JP2001088714A - Elastic joint device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device whose oscillation blocking performace is improved through elastic connection between an input side member and an output side member, whose structure is made compact and light in weight. SOLUTION: A vibration damping elastic plate is held between a pair of stopper plates 1, 1, and an outer shaft 5 of a shrinking shaft member A which is composed of the shaft 5 and an inner shaft 6 and which shrinks in an axial direction is connected to one of the plates 1, 1 through a cylindrical part 2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an elastic coupling between an input member and an output member to improve vibration isolation, minimize bending in the axial direction, and reduce the size of the structure. The present invention relates to an elastic shaft coupling device that can be reduced in weight and simplified.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various types of elastic shaft coupling devices for steering have been developed. In each model, various means are provided so as to significantly reduce the vibration transmitted from the running tire toward the steering wheel. In particular, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 3-4031 describes that the structure is designed to improve the performance of preventing the transmission of vibration and to allow the entire length to be sufficiently contracted.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-403 is disclosed.
In Japanese Patent Publication No. 1 (1993), an insertion hole for inserting a connecting shaft into an elastic joint is provided, and when the connecting shaft contracts and moves into the elastic joint at the time of a collision of an automobile, a force in a bending direction with respect to the contracting axial direction is provided. In the case where the elastic joint is engaged, the elastic joint is bent by the coupling member made of the elastic material of the elastic joint, so that the contraction movement of the connecting shaft cannot be performed smoothly, and it may be difficult to secure a predetermined contraction amount. Further, in order to reduce the above problems, it is necessary to make the insertion hole provided in the elastic joint considerably large, so that the elastic joint becomes large.

Further, if a harder elastic material is used for the coupling member in order to make the elastic joint hard to bend against the above-mentioned bending, the vibration applied to the steered wheels is easily transmitted, that is, the vibration is cut off. As a result, the performance of the elastic joint is greatly impaired, and it is extremely difficult to stabilize the contraction operation of the connecting member at the time of collision.

[0005]

The inventors of the present invention have conducted intensive studies to solve the above-mentioned problems, and as a result, have found that the present invention provides a stopper plate having a pair of insertion holes at the center,
An anti-vibration elastic plate material sandwiched between the stopper plates, a contraction shaft member attached to one of the pair of stopper plates, which is composed of an outer shaft and an inner shaft, and contracts in the axial direction; A connecting member attached to a stopper plate, and a cylindrical portion connecting the outer shaft of the contraction shaft member and the insertion hole of the stopper plate, wherein the inner shaft of the contraction shaft member is capable of passing through the cylindrical portion. With the elastic coupling device, the input side member and the output side member are elastically connected to each other to improve vibration isolation, minimize bending in the axial direction, and reduce the size and weight of the structure. In addition, it is possible to simplify and solve the above problem.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The configuration of the present invention mainly includes a pair of stopper plates 1 and 1, a contraction shaft member A, a connection member B, a cylindrical portion 2, a ring-shaped elastic member 3, a vibration-proof elastic plate member 10, and the like [FIG. 1 (A), (B) and FIG. 2 (A),
(See (B) and (C)). The stopper plate 1,
Numerals 1 are respectively located on the input side (steering wheel side) and the output side (tire steering side) of the steering device, and both have the same shape.

The contraction shaft member A is connected to the stopper plate 1 on one side. Specifically, the contraction shaft member A is provided on the stopper plate 1 located on the output side (tire steering side).
Is attached. The outer shaft 5 of the contraction shaft member A
Is connected to the stopper plate 1 via the tubular portion 2 and the ring-shaped elastic member 3.

Each of the stopper plates 1 located on the input side and the output side has a substantially disc-shaped flat plate portion 1.
a, the two stopper plates 1 and 1 are provided with the elastic plate material 10 for vibration isolation.
Are formed symmetrically with respect to the center of the flat plate portion 1a (see FIG. 3).

Further, cutouts 1c, 1c are formed in a direction perpendicular to the fixing through holes 1b, 1b. Its anchoring holes 1b, surrounding 1b is small flat surface 1b ₁ via the step is formed with respect to the flat plate portion 1a, which is intended Naru stepped and said plate 1a.

The cutouts 1c, 1c have a notch shape cut into a substantially U-shape. An insertion hole 1d is formed at the center position. A ring-shaped elastic material 3 is mounted on the inner peripheral side of the insertion hole 1d, and a tubular portion 2 of a contraction shaft member A described later is inserted through the insertion hole 1d.

The contraction shaft member A is composed of the outer shaft 5 and the inner shaft 6 as described above (see FIGS. 1A and 1B). The contraction shaft member A is mounted on the input side or the output side, and serves to transmit the rotational motion from the steering wheel as the input side, or transmits the rotational motion from the steering wheel to the steering side as the output side. Is what you do.

The contraction shaft member A includes an outer shaft 5
The inner shaft 6 is inserted therein, and has a configuration in which it is slidable along the axial direction and has a non-rotational structure in the axial circumferential direction by a spline structure (see FIG. 4B).
Further, as another embodiment other than the above-described spline structure in the above-described configuration having a non-rotational structure along the axial circumferential direction, a cross-sectional shape of a range where the outer shaft 5 and the inner shaft 6 slide is made non-circular. Are present [see FIG. 4 (C)].

As a specific example of the cross-sectional shape, an approximately oval shape is preferable. The injection shaft 7 is filled at an appropriate position in the overlapping area between the outer shaft 5 and the inner shaft 6, and is fixed so as not to perform a contraction operation under a certain impact load [FIG. A)].

The cylindrical portion 2 on the output side is continuously formed on the outer shaft 5 side, and is specifically formed by integrally cutting the same metal material [FIG.
(C)). Then, the cylindrical portion 2 on the output side is connected and fixed to the insertion hole 1d via the ring-shaped elastic member 3 (see FIG. 2A).

The inner shaft 6 of the contraction shaft member A
Is a structure in which the inside of the outer shaft 5 is slidable along the axial direction. The tip of the inner shaft 6 has a spline shaft portion 6a (see FIG. 1A) or a yoke such as a two-joint joint. 1 (see FIG. 1).
(B)). The outer shaft 5 and the stopper plate 1 are connected via the tubular portion 2.

The cylindrical portion 2 is formed integrally with the outer shaft 5. Specifically, the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 2 is
Formed slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the outer shaft 5,
The outer shaft 5 and the cylindrical portion 2 are different in size via the step portion (see FIG. 2C). The axial direction of the cylindrical portion 2 and the axial direction of the outer shaft 5 match, and the insides of the two share the same axis.

The cylindrical portion 2 is provided with an outer shaft 5 through a ring-shaped elastic material 3 in an insertion hole 1 d of the stopper plate 1.
Of the shaft is inserted and fixed. The ring-shaped elastic member 3 is made of rubber,
It is formed in a ring shape from a material such as an elastic synthetic resin, and has durability, vibration proof properties, and the like.
More specifically, a polyurethane-based resin material is used, and as a type of the material, a polyurethane elastomer is preferable.

The outer peripheral side surface is attached to the outer peripheral edge of the insertion hole 1d, and the cylindrical portion 2 is inserted and fixed to the inner peripheral surface side of the ring-shaped elastic member 3. Specifically, a groove is formed on the outer periphery of the ring-shaped elastic member 3, and the inner peripheral edge of the insertion hole 1d of the stopper plate 1 is fitted into the groove to be fixed. The means for fixing the tubular portion 2 and the ring-shaped elastic material 3 may be fixed by press-fitting the tubular portion 2 or may be fixed by filling an adhesive between the tubular portion 2 and the ring-shaped elastic material 3. It may be done.

Next, a connecting member B is connected to the other stopper plate 1 [FIG. 1 (A) and FIG.
(See (A) and (B).) The connection member B is connected to a device on the opposite side of the contraction shaft member A. If the contraction shaft member A is on the input side (steering wheel side), the connection member B is on the output side. , For transmitting the rotational motion from the steering wheel to the steering side.

The specific structure of the connection member B is as follows.
As with the contracted shaft member A, there are various connecting and connecting portions 8 such as a yoke portion at the shaft end and a spline shaft portion. The connecting portion 8 is provided with a tubular portion 2 (see FIGS. 2A and 2B). The tubular portion 2 is inserted and fixed to the insertion hole 1 d of the stopper plate 1 via the ring-shaped elastic material 3, similarly to the tubular portion 2 formed on the contraction shaft member A.

The ring-shaped elastic members 3 are mounted in the insertion holes 1d, 1d of the stopper plates 1, 1 on the input side and the output side, respectively.
Substantially the same shape and the same material. When the diameter of the tubular portion 2 on the contraction shaft member A side is different from the diameter of the tubular portion 2 on the connecting member B side, the input-side ring-shaped elastic member 3 and the output-side ring-shaped elastic member 3 also have the same diameter. The outer shape and inner diameter may be different.

Further, a flange portion 5a is formed on the outer shaft 5 of the contraction shaft member A, and is connected and fixed to the stopper plate 1 via a collar member 11, which will be described later (FIG. 1 (A), FIG. 2 (A) and FIG. 4 (A)
Etc.]. An elastic plate 10 for vibration isolation is arranged between the two stopper plates 1, 1, and the elastic plate 10 for vibration isolation is sandwiched between the stopper plates 1, 1.

The vibration-damping elastic plate 10 is formed in a disk shape and has an appropriate thickness, a through hole 10a is formed in the center, and both stopper plates 1 and 2 are provided near the outer periphery. Four fixing holes 10b, 1 for fixing to 1
.. Are formed (see FIG. 3). The collar member 11 is disposed on the contraction shaft member A side and the connection member B side, and the stopper plate 1 is provided through the collar member 11.
The flange portion 5a and the connecting portion 8 are fixed in a separated state (see FIGS. 1A and 4A).

The elastic plate 10 for vibration isolation is sandwiched between the two stopper plates 1 and 1, and the contraction shaft member A and the connecting member B are arranged outside the both stopper plates 1 and 1 respectively. And fixing members 12, 12,... Comprising nuts and nuts 12b [FIG.
(A)].

The cylindrical portion 2 is integrally formed on or fixed to each of the stopper plates 1 and 1, and the other end of the cylindrical portion 2 is connected to the contraction shaft member A and the connecting member B. It may be mounted via the ring-shaped elastic members 3,3.

This embodiment is particularly applicable to the connection member B, and the connection hole 8a is formed in the connection connection portion 8 of the connection member B.
Is formed, and the cylindrical portion 2 is inserted and fixed to the connection hole 8a via the ring-shaped elastic member 3. The distal end of the cylindrical portion 2 provided integrally with the stopper plate 1 is connected to the connection hole 8a of the connection portion 8 via the ring-shaped elastic material 3 [FIGS. 5A and 5B].
reference〕.

Of course, in the above embodiment, the same structure can be adopted on the contraction shaft member A side. Specifically, the cylindrical portion 2 is formed as a separate member from the outer shaft 5, and the cylindrical portion is formed. 2 is attached to the stopper plate 1 in advance, and the inner peripheral side of the tubular portion 2 is attached to the ring-shaped elastic member 3 attached to the outer peripheral side of the outer shaft 5 [FIG.
(D)).

The cylindrical portion 2 described above connects the contraction shaft member A, the connecting member B, and the stopper plates 1 and 1 so that the inner shaft 6 of the contraction shaft member A is When sliding in the axial direction and passing through the stopper plate 1, the vibration-proof elastic plate material 10, the stopper plate 1, and the connecting member B, a guide hole in the axial direction can be formed.

Further, regarding the contraction shaft member A and the connection member B, the contraction shaft member A is located on the output side (tire steering side) and the connection member B is located on the input side (steering wheel side). However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the contraction shaft member A may be located on the input side and the connecting member B may be located on the output side.

[0030]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a vibration-reducing elastic plate 10 is sandwiched between a pair of stopper plates 1 and 1 and is contracted in an axial direction comprising an outer shaft 5 and an inner shaft 6. The outer shaft 5 of A is connected to one of the stopper plates 1 via the cylindrical portion 2 to form an elastic shaft coupling device.
Even if a load is applied in the bending direction, the amount of bending can be suppressed to a minimum, and the stopper plates 1, 1 and the contraction shaft member A are elastically connected via the ring-shaped elastic members 3, 3. Therefore, the elastic joint body has some flexibility, and can protect the elastic joint body from bending load together with the elasticity of the vibration-damping elastic plate material 10.

Next, a second aspect of the present invention is a stopper plate 1 having a pair of insertion holes 1d at its center.
A vibration-proof elastic plate 10 sandwiched between the stopper plates 1, 1, and the pair of stopper plates 1, 1
And a connecting member B mounted on the stopper plate 1 on the other side, the contracting shaft member A being composed of an outer shaft 5 and an inner shaft 6 and contracting in the axial direction, and a connecting member B mounted on the stopper plate 1 on the other side. And an outer shaft 5 of the contraction shaft member A, and a cylindrical portion 2 connecting the insertion hole 1d of the stopper plate 1 and the connection member B, respectively. The inner shaft 6 of the contraction shaft member A By using an elastic shaft coupling device that allows the cylindrical portion 2 to be inserted, firstly, when the contraction shaft member A has contractibility, even if a bending load is applied, the contraction operation is performed from the beginning to the end. It can be performed in a stable state, secondly, it can be made smaller, lighter and simpler in structure, and thirdly, the vibration-proof elastic plate 1 Even if the material is particularly flexible and has good vibration damping properties, it is possible to prevent large bending in the axial direction, and fourthly, it is suitable for various steering shaft devices and has excellent mountability. can do.

The above effect will be described in detail.
The cylindrical portion 2 is attached to the stopper plate 1 via the cylindrical portion 2, and the cylindrical portion 2 serves as a connecting member between the outer shaft 5 of the contraction shaft member A and the stopper plate 1. The shaft 5 has a structure that is hardly bent with respect to the stopper plate 1. Thereby, the load applied from a direction other than the axial direction can be minimized, and when the contracting shaft member A performs the contracting operation,
The inner shaft 6 includes the outer shaft 5 and the cylindrical portion 2.
Furthermore, it passes through the insertion hole 1d of the stopper plate 1 and slides in the axial direction, so that a stable contraction operation can be secured.

Further, the contraction shaft member A is fixed by the injection 7 so that the outer shaft 5 and the inner shaft 6 have a predetermined length at an initial stage, and contracts at the time of collision of a vehicle to absorb shock. Is used as By performing a process such as integrally processing the tubular portion 2 or forming the tubular portion 2 as a separate material with respect to a device having a contraction mechanism similar to the contraction shaft member A, various steering shaft devices can be manufactured. At the time of mounting, the elastic joint can be easily incorporated into the steering shaft device without subjecting the structure to significant processing. This makes it easy to handle not only devices in the production process but also ready-made products.

Further, according to the present invention, the vibration-proof elastic plate material 10 is improved in vibration-proof property in proportion to the softness due to the good bending-preventive property. According to the present invention, by improving the bending strength of the entire device, the vibration-proof elastic plate member 10 made of a soft material can be used, and the vibration-proof property can be improved.

Next, a third aspect of the present invention is directed to the first or second aspect.
In the above, the cylindrical portion 2 is an elastic shaft coupling device which is inserted and mounted on the inner periphery of the insertion hole 1d of the stopper plate 1 via the ring-shaped elastic material 3, thereby further improving the vibration proof property against vibration. Can be good.

In the present invention, the pair of stopper plates 1 and 1 sandwich the elastic plate 10 for vibration isolation, and the effect is transmitted from the output side of the steering device, that is, the running tire, by the elastic plate 10 for vibration isolation. Vibration is absorbed, and the vibration transmitted to the steering wheel is extremely small.

In addition, between the cylindrical portion 2 and the insertion hole 1d of the stopper plate 1, a ring-shaped elastic member 3 is mounted. The vibration transmitted between the plates 1 can be reduced. As described above, the vibration-proof performance can be further improved by the synergistic action of the vibration-proof elastic plate member 10 and the ring-shaped elastic member 3.

Next, a fourth aspect of the present invention is directed to the first or second aspect.
In the above, the elastic shaft coupling device in which the annular elastic member 3 is disposed at the connection point between the tubular portion 2 and the contraction shaft member A and the connection portion between the tubular portion 2 and the connection member B, the steering shaft device Can be mounted particularly easily,
It can be excellent in its mounting adaptability.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1A is a longitudinal sectional side view of a main part of the present invention. FIG. 1B is a longitudinal sectional side view of a main part of the present invention equipped with a contraction shaft member of another embodiment.

2A is an exploded cross-sectional view of a main part of the present invention. FIG. 2B is an exploded cross-sectional view on a connecting member side. FIG. 2C is an exploded cross-sectional view on a contraction shaft member side.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a main part of the present invention.

FIG. 4A is a side view of a main part of the present invention. FIG. 4B is a sectional view of an embodiment in which the outer shaft and the inner shaft of the contraction shaft member have a spline structure. FIG. Sectional view of an embodiment in which an inner shaft and a non-circular section are formed. (D) is a longitudinal sectional side view of a main part in a state where a contraction shaft member is contracted.

5A is a vertical sectional side view of a main part showing another embodiment on the connecting member side. FIG. 5B is an exploded vertical sectional side view of a main part showing another embodiment on the connecting member side. (D) is an exploded longitudinal side view of a main part showing another embodiment on the contraction shaft member side.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part showing the operation of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 A: Shrinkable shaft member 1 ... Stopper plate 1d ... Insertion hole 2 ... Cylindrical part 3 ... Ring-shaped elastic material 5 ... Outer shaft 6 ... Inner shaft 10 ... Elastic plate material for vibration isolation

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An outer shaft of a contraction shaft member, which is composed of an outer shaft and an inner shaft and contracts in an axial direction, is sandwiched between a pair of stopper plates and an elastic plate for vibration isolation is attached to one of the stopper plates. An elastic shaft coupling device, wherein the elastic shaft coupling device is connected through a shape portion. 2. A pair of stopper plates having a pair of centrally located through holes, a vibration-proof elastic plate sandwiched between the stopper plates, and an outer shaft mounted on one of the pair of stopper plates. And a contraction shaft member that contracts in the axial direction and that is connected to the stopper plate on the other side, and is connected to the insertion hole of the stopper plate, the outer shaft of the contraction shaft member, and the insertion hole of the stopper plate. It consists of a cylindrical part that connects each member and
The elastic shaft coupling device, wherein an inner shaft of the contraction shaft member can be inserted through the cylindrical portion. 3. The elastic shaft coupling device according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical portion is inserted and mounted on an inner periphery of an insertion hole of a stopper plate via a ring-shaped elastic material. 4. The elastic shaft coupling according to claim 1, wherein the ring-shaped elastic member is arranged at a connection portion between the cylindrical portion and the contraction shaft member and a connection portion between the cylindrical portion and the connection member. apparatus.