JPH0629534Y2 - Spherical sliding bush - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial application] The present invention relates to a spherical sliding bush, and more particularly to a spherical sliding bush that has a simple structure and does not cause play in the sliding portion.

[Prior Art] Cylindrical bushes are often used for connecting parts of vehicle suspensions, and in recent years, in order to improve steering comfort as well as riding comfort, the rigidity in the direction perpendicular to the axis is great and the suspension arm is free to move freely. Various spherical sliding bushes have been proposed that enable various rotations and twisting. An example thereof (Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 63-44572) is shown in FIG.

In the figure, an outer cylinder 1 is press-fitted into a cylindrical holding portion 5 of a suspension arm, and an inner cylinder 2 is inserted through the center of the outer cylinder 1. The inner cylinder 2 has a central outer circumference that is bulged to form a spherical surface, and a resin insert 3 is slidably abutted on the outer circumferential surface of the bulged portion 21. The inserts 3 are located at the respective insertion positions through both openings of the outer cylinder 1, and a seal ring 6 having a lip portion 61 extending therefrom is disposed on the outer side thereof, and a backup ring 7 is disposed on the outer side thereof. Then, these are positioned by caulking and deforming the open end of the outer cylinder 1.

With this structure, the suspension arm is completely prohibited from moving in the direction perpendicular to the axis, is freely rotatable around the inner cylinder 2, and can be freely swung along the bulging portion 21 as shown by the arrow in the figure. Is.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In the above conventional structure, when the insert 3 receives an acting force outward in the axial direction during use, the seal ring 6
It deforms and moves, and the sealing performance deteriorates,
A rattling is generated between the insert 3 and the inner cylinder bulging portion 21 to reduce the steering stability. The occurrence of backlash in the insert 3 can also occur when the insert 3 is displaced in the circumferential direction as the inner cylinder 2 rotates relative to the inner cylinder 2. The reason is that, from the viewpoint of cost reduction, the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder 1 is not a precise smooth surface such as the inner cylinder bulging portion 21, and the outer surface of the outer cylinder 1 is displaced as the insert 3 is displaced in the circumferential direction. This is because it may wear due to friction with the inner circumference of the cylinder 1. Further, since the seal ring 6 and the backup ring 7 are separately provided, it takes time to manage and assemble the parts, and caulking of the outer cylinder 1 is required, resulting in high manufacturing cost.

The problem of the large number of parts is, for example,
It is common to the bushes described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 49143/1987 and Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 62-110619.

The present invention solves such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a spherical sliding bush capable of significantly reducing the number of parts and effectively preventing backlash and deterioration of sealing performance due to movement of a seal ring. .

[Means for Solving the Problem] The structure of the present invention will be described. The spherical sliding bush is, as shown in FIG. 1, a pair of cylindrical holding members 5 which are press-fitted and fixed into the holding member 5 through both openings. Outer cylinder 1 and these outer cylinders 1
An inner cylinder 2 that is concentrically arranged so as to pass through the inside thereof and has a bulging portion 21 that bulges outward in the radial direction with a spherical surface formed in the central portion in the axial direction
And the inner end of each outer cylinder 1 and the bulging portion 21 are interposed so that the outer end surfaces of the outer cylinder 1 contact the inner end surface of the outer cylinder 1 and the inner peripheral concave surface 3a slides on the outer periphery of the bulging portion 21. A pair of ring-shaped inserts 3 that freely come into contact with each other and the outer cylinders 1
An outer peripheral edge is joined to an inner peripheral surface of the inner peripheral surface of the insert 3, the outer peripheral edge of the insert 3 is covered, and the inner peripheral edge extends to the outer peripheral surface of the inner cylinder 2 and comes into liquid-tight contact therewith. There is.

Then, the ring-shaped insert 3 is attached to the inner half 3 having a large diameter.
1 and an outer half of a small diameter, the outer end of the inner half 31 is brought into contact with the inner end of the outer cylinder 1, and the outer half is fitted into the inner end of the outer cylinder 1, And outer cylinder 1
A convex portion 41 is formed at at least one position in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral edge of the seal member 4 bonded to the inner peripheral surface of the insert member 3, and the convex portion 41 is formed on the outer half of the insert 3 in the circumferential direction. It is fitted in a recess 32 formed at least at one place.

[Operation] In the spherical sliding bush having the above structure, the axially outward movement of the ring-shaped insert 3 is reliably prevented by the outer end surface of the inner half portion 31 thereof being in contact with the inner end surface of the outer cylinder 1. Therefore, there is no play between the bulging portion 21 and the seal member 4 or the seal member 4 is deformed to deteriorate the sealing performance.

Moreover, since the convex portion 41 of the seal member 4 is fitted and positioned in the concave portion 32 provided in the insert 3, the insert 3 does not move in the circumferential direction as the relative rotation with respect to the inner cylinder 2, and this also The occurrence of backlash is prevented.

Since the seal member 4 is formed integrally with the outer cylinder 1, the number of parts can be reduced and deformation due to external force is unlikely to occur.

Moreover, since the caulking work of the outer cylinder 1 for positioning the insert 3 and the seal member 4 is unnecessary, the manufacturing cost is reduced.

[First Embodiment] In FIG. 1, an inner cylinder 2 is inserted through a cylindrical holding portion 5 formed at an end of a suspension arm (not shown), and the inner cylinder 2 is axially centered. Is a thickened bulge portion 21 that bulges outward in the radial direction to form a spherical surface. The ring-shaped inserts 3 are press-fitted into the space between the openings of the holding portion 5 and the inner cylinder bulging portion 21, respectively.

The insert 3 is made of a resin material having good slidability,
As shown in the figure, the inner peripheral surface is a concave surface 3a along the outer peripheral surface of the bulging portion 21, and the concave surface 3a is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the bulging portion 21. The outer circumference of the insert 3 is
The inner half portion (left side in the figure) 31 is a large-diameter rib that contacts the inner circumference of the holding portion, and the slightly smaller outer half portion is provided with a plurality of rectangular grooves 32 (FIG. 3) which are concave portions at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. Has been formed.

The outer cylinders 1 are further press-fitted from both openings into the holding portion 5 in which the insert 3 is positioned. The outer cylinder 1 is bent at its outer end (right end in FIG. 4) into an L shape to form a flange portion 11, and a rubber film-like sealing member 4 is joined to the inner periphery thereof. The entire seal member 4 is a substantially cylindrical body, and the outer circumference of the inner end opening is joined to the inner circumference of the outer cylinder 1 to form the flange portion 1.
1. A plurality of rubber protrusions 41 having a rectangular cross section, which are continuous with the thin rubber layer extending in the direction of 1 and extend toward the inner end of the outer cylinder 1 from the joint portion, are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction (FIG. 5). A seal lip 42 is formed on the inner circumference of the outer end opening of the seal member 4.

Then, when the outer cylinder 1 is press-fitted into the holding portion 5, the small-diameter outer half of the insert 3 enters the outer cylinder 1 and the inner end surface of the outer cylinder 1 abuts the inner half 31 of the insert 3. At the same time (FIG. 1), the rubber convex portion 41 is fitted into and engaged with the square groove 32 of the insert 3. Then, the seal member 4 formed integrally with the outer cylinder 1 covers the outside of the insert 3 and extends along the outer circumference of the inner cylinder 2, and the seal lip 42 of the seal lip 42 is formed.
Liquid-tightly contact the outer circumference.

While the bush is in use, the suspension arm can rotate around the inner cylinder 2 by freely rotating the insert 3 along the bulging portion 21.
Pivoting (arrow in the figure) is also possible. Further, the grease of the sliding portion is favorably held by the seal member 2 and dust and the like from the outside are prevented from entering.

Here, even if a force is exerted on the insert 3 in the axially outward direction, the inner half portion 31 of the insert 3 is in contact with the inner end surface of the outer cylinder 1, so that the outward movement of the insert 3 is reliably prevented. Therefore, there is no play between the bulging portion 21 and the bulging portion 21. Of course, there is no problem that the seal member 4 is deformed by the movement.

Further, since the square groove 32 of the insert 3 is engaged with the rubber convex portion 41, the rotational movement of the insert 3 is effectively prevented even when the rotational force around the inner cylinder 2 is applied, which also causes the rattling. Is prevented.

[Second Embodiment] FIG. 6 shows an assembled state, FIGS. 7 and 8 show the shape of the insert 3, and FIGS. 9 and 10 show the shapes of the outer cylinder 1 and the seal member 4, respectively. In the figure, in the insert 3, the outer peripheral edge of the outer half portion in which the square groove 32 is formed has an inclined surface 33, while the outer cylinder 1 facing the inclined surface 33.
A rubber layer 43 having a similar inclined surface is formed on the inner circumference, and the inclined surface 33 and the rubber layer 43 are in contact with each other in an assembled state.

According to this structure, in addition to the effect similar to that of the first embodiment, since the rubber layer 43 can be compressed and deformed to some extent, the insert 3 can be deformed into a shape that accurately follows the outer peripheral surface of the bulging portion 21. , Smoother and more stable rotation is achieved.

[Third Embodiment] FIGS. 11 and 12 show still another shape of the insert 3. In the figure, the insert 3 has a notch at the outer end (right end in FIG. 11) of the square groove 32.
By providing 4, the insert 3 can be more easily deformed following the outer circumference of the bulging portion 21, and smoother rotation can be realized.

In each of the above embodiments, the rubber convex portion 41 and the square groove 32 are provided.
Although a plurality of each is provided, the effect can be obtained if at least one is provided.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, the spherical sliding bushing of the present invention has a simple structure, is easy to assemble, is easy to manufacture and low in cost, and is excellent in that there is no looseness of the sliding portion or deterioration of sealing performance. It has excellent performance.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 to 5 show a first embodiment of the present invention.
The figure is an overall vertical cross-sectional view of the sliding bush, and the cross-sections of the insert and the outer cylinder are taken along the line I-I in FIGS. 3 and 5, respectively. FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the insert, and FIG. Two
FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the outer cylinder, and FIG.
6 and 10 show a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is an overall longitudinal sectional view of a sliding bush, and the insert and the outer cylinder are respectively shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. Along the line VI-VI of FIG. 10, FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view of the insert, FIG. 8 is a view in the direction of arrow C of FIG. 7, FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional view of the outer cylinder, and FIG. FIG. 9 is a view taken in the direction of arrow D, FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 show a third embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view of the insert, and FIG. 12 is a view taken in the direction of arrow E of FIG. FIG. 13 is an overall vertical sectional view of a sliding bush showing a conventional example. 1 ... Outer cylinder 2 ... Inner cylinder 21 ... Bulging portion 3 ... Insert 3a ... Inner peripheral concave surface 31 ... Inner half portion 32 ... Square groove (recess) 33 ... Slope 34 ... Separation 4 ... … Seal member 41 …… Rubber convex portion 42 …… Seal lip 43 …… Rubber layer 5 …… Cylindrical holding portion (holding member)

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A pair of outer cylinders press-fitted and fixed in the holding member through both openings of a cylindrical holding member, and a concentric arrangement penetrating through the outer cylinders and forming a spherical surface at a central portion in the axial direction. And an inner cylinder formed with a bulge portion that bulges outward in the radial direction, and is interposed between the inner ends of the outer cylinders and the bulge portions, and the outer end surfaces of the inner cylinder contact the inner end surface of the outer cylinder. Together with the pair of ring-shaped inserts whose inner peripheral concave surface slidably contacts the outer periphery of the bulging portion, and the outer peripheral edge is joined to the inner peripheral surface of each of the outer cylinders to cover the outer side of the insert, and the inner peripheral edge is A ring-shaped insert, which comprises a large-diameter inner half portion and a small-diameter outer half portion, The outer end surface of the outer cylinder is brought into contact with the inner end surface of the outer cylinder, and the outer half is fitted into the inner end of the outer cylinder. And, at the outer peripheral edge of the seal member joined to the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder, a convex portion is formed at at least one position in the circumferential direction, and the convex portion is formed at least in the circumferential direction of the outer half of the insert. A spherical sliding bush characterized by being fitted in a recess formed in one place.