Cushioning material for stoppers
The stopper buffer with a misassembly prevention projection ensures correct orientation by interfering with the damper, addressing the issue of incorrect installation and simplifying the installation process.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-09-25
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-06
AI Technical Summary
Existing stopper buffers for cylindrical vibration dampers are prone to being installed in the wrong orientation, and mechanisms to prevent incorrect installation require complex detection processes and equipment.
A stopper buffer with a mounting plate portion featuring a misassembly prevention projection that interferes with the cylindrical vibration damper when mounted in reverse, preventing proper fitting and ensuring correct orientation.
The structure effectively prevents incorrect installation by physical interference, eliminating the need for additional detection mechanisms and equipment, thus simplifying the installation process.
Smart Images

Figure 2026058824000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0005] , , ,
[0001] The present invention relates to a buffer body for a stopper used in a stopper mechanism that is attached to a cylindrical vibration isolator and restricts the elastic deformation amount of the main body rubber elastic body of the cylindrical vibration isolator.
Background Art
[0002] Conventionally, a cylindrical vibration isolator used for an engine mount or a motor mount of an automobile has been known. As shown in, for example, Japanese Patent No. 5094300 (Patent Document 1), the cylindrical vibration isolator has a structure in which an inner shaft member and an outer cylinder member are elastically connected by a main body rubber elastic body, and the inner shaft member and the outer cylinder member are attached to one of a vibration source and a vibration isolation target, respectively, thereby vibrationally connecting the vibration source and the vibration isolation target.
[0003] In addition, in the cylindrical vibration isolator, a stopper mechanism may be provided for the purpose of restricting the elastic deformation amount of the main body rubber elastic body by restricting the relative displacement amount in the axial direction between the inner shaft member and the outer cylinder member when a large load is input, thereby improving the durability of the main body rubber elastic body. The stopper mechanism is configured, for example, such that the inner shaft member side and the outer cylinder member side abut via a buffer body for a stopper.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0004]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
[0006] However, plate-shaped stopper buffers like the one shown in Patent Document 1 are prone to being installed upside down, and there was a risk that they would be installed in the wrong orientation when retrofitting them to the inner shaft member.
[0007] In addition, Patent Document 1 shows a structure in which a sensor is used to detect incorrect installation of a stopper buffer in order to prevent it from being installed in the wrong direction. However, such an incorrect installation prevention mechanism requires a process to detect incorrect installation and also requires inspection equipment such as sensors, so it was not possible to easily prevent incorrect installation.
[0008] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a stopper buffer with a novel structure that can easily prevent the cylindrical vibration damping device from being mounted in the wrong orientation (front or back). [Means for solving the problem]
[0009] The following describes preferred embodiments for understanding the present invention. However, each embodiment described below is illustrative and can be combined with others as appropriate. Furthermore, the multiple components described in each embodiment can be recognized and adopted as independently as possible, and can be combined with any component described in another embodiment as appropriate. Thus, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below, and various other embodiments can be realized.
[0010] The first embodiment is a stopper buffer used in a stopper mechanism that limits the relative displacement between an inner shaft member and an outer cylindrical member in a cylindrical vibration damping device, comprising a mounting plate portion having a mounting hole formed therein that fits into the inner shaft member, and the mounting plate portion is provided with a projection that protrudes from the opening periphery of the mounting hole and interferes with the cylindrical vibration damping device when mounted in the reverse direction, thereby preventing the mounting plate portion from fitting onto the inner shaft member.
[0011] According to the stopper buffer structured in accordance with this embodiment, when the stopper buffer is mounted to the cylindrical vibration damping device in the wrong orientation, the mis-assembly prevention projection, which is formed to protrude from the opening periphery of the mounting hole in the stopper buffer, interferes with the cylindrical vibration damping device. As a result of this interference between the mis-assembly prevention projection and the cylindrical vibration damping device, the inner shaft member cannot be properly fitted into the mounting hole, thus preventing the stopper buffer from being mounted to the cylindrical vibration damping device in the wrong orientation. In this way, the mis-assembly prevention projection and the cylindrical vibration damping device physically interfere with each other, preventing the stopper buffer from being mounted in the wrong orientation.
[0012] The second embodiment is a stopper buffer as described in the first embodiment, wherein the misassembly prevention projection protrudes from the mounting plate portion toward either the side opposite to the cylindrical vibration damping device or toward the inner circumference side of the mounting hole.
[0013] According to the stopper buffer structured in accordance with this embodiment, if the mis-assembly prevention projection protrudes toward the opposite side from the cylindrical vibration damping device, when the stopper buffer is mounted in the reverse direction, for example, the mis-assembly prevention projection interferes with the main rubber elastic body of the cylindrical vibration damping device, thereby preventing the stopper buffer from being mounted in the reverse direction. Furthermore, if the mis-assembly prevention projection protrudes toward the inner circumference of the mounting hole, when the stopper buffer is mounted in the reverse direction, for example, the mis-assembly prevention projection interferes with the inner shaft member of the cylindrical vibration damping device, thereby preventing the stopper buffer from being mounted in the reverse direction.
[0014] A third embodiment is a stopper buffer described in the first or second embodiment, wherein a plurality of the misassembly prevention protrusions are partially provided at the opening periphery of the mounting hole, separated from each other in the circumferential direction of the mounting hole.
[0015] According to the stopper buffer structure in this embodiment, the increase in weight of the stopper buffer due to the formation of misassembly prevention protrusions is suppressed. Furthermore, because the misassembly prevention protrusions are arranged at multiple locations in the circumferential direction that are separated from each other, even if the misassembly prevention protrusions are not provided around the entire circumference of the opening edge of the mounting hole, the reverse mounting of the stopper buffer is reliably prevented by interference between the misassembly prevention protrusions and the cylindrical vibration damping device.
[0016] The fourth embodiment is a stopper buffer as described in any one of the first to third embodiments, wherein a relief portion is provided on the surface side of the mounting plate portion at the peripheral edge of the opening of the mounting hole, the relief portion having a larger diameter than the fitting portion of the inner shaft member into the mounting hole.
[0017] According to the stopper buffer structure in this embodiment, even if the inner shaft member is inserted into the opening on the back side of the mounting hole when the stopper buffer is mounted in the reverse direction, a large-diameter relief is provided at the periphery of the opening on the back side of the mounting hole, thus preventing the inner shaft member from fitting into the mounting hole. Therefore, it is also prevented that the stopper buffer is mounted in the reverse direction onto the inner shaft member, thus more reliably preventing the stopper buffer from being mounted in the reverse direction onto the cylindrical vibration damping device.
[0018] The fifth aspect is a stopper buffer as described in the fourth aspect, wherein the relief portion includes a tapered portion formed on the peripheral edge of the opening of the mounting hole and expanding toward the surface side of the mounting plate portion.
[0019] According to the buffer for the stopper structured according to this aspect, by making the opening peripheral edge portion on the front side of the mounting hole have a tapered shape that is larger in diameter toward the front side, it is possible to easily form a relief portion that prevents reverse mounting of the buffer for the stopper to the cylindrical vibration isolator.
[0020] The sixth aspect is the buffer for the stopper described in any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein a pair of the mounting plate portions fitted from both axial sides to the inner shaft member are connected to each other by a connecting plate portion integrally formed with the mounting plate portions.
[0021] According to the buffer for the stopper structured according to this aspect, a pair of stopper mechanisms that prevent relative displacement in the axial direction between the inner shaft member and the outer cylinder member can be constituted by one buffer for the stopper on both axial sides. Further, compared with the case where two independent buffers for the stopper are mounted on both axial sides of the inner shaft member, the number of parts can be reduced, and the management and mounting work of the buffer for the stopper are facilitated.
[0022] The seventh aspect is the buffer for the stopper described in the sixth aspect, wherein the misassembly prevention protrusion is provided in a range of not more than half a circumference at the opening peripheral edge portion of the mounting hole.
[0023] <Perspective view showing a cylindrical vibration isolator with a buffer for a stopper as a first embodiment of the present invention [Figure 2] Front view of the cylindrical vibration isolator with a buffer shown in FIG. 1 [Figure 3] Plan view of the cylindrical vibration isolator with a buffer shown in FIG. 1 [Figure 4] Left side view of the cylindrical vibration isolator with a buffer shown in FIG. 1 [Figure 5] Cross-sectional view taken along the line V-V of FIG. 2 [Figure 6] Cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. 2 [Figure 7] Perspective view of the buffer for a stopper constituting the cylindrical vibration isolator with a buffer shown in FIG. 1 [Figure 8] Perspective view of a cylindrical vibration isolator with a buffer in which the buffer for a stopper shown in FIG. 7 is mounted in the reverse direction [Figure 9] Cross-sectional view of a cylindrical vibration isolator with a buffer in which the buffer for a stopper shown in FIG. 8 is mounted in the reverse direction [Figure 10A] Cross-sectional view showing a state in which a part of the buffer for a stopper as a second embodiment of the present invention is mounted on a cylindrical vibration isolator, and showing an appropriate mounting state of the front and back [Figure 10B] Cross-sectional view showing a state in which a part of the buffer for a stopper in FIG. 10A is mounted on a cylindrical vibration isolator, and showing a reverse mounting state of the front and back
Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
[0026] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0027] Figures 1 to 6 show the stopper buffer 10 mounted on the cylindrical vibration isolation device 12. In the following description, as a general rule, the vertical direction refers to the vertical direction in Figure 2, the left-right direction refers to the left-right direction in Figure 2, and the front-back direction refers to the vertical direction in Figure 3. Although the stopper buffer 10 is elastically deformable, in the following description, as a general rule, it will be described as having the same shape and orientation as when mounted on the cylindrical vibration isolation device 12 as shown in Figures 1 to 6, and each direction of the stopper buffer 10 will be the direction when it is mounted on the cylindrical vibration isolation device 12 in the appropriate orientation.
[0028] The stopper buffer 10 is made of a rubber elastic material and, as shown in Figure 7, comprises a pair of mounting plate portions 14, 14 arranged on both axial sides of the cylindrical vibration damping device 12, and a connecting plate portion 16 connecting the pair of mounting plate portions 14, 14 to each other on the right side of the cylindrical vibration damping device 12. The mounting plate portion 14 comprises a buffer plate portion 18 that is integrally continuous with the connecting plate portion 16, and a fitting cylindrical portion 20 provided on the side of the buffer plate portion 18 opposite to the connecting plate portion 16. When the mounting plate portion 14 is properly mounted on the cylindrical vibration damping device 12, the side opposite to the cylindrical vibration damping device 12 is the front side, and the side facing the cylindrical vibration damping device 12 is the back side. Therefore, in the reversed mounting state of the stopper buffer 10 described later, the front surface of the mounting plate portion 14 is located on the side facing the cylindrical vibration damping device 12, and the back surface of the mounting plate portion 14 is located on the side opposite to the cylindrical vibration damping device 12.
[0029] The buffer plate portion 18 is a flat plate that extends with a substantially constant thickness and is substantially perpendicular to the front-rear direction. The buffer plate portion 18 is provided continuously with the connecting plate portion 16 and protrudes to the left from the connecting plate portion 16, and its width in the vertical direction decreases as it moves away from the connecting plate portion 16. In this embodiment, the lower surface of the buffer plate portion 18 extends substantially perpendicular to the vertical direction, and the upper surface slopes downward as it moves to the left.
[0030] The fitting cylinder portion 20 is a substantially elongated cylindrical shape with a mounting hole 22 that penetrates in the front-rear direction. The right portion of the fitting cylinder portion 20 is integrally connected to the buffer plate portion 18 and constitutes the left end of the mounting plate portion 14. The axial length dimension (front-rear length dimension) of the fitting cylinder portion 20 is larger than the front-rear plate thickness dimension of the buffer plate portion 18, and as shown in Figure 7, it protrudes inward in the front-rear direction from the buffer plate portion 18. The opening peripheral edge on the front side (axially outward) of the fitting cylinder portion 20 is widened, and a tapered portion 24 is formed in which the inner diameter dimension increases toward the axially outward direction. The outer diameter dimension of the fitting cylinder portion 20 is substantially constant in the tapered portion 24, and the tapered portion 24 is thinner radially toward the axially outward direction.
[0031] The fitting cylinder portion 20 is provided with an anti-misassembly projection 26. The anti-misassembly projection 26 protrudes in the front-rear direction from the outer end (back side of the mounting plate portion 14) of the fitting cylinder portion 20 that constitutes the opening periphery of the mounting hole 22. As shown in Figures 2, 4, etc., the anti-misassembly projection 26 is partially provided in the circumferential direction of the fitting cylinder portion 20, and multiple projections are provided spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the fitting cylinder portion 20. In this embodiment, three anti-misassembly projections 26, 26, 26 are provided spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the fitting cylinder portion 20. Preferably, the anti-misassembly projection 26 is provided in a range of less than half the circumference of the fitting cylinder portion 20, and in this embodiment, it is provided only in the left semi-cylindrical curved portion of the elongated cylindrical fitting cylinder portion 20. Therefore, the misassembly prevention projection 26 in this embodiment is provided on the left end of the mounting plate portion 14, which is opposite to the connection side (right side) with the connecting plate portion 16.
[0032] The protruding height dimension of the misassembly prevention projection 26 is not particularly limited, but is preferably in the range of 2 to 10 mm, and more preferably in the range of 3 to 5 mm. The width dimension of the misassembly prevention projection 26 is preferably in the range of 3 to 15 mm, and more preferably in the range of 3 to 7 mm.
[0033] The connecting plate portion 16 connects the right ends of the pair of mounting plate portions 14, 14 to each other. The connecting plate portion 16 integrally includes a flat intermediate buffer portion 28 that extends substantially perpendicular to the left-right direction, and a pair of connecting portions 30, 30 that protrude outward from the intermediate buffer portion 28 in both the front and rear directions. The upper part of the intermediate buffer portion 28 is wider than the lower part, with the wider upper part located between the pair of connecting portions 30, 30 in the front-rear direction, and the narrower lower part protruding below the pair of connecting portions 30, 30 and the pair of mounting plate portions 14, 14. The connecting portion 30 extends inclined with respect to the front-rear and left-right directions, with its left end continuous with the right end of the pair of mounting plate portions 14, 14 (buffer plate portions 18, 18), and its right end continuous with the intermediate buffer portion 28. Mounting plate portions 14, 14, each having a buffer plate portion 18, 18 and a fitting cylindrical portion 20, 20, and connecting plate portion 16, each having an intermediate buffer portion 28 and a pair of connecting portions 30, 30, are integrally formed, and the pair of mounting plate portions 14, 14 are integrally connected by the connecting plate portion 16.
[0034] The connecting plate portion 16 is thinner than the mounting plate portion 14, and its bending deformation rigidity in the thickness direction is reduced. Therefore, for example, when deforming the stopper buffer body 10, which is formed into a plate shape in the unfolded state, to position the pair of mounting plate portions 14, 14 facing each other, the bending deformation of the connecting plate portion 16 allows the pair of mounting plate portions 14, 14 to be either in an appropriate mutually opposing position or in an opposing position with the front and back sides reversed.
[0035] In other words, in this embodiment, considering manufacturing reasons, the connecting plate portion 16 and the pair of mounting plate portions 14, 14 are molded in an unfolded state that spreads out in approximately the same direction, and by bending them at the connection points between the connecting plate portion 16 and each mounting plate portion 14, 14, they are assembled to the vibration damping device body 38 in a U-shape or C-shape as shown in Figure 7, which is the mounting state. Therefore, as described above, the risk of the mounting plate portion 14 being incorrectly assembled with the front and back reversed is even greater. In particular, the connection points between the connecting plate portion 16 and each mounting plate portion 14 have lower bending deformation rigidity compared to other parts (especially the mounting plate portion 14) so that the molded product in the unfolded state can be easily deformed into a shape where the pair of mounting plate portions 14, 14 rise up from the connecting plate portion 16, thus increasing the risk of incorrect assembly. However, even if the stopper buffer 10 is molded or shaped in a shape like that shown in Figure 7 or a similar bent shape, there is still a risk of the mounting plate portion 14 being incorrectly assembled with the front and back reversed.
[0036] The stopper buffer 10, having this structure, is mounted on the cylindrical vibration isolation device 12, as shown in Figures 1 to 6. The cylindrical vibration isolation device 12 has a vibration isolation device body 38 in which an inner shaft member 32 and an outer cylindrical member 34 are elastically connected by a main rubber elastic body 36.
[0037] The inner shaft member 32 is a rigid member made of a metal such as an aluminum alloy or a fiber-reinforced synthetic resin. The inner shaft member 32 has a central shaft portion 40 that is approximately cylindrical in shape in the axial direction, and a pair of plate-shaped mounting pieces 42, 42 are integrally formed from the central shaft portion 40, projecting outwards on both sides in the axial direction. Bolt holes 44 are formed in the mounting pieces 42, penetrating in the vertical direction, which is the thickness direction of the plate. In this embodiment, the mounting pieces 42 are provided in the left-right center of the central shaft portion 40, and are also provided at a position offset downward from the vertical center of the central shaft portion 40.
[0038] The outer cylindrical member 34 has a thin-walled, large-diameter, substantially cylindrical shape and is a rigid member made of the same material as the inner shaft member 32. The inner diameter of the outer cylindrical member 34 is larger than the maximum outer diameter of the central shaft portion 40 of the inner shaft member 32, and it can be extrapolated to the central shaft portion 40 while remaining separated from the outer circumference over its entire circumference.
[0039] An inner shaft member 32 is inserted through an outer cylindrical member 34, and a main rubber elastic body 36 is positioned radially between the inner shaft member 32 and the outer cylindrical member 34. The inner shaft member 32 and the outer cylindrical member 34 are elastically connected to each other by the main rubber elastic body 36, thereby forming the vibration isolation device body 38.
[0040] As shown in Figures 2 and 6, the main rubber elastic body 36 is provided with a first cut hole 46 that penetrates axially above the inner shaft member 32, and a second cut hole 48 that penetrates axially below the inner shaft member 32. The first cut hole 46 is provided with a first stopper rubber 50 that protrudes downward from the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylindrical member 34 toward the inner shaft member 32. The second cut hole 48 is provided with a second stopper rubber 52 that protrudes upward from the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylindrical member 34 toward the inner shaft member 32. When a large load is applied in the vertical direction, the inner shaft member 32 and the outer cylindrical member 34 come into contact via the first and second stopper rubbers 50 and 52, thereby forming an upper and lower stopper that limits the relative vertical displacement between the inner shaft member 32 and the outer cylindrical member 34, and improving the durability of the main rubber elastic body 36 (rubber feet 54, 54, which will be described later). In this embodiment, the width dimension of the second stopper rubber 52 in the left-right direction is larger than the width dimension of the first stopper rubber 50 in the left-right direction, thereby providing higher load-bearing capacity against a downward input that moves the inner shaft member 32 downward relative to the outer cylindrical member 34.
[0041] Furthermore, the main rubber elastic body 36 is provided with a pair of rubber feet 54, 54 extending between the inner shaft member 32 and the outer cylindrical member 34 in the circumferential direction between the first and second perforations 46, 48. The inner circumferential ends of the rubber feet 54, 54 are vulcanized and bonded to the central shaft portion 40 of the inner shaft member 32, and the outer circumferential ends are vulcanized and bonded to the outer cylindrical member 34. The pair of rubber feet 54, 54 are symmetrical in the left-right direction. The rubber feet 54 extend downward toward the outer circumference. The circumferential width of the rubber feet 54 is increased toward the outer circumference. An inner circumferential cylindrical portion 56 is provided at the inner circumferential end of the main rubber elastic body 36, fixed to the central shaft portion 40 of the inner shaft member 32 over its entire circumference, and the pair of rubber feet 54, 54 are fixed to the inner shaft member 32 via the inner circumferential cylindrical portion 56. Furthermore, an outer circumferential cylindrical portion 58 is provided at the outer end of the main rubber elastic body 36, which is fixed to the outer cylindrical member 34 around its entire circumference, and a pair of rubber feet 54, 54 are fixed to the outer cylindrical member 34 via the outer circumferential cylindrical portion 58.
[0042] An outer bracket 60 is attached to the outer cylindrical member 34 of the vibration damping device body 38. The outer bracket 60 is a member for attaching the outer cylindrical member 34 to a vehicle body or the like (not shown), and in this embodiment, a press-fit hole 62 into which the outer cylindrical member 34 is press-fitted is formed, penetrating in the front-rear direction. The lower surface of the outer bracket 60 has a plane that extends substantially perpendicular to the vertical direction, and serves as a mounting surface that is superimposed on and attached to a vehicle body or the like. The mounting structure of the outer bracket 60 to the vehicle body or the like is not particularly limited, and for example, a mounting piece that protrudes outward from the cylindrical portion that constitutes the wall of the press-fit hole 62 may be provided so that the mounting piece is fixed to the vehicle body or the like.
[0043] The front and rear surfaces of the outer bracket 60 are substantially symmetrical in the front-to-rear direction. Both the front and rear surfaces of the outer bracket 60 are provided with annular planar portions 64 that extend substantially perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction at the periphery of the opening of the press-fit hole 62. A front stopper surface 66 is formed by including a part of the front annular planar portion 64, and a rear stopper surface 68 is formed by including a part of the rear annular planar portion 64. In addition, the right side surface of the outer bracket 60 is provided with a lateral stopper surface 70 which is formed by a plane that extends substantially perpendicular to the left-to-right direction.
[0044] A stopper buffer 10 is attached to a cylindrical vibration damping device 12, which has an outer bracket 60 attached to the vibration damping device body 38. Specifically, the connecting plate portion 16 is superimposed on the right side of the cylindrical vibration damping device 12, and the pair of mounting plate portions 14, 14 are superimposed on both axial outer sides of the cylindrical vibration damping device 12. The fitting cylindrical portions 20, 20 provided on the pair of mounting plate portions 14, 14 of the stopper buffer 10 are fitted onto the central shaft portion 40 of the inner shaft member 32 from both sides in the axial direction (front-rear direction), so that the central shaft portion 40 is fitted into the mounting holes 22, 22, and the stopper buffer 10 is attached to the cylindrical vibration damping device 12. The stopper buffer 10 may also be fixed to the central shaft portion 40 of the inner shaft member 32 by means of adhesive or other means, for example, by the pair of fitting cylindrical portions 20, 20.
[0045] The stopper buffer 10 has an intermediate buffer portion 28 of the connecting plate portion 16 that covers the lateral stopper surface 70 which constitutes the right side of the outer bracket 60. The inner bracket (not shown) attached to the inner shaft member 32 and the lateral stopper surface 70 of the outer bracket 60 come into contact via the intermediate buffer portion 28, thereby forming a lateral stopper that limits the amount of relative displacement of the inner shaft member 32 to the left with respect to the outer cylindrical member 34.
[0046] The pair of buffer plates 18, 18 of the stopper buffer 10 are positioned to cover a portion of both the front and rear surfaces (front stopper surface 66 and rear stopper surface 68) of the opening periphery of the press-fit hole 62 in the outer bracket 60. The front and rear stoppers are formed as a stopper mechanism that limits the relative displacement of the inner shaft member 32 in the front-rear direction with respect to the outer cylindrical member 34 by contacting the front stopper surface 66 or the rear stopper surface 68 of the outer bracket 60 via the buffer plates 18, 18.
[0047] The stopper buffer 10 of this embodiment has a structure that integrally includes a pair of buffer plate portions 18, 18 and a connecting plate portion 16. Therefore, the buffer rubbers for the front and rear stoppers and the lateral stoppers can be provided as a single component for the cylindrical vibration damping device 12. Thus, the number of parts is reduced, and by fixing the pair of fitting cylindrical portions 20, 20 to the inner shaft member 32, the pair of buffer plate portions 18, 18 and the connecting plate portion 16 can be attached to the cylindrical vibration damping device 12, reducing the effort required for installation.
[0048] The structure of the inner bracket attached to the inner shaft member 32 is not particularly limited, but it has a structure in which a pair of mounting parts extending to the right from the pair of mounting parts 42, 42 are bolted to a pair of mounting pieces 42, 42 of the inner shaft member 32 and connected to each other on the right side of the outer bracket 60. The inner bracket is positioned opposite the outer cylindrical member 34 and the outer bracket 60 with a stopper buffer 10 in between, at a distance that ensures a predetermined stopper clearance.
[0049] Incidentally, when the stopper buffer 10 is properly mounted on the cylindrical vibration damping device 12 as shown in Figures 1 to 6, the misassembly prevention projection 26 protrudes from the fitting cylinder portion 20 toward the opposite side of the cylindrical vibration damping device 12 (outward in the front-rear direction). Therefore, when the stopper buffer 10 is mounted on the cylindrical vibration damping device 12 in the correct orientation, the misassembly prevention projection 26 does not obstruct the fitting of the fitting cylinder portion 20 to the central shaft portion 40 of the inner shaft member 32.
[0050] On the other hand, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, when the pair of mounting plates 14, 14 of the stopper buffer 10 are mounted in reverse orientation on the inner shaft member 32, the misassembly prevention projection 26 protrudes from the fitting cylinder 20 toward the cylindrical vibration damping device 12 side (inward in the front-rear direction). In this case, as shown in Figure 9, the misassembly prevention projection 26 abuts against the main body rubber elastic body 36 of the cylindrical vibration damping device 12 in the front-rear direction, and the fitting of the central shaft portion 40 of the inner shaft member 32 and the fitting cylinder 20 is prevented by the misassembly prevention projection 26. Therefore, the pair of mounting plates 14, 14 are not held in the mounted state on the inner shaft member 32, and the stopper buffer 10 is not mounted on the cylindrical vibration damping device 12. Therefore, the stopper buffer 10 is prevented from being mounted on the cylindrical vibration damping device 12 in the reversed orientation, with the pair of mounting plates 14, 14 facing in opposite directions, by interference between the mis-assembly prevention projection 26 and the cylindrical vibration damping device 12. In this way, the stopper buffer 10 is prevented from being mounted in the reverse orientation by physical interference between the mis-assembly prevention projection 26 and the cylindrical vibration damping device 12 (main body rubber elastic body 36). As a result, the inspection process for detecting reverse mounting with sensors, etc., can be omitted, and inspection equipment, etc., becomes unnecessary, making it easy to prevent reverse mounting.
[0051] The misassembly prevention projection 26 protrudes in the front-to-back direction, which is the overlapping direction between the mounting plate portion 14 and the cylindrical vibration damping device 12. When the mounting plate portion 14 is attached to the cylindrical vibration damping device 12 in the reversed orientation, the projection abuts against the main body rubber elastic body 36 of the cylindrical vibration damping device 12. As a result, the force due to interference with the cylindrical vibration damping device 12 acts on the misassembly prevention projection 26 as a compressive force in the protruding direction, thus reducing the amount of elastic deformation of the misassembly prevention projection 26 compared to when it acts as a shearing force. Therefore, even when the central shaft portion 40 of the inner shaft member 32 is forcibly pushed into the mounting hole 22 of the mounting plate portion 14 while deforming the misassembly prevention projection 26 that has interfered with the cylindrical vibration damping device 12, a large resistance force from the compression spring of the misassembly prevention projection 26 acts, effectively preventing the stopper buffer 10 from being installed in the reversed orientation.
[0052] Furthermore, a tapered portion 24 is formed on the outer edge of the opening on the front side of the fitting cylinder portion 20, and the inner diameter of the outer edge of the opening on the front side of the fitting cylinder portion 20 is larger than the outer diameter of the central shaft portion 40 of the inner shaft member 32. As a result, for example, even if the fitting cylinder portion 20 is strongly pushed toward the cylindrical vibration damping device 12 side and the fitting cylinder portion 20 reaches the central shaft portion 40 due to the elastic deformation of the misassembly prevention projection 26 and the main body rubber elastic body 36, the relief portion 72, which is formed by the tapered portion 24 and is separated on the outer circumference side of the central shaft portion 40, prevents the fitting of the central shaft portion 40 and the fitting cylinder portion 20.Therefore, the reverse mounting of the stopper buffer 10 is more reliably prevented.
[0053] In this embodiment, the inner diameter of the opening on the front side of the fitting cylinder portion 20 is larger than the outer diameter of the central shaft portion 40 in the tapered portion 24. As a result, the anti-misassembly projection 26 protruding from the front end face of the fitting cylinder portion 20 has its inner circumferential surface located further outward than the outer circumferential surface of the central shaft portion 40. Therefore, fitting of the central shaft portion 40 with the inner circumferential surfaces of the multiple anti-misassembly projections 26 is prevented, and the reverse mounting of the stopper buffer 10 is more advantageously avoided.
[0054] The misassembly prevention projection 26 protrudes from the front end of the fitting cylinder portion 20, whose inner diameter is enlarged by the tapered portion 24, and the inner circumferential surface of the misassembly prevention projection 26 is located on the outer circumference side of the central shaft portion 40 of the inner shaft member 32. Therefore, when the stopper buffer 10 is installed in the reverse orientation, the central shaft portion 40 does not come into contact with the inner circumferential surface of the misassembly prevention projection 26, and fitting between the central shaft portion 40 and the inner circumferential surface of the misassembly prevention projection 26 is avoided, thereby preventing the stopper buffer 10 from being installed in the reverse orientation on the inner shaft member 32.
[0055] The misassembly prevention projection 26 is partially provided circumferentially on the opening periphery of the mounting hole 22. This makes it more difficult for the central shaft portion 40 of the inner shaft member 32 to fit onto the inner circumferential surface of the misassembly prevention projection 26 compared to when it is a continuous cylindrical shape around the entire circumference, thus making it easier to avoid mounting the stopper buffer 10 in the wrong orientation.
[0056] In this embodiment, multiple partial misassembly prevention protrusions 26 are provided spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction. Therefore, even if each misassembly prevention protrusion 26 is narrow in width, it is possible to effectively prevent the device from being mounted upside down due to interference with the cylindrical vibration damping device 12.
[0057] Furthermore, the multiple misassembly prevention protrusions 26 are arranged within a range of less than half the circumference of the mounting hole 22 at the opening periphery of the mounting hole 22, and in this embodiment, they are arranged only on one arc-shaped curved portion of the mounting hole 22, which has an oval cross-section. As a result, the fitting of the inner shaft member 32 onto the inner circumference side of the multiple misassembly prevention protrusions 26 is more advantageously prevented, and the reverse mounting of the stopper buffer 10 is effectively avoided.
[0058] Figure 10 partially shows a stopper buffer 80 as a second embodiment of the present invention mounted on a cylindrical vibration damping device 12. In the following description, components and parts that are substantially the same as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals in the figures and their descriptions are omitted. Also, parts outside the area shown in Figure 10 are substantially the same as those in the first embodiment. Figure 10A shows the stopper buffer 80 mounted on the cylindrical vibration damping device 12 in the correct orientation, and Figure 10B shows the stopper buffer 80 mounted on the cylindrical vibration damping device 12 in the reverse orientation.
[0059] The stopper buffer 80 is provided with an anti-misassembly projection 82 that protrudes from the opening periphery of the mounting hole 22. In this embodiment, the anti-misassembly projection 82 protrudes inward from the axially (front-rear direction) outer end of the fitting cylinder portion 20 that constitutes the opening periphery of the mounting hole 22. The anti-misassembly projection 82 may be provided partially in the circumferential direction, similar to the anti-misassembly projection 26 of the first embodiment, and multiple projections may be provided spaced apart from each other. Furthermore, it is desirable that the partially circumferential anti-misassembly projection 82 be arranged in a range of half a circumference or less of the mounting hole 22. Because the partially circumferential anti-misassembly projection 82 protrudes inward from the fitting cylinder portion 20, the axially outer end of the mounting hole 22 has a partially reduced hole diameter in the portion where the anti-misassembly projection 82 is formed.
[0060] Similar to the first embodiment, the stopper buffer 80 is mounted on the cylindrical vibration damping device 12 by fitting the fitting cylinder portion 20 onto the central shaft portion 40 of the inner shaft member 32. When the stopper buffer 80 is mounted on the inner shaft member 32 with the front and back sides of the mounting plate portion 14, including the fitting cylinder portion 20, facing the correct orientation, the misassembly prevention projection 82 is positioned axially outward relative to the central shaft portion 40 of the inner shaft member 32 without interfering with it, as shown in Figure 10A.
[0061] On the other hand, when the mounting plate portion 14 is mounted in the reverse orientation, with the front and back sides opposite to the appropriate orientation, as shown in Figure 10B, the mis-assembly prevention projection 82 protruding inward from the fitting cylinder portion 20 abuts against the axial end face of the central shaft portion 40 of the inner shaft member 32. This prevents the central shaft portion 40 from being inserted into the mounting hole 22, thus preventing the stopper buffer 80 from being incorrectly mounted in the reverse orientation to the cylindrical vibration damping device 12.
[0062] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited by its specific description. For example, in the first embodiment, a stopper buffer 10 was shown in which a pair of mounting plate portions 14, 14 are integrally continuous via a connecting plate portion 16, but the present invention can also be applied to a stopper buffer composed of only one mounting plate portion 14.
[0063] In the first embodiment, for example, textures such as bumps, ridges, or grooves for cushioning or preventing adhesion may be formed on the surface of the mounting plate portions 14, 14 (cushioning plate portions 18, 18) that constitute the front and rear stoppers. Similarly, for example, textures such as bumps, ridges, or grooves for cushioning or preventing adhesion may be formed on the surface of the connecting plate portion 16 (intermediate cushioning portion 28) that constitute the lateral stopper.
[0064] The misassembly prevention projection can be, for example, an annular or cylindrical shape that protrudes from the opening edge of the mounting hole so as to extend continuously around its entire circumference. Furthermore, if multiple misassembly prevention projections are partially provided in the circumferential direction, these projections may be arranged over a range exceeding half the circumference of the mounting hole. In cases where axially protruding misassembly prevention projections are provided over a range exceeding half the circumference, it is desirable that a relief portion be provided on the inner circumference side of the misassembly prevention projection, such that the inner circumferential surface of the misassembly prevention projection is located further outward than the outer circumferential surface of the fitting portion of the inner shaft member into the mounting hole, in order to prevent the misassembly prevention projection from being fitted into the inner shaft member.
[0065] When providing a partial misassembly prevention projection in an area of less than half the circumference of the mounting hole, the area of less than half the circumference in which the misassembly prevention projection is provided is preferably on the side opposite to the connecting plate portion 16 as shown in the first embodiment, but it can also be set in other positions.
[0066] When multiple anti-misassembly protrusions are provided, these protrusions may have different shapes from each other. Specifically, for example, the multiple anti-misassembly protrusions may have different widths in the circumferential direction of the mounting hole, different thicknesses, or different protruding lengths. In short, the number of anti-misassembly protrusions, their arrangement in the circumferential direction of the mounting hole, their shape, size, etc., are not limited.
[0067] The fitting cylinder portion is not limited to an elongated cylindrical shape, and can be cylindrical, polygonal, or irregularly shaped depending on the shape of the inner shaft member (central shaft portion) to which it is fitted. As is clear from this, the cross-sectional shape of the mounting hole is not particularly limited. [Explanation of Symbols]
[0068] 10. Stopper buffer (first embodiment) 12. Cylindrical vibration isolation device 14 Mounting plate section 16. Connecting plate section 18 Buffer plate part 20 Fitting cylinder part 22 mounting holes 24 Tapered section 26. Projection to prevent incorrect assembly 28 Intermediate buffer section 30 Connection part 32 Inner shaft member 34 Outer cylindrical member 36 Main body rubber elastic body 38 Vibration Isolator Body 40 Central shaft section 42 Mounting piece 44 bolt holes 46 First piercing hole 48 Second piercing hole 50 First Stopper Rubber 52 Second stopper rubber 54 Rubber feet 56 Inner cylindrical part 58 Outer cylindrical part 60 Outer Bracket 62 Press-fit holes 64 Annular Planar Section 66 Front stopper surface 68 Rear stopper surface 70 Lateral stopper surface 72 Missed Club 80 Stopper buffer (second embodiment) 82 Protrusion to prevent incorrect assembly
Claims
1. A stopper buffer used in a stopper mechanism that limits the relative displacement between an inner shaft member and an outer cylindrical member in a cylindrical vibration isolation device, It is equipped with a mounting plate portion having a mounting hole formed therein that fits into the inner shaft member, The mounting plate portion is provided with a stopper buffer that protrudes from the periphery of the opening of the mounting hole and interferes with the cylindrical vibration damping device when mounted in the reverse direction, thereby preventing the mounting plate portion from fitting onto the inner shaft member.
2. The stopper buffer according to claim 1, wherein the anti-misassembly projection protrudes from the mounting plate portion toward either the opposite side of the cylindrical vibration damping device or toward the inner circumference side of the mounting hole.
3. The stopper buffer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a plurality of the misassembly prevention protrusions are partially provided at the opening periphery of the mounting hole, spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the mounting hole.
4. The stopper buffer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a relief portion is provided on the surface side of the mounting plate portion at the periphery of the opening of the mounting hole, the relief portion having a larger diameter than the fitting portion of the inner shaft member into the mounting hole.
5. The stopper buffer according to claim 4, wherein the relief portion includes a tapered portion formed on the peripheral edge of the opening of the mounting hole and expanding toward the surface side of the mounting plate portion.
6. The stopper buffer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a pair of mounting plate portions, which are fitted onto the inner shaft member from both axial sides, are connected to each other by connecting plate portions integrally formed with the mounting plate portions.
7. The stopper buffer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the anti-misassembly projection is provided in a range of half a circumference or less on the opening periphery of the mounting hole.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
JP1975094300A