Semimanufactured product of movement regulation member, stabilizer bar having movement regulation member, and method for installing semimanufactured product of movement regulation member to a stabilizer bar

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9278603-B2
Application number	US-201314427098-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 3, 2013
Priority date	Sep 11, 2012
Publication date	Mar 8, 2016
Grant date	Mar 8, 2016

Abstract

A semimanufactured product of a stopper includes: a plate-shaped bridging portion; a first curved portion extending from one end portion of the bridging portion integrally; and a second curved portion extending from the other end portion of the bridging portion integrally, and an entirety of the semimanufactured product is formed in a C-shape. The first curved portion includes a first locking part at the end portion. The second curved portion includes a second locking part that engages with the first locking part at the end portion. The first locking part includes a convex-shaped convex portion and a pair of receiving portions positioned so as to sandwich the convex portion. The second locking part includes: a concave-shaped concave portion which can accommodate the convex portion; and a pair of projecting portions positioned so as to sandwich the concave portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A semimanufactured product of a movement regulation member to be installed onto a stabilizer bar for a vehicle, wherein
the semimanufactured product includes: a plate-shaped bridging portion; a first curved portion which extends from one end portion of the bridging portion integrally; and a second curved portion which extends from the other end portion of the bridging portion integrally, and an entirety of the semimanufactured product is formed in a C-shape;
the first curved portion includes a first locking part at an end portion of the first curved portion;
the second curved portion includes a second locking part that engages with the first locking part at an end portion of the second curved portion;
the first locking part includes a convex-shaped convex portion and a pair of receiving portions positioned so as to sandwich the convex portion;
the second locking part includes a concave-shaped concave portion which can accommodate the convex portion and a pair of projecting portions positioned so as to sandwich the concave portion;
each of the pair of projecting portions includes a protruding portion which protrudes from a tip portion of the projecting portion toward an opening of the concave portion;
the convex portion includes a constricted portion in a base end portion of the convex portion;
the pair of receiving portions include: a shoulder portion which is positioned at an outer side of the first locking part in a width direction and projects in an expanding direction of the convex portion; and a guide surface which is inclined to a direction opposite to the expanding direction of the convex portion toward the constricted portion with respect to the shoulder portion;
height of the pair of protruding portions is larger as compared with depth of the concave shape of the guide surface;
a gap between the first and second locking parts is larger as compared with diameter of the stabilizer bar, and
the semimanufactured product of the movement regulation member is to be installed onto the stabilizer bar as a completed product
by making an inner circumferential surface of the bridging portion and the first and second curved portions pressingly contact with an outer circumferential surface of the stabilizer bar using a pair of molds which cover outer peripheral sides of the first and second curved portions, respectively, in a state where the stabilizer bar is placed onto an inner circumferential surface of one curved portion among the first and second curved portions by passing the stabilizer bar through the gap;
by accommodating the convex portion in the concave portion upon administrating clamping work that makes the first and second locking parts engage with each other; and
by the pair of protruding portions being plastically deformed so as to fill concave spaces sectioned by the guide surface including the constricted portions toward an inner side in a width direction of the first locking part by being pressed onto the guide surfaces which are continuous to the shoulder portions after contacting the guide surface of the pair of receiving portions.

2. The semimanufactured product of a movement regulation member according to claim 1 , wherein
radius of curvature of an inner circumferential surface of one curved portion where the stabilizer bar is placed on among at least the first and second curved portions is set to the same size as radius of the stabilizer bar; and
length of an inner circumferential surface along a curving direction of the one curved portion is set longer as compared with length of an inner circumferential surface along a curving direction of the other curved portion.

3. The semimanufactured product of a movement regulation member according to claim 1 , wherein
maximum size of the convex portion in the width direction of the semimanufactured product is set to comparable size to maximum size of the concave portion in the width direction of the semimanufactured product.

4. The semimanufactured product of a movement regulation member according to claim 1 , wherein
maximum size of the convex portion in the width direction of the semimanufactured product is slightly larger than maximum size of the opening of the concave portion in the width direction of the semimanufactured product;
the semimanufactured product of the movement regulation member is to be installed onto the stabilizer bar as a completed product
by accommodating the convex portion in the concave portion while pushing and expanding the opening of the concave portion upon administrating clamping work that makes the first and second locking parts engage with each other; and
by the pair of protruding portions that once moved toward an outer side of the first locking part in a width direction as the opening is pushed and expanded being plastically deformed so as to fill concave spaces sectioned by the guide surface including the constricted portions toward an inner side in a width direction of the first locking part by being pressed onto the guide surfaces which are continuous to the shoulder portions after contacting the guide surface of the pair of receiving portions.

5. The semimanufactured product of a movement regulation member according to claim 1 , wherein
an end portion of the convex portion in the expanding direction and an inner portion of the concave portion in a concave direction are formed in a circular shape having the same diameter.

6. The semimanufactured product of a movement regulation member according to claim 1 , wherein
anti-sliding work is administrated on an inner circumferential surface of the bridging portion and the first and second curved portions, which pressingly contact an outer peripheral surface of the stabilizer bar.

7. A stabilizer bar including a movement regulation member, wherein the semimanufactured product of a movement regulation member according to claim 1 is installed as a completed product.

8. A method for installing a semimanufactured product of a movement regulation member onto a stabilizer bar for a vehicle, wherein
the semimanufactured product includes: a plate-shaped bridging portion; a first curved portion which extends from one end portion of the bridging portion integrally; and a second curved portion which extends from the other end portion of the bridging portion integrally, and an entirety of the semimanufactured product is formed in a C-shape;
the first curved portion includes a first locking part at an end of the first curved portion;
the second curved portion includes a second locking part that engages with the first locking part at an end portion of the second curved portion;
the first locking part includes a convex-shaped convex portion and a pair of receiving portions positioned so as to sandwich the convex portion;
the second locking part includes a concave-shaped concave portion which can accommodate the convex portion and a pair of projecting portions positioned so as to sandwich the concave portion;
each of the pair of projecting portions includes a protruding portion which protrudes from a tip portion of the projecting portion toward an opening of the concave portion;
the convex portion includes a constricted portion in a base end portion of the convex portion;
the pair of receiving portions include: a shoulder portion which is positioned at an outer side of the first locking part in a width direction and projects in an expanding direction of the convex portion; and a guide surface which is inclined to a direction opposite to the expanding direction of the convex portion toward the constricted portion with respect to the shoulder portion;
height of the pair of protruding portions is larger as compared with depth of the concave shape of the guide surface;
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Assignees

• Nhk Spring Co Ltd
• Nhk Spring Production Company

Inventors

• Yoshizawa Toshiharu
• Sugita Juichi

Classifications

• F16B2/00

  Friction-grip releasable fastenings (for cables or ropes, e.g. cleats F16G11/00 ){(connections of rods or tubes, e.g. of non-circular section, mutually, including resilient connections F16B7/00)} · CPC title

• Y10T29/49909

  Securing cup or tube between axially extending concentric annuli · CPC title

• Y10T403/46

  Rod end to transverse side of member · CPC title

• B23P11/005

  by expanding or crimping · CPC title

• B60G21/0551 Primary

  Mounting means therefor · CPC title