Suspension thrust bearing device and suspension strut equipped with such a device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11186133-B2
Application number	US-201916708839-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2019
Priority date	Dec 12, 2018
Publication date	Nov 30, 2021
Grant date	Nov 30, 2021

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a suspension thrust bearing device, for use with a suspension spring in an automotive suspension strut of a vehicle. The device comprises a bearing having upper and lower annular bearing members in relative rotation, and a damping element made of resilient material and interposed between the lower annular bearing member and the suspension spring. The damping element comprising at least one deflecting flange for reducing any ingress of water and other pollutants between the upper and lower annular bearing members. The damping element is provided with an annular groove open axially towards the suspension spring, said annular groove radially defining a spring support surface on inner side, and the said deflecting flange on outer side.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A suspension thrust bearing device for use with a suspension spring in a suspension strut comprising:
a bearing having an upper annular bearing member and a lower annular bearing member rotationally movable relative to the upper annular bearing member; and
a damping element made of resilient material and configured to be interposed between the lower annular bearing member and a suspension spring, the damping element comprising at least one deflecting flange that outwardly and substantially radially extends from an outer side of an annular groove that radially defines a spring support surface on an inner side of the annular groove.

2. The suspension thrust bearing device of claim 1 , wherein the annular groove has a conical shape.

3. The suspension thrust bearing device of claim 1 , wherein the annular groove has a round shape.

4. The suspension thrust bearing device of claim 1 , further comprising an upper annular bearing member having a bearing with a first ring fixed to an upper cap, and a lower annular bearing member having a second ring fixed to a lower cap.

5. The suspension thrust bearing device of claim 4 , wherein the annular groove has a conical shape.

6. The suspension thrust bearing device of claim 4 , wherein the annular groove has a round shape.

7. The suspension thrust bearing device of claim 4 , wherein the first and second rings define an annular rolling chamber, and further wherein the bearing is a rolling bearing having least one row of rolling elements disposed within the rolling chamber.

8. The suspension thrust bearing device of claim 7 , wherein the annular groove has a conical shape.

9. The suspension thrust bearing device of claim 7 , wherein the annular groove has a round shape.

10. The suspension thrust bearing device of claim 1 , wherein the annular groove comprises a plurality of stiffening ribs.

11. The suspension thrust bearing device of claim 10 , wherein the stiffening ribs are circumferentially equally spaced within said annular groove.

12. A motor vehicle suspension strut comprising a damper rod, a suspension spring, and a suspension thrust bearing device according to claim 1 .

13. A suspension thrust bearing device for use with a suspension spring in a suspension strut comprising:
a bearing having an upper annular bearing member and a lower annular bearing member rotationally movable relative to the upper annular bearing member;
a damping element made of resilient material and configured to be interposed between the lower annular bearing member and a suspension spring, the damping element comprising at least one deflecting flange that outwardly and substantially radially extends from an outer side of an annular groove that radially defines a spring support surface on an inner side of the annular groove;
an upper annular bearing member having a bearing with a first ring fixed to an upper cap; and
a lower annular bearing member having a second ring fixed to a lower cap, the second ring and the first ring together defining a rolling chamber.

14. The suspension thrust bearing device of claim 13 , wherein the annular groove has a conical shape.

15. The suspension thrust bearing device of claim 13 , wherein the annular groove has a round shape.

16. The suspension thrust bearing device of claim 13 , wherein the annular groove comprises a plurality of stiffening ribs.

17. The suspension thrust bearing device of claim 16 , wherein the stiffening ribs are circumferentially equally spaced within said annular groove.

18. A motor vehicle suspension strut comprising a damper rod, a suspension spring, and a suspension thrust bearing device according to claim 17 .

19. A motor vehicle suspension strut comprising:
a damper rod;
a suspension spring; and
a suspension thrust bearing device having:
a bearing having an upper annular bearing member and a lower annular bearing member rotationally movable relative to the upper annular bearing member;
a damping element made of resilient material and configured to be interposed between the lower annular bearing member and the suspension spring, the damping element comprising at least one deflecting flange that outwardly and substantially radially extends from an outer side of an annular groove that radially defines a spring support surface on an inner side of the annular groove for receiving the suspension spring;
an upper annular bearing member having a bearing with a first ring fixed to an upper cap;
a lower annular bearing member having a second ring fixed to a lower cap; and
a rolling bearing having least one row of rolling elements disposed within a rolling chamber defined by the first ring and the second ring.

20. The motor vehicle suspension strut of claim 19 , wherein the annular groove has either a conical shape, a round shape, or a square shape.

Assignees

• Skf Korea Ltd
• Skf Ab

Inventors

• De Lemps Francois
• Jullien Tommy
• Montboeuf Bruno
• Oh Heedong

Classifications

• F16C33/761

  specifically for bearings with purely axial load · CPC title

• B60G2202/312

  The spring being a wound spring · CPC title

• F16C17/04

  for axial load only · CPC title

• B60G15/02

  having mechanical spring · CPC title

• F16C19/10 Primary

  for axial load mainly · CPC title