Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Richard A Muzechuk

Thomas P Gold

Jack E Smith

James P Hamberg

Leo S Sullivan

Ronald L Phillips

Marvin J Hyma

Eric D Carlson

Darren K Maness

A hydraulic mount assembly includes a pair of mounting members connected to each other through a hollow elastomeric body. The body is closed by a resilient diaphragm so as to form a cavity for damping liquid. A partition is provided to divide the fluid filled cavity into two distinct chambers. A primary chamber is formed between the partition and the interior wall of the body. A secondary chamber is formed between the partition and the interior wall of the diaphragm. The partition includes at least one orifice track connecting the two chambers. There is further provided a domed orifice plate in said primary chamber. The orifice within the orifice plate allows restricted fluid communication between the primary chamber and the flow passage in the partition. During operation, this orifice provides a passive tuning mechanism for the mount by lowering the dynamic rate at higher operating frequencies. This provides for a desirable softer, quieter mount at the higher frequencies and an improved balance of engine control/engine isolation in the mount.

Hydraulic engine mount with domed orifice plate

A hydraulic-elastomeric mount has a pair of liquid filled chambers formed by elastomeric walls and separated by a rigid partition having an orifice that connects the chambers to effect damping. The partition supports a damping decoupler for limited reciprocal movement so as to effect cyclic volume change in the chambers to eliminate damping under certain conditions. A bypass through the decoupler acts to smoothen the transition between damping and no damping and also lowers the damping level to a prescribed value.

Hydraulic-elastomeric mount with bypass through decoupler

A hydraulic mount assembly is disclosed having a partition including a hydraulic damping decoupler between two hydraulic chambers. One chamber is formed by an elastomeric member and the other by a resilient diaphragm. During dynamic loading of the mount, fluid passes between the two chambers of the mount causing expansion and contraction of the diaphragm. A pneumatic bladder is positioned to exert external pressure against the diaphragm in order to change the damping characteristics of the mount. As the bladder is expanded, the diaphragm is stiffened and the fluid flow between the two chambers in the hydraulic mount is restricted. When the bladder is deflated, the pressure against the diaphragm is reduced or effectively removed thereby restoring full freedom of movement of the fluid in the hydraulic mount. By actively controlling the diaphragm expansion in this manner, the dynamic characteristics of the mount are varied. A control circuit with on-board transducers is provided to monitor vehicle operating and road response conditions and modulate the pressure to the bladder for maximum damping effect. The on-board transducers sense selected parameters to indicate unusual conditions for which modulation is required, such as rough engine operation, engine lugging, rough road conditions, sudden turning and/or rapid acceleration/deceleration.

Variable hydraulic-elastomeric mount assembly

A hydraulic-elastomeric mount is disclosed having a multi-function diaphragm that in addition to forming a secondary chamber also serves to provide amplitude control and multiple sealing.

Hydraulic-elastomeric mount

There is disclosed a hydraulic-elastomeric mount comprising a pair of mounting members that are interconnected by a hollow elastomeric body, an elastomeric diaphragm that closes the elastomeric body to form a closed cavity filled with liquid and a partition and orifice assembly that divides the cavity into a chamber enclosed by the elastomeric body and a chamber enclosed by the diaphragm. The partition and orifice assembly comprises a partition plate that actually separates the chambers and an annular plate wherein the plates have mating faces with oppositely facing channels formed therein that cooperatively define at least one orifice between the plates extending in a plane along and adjacent the periphery of the plates with each of the plates further having an opening therethrough to one end only of the orifice so that it interconnects the chambers and has a length which may thereby be made substantially as expansive as the periphery of the plates or made shorter by shortening one channel relative to the other. There is also a two-piece damping decoupler assembly that fits together through and has a limited travel connection with the partition plate so as to effect limited cyclic volume change in the chambers and thereby permit limited vibratory amplitudes at low frequencies without hydraulic damping.

An automotive strut type suspension system includes a pair of relatively telescopable members, one of which is attached to the vehicle sprung mass and the other of which is rotatable relative to the sprung mass, and a helical spring disposed around the relatively telescopable members. The spring is seated on the other telescopable member and bears at its opposite end against a retainer. A rigid bearing race is disposed on the sprung mass and includes race surfaces parallel to corresponding surfaces on the retainer. A dual function unitary bearing member is disposed between parallel surfaces on the bearing race and the retainer and accommodating relative rotation between the bearing race and the retainer the spring and the other telescopable member. The unitary bearing member is fabricated from plastic material which exhibits increased coefficient of friction with increased surface contact velocity so that rapid rotary oscillations between the bearing race and the retainer are effectively damped.

Dual function strut bearing

The drawings illustrate a MacPherson strut-type concentric shock absorber and coil spring. A single elastomeric ring is preloaded between upper and lower retainer members, and suitable bearing means are mounted between the bottom portion of the elastomeric ring and a spring retainer flange for the upper end of the coil spring. The piston rod is secured within the center portion of the elastomeric ring. In this arrangement, the preloaded outer portion of the elastomeric ring is subjected to compression forces during jounce and rebound conditions, and the preloaded center portion of the ring is subjected to shear forces during such jounce and rebound conditions, thereby providing predetermined different stiffness characteristics for the shock absorber and the coil spring.

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Kettering, OH, United States of America

Richard A Muzechuk