Arm for automobile, and method of manufacturing arm for automobile

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020231014-A1
Application number	US-202016838574-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 2, 2020
Priority date	Oct 3, 2017
Publication date	Jul 23, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

To provide a suspension arm having good rigidity and reduced weight, which includes a member A composed of a resin composition containing short fibers having a fiber length of less than 10 mm (short-fiber resin composition), and a member B composed of a resin composition containing continuous fibers having a fiber length of 10 mm or more (continuous-fiber resin composition).

First claim

1 . A suspension arm, comprising
a member A composed of a resin composition containing short fibers having a fiber length of less than 10 mm, which is a short-fiber resin composition, and a member B composed of a resin composition containing continuous fibers having a fiber length of 10 mm or more, which is a continuous-fiber resin composition.

2 . The suspension arm according to claim 1 , wherein the member B is a plate member provided in an arm portion of the suspension arm, and the member A is a supporting member that supports the plate member.

3 . The suspension arm according to claim 1 , wherein a resin in the short-fiber resin composition and a resin in the continuous-fiber resin composition are the same resin.

4 . The suspension arm according to claim 1 , wherein both a resin in the short-fiber resin composition and a resin in the continuous-fiber resin composition comprise at least one selected from the group consisting of a nylon-based resin, a polyethylene resin, a polypropylene resin, a polycarbonate resin, an acrylic resin, a polyphenyl sulfide resin, a polyetherketone-based resin, a polyetherimide resin, a thermoplastic polyurethane resin and a polyester resin.

5 . The suspension arm according to claim 1 , wherein both the short fibers in the short-fiber resin composition and the continuous fibers in the continuous-fiber resin composition comprise at least one selected from the group consisting of carbon fibers, glass fibers and aramid fibers.

6 . The suspension arm according to claim 1 , wherein a content of the short fibers in the short-fiber resin composition is 10% to 50% by weight.

7 . The suspension arm according to claim 1 , wherein a content of the continuous fibers in the continuous-fiber resin composition is 30% to 70% by weight.

8 . A method of manufacturing a suspension arm comprising a plate member provided in an arm portion of the suspension arm and a supporting member that supports the plate member, wherein the method comprises:
a step of pressing molding a resin composition containing continuous fibers having a fiber length of 10 mm or more, which is a continuous-fiber resin composition, to manufacture the plate member; and a step of, while heating the plate member, injecting molding a resin composition containing short fibers having a fiber length of less than 10 mm, which is a short-fiber resin composition, to manufacture the supporting member, and thermally fusing the plate member and the supporting member.

9 . The suspension arm according to claim 2 , wherein a resin in the short-fiber resin composition and a resin in the continuous-fiber resin composition are the same resin.

10 . The suspension arm according to claim 2 , wherein both a resin in the short-fiber resin composition and a resin in the continuous-fiber resin composition comprise at least one selected from the group consisting of a nylon-based resin, a polyethylene resin, a polypropylene resin, a polycarbonate resin, an acrylic resin, a polyphenyl sulfide resin, a polyetherketone-based resin, a polyetherimide resin, a thermoplastic polyurethane resin and a polyester resin.

11 . The suspension arm according to claim 2 , wherein both the short fibers in the short-fiber resin composition and the continuous fibers in the continuous-fiber resin composition comprise at least one selected from the group consisting of carbon fibers, glass fibers and aramid fibers.

12 . The suspension arm according to claim 2 , wherein a content of the short fibers in the short-fiber resin composition is 10% to 50% by weight.

13 . The suspension arm according to claim 2 , wherein a content of the continuous fibers in the continuous-fiber resin composition is 30% to 70% by weight.

14 . The suspension arm according to claim 3 , wherein both a resin in the short-fiber resin composition and a resin in the continuous-fiber resin composition comprise at least one selected from the group consisting of a nylon-based resin, a polyethylene resin, a polypropylene resin, a polycarbonate resin, an acrylic resin, a polyphenyl sulfide resin, a polyetherketone-based resin, a polyetherimide resin, a thermoplastic polyurethane resin and a polyester resin.

15 . The suspension arm according to claim 3 , wherein both the short fibers in the short-fiber resin composition and the continuous fibers in the continuous-fiber resin composition comprise at least one selected from the group consisting of carbon fibers, glass fibers and aramid fibers.

16 . The suspension arm according to claim 3 , wherein a content of the short fibers in the short-fiber resin composition is 10% to 50% by weight.

17 . The suspension arm according to claim 3 , wherein a content of the continuous fibers in the continuous-fiber resin composition is 30% to 70% by weight.

18 . The suspension arm according to claim 4 , wherein both the short fibers in the short-fiber resin composition and the continuous fibers in the continuous-fiber resin composition comprise at least one selected from the group consisting of carbon fibers, glass fibers and aramid fibers.

19 . The suspension arm according to claim 4 , wherein a content of the short fibers in the short-fiber resin composition is 10% to 50% by weight.

20 . The suspension arm according to claim 4 , wherein a content of the continuous fibers in the continuous-fiber resin composition is 30% to 70% by weight.

Assignees

• Bridgestone Corp

Inventors

• Tanaka Kanji
• Kaga Norihiko
• Nishimuro Yoichi
• Yakushiji Gaku

Classifications

• B60G2206/7104

  Thermoplastics · CPC title

• B60G2206/7101

  Fiber-reinforced plastics [FRP] · CPC title

• B60G2206/014

  with reinforcing nerves or branches · CPC title

• B60G7/001 Primary

  Suspension arms, e.g. constructional features (B60G7/006 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29C70/12

  using fibres of short length, e.g. in the form of a mat {(non-woven fabrics per se D04H1/00)} · CPC title