Silencer for leaf spring for commercial vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11407267-B2
Application number	US-202016882898-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 26, 2020
Priority date	Nov 25, 2019
Publication date	Aug 9, 2022
Grant date	Aug 9, 2022

Abstract

A silencer for a leaf spring for a commercial vehicle is provided. The silencer includes an upper rubber body having defined therein a fitting hole into which a second leaf spring is press-fitted, with a top surface of the upper rubber body serving as a contact surface in contact with a first leaf spring, and a lower rubber body having defined therein an accommodation space, with a first buffering protrusion being provided on a bottom surface of the lower rubber body such that a third leaf spring is able to be in contact with the first buffering protrusion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A silencer for a leaf spring for a commercial vehicle, the silencer comprising:
an upper rubber body having defined therein a fitting hole into which a second leaf spring is press-fitted, with a top surface of the upper rubber body serving as a contact surface in contact with a first leaf spring; and
a lower rubber body having defined therein a buffering space, with a first buffering protrusion being provided on a bottom surface of the lower rubber body such that a third leaf spring is able to be in contact with the first buffering protrusion.

2. The silencer according to claim 1 , further comprising a metal insert accommodated within the upper rubber body, wherein the metal insert is configured to support the second leaf spring press-fitted into the fitting hole and to reinforce the upper rubber body.

3. The silencer according to claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of coupling holes provided in the metal insert, wherein the plurality of coupling holes are coupled with the upper rubber body.

4. The silencer according to claim 2 , further comprising a position fixing protrusion provided on a central portion of the metal insert, wherein a locking protrusion protrudes from a top surface of the fitting hole into which the second leaf spring is press-fitted.

5. The silencer according to claim 4 , further comprising a locking hole provided in the second leaf spring, wherein the locking protrusion is inserted into the locking protrusion in a locking manner.

6. The silencer according to claim 1 , wherein the bottom surface of the lower rubber body comprises an inclined surface inclined downward toward the first buffering protrusion.

7. The silencer according to claim 1 , further comprising a second buffering protrusion provided on a bottom surface of the buffering space of the lower rubber body, the second buffering protrusion having a convex shape extending upward at a location aligned with the first buffering protrusion in a top-bottom direction.

8. The silencer according to claim 1 , further comprising a partition having a passage provided in the buffering space of the lower rubber body, wherein the partition divides the buffering space into a left buffering space and a right buffering space.

9. The silencer according to claim 8 , further comprising fluid in the left buffering space and the right buffering space.

10. A vehicle comprising:
a leaf spring assembly comprising a first leaf spring, a second leaf spring, and a third leaf spring; and
a silencer attached to the leaf spring assembly, the silencer comprising:
an upper rubber body including a fitting hole, wherein the second leaf spring is press-fitted in the fitting hole, and wherein a top surface of the upper rubber body contacts the first leaf spring; and
a lower rubber body including a buffering space and a first buffering protrusion on a bottom surface of the lower rubber body, wherein the first buffering protrusion is configured to be able to contact the third leaf spring.

11. The vehicle according to claim 10 , further comprising vehicle mounting bushes disposed at both ends of the second leaf spring.

12. The vehicle according to claim 10 , further comprising a metal insert disposed inside the upper rubber body, wherein the metal insert supports the second leaf spring.

13. The vehicle according to claim 12 , further comprising:
a position fixing protrusion on a central portion of the metal insert;
a locking protrusion protruding from a top surface of the fitting hole; and
a plurality of coupling holes in the metal insert.

14. The vehicle according to claim 13 , further comprising a locking hole in the second leaf spring, wherein the locking protrusion is inserted into the locking hole.

15. The vehicle according to claim 10 , wherein the silencer is formed using a vulcanization mold.

16. The vehicle of claim 10 , further comprising:
a second buffering protrusion provided on a bottom surface of the buffering space and aligned with the first buffering protrusion in a top-bottom direction.

17. The vehicle of claim 10 , further comprising:
a partition provided in the buffering space, the partition having a passage and dividing the buffering space into a left buffering space and a right buffering space; and
a fluid contained in the left buffering space and the right buffering space.

18. The vehicle of claim 10 , further comprising an inclined surface on a bottom surface of the lower rubber body, the inclined surface being inclined downward toward the first buffering protrusion.

19. A method of performing a multistage buffering operation of a silencer mounted on a leaf spring assembly comprising a first leaf spring, a second leaf spring, and a third leaf spring bonded in a stack, the method comprising:
during a bumping behavior, performing a first buffering operation comprising bringing a first buffering protrusion provided in a lower rubber body of the silencer into contact with a top surface of the third leaf spring; and
during the bumping behavior, performing a second buffering operation comprising compressing the lower rubber body, reducing a height of a buffering space provided in the lower rubber body, and bringing a second buffering protrusion provided at a bottom surface of the lower rubber body into contact with a top surface of the buffering space.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
during a rebounding behavior, moving a central portion of the leaf spring assembly downward to increase a distance between the second leaf spring and the third leaf spring;
during the rebounding behavior, restoring the lower rubber body to its original position; and
during the rebounding behavior, restoring a spring constant of the leaf spring assembly.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp
• Sung Rhim T&T Co Ltd

Inventors

• Bark Ga Ram
• Jung Dong Ill
• Yeo Dong Jin
• Jeong Kwang Seok
• Lee Tae Heui

Classifications

• B60G11/38 Primary

  and also rubber springs · CPC title

• B60Y2306/09

  Reducing noise · CPC title

• B60G2202/143

  subjected to compression · CPC title

• B60G11/02 Primary

  having leaf springs only {(B60G11/006 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60G2800/162

  Reducing road induced vibrations · CPC title