JPH027746Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Technical field to which the invention pertains] The present invention relates to a stopper mechanism for limiting a steering angle within a certain angle in a steering device for an automobile.

[Conventional example]

As a conventional stopper mechanism of this type, there is one shown in FIG. 1, for example. That is, FIG. 1 is a plan view, and the lower part of the drawing shows the front of the automobile. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a cross member fixed to the vehicle body, and a transverse link 3, which is a suspension arm, is connected to the cross member 1 via a bush 2 so as to be able to swing in the vertical direction. A knuckle 5 is connected to the free end of the transverse link 3 via a lower ball joint 4.
are connected, and the knuckle arm 6 is connected to the knuckle 5.
are fixed together. One end of a tie rod 8 is connected to the free end of the knuckle arm 6 via a knuckle ball joint 7, and the other end of the tie rod 8 is connected to a relay rod 10 via a tie rod inner ball joint 9. The relay rod 10 is a steering gear box (not shown)
It is connected to a gear arm (not shown) extending from the idler arm 11, is supported by the idler arm 11, and moves forward and backward in the left-right direction in the figure. A stopper protrusion 12 made of a bolt is protruded from the middle portion of the knuckle arm 6, and the stopper protrusion 12 comes into contact with the transverse link 3 when the knuckle arm 6 pivots to prevent the knuckle arm 6 from pivoting. A stopper receiver 13 is provided. In the figure, A is the transverse link 3 for the cross member 1.
Indicates the center of bush 2, which is the connection center of B
is the connection center between the transverse link 3 and the knuckle 5. The center of the lower ball joint 4 is shown, and C is the center of connection between the relay rod 10 and tie rod 8. D indicates the center of the tie rod inner ball joint 9, and D indicates the center of the knuckle ball joint 7, which is the center of connection between the tie rod 8 and the knuckle arm 6. Line E is a line connecting centers A and B, line F is a line connecting centers C and D,
14 is a spindle. Note that other suspension components such as springs, tension rods, and stabilizers are omitted.

However, in such conventional examples,
The position of the stopper projection 12 is
In order to prevent damage when it comes into contact with the stopper receiver 13 during turning, the tie rod 8 is located between the knuckle arm 6 and the tie rod 8, which is located at a predetermined distance from the connection center B between the knuckle 5 and the transverse link 3. Since the connection center D between the knuckle 5 and the transverse link 3 was located at the end of the knuckle arm 6, the center D was far away from the connection center B between the knuckle 5 and the transverse link 3. In addition, due to the positional relationship of the engine and other components, the relay rod 10 is located near the cross member 1 as shown in the figure, so the connection center A between the cross member 1 and the transverse link 3 and the relay rod 10 and the tie rod are located close to each other. There was a restriction that the distance between the connection center C and the connection center C with 8 could not be increased. Therefore, in the plan view, line E is oriented approximately at right angles to the center line of the vehicle body, but line F is oriented approximately at right angles to the center line of the vehicle body.
was tilted toward the rear of center C. Therefore, when an external force is input to the wheel, for example, when a force from the front to the rear is input to the wheel due to braking or unevenness of the road surface, the transverse link 3 is moved to the center due to the deformation of the rubber that makes up the bush 2. It tilts backwards with A as the center, and therefore centers B and D move backwards. At this time, center D is located behind center C, and the distance between centers C and D remains unchanged, so if center D moves backward,
Along with this movement, the center D is pulled toward the center of the vehicle body. Then, the knuckle arm 6 turns counterclockwise in the figure around the center B, causing a toe change in the same way as when steering in the same direction. Thus, in the conventional example, due to the above-described compliance steer, there were problems in that not only the steering stability was unsatisfactory, but also uneven tire wear occurred.

[Purpose of invention]

The present invention was developed by focusing on these conventional problems, and is equipped with a stopper mechanism function to limit the steering angle within a certain angle, and also prevents toe changes when inputting longitudinal direction to the wheels. The purpose is to reduce the above-mentioned conventional problems as much as possible.

[Structure of the idea]

That is, the present invention includes a knuckle arm fixed to a knuckle supporting a steering wheel, a tie rod having one end connected to the knuckle arm and the other end connected to a steering gear side, and a stopper protruding from the knuckle arm. and a stopper receiver, which is provided on a suspension arm that supports the knuckle arm so as to be movable up and down toward the vehicle body, and on which the stopper protrusion abuts. The present invention relates to a stopper mechanism for a steering device, characterized in that a connecting position between the knuckle arm and the tie rod is set closer to the knuckle than a protruding position.

〔Example〕

The present invention will be explained below based on the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
First, to explain the configuration, 1 is a cross member fixed to the vehicle body, and this cross member 1
A transverse link 3, which is a suspension arm, is connected via the bush 2 so as to be swingable in the vertical direction. A knuckle 5 is connected to the free end of the transverse link 3 via a lower ball joint 4, and a knuckle arm 6 is integrally fixed to the knuckle 5. Natsukuru arm 6
A stopper projection 1 consisting of a bolt is attached to the free end of the
2 protrudes toward the transverse link 3 side, and one end of a tie rod 8 is connected to the intermediate portion of the nutcle arm 6 via a nutcle ball joint 7, and the other end of the tie rod 8 is connected to the tie rod 8. It is connected to a relay rod 10 via an inner ball joint 9. The relay rod 10 is connected to a gear arm (not shown) extending from a steering gear box (not shown), is supported by an idler arm 11, and moves back and forth in the left-right direction in the figure. The transverse link 3 has the stopper projection 1 when the knuckle arm 6 pivots.
2 is provided with a stopper receiver 13 which abuts against and prevents the knuckle arm 6 from turning.

Thus, the connection position between the knuckle arm 6 and the tie rod 8 is set closer to the knuckle 5 than the position where the stopper projection 12 protrudes from the knuckle arm 6.

A in the figure is the connection center of the transverse link 3 to the cross member 1, and is the connection center of the bush 2.
B indicates the center of the connection between the transverse link 3 and the knuckle 5, and indicates the center of the lower ball joint 4, and C indicates the center of the relay rod 1.
0 and the tie rod 8, which indicates the center of the tie rod inner ball joint 9,
indicates the center of the connection between the tie rod 8 and the knuckle arm 6, and the center of the knuckle ball joint 7. Line E is a line connecting centers A and B, line F is
A line connecting centers C and D is shown. 14 is Natsukuru 5
A spindle that is fixed to a wheel and rotatably supports the wheel.

Note that other suspension components such as springs, tension rods, and stabilizers are omitted.

Next, the action will be explained.

The wheels are supported on the vehicle body side via the spindle 14 and the knuckle 5 by the transverse link 3 and suspension components (not shown).
Since the transverse link 3 is connected to a cross member 1 fixed to the vehicle body via a bush 2, it can swing up and down about the bush 2 due to elastic deformation of the rubber that constitutes the bush 2. . Therefore, the knuckle 5 can move up and down together with the wheels.

On the other hand, when the steering wheel is rotated, the relay rod 10 moves left and right, and accordingly, the tie rod 8 also moves left and right, causing the knuckle arm 6 and the knuckle 5 to rotate around the lower ball joint 4, thereby rotating the perform the steering. When the knuckle 5 moves up and down, the vertical displacement between the relay rod 10 and the knuckle arm 6 is 2.
Two ball joints 7 and 9 allow this.

In this embodiment, without changing the distance between the protruding position of the stopper projection 12 and the connection center B,
A tie rod 8 is connected to the middle part of the knuckle arm 6, and its connection center D is brought close to the knuckle 5.
Therefore, without increasing the distance between the connection centers A and C, the line F becomes approximately parallel to the line E extending perpendicularly to the vehicle center line. Also, point A,
The distance between points B and the distance between points C and D are approximately equal, and the distance between points B and D has also approached the distance between points A and C. Therefore, the quadrilateral connecting points A, B, C, and D will generally have a shape close to a parallelogram.

Therefore, even if an external force is input to the wheel from the front and rear directions and the knuckle 5 moves in the front and rear direction due to the elastic deformation of the rubber that constitutes the bush 2,
Centers A, B, C, and D move in a manner similar to a four-bar parallel link mechanism. For this reason, even if the knuckle 5 moves in the front-rear direction, its attitude hardly changes, so there is hardly any change in the toe of the wheel. Therefore, even if there is an input to the wheels in the longitudinal direction, stable steering performance can be obtained.

In addition, the distance between centers A and B and between centers C and D,
If the distances between the centers A and C and between the centers B and D are made equal, no toe change will occur at all even when inputs are made to the wheels in the longitudinal direction.

[Effect of idea]

As explained above, according to the present invention, since the connection position between the knuckle arm and the tie rod is set closer to the knuckle than the protruding position of the stopper protrusion relative to the knuckle arm, the line connecting the connection positions at both ends of the tie rod, The line connecting both ends of the suspension arm can be made as close to parallel as possible. Therefore, even if the knuckle moves back and forth due to the elastic deformation of the suspension element when there is a longitudinal input to the wheel, the change in the direction of the knuckle can be suppressed as much as possible, so the stopper for the knuckle arm can be suppressed as much as possible. Almost no change in toe of the wheel occurs without changing the arrangement of the suspension arm and the connection center of the suspension arm on the vehicle body side and the connection center of the tie rod on the steering side.

Therefore, it not only has the function of a stopper mechanism to limit the steering angle within a certain angle, but also has the function of a stopper mechanism to limit the steering angle within a certain range. Good steering stability is maintained, and uneven tire wear can be prevented. Additionally, the joint at the end of the tie rod on the steering gear side can be moved toward the front of the vehicle body, making it possible to correspondingly move the engine forward as well. It also has the effect of making it easier to extend the front.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a conventional example, and FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the present invention. 1...Cross member, 2...Butsuyu, 3...
...Transverse link pointing to the suspension arm, 4...Lower ball joint, 5...Natsukuru, 7...Natsukuru ball joint, 8...
Tie rod, 9... Tie rod inner ball joint, 10... Relay rod, 12... Stopper projection, 13... Stopper receiver, 14... Spindle, A, B, C, D... Center, E, F... …
line.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A knuckle arm fixed to a knuckle supporting a steering wheel, a tie rod having one end connected to the knuckle arm and the other end connected to a steering gear side, a stopper projection protruding from the knuckle arm, and the knuckle arm. In the steering device, the steering device includes a stopper receiver, which is provided on a suspension arm that supports a suspension arm vertically movably on the vehicle body side, and on which the stopper protrusion abuts, the stopper protrusion protruding from the position of the stopper protrusion relative to the knuckle arm. A stopper mechanism for a steering device, characterized in that a connection position between the knuckle arm and the tie rod is set close to the knuckle.