Cab mount and method for manufacturing cab mount

Abstract

To suppress deformation of an upper mount rubber in a radial direction and an axial direction without deteriorating riding comfort of a vehicle and sound vibration performance during high speed traveling.SOLUTION: This cab mount 1 has upper mount rubber 2 and lower mount rubber 3 for sandwiching a frame 11 of a vehicle, and is formed with an annular recessed part 4 extending in the peripheral direction on an outer peripheral surface 21 of the upper mount rubber 2, and a rigid ring 5 is arranged in the annular recessed part 4 in a non-adhesive state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cab mount and a method for manufacturing the cab mount. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, a cab mount has been known that includes an upper mount rubber with an upper plate connected to the vehicle body (cabin) and that sandwiches the vehicle frame (for example, Patent Document 1). In such a cab mount, when a load is input from above in the vertical direction, the upper mount rubber mainly bears the load and deforms to absorb the load. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-1478 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, with the above-mentioned conventional cab mount, when a large vertical input load is applied from above, the upper mount rubber sandwiched between the upper plate connected to the vehicle body and the vehicle frame undergoes significant radial outward deformation and significant axial compression deformation. This increases stress on the rubber surface, the rubber overlap, and the area near the bond between the rubber and the upper plate, which can reduce durability. Furthermore, the vertical distance between the vehicle body and the vehicle frame is shortened, which can cause interference between other components located nearby. In other words, the above-mentioned conventional cab mount leaves room for improvement. On the other hand, increasing the static spring constant of the rubber could be considered to suppress deformation of the rubber, but this would also increase the dynamic spring constant, which could worsen the vehicle's ride comfort and noise and vibration performance at high speeds.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a cab mount that can suppress radial and axial deformation of the upper mount rubber without deteriorating the vehicle's ride comfort or noise and vibration performance during high-speed driving, and a method for manufacturing the cab mount that can easily obtain the cab mount. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The above problems can be solved by the following means.

[0007] (1) The cab mount of the present invention is A cab mount including upper mount rubber and lower mount rubber that sandwich a vehicle frame, An annular recess extending in the circumferential direction is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the upper mount rubber, A rigid ring is non-adhesively disposed within the annular recess. According to the cab mount of the present invention, it is possible to suppress radial and axial deformation of the upper mount rubber without deteriorating the ride comfort of the vehicle or the noise and vibration performance during high-speed driving.

[0008] (2) In the cab mount described in (1) above, The annular recessed portion is formed in a plurality of portions aligned in the axial direction, Preferably, the rigid ring is disposed within at least one of the annular recesses. In this case, it is easy to tune the characteristics.

[0009] (3) In the cab mount described in (1) or (2) above, The cross-sectional shape of the rigid ring may be circular, oval or polygonal. In this case, tuning of the characteristics is also easy.

[0010] (4) In any of the cab mounts (1) to (3) above, It is preferable that a rigid upper plate is provided on the upper end surface of the upper mount rubber. In this case, the cab mount can be stably and appropriately fixed to the vehicle side member (vehicle cab).

[0011] (5) In any of the cab mounts (1) to (4) above, It is preferable that a stiff reinforcing plate be embedded in the vicinity of the lower end surface of the upper mount rubber. In this case, deformation of the upper mount rubber in the radial and axial directions can be more effectively suppressed.

[0012] (6) The manufacturing method of the cab mount of the present invention is A manufacturing method of a cab mount for obtaining any one of the cab mounts (1) to (5) above, a rigid ring setting step of setting the rigid ring inside a vulcanization mold without applying an adhesive; After the rigid ring setting process, the process includes an upper mount rubber vulcanization process in which unvulcanized rubber that will become the upper mount rubber is injected into the vulcanization mold and vulcanized to obtain the upper mount rubber with the rigid ring disposed within the annular recess. According to the manufacturing method of the cab mount of the present invention, any one of the cab mounts (1) to (5) above can be easily obtained. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a cab mount that can suppress radial and axial deformation of the upper mount rubber without deteriorating the vehicle's ride comfort or noise and vibration performance during high-speed driving, and a method for manufacturing the cab mount that can easily obtain the cab mount. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is an axial cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a cab mount according to an embodiment of the present invention, in a state where the cab mount is assembled to a vehicle. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an axial cross-sectional view schematically showing an upper mount portion of the cab mount of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is an axial cross-sectional view schematically showing another example of an upper mount portion. [Figure 4] 10 is a diagram for explaining deformation of a cab mount when a large load is input. [Figure 5] 1 is a diagram showing the relationship between the amount of deflection of an upper mount rubber and a load. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A cab mount and a method for manufacturing the cab mount according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, the cab mount is an anti-vibration device that connects the vehicle cab (body) to the vehicle frame (chassis). In each drawing, the same members and parts are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0016] In this specification, "axial direction" refers to a direction parallel to the central axis O (hereinafter also simply referred to as "axis O") of a shaft member described later and therefore of the cab mount, and is indicated by the symbol "AD" in some of the drawings, "circumferential direction" refers to a direction circumferentially around the axis O, and "radial direction" refers to a direction perpendicular to the axis O, and is indicated by the symbol "RD" in some of the drawings. Also, "radially inner side" refers to the side closer to the axis O in the radial direction, and "radially outer side" refers to the side farther from the axis O in the radial direction. Note that "radial direction" may also be referred to as "direction perpendicular to the axis." In the following embodiments, the axis O extends vertically when the cab mount 1 is assembled to a vehicle (hereinafter also referred to as "assembled state on a vehicle" or simply "assembled state"). In addition, in the following embodiments, the "axial upper side" (hereinafter also referred to simply as "upper side") refers to the side that is vertically upper in the assembled state, and the "axial lower side" (hereinafter also referred to simply as "lower side") refers to the side that is vertically lower in the assembled state.

[0017] (Cab mount) First, a cab mount 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described. 1 and 2 are diagrams for explaining a cab mount 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is an axial cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view along axis O) that schematically shows a cab mount according to one embodiment of the present invention in a state where it is assembled to a vehicle. More specifically, FIG. 1 schematically shows an axial cross-sectional view of the cab mount just before completion of assembly to the vehicle frame and cab, in which the cab mount is not receiving any load from the frame and the cab (hereinafter also referred to as an "unloaded state"). The "unloaded state" refers to a state where the upper mount rubber is not receiving any load. Furthermore, FIG. 2 is an axial cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view along axis O) that schematically shows an upper mount portion (described later) of the cab mount of FIG. 1.

[0018] The cab mount 1 according to this embodiment is configured as a cab mount to be mounted on a vehicle such as a pickup truck or SUV, but may be configured as a cab mount to be mounted on any vehicle.

[0019] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the cab mount 1 according to this embodiment includes an upper mount rubber 2 and a lower mount rubber 3 that sandwich a vehicle frame 11. In addition, in the cab mount 1, an annular recess 4 extending in the circumferential direction is formed on the outer peripheral surface 21 of the upper mount rubber 2. Furthermore, in the cab mount 1, a rigid ring 5 is disposed within the annular recess 4 without being bonded.

[0020] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 , the upper mount rubber 2 and the lower mount rubber 3 are configured to sandwich the vehicle frame 11 (hereinafter also simply referred to as the "frame 11"). That is, in an assembled state, the frame 11 is sandwiched between the upper mount rubber 2 and the lower mount rubber 3 in the axial direction. In other words, the upper mount rubber 2 and the lower mount rubber 3 are attached to the vehicle so that the frame 11 is sandwiched between them in the axial direction. In yet other words, the cab mount 1 connects the vehicle cab 12 (hereinafter also simply referred to as the "cab 12") (and thus the vehicle body) to the vehicle frame 11 (and thus the vehicle chassis). In this specification, the term "cab (12)" includes not only a cab in the narrow sense but also a member connected to the cab on the vehicle body side for connection to a cab mount. In the example of Fig. 1, the cab 12 is flat, but it does not have to be flat.

[0021] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the upper mount rubber 2 is disposed axially above the frame 11. In the example of FIG. 1, the upper mount rubber 2 is a tubular (more specifically, cylindrical in this example) member that extends continuously around the entire circumferential direction. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the cab mount 1 includes a rigid upper plate 6 on the upper end surface 23 of the upper mount rubber 2. More specifically, in the example of FIG. 1, the upper plate 6 is attached to the upper side of the upper mount rubber 2 by, for example, adhesive bonding (fixing). In this example, the upper plate 6 has a through-hole formed in its center. The cab 12 is attached to the upper mount rubber 2 via the upper plate 6. In the following description, the upper mount rubber 2, upper plate 6 and rigid ring 5 described later may be collectively referred to as the "upper mount portion (2A)", i.e., the upper mount rubber 2 having the rigid ring 5 attached to the upper plate 6.

[0022] In this embodiment, the upper mount rubber 2 is made of NR (natural rubber). In other words, the upper mount rubber 2 is made of rubber obtained by vulcanizing a rubber composition containing only NR as a rubber component. However, the upper mount rubber 2 may be made of a rubber other than NR (thermosetting elastomer), a mixture of NR and other rubbers, or a mixture of rubbers other than NR, such as SBR, BR, and EPDM. In this embodiment, the upper plate 6 is a rigid member, and may be made of a metal such as iron or aluminum.

[0023] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 1, the lower mount rubber 3 is disposed axially lower than the frame 11. In the example of Fig. 1, the lower mount rubber 3 is a tubular (more specifically, cylindrical in this example) member that extends continuously around the entire circumferential direction. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 1, the cab mount 1 is provided with a rigid lower plate 7 below the lower end surface of the lower mount rubber 3. More specifically, in the example of Fig. 1, the lower plate 7 is attached to the underside of the lower mount rubber 3 by, for example, adhesion (fixing). In this example, the lower plate 7 has a through-hole formed in its center. In the following description, the lower mount rubber 3 and the lower plate 7 may be collectively referred to as the "lower mount portion (3A)," that is, the lower mount rubber 3 to which the lower plate 7 is attached.

[0024] In this embodiment, the material of the lower mount rubber 3 is the same as the material of the upper mount rubber 2 described above, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted. In this embodiment, the characteristics and material of the lower plate 7 are also similar to those of the upper plate 6 described above, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0025] In this embodiment, the lower part of the upper mount rubber 2 is disposed on the inner surface of a recessed portion formed in the frame 11, as shown in Fig. 1. Also, in this embodiment, the lower mount rubber 3 is disposed below the recessed portion of the frame 11, as shown in Fig. 1. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a flat portion is formed in the frame 11 that circumferentially surrounds the recessed portion, as shown in Fig. 1. Note that in this embodiment, the lower end surface 24 of the upper mount rubber 2 is not bonded to the frame 11, but may be bonded thereto.

[0026] 1, the cab mount 1 includes a shaft member 8 that extends axially through the upper mount rubber 2, the frame 11, and the lower mount rubber 3. The upper mount rubber 2 and the lower mount rubber 3 are disposed around the shaft member 8 so as to be spaced apart from the shaft member 8 in the radial direction. In this embodiment, the shaft member 8 is a rigid, hollow, cylindrical member. In this embodiment, the central axis O of the shaft member 8 coincides with the central axis O of the cab mount 1.

[0027] In this embodiment, the shaft member 8 includes a bolt 13 and a nut 14. The bolt 13 extends upward from the lower plate 7, penetrating all the way to the cab 12. The nut 14 is threaded onto the tip of the bolt 13. The upper mount portion 2A (and thus the upper mount rubber 2) and the lower mount portion 3A (and thus the lower mount rubber 3) are brought closer to each other in the axial direction by threading the nut 14 onto the bolt 13. As a result, the upper mount rubber 2 and the lower mount rubber 3 are each attached to the frame 11, for example, in a slightly pre-compressed state. In this embodiment, washers 15 are interposed between the bolt 13 and the lower plate 7, and between the nut 14 and the cab 12. In this embodiment, in consideration of ease of assembly to the vehicle, the bolt 13 is passed from bottom to top to attach the nut 14, but the bolt 13 may be passed from top to bottom to attach the nut 14. Also, in this embodiment, a washer 15 is interposed between the bolt 13 and the lower plate 7, and between the nut 14 and the cab 12, but it is not necessary to interpose at least one of the washers 15. Furthermore, the method of assembling the upper mount rubber 2 and the lower mount rubber 3 to the frame 11 is not limited to the method described above.

[0028] In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an annular recess 4 extending in the circumferential direction is formed on the outer peripheral surface 21 of the upper mount rubber 2.

[0029] In this embodiment, the annular recess 4 is a depression formed in the outer peripheral surface 21 of the upper mount rubber 2, and extends continuously around the entire circumferential direction of the upper mount rubber 2 and, therefore, the carburetor mount 1. In this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the annular recess 4 (a cross-sectional shape taken along a plane perpendicular to the extension direction (i.e., the circumferential direction) of the annular recess 4) is constant along the circumferential direction. Also, in this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cross-sectional shape of the annular recess 4 is generally U-shaped or generally semicircular, but this cross-sectional shape is not particularly limited. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a plurality of annular recesses 4 (three in the illustrated example) are formed and aligned in the axial direction. However, the number of annular recesses 4 is not particularly limited and may be determined taking into account the axial length of the upper mount rubber 2, etc., and may be, for example, one, two, four or more.

[0030] By forming the above-mentioned annular recess 4 on the outer surface 21 of the upper mount rubber 2, the point of deformation when an axial input is applied to the upper mount rubber 2 is fixed and stabilized at the position of the annular recess 4, thereby preventing a deterioration in the ride comfort of the vehicle, for example.

[0031] In this embodiment, no annular recess is provided in the lower mount rubber 3, but from the same viewpoint as above, one or more annular recesses similar to those described above may also be provided on the outer surface of the lower mount rubber 3.

[0032] In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a rigid ring 5 is disposed in the annular recess 4 of the upper mount rubber 2 without adhesive.

[0033] The rigid ring 5 is a rigid, ring-shaped (annular) member. In this embodiment, the rigid ring 5 extends continuously around the entire circumferential direction of the upper mount rubber 2 and, consequently, the carburetor mount 1, similar to the annular recess 4. However, the rigid ring 5 does not have to extend continuously around the entire circumferential direction. For example, the rigid ring 5 may be interrupted at one point in the circumferential direction and have a C-shape in a plan view as viewed from the axial direction. However, from the viewpoint of sufficiently suppressing radially outward bulging deformation and axial compressive deformation of the upper mount rubber 2 when a large axial load is input, as described below, it is preferable that the rigid ring 5 extend continuously around the entire circumferential direction. In this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the rigid ring 5 (cross-sectional shape taken along a plane perpendicular to the extension direction (i.e., the circumferential direction) of the rigid ring 5) is constant along the circumferential direction. 1 and 2, the cross-sectional shape of the rigid ring 5 is an oval (ellipse) including a partial straight portion, but the cross-sectional shape is not particularly limited and may be, for example, a circle, an oval, or a polygon. Note that in this specification, the term "oval" includes a flattened shape in which a portion of the major axis direction of the ellipse is formed by a straight line, such as the rigid ring 5 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0034] The material of the rigid ring 5 is not particularly limited as long as it has rigidity and can effectively suppress radial outward bulging deformation and axial compressive deformation of the upper mount rubber 2 when a large axial load is input, as described below. The rigid ring 5 may be made of, for example, metals such as iron and aluminum, resins such as PA (polyamide (nylon)), POM (polyoxymethylene (polyacetal)), PC (polycarbonate), PBT (polybutylene terephthalate), PPS (polyphenylene sulfide), PI (polyimide), PEI (polyetherimide), PAI (polyamide imide), PSU (polysulfone), PEEK (polyether ether ketone), PF (phenolic resin), PE (polyethylene), PP (polypropylene), PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene (tetrafluoroethylene)), PCTFE (polychlorotrifluoroethylene), ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer), PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride (polyvinylidene fluoride)), and PDAP (diallyl phthalate resin), or materials obtained by blending glass fiber with any of these resins.

[0035] In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the rigid ring 5 is disposed inside the annular recess 4 formed in the upper mount rubber 2. 1 and 2, in the unloaded state, the rigid ring 5 is fitted into the annular recess 4. In other words, in the unloaded state, the inner diameter of the rigid ring 5 (the diameter of the inner circumferential surface 51 of the rigid ring 5) is equal to or greater than the outer diameter of the annular recess 4 (the diameter of the bottom surface 41 of the annular recess 4) (the same in the illustrated example). In addition, in the illustrated example, the rigid ring 5 is in contact with the entire inner surface (side and bottom surfaces) of the annular recess 4. However, in the unloaded state, the rigid ring 5 may be disposed in the annular recess 4 so as to be slightly spaced apart from at least a portion of the inner surface of the annular recess 4. For example, as in another example of an upper mount portion 2A described later with reference to FIG. 3, the rigid ring 5 may be disposed in the annular recess 4 so that in the unloaded state, the inner circumferential surface 51 of the rigid ring 5 and the bottom surface 41 of the annular recess 4 are slightly spaced apart, and a gap 52 is formed between the inner circumferential surface 51 of the rigid ring 5 and the bottom surface 41 of the annular recess 4. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the outer periphery of the rigid ring 5 is configured to protrude outside the annular recess 4, more specifically, radially outward from the outer periphery 21 of the upper mount rubber 2. However, the rigid ring 5 may be configured not to protrude radially outward from the outer periphery 21 of the upper mount rubber 2. However, from the viewpoint of more effectively suppressing radially outward bulging deformation and axial compressive deformation of the upper mount rubber 2 when a large axial load is applied, as described below, it is preferable that the outer periphery of the rigid ring 5 be configured to protrude radially outward from the outer periphery 21 of the upper mount rubber 2, as long as there is no risk of the outer periphery of the rigid ring 5 interfering with (contacting) other components (the upper plate 6, the cab 12, the frame 11, etc.) when a load is applied.

[0036] In this embodiment, the rigid ring 5 is disposed inside the annular recess 4 in an unbonded state. That is, the entire rigid ring 5 is disposed inside the annular recess 4 in an unbonded state to the upper mount rubber 2 in which the annular recess 4 is formed. In this specification, "unbonded" refers to not being fixed, and includes, for example, a case where solidified adhesive remains on the surfaces of both rings but they are not fixed together.

[0037] Because the rigid ring 5 is arranged inside the annular recess 4 without being glued, the internal stress of the upper mount rubber 2 increases when a load is applied, etc., compared to when the rigid ring 5 is glued inside the annular recess 4, and excessive strain can be prevented from occurring near the adhesive interface between the upper mount rubber 2 and the rigid ring 5, thereby offering the advantage of improving the durability of the upper mount rubber 2.

[0038] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, as described above, multiple annular recesses 4 (three in the example shown) are formed in line in the axial direction, and a rigid ring 5 is arranged in at least one annular recess 4 (one in the example shown). 1 and 2, the rigid ring 5 is disposed only in one annular recess 4 at the center in the axial direction out of multiple (three in the illustrated example) annular recesses 4 formed side by side in the axial direction of the upper mount rubber 2. However, if multiple annular recesses 4 are formed, the rigid ring 5 may be disposed in two or more annular recesses 4. However, from the viewpoint of reducing the risk of the outer periphery of the rigid ring 5 interfering with (contacting) other members (upper plate 6, cab 12, frame 11, etc.) when a load is input and from the viewpoint of cost reduction, it is preferable that the rigid ring 5 be disposed only in one annular recess 4 at a suitable position.

[0039] In this embodiment, the axial position at which the rigid ring 5 is disposed (and thus the axial position of the annular recess 4 into which the rigid ring 5 is disposed) is preferably such that when the upper mount rubber 2 is compressed in the axial direction under load input, there is no risk of the rigid ring 5 interfering with (contacting) other members (the upper plate 6, the cab 12, the frame 11, etc.), and that when the upper mount rubber 2 is compressed, the surface stress of the rubber portions of the upper mount rubber 2 above and below the rigid ring 5 is approximately equal. For example, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, it is preferable that the entire rigid ring 5 is disposed in approximately the center of the upper mount rubber 2 in the axial direction (for example, in a region between a position 40% and a position 60% axially above the lower end surface 24 of the upper mount rubber 2).

[0040] 1 and 2, in this embodiment, the lower mount rubber 3 is not provided with an annular recess or a rigid ring as described above. However, as described above, if one or more annular recesses are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the lower mount rubber 3, a rigid ring similar to the above may be disposed within at least one of the annular recesses. However, from the perspectives of suppressing increases in cost and weight and preventing interference (contact) with other components, it is preferable not to provide a rigid ring on the lower mount rubber 3.

[0041] Next, the main effects of the embodiment of the present invention described above will be summarized again below as necessary.

[0042] First, in this embodiment, the cab mount 1 includes an upper mount rubber 2 and a lower mount rubber 3 that sandwich the vehicle frame 11. Here, while the vehicle is traveling, the upper mount rubber 2 is subjected to load input from above (the body side) via the cab 12 and upper plate 6, and also to load input from below (the suspension and thus the chassis side) via the frame 11. In this embodiment, since the cab mount 1 includes the upper mount rubber 2, when a load is input from above, the upper mount rubber 2 mainly bears the load and deforms in the axial direction, thereby absorbing the load and thus vibration. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the cab mount 1 includes the lower mount rubber 3, which prevents interference (contact) between the lower plate 7, which is necessary for assembling the cab mount 1 to the vehicle, and the frame 11, thereby suppressing the generation of abnormal noise and the like. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the annular recess 4 extending in the circumferential direction is formed on the outer peripheral surface 21 of the upper mount rubber 2, so that when an axial input load is applied to the upper mount rubber 2, the point of deformation is fixed and stabilized at the position of the annular recess 4, making it possible to suppress, for example, a deterioration in the ride comfort of the vehicle. Furthermore, the annular recess 4, which is normally provided to achieve such an effect, can be efficiently utilized for arranging the rigid ring 5.

[0043] Next, the effects of the present embodiment, which are obtained by disposing the rigid ring 5 in the annular recess 4, will be described. Fig. 4 is a drawing for explaining deformation of the cab mount 1 when a large load is input. For ease of understanding, Fig. 4 shows a cab mount 1 that is slightly different from the cab mount 1 of the present embodiment described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, in which only one annular recess 4 is formed in the upper mount rubber 2 and a rigid ring 5 is disposed in this single annular recess 4, and the above description will be given using this cab mount 1 as an example. The action and effect obtained by disposing the rigid ring 5 in the annular recess 4 is substantially the same in the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2. 4, when a large load F is applied to the cab mount 1 and therefore the upper mount rubber 2 from above in the vertical direction, the upper mount rubber 2 is compressed and deformed in the axial direction between the frame 11 and the upper plate 6, and also tends to bulge radially outward. In the example of FIG. 4, a rigid ring 5 is arranged in the annular recess 4, so even when a large load F is applied, the rubber portion on the radially inner side of the rigid ring 5 is restrained by the rigid ring 5 and does not bulge radially outward (see the thick black arrows pointing radially outward in FIG. 4), and the rubber portions on both the upper and lower axial sides of the rigid ring 5 are also less likely to bulge radially outward. As the load increases further, the rubber portions sandwiched between the upper plate 6 and the rigid ring 5 and the rubber portions sandwiched between the rigid ring 5 and the frame 11 are compressed, but are again restrained by the rigid ring 5, making them less susceptible to compressive deformation (axial deformation) (see the thick black arrows pointing to both sides in the axial direction in Figure 4), and therefore the radially outward bulging deformation (radial deformation) of these rubber portions is also suppressed. Note that, as shown in Figure 4, the radially inward bulging deformation of the upper mount rubber 2 is suppressed by the shaft member 8. FIG. 5 shows the relationship between the deflection of the upper mount rubber and the load. FIG. 5 shows the relationship between the deflection (axial deformation) and the load obtained by simulation for the upper mount rubber 2 (shown by the solid line L2 in FIG. 5) in the cab mount 1 of the example in FIG. 4 and a similar upper mount rubber (shown by the dotted line L1 in FIG. 5) that differs only in that a rigid ring is not disposed in the annular recess. As can be seen from FIG. 5, even with the same load, the deflection is significantly smaller when the rigid ring 5 is included (L2) than when it is not included (L1). In other words, even with the same deflection, the case with the rigid ring 5 (L2) can withstand a larger load than the case without the rigid ring (L1).

[0044] As is clear from the above description, in the present embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and the example shown in FIG. 4, the rigid ring 5 is disposed within the annular recess 4, thereby suppressing radial and axial deformation of the upper mount rubber 2, particularly under heavy loads, compared to when the rigid ring 5 is not disposed. Therefore, for example, increases in internal stress of the upper mount rubber 2 are suppressed near the surface of the upper mount rubber 2, near the overlapping portions of the rubber in the upper mount rubber 2, and near the adhesive portion between the upper mount rubber 2 and the upper plate 6, thereby improving the durability of the upper mount rubber 2 and, ultimately, the cab mount 1. Furthermore, axial deformation of the upper mount rubber 2 and, ultimately, axial displacement of the cab 12 on the vehicle body side, particularly under heavy loads, are suppressed, thereby reducing interference (contact) between various surrounding components. Furthermore, the rigid ring 5 increases the static spring constant of the entire upper mount portion 2A, including the rigid ring 5, in the radial direction (and thus in the longitudinal and / or lateral directions of the vehicle), potentially improving vehicle handling stability and other performance. Furthermore, since the rigid ring 5 is disposed, the axial static spring constant of the entire upper mount portion 2A, including the rigid ring 5, is increased, allowing the rubber hardness of the upper mount rubber 2 to be reduced, which in turn allows the dynamic spring constant of the upper mount rubber 2 to be kept low, improving the ride comfort of the vehicle and noise and vibration performance during high-speed driving. In other words, according to the above-described embodiment, the various effects described above can be obtained without increasing the static spring constant and therefore the dynamic spring constant of the upper mount rubber 2 and thereby deteriorating the ride comfort of the vehicle and noise and vibration performance during high-speed driving. As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to suppress the radial and axial deformation of the upper mount rubber 2 without deteriorating the ride comfort of the vehicle or the noise and vibration performance during high-speed driving.

[0045] As in this embodiment, a plurality of annular recesses 4 are formed lined up in the axial direction of the upper mount rubber 2, and it is preferable that a rigid ring 5 is disposed in at least one (one in this embodiment) of the annular recesses 4. In this case, the number of annular recesses 4, the number of rigid rings 5, and / or the annular recesses 4 in which the rigid rings 5 ​​are disposed can be appropriately selected depending on the required characteristics of the upper mount rubber 2 and, by extension, the cab mount 1, making it easy to tune the characteristics.

[0046] As in this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the rigid ring 5 is preferably a circle, an ellipse, or a polygon (an ellipse in this embodiment). In this case, too, the cross-sectional shape of the rigid ring 5 can be appropriately selected depending on the required characteristics of the upper mount rubber 2 and, by extension, the cab mount 1, making it easy to tune the characteristics.

[0047] As in this embodiment, the cab mount 1 preferably includes a rigid upper plate 6 on the upper end surface 23 of the upper mount rubber 2. In this case, compared to when the upper mount rubber 2 is directly joined to the cab 12, the upper mount rubber 2 and therefore the cab mount 1 can be stably and appropriately fixed to the vehicle side member (the vehicle cab 12) using, for example, bolts 13 and nuts 14.

[0048] Next, a modified example of the upper mount portion 2A, which is different from the upper mount portion 2A in the cab mount 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, will be described with reference to FIG. Figure 3 is an axial cross-sectional view schematically showing another example of an upper mount portion 2A. The upper mount portion 2A shown in Figure 3 differs from the upper mount portion 2A shown in Figures 1 and 2 only in that the upper mount rubber 2 is provided with a reinforcing plate 9 and that a gap 52 is formed between the inner peripheral surface 51 of the rigid ring 5 and the bottom surface 41 of the annular recess 4. In other respects, it is the same as the upper mount portion 2A shown in Figures 1 and 2, and therefore a description of these other points will be omitted.

[0049] The upper mount portion 2A shown in Figure 3, and in turn the cab mount 1 equipped with the upper mount portion 2A, has a rigid reinforcing plate 9 embedded near the lower end surface 24 of the upper mount rubber 2 (i.e., below the upper mount rubber 2). Here, the term "embedded" refers to the entire reinforcing plate 9 being embedded inside the upper mount rubber 2, but there is no particular limitation as to whether or not it is bonded to the upper mount rubber 2. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the reinforcing plate 9 is embedded near the lower end surface 24 of the upper mount rubber 2 without being bonded. In this case, manufacturing costs are reduced, and an increase in internal stress in the upper mount rubber 2 is suppressed, thereby improving durability. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the reinforcing plate 9 is a flat member that extends continuously around the entire circumferential direction of the upper mount rubber 2 and, by extension, the carb mount 1. However, the reinforcing plate 9 does not have to extend continuously around the entire circumferential direction. For example, the reinforcing plate 9 may be formed in a shape that is interrupted at one or more locations around the circumferential direction. However, from the viewpoint of more sufficiently suppressing radially outward bulging deformation and axial compressive deformation of the upper mount rubber 2 when a large axial load is applied, it is preferable that the reinforcing plate 9 extend continuously around the entire circumferential direction. The reinforcing plate 9 is a member having rigidity, and may be made of a metal such as iron or aluminum. 3, a gap 52 is formed between the inner peripheral surface 51 of the rigid ring 5 and the bottom surface 41 of the annular recess 4, but the gap 52 does not have to be formed as in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. For example, the gap 52 can be inevitably formed due to contraction of the rubber after vulcanization when the rigid ring 5 is placed in the annular recess 4 simultaneously with the vulcanization of the upper mount rubber 2 (for example, when the cab mount 1 is obtained by a cab mount manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present invention, which will be described later), rather than when the rigid ring 5 is placed in the annular recess 4 after the upper mount rubber 2 has been vulcanized. By embedding a rigid reinforcing plate 9 near the lower end surface 24 of the upper mount rubber 2, radial outward bulging deformation and axial compressive deformation of the upper mount rubber 2 can be more effectively suppressed.

[0050] (Manufacturing method of cab mount) Next, a method for manufacturing a cab mount according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. The method for manufacturing a cab mount according to one embodiment of the present invention described below can be suitably used to obtain the cab mount 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention described with reference to Figure 1 etc. However, the manufacturing method for obtaining the cab mount 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the manufacturing method of the cab mount of the embodiment described below.

[0051] The manufacturing method for a cab mount according to this embodiment includes a rigid ring setting process in which a rigid ring 5 is set inside a vulcanization mold without applying adhesive, and an upper mount rubber vulcanization process in which, after the rigid ring setting process, unvulcanized rubber that will become the upper mount rubber 2 is injected into the vulcanization mold and vulcanized to obtain the upper mount rubber 2 with the rigid ring 5 arranged inside the annular recess 4. By including the rigid ring setting step and the upper mount rubber vulcanization step, first, an upper mount portion 2A such as that shown in FIG. 3 can be obtained.

[0052] The manufacturing method of the cab mount according to this embodiment includes a rigid ring setting step of setting the rigid ring 5 inside the vulcanization mold without applying an adhesive. To explain more specifically with reference to Figure 3, when using the manufacturing method for a carburetor mount according to this embodiment to first obtain, for example, the upper mount portion 2A shown in Figure 3, in the rigid ring setting process, for example, inside a vulcanization mold not shown, more specifically, for example, within a cavity in the vulcanization mold whose inner surface is the outer contour of the entire upper mount portion 2A shown in Figure 3, or the upper mount portion 2A excluding the upper plate 6 (to be precise, a contour slightly larger than the outer contour, taking into account the shrinkage of rubber after vulcanization), a rigid ring 5 is set without applying adhesive. In the rigid ring setting process, the upper plate 6 and / or the reinforcing plate 9 may also be set inside the vulcanization mold, and thus in the cavity. In the rigid ring setting process, if an adhesive is applied to the underside of the upper plate 6 that contacts the upper mount rubber 2 and the upper plate 6 is set in the vulcanization mold, the upper plate 6 can be bonded to the upper end surface 23 of the upper mount rubber 2 simultaneously with the vulcanization of the upper mount rubber 2, which is efficient. However, the upper plate 6 may also be bonded to the upper mount rubber 2 with an adhesive or the like after the upper mount rubber vulcanization process is completed. When setting the reinforcing plate 9 in the vulcanization mold, an adhesive may or may not be applied to the surface of the reinforcing plate 9. However, from the viewpoint of manufacturing costs and the fact that the upper mount rubber 2 and the reinforcing plate 9 are not bonded to each other after the upper mount rubber 2 is vulcanized, which can suppress an increase in internal stress in the upper mount rubber 2 and improve durability, it is preferable to set the reinforcing plate 9 in the vulcanization mold without applying an adhesive.

[0053] In addition, the manufacturing method of the cab mount according to this embodiment includes an upper mount rubber vulcanization process in which, after the rigid ring setting process, unvulcanized rubber that will become the upper mount rubber 2 is injected into a vulcanization mold and vulcanized to obtain the upper mount rubber 2 with the rigid ring 5 arranged in the annular recess 4. Explaining more specifically with reference to Figure 3, in the upper mount rubber vulcanization process, after the rigid ring setting process, unvulcanized rubber that will become the upper mount rubber 2 is injected into the vulcanization mold, more specifically, into the cavity, and heated and vulcanized to obtain the upper mount rubber 2 in which the rigid ring 5 is disposed in the annular recess 4, as shown in Figure 3. Note that Figure 3 shows the upper mount part 2A removed from the vulcanization mold after the upper mount rubber 2 has been vulcanized; due to contraction of the rubber after vulcanization, a gap 52 has formed between the inner peripheral surface 51 of the rigid ring 5 and the bottom surface 41 of the annular recess 4; however, during vulcanization, the vulcanization can be performed without this gap, as shown in Figure 2.

[0054] According to the manufacturing method of the cab mount according to the present embodiment, after the rigid ring 5 is set inside the vulcanization mold, unvulcanized rubber is injected and vulcanized, so that the rigid ring 5 can be placed in the annular recess 4 of the upper mount rubber 2 simultaneously with the vulcanization, which makes it possible to place the rigid ring 5 more efficiently and easily than if the rigid ring 5 were placed in the annular recess 4 after the vulcanization. In particular, when the upper mount rubber 2 has a reinforcing plate 9 as in the example of Figure 3, it can be difficult to reduce the outer diameter of the upper mount rubber 2 after the upper mount rubber 2 is vulcanized to place the rigid ring 5 in the annular recess 4 by fitting or the like, so it is effective to use the manufacturing method according to the present embodiment described above. Furthermore, according to the manufacturing method of the cab mount of this embodiment, the rigid ring 5 is set inside the vulcanization mold without applying adhesive, so that the cab mount 1 in which the rigid ring 5 is arranged without adhesive inside the annular recess 4 of the upper mount rubber 2 can be obtained efficiently and easily at low cost. As described above, according to the manufacturing method of the cab mount according to this embodiment, the cab mount 1 of the above-described embodiment can be easily obtained.

[0055] In addition to the rigid ring setting process and the upper mount rubber vulcanization process, the manufacturing method for a cab mount according to this embodiment may include a lower mount rubber vulcanization process in which unvulcanized rubber that will become the lower mount rubber 3 shown in FIG. 1 is injected into a vulcanization mold and vulcanized to obtain the lower mount rubber 3. In this case, the lower plate 7 shown in FIG. 1 may be set in the vulcanization mold with an adhesive applied to its upper surface before vulcanization and adhered to the lower mount rubber 3 simultaneously with vulcanization, or may be adhered to the lower mount rubber 3 with an adhesive or the like after vulcanization. As mentioned above, the lower plate 7 does not have to be adhered to the lower mount rubber 3. The lower mount rubber vulcanization process may be performed simultaneously with the rigid ring setting process and / or the upper mount rubber vulcanization process, or it may be performed before or after these processes. The manufacturing method of the cab mount according to this embodiment may further include steps other than the rigid ring setting step, the upper mount rubber vulcanization step, and the lower mount rubber vulcanization step described above.

[0056] It should be noted that the manufacturing method of the cab mount according to this embodiment described above does not necessarily have to be used to obtain the cab mount 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention described with reference to FIGS. For example, in the rigid ring setting step described above, the rigid ring 5 may be coated with an adhesive and set inside the vulcanization mold. In this case, depending on the conditions for applying the adhesive, it is possible to prevent the rigid ring 5 from falling off from the annular recess 4 immediately after vulcanization of the upper mount rubber 2, and when the carb mount 1 is in use, contraction of the rubber will cause a gap 52 to form between the inner peripheral surface 51 of the rigid ring 5 and the bottom surface 41 of the annular recess 4, as shown in Fig. 3, making it possible to obtain a carb mount 1 in which the rigid ring 5 is disposed in the annular recess 4 of the upper mount rubber 2 without being adhered. Also, for example, it may be possible in some cases to place the rigid ring 5 in the annular recess 4 of the upper mount rubber 2 after vulcanization of the upper mount rubber 2. That is, if an operator can sufficiently reduce the diameter of the upper mount rubber 2 after vulcanization of the upper mount rubber 2 and / or if the radial depth of the annular recess 4 is shallow, it may be possible to place the rigid ring 5 in the annular recess 4 by fitting or the like after vulcanization of the upper mount rubber 2. In this case, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it is possible to eliminate the gap 52 shown in FIG. 3 between the inner circumferential surface 51 of the rigid ring 5 and the bottom surface 41 of the annular recess 4, which is more beneficial from the perspective of more effectively suppressing radial bulging deformation of the upper mount rubber 2.

[0057] The foregoing describes exemplary embodiments of the present invention, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the claims. [Industrial Applicability]

[0058] The cab mount according to the present invention can be used as a cab mount to be mounted on any vehicle, and is suitable for use as a cab mount to be mounted on vehicles such as pickup trucks and SUVs, for example. [Explanation of symbols]

[0059] 1: Cab mount, 2: Upper mount rubber; 21: Outer surface of upper mount rubber; 22: Inner peripheral surface of upper mount rubber; 23: Upper end surface of upper mount rubber; 24: Lower end surface of upper mount rubber, 2A: Upper mount part, 3: Lower mount rubber, 3A: Lower mount part, 4: annular recess; 41: bottom surface of annular recess; 5: rigid ring; 51: inner peripheral surface of rigid ring; 52: gap; 6: upper plate; 7: lower plate; 8: shaft member; 9: reinforcing plate; 11: vehicle frame; 12: vehicle cab; 13: Bolt, 14: Nut, 15: Washer, AD: Axial direction, F: Large load, O: Center axis, RD: Radial direction

Claims

1. A cab mount including upper mount rubber and lower mount rubber that sandwich a vehicle frame, An annular recess extending in the circumferential direction is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the upper mount rubber, A cab mount having a rigid ring disposed within the annular recess without adhesive.

2. The annular recessed portion is formed in a plurality of portions aligned in the axial direction, The cab mount of claim 1 , wherein the rigid ring is disposed within the at least one annular recess.

3. The cab mount according to claim 1 , wherein the cross-sectional shape of the rigid ring is a circle, an oval, or a polygon.

4. The cab mount according to claim 1, further comprising a rigid upper plate on an upper end surface of the upper mount rubber.

5. 2. The cab mount according to claim 1, wherein a reinforcing plate having rigidity is embedded in the vicinity of a lower end surface of the upper mount rubber.

6. A method for manufacturing a cab mount for obtaining the cab mount according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising: a rigid ring setting step of setting the rigid ring inside a vulcanization mold without applying an adhesive; and an upper mount rubber vulcanization process, after the rigid ring setting process, injecting unvulcanized rubber that will become the upper mount rubber into the vulcanization mold and vulcanizing it to obtain the upper mount rubber with the rigid ring disposed within the annular recess.

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