US 10,882,396 B2Granted

Mount assembly with switchable displacement elements

AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC

InventorsSam M. Jomaa, Wojciech E. Suchta

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Abstract

A system and method using a mount assembly for attaching a powertrain to a structural member of a vehicle. The mount assembly includes a first compliant member, a second compliant member, a first fluid chamber, a second fluid chamber, a pressure compliant membrane, electro-magnetorheological switch and a magnetorheological fluid. A fluid conduit interconnects the first fluid chamber with the second fluid chamber to allow a fluid to pass from the first fluid chamber to the second fluid chamber. The pressure compliant membrane seals the aperture in the second fluid chamber. The electro-magnetorheological switch is activated to generate an electric field in the fluid conduit to change the viscosity of the magnetorheological fluid to achieve a first stiffness profile of the mount assembly. The electro-magnetorheological switch is deactivated to remove the electric field in the fluid conduit to change the viscosity of the magnetorheological fluid to achieve a second stiffness profile of the mount assembly.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A mount assembly for attaching a powertrain to a structural member of a vehicle, the mount assembly comprising:

a first support member having an attachment end attachable to the powertrain;
a second support member having an attachment end attachable to the structural member of the vehicle, wherein the second support member is spaced apart from the first support member;
a first compliant member having:
a first attachment end fixed to the first support member;
a second attachment end fixed to the second support member;
and
a first snubber member opposite the attachment end of the first support member;
a second compliant member fixed to the second support member, wherein the second compliant member is spaced apart from the first snubber member;
a second snubber member fixed to the second support member and spaced apart from the second compliant member;
a first fluid chamber defined by a surface of the second compliant member, a surface of the second support member and a surface of the second snubber member;
and
a second fluid chamber defined by a plurality of surfaces of the second support member and having an aperture in at least one of the plurality of surfaces of the second support member;
a fluid conduit interconnecting the first fluid chamber with the second fluid chamber to allow a fluid to pass from the first fluid chamber to the second fluid chamber;
a pressure compliant membrane attached to the second support member, wherein pressure compliant membrane seals the aperture in the at least one of the plurality of surfaces of the second support member;
and
a magnetorheological fluid disposed in the first fluid chamber, the second fluid chamber and the fluid conduit;
an electro-magnetorheological switch proximate a portion of the fluid conduit between the first and second fluid chambers for selectively generating an electric field to change a viscosity of the magnetorheological fluid.

14 more elements

A method for attaching a powertrain to a structural member of a vehicle using a mount assembly, the method comprising:

providing a first support member having an attachment end attachable to the powertrain;
providing a second support member having an attachment end attachable to the structural member of the vehicle, wherein the second support member is spaced apart from the first support member;
providing a first compliant member having:
a first attachment end fixed to the first support member;
a second attachment end fixed to the second support member;
and
a first snubber member opposite the attachment end of the first support member;
providing a second compliant member fixed to the second support member, wherein the second compliant member is spaced apart from the first snubber member;
providing a second snubber member fixed to the second support member and spaced apart from the second compliant member;
providing a first fluid chamber defined by a surface of the second compliant member, a surface of the second support member and a surface of the second snubber member;
and
providing a second fluid chamber defined by a plurality of surfaces of the second support member and having an aperture in at least one of the plurality of surfaces of the second support member;
interconnecting the first fluid chamber with the second fluid chamber with a fluid conduit to allow a magnetorheological fluid disposed in the first fluid chamber to pass to the second fluid chamber;
sealing the aperture in the at least one of the plurality of surfaces of the second support member with a pressure compliant membrane;
determining a desired stiffness profile of the mount assembly;
activating an electro-magnetorheological switch to generate an electric field in the fluid conduit to change a viscosity of the magnetorheological fluid to achieve a first stiffness profile of the mount assembly;
and
deactivating the electro-magnetorheological switch to remove the electric field in the fluid conduit to change the viscosity of the magnetorheological fluid to achieve a second stiffness profile of the mount assembly.

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/041,354Filed 20 Jul 2018
Published: US 2020/0023731 A123 Jan 2020
Granted: 5 Jan 2021
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

B60K 17/00
Arrangement or mounting of transmissions in vehicles
B62D 65/10
Joining sub-units or components to, or positioning sub-units or components with respect to, body shell or other sub-units or components: the…
F16F 13/10
The plastics spring forming at least a part of the wall of the fluid chamber of the damper: the wall being at least in part formed by a flexible…
F16F 13/103
The wall being at least in part formed by a flexible membrane or the like: characterised by method of assembly, production or treatment