A resilient mount including a first mounting member and a second mounting member is provided. The mount may include a first plurality of stiffening elements located between the first and second mounting members. At least a first stiffening element may be non-parallel to a second stiffening element. The mount may also include a resilient material located between and coupled to adjacent stiffening elements of the first plurality of stiffening elements.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to a mount, and, more particularly, to a resilient mount capable of carrying loads while its mounting surfaces move relative to one another.

BACKGROUND

Mountings with both load bearing and deflection capabilities have been used in the suspension systems of vehicles for many years. In some applications, load bearing suspension mounts, such as elastomeric mounts, are positioned between two vehicle components. These elastomeric mounts are designed to carry compressive and tensile loads, while at the same time allowing the two vehicle components to translate and tilt relative to one another. Typically, an elastomeric mount includes a pad of an elastomeric material, for example, rubber, sandwiched between two mounting plates. The mounting plates are generally positioned between the axle and the vehicle frame such that movement of the axle relative to the payload frame is allowed while static and dynamic loads are transmitted. This type of load-bearing suspension mount may be used, for example, in articulated trucks of the type used at off-road construction sites.

Known elastomeric load-bearing suspension mounts are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,443,439, issued Sep. 3, 2002 and in a GMT GmbH, “special elements” product catalog, for instance, item numbers 613003 and 139017. These suspension mounts have a series of parallel elements embedded in an elastomeric material and positioned between two rigid end members. The parallel elements increase the stiffness and load carrying capability of the mount as compared to a purely elastomeric mount by reducing the bulging of the elastomeric material in compression and the necking of the elastomeric material in tension. Thus, these elastomeric mounts may adequately carry pure compressive or tensile loads when the rigid end members are moved towards or away from each other. However, they are prone to premature failure in the highly stressed elastomeric material when the rigid end members are tilted (i.e., rotated out of parallel) with respect to one another. Premature failure of the elastomeric material or of the bond of the elastomeric material to the embedded parallel elements could result in the need to frequently replace these load-bearing suspension mounts. Replacement is typically difficult, time-consuming, and expensive.

In the suspension industry, particularly with respect to articulated truck suspensions, a robust, maintenance-free, load-bearing mount that has sufficient stiffness to transmit large compressive and tensile loads and sufficient flexibility to accommodate the mounting surfaces translating and tilting relative to one another may be beneficial. The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems or disadvantages associated with the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the invention, a resilient mount including a first mounting member and a second mounting member is provided. The mount may include a first plurality of stiffening elements located between the first and second mounting members. At least a first stiffening element may be non-parallel to a second stiffening element. The mount may also include a resilient material located between and coupled to adjacent stiffening elements of the first plurality of stiffening elements.

In another aspect of the invention, a resilient mount is provided. The mount may include a first mounting member and a second mounting member. A resilient material may be coupled to the first and second mounting members. The mount further may include a first plurality of non-planar elements. Each non-planar element may be at least partially embedded within the resilient material and may have an out-of-plane dimension, and at least a first of the non-planar elements may be non-parallel to a second of the non-planar elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1aand1bare illustrations of an exemplary embodiment of a resilient mount10in accordance with the present invention. Resilient mount10includes a first mounting member12and a second mounting member14. A resilient material16is provided between first and second mounting members12,14, and a plurality22of stiffening elements20are embedded in the resilient material16. Resilient mount10would typically be positioned between two machine or vehicle components (not shown).

Both first mounting member12and second mounting member14may be flat plates having square, rectangular, circular, or other regular or irregular-shaped perimeters. Alternatively, one or both of first and second mounting members12,14may be non-planar, for example, concave, as best shown by second mounting member14inFIG. 1b, convex, or other regular or irregular non-planar shapes. First and second mounting members may be provided with a central through hole17.

Additionally, first and second mounting members12,14are adapted to attach to the vehicle components between which resilient mount10is positioned. First mounting member12may have a mounting surface13complementing a mounting surface of the corresponding vehicle component (not shown) and second mounting member14may have a mounting surface15complementing a mounting surface of the other vehicle component (also not shown). For example, first mounting member12may have a square perimeter with a bolt hole at each corner for attachment to the corresponding vehicle component. Other attachment methods known to persons of ordinary skill in the art may be used.

Resilient material16is positioned between first and second mounting members12,14. Material16is formed from any suitable resilient material, for instance, an elastomeric material. Such materials typically bulge when subjected to compressive loads and neck down when subjected to tension loads. Resilient material16may be molded to, bonded with an adhesive to, or otherwise attached to first and second mounting members12,14in order to more efficiently transmit loads between these mounting members12,14.

In addition, resilient material16may be molded to, bonded with an adhesive to, or otherwise attached to the plurality22of stiffening elements20. Resilient material16may be formed from a single piece of elastomeric material, as best shown inFIG. 1b. As shown, resilient material16may be, for example, molded around, or partially molded around, stiffening elements20. Alternatively, resilient material16may form a plurality of pieces16a, which are inserted between, and molded or bonded to, the plurality of stiffening elements20, as best shown inFIG. 2b.

As shown inFIGS. 1aand1b, a plurality22of stiffening elements20is positioned between first and second mounting members12,14. Stiffening elements20are stacked one-on-top-another, spaced apart, and with a layer of resilient material16located between them. Each stiffening element20is formed from a thin plate having a plate thickness t. Plate thickness t need not be uniform. For example, as shown inFIG. 3a, plate thickness t could vary from one thickness t0at the perimeter of stiffening element20to a second thickness t1closer to the center of the stiffening element20. Stiffening elements20may have a circular perimeter, but other perimeter shapes, such as square, rectangular, oval, or other shapes, could be used to assist in the more efficient reaction of loads transmitted by resilient mount10. Moreover, each stiffening element20in the plurality22need not have the same perimeter shape, nor need each stiffening element20in the plurality22be of the same size.

As best shown inFIGS. 1b,2b, and3a–3e, stiffening elements20may be non-planar, i.e., stiffening elements20may have an out-of-plane dimension d that is greater than the plate or material thickness t. As shown inFIG. 1b, the out-of-plane dimension d need not be the same for each of the plurality22of stiffening elements20in any one resilient mount10. For example, the out-of-plane dimension d may vary as the stack of stiffening elements20is traversed, from a minimum out-of-plane dimension d0for a first stiffening element20aat one end of the stack of stiffening elements20to a maximum out-of-plane dimension d1for a last stiffening element20bat the opposite end of the stack. As another example, as shown inFIG. 2b, the out-of-plane dimension d may vary from a minimum out-of-plane dimension d0for a stiffening element20anear the center of the stack of stiffening elements20to a maximum out-of-plane dimension d1for stiffening elements20bat either end of the stack of stiffening elements20. Other arrangements of stiffening elements20, with their associated out-of-plane dimensions d, may be provided, for example, to alter the load-carrying capacity or stiffness of resilient mount10.

Also as shown inFIG. 2b, one or more of the stiffening elements20may be planar, i.e., the out-of-plane dimension d may be substantially the same as the plate thickness t. InFIG. 2b, the central stiffening element20cis planar. A first plurality22aof stiffening elements20is arranged on one side of central stiffening element20cand a second plurality of stiffening elements22bis arranged on the other side of this central, planar, stiffening element20c.

As best shown inFIGS. 3a–3e, non-planar stiffening elements20may have any of a variety of cross-sections. For instance,FIG. 3aillustrates a stiffening element20having a conical shape, i.e., having a “vee”-type cross-section. In this particular example, stiffening element20has a truncated conicaltype shape with a central through hole25. In addition, the element ofFIG. 3ahas a plate thickness t that is greater towards the center than towards the edge.FIG. 3billustrates a stiffening element20having a spherical shape, i.e., having a circular-type cross-section. In other words, the plate forming the stiffening element has a constant radius of curvature. In this particular example, the plate thickness t is substantially constant and the element has no central through hole.FIG. 3cillustrates a stiffening element20having a parabolic-type cross-section, i.e., the plate curvature is greater in the center than at the edges and the plate roughly follows a parabolic-type curvature. As inFIG. 3b, the plate thickness t is substantially constant, and as inFIG. 3a, the stiffening element has a central through hole25.FIG. 3dillustrates a stiffening element20having an elliptical-type cross-section, i.e., the plate forming the stiffening element has a radius of curvature greater at the perimeter than in the towards the center and the plate roughly follows an elliptical-type curvature. Again, as inFIGS. 3band3c, the plate thickness t is substantially constant. As inFIGS. 3aand3c, the element has a central through hole25.FIG. 3eillustrates a stiffening element20having a polygonal-type cross-section, i.e., the plate cross-section is formed from a series of substantially straight line segments. Other cross-sectional shapes, whether regular or irregular, are considered to be within the scope of the invention. For instance, a stiffening element20may have a substantially flat cross-section in one direction and a spherical-type cross-section in a second direction, orthogonal to the first, i.e., a barrel-shaped element may be formed.

Moreover, resilient mount10may include at least one stiffening element20which is non-parallel to a second stiffening element20. As shown inFIG. 1b, stiffening element20ahas a relatively flat profile, while stiffening element20bhas a cross-section profile angle of inclination that lies approximately 15 to 20 degrees from the horizontal. The cross-section profiles of the stiffening elements20stacked in between elements20aand20bhave angles of inclination that increase as the plurality of stiffening elements20is traversed from element20ato element20b. Thus, in the embodiment ofFIG. 1b, all of the stiffening elements are non-parallel to each other. Similarly, in the embodiment shown inFIGS. 2aand2b, wherein stiffening elements20have a circular-type cross-section, the radius of curvature varies from element to element. The first plurality22aof stiffening elements20are non-parallel to one another; the second plurality22bof stiffening elements20are non-parallel to one another and also to the stiffening elements within the first plurality22a. Furthermore, the middle, planar, stiffening element20cis non-parallel to all of the other stiffening elements20. Thus, here again, the stiffening elements are non-parallel to one another. Other arrangements of non-parallel stiffening elements are also considered to be within the scope of the invention.

Moreover, resilient mount10could have a combination of non-parallel stiffening elements and parallel stiffening elements. For instance, an alternative embodiment to that shown inFIG. 2bcould be to include second or third planar stiffening elements20clocated adjacent the single middle, planar, stiffening element20calready shown inFIG. 2b. All of the planar stiffening elements20cbeing parallel to one another; all of the other stiffening elements, i.e., stiffening elements20a,20b, etc., being non-parallel to one another. Alternatively, every stiffening element20within the embodiments shown inFIGS. 1band2bcould be paired with a duplicate, parallel stiffening element. Thus, for example, a pair of parallel stiffening elements20bcould be located adjacent to a pair of parallel stiffening elements20a, with stiffening element20bbeing non-parallel to stiffening element20a.

A tension-carrying element32, such as a central through bolt having nuts at one or both ends, as best shown inFIGS. 1band2b, may be used to control the maximum amount of separation between the first and second mounting members12,14. Tension-carrying element32would typically carry tension loads, i.e., loads acting to move first mounting member12away from second mounting member14and to thereby stretch resilient material16. Although tension-carrying element32would typically not carry compression loads i.e., loads acting to move first mounting member12toward second mounting member14thereby compressing resilient material16, in certain applications, member32may carry compression loads. Additionally, tension-carrying element32may be preloaded. Alternatively, more than one tension-carrying element32may be used and these elements need not be located in the center. For example, a pair of tension-carrying elements32(not shown) may be placed at opposite edges or corners of first and second mounting members12,14.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

While the load-bearing resilient mount ofFIGS. 1 and 2has a wide variety of uses, the described mount may be especially well suited for use with an articulated vehicle. For example, this load-bearing resilient mount could be used for the rear suspension of an articulated dump truck. In an articulated dump truck, the rear suspension transmits very high loads from the frame into the rear axles. In an articulated dump truck having two rear axles, for example, equalizing beams could transfer the weight of the payload through four resilient mounts, two per equalizing beam, to the rear axles. The resilient mounts would typically be mounted at the ends of the equalizing beams and would allow independent motion of the axles. At the same time as the rear suspension carries these large loads, it undergoes large oscillations or deflections while maintaining traction in rough terrain. In these situations, the load-bearing resilient mount would carry high compressive and tensile loads while its mounting surfaces translate and tilt relative to each other.

For those situations where a single resilient mount may not have the desired load-carrying capacity, a pair of resilient mounts could be mounted side-by-side in a parallel load-carrying configuration.

It will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art that various changes and modifications of an obvious nature may be made to the disclosed invention, and all such changes and modifications are considered to fall within the scope of the appended claims. Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope of the invention being indicated by the following claims and their equivalents.