Abstract
The disclosure relates to a bearing bushing for a motor vehicle. In one example, the bearing bushing has an inner ring and an outer ring and an elastomer element arranged rotationally fixedly radially between the inner ring and the outer ring. The bearing bushing is switchable between at least two stiffness stages.
The change in stiffness of the bearing bushing may be provided by at least one auxiliary element disposed radially between the inner ring and the outer ring.
Claims
1. A bearing bushing for a motor vehicle, comprising: an inner ring and an outer ring and an elastomer element arranged rotationally fixedly radially between the inner ring and the outer ring; wherein the bearing bushing is switchable between at least two stiffness stages, and a change in stiffness of the bearing bushing is configured to be provided by at least one auxiliary element disposed radially between the inner ring and the outer ring.
2. The bearing bushing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one auxiliary element is formed as an elastomer ring, wherein, for the change in stiffness of the bearing bushing, the elastomer ring is movable axially on the inner ring.
3. The bearing bushing as claimed in claim 2, wherein the elastomer ring comes to bear radially between the inner ring and the outer ring.
4. The bearing bushing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one auxiliary element is formed as a non-elastic ring, wherein, for the change in stiffness of the bearing bushing, the non-elastic ring is movable axially on the inner ring.
5. The bearing bushing as claimed in claim 4, wherein the non-elastic ring comes to bear radially between the inner ring and the elastomer element.
6. The bearing bushing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one auxiliary element is formed as a support ring, wherein the support ring is arranged on the elastomer element at an end side and, for the change in stiffness of the bearing bushing, is mounted rotatably on the inner ring.
7. The bearing bushing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elastomer element has, at least on one end side, at least one axially formed recess, wherein the at least one auxiliary element is formed as a ring element and has an axially formed protuberance in a manner complementary to the at least one axially formed recess, wherein, for the change in stiffness of the bearing bushing, the ring element is axially movable on the inner ring.
8. The bearing bushing as claimed in claim 1, wherein two auxiliary elements are provided for the change in stiffness of the bearing bushing, wherein, for the change in stiffness of the bearing bushing, the two auxiliary elements come to bear against the elastomer element in each case at an end side.
9. The bearing bushing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one auxiliary element is a hose arranged within the elastomer element, wherein, for the change in stiffness of the bearing bushing, the hose is configured to be filled with a fluid.
10. The bearing bushing as claimed in claim 1, wherein for the change in stiffness of the bearing bushing, at least one actuator, comprising an electric motor or a compressor, is provided, wherein the at least one actuator is connected at least indirectly to the at least one auxiliary element.
11. A method of switching a stiffness of a bearing bushing, comprising: providing a bushing bearing including an inner ring, an outer ring, an elastomer element arranged radially between the inner ring and the outer ring, and an auxiliary element arranged radially between the inner ring and the outer ring; and changing the stiffness of the bearing bushing from a first stiffness to a second stiffness by moving the auxiliary element axially on the inner ring.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the auxiliary element is formed as an elastomer ring, wherein, for the change in stiffness of the bearing bushing, the elastomer ring is moved axially on the inner ring.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the elastomer ring comes to bear radially between the inner ring and the outer ring.
14. The method of claim 11, wherein the auxiliary element is formed as a non-elastic ring, wherein, for the change in stiffness of the bearing bushing, the non-elastic ring is moved axially on the inner ring.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the non-elastic ring comes to bear radially between the inner ring and the elastomer element.
16. The method of claim 11, wherein the elastomer element has, at least on one end side, an axially formed recess, wherein the auxiliary element is formed as a ring element and has an axially formed protuberance in a manner complementary to the axially formed recess, wherein, for the change in stiffness of the bearing bushing, the ring element is axially moved on the inner ring.
17. The method of claim 11, wherein for the change in stiffness of the bearing bushing, an actuator including an electric motor or a compressor is provided; and the actuator is connected at least indirectly to the auxiliary element and is configured to move the auxiliary element axially on the inner ring.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] Further measures which improve the disclosure will be presented in more detail below together with the description of additional embodiments of the disclosure on the basis of the figures. In the figures:
[0017] FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of a chassis link for a motor vehicle, wherein the chassis link has a bearing bushing according to the disclosure,
[0018] FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional illustration for illustrating the structure of the bearing bushing according to the disclosure as per a first embodiment,
[0019] FIG. 3 shows a schematic sectional illustration for illustrating the structure of the bearing bushing according to the disclosure as per a second embodiment,
[0020] FIG. 4a shows a schematic side view of the bearing bushing according to the disclosure as per a third embodiment,
[0021] FIG. 4b shows a schematic sectional illustration for illustrating the structure of the bearing bushing according to the disclosure as per FIG. 4a,
[0022] FIG. 5 shows a schematic sectional illustration for illustrating the structure of the bearing bushing according to the disclosure as per a fourth embodiment, and
[0023] FIG. 6 shows a schematic sectional illustration for illustrating the structure of the bearing bushing according to the disclosure as per a fifth embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0024] In FIG. 1, a bearing bushing 1 according to the disclosure is arranged in a bore 19, provided for the purpose, on a chassis link 17. The chassis link 17 is installed in a chassis (not illustrated here) of a motor vehicle (not illustrated here). An axle support (not illustrated here) of the motor vehicle is fastened to a bolt 18 of the bearing bushing 1. Furthermore, the chassis link 17 has a further bore 19a in which there is arranged a mechanical, non-switchable bearing bushing 1a. In other words, the bearing bushing 1a is designed as a conventional rubber bearing. A wheel support (not illustrated here) is arranged on a bolt 18a of the bearing bushing 1a.
[0025] As per FIGS. 2 to 6, the bearing bushing 1 according to the disclosure comprises an inner ring 2 and an outer ring 3 and an elastomer element 4 arranged radially between, and rotationally fixedly on, the inner ring 2 and the outer ring 3. Furthermore, for the change in stiffness of the bearing bushing 1, at least one auxiliary element 5a, 5b is provided radially between the inner ring 2 and the outer ring 3.
[0026] As per FIG. 2, two auxiliary elements 5a, 5b are provided for the change in stiffness of the bearing bushing 1, wherein the two auxiliary elements 5a, 5b come to bear against the elastomer element 4 in each case at an end side. Here, the two auxiliary elements 5a, 5b are formed as a respective elastomer ring 6a, 6b. Furthermore, for the change in stiffness of the bearing bushing 1, the elastomer rings 6a, 6b are axially movable on the inner ring 2, wherein an actuator 14, comprising an electric motor 15, is provided for the axial displacement of the two elastomer rings 6a, 6b. Here, the electric motor is connected via a linkage 24 to the respective elastomer ring 6a, 6b. To increase the stiffness of the bearing bushing 1, the two elastomer rings 6a, 6b come to bear radially between the inner ring 2 and the outer ring 3.
[0027] As per FIG. 3, two auxiliary elements 5a, 5b are provided for the change in stiffness of the bearing bushing 1, wherein the two auxiliary elements 5a, 5b come to bear against the elastomer element 4 in each case at an end side. Furthermore, the two auxiliary elements 5a, 5b are each formed as a non-elastic ring 7a, 7b. For the change in stiffness of the bearing bushing 1, the two non-elastic rings 7a, 7b are movable axially on the inner ring 2 and, in order to increase the stiffness of the bearing bushing 1, come to bear radially between the inner ring 2 and the elastomer element 4. The non-elastic rings 7a, 7b are formed from a metallic material. Furthermore, the elastomer element 4 has a respective recess 20a, 20b which is of complementary form with respect to the respective non-elastic ring 7a, 7b. As a result, the elastomer element 4 is of substantially arrow-shaped form toward the inner ring 2, such that a progressive damping characteristic curve of the bearing bushing 1 is realized. This is because, with increasing deformation of the elastomer element 4, the contact area of the elastomer element 4 against the inner ring 2 increases. A major part of the deformation takes place in said arrow-shaped region 21 of the elastomer element 4. Therefore, the non-elastic rings 7a, 7b are used to support the arrow-shaped region 21 in order to increase the stiffness of the bearing bushing 1.
[0028] As per FIGS. 4a, 4b, two auxiliary elements 5a, 5b are provided for the change in stiffness of the bearing bushing 1, wherein the two auxiliary elements 5a, 5b come to bear against the elastomer element 4 in each case at an end side. Furthermore, the respective auxiliary element 5a, 5b is formed as a support ring 8a, 8b. For the change in stiffness of the bearing bushing 1, the two support rings 8a, 8b are mounted on the inner ring 2 so as to be rotatable by the actuator 14. For this purpose, a plain bearing bushing 22a, 22b is arranged radially between the respective support ring 8a, 8b and the inner ring 2, wherein the actuator 14 has an electric motor 15 which drives the support ring 8b via a pinion shaft 25. The two support rings 8a, 8b are connected rotationally fixedly to one another. Consequently, direction-dependent stiffening of the bearing bushing 1 is realized by the respective support ring 8a, 8b.
[0029] As per FIG. 5, two auxiliary elements 5a, 5b are provided, wherein, for the change in stiffness of the bearing bushing 1, the two auxiliary elements 5a, 5b come to bear against the elastomer element 4 in each case at an end side. Furthermore, on each end side, the elastomer element 4 has in each case two axially formed recesses 9a-9d. The two auxiliary elements 5a, 5b are formed as a respective ring element 10a, 10b. The respective ring element 10a, 10b has axially formed protuberances 11a-11d in a manner complementary to the axially formed recesses 9a-9d. For the change in stiffness of the bearing bushing 1, the two ring elements 10a, 10b are axially movable on the inner ring 2. Furthermore, the respective recesses 9a-9d have a respective metal strip 23a-23d for minimizing friction between the elastomer element 4 and the respective ring element 10a, 10b. In particular, the respective recesses 9a-9d are formed in a ring-shaped manner on the respective end face. In a first switching position (illustrated here), the respective ring element 10a, 10b is axially spaced apart from the elastomer element 4, wherein the respective recess 9a-9d is provided as a weakening structure on the elastomer element 4. Consequently, in this switching position, the stiffness of the bearing bushing 1 is at a minimum. An axial displacement of the two ring elements 10a, 10b toward the elastomer element 4 results in the axially formed protuberances 11a-11d engaging into the axially formed recesses 9a-9d, and thus in stiffening of the bearing bushing 1. Consequently, in a second switching position, the stiffness of the bearing bushing 1 is at a maximum.
[0030] As per FIG. 6, the auxiliary element 5a is a hose 12 arranged within the elastomer element 4. Here, the hose 12 is formed from a fiber-reinforced material and interacts, for the change in stiffness of the bearing bushing 1, with a fluid 13 situated therein. The fluid 13 is preferably compressed air, wherein the stiffness of the bearing bushing 1 is dependent on the air pressure in the hose 12. For the change in stiffness of the bearing bushing 1, the hose 12 is connected to an actuator 14. The actuator 14 comprises a compressor 16 which is connected via a fluid-conducting line 26 to the hose 12 for the purposes of increasing the compressed air.
LIST OF REFERENCE DESIGNATIONS
[0031] 1, 1a Bearing bushing
[0032] 2 Inner ring
[0033] 3 Outer ring
[0034] 4 Elastomer element
[0035] 5a, 5b Auxiliary element
[0036] 6a, 6b Elastomer ring
[0037] 7a, 7b Non-elastic ring
[0038] 8a, 8b Support ring
[0039] 9a-9d Recess
[0040] 10a, 10b Ring element
[0041] 11a-11d Protuberance
[0042] 12 Hose
[0043] 13 Fluid
[0044] 14 Actuator
[0045] 15 Electric motor
[0046] 16 Compressor
[0047] 17 Chassis link
[0048] 18, 18a Bolt
[0049] 19, 19a Bore
[0050] 20a, 20b Recess
[0051] 21 Arrow-shaped region
[0052] 22a, 22b Plain bearing bushing
[0053] 23a-23d Metal strip
[0054] 24 Linkage
[0055] 25 Pinion shaft
[0056] 26 Fluid-conducting line
