JP2008115879A - Hydraulic shock absorber - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a self-leveling type hydraulic shock absorber for preventing the mixture of foreign matters from intruding into an oil liquid by welding spattering and the deformation caused by welding heat. <P>SOLUTION: Into a cylinder filled with the oil liquid, a piston is fitted to which a piston rod 17 is connected. Damping force generating mechanisms 21, 22 generate damping forces, and a self-leveling means S performs vehicle height adjustment while giving and taking the oil liquid between the cylinder 2 and an oil tank 9 via an annular oil path 32 between the cylinder 2 and a separator tube 3. Retainers 5, 6 fitted to the separator tube 3 retain a bladder 10 of a reservoir 8, and annular protruded portions 40, 41 of the separator tube 3 position the retainers 5, 6 in the axial direction. The retainers 5, 6 are not welded to the separator tube 3 to prevent the intrusion of the mixture of foreign matters by welding spattering and the deformation caused by heat. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a hydraulic shock absorber provided with a vehicle height automatic adjustment mechanism mounted on a suspension device of a vehicle such as an automobile.

  In general, in a vehicle such as an automobile, a hydraulic shock absorber is mounted between a spring and an unsprung part of a suspension system so as to damp vibrations on the spring and unsprung so as to improve riding comfort and driving stability. I have to. However, in vehicles with relatively large loading weight, such as vans and wagons, the ride height and the loading / unloading of passengers change the vehicle height significantly, reducing ride comfort and driving stability. There are things to do. For this reason, there is a demand for a suspension device that can automatically maintain a constant vehicle height regardless of the load capacity.

Therefore, as described in Patent Document 1, for example, pump means for supplying the oil in the oil tank into the cylinder by expansion and contraction of the piston rod, and from the pump means and the cylinder to the oil tank according to the expansion and contraction position of the piston rod. A return means for returning the pressure oil, and operating the pump means and the return means by utilizing the vibration of the suspension device during traveling to appropriately adjust the pressure in the cylinder and adjust the extension length of the piston rod to be constant. Thus, a so-called self-leveling hydraulic shock absorber that automatically maintains a certain standard vehicle height has been proposed.
JP-A-9-144801

  Incidentally, the self-leveling hydraulic shock absorber described in Patent Document 1 has the following problems. Since the annular member for holding the bladder that separates the gas chamber and the oil chamber of the reservoir is fixed by welding, there is a possibility that foreign matter may be mixed in the oil liquid due to the occurrence of spatter. There is a concern that the annular member may be deformed to lower the sealing performance.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and provides a self-leveling hydraulic shock absorber capable of preventing foreign matter from being mixed into an oil liquid by welding and deformation due to welding heat. With the goal.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a hydraulic shock absorber according to the invention of claim 1 includes a cylinder in which oil is sealed, a piston slidably fitted in the cylinder, and one end connected to the piston. Connected to the cylinder, a piston rod connected to the other end and extended to the outside of the cylinder, a damping force generating mechanism for controlling the flow of oil generated by the movement of the piston and generating a damping force An oil chamber is provided between the cylinder and the oil tank by the expansion and contraction of the piston rod, a reservoir having an oil chamber and a gas chamber partitioned from the oil chamber by a bladder, an oil tank for storing the oil solution, In a hydraulic shock absorber provided with self-leveling means for adjusting the extension length of the piston,
The reservoir and the oil tank are disposed on the outer periphery of the cylinder along the axial direction, and the self-leveling means is formed between a substantially cylindrical separator tube provided on the outer periphery of the cylinder and the cylinder. Oil is exchanged between the cylinder and the oil tank via the oil passage, and both ends of the bladder are held by a pair of annular retainers fitted to the outer periphery of the separator tube, The retainer is positioned in the axial direction in contact with a protrusion formed on the outer periphery of the separator tube.
A hydraulic shock absorber according to a second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the configuration of the first aspect, the protrusion is an annular protrusion that contacts each of the pair of retainers.
A hydraulic shock absorber according to a third aspect of the present invention is the hydraulic shock absorber according to the first aspect, wherein the protrusions are tapered portions formed at both ends of the large diameter portion provided in the separator tube, A taper surface that engages with the taper portion is formed on the peripheral surface.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, in the hydraulic shock absorber having the self-leveling means, the retainer that holds the bladder that partitions the oil chamber and the gas chamber of the reservoir is axially formed by the protruding portion formed on the outer periphery of the separator tube. Since positioning does not require welding, it is possible to prevent foreign matter from being mixed into the oil liquid due to spattering and deformation due to welding heat.
According to the hydraulic shock absorber according to the invention of claim 2, the retainer can be positioned by the annular protrusion.
According to the hydraulic shock absorber pertaining to the invention of claim 3, the retainer can be positioned by engagement of the tapered portion of the large diameter portion and the tapered surface of the retainer.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, the hydraulic shock absorber 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is provided with a substantially cylindrical separator tube 3 having a slightly larger diameter than the cylinder 2 on the outer periphery of the cylinder 2. Has a triple cylinder structure in which a substantially bottomed cylindrical outer cylinder 4 is provided on the outer periphery of the cylinder. A pair of annular retainers 5 and 6 are fitted between the separator tube 3 and the outer cylinder 4. A bottom chamber 7 is formed at the bottom of the outer cylinder 4 by a retainer 5 fitted near the bottom of the outer cylinder 4. In addition, an annular chamber between the separator tube 3 and the outer cylinder 4 is partitioned into an upper reservoir 8 and a lower oil tank 9 by a retainer 6 fitted in an intermediate portion of the outer cylinder 4. The reservoir 8 is further divided into an oil chamber 11 on the inner peripheral side and a gas chamber 12 on the outer peripheral side by a flexible bladder 10 clamped to the retainers 5 and 6.

  In the cylinder 2, a base body 13 is fitted to an end portion on the bottom side of the outer cylinder 4, and the inside of the cylinder 2 and the bottom chamber 7 are partitioned by the base body 13. Further, an inner cap 14 is fitted to the cylinder 2 at the end of the outer cylinder 4 on the opening side, and an outer cap 15 is fitted to the opening of the outer cylinder 4. 9 is formed, and the inner cap 14 partitions the inside of the cylinder 2 and the oil tank 9.

  A piston 16 is slidably fitted into the cylinder 2, and the piston 16 defines the inside of the cylinder 2 as two chambers, a cylinder upper chamber 2A and a cylinder lower chamber 2B. One end of a hollow piston rod 17 is passed through the piston 16 and connected by a nut 18. The other end of the piston rod 17 is inserted into the inner cap 14 and the outer cap 15 in an airtight and slidable manner. Is extended to the outside. An oil liquid is sealed in the cylinder 2 and the oil chamber 11 of the reservoir 8, a high pressure gas is sealed in the gas chamber 12 of the reservoir 8, and appropriate amounts of the oil liquid and low pressure gas are stored in the oil tank 9. Is enclosed.

  The piston 16 includes expansion side and contraction side oil passages 19 and 20 for communicating between the cylinder upper and lower 2A and 2B, an orifice and a disk valve for controlling the flow of oil in these oil passages to generate a damping force, and the like. The expansion side and contraction side damping force generation mechanisms 21 and 22 (damping force generation mechanism) are provided. The cylinder upper chamber 2A communicates with the bottom chamber 7 through an oil passage 23 provided in the base body 13 and an oil passage 24 formed in the bottom of the outer cylinder 4, and the bottom chamber 7 is formed in the retainer 5. The oil passage 11 communicates with the oil chamber 11 of the reservoir 8.

  The piston rod 17 incorporates a self-leveling means S for adjusting the vehicle height by exchanging oil between the cylinder 2 and the oil tank 9. Next, the self-leveling means S will be described.

  A pump tube 26 is inserted into the hollow piston rod 17 and fixed by a spring 27. A tubular pump rod 28 is disposed in the cylinder 2 along the axial center thereof, the base end portion of the pump rod 28 is connected to the base body 13, and the distal end portion is slidable in the pump tube 26. The pump chamber 29 is formed in the pump tube 26 by fitting. The oil passage 30 in the pump rod 28 communicates with the oil tank 9 via an oil passage 31 provided in the base body 13 and an annular oil passage 32 (oil passage) formed between the cylinder 2 and the separator tube 3. Has been. The tip of the separator tube 3 extends sufficiently below the liquid level L of the oil liquid stored in the oil tank 9 so that the gas in the oil tank 9 does not enter the annular oil passage 32. ing.

  The pump chamber 29 is communicated with an oil passage 30 in the pump rod 28 via a check valve 33 provided at the tip of the pump rod 28, and the check valve 33 is connected to the pump chamber 29 from the oil passage 30. Only fluid flow is allowed. The pump chamber 29 is communicated with an annular oil passage 35 formed between the hollow piston rod 17 and the pump tube 26 via a check valve 34 provided at the end of the pump tube 26. In addition, the oil passage 35 communicates with the cylinder upper chamber 2A. The check valve 34 allows only the fluid flow from the pump chamber 29 to the oil passage 35.

  A groove 36 extending along the axial direction from the tip end portion is formed in the side surface portion of the pump rod 28. Normally, the pump chamber 29 is communicated with the cylinder lower chamber 2A via the groove 36. When the piston rod 17 is shortened to a predetermined position, the communication between the groove 36 and the cylinder upper chamber 2A is blocked by the pump tube 26 as shown in FIG. In addition, a relief port 37 is formed in the side wall of the pump rod 28, and the relief port 37 is normally closed by the pump tube 26. When the piston rod 17 extends to a predetermined position, the relief port 37 extends from the pump tube 26. Exposed to allow communication between the cylinder upper chamber 2A and the oil passage 30 in the pump rod 28.

Next, the structure of the mounting portion of the bladder 10 of the reservoir 8 will be described in more detail.
The bottom part of the outer cylinder 4 consists of the base cap 38 attached to the edge part of a cylindrical part, The inner surface is formed in concave shape. At the upper end portion of the separator tube 3, an inner flange portion 39 is formed so as to protrude outward along the inner surface of the base cap 5. Further, the tip end portion of the base body 13 attached to the upper end portion of the cylinder 2 is formed in a convex shape along the inner surface of the inner flange portion 39. The separator tube 3 is inserted into the outer cylinder 4, the cylinder 2 having the base body 13 attached to one end thereof is inserted into the separator tube 3, and the inner cap 14 is attached to the other end of the cylinder 2. The outer cap 15 is attached to the opening of the outer cylinder 4, and the inner flange 39 of the separator tube 3 is pressed against the inner surface of the base cap 38 by the cylinder 2 and the base body 13. These members are integrally fixed by caulking the portion and fixing the outer cap 15.

  At this time, the outer cylinder 4 and the separator tube 3 are positioned concentrically by the engagement of the concave inner surfaces of the retainers 5 and 6 and the base cap 38 with the convex inner flange portion 39. The separator tube 3 and the cylinder 2 are positioned concentrically by the engagement of the inner flange portion 39 and the base body 13 and the engagement of the inner cap 14 and the outer cap 15.

  On the side wall of the separator tube 3, portions adjacent to the retainers 5, 6 protrude outward and annular protrusions 40, 41 are formed. The retainer 5 is positioned in the axial direction between the shoulder portion of the base cap 38 and the protruding portion 40. The retainer 6 is positioned in the axial direction in contact with the protruding portion 41. Both ends of the bladder 10 are fitted into the outer peripheral grooves 42 and 43 of the retainers 5 and 6 and are clamped between the retainers 5 and 6 and the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder 4. In the illustrated example, the retainer 6 is supported by the tension of the bladder 10 and does not move downward. However, the retainer 6 may be separately held by a retaining ring or the like.

The operation of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described next.
The hydraulic shock absorber 1 is mounted between a spring and an unsprung part of a vehicle suspension system, and the piston 16 in the cylinder 2 slides along the expansion and contraction of the piston rod 17 so that the expansion side and the contraction between the cylinder upper and lower chambers 2A and 2B. The flow of the oil liquid through the side oil passages 19 and 20 is generated, and the damping force is generated by controlling the flow of the oil liquid by the expansion side and contraction side damping force generation mechanisms 21 and 22. At this time, the volume change in the cylinder 2 due to the entry and withdrawal of the piston rod 17 is compensated by the compression and expansion of the gas in the gas chamber 12 of the reservoir 8.

Next, the vehicle height adjustment function of the hydraulic shock absorber 1 will be described.
Normally, when the vehicle is empty, the extension length of the piston rod 17 is within a predetermined standard range. In this state, since the pump chamber 29 is communicated with the cylinder upper chamber 2A by the groove 36 of the pump rod 28, the pumping operation is not performed even if the piston rod 17 expands and contracts, and the vehicle height is maintained.

  When the vehicle height decreases due to an increase in the loaded load and the extension length of the piston rod 17 becomes shorter than a predetermined standard range, the groove 36 is blocked from the cylinder upper chamber 2A by the pump tube 26. In this state, when the piston rod 17 expands and contracts during traveling, the pump rod 28 is retracted and the pump chamber 29 is expanded and depressurized during the extension stroke, the check valve 33 is opened, and the oil in the oil tank 9 is annular. The oil is introduced into the pump chamber 29 through the oil passage 32, the oil passage 31, and the oil passage 30. During the contraction stroke, the pump rod 28 moves forward, the pump chamber 29 is contracted and pressurized, the check valve 34 is opened, and oil is supplied from the pump chamber 29 through the oil passage 35 to the cylinder upper chamber 2A. The rod 17 is extended. In this way, by repeating the pumping operation by the expansion and contraction of the piston rod 17 that is running, the piston rod 17 is extended to raise the vehicle height. When the vehicle height reaches a predetermined standard range, the pump chamber 29 is communicated with the cylinder upper chamber 2A by the groove 36 as described above, and the pumping operation is released.

  Further, when the vehicle height rises due to a decrease in the loaded load and the extension length of the piston rod 17 exceeds a predetermined standard range, the relief port 37 of the pump rod 28 is exposed from the pump tube 26, and the relief port 37. Thus, the cylinder upper chamber 2A and the oil passage 30 are communicated with each other. As a result, the oil in the cylinder upper chamber 2A is returned to the oil tank 9, and the piston rod 17 is shortened to lower the vehicle height. When the vehicle height decreases and the extension length of the piston rod 17 is shortened to a predetermined standard range, the relief port 37 is blocked by the pump tube 26 and the vehicle height is maintained.

  In this way, by using the expansion and contraction of the piston rod 17 during traveling, the pumping operation and the return operation are repeated as appropriate, so that the extension length of the piston rod 17 is adjusted to a predetermined standard range and the load is affected. The vehicle height can be automatically adjusted to a constant value.

  The pair of retainers 5 and 6 that hold the bladder 10 and form the reservoir 8 are positioned by abutting against the protrusions 40 and 41 of the separator tube 3 and are not fixed by welding. There is no problem of contamination due to foreign matter in the oil liquid and deformation due to welding heat. Moreover, since the protrusion parts 40 and 41 can be easily formed in the cylindrical separator tube 3, manufacture is easy and manufacturing cost is also cheap. In addition, in the said embodiment, although the protrusion parts 40 and 41 are formed cyclically | annularly over the perimeter of the separator tube 3, you may arrange more than one along the circumferential direction.

  Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the following description, the same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and only different parts will be described in detail.

  As shown in FIG. 2, in the hydraulic shock absorber 44 according to the present embodiment, the separator tube 3 has a large diameter portion 45 formed by expanding the reservoir 8 in place of the protruding portions 40 and 41. Tapered portions 46 and 47 are formed at both ends of the diameter portion 45. The upper retainer 5 is positioned in the axial direction with its lower end abutting against the tapered portion 46. Further, the lower retainer 6 has a tapered surface 48 that engages with the tapered portion 47 at the inner peripheral portion, and is positioned in the axial direction by contacting and engaging the tapered surface 48 with the tapered portion 47. Yes. Thereby, there can exist an effect | action and effect similar to the said 1st Embodiment.

1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a hydraulic shock absorber according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the hydraulic shock absorber which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  1 Hydraulic shock absorber, 2 cylinder, 3 separator tube, 5 and 6 retainer, 8 reservoir, 9 oil tank, 10 bladder, 11 oil chamber, 12 gas chamber, 16 piston, 17 piston rod, 21 extension side damping force generation mechanism ( Damping force generation mechanism), 22 compression side damping force generation mechanism (damping force generation mechanism), 32 annular oil passage (oil passage), 40, 41 protrusion, S self-leveling means

Claims (3)

A cylinder filled with oil, a piston slidably fitted in the cylinder, a piston rod having one end coupled to the piston and the other end extending outside the cylinder, and the piston A damping force generating mechanism that generates a damping force by controlling the flow of the oil liquid generated by the movement of the oil, a reservoir having an oil chamber connected to the cylinder and a gas chamber partitioned from the oil chamber by a bladder, and an oil liquid In a hydraulic shock absorber comprising: an oil tank that stores oil; and self-leveling means that adjusts the extension length of the piston by exchanging oil between the cylinder and the oil tank by expansion and contraction of the piston rod;
The reservoir and the oil tank are disposed on the outer periphery of the cylinder along the axial direction, and the self-leveling means is formed between a substantially cylindrical separator tube provided on the outer periphery of the cylinder and the cylinder. Oil is exchanged between the cylinder and the oil tank via the oil passage, and both ends of the bladder are held by a pair of annular retainers fitted to the outer periphery of the separator tube, The retainer is positioned in the axial direction in contact with a protrusion formed on an outer peripheral portion of the separator tube.   The hydraulic shock absorber according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion is an annular protrusion that contacts each of the pair of retainers. The protruding portions are tapered portions formed at both ends of a large diameter portion provided in the separator tube, and a tapered surface that engages with the tapered portion is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the retainer. The hydraulic shock absorber according to claim 1, wherein:

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