JPH0712160A - Coil spring for automobile suspension - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make an automobile suspension further lightweight by forming a coil spring for the automobile suspension of a hollow pipe of hollow cross section. CONSTITUTION:An automobile suspension A is disposed between an automobile body 8 and a supporting arm 3, supporting an axle 4 and enabling the vertical movement of the axle 4 and a wheel 5 supported at the axle 4, so as to connect the body 8 and the wheel 5 to each other, together with the supporting arm 3. The coil spring 1 of the suspension A for absorbing impact and vibration is formed of a hollow pipe 6 of hollow cross section. The coil spring 1 itself forming the automobile suspension A is thereby made lightweight, and in association with this, the automobile suspension can be made further lightweight so as to improve the maneuvering stability and riding comfort of an automobile.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a coil spring for a vehicle suspension, and more particularly to a coil spring for a vehicle suspension which can reduce the weight of a vehicle suspension.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known, a suspension is used for connecting a vehicle body and an axle of a vehicle, absorbing shocks and vibrations from a road surface, and ensuring ride comfort and steering stability. There are many types of suspensions for automobiles, such as those that use coil springs and leaf springs, or those that use torsion bars. However, in passenger cars, those using coil springs have come to be widely used because of their good riding comfort.

There are various types of automobile suspensions using the coil springs, depending on the mechanism and structure thereof. Looking at a typical structure of the suspensions, a coil spring for absorbing shock and vibration, A shock absorber for appropriately suppressing the vibration due to the expansion and contraction of the coil spring, the support arm supporting the axle and enabling the vertical movement of the axle and the wheels supported by the axle and the vehicle body. It is arranged between them.

Further, the coil spring is usually
It is formed by forming a solid material with a predetermined thickness into a coil shape.The characteristics of the suspension can be determined by the number of turns, the pitch, the diameter, or the characteristics of the coil spring depending on the material and the thickness of the material. Because you can change
Depending on the size and weight of the car, the required riding comfort, etc., set the number of turns, pitch, diameter, material and material thickness, and spring stiffness (degree of quenching, etc.) It is intended to form a vehicle suspension having characteristics.

[0005]

According to the above-mentioned conventional technique, the suspension spring for an automobile is formed of a solid material having a predetermined thickness, and therefore each portion required for improving the performance of the automobile. The number of turns, the pitch, the diameter, the material and the thickness of the material, in order to correspond to the weight reduction of the parts and not to impair the performance,
In addition, the stiffness of the spring has been elaborately devised, but the weight reduction of the suspension by that devise has already reached the limit.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, the object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and to maintain the performance of a vehicle suspension without impairing the performance required of the vehicle suspension. Another object of the present invention is to provide a coil spring for an automobile suspension that can achieve further weight reduction.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following technical means. That is, referring to the reference numerals used in the accompanying drawings corresponding to the embodiments, in a coil spring for suspension of an automobile, the coil spring 1 is formed by a hollow tube 6 having a hollow cross section. It is a characteristic coil spring for automobile suspension.

[0008]

The present invention comprises the above technical means, and since the coil spring 1 constituting the suspension A of the automobile is formed by the hollow tube 6 having a hollow cross section,
The coil spring 1 itself which constitutes the suspension A of the automobile is reduced in weight, and accordingly, the weight of the suspension A of the automobile can be further reduced, so that the steering stability of the automobile is improved and the riding comfort thereof is improved. Is something that can be done.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, a suspension A of an automobile is disposed between a vehicle body 8 and a support arm 3 that supports an axle 4 and that allows the axle 4 and wheels 5 supported by the axle 4 to move up and down. The vehicle body 8 and the wheels 5 of the automobile are connected together with the support arm 3.

Then, the suspension A of the automobile
Is a coil spring 1 for absorbing shock and vibration,
A shock absorber 2 such as an oil damper for appropriately suppressing vibration due to expansion and contraction of the coil spring 1. In the present embodiment, the shock absorber 2 is housed inside the coil spring 1 as an integral type. Showed one.

As shown in FIG. 2, the coil spring has a hollow cross section, which reduces the weight of the coil spring 1 itself and the weight of the suspension A. In addition, since the coil spring 1 is configured to have a hollow cross section, there is no hard-to-harden portion in the central portion. Therefore, when quenching the coil spring 1, Is performed in a very good state, and the characteristic of the coil spring 1 lost as a result of being hollow can be sufficiently compensated for.

Next, the manufacturing method thereof will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, a hollow section deformation preventing resin is injected into the hollow portion of the hollow tube 6 having a hollow section, and then the hollow section deformation preventing resin 7 is injected into a coil shape. After winding (FIG. 4) and adjusting the shape, the resin is heated at a temperature lower than the quenching temperature to melt and remove the hollow cross-section deformation preventing resin 7 in the hollow portion. Then, the coil spring 1 is subjected to predetermined quenching to form a coil spring for an automobile suspension.

By forming the coil spring 1 by using the hollow cross-section deformation preventing resin 7, it is possible to prevent local concentration of buckling and strain which are likely to occur when the hollow tube 6 is wound into a coil, The coil spring 1 having a high strength and a good balance is formed.

Furthermore, the diameter D of the hollow tube 6 forming the coil spring 1 is set to be about one half of the winding pitch P of the coil spring.
Since the coil spring 1 is formed by the hollow tube 6, the decrease in the strength and stiffness of the spring can be minimized, and better quenching is possible as described above, so that the strength and stiffness of the spring can be improved. Therefore, the weight of the vehicle suspension can be further reduced without impairing the performance of the vehicle suspension A.

[0015]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained. That is, by forming a coil spring for a vehicle suspension with a hollow tube having a hollow cross section, the weight of the coil spring for a vehicle suspension can be reduced, and at the same time, the weight of the vehicle suspension can be further reduced. It is possible to provide a coil spring for an automobile suspension which can improve the driving stability of the vehicle and the riding comfort thereof.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a suspension of an automobile.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a coil spring for an automobile suspension.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a method of manufacturing a coil spring for an automobile suspension.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a method for manufacturing a coil spring for an automobile suspension.

[Explanation of symbols]

 A Car Suspension D Hollow Pipe Diameter P Coil Spring Winding Pitch 1 Coil Spring 2 Shock Absorber 3 Support Arm 4 Axle 5 Wheel 6 Hollow Pipe 7 Prevention Resin for Hollow Section

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A coil spring for a vehicle suspension, wherein the coil spring 1 is formed by a hollow tube 6 having a hollow cross section.