JPH0361843B2 - - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Technical Field) The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a spherical sliding joint device, and in particular to a spherical sliding joint device that can be suitably used for pillow ball bushes, ball jointed rods, etc. in vehicle suspensions. The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a dynamic joint device.

(Prior art) In recent years, as a type of joint device used in vehicle suspensions, etc., a ball part at the tip of a ball fitting is housed and held in a socket part of a socket member, and a spherical sliding mechanism is used between the ball fitting and the socket member. A spherical sliding joint device has been proposed in which a member attached to the ball fitting is connected to a socket member in a spherical sliding manner by causing the ball to move.
For example, in the arms, links, rods, etc. (hereinafter collectively referred to as rods) that make up the suspension of an automobile, in order to connect these rods to a predetermined support member so that they can slide spherically,
A structure in which a spherical sliding mechanism (ball joint mechanism) as described above is provided at one end or both ends is being considered.

By the way, in the case of such a spherical sliding joint device, the socket members such as rods to be connected in such a joint device are usually formed of a metallic material such as iron, while the spherical sliding joint device In order to increase the effect, for example, Publication of Utility Model Publication No. 45-3448 and Publication of Utility Model Publication No. 55-55
As shown in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 84312 and Japanese Utility Model Application No. 57-51816, etc., a sliding member made of a predetermined resin material is provided on the inner surface of the socket portion of a socket member, and the outer surface of the ball portion of the ball fitting is attached to the sliding member. It has a structure in which it is held by a socket member via a moving member.

On the other hand, in order to reduce the weight of vehicles and improve their corrosion resistance, it is being considered to switch from conventional metal rods to resin rods used in vehicle suspensions and the like. If the rods are made of resin in this way, it is possible to reduce the weight of the vehicle and improve corrosion resistance, as well as improve the elasticity of the rods due to the vibration damping properties of resin, which has a vibration suppressing effect. Furthermore, since it is possible to insert the ball part into the socket part at the same time as rod molding,
It can also be expected to improve productivity.

(Problem) However, such a rod (socket member)
When using resin, there are major problems inherent in the structure of the joint device, as described below. This could never be achieved by forming the structure from a synthetic resin material.

That is, in order to obtain a joint device in which the socket member is made of resin as described above, for example, the ball part of the ball fitting is set in a predetermined position in a mold for injection molding the socket member, and then the socket member is made of resin. The socket member is formed by injecting a predetermined resin material into a mold, but the shrinkage of the resin material during solidification creates a surface pressure on the outer peripheral surface of the ball part. As a result, the sliding function of the joint is significantly impaired.

Furthermore, even in such a joint device in which the socket member is made of resin, the sliding member interposed between the two members may wear out at the spherical sliding portion that holds the ball portion of the ball fitting.
Local stress concentration is induced in such sliding members, which tends to cause creep, and such creep or wear causes looseness in the joint, which poses a problem in its durability. It is.

(Solution Means) Here, the present invention has been made against the background of the above-mentioned circumstances, and provides a spherical sliding socket whose socket member is made of a resin material and has an excellent sliding mechanism and durability. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing a spherical sliding type joint device that can be easily obtained.

In order to achieve this object, in the present invention, the ball portion provided at the tip of the ball fitting is set in a predetermined injection mold, and a predetermined portion is placed on the outside of the ball portion. When manufacturing a spherical sliding joint device by injecting resin to form a socket member having a socket portion that accommodates and holds the ball portion in a spherical sliding manner, a predetermined thickness is applied to the outside of the sliding cloth. The ball portion of the ball fitting is covered with an elastic composite sliding body integrally formed with a rubber elastic layer, and a predetermined resin is injected onto the outside of the composite sliding body, so that at least the above-mentioned A method for manufacturing a spherical sliding joint device in which the socket part of the socket member is injection molded,
This is its characteristic.

Furthermore, in the present invention, a predetermined resin is injected onto the outside of the ball portion provided at the tip of the ball fitting while the ball portion is set in a predetermined injection mold. When manufacturing a spherical sliding joint device by forming a socket member having a socket portion that accommodates and holds such a ball portion in a spherical sliding manner, a rubber elastic layer of a predetermined thickness is added to the outside of the sliding cloth. The ball portion of the ball metal fitting is covered by an elastic composite sliding contact body formed integrally with the metal fitting, and the reinforcing metal fitting is arranged around the ball portion of the ball metal fitting at a predetermined distance. A spherical sliding member is formed by injecting a predetermined resin onto the outside of the composite sliding member, including the area between the composite sliding member and the reinforcing metal fitting, so that at least the socket portion of the socket member is injection molded. Another feature is the method of manufacturing the dynamic joint device.

(Effects of the Invention) According to the manufacturing method of the spherical sliding joint device according to the present invention, the outer periphery of the ball portion, which is caused by the contraction of the resin after injection molding of the socket member, as described above, The surface pressure against the surface can be effectively absorbed by the rubber elastic layer in the elastic composite sliding contact body interposed between the socket part and the ball part, and therefore, such The sliding function is prevented from being inhibited by surface pressure.
Good sliding function can be exhibited.

Furthermore, according to the method of the present invention, even if uneven surface pressure is applied to the outer peripheral surface of the ball part due to uneven contraction of the resin due to the shape of the socket part, etc., during molding of the socket member. Based on the elastic deformation action of the rubber elastic body constituting the elastic composite sliding contact body, this surface pressure can be effectively dispersed and alleviated, and the surface pressure can be advantageously made uniform. Therefore, the inhibition of sliding function caused by the difference in the amount of resin shrinkage during manufacturing can be effectively prevented, and excellent sliding performance can be stably obtained, resulting in improved product quality. Stabilization can be achieved very effectively.

In addition, in such a joint device, the force that acts between both members during sliding is dispersed and alleviated by the rubber elastic layer, thereby reducing local stress concentration in the spherical sliding part. Since the occurrence of creep is prevented, the occurrence of creep can be effectively prevented, and even if such creep occurs or wear occurs on such spherical sliding parts, such elastic composite sliding bodies Since the backlash can be absorbed by the rubber elastic layer, its performance and durability can be extremely effectively improved.

Therefore, according to the manufacturing method of the present invention, it is possible to extremely advantageously realize a spherical sliding joint device in which the socket member forming the socket portion is made of a synthetic resin material, and ,
The spherical sliding joint device obtained by the manufacturing method of the present invention can be lighter in weight than conventional metal ones, and is free from mechanical strength reduction due to corrosion. Not at all. In addition, the spherical sliding joint device manufactured according to the method of the present invention has superior vibration damping properties compared to those made of metal, so it is advantageous in suppressing vibration. It becomes.

In addition, according to the method for manufacturing a joint device according to the present invention, the joint mechanism can be completed at the same time as the molding of the socket part, so compared to simply replacing the metal socket member with a synthetic resin, This can significantly improve the number of manufacturing steps, thereby making it possible to further reduce manufacturing costs.

(Examples) Hereinafter, in order to clarify the present invention more specifically, some examples of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

First, FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the main parts of a spherical sliding joint device manufactured by the method according to the present invention. In this figure, reference numeral 10 denotes a rod made of synthetic resin as a socket member, and has a main body portion having a substantially H-shaped cross section and a socket portion 14 having a spherical concave surface 12 at one end thereof. This rod 10 is molded by injection molding as will be described later.

On the other hand, 16 is a ball fitting that is integrally attached to another member to which the rod 10 is to be connected, and has a spherical outer peripheral surface that approximately corresponds to the spherical concave surface 12 of the socket portion 14 at its tip. A ball portion 18 having a ball portion 18 is integrally formed.
Then, this ball portion 18 is connected to the socket portion 1.
By being accommodated and held within the rod 4, the rod 10 and the ball fitting 16 are connected in a spherically slidable manner.

Further, a sliding member 20 is interposed between the spherical concave surface 12 of the socket portion 14 of these rods 10 and the ball portion 18 of the ball fitting 16 accommodated therein. This sliding body 20 is made of a sliding cloth 2 disposed so as to cover the entire outer peripheral surface of the ball portion 18 housed in the socket portion 14.
2, and a substantially cylindrical rubber sheet 2 disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the sliding cloth 22, excluding the bottom thereof.
4 is integrally constructed.

The sliding member 20 is fixed to the spherical concave surface 12 of the socket portion 14 on the outer peripheral surface of the rubber sheet 24, so that the ball portion 18 of the ball fitting 16 is attached to the sliding cloth 22. It is held so that it can slide against it.

By the way, such a spherical sliding joint device is
It will be suitably manufactured according to the method described below.

That is, when manufacturing such a joint device,
First, a sliding cloth 22 formed into a cylindrical shape with a diameter approximately equal to the outer diameter of the ball portion 18 of the ball fitting 16 by sewing or the like is set in a predetermined rubber mold, and a rubber material is injected into the mold. By molding the rubber sheet 24, the rubber sheet 2 is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the sliding cloth 22 excluding a predetermined width portion on one end side in the axial direction.
4 are integrally fixed to form a cylindrical sliding body 20 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. A plurality of notches 26 extending in the axial direction are provided in the portion of the sliding cloth 22 of the sliding contact body 20 that protrudes from the rubber sheet 24,
By overlapping these protruding parts and sewing or gluing them together, the sliding cloth 22 is formed into a spherical shape that roughly follows the outer peripheral surface of the ball part 18 of the ball fitting 16.

Note that, as such a sliding cloth 22, any cloth woven using threads made of fluorocarbon resin fibers or low-friction fibers such as nylon or polyester resin fibers may be employed. especially,
In this embodiment, in order to improve the adhesion with the rubber sheet 24, a thread made of such a low-friction fiber is placed inside, and a thread made of fiber that shows good adhesion to rubber materials such as cotton thread is used. A material in which yarn is woven on the outside is preferably used. The rubber material forming the rubber sheet 24 may be NR, SBR, NBR, EPDM, urethane rubber, TPR, etc., depending on the conditions of use.
Any of them can be selected and adopted. Furthermore, the thickness of the rubber sheet 24 will be determined as appropriate depending on the load applied to the joint device as a product and the sliding cork, but it is usually 1.
It will be formed with a thickness of about 3 mm. In addition, the sliding cloth 22 and the rubber sheet 24 may have various shapes, such as a cylindrical shape as shown in the example, a polygonal cylindrical shape, or a substantially radial shape. may also be adopted as appropriate.

Then, with the sliding contact body 20 covering the outer peripheral surface of the ball portion 18 of the ball fitting 16,
As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG.
Set it within 0. As is clear from these figures, in the sliding member 20 of this embodiment, the sliding cloth 22 covers the entire outer peripheral surface of the ball portion 18 to be accommodated in the socket portion 14. The rubber sheet 24 is formed to have a size that can cover the entire surface of the ball portion 18, and a width that allows the rubber sheet 24 to cover the entire outer surface of the side periphery of the ball portion 18.

Then, as shown in Figure 6,
By injecting a predetermined resin material 32 into the injection molds 28 and 30 and molding the rod 10, the intended spherical sliding joint device is formed. .

That is, as the resin material 32 is injection molded, the sliding body 20 is heated by the resin material 32.
The rubber sheet 24 and the resin of the rod 10 are joined together, and the injection pressure of the resin 32 causes
A squeezing action is applied to the rubber sheet 24 of the sliding member 20, thereby making the connection even more reliable.
8 in the socket portion 14 and held at the same time as the injection molding.

Here, the resin material 32 constituting the rod 10 may be a thermoplastic resin such as nylon or acetal, or a thermoplastic resin such as epoxy or phenol, depending on the usage conditions of the joint device and the magnitude of the load to be applied. Although it is possible to use any material such as curable resin, in this example,
In order to ensure mechanical strength, resins containing reinforcing materials, which are made by adding glass fibers, carbon fibers, whiskers, etc. to such thermoplastic resins and thermosetting resins to improve their strength, are particularly suitable. It will be adopted.

By the way, in the spherical sliding joint device having such a structure, the ball fitting 16 is damaged by the injection pressure of the resin material 32 and also by the shrinkage of the resin material 32 during solidification. Ball part 1
A surface pressure is generated between the outer peripheral surface of the rubber sheet 20 and the inner peripheral surface of the sliding contact body 20.
The elasticity of 4 itself and its elastic deformation on both sides in the plane direction causes the pressure to be released and the pressure to be reduced. Therefore, the sliding function is not inhibited by such surface pressure. A joint device having good spherical sliding function can be obtained.

Incidentally, the initial torsional characteristics (sliding characteristics) of the joint device in this example were measured, and the values are shown in FIG. 7 together with the comparative example. In this figure, the horizontal axis is the rotation angle between the rod 10 and the ball fitting 16 around the axis of the ball fitting, and the vertical axis is the torque required to rotate the ball fitting 16 by a predetermined angle. , is a graph of each torsion characteristic value. Comparative examples include those with a conventional structure in which the rod is made of metal and a sliding resin layer coated with grease on the inner surface is interposed between the ball fitting and the rod made of resin. However, the sliding contact body 2 having a rubber elastic layer
Comparative Examples 1 and 2 have a structure in which the outer circumferential surface of the metal ball is directly held by the injection resin body via the sliding resin layer without providing the 0.

That is, as is clear from FIG. 7,
If a sliding member is not provided with a rubber elastic body, the sliding resistance is extremely high and it cannot be said that it has good sliding characteristics. Whether a change in sliding resistance is observed or it is understood that the joint device in this example can exhibit uniform and good sliding performance over the entire range of inclination angles between the members. Ru. In addition, in the spherical sliding joint device of Comparative Example 1, which has a conventional structure, due to long-term use, play may occur between the ball and the rod due to a decrease in the enclosed grease or abrasion of the sliding resin layer. occurs,
It has been observed that its sliding properties are impaired. From this, the excellent sliding performance of the device in this example can be easily understood in this figure.

Therefore, the spherical sliding joint device manufactured by the method described above has good sliding performance and the rod 1 on which the socket portion 14 is formed.
0 can be made of synthetic resin material, which not only effectively reduces the weight of the member and improves corrosion resistance, but also improves elasticity.
This is extremely advantageous in suppressing vibrations.

Moreover, in the case of such a joint device, the sliding body 20
A certain amount of surface pressure remains between the ball fitting 16 and the ball fitting 16, and this residual surface pressure can effectively remove looseness in the joint due to wear of the sliding cloth 22, etc., and also prevent muddy water. The intrusion of dirt, dust, etc. into the sliding surfaces can be effectively prevented, and the deterioration of the function can be effectively prevented.

Furthermore, in such a joint device, the rubber sheet 24 disposed between the rod 10 and the ball fitting 16 can provide the joint with a vibration-proofing function. Since the sheet 24 disperses the force acting between these two members, local concentration of stress can be alleviated, thereby effectively preventing the occurrence of creep in the sliding member 20, which is a sliding member. It can be done.

Further, a sliding member 20 is disposed on the inner peripheral surface of the spherical concave surface 12 of the socket portion 14 of the rod 10, so that the ball portion 18 of the ball fitting 16 is held via the sliding member 20. Since the resin material 32 forming the rod 10 is
When a fiber-reinforced resin such as glass fiber-reinforced resin is used, the fibers present in the resin material 32 do not damage the outer peripheral surface of the ball portion 18 and have good sliding performance. It also has the advantage of being able to enjoy the effects of adopting it.

In addition, in such a joint device, the rubber sheet 24 absorbs the surface pressure on the ball portion 18 due to contraction of the resin material 32 during solidification.
Since the resin material 32 can be removed, there is no need for a member such as a lace fitting to prevent the resin material 32 from shrinking inward.
Furthermore, since the joint device can be completed at the same time as the molding of the rod 10, post-processing such as caulking and drawing, which is required when using a metal rod, is not required, and therefore the manufacturing man-hour can be significantly improved. Therefore, it becomes possible to effectively reduce manufacturing costs.

Furthermore, in the joint device of this embodiment, since the sliding contact body 20 is formed together with the molding of the rubber sheet 24, it is difficult to adhere the sliding cloth 22 to the inner surface of the rubber sheet 24. This allows a step to be omitted and the manufacturing process to be further simplified. Of course, the sliding body 20 used in such a joint device can be manufactured by using the sliding cloth 2 in addition to the method shown in the example.
Of course, it can also be obtained by adhering a separately molded rubber sheet 24 to the rubber sheet 2 using an adhesive or the like.

Next, FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of a spherical sliding joint device manufactured by the method according to the present invention. In the following embodiments, members having the same structure as those in the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed explanations will be omitted.

As is clear from the figure, the joint device of this embodiment is different from that of the first embodiment in that a dust cover 34 is added to the sliding portion thereof. That is, in this embodiment, the dust cover 34 that covers the base of the ball portion 18 of the ball fitting 16 is formed integrally with the substantially hemispherical rubber sheet 24 that constitutes the sliding contact body 20. Inside the dust cover 34, a lubricant 36 such as bevel grease, which is supplied between the sliding body 20 and the ball portion 18, is sealed.

Therefore, in a joint device having such a structure, the dust cover 34 is integrally molded at the same time as the rubber sheet 24, and the dust cover 34 is molded integrally with the rubber sheet 24.
A sliding contact body 20 configured to include a ball fitting 16
The dust cover 34 can be attached at the same time as the injection molding by setting the rod 10 in a mold to be molded and injecting a predetermined resin material with the lubricant 36 sealed between them. becomes possible.

Thereby, a coupling device equipped with the dust cover 34 can be obtained very easily.
In such a joint device, intrusion of muddy water, dust, etc. between the sliding surfaces can be more effectively prevented, and the sliding performance can be effectively improved by the lubricant 36 sealed inside. This can be achieved in the following way. In this embodiment, a case is shown in which the dust cover 34 is formed integrally with the rubber sheet 24, and thereby the excellent effects as described above can be achieved. Of course, it is also possible to form it separately from the rubber sheet 24 and attach it.

Furthermore, FIGS. 9 and 10 respectively show other embodiments of the spherical sliding joint device manufactured by the method according to the present invention. As is clear from the figures, in these embodiments, a reinforcing metal fitting 38 is embedded in the socket portion 14 of the joint device of the first and second embodiments, respectively. This is something that has been added.

This reinforcing metal fitting 38, the socket part 1 of the rod 10
The rod 10 is embedded within the rod 4 and can be integrally fixed to the resin material forming the rod 10 around the rod 10, and has an external shape such as a cylindrical shape or a polygonal column shape. In addition, the reinforcing metal fittings 38 include
A spherical holding concave surface 40 corresponding to the ball portion 18 of the ball fitting 16 is provided, and the ball portion 18 is positioned within the holding concave surface at a predetermined distance from the inner peripheral surface thereof. . Furthermore, the peripheral wall of the reinforcing metal fitting 38 is provided with a communication hole 42 that communicates the inner space of the holding concave surface 40 with the outside.
A plurality of holes are provided, and the resin material formed through the socket portion 14 of the rod 10 is injected into the inner space of the holding concave surface 40 through these communication holes 42.

Then, the ball fitting 16 whose outer circumferential surface of the ball portion 16 is covered is attached to the reinforcing fitting 38 by the substantially hemispherical sliding body 20 having the sliding cloth 22 integrally disposed on the inner circumferential surface. In the state accommodated in the holding concave surface 40, they are set in a mold for injection molding the rod 10, and a predetermined resin material is injected to form the intended joint device. . Further, the resin material injected into the mold in this way is transferred to the communication hole 4 provided in the reinforcing metal fitting 38.
2, it is injected into the gap between the holding concave surface 40 of the reinforcing metal fitting 38 and the ball portion 18, thereby fixing the sliding body 20 and also providing a seal against the sliding body 20. injection pressure is applied,
The ball fitting 16 is accommodated and held within the socket portion 14.

Therefore, in the coupling devices shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the reinforcing fitting 38 disposed within the socket portion 14 allows the rod 1 to be
Therefore, even if the force acting between the two members to be connected by such a joint device is relatively large, the strength of the member in the socket portion 14 of the rod 10 can be effectively improved. This makes it possible to favorably apply a joint device whose main body is made of a resin material, and to effectively enjoy the various effects of the present invention as described above.

Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, these are literal illustrations, and the present invention should not be construed as being limited only to these specific examples.

For example, the spherical sliding joint device to which the method of the present invention is applied is applied to such members between the members to be connected in a spherical sliding manner, and includes the socket portion 14 and the ball portion 18. The rod 10 and ball fittings 16 that are formed include:
Various shapes can be adopted.

In addition, although not listed one by one, the present invention can be implemented in embodiments with various changes, improvements, modifications, etc. based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art.
It goes without saying that all such embodiments are included within the scope of the present invention as long as they do not depart from the spirit of the present invention.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing a specific example of a spherical sliding joint device obtained by the manufacturing method according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a sliding body used in manufacturing such a joint device. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken from FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing one manufacturing process of a joint device in which a sliding body and a ball fitting are set in a rod molding die. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken from FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which the resin material is injected into the mold shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a graph showing the torsional characteristics of the joint device shown in FIG. 1 together with a comparative example. Also,
FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view showing another specific example of a spherical sliding joint device obtained by the manufacturing method according to the present invention. Furthermore, FIGS. 9 and 10 respectively show
1 and 8 showing still another specific example of the spherical sliding joint device obtained by the manufacturing method according to the present invention.
It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view corresponding to the figure. 10: Rod (socket member), 14: Socket part, 16: Ball fitting, 18: Ball part, 2
0: sliding contact body, 22: sliding cloth, 24: rubber sheet,
28, 30: Mold, 32: Resin material, 34: Dust cover, 38: Reinforcing metal fittings, 42: Communication hole.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A ball portion provided at the tip of a ball fitting,
Injecting a predetermined resin onto the outside of the ball part while the ball part is set in a predetermined injection mold to form a socket member having a socket part that accommodates and holds the ball part in a spherical slidable manner. When manufacturing a spherical sliding joint device, the ball part of the ball fitting is formed by an elastic composite sliding body in which a rubber elastic layer of a predetermined thickness is integrally formed on the outside of a sliding cloth. 1. A method for manufacturing a spherical sliding joint device, comprising the steps of: covering the composite sliding joint; and injecting a predetermined resin onto the outside of the composite sliding contact member to injection mold at least the socket portion of the socket member. 2. Attach the ball part provided at the tip of the ball fitting.
Injecting a predetermined resin onto the outside of the ball part while the ball part is set in a predetermined injection mold to form a socket member having a socket part that accommodates and holds the ball part in a spherical slidable manner. When manufacturing a spherical sliding joint device, the ball part of the ball fitting is formed by an elastic composite sliding body in which a rubber elastic layer of a predetermined thickness is integrally formed on the outside of a sliding cloth. In addition to covering the ball part of the ball fitting, reinforcing metal fittings are arranged so as to be located at a predetermined distance around the ball part of the ball fitting, and the outside of the composite sliding contact body including the space between the composite sliding contact body and the reinforcing metal fitting is provided. A method for manufacturing a spherical sliding joint device, characterized in that at least a socket portion of the socket member is injection molded by injecting a predetermined resin.