Vibration-damping components for vehicle support parts

Abstract

To provide a vibration control member of a support part of a vehicle capable of improving durability.SOLUTION: A vibration control member 30 of a torque rod 20 for supporting a unit 15 in a vehicle body 11 includes: a leg part 31 for connecting an outer metal bracket 21 and an inner metal cylinder fitting 22 and absorbing a relative moving amount of the unit 15 with respect to the vehicle body 11 by expansion and contraction; a bonding part 32 bonded to an opening 21B of the outer metal bracket 21 and formed continuously with the leg part 31; and a thin film part 34 formed to remove air from a mold at the time of molding and continuously formed with the leg part 31 along an expansion and contraction direction of the leg part 31. A thick part 35 thicker than the thin film part 34 and thinner than the leg part 31 and the bonding part 32 is formed in the thin film part 34. A predetermined gap S is formed at least one of between the thick part 35 and the leg part 31 and between the thick part 35 and the bonding part 32.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[[Technical Field]]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vibration isolating member for a support component that supports a unit in a vehicle body. [[Background Art]]

[0002] A support component (mount) supports a unit in a vehicle body. For example, an engine mount supports an engine in a vehicle body and provides vibration isolation and damping for the engine. For example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 disclose a vibration isolating member for an engine mount, which is formed of an elastic body such as rubber. [[Prior Art Literature]] [[Patent Literature]]

[0003] [[Patent Document 1]] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-223850 [[Patent Document 2]] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2013-217431 [[Summary of the Invention]] [[Problem to be Solved by the Invention]]

[0004] Here, when a thin film portion formed as excess material during molding of the vibration isolating member breaks and the crack reaches another portion (for example, a leg portion that absorbs the relative movement amount of the unit with respect to the vehicle body by expansion and contraction), strain concentrates at the reached portion, and the reached portion deteriorates faster than other parts, which reduces the durability of the vibration isolating member.

[0005] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a vibration isolating member for a vehicle support component that can improve durability. [[Means for Solving the Problem]]

[0006] The vibration-damping member for a vehicle support component according to the present invention is a vibration-damping member for a support component that supports a unit in a vehicle body, wherein the support component has an outer fitting to which one of the unit or the vehicle body is fixed on one side and an opening into which the vibration-damping member is fitted is formed on the other side, and an inner cylinder fitting provided on the vibration-damping member and fixed to the other side of the unit or the vehicle body, wherein the vibration-damping member has at least a leg portion that connects the inner cylinder fitting and the outer fitting and absorbs the relative amount of movement of the unit with respect to the vehicle body by expanding and contracting, an adhesive portion that is bonded to the inner circumferential wall of the opening of the outer fitting and formed continuously with the leg portion, and a thin film portion that is formed to vent air from the mold during molding and formed continuously with the leg portion along the direction of expansion and contraction of the leg portion, wherein a thick-walled portion is formed in the thin film portion that is thicker than the thin film portion but thinner than the leg portion and the adhesive portion, and a predetermined gap is formed between the thick-walled portion and the leg portion, and between the thick-walled portion and the adhesive portion, at least one of these. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The vibration-damping member for vehicle support components of the present invention can improve durability. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the support structure of a vehicle unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a plan view showing a support component according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a plan view showing a vibration-damping member, which is an example of an embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a plan view showing the effect of the vibration-damping material. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] An example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below. In the following description, specific shapes, materials, directions, numerical values, etc., are examples to facilitate understanding of the present invention and can be appropriately modified according to the application, purpose, specifications, etc.

[0010] "Support structure for vehicle units" The support structure of the unit 15 of the vehicle 10 according to this embodiment will be described using Figure 1.

[0011] In the support structure of the unit 15 of the vehicle 10, the unit 15 is supported by support components in the vehicle body 11. The torque rod 20, which serves as a support component, has a vibration-damping member 30, which will be described later. The vibration-damping member 30 of the torque rod 20 of the vehicle 10 can improve durability, as will be described in detail later.

[0012] Vehicle 10 is, for example, a four-wheeled engine vehicle. However, the vehicle is not limited to an engine vehicle; it may also be an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle. Furthermore, the following description will refer to the upper or lower side in the vertical direction of the vehicle, the left or right side in the width direction of the vehicle, and the front or rear side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, as appropriate.

[0013] Unit 15 is a heavy object mounted on the vehicle body 11. Unit 15 is mounted, for example, on the front of the vehicle body 11. However, unit 15 may also be mounted on the rear or side of the vehicle body 11. Unit 15 is, for example, an engine for driving the vehicle 10. However, unit 15 may also be an electric motor or a battery.

[0014] The torque rod 20 includes an RH mount 16 and an LH mount 17, respectively, provided on the front side member frame 12, which is a structural member of the suspension, and an RR mount (hereinafter referred to as the torque rod) 20, provided on the suspension member 13, which is a structural member of the suspension. The RH mount 16 and the LH mount 17 support the left and right sides of the unit 15, respectively. The torque rod 20 also supports the rear of the unit 15.

[0015] In this embodiment, the unit 15 is supported at three points on the vehicle body 11, but the embodiment is not limited to this. For example, a four-point support configuration may be used, in which a mount is added to the front of the unit 15 in addition to the three-point support configuration.

[0016] "Support component (torque rod)" The torque rod 20 serving as a support component according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 2

[0017] As described above, the torque rod 20 supports the rear portion of the unit 15 on the suspension member 13 (see Fig. 1). The torque rod 20 includes an outer fitting, an inner cylindrical fitting, and a vibration-proof member 30, the details of which will be described later respectively

[0018] The outer fitting is formed in an elongated shape along the vehicle longitudinal direction, and is formed of aluminum, iron or the like. A support portion 21A to be fastened to the unit 15 by a fixing tool such as a bolt is formed at a front portion of the outer fitting. Furthermore, a circular opening 21B into which the vibration-proof member 30 is fitted is formed at a rear portion of the outer fitting

[0019] The inner cylindrical fitting is formed, for example, in a substantially triangular shape, and is formed of aluminum, iron or the like. The inner cylindrical fitting is provided, for example, at a central portion of the vibration-proof member 30 which will be described later. A fixing hole 22B for fastening to the suspension member 13 by a fixing tool such as a bolt is formed in a central portion of the inner cylindrical fitting

[0020] The vibration-proof member 30 is fixed to the opening 21B of the outer fitting 21. The inner cylindrical fitting 22 is fixed to a substantially central portion of the vibration-proof member 30. Details of the vibration-proof member 30 will be described later. Although the vibration-proof member 30 is provided on the torque rod 20, it may be provided on the RH mount 16 or the LH mount 17

[0021] In the torque rod 20 of the present embodiment, the outer fitting 21 is fixed to the unit 15 and the inner cylindrical fitting 22 is fixed to the vehicle body 11; however, the configuration may be such that the outer fitting 21 is fixed to the vehicle body 11 and the inner cylindrical fitting 22 is fixed to the unit 15

[0022] [Vibration-proof member] The vibration-proof member 30, which is an example of the embodiment, will be described with reference to Fig. 3

[0023] As described above, the vibration-damping member 30 is provided on the torque rod 20 and is made of an elastic material such as rubber. The vibration-damping member 30 can improve durability, as will be described in detail later. The vibration-damping member 30 is formed by continuously and integrally molding a leg portion 31, an adhesive portion 32, a stopper portion 33, a thin film portion 34, and a thick-walled portion 35, as will be described in detail later.

[0024] The leg portion 31 connects the outer fitting 21 and the inner cylindrical fitting 22, and absorbs the relative amount of movement of the unit 15 with respect to the suspension member 13 by expanding and contracting. The leg portion 31 is fixed to the inner cylindrical fitting 22 and is provided on both the left and right sides of the vibration-damping member 30. The leg portion 31 is formed to spread outward toward the rear from the inner cylindrical fitting 22.

[0025] The adhesive portion 32 is the part that fixes the leg portion 31 to the outer fitting 21. The adhesive portion 32 is formed in a C shape along the opening 21B of the outer fitting 21 and is formed on both the left and right sides of the vibration-damping member 30. The adhesive portion 32 is formed continuously on the outer and rear sides of each leg portion 31 and is fixed to the inner circumferential wall of the opening 21B of the outer fitting 21.

[0026] The stopper portion 33 is a part that prevents the outer fitting 21 and the inner cylinder fitting 22 from coming into direct contact and being damaged or generating abnormal noise. The stopper portion 33 includes a front stopper portion 33A fixed to the front side of the inner cylinder fitting 22 and a rear stopper portion 33B fixed to the rear of the opening 21B of the outer fitting 21.

[0027] The thin film portion 34 is formed to vent air from the mold during the molding of the vibration-damping member 30. For example, when manufacturing the vibration-damping member 30 by rubber injection molding, rubber is introduced and filled from the gate at the top of the mold, resulting in residual air above the mold. Therefore, the rubber is overfilled and the air is vented from the air vent to eliminate the residual air and ensure there are no gaps in the material. The portion formed by this air vent is the thin film portion 34. The thin film portion 34 is formed in the vibration-damping member 30 at the front in the vehicle's longitudinal direction, along the vehicle's longitudinal direction.

[0028] The thickened portion 35 is a portion that forms a predetermined gap S between it and the leg portion 31. The thickened portion 35 is thicker than the thin film portion 34 but thinner than the leg portion 31 and the adhesive portion 32. The thickened portion 35 is formed between the front part of the leg portion 31 and the adhesive portion 32, and is formed on the left and right sides of the vibration-damping member 30, respectively.

[0029] The gap S is the portion formed between the leg portion 31 and the thickened portion 35. As will be described in detail later, the leg portion 31 expands and contracts due to the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle 10, and as the thin film portion 34 expands and contracts repeatedly, when the thin film portion 34 breaks, the break in the thin film portion 34 can propagate along the gap S.

[0030] The gap S is formed at least up to the adhesive portion 32. Furthermore, the gap S is formed such that its width narrows as it extends backward from the thin film portion 34 (from the thin film portion 34 towards the adhesive portion 32). This makes it easier for a tear caused by a fracture in the thin film portion 34 to reach the gap S, and also makes it easier for the tear to propagate along the gap S.

[0031] In this embodiment, the gap S is formed between the leg portion 31 and the thickened portion 35, but the embodiment is not limited to this. The gap S may also be formed between the adhesive portion 32 and the thickened portion 35. Alternatively, the gap S may be formed both between the leg portion 31 and the thickened portion 35 and between the adhesive portion 32 and the thickened portion 35.

[0032] The thickened portion 35 and the adhesive portion 32 are formed in a stepped manner. More specifically, a stepped portion 36 is formed between the thickened portion 35 and the adhesive portion 32. More specifically, the stepped portion 36 is formed in the thickened portion 35 and is formed along the adhesive portion 32 with a predetermined width. The thickness of the stepped portion 36 is greater than the thickness of the thickened portion 35 and less than the thickness of the adhesive portion 32. The stepped shape between the thickened portion 35 and the adhesive portion 32 improves the fluidity of the rubber flowing from the adhesive portion 32 to the thickened portion 35 during molding.

[0033] In this embodiment, the thickened portion 35 and the adhesive portion 32 are formed in a stepped manner, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The thickened portion 35 and the adhesive portion 32 in the present invention may be formed in an inclined manner. By forming the thickened portion 35 and the adhesive portion 32 in an inclined manner, the fluidity of the rubber flowing from the adhesive portion 32 to the thickened portion 35 during molding is improved.

[0034] The effect of the vibration-damping member 30 will be explained using Figure 4. Figure 4(A) shows a state in which the thin film portion 134 of a conventional vibration-damping member 130 has fractured. Figure 4(B) shows a state in which the thin film portion 34 of the vibration-damping member 30 of this embodiment has fractured.

[0035] As shown in Figure 4(A), in the vibration-damping member 130, the leg portion 131 expands and contracts due to the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle 10, and the thin film portion 134 also expands and contracts in accordance with the leg portion 131. The thin film portion 134 will eventually break if repeated expansion and contraction occurs. If the break in the thin film portion 134 is repeated further, the tear may reach the side of the leg portion 131.

[0036] When the vehicle 10 accelerates or decelerates while the tear in the thin film portion 134 reaches the side of the leg portion 131, the thin film portion 134 is pulled, and strain concentrates at the point P where the tear in the thin film portion 134 reaches the side of the leg portion 131. As a result, the point P deteriorates faster than other parts, and a crack may form in the leg portion 131 starting from the point P.

[0037] As shown in Figure 4(B), in the vibration-damping member 30 of this embodiment, the leg portion 31 expands and contracts due to the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle 10, and the thin film portion 34 also expands and contracts in accordance with the leg portion 31. The thin film portion 34 will eventually break if the expansion and contraction are repeated. The break in the thin film portion 34 will then be guided into the gap S formed between the leg portion 31 and the thick portion 35 as the expansion and contraction are repeated further, and the break will propagate through this gap.

[0038] The crack that progresses into the gap S continues to advance along the gap S and reaches the adhesive portion 32 without stopping at a part of the leg portion 31 (for example, the reaching portion P mentioned above). This prevents strain from concentrating in the leg portion 31 when the vehicle 10 accelerates or decelerates, thus avoiding the leg portion 31 becoming the starting point for a crack.

[0039] The vibration-damping member 30 of this embodiment can improve durability. More specifically, a thickened portion 35 is formed on the thin film portion 34, creating a gap S between the leg portion 31 and the thickened portion 35. This prevents the crack caused by the rupture of the thin film portion 34 from progressing into the gap S and reaching the leg portion 31.

[0040] Furthermore, the vibration-damping member 30 of this embodiment can improve the fluidity of the rubber material during molding. For example, in order to prevent the break caused by the rupture of the thin film portion 34 from reaching the leg portion 31, one could consider forming a protrusion on the thin film portion 34 to guide the break, or forming a groove on the thin film portion 34 to guide the break, but this would reduce the fluidity of the rubber material during molding. Compared with these configurations, the vibration-damping member 30 of this embodiment does not reduce the fluidity of the rubber material during molding by forming the thick portion 35 continuously with the adhesive portion 32.

[0041] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and their modifications described above, and various changes and improvements are possible within the scope of the claims of this application. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0042] 10 Vehicle, 11 Body, 12 Front side member frame, 13 Suspension member, 15 Unit, 16 RH mount, 17 LH mount, 20 Torque rod, 21 Outer fitting, 21A Support part, 21B Opening, 22 Inner cylinder fitting, 22B Fixing hole, 30 Vibration damping member, 31 Leg part, 32 Adhesive part, 33 Stopper part, 33A Front stopper part, 33B Rear stopper part, 34 Thin film part, 35 Thick part, 36 Stepped part, 130 Vibration damping member, 131 Leg part, 134 Thin film part, P Reaching part, S Gap

Claims

1. A vibration-damping member for a support component that supports a unit in the vehicle body, The support component comprises an outer fitting to which one of the unit or the vehicle body is fixed on one side, with an opening formed on the other side into which the vibration-damping member is fitted, and an inner cylindrical fitting provided on the vibration-damping member and fixed to the other side of the unit or the vehicle body. The vibration-damping member comprises at least: a leg portion that connects the inner cylinder fitting and the outer fitting and absorbs the relative amount of movement of the unit with respect to the vehicle body by extending and contracting; an adhesive portion that is bonded to the opening of the outer fitting and formed continuously with the leg portion; and a thin film portion that is formed to release air from the mold during molding and is formed continuously with the leg portion along the direction of extension and contraction of the leg portion. The thin film portion has a thick-walled portion that is thicker than the thin film portion but thinner than the leg portion and the adhesive portion. A predetermined gap is formed between the thickened portion and the leg portion, and between the thickened portion and the adhesive portion, at least one of the above. The gap is formed such that its width narrows from the thin film portion toward the adhesive portion. Vibration-damping components for vehicle support parts.

2. The vibration-damping member for a vehicle support component according to claim 1, wherein the gap is formed only between the thickened portion and the leg portion.

3. A vibration damping member for a vehicle support component according to claim 1 or 2, The space between the adhesive portion and the thickened portion is formed in a step-like manner, or in an inclined manner. Vibration-damping components for vehicle support parts.

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