JP3988967B2 - Vehicle damper - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vehicular damper in which a rebound spring that elastically restricts the extension of a damper beyond a predetermined value is housed in a damper body in which a damper rod is inserted so as to be movable up and down.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, this type of vehicle damper accommodates a rebound spring interposed between a first spring receiver provided on the damper body and a second spring receiver provided on the damper rod in the damper body. One end of the rebound spring is always seated on one of the spring receivers of the second and second spring receivers, and a third spring rest that is freely seated on the other end of the rebound spring is provided with respect to the damper body and the damper rod, When the extension of the damper reaches a predetermined value or more, the other spring receiver of the first and second spring receivers contacts the third spring receiver so that the rebound spring is compressed.
[0003]
By the way, in a vehicle equipped with a device to be controlled according to the vehicle height such as a vehicle height adjusting device or a headlight auto-adjusting device, a vehicle height sensor such as a limit switch that is turned on / off by swinging of the suspension arm is provided. .
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, the vehicle height sensor that detects the vehicle height based on the swing of the suspension arm requires a mounting bracket and a protector for the sensor, which increases the number of parts and the cost.
[0005]
In view of the above, the present invention aims at reducing costs by incorporating a vehicle height sensor in the damper body, eliminating the need for a sensor mounting bracket and protector, in a damper for a vehicle that houses a rebound spring in the damper body. Is an issue.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a vehicular damper comprising a damper main body and a damper rod that is inserted into the damper main body so as to be movable up and down. The damper main body includes a first damper provided in the damper main body. A rebound spring inserted between the spring receiver and the second spring receiver provided on the damper rod is accommodated, and one end of the rebound spring is always seated on one of the first and second spring receivers. A third spring receiver that is always seated on the other end of the rebound spring and is freely movable with respect to the damper main body and the damper rod is provided, and the other of the first and second spring receivers when the extension of the damper exceeds a predetermined value. In this embodiment, the rebound spring is compressed by abutting against the third spring receiver, and at least a part of the third spring receiver is magnetized, and the third spring receiver Provided with a reed switch on the other spring receiving portion that abuts the magnetization portion of, is arranged outside the damper body, one end slides the outer periphery of the damper body and the other end is connected to the damper rod A pressure case and an electric heater that encloses a gas-liquid changing medium in the pressure case and heats the medium, and a cooling fin extending in the longitudinal direction of the damper is provided around the outer peripheral surface of the pressure case. A plurality are provided in the direction.
Further, the vehicle damper according to the present invention is provided by connecting a cylindrical outer case that covers the cooling fin to the damper main body, and the damper rod moves in the extending direction with respect to the damper main body. It is preferable that the cooling fin is exposed from the outer case.
Moreover, it is preferable that the vehicle damper according to the present invention is configured to provide a brush that is in sliding contact with the cooling fin at a lower end of the outer case.
[0007]
According to the present invention, when the extension of the damper is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, that is, the vehicle height is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, and the other spring receiver contacts the third spring receiver, the magnetic force of the magnetic portion of the third spring receiver is increased. The reed switch is turned on, and thus the reed switch functions as a vehicle height sensor. Here, since the reed switch is attached to the other spring receiver and is protected from the outside in the damper body, a special mounting bracket or protector for the vehicle height sensor is not required, and the cost can be reduced. .
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
With reference to FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a damper main body made of a single cylinder, and a damper rod 2 is inserted into the damper main body 1 from below so as to freely move up and down. A damper piston 3 having an orifice hole 3 a is attached to the upper end of the damper rod 2. The damper body 2 is partitioned into an oil chamber 4 into which the damper piston 3 is inserted and a free piston 5 with respect to the oil chamber 4. An upper gas chamber 6 is defined to constitute an inverted single cylinder hydraulic damper. The damper body 1 is connected to the vehicle body via a bracket 7 attached to the upper end thereof, and the damper rod 2 is connected to an unsprung member via a bush 8 attached to the lower end thereof. A damping force against vibration is obtained.
[0009]
In addition, a pressure case 9 that can move up and down is provided outside the damper body 1, and the lower end of the pressure case 9 is hermetically connected to the damper rod 2, and the damper body 1 and the pressure case 9 are connected to the upper end of the pressure case 9. A sealing member 9a is provided for sealing a gap between the damper body 1 and the pressure case 9, and a sealed pressure chamber 10 is defined. The pressure chamber 10 changes in gas and liquid mixed with lubricating oil. A low-boiling pressure medium such as R134a and R152a is enclosed, and a rod-shaped electric heater 11 serving as a heat source is provided at the bottom of the pressure chamber 10. Thus, when the electric heater 11 is energized, the liquid-phase pressure medium accumulated at the bottom of the pressure chamber 10 is heated and vaporized to increase the vapor pressure in the pressure chamber 10, and the pressure case 9, that is, the damper to the damper body 1. The rod 2 is pushed down by the vapor pressure, and the vehicle height increases.
[0010]
Further, a heat insulating cover 12 made of resin that covers the lower outer peripheral surface of the pressure case 9 over the outer peripheral surface of the bush 8 is provided to prevent the heat of the electric heater 11 from being dissipated to the outside. The heating efficiency of the medium can be improved. The heat insulating cover 12 is composed of two halves that are divided in half, and both halves are tightened by a pair of upper and lower bands 12a and 12a.
[0011]
In the damper main body 1, there is an intermediate between a first spring receiver 13 provided on the end piece 1 a at the lower end of the damper main body 1 and an upper second spring receiver 14 locked to the damper rod 2 by a snap ring 14 a. A rebound spring 15 to be inserted is accommodated. The lower end of the rebound spring 15 is always seated on the first spring receiver 13, and a third spring receiver 16 that is always seated on the upper end of the rebound spring 15 and is freely movable with respect to the damper body 1 and the damper rod 2. When the damper rod 2 moves downward with respect to the damper body 1 and the extension of the damper reaches a predetermined value or more, the second spring receiver 14 comes into contact with the third spring receiver 16 and the rebound spring 15 is compressed, so that the predetermined damper Elongation above the value is elastically regulated.
[0012]
Here, a part of the upper surface of the third spring receiver 16 is magnetized by a magnet 16a embedded in the third spring receiver 16, and a concave groove 14b is formed in a portion facing the magnet 16a on the lower surface of the second spring receiver 14, The reed switch 17 is fixed in the concave groove 14b with an adhesive or the like, and when the second spring receiver 14 comes into contact with the third spring receiver 16, the reed switch 17 is turned on. Thus, the reed switch 17 functions as a vehicle height sensor that is turned on when the extension of the damper is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, that is, when the vehicle height is greater than or equal to the reference height, and turned off when the vehicle height is less than the reference height. To do.
[0013]
When the reed switch 17 is turned off, a switching element 19 such as an FET provided in a circuit for connecting the electric heater 11 to the power source 18 is maintained so that the vehicle height can be maintained at the reference height even if the vehicle load changes. Turns on and turns off when the reed switch 17 is turned on, energizes the electric heater 11 when the vehicle height is less than the reference height, and stops energizing the electric heater 11 when the vehicle height exceeds the reference height Like to do. The conducting wire 17 a connected to the reed switch 17 is led out from the lower end of the damper rod 2 through the shaft hole 2 a formed in the damper rod 2 and connected to the switching element 19.
[0014]
By the way, the vehicle height may overshoot the reference height when unloading or when the number of passengers decreases, or due to self-heating of the damper. Therefore, in the present embodiment, a plurality of cooling fins 9b that are vertically long are provided on the upper outer peripheral surface of the pressure case 9 at intervals in the circumferential direction as shown in FIG. 2, and a cylindrical shape that covers the cooling fins 9b. An outer case 20 is provided at the upper end of the outer case 20 by being connected to the damper main body 1 by a snap ring 20a, and the cooling fin 9b is exposed below the outer case 20 as the damper rod 2 moves downward relative to the damper main body, that is, as the vehicle height rises. Like to do. When the cooling fins 9b are exposed, the amount of heat released from the pressure chamber 10 is increased by the air-cooling action caused by the traveling wind that strikes the cooling fins 9b, the vapor pressure is quickly reduced, and the overshoot of the vehicle height is suppressed.
[0015]
Further, a brush 20b that is in sliding contact with the cooling fin 9b is provided at the lower end of the outer case 20, and mud and the like adhering to the cooling fin 9b are scraped off by the brush 20b, and heat dissipation from the cooling fin 9b is deteriorated by mud and the like. It is possible to prevent that. The cooling fins 9b can be formed in a ring shape extending in the circumferential direction of the pressure case 10, but considering the cleanability by the brush 20b, the cooling fins 9b are elongated in the vertical direction as in this embodiment. It is desirable to have a shape.
[0016]
Further, in the present embodiment, when the bump stop rubber 21 extending downward from the upper end portion of the outer case 20 is provided between the damper main body 1 and the outer case 20, the shrinkage of the damper becomes a predetermined value or more. The upper end of the pressure case 10 is in contact with the bump stop rubber 21 so that the shrinkage of the damper over a predetermined value is elastically regulated.
[0017]
In the above embodiment, a part of the third spring receiver 16 is magnetized. However, the entire third spring receiver 16 may be magnetized, that is, the entire third spring receiver 16 may be formed of a magnet. The second spring receiver 14 may be integrated with the damper piston 3. Further, in the damper in which the damper rod is inserted into the damper body from above, the damper body is interposed between the lower second spring receiver provided on the damper rod and the upper first spring receiver provided on the damper body. When the rebound spring is housed and the first spring receiver contacts the third spring receiver seated on the upper end of the rebound spring when the extension of the damper reaches a predetermined value or more, at least one of the second spring receivers The present invention can be similarly applied by magnetizing the portion and providing a reed switch in the portion of the first spring support that contacts the magnetized portion.
[0018]
Moreover, in the said embodiment, although this invention was applied to the single cylinder type damper, this invention is applicable also to a double cylinder type damper or a docarnation type damper. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the reed switch 17 is used as a vehicle height sensor that controls the electric heater 11 that is a driving source for adjusting the vehicle height. It is also possible to use it.
[0019]
【The invention's effect】
As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, a vehicle height sensor can be incorporated in the damper main body, a special mounting bracket or protector for the vehicle height sensor is not required, and costs can be reduced.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side cut-away side view of an example of the damper of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along II-II in FIG.
1 damper body 2 damper rod 13 first spring receiver 14 second spring receiver 15 rebound spring 16 third spring receiver 16a magnet (magnetized portion) 17 reed switch

Claims (3)

A damper for a vehicle comprising a damper body and a damper rod inserted into the damper body so as to be movable up and down,
The rebound spring inserted between the first spring receiver provided on the damper main body and the second spring receiver provided on the damper rod is housed in the damper main body,
One end of the rebound spring is always seated on one of the first and second spring receivers, and the third spring receiver is freely seated on the other end of the rebound spring and is freely movable with respect to the damper main body and the damper rod. Provided, when the extension of the damper exceeds a predetermined value, the other spring receiver of both the first and second spring receivers contacts the third spring receiver and the rebound spring is compressed.
While magnetizing at least a part of the third spring receiver, a reed switch is provided on a portion of the other spring receiver that contacts the magnetized portion of the third spring receiver ,
A pressure case disposed on the outside of the damper body, one end sliding on the outer periphery of the damper body, and the other end connected to the damper rod;
An electric heater that encloses a gas-liquid changing medium in the pressure case and heats the medium;
A vehicular damper , wherein a plurality of cooling fins extending in the longitudinal direction of the damper are provided in the circumferential direction on an outer peripheral surface on one end side of the pressure case .   A cylindrical outer case that covers the cooling fin is connected to the damper main body,
  The vehicle damper according to claim 1, wherein the cooling fin is exposed from the outer case when the damper rod moves in the extending direction with respect to the damper main body.   The vehicular damper according to claim 2, wherein a brush that slides on the cooling fin is provided at a lower end of the outer case.

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