Vehicle Suspension Pivot Bearing With Plain Bearing Decoupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle joint bearings subject chassis parts to high restoring moments during driving, especially after sharp turns or impacts, leading to potential damage from bending forces.
Innovation Solution
A spherical plain bearing design incorporating a rigid central element with an elastomer layer and a spherical cap, where the elastomer layer is supported by a shell with a plain bearing that reduces restoring forces, allowing for a gimbal-like motion without significant restoring moments, thereby reducing the load on connected chassis parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a spherical bearing with elastomer layer is used to provide self-restoring capability, then the bearing can recover after deformation, but the restoring moments subject chassis parts to high loads and cause potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The spherical bearing is divided into two functional segments: an elastomer bearing providing self-restoring capability and a separate plain bearing that absorbs restoring moments. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, with the plain bearing protecting chassis parts from high loads while the elastomer layer maintains its elastic recovery property
Solution Approach 2:
The plain bearing acts as an intermediary element between the elastomer bearing and the chassis parts. It mediates the interaction by absorbing the restoring moments generated by the elastomer layer during deformation, thereby protecting the chassis parts from high bending forces while allowing the elastomer to perform its self-restoring function
2Ease of operation
If the elastomer layer is designed for optimal deformation behavior, then recovery characteristics are improved, but restoring moments increase and subject connected parts to strong bending forces
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful effect of high restoring moments is extracted and isolated from the chassis parts through the introduction of a separate plain bearing. The plain bearing specifically takes out and absorbs the restoring moments, allowing the elastomer layer to be optimized for deformation recovery without concern for the excessive forces it generates
3Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid central element with joint core is used to provide structural stability, then the bearing maintains its shape, but the restoring forces generated during deflection increase
Solution Approach 1:
The plain bearing serves as an intermediary that decouples the structural stability function from the force transmission to chassis parts. The rigid central element maintains structural stability as intended, while the plain bearing intermediates the force transmission by absorbing restoring forces before they reach the chassis components
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 design significantly reduces the risk of damage to chassis parts by minimizing the impact of restoring moments, enhancing durability and mobility with reduced loading on connected components.
Implementation Method 1
the restoring moments acting in the elastomer layer due to its elastic deformation
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~5
Figure 6~7
AI summary
A spherical bearing for supporting a vehicle steering arm is proposed, comprising an elastomer bearing (10) made of a rigid central element (2) which is integrally formed from a joint core (5) and at least one mounting pin (4A, 4B) arranged in extension of the longitudinal axis (A) of the joint core (5), an elastomer layer (11) enclosing the joint core (5) and directly supported against the joint core (5), and a shell (12) enclosing the elastomer layer (11), a sliding bearing (20) made of a spherical calotte (21) which is annular with a through-opening (25), and an outer ring (22) which is designed on its inner side as a spherical sliding bearing shell (28) which rotatably receives the calotte (21), wherein the shell (12) is fixed with its outer side (18) in the through-opening (25) of the calotte (21),and the outer surface (1) of the outer ring (22) is designed as a mounting surface that can be inserted into the vehicle steering arm (3).