Transmission Mount Integrating Outer Bracket to Reduce Weight
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transmission mounts for vehicles, which include a bridge bracket bolted to the vehicle body, face issues with amplified vibration due to gear noise, leading to degraded Noise, Vibration & Harshness (NVH) performance, increased weight, and higher costs from complex assembly structures.
Innovation Solution
A transmission mount design that eliminates the bridge bracket by using a housing with integral support blades and a metal core, where the insulator is press-fitted into the vehicle body side member, and an outer bracket is fastened to the housing without bolting, utilizing vulcanized rubber or adhesive for vibration insulation and assembly assistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a bridge bracket is added to strengthen the mounting structure, then the structural strength and rigidity are improved, but the weight and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the bridge bracket and outer bracket into a single integrated outer bracket structure that directly contacts the insulator. This merging eliminates the need for separate reinforcement components while maintaining structural strength, thereby reducing weight and manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite structure combining rubber insulator material with integrated metal reinforcement elements within the outer bracket. This allows the structure to achieve high strength-to-weight ratio by utilizing the complementary properties of different materials rather than adding separate metal components.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a bridge bracket with multiple metal pieces is used, then the rigidity is enhanced, but the assembly complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate metal pieces and the bridge bracket into a single integrated outer bracket component. This reduces the number of parts from multiple discrete components to one unified structure, simplifying both manufacturing and assembly processes while maintaining the required rigidity.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer bracket is designed with integrated reinforcement ribs and stiffening elements that are seamlessly formed as part of the single component. This segmentation of functional elements within a unified structure achieves the rigidity of multiple pieces without the complexity of assembling them separately.
3Strength
If bolting operations are used to attach the bridge bracket to the vehicle body, then the connection strength is ensured, but the assembly workability and productivity decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical bolting system with a press-fit insertion system. The outer bracket is designed with fitting holes that directly receive fastening pins or allow press-fit mounting into the vehicle body side member, eliminating the need for separate bolting operations and significantly improving assembly productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer bracket is pre-formed with integrated fitting holes and fastening features during manufacturing. This preliminary preparation of mounting features allows for direct insertion and fastening without requiring separate hole alignment or bolting operations during assembly, thereby enhancing assembly speed and productivity.
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
This design reduces weight and cost by eliminating the bridge bracket, simplifies assembly through press-fitting and eliminates bolting operations, while maintaining effective vibration insulation and NVH performance.
Implementation Method 1
The main components of the mounting members are formed of an insulator (rubber) for insulating the actual vibration
Implementation Method 2
an insulator that has a plurality of support blades formed integrally on an outer surface thereof
Implementation Method 3
rubber may be vulcanized or an adhesive is coated on a surface of each of the fastening pins
Data Source
AI summary
A transmission mount for a vehicle is capable of being press-fitted to a vehicle body side member with only an insulator, and without use of a bridge bracket, such that reduction in weight and cost can be achieved by eliminating the bridge bracket, and assembly workability can be improved by eliminating a bolting operation.