KR20240095111A - Adjustable trailing arm - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an adjustable trailing arm for adjusting the rear wheel camber of a vehicle and reinforcing rigidity. According to the present invention, the adjustable trailing arm is configured such that a first arm and a second arm are connected by a turnbuckle to adjust the overall length, and one end of the first arm or the second arm is connected to a suspension arm via a pillow ball joint. The turnbuckle comprises: a stud bolt having a first male screw portion screwed into a female threaded portion of the first arm, and a second male screw portion screwed into a female threaded portion of the second arm; a first lock nut screwed to the first male screw portion to prevent the first arm from loosening; and a second lock nut coupled to the second male screw portion to prevent the second arm from loosening. According to the present invention, since the length can be adjusted, camber or toe values can be controlled, and sufficient rigidity can be ensured when accompanied by suspension tuning, thereby increasing the degree of freedom in wheel alignment depending on the driving environment and reducing abnormal tire wear.

Description

ADJUSTABLE TRAILING ARM

The present invention relates to an adjustable trailing arm, and more specifically, to an adjustable trailing arm for adjusting rear wheel camber and reinforcing rigidity of a vehicle.

In general, the suspension system of a car is a device that connects the axle and the car body and controls the vibration or shock that the axle receives from the road surface during driving so that it is not transmitted directly to the car body, preventing damage to the car body and cargo and improving ride comfort. , a chassis spring that supports its own weight and maintains the grip of the wheels, alleviating shock from the arm or link and the road surface, and a shock absorber that improves riding comfort by controlling the free vibration of the chassis spring and rolling of the vehicle. It consists of a stabilizer that prevents

Suspension devices (suspensions) are divided into front suspension and rear suspension depending on the mounting part of the vehicle, and suspension devices include torsion beam type, trailing arm type, double wishbone type, and multi-link type.

The torsion beam type suspension system is suitable for the rear suspension of lightweight front-wheel drive vehicles. There is a beam connecting the left and right axles, and trailing arms are combined at both ends to handle positioning and force in the forward and backward directions. It is a format. The trailing arm type suspension system is a rear-wheel-only suspension that combines the pivot on the car body in front of the axle and the axle with an arm. Depending on the angle between the rotation axis of the pivot and the car body center line, it can be divided into full trailing arm type and semi It is divided into trailing arm (semi trailing arm) type. The double wishbone type suspension system has two arms attached in the shape of a bird's sternum, and has an advantage over the strut type suspension system in terms of riding comfort and comfort. The multi-link type suspension system is a complex structure in which multiple (4 to 5) links are fixed to the car body. It requires precision, is expensive, and is advantageous for ride comfort and comfort.

The driving performance of a car varies depending on the suspension structure, and performance can be changed depending on the materials and shapes of the links and other structures that make up the structure. Suspension tuning is an essential element for ensuring driving stability, so it is important to secure the rigidity of suspension links to ensure high-speed driving stability.

Conventional trailing arms cannot be adjusted in length and are manufactured by pressing simple steel, making them less rigid than pipe-type structures. If the length of the trailing arm cannot be adjusted, there is a problem that there are inevitably limitations in adjustment when adjusting the vehicle height or camber and toe values.

In addition, since the conventional trailing arm has a connection part made of a rubber bushing, there is a problem that although it controls load and twist in the lateral or longitudinal direction, it cannot be completely controlled and acts as resistance equally at the pivot point, which must move smoothly.

Patent Document 1: Korean Patent Publication No. 1999-0020662 (Publication Date: 1999.03.25.) Patent Document 2: Korean Patent Publication No. 2004-0001655 (Publication Date: 2004.01.07.) Patent Document 3: Korean Patent Publication No. 2006-0011107 (Publication Date: 2006.02.03.)

The present invention was made to solve the above-described problems. The purpose of the present invention is to enable camber or toe value adjustment by adjusting the length, ensuring sufficient rigidity when accompanied by suspension tuning, etc., and providing a degree of freedom in wheel alignment. The purpose is to provide an adjustable trailing arm that can reduce uneven tire wear by increasing the alignment of the wheels according to the vehicle's driving environment.

Another object of the present invention is to reduce the gap by using a pillow ball, improve vehicle body mobility, control complete movement against loads applied in the lateral and longitudinal directions, and increase the degree of freedom in the direction of rotation using a pivot point to alleviate the rolling phenomenon of the vehicle. It provides an adjustable trailing arm that speeds up steering response.

In order to achieve the above object, the adjustable trailing arm according to the present invention adjusts the overall length by connecting the first arm and the second arm by a turn buckle, and one end of the first arm or the second arm is connected by a pillow ball joint. Connected to the arm of the suspension.

The turn buckle includes a stud bolt having a first male screw part screwed to the female screw part of the first arm and a second male screw part screwed to the female screw part of the second arm, and a stud bolt screwed to the first male screw part of the first arm. It includes a first lock nut that prevents loosening, and a second lock nut that is coupled to the second male thread to prevent loosening of the second arm.

The pillow ball joint may be detachably fixed to the first arm or the second arm.

The pillow ball joint includes a hollow ball stud with a spherical central portion, a bearing that rolls in close contact with the spherical outer surface of the ball stud, an external case that surrounds the bearing and is formed at one end of the first or second arm, and , a sheet mounted on the inner diameter surface of the outer case, and a dust cover fitted on one or both sides of the outer case.

According to the adjustable trailing arm according to the present invention, the length is adjustable so that the camber or toe value can be adjusted, and when accompanied by suspension tuning, etc., sufficient rigidity is secured and the degree of freedom in wheel alignment is increased, so that the wheel wheels can be adjusted according to the driving environment of the vehicle. By varying the alignment, there is an effect of reducing uneven tire wear.

In addition, the pillow ball reduces clearance, improves vehicle body mobility, controls complete movement against loads applied in the lateral and longitudinal directions, and increases the degree of freedom in the direction of rotation with the pivot point, alleviating vehicle rolling phenomenon and steering response. It has the effect of speeding up.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an adjustable trailing arm according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is an elevation view of Figure 1 (excluding the pillow ball joint).
Figure 3 is an exploded view of Figure 2.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the pillow ball joint of FIG. 1.
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of a pillow ball joint in the present invention.
Figure 6 is a perspective view showing another example of a pillow ball joint in the present invention.
Figure 7 is a photograph showing an example in which the trailing arm of Figure 1 is mounted on a suspension device.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. At this time, note that in the attached drawings, like components are indicated by the same symbols whenever possible. Additionally, detailed descriptions of well-known functions and configurations that may obscure the gist of the present invention will be omitted. For the same reason, some components are exaggerated, omitted, or schematically shown in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an adjustable trailing arm according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is an elevation view of Figure 1 (excluding the pillow ball joint), and Figure 3 is an exploded view of Figure 2. As shown, the adjustable trailing arm 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first arm 110, a second arm 120, a turn buckle 130, and a pillow ball joint 140.

The adjustable trailing arm 100 has a first arm 110 and a second arm 120 connected by a turn buckle 130 to adjust the overall length, and the first arm 110 or the second arm 120 ) has a structure in which one end (the opposite end to which the turn buckle is coupled) is connected to the arm of the suspension (suspension device, SP) by a pillow ball joint 140. In the following description, a structure in which both ends of the first arm 110 and the second arm 120 are connected to the arm of the suspension SP by the pillow ball joint 140 will be described as an example.

At one end of the first arm 110 and the second arm 120, a cylindrical external case 141, which will be described later, forming a pillow ball joint 140, is formed integrally. The first arm 110 and the second arm 120 have an outer shape of a square cross-section such as a hexagonal cross-section or a circular cross-section, and a turn buckle 130 is screwed to the other end of the main rod 111 and 121. A female thread (not shown) is formed. One end of the rods 111 and 121 is bent and connected to the external case 141.

The turn buckle 130 has a first male threaded portion 131a screwed to the female threaded portion of the first arm 110 and a second male threaded portion 131b screwed to the female threaded portion of the second arm 120 at the boundary ( A stud bolt 131 connected by 131c), a first lock nut 132 screwed to the first male threaded portion 131a to prevent loosening of the first arm 110, and a second male threaded portion 131b It includes a second lock nut 133 that is coupled to prevents loosening of the second arm 120. The first male screw portion 131a and the second male screw portion 131b have threads that run in opposite directions, and accordingly, the first lot nut 132 and the second lock nut 133 also run in opposite directions. It is made of screw thread.

As shown in FIG. 4, the pillow ball joint 140 (140') includes a hollow ball stud 142 with a spherical central portion, and a bearing ( 143, an outer case 141 that surrounds the bearing 143 and is formed on one end of the first arm 110 and the second arm 120, and a seat 144 mounted on the inner diameter surface of the outer case 141. ) and one dust cover 145 that is fitted and mounted on one side of the external case 141.

The ball stud 142 is a rotating shaft connected to the vehicle body through a mounting bolt, etc., and includes a hollow shaft 142a and a spherical portion 142b formed integrally with the hollow shaft 142a. The spherical portion 142b is formed in the shape of a spherical convex ball in the central portion of the hollow shaft 142a, has the property of rotating in the circumferential direction of the hollow shaft 142a, and has the property of flowing in the vertical direction of the shaft. Grants.

The bearing 143 is for supporting the circumferential rotation and vertical flow of the hollow shaft 142a, and is mounted on the outer surface of the spherical portion 142a to enable rolling contact. The bearing 143 is made of a synthetic resin material such as plastic, and is an integrated bearing formed asymmetrically in the spherical center of the ball stud 142.

In this embodiment, the bearing 143 is press-fitted into the outer case 141, and the seat 144 is press-fitted into the inner surface of the outer case 141 while being in close contact with one outer peripheral surface of the bearing 143. It is produced through The dust cover 145 is press-fitted and mounted on one end of the outer case 141 using a swaging method.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of a pillow ball joint 240 (240'). Another example of the pillow ball joint 240 (240') includes a hollow ball stud 242 with a central portion formed in a spherical shape, a bearing 243 that rollably adheres to the spherical outer surface of the ball stud 242, and a bearing An outer case 241 that is mounted to surround (243) and is formed at one end of the first arm 110 and the second arm 120, and a seat that is inserted into the inner peripheral surface of the outer case 241 and is mounted to surround the bearing 243. It includes (244) and two dust covers (245) fitted and mounted on both sides of the external stage (241).

The bearings 243 in the embodiment of FIG. 5 consist of a pair that can be separated from each other and are mounted on the outer surface of the spherical central portion to enable rolling contact. A pair of bearings 243 are fitted along the axial direction at both ends of the hollow shaft with the spherical portion of the ball stud 242 sandwiched between them.

The seat 244 is a bearing seat that supports the outer surface of the bearing 243 and seals the bearing 243 more closely to the outer surface of the spherical portion of the ball stud 242. The seat 244 is made of a synthetic resin material and is formed by insert molding between the outer case 241 and the bearing 243. That is, the seat 244 is made of a molding portion that integrally supports the outer case 241 and the bearing 243 between the inner peripheral surface of the outer case 241 and the outer peripheral surface of the bearing 243.

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing another example of a pillow ball joint. The pillow ball joint 340 of this embodiment is structured to be detachably fixed to the first arm 110 and the second arm 120. As shown, the external case 341 is screwed to the main rods (R) of the first arm 110 and the second arm 120 and is prevented from loosening with a lock nut (N). This configuration has the effect of further increasing the freedom of adjustment of the trailing arm.

Since the remaining configuration of the pillow ball joint 340 is the same as that of Figure 4 or Figure 5, detailed description will be omitted.

The pillow ball joints (140, 240, 340) of the trailing arm are mounted on the upper arm and lower arm of the suspension, and the joint portion of the lower arm and side arm, and interconnect the parts and themselves. I do it.

Figure 7 is a photograph showing an example in which the trailing arm of Figure 1 is mounted on a suspension device. As shown, the combined length of the first arm 110 and the second arm 120 is adjusted according to the rotation of the turn buckle 130 in the trailing arm 100 mounted on the suspension device (SP), and the lock nut 132 )(133) prevents loosening, allowing camber or toe values to be easily adjusted.

By adjusting the length of the trailing arm 100 of the present invention, sufficient rigidity is secured when accompanied by suspension tuning, etc., and the degree of freedom in wheel alignment is increased to reduce uneven tire wear by varying the wheel alignment according to the vehicle's driving environment. It becomes possible.

In addition, the pillow ball joint 140 reduces clearance compared to a conventional rubber bush, improves vehicle body mobility, controls complete movement against loads applied in the lateral and longitudinal directions, and increases the degree of freedom regarding the direction of rotation as a pivot point, increasing the vehicle's freedom. It alleviates the rolling phenomenon and speeds up the steering response.

Meanwhile, the embodiments of the present invention disclosed in the specification and drawings are merely provided as specific examples to easily explain the technical content of the present invention and to facilitate understanding of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that in addition to the embodiments disclosed herein, other modifications based on the technical idea of the present invention can be implemented.

100: Adjustable trailing arm
110: 1st arm 111, 121: Bone Road
120: 2nd arm 130: Turn buckle
131: stud bolt 132: first lock nut
133: Second lock nut 140: Pillow ball joint
141: External case 142: Ball stud
143: bearing 144: seat
145: dust cover

Claims (1)

In a suspension device including a trailing arm,
a first arm including a first bone rod and a first external case;
a second arm including a second bone rod and a second outer case;
a turn buckle connected between the first arm and the second arm;
a first pillow ball joint detachably fixed to the first arm;
a second pillow ball joint detachably fixed to the second arm;
The first arm and the second arm are connected by the turn buckle to adjust the overall length of the trailing arm,
The turn buckle is,
a stud bolt having a first male thread portion screwed to the female thread portion of the first arm and a second male thread portion screwed to the female thread portion of the second arm;
a first lock nut screwed to the first male screw portion to prevent the first arm from loosening; and
It includes a second lock nut coupled to the second male screw portion to prevent loosening of the second arm,
Each of the first male thread portion and the second male thread portion includes threads running in opposite directions,
Each of the first lock nut and the second lock nut includes threads running in opposite directions,
The first pillow ball joint includes a first hollow first ball stud whose central portion is formed in a spherical shape, a first bearing that rollably adheres to the spherical outer surface of the first ball stud, and is mounted surrounding the first bearing. Comprising a first sheet and a first dust cover,
The second pillow ball joint includes a second hollow second ball stud whose central portion is formed in a spherical shape, a second bearing that rollably adheres to the spherical outer surface of the second ball stud, and is mounted surrounding the second bearing. Comprising a second sheet and a second dust cover,
The first ball stud is configured to have a flexible arrangement according to rotational movement and up and down movement about the first rotation axis of the suspension device, based on the first hollow and the first external case,
The second ball stud is configured to have a flexible arrangement according to rotational movement and vertical movement about the second rotation axis of the suspension device, based on the second hollow and the second external case,
The first ball stud includes a first hollow shaft on which the first hollow is formed and a first spherical portion integrally formed on the first hollow shaft,
The first spherical portion has a spherical ball shape,
The second ball stud includes a second hollow shaft on which the second hollow is formed and a second spherical portion integrally formed on the second hollow shaft,
The second spherical part has a spherical ball shape,
The first sheet includes a molding portion that integrally supports the first outer case and the first bearing between the inner peripheral surface of the first outer case and the outer peripheral surface of the first bearing,
The second sheet includes a molding portion that integrally supports the second outer case and the second bearing between the inner peripheral surface of the second outer case and the outer peripheral surface of the second bearing.
Suspension device.