JP2011245937A - Air spring - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air spring in which adjustment of stopper height resulting from adjustment of vehicle height by air supply/exhaust to/from a diaphragm is more facilitated than before.SOLUTION: The air spring includes: an upper support section 1 of a vehicle body side; a lower support section 2 of a truck side arranged under the upper support section; and the diaphragm 3 arranged spreading between both sections 1 and 2. The air spring further includes: a stopper S which when a vertical compression amount of the diaphragm 3 becomes a predetermined value K, causes a upper stop member 5 of the upper support section side and a lower stop member 15 of the lower support section side abut on each other thereby restricting excessive descending movement of the upper support section 1, both the members being arranged in the diaphragm 3; a height adjustment device 12 which adjusts and sets the compression amount by changing a height position of the lower stop member 15; and an operation mechanism 13 for enabling changing and adjusting operation of the height position of the lower stop member 15 to be performed outside the diaphragm 3.

Description

  The present invention relates to an air spring, and more specifically, includes an upper support portion on a vehicle body side, a lower support portion on a cart side disposed below the upper support portion, and a diaphragm made of an elastic material provided over both of them. It is related with the air spring which consists of.

  In general, the air spring is used as a suspension device and a vibration isolator, but may be used as a vehicle height adjusting device by taking air into and out of the diaphragm. For example, in an air spring used for a railway vehicle carriage, the height position of the vehicle is adjusted in order to facilitate getting on and off the platform, or power is supplied from the ground track running state where power is supplied from the pantograph and from below the side of the vehicle. For example, the vehicle height may be changed depending on the underground track running state. Further, when the tread surface of the worn wheel is shaved again and the diameter is reduced, the vehicle height is lowered. Therefore, the height of the vehicle is returned to the original position by pressurizing the diaphragm.

  The compression limit (stroke limit) in a normal air spring has a structure determined by the contact between the upper support portion and the lower support portion. Therefore, simply changing the working height of the diaphragm when adjusting the vehicle height results in a different amount of compression displacement for each working height, which may reduce the function of the air spring as a vibration isolator. .

  For such vehicle height adjustment, conventionally, in order to keep the compression stroke of the air spring constant after vehicle height adjustment (to eliminate characteristic changes due to stroke fluctuation), the position of the mounting surface between the air spring and the carriage In general, a method of returning the vehicle height through a shim that raises the vehicle height is employed. However, the method of lifting the entire air spring using the shim requires the air spring to be temporarily removed from the carriage for mounting the shim, which is cumbersome.

  The air spring disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a structure in which the compression stroke is increased / decreased and set by relative rotation of two stopper members with the support portion side that is the upper support portion side. It can be considered that it is housed and deployed in the diaphragm. However, even in the air spring disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to temporarily remove the air spring from the vehicle body and perform the rotation operation of the stopper member because of the structure. Therefore, the height adjustment is complicated.

JP 9-89029 A

  An object of the present invention is to provide an air spring that is improved so that the height adjustment of the stopper accompanying the height adjustment by supplying and discharging air to the diaphragm can be easily performed as compared with the conventional one.

The invention according to claim 1 includes an upper support portion 1 on the vehicle body side, a lower support portion 2 on the cart side disposed below the upper support portion 1, and a diaphragm 3 made of an elastic material provided over both of them 1 and 2. In an air spring comprising:
As the amount of compression of the diaphragm 3 in the vertical direction reaches a predetermined value K, the upper support member 5 and the lower support member disposed in the diaphragm 3 are both the lower stop member and the lower support member. Stopper means S that contacts the member 15 and restricts excessive downward movement of the upper support portion 1 is provided, and the height of one of the upper stop member 5 and the lower stop member 15 is the height of the stop member 15. A height adjusting device 12 for adjusting and setting the compression amount by changing the position is provided, and an operation mechanism that enables an operation to change and adjust the height position of the one stop member 15 on the outside of the diaphragm 3. 13 is equipped.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the air spring according to claim 1, wherein the lower support portion 2 is a top portion of an elastic portion b having a base 4 supported by a carriage as a bottom, and the height adjustment. The device 12 is configured to be able to change and set the height position of the lower stop member 15, and the operation mechanism 13 is configured to change the upper surface height position of the lower stop member 15. An operation unit 16 disposed on the inner side and an operated unit 19 supported by the lower support unit 2 on the outer side of the diaphragm 3 to drive the operation unit 16 are characterized. To do.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the air spring according to the second aspect, the height adjusting device 12 is configured so that the height position of the upper surface is changed by the rotational movement of the lower stop member 15. The member 15 is pivotally supported with respect to the lower support portion 2 so as to be rotatable. The operation shaft 16 as the operation portion 16 for rotating the lower stop member 15 is the lower support portion. The operation lever 19 serving as the operated portion 19 is attached to the front end portion of the second through-hole support member 2.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the air spring according to the third aspect, the lower stop member 15 has a fitting sliding structure with respect to the rotation axis X of the lower stop member 15 with respect to the lower support portion 2. And is pivotally supported so as to be movable.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the stopper means and the height adjusting device are compactly installed inside the diaphragm, but the height adjusting device of the stopper means is changed. Since the operated part to be adjusted is arranged outside the diaphragm, the height of the stopper means can be switched without hindering the function as an air spring without removing the air spring from the vehicle or the carriage. It is convenient and easy to handle. As a result, it is possible to provide an improved air spring so that the height adjustment of the stopper accompanying the height adjustment by supplying / discharging air to / from the diaphragm can be easily performed as compared with the related art.

  According to the invention of claim 2, as the height adjusting device, as a structure for changing and setting the upper surface height position of the lower stop member supported by the lower support part which is the top part of the laminated rubber part configured on the upper side of the pedestal. Therefore, there is an advantage that a height adjusting device can be provided without difficulty, for example, it is easier to secure an arrangement space than when changing and adjusting the height position of the upper stop member, and the surrounding structure is not changed. .

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the change in the height position of the upper surface of the lower stop member is performed by rotational movement, the height adjusting device can be configured with a relatively simple structure, and the lower stop member on the operating shaft of the lower stop member The operating lever can be provided at a penetrating protruding portion from the support portion, that is, at a position where the finger can easily reach as an air spring. Therefore, it is possible to provide an air spring that can be easily adjusted in height.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the lower stop member and the lower support portion have a sliding structure in which the peripheral surfaces are fitted to each other, the load acting on the lower stop member is applied to the fitting portion between the peripheral surfaces. Thus, the lower support portion takes charge of the operation shaft, and the operation shaft only needs to have a strength sufficient to turn the lower stop member, and there is an advantage that the size can be small and light.

Sectional drawing of the front view which shows the structure of the air spring for railway vehicles (Example 1) 1 is a cross-sectional view of the air spring of FIG. Sectional drawing which shows the stopper height adjustment of the air spring of FIG. Sectional drawing and principal part figure of air spring which shows height adjustment apparatus by another structure

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of an air spring according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings when applied to a railway vehicle.

[Example 1]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an air spring A for a railway vehicle according to the first embodiment includes an outer cylinder (an example of an upper support portion on the vehicle body side) 1 and an inner cylinder (on the cart side) disposed below the outer cylinder. An example of the lower support part) 2 and an air spring part a composed of a rubber (an example of an elastic material) diaphragm (bellows) 3 provided over both 1 and 2 and the inner cylinder 2 and the cart side A laminated rubber part b as an elastic part is interposed between the upper and lower sides of the base 4.

  The outer cylinder 1 includes a main body 1A made of a substantially deep dish-shaped circular steel plate integrally having a side peripheral wall 1a, a cylindrical bead holding ring 1b fixed to the lower surface thereof, and a support fixed to the center of the main body 1A. It is comprised from the axis | shaft 1c etc. A rubber ring guide 1d is provided at the lower part of the inner surface of the side peripheral wall 1a. A support shaft 1c having a vertical axis (vertical axis) P is supported by a vehicle body (not shown) such as a passenger car, and is fixed in a state where it is inserted into the central hole of the main body 1A. Is provided with a flat cylindrical upper stop member 5 made of an elastic material such as rubber in a state extending over the lower surface of the central portion of the main body 1A. The outer periphery of the main body 1A is configured in such a manner that the diaphragm 3 is guided and surrounded from the inner peripheral surface of the main body 1A to the inner surface of the side peripheral wall 1a, and the upper bead portion 3a of the diaphragm 3 is restricted by the bead holding ring 1b. Is supported by fitting.

  The inner cylinder 2 includes a metal upper disc 2A having an inner flange 2a, a thick outer peripheral portion 2b, and a thin ring inner plate 2c, and an upper flange plate 2B on which the upper disc 2A is mounted and bolted and integrated. A rubber retaining ring 6 is attached to the outer peripheral portion of the upper surface of the outer peripheral portion 2b. The lower bead portion 3b of the diaphragm 3 is fitted and supported on the outer peripheral portion 2b so as to cover the retaining ring 6 and to be regulated by the inner flange 2a.

  The pedestal 4 is formed by a cylindrical shaft 7 having the same vertical axis P as the support shaft 1c, and a flange plate 8 fitted and integrated with the upper portion of the cylindrical shaft 7, and the cylindrical shaft 7 is a bogie frame ( (Not shown). The laminated rubber part b is formed by integrating a plurality of cylindrical elastic rubber layers 9 and metal plates 10 alternately between the upper and lower flange plates 8 of the base 4 and the upper flange plate 2B of the inner cylinder 2. It is hollow and has a known structure.

  As the amount of compression of the diaphragm 3 in the vertical direction becomes a predetermined value K, the upper support member 5 and the lower support member 11 both disposed in the diaphragm are in contact with each other. Stopper means S that contacts and regulates excessive downward movement of the outer cylinder 1 is provided. And while being provided with the height adjustment apparatus 12 which performs adjustment setting of compression amount by changing the height position of the lower stop member 11 which is any one of the upper stop member 5 and the lower stop member 11, a lower stop member (One example) The operation mechanism 13 which enables the operation which changes and adjusts the height position of 11 on the outer side of the diaphragm 3 is equipped.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the height adjusting device 12 includes a base 14 placed and supported on the upper flange plate 2 </ b> B, and a horizontal axis (an example of a rotation axis) X around the base 14. A lower stop member 15 that is mounted so as to be capable of rotational movement is provided. The base 14 has, for example, an upper surface that is flush with the upper surface of the ring inner plate 2c and is fitted and supported on the inner peripheral end of the upper flange plate 2B, and has a radius r about the horizontal axis X. A concave arcuate inner circumferential curved surface 14a is formed, and a gap space for movement is formed below and around the suspension so as to receive a suspension action by the laminated rubber portion b. The lower stop member 15 has a convex arc outer peripheral curved surface 15a fitted into the arc inner peripheral curved surface 14a, a first contact surface 15F having a distance α from the horizontal axis X, and a distance from the horizontal axis X. and a second abutting surface 15S of β.

  The lower stop member 15 is penetrated by a support shaft 16 that rotates integrally therewith, and the support shaft 16 is rotatably supported by the upper disk 2A. Then, the operated shaft 18 that rotates in conjunction with the support shaft 16 by the gear mechanism 17 passes through the thin portion of the outer peripheral portion 2 b, that is, the notch portion 11, and the operation lever 19 rotates integrally with the protruding shaft end. Held in a state. The lower stop member 15 and the support shaft 16 are loosely engaged with each other by occlusion means such as keys, splines, and serrations, so that the downward load acting on the lower stop member 15 is between the curved surfaces. The base 14 is configured to serve as a fitting portion, that is, the inner cylinder 2 takes charge.

  Normally, as shown in FIG. 1, the rotation position of the lower stop member 15 is set so that the operation lever 19 is at the first position E and the first contact surface 15F is the upper surface. The vertical distance between the main body 1A and the ring inner plate 2c in this normal state is H, and the vertical distance between the first contact surface 15F and the upper stop member 5 is K. When the air spring part a, that is, the diaphragm 3 is strongly compressed due to an excessive load applied in this state, the upper stop member 5 and the lower stop member 15 come into contact with each other via the first contact surface 15F. Thus, excessive compression of the diaphragm 3 is restricted, and this is a stopper action by the stopper means S.

  Then, air is supplied and pressurized to the diaphragm 3 to restore the vehicle height lowered by grinding of the wheel tread, and as shown in FIG. 3, the vertical distance between the main body 1A and the ring inner plate 2c is the normal distance H. When the height is adjusted to be larger by γ by Hh (= H + γ), the operation lever 19 is turned about 90 degrees from the normal position E and moved to the raised position U. Then, the operating shaft 16 is moved by the gear mechanism 17, that is, the lower stop member 15 is rotated 90 degrees around the horizontal axis X in the direction of arrow A, and the second contact surface 15 S is now the upper surface as the lower stop member 15. It switches to the rising state.

  Then, since the vertical distance β with respect to the horizontal axis X is preset to β = α + γ, the vertical distance between the second contact surface 15S and the upper stop member 5 in this raised state is K, and consequently The same vertical interval as in the normal state is set. That is, even if the vehicle height is adjusted, the effective maximum stroke (suspension stroke) as the air spring part a is the same value (= K) as in the normal state by switching the operation lever 19 to the raised position U. Is maintained. In addition, the load acting on the lower stop member 15 functioning as a stopper does not act on the support shaft 16, and has a structure that the base 14 fitted on the circular arc peripheral surface takes over. Therefore, the support shaft 16 has a rational design that only the function of rotating the lower stop member 15 is required.

  That is, as the amount of compression of the diaphragm 3 in the vertical direction reaches the predetermined value K, the upper support member 1 and the lower support member 2 are both located in the diaphragm 3 and the lower support member 2 is the lower stop. Stopper means S that contacts the member 15 and restricts excessive downward movement of the upper support portion 1 is provided, and the height position of the lower stop member 15 that is either the upper stop member 5 or the lower stop member 15 A height adjusting device 12 for adjusting and setting the compression amount by changing the position is provided, and an operation mechanism 13 that enables an operation to change and adjust the height position of the lower stop member 15 on the outside of the diaphragm 3 is provided. ing.

  The height adjusting device 12 is configured to be able to change and set the height position of the lower stop member 15, and the operation mechanism 13 is arranged inside the diaphragm 3 to change the upper surface height position of the lower stop member 15. And an operated portion 19 supported by the lower support portion 2 outside the diaphragm 3 so as to drive the operating portion 16. The lower support portion 2 is a top portion of a laminated rubber portion (an example of an elastic portion) b configured with a pedestal 4 supported by a carriage (not shown) as a bottom, and the height adjusting device 12 is connected to the lower stop member 15. The lower stop member 15 is pivotally supported with respect to the base 14, that is, the lower support portion 2 so that the upper surface height position is changed by the rotational movement. An operation shaft 16 as an operation portion 16 that pivots and moves is supported by penetrating the lower support portion 2 in the lateral direction, and an operation lever 19 as an operated portion 19 is attached to the distal end portion thereof. The lower stop member 15 is pivotally supported with respect to the base 14 by a fitting sliding structure of the peripheral surfaces 15a and 14a with respect to the rotation axis X thereof.

  Thus, while the stopper means S and the height adjusting device 12 are compactly installed inside the diaphragm 3, the operation lever 19 is disposed on the side of the laminated rubber portion b outside the diaphragm 3, so that the air It is convenient and easy to handle without changing the height of the stopper means S without hindering the function as the air spring A without removing the spring from the vehicle or the carriage. And even if it switches to any of the 1st contact surface 15F and the 2nd contact surface 15S in order to change the upper surface height position of the lower stop member 15, with the upper stop member 5 in the surface containing the axial center P of an up-down direction, The stopper means S has a structure in which the surface abuts and functions in a well-balanced manner.

  Since the height adjustment device 12 is configured to change and set the upper surface height position of the lower stop member 15 supported by the lower support portion 2 that is the top of the laminated rubber portion b configured on the upper side of the pedestal 4, Compared with the case where the height position of the stop member 5 is changed and adjusted, the arrangement space can be easily secured, and the height adjusting device 12 can be provided without difficulty, for example, without changing the surrounding structure. Since the upper surface height position change of the lower stop member is performed by rotational movement, the height adjusting device 12 can be configured with relatively simple structure, and from the lower support portion 2 on the operation shaft 16 of the lower stop member 15. It is possible to provide the operation lever 19 at a position where the fingers can easily reach as the through-projecting portion of the rail, that is, the air spring A for a railway vehicle.

  Further, since the lower stop member 15 and the base 14 are configured to be pivotally moved with respect to the lower support portion 2 by the fitting sliding structure between the peripheral surfaces with respect to the rotation axis X, the lower stop member 15 acts on the lower stop member 15. Since the load to be applied is handled by the base 14 via the fitting portions between the peripheral surfaces, that is, the lower support portion 2, the operation shaft 16 only needs to be strong enough to turn the lower stop member 15. Has the advantage of being small and lightweight.

[Example 2]
The height adjusting device 12 may be a three-stage type as shown in FIG. In other words, the lower stop member 15 has the eleventh contact surface 15F having an interval α with respect to the horizontal axis X and the second contact surface 15S having an interval between the horizontal axis X and δ (α <δ <β). And a third abutment surface 15T having an interval with the horizontal axis X of θ (θ> β) is formed. The second contact surface 15S is formed at an angle c away from the first contact surface 15F in the left direction with respect to the horizontal axis X, and the third contact surface 15T is related to the horizontal axis X from the eleventh contact surface 15F. They are formed at an angle d apart in the right direction. The structure for rotating the lower stop member 15 is the same as the operation mechanism 13 according to the first embodiment, although the operation angle range of the operation lever 19 is different.

  In the height adjustment device 12 of the air spring (railcar air spring) A of the second embodiment, the lower stop member 15 is rotated to the right (arrow B direction) at an angle c from the normal state shown in FIG. If it moves, the second contact surface 15F becomes the upper surface and the vertical distance from the upper stop member 5 becomes e (e = K−δ + α), as shown as an ejection diagram in the lower left of the page of FIG. 1 Switch to the raised state. Then, from the normal state shown in FIG. 4, if the lower stop member 15 is rotated to the left (in the direction of the arrow C) at an angle d, the third stop is drawn as a squirting figure on the lower right side of FIG. 4. The contact surface 15T becomes the upper surface, and the state is switched to the second ascending state in which the vertical distance from the upper stop member 5 is f (f = K−θ + α).

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Upper support part 2 Lower support part 3 Diaphragm 4 Base 5 Upper stop member 12 Height adjusting device 13 Operation mechanism 15 Lower stop member 16 Operation part, operation shaft 19 Operated part, operation lever K Predetermined value S Stopper means X Rotation Axis b Elastic part

Claims (4)

An air spring comprising an upper support portion on the vehicle body side, a lower support portion on the cart side disposed below the vehicle body, and a diaphragm made of an elastic material provided over both of them,
As the amount of compression in the vertical direction of the diaphragm reaches a predetermined value, the upper support member and the lower support member, both of which are disposed in the diaphragm, are in contact with each other. Stopper means for contacting and restricting excessive downward movement of the upper support part is provided, and the compression amount is adjusted by changing the height position of one of the upper stop member and the lower stop member An air spring provided with a height adjusting device for setting, and equipped with an operation mechanism that enables an operation of changing and adjusting the height position of the one stop member on the outside of the diaphragm.   The lower support part is a top part of an elastic part having a pedestal supported by a carriage as a bottom, and the height adjusting device is configured to be able to change and set the height position of the lower stop member. The operating mechanism is disposed on the inside of the diaphragm to change the height position of the upper surface of the lower stop member; and the lower support portion is disposed outside the diaphragm to drive the operating portion. The air spring according to claim 1, wherein the air spring is configured to be supported.   The height adjusting device is configured such that the lower stop member is pivotally supported with respect to the lower support portion so that the upper surface height position is changed by the rotational movement of the lower stop member. 3. An operation shaft as the operation portion for rotating the lower stop member is supported by penetrating the lower support portion, and an operation lever as the operated portion is attached to a tip portion thereof. The air spring described in 1.   The air spring according to claim 3, wherein the lower stop member is pivotally supported so as to be rotatable with respect to the lower support portion with a fitting sliding structure between peripheral surfaces about the rotation axis.

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