Upper bearing cap for a suspension thrust bearing device
An upper bearing cap for a suspension thrust bearing device includes a radial wall having an upper surface configured to face a retainer seat and an opposite lower surface configured to contact a rolling-element bearing, an axial outer annular skirt extending axially downwards from a radial outer edge of the radial wall and having an axial outer surface and an opposite axially inner surface, and at least one hook section comprising at least one hook configured to interact with a further component of the suspension thrust bearing device. A radially outer portion of the radial wall has a first thickness, and the axial outer annular skirt has a second thickness, and at least a portion of the at least one hook section has a third thickness greater than the first thickness and greater than the second thickness.
1 . An upper bearing cap for a suspension thrust bearing device, comprising:
a radial wall having an upper surface configured to face a retainer seat and an opposite lower surface configured to contact a rolling-element bearing and a radially outside portion and a radially inside portion,
an axial outer annular skirt extending axially downwards from a radial outer edge of the radial outside portion and having an axial outer surface and an opposite axial inner surface, and
at least one hook section comprising at least one hook configured to interact with a further component of the suspension thrust bearing device,
wherein the at least one hook section comprises a first portion of the radial outside portion of the radial wall and a first portion of the axial outer annular skirt,
wherein a second portion of the radial outside portion of the radial wall adjacent to the first portion of the radial outside portion of the radial wall has a first thickness and a second portion of the axial outer annular skirt adjacent to the first portion of the axial outer annular skirt has a second thickness, and
wherein at least a portion of the at least one hook section has a third thickness greater than the first thickness and greater than the second thickness.
2 . The upper bearing cap according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first portion of the radial outside portion of the radial wall has the third thickness, and the first portion of the axial outer annular skirt has a fourth thickness greater than the second thickness.
3 . The upper bearing cap according to claim 2 ,
wherein the at least one hook section comprises a first hook section circumferentially spaced from a second hook section.
4 . The upper bearing cap according to claim 3 , including a reinforcement section located between the first hook section and the second hook section, the reinforcement section comprising a third portion of the radial outside portion of the radial wall and a third portion of the axial outer skirt, and
wherein at least a portion of the at least one reinforcement section has a fifth thickness greater than the first thickness.
5 . The upper bearing cap according to claim 4 ,
wherein the third portion of the radially outer portion of the radially outer wall has the fifth thickness and the third portion of the axial outer skirt has a sixth thickness greater than the second thickness.
6 . The upper bearing cap according to claim 5 ,
wherein the third thickness is equal to the fourth thickness.
7 . The upper bearing cap according to claim 5 ,
wherein the third thickness is different than the fourth thickness.
8 . The upper bearing cap according to claim 5 ,
wherein the at least one reinforcement section comprises a first reinforcement section circumferentially spaced from a second reinforcement section.
9 . The upper bearing cap according to claim 8 ,
wherein the second hook section is located between the first reinforcement section and the second reinforcement section.
10 . A suspension thrust bearing device, comprising:
a lower support cap,
an upper bearing cap according to claim 9 , and
at least one bearing arranged between the lower support cap and the upper bearing cap.
11 . A suspension thrust bearing device, comprising:
a lower support cap,
an upper bearing cap according to claim 1 , and
at least one bearing arranged between the lower support cap and the upper bearing cap.