Leaf spring retaining element for a leaf spring mounting plate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10632809-B2
Application number	US-201615332917-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 24, 2016
Priority date	Oct 26, 2015
Publication date	Apr 28, 2020
Grant date	Apr 28, 2020

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a leaf spring retaining element for rotationally and elastically mounting a leaf spring end of a leaf spring on a vehicle structure. The leaf spring retaining element includes a leaf spring mounting part having a receiving recess to accommodate the leaf spring end; an elastomer molded part configured to rotationally and elastically mount the leaf spring end, wherein the elastomer molded part is arranged in the receiving recess and shaped to at least partially enclose the leaf spring end; and a bearing configured to support the leaf spring mounting part on the vehicle structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A leaf spring retaining element for rotationally and elastically mounting a leaf spring end of a leaf spring on a vehicle structure, comprising:
a leaf spring mounting part comprising a receiving recess to accommodate the lea spring end, wherein the leaf spring mounting part has a mold section that at least partially encloses the vehicle structure;
an elastomer molded part configured to rotationally and elastically mount the leaf spring end, wherein the elastomer molded part is arranged in the receiving recess and shaped to at least partially enclose the leaf spring end, wherein the leaf spring end is closed by a rounded, thickened front; and
a bearing configured to support the leaf spring mounting part on the vehicle structure, wherein the bearing comprises a bearing eye for rotatable mounting of the leaf spring retaining element on the vehicle structure;
wherein the bearing comprises a plastically deformable impact area configured to accommodate impact energy, wherein the plastically deformable impact area comprises a number of plastically deformable connectors configured to at least partially take up the impact energy by plastic deformation, wherein the impact energy originates from the leaf spring mounting part.

2. The leaf spring retaining element according to claim 1 , wherein the elastomer molded part contains an elastomer.

3. The leaf spring retaining element according to claim 1 , wherein the elastomer molded part is bonded with the receiving recess or mounted or clamped to move in the receiving recess.

4. The leaf spring retaining element according to claim 1 , wherein the elastomer molded part is shaped to fully enclose or encase or surround a thickening of the leaf spring end.

5. The leaf spring retaining element according to claim 1 , wherein the elastomer molded part comprises a receiving space, and wherein the leaf spring end is frontally or laterally insertable into the receiving space.

6. The leaf spring retaining element according to claim 5 , wherein the leaf spring end comprises a thickening and the receiving space is shaped to fully enclose or encase or surround the thickening of the leaf spring end.

7. The leaf spring retaining element according to claim 5 , wherein the receiving space is configured to be opened or closed laterally.

8. The leaf spring retaining element according to claim 1 , wherein the leaf spring end is mountable in the leaf spring mounting part by clamping or form-fitting.

9. The leaf spring retaining element according to claim 1 , wherein the leaf spring end is mountable with rotational elasticity in the receiving recess by elastic deformation of the elastomer molded part.

10. The leaf spring retaining element according to claim 1 , wherein the bearing is configured to be rigidly connected to the vehicle structure.

11. The leaf spring retaining element according to claim 1 , wherein the leaf spring mounting part is formed by a bent sheet metal part, Wherein the receiving recess is formed by deformation of the sheet metal part, or wherein the leaf spring mounting part is formed as a single piece with the bearing.

12. A leaf spring arrangement, comprising
a leaf spring comprising a leaf spring end; and
a leaf spring retaining element, the leaf spring retaining element comprising:
a leaf spring mounting part comprising a receiving recess to accommodate the lea spring end, wherein the leaf spring end is closed by a rounded, thickened front and has a mold section that at least partially encloses a vehicle structure;
an elastomer molded part configured to rotationally and elastically mount the leaf spring end to the vehicle structure, the elastomer molded part being arranged in the receiving recess and shaped to at least partially enclose the leaf spring end; and
a bearing configured to support the leaf spring mounting part on the vehicle structure, wherein the bearing comprises a bearing eye for rotatable mounting of the leaf spring retaining element on the vehicle structure;
wherein the bearing comprises a plastically deformable impact area configured to accommodate impact energy, wherein the plastically deformable impact area comprises a number of plastically deformable connectors configured to at least partially take up the impact energy by plastic deformation, wherein the impact energy originates from the leaf spring mounting part.

13. A vehicle, comprising:
an elastomer molded part;
a leaf spring comprising a leaf spring end, wherein the leaf spring end is closed by a rounded, thickened front;
wherein the elastomer molded part encloses the leaf spring end in form-fit fashion to rotationally and elastically mount the leaf spring end, and wherein the elastomer molded part is bonded to the leaf spring; and
a bearing comprising a bearing eye for rotatable mounting of a leaf spring retaining element on the vehicle structure; wherein the bearing comprises a plastically deformable impact area configured to accommodate impact energy, wherein the plastically deformable impact area comprises a number of plastically deformable connectors configured to at least partially take up the impact energy by plastic deformation, wherein the impact energy originates from a leaf spring mounting part of the leaf spring retaining element, wherein the leaf spring mounting part has a mold section that at Least partially encloses the vehicle structure.

14. The leaf spring according to claim 13 , wherein the leaf spring end comprises a thickening.

15. The leaf spring according to claim 14 , wherein the elastomer molded part is molded onto the thickening of the leaf spring end, wherein the elastomer molded part fully encloses or is molded around the thickening of the leaf spring end.

Assignees

• Sgl Carbon Se

Inventors

• Drabon Rodscha
• Hammelmaier Ullrich
• Howe Torsten
• Koczar Peter
• Lange Thomas
• Rochell Dirk

Classifications

• B60G2206/428

  Leaf springs · CPC title

• B60G11/04

  arranged substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle · CPC title

• B60G2204/41

  Elastic mounts, e.g. bushings · CPC title

• B60G2202/112

  longitudinally arranged · CPC title

• B60G2204/121

  Mounting of leaf springs · CPC title