FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003


COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See Section 10; rule 13)
TITLE OF THE INVENTION Rubber Isolated Bracket Assembly For Vehicles
APPLICANTS
TATA MOTORS LIMITED, an Indian company
having its registered office at Bombay House,
24 Homi Mody Street, Hutatma Chowk,
Mumbai 400 001 Maharashtra, India
INVENTORS
Navaneetha Krishnan M, Narottam B Pankaj
and Vivek Dwivedi all Indian Nationals
of TATA MOTORS LIMITED an Indian company
having its registered office at Bombay House,
24 Homi Mody Street, Hutatma Chowk,
Mumbai 400 001 Maharashtra, India

PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION


The following specification particularly describes the invention and thi manner in which it is to be performed.

FIELD OF INVENTION
The invention relates to a fender assembly mounting for a heavy duty vehicle. In one of its aspects, the invention relates to a rubber isolated bracket for mounting a fender to a vehicle frame. In another of its aspects, the invention offers a positive griping between fender supporting arm and the rubber isolated bracket to be mounted on vehicle frame without any positive rotation of supporting arm inside the mounting bracket.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Heavy-duty vehicles, such as an automobile-tractor, use fender assemblies to cover the otherwise exposed drive wheels of tractor. The common approaches to mount a fender on vehicle are:
a) Welded bracket assembly
b) Rubber isolated bracket assembly (without positive grip)
a) Welded bracket assembly :
Referring to figure 1 & 2, in this prior art fender assembly comprises a welded bracket assembly (1 &2), clamps (5) and a fender (4). The welded bracket assembly comprises a steel bracket (1) and a mounting arm (2) (normally a standard tube) that extends laterally from the steel bracket.
The mounting arm will be fixed to the steel bracket and welded (3) all around the circumferences of the arm at the intersection area as shown in Fig 1. The clamps are fixed to the fender and receive the mounting arm. To mount the fender assembly to the vehicle frame (6), the welded bracket assembly, the clamps and the fender plastic parts are aligned relative to each other in the desired alignment to vehicle frame. The bolts or other mechanical fasteners are


used to clamp the fender. The mounting arm bears the weight of the fender assembly and maintains the fender assembly in a desirable position above the drive wheels.
Disadvantages with this prior art is that the fender is typically connected directly to the elongated arm by a traditional mechanical fasteners, such as bolt, with or without an intervening metal clamp and the mounting arm is directly connected to the steel bracket by a traditional welding. The mechanical connection between the fender and the mounting arm, also between the mounting arm and the steel bracket provides for a direct transfer of the forces acting on the fender or steel bracket to the other of the fender or steel bracket without any dampening or uncoupling of forces can over time fatigue either of the fender or the mounting steel bracket, resulting in their failure. Also welding area of mounting bracket produces a high stress zone which tends to fail once subjected to fatigue.
b) Rubber isolated bracket assembly (without positive grip):
In this prior art, fender assembly comprises a bracket assembly (can be similar FIG. 1), clamps (5) and a fender (3). The bracket assembly comprises a steel (standard Aluminum can be used instead) bracket, a rubber isolator (FIG. 4c) and a mounting arm that extends laterally from the steel bracket.
A standard tube is bent as per the assembly requirement and will be the mounting arm for fender assembly as shown in FIG. 2. The rubber isolator is provided between the steel bracket and the mounting arm with the help of fasteners or any other mechanical means to make the bracket assembly. To mount the fender assembly to the vehicle frame, the bolts or other mechanical fasteners are inserted through the clamps and the holes in the fender. The assembly receives the mounting arm of isolated bracket assembly. The mounting arm bears the weight of the fender assembly. The isolated bracket assembly


dampens the vibration forces acting upon the fender and bracket via frame of the vehicle.
Disadvantages with this prior art is that the isolated bracket assembly does not have any positive axial grip at the mating surfaces. The aerodynamic and the road forces results the repeated loading condition on the fender assembly, also creates the turning moment on the mounting arm. Due to lack of axial positive grip, the mounting arm start rotating inside the isolated bracket assembly, in turn it changes the desired position of fender assembly and then it can cause collision or abrasion of fender plastic parts.
OBJECTS OF INVENTION
Object of the invention is to provide a mounting bracket isolated by rubber sleeve, which could dampen the vibration forces through out the fender assembly.
Another object of the invention is to have a mounting bracket isolated with positive axial grip between the bracket and the mounting arm to maintain the desired orientation and to avoid collision of fender assembly.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
According to the invention a fender assembly comprises a fender, an isolated mounting bracket and clamps. The isolated mounting bracket is adapted to be attached to a vehicle frame at one end and adapted to support the fender parts at the other end. The clamping members are adapted to clamp portions of the fender, when the clamping members are mounted to the mounting arm. The clamping members are' adapted to mount the fender for selective adjustment of


the fender with respect to the mounting arm and with respect to the frame of a vehicle when the isolated bracket assembly is attached to a Vehicle frame.
In one embodiment of the invention, the isolated mounting bracket comprises a casting bracket made-up of either steel or standard aluminium with conical through hole at centre adapted to mount the rubber sleeve and mounting arm. The bracket further comprises three grooves along the length at 120 degree angle each. The groove length preferably half the bracket length. The bracket can be mounted to frame with three or four mounting holes as per the assembly requirement.
A rubber sleeve acts as an isolator preferably comprises a conical body and length can equal the bracket length.
A mounting arm which is normally a standard tube in standard material. The mounting arm profile can be made to suit the assembly requirement. Two mutually perpendicular through holes can be drilled at equal offset at the mounting area of the mounting arm.
r
The mounting arm and rubber sleeve is placed inside the steel bracket and the mounting arm is rotated to suit the assembly orientation. While making the isolated bracket assembly, the mounting arm is flared inside the steel bracket and rubber sleeve, with the intention that the rubber sleeve is deformed radially outwardly relative to the axis of isolated bracket assembly. This deformation forms projections of rubber at the .said grooves and holes of the bracket and mounting arm respectively. These projections lock the axial rotation and longitudinal movement of the mounting arm during the vehicle operation. The isolator dampens the vibration forces acting upon the mounting arm and fender via frame at the rear side of the vehicle.


BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
In the drawings,
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an exemplary prior art welded bracket
assembly.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of an Automotive-tractor
incorporating the fender assembly. with isolated mounting bracket
according to the invention.
FIG. 3 is an isometric view of isolated bracket assembly of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is an isometric view of steel bracket, rubber sleeve and mounting
arm of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of isolated bracket assembly taken along A-A
of FIG.'3. .
FIG. 6 is a sectional view of isolated bracket assembly taken along B-B of
FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
Referring now to the drawings and FIG. 2 in particular, a portion of a heavy-duty vehicle in. the form of Automotive-tractor has a frame (6) to which ground engaging wheels (7) are rotatably mounted. A fender assembly according to the invention comprises fender plastic parts (4), an isolated mounting bracket assembly (2) and clamps (5).
The fender plastic parts (4) are mounted on the arm (3) with the help of clamps. The fender plastic parts (4) are located in the desired orientation and clamped on the mounting arm of isolated bracket assembly (2) with the help of mechanical fasteners. The fender plastic parts (4) and clamps are well known and not germane to the invention.


Referring to the FIGS. 3 & 4, According to present invention, the vibration isolating mounting bracket assembly comprises a mounting arm (8), rubber sleeve (9), and steel bracket (10). The mounting arm (8) is preferably a standard pipe with standard diameter and material. This standard pipe is bent in a bending machine to a profile that it matches the assembly requirements. The profile starts from the centre point of steel bracket (10) mounting face, passes through the centre point of mounting hole of side fender and ends to a length some extent before the outer edge of fender. The mounting arm (8) is drilled with two mutually perpendicular through holes (12) at an offsets equal to distance of first through hole from mounting edge. The diameter of these holes (12) can be double the thickness of mounting arm (8).
The steel bracket (10) made up off casting is drilled preferably with three mounting holes and turning is done at centre to make a taper hole which is intended to receive the mounting arm (8). Three longitudinal grooves (11) are made at the inner surface of steel bracket (10) at 120 degree angle each. These grooves.(11) can start from mounting surface and ends to a length that equals preferably to the half of the steel bracket (10) length. The diameter of groove (11) can be equal to the mounting arm (8) thickness and depth can be half the thickness. The rubber sleeve (9) acts as an isolator between the steel bracket (10) and mounting arm (8). The outer surface of rubber sleeve (9) matches the inner surface of steel bracket (10) and inner surface of rubber sleeve (9) matches the outer surface of mounting arm (8). The length of rubber sleeve (9) can be equal to the length of steel bracket (10).
Referring to the FIGS. 5 & 6, the steel bracket (10) is placed in fixture of hydraulic press, then the rubber sleeve (9) and mounting arm (8) are inserted into the steel bracket (10) centre hole. The mounting arm (8) is placed with the correct orientation as per the assembly requirement. A mandrel of the hydraulic machine is pressed from rear side of assembly and flares the mounting arm (8).


Due to high pressure the rubber sleeve deforms and projects radially outwardly into groove (11) and radially inwardly through holes (12) therefore it forms outward projections at groove (13) and inward projections at hole (14) as per the FIG. 6.
The rubber sleeve (9) acts as an isolator dampens the vibration forces between the frame (6) and fender assembly which in turn avoids the failure of fender and bracket parts.
The projections formed at groove (13) provide the positive grip between steel bracket (10) and rubber sleeve (9). In the same way projections (14) formed at hole (10) provide the positive grip between rubber sleeve (9) and mounting arm (8). This combination locks the axial rotation of mounting arm with in the isolated bracket assembly (4), which in turn avoids the collision of fender assembly.
The foregoing description is a specific embodiment of the present invention. It should be appreciated that this embodiment is described for purpose of illustration only, and that numerous alterations and modifications may be practiced by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is intended that all such modifications and altercations be included insofar as they come within the scope of the invention as claimed or the equivalents thereof.


WE CLAIM
1. A bracket assembly for a vehicle comprising:
a bracket member having hollow portion with inner grooves along its length to receive a mounting arm and a mounting surface to attached to said vehicle frame;
said mounting arm provided with at least a hole at one end located inside said bracket member;
and
a rubber sleeve is provided between said bracket member and said mounting arm, such that, upon assembly, the rubber sleeve deforms and projects radially outwardly into said grooves and radially inwardly through said hole to provide a positive grip between said bracket member, said mounting arm and said rubber sleeve.
2. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bracket having at least three grooves extend from said mounting surface of said bracket member upto a length that equals preferably half of the length of said bracket member at an angular distance of 120 degree from each other.
3. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said mounting arm being a tubular member having two mutually perpendicular holes at an offset, equal to the distance of first hole from mounting edge.
4. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the diameter of said grooves is preferably equal to the thickness of said mounting arm and the depth of said grooves is preferably equal to half the thickness of said mounting arm.
5. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rubber sleeve is an


isolator between said bracket member and said mounting arm, the outer surface of said rubber sleeve matches the inner surface of said bracket member and the inner surface of said rubber sleeve matches the outer surface of said mounting
arm.
6. . The assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the length of said rubber
sleeve is approximately equal to the length of said bracket member.
7. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bracket member comprises a casting bracket made up of either steel or aluminium with a conical, tapered through hole at its centre, which is adapted to mount the said rubber sleeve and said mounting arm.
8. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the diameter of said holes is preferably double the thickness of said mounting arm.
9. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mounting arm supports a fender assembly at the other end.
10. A method of manufacturing the assembly for mounting the fender assembly onto a frame of a vehicle as claimed in claims 1 to 7 comprising the steps of:
forming at least three longitudinal grooves at the inner surface of a bracket member positioned at an angle of about 120 degree from each other;
drilling two mutually perpendicular holes on a mounting arm at an offset equal to the distance of first hole from mounting edge of a mounting arm;
inserting a rubber sleeve into a center hole of said bracket member and inserting said mounting arm; and
flaring said mounting arm by hydraulically pressing the assembly from the rear side, such that the rubber sleeve deforms and projects radially outwardly


into said grooves and radially inwardly through said holes thereby forming outward projections at said groove and inward projections at said holes.
11. An assembly for mounting a fender assembly onto a frame of a vehicle as described herein above wiyh reference to figures 2 to 6.
Dated this 15th day of October 2008
TATA MOTORS LIMITED
By their Agent and Attorney
(KARUNA GOLERIA)
of DePENNING & DePENNING