GB2205382A

GB2205382A - Adapter members for adapting spring strut insert units to spring strut carrier tubes

Info

Publication number: GB2205382A
Application number: GB08810719A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gunther Handke
Original assignee: Fichtel and Sachs AG
Current assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
Priority date: 1987-05-16
Filing date: 1988-05-06
Publication date: 1988-12-07
Anticipated expiration: 2008-05-06
Also published as: DE3716548A1; GB8810719D0; GB2205382B

Description

k 1 4 1 2205382 THE USE OF ADAPTER MEMBERS FOR ADAPTING SPRING STRUT

INSERT UNITS TO SPRING STRUT CARRIER TUBES Spring struts are frequently used in vehicles and, more particularly, motor vehicles. These spring struts frequently comprise a spring strut insert unit which can be-inserted into a spring strut carrier tube such that the spring strut carrier unit is exchangeable. The spring strut insert units are subject to wear and must be exchanged after some period of use.

The spring struts for different types of vehicles have varying dimensions so that up to now for different vehicle types a specific spring strut insert unit was necessary. Thus, for various types of vehicles.various types of spring strut insert units were to be stored both with the manufacturer and particularly in the service stations.

It is an object of the present invention to allow one and the same spring strut insert unit to be used in various types of spring strut carrier tubes and, on the other hand, to allow the use of various types of spring strut insert units in one and the same type of spring strut carrier tubes. The invention is, therefore, directed to the use of at least one axially and/ or radially directed acting adapter member for mounting a spring strut insert 2 4# unit within a spring strut carrier tube of a vehicle spring strut, said spring strut insert unit comprising at least one cylinder having a bottom wall and a piston rod guiding and sealing unit,.and further comprising a piston rod guided through said piston rod guiding and sealing unit and a piston unit provided on said piston rod within said at least one cylinder, said spring strut carrier tube comprising a circumferential wall, a bottom wall and a cover member, said bottom wall of said cylinder being adjacent to said bottom wall of said spring-strut carrier tube, said cover member of said spring strut carrier tube surrounding said piston rod and being adjacent to said piston rod guiding and sealing unit of said spring strut insert unit.

Specific forms of adapter members are defined in the subclaims.

According to the invention there is further provided a set of radially and/or axially acting adapter members which have varying dimension and/or shape for adapting spring strut insert units of varying dimension and/or shape to one type of a spring strut carrier tube.

Further, this invention provides a set of radially and/or axially acting adapter members with varying dimension and/or shape for adapting one type of spring strut insert unit to spring strut carrier tubes of varying dimensions and/or shape.

Due to the invention it is possible to reduce the need of storage of various spring strut insert units with the spring strut manufacturer, the motor vehicle manufacturer and the service stations.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the enclosed FIGURES, in which:

1 3 - 7 FIGURES 1 to 4 show spring with various adapter members.

In FIGURE 1 a spring strut carrier tube of a spring strut 10 is designated by 14. The spring strut carrier tube 14 comprises a circumferential wall 14a and a bottom wall (not shown). A steering knuckle is fastened to the lower end portion of the carrier tube 14. A cover member 16 is threaded by thread means 16c onto the upper end of the carrier tube 14. The cover member 16 comprises a side wall 16a and a cover end wall 16b. A spring strut insert unit 11 is accommodated within the carrier tube 14. This spring strut insert unit 11 is constructed according to the principles of a double tube vibration damper and comprises a container 12, a cylinder 13, a bottom wall 18, a piston rod guiding and sealing unit 17, a piston rod 20, a piston-unit 19a and a bottom valve unit 19b. An adapter member 15 is used for adapting the axial and radial dimensions of the spring strut insert unit 11 to the dimensions of the spring strut carrier tube 14. This adapter member 15 comprises an axially acting adapter portion 15a and a radially acting adapter portion 15b. Both portions are integrally made of plastic or rubber-like material. The axially acting adapter portion 15a is positioned between the cover end wall 16b, on the one hand, and the upper inwardly curled end of the container 12, on the other hand. The radially acting adapter portion 15b is a tube-shaped portion located radially between the container 12 and the circular wall 14a of the carrier tube 14.

The adapter member 15 exists in various dimensions for adapting various types of spring strut insert units 11 to various 1 types of spring strut carrier tubes 14.

In FIGURE 2 there are shown different embodiments in the right half and in the left half. In the right half the cover member 16 has the same shape as in FIGURE 1. However, there is no axially acting adapter portion as in FIGURE 1. For preventing, however, axial movement of the radially acting adapter portion 15b, 'the adapter member 15 is provided with a radially outward flange 28 which is in abutting engagement with an axially directed end face 14a of the carrier tube 14. The cover end wall 16b directly engages the inwardly curled upper end portion of the container 12 and/or the piston rod guiding and sealing unit 17.

In the left-hand embodiment of FIGURE 2 the cover member 116 has a side wall 116a and a cover end wall 116b. The adapter member 115 has a radially acting adapter portion 115b, a radially outwardly directed flange 124a and a radially inwardly directed flange 124b. The cover end wall 116b is cranked and defines an annular groove 125 which accommodates the radially inwardly directed flange 124b and the radially outwardly directed flange 124a. The radially inwardly directed flange engages the inwardly curled upper end of the container 12, whereas the radially outwardly directed flange 124a engages an axially directed end face 114c of the circumferential wall 114a.

The flanges 124a and 124b may also be dimensioned such that they provide an axial adapter function. The embodiment of the right side of FIGURE 2 is very economic due to the simple shape of the cover member 16.

The embodiment of FIGURE 3 corresponds in its upper portion to the embodiment of FIGURE 1. However, in this embodiment the bottom wall 18 is a separate member which is-fixed to the container 12 by welding or the like. A pot-shaped adapter member 22 is fixed to the bottom wall. This adapter member 22 is to abut in axial direction the bottom wall (not shown) of the carrier tube 14 and - if necessary - in radial direction the circumferential wall 14a of the carrier tube 14. By varying forms of the adapter member 22 adaptation is possible to varying forms of the bottom wall of the carrier tube 14.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 4 a further type of cover member 216 has been used. This cover member 216 comprises a centering portion 216a which is in threaded engagement by thread means 216c with the radial inner face of the circumferential wall 214a of the carrier tube 214. The cover member 216 further comprises a cover end wall 216b. An axially acting adapter member 225 is accommodated within the cover member 216 and abuts the cover end wall 216b on one side thereof and the inwardly curled end portion of the container 212 and the piston rod guiding and sealing unit 217 on the other side thereof. This embodiment is. particularly adapted for axial adaptation by the adapter member 225. Radial adaptation is, however, also possible by use of various cover members 216 having centering portions 216a of varying dimensions.

At the lower portion of the insert unit 211 the adapter member 222 is pressed onto the lower end portion 226 of the container 212, which lower end portion 226 surrounds the bottom wall 218 in fixing engagement. The adapter member 222 by its bottom portion takes care of axial adaptation and by its circumferential rim portion takes care of radial adaptation.

- 6 1 Whereas in FIGURE 3 the adapter portion 22 can be fixed to the bottom wall 18 before the bottom wall 18 is fixed to the container 12, in the embodiment of FIGURE 4 the adapter member 222 can be fixed to the insert unit 211 after the bottom wall 218 has been fixed to the container 212.

In all other respects the embodiment of FIGURE 4 corresponds to the embodiment o.FIGURE 1 and analogous parts have been designated by the same reference numbers increased by 200.

In all embodiments of FIGURES 1 to 4 the adapter members 15, 111, 22, and 222 may be made of metallic, plastic or sintered material.

MY 1 Y

Claims

1. The use of at least one axially and/or radially acting adapter member (15) for mounting a spring strut insert unit (11) within a spring strut carrier tube (14) of a vehicle spring strut (10), said spring strut insert unit (11) comprising at least one cylinder (13) having a bottom wall (18) and a piston rod guiding and sealing unit (17), and further comprising a piston rod (20) guided through said piston rod guiding and sealing unit (17) and a piston unit (19a) provided on said piston rod (20) within said at least one cylinder (13), said spring strut carrier tube (14) comprising a circumferential wall (14a) a bottom wall and a cover member (16), said bottom wall (18) of said cylinder (13) being adjacent to said bottom wall of said spring strut carrier tube (14), said cover member (16) of said spring strut carrier tube (14) sourrounding said piston rod (20) and being adjacent to said piston rod guiding and sealing unit (17) of said spring strut insert unit (11).

2. The use of an adapter member according to claim 1, said adapter member (15) being positioned adjacent to said cover member (16) and comprising an axially acting adapter portion (15a) axially between said spring strut insert unit (11) and said cover member (16), and a radially acting adapter portion (15b) radially between said spring strut insert unit (11) and the circumferential wall (14a) of said spring strut carrier tube (14).

3. The use of an adapter member according to claim 2, said axially acting adapter portion (15a) and said radially acting adapter portion (15b) being integrally made.

4. The use of an adapter member according to claim 1, said adapter member (115) being positioned adjacent to said cover member (116) and comprising a radially acting adapter portion (115b) between said spring strut insert unit (11) and the circumferential wall (114a) of said spring strut carrier tube and at'least one of a radially inward or radial outward positioning flange (124b, 124a) for abutting at least one of substantially axially directed abutment face (114a) of said spring strut insert unit (11) and said spring strut carrier tube (14).

5. The use of anadapter member according to claim 4, said cover member (116) comprising a side wall (116a) threadingly engaging an outer cylindrical face of said circumferential wall (14a) of said spring strut carrier tube (14) and a substantially axially directed cover end wall (116b) adjacent to said piston rod guiding and sealing unit (17), said cover end wall (116b) being cranked when regarded in a cross-sectional area containing the axis of said spring strut carrier tube (14), said cranked portion of said cover end wall (116b) defining an annular groove (125), said annular groove (125) accommodating <1 9 - said positioning flange (124a, 124b).

k 1

6. The use of an adapter member according to claim 4, said cover member (16) having a side wall (16a) threadingly engaging an outer cylindrical face of said circumferential wall (14a) of said spring strut carrier tube (14) and a substantially planar cover end wall (16b), said cover end wall (16b) acting onto one of said cylinder and said piston rod sealing and guiding unit (17) and having an axial distance from a substantially axially directed end face (14c) of said circumferential wall (14a) of said spring strut carrier tube (14), said positioning flange (28) being engageable with said substantially axially directed end face (14c) of said circumferential wall (14a) of said spring strut carrier tube (14)

7. The use of an.adapter member according to claim 1, said cover member (216) having a cylindrical portion (216a) inserted between said spring strut insert unit (211) and the circumferential wall (21.4a) of said spring strut carrier tube (214) and being in threaded engagement (216c) with an inner cylindrical face of said circumferential wall (214a), said cover member (216) further comprising an annular cover end wall (21.6b) adjacent to said piston rod guiding and sealing unit (217), said adapter member (225) being shaped as an axially acting adapter disc (225) positioned axially between said cover end wall 1 (216b) and one of said cylinder and said piston rod guiding and sealing unit (217).

8. The use of an adapter member according to one of claims 1 to 7, an axially or radially acting adapter member (22) being positioned adjacent to said bottom wall (18) of said cylinder and said bottom wall of said spring strut carrier tube (14).

9. The use of an adapter member according to claim 8, said adapter member (22) being fastened to said spring strut insert unit (11).

10. The use of an adapter member according to claim 8, said adapter member (22) being pot-shaped.

11. The use of an adapter member according to claim 10, said pot-shaped adapter member (22) being fastened to said bottom wall (18) and/or said cylinder of said spring strut insert unit (11).

12. A set of radially and/or axially acting adapter members for the use according to one of claims 1 to 11, said adapter members (15, 115, 225, 22, 222) of said set having varying dimension and/or shape for adapting spring strut insert units (11, 211) of varying dimension and/or shape to one type of a spring strut carrier tube (14, 214).

1 J 11 - 1

13. A set of radially and/or axially acting adapter members for the use according to one of claims 1 to 11, said adapter members (15, 115, 225, 22, 222) of said set having varying dimension and/or shape for adapting one type of spring strut insert unit (11, 211) to spring strut carrier tubes (14, 214) of varying dimension and/or shape.

14. An adapter member substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawinggi br,... London V,'ClR 4TP FUrther copies may be obtained frcrn The Patent Office, R.bli ied 1988 w, The Paten', OffiCe House 6r' 71 F" l01 Sales Branch. St Malil Orky. Orpington. Ken BIR5 3RD Printed by MWtIplex techniques ltd. St MarT Crky. Kent. Con. 187.