The invention relates to a coupling device for elastic interconnection of a first and a second object.
A coupling device of this type is used, e.g., in vehicles in connection with mounting a wheel axle housing in a chassis of the vehicle, as disclosed, e.g., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,719.
If the coupling device's first contact device is securely connected to a central portion of the wheel axle housing, i.e. the first object, between and under two frame beams of the vehicle, and the second contact device is securely connected to a second end portion of two arms, whose first end portions are each rotatably connected to a frame beam, the object can be achieved that a movement of the wheel axle housing both in the vehicle's longitudinal direction and in the vehicle's horizontal transverse direction can substantially be prevented, while a relative movement of the wheel axle housing and the chassis in the height direction during a relative rotation or tilting of the chassis and the wheel axle housing at the linkage between the chassis and the first end portion of the arms, and a rolling of the wheel axle housing relative to the chassis are substantially possible.
The counteraction of the movement of the chassis in the vehicle's longitudinal direction and transverse direction depends on attempts being made hereby to compress portions of the rubber elastic material between the contact portions and on the rubber elastic material exerting substantial resistance against such a compression since it is virtually incompressible. However, the compression is not completely counteracted, since the material has a limited opportunity of escaping laterally at the material's free surfaces. The tilting is permitted since the rubber elastic portion is hereby mainly influenced only by a shearing stress and does not offer such great resistance against it.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of such a known mounting of a wheel axle housing where a coupling device of the above-mentioned type is employed, with an exploded view of the components, and FIG. 2 illustrates a longitudinal section through the coupling device.
First end portions 6, 8 of two arms 2, 4 are each connected via respective screws 10 to the longitudinal frame beam 12 of a vehicle. The second end portions of the arms 2, 4 converge at and are securely connected to a connecting piece 14.
The connecting piece 14 is located above and in front of a wheel axle housing 16. To the upper portion of this housing 16, a bracket 20 with two arms 22, 24 is attached by means of screws 18.
The connecting piece 14 and the bracket 20 are interconnected by means of a coupling device 26 of the above-mentioned type by means of screws 27, with the connecting piece 14 clasping the coupling device 26.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, the coupling device 26 comprises a sleeve-shaped device or rubber device 28 which is made of a rubber elastic material, and which has two conical end portions 30, 32, which are interconnected via an axial portion 34.
Through the rubber device 28 there extends a first contact device 36 whose end portions have attachment areas 38, 40 extending outwards past each end of the rubber device 28 and provided with holes 42, 44 for the screws 27. A central, extended portion or first contact portion 46 of the first contact device 36 extends radially outwards and is attached to the central portion 34 of the rubber device 28.
Outside the rubber device 28 is mounted a second contact device comprising two annular contact portions or rings 48, 50, each of which abuts against an end portion 30, 32 of the rubber device 28.
The coupling device 26 is attached in a bore 52 which is provided in the connecting piece 14, abutting against a shoulder 54 on one side and against a securing ring 56 on the other side.
Since the end portions 38, 40 of the first contact device 36 project through and out of the rubber device 28, taking up space radially, the radial measurement of the conical portions 30, 32 of the rubber device 28 is consequently relatively small, with the result that these portions are not capable of appreciably counteracting a movement of the wheel axle housing 16 in the vehicle's transverse direction. This results in the vehicle having unsatisfactory driving characteristics.
Furthermore, the known coupling device is expensive and requires a great deal of space. Moreover, with the known device the wheel axle housing has to be located at a fixed height relative to the chassis when mounting the coupling device, resulting in a time-wasting assembly process.
Also U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,668 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,760 disclose coupling devices. None of these, however, show a specific arrangement of attachment area, rubber components and contact devices as in the coupling device according to the invention.
The object of the invention is to provide a coupling device of the above-mentioned type which is encumbered to a lesser extent by the above-mentioned disadvantages.