Rubber Drive Unit Mounting With Integrated Joining Aid

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing drive units for motor vehicle components, such as door units, face challenges in decoupling the engine's vibrations and noise, leading to increased complexity and cost in assembly and acoustics.

Innovation Solution

A rubber-like warehouse with a hollow-cylinder shape and a deepening feature, equipped with a fitting assembly that extends into the deepening, allowing for direct force introduction and deformation of the elastic bearing for secure and low-noise attachment to a carrier component.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a rubber-elastic bearing is used to decouple the drive unit, then noise and vibrations are reduced, but the assembly process becomes more complex and costly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenoise and vibrationsVSAvoidassembly process
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The joining aid is integrated directly into the rubber-elastic bearing as an integral component, combining the bearing and joining aid into a single unit. This eliminates the need for separate joining operations and reduces assembly complexity while maintaining the noise and vibration decoupling function of the bearing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The joining aid on the bearing enables the bearing to be self-installing into the carrier component without requiring additional joining operations or tools. The bearing automatically provides its own joining mechanism through the integrated joining aid, simplifying the assembly process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Ease of manufacture

If a joining aid is added to the bearing, then the assembly process is simplified, but the bearing structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly processVSAvoidbearing structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The joining aid is merged with the bearing to form an integral component rather than a separate part. This integration simplifies the overall assembly process while the joining aid's simple geometric design minimizes the increase in bearing structure complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The joining aid is designed as a simple protruding structure on the bearing surface, adding minimal structural complexity while providing effective joining functionality. The design uses simple geometric forms that do not significantly complicate the bearing manufacturing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Reliability

If the joining aid extends fully into the recess, then the connection is maximally secure, but the elastic bearing cannot deform to its maximum extent

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection securityVSAvoidelastic deformation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The joining aid is designed with specific dimensional characteristics (length, diameter) that create an optimal balance between connection security and elastic deformation capability. The joining aid extends partway into the recess rather than fully, providing localized securing while leaving space for the bearing material to deform elastically under dynamic loads

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 simplifies the assembly process, ensures a secure fit, and effectively decouples vibrations and noise, improving the acoustic performance and reducing the overall cost of the drive unit.

Implementation Method 1

a rubber-elastic bearing (4) for the decoupled fastening of a component, in particular a drive unit (1), in a motor vehicle

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

effectively decouples vibrations and noise, improving the acoustic performance

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVibration damping: Damping

Data Source

PatentEP3803148B1Rubber mounting for a drive unit in a motor vehicle
Publication Date: 2025.05.07 KIEKERT AG
  • EP3803148B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3

AI summary

The invention relates to a rubber elastic bearing (4, 22, 28) for securing a drive unit in a motor vehicle in an uncoupled manner. The bearing (4, 22, 28) can be assembled between a housing (8, 30) of the drive unit (1, 18) and a support component (3, 19, 29), and the bearing (4, 22, 28) can be held at least indirectly in the support component (3, 19, 29) in a form-fitting manner. A joining aid (12, 27, 31) for the bearing (4, 22, 28) is provided such that a secure joint of the form-fitting connection with the support component (3, 19, 29) can be achieved.