A rubber leaf spring support

Abstract

The utility model relates to technical fields, concretely relates to a rubber plate spring support, including upper plate and lower plate, the upper plate and lower plate enclose the cavity of containing spherical surface damping body, the spherical surface damping body includes the rubber body of setting cladding baffle and upper, lower plate connection, the baffle includes the spheroid that rises from the lower plate to the upper plate direction, the edge of spheroid is provided with the skirt structure of warping, the upper, lower plate and rubber body junctions place set with the baffle bending direction consistent combination spherical surface, combination spherical surface and baffle have increased each direction shear stiffness, have improved the ability of resisting plate spring support roll.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of heavy truck leaf spring balance suspension technology, and specifically provides a rubber leaf spring support. Background Technology

[0002] Leaf spring supports are used in heavy-duty truck leaf spring balance suspensions. They are installed between the leaf spring and the axle and can effectively improve the vehicle's impact load, ride comfort, and passability. At the same time, they can prevent suspension noise and protect suspension and axle components.

[0003] After the leaf spring supports are installed, due to the leaf spring's arc height, the front and rear leaf spring supports are constantly subjected to longitudinal shear force. When the vehicle travels over uneven roads, the leaf spring's arc height changes with the tire's vertical movement, causing a change in the leaf spring's chord length. This results in shear force in the longitudinal direction and longitudinal torsional force on the leaf spring supports. Simultaneously, the contact point of the leaf spring on the leaf spring supports changes, thus altering the stress point on the leaf spring supports. When the vehicle tilts, the leaf spring exerts a lateral torsional load on the leaf spring supports.

[0004] Rubber leaf spring supports are used in leaf spring balance suspensions, and when the leaf spring supports are connected to the leaf springs via contact, the presence of the leaf spring's arc height causes the front and rear leaf spring supports to be constantly subjected to a force directed towards the center of the leaf spring. This causes the leaf spring supports to tilt over time, failing to straighten, and the tilt gradually worsens, leading to premature failure of the rubber and bolts. When the vehicle tilts, the leaf spring supports twist laterally along the vehicle's side; when the leaf spring bounces up and down, the leaf spring supports twist longitudinally, resulting in high torsional stress and premature rubber failure. The upper plate of the leaf spring support and the leaf spring itself also experience severe wear.

[0005] A search revealed CN202121365831.0, which discloses a leaf spring support for heavy-duty vehicles. The upper and lower end plates, damping layer, and buffer layer are fastened together as a single unit using fasteners. The upper and lower end plates, made of engineering plastics (such as nylon), the damping layer (metal), and the buffer layer (rubber), ensure that the leaf spring support maintains its damping effect without significant longitudinal or lateral deformation. Replacing metal parts with engineering plastics such as nylon significantly improves the mechanical strength, fatigue resistance, and corrosion resistance of the leaf spring support, further extending its service life. The elastic pads allow for better contact and fit between the fasteners and the upper and lower end plates.

[0006] CN201220244128.9 discloses a leaf spring support. By incorporating a limiting component within the rubber body of the leaf spring support, which is movably connected to a first end plate and a second end plate, this design prevents stress concentration and fracture of the limiting component due to relative lateral displacement of the first and second end plates under complex working conditions when the leaf spring support is subjected to lateral shear force, thus avoiding damage to the leaf spring support. The leaf spring support provided by this invention has a long service life, improving vehicle ride stability and comfort.

[0007] The existing technology described above fails to address the problem that, due to the presence of the leaf spring's arc height, the front and rear leaf spring supports are constantly subjected to a component force directed towards the center of the leaf spring, causing the leaf spring supports to tilt over a long period, unable to return to their normal position, and the degree of tilt gradually increases, leading to premature failure of the rubber and bolts. Therefore, there is an urgent need to design a leaf spring product that can automatically return to its normal position, has high shear stiffness in all directions, and low torsional stiffness. The sliding plate of such a product needs to be wear-resistant, and when the leaf spring bounces up and down, the leaf spring and the sliding plate of the leaf spring support tend to undergo rolling friction. Utility Model Content

[0008] To solve the above problems, this utility model provides a rubber leaf spring support. By designing the upper plate, lower plate, and partition plate, the entire joint adopts a spherical structure. When the leaf spring support is under pressure, it has an automatic self-aligning tendency, avoiding excessive tilting.

[0009] At the same time, the spherical structure increases shear stiffness while reducing torsional stiffness and torsional stress, thereby improving the fatigue life of the leaf spring support.

[0010] The use of upper and lower plate limiting mechanisms avoids the restriction of product movement by intermediate limiting structures and prevents failure caused by initial cracking at the intermediate boundary, thus improving fatigue performance. The upper plate's added limiting structure provides a certain restoring force during lateral tilting, while preventing product instability and failure caused by lateral excessive displacement of the contact point between the leaf spring and the leaf spring support. Furthermore, the upper plate structure and leaf spring support undergo a vulcanization process, eliminating the need for secondary installation later. The contact area between the upper plate of the leaf spring support and the leaf spring has a special coating to improve wear resistance and prevent abnormal noise.

[0011] This utility model discloses a rubber leaf spring support, including an upper plate and a lower plate, which together form a cavity for accommodating a spherical damper. The spherical damper includes a partition and a rubber body that covers the partition and connects to the upper and lower plates. The partition includes a spherical body that protrudes from the lower plate to the upper plate, and the edge of the spherical body is provided with a warped skirt structure. A connecting spherical surface is provided at the connection between the upper and lower plates and the rubber body, which is aligned with the bending direction of the partition. The connecting spherical surface and the partition increase the shear stiffness in all directions and improve the ability to resist the lateral tilting of the leaf spring support.

[0012] This utility model's rubber leaf spring support features a spherical connection between the upper and lower plates and the rubber body, aligned with the bending direction of the partition. The spherical internal structure incorporates arc-shaped sections on the front, back, left, and right sides. This structure increases the lateral and longitudinal stiffness of the leaf spring support, and the lateral and longitudinal stiffness can be adjusted via the spherical radius, enhancing the support's ability to withstand lateral forces. Furthermore, the upper plate employs a closed structure. Through this internal structural design, the leaf spring support achieves its function of withstanding a certain lateral force.

[0013] Furthermore, upper limit plates extending to the lower plate are provided on both sides of the upper plate, and lower limit plates extending to the upper plate are provided on both sides of the lower plate; the upper limit plates surround the lower limit plates circumferentially; the upper and lower limit plates form a semi-open structure, providing a corrective force when tilted, and avoiding product instability and failure caused by lateral transition. The semi-open shape design increases the upper plate's limiting and lateral force resistance.

[0014] Furthermore, the spherical body is provided with several through holes, and the height of the spherical arc protrusion varies between 10 and 50 mm. The shear stiffness of the product can be adjusted by adjusting the spherical radius, which is determined according to the shear stiffness requirements of the suspension system. The spherical mating structure increases the product's shear stiffness, effectively resisting the lateral force directed towards the center of the leaf spring from the curved surface. Simultaneously, when the upper plate is under force, the force is transmitted through the upper plate, partition plate, and lower plate along the spherical radius, causing the leaf spring support to tend to return to its initial position. The greater the pressure on the upper plate, the greater the return force.

[0015] Furthermore, the skirt structure includes a closed structure enclosed by a central arc-shaped section and a straight section; adjacent straight sections form a positioning plane that connects to the spherical body. The advantages of this skirt structure design are twofold: firstly, it effectively disperses and transfers stress through the central arc-shaped section, reducing local stress concentration and improving the overall load-bearing capacity of the leaf spring support; secondly, it utilizes the positioning plane formed by the straight sections to achieve a stable and reliable connection with the spherical body, ensuring the stability and reliability of the leaf spring support structure during use, preventing loosening or displacement, and thus ensuring the long-term stable performance of the leaf spring support.

[0016] Furthermore, the positioning plane comprises a centrally symmetrical irregular structure formed by adjacent straight sections and straight transition sections connecting the straight sections. The positioning plane ensures the stable positioning of the partition within the rubber body, preventing displacement due to vibrations and impacts during vehicle operation, thereby guaranteeing the stability of the leaf spring support performance. Simultaneously, this closed structure enhances the strength of the skirt structure itself to a certain extent, making it more capable of withstanding complex mechanical forces.

[0017] This centrally symmetrical irregular structure optimizes the force transmission path while ensuring structural stability. When the leaf spring support is subjected to forces from different directions, the forces can be evenly distributed along the edges of the irregular structure, avoiding local stress concentration, thereby improving the fatigue resistance and service life of the entire leaf spring support.

[0018] Furthermore, the upper limit plate is a block-shaped body whose cross-section decreases from the upper plate to the lower plate, and the block-shaped bodies on both sides form a state that expands from the center to the outside.

[0019] Furthermore, the lower limiting plate is a blocky body with a smaller cross-section in the direction from the lower plate to the upper plate, and the two blocks on both sides form a state of convergence from the center to the outside.

[0020] Furthermore, the top of the spherical surface of the upper plate is an arc-shaped surface, and a wear-resistant coating is applied to this arc-shaped surface. The arc-shaped design of the upper plate makes the contact between the leaf spring and the leaf spring support smoother, reducing localized stress caused by uneven contact. The presence of the wear-resistant coating significantly improves the wear resistance of the contact area between the upper plate and the leaf spring. During long-term vehicle operation, the leaf spring and the upper plate continuously rub against each other; the wear-resistant coating effectively resists this frictional wear, extending the service life of the upper plate, while also preventing abnormal noises caused by wear, thus improving the comfort of the vehicle's ride.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the present invention can achieve the following beneficial effects: The rubber leaf spring support of this invention forms a cavity between the upper and lower plates to accommodate a spherical damper. The spherical damper consists of a partition and a rubber body covering the partition and connected to the upper and lower plates. The partition has a unique design, with its spherical body bulging from the lower plate to the upper plate, and a warped skirt structure at the edge. This structure not only enhances the shear stiffness of the support in all directions but also significantly improves its resistance to lateral tilting.

[0022] Meanwhile, the connection between the upper and lower plates and the rubber body adopts a spherical design that is consistent with the bending direction of the partition, further optimizing the mechanical properties.

[0023] Furthermore, the numerous through holes on the spherical surface effectively reduce the weight of the support, allowing the rubber body to pass through during vulcanization and ensuring structural stability. The closed design of the skirt structure, along with the positioning plane formed by adjacent straight sections, provides precise positioning and stable support for the support. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the rubber leaf spring support described in this utility model.

[0025] Figure 2 This is an exploded schematic diagram of the rubber leaf spring support described in this utility model.

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the partition plate of the rubber leaf spring support described in this utility model.

[0027] Figure 4 This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the rubber leaf spring support described in this utility model.

[0028] Figure 5 This is a transverse cross-sectional view of the rubber leaf spring support described in this utility model.

[0029] Figure 6 This is a diagram showing the stress state of the rubber leaf spring support when the leaf spring is fully loaded and flattened.

[0030] Figure 7 This is a diagram showing the stress state of a rubber leaf spring support when the leaf spring has a certain arc height.

[0031] The reference numerals in the attached drawings include: 1-upper plate, 2-partition plate, 4-lower plate, 5-rubber body, 6-wear-resistant coating, 11-upper limit plate, 21-spherical body, 22-skirt structure, 23-through hole, 221-arc section, 222-straight section, 223-straight transition section, 41-lower limit plate. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The appendix will be referenced below. Figure 1-7 Embodiments of this utility model are described below. In the following description, the same modules are denoted by the same reference numerals. Where the same reference numerals are used, their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, their detailed description will not be repeated.

[0033] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this utility model clearer, the following description is provided in conjunction with the appendix. Figure 1-7 The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only for explaining the present invention and do not constitute a limitation thereof. Example 1

[0034] The rubber leaf spring support in this embodiment includes an upper plate 1 and a lower plate 4. The upper plate 1 and the lower plate 4 form a cavity for accommodating a spherical damper. The spherical damper includes a partition 2 and a rubber body 5 that covers the partition 2 and connects to the upper and lower plates. The partition 2 includes a spherical body 21 that protrudes from the lower plate 4 to the upper plate 1. The edge of the spherical body 21 is provided with a warped skirt structure 22. A connecting spherical surface is provided at the connection between the upper and lower plates and the rubber body 5, which is consistent with the bending direction of the partition 2. The connecting spherical surface and the partition 2 increase the shear stiffness in all directions and improve the ability to resist the tilting of the leaf spring support.

[0035] The upper plate 1 is also a sliding plate that contacts and connects with the leaf spring. The lower side of the upper plate 1 has a concave spherical surface, and the top of the spherical surface of the upper plate 1 is the upper arc surface 12. The upper arc surface 12 is coated with a wear-resistant coating 6, such as PTFE, which increases the wear resistance of the upper plate of the leaf spring support and avoids abnormal noise. By combining the changes in the leaf spring arc height and the changes in the leaf spring chord length, the radius of curvature of the upper arc surface is optimized so that when the leaf spring bounces, the leaf spring and the upper arc surface of the leaf spring support tend to have rolling friction.

[0036] In this embodiment, upper limit plates 11 extending to the lower plate 4 are provided on both sides of the upper plate 1, and lower limit plates 41 extending to the upper plate 1 are provided on both sides of the lower plate 4. The upper limit plates 11 surround the lower limit plates 41 circumferentially. The upper limit plates 11 and the lower limit plates 41 form a semi-open structure, providing a corrective force when tilted, and avoiding product instability and failure caused by lateral transition. The semi-open shape design increases the strength of the upper plate in limiting and resisting lateral forces.

[0037] The rubber leaf spring support, of the same specification, features a spherical connection between the upper and lower plates and the rubber body, aligned with the bending direction of the partition. It employs an internal spherical structure, with all rubber sections (front, back, left, and right) having an arc shape. This structure increases the lateral and longitudinal stiffness of the leaf spring support, and the lateral and longitudinal stiffness can be adjusted by the radius of the spherical surface, enhancing the leaf spring support's ability to withstand lateral forces. The upper plate also features a closed structure. Through this internal structural design, the leaf spring support achieves its function of withstanding a certain amount of lateral force.

[0038] The spherical body 21 has several through holes 23, and the height of the spherical arc protrusion varies between 10 and 50 mm. The through holes on the spherical body effectively reduce the weight of the support, and allow the rubber body to pass through during vulcanization, ensuring the stability of the structure.

[0039] Specifically, the skirt structure 22 includes a closed structure enclosed by a central arc-shaped segment 221 and a straight segment 222; adjacent straight segments 222 form a positioning plane that connects to the spherical body 21. The positioning plane includes a centrally symmetrical irregular structure enclosed by adjacent straight segments 222 and a straight transition segment 223 connecting the straight segments 222. The advantages of this skirt structure design are that it can effectively disperse and transfer stress through the central arc-shaped segment, reducing local stress concentration and improving the overall load-bearing capacity of the leaf spring support; and it can utilize the positioning plane formed by the straight segments to make a stable and reliable connection with the spherical body, ensuring the stability and reliability of the leaf spring support structure during use, avoiding loosening or displacement, and thus ensuring that the leaf spring support can stably perform its function for a long time.

[0040] The upper limit plate 11 is a block-shaped body with a smaller cross-section from the upper plate 1 to the lower plate 4, and the two side blocks expand outward from the center. The lower limit plate 41 is a block-shaped body with a smaller cross-section from the lower plate 4 to the upper plate 1, and the two side blocks converge outward from the center. In practical applications, this block-shaped design allows the upper and lower limit plates to effectively disperse and withstand forces from different directions while providing lateral tilt-correcting force. When the leaf spring support is subjected to lateral force, the shape of the blocks guides the force to be evenly distributed along its edges, avoiding local stress concentration and thus improving the fatigue resistance of the entire support.

[0041] The upper limit plate 11 and lower limit plate 41 form an open structure, providing a restoring force when tilted and preventing product instability. The upper plate, combined with the upper arc surface of the spherical top, has a wear-resistant coating, greatly extending the service life of the support. The overall design enables the leaf spring support to maintain stable performance under various forces in complex working conditions, effectively solving problems such as the inability to return to normal tilt and premature failure of rubber and bolts in existing technologies.

[0042] In practical vehicle applications, this rubber leaf spring bearing has demonstrated excellent performance. Whether driving on smooth or bumpy roads, the bearing effectively absorbs and disperses impact forces from the road surface, maintaining vehicle stability and comfort. Furthermore, its unique structural design makes the bearing less prone to fatigue fracture or performance degradation during prolonged use, significantly extending its service life.

[0043] like Figure 6 As shown, when the leaf spring is fully loaded and flattened, the upper plate of the leaf spring support is subjected to a vertically downward force F. At this time, the leaf spring support is not subjected to any lateral force and is in a vertical state. The rubber on the left and right sides exerts a reaction force F1 and F2 on the upper plate, and the direction of the reaction force is along the normal direction of the inner spherical surface of the upper plate. After resolving the force into the X and Z directions, F11 = -F21, F = -F12 - F22.

[0044] like Figure 7 As shown, F4 and F5 are the total forces transmitted along the normal direction, F41 and F51 are the horizontal components, and F42 and F52 are the vertical components. When the leaf spring has a certain arc height, the upper plate of the leaf spring support is subjected to a lateral load F3 along the normal direction of the arc surface of the upper plate. At this time, the upper plate moves a certain displacement along the X longitudinal direction, and the rubber on the left side of the leaf spring support is thinner than that on the right side. The reaction force of the rubber on the upper plate is greater on the left side than on the right side. After decomposing the force into the X and Z directions, F41 > F51, and the reaction force gives the upper plate a restoring force. The greater the lateral force exerted by the plate on the leaf spring support, the greater the restoring force of the leaf spring support.

[0045] The internal spherical structure increases shear stiffness in all directions while maintaining constant Z-axis stiffness, thus improving the ability to resist lateral tilting of the leaf spring support. The leaf spring support has the same function in the lateral (Y-axis) direction.

[0046] In this embodiment, the radius of the spherical surface inside the leaf spring support, the number of partitions, and the thickness of the rubber can be adaptively designed according to the stress characteristics and height requirements of the leaf spring balance suspension.

[0047] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is to be understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

[0048] The specific embodiments of this utility model described above do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this utility model. Any other corresponding changes and modifications made based on the technical concept of this utility model should be included within the scope of protection of the claims of this utility model.

Claims

1. A rubber leaf spring support, characterized in that, The device includes an upper plate (1) and a lower plate (4), which together form a cavity for accommodating a spherical damper. The spherical damper includes a partition (2) and a rubber body (5) that covers the partition (2) and connects it to the upper and lower plates. The partition (2) includes a spherical body (21) that protrudes from the lower plate (4) toward the upper plate (1), and the edge of the spherical body (21) is provided with a warped skirt structure (22). The connection between the upper and lower plates and the rubber body (5) is provided with a spherical surface that is consistent with the bending direction of the partition (2). The spherical surface and the partition (2) increase the shear stiffness in all directions and improve the ability to resist the tilting of the leaf spring support.

2. The rubber leaf spring support according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper plate (1) is provided with upper limit plates (11) extending to the lower plate (4) on both sides, and the lower plate (4) is provided with lower limit plates (41) extending to the upper plate (1) on both sides; the upper limit plates (11) surround the lower limit plates (41) circumferentially; the upper limit plates (11) and the lower limit plates (41) form a semi-open structure to provide a corrective force when tilting, and avoid product instability and failure caused by lateral transition.

3. The rubber leaf spring support according to claim 1, characterized in that, The spherical body (21) is provided with several through holes (23), and the height of the spherical arc protrusion of the spherical body varies between 10 and 50 mm.

4. The rubber leaf spring support according to claim 1, characterized in that, The skirt structure (22) includes a closed structure enclosed by a middle arc section (221) and a straight section (222); adjacent straight sections (222) form a positioning plane connected to the spherical body (21).

5. The rubber leaf spring support according to claim 4, characterized in that, The positioning plane comprises a centrally symmetrical irregular structure consisting of adjacent straight face segments (222) and a straight transition segment (223) connecting the straight face segments (222).

6. The rubber leaf spring support according to claim 2, characterized in that, The upper limit plate (11) is a block-shaped body whose cross-section decreases from the upper plate (1) to the lower plate (4), and the block-shaped bodies on both sides form a state that expands from the center to the outside.

7. The rubber leaf spring support according to claim 2, characterized in that, The lower limiting plate (41) is a blocky body with a smaller cross section from the lower plate (4) to the upper plate (1), and the blocky bodies on both sides form a state of convergence from the center to the outside.

8. The rubber leaf spring support according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The top of the spherical surface of the upper plate (1) is the upper arc surface, and the upper arc surface (12) is covered with a wear-resistant coating (6).

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