Control Arm Bushing Mounting with Stopping Lip
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle suspension systems face challenges in safety, cost-effectiveness, and ease of serviceability due to the dislodgment of fastening bolts under external forces, particularly when using lightweight materials, and require complex designs that increase weight and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle suspension arm mounting arrangement featuring a control arm with a bushing and a fastening bolt having a stopping structure, where the bolt is mounted in a rear cavity through the bushing, with a threaded end protruding and secured by a nut, and a lip on the bolt contacts the cavity inner end to prevent dislodgment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional fastening bolt is pressed into the control arm cavity to attach the control arm to the vehicle frame, then the control arm can be mounted to the frame, but the bolt can dislodge and retract from the control arm when external force is applied
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the problematic fastening bolt from the control arm cavity by using a rod that extends from the cavity and connects via bushing to the vehicle frame, with a stopping structure that prevents the rod from passing completely through the cavity. This removes the dislodgment issue while maintaining secure attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a bushing as an intermediary element between the fastening rod and the vehicle frame. The bushing facilitates the connection while allowing the rod to be secured with a nut, preventing dislodgment while maintaining ease of assembly and disassembly for serviceability.
2Reliability
If heavyweight material is used for the fastening bolt to prevent dislodgment, then the fastening reliability improves, but the overall weight of the suspension system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the reliance on heavy bolt material with a mechanical stopping structure and bushing system. The stopping structure physically prevents the rod from passing through the cavity, while the bushing and nut provide secure fastening, eliminating the need for heavyweight fastening materials.
3Ease of manufacture
If a simple pressed-in bolt design is used, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but the fastening mechanism lacks safety against dislodgment
Solution Approach 1:
The invention incorporates a stopping structure on the rod that prevents it from passing completely through the control arm cavity. This preliminary preventive measure ensures that even if the nut loosens, the rod cannot dislodge, providing safety while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle suspension mounting structure and method can include a control arm connected to a bushing via a fastener rod and the method of connecting the same. The bushing can be attached to a portion of the vehicle frame. The fastener rod can be inserted into a cavity in the control arm such that the fastener rod extends away from the control arm and is prevented from being removed from the cavity in the control arm by a lip provided at a proximal end (relative to the control arm) of the fastener rod. The mounting structure and method can provide a safer and stronger connection between the control arm and bushing. In addition, serviceability can be improved and cost savings can be realized in some cases.