Bearing member for supporting an elastic support element

1. A suspension assembly, comprising:

a suspension strut;

a coil spring having an end portion;

a support element which comprises elastic material, said support element receiving said end portion of said coil spring; and

an annular bearing member having a first side for facing the suspension strut and a second side having bearing surfaces facing the support element, said annular bearing member comprising a material of greater hardness than the elastic material of the support element, the bearing surfaces being configured as concentric elevations radially spaced apart by annular receiving spaces such that when said support element is urged in a direction of said annular bearing member under pressure by said coil spring, the concentric elevations are pressed into said elastic material, which is deformed so as to be at least partially received in said annular receiving spaces.

2. The suspension assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the concentric elevations have a substantially perpendicular annular wall facing radially inward thereof and perpendicular to a radial direction of the annular bearing member.

3. The suspension assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the elevations are 0.1 mm to 0.7 mm in height.

4. The suspension assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the elevations are 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm in height.

5. The suspension assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the elevations are of triangular cross-section of greatest width at a base of the elevations at said second side of said annular bearing member.

6. The suspension assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the triangular cross-section of the elevations is asymmetrical.

7. The suspension assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the triangular cross-section is a triangle having two sides meeting the base of the triangle at respective locations radially spaced on the annular bearing member, and for respective ones of said elevations a more radially inward one of said sides is shorter than another of said two sides.

8. The suspension assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the triangular cross-section of the elevations is a right triangle.

9. The suspension assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the annular bearing member is comprised of steel and the elevations are formed by deep drawing.

10. The suspension assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the annular bearing member is comprised of a plastic which is injection molded so as to include the elevations.

11. The suspension assembly according to claim 1 , wherein a lower surface of the support element, which faces the bearing surfaces of the annular bearing member, is substantially flat.

12. A suspension assembly, comprising:

a suspension strut;

a coil spring having an end portion;

a support element comprised of an elastic material, said support element receiving said end portion of said coil spring; and

an annular bearing member including a first side oriented to face the suspension strut for affixing thereto and a second side presenting a bearing surface facing in an axial direction of said suspension strut, said second side including elevations thereon that are arranged encircling and radially spaced apart from one another which are engageable with a contact surface of the support element, each radially adjacent pair of said elevations delimiting a receiving space therebetween, said annular engaging member comprising a material of greater hardness than a corresponding material of the support element such that when said contact surface of said support element is urged against said elevations by said coil spring, said corresponding material of said support element is pressed at least partially into each said receiving space under pressure so that the outward radial movement of the support element is reduced and the support element is radially supported.

13. The suspension assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the concentric elevations have a substantially perpendicular annular wall facing radially inward thereof and perpendicular to a radial direction of the annular bearing member.

14. The suspension assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the elevations are 0.1 mm to 0.7 mm in height.

15. The suspension assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the elevations are 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm in height.

16. The suspension assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the elevations are of triangular cross-section of greatest width at a base of the elevations at said second side of said annular bearing member.

17. The suspension assembly according to claim 16 , wherein the triangular cross-section is a triangle having two sides meeting the base of the triangle at respective locations radially spaced on the annular bearing member, and for respective ones of said elevations a more radially inward one of said sides is shorter than another of said two sides.

18. The suspension assembly according to claim 16 , wherein the triangular cross-section of the elevations is a right triangle.

19. The suspension assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the annular bearing member is comprised of steel and the elevations are formed by deep drawing.

20. The suspension assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the annular bearing member is comprised of a plastic which is injection molded so as to include the elevations.

21. The suspension assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the triangular cross-section of the elevations is asymmetrical.

22. The suspension assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the contact surface of the support element is substantially flat.