Abstract:
A steering knuckle assembly for a steering apparatus in a motor vehicle has an attachable and separable connector for ball joint connection between a tie rod and a knuckle. Therefore, the tie rod can be more easily separated from the knuckle at improved work efficiency, and the entire knuckle assembly does not have to be newly developed to change a ball joint point of the end of the tie rod. As a result, manufacture cost is greatly reduced and work efficiency for the steering knuckle assembly is improved.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     The present disclosure relates to subject matter contained in priority Korean Application No. 10-2003-0067240, filed on Sep. 29, 2003, which is herein expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to a steering knuckle assembly for a steering apparatus in a motor vehicle, which is capable of improving work efficiency associated with the separation of a tie rod from the knuckle as well as work convenience in changing a ball joint point at an end of the tie rod having great influence on toe changes or toe conditions of the vehicle, whereby a proper toe angle can be achieved without developing a new knuckle assembly.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     In general, the steering apparatus of a vehicle allows a driver to steer the vehicle to any direction he or she wants to go, and includes an operation structure, a gear unit, and a link structure.  
         [0006]     The operation structure is composed of a steering wheel, a steering shaft, and a column. When the driver operates the steering wheel, the gear unit and the link structure get influenced of the operation of the steering wheel.  
         [0007]     The gear unit is a part that changes the driving direction of the operation structure and transfers its momentum to the link structure. Typically, a rack and a pinion are used in a small-sized car. As the pinion rotates, the rack engaged with the pinion moves horizontally from side to side.  
         [0008]     Lastly, the link structure is a part that transfers the operation or motion of the gear to front wheels and at the same time, ensures correct wheel alignment on both sides. Usually, the link structure includes a tie rod connected to both ends of the rack, and a steering knuckle coupled with a ball joint at the end of the tie rod.  
         [0009]     As such, when the driver operates the steering wheel, the tie rod connected to the rack moves from side to side, under operations of the pinion and the rack, and as a result thereof, the wheel is steered to a desired direction.  
         [0010]     Among the steering apparatus aforementioned, particularly a steering knuckle assembly has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,150 and Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 5-193513 and 6-201305. According to their teachings, a hub is inserted into a central portion of the knuckle, and using a ball bearing as a medium, an (vehicle) axle is fit in. Also, a brake disc is mounted on the hub.  
         [0011]     Further, a ball joint bracket is mounted on the lower portion of the knuckle to have a ball joint disposed at the end of a lower arm of a suspension coupled thereto, and the end of the tie rod is connected to the ball joint. On the upper portion of the knuckle, on the other hand, is a caliper for generating a brake force by pressing the rotatory brake disc.  
         [0012]     Here, a ball stud affixed to the end of the tie rod is inserted into the knuckle and fastened thereto by a nut. In this manner, the tie rod and the knuckle make a ball joint connection together. To prevent the nut from loosening from the ball stud, a split pin is inserted into the ball stud.  
         [0013]     In the related art knuckle assembly, however, when the tie rod needs to be separated from the knuckle, the space between the ball joint connecting portion of the tie rod and the caliper mounting portion was so small that it was not easy to remove the split pin affixed to the ball joint connecting portion without deteriorating work efficiency.  
         [0014]     Moreover, if a tie rod end point (the center of the ball joint connecting the tie rod with the knuckle) known to have critical influence on toe conditions of the vehicle is changed, the entire knuckle assembly had to be newly developed, and in so doing, manufacture cost was increased and work efficiency was lowered.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015]     It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a steering knuckle assembly for a steering apparatus in a motor vehicle, capable of improving work efficiency associated with the separation of a tie rod from the knuckle and work convenience in changing a ball joint point at a tie rod end, by mounting on the knuckle an attachable and separable connector for connecting the tie rod with the knuckle via ball joint.  
         [0016]     To achieve the above object, there is provided a steering knuckle assembly for a steering apparatus in a motor vehicle, including: a main body; and a connector coupled to the main body through a connection to an end of a tie rod, wherein a first coupling surface for coupling with the connector is formed on the main body and a second coupling surface to be joined with the first coupling surface is formed on the connector, and a screw groove with a processed screw thread is formed on the first and second coupling surfaces, respectively, to have a bolt fastened thereto.  
         [0017]     The above constitution makes the removal of the split pin much easier without getting interfered by the caliper mounting portion as in the related art, because the removal of the split pin in the ball joint portion of the invention is performed after the connector is separated from the main body first.  
         [0018]     Moreover, the coupling force between the main body and the connector is strengthened by joining the first flat coupling surface with the second flat coupling surface formed on the main body and on the connector.  
         [0019]     Further, in case that a tie rod end point connecting the knuckle with the tie needs to be changed, the entire knuckle assembly does not have to be changed any longer as is in the related art. Instead, only the connector with appropriate designs and sizes can be separately installed. Therefore, the steering knuckle assembly of the invention can reduce manufacture cost and improve work efficiency. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]     The above objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of a knuckle assembly for a motor vehicle of the present invention;  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of disassembled knuckle assembly of  FIG. 1 ; and  
         [0023]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the other side of a connector depicted in  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0024]     A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described herein below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the invention in unnecessary detail.  
         [0025]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of a knuckle assembly for a motor vehicle of the present invention,  FIG. 2  is a detailed perspective view of disassembled knuckle assembly of  FIG. 1 , and  FIG. 3  is a detailed perspective view of the other side of a connector depicted in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0026]     Referring to FIGS.  1  to  3 , the knuckle assembly of the present invention includes a knuckle main body  100 , and a connector  300  for making a ball joint connection with a tie rod  200 , the connector  300  being attachable and separable to and from the main body  100 .  
         [0027]     At the lower end portion of the main body  100  is a pair of ball joint mounting portion  104   a  and  104   b,  being protruded downward in such a manner that a ball joint  140  to be connected with a lower arm of a suspension (not shown) can be mounted thereon.  
         [0028]     A first coupling surface  105  whose front surface side is partially flat is formed on one side of the ball joint mounting portion  104   a  to be coupled with the connector  300 , and a second coupling surface  305 , which is also flat, is formed on the connector  300  to be coupled with the first coupling surface  105 .  
         [0029]     Also, a through hole  322  is formed on the connector  300 , into which a bolt  302  is inserted. To fasten or screw the bolt  302  inserted into the through hole  322  by a screw, a screw hole  108  is formed on the main body  100 , whereby the connector  300  and the main body  100  can be screwed together.  
         [0030]     Likewise, a pair of through holes  144   a  and 144 b  to which bolts  142   a  and  142   b  are inserted is formed on each of fixing portions  141   a  and  141   b  on both sides of the ball joint  140  that is attached to the lower end portion of the main body  100 . To fasten or screw the bolts  142   a  and  142   b  inserted into the through holes  144   a  and  144   b,  screw holes (not shown) are formed on the ball joint mounting portions  104   a  and  104   b  where the ball joint  140  is mounted.  
         [0031]     Particularly, the screw hole disposed at the ball joint mounting portion  104   a  where the connector  300  is attached is divided into two: a first screw groove  109  formed on the first coupling surface  105 , and a second screw groove  309  formed on the second coupling surface  305 . Therefore, when the connector  300  is installed at the main body  100 , the first screw groove  109  and the second screw groove  309  are joined with each other so that the bolt  142   a  can be fastened thereto.  
         [0032]     With the above assembly structure, the connector  300  can be treated as a separate, independent structure, and thus, any one can easily attach and separate the connector to and from the main body  100  through the bolt  302 .  
         [0033]     On the other hand, a pair of caliper mounting portions  106  and  106   b  is formed on one upper side of the main body  100 , and inside of these caliper mounting portions  106   a  and  106   b  are through holes  107   a  and  107   b  for the insertion of bolts  122   a  and  122   b.    
         [0034]     Besides the through holes  107   a  and  107   b  formed inside of the caliper mounting portions, there are other through holes (not shown) formed at opposition positions of those through holes  107   a  and  107   b.  Therefore, when the caliper is assembled to the main body  100 , the bolts  122   a  and  122   b  inserted into the through holes  107   a  and  107   b  on the knuckle main body  100  as well as the opposite through holes (not shown) thereof, and nuts (not shown) are fastened to the bolts  122   a  and  122   b  from the opposite side.  
         [0035]     Also, a connection end  310  connected to the tie rod  200  is formed on one end of the connector  300  which is coupled with the main body  100 . As shown in the drawings, an insertion hole  312  is bored in the connection end  310  so that the ball stud  340  connected to the end of the tie rod  200  can be inserted thereto.  
         [0036]     Hence, when the tie rod  200  is inserted into the insertion hole  312  of the connector  300  and fastened by the nut  350 , the ball stud  340  is already affixed to the end of the tie road  200 . In this manner, the tie rod  200  makes a ball joint connection with the connector  300 , thereby moving together. At this time, a split pin  360  is inserted into the ball stud  340  in order to ensure that the nut  350  is firmly fastened and not loosened.  
         [0037]     As for the assembly of the present invention with the above constitution, the connector  300  is first put closely to the main body in such a manner that the first coupling surface  105  and the second coupling surface  305  are joined to each other, and then the bolt  302  is inserted into the through hole  322  of the connector  300  and fastened or screwed to the screw hole  108  of the main body  100 .  
         [0038]     As such, the first screw groove  109  formed on the first coupling surface  105  of the ball joint mounting portion  104   a  of the main body  100  and the second screw groove  309  formed on the second coupling surface  305  of the connector  300  are joined together, and as a result, the ball joint mounting portion  104   a  of the main body  100  can secure a space for a screw hole to which the bolt  142   a  of the ball joint  140  is fastened.  
         [0039]     Next, the ball joint  140  coupled to a lower arm (not shown) is assembled to the ball joint mounting portions  104   a  and  104   b  through bolts  142   a  and  142   b,  and at the same time, the ball stud  340  affixed to the end of the tie rod  200  is inserted into the insertion hole  312  formed on the connection end  310  of the connector  300 , and lastly, the nut  350  and the split pin  360  are fastened together to finish up the assembly.  
         [0040]     Meanwhile, if one wants to separate thusly assembled connector  300  from the main body  100 , he or she first needs to loosen the bolt  302  fastened to the connector  300 , and to unfasten the bolts  142   a  and  142   b  of the ball joint  140  to separate or disassemble the ball joint  140  from the ball joint mounting portions  104   a  and  104   b.  Afterwards, the tie rod  200  can be separated from the connector  300  by removing the split pin  360  of the connector  300  and by unfastening the nut  350  from the ball stud  340 .  
         [0041]     Since the split pint  360  attached to the ball joint portion is removed after the connector  300  is separated from the main body  100  first, the removal of the split pin  360  can be easily achieved without interfering with the caliper mounting portion as in the related art.  
         [0042]     Moreover, the entire knuckle assembly does not have to be changed just because the ball joint position with the knuckle main body  100  and the tie rod  200  needs to be changed. Instead, the connector  100  is the only thing to be changed, and can be manufactured in various shapes and sizes as needed.  
         [0043]     In conclusion, the present invention can be advantageously used for the removal of the split pin without being interfered by the caliper mounting portion, as in the related art, because the removal of the split pin in the ball joint portion of the invention is conducted after the connector is separated from the main body first.  
         [0044]     Moreover, the coupling force between the main body and the connector can be strengthened by joining the first flat coupling surface with the second flat coupling surface formed on the main body and on the connector.  
         [0045]     Further, in case that the tie rod end point (the center of the ball joint connecting the tie rod with the knuckle) having critical influence on toe conditions of the vehicle needs to be changed, the entire knuckle assembly does not have to be changed any longer as is in the related art. Instead, only the connector with appropriate designs and sizes can be separately installed. Therefore, the steering knuckle assembly of the invention can reduce manufacture cost and improve work efficiency.  
         [0046]     While the invention has been described in conjunction with various embodiments, they are illustrative only. Accordingly, many alternative, modifications and variations will be apparent to persons skilled in the art in light of the foregoing detailed description. The foregoing description is intended to embrace all such alternatives and variations falling with the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.