Semi-rigid type assembled rear axle for supporting rear wheel of motor vehicle, has cross-piece whose end is connected to suspension arm, and spring whose retainer and support constitute integrated assembly before assembling rear axle

The present invention relates to a dispenser device for a, a method of manufacturing the rear axle, and to a motor vehicle having such a.

Provided in motor vehicles generally a rear axle fixed to the vehicle body, which supports the hubs of the rear wheels while guiding said wheels in order to allow a displacement of the suspensions.

One type of known train rear axle beam, has a general shape of a "H", the central bar being formed by an eyelet arranged transversely deformable and in particular torsional, having each end connected rigidly to a suspension arm disposed longitudinally on the sides of the vehicle.

The front of these arms is connected to the vehicle body by an elastic connection vibration filtering, swingable in a substantially transverse axis. A wheel hub attached to the rear of each arm, supports the rear wheels of the vehicle.

The beam maintains the geometry of the suspension arm, while ensuring the function of anti-roll bar performing limiting the roll angle of the body.

On each side of the vehicle a helical suspension spring supports the box of the vehicle, its base bearing on a retainer disposed at the rear of a suspension arm. A hydraulic damper is disposed on each hanger arm in parallel suspension springs, to dampen the oscillations of the body of the vehicle and provide the comfort and the driving stability.

The rear portion of each suspension arm further comprises a support for a stop of attack which receives an elastic member forming an end-of-travel stop bearing under the body of the car, in the case where the suspension spring comes at the end of the compression stroke. Alternatively the suspension arm may include at the same location a support surface, the etch stop being fixed under the body of the vehicle, and supported on said bearing face for operation similarly.

The rear axle beam is generally performed by mechano-weld and welded stamped elements. The stream type beam rear provides balance of satisfactory guidance of the rear wheels, and low cost. It is widely spread.

One type of rear axle semi-rigid, presented in particular by the document FR-A 1- 2864471 , has arms of each rear suspension comprising in part, a spring retainer and a stop bearing drive are two members, which can be reported by welding on the suspension arm.

A problem for manufacturing such a rear axle is that for each suspension arm, it is necessary to supply two distinct components, the retainer spring and the stop carrier drive, the position each on the arm and hold them, and then together, a possible fastening means which can be in particular a weld. The management of the two separate components and the different operations for delivering and assembling on the suspension arm, inputs from the time and cause some cost.

The invention aims to avoid these disadvantages of the prior art, and provide a rear axle comprising a simplified assembly as well as reduced cost.

It proposes for this purpose a rear axle assembled of the semi-rigid type for a motor vehicle, comprising a deformable beam, each end of which is connected fixedly to a suspension arm disposed longitudinally, the front end of the suspension arms being connected to the vehicle body by a hinge, the rear portion of the receiving arms during assembly of the rear axle, a bearing cup of a suspension spring and a carrier comprising a bearing face cooperating with an elastic stop limit of the suspension, characterized in that the spring retainer and the support comprise prior to the assembly of the rear axle, an integral unit.

An advantage of the rear suspension according to the invention, is that the integral assembly comprising the spring retainer and the support cooperating with the stop, forms a single part which can be easily managed and to handle, and positioning and assemble on the suspension arm.

Furthermore, the rear suspension according to the invention may comprise one or more of the following features, which can be combined with each other.

Advantageously, the integrated assembly has a same sheet metal forming the spring retainer and the support.

The same sheet metal forming the integral assembly, may include the spring retainer having a bearing plane of the spring surrounded by a centering rim extending through at least one gusset reinforcing connected with the suspension arm, the gusset extending in turn at the top by the substantially horizontal support, comprising the support surface.

Reinforcement stop can be assembled in the support.

In particular, the reinforcement of stop may comprise a folded metal sheet including three faces, to form with the gusset, the carrier and the suspension arm, a small box.

In one embodiment, the integrated assembly has two separate parts previously connected to one another prior to assembly of the rear axle, one of these parts comprising the support, and the other the spring retainer.

The invention also relates to a method of assembling a rear axle of the semi-rigid type comprising any one of the preceding claims, the method comprising the steps of, is preliminarily formed an integral unit comprising the spring retainer and the support, and then securing this integral assembly on the rear axle.

In one version of the method, the integrated assembly has two separate parts which are already interconnected prior to assembly of the rear axle, comprising the function of a retainer spring, and for the other the support function.

The invention also relates to a motor vehicle provided with a rear axle semi-rigid, which includes any one of the preceding claims.

The invention be included and other features and advantages will appear more clearly upon reading of the following description, exemplary with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

-figure 1 is a partial view of a rear suspension according to the prior art;

-figure 2 is a partial view of a rear suspension according to the invention; and

-figure 3 is a bottom view of the stopper bracket rear of the stream, having a lower.

Figure 1 has the right side portion of a rear axle assembly 1 including a suspension arm 2 disposed substantially longitudinally on the side of the vehicle. The front of the suspension arm 2 marked with an arrow marked AV, includes a hinge not shown connecting this arm to the vehicle body by an elastic member providing a vibration filtering.

The central portion of the suspension arm 2 is rigidly secured by a weld at the end of a deformable beam 4, the other end of the cross-member receiving the same to the second rear suspension arm which is on the left side of the vehicle. The beam 4 maintains the geometry of the suspension arms 2, and constitutes a spring working essentially in torsion around a transverse axis of the vehicle, which limits the difference in displacement of the arms.

The rear part of the suspension arm in a horizontal plane 2 form a bend points to the outside of the vehicle, comprising at its end a hub carrier 6 formed by a sheet metal comprising a plane facing outward, which is disposed substantially orthogonal to the transverse axis of the vehicle. The plane of the hub carrier 6, threadedly receives a hub carrier not shown, of a rear wheel.

The suspension arms 2 have in a rear part a vertically elongated hollow 8 formed in the width of the arm, which receives the base of a suspension damper not shown.

The rear axle 1 is generally assembled by welding from various components made of pressed sheet metal.

The rear axle 1 receives especially assembly, a stopper bracket 10 fixed in the angle formed by the cross member 4 and the suspension arm 2, comprising a substantially horizontal plane at the top level of this arm, forming a bearing face for 12 which receives on top an elastic stop not shown, the end of travel of the suspension. The stopper bracket 10 has a circumferential sheet metal folds vertically oriented, which strengthen the support surface 12.

Each suspension arm 2 also receives during assembly of the rear axle 1, the inner side of the arm and back of the stopper bracket 10, a cup 14 comprising a substantially horizontal plane surrounded by a peripheral flange, which constitute a centering and a support for the base of a coil spring suspension, not shown.

The edges of the retainer spring 14 extend upwardly by two gussets reinforcements 16 vertically positioned on either side of the spring, which each form a triangle which slope towards the suspension arm 2, so as to reinforce the holding of this cup accommodating a high vertical load bearing of the suspension spring.

Figures 2 and 3 have a rear axle 21 comprising the same manner a support end stop limit 10 and a spring retainer 14, but which are formed in a common piece 22 constitute an integral unit made from a stamped iron sheet.

The common part 22 includes in its rear part, the retainer spring 14 made of the spring support plane surrounded by the circular rim comprising the two reinforcing gussets 16 connected to the suspension arm 2, the gusset front extending at the top by a bearing face which is substantially horizontal 12 forwardly facing, which is at the top of the arm to form the stop carrier 10.

A small reinforcement stop 30 made from a pressed sheet metal folded comprising three substantially perpendicular faces, is assembled by soldering in the stop carrier 10 to form with the suspension arm 2, the stop carrier and the gusset 16, a small generally parallelepiped box which comes into reinforcement of the bearing face 12 of the stop carrier, capable of receiving a large load when the stop bears in the body of the vehicle.

Alternatively, and according to the invention, be arranged on the common part 22 a support comprising an upper bearing surface onto which the time of high compression of the suspension, a resilient abutment directly attached under the body of the vehicle.

Generally, the common part 22 can be managed and provisioning a single set, that is easy to position and assembling by welding on the suspension arm 2. Therefore, with the common part 22, time savings. This can be also gains because the material forms of this common part 22 can be optimized to limit the necessary reinforcement for each of the two functions when done independently, thereby allowing weight and cost.

Alternatively, the common part 22 is screwed on the suspension arm 2.

Optionally, the common component may be composed of two parts made of pressed sheet metal, which are previously assembled together to form an integral assembly. Similarly is supplied to the assembly station of the rear axle, a single common part which is more be quickly and easily assembled on the rear axle that two independent parts.