An integrated front strut assembly

Abstract

The application discloses an integrated front pillar assembly, which comprises a shock absorber and an assembling assembly arranged at one end of the shock absorber; the assembling assembly comprises a base arranged on the shock absorber and an outer frame arranged above the base, the outer frame is provided with a barb at the bottom, the base is buckled with the barb to be fixed below the outer frame, a bearing assembly is arranged between the outer frame and the base, one side of the outer frame close to the base is provided with a bottom plate, the bottom plate and the outer frame enclose a trapezoidal space for accommodating the bearing assembly, and the trapezoidal space is shaped with the bearing assembly to fix the bearing assembly inside the outer frame. The application replaces the functions of the existing bearing upper raceway and bearing upper cover through the optimized design of the front pillar outer frame structure, the rolling balls in the bearing are directly placed in the front pillar outer frame structure, and the structural integration of the front pillar upper support and the bearing is realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to automotive suspension systems, and more specifically to an integrated front strut assembly. Background Technology

[0002] The main functions of the front strut assembly in a MacPherson strut suspension system are to provide stiffness, damping, and travel limitation for the vehicle. The springs in the front strut assembly provide stiffness for vehicle support, the shock absorbers provide damping to dampen vibrations, and the bump blocks provide stiffness for travel limitation. The upper bracket of the front strut connects the shock absorber / strut bearing to the vehicle body, absorbing shock absorber piston rod vibrations. The strut bearing in the front strut assembly provides rotational functionality for normal vehicle steering.

[0003] In the existing front strut assembly, the front strut upper bracket and the strut bearing are two separate parts. When assembling the front strut assembly, the OEM or strut assembly supplier needs to pre-load the front strut upper bracket and the strut bearing separately.

[0004] However, during the press-fitting process, problems may arise due to poor control of the interference fit, leading to misalignment of the strut bearing and the upper front strut bracket (resulting in misalignment or gaps) and cracking of the strut bearing cover. These issues cause abnormal noises during operation of the front strut assembly and component failures. Furthermore, the upper front strut bracket and strut bearing involve numerous sub-components with high component costs; component failures further increase production costs. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Based on this, the purpose of the present invention is to provide an integrated front strut assembly, which aims to solve the problems of improper assembly of the strut bearing and the front strut upper bracket (with skewing or gaps) and cracking of the strut bearing cover caused by poor control of the interference fit during the press-fitting of the front strut upper bracket and strut bearing.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: an integrated front strut assembly, comprising a shock absorber and an assembly component disposed at one end of the shock absorber;

[0007] The assembly includes a base fitted onto the shock absorber and an outer frame positioned above the base. The bottom of the outer frame has barbs, and the base engages with the barbs to be fixed below the outer frame. A bearing assembly is positioned between the outer frame and the base. A base plate is positioned on the side of the outer frame near the base. The base plate and the outer frame enclose a trapezoidal space for accommodating the bearing assembly. The trapezoidal space is contoured to the bearing assembly to fix the bearing assembly inside the outer frame.

[0008] In summary, the integrated front strut assembly provided by this invention replaces the functions of the existing strut bearing raceway and strut bearing cover by optimizing the design of the front strut outer frame structure. The balls in the strut bearing are directly placed in the front strut outer frame structure, achieving structural integration of the front strut upper support and the strut bearing. Specifically, the integrated front strut assembly includes a shock absorber and an assembly component located at one end of the shock absorber. The assembly component includes a base sleeved on the shock absorber and an outer frame located above the base. The bottom of the outer frame has barbs, and the side of the base near the outer frame has a groove that cooperates with the barbs to fix the base to the bottom of the outer frame. A bearing assembly is provided between the outer frame and the base. A base plate is provided on the side of the outer frame near the base. The base plate and the outer frame enclose a trapezoidal space for accommodating the bearing assembly. The trapezoidal space is contoured to the bearing assembly to fix the bearing assembly inside the outer frame. While maintaining the functionality of the front strut upper bracket and strut bearing, this invention reduces two sub-parts—the upper raceway and the upper cover—of the strut bearing, eliminating the original press-fitting process for the front strut upper bracket and strut bearing. This resolves the issues of abnormal noise and component failure in the front strut assembly caused by the press-fitting process. By reducing the number of sub-parts and assembly steps, this invention achieves a lower failure rate, lower production costs, and a smaller assembly weight for the front strut assembly. It also reduces the space required for installation, increases the degree of integration, and brings greater spatial comfort and energy economy to the vehicle, while simultaneously improving the reliability of the front strut assembly.

[0009] Furthermore, the bearing assembly includes a lower bearing raceway, a bearing cage disposed on the lower bearing raceway, and bearing balls disposed between the bearing cage and the lower bearing raceway. The lower bearing raceway is placed on the base plate, and the bearing cage abuts against the bottom of the outer frame.

[0010] Furthermore, the bearing cage is provided with a plurality of fixing holes evenly arranged, and the bearing balls are disposed in the lower raceway of the bearing. The bearing balls are embedded one by one in the fixing holes so that the bearing balls are distributed at intervals in the lower raceway of the bearing.

[0011] Furthermore, the diameter of the fixing hole is smaller than that of the bearing ball, and the portion of the bearing ball extending beyond the bearing cage abuts against the ball-fitting spherical surface at the top of the trapezoidal space.

[0012] Furthermore, the base plate is an L-shaped bracket, which includes a horizontal plate for supporting the assembly and a vertical plate arranged perpendicular to the horizontal plate. The vertical plate is embedded in the outer frame to surround the bearing assembly.

[0013] Furthermore, the shock absorber has a support member in the middle, and the outer periphery of the portion between the support member and the base is covered with a spring pad.

[0014] Furthermore, the outer periphery of the spring pad is provided with an elastic element, and the two ends of the elastic element abut against the base and the support respectively.

[0015] Furthermore, the diameters at both ends of the elastic element are smaller than the diameter at the middle of the elastic element.

[0016] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the integrated front strut assembly in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the integrated front strut assembly;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the bearing assembly.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the exoskeleton structure;

[0022] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the outer frame and the base.

[0023] Component symbol explanation in the attached diagram:

[0024] Shock absorber 100, base 200, outer frame 300, base plate 310, horizontal plate 311, vertical plate 312, barb 320, trapezoidal space 330, ball-fitting spherical surface 331, bearing assembly 400, bearing lower raceway 410, bearing cage 420, bearing ball 430, support 500, spring gasket 600, elastic element 700. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To facilitate understanding of the present invention, a more complete description will be given below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Several embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings. However, the invention can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete.

[0026] It should be noted that when a component is said to be "fixed to" another component, it can be directly on the other component or there may be an intervening component. When a component is said to be "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intervening component. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this document are for illustrative purposes only.

[0027] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein in the description of the invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0028] Please combine Figure 1-5 The diagram shows a schematic representation of an integrated front strut assembly according to an embodiment of the invention. The integrated front strut assembly includes a shock absorber 100 and an assembly component disposed at one end of the shock absorber 100, wherein:

[0029] To avoid problems such as misalignment (misalignment or gap) and cracking of the support bearing cover caused by poor control of interference fit during press fitting, an assembly assembly is used to replace the existing support bearing raceway and support bearing cover. The assembly assembly includes a base 200 sleeved on the shock absorber 100 and an outer frame 300 positioned above the base 200. Both the base 200 and the outer frame 300 surround the shock absorber 100. To secure the base 200 and the outer frame 300 as a single unit, the bottom of the outer frame 300 has a barb 320 facing the base 200. Correspondingly, the outer frame 300 has a groove facing the base 200 that engages with the barb 320. The base 200 completes the assembly by engaging the barb 320 with the groove. The outer frame 300 replaces the traditional upper raceway and upper cover of the support bearing. By designing the barb 320 and groove, the original front support upper bracket and support bearing press-fit process is eliminated, which solves the problems of abnormal noise and component failure in the front support assembly caused by the press-fit process.

[0030] Furthermore, a base plate 310 is provided between the outer frame 300 and the base 200. The base plate 310 is an L-shaped bracket. The base plate 310 includes a horizontal plate 311 for supporting the assembly components and a vertical plate 312 arranged perpendicularly to the horizontal plate 311. The vertical plate 312 is positioned towards the outer frame 300 and is embedded within the outer frame 300. The base plate 310 and the outer frame 300 enclose a trapezoidal space 330 for accommodating the bearing assembly 400. The trapezoidal space 330 is configured to accommodate the bearing assembly 400 and is contoured to fit the bearing assembly 400.

[0031] Furthermore, the bearing assembly 400 includes a lower bearing raceway 410, a bearing cage 420 disposed on the lower bearing raceway 410, and bearing balls 430 disposed between the bearing cage 420 and the lower bearing raceway 410. The lower bearing raceway 410 is located at the connection between the horizontal plate 311 and the vertical plate 312 of the base plate 310, and the lower bearing raceway 410 has a concave arc surface for the bearing balls 430 to roll on the lower bearing raceway 410. The bearing cage 420 covers the lower bearing raceway 410 and abuts against the bottom of the outer frame 300.

[0032] The bearing cage 420 is provided with a plurality of evenly arranged fixing holes. The bearing balls 430 are disposed within the lower bearing raceway 410 and are individually embedded in the fixing holes, so that the bearing balls 430 are spaced apart on the concave arc surface of the lower bearing raceway 410. To prevent the bearing balls 430 from rolling out of the lower bearing raceway 410, the diameter of the fixing hole is smaller than the diameter of the bearing ball 430, and the portion of the bearing ball 430 extending beyond the bearing cage 420 abuts against the ball mating spherical surface 331 at the top of the trapezoidal space 330, thereby reducing wear on the bearing balls 430 during rolling and extending their service life.

[0033] Additionally, a support member 500 is provided in the middle of the shock absorber 100. A spring gasket 600 covers the outer periphery of the portion of the shock absorber 100 located between the support member 500 and the base 200. An elastic member 700 is provided on the outer periphery of the spring gasket 600, with both ends of the elastic member 700 abutting against the base 200 and the support member 500, respectively. The spring gasket 600 positions the elastic member 700 and restricts its rotation. Simultaneously, the spring gasket 600 also serves as a dustproof barrier, preventing dust and grit from entering the front pillar assembly during vehicle operation. For ease of installation, the diameters at both ends of the elastic member 700 are smaller than the diameter at its middle portion, allowing both ends to abut against the base 200 and the support member 500, preventing jamming as the elastic member 700 switches between compression and extension.

[0034] In summary, the integrated front strut assembly provided by this invention replaces the functions of the existing strut bearing raceway and strut bearing cover by optimizing the design of the front strut outer frame structure. The balls in the strut bearing are directly placed in the front strut outer frame structure, achieving structural integration of the front strut upper support and the strut bearing. Specifically, the integrated front strut assembly includes a shock absorber and an assembly component located at one end of the shock absorber. The assembly component includes a base sleeved on the shock absorber and an outer frame located above the base. The bottom of the outer frame has barbs, and the side of the base near the outer frame has a groove that cooperates with the barbs to fix the base to the bottom of the outer frame. A bearing assembly is provided between the outer frame and the base. A base plate is provided on the side of the outer frame near the base. The base plate and the outer frame enclose a trapezoidal space for accommodating the bearing assembly. The trapezoidal space is contoured to the bearing assembly to fix the bearing assembly inside the outer frame. While maintaining the functionality of the front strut upper bracket and strut bearing, this invention reduces two sub-parts—the upper raceway and the upper cover—of the strut bearing, eliminating the original press-fitting process for the front strut upper bracket and strut bearing. This resolves the issues of abnormal noise and component failure in the front strut assembly caused by the press-fitting process. By reducing the number of sub-parts and assembly steps, this invention achieves a lower failure rate, lower production costs, and a smaller assembly weight for the front strut assembly. It also reduces the space required for installation, increases the degree of integration, and brings greater spatial comfort and energy economy to the vehicle, while simultaneously improving the reliability of the front strut assembly.

[0035] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0036] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of this patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An integrated front strut assembly, characterized in that, Includes a shock absorber and an assembly assembly located at one end of the shock absorber; The assembly includes a base fitted onto the shock absorber and an outer frame positioned above the base. The bottom of the outer frame has barbs, and the base engages with the barbs to secure it to the underside of the outer frame. A bearing assembly is positioned between the outer frame and the base. A base plate is located on the side of the outer frame closest to the base. The bearing assembly includes a lower bearing raceway, a bearing cage positioned on the lower bearing raceway, and bearing balls positioned between the bearing cage and the lower bearing raceway. The lower bearing raceway is located at the junction of the horizontal and vertical plates of the base plate. The bearing cage abuts against the... At the bottom of the outer frame, the base plate and the outer frame together form a trapezoidal space for accommodating the bearing assembly. The trapezoidal space is configured to conform to the shape of the bearing assembly to fix the bearing assembly inside the outer frame. The base plate is an L-shaped bracket, which includes a horizontal plate for supporting the assembly and a vertical plate perpendicular to the horizontal plate. The vertical plate is embedded in the outer frame to surround the bearing assembly. The diameter of the fixing hole on the bearing cage is smaller than that of the bearing ball. The portion of the bearing ball that extends beyond the bearing cage abuts against the ball mating spherical surface at the top of the trapezoidal space on the outer frame.

2. The integrated front strut assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bearing cage is provided with a plurality of fixing holes evenly arranged, and the bearing balls are disposed in the lower raceway of the bearing. The bearing balls are embedded one by one in the fixing holes so that the bearing balls are distributed at intervals in the lower raceway of the bearing.

3. The integrated front strut assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The shock absorber has a support member in the middle, and the outer periphery of the part between the support member and the base is covered with a helical spring pad.

4. The integrated front strut assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, The outer periphery of the spring pad is provided with an elastic element, and the two ends of the elastic element abut against the base and the support respectively.

5. The integrated front strut assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, The diameters at both ends of the elastic element are smaller than the diameter at the middle of the elastic element.

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