JPH0610985A - Shock absorber - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the versatility by providing a shock absorber preventing an electric shock and an electric leakage, advantageous in control and safety, and realizing the preset damping function. CONSTITUTION:A piston side chamber B is communicated with a rod side chamber A via the extension side check valve 3a of a piston section 3, and a control gap S communicated with the rod side chamber A and a reservoir chamber is formed between a cylinder 1 and an inner tube 10. The reservoir chamber is communicated with the piston side chamber B via the pressure side check valve 14c of a base valve section 14 arranged at the lower end section of the cylinder 1. Both end sections of the cylinder 1 and the inner tube 10 are connected to a bearing and the valve body of the base valve 14 via insulating materials 8, 8a while the height positions of the cylinder 1 and the inner tube 10 are changed, wiring holes for the cylinder 1 are formed on the insulating materials 8, 8a, the cylinder 1 serves as one electrode member, and the inner tube 10 serves as the other electrode member.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a shock absorber capable of adjusting a generated damping force by utilizing the property that an electrorheological fluid changes its viscosity according to an applied voltage.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, for example, a hydraulic shock absorber used as a shock absorber for an automobile is constructed so that the generated damping force is adjusted according to the condition of the road surface of the automobile. Is desired.

Therefore, in the hydraulic shock absorbers conventionally proposed for that purpose, in general, when the piston portion slides in the cylinder by retracting the piston rod with respect to the cylinder, A predetermined damping force is generated by the hydraulic fluid passing through the damping force generation unit, and the mechanism of the damping force generation in the damping force generation unit is mechanically changed or passes through the damping force generation unit. It is configured to increase or decrease the generated damping force by increasing or decreasing the flow rate of the hydraulic oil.

As a result, when the damping force generating section is constituted by a damping characteristic such as a throttle or a valve, the damping force generated within the characteristic damping range is adjusted. Therefore, when the hydraulic shock absorber equipped with this damping force generating unit is mounted on an automobile, the initial purpose of adjusting the generated damping force according to the condition of the road surface on which the automobile is traveling. There is a danger that the

If the damping force generating portion is constructed to have various throttles, valves, etc. so as to be able to exert damping force of various characteristics, the structure of the hydraulic shock absorber becomes complicated and its productivity is increased. Not only will the inconvenience be lowered and maintenance will be troublesome, but also the control will be complicated in response to the complicated structure, and expensive parts will be used a lot. As a result, inconveniences such as an increase in production cost are likely to occur.

Therefore, in recent years, an electrorheological fluid having a property that its viscosity changes with an applied voltage has been discovered, and for example, it is shown in FIG. 2 disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-5698. A shock absorber using an electrorheological fluid having such a structure has been proposed.

That is, the shock absorber is formed in the form of a conventional hydraulic shock absorber, and the tip of the piston rod 2 which is inserted into and retracted from the cylinder 1 slides inside the cylinder 1. It has a piston portion 3 which moves and which partitions and forms a rod side chamber A and a piston side chamber B in the cylinder 1.

The rod-side chamber A and the piston-side chamber B are filled with an electrorheological fluid, and the rod-side chamber A and the piston-side chamber B are arranged in parallel with the extension-side check valve 3a provided in the piston portion 3. It is supposed that they are communicated with each other via the diaphragm 3b.

The cylinder 1 has a port 1a at the upper end and a port 1b at the lower end, and the side chambers A and B are communicated with the outside through the ports 1a and 1b, respectively. .

A reservoir tank T is disposed outside the cylinder 1, and a tank chamber T1 forming the reservoir tank T is provided with a reservoir chamber T2 and a gas chamber T therein.
3 and a compartment forming free piston T4 are slidably accommodated therein.

The chamber T2 is communicated with the piston side chamber B in the cylinder 1 through the pipe P.

On the other hand, it is assumed that a so-called outer cylinder is provided on the outer peripheral side of the cylinder 1 so as to form a chamber R. The outer cylinder is composed of the head side cylindrical body 4 and the bottom side cylindrical body. 5 and an intermediate tubular body 6.

The chamber R is communicated with the side chambers A and B through the ports 1a and 1b for opening the cylinder 1.

The head-side tubular body 4 has a bearing member 7 screwed onto the inner periphery of its upper end, and a piston rod 2 is slidably inserted in the center of the bearing member 7.

The head-side tubular body 4 has a flange portion 4a at its lower end, and is connected to the upper end of the intermediate tubular body 6 via the flange portion 4a.

The bottom side tubular body 5 is provided with a pressure side check valve 5a and a throttle 5b in parallel with the pressure side check valve 5a at the lower wall thickness portion thereof, and the pressure side check valve 5a and the throttle 5b are provided in the reservoir tank T. The chamber T2 is communicated with the piston side chamber B.

The bottom side tubular body 5 has a flange portion 5c at its upper end, and is connected to the lower end of the intermediate tubular body 6 via the flange portion 5c.

The intermediate tubular body 6 has flange portions 6a and 6b at its upper and lower ends, respectively.
a and 6b are connected to the flange portion 4a of the head-side tubular body 4 and the flange portion 5c of the bottom-side tubular body 5, which are opposed to each other, by bolts and nuts 9 via an insulating material 8.

The intermediate tubular body 6 has an interval of about 1 mm between the inner periphery thereof and the outer periphery of the cylinder 1 so that a part of the chamber R is so-called narrowed. The control gap S is supposed to be formed.

The control gap S functions to change the viscosity of the electrorheological fluid interposed in the electric field to a hardening tendency in accordance with the applied voltage amount when the electric field is developed therein.

Further, in this conventional example, the cylinder 1 is used as one electrode member, while the intermediate tubular body 6 is used as the other electrode member. The extended electric wire E1 has one electrode member, that is,
The electric wire E2 connected to the upper end side tubular body 4 electrically connected to the cylinder 1 and extended from the controller C is connected to the intermediate tubular body 6 serving as the other electrode member.

Therefore, according to the shock absorber using the electrorheological fluid as the conventional proposal, when the piston portion 3 slides in the cylinder 1 by retracting the piston rod 2 with respect to the cylinder 1, The electrorheological fluid will pass through the control gap S arranged outside the cylinder 1. At this time, a predetermined voltage is applied to both electrode members to develop an electric field in the control gap S. By doing so, the viscosity of the electrorheological fluid is changed to a hardening tendency according to the applied voltage amount in the electric field.

Therefore, on condition that the applied voltage is maintained, the flowability of the electrorheological fluid in the control gap S tends to be impeded thereafter, and as a result, the piston portion 3
Slidability in the cylinder 1 is hindered, that is, a damping action is exhibited, and by appropriately selecting the applied voltage amount to both electrode members, the degree of the damping action to be produced is arbitrary. Can be adjusted to.

If the shock absorber as the above-mentioned conventional proposal is mounted on an automobile, the degree of damping action can be adjusted according to the condition of the road surface on which the automobile travels. It can be improved to a preferable state.

[0025]

However, in the shock absorber using the electrorheological fluid as the conventional example described above,
There is a security drawback and there is a danger that the desired damping effect cannot be expected. That is, in the shock absorber according to the conventional example, the upper end side tubular body 4 and the lower end side tubular body 5 electrically connected to both electrode members, that is, the cylinder 1 which is one electrode member.
At the same time, the intermediate tubular body 6 serving as the other electrode member is exposed to the outer circumference of the shock absorber.

Therefore, both electrode members are in a so-called exposed state, and there is a danger of electric shock if the human body touches them.

Further, even when it is mounted on an automobile, there is a risk of electric current leakage due to contact with other parts through the bearing member 7 or the like, resulting in power loss.

Further, in the case of the above-mentioned conventional example, since the flange portions 4a, 6a and 5c, 6b are formed outside the shock absorber, the chances of the electric shock and the electric leakage increase. There is inconvenience.

Further, in view of the fact that the control gap S is required to be maintained at about 1 mm, in the above-mentioned conventional example, the intermediate tubular body 6 becomes uneven. Although it is absolutely necessary to avoid such a situation as described above, there is a risk that a dent may be formed due to a stone colliding with the outer periphery of the intermediate tubular body 6 while the shock absorber is mounted on an automobile, for example. If the depression is formed, the control gap S
There is a danger that the interval of will be out of order, and the expected damping effect cannot be expected.

The maintenance of the space in the control gap S is required even when the shock absorber is transported as a product, and there is a disadvantage that its management becomes troublesome.

Furthermore, since the length of the intermediate tubular body 6 which is an electrode, the cylinder 1 which is the other electrode, and the upper and lower tubular bodies 4 and 5 is different, the electric resistance of the conducting path is different, resulting in a different electric field condition. There is a problem that the desired damping force cannot be obtained in the control gap S.

Assembling and wiring conditions are difficult to make the electric field conditions the same.

The present invention was devised in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to eliminate the risk of electric shock or leakage, be advantageous in terms of management and safety, and provide resistance to current-carrying path resistance. Is provided so that a predetermined damping action is realized as set, and the assemblability is improved, and a shock absorber using an electrorheological fluid that can be expected to improve its versatility is provided.

[0034]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an inner tube is arranged outside the cylinder of a shock absorber using electrorheological fluid according to the present invention, and an outer tube is arranged outside the inner tube. And a reservoir chamber is formed between the inner tube and the outer tube, and the piston portion is slidably accommodated in the cylinder to partition and form the rod side chamber and the piston side chamber in the cylinder. The piston side chamber is made to communicate with the rod side chamber via the expansion side check valve in the piston section, and a control gap is formed between the cylinder and the inner tube so as to communicate with the rod side chamber and the reservoir chamber. Is communicated with the piston side chamber via a pressure side check valve in a base valve section arranged at the lower end of the cylinder, and is connected to the cylinder. -While changing the height position of the tube, connect both ends of the tube to the bearing and the valve body of the base valve through the insulating material, and form a hole for wiring to the cylinder in the insulating material. The inner tube serves as the other electrode member while the electrode member serves as the electrode member.

[0035]

The outer tube serves as a so-called cover body and can prevent in advance the external force such as impact from acting on the outer circumference of the inner tube which is the other electrode member forming the so-called control gap inside the shock absorber. Therefore, it becomes possible to maintain the spacing of the control gap as set.

Further, since the cylinder which is the electrode member and the inner tube are arranged in the outer tube and each electrode member is insulated by the insulating material, the electrode member is not exposed to the outside, and the current is passed through the other members. Since it does not flow to the outside, electric shock and leakage are prevented.

Since the height positions of the cylinder and the inner tube are changed, their lengths can be made equal and their electric resistances can be made equal. Therefore, a predetermined electric field condition is obtained and a desired damping force can be generated.

Since holes are formed in the insulating material, external wiring can be performed without interfering with the inner tube.

[0039]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the illustrated embodiment. The embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is a shock absorber for an automobile, which comprises a cylinder 1 and an inner member. It has a tube 10 and an outer tube 11, and is formed into a so-called triple cylinder type as opposed to a so-called double cylinder type.

The cylinder 1 and the inner tube 10 are molded to have the same length so that their electric resistances are equal. However, since the two have different diameters, it is preferable to consider their thicknesses, materials, etc.

The cylinder 1 is formed in a so-called single-tube structure, the piston rod 2 is inserted into and retracted from the inside of the cylinder 1, and the rod side chamber defined by the piston portion 3 slidably housed inside is formed. A and a piston side chamber B are provided.

The rod-side chamber A and the piston-side chamber B are filled with an electrorheological fluid whose viscosity changes when a voltage is applied.

The cylinder 1 has a bearing member 12 whose upper end has a piston rod 2 inserted through the center thereof.
The bearing member 1 is closed by being connected to an insulating material 8 made of a synthetic resin, a ceramic material or the like.
2 also closes the upper end of the inner tube 10 under the distribution of the insulating material 8.

The bearing member 12 is the seal member 1.
It is connected to the lower end side of a cap member 13 that holds 6 and inserts the piston rod 2.

The upper end of the outer tube 11 is connected to the lower end of the cap member 13.

Further, the cylinder 1 is closed at the lower end thereof by the base valve portion 14, that is, in the state of being connected to the outer periphery of the valve body 14a forming the base valve portion 14 via the insulating material 8a. ing.

The valve body 14a closes the lower end of the inner tube 10 under the insulating material 8a.

The valve body 14a is supported while being connected to a bottom member 15 disposed below the valve body 14a. The bottom member 15 has its upper end connected to the lower end of the outer tube 11. ing.

Since the inner tube 10 and the cylinder 1 have the same length, the inner tube 10 and the cylinder 1 are attached while being displaced by an arbitrary dimension in the axial direction, and the attaching height position is reversed upside down as shown in FIG.

The mounting height may be upside down, and the positions of the insulating materials 8 and 8a may be reversed.

At this time, the cylinder 1 and the inner tube 10
The outer circumference of the upper end of the insulating material 8 is fitted to the inner circumferences of the insulating material 8 having different outer diameters, and the inner circumferences of the lower ends of the cylinder 1 and the inner tube 10 are fitted to the outer circumferences of the insulating material 8a having different outer diameters.

The mounting height position of the cylinder 1 is higher than the mounting height position of the inner tube 10.
The inner tube mounting position may be higher than the cylinder 1 mounting position by reversing the insulating materials 8 and 8a.

Between the cylinder 1 and the upper end of the inner tube 10 and the insulating material 8 or between the lower end of the cylinder 1 and the inner tube 10 and the insulating material 8a, a ring-shaped, washer-shaped, or chip-shaped electrode terminal is formed. A member may be interposed.

The base valve portion 14 is a valve body 14a.
The piston side chamber B is formed between the inner tube 10 and the outer tube 11 via the port 14b opened at the end and the pressure side check valve 14c arranged so as to close the upper end side of the port 14b. It is supposed to communicate with R2.

The piston portion 3 has its piston body 3c.
The piston-side chamber B is communicated with the rod-side chamber A via the port 3d that is opened and the extension-side check valve 3a that is arranged so as to close the upper end side of the port 3d.

On the other hand, the port 1a is provided at the upper end of the cylinder 1.
Is opened, and the rod side chamber A is inserted through the port 1a.
Is outside the cylinder 1, that is, the cylinder 1 and the cylinder 1.
It is supposed to communicate with a control gap S formed between the inner tube 10 and the inner tube 10.

The spacing of the control gap S is set to about 1 mm as in the case of the above-mentioned conventional example. In this embodiment, the insulating material 8, 8a has a so-called wall thickness. It is set by adjustment.

A port 10a is opened at the lower end of the inner tube 10 so that the control gap S and the reservoir chamber R2 communicate with each other through the port 10a.

As a result, the electrorheological fluid flowing through the control gap S always tends to flow into the reservoir chamber R2.

By the way, in order to develop an electric field in the control gap S, a predetermined voltage is applied to both the positive electrode member and the negative electrode member. In this embodiment, one electrode member is used. The cylinder 1 is set to the plus side, and the inner tube 10 serving as the other electrode member is set to the minus side.

The electric wire E1 extended from the external controller C or the power source is connected to the cylinder 1, and the electric wire E2 extended from the controller C is connected to the inner tube 10. The connection may be reversed.

A hole 30 for wiring is formed in the insulating material 8,
The electric wire E1 is coupled to the upper portion of the cylinder 1 through the hole 30 without interfering with the inner tube 10.

A wiring hole may be formed in the lower insulating material 8a to connect the electric wire E1 to the lower portion of the cylinder 1.

The wires E1 and E2 are the outer tube 1
In the case of penetrating through No. 1, the insulating material which is inserted into the insertion hole opened in the outer tube 11 under the liquid tight state is penetrated under the liquid tight state.

The wiring method is not limited to this.

In this embodiment, the controller C receives the signal from the vehicle height sensor C1 mounted on the automobile, and when the shock absorber is mounted on the automobile and travels on the road, It is said that the amount of voltage applied to both electrode members is appropriately adjusted according to the condition of the traveling road surface.

Therefore, in the shock absorber using the electrorheological fluid according to this embodiment, which is formed as described above, when the shock absorber in which the piston rod 2 is projected and retracted with respect to the cylinder 1 is expanded and contracted, the rod-side chamber A is A certain electrorheological fluid will flow into the piston side chamber B via the control gap S, the reservoir chamber R2 and the base valve portion 14.

That is, the shock absorber always functions as a so-called one-way type because the electrorheological fluid from the rod side chamber A always flows through the control gap S during the expansion and contraction operation.

The surplus electrorheological fluid in the rod side chamber A during the pressure side operation of the shock absorber flows into the reservoir chamber R2 through the control gap S, and becomes insufficient in the piston side chamber B during the expansion side operation of the shock absorber. The electrorheological fluid is replenished from the reservoir chamber R2 via the base valve portion 14.

When a predetermined voltage is applied to the cylinder 1 which is one electrode member and the inner tube 10 which is the other electrode member during the expansion and contraction operation of the shock absorber, the control gap S formed between both electrode members is formed. An electric field is developed in.

The expression of the electric field causes the viscosity of the electrorheological fluid interposed there, that is, the viscosity of the fluid flowing therein, to be instantly changed to a hardening tendency, and therefore the viscosity is changed. After that, the electrorheological fluid acts so as to prevent the electrorheological fluid from flowing through the control gap S.

However, since the cylinder 1 and the inner tube have the same length and the current-carrying path resistances are the same, a uniform electric field can be formed over the entire control gap S.

As a result, the outflow of the electrorheological fluid from the rod side chamber A is hindered, and the slidability of the piston part 3 in the cylinder 1 is hindered, which is manifested as a damping action. Of the piston rod 2 into the cylinder 1 and the piston rod 2 in the cylinder 1
The protrusion from the inside is hindered, and the shock absorber functions as a so-called shock absorber.

Therefore, if the applied voltage amount is appropriately controlled,
It becomes possible to immediately perform the damping action according to the applied voltage amount and smoothly perform a predetermined damping force adjustment without any steps.
When the shock absorber is mounted on an automobile, the damping action can be adjusted according to the condition of the road surface of the automobile, and the ride comfort of the automobile can be improved to a preferable state.

It should be noted that a plurality of inner tubes may be provided to make a multiple type, the control gap may be lengthened, and a large fluid resistance may not be generated in the vicinity of the port opening to the rod side chamber and the reservoir chamber.

By changing the wall thickness of the cylinder and the inner tube, the electric resistance can be made the same even if the lengths are different.

The electrode terminals may be provided only on the upper side or only on the lower side.

[0078]

As described above, the present invention has the following effects.

By appropriately controlling the amount of applied voltage, it becomes possible to immediately and smoothly execute a predetermined damping action. When this is used as a shock absorber mounted on an automobile, the traveling road surface of the automobile can be controlled. The damping force can be adjusted according to the situation, and the riding comfort of the automobile can be improved satisfactorily.

Since the control gap is formed inside the so-called shock absorber so that the impact from the outside does not directly act, the external force such as the impact on the outer periphery of the electrode member forming the control gap can be blocked in advance. As a result, the control gap can be maintained as set.

Both electrode members are not exposed to the outside, and electric shock and leakage are prevented.

Since the cylinder and the inner tube are insulated from each other at their ends, current does not flow through other members such as bearings to other members regardless of whether the current is direct current or alternating current, and leakage is prevented. Power loss can be prevented.

Since the cylinder and the inner tube, which are the electrode members, have different height positions, the lengths of the two can be made equal. Therefore, the resistances of the current paths are the same and the electric field generation conditions are the same. A uniform electric field is created over the entire gap, and a desired damping force is obtained. Since the electric field conditions are the same, the ease of assembling the cylinder, the inner tube, the wiring, etc., for stable supply voltage control, is improved.

Since the wiring hole is formed in the insulating material, the wiring can be made to the cylinder without interfering with the inner tube.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a shock absorber using an electrorheological fluid according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a shock absorber using an electrorheological fluid as a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Cylinder 3 Piston part 3a Extension side check valve 8,8a Insulation material 10 Inner tube 11 Outer tube 14 Base valve part 14c Pressure side check valve 30 Wiring hole A Rod side chamber B Piston side chamber R2 Reservoir chamber S Control gap

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] May 28, 1993

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0031

[Correction method] Delete

[Procedure Amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0032

[Correction method] Delete ───────────────────────────────────────────── ────────

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] May 28, 1993

[Procedure 3]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0033

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

The present invention was devised in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its object is to eliminate the risk of electric shock or electric leakage, which is advantageous in terms of management and safety, and has an improved assembling property. However, it is another object of the present invention to provide a shock absorber using an electrorheological fluid that can be expected to improve its versatility.

[Procedure amendment 4]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0037

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

Since the height positions of the cylinder and the inner tube are changed, the effective lengths of the both can be made equal and the damping force can be efficiently generated.

[Procedure Amendment 5]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0057

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

The spacing of the control gap S is set to about 1 m / m, as in the above-mentioned conventional example. In this embodiment, the insulating material 8, 8a has a so-called thick wall thickness. Although it is set by adjustment, instead of this, it may be set by adjusting the wall thickness of the cylinder 1 or the inner tube 10.

[Procedure correction 6]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0075

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

It should be noted that a plurality of inner tubes may be provided to form a multiple type, the control gap may be lengthened, and a large fluid resistance may not be generated in the vicinity of the port opening to the rod side chamber and the reservoir chamber.

[Procedure Amendment 7]

[Document name to be corrected] Drawing

[Name of item to be corrected] Figure 1

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Figure 1]

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An inner tube is provided outside the cylinder, an outer tube is provided outside the inner tube, and a reservoir chamber is formed between the inner tube and the outer tube. Further, a piston is provided inside the cylinder. Part is slidably accommodated to partition and form a rod side chamber and a piston side chamber in the cylinder, while the piston side chamber is communicated with the rod side chamber via an extension side check valve in the piston part, and the cylinder and the inner tube are connected. A control gap that communicates with the rod side chamber and the reservoir chamber is formed between
Further, the reservoir chamber is communicated with the piston side chamber through the pressure side check valve in the base valve portion arranged at the lower end of the cylinder, and the respective heights of the cylinder and the inner tube are changed to insulate each end portion thereof Through the material to the bearing and the valve body of the base valve, the insulating material has a hole for wiring to the cylinder, and the cylinder is one electrode member, while the inner tube is the other electrode member. A shock absorber characterized in that