Support apparatus for center bearing of propeller shaft

Abstract

The present invention relates to a support apparatus for a center bearing of a propeller shaft. The support apparatus is installed in a state where one end of a bearing mounting bracket (24) fixedly coupled to a cross member (9) of a vehicle body is supported by a bracket roller (23) provided in a rubber bracket (22), so that if axial displacement occurs in the propeller shaft (3) due to external force during vehicle driving, the support apparatus can absorb the axial displacement of the propeller shaft (3) while the rubber bracket (22) is moved relative to the bearing mounting bracket (24) by rotation of the bracket roller (23).

Description

Center bearing support device of propeller shaft

[0001] The present invention relates to a center bearing support device of a propeller shaft, and more specifically, to a technology related to a center bearing support device of a propeller shaft that can absorb axial displacement of a propeller shaft and prevent bearing rubber from coming off.

[0002] Typically, in a rear-wheel drive vehicle, a propeller shaft (3) that transmits torque from a transmission (1) to a rear axle (2) is installed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, as shown in Fig. 1.

[0003] That is, the propeller shaft (3) is a component that transmits the power of the engine (4), which has been appropriately changed through the transmission (1), to the driving wheels.

[0004] The engine (4) and transmission (1) of the vehicle are fixedly mounted on the chassis frame, and the drive wheel axle is mounted on the body through a suspension device such as a spring and moves up and down by an external force. Accordingly, a height difference exists between the output end of the transmission and the input end of the drive wheel side (input end of the rear axle), and the length along the longitudinal direction of the body also changes.

[0005] Accordingly, the front and rear ends of the propeller shaft (3) are mounted on the transmission output end and the drive wheel input end, respectively, via a universal joint (5) to overcome the height difference and to respond to changes in length by splitting the shaft and spline-joining it.

[0006] In addition, when the length of the body is excessively long in the longitudinal direction, a center bearing (6) is installed in the middle portion, and a structure connecting the center bearing (6) and the body is adopted to prevent vibration in the bending direction, thereby enabling more stable transmission of power and preventing deterioration of durability due to vibration.

[0007] That is, the conventional center bearing support device includes, as shown in Fig. 2, a bearing rubber (7) that wraps around the center bearing (6) to absorb axial displacement and vibration of the propeller shaft, a rubber bracket (8) that wraps around the bearing rubber (7) to maintain the shape of the bearing rubber (7), and a bearing mounting bracket (11) that is connected to the rubber bracket (8) and a cross member (9) of the body via a connecting member (10).

[0008] The above-mentioned connecting member (10) is a connecting member of a bolt and a nut.

[0009] However, the conventional structure as described above is a structure in which a rubber bracket (8) and a bearing mounting bracket (11) are connected via a connecting member (10), and if axial displacement (arrow M1) of the propeller shaft (3) continues to occur for a long period of time, a disadvantage occurs in which the bearing rubber (7) comes off from the rubber bracket (8) and detaches.

[0010] The above-mentioned problem of bearing rubber (7) detachment is a problem that occurs because the devices supporting the center bearing (6) cannot absorb the axial displacement of the propeller shaft (3).

[0011] Accordingly, the present invention has been devised to solve the above-mentioned disadvantages, and the purpose of the present invention is to provide a center bearing support device of a propeller shaft that can absorb the axial displacement of the propeller shaft when an external force occurs while the vehicle is driving, thereby preventing the bearing rubber from coming off, and thereby improving durability.

[0012] In order to achieve the above-described purpose, the center bearing support device of the propeller shaft of the present invention is characterized by including: a bearing rubber that surrounds the center bearing of the propeller shaft; a rubber bracket that surrounds the outer peripheral surface of the bearing rubber; a bracket roller installed on the rubber bracket; and a bearing mounting bracket that has one end supported by the bracket roller and the other end fixedly installed on a member constituting a vehicle body.

[0013] When axial displacement occurs in the above propeller shaft, the propeller shaft, center bearing, bearing rubber, and rubber bracket are integrated into a bearing mounting bracket and move relative to each other by rotation of the bracket roller, thereby absorbing the axial displacement of the propeller shaft.

[0014] The rubber bracket is characterized in that an upper flange and a lower flange are formed in a U shape at both ends thereof, an insertion groove into which one end of a bearing mounting bracket is inserted is formed between the upper and lower flanges, and a bracket roller is installed on the upper and lower flanges so as to be exposed through the insertion groove, so that the bracket roller supports one end of the bearing mounting bracket.

[0015] The above bracket roller includes a plurality of upper rollers installed on the upper flange; and a plurality of lower rollers installed on the lower flange; and the upper and lower rollers are characterized in that they are installed so as to be able to rotate along the longitudinal direction of the propeller shaft.

[0016] The member of the body to which the other end of the above bearing mounting bracket is fixedly connected is characterized by being a cross member.

[0017] According to the center bearing support device of a propeller shaft according to the present invention, when an axial displacement occurs in the propeller shaft due to an external force when the vehicle is driven, the axial displacement of the propeller shaft can be absorbed by allowing the propeller shaft, the center bearing, the bearing rubber, and the rubber bracket to move relative to the bearing mounting bracket in an integrated state by the rotation of the bracket roller, thereby preventing the problem of the bearing rubber coming off from the rubber bracket and detaching, and further improving the durability of the propeller shaft and the center bearing.

[0018] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a propeller shaft;

[0019] Figure 2 is a drawing for explaining a conventional center bearing support device.

[0020] Figure 3 is a drawing for explaining a center bearing support device according to the present invention.

[0021] Figure 4 is a drawing for explaining a rubber bracket according to the present invention.

[0022] Hereinafter, a center bearing support device of a propeller shaft according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings, and the same parts as in the prior art will be described with the same drawing reference numerals.

[0023] As described with reference to Fig. 1, in a rear-wheel drive vehicle, a propeller shaft (3) is installed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body to transmit the power of an appropriately changed engine (4) through a transmission (1) to a rear axle (2).

[0024] In case the length of the propeller shaft (3) is long, a center bearing (6) is installed in the middle of the propeller shaft (3). Since the center bearing (6) has a structure connected to the body via a support device according to the present invention, stable power transmission and improved durability can be achieved through the propeller shaft (3).

[0025] That is, the center bearing support device of the propeller shaft according to the present invention includes, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a bearing rubber (21) that surrounds a center bearing (6) of a propeller shaft (3); a rubber bracket (22) that surrounds an outer peripheral surface of the bearing rubber (21); a bracket roller (23) installed on the rubber bracket (22); and a bearing mounting bracket (24) that has one end supported by the bracket roller (23) and the other end fixedly installed on a member constituting a vehicle body.

[0026] The above-described support device absorbs the axial displacement of the propeller shaft (3) by allowing the propeller shaft (3), center bearing (6), bearing rubber (21), and rubber bracket (22) to move relative to the bearing mounting bracket (24) in an integrated state by the rotation of the bracket roller (23) when axial displacement (arrow M1) occurs in the propeller shaft (3), thereby resolving the conventional disadvantage of the bearing rubber (21) coming off and detaching from the rubber bracket (22), and further having the advantage of improving the durability of the propeller shaft (3) and the center bearing (6).

[0027] An upper flange (22a) and a lower flange (22b) are formed in a U shape at both ends of the above rubber bracket (22), and an insertion groove (22c) into which one end of a bearing mounting bracket (24) is inserted is formed between the upper and lower flanges (22a, 22b), and a bracket roller (23) is installed in the upper and lower flanges (22a, 22b) so as to be exposed through the insertion groove (22c), so that the bracket roller (23) has a structure in which it supports one end of the bearing mounting bracket (24).

[0028] The above bracket roller (23) includes a plurality of upper rollers (23a) installed on the upper flange (22a) and a plurality of lower rollers (23b) installed on the lower flange (22b), and the upper rollers (23a) and lower rollers (23a, 23b) are installed so as to be able to rotate along the longitudinal direction of the propeller shaft (3).

[0029] Meanwhile, the member of the body to which the other end of the bearing mounting bracket (24) is fixedly connected becomes the cross member (9) illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0030] As described above, the embodiment according to the present invention has a structure in which one end of a bearing mounting bracket (24) fixedly connected to a cross member (9) of a vehicle body is installed to be inserted into an insertion groove (22c) formed in a rubber bracket (22), and is also installed in a state supported by a plurality of bracket rollers (23) exposed through the insertion grooves (22c), so that when an axial displacement occurs in the propeller shaft (3) due to an external force when the vehicle is driven, the propeller shaft (3), the center bearing (6), the bearing rubber (21), and the rubber bracket (22) are integrated by the rotation of the bracket roller (23) and move relative to the bearing mounting bracket (24), thereby absorbing the axial displacement of the propeller shaft (3).

[0031] As described above, when the rubber bracket (22) can absorb the axial displacement of the propeller shaft (3) while moving relative to the bearing mounting bracket (24), the problem of the bearing rubber (21) coming off and detaching from the rubber bracket (22) can be eliminated, and thus, there is an advantage in that the durability of the propeller shaft (3) and the center bearing (6) can be improved.

[0032] Although the present invention has been illustrated and described with respect to specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be variously improved and modified without departing from the technical spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

[0033] The present invention relates to a propeller shaft center bearing support device that can prevent bearing rubber from coming off by absorbing axial displacement of the propeller shaft due to external force when the propeller shaft is driven, thereby improving durability, and is a technology that can be widely used in the vehicle and parts industries to realize its practical and economic value.

Claims

1. Bearing rubber surrounding the center bearing of the propeller shaft; A rubber bracket that surrounds the outer circumference of the above bearing rubber; A bracket roller installed on the above rubber bracket; and A center bearing support device of a propeller shaft, including a bearing mounting bracket, one end of which is supported by the above bracket roller and the other end of which is fixedly installed on a member forming a body.

2. In claim 1, A center bearing support device for a propeller shaft, characterized in that when axial displacement of the propeller shaft occurs, the propeller shaft, center bearing, bearing rubber, and rubber bracket are integrated and move relative to the bearing mounting bracket by rotation of the bracket roller, thereby absorbing the axial displacement of the propeller shaft.

3. In claim 1, At both ends of the above rubber bracket, an upper flange and a lower flange are each formed in a U shape; An insertion groove is formed between the upper and lower flanges into which one end of the bearing mounting bracket is inserted; A center bearing support device for a propeller shaft, characterized in that a bracket roller is installed on the upper and lower flanges so as to be exposed through the above insertion groove, and the bracket roller supports one end of the bearing mounting bracket.

4. In claim 3, The above bracket roller comprises a plurality of upper rollers installed on the upper flange; and Comprising a plurality of lower rollers installed on the lower flange; A center bearing support device for a propeller shaft, characterized in that the upper and lower rollers are installed so as to be able to rotate along the longitudinal direction of the propeller shaft.

5. In claim 1, A center bearing support device for a propeller shaft, characterized in that the member of the body to which the other end of the bearing mounting bracket is fixedly connected is a cross member.

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