle can be avoided. If, then, the bearing block is fastened to the body during the assembly of the motor vehicle, it is necessary to have, for example, four screws per bearing block, in order to secure the bearing block to the underside of the body. Since care must be taken to ensure that the axle is not subject to inclination, the axle must be attached to the bearing block already secured to the body, even when the alignment of the axle is being carried out via a setting of the bearing blocks. In this state, the axle hangs down from the vehicle floor, but at the same time the screws must also be accessible for setting. The result of this is that the screwed bearing block has a size such that, in spite of the axle already being mounted, all the screws are still accessible. However, since a large number of technical device^s have to be attached in the region of the vehicle floor, such as, for example, the exhaust system or the fuel tank, it is not desirable for the bearing blocks to have a great extent, since such an extent reduces the installation space for the other technical devices. The object on which the present invention is based is, therefore, to provide a method for fastening an axle to the body of a motor vehicle, said method making it possible to use small bearing blocks for mounting the axle. Moreover, according to the invention, a bearing block suitable for this purpose is to be provided. To achieve this object in terms of the method, the invention has the features specified in claim 1. Advantageous refinements thereof are described in the further claims. Furthermore, to achieve the object in terms of the bearing block, the invention has the features specified in claim 6, advantageous refinements thereof being described in the further claims. According to the invention, a method for fastening an axle, in particular a composite-link rear axle, to the body of a motor vehicle by means of bearing blocks arranged obliquely to the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle and intended for receiving bearings arranged on the axle is provided, having the following steps: The distance between the bearings of the axle is measured before the axle is fastened to the body. The bearing blocks for receiving the bearings of the axle are fastened by means of an assembly technique to the bearing receptacles of the body which are spaced from one another transversely to the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle. Bores are made on the bearing blocks, for receiving screws by means of which the bearings of th^ axle and therefore the axle can be secured to the bearing blocks, the bores being at a distance from one another which corresponds essentially to the measured outer distance between the bearings of the axle. The axle is secured to the bearing blocks by means of a releasable screw connection of the bearings of the axle and of the bearing blocks. According to the invention, it is therefore provided that, before the axle is fastened to the body of the motor vehicle, the distance, running essentially in the transverse direction of the axle, between the two bores of the bearings for receiving the screws is measured, and this distance is then used as the distance to be adhered to for fastening the bearing blocks to the body. It is thereby possible, during the production of the axle, to incorporate existing dimensional tolerances into the fastening of the bearing blocks to the body of the motor vehicle which is carried out on the basis of this measured distance. This means that, contrary to a screwed bearing block, the introduction of threaded bores on the underside of the body may be dispensed with, since the fastening of the bearing blocks to the body is carried out on the basis of, and therefore taking into account, the distance between the bores of the bearings which is actually present on the axle to be mounted. Since the measurement of the distance between the bearings of, the axle which is actually present on the respective axle is carried out before the bearing blocks are fastened to the body, the axle no longer has to be set in terms of its position in relation to the motor vehicle after it has been fastened to the body via the bearings and the bearing blocks. Consequently, it is sufficient, during the manufacture of the body in the unfinished state, to weld the bearing blocks to the bearing receptacle in such a way that the distance between the bearing blocks corresponds to the nominal dimension of the distance between the bearings of the rear axle. The respective distance between the bearings of the rear axle to be secured respectively to the body is then measured, so that the fastening of the bearing blocks to the body in accordance with the nominal dimension of the distance between the bearings is sufficient, since the bores to be made on the bearing blocks are made according to the measured distance between the bearings of the respective rear axle and there is therefore no need to set the axle in relation to the body at a later stage. There is provision, according to the method, for the distance between the bearings of the axle to be transferred to the bearing blocks by means of a drill template. This means, in other words, that the measured distance between the bearings is transferred to a drill template and is then transferred by means of the latter to the bearing blocks, so that the bores of the bearing blocks for receiving the screws for fastening the bearings to the bearing blocks are made at a distance from one another which largely corresponds to the distance previously measured on. the axle, so that it is possible to achieve a dimensional accuracy which lies within a narrow tolerance range and takes into account the tolerance range of the manufactured axles. There is at the same time, according to the invention, provision for the bearing blocks to be secured to the body by means of a welded joint. The welded joint makes it possible to introduce force from the axle into the body via small connecting surfaces. Even small bearing blocks can therefore be used, since, in the method according to the invention, it is no longer necessary to provide on the bearing blocks any surfaces which are required for setting the axle. To be precise, in contrast to the known methods for fastening the bearing blocks, in the method according to the invention there is no need for a subsequent setting of the axle after it has been mounted on the body. There is at the same time, according to the method, provision for the bearing blocks to be secured, set obliquely at an angle of about 20 to 30 degrees and, in particular, about 25 degrees to the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle. This geometry allows a favorable self-steering behavior of the rear axle secured to the body. According to one embodiment of the method, there is at the same time provision for a measured distance between the bearings of the axle to be transferred, supplemented by a predetermined tolerance dimension, to the bearing blocks, in such a way that the bores made on the bearing blocks for receiving fastening means for securing the axle to the body are at a distance from one another which corresponds to the distance supplemented by the tolerance dimension. What is achieved thereby is that the bores to be made on the bearing blocks should lie, in terms of the distance between them, within a tolerance range which allows the bores of the bearing blocks to be made cost-effectively, without the resulting tolerances in the position of the axle in relation to the vehicle having an adverse influence on the driving behavior of the motor vehicle. « According to the invention, a bearing block for arrangement on the body of a motor vehicle for receiving an axle on the body is also provided, having side cheeks, in particular, for receiving bearings of the axle releasably via a screw, the bearing block secured to the body being arranged at an angle of about 20 to 30 degrees and, in particular, about 25 degrees to the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle. In this case, the fastening of the bearing block to the body is carried out by means of an assembly technique, specifically, according to a preferred embodiment, by means of a welded joint between the side cheeks and the bearing receptacle provided on the body. The invention is explained in more detail below by means of the drawing in which: fig. 1 shows a top view of a known bearing block with a rear axle which is arranged on it and a detail of which is illustrated; fig. 2 shows a top view of part of the rear axle which is secured to members of the body via bearing blocks; fig. 3 shows a sectional illustration of a rear-axle bearing arranged on a bearing block according to the invention; and fig. 4 shows a diagrammatic illustration of the arrangement of the bearing blocks in the method according to the invention. Fig. 1 of the drawing shows a known bearing block 1 which can be secured to a longitudinal member of a motor vehicle via a screw connection. As can easily be seen, the known bearing block 1 possesses four screw bores 2, into which threaded screws can be inserted in order to secure the bearing block 1 to the longitudinal member, the screw bores 2 having a slightly oval design, so that the bearing block 1 can be displaced in order to set the rear axle 3. The arrangement of the screw bores 2 of the known bearing block 1 is in this case selected such that all the threaded screws are accessible for mounting and setting the bearing block 1. The known bearing block 1 therefore possesses a large-area extent, so that the bearing block 1 to be arranged on the longitudinal member of the motor vehicle and therefore on the substructure requires a correspondingly large installation space. Fig. 2 of the drawing shows part of a composite-link rear axle 3 with an inclined bearing 4 which can be secured to the member of the body by means of a bearing block. The rear axle 3 possesses a longitudinal link which is also designated below as a longitudinal member 5, to which a wheel carrier 6 is fastened, and a crossmember 7 which can be secured to the longitudinal member 5 of the rear axle 3, for example, via a welded joint or an adhesive bond or the like. A receptacle 8 provided on the longitudinal member 5 serves for receiving a spring and a damper element. Fig. 3 of the drawing, then, illustrates a bearing block 8 according to the invention, which can be secured to the body of the motor vehicle via a welded joint. In this case, for example, a spot-welding operation is possible for fastening the bearing block 8. As may easily «be gathered from a comparison of the * known bearing block 1 according to fig. 1 and the bearing block 8 according to the invention, the bearing block 8 according to the invention possesses an extent of markedly smaller area than the known bearing block 1. The bearing block 8 in this case has side cheeks 9, via which it can be firmly welded to the substructure of the body at a longitudinal member set obliquely to the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle. To illustrate the size difference between the known bearing block 1 and the bearing block 8 according to the invention, reference is made to fig. 3 and fig. 1, the width of the bearing block 8 according to the invention having been designated in fig. 3 by the dimension B which has likewise been marked in fig. 1, so that it is readily evident that the bearing block 8 according to the invention is markedly smaller than the known bearing block 1, since the connecting surfaces for receiving the screw bores 2 are no longer required. Fig. 4 of the drawing, then, shows an illustration to make clear the method according to the invention for fastening the rear axle 3 to the body. It is assumed that a prefabricated rear axle 3 has to be secured to the body of- the motor vehicle. For this purpose, before rear axles 3 are mounted on the body, the distance between the bores 10 (fig. 3) of the two bearings 4 of the rear axle 3 is measured. To make the situation clearer, reference is also made to fig. 2 and 3 which show by the arrow A the measured distance between the two bearings 4 of the rear axle 3. This means, in other words, that the distance between the bearing outer faces 11 of the two bearings 4 is measured. It should be mentioned, in this connection, that the right half, illustrated in fig, 2, of the rear axle 3 is of course assigned a correspondingly designed left half which is obtained by connecting the longitudinal member 5 of the left half of the rear axle to the crossmember 7. The left half of the rear axle 3 also in this case possesses an inclined bearing 4, so that the distance A between the two outer faces 11 of the bearings 4, directed toward the respective wheel carrier 6, is measured. This measured distance A is transferred to a drill template. The two bearing blocks 8 are secured to the body of the motor vehicle, for example via a welded joint, at an oblique angle to the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle. By means of the drill template, the measured distance A is transferred to the two firmly welded bearing blocks 8, and the bores 12 are made in the two bearing blocks 8 via a drilling appliance 13. To set the distance A between the two bearing blocks 8, the drill template is moved along the bearing blocks 8 in the longitudinal direction of the latter, as may readily be gathered from the arrow (fig. 4) bearing the reference symbol 14. The bearing blocks 8 in this case assume an angle of about 25 degrees to the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle, as is evident from fig. 4. The method according to the invention makes it possible to use welded bearing blocks 8 instead of screwed bearing blocks and, owing to the measurement of the distance between the bores of the bearings 4 which is actually present on the respective rear axle 3, to mount the rear axle 3 on the body of the motor vehicle, without the mounted rear axle 3 subsequently having to be set or adjusted after being fastened to the bearing blocks 8. The bearing blocks 8 according to the invention, which are markedly smaller than the known screwed bearing blocks 1, give rise, on the substructure of the motor vehicle, to construction space which can therefore be utilized for other technical components, such as, for example, the exhaust system or the fuel tank of the motor vehicle, so that, for example, a larger fuel tank can thereby be employed. Moreover, as regards features of the invention which were not explained particularly in any more detail above, reference is made expressly to the claims and the drawing. LIST OF REFEREN CE SYMBOLS 1 bearing block 2 screw bore 3 rear axle 4 bearing 5 longitudinal member 6 wheel carrier 7 crossmember 8 bearing block 9 side cheeks 10 bore 11 outer faces 12 bore 13 drilling appliance 14 arrow I/WE CLAIM; A method for fastening an axle (3) to the body of a motor vehicle by means of bearing blocks (8) arranged obliquely to the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle and intended for receiving bearings (4) arranged on the axle (3), having the following steps: measuring the distance (A) between the bearings (4) of the axle (3) before it is fastened to the body; mounting of the bearing blocks (8) by means of an assembly technique on bearing receptacles of the body which are spaced from one another transversely to the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle; making bores (12) on the bearing blocks (8) at a distance from one another which corresponds essentially to the measured distance (A) between the bearings (4) of the axle (3); securing the axle (3) to the bearing blocks (8) by means of a re lea sable connection of the bearings (4) of the axle (3) and of the bearing blocks (8). 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the distance (A) between the bearings (4) of the axle (3) is transferred to the bearing blocks (8) by means of a drill template. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the bearing blocks (8) are secured to the body by means of a welded joint. The method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the bearing blocks (8) are secured, set obliquely at an angle of about 20 to 30 degrees and, in particular, about 25 degrees to the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle. The method-as claimed in one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the measured distance (A) between the bearings (4) of the axle (3) is transferred, supplemented by a predetermined tolerance dimension, to the bearing blocks (8), in such a way that the bores (12) made on the bearing blocks (8) for receiving fastening means for securing the axle (3) to the body are at a distance from one another which corresponds to the distance supplemented by the tolerance dimension. A bearing block (8) for arranging on the body of a motor vehicle for receiving an axle (3) on the body, characterized by side cheeks (9) for releasably receiving bearings (4) of the axle (3), the bearing block (8) secured to the body being arranged at an angle to the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle of about 20 to 30 degrees and, in particular, about 25 degrees. The bearing block (8) as claimed in claim 7, Characterized in that it is secured to the body by means of an assembly technique. The bearing block as claimed in claim 6 or 7, characterized in that it is secured to the body by means of a welded joint between the side cheeks (9) and the bearing receptacle.

Documents:

in-pct-2001-1000-che-abstract.pdf

in-pct-2001-1000-che-claims filed.pdf

in-pct-2001-1000-che-claims granted.pdf

in-pct-2001-1000-che-correspondnece-others.pdf

in-pct-2001-1000-che-correspondnece-po.pdf

in-pct-2001-1000-che-description(complete) filed.pdf

in-pct-2001-1000-che-description(complete) granted.pdf

in-pct-2001-1000-che-drawings.pdf

in-pct-2001-1000-che-form 1.pdf

in-pct-2001-1000-che-form 26.pdf

in-pct-2001-1000-che-form 3.pdf

in-pct-2001-1000-che-form 5.pdf

in-pct-2001-1000-che-other documents.pdf

in-pct-2001-1000-che-pct.pdf