Stud and method for top mount assembly

Abstract

A stud and method for a top mount assembly. A stud for a top mount assembly, such as an air spring assembly, includes upper and lower connecting portions. The lower connection portion may include a plurality of connection protrusions extending a distance in a longitudinal direction. In an embodiment, the lower connection portion may include a groove that may extend around or substantially around a circumference of the lower connection portion. An assembly for a top mount may include a stud and a flange or component connection portion, wherein the flange or component connection portion may be connected to the stud through the plurality of connection protrusions. A method of connecting a stud to a flange or component connection portion is also disclosed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to studs for top-mount assemblies or top mounts (e.g., top mounts for air spring flanges or air spring assemblies, including those applicable to vehicles). Background Technology

[0002] The description of this background art is for contextual purposes only. Therefore, nothing in this background art should be expressly or impliedly acknowledged as prior art to this disclosure, unless it constitutes prior art.

[0003] Top-mount assemblies (such as air spring assemblies) are commonly used in various types of vehicles to provide cushioning and / or support. Top-mount assemblies may involve flanges or component connections that can act as mounting interfaces between, for example, shock absorbers, struts, or air springs and vehicle components (such as components associated with the vehicle chassis or suspension).

[0004] For top-mounted components, studs can be used to attach or secure the upper part (such as an air spring flange) to another part. Such studs are inserted through the flange or component connection and can then be secured, for example, by a helical coil or threadlocker. Some conventional designs may not provide the desired damping metric, may be relatively complex, and / or may be expensive to manufacture.

[0005] Conventional studs are typically threaded, whether or not they have a helical coil and / or threadlocker. However, the height of the threaded hole occupies valuable space, requires a time-consuming assembly process, and may not meet future stud anti-loosening torque requirements.

[0006] For conventional components with threaded holes and connections to metal-containing joints (such as aluminum or steel), a potential drawback is that common practices may require a thread height equal to 1.5 to 2.5 times the thread diameter, or the addition of helical coils and / or threadlockers. The associated encapsulation to meet the required thread height can limit design flexibility, occupy valuable encapsulation space, and / or result in larger, heavier, or more expensive caps. In some cases, adding a helical insert to the flange can reduce encapsulation requirements, but may increase additional material costs as well as assembly time and costs. Furthermore, with the current trend towards larger and heavier battery-powered vehicles, meeting the application anti-loosening torque requirements for studs in flanges or component connections may become increasingly challenging.

[0007] An improved stud design for top-mounted components is needed that addresses such problems and provides enhanced strength, resistance to environmental conditions, and / or ease of installation and maintenance. The foregoing discussion is intended to be illustrative of the art only and should not be construed as limiting or waiving the scope of protection. Summary of the Invention

[0008] A stud for a top-mounted assembly (e.g., an air spring assembly) includes upper and lower connecting portions. The lower connecting portion may include a plurality of connecting protrusions extending longitudinally. In one embodiment, the lower connecting portion may include a groove extending around or substantially around the circumference of the lower connecting portion. An assembly for a top-mounted assembly (e.g., an air spring) may include a stud and a flange or component connecting portion. The flange or component connecting portion may be connected to the stud via the plurality of connecting protrusions. A method of connecting the stud to the flange or component connecting portion is also disclosed.

[0009] According to one aspect of this application, the plurality of connecting protrusions include a plurality of knurled structures.

[0010] According to one aspect of this application, the plurality of connecting protrusions are provided in a series of ring configurations.

[0011] According to one aspect of this application, the plurality of connecting protrusions include sharp or puncture-friendly edges or end portions.

[0012] According to one aspect of this application, the stud is made of metal.

[0013] According to one aspect of this application, the stud is made of steel.

[0014] According to one aspect of this application, the flange or component connection portion is made of aluminum.

[0015] According to one aspect of this application, the plurality of connecting protrusions extend into the flange or component connection portion by a penetration distance less than about 5 mm.

[0016] The foregoing and other aspects, features, details, utility and / or advantages will become clear from reading the following description and reviewing the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a side view of an embodiment of a stud according to the teachings of this disclosure.

[0018] Figure 2 It is a side view with partial cross-section, generally showing a portion of an assembly according to the teachings of this disclosure, including studs and flanges or a portion of a component connection.

[0019] Figure 3 It is a side view with partial cross-section, generally showing a portion of an assembly according to the teachings of this disclosure, including studs and flanges or a portion of a component connection. Detailed Implementation

[0020] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the present disclosure will be described in conjunction with embodiments and / or examples, it should be understood that they are not intended to limit the present disclosure to these embodiments and / or examples. Rather, the present disclosure is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents.

[0021] Embodiments of this disclosure relate to the use of crimp studs in metal (e.g., aluminum or steel) flanges (or cans), which can relatively reduce encapsulation height and / or cost, and can provide a robust design suitable for meeting application requirements.

[0022] By crimping studs into flanges or component connections that may be made of metal (e.g., aluminum or steel), the associated encapsulation requirements may be reduced compared to those associated with threaded holes. Since threads may not be involved, helical coils or threadlockers are not required. Furthermore, using crimped studs and corresponding holes in the flange or component connection can reduce the height of the cap compared to threaded studs. Because crimped studs do not require threads, components such as helical coils and threadlockers are unnecessary. Moreover, the studs, holes, and crimping process can be customized to meet pull-out force and / or anti-loosening torque requirements, for example, by changing the geometry of the hole / stud and / or the amount of deformed material. In some embodiments, the studs may be configured to be crimped into the flange or component connection. However, such embodiments may involve tight tolerance control.

[0023] Figure 1 One embodiment of a stud 10 for use in top-mounted assemblies, such as air spring assemblies, is generally illustrated. As shown, the stud 10 may include an upper portion 12 and a lower portion 14, the lower portion 14 including a plurality of connecting protrusions 16 that may extend radially outward and may be finned or flanged. The stud 10 may be largely annular in the longitudinal direction. The upper portion 12 may have an outer diameter D, and the protrusions 16 may extend a distance X in the longitudinal direction. While the upper portion 12 of the stud 10 may be generally as Figure 1 As shown, but the upper part 12 may alternatively include various other dimensions (e.g., length and diameter) and distal elements / features, which may include partial threads and / or various other conventional elements / features adapted for connection to another part.

[0024] like Figure 1 Generally speaking, the stud 10 may include a recess 18. This recess may include an axial recess and / or may extend substantially, substantially, or entirely around the circumference of the lower connecting portion 14. Furthermore, the recess and / or the lower connecting portion 14 may be unthreaded.

[0025] In the illustrated embodiment, the stud 10 may include a thread 30 on its upper portion 12. The thread 30 may be adapted for connection to another component. However, while the illustrated embodiment generally shows the thread 30 extending substantially along the longitudinal length of the upper portion 12, other embodiments may alternatively have threads that do not extend substantially along that length and / or have other connection features.

[0026] In one embodiment, the upper connecting portion may have an outer diameter D, and the distance X by which the plurality of connecting protrusions extend in the longitudinal direction may be the same as or substantially the same as the outer diameter D. In other embodiments, the distance X may be less than the outer diameter D. Furthermore, in another embodiment, the distance X may be less than half of the outer diameter D, approximately one-third of the outer diameter D, or less than one-third of the outer diameter D.

[0027] In an embodiment, the stud 10 may be made of metal, which may include, for example but not limited to, steel.

[0028] Figure 2 and Figure 3 An embodiment of a portion of component 100 is shown in general, which may be used, for example, for a top mount (e.g., an air spring). Figure 2 and Figure 3 A portion of the stud 10 and a portion of the flange or component connection portion 40 are shown in general. The flange or component connection portion may include a hole and / or a portion designed to deform together with the stud assembly (e.g., a deformation area or ring 200).

[0029] In some embodiments, the plurality of connecting protrusions 16 may include, for example, a plurality of knurled structures. For certain applications, knurling can provide additional rotational control. The connecting protrusions 16 may be provided or arranged in a ring series or annular configuration. In some embodiments, the plurality of connecting protrusions 16 may (or may not) be regularly or equally spaced and / or may include sharp or puncture-friendly edges or end portions 20.

[0030] In some embodiments, the flange or component connection portion 40 may be made of metal. Specifically, the flange or component connection portion 40 may be made of forged, extruded, or die-cast material and / or may be made of aluminum or steel. For certain applications, an aluminum flange or component connection portion may provide a shortened connection, where a smaller depth can support relatively higher loads while providing a reduced joint length.

[0031] For some applications, the flange or component connection portion 40 may be made of a first material (which may be metal), the stud 10 may be made of a second material (which may be metal) that is different from the first material, and the second material associated with the stud 10 may be harder than the first material associated with the flange or component connection portion 40.

[0032] Figure 3 One embodiment of component 100 is generally illustrated, wherein the lower portion 14 of stud 10 is inserted into a portion of a flange or component connection portion 40. The flange or component connection portion 40 may include a hole and / or a portion designed for deformation (e.g., a deformation area or ring 200). In this configuration, the plurality of connecting protrusions 16 may extend into or through the flange or component connection portion 40, and the stud 10 may extend into or through the flange or component connection portion 40 a distance. The distance by which the lower portion 14 of the stud 10 extends into and through the flange or component connection portion 40 can be considered the penetration distance (PD, which may include distance X plus an additional distance possibly associated with a groove). In embodiments, this penetration distance may be less than the outer diameter D of the stud 10, and may be approximately half the outer diameter D, or may be less than half the outer diameter D. In some embodiments, the penetration distance may be, for example, but not limited to, less than about 5 mm. For embodiments, the penetration distance PD may conform to industry standard specifications or meet sufficient torque unscrewing or pull-out resistance requirements to meet application needs, covering vibration conditions and the intended operating environment.

[0033] For some components, the pressing force associated with the stud 10 will displace a portion of the flange or component connection portion 40 (e.g., an aluminum flange) to secure or retain the stud 10. In embodiments where the lower portion 14 of the stud 10 may include an axial groove 18, the lower portion 14 of the stud 10 may extend into or through the flange or component connection portion 40 such that, in an assembly or engagement configuration, a portion of the flange or component connection portion 40 (e.g., a deformable portion) may extend into the groove 18 to retain or secure a portion of the stud 10 to the flange or component connection portion 40.

[0034] like Figure 3 As shown, the lower portion 14 (including the protrusion 16) can penetrate into the flange 40, and the material associated with the flange or component connection portion 40 can engage the groove 18 of the stud 10 to retain the lower portion 14 of the stud 10 within a portion of the flange or component connection portion 40. The thread 30 (or another connecting element securing the stud) can then extend outward from the flange or component connection portion.

[0035] This document describes various implementations for various devices, systems, and / or methods. Numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the overall structure, function, manufacture, and use of the implementations as described in the specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. However, those skilled in the art will understand that implementations can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known operations, components, and elements have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the implementations described in the specification. Those skilled in the art will understand that the implementations described and illustrated herein are non-limiting examples, and therefore it is understood that the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein may be representative and do not necessarily limit the scope of the implementations.

[0036] Throughout this specification, references to "various embodiments," "in embodiments," "in some embodiments," or "one embodiment," etc., mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Therefore, phrases such as "in various embodiments," "in embodiments," "in some embodiments," or "one embodiment," appearing throughout the specification, do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the specific feature, structure, or characteristic can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Thus, a specific feature, structure, function, and / or characteristic shown or described in connection with one embodiment / example can be combined, in whole or in part, with one or more other features, structures, functions, and / or characteristics of other embodiments / examples, provided that such combination is not illogical or non-functional. Moreover, numerous modifications can be made to adapt specific situations or materials to the teachings of this disclosure without departing from its scope.

[0037] It should be understood that references to a single element are not necessarily so limited, and may include one or more such elements. Any directional references (e.g., addition, subtraction, up, down, upward, downward, left, right, left to right, top, bottom, above, below, vertical, horizontal, clockwise, and counterclockwise) are used for identification purposes only to aid the reader's understanding of this disclosure and do not impose limitations, in particular, on the location, orientation, or use of embodiments.

[0038] Connection references (e.g., attachment, link, connection, etc.) should be interpreted broadly and may include intermediate components in the connection between elements and relative movement between elements. Therefore, a connection reference does not necessarily mean that two elements are directly connected / linked and in a fixed relationship with each other. The use of "for example" in the specification should be interpreted broadly and is used to provide non-limiting examples of embodiments of this disclosure, and this disclosure is not limited to such examples. The use of "and" and "or" should be interpreted broadly (e.g., considered as "and / or"). For example, but not limited to, the use of "and" does not necessarily require listing all elements or features, and the use of "or" is intended to be inclusive unless such a structure is illogical.

[0039] While the processes, systems, and methods described herein may involve steps in one or more particular sequences, it should be understood that such methods can be practiced with steps in different orders, with some steps performed simultaneously, with additional steps, and / or with some descriptions omitted.

[0040] All substances included in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings are intended to be illustrative rather than limiting. Changes in detail or structure may be made without departing from this disclosure.

Claims

1. A stud for top mounting an assembly, the stud comprising: upper part; and The lower connecting portion includes a plurality of connecting protrusions that extend a distance in the longitudinal direction.

2. The stud according to claim 1, wherein, The lower connecting portion includes a groove, preferably extending around the circumference of the lower connecting portion.

3. The stud according to claim 1, wherein, The lower connecting part has no threads.

4. The stud according to claim 1, wherein, The upper part includes at least a portion of threads.

5. The stud according to claim 1, wherein, The upper portion has an outer diameter, and the distance by which the plurality of connecting protrusions extend in the longitudinal direction is less than or substantially the same as the outer diameter.

6. An assembly for a top mount, the assembly comprising: Stud; and Flanges or component connections; The stud includes a lower connecting portion; the lower connecting portion includes a plurality of connecting protrusions that extend a distance in the longitudinal direction; and a portion of the plurality of connecting protrusions extends into the flange or component connecting portion and connects the stud to the flange or component connecting portion.

7. The component according to claim 6, wherein, The flange or component connection portion includes a deformation ring; the stud includes an axial groove; and, in the assembled state of the stud and the flange or component connection portion, the deformation ring undergoes plastic deformation and enters the axial groove.

8. The component according to claim 6, wherein, The flange or component connection is made of a first material, and the stud is made of a second material that is different from the first material, and the second material is harder than the first material.

9. The component according to claim 6, wherein, The plurality of connecting protrusions extend into the flange or component connection portion by a penetration distance, preferably wherein the penetration distance is less than the diameter of the stud.

10. A method of manufacturing an assembly for an air spring, the method comprising: A stud is provided, the stud including a lower connecting portion having a plurality of connecting protrusions extending a distance in a longitudinal direction; Provide flange or component connection parts; as well as The plurality of connecting protrusions of the lower connecting portion are pressed or forced into a portion of the flange or component connecting portion by a penetration distance to connect or secure the stud to the flange or component connecting portion.

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