Bump stop device

• US 20050008276A1
• Filed: 09/10/2002
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABet SKF
• Original Assignee: ABet SKF
• Inventors: Houdayer, Christophe, Gorette, Raphael, Beghini, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 7,811,005 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 384/609
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 53/10 parts of bearings; sleeves; valve seats or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 15/068 specially adapted for MacPherson strut-type suspension
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/312 The spring being a wound spring
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/128 Damper mount on vehicle body or chassis
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/418 Bearings, e.g. ball or roller bearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/4502 using resilient buffer
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/10 for axial load mainly
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/163 with angular contact
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2326/05 Vehicle suspensions, e.g. bearings, pivots or connecting rods used therein in general B60G
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 27/066 Ball or roller bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/64 Special methods of manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/761 specifically for bearings with purely axial load
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/78 with a diaphragm, disc, or ring, with or without resilient members F16C33/761 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/80 Labyrinth sealings F16C33/761 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention concerns a vehicle bump stop comprising a rolling bearing forming a stop element (8), a support spring retainer (11), and an elastic support block (2), the rolling bearing including an upper race (12) arranged in an annular upper cap (16) forming a contact surface between said upper race (12) and the elastic block (2), a lower race (13). The device comprises an annular lower cap (17) forming a contact surface between the lower race (13) and the support spring retainer (11). The caps (16, 17) comprise each a thick portion (18, 22) and a thin portion (19, 23), the thin portion (19, 23) being located axially opposite the thick portion (22, 18) of the other cap, the lower (13) and upper (12) races being urged to be pressed on the thick portions (22, 18) of the lower (17) and upper (16) caps forming a rolling bearing with oblique contact.

Claims

1. A vehicle bump stop device of the type comprising an angular contact rolling bearing forming a bump stop, a cup for a spring, and an elastic support block, the rolling bearing being placed between the cup and the elastic support block secured to the vehicle chassis, the rolling bearing comprising an upper race placed inside an upper annular cap forming an interface between said upper race and the elastic block with which the upper cap is in contact, a lower race and rolling elements placed between raceways of the upper and lower races, the vehicle bump stop device further comprising an annular lower cap forming an interface between the lower race and the cup with which the lower cap is in contact, each cap comprising a thick portion and a thin portion, the thin portion of one cap being situated axially opposite the thick portion of the other cap, the lower and upper races bearing on the thick portions of the lower and upper caps thereby forming an angular contact rolling bearing.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein one race has an external diameter substantially equal to the internal diameter of the other race, so that the lower race and upper race are obtained from one and the same blank to reduce their fabrication cost.

3. The device as claimed claim 1, wherein the ratio between the internal diameter of one outer race and the external diameter of the other race lies between 1 and 1.05.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper cap and lower cap define an internal space in which the upper race and lower race are located, the upper and lower caps comprising sealing means to seal the internal space.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein one cap comprises a skirt extending axially toward the other cap and radially limiting the internal space, while forming a narrow sealing passage with the other cap.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein one cap comprises axial means of retention with the other cap.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein one cap comprises a radially elastic lip extending toward a skirt of the other cap thereby forming a narrow passage and cooperating with a radial flange of the skirt to allow an axial motion in one direction while preventing an inverse axial motion.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a seal placed on the cap and having one lip in contact with one radial portion of the race placed on the other cap, or with the other cap.

9. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a seal is injection overmolded onto one cap or dual injection molded at the same time as the cap.

10. A method of fabricating a rolling bearing comprising a lower race and an upper race, comprising:

forming in a thin annular cup, two annular races with toroidal portions, these portions comprising surfaces with, in cross section, a concave profile, said surfaces being suitable for forming raceways, one race having an internal diameter substantially equal to the external diameter of the other race, the races being connected;

separating the races; and

reducing the recess radius of at least one race and/or the internal diameter of the larger diameter race.

11. The fabrication method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising securing the races with lower and upper annular cups, rolling elements are placed between the races to form a suspension bump stop thrust bearing, the bearing is placed between a cup of a spring and an elastic support block secured to the vehicle chassis, the upper cap forming an interface between said upper race and the elastic block with which it is placed in contact, the lower cap forming an interface between the lower race and the cup with which it is placed in contact, each cap comprising a thick portion and a thin portion, the thin portion of one cap being situated axially opposite the thick portion of the other cap, the lower and upper races bearing against the thick portions of the lower and upper caps thereby forming an angular contact rolling bearing.

12. An angular contact rolling bearing for a vehicle suspension bump stop device, the rolling bearing comprising an upper race arranged in an annular upper cap, the cap being designed to come into contact with a bearing element thereby forming an interface between said upper race and the bearing element, a lower race and rolling elements placed between raceways of the upper and lower races, wherein the angular contact rolling bearing further comprises an annular lower cap designed to come into contact with another bearing element thereby forming an interface between the lower race and the other bearing element, each cap comprising a thick portion and a thin portion, the thin portion of one cap being situated axially opposite the thick portion of the other cap, the lower and upper races coming to bear against the thick portions of the lower and upper caps thereby forming an angular contact rolling bearing.

13. The rolling bearing as claimed in claim 12, wherein one race has an external diameter substantially equal to the internal diameter of the other race, so that the lower race and upper race are obtained from one and the same blank to reduce their fabrication cost.

14. The rolling bearing as claimed in claim 12, wherein the ratio between the internal diameter of one outer race and the external diameter of the other race lies between 1 and 1.05.

15. The rolling bearing as claimed in claim 12, wherein the upper cap and lower cap define an internal space in which the upper race and lower race are located, the upper and lower caps comprising sealing means to seal the internal space.

16. The rolling bearing as claimed in claim 12, wherein one cap comprises a skirt extending axially toward the other cap and radially limiting the internal space, while forming a narrow sealing passage with the other cap.

17. The rolling bearing as claimed in claim 12, wherein one cap comprises axial means of retention with the other cap.

18. The rolling bearing as claimed in claim 12, wherein one cap comprises a radially elastic lip extending toward a skirt of the other cap thereby forming a narrow passage and cooperating with a radial flange of the skirt to allow an axial motion in one direction while preventing an inverse axial motion.

19. The rolling bearing as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a seal placed on one cap and having one lip in contact with one radial portion of the race placed on the other cap, or with the other cap.

20. The rolling bearing as claimed in claim 12, wherein a seal is injection overmolded onto one cap or dual injection molded at the same time as the cap.