JP3051423B2 - Spherical sliding bush - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a spherical slide bush, and more particularly to a spherical slide bush which has a simple structure and does not cause backlash in a slide portion.

[Background Art] A tubular bush is frequently used in a connecting portion of a vehicle suspension. In recent years, rigidity in a direction perpendicular to an axis is large, and a suspension arm is free in order to realize not only steering stability but also improvement in riding comfort. There have been proposed various types of spherical sliding bushes capable of performing various rotations and twisting. FIG. 3 shows an example (Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 63-44572).

In the figure, the cylindrical holding portion 5 of the suspension arm 51 is shown.
An outer cylinder 1 is press-fitted therein, and an inner cylinder 2 penetrates the center thereof. The inner cylinder 2 has a central outer periphery which is bulged in a spherical shape, and a resin insert 3 slidably abuts the outer peripheral surface of the bulged portion 21. The insert 3 is inserted into each of the two openings of the outer cylinder 1, and a seal ring 6 having a lip portion 61 extending therefrom is disposed outside these inserts. Further, a backup ring 7 is provided outside the seal ring 6. These are positioned by caulking and deforming the opening end of the cylinder 1.

With such a structure, the suspension arm is completely prohibited from moving in the direction perpendicular to the axis, is rotatable around the inner cylinder 2, and twists and swings along the bulging portion 21 as shown by the arrow in the figure. Is also free.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] By the way, in the above-mentioned conventional structure, an insert is required during the use process.
When the seat 3 receives an acting force in the axial direction, the seal ring 6 is deformed and moved, thereby deteriorating the sealability and causing backlash between the insert 3 and the inner cylinder bulging portion 21. The steering stability decreases. Further, since the seal ring 6 and the backup ring 7 are provided separately, it takes time and effort to manage and assemble the parts, and it is necessary to caulk the outer cylinder 1 and the production cost is high. .

The problem of a large number of parts is, for example,
The same applies to the bush described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 49143/1987 and Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 62-110609.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and provides a spherical bearing bush that can significantly reduce the number of parts and effectively prevent generation of play and reduction in sealability due to movement of a seal ring. Aim.

[Means for Solving the Problems] To explain the configuration of the present invention, the cylindrical holding member 5 is press-fitted and fixed into the holding member 5 from both openings, and forms a spherical concave surface 1a on the inner periphery of the opposed inner end. A pair of outer cylinders 1 each having an arcuate surface 14 formed therein and concentrically disposed through the outer cylinders 1 and forming a spherical surface at a central portion in the axial direction substantially parallel to the spherical concave surface 1a; An inner cylinder 2 having a bulging portion 21 which bulges into the inner tube 2 and covers the bulging portion 21 in a spherical shape along the outer periphery of the bulging portion 21 so that the inner peripheral surface slidably contacts the outer periphery of the bulging portion 21. In addition to the spherical concave surface 3a, an insert 3 made of an integrally molded resin in a ring shape and made elastically deformable by a slit 32 formed in the axial direction from one end side, the outer periphery of the town insert 3 and the spherical shape of the outer cylinder 1 The insert 3 is interposed between the concave surfaces 1a and urges the insert 3 so as to be in close contact with the outer periphery of the bulging portion 21. The outer peripheral edge is joined to the inner peripheral surface of the elastic layer 45 and the respective outer cylinder 1,
A cylindrical seal member 4 which covers the outer side of the insert 3 and whose inner peripheral edge extends to the outer peripheral surface of the inner cylinder 2 and abuts on the outer peripheral surface of the inner cylinder 2 in a liquid-tight manner; Seal member 4
Are integrally formed at the axial inner end.

[Operation] In the spherical slide bush having the above-described structure, the ring-shaped insert 3 is integrally formed in a spherical shape covering the bulging portion 21, and the elasticity of the elastic layer 45 interposed between the spherical insert and the spherical concave surface 1a of the outer cylinder 1. It is deformed and biased by the force so as to come into contact with the outer periphery of the inner cylinder bulging portion 21.

Therefore, even if an acting force is applied outward in the axial direction during use,
The insert 3, which is a spherical integrally molded product, has a bulging portion 21.
Is securely held on the outer periphery of the swelling member and is brought into close contact with the spherical surface of the bulging portion 21 by receiving the elastic force of the elastic layer 45, so that the sealing member 4 does not move and the sealing member 4 is deformed to improve the sealing property. There is no problem of deterioration. Also, even if the inner peripheral concave surface 3a of the insert 3 is worn out due to long-term use, the insert 3 receiving the elastic force is always satisfactorily formed without any backlash.
21 is contacted.

Further, since the insert 3 is an integrally molded product and the elastic layer 45 and the seal member 4 are integrally provided, the structure is simplified, and a good function is maintained with a small number of parts.

[Embodiment] In FIG. 1, an inner cylinder 2 is penetrated into a cylindrical holding portion 5 formed at an end of a suspension arm 51, and an axial center of the inner cylinder 2 is thickened. It is a bulging portion 21 that bulges out radially outward in a spherical shape. The outer periphery of the bulging portion 21 is covered with a thin ring-shaped insert 3 having a spherical shape along the bulging portion 21.

The insert 3 is an integrally molded product made of a resin material having good slidability, and has an inner periphery having a spherical concave surface 3a along the bulging portion 21. A concave groove 31 (FIG. 2) is formed all around the intermediate portion of the concave surface 3a.
A slit 32 extending in the axial direction is formed. The insert 3 can be contracted or expanded by following the outer periphery of the bulging portion 21 by providing the slit 32. In addition, the concave groove 31 does not contact the top surface of the bulging portion 21 (FIG. 1), thereby preventing the insert 3 from sliding variation due to dimensional tolerance.

The outer cylinder 1 is further press-fitted into each of the holding portions 5 in which the inserts 3 are located from both openings. Each outer cylinder 1 is thick so that the inner circumferences of the opposed inner end halves form an arc surface 14 symmetrical to each other, and these arc surfaces 14 form a spherical concave surface 1a substantially parallel to the bulging portion 21. Have been.

A rubber seal member 4 is joined to the inner periphery of the outer end half of each of the outer cylinders 1, and the entire seal member 4 is a substantially cylindrical body.
The outer periphery of the inner end opening is joined to the inner periphery of the outer cylinder 1, and a seal lip 42 is formed on the inner periphery of the outer end opening so as to be in liquid-tight contact with the outer periphery of the inner cylinder 2.

From the inner end of each of the seal members 4, a rubber elastic layer 45 having a constant thickness with an arc-shaped cross section is formed to extend in a ring shape so as to cover the inner periphery of the inner end half forming the arc surface 14 of the outer cylinder 1. The rubber elastic layer 45 elastically contacts the outer peripheral surface of the insert 3 and urges it so as to contact the outer periphery of the bulging portion 21.

In the state of use of such a bush, the insert arm 3 slides freely along the bulging portion 21 to rotate, so that the suspension arm 51 can rotate around the inner cylinder 21 and torsionally swing (arrow in the figure). Is also free. The grease in the sliding portion is satisfactorily held by the seal member 4, and the intrusion of water or the like from the outside is prevented.

Here, even if a force is applied to the insert 3 outward in the axial direction, the insert 3 which is a spherical integrally molded product is securely held on the outer periphery of the bulging portion 21 and the rubber elastic layer 45 is formed. As a result, the bulging portion 21 is pressed against the spherical surface, so that its movement is prevented, and there is no problem that the seal member 4 is deformed by the movement.

Further, since the insert 3 receives the elastic force from the rubber elastic layer 45 and is constantly urged inward in the radial direction, even if the concave surface 3a is worn out due to long-term use, the concave portion 3a is always satisfactorily swelled. It is slid on the outer peripheral surface and does not cause backlash.

Further, the insert 3 is an integrally molded product, and has an elastic layer 45.
Since the and the sealing member 4 are provided integrally, the number of parts is reduced.

[Effects] As described above, the spherical slide bush of the present invention has a simple structure, is easy to assemble, is easy to manufacture and is low in cost, and furthermore, there is no backlash in the slip portion and water, dust and the like enter the slip portion. It can be effectively prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 is an overall longitudinal sectional view of a slide bush showing one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of an insert, and FIG. 3 is an overall longitudinal sectional view of a slide bush showing a conventional example. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Outer cylinder 1a ... Spherical concave surface 2 ... Inner cylinder 21 ... Swelling part 3 ... Insert 3a ... Inner peripheral concave surface 4 ... Seal member 42 ... Seal lip 45 ... Rubber Elastic layer (elastic layer) 5 Hold part (holding member)

Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-1-126415 (JP, A) JP-A-62-110619 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) F16C 11 / 04 B60G 7/00

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A pair of outer cylinders, each of which is press-fitted and fixed into the holding member from both openings of the cylindrical holding member, and has an arcuate surface forming a spherical concave surface on the inner periphery of the opposing inner end; An inner cylinder having a bulging portion formed concentrically and penetrating through and forming a sphere bulging radially outward at a central portion in the axial direction so as to form a spherical surface substantially parallel to the spherical concave surface, and the bulging portion. This was covered in a spherical shape along the outer periphery, and the inner peripheral surface was a spherical concave surface slidably in contact with the outer periphery of the bulging portion, and was elastically deformable by a slit formed in the axial direction from one end side. An insert comprising a ring-shaped resin integral molded product; an elastic layer interposed between the outer periphery of the insert and the spherical concave surface of the outer cylinder, for urging the insert to come into close contact with the outer periphery of the bulging portion; The outer peripheral edge is joined to the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder to cover the outer side of the insert. , The inner peripheral edge comprises a cylindrical sealing member fluid-tightly abuts to extend to the outer peripheral surface of the inner cylinder,
A spherical sliding bush wherein the elastic layer is formed integrally with the inner end of the cylindrical seal member in the axial direction.