A guide

Abstract

The application discloses a guide device and relates to the technical field of shock absorbers. The guide device comprises a guide body and a support. Specifically, the guide body is internally provided with a hollow cavity, and the guide body is in sliding connection with a rod body, wherein the rod body passes through the hollow cavity; the support is arranged in the hollow cavity and is sleeved on the outer side of the rod body; a first flow channel is arranged on the side of the support close to the rod body; the support is provided with a second flow channel; the first flow channel and the second flow channel are in communication with each other; and lubricating medium flows through the first flow channel and the second flow channel. The first flow channel and the second flow channel form the passage of the lubricating medium, the lubricating medium can be filled and circulated between the rod body and the support, better lubrication effect is achieved, and the friction between the rod body and the guide device is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vibration damper technology, and in particular to a guide. Background Technology

[0002] The automotive suspension system is the entire system responsible for supporting the vehicle and providing suspension and shock absorption functions. The suspension system is designed to balance the vehicle's comfort, stability, and handling under different road conditions. A suspension system typically includes elastic elements, shock absorbers, and guiding mechanisms. Among these, the shock absorber is a key component of the suspension system; its main function is to dampen the elastic elements, reducing vibrations and improving vehicle stability and ride comfort.

[0003] The basic working principle of a shock absorber is that the movement of a piston in a fluid generates damping force, thereby reducing vehicle vibration on the suspension system. A shock absorber mainly consists of components such as a cylinder, piston, piston rod, and guide. In existing technology, when the piston rod moves axially or radially, dry friction occurs between the piston rod and the guide, which can have several adverse consequences. Dry friction increases frictional force, increases suspension stiffness, and increases the lower limit of the shock absorber bandwidth. These factors negatively impact the NVH (Noise, Vibration, and Harshness) performance of the suspension, reducing vehicle comfort. Furthermore, dry friction causes wear on the parts of the guide that contact the piston rod, shortening its service life. Dry friction also generates heat, highlighting the heat dissipation problem of the guide, which in turn affects the service life of sealing materials, shock absorber materials, and other components.

[0004] Therefore, a new guide is needed to improve the friction between the piston rod and the guide. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The main objective of this invention is to provide a guide designed to improve friction between the rod and the guide.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention proposes a guide for guiding a rod. The guide includes a guide body and a support member. The guide body has a hollow cavity inside, and the guide body is slidably connected to the rod, wherein the rod passes through the hollow cavity. The support member is disposed in the hollow cavity and is sleeved on the outside of the rod. The support member has a first flow channel on the side near the rod and a second flow channel, and the first flow channel and the second flow channel are interconnected. A lubricating medium flows through the first flow channel and the second flow channel.

[0007] Optionally, the support member includes an inner ring and an outer ring arranged coaxially, and the inner ring and the outer ring can rotate relative to each other; the outer ring is connected to the guide body, and the inner ring is connected to the rod body; the second flow channel is formed between the outer ring and the inner ring.

[0008] Optionally, the support further includes a rolling element located between the outer ring and the inner ring to allow rotational movement between the outer ring and the inner ring; and the rolling element is disposed in the second flow channel.

[0009] Optionally, the rod slides relative to the guide body along a first direction; there is a height difference between the first end face of the outer ring facing the first direction and the second end face of the inner ring facing the first direction; the first end face is lower than the second end face.

[0010] Optionally, a guide groove is provided on the end face of the inner ring, through which the lubricating medium flows between the first flow channel and the second flow channel.

[0011] Optionally, the support further includes a sliding sleeve, which is coaxially arranged with the inner ring and located on the side of the inner ring closer to the rod body. The sliding sleeve is fixedly connected to the inner ring and slidably connected to the rod body. The first flow channel is provided on the side of the sliding sleeve closer to the rod body.

[0012] Optionally, the guide further includes a first seal and a second seal, the first seal and the second seal being respectively disposed at both ends of the hollow cavity along the first direction.

[0013] Optionally, the guide further includes a sealing skeleton disposed between the ends of the second seal and the support member, and the sealing skeleton is connected to the guide body.

[0014] Optionally, the guide further includes a third seal, which is located on the side of the first seal facing away from the hollow cavity, and the third seal abuts against the guide body; And / or, The guide also includes a buffer element located on the side of the second seal element facing away from the hollow cavity. The buffer element is connected to the guide body and abuts against the sealing skeleton.

[0015] Optionally, the first flow channel is a Tesla valve flow channel.

[0016] The technical solution of the present invention adopts a guide comprising a guide body and a support member, with the support member disposed within the hollow cavity of the guide and sleeved on the outside of the rod body to support the axial movement of the rod body within the support member; and the first flow channel on the side of the support member near the rod body and the second flow channel on the support member are interconnected to form a passage for the lubricating medium, which allows the lubricating medium to fill and circulate between the rod body and the support member, achieving a better lubrication effect and thereby improving the friction between the rod body and the guide. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the guide of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 This is an overall schematic diagram of an embodiment of the guide of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of an embodiment of the guide of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A magnified view of a portion of the image.

[0022] Figure 5 for Figure 1 Another enlarged view of a portion of the image.

[0023] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the support member of an embodiment of the guide of the present invention.

[0024] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0025] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0027] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indicators are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.

[0028] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this invention involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the use of "and / or" or "and / or" throughout the text includes three parallel solutions. For example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution where both A and B are satisfied simultaneously. Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0029] This invention proposes a guide.

[0030] Reference Figure 1-3In one embodiment of the present invention, the guide includes a guide body 2 and a support member 3. The guide body 2 has a hollow cavity 21 inside, and the guide body 2 is slidably connected to a rod 1, wherein the rod 1 passes through the hollow cavity 21. The support member 3 is disposed in the hollow cavity 21 and sleeved on the outside of the rod 1. The support member 3 has a first flow channel 4 on the side near the rod 1 and a second flow channel 5, the first flow channel 4 and the second flow channel 5 being interconnected. A lubricating medium flows through the first flow channel 4 and the second flow channel 5. The hollow cavity 21 inside the guide body can accommodate the rod 1 and the support member 3. Furthermore, since the mutual friction between the rod 1 and the support member 3 generates heat, the hollow cavity 21 allows the guide body 2 to be partially filled with a non-pure metal, which is beneficial for heat dissipation. The support member 3 has a first flow channel 4 on the side near the rod 1, and the support member 3 also has a second flow channel 5, the first flow channel 4 and the second flow channel 5 being interconnected. Understandably, in this embodiment, the first flow channel 4 is formed as a gap between the rod 1 and the support member 3. By making the first flow channel 4 and the second flow channel 5 form a passage for the lubricating medium, the lubricating medium can be filled and circulated between the rod 1 and the support member 3, achieving a better lubrication effect and thus improving the friction between the rod 1 and the guide. Furthermore, the rod 1 slides within the first flow channel 4, causing the lubricating medium within the first flow channel 4 to move. Thus, the speed within the first flow channel 4 is greater than the speed within the second flow channel 5; correspondingly, the pressure within the first flow channel 4 is less than the pressure within the second flow channel 5, which can promote the flow of the lubricating medium in the passage formed by the first flow channel 4 and the second flow channel 5, achieving a better lubrication effect. Since the rod 1 will squeeze the lubricating medium between the rod 1 and the support member 3 when moving along the axis, the arrangement of this passage allows the squeezed lubricating medium to circulate within the first flow channel 4 and the second flow channel 5, thereby reducing the risk of leakage. Understandably, the second flow channel 5 can be located inside the support member 3, or on the side of the support member 3 away from the rod 1. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the support member 3 may be a bushing, bearing, or other structure that can be used to support the axial reciprocating motion of the rod 1.

[0031] In this embodiment, the support member 3 includes an inner ring 32 and an outer ring 31 coaxially arranged, and the inner ring 32 and the outer ring 31 can rotate relative to each other; the outer ring 31 is connected to the guide body 2, and the inner ring 32 is connected to the rod 1; a second flow channel 5 is formed between the outer ring 31 and the inner ring 32. Since the rod 1 will rotate during actual operation, in addition to the lubricating medium in the first flow channel 4 eliminating a certain amount of rotational friction between the rod 1 and the inner ring 32; by setting the support member to include an inner ring 32 and an outer ring 31, and the inner ring 32 and the outer ring 31 forming the second flow channel 5, the rotation of the inner ring 32 and the outer ring 31 can be lubricated by the lubricating medium, thereby reducing the rotational friction between the inner ring and the outer ring.

[0032] Furthermore, the support member 3 also includes a rolling element 34, which is located between the outer ring 31 and the inner ring 32, allowing the outer ring 31 and the inner ring 32 to rotate relative to each other; and the rolling element 34 is disposed in the second flow channel 5. The arrangement of the rolling element 34 changes the contact area between the inner ring 32 and the outer ring 31 from a surface to a point when they rotate, which can further reduce the rotational friction between them. In addition, when the lubricating medium flows in the first flow channel 4 and the second flow channel 5, the lubricating medium will slightly impact the steel ball, and the steel ball rotates, converting some of the heat energy into kinetic energy and dissipating it, thereby further improving the heat dissipation effect of the guide. Specifically, a fixing groove is provided between the inner ring 32 and the outer ring 31, and the fixing groove is located in the second flow channel 5. The fixing groove is used to fix the rolling element 34, so that the multiple rolling elements 34 can maintain a distance while rolling; the rolling element 34 is clearance-fitted with the fixing groove. Because there is a lubricating medium between the rolling element 34 and the fixed groove, and the fit is clearance-fitted, when the rod 1 tilts laterally, the inner ring 32 can tilt laterally relative to the outer ring 31 and the guide body 2, thus offsetting part of the lateral force borne by the guide and improving the stability of the guide. The rolling element 34 can be a spherical rolling element, or a cylindrical rolling element, a conical rolling element, or any other shape of rolling element.

[0033] Optionally, the rod 1 slides relative to the guide body 2 along the first direction; a height difference is provided between the first end face of the outer ring 31 facing the first direction and the second end face of the inner ring 32 facing the first direction; the first end face is lower than the second end face. The working principle of the damper is to increase energy consumption during each extension and contraction of the elastic element, converting the potential energy of the elastic element into heat energy and releasing it into the environment, ultimately achieving the damping effect. Understandably, one end of the damper is connected to the elastic element, and the extension and contraction of the elastic element drives the piston rod 1 in the damper to reciprocate axially. Therefore, the aforementioned first direction can be the direction in which the rod 1 moves towards the end connected to the elastic element, or it can be the direction in which the rod 1 moves away from the end connected to the elastic element. In this embodiment, for ease of explanation, the guide is arranged vertically, such as... Figure 1As shown, the upper end of rod 1 is the end connected to the elastic element. When the first direction is the direction in which rod 1 moves away from the end connected to the elastic element, that is, when rod 1 moves downwards, the first end face is the lower end face of the outer ring 31, and the second end face is the lower end face of the inner ring 32. By making the first end face lower than the second end face, a gap can be formed between the bottom surfaces of the inner ring 32 and the outer ring 31, and this gap can connect the first flow channel 4 and the second flow channel 5. It can be understood that, in addition to creating a height difference between the first end face and the second end face to connect the first flow channel 4 and the second flow channel 5, when the first end face and the second end face are flush, a notch can also be provided on the second end face of the inner ring 32 to connect the first flow channel 4 and the second flow channel 5. When the first direction is the direction in which the rod 1 moves towards the end connected to the elastic element, that is, when the rod 1 moves upward, the first end face is the upper end face of the outer ring 31, and the second end face is the upper end face of the inner ring 32. By making the first end face lower than the second end face, a drop is formed, allowing the lubricating medium to flow more smoothly into the second flow channel 5. In this embodiment, the upper end face of the inner ring 32 is higher than the upper end face of the outer ring 31, and the lower end face of the inner ring 32 is also higher than the lower end face of the outer ring 31 to obtain better beneficial effects.

[0034] Furthermore, such as Figure 6 As shown, a guide groove 321 is provided on the end face of the inner ring 32, through which the lubricating medium flows between the first flow channel 4 and the second flow channel 5. This end face can be either the upper or lower end face, both of which can promote the flow of the lubricating medium between the first flow channel 4 and the second flow channel 5. In this embodiment, the guide groove 321 is provided on the upper end face of the inner ring 32, so that the flow of the lubricating medium is not affected even when the seal abuts against the upper end face of the inner ring 32.

[0035] Optionally, the support member 3 further includes a sliding sleeve 33, which is coaxially arranged with the inner ring 32. The sliding sleeve 33 is located on the side of the inner ring 32 closer to the rod 1, and is fixedly connected to the inner ring 32. The sliding sleeve 33 is slidably connected to the rod 1. A first flow channel 4 is provided on the side of the sliding sleeve 33 closer to the rod 1. The sliding sleeve 33 can further support the axial movement of the rod 1 to improve the stability of the guide's operation; and can reduce the interference of axial movement on radial rotation.

[0036] Furthermore, such as Figure 5As shown, the guide also includes a first seal 6 and a second seal 7, which are respectively disposed at both ends of the hollow cavity 21 along a first direction. The first seal 6 and the second seal 7 are used to seal the lubricating medium inside the hollow cavity 21. Specifically, in this embodiment, the guide also includes a sealing frame 22, which is disposed between the ends of the second seal 7 and the support member 3, and is connected to the guide body 2. The sealing frame 22 is used to further support the support member 3. As shown in Figure n, the sealing frame 22 includes a first boss 221, a second boss 222, and a third boss 223 on the side facing the rod 1. The first boss 221 and the second boss 222 form a first locking position 224, and the second boss 222 and the third boss 223 form a second locking position 225. The first locking position 224 and the second locking position 225 are used to engage the second seal 7. Furthermore, the sealing frame 22 includes a fourth protrusion 226 on the side facing away from the rod 1, and a third locking position 24 is provided at the corresponding position of the guide body 2 and the fourth protrusion 226, with the fourth protrusion 226 engaging with the third locking position 24. Further, the second sealing member 7 abuts against the rod 1 on the side facing away from the second locking position 225; the second sealing member 7 includes a first part 71 and a second part 72, which are connected in the axial movement direction of the rod 1. The first part 71 corresponds to the first locking position 224, and the second part 72 corresponds to the second locking position 225. The second part 72 is provided with a first groove 721, which is located on the side of the second part 72 facing away from the first part 71 and extends radially along the second part 72, so that the second sealing member 7 has extensibility. Specifically, when the rod 1 compresses the second sealing member 7, the first groove 721 is compressed, serving as a buffer and further improving the sealing performance.

[0037] like Figure 4As shown, the first seal 6 is located on the other side of the hollow cavity 21, similarly configured to the second seal 7. The first seal 6 includes a third part 61 and a fourth part 62, which are connected in the axial movement direction of the rod 1. An extension section 23 is provided at the end of the hollow cavity 21 where the first seal 6 is located, which is arranged around the opening contour of the hollow cavity 21. The side of the extension section 23 near the hollow cavity 21 forms a fourth locking position 25 with the guide body 2. The guide body 2 also includes a fifth locking position 26, which is adjacent to the fourth locking position 25 in the axial movement direction of the rod 1. The fourth locking position 25 is used for the third part 61, and the fifth locking position 26 is used to engage the fourth part 62. The side of the first seal 6 facing away from the fourth locking position 25 abuts against the rod 1, and the side of the first seal 6 facing away from the extension section 23 abuts against the end face of the support member 3. The fourth portion 62 of the first seal 6 is provided with a second groove 621. The second groove 621 is provided on the side of the fourth portion 62 facing away from the third portion 61, and extends radially along the fourth portion 62 to give the second seal 7 extensibility. Specifically, when the rod 1 presses against the first seal 6, the second groove 621 is compressed, which serves to buffer and further improve the sealing performance. Understandably, the aforementioned multiple interlocking structures are used to provide support and positional restraint for the first seal 6, the second seal 7, or the sealing skeleton 22.

[0038] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as Figure 4 As shown, the guide also includes a third seal 8, which is located on the side of the first seal 6 facing away from the hollow cavity 21, and abuts against the guide body 2. Specifically, the extension section 23 forms a recessed step with the end face of the guide body 2. The side wall of the recessed step has a bend 27, and the bottom of the recessed step and the bend 27 form an accommodating space. Part of the third seal 8 is accommodated in the accommodating space, and the bend 27 abuts and fixes the first seal 6. Another part of the third seal 8 is set at an angle on the side away from the rod 1, which helps to improve the stability of the third seal 8. The setting of the third seal 8 can further improve the sealing effect and prevent the lubricating medium from leaking.

[0039] In this embodiment, as Figure 5As shown, the guide also includes a buffer 9, which is located on the side of the second seal 7 facing away from the hollow cavity 21. The buffer 9 is connected to the guide body 2 and abuts against the sealing skeleton 22. Specifically, the guide body 2 has a third groove 28 near the buffer 9, the width of which is in the same direction as the axial movement of the rod 1. A first protrusion 29 is provided on the side of the third groove 28 near the buffer 9. The buffer 9 also has a fourth groove 91 near the guide, the width of which is in the same direction as the axial movement of the rod 1. A second protrusion 92 is provided on the side of the fourth groove 91 near the guide. The first protrusion 29 engages with the fourth groove 91, and the second protrusion 92 engages with the third groove 28 to mount the buffer 9. The mutual abutment of the first protrusion 29 and the second protrusion 92 provides support for the buffer 9. The buffer 9 is used to reduce the impact of the piston connected to the rod 1 on the guide.

[0040] Understandably, the first seal 6, the second seal 7, the third seal 8, and the buffer 9 mentioned above can be rubber parts.

[0041] Optionally, the first flow channel 4 is a Tesla valve flow channel. Specifically, the support member 3 is provided with a Tesla valve guide groove on the side near the rod 1. That is, it can be understood that in this embodiment, the sliding sleeve 33 is provided with a Tesla valve guide groove on the side near the rod 1. One or more Tesla valve guide grooves can be provided. A Tesla valve is a passive check valve that allows fluid to flow preferentially in one direction, while the other direction is resisted. The Tesla valve guide groove employs a special loop design. When the lubricating medium flows forward through the Tesla valve guide groove, the lubricating medium splits into two paths at each loop opening, and then the two paths converge at the next junction, achieving acceleration. Conversely, if the lubricating medium flows backward into the Tesla valve guide groove, the lubricating medium also splits into two paths at the first junction and converges again at the second junction. The difference is that this time, the flow directions of the two paths are opposite, thus creating significant resistance. Therefore, the Tesla valve guide groove can only flow forward and it is difficult to flow backward. That is, when the Tesla valve guide groove flows backward, the greater the pressure, the greater the resistance, the slower the speed, and even complete cessation. When the Tesla valve guide groove flows in the forward direction, the greater the pressure, the faster the speed. When the lubricating medium flows forward through the Tesla valve guide groove, a significant acceleration effect is generated. Thus, without adding external mechanical structures within the first flow channel 4, the forward acceleration and reverse flow obstruction characteristics of the Tesla valve allow the lubricating medium to accelerate and decelerate as it passes through the first flow channel 4, achieving both flow promotion and flow obstruction effects. In this embodiment, the forward direction of the Tesla valve guide groove is the direction in which the rod 1 moves away from the end connected to the elastic element. This has the advantage of reducing the impact of the lubricating medium on the first seal 6 during the reciprocating motion of the rod 1, which is more beneficial to the durability of the first seal 6 and thus reduces the risk of lubricating medium leakage. Furthermore, the Tesla valve guide groove can store lubricating medium, further lubricating the reciprocating motion between the rod 1 and the guide.

[0042] The present invention provides a guide that can improve the friction generated between the rod 1 and the guide body 2 during the movement process, thereby bringing at least the following beneficial effects: improving the heat generation of the guide; extending the service life of the guide and its internal components; increasing the bandwidth of the suspension system, thereby improving the NVH performance of the suspension system and enhancing vehicle comfort.

[0043] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural transformations made using the contents of the present invention's specification and drawings under the technical concept of the present invention, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A guide for guiding a rod, characterized in that, include: The guide body has a hollow cavity inside, and the guide body is slidably connected to the rod, wherein the rod passes through the hollow cavity; A support member is disposed in the hollow cavity and sleeved on the outside of the rod body; the support member has a first flow channel on the side near the rod body and a second flow channel, the first flow channel and the second flow channel are interconnected; a lubricating medium flows through the first flow channel and the second flow channel.

2. The guide as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The support member includes an inner ring and an outer ring arranged coaxially, and the inner ring and the outer ring can rotate relative to each other; the outer ring is connected to the guide body, and the inner ring is connected to the rod body; the second flow channel is formed between the outer ring and the inner ring.

3. The guide as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The support further includes a rolling element located between the outer ring and the inner ring, such that the outer ring and the inner ring can rotate relative to each other; and the rolling element is disposed in the second flow channel.

4. The guide as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The rod slides relative to the guide body along a first direction; there is a height difference between the first end face of the outer ring facing the first direction and the second end face of the inner ring facing the first direction; the first end face is lower than the second end face.

5. The guide as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The inner ring has a guide groove on its end face, through which the lubricating medium flows between the first flow channel and the second flow channel.

6. The guide as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The support member further includes a sliding sleeve, which is coaxially arranged with the inner ring and located on the side of the inner ring closer to the rod body. The sliding sleeve is fixedly connected to the inner ring and slidably connected to the rod body. The first flow channel is provided on the side of the sliding sleeve closer to the rod body.

7. The guide as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that, It also includes a first seal and a second seal, which are respectively disposed at both ends of the hollow cavity along the first direction.

8. The guide as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes a sealing skeleton, which is disposed between the ends of the second seal and the support member, and the sealing skeleton is connected to the guide body.

9. The guide as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that, It also includes a third seal, which is located on the side of the first seal facing away from the hollow cavity, and the third seal abuts against the guide body; It also includes a buffer element located on the side of the second seal element facing away from the hollow cavity, the buffer element being connected to the guide body and abutting against the sealing skeleton.

10. The guide according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The first flow channel is a Tesla valve flow channel.

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