Strut Bearing Rib Structure for Secure Top Mount Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing strut bearing units face difficulties in providing a secure, non-rotating connection between the upper cup and the top mount while allowing for relative angular movement, with interference fits making assembly of the top mount into the upper cup cumbersome.
Innovation Solution
The strut bearing unit features axially extending protruding ribs on the inner cylindrical surface of the upper cup, with varying radial thicknesses to facilitate easy assembly and secure connection, including deformable ribs to accommodate manufacturing tolerances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an interference fit is used to connect the top mount to the upper cup, then a secure non-rotating connection is achieved, but the assembly process becomes difficult and cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The connection interface is segmented into multiple protruding ribs distributed around the circumference of the upper cup. Each rib provides a localized interference fit connection point with the top mount, distributing the connection security across multiple points while maintaining assembly feasibility through the modular rib structure
Solution Approach 2:
The protruding ribs are designed with specific local geometric properties including varying radial thicknesses and axial lengths. The ribs have thicker bases for structural strength and thinner tips for easier insertion, creating local quality variations that simultaneously achieve secure connection and ease of assembly
2Ease of manufacture
If protruding ribs with uniform thickness are used for connection, then manufacturing is simplified, but assembly difficulty increases due to interference fit constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The protruding ribs exhibit local quality variations in their thickness profile along the axial direction. Each rib has a thicker base portion for manufacturing stability and structural integrity, and a thinner tip portion that facilitates easier insertion into the top mount, thereby resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and assembly ease
Solution Approach 2:
The ribs are designed with dynamic thickness variation along their length, transitioning from thicker to thinner sections. This dynamic geometric progression allows the ribs to provide sufficient interference fit for secure connection while the thinner portions reduce insertion resistance during assembly
Data Source
AI summary
A strut bearing unit for a motor vehicle includes a lower cup for supporting a suspension spring, an upper cup for coupling with a top mount which provides a connection to a chassis of the motor vehicle, and a bearing interposed between the upper cup and the lower cup. The upper cup has an inner cylindrical surface and a first set of protruding ribs formed on the inner cylindrical surface for providing a connection between the top mount and the upper cup. The first set of protruding ribs extends axially and is circumferentially distributed around the inner cylindrical surface. Each rib of the first set of protruding ribs has a first axial portion and a second axial portion, the first axial portion and the second axial portion having different thicknesses in the radial direction.