Spring seat and suspension equipped with same

Abstract

To prevent local thinning of a metal plate and improve a surface strength of a top plate part of a protrusion in a spring seat having such a shape that the protrusion and a reception seat part are integrally configured by bending the metal plate, and to provide a suspension having the same.SOLUTION: A spring seat has a protrusion projecting above a vehicle body, and a seating face part which supports one end part of a coil spring provided at a base end part of the protrusion. The protrusion and the seating face part have an integral shape comprising a bent metal plate. The protrusion has a top plate part, and a side wall part which extends below the vehicle body from the top plate part, and the top plate part has a recess recessed below the vehicle body. When a bottom of the recess is so made as to be a reference, a height of a marginal part of the protrusion on a front side and a rear side in a vehicle body cross direction is small compared to a height of a marginal part on the right side and the left side of a vehicle width direction, or when the bottom of the recess is so made as to be reference, the height of the marginal part of the protrusion on the right side and the left side of the vehicle width direction is small compared to the height of the marginal part on the front side and the rear side of the vehicle cross direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a spring seat and a suspension including the spring seat. [Background technology]

[0002] As shown in the following Patent Documents 1 and 2, there is known a suspension (suspension device) equipped with a spring seat that supports the lower end of a coil spring on a seat provided on a cylindrical protrusion. The suspension of Patent Document 1 is equipped with a suspension arm, one end of which is supported in a swingable state relative to the vehicle body, and the other end of which is supported in a rotatable state on the lower end of a shock absorber. The upper end of the shock absorber is supported in a rotatable state relative to the vehicle body. The spring seat is provided on the upper surface of the suspension arm, and an elastic sheet is provided between the spring seat and the coil spring.

[0003] Patent Document 2 describes a spring seat having a cylindrical protrusion and a receiving seat disposed at the base end of the protrusion. The receiving seat is provided with a protruding portion that is inclined to follow the shape of the coil spring. The protruding portion (restricting portion) is said to prevent the bottom surface of the receiving seat surface from curling up and away from the bracket when the vehicle body swings up and down. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5182889 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 5524533 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] When a spring seat such as that disclosed in Patent Document 1 or Patent Document 2 is formed by bending a metal plate, the metal plate is stretched and becomes locally thin, which reduces durability and strength over the long term. During manufacturing, there are problems such as perforations occurring in the metal plate, resulting in a decrease in yield.

[0006] When the spring seat is formed by bending a metal plate, the top plate of the protrusion is in the shape of a flat plate, which can result in insufficient surface strength of the top plate.

[0007] The present invention aims to provide a spring seat having a shape in which a protrusion and a seat portion are integrally formed by bending a metal plate material, which prevents the metal plate material from becoming locally thin and improves the surface strength of the top plate portion of the protrusion, and a suspension having the spring seat. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The above-mentioned problems are solved by a spring seat that supports a coil spring in an automobile suspension, the spring seat having a protrusion that protrudes above the vehicle body and a seating surface that is disposed at the base end of the protrusion and supports one end of the coil spring, the protrusion and the seating surface being integrally formed by bending sheet metal, the protrusion having a top plate and side walls that extend from the top plate toward the bottom of the vehicle body, the top plate having a recess that is recessed toward the bottom of the vehicle body, the height of the edge of the protrusion at the front and rear edges in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle body being smaller than the height of the right and left edges in the width direction of the vehicle body when taken as a reference point, or the height of the edge of the protrusion at the front and rear edges in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle body being smaller than the height of the front and rear edges in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle body when taken as a reference point, and a suspension that includes this spring seat.

[0009] In the above spring seat, the surface strength of the top plate of the protrusion is increased and local thinning of the metal plate material is prevented. Also, in the above spring seat, the height of the right and left edges in the width direction of the vehicle body is configured to be greater than the height of the front and rear edges in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle body, or the height of the front and rear edges in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle body is configured to be greater than the height of the right and left edges in the width direction of the vehicle body, so that when the vehicle body swings up and down, the ends of the coil spring are less likely to climb over the right and left edges or the front and rear edges and fall off.

[0010] In the above spring seat, the height of the edges of the protrusions is such that the height of the front and rear edges in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is smaller than the height of the right and left edges in the transverse direction of the vehicle body, or the height of the right and left edges in the transverse direction of the vehicle body is smaller than the height of the front and rear edges in the transverse direction of the vehicle body, so that water is discharged from the front and rear edges in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body or the right and left edges in the transverse direction of the vehicle body, making it difficult for water, mud, dust, etc. to accumulate on the top plate.

[0011] In the above spring seat and suspension, it is preferable that the top plate portion has a groove formed therein extending between the front edge and the rear edge, or a groove formed therein extending between the right edge and the left edge, thereby further increasing the surface strength of the top plate portion of the protrusion and minimizing local thinning of the metal plate material.

[0012] In the above spring seat and suspension, it is preferable that the bottom of the groove, the right edge, and the left edge are connected by curved surfaces that slope downward toward the bottom, or the bottom of the groove, the front edge, and the rear edge are connected by curved surfaces that slope downward toward the bottom. This increases the surface strength of the top plate of the protrusion and reduces local thinning of the metal plate.

[0013] In the above-mentioned spring seat and suspension, the spring seat comprises a first plate-shaped portion arranged at the front side of the vehicle body and continuous with the seating surface portion, a second plate-shaped portion arranged at the rear side of the vehicle body and continuous with the seating surface portion, a third plate-shaped portion arranged on the outside in the vehicle width direction and continuous with the seating surface portion, and a fourth plate-shaped portion arranged on the inside in the vehicle width direction and continuous with the seating surface portion, and it is preferable that the first plate-shaped portion has a shape including an inclined portion that slopes downward toward the bottom of the vehicle body, and the second plate-shaped portion has a shape including an inclined portion that slopes downward toward the bottom of the vehicle body.

[0014] In the above-mentioned spring seat and suspension, it is preferable that the third plate-shaped portion has a shape having a step portion and an outer edge portion extending outward in the vehicle width direction from the step portion, and the fourth plate-shaped portion has a shape having a plate-shaped inner edge portion bent upwardly of the vehicle body.

[0015] The top plate portion has excellent surface strength and can be used as a seat for the bump stopper. That is, in the spring seat and suspension, the top plate portion of the protrusion can function as a portion that abuts against the bump stopper. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a spring seat having a shape in which a protrusion and a receiving seat are integrally formed by bending a metal plate material, which prevents the metal plate material from becoming thin locally and improves the surface strength of the top plate portion of the protrusion, and a suspension having the spring seat. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of a suspension including a spring seat. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the suspension of FIG. 1 as seen from above the vehicle body. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the suspension of FIG. 1 as seen from the rear of the vehicle body. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the suspension of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an exploded state of the suspension of FIG. 1. [Figure 6] 1 is a side view showing an embodiment of a spring seat as viewed from the right side of a vehicle body. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a front view of the spring seat of FIG. 6. [Figure 8] FIG. 7 is a plan view of the spring seat of FIG. 6. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA′ in FIG. 8. [Figure 10] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB′ in FIG. 8. [Figure 11] This is a 3D model of the spring seat in Figure 6. [Figure 12] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a portion A of the spring seat of FIG. 6 where the reduction rate of the thickness of the metal plate material is the largest. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a portion B where the reduction rate of the thickness of the metal plate material was the largest in the spring seat according to the comparative example. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the spring seat according to the comparative example shown in FIG. 13, taken at a position corresponding to the above-mentioned AA′ portion. [Figure 15] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the spring seat according to the comparative example shown in FIG. 13, taken at a position corresponding to the portion BB′. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] The following describes an embodiment of the spring seat of the present invention and a suspension having the same. The following embodiments and usage examples are merely examples of the present invention, and the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments.

[0019] 1 to 12 show a spring seat 1 that supports a coil spring, and an automobile suspension 5 (hereinafter simply referred to as a suspension) that has the spring seat 1.

[0020] The suspension of this embodiment is classified as a de-de-on axle type suspension. 1 and 5, the suspension 5 comprises a pair of left and right hub plates 51 that function as support members for the wheels, a pipe 52 having one end and the other end fixed to an opening in the hub plate 51, a pair of left and right lower members 53 fixed to the pipe 52 from below, a pair of left and right spring seats 1 fixed to the pipe 52 from above, a pair of left and right first link brackets 54 fixed to the lower members 53 from below and provided on the front side of the vehicle body, a pair of left and right second link brackets 55 fixed to the lower members 53 from below and provided on the rear side of the vehicle body, a pair of left and right shock absorber brackets 56 fixed to the pipe 52 from the rear side of the vehicle body, a lateral rod bracket 57 fixed to the pipe 52 from the rear side of the vehicle body, a lateral rod 573, a coil spring 58 provided between the protrusion 11 of the coil spring seat 1 and the side frame 81 of the vehicle body, and a pair of left and right arms 59 having one end fixed to the coil spring seat 1. The other end of the arm 59 is a cylindrical portion for attaching a bushing through which the shaft is inserted, and is supported in a swingable state relative to a member (not shown) on the vehicle body side.

[0021] The lower member 53 is formed by bending a metal plate, and has a front end and a rear end fixed to the front end and the rear end of the spring seat 1 by welding, thereby forming an annular member in a side view. The lower member 53 is provided with a through hole formed along the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle body. The method of bending the metal plate is not particularly limited, but examples include press molding, in which the metal plate is sandwiched between an upper die and a lower die and pressurized.

[0022] First link bracket 54 is formed by bending a metal plate, and has a generally arcuate shape, including a first wall and a second wall extending downward toward the vehicle body, and a third wall joining the upper ends of the first and second walls. First link bracket 54 is fixed to the front part of spring seat 1, along the bottom surface of lower member 53.

[0023] Second link bracket 55 is formed by bending a metal plate and has a first wall and a second wall extending forward, and a third wall joining the rear ends of the first and second walls. The upper ends of the first and second walls are generally arc-shaped. The lower ends of the first and second walls are shaped to extend linearly in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle body. Second link bracket 55 is fixed by welding to the bottom surface of lower member 53 and the rear end of pipe 52.

[0024] Hub plate 51 is a member having a through hole for fitting pipe 52 and a through hole for attaching a hub. The upper end of hub plate 51 is shaped to be connected to outer edge portion 152 of spring seat 1. The lower end of hub plate 51 is shaped to be connected to the end of lower member 53 on the outer side of the vehicle body.

[0025] The shock absorber bracket 56 is formed by bending a metal plate and has a first wall and a second wall extending in the vertical direction, and a third wall joining the lower ends of the first and second walls. The first and second walls are plate-shaped with inclined portions, and the distance between the first and second walls increases toward the top of the vehicle body. The first and second walls have through holes for supporting the shock absorber shaft. The bracket 56 is fixed to the rear of the pipe 52.

[0026] The lateral rod bracket 57 comprises a first bracket 571 and a second bracket 572. Both the first bracket 571 and the second bracket 572 are formed by bending a metal plate and have a first wall, a second wall, and a third wall that joins one end of the first wall and the second wall. The second bracket 572 is fixed so that the first wall and the second wall of the second bracket 572 protrude from the first wall of the first bracket 571, which is provided on the upper side of the vehicle body. A through hole is provided in the first wall and the second wall of the second bracket 572 to support the shaft of the lateral rod 573. The first wall and the second wall of the first bracket 571 are fixed to the rear of the pipe 52.

[0027] When an input is applied from the wheel, the arm 59 swings up and down with the other end of the arm 59 as a fulcrum. The coil spring 58 supported by the protrusion 11 of the spring seat 1 repeatedly compresses and expands in accordance with the swing of the arm 59. A bump stopper 7 made of an elastic material such as vulcanized rubber is provided on the side frame 81 of the vehicle body in a position facing the protrusion 11. If the arm 59 swings excessively upward, the bump stopper 7 collides with the top plate portion 116 of the protrusion 11, thereby restricting the excessive swing. The right and left side frames 81 are connected by a cross frame 82 that extends in the vehicle width direction.

[0028] The spring seat 1 has a protrusion 11 that protrudes above the vehicle body, and a seating surface 12 that is disposed at the base end of the protrusion 11 and supports one end of the coil spring. The protrusion 11 and the seating surface 12 are integrally formed by bending a metal plate. The protrusion 11 has a top plate 116 and a side wall 112 that extends from the top plate 116 toward the bottom of the vehicle body. The side wall 112 is plate-shaped, with the upper end of the side wall 112 continuing with the top plate 116 and the lower end of the side wall 112 continuing with the seating surface 12. As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the top plate portion 116 has a shape with a recess 113 that is recessed downward toward the vehicle body, and when the bottom of the recess 113 is used as a reference, the height of the edge of the protrusion 11 is such that the height of the front and rear edge portions 111b in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle body is smaller than the height of the right and left edge portions 111a in the width direction of the vehicle body.

[0029] The protrusion 11 is substantially cylindrical and protrudes upward from the seating surface 12 of the vehicle body. The edges of the protrusion 11 are rounded in an arc shape. The seating surface 12 is a flat portion located lower than the top plate 116 and surrounding the top plate. One end of the coil spring 58 contacts the seating surface 12. As shown in FIG. 11 , a sloping portion 121 is provided on the rear side of the vehicle body of the seating surface 12. When the protrusion 11 is viewed from above the vehicle body, the sloping portion 121 has an inclined surface that slopes upward in the clockwise direction. The seating surface 12 slopes upward in the counterclockwise direction with a gentle slope. The angle of inclination of the seating surface 12 in the counterclockwise direction is gentler than the angle of inclination of the sloping portion 121. The ends of the spirally wound wire that constitutes coil spring 58 abut against the inclined portion 121, and the wire is supported so as to abut against the gently inclined seat portion 12. The edge of the protrusion refers to the part where the top plate portion and the side wall portion are joined and where the height of the top plate portion is the highest.

[0030] Regarding the edges of the protrusions, the front end 111b is preferably located between 11 and 1 o'clock on the clock face, i.e., at a position between 240 and 300°, when the cylindrical protrusion is viewed from above the vehicle body. The rear end 111b is preferably located between 5 and 7 o'clock on the clock face, i.e., at a position between 60 and 120°, when the cylindrical protrusion is viewed from above the vehicle body. The left end 111a is preferably located between 8 and 10 o'clock on the clock face, i.e., at a position between 150 and 210°, when the cylindrical protrusion is viewed from above the vehicle body. The right end 111a is preferably located between 2 and 4 o'clock on the clock face, i.e., at a position between 0 and 30° and 330 and 360°, when the cylindrical protrusion is viewed from above the vehicle body. In the above, the angle is measured clockwise from the 3 o'clock position, i.e., the right side perpendicular to the vehicle length direction, which is 0° (360°).

[0031] 7, 11, etc., the top plate portion 116 has a shape in which a recessed groove 114 is formed extending between the front edge portion 111b and the rear edge portion 111b. A bottom portion 115 of the recessed groove 114, the right edge portion 111a, and the left edge portion 111a are connected by curved surfaces that slope downward toward the bottom portion 115.

[0032] As shown in Figures 6 and 8, the spring seat 1 includes a first plate-shaped portion 13 disposed on the front side of the vehicle body and continuous with the seating surface portion 12, a second plate-shaped portion 14 disposed on the rear side of the vehicle body and continuous with the seating surface portion 12, a third plate-shaped portion 15 disposed on the outer side in the vehicle width direction and continuous with the seating surface portion 12, and a fourth plate-shaped portion 16 disposed on the inner side in the vehicle width direction and continuous with the seating surface portion 12. The first plate-shaped portion 13 is shaped to include an inclined portion 131 that slopes diagonally downward toward the front of the vehicle body. The inclined portion 131 is shaped in such a way that a metal plate material is bent into an arc shape in a side view. The second plate-shaped portion 14 is shaped to include an inclined portion 141 that slopes diagonally downward toward the rear of the vehicle body. The first plate-shaped portion 13, the second plate-shaped portion 14, the third plate-shaped portion 15, and the fourth plate-shaped portion 16 are made of metal plate material that is continuous with the seat portion 12, and have a shape formed by bending the metal plate material.

[0033] 7, the first plate-shaped portion 13 has a recessed hole 132 in the inclined portion 131 that is recessed toward the back side of the spring seat 1. The recessed hole 132 is provided at a position where the above-mentioned arm 59 is attached. The recessed hole 132 is provided to reinforce the spring seat 1 against stress generated by input from the arm 59.

[0034] 8, the second plate-shaped portion 14 has a shape that includes a protrusion 142 provided at the end portion on the inside of the vehicle body when viewed from above the vehicle body. The protrusion 142 is shaped so that the second plate-shaped portion 14 protrudes in a curved manner toward the rear of the vehicle body.

[0035] 9, the third plate-shaped portion 15 has a shape including a step portion 151 and an outer edge portion 152 extending outward in the vehicle width direction from the step portion 151. The step portion 151 is continuous with the above-mentioned seating surface portion 12. Due to the step portion 151, the height of the outer edge portion is lowered downwardly of the vehicle body compared to the height of the seating surface portion 12.

[0036] The fourth plate-shaped portion 16 has a plate-shaped inner edge portion 161 that is bent upward toward the vehicle body. The inner edge portion 161 improves the surface strength of the spring seat 1. The inner edge portion 161 and the seat surface portion 12 are connected by a flat plate-shaped portion. As shown in FIG. 8, when viewed from above the vehicle body, the spring seat 1 has an inner edge portion 161 that has an arc-shaped portion that protrudes toward the inside of the vehicle body, and is not a perfect rectangle.

[0037] In the suspension 5, as shown in FIG. 1 , a bump stopper 7 is provided on the side frame 81 at a position facing the top plate portion 116 of the protrusion 11. If the arm 59 swings excessively upward, the bump stopper 7 comes into contact with the top plate portion 116, restricting the excessive swing. The top plate portion 116 has a shape with a recess 113 recessed downward toward the vehicle body. When the bottom of the recess 113 is used as a reference, the height of the edges of the protrusion 11 is smaller at the front and rear edges 111b in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body than at the right and left edges 111a in the width direction of the vehicle body. This prevents the top plate portion 116 from being deformed or damaged when the bump stopper 7 comes into contact with the top plate portion 116. The bottom of the top plate portion refers to the lowest point on the bottom portion 115 in the vertical direction of the vehicle body.

[0038] Furthermore, according to the above-mentioned shape, water is discharged from the end 111b on the front side or rear side of the vehicle body, so that dirt such as water and mud is less likely to accumulate on the top plate portion 116, and rusting and dirt getting caught in the sliding parts near the top plate portion 116 are less likely to occur.

[0039] Furthermore, with the above-described shape, when forming the spring seat by bending the metal plate, it is possible to prevent the thickness of the metal plate from being significantly reduced locally. This improves the yield when manufacturing the spring seat by bending the metal plate. It is also possible to prevent breakage of the spring seat at the part where the thickness of the metal plate is locally reduced due to input from the wheel.

[0040] For example, in the spring seat 1 shown in FIG. 12, the portion where the thickness of the metal sheet is thinnest when the metal sheet is bent is portion A on the outside of the protrusion 11. Portion A is located at the joint between the top plate and the side wall on the outside of the vehicle body. On the other hand, in the spring seat 1b shown in FIG. 13, the portion where the thickness of the metal sheet is thinnest when the metal sheet is bent is portion B on the front side of the protrusion 11b. Portion B is located at the joint between the top plate and the side wall on the front side of the vehicle body. Note that in the spring seat 1b, the shape of the protrusion 11b is different, and as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, when the bottom of the recess 113b is used as the reference, the height of the edge of the protrusion 11b is the same for right and left edge portions 111c in the width direction of the vehicle body and for front and rear edge portions 111d in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. The recess 113b has a shape in which a sphere is pressed against a flat metal plate, causing the entire top plate to be recessed in a curved shape that follows the sphere.

[0041] The thickness reduction rate at portion A of protrusion 11 is improved by approximately 30% compared to the thickness reduction rate at portion B of protrusion 11b. In other words, "thickness reduction rate at portion B - thickness reduction rate at portion A = approximately 30%."

[0042] The reduction rate of plate thickness is calculated using the following formula. Plate thickness reduction rate (%) = [{Thickness of metal plate before bending (mm) - Thickness of metal plate after bending (mm)} ÷ {Thickness of metal plate before bending (mm)}] × 100 The "thickness (mm) of the metal plate material after bending" is the thickness of the metal plate material at the above-mentioned portion A or portion B.

[0043] In the protrusion 11b, water and dirt tend to accumulate in the spherically recessed recess 113b, and the surface strength of the top plate is insufficient.

[0044] In the spring seat 1b, the entire top plate portion 116b has a spherically recessed shape. When forming such a shape by bending metal, it is easy for areas where metal distortion becomes locally large to occur. In the spring seat 1, the bottom portion of the recessed groove in the top plate portion 116b has a flat shape, as shown in the BB' cross section of Figure 10, for example, and the drawing is shallow. This keeps local metal distortion relatively small.

[0045] The spring seat 1 is shaped so that the height of the right and left edges 111a in the width direction of the body is greater than the height of the front and rear edges 111b in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. This ensures that the side wall 112 of the protrusion 11 protrudes a certain height from the seat surface 12, preventing the end of the coil spring 58 from falling off the protrusion 11 when the coil spring 58 repeatedly compresses and expands.

[0046] The suspension to which the spring seat of the present invention is applied is not limited to the dexter axle suspension described above, but may also be, for example, a multi-link suspension such as a three-link suspension, a rigid axle, or a torsion beam suspension.

[0047] The above embodiment illustrates an example of a de-on axle suspension. For example, in a suspension system with an arm extending laterally across the vehicle body, such as a multi-link lower arm, the swing direction changes, so the height of the edges of the protrusions is configured such that the height of the right and left edges in the vehicle width direction is smaller than the height of the front and rear edges in the vehicle front-rear direction. This achieves the same effect as a de-on axle suspension. In this case, the top plate portion preferably has a groove extending between the right edge and the left edge. In this case, the bottom of the groove is preferably connected to the front edge and the rear edge by a curved surface that slopes downward toward the bottom. [Explanation of symbols]

[0048] 5 Automotive suspension 1 spring seat 11 Protrusion 12 Seat part 116 Top plate 112 Side wall 113 Recess 111a Right and left edges 111b Front and rear edges 114 Groove 13 First plate-shaped portion 14 Second plate-shaped portion 15 Third plate-shaped portion 16 Fourth plate-shaped part 131 Slope 141 Slope 151 Multilayered section 152 outer edge 161 Inner edge 7 Bump Stopper

Claims

1. A spring seat that supports the coil springs of an automobile suspension. The spring seat has a protrusion that protrudes upward from the vehicle body, and a seat portion that is disposed at a base end of the protrusion and supports one end of the coil spring, The protrusion and the seat portion are integrally formed by bending a metal plate, The protrusion has a top plate portion and a side wall portion extending from the top plate portion toward a lower portion of the vehicle body, The top plate portion has a shape having a recess that is recessed downward toward the vehicle body, When the bottom of the recess is used as a reference, the height of the edge of the protrusion is such that the height of the front and rear edges in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle body is smaller than the height of the right and left edges in the width direction of the vehicle body; or When the bottom of the recess is used as a reference, the height of the edge of the protrusion is such that the height of the right and left edges in the width direction of the vehicle body is smaller than the height of the front and rear edges in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle body.

2. 2. The spring seat according to claim 1, wherein the top plate portion has a shape in which a groove extending between the front edge portion and the rear edge portion is formed, or a shape in which a groove extending between the right edge portion and the left edge portion is formed.

3. The bottom of the groove, the right edge, and the left edge are connected by a curved surface that slopes downward toward the bottom, or 3. The spring seat according to claim 1, wherein the bottom of the groove, the front edge, and the rear edge are connected by curved surfaces that slope downward toward the bottom.

4. a first plate-shaped portion disposed on the front side of the vehicle body and continuous with the seating surface portion; a second plate-shaped portion disposed on the rear side of the vehicle body and continuous with the seat portion; a third plate-shaped portion disposed on the outer side in the vehicle width direction and continuous with the seating surface portion; a fourth plate-shaped portion disposed on the inner side in the vehicle width direction and continuous with the seat surface portion, the first plate-shaped portion has a shape including an inclined portion that slopes downward toward the bottom of the vehicle body, 3. The spring seat according to claim 1, wherein the second plate-shaped portion has a shape including an inclined portion that slopes downward toward the bottom of the vehicle body.

5. the third plate-shaped portion has a shape including a step portion and an outer edge portion extending outward in the vehicle width direction from the step portion, 5. The spring seat according to claim 4, wherein the fourth plate-shaped portion has a plate-shaped inner edge portion bent upward toward the vehicle body.

6. 3. The spring seat according to claim 1, wherein the top plate of the protrusion functions as a portion that abuts against a bump stopper.

7. A suspension comprising the spring seat according to claim 1 or 2.

Images