Thrust bearing and suspension for vehicle
AssigneeJtekt Corporation
InventorHiroshi Yano
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A thrust ball bearing includes an upper case and a lower case. In the upper case and the lower case, annular rings which are formed in the upper case and the lower case, respectively support balls which are rolling elements, and inter-case gaps are formed between the upper case and the lower case in order to reduce sliding resistance and rotational torque. A seal unit is formed on an inner circumferential surface of the lower case. The seal unit is made up of a recess portion which is formed on the inner circumferential surface and a rubber elastic element which is made as a separate element from the lower case and is then fitted in the recess portion. The recess portion is formed into an annular shape along a circumferential direction of the inner circumferential surface.
Claims20
A thrust bearing supported by a coil spring seat and a strut piston rod, the thrust bearing comprising:
- a primary case fixed to the strut piston rod;
- a secondary case that is supported by the coil spring seat and is coaxially rotatable with respect to the primary case;
- a plurality of rolling elements axially interposed between the primary and secondary cases;
- and
- a seal unit provided on an inner circumferential surface of the secondary case,
- wherein, when the strut piston rod is inserted into the secondary case, the seal unit is brought into contact with an outer circumferential surface of the strut piston rod for sealing a gap between the inner circumferential surface of the secondary case and the outer circumferential surface of the strut piston rod such that a liquid is prevented from intruding from the gap, and
- wherein said seal unit is contained between an upper portion of the inner circumferential surface of the secondary case and a lower portion of the inner circumferential surface of the secondary case.
A suspension for a vehicle comprising:
- a coil spring;
- a shock absorber that is provided inside the coil spring and includes a strut piston rod having a piston provided at a lower end thereof;
- a coil spring seat supported by the coil spring;
- a thrust bearing that is supported by the coil spring seat;
- and
- a bounce stopper comprising a porous elastic element which is suspended below the coil spring seat so as to cover the strut piston rod,
- wherein the thrust bearing comprises:
- a primary case fixed to an upper portion of the strut piston rod;
- a secondary case that is supported by the coil spring seat and is coaxially rotatable with respect to the primary case;
- a plurality of rolling elements axially interposed between the primary and secondary cases;
- and
- a seal unit provided on an inner circumferential surface of the secondary case, wherein when the strut piston rod is inserted into the secondary case, the seal unit is brought into contact with an outer circumferential surface of the strut piston rod for sealing a gap between the inner circumferential surface of the secondary case and the outer circumferential surface of the strut piston rod such that a liquid is prevented from intruding from the gap, and
- wherein said seal unit is contained between an upper portion of the inner circumferential surface of the secondary case and a lower portion of the inner circumferential surface of the secondary case.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.