Vehicle Axle Guide Sealing Plug for Elastomer Bushing Deformation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing cast vehicle axle links with hollow bodies and transverse openings restrict the deformation behavior of elastomer bushings due to incomplete lateral surface coverage, affecting load-dependent behavior, while preventing these openings would complicate casting processes.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle axle link design featuring a narrowing longitudinal section followed by an enlargement to accommodate a sealing plug, which completes the transverse opening's circumference and depth, ensuring the elastomer bushing is not exposed to uneven surface pressures, and a sealing plug with a tapering contour and resilient retaining elements for secure insertion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the cavity is opened into the transverse opening to reduce weight, then the axle guide becomes lighter, but the elastomer bushing is exposed to uneven surface pressures affecting its deformation behavior
Solution Approach 1:
A sealing plug is introduced as an intermediary component to close the opening A in the cavity. This plug completes the lateral surface of the transverse opening, ensuring uniform surface pressure distribution on the elastomer bushing while maintaining the weight reduction benefit of the hollow cavity structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The cavity wall is segmented into two parts: the main hollow body structure for weight reduction, and a separate sealing plug to close the opening. This segmentation allows the opening to be closed only where necessary (at the transverse opening) while maintaining the hollow structure elsewhere.
2Manufacturing precision
If the opening is prevented by casting to ensure complete lateral surface, then the elastomer bushing shows proper deformation behavior, but at least two separate casting cores are required complicating the casting process
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing plug is inserted into the cavity before the elastomer bushing is installed. This preliminary action ensures that the lateral surface is completed before the bushing is seated, avoiding the need for complex multi-core casting processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The function of completing the lateral surface is extracted from the casting process itself and performed separately by inserting a sealing plug after casting. This separates the weight reduction function (hollow cavity) from the surface completion function (sealing plug).
3Ease of manufacture
If the transverse opening has uniform width for easy casting, then the casting process is simplified, but the elastomer bushing has reduced positional security in the longitudinal direction
Solution Approach 1:
The transverse opening is designed with asymmetric width variation: wider at the entrance for easy casting and bushing insertion, and narrower at the rear for secure positioning. The sealing plug closes this asymmetric opening, maintaining the beneficial width variation without compromising manufacturing simplicity.
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~6
Figure 7~9
AI summary
The axle guide (1) is formed of a cast part having a cavity (20), on which an axle mounting area (5) for a vehicle axle and a transverse opening (10) for receiving a pivot bearing are molded. The pivot bearing supports the axle guide against the vehicle and the transverse opening stands in connection with the cavity. The cavity has a narrow longitudinal section that starts from the transverse opening. An extension (21) is connected on the longitudinal section. An independent claim is included for a closing plug for insertion in an axle guide.