Suspension stop device

Abstract

[Suspension stop device] The suspension stop device comprises a lower support cover 6, an upper support cover 4, and at least one bearing 8 disposed between said covers 4, 6. The lower support cover 6 comprises a radial portion 16 for supporting the bearing, and an annular axial skirt 18 extending the radial portion 16 axially on the side opposite the upper support cover 4. At least one recess 30 is formed in the thickness of the axial skirt 18 of the support cover, said recess 30 extending from a lower front face 18a of the axial skirt. Figure for the abbreviation: Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: Suspension stop device Technical field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of suspension stop devices used in particular for motor vehicles in the suspension struts of the steered wheels. State of the prior art

[0002] A suspension stop device generally comprises a bearing forming an axial stop and upper and lower covers forming a housing for the bearing rings and making it possible to provide the interface between said rings and the surrounding elements.

[0003] The suspension stop device is arranged in the upper part of the suspension strut between a suspension spring and the vehicle body. The suspension spring is mounted around a shock absorber piston rod, the end of which is connected to the vehicle body. The suspension spring, of the helical spring type, comes to bear axially directly or indirectly on the lower cover of the suspension stop device.

[0004] The suspension stop device makes it possible to transmit axial and radial forces between the suspension spring and the vehicle body while allowing a relative rotational movement between the lower cover and the upper cover resulting from a turning of the vehicle's steered wheels and / or the compression of the suspension spring.

[0005] The present invention aims to reduce the manufacturing costs of known suspension stop devices. Summary of the invention

[0006] The invention relates to a suspension stop device comprising a lower support cover, an upper support cover, and at least one bearing arranged between said covers.

[0007] The lower support cover comprises a radial bearing support portion and an annular axial skirt extending the radial portion axially on the side opposite the upper support cover.

[0008] According to a general characteristic, at least one recess is formed in the thickness of the axial skirt of the support cover. Said recess extends from a lower front face of the axial skirt.

[0009] Said recess makes it possible to reduce the quantity of material used for the manufacture of the lower support cover, which reduces the weight and the cost of the stop device. suspension.

[0010] Preferably, said recess of the lower support cover comprises at least one axial groove extending from the lower front face of the axial skirt.

[0011] Said recess of the lower support cover may further comprise a heel radially extending the axial groove and extending from the lower front face of the axial skirt. Thus, the quantity of material used for the manufacture of the lower support cover is further reduced.

[0012] The heel may extend radially outwards or inwards the axial groove of said recess. Advantageously, the heel has a reduced axial dimension compared to that of the axial groove of said recess.

[0013] According to a first design, a plurality of recesses are formed in the thickness of the axial skirt of the support cover, the recesses being spaced apart in the circumferential direction and extending from the lower front face of the axial skirt.

[0014] The recesses may be spaced from each other regularly, or irregularly, in the circumferential direction.

[0015] According to a second alternative design, the support cover comprises a single recess, in particular a single annular recess.

[0016] In a particular embodiment, the device further comprises a damping element made of elastic material and overmolded onto the lower support cover. Brief description of the figures

[0017] The present invention will be better understood upon studying the detailed description of embodiments, taken as non-limiting examples and illustrated by the appended drawings in which:

[0018] [Fig-1] is an axial sectional view of a suspension stop device according to a first example of embodiment of the invention;

[0019] [Fig.2] is a partial bottom view of the device of [Fig.l]; and

[0020] [Fig.3] is an axial sectional view of a suspension stop device according to a second example of embodiment of the invention Detailed description of the invention

[0021] The suspension stop device 2 shown in [Fig.l] is adapted to be installed between an upper support cup or seat coming into contact with an element of the fixed chassis of a motor vehicle, and a helical type suspension spring. In [Fig.l], the device 2 is shown in a supposedly vertical position.

[0022] The device 2, of axis X-X', comprises an upper support cover 4, a lower support cover 6, and a rolling bearing 8 interposed axially between said covers 4, 6.

[0023] In the example illustrated, the upper support 4 and lower support 6 covers are mounted in direct contact with the bearing 8 without the interposition of an intermediate element. Alternatively, the upper support 4 and lower support 6 covers may be mounted in indirect contact with the bearing 8 with the interposition of an intermediate element.

[0024] The upper support cover 4 is here made of a single piece, for example made of plastic material, for example such as a polyamide PA 6.6, which may or may not be reinforced with glass fibers.

[0025] The upper support cover 4, of axis X-X', comprises a radial portion 10, an annular axial internal skirt 12, and an annular axial external skirt 14 radially surrounding the internal skirt 12.

[0026] The outer skirt 14 of the upper support cover 4 radially partially surrounds the lower support cover 6, the outer skirt 14 extending axially from the radial portion 10 of the upper support cover 4. In the example illustrated, the outer skirt 14 of the upper support cover 4 extends a large diameter edge of the radial portion 10 of the upper support cover 4.

[0027] The inner skirt 12 of the upper support cap 4 extends inside the bore of the lower support cap 6. The inner and outer skirts 12, 14 of the upper support cap 4 extend axially downward from the radial portion 10 of the upper support cap 4. The inner skirt 12 extends a small diameter edge of the radial portion 10 of the upper support cap 4.

[0028] “Axially downwards” means the direction directed axially from the upper support cover 4 towards the lower support cover 6.

[0029] The upper support cover 4 comprises a plurality of internal hooks 15 arranged on the internal skirt 12 of the upper support cover 4 and extending radially outwards towards the lower support cover 6. In the example illustrated, the hooks 15 are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction. Alternatively, it could be possible to provide a single annular hook 15.

[0030] The lower support cover 6 here consists of a body made in a single piece, for example made of plastic material, for example such as a polyamide PA 6.6, which may or may not be reinforced with glass fibers.

[0031] As will be described in more detail later, the lower support cover 6 is configured to reduce the amount of material used for its manufacture.

[0032] The lower support cover 6, of axis X-X', comprises an annular radial portion 16 in the form of a plate, and an annular axial skirt 18 extending a small diameter edge of the radial portion 16 of the lower support cover 6. The radial portion 16 supports the bearing 8.

[0033] The skirt 18 extends axially opposite the upper support cover 4 and the bearing 8. The skirt 18 of the lower support cover 6 provides a radial centering function for the suspension spring.

[0034] The lower support cover 6 comprises a plurality of internal hooks 22 arranged on the radial portion 16 of the lower support cover 6 and extending radially inwards towards the upper support cover 4, said plurality of internal hooks 22 being adapted to interfere diametrically with the plurality of internal hooks 15 of the upper support cover 4. Alternatively, it could be possible to provide a single annular hook 22.

[0035] The hooks 15, 22 form retaining means making it possible to axially retain the upper support 4 and lower support 6 covers relative to each other.

[0036] The bearing 8 is entirely located radially between the skirts 12, 14 of the upper support cover 4. The bearing 8 comprises an upper ring 24 in contact with the upper support cover 4, a lower ring 26 in contact with the lower support cover 6, and a row of rolling elements 28, here balls, arranged between the raceways formed on the rings 24, 26. In the example illustrated, the bearing is of the angular contact type. The upper ring 24 is in contact with the lower surface of the radial portion 10 of the upper support cover 4. The lower ring 26 is in contact with an upper surface of the lower support cover 6.

[0037] The skirt 18 of the lower support cover 6 is provided with a lower front face 18a which is oriented axially on the side opposite the upper support cover 4, i.e. oriented axially downwards. The lower front face 18a extends radially.

[0038] As previously indicated, the lower support cover 6 is configured to reduce the amount of material used for its manufacture.

[0039] A plurality of recesses 30 is formed in the thickness of the skirt 18 of the support cover. The recesses 30 extend axially from the lower front face 18a of the skirt. The recesses 30 are open axially downwards. The recesses 30 do not open radially onto the outer surface of the skirt or onto its bore. The recesses 30 here extend axially in the direction of the radial portion 16 while remaining axially at a distance therefrom. The recesses 30 are identical to each other. Alternatively, the recesses 30 could be of different shapes and / or sizes.

[0040] As illustrated in [Fig.2], the recesses 30 are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction. The recesses 30 are spaced apart here in a regular manner. The recesses 30 form a ring of recesses. Between two immediately successive recesses 30 there remains on the front face 18a a radial branch of material. Considering the circumferential direction, there is an alternation of recesses 30 and radial branches of material.

[0041] Referring again to [Fig. 1], each recess 30 comprises a groove axial 30a extending from the lower front face 18a of the skirt. In the illustrated embodiment, each recess 30 also comprises a heel 30b extending radially outwards the axial groove 30a and extending from the lower front face 18a. The heel of each recess has a reduced axial dimension compared to that of the associated axial groove 30a. As can be seen in [Fig.2], the axial groove 30a and the heel 30b each have a rectangular shape. Alternatively, it is possible to provide other shapes, for example triangular, square, etc.

[0042] The embodiment illustrated in [Fig. 3], in which identical elements bear the same references, differs from the first embodiment in that the device 2 comprises a damping element 32 overmolded onto the lower support cover 6 and made of elastic material in order to filter vibrations, for example thermoplastic elastomer rubber (TPE), or thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), or even elastomeric cellular foam. The damping element 32 is overmolded onto the radial portion 16 and the skirt 18 of the lower support cover 6. The damping element 32 provides a radial centering function for the suspension spring.

[0043] In the illustrated embodiments, the recesses 30 of the lower support cover are each provided with the axial groove 30a and the heel 30b. Alternatively, each recess 30 could be formed solely from the axial groove 30a.

[0044] In the illustrated embodiments, the device 2 comprises an angular contact rolling bearing 8 provided with a row of balls. The device 2 may comprise other types of rolling bearings, for example a bearing with four contact points and / or with at least two rows of balls. The rolling bearing may comprise other types of rolling elements 28, for example rollers. In another variant, the bearing of the device 2 may comprise a sliding bearing without rolling elements and provided with one or more rings.

Claims

Claims

1. Suspension stop device comprising a lower support cover (6), an upper support cover (4), and at least one bearing (8) arranged between said covers (4, 6), the lower support cover (6) comprising a radial portion (16) for supporting the bearing, and an annular axial skirt (18) extending the radial portion (16) axially on the side opposite the upper support cover (4), characterized in that at least one recess (30) is formed in the thickness of the axial skirt (18) of the support cover, said recess (30) extending from a lower front face (18a) of the axial skirt.

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein said recess (30) of the lower support cover comprises at least one axial groove (30a) extending from the lower front face (18a) of the axial skirt.

3. Device according to claim 2, wherein said recess (30) of the lower support cover further comprises a heel (30b) radially extending the axial groove (30a) and extending from the lower front face of the axial skirt (18).

4. Device according to claim 3, in which the heel (30b) extends radially outwards the axial groove (30a) of said recess.

5. Device according to claim 3 or 4, in which the heel (30b) has an axial dimension reduced compared to that of the axial groove (30a) of said recess.

6. A device according to any preceding claim, comprising a plurality of recesses (30) formed in the thickness of the axial skirt (18) of the support cover, the recesses (30) being spaced apart in the circumferential direction and extending from the lower end face (18a) of the axial skirt.

7. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said recess (30) of the lower support cover is annular.

8. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a damping element (64) made of elastic material and overmolded onto the lower support cover (6).

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