JP2024034578A - Trailing arm support structure - Google Patents

Abstract

To improve the force application point rigidity of a trailing arm support portion more than conventional ones.SOLUTION: Frame members (a rear side member front 10 and a rocker inner rear 20) are provided under a vehicle cabin floor and extend in a vehicle front-rear direction. A trailing arm 40 is a part of a suspension device of a wheel, extends in the vehicle front-rear direction, and has a front- end part supported by the frame member. The frame member has a U-shaped cross section that is open upward. The opening of the frame member is closed by a center floor side panel 30. An insertion hole 17 is formed in a bottom wall 12 of the frame member along a thickness direction thereof. While a front-end part of the trailing arm 40 is kept inserted in the insertion hole 17, the front-end part is supported by the bottom wall 12. An arm cover 50 including a cover dome 51 that covers the insertion hole 17 and the front-end part of the trailing arm 40 is coupled to the bottom wall 12 of the frame member. A ceiling portion 51A of the cover dome 51 is coupled to the center floor side panel 30.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

A trailing arm support structure is disclosed herein.

A torsion beam suspension is known as a suspension system for rear wheels of a vehicle. The left and right rear wheels are connected by a torsion beam. Furthermore, trailing arms extend forward from both ends of the torsion beam. The front end of the trailing arm is supported by a side member that is a frame member of the vehicle body.

For example, as illustrated in Patent Documents 1 and 2, the bottom wall of the side member is perforated to form an insertion hole. At least a portion of the front end of the trailing arm is inserted into this insertion hole. In order to prevent road dust and the like from entering the side member, the insertion hole of the side member is covered with a cover member called an arm cover. For example, the arm cover includes a dome portion that protrudes from the bottom wall of the side member and covers the front end of the trailing arm.

JP2009-214825A Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-132026

Incidentally, the trailing arm support portion that supports the front end of the trailing arm serves as a so-called force application point that transmits input from the road surface to the vehicle body while the vehicle is running. This specification discloses a trailing arm support structure that can improve the rigidity of the force application point of the trailing arm support part compared to the conventional art.

A trailing arm support structure disclosed herein includes a skeletal member and a trailing arm. The frame member is provided under the floor of the vehicle compartment and extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The trailing arm is a part of the wheel suspension system, extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and has a front end supported by the frame member. The skeleton member has a U-shaped cross section with an upward opening. The opening in the skeleton member is closed by the floor panel. An insertion hole is bored in the bottom wall of the skeleton member along the thickness direction thereof. With the front end of the trailing arm inserted into the insertion hole, the front end is supported by the bottom wall. An arm cover including an insertion hole and a cover dome covering the front end of the trailing arm is coupled to the bottom wall of the skeleton member. Furthermore, the ceiling portion of the cover dome is joined to the floor panel.

According to the above configuration, the cover dome is coupled to the floor panel in addition to the frame member. This suppresses deformation of the cover dome provided on the trailing arm support portion.

According to the trailing arm support structure disclosed in this specification, the rigidity of the force application point of the trailing arm support portion can be improved more than before.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a trailing arm support structure according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an assembly of the trailing arm support structure according to the present embodiment. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2. FIG.

1 to 3 illustrate a trailing arm support structure according to this embodiment. In FIGS. 1 to 3, the vehicle longitudinal direction is indicated by the FR axis, the vehicle width direction is indicated by the RW axis, and the vehicle height direction is indicated by the UP axis. The forward direction of the FR axis is toward the front of the vehicle. The right direction of the RW axis is the right direction of the vehicle width. Further, the upward direction of the UP axis is the positive direction.

FIG. 1 shows an exploded perspective view illustrating the components of a trailing arm support structure according to this embodiment. The trailing arm support structure according to this embodiment is provided, for example, around a rear wheel of a vehicle.

Referring to FIG. 1, the trailing arm support structure according to the present embodiment includes a rear side member front 10, a rocker inner rear 20, a center floor side panel 30, a trailing arm 40, and an arm cover 50. The rear side member front 10, the inner rocker 20, the trailing arm 40, and the arm cover 50 are all provided under the floor of the vehicle compartment.

Rockers, which are frame members, are installed at both ends of the underfloor of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. For example, a rocker includes a rocker front that is a front member and a rocker rear that is a rear member. Furthermore, both the rocker front and the rocker rear include a rocker outer that is an outer member and a rocker inner that is an inner member.

FIG. 1 illustrates a rocker inner rear 20 that is a part of the rocker rear member of the rocker and is an inner member thereof. The inner rocker 20 has a hat-shaped cross section that is open to the outside, and a main body portion that has a U-shaped cross section is formed by a lower wall 22, a side wall 24, and an upper wall 25. Further, a flange 28 is connected to the lower end of the lower wall 22, and a flange 26 is connected to the outer end of the upper wall 25 in the vehicle width direction.

A rear side member is provided on the vehicle body as a frame member connected to the rear end of the rocker. The rear side member extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. For example, the rear side member includes a rear side member front 10 that is a front member and a rear side member barrier (not shown) that is a rear member.

Referring to FIG. 2, the rear side member front 10 includes a front portion 11 and a rear portion 15 that extend substantially horizontally. The rear part 15 is provided at a higher position than the front part 11. A kick-up portion 13 that slopes upward toward the rear is provided between the front portion 11 and the rear portion 15.

For example, in the rear portion 15, the rear side member front 10 has a U-shaped cross section with an open upper part. That is, the rear part 15 of the rear side member front 10 includes a bottom wall 12, side walls 14A and 14B extending upward from both ends of the bottom wall 12 in the vehicle width direction, and a flange extending in the vehicle width direction from the upper end of the side wall 14B. 16.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the dimension of the bottom wall 12 in the vehicle width direction increases from the rear portion 15 toward the kick-up portion 13. Further, in the kick-up portion 13 and the front portion 11, a flange 18 extending downward from the outer end of the bottom wall 12 in the vehicle width direction is provided in place of the side wall 14A.

In assembling the trailing arm support structure according to this embodiment, referring to FIG. 3, the side wall 24 of the rocker inner rear 20 and the flange 18 of the rear side member front 10 are overlapped and coupled by means such as welding. . Further, referring to FIG. 1, the rear end portion of the side wall 24 of the rocker inner rear 20 and the front end portion of the side wall 14A of the rear side member front 10 are overlapped and joined together by means such as welding.

Through such connection, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the rocker inner rear 20 and the rear side member front 10 form a skeleton member that extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and has a U-shaped cross section that is open upward. Ru. More specifically, the bottom wall 12 of the rear side member front 10, the side wall 14B, and the side wall 24 of the rocker inner rear 20 form a skeleton member having a U-shaped cross section and an upper opening 29.

This upper opening 29 is closed by a center floor side panel 30. The center floor side panel 30 is a part of a floor panel that constitutes the floor surface of the vehicle interior, and is provided on both sides of the floor surface of the vehicle interior. A closed cross-sectional structure is formed by the skeleton members (rear side member front 10 and rocker inner rear 20) having a U-shaped cross section and the center floor side panel 30.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, an insertion hole 17 is formed in the bottom wall 12 of the rear side member front 10, for example in the kick-up portion 13, along the thickness direction. For example, the insertion hole 17 is a rectangular hole. The hole width along the vehicle width direction of the insertion hole 17 is such that the end portions of the arms 46A, 46B of the trailing arm 40 in the vehicle width direction exceed (extrude) the insertion hole 17, and the bush 44 The width of the vehicle is determined to exceed the width of the vehicle. Further, the length of the insertion hole 17 along the vehicle longitudinal direction is determined to exceed, for example, the vehicle longitudinal dimension of the main body portion 42 of the trailing arm 40. With such hole dimensions, the front end of the trailing arm 40 can swing in the insertion hole 17. At this time, the main body portion 42 of the trailing arm 40 becomes swingable around an axis in the vehicle width direction defined by the arms 46A and 46B.

A plurality of fastening holes 19A to 19D are bored in the bottom wall 12 of the rear side member front 10 around the insertion hole 17. For example, one fastening hole is provided on each of the front, rear, left and right sides of the insertion hole 17. The fastening holes 19 may be provided in pairs on both sides of the insertion hole 17 in the vehicle width direction, instead of being provided on the front, rear, left, and right sides of the insertion hole 17.

The trailing arm 40 is, for example, a part of a torsion beam suspension, which is a suspension device for the rear wheels of a vehicle. The trailing arm 40 extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and its rear end is connected to a torsion beam (not shown). On the other hand, the front end portion of the trailing arm 40 is supported by the rear side member front 10 that constitutes a frame member. The trailing arm 40 can also be mounted on a double wishbone suspension.

The trailing arm 40 includes a main body portion 42 that is a plate member extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and parallel to the UP-FR plane. A fastening hole 43 for fastening to a torsion beam (not shown) is bored at the rear end of the main body 42 .

The main body portion 42 of the trailing arm 40 has an upwardly sloped structure toward the front of the vehicle. Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the front end of the main body portion 42 is bored, and a shaft portion 45 (see FIG. 3) is accommodated in the hole via a bush 44. Further, arms 46A and 46B extend from the shaft portion 45 to both sides in the vehicle width direction.

Arms 46A and 46B extend in the vehicle width direction. Furthermore, fastening holes 49A, 49B are provided at both ends of the arms 46A, 46B in the vehicle width direction, which are bored in the height direction.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, an insertion hole 17 formed in the bottom wall 12 of the rear side member front 10 is closed by an arm cover 50. As shown in FIGS. The arm cover 50 includes a cover dome 51 that covers the insertion hole 17 and the front end of the trailing arm 40, and a flange 54 provided at the lower end of the cover dome 51.

The flange 54 has a rectangular frame shape, for example, and has a plurality of fastening holes 59A to 59D formed therein. The fastening holes 59A-59D are provided at positions corresponding to the plurality of fastening holes 19A-19D formed in the bottom wall 12 of the rear side member front 10. Note that when the fastening holes 19 are provided only on both sides of the insertion hole 17 in the vehicle width direction, only one pair of fastening holes 59 are also provided on both sides of the vehicle width direction with the cover dome 51 in between.

A cover dome 51 projects upward so as to be surrounded by a flange 54 of a rectangular frame. The cover dome 51 has a shape corresponding to, for example, the shape of the front end of the trailing arm 40. For example, since the front end of the trailing arm 40 has an arc shape in side view, the cover dome 51 also has an arc shape in side view.

A fastening hole 52 is bored in the ceiling portion 51A of the cover dome 51. This fastening hole 52 is provided at a position corresponding to the fastening hole 32 of the center floor side panel 30.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, in the assembly of the trailing arm support structure according to the present embodiment, an arm cover 50 is placed over the insertion hole 17. Further, fastening holes 19A and 19B provided on the left and right sides of the insertion hole 17, fastening holes 59A and 59B provided in the flange 54 of the arm cover 50, and fastening holes 49A provided in the arms 46A and 46B of the trailing arm 40, 49B are aligned respectively. Furthermore, the front end of the trailing arm 40 and the arm cover 50 are supported by the bottom wall 12 of the rear side member front 10 by screwing the bolts 69A, 69B into the nuts 79A, 79B. The front end of the trailing arm 40 is supported by the bottom wall 12 while being partially inserted into the insertion hole 17.

Also, referring to FIG. 1, the fastening holes 59C and 59D of the arm cover 50 are aligned with the fastening holes 19C and 19D provided in the bottom wall 12 of the rear side member front 10. Furthermore, the arm cover 50 is fastened (coupled) to the rear side member front 10 using bolts 69C, 69D (see FIG. 2) and nuts (not shown).

Further, referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, an upper opening 29 provided in the U-shaped cross-sectional structure of the frame member (rocker inner rear 20 and rear side member front 10) is closed by a center floor side panel 30. At this time, the fastening hole 52 formed in the ceiling portion 51A of the cover dome 51 of the arm cover 50 and the fastening hole 32 of the center floor side panel 30 are aligned. Further, by screwing the bolt 62 into the weld nut 72, the cover dome 51 is fastened (coupled) to the center floor side panel 30.

Note that a seal washer may be provided to prevent dust that has entered the arm cover 50 from the road surface from entering the center floor side panel 30 via the fastening holes 32, 52. The seal washer is an annular member provided with a resin seal on its inner peripheral surface. By engaging this seal washer and then screwing the bolt 62 into the weld nut 72, it is possible to prevent dust from entering the center floor side panel 30.

Since the ceiling portion 51A of the cover dome 51 is coupled to the center floor side panel 30, deformation of the cover dome 51 when a load is input is suppressed. In other words, the rigidity of the cover dome 51 is improved. As a result, the rigidity of the force application point of the trailing arm support structure including the cover dome 51 can be improved more than before.

Furthermore, the rigidity of the force application point is improved (deformation of the force application point is suppressed), thereby improving steering stability. Furthermore, since the vibration of the center floor side panel 30 is suppressed by the arm cover 50, so-called NV characteristics (noise vibration characteristics) of the floor surface of the vehicle interior are improved.

In addition, in FIGS. 1 to 3, bolt-nut fastening is illustrated as the means for connecting the trailing arm 40 to the rear side member front 10 and the means for connecting the arm cover 50 to the rear side member front 10 and the center floor side panel 30. It was done. However, for example, if the trailing arm 40 and arm cover 50 are not treated as replacement parts, welding may be used as the coupling means. By using welding as the coupling means, there is no need to particularly drill holes in the ceiling portion 51A of the cover dome 51. Therefore, dust that has entered the cover dome 51 from the road surface can be captured by the arm cover 50 with high accuracy.

10 Rear side member front (skeleton member), 12 Bottom wall of rear side member front, 17 Insertion hole, 20 Rocker inner rear (skeleton member), 30 Center floor side panel (floor panel), 40 Trailing arm, 50 Arm cover, 51 Cover dome, 51A ceiling.

Claims (1)

a skeleton member provided under the floor of the vehicle compartment and extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle;
a trailing arm that is part of a wheel suspension system, extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and has a front end supported by the frame member;
A trailing arm support structure comprising:
The skeleton member has a U-shaped cross section with an upper opening,
the opening of the skeleton member is closed by a floor panel;
An insertion hole is bored in the bottom wall of the skeleton member along the thickness direction thereof,
The front end portion of the trailing arm is supported by the bottom wall with the front end portion inserted into the insertion hole,
an arm cover including a cover dome that covers the insertion hole and the front end of the trailing arm is coupled to the bottom wall of the skeleton member;
Further, a ceiling portion of the cover dome is coupled to the floor panel.
Trailing arm support structure.

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