JP3705384B2 - Suspension arm and manufacturing method thereof - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a suspension arm and a method for manufacturing the same, and more particularly to a suspension arm for connecting a wheel suspended by a suspension spring in an automobile to a vehicle body and a method for manufacturing the same.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The suspension arm is an important part that connects the vehicle body and the wheel of the automobile, and the movement of the wheel is regulated by this suspension arm and the geometry is determined. Therefore, the suspension arm has a great influence on the steering performance, steering stability, mobility, riding comfort, etc. of the automobile.
[0003]
An example of use of the suspension arm is shown in FIG. 11, for example. This example shows a configuration in which a front wheel 1 is suspended by a multi-link suspension device, and the wheel 1 on the front wheel side is rotatably supported by a support shaft 3 protruding from a knuckle 2 via a bearing. It has become.
[0004]
Thus, the knuckle 2 to which the wheel 1 is attached is connected to the vehicle body side by the upper arm 4 and the lower arm 5. The connecting portion between the knuckle 2 and the lower arm 5 is connected to the lower end side of the shock absorber 7 via the fork 6. A coil spring 8 constituting a suspension spring is attached to the upper end side of the shock absorber 7 and to the outer peripheral portion thereof. The coil spring 8 is covered with a cylindrical cover.
[0005]
FIG. 12 shows a metal upper arm 4 employed in such a multilink suspension device, which is manufactured by a method such as press forming or forging of a steel plate.
[0006]
Such an upper arm 4 is provided with a vehicle body side connecting portion 11 at a pair of ends on the base end side, and a wheel side connecting portion 12 at the distal end side. These connecting portions 11 and 12 are each connected to the vehicle body side or the wheel side via a ball joint so as to be rotatable.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
For the purpose of improving fuel efficiency and driving performance by reducing the weight of automobiles, the weight reduction of each part of the vehicle has been promoted. This tendency is particularly remarkable in high-performance vehicles such as sports cars.
[0008]
For example, a suspension arm using an aluminum alloy pipe 13 as shown in FIG. 13 has been proposed as a suspension arm used in such a high-performance vehicle. This has a structure in which the vehicle body side connecting portion 11 and the wheel side connecting portion 12 are connected by an aluminum alloy pipe 13.
[0009]
Thus, even if only the intermediate portion between the connecting portions 11 and 12 is constituted by the aluminum alloy pipe 13, in order to obtain sufficient bonding strength between the pipe 13 and the connecting portions 11 and 12, these connecting portions 11. , 12 has to be made larger, and there has been a problem that a significant weight reduction cannot be expected.
[0010]
As shown in FIG. 14, replacing the aluminum alloy pipe 13 with a fiber reinforced resin pipe 17 is also considered, but in this case as well, the connecting portions 11 and 12 are each made of metal. And when making the intensity | strength of the junction part of the fiber reinforced resin pipe 17 and the vehicle body side connection part 11 or the wheel side connection part 12 into a sufficient value, the magnitude | size of the connection parts 11 and 12 must also be enlarged again. For this reason, weight reduction was to be prevented.
[0011]
Although it is considered to form a suspension arm made of fiber reinforced resin using an external mold by an internal pressure molding method, etc., it is also considered to make the parts constituting the metal connection part as small as possible, but a method using such an external mold However, there is a drawback that a die is required for each different shape, and the cost of the suspension arm becomes very expensive depending on the die.
[0012]
The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a suspension arm that can be manufactured without using a lightweight and expensive mold, and a method for manufacturing the suspension arm.
[0013]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The main invention of the present application is that at least two metal vehicle body side end members for connection to the vehicle body are provided at the base end sides of both ends, and a metal wheel side end for connection to the wheel is provided at the intermediate tip side. A substantially V-shaped suspension arm having members,
Having at least two lightweight core members interposed between the vehicle body side end member and the wheel side end member;
The vehicle body side end member and the wheel side end member are arranged at both ends of the lightweight core material so that the upper and lower surfaces of the vehicle body side end member and the wheel side end member are continuous with the upper and lower surfaces of the lightweight core material,
The upper and lower molding plates made of fiber reinforced resin are overlapped on the upper and lower surfaces of the lightweight core material, and the upper and lower molding plates cover almost the entire upper and lower surfaces of the vehicle body side end member and the wheel side end member.
The present invention relates to a suspension arm characterized in that the outside of the lightweight core material, the vehicle body side end member, and the wheel side end member, which are closely attached by the molded plate, is further covered with a fiber reinforced synthetic resin material .
[0015]
The reinforcing fiber of the fiber reinforced synthetic resin material coated on the molding plate or the outside may be carbon fiber, glass fiber, aramid fiber, or high-strength polyethylene fiber.
[0016]
The lightweight core material may be foamed hard urethane, acrylic foam, polymethacrylimide foam, aluminum honeycomb, or aramid honeycomb.
[0017]
Furthermore, the proximal or distal end member may be made of an aluminum alloy, a magnesium alloy, or a titanium alloy.
[0018]
The invention relating to the manufacturing method includes a step of creating a metal vehicle body side end member connected to the vehicle body and a metal wheel side end member connected to the wheel , respectively.
At least two light weights that are interposed between the metal body-side end member and the wheel-side end member at both ends and have upper and lower surfaces that are continuous with the upper and lower surfaces of the vehicle-body-side end member and the wheel-side end member. A step of creating a core material;
Creating upper and lower molded plates made of fiber reinforced resin;
A metal vehicle body side end member is disposed at a base end between the upper and lower molded plates, and a metal wheel side end member is disposed at a distal end side, and the upper and lower molded plates are the vehicle body side end member and the wheel. A step of arranging a light-weight core material so as to be substantially V-shaped as a whole between the metal end members at both ends, covering substantially the entire upper and lower surfaces of the side end members, and bonding them to each other;
A step of covering the outside of the lightweight core material, the vehicle body side end member, and the wheel side end member, which are tightly attached by the molding plate after being bonded, with a fiber reinforced resin material; and
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a suspension arm comprising
[0019]
According to such an invention, it is possible to provide an automobile suspension arm that is very lightweight, has sufficient strength to withstand a large load, and is easy to manufacture, and a method for manufacturing the same.
[0020]
Since the metal end members attached to both ends of the suspension arm are connected to the vehicle body side and the wheel side, usually via a ball joint or a rubber bush, a light metal material is preferably used. As described above, an aluminum alloy, a magnesium alloy, a titanium alloy, or the like may be preferably used. In order to improve the corrosion resistance or adhesion of these metal end members, it is preferable to appropriately perform a surface treatment such as an alumite treatment of an aluminum alloy.
[0021]
As a fiber reinforced synthetic resin material for covering a suspension arm sandwiched and held between upper and lower molding plates made of fiber reinforced synthetic resin so as to cover from the outside, carbon fiber woven prepreg, carbon fiber UD prepreg, A prepreg such as a glass fiber woven prepreg, or a molding material such as SMC (sheet molding compound) is preferably used. In addition, a method of winding while impregnating the reinforcing fiber resin with an FW (filament winding) apparatus or the like is also possible.
[0022]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
1 and 2 show an example of a suspension arm according to an embodiment of the present invention. This suspension arm constitutes an upper arm. The upper arm is used as a component for achieving the same function as the conventional upper arm 4 shown in FIG. FIG. 1 is a plan view and FIG. 2 is a side view.
[0023]
As is clear from these drawings, the suspension arm constituting the upper arm includes a pair of end members 21 for connection to the vehicle body side, a single end member 22 for connection to the wheel side, and these end members. The lightweight core material 23 interposed between 21 and 22 and the upper molding plate 25 and the lower molding plate 26 which are arranged above and below the lightweight core material 23 having the end members 21 and 22 disposed at both ends thereof.
[0024]
In such a suspension arm, the end members 21 and 22 are both made of a light alloy, the lightweight core material 23 is made of a lightweight foamed molded body, and the upper and lower molded plates 25 and 26 are both fiber-reinforced synthetic resins. Consists of materials.
[0025]
In such an upper arm, the ball joint 30 is particularly connected to the end member 22 on the wheel side. The ball joint 30 includes a bolt 31 that passes through the wheel-side end member 22 and is screwed by a pair of nuts 32 and 33 on both sides. On the other hand, the end member 21 on the vehicle body side has a circular hole 35 and a ball joint 36 is incorporated in the circular hole 35. Accordingly, such a suspension arm is connected to the knuckle by the ball joint 30 and is connected to the vehicle body side by the ball joint 36.
[0026]
Next, a method for manufacturing such a suspension arm will be described below in order. FIG. 3 shows the wheel-side end member 22, which has a block shape in which a bolt insertion hole 39 for inserting the bolt 31 of the hole joint 30 is formed. FIG. 4 shows the end member 21 on the vehicle body side. Here, a ball joint 36 is assembled in the circular hole 35.
[0027]
These end members 22 and 21 are both made of a light alloy, such as a magnesium alloy or an aluminum alloy. In particular, as shown in FIG. 4, the vehicle body side end member 21 is formed with a recess 40 at the end opposite to the end where the circular hole 35 is formed. It is possible to further reduce the weight by removing. In the case of manufacturing with an aluminum alloy, the surface is subjected to a surface treatment such as alumite treatment or an appropriate heat treatment.
[0028]
Next, a method for manufacturing the upper molding plate 25 and the lower molding plate 26 will be described. A rectangular fiber-reinforced synthetic resin plate 45 is prepared. The thickness may be 1 mm, for example. Then, such a molded plate 45 is cut out by machining with an NC router or the like, and the upper molded plate 25 and the lower molded plate 26 are manufactured.
[0029]
The fiber-reinforced synthetic resin molding plate constituting the material for cutting out the upper molding plate 25 or the lower molding plate 26 was impregnated with resin by aligning carbon fibers (manufactured by Toho Rayon, Besfight HTA12000) in one direction. It may be a pseudo isotropic laminate formed by laminating carbon fiber reinforced prepregs in a direction of 0 ° / 90 ° / ± 45 °. Such a quasi-isotropic laminate exhibits substantially the same elastic modulus in almost all directions. The thickness of the forming plate 45 may be determined by the rigidity required for the suspension arm.
[0030]
Next, the manufacturing method of the lightweight core material 23 is demonstrated with reference to FIG. For example, a foamed molded body composed of blocks of hard acrylic foam (manufactured by Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd., 47) is used as a raw material, and the lightweight core material 23 is manufactured by cutting out such foamed molded body 47. Since the lightweight core material 23 can be easily cut, it may be cut with a cutter or the like.
[0031]
The end members 21 and 22, the lightweight core material 23, and the upper and lower molding plates 25 and 26 thus manufactured are combined as shown in FIG. That is, the vehicle body side end member 21, the wheel side end member 22, and the lightweight core member 23 are sandwiched by upper and lower fiber reinforced synthetic resin molding plates 25 and 26, and are bonded to each other. In addition, it is preferable to adhere | attach by an epoxy-type adhesive agent (made by Ciba Geigy, Araldite) etc. after performing degreasing and grinding | polishing as a pre-process of adhesion | attachment.
[0032]
Next, as shown in FIG. 8, the entire suspension arm is covered from the outside with a fiber-reinforced synthetic resin material. That is, the suspension arm sandwiched and bonded by the upper and lower molding plates 25 and 26 is attached by, for example, a carbon fiber fabric prepreg (W-3101 / Q112 manufactured by Toho Rayon Co., Ltd.) so as to be wound entirely. At this time, in the vicinity of the bolt insertion hole 39 of the wheel side end member 22 through which the bolt 31 of the ball joint 30 is inserted and the vicinity of the circular hole 35 into which the ball joint 36 is assembled, the fiber reinforced synthetic resin material 50 is used. Expose without covering. If it has been covered, the synthetic resin material 50 at the site may be removed later.
[0033]
Thus, after covering the whole with the prepreg of the carbon fiber fabric, it is molded in an autoclave at 100 ° C. for 2 hours, thereby producing an integrated suspension arm as shown in FIG. This suspension arm has a structure as shown in FIG. That is, the intermediate lightweight core material 23 is sandwiched between the upper and lower molding plates 25 and 26, and a structure in which the fiber reinforced synthetic resin material 50 is disposed on the outside thereof is integrated.
[0034]
The suspension arm manufactured in this way is a conventional suspension arm and can be made much lighter than a suspension arm using an aluminum pipe 13 as shown in FIG. That is, when compared with the suspension arm having the same rigidity, the weight is 160 g when the aluminum alloy pipe 13 is used, whereas the suspension arm according to the present embodiment is 90 g or less, which is 40% or more. Weight reduction is possible. Moreover, when such a suspension arm was actually attached to the vehicle and tested, a very stable running performance was demonstrated.
[0035]
Although the above embodiment relates to the upper arm of the multilink suspension device, the present invention can be applied not only to the upper arm but also to the lower arm. Furthermore, the present invention can be applied to a strut suspension device, a double wishbone suspension device, and the like. Further, the present invention can be applied not only to a steered wheel but also to an arm of a fixed wheel suspension device.
[0036]
【The invention's effect】
The present invention as described above, has two at least the metal of the body-side end member for connecting the vehicle body to the base end side of both ends, metal wheels for connection of the wheel in the middle of the distal A substantially V-shaped suspension arm having a side end member having at least two lightweight core members interposed between the vehicle body side end member and the wheel side end member. The vehicle body side end member and the wheel side end member are arranged at both ends of the lightweight core material so that the upper and lower surfaces of the end member are continuous with the upper and lower surfaces of the lightweight core material. The upper and lower molding plates cover substantially the entire upper and lower surfaces of the vehicle body side end member and the wheel side end member, and the lightweight core material, the vehicle body side end member, and the wheel, which are tightly attached by the molding plate. More fibers on the outside of the side end member Those coated by chemical synthetic resin material.
[0037]
Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a lightweight suspension arm having the required strength and rigidity, and the weight of the suspension arm can be reduced. In addition, by further covering the outer side with a fiber reinforced synthetic resin material, it is possible to integrate more reliably and to increase the strength and rigidity.
[0038]
A step of creating a metal vehicle body side end member to be connected to the vehicle body and a metal wheel side end member to be connected to the wheel , respectively, between the metal vehicle body side end member and the wheel side end member at both ends Create at least two lightweight core materials with upper and lower surfaces interposed between the upper and lower surfaces of the vehicle body side end member and wheel side end member, and upper and lower molding plates made of fiber reinforced resin And a metal vehicle body side end member at the base end between the upper and lower molding plates, and a metal wheel side end member at the distal end side, the upper and lower molding plates being the vehicle body side end member and the wheel. The light-weight core material is arranged so as to be almost V-shaped as a whole between the metal end members at both ends , and is bonded to each other over almost the entire upper and lower surfaces of the side end members . depending on the molded plate after Semagi, lightweight core material, the body-side end member, and a step of the outer wheel side end member is molded over a fiber reinforced resin material, according to the invention relates to a method of manufacturing a suspension arm having a very light weight This makes it possible to efficiently manufacture a suspension arm and eliminates the need for an expensive mold for manufacturing.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view of an upper arm.
FIG. 2 is a side view of an upper arm.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a wheel side end member.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a vehicle body side end member.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing cutting of upper and lower molded plates.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing cutting of a lightweight core material.
FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing assembly of the upper arm.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a coating of a carbon fiber fabric.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a molded upper arm.
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of an intermediate portion of the upper arm.
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a main part of a conventional multi-link suspension device using an upper arm.
FIG. 12 is a plan view of a conventional upper arm.
FIG. 13 is a plan view of another conventional upper arm.
FIG. 14 is a plan view of still another conventional upper arm.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Wheel 2 Knuckle 3 Support shaft 4 Upper arm 5 Lower arm 6 Fork 7 Shock absorber 8 Coil spring 11 Car body side connection part 12 Wheel side connection part 13 Aluminum alloy pipes 14 and 15 Ball joint 17 Fiber reinforced resin pipe 21 End member (vehicle body side connection) Element)
22 End member (wheel side connecting member)
23 Lightweight core material 25 Upper molding plate 26 Lower molding plate 30 Ball joint 31 Bolt 32, 33 Nut 35 Circular hole 36 Ball joint 39 Bolt insertion hole 40 Recess 45 Molding plate (material)
47 Foam molding (material)
50 Fiber reinforced resin material

Claims (6)

Nearly V-shaped having at least two metal vehicle body side end members for connection to the vehicle body at the base end side of both ends and a metal wheel side end member for connection to the wheel at the intermediate front end side a Jo of the suspension arm,
Having at least two lightweight core members interposed between the vehicle body side end member and the wheel side end member;
The vehicle body side end member and the wheel side end member are arranged at both ends of the lightweight core material so that the upper and lower surfaces of the vehicle body side end member and the wheel side end member are continuous with the upper and lower surfaces of the lightweight core material,
The upper and lower molding plates made of fiber reinforced resin are overlapped on the upper and lower surfaces of the lightweight core material, and the upper and lower molding plates cover almost the entire upper and lower surfaces of the vehicle body side end member and the wheel side end member.
A suspension arm characterized in that the outside of the lightweight core material, the vehicle body side end member, and the wheel side end member that are closely attached by the molded plate is further covered with a fiber reinforced synthetic resin material .   The suspension arm according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing fiber of the molded plate is carbon fiber, glass fiber, aramid fiber, or high-strength polyethylene fiber. The suspension arm according to claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing fiber of the fiber-reinforced synthetic resin material coated on the outside is carbon fiber, glass fiber, aramid fiber, or high-strength polyethylene fiber.   The suspension arm according to claim 1, wherein the lightweight core material is foamed hard urethane, acrylic foam, polymethacrylimide foam, aluminum honeycomb, or aramid honeycomb.   The suspension arm according to claim 1, wherein the proximal or distal end member is made of an aluminum alloy, a magnesium alloy, or a titanium alloy. A step of creating a metal vehicle body side end member connected to the vehicle body and a metal wheel side end member connected to the wheel ;
At least two light weights that are interposed between the metal body-side end member and the wheel-side end member at both ends and have upper and lower surfaces that are continuous with the upper and lower surfaces of the vehicle-body-side end member and the wheel-side end member. A step of creating a core material;
Creating upper and lower molded plates made of fiber reinforced resin;
A metal vehicle body side end member is disposed at a base end between the upper and lower molded plates, and a metal wheel side end member is disposed at a distal end side, and the upper and lower molded plates are the vehicle body side end member and the wheel. A step of arranging a light-weight core material so as to be substantially V-shaped as a whole between the metal end members at both ends, covering substantially the entire upper and lower surfaces of the side end members, and bonding them to each other;
A step of covering the outside of the lightweight core material, the vehicle body side end member, and the wheel side end member, which are tightly attached by the molding plate after being bonded, with a fiber reinforced resin material; and
A method for manufacturing a suspension arm.

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