Radiator supporting device

Claim 1

An improved supporting device for a radiator of a motor vehicle, the device having a unitary body made of an elastomeric material, the unitary body having a central axis and comprising: a generally cylindrical portion concentric with the central axis and having an axially upper end and an axially lower end opposite the upper end; a first flange extending radially outward from the cylindrical portion adjacent to the upper end thereof, the first flange having an outer circumferential edge, an upper face, and a lower face, the upper face of the first flange being adapted to contact a lower end of the radiator and to bear at least part of the weight of the radiator; a second flange extending radially outward from the cylindrical portion adjacent to the lower end thereof, the second flange having an outer circumferential edge, an upper face opposed to and spaced from the lower face of the first flange to form an annular gap between said flanges, the inner extent of said gap being defined by the outer diameter of the generally cylindrical portion, and a lower face, the lower face of the second flange being adapted to be seated on an upper surface of a radiator supporting bracket; and a skirt portion having a radially outside surface and a radially inside surface, the skirt portion extending axially to a lower edge spaced below the lower face of the second flange and being adapted to be inserted in a hole formed in the bracket, the supporting device further comprising a first rigid ring embedded within and bonded to the elastomeric body adjacent to the upper face of the first flange; a second rigid ring embedded within and bonded to the elastomeric body adjacent to the lower face of the second flange, and wherein the inner surface of the skirt portion extends axially upward and radially inward from the lower edge of the skirt in a smooth curve from a diameter greater than the outer diameter of said generally cylindrical portion to join the generally cylindrical portion, such that the part of the body that connects the first flange with the second flange and skirt portion forms a substantially radially extending intermediate portion, narrower in cross section than the total axial height of the second flange and the skirt portion, which intermediate portion is subjected to shear and bending stresses in response to axial and tilting movements of the first flange with respect to the second flange; and the space between the lower face of the first flange and the upper face of the second flange being sufficient to maintain a gap between the upper and lower flanges when the static weight of the radiator is supported by the mount such that there is no contact between the flanges and deflection of the intermediate portion of the device exhibits a stable spring rate in response to vibrations from an engine ofthe motor vehicle.