【０００１】[0001]
【発明の属する技術分野】本発明は空気ばねの基準の位
置から縮み方向へのストロークが小さい内はばね定数が
小さく（柔かく）、ストロークが大きくなるとばね定数
が次第に大きく（硬く）なる特性をもつ車両用空気ばね
に関するものである。BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention has a characteristic that the spring constant is small (soft) when the stroke of the air spring from the reference position in the contraction direction is small, and the spring constant is gradually increased (hardened) as the stroke increases. The present invention relates to a vehicle air spring.
【０００２】[0002]
【従来の技術】普通の車両用空気ばねではストロークが
大きくなるとバンプストツパが働き、ばね定数が大きく
なるようになつてはいるが、バンプストツパに当ると急
にばね定数が大きく変化するので、乗り心地が悪くな
る。2. Description of the Related Art In an ordinary vehicle air spring, when the stroke becomes large, a bump stop works to increase the spring constant. However, when the bump spring comes into contact with the bump stop, the spring constant suddenly changes greatly. Deteriorate.
【０００３】従来の空気ばねに副空気槽（サブタンク）
を電磁開閉弁を介して連通・遮断することにより、空気
ばねのばね定数を加減する車両用空気ばねは、構成が複
雑であり、広い搭載空間を必要とし、製造経費も嵩むと
いう難点がある。A conventional air spring has a sub air tank (sub tank).
The vehicle air spring has a complicated structure, requires a large mounting space, and has a high manufacturing cost.
【０００４】特開昭６１−６３０４８号公報に開示され
る車両用空気ばねでは、ストロークの増加に応じて上下
２つの空気室が連通する状態から遮断される状態に切り
換わり、ばね定数が大きくなるようになつている。しか
し、２つの空気室は所定のストロークで必ずしも遮断さ
れるとは限らない。例えば、空気ばねが斜めにストロー
クすると遮断部分に隙間が生じ、２つの空気室を完全に
互いに遮断することができない。２つの空気室はゴムの
膜により遮断ないし分離されるようになつているので、
空気室の間の圧力差が大きくなると、高圧の空気室の空
気が低圧の空気室へ洩れてしまう。In the vehicle air spring disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-63048, the state in which the upper and lower air chambers are communicated is switched to the state in which the upper and lower air chambers are shut off as the stroke increases, and the spring constant increases. It is like that. However, the two air chambers are not always shut off at a predetermined stroke. For example, when the air spring strokes obliquely, a gap is formed in the shutoff portion, and the two air chambers cannot be completely shut off from each other. Since the two air chambers are blocked or separated by a rubber membrane,
When the pressure difference between the air chambers increases, the air in the high-pressure air chamber leaks to the low-pressure air chamber.
【０００５】[0005]
【発明が解決しようとする課題】本発明の課題は上述の
問題に鑑み、副空気槽を必要とせず、動作が確実であ
り、空気ばねのストロークが所定値を超えると、空気ば
ねのばね定数が次第に大きくなるようにした車両用空気
ばねを提供することにある。SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned problems, the object of the present invention is to eliminate the need for an auxiliary air tank, to ensure reliable operation, and to set the spring constant of the air spring when the stroke of the air spring exceeds a predetermined value. It is an object of the present invention to provide an air spring for a vehicle in which is gradually increased.
【０００６】[0006]
【課題を解決するための手段】上記課題を解決するため
に、本発明の構成はカツプ型の外筒と内筒の互いに対向
する開口端に、ベローズの各端部を結合して空気ばね本
体を構成し、一端が外筒の端壁に回動可能に接続された
ロツドの他端に、内筒の内部へ嵌合可能のピストンを回
動可能に接続し、前記内筒の内周面に環状の弾性シール
を支持し、前記空気ばね本体が縮んで前記内筒が前記ピ
ストンを嵌合する時、前記弾性シールが前記ピストンの
外周面に摺接することを特徴とするものである。In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is directed to an air spring body in which each end of a bellows is connected to an opening end of a cup-shaped outer cylinder and an opening end of an inner cylinder which are opposed to each other. A piston rotatably connected to the inside of the inner cylinder is rotatably connected to the other end of the rod having one end rotatably connected to the end wall of the outer cylinder, and an inner peripheral surface of the inner cylinder. The elastic seal slides on the outer peripheral surface of the piston when the air spring main body is contracted and the inner cylinder is fitted with the piston.
【０００７】[0007]
【発明の実施の形態】本発明では空気ばね本体の上側の
空気室を区画する外筒に、ピストンがロツドにより揺動
可能に支持され、かつ内筒へ嵌合可能に構成される。空
気ばねの基準の位置（長さ）からの縮み方向のストロー
クが所定値を超えると、ピストンが内筒へ嵌合し、内筒
に区画される下側の空気室を不完全に閉鎖する状態か
ら、完全に閉鎖する状態へと順に移動し、空気ばねのば
ね定数が次第に大きくなる。DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the present invention, a piston is swingably supported by a rod in an outer cylinder defining an upper air chamber of an air spring main body, and can be fitted to an inner cylinder. When the stroke in the contraction direction from the reference position (length) of the air spring exceeds a predetermined value, the piston is fitted into the inner cylinder, and the lower air chamber defined by the inner cylinder is incompletely closed. , And sequentially move to a completely closed state, and the spring constant of the air spring gradually increases.
【０００８】ピストンが内筒へ嵌合する時、まずピスト
ンの外周面が内筒の内周面の多数の突条に係合して絞り
（ダンパ）として作用しつつ、下側の空気室の容積を次
第に縮小する。次いで、ピストンが内筒の弾性シールに
係合すると、下側の空気室が上側の空気室から遮断され
る。つまり、下側の空気室と上側の空気室が独立の空気
ばねとして働き、上下の空気ばねが直列に接続された状
態になり、ばね定数が大きくなる。When the piston is fitted into the inner cylinder, first, the outer peripheral surface of the piston engages with a number of ridges on the inner peripheral surface of the inner cylinder to act as a throttle (damper), and at the same time, acts as a throttle (damper). The volume is gradually reduced. Then, when the piston engages the elastic seal of the inner cylinder, the lower air chamber is shut off from the upper air chamber. That is, the lower air chamber and the upper air chamber function as independent air springs, and the upper and lower air springs are connected in series, increasing the spring constant.
【０００９】[0009]
【実施例】図１は本発明に係る車両用空気ばねの正面断
面図である。空気ばねは空気室Ａを区画する逆カツプ型
の外筒７と、空気室Ｂを区画するカツプ型の内筒１５と
からなり、両者はベローズ２により互いに連結される。
すなわち、ベローズ２の一端が外筒７の下端部にバンド
３により締結され、ベローズ２の他端が内筒１５の上端
部にバンド１２により締結される。外筒７の上壁板７ａ
はボルト４を含む公知の手段により車枠に連結され、内
筒１５の下壁板１５ａは例えばアクスルケースまたは懸
架腕に連結される。1 is a front sectional view of a vehicle air spring according to the present invention. The air spring includes an inverted cup-shaped outer cylinder 7 that partitions the air chamber A and a cup-shaped inner cylinder 15 that partitions the air chamber B, and both are connected to each other by the bellows 2.
That is, one end of the bellows 2 is fastened to the lower end of the outer cylinder 7 by the band 3, and the other end of the bellows 2 is fastened to the upper end of the inner cylinder 15 by the band 12. Upper wall plate 7a of outer cylinder 7
Is connected to the vehicle frame by known means including bolts 4, and the lower wall plate 15a of the inner cylinder 15 is connected to, for example, an axle case or a suspension arm.
【００１０】本発明によれば、空気室Ａ，Ｂの間を連通
・遮断するピストン１０が、外筒７の上壁板７ａにロツ
ド８を介して連結される。詳しくは、ロツド８の上端は
水平なピン５または球継手により上端壁７ａに、ロツド
８の下端は水平なピン９または球継手によりピストン１
０にそれぞれ連結される。したがつて、ピストン１０は
揺動可能であり、かつ下半部分の外径が小さくなつてお
り、内筒１５の内部へ突出している。内筒１５は上端縁
部がピストン１０の揺動を許すようにラツパ状に広がつ
ている。さらに、内筒１５の上端部内周面には、軸方向
に延びる多数の突条１３が周方向等間隔に設けられる。
また、内筒１５の上端部内周面の突条１３よりも下方部
分に、ピストン１０に係合する弾性シール１４が支持さ
れる。According to the present invention, the piston 10 for communicating and blocking between the air chambers A and B is connected to the upper wall plate 7a of the outer cylinder 7 via the rod 8. Specifically, the upper end of the rod 8 is on the upper end wall 7a by a horizontal pin 5 or a ball joint, and the lower end of the rod 8 is the piston 1 by a horizontal pin 9 or a ball joint.
0. Accordingly, the piston 10 is swingable, and the outer diameter of the lower half is small, and protrudes into the inner cylinder 15. The inner cylinder 15 has a flared shape so that the upper end edge portion allows the piston 10 to swing. Further, on the inner peripheral surface of the upper end portion of the inner cylinder 15, a number of protrusions 13 extending in the axial direction are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.
Further, an elastic seal 14 that engages with the piston 10 is supported below the protrusion 13 on the inner peripheral surface of the upper end of the inner cylinder 15.
【００１１】次に、本発明による車両用空気ばねの作動
について説明する。通常の状態（例えば停車中）では、
ピストン１０は内筒１５の上端縁から離れているが、小
径の下半部分が内筒１５の内部へ僅かに突出している。
この時、空気室Ａと空気室Ｂが互いに連通しているので
ばね定数が小さく、路面からの上下入力に対し乗り心地
が保証される。公知のように、空気室Ａ，Ｂには図示し
てない空気槽の加圧空気が車高調整弁を経て供給される
か、空気室Ａ，Ｂの空気が車高調整弁を経て外部へ排出
され、車体荷重と釣り合つた状態にあり、基準の車高を
保つている。Next, the operation of the vehicle air spring according to the present invention will be described. Under normal conditions (for example, when stopped)
The piston 10 is separated from the upper edge of the inner cylinder 15, but the lower half of the small diameter slightly projects into the inner cylinder 15.
At this time, since the air chamber A and the air chamber B communicate with each other, the spring constant is small, and the riding comfort is guaranteed with respect to vertical input from the road surface. As is known, pressurized air in an air tank (not shown) is supplied to the air chambers A and B via a vehicle height adjustment valve, or the air in the air chambers A and B is supplied to the outside via a vehicle height adjustment valve. It is discharged and is in a state of being balanced with the body load, and maintains the reference vehicle height.
【００１２】車両の走行中、路面入力により内筒１５が
突き上げられると、内筒１５の突条１３がピストン１０
の外周面に係合し、空気室Ａと空気室Ｂとの間の隙間が
絞られ、ダンパとしての減衰力を発生する。さらに内筒
１５が突き上げられると、内筒１５の弾性シール１４が
ピストン１０の外周面に係合し、空気室Ｂが完全に密閉
される。この時、ばね定数の大なる空気ばねに切り換わ
る。つまり、空気室Ａと空気室Ｂが互いに直列に接続さ
れた空気ばねとして働き、ばね定数が大きくなる。ピス
トン１０はロツド８により下側の空気室Ｂへ案内され、
ピストン１０が斜めに傾くことなく内筒１５へ嵌合され
るので、作動が確実である。When the inner cylinder 15 is pushed up by a road surface input during traveling of the vehicle, the ridge 13 of the inner cylinder 15
, The gap between the air chamber A and the air chamber B is reduced, and a damping force as a damper is generated. When the inner cylinder 15 is further pushed up, the elastic seal 14 of the inner cylinder 15 is engaged with the outer peripheral surface of the piston 10, and the air chamber B is completely sealed. At this time, the air spring is switched to an air spring having a large spring constant. That is, the air chamber A and the air chamber B function as an air spring connected in series with each other, and the spring constant increases. The piston 10 is guided by the rod 8 to the lower air chamber B,
Since the piston 10 is fitted to the inner cylinder 15 without being inclined obliquely, the operation is reliable.
【００１３】特に、アクスルケースの両端部を空気ばね
により車枠に懸架する形式の車両では、ばね定数を小さ
く設定した場合に、直進走行での車体の上下振動に対し
ては乗り心地がよくなり、また旋回走行で車体が横に傾
き、車体荷重が片側の空気ばねに集中する時、空気ばね
のばね定数が大きくなり、車体のロールを抑えるように
働き、操縦安定性が向上する。Particularly, in a vehicle of a type in which both ends of an axle case are suspended on a vehicle frame by an air spring, when the spring constant is set to be small, the ride comfort is improved with respect to vertical vibration of the vehicle body in straight running. Also, when the vehicle body tilts sideways during turning and the load of the vehicle body is concentrated on one side of the air spring, the spring constant of the air spring increases, which acts to suppress the roll of the vehicle body and improves steering stability.
【００１４】上述の実施例では、空気ばね本体の外筒が
車枠側に支持され、内筒が車軸側に支持されているが、
逆に空気ばね本体の内筒が車枠側に支持され、外筒が車
軸側に支持されるように構成しても同様の作用効果が得
られる。In the above embodiment, the outer cylinder of the air spring body is supported on the vehicle frame side and the inner cylinder is supported on the axle side.
Conversely, even when the inner cylinder of the air spring body is supported on the vehicle frame side and the outer cylinder is supported on the axle side, the same operation and effect can be obtained.
【００１５】[0015]
【発明の効果】本発明は上述のように、カツプ型の外筒
と内筒の互いに対向する開口端に、ベローズの各端部を
結合して空気ばね本体を構成し、一端が外筒の端壁に回
動可能に接続されたロツドの他端に、内筒の内部へ嵌合
可能のピストンを回動可能に接続し、前記内筒の内周面
に環状の弾性シールを支持し、前記空気ばね本体が縮ん
で前記内筒が前記ピストンを嵌合する時、前記弾性シー
ルが前記ピストンの外周面に摺接するようにしたもので
あり、副空気槽を必要としないので、全体として小形に
なり、製造経費を節減できる。As described above, according to the present invention, the ends of the bellows are connected to the opening ends of the cup-shaped outer cylinder and the inner cylinder facing each other to form an air spring main body, and one end of the outer cylinder is formed. A piston rotatably connected to the inside of the inner cylinder is rotatably connected to the other end of the rod rotatably connected to the end wall, and an annular elastic seal is supported on an inner peripheral surface of the inner cylinder; When the air spring body is contracted and the inner cylinder is fitted with the piston, the elastic seal slides on the outer peripheral surface of the piston, and does not require an auxiliary air tank. And manufacturing costs can be reduced.
【００１６】ピストンが外筒に揺動可能に支持されてい
るので、内筒が外筒に対し傾いたまま押し上げられて
も、ピストンは無理なく円滑に内筒に嵌合し、ばね定数
の変化の立上がりが早く、ばね定数の変化が緩やかで安
定したばね特性が得られる。Since the piston is swingably supported by the outer cylinder, even if the inner cylinder is pushed up while being tilted with respect to the outer cylinder, the piston fits smoothly and smoothly into the inner cylinder to change the spring constant. The rise of the spring is fast, the spring constant changes slowly, and stable spring characteristics can be obtained.
【００１７】通常のばね定数を小さく設定すれば、直進
走行での路面変化に対する乗り心地が改善され、空気ば
ねのストロークが所定値を超えると、下側の空気室が完
全に閉鎖されて空気ばねのばね定数が大きくなるので、
旋回走行時の車体のロールが抑えられ、操縦安定性が向
上される。If the normal spring constant is set small, the riding comfort against road surface changes in straight running is improved, and when the stroke of the air spring exceeds a predetermined value, the lower air chamber is completely closed and the air spring is closed. Since the spring constant of
Rolling of the vehicle body during cornering is suppressed, and steering stability is improved.
【図１】本発明に係る車両用空気ばねの正面断面図であ
る。FIG. 1 is a front sectional view of a vehicle air spring according to the present invention.
Ａ，Ｂ：空気室 ２：ベローズ ３：バンド ４：ボル
ト ５：ピン ７：外筒 ７ａ：上壁板 ８：ロツド ９：ピン １０：ピストン
１２：バンド １３：突条 １４：弾性シール １
５：内筒 １５ａ：下壁板A, B: air chamber 2: bellows 3: band 4: bolt 5: pin 7: outer cylinder 7a: upper wall plate 8: rod 9: pin 10: piston 12: band 13: ridge 14: elastic seal 1
5: Inner cylinder 15a: Lower wall plate
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP7451497AJP3555379B2 (en) | 1997-03-11 | 1997-03-11 | Air spring for vehicles |
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP7451497AJP3555379B2 (en) | 1997-03-11 | 1997-03-11 | Air spring for vehicles |
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| JPH10252798Atrue JPH10252798A (en) | 1998-09-22 |
| JP3555379B2 JP3555379B2 (en) | 2004-08-18 |
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP7451497AExpired - Fee RelatedJP3555379B2 (en) | 1997-03-11 | 1997-03-11 | Air spring for vehicles |
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JP3555379B2 (en) |
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KR100471829B1 (en)* | 2002-04-10 | 2005-03-08 | 현대자동차주식회사 | an air spring of suspension system for vehicles |
| JP2007232053A (en)* | 2006-02-28 | 2007-09-13 | Aisin Seiki Co Ltd | Vehicle air spring |
| WO2015048823A1 (en)* | 2013-09-30 | 2015-04-02 | Firestone Industrial Products Company, Llc | Gas damper |
| US11173982B2 (en) | 2017-08-04 | 2021-11-16 | Joshua J. Angell | Active air spring |
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KR100471829B1 (en)* | 2002-04-10 | 2005-03-08 | 현대자동차주식회사 | an air spring of suspension system for vehicles |
| JP2007232053A (en)* | 2006-02-28 | 2007-09-13 | Aisin Seiki Co Ltd | Vehicle air spring |
| WO2015048823A1 (en)* | 2013-09-30 | 2015-04-02 | Firestone Industrial Products Company, Llc | Gas damper |
| US11173982B2 (en) | 2017-08-04 | 2021-11-16 | Joshua J. Angell | Active air spring |
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| JP3555379B2 (en) | 2004-08-18 |
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|---|---|---|---|
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