JPH044943Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] The present invention relates to a steering device for a vehicle.
In particular, the present invention relates to an idler arm support structure for a vehicle steering device.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 5 shows an independent suspension front axle steering device for automobiles. In this device, the tie rod 3 is divided into left and right parts, and by rotating the steering wheel, the pitman arm 1 moves. is converted into a lateral movement of the relay rod 2, which is transmitted to the knuckle arm 4 through the left and right tie rods 3 for steering.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, an idler arm 5 is pivotably attached to the vehicle body frame F, and this idler arm 5 is connected to the pitman arm 1.
It has come to follow the movements of Next, how to support the idler arm 5 will be briefly explained.
That is, as shown in FIGS. 6a and 6b, a cylindrical shaft 5a is integrally formed at the base end of the idler arm 5, and this cylindrical shaft 5a is attached to a support shaft 6 attached to the vehicle body frame F with a cylindrical bush ( It is rotatably fitted onto the outside via bearings 9 and 10. Further, the support shaft 6 is supported at one upper end by the vehicle body frame F via a bracket B attached to the vehicle body frame F.

In addition, the reference numeral 7 in FIGS. 6a and 6b indicates a plate 8 that supports the lower end of the cylinder shaft 5a via a bush 10.
11 indicates a nut that is screwed onto the support shaft 6 to prevent the bush 10 from falling, and 11 represents a grease layer (lubricating oil layer) between the cylindrical shaft 5a and the support shaft 6.

[Problem that the invention attempts to solve]

However, in this type of conventional idler arm support structure, since the support shaft 6 has a cantilever structure in which the support shaft 6 is supported by the vehicle body frame F at one point at its upper end, there is a problem that the support of the support shaft 6 etc. becomes unstable. There is.

The present invention aims to solve these problems by supporting the support shaft for the idler arm on the vehicle body at two locations at its upper and lower ends, and by supporting the idler arm with a protruding cylindrical shaft. An idler arm support structure for a vehicle steering device in which the idler arm can be supported on the vehicle body with high tilting rigidity by rotatably supporting the above-mentioned support shaft at two locations spaced apart in the axial direction. The purpose is to provide

[Means for solving problems]

Therefore, the idler arm support structure of the vehicle steering device of the present invention includes a bracket fixed to the vehicle body, and a vertically extending arm that is held and fixed to the bracket and has a substantially semicircular cross-sectional shape. an extended collar; an annular plate fixed to each of the upper and lower ends of the collar; and a support shaft mounted between the two plates and fixed to the collar by a tightening member via the plate; A cylindrical shaft that is formed into a cylindrical shape and is externally fitted onto the support shaft and rotatably supported at two locations spaced apart in the axial direction of the support shaft, and an idler that projects from the peripheral wall of the cylindrical shaft. It is characterized by having an arm.

[Effect]

In the above-mentioned idler arm support structure for a vehicle steering device according to the present invention, the support shaft is attached to the bracket as a vehicle body side member at two places at its upper and lower ends via an annular plate and a collar. In addition to stabilizing the support of the support shaft, the cylindrical shaft from which the idler arm protrudes is rotatably supported at two locations spaced apart in the axial direction of the support shaft. It has a tilting rigidity and can be supported on the vehicle body in a swingable manner.As a result, even if a vertical load is applied to the tip of the idler arm, the idler arm is hardly affected by the load and smoothly follows the idler arm. Operate.

〔Example〕

The idler arm support structure of a vehicle steering device as an embodiment of the present invention will be explained below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view partially cut away, FIG. The figure is an enlarged partial sectional view of the part shown in Figure 1, and Figure 4 is a side view of the intermediate support member. It shows.

The idler arm 5' according to the present invention is also pivoted to the vehicle body frame F so as to be able to swing freely so as to follow the Pitman arm 1 of the steering device for an independent front axle of an automobile, but the support structure of the idler arm 5' is It is as follows.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a cylindrical shaft 5'a integral with the base end of the idler arm 5' is rotatably fitted onto the support shaft 12.

In addition, between the inner periphery of both ends of the cylindrical shaft 5'a and the support shaft 12, there is a resin-made cylindrical bush (bearing).
16 and 17 are interposed, but each bushing 1
6 and 17 are formed with flange portions 16a and 17a that engage with the end surface of the cylindrical shaft 5'a. A large number of grooves 12a and 12b are formed on the outer periphery of the support shaft 12 facing the bushes 16 and 17 to prevent slipping.

Grease is filled between the intermediate inner peripheral portion of the cylindrical shaft 5'a of the idler arm 5' and the support shaft 12 to form a grease layer (lubricating oil layer) 18.

Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, annular stepped portions 16b and 17b are formed on the outer peripheral portions of the flange portions 16a and 17a of each bush 16 and 17. Annular oil seals 19 and 20 are engaged with 17b. Each oil seal 19, 20 has an annular base end engaged with the flange portion 16a, 17a, and an intermediate portion thereof engages with the flange portion 16a, 17a.
It extends from the outer periphery of 6a, 17a to the outer periphery of both ends of the cylindrical shaft 5'a, and its tip abuts the outer periphery of both ends of the cylindrical shaft 5'a.
9 and 20 are constructed by covering a core material with an elastic material.
Note that the annular base end portions of the oil seals 19, 20 are set to be thicker than the stepped portions 16b, 17b before assembly, as shown by chain lines in FIG.

In this way, the cylinder shaft 5'a and the bush 16,
It is possible to seal lubricating oil (grease) leaking between the two parts 17 and 17.

Incidentally, the support shaft 12 is attached to the vehicle body frame F via an intermediate support member M that supports the support shaft 12 at two locations spaced apart in the axial direction.
This intermediate support member M is composed of a collar 13 and a bracket 15 fixed to this collar 13, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4.

The collar 13 has the shape of a cylindrical member cut vertically in half, and annular plates 13a and 13b are fixedly attached to the inner periphery of both ends of the collar 13. Then, the idler arm assembly, in which the cylindrical shaft 5'a, bushes 16, 17, oil seals 19, 20, etc. are assembled, is attached to the support shaft 12.
is attached to the collar 13 by passing through between the holes of both plates 13a and 13b and tightening with a nut 14. By tightening the nut 14, the base ends of the oil seals 19, 20 are compressed. This allows the oil seals 19, 20 to be coaxial with the bushes 16, 17 and the support shaft 12, and to prevent the bushes 16, 17 and the plate 13 from rotating.
In addition to being able to be held between a and 13b,
It is also possible to prevent grease from leaking between the bushes 16, 17 and the plates 13a, 13b.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the bracket 15 is fixedly attached to the collar 13 so as to surround the collar 13 from the outside at its curved portion, and is fixedly attached to the vehicle body frame F at its flange portion. attached.

Note that since the collar 13 extends further downward than the bracket 15, the lower end of the collar 13 is exposed to the outside.

In this way, the support shaft 12 is supported by the vehicle body frame F at two locations on the upper and lower ends via the intermediate support member M, so that the support of the support shaft 12 and, in turn, the idler arm 5' is stabilized. The following operation of the arm 5' relative to the Pitman arm 1 can also be performed smoothly.

Also, the oil seals 19 and 20 are
Since the oil seals 19, 20 are engaged with the stepped portions 16b, 17b of the flange portions 16a, 17a at the bushings 16, 17, the center position of the oil seals 19, 20 can be easily determined.
7 and the support shaft 12, the oil seals 19, 20 can be attached coaxially to the bush 1 by compressing the base ends of the oil seals 19, 20.
Since the oil seals 19 and 20 are mounted so as to be sandwiched between the oil seals 6 and 17 and the plates 13a and 13b, rotation of the oil seals 19 and 20 can be reliably prevented.

Therefore, the oil seals 19, 20 and the bushes 16, 17 do not rotate, and only the cylinder shaft 5'a with the idler arm 5' rotates.

[Effect of idea]

As detailed above, according to the idler arm support structure of the vehicle steering device of the present invention, the bracket is fixed to the vehicle body, and the arm is held and fixed by the bracket and has a substantially semicircular cross-sectional shape. A formed collar extending in the vertical direction, an annular plate fixed to each of the upper and lower ends of the collar, and a ring-shaped plate attached between the two plates and fixed to the collar by a tightening member via the plate. a cylindrical shaft formed in a cylindrical shape and externally fitted onto the support shaft and rotatably supported at two locations spaced apart in the axial direction of the support shaft; and a peripheral wall of the cylindrical shaft. With a simple configuration that includes an idler arm protruding from the top, it is possible to achieve stable support of the spindle, and the idler arm can be supported on the vehicle body in a swingable manner with high tilting rigidity. Even if a vertical load is applied to the tip of the arm, a support structure for the idler arm is obtained that allows rocking motion that is almost unaffected by the load. The idler arm can be caused to follow the Pitman arm very smoothly.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 4 show an idler arm support structure of a vehicle steering device as an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway side view thereof, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view thereof. , FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial sectional view of the part shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a side view of the intermediate support member, and FIG. 5 is a typical independent suspension front axle steering system for automobiles. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the general structure of the device, and FIG. 6 shows an idler arm support structure of a conventional vehicle steering device, FIG. 6 a is a side view showing a part of it in cross section, and FIG. 6 b FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating means for supporting the idler arm to the vehicle body. 1...Pittman arm, 2...Relay rod, 3...Tie rod, 4...Natsukuru arm,
5'...Idler arm, 5'a...Cylinder shaft, 12...
...Spindle, 12a, 12b... Groove, 13... Collar, 13a, 13b... Plate, 14... Nut, 15... Bracket, 16, 17... Bush, 16a, 17a... Flange, 16b, 1
7b...Stepped portion, 18...Grease layer (lubricating oil layer), 19, 20...Oil seal, F...Vehicle frame, M...Intermediate support member.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A bracket fixed to the vehicle body, a vertically extending collar held and fixed by the bracket and having a substantially semicircular cross-sectional shape, and fixed to the upper and lower ends of the collar, respectively. an annular plate; a support shaft mounted between the two plates and fixed to the collar by a tightening member via the plate; and a support shaft formed in a cylindrical shape and externally fitted onto the support shaft. An idler for a steering device for a vehicle, comprising a cylindrical shaft rotatably supported at two locations spaced apart in the axial direction, and an idler arm protruding from a peripheral wall of the cylindrical shaft. Arm support structure.