The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 15, 2000
Filed:
Jun. 22, 1998
Ronald L Harkrader, Clarkston, MI (US);
Richard E Jayroe, Rochester Hills, MI (US);
Stephan A Stearns, Holly, MI (US);
Paula L Payne, Rochester Hills, MI (US);
General Motors Corporation, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
A mount for a rack and pinion steering gear on a body structure of a motor vehicle including a horizontal tubular boss on the steering gear parallel to a longitudinal centerline of the body structure, a tubular sleeve rigidly clamped to the body structure inside of the tubular boss having a pair of rigid flanges at opposite ends thereof, and an elastomeric bushing on the tubular sleeve between the rigid flanges. The elastomeric bushing has a tubular body bonded to the tubular sleeve and a plurality of integral linear splines compressed radially between the tubular sleeve and an inside cylindrical wall of the tubular boss. The linear splines flex resiliently to suppress the transfer of linear vibrations from the steering gear to the body structure. The angular separation between the linear splines controls the stiffness or reaction rate of the mount in a plurality of directions perpendicular to a longitudinal centerline of the tubular boss so that the mount can be constructed with relatively more compliance in directions which yield positive vehicle performance characteristics.