Stabilizer Bar Stop Ring with Hinged Jaws and Interlocking Teeth
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing stop rings for stabilizer bars in motor vehicle suspension systems require welding, which is cumbersome and may lead to dulling of teeth during closure, affecting the ring's stability and precision.
Innovation Solution
A stop ring composed of two curved jaws joined by a thinned folding zone with teeth that cooperate after plastic deformation, eliminating the need for welding and ensuring a precise, stable fit on the torsion bar by generating a radial reaction that maintains closure and resists lateral stresses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If welding is used to join the two curved parts of the ring, then the ring can be assembled around the stabilizer bar, but the welding process is cumbersome and may cause tooth dulling during closure
Solution Approach 1:
The ring is divided into two curved jaws that can be separately formed and then joined together. This segmentation allows each jaw to be independently manufactured with precise tooth geometry, and the joining mechanism (folding zone with tenons and recesses) enables assembly without welding, preventing tooth dulling while maintaining structural integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The teeth are pre-formed on the curved jaws before assembly. The folding zone is pre-thinned to enable precise joining. This preliminary preparation ensures that when the jaws close around the stabilizer bar, the teeth are already in their correct positions and orientations, eliminating the need for post-assembly adjustments that could cause dulling
2Device complexity
If the ring is made from a single piece of material, then manufacturing is simpler, but the area available for tooth engagement is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The ring is segmented into two curved jaws that can be independently formed with optimized tooth geometries. This segmentation increases the total area available for tooth engagement with the stabilizer bar while maintaining relatively simple manufacturing processes for each jaw component
Solution Approach 2:
The two curved jaws are joined together through the thinned folding zone with tenons and recesses to form a complete ring structure. This merging combines the benefits of segmented tooth engagement with the structural integrity of a unified ring, achieving both precision and simplicity
3Ease of manufacture
If the folding zone is made thin to enable joining, then the jaws can be connected, but the area where folding occurs requires reinforcement
Solution Approach 1:
The folding zone is locally thinned only in the specific area where joining is required, while the rest of the jaws maintain their full thickness for structural strength. Tenons and recesses are locally added at the ends of the jaws to reinforce the folding zone, providing both ease of joining and sufficient strength where needed
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 a secure, precise, and durable attachment to the torsion bar without welding, ensuring the ring remains closed with minimal radial play and resists lateral stresses effectively, while avoiding tooth dulling during closure.
Implementation Method 1
the rotation of the jaws is continued until they undergo plastic deformation. It is this plastic deformation which interlocks and makes the teeth cooperate
Implementation Method 2
the radial elastic reaction of the torsion bar keeps them in contact with sufficient force so that the ring remains closed
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~4
AI summary
The ring has two curved jaws (14, 16) for tightening on a cylindrical portion of a stabilizer or torsion bar. The two curved jaws are joined together by a thin folding zone (18) forming a hinge. The jaws (14, 16) respectively have ends provided with teeth (26, 28) for cooperating when the jaws are closed on the bar. The shape and the dimensions of the jaws are determined for enclosing the bar by generating from the bar a radial reaction. The jaws have curved tenons (30a, 30b) and cavities (31a, 31b) which overlap with each other while closing. An independent claim is also included for a stabilizer bar comprising a stop ring.