Abstract:
A vibration reduction mount ( 10 ) is provided having an improved construction in which the mount includes a housing element ( 12 ) having an opening ( 30 ) adapted to receive a core element ( 14 ) with the core element ( 14 ) being rotatable after insertion into the housing element ( 12 ) or interlocking the core element ( 14 ) in the housing element ( 12 ). An elastomeric material ( 16 ) is then injected into the housing element ( 12 ) in order to secure the core element ( 14 ) within the housing element ( 12 ) and to provide an elastomeric spring for reducing vibrations transmitted from a first member to a second member.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/492,918, filed on Aug. 6, 2003. The disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a vibration reduction mount and more particularly, to an improved vibration reduction mount assembly and method of making. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Vibration reduction mounts are commonly used in automotive and non-automotive applications for reducing the transfer of vibrations from one member to another. In automotive applications, vibration reduction mounts are used between the vehicle body and frame as well as between the powertrain system or other components and the vehicle frame or body. In non-automotive applications vibration reduction mounts have been used in household appliances such as washers and dryers and have been used in industrial machinery. While vibration reduction mounts are effective at reducing vibrations, it is still desirable to provide a vibration reduction mount with a less complex assembly and manufacturing process. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    Accordingly, the present invention provides a vibration reduction mount having an improved construction in which the mount includes a housing element having an opening adapted to receive a core element with the core element being rotatable after insertion into the housing element for interlocking the core element in the housing element. An elastomeric material is then injected into the housing element in order to secure the core element within the housing element and to provide an elastomeric spring for reducing vibrations transmitted from a first member to a second member. 
         [0005]    Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view of a vibration reduction mount according to the principles of the present invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the vibration reduction mount taken in a transverse direction to the cross-sectional view of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a perspective illustration of the insertion of the core element into the housing of the vibration reduction mount according to the principles of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view showing the core element inserted into the opening in the housing according to the principles of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a top plan view illustrating the rotation of the core element within the housing subsequent to insertion of the core element into the opening in the housing; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the core element inserted into the opening in the housing and rotated to the interlocked position according to the principles of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a cut away perspective view illustrating the core element within the housing prior to injection of the elastrometric spring material according to the principles of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a top plan view showing a square core element inserted through a square opening in a housing according to a further embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a top plan view illustrating the rotation of the core element of  FIG. 8  to an interlocked position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0016]    The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses. 
         [0017]    With reference to  FIGS. 1-7 , the vibration reduction mount  10  and the manufacturing thereof will now be described. The vibration reduction mount  10  includes a housing portion  12  adapted to be mounted to a first support structure and a core element  14  adapted to be mounted to a second support structure. For purposes of the present disclosure, the first and second support structures can include any elements, automotive and non-automotive, for which it is desired to provide a vibration isolating connection therebetween. An elastomeric spring portion  16  is injection molded between the housing  12  and the core element  14 . The housing  12  is connected to the first support structure by a fastener  18  and the core element is connected to the second support structure by a fastener  20 . Although fasteners  18  and  20  are illustrated as threaded fasteners, it should be understood that other fastening techniques such as rivets, welding and/or other known mechanical fastening means can be utilized for connecting the vibration reduction mount  10  between a first and second support structure in order to reduce the vibration transmitted therebetween. 
         [0018]    The housing  12  includes a base portion  22  having an aperture  24  for receiving the fastener  18  therethrough. A side wall portion  26  extends from the base portion  22  and preferably has a rectangular, elliptical, or oblong shape having a major length dimension LH within the interior side walls as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The wall portion  24  has a major width dimension WH, smaller than the length dimension LH. The housing  12  also includes an inwardly turned flange portion  28  extending from a second end of the side wall portion  26 . The inwardly extending flange portion  28  defines an opening  30  preferably having a rectangular, elliptical or oblong shape having a major length dimension LO which is greater than a major width dimension WO of the opening. 
         [0019]    The core member  14  is generally hollow although other configurations including solid configurations can also be utilized. The core member  14  exterior surface preferable has a shape complimentary to the shape of the opening  30  of the housing  12  and therefore preferably include the shapes such as a rectangle, ellipse or oval. The core member  14  includes an insert portion  14 A which is inserted into the housing  12  and a mounting portion  14 B which extends from the housing through the opening  30 . The insert portion  14 A of the core member  14  preferably has a length dimension LC that is greater than a width dimension WC. Furthermore, it is preferable that the length dimension LC of the core member is smaller than the length dimension LO of the opening  30  in the housing. Furthermore, it is also desirable that the width dimension WC of the core member  14  is smaller than the width dimension of WO of the opening  30  in the housing  12 . The length dimension LC of the core member  14  is preferably longer than the width dimension WO of the opening  30  in the housing  12 . 
         [0020]    With reference to  FIGS. 3-5  the assembly of the vibration reduction mount  10  according to the principles of the present invention will now be described. As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the core member  14  is inserted into the opening  30  in the housing  12 . Although not shown, the fasteners  18 ,  20  are also inserted into the mounting aperatures  24 ,  34  of the housing  12  and core member  14 , respectively. As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the core element  14  is disposed within the housing  12  and aligned with the opening  30 .  FIG. 5  illustrates the core element  14  being rotated  90  degrees relative to the housing  12  so that an interference is achieved between the inwardly turned flange portion  28  of the housing  12  and the respective ends  38 ,  40  of the core element  14 .  FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the core element  14  inserted in the housing  12  with the core element shown in the interlocked position so that the inwardly turned flange portion  28  provides an interference or overlap over the end portions  38 ,  40  of the core element  14 .  FIG. 7  is a partial cut away perspective view showing the interference or overlap over of the end portions  38 ,  40  of the core element  14 . 
         [0021]    After the core element  14  is inserted into the housing  12  and rotated to the interlocked position, the housing  12  and core element  14  are inserted into a mold in which molten elastomeric material is injected into the housing  12  in order to encapsulate the insert portion  14 A of the core element  14  in order to define a spring element  16  which is disposed between the housing  12  and core element  14 . The vibration reduction mount  10  according to the principles of the present invention provides side to side vibration reduction taken in a lateral direction of  FIG. 1 , as well side to side vibration reduction in the lateral direction of  FIG. 2  which is transverse to the section taken in  FIG. 1 . Furthermore, due to the interference or overlap of the inwardly turned flange portion  28  overtop of the ends  38 ,  40  of the core element  14 , an axial travel restrictor is formed to limit the amount of axial stresses that can be applied to the spring member  16 . 
         [0022]    It should be understood that many different geometries of the housing and core element can be utilized. In particular, as discussed above, the use of rectangles, oblongs and ellipses has been noted. In addition, a square configuration can also be utilized as illustrated in  FIGS. 8 and 9  in which the square core element  114  is inserted into a square opening  130  provided in the generally square housing  112 . The square core member  114  can then be rotated 45 degrees as illustrated in  FIG. 9  in order to provide an interference of the radially inwardly turned flange portion  128  of the housing  112  overtop of the corners  138  of the core member  114 . Accordingly, it can be seen that various shapes and configurations can be utilized to maintain the functionality of the present invention. It should further be recognized that combinations of different shapes can also be utilized such as a rectangular housing having a square opening for receiving a square core element. In this way, the longer length dimension of the housing will allow for more spring material to be provided for providing a tuned vibration absorbing mount that has a softer spring characteristic in the length dimension than in the width direction thereof while still maintaining an overlap or interlock of the core member within the housing. 
         [0023]    The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.