JPS6129525Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to an air suspension, and more specifically, an air chamber whose volume can be varied by surrounding the upper part of a shock absorber that generates damping force on the extension and compression sides with an outer cylinder and a rolling diaphragm. This relates to an air suspension that allows for adjustment of vehicle height.

Since the rolling diaphragm provided in the air suspension forms a high-pressure air chamber together with the outer cylinder, it is required to have sufficient strength to prevent air leakage. The rolling diaphragm is also required to have the flexibility to roll following the expansion and contraction of the shock absorber. Therefore, the actual situation is that the material must be limited to rubber.

However, it is difficult to say that existing rubber materials have sufficient heat resistance when other required performances such as ozone resistance and adhesive strength between the rubber and the cord are considered. Therefore, when the surface temperature of the shock absorber exceeds 130 degrees, such as when driving continuously on a highly uneven road surface, there is a risk that the rolling diaphragm will deteriorate over time and its durability will decrease.

An object of the present invention is to provide an air suspension that can forcibly air-cool a rolling diaphragm to suppress its deterioration and improve durability and reliability.

The air suspension according to the present invention is an air suspension capable of adjusting the vehicle height, in which the upper part of the shock absorber is surrounded by an outer cylinder and a rolling diaphragm to form an air chamber with a variable volume.
A groove is provided on at least one of the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder of the shock absorber and the contact surface of the rolling diaphragm that contacts the outer circumferential surface and has an upper end communicating with the air chamber, When the length of the groove is raised, it extends to a position where the air in the air chamber is discharged through the groove.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Air suspension, as shown in Figure 1,
An air chamber 12 with a variable volume is formed in the upper part of the shock absorber 10, and by changing the volume of the air chamber 12, the vehicle height can be adjusted.

The shock absorber 10 includes a cylinder 14 and a piston (not shown) that slides inside the cylinder 14.
and a piston rod 18 which is connected at one end to the piston and whose other end projects outwardly through a rod guide and seal member 16 arranged in the opening of the cylinder 14.
The cylinder 14 is connected to a suspension arm of an automobile, and the piston rod 18 is connected to a vehicle body for use.

A cap 20 is fixed to the piston rod 18, an outer cylinder 22 is attached to the cap 20, and the outer cylinder 22 extends downward. Rubber rolling diaphragms 26 are fixed to the lower end of the outer cylinder 22 and the upper end of the cylinder 14 by clamps 24, respectively, and an air chamber 12 is formed in the upper part of the shock absorber 10.

The piston rod 18 is provided with an air passage 28 through which the air chamber 12 communicates with an external valve mechanism and an air source. By increasing or decreasing the volume of the air chamber, the height of the vehicle body connected to the piston rod 18 is adjusted.

A plurality of air blowing grooves 30 are formed on the outer circumferential surface 15 of the cylinder 14 and extend along the axial direction thereof. The upper end 31 of the groove 30 communicates with the air chamber 12, and the lower end 32 of the groove 30 is selected at a predetermined position within the range where the outer peripheral surface 15 of the cylinder 14 and the contact surface 27 of the rolling diaphragm 26 come into contact. . The position of the lower end 32 of the groove 30 is determined by taking into consideration the degree of rebound of the vehicle body.

The air within the air chamber 12 is normally maintained at several atmospheres during use. On the other hand, rolling diaphragm 2
The contact surfaces 27 of 6 are pressed against the outer circumferential surface 15 of the cylinder 14 with approximately the same pressure. Therefore, the first
As shown in the figure, the contact area between the contact surface 27 and the outer peripheral surface 15 is larger than the position of the lower end 32 of the groove 30, and the contact surface 27 extends over a considerably longer length than the position of the lower end 32 of the groove 32. When the groove 30 extends downward, the air entering the groove 30 from the air chamber 12 is sealed between the contact surface 27 and the outer peripheral surface 15 and is not released to the outside.

However, for example, when the vehicle continuously travels on a highly uneven road surface, the vehicle body rebands and the contact area between the rolling diaphragm 26 and the cylinder 14 becomes smaller, that is, when the rolling diaphragm 26 rolls up, the curvature of the rolling diaphragm 26 As part 34 is shown in phantom lines,
It will reach near or to the lower end 32 of the groove 30. Then, the pressure of the air that had entered the groove 30 overcomes the surface pressure of the rolling diaphragm 26, and the air is released to the outside. This air cools the rolling diaphragm 26 and suppresses a rise in temperature.

When air is released from the air chamber 12 and the vehicle height is lowered, a signal is output from a vehicle height detector (not shown) to the valve mechanism, and the air chamber 12 is communicated with a pressure source. In this way, high pressure air is introduced into the air chamber 12, and the vehicle height is maintained constant.

The cross-sectional shape of the air blowing groove 30 may be a mere semicircle. In order to increase the heat dissipation area of the rolling diaphragm, as shown in FIG.
The groove 30 may have an appropriate width in the circumferential direction, or a spiral groove may be formed. The heat radiation area may be increased by increasing the number of grooves. Cylinder 1 with groove 30
Since the wall thickness of 4 becomes small and the strength decreases, it is preferable to apply a build-up 36 to the inside to ensure strength.

In the embodiment described, the groove 30 is provided in the cylinder 14. Alternatively, grooves may be formed in the rolling diaphragm 26, or grooves may be formed in both to achieve the same effect. In these cases as well, it is preferable to apply padding to the back side of the groove.

According to the present invention, even if the surface temperature of the cylinder increases and this is transmitted to the rolling diaphragm, the rolling diaphragm is forcibly cooled by the air in the air chamber, so the temperature increase can be suppressed. Therefore, deterioration of the rolling diaphragm due to temperature is suppressed, and the durability and reliability of the rolling diaphragm can be improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing essential parts of the air suspension of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 in FIG. 10...Shock absorber, 12...Air chamber, 14...Cylinder, 15...Outer peripheral surface, 18...
... Piston rod, 22 ... Outer cylinder, 26 ... Rolling diaphragm, 27 ... Contact surface, 30 ...
groove.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] An air suspension capable of adjusting the vehicle height in which the upper part of the shock absorber is surrounded by an outer cylinder and a rolling diaphragm to form an air chamber with a variable volume, and the air suspension is in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder of the shock absorber. The groove includes a groove provided on at least one of the contact surfaces of the rolling diaphragm and having an upper end communicating with the air chamber; an air suspension that extends to a position where it is released through the groove;