JPH11208234A - Rotary damper - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the overhung portion to the peripheral area in a state where the rotary damper is assembled to the suspension arm by providing a damping unit and a reservoir so as to extend to the outward of the housing body constituting the pressure chamber, and housing the protruded part in the hollow portion of the suspension arm. SOLUTION: A rotary damper 1 has a reservoir case 8 for housing a damping unit 27 and a reservoir 31 therein. The reservoir case 8 is protruded from the outer periphery of a housing body 5 radially and outwardly. The protruded portion of the reservoir 8 is housed in a hollow portion 2a of a suspension arm 2. Accordingly, the overhung amount to the peripheral area becomes extremely small in a state where the rotary damper is assembled to the suspension arm. This reduces interference of a damper housing 3 with other members in the peripheral area of the vehicle body mount side, leading to the expanded degree of freedom in on-board layout. The hollow portion 2a is effectively used to house the protruded portion of the reservoir case 8, thus allowing the low-cost manufacturing.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a rotary damper used for a rotation shaft of a suspension ring of a vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As this kind of rotary damper, for example, one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 7-158680 has been conventionally devised.

In this rotary damper, a substantially fan-shaped pressure chamber is formed in a damper housing, and an input / output shaft is rotatably supported at the center of the fan-shaped pressure chamber, and protrudes from the input / output shaft. The pressure-receiving vane is slidably housed in the pressure chamber, and the inside of the pressure chamber is divided into a plurality of liquid chambers by the vane. The liquid chamber on the side contracting and the liquid chamber on the expanding side in accordance with the operation of the pressure receiving member are connected to each other by a communication path,
A pair of damping units are interposed in the middle of the communication path. One of the pair of damping units is set so as to generate a damping force in accordance with the flow direction of the liquid in the communication passage, and the same damping force is generated when the input / output shaft rotates in any direction. It is supposed to.

[0004] Each damping unit is provided with a check valve for permitting the flow of liquid in the direction opposite to the damping direction, and a reservoir having a free piston structure is provided at an intermediate position between both damping units in the communication passage. The reservoir is adapted to compensate for volume changes in the circuit due to temperature changes by this reservoir.

In the rotary damper, the damper housing includes a housing body formed of a rectangular parallelepiped block having a pressure chamber, and a side cover for closing an axial side of the housing body. ,
A mounting hole for accommodating the damping unit and a reservoir are formed in a space radially outside the pressure chamber of the housing body. A communication passage communicating between the liquid chambers is formed from the housing body to the side cover so as to appropriately connect each liquid chamber to the mounting hole and the reservoir.

[0006]

However, the conventional rotary damper has a structure in which the damping unit is arranged in a space outside the pressure chamber of the housing body, so that the size of the damper housing is larger than necessary. Therefore, when used in combination with the base end of the suspension ring, it is necessary to secure a large mounting space in consideration of interference with members arranged in the surrounding area, and the layout on the vehicle is greatly restricted. There is a defect.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a rotary damper capable of increasing the degree of freedom of a vehicle-mounted layout by reducing the space for projecting into a peripheral region when the rotary damper is mounted on a suspension arm. Things.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, an input / output shaft is rotatably supported by a damper housing having a pressure chamber. A pressure receiving body joined and supported by the pressure receiving chamber is slidably accommodated in the pressure chamber, the inside of the pressure chamber is separated into a plurality of liquid chambers by the pressure receiving body, and further contracts with the operation of the pressure receiving body. A communication path communicating the liquid chamber and the expanding liquid chamber is provided, and in the middle of the communication path, a damping unit that generates a damping force when the liquid flows and a reservoir that compensates for a volume change of the liquid due to a temperature change are provided. In the rotary damper, the damping unit and the reservoir are provided so as to protrude outside a housing body forming a pressure chamber, and the protruding portion is housed in a hollow portion of the suspension arm. Was Unishi. In the case of the present invention, since the damping unit and the reservoir are disposed in the hollow portion of the suspension arm, the amount of protrusion of the housing main body to the peripheral region when the rotary damper is attached to the suspension arm is reduced.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the damping unit and the reservoir are arranged in series in the direction in which the housing body projects. In the present invention,
Because the width of the part protruding from the housing body becomes narrower,
The occupation width of the protruding portion in the suspension arm is reduced.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a damping plate of a damping unit, wherein a first damping portion that generates a damping force when the input / output shaft rotates in one direction, and a damping force when the input / output shaft rotates in the other direction. The second damping portion that generates the noise is formed integrally. In this case, one damping plate has the function of two damping parts.

[0011]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

In the drawings, reference numeral 1 denotes a rotary damper according to the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the rotary damper 1 is integrally attached to a base end of a suspension arm 2 of an automobile. , And functions as a rotating shaft portion on the vehicle body mounting side. Specifically, the damper housing 3 is fixed to the base of the suspension arm 2 by welding, and the input / output shaft 4 is connected to and supported by the vehicle body via a bracket or the like (not shown) in a state where rotation is restricted. Therefore, when the tip end side (wheel side) of the suspension arm 2 swings with respect to the vehicle body, the damper housing 3 rotates relatively to the input / output shaft 4, and a damping force is generated with this rotation. .

The damper housing 3 includes a thick cylindrical housing main body 5, a pair of side plates 6 and 7 fixed to both sides of the housing main body 5 to close both side surfaces of the housing main body 5, and a housing main body 5. The input / output shaft 4 is inserted into the center of the housing main body 5 and is rotatable by the side plates 6 and 7 on both sides. Supported.

The input / output shaft 4 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and a pressure receiving body 10 is integrally attached to an outer peripheral surface of the input / output shaft 4 via a rubber elastic body 9. The pressure receiving body 10 includes a boss 11 that is vulcanized and bonded to the rubber elastic body 9, and a pair of vanes 12 a and 12 b extending in opposite directions from the boss 11, and the boss 11 and the vanes 12 a and 12 b are provided. Are integrally formed by powder metallurgy. And each vane 12a,
A continuous sealing member 14 is attached from both end surfaces to the front end surface of the 12b, and the vanes 12a, 12b and the pressure chambers 20, 2 described later are attached by the sealing member 14.
The space between 1 is sealed.

The housing body 5 has a pair of fan-shaped recesses 15a, 15b formed symmetrically with respect to the central axis on the inner peripheral surface thereof, and a pair of arc-shaped walls 16, 17 adjacent to the recesses 15a, 15b. The boss 11 of the pressure receiving body 10 is slidably fitted to the pressure receiving body 10. In addition, a seal member 19 that is in close contact with the boss 11 is attached to each of the arc walls 16 and 17, and the seal member 19 prevents liquid from leaking from the fitting gap. Then, each of the recesses 15
a, 15b are the side plates 6, 7 on both sides and the pressure receiving body 10;
The fan-shaped pressure chambers 20 and 21 are respectively formed between the pressure chambers 20 and 21, and the vanes 12 a and 12 b of the pressure receiving body 10 are slidably accommodated in the pressure chambers 20 and 21. Each of the vanes 12a and 12b divides the inside of each pressure chamber 20 and 21 into two liquid chambers 20a and 20b and 21a and 21b, respectively.
a and 20b, and a pressure difference between 21a and 21b. In the following, for convenience of explanation,
The upper left liquid chamber in FIG. 3 is referred to as an upper first chamber 20a, the upper right liquid chamber is referred to as an upper second chamber 20b, and the lower right liquid chamber in FIG. 3 is referred to as a lower first chamber 21a and a lower left chamber. The liquid chamber is referred to as a lower second chamber 21b.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, an upper first chamber 20a and a lower first chamber 21 are provided on one side of the housing body 5.
The first passage groove 22a that conducts a is formed, and on the other side surface of the housing main body 5, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the upper second chamber 20b and the lower second chamber 21b are conducted. Second
A passage groove 22b is formed. Therefore, the diagonally located liquid chambers function as a set of liquid chambers through the passage grooves 22a and 22b.

A stepped portion for fitting a connection plug 23 of the reservoir container 8 described later is provided at a substantially intermediate position between the upper first chamber 20a and the lower second chamber 21b on the outer peripheral surface of the housing body 5. A mounting hole 24 is formed, and a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion of the mounting hole are formed in an upper first chamber 20a and a lower second chamber 21b, respectively.
Are connected to each other by a first connection hole 25a and a second connection hole 25b.

The reservoir container 8 has a damping unit 27 and a connection plug 23 caulked and fixed to the base end side of the cylindrical wall 26, and a gas filling valve 28 to the distal end side of the cylindrical wall 26.
Is fixed by caulking. And
A free piston 30 is slidably accommodated at the distal end side of the reservoir container 8, and a reservoir 31 for compensating for a volume change of the liquid due to a temperature change is formed in this portion. That is, the interior of the reservoir container 8 is separated by a free piston 30 into a gas chamber 32 and a liquid chamber 33, and a predetermined amount of gas is sealed in the gas chamber 32 through a gas sealing valve 28. Chamber 3 by the expansion and contraction of gas
3 is allowed. As described above, the damping unit 27 and the reservoir 31 are arranged in series in the reservoir container 8 along the extending direction of the cylindrical wall 26.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the damping unit 27 is provided with introduction holes 35a, 35 penetrating in the axial direction through a thick disk-shaped valve base 34 fixed in the reservoir container 8.
b and outflow holes 36a and 36b are formed.
The opening edges of the liquid chambers 33a and 35b on the liquid chamber 33 side and the outflow holes 36a and
Valve seats 37 and 38 are formed at the opening edges of the connection plug 36b on the connection plug 23 side (see FIG. 3). And
The introduction holes 35a and 35b and the outflow holes 36a and 36b are arranged at diagonal positions of the valve base 34, and the introduction hole 35a and the outflow hole 36a, and the introduction hole 35b and the outflow hole 36b.
Are paired with each other, and the pairs are arranged close to each other in the circumferential direction.

The valve seat 3 on the side of the introduction holes 35a, 35b
Numeral 7 is formed so as to protrude toward the liquid chamber 33 by a predetermined height, and a rectangular damping plate 40 whose center is fixed to the valve base 34 with rivets 39 is in close contact with each of the valve seats 37 (see FIG. 4). 1, 3 and 6). Both ends of the damping plate 40 form a first damping portion 40a and a second damping portion 40b.
When introduced into the introduction holes 35a and 35b from the sides, the first damping portion 40a and the second damping portion 40b generate a damping force while permitting the flow of the liquid. As shown in FIG. 8, a thin disk-shaped check plate 41 is joined to the surface of the valve base 34 on the connection plug 23 side by the rivet 39. A pair of substantially U-shaped notches 41a and 41b are formed in the check plate 41 corresponding to the outflow holes 36a and 36b, and the tongue pieces left uncut by the notches 41a and 41b are valved. Check valves 42a and 42b closely contacting the seat 38
Is configured. In addition, each introduction hole 35a, 3
5b has notches 41a, 41b of the check plate 41.
Through which liquid can be introduced.

On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the connecting plug 23 is provided with a step-shaped projection 43 at the tip end projecting from the cylindrical wall 26, and this projection 43 is And is welded and fixed to the housing body 5 in that state. Therefore, the reservoir container 8 is mounted so as to protrude outward in the radial direction of the housing body 5. The connection plug 23 has a conduction path 44a for conducting the first connection hole 25a of the housing main body 5 to the periphery of the one check valve 42a,
A conduction path 44b that connects the connection hole 25b to the periphery of the other check valve 42b is formed. These conduction paths 44a, 44b are connected to the first and second connection holes 25a, 25b.
Together with the set of the first chambers 20a and 21a and the second chambers 20b and 21
A communication path for connecting the sets b to each other is formed.

Therefore, when the set of the first chambers 20a and 21a is pressurized to a high pressure by the rotation of the input / output shaft 4 in one direction, the liquid is supplied to the first connection hole 25a and the conduction path 4a.
4a, the first damping portion 40a of the damping plate 40 is sequentially opened through the introduction hole 35a, and further, the liquid chamber 3 of the reservoir 31 is opened.
The liquid introduced into 3 passes through the outflow hole 36b, the check valve 42b, the conduction path 44b, and the second connection hole 25b sequentially, and is introduced into the set of the second chambers 20b and 21b. At this time, a damping force is generated in the first damping portion 40a of the damping plate 40. Similarly, when the set of the second chambers 20 b and 21 b is pressurized to a high pressure by the rotation of the input / output shaft 4 in the other direction, the liquid flows through the second connection hole 25 b and the conduction path 4.
4b, the second damping portion 40b of the damping plate 40 is opened sequentially through the introduction hole 35b, and the liquid is discharged from the liquid chamber 33 of the reservoir 31 to the discharge path 36a, the check valve 42a, and the conduction path 44.
a, the first chambers 20a, 21 sequentially passing through the first connection path 25a.
In this case, a damping force is generated in the second damping unit 40b.

The suspension arm 2 to which the rotary damper 1 is attached has a hollow structure as shown in FIGS. Its suspension arm 2
The hollow portion 2a is open at the base end, and the reservoir container 8 portion of the rotary damper 1 is inserted into the hollow portion 2a from this opening. In the rotary damper 1, the housing body 5 is welded and fixed to the base end of the suspension arm 2 in a state where the reservoir container 8 is inserted into the hollow portion 2 a.

Since the rotary damper 1 is configured as described above, when the damper housing 3 rotates with respect to the input / output shaft 4 with the rotation of the suspension arm 2, the first damping portion 40a of the damping unit 27 Alternatively, a damping force is generated in the second damping portion 40b, and the damping force interferes with the vibration and the shock acting on the suspension arm 2 in the turning direction.

The rotary damper 1 causes the reservoir container 8 containing the damping unit 27 and the reservoir 31 to protrude radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the housing body 5.
Since the projecting portion of the reservoir container 8 is accommodated in the hollow portion 2a of the suspension arm 2, the amount of protrusion to the peripheral region when attached to the suspension arm 2 is extremely small. Therefore, when the rotary damper 1 is employed, the damper housing 3 is less likely to interfere with other peripheral members on the vehicle body mounting portion side, and accordingly, the degree of freedom of the in-vehicle layout can be increased. The suspension arm 2 has a conventional hollow structure for maintaining strength and reducing weight. However, the rotary damper 1 uses the conventional hollow portion 2a of the suspension arm 2 to effectively utilize the reservoir container 8. Because it accommodates the part, there is no need for special processing on the suspension arm 2,
It can be manufactured at low cost.

Further, in the rotary damper 1, since the damping unit 27 and the reservoir 31 are arranged in series along the cylindrical wall 26 of the reservoir 8, the outer diameter of the reservoir 8 can be reduced. Has become. Therefore, the reservoir container 8 can be inserted into the hollow portion 2a of the suspension arm 2 without unnecessarily expanding the cross-sectional area of the suspension arm 2.

Further, in the rotary damper 1,
Since the first damping portion 40a and the second damping portion 40b are formed integrally with one damping plate 40 of the damping unit 27, the number of components can be reduced, and
Assembly to the valve base 34 is also easy, and
Since the width occupied on the valve base 34 is reduced,
Reducing the diameter of the valve base 34 and, consequently, the reservoir container 8
Can be further reduced in diameter.

[0028]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the damping unit and the reservoir are provided so as to protrude outside the housing body forming the pressure chamber, and the protruding portion is accommodated in the hollow portion of the suspension arm. As a result, the amount of protrusion to the peripheral region when the rotary damper is attached to the suspension arm is reduced, and the degree of freedom of the in-vehicle layout can be increased accordingly.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the damping unit and the reservoir are arranged in series in the direction in which the housing body projects, so that the portion projecting from the housing body in the suspension arm is provided. The occupation width is reduced, so that an unnecessary increase in the cross-sectional area of the suspension arm can be prevented.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the damping plate of the damping unit has a first damping portion that generates a damping force when the input / output shaft rotates in one direction, and a damping force when the input / output shaft rotates in the other direction. Since the second damping portion that generates the noise is formed integrally and one damping plate has the function of the two damping portions, it is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost by reducing the number of parts, It is also possible to improve the attachment and further reduce the occupied width.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. 3 showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment, taken along line AA of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view showing the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a side view of one side of the component showing the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the other side of the component showing the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of a component showing the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a part showing the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a rear perspective view of a component showing the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Rotary damper, 2 ... Suspension arm, 2a ... Hollow part, 3 ... Damper housing, 4 ... Input / output shaft, 5 ... Housing main body, 10 ... Pressure receiver, 20, 21 ... Pressure chamber, 20a ... Upper 1st chamber ( Liquid chamber), 20b Upper second chamber (liquid chamber), 21a Lower first chamber (liquid chamber), 21b Lower second chamber (liquid chamber), 25a First connection hole (communication passage), 25b 2nd connection hole (communication path), 27 ... attenuation unit, 31 ... reservoir, 40 ... attenuation plate, 40a ... 1st attenuation part, 40b ... 2nd attenuation part, 44a, 44b ... conduction path (communication path).

Claims (3)

[Claims] An input / output shaft is rotatably supported by a damper housing having a pressure chamber, and a pressure receiving body coupled and supported by the input / output shaft is slidably accommodated in the pressure chamber. The inside of the chamber is separated into a plurality of liquid chambers by a pressure receiving body, and further, a communication passage communicating the liquid chamber contracting and expanding with the operation of the pressure receiving body is provided.
In the middle of this communication path, a rotary damper provided with a damping unit that generates a damping force when the liquid flows and a reservoir that compensates for a volume change of the liquid due to a temperature change, wherein the damping unit and the reservoir are provided in a pressure chamber. A rotary damper characterized in that it is provided so as to protrude outside a housing body forming the above, and this protruding portion is accommodated in a hollow portion of a suspension arm. 2. The rotary damper according to claim 1, wherein the damping unit and the reservoir are arranged in series in a protruding direction from the housing body. 3. A damping plate for a damping unit, wherein a first damping portion generates a damping force when the input / output shaft rotates in one direction, and a second damping force generates a damping force when the input / output shaft rotates in the other direction. The damping part is formed integrally, The claim 1 characterized by the above-mentioned.
Or the rotary damper according to 2.