Torsion spring and cover
AssigneeDune Co., Ltd.
InventorYoshihiro Yamamoto
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A suspension device for an automobile with stoppers that are protrudingly provided in an intermediate portion of a torsion bar, and stopper bearings provided on the inner surface of a cover mounted on the torsion bar to be in contact with the stoppers when the torsion bar is twisted by a prescribed amount, thereby changing the spring constant when the stoppers come into contact with the stopper bearings, while a portion between an engaging portion and the stoppers is rendered smaller in thickness than the remaining portion between the engaging portion and an end provided with no stoppers, thereby providing an increased spring constant. The position of engagement between the cover and the engaging portion is rendered adjustable along the torsional direction, to harmonize comfortableness and operation stability of the automobile.
Claims19
A suspension device for an automobile, comprising:
- a torsion bar including two end portions extending from an intermediate portion, said torsion bar having an end adapted to be coupled to a car body and another end adapted to be coupled to a suspension arm of the automobile, said intermediate portion of said torsion bar having a smaller torsional strength than said end portions of said torsion bar, said torsion bar including;
- an engaging portion provided at said intermediate portion of said torsion bar;
- and
- a stopper provided at said intermediate portion of said torsion bar at a position axially separated from said engaging portion by a prescribed distance;
- and
- a cover enclosing said engaging portion and said stopper of said intermediate portion of said torsion bar, said cover cooperating with said engaging portion of said torsion bar to prevent relative rotation therebetween at the position of the engaging portion, said end portions of said torsion bar extending from opposite ends of said cover, said cover including;
- a stopper bearing provided on an inner surface of said cover for cooperating with said stopper of said torsion bar, said stopper being placed in contact with said stopper bearing when said torsion bar is twisted by a prescribed amount within said cover preventing further torsion applied to said intermediate portion of said torsion bar while allowing further torsion load to be applied on at least one of said end portions of said torsion bar.
A multi-stage torsion bar device, comprising:
- a torsion bar having a pair of torsion bar end portions extending from a torsion bar intermediate portion, said intermediate portion including an engaging portion and a stopper separated apart by a predetermined distance, said intermediate portion having a smaller torsional strength relative to said end portions of said torsion bar;
- and
- a cover cooperating with said engaging portion and said stopper of said torsion bar, said cover including means for engaging with said engaging portion of said torsion bar to prevent relative rotation therebetween at a position of engagement, said cover including a stopper bearing for cooperating with said stopper of said torsion bar to limit first stage torsional rotation and force applied to said intermediate portion, and transfer and apply second stage torsional force to said end portions of said torsion bar,
- wherein said intermediate portion of said torsion bar couples with said cover during a higher stage loading and acts in unison as a torsion bar and is subject to torsional rotation during the higher stage loading.
A multi-stage torsion bar device, comprising:
- a torsion bar having a pair of torsion bar end portions extending from a torsion bar intermediate portion, said intermediate portion including an engaging portion and a stopper separated apart by a predetermined distance, said intermediate portion having a smaller torsional strength relative to said end portions of said torsion bar;
- a cover cooperating with said engaging portion and said stopper of said torsion bar, said cover including means for engaging with said engaging portion of said torsion bar to prevent relative rotation therebetween at a position of engagement, said cover including a stopper bearing for cooperating with said stopper of said torsion bar to limit first stage torsional rotation and force applied to said intermediate portion, and transfer and apply second stage torsional force to said end portions of said torsion bar;
- and
- locating means for locating said cover at a substantially fixed lengthwise position on said torsion bar, said locating means comprises a peripheral slot provided in said torsion bar cooperating with a bolt extending through said cover.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.