Patent Application
20140042722
The present application relates to an axle assembly that may be provided with a vehicle.
A steering knuckle connected to an axle is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,419,250.
In at least one embodiment, an axle assembly is provided. The axle assembly may include an axle beam, a kingpin, a steering knuckle, and a fastener. The axle beam may have a kingpin hole and a fastener hole. The kingpin hole may be disposed along an axis. The fastener hole may extend radially with respect to the axis. The kingpin may be disposed in the kingpin hole. The steering knuckle may be rotatably mounted to the kingpin. The fastener may be disposed in the fastener hole and may engage the kingpin to inhibit movement of the kingpin.
In at least one embodiment, an axle assembly is provided. The axle assembly may include an axle beam, a kingpin, a steering knuckle, and first and second fasteners. The axle beam may include a kingpin hole and first and second fastener holes. The kingpin hole may be disposed along an axis. The first and second fastener holes may be spaced apart from each other and may extend along first and second fastener hole axes, respectively, that may be disposed at an angle with respect to each other. The kingpin may be disposed in the kingpin hole. The steering knuckle may be rotatably mounted to the kingpin. The first and second fasteners may be disposed in the first and second fastener holes, respectively. The first and second fasteners may each have a first end that engages the kingpin to fixedly secure the kingpin to the axle beam.
In at least one embodiment, an axle assembly is provided. The axle assembly may include a kingpin, a steering knuckle, and an axle beam. The steering knuckle may be rotatably disposed on the kingpin. The steering knuckle may have first and second arms that may have first and second holes, respectively. The axle beam may have a kingpin hole and first and second sets of fastener holes. The kingpin hole may be disposed along an axis and may receive the kingpin. The first set of fastener holes may extend radially with respect to the axis and may be disposed closer to the first arm than the second arm. The second set of fastener holes may extend radially with respect to the axis and may be disposed closer to the second arm than the first arm. Each member of the first and second sets of fastener holes may receive a fastener that has a first end that engages the kingpin. The fasteners may cooperate to inhibit movement of the kingpin with respect to the axle beam.
As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.
Referring to
The steering knuckle 12 may interconnect the axle beam 14 to a vehicle wheel and may be part of a steering system that may steer or change the direction of travel of the vehicle. In at least one embodiment, the steering knuckle 12 may include a first arm 20, a second arm 22, and a spindle 24.
The first and second arms 20, 22 may be spaced apart from each other and may include first and second holes 30, 32, respectively. The first and second holes 30, 32 may be coaxially disposed or aligned along an axis 34. In addition, the first and second holes 30, 32 may each receive a bushing or bearing 36 as well as the kingpin 16.
The bearings 36 may facilitate rotation of the steering knuckle 12 about the axis 34 and with respect to the axle beam 14. Each bearing 36 may have an outer surface and an inner surface. The outer surface of the bearing 36 may engage a surface of the steering knuckle 12 that defines a corresponding hole 30, 32. The inner surface of the bearing 36 may be disposed opposite the outer surface and may engage the kingpin 16.
The spindle 24 may support a wheel hub assembly that facilitates mounting and rotation of a vehicle wheel. More specifically, the spindle 24 may support one or more wheel bearings that support and facilitate rotation of a vehicle wheel. The spindle 24 may extend along a second axis that extends away from the axle beam 14. The spindle 24 may be integrally formed or cast with the first and/or second arms 20, 22 such that the spindle 24 is not a separate component. Alternatively, the spindle 24 may be provided as a separate component that is fastened to the steering knuckle 12 in one or more embodiments.
The axle beam 14 may be configured to be mounted to a vehicle and may be part of a vehicle suspension system. The axle beam 14 may be made of any suitable material, such as a metal or metal alloy. In addition, the axle beam 14 may be a forging and may have a unitary one-piece construction. In at least one embodiment, the axle beam 14 may include a beam portion 40, an end portion 42, and one or more stops 44.
The beam portion 40 may be configured to be mounted to the vehicle. In at least one embodiment, the beam portion 40 or a portion thereof may have a generally I-shaped cross section.
The end portion 42 may be disposed at an end of the beam portion 40. As such, the end portion 42 may be integrally formed with the beam portion 40. The end portion 42 may include a first surface 50, a second surface 52, an outer surface 54, an inner surface 56, a kingpin hole 58, and at least one fastener hole 60.
The first surface 50 may face toward the first arm 20. In at least one embodiment, the first surface 50 may extend around the kingpin 16 and may be substantially planar.
The second surface 52 may be disposed opposite the first surface 50 and may face toward the second arm 22. In at least one embodiment, the second surface 52 may extend around the kingpin 16 and may be substantially planar. In addition, the second surface 52 may be disposed substantially parallel to the first surface 50 in one or more embodiments.
The outer surface 54 may extend from the first surface 50 to the second surface 52. The outer surface 54 may be curved and a portion of the outer surface 54 may be radially disposed with respect to the axis 34 in one or more embodiments.
The inner surface 56 may be disposed opposite the outer surface 54 and may at least partially define the kingpin hole 58. The kingpin hole 58 may be configured to receive the kingpin 16. The kingpin hole 58 may extend from the first surface 50 to the second surface 52 and may be centered about and extend along the axis 34. In addition, the kingpin hole 58 may be spaced apart from the outer surface 54.
The kingpin 16 may be disposed in the kingpin hole 58. The kingpin 16 may couple the steering knuckle 12 to the axle beam 14 such that the steering knuckle 12 may pivot about the kingpin 16. More specifically, the kingpin 16 may extend through the kingpin hole 58 in the axle beam 14 such that opposing ends 70 of the kingpin 16 may each be disposed proximate or received in corresponding bearings 36 disposed in the first and second holes 30, 32. The kingpin 16 may have an outside surface 72. In at least one embodiment, the kingpin 16 may extend along the axis 34 and may be generally cylindrical. In such embodiments, the outside surface 72 may be radially disposed with respect to the axis 34 and may be an outside circumferential surface of the kingpin 16.
One or more fastener holes 60 may be provided with the end portion 42. A fastener hole 60 may be a through hole that extends from the outer surface 54 to the inner surface 56. In addition, a fastener hole 60 may extend along a fastener hole axis 80. For example, a fastener hole 60 may be oriented such that the fastener hole 60 or fastener hole axis 80 extends radially with respect to the axis 34 as is best shown in
The fastener holes 60 may be provided in any suitable quantity. For example, two pairs of fastener holes 60 are provided in the embodiment shown in
A fastener hole 60 may be at least partially threaded or may have a threaded portion 82 and may be configured to receive a fastener as will be discussed in more detail below.
Fastener holes 60 may be provided in one or more sets or groups. For example, in
Optionally, a fastener hole 60 or a set of fastener holes 60, such as the first set 84, may be deleted and replaced with a draw key 90 as shown in
One or more fasteners 100 may be provided to secure the kingpin 16 to the axle beam 14. More specifically, a fastener 100 may be disposed in a fastener hole 60 and may exert force that inhibits axial and radial movement of the kingpin 16 along the axis 34. A fastener 100, which may be a set screw, may have a first end 102, a second end 104, and a fastener axis 106.
The first end 102 may be configured to engage the kingpin 16. In addition, the first end 102 may be disposed opposite the second end 104.
The second end 104 may be disposed proximate the outer surface 54 of the end portion 42. In at least one embodiment, the second end 104 may be disposed inside the fastener hole 60 when the first end 102 engages the kingpin 16 to help provide clearance from the steering knuckle 12. In addition, the second end 104 may be provided with a recess that is configured to receive a tool to facilitate rotation of the fastener 100.
The fastener axis 106 may extend from the first end 102 to the second end 104. As such, the fastener 100 may extend along the fastener axis 106. In addition, the fastener 100 may have a threaded region 108 disposed between the first and second ends 102, 104. The threaded region 108 may mate with the threaded portion 82 of the fastener hole 60. As such, the fastener 100 may be rotated about the fastener axis 106 to advance the fastener 100 through the fastener hole 60 so that the first end 102 may engage the kingpin 16 to inhibit movement of the kingpin 16.
Referring again to
The thrust bearing 18 may be provided between the axle beam 14 and the first arm 20 of the steering knuckle 12. The thrust bearing 18 may extend around the kingpin 16 and may facilitate pivotal movement of the steering knuckle 12.
In one or more embodiments, the axle assembly may permit a kingpin to be assembled to an axle beam with fewer draw keys or no draw keys. Deletion of a draw key eliminates associated draw key manufacturing costs as well as the cost of lock nuts that may engage an end of the draw key to secure the draw key to the axle beam. In addition, the deletion of a draw key and lock nuts allows for more compact axle assembly designs in that additional clearance does not need to be provided between the steering knuckle and the draw key and/or lock nut which could otherwise reduce the maximum turning angle or angular rotation of the steering knuckle about the kingpin. Moreover, the location and distance that the draw key extends from the axle beam may be highly variable due to the difficulties associated with providing a draw key hole. More specifically, a draw key hole can wander after a portion of the drill bit first enters the kingpin hole and then reengages the steering knuckle to continue to drill through to the other side. The deletion of a draw key reduces such variability as well as the cost, equipment, and labor associated with drilling a draw key hole in the axle beam. Moreover, draw key elimination simplifies kingpin manufacturing in that flats or flat surfaces do not need to be machined on the outside diameter of the kingpin.
While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.
