JP4198611B2 - Spring seat - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a spring seat that holds a top end of a suspension spring that is held by a vehicle body side mount and interposed between shock absorbers in a suspension device that is interposed between a vehicle body and an axle.

  Generally, a suspension device for a vehicle such as an automobile is configured by providing a shock absorber and a suspension spring in parallel between a vehicle body and an axle, and the suspension spring is connected to an upper spring seat and a shock absorber held by the vehicle body side mount. It is interposed between the lower spring seat provided.

Such suspension devices are generally of the types shown in Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2, and Special Reference 3, for example.

  That is, as shown in Patent Document 1, an upper metal spring seat is held by a mount on the vehicle body via a bearing, and the upper end of a suspension spring is carried on the upper spring seat.

  Similarly, as shown in Patent Document 2, the upper metal spring seat is held by the vehicle body side mount, and the upper end of the suspension spring is carried on the upper spring seat.

  In this case, the suspension spring is hooked at the upper end of the suspension spring via a hooking member that also serves as a guide provided on the upper spring seat, preventing the suspension spring from shifting laterally, and being cut along the way. Even if it does not fall to the wheel side.

On the other hand, in the type shown in Patent Document 3, the upper metal spring seat is held by the vehicle body side mount, and an anti-vibration rubber is laminated on the upper spring seat, and the upper end of the suspension spring is interposed via the anti-vibration rubber. Is supported by the upper spring seat.
JP 2003-194134 A (drawing) JP 2003-214475 A (FIG. 1) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-184762 (FIG. 1)

  The suspension devices disclosed in Patent Documents 1, 2, and 3 are not particularly defective in function, but the following improvements are desired.

  First, in the suspension devices as shown in Patent Documents 1, 2, and 3, since the spring seat is made of metal, the weight is heavy and expensive, and weight reduction and cost reduction are desired.

  Secondly, the suspension device as shown in Patent Document 3 has a large number of parts because the vibration-proof rubber is laminated on the spring seat, is heavy in weight, is difficult to process, and is easy to assemble. Similarly, it is desired to simplify, lighten, and improve workability and assembly.

  Therefore, in order to achieve the above requirements, a single spring seat molded from a rubber material that can reduce the number of parts, reduce weight, improve workability and assemblability, and at the same time achieve a vibration isolation function. Development is being studied.

  However, even if it is a rubber spring seat, it is necessary to provide a guide that prevents the upper end of the suspension spring from expanding laterally outward or slipping, but this guide is made of soft rubber. If the load is applied to the spring seat itself, or if the force from the suspension spring is applied directly to the guide, the guide may expand outward or deform. As a result, the upper end of the suspension spring may expand. Or may slip laterally, get over the guide and come off the spring seat.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a spring seat that can prevent the guide from expanding outward or deforming even if the spring seat itself provided with the guide is molded of a rubber material.

In order to achieve the above object, a spring seat of the present invention is a spring seat that is held by a vehicle body side mount and carries a suspension spring that is interposed between a shock absorber and a cylindrical portion, and an upper end of the cylindrical portion. The flange part integrally provided, and the spring guide part provided continuously with the outer periphery of the cylinder part and the outer periphery of the flange part, and the spring guide part is integrally provided with the flange part. The suspension spring is defined by a main body, a lower end supporting piece integrally provided on the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion at the lower end of the guide portion main body , and the cylindrical portion, the flange portion, the guide portion main body, and the lower end supporting piece. It is formed of a rubber material having a guide groove for allowing the uppermost spiral portion to enter.

  According to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

  (1) Since the spring seat itself is formed of a rubber material, the overall weight is lighter than that formed of a metal material, and the cost can be reduced.

  (2) Since the spring seat itself has a vibration isolating function, the number of parts is less than that of a metal sheet body laminated with a rubber anti-vibration rubber. Adhesiveness can be improved.

(3) the spring guide portion is a flange portion and because they were provided continuously to the cylindrical portion it takes an unbalanced load on the spring seat itself, the spring guide portion flange portion even if force acts from the suspension spring in the spring guide portion As a result, it is possible to prevent the suspension spring from being laterally displaced or getting over the spring guide portion and coming off the spring seat.
In particular, since the spring guide portion is integrally connected to the flange portion and the cylindrical portion, the guide groove does not open. Therefore, the upper end spiral portion of the suspension spring is guided in the circumferential direction, and the suspension spring is The suspension spring is prevented from being laterally displaced or pulled out while being guided in the lateral direction.

  Hereinafter, an example of implementation of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 3, the spring seat A of the present invention is held by the vehicle body side mount and interposed between the shock absorber and the shock absorber. A spring seat for supporting a suspension spring, which is integrally connected to a cylindrical portion 1, a flange portion 2 integrally connected to the upper end of the cylindrical portion 1, an outer periphery of the flange portion 2, and an outer periphery of the cylindrical portion 1. And a spring guide portion 3 provided with a guide groove 3b facing the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 1, and is formed of a rubber material.

The spring guide portion 3 includes a guide portion main body integrally connected to the flange portion 2, a lower end support piece 3 a integrally provided on the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion 1 at the lower end of the guide portion main body , and the cylindrical portion 1. And a guide groove 3b that is defined by the flange portion 2, the guide body, and the lower end support piece 3a and into which the uppermost spiral portion of the suspension spring 11 enters.

  Further, an end holding member 7 of a spring S including a vertical stop piece 5 and a horizontal guide piece 6 is integrally provided on the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion 1.

  Further, an annular protrusion 1 a is formed in the middle of the inner periphery of the tube portion 1, and an annular support piece 1 b is formed at the lower end of the inner periphery of the tube portion 1.

  Next, the suspension device B using the spring seat A will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. The suspension device B is held by the strut type shock absorber 9 attached to the wheel side bracket 8 and the vehicle body side mount C. The suspension spring 11 is interposed between the upper spring seat A and the lower spring seat 10 attached to the outer periphery of the shock absorber 9.

  The mount C includes an inner base 13 coupled to the vehicle body via bolts 12, a cover 14 coupled to the lower portion of the inner base 13 via bolts 12, and a mount coupled between the inner base 13 and the cover 14. The inner rubber 16 is held in the rubber 15.

  The center of the inner rubber 16 of the mount C passes through the piston rod 17 of the shock absorber 9, and the tip of the piston rod 17 is fixed to the inner rubber 16 via a nut, whereby the piston rod 17 is coupled to the vehicle body side. .

  The cover 14 has a centered bottomed cylindrical portion 14a, a horizontal plate portion 14b continuously provided at the upper end of the cylindrical portion 14a, and a plurality of locking holes 14c spaced from the body portion of the cylindrical portion 14a in the circumferential direction. It consists of and.

A bump rubber 18 is coupled to the lower surface of the cylindrical portion 14 a of the cover 14, and a piston rod 17 penetrates through the center of the bump rubber 18. and so as to effect the cushion and abuts against the.

  A bearing 19 is fitted and held on the outer cylinder of the cylinder portion 14a of the cover 14, and a rubber spring seat A according to the present invention is fitted and held on the outer periphery of the lower portion of the bearing 19. The upper end of the suspension spring 11 is carried.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the bearing 19 includes a rubber annular inner body 20, a similar rubber annular outer body 21, and a ball bearing interposed between the inner body 20 and the outer body 21. 22.

  The inner body 20 includes an annular main body 20a, a skirt-like cover 20b provided continuously with the outer periphery of the main body 20a, and hooks 20c spaced at equal intervals on the inner periphery of the main body 20a.

  The outer body 21 includes an annular main body 21a, a curved surface 21b formed on the outer periphery of the main body 21a, an annular groove 21c formed on the outer periphery of the main body 21a, and a locking projection 21d formed on the inner periphery of the main body 21a at equal intervals. The locking protrusion 21d includes a stepped portion a and a tapered guide surface b.

  The ball bearing 22 includes a pair of upper and lower sandwiching pieces 22a and 22b and a ball 22c rotatably held between the sandwiching pieces 22a and 22b. The outer body 21 is connected to the inner body 20 via the balls 22c. In one direction.

  For this reason, when the suspension spring 11 expands and contracts and the upper end of the suspension spring 11 rotates, the spring seat A and the outer body 21 interlocked therewith can be rotated.

  When the bearing 19 is fitted to the outer periphery of the cover 14, as shown in FIG. 5, the inner body 20 enters in the direction of the arrow X, and at this time, the hook 20 c moves while being crushed in the direction of the arrow Y and the cover 14. When the locking hole 14c is reached, it is fitted into the locking hole 14c with a self-restoring force. As a result, the hook 20c is locked to the locking hole 14c and the inner body 20, in other words, the bearing 19 as a whole. Is held by the cover 14 to prevent the dropout.

  The upper end portion of the dust cover 23 is fitted and held on the inner periphery of the outer body 21 of the bearing 19. In this case, a bent portion 23 a formed on the dust cover 23 is a locking projection 21 d on the inner periphery of the outer body 21. The inclined portion 23b is also in contact with the guide surface b of the locking projection 21d.

  The spring seat A according to the present invention is fitted to the outer periphery of the outer body 21 in the bearing 19. At this time, the flange surface 21 b of the outer body 21 is fitted to the inner peripheral surface of the spring seat A, in other words, a cylindrical portion. The inner peripheral surface of 1 and the upper surface of the flange portion 2 are in close contact.

  Furthermore, the inner circumferential annular protrusion 1 a of the spring seat 2 is fitted into the annular groove 21 c of the outer body 21, and the annular support piece 1 b at the lower inner circumference of the spring seat 2 is fitted to the lower end surface of the outer body 21. It is in contact.

  At this time, the ring-shaped support piece 1b abuts the bellows portion of the dust cover 23 on the lower end, whereby the spring seat 2 can be more reliably held on the bearing 19 side.

  The suspension spring 11 has a coil shape, and the uppermost spiral portion of the suspension spring 11 enters while being guided by a guide groove 3b formed inside the spring guide portion 3 of the spring seat A, in other words, the cylindrical portion. 1 is wound around the outer periphery of the coil 1, and the end coil end is in contact with the stopper piece 5.

  At this time, the lower portion of the spiral portion is supported by the guide piece 6 and prevented from falling downward, and in particular, a rib 6a and a flange are formed at the upper end of the guide piece 6, so this rib 6a And the flange portion 2 are more firmly held by a suspension spring.

  Further, the rib 6a reinforces the guide piece 6, prevents the guide piece 6 from being pinched downward or deformed, and prevents the upper end portion of the suspension spring 11 from falling downward. .

  Since the spring guide portion 3 is integrally connected to the flange portion 2 and the cylinder portion 1, the guide groove 3 b does not open. Therefore, the spring guide portion 3 is guided while guiding the upper end spiral portion of the suspension spring 11 in the circumferential direction. While the suspension spring 11 is guided in the lateral direction, the suspension spring 11 is prevented from being displaced or removed in the lateral direction.

  In other words, the spring seat A is made of rubber, and even if a biased load acts on the entire spring seat A to be slightly distorted or a lateral load acts on the spring guide 3 from the suspension spring 11, the spring guide 3 itself is Since the guide groove 3b is not always opened by being integrally coupled to the flange portion 2 and the cylindrical portion 1, the suspension spring 11 is prevented from being displaced laterally and falling off as a result.

It is a partially longitudinal front view of a suspension device using a spring seat according to the present invention. It is a partially expanded sectional view of FIG. It is a partially cutaway perspective view of a spring seat according to the present invention. It is an enlarged vertical front view of pairing. It is a partially expanded sectional view which shows the fitting state of a bearing.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Tube part 1a Annular protrusion 1b Annular support piece 2 Flange part 3 Spring guide part 3a Support piece 3b Guide groove 5 Stop part 6 Guide piece 7 End part holding member

Claims (2)

In a spring seat carrying a suspension spring held by a vehicle body side mount and interposed between shock absorbers, a cylindrical portion, a flange portion integrally connected to an upper end of the cylindrical portion, an outer periphery of the cylindrical portion, A spring guide portion provided continuously to the outer periphery of the flange portion, and the spring guide portion includes a guide portion main body integrally connected to the flange portion, a lower end of the guide portion main body, and A lower end supporting piece integrally connected to the outer periphery, and a guide groove that is defined by the cylindrical portion, the flange portion, the guide body, and the lower end supporting piece and allows the uppermost spiral portion of the suspension spring to enter. Spring seat made of rubber material. 2. The spring seat according to claim 1, wherein an end holding member of a spring comprising a vertical stop piece and a horizontal guide piece is integrally provided on the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion.

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