Front-axle bracket, in particular for motor vehicles

Abstract

Front-axle bracket (1) for motor vehicles, in which in each case two receptacles or recesses (5, 6) for the bearings for the swivel mounting of in each case one of two wheel control elements (7), such as the wishbone or A-arm, and the receptacles (18, 19, 20) for the securing of the front-axle bracket are provided as a premanufactured unit together with preassembled assemblies on the vehicle body, and at least some of the receptacles or recesses listed below for the securing of the steering mechanism (13) the securing of the stabilizer (15) the mounting of a hinged column (14), and the front-axle bracket is produced in the form of a light-metal component which is integral with said receptacles or recesses and connects them to one another.

Description

The invention relates to a front axle bracket for motor vehicles. Such brackets, also referred to as subframes, frames or auxiliary frames, are mounted after they are provided with assemblies and/or auxiliary assemblies, as preassembled units or modules on vehicle bodies, for example, on the body and/or on the longitudinal beam of a motor vehicles.

Such a subframe or front-axle bracket in which in each case two receptacles for the bearing for the swivel mounting of in each case one of the two wheel control elements, such as the wishbone or A-arm, are provided and further receptacles or recesses for the securing of the steering mechanism, the stabilizer and other assemblies and wherein the subframe in addition has other receptacles or recesses for the securing thereof as premanufactured unit together with preassembled assemblies on the vehicle body, has become known through DE 199 20 051 A1.

Such subframes have the disadvantage that they are very complex in the production because, first of all, different profiles have to be manufactured for the longitudinal beams as well as for the cross beams (also internal pressure-defected), furthermore, the receptacles for the different assemblies as well as the receptacles for the subframe have to be individually mounted to the chassis, for example, screwed on or welded and individual receptacles, for example, at the end of the side members, have to be reshaped, for example, flattened.

The object of the present invention was based on the object to avoid the disadvantages of the previously known brackets, respectively, frames or subframes and to simplify the production of these and to design them more cost-efficiently, to reduce the number of components and therewith to reduce the joining and assembly process, to improve handling, to reduce weight on the vehicle itself and on the frame and, thus, to save transportation costs and also to reduce the unsuspended mass. Furthermore, the assembly of the assemblies to a pre-assembled unit should be facilitated and become more cost-efficient as well as the assembly of the preassembled unit in the motor vehicle.

In accordance with the invention this is achieved in that at a front-axle bracket at least in each case two receptacles or recesses for the bearing for the swivel mounting of, in each case, one of two wheel control elements, such as two wishbone and/or A-arms and the receptacles or recesses for the securing of the front-axle bracket as a premanufactured unit together with preassembled assemblies on the vehicle body, has as well as at least some of the receptacles or recesses listed below for

• • the securing of the steering mechanism
  • the securing the stabilizer
  • the bearing of a swivel mounting

and wherein the front-axle bracket is produced in the form of a light-metal component which is integral with the receptacle and connects them to one another.

It can be advantageous if aluminium or an aluminium alloy is used as light-metal. Furthermore, it can be advantageous to produce the component, that is, the front-axle bracket, in a cast aluminium method such as in the tilting permanent mold casting process.

Such a front-axle bracket or subframe is significantly more cost-effective to produce compared to the previously known bracket because the joining together of single parts forming the frame and the securing of the receptacles is eliminated, therefore, joining and assembly processes are reduced. Surprisingly, a considerable savings in weight is also possible through the invention due to the higher specific weight of aluminium compared to its effective substances. Thus, not only weight in the vehicle itself can be saved vehicle and therefore fuel but transport costs can be saved in addition and the suspended mass reduced.

The front-axle bracket according to the invention, furthermore, can have an almost continuous base body except for the recesses for the receptacles and other recesses, e.g. for assembly purposes which expediently can be surrounded by reinforcement fins and the receptacles for the bearing of the wheel control members can be formed as arms. Thereby it is expedient if one of the two receptacles for each of the wheel control elements is formed such that this receptacle has at least two receptacle elements, spaced at least approximately in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, for the encompassing U-shaped mounting of the one bearing at the wheel control element and wherein the second of the receptacles for the bearing of each of the wheel control elements, as seen in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, is spaced from the receptacle elements and wherein the second receptacle serves for the bearing of the other one formed as a journal of the wheel control element, wherein the bearing Journal of the wheel control element can run at least approximately in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

It can be especially advantageous on the arm comprising the second support integral therewith to provide a first receptacle or recess for the securing means to secure the bracket on the vehicle body, wherein it can be expedient when this receptacle is provided on the side turned away from the base body of this second receptacle.

According to a further design of the invention, the arm having the second receptacle has two reinforcing fins extending from the second receptacle surrounding the arm and merging in the base body. Thereby it can be expedient when the one reinforcing fin runs on the si de turned away from the first receptacle of the arm bearing the second receptacle arm and merges into the base body. The other reinforcing fin on the side turned away from the first support of the arm bearing the second receptacle can expediently merge into the region of a second receptacle for the securing means for the securing of the bracket at the vehicle body.

Optimal structural strength values can be realized by such a design with a minimum deployment of material.

The arm bearing the second receptacle and extending from the base body suitably has a double-T cross-section.

It can be further advantageous when the arm between the second receptacle for the other bearing and the second receptacle or recess for securing means for the securing of the bracket on the chassis has a further reinforcing fin running at least approximately transverse to the arm.

Optimal structural strength values can be realized by such a design with a minimum deployment of material.

The invention is explained in more detail on the basis of the exemplary embodiment shown in the drawing.

The front-axle bracket 1 here has a base 2 which is surrounded by reinforcing ribs 3, 4. It has, further, bearing receptacles 5, 6 on both sides of the longitudinal vehicle axis F for the bearing of a wheel control element, respectively, wishbone or A-arm 7 on each side of the vehicle axis F. Thereby the receptacle 5 for the one bearing 8 of the wishbone 7 is formed by two arm receptacle elements 5a, 5b, which are provided in one arm each 9, 10 which extends from the base body 1.

The second bearing receptacle 6 for the second bearing 11 on the wishbone 7 is also provided on an arm 12. The front-axle bracket 1 has furthermore receptacles or recesses 13 for the securing of a steering mechanism.

Further, a receptacle 14 is provided in the bracket 1 for the mounting of the hinged column and receptacles or recesses 15 for the securing of the stabilizer.

Arms 12 are surrounded by reinforcing fins 16, 17, which extending from the base body terminate in the bearing receptacle 6.

The bracket has further on both sides of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle F in each case first, second and third receptacles or recesses provided for securing means for mounting the bracket on the vehicle body, namely, receptacles or recesses 18, 19, 20. The first receptacle or recess 18 for securing means for securing the bracket on the vehicle body is provided on arm 16, namely, on the side of the receptacle 6 turned away from the base body.

The respective fin 16 merges directly into the second receptacle for the securing means for the securing of the bracket on the vehicle body.

The third receptacle 20 is provided at an arm 21 which extends from arm 10 which also includes the reception member 5b of the fist bearing receptacle 5.

The arm 12 with its two reinforcing ribs 16 and 17 has a double-T-shaped cross-section and has, further, on the side turned away from the receptacle 18 of the second bearing receptacle 6 a reinforcing fin 22 running at least approximately transverse to the bracket 12.

Claims

1. A front-axle bracket for motor vehicles, in which in each case two receptacles or recesses for the bearings for the swivel mounting of in each case one of two wheel control elements, such as the wishbone or A-arm, and the receptacles for the securing of the front-axle bracket are provided as a premanufactured unit together with preassembled assemblies on the vehicle body, and at least some of the receptacles or recesses listed below for the securing of the steering mechanismthe securing of the stabilizerthe mounting of a hinged column

2. The front-axle bracket, in particular according to claim 1, wherein said light-metal is an aluminium alloy.

3. The front-axle bracket, in particular according to claim 1, wherein said component is produced in an aluminium casting process, as in the tilting permanent mold casting process.

4. The front-axle bracket, in particular according to claim 1, wherein said bracket has an almost continuous base body except for the recesses or receptacles and, if applicable, other recesses, e.g. assembly recesses, which is surrounded by reinforcing fins and the receptacles for the bearing of the wheel control elements are provided on arms.

5. The front-axle bracket, in particular according to claim 1, wherein one of the receptacles for the bearing of each one of the wheel control elements has two receptacle elements spaced at least approximately in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle for the encompassing U-shaped mounting of the one bearing to the wheel control element and that the second of the receptacles for the bearing of each one of the wheel control elements is spaced in the longitudinal vehicle direction from the receptacle elements and said second receptacle serves the bearing formed as a journal of the wheel control element.

6. The front-axle bracket, in particular according to claim 1, wherein on the arm comprising said second receptacle a first receptacle is provided for the securing means for the securing of the bracket on the vehicle body.

7. The front-axle bracket, in particular according to claim 1, wherein said first receptacle for the securing means is provided on the side turned away from said base body of said second receptacle.

8. The front-axle bracket, in particular according to claim 1, wherein said arm comprising said second receptacle comprises two reinforcing fins extending from said second receptacle surrounding said arm and merging into said base body.

9. Front-axle bracket, in particular according to claim 8, wherein a first reinforcing fin extends on the side turned away from said first receptacle of said arm bearing said second receptacle and merges into said base body.

10. The front-axle bracket, in particular according to claim 8, wherein a further reinforcing fin on the side turned away from said first support of said arm bearing said second receptacle in the region of a second receptacle or recess for the securing means of the mounting for the securing of said bracket on the vehicle body merges into said base body.

11. The front-axle bracket, in particular according to claim 1, wherein said arm bearing said second receptacle and extending from said base body has a double-T-cross section.

12. The front-axle bracket, in particular according to claim 11, wherein said arm 12 between said second receptacle or recess for said receptacle of said second bearing and said second receptacle or recess for the securing means for the securing of said bracket on the chassis has a further reinforcing fin extending at least approximately transverse to said arm.