Engine Mount with Projecting Flanges for Vibration Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing sophistication and power of off-road vehicle engines lead to packaging challenges in engine compartments, complicating repairs and exposing components to environmental stress, while traditional engine mounts struggle to effectively manage noise, vibration, and harshness, especially during engine startup.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates an integral starter pinion with a through bore and a gear assembly that includes a worm gear and return spring, supported by a bearing, and an engine mount with a cylindrical rubber bushing and support bracket, featuring projecting flanges aligned with potential damage vectors to enhance durability and vibration isolation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional engine mounts are used, then the engine can be mounted and basic vibration isolation is provided, but the mounts cannot properly overcome startup structural vibration and are insufficient for managing noise, vibration, and harshness
Solution Approach 1:
The engine mount uses a composite structure combining a rigid support bracket with a compliant rubber bushing member. The rubber bushing provides vibration isolation while the rigid bracket provides structural support, creating a composite material solution that addresses both vibration management and structural requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The rubber bushing member provides dynamic compliance that allows the mount to adapt to different operating conditions. The compliant material can deform to isolate vibrations during normal operation while maintaining structural integrity, enabling the mount to properly overcome startup structural vibration.
2Volume of moving object
If engine compartments are made smaller to accommodate more sophisticated engines, then packaging is improved, but repairs become more complicated and components are exposed to increased environmental stress
Solution Approach 1:
The engine mount is designed as a separable assembly with a support bracket and a rubber bushing member that can be independently replaced. This segmentation allows for easier repair and maintenance of the vibration isolation components without requiring replacement of the entire mounting system.
Solution Approach 2:
The rubber bushing member acts as an intermediary between the engine and the vehicle structure, providing vibration isolation and protecting components from environmental stress. This mediator component can be independently serviced to address repair accessibility issues in compact engine compartments.
3Reliability
If the rubber bushing is designed for maximum compliance, then vibration isolation is improved, but the bushing becomes more susceptible to damage from high vibration loading vectors
Solution Approach 1:
The engine mount combines a rigid support bracket with a compliant rubber bushing member. The rigid bracket provides structural strength to resist high vibration loading vectors, while the compliant rubber bushing provides vibration isolation, creating a composite solution that addresses both durability and vibration performance.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the mounting system have different mechanical properties optimized for their specific functions. The rubber bushing member has high compliance for vibration isolation where needed, while the support bracket has high rigidity for structural support, creating local quality variations that optimize overall performance.
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 configuration improves engine mounting by enhancing vibration isolation, reducing noise and harshness, and increasing the durability of the rubber bushing by aligning flanges with high vibration loading vectors, thus addressing packaging challenges and environmental stress.
Implementation Method 1
engine mounts which support the engine as well as limit the transmission of noise, vibration and harshness from the engine to the vehicle structure
Implementation Method 2
Engine mounts use compliant materials suitable for isolating the engine from the vehicle
Implementation Method 3
a gear assembly having an exterior surface configured to engage the starter clutch ring gear and an surface engaging the shaft
Implementation Method 4
A starter pinion shaft is disposed through the through bore, and has a first end projecting from a first side of the integral starter pinion accepting member. The first end is configured to be coupled to a starter motor.
Data Source
AI summary
An engine is disclosed having a starter clutch ring gear, and a crank case having an integral starter pinion accepting member defining a through bore, and a gear assembly having an exterior surface configured to engage a flywheel and an surface engaging the second of the shaft. A starter pinion shaft is disposed through the through bore. The integral starter pinion accepting member defines a surface coupled to an engine mount.