Patent Publication Number: US-2012043735-A1

Title: Linkage System and Apparatus for Vehicles

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
     This application claims the benefit of German Patent Application Serial No. 20 2010 008 058 filed on Jul. 13, 2010, contents of which are incorporated herein. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a linkage system and apparatus for vehicles and, more specifically, to linkage between a wheel suspension, mounted on the chassis of a motor vehicle accommodating the deflection or rebound of a motor vehicle wheel, and a rotation angle sensor connected to a control unit. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In a known linkage of this type, a bent connecting rod, for example, is rigidly attached to both sides of ball socket casing, into each of which shaft-bearing balls are inserted. 
     A vehicle level sensor described in DE 43 09 226 A1 comprises two components arranged movably toward each other and connected with each other, of which the one component is connected with the vehicle chassis and the other component is connected with the wheel suspension. A measuring device in the form of a magnetoresistive sensor is arranged between the components. The components are connected with each other by a ball joint consisting of a ball inserted in a ball socket, whereby the magnetoresistive sensor is arranged in the area of the ball socket. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to an improved and simplified linkage between a wheel suspension, mounted on the chassis of a motor vehicle accommodating the deflection or rebound of a motor vehicle wheel, and a rotation angle sensor connected to a control unit. The essentially circular grommets at the end of the connecting rods can be easily forced onto the essentially rotationally symmetrical bodies consisting of elastically deformable material. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Preferred and alternative examples of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings: 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a known linkage; 
         FIG. 2  shows a side view of the linkage according to the invention; 
         FIG. 3  shows a top view, partially in section, of the linkage according to the invention; 
         FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of the linkage; 
         FIG. 5  shows a top view of a modified form of a linkage; 
         FIG. 6  shows a sectional view of the linkage shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  shows a side view of the linkage shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 8  shows a perspective view of the linkage shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIGS. 9 through 11  show different embodiments of the connecting rod used according to the invention. 5 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The linkage shown in  FIG. 1  comprises an essentially cylindrical connecting rod  4 , onto the ends of which are mounted ring-shaped ball socket brackets  2  of a ball socket  3 , into each of which one ball  5  is inserted. Shafts  1  and  1 ′ are attached to these balls, of which shaft  1  serves, for example, for connecting a rotation angle sensor mounted in or on the chassis, whereas shaft  1 ′ serves for mounting in the area of the wheel suspension. 
     In the linkage according to the invention shown in  FIGS. 2-5 , the cylindrical connecting rod  14  is bent at its ends toward essentially circular grommets  14 . 1 , which have been forced onto rotationally symmetrical bodies  15  of elastically deformable material. Each body  15  is provided with a circumferential groove  15 . 1  on its exterior, in each of which one grommet  14 . 1  has been rotatably accommodated. Each body  15  is provided with a recess forming a ball socket  15 . 2  into which a ball  16  is inserted rotatably, which supports a shaft  11  for mounting either on the wheel suspension or on the rotation angle sensor. The body  15  consists of elastically deformable material, preferably a silicone-like material. 
     Embodiments of a linkage shown in  FIGS. 6 through 8  are distinguished from the embodiment according to  FIGS. 2 through 5  in that the rotationally symmetrical body  15   a  consisting of elastically deformable material is provided with a drill hole running vertically for the bearing of the shaft  11   a ′ supporting the pin  11   a . The body  15   a  is provided with a circumferential groove  15   a . 1  accommodating a grommet  14 . 1  on its outer circumference. 
     The pin  11   a  can be mounted, for example, by butt welding to a support  16  that typically represents either a wheel suspension or a rotation angle sensor. 
       FIGS. 9 through 11  show examples of differently bent connecting rods  14  by means of which an easy adjustment into different positions is possible of the vehicle elements to be connected with each other by the linkage when producing the linkage according to the invention. 
     While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiment. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.