Swing arm for a semi-trailer truck

Abstract

Swing arm for a semi-trailer vehicle, which pivotably supports a wheel (3), wherein the swing arm comprises: a swing arm main body (25) made of a fiber-reinforced resin / synthetic resin; wherein the main body of the swing arm (25) is hollow, and an embedded element (70, 170) made of a material different from the fiber-reinforced resin / synthetic resin is embedded in such a way, that it strengthens at least part of a hollow section (25a) of the main body of the swinging mechanism (25); a wheel support section (21) on which the wheel (3) is mounted, wherein the wheel support section (21) is provided at an end section of the swing arm main body (25); wherein the wheel support section (21) includes an end piece (28L, 28R) suitable for supporting the wheel (3) and a guide section (72, 74) suitable for positioning the end piece (28L, 28R) relative to the main body of the swing arm (25), wherein a top and a bottom of the end piece (28L, 28R) each correspond to a top and a bottom of the vehicle, characterized by the fact that the guide section (72, 74) a top support section (65) and a lower support section (66) extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and each provided on a top and bottom of a side opening (62), wherein the side opening (62) penetrates a pair of side walls (63a, 64a) of the main swing body (25) and is open to the rear of the main swing body (25), wherein the pair of side walls (63a, 64a) each point towards each other in the width direction of the vehicle via a hollow section to the main swing body (25), the upper support section (65) and the lower support section (66), has a pair of rails at one edge of the side opening (62), which is formed by the pair of side walls (63a, 64a), the end piece (28L, 28R) is inserted between the upper support section (65) and the lower support section (66) along the rails to fill the side opening (62), and the vehicle is supported vertically by the upper support section (65) and the lower support section (66), and the embedded element (70, 170) is embedded in a space between the pair of side walls (63a, 64a) of the lower support section (66).

Description

Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to a swing arm for a semi-trailer truck. Technical background

[0002] Previously, it was known to configure a hollow structural component (impeller shaft) from a fiber-reinforced resin / synthetic resin (see, for example, JP Hei 8-99 364 A). In this case, a large number of fiber-reinforced resin / synthetic resin layers are laminated, thereby increasing the thickness of the structural component.

[0003] JP S60-107 471 A shows a swing arm for a semi-trailer truck according to the preamble of claim 1. Another swing arm made of fiber-reinforced resin / synthetic resin is shown. Overview of the invention Problem to be solved by the invention

[0004] However, it can be considered to configure a swingarm for a semi-trailer truck in a hollow form made of a fiber-reinforced resin to reduce weight and increase stiffness. In this case, the stiffness of the swingarm can be adjusted if a portion of the hollow section of the swingarm is designed to be rigid. However, in a structure where multiple layers of fiber-reinforced resin are laminated, as in the conventional structural component mentioned above, manufacturing effort is required, and the fiber length in the fiber-reinforced resin layers can be shortened, making it difficult to achieve high stiffness.

[0005] The present invention was developed taking into account the circumstances mentioned above. It is therefore an object of the present invention to enable the lightweight, solid / stable production of a hollow section in a swing arm for a semi-trailer truck, thereby achieving high stiffness. Means to solve the problem

[0006] To solve the problem, a swing arm for a semi-trailer truck according to claim 1 is specified. Advantageous embodiments are described in the dependent claims. Effects of the invention

[0007] According to the swingarm for the semi-trailer according to the present invention, the swingarm for the semi-trailer supports the wheel in a pivotable manner and comprises the main swingarm body made of a fiber-reinforced resin / synthetic resin; furthermore, the main swingarm body is hollow, and the embedded element made of a material other than the fiber-reinforced resin / synthetic resin is embedded in such a way that at least a part of the hollow section of the main swingarm body is reinforced.

[0008] According to this configuration, the hollow section of the main body of the swing arm can be easily reinforced by the embedded material of a material other than the fiber-reinforced resin / synthetic resin, and the stiffness of the main body of the swing arm can be increased.

[0009] According to the invention, the wheel support section, on which the wheel is mounted, is provided at an end section of the main swingarm body, and the fixed section, in which the embedded element is embedded, is provided within the wheel support section. This means that the embedded element is located in the end section of the main swingarm body and can therefore be easily integrated. Furthermore, the stiffness of the wheel support section, which can withstand high loads, can be effectively increased by the embedded element.

[0010] Furthermore, the wheel support section includes the end pieces suitable for supporting the wheel and the guide section suitable for positioning the end pieces relative to the main swingarm body. This allows the wheel-supporting end pieces to be positioned relative to the main swingarm body by the guide section and to be easily installed in position.

[0011] According to the features of claim 2, in the above-mentioned invention, the embedded element can be formed in a shape along the inner surfaces of both side surfaces in the transverse direction of the vehicle of the main swing arm body and along the inner surface of the surface in the vertical direction of the main swing arm body. According to this configuration, the hollow section can be easily filled with the embedded element, and the stiffness of the main swing arm body can be increased.

[0012] According to the features of claim 3, the embedded element in the above-mentioned invention can be a resin / synthetic resin foam. This configuration makes it possible to provide the embedded element easily and simply.

[0013] With the features of claim 4, the fiber-reinforced resin / synthetic resin can cover the surface of the embedded element. According to this configuration, the guide section can be more easily shaped into any desired form by the embedded element, the size of the guide section can be more easily increased, and a guide section with higher stiffness can be provided than in a structure where the guide section is formed solely from the fiber-reinforced resin / synthetic resin. Brief description of the drawings Fig. Figure 1 is a left side view of a motorcycle according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. Figure 2 is a perspective view of a wing, seen from a left front view. Fig. Figure 3 is a perspective exploded view of the swing arm. Fig. Figure 4 is a perspective view of an end piece on the left side, seen from a left front view. Fig. Figure 5 is a perspective view of a posterior section of a one-sided arm section, seen from a left rear view. Fig. Figure 6 is a top view of the rear section of the one-sided arm section, seen from above. Fig. Figure 7 is a perspective view of an embedded element, seen from a front side view. Fig. 8 is a sectional view along a line VIII-VIII of Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a sectional view along a line IX-IX of Fig. 6. Fig. Figure 10 is a sectional view showing a modification of a lower guide section in the embodiment. Method of carrying out the invention

[0014] An embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that in the following description, directions or sides such as front, rear, left side, right side, top, and bottom are the same as those referring to the vehicle body, unless otherwise specified. Furthermore, in each drawing, the reference numeral FR indicates the front of the vehicle body, the reference numeral UP indicates the top of the vehicle body, and the reference numeral LH indicates the left side of the vehicle body. Additionally, the right side of the vehicle body may be indicated in the drawings by the reference numeral RH.

[0015] Fig. Figure 1 is a left side view of a motorcycle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] The motorcycle 1 is a vehicle in which an engine 10 is supported as a drive unit on a body frame F, a steering system 11, which supports a front wheel 2 in a steerable manner, is supported at a front end of the body frame F, and a swing arm or swingarm 12, which supports a rear wheel 3 (wheel), is provided at a rear of the body frame F. The motorcycle 1 is a semi-trailer vehicle in which a seat 13, on which a rider sits in a riding position or straddling, is provided at the top of a rear section of the body frame F.

[0017] The body frame F comprises a head tube (not shown) that supports the steering system 11, a pair of left and right main frames 14 extending rearward and downward from the head tube, a pair of left and right pivot frames 15 extending downward from the rear end sections of the main frames 14, and a seat frame 16 extending rearward from the rear end sections of the main frames 14.

[0018] The motorcycle 1 has a pivot shaft 17 that connects the left and right pivot frames 15 in the transverse direction of the vehicle (left-right direction). The pivot shaft 17 extends in the transverse direction of the vehicle.

[0019] A front end of the swing arm 12 is pivotally mounted by the pivot shaft 17. The swing arm 12 can pivot up and down, with the pivot shaft 17 serving as its center point. The swing arm 12 is connected to the body frame F via a tubular rear damper unit 9.

[0020] The rear wheel 3 is rotatably mounted by an axle 18, which is provided at a rear end section of the swingarm 12.

[0021] The motor 10 is located on the underside of the main frame 14 and on the front of the pivot frame 15. An output from the motor 10 is transmitted to the rear wheel 3 by a drive chain 19 located between an output shaft (not shown) of the motor 10 and the rear wheel 3.

[0022] Fig. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the wing 12, seen from a left front view.

[0023] The swing arm 12 is provided at a front end section with a pivot section 20, which is pivotably mounted on the pivot shaft 17 ( Fig. 1), and is provided at a rear end section thereof with a wheel support section 21, which carries / supports the rear wheel 3 through the axle 18.

[0024] Fig. Figure 3 is a perspective exploded view of swing arm 12.

[0025] As in the Fig. 2 and Fig. As shown in Figure 3, the swing arm 12 comprises a main swing arm body 25, which extends like an arm from the side of the pivot shaft 17 to the side of the rear wheel 3, and a pair of left and right end parts or end pieces 28L and 28R, which are connected to rear end sections of the main swing arm body 25.

[0026] A chain guide piece 29, which is used to guide the drive chain 19 ( Fig. 1) is suitable, is mounted on the swing arm 12.

[0027] The main body of the swing arm 25 is designed in a box shape, which has a space inside it, and the entire part of the box-shaped outer shell is made of a fiber-reinforced resin / synthetic resin.

[0028] The fiber-reinforced resin that forms the main body of the swingarm 25 is, for example, CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced plastic). CFRP is a composite material consisting of a matrix resin and reinforcing carbon fibers. It is formed, for example, by impregnating a fabric woven from warp and weft threads made of carbon fiber bundles with a matrix resin, and then heating and curing the resulting material. While a thermosetting resin can be used as the matrix resin, a thermoplastic resin can also be employed.

[0029] Note that not only CFRP, but also other FRPs (fiber reinforced plastics) using different fiber types can be used as fiber reinforced resin / synthetic resin.

[0030] The main body of the swingarm 25 integrally comprises: a one-side arm section 30L, which is arranged on one of the left and right sides of the rear wheel 3; a other-side arm section 30R, which is arranged on the other side of the left and right sides of the rear wheel 3; a front-end connecting section 31, which connects a front end section of the one-side arm section 30L and a front end section of the other-side arm section 30R in the transverse direction of the vehicle (left-right direction); and an intermediate connecting section 32, which connects the one-side arm section 30L and the other-side arm section 30R in the transverse direction of the vehicle at the rear of the front-end connecting section 31.

[0031] The one-sided arm section 30L has a tubular shape, designed to be hollow from the side of the pivot section 20 at a front end to a rear end opening 34 at a rear end. The one-sided arm section 30L is larger or taller along its entire length in the vertical direction than in the transverse direction of the vehicle.

[0032] The single-sided arm section 30L is provided at an intermediate section thereof in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle with a chain passage hole 36, which penetrates the single-sided arm section 30L in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and in the transverse direction of the vehicle. A lower section of the drive chain 19 is guided through the chain passage hole 36.

[0033] The other-side arm section 30R has a tubular shape, which is hollow from the side of the pivot section 20 at a front end to a rear end opening 38 at a rear end. The other-side arm section 30R is larger along its entire length in the vertical direction than in the transverse direction of the vehicle.

[0034] The wheel support section 21 is provided at a rear end section of the one-side arm section 30L and a rear end section of the other-side arm section 30R.

[0035] The end piece 28L is inserted from the rear into the rear end opening 34 and is connected to a rear end section of the one-side arm section 30L. The end piece 28R is inserted from the rear into the rear end opening 38 and is connected to a rear end section of the other-side arm section 30R.

[0036] The end pieces 28L and 28R are provided with axle through-holes 28a that penetrate the end pieces 28L and 28R in the transverse direction of the vehicle. The axle 18 is inserted into and guided through the axle through-holes 28a and is supported by the end pieces 28L and 28R.

[0037] The intermediate connecting section 32 of the main swing body 25 is designed in a hollow shape through which the inside of the one-side arm section 30L and the inside of the other-side arm section 30R communicate with each other in the transverse direction of the vehicle.

[0038] The front-end connecting section 31 of the swing arm main body 25 connects the one-side arm section 30L and the other-side arm section 30R in the transverse direction of the vehicle and closes a front end of the one-side arm section 30L and a front end of the other-side arm section 30R.

[0039] Furthermore, the main body of the swingarm 25 is provided with a vertical connecting hole 41 that extends vertically into a front section of the main body of the swingarm 25. The vertical connecting hole 41 is divided by inner surfaces of front sections of the one-side arm section 30L and the other-side arm section 30R, a front surface of the intermediate connecting section 32, and a rear surface of the front-end connecting section 31.

[0040] The rear damper unit 9 is arranged on the inside of the vertical connecting hole 41 and is guided in the vertical direction through the vertical connecting hole 41.

[0041] The pivot section 20 is a tubular section provided at the front end connecting section 31 of the swing arm main body 25 and has a pivot hole 31a that penetrates the front end connecting section 31 in the transverse direction of the vehicle.

[0042] The swivel shaft 17 ( Fig. 1) is inserted into and guided through the pivot hole 31a. The pivot shaft 17 is connected to the pivot section 20 by a bearing (not shown) which is provided inside the pivot hole 31a.

[0043] Fig. Figure 4 is a perspective view of the left end piece 28L, seen from a left front view. Here, the left and right end pieces 28L and 28R, as well as the supporting structures for the end pieces 28L and 28R, are configured in the same way on the left and right sides, and therefore the structure relating to the left-hand end piece 28L is described in detail.

[0044] The end piece 28L is formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape and is arranged such that the plate thickness direction is oriented in the transverse direction of the vehicle. The end piece 28L is a plate that is larger in the vertical direction than in the transverse direction of the vehicle.

[0045] The end piece 28L comprises: an upper surface 50; a lower surface 51 opposite the upper surface 50; an outer surface 52 that vertically connects the outer edges of the upper surface 50 and the lower surface 51 in the transverse direction of the vehicle; an inner surface 53 that vertically connects the inner edges of the upper surface 50 and the lower surface 51 in the transverse direction of the vehicle; and a rear surface 54. A front surface 55 of the end piece 28L is substantially completely open to the front.

[0046] The upper surface 50 and the lower surface 51 are essentially parallel. The inner surface 53 and the outer surface 52 are opposite each other and essentially parallel. The inner surface 53 and the outer surface 52 are essentially perpendicular to the upper surface 50 and the lower surface 51.

[0047] The axle passage hole 28a is provided in a vertical intermediate section of a rear section of the end piece 28L.

[0048] The axle passage hole 28a is designed in the form of a slot extended in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, so that the position of the axle 18 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is adjustable.

[0049] The end piece 28L comprises an upper engagement section 56 and a lower engagement section 57, which engage with the rear end sections of the one-sided arm section 30L.

[0050] The upper engagement section 56 consists of a part in which an upper end section of the end piece 28L is set back by one step in the transverse direction of the vehicle, and the upper surface 50. The upper engagement section 56 extends straight from a front end to a rear end section of the end piece 28L.

[0051] Furthermore, the end piece 28L includes a stop section 58 which projects upwards and in the transverse direction of the vehicle from a rear end of the upper engagement section 56.

[0052] The lower engagement section 57 consists of a part in which a lower end section of the end piece 28L is set back by one step in the transverse direction of the vehicle, and the lower surface 51. The lower engagement section 57 extends straight from a front end to a rear end section of the end piece 28L.

[0053] Furthermore, the end piece 28L includes a stop section 59 which projects downwards and in the transverse direction of the vehicle from a rear end of the lower engagement section 57.

[0054] The material from which the end pieces 28L and 28R are made is a metallic material that differs from the material of the main body of the swingarm 25. In the present embodiment, the end pieces 28L and 28R are made of a light metal, such as an aluminum alloy.

[0055] Fig. Figure 5 is a perspective view of a posterior section of the one-sided arm section 30L, as seen from a left rear view. Fig. Figure 6 is a top view of the rear section of the single-sided arm section 30L, seen from above.

[0056] With reference to the Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 the rear section of the one-sided arm section 30L is designed such that its vertical size increases from the side of the rear end opening 34 at a rear end towards the front.

[0057] More precisely, an upper wall section 60 of the one-sided arm section 30L extends along the rear section with a slight forward and upward inclination. Furthermore, a lower wall section 61 (a surface in the vertical direction) of the one-sided arm section 30L extends along the rear section with a forward and upward inclination. The lower wall section 61 has a greater inclination relative to a horizontal plane than the upper wall section 60. Because the rear section of the one-sided arm section 30L is designed to be thicker (larger in diameter) towards the front in a side view, both weight savings and increased stiffness of the one-sided arm section 30L can be achieved.

[0058] Furthermore, the rear section of the one-sided arm section 30L is designed such that its size increases in the transverse direction of the vehicle from the side of the rear end opening 34 at the rear end towards the front. In particular, a side wall section 63 on an outer side in the transverse direction of the vehicle of the one-sided arm section 30L is inclined such that it is arranged forward on an outer side in the transverse direction of the vehicle. A side wall section 64 on an inner side in the transverse direction of the vehicle of the one-sided arm section 30L extends, in plan view, essentially straight in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0059] The one-side arm section 30L is provided at a rear end section thereof with a side opening 62 which penetrates the one-side arm section 30L in the transverse direction of the vehicle.

[0060] The side opening 62 is provided between the upper wall section 60 and the lower wall section 61 and penetrates the left and right side wall sections 63 and 64 of the single-sided arm section 30L. A rear end of the side opening 62 opens to the rear and communicates with the rear end opening 34.

[0061] With the side opening 62 thus provided, an upper support section 65 and a lower support section 66 are formed on the upper and lower sides of the side opening 62 at a rear end section of the one-side arm section 30L, which extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0062] The upper support section 65 comprises a rear end section 60a of the upper wall section 60 and a pair of upper side walls 63a and 64a, each extending downwards from the left and right side edges of the rear end section 60a. The upper support section 65 is rail-shaped, allowing an upper section of the end piece 28L to be supported between the left and right upper side walls 63a and 64a, and extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0063] The lower support section 66 comprises a rear end section 61a of the lower wall section 61 and a pair of lower side walls 63b and 64b, each extending upwards from the left and right side edges of the rear end section 61a. The lower support section 66 is rail-shaped, allowing a lower section of the end piece 28L to be supported between the left and right lower side walls 63b and 64b, and extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0064] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 2, the axle support section 21 of the one-side arm section 30L comprises the upper support section 65, the lower support section 66 and the end piece 28L.

[0065] Furthermore, the axle support section 21 of the other-side arm section 30R similarly includes the upper support section 65, the lower support section 66 and the end piece 28R.

[0066] As in Fig. Figure 5 shows an embedded element 70, which secures a lower part (part) of a hollow section 25a of a rear end section of the main body of the swing arm 25, embedded in the axle support section 21.

[0067] The embedded element 70 is provided in the lower support section 66.

[0068] Fig. Figure 7 is a perspective view of the embedded element 70, seen from a front side view. Fig. 8 is a sectional view along a line VIII-VIII of Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a sectional view along a line IX-IX of Fig. 6.

[0069] With reference to Fig. 5 and Fig. 7 to 9 the embedded element 70 is formed in a block shape which is provided between a lower section of the side wall section 63 and a lower section of the side wall section 64, at a rear end section of the main body of the rocker arm 25.

[0070] The embedded element 70 is made of a rigid foam resin (a foamed body made of a low-density polymer). The specific density of the embedded element 70 is lower than the specific density of the fiber-reinforced resin that forms the main vibration body 25. The embedded element 70 is, for example, Rohacell (registered trademark).

[0071] The embedded element 70 comprises: an outer surface 70a along an inner surface of a lower section of the side wall section 63; an inner surface 70b along an inner surface of a lower section of the side wall section 64; a lower surface 70c along an inner surface of a lower wall section 61; an upper surface 70d connecting an upper edge of the outer surface 70a and an upper edge of the inner surface 70b in the transverse direction of the vehicle; and a front surface 70e.

[0072] More precisely, the lower surface 70c of the embedded element 70 extends forward from a rear end with a forward and downward slope along the inner surface of the lower wall section 61. Furthermore, the upper surface 70d of the embedded element 70 extends substantially horizontally from a rear end forward, substantially parallel to the inner surface of the rear end section 60a of the upper wall section 60 of the top support section 65. Therefore, the embedded element 70 increases in its vertical dimension from the rear end to the front end.

[0073] The front surface 70e of the embedded element 70 connects the front edges of the outer surface 70a and the inner surface 70b in the transverse direction of the vehicle and connects the front edges of the upper surface 70d and the lower surface 70c in the vertical direction. The front surface 70e extends obliquely forward and downward from a front edge of the upper surface 70d to a front edge of the lower surface 70c.

[0074] As in the Fig. 8 and Fig. As shown in Figure 9, the embedded element 70 is bonded / attached to an inner surface of a rear end section of the main body of the swing arm 25 with an adhesive or bonding agent in a state in which the outer surface 70a, the inner surface 70b and the lower surface 70c thereof are each in close contact with an inner surface of a lower section of the side wall section 63, an inner surface of a lower section of the side wall section 64 and an inner surface of the lower wall section 61.

[0075] The upper surface 70d and the front surface 70e of the embedded element 70e are completely covered by a cover section 71. The cover section 71 comprises an upper surface cover section 71a, which covers the upper surface 70d as a surface of the embedded element 70, and a front surface cover section 71b, which covers the front surface 70e.

[0076] The material of which the cover section 71 is made is the same fiber-reinforced resin / synthetic resin as the material of the main body of the oscillator 25. The cover section 71 is attached or glued to the inner surface of the main body of the oscillator 25 and the upper surface 70d and the front surface 70e of the embedded element 70.

[0077] The embedded element 70 is sandwiched between the cover section 71 and the main body of the vibration motor 25 and is not exposed to the outside of the main body of the vibration motor 25. In other words, the embedded element 70 is embedded in the inside of the fiber-reinforced resin that forms the main body of the vibration motor 25 and the cover section 71.

[0078] The upper surface cover section 71a includes ribs 71c extending upwards from both side edges in the transverse direction of the vehicle.

[0079] The lower side walls 63b and 64b of the lower support section 66 encompass the ribs 71c, and those parts of the fiber-reinforced resin / synthetic resin that form the main body of the swing arm 25 are connected to the side surfaces of the ribs 71c. It should be noted that the lower side walls 63b and 64b can be formed solely from the fiber-reinforced resin / synthetic resin that forms the main body of the swing arm 25, without including the ribs 71c.

[0080] The embedded element 70 and the upper surface cover section 71a, which covers the upper surface 70d of the embedded element 70, form a lower guide section 72 (guide section) that receives the lower surface 51 of the end piece 28L. The lower guide section 72 receives a force acting on the end piece 28L from the side of the rear wheel 3.

[0081] Furthermore, the lower engagement section 57 of the end piece 28L is sandwich-like between the left and right rib 71c and is therefore restricted in its position in the transverse direction of the vehicle.

[0082] A spacer 73, which increases the thickness of the rear end section 60a of the upper wall section 60, is provided on an inner surface of the upper support section 65. The spacer 73 is made of the same fiber-reinforced resin as the material of the main body of the rocker arm 25. The spacer 73 is attached or bonded to an inner surface of the rear end section 60a. It should be noted that the portion of the spacer 73 consisting of the resin foam and the fiber-reinforced resin cover section, which covers the resin foam, can be configured like the embedded element 70 and the cover section 71.

[0083] The spacer 73 forms an upper guide section 74 which accommodates the upper surface 50 of the end piece 28L.

[0084] In addition, the upper engagement section 56 of the end piece 28L is sandwich-like between the left and right upper side walls 63a and 64a and is therefore restricted in its position in the transverse direction of the vehicle.

[0085] A lower surface of the upper guide section 74 and an upper surface of the lower guide section 72 are essentially parallel to each other and extend essentially horizontally in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0086] The main body of the vibrating element 25 is formed in a product mold by a process in which a fiber-reinforced resin / synthetic resin is introduced as material into a mold and a balloon-like tube arranged in a hollow section of the main body of the vibrating element 25 is inflated by air pressure or the like, whereby the fiber-reinforced resin / synthetic resin is pressed through the tube against the inner surface of the mold.

[0087] The embedded element 70 is hermetically sealed between the main body of the rocker arm 25 and the cover section 71 by the mold simultaneously with the forming of the main body of the rocker arm 25. This ensures that, as in Fig. Figure 8 shows that the part extending from a front end of the cover section 71 connected to the main body of the swing arm 25 to a rear end of the cover section 71 connected to the main body of the swing arm 25 can be formed from the fiber-reinforced resin / synthetic resin in which the fibers are continuous in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and high stiffness can be achieved.

[0088] It should be noted that the embedded element 70 can be hermetically sealed between the main body of the vibrating element 25 and the cover section 71 after the vibrating element 25 has been formed. However, embedding the embedded element 70 simultaneously with the forming of the main body of the vibrating element 25 is preferred, as this ensures that the fibers of the fiber-reinforced resin / synthetic resin forming the cover section 71 can be supplied easily and continuously over a longer area.

[0089] Additionally, the spacer 73 is attached / glued to the shaped swing arm main body 25.

[0090] The end piece 28L is inserted through the rear end opening 34 between the upper support section 65 and the lower support section 66 and adhered / glued to an inner surface of the main swing arm body 25. When the stop sections 58 and 59 are in contact with a rear end surface of the main swing arm body 25, the position of the end piece 28L is limited in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0091] In particular, the upper engagement section 56 of the end piece 28L is attached / glued to a lower surface of the upper guide section 74 and the inner surfaces of the upper side walls 63a and 64a.

[0092] The lower engagement section 57 of the end piece 28L is attached / glued to an upper surface of the lower guide section 72 and inner surfaces of the lower side walls 63b and 64b.

[0093] Furthermore, front sections of the outer surface 52 and the inner surface 53 of the end piece 28L are attached / glued to inner surfaces of those parts of the side wall sections 63 and 64 of the swing arm main body 25 which are located on the front of the side opening 62.

[0094] The end piece 28L is sandwiched between the lower guide section 72 and the upper guide section 74 and is guided into position vertically. Since the lower guide section 72 and the upper guide section 74 are essentially parallel to each other, the end piece 28L can be easily and accurately mounted in position. Furthermore, the end piece 28L can be formed in a simple shape, with the upper surface 50 and the lower surface 51 being essentially parallel to each other.

[0095] In the present embodiment, the hollow section 25a of the lower support section 66 is filled with the embedded element 70, which has a lower specific density than the fiber-reinforced resin / synthetic resin that forms the main body of the rocker arm 25, thus making the hollow section 25a a solid section. This makes it possible to increase the stiffness of the lower support section 66 by means of the embedded element 70 and to limit the weight increase. According to the present embodiment, the solid section can be formed more simply and with a lighter configuration compared to a configuration in which, for example, a multitude of fiber-reinforced resin / synthetic resin layers are laminated to fill the hollow section 25a.

[0096] Since the fiber-reinforced resin / synthetic resin-manufactured cover section 71 covers the embedded element 70, the fiber-reinforced resin / synthetic resin-manufactured embedded element 70 can also be protected from the metallic end piece 28L.

[0097] As described above, the swingarm 12 of the motorcycle 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention carries the rear wheel 3 in a pivotable manner and comprises the swingarm main body 25 made of the fiber-reinforced resin / synthetic resin, the swingarm main body 25 is hollow, and the embedded element 70 made of a material other than the fiber-reinforced resin / synthetic resin is embedded such that at least a part of the hollow section 25a of the swingarm main body 25 is fixed.

[0098] This configuration ensures that the hollow section 25a of the main body of the oscillating 25 can be easily reinforced by the embedded element 70 made of a material other than the fiber-reinforced resin / synthetic resin, and that the stiffness of the main body of the oscillating 25 can be increased.

[0099] Furthermore, the embedded element 70 is formed in a shape in the transverse direction of the vehicle along the inner surfaces of the two side wall sections 63 and 64 of the main swing arm body 25 and along the inner surface of the lower wall section 61, which is a surface in the vertical direction of the main swing arm body 25. This configuration makes it possible to effectively fill the hollow section 25a with the embedded element 70 and to increase the stiffness of the main swing arm body 25.

[0100] It should be noted that a configuration can be chosen in which the embedded element is arranged along an inner surface of the upper wall section 60, which is a surface in the vertical direction of the main body of the swinging element 25.

[0101] Furthermore, the embedded element 70 is a resin / synthetic foam. Based on this configuration, the embedded element 70 can be designed to be lightweight and easy to handle.

[0102] Furthermore, the wheel support section 21, to which the rear wheel 3 is to be mounted, is provided at an end section of the main swingarm body 25, and the fixed section with the embedded element 70 is provided within the wheel support section 21. This configuration ensures that the embedded element 70 can be easily integrated, as it is embedded in the end section of the main swingarm body 25. Moreover, the stiffness of the wheel support section 21, which can withstand high loads, can be effectively increased by the embedded element 70.

[0103] Furthermore, the wheel support section 21 includes the end pieces 28L and 28R, which are suitable for supporting / carrying the rear wheel 3, and the lower guide section 72, which is suitable for positioning the end pieces 28L and 28R relative to the swingarm main body 25. According to this configuration, the end pieces 28L and 28R, which are suitable for supporting the rear wheel 3, can be positioned relative to the swingarm main body 25 by means of the lower guide section 72 and easily mounted in position.

[0104] Furthermore, the lower guide section 72 includes the embedded element 70 and the fiber-reinforced resin that covers the upper surface 70d of the embedded element 70. This configuration ensures that the lower guide section 72 can be more easily shaped by the embedded element 70, that the size of the lower guide section 72 can be more easily increased, and that a lower guide section 72 with higher stiffness can be provided than in a structure where the lower guide section 72 is formed / molded solely from the fiber-reinforced resin.

[0105] It should be noted that the embodiment described above represents only one way of applying the present invention and that the invention is not limited to the embodiment described above.

[0106] While it has been described that the embedded element 70 in the above embodiment reinforces the hollow section 25a of the main body of the rocker 25, the embedded element 70 only needs to have at least a part of it designed to connect the side wall sections 63 of the main body of the rocker 25; for example, a cavity may be provided in part of the embedded element 70.

[0107] Furthermore, although it has been described that the embedded element 70 in the above embodiment is provided at a rear end section of the main body of the rocker arm 25, this is not limiting for the present invention. For example, in the main body of the rocker arm 25, the embedded element can be embedded in the hollow section of a thin wall section of the part that contains the vertical connecting hole 41. Fig. 2 subdivided to form a fixed section. According to this configuration, a thinning with partially increased stiffness can be achieved with a simple configuration, and therefore the main swing arm body 25 can be provided in a compact form even with an enlarged vertical connecting hole 41. In addition, the vertical connecting hole 41 can be enlarged while ensuring the stiffness of the part that the vertical connecting hole 41 divides, and the degrees of freedom in the layout of the rear damper unit 9 can be increased.

[0108] Furthermore, although the upper surface 50 and the lower surface 51 of the end piece 28L were described as being essentially parallel in the above embodiment, this is not a limitation for the present invention. The upper surface 50 and the lower surface 51 only need to be shaped such that they lie along the lower surface of the upper guide section 74 and the upper surface of the lower guide section 72 of the main body of the rocker arm 25. For example, the upper surface 50 and the lower surface 51 can be formed in a wedge shape, the vertical dimension of which increases towards the rear, corresponding to the shapes of the upper guide section 74 and the lower guide section 72.

[0109] While the motorcycle 1 was used as an example of a semi-trailer truck in the description of the above embodiment, this is not limiting for the present invention. The swingarm 12 of the present invention is applicable to semi-trailer trucks, such as three-wheeled semi-trailer trucks with two front wheels or two rear wheels, and semi-trailer trucks with four or more wheels. modification

[0110] Fig. Figure 10 is a sectional view showing a modification of the lower guide section of the embodiment described above. In the modification, parts that have the same or similar configurations as those in the embodiment above are designated with the same reference numerals as described above, with descriptions of them omitted.

[0111] An embedded element 170 comprises a projecting section 170f that extends within a rib 71c of a top-surface cover section 71. The embedded element 170 is covered by a cover section 71.

[0112] A lower guide section 172 (guide section), consisting of the embedded element 170 and the upper surface cover section 71a, receives the lower surface 51 of the end piece 28L through its upper surface and guides the lower engagement section 57 of the end piece 28L in the transverse direction of the vehicle through the protruding section 170f and the fiber-reinforced resin / synthetic resin-fabricated rib 71c covering the protruding section 170f. Description of reference symbols 1 Motorcycle (semi-trailer truck) 3 Rear wheel (wheel) 12 swing arms 21 Axle support section 25 main swing body 25a Hollow section 28L, 28R End piece 61 Lower wall section (surface in vertical direction) 63 Side wall section (side surface in the transverse direction of the vehicle) 64 Side wall section (side surface in the transverse direction of the vehicle) 70, 170 Embedded element 70d upper surface (surface) 72, 172 Lower guide section (guide section)

Claims

[1] Swing arm for a semi-trailer vehicle which pivotably supports a wheel (3), wherein the swing arm comprises: a swing arm main body (25) made of a fiber-reinforced resin / synthetic resin; wherein the main body of the swing arm (25) is hollow, and an embedded element (70, 170) made of a material different from the fiber-reinforced resin / synthetic resin is embedded in such a way, that it strengthens at least part of a hollow section (25a) of the main body of the swinging mechanism (25); a wheel support section (21) on which the wheel (3) is mounted, wherein the wheel support section (21) is provided at an end section of the swing arm main body (25); wherein the wheel support section (21) includes an end piece (28L, 28R) suitable for supporting the wheel (3) and a guide section (72, 74) suitable for positioning the end piece (28L, 28R) relative to the main body of the swing arm (25), wherein a top and a bottom of the end piece (28L, 28R) each correspond to a top and a bottom of the vehicle, characterized by , that the guide section (72, 74) a top support section (65) and a lower support section (66) extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and each provided on a top and bottom of a side opening (62), wherein the side opening (62) penetrates a pair of side walls (63a, 64a) of the main swing body (25) and is open to the rear of the main swing body (25), wherein the pair of side walls (63a, 64a) each point towards each other in the width direction of the vehicle via a hollow section to the main swing body (25), the upper support section (65) and the lower support section (66), has a pair of rails at one edge of the side opening (62), which is formed by the pair of side walls (63a, 64a), the end piece (28L, 28R) is inserted between the upper support section (65) and the lower support section (66) along the rails to fill the side opening (62), and the vehicle is supported vertically by the upper support section (65) and the lower support section (66), and the embedded element (70, 170) is embedded in a space between the pair of side walls (63a, 64a) of the lower support section (66). [2] Swing arm for the semi-trailer vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the embedded element (70, 170) is formed in a shape along inner surfaces of both side surfaces (63, 64) in a transverse direction of the vehicle of the swing arm main body (25) and along an inner surface of a surface (61) in a vertical direction of the swing arm main body (25). [3] Swing arm for the semi-trailer vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the embedded element (70, 170) is a resin / synthetic resin foam (70, 170). [4] Swing arm for the semi-trailer vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the fiber-reinforced resin / synthetic resin covers a surface (70d) of the embedded element (70, 170).

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