Lightweight steering knuckle

• Main Authors: Schaake, Richard, Vissers, Cornelius Petrus Antonius, Gomez, Marc, Schramm, Edo, Peters, Gilbert
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 12.02.2019
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; BEARINGS; BLASTING; CASTORS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; HEATING; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION; INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS; LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; MOTOR VEHICLES; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; SHAFTS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; TRAILERS; TRANSPORTING; VEHICLE WHEELS; VEHICLES IN GENERAL; WEAPONS; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

A steering knuckle comprising a bearing connection interface (formed by a sleeve element) for connecting a wheel bearing to the steering knuckle and further connection interfaces (formed by a bracket for connection of a ball joint) for connecting the steering knuckle to an upper and lower vehicle suspension control arm. A sleeve element bore is adapted to one of receive a wheel bearing outer ring or serve as the outer ring. The sleeve element and the bracket are joined by a composite body comprising a fiber-reinforced material. The fiber-reinforced material comprises a long fiber molding compound is overmolded to a first (sleeve element) joining surface and to a second (bracket) joining surface. The first joining surface is a radially outer surface thereof. The long-fiber molding compound flows into a recessed portion of the first joining surface for mechanically locking the sleeve element to the composite body in an axial direction.