Vehicle Bushing Indentation Tuning for Vibration Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
The design and manufacturing of vehicle bushings require a balance between strength and flexibility to effectively absorb vibrations and noise, which is time-consuming and costly due to the need for extensive research and development, and frequent alterations to casting tools.
Innovation Solution
A bushing design featuring a rigid inner member, a flexible member, and an outer member with a cylindrical shape, where an indentation is formed in the outer member during the manufacturing process to compress the flexible member, allowing for adjustable stiffness characteristics without retooling, using a calibration tool to apply the necessary clamping force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If bushings are designed with high strength and low flexibility, then the connection between structural assemblies is firm and secure, but passengers experience excessive vibration and discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The bushing incorporates a non-uniform cross-sectional geometry with a thicker first portion and a thinner second portion. The thicker first portion provides high strength for firm connection between structural assemblies, while the thinner second portion provides enhanced flexibility for vibration absorption. This local variation in geometry allows different regions of the same component to serve different functions, resolving the contradiction between strength and flexibility.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If bushings are designed with low strength and high flexibility, then vibration absorption is improved, but vehicle handling and response deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The non-uniform cross-sectional geometry with a thicker first portion and thinner second portion enables the bushing to provide both vibration absorption and proper vehicle handling. The thinner second portion enhances flexibility for vibration absorption, while the thicker first portion maintains sufficient strength for proper vehicle response and handling, resolving the contradiction between vibration absorption and handling quality.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional bushing design methods are used to achieve balanced strength and flexibility, then proper vibration damping is achieved, but design and manufacturing time and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention achieves proper vibration damping and balanced strength-flexibility characteristics by modifying the geometric parameters of the bushing, specifically creating a non-uniform cross-section with varying thickness. This parameter change approach allows for optimized performance without requiring extensive iterative design cycles or complex manufacturing processes, thereby reducing design and manufacturing time while maintaining effective vibration damping.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach simplifies the manufacturing process, reduces costs, and allows for faster production of bushings with desired strength and flexibility characteristics, enabling efficient vibration and noise damping without the need for extensive tool changes.
Implementation Method 1
an indentation is formed in a center portion of the cylindrical outer surface of the outer member, whereby the indentation also deforms the cylindrical inner surface of the outer member and the cylindrical shape of the center portion of the flexible material, compressing center portion of the flexible material between the indentation and the outer surface of the rigid inner member
Data Source
AI summary
Bushings and methods of manufacturing bushings to be used in a chassis of a vehicle or the like for damping and absorbing vibrations, oscillations, and noise are provided. In one implementation, a method of manufacturing a bushing includes the steps of positioning a flexible member around a cylindrical outer surface of a rigid inner member having a cylindrical inner surface or solid core and positioning an outer member having a cylindrical inner surface around the flexible member. The method also includes the step of clamping a cylindrical outer surface of the outer member to form an indentation in the cylindrical outer surface of the outer member, thereby deforming the flexible member. This method may be executed to create a bushing having certain axial, radial, and torsional stiffness.