JP4382261B2 - Strut type suspension assembly device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, a strut suspension including a wheel mounting member, a knuckle that pivotally supports the wheel mounting member, a suspension arm pivotally attached to the knuckle, and a strut fixed to the knuckle is connected to the subframe via the suspension arm. The present invention relates to a strut-type suspension assembly apparatus for assembling a suspension assembly formed on a vehicle body.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, as this type of assembling apparatus, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-222983, a pallet on which a suspension assembly is placed is provided, and a support member that positions and supports a subframe on the pallet, and a suspension A biasing member that biases and supports the arm in a substantially horizontal posture and a clamp member for the strut are provided, and the strut is gripped by the clamp member so as to be in a predetermined posture, and in this state, the pallet is lifted from the lower position of the vehicle body It is known that the suspension assembly is assembled to the vehicle body.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, the strut is generally arranged in an inclining posture inclined upward inward in the vehicle width direction. When the damper housing provided on the vehicle body is formed in an overhang shape in which the upper part of the housing is offset inward in the vehicle width direction with respect to the lower part of the housing, the struts are inclined inward by the clamp member of the above-described conventional example. If it is gripped and the pallet is raised in this state, the strut interferes with the damper housing and the vehicle body frame below it, and the suspension cannot be assembled.
[0004]
In view of the above, the present invention has an object to provide an apparatus for assembling a strut suspension capable of avoiding strut interference with a damper housing or a vehicle body frame.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a suspension arm comprising a strut suspension having a wheel mounting member, a knuckle that pivotally supports the wheel mounting member, a suspension arm pivotally attached to the knuckle, and a strut fixed to the knuckle. A suspension assembly connected to a subframe via a vehicle body, comprising a pallet on which the suspension assembly is mounted, and a support member for positioning and supporting the subframe on the pallet. A swing frame that can swing around an axis in the vehicle length direction is mounted on the pallet, and a reference seat that receives the wheel mounting member and a clamp member that grips the strut are provided on the swing frame, and the wheel mounting member is used as a reference. The axis is the same as the pivoting part between the knuckle and the suspension arm when seated on the seat. Ri Do to, when to oscillate the oscillating frame knuckle, and in so that to swing without wheel mounting member and the strut is displaced relative to the swing frame.
[0006]
According to the present invention, the strut is swung in the vehicle width direction around the pivotal attachment portion of the knuckle and the suspension arm while the strut is held by the clamp member by the swing of the swing frame, and the strut posture changes. . When the damper housing provided on the vehicle body is of an overhang shape, the strut is initially set in an upright position to raise the pallet, and when the upper half of the strut is inserted into the damper housing, the strut is inclined inward. By further raising the pallet in this state, the suspension assembly can be assembled to the vehicle body without causing strut interference with the damper housing or the vehicle body frame. Furthermore, according to the present invention, the suspension assembly can be assembled to the vehicle body with the wheel mounting member positioned at a predetermined position defined by the reference seat, and the assembling accuracy is improved.
[0007]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a pallet on which a suspension assembly A on the front side of a vehicle is placed. The pallet 1 is lifted from a lower position of the vehicle body by a lifter (not shown), and the suspension assembly A is assembled to the vehicle body. .
[0008]
The suspension assembly includes a brake disc A1 that is a wheel mounting member including a hub portion A1a for fixing a wheel and a disc portion A1b for braking, a knuckle A2 that pivotally supports the brake disc A1, and a ball joint A3a at a lower end portion of the knuckle A2. Left and right strut type front suspensions having suspension arms A3 pivotally attached to each other and struts A4 whose lower ends are fixed to the knuckle A2 are arranged in the vehicle width direction of the subframe A5 on which the engine (not shown) is mounted. It is assembled by connecting to the side part via a suspension arm A3. In the drawing, only one half of the suspension assembly A and the pallet 1 is shown.
[0009]
The pallet 1 is provided with a plurality of support members 2 (only one support member is shown in the figure) for positioning and supporting the subframe A5. Further, brackets 3 that protrude outward are fixed to the respective side portions of the pallet 1 in the vehicle width direction, and a swing frame 4 that is swingable about an axis in the vehicle length direction is attached to the bracket 3. On the swing frame 4, a reference seat 5 for receiving the brake disc A1 and a clamp member 6 for gripping the strut A4 at a portion below the suspension spring A4a that is extrapolated thereto are provided.
[0010]
As shown in FIG. 2, the swing frame 4 is pivotally supported on the bracket 3 by a support shaft 4 a on the axis, and is swung around the support shaft 4 a by a cylinder 4 b attached to the bracket 3. The reference seat 5 is constituted by a block in which an arc-shaped recess 5a is formed at the upper end, the lower half outer peripheral surface of the hub portion A1a of the brake disc A1 is seated in the recess 5a, and the disc portion A1b of the brake disc A1. The brake disc A1 can be positioned three-dimensionally by bringing the outer surface in the vehicle width direction into contact with the inner surface in the vehicle width direction of the reference seat 5. The position of the brake disc A1 defined by the reference seat 5 with respect to the subframe A5 is a position corresponding to when a slight load is applied to the suspension in the vertical direction, for example, about 1/10 of the vehicle weight. In addition, the rubber bushing interposed in the connecting portion A3b between the suspension arm A3 and the subframe A5 in the vehicle width direction is set to a position where it is slightly compressed inward in the vehicle width direction, and the disk portion A1b is caused by the compression reaction force of the rubber bushing. And the side surfaces of the reference seat 5 are in close contact with each other so that the positioning accuracy of the brake disc A1 by the reference seat 5 is ensured.
[0011]
The clamp member 6 is composed of a fixed clamp piece 6a and a movable clamp piece 6c that is opened and closed by a cylinder 6b. A V-shaped gripping portion 6d is formed on the movable clamp piece 6c to fix the strut A4. A core is positioned between the piece 6a and the movable clamp piece 6c so that it can be gripped. A swing arm 7 is provided on the swing frame 4 so as to swing around a support shaft 7b parallel to the support shaft 4a by a cylinder 7a. When the brake disc A1 is located at the position defined by the reference seat 5, the clamp member 6 can be moved to the inner working position and the outer relief position in the vehicle width direction. The clamp member 6 can hold the strut A4.
[0012]
The position of the support shaft 4a of the swing frame 4 is such that when the brake disc A1 is located at the position defined by the reference seat 5, the axis of the support shaft 4a is a ball joint A3a, which is a pivot joint between the knuckle A2 and the suspension arm A3. And set to be concentric. Thus, according to the swing of the swing frame 4, the strut A4 is swung in the vehicle width direction around the ball joint A3a while being held by the clamp member 6, and the posture of the strut A4 changes. When the swing frame 4 is in a horizontal posture, the strut A4 is in an inclining posture inclined upward in the vehicle width direction, and the swing frame 4 is inclined downward in the vehicle width direction. The strut A4 is in a substantially vertical upright posture when the inclined posture is set.
[0013]
Referring to FIG. 3, the vehicle body is provided with a damper housing B2 having a lower edge coupled to the front side frame B1. The damper housing B2 is formed in an overhang shape in which the upper portion is offset inward in the vehicle width direction with respect to the lower portion. Then, the strut positioning hole B2a and a plurality of mounting holes around the strut A4 are formed in the ceiling portion of the damper housing B2, and the tapered guide cap A4b attached to the upper end of the strut A4 via a rubber bush is formed in the positioning hole B2a. The plurality of bolts A4c planted in the flange portion at the lower end of the guide cap A4b are inserted into the mounting holes while being fitted.
[0014]
When assembling the suspension assembly A to the vehicle body B, after placing the suspension assembly A on the pallet 1, first, the clamp member 6 is moved from the escape position shown in FIG. Next, the swing frame 4 is swung from a horizontal posture to an inclined posture, and the posture of the strut A4 is changed to an upright posture as shown in FIG. 3 (A). In this state, the pallet 1 is moved to the state shown in FIG. Raise as shown. Then, when the pallet 1 is raised to a position where the upper half of the strut A4 is inserted into the damper housing B2, the swing frame 4 is returned to the horizontal posture, and the strut A4 is shown in FIG. In this way, the guide gap A4b at the upper end of the strut A4 faces the position below the positioning hole B2a. In this state, the pallet 1 is raised to the position shown in FIG. 3D where the tip of the guide cap A4b is inserted into the positioning hole B2a. Here, the gripping of the strut A4 is released and the clamp member 6 is released. Move to. Thereafter, the pallet 1 is further raised as shown in FIG. 3 (E), and the subframe A5 is brought into contact with a subframe fixing portion (not shown) of the vehicle body. At this time, the guide cap A4b is guided by the taper portion and fitted into the positioning hole B2a, and the bolt A4c is also inserted through the mounting hole. In this state, the subframe A5 is bolted to the vehicle body, and nuts are fastened to the bolt A4c from above to fasten the guide cap A4b to the ceiling portion of the damper housing B2, and then the pallet 1 is lowered to once. Complete the assembly work.
[0015]
By the way, when the strut A4 is in an inclining posture from the beginning of the pallet 1, the upper part of the strut A4 interferes with the front side frame B1 located at the lower part of the damper housing B2, and the suspension assembly A is assembled to the vehicle body B. Although it will not be possible, interference of the strut A4 with the front side frame B1 can be avoided by initially placing the strut A4 in the upright posture as described above. Further, since the suspension assembly A can be assembled to the vehicle body B in a state where the brake disc A1 for mounting the wheel is held at a predetermined position defined by the reference seat 5, the assembling accuracy can be ensured.
[0016]
【The invention's effect】
As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the suspension assembly can be accurately and reliably assembled to the vehicle body while avoiding strut interference with the damper housing and the vehicle body frame.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front view of a pallet of the present invention as viewed from the vehicle length direction. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a part of a swing frame of a pallet. FIG. 3 (A) to (E) Assembly of a suspension assembly to a vehicle body. Process diagram showing attachment work procedure 【Explanation of symbols】
A1 Brake disc (wheel mounting member) A2 Knuckle A3 Suspension arm A4 Strut A5 Subframe B2 Damper housing 1 Pallet 2 Support member 4 Swing frame 5 Reference seat 6 Clamp member

Claims (1)

A suspension assembly comprising a wheel mounting member, a knuckle pivotally supporting the wheel mounting member, a suspension arm pivotally attached to the knuckle, and a strut suspension having a strut fixed to the knuckle coupled to the subframe via the suspension arm. Is a device that includes a pallet on which a suspension assembly is mounted and a support member that positions and supports the subframe on the pallet. The pallet is swung around an axis in the vehicle length direction. A movable swing frame is mounted, and a reference seat for receiving the wheel mounting member and a clamp member for gripping the strut are provided on the swing frame, and the axis is knuckle while the wheel mounting member is seated on the reference seat. when the Ri Do the pivotally mounted portion concentric with the suspension arm, and to oscillate the oscillating frame The knuckle, the wheel mounting member and the strut is in so that to swing without relative displacement with respect to the swing frame,
A strut type suspension assembly apparatus characterized by the above.

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