JP2012121377A - Frame member and method for manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a frame member which has extremely high rigidity and a lightweight structure and can be formed easily at low cost by using a thin plate material without producing a residual strain and to provide a method for manufacturing the frame member.SOLUTION: The long frame member 10 has: a pair of side plates 11 comprising opposed flat plates; a top plate 12 formed by connecting a side end part to the respective ends of the pair of side plates 11; and a reinforced part R arranged at a corner part of the side plate 11 and the top plate 12. The reinforced part R becomes ear-like projection parts 17, each of which has an extended part 15 formed by extending the side plate 11 to the facial direction and a connection plate 16 for connecting the tip of the extended part 15 to the side end part of the top plate 12, and is formed by bending a flat plate material B.

Description

  The present invention relates to a frame member constituting, for example, a suspension of a vehicle and a manufacturing method thereof.

  For example, a sub-frame provided in a front suspension of a vehicle is generally composed of a side member member that extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body, a cross member member that extends in the left-right direction of the vehicle body, a vehicle body connecting portion, and the like. The side member member is connected to the front wheel via the left and right suspension arms, and the vehicle body connecting portion is connected to the vehicle body via the insulator mounting portion.

  Therefore, the front and rear, left and right and up and down forces are applied to the subframes connected to the vehicle body, and the subframes must have sufficient rigidity to resist such forces and moments. It must be lightweight.

  Conventionally, side member members and cross member members constituting such a subframe have a U-shaped, hat-shaped or closed cross-sectional structure with a right-angle cross section. As a thing, there exists a frame member currently indicated by the following patent documents 1 and patent documents 2. FIG. The frame members disclosed in these publications are provided with reinforcing portions at corners of a rectangular cross section perpendicular to the axis. The reinforcing part of Patent Document 1 is formed by increasing the thickness of the corner part by welding, and the reinforcing part of Patent Document 2 is formed by increasing the thickness of the corner part by pressure molding. Yes.

JP 2003-112260 A JP 2007-175765 A

  However, as in the former case, increasing the thickness of the corners by welding is not preferable in terms of the work environment, and the productivity is lowered, which is not suitable for mass production products. In addition, as in the latter case, increasing the thickness of the corners by pressure molding can prevent a decrease in productivity to some extent, but use a material that can be easily thickened, that is, a material having surplus thickness. Therefore, the overall weight may increase, which is not preferable from the viewpoint of reducing the weight of the suspension. In addition, since the material itself is compressed and deformed to thicken the corners, residual distortion may occur in the molded product.

  In particular, the sub-frame may connect long frame members to each other, or in some cases, provide unevenness on each frame member itself to further increase rigidity, or form a place to attach other members. . However, if the frame member is partially thick, such molding is not easy and may be troublesome.

  The present invention has been made to solve the problems associated with the above-described prior art, and has an extremely high rigidity and a lightweight structure, which is formed easily and inexpensively using a thin plate material without causing residual strain. An object of the present invention is to provide a frame member that can be manufactured and a method of manufacturing the same.

  The frame member according to the present invention that achieves the above object includes a reinforcing portion provided at a corner portion of the side plate and the top plate of the frame member that is long in the axial direction in which the top plate is connected to a pair of side plates. An extension portion extending to the top plate, and a connecting plate for connecting the tip end portion of the extension portion and the side end portion of the top plate, and an ear-like protrusion protruding outward from the surface of the top plate. The ear-shaped protrusion is formed by bending a plate material.

  The manufacturing method of a frame member according to the present invention that achieves the above object includes: a reinforcing portion provided at a corner portion of the side plate and the top plate of the frame member that is elongated in the axial direction in which the top plate is connected to a pair of side plates; An extending portion extending in the surface direction, and a connecting plate that connects the distal end portion of the extending portion and the side end portion of the top plate, and has an ear shape protruding outward from the surface of the top plate. A method of manufacturing a frame member constituted by protrusions, in which a flat plate disposed between a pair of molds that are relatively close to and away from each other is foam-formed, and is extended to both end portions of the top plate along the axis. A foam forming step for forming the connecting plate; and a bending step for forming an inclined plate that is bent so that an angle formed between the top portion of the connecting plate and the side plate is an acute angle.

  In the invention of claim 1, the reinforcing portion formed at the corner of the frame member composed of the side plate and the top plate is formed by bending the plate material constituting the frame member and extending the side plate in the surface direction, Since it is formed by an ear-shaped protrusion having the tip of the extended portion and the connecting plate connected to the top plate, there is no residual strain during molding, and it has a uniform and extremely high rigidity over the entire length, and is lightweight and inexpensive. Frame member.

  In the invention of claim 2, since the flange plate projecting outward is provided at the opposite end portion of the both side plates and the frame member has a hat shape perpendicular to the axis, the reinforcing portion is provided at the upper end of each side plate. And it becomes what has a flange board in a lower end, high rigidity further increases, and it becomes a lightweight and cheap frame member.

  In the invention of claim 3, since the reinforcing plate for connecting the flange plates is provided and the cross section perpendicular to the axis is a closed sectional structure, the high rigidity is further enhanced in addition to the effect of the previous item.

  In the invention of claim 4, since the extending portion and the connecting plate are formed as an ear-shaped protrusion having an acute inclination angle, the ear-shaped protrusion has a so-called triangular shape, has extremely high rigidity, and has a simple configuration. Therefore, molding becomes easy.

  In the fifth aspect of the present invention, since the extended portion is an ear-shaped protrusion that is in close contact with the connecting plate, a frame member with extremely high rigidity can be easily formed, and the frame member itself is also compact.

  In the invention of claim 6, since the ear-shaped protrusion having the bent portion is used, the rigidity of the ear-shaped protrusion itself is further increased. As a result, the rigidity of the entire frame member can be increased.

  In the seventh aspect of the present invention, since the ear-shaped protrusion has a plurality of bent portions, the high rigidity of the ear-shaped protrusion itself is further increased, and the rigidity of the entire frame member can be further increased.

  The invention according to claim 8 is a method of manufacturing a frame member having the ear-shaped protrusions, in which a flat plate disposed between a pair of molds that are relatively close to each other is foam-molded, and is formed on both side ends of the top plate. A foam forming step for forming the connecting plate extending along the axis, and a bending step for forming an inclined plate that is bent so that an angle formed between the top portion of the connecting plate and the side plate is an acute angle; Therefore, the reinforcing part can be easily formed by a press die, which is extremely advantageous in terms of cost.

  According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, the side plate and the extending portion are integrally formed by a pressure forming process in which the inclined plate is brought close to the connecting plate, so that the frame member having the reinforcing portion can be simplified by bending the plate material. Can be manufactured.

It is a schematic perspective view which shows the sub-frame of a front suspension. It is sectional drawing which follows 1st line of FIG. 1, which shows 1st Embodiment of the frame member which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the 1st modification of the 1st Embodiment. It is sectional drawing which shows the 2nd modification of the 1st Embodiment. It is sectional drawing which shows 2nd Embodiment of the frame member. (A) is sectional drawing which shows the 1st modification of the 2nd embodiment, (B) It is sectional drawing which shows the 2nd modification of the 2nd embodiment. It is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the state before press molding of the frame member which concerns on this invention. It is a schematic sectional drawing which follows the 8-8 line of FIG. It is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the state at the time of press molding of the frame member of 1st Embodiment. It is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the state at the time of press molding of the frame member of the hat-shaped cross section of 1st Embodiment. It is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the state at the time of the pressure molding of the frame member of 1st Embodiment. It is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the state at the time of the pressure molding of the frame member of 2nd Embodiment. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the state at the time of bending | flexion part shaping | molding of the frame member of 2nd Embodiment.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  For example, the front suspension of a vehicle has a subframe located between the left and right wheels. As shown in FIG. 1, the subframe 1 includes a cross member 2 extending in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle, a side member 3 extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and the like via a vehicle body connecting member (not shown). Connected to the vehicle body side.

Such cross members 2 and side members 3 are each formed by forming a thin flat plate material (for example, a plate thickness t of 1.6 mm to 3.2 mm) into a U-shaped cross section, a hat shape, or a closed cross section structure. A frame member 10 is used.
<First Embodiment>
As shown in FIG. 2, the frame member 10 of the present embodiment generally includes a side plate 11 composed of a pair of opposed flat plates, and a top plate 12 having a side end connected to the upper end of the side plate 11. Reinforcing portions R are provided at the corners of the side plate 11 and the top plate 12, and the cross section perpendicular to the axis is substantially M-shaped and is long in the axial direction.

  The reinforcing portion R includes an extending portion 15 in which the side plate 11 is extended in the surface direction, and a connecting plate 16 that connects the distal end portion of the extending portion 15 and the side end portion of the top plate 12, from the surface of the top plate 12. It is an ear-shaped protrusion 17 protruding outward (upward), and is formed over the entire axial length of the frame member 10.

  The ear-shaped protrusion 17 has a triangular cross section perpendicular to the axis, and the connecting plate 16 that connects the tip of the extended portion 15 and the side end of the top plate 12 is connected to the side plate 11 or the extended portion 15. It has an acute inclination angle θ. In this way, since the ear-shaped protrusion 17 has a triangular shape, the reinforcing portion R itself exhibits extremely high rigidity and has uniform rigidity over the entire length in the axial direction. Moreover, since this ear-shaped protrusion has a simple configuration, it can be easily formed by bending.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a first modification of the first embodiment. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the same member and description is abbreviate | omitted. The same applies hereinafter.

  The frame member 10 of this embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is provided with a flange plate 13 at the end of the side plate 11 on the side opposite to the top plate. If it does in this way, it will have higher rigidity than the M-shaped frame member 10 without the flange plate 13.

  Further, a reinforcing plate 14 (shown by a one-dot chain line) for connecting the flange plates 13 to the lower surface of the flange plate 13 may be attached by a fixing means such as welding to form a closed cross-sectional structure. If it does in this way, it will have higher rigidity.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a second modification of the first embodiment. The frame member 10 of the present embodiment is configured such that the side plate 11 and the top plate 12 are arranged orthogonally. In this way, the load resistance of the side plate 11 is improved when a load is applied from above, and has a higher rigidity than the substantially M-shaped frame member 10 shown in FIG. It becomes. In this modification as well, if the side plate 11 is provided with the flange plate 13 and the reinforcing plate 14, it has higher rigidity.
Second Embodiment
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a second embodiment of the frame member. The frame member 10 of the present embodiment is a bead that extends in a so-called bead shape by reinforcing the reinforcing portion R provided at the corners of the side plate 11 and the top plate 12 with the extending portion 15 and the connecting plate 16 in close contact with each other. The side projections 11 and the top plate 12 are arranged orthogonally. In addition, although it is preferable that the angle which the reinforcement part R makes with the top plate 12 etc. becomes a substantially right angle, it is not limited only to this, It cannot be overemphasized that it may incline inward or outwards somewhat. Nor.

  The bead-shaped protrusions 18 formed in this manner are thin lines at both corners of the frame member 10 and do not bulge outward, so that the frame member itself is compact. In addition, the side plate 11, the top plate 12, and the bead-shaped projections 18 are arranged in an orthogonal state, and the bead-shaped projections 18 in which two plate materials of the extension portion 15 and the connecting plate 16 are superposed are formed on the frame member 10. Since it extends over the entire length in the axial direction, when the frame member 10 is formed, it is easy to obtain dimensional accuracy and the like of the entire shape. When a suspension is formed using this frame member 10, the strength calculation and the like are easy. Thus, a product as designed can be easily manufactured.

  In the present embodiment, if the side plate 11 is provided with the flange plate 13 and the reinforcing plate 14, the side plate 11 has higher rigidity.

  FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional view showing a first modification of the second embodiment. The reinforcing portion R of this modification includes a bent protrusion 19 in which a bead-shaped protrusion 18 in a state in which the extending portion 15 and the connecting plate 16 are in close contact with each other is bent outward at a substantially right angle at the center in the vertical direction. It is a thing. The bending protrusion 19 may be not only outward bending but also inward bending, and the bending angle α of the bending protrusion 19 with respect to the side plate 11 may be not only a right angle but also an acute angle or an obtuse angle.

  In this way, it bulges somewhat outwardly from the bead-shaped protrusion 18 projecting upward in a straight shape, but has a bent portion, so that the reinforcing portion R and the frame member have extremely high rigidity. It becomes.

  FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view showing a second modification of the second embodiment. The reinforcing portion R of this modification is a bent protrusion 19A in which the bead-shaped protrusion 18 is bent at a right angle a plurality of times toward the inside at a substantially right angle. Also in the case of this modification, the bent portion may be not only inwardly bent but also outwardly bent, and the bending may be rounded into an arc shape as well as being performed a plurality of times at right angles.

  In this way, the rigidity is further increased as compared with the first modification, the rigidity of the entire frame member can be further increased, and molding is relatively easy.

  Next, manufacture of the frame member of this embodiment is demonstrated.

  7 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view showing a state of the frame member before press forming, FIG. 8 is a schematic cross sectional view taken along line 8-8 in FIG. 7, and FIG. 9 is a state at the time of press forming the frame member of the first embodiment. It is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows this.

  For example, in manufacturing the substantially M-shaped frame member 10 of the first embodiment, first, a press apparatus as shown in FIGS. In the figure, the flat plate material for molding is shown only by a line for simplicity. This press apparatus includes a central first upper mold 31, an upper mold 33 including second upper molds 32 provided on both sides of the first upper mold 31, a central first lower mold 34, and a first lower mold 34. And a lower mold 36 formed of a second lower mold 35 provided on the side of each of them, and each of them is moved up and down independently.

  The first upper mold 31 includes a flat lower surface portion 31a having a lateral width W (see FIG. 7) corresponding to the groove width of the frame member, and a length L (see FIG. 8) corresponding to substantially the entire length of the frame member, and a lower surface portion. And slopes 31b formed on both sides of 31a. In the second upper mold 32, a slope portion 32a is formed on the first upper die 31 side, and the connecting plate 16 and the side plate 11 or the extending portion 15 form an inclination angle θ by the slope portions 31b and 32a. .

  On the other hand, the first lower mold 34 is provided with a flat upper surface portion 34a and a slope portion 34b formed on both sides of the upper surface portion 34a and corresponding to the slope portion 31b of the first upper mold 31. The second lower mold 35 has a slope 35 a corresponding to the slope 32 a of the second upper mold 32.

The upper mold 33 and the lower mold 36 are extended by a flat lower surface portion 31a and an upper surface portion 34a, a connecting plate 16 by an inclined surface portion 31b and an inclined surface portion 34b, and an inclined surface portion 32a and an inclined surface portion 35a. The part 15 and the side plate 11 are formed.
<Molding preparation process>
When the pressing is started, first, as shown in FIG. 7, a belt-shaped flat plate B having a predetermined length is inserted and set between the upper mold 33 and the lower mold 36.
<Form forming process>
Next, the first upper mold 31 is lowered, and as shown in FIG. 9, the flat plate B is formed into a groove-shaped recess formed by the upper surface portion 34 a and the slope portion 34 b of the first lower mold 34. To do. The top plate 12 and the connecting plate 16 are formed on the flat plate B by this foam molding.
<Bending process>
Next, the second upper mold 32 is lowered, and the outer edge portion of the connecting plate 16 formed on the flat plate material B is bent by the inclined surface portion 32a and the inclined surface portion 35a of the second lower mold 35 as shown in FIG. The extending portion 15 following the connecting plate 16 and the side plate 11 following the extending portion 15 are bent at the same time.

  By this bending, the frame member 10 having a substantially M shape in which the connecting plate 16 and the extending portion 15 have an inclination angle θ can be manufactured.

  However, when the frame member 10 having the flange plate 13 shown in FIG. 3 is manufactured, the upper die 33 changes the shape of the second upper die 32 and the flange plate 13 is formed on the lower surface as shown in FIG. The lower die 36 is provided with a block-like third lower die 37 on the side of the second lower die 35.

In the case of such a pressing device, when the second upper mold 32 is lowered and the extending portion 15 and the side plate 11 are bent, the flat plate material is formed by the lower surface 32b of the second upper mold 32 and the third lower mold 37. The flange plate 13 can also be bent at the same time on both side ends.
<Pressure forming process>
In manufacturing the frame member 10 in which the side plate 11 and the top plate 12 are orthogonally arranged as shown in FIG. 4, after the substantially M-shaped frame member 10 is manufactured as described above, a pressure molding process is performed. It is preferable.

  After the substantially M-shaped frame member 10 is manufactured, the second lower mold 35 and the third lower mold 37 are retracted from the side of the first lower mold 34 and the second upper mold 32 as shown in FIG. The flat plate B in which the top plate 12, the connecting plate 16, the extended portion 15, and the side plate 11 are bent is held only by the first upper mold 31 and the first lower mold 34. Then, when the side plate 11 is pressed from the side toward the side surface of the first lower mold 34 as indicated by the white arrow, the frame member 10 shown in FIG. 4 can be molded.

  When manufacturing the frame member 10 having the bead-shaped protrusions 18 as shown in FIG. 5, after manufacturing the substantially M-shaped frame member 10 as described above, this is shown in FIG. The first upper die 311 having a block shape without the slope portion 31b and the lower die 341 having a block shape without the slope portion 34b are set in a press apparatus.

  When the pressure is applied from the side toward the side surfaces of the upper mold 311 and the lower mold 341 as indicated by the white arrows, the frame member 10 of the bead-shaped protrusion 18 in which the connecting plate 16 and the extending portion 15 are in close contact with each other. Can be molded.

  Further, in order to form the frame member 10 having the bent protrusion 19 or the bent protrusion 19A bent a plurality of times, the frame member 10 having the bead-shaped protrusion 18 formed as described above is used. This is done by bending the protrusion 18.

  In this case, for example, a press device as shown in FIG. 13 is used. This press apparatus includes a first pressurizing upper mold 41 formed with a tapered surface 40 for deforming the pair of bead-shaped protrusions 18 and a second pressurizing provided on the side of the first pressurizing upper mold 41. An upper mold 43 composed of an upper mold 42; a first lower mold 44 on which the top plate 12 is placed; and a lower mold 46 composed of a second lower mold 45 that holds the side plate 11 with the first lower mold 44. ,have. Then, the upper surface 45a of the second lower mold 45 is set to a position corresponding to the intermediate position in the height direction of the bead-shaped protrusion 18. Then, in a state where the frame member 10 is held by the first lower mold 44 and the second lower mold 45, a pair of taper surfaces 40 of the first pressure upper mold 41 and corners on the upper surface 45 a of the second lower mold 45 are paired. The bead-shaped protrusion 18 is deformed.

  However, even with such deformation, the pair of bead-shaped protrusions 18 are in a deformed state that is inclined (about 45 degrees) corresponding to the inclined state of the tapered surface 40, but this is deformed to a right angle. Lowers the second pressurizing upper mold 42 and presses the upper half of the bead-shaped protrusion 18 between the second lower mold 45 and further deforms it from an inclined state of about 45 degrees, and the bent protrusion 19 Form.

  In forming the bent protrusion 19, a press die is not necessarily used, and the bent protrusion 19 can be formed using a roller. If such a roll is used, the frame member 10 can be produced by a flow operation, which is preferable for mass production.

  Further, when forming the bending protrusion 19A bent a plurality of times, the height position of the upper surface 45a of the second lower mold 45 is adjusted as appropriate in the press device described above, and the tapered surface of the first pressure upper mold 41 is adjusted. The bead-shaped protrusion 18 may be bent and deformed a plurality of times by 40 and the corners of the second lower mold.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art within the technical idea of the present invention. For example, the case where the frame member of the above-described embodiment is applied to a sub-frame provided on a front suspension of a vehicle has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the configuration of various mechanisms. It can be used as a component.

  The present invention can be suitably used for, for example, a subframe used for a vehicle suspension.

10: Frame member,
11 ... side plate,
12 ... top plate,
13 ... Flange plate,
14: Reinforcing plate,
15 ... Extension part,
16 ... Connecting plate,
17 ... Ear protrusion,
19 ... bent portion,
B ... Flat plate,
R: Reinforcement part,
θ is the tilt angle.

Claims (9)

It has a side plate composed of a pair of opposed flat plates, and a top plate having a side end connected to the end of the side plate, and a reinforcing portion is provided at a corner of the side plate and the top plate, and is long in the axial direction. A frame member,
The reinforcing portion includes an extending portion that extends the side plate in the surface direction, and a connecting plate that connects a distal end portion of the extending portion and a side end portion of the top plate, from the surface of the top plate A frame member comprising an ear-shaped protrusion protruding outward, wherein the ear-shaped protrusion is formed by bending a flat plate material constituting the frame member.   2. The frame member according to claim 1, wherein the frame member has a hat shape that is perpendicular to an axis and has a flange plate that protrudes outward at an end portion of the both side plates on the side opposite to the top plate.   The frame member according to claim 2, wherein the frame member includes a reinforcing plate that connects the flange plates, and the cross section perpendicular to the axis has a closed cross-sectional structure.   The said ear-shaped protrusion part was connected so that the inclination angle with respect to the said extension part of the said connection plate connected with the front-end | tip part of the said extension part might become an acute angle. A frame member according to the above.   The frame member according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the ear-shaped protrusion is formed by bringing the extended portion and the connecting plate into close contact with each other.   The frame member according to claim 5, wherein the ear-shaped protrusion has a bent portion formed by bending the extended portion and the connecting plate in the close contact state.   The frame member according to claim 6, wherein the bent portion is formed by bending the extended portion and the connecting plate a plurality of times. The side plate faces the corner portion of the side plate and the top plate of an axially long frame member having a side plate made of a pair of opposing flat plates and a top plate having the side end connected to the end of the side plate. An extending portion extending in a direction, and a connecting plate that connects a tip end portion of the extending portion and a side end portion of the top plate, and an ear-shaped protrusion protruding outward from the surface of the top plate A method of manufacturing a frame member provided with a reinforcing portion constituted by:
Forming a flat plate disposed between a pair of molds that are relatively close to and away from each other, and forming the connecting plate extending along the axis on both side ends of the top plate; and
And a bending step of forming an inclined plate that is bent so that an angle formed between the top portion of the connecting plate and the side plate is an acute angle.   The manufacturing method of the frame member further includes a pressure forming step of deforming the inclined plate so as to be close to the connecting plate, and integrally forming the side plate and the extending portion by deformation of the inclined plate. The method for manufacturing a frame member according to claim 8.

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