JP2004232824A - Strut mount - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce a ratio (spring ratio) of a spring constant in the axial direction to a spring constant in the direction perpendicular to the axis in comparison with a conventional one, and to keep high positioning function in assembling and high assembling performance, in a strut mount not fastened to a body of a vehicle but assembled in a state of being pressed to an inner face of a fitting recessed part of the body on the basis of a weight of the body. <P>SOLUTION: In this strut mount 10 fitted upward from a lower part to the fitting recessed part 26 of the vehicle body 24, and assembled by the load of the body in a non-fastened state, a rubber elastic body 36 is provided with a cut part 38 formed from an outer peripheral face toward an inner part on a position between an upper end of a peripheral wall part 28 and an upper end of an outer member 32, and the rubber elastic body 36 is divided into a lower rubber main body part 36A and an upper stopper part 36B kept into contact with an upper wall part 30. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a strut mount for elastically supporting a strut provided with a shock absorber with respect to a body of a vehicle, and more particularly to a strut mount that is assembled to a body in a non-fastened state.
[0002]
Problems to be solved by the prior art and the invention
Conventionally, in a strut type suspension device, a strut mount including a rubber elastic body as a main element is interposed between an upper end of a strut having a shock absorber and a coil spring and a body of a vehicle, and transmits vibration transmitted from a road surface through a tire. The shock absorber and coil spring cooperate to absorb the vibration, and the strut mount absorbs the vibration that cannot be absorbed by the shock absorber and coil spring, preventing or suppressing the transmission of vibration from the road surface to the body. I am trying to do it.
[0003]
Conventionally, various types of strut mounts have been used in this suspension device.
FIG. 4A shows an example.
A strut mount 200 shown in FIG. 4A is a strut mount that is fastened and fixed to a body of a vehicle. The strut mount 200 is a cylindrical metal-made rigid outer member 202 and inner member 204, and these are integrally formed. And a rubber elastic body 206 connected to the main body.
[0004]
The strut mount 200 is fastened and fixed to the piston rod of the shock absorber at the inner member 204 and is fastened and fixed to the body at the outer member 202.
More specifically, the outer member 202 is provided with a flange-shaped fixing part 208, and the fixing part 208 is fastened and fixed to the body by a fastening bolt 210.
[0005]
In the case of the strut mount 200 shown in FIG. 4A, the strut mount 200 can be securely fastened and fixed by the fastening bolt 210 in a state where the strut mount 200 is correctly positioned with respect to the body.
[0006]
On the other hand, the strut mount 212 shown in FIG. 4B is of a type that can be assembled to the body in a non-fastened state. The outer member 214 is made of metal and is rigid, the inner member 216 is made of metal and is also integrally formed. It has a rubber elastic body 218 that is electrically connected.
Reference numeral 220 denotes a piston rod in the shock absorber, and 222 denotes a spring seat for receiving the upper end of the coil spring.
[0007]
In the strut mount 212, the outer surface and the inner surface of the outer member 214 and the inner member 216 are coated with thin rubber.
That is, the outer member 214 and the inner member 216 are embedded in the rubber elastic body 218 on the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side of the rubber elastic body 218, respectively.
[0008]
Reference numeral 224 denotes a body panel, which is provided with a recess 226 for fitting in a form of being depressed upward, into which a strut mount 212 is fitted upward from below and assembled to the body panel 224.
The body panel 224 has a peripheral wall portion 228 and an upper wall portion 230, and the recess 226 is formed below the peripheral wall portion 228 and the upper wall portion 230.
[0009]
Here, the inner surface of the peripheral wall portion 228 has a tapered shape whose diameter gradually decreases upward in order to fit the strut mount 212 upward.
In addition, the upper wall portion 230 defines a fitting amount when the strut mount 212 is fitted into the recess 226, and also acts laterally from an upper end portion of the peripheral wall portion 228, specifically, The direction (axial direction of the strut mount 212) extends longitudinally in a flanged manner in the lateral direction and in the centripetal direction.
[0010]
On the other hand, the outer member 214 of the strut mount 212 is provided in a tapered shape having a small diameter upward and corresponding to the lower portion thereof, corresponding to the shape of the lower portion of the peripheral wall portion 228 in the recess 226. Also, correspondingly, the inner member 216 is formed in a substantially tapered shape having a small diameter upward.
[0011]
Since the strut mount 212 is not fastened to the body panel 224 but is merely assembled in a state of being pressed against the inner surface of the recess 226 by the weight of the body, the rubber elastic body 218 is broken. However, the shape and size are determined so that the inner member 216 overlaps (superimposes) the body panel 224 in the up-down direction so that the shock absorber does not penetrate the body panel 224 so that the shock absorber cannot run.
That is, the lower part of the inner member 216 is formed to extend obliquely long.
[0012]
In the strut mount 212, the fitting position to the body panel 224 is determined by fitting into the recess 226, and the inside of the recess 226 is entirely filled with rubber in order to restrict excessive vertical displacement. Like that.
Specifically, the portion between the peripheral wall portion 228 and the upper wall portion 230 and the inner member 216 is almost entirely filled with rubber (except for a part of the groove 232), and the outer peripheral surface of the rubber elastic body 218 is formed. The rubber elastic body 218 is brought into contact with the inner surface of the upper wall 230 with the weight of the body at the time of assembling being kept in contact with the entire inclined inner surface of the peripheral wall 228.
[0013]
In the case of the strut mount 212, the outer peripheral surface of the rubber elastic body 218 contacts the inner surface of the peripheral wall portion 228 as a whole, and the upper surface of the rubber elastic body 218 contacts the upper wall portion 230. Workability at the time of attachment can be ensured, and excessive displacement in the vertical direction can be restricted by contact with the upper wall portion 230 of the rubber elastic body during displacement in the vertical direction.
[0014]
As a result of the above-described configuration, in the case of the strut mount 212, the rubber elastic body 218 is sandwiched by the inner member 216, the outer member 214, and the body panel 224 not only in the direction perpendicular to the axis but also in the axial direction. As a result, not only the spring constant in the direction perpendicular to the axis but also the spring constant in the axial direction increases.
This is because the compression component occupies a large proportion both in the axial direction and in the axial direction.
That is, in the case of the strut mount 212, there is an inherent problem that it is difficult to reduce the ratio of the spring constant in the axial direction to the spring constant in the direction perpendicular to the axis (spring ratio).
[0015]
The present invention has been devised to solve such a problem.
The ones disclosed in the following Patent Documents 1, Patent Documents 2, and Patent Document 3 are known as related to the present invention.
However, those disclosed in Patent Literature 1, Patent Literature 2, and Patent Literature 3 are of a type in which the outer member is fastened and fixed to the body, which is different from the strut mount of the present invention. .
[0016]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 7-43508 [Patent Document 2]
Japanese Patent No. 3055412 [Patent Document 3]
JP-A-9-264367
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a strut mount having a rigid inner member and an outer member, and a rubber elastic body integrally connecting the inner member and the outer member, and is formed to be recessed upward in a vehicle body. The inner wall of the peripheral wall has an inclined or curved shape having a smaller diameter as it goes upward, and from the upper end of the peripheral wall, an upper wall extends laterally and into a recess for fitting in a form extending in the centripetal direction. On the other hand, a strut mount that is fitted upwardly from below and is assembled to the body in a state where the outer member is pressed against the inner surface of the recess by the load of the body without being fastened to the body, wherein the outer member includes the outer member, The rubber elastic body is provided in an inclined or curved shape having a small diameter toward the upper side corresponding to the shape of the lower portion of the inner surface of the peripheral wall portion in the concave portion, and positioned so as to face the lower portion. A notch is provided between the upper end of the peripheral wall portion and the upper end of the outer member, and a notch portion is provided from the outer peripheral side toward the inside. It is characterized in that the upper stopper portion which comes into contact with the upper side is configured separately.
[0018]
A second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect, the cutout portion has a circular shape in the circumferential direction.
[0019]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first and second aspects, the stopper portion is in contact with the upper wall portion from the beginning in an assembled state.
[0020]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to third aspects, the inner member has an inclined or curved shape having a small diameter upward corresponding to the outer member, and It is characterized in that it is formed in a shape and size that are superimposed in the vertical direction.
[0021]
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to fourth aspects, the outer member and the inner member are embedded in the rubber elastic body on the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side of the rubber elastic body, respectively. It is characterized by.
[0022]
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to fifth aspects, the notch is formed to have a shape extending downward and axially from an outer peripheral surface of the rubber elastic body, and an axis of the notch is provided. The width in the perpendicular direction is equal to or gradually increases from the bottom to the upper end of the cutout.
[0023]
[Action and effect of the invention]
As described above, the present invention provides a rubber elastic body with a cutout portion extending from the outer peripheral side toward the inside at a position between the upper end of the peripheral wall portion and the upper end of the outer member, and the cutout portion forms the lower rubber main body portion. And an upper stopper portion that contacts the upper wall portion upward. According to the present invention, the strut mount has a vertical direction, that is, an axial direction by contact of the stopper portion with the upper wall portion. Excessive displacement can be well regulated.
[0024]
Further, since the rubber elastic body is provided with the notch, the spring constant in the vertical direction, that is, the axial direction can be reduced, that is, the spring characteristics can be softened. The ratio can be set smaller than the conventional strut mount shown in FIG. 4B, and the spring ratio can be tuned in a wide range.
[0025]
At the same time, the stopper characteristic due to the contact of the stopper portion with the upper wall portion is soft at the beginning, and can be changed to a required size from the middle.
This is because the stopper can be easily deformed in the early stage due to the presence of the notch, but when the stopper is deformed to some extent, the notch, that is, the gap is filled, and the resistance to the deformation of the stopper increases.
Here, the notch can be formed so as to form a continuous annular shape in the circumferential direction (claim 2).
[0026]
It is desirable that the stopper portion be in contact with the upper wall portion from the beginning of assembly (claim 3).
By assembling the stopper portion with the upper wall portion from the beginning of assembly, the strut mount can be positioned in the recess of the body when the assembly is performed, and the stopper can be positioned. Even when the strut mount is in contact with the upper wall from the beginning, the strut mount may be displaced to some extent, and the stopper may hit the upper wall for the first time. Is obtained.
[0027]
The present invention relates to a strut mount in which an inner member has an inclined or curved shape having a small diameter upward corresponding to an outer member, and is formed in a shape and a size that overlap with an upper wall portion in a vertical direction. The effect is large when applied to (claim 4). Also, the outer member and the inner member can be embedded in the rubber elastic body on the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side of the rubber elastic body, respectively.
[0028]
Next, in claim 6, the notch is formed in a shape extending downward and in the axial direction from the outer peripheral surface of the rubber elastic body, and the width of the notch in the direction perpendicular to the axis is the same size from the bottom to the top of the notch, or With the dimensions gradually increased, the product (strut mount) can be easily removed from the mold simply by splitting the mold in the axial direction when vulcanizing the strut mount. As a result, the configuration of the mold is simplified, and the demolding operation is also simplified, so that the manufacturing cost of the strut mount can be reduced.
[0029]
【Example】
Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
Here, FIG. 1 shows a state in which the strut mount is assembled to the body of the vehicle, FIG. 2 shows a state in which the assembly structure is disassembled into various members, and FIG. 3 shows a strut mount before assembly in FIG. Each is shown.
[0030]
In these figures, 10 is a strut mount of the present example, 12 is a piston rod in a shock absorber, and 14 is a spring seat as a spring receiver which contacts the upper end of a coil spring to receive it.
[0031]
Reference numeral 16 denotes a stopper plate for restricting an excessive relative downward displacement of the piston rod 12 in the figure, and is fixed to the piston rod 12 with a fixing nut 18. A rubber contact portion 20 is provided at an outer peripheral end of the stopper plate 16 so as to abut downward on an upper wall portion 30 of a body panel described later.
22 is a bearing.
[0032]
Numeral 24 denotes a body panel having a recess 26 for fitting into an upwardly recessed form.
The recess 26 is formed below the peripheral wall 28 formed on the body panel 24 and the upper wall 30 of the upper end of the peripheral wall 28.
[0033]
Here, the recess 26 is for assembling the strut mount 10 in a fitted state, and the peripheral wall portion 28 has a tapered shape whose inner surface gradually becomes smaller in an upward direction.
From the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 28, the upper wall portion 30 extends laterally and in a centripetal direction.
The inside of the upper wall 30 is an opening 31.
[0034]
The strut mount 10 has a rigid outer member 32 made of metal, a rigid inner member 34 also made of metal, and a rubber elastic body 36 that integrally connects them.
Here, the outer member 32 is formed in a shape and a size so as to be located in a substantially lower half portion of the concave portion 26, and the upper end of the inner member 34 is substantially the same height as the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 28. It has a shape and size whose lower end slightly protrudes downward from the recess 26.
[0035]
The outer member 32 and the inner member 34 have their outer peripheral surface and inner peripheral surface covered with thin rubber, respectively.
That is, the outer member 32 and the inner member 34 are embedded in the rubber elastic body 36 on the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side of the rubber elastic body 36, respectively.
[0036]
The outer member 32 and the inner member 34 each have a substantially tapered shape having a small diameter upward corresponding to the tapered shape of the inner surface of the peripheral wall portion 28.
Strictly speaking, the lower part of the outer member 32 is slightly bent downward, and the inner member 34 has a shape in which the middle part in the vertical direction is slightly depressed in the centripetal direction. Have a slightly curved shape. In addition, the upper end has a shape that rises while curving upward.
[0037]
Here, the inner member 34 is formed in a shape and size that vertically overlaps (overlaps) the body panel 24 with the upper wall portion 30 and the peripheral wall portion 28 that form the recess 26.
More specifically, in this example, the lower end of the inner member 34 is located at a portion where the lower end of the inner member 34 further reaches the peripheral wall portion 28 from the outer peripheral end of the upper wall portion 30.
[0038]
The rubber elastic body 36 of the strut mount 10 is provided with a cutout 38 extending from the outer peripheral surface to the inside at a position between the upper end of the outer member 32 and the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 28. The lower rubber body 36A and the upper stopper 36B are separated from each other by the notch 38.
[0039]
Here, the outer peripheral surface of the rubber main body portion 36A is a tapered surface inclined at substantially the same angle as the inner surface of the peripheral wall portion 28, and the entire outer peripheral surface is in elastic contact with the inner surface of the peripheral wall portion 28 in the assembled state. .
On the other hand, the stopper portion 36B is in a state of rising upward, and its upper end portion is in a state of being in elastic contact with the inner surface of the upper wall portion 30 from the beginning of assembly.
[0040]
This stopper portion 36B has a higher upward protruding height than that shown in FIG. 1 before the assembly as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, as shown in FIGS. The stopper portion 36B is in contact with the upper wall portion 30 in a state where it is elastically deformed by a predetermined amount in the vertical direction.
[0041]
Here, the stopper portion 36B has a continuous annular shape in the circumferential direction, and the notch portion 38 also has a continuous annular shape in the circumferential direction.
The notch 38 extends in the axial direction of the strut mount 10 in a state before assembly, that is, in a vulcanized state, as shown in FIG. It is formed in a shape that increases slightly from the bottom to the top.
[0042]
The strut mount 10 of this example is assembled to the body panel 24 in a non-fastened state.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the stopper plate 16 is fitted upward from below into the fitting recess 26 of the body panel 24, and then the stopper plate 16 is fixed to the piston rod 12 by the fixing nut 18. , Is assembled to the body panel 24 in a retaining state.
[0043]
At this time, the strut mount 10 is pressed against the inner surface of the recess 26 by the weight of the body.
At the time of the assembling, the outer peripheral surface of the rubber main body 36A and the rubber stopper 36B serve as an assembling guide to determine the assembling position.
[0044]
In the strut mount 10 of the present example, when a vibration input is applied in the axial direction and the direction perpendicular to the axis during running of the vehicle, the rubber elastic body 36 elastically deforms in the axial direction and the direction perpendicular to the axis to absorb the vibration, and from the road surface. Is prevented or suppressed from being transmitted to the body panel 24.
[0045]
Further, when an upward load is applied to the strut mount 10 and the rubber elastic body 36 is elastically deformed in the same direction, an excessive displacement thereof is regulated by the stopper action of the stopper portion 36B.
At this time, the stopper portion 36B can be easily elastically deformed in the vertical direction due to the presence of the notch portion 38, that is, due to the space around the stopper portion 36B, and thus the initial stopper characteristics are soft.
In addition, the spring characteristics of the strut mount 10 at the time of vertical vibration input are softened.
[0046]
On the other hand, when the stopper portion 36B is deformed by a certain amount, the cutout portion 38 is buried by the deformed rubber of the stopper portion 36B at that time, and from this time, the deformation of the stopper portion 36B is suppressed, and The resistance increases sharply, effectively suppressing excessive displacement.
[0047]
Further, in the strut mount 10 of this example, the rubber elastic body 36 is divided into the rubber main body portion 36A and the stopper portion 36B by the notch portion 38, so that the upper and lower portions until the notch portion 38 is filled with the deformation of the rubber. In the displacement region, the rubber body portion 36A mainly undergoes shear elastic deformation, and further, the stopper portion 36B easily elastically deforms, thereby exhibiting a soft spring characteristic in the axial direction.
On the other hand, the deformation of the rubber main body 36A in the direction perpendicular to the axis is mainly a compression elastic deformation, and exhibits great spring characteristics.
[0048]
As described above, according to the present example, the excessive displacement of the strut mount 10 in the vertical direction, that is, the axial direction can be satisfactorily regulated by the contact of the stopper portion 36B with the upper wall portion 30.
[0049]
Further, since the rubber elastic body 36 is provided with the notch 38, the initial spring constant in the vertical direction, that is, the axial direction can be reduced, that is, the spring characteristics can be softened. The spring ratio with the constant can be set smaller than that of the conventional strut mount shown in FIG. 4B, and the spring ratio can be tuned in a wide range.
[0050]
At the same time, the initial stopper characteristic of the stopper portion 36B is soft, and can be changed to a sufficient size from a necessary displacement region.
Initially, the stopper 36B can be easily deformed by the presence of the notch 38, and after the stopper 36B is deformed and the notch 38, that is, the gap is filled, the resistance to the deformation of the stopper 36B becomes large. is there.
[0051]
In addition, since the stopper 36B is brought into contact with the upper wall portion 30 from the beginning of the assembly, the stopper 36B can perform a positioning operation when the strut mount 10 is assembled. Also, since the stopper portion 36B is in contact with the upper wall portion 30 from the beginning, it is possible to avoid a problem that abnormal noise may be generated there, as in the case where the stopper portion 36B hits the upper wall portion 30 during the vertical displacement. it can.
[0052]
Further, by forming the notch 38 in the shape as in this example, when vulcanizing the strut mount 10, the product (strut mount) can be easily taken out from the molding die simply by dividing the molding die in the axial direction. As a result, the configuration of the molding die is simplified, and the demolding operation is also simplified, so that the manufacturing cost of the strut mount 10 can be reduced.
[0053]
The embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, but this is merely an example.
For example, the shape of the inner surface of the peripheral wall portion 28 in the recess 26 may be slightly curved, and the shape of the outer member 32 and the inner member 34 in the strut mount 10 may be such that the diameter gradually decreases upward. Thus, various shapes other than the above examples can be formed.
[0054]
In addition, in the present invention, the stopper portion 36B of the rubber elastic body 36 is formed such that a predetermined gap is formed between the stopper portion 36B and the upper wall portion 30 from the beginning at the time of assembly. The present invention can be configured in various modified forms without departing from the gist of the present invention, for example, it is possible to keep the same.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a strut mount according to an embodiment of the present invention in a state of being assembled to a vehicle body.
FIG. 2 is a view showing the assembly structure of FIG. 1 disassembled into members.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view and a plan view of the strut mount of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a view showing a conventional strut mount.
[Explanation of symbols]
Reference Signs List 10 strut mount 24 body panel 26 recess 28 peripheral wall 30 upper wall 32 outer member 34 inner member 36 rubber elastic body 36A rubber body 36B stopper 38 notch

Claims (6)

Includes a rigid inner member and an outer member and a rubber elastic body that integrally connects them, and is formed in a form that is recessed upward into the body of the vehicle, and has a diameter that becomes smaller as the inner surface of the peripheral wall portion moves upward. Or a curved shape, and from the upper end of the peripheral wall portion, the upper wall portion is fitted upward from below into a fitting recess in a form in which the upper wall portion extends laterally and extends in the centripetal direction, and is fastened to the body. A strut mount that is assembled to the body while being pressed against the inner surface of the recess by the load of the body without being performed,
The outer member is provided in such a manner that the outer member has an inclined or curved shape having a small diameter toward the upper side corresponding to the shape of the lower portion of the inner surface of the peripheral wall portion in the concave portion and is located to face the lower portion, and The rubber elastic body is provided with a cutout portion extending from the outer peripheral side toward the inside at a position between the upper end of the peripheral wall portion and the upper end of the outer member, and the cutout portion provides a lower rubber main body portion, A strut mount, wherein an upper stopper portion that contacts the upper wall portion upwardly is configured separately. The strut mount according to claim 1, wherein the notch has a circular shape in a circumferential direction. The strut mount according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the stopper portion is initially in contact with the upper wall portion in an assembled state. The shape according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the inner member has an inclined or curved shape having a small diameter upward corresponding to the outer member, and overlaps with the upper wall portion in a vertical direction. A strut mount characterized by being formed in a size. The strut mount according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the outer member and the inner member are embedded in the rubber elastic body on the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side of the rubber elastic body, respectively. The notch according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the notch is formed to have a shape extending downward and axially from an outer peripheral surface of the rubber elastic body, and the width of the notch in a direction perpendicular to the axis is the notch. A strut mount characterized in that the dimensions are equal or gradually increase from the bottom to the top of the part.

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