Drive shaft support

Abstract

A drive shaft support, and a method for making the same, which support may be used as a vehicle drive shaft support and bearing assembly. The shaft support has an outer two part metal bracket surrounding the support and an annular cup member embedded in an elastomer portion of the support closely adjacent a center opening. An elastomer such as rubber is vulcanize bonded to the bracket and the cup, forming a single bonded unit. To make the center support the bracket parts and cup are phosphated. The two separate parts of the outer bracket are preassembled and then loaded into vulcanizing mold parts, such bracket parts forming the periphery of the mold cavity. A piloting core positions the cup within the assembled bracket and also controls the thickness of the rubber bonding to the cup inner diameter. The piloting core also forms the axis of the center opening and cup at a precise dimension with respect to a mounting hole in the bracket for proper installation. Rubber is injected into the die and is vulcanize bonded to the bracket and the cup. After the molding process is completed, a bearing is press fit into the center hole of the vulcanized unit.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.