17
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`Claims
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`1.
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`A king pin assembly (100; 200), in particular for rotatably connecting a
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`steering knuckle (1) with an axle member (2), comprising:
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`a first king pin (5), and
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`a first member comprising a first recess (4) for receiving the first king
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`pin (5), the first member comprising a steering knuckle (1) or an axle member
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`(2), wherein a portion of the first member enclosing the first recess (4) includes
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`10
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`a female thread (6),
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`characterized in that
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`15
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`20
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`25
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`30
`
`35
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`the first king pin (5) comprises a male thread (8) engaged with or con-
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`figured to be engaged with the female thread (6) enclosing the first recess (4).
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`2.
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`The king pin assembly (100; 200) according to claim 1, characterized by
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`a fastening member (9) for fixing the first king pin (5) with respect to the first
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`member when the first king pin (5) is received in the first recess (4).
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`3.
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`The king pin assembly (100; 200) according to claim 2, characterized in
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`that the first member further comprises a bore (10) for receiving the fastening
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`member (9), wherein the bore (10) is in communication with the first recess (4)
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`so that when the fastening member (9) is received in the bore (10), the fas-
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`tening member (9) is configured to fix or lock the first king pin (5) in the first
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`recess (4) with respect to the first member.
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`4.
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`The king pin assembly (100; 200) according to claim 3, wherein the bore
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`(10) ends in an outer surface of the first member so that when the fastening
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`member (9) is received in the bore (10) and a first end portion (11) of the fas-
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`tening member (9) fixes or locks the first king pin (5) with respect to the first
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`member, a second end portion (12) of the fastening member (9) is accessible
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`via the bore (10) or protrudes out of the bore (10).
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`5.
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`The king pin assembly (100; 200) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized
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`

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`18
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`in that a portion of the first member enclosing the bore (10) includes a female
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`thread (13) and the fastening member (9) has a male thread (14) engaged with
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`or configured to be engaged with the female thread (13) enclosing the bore
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`(10) for fixing or locking the first king pin (5) with respect to the first member
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`by moving the male thread (14) of the fastening member (9) along the female
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`thread (13) enclosing the bore (10).
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`6.
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`The king pin assembly (100; 200) according to any one of the preceding
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`claims, characterized in that the first recess (4) is a through hole.
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`7.
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`The king pin assembly (100; 200) according to claim 6, characterized in
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`that an end portion of the first king pin (5) comprises an increased diameter
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`portion (15) and that the first recess (4) has an increased diameter end section
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`(16) for receiving the increased diameter portion (15) of the first king pin (5)
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`when the first king pin (5) is received in the first recess (4) and the male thread
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`(8) of the first king pin (5) is engaged with the female thread (6) enclosing the
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`first recess (4).
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`8.
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`The king pin assembly (100; 200) according to any one of the preceding
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`claims, characterized in that the male thread (8) of the first king pin (5) extends
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`along both axial halves of the first king pin (5).
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`10
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`15
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`20
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`9.
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`The king pin assembly (100; 200) according to any one of the preceding
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`claims, characterized in that the first king pin (5) comprises a lubrication chan-
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`25
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`nel (18) extending through the first king pin (5).
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`10.
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`The king pin assembly (100; 200) according to any one of the preceding
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`claims, further comprising a second member, wherein
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`a.
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`the first member comprises the steering knuckle (1) and the sec-
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`ond member comprises the axle member (2), or
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`b.
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`the first member comprises the axle member (2) and the second
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`member comprises the steering knuckle (1),
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`wherein a portion of the first king pin (5) protruding out of the first re-
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`cess (4) when the first king pin (5) is received in the first recess (4) and when
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`the male thread (8) of the first king pin (5) is engaged with the female thread
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`30
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`35
`
`

`

`19
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`(6) enclosing the first recess (4) rotatably connects the first member with the
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`second member.
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`11.
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`The king pin assembly (100; 200) according to claim 10, characterized in
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`that the second member comprises a first receiving portion (20), wherein the
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`portion of the first king pin (5) protruding out of the first recess (4) is rotatably
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`mounted in the first receiving portion (20) of the second member, for example
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`by means ofa first bearing (21).
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`12.
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`The king pin assembly (100; 200) according to claim 10 or 11, character-
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`ized by a second king pin (22) coaxial with the first king pin (5), the second king
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`pin (22) rotatably connecting the first member with the second member, for
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`example by means of a second bearing (23).
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`13.
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`The king pin assembly (100; 200) according to claim 12, characterized in
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`that the second member further comprises a second receiving portion (24) co-
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`axial with the first receiving portion (20) with respect to the rotation axis (19),
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`wherein the second king pin (22) is rotatably mounted in the second receiving
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`portion (24) of the second member, for example by means of the second bear-
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`10
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`15
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`20
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`ing (23).
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`14.
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`The king pin assembly (100; 200) according to the claim 13, character-
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`ized in that the first receiving portion (20) and the second receiving portion (24)
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`of the second member are configured as blind holes facing in opposite direc-
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`tions along the rotation axis (19), wherein the first receiving portion (20) and
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`the second receiving portion (24) of the second member preferably face away
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`from one another along the rotation axis (19).
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`15.
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`The king pin assembly (100; 200) according to any one of claims 12 to
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`14, characterized in that the first member comprises a second recess (25) for
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`receiving the second king pin (22) and a portion of the first member enclosing
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`the second recess (25) includes a female thread (26), wherein the second king
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`pin (22) comprises a male thread (27) engaged with or configured to be en-
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`gaged with the female thread (26) enclosing the second recess(25).
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`25
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`30
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`35
`
`

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`20
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`16.
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`The king pin assembly (100; 200) according to any one of claims 12 to
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`15, characterized in that the first member and the second member are config-
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`ured such that they form a clearance (28) in between the first king pin (5) and
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`the second king pin (22) along the rotation axis (19) so that a drive shaft or a
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`joint may pass through the clearance (28).
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`17.
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`The king pin assembly (100; 200) according to claim 16, characterized by
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`a vehicle wheel hub and by a drive shaft or joint drivingly engaged with the
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`vehicle wheel hub, wherein the steering knuckle (1) is configured to steer the
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`vehicle wheel hub and wherein the drive shaft or joint passes through the clear-
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`ance (28) formed in between the first king pin (5) and the second king pin (22)
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`along the rotation axis (19).
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`18.
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`The king pin assembly (100; 200) according to any one of claims 12 to
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`17, characterized in that the steering knuckle (1) comprises a first arm portion
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`extending at least partially perpendicular to the rotation axis (19), a second arm
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`portion extending at least partially perpendicular to the rotation axis (19), and
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`a connecting portion connecting the first arm portion and the second arm por-
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`tion, wherein the first king pin (5) is mounted on the first arm portion, the sec-
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`ond king pin (22) is mounted on the second arm portion, and wherein the axle
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`member (2) is disposed in between the first arm portion and the second arm
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`portion or wherein the axle member (2) encloses the first arm portion and the
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`second arm portion of the steering knuckle (1) along the rotation axis (19).
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`10
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`15
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`20
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