Variable compliance bushing

Abstract

A bushing for use in a vehicle suspension system includes a pair of elastomeric bearings having cylindrical holes formed therein and flanges formed integrally therewith. The bushing further includes a journal carried by the bearings in the cylindrical holes. In the first embodiment, the bearings are of substantially elliptical cross section and provide a compliance in a major axis direction that is different than the compliance in a minor axis direction. In a second embodiment, the bearings additionally are formed with channels of partial substantially cylindrical section on the outer surfaces, thereby giving the bearings a compliance in the major axis direction of a nonlinear higher order than the corresponding compliance of the first embodiment. A third embodiment is similar to the second embodiment except that the bearings are formed with voids of a partial substantially conic section formed on the outer surface, with the apex of the voids being adjacent the flanges. The third embodiment operates similarly to the second embodiment, except that the compliance of the bearings in response to vertical loading is of a higher order than the corresponding compliance of the second embodiment. A fourth embodiment is similar to the first embodiment with the exception that the bearings are formed with a pair of compliance holes of substantially cylindrical section parallel and spaced apart from the cylindrical hole in the direction of the major axis and diametrically opposed about the cylindrical hole. The fourth embodiment operates similarly to the first and second embodiments, with the exception that the corresponding compliance in the major axis direction is of a higher order and can be varied by modifying the size, shape, and location of the compliance holes.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.