Spring member

Abstract

A spring member for suspension according to the present invention comprises: a spring part that is expandable and contractible in a direction from one end part to the other end part; a first end part that is continuous with the one end part of the spring part and extends in a flat plate shape; and a second end part that is continuous with the other end part of the spring part and extends in a flat plate shape. This spring member is formed using reinforced fiber.

Description

Spring material

[0001] The present invention relates to a spring member.

[0002] In recent years, from the viewpoint of reducing the weight of automobiles, reduction in the weight of spring members for suspensions, for example, has been considered. Examples of wire rods for elastic members that can reduce the weight of spring members include carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) and carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastics (CFRTP) (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 discloses a bellows spring member formed by erecting a plurality of corrugated plates that are intermittently arranged along the circumferential direction.

[0003] JP 2012-180923 A

[0004] However, the shape of the spring member needs to be adjusted to correspond to the type of vehicle to which it is attached. For example, adjustments such as redesigning the wave shape and the number of protrusions and recesses need to be made depending on the distance between the objects to which it is attached. In response to this, there has been a demand for a spring member that can be easily adjusted according to the vehicle model (for example, vehicle height).

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and has an object to provide a spring member that can be easily adjusted according to the vehicle model.

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, the spring member of the present invention is a spring member for suspension, which comprises a spring portion that is expandable and contractible in a direction from one end to the other end, a first end that is connected to one end of the spring portion and extends in a flat plate shape, and a second end that is connected to the other end of the spring portion and extends in a flat plate shape, and is characterized in that it is formed using reinforced fibers.

[0007] In addition, the spring member of the present invention is characterized in that, in the above invention, both ends of the spring portion are located at the center of the height of the spring portion, and the first end and the second end extend while maintaining their positional relationship with respect to the height of the spring portion.

[0008] Moreover, in the spring member according to the present invention, the reinforcing fibers extend in the longitudinal direction along the shape of the spring member.

[0009] Furthermore, in the spring member according to the present invention, the spring portion is bellows-shaped.

[0010] In addition, the spring member of the present invention is characterized in that, in the above invention, the first end and the second end are provided at the end opposite to the side connected to the spring portion in the extension direction, and each has an attachment portion that is attached to an attachment object, and an adjustment portion that is provided between the attachment portion and the spring portion.

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to easily adjust the vehicle model.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a spring member according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing the configuration of a portion of the spring member shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a method for manufacturing a spring member according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an installation example 1 of a spring member according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram (part 1) showing an installation example 2 of a spring member according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram (part 2) showing an installation example 2 of a spring member according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a method for manufacturing a spring member according to a modified example.

[0013] In the following description, a spring member will be described as a form for carrying out the present invention (hereinafter referred to as an "embodiment"). However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. Furthermore, in the drawings, the same parts are given the same reference numerals. Furthermore, it should be noted that the drawings are schematic, and the relationship between the thickness and width of each part, the ratio of each part, etc., may differ from reality. Furthermore, the drawings may include parts with different dimensions and ratios.

[0014] (Embodiment) Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a spring member according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view showing the configuration of a portion of the spring member shown in Fig. 1. Spring member 1 includes a spring portion 11, a first end portion 12 connected to one end of spring portion 11, and a second end portion 13 connected to the other end of spring portion 11. In the following description, the X direction is defined as the longitudinal direction (extension direction), the Y direction is defined as the width direction, and the Z direction is defined as the height direction, with respect to the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction which are orthogonal to each other.

[0015] The spring member 1 is formed using reinforcing fibers, which may be at least one fiber selected from the group consisting of carbon fibers, glass fibers, aramid fibers (which are aromatic polyamide fibers), and basalt fibers (which are basalt fibers).

[0016] 2, the material (plate material) for forming the spring member 1 includes a fiber layer 21 made of reinforcing fibers oriented in one direction, a first resin substrate layer 22 formed of resin and provided on one surface of the fiber layer 21, and a second resin substrate layer 23 formed of resin and provided on the other surface of the fiber layer 21. The fiber layer 21 is formed, for example, by unidirectionally orienting a plurality of reinforcing fibers impregnated with an uncured thermosetting resin and then heat-curing the resin.

[0017] The spring portion 11 has a bellows shape with opposite curved shapes along the extension direction. The spring portion 11 is formed by bending the main surface of a plate material.

[0018] The first end 12 is connected to one end of the spring portion 11 in the extension direction, and extends in the extension direction in a flat plate shape on the side opposite to the spring portion 11 side.

[0019] The second end 13 is connected to the other end of the spring portion 11 in the extension direction, and extends in the extension direction in a flat plate shape on the side opposite to the spring portion 11 side.

[0020] The first end 12 is provided at the end opposite to the end connected to the spring portion 11 in the X direction (extension direction), and has an attachment portion 121 that is attached to an attachment target, and an adjustment portion 122 that is provided between the attachment portion 121 and the spring portion 11 (see FIG. 2). Note that the second end 13 also has an attachment portion and an adjustment portion, similar to the first end 12.

[0021] The side shape of the spring member 1, as viewed from the width direction (Y direction), has 180° rotational symmetry around the center of gravity. In the spring member 1, both ends of the spring portion 11 are located at the center of the height of the spring portion 11 and are curved in opposite directions. The first end 12 and the second end 13 extend while maintaining their positional relationship with respect to the height of the spring portion 11. Note that in this embodiment, an example is described in which both ends of the spring portion 11 are located at the center of the height of the spring portion 11 and are provided at the same height, but the both ends may have different heights. The spring member 1 is not limited to the shape shown in FIG. 1 and may have a configuration that does not have rotational symmetry.

[0022] At the first end 12, the reinforcing fibers extend in the longitudinal direction (X direction) as shown by the arrows in Fig. 2. Although the first end 12 has been described here, in the spring member 1, the fibers extend in the X direction along the shape of the spring member 1.

[0023] Next, a joining method according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a diagram for explaining a method for manufacturing a spring member according to one embodiment of the present invention. In the manufacturing method shown in Fig. 3, a base material 100 including the above-described fiber layer 21, first resin substrate layer 22, and second resin substrate layer 23 is sandwiched between upper and lower molds (upper mold 101 and lower mold 102) to form the spring portion 11.

[0024] At this time, the upper mold 101 and the lower mold 102 have concave and convex shapes at the locations corresponding to the formation positions of the spring portions 11. The upper mold 101 and the lower mold 102 are designed so that the peaks and valleys of the concave and convex shapes interlock with each other when they approach each other.

[0025] By sandwiching the base material 100 between an upper mold 101 and a lower mold 102, a portion of the base material 100 is deformed into an accordion shape, thereby forming a spring member 1 having a spring portion 11, a first end portion 12, and a second end portion 13.

[0026] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an installation example 1 of a spring member according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the installation example shown in FIG. 4 , the spring member 1 is provided between a vehicle body 201 and a suspension arm 202. In this example, a portion (attachment portion 121) of the first end 12 of the spring member 1 is inserted into and fixed to a groove 201 a formed in the body 201. Furthermore, a portion (attachment portion) of the second end 13 of the spring member 1 is inserted into and fixed to a groove 202 a formed in the suspension arm 202. This allows the spring member 1 to determine the tire height (vehicle height) and absorb shocks during driving by deformation of the spring portion 11 (knee action). While FIG. 4 illustrates an example in which the attachment portion is inserted into and fixed to a groove, the attachment portion may be inserted into any groove as long as it can be fixed to the body 201 or the suspension arm 202. For example, the attachment portion may be fixed between two plates extending from the body 201 or the suspension arm 202. If necessary, the spring member 1 can be deformed into a bow shape before use.

[0027] 5 and 6 are diagrams showing a second installation example of a spring member according to an embodiment of the present invention. Note that FIG. 6 is a view rotated 90 degrees from FIG. 5 . In the installation example shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , two spring members 1 are used as a strut-type suspension. In this example, a mounting portion (mounting portion 121) of a first end 12 of the spring member 1 is fixed to a strut 203 on the body side. Furthermore, a mounting portion of a second end 13 of the spring member 1 is fixed to a shock absorber 204 (or damper) on the tire side. In this installation example, a strut-type suspension is configured by replacing a conventional coil spring with two spring members 1. In this case, the two spring members 1 are disposed on opposite sides of a rod 205 extending from the shock absorber 204, and the longitudinal axes (axially extending in the longitudinal direction) of the spring members 1 are inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of the rod 205. As a result, spring member 1 absorbs shocks during driving by deformation of spring portion 11. Furthermore, by adjusting the inclination angle of rod 205 with respect to the longitudinal axis, it is possible to cancel the bending moment input to the strut or shock absorber. Furthermore, with a strut-type suspension using this spring member 1, it is possible to reduce the area required for arranging the sheet that supports the portion equivalent to the end turn when arranging a conventional coil spring.

[0028] In installation examples 1 and 2 shown in Figures 4 to 6, if it is desired to change the vehicle height or if the spring member 1 is used for vehicle models with different vehicle heights, for example, if the spring member 1 is used for vehicle models with different distances between the strut 203 and the shock absorber 204, the vehicle height can be changed or the overall length can be changed in accordance with the distance between the connected objects while keeping the spring constant of the spring member 1 fixed, simply by adjusting the lengths in the X direction of the first end 12 and the second end 13 (here, the adjustment units).

[0029] In the above-described embodiment, the spring member 1 includes the bellows-shaped spring portion 11, the first end portion 12 that is connected to one end of the spring portion 11 and extends in a flat plate shape, and the second end portion 13 that is connected to the other end of the spring portion 11 and extends in a flat plate shape, and the overall length of the spring member 1 can be changed while maintaining the spring constant of the spring member 1 simply by changing the lengths of the first end portion 12 and the second end portion 13 (adjustment portion). According to this embodiment, it is possible to easily adjust the load at a specified vehicle height while maintaining the spring constant, for example, and therefore it is possible to easily adjust the spring constant according to the vehicle model.

[0030] In contrast, conventionally used coil springs for suspensions have complex shapes, and adjusting the overall length requires redesigning the number of turns of the wire, the diameter, the bending angle, etc. for each length, making it difficult to adjust.

[0031] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the structure and shape of the material are simple, so that the productivity of the spring member 1 can be improved.

[0032] In the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which the material (plate material) for producing the spring member 1 is composed of the fiber layer 21, the first resin substrate layer 22, and the second resin substrate layer 23. However, for example, the resin substrate layer may be sandwiched between the fiber layers, or the spring member 1 may be composed of only the fiber layer 21 if the required strength can be obtained by orienting a plurality of reinforcing fibers impregnated with a thermosetting resin in one direction and heat-curing the fibers.

[0033] (Modification) Next, a modification of the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a diagram for explaining a method of manufacturing a spring member according to the modification. In this modification, the method of manufacturing the spring member 1 differs from that of the embodiment. The manufacturing method according to this modification will be described below.

[0034] In the manufacturing method according to this modified example, the base material 100 including the above-described fiber layer 21, first resin base material layer 22, and second resin base material layer 23 is sandwiched between upper and lower roller dies (upper roller dies 103 and lower roller dies 104) to form the spring portion 11. Note that the base material 100 is not limited to the base material 100, and a base material in which a resin base material layer is sandwiched between fiber layers, or a base material consisting only of fiber layers may also be used.

[0035] At this time, parts of the surfaces of the upper roller die 103 and the lower roller die 104 are formed with concave and convex shapes corresponding to the formation area of ​​the spring portion 11. The upper roller die 103 and the lower roller die 104 are designed so that the peaks and valleys of the concave and convex shapes mesh with each other when they rotate and face each other. At this time, a gap is formed between the upper roller die 103 and the lower roller die 104 according to the plate thickness of the base material 100, for example.

[0036] The base material 100 is fed between the upper roller mold 103 and the lower roller mold 104, and is sandwiched between the upper roller mold 103 and the lower roller mold 104, thereby deforming a portion of the base material 100 into an accordion-like shape, and thereby forming a spring member 1 having a spring portion 11, a first end portion 12, and a second end portion 13.

[0037] In the above-described modified example, similar to the embodiment, the spring member 1 includes a bellows-shaped spring portion 11, a first end portion 12 that is connected to one end of the spring portion 11 and extends in a flat plate shape, and a second end portion 13 that is connected to the other end portion of the spring portion 11 and extends in a flat plate shape, and the overall length of the spring member 1 can be changed while maintaining the spring constant of the spring member 1 simply by changing the lengths of the first end portion 12 and the second end portion 13. According to the present embodiment, the length can be easily adjusted while maintaining the spring constant.

[0038] Furthermore, according to this modification, the base material 100 is fed in succession while the upper roller die 103 and the lower roller die 104 are continuously rotated, whereby the spring members 1 can be continuously produced.

[0039] As described above, the present invention can include various embodiments not described herein, and various design changes can be made without departing from the technical concept defined by the claims. In the above-described embodiment, the spring portion 11 is bellows-shaped, but the spring portion 11 may have any other shape as long as it is expandable and contractible in the longitudinal direction (here, the X direction) from one end to the other end.

[0040] As described above, the spring member according to the present invention is suitable for easy adjustment according to the vehicle type.

[0041] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 spring member 11 spring portion 12 first end portion 13 second end portion 21 fiber layer 22 first resin substrate layer 23 second resin substrate layer 100 base material

Claims

1. A spring component for a suspension, comprising: a spring portion that is expandable and contractible in a direction from one end to the other end; a first end portion that is connected to the one end of the spring portion and extends in a flat plate shape; and a second end portion that is connected to the other end of the spring portion and extends in a flat plate shape, the spring component being formed using reinforced fibers.

2. The spring member according to claim 1, characterized in that both ends of the spring portion are located at the center of the height of the spring portion, and the first end and the second end extend while maintaining a positional relationship with respect to the height of the spring portion.

3. The spring member according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing fibers extend in the longitudinal direction along the shape of the spring member.

4. The spring member according to claim 1, wherein the spring portion is bellows-shaped.

5. A spring member as described in claim 1, characterized in that the first end and the second end are provided at the end opposite to the side connected to the spring portion in the extension direction, and each have an attachment portion that is attached to an attachment object, and an adjustment portion that is provided between the attachment portion and the spring portion.

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