Vehicular torsion beam axle

A vehicular torsion beam axle includes a torsion beam, a pair of trailing arms connected to both ends, respectively, of the torsion beam; a pair of mounting pipes connected to the pair of trailing arms, respectively, each of the mounting pipes including a separation prevention protrusion, and a bushing press-inserted into each of the mounting pipes. Each of the bushings has a separation prevention groove in which the separation prevention protrusion of one of the mounting pipes is engaged.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119 (a) of priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0055577, filed on Apr. 27, 2023, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a vehicular torsion beam axle, and more particularly, to a vehicular torsion beam axle capable of preventing a bushing from being separated from a mounting pipe during vehicle traveling.

BACKGROUND

Usually, a torsion beam axle is connected to wheels of a vehicle. The torsion beam axle includes a mounting pipe coupled to a trailing arm. In this case, a bushing is press-inserted into the mounting pipe. In this case, in order to reduce the weight of the bushing, an outer pipe of the bushing is formed of plastic material. However, a problem arises in that the bushing is separated from the mounting pipe during vehicle traveling due to a decrease in force with which the mounting pipe and the outer pipe are coupled. Therefore, there is a need to alleviate this problem.

SUMMARY

Various embodiments, which address the above-mentioned need, are directed to a vehicular bushing apparatus capable of preventing a bushing from being separated from a mounting pipe during vehicle traveling.

In order to accomplish the above-mentioned object, in an embodiment, a vehicular torsion beam axle includes: a torsion beam; a pair of trailing arms connected to both sides, respectively, of the torsion beam; a pair of mounting pipes, each including a separation prevention protrusion, the pair of mounting pipes being respectively connected to the pair of torsion beams; and a bushing press-inserted into the mounting pipe, the bushing having a separation prevention groove with which the separation prevention protrusion is engaged.

The bushing may include: an outer pipe, the separation prevention groove being formed in the outer pipe; an inner pipe arranged inside the outer pipe; and an elastic member formed of elastic material, the elastic member being positioned between the outer pipe and the inner pipe.

The vehicular torsion beam axle, the mounting pipe may include: a mounting pipe main body, the outer pipe being press-inserted into the mounting pipe main body; and the separation prevention protrusion formed to protrude inward from an inner circumferential surface of the mounting pipe main body, the separation prevention protrusion being engaged with the separation prevention groove.

A plurality of the separation prevention protrusions may be arranged on the inner circumferential surface of the mounting pipe main body in such a manner as to be spaced apart from each other.

The separation prevention protrusion may have a rounded shape.

The outer pipe may include: an outer pipe main body having the separation prevention groove formed in an outer circumferential surface thereof in a circumferential direction thereof, a plurality of the separation prevention protrusions being engaged with the separation prevention groove and an elastic deformation groove formed in a manner that intersects the separation prevention groove; and a pair of outer pipe protrusions formed to extend outward from both ends, respectively, of the outer pipe main body, the mounting pipe being arranged between the pair of outer pipe protrusions.

A first chamfer may be formed on the separation prevention groove.

A second chamfer may be formed on at least one of the pair of outer pipe protrusions.

The second chamfer may be formed on an outer circumferential surface of the at least one of the pair of outer pipe protrusions in an inclined manner.

The elastic deformation groove may elastically deform the elastic member when the bushing is inserted into the mounting pipe.

The mounting pipe is primarily coupled between the outer pipe protrusions on the bushing and the separation prevention protrusion on the mounting pipe is secondarily engaged with the separation prevention groove in the bushing. Thus, during vehicle traveling, the bushing can be prevented from being separated from the mounting pipe.

According to the present disclosure, since the first chamfer is formed on the separation prevention groove, the separation prevention protrusion can be readily engaged with the separation prevention groove.

According to the present disclosure, since the second chamfer is formed on at least one of both ends of the outer pipe, the smooth insertion of the bushing into the mounting pipe can be facilitated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A vehicular torsion beam axle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawing.

For clarity and convenience in description, thicknesses of lines, sizes of constituent elements, and the like may be illustrated in a non-exact proportion in the drawings. In addition, terms that hereinafter refer to constituent elements, respectively, according to the present disclosure are defined by considering their respective functions and may vary according to a user's or manager's intention or to practices in the art. Therefore, these terms should be contextually defined in light of the present specification.

FIG.1is a view schematically illustrating a vehicular torsion beam axle1according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.FIG.2is a perspective view illustrating essential components of the vehicular torsion beam axle1according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.FIG.3is a top view illustrating the essential components of the vehicular torsion beam axle1according to the embodiment of the present disclosure inFIG.2.FIG.4is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A′ onFIG.2.FIG.5is an exploded perspective view illustrating the essential components of the vehicular torsion beam axle1according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.FIGS.6A and6Bare views, each illustrating a mounting pipe300of the vehicular torsion beam axle1according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, and a portion, to which the mounting pipe300is connected, of a trailing arm200.FIG.7is a bushing400of the vehicular torsion beam axle1according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.FIG.8is an exploded perspective view illustrating the bushing400of the vehicular torsion beam axle1according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.FIG.9is a perspective view illustrating the bushing400of the vehicular torsion beam axle1according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, when viewed from a different direction than inFIG.7.FIG.10is an exploded perspective view illustrating the bushing400of the vehicular torsion beam axle1according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, when viewed from a different direction than inFIG.7.FIG.11is a view illustrating that the bushing400is press-inserted into the mounting pipe300of the vehicular torsion beam axle1according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.FIG.12is a view illustrating a state where the bushing400is press-inserted into the mounting pipe300of the vehicular torsion beam axle1according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

With reference toFIGS.1and12, the vehicular torsion beam axle1according to the embodiment of the present disclosure includes a torsion beam100, a pair of the trailing arms200, the mounting pipe300, and the bushing400. The torsion beam100is arranged in a widthwise direction of a vehicle.

A pair of the trailing arms200are respectively connected to both sides of the torsion beam100. The pair of the trailing arms200are respectively connected in a vertical direction (that is, in a vertical direction when viewed from aboveFIG.1) to both sides of the torsion beam100.

A pair of the mounting pipes300are respectively connected to the pair of the trailing arms200. Each of the mounting pipes includes a separation prevention protrusion320. The mounting pipes300are integrally formed with both end portions, respectively, of the trailing arm200.

The mounting pipe300may include a mounting pipe main body310and the separation prevention protrusion320. An outer pipe410, which has a cylindrical shape, is press-inserted into the mounting pipe main body310.

The separation prevention protrusion320is formed in a manner that protrudes inward from an inner circumferential surface of the mounting pipe main body310, thereby being engaged with a separation prevention groove411aformed in the outer pipe410of the bushing400described below. A plurality of the separation prevention protrusions320are formed on the inner circumferential surface of the mounting pipe main body310in such a manner as to be spaced apart from each other. In this case, the separation prevention protrusions320are arranged on the inner circumferential surface of the mounting pipe main body310in such a manner as to be spaced a preset distance apart from each other in a circumferential direction.

The separation prevention protrusion320may have a rounded shape (refer toFIGS.6A and6B). For this reason, in a case where the separation prevention protrusion320is engaged with the separation prevention groove411a, the separation prevention protrusion320can be readily engaged with the separation prevention groove411a.

The bushing400, having the separation prevention groove411a, is press-inserted into the mounting pipe300. The separation prevention protrusion320is engaged with the separation prevention groove411a. The bushing400may include the outer pipe410, an inner pipe420, and an elastic member430(refer toFIGS.7to10).

The outer pipe410, in which the separation prevention groove411ais formed, is coupled to the mounting pipe300. The outer pipe410is formed to have a cylindrical shape in such a manner as to be open at the top and the bottom. The separation prevention groove411ais formed in an outer circumferential surface of the outer pipe410along a circumferential direction thereof. The outer pipe410is formed of plastic material. Thus, when press-inserted into the mounting pipe300, the outer pipe410is elastically deformable.

The outer pipe410may include an outer pipe main body411and a pair of outer pipe protrusions412. The outer pipe main body411has the separation prevention groove411aand an elastic deformation groove411c. The separation prevention groove411ais formed in an outer circumferential surface of the outer pipe main body411in a circumferential direction thereof. A plurality of the separation prevention protrusions320are engaged with the separation prevention groove411a.

A first chamfer411bis formed on the separation prevention groove411a. The first chamfer411bis formed on an outer edge portion of the separation prevention groove411a(refer toFIGS.4and7to10). Accordingly, the separation prevention protrusion320can be engaged with the separation prevention groove411a.

The elastic deformation groove411cis formed in a manner that intersects the separation prevention groove411a. A pair of the elastic deformation grooves411cmay be formed with a preset angle therebetween. The present disclosure is not limited to the pair of the elastic deformation grooves411cas described above. The number and positions of the elastic deformation grooves411care changeable, depending on a situation.

When the bushing400is inserted into the mounting pipe300, the elastic deformation groove411celastically deforms the outer pipe410and the below-described elastic member430. For this reason, the bushing400is readily elastically deformed, and thus smooth press-insertion thereof into the mounting pipe300can be facilitated.

Specifically, the bushing400has a greater diameter than the mounting pipe300. When the bushing400is inserted into the mounting pipe300, the outer pipe410and the elastic member430are elastically deformed, resulting in a decreased diameter of the bushing400.

Thereafter, when the bushing400is inserted into the mounting pipe300, elastic restoring forces of the outer pipe410and the elastic member430restore the bushing400to an original state thereof. This can bring the bushing400into close contact with the mounting pipe300. That is, the bushing400can be press-inserted into the mounting pipe300(refer toFIGS.11and12).

A pair of the outer pipe protrusions412are respectively formed to extend outward from both ends of the outer pipe main body411. The mounting pipe300is arranged between the pair of the outer pipe protrusions412.

A second chamfer412cis formed on at least one of the pair of the outer pipe protrusions412. The second chamfer412cis formed on an outer circumferential surface of the outer pipe protrusion412in an inclined manner (refer toFIGS.4and7to10).

Before the bushing400is inserted into the mounting pipe300, the outer pipe protrusion412on which the second chamfer412cis formed is first brought into contact with the mounting pipe main body310of the mounting pipe300. For this reason, the bushing400is elastically deformed and thus can be readily inserted into the mounting pipe main body310of the mounting pipe300.

Specifically, each of the pair of the outer pipe protrusions412may include a first outer pipe protrusion412aand a second outer pipe protrusion412b.

The first outer pipe protrusion412ais formed to extend outward from one of both ends of the outer pipe main body411. The second outer pipe protrusion412bis formed to extend outward from the other end of both ends of the outer pipe main body411. In this case, the second chamfer412cmay be formed on an outer circumferential surface of the first outer pipe protrusion412ain an inclined manner. Accordingly, the smooth press-insertion of the bushing400into the mounting pipe300can be facilitated.

The inner pipe420is arranged inside the outer pipe410. The inner pipe420, which has a cylindrical shape, is positioned in the center portion of the outer pipe410. Like the outer pipe410, the inner pipe420is open at the top and the bottom. In this case, the inner pipe420is arranged a predetermined distance apart from the outer pipe410.

The clastic member430, formed of clastic member, is positioned between the outer pipe410and the inner pipe420. The elastic member430is brought into contact with an outer circumferential surface of the inner pipe420and an inner circumferential surface of the outer pipe410, thereby buffering a shock. That is, the clastic member430absorbs the shock transferred to the bushing400and thus can enhance the feeling of riding comfort.

As described above, in the vehicular torsion beam axle1according to the present disclosure, the mounting pipe300is primarily coupled between the outer pipe protrusions412on the bushing400, and the separation prevention protrusion320of the mounting pipe300is secondarily engaged with the separation prevention groove411ain the bushing400. Thus, during vehicle traveling, the bushing400can be prevented from the mounting pipe300.

In addition, the forming of the first chamfer411bon the separation prevention groove411acan readily engage the separation prevention protrusion320with the separation prevention groove411a.

In addition, the forming of the second chamfer412con at least one of both ends of the outer pipe410can facilitate smooth insertion of the bushing400into the mounting pipe300.

The embodiment of the present disclosure is described only in an exemplary manner with reference to the drawings. It would be understandable to a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains that various modifications may possibly be made to the embodiment and that various equivalents thereof may possibly be implemented.

Therefore, the legitimate technical scope of the present disclosure should be defined by the following claims.