Thermoplastic jounce bumpers
AssigneeE. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
InventorsPETER LASZLO SZEKELY, DAMIEN VAN DER ZYPPE
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Abstract
The invention provides vehicle suspension systems, and more particularly jounce bumpers made of elastomeric thermoplastic material, having improved design to maximize energy absorption.
Claims14
A jounce bumper made of elastomeric thermoplastic material, comprising:
- a hollow elongated tubular body having a wall, the tubular body having at least two bellows, each bellow being defined by a peak and a trough, the peak having a fillet radius of rs, the trough having a fillet radius of rc and a maximum wall thickness in the trough of Tmax;
- wherein rc is greater than rs, and wherein the ratio of Tmax, the maximum thickness of the wall in a trough to Tm, the thickness of the wall at an intermediate point between the peak and the trough, is greater than or equal to 1.2, and wherein the trough is defined by a wall arc having end points Tm.
A method for the manufacture of a jounce bumper, comprising the step of:
- shaping elastomeric thermoplastic material into a hollow elongated tubular body having a wall, the tubular body having at least two bellows, each bellow being defined by a peak and a trough, the peak having a fillet radius of rs, the trough having a fillet radius of rc and a maximum wall thickness at the trough of Tmax;
- wherein rc is greater than rs, and wherein the ratio of Tmax, the maximum thickness of the wall at a trough, to Tm, the thickness of the wall at an intermediate point between peak and trough, is greater than or equal to 1.2, and wherein the trough is defined by the wall arc having end points Tm.
A method for absorbing shocks in an automobile suspension comprising using a jounce bumper to absorb energy from displacement of the suspension, wherein the jounce bumper is made of elastomeric thermoplastic material and comprises a hollow elongated tubular body having a wall, the tubular body having at least two bellows, each bellow being defined by a peak and a trough, the peak having a fillet radius of rs, the trough having a fillet radius of rc and a maximum wall thickness at the trough of Tmax;
- wherein rc is greater than rs, and wherein the ratio of Tmax the thickness of the wall at a trough, to Tm, the thickness of the wall at an intermediate point between peak and trough, is greater than or equal to 1.2.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.