JP7202345B2 - buffer - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to shock absorbers.

The shock absorber includes an outer shell and a rod that is movably inserted into the outer shell, and is used, for example, by being incorporated in a suspension in a vehicle, and when the piston rod moves axially with respect to the outer shell, the shock absorber expands and contracts. The damping force is exerted to suppress the vibration of the vehicle body and wheels.

The shock absorber incorporated in the suspension in this way is attached to the lower end of the outer shell by welding and connected to the stabilizer, for example, so that it can be connected to the stabilizer that suppresses the displacement of the left and right wheels of the vehicle in the opposite phase in the vertical direction. It may have a bracket that

Also, when the shock absorber is used in a strut-type suspension, a bracket called a knuckle bracket for attaching a knuckle that holds a vehicle wheel may be attached to the lower end of the outer shell by welding.

Such brackets include, for example, a cylindrical holding portion having a C-shaped cross section that holds the outer periphery of the outer shell, and a holding portion that extends radially outward from both circumferential ends of the holding portion in parallel with each other. and a pair of mounting portions connectable to the knuckle. In shock absorbers provided with such brackets, the brackets are attached to the outer shell by welding the upper end surface of the holding portion and the outer periphery of the outer shell (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Therefore, the filler material melted when the outer shell and the bracket are welded together accumulates on the upper end of the holding portion, so that the two can be firmly joined.

JP 2009-216129 A

Thus, when the bracket has a holding portion that holds the outer shell, the filler material can be accumulated at the upper end of the holding portion. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5, the bracket 102 has a pair of plates 103 and 104 which are C-shaped when viewed from the axial direction of the outer shell, and which are parallel to each other and whose tips are abutted against the side surface of the outer shell 101 . You may be prepared.

The bracket 102 having such a structure is joined by welding the tips of the plates 103 and 104 to the side portion of the outer shell 101, which may cause welding failure.

This is because, in the bracket 102, the inner edges of the tips of the plates 103 and 104 are abutted against the outer periphery of the outer shell 101, so that the melt melted between the tips of the plates 103 and 104 and the outer periphery of the outer shell 101 is formed. It is not possible to secure a large space for accumulating additional materials. Then, when the plates 103 and 104 are welded to the side surface of the outer shell 101, the filler material may flow down from the space because the filler material cannot be retained in the space. If such a situation occurs, the joint strength between the bracket 102 and the outer shell 101 will decrease, resulting in poor welding.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a shock absorber capable of preventing defective welding between an outer shell and a bracket and firmly joining them together.

In order to solve the above-described problems, the shock absorber of the present invention includes a shock absorber main body having a cylindrical outer shell and a rod movably inserted into the outer shell, and a shock absorber body which is attached to the outer shell by welding. and a bracket for connecting the outer shell to a component of the vehicle, the bracket having a pair of clamping pieces extending toward the outer shell and diametrically clamping the outer shell. A gap is formed between the outer shell and the end surface of the tip end of each clamping piece and the outer periphery of the outer shell is welded to each other. The tip of the clamping piece is attached to the outer circumference of the outer shell.

In the shock absorber constructed in this manner, a pocket having a large volume that can store the filler material can be formed when the gap welding between the tip of the clamping piece of the bracket and the outer periphery of the outer shell is performed. It is possible to prevent the filler material from dripping from between.

Also, the shock absorber may be constructed by setting the length of the portion of each clamping piece projecting over half of the outer shell to 1/15 or more and 1/7.5 or less of the diameter of the outer shell. . According to the shock absorber configured in this way, the size of the gap into which the filler material enters is optimized, so a good welded portion is formed, and the bracket can be more effectively and firmly joined to the outer shell.

In addition, the bracket in the shock absorber has opposing pieces facing the side portions of the outer shell, and the clamping pieces extend from both ends of the opposing pieces in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the outer shell toward the outer shell. good too. According to the shock absorber configured in this way, manufacturing costs can be reduced.

Furthermore, in the shock absorber, each clamping piece of the bracket has a shape extending linearly from the opposing piece in parallel with each other when viewed from the axial direction of the outer shell. are held by the holding pieces, the gap between the holding pieces and the outer shell does not change, so that the joint strength by welding does not vary from product to product.

Further, the bracket in the shock absorber may be a stabilizer that suppresses displacement of the left and right wheels of the vehicle in opposite phases in the vertical direction, and connects the stabilizer. In addition, chamfered portions may be provided at opposing portions of the ends of the pair of clamping pieces that face each other.

According to the shock absorber of the present invention, it is possible to prevent defective welding between the outer shell and the bracket and firmly join them together.

It is a side view of the shock absorber in one embodiment. It is a bottom view of the shock absorber in one embodiment. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a tip portion of a clamping piece of a bracket that clamps the outer shell in one embodiment; It is a bottom view of the shock absorber in one modification of one embodiment. It is a bottom view of a conventional shock absorber.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention will be described below based on embodiments shown in the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the shock absorber D includes a shock absorber body 1 having a cylindrical outer shell 2 and a rod 3 movably inserted into the outer shell 2, and welded to the outer shell 2. and a bracket 4 that connects the outer shell 2 to a stabilizer S as a component of the vehicle. The shock absorber main body 1 is connected to a suspension arm that supports a vehicle wheel (not shown), and is interposed between the vehicle body and the wheel. The stabilizer S has a torsion bar (not shown) that is twisted when the left and right wheels of the vehicle are displaced vertically in opposite phases, thereby suppressing the displacement of the left and right wheels in opposite phases.

Each part of the buffer D will be described in detail below. The shock absorber main body 1 has a cylindrical outer shell 2 and a rod 3 movably inserted into the outer shell 2, and the rod 3 moves relative to the outer shell 2 in the axial direction. At times, a damping force is generated to prevent the relative movement of the rod 3 with respect to the outer shell 2, thereby damping the vibration of the vehicle body and wheels.

The shock absorber main body 1 includes, for example, a cylindrical outer shell 2 whose lower end is closed, a cylinder (not shown) accommodated in the outer shell 2, a rod 3 movably inserted into the cylinder, and a A piston that is connected and inserted into a cylinder to divide the inside of the cylinder into an expansion side chamber and a compression side chamber, a reservoir formed between the cylinder and the outer shell, and a compression side chamber and a reservoir provided at the lower end of the cylinder. It is equipped with a valve case that separates the The expansion side chamber and the compression side chamber are filled with liquid such as hydraulic oil, and the reservoir is filled with liquid and gas. It should be noted that the liquid used in the buffer D may be liquid such as water or an aqueous solution other than hydraulic oil.

Further , a passage communicating between the expansion side chamber and the compression side chamber and a passage communicating between the compression side chamber and the reservoir are provided, and each of the passages is provided with a damping valve. In the shock absorber main body 1 constructed in this manner, the extension side chamber and the compression side chamber are expanded and contracted by the piston when the shock absorber main body 1 is configured as described above, and the liquid moves through the passage. generate force.

The bracket 4 is formed by bending a single metal base material. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the bracket 4 is formed in a C shape that sandwiches the outer peripheral side of the outer shell 2, and has a rectangular opposing piece 4a that faces the side of the outer shell 2. It has a pair of holding pieces 4b and 4c that extend toward the outer shell 2 from both ends of the piece 4a in the direction perpendicular to the axis of the outer shell 2 and sandwich the outer shell 2 in the radial direction.

The facing piece 4a has a hole (not shown), and can be connected with a stabilizer S as a component of the vehicle with a bolt. The clamping pieces 4b and 4c extend from the end of the opposing piece 4a in parallel and linearly toward the outer shell 2 while maintaining a constant width. While sandwiching the side portion of 2 in the diametrical direction, the tip is made to protrude beyond the half of the outer shell 2 to the side opposite to the stabilizer S side. In other words, the clamping pieces 4b and 4c are in contact with each other on opposite sides of the outer shell 2 by 180 degrees around the circumference, and the ends of the clamping pieces 4b and 4c protrude to the opposite side beyond the half of the outer shell 2 when viewed from the opposing piece 4a.

When the tips of the clamping pieces 4b and 4c of the bracket 4 protrude to the opposite side beyond half of the outer shell 2, as shown in FIG. A gap G is formed. More specifically, since the outer shell 2 is cylindrical and the surface of the outer shell 2 opposite to the facing piece 4a side is curved in a direction away from the tip of the clamping piece 4b (4c), the clamping piece 4b, Between the contact point of 4c with the outer shell 2 and the outer shell 2, there is formed a gap G having a larger volume than that of a shock absorber having a conventional bracket.

The bracket 4 configured in this manner is joined to the outer shell 2 by arc welding the tips of the clamping pieces 4 b and 4 c and the outer periphery of the outer shell 2 along the axial direction of the outer shell 2 . More specifically, the bracket 4 is configured such that the end of the clamping pieces 4b and 4c are directed upward and the opposing piece 4a is downward while the shock absorber main body 1 is laid horizontally while the outer shell 2 is sandwiched between the clamping pieces 4b and 4c. It is welded and joined to the outer shell 2 in such a posture.

When the tips of the holding pieces 4b and 4c of the bracket 4 and the outer circumference of the outer shell 2 are arc-welded, the tips of the holding pieces 4b and 4c and the outer circumference of the outer shell 2 are welded as shown in FIGS. Welded portions 11 and 12 are formed between the bracket 4, which is the material to be welded, the outer shell 2, and the filler material, which are weld beads formed by melting.

As described above, the gap G shown in FIG. 3 is formed between the tips of the clamping pieces 4b and 4c of the bracket 4 and the outer circumference of the outer shell 2. As shown in FIG. In addition, since the clamping pieces 4b and 4c are in contact with the outer periphery of the outer shell 2 in the middle to clamp the outer shell 2, a gap is formed between the tips of the clamping pieces 4b and 4c and the outer shell 2. The gap G does not lead to the facing piece 4a side of the outer shell 2. - 特許庁That is, the clamping pieces 4b and 4c and the outer shell 2 form a pocket between them.

Therefore, when the bracket 4 and the outer shell 2 are arc-welded, even if the melted filler material enters the gap G, the filler material does not pass through the gap G and fall downward. , 4c and the outer periphery of the outer shell 2 without dripping down, and the welded parts 11 and 12 can be formed with excellent beads in which the material to be welded and the filler material are melted between the two. . Even if the clamping pieces 4b, 4c and the outer shell 2 do not come into contact with each other and there is a small gap between them, the filler material must not flow downward through the gap G during welding. Just do it. Strictly speaking, the clamping pieces 4b and 4c and the outer shell 2 do not have to be in contact with each other as long as the filler material does not flow downward. Further, as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 3, the volume of the gap G may be adjusted by providing a chamfered portion M at the opposing portions of the ends of the clamping pieces 4b and 4c facing each other. The shape of the chamfered portion M can be arbitrarily changed, and for example, it may be tapered or curved.

As can be understood from the above description, the shock absorber D of the present embodiment includes a shock absorber main body 1 having a cylindrical outer shell 2 and a rod 3 movably inserted into the outer shell 2; A bracket 4 is attached to the shell 2 by welding and connects the outer shell 2 to a stabilizer (component) S of the vehicle. The tip of each of the clamping pieces 4b and 4c extends beyond the half of the outer shell 2 when viewed from the axial direction of the outer shell 2 toward the side opposite to the stabilizer side. It protrudes and is attached to the outer circumference of the outer shell 2 by welding.

In the shock absorber D constructed in this way, the gap G between the tip of the clamping pieces 4b and 4c of the bracket 4 and the outer periphery of the outer shell 2 can form a pocket having a large volume capable of storing the filler material during welding. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the filler material from dropping from between the ends of the clamping pieces 4b and 4c and the outer shell 2. Therefore, according to the shock absorber D of the present embodiment, good welds 11 and 12 without defective welding can be formed between the tips of the clamping pieces 4b and 4c of the bracket 4 and the outer periphery of the outer shell 2. 4 can be firmly joined to the outer shell 2. Also, the bonding strength may be optimized by providing chamfered portions M at the opposing portions of the ends of the clamping pieces 4b and 4c to adjust the volume of the pockets.

If the length of the portions of the clamping pieces 4b and 4c protruding beyond half of the outer shell 2 is too short, the volume of the pocket formed by the gap G becomes small and the filler material overflows from the gap G. If the portions of the clamping pieces 4b and 4c protruding beyond half of the outer shell 2 are too long, the distance between the tips of the clamping pieces 4b and 4c and the outer circumference of the outer shell 2 will increase. too wide to form a good bead. Therefore, it is preferable to set the length t of the portions of the clamping pieces 4b and 4c protruding beyond half of the outer shell 2 to 1/15 or more and 1/7.5 or less of the diameter of the outer shell 2 . That is, when the diameter of the outer shell 2 is d, the length t should be set so as to satisfy d/15≤t≤d/7.5. With this setting, when the holding pieces 4b, 4c and the outer shell 2 are joined by welding, the size of the gap G into which the filler material enters is optimized, so that good welds 11, 12 are formed. As a result, the bracket 4 can be firmly joined to the outer shell 2 more effectively. The length t of the portions of the clamping pieces 4b and 4c protruding beyond half of the outer shell 2 is deviated from the length range of 1/15 or more and 1/7.5 or less of the diameter of the outer shell 2. However, if the length t is set within the range, good welds 11 and 12 can be reliably obtained.

Moreover, in the shock absorber D of the present embodiment, the bracket 4 includes the opposing piece 4a facing the side portion of the outer shell 2, and the opposite ends of the opposing piece 4a in the direction perpendicular to the axis of the outer shell 2 to the outer shell side. A pair of clamping pieces 4b and 4c extending to the side are provided. According to the shock absorber D constructed in this manner, the bracket 4 can be manufactured by bending one sheet of plate material into a C shape, and the yield of the material of the bracket 4 is improved, so that the manufacturing cost can be reduced because the bracket 4 can be manufactured with a simple process. can.

Further, in the shock absorber D of the present embodiment, the clamping pieces 4b and 4c of the bracket 4 are shaped so as to extend linearly from the opposing piece 4a in parallel with each other when viewed from the axial direction of the outer shell 2. Therefore, the bracket 4 can be manufactured at low cost, and the gap G between the clamping pieces 4b, 4c and the outer shell 2 does not change when the outer shell 2 is clamped by the clamping pieces 4b, 4c. It is possible to prevent a situation in which the bonding strength due to welding varies from product to product.

However, if the clamping pieces 4b and 4c can clamp the side portion of the outer shell 2 and have a shape that extends linearly while the tip side from the contact point that contacts the side portion of the outer shell 2 faces each other in parallel. , and the intermediate shapes do not have to be linear shapes parallel to each other. Therefore, the clamping pieces 4b and 4c of the bracket 4 may have curved portions 4b1 and 4c1 along the outer circumference of the outer shell 2, as shown in FIG. Even in this way, since the portions 4b2 and 4c2 on the tip side of the contact points of the clamping pieces 4b and 4c with the side portions of the outer shell 2 are parallel to each other and have a linear shape, A pocket into which the filler material enters can be provided in the gap G between the bracket 4 and the outer shell 2, so that the joint strength between the bracket 4 and the outer shell 2 can be improved.

As described above, the bracket 4 uses the stabilizer S as a component of the vehicle, and is suitable for connecting the shock absorber body 1 to the stabilizer S. 1 may be connected. Therefore, for example, the component of the vehicle may be a knuckle that rotatably holds the wheel of the vehicle, or a part of the suspension that attaches the wheel to the vehicle body so that it can swing vertically. The shapes of the opposing piece 4a and the clamping pieces 4b and 4c of the bracket 4 can be appropriately changed in design according to the components as long as the above effects are not lost. Further, the length in the axial direction of the outer shell 2 at the tips of the clamping pieces 4b and 4c can be appropriately changed in design according to the joint strength required for the specifications.

Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in detail above, modifications, variations, and changes are possible without departing from the scope of the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Shock absorber main body, 2... Outer shell, 3... Rod, 4... Bracket, 4a... Opposing piece, 4b, 4c... Clamping piece, D... Shock absorber, G: Gap, S: Stabilizer (component)

Claims (6)

a shock absorber body having a cylindrical outer shell and a rod movably inserted into the outer shell;
a bracket welded to the outer shell and connecting the outer shell to a vehicle component;
each of the brackets has a pair of clamping pieces extending toward the outer shell and sandwiching the outer shell in a radial direction;
the tip of each clamping piece protrudes toward the side opposite to the component part beyond half of the outer shell when viewed from the axial direction of the outer shell to form a gap with the outer shell;
A shock absorber , wherein the end face of the tip of each clamping piece and the outer periphery of the outer shell are welded together so that the tip of each clamping piece is attached to the outer periphery of the outer shell. A length of a portion of each of the holding pieces protruding beyond half of the outer shell is set to 1/15 or more and 1/7.5 or less of the diameter of the outer shell. 2. The damper of claim 1. The bracket has an opposing piece facing the side of the outer shell,
The shock absorber according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the clamping pieces extend from both ends of the opposing pieces in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the outer shell toward the outer shell. The shock absorber according to claim 3, wherein each of said clamping pieces extends linearly from said opposing piece in parallel with each other when viewed from the axial direction of said outer shell. The shock absorber according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the component is a stabilizer that suppresses displacement of opposite phases in the vertical direction between left and right wheels of the vehicle. Chamfered portions are provided at opposing portions of the ends of the pair of clamping pieces facing each other.
6. The shock absorber according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that:

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