Automotive vibration damper with a protective tube

Abstract

A motor vehicle vibration damper is specified, comprising: - a damper cylinder 2, which is closed at least at one of its axial ends by means of a piston rod guide 3, - a piston rod 4, which is partially guided through the piston rod guide 3 and is designed to be axially movable relative to the damper cylinder 2, - a protective tube 5, which is connected to the piston rod 4 and encloses the piston rod 4 in the circumferential direction, and - a guide component 6 which is arranged radially between the damper cylinder 2 and the protective tube 5 and guides the protective tube 5 axially along the damper cylinder 2, wherein the guide component 6 comprises a fastening section 7 and an extension section 9 which extends axially from the fastening section 7. This is characterized in that the guide component 6 with its fastening section 7 is supported radially on the damper cylinder 2 and / or is connected to the damper cylinder 2 in a form-fitting and / or force-fitting and / or materially bonded manner, and wherein the guide component 6 extends axially along the damper cylinder 2 in the installed state, wherein the extension section 9 is arranged at the end of the guide component 6 near the piston rod guide and the fastening section 7 is arranged at the end of the guide component 6 remote from the piston rod guide.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a motor vehicle vibration damper according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

[0002] A vibration damper of this type is, for example, well known from the state of the art.

[0003] DE10122796A1, for example, shows a motor vehicle vibration damper comprising a damper cylinder, which is closed at one of its axial ends by a piston rod guide. A piston rod, designed to be axially movable relative to the damper cylinder, extends partially through the piston rod guide. This piston rod is circumferentially covered by a protective tube, which is connected to the piston rod.

[0004] A guide component is arranged radially between the damper cylinder and the protective tube, which guides the protective tube axially along the damper cylinder.

[0005] The guide component is essentially cup-shaped, with the cup base covering the piston rod guide and the cup wall extending axially from the piston rod guide along the damper cylinder. In particular, the guide component is axially supported by the cup base on the piston rod guide, with the cup base additionally serving as an impact surface for an impact damper firmly connected to the piston rod during compression movements of the piston rod.

[0006] Since the guide component is usually made of plastic, the pot base must be particularly robust to withstand the impact of the impact absorber during sudden compression of the piston rod. Under above-average loads of this kind, premature material fatigue and fracture of the pot base cannot be completely ruled out.

[0007] The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a motor vehicle vibration damper which overcomes the disadvantages described above.

[0008] According to the invention, the guide component comprises a fastening section and an extension section which extends axially from the fastening section, wherein the guide component with its fastening section is supported radially on the damper cylinder and / or is connected to the damper cylinder in a form-fitting and / or non-positive and / or materially bonded manner, wherein the guide component is arranged on the damper cylinder in such a way that, in the installed state, it extends axially along the damper cylinder, wherein the extension section is arranged on the end of the guide component near the piston rod guide and the fastening section is arranged on the end of the guide component remote from the piston rod guide.

[0009] This means that the piston rod guide is no longer covered by the guide component and is not exposed to the impact of the impact damper. The metal piston rod guide can withstand the impact force of the impact damper. Furthermore, this creates the possibility of using an additional metal impact plate for particularly high loads, which can then be mounted on the end of the damper cylinder closest to the piston rod guide to provide additional protection for the piston rod guide.

[0010] A generic automotive vibration damper often includes a spring plate arranged on the damper tube, which supports a suspension spring. To prevent axial slippage of the guide component, it can advantageously be arranged such that it is additionally supported axially by its fastening section on the spring plate.

[0011] The guide component can generally be configured essentially tubularly. Additionally or alternatively, for reasons of material and weight reduction, the extension section can advantageously be formed from a plurality of webs projecting axially from the fastening section, with axially extending clearances between the webs.

[0012] In order to give the guide component more rigidity in the area of ​​the extension section, according to an advantageous embodiment variant, at least two webs are connected to one another at their end remote from the fastening section.

[0013] In addition, if a firm, positive connection of the guide component with the damper cylinder is required, the fastening section can advantageously be designed as a closed ring.

[0014] If easier installation of the guide component is a priority, its fastening section can be designed as a ring interrupted by at least one interruption point.

[0015] If a guide component that is slotted over its entire length is to be avoided in order to ensure the radial stability of the component, the interruption point can advantageously be arranged on the fastening section between two interconnected webs of the guide component.

[0016] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the fastening section can comprise a plurality of interruption points arranged on the fastening section such that the guide component extends in a meandering shape around the damper cylinder. This makes it much easier to compensate for manufacturing tolerances regarding the diameter of the damper tube. The guide component can thus be mounted on the damper tube much more easily, and any diameter differences can be easily compensated.

[0017] To facilitate the installation of the guide component on the damper cylinder, the guide component can advantageously also have radially inwardly projecting ribs that extend axially along the fastening section and / or at least partially along the webs. This reduces the contact area of ​​the guide component, which significantly reduces the frictional forces that arise between the guide component and the damper cylinder during installation of the guide component. This facilitates the installation of the guide component on the damper cylinder and reduces the risk of damage to the surface coating on the damper cylinder.

[0018] In principle, the design of the guide component can be adapted to the construction of the motor vehicle vibration damper. Thus, a further advantageous embodiment provides for the extension section to be divided into several, but at least two, axial length sections of different diameters, each of which is connected to one another by a connecting section. In particular, it may be important to adapt the diameter of the guide component at the end of its extension section closest to the piston rod guide, for example, to the size of a baffle plate, in order to avoid a direct collision between the protective tube and the guide component.

[0019] Further features, advantages, and effects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention. These show: Fig. 1 a perspective view of a first embodiment of a motor vehicle vibration damper according to claim 1; Fig. 2 a representation of a motor vehicle vibration damper according to Fig. 1, without the protective tube; Fig. 3 a longitudinal section of the guide component according to Fig. 1; Fig. 4 a cross-sectional view of the guide component according to Fig. 3, in cross section through the fastening section; Fig. 5 shows a representation of a further embodiment of a motor vehicle vibration damper according to claim 1, without the protective tube; Fig. 6 a longitudinal section of the guide component according to Fig. 5; Fig. 7 a cross-sectional view of the guide component according to Fig. 6, in cross section through the fastening section;

[0020] Fig. Figure 1 shows a variant embodiment of a motor vehicle vibration damper 1 constructed according to the present invention. This comprises a damper cylinder 2, which is closed at one axial end by a piston rod guide 3 and covered by a baffle plate 19. Also shown is a piston rod 4, which extends partially through the piston rod guide 3 and the baffle plate 19. The piston rod 4 is designed to be axially movable relative to the damper cylinder 2 and, stimulated by road irregularities over which the motor vehicle travels during operation, telescopically partially retracts into the damper cylinder 2 or extends out of the damper cylinder 2. In the event of strong retraction movements of the piston rod 4, these movements are stopped by the elastic impact damper 18, which is firmly connected to the piston rod 4 and comes into contact with the baffle plate 19.

[0021] A protective tube 5 is firmly connected to the piston rod 4 and protects it from external influences. Fig. The protective tube 5 shown in Fig. 1 has a plurality of elastic folds which extend in the circumferential direction around the protective tube 5 and are distributed over at least a defined length section of the protective tube 5.

[0022] The Fig. However, the embodiment of the protective tube 5 shown in Fig. 1 is not intended to limit the present invention, since it is also applicable and valid with any other embodiment of the protective tube 5.

[0023] To prevent direct contact between the protective tube 5 and the damper cylinder 2, which could damage the surface coating of the damper cylinder 2, the Fig. 1 further comprises a guide component 6 which is arranged radially between the damper cylinder 2 and the protective tube 5, thus encompassing the damper cylinder 2 in the circumferential direction and guiding the protective tube 5 axially along the damper cylinder 2.

[0024] The guide component 6 comprises a fastening section 7 and an extension section 9 extending axially from the fastening section 7. The fastening section 7 of the guide component 6 is supported radially on the damper cylinder 2 and / or is connected to the damper cylinder 2 in a form-fitting and / or force-fitting and / or material-fitting manner.

[0025] In the installed state, the guide component 6 extends axially along the damper cylinder 2, wherein the extension section 9 is arranged at the end of the guide component 6 near the piston rod guide and the fastening section 7 is arranged at the end of the guide component 6 remote from the piston rod guide.

[0026] The outer design of the guide component 6 in its Fig. The embodiment shown in Figure 1 is adapted to the external configuration of the damper cylinder 2. The extension section 9 is divided into two axial length sections 14, 15, which are each connected to one another by a connecting section 16. The first axial length section 14 extends axially from the fastening section 7 toward the piston rod and has a smaller diameter than the second axial length section 15, which extends to the impact plate 19.

[0027] In the Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 5 further shows that the motor vehicle vibration damper 1 comprises a spring plate 17, which primarily serves to axially support a suspension spring (not shown here). The spring plate 17 is arranged on the damper cylinder 2 and is connected to the damper cylinder 2 in an axially fixed and rotationally secure manner. The guide component 6 is supported axially by its fastening section 7 on the spring plate 17. The extension section 9 of the guide component 6 encompasses the damper cylinder 2 in the circumferential direction and is formed from a plurality of webs 10, which project axially from the fastening section 7 and extend in the direction of the piston rod guide 3. The individual webs 10 are separated from one another by free spaces 11 running axially along the webs 10. In the embodiments shown in the Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, two webs 10 are connected to each other at their end remote from the fastening section at a connection point 12.

[0028] In the Fig. 1 to 4 show a variant of the motor vehicle vibration damper, which provides that the fastening section 7 is designed as a closed ring. In contrast, the Fig. 5 to 7 show an alternative embodiment, according to which the essentially annular fastening section 7 is interrupted by at least one interruption point 8. The interruption point 8 is arranged between two interconnected webs 10 of the guide component 6.

[0029] In particular, the Fig. 7 shows that the fastening section 7 can also comprise a plurality of interruption points 8. These can be arranged on the fastening section 7 such that the guide component 6 extends in a meandering manner around the damper cylinder 2.

[0030] According to the Fig. 3, Fig. 4, Fig. 6 and Fig. In the embodiments shown in FIG. 7, the guide component 6 can have radially inwardly projecting ribs 13. The ribs 13 extend axially along the fastening section 7 and / or at least partially along the webs 10. Reference symbol 1 automotive vibration damper 2 damper cylinders 3 Piston rod guide 4 piston rod 5 Protective tube 6 Guide component 7 Fastening section 8 Interruption point 9 Extension section 10 jetty 11 Free space 12 connection point 13 rib 14 first axial length section 15 second axial length section 16 connecting section 17 spring plates 18 impact absorbers 19 Impact disc L Longitudinal axis QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 10122796A1

[0003]

Claims

[1] Motor vehicle vibration damper (1), comprising: - a damper cylinder (2) which is closed at at least one of its axial ends by means of a piston rod guide (3), - a piston rod (4) which is partially guided through the piston rod guide (3) and is designed to be axially movable relative to the damper cylinder (2), - a protective tube (5) which is connected to the piston rod (4) and encloses the piston rod (4) in the circumferential direction, and - a guide component (6) which is arranged radially between the damper cylinder (2) and the protective tube (5) and guides the protective tube (5) axially along the damper cylinder (2), wherein the guide component (6) comprises a fastening section (7) and an extension section (9) which extends axially from the fastening section (7), characterized bythat the guide component (6) with its fastening section (7) is supported radially on the damper cylinder (2) and / or is connected to the damper cylinder (2) in a form-fitting and / or force-fitting and / or material-fitting manner, and wherein the guide component (6) extends axially along the damper cylinder (2) in the installed state, wherein the extension section (9) is arranged at the end of the guide component (6) near the piston rod guide and the fastening section (7) is arranged at the end of the guide component (6) remote from the piston rod guide. [2] Motor vehicle vibration damper (1) according to claim 1, characterized by that the motor vehicle vibration damper (1) comprises a spring plate (17) arranged on the damper cylinder (2), wherein the guide component (6) is axially supported with its fastening section (7) on the spring plate (17). [3] Motor vehicle vibration damper (1) according to at least one of claims 1 or 2, characterized bythat the extension section (9) of the guide component (6) is formed from a plurality of webs (10) projecting axially from the fastening section (7). [4] Motor vehicle vibration damper (1) according to claim 3, characterized by that at least two webs (10) are connected to one another at their ends remote from the fastening section. [5] Motor vehicle vibration damper (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the fastening section (7) is designed as a closed ring. [6] Motor vehicle vibration damper (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the fastening section (7) is designed as a ring interrupted by at least one interruption point (8). [7] Motor vehicle vibration damper (1) according to claim 6, characterized bythat the interruption point (8) on the fastening section (7) is arranged between two interconnected webs (10) of the guide component (6). [8] Motor vehicle vibration damper (1) according to claim 7, characterized by that the fastening section (7) comprises a plurality of interruption points (8) which are arranged on the fastening section (7) in such a way that the guide component (6) extends in a meandering manner around the damper cylinder (2). [9] Motor vehicle vibration damper (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the guide component (6) has radially inwardly projecting ribs (13) which extend axially along the fastening section (7) and / or at least partially along the webs (10). [10] Motor vehicle vibration damper (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the extension section (9) is divided into at least two axial length sections (14, 15) of different diameters, which are each connected to one another by a connecting section (16).

Images