Upper Support Clinching Structure for Low-Profile Shock Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional upper supports for connecting a piston rod of a shock absorber to a vehicle body require significant upward protrusion of tightening bolts, which is problematic in layouts with limited space.
Innovation Solution
The use of clinching nuts to fix overlapping upper and lower metal members, eliminating the need for protruding bolts and reducing the vertical dimension of the support structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If tightening bolts are used to fix the upper and lower metal members, then the connection strength is sufficient, but the bolts protrude significantly upward requiring wide space
Solution Approach 1:
The clinching nut is inserted through the lower metal member and nested within the upper metal member, with the engagement portion fitting into the engagement hole of the upper metal member. This nesting structure allows the fastening mechanism to be contained within the thickness of the metal members themselves, eliminating the need for protruding bolts and significantly reducing the vertical dimension while maintaining connection strength.
2Reliability
If pre-painted metal members are used, then rust-proofing performance is maintained, but conventional welding or swaging methods cannot be applied
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening function is segmented from the metal members themselves and implemented through a separate clinching nut component. This segmentation allows the metal members to be pre-painted for rust protection without requiring post-assembly welding or swaging operations that would damage the paint coating. The clinching nut provides the necessary mechanical fastening through a cold-forming insertion process that is compatible with pre-painted surfaces.
3Reliability
If the clinching nut insertion depth is increased to improve fixing reliability, then the connection becomes more secure, but the risk of paint peeling increases
Solution Approach 1:
The clinching nut features a localized engagement portion with a specific engagement hole that concentrates the fastening force in a controlled local area rather than distributing it through the entire painted surface. This local quality approach allows sufficient fixing reliability through the engagement portion while minimizing the overall impact on the paint coating, thereby reducing the risk of paint peeling.
Data Source
AI summary
An upper support including an inner attachment member and an outer attachment member connected by an elastic connection body, the outer attachment member including upper and lower metal members overlapped on each other, the inner attachment member and the elastic connection body being arranged between the upper and lower metal members. The upper metal member and the lower metal member are penetrated by an upper attachment hole and a lower attachment hole respectively in a vertical direction. A clinching nut comprising a head part overlapped on a lower surface of the lower metal member is inserted through the lower attachment hole from below and is fitted and fixed to the upper attachment hole such that the upper and lower metal members are fixed to each other in an overlapped state by means of the clinching nut alone.