Patent ID: 8348029

Claim:
An optimized strut top mount and body structure of a motor vehicle, comprising: a strut shaft; an annular tower having a tower side wall oriented substantially parallel to a vertical, said annular tower further having a tower top wall, wherein said tower top wall is annularly disposed between said strut shaft and said tower side wall; an annular outer resilient element comprising a column and a top section, wherein said column adjoins said tower side wall and said top section adjoins said tower top wall; an annular inner resilient element; an annular central bracket having a generally U-shaped cross-section, said central bracket comprising an inner bracket wall, an outer bracket wall and a top bracket wall disposed between said inner and outer bracket walls, wherein said outer resilient element is adhered to said outer bracket wall, and wherein said inner resilient element is adhered to said inner bracket wall; an annular bearing interconnected with said top bracket wall of said central bracket, said bearing being generally centrally disposed in substantially equidistant relation with respect to said inner bracket wall, said top bracket wall and said outer bracket wall; a spring seat interconnected with said bearing, wherein said top bracket wall, said bearing and said spring seat are all substantially aligned with respect to each other and are all disposed within said tower; a sleeve adhered to said inner resilient element, wherein said sleeve is in receiving relation to said strut shaft; a lower washer affixed to said strut shaft, said lower washer abutting a lower end of said inner resilient element and a lower end of said sleeve; an upper rate washer affixed to said strut shaft, said upper rate washer having a cup shape defining an outer washer wall that is acutely angled with respect to said strut shaft, said outer washer wall of said upper rate washer abutting an upper end of said inner resilient element and an upper end of said sleeve; a retention washer affixed to said strut shaft substantially adjacent said upper rate washer, said retention washer having a periphery in vertical alignment with said top wall of said tower; and a retention washer resilient element adhered to said periphery of said retention washer, wherein said tower top wall is vertically aligned with respect to said retention washer resilient element so as to be abuttable therewith; wherein said outer resilient element further comprises a plurality of ramp shaped convolutes integrally formed of said top section and said column, said ramp shaped convolutes being annularly disposed in evenly distributed relation with respect to said top section and said column, said plurality of convolutes abutting said tower top wall and said tower side wall; and wherein said plurality of convolutes rollingly abut said tower top wall.