Shock absorber upper mount

An upper mount assembly for a shock absorber of an automotive vehicle. The upper mount assembly comprises a top plate and a bottom plate spaced from the top plate. The top and bottom plates are fixedly secured to the vehicle and operatively coupled to the shock absorber. An inner hub is seated between the top and bottom plate. A damper is supported by the inner hub between the top and bottom plate for cooperating with the shock absorber. The damper includes a plurality of spaced apart grooves formed therein for selectively varying the spring rate of the damper to absorb loads from the shock absorber.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a shock absorber upper mount assembly for an automotive vehicle, and more particularly, to tunable isolator insert in the upper mount assembly of an automotive vehicle.

2. Description of Related Art

Automotive vehicles include suspension systems between the vehicle body and the axles to prevent damage to the vehicle and improve vehicle ride and comfort by absorbing vibrations transmitted from the road through the wheel and axle to the vehicle.

Suspension systems commonly include a coil spring compressed between the axle and vehicle body for absorbing impact load from the road and a shock absorber coupled between the axle and vehicle body for absorbing loads and suppressing vibrations in the system. The spring and shock absorber are coupled to the axle and vehicle body at opposite ends. The upper end is secured to the vehicle body by an upper mount assembly. The upper mount assembly typically includes a stamped metal bracket fixedly secured to the vehicle body and having a central bore for receiving the shock absorber and a spring seat for receiving the coil spring. A resilient bumper is seated between the central bore and shock absorber for isolating vibrations from the shock absorber from the bracket and vehicle body.

It is desirable, however, to improve the dampening and isolation of loads and vibrations transmitted from the coil spring and shock absorber through the upper mount assembly to the vehicle body and tune the upper mount assembly as desired for optimum performance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the invention, an upper mount assembly is provided for a shock absorber of an automotive vehicle. The upper mount assembly comprises a top plate and a bottom plate spaced from the top plate. The top and bottom plates are fixedly secured to the vehicle and operatively coupled to the shock absorber. An inner hub is seated between the top and bottom plate. A damper is supported by the inner hub between the top and bottom plate for cooperating with the shock absorber. The damper includes a plurality of spaced apart grooves formed therein for selectively varying the spring rate of the damper to absorb loads from the shock absorber.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, a suspension system according to one embodiment of the invention for use in an automotive vehicle is generally shown at10. Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2, the suspension system10includes a coil spring12extending between a first lower end14and an opposite second upper end16and a shock absorber20extending between a first lower end22and an opposite second upper end24. The shock absorber20comprises a rod or piston26slidably received in a cylinder28as is commonly known in the art and is seated centrally within the coil spring12. The suspension system10further includes an upper mount assembly30for mounting the suspension system10to the body or frame of the vehicle.

Referring toFIGS. 2-5, the upper mount assembly30includes a stamped metal top plate32, a stamped metal bottom plate34, an inner metal hub36, a spring seat38, a jounce bumper40, and a damper80. More specifically, the top plate32includes a flat top42extending into a tapered side wall44and projecting radially to a flat mounting flange46. Similarly, the bottom plate34includes a flat bottom48extending into a tapered side wall50and projecting radially to a flat mounting flange52. The bottom plate34is a mirror image of the top plate32wherein when the mounting flanges46,52are matingly engaged, the flat top42is spaced from the flat bottom48. Each of the top plate32and bottom plate34includes a central opening54,56for axial receiving the upper end of the rod26therethrough. Each of the top plate32and bottom plate34include a plurality of axially aligned mounting holes58,60extending through and spaced about the perimeter of the mounting flanges46,52, respectively, for receiving a threaded mounting stud62therethrough for fixedly mounting the suspension system10to the body of the vehicle.

The spring seat38is comprised of rubber and includes a top wall64seated against the mounting flange52of the bottom plate34, and inner wall66defining a center opening68, a peripheral outer wall70opposite the inner wall66and a bottom wall72. A helical groove74is formed in the bottom wall72for receiving and seating the end of the coil spring12therein.

The jounce bumper40includes a jounce bumper cup76mounted to the flat bottom48of the bottom plate34for receiving a resilient jounce bumper insert78therein for absorbing shock impact loads on the shock absorber20as is commonly known in the art.

Finally, the damper80is carried by the inner hub36and seated between the top plate32and bottom plate34. More specifically, referring toFIGS. 5-7, the damper80is comprised of rubber or other suitable resilient material and includes a center cavity82for receiving the inner hub36. The damper80may be press fit or insert molded about the inner hub36. The damper80is disc-shaped or saucer-shaped and includes a top surface84seated against the flat top42of the top plate32, an angled top sidewall86seated against the side wall44of the top plate32, a bottom surface88seated against the flat bottom48of the bottom plate34and an angled bottom sidewall90seated against the side wall50of the bottom plate34. The damper80includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart top grooves92recessed in the top surface84and top sidewall86and projecting radially outwardly from the center cavity82to the outer radial edge of the damper80. The damper80further includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart bottom grooves94recessed in the bottom surface88and bottom sidewall90and projecting radially outwardly from the center cavity82to the outer radial edge of the damper80.

The inner hub36includes a center bore96for receiving the rod26of the shock absorber20therethrough and an annular flange98for interlocking the damper80to the inner hub36, as shown inFIG. 5. The inner hub36is also seated between the top plate32and bottom plate34such that should the damper80decay, the inner hub36retains the shock absorber20coupled to the upper mount assembly30. The damper80absorbs and dampens the vibrations and loads from the shock absorber20which are transmitted to the upper mount assembly30and thus the body of the vehicle. The top and bottom grooves92,94in the damper80allow for selective tuning of the damping of vibrations and loads from the shock absorber. That is, variations in the top and bottom grooves92,94varies the spring rate and thus damping capabilities of the damper80in the upper mount assembly30.

The number and spacing of the top grooves92and bottom grooves94may vary as desired. Additionally, the grooves92,94in the preferred embodiment are generally rectangular in shape, however, it should be appreciated that the shape, depth, width and number of grooves92,94may vary to change the damping characteristics of the damper80and vary the way the loads from the shock absorber20are transmitted to the upper mounting assembly30.