Upper support in vehicle suspension systems

Abstract

An upper support for a wheel suspension assembly of a vehicle having a shock absorber. The upper support comprises an inner member connected to a piston rod of the shock absorber, an outer member disposed concentrically with the inner member and fixed to the vehicle body, and a resilient member interposed between the inner and outer members. The outer member consists of two annular halves which are fixed together with their outer peripheral flanges in abutment with each other. Stopper means are provided preferably on the outer member for limiting an axial elastic deformation of the resilient member. One or both axial end portions of the resilient member held in the outer member have an annular groove concentric with the inner member and a plurality of bosses equally spaced along the annular groove. The bosses are axially outwardly projected from an annular abutment portion of the resilient member which is radially inward of the annular groove. The ends of the bosses are in constant abutment on the stopper means and the annular abutment portion comes into contact with the stopper means upon application of high loads to the resilient member. The resilient member preferably has air vents communicating the annular groove with outside atmosphere.