Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TRANSMISSION MOUNT ASSEMBLY
PRIORITY CLAIM
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application
Serial No.
60/957,200, filed August 22, 2007, under 35 U.S.C. 119.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
100021 The present invention relates generally to automotive mounting devices,
and
more particularly, to an improved automotive transmission mount.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Typically, automotive transmissions are mounted on a cross-arm attached
to the
frame of the vehicle. A bottom surface of the transmission housing is attached
to the
mount, such as with extension studs or bolts. In this configuration, the
bottom surface of
the transmission is secured to and rests on the mount.
[0004] One drawback of the prior art transmission mounts is that there is
limited space
in which the transmission can be placed, and as a result, allowances have to
be made in
the floor of the cab to accommodate an upper portion of the transmission. That
is, the
floor of the cab is not truly flat, but is instead contoured convexly upward
into the cab to
provide space for the upper portion of the transmission. The end result is
that space is
taken away from the interior of the cab. Alternatively, if the transmission
mount is
lowered with respect to the frame of the vehicle to allow for a flat floor in
the cab, the
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result is that the clearance between the ground and the mount is decreased,
and the
departure angle of the vehicle is minimized.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] A mount assembly for a transmission on a vehicle having at least two
frame
members and a cross member extending substantially between the frame members
includes a mounting member that is attached to the cross member. A cradle
member is
coupled to the mounting member and is configured for attachment to the
transmission.
The cradle member suspends the transmission from a top surface of the
transmission.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a transmission mount in accordance
with the
invention.
[0007] FIG. 2 is an exploded assembly view of the transmission mount in
accordance
with the invention.
[0008] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the transmission mount in accordance with
the
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0009] Referring to FIG. 1 through FIG. 2, a transmission mount is indicated
generally
at 10 and includes a cross-member 12 and two end members 14A,14B on each end
of the
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cross-member. The end members 14A, 14B attach the transmission mount 10 to
generally parallel frame members 16A, 16B of the vehicle (not shown).
Advantageously,
the frame members 16A, 16B are C-shaped channels having a web 18A, 18B, a
first
flange 20A, 20B, and a second flange 22A, 22B, although other structural
members are
contemplated.
[0010] The cross-member 12 is advantageously a lipped C-section that is
disposed
generally perpendicular to the frame members 16A, 16B, however other types of
structural members are contemplated. In this configuration, the cross-member
12 has a
top surface 24, a bottom surface 26 (see FIG. 3), and a first side surface 28
that are each
joined together at about 90-degree angles. The cross-member 12 is
advantageously
formed of steel, however other materials are contemplated.
[0011] The end members 14A, 14B are generally U-shaped in cross-section and
have a
first flange 32A, 32B and a second flange 34A, 34B extending from a web 36A,
36B.
The first flange 32A, 32B and the second flange 34A, 34B extend towards the
center of
the cross-member 12 in a generally parallel arrangement. Advantageously, the
end
members 14A, 14B nest inside of the frame members 16A, 16B, with the web 36A,
36B
of the end members being fastened to the web 18A, 18B of the frame member 16A,
16B
in a generally flush engagement, and the flanges 32A, 32B, 34A, 34B of the end
member
being disposed between the flanges 20A, 20B, 22A, 22B of the frame member.
More
specifically, the first flange 32A, 32B engages the top surface 24 of the
cross-member 12,
and the second flange 34A, 34B engages the bottom surface 26 of the cross-
member.
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[0012] Bolts, screws or any other type of fasteners 38 can be used to attach
the end
members 14A, 14B to the frame member 16A, 16B, or alternatively, the members
can be
welded, integrally formed, or attached by any other method. It is contemplated
that the
cross-member 12 can be directly attached to the end members 14A, 14B, or
alternately,
the cross-member 12 can be received within the end members 14A, 14B and
prevented
from rotation by virtue of the shape of the cross member and the end members.
[0013] In the transmission mount 10, the end members 14A, 14B are fastened to
the
frame members 16A, 16B with four spaced fasteners 38, however other ways of
fastening
the end members to the frame members are contemplated. Advantageously, the
cross-
member 12 extends substantially from web 36A to web 36B of the end members
14A,
14B, and substantially from web 18A to web 18B of the frame members 16A, 16B.
Specifically, the cross-member 12 advantageously does not extend the entire
distance
from web 36A to web 36B of the end members 14A, 14B.
[0014] A mounting member 40 is mounted generally centrally on the cross-member
12
and includes a bracket portion 42 and a bracing portion 44 (best seen in FIG.
2). The
bracket portion 42 includes a first section 46 that is welded to a lower
portion of the first
side surface 28 of the cross member 12. Alternately, it is contemplated that
the first
section 46 of the bracket portion 42 can be fastened or otherwise attached to
the cross-
member 12. A second section 48 of the bracket portion 42 is generally
perpendicular to
the first side surface 28 of the cross-member 12, and generally parallel to
the top surface
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24 and bottom surface 26 (see FIG. 3) of the cross-member. The first section
46 and the
second section 48 are generally "L"-shaped in cross-section.
[0015] The bracing portion 44 of the mounting member 40 has a platform section
50
that is generally coextensive with and generally parallel to the second
section 48 of the
bracket portion 42. The bracing portion 44 also includes two legs 52A, 52B
(see FIG. 3)
that extend under the cross-member 12 and generally flush with the bottom
surface 26
(see FIG. 3) of the cross-member.
[0016] Between the platform section 50 and each leg 52A, 52B is a shoulder 54
that
abuts the first side 28 of the cross-member 12. The bracing portion 44
stabilizes the
bracket portion 42 to secure the mounting member 40 on the cross-member 12. It
is
contemplated that the bracing portion 44 and the bracket portion 42 of the
mounting
member 40 are formed in one piece, or alternately, formed in multiple pieces.
[0017] Extending through the second section 48 of the bracket portion 42 and
the
platform section 50 of the bracing portion 44 are two holes 56, although other
numbers of
holes are contemplated. Isolators 58, advantageously made of rubber or similar
resilient
materials, are disposed in the two holes 56. Advantageously, the isolators 58
are
generally cylindrical with a hole 59 in the center for receiving a fastener
68. It is
contemplated that other resilient members having different sizes, shapes and
configurations can be used as isolators 58.
[0018] A cradle member 60 has a first surface 62 that extends generally
perpendicular
from the first side surface 28 of the cross-member 12, and a second surface 64
that is
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generally perpendicular to the first surface 62 (best seen in FIG. 1). A first
edge 66 of the
first surface 62 is configured to flushly engage the first section 46 of the
mounting
member 40. The cradle member 60 is fastened to the mounting member 40 with two
fasteners 68 that are fed through the first surface 62, through the isolators
58, through the
holes 56 in the mounting member 40, and through washers 70 where they are
received in
nuts 72. In this configuration, the point of attachment between the cradle
member 60 and
the mounting member 40 is dampened by the isolators 58 to reduce the vibration
between
the members. The cradle member 60 and the mounting member 40 together form the
mount assembly, indicated generally as 74.
[0019] The second surface 64 of the cradle member 60 has a cradle formation 76
that
generally corresponds to the peripheral shape of a transmission 78 at the
point of
mounting. Advantageously, four generally equally spaced holes 80 are located
generally
along the length of the cradle formation 76 and align with four receiving
formations 82,
such as casting bolt holes on a top surface 83 of the transmission 78, however
other
numbers and spacing of holes are contemplated. The holes 80 in the cradle
formation 76
receive fasteners 84 which are introduced through the cradle formation and
into the
transmission 78. When the fasteners 84 are received in the cradle formation 76
and the
transmission 78, the transmission can be suspended from the cradle member 60.
The
cradle formation 76 evenly distributes the loads to the receiving formations
82 on
transmission 78, and the transmission is suspended from the top surface 83 of
the
transmission.
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[0020] Referring now to FIG. 1 through FIG. 3, the transmission 78 is
advantageously
attached to cradle member 60 with four fasteners 82. The cradle member 60 is
supported
by the mounting member 40 through the isolators 58, and the cradle member 60
is
attached to the isolators with the fastener assembly 68, 70, 72. While the
fastener
assembly includes bolts 68, washers 70, and nuts 72, other fasteners can be
used.
100211 Mounting member 40 is welded to the cross-member 12, and the cross-
member
acts as a structural support to transfer the loading of the transmission 78 to
the frame
members 16A, 16B. The cradle member 60 rests on the mounting member 40 such
that,
if the fasteners 68 were removed, the cradle member would remain supported by
the
isolators 58 and the mounting member 40, which is welded to cross-member 12.
Very
little lateral or foward/aft movement is possible between the cradle member 60
and the
mounting member 40 because to shift the cradle member laterally or
fowardly/aft, the
entire transmission/engine 78 has to move, and the transmission is constrained
in other
locations, such as at rear engine mounts (not shown). The connection between
the
mounting member 40 and the cradle member 60 provides substantially only
vertical
support with minimal lateral constraint.
[0022] The mount assembly 74 allows a compact assembly of the transmission 78
in the
frame members 16A, 16B, and allows the transmission to be mounted low in the
frame
members with little to no decrease in the departure angle. Further, the mount
assembly
74 allows the transmission 78 to be mounted in the frame members 16a, 16B
without the
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transmission protruding from the top surface 20A, 20B of the frame members,
facilitating
a flat floor in the cab.
[0023] The present mount assembly may be embodied in other specific forms
without
departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described
embodiments are to be
considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. All
changes that come
within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced
within
their scope.
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