JPS6219611B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The first invention integrates a conventional coil spring and an air spring, and combines the characteristics of both to obtain nonlinear characteristics.

The second invention further adds the function of a shock absorber.

The third invention also adds a vehicle height adjustment function.

Unequal pitch coil springs have been known as nonlinear coil springs. However, this spring not only requires a high spring height in order to secure the necessary stroke, but also has problems such as noise generation due to contact between the wires.

Various other nonlinear coil springs have been known, but they all have advantages and disadvantages.
In particular, it is no exaggeration to say that there are no springs that can provide ideal nonlinear characteristics.

The first invention combines the characteristics of a coil spring and an air spring, and functionally completely eliminates the drawbacks of conventional nonlinear coil springs.

In addition, until now there was no system that integrated a shock absorber into a coil spring, or one that also had a vehicle height adjustment function.
The invention is groundbreaking in that it systemically integrates these functions.

Each of the illustrated embodiments will be explained below.

In the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, 1 is a spring body, and the entire spring body 1 is covered with a flexible pipe 2 made of rubber or the like. In this coated state, the hole in the pipe 2 is shaped into an ellipse so that empty spaces 3 and 4 are formed on both sides of the pipe 2 in the direction of contact between the lines (see FIG. 2).

Reference numeral 5 denotes an air filling adjustment valve, which is attached to one end of the pipe 2 so that air pressure can be filled into the remaining spaces 3 and 4.

When the spring body 1 is bent, the spring characteristic of the metal spring of the spring body 1 is obtained until the pipes 2 between the pitches come into contact with each other. When the pipes 2 between each pitch come into contact and are further compressed, the air in the free spaces 3 and 4 is compressed, so in this process it also functions as an air spring, and the spring characteristics are similar to that of a metal spring. It is a composite of springs.

In addition, if the wall thickness of the pipe 2 is increased,
Since the properties of a rubber spring can also be obtained, the properties of the three can be synthesized.

6 is a compressor, and this compressor 6 is connected to an air filling adjustment valve 5 via an attitude control valve 7.
is connected to.

Therefore, when the vehicle height becomes low, the control valve 7 opens to supply air from the compressor 6 to the free spaces 3 and 4, and when the vehicle height increases, the control valve 7 opens the air from the compressor 6 to the free spaces 3 and 4. The air in 3 and 4 can be released to the atmosphere to adjust the vehicle height.

Of course, if the vehicle height adjustment function is not required, there is no need to provide the compressor 6 and the attitude control valve 7, and it is sufficient to close the air filling adjustment valve 5 after filling the free spaces 3 and 4 with air.

In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the configurations of the spring body and the pipe are exactly the same as in the first embodiment, so these will be described using the same reference numerals as in the first embodiment.

In this second embodiment, oil is sealed in the free spaces 3 and 4 of the pipe 2, and one end of the pipe 2 is connected to a pressurizing cylinder 8.

This pressurizing cylinder 8 has a free piston 9 inside and a pressurizing chamber 10 and an oil chamber 11 filled with high pressure gas.
It forms a division. The oil chamber 11 is divided into two by a partition wall 12, and a valve 13 that generates a damping force on the pressure side is installed in the partition wall 12.
and a valve 14 that generates a damping force on the expansion side, these valves 13 and 14 constitute the damping force generating mechanism of the second invention.

When the pipes 2 between the respective pitches come into contact and are compressed, the oil in the free spaces 3 and 4 flows into the oil chamber 11 while pushing down the free piston 9 against the gas pressure. Therefore, the spring characteristics at this time are a combination of a metal spring and an air spring. Of course, by increasing the wall thickness of the pipe 2, the characteristics of a rubber spring can be synthesized as in the first embodiment.

When oil flows into the oil chamber 11 as described above,
One valve 13 functions to generate damping force on the compression side.

Further, in the extension stroke, the other valve 14 functions to exert a damping force, and the coil spring and the shock absorber are systemically integrated.

15 is a pump, and this pump 15 is connected to the free spaces 3 and 4 via an attitude control valve 16.

Therefore, when the vehicle height becomes low, the control valve 16 functions to supply oil from the pump 15 to the free spaces 3 and 4, and on the other hand, when the vehicle height becomes high, the oil is supplied to the free spaces 3 and 4. The oil can be returned to the tank 17 via the control valve 16 to adjust the vehicle height.

Of course, as in the first embodiment, if the vehicle height adjustment function is not required, the pump 15 and the attitude control valve 16 may not be provided.

As is clear from the above description, according to the coil spring set forth in claim 1, the characteristics of three flexible springs such as metal springs, air springs, and rubber can be freely combined, and the stroke A spring characteristic that gradually rises in the form of a quadratic curve as the amount increases can be easily obtained. Furthermore, there is no sound generated due to contact between lines.

According to the coil springs described in claims 2 and 3, the coil springs can be systemically integrated with the shock absorber, and the device can be made compact.

According to the coil spring described in claim 4,
A vehicle height adjustment function can also be added.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1 and 2 show the first embodiment. Figure 1 is a front view with a part of the pipe cut away and the attitude control valve and compressor shown in block form, and Figure 2 is a front view of the spring body. Fig. 3 shows the second embodiment, and is a partial sectional view showing the pipe, pressurizing cylinder, attitude control valve, and pump connected. . 1... Spring body, 2... Pipe, 3, 4... Free space,
7... Attitude control valve, 8... Pressurizing cylinder, 9... Free piston, 10... Pressurizing chamber, 11... Oil chamber, 1
3, 14...Valve constituting the damping force generation mechanism, 1
5...Pump as a pressure generator, 16...Attitude control valve.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A nonlinear coil spring in which the entire spring body is covered with a flexible pipe made of rubber or the like, an empty space is formed within the pipe, and both ends of the pipe are tightly opened. 2 The entire spring body is covered with a flexible pipe made of rubber or the like, a free space is formed within this pipe, oil is filled in the free space, and a damping force generation mechanism is installed in the free space. A nonlinear coil spring connected to an internal pressurized cylinder. 3 The pressurizing cylinder has a free piston inside to partition an oil chamber and a pressurizing chamber filled with gas, and the oil chamber has a pair of damping forces that generate damping force on the extension side and the contraction side. The nonlinear coil spring according to claim 2, further comprising a valve. 4. Cover the entire spring body with a flexible pipe made of rubber or the like, form a free space inside this pipe, and fill this free space with fluid, while the free space is filled with a flexible pipe made of rubber etc. A nonlinear coil spring connected to a pressure generator.