KR102764354B1 - Top mount and top mount assembly for air spring for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a top mount for an air spring for a vehicle comprises an upper part and a lower part coupled with the upper part, an internal partition wall formed as a single piece in the upper part to divide an internal space surrounded by the upper part and the lower part to form a plurality of chambers, and an internal partition wall groove into which the internal partition wall is inserted is formed in the lower part. In addition, a sealing member is interposed between the internal partition wall and the internal partition wall groove, and the upper part and the lower part are coupled by mechanical fastening.

Description

TOP MOUNT AND TOP MOUNT ASSEMBLY FOR AIR SPRING FOR VEHICLE

The present invention relates to a top mount and a top mount assembly for an air spring for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a top mount and a top mount assembly configured to vary the spring constant value of the air spring by additionally connecting a chamber to the air spring as needed.

The suspension of an automobile exists between the body and the wheels, and is a device that connects the two rigid bodies, the body and the wheels, using one or more links. It is supported in the vertical direction by springs and shock absorbers, and in other directions, it appropriately balances high rigidity and flexibility to mechanically coordinate the relative motion between the body and the wheels.

Such suspensions must effectively block irregular road inputs that occur while the vehicle is driving to provide a comfortable ride to the passengers, appropriately control body shaking caused by the driver's driving behavior and road surface curvature to provide driving convenience, and satisfy the basic conditions of ensuring vehicle controllability and stability when turning and braking by maintaining the vertical load on the tire contact surface at an appropriate level when driving on an irregular road surface.

To satisfy these conditions, various types of suspensions have been developed and applied to vehicles. Recently, air suspensions have been widely applied to high-end passenger cars, which improve ride quality by changing the volume of the bellows forming the air spring and thus changing the air spring constant, and automatically maintain the car height by changing the amount of air.

The air spring, which is a component of this air suspension, is placed on the top of the shock absorber. The shock absorber may, for example, have its lower end connected to the wheel side of the lower control arm. In the air suspension, the top mount is a component that connects the air spring and the shock absorber to the vehicle body at the upper side of the air spring. However, the conventional top mount had a problem of low product productivity due to its many components and complex structure.

Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2012-0033210

The present invention is intended to solve the above-described problems and to provide a top mount and top mount assembly with high product productivity.

In addition, the present invention seeks to provide a top mount and a top mount assembly having a high degree of freedom in selecting materials.

In addition, the present invention seeks to provide a top mount and a top mount assembly that allows for a complex internal bulkhead structure by providing a high degree of freedom in the design of the internal bulkhead.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a top mount for an air spring for a vehicle comprises an upper part and a lower part coupled with the upper part, an internal partition wall that divides an internal space surrounded by the upper part and the lower part to form a plurality of chambers is formed as a single piece in the upper part, and an internal partition groove into which the internal partition wall is inserted can be formed in the lower part. A sealing member can be interposed between the internal partition wall and the internal partition groove, and the upper part and the lower part can be coupled by mechanical fastening.

In addition, the lower surface of the outer wall of the upper part and the upper surface of the outer wall of the lower part face each other, a protrusion is formed on the lower surface, and an outer wall groove is formed on the upper surface, so that the protrusion can be inserted into the outer wall groove.

In addition, a sealing member may be interposed between the protrusion and the outer wall groove. The sealing member may have an upward protrusion at the widthwise end of the upper surface. The protrusion may have a protrusion that protrudes upward as it goes outward in the widthwise direction.

After a sealing member is inserted into the inner bulkhead groove of the lower part, the inner bulkhead is inserted into the inner bulkhead groove over the sealing member, so that the sealing member is fixed between the lower surface of the inner bulkhead and the bottom surface of the inner bulkhead groove. The inner bulkhead groove and the outer wall groove of the lower part are connected, and the sealing member can be interposed between the inner bulkhead and the inner bulkhead groove and between the protrusion and the outer wall groove as one piece.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, as a mechanical fastening, a flange having a screw hole is formed on the outer wall of the upper part, and a hole is formed on the upper surface of the outer wall of the lower part at a position corresponding to the screw hole, so that the upper part and the lower part can be mechanically fastened by the screw.

In addition, the inner bulkhead is provided with a reinforcing member, a screw hole is formed on the lower surface of the reinforcing member, and a through screw hole is formed in the lower part facing the screw hole, so that a screw is fastened by penetrating the screw hole and the through screw hole, thereby allowing the upper part and the lower part to be mechanically fastened. A through hole is formed in the sealing member at a position corresponding to the screw hole for the screw to penetrate.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of chambers may include at least a first chamber, a second chamber, and a third chamber, wherein the first chamber is configured to communicate with the interior of the air spring, and each of the second chamber and the third chamber may be configured to communicate with the first chamber.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a top mount assembly for an air spring for a vehicle may include the above-described top mount, a first valve installed to open and close a passage that connects the first chamber and the second chamber in communication with each other, and a second valve installed to open and close a passage that connects the first chamber and the third chamber in communication with each other.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a top mount can be simply manufactured by interposing a sealing member between an upper part and a lower part to mechanically fasten the upper part and the lower part, thereby simplifying the components and enabling the manufacture of a top mount with secured airtightness without a process such as welding, thereby improving product productivity.

In addition, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the upper part and the lower part can be applied with different materials, and the upper part and the lower part are joined by mechanical fastening, so that the freedom in selecting the material can be increased (compared to welding, etc.).

In addition, according to one embodiment of the present invention, since the internal bulkhead is structured to be sealed by a sealing member, the degree of freedom in designing the internal bulkhead is increased and implementation of a complex internal bulkhead structure can be facilitated.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a top mount assembly with an air spring and a shock absorber mounted thereon according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of a top mount assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention with an air spring and a shock absorber mounted thereon.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the top mount disclosed in Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a bottom view of the upper part of the top mount of Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a plan view of the lower part of the top mount of Figure 3.
Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the top mount disclosed in Figure 2.
Figure 7 illustrates a sealing member according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 8 illustrates a sealing member according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A' of Figure 8.
Figure 10 illustrates a state in which the inner bulkhead is inserted into the inner bulkhead groove and the sealing member of the second embodiment is pressed.
FIG. 11 illustrates a structure in which an air spring, a first chamber, and a third chamber are connected according to one embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention can have various modifications and embodiments, and thus specific embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to specific embodiments, but should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, and substitutes included in the spirit and technical scope of the present invention. Similar reference numerals have been used for similar components in describing each drawing. Although the terms first, second, A, B, etc. may be used to describe various components, the components should not be limited by the terms. The terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the first component may be referred to as the second component, and similarly, the second component may also be referred to as the first component. The term "and/or" includes a combination of a plurality of related description items or any of a plurality of related description items. When an element is referred to as being "connected" or "connected" to another element, it should be understood that it may be directly connected or connected to that other element, but there may also be other elements in between. On the other hand, when an element is referred to as being "directly connected" or "directly connected" to another element, it should be understood that there are no other elements in between. The terminology used in this application is used only to describe specific embodiments, and is not intended to limit the present invention. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this application, the terms "comprise" or "have" and the like are intended to specify that a feature, number, step, operation, element, component, or combination thereof described in the specification is present, but it should be understood that they do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof. Also, it should be understood that the terms "first" and "second" are used herein for the purpose of distinction only, and are not intended to indicate or imply any order or priority in any way. Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Terms that are defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art, and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense, unless expressly defined in this application.

Throughout the specification and claims, when a part is said to include a certain component, this does not mean that other components are excluded, but rather that other components may be included, unless otherwise specifically stated. Hereinafter, preferred embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a top mount assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention, with an air spring and a shock absorber mounted thereon. FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of a top mount assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention, with an air spring and a shock absorber mounted thereon.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the top mount (100) is a component that connects the air spring (20) and the shock absorber (30) to the vehicle body on the upper side of the air spring (20), and the top mount assembly (10) in this specification means an assembly in which related parts are assembled to the top mount (100). With respect to which parts (except for the air spring and the shock absorber) the related parts include, the related parts are not limited to specific parts, and it is interpreted that the top mount assembly is formed when at least one part is assembled to the top mount (100). For reference, the parts to be assembled to the top mount to manufacture the top mount assembly may vary depending on the manufacturer. For example, according to one embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in FIG. 2, related parts such as a bushing (200), a switching valve (500, 600), an air injection valve (300), and a cap (400) may be assembled to the top mount (100).

The top mount (100) can be directly fixed to a vehicle body (not shown) through a bolt hole (111) formed on the upper surface of the top mount (100).

In one embodiment of the present invention, the structure in which the shock absorber (30) is mounted on the top mount (100) is described as follows. The piston rod (34) of the shock absorber (30) can be fixed to the lower part of the top mount (100) through the rod holder (36) and the bushing (200). That is, the bushing (200) has a peripheral groove (210) formed in the central part of the inner diameter into which the rod holder (36) is inserted, and is fixedly seated on the lower side of the central groove (150), and can be made of an elastic body such as rubber, but a material with relatively little elasticity. The bushing (200) is formed of a material with relatively little elasticity to ensure that deformation is small when a piston load is applied through the rod holder (36). The rod holder (36) is made of a disc-shaped member having a through hole formed in the center through which the upper end of the piston rod (34) can pass, and its outer circumference can be inserted and fixed into the circumferential groove (210) of the bushing (200) while the upper end of the piston rod (34) is passed through and fastened with a fixing nut. A cap (400) for sealing can be fitted on the upper side of the top mount (100) on top of the bushing (200), and an air injection valve (300) can be airtightly mounted on the cap (400).

Next, in one embodiment of the present invention, an air spring (20) may be mounted on the lower side of the top mount (100). For example, the air spring (20) may include a sleeve (22), a piston (24), and an air spring bellows (26). One end of the air spring bellows (26) may be hermetically fixed to the piston (24), and the other end may be hermetically fixed to the inner surface of the sleeve (22). The air spring bellows (26) may be surrounded by the sleeve (22). The air spring bellows (26) may form a cavity (28) between the piston (24) and the sleeve (22) that is flexibly or elastically deformable and to which excess pressure may be applied. When the piston (24) moves axially upward relative to the sleeve (22), the bent portion (27) of the air spring bellows (26) may be rolled together with the piston (24) to form a round shape. The excess pressure formed in the cavity (28) can compress the air spring bellows (26) from within against the sleeve (22). Accordingly, the air spring bellows (26) is supported, and as a result, the volume of the cavity (28) does not exceed a range predetermined by the sleeve (22), thereby significantly limiting the spring constant value. That is, the spring constant value of the air spring (20) is determined by the internal pressure within the air spring (20), the total volume within the air spring (20), etc., and since the volume of the cavity (28), which occupies most of the total volume within the air spring (20), is limited to a range predetermined by the sleeve (22), the spring constant value can be significantly limited.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, in addition to connecting the air spring (20) and the shock absorber (30) to the vehicle body as described above, the top mount (100) may form a multi-chamber so as to vary the spring constant value of the air spring as needed.

The top mount, which is one of the main components of the present invention, will be described in more detail.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the top mount disclosed in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a bottom view (view from below) of the upper part of the top mount of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the lower part of the top mount of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the top mount disclosed in Fig. 2.

Referring to FIGS. 3 to 5, the top mount (100) may include an upper part (120) and a lower part (140) coupled with the upper part (120). The upper part (120) and the lower part (140) may each be manufactured by casting, and the material thereof may be, for example, aluminum.

An internal space surrounded by the outer wall (121) of the upper part (120) and the outer wall (141) of the lower part (140) can be divided by an inner partition (122) formed in the upper part (120) to form a plurality of chambers (V1, V2, V3). The inner partition (122) can extend vertically downward from the upper side of the upper part (120) to form a plurality of divided chambers (V1, V2, V3) together with the outer wall (121) of the upper part (120). As described above, the upper part (i.e., the outer wall and the inner partition) can be formed as a single piece by casting.

An internal bulkhead groove (142) may be formed in the lower part (140) corresponding to the end of the downwardly extended internal bulkhead (122). Accordingly, when the upper part (120) and the lower part (140) are joined, the internal bulkhead (122) of the upper part (120) is inserted into the internal bulkhead groove (142) of the lower part (140).

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a sealing member (160, 180) may be interposed between the inner partition (122) and the inner partition groove (142) to ensure sealing (to prevent air leakage) between the chambers (V1, V2, V3).

Fig. 7 illustrates a sealing member (160) according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The sealing member (160) may be, for example, a rubber material or a silicone material. In the case of a rubber material, a vulcanized rubber material may be preferable for durability.

Referring to FIG. 7, the sealing member (160) can be fixed between the inner bulkhead (122) and the inner bulkhead groove (142) without a special fixing member. That is, after the sealing member (160) is inserted into the inner bulkhead groove (142) of the lower part (140), the inner bulkhead (122) is inserted into the inner bulkhead groove (142) over the sealing member (160), so that the sealing member (160) can be fixed between the lower surface of the inner bulkhead (122) and the bottom surface of the inner bulkhead groove (142).

In order to prevent air inside the chambers (V1, V2, V3) from leaking to the outside, a sealing member (160) may be interposed between the outer wall (121) of the upper part (120) and the outer wall (141) of the lower part (140). For example, when the upper part (120) and the lower part (140) are joined, the lower surface (127) of the outer wall (121) of the upper part (120) and the upper surface (143) of the outer wall (141) of the lower part (140) may be configured to face and contact each other. A protrusion (123) may be formed on the lower surface (127) of the outer wall (121) of the upper part (120), and an outer wall groove (144) may be formed on the upper surface (143) of the outer wall (141) of the lower part (140). The protrusion (123) may protrude downward as a single member over the entire lower surface (127) of the outer wall (121). When the upper part (120) and the lower part (140) are joined, the lower surface (127) of the outer wall (121) of the upper part (120) and the upper surface (143) of the outer wall (141) of the lower part (140) face each other and come into contact, and the protrusion (123) of the lower surface (127) may be inserted into the outer wall groove (144) of the upper surface (143). In this structure, a sealing member (160) may be interposed between the protrusion (123) and the outer wall groove (144), thereby minimizing leakage of air within the chambers (V1, V2, V3) to the outside at the joint between the outer walls (121, 141) and enhancing sealing properties.

Preferably, as shown in FIG. 7, the inner bulkhead groove (142) and the outer wall groove (144) of the lower part (140) are formed to be connected to each other, and the sealing member (160) can be interposed between the inner bulkhead (122) and the inner bulkhead groove (142) and between the protrusion (123) and the outer wall groove (144) as a single piece.

Fig. 8 illustrates a sealing member according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A' of Fig. 8.

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, (unlike the sealing member (160) of the first embodiment having a flat upper surface) the sealing member (180) of the second embodiment may have a protrusion (182) formed on the upper surface thereof that protrudes upwardly as it goes outward in the width direction at the end in the width direction. This protrusion (182) may be formed over the entire sealing member.

Figure 10 illustrates a state in which the inner bulkhead (122) is inserted into the inner bulkhead groove (142) and the sealing member (180) of the second embodiment is pressed.

Referring to Fig. 10, the sealing member (180) is further compressed by the protrusion (182) at the corner portion of the inner bulkhead (122) where there is a high risk of air leakage, so that the sealing performance can be further improved.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the upper part (120) and the lower part (140) can be joined by mechanical fastening. In this specification, “mechanical fastening” means mechanical fastening by a fastener such as a screw, bolt, or snap fit, rather than a fastening such as welding.

For example, as illustrated in FIG. 6, a flange (128) for a screw hole (124) may be formed on the outer wall (121) of the upper part (120), and a screw hole (145) may be formed on the upper surface (143) of the outer wall (141) of the lower part (140) at a position corresponding to the screw hole (124). Accordingly, the screw holes (124, 145) may be fastened by screws (151), so that the upper part (120) and the lower part (140) may be mechanically fastened.

In addition, although the upper part (120) and the lower part (140) were described as being mechanically connected above, the upper part (120) and the lower part (140) may be joined by welding. That is, the upper part (120) and the lower part (140) may be positioned so that the lower surface (127) of the outer wall (121) of the upper part (120) and the upper surface (143) of the outer wall (141) of the lower part (140) face each other and come into contact with each other, and then the area where the outer walls (121, 141) meet may be sealedly joined by external welding.

In addition, a plurality of reinforcing members (125) may be formed in the inner bulkhead (122) of the upper part (120) to reinforce the inner bulkhead. A screw hole (126) may be formed on the lower surface of the reinforcing member (125), and a through screw hole (146) facing the screw hole (126) may be formed in the lower part (140). The screw (190) may be fastened by penetrating the screw hole (126), the hole of the sealing member (160, 180), and the through screw hole (146), so that the upper part (120) and the lower part (140) may be additionally fastened in the reinforcing member (125).

As illustrated in FIG. 11, the internal bulkhead (122) can divide the internal space formed by the upper part (120) and the lower part (140) into a plurality of chambers, for example, a first chamber (V1), a second chamber (V2), and a third chamber (V3).

FIG. 11 illustrates a structure in which an air spring (20), a first chamber (V1), and a third chamber (V3) are connected to each other according to one embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 11, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of chambers include at least a first chamber (V1), a second chamber (V2), and a third chamber (V3), and the first chamber (V1) may be configured to be connected to the inside of the air spring. Each of the second chamber (V2) and the third chamber (V3) may be configured to be connected to the first chamber (V1). A first switch valve (500) may be installed to open and close a connecting passage that connects the first chamber (V1) and the third chamber (V3) to be connected to each other. In addition, a second switch valve (600) may be installed to open and close a connecting passage that connects the first chamber (V1) and the second chamber (V2) to be connected to each other. These first switch valve (500) and second switch valve (600) may be, for example, solenoid valves.

Through this structure, the second chamber (V2) to the third chamber (V3) can be selectively connected to the first chamber (V1).

For example, in normal times, the first switch valve (500) and the second switch valve (600) are off, and the connecting passage is closed. In this case, since the second chamber (V2) and the third chamber (V3) are not connected to the first chamber (V1), the constant value of the air spring is determined by the volume of the cavity and the volume of the first chamber (V1).

However, for example, when the driver turns on the first switch valve (500) to obtain a smoother ride, the connecting passage (5) is opened, whereby the first chamber (V1) and the third chamber (V3) are connected to each other, and the air volume of the air spring increases by the volume of the third chamber (V3), so that a lower spring constant value can be secured, thereby improving the ride quality. This low spring constant value can be selected depending on whether (1) only the volume of the first chamber is used as the air volume of the air spring, (2) only the volumes of the first and second chambers are used as the air volume of the air spring, (3) only the volumes of the first and third chambers are used as the air volume of the air spring, or (4) the volumes of all of the first, second, and third chambers are used as the air volume of the air spring.

Claims (12)

This is a top mount for air springs for vehicles.
The upper part,
comprising a lower part coupled with the upper part;
An internal partition wall is formed as a single piece in the upper part to divide the internal space surrounded by the upper part and the lower part into a plurality of chambers,
In the above lower part, an internal bulkhead groove is formed into which the internal bulkhead is inserted,
A sealing member is interposed between the inner bulkhead and the inner bulkhead groove as a separate member other than a welding material or adhesive material.
The upper part and the lower part are joined by mechanical fastening.
Top mount for vehicle air springs.
In the first paragraph,
The lower surface of the outer wall of the upper part and the upper surface of the outer wall of the lower part face each other,
A protrusion is formed on the lower surface, and an outer wall groove is formed on the upper surface, so that the protrusion is inserted into the outer wall groove.
Top mount for vehicle air springs.
In the second paragraph,
A sealing member is interposed between the above protrusion and the outer wall groove.
Top mount for vehicle air springs.
In the first paragraph,
After a sealing member is inserted into the inner bulkhead groove of the lower part, the inner bulkhead is inserted into the inner bulkhead groove over the sealing member, so that the sealing member is fixed between the lower surface of the inner bulkhead and the bottom surface of the inner bulkhead groove.
Top mount for vehicle air springs.
In the third paragraph,
The inner bulkhead groove and the outer wall groove of the lower part are connected, and a sealing member is interposed as one piece between the inner bulkhead and the inner bulkhead groove and between the protrusion and the outer wall groove.
Top mount for vehicle air springs.
In the first paragraph,
A flange having screw holes is formed on the outer wall of the upper part,
On the upper surface of the outer wall of the lower part, a hole is formed at a position corresponding to the screw hole.
The upper part and the lower part are mechanically connected by a screw,
Top mount for vehicle air springs.
In the first paragraph,
The above inner bulkhead is provided with a reinforcing member,
A screw hole is formed on the lower surface of the reinforcing part, and a through screw hole facing the screw hole is formed on the lower part, so that a screw is fastened by penetrating the screw hole and the through screw hole, thereby mechanically fastening the upper part and the lower part.
Top mount for vehicle air springs.
In Article 7,
The above sealing member has a through hole formed at a position corresponding to the screw hole for a screw to penetrate through.
Top mount for vehicle air springs.
In the first paragraph,
The above plurality of chambers include at least a first chamber, a second chamber and a third chamber,
The above first chamber is configured to communicate with the inside of the air spring,
Each of the second chamber and the third chamber is configured to communicate with the first chamber.
Top mount for vehicle air springs.
In the first paragraph,
The above sealing member has an upward protrusion at the widthwise end of the upper surface.
Top mount for vehicle air springs.
In Article 10,
The above protrusion has a protrusion that protrudes upward as it goes outward in the width direction.
Top mount for vehicle air springs.
This is a top mount assembly for air springs for vehicles.
Top mount according to Article 9,
A first valve installed to open and close a passage connecting the first chamber and the second chamber;
Including a second valve installed to open and close a passage connecting the first chamber and the third chamber.
Top mount assembly for automotive air springs.