ARM FOR AUTOMOBILE, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING ARM FOR AUTOMOBILE
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).
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.