Vehicle Drive Unit Mount With One-Sided Bearing Cup Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing assembly bearings for vehicle drive units require significant installation space and components, and tool access is necessary on both sides for installation or removal, limiting flexibility and increasing costs.

Innovation Solution

The assembly bearing is designed with a housing-side bearing receptacle as a one-sided open bearing cup, featuring a sleeve-shaped core with an internal thread for the bearing bolt, eliminating the need for a screw nut and incorporating an anti-twist device for secure fixation, and a two- or three-part bearing console for enhanced assembly flexibility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a bearing eye open on both sides is used for the housing-side bearing mount, then tool access is provided on both sides for installation and removal, but the component complexity and space requirement increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetool access for installation and removalVSAvoidcomponent complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the unnecessary second opening from the traditional bearing eye design. By providing only a single opening in the bearing cup, the design eliminates the complexity of managing two openings while still achieving easy installation and removal through the single opening, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention merges the functions of installation and removal through a single opening. Instead of having separate access points on both sides, the single opening in the bearing cup serves both purposes, reducing component complexity while maintaining operational ease

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of operation

If a bearing eye open on both sides is used for the housing-side bearing mount, then tool access is provided on both sides for installation and removal, but the installation space requirement increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetool access for installation and removalVSAvoidinstallation space requirement
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention removes the unnecessary second opening and its associated space requirements. The single opening in the bearing cup reduces the installation space needed while maintaining full tool access for installation and removal operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention repositions the tool access function from requiring bilateral access (two sides) to unilateral access (one side). The single opening in the bearing cup allows all necessary tool access from one direction, reducing the spatial footprint in the engine compartment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Reliability

If a screw nut is used to connect the bearing bracket to the assembly bearing, then a secure connection is achieved, but the component requirement and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection securityVSAvoidcomponent requirement
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the functions of the bearing bracket and screw nut by integrating the threaded connection directly into the bearing cup. The bearing cup itself is provided with threads, eliminating the need for a separate screw nut while maintaining secure connection reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The bearing cup is given multiple functions: it provides the mounting structure, the opening for access, and the threaded connection interface. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate components like screw nuts, reducing component requirements while maintaining connection security

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3966057B1Assembly mount in a vehicle
Publication Date: 2024.04.24 AUDI AG
  • EP3966057B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3966057B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3966057B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a unit mounting in a vehicle, in which a drive unit is connected via a unit bearing (3) to a body-side bearing bracket (5), which unit bearing (3) is a rubber and metal bearing with a sleeve-shaped bearing core (11) which is screwed to the body-side bearing bracket (5) by means of a bearing bolt (27) guided through the sleeve-shaped bearing core (11), wherein the drive unit has a unit housing (1) in which a bearing receptacle (15) for the unit bearing (3) is formed. According to the invention, the housing-side bearing receptacle (15) is designed as a bearing cup which is open on one side and has a hollow-cylindrical receiving space (17), specifically in particular with a closed bearing base (19) from which a cylindrically encircling circumferential wall (21) is raised.