JP2006117166A - Impact absorbing propeller shaft for automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an impact absorbing propeller shaft for an automobile capable of easily setting the impact load absorbing characteristic. <P>SOLUTION: In the impact absorbing propeller shaft for an automobile, a plurality of split shafts 11, 12 are connected to each other by a constant velocity joint 20, and an axial inner 22 of the constant velocity joint 20 provided on one split shaft 12 is fitted to a cylindrical outer 21 of the constant velocity joint 20 provided on the other split shaft 11. An impact absorbing plate 30 is attached to an inner circumferential part of the outer 21 facing the inner 22 separately in the axial direction, and an easily breakable portion 33 is provided in the impact absorbing plate 30. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a shock absorbing propeller shaft for an automobile.

  As a shock-absorbing propeller shaft for automobiles, a plurality of split shafts are formed by constant velocity universal joints configured by engaging outer races provided on one split shaft with bearings attached to the outer periphery of an inner shaft provided on the other split shaft. There is something that is connected.

In Patent Document 1, as the shock absorbing structure of the shock absorbing propeller shaft for an automobile, the outer race has a bottomed disk shape, and a thin wall portion is formed in a portion of the bottom wall where the inner shaft faces in the axial direction. The thing is disclosed. When the propeller shaft receives an impact in the axial direction, the inner shaft ruptures and penetrates the opposing thin wall portion to absorb the impact.
JP 10-250390 A

  In the shock absorbing propeller shaft for automobiles of Patent Document 1, a thin portion that breaks for shock absorption is formed integrally with the bottom wall of the outer race, and the setting of the breaking load, and hence the simple adjustment setting of the shock absorbing load. There are difficulties.

  An object of the present invention is to make it possible to easily set an impact load absorption characteristic in an automobile impact absorption propeller shaft.

  In the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of split shafts are connected by a constant velocity joint, and a cylindrical inner of a constant velocity joint provided on one of the divided shafts is provided with a shaft inner of the constant velocity joint provided on the other divided shaft. In a shock absorbing propeller shaft for automobiles to be fitted, an impact absorbing plate is attached to a portion of the inner peripheral portion of the outer which is opposed to the inner portion in the axial direction, and an easily breakable portion is attached to the shock absorbing plate. Is provided.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the constant velocity joint is further provided around an outer race that constitutes an outer provided on one split shaft, and an inner shaft that constitutes an inner provided on the other split shaft. The inner shaft is provided with a stopper for preventing the bearing from moving in the axial direction with respect to the inner shaft with a predetermined force, and the shock absorbing plate is attached to the inner periphery of the outer race. It was made to become.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, the easily breakable portion of the shock absorbing plate is an annular groove.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, the easily breakable portion of the shock absorbing plate is an annular groove and a radial groove.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, the easily breakable portion of the shock absorbing plate is a thin-walled concave portion.

(Claim 1)
(a) When the propeller shaft receives an axial impact and the inner is displaced by a predetermined amount from the outer, the inner contacts the impact absorbing plate attached to the inner peripheral portion of the outer, and the shock absorbing plate is Punch from the part and / or break the easily breakable part of the shock absorbing plate. The shock is absorbed and relaxed by the generation of the above-described punching load or breaking load of the shock absorbing plate.

  (b) The extraction load corresponding to the structure in which the shock absorbing plate is attached to the inner peripheral portion of the outer can be set easily, and the breaking load corresponding to the shape of the easily breakable portion provided on the shock absorbing plate can be set. As a result, the impact load absorption characteristic can be easily adjusted.

(Claim 2)
(c) In the case where the inner shaft and the bearing constituting the inner are inserted into the outer race constituting the outer in the above (a), if the bearing comes into contact with the periphery of the inner peripheral portion of the outer race, the bearing Is removed from the inner shaft, and then only the inner shaft pulls out the shock absorbing plate from the inner peripheral portion of the outer race and / or breaks and penetrates the easily breakable portion of the shock absorbing plate. In this case, when the inner bearing is disengaged from the inner shaft, the stopper is broken by a predetermined force to absorb the shock, and the shock is absorbed by the above-described pulling load or breaking load of the shock absorbing plate.

(Claim 3)
(d) When the easily breakable portion of the shock absorbing plate is formed by an annular groove, dispersion due to the direction of the punching load (joint bending) is dispersed in the circumferential direction to obtain a stable breaking load. The breaking load can be easily adjusted and set according to the depth or the like.

(Claim 4)
(e) When the easily breakable portion of the shock absorbing plate is composed of an annular groove and a radial groove, the breaking load can be easily adjusted and set according to the groove arrangement, groove depth, and the like.

(Claim 5)
(f) When the easily breakable portion of the shock absorbing plate is formed of a thin concave portion, the breaking load can be easily adjusted and set by the arrangement of the concave portion, the thinness degree, and the like.

  FIG. 1 is an overall view showing a shock absorbing propeller shaft for a vehicle according to a first embodiment, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of the shock absorbing propeller shaft for a vehicle according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a front view showing a shock absorbing plate. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of the shock absorbing propeller shaft for automobile according to the second embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of the shock absorbing propeller shaft for automobile according to the third embodiment.

Example 1 (FIGS. 1 to 3)
As shown in FIG. 1, an impact absorbing propeller shaft 10 for an automobile (FR vehicle or 4WD vehicle) is composed of two shaft members divided into a front divided shaft 11 and a rear divided shaft 12, and both divided shafts 11, 12 are arranged. Are connected by a constant velocity joint (slidable joint) 20. The front end portion of the front split shaft 11 is connected to a connecting yoke 14 connected to the output shaft of the engine side transmission via a universal joint 13, and the rear end portion of the rear side split shaft 12 is connected to a universal joint 15. Thus, it is coupled to a coupling yoke 16 connected to the differential gear. A shaft inner 22 (described later) of the constant velocity joint 20 is supported by the center bracket 19 via the center bearing 17 and the rubber-like elastic member 18.

  In the propeller shaft 10, a cylindrical outer 21 of the constant velocity joint 20 is connected to one end of a hollow pipe 11 </ b> A constituting one split shaft 11 by friction welding. Further, the inner shaft 22 of the constant velocity joint 20 is connected to one end of the other split shaft 12. The inner 22 is fitted to the outer 21.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the constant velocity joint 20 includes an outer race 21A for an outer 21 provided on one split shaft 11 and an inner shaft 22A for an inner 22 provided on the other split shaft 12. Three bearings 22B (tripods) are provided at three positions on the outer periphery of the tip. Each bearing 22B of the inner 22 is slidably engaged with three grooves extending in the axial direction of the inner peripheral surface of the outer race 21A to constitute the constant velocity joint 20.

  The bearing 22B of the constant velocity joint 20 protrudes radially from three positions on the outer periphery 22C of the inner ring 22C that fits into a serration formed on the outer periphery of the inner shaft 22A. The inner ring 22C having the bearing 22B is sandwiched between a retaining ring 23 engaged with an annular groove provided at the front end of the inner shaft 22A and an annular stopper 24 provided at the rear end of the inner shaft 22A, and positioned on the inner shaft 22A. Retained. Accordingly, the stopper 24 prevents the bearing 22B from moving rearward in the axial direction with respect to the inner shaft 22A with a predetermined force.

  However, the propeller shaft 10 is the inner peripheral portion 25 of the outer race 21A that constitutes the outer 21, and the shock absorbing plate 30 is attached to a portion of the inner 22 that is spaced apart and opposed to the inner shaft 22A in the axial direction. An easily breakable portion 33 was provided on the absorbing plate 30.

  The shock absorbing plate 30 is made of resin (or metal), presses the outer diameter portion of the outer peripheral boss 31 into the inner diameter portion of the inner peripheral portion 25 of the outer race 21A, and continues in the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral surface of the outer peripheral boss 31 ( By engaging the engaging protrusion 32 provided by being intermittently provided) in an annular groove 26 provided in the circumferential direction of the inner peripheral surface of the inner peripheral portion 25, the engaging protrusion 32 is attached to the inner peripheral portion 25 of the outer race 21A. The

  The shock absorbing plate 30 is provided with an easily breakable portion 33 on a surface (front surface) opposite to a surface (rear surface) facing the inner 22, and the easily breakable portion 33 is formed into a plurality of annular grooves 33 </ b> A having the same circular shape, A plurality of radial grooves 33B intersecting the annular groove 33A are configured (FIG. 3).

  The constant velocity joint 20 seals the connection space (grease filling chamber) 40 between the outer 21 and the inner 22 using a boot adapter 41 made of a metal thin plate and a boot 42 made of a rubber-like elastic body, and the inner shaft 22A. Grease for improving the rolling slidability and wear resistance of the bearing 22B is enclosed in the connection space 40.

The shock absorbing operation of the propeller shaft 10 is as follows.
(1) When an impact load from the front acts on the propeller shaft 10 due to a vehicle collision, the front split shaft 11 and the outer 21 (outer race 21A) move rearward, and the rear split shaft 12 and the inner 22 (inner shaft 22A). And the bearing 22B) are inserted into the outer race 21A.

  (2) When the inner 22 (the inner shaft 22A and the bearing 22B) comes into contact with the shock absorbing plate 30 attached to the inner peripheral portion 25 of the outer race 21A as a result of the above (1), the inner load 22 ( The inner shaft 22A and the bearing 22B) punch the impact absorbing plate 30 from the inner peripheral portion 25 of the outer race 21A and / or break through the easily breakable portion 33 of the impact absorbing plate 30. The impact absorbing plate 30 is pulled out from the inner peripheral portion 25 of the outer race 21A after the engagement protrusion 32 of the outer peripheral boss 31 is broken, and is broken at the weak portion formed by the annular groove 33A and the radial groove 33B of the easily breakable portion 33.

  (3) When the outer peripheral diameter of the bearing 22B of the inner 22 is larger than the inner peripheral portion 25 of the outer race 21A in the process of (2) above, the bearing 22B of the inner 22 is located around the inner peripheral portion 25 of the outer race 21A. The stopper 24 that positions the inner ring 22C of the bearing 22B is broken, and the inner ring 22C further moves from the serration of the inner shaft 22A beyond the stopper 24 to the rear together with the bearing 22B. Therefore, after this, only the inner shaft 22A out of the inner shaft 22A and the bearing 22B constituting the inner 22 removes the shock absorbing plate 30 from the inner peripheral portion 25 of the outer race 21A and / or easily breaks the shock absorbing plate 30. Break through the portion 33.

  (4) According to the above (2) and (3), the front split shaft 11 and the rear split shaft 12 are contracted with each other without protruding from each other, and the drive unit including the internal combustion engine in the engine room is provided. Retreat appropriately to reduce the impact.

According to the present embodiment, the following operational effects can be obtained.
(a) When the propeller shaft 10 receives an impact in the axial direction and the inner 22 is inserted into the outer 21, the inner 22 comes into contact with the shock absorbing plate 30 attached to the inner peripheral portion 25 of the outer 21 to absorb the shock. The plate 30 is punched from the inner peripheral portion 25 of the outer 21 and / or the easily breakable portion 33 of the shock absorbing plate 30 is broken. The shock is absorbed and relaxed by the generation of the above-described pulling load or breaking load of the shock absorbing plate 30.

  (b) The extraction load corresponding to the structure for attaching the shock absorbing plate 30 to the inner peripheral portion 25 of the outer 21 can be set easily, and the breaking load corresponding to the shape of the easily breakable portion 33 provided on the shock absorbing plate 30 can be set. As a result, the impact load absorption characteristic can be easily adjusted and set.

  (c) In the above-described (a), in the process in which the inner shaft 22A and the bearing 22B constituting the inner 22 are inserted into the outer race 21A constituting the outer 21, the bearing 22B comes into contact with the periphery of the inner peripheral portion 25 of the outer race 21A. Is generated, the bearing 22B is detached from the inner shaft 22A, and thereafter, only the inner shaft 22A punches the shock absorbing plate 30 from the inner peripheral portion 25 of the outer race 21A and / or the easily breakable portion of the shock absorbing plate 30. 33 is broken through. In this case, when the bearing 22B of the inner 22 is disengaged from the inner shaft 22A, the stopper 24 is broken by a predetermined force to absorb the impact, and the impact is generated by the above-described extraction load or breaking load of the shock absorbing plate 30. Absorb absorption.

  (d) When the easily breakable portion 33 of the shock absorbing plate 30 is composed of the annular groove 33A and the radial groove 33B, the breaking load can be easily adjusted by setting the groove arrangement, the groove depth, and the like.

(Example 2) (FIG. 4)
4 differs from the first embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3 in the attachment structure of the shock absorbing plate 30 to the inner peripheral portion 25 of the outer race 21A.

  The shock absorbing plate 30 is provided with an annular flange 32A having a larger diameter than the outer peripheral boss 31 on the rear surface portion of the outer peripheral boss 31, and presses the outer diameter portion of the outer peripheral boss 31 into the smaller inner diameter portion 25A of the inner peripheral portion 25 of the outer race 21A. In addition, the outer diameter portion of the annular flange 32A is press-fitted into the large inner diameter portion 25B of the inner peripheral portion 25, and the front surface portion of the annular flange 32A is formed as a stopper surface orthogonal to the boundary portion between the small inner diameter portion 25A and the large inner diameter portion 25B. Collide. The impact absorbing plate 30 is punched from the inner peripheral portion 25 of the outer race 21A through the fracture of the annular flange 32A by the contact of the inner 22 (inner shaft 22A, bearing 22B). The shock absorbing plate 30 includes an easily breakable portion 33 (annular groove 33A, radial groove 33B) similar to that of the first embodiment.

(Example 3) (FIG. 5)
The third embodiment of FIG. 5 is different from the first embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3 in the attachment structure of the shock absorbing plate 30 to the inner peripheral portion 25 of the outer race 21A.

  The outer race 21 </ b> A has a stopper ring 28 attached to an annular groove 27 provided in the inner peripheral portion 25. The outer diameter portion of the outer peripheral boss 31 of the shock absorbing plate 30 is press-fitted into the inner diameter portion on the rear surface side of the stopper ring 28 in the inner peripheral portion 25 of the outer race 21A, and the front outer edge portion of the shock absorbing plate 30 is pressed against the rear surface of the stopper ring 28. Match. The shock absorbing plate 30 is pulled out from the inner peripheral portion 25 of the outer race 21A after the stopper ring 28 is broken by the contact of the inner 22 (inner shaft 22A, bearing 22B). The shock absorbing plate 30 includes an easily breakable portion 33 (annular groove 33A, radial groove 33B) similar to that of the first embodiment. The shock absorbing plate 30 can be easily formed integrally with the easily breakable portion 33 by resin molding, and when it is a thin metal plate, it can be easily manufactured by press molding.

  The embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration of the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and even if there is a design change or the like without departing from the gist of the present invention. It is included in the present invention. For example, the easily breakable portion of the shock absorbing plate may be composed of one of an annular groove and a radial groove. Moreover, the easily breakable portion of the shock absorbing plate may be a thin concave portion.

FIG. 1 is an overall view showing a shock absorbing propeller shaft for an automobile according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a main part of the shock absorbing propeller shaft for an automobile according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a front view showing the shock absorbing plate. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of the shock absorbing propeller shaft for an automobile according to the second embodiment. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of the shock absorbing propeller shaft for an automobile according to the third embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Propeller shaft 11, 12 Split shaft 20 Constant velocity joint 21 Outer 21A Outer race 22 Inner 22A Inner shaft 22B Bearing 24 Stopper 30 Shock absorber 33 Easily breakable part 33A Annular groove 33B Radial groove

Claims (5)

For automobiles, in which a plurality of split shafts are connected by a constant velocity joint, and a cylindrical outer of a constant velocity joint provided on one split shaft is fitted to a cylindrical inner of a constant velocity joint provided on the other split shaft. In shock absorbing propeller shaft,
A shock absorber for automobiles, wherein an impact absorbing plate is attached to an inner circumferential portion of the outer portion that is spaced apart and opposed to the inner in the axial direction, and an easily breakable portion is provided on the shock absorbing plate. Propeller shaft. The constant velocity joint is formed by engaging an outer race constituting an outer provided on one split shaft with a bearing provided around an inner shaft constituting an inner provided on the other split shaft,
2. The automobile according to claim 1, wherein the inner shaft is provided with a stopper for preventing the bearing from moving in the axial direction with respect to the inner shaft with a predetermined force, and the shock absorbing plate is attached to an inner peripheral portion of the outer race. Shock absorbing propeller shaft.   The shock absorbing propeller shaft for an automobile according to claim 2, wherein the easily breakable portion of the shock absorbing plate is an annular groove.   The shock absorbing propeller shaft for automobile according to claim 2, wherein the easily breakable portions of the shock absorbing plate are an annular groove and a radial groove.   The shock absorbing propeller shaft for an automobile according to claim 2, wherein the easily breakable portion of the shock absorbing plate is a thin concave portion.

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