JP6681189B2 - Upper support with cushion body - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an upper support having a cushion body for vibration-proof connecting a piston rod of a shock absorber in a vehicle suspension mechanism to a vehicle body panel.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an upper support has been known that connects a piston rod of a shock absorber in a vehicle suspension mechanism to a vehicle body in a vibration-proof manner. As shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-331899 (Patent Document 1), this upper support is provided with a cylindrical anti-vibration rubber that vertically sandwiches a vehicle body panel of a vehicle body. Then, the anti-vibration rubber is externally attached to the piston rod, and the anti-vibration rubber is disposed in a pre-compressed state between the facing surfaces of the vehicle body panel and the mounting member fixed to the piston rod in a vertically pre-compressed state. The shock absorber is connected to the vehicle body in a vibration-proof manner.

  By the way, in the upper support, it is desirable to set a small spring constant in the axial direction of the anti-vibration rubber in order to realize a good riding comfort of the automobile.

  However, in the upper support described in Patent Document 1, since the inner peripheral surface of the vibration isolating rubber is superposed on the piston rod and constrained, and the vibration isolating rubber has a small axial dimension, It was difficult to set the axial spring constant small.

JP, 10-331899, A

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and a problem to be solved by the invention is to provide an upper support having a cushion body having a novel structure, which can set a small spring constant in the axial direction. It is in.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention made to solve such problems will be described. The constituent elements used in each of the following aspects can be used in any combination as much as possible.

  The present inventor separates the inner peripheral surface of the tubular elastic body forming the cushion body for the upper support from the outer peripheral surface of the piston rod to reduce or eliminate the constraint of the tubular elastic body by the piston rod, and It is possible to set the axial spring constant of the tubular elastic body to a small value by increasing the axial dimension while suppressing the dimension of the tubular elastic body in the direction perpendicular to the axis and making the tubular elastic body vertically long. I thought there was.

  However, as a result of further studies and experiments by the present inventor, a new problem occurs when the tubular elastic body is made to have a vertically elongated shape while allowing the elastic deformation of the tubular elastic body toward the inner peripheral side. I got the knowledge that I could. That is, in the tubular elastic body whose axial spring constant is set small as described above, when the tubular elastic body is vertically compressed between the body panel and the facing surface of the mounting member and is mounted on the vehicle, There is a possibility that the elastic body is liable to undergo not only compressive deformation in the axial direction but also buckling deformation such as bending, which makes it difficult to stably mount the elastic body on the vehicle in a proper mounted state.

Therefore, the inventor of the present invention has made the present invention in order to solve such a newly occurring problem while allowing the axial spring constant of the tubular elastic body to be set small. In other words, the first aspect of the present invention is pre-compressed by being externally inserted on the piston rod of the shock absorber and between the facing surfaces of the vehicle body panel through which the piston rod is inserted and the mounting member provided on the piston rod. An upper support having a cushion body provided with a tubular elastic body arranged in a state, wherein the inner diameter of the tubular elastic body is larger than the outer diameter of the piston rod. A state in which a gap is formed on the inner peripheral surface side of the body to allow deformation of the tubular elastic body to the inner periphery, and the pre-compression state is present on the axial end surface of the tubular elastic body on the mounting member side. Then, the circumferential proximity portion that is closest to the mounting member is located on the outer periphery of the minimum outer diameter portion of the tubular elastic body.

According to the upper support having the cushion body having the structure according to the first aspect of the present invention, since the tubular elastic body and the mounting member first come into contact with each other at the circumferential proximity portion when mounted on the vehicle, the tubular elastic body is provided. When the body is axially compressed between the vehicle body panel and the mounting member, first, an axially inward force acts on the outer peripheral side of the minimum outer diameter portion of the tubular elastic body. This prevents the tubular elastic body from being buckled and deformed so as to bend due to the moment in the direction of expanding the outer peripheral side acting on the axial end portion of the tubular elastic body on the mounting member side. You can In particular, since the tubular elastic body and the mounting member are closest to each other in a peripheral shape as a whole, the input is dispersed without being concentrated in a specific radial position, and the input is distributed in the specific radial direction. Buckling deformation that bends so as to enter inward in the radial direction at the position is prevented.

  By thus preventing the buckling deformation of the cylindrical elastic body, a gap is formed between the cylindrical elastic body and the piston rod, and the deformation of the cylindrical elastic body to the inner circumference is allowed. However, the tubular elastic body can stably generate a predetermined pre-compression deformation. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the restraint of the cylindrical elastic body by the piston rod and to set the axial spring constant of the cylindrical elastic body to a small value, while simplifying the mounting work on the vehicle.

  Moreover, the buckling deformation of the tubular elastic body is prevented, so that the axial dimension of the tubular elastic body is increased and the axial spring constant is increased while forming a gap between the tubular elastic body and the piston rod. It is also possible to employ a vertically elongated tubular elastic body having a small size, and a large degree of freedom in adjusting the axial spring constant can be obtained.

A second aspect of the present invention is the upper support having the cushion body according to the first aspect, wherein the axial end surface of the tubular elastic body on the side of the attachment member has a circumference protruding toward the attachment member. A circular abutting protrusion is provided, and the circumferential abutting protrusion constitutes the circumferential proximity portion.

  According to the second aspect, it is possible to form the circumferential proximity portion to the mounting member on the tubular elastic body without providing the mounting member with a protruding portion or the like toward the tubular elastic body.

A third aspect of the present invention is the upper support having the cushion body according to the first or second aspect, wherein the circumferential proximity portion is continuously provided over the entire circumference of the tubular elastic body. It is what

  According to the third aspect, since the load at the initial stage of contact between the mounting member and the tubular elastic body is input over the entire circumference, the axial end portion of the tubular elastic body on the mounting member side is moved to the outer peripheral side. A moment in the expanding direction acts on the cylindrical elastic body over the entire circumference, and buckling deformation of the cylindrical elastic body that falls in a specific radial direction is prevented.

A fourth aspect of the present invention is, in the upper support having the cushion body described in any one of the first to third aspects, in the axial end portion of the tubular elastic body on the vehicle body panel side, A positioning member fitted in an insertion hole of the vehicle body panel through which the piston rod is inserted is fixed.

  According to the fourth aspect, the tubular elastic body and the vehicle body panel are positioned by the positioning member, and the tubular elastic body can be easily attached to the vehicle body panel in a correct relative positional relationship. Further, since the axial end portion of the tubular elastic body on the vehicle body panel side is constrained by the positioning member, the tubular elastic body is prevented from being deformed into strain at the axial end portion of the vehicle body panel side. It is possible to more stably realize the vehicle mounting state.

A fifth aspect of the present invention is an upper support having the cushion body according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the tubular elastic body has an inward protrusion protruding toward the inner periphery. Is integrally formed, the inward protrusion is located closer to the mounting member than the minimum outer diameter portion of the tubular elastic body, and the inward protrusion is oriented toward the protruding tip. The width is narrow in the axial direction of the elastic body.

  According to the fifth aspect, the elastic deformation of the cylindrical elastic body toward the inner peripheral side is limited by the contact of the inward projection with the piston rod, and the buckling deformation of the cylindrical elastic body is more advantageously prevented. To be done. In particular, since the inward projection is provided on the mounting member side with respect to the minimum outer diameter portion that is easily deformed at the initial stage of input, buckling deformation of the tubular elastic body can be efficiently prevented. In addition, since the inward projection is narrowed in the axial direction toward the protruding tip, the axial spring constant increases due to the inward contact of the inward projection with the piston rod, and the piston rod of the inward projection is increased. Occurrence of abnormal noise due to rubbing against can be reduced.

A sixth aspect of the present invention is an upper support having a cushion body according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein an outer peripheral surface of the tubular elastic body is an axial direction of the tubular elastic body. The cylindrical elastic body is provided with a constricted taper surface whose diameter is gradually reduced toward the minimum outer diameter portion.

  According to the sixth aspect, by making the outer peripheral surface of the tubular elastic body a constricted tapered surface, it becomes easy to set the axial spring constant of the tubular elastic body to a small value, and the ride comfort of the vehicle is improved. Can be achieved. Further, when inputting to the circumferential proximity portion due to contact between the tubular elastic body and the mounting member, the tubular elastic body has a configuration in which the axial end portion of the tubular elastic body on the mounting member side expands to the outer peripheral side. Deformation is likely to occur, and buckling deformation of the tubular elastic body in the specific radial direction can be more advantageously avoided.

A seventh aspect of the present invention is an upper support having the cushion body according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein the tubular elastic body has a minimum outer diameter portion. A groove portion is formed which is open to the outer peripheral surface and is continuous in the circumferential direction over the entire circumference.

  According to the seventh aspect, the axial spring constant of the tubular elastic body can be easily reduced by the formation of the groove portion, and the riding comfort of the vehicle can be improved. Further, when the tubular elastic body is input by the contact of the mounting member with the circumferential proximity portion, elastic deformation of the tubular elastic body that crushes the groove portion is induced, and the tubular elastic body is closer to the mounting member than the groove portion. A moment in the direction of moving the axial end portion on the mounting member side to the outer periphery is easily applied to the portion over the entire circumference. Therefore, the buckling deformation of the tubular elastic body is less likely to occur, and the predetermined mounting state is easily realized.

An eighth aspect of the present invention is an upper support having the cushion body according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein the tubular elastic body is precompressed, and the tubular elastic body is attached to the upper support . The body is adapted to be extrapolated to the piston rod with a gap.

  According to the eighth aspect, since the inner peripheral surface of the tubular elastic body and the outer peripheral surface of the piston rod are separated from each other at least in part in the vehicle mounted state, the tubular elastic body is less likely to be constrained by the piston rod. As a result, it becomes easier to set the axial spring constant of the tubular elastic body to be smaller when the vehicle is mounted.

  According to the present invention, when mounted on a vehicle, the tubular elastic body and the mounting member first come into contact with each other at the circumferential proximity portion located on the outer periphery of the minimum outer diameter portion of the tubular elastic body. As a result, a moment in the direction of expanding the axial end portion of the mounting member side to the outer peripheral side acts on the tubular elastic body, and the tubular elastic body is buckled and deformed so as to fall in the specific radial direction. Can be prevented. Further, since the buckling deformation of the tubular elastic body is prevented, it is possible to reduce the constraint of the tubular elastic body by the piston rod, and it is possible to make the tubular elastic body more vertically long. As a result, the axial spring constant of the tubular elastic body can be set small.

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the upper cushion body according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and is a view corresponding to the I-I cross section of FIG. 2. The top view of the upper cushion body shown in FIG. The partial sectional view which expands and shows the principal part of the upper cushion body of FIG. FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the upper cushion body of FIG. 1 in a vehicle mounted state. Sectional drawing which shows the upper cushion body as 2nd embodiment of this invention. The top view which shows the upper cushion body as 3rd embodiment of this invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  1 and 2, an upper cushion body 10 is shown as a first embodiment of a cushion body for an upper support according to the present invention. The upper cushion body 10 has a structure in which a positioning member 14 is fixed to a cushion rubber 12 as a cylindrical elastic body. In the following description, the vertical direction means the vertical direction in FIG. 1 which is the axial direction of the upper cushion body 10 in principle.

  More specifically, the cushion rubber 12 has a substantially cylindrical shape as a whole, and an upper portion thereof is a tubular portion 16.

  In the tubular portion 16 of the cushion rubber 12, the inner peripheral surface 18 is a cylindrical surface that extends vertically linearly with a substantially circular cross section, and the outer peripheral surface 20 has a constricted taper whose diameter gradually decreases toward the middle in the axial direction. The outer peripheral surface 20 has the smallest diameter in the constricted portion set in the middle in the axial direction. The inner diameter of the tubular portion 16 is larger than the outer diameter of the piston rod 42 (described later), and is larger than the outer diameter of a sleeve 54 (described later) that is inserted into the piston rod 42. .

  Further, in the tubular portion 16, a groove portion 22 that opens to the outer peripheral surface 20 at the constricted portion where the outer peripheral surface 20 has the smallest diameter is continuously formed over the entire circumference. The groove portion 22 has a groove cross-sectional shape that gradually expands in the axial direction toward the outer peripheral opening side. In the present embodiment, the inner wall surface of the groove portion 22 is a curved surface, and a smooth groove cross-section without break points is provided. It has a shape.

  As described above, since the tubular portion 16 of the cushion rubber 12 is configured such that the outer peripheral surface 20 is formed into a constricted taper surface and the groove portion 22 is provided, the outermost portion (bottom) of the groove portion 22 is outside the cushion rubber 12. The diameter is the smallest. In other words, the minimum outer diameter portion of the cushion rubber 12 is set to the deepest portion of the groove portion 22. The opening edge portion of the groove portion 22 and the outer peripheral surface 20 of the tubular portion 16 are smoothly continuous by the curved surface, so that stress concentration at the opening edge portion of the groove portion 22 is relieved.

  Further, an inward protrusion 24 that protrudes to the inner circumference is integrally formed at the upper end of the tubular portion 16 of the cushion rubber 12. As shown in FIG. 3, the inward projection 24 has a vertical cross-sectional shape that becomes narrower in the axial direction toward the projecting tip, and in this embodiment, has a substantially constant semicircular cross-section over the entire circumference. Are continuously formed. The inward projection 24 of the present embodiment is formed on the upper end portion of the cushion rubber 12, but if it is located on the upper mounting metal fitting 48 side of the minimum outer diameter portion of the tubular portion 16 of the cushion rubber 12. It may be formed in the axially intermediate portion of the tubular portion 16. The upper surface of the inner protrusion 24 is smoothly continuous with the upper end surface of the tubular portion 16, and the lower surface of the inner protrusion 24 is smoothly continuous with the inner peripheral surface 18 of the tubular portion 16. .

  Furthermore, an outer projecting portion 26 projecting to the outer periphery is integrally formed on the upper end portion of the tubular portion 16 of the cushion rubber 12. The outer protrusion 26 is provided in a flange shape on the upper end of the tubular portion 16 and is continuously provided over the entire circumference. The outward projection 26 projects further to the outer periphery than the smallest outer diameter portion (the deepest portion of the groove 22 shown by the broken line in FIG. 2) in the outer peripheral surface 20 of the tubular portion 16, and in the present embodiment, is a tapered surface. It protrudes to the outer peripheral side from the extension line (one-dot chain line in FIG. 3) of the configured outer peripheral surface 20. In addition, the upper surface of the outer protruding portion 26 continuously spreads on the substantially same plane as the upper end surface of the tubular portion 16, and cooperates with the upper end surface of the tubular portion 16 so that the upper end surface of the cushion rubber 12 is formed. I am configuring.

  Further, the outer protrusion 26 of the cushion rubber 12 is integrally formed with a circumferential contact protrusion 28 protruding upward. The circumferential abutting projection 28 extends continuously upward over the entire circumference with a substantially constant cross-sectional shape gradually narrowing in the radial direction, and has a substantially semicircular cross section in the present embodiment. As a result, on the upper end surface of the cushion rubber 12, the outer peripheral end where the circumferential contact protrusion 28 is formed is positioned higher than other portions (the inner peripheral portion of the peripheral contact protrusion 28). ing. Further, as is apparent from the fact that the circumferential contact protrusion 28 is formed on the upper surface of the outer protrusion 26, the bottom of the groove portion 22 that is the minimum outer diameter portion of the tubular portion 16 of the cushion rubber 12 is formed. It is located on the outer circumference.

  Further, a fixing portion 30 is integrally formed below the tubular portion 16 of the cushion rubber 12. The fixing portion 30 constitutes a lower portion of the cushion rubber 12, has substantially the same inner diameter dimension as the cylindrical portion 16, and has an outer diameter dimension larger than that of the cylindrical portion 16, so that the fixing portion 30 has The upper surface extends in a substantially annular shape on the outer circumference than the cylindrical portion 16. Further, since the inner diameter of the fixed portion 30 is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the tubular portion 16, the inner diameter of the fixed portion 30 is the outer diameter of the piston rod 42 (described later) and the outer diameter of the sleeve 54 (described later). The inner diameter of the cushion rubber 12 is larger than the outer diameter of the piston rod 42 and the outer diameter of the sleeve 54. However, the inner diameter of the cushion rubber 12 may be substantially the same as the outer diameter of the sleeve 54 or may be smaller than the outer diameter of the sleeve 54 at the protruding tip of the inner protrusion 24. In short, the inner diameter dimension of the cushion rubber 12 does not need to be larger than the outer diameter dimension of the piston rod 42 and the outer diameter dimension of the sleeve 54 over the entire axial direction, and may be at least partially large.

  The positioning member 14 is vulcanized and adhered to the fixing portion 30. The positioning member 14 is in the shape of an annular plate having a circular through hole at the center in the radial direction, and has a stepped annular plate shape that is positioned upward as it goes to the outer circumference. The positioning member 14 of the present embodiment is a press fitting, and a positioning protrusion 32 that projects downward is formed at the inner peripheral end of the positioning member 14. The positioning protrusion 32 is formed continuously over the entire circumference, and the inner peripheral end of the positioning member 14 is bent downward by press working to be integrally formed.

  The positioning member 14 is fixed to the fixing portion 30 of the cushion rubber 12. In the present embodiment, the inner peripheral portion of the positioning member 14 is fixed to the fixing portion 30 in an embedded state, and not only the upper surface but also the lower surface and inner and outer peripheral surfaces are covered by the fixing portion 30, while the outer peripheral portion of the positioning member 14 is covered. The upper surface and the inner peripheral surface are overlapped and fixed to the fixing portion 30, and the lower surface and the outer peripheral surface are exposed from the fixing portion 30. The protruding tip (lower end) of the positioning protrusion 32 is formed so as to protrude further downward than the lower surface of the fixing portion 30 that covers the inner peripheral portion of the positioning member 14 that has left the positioning protrusion 32. The inner diameter of the positioning member 14 is larger than the inner diameter of the cushion rubber 12, and the inner peripheral surface of the positioning member 14 is covered with the cushion rubber 12 (fixed portion 30).

  The upper cushion body 10 having such a structure constitutes the upper support 34. The upper support 34 includes an upper cushion body 10 and a lower cushion body 36, as shown in FIG. The lower cushion body 36 is formed of a rubber elastic body or resin elastomer having a substantially cylindrical shape, and in the present embodiment, a projection portion 38 projecting toward the inner circumference is continuously formed at the lower end portion so as to continuously cover water and dust. Intrusion of foreign matter such as is prevented. Further, the lower cushion body 36 of the present embodiment is integrally formed with a cover portion 40 that spreads to the outer circumference and extends downward from the outer circumference end.

  The upper cushion body 10 and the lower cushion body 36 are externally inserted into the piston rods 42 of the shock absorbers that form the suspension mechanism, respectively, and the upper cushion body 10 and the lower cushion body 36 are arranged above and below the vehicle body panel 44, respectively. They are stacked on top of each other from the side. An insertion hole 46 is formed through the vehicle body panel 44. The piston rod 42 is inserted into the insertion hole 46, and the positioning projection 32 of the positioning member 14 of the upper cushion body 10 is fitted to the upper hole. The cushion body 10 is positioned with respect to the vehicle body panel 44 in a direction perpendicular to the axis.

  Further, a flat plate-shaped upper mounting member 48 as a mounting member that is stacked on the upper surface of the upper cushion body 10 and a cup-shaped lower mounting member 50 that is stacked on the lower surface of the lower cushion body 36 are fixed to the piston rod 42. It is set up. A cylindrical sleeve 54, which is externally inserted into the piston rod 42, is arranged between the upper mounting metal fitting 48 and the bottom wall portion of the lower mounting metal fitting 50, and the upper mounting metal fitting 48 and the lower mounting metal fitting 50 are vertically arranged. It is designed to be positioned at a predetermined relative distance in each direction. However, if the upper mounting member 48 and the lower mounting member 50 are relatively positioned in the vertical direction, the sleeve 54 is not essential. For example, a portion of the piston rod 42 located between the upper mounting metal fitting 48 and the lower mounting metal fitting 50 has a larger diameter than a portion inserted into the upper mounting metal fitting 48, and the large diameter portion of the piston rod 42 and the nut. If the upper mounting member 48 is sandwiched between 64 (described later) and the upper mounting member 48 is positioned with respect to the piston rod 42, the sleeve 54 can be omitted. Since the sleeve 54 of the present embodiment is fixed to the piston rod 42 in an externally inserted state, it can be substantially regarded as a part of the piston rod 42.

  Furthermore, a reverse cup-shaped support metal fitting 52 is fixed to the lower mounting metal fitting 50 by means such as welding. That is, the bottom wall portion of the lower mounting member 50 and the upper bottom wall portion of the supporting member 52 are vertically stacked and fixed, and penetrate the bottom wall portion of the lower mounting member 50 and the upper bottom wall portion of the supporting member 52. The piston rod 42 is inserted and fixed in the fitting hole 56. The upper end of the dust cover 58 is fixed to the peripheral wall of the support fitting 52, and a cylindrical bump stopper 60 is fitted therein.

A male screw portion 62 is provided on an upper end portion of the piston rod 42 that protrudes upward through a bolt hole 66 of the upper mounting metal fitting 48, and a nut 64 screwed to the male screw portion 62 is tightened to tighten the upper mounting metal fitting 48. Is brought close to the lower mounting member 50 in the vertical direction. In the present embodiment, the flange-shaped engaging portion 68 provided on the piston rod 42 is superposed on the upper bottom wall portion of the support fitting 52 from below so that the upper mounting fitting 48 and the lower mounting fitting 50 are vertically positioned. It is set by the nut 64 and the engaging portion 68, and the upper mounting member 48 and the lower mounting member 50 are made to approach each other in the vertical direction by tightening the nut 64.

  As a result, the cushion rubber 12 of the upper cushion body 10 is vertically compressed between the upper mounting member 48 and the vehicle body panel 44, and the lower cushion body 36 is vertically compressed between the vehicle body panel 44 and the lower mounting metal member 50. In this state, the upper support 34 is attached to the vehicle, and the piston rod 42 of the shock absorber is vibration-coupled to the vehicle body panel 44 of the vehicle body via the upper support 34. In the present embodiment, the inner peripheral surface of the cushion rubber 12 of the upper cushion body 10 is separated from the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve 54 forming the piston rod 42 at least in part even in the vehicle mounted state. The cushion rubber 12 is externally inserted to the sleeve 54 with a gap.

  Here, in the cushion rubber 12 of the upper cushion body 10 according to the present embodiment, when the upper mounting bracket 48 and the vehicle body panel 44 are vertically compressed, the buckling deformation such as bending does not occur. It is designed to cause compressive deformation in the vertical direction.

  That is, the cushion rubber 12 is provided with the circumferential contact protrusion 28 at the outer peripheral end of the upper end surface, and the outer peripheral end of the cushion rubber 12 forming the peripheral contact protrusion 28 has a flat plate shape. It is a circumferential proximity portion that is closer to the upper mounting member 48 than other portions. In the present embodiment, the circumferential contact protrusion 28 is integrally formed on the cushion rubber 12, and the circumferential contact protrusion 28 projects from the cushion rubber 12 toward the upper mounting member 48. A peripheral proximity portion is set on the cushion rubber 12 by the flat upper mounting metal fitting 48 on the lower surface without providing a protruding portion or the like on the cushion rubber 12 side. By setting such a circumferential proximity portion, when the nut 64 is tightened to the male screw portion 62 and the cushion rubber 12 is vertically compressed between the upper mounting member 48 and the vehicle body panel 44, the circumferential shape is reduced. The outer peripheral end portion on the upper surface of the cushion rubber 12 including the abutting protrusion 28 first comes into contact with the upper mounting member 48, and the downward force is preferentially input outside the tubular portion 16. In the present embodiment, the circumferential contact protrusion 28 is an annular ridge that is continuous over the entire circumference, and the circumferential proximity portion is continuously provided over the entire circumference. The load due to the contact with the mounting fitting 48 is input over the entire circumference of the cushion rubber 12.

  Further, the circumferential contact projection 28 is located on the outer periphery of the minimum outer diameter portion of the tubular portion 16 of the cushion rubber 12, and the circumferential contact projection 28 comes into contact with the upper mounting member 48 to move downward. When the cushion rubber 12 is pushed in, a moment in the direction of expanding the upper end of the tubular portion 16 to the outer peripheral side acts on the cushion rubber 12 over the entire circumference in addition to the compressive force in the vertical direction. In the present embodiment, since the load at the initial stage of contact between the upper mounting member 48 and the cushion rubber 12 is input over the entire circumference by the annular peripheral proximity portion (circular contact protrusion 28), the cylindrical shape is obtained. The portion 16 is elastically deformed so that the axial end portion on the side of the upper mounting member 48 is expanded to the outer peripheral side over the entire circumference, and buckling deformation of the tubular portion 16 such as falling in a specific radial direction is further improved. Advantageously prevented.

  Thereby, in the tubular portion 16 of the cushion rubber 12, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of bending buckling deformation that is deformed so as to partially fall inward in the circumferential direction. As a result, the tubular portion 16 of the cushion rubber 12 undergoes a uniform vertical compression deformation over the entire circumference by the simple work of tightening the nut 64, and the tubular portion 16 and the vehicle body panel 44 in a predetermined pre-compression state. It can be interposed between the upper mounting members 48.

  Moreover, in the present embodiment, the outer peripheral surface 20 of the tubular portion 16 of the cushion rubber 12 is a constricted tapered surface whose diameter gradually decreases from both sides in the axial direction toward the minimum outer diameter portion. Thereby, when the circumferential contact projection 28 is pushed downward by the upper mounting member 48, a moment in the direction of expanding the upper portion of the tubular portion 16 to the outer peripheral side is likely to act over the entire circumference. Therefore, the tubular portion 16 is less likely to be deformed by falling. In addition, the outer diameter dimension of the tubular portion 16 is locally made smaller in the portion where the groove portion 22 is formed, and the minimum outer diameter portion of the tubular portion 16 is set by the groove portion 22 opening to the outer peripheral surface 20. . Therefore, when a downward force is input to the circumferential contact protrusion 28 from the upper mounting member 48, a deformation such as crushing the groove 22 is caused in the tubular portion 16, and the tubular portion 16 is distortedly deformed. Are being blocked. In particular, the groove cross-sectional shape of the groove portion 22 is gradually narrowed in the vertical direction toward the bottom, and the bottom (the deepest portion) of the groove portion 22 is formed into a substantially annular line shape having a reduced axial width. Therefore, when inputting into the circumferential contact projection 28, the tubular portion 16 is stably deformed starting from the bottom of the groove 22.

  Since the buckling deformation of the tubular portion 16 is prevented in this manner, a gap is formed between the tubular portion 16 and the sleeve 54 that constitutes a part of the piston rod 42, and the tubular portion 16 is formed. Even if the deformation to the inner circumference is allowed, the tubular portion 16 can be stably pre-compressed and deformed in the axial direction. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the constraint of the tubular portion 16 by the sleeve 54 and set the axial spring constant of the tubular portion 16 to a small value, while simplifying the work of mounting the tubular portion 16 on the vehicle. In the present embodiment, even in the vehicle mounted state shown in FIG. 4, since the inner peripheral surface 18 of the tubular portion 16 and the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve 54 are separated from each other, restraint of the tubular portion 16 by the sleeve 54 is further reduced. Thus, it becomes easier to set the axial spring constant of the tubular portion 16 to be smaller when the vehicle is mounted.

  Further, the buckling deformation of the tubular portion 16 is prevented, thereby forming a gap between the tubular portion 16 and the sleeve 54 and increasing the axial dimension of the tubular portion 16 to increase the axial spring constant. It is also possible to employ a vertically elongated tubular portion 16 having a small size, and a large degree of freedom in adjusting the axial spring constant can be obtained.

  The upper cushion body 10 has a structure in which a hard positioning member 14 is fixed to the cushion rubber 12, and the lower portion of the cushion rubber 12 is restricted from being deformed by the positioning member 14. The distorted deformation in the lower part of the is prevented. In addition, the positioning protrusion 32 of the positioning member 14 is fitted into the insertion hole 46 of the vehicle body panel 44, so that the cushion rubber 12 and the vehicle body panel 44 are positioned relative to each other by the positioning member 14, and the cushion rubber 12 is positioned on the vehicle body panel 44. Can be easily attached in the correct relative positional relationship with.

  Further, an inward protrusion 24 that protrudes toward the inner peripheral side is integrally formed at the upper end of the tubular portion 16 of the cushion rubber 12. Accordingly, the elastic deformation of the tubular portion 16 toward the inner peripheral side is limited by the contact of the inward projection 24 with the sleeve 54, and the buckling deformation of the tubular portion 16 is prevented. In particular, in the present embodiment, the inward protrusion 24 is a continuous protrusion having a substantially constant cross-sectional shape over the entire circumference, and the inner protrusion 24 is elastically deformed toward the inner peripheral side. Since it is restricted substantially uniformly over the entire circumference, buckling deformation of the tubular portion 16 is advantageously prevented. Further, since the inward projection 24 is provided at the upper end portion apart from the portion (bottom of the groove 22) that can be a bending point when the tubular portion 16 is buckled, the inward projection 24 is seated. The effect of preventing bending deformation is efficiently exhibited.

  Further, since the inward protrusion 24 has a substantially semicircular cross section that becomes narrower in the axial direction toward the tip of the protrusion, the inward protrusion 24 comes into contact with the sleeve 54 to increase the axial spring constant. Also, generation of abnormal noise due to rubbing of the inner protrusion 24 with respect to the sleeve 54 can be reduced.

  FIG. 5 shows an upper cushion body 70 as a second embodiment of the present invention. In the following description, members and parts that can be grasped as having substantially the same configuration as in the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

  In the upper cushion body 70, the cushion rubber 72 is not provided with the circumferential contact projections (28) as in the first embodiment, and the upper end surface of the cushion rubber 72 including the upper surface of the outer projection 26 is arranged. , Is a flat surface that extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis. On the other hand, a peripheral thick portion 76 protruding toward the tubular portion 16 is integrally formed on the outer peripheral portion of the upper mounting member 74 virtually illustrated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. The circumferential thick portion 76 does not necessarily have to be continuous over the entire circumference, but in the present embodiment, it is provided continuously in a circumferential annular shape with a substantially constant cross-sectional shape.

Then, similarly to the upper mounting member (48) of the first embodiment, the upper mounting member 74 has an unillustrated piston rod inserted through the bolt hole 66 and is axially moved with respect to the piston rod by the sleeve 54 and the nut 64. It is positioned at. Further, the upper cushion body 70 is externally inserted into the piston rod and is superposed on the upper mounting member 74 from below. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5, the circumferential thick portion 76 of the upper mounting member 74 is arranged at a position corresponding to the outer protruding portion 26 of the cushion rubber 72, and The protrusion 26 is a circumferential proximity portion that is closer to the upper mounting member 74 than other portions of the cushion rubber 72. In short, in the present embodiment, by forming a portion (the circumferential thick portion 76) projecting toward the tubular portion 16 on the upper mounting member 74, the outer peripheral end portion of the upper surface of the tubular portion 16 is brought into a circumferential proximity. The section is set around the entire circumference. The outer protruding portion 26, which is a circumferential proximity portion, projects to the outer periphery from the outer peripheral surface 20 of the tubular portion 16, and is located further to the outer periphery than the minimum outer diameter portion (bottom of the groove portion 22) of the tubular portion 16. positioned.

  In the upper cushion body 70 according to the present embodiment as well, similarly to the first embodiment, when the cushion rubber 72 is vertically compressed, the deformation of the tubular portion 16 is stabilized, It is possible to prevent a buckling deformation of a bending shape that falls down. Therefore, the inner peripheral surface of the cushion rubber 72 can be separated from the piston rod (sleeve 54), and the cushion rubber 72 can be formed into a vertically long and slender shape, and the axial spring constant of the cushion rubber 72 can be increased. Can be set small.

  In addition, in the second embodiment, by adopting the upper mounting metal fitting 74 including the circumferential thick portion 76, the circumferential proximity portion can be omitted even if the circumferential abutting protrusion 28 of the first embodiment is omitted. Although it has been shown that it can be configured, for example, the cushion rubber 12 including the circumferential contact protrusion 28 of the first embodiment, and the upper mounting bracket 74 including the circumferential thick portion 76 of the second embodiment. Can be used in combination. Further, in the upper mounting member 74 of the present embodiment, the outer peripheral portion is partially made thicker, so that the upper mounting member 74 protrudes toward the cushion rubber 72. It is also possible to set the circumferential proximity portion in the cushion rubber 72 by making the cushion rubber 72 project toward the cushion rubber 72 without changing the thickness by bending in the thickness direction.

  Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited by the specific description thereof. For example, the specific shape of the circumferential abutting protrusion is not particularly limited, and an arbitrary cross-sectional shape can be adopted, and it is not necessarily required to be continuous over the entire circumference. That is, like the upper cushion body 80 shown in FIG. 6, the substantially hemispherical contact protrusions 82 are integrally formed at a plurality of positions in the circumferential direction with respect to the outer protrusion 26 that is continuous over the entire circumference. Therefore, the circumferential contact protrusions may be configured by the plurality of contact protrusions 82 arranged side by side in the circumferential direction. In short, the circumferential contact projection is not necessarily limited to one in which one projection continuously extends in the circumferential direction, and may be, for example, a plurality of projections that form a circumferential shape as a whole. . The circumferential shape is not necessarily limited to the circumferential shape, and may be, for example, a polygonal shape.

  Further, the peripheral proximity portion is not limited to the outermost peripheral end of the tubular elastic body as long as it is located on the outer periphery of the minimum outer diameter portion of the tubular elastic body. Further, the circumferential proximity portion does not have to be provided on the outer protruding portion 26 projecting from the tubular portion 16 to the outer periphery as in the first and second embodiments, and should be set on the upper surface of the tubular portion 16. It is also possible, and the outer protrusion 26 can be omitted.

  Further, as shown in the first and second embodiments, it is desirable that a groove portion 22 opening to the outer peripheral surface 20 of the tubular portion 16 is provided in order to stabilize the deformation mode of the tubular portion 16. The groove 22 is not essential and can be omitted. Further, in order to stabilize the deformed aspect of the tubular portion 16, it is desirable to adopt a constricted taper surface on the outer peripheral surface 20 of the tubular portion 16, but instead of the constricted taper surface, for example, it is substantially constant. It may be a cylindrical surface having an outer diameter dimension and extending in the axial direction.

  Further, the cross-sectional shape of the inward projection is not limited to a substantially semicircular shape, and a shape in which the width becomes narrower in the vertical direction toward the protruding tip is desirable from the viewpoint of cushioning property, etc., but with a substantially constant vertical dimension. It may project to the inner circumference. Furthermore, the inward protrusion can be omitted.

  Furthermore, the inward projection may abut against the piston rod in advance when the cushion body for the upper support is mounted on the vehicle, but it may come into contact with the piston rod due to elastic deformation of the tubular elastic body. It may be.

  In the above-described embodiment, the tubular elastic body was separated from the outer periphery with respect to the piston rod even in the vehicle mounted state, but the inner diameter dimension of the cylindrical elastic body is the outer diameter dimension of the piston rod in the non-load input state before vehicle mounting. If the diameter is larger than that, the tubular elastic body may be in contact with the piston rod in a vehicle mounted state where the tubular elastic body is pre-compressed.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which the structure according to the present invention is applied to the upper cushion body of the upper support has been shown, but the structure according to the present invention can also be applied to the lower cushion body of the upper support.

10, 70, 80: upper cushion body (cushion body for upper support), 12, 72: cushion rubber (cylindrical elastic body), 14: positioning member, 20: outer peripheral surface, 22: groove portion, 24: inward projection Part, 28: circumferential contact protrusion, 34: upper support, 42: piston rod, 44: vehicle body panel, 46: insertion hole, 48, 74: upper mounting bracket, 54: sleeve, 82: contact protrusion

Claims (9)

A cylindrical elastic body that is externally inserted into the piston rod of the shock absorber and is disposed in a pre-compressed state between the opposing surfaces of the vehicle body panel through which the piston rod is inserted and the mounting member provided on the piston rod. An upper support having a cushion body provided with,
The inner diameter of the cylindrical elastic body is larger than the outer diameter of the piston rod, and a gap is formed on the inner peripheral surface side of the cylindrical elastic body to deform the cylindrical elastic body to the inner periphery. Is allowed and
On the axial end surface of the tubular elastic body on the side of the mounting member, the circumferential proximity portion that is closest to the mounting member before pre-compression is located outside the minimum outer diameter portion of the tubular elastic body. An upper support having a cushion body characterized by being. A circumferential contact protrusion projecting toward the mounting member is provided on an axial end surface of the tubular elastic body on the side of the mounting member, and the circumferential contact protrusion causes the circumferential proximity portion to move. An upper support having the cushion body according to claim 1, which is configured. The upper support having a cushion body according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the circumferential proximity portion is continuously provided over the entire circumference of the tubular elastic body. The positioning member fitted to an insertion hole of the vehicle body panel, through which the piston rod is inserted, is fixed to an axial end portion of the tubular elastic body on the vehicle body panel side. An upper support having the cushion body as described in 1 above. The tubular elastic body is integrally formed with an inward protrusion projecting toward the inner circumference, and the inward protrusion is located closer to the mounting member than the minimum outer diameter portion of the tubular elastic body. The upper support having the cushion body according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the inward projection is narrowed in the axial direction of the tubular elastic body toward the protruding tip. The outer peripheral surface of the tubular elastic body is provided with a constricted taper surface whose diameter gradually decreases toward the minimum outer diameter portion of the tubular elastic body in the axial direction of the tubular elastic body. An upper support having the cushion body according to any one of claims . 7. A groove portion, which is open to the outer peripheral surface of the tubular elastic body and is continuous in the circumferential direction over the entire circumference, is formed in the smallest outer diameter portion of the tubular elastic body. An upper support having the cushion body according to the item. The cushion according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the tubular elastic body is externally inserted with a gap with respect to the piston rod in a vehicle mounted state in which the tubular elastic body is pre-compressed. Upper support with body . An outer projecting portion projecting to the outer periphery is integrally formed at an axial end portion of the tubular elastic body on the side of the mounting member, and the outer projecting portion is formed from a minimum outer diameter portion of the tubular elastic body. The upper support having the cushion body according to any one of claims 1 to 8, which also projects to the outer periphery.

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