Connector piece for the articulated connection of components located in the suspension of a vehicle

1. A connecting piece for articulated connection of components disposed in a chassis of a vehicle, the connecting piece comprising:

a base body ( 1 ) made of sheet metal having at least one through bore ( 3 ) therein, and a hollow-cylindrical section ( 20 ) defining the at least one through bore ( 3 ) and the hollow-cylindrical section ( 20 ) forming a stop surface,

at least a first articulated joint ( 5 ) comprising a housing ( 4 ),

the housing ( 4 ) having a radial shoulder ( 23 ), the housing ( 4 ) being inserted into the through bore ( 3 ), in an axial direction ( 24 ), such that the radially shoulder ( 23 ) of the housing ( 4 ) engages with the stop surface of the hollow-cylindrical section ( 20 ),

a plastic part ( 13 ) being rigidly connected to the base body ( 1 ) and surrounding the housing ( 4 ), and the plastic part ( 13 ) being integrally connected with the base body ( 1 ) so as to prevent axial movement of the housing ( 4 ), along the axial direction ( 24 ), away-from the hollow-cylindrical section ( 20 ) of the base body ( 1 ).

2. The connecting piece according to claim 1 , wherein the housing ( 4 ) is made of metal.

3. The connecting piece according to claim 1 , wherein the housing ( 4 ) is pressed into the hollow-cylindrical section ( 20 ) of the base body ( 1 ) and retained therein by the plastic part ( 13 ).

4. The connecting piece according to claim 1 , wherein the base body ( 1 ) is at least partially embedded in the plastic part ( 13 ) so that the base body ( 1 ) and the plastic part ( 13 ) form and unitary structure.

5. The connecting piece according to claim 1 , wherein the base body ( 1 ) comprises a plurality of apertures ( 9 ) in a surface thereof through which the plastic part ( 13 ) penetrates and the penetration of the plastic part forms at plurality of rivets for positively securing the base body ( 1 ) to the plastic part ( 13 ).

6. The connecting piece according to claim 1 , wherein the first articulated joint ( 5 ) is a ball joint and features a ball pin ( 29 ) which with the joint ball ( 30 ) is rotatably and pivotally supported in the housing ( 4 ).

7. The connecting piece according to claim 1 , wherein at least a second articulated joint or bearing ( 18 ) is rigidly connected to the base body ( 1 ) and spaced from the first articulated joint ( 5 ), and the second articulated joint or bearing ( 18 ) defines a pivot axis which extends substantially normal to the axial direction ( 24 ) of the first articulated joint ( 5 ).

8. The connecting piece according to claim 7 , wherein the second bearing ( 18 ) is an elastomer bearing.

9. The connecting piece according to claim 7 , wherein a third articulated joint or bearing ( 8 ) is rigidly connected to the base body ( 1 ) and spaced from the first articulated joint ( 5 ) and also spaced from the second articulated joint or bearing ( 18 ), and the connecting piece ( 35 ) forms a triangular control arm for a motor vehicle.

10. The connecting piece according to claim 1 , wherein the plastic part ( 13 ) overlaps a peripheral edge of the base body ( 1 ) and the overlap of the peripheral edge of the plastic part ( 13 ) facilitates a rigid and secure connection of the base body ( 1 ) with the plastic part ( 13 ).

11. The connecting piece according to claim 1 , wherein the base body ( 1 ) comprises a plurality of metal strips ( 10 ) which are connected with a connecting strip ( 12 ) and the plastic part ( 13 ) is molded over at least the metal strips ( 10 ) to form a housing ( 17 ) which accommodates an elastomer bearing of the second articulated joint or bearing ( 18 ).

12. The connecting piece according to claim 11 , wherein the bearing housing ( 17 ), which accommodates the elastomer bearing, extends substantially normal to the axial direction ( 24 ) of the first articulated joint ( 5 ), and

forming a portion of the plastic part ( 13 ), which supports the ball joint housing ( 4 ), into a funnel-shaped section ( 19 ).

13. The connecting piece according to claim 1 , wherein the plastic part ( 13 ) forms a latticed structure which reinforces the plastic part ( 13 ) which supports the housing ( 4 ) and assists with retaining the first articulated joint ( 5 ) within the at least one through bore ( 3 ); and

the plastic part ( 13 ) forms a funnel-shaped section ( 19 ) which supports the ball joint housing ( 4 ).

14. A connecting piece for articulated connection of components disposed in a chassis of a vehicle; the connecting piece comprising:

a base body ( 1 ) made of sheet metal having at least one through bore ( 3 ) therein, and a hollow-cylindrical section ( 20 ) defining the at least one through bore ( 3 ) and forming a stop surface,

at least a first articulated joint ( 5 ) comprising a housing ( 4 ) with a radial shoulder ( 23 ), the housing ( 4 ) being accommodated within the through bore ( 3 ) such that the radially shoulder ( 23 ) of the housing ( 4 ) directly engages with the stop surface of the hollow-cylindrical section ( 20 ) so as to prevent further movement of the first articulated joint ( 5 ) in an axial direction, and

a plastic part ( 13 ) being molded and rigidly and integrally connected with the base body ( 1 ), the plastic part ( 13 ) surrounding the housing ( 4 ) so as prevents axial movement of the housing ( 4 ), along the axial direction ( 24 ), away from the hollow-cylindrical section ( 20 ) of the base body ( 1 ), and sandwich the radially shoulder ( 23 ) of the housing ( 4 ) between the hollow-cylindrical section ( 20 ) and the plastic part ( 13 ).

15. A method for producing a connecting piece for articulated connection of components disposed in a chassis of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

forming a base body ( 1 ) having at least one through bore ( 3 ) formed from a sheet metal;

inserting an articulated joint ( 5 ) and a housing ( 4 ) into the through bore ( 3 ), in an axial direction ( 24 ), until a radial shoulder ( 23 ) of the housing ( 4 ) abuts against the base body ( 1 ) so as to prevent further movement of the housing ( 4 ) in the axial direction ( 24 ); and

embedding a housing section ( 22 ) of the housing ( 4 ), having the shoulder ( 23 ), in plastic ( 13 ) so as to rigidly connect the plastic ( 13 ) to the base body ( 1 ) and sandwich the shoulder ( 23 ) between the base body ( 1 ) and the plastic ( 13 ).

16. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising the step of at least partially embedding the base body ( 1 ) in the plastic ( 13 ).

17. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising the step of forming a plurality of apertures ( 9 ) in the base body ( 1 ) and penetrating the plastic ( 13 ) through the plurality of apertures ( 9 ) in the base body ( 1 ) and rigidly connect the plastic ( 13 ) to the base body ( 1 ).

18. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising the step of molding the plastic ( 13 ) onto the base body ( 1 ) so that the base body ( 1 ) and the plastic part ( 13 ) form and unitary structure.

19. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising the step of directly abutting the radially shoulder ( 23 ) of the housing ( 4 ) against a stop surface of the hollow-cylindrical section ( 20 ).

20. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising the step of directly abutting the radially shoulder ( 23 ) of the housing ( 4 ) against a stop surface of the hollow-cylindrical section ( 20 );

providing the base body ( 1 ) with a plurality of spaced apart perforations;

causing the plastic part ( 13 ) to penetrate the plurality of spaced apart perforations and form a plurality of spaced apart rivets perforations for connecting the base body ( 1 ) to the plastic part ( 13 ); and

overlapping a peripheral edge of the base body ( 1 ) with the plastic part ( 13 ) to from and secure connection of the base body ( 1 ) with the plastic part ( 13 ).