JPS59199379A - Assembling method of suspension for automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To sharply improve operability by fastening a connected portion in the state in which a camber angle is maintained by a supporting means, and adsorbing thereby synergistic errors in connecting an upper arm, knuckle and lower arm to a frame. CONSTITUTION:A body frame (a) is put at a prescribed position on a supporting table 1 by means of a conveying means. Then, a wheel fitting member (e) fitted with a knuckle (d) is put on a receiving member 26 of a jig arm 25 of an assembling jig device 13b and retained by a clamp mechanism 29. Next, the jig arm 25 is rotated in the direction to an upright position by the operation of a cylinder 22 so as to make the fitting member (e) approach a position at which it is predetermined to be assembled to the body frame (a). The outer end portion of an upper arm (f) and the same portion of a lower arm (g) are connected to the knuckle (d) respectively, and thereafter the connected portion of the inner end portion of the upper arm (f) with a main frame (b) is fastened. By this method, the members (f), (g) and (d) can be connected while the positional relationship for connection are maintained at all times.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a method of assembling an automobile suspension, and in particular, the present invention relates to a method for assembling an automobile suspension. The present invention relates to an assembly method for assembling a suspension by connecting them using fastening members.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, in the assembly of such a suspension, the upper arm and a lower arm are connected to the frame and knuckle, respectively.

In this case, each of the above members has the error in advance.

Only those whose difference has been inspected to be within the tolerance range are used, and the settings are made so that a predetermined camber angle can be obtained upon completion of assembly.

However, even if the error of each member is within the tolerance range, when these members are connected to each other, a large error may occur due to the additive error. For this reason, it has often been found that the camber angle deviates from the set value during inspection at the tester line, and the adjustment work must be carried out separately.

(Object of the Invention) An object of the present invention is to assemble the suspension while maintaining a predetermined camber angle while absorbing synergistic errors due to the connection of each member, thereby eliminating the need for camber adjustment on the tester line. It also makes it possible.

(Structure of the Invention) In order to achieve the above object, the structure of the present invention is to connect the knuckle to the frame via the upper arm and the lower arm in a four-bar ring shape using fastening members, respectively, and assemble the suspension and John. In preparation for this, the connecting part between either the upper arm or the lower arm and the frame should be adjustable in position by a predetermined amount in the lateral direction, and the process of positioning the frame on the reference pedestal and assembling the knuckle to the frame is planned. After passing through the step of maintaining the camber angle and maintaining the posture of the supporting means T which is laterally movable at the position,
First, the upper arm and the lower arm are connected to the knuckle, then a connection part other than the position-adjustable connection part to the frame is connected by using movement of the support means, and finally the position-adjustable connection part is connected to the frame by using the movement of the support means. It connects the connecting parts. As a result, while maintaining a predetermined camber angle using the support means, synergistic errors due to the connection of each member can be absorbed by adjustment connection at the last position-adjustable connection portion.

(Effects of the Invention) Therefore, according to the present invention, when assembling the suspension, when the connecting portion on the side without adjustment function is fastened while the camber angle is maintained by the support means, the upper arm and the The knuckle and lower arm maintain their posture and are drawn toward the frame, and the position is automatically determined by the position-adjustable connection part, absorbing synergistic errors, so that the predetermined camber angle is ensured at the end of assembly. This eliminates the need for camber adjustment on the tester line and improves the workability of the entire production line.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example as a specific example of the technical means of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an exploded state of an automobile suspension section.

In Fig. 1, a is a vehicle body frame consisting of a main frame b extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body and a subframe C extending in the vehicle width direction, d is a knuckle attached to a wheel mounting member e such as a brake drum, and f is an upper arm. , 9 is a lower arm. However, the above upper arm f
The outer end of the upper arm f is connected to the upper part of the knuckle d via a ball joint h, and the inner end of the upper arm f is connected to a support shaft (not shown) to a bracket i attached to the main frame b of the vehicle body frame a. At the same time, the outer end of the lower arm g is connected to the lower part of the knuckle d via a ball joint j, and the inner end of the lower arm 9 is connected to a support shaft (not shown) to the subframe C of the vehicle body frame a. ), the knuckle d is connected to the vehicle body frame a in the form of a four-bar link.

Here, the connecting portion between the subframe C and the lower arm g is connected to a first plate having a horizontally elongated hole that is fixed to the subframe C and into which a support shaft can be inserted. The position can be adjusted by a predetermined amount in the lateral direction using an adjustment jig consisting of a second disk-shaped plate (not shown) that is engaged with the second plate (not shown) and has an eccentric hole in which the support shaft can be inserted into the elongated hole corresponding to the long hole. It is becoming.

2 and 3 show a suspension assembly station used to carry out the method of assembling an automobile suspension according to the present invention. In FIGS. 2 and 3, reference pedestal 1 is disposed below an overhead conveyor (not shown) that transports vehicle bodies in a lowered condition. Two left and right positioning pins 2.2 that can be fitted into positioning holes C1 provided on the lower surface of the subframe C are implanted, and a horizontal plate 3a and left and right supporting members are installed near the positioning pins 2.2. 3b,
A gate-shaped frame assembly 3 consisting of 3b is provided. Further, a movable base 5 is disposed on the pedestal 1 and moves vertically within the frame assembly 3 (transfer direction B of the overhead conveyor) by the expansion and contraction movement of the cylinder 4, and the movable base 5 includes the following: At the most advanced position of the movable table 5, the front part of the positioning bins 2, 2 of the pedestal 1 is mounted such that a clamp member 6 extending upwards is supported so as to be able to rotate slightly forward and downward from a horizontal state. A slide portion 7 is provided at the upper part of the clamp member 6 to face the lower surface of the horizontal plate 3a of the frame assembly 3, and a cam surface 7a that slopes forward and upward is formed at the front portion of the slide portion 7. . Furthermore, the horizontal plate 3a of the frame assembly 3 and the slide portion 7 of the clamp member 6
Due to the expansion and contraction movement of the cylinder 8, both 3a and 7
A slider 9 is arranged to slide vertically along the
When the slider 9 is slid onto the cam surface 7a of the slide portion 7, the clamp member 6 is pressed by the slider 9 and rotates forward and downward. Then, the vehicle body is lowered slightly in a suspended state by an overhead conveyor, and after fitting the positioning hole C1 of the subframe C of the vehicle body frame a into the positioning bin 2, the moving table 5 is moved to the most forward position. In this state, the slider 9 is slid onto the cam surface 7a of the slide portion 7 of the clamp member 6, and the clamp member 6 is rotated forward and downward so as to be pressed from above the sub-frame C. ,
A positioning mechanism 10 is configured to position a vehicle body frame a on a pedestal 1.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a stand placed below the pedestal 1, and two vertical rails 12 and 12 are laid on the stand 11, extending in parallel in the vertical direction.

Reference numerals 13a and 13b are jig devices for assembling suspensions for passenger cars or light trucks that move the wheel mounting member e to the scheduled assembly position with respect to the vehicle body frame a. A base 14, 14 is installed between the vertical rails 12.12 so as to be movable along the vertical rails 12.

The bases 14 14 are connected to each other via a connecting member 15 so as to move in conjunction with each other, and one of the bases 14 (in the figure, suspension assembly jig device t13a for a passenger car) At the end of the both male stand 14.14
The tip of the piston rod 16a of the cylinder 16 is connected to the piston rod 16a for moving the cylinder 16. Due to the expansion and contraction movement of the cylinder 16, a suspension assembly jig device 13a for either a passenger car or a light truck is placed below the planned assembly position on the vehicle body frame a.
, 131) are moved and arranged.

Further, on the upper part of the base 14, there are two horizontal rails 1 extending in parallel in the lateral direction (direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the base 14).
7.17 is laid, and a movable platform 18 is installed between both the horizontal rails 17.17 so as to be movable along the horizontal rails 17. On the movable base 18, there is provided a first support member extending in a horizontal direction orthogonal to the direction of movement of the movable base 18 via a support member 19.19.
A support shaft 20 is rotatably supported, and the first
A first support shaft 20 is connected to the center of the support shaft 20 via a lever 21.
The tip of a piston rod 22a of a cylinder 22 that rotates the cylinder 22 is connected to the cylinder 22, and the cylinder 22 is attached to the movable base 18 via an attachment member 23. In addition, the first
The first support shaft 2C is connected to the lever 21 of the support shaft 20.
1 through the king pin 24, the length is the lever 21
The proximal ends of the jig arms 25, which are longer than the length, are connected, so that the jig arms 25 move toward and away from the sides of the subframe a via the first support shaft 20 due to the expansion and contraction of the cylinder 22. It is configured to swing.

A flat plate-shaped receiving member 26 for receiving the wheel mounting member e is attached to the free end of the jig arm 25, and the receiving member 26
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a plurality of insertion holes 27. ... is provided, and a tapered locking portion 28 is provided at the periphery of the Meishin through hole 27 on the back side of the receiving member 26 (the side opposite to the surface receiving the wheel mounting member e).
is formed.

The mounting thread e1 of the wheel mounting member e is usually a female thread in the wheel mounting member e serving as a suspension member for a passenger car, and a male thread in the wheel mounting member e serving as a suspension member for a small truck.

Further, the receiving member 26 is provided with a clamp mechanism 29 that holds the wheel mounting member e on the receiving member 26. The clamp mechanism 29 includes a mounting base 30 fixed to the back surface of the receiving member 26, and a plurality of compressed air rotary motors 31 mounted on the mounting base 30 in correspondence with each insertion hole 27 of the receiving member 26. . . . is attached to the mounting base 30, and supplies corrective air from a compressor (not shown) to each of the rotary motors 31 to rotate the rotary motors 31 in the forward or reverse direction. Rotating air inlets 32a, 32b and rotating shafts 3 of each of the rotating motors 31
It consists of a fastening jig 33 attached to 1a. The fastening jig 33 is divided into two parts, a base portion 33a and a tip portion 33b, which are attached to the rotating shaft 31a of the rotary motor 31, and both portions 33a and 33b are spline-coupled to each other to be extendable and retractable. Further, in the suspension assembly jig device 13a for a passenger car, a wheel mounting member e is attached to the distal end portion 33b of the fastening jig 33 so that the mounting screw portion (female thread) el faces the insertion hole 27 of the receiving member 26. When placed in a predetermined position on the receiving member 26, a threaded part 34a consisting of a male thread that can be threaded into the mounting screw part e of the wheel mounting member e through the insertion hole 27; A locking portion 28 of the receiving member 26 is located on the proximal side of the portion 34a.
A clamping portion 35a that can be brought into contact with the holder is formed respectively (see FIG. 4). On the other hand, the distal end portion 33b of the fastening jig 33 in the suspension assembly jig device 13b for small trucks has a mounting threaded portion (male thread>8+
When the wheel mounting member e is placed at a predetermined position on the receiving member 26 so as to protrude to the back side of the receiving member 26 through the insertion hole 27 of No. 6, the wheel mounting member e can be screwed into the mounting screw portion e1 of the wheel mounting member e. A threaded part 34b made of a female thread, and a tightening part 35b that can come into contact with the locking part 28 of the receiving member 26 are formed on the outer peripheral side of the threaded part 34b. (See Figure 5). Therefore, when the wheel mounting member e is placed at a predetermined position on the receiving member 26 and the rotary motor 31 is rotated forward, the tip portion 33b of the fastening jig 33 moves forward (towards the wheel mounting member e) and Tip part 3
The threaded parts 34a and 34b of the wheel mounting member e are threaded and fastened to the mounting screw part e1 of the wheel mounting member e, and the tip part 33b
The wheel mounting member e is tightened by tightening the parts 35a and 35b to the locking part 28 of the receiving member 26.
It will be held fixed at 6.

On the other hand, when the rotary motor 31 is reversely rotated from such a fixed holding state of the wheel mounting member e, the fastening jig 3
As the tip portion 33b of 3 moves backward (toward the rotating motor 31 side), the threaded engagement between the threaded portions 34a, 34b of the tip portion 33b and the mounting screw portion e1 of the wheel mounting member e is loosened, and the wheel The fixed holding state of the mounting member e is released.

Furthermore, 36 is a first pinion attached to the end of the first support shaft 2o, and 37 is the first support shaft 2o on the movable table 18.
A second support shaft extends parallel to the first support shaft 2o that is rotatably supported laterally via support members 38, 38, and the second support shaft 37 has a small diameter gear 39a and a large diameter gear 39b. A second pinion 39 consisting of is attached. The small diameter gear 39a of the second pinion 39 is fixedly engaged with and supported by the inner end of the second support shaft 37, and is connected to the first pinion 36.
It meshes with the. On the other hand, the large diameter gear 39b is connected to the second support shaft 3
7 is engaged and supported with a predetermined gap between it and the second support shaft 37 so as to freely rotate at a slight angle with respect to the second support shaft 37, and the base It meshes with a rack 4o laid on the stand 14 along a horizontal rail 17.

In addition, 41 is a suspension assembly jig device 13a, 13
b(7) A protective cover that protects the 5-pinion mechanism (first and second binions 36, 37, rack 40, etc.), 42 is a stopper member provided on the movable base 18, and the stopper member 42 is adapted to come into contact with the end of the lever 21 when the cylinder 22 is retracted to restrict the swinging of the jig arm 25 in the tilting direction. Further, 43 is a stopper member that restricts the movement of the base 14 provided on the vertical rail 12.

Next, a method for assembling an automobile suspension according to the present invention will be explained using the suspension assembly station as described above.

Suppose now that the body of a small truck is transported above the pedestal 1 in a suspended state by an overhead conveyor.

In this case, first, the vehicle body is slightly lowered from the suspended state, and the vehicle body frame a is positioned 1 on the pedestal 1 by the positioning mechanism 10.

Next, by the expansion and contraction movement of the cylinder 16, the suspension assembly jig device 13b for a small truck is moved and placed below the planned assembly position with respect to the vehicle body frame a, and the suspension assembly jig device 13b is placed on the movable base 18 of the assembly jig device 13b. A knuckle d is attached to a predetermined position of the receiving member 26 on the free end side of the jig arm 25.
The wheel mounting member e with the attached wheel mounting member e is placed thereon, and the wheel mounting member e is held on the receiving member 26 by the clamp mechanism 29. In this case, the jig arm 25 is in a sideways state, and the wheel mounting part and IJe are placed on the receiving member 26 at a low position and with the side surface of the wheel mounting member e placed on the receiving member 26. It can be performed in a stable state by hitting the surface.

Subsequently, by the extension movement of the cylinder 22, the jig arm 25 is swung in an upright direction, that is, in a direction approaching the vehicle body frame a, via the first support shaft 20. At this time, the rotational motion of the first support shaft 20 is transmitted to the second pinion 39 via the first pinion 36, and the large diameter gear r39b of the second pinion 39 meshes with the rack 40 on the base 14. The movable base 18 moves on the base 14 (on the horizontal rail 17) in a direction away from the vehicle body frame a.Therefore, the jig arm 25 The lateral movement accompanying the swinging at the protruding end is caused by the movable table 18.
This will be canceled due to the employee leaving work, and the receiving member 26
The wheel mounting member e held above is lifted upward to the planned assembly position with respect to the vehicle body frame a without being displaced in the lateral direction.

At this scheduled assembly position, the jig arm 25
Due to the rocking, the wheel mounting member e stands vertically, that is, the knuckle d has a predetermined camber angle (the angle formed by the straight line 9.1 connecting the upper and lower connecting parts of the knuckle d and the vertical line 2) α, and this state is maintained.

Moreover, the three large-diameter gears 39b of the second pinions that mesh with the rack 40 are designed to be able to freely rotate at a slight angle around the second support shaft, so that the movable base can be rotated within the range of the play. 18 on the horizontal rail 17, the knuckle d can be moved laterally.

After passing through these steps, when connecting the knuckle d to the vehicle body frame a, first, the outer ends of the upper arm f and the outer end of the lower arm g are connected to the knuckle d by a ball joint h, Connect via j. Next, when a connection part other than the position-adjustable connection part to the body frame a, that is, a connection part between the inner end of the upper arm f and the main frame b (bracket i) of the body frame a, is tightened. According to the situation, the knuckle d connected to the upper arm f approaches the vehicle body frame a together with the movable base 18, and the connected posture of the upper arm f10, the arm 9, and the knuckle d is connected without breaking.

At this time, the position of the position-adjustable connecting part, that is, the connecting part between the inner end of the lower arm and the sash frame C of the vehicle body frame a, is fixed within the adjustment range according to the tightening amount, and finally , connect using a support shaft without adjustment.

When the knuckle d is connected to the vehicle body frame a in this way, the camber angle α of the knuckle d is held constant by the suspension assembly jig device 13b during the connection work, and each member a , d, f, and g are connected, and a predetermined camber angle α can be ensured at the end of the connection work. As a result, the conventional camber adjustment on the tester line is no longer necessary, and the workability of the entire production line can be greatly improved.

After this connection work is completed, the state in which the wheel mounting member e is held by the clamp mechanism 29 is released. Subsequently, by the contraction movement of the cylinder 22, the jig arm 25 is swung in the overturning direction, that is, in the direction away from the vehicle body frame a, contrary to the above-mentioned extension movement of the cylinder 22, and the movable base 18 is moved to the base 14. The upper part is moved in a direction approaching the vehicle body frame a, and then the positioning state of the positioning mechanism 10 with respect to the vehicle body frame a is released. As a result of the above, the assembling work of the suspension for a small truck is completed, and the system waits until the start of the assembling work of the next suspension (regardless of whether it is for a small truck or a passenger car).

In the above embodiment, the subframe C of the vehicle body frame a
Although the position of the connecting portion between the upper arm Q and the lower arm Q can be adjusted by a predetermined amount in the lateral direction using an adjustment jig consisting of a first plate and a second plate, the present invention is capable of adjusting the position of the connecting portion between the main frame b of the vehicle body frame a and the upper arm f. It goes without saying that the position of the connecting portion may be adjusted by a predetermined amount in the lateral direction using a similar adjustment jig.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings illustrate an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is an exploded front view showing an automobile suspension part, FIG. 2 is a front view showing the overall structure of a suspension assembly station, FIG. 3 is a side view of the same, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional side view showing a clamping mechanism of a suspension assembly jig device for a passenger car, and FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional side view showing a clamping mechanism of a suspension assembly jig device for a small truck. a...Vehicle frame, d...Knuckle, [...Upper arm, 9...Lower arm, h, j...Ball joint, 1...Reference pedestal, 1o...Positioning mechanism , 13a, 13b... Suspension assembly jig device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) When assembling a suspension by connecting the knuckle to the frame via the upper arm and lower arm in a four-bar link shape using respective fastening members, the connection between either the upper arm or the lower arm and the frame is required. The position of the part can be adjusted by a predetermined amount in the lateral direction, and the process involves positioning the frame on the reference pedestal, and maintaining the camber angle using support means that can move the knuckle laterally at the planned assembly position with respect to the frame. After passing through the step of maintaining the posture, first, the upper arm and the lower arm are connected to the knuckle, and then a connection part other than the above-mentioned position-adjustable connection part with respect to the frame is connected by using the movement of the support means. A method for assembling an automobile suspension, characterized by connecting the parts together and finally connecting a position-adjustable connecting part.