KR102642945B1 - leaf spring for vehicle and vehicle suspension structure using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a leaf spring for a vehicle and a vehicle suspension structure using the same. The spring body is made of a glass fiber reinforced plastic material, includes a first body, a second body, and a third body, and is entirely formed in a rod shape. ; a bracket assembly coupled to at least a portion of one end of the first body portion to fasten the spring body to a vehicle suspension; and a side bush coupled to at least a portion of the other end of the third body and acting as a buffer between the lower surface of the vehicle body and the spring body. It may include, wherein the second body part extends upward from the first body part in a shape bent by a first angle, and the third body part extends downward from the second body part in a shape bent by a second angle. there is.

Description

Leaf spring for vehicle and vehicle suspension structure using the same {leaf spring for vehicle and vehicle suspension structure using the same}

The present invention relates to a leaf spring applied to an automobile suspension structure and a vehicle suspension structure using the same. It relates to a leaf spring for a vehicle using a glass fiber reinforced plastic material and a vehicle suspension structure using the same.

Among the devices that make up a car, suspension is a component of the vehicle consisting of shock absorbers, springs, suspension arms, etc., and performs the function of absorbing shocks from the road surface to prevent them from being transmitted directly to the car body or passengers. do.

Suspension is classified into double wishbone suspension, multi-link suspension, torsion beam suspension, and leaf spring suspension according to the characteristics of its structural shape, and the appropriate suspension type is selected and applied depending on various factors such as the vehicle's driving performance and price. .

Among the above-mentioned suspensions, torsion beam suspension is mainly used in the rear wheel suspension of a vehicle, and leaf spring suspension is mainly used in low-priced vehicles. The torsion beam suspension is a structure in which a torsion beam, which can be twisted upon impact and recovered by elastic restoring force, connects the trailing arm. Depending on the position where it is connected to the torsion beam, it is divided into a coupled beam, axle beam, pivot beam, etc. are distinguished. Leaf spring suspension is a shape in which multiple steel plates are stacked on top of each other. When subjected to impact, the steel plates bend and recover through elastic restoring force to play the role of a spring that absorbs the shock.

However, this conventional torsion beam suspension includes a spring and further includes parts such as a seat bracket so that the spring can be coupled to the suspension. Therefore, in the torsion beam suspension, depending on the shape of the spring, the space occupied by related parts increases, which can narrow the trunk space or living space inside the vehicle. The higher the spring, the higher the height between the vehicle body and the ground, and the steel material Because it is manufactured, it is heavy, and there is a risk of corrosion, so the durability of the parts is disadvantageous.

The present invention is intended to solve various problems including the above problems, by replacing the spring applied to the torsion beam suspension with a leaf spring manufactured using glass fiber reinforced plastic material, thereby reducing the space inside the vehicle or the trunk space. The purpose is to secure and reduce weight. However, these tasks are illustrative and do not limit the scope of the present invention.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a leaf spring for a vehicle is provided. The leaf spring for a vehicle includes a spring body that is made of a glass fiber reinforced plastic material, includes a first body portion, a second body portion, and a third body portion, and is formed overall in a rod shape; a bracket assembly coupled to at least a portion of one end of the first body portion to fasten the spring body to a vehicle suspension; and a side bush coupled to at least a portion of the other end of the third body and acting as a buffer between the lower surface of the vehicle body and the spring body. It may include, wherein the second body part extends upward from the first body part to be bent by a first angle, and the third body part extends downward from the second body part to be bent by a second angle.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the second body portion may be formed in a shape whose thickness gradually decreases from the first body portion to the third body portion.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first angle may be formed as an angle of 0 degrees to 15 degrees, and the second angle may be formed as an angle of 0 degrees to 10 degrees.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the bracket assembly includes: an upper bracket coupled to one end of the first body portion to fasten the spring body to the vehicle suspension; a lower bracket coupled to the other side of one end of the first body portion so as to be coupled opposite to the upper bracket with respect to the first body portion; and a central bush that is inserted between the lower bracket and the vehicle suspension to act as a shock absorber. may include.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the upper bracket includes: a pair of first bent portions formed to surround at least a portion of both sides of the first body portion and bent so that at least portions of both ends face each other; and a second bent portion formed by bending at least a portion of one end to surround at least a portion of an end of the first body portion. may include.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the side bush includes a pipe portion in the shape of a hollow cylinder; and an elastic member inserted between the lower surface of the vehicle body and the pipe portion and between the upper surface of the third body portion and the pipe portion to provide a cushioning effect. may include.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a vehicle suspension structure is provided. The vehicle suspension structure includes a pair of first leaf springs, at least a portion of which is coupled to the vehicle suspension and the other portion of which is coupled to the vehicle body, and which are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center plane of the vehicle body. , the pair of first leaf springs are arranged to form a third angle with respect to the center plane of the vehicle body and are arranged overall in a V shape, and the pair of first leaf springs are according to claims 1 to 6. It may be a leaf spring for a vehicle according to any one of the above.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle suspension structure further includes a second leaf spring coupled so that the other ends of the pair of first leaf springs can be connected to each other, and the second leaf spring is a rod. a fourth body formed into a shape; and a pair of fifth body parts extending from both ends of the fourth body part to be bent at a fourth angle. It includes, and the pair of first leaf springs and the second leaf spring may be coupled to be disposed in an overall triangular shape.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the third angle may be formed as an angle of 30 degrees to 80 degrees, and the fourth angle may be formed as an angle of 0 degrees to 30 degrees.

According to an embodiment of the present invention as described above, the problem of increasing the height of the vehicle body depending on the spring shape of the CTBA (Coupled torsion beam axle) rear wheel suspension with a conventional spring-shaped spring is solved, and the vehicle leaf The shape is designed to minimize the space occupied by the spring to secure indoor living space or trunk space while satisfying the required mechanical properties, and the vehicle leaf spring is manufactured from glass fiber reinforced plastic material to reduce vehicle weight. It is possible and can be advantageous in component durability due to corrosion resistance. Of course, the scope of the present invention is not limited by this effect.

1 is a perspective view showing a leaf spring for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a front view showing the front of a leaf spring for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 is a plan view showing the top surface of the spring body according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4 is a perspective view showing a bracket assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 5 is a perspective view schematically showing a vehicle suspension structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a vehicle suspension structure according to an embodiment of the present invention cut with respect to the center plane of the vehicle.
Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a vehicle suspension structure according to another embodiment of the present invention cut with respect to the center plane of the vehicle.
Figure 8 is a front view showing the front of a second leaf spring according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, various preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

The embodiments of the present invention are provided to more completely explain the present invention to those skilled in the art, and the following examples may be modified into various other forms, and the scope of the present invention is as follows. It is not limited to the examples. Rather, these embodiments are provided to make the present disclosure more faithful and complete and to fully convey the spirit of the present invention to those skilled in the art. Additionally, the thickness and size of each layer in the drawings are exaggerated for convenience and clarity of explanation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to drawings that schematically show ideal embodiments of the present invention. In the drawings, variations of the depicted shape may be expected, for example, depending on manufacturing technology and/or tolerances. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the specific shape of the area shown in this specification, but should include, for example, changes in shape resulting from manufacturing.

First, as shown in FIG. 1, the leaf spring 100 for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a spring body 110, a bracket assembly 120, and a side bush 130.

Figure 2 is a front view of the leaf spring 100 for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention as seen from the front. As shown in FIG. 2, the spring body 110 is a single component including a first body 111, a second body 112, and a third body 113, and as a whole, It may be formed in a rod shape. The first body 111, the second body 112, and the third body 113 of the spring body 110 of the present invention are divided to specifically show the shape of the spring body 110. This is to clarify that separate parts are not assembled as shown.

More specifically, the second body portion 112 extends above the first body portion 111 in a shape bent by a first angle a1, and the third body portion 113 is the second body portion 113. It is formed to extend downward of 112 in a shape bent by a second angle a2, so that the spring body 110 may be formed as a whole to have an approximately “Z” shape. At this time, the first angle a1 may be formed as an angle of 0 degrees to 15 degrees, and the second angle a2 may be formed as an angle of 0 degrees to 10 degrees.

In addition, the second body portion 112 is formed in a shape whose thickness gradually decreases from the first body portion 111 to the third body portion 113, and the first body portion 111 and the third body portion 113 (113) may be formed in a shape with a constant thickness. For example, the first body portion 111 may be formed in a rod shape with a first thickness t1 and a first length L1. The second body portion 112 is formed in a shape whose thickness gradually decreases from the first thickness t1 to the second thickness t2 as it moves from the first body portion 111 to the third body portion 113. It may be formed in a rod shape with a second length (L2). The third body portion 113 may be formed in a rod shape with a second thickness (t2) and a third length (L3). At this time, in one embodiment of the present invention, the thickness of the first body portion 111 and the third body portion 113 is formed in a constant shape, but similar to the shape of the second body portion 112, the thickness increases from one side to the other side. It is also possible to form a shape with gradually decreasing thickness.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the spring body 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the spring body 110 is a first vertical shaft formed to correspond to the shape of the bolt 124 on at least a portion of the first body 111 so that the bracket assembly 120 can be coupled. Includes a second vertical through hole portion (H2) formed to correspond to the shape of the bolt 124 in at least a portion of the third body portion 113 so that the through hole portion (H1) and the side bush 130 can be coupled. can do.

Moreover, the spring body 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be manufactured from glass fiber reinforced plastic material. Glass fiber reinforced plastic materials refer to composite materials made by impregnating glass fibers into resin, and have the characteristics of having both the high rigidity of glass fibers and the excellent moldability and elasticity of resins.

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the bracket assembly 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, the bracket assembly 120 may include an upper bracket 121, a lower bracket 122, a central bush 123, a bolt 124, and a nut 125.

More specifically, the upper bracket 121 may be coupled to one end of the first body 111 to fasten the spring body 110 to the vehicle suspension. The lower bracket 122 may be coupled to the other surface of one end of the first body 111 so that it can be coupled opposite to the upper bracket 121 with respect to the first body 111. The central bush 123 is inserted between the lower bracket 122 and the vehicle suspension to provide a buffering effect that prevents each member from being excessively fastened.

At this time, the upper bracket 121 includes a pair of first bent portions 121a formed so as to surround at least a portion of both sides of the first body portion 111 so that at least a portion of both ends are bent into opposite shapes. And, it may include a second bent portion 121b formed by bending at least a portion of one end to surround at least a portion of the end of the first body portion 111. Accordingly, the spring body 110 can be more firmly coupled to the vehicle suspension by the first bent portion 121a and the second bent portion 121b.

Therefore, the upper bracket 121, lower bracket 122, and central bush 123 of the bracket assembly 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention are connected to the spring body 110 by the bolt 124 and nut 125. Can be fastened to the vehicle suspension, and at least a portion of the upper bracket 121, lower bracket 122, and central bush 123 is formed with a through hole portion formed to correspond to the shape of the bolt 124, so that they can be fastened through. there is.

The leaf spring 100 for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a side bush 130 as shown in FIG. 2 . The side bush 130 may include a hollow pipe portion 131 and an elastic member 132. The elastic member 132 may be inserted between the lower surface of the vehicle body and the pipe portion 131 and between the upper surface of the third body portion 113 and the pipe portion 131 to provide a cushioning effect.

Therefore, the leaf spring 100 for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention is formed in a shape having the technical characteristics described above, so that at least a portion is coupled to the vehicle suspension and another portion is coupled to the vehicle body, thereby preventing shock from the road surface. It can act as a buffer to absorb. In addition, the leaf spring 100 for a vehicle is made of a glass fiber reinforced plastic material and is lighter than a leaf spring made of a conventional steel material, so it is possible to reduce the weight of the vehicle, and it has the advantage of durability because it does not corrode. Additionally, the vehicle leaf spring 100 can be effectively coupled to the vehicle suspension due to the bracket assembly 120 including a pair of first bent portions 121a and second bent portions 121b.

Hereinafter, the vehicle suspension structure 200 to which the above-described vehicle leaf spring 100 is applied will be described in detail. Prior to description, the first leaf spring of the present invention may be the leaf spring 100 for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention described above. Since the vehicle suspension structure 200 has technical features related to the structure in which the vehicle leaf spring 100 is arranged, the first leaf spring will be described in detail as the vehicle leaf spring 100.

Figure 5 is a perspective view schematically showing a vehicle suspension structure 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, the vehicle suspension structure 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention largely includes a pair of first leaf springs, a torsion beam 210, a trailing arm 220, and a damper ( 230) may be included. At this time, the first leaf spring may be the leaf spring 100 for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention described above.

More specifically, the trailing arm 220 may include a vehicle coupling portion 221 coupled to the vehicle body and a wheel coupling portion 222 coupled to the wheel. A damper 230 may be coupled to at least a portion of the trailing arm 200 to absorb shock from the road surface. A pair of trailing arms 220 may be symmetrically arranged with respect to the center surface P of the vehicle body and connected to the torsion beam 210. The vehicle suspension structure including the torsion beam 210, trailing arm 220, and damper 230 is a general configuration, and detailed description will be omitted.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of the vehicle suspension structure 200 cut with respect to the vehicle center plane (P) according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6, at least a portion of the vehicle leaf spring 100 is coupled to the vehicle suspension, and the other portion is coupled to the vehicle body, and may be arranged to be symmetrical with respect to the center surface P of the vehicle body. The center plane (P) of the vehicle body refers to a plane perpendicular to the ground based on the center line of the full width of the vehicle, as shown in FIG. 6, and vehicle structures can be symmetrical with respect to the center plane (P) of the vehicle body. .

More specifically, in the vehicle leaf spring 100, the bracket assembly 120 may be coupled to at least a portion of the torsion beam 210, and the side bush 130 may be coupled to at least a portion of the vehicle body. At this time, the bracket assembly 120 is spaced apart from the center surface (P) of the vehicle body by a first distance (D) and is coupled to the upper surface of the torsion beam 210, and the vehicle leaf spring 100 is connected to the center surface (P) of the vehicle body. ) and may be arranged to form a third angle (a3) based on the overall “V” shape. The third angle a3 may be formed from 30 degrees to 80 degrees.

In addition, the leaf spring 100 for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention has a first length (L1) and a second length (L2) to secure space according to the required shape of the vehicle body or other surrounding vehicle parts. ), the third length (L3), the first width (t1), the second width (t2), the first angle (a1), the second angle (a2), the third angle (a3), and the first distance (D ) can be adjusted to secure the space inside the vehicle and satisfy the required mechanical characteristics. Although not shown in the drawing, it is also possible to adjust the width (w) of the leaf spring 100 for a vehicle.

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of the vehicle suspension structure 300 according to another embodiment of the present invention cut with respect to the vehicle center plane (P). As shown in FIG. 7 , the vehicle suspension structure 300 may further include a second leaf spring 400.

More specifically, the second leaf spring 400 has a fourth body portion 401 that is formed overall in a bar shape, and extends to be bent upward by a fourth angle a4 from both ends of the fourth body portion 401. It may include a pair of fifth body portions 402. The fourth angle a4 may be formed as an angle of 0 degrees to 30 degrees.

At this time, the second leaf spring 400 is coupled to the other end of the vehicle leaf spring 100, that is, the lower surface of the other end of the third body portion 113, so that a pair of vehicle leaf springs 100 are connected to each other. The second leaf spring 400 may be coupled to the vehicle leaf spring 100 so as to be arranged in an overall triangular shape. Although not shown in the drawing, the second leaf spring 400 may have a through hole formed in at least a portion of the fifth body portion 402 so that the second leaf spring 400 can be coupled to the vehicle leaf spring 100.

The vehicle suspension structure 300 according to another embodiment of the present invention can also secure space according to the required shape of the vehicle body or other surrounding vehicle parts by appropriately adjusting the fourth angle (a4), as shown in the drawing. Although not done, it is also possible to adjust the length, thickness, and width of the fourth body portion 401 and the fifth body portion 402.

In conclusion, the vehicle suspension structures 200 and 300 to which the vehicle leaf spring 100 according to the above-described embodiments of the present invention are applied, create a CTBA (Coupled torsion beam axle) rear wheel suspension to which a conventional spring-shaped spring is applied. We solve the problem of increasing the height of the vehicle body depending on the spring shape, and design the shape to minimize the space occupied by the vehicle leaf spring (100), thereby securing interior living space or trunk space, while also securing the required mechanical It is possible to reduce the weight of the vehicle by manufacturing the leaf spring 100 for a vehicle using a glass fiber reinforced plastic material, and there is an advantage in component durability due to corrosion resistance, which is a characteristic of the glass fiber reinforced plastic material.

The present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings, but these are merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible therefrom. Therefore, the true scope of technical protection of the present invention should be determined by the technical spirit of the attached patent claims.

100: Leaf spring for vehicle
110: Spring body
111: first body portion
112: second body portion
113: third body portion
120: Bracket assembly
130: Side bush
200, 300: Vehicle suspension structure
210: Torsion beam
220: Trailing arm
230: damper
400: second leaf spring
401: fourth body portion
402: Fifth body portion

Claims (9)

A spring body made of a glass fiber reinforced plastic material, including a first body part, a second body part, and a third body part, and formed as a whole in a rod shape;
a bracket assembly coupled to at least a portion of one end of the first body portion to fasten the spring body to a vehicle suspension; and
a side bush coupled to at least a portion of the other end of the third body portion and acting as a buffer between the lower surface of the vehicle body and the spring body; Including,
The second body portion extends upward from the first body portion in a shape bent by a first angle, and the third body portion extends downward from the second body portion in a shape bent by a second angle,
The second body portion,
A leaf spring for a vehicle, wherein the thickness gradually decreases from the first body to the third body. delete According to claim 1,
The first angle is formed as an angle of 0 degrees to 15 degrees,
The leaf spring for a vehicle, wherein the second angle is formed at an angle of 0 degrees to 10 degrees. According to claim 1,
The bracket assembly is,
an upper bracket coupled to one end of the first body portion to fasten the spring body to the vehicle suspension;
a lower bracket coupled to the other side of one end of the first body portion so as to be coupled opposite to the upper bracket with respect to the first body portion; and
a central bush that is inserted between the lower bracket and the vehicle suspension to act as a shock absorber;
Including a leaf spring for a vehicle. According to claim 4,
The upper bracket is,
a pair of first bent portions formed so as to surround at least a portion of both sides of the first body portion so that at least portions of both ends are bent into opposing shapes; and
a second bent portion formed by bending at least a portion of one end to surround at least a portion of an end of the first body portion;
Including a leaf spring for a vehicle. According to claim 1,
The side bush is,
A pipe portion in the shape of a hollow cylinder; and
an elastic member inserted between the lower surface of the vehicle body and the pipe portion and between the upper surface of the third body portion and the pipe portion to provide a cushioning effect;
Including a leaf spring for a vehicle. A vehicle suspension structure including a pair of first leaf springs, at least a portion of which is coupled to the vehicle suspension and the other portion of which is coupled to the vehicle body, and which are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center plane of the vehicle body,
The pair of first leaf springs,
It is arranged to form a third angle with respect to the center surface of the vehicle body and is spaced a predetermined distance from the center surface of the vehicle body and is arranged overall in a V shape,
A vehicle suspension structure, wherein the pair of first leaf springs is a vehicle leaf spring according to claim 1. According to claim 7,
It further includes a second leaf spring coupled to the lower surface of the other end of each of the pair of first leaf springs so that the pair of first leaf springs can be connected to each other,
The second leaf spring is,
a fourth body formed in a rod shape; and
a pair of fifth body parts extending from both ends of the fourth body part to be bent at a fourth angle; Including,
A vehicle suspension structure wherein the pair of first leaf springs and the second leaf spring are coupled to be disposed in an overall triangular shape. According to claim 8,
The third angle is formed as an angle of 30 degrees to 80 degrees,
The fourth angle is formed as an angle of 0 degrees to 30 degrees.

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