FORM 2
THE PATENT ACT 197 0 (39 of 1970)
The Patents Rules, 2003 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (See Section 10, and rule 13)


TITLE OF INVENTION
CONNECTOR PIECE FOR THE ARTICULATED
ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG GERMAN Company 88038 FRIEDRICHSHAFEN GERMANY
LOCATED IN THE SUSPENSION OF A VEHICLE

2.

APPLICANT(S)
a) Name
b) Nationality
c) Address

CONNECTION OF COMPONENTS

PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed : -


The invention relates to a connecting piece for flexibly connecting components disposed in the chassis of a vehicle, comprising at least one metal sheet, from which a basic body is formed, at least one bearing or joint, which comprises a housing connected in a fixed manner to the basic body as well as an inner part seated in an interior of the housing and movable relative to the housing, which comprises a housing part surrounding the interior and formed by the metal sheet. The invention further relates to a method of manufacturing such a connecting piece.
From EP 1 217 233 Al a connecting piece is known that comprises a metal body, on which a ball joint is disposed. The ball joint comprises a plastic housing and a ball pin partially disposed therein. An end region of the metal body forms a flat profile, in which a hole is provided. In this case, the hole penetrates the flat profile, thereby forming an annular structure. The annular structure serves as reinforcement of the plastic housing and is embedded in the plastic housing. The housing is preferentially an integral plastic injection-moulded part that is formed by injection moulding around the end region. The connecting piece may take the form of a lateral control arm that is connected on the one hand to the vehicle body and on the other hand to one of the wheels or hub carriers.
The annular structure serving as metal reinforcement has a relatively low length in the axial direction of the joint, this limiting the stability of the joint housing.
US 6,030,570 discloses a control arm comprising a metal plate, which at its ends has two bores that are surrounded in each case by an annular flange. A polymer housing completely surrounds the metal plate and comprises two connecting parts each provided with a connecting bore, in which in each case an elastomer bearing bush is seated. The polymer housing is preferably manufactured by injection moulding around the metal plate. Two metal plates may moreover be surrounded by the polymer housing and are connected to one another by welding or rivets. One of the metal plates has a third and a fourth bore, and the other metal plate has a fifth

and a sixth bore. In this case, the third and the fifth bore define a first bore, and the fourth and the sixth bore define a second bore.
As the annular flanges of the metal plates are situated one on top of the other, the metal reinforcement thus formed, viewed in longitudinal direction of the elastomer bearing bush, has a greater length. However, before being encapsulated by injection moulding, the metal plates have to be aligned and secured to one another so that the bores are flush with one another.
Proceeding from this background art, the underlying object of the invention is to develop a connecting piece of the initially described type in such a way that the housing part may extend over as large as possible an axial length of the housing even if only a single metal sheet is used for the housing part and the basic body.
This object is achieved according to the invention by a connecting piece according to claim 1 and by a method according to claim 11. Preferred developments are indicated in the sub-claims.
The connecting piece according to the invention for flexibly connecting components disposed in the chassis of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, comprises a metal sheet or at least one metal sheet, from which a basic body is formed, and at least one bearing or joint, which comprises a housing connected in a fixed manner to the basic body as well as an inner part seated in an interior of the housing and movable relative to the housing, which comprises a housing part that surrounds the interior and is formed by the metal sheet, wherein the housing part comprises a plurality of or at least two sheet metal strips, which are disposed alongside one another in a longitudinal or axial direction and between their ends are bent in mutually opposite directions transversely of the longitudinal direction and at the same time partially encompass the interior at different sides.

By virtue of the fact that the sheet metal strips situated alongside one another are bent alternately in different directions, it is possible to design the housing part with a relatively large axial length that is dependent in particular upon the number of sheet metal strips disposed alongside one another and upon the width thereof. The width of each longitudinal strip in this case corresponds to the dimension of the respective sheet metal strip in the longitudinal direction. In particular, only a single metal sheet is used to form the connecting piece. The invention however is not to be limited to this, so that it is also possible to use a plurality of metal sheets. The metal sheets are in particular disposed one on top of the other and lie preferably immediately adjacent to one another, so that the metal sheets form a common sheet metal body. The metal sheet or metal sheets is/ are preferably made of steel, aluminium, magnesium, titanium or special steel. The basic body is in particular of a shell-shaped design.
The sheet metal strips, prior to being bent, are separated from one another in particular by means of one or more slots, which penetrate the metal sheet and extend along the sheet metal strips transversely of the longitudinal direction.
The sheet metal strips extend preferably away from the basic body and in particular at their ends remote from the basic body are connected in a fixed manner to one another. For this purpose a connecting strip may be provided, which extends in the longitudinal direction and is formed preferably by the metal sheet, wherein the sheet metal strips at their ends remote from the basic body are connected to one another by the connecting strip. Prior to bending of the sheet metal strips, the slot or slots extend preferably between the ends of the sheet metal strips facing the basic body and the ends of the sheet metal strips remote from the basic body, in particular between the ends facing the basic body and the connecting strip.
Each of the sheet metal strips encompasses the interior in particular only partially and not completely. The sheet metal strips between their ends preferably form

arches, wherein the sheet metal strips are in particular of a semicircular or substantially semicircular or semielliptic or substantially semielliptic design.
The housing preferably comprises a plastic part, in which the sheet metal strips are embedded. This plastic part may extend as far as the basic body, which is entirely or partly embedded therein and/or has holes, into which or through which the plastic part extends. The plastics material is preferably reinforced with fibres, such as for example glass fibres. A polyamide may moreover be used as plastics material.
The bearing or joint may take the form of a ball joint, so that the inner part forms a ball pin that is mounted by its joint ball, in particular with the interposition of a bearing shell, in a rotatable and/or pivotable manner in the interior. Preferably, however, the bearing or joint forms an elastomer- or rubber bearing, so that there is disposed in the interior an elastomer- or rubber body, which surrounds the inner part and by means of which the inner part is connected in particular to the housing. The inner part is made for example of metal and may take the form of a sleeve with a through-recess.
At a distance from the housing preferably at least a second joint or bearing is connected in a fixed manner to the basic body. This second joint or bearing may for example take the form of a ball joint or an elastomer bearing. Furthermore, at a distance from the housing and from the second joint or bearing a third joint or bearing may be connected in a fixed manner to the basic body, so that the connecting piece forms in particular a wishbone for a vehicle.
The connecting piece according to the invention is used in particular to connect a vehicle wheel to a vehicle body of a vehicle, wherein the inner part is or has been fastened preferably to the vehicle body. The second joint or bearing in this case has been or is fastened to the vehicle wheel, in particular to a steering knuckle or hub carrier of the vehicle wheel. If the third joint or bearing is provided, it too is or has been fastened preferably to the vehicle body. The components disposed in the

chassis of the vehicle therefore comprise preferably the vehicle body and the vehicle wheel and/or the steering knuckle or hub carrier. If there is fastened to the vehicle body an auxiliary frame or a subframe, the connecting piece may also be connected thereto. In this sense, the auxiliary frame and/or the subframe are classed with the vehicle body. The connecting piece preferably forms a top and a bottom lateral control arm in the wheel suspension.
The invention further relates to a method of manufacturing a connecting piece for flexibly connecting components disposed in the chassis of a vehicle, wherein
- a basic body is formed from a metal sheet or at least one metal sheet,
- in the metal sheet a plurality of or at least two sheet metal strips are formed, which are situated alongside one another in a longitudinal direction,
- the sheet metal strips are bent transversely of the longitudinal direction in mutually opposite directions, simultaneously forming an interior, and
- an inner part is fastened movably relative to the sheet metal strips in the interior in order to form or with simultaneous formation of a bearing or joint.
The method according to the invention is provided preferably for manufacturing the connecting piece according to the invention and may be developed in accordance with all of the developments described in this connection. In particular, to form the sheet metal strips there are introduced into the metal sheet at least one or more slots, which penetrate the metal sheet and separate the sheet metal strips from one another. The basic body is in particular of a shell-shaped design.
The bent sheet metal strips are preferably embedded in plastics material, which for this purpose may be injection-moulded around the sheet metal strips. Furthermore, the basic body may also be entirely or partly embedded in the plastics material, which for this purpose is for example moulded onto the basic body, in particular by means of plastic injection moulding. The plastics material during the embedding or moulding-on operation is preferably in a free-flowing state and then solidifies, so that the plastics material forms a stiffening of the bent sheet metal strips and/or of

the housing and/or of the basic body. In a further embodiment, the bent sheet metal strips may themselves form the housing or part of the housing.
At a distance from the sheet metal strips in particular at least a second bearing or joint is fastened to the basic body. Furthermore, at a distance from the sheet metal strips and from the second bearing or joint a third bearing or joint may be fastened to the basic body, so that the connecting piece forms in particular a wishbone.
With the connecting piece according to the invention and the method according to the invention it is possible to realize, in the case of a sheet metal control arm, an integration of the connection geometry of rubber bearings into the sheet metal geometry. In particular, in the case of a sheet metal control arm, the connection geometry of the rubber bearings may be simultaneously formed out of the actual control arm housing sheets. It is further possible to create a hybrid control arm, wherein an integration of the connection geometry of rubber bearings into the sheet metal geometry is effected by means of a subsequent process of encapsulation by plastic injection moulding and as a result a positive connection is formed between metal and plastics material. In particular, in the case of hybrid control arms (metal-plastic composite), the connection geometry may be simultaneously utilized for encapsulation and/or penetration by means of plastic injection moulding.
The advantages resulting from sheet metal control arms are in particular:
- low cost/weight;
- fewer insert parts/assembly steps;
- easy manufacture/low degree of reshaping ("only" bending; no deep-drawing);
- use of high-strength materials possible;
- use with all metals possible (steel/aluminium/magnesium/ titanium/special steel etc.);
- use with different metal sheet thicknesses possible (also a metal sheet of various thicknesses);
- use of tailored blanks possible (or a plurality of metal sheets spot-welded);

- additional beads for stiffening possible;
- low blanking waste (scrap);
- flux of force may be introduced ideally into the control arm.
In the case of hybrid control arms the following advantages in particular arise:
- positive connection between metal and plastics material possible;
- stiffening of the geometry as a result of positive connection;
- high dimensional accuracy possible;
- variable shaping possible.
There now follows a description of a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings. The drawings show:
Fig. 1: a perspective view of the basic body and the housing part according
to an embodiment of the invention prior to encapsulation with plastics material and prior to mounting of the bearings or joints,
Fig. 2: an enlarged view of the housing part according to Fig. 1,
Fig. 3: a perspective view of the housing part with part of the basic body
after encapsulation with plastics material but prior to mounting of the inner part,
Fig. 4: a sectional view through the fully assembled bearing and
Fig. 5: a diagrammatic view of a wheel suspension of a motor vehicle having
the connecting piece according to the embodiment.
Fig. 1 shows a basic body 1 and a housing part 2 of a connecting piece according to an embodiment of the invention, wherein the basic body 1 and the housing part 2 are manufactured from a common metal sheet. Formed in the basic body 1 is a hole,

which penetrates the metal sheet and into which a ball joint housing 3 of a ball joint 4 (see Fig. 5) is press-fitted. There are further formed in the basic body 1 two additional holes 5 and 6 that penetrate the metal sheet, wherein a bearing 7 (see Fig. 5) that forms a ball joint or a rubber bearing is inserted into the hole 5. The hole 6 is used here merely to pass through a coupling rod for the roll stabilizer. A plurality of small holes 8 that penetrate the metal sheet are additionally provided in the basic body 1.
Fig. 2 shows an enlarged view of the housing part 2 with part of the basic body 1, wherein the housing part 2 comprises a plurality of - here, six - sheet metal strips 9 that are disposed, viewed in a longitudinal direction 10 (see Fig. 4), alongside one another. The sheet metal strips 9 are bent alternately in mutually opposite directions transversely of the longitudinal direction 10 and are each of an approximately semicircular design. As a result, an interior 11 extending along the longitudinal direction 10 is formed, which is surrounded by the sheet metal strips 9. In this case, each sheet metal strip 9 only partially encompasses the interior 11, wherein two immediately adjacent sheet metal strips 9 encompass the interior 11 from different sides.
The sheet metal strips 9 at their ends facing the basic body 1 verge into the basic body 1. At their ends remote from the basic body 1 the sheet metal strips 9 verge into a connecting strip 12, which extends in longitudinal direction 10 and by means of which the sheet metal strips 9 are connected to one another at their ends remote from the basic body 1.
Plastics material 13 is injection-moulded around the housing part 2 and the basic body 1, wherein the housing part 2 encapsulated by the plastics material 13 together with part of the basic body encapsulated by the plastics material 13 may be seen in Fig. 3. During the encapsulation by injection moulding the plastics material 13 penetrates the holes 8 in the basic body 1, thereby establishing a fixed connection between the basic body 1 and the plastics material 13. Furthermore, during the

encapsulation with the plastics material 13 the housing part 2 together with the sheet metal strips 9 and the connecting strip 12 is embedded in the plastics material 13, which after being moulded around solidifies. Then an inner part 14 and an elastomer body 15 surrounding it are introduced and/or press-fitted into the interior 11. In this way a rubber bearing 16 is formed, which is represented in a sectional view in Fig. 4. The housing part 2 together with the plastics material 13 forms a housing 17, which surrounds the interior 11 and the inner part 14 with the elastomer body 15 that is disposed in the interior 11. As the elastomer body 15 is compliant, the inner part 14 may be moved relative to the housing 17.
Fig. 5 shows a diagrammatic representation of a wheel suspension 18 of a motor vehicle, wherein a vehicle wheel 19 is coupled to a vehicle body 21 by means of the connecting piece 20 according to the embodiment. In this case, the connecting piece 20 forms a wishbone, which comprises the basic body 1 and the housing part 2 and is manufactured and constructed in accordance with the previous description. The bearing 7 is preferably a rubber- or elastomer bearing 18 that is oriented in particular transversely of the bearing 16. In this sense, it is possible also to describe the bearing 16 as a horizontal bearing and the bearing 7 as a vertical bearing.

List of reference characters

1 basic body
2 housing part
3 ball joint housing
4 ball joint
5 hole
6 hole
7 bearing
8 hole
9 sheet metal strip
10 longitudinal direction
11 interior
12 connecting strip
13 plastics material
14 inner part
15 elastomer body
16 rubber bearing
17 housing
18 wheel suspension
19 vehicle wheel
20 connecting piece
21 vehicle body

CLAIM:
1. Connecting piece for flexibly connecting components disposed in the chassis
of a vehicle, comprising at least one metal sheet, from which a basic body (1)
is formed, at least one bearing or joint (16), which comprises a housing (17)
connected in a fixed manner to the basic body (1) as well as an inner part (14)
seated in an interior (11) of the housing (17) and movable relative to the
housing (17), which comprises a housing part (2) that surrounds the interior
(11) and is formed by the metal sheet, characterized in that
- the housing part (2) comprises at least two sheet metal strips (9), which are disposed alongside one another in a longitudinal direction (10) and between their ends are bent in mutually opposite directions transversely of the longitudinal direction (10) and at the same time partially encompass the interior (11) at different sides.
2. Connecting piece according to claim 1, characterized in that the sheet metal strips (9) extend away from the basic body (1) and at their ends remote from the basic body (1) are connected in a fixed manner to one another.
3. Connecting piece according to claim 2, characterized in that the housing part (2) comprises a connecting strip (12) extending in longitudinal direction (10), which is formed by the metal sheet and by means of which the sheet metal strips (9) at their ends remote from the basic body (1) are connected to one another.
4. Connecting piece according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sheet metal strips (9) are of a semicircular or substantially semicircular design.

Connecting piece according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing (17) comprises a plastic part (13), in which the sheet metal strips (9) are embedded.
Connecting piece according to claim 5, characterized in that the plastic part (13) extends as far as the basic body (1), which is entirely or partly embedded therein.
Connecting piece according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that disposed in the interior (11) is an elastomer body (15), which surrounds the inner part (14) and by means of which the inner part (14) is connected to the housing (17).
Connecting piece according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at a distance from the housing (17) at least a second joint or bearing (4) is connected in a fixed manner to the basic body (1).
Connecting piece according to claim 8, characterized in that the second joint is a ball joint (4).
Connecting piece according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that at a distance from the housing (17) and from the second joint or bearing (4) a third joint or bearing (7) is connected in a fixed manner to the basic body (1) and the connecting piece (20) forms a wishbone.
Method of manufacturing a connecting piece for flexibly connecting components disposed in the chassis of a vehicle, wherein
a basic body (1) is formed from at least one metal sheet,
in the metal sheet at least two sheet metal strips (9) are formed, which
are situated alongside one another in a longitudinal direction (10),

the sheet metal strips (9) are bent transversely of the longitudinal direction (10) in mutually opposite directions, simultaneously forming an interior (11), and - an inner part (14) is fastened movably relative to the sheet metal strips (9) in the interior (11) in order to form a bearing or joint (16).
10 5^2009
12. Method according to claim 11, characterized in that at a distance from the sheet metal strips (9) at least a second bearing or joint (4) is fastened to the basic body (1).
13. Method according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the bent sheet metal strips (9) are embedded in plastics material (13).