JP7571650B2 - Vehicle fastening structure - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a fastening structure for a vehicle.

Patent Document 1 discloses a co-rotation prevention device that has a socket portion with a hole portion for fitting the bolt head, a locking member provided on the side opposite the opening of the hole portion to lock the fitting tip surface of the bolt head that is fitted into the hole portion, an arm portion that extends radially outward from the peripheral surface of the socket portion, and a magnet provided on the arm portion.

JP 2009-34733 A

However, when performing a double nut locking operation to fasten components that make up a vehicle, when the second nut is tightened against the first nut, a moment is transmitted from the second nut to the first nut, causing the first and second nuts to rotate together. This has led to the use of a tool to prevent the first nut from rotating together.

The object of the present invention is to provide a fastening structure for a vehicle that allows the second nut to be tightened without using a tool to prevent the first nut from rotating.

In one aspect of the present invention, a fourth member interposed between a first nut and a second nut has a washer portion that is sandwiched between the first nut and the second nut, and an abutment portion that abuts against the third member. The third member abuts against the abutment portion to restrict rotation of the fourth member around the axis of the bolt.

According to the present invention, the second nut can be tightened without using a tool to prevent the first nut from rotating.

1 is a perspective view of a vehicle body structure including a fastening structure for a vehicle according to an embodiment, showing an arrangement relationship between a member related to the fastening structure for a vehicle and other vehicle body members; 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an arrangement of members included in a fastening structure for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention; 2 is a perspective view showing an arrangement relationship of members included in the vehicle fastening structure according to the embodiment in a temporarily held state. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an arrangement of members included in the fastening structure for a vehicle according to the embodiment in a fastened state; FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an arrangement relationship of members included in the fastening structure for a vehicle according to the embodiment in a fastened state, and is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 4. 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining the action of the vehicle fastening structure according to the embodiment in a vehicle body, and are diagrams showing a method of positioning the anchor arm, which is a second member.

The following describes a vehicle fastening structure according to an embodiment with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, FR and RR indicate the front and rear in the vehicle longitudinal direction, respectively, LH and RH indicate the left and right in the vehicle width direction, and UP and DN indicate the top and bottom in the vehicle vertical direction, respectively. In the following description, the front and rear in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and the top and bottom in the vehicle vertical direction are simply referred to as the "front of the vehicle," "rear of the vehicle," "upper of the vehicle," and "lower of the vehicle," respectively. Elements having the same function are given the same reference numerals, and duplicate descriptions will be omitted.

The vehicle fastening structure 1 according to the embodiment is used, for example, for fastening with double nuts in the attitude adjustment mechanism of a vehicle body (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle body is equipped with a pair of side members 3 extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle on the left and right sides, and a cross member 10, which is a first member extending in the vehicle width direction on the vehicle rear side of the side members 3. A double wishbone suspension 5 is provided on the vehicle width direction outer side at the front part of each of the pair of side members 3, as illustrated in the figure.

The suspension 5 comprises an upper arm 5a, a lower arm 5b, and a shock absorber 5c with a built-in spring (not shown). The upper arm 5a and the lower arm 5b are connected in the vertical direction of the vehicle by a knuckle (not shown) that supports the front wheel (not shown). The shock absorber 5c extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle, with its upper end fixed to the side member 3 and its lower end connected to the lower arm 5b so as to be rotatable within a predetermined angle range.

The upper arm 5a has a U-shape when viewed from the top to bottom of the vehicle, and a through hole that penetrates in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle is provided at the end 5d on the inner side in the vehicle width direction. A torsion bar 7 is inserted into this through hole, and the upper arm 5a and the torsion bar 7 are connected by, for example, fitting together sawtooth-shaped projections and recesses.

The torsion bar 7 is a cylindrical, long member that extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle along the side member 3, and is made of metal such as spring steel (SUP material). The front end of the torsion bar 7 is connected to the upper arm 5a as described above, and the rear end is connected to the anchor arm 20, which is a second member that extends inward in the vehicle width direction. The anchor arm 20 is fixed to the cross member 10 using the vehicle fastening structure 1.

The anchor arm 20 is positioned using the vehicle fastening structure 1 in a state where it is twisted a predetermined angle around the axis of the torsion bar 7. As a result, the torsion bar 7 is fixed between the upper arm 5a and the anchor arm 20 in a state where it is subjected to a torsional moment around its axis. The repulsive force generated in the torsion bar 7 is input to the upper arm 5a. Therefore, by adjusting the angle at which the anchor arm 20 is twisted, the torsional moment input to the torsion bar 7 can be adjusted, and as a result, the moment around the axis of the torsion bar 7 of the upper arm 5a can be adjusted.

For example, by increasing the twisting moment applied to the torsion bar 7 in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 1, the upper arm 5a and the lower arm 5b are tilted so that the outer side in the vehicle width direction is lowered. This moves the relative position of the front wheels of the vehicle downward, making it possible to increase the vehicle height at the front of the vehicle (lift up). Also, by decreasing the twisting moment applied to the torsion bar 7, it is possible to lower the vehicle height at the front of the vehicle (lower down).

Since the vehicle has such a suspension 5, torsion bar 7, anchor arm 20, and vehicle fastening structure 1 on each side in the vehicle width direction, the vehicle height at the front of the vehicle can be adjusted on each side. Therefore, the vehicle is equipped with a posture adjustment mechanism that adjusts the relative vertical position of each of the left and right front wheels on the vehicle.

As shown in Figures 2 to 6, the vehicle fastening structure 1 according to the embodiment includes a bolt 50, a first nut 60, a second nut 70, an anchor member 30 as a third member, and an anchor bracket 40 as a fourth member.

The bolt 50 has a thread formed on one side (the lower side in FIG. 2) in a predetermined range in its axial direction (hereinafter referred to as the bolt axial direction), has a swivel 50a at the end on the other side (the upper side in FIG. 2), and is attached to the cross member 10 of the vehicle body.

The swivel 50a is a semi-cylindrical member that extends perpendicular to the bolt axis direction and parallel to the axial direction of the torsion bar 7. As shown in FIG. 1, the swivel 50a is inserted into a circular hole 10a that penetrates the cross member 10 in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle. Therefore, the bolt 50 is held by the cross member 10 in a state in which it can swing within a predetermined angle range with the swivel 50a as a pivot.

The anchor member 30 is a semi-cylindrical member extending perpendicular to the bolt axis direction and parallel to the longitudinal direction of the swivel 50a, and is made of metal such as steel, stainless steel, or aluminum. Of the sides of the anchor member 30, one side in the bolt axis direction is a flat surface perpendicular to the bolt axis direction, and the other side is a curved surface (upper curved surface) that curves around the extending direction of the anchor member 30. In addition, a circular hole (anchor hole 30a) that penetrates the flat surface and the upper curved surface is formed in the longitudinal center of the anchor member 30. The inner diameter of the anchor hole 30a is larger than the outer diameter of the shaft of the bolt 50. In addition, flat side surfaces 30b parallel to the bolt axis direction are formed at both longitudinal ends of the anchor member 30, and protruding portions 30c protruding along the longitudinal direction of the anchor member 30 are formed on the side surfaces 30b. In other words, the anchor member 30 has protruding portions 30c protruding in its longitudinal direction.

In the illustrated example, the side of the protrusion 30c on the other side in the bolt axial direction is a curved surface that curves around the protruding direction of the protrusion 30c. However, a side other than the side on the other side in the bolt axial direction may also be a curved surface. In other words, at least a portion of the contour of the protrusion 30c is curved when viewed in the axial direction parallel to the protruding direction of the protrusion 30c.

The first nut 60 is a member that screws onto the bolt 50, and is positioned on one side of the bolt axial direction relative to the anchor member 30. The second nut 70 is a member that screws onto the bolt 50 on one side of the bolt axial direction relative to the first nut 60. The second nut 70 is a member that is positioned to prevent the first nut 60 from loosening, and the first nut 60 and the second nut 70 form a double nut structure.

The anchor bracket 40 is a member that is inserted between the first nut 60 and the second nut 70, and is made of a metal such as steel, stainless steel, or aluminum. The anchor bracket 40 also has a washer portion 40a that is sandwiched between the first nut 60 and the second nut 70, and an abutment portion 40b that abuts against the anchor member 30.

In the illustrated example, the washer portion 40a is a flat plate extending in a direction perpendicular to the bolt axis direction, and a portion of the washer portion 40a is cut out in an approximately U-shape when viewed in an axial direction parallel to the bolt axis direction (when viewed in the bolt axis direction), forming the washer notch portion 40d. The washer portion is placed between the first nut 60 and the second nut 70 by passing the bolt 50 through the washer notch portion 40d, and the washer portion 40a can be sandwiched between the first nut 60 and the second nut 70 by tightening the second nut 70 toward the first nut 60.

The abutment portions 40b are a pair of walls erected from both ends in a direction perpendicular to the bolt axis direction toward the other side in the bolt axis direction when the washer portion 40a is sandwiched between the first nut 60 and the second nut 70. The dimension between the side faces 30b, which are flat surfaces at both longitudinal ends of the anchor member 30, and the dimension between the abutment portions 40b may be configured to be approximately equal. In the illustrated example, the anchor bracket 40 has a pair of abutment portions 40b, but is not limited to this. One abutment portion 40b may be erected along the periphery of the washer portion 40a.

In addition, a groove 40c is formed in the abutment portion 40b by cutting out a portion of it. The groove 40c is cut out to a predetermined width in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the abutment portion 40b stands, and is also cut out to a predetermined width in the direction in which the abutment portion 40b stands. Therefore, as shown in the figure, the abutment portion 40b has a hook-like shape as a whole. Therefore, the groove 40c is configured to be able to engage with the protrusion 30c, as described below.

Next, the fastening method for the vehicle fastening structure 1 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 6.

First, the bolt 50 is inserted with some play into the anchor hole 30a of the anchor member 30. Then, the anchor member 30 is moved along the bolt 50 toward the other side in the bolt axial direction, so that the anchor member 30 and the anchor arm 20 come into contact with each other at a predetermined position on the bolt 50.

An arm hole portion 20a is provided at one end of the anchor arm 20 for inserting and fixing the torsion bar 7, and an arm notch portion 20b configured to be slidably fitted with the anchor member 30 is formed on one side of the bolt axial direction of the other end. In the illustrated example, the arm notch portion 20b is formed by cutting out the other end of the anchor arm 20 in a semicircular arc shape when viewed in the axial direction parallel to the extension direction of the torsion bar 7. Here, the arm notch portion 20b and the upper curved surface of the anchor member 30 have approximately the same curvature. Therefore, the anchor arm 20 and the anchor member 30 can be slidably fitted together around an axis parallel to the longitudinal direction of the anchor member 30. On the other hand, the anchor arm 20 is restrained from rotating around the axis of the bolt 50 by the torsion bar 7 connected to the arm hole portion 20a, so that the rotation of the anchor member 30 around the axis of the bolt 50 is restrained by the anchor arm 20. Therefore, the anchor member 30 is loosely fitted onto the bolt 50 while being restricted from rotating around the axis of the bolt 50 by the anchor arm 20.

When the vehicle fastening structure 1 is used in a fastening structure for other vehicle body components using a double nut, the second member that restricts the rotation of the bolt 50 of the third member about its axis may be a member other than the anchor arm 20. In addition, the shape of the third member is not limited to the shape of the anchor member 30 described above, and can be changed as appropriate depending on the shape of the second member.

Next, the first nut 60 is tightened onto the threads of the bolt 50. As a result, the seating surface on the other side of the bolt axial direction of the first nut 60 abuts against one side of the bolt axial direction of the anchor member 30, and movement of the anchor member 30 to one side in the bolt axial direction is restricted by the first nut 60. Therefore, the first nut 60 screws onto the bolt 50 and restricts movement of the anchor member 30 to one side in the axial direction of the bolt 50. As a result, movement of the anchor member 30 along the bolt 50 is restricted by the anchor arm 20 abutting against one side in the bolt axial direction and the first nut 60 abutting against the other side in the bolt axial direction.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6, when the anchor member 30 and the anchor arm 20 are engaged, the first nut 60 is further tightened toward the other side of the bolt axial direction, so that the anchor member 30 moves along the bolt 50 toward the other side of the bolt axial direction. As a result, the anchor arm 20 is pushed by the anchor member 30 and rotates around the axial direction of the torsion bar 7 in the direction of arrow C, and is positioned at a predetermined angle. As a result, a torsional moment is input to the torsion bar 7, generating a repulsive force. This repulsive force is input from the torsion bar 7 to the upper arm 5a of the suspension 5, and the vehicle posture can be adjusted as described above. The distance by which the first nut 60 is tightened can be appropriately adjusted according to the desired vehicle posture.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3, the bolt 50 is passed through the washer notch 40d formed in the washer portion 40a of the anchor bracket 40, and the protrusion 30c of the anchor member 30 is passed through the groove 40c, and the edge of one side of the groove 40c in the bolt axial direction is hooked onto the surface of the other side of the protrusion 30c in the bolt axial direction, so that the anchor bracket 40 is temporarily held (temporarily held). In this state, the surface of one side of the bolt axial direction of the protrusion 30c and the edge of one side of the groove 40c in the bolt axial direction are separated by a predetermined distance. Also, the seat surface of one side of the bolt axial direction of the first nut 60 and the surface of the other side of the bolt axial direction of the washer portion 40a are separated by a predetermined distance.

The anchor bracket 40 has a portion of the washer portion 40a other than the portion that is sandwiched between the first nut 60 and the second nut 70 spaced apart from the first nut 60. Therefore, the abutment portion 40b and the side surface of the first nut 60 are spaced apart at a predetermined distance. Therefore, the abutment portion 40b and the side surface of the first nut 60 do not interfere with each other, and the relative angle of the first nut 60 to the anchor member 30 can be freely set.

Next, the second nut 70 is tightened onto the bolt 50 toward the other side in the bolt axial direction, so that the seat surface on the other side of the bolt axial direction of the second nut 70 comes into contact with the surface on one side of the bolt axial direction of the washer portion 40a, and the second nut 70 is tightened further to lift the anchor bracket 40 to the other side in the bolt axial direction. At this time, the abutment portion 40b comes into contact with the side surface 30b of the anchor member 30, whose rotation around the bolt axial direction is restricted by the anchor arm 20, so that the rotation of the anchor bracket 40 around the bolt axial direction is restricted by the anchor member 30. In other words, the anchor member 30 abuts against the abutment portion 40b to restrict the rotation of the anchor bracket 40 around the axis of the bolt 50. Furthermore, the side surface 30b, which is a flat surface at both ends in the direction in which the protruding portion 30c of the anchor member 30 protrudes, and the flat surface of the abutting portion 40b, which faces the flat surface in the direction in which the protruding portion 30c protrudes, may be configured to interfere with each other when the anchor bracket 40 rotates around the axis of the bolt 50. Therefore, the second nut 70 can be tightened while preventing the anchor bracket 40 from rotating together with the second nut 70, and the washer portion 40a can be clamped between the first nut 60 and the second nut 70 (fastened state) as shown in Figures 4 to 6. In this state, the surface on the other side of the bolt axis direction of the protruding portion 30c and the edge on the other side of the bolt axis direction of the groove portion 40c are spaced apart by a predetermined distance.

Next, the effects of the vehicle fastening structure 1 according to the embodiment will be described.

(1) The vehicle fastening structure 1 according to the embodiment includes a bolt 50 provided on a cross member 10 of a vehicle body, an anchor member 30 loosely fitted to the bolt 50 while the rotation of the bolt 50 around its axis is restrained by an anchor arm 20 of the vehicle body, a first nut 60 screwed onto the bolt 50 to restrict movement of the anchor member 30 to one axial side of the bolt 50, a second nut 70 screwed onto the bolt 50 on one axial side of the bolt 50 relative to the first nut 60, and an anchor bracket 40 interposed between the first nut 60 and the second nut 70. The anchor bracket 40 has a washer portion 40a sandwiched between the first nut 60 and the second nut 70, and an abutment portion 40b that abuts against the anchor member 30. The anchor member 30 abuts against the abutment portion 40b to restrict rotation of the bolt 50 around its axis of the anchor bracket 40.

Therefore, when the vehicle fastening structure 1 is changed from the temporary holding state shown in FIG. 3 to the fastening state shown in FIG. 4, when the second nut 70 is tightened, a moment is transmitted from the second nut 70 to the anchor bracket 40 and the first nut 60 via the washer portion 40a, and the first nut 60 and the anchor bracket 40 tend to rotate together with the second nut 70, but the rotation of the anchor bracket 40 is restricted by the abutment portion 40b abutting against the anchor member 30. Therefore, even if the second nut 70 is tightened further, the moment is not transmitted to the first nut 60. In other words, the second nut 70 can be tightened without using a tool to prevent the first nut 60 from rotating together.

When the second nut 70 is tightened, the first nut 60 and the second nut 70 are pressed against each other via the washer portion 40a, and the washer portion 40a is compressed. In this state, the surface of the thread on the inner diameter portion of the first nut 60 facing away from the washer portion 40a is pressed against the surface of the thread of the bolt 50 facing the washer portion 40a, generating a frictional force. The surface of the thread on the inner diameter portion of the second nut 70 facing away from the washer portion 40a is pressed against the surface of the thread of the bolt 50 facing the washer portion 40a, generating a frictional force. An axial force in the tensile direction is generated in the bolt 50 between the first nut 60 and the second nut 70. That is, the effect of preventing loosening by the double nut can be obtained.

(2) In the vehicle fastening structure 1 according to the embodiment, the anchor bracket 40 is spaced apart from the first nut 60 except for the portion of the washer portion 40a that is clamped between the first nut 60 and the second nut 70.

This prevents contact between the side of the first nut 60 and the abutting portion of the anchor bracket 40. Therefore, compared to a case in which the rotation of the first nut 60 is restricted by abutting a part of the anchor bracket 40 against the side of the first nut 60, the relative angle of the first nut 60 with respect to the anchor member 30 can be freely set. Therefore, the position of the first nut 60 on the bolt 50 can be freely set.

(3) In the vehicle fastening structure 1 according to the embodiment, the anchor member 30 has a protruding portion 30c that protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the bolt 50, and the abutting portion 40b has a groove portion 40c that is configured to be able to engage with the protruding portion 30c.

As a result, after adjusting the position of the anchor member 30 on the bolt 50 with the first nut 60, the anchor bracket 40 can be placed so that the protruding portion 30c of the anchor member 30 passes through the groove portion 40c, and the anchor bracket 40 can be hooked onto the protruding portion 30c and temporarily held in place. Therefore, when the washer portion 40a of the anchor bracket 40 is clamped between the first nut 60 and the second nut 70, the second nut 70 can be tightened without separately holding the anchor bracket 40. Therefore, the anchor bracket 40 can be easily clamped between the first nut 60 and the second nut 70.

(4) In the vehicle fastening structure 1 according to the embodiment, at least a portion of the contour of the protruding portion 30c is curved when viewed in an axial direction parallel to the direction in which the protruding portion 30c protrudes.

As a result, the protrusion 30c has a curved surface that curves around the direction in which the protrusion 30c protrudes. Therefore, when the protrusion 30c of the anchor member 30 is passed through the groove 40c of the anchor bracket 40, the protrusion 30c is prevented from getting caught on the abutment portion 40b. Therefore, the anchor bracket 40 can be more easily hooked onto the protrusion 30c and temporarily held in place.

(5) The vehicle fastening structure 1 according to the embodiment is configured so that the flat surfaces at both ends of the anchor member 30 in the direction in which the protruding portion 30c protrudes and the flat surface of the abutting portion 40b that faces the flat surface in the direction in which the protruding portion 30c protrudes interfere with each other when the anchor bracket 40 rotates around the axis of the bolt 50.

As a result, when the anchor bracket 40 is hooked onto the protruding portion 30c and temporarily held in place, if the anchor bracket 40 attempts to rotate around the axis of the bolt 50, the anchor member 30 interferes with the abutment portion 40b, restricting the rotation of the anchor bracket 40. Therefore, the anchor bracket 40 can be more reliably hooked onto the protruding portion 30c and temporarily held in place.

In the above embodiment, a fastening structure for positioning the anchor arm 20 at a desired angle in a vehicle body attitude adjustment mechanism has been described as an example, but it goes without saying that the vehicle fastening structure 1 can also be used as a fastening structure for other vehicle body components using double nuts.

1 Vehicle fastening structure 10 Cross member (first member)
20 anchor arm (second member)
30 anchor member (third member)
30c Protrusion 40 Anchor bracket (fourth member)
40a: washer portion 40b: abutment portion 40c: groove portion 50: bolt 60: first nut 70: second nut

Claims (5)

A bolt provided on a first member of a vehicle body;
a third member loosely fitted to the bolt in a state in which rotation of the bolt about its axis is constrained by the second member of the vehicle body;
A first nut that is screwed onto the bolt and restricts movement of the third member toward one axial side of the bolt;
A second nut screwed onto the bolt on one axial side of the bolt relative to the first nut;
a fourth member interposed between the first nut and the second nut;
Equipped with
The fourth member has a washer portion sandwiched between the first nut and the second nut and an abutment portion abutting against the third member,
The third member abuts against the abutment portion to restrict rotation of the fourth member around the axis of the bolt.
Fastening structure for vehicles. The vehicle fastening structure according to claim 1, wherein the portion of the fourth member other than the portion of the washer portion that is sandwiched between the first nut and the second nut is spaced apart from the first nut. The third member includes a protruding portion protruding in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the bolt,
The fastening structure for a vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the contact portion is formed with a groove configured to be able to engage with the protrusion. The fastening structure for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein at least a portion of the contour of the protrusion is curved when viewed in an axial direction parallel to the direction in which the protrusion protrudes. The vehicle fastening structure according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the flat surfaces of both ends of the third member in the direction in which the protruding portion protrudes and the flat surface of the abutting portion that faces the flat surfaces in the direction in which the protruding portion protrudes are configured to interfere with each other when the fourth member rotates around the axis of the bolt.

Images