Mount for subframe

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10767722-B2
Application number	US-201816206242-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2018
Priority date	Dec 4, 2017
Publication date	Sep 8, 2020
Grant date	Sep 8, 2020

Abstract

Flows of magnetorheological fluid inside a mount are controlled to be stopped in the direction of the axis of the mount and in directions perpendicular to the axis by applying coil excitation current to an exciting coil, and thus the elastic properties of the mount are adjusted such that the mount is hardened in the axial direction and in the directions perpendicular to the axis. As a result, a variable damping force can be exerted on the external forces applied to the mount in the axial direction and in the directions perpendicular to the axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mount for a subframe of a vehicle, said mount having a cylindrical shape, containing magnetorheological fluid in a fluid tight manner, and configured to be disposed on the subframe at a position where the subframe is supported by a vehicle body, the mount comprising:
upper and lower fluid chambers;
a middle fluid chamber, including an axial path extending in a direction of an axis of the mount and an axis-perpendicular path extending in a direction perpendicular to the axis, the middle fluid chamber being disposed between the upper and lower fluid chambers;
and a magnetic member,
wherein:
one end of the axial path communicates with one of the upper and lower fluid chambers,
another end of the axial path communicates with one end of the axis-perpendicular path, and another end of the axis-perpendicular path communicates with the other of the upper and lower fluid chambers;
the magnetic member forms magnetic paths passing through the axial path of the middle fluid chamber in directions perpendicular to the axis, and passing through the axis perpendicular path in the direction of the axis, in a state where excitation current is applied to a coil wound about the axis;
and wherein a plurality of partition members extend radially to partition the upper and lower fluid chambers into sectors of a hollow cylinder.

2. A mount for a subframe of a vehicle, said mount having a cylindrical shape and configured to be disposed on the subframe at a position where the subframe is supported by a vehicle body, the mount comprising:
an inner cylinder including a hollow shaft portion for fastening the mount to the vehicle body;
an outer cylinder disposed to be coaxial with the inner cylinder;
a coil having a cylindrical shape and secured adjacent to the inner cylinder; and
first and second elastic members each having an annular shape, respectively disposed in upper and lower portions of the mount, and holding a magnetorheological fluid inside the mount in a fluid tight manner,
wherein:
a first fluid chamber and a third fluid chamber accommodating the magnetorheological fluid are respectively disposed in the upper and lower portions inside the mount;
a second fluid chamber accommodating the magnetorheological fluid is disposed between the first fluid chamber and the third fluid chamber;
the second fluid chamber includes an axial path, extending in a direction of an axis of the mount and communicating with the first fluid chamber, and an axis-perpendicular path, extending in a direction perpendicular to the axis and communicating with the axial path and the third fluid chamber; and
a first magnetic member is secured to an outer circumference of the inner cylinder and a second magnetic member is secured to an inner circumference of the outer cylinder such that magnetic paths passing through the axial path of the second fluid chamber in the directions perpendicular to the axis and passing through the axis-perpendicular path in the direction of the axis are formed in a state where excitation current is applied to the coil,
and wherein a plurality of partition members extend radially to partition the first fluid chamber and the third fluid chamber into sectors of a hollow cylinder.

3. The mount for the subframe according to claim 2 , wherein:
the axial path and the axis-perpendicular path of the second fluid chamber are crank-shaped when the mount is viewed in longitudinal section;
the magnetic paths in the directions perpendicular to the axis are formed radially in the directions perpendicular to the axis; and
the magnetic paths in the direction of the axis are formed throughout an entire circumference of the axis.

4. The mount for the subframe according to claim 2 , wherein a volume of the second fluid chamber is smaller than a volume of the first fluid chamber and than a volume of the third fluid chamber.

5. The mount for the subframe according to claim 2 , wherein a stiffness of one of the first and second elastic members, each having the annular shape, respectively disposed in the upper and lower portions of the mount, and holding the magnetorheological fluid inside the mount in a fluid tight manner, is lower than a stiffness of the other elastic member.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Inoue Toshio

Classifications

• B62D21/11

  with resilient means for suspension {, e.g. of wheels or engine; sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions} · CPC title

• F16F9/535 Primary

  Magnetorheological [MR] fluid dampers (springs comprising magnetorheological [MR] elastomers F16F1/361) · CPC title

• F16F2234/02

  cylindrical · CPC title

• F16F2224/045

  magnetorheological · CPC title

• F16F2222/12

  Fluid damping · CPC title