JPS60107406A - Car-height adjuster - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To secure driving stability by temporarily susending car-height adjustment, adjusting the damping force, on the basis of the car-speed information and the acceleration or deceleration information. CONSTITUTION:The car-speed information supplied from a car-speed sensor 23 is utilized as it is as the car-speed data in a controller 15, and also can be utilized for detecting acceleration or deceleration speed state. A car-height adjuster and a damping-force adjuster are operated on the basis of such car-speed information and acceleration or deceleration speed information. In other words, the damping force is adjusted in accordance with the car speed at first, and then in acceleration or deceleration state, the damping force is adjusted to be a little higher, and the adjustment operation of the car-height adjuster is suspended temporarily. Therefore, driving stability can be secured properly in accordance with the car speed, permitting proper is adjustment for car-height.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a vehicle height adjustment device that adjusts the damping force of a suspension system according to vehicle speed and the like.

Conventional vehicle height adjustment devices automatically or manually adjust the gas chambers based on vehicle height information from a vehicle height sensor or pressure information from pressure sensors related to the vehicle height adjustment gas chambers formed in each suspension system. The vehicle height was adjusted by controlling the internal pressure.

By the way, in a suspension system, in addition to the part related to the above-mentioned vehicle height adjustment, there is an element called damping force, which is significantly involved in the steering stability of the vehicle. The damping force is determined by the capacity of the damper built into the suspension system, but when the damper is constructed of hydraulic pressure or air, the damping force has a close relationship with vehicle height adjustment.

Particularly when the vehicle speed increases, it becomes necessary to perform certain control in relation to the vehicle height adjustment in the vehicle height adjustment device, from the viewpoint of prioritizing ensuring the maneuverability of the vehicle.

In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present inventors have created the present invention to effectively solve the problems.

An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle height adjustment device with a function that adjusts the damping force of a suspension system based on vehicle speed and acceleration/deceleration, and temporarily stops vehicle height adjustment. The reason for this is that it ensures appropriate handling stability depending on the vehicle speed.

The present invention is characterized by a vehicle height adjustment device that adjusts vehicle height by supplying and discharging high-pressure air to and from a vehicle height adjustment gas chamber formed in a suspension system under the control of a control means. A sensor is attached and a damping force adjustment device is provided to the suspension system, and the control means obtains vehicle speed information and acceleration/deceleration information based on the output of the vehicle speed sensor, and uses this information to adjust the damping force and adjust the vehicle height. One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a vehicle height adjustment device according to the present invention, and FIG.
The figure shows a system diagram of the vehicle height adjustment device. In this embodiment, it is configured as a vehicle height adjustment device for a motorcycle.

In Figures 1 and 2, 1 is a compressed air generator;
a compressor 2 that compresses the atmosphere and generates high-pressure air;
The dryer 3 removes moisture from high-pressure air. 4, 4 is a front fork at the front of the vehicle, 5, 5 is a rear cushion at the rear of the vehicle, and inside each is a gas chamber (not shown) that expands and contracts in length in the axial direction to change the vehicle height.
is formed. The compressed air generator 1 and the gas chambers of the front forks 4, 4 and the rear cushions 5, 5 are connected through an air pipe 6. A control valve unit 13 is interposed, which includes a solenoid valve 7.8 as a switching valve, a relief solenoid pulp 9 for venting to the atmosphere as an exhaust valve, a pressure sensor 10, a pressure limiter 11, and further includes a check valve 12.

Also, front fork 4, 4, rear cushion 5.5
Further, there is a built-in mechanism for changing the damping force, and this damping force adjusting mechanism is controlled by a drive device 14 such as a motor, for example. These drive devices 14 operate based on control command signals from a control device 15.

In the above configuration, the compressor 2 and the solenoid valves 7, 8, and 9 are operated based on commands from a control device 150 composed of, for example, a CPU. That is, when the solenoid valve 7 is opened and the solenoid valve 8 is closed to operate the compressor 2, high pressure air is supplied to each gas chamber of the front forks 4, 4, and the vehicle height at the front of the vehicle is increased. If the relief solenoid pulp 9 is continuously opened and closed while the solenoid valves 7.8 are kept in the same state as described above, high pressure air is gradually evacuated from each gas chamber of the front forks 4, 4, and the vehicle height is lowered. On the other hand, open the solenoid valve 8 and
If the solenoid valve 7 is closed and either the compressor 2 or the relief solenoid valve 13 is operated, the rear cushions 5, 5
High-pressure air is supplied to and discharged from the gas chamber, allowing the vehicle height adjustment at the rear of the vehicle. When the vehicle height is not adjusted, both the solenoid valves 7 and 8 are closed, the compressor 2 is stopped, and the relief solenoid valve 9 is closed.

Regarding the vehicle height adjustment device having the above configuration, operating means such as a manual/auto selection switch 16, a manual front/rear selection switch 17, a manual 4 set up/neutral/down selection switch 18, and vehicle height information are required. A vehicle height sensor 19 that outputs an output, a brake sensor 20 that detects the operating state of the brake, and an indicator 21 that digitally displays the gas chamber pressure of the front fork.
A display 22 is provided to digitally display the pressure inside the gas chamber of the rear cushion. Output signals from each operating means and output signals from the vehicle height sensor 19 and brake sensor 20 are input to the control device 15, and displays 21 and 22 display pressure data obtained from the pressure sensor 10 when adjusting the vehicle height. The pressure value obtained by calculation processing in the control device 15 is displayed.

With the above configuration, the vehicle height adjustment device generally becomes operable when other requirements such as that the brakes are not applied based on the signal given from the brake sensor 20 are satisfied, and the vehicle height adjustment mode is as follows. Manual/auto selection switch 16 allows manual vehicle height adjustment or automatic vehicle height adjustment.

In the case of manual vehicle height adjustment, select either the front side or the rear side with switch 17, and then press switch 1.
8 to select either up or down, and display 21.
The driver himself/herself adjusts the vehicle height according to his/her preference under a certain pressure limit while visually checking the pressure display No. 22. On the other hand, in the case of automatic vehicle height adjustment, based on the vehicle height information output from the vehicle height sensor 19 such as predetermined r OK J, rHIGHj, rLOWl, etc., the vehicle height is adjusted so that the vehicle height deviates from the standard vehicle height. When the vehicle height changes, the vehicle height is adjusted so as to always maintain an appropriate reference vehicle height ([OKJ state)].

In this case, the adjustment target is only the rear side.

Next, the vehicle height adjustment device further includes a vehicle speed sensor 23.
is provided, and is configured such that vehicle speed information from a vehicle speed sensor 23 is input to the control device 15. The vehicle speed information from the vehicle speed sensor 23 is used as it is as vehicle speed data within the control device 15, and is further used to detect acceleration/deceleration states based on the vehicle speed data. Based on the vehicle speed information and acceleration/deceleration information, the following operations are added to the operations of the vehicle height adjustment device and damping force adjustment mechanism.

That is, first, the damping force is adjusted according to the vehicle speed, and
In the acceleration/deceleration state, the damping force is adjusted to be higher based on the acceleration/deceleration information, and the adjustment operation of the vehicle height adjustment device is temporarily stopped. By adjusting the damping force in accordance with the vehicle speed and acceleration/deceleration in conjunction with the vehicle height adjustment in this way, the ride comfort and handling of the vehicle can be further improved.

Although the above embodiment describes a pneumatic vehicle height adjustment device for a motorcycle, the present invention can be applied to various vehicle height adjustment devices.

As is clear from the above explanation, according to the present invention, the vehicle height adjustment can be performed smoothly and smoothly, while the damping force is adjusted based on information related to the vehicle speed or acceleration/deceleration, and the vehicle height adjustment can be temporarily stopped as necessary. This brings about effects such as improved steering stability.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a 7-vehicle height adjustment device equipped with a damping force adjustment mechanism according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a system diagram of the same vehicle height adjustment device. In the drawing, 2 is the compressor, 4 is the front fork, and 5 is the compressor.
1 is a rear cushion, 7 and 8 are solenoid pulps for front and rear switching, 9 is a relief solenoid valve for opening to the atmosphere, 10 is a pressure sensor, 14 is a drive device for a damping force adjustment mechanism, 15 is a control device, and 23 is a vehicle speed sensor. Patent Applicant Showa Seisakusho Co., Ltd. Agent Patent Attorney 2 1) Toyo Participant Patent Attorney Kuni Ohashi Otoma Patent Attorney Yu Koyama 8-

Claims (1)

[Claims] A vehicle height adjustment device that adjusts a vehicle height by supplying and discharging high-pressure air to and from a gas chamber for vehicle height adjustment formed in a suspension device under the control of a control means, the suspension device comprising: a vehicle speed sensor; A damping force adjustment device is provided, and the control means obtains vehicle speed information and acceleration/deceleration information based on the output of the vehicle speed sensor, and temporarily suspends vehicle height adjustment while adjusting the damping force based on the vehicle speed information and acceleration/deceleration information. A vehicle height adjustment device characterized in that the vehicle height adjustment device is configured to perform the following actions.