FRONT DIFFERENTIAL-INTEGRATED ENGINE MOUNT

Abstract

A front differential-integrated engine mount (100) which can be mounted on an engine to connect an engine and an engine mount, can have a connecting portion (110) which is formed in a front region thereof and is connected to the engine mount, a fixing portion (120) which is formed in a rear region thereof and is fixed to the engine, a fixing portion (130) which is formed between the fixing portion and the connecting portion, wherein the engine mount (100) can be connected together with a front differential (200) mounted on the engine through the fixing portion (130).

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONField of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to an engine mount or support bracket (short: engine mount) connected to the engine mount of a vehicle. More specifically, it relates to an engine mount mounted in a four-wheel drive vehicle together with a front differential and a front differential shaft. Description of related technology

[0002] An engine, e.g., an internal combustion engine installed in a vehicle generates considerable vibration due to periodic changes in the position of the center of rotation by the up and down movements of a piston and a connecting rod, due to the inertia of reciprocating parts generated in the axial direction of a cylinder, due to periodic changes in a torque applied by the connecting rod to a crankshaft, etc. In order to reduce the vibration of the engine, an engine mounting system is provided in the vehicle.

[0003] In addition, an engine mount for connecting a powertrain as a vibration source to an engine mount as a vibration isolator is provided in the engine mount system.

[0004] However, an all-wheel drive system in an FR vehicle (derived from the English term "front engine rear drive") is very inconvenient in terms of construction due to the diverse components required for all-wheel drive. In particular, in an FR vehicle equipped with an all-wheel drive system, it is necessary to distribute the driving force to a front side to drive the front wheels, and for this purpose, a front differential and a front differential shaft are provided in the vehicle.

[0005] However, since the front differential and front differential shaft are arranged in the same position as the engine mount, the front differential and front differential shaft are mounted in the vehicle after the vehicle suspension is moved left and right to avoid interference between the respective parts.

[0006] Fig. 1 shows a structure in which a front differential 10, a front propeller shaft or front drive shaft 20 (front drive shaft for short) and an engine mount are provided together, and Fig. Figure 2 shows a comparison between an engine mount in a conventional two-wheel drive system and an engine mount in a four-wheel drive system.

[0007] As in Fig. 1, the common problem that installation positions of the respective parts overlap each other is solved by increasing the length of an engine mount 50 for connecting an engine 60 and an engine mount 40, and mounting the engine mount 50 after shifting the engine mount 40, the position of which can be easily adjusted to the right and left, thereby avoiding interference between the components.

[0008] In this regard, having regard to Fig. 2, the engine mount 50 in the common all-wheel drive system is designed to form a connection point or an engine mount connection portion 600 between the engine mount and the engine mount, thereby avoiding interference with the front differential 10, resulting in an increase in the length 610 of the engine mount 50.

[0009] Accordingly, in the case of the conventional engine mount system, the engine mount 40 extends to the left and right, increasing the length 610 of the engine mount 50. As a result, the dynamic rigidity of the engine mount 50 is reduced, which affects the transmission noise during high-speed driving.

[0010] Therefore, in a situation where the length of the engine mount is inevitably increased to avoid interference between parts, an engine mount system with a new structure to improve dynamic rigidity is necessary. JP S60-240 521 A discloses a front differential-integrated engine mount according to the preamble of claim 1. US Pat. No. 4,746,145 A discloses another differential-integrated engine mount.

[0011] The information provided in this Background section is provided only to facilitate an understanding of the general background of this invention and should not be interpreted as acknowledging or suggesting that this information represents prior art known to those skilled in the art. BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The object of the present invention is to provide an engine mount connecting a powertrain and an engine mount in an engine mount system, and having improved rigidity to isolate vibrations applied to the engine mount, thereby improving noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) characteristics.

[0013] This object is achieved by a front differential-integrated engine mount according to claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.According to the present invention, a front differential-integrated engine mount mounted on an engine to connect the engine and an engine mount, comprises a connecting portion formed in a front region thereof and connected to the engine mount, at least one fixing portion formed in a rear region thereof and fixed to the engine, a fixing portion formed between the fixing portion and the connecting portion, wherein the engine mount is fixed to a front differential mounted on the engine through the fixing portion to substantially reduce a mounting distance between the engine and the engine mount by additionally forming another fixing point between the fixing portion and the connecting portion by means of the fixing portion.

[0014] The front differential and the engine mount may be integrally attached to the engine through the attachment portion.

[0015] The fastening portion may have a groove having an internal thread, and the front differential and the engine mount are fastened to each other by fastening a bolt to the fastening portion.

[0016] At least one of the fixing portions may extend adjacent to the fastening portion.

[0017] The at least one fixing section can be attached to an engine cylinder block.

[0018] Other aspects and exemplary embodiments of the invention are discussed below.

[0019] The device of the present invention has other features and advantages that will be apparent from, or more particularly explained in, the accompanying drawings. Together with the "Detailed Description," they serve to explain certain principles of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 shows a structure in which a conventional engine mount is provided together with a differential. Fig. Figure 2 shows a comparison between an engine mount in a conventional two-wheel drive system and an engine mount in a four-wheel drive system. Fig. 3 shows a comparison between a conventional engine mount and a front differential-integrated engine mount according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 4 shows a front differential-integrated engine mount according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing that the front differential-integrated engine mount of Fig. 4 together with a front differential. Fig. 6 is a side view showing a front differential-integrated engine mount according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing that the front differential-integrated engine mount of Fig. 6 together with a front differential. Fig. 8 shows the difference in vibration reduction between the front differential-integrated engine mount according to the present invention and a conventional engine mount. Fig. 9 shows the difference in transmission noise reduction between the front differential-integrated engine mount according to the present invention and a conventional engine mount.

[0020] Reference numerals used in the drawings refer to the following components as set out below: 10 front differential 20 front drive shaft 40 Engine mount 50 engine mounts of the related technology 60 engine 100 engine mounts 110 connecting section 120 Fixation section 130 fastening section 140 Groove 150 bolts 600 Engine mount connecting section 610 actual length of the engine mount 620 Engine cylinder block fixing section 630 Engine vibration 640 reduced length of the engine mount compared to the related technology 650 compared to the related technology added mounting section connected to the engine cylinder block 660 existing fixation section 670 Length reduction effect compared to the related technology 700 basic structure 710 integrated structure 930 Improved transmission noise

[0021] It should be understood that the accompanying drawings are not necessarily to scale, and that they present a somewhat simplified representation of the features that illustrate the basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of the present invention as disclosed herein, such as specific dimensions, orientations, positioning, and shapes, will also be determined in part by the specific intended use and application environment.

[0022] In the drawings, like reference numerals designate like or similar parts of the present invention throughout. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention. Examples are illustrated by the accompanying drawings and the text below. While the invention is explained in connection with exemplary embodiments, this is not to be construed as limiting the invention to those embodiments. Rather, the invention is intended to cover various alternatives, modifications, equivalents, and other embodiments apart from the exemplary embodiments provided, provided they fall within the scope of the claims.

[0024] It is to be understood that the term “vehicle” or “vehicle-related” or other similar terms as used herein includes motor vehicles in general, such as passenger vehicles, sport utility vehicles (SUVs), buses, trucks, various commercial vehicles, watercraft including a variety of boats and ships, aircraft, and the like, and includes hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles, hydrogen-powered vehicles, and other alternative fuel vehicles (e.g., fuel derived from sources other than petroleum). As used herein, a hybrid vehicle refers to a vehicle that has two or more power sources, such as vehicles that are both gasoline-powered and electric-powered.

[0025] The above and other features of the invention are discussed below.

[0026] The present invention provides a front differential-integrated engine mount designed to prevent a reduction in dynamic rigidity of the engine mount, reduce vibration noise, and avoid interference with the front differential and an engine mount even when the front differential is provided in a four-wheel drive vehicle.

[0027] Fig. 3 shows a comparison between a conventional engine mount and a front differential-integrated engine mount according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] First, the upper diagram of Fig. 3 an engine mount used in a typical two-wheel drive vehicle (two-wheel drive vehicle for short) in which no front differential is provided.

[0029] Such an engine mount applied to the two-wheel drive vehicle includes a fixing portion 620 formed at the rear of the mount and fixed to an engine cylinder block, and a connecting portion 600 formed at the front of the mount and connected to an engine mount.

[0030] Accordingly, in the engine mount applied to the two-wheel drive vehicle, the engine is connected to the engine mount through the fixing portion 620 and the connecting portion 600.

[0031] The fixing portion 620 and the connecting portion 600 can be configured to allow the engine mount to be mounted to the engine cylinder block and the engine mount, and various connection methods can be used. Accordingly, the fixing portion 620 and the connecting portion 600, respectively, can have any appropriate shape.

[0032] Preferably, the fixing portion 620 and the connecting portion 600 may have a groove having an internal thread to be connected to the engine cylinder block and the engine mount, respectively, by a bolt.

[0033] Meanwhile, the diagram below shows Fig. 3 a front differential-integrated engine mount according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Referring to Fig. 3, the overall length of a front differential-integrated engine mount according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is increased to avoid interference with the front differential, which is provided to realize a four-wheel drive vehicle.

[0035] That is, as in Fig. 3, in the front differential-integrated engine mount according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the connecting portion 600 connected to the engine mount is designed to be spaced apart from the fixing portion 620 fixed to the engine cylinder block by a greater distance than in the two-wheel drive vehicle, and consequently, the length of the mount further increases in terms of dynamic rigidity.

[0036] Meanwhile, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, moreover, a front differential-fixed fixing portion 650 is formed between the engine cylinder block-fixed fixing portion 620 and the engine mount-connected connecting portion 600 to prevent a reduction in dynamic rigidity of the engine mount when the length of the mount increases.

[0037] Here, the attachment portion 650 / 130 may have a groove having an internal thread, and the front differential may have a groove 140 corresponding to the attachment portion, so that the engine mount may be attached to the front differential by attaching a bolt 150 to the grooves 140.

[0038] Preferably, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the engine mount and the front differential may be configured to be integrally mounted to the engine via the mounting portion. In this regard, the engine mount and the front differential may be integrally attached to each other via the groove on the front differential, which is connected to the mounting portion, and then directly mounted to the engine via the mounting portion.

[0039] Consequently, in the front differential-integrated engine mount according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a new engine-mounted fixing point is formed on the engine by means of the fixing portion, and consequently, the length of the mount can be reduced in terms of dynamic rigidity.

[0040] That is, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the length of the beam in terms of dynamic rigidity essentially represents the distance between the connecting portion connected to the engine mount and the fixing portion fixed to the engine cylinder block. Accordingly, it is possible to significantly reduce the mounting distance between the engine and the engine mount by additionally providing the fixing point at this distance.

[0041] This effect is in Fig. 4, in which a fastening portion is added to the distance between the connecting portion connected to the engine mount and the fixing portion fixed to the engine cylinder block, thereby substantially reducing the length 670 of the beam.

[0042] In this regard, an example is where the front differential-integrated engine mount is made of Fig. 4 is integrally attached to the front differential by means of the attachment section, in Fig. 5 shown.

[0043] Referring to Fig. 5, a front differential and a front differential-integrated engine mount 100 are mounted on the engine cylinder block by means of a fixing portion 120 at the rear, and the front differential-integrated engine mount 100 is connected to the engine mount by means of a connecting portion 110 at the front thereof (of the engine mount).

[0044] Furthermore, the front differential-integrated engine mount 100 is fixed to the front differential 200 by means of a fixing portion 130 formed between the connecting portion 110 connected to the engine mount and the fixing portion 120 fixed to the engine cylinder block.

[0045] Because the front differential 200 is mounted on the engine here, the front differential-integrated engine mount 100 forms a new attachment point that is mounted on the engine.

[0046] Consequently, the front differential-integrated engine mount 100 can be mounted to the engine by means of the mounting portion 130, so that the length of the mount can be significantly reduced.

[0047] Meanwhile, Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 shows a front differential-integrated engine mount 100 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 6 and Fig. 7, an example is shown in which the shape of the engine mount 100 is changed in consideration of the shape of an engine and the layout between components in an engine compartment.

[0048] As you can see from the examples from Fig. 6 and Fig. 7, in the front differential-integrated engine mount 100 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a fixing portion 130 to be fixed to a front differential 200 may be formed on the engine mount 100 in a region between a fixing point fixed to the engine and a connecting point connected to the engine mount, and thus the shape of the engine mount 100 may be changed accordingly.

[0049] Accordingly, the front differential-integrated engine mount 100 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention can be used in vehicles regardless of the model of the vehicle and the type of engine.

[0050] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the fixing portions 120 may extend near the additional fastening portion 130, thereby increasing the dynamic rigidity of the engine mount 100.

[0051] Fig. 8 shows the difference in vibration reduction between the front differential-integrated engine mount according to the present invention and a conventional engine mount.

[0052] In Fig. 8, the "basic structure" 700 represents the conventional structure in which the front differential and the engine mount are not fixed to each other, and the "integrated structure" 710 represents the structure in which the front differential and the engine mount are integrally fixed to each other by means of the fixing portion.

[0053] In addition, the data were obtained based on engine mounts that have different shapes and are mounted in different types of engines.

[0054] Referring to the diagrams below in Fig. 8 regarding the test results, it can be seen that the integrated structure 710 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention has a smaller acceleration value than that of the base structure 700 at 200 to 1,000 Hz, which is a focus of interest regarding the vibration of an actual vehicle, and has improved vibration characteristics.

[0055] Meanwhile, Fig. 9 shows the difference in transmission noise reduction between the front differential-integrated engine mount according to the present invention and a conventional engine mount.

[0056] Referring to Fig. 9 it can be seen that gear noise characteristics in all X, Y and Z directions are improved 930 in the integrated structure compared with the basic structure.

[0057] Referring to Fig. 8 and Fig.9, while the resonance frequency of the motor mount of the basic structure is around 690 Hz and 750 Hz, the resonance frequency of the motor mount of the integrated structure is consequently increased to 1,250 Hz and 1,010 Hz, respectively, and consequently the vibration sensitivity at 600 to 900 Hz is improved by about 20 dB.

[0058] As described above, in the differential-integrated engine mount, the front differential and the engine mount are fixed together, which significantly reduces the length of the engine mount, thereby improving the dynamic rigidity of the engine mount.

[0059] As a result, the resonance frequency of the engine mount increases to improve the vibration sensitivity at 600 to 900 Hz, which is related to the interior noise during driving, thereby reducing the noise.

[0060] For ease of explanation and precise definition in the appended claims, the terms "front" and "rear" are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of such features as illustrated in the figures.

Claims

[1] A front differential-integrated engine mount (100) mounted on an engine, the front differential-integrated engine mount (100) comprising: a connecting portion (110) formed in a front region thereof; at least one fixing portion (120) formed in a rear region thereof and fixed to the engine; and a fastening portion (130) formed between the fixing portion (120) and the connecting portion (110), characterized by , that the connecting portion (110) is connected to an engine mount to connect the engine and the engine mount, and the engine mount (100) is connected to a front differential (200) mounted on the engine by means of the fastening section (130) in order to substantially reduce a mounting distance between the engine and the engine mount by additionally forming a further fastening point between the fixing section (120) and the connecting section (110) by means of the fastening section (130). [2] The engine mount (100) according to claim 1, wherein the front differential (200) and the engine mount (100) are integrally fixed to the engine by the fixing portion (130). [3] The engine mount (100) according to claim 2, wherein the fixing portion (130) has a groove having an internal thread, and the front differential (200) and the engine mount (100) are fixed to each other by a bolt being fixed to the fixing portion (130). [4] The engine mount (100) according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the fixing portions (120) extends adjacent to the fastening portion (130). [5] The engine mount (100) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one fixing portion (120) is fixed to an engine cylinder block.

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