Abstract:
The invention concerns a brinelling bushing joint assembly having a brinelling bushing sleeve with a brinelling feature that mates with a bracket. This joint assembly may be particularly advantageous when employed to connect a vehicle frame to a vehicle suspension.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a joint assembly, and in particular to a joint assembly that may be employed in a vehicle suspension. 
     Bushings are often used in joint assemblies where one component must be able to pivot relative to the other. Such assemblies may include a bolt that extends through the bushing and a bracket attached to a first component, with a second component mounted about the bushing. For example, some locations where components of a vehicle suspension mount to components of a vehicle frame may include such joint assemblies. 
     Often, these joint assemblies, and so the fasteners within them, must withstand high loading. Some have employed separate brinelling (conical) washers between bushing sleeves and brackets to help withstand the high loading. But this adds extra parts to an assembly and extra steps to the process of assembling these joints. Others have added serrations machined into the ends of a bushing sleeve to help withstand the high loading. Upon clamping the bolt/nut combination, the serrations sink into the inside surface of the bracket material. But the serrations are somewhat destructive to the bracket, making re-assembly of a joint assembly more difficult than is desired. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the present invention may contemplate a brinelling bushing joint assembly. The brinelling bushing joint assembly may comprise a bracket having a main body, a first bracket ear extending from the main body and a second bracket ear extending from the main body and spaced from the first bracket ear, with the first bracket ear including a first bracket hole having a first bracket chamfer and the second bracket ear including a second bracket hole having a second bracket chamfer. The brinelling bushing joint assembly may also include a brinelling bushing sleeve having a first end, a second end, a main bore extending from the first end to the second end, a first brinelling feature extending from the first end adjacent to the main bore and in mating engagement with the first bracket chamfer, and a second brinelling feature extending from the second end adjacent to the main bore and in mating engagement with the second bracket chamfer. 
     An embodiment according to the present invention may contemplate a brinelling bushing joint assembly. The brinelling bushing joint assembly may comprise a bracket having a first bracket ear including a first bracket hole having a first bracket chamfer, and a brinelling bushing sleeve having a first end with a main bore extending therethrough, and a first brinelling feature having a generally conical shape and extending from the first end adjacent to the main bore and being in mating engagement with the first bracket chamfer. 
     An embodiment according to the present invention may contemplate a vehicle comprising a vehicle frame, a vehicle suspension including a component, and a brinelling bushing joint assembly. The brinelling bushing joint assembly may include a bracket affixed to one of the vehicle frame and the vehicle suspension and having a main body, a first bracket ear extending from the main body and a second bracket ear extending from the main body and spaced from the first bracket ear, with the first bracket ear including a first bracket hole having a first bracket chamfer and the second bracket ear including a second bracket hole having a second bracket chamfer; and a brinelling bushing sleeve operatively engaging the component and having a first end, a second end, a main bore extending from the first end to the second end, a first brinelling feature extending from the first end adjacent to the main bore and in mating engagement with the first bracket chamfer, and a second brinelling feature extending from the second end adjacent to the main bore and in mating engagement with the second bracket chamfer. 
     An advantage of an embodiment of the present invention is that the brinelling bushing joint assembly may be able to withstand higher loading due to the mechanical lock between the brinelling bushing sleeve and the bracket, while minimizing the number of parts used in the joint. This also minimizes the assembly time for the joint, which may reduce the overall cost. 
     An advantage of an embodiment of the present invention is that the joint efficiency created by the mechanical lock between the brinelling bushing sleeve and the bracket may allow, for particular vehicle applications, a reduced fastener sizing. This reduction may result in a reduced fastener and component part mass and cost, and a reduced fastener joint size for improved packaging efficiency. 
     An advantage of an embodiment of the present invention is that the brinelling bushing joint assembly may reassemble relatively easily even though the brinelling feature may cause some displacement of bracket material by the brinelling features on the brinelling bushing sleeve. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a portion of a vehicle frame and suspension incorporating brinelling bushing joint assemblies, in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of a portion of a brinelling bushing joint assembly prior to application of a clamp load, in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a view similar to  FIG. 2 , but showing a section cut through a portion of the joint assembly and a fastener mounted therein. 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of encircled area  4  in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a view similar to  FIG. 2 , but showing the joint assembly after application of a clamp load. 
         FIG. 6  is a view similar to  FIG. 3 , but showing the joint assembly after application of a clamp load. 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged view of encircled area  7  in  FIG. 6 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a vehicle frame, indicated generally at  20 , having a vehicle suspension, indicated generally at  22 , mounted thereto. When using the term vehicle frame herein, this term also includes structure such as a sub-frame or an integral body frame. The vehicle suspension  22  has a leaf spring  24 , with a front joint assembly  26  and a rear joint assembly  28 . The vehicle suspension  22  also has an anti-windup link  30 , with a front joint assembly  32  and a rear joint assembly  34 . The front and rear joint assemblies  26 ,  28  for the spring  24  and the front and rear joint assemblies  32 ,  34  for the anti-windup link  30  are examples of vehicle locations where a brinelling bushing joint assembly  36  (illustrated in detail in  FIGS. 2-7 ) may be used. Of course, the joint assembly of the present invention can also be used in other applications where the capability to handle high joint loads is desired. 
       FIGS. 2-4  illustrate the brinelling bushing joint assembly  36  prior to a fastener—such as a bolt  38  with a head  37  and threaded shank  41 —and a nut  40  and washer  39  are used to clamp the joint assembly  36  together. The joint assembly  36  includes a bracket  42  having a main body  44  with a first bracket ear  46  and a second bracket ear  48  extending therefrom. The main body  44  may be a portion of the vehicle frame  20  or vehicle suspension  22  (shown in  FIG. 1 ), or may be a separate member affixed to the frame  20  or suspension  22 . The first bracket ear  46  includes a first bracket hole  50  having a first bracket chamfer  52 . The second bracket ear  48  includes a second bracket hole  54  having a second bracket chamfer  56 . 
     The joint assembly  36  also includes a brinelling bushing sleeve  58  having a generally cylindrical outer surface  60 . A main bore  62  extends through the brinelling bushing sleeve  58  from a first end  64  to a second end  66 . A first brinelling feature  68  extends from the first end  64  and surrounds the main bore  62 , while a second brinelling feature  70  extends from the second end  66  and surrounds the main bore  62 . The first and second brinelling features  68 ,  70  are generally conical in shape and have an angle that may differ from the angles of the corresponding bracket chamfers  52 ,  56 , as will be discussed below. 
       FIG. 4  shows the second brinelling feature  70  projecting from the second end  66  of the brinelling bushing sleeve  58  around the main bore  62 , and the second bracket ear  48  having the second bracket hole  54 . The second brinelling feature  70  extends outward from the second end  66  at a brinelling angle  72 . The second bracket hole  54  includes the second bracket chamfer, which is recessed into the second bracket ear  48  at a chamfer angle  74 . The chamfer angle  74  is preferably different than the brinelling angle  72  and is more preferably smaller than the brinelling angle  72 . The reason for this will be discussed below relative to  FIGS. 5-7 , which show the brinelling bushing joint assembly  36  after the clamping load from the bolt  38  and nut  40  have been applied. In addition, while  FIG. 4  only shows the brinelling angle  72  and chamfer angle  74  in greater detail at the second end  66  of the brinelling bushing sleeve, the first end is shown in general in other figures and is preferably the same (although it does not need to be identical) and so will not be shown in greater detail herein. 
       FIGS. 5-7  illustrate the brinelling bushing joint assembly  36  after the fastener  38  and the nut  40  clamp the joint assembly  36  together. Elements in these figures are the same as those in  FIGS. 2-4  and so will be identified with the same element numbers. As the components are assembled onto a vehicle, the threaded shank  41  of the bolt  38  is inserted through the first bracket hole  50  in the first bracket ear  46 , through the main bore  62  in the brinelling bushing sleeve  58 , and through the second bracket hole  54  in the second bracket ear  48 . The washer  39  and nut  40  are assembled to the bolt  38  and a torque is applied between the head  37  and the nut  40 . This creates a clamping force that pulls the bracket ears  46 ,  48  together, pressing them against the first and second ends  64 ,  66 , respectively, of the brinelling bushing sleeve  58 . As the bracket ears  46 ,  48  are pulled against the first and second ends  64 ,  66  by the clamping force, each brinelling feature  68 ,  70  is received in and so positively engages with its corresponding bracket chamfer  52 ,  56 . In addition, as discussed above, the chamfer angle  74  is preferably smaller than the brinelling angle  72 , which creates a mechanical engagement between the brinelling bushing sleeve  58  and the bracket  42 , as discussed below. 
       FIG. 7  shows in greater detail how the mechanical engagement is achieved between the brinelling bushing sleeve  58  and the second bracket ear  48  (with the brinelling bushing sleeve  58  and the first bracket ear  46  engaging in the same or a similar manner). As the clamping load is being applied, the brinelling bushing sleeve  58  is pulled against the second bracket ear  48 , causing the second brinelling feature, being at the larger brinelling angle  72 , to press into and displace material in the second bracket hole  54 . This creates a displaced portion  76  (and possibly leaves a non-displaced portion  78 ) of the second bracket chamfer. 
     One can see, then, from the brinelling bushing joint assembly  36  illustrated in  FIGS. 5-7  that there is now a mechanical engagement—with no gaps from fabrication or assembly tolerances—between the first and second brinelling features  68 ,  70  and their respective first and second bracket chamfers  52 ,  56 . Since the brinelling bushing sleeve  58  engages the bracket  42  at the first and second bracket holes  50 ,  54 , additional loading capability is provided to the joint for a given size bolt employed in the brinelling bushing joint assembly  36 , but without the need for additional parts and the extra assembly time that goes with them. And this is accomplished while still allowing for relatively easy reassembly of the brinelling bushing joint assembly  36  should the need arise during servicing of a particular vehicle. Moreover, with the chamfer angle  74  being only somewhat smaller than the brinelling angle  72 , the material displacement is minimized and so the bolt clamp load required to lock the brinelling bushing sleeve  58  to the bracket  42  is minimized, thus allowing for smaller diameter fasteners for a given joint loading. 
     While certain embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the invention as defined by the following claims.