Resilient mount for MacPherson strut

Claim 2

A resilient mount for the upper end of a vehicle suspension strut comprising a shock absorber having an outer casing and a piston rod extending out of its upper end, and a coil spring surrounding the shock absorber and supported at its lower end by a spring plate attached to the outer casing, comprising: an annular mounting plate for securing the resilient mount to vehicle support structure bonded to an upper surface of an elastomeric ring for cushioning the loads of the coil spring as well as the loads of the shock absorber during suspension jounce and rebound, an upper race ring bonded to a lower surface of the elastomeric ring and spaced from a cup-shaped central portion of the annular mounting plate embedded in the elastomeric ring, thrust bearing means for rotatably supporting the upper end of the coil spring comprising the upper race ring bonded to the elastomeric ring, and a complement of bearing elements and a lower race ring retained in assembly with the elastomeric ring by integral flexible lips at the lower end of the elastomeric ring which engage the lower race ring to seal the inner and outer ends of the thrust bearing means, and a central sleeve secured to the elastomeric ring for attaching the end of the piston rod of the shock absorber having an enlarged head disposed inside of the cup-shaped central portion of the annular mounting plate with a portion of the elastomeric ring disposed therebetween.

Claim 3

A resilient mount for the upper end of a vehicle suspension strut comprising a shock absorber having an outer casing and a piston rod extending out of its upper end, and a coil spring surrounding the shock absorber and supported at its lower end by a spring plate attached to the outer casing, comprising: an annular mounting plate for securing the resilient mount to vehicle support structure bonded to an upper surface of an elastomeric ring for cushioning the loads of the coil spring as well as the loads of the shock absorber during the suspension jounce and rebound, an upper race ring bonded to a lower surface of the elastomeric ring and spaced from the annular mounting plate, said annular mounting plate having a cup-shaped central portion which is embedded in the elastomeric ring and has an outer diameter less than the inner diameter of the upper race ring, thrust bearing means for rotatably supporting the upper end of the coil spring comprising the upper race ring bonded to the elastomeric ring, and a complement of bearing elements and a lower race ring retained in assembly with the elastomeric ring by integral flexible lips at the lower end of the elastomeric ring which engage the lower race ring to seal the inner and outer ends of the thrust bearing means, and a central sleeve secured to the elastomeric ring for attaching the end of the piston rod of the shock absorber disposed inside of the cup-shaped central portion of the annular mounting plate with a portion of the elastomeric ring disposed therebetween, and an end plate which is attached to the central sleeve and abuts a lower surface of the elastomeric ring radially inward of the flexible lips, the cup-shaped central portion having a radial lip which is embedded in the elastomeric ring between the enlarged head of the central sleeve and the end plate attached to it and defines a hole smaller than the head and the end plate.

Claim 4

A resilient mount for the upper end of a vehicle suspension strut comprising a shock absorber having an outer casing and a piston rod extending out of its upper end, and a coil spring surrounding the shock absorber and supported at its lower end by a spring plate attached to the outer casing, comprising: an annular mounting plate for securing the resilient mount to vehicle support structure bonded to an upper surface of an elastomeric ring for cushioning the loads of the coil spring as well as the loads of the shock absorber during the suspension jounce and rebound, an upper race ring bonded to a lower surface of the elastomeric ring and spaced from the annular mounting plate, said annular mounting plate having a cup-shaped central portion which is embedded in the elastomeric ring and has an outer diameter less than the inner diameter of the upper race ring, thrust bearing means for rotatably supporting the upper end of the coil spring comprising the upper race ring bonded to the elastomeric ring, and a complement of bearing elements and a lower race ring retained in assembly with the elastomeric ring by integral flexible lips at the lower end of the elastomeric ring which engage the lower race ring to seal the inner and outer ends of the thrust bearing means, and a central sleeve secured to the elastomeric ring for attaching the end of the piston rod of the shock absorber disposed inside of the cup-shaped central portion of the annular mounting plate with a portion of the elastomeric ring disposed therebetween, and an end plate which is attached to the central sleeve and abuts a lower surface of the elastomeric ring radially inward of the flexible lips, the cup-shaped central portion having a radial lip which is embedded in the elastomeric ring between the enlarged head of the central sleeve and the end plate attached to it and defines a hole smaller than the head and the end plate.

Claim 5

The resilient mount as defined in claim 2 wherein the central sleeve is mold bonded to the elastomeric ring so that axial movement of the central sleeve relative to the annular mounting plate is opposed primarily by the shear resistance of the elastomeric ring portion inside of the cup-shaped portion of the mounting plate.

Claim 6

The resilient mount as defined in claim 2 wherein the central portion of the elastomeric ring is compressively preloaded by the central sleeve and end plate and the axial movement of the central sleeve relative to the mounting plate is opposed primarily by the compressive resistance of the central portion of the elastomeric ring. .Iadd.

Claim 7

A resilient mount for the upper end of a vehicle suspension strut comprising a shock absorber having an outer casing and a piston rod extending out of its upper end, and a coil spring surrounding the shock absorber and supported at its lower end by a spring plate attached to the outer casing, comprising: an annular mounting plate for securing the resilient mount to vehicle support structure bonded to an upper surface of an elastomeric ring for cushioning the loads of the coil spring as well as the loads of the shock absorber during suspension jounce and rebound, an upper race ring bonded to a lower surface of the elastomeric ring and spaced from a cup-shaped central portion of the annular mounting plate embedded in the elastomeric ring, thrust bearing means for rotatably supporting the upper end of the coil spring comprising the upper race ring bonded to the elastomeric ring, a complement of bearing elements and a lower race ring, said elastomeric ring having integral flexible lips at the lower end which engage the lower race ring so that the inner and outer ends of the thrust bearing means are sealed and at least one said lip retains the lower race ring in assembly with the elastomeric ring, and a central sleeve secured to the elastomeric ring for attaching the end of the piston rod of the shock absorber having an enlarged head disposed inside of the cup-shaped central portion of the annular mounting plate with a portion of the elastomeric ring disposed therebetween. .Iaddend. .Iadd.

Claim 8

A resilient mount for the upper end of a vehicle suspension strut comprising a shock absorber having an outer casing and a piston rod extending out of its upper end, and a coil spring surrounding the shock absorber and supported at its lower end by a spring plate attached to the outer casing, comprising: an annular mounting plate for securing the resilient mount to vehicle support structure bonded to an upper surface of an elastomeric ring for cushioning the loads of the coil spring as well as the loads of the shock absorber during suspension jounce and rebound, an upper race ring bonded to a lower surface of the elastomeric ring and spaced from a cup-shaped central portion of the annular mounting plate embedded in the elastomeric ring, thrust bearing means for rotatably supporting the upper end of the coil spring comprising the upper race ring bonded to the elastomeric ring, a complement of bearing elements and a lower race ring, said elastomeric ring having integral flexible lips at the lower end which engage the lower race ring so that the inner and outer ends of the thrust bearing means are sealed and at least one said lip retains the lower race ring in assembly with the elastomeric ring, and a central sleeve secured to the elastomeric ring for attaching the end of the piston rod of the shock absorber having an enlarged head disposed inside of the cup-shaped central portion of the annular mounting plate with a portion of the elastomeric ring disposed therebetween. .Iaddend. .Iadd.

Claim 9

The resilient mount as defined in claim 5 wherein the integral flexible lips at the lower end of the elastomeric ring comprise inner and outer circumferential lips for sealing the inner and outer ends of the thrust bearing means respectively. .Iaddend. .Iadd.7. The resilient mount as defined in claim 6 wherein the lower race ring is retained in assembly with the elastomeric ring by an inner edge of the lower race ring being disposed inside the outer circumferential lip. .Iaddend. .Iadd.8. The resilient mount as defined in claim 6 wherein the lower race ring is retained in assembly with the elastomeric ring by an outer edge of the lower race ring being disposed inside the outer circumferential lip. .Iaddend. .Iadd.9. The resilient mount as defined in claim 6 wherein the lower race ring is retained in assembly with the elastomeric ring by inner and outer edges of the lower race ring being disposed inside the inner and outer circumferential lips respectively. .Iaddend. .Iadd.10. A resilient mount for the upper end of a vehicle suspension strut comprising a shock absorber having an outer casing and a piston rod extending out of its upper end, and a coil spring surrounding the shock absorber and supported at its lower end by a spring plate attached to the outer casing, comprising: an annular mounting plate for securing the resilient mount to vehicle support structure bonded to an upper surface of an elastomeric ring for cushioning the loads of the coil spring as well as the loads of the shock absorber during suspension jounce and rebound, an upper race ring bonded to a lower surface of the elastomeric ring and spaced from the annular mounting plate, said annular mounting plate having a cup-shaped central portion which is embedded in the elastomeric ring and has an outer diameter less than the inner diameter of the upper race ring, thrust bearing means for rotatably supporting the upper end of the coil spring comprising the upper race ring bonded to the elastomeric ring, a complement of bearing elements and a lower race ring, said elastomeric ring having integral flexible lips at the lower end which engage the lower race ring so that said lips seal the inner and outer ends of the thrust bearing means and at least one said lip retains the lower race ring in assembly with the elastomeric ring, a central sleeve secured to the elastomeric ring for attaching the end of the piston rod of the shock absorber disposed inside of the cup-shaped central portion of the annular mounting plate with a portion of the elastomeric ring disposed therebetween, and an end plate which is attached to the central sleeve and abuts a lower surface of the elastomeric ring radially inward of the flexible lips, the cup-shaped central portion having a radial lip which is embedded in the elastomeric ring between the enlarged head of the central sleeve and the end plate attached to it and defines a hole smaller than the head and the

Claim 10

end plate. .Iaddend. .Iadd.11. The resilient mount as defined in claim 9 wherein the integral flexible lips at the lower end of the elastomeric ring comprises inner and outer circumferential lips for sealing the inner and outer ends of the thrust bearing means respectively. .Iaddend.

Claim 11

.Iadd. . The resilient mount as defined in claim 11 wherein the lower race ring is retained in assembly with the elastomeric ring by an inner edge of the lower race ring being disposed inside the inner circumferential lip. .Iaddend. .Iadd.13. The resilient mount as defined in claim 11 wherein the lower race ring is retained in assembly with the elastomeric ring by an outer edge of the lower race ring being disposed inside the outer circumferential lip. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14. The resilient mount as defined in claim 11 wherein the lower race ring is retained in assembly with the elastomeric ring by inner and outer edges of the lower race ring being disposed inside the inner and outer circumferential lips respectively. .Iaddend.