JP2564691Y2 - Center bearing support - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement in a center bearing support for absorbing vibration by rotatably and elastically supporting a propeller shaft in an automobile drive train.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A typical prior art example of this type of center bearing support is, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, an inner ring 1 in which a propeller shaft is rotatably inserted via a ball bearing 4, and an inner ring 1 thereof. An outer ring 2 which is fixed to the vehicle body via a bracket or the like on the outer periphery;
And a stopper 5 for suppressing excessive vibration of the propeller shaft during start-up.

The inner ring 1 and the outer ring 2 are made of press-formed metal, and the elastomer member 3 is bonded to the outer peripheral surface of the inner ring 1 and the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring 2 at the same time as the vulcanization molding. It is. In the example of FIG. 2, the stopper 5 is provided by molding a part of the elastomer member 3 into a protruding shape, and in the example of FIG.
Is formed as a bush-shaped separate member, and is fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the inner diameter portion of the elastomer member 3 bonded to the inner ring 1.

[0004]

In the above-described conventional example, according to the structure shown in FIG. 2, the stopper 5 is formed integrally with the elastomer member 3, which is advantageous in terms of manufacturing cost, but has a large input vibration. In addition, since the stopper 5 does not have enough rigidity to control the vibration, excessive vibration of the propeller shaft cannot be suppressed. Further, according to the configuration shown in FIG. 3, by setting the rigidity of the stopper 5, which is a separate member, higher than that of the elastomer member 3, it is possible to provide a vibration damping force against excessive vibration. Since the outer peripheral surface of the stopper 5 that oscillates comes into sliding contact with the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring 2, the stopper 5 is gradually worn by such repeated sliding contact,
There is a problem that the initial vibration control function cannot be maintained for a long time.

[0005] The present invention has been made under such circumstances, and the technical problem thereof is to prevent wear of a stopper for suppressing excessive vibration and extend the initial vibration damping function. To maintain over time.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems The technical problems described above are:
The present invention can solve the problem effectively. That is, the center bearing support according to the present invention has a stopper radially opposed to one of the inner ring side and the outer ring side via an appropriate gap, and the other of the inner ring side and the outer ring side. It has a configuration rotatably supported via a bearing member.

[0007]

The stopper for preventing excessive eccentricity between the inner ring and the outer ring is rotatably supported by a bearing member. Therefore, when excessive vibration is input, the stopper is opposed to the outer ring or the inner ring. When it comes into contact with the ring side so as to slide in the circumferential direction, at that moment, due to the frictional force of the contact, it relatively rotates through the bearing member to one of the inner ring side and the outer ring side, Sliding at the contact portion is absorbed.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, a preferred embodiment of the center bearing support according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes an inner ring on which a propeller shaft is rotatably inserted through an inner periphery via a ball bearing 4, and 2 denotes an outer ring on the outer periphery of the inner ring 1 which is fixed to a vehicle body via a bracket or the like. The ring 3 is a bellows-shaped elastomer member that is simultaneously bonded and vulcanized between the inner ring 1 and the outer ring 2.
Reference numeral 0 denotes a stopper for suppressing excessive whirling vibration of the propeller shaft at the time of starting or the like.

The stopper 10 comprises a metal sleeve 11 and an elastomer ring 12 adhered to the outer periphery thereof. The inner peripheral surface of the metal sleeve 11 is formed by the inner diameter portion 3a of the elastomer member 3 adhered to the inner ring 1. It is rotatably supported by being fitted to the outer peripheral surface via a second ball bearing 13. The outer peripheral surface of the elastomer ring 12 is radially opposed to the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring 2 with an appropriate gap δ.

In the center bearing support according to the above-described embodiment, the inner ring 1 eccentrically moves with respect to the outer ring 2 with the whirling of the propeller shaft, and when the amount of eccentricity reaches the size of the gap δ, the elastomer of the stopper 10 Ring 12
By contacting the outer peripheral surface of the propeller shaft with the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring 2, whirling vibration of the propeller shaft with excessive amplitude is suppressed. This stopper 10 has a high rigidity and a sufficient vibration damping force because the radial thickness of the elastomer ring 12 is reduced by the second ball bearing 13 as compared with the conventional example of FIG. 3, for example. .

When the outer peripheral surface of the elastomer ring 12 of the stopper 10 comes into contact with the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring 2 so as to slide in the circumferential direction due to whirling of the propeller shaft,
Stopper 10 receiving frictional force from contact from that moment
Is rotated relative to the inner ring 1 by the amount (angle) of whirling by the second ball bearing 13. For this reason, the contact portion of the outer peripheral surface of the elastomer ring 12 of the stopper 10 hardly slides on the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring 2,
Therefore, abrasion of the elastomer ring 12 due to sliding is effectively suppressed.

The center bearing support of the present invention is:
Typically, as in the above-described embodiment, the stopper 10 is rotatably supported on the inner ring 1 side. On the contrary, the stopper 10 is rotatably provided on the inner peripheral surface of the outer ring 2 and the elastomer ring 12 is 1
It can also be configured to face the side with an appropriate gap in between. Further, the second ball bearing 13 may be replaced with another bearing member that can rotatably support the stopper 10.

[0013]

According to the present invention, when the stopper comes into contact with the outer ring side or the inner ring side so as to slide in the circumferential direction due to whirling of the propeller shaft, this stopper is supported via the bearing member at that moment. Relative to the inner ring side or the outer ring side, the sliding movement of the contact portion and the wear of the stopper due thereto are suppressed, and the initial vibration damping function is maintained for a long time. be able to.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a half sectional view showing a preferred embodiment of a center bearing support according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a half sectional view showing an example of a conventional center bearing support.

FIG. 3 is a half sectional view showing another example of a conventional center bearing support.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 inner ring 2 outer ring 3 elastomer member 3a inner diameter portion 4 shaft ball bearing 10 stopper 11 sleeve 12 elastomer ring 13 second ball bearing (bearing member) δ gap

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. An inner ring (1) through which a propeller shaft is rotatably inserted, an outer ring (2) disposed on the outer periphery of the inner ring (1) and fixed to a vehicle body, and the inner ring (1). An elastomer member (3) elastically connected between 1) and the outer ring (2), and an appropriate gap (δ) with one of the inner ring (1) side and the outer ring (2) side. And a stopper (10) rotatably supported via a bearing member (13) on the other of the inner ring (1) side and the outer ring (2) side radially opposite to each other. Characterized center bearing support.