UNIT SUPPORT

Abstract

A unit support for supporting a drive unit with respect to a motor vehicle includes a crossmember, at least one unit bearing between the crossmember and the drive unit to support the drive unit, and a shape-fitting connection fastening the at least one unit bearing to the crossmember.

Claims

1-11. (canceled)

12. A unit support, for supporting a drive unit with respect to a motor vehicle body, comprising: a crossmember configured for connection to a motor vehicle body; at least one unit bearing disposed between the crossmember and a drive unit so as to support the drive unit; and a shape-fitting connection fastening the at least one unit bearing to the crossmember.

13. A unit support in accordance with claim 12, wherein the shape-fitting connection is formed by a snap-in connection.

14. A unit support in accordance with claim 12, wherein the crossmember has cut-outs defined therein, the at least one unit bearing comprises a connection part including at least one elastically deformable joining part configured to be hooked into respective cut-outs of the crossmember.

15. A unit support in accordance with claim 14, wherein the connection part includes at least four elastically deformable joining parts configured to be hooked into respective cut-outs of the crossmember.

16. A unit support in accordance with claim 14, wherein the joining parts are each a snap-in hook having an elastically deformable latching nose configured to be latched to the crossmember.

17. A unit support in accordance with claim 14, wherein the crossmember comprises a projection for each unit bearing, the cut-outs disposed in the projection such that the projection for each unit bearing is configured for receiving or fastening the connection part.

18. A unit support in accordance with claim 14, wherein the at least one unit bearing further comprises at least one elastomer body for transmitting loads and vibrations between the drive unit and the crossmember.

19. A unit support in accordance with claim 18, wherein the at least one elastomer body is integrated with the connection part.

20. A unit support in accordance with claim 12, wherein the at least one unit bearing comprises a connector part configured to be connected to the drive unit at one end, the connector part having a stopper section at an opposite end, the stopper section movably arranged within a recess in the crossmember, the movability of the stopper section being limited in at least one direction by at least one abutment surface in the recess.

21. A unit support in accordance with claim 20, wherein the connector part is metal and is coated or enveloped by an elastomer in at least the region of the stopper section.

22. A unit support in accordance with claim 20, wherein the stopper section has a relatively larger cross-section with respect to an adjacent section of the connector part such that the movability of the stopper section within the recess is limited in the X, Y and Z directions.

23. A unit support in accordance with claim 14, wherein the crossmember and the connection part are plastic.

24. A unit support in accordance with claim 14, wherein the crossmember and the connection part are thermoplastic.

25. A unit support in accordance with claim 14, wherein the crossmember and the connection part are fiber-reinforced polyamide.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] FIG. 1 a perspective representation of a unit support in accordance with an embodiment of the invention with a transmission supported thereat;

[0025] FIG. 2 a perspective representation of the unit support from FIG. 1 without a transmission;

[0026] FIG. 3 an exploded representation of the unit support from FIG. 2,

[0027] FIG. 4 a cross-section through the unit support from FIG. 2;

[0028] FIG. 5 a perspective representation of a unit bearing of the unit support from FIG. 2; and

[0029] FIG. 6 a cross-section through the unit support from FIG. 5.

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a perspective representation of a unit support 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The unit support 1 comprises a crossmember 2 having two integrated unit bearings 3. The unit bearings 3 are arranged between the crossmember 2 and a transmission 4, whereby the transmission 4 is supported with respect to a body of a motor vehicle, not shown, connected to the crossmember 2.

[0031] FIG. 2 shows the unit support 1 without the transmission 4, while FIG. 3 represents an exploded view of the unit support 1. As can be recognized from the joint review of FIGS. 2 and 3, the unit bearings 3 are fastened to the crossmember 2 by a snap-in connection. For this purpose, the unit bearings 3 each comprise a connection part 5 of plastic from which four elastic snap-in hooks 7 having latching noses 8 at the end sides extend in the direction toward the crossmember 2.

[0032] On a joining together of the unit bearings 3 and the crossmember 2, the snap-in hooks 7 are introduced into corresponding first cut-outs 9 in the crossmember 2, wherein the first cut-outs 9 and the snap-in hooks 7 are configured such that the latching noses 8 are compressed on introduction into the cut-outs 9 before they move to second cut-outs 10, which extend transversely to the first cut-outs 9, and expand again, whereby the snap-in hooks 7 catch with respect to the crossmember 2 and the unit bearings 3 are connected to the crossmember 2 in a shape-fit manner.

[0033] The cut-outs 9 and 10 are provided in pedestal-like projections 6 at the upper side of the crossmembers 2, with the projections 6 being formed in one piece with the crossmembers 2 of plastic. The projections 6 and the connection part 5 are substantially congruent.

[0034] The unit bearings 3 each comprise a piston-shaped connector part 11 which substantially comprises a first cylindrical section 12 having a first diameter and a second cylindrical section having a second diameter larger relative to the first diameter, with the second cylindrical section forming a stopper section 13. The connector part 11 comprises metal and hast a rubber coating 14 at least the stopper section 13.

[0035] The first cylindrical section 12, which is configured in two parts in the embodiment, serves for the connection of the transmission 4, while the stopper section 13 serves to limit movements of the transmission 4 with respect to the crossmember 2. For this purpose, the stopper section 13 is received in a corresponding recess 15 in the crossmember 2 such as shown in FIG. 4. The movability of the stopper section 13 within the recess 15 is limited in all directions. Abruptly occurring high loads on the transmission 4for example on an accidentare thus transmitted via the stopper section 13 onto adjacent abutment surfaces 16 within which the recess 15 is located and the resulting relative movement between the transmission 4 and the crossmember 2 is limited.

[0036] FIGS. 5 and 6 show the unit bearing 3 in a perspective representation or in cross-section. The unit bearing 3 comprises an elastomer body 17 for transmitting loads and vibrations between the transmission 4 and the crossmember 2, with the elastomer of the elastomer body 17 in particular being formed by rubber.

[0037] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the crossmember 2 comprises a plurality of bores 18 having screw sleeves 19 received therein by means of which the crossmember 2 can be screwed to a body, not shown, of a motor vehicle.

[0038] The crossmember 2 and the plastic parts of the unit bearings 3 comprise plastic, in particular thermoplastic, in particular fiber-reinforced polyamide.