IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,589,588
Granted Patent B2
US 10,589,588 · App. 15/823,621 · Granted Mar 17, 2020

Transverse link for a wheel suspension of a vehicle and method for the production thereof

Inventors: Rainer Souschek (Aachen, DE); Raphael Koch (Odenthal, DE); Daniel Mainz (Herzogenrath, DE); Theo Kueppers (Waldfeucht, DE)
Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
B60G7/001B60G7/008B60G2204/41B60G2206/122B60G2206/70B60G2206/7105B60G2206/80
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,589,588
App. No.
15/823,621
Granted
Mar 17, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure provides a transverse link for a wheel suspension of a vehicle that includes at least one wheel-side attachment structure and at least one structure-side attachment structure. The wheel-side and structure-side structures are connected to each other by a connection structure which extends therebetween. The connection structure and/or at least one of the attachment structures is/are produced by a generative production method. At least one of the attachment structures is constructed as a generatively produced bushing which has an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve surrounding the inner sleeve. The sleeves are connected to each other by a fold-like structure. The present disclosure further provides a method for producing such a transverse link.

Claims (26)

1. A transverse link for a wheel suspension of a vehicle, the transverse link comprising:

at least one wheel-side attachment structure;

at least one structure-side attachment structure; and

a connection structure connecting and extending between the attachment structures,

wherein the connection structure is produced by a conventional production method, and

wherein at least one of the attachment structures is constructed as a generatively produced bushing printed on the connection structure and having an outer sleeve surrounding an inner sleeve and a fold structure connecting the inner and outer sleeves.

2. The transverse link according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the attachment structures that is produced in the generative manner is constructed at least partially in at least one of a porous, a bionic, a grid, and a honeycomb structure.

3. The transverse link according to claim 1 , wherein the connection structure and the attachment structures are at least two different materials.

4. The transverse link according to claim 3 , wherein the different materials are different metals and different metal alloys.

5. The transverse link according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the attachment structures is a ball joint or a journal.

6. A generatively produced attachment structure for use in a transverse link for a wheel suspension of a vehicle, the transverse link comprising:

a wheel-side attachment structure;

a structure-side attachment structure;

wherein at least one of the wheel-side attachment structure and the structure-side attachment structure is generatively produced and comprises an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve surrounding the inner sleeve; and

a connection structure produced by a conventional production method and connecting and extending between the attachment structures;

wherein the inner sleeve is connected to the outer sleeve by at least one of a fold structure, an undulated structure, and a bone structure, and the outer sleeve is generatively produced and printed on the connection structure.

7. The generatively produced attachment structure according to claim 6 , wherein at least one of the generatively produced attachment structures is at least one of a bushing, a ball joint, and a journal.

8. The generatively produced attachment structure according to claim 6 , wherein at least one of the generatively produced attachment structures is at least two different materials.

9. The generatively produced attachment structure according to claim 8 , wherein the different materials are different metals and different metal alloys.

10. The generatively produced attachment structure according to claim 6 , wherein the structure-side attachment structure is at least one of a bushing and a journal, and the wheel-side attachment structure is a ball joint.

11. The generatively produced attachment structure according to claim 6 , wherein the structure-side attachment structure is a journal received by a journal retention member.

12. A method for producing a transverse link for a wheel suspension of a vehicle, the method comprising:

producing at least one wheel-side attachment structure and at least one structure-side attachment structure; and

connecting the at least one wheel-side attachment structure to the at least one structure-side attachment structure by a conventionally produced connection structure extending therebetween,

wherein at least one of the attachment structures is produced by a generative production method and is printed on the connection structure, and

wherein at least one of the attachment structures is constructed as a generatively produced bushing having an outer sleeve surrounding an inner sleeve, wherein the inner and outer sleeves are connected to each other by a fold structure.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 28, 2017
From: KOCH, RAPHAEL; KUEPPERS, THEO; MAINZ, DANIEL; SOUSCHEK, RAINER
To: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 044235/0638 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2016 224 023 · Dec 2, 2016 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180154720A1 · Jun 7, 2018
Cited By (1)
US 12,234,861