Stabilizer for motor vehicles

Abstract

Stabilizer ( 1 ) for motor vehicles which has a toroidal cross section, and which is formed of several stabilizer sections that, together, create a U-shape having a pair of U-legs ( 2 ) connected by a U-back ( 3 ) via arcuately shaped transitional shoulder areas ( 4 ). The stabilizer ( 1 ), as a pipe stabilizer, is able to withstand the required number of load cycles even under very high stress or enables even greater weight reduction under normal stresses, by important stabilizer sections having an increased strength as compared to other stabilizer sections by either dimensioning, and/or increasing the carbon content of an outer and/or inner surface layer of the stabilizer ( 1 ) by carburization, and also, optionally, by at least partially shot peening the inner surface, preferably at least in the transitional shoulder areas ( 4 ).

We claim:  
     
         1 . Stabilizer for motor vehicles which is formed several stabilizer sections which, together, give the stabilizer a U-shape having a pair of U-legs connected by a U-back via arc-shaped transitional shoulder areas; wherein the vibrational strength is increased in certain of the stabilizer sections relative to other of the stabilizer sections.  
     
     
         2 . Stabilizer claimed in    claim 1   , wherein differences in the vibrational strength of one stabilizer section relative to another have been produced by dimensioning the individual stabilizer sections in accordance with the relative loading that each of the stabilizer sections is expected to experience in use.  
     
     
         3 . Stabilizer claimed in    claim 1   , wherein the stabilizer has a cross-sectional shape selected from the group consisting of generally round, spherical, annular, and toroidal shapes.  
     
     
         4 . Stabilizer as claimed in    claim 2   , wherein a stabilizer section which is predominantly subjected to torsional stress has a smaller diameter than a stabilizer subjected to normal stress.  
     
     
         5 . Stabilizer as claimed in    claim 1   , wherein the stabilizer has been carburization in a manner increasing the carbon content of a surface edge layer of stabilizer so as to be higher than within the stabilizer.  
     
     
         6 . Stabilizer as claimed in    claim 1   , wherein the stabilizer has a toroidal cross section; and wherein an inner surface of the stabilizer has been at least partially shot peened.  
     
     
         7 . Stabilizer as claimed in    claim 6   , wherein the stabilizer has been shot peened at least in the transition shoulder areas.  
     
     
         8 . Stabilizer for motor vehicles which is formed several stabilizer sections which, together, give the stabilizer a U-shape having a pair of U-legs connected by a U-back via arc-shaped transitional shoulder areas; wherein the strength of the stabilizer has been increased by carburization of at least one of inner and outer surface areas of the stabilizer.  
     
     
         9 . Stabilizer as claimed in    claim 8   , wherein the strength of the stabilizer has been additionally increased by annealing.  
     
     
         10 . Stabilizer as claimed in    claim 8   , wherein the stabilizer has a toroidal cross section; and wherein a stabilizer section which is predominantly subjected to torsional stress in use has a smaller diameter than a stabilizer subjected to normal stress in use.  
     
     
         11 . Stabilizer as claimed in    claim 8   , wherein a stabilizer section which is predominantly subjected to torsional stress has a smaller diameter than a stabilizer subjected to normal stress.  
     
     
         12 . Stabilizer as claimed in    claim 8   , wherein the stabilizer has a toroidal cross section; and wherein an inner surface of the stabilizer has been at least partially shot peened.  
     
     
         13 . Stabilizer as claimed in    claim 12   , wherein the stabilizer has been shot peened at least in the transition shoulder areas.  
     
     
         14 . Stabilizer claimed in    claim 9   , wherein differences in the vibrational strength of one stabilizer section relative to another have been produced by dimensioning the individual stabilizer sections in accordance with the relative loading that each of the stabilizer sections is expected to experience in use.