Damper with monolithic base
AssigneeTenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.
InventorAmirahmad Mohammadi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A damper including a damper tube, a piston assembly, a piston rod attached to the piston assembly, and a monolithic base. The piston assembly is slidingly disposed within the damper tube. The monolithic base includes a closed end, an open end, a base portion at the closed end, and a wall portion. The base portion is joined to and seals one end of the damper tube. The base portion includes a concave depression that tapers inwardly from a base portion perimeter to a cup bottom. The wall portion extends longitudinally from the base portion perimeter to the open end such that the cup bottom is positioned between opposing sides of the wall portion. Integrally formed fastening eyes are provided in the opposing sides of the wall portion.
Claims20
A damper comprising:
- a damper tube extending along a longitudinal axis between a first end and an open second end;
- a piston assembly disposed within and slidably engaging said damper tube;
- a piston rod extending along said longitudinal axis between a proximal end that is attached to said piston assembly and a distal end that extends outwardly from said first end of said damper tube;
- a monolithic base positioned at said second end of said damper tube, said monolithic base including a closed end, an open end, a base portion at said closed end, and a wall portion extending longitudinally between said closed end and said open end;
- said base portion of said monolithic base being joined to and sealing said second end of said damper tube;
- said base portion including a concave depression that tapers inwardly from a base portion perimeter to a cup bottom;
- said concave depression extending in a first longitudinal direction relative to said base portion perimeter to define a depth of said concave depression;
- and
- said wall portion extending in said first longitudinal direction from said base portion perimeter to said open end such that said cup bottom is positioned between opposing sides of said wall portion.
A monolithic base for closing one end of a damper, said monolithic base comprising:
- a base portion defining a closed end of the monolithic base;
- a wall portion defining an open end of the monolithic base;
- said base portion including a concave depression that tapers inwardly from a base portion perimeter to a cup bottom;
- said concave depression extending in a first longitudinal direction relative to said base portion perimeter to define a depth of said concave depression;
- said wall portion extending in said first longitudinal direction from said base portion perimeter to said open end such that said cup bottom is positioned between opposing sides of said wall portion;
- and
- a pair of integrally formed fastening eyes in said opposing sides of said wall portion.
A method of manufacturing a damper, the method comprising the steps of:
- deep drawing a flat sheet metal blank into a tube to form a monolithic base having a base portion defined by a closed end of the tube, an open end opposite the closed end of the tube, and a wall portion of tubular shape that extends longitudinally from the base portion to the open end;
- deforming the base portion of the monolithic base to create a concave depression that tapers inwardly from a base portion perimeter to a cup bottom such that the cup bottom is positioned between opposing sides of the wall portion;
- partially flattening the opposing sides of the wall portion to create flat areas on the opposing sides of the wall portion and a sloped region positioned longitudinally between the base portion perimeter and the flat areas;
- punching a pair of integrally formed fastening eyes into the flat areas on the opposing sides of the wall portion to create an attachment loop;
- and
- attaching the base portion of the monolithic base to one end of a damper tube to close that end of the damper tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.