ELASTOMER BEARING

Abstract

An elastomer bearing has an inner part, an outer sleeve that surrounds the inner part, and an elastomer body that is arranged between the inner part and the outer sleeve. The elastomer body extends from the inner part as far as the outer sleeve. The elastomer body comprises two liquid chambers, which are filled with a liquid and arranged one on top of the other in an axial direction, and a duct carrier arranged radially between the elastomer body and the outer sleeve. The duct carrier surrounds the elastomer body in a region of the liquid chambers and bounds the chambers. The elastomer body is vulcanized to the inner part. To reinforce the elastomer body, two, annular reinforcement inlays are embedded in the elastomer body, and form parts, separate from one another, of a cage that is embedded in the elastomer body.

Claims

1. An elastomer bearing comprising: an inner part and an outer part that surrounds the inner part; and an elastomer body, arranged between the inner part and the outer part, connected both to the inner part and the outer part, that includes at least two liquid chambers filled with a liquid, and connected by at least two ducts, wherein a bidirectionally-acting valve is provided in a first of the ducts.

2. The elastomer bearing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bidirectionally-acting valve is a bidirectionally-acting ball valve.

3. The elastomer bearing as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a shut-off body movably arranged between two valve seats of the bidirectionally-acting valve, arranged at a predefined distance from one another.

4. The elastomer bearing as claimed in claim 3, wherein the shut-off body is moved into a defined position by gravity or by a restoring mechanism.

5. The elastomer bearing as claimed in claim 4, wherein the defined position is located between the valve seats.

6. The elastomer bearing as claimed in claim 4, wherein the valve seats are provided at ends of a first duct, at ends of the at least two ducts, or at a duct section of the first duct.

7. The elastomer bearing as claimed in claim 3, wherein the shut-off body is a ball.

8. The elastomer bearing as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first duct or the duct section includes two duct limbs that join at a junction region, and are at an angle with respect to one another, wherein the junction region forms the defined position.

9. The elastomer bearing as claimed in claim 8, wherein the valve seats are provided at ends, facing away from one another, of the duct limbs.

10. The elastomer bearing as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first duct runs in a curved shape or V shape between the valve seats.

11. The elastomer bearing as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first duct has a lowest point between the valve seats, the lowest point being defined by the elastomer bearing oriented with respect to a surface of Earth.

12. The elastomer bearing as claimed in claim 11, wherein the lowest point is defined at the junction region.

13. The elastomer bearing as claimed in claim 6, wherein the inner part extends in an axial direction and the first duct or the duct section has an apex point located between the valve seats, offset axially with respect to the valve seats.

14. The elastomer bearing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner part extends in an axial direction, and the liquid chambers are arranged offset axially with respect to one another.

15. The elastomer bearing as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a duct carrier arranged between the elastomer body and the outer part, wherein the at least two ducts are provided in the duct carrier.

16. An elastomer bearing comprising: an inner part surrounded by an outer part; an elastomer body, arranged between, and connected to, the inner and outer parts and includes filled, liquid chambers, wherein a bidirectionally acting valve is provided in a first duct of at least two ducts that interconnect the liquid chambers; a shut-off body movably arranged into a defined position between two valve seats by gravity or a restoring mechanism, of the bidirectionally acting valve, arranged at a distance from one another, wherein the valve seats are provided at ends of the first duct, or a duct section of the first duct that includes two duct limbs that join at a junction region that forms the defined position, and are at an angle with respect to one another; and a duct carrier, including the ducts, arranged between the elastomer body and the outer part, wherein the at least two ducts are provided in the duct carrier.

17. The elastomer bearing as claimed in claim 16, wherein the inner part extends in an axial direction and the first duct or the duct section has an apex point located between the valve seats, offset axially with respect to the valve seats.

18. The elastomer bearing as claimed in claim 16, wherein the inner part extends in an axial direction, and the liquid chambers are arranged offset axially with respect to one another.

19. The elastomer bearing as claimed in claim 16, wherein the valve seats are provided at ends, facing away from one another, of the duct limbs.

20. The elastomer bearing as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first duct runs in a curved or V shape between the valve seats.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a side view of an elastomer bearing according to an embodiment;

[0041] FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal section through the elastomer bearing along the sectional line A-A that can be seen in FIG. 1;

[0042] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the elastomer bearing, wherein part of an outer sleeve of the elastomer bearing has been omitted;

[0043] FIG. 4 shows a plan view of a duct carrier of the elastomer bearing; and

[0044] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a half shell of the duct carrier.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] As required, detailed embodiments of the present disclosure are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the disclosure that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present disclosure.

[0046] FIG. 1 shows a side view of an elastomer bearing 1 according to an embodiment, wherein FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal section through the elastomer bearing 1 along sectional line A-A, which can be seen in FIG. 1. The elastomer bearing 1 has an inner part 2, an outer sleeve 3 that surrounds the inner part 2, an elastomer body 4 that is arranged between the inner part 2 and the outer sleeve 3, extends from the inner part 2 as far as the outer sleeve 3 and comprises two liquid chambers 5 and 6, which are filled with a liquid and arranged one on top of the other in an axial direction 7, and a duct carrier 8 that is arranged radially between the elastomer body 4 and the outer sleeve 3, surrounds the elastomer body 4 in a region of the liquid chambers 5 and 6, and, together with the elastomer body 4, bounds the chambers 5 and 6. The elastomer body 4 is connected, in a materially joined fashion, to the inner part 2, in particular is vulcanized thereto. In addition, in order to reinforce the elastomer body 4 in certain areas, two annular reinforcement inlays 31 and 32 are embedded in the elastomer body, and form either elements or parts, separate from one another, of a cage that is embedded in the elastomer body.

[0047] The inner part 2 extends in the axial direction 7, is of an essentially cylindrical design and provided with an axially continuous cutout 9. In addition, the inner part 2 has an annular region 10 with a relatively large outer diameter between the two chambers 5 and 6, wherein the annular region 10 is embedded in the elastomer body 4. In addition, the inner part 2 is embodied in such a way that the cutout 9 has a constriction 11 at a location of the annular region 10.

[0048] The elastomer bearing 1 and/or the inner part 2 and/or the outer sleeve 3 are assigned a longitudinal center axis 12, which extends in the axial direction 7 and with respect to which the inner part 2 is rotationally symmetrical. In addition, the outer sleeve 3 is rotationally symmetrical to the longitudinal center axis 12, with a result that the inner part 2 and the outer sleeve 3 are arranged coaxially. As apparent from FIG. 2, the outer sleeve 3 is composed of two, sleeve-shaped parts 13 and 14 that are expedient for reasons of mounting, but are not absolutely necessary.

[0049] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the elastomer bearing 1, wherein part of the outer sleeve 3 has been omitted, with a result that part of an outer circumferential face of the duct carrier 8 can be seen. FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the annular duct carrier 8, which is composed of two, half shells 28 and 29, wherein the half shell 28 can also be seen in FIG. 3 and in a perspective, individual illustration in FIG. 5.

[0050] A first duct 15 and a second duct 16 are provided in the duct carrier 8, wherein the liquid chambers 5 and 6 are connected to one another by each of the ducts 15 and 16. In order to connect the ducts 15 and 16 to the liquid chambers 5 and 6, through-openings 17, 18, 19 and 20 are provided in the duct carrier 8, wherein the first duct 15 is connected to the liquid chamber 5 through the through-opening 17, and the liquid chamber 6 through the through-opening 18. In addition, the second duct 16 is connected to the liquid chamber 5 through the through-opening 19 and the liquid chamber 6 through the through-opening 20.

[0051] The second duct 16 is made longer than the first duct 15, and runs in a meandering shape. In addition, a cross section of the second duct 16 is smaller than the cross section of the first duct 15. The first duct 15 has two duct limbs 21 and 22, which merge with one another, are at an angle relative to one another, and are each of straight design. The duct limbs 22 and 21 each have, at their ends facing away from one another, a valve seat 23 or 24, with a result that the first duct 15 runs in a V shape between the valve seats 23 and 24. The duct limbs 21 and 22 therefore form a V-shaped duct section 30, at ends of which the valve seats 23 and 24 are provided. In the first duct 15, a spherical shut-off body 25, which can be moved between the valve seats 23 and 24 along the first duct 15, is arranged between the valve seats 23 and 24. In this context, a diameter of the shut-off body 25 is smaller than or equal to the diameter of the first duct 15 between the valve seats 23 and 24. The elastomer bearing 1 is oriented in such a way that a junction region 26 between the two duct limbs 21 and 22 forms a low point of duct section 30 with respect to a surface of Earth. This results in a gravitational pull of the Earth exerting a force on the shut-off body 25, which pushes the latter into the junction region 26.

[0052] If liquid flows into the first duct 15 from the liquid chamber 5 (first liquid chamber), liquid flows out of the first duct 15 into the liquid chamber 6 (second liquid chamber). In this context, the shut-off body 25 moves in a direction of the valve seat 23 (first valve seat). If this state persists long enough, the shut-off body 25 comes to bear against the first valve seat 23 and shuts off the first duct 15. In contrast, if liquid flows into the first duct 15 from the second liquid chamber 6, liquid flows from the first duct 15 into the first liquid chamber 5. In this context, the shut-off body 25 moves in a direction of the valve seat 24 (second valve seat). If this state persists for long enough, the shut-off body 25 comes to bear against the second valve seat 24 and shuts off the first duct 15. The duct section 30 and/or the duct limbs 21 and 22, the valve seats 23 and 24 and the shut-off body 25 therefore together form a bidirectionally acting ball valve 27, which is provided in the first duct 15. A volume of liquid is therefore predefined or defined by a diameter and length of the duct limbs 21 and 22, and by a size of the shut-off body, which volume of liquid can be exchanged at maximum between the two chambers 5 and 6 through the first duct 15 before the latter is shut. As long as the shut-off body 25 can move together with liquid in the first duct 15 and, in particular, does not bear against either of the valve seats 23 and 24, rigidity of the elastomer body 1 is lower than if the shut-off body 25 bears against one of the valve seats 23 and 24.

[0053] If the shut-off body 25 is moved out of the junction region 26 by mechanical loading of the elastomer bearing 1, and if this mechanical load persists for a relatively long period of time, liquid is exchanged between the liquid chambers 5 and 6 through the second duct 16 until a state of equilibrium is reached. In addition, owing to the gravitational pull of the Earth, the shut-off body 25 moves toward the junction region 26, which therefore forms a zero position for the ball valve 27.

[0054] Given suitable geometric configuration of the ball valve 27 and second duct 16, good decoupling of dynamic and/or periodic loading of the elastomer bearing 1 with a high frequency and small amplitude can therefore be achieved owing to the first duct 15, whereas decoupling of dynamic and/or periodic loading of the elastomer bearing 1 with a low frequency and large amplitude can be achieved by the second duct. In addition, static initial loads can be compensated by the second duct.

[0055] While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the disclosure. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the disclosure.