Elastic Bearing With Adjustable Support Studs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional elastic wedge bearings lack the ability to flexibly adjust stiffness ratios, requiring multiple housing designs for different stiffness settings and limiting the utilization of rubber properties for rigidity adjustment.
Innovation Solution
An elastic bearing system with support studs vulcanized to a core, allowing adjustable angular positions relative to the core and housing, enabling flexible stiffness ratio adjustment through various angular configurations and attachment methods, including fastening devices like support plates, to accommodate different loads and applications with a single housing design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple housing designs are used for different stiffness settings, then different stiffness ratios can be achieved, but device complexity and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single housing design with a receiving opening is used to accommodate support studs with different angular positions, allowing the same housing to serve multiple stiffness ratio configurations. This universal design eliminates the need for multiple specialized housing variants.
Solution Approach 2:
The support studs are designed with rotational freedom within the receiving opening, allowing their angular position to be dynamically adjusted. This dynamic positioning capability enables stiffness ratio adjustment without requiring different static housing designs for each configuration.
2Ease of manufacture
If support lugs are deformed to be pressed into the receiving opening, then the bearing can be assembled, but the receiving opening already specifies the end position and thus the rigidity ratio
Solution Approach 1:
The support studs are designed to be insertable and rotatable within the receiving opening, transforming the static assembly process into a dynamic adjustment process. The studs can be deformed for insertion ease, then rotated to different angular positions to achieve various stiffness ratios, decoupling assembly from final configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The support studs are pre-formed with specific geometries that facilitate deformation during assembly, but the final angular position and stiffness ratio are determined after insertion through rotation, allowing preliminary assembly actions without committing to a fixed final configuration.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the entire rubber-metal part is rotated before pressing into the housing, then rigidity can be adjusted, but twisting of the support lugs relative to the core is not possible for structural reasons
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing is segmented into a core with vulcanized support lugs and separate support studs that can rotate independently within the housing. This segmentation allows the support studs to be adjusted angularly without requiring the entire rubber-metal part to be rotated or re-vulcanized, simplifying the adjustment process while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The support studs are designed with rotational freedom relative to the core, allowing their angular position to be dynamically adjusted after assembly. This dynamic capability enables rigidity adjustment without requiring complex pre-vulcanization geometries or rotation of the entire rubber-metal part.
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
Enables quick and cost-effective adjustment of stiffness ratios directly on site, reducing the need for multiple housing designs and allowing for a wide range of stiffness settings with a single vulcanization geometry, optimizing stress profiles and accommodating various loads.
Implementation Method 1
the suspension spring undergoes different compression and shear deformations under load
Implementation Method 2
the suspension spring undergoes different compression and shear deformations under load
Implementation Method 3
a core with at least two support lugs vulcanized onto it
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to an elastic bearing (10), in particular a wedge bearing or a thrust bearing for supporting a component of a drive train. The elastic bearing comprises a core (14) having at least two bearing bars (16) vulcanized on the core and made of elastic materials, and a housing (18) having a receiving opening (20) for receiving the core (14) and the bearing bars (16). In order to realize the flexible adjustment of rigidity ratio, the free end (26) of the bearing bars (16) is adjustably fastened in the receiving opening (20). In addition, the invention provides a bearing system and a method for adjusting rigidity.