Patent Publication Number: US-2007102617-A1

Title: Powertrain mount

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      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  
      The present invention relates to a vibration isolation mount and more particularly, to an improved vibration isolation mount assembly and method of making.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Vibration isolation 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 isolation 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 isolation mounts have been used in household appliances such as washers and dryers and have been used in industrial machinery. While vibration isolation mounts are effective at reducing vibrations, it is still desirable to provide a vibration isolation mount with a less complex assembly and manufacturing process.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Accordingly, the present invention provides a vibration isolation mount having an improved construction in which the vibration isolation mount includes a bracket member including a base portion having a pair of side wing portions extending from a pair of bends in the base portion. At least one pair of end wing portions extend from opposite ends of the bracket member. A core element including a body portion is disposed between the pair of side wing portions. An elastomeric spring member is disposed between the body portion of the core element and the pair of side wing portions of the bracket member. The at least one pair of end wing portions are bent towards the elastomeric spring member so as to oppose opposite ends of the spring member so as to provide a travel restrictor for the elastomeric spring member without the necessity of additional components. According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a travel restrictor pin is provided extending between the pair of end wing portions and through an opening in the body portion of the core element. The travel restrictor pin provides additional travel restriction in order to limit the amount of stresses applied to the elastomeric spring member.  
      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  
      The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a vibration isolation mount according to the principles of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a front plan view of the vibration isolation mount shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the bracket portion of the vibration isolation mount according to the principles of the present invention shown in the pre-assembled condition;  
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a vibration isolation mount according to a second embodiment in accordance with the principles of the present invention  
       FIG. 5  is end plan view of the vibration isolator mount shown in  FIG. 4 ;  
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the vibration isolator mount of  FIG. 4  shown in a partially assembled condition;  
       FIG. 7  is an end view of the partially assembled vibration isolator mount shown in  FIG. 6 ;  
       FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of the vibration isolator mount shown in  FIG. 6  and taken along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 6 ;  
       FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of a vibration isolator mount according to a third embodiment in accordance with the principles of the present invention;  
       FIG. 10  is an end view of the vibration isolator mount shown in  FIG. 9 ; and,  
       FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  11 - 11  of  FIG. 9 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      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.  
      With reference to  FIGS. 1-3 , the vibration isolator mount  10  according to the principles of the present invention will now be described. The vibration isolator mount  10  includes a bracket portion  12  adapted to be mounted to a first support structure (not shown) and a core member  14  adapted to be mounted to a second support structure (not shown). An elastomeric spring member  16  is molded between the bracket  12  and core  14  in order to provide a spring member  16  for isolating vibrations between the bracket member  12  and the core member  14 .  
      The bracket member  12  includes a base portion  18  having mounting apertures  20  therein adapted for receiving fasteners  22  therethrough for mounting the bracket  12  to a support structure. A pair of side wing portions  24 ,  26  extend from the base portion  18  and are in opposing relationship to one another. A pair of end wing members  28 ,  30  extend from the base portion  18 . As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the bracket member  12  is formed from a sheet metal as a stamping and the end wing portions  28 ,  30  are generally flat along with the base portion  18  prior to the final assembly of the vibration isolator mount  10 . The side wings portion  24 ,  26  extend from the base portion  18  along bend portions  32 ,  34  which are each provided with strengthening ribs  36  formed therealong for strengthening the bend portions  32 ,  34  of the bracket member.  
      The core member  14  includes a mounting portion  40  provided with mounting apertures  42  for mounting the core member  14  to a second support structure (not shown). The core member  14  includes a body portion  44  including a pair of side walls  46  which form a U-shaped body extending between the side wing portions  24 ,  26  of the bracket member  12 .  
      The elastomeric spring member  16  is molded in place between the bracket member  12  and core member  14 . After the elastomeric spring member  16  is molded in place, the first and second end wing portions  28 ,  30  of the bracket member  12  are bent upward towards the elastomeric spring member providing a transverse travel restrictor in order to limit the amount that the elastomeric spring member can be stretched in either transverse direction. In addition, the first and second end wing portions  28 ,  30  are each provided with an aperture  50 A, B which receives a restrictor pin  52  which extends through the U-shaped body  44  of the core member  14 . The restrictor pin  52  serves as a travel restrictor for limiting the amount of travel of the core member  14  away from the bracket member  12  in a longitudinal direction as represented by the Y-axis shown in  FIG. 1 . With the construction of the present invention, the vibration isolator mount  10  has the ability to have a triaxially restricted powertrain mount without the addition of metal parts or fasteners. Furthermore, the present invention has the ability to have the triaxially restricted powertrain mount with as few as possible components. The vibration isolator mount also has low complexity and high manufacturing reliability. The design of the present invention also supports very light-weight designs due to minimal complexity and component use.  
      With reference to  FIGS. 4-8 , a vibration isolator mount  100  according to a second embodiment of the present invention will now be described. In the vibration isolator mount  100  as illustrated in  FIGS. 4-8 , the bracket member  112  and core member  114  are connected together by an elastomeric spring member  16  that is molded in place. The side wing portions  118  of the bracket member  112  are provided with a pair of end wing portions  120  which are bent inward toward the ends of the spring member  116 .  FIGS. 6-8  illustrate the four end wing portions  120  prior to being bent inward in the final assembly.  FIGS. 6-8  illustrate the bracket  112  and core member  114  after the spring member  115  has been molded in place. The end wing portions  120  illustrate the end wings prior to being bent inward in a post-molding operation. The embodiment of  FIGS. 4-8  is illustrative of how multiple end wing portions can be utilized on each end of the elastomeric spring member  116  for providing a travel restriction for restricting lateral travel of the core member  114  relative to the bracket member  112 .  
      With reference to  FIGS. 9-11 , a vibration isolator mount  200  according to the principles of the present invention will now be described. The vibration isolator mount  200  is shown to include a bracket member  212  and core member  214  interconnected to one another by an elastomeric spring member  216  molded in place by bracket member  212  and core member  214 . The bracket member  212  includes side wing portions  218 ,  220  extending from a base portion  220 . Two end wing portions  224  extend from opposite ends of the side wing portion  218  and are bent inward in a post-molding operation to extend on opposite sides of the elastomeric spring member  216 . A retainer pin  228  extends between the end wing portions  224  and through an opening  230  provided in the body portion of the core member  214 . The core member  214  includes mounting fasteners  234  extending from the body portion  232  for mounting to a support structure. The bracket member  212  also includes mounting apertures  236  provided for mounting the bracket member  212  to a support structure.  
      The vibration isolator mount  200  shown in  FIGS. 9-11  is illustrative of the ability to use end wing portions  224  extending from the side wing portions for providing lateral travel restriction for the core member  214  relative to the bracket member  212  and also supporting a restrictor pin  228  for providing longitudinal travel restriction between the core member  214  and the bracket member  212 .  
      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.