Aluminum die-cast vehicle parts

Abstract

To provide lightweight aluminum die-cast vehicle parts while ensuring strength. [Solution] The aluminum die-cast vehicle part 10 is constructed by integrally molding an aluminum alloy using the die-casting method, is used in a vehicle, and is subjected to a load from a predetermined direction. It has a hollow cylindrical main body 20 extending in the longitudinal direction, and a reinforcing part 30 connected to a part of the outer circumferential surface of the main body 20 and formed extending in the longitudinal direction of the main body 20. When viewed in a longitudinal cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the main body 20, the reinforcing part 30 has a substantially T-shape, and the end opposite to the side that connects to the substantially T-shaped vertical bar 31 and the substantially T-shaped horizontal bar 32 is connected to the main body 20. The reinforcing part 30 is arranged so that the direction of the substantially T-shaped vertical bar and the direction in which the load is applied are substantially the same, and a plurality of ribs 40 are formed in the area enclosed by the part corresponding to the substantially T-shaped horizontal bar 32, the part corresponding to the substantially T-shaped vertical bar 31 and the main body 20.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to vehicle parts made of aluminum die-casting.

Background Art

[0002] An axle tube that constitutes an axle for holding the position of a wheel of an automobile and supporting the load of the automobile and the impact from the road surface together with the tire is known. For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses a pair of left and right axle tubes connected to both ends of a differential case portion that rotatably houses a differential gear.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, an axle tube, which is a general vehicle part used in automobiles, is manufactured using an iron-based material with relatively high bending strength. In order to reduce the weight of the vehicle body, attempts have been made to mold the axle tube by die-casting using an aluminum alloy.

[0005] However, in a cylindrical automobile part such as an axle tube, when the constituent material is simply replaced from an iron-based material such as steel or cast iron to an aluminum alloy, generally, since the aluminum alloy has lower strength against bending, tension, etc. than the iron-based material, there is a problem that the axle tube made of the aluminum alloy cannot satisfy the required strength. Note that such a problem exists not only in automobile parts such as axle tubes but also in various vehicle parts other than axle tubes, and it is an industrial problem that requires a solution.

[0006] This disclosure has been made in view of the problems present in the prior art described above, and its purpose is to provide aluminum die-cast vehicle parts that are lighter than conventional parts while maintaining strength. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The following describes this disclosure. Reference numbers to the attached drawings are indicated in parentheses to facilitate understanding of this disclosure; however, this does not mean that this disclosure is limited to the illustrated forms.

[0008] The aluminum die-cast vehicle part (10, 100, 200) relating to this disclosure is constructed by integrally molding an aluminum alloy by die-casting, and is used in a vehicle and subjected to a load from a predetermined direction, and has a hollow cylindrical main body (20, 20') extending in the longitudinal direction, and one or more reinforcing parts (30) connected to a part of the outer circumferential surface of the main body (20, 20') and formed extending in the longitudinal direction of the main body (20, 20'), and when viewed in a longitudinal cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the main body (20, 20') Furthermore, the reinforcing portion (30) is substantially T-shaped, and the end opposite to the side that connects to the portion corresponding to the substantially T-shaped horizontal bar (32) is connected to the main body portion (20, 20'), and is positioned such that the direction of the substantially T-shaped vertical bar (31) and the direction in which the load is applied are substantially the same, and a plurality of ribs (40) are formed in the area enclosed by the portion corresponding to the substantially T-shaped horizontal bar (32), the portion corresponding to the substantially T-shaped vertical bar (31), and the main body portion (20, 20').

[0009] Furthermore, in the aluminum die-cast vehicle parts (10, 100, 200) according to this disclosure, the reinforcing portion (30) can be formed in two units and arranged symmetrically with respect to the main body portion (20, 20').

[0010] Furthermore, in the aluminum die-cast vehicle part (10, 100) according to this disclosure, the main body portion (20, 20') can be configured such that its outer diameter changes from one end to the other in the longitudinal direction of the main body portion (20, 20').

[0011] Furthermore, in the aluminum die-cast vehicle parts (10, 100, 200) relating to this disclosure, the plurality of ribs (40) may include truss shapes, rigid frame shapes, or honeycomb shapes.

[0012] Furthermore, the aluminum die-cast vehicle parts (10, 100, 200) according to this disclosure are preferably used in axle tubes. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide aluminum die-cast vehicle parts that are lighter than conventional parts while maintaining strength. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of an aluminum die-cast vehicle part according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a front view of an aluminum die-cast vehicle part according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the section along line AA. [Figure 4] Figure 2 is a partial longitudinal perspective view of an aluminum die-cast vehicle part according to this embodiment, crossed along line AA. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view of an aluminum die-cast vehicle part according to the first modified example. [Figure 6] This is a front view of an aluminum die-cast vehicle part relating to the second modified example. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0015] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments for implementing the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to each claim, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential for the solution means of the invention.

[0016] First, with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, the aluminum die-cast vehicle part 10 according to the present embodiment will be described. Here, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the aluminum die-cast vehicle part according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front view of the aluminum die-cast vehicle part according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a cross-section along line A-A in FIG. 2. Further, FIG. 4 is a partial longitudinal sectional perspective view of the aluminum die-cast vehicle part according to the present embodiment longitudinally cut along line A-A shown in FIG. 2. In this specification, for convenience of explanation, the directions of the aluminum die-cast vehicle part 10 are defined as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. However, this direction does not indicate the direction when the aluminum die-cast vehicle part 10 according to the present embodiment is used, and the aluminum die-cast vehicle part 10 according to the present embodiment can be used in any posture. That is, the directions of "front, rear, up, down, left, and right" shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 are determined only for convenience of explanation.

[0017] The aluminum die-cast vehicle part 10 according to the present embodiment is formed by integrally molding an aluminum alloy by die-casting and is a structural part used in a vehicle. Note that the aluminum die-cast vehicle part 10 according to the present embodiment assumes an axle tube for an automobile, forms an axle by connecting to both ends of an axle case extending in the vehicle width direction, supports the wheels of the automobile, and is mainly loaded from the vertical direction of the vehicle, that is, the vertical direction in FIGS. 1 to 4.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1, the aluminum die-cast vehicle part 10 according to the present embodiment includes a main body part 20, a pair of flange parts 25, 25 arranged at the left and right ends of the main body part 20, and a reinforcing part 30.

[0019] The main body part 20 is formed in a hollow cylindrical shape extending in the left - right direction, and is formed such that the outer diameter is substantially the same from one end to the other end in the left - right direction.

[0020] The pair of flange parts 25, 25 are connected to the upper, lower, front, and rear end parts of the main body part 20, and an opening hole 26 having a diameter substantially the same as the inner diameter of the main body part 20 is formed at the central part in the left - right direction. Further, mounting holes 27 for attaching the aluminum die - cast vehicle part 10, which is an axle tube, to other members are formed in the pair of flange parts 25, 25.

[0021] The reinforcing parts 30 are symmetrically arranged sandwiching the main body part 20 on the upper and lower sides of the outer peripheral surface of the main body part 20, and extend in the left - right direction respectively, with the left and right end parts being formed to be connected to the flange parts 25.

[0022] Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, when the aluminum die - cast vehicle part 10 according to the present embodiment is viewed in a vertical cross - section in the up - down direction orthogonal to the left - right direction, which is the longitudinal direction, the pair of upper and lower reinforcing parts 30, 30 each form a substantially T - shape. The reinforcing part 30 has a support part 31 which is a part corresponding to the vertical bar of the substantially T - shape, and a plate part 32 which is a part corresponding to the horizontal bar of the substantially T - shape.

[0023] The support part 31 is connected to the main body part 20 at the end part on the side opposite to the side connected to the plate part 32, and when the aluminum die - cast vehicle part 10 according to the present embodiment is viewed in a vertical cross - section orthogonal to the left - right direction, the longitudinal bar direction of the substantially T - shape in the support part 31 and the up - down direction in which the load is exerted are arranged to be substantially the same direction. Thus, by arranging the reinforcing part 30 such that the longitudinal bar direction of the substantially T - shape in the support part 31 and the up - down direction in which the load is exerted are substantially the same direction, the aluminum die - cast vehicle part 10 according to the present embodiment can improve the strength compared to the case where the reinforcing part 30 is not provided.

[0024] Furthermore, the support portion 31, which is positioned in approximately the same direction as the vertical load applied, is not only connected to the main body portion 20 at its lower end, but its upper end is also fixed to the pair of flange portions 25, 25 via the plate portion 32, thus enabling it to stably withstand the vertical load.

[0025] As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4, the aluminum die-cast vehicle part 10 according to this embodiment has multiple ribs 40 formed in the area enclosed by the support portion 31 of the reinforcing portion 30, the plate portion 32 of the reinforcing portion 30, and the main body portion 20. Each of the multiple ribs 40 forms a truss shape. Furthermore, the multiple ribs 40A formed on the upper side of the main body portion 20 are formed with the hypotenuse of the triangle in the truss shape extending from the lower left direction to the upper right direction. On the other hand, the multiple ribs 40B formed on the lower side of the main body portion 20 are formed with the hypotenuse of the triangle in the truss shape extending from the upper left direction to the lower right direction. By providing multiple ribs 40 in the aluminum die-cast vehicle part 10 according to this embodiment, the section modulus of the aluminum die-cast vehicle part 10 can be increased compared to the case where ribs 40 are not provided, thereby improving the strength.

[0026] The axle tube using the aluminum die-cast vehicle part 10 according to the above embodiment is made of an aluminum alloy, and therefore can achieve a significant weight reduction compared to conventional axle tubes made of iron-based materials.

[0027] Furthermore, the aluminum die-cast vehicle part 10 according to this embodiment is provided with a plurality of ribs 40. Therefore, even though the aluminum die-cast vehicle part 10 according to this embodiment is made of an aluminum alloy, which has lower strength compared to iron-based materials, it can secure the high strength required for vehicle parts.

[0028] Furthermore, the aluminum die-cast vehicle part 10 according to this embodiment is constructed by integrally molding an aluminum alloy using the die-casting method. The shapes of the reinforcing portion 30 and the multiple ribs 40 are designed to take into account the direction in which the die-cast product is removed from the mold used in the die-casting method. Therefore, even if the aluminum die-cast vehicle part 10 according to this embodiment has a complex shape in which the reinforcing portion 30 and the multiple ribs 40 are formed, a decrease in productivity can be prevented.

[0029] While preferred embodiments of this disclosure have been described above, the technical scope of this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above. Various modifications or improvements can be made to the above embodiments.

[0030] [First variation] For example, in the aluminum die-cast vehicle part 10 according to the above-described embodiment, the main body 20 was formed such that its outer diameter was substantially the same from one end to the other in the longitudinal direction (left-right). However, the main body 20 can be formed such that its outer diameter changes from one end to the other in the left-right direction. Here, Figure 5 is a perspective view of an aluminum die-cast vehicle part according to the first modified example. In the following description, components that are the same as or similar to those in the above-described embodiment may be denoted by the same reference numerals and their description may be omitted.

[0031] As shown in Figure 5, the main body portion 20' of the aluminum die-cast vehicle part 100 according to the first modified example is formed such that its outer diameter decreases from one end on the left to the other end on the right. In this way, the outer diameter of the main body portion of the aluminum die-cast vehicle part according to the present disclosure can be changed according to its application.

[0032] [Second variation] For example, in the aluminum die-cast vehicle part 10 according to the above embodiment, the multiple ribs 40A formed on the upper side of the main body 20 are each formed with the hypotenuse of the triangle in the truss shape extending from the lower left direction to the upper right direction, while the multiple ribs 40B formed on the lower side of the main body 20 are formed with the hypotenuse of the triangle in the truss shape extending from the upper left direction to the lower right direction. However, the configuration of the multiple ribs 40 is not limited to the above embodiment. Here, Figure 6 is a front view of an aluminum die-cast vehicle part according to a second modified example.

[0033] As shown in Figure 6, in the aluminum die-cast vehicle part 200 according to the second modified example, the multiple ribs 40 formed on the upper side of the main body 20 and the multiple ribs 40 formed on the lower side of the main body 20 are both ribs 40A in which the hypotenuse of the triangle in the truss shape is formed from the lower left direction to the upper right direction. Thus, the multiple ribs 40 may have the same shape or different shapes in the vertical direction on either side of the main body 20. Furthermore, the multiple ribs 40 may have the same shape or different shapes in the horizontal direction on either side of the main body 20.

[0034] Furthermore, the multiple ribs 40 can be formed in a rigid frame shape, where the shape of their constituent units is roughly rectangular, or in a honeycomb shape, where the shape of their constituent units is beehive-shaped. In addition, the multiple ribs 40 only need to include a truss shape, a rigid frame shape, or a honeycomb shape in the shape of their constituent units, and may be formed by combining two or more of these shapes.

[0035] In this embodiment, the aluminum die-cast vehicle part 10 has been described as being applied to an automobile axle tube as an example. However, the aluminum die-cast vehicle parts 10, 100, and 200 according to this disclosure are applicable to all types of vehicles, including trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, and railway vehicles. Furthermore, the aluminum die-cast vehicle parts 10, 100, and 200 according to this disclosure can be used in various structures other than vehicles.

[0036] Furthermore, in the embodiments described above, the aluminum die-cast vehicle parts 10, 100, and 200 were described using the example of a case where the hollow cylindrical main body portions 20 and 20' are straight pipes, but the main body portion of this disclosure may be a curved pipe.

[0037] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the aluminum die-cast vehicle parts 10, 100, and 200 were explained using the case where a load is applied in the vertical direction as an example. However, the direction in which the load is applied can be any direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the main body 20, and it is sufficient that the direction in which the load is applied and the direction of the substantially T-shaped vertical bar in the support part 31 are arranged in substantially the same direction.

[0038] Furthermore, in the embodiments described above, two reinforcing portions 30 were formed vertically on either side of the main body portion 20 for the aluminum die-cast vehicle parts 10, 100, and 200. However, it is sufficient for one or more reinforcing portions 30 to be formed depending on the direction of the load applied to the aluminum die-cast vehicle parts of this disclosure. For example, if only an upward load is applied to the aluminum die-cast vehicle part, one reinforcing portion 30 can be formed in the upward direction. Also, for example, if the aluminum die-cast vehicle part is subjected to loads in both the vertical and longitudinal directions, a total of four reinforcing portions 30 can be formed in the vertical and longitudinal directions.

[0039] It is clear from the claims that such modified or improved forms may also fall within the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0040] 10, 100, 200 Aluminum die-cast vehicle parts, 20, 20' Main body, 25 Flange, 26 Opening hole, 27 Mounting hole, 30 Reinforcement part, 31 Support part (approximately T-shaped vertical bar), 32 Plate part (approximately T-shaped horizontal bar), 40, 40A, 40B Rib.

Claims

1. An aluminum die-cast vehicle part, which is constructed by integrally molding an aluminum alloy using a die-casting method, is used in a vehicle and is subjected to loads from a predetermined direction, A hollow cylindrical main body extending in the longitudinal direction, One or more reinforcing portions are connected to a part of the outer circumferential surface of the main body and are formed extending in the longitudinal direction of the main body, It has, When viewed in a longitudinal section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the main body, the reinforcing portion has a substantially T-shape, and the end opposite to the side that connects to the portion corresponding to the vertical bar of the substantially T-shape to the portion corresponding to the horizontal bar of the substantially T-shape is connected to the main body, and the reinforcing portion is arranged such that the direction of the vertical bar of the substantially T-shape and the direction in which the load is applied are substantially the same. An aluminum die-cast vehicle part characterized in that a plurality of ribs are formed in the area enclosed by the portion corresponding to the substantially T-shaped horizontal bar, the portion corresponding to the substantially T-shaped vertical bar, and the main body.

2. The aluminum die-cast vehicle part according to claim 1, The aforementioned reinforcing portion is formed in two parts and is symmetrically arranged with respect to the main body portion, characterized in that it is an aluminum die-cast vehicle part.

3. An aluminum die-cast vehicle part according to claim 1 or 2, The main body is an aluminum die-cast vehicle part characterized in that its outer diameter changes from one end to the other in the longitudinal direction of the main body.

4. An aluminum die-cast vehicle part according to claim 1 or 2, The aluminum die-cast vehicle part is characterized in that the plurality of ribs include a truss shape, a rigid frame shape, or a honeycomb shape.

5. An aluminum die-cast vehicle part according to claim 1 or 2, An aluminum die-cast vehicle part characterized by being an axle tube.

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