Engine Trunnion Mount With Vulcanized Rubber Bearing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing trunnion mounts for engines face issues with lubrication requirements and corrosion, leading to potential blockages and shear stress, particularly in rubber bearing designs that rely on screw pressure for contact and have limited durability.
Innovation Solution
A trunnion mount design featuring a rubber bearing directly vulcanized on the bearing surfaces and a separate ring portion that can be axially press-fitted with the female support, ensuring consistent contact pressure and reducing wear, with assembly options that allow for easier manufacturing and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a metal bearing element is used, then good lubrication conditions can be guaranteed, but external lubrication circuit is required and corrosion may block relative movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by using a rubber bearing element that inherently provides lubrication through its material properties without requiring external lubrication circuits. The rubber material itself serves the lubrication function, eliminating the need for separate lubrication systems and reducing device complexity while maintaining reliable operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a rubber bearing element that can be easily replaced rather than maintained through complex lubrication systems. This approach trades the longevity of metal bearings with lubrication circuits for simpler, replaceable rubber elements that eliminate the need for external lubrication infrastructure.
2Device complexity
If a rubber bearing composed of two separate elements is used, then no external lubrication is needed, but proper contact pressure is only provided by screw pressure and shear stress can lead to cracks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the two separate rubber bearing half circles into a single continuous rubber bearing element that surrounds the support element. This unified structure eliminates the need for screws to hold separate parts together, distributing contact pressure evenly around the entire circumference and eliminating shear stress concentration points that could lead to cracking.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the structural parameter from discrete segmented elements to a continuous环形 (ring-shaped) rubber bearing. This parameter change transforms the stress distribution from localized shear stress at screw connections to uniform radial contact pressure around the entire bearing surface, significantly improving resistance to shear stress.
3Ease of manufacture
If rubber bearing is used with screw pressure for contact, then assembly is simplified, but local contact creates shear stress leading to cracks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the contact function previously achieved by discrete screw-pressured elements into a single continuous rubber bearing structure. This merger maintains assembly simplicity while eliminating the localized shear stress concentrations that occur at screw connection points, thereby preventing crack formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the screws and intermediate metal layers from the bearing assembly, using only the rubber material itself to provide both the contact pressure and the structural integrity. This extraction eliminates the shear stress problem entirely while maintaining ease of manufacture through simpler assembly without screw fasteners.
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
The solution provides improved durability and reduced wear by ensuring proper contact pressure around the rubber bearing, simplifying assembly, and reducing the risk of corrosion and shear stress, while allowing for easier access and maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
the rubber bearing is directly vulcanized on at least one of the bearing surfaces, i. e. on the outer bearing surface of the ring portion and/or the inner bearing surface of the female support
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure discloses a trunnion mount for mounting an engine, in particular a combustion engine, to a chassis, comprising a support element rigidly connected and/or connectable to the engine having a ring portion with an outer bearing surface, which may be arranged concentrically around the crankshaft; a female support having an inner bearing surface for surrounding the bearing surface of the support element, the female support forming the link between the chassis and the engine; and a rubber bearing arranged between the inner bearing surface of the female support and the outer bearing surface of the support element. In one or more examples, the trunnion mount includes a rubber bearing that is directly vulcanized on at least one of the bearing surfaces and/or wherein the ring portion is formed as a separate element from a mounting portion of the support element and connectable thereto via axial screws.