JP2008025746A - Thrust sliding bearing, and mechanism of combining thrust sliding bearing with piston rod - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simplify an attachment mechanism and carry out cost reduction by supporting one end of a piston rod instead of an attachment plate of an attachment mechanism to a car body of a strut assembly. <P>SOLUTION: The thrust sliding bearing 1 is provided with a sheet metal made upper case 4 having an outer face 2 and an annular bottom face 3, a synthetic resin made lower case 6 lapped on the upper case 4 to freely turn in an R direction around an axis O of the upper case 4, and having an annular top face 5 facing the annular bottom face 3 of the upper case 4, an annular synthetic resin made thrust sliding bearing piece 7 extending orthogonal to the axis O of the upper case 4 and interposed between the annular bottom face 3 and the annular top face 5 of the lower case 6, and a synthetic resin annular cover 9 exposing to a center annular area 8 of the outer face 2 of the upper case 4 and covering the outer face 2 of the upper case 4. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a thrust slide bearing, and more particularly to a thrust slide bearing suitable for being incorporated as a slide bearing of a strut type suspension (McPherson type) in a four-wheeled vehicle, and a combination mechanism of the thrust slide bearing and a piston rod.

JP-A-8-326758 JP 2004-263773 A JP 2004-225754 A

  A strut type suspension used for the front wheel of a four-wheeled vehicle generally has a structure in which a coil spring is combined with a strut assembly in which a hydraulic shock absorber is built in an outer cylinder integrated with a main shaft. In such suspension, when the strut assembly rotates together with the coil spring in the steering operation, there are a type in which the piston rod of the strut assembly rotates and a type in which the piston rod does not rotate. In order to allow smooth rotation of the strut assembly, a synthetic plastic thrust sliding bearing is used instead of the rolling bearing between the mounting mechanism of the strut assembly to the vehicle body and the upper spring seat member of the coil spring. There is a case.

  By the way, in the mounting mechanism of the strut assembly to the vehicle body, a mounting plate is used to support one end of the piston rod of the hydraulic shock absorber. In such a mounting mechanism, one end of the piston rod is supported. In addition to requiring a mounting plate, the structure is complicated, resulting in high costs.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned points, and an object of the present invention is to support one end of a piston rod in place of a mounting plate of a mechanism for mounting a strut assembly to a vehicle body. It is an object of the present invention to provide a thrust slide bearing capable of simplifying the mechanism and reducing the cost, and a combination mechanism of the thrust slide bearing and a piston rod.

  The thrust sliding bearing of the present invention is a sheet metal annular first bearing body having an outer surface and an annular lower surface, and the first bearing body relatively rotates around the axis of the first bearing body. A synthetic resin annular second bearing body having an annular upper surface facing the annular lower surface of the first bearing body, and the annular lower surface of the first bearing body and the second bearing. An annular thrust sliding bearing piece made of synthetic resin interposed between the annular upper surfaces of the body and a synthetic resin covering the outer surface of the first bearing body by exposing the central annular region of the outer surface of the first bearing body The first bearing body has an inner diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the second bearing body.

  The thrust slide bearing according to the present invention includes the first bearing body made of sheet metal, the central annular region of the outer surface being exposed and the inner diameter being smaller than the inner diameter of the second bearing body. Therefore, one end of the piston rod can be supported by the first bearing body, and a mounting plate for supporting one end of the piston rod in the mounting mechanism of the strut assembly to the vehicle body can be omitted. It can be simplified and cost can be reduced.

  The first bearing body includes an annular plate portion having an annular lower surface and an annular flat outer surface, and a curved portion integral with the annular plate portion and having a curved outer surface, and the cover is an annular shape of the annular plate portion. Even if the central annular region of the flat outer surface is exposed to cover the annular flat outer surface of the annular plate portion and the curved outer surface of the curved portion, the outer surface of the first bearing body is orthogonal to the axis of the first bearing body. And the cover may cover the outer surface of the first bearing body by exposing the central annular region of the annular flat outer surface.

  In a preferred example, the cover includes an annular plate portion, a curved portion integral with the annular plate portion, a cylindrical portion integral with the curved portion, and an engagement protrusion integral with the cylindrical inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion. The second bearing body includes an engagement protrusion that engages with an engagement protrusion of the cover in a snap-fit manner.

  The first bearing body made of sheet metal is preferably formed from a steel plate, an aluminum plate or an aluminum alloy plate.

  The second bearing body made of synthetic resin may be made of synthetic resin including at least one of polyacetal resin, polyamide resin, thermoplastic polyester resin, polyolefin resin, polycarbonate resin and fluororesin, and is a thrust sliding bearing The piece may be made of a synthetic resin including at least one of a polyacetal resin, a polyamide resin, a thermoplastic polyester resin, a polyolefin resin, and a fluororesin. For the second bearing body, a synthetic resin similar to the synthetic resin constituting the thrust slide bearing piece can be used, but in particular, the synthetic resin used for the thrust slide bearing piece and a synthetic resin having a good friction characteristic The preferable combination is exemplified by a combination of a polyacetal resin and a polyamide resin, a combination of a polyolefin resin, particularly a polyethylene resin and a polyacetal resin, with respect to the thrust sliding bearing piece and the second bearing body. There are combinations of polyacetal resins and thermoplastic polyester resins, particularly polybutylene terephthalate resins, and combinations of polyacetal resins and polyacetal resins.

  The synthetic resin cover is formed of a thermoplastic synthetic resin such as polyacetal resin, polyamide resin, thermoplastic polyester resin, or a reinforced thermoplastic synthetic resin containing a reinforcing filler such as glass fiber in these thermoplastic synthetic resins. Good.

  A thrust slide bearing and a piston rod combination mechanism according to the present invention, and in a preferred example, a combination mechanism for use in a strut-type suspension in a four-wheel vehicle includes the thrust slide bearing according to any one of the above aspects and a piston rod of a shock absorber. Here, the piston rod has a large diameter portion arranged in a through hole defined by the inner peripheral surface of the second bearing body, and a smaller diameter and a larger diameter than the large diameter portion. A small-diameter portion that is integrally formed with the portion and disposed in a through-hole defined by the inner peripheral surface of the first bearing body, and a screw portion that is engraved in the small-diameter portion, The first bearing body has an annular concave step surface between the large diameter portion and the small diameter portion of the piston rod that contacts the annular lower surface, and an annular surface that contacts the central annular region of the exposed outer surface. Nuts threaded onto the thread It is sandwiched.

  According to the present invention, a thrust slide bearing capable of supporting one end of a piston rod in place of a mounting plate of a mounting mechanism of a strut assembly to a vehicle body, thus simplifying the mounting mechanism and reducing costs, and the thrust A combination mechanism of a plain bearing and a piston rod can be provided.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail based on preferred examples shown in the drawings. The present invention is not limited to these examples.

  1 to 3, the thrust slide bearing 1 of the present example includes an upper case 4 as an annular first bearing body made of a sheet metal having an outer surface 2 and an annular lower surface 3, and the upper case 4 is connected to the upper case 4. A lower case as an annular second bearing body made of a synthetic resin having an annular upper surface 5 which is superposed so as to be rotatable in the R direction around the axis O and which faces the annular lower surface 3 of the upper case 4. 6, an annular synthetic resin thrust sliding bearing piece 7 interposed between the annular lower surface 3 extending perpendicular to the axis O of the upper case 4 and the annular upper surface 5 of the lower case 6, and the upper case 4 And an annular cover 9 made of a synthetic resin that covers the outer surface 2 of the upper case 4 by exposing the central annular region 8 of the outer surface 2.

  The outer surface 2 of the upper case 4 includes an annular flat outer surface 11 extending perpendicular to the axis O, a curved outer surface 12 continuous with the annular flat outer surface 11, an annular lower surface 3, an annular flat outer surface 11 and an annular inner peripheral end surface 13. An annular plate portion 15 and a curved portion 16 that is integral with the annular plate portion 15 and has a curved outer surface 12. The curved portion 16 is continuous with the annular lower surface 3 in addition to the curved outer surface 12. The inner surface 19 of the upper case 4 includes the annular lower surface 3 and the curved inner surface 17.

  The lower case 6 includes an annular upper surface 5 extending orthogonally to the axis O, an annular lower surface 21 extending orthogonally to the axis O, an annular plate portion 24 having an annular inner peripheral end surface 22 and an annular outer peripheral end surface 23; An annular protrusion 25 that is integral with the annular plate portion 24 and protrudes from the annular upper surface 5 toward the annular lower surface 3 of the upper case 4, and an annular member that is integral with the annular plate portion 24 and protrudes downward from the annular lower surface 21. The projection 26 includes an annular engagement projection 27 that is integral with the annular plate portion 24 and projects radially outward from the annular outer peripheral end surface 23, and the annular projection 25 is formed on the surface of the annular inner peripheral end surface 22. The annular inner peripheral surface 31 and the annular outer peripheral surface 32 that is arranged radially outward of the annular inner peripheral surface 31 and that stands upright with respect to the annular upper surface 5 are provided. The inner peripheral end surface 22 and the same annular inner peripheral surface 33, and the radial inner peripheral surface 33 An annular outer peripheral surface 34 that is disposed outward and is upright with respect to the annular lower surface 21 is provided. The engagement protrusion 27 includes an annular upper surface 36 that faces the annular end surface 18, and an annular lower surface that faces downward. 37.

  The upper case 4 is defined by an annular inner peripheral end surface 13 smaller than an inner diameter r1 (see FIG. 4) defined by the annular inner peripheral end surface 22, the annular inner peripheral surface 31 and the annular inner peripheral surface 33 of the lower case 6. It has an inner diameter r2.

  The thrust sliding bearing piece 7 slides on the annular upper surface 41 in contact with the annular lower surface 3, the annular lower surface 42 in sliding contact with the annular upper surface 5 with low friction resistance in the R direction, and the annular outer peripheral surface 32 with low friction resistance in the R direction. An annular inner peripheral surface 43 that comes into contact, an annular outer peripheral surface 44 that faces the curved inner surface 17 with a gap, and an annular upper surface 41 and an annular inclined surface 45 that is continuous with the annular outer peripheral surface 44 are provided.

  The thrust slide bearing piece 7 slides with a low frictional resistance in the R direction relative to the annular lower surface 42 with respect to the annular upper surface 5 and with a low frictional resistance in the R direction relative to the annular inner peripheral surface 43 with respect to the annular outer peripheral surface 32. By movement, relative rotation in the R direction around the axis O of the lower case 6 with respect to the upper case 4 is allowed.

  A thin-walled cover 9 having an outer surface 51 and an inner surface 52 that is in close contact with the outer surface 2 of the upper case 4 without a gap is an annular plate portion 54 having an annular inner peripheral end surface 53, and a curve integrated with the annular plate portion 54. Part 55, a cylindrical part 57 that is integral with the curved part 55 and has an annular lower end surface 56, and an annular engagement protrusion 59 that is integral with the cylindrical inner surface 58 of the cylindrical part 57 and projects radially inward. It is equipped with.

  The outer surface 51 includes an annular flat outer surface 61 of the annular plate portion 54, a curved outer surface 62 continuous with the annular flat outer surface 61, and a cylindrical outer surface 63 continuous with the curved outer surface 62. An annular flat inner surface 65 of the portion 54, a curved inner surface 66 continuous with the annular flat inner surface 65, and a cylindrical inner surface 58 continuous with the curved inner surface 66 are provided.

  The cover 9 exposes the central annular region 8 of the annular flat outer surface 11 of the annular plate portion 15 to cover the outer surface 2 of the upper case 4, specifically, the annular flat outer surface 11 and the curved portion 16 of the annular plate portion 15. The curved outer surface 12 is covered.

  The engaging protrusion 27 of the lower case 6 is engaged with the engaging protrusion 59 of the cover 9 in a snap-fit manner by the elastic flexibility of the engaging protrusion 27 and the cylindrical portion 57, so that the cover 9 and the lower case 6 are engaged. The lower case 6 is interconnected in the vertical direction with respect to the cover 9 and the thrust sliding bearing piece 7 is arranged so that the cover 6 can be relatively rotated in the R direction around the axis O. It is designed to prevent mud and water from entering the space.

  In the thrust sliding bearing 1 described above, the upper case 4 and the lower case 6 are rotated around the axis O by a snap-fit engagement utilizing the flexibility of the synthetic resin to the engagement protrusion 59 of the engagement protrusion 27. In the rotation of the lower case 6 relative to the upper case 4 around the axis O in the R direction, the thrust sliding bearing piece is connected to each other so as to be relatively rotatable in the R direction. 7 is caused to slide with a low frictional resistance between the annular lower surface 42 and the annular upper surface 5 of the annular plate portion 24, and thus relative to the upper case 4 around the axis O. Smooth rotation in the R direction with very low frictional resistance.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the thrust sliding bearing 1 has a hydraulic shock absorber (not shown) provided with a piston rod 71 and a coil spring 72 arranged to surround the hydraulic shock absorber. This is used when the strut suspension 73 of the vehicle is attached to the vehicle body via the attachment mechanism 74.

  A strut suspension 73 in a vehicle, for example, a four-wheeled vehicle, is disposed so as to surround the piston rod 71 and an upper spring seat member 75 that receives one end of the coil spring 72 in addition to the hydraulic shock absorber and the coil spring 72. The mounting mechanism 74 includes an elastic member 78 in which a mandrel 77 is embedded. The thrust slide bearing 1 includes the elastic member 78 of the mounting mechanism 74 and the strut suspension 73. The elastic member 78 is arranged between the upper spring seat member 75 and the outer surface 51 of the cover 9 so as to surround the thrust slide bearing 1. An annular spacer 79 is disposed between the annular plate portion 24.

  The piston rod 71 has a large diameter portion 82 disposed in a through hole 81 defined by the annular inner peripheral end surface 22 and the annular inner peripheral surfaces 31 and 33, and a smaller diameter than the large diameter portion 82. A small-diameter portion 84 formed integrally with the through-hole 83 defined by the annular inner peripheral end face 13 of the upper case 4 and a screw portion 85 engraved in the small-diameter portion 84 are provided. The upper case 4 has an annular concave step surface 86 between the large diameter portion 82 and the small diameter portion 84 of the piston rod 71 that contacts the annular lower surface 3, and an annular surface that contacts the exposed central annular region 8 of the outer surface 2. 87 and a nut 88 that is screwed into the threaded portion 85.

  The large-diameter portion 82 is in contact with the annular inner circumferential end surface 22 and the annular inner circumferential surfaces 31 and 33 at the outer surface 91 of the through-hole 81 so as to be rotatable in the R direction. The upper inner case 4 sandwiched between the annular concave step surface 86 and the annular surface 87 does not rotate in the R direction via the nut 88 screwed into the screw portion 85. Thus, the elastic member 78 holds it.

  In the combination mechanism of the thrust slide bearing 1 and the piston rod 71 described above, when the coil spring 72 is rotated in the R direction around the axis O by a steering operation, the lower case 6 is the axis center with respect to the upper case 4. The rotation of the lower case 6 is smoothly performed by the thrust sliding bearing piece 7 disposed between the lower case 6 and the upper case 4, and therefore the steering operation is also performed without resistance. .

  According to the thrust slide bearing 1, the central annular region 8 of the outer surface 2 is exposed and the upper case 4 made of sheet metal having an inner diameter r 2 smaller than the inner diameter r 1 of the lower case 6 is provided. In addition, one end of the piston rod 71 can be supported by the upper case 4 via the nut 88, and the mounting plate in the mounting mechanism 74 to the vehicle body of the strut assembly including the strut suspension 73 can be omitted. 74 can be simplified and the cost can be reduced.

It is sectional drawing of an example of embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the example shown in FIG. It is a perspective view of the upper case of the example shown in FIG. It is a cross-sectional explanatory drawing of the combination mechanism of the thrust slide bearing and strut type suspension of the example shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Thrust slide bearing 2 Outer surface 3 Annular lower surface 4 Upper case 5 Annular upper surface 6 Lower case 7 Thrust sliding bearing piece 8 Central annular area 9 Cover

Claims (6)

  An annular first bearing body made of sheet metal having an outer surface and an annular lower surface is overlaid on the first bearing body so as to be relatively rotatable about the axis of the first bearing body. And an annular second bearing body made of synthetic resin having an annular upper surface facing the annular lower surface of the first bearing body, and interposed between the annular lower surface of the first bearing body and the annular upper surface of the second bearing body. An annular thrust sliding bearing piece made of synthetic resin, and an annular cover made of synthetic resin covering the outer surface of the first bearing body by exposing the central annular region of the outer surface of the first bearing body. The first bearing body is a thrust slide bearing having an inner diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the second bearing body.   The first bearing body includes an annular plate portion having an annular lower surface and an annular flat outer surface, and a curved portion integral with the annular plate portion and having a curved outer surface, and the cover includes the annular plate portion. The thrust slide bearing according to claim 1, wherein a central annular region of the annular flat outer surface is exposed to cover the annular flat outer surface of the annular plate portion and the curved outer surface of the curved portion.   The outer surface of the first bearing body has an annular flat outer surface extending perpendicular to the axis of the first bearing body, and the cover exposes the central annular region of the annular flat outer surface to expose the first annular surface. The thrust sliding bearing according to claim 1 or 2, which covers an outer surface of the bearing body.   The cover includes an annular plate portion, a curved portion integral with the annular plate portion, a cylindrical portion integral with the curved portion, and an engagement protrusion integral with the cylindrical inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion. 4. The thrust slide bearing according to claim 1, wherein the second bearing body includes an engagement protrusion that engages with an engagement protrusion of the cover in a snap-fit manner. 5.   A thrust slide bearing according to any one of claims 1 to 4 and a piston rod of a shock absorber are provided, and the piston rod is formed in a through hole defined by the inner peripheral surface of the second bearing body. A large-diameter portion disposed, and a small-diameter that is smaller than the large-diameter portion and is formed integrally with the large-diameter portion and disposed in a through-hole defined by the inner peripheral surface of the first bearing body And a threaded portion engraved on the small-diameter portion, and the first bearing body includes an annular concave stepped surface between the large-diameter portion and the small-diameter portion of the piston rod that contacts the annular lower surface. A combination mechanism of a thrust slide bearing and a piston rod that has an annular surface that contacts a central annular region of the exposed outer surface and is sandwiched between nuts screwed into a threaded portion.   The thrust slide bearing and piston rod combination mechanism according to claim 5 for use in a strut suspension in a four-wheeled vehicle.

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