Suspension thrust bearing device and strut

• US 8,226,301 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2007
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABet SKF
• Original Assignee: ABet SKF
• Inventors: Poulle, Thierry, Houdayer, Christophe, Migliore, Jean-Sylvain
• Primary Examiner(s): Pilkington, James
• Application Number:
  US11/807,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20080031562A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,887 Days
• Field of Search: 384/490, 384/510, 384/526, 384/536, 384/590, 384/592, 384/609, 384/611, 267/220, 267/170, 267/221, 280124145-124147, 280/124.154, 280/124.155
• US Class Current: 384/609
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 11/15 Coil springs resisting deflection by winding up
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 15/068 specially adapted for MacPherson strut-type suspension
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/12 Wound spring
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/312 The spring being a wound spring
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/1242 on a damper, e.g. MacPerson strut
• 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: F16C 19/10 for axial load mainly
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2326/05 Vehicle suspensions, e.g. bearings, pivots or connecting rods used therein in general B60G
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/54 Arrangements for attachment grommet-type rubber mounting springs per se F16F1/3732; construction of cylinder ends F16F9/3242; attachments to vehicles B60G13/001, B60G15/00

Abstract

The suspension thrust bearing device, in particular for a motor vehicle, includes a rolling bearing forming an axial thrust bearing, a lower support cap of the rolling bearing that is provided with a body made of synthetic material, and a vibration-filtering element mounted on the body of the support cap. The filtering element includes at least one flange extending substantially radially and designed to form a flow deflector for reducing any ingress of water inside the rolling bearing.

Claims

1. A suspension thrust bearing device comprising:

a rolling bearing forming an axial thrust bearing,

a lower support cap of the rolling bearing that is provided with a body made of synthetic material having an axial bore,

a vibration-filtering element mounted on the body of the lower support cap, the vibration-filtering element being made of flexible plastic material to filter the vibrations of a suspension spring, and

wherein the vibration-filtering element comprises;

a radial portion forming a bearing surface for an upper end of the suspension spring;

a first annular lip extending substantially radially outwardly from the bearing surface of the radial portion and beyond the upper end of the suspension spring and the body of the lower support cap, said annular lip extending entirely around the periphery of said body of the lower support cap and said upper end of the suspension spring and being designed to form a flow deflector for reducing any ingress of water inside the rolling bearing;

a cup provided within the axial bore of the body of the lower support cap; and

a second annular lip arranged on an internal edge of the vibration-filtering element and extending radially inwards in the direction of the cup so as to form a gap seal for reducing any ingress of polluting elements inside a radial gap defined between the axial bore of the lower support cap and the cup.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first annular lip extends radially beyond the periphery of the body of the lower support cap.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the vibration-filtering element comprises an axial portion for the centering of the suspension spring.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the second annular lip has a bore diameter which is less than a bore diameter of the lower support cap.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the vibration-filtering element is obtained by molding at least one synthetic material.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the radial dimension of the first annular lip is substantially equal to that of the radial portion.

7. A strut comprising a damper rod and a suspension thrust bearing device, the suspension thrust bearing device comprising:

a rolling bearing forming an axial thrust bearing,

a lower support cap of the rolling bearing that is provided with a body made of synthetic material having an axial bore,

a vibration-filtering element mounted on the body of the lower support cap, the vibration-filtering element being made of flexible plastic material to filter the vibrations of a suspension spring, and

wherein the vibration-filtering element comprises;

a radial portion forming a bearing surface for an upper end of the suspension spring;

a first annular lip extending substantially radially outwardly from the bearing surface of the radial portion and beyond the upper end of the suspension spring and the body of the lower support cap, said annular lip extending entirely around the periphery of said body of the lower support cap and said upper end of the suspension spring and being designed to form a flow deflector for reducing any ingress of water inside the rolling bearing;

a cup provided within the axial bore of the body of the lower support cap; and

a second annular lip arranged on an edge of an axial portion of the vibration-filtering element and extending radially inwards in the direction of the cup so as to form a gap seal for reducing any ingress of polluting elements inside a radial gap defined between the axial bore of the lower support cap and the cup.

8. The strut of claim 7, wherein the first annular lip extends radially beyond the periphery of the body of the lower support cap.

9. The strut of claim 7, wherein the second annular lip has a bore diameter which is less than a bore diameter of the lower support cap.

10. The strut of claim 7, wherein the radial dimension of the first annular lip is substantially equal to that of the radial portion.