JP2005188648A - Hydraulic shock absorber knuckle bracket structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily process opposing mounting holes provided in a pair of knuckle mounting portions of a knuckle bracket.
SOLUTION: A body part 31 attached to a tube 11 of a hydraulic shock absorber 10 and a pair of knuckle attachment parts 32 provided with attachment holes 32A and 32B that protrude from the body part 31 and extend in parallel with each other and are concentric with each other. In the knuckle bracket structure of the hydraulic shock absorber 10 in which the knuckle bracket 13 formed from a plate material is fixed to the lower portion of the tube 11, the main body portion 31 of the knuckle bracket 13 is provided with a molding positioning portion 40.
[Selection] Figure 6

Description

  The present invention relates to a knuckle bracket structure for a hydraulic shock absorber.

In the strut type vehicle suspension system, a knuckle bracket fixed to a lower end portion of a hydraulic shock absorber is connected to a wheel carrier on the wheel side. As described in Patent Document 1, a conventional knuckle bracket is formed by forming a body part attached to a tube of a hydraulic shock absorber and a pair of knuckle attachment parts protruding from the body part and extending in parallel with each other from a plate material. The knuckle mounting portion is provided with mounting holes that are concentric with each other and face each other.
JP 9-303476 A

  In the prior art, in order to ensure the concentric accuracy of the opposing mounting holes provided in one knuckle mounting part projected from the main body part of the knuckle bracket, in the final process of molding the knuckle bracket from the plate material, The mounting hole processing is performed. That is, from the plate material, four processes including a blanking process, a rib forming process, a wave bending or U-shaped bending forming process, and a mounting hole forming process are required, resulting in high costs.

  Further, the mounting hole processing is a process of performing side piercing processing using a dedicated jig on the pair of knuckle mounting portions protruding from the main body portion of the knuckle bracket, resulting in high cost.

  An object of the present invention is to simply process mounting holes provided in a pair of knuckle mounting portions of a knuckle bracket and facing each other.

  The invention of claim 1 has a body part attached to a tube of the hydraulic shock absorber, and a pair of knuckle attachment parts provided with attachment holes that protrude from the body part and extend in parallel with each other and are concentric with each other. In the knuckle bracket structure of the hydraulic shock absorber in which the knuckle bracket molded from is fixed to the lower part of the tube, a molding positioning portion is provided in the main body of the knuckle bracket.

  According to a second aspect of the invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the molding positioning portion is provided at the center of the main body portion in a direction along the circumferential direction of the tube of the knuckle bracket.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the present invention, the molding positioning portion is further provided in the lightening portion of the main body portion of the knuckle bracket.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to third aspects, the molding positioning portion is provided at a plurality of positions of the main body portion of the knuckle bracket.

(Claim 1)
(a) The positioning portion for molding is provided on the main body of the knuckle bracket. Therefore, for example, in the blanking process or the rib forming process of the knuckle bracket, the positioning portion and the mounting hole are processed simultaneously, or the mounting hole is processed at an appropriate position based on the positioning portion following the processing of the positioning portion. Then, in the shape forming process, the plate material is bent with respect to the positioning portion, and a pair of knuckle attachment portions protruding from the main body portion are formed, thereby positioning the attachment holes at appropriate positions planned for the pair of knuckle attachment portions with high accuracy. A knuckle bracket that ensures the concentric accuracy of the opposing mounting holes can be obtained.

  (b) A pair of knuckle mounting portions projecting from the main body and facing each other in a concentric manner in three steps, for example, a blanking process, a rib forming process, and a wave forming process or a U-shaped bending process. A knuckle bracket with holes can be manufactured. The mounting hole machining process is not required after the shape molding process, and the mounting hole can be machined simultaneously with the blank machining process or the rib molding process, thereby reducing the number of processing steps.

  (c) The mounting hole is processed in the plate material before the knuckle mounting portion protrudes from the main body, and a dedicated jig for side piercing is not required.

(Claim 2)
(d) Since the molding positioning portion is provided at the center of the main body of the knuckle bracket, positioning means for the positioning portion is provided at the center of the shape molding die, and the configuration of the die is simplified. Can be achieved.

(Claim 3)
(e) The knuckle bracket can be reduced in weight by providing the body portion of the knuckle bracket body, and the positioning portion can be processed at the time of processing the wall portion, thereby reducing the number of processing steps.

(Claim 4)
(f) By providing positioning portions at a plurality of positions of the main body portion of the knuckle bracket, the concentric accuracy of the mounting holes provided in the pair of knuckle mounting portions and facing each other can be improved.

  1 is a side view showing a hydraulic shock absorber, FIG. 2 is a side view showing a knuckle bracket, FIG. 3 is a front view showing the knuckle bracket, FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the knuckle bracket, and FIG. 5 is a development view showing the knuckle bracket. 6 is a schematic view showing the knuckle bracket processing step, FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the rib forming step, FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the wave bending shape forming step, and FIG. 9 is a cross section showing the U-shaped bending shape forming step. 10 is a schematic view showing a modified example of the knuckle bracket processing step, FIG. 11 is a developed view showing modified example 1 of the knuckle bracket, FIG. 12 is a developed view showing modified example 2 of the knuckle bracket, and FIG. 13 is a knuckle. It is an expanded view which shows the modification 3 of a bracket.

  The hydraulic shock absorber 10 is a strut damper type, and as shown in FIG. 1, a piston rod 12 is inserted into a cylinder (not shown) built in the damper tube 11 (outer tube), and the lower end of the damper tube 11 is inserted. The knuckle bracket 13 fixed by welding is connected to a wheel carrier on the wheel side, and is connected to the vehicle body via a vehicle body side mounting bracket 14 to a piston rod 12 protruding from the damper tube 11.

  The vehicle body side mounting bracket 14 fixes the upper bearing plate 17 together with the mount mounting body 16 with a nut 15 fastened to the upper end portion of the piston rod 12, and loads a bearing 18 and a lower bearing plate 19 on the lower surface of the upper bearing plate 17. Yes. Then, the upper spring seat 21 is supported on the lower bearing plate 19 via the spacer 20, the lower spring seat 22 is fixed to the outer periphery of the damper tube 11, and the suspension spring 23 is interposed between the upper spring seat 21 and the lower spring seat 22. Is intervening.

  The hydraulic shock absorber 10 holds a bump rubber 25 on the outer peripheral portion on the upper end side of the piston rod 12 and fixes a bump stopper cap 26 on the upper end portion of the damper tube 11. When the hydraulic shock absorber 10 is most compressed, the bump rubber 25 abuts against the bump stopper cap 26 to restrict the most compressed stroke.

  Therefore, in the hydraulic shock absorber 10, a piston valve device in which the impact force received by the vehicle from the road surface is absorbed by the elastic force of the suspension spring 23, and the expansion and contraction vibration of the suspension spring 23 is provided in a piston (not shown). Vibration is suppressed by the damping action of a base valve device provided in the cylinder.

  The knuckle bracket 13 is formed by bending a single plate as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, and has a main body portion 31, a knuckle attachment portion 32, and a folding portion 33.

  The main body 31 has a C-shaped cross section, is provided along the axial direction and the circumferential direction of the damper tube 11, and is attached so as to hold the outer periphery of the damper tube 11.

  The knuckle attachment part 32 consists of a left-right pair which protrudes from the both ends of the C-shaped cross section of the main body part 31 continuously in the radial direction and extends parallel to each other. The left and right knuckle attachment portions 32 include upper attachment holes 32A and 32A and lower attachment holes 32B and 32B that are concentric with each other at two positions. Bolts for connecting the knuckle bracket 13 to the wheel carrier are inserted into the mounting holes 32 </ b> A and 32 </ b> B of the knuckle mounting portion 32. Outer reinforcement flanges 34 are provided at the lower ends of the main body 31 and the left and right knuckle attachment portions 32, 32, and the folding boundary portion between the main body 31 and the left and right knuckle attachment portions 32, 32 Reinforcing ribs 35 are formed in which the bending boundary portion is expanded outward.

  The folded portion 33 is formed to be bent inward from the upper ends of the both knuckle attachment portions 32, 32. The knuckle bracket 13 is welded to the bottom portion of the damper tube 11 at the lower end peripheral portion of the main body portion 31 by a welding portion a (not shown), and the upper end peripheral portion and the folded portion 33 of the main body portion 31 are welded to the damper tube 11 at the welding portion b. Welded to the outer periphery.

  However, the knuckle bracket 13 is provided with a positioning hole 40 as a molding positioning portion in the main body 31 as shown in FIGS. In this embodiment, the knuckle bracket 13 is provided with a positioning hole 40 on the center line which is the center portion of the main body 31 in the direction (width direction) along the circumferential direction of the damper tube 11 as shown in the development view of FIG. Positioning holes 40, 40 are provided at two positions on the center line. The number of positioning holes 40 provided in the main body 31 may be one or more.

  Since the knuckle bracket 13 is provided with the positioning hole 40 in the main body 31, it is processed in the following steps (FIGS. 6 to 9).

(1) Blanking process (Fig. 6 (A))
At the time of blank processing for punching out the outer diameters of the main body 31, the knuckle attachment portion 32, and the turned-up portion 33 from the plate material, the positioning holes 40, 40 are opened at two positions on the center line of the main body 31, and at the same time, the predetermined holes Mounting holes 32A and 32B are drilled at the positions.

(2) Rib forming process (Fig. 6 (B), Fig. 7)
Using the rib molding die 50, the folded portion 33 is drawn on the plate material (1) described above. At this time, the positioning hole 51 of the main body 31 is passed through the positioning pin 51 provided in the center of the mold 50 to prevent the plate material from being displaced. The mounting holes 32A and 32B can also be used as positioning holes in the rib forming process.

(3) Shape forming process
(3-1) Wave bending shape forming process (FIGS. 6C and 8)
The plate material (2) is subjected to wave bending using a wave bending mold 60 (lower mold 61, upper mold 62). At this time, the positioning pin 40 (the upper die 62 includes a corresponding pin hole 64) provided at the center of the lower die 61 is passed through the positioning hole 40 of the main body portion 31 to prevent the plate material from shifting. The mounting holes 32A and 32B can also be used as positioning holes in this wave bending process.

(3-2) U-bending shape forming process (Fig. 6 (D), Fig. 9)
Using the U-shaped bending mold 70 (the lower mold 71, the core metal 72, the molding mold 73) with respect to the plate material of the above (3-1), the main body portion 31 of the plate material is sandwiched between the lower mold 71 and the core metal 72, By moving the molding die 73 upward on both sides of the core metal 72 along the lower die 71, the plate material is bent into a U shape, and the pair of knuckle attachment portions 32, 32 are projected from the main body portion 31. At this time, a positioning pin 74 (the cored bar 72 includes a corresponding pin hole 75) provided in the central portion of the lower mold 71 is passed through the positioning hole 40 of the main body 31 to prevent the plate material from being displaced.

  The knuckle bracket 13 may be processed by providing the positioning hole 40 in the main body 31 in the following process (FIG. 10).

(1) Blanking process (Fig. 10 (A))
The outer shape of the main body 31, the knuckle attachment 32, and the folded portion 33 is punched out from the plate material.

(2) Rib forming process (Figure (B))
The folded portion 33 is drawn on the plate material (1) described above.

(3) Shape forming process
(3-1) Wave bending shape forming process (FIGS. 10C and 10D)
Wave bending is performed on the plate material of (2) above. Simultaneously with or following this wave bending, positioning holes 40, 40 are formed at two positions on the center line of the main body 31, and mounting holes 32A, 32B are formed at predetermined positions with respect to the positioning hole 40. Drill a hole.

(3-2) U-bending shape forming process (Figure 10 (E))
The plate material of the above (3-1) is bent in a U shape, and a pair of knuckle attachment portions 32 and 32 are projected from the main body portion 31. At this time, the positioning hole 40 of the main body 31 is passed through the positioning pin provided in the center of the U-shaped bending mold to prevent the plate material from being displaced.

Hereinafter, modified examples of the knuckle bracket 13 will be described.
In the knuckle bracket 13 of Modification 1 of FIG. 11, the positioning hole 40 provided in the main body 31 is a square hole. The hole shape may be anything such as a circular hole, a square hole, or a triangular hole. In the case where one positioning hole 40 is provided in the main body 31, a square hole or a long hole is preferable.

  The knuckle bracket 13 of Modification 2 in FIG. 12 is obtained by punching a body portion 31 with a lightening hole 36 aligned with the upper and lower positioning holes 40.

  The knuckle bracket 13 of Modification 3 in FIG. 13 is provided with a notched molding positioning portion 41 on the upper side and the lower side of the cutout hole 37 punched out in the main body portion 31.

According to this embodiment, there exist the following effects.
(a) The positioning hole 40 for molding is provided in the main body 31 of the knuckle bracket 13. Therefore, the positioning hole 40 and the mounting holes 32A and 32B are processed at the same time, for example, in the blanking process or the rib forming process of the knuckle bracket 13, or the positioning hole 40 is processed at an appropriate position based on the positioning hole 40. The mounting holes 32A and 32B are processed. In the shape forming step, the plate material is bent with reference to the positioning hole 40 to form a pair of knuckle attachment portions 32 protruding from the main body portion 31, thereby attaching the attachment holes 32 </ b> A at appropriate positions planned for the pair of knuckle attachment portions 32. , 32B can be positioned with high accuracy, and the knuckle bracket 13 in which the concentric accuracy of the opposing mounting holes 32A, 32B is ensured can be obtained.

  (b) A pair of knuckle mounting portions 32 projecting from the main body 31 are concentrically opposed to each other in three steps, for example, a blank processing step, a rib forming step, and a wave bending or U-shaped bending shape forming step. The knuckle bracket 13 provided with the mounting holes 32A and 32B can be manufactured. The mounting hole machining process is not required after the shape molding process, and the mounting holes 32A and 32B can be machined simultaneously with the blank machining process or the rib molding process, thereby reducing the number of processing steps.

  (c) The mounting holes 32A and 32B are processed in the plate material at the stage before the knuckle mounting portion 32 protrudes from the main body 31, and a special jig such as side piercing is not required.

  (d) Since the molding positioning hole 40 is provided in the central portion of the main body 31 in the knuckle bracket 13, a positioning pin 74 as a positioning means for the positioning hole 40 is provided in the central portion of the shape molding die 70. Thus, the configuration of the mold 70 can be simplified.

  (e) By providing the lightening holes 36 and 37 in the main body 31 of the knuckle bracket 13, the knuckle bracket 13 can be reduced in weight, and the positioning parts 40 and 41 can be processed at the time of processing the lightening holes 36 and 37. Processing man-hours can be reduced.

  (f) By providing the positioning portions 40 and 41 at a plurality of positions of the main body portion 31 of the knuckle bracket 13, the concentric accuracy of the mounting holes 32A and 32B provided in the pair of knuckle mounting portions 32 and facing each other can be improved.

  The knuckle bracket of the present invention is not limited to a single plate but may be a double plate of an outer bracket and an inner bracket. The outer bracket is molded in the same manner as in the knuckle bracket 13 described above. The inner bracket includes a curved portion that comes into contact with the outer periphery of the damper tube 11, and an inner knuckle mounting portion that protrudes from both sides of the curved portion and is parallel to each other is fitted between a pair of knuckle mounting portions of the outer bracket. In addition, a molding positioning portion is provided in the curved portion described above, and an inner attachment hole is formed in the inner knuckle attachment portion. And what is necessary is just to weld-fix in the state which fitted the outer bracket and the inner bracket, and was positioned through the pin in the attachment hole of both.

  Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration of the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and there are design changes and the like without departing from the gist of the present invention. Is included in the present invention. For example, the molding positioning portion in the present invention is not limited to a hole, and may be a notch, a concave portion, a convex portion, or the like.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a hydraulic shock absorber. FIG. 2 is a side view showing the knuckle bracket. FIG. 3 is a front view showing the knuckle bracket. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the knuckle bracket. FIG. 5 is a development view showing the knuckle bracket. FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a knuckle bracket processing step. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a rib forming process. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a wave bending shape forming step. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a U-shaped bending shape forming step. FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing a modification of the knuckle bracket processing step. FIG. 11 is a development view showing a modified example 1 of the knuckle bracket. FIG. 12 is a development view showing a modified example 2 of the knuckle bracket. FIG. 13 is a development view showing a modified example 3 of the knuckle bracket.

Explanation of symbols

10 Hydraulic shock absorber 11 Damper tube (tube)
13 knuckle bracket 31 body part 32 knuckle attachment part 32A, 32B attachment hole 36, 37 lightening hole (lightening part)
40 Positioning hole (positioning part)
41 Positioning part

Claims (4)

A knuckle bracket formed from a plate member having a main body portion attached to a tube of a hydraulic shock absorber and a pair of knuckle mounting portions provided with mounting holes projecting from the main body portion and extending in parallel with each other and concentric with each other. In the knuckle bracket structure of the hydraulic shock absorber fixed to the lower part of the tube,
A knuckle bracket structure for a hydraulic shock absorber, wherein a molding positioning portion is provided in a main body portion of the knuckle bracket.   2. The knuckle bracket structure for a hydraulic shock absorber according to claim 1, wherein the molding positioning portion is provided at a center portion of the main body portion in a direction along a circumferential direction of the tube of the knuckle bracket. 3.   The knuckle bracket structure of the hydraulic shock absorber according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the molding positioning portion is provided in a lightening portion of a main body portion of the knuckle bracket.   The knuckle bracket structure of the hydraulic shock absorber according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the molding positioning portion is provided at a plurality of positions of a main body portion of the knuckle bracket.

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