JP3704998B2 - Air spring mounting structure - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an air spring mounting structure for attaching an air spring between an axle passing under a frame and a frame portion immediately above the axle.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In a truck (vehicle), an air suspension device is employed to obtain a comfortable ride. The air suspension device includes a pair of left and right air springs between a side frame on both the left and right sides of a frame extending in the vehicle front-rear direction and an axle disposed on the lower side of the frame along the vehicle width direction. An intervening structure is used.
[0003]
By the way, since the axle is formed of a member having a rail-shaped cross section, the width dimension is small. For this reason, the lower part of the air spring cannot be fixed directly to the axle.
[0004]
Therefore, to fix the lower part of the air spring, a spring seat (a member suitable for fixing the air spring) is separately placed on the upper surface of the axle, and this is installed with a bolt that penetrates the axle and the spring seat. A structure is adopted in which the lower end of the air spring is arranged so as to overlap the upper surface of the spring seat and the lower end is fastened with a bolt. Specifically, a mounting bolt as a mounting portion protrudes downward from the lower end of the air spring, and this mounting bolt can be passed through the spring seat and fastened from the back surface of the spring seat with a nut. It is done.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, when a front axle is supported using an air spring, a structure in which an air spring is disposed directly above the front axle is used in order to stably receive a load applied from a frame or a wheel.
[0006]
However, when the spring seat and the mounting bolt of the air spring are arranged so as to overlap directly above the front axle in this way, the nut on the back surface of the spring seat fastening the air spring is fastened to the front axle. It becomes covered with the upper surface of the spring seat.
[0007]
For this reason, in a suspension in which an air spring is mounted immediately above the axle, when removing the air spring, the fastening between the front axle and the spring seat overlapping the upper surface of the front axle is released and both the front axle and the spring seat are released. The lower part of the air spring cannot be released until the nut on the back side of the spring seat is exposed to the outside.
[0008]
In this case, the work of attaching and detaching the air spring always involves a work of separating the front axle and the spring seat.
[0009]
For this reason, in a suspension in which an air spring is mounted immediately above the axle, the work of attaching and detaching the air spring is considerably troublesome, and improvement of this point is desired.
[0010]
The present invention has been made paying attention to the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an air spring mounting structure capable of facilitating the work of attaching and detaching the air spring disposed immediately above the axle.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the air spring mounting structure described in claim 1 is provided with a mounting seat that projects to the side of the axle at a lower portion of the air spring, and projects to the side of the axle on the spring seat. Forming a mounting seat for receiving, fastening the mounting seat and the mounting seat with a fastener , and forming a recess for embedding the entire head of the bolt for fastening the spring seat on the upper surface of the spring seat , The lower part of the air spring was fixed to the spring seat at the point where the axle was avoided.
[0012]
With this fixing structure, when releasing the fixing of the lower part of the air spring, use the space on the side of the axle and operate the fasteners arranged on the side of the axle so that it protrudes to the side of the axle. By releasing the fastening between the mounting seat of the air spring and the installation seat of the spring seat, the lower portion of the air spring can be directly detached from the spring seat without the need to separate the axle and the spring seat. Of course, when the lower part of the air spring is fixed, the work can proceed regardless of the axle.
[0013]
Therefore, it is possible to easily attach and detach the air spring arranged immediately above the frame and the axle.
[0014]
In particular, a U-shaped adapter leg extending in the diametrical direction of the air spring is attached to the attachment portion at the lower end of the air spring to form a mounting seat, and a groove portion for receiving the adapter leg is formed in the seat for receiving the piston end of the spring seat. By adopting a configuration that fixes the lower part of the air spring, the air spring remains in a posture in which the lower end of the air spring is in contact with the receiving seat (maintaining a large contact area) without changing the structure of the existing air spring. The lower part of the spring can be fixed.
[0015]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention will be described below based on the first embodiment shown in FIGS.
[0016]
FIG. 1 shows an air suspension device for suspending, for example, a front wheel P of a truck (vehicle), in which 1 is a frame of the truck. The frame 1 is formed in a ladder shape having a pair of side frames 2 extending in the vehicle front-rear direction.
[0017]
An engine 3 is mounted on the front portion (front side) of the frame 1 so as to fit between the left and right side frames 2. Also, below the frame 1 on which the engine 3 is mounted, a front axle 4 (axle) formed of a narrow member having a rail-like cross section is disposed below the engine 3 and the side rail 2 below the vehicle width. It is inserted along the direction. A front wheel P is connected to each end portion of the front axle 4 projecting from each side rail 2 in the vehicle width direction via a knuckle (not shown).
[0018]
A pair of air springs 5 are attached between the side frames 2 and the front axle 4.
[0019]
As shown in FIG. 3A, each air spring 5 is provided with a piston 8 having a surge tank chamber 8 a formed therein, for example, on the lower side, and an upper side of the piston 8 above the piston 8. A structure in which the diaphragm 9 is combined so as to cover is used. An end plate 10 serving as an upper attachment portion is attached to the upper surface of the diaphragm 9. Further, two mounting bolts 11 (shown in FIG. 3) that serve as lower mounting portions protrude from the center of the lower surface of the piston 8 (existing air spring structure).
[0020]
And the end plate 10 of each air spring 5 is being fixed to the bracket 12 attached to the side rail part which cross | intersects the front axle 4 with a volt | bolt, for example.
[0021]
Further, for example, an adapter leg 13 is combined with the mounting bolt 11 as a retrofitted leg member. The lower portion of the air spring 5 is fixed to the spring seat 7 attached to the upper surface of the front axle portion that intersects the side frame 2 via the adapter leg 13.
[0022]
The fixing structure of the lower part of the air spring 5 is shown in FIGS.
[0023]
That is, the adapter leg 13 is formed of, for example, a U-shaped band plate member. And the intermediate part of this strip plate member is detachably fixed to the lower surface of the piston 8 by the mounting bolts 11 and nuts 11a combined with the bolts 11, and the adapter legs 13 are attached in the diametrical direction. That is, the entire adapter leg 13 can be arranged in a direction intersecting with the front axle 4. Both end portions of the strip plate member have a length that protrudes to both sides sandwiching the front axle 4. And the attachment bolt 15 (equivalent to a fastener) is attached to each edge part of this strip | plate member so that a front-end | tip protrudes toward the downward direction of the air spring 5, and the attachment seat 16 is formed in the part, respectively. .
[0024]
The spring seat 7 has a plate-shaped receiving seat 17 (shown in FIG. 2) for receiving the piston 8 on the upper surface, and a bracket 18 (shown in FIG. 1) for supporting the axle at the front, and is formed in a plate shape. It is. The spring seat 7 is disposed so as to overlap the upper surface of each front axle portion that intersects the side frame 2. A plurality of mounting holes 20 are formed in the seat 17 of the spring seat 7 corresponding to the plurality of fixing holes 19 formed on both sides of the front axle portion shown in FIG. The spring seat 7 is fastened to the upper surface of the front axle 4 by a bolt 21 that passes through the fixing hole 19 and the mounting hole 20 and a nut 21a that is screwed into the bolt end. Each mounting hole 20 is formed with a recess 20 a for embedding the entire head of the bolt 20 in the seat 17.
[0025]
On both sides of the front seat 4 of the spring seat 7, a pair of seat surface portions 22 are formed which are extended portions extending linearly in one diametrical direction intersecting the front axle 4. Each of these seating surface portions 22 projects in a predetermined manner on both sides of the front axle 4. Each seat surface portion 22 is formed with a bolt hole 23 that mates with the bolt 15 of the adapter leg 13 (air spring 5), and an installation seat 24 that mates with the mounting seat 16 of the air spring 5 is formed at the same portion. Yes. That is, the mounting seat 16 and the installation seat 24 are formed at points where they do not overlap with the front axle 4, that is, at points on the side where the front axle 4 is avoided.
[0026]
Further, a groove portion 25 extending in a straight line along the direction connecting the pair of bolt holes 23 is formed in the flat portion of the seat 17. The groove 25 has a size for accommodating the adapter leg 13. Thus, as shown in FIG. 2, the adapter legs 13 are inserted into the groove portions 25, and the mounting bolts 15 at both ends of the adapter legs 13 are inserted into the bolt holes 23, as shown in FIGS. As shown, the lower surface of the piston of the air spring 5 comes into contact with the upper surface of the receiving seat 17, and the mounting seat 16 of the adapter leg 13 overlaps with the installation seat 24 of the spring seat 7.
[0027]
Then, the end of each mounting bolt 15 that passes through each bolt hole 23 is fastened by a nut 26 (which constitutes a fastener together with the mounting bolt 15) screwed from the back surface of the installation seat 24. Both ends are fixed to the spring seat 7.
[0028]
However, in FIG. 1, 27 is a shock absorber interposed between each spring seat 7 and the side rail portion immediately above it, and 28 is a bracket 18 of each spring seat 7 and the lower surface of the side frame 2 in front of the engine. The parallel link mechanism (it is comprised from the U-shaped torsion beam 28a and the swing arm 28b) attached between is shown.
[0029]
With the structure in which the lower part of the air spring 5 is fixed to the spring seat 7 using the mounting seat 16 and the installation seat 24, the air spring 5 can be easily attached and detached.
[0030]
To explain this point, it is assumed that the air spring 5 is now removed.
[0031]
At this time, the fixing of the lower portion of the air spring 5 is released.
[0032]
At this time, the nut 26 that fastens the adapter leg 13 and the spring seat 7 is operated from the space on the side of the front axle 4 to connect the mounting seat 16 of the air spring 5 and the installation seat 24 of the spring seat 7. Unpin. Thereby, fixation of the lower part of the air spring 5 is cancelled | released.
[0033]
Next, after the fastening of the end plate 10 of the air spring 5 and the bracket 6 is released (the upper fixing of the air spring 5 is released), the entire air spring 5 may be removed from between the bracket 12 and the spring seat 7.
[0034]
The air spring 5 is mounted between the bracket 12 and the spring seat 7 by performing the reverse operation.
[0035]
Therefore, the work for detaching the air spring 5 can be carried out without requiring the work for separating the front axle 4 and the spring seat 7.
[0036]
Therefore, the work of detaching the air spring 5 just above the axle, which has been troublesome, can be easily performed.
[0037]
Moreover, a mounting seat 16 is formed by attaching a U-shaped adapter leg 13 extending in the diameter direction of the air spring 5 to a mounting bolt 15 at the lower end of the air spring 5, and a receiving seat 17 that receives the piston end of the spring seat 7. Since the fixing structure in which the groove portion 25 in which the adapter leg 13 is accommodated is adopted, the adapter leg 16 is simply retrofitted to the mounting bolt 15 and can be used as it is without changing the structure of the existing air spring 5. The lower part of the spring 5 can be fixed to the spring seat 7, and the cost burden can be reduced. In addition, the lower end surface of the piston of the air spring 5 is in contact with the upper surface of the seat 17 and is supported by the spring seat 7 in a wide area. Can be received at.
[0038]
4 and 5 show a second embodiment of the present invention.
[0039]
The present embodiment is an example in which the mounting seat 16 is formed integrally with the air spring 5 instead of the mounting seat having a separate structure as in the first embodiment.
[0040]
That is, for example, the structure uses the spring seat 7 whose entire upper surface is flat. An extension 29 is formed on the bottom wall 8b constituting the piston 8 so as to extend in a diameter direction intersecting the front axle 4 and project to the side of the front axle 4. A bolt hole 30 to be combined with the bolt hole 23 in the installation seat 24 of the spring seat 7 is formed as a mounting seat 16, a mounting bolt 31 inserted into both the bolt holes 23, 30, and a nut 32 screwed into the bolt end. Thus, the mounting seat 16 and the installation seat 24 are fastened from a point avoiding the front axle 4. Of course, a plate member (not shown) on which the mounting seat 16 is formed may be attached to the lower surface of the bottom wall 8b of the piston 8.
[0041]
Even if it does in this way, there exists an effect similar to 1st Embodiment. 4 and 5, the same parts as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.
[0042]
In one embodiment, an example in which the present invention is applied to a front suspension of a truck has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a suspension structure in which a spring seat and an air spring are arranged directly on an axle, The present invention may be applied.
[0043]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the invention described in claim 1, by releasing the fastening between the mounting seat and the installation seat at the point where the axle is avoided, the lower part of the air spring is directly connected regardless of the axle. It can be released.
[0044]
Therefore, the lower part of the air spring can be separated from the spring seat from directly above the axle without requiring the work of separating the axle and the spring seat, and the work of attaching and detaching the air spring can be facilitated.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an air spring mounting structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention together with a suspension device adopting the structure.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the entire mounting structure in an enlarged manner.
FIG. 3 is a partially sectional side view showing a fastening state of a lower portion of an air spring attached with the same attachment structure.
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view for explaining an air spring mounting structure according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a partially sectional side view showing a fastening state of a lower portion of an air spring attached with the same attachment structure.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 ... Frame 2 ... Side frame 4 ... Front axle (axle)
5 ... Air spring 6 ... Bracket 7 ... Spring seat 8 ... Piston 13 ... Adapter legs 15, 26 ... Mounting bolts and nuts (fasteners)
16 ... mounting seat 17 ... receiving seat 23 ... bolt hole 24 ... installation seat 25 ... groove part.

Claims (1)

A spring seat is disposed on the upper surface of the axle that passes through the lower side of the frame along the vehicle width direction , and the spring seat is fastened with a mounting hole formed in the spring seat and a bolt that penetrates the axle. An air spring mounting structure in which a lower part is fixed to a seat and an upper part is fixed to the frame side, and an air spring is attached between the spring seat and the frame,
The fixing structure on the lower side of the spring is
A mounting seat formed to project to the side of the axle at the bottom of the air spring;
An installation seat that is formed so as to project to the side of the axle on the spring seat and receives the mounting seat;
A fastener for fastening the mounting seat and the installation seat ;
An air spring mounting structure comprising a recess for embedding the entire head of the bolt in the spring seat, which is formed in an upper surface portion of the spring seat where the mounting hole is opened .

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