Liquid-sealed vibration isolation device
The innovative assembly mechanism for liquid-sealed vibration damping devices uses flexible locking pieces with guide grooves to achieve precise alignment and stable engagement, addressing misalignment and damage issues, ensuring high-precision sealing performance.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SUMITOMO RIKO CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2022-02-25
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-20
AI Technical Summary
Conventional liquid-sealed vibration damping devices face issues with misalignment and damage during assembly due to dimensional errors, complicating the manufacturing process and hindering stable sealing performance.
A novel assembly mechanism using flexible locking pieces and locking claws with guide grooves ensures precise alignment and stable engagement without requiring special jigs, allowing for efficient assembly and preventing damage.
The mechanism enables high-precision, stable sealing performance by guiding locking claws into locking holes, ensuring accurate alignment and preventing damage, thus simplifying the assembly process.
Smart Images

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Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a vibration isolation device applied to an engine mount of an automobile or the like, and particularly to a liquid-sealed vibration isolation device provided with a liquid chamber.
Background Art
[0002] Conventionally, as a type of vibration isolation device used for an engine mount of an automobile or the like, there is known a liquid-sealed vibration isolation device provided with a liquid chamber sealed with respect to the external space, which utilizes the flow action of a liquid generated during vibration input to improve the vibration isolation performance.
[0003] In such a liquid-sealed vibration isolation device, for example, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-180779 (Patent Document 1), in a vibration isolation device main body in which a first mounting member and a second mounting member are connected by a main body rubber elastic body, a sealing member is sandwiched between the second mounting member and a sealing member is overlapped and assembled from below. And a recess for a liquid chamber formed inside the main body rubber elastic body and opening downward through the second mounting member is covered with a lid member such as diaphragm rubber supported by the sealing member, and a liquid chamber sealed by sealing at the overlapping portion of the second mounting member and the sealing member is formed.
[0004] By the way, the assembly of the sealing member to the second mounting member can be realized by fastening with bolts or the like or caulking of metal, etc., but from the viewpoints of simplification of the structure and facilitation of manufacturing, etc., it is preferable to adopt a locking mechanism by hooking using an elastic hook or the like as described in Patent Document 1. Such a locking mechanism is constituted by, for example, a plurality of sets of substantially U-shaped flexible locking pieces protruding from one of the second mounting member and the sealing member toward the other, and locking claws formed on the other of the second mounting member and the sealing member and hooked in the locking holes of the locking pieces, which are provided at positions corresponding to each other in the circumferential direction.
[0005] However, it has been found that conventional liquid-sealed vibration damping devices, such as the one described in Patent Document 1, which employ such a locking mechanism, have problems that need to be improved. Specifically, when assembling the sealing member to the second mounting member, the locking piece and locking claw, which are formed to protrude from one side to the other, come into contact first. However, due to dimensional errors in the members, multiple sets of locking pieces and locking claws may not come into contact simultaneously, or they may come into contact with each other while being misaligned. Such problems with the contact between the locking pieces and locking claws can cause the second mounting member and the sealing member to become misaligned with each other, making it difficult to stably achieve good sealing performance, or the locking claw may not properly catch in the locking hole, potentially damaging the locking piece or locking claw.
[0006] Furthermore, to address these issues, we considered using a jig to precisely align the second mounting member and the sealing member during assembly. However, this would require a large jig with high dimensional accuracy, as well as the need to position the jig and set each member within it, inevitably complicating the manufacturing process. For this reason, aligning the two members using such a jig would hinder the original effect of employing a special locking mechanism in which a locking claw is hooked into a locking hole in the locking piece, thereby enabling the assembly of the sealing member to the second mounting member in a simple process. Therefore, it was not very practical. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]
[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-180779 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]
[0008] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a novel liquid-sealed vibration damping device that does not hinder the simple assembly of the second mounting member and the sealing member by a locking mechanism in which a locking claw is hooked into a locking hole in a locking piece, improves the accuracy and stability of the alignment between the second mounting member and the sealing member, avoids damage to the locking piece or locking claw, and ensures that the locking claw is securely hooked into the locking hole in the locking piece, thereby enabling the second mounting member and the sealing member to be assembled with high precision and stable sealing performance of the liquid chamber. [Means for solving the problem]
[0009] The following describes embodiments of the present invention made to solve these problems. The components used in each embodiment described below can be used in any combination possible.
[0010] A first aspect of the present invention is as follows: In a liquid-sealed vibration damping device, a first mounting member and a second mounting member, separated vertically, are elastically connected by a main body rubber elastic body, and the device has a liquid chamber sealed by a sealing member that is assembled by overlapping the second mounting member from below with a sealing member in between, The second mounting member and the sealing member are assembled by a plurality of connecting and locking parts provided in the circumferential direction. The connecting locking portion includes a flexible locking piece formed to protrude from one of the second mounting member and the sealing member toward the other, which is elastically deformable toward the outer circumference and has a locking hole, and a locking claw formed on the other of the second mounting member and the sealing member which hooks into the locking hole of the locking piece. The locking piece has a guide groove that extends linearly in the direction of protrusion from the locking hole and guides the locking claw into the locking hole, The groove width of the guide groove is smaller than the circumferential dimension of the locking hole. Furthermore, the end of the guide groove on the side of the locking hole opens into the locking hole. Occasionally, The width dimension of the locking claw is greater at the tip than at the base end in the protruding direction. gradually A liquid-filled vibration damping device with a small, tapered, protruding shape.
[0011] In considering the alignment of the second mounting member and the sealing member during assembly, the inventor focused on the fact that the locking pieces and locking claws constituting the connecting locking portion are provided in pairs at multiple locations in the circumferential direction, and that they are the first to come into contact and interfere with each other when the second mounting member and the sealing member are brought closer to each other in the overlapping direction. That is, since the connecting locking portion is provided at multiple locations in the circumferential direction, the inventor considered that if the locking pieces and locking claws at multiple connecting locking portions are correctly aligned with each other, it would be possible to automatically set the second mounting member and the sealing member to the correct relative positions in the horizontal direction. Furthermore, since the locking piece and locking claw are the first to come into contact when assembling the second mounting member and sealing member, we considered that if these locking piece and locking claw were given a guiding function that guides them to the correct position themselves through mutual interference, it would be possible to efficiently guide the second mounting member and sealing member to the correct relative position in the initial assembly stage, when they are easily able to move horizontally relative to each other, before they are strongly overlapped and sandwich the sealing member.
[0012] Based on this novel approach, the liquid-sealed vibration damping device of this embodiment allows the second mounting member and the sealing member to be assembled using a simple assembly mechanism without the need for special assembly jigs or other equipment. Furthermore, when assembling the sealing member to the second mounting member, the connecting locking portion can be cleverly utilized to efficiently align the second mounting member and the sealing member horizontally with each other. In addition, since the guide mechanism guides the locking claw into a hooked state with the locking hole, poor engagement between the locking piece and the locking claw is prevented, enabling the assembly of the second mounting member and the sealing member by the connecting locking portion to be achieved with high accuracy and stability, thereby ensuring stable sealing performance of the liquid chamber. Moreover, damage to the connecting locking portion caused by the locking piece riding up onto the locking claw and becoming deformed can be avoided. Furthermore, in the liquid-sealed vibration damping device of this embodiment, since the locking claw has a tapered protruding shape, the locking claw can easily enter the guide groove even if the locking claw and the locking piece are misaligned when assembling the second mounting member and the sealing member. Moreover, since the outer surfaces on both sides of the locking claw form inclined surfaces that approach each other toward the protruding tip, when assembling the second mounting member and the sealing member, the contact reaction force of these inclined surfaces against the inner surface of the guide groove can efficiently align them.
[0013] A second aspect of the present invention is as follows: The locking claw is formed to protrude toward the outer circumference of the second mounting member or the sealing member, The guide groove in the locking piece is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the tip portion of the locking piece. Before A liquid-filled vibration isolation device as described in the first embodiment.
[0014] In this embodiment of the liquid-sealed vibration damping device, locking nail When the second mounting member and sealing member are assembled by hooking the locking claw into the locking hole, the locking piece that rides up on the locking claw is elastically curved and deformed toward the outer circumference. Therefore, it becomes easy to secure space for the deformation of the locking piece.
[0015] A third aspect of the present invention is as follows: The liquid-sealed vibration damping device according to the first or second embodiment, wherein the inner surfaces of the grooves on both sides of the guide groove in the locking piece are widened guide surfaces in which the groove width dimension is larger at the groove opening compared to the groove bottom surface.
[0016] In the liquid-sealed vibration damping device of this embodiment, since the groove width of the guide groove is widened toward the groove opening side, the locking claw can easily enter the guide groove even if the locking claw and locking piece are misaligned relative to each other when assembling the second mounting member and the sealing member. Moreover, since the inclined, widened guide surface is formed by the inner surfaces of the groove on both sides of the guide groove, the relative alignment of the locking claw and locking piece can be efficiently achieved by the contact reaction force of the locking claw against the guide surface when assembling the second mounting member and the sealing member.
[0019] This invention four The details are as follows: The flexible locking piece has an integrated structure in which multiple locking holes are formed spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction. three A liquid-filled vibration isolation device according to any of the following embodiments.
[0020] In the liquid-sealed vibration isolator of the present embodiment, it is possible to improve the member strength and deformation stability as a whole of the flexible locking piece, and it is also possible to simplify the structure of the flexible locking piece that realizes a plurality of engaging holes and facilitate manufacturing.
[0021] The Five aspect of the present invention is as follows. The flexible locking piece has a split structure having one of the locking holes, and is the liquid-sealed vibration isolator according to any one of the aspects from the first to three described above.
[0022] The liquid-sealed vibration isolator of the present embodiment can be formed corresponding to each locking claw by adopting a mode in which each locking piece has one locking hole. Therefore, it is possible to improve the degree of freedom in the arrangement mode of the locking piece and the locking claw, and it is also possible to improve the deformation characteristics of the locking piece. For example, it becomes easy to set a large member thickness while ensuring the deformation characteristics required for the locking piece.
Advantages of the Invention
[0023] According to the present invention, the second mounting member and the sealing member can be assembled by the connecting locking portion without requiring a special assembling jig or the like. Then, by skillfully using the connecting locking portion, the second mounting member and the sealing member can be efficiently aligned with each other in the horizontal direction, and it becomes possible to assemble the sealing member to the second mounting member. In addition, it is possible to prevent problems such as poor engagement between the locking piece and the locking claw, and the sealing performance of the liquid chamber can be stably exhibited, and damage to the connecting locking portion can also be avoided.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0024] [Figure 1] Perspective view showing the whole engine mount configured by assembling the mount body as an embodiment of the present invention to a bracket [Figure 2] The longitudinal sectional view of the engine mount shown in FIG. 1, which is the sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG. 4 [Figure 3] The sectional view taken along the line III-III in FIG. 2 [Figure 4]Sectional view IV-IV in Figure 2 [Figure 5] VV cross-sectional view in Figure 2 [Figure 6] Figure 1 shows an overall perspective view of the mount body, which is a standalone component of one embodiment of the engine mount shown in Figure 1. [Figure 7] Front view of the mount body shown in Figure 6 [Figure 8] Bottom view of the mount body shown in Figure 6 [Figure 9] Left side view of the mount body shown in Figure 6. [Figure 10] Figure 1 shows an overall perspective view of the bracket that makes up the engine mount, as shown individually. [Figure 11] Figure 6 is a perspective view illustrating the assembly structure of the mounting body shown in Figure 6, specifically the connection and locking portion between the second mounting member (an integrally vulcanized molded product of the main body's rubber elastic material) and the sealing member. [Figure 12] A vertical cross-sectional view illustrating the assembly structure by the connecting and locking portion between the second mounting member and the sealing member shown in Figure 11. [Figure 13] Figure 12 is a model enlarged diagram illustrating the locking claws that constitute the connecting and locking part. [Figure 14] Figure 12 is an enlarged explanatory diagram illustrating the locking piece that constitutes the connecting locking part, where (a) is a perspective view, (b) is a cross-sectional view of bb in (d), (c) is a view taken along arrow cc in (b), and (d) is a cross-sectional view of dd in (b). [Figure 15] Figure 12 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the assembly of the second mounting member and the sealing member using the connecting locking portion shown. [Figure 16] An explanatory diagram illustrating another form of the connecting and locking part that can be used in the mount body shown in Figure 6. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0025] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[0026] Figure 1-5 shows an engine mount 10 for an automobile, which is constructed by assembling a mount body 12, which is an embodiment of a liquid-filled vibration damping device with a structure according to the present invention, to a bracket 14 attached to the vehicle body.
[0027] In the following description, the vertical direction generally refers to the vertical direction in Figure 2, which is the direction along the central axis of the mount. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the engine mount 10 is assumed to be mounted between the vehicle body and the power unit, with the vertical direction in Figure 2 being the vertical direction, the left-right direction being the vehicle's front-rear direction, and the direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper being the vehicle's left-right direction. However, for the sake of clarity in the diagrams, in the following description, the left-right direction in Figure 2 will be referred to as the mount's left-right direction, and the direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper will be referred to as the mount's front-rear direction (or rear / front direction). In each figure, the rubber elastic bodies (biasing rubbers) provided on the mount body 12 are shown in their pre-assembly shape to make it easier to see whether or not they are compressed when assembled to the bracket 14.
[0028] More specifically, the mount body 12 has a structure in which a first mounting member 20 and a second mounting member 22 are elastically connected by a main body rubber elastic body 24, as shown in Figure 6-9 in addition to Figure 1-5 in their individual state. The support load and vibrations of the power unit are input between these first mounting member 20 and second mounting member 22.
[0029] The first mounting member 20 is a highly rigid member made of metal or fiber-reinforced resin, and has a solid block structure such as an inverted frustoconical shape. As illustrated in Figure 1-3, a mounting member 26, which is attached to the power unit side, is fixed to this first mounting member 20 with fixing bolts or the like.
[0030] The second mounting member 22 is a highly rigid member made of a metal such as an aluminum alloy or a fiber-reinforced resin, and is generally a thick-walled, annular block shape. In this embodiment in particular, as can be seen from Figure 4, it has a rounded rectangular through-hole in the center, and the whole is a thick-walled, annular block shape that is generally rectangular.
[0031] The main rubber elastic body 24, which elastically connects the first mounting member 20 and the second mounting member 22, has an outer surface shape that is approximately oval or rounded rectangular in the circumferential direction, with the outer diameter (circumferential length) gradually decreasing from bottom to top. The first mounting member 20 is fixed in a substantially embedded state so that it can be inserted into the small diameter portion at the upper end, and the second mounting member 22 is fixed to the large diameter outer surface portion at the lower end. Preferably, the main rubber elastic body 24 is formed as an integrally vulcanized molded product equipped with the first and second mounting members 22.
[0032] The main rubber elastic body 24 has an inverted recess 28 that opens in the center of its lower surface, and this recess 28 opens downward through a through-hole in the second mounting member 22. Furthermore, a sealing member 30 is superimposed on the second mounting member 22 from below and assembled.
[0033] The sealing member 30 is made of a rigid synthetic resin or the like and has a roughly thick, annular block shape corresponding to the second mounting member 22. The sealing member 30 also has a support base 32 that protrudes inward from its lower end, and the cross-sectional shape of the sealing member 30 is roughly L-shaped. The flexible membrane 34 and the orifice member 36 are inserted into the sealing member 30 from above and assembled in a housing state so as to be superimposed on the support base 32. These flexible membrane 34 and orifice member 36 are then fixedly supported at their respective outer circumferences by being sandwiched vertically between the second mounting member 22 and the sealing member 30.
[0034] Furthermore, on the upper side of the sealing member 30, the space between the second mounting member 22, the sealing member 30, and the orifice member 36 is sealed by sandwiching the sealing rubber 38 provided on the lower surface of the second mounting member 22. Also, on the lower side of the sealing member 30, the space between the sealing member 30 and the orifice member 36 is sealed by sandwiching the outer periphery of the flexible film 34 from above and below.
[0035] As a result, the recess 28 of the main rubber elastic body 24 is covered with the flexible membrane 34 and sealed liquid-tight, thereby defining a liquid chamber 40 containing a predetermined liquid. This liquid chamber 40 is divided vertically by a roughly plate-shaped orifice member 36. On the upper side of the orifice member 36, a pressure-receiving chamber is formed, in which a portion of the wall is made of the main rubber elastic body 24, causing pressure fluctuations in response to vibration input. On the lower side of the orifice member 36, a variable-volume equilibrium chamber is formed, in which a portion of the wall is made of a flexible membrane 34 such as diaphragm rubber, absorbing pressure fluctuations.
[0036] These pressure-receiving chambers and equilibrium chambers are connected by an orifice passage 46 provided in the orifice member 36, and a vibration isolation effect is achieved by utilizing the fluid flow action of the fluid flowing through the orifice passage 46 when vibration is input. In this embodiment, a housing area is formed in the central part of the orifice member 36, extending in a direction perpendicular to the mount central axis, and communicating with the pressure-receiving chamber and equilibrium chamber, respectively, and the movable membrane 48 is housed and arranged in this housing area. For example, when vibration input occurs in the high-frequency range exceeding the tuning frequency of the orifice passage 46, the pressure fluctuation in the pressure-receiving chamber is reduced or absorbed based on the deformation or displacement of the movable membrane 48, thereby avoiding significant hyper-dynamic spring formation.
[0037] Furthermore, the specific structure of the liquid chamber 40, the tuning characteristics of the orifice passage 46, and the presence or absence of a high-frequency hydraulic pressure absorption mechanism using the movable membrane 48 are not limited and can be appropriately set according to the required vibration isolation characteristics.
[0038] The mount body 12, with this structure, is then inserted into the bracket 14 from the side, facing forward, thus being assembled by what is known as lateral insertion.
[0039] The bracket 14 is a highly rigid member made of a metal such as aluminum alloy or fiber-reinforced resin, and as shown individually in Figure 10 as well as Figure 1-5, it integrally comprises left and right mounting legs 60, 60 that rise upward from the upper surface of a roughly rectangular flat base portion 58, and a top plate portion 62 that integrally connects the upper ends of the left and right mounting legs 60, 60. An assembly space 66 into which the mount body 12 is assembled is formed with a side opening, enclosed by the base portion 58, the left and right mounting legs 60, 60 and the top plate portion 62.
[0040] Furthermore, a rear wall 68 is integrally provided at the rear of the assembly space 66 (the side opposite to the side opening to the side) to close the opening of the assembly space 66, and an insertion hole 70 is formed in the upper part of this rear wall 68 for inserting the mounting member 26 and assembling it to the mount body 12 (first mounting member 20). In addition, both sides of the base portion 58 are fixed plate portions that extend outward from each mounting leg portion 60, and the bracket 14 is bolted to the vehicle body side at this pair of fixed plate portions.
[0041] The left and right mounting legs 60, 60 are thick, plate-like structures with a predetermined width in the front-to-back direction, and face each other on the left and right sides. The mount body 12, which is inserted into the assembly space 66 from the side, is then assembled by having the left and right side edges of the second mounting member 22 fixedly supported by these left and right mounting legs 60, 60.
[0042] Specifically, the second mounting member 22 of the mount body 12 is provided with a pair of connecting portions 71, 71 extending linearly in the front-rear direction with approximately constant thickness on the outer circumference of both the left and right sides. On the other hand, when the mount body 12 is assembled to the bracket 14, these connecting portions 71, 71 are used to form connecting grooves 72, 72 on the left and right mounting legs 60, 60 of the bracket 14, which are located in the middle of the height direction and open to opposing inner surfaces, extending in the front-rear direction. The pair of connecting portions 71, 71 provided on the second mounting member 22 are then inserted from the side into these connecting grooves 72, 72, and the mount body 12 is inserted laterally into the bracket 14 and assembled.
[0043] In this assembled state, the sealing member 30 of the mount body 12 is supported by being superimposed on the upper surface of the base portion 58 of the bracket 14 with the lower surface of the bottom wall in contact with it. That is, in this embodiment, the base portion 58 of the bracket 14 constitutes a lower support portion that supports the sealing member 30 from below, and the second mounting member 22 of the mount body 12 and the sealing member 30 are positioned and held relative to each other in the mount axis direction by the connecting grooves 72, 72 of the bracket and the base portion 58, and are assembled in a sealing structure that sandwiches the sealing rubber 38.
[0044] Furthermore, when the mount body 12 is assembled to the bracket 14, the second mounting member 22 is positioned and fixedly supported relative to the bracket 14 in the vertical, left-right, and front-back directions. While such a fixed support structure is not limited, in this embodiment, the lower surfaces 74, 74 of the connecting portions 71, 71 are directly superimposed on the lower surfaces inside the connecting grooves 72, 72, and the second mounting member 22 is positioned vertically relative to the bracket 14 by the contact reaction force of the upper biasing rubbers 82, 82 provided on the upper surfaces of the connecting portions 71, 71 against the upper surfaces inside the connecting grooves 72, 72. Furthermore, the front (rear) ends of the connecting grooves 72, 72 have engaging recesses 84b, 84b with downward stepped surfaces 84a, 84a, while the front (rear) ends of the lower surfaces 74, 74 of the connecting parts 71, 71 have engaging protrusions 86, 86 that project downward. The engagement between these engaging recesses 84b, 84b and engaging protrusions 86, 86 prevents the second mounting member 22 from coming off the bracket 14. Moreover, the outer circumferential surfaces of the connecting parts 71, 71 are provided with outer circumferential biasing rubbers 90, 90, and the balance of the contact reaction force of these outer circumferential biasing rubbers 90, 90 against the bottom surface of the connecting grooves 72, 72 positions the second mounting member 22 in the left-right direction relative to the bracket 14. Furthermore, the front (rear) tip surfaces of the connecting parts 71, 71 are provided with tip biasing rubbers 92, 92. The contact reaction force of these tip biasing rubbers 92, 92 against the rear wall 68 of the bracket 14 holds the engaging protrusions 86, 86 of the connecting parts 71, 71 in contact with the lower stepped surfaces 84a, 84a of the connecting grooves 72, 72, thereby preventing rattling and other issues.
[0045] Incidentally, in the assembled state on the bracket 14 as described above, the second mounting member 22 and the sealing member 30 are firmly positioned and fixedly supported by the bracket 14 in the vertical direction, sandwiching the sealing rubber 38, thereby achieving airtightness of the liquid chamber 40. However, even in the standalone state of the mount body 12 before assembly to the bracket 14, as shown in Figure 6-9, it is necessary to maintain the second mounting member 22 and the sealing member 30 in an assembled state with sealing properties. Moreover, since a strong fixing with high sealing properties is achieved by assembly to the bracket 14, it is desirable that the assembly structure of the second mounting member 22 and the sealing member 30 in the standalone state of the mount body 12 allows relative movement of the second mounting member 22 and the sealing member 30 in the direction of approaching each other.
[0046] Therefore, in this embodiment, in the standalone state of the mount body 12 before assembly to the bracket 14, the second mounting member 22 and the sealing member 30 are assembled to each other in a state where they are superimposed with a sealing ability sufficient to ensure the liquid tightness of the liquid chamber 40 by a connecting locking part 94 that utilizes a snap fitting. As will be explained below, this connecting locking part 94 does not require any special jigs or other separate components, and by utilizing the snap fitting action, the sealing member 30 can be brought closer to the second mounting member 22 from below and superimposed, and a locking state (assembled state) can be achieved by hooking with a resin hook without requiring any special locking work.
[0047] The connecting locking portion 94 of this embodiment, as shown in Figures 6-9 and 11-14, consists of a locking claw 96 formed protruding from the outer circumferential surface of the second mounting member 22 and a flexible locking piece 98 extending upward from the outer circumferential surface of the sealing member 30. The locking piece 98 has a locking hole 100 that extends vertically, and by hooking the locking claw 96 into this locking hole 100, the sealing member 30 is superimposed on the second mounting member 22, and the sealing rubber 38 is assembled and fixed together while being compressed between them. The locking hole 100 is shaped like a long slit vertically, and downward movement of the locking claw 96 inserted into the locking hole 100 is permitted, which makes it possible to improve the sealing performance by bringing the second mounting member 22 and the sealing member 30 closer together when assembled to the bracket 14 as described above.
[0048] In short, the locking hole 100 and locking claw 96 of the locking piece 98 are provided in corresponding positions and form a pair, thereby constituting the connecting locking portion 94. Multiple such connecting locking portions 94 are provided spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the second mounting member 22 and the sealing member 30.
[0049] In this embodiment in particular, each locking piece 98 is formed in a plate shape and extends circumferentially in each peripheral wall portion that extends linearly on both sides in the front-rear direction of the sealing member 30. The portion of each locking piece 98 that is integrated with the sealing member 30 at its lower end is bent in an L-shape toward the inner circumference, so that the locking piece 98 is positioned slightly toward the outer circumference from the outer surface of the sealing member 30 and extends upward and spreads outwards. In addition, each locking piece 98 has multiple (two in this embodiment) locking holes 100, 100 formed at circumferential intervals. Each locking hole 100 has a substantially constant width and extends linearly in the vertical direction from the lower end to near the upper end of the sealing member 30. Furthermore, in the locking piece 98, the portion that closes the upper end of the locking hole 100 is the locking portion 102, and the lower surface of this locking portion 102 is a flat surface that extends approximately horizontally and is the hole-side locking surface 104 into which the locking claw 96 is locked.
[0050] On the other hand, the second mounting member 22 has locking claws 96 formed at positions corresponding to each locking hole 100 in the locking piece 98 provided on the sealing member 30. These locking claws 96 are formed to protrude outward from the outer circumferential surface of each peripheral wall portion that extends linearly on both sides in the front-rear direction of the second mounting member 22. In other words, in this embodiment, a total of four pairs of locking holes 100 and locking claws 96 are provided in the circumferential direction. These locking claws 96 are formed with an outer width dimension that is slightly smaller than the inner width dimension of the locking hole 100 of the locking piece 98, so that they can be inserted into the locking hole 100 from the inner circumferential side. Furthermore, the upper end surface of the locking claw 96 is a flat claw-side locking surface 106 that spreads out substantially horizontally, and the locking state is achieved by directly overlapping with the hole-side locking surface 104 of the locking hole 100.
[0051] In all connecting locking portions 94, the claw-side locking surface 106 and the hole-side locking surface 104 are locked together, so that the second mounting member 22 and the sealing member 30 are held in a predetermined close position against the compressive reaction force of the sealing rubber 38. The claw-side locking surface 106 of the locking claw 96 and the hole-side locking surface 104 of the locking hole 100 can be stably held in a locked state in contact with each other by the compressive reaction force of the sealing rubber 38.
[0052] Furthermore, the operation of assembling the sealing member 30 to the second mounting member 22 by inserting each locking claw 96 into the corresponding locking hole 100 and hooking it, thereby locking the claw-side locking surface 106 and the hole-side locking surface 104, can be performed almost simultaneously, for example, as shown in Figure 15, by bringing the sealing member 30 closer to the lower surface of the second mounting member 22 from below, while pressing the sealing rubber 38 against it. In other words, each locking claw 96 will come into contact with each locking portion 102 of the locking piece 98. However, if at least one of the contact portions between the locking claw 96 and the locking portion 102 is inclined in a direction that facilitates mutual overriding, the contact reaction force with the locking claw 96 will cause each locking piece 98 to elastically deform outward, allowing it to overcome the locking claw 96 in the vertical direction. Subsequently, the elastic recovery of each locking piece 98 will result in a locked state where each locking claw 96 is inserted into each locking hole 100. In this embodiment, both the lower surface 108 of the locking claw 96 and the inner surface 109 of the upper end of the locking portion 102 are inclined surfaces that facilitate mutual overriding.
[0053] In this case, in order to simultaneously guide each locking claw 96 into the corresponding locking hole 100, the second mounting member 22 and the sealing member 30 must be correctly aligned relative to each other in the horizontal direction. To facilitate such relative alignment, the connecting locking portion 94 of this embodiment is equipped with a specific guide mechanism.
[0054] Specifically, the guide mechanism is composed of a guide groove 112 formed as a guide groove on the side of the locking piece 98 where the locking claw 96 inserted into the locking hole 100 is located (in this embodiment, the inner surface), and extending linearly from the locking hole 100 in the direction of protrusion (the direction of assembly to the second mounting member 22). While it is sufficient for the guide groove 112 to extend from the upper end in at least two of the locking holes 100, in this embodiment, a guide groove 112 is formed for each of the locking holes 100.
[0055] The groove width dimension of the guide groove 112 should be sufficient to accommodate the protruding tip portion of the locking claw 96. Furthermore, the groove depth dimension of the guide groove 112 (D0-D1 in Figure 14(b)) should be sufficient to restrict the circumferential lateral movement of the locking claw 96 from the guide groove 112 with a certain degree of restraint.
[0056] By providing such guide grooves 112, when the second mounting member 22 and the sealing member 30 are brought close to each other for assembly, the locking claws 96 and locking pieces 98, which are the first to come into contact, can be easily and correctly aligned horizontally in the initial stages of contact. That is, when the second mounting member 22 and the sealing member 30 are brought close to each other in a state of roughly relative alignment, and an attempt is made to align the second mounting member 22 and the sealing member 30 by slightly shifting them horizontally relative to each other at the initial stage when the locking claws 96 and locking pieces 98 come into contact, it becomes possible to sense, through a sense of detergence, that the second mounting member 22 and the sealing member 30 have been accurately aligned to the correct position by the protruding tip portions of each locking claw 96 aligning with the guide grooves 112 of the corresponding locking holes 100. Therefore, the alignment of the second mounting member 22 and the sealing member 30 can be performed easily and accurately without using complex and large components such as special jigs or alignment lasers.
[0057] In particular, in this embodiment, guide surfaces are provided on both the locking claw 96 and the guide groove 112 so that the guiding action of the guide groove 112 on the locking claw 96 is exerted more effectively.
[0058] Specifically, each locking claw 96 has a tapered protruding shape in which the width dimension is smaller at the tip than at the base in the protruding direction, and both sides in the width direction are inclined claw sides 110, 110 that gradually approach each other as they move towards the tip in the protruding direction. As a result, the width dimension W1 of the tip portion of the locking claw 96 is smaller than the width dimension W0 of the base portion. With a locking claw 96 having such a structure, if it is misaligned in the groove width direction when it enters the guide groove 112, the inclined claw side 110 will come into contact with the inner surface of the guide groove 112, and the component force of the contact reaction force acts toward the center of the guide groove 112, thereby making the correction of the horizontal relative position between the second mounting member 22 and the sealing member 30 more effective.
[0059] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the guide grooves 112 provided in each locking portion 102 of the locking piece 98 have a groove bottom surface 114 that extends vertically with a substantially constant width dimension, while the inner groove surfaces (inner groove surfaces) 116, 116 on both sides are widened guide surfaces in which the groove width dimension is larger at the groove opening compared to the groove bottom surface 114. As a result, the groove width dimension B2 on the groove opening side of the guide groove 112 is larger than the groove width dimension B1 on the groove bottom side. In a guide groove 112 with such a structure, if the locking claw 96 is misaligned in the groove width direction when it enters the guide groove 112, the side surface of the locking claw 96 comes into contact with the widened inclined inner groove surface 116, and the component force of the contact reaction force acts toward the center side of the guide groove 112, thereby making the correction of the horizontal relative position between the second mounting member 22 and the sealing member 30 more effective.
[0060] Furthermore, it is possible to adopt only one of the inclined claw sides 110,110 that provide a guiding function in the locking claw 96 as described above, and the inclined groove inner sides 116,116 that provide a guiding function in the guide groove 112. Also, the groove width dimension of the guide groove 112 should be such that at least the groove width dimension B2 at the groove opening is larger than the width dimension W1 at the tip of the locking claw 96, but preferably the groove width dimension B1 at the bottom of the groove is also set to be larger than the width dimension W1 at the tip of the locking claw 96.
[0061] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as clearly shown in Figure 14(c), the guide groove 112 is formed to extend vertically on the same widthwise central axis as the locking hole 100, but the groove width dimension B1 of the guide groove 112 is smaller than the circumferential inner dimension of the locking hole 100. Combined with the fact that the width dimension W1 of the protruding tip of the locking claw 96 is smaller than the width dimension W0 of the base end, the locking claw 96 guided toward the locking hole 100 by the guide groove 112 is... 100 It is guided to be inserted approximately in the center in the width direction, and the locking hole 100 This allows for more precise insertion and a more stable locking mechanism.
[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, the number, specific shape, or structure of the locking claws 96 and locking pieces 98 that constitute the connecting locking portion 94 are not limited in the present invention. Specifically, in the above embodiment, the locking pieces 98 that realize a plurality (two) of connecting locking portions 94, 94 were in the shape of a single plate, but as illustrated in Figure 16, for example, one locking piece 98' may be formed for each connecting locking portion 94. Such locking piece 98' is formed in a substantially inverted U shape so as to extend around each locking hole 100. For ease of understanding, in Figure 16, the same reference numerals are used for each component corresponding to the above embodiment. Incidentally, if a single plate-shaped locking piece 98 is used for the multiple locking holes 100 that constitute the multiple connecting locking parts 94 as in the above embodiment, it becomes possible to advantageously secure deformation rigidity, strength, and durability of the locking piece 98, especially in the circumferential direction. On the other hand, if a separate locking piece 98 is used for each locking hole 100 of each connecting locking part 94, as illustrated in Figure 16, the elastic bending deformation of the locking piece 98 can be easily facilitated, and a greater degree of design freedom can be secured for the placement position of the connecting locking parts 94. However, it is also possible to use a plate-shaped locking piece 98 and form a single locking hole 100 therein, or to provide three or more locking holes 100 on a single plate-shaped locking piece 98 to constitute three or more connecting locking parts 94.
[0063] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a locking claw 96 was provided on the second mounting member 22 side and a locking piece 98 was provided on the sealing member 30 side. However, conversely, the locking piece 98 may be provided on the second mounting member 22 side and the locking claw 96 may be provided on the sealing member 30 side.
[0064] Furthermore, the specific structure of the bracket 14 is not limited, and in fact, the bracket 14 is not essential in this invention. The mount body 12 may be attached to the vibration-damping target member without using the bracket 14.
[0065] Furthermore, although the above embodiment shows an example of applying the present invention to an engine mount, the present invention is not limited to engine mounts and can be applied to various liquid-filled vibration damping devices such as body mounts and cab mounts. Furthermore, the present invention originally encompasses all of the inventions described in (i) to (vi) below, and its structure and effects are noted below. The present invention (i) A liquid-sealed vibration damping device comprising a liquid chamber sealed by a sealing member assembled by overlapping a first mounting member and a second mounting member, which are separated vertically, with a sealing member in between, and which are elastically connected by a main body rubber elastic body, The second mounting member and the sealing member are assembled by a plurality of connecting and locking parts provided in the circumferential direction. The connecting locking portion includes a flexible locking piece formed to protrude from one of the second mounting member and the sealing member toward the other, which is elastically deformable toward the outer circumference and has a locking hole, and a locking claw formed on the other of the second mounting member and the sealing member which hooks into the locking hole of the locking piece. A liquid-sealed vibration damping device having a guide groove formed in the locking piece that extends linearly in the direction of protrusion from the locking hole and guides the locking claw into the locking hole. (ii) The locking claw is formed to protrude toward the outer circumference of the second mounting member or the sealing member, The liquid-sealed vibration damping device according to (i), wherein the guide groove in the locking piece is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the tip portion of the locking piece, (iii) The liquid-sealed vibration damping device according to (i) or (ii), wherein the inner surfaces of the grooves on both sides of the guide groove in the locking piece are widened guide surfaces in which the groove width dimension is larger at the groove opening compared to the groove bottom surface, (iv) A liquid-sealed vibration damping device according to any one of (i) to (iii), wherein the locking claw has a tapered protruding shape in which the width dimension is smaller at the tip than at the base in the protruding direction. (v) The flexible locking piece is an integrated structure in which multiple locking holes are formed spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction, as described in any one of (i) to (iv) above, (vi) The flexible locking piece is a segmented structure having one of the locking holes, as described in any one of (i) to (iv) above, This includes inventions relating to the present invention. In the invention described in (i) above, the second mounting member and the sealing member can be assembled by a simple assembly mechanism without the need for special assembly jigs or the like. Moreover, when assembling the sealing member to the second mounting member, the connecting locking part can be cleverly used to efficiently align the second mounting member and the sealing member with each other in the horizontal direction. Furthermore, since the guide mechanism guides the locking claw into a hooked state in the locking hole, poor hooking between the locking piece and the locking claw is prevented, enabling the assembly of the second mounting member and the sealing member by the connecting locking part to be achieved with high accuracy and stability, thereby ensuring stable sealing performance of the liquid chamber, and also preventing damage to the connecting locking part caused by the locking piece riding up onto the locking claw and becoming deformed unevenly. In the invention described in (ii) above, when the locking piece is hooked into the locking hole and the second mounting member and the sealing member are assembled, the locking piece that has ridden onto the locking claw is elastically curved and deformed toward the outer circumference. Therefore, it becomes possible to easily secure space for the deformation of the locking piece. In the invention described in (iii) above, since the groove width of the guide groove is widened toward the groove opening side, the locking claw can easily enter the guide groove even if the locking claw and the locking piece are misaligned when assembling the second mounting member and the sealing member. Moreover, since the inner surfaces of the groove on both sides of the guide groove form an inclined, widened guide surface, the contact reaction force of the locking claw against the guide surface when assembling the second mounting member and the sealing member can efficiently align the locking claw and the locking piece. In the invention described in (iv) above, since the locking claw has a tapered protruding shape, the locking claw can easily enter the guide groove even if the locking claw and the locking piece are misaligned when assembling the second mounting member and the sealing member. Moreover, since the outer surfaces on both sides of the locking claw form inclined surfaces that are inclined to approach each other toward the protruding tip, when assembling the second mounting member and the sealing member, the contact reaction force of these inclined surfaces against the inner surface of the guide groove can efficiently align them. The invention described in (v) above can improve the overall strength and deformation stability of the flexible locking piece, and can also simplify the structure of the flexible locking piece that provides multiple engagement holes and facilitate its manufacture. In the invention described in (vi) above, since each locking piece can be formed in a manner that has one locking hole, corresponding to each locking claw, the degree of freedom in the arrangement of the locking pieces and locking claws can be improved, and the deformation characteristics of the locking pieces can also be improved, making it easier, for example, to set a large member thickness while ensuring the required deformation characteristics of the locking pieces. [Explanation of symbols]
[0066] 10 Engine Mounts 12 Mount body 14 brackets 20 First mounting member 22 Second mounting member 24 Main body rubber elastic body 26 Mounting components 28 Recess (Main body rubber elastic material) 30 Sealing member 32 Support bottom (sealing member) 34 Flexible membrane 36 Orifice Member 38. Seal rubber (underside of the second mounting member) 40 Liquid chamber 46 Orifice Passage 48 Movable membrane 58 Base section 60 Mounting legs 62 Top panel 66 Assembly space 68 Back wall 70 Insertion holes (brackets) 71 Connecting part (second mounting member) 72 Connecting groove section 74 Bottom surface (connection part) 82 Upper biasing rubber 84a Lower step surface 84b Engaging recess 86 Engagement protrusion (connection part) 90 Outer circumference biasing rubber 92 Tip biasing rubber 94 Connection locking part 96 Locking claws 98 Locking piece 98′ Locking piece (Figure 16) 100 Locking holes 102 Locking part 104 Hole-side locking surface 106 Claw-side locking surface 108 Bottom surface 109 Upper inner surface 110 Side of the nail 112 Guide groove 114 Groove bottom surface 116 Inner surface of groove (guide groove)
Claims
1. In a liquid-sealed vibration damping device, a first mounting member and a second mounting member, separated vertically, are elastically connected by a main body rubber elastic body, and the device has a liquid chamber sealed by a sealing member that is assembled by overlapping the second mounting member from below with a sealing member in between, The second mounting member and the sealing member are assembled by a plurality of connecting and locking parts provided in the circumferential direction. The connecting locking portion includes a flexible locking piece formed to protrude from one of the second mounting member and the sealing member toward the other, which is elastically deformable toward the outer circumference and has a locking hole, and a locking claw formed on the other of the second mounting member and the sealing member which hooks into the locking hole of the locking piece. The locking piece has a guide groove that extends linearly in the direction of protrusion from the locking hole and guides the locking claw into the locking hole, The groove width of the guide groove is smaller than the circumferential dimension of the locking hole, and the end of the guide groove on the locking hole side opens into the locking hole. A liquid-filled vibration damping device in which the locking claw has a tapered protruding shape, with the width dimension gradually decreasing from the base end to the tip end in the protruding direction.
2. The locking claw is formed to protrude toward the outer circumference of the second mounting member or the sealing member, The liquid-sealed vibration damping device according to claim 1, wherein the guide groove in the locking piece is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the tip portion of the locking piece.
3. The liquid-sealed vibration damping device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the inner surfaces of the grooves on both sides of the guide groove in the locking piece are widened guide surfaces in which the groove width dimension is larger at the groove opening compared to the groove bottom surface.
4. The liquid-sealed vibration damping device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the flexible locking piece has an integrated structure in which a plurality of locking holes are formed spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction.
5. The liquid-sealed vibration damping device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the flexible locking piece has a segmented structure having one of the locking holes.
Citation Information
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