GB2534240A - Bushing, in particular for a vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a bushing 10 configured to support at least one first component on at least one second component, in particular for a vehicle, the bushing 10 comprising: an outer member 12 made of a metallic material and having at least two first protrusions 14a, b and at least one first receptacle 18; an inner member 20 made of a metallic material and having at least two second receptacles 24a, b and at least one second protrusion; and an intermediate member 28 made of rubber and arranged between the outer and inner members 12. 20, the intermediate member 28 having: at least two third receptacles 30a, b, wherein the first protrusions 14a, b engage the third receptacles 30a. b: at least one third protrusion 32 engaging the first receptacle 18; and at least one fourth receptacle 34 and at least two fourth protrusions 36a, b engaging the second receptacles 24a, b.

Description

Bushing, in particular for a Vehicle The invention relates to a bushing, in particular for a vehicle.

Bushings, in particular for vehicles, are well-known from the general prior art. Such a bushing is also referred to as bush or rubber bushing used to support at least one first component on at least one second component. Usually, rubber bushings are used to reduce transmission of vibration from vibrating members to the body of the vehicle. For example, rubber bushings are used to mount a subframe on the body in order to keep transmission of vibration from the subframe to the body particularly low. Moreover, rubber bushings are used to mount components such as internal combustion engines and/or control arms on bodies or subframes of vehicles. The principal purpose of using a subframe is to spread high chassis loads over a wide area of relatively thin sheet metal body shell, wherein rubber bushings are used to dampen vibrations.

CN 201 687 885 shows a large-swinging-angle rubber bushing in a guide device of an automobile suspension system for forming elastic connection of hinged points of a control arm or a thrust rod and the like and an automobile body.

A bushing with a high ratio between the axial stiffness and the radial stiffness or axial and radial stiffness values of the bushing is preferred to achieve a particularly good handling as well as a particularly good NVH rating (NVH -Noise Vibration Harshness). A good NVH rating corresponds to good noise characteristics of the vehicle. In other words, particularly advantageous noise characteristics of a vehicle can be realized by using a bushing having a high ratio between axial and radial stiffness values. Thus, usually, there is a conflict between realizing a high stiffness as well as a low stiffness of the bushing since a good handling can be realized by a high stiffness and good noise characteristics can be realized by a low stiffness of the bushing.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a bushing by means of which said conflict of objectives can be solved.

This object is solved by a bushing having the features of patent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments with expedient developments of the invention are indicated in the other patent claims.

The invention relates to a bushing configured to support at least one first component on at least one second component, in particular for a vehicle. The bushing according to the present invention comprises an outer member made of a metallic material, the outer member having at least two first protrusions and a first receptacle arranged between the first protrusions in the axial direction of the bushing. Thus, the first protrusions are arranged at a distance from each other in the axial direction of the bushing since the first receptacle is arranged between the first protrusions.

The bushing further comprises an inner member made of a metallic material, wherein the inner member is arranged in the outer member. The inner member has at least two second receptacles and a second protrusion arranged between the receptacles in the axial direction of the bushing.

Furthermore, the bushing according to the present invention comprises an intermediate member made of rubber. Thus, the intermediate member is a rubber member or a rubber element so that the intermediate member is made of an elastic material. The intermediate member is arranged between the outer and the inner members in the radial direction of the bushing. The intermediate member has two third receptacles, wherein the first protrusions of the outer member engage the third receptacles of the intermediate member. Additionally, the intermediate member has a third protrusion engaging the first receptacle of the outer member. The intermediate member further has a fourth receptacle, wherein the second protrusion of the inner member engages the fourth receptacle of the intermediate member. Moreover, the intermediate member has two fourth protrusions engaging the second receptacles of the inner member.

Thus, the outer member, the inner member and the intermediate member have zig-zag designs or Z-designs respectively so that the inner member is configured as a zig-zag reinforcement. By using such a Z-design of the respective member a particularly high ratio between axial and radial stiffness values of the bushing can be realized. Thus, for example, the bushing according to the present invention can be designed with a particularly high stiffness in a first direction and a low stiffness in a second direction extending perpendicularly to the first direction. Moreover, the Z-design is simple and easy to manufacture so that the bushing according to the present invention can be manufactured in a cost-efficient way. The assembly is more simplified that the inner part can be positioned easily by rotating the part on the Zig zag profile. Since a particularly high ratio between the radial and axial stiffnesses of the bushing a particularly high riding comfort can be realized as well as a particularly advantageous handling and a particularly good NVH rating. For example, the ratio between the radial stiffness and the axial stiffness can be greater than 10.

Moreover, by using the Z-design it is possible to control both the ratio between the axial and radial stiffnesses and the ratio of two perpendicular radial stiffnesses easily. For example, different stiffness ratios can be easily achieved by varying respective angles of the Z-design, i.e. of wall areas bounding or forming the respective receptacles and protrusions. Thus, different requirements of different vehicle concepts can be met by the bushing of the present invention in a particularly easy and cost-effective way.

Further advantages, features, and details of the invention derive from the following description of a preferred embodiment as well as from the drawing. The features and feature combinations previously mentioned in the description as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned in the following description of the figures and/or shown in the figures alone can be employed not only in the respectively indicated combination but also in other combination or taken alone without leaving the scope of the invention.

The drawing shows in: Fig. 1 a schematic sectional view of a bushing for a vehicle, the bushing having a Z-design or zig-zag design by means of which a particularly high ratio between axial and radial stiffness values of the bushing can be realized; Fig. 2 a schematic perspective view of the bushing; Fig. 3 a schematic perspective view of an outer member of the bushing; Fig. 4 a schematic perspective view of an inner member of the bushing; and Fig. 5 a schematic perspective view of an intermediate member of the bushing.

In the figures the same elements or elements having the same functions are indicated by the same reference signs.

Fig. 1 shows in a schematic sectional view a bushing 10 configured to support at least one first component on at least one second component on a vehicle such as a passenger vehicle. For example, the first component is a subframe, wherein the second component is the body of the vehicle so that the subframe can be mounted on the body by the bushing 10. The bushing 10 serves to keep transmission of vibrations from the first component to the second component or vice versa particularly low so that a particularly good NVH rating, i.e. a particularly good noise characteristics of the vehicle can be realized. Furthermore, the bushing 10 needs to realize a stiff support of the first component on the second component so that a particularly good ride handling of the vehicle can be realized. The bushing 10 needs to be stiff in at least one first direction and soft in at least one second direction extending perpendicularly to the first direction. For example, the bushing 10 needs to be stiff in its radial direction and soft in the axial direction so that a particularly high ratio between radial and axial stiffness values of the bushing 10 can be realized.

In order to realize such a high ratio between radial and axial stiffness values the bushing 10 has a Z-design which is also referred to as a zig-zag design and will be described in the following.

As can be seen from Fig. 1 the bushing 10 comprises an outer member 12 which is also shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The outer member 12 is made of a metallic material. Preferably, the outer member 12 is made of aluminum. The outer member 12 has two first protrusions 14a, b arranged at a distance from each other in the axial direction of the bushing 10. The axial direction of the bushing 10 is indicated by a directional arrow 16. The outer member 12 further comprises a first receptacle 18 arranged between the first protrusions 14a, b in the axial direction of the bushing 10, wherein the first receptacle 18 is bounded by the protrusions 14a, b in the axial direction of the bushing 10.

Moreover, the bushing 10 comprises an inner member 20 which is also shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The inner member 20 is made of a metallic material such as, for example, aluminum. Moreover, the inner member 20 is arranged in the outer member 12. As can be seen from Figs. 1, 2 and 4, the inner member 20 has a through opening 22 configured to receive a fastening element such as a screw or bolt by means of which the bushing 10 can be attached to one of the components. The inner member 20 has two second receptacles 24a, b as well as a second protrusion 26 arranged between the second receptacles 24a, b in the axial direction of the bushing 10.

Furthermore, the bushing 10 comprises an intermediate member 28 which is also shown in Figs. 2 and 5. The intermediate member 28 is made of rubber so that the intermediate member 28 is made of an elastic material. As can be seen from Figs. 1 and 2, the intermediate member 28 is arranged between the outer member 12 and the inner member 20 in the radial direction of the bushing 10. The intermediate member 28 has two third receptacles 30a, b receiving the corresponding first protrusions 14a, b. This means the first protrusions 14a, b engage the third receptacles 30a, b. Furthermore, the intermediate member 28 has a third protrusion 32 engaging the first receptacle 18 of the outer member 12. Additionally, the intermediate member 28 has a fourth receptacle 34 receiving the corresponding second protrusion 26 of the inner member 20. In other words, the second protrusion 26 engages the fourth receptacle 34. Moreover, the intermediate member 28 has two fourth protrusions 36a, b engaging the corresponding second receptacles 24a, b.

As can be seen from Fig. 1, the fourth protrusions 36a, b are formed by respective first wall areas of the intermediate member 28 on a first side of the intermediate member 28, the first side facing the inner member 20. The fourth protrusions 36a, b are arranged at a distance from each other in the axial direction of the bushing 10 since the fourth receptacle 34 is arranged between the fourth protrusions 36a, b in the axial direction of the bushing. Said first wall areas also form or bound the respective third receptacles 30a, b on a second side of the intermediate member 28, the second side facing away from the first side and, thus, the inner member 20, wherein the second side faces the outer member 12 in the radial direction of the bushing 10. The third protrusion 32 is formed by a second wall area of the intermediate member 28 on said second side. The second wall area further forms or bounds the fourth receptacle 34 on the first side facing the inner member 20 in the radial direction of the bushing.

As can be seen from Fig. 1, the respective receptacles and protrusions are arranged alternately in the axial direction of the bushing 10 thereby realizing said Z-design or zigzag design since the outer member 12, the inner member 20 and the intermediate member 28 have zig-zag cross sections respectively. Moreover, the first protrusions 14a, b engage the second receptacles 24a, b, and the second protrusion 26 engages the first receptacle 18. Although the bushing 10 has a zig-zag cross section, the bushing 10 has an outer circumferential surface 38 which is circular or cylindrical. The Z-design comprises the inner member 20 being a so-called Z profile aluminum insert acting as a reinforcement. By using the described Z-design the stiffness ratio between two radial directions can be adjusted or controlled in a particularly easy way by, for example, varying respective angles of the respective protrusions and receptacles.

A first one of the radial directions corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, which is also referred to as X, wherein the second radial direction corresponds to the transverse direction of the vehicle which is also referred to as Y. Moreover, the vertical direction of the vehicle corresponds to the axial directions of the bushing 10, wherein the vertical direction of the vehicle is also referred to as Z. Thus, both the Z-X stiffness (axial to radial) as well as the Y-X stiffness (radial to radial) of the bushing 10 can be controlled and adjusted in a particularly easy way. Moreover, the Z-design is very simple and easy to manufacture so that the bushing 10 can be manufactured in a particularly cost-effective way. Especially, a particularly high ratio between radial and axial stiffness values of the bushing 10 can be realized by using the zig-zag design illustrated in Fig. 4.

Fig. 5 shows the intermediate member 28. As can be seen from Fig. 5, the intermediate member 28 comprises an outer portion 40 and an inner portion 42 comprising said wall areas. The portions 40 and 42 are formed in one piece. However, a major part of the portion 42 is arranged at a distance from the outer portion 40 in the radial direction of the bushing 10. Thus, there is a gap 44 between the portions 40 and 42 in the radial direction of the vehicle, wherein the gap 44 can be seen in Fig. 1.

List of reference signs bushing 12 outer member 14a, b first protrusion 16 directional arrow 18 first receptacle inner member 22 through opening 24a, b second receptacle 26 second protrusion 28 intermediate member 30a, b third receptacles 32 third protrusion 34 fourth receptacle 36a, b fourth protrusion 38 circumferential surface portion 42 portion 44 gap

Claims (5)

1. Claims 1. A bushing (10) configured to support at least one first component on at least one second component, in particular for a vehicle, the bushing (10) comprising: - an outer member (12) made of a metallic material, the outer member (12) having at least two first protrusions (14a, b) and at least one first receptacle (18) arranged between the first protrusions (14a, b) in the axial direction of the bushing (10); - an inner member (20) made of a metallic material and arranged in the outer member (12), the inner member (20) having at least two second receptacles (24a, b) and at least one second protrusion (26) arranged between the second receptacles (24a, b) in the axial direction of the bushing (10); and an intermediate member (28) made of rubber and arranged between the outer and inner members (12, 20), the intermediate member (28) having: o at least two third receptacles (30a, b), wherein the first protrusions (14a, b) engage the third receptacles (30a, b); o at least one third protrusion (32) engaging the first receptacle (18); o at least one fourth receptacle (34), wherein the second protrusion (26) engages the fourth receptacle (34); and o at least two fourth protrusions (36a, b) engaging the second receptacles (24a, b).
2. 2. The bushing (10) according to claim 1, wherein the first protrusions (14a, b) engage the second receptacles (24a, b).
3. 3. The bushing (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second protrusion (26) engages the first receptacle (18).
4. 4. The bushing (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the outer member (12) is made of aluminum.
5. 5. The bushing (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the inner member (20) is made of aluminum.