Mount for vehicle

Abstract

A mount for supporting a power train in the vehicle, may include a stopper assembly combined on an internal surface of a housing to be disposed in an annular shape along the vicinity of the outsides of insulators combined with the housing, wherein the stopper assembly may include: an external ring combined on the internal surface of the housing; and a plurality of stopper members fixed on an internal surface of the external ring to be positioned along the vicinity of the outsides of the insulators, each of the a plurality of stopper members being spaced from each other to be in contact with an internal insulator of the insulators.

Claims

1. A mount apparatus for supporting a power train in a vehicle, the mount comprising: a housing and insulators; a stopper assembly combined on an internal surface of the housing to be disposed in an annular shape along the vicinity of the outsides of the insulators combined with the housing, wherein the stopper assembly includes: an external ring of an annular shape combined on the internal surface of the housing; and a plurality of stopper members fixed on an internal surface of the external ring to be positioned along the vicinity of the outsides of the insulators, each of the plurality of stopper members being spaced from each other to be in contact with an internal insulator of the insulators, wherein the external ring includes a bending portion, and wherein the bending portion is configured to be bent to be contractable when the external ring is press-fitted to the internal surface of the housing while having a bent shape and being elastically transformed to restore a contracted shape of the bending portion of the bending portion.

2. The mount apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bending portion has the bent shape to protrude from the external ring to an internal side thereof.

3. The mount apparatus of claim 1, wherein the external ring includes a plurality of bending portions provided thereon.

4. The mount apparatus of claim 3, wherein the plurality of bending portions is provided at predetermined intervals along a circumferential direction of the external ring.

5. The mount apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bending portion has the bent shape to protrude from the external ring to an internal side thereof, wherein a plurality of bending portions including the bending portion is mounted on the external ring to be disposed at predetermined intervals along a circumferential direction of the external ring, and wherein the plurality of stopper members is provided such that a stopper member is fixed on the internal surface of the external ring between adjacent bending portions among the plurality of bending portions.

6. The mount apparatus of claim 5, wherein the plurality of bending portions includes four bending portions mounted on the external ring to be disposed along the circumferential direction of the external ring, and wherein each pair among the four bending portions are diagonally disposed on the external ring.

7. The mount apparatus of claim 6, wherein the plurality of stopper members includes: two stopper members mounted between the adjacent bending portions among the plurality of bending portions and disposed on a front side and a rear side of the external ring, and the remaining two stopper members disposed on a left side and a right side of the external ring, relative to forward and rearward directions of the vehicle.

8. The mount apparatus of claim 1, wherein fitting protrusions are mounted on an external surface of the external ring by protruding therefrom, and insertion holes are provided on the housing, to which the external ring is fitted, to receive the fitting protrusions therein, and wherein the fitting protrusions are inserted into the insertion holes such that the external ring is fixed to the housing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view exemplarily illustrating a conventional mount for a vehicle;

(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective view exemplarily illustrating a conventional insulator integral to a stopper;

(3) FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view exemplarily illustrating a portion of configuration of a housing and the insulator in the conventional upside down mount;

(4) FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view exemplarily illustrating a mount according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

(5) FIG. 5 is a perspective view exemplarily illustrating a stopper assembly of the mount according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

(6) FIG. 6 is a top plan view exemplarily illustrating the stopper assembly of the mount according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

(7) FIG. 7 is a perspective view exemplarily illustrating a process in which the stopper assembly is assembled with the housing in the mount according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

(8) FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a state of the stopper assembly assembled with the housing in the mount according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

(9) FIG. 9 is a perspective view exemplarily illustrating a process in which a fluid system is assembled with the housing of the mount according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

(10) FIG. 10 is a perspective view exemplarily illustrating an assembling process of the fluid system of the mount according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

(11) FIG. 11 is a perspective view exemplarily illustrating a process in which a rubber system of the mount according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention is assembled; and

(12) FIG. 12 is a perspective view exemplarily illustrating a mount according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

(13) It may be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various features illustrative of the basic principles of the present invention. The specific design features of the present invention as included herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes will be determined in part by the particularly intended application and use environment.

(14) In the figures, reference numbers refer to the same or equivalent portions of the present invention throughout the several figures of the drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(15) Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention(s), examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the present invention(s) will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that the present description is not intended to limit the present invention(s) to those exemplary embodiments. On the other hand, the present invention(s) is/are intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

(16) Hereinbelow, reference will now be made in greater detail to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings such that those skilled in the art can efficiently perform the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiment thereof and may be variously realized.

(17) The statement that a part “includes” an element throughout the specification specifies that the part may further include, unless otherwise stated, other elements, and not exclude other elements.

(18) The present invention is directed to providing a mount for a vehicle, wherein the shape of a stopper is tuned and optimized more easily and variously for a secondary characteristic without modifying or newly manufacturing a mold for forming insulators.

(19) Furthermore, the present invention is directed to providing the mount for a vehicle, wherein degree of tuning freedom of the stopper is increased, the expense and cost of the mold are reduced, and the period and expenses required for development are decreased.

(20) To the present end, in the mount for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the stopper is independently manufactured in a shape tuned and optimized to meet required characteristics of the stopper and is assembled with a housing.

(21) The mount of the present invention as a mount for the power train may be embodied as an engine mount or as an upside down mount to which the stopper is applied.

(22) FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view exemplarily illustrating a mount according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a perspective view exemplarily illustrating a stopper assembly of the mount according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 6 is a top plan view exemplarily illustrating the stopper assembly of the mount according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

(23) FIG. 7 is a perspective view exemplarily illustrating a process in which the stopper assembly is assembled with the housing in the mount according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and

(24) FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a state of the stopper assembly assembled with the housing in the mount according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

(25) The mount 100 of the shown embodiment as a fluid-sealed upside down mount is a tunable upside down engine mount configured such that a rubber system 103 having an insulator 130 and a fluid-sealed fluid system 104 are separated from each other.

(26) The rubber system 103 and the fluid system 104 are assembled with each other to form the integral type mount 100.

(27) The present invention will be described in detail by referring to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 4, the upside down mount 100 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes the rubber system 103 including the insulator 130 positioned on a lower side of the mount, and the fluid-sealed fluid system 104 positioned on an upper side of the mount, the fluid system including an orifice assembly 170 and a diaphragm 180.

(28) Furthermore, in the upside down mount 100, a support bracket 102 provided integrally with the housing 101 is mounted to an engine as an example of the power train, which is not shown, and an additional lower support bracket 111 is mounted to the vehicle body, which is not shown, while the under support bracket is combined with a center bolt 110.

(29) The support bracket 102 mounted to the side of the engine is provided integrally with the housing 101.

(30) In the upside down mount 100, the rubber system 103 may include the center bolt 110 mounted to the side of the vehicle body, an internal core 120 with which the center bolt 110 is combined, and the first insulator 130 formed to be integrally combined with the internal core 120.

(31) In the rubber system 103, the first insulator 130 supports the internal core 120 and the center bolt 110 while the first insulator is integrally combined with the housing 101.

(32) The first insulator 130 is vulcanizingly formed to be integrally combined with an internal surface of the housing 101 such that the first insulator 130 surrounds the internal core 120 in the mold after the housing 101 and the internal core 120 is disposed in the mold.

(33) Furthermore, the stopper assembly 140 is combined on the internal surface of the housing 101 to be disposed at an outside of the first insulator 130 along the vicinity of the first insulator, wherein the stopper assembly 140 combined on the internal surface of the housing 101 is spaced from the internal first insulator 130 of the insulators.

(34) The stopper assembly 140 is disposed to have an annular shape along the vicinity of the first insulator 130 while being combined on the internal surface of the housing 101, and as shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 8, the stopper assembly may be disposed to have a circular annular shape along the vicinity of the first insulator 130.

(35) Furthermore, the fluid system 104 provided above the stopper assembly 140 is inserted into an upper portion of the housing 101 to be combined thereon.

(36) The fluid system 104 includes a cupped hook 150, the orifice assembly 170 assembled in the cupped hook 150, the diaphragm 180, and a second insulator 160 hooked to the cupped hook 150 by hooking.

(37) The cupped hook 150 may be manufactured of synthetic resin, and includes a plurality of hooks 151 mounted on a lower end portion thereof, the hooks being disposed at predetermined intervals along a circumferential direction of the cupped hook.

(38) In the fluid system 104, the second insulator 160 is positioned on an upper side of the first insulator 130 to be supported by the first insulator 130 of the rubber system 103.

(39) In the fluid system 104, while the orifice assembly 170 and the diaphragm 180 is inserted into the cupped hook 150, each of the hooks 151 of the cupped hook 150 is hooked to and combined with a holding jaw 162 of a core pipe 161 of an annular shape combined integrally on an external surface of the second insulator 160, whereby the cupped hook 150, the second insulator 160, the orifice assembly 170, and the diaphragm 180, which form the fluid system 104, are integrated with each other.

(40) In the fluid system 104, the second insulator 160 defines the upper fluid chamber C1 in cooperation with the orifice assembly 170 of an upper side of the second insulator.

(41) In the fluid system 104, the orifice assembly 170 includes an orifice plate 171 and a membrane 175, wherein the orifice plate 171 is transversely provided to divide an internal fluid chamber of the fluid-sealed fluid system into the upper fluid chamber C1 and the lower fluid chamber C2 between the second insulator 160 and the diaphragm 180.

(42) The orifice plate 171 may include an upper plate 172 and a lower plate 173.

(43) The orifice plate 171 has an orifice 174 defining a circular bypass flow path (also referred to as an inertia track) to induce fluid movement between the upper fluid chamber C1 and the lower fluid chamber C2.

(44) The diaphragm 180 is provided at an upper side of the orifice plate 171, and accordingly, the orifice plate 171 and the diaphragm 180 define the lower fluid chamber C2.

(45) The orifice plate 171 includes a hole communicating the orifice 174 with the upper fluid chamber C1 and a hole communicating the orifice 174 with the lower fluid chamber C2.

(46) Accordingly, the upper fluid chamber C1, the orifice 174, and the lower fluid chamber C2 are communicating with each other such that fluid moves between the upper fluid chamber C1, the orifice 174, and the lower fluid chamber C2 through the holes of the orifice plate 171.

(47) In the mount of the present invention 100, the stopper assembly 140, which is independently manufactured and configured, may be tuned according to a required characteristic of the mount, and as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the stopper assembly 140 includes an external ring 141 combined with the housing 101 to be in close contact with the internal surface of the housing 101, and stopper members 144 fixed to an internal surface of the external ring.

(48) The external ring 141 may have an annular shape, and be manufactured of synthetic resin.

(49) Furthermore, the external ring 141 includes bending portions 142 provided thereon, the bending portions being disposed at predetermined intervals along a circumferential direction of the external ring and being transformable elastically.

(50) Each of the bending portions 142 of the external ring 141 is a portion restored to an initial state in a shape by the elasticity thereof after the bending portion is transformed.

(51) The bending portions 142 have shapes bent to protrude from the external ring 141 to the internal side thereof, and may be provided to be disposed at predetermined intervals along the circumferential surface of the external ring 141 thereon.

(52) The bending portions 142 are configured to divide an entire section of the external ring being along the circumferential direction of the external ring 141 into various sections of predetermined lengths, and each of the stopper members 144 is integrally fixed on the internal circumferential surface located between two neighboring bending portions 142 on the external ring 141.

(53) In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the external ring 141 includes a total of four bending portions 142 disposed at predetermined intervals along a circumferential direction of the external ring thereon, and each of the stopper members 144 of rubber materials is mounted on the internal circumferential surface of the external ring between the two neighboring bending portions 142 and accordingly, a total of four stopper members 144 are disposed.

(54) In the stopper assembly 140, the bending portions 142 of the external ring 141 may be contracted in a radial direction of the external ring while being bent such that a diameter of the external ring is reduced, and in the present contracted state, the external ring 141 is press-fitted into the housing 101 to be provided therein.

(55) Furthermore, after the external ring 141 in the contracted state is fitted into the housing 101, the shape of the bending portions 142 transformed during the contraction is restored to an initial shape of the bending portion while the bending portion is spread by an elasticity thereof, so that the external ring 141 is expanded or extended. In the instant case, an elastic restoring force of the bending portions 142 operates in a direction increasing the diameter of the external ring 141.

(56) Accordingly, while the external ring 141 is press-fitted into the housing 101, the external ring is brought into close contact with the internal surface of the housing 101 by the elastic restoring force of the bending portions 142, that is, by a force expanding or extending in the radial direction thereof, and accordingly, the external ring 141 may be prevented from being removed from the housing 101.

(57) In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the external ring 141 includes fitting protrusions 143 mounted on an surface of an external side thereof and the housing 101, to which the external ring 141 in fitted, includes insertion holes 105 to which the fitting protrusions 143 are inserted.

(58) The fitting protrusions 143 and the insertion holes 105 allow the combined state of the stopper assembly 140 with the housing 101 to be maintained such that the stopper assembly 140 is securely fixed on the internal surface of the housing 101, so that the stopper assembly 140 is prevented from deviating from the housing 101.

(59) That is, when the stopper assembly 140 is combined with the housing, the external ring 141 is contracted in the radial direction thereof, and as shown in FIG. 7, is press-fitted into the housing 101, and then when the fitting protrusions 143 of the external ring 141 are inserted into the insertion holes 105 of the housing 101, the external ring 141 may be completely locked to the housing 101 so as not to be removed from the housing.

(60) Furthermore, in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the external ring 141 may include a total of four bending portions 142, and in the instant case, as shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 8, the bending portions 142 are provided to be diagonally positioned on the external ring 141.

(61) Furthermore, when each of the stopper members 144 is disposed on the internal circumferential surface of the external ring 141 positioned between the two neighboring bending portions 142, a total of four stopper members 144 may be provided. In the instant case, each pair of the stopper members 144 mounted on the internal circumferential surface of the external ring 141 surfaces each other.

(62) Furthermore, when upward and downward directions in FIG. 8 are forward and rearward directions of a vehicle relative to the vehicle in mounting of the mount 100 to the vehicle, preferably, each of two stopper members 144 is provided at a front side and a rear side, respectively, relative to the forward and rearward directions of the vehicle to face each other, and each of the remaining two stopper members 144 is provided at a left side and a right side, respectively, to face each other.

(63) That is, two stopper members 144 face each other by being disposed forward and rearward thereof, and the remaining two stopper members 144 face each other by being disposed leftward and rightward.

(64) Of course, the entirety of the stopper members 144 forming the stopper assembly 140 is circularly disposed on the internal circumferential surface of the external ring 141, and the circular stopper assembly 140 is circularly disposed around the first insulator 130 relative to the first insulator 130 while the circular stopper assembly is fixed on the internal surface of the housing 101 of the mount 100.

(65) In a normal vehicle, although the power train such as an engine may move in forward and rearward directions or in leftward and rightward directions in an engine chamber, the power train does not move diagonally.

(66) Accordingly, when the mount 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is mounted to a vehicle, as mentioned above, the stopper members 144 are disposed forward/rearward and leftward/rightward while surrounding the first insulator 130, and the bending portions 142 are diagonally disposed.

(67) Accordingly, when the power train moves forward/rearward or leftward/rightward, the bending portions 142 and the first insulator 130 do not contact with each other and only the stopper members 144 of rubber materials may contact with the external circumferential surface of the first insulator 130.

(68) Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 7, after the stopper assembly 140 is combined on the internal surface of the housing 101 formed integrally with the first insulator 130, the fluid system 104, which is completely assembled, is combined on an upper side of the housing 101.

(69) FIG. 9 illustrates a process in which the fluid system 104 is assembled with the housing 101.

(70) As shown in FIG. 9, to engage and fix the fluid system 104 to the housing 101, a plurality of locking protrusions 152 is mounted on an external circumferential surface of the cupped hook 150, and a plurality of guide grooves 106 long vertically is mounted on the internal surface of the housing 101 such that the locking protrusions 152 are inserted into the guide groove to be guided.

(71) Furthermore, in the housing 101, locking holes 107, into which the locking protrusions 152 of the cupped hook 150 are inserted, is formed through a side portion of a lower end portion of the guide grooves 106.

(72) In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of locking protrusions 152 may be mounted on the cupped hook 150 to be disposed at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction of the cupped hook 150, and the plurality of guide grooves 106 and locking holes 107 may be mounted on the housing 101 to be disposed at predetermined intervals along a circumferential direction of the housing 101.

(73) Finally, as shown in FIG. 9, when the fluid system 104 is inserted into the housing 101 during assembly of the fluid system, the locking protrusions 152 of the cupped hook 150 are inserted to the guide grooves 106 of the housing 101 and then the fluid system 104 is completely inserted thereinto downwardly in the housing 101 such that the locking protrusions 152 reach the lower end portion of the guide grooves 106.

(74) Next, a handle 153 mounted on the cupped hook 150 by protruding therefrom is held and when the entirety of the fluid system 104 including the cupped hook 150 is rotated, the locking protrusions 152 of the cupped hook 150 are inserted into the locking holes 107 of the housing 101, the cupped hook is locked to the housing, and finally, the fluid system 104 is completely engaged with and fixed to the housing 101.

(75) Furthermore, FIG. 10 is a perspective view exemplarily illustrating an assembling process of the fluid system, and shows a process of the diaphragm 180, the orifice lower plate 173, the membrane 175, the orifice upper plate 172, and the second insulator 160 assembled sequentially in the cupped hook 150, which includes synthetic resin, forming the fluid system 104.

(76) As shown in FIG. 10, after the diaphragm 180, the orifice lower plate 173, the membrane 175, and the orifice upper plate 172 are sequentially laminated in the cupped hook 150, the second insulator 160 is finally inserted into the cupped hook 150 to be laminated on the orifice upper plate 172.

(77) As mentioned above, the core pipe 161, which may be made of a metal material such as an aluminum alloy, is integrally combined with the second insulator 160, and after the second insulator 160 is inserted into the cupped hook 150, the second insulator 160 is compressed such that the core pipe 161 of the second insulator 160 is hooked by the hooks 151 of the cupped hook 150.

(78) Referring to the finally assembled drawing of FIG. 10, the hooks 151 of the cupped hook 150 are hooked to an end portion of the core pipe 161; the second insulator 160 is integrally fixed to the cupped hook 150; and finally, all the components of the fluid system 104 including the cupped hook 150 are integrally assembled with each other after the hooking.

(79) After the hooking, fluid is injected into the fluid system 104 in a dry filling method.

(80) FIG. 10 shows the exemplary embodiment of the hooks 151 of the cupped hook 150 hooked to the end portion of the core pipe 161, and the end portion of the core pipe 161 is the holding jaw hooked by the hooks 151.

(81) Of course, as shown in FIG. 4, after the holding jaw 162 is independently mounted on the external surface of the core pipe 161, the hooks 151 of the cupped hook 150 may be hooked to the holding jaw 162, and a process of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4 being assembled is the same as the above process.

(82) FIG. 11 shows an assembling process of the rubber system 103, and after the housing 101 and the internal core 120 with which the center bolt 110 is combined are provided in a vulcanized mold to form the first insulator 130, the first insulator 130 is vulcanizingly formed in the mold, whereby the housing 101, the first insulator 130, and the internal core 120 are integrated with each other.

(83) Meanwhile, FIG. 12 is a perspective view exemplarily illustrating a mount according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, and shows a mount 100 in which a rubber system 103, which is a normal type and not an upside down type, is positioned on an upper side of the mount and a fluid system 104 is positioned on a lower side thereof.

(84) In the same manner, a stopper assembly 140 of the same configuration is assembled on an internal surface of a housing 101, and furthermore, the stopper assembly 140 is circularly disposed along the vicinity of an insulator 130a in the housing 101.

(85) Accordingly, the mount 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention features the stopper assembly 140, which is independently manufactured and provided.

(86) For convenience in explanation and accurate definition in the appended claims, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “inner”, “outer”, “up”, “down”, “upwards”, “downwards”, “front”, “rear”, “back”, “inside”, “outside”, “inwardly”, “outwardly”, “internal”, “external”, “inner”, “outer”, “forwards”, and “backwards” are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of such features as displayed in the figures. It will be further understood that the term “connect” or its derivatives refer both to direct and indirect connection.

(87) The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described to explain certain principles of the present invention and their practical application, to enable others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as well as various alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended that the scope of the present invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto and their equivalents.