JP2013137068A - Valve device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To stabilize damping force in a valve device of a hydraulic damper.SOLUTION: The valve device 40 includes a valve housing 41, a return ring 42, a sheet valve 47 and a check valve 48, wherein the check valve 48 is mounted on an inner circumferential side of the valve housing 41 so as to be capable of coming into contact with and being separated from a support surface 42A of the return ring 42 and a valve surface 47A of the sheet valve 47. In the valve device, a projected part P and a recessed part C are alternately provided in a circumferential direction of an inner circumference of the return ring 42.

Description

  The present invention relates to a valve device for a hydraulic shock absorber used in a motorcycle or an automobile.

  There exists a thing of patent document 1 as a valve apparatus provided between the 1st chamber and the 2nd chamber of a hydraulic shock absorber. As shown in FIG. 9, this valve device is provided between the first chamber A and the second chamber B of the hydraulic shock absorber, holds the return ring 2 in the valve housing 1A, and is disposed on the inner peripheral side of the valve housing 1A. The plate valve 3 is held on a valve support member 1B fixedly installed on the valve housing 1A, an annular gap G is formed between the inner periphery of the return ring 2 and the outer periphery of the plate valve 3, and the return ring 2 The check valve 4 loaded on the inner peripheral side of the valve housing 1A is placed on the support surface 2A of the return ring 2 and the valve surface 3A of the plate valve 3. It is provided so as to be able to contact and separate.

  In the extension stroke of the hydraulic shock absorber, as a result of the first chamber A having a lower pressure than the second chamber B, the oil in the second chamber B pushes the check valve 4 open as shown in FIG. And flows into the first chamber A through the annular gap G of the plate valve 3.

  On the other hand, in the compression stroke of the hydraulic shock absorber, the pressure in the first chamber A becomes higher than that in the second chamber B. As a result, as shown in FIG. 9B, the oil in the first chamber A causes the plate valve 3 to bend and open. Then, it flows into the second chamber B through the annular gap G between the return ring 2 and the plate valve 3, and a compression side damping force is generated by the flow path resistance resulting from the bending deformation of the plate valve 3.

JP-A-9-196105

  In the valve device described in Patent Document 1, in the flow of oil from the first chamber A to the second chamber B in the compression stroke, the difference between the check valve 4 stopped by the return ring 2 and the deflection of the plate valve 3 is obtained. The opening area of the plate valve 3 is determined, and the compression side damping force is determined.

  However, since the thin check valve 4 restrained by the return ring 2 is elastically deformed by the pressure in the first chamber A (FIG. 9C), the opening area of the plate valve 3 and the check valve 4 cannot be made large. In this case, the opening of the plate valve 3 and the check valve 4 serves as a restriction, which makes it difficult to stably set the compression side damping force. In addition, the flatness of the support surface 2A of the return ring 2 and the size of the chamfer (or edge sag) affect the degree of elastic deformation of the check valve 4, which may result in a large variation in the compression side damping force.

  If the check valve 4 is made thick in order to suppress the elastic deformation of the check valve 4, the inertial mass of the check valve 4 is increased, and the response of the compression side damping force and the extension side damping force is deteriorated.

  An object of the present invention is to stabilize damping force in a valve device for a hydraulic shock absorber.

  The invention according to claim 1 is provided between the first chamber and the second chamber of the hydraulic shock absorber, holds the return ring in the valve housing, and is fixedly installed to the valve housing on the inner peripheral side of the valve housing. The valve support is held by the valve support member, and an annular gap is formed between the inner periphery of the return ring and the outer periphery of the plate valve, and the support surface of the return ring is flush with the valve surface of the plate valve. In a valve device in which a check valve mounted on the inner peripheral side of the valve housing is provided so as to be able to come into contact with and separate from the support surface of the return ring and the valve surface of the plate valve, a convex portion and a concave portion in the circumferential direction of the inner periphery of the return ring Are provided alternately.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the invention according to claim 1, further comprising a check valve spring for biasing the check valve toward the support surface of the return ring and the valve surface of the plate valve. It is.

  The invention according to claim 3 is the invention according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the return ring is separated from the valve housing and is fixed to the valve housing.

  The invention according to claim 4 is the invention according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the return ring is formed integrally with the valve housing.

(Claim 1)
(a) The valve device was provided with convex portions and concave portions alternately in the circumferential direction of the inner periphery of the return ring. Accordingly, the convex portion on the inner periphery of the return ring reduces the gap G1 with the outer periphery of the plate valve, whereby the support surface of the convex portion that protrudes greatly on the inner periphery of the return ring causes the check valve to move radially in the compression stroke. Supports a wide range to suppress elastic deformation of the check valve. As a result, the opening area of the plate valve in the compression stroke is not narrowed by elastic deformation of the check valve, and the opening of the plate valve with the check valve does not become a throttle, so that the setting of the compression side damping force in the hydraulic shock absorber is stabilized. be able to.

  (b) The concave portion on the inner periphery of the return ring increases the gap G2 with the outer periphery of the plate valve, so that the opening with the return ring of the plate valve does not become a restriction in both the compression stroke and the extension stroke. It is possible to stabilize the setting of the compression side damping force and the extension side damping force in the hydraulic shock absorber.

  (c) According to the above (a), since it is not necessary to suppress the elastic deformation by increasing the thickness of the check valve, the inertial mass of the check valve is reduced, and the response of the compression side damping force and the extension side damping force in the hydraulic shock absorber is reduced. It can be improved.

  (d) As a result of suppressing the elastic deformation of the check valve by the above-mentioned (a), the influence of the flatness of the return ring, the size of the chamfer (edge bend), etc. on the compression side damping force in the hydraulic shock absorber can be reduced.

(Claim 2)
(e) a check valve spring for urging the check valve toward the support surface of the return ring and the valve surface of the plate valve; In the compression stroke, the check valve is reliably brought into contact with the support surface of the return ring, so that the setting of the compression side damping force in the hydraulic shock absorber can be stabilized and the response can be improved.

(Claim 3)
(f) The return ring is separated from the valve housing and fixed to the valve housing. A plurality of main return rings having different shapes (projections and recesses) can be used interchangeably, and the damping force characteristics of the hydraulic shock absorber can be changed in various ways.

(Claim 4)
(g) The return ring is formed integrally with the valve housing. The configuration of the valve device can be simplified.

FIG. 1 is an overall view showing a hydraulic shock absorber. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the valve device of the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a main part of FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. FIG. 5 shows a return ring, (A) is a front view, and (B) is a sectional view. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the valve device of the second embodiment. FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a main part of FIG. FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG. FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing a conventional valve device.

Example 1 (FIGS. 1 to 5)
A hydraulic shock absorber 10 shown in FIG. 1 is used as a rear cushion unit integrated with a suspension spring (not shown) and disposed between a vehicle body and an axle of a rear wheel of a motorcycle. The hydraulic shock absorber 10 dampens the vehicle body by attenuating the expansion and contraction vibration of the suspension spring that absorbs the impact received from the road surface.

  The hydraulic shock absorber 10 has the same basic structure as that described in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-196105) described above, and is filled with hydraulic oil in a cylinder 11 made of a single tube, and a piston rod. 12 is slidably inserted. The piston provided at the insertion end of the piston rod 12 divides the oil chamber in the cylinder 11 into a rod side oil chamber and a piston side oil chamber. The piston is provided with an expansion-side flow path and a pressure-side flow path communicating with the rod-side oil chamber and the piston-side oil chamber, an expansion-side attenuation valve is provided in the expansion-side flow path, and a pressure-side attenuation valve is provided in the pressure-side flow path. It has been.

  In the compression stroke of the hydraulic shock absorber 10, the hydraulic oil in the piston side oil chamber passes through the pressure side flow path, deflects and deforms the pressure side valve, and flows into the rod side oil chamber. When the hydraulic oil bends and deforms the compression side damping valve, a compression side damping force is generated.

  Further, in the extension stroke of the hydraulic shock absorber 10, the hydraulic oil in the rod side oil chamber passes through the extension side flow path to bend and deform the extension side damping valve and flows into the piston side oil chamber. When the hydraulic oil bends and deforms the extension side damping valve, an extension side damping force is generated.

  The hydraulic shock absorber 10 has a damping force adjustment adjuster 13. By rotating the damping force adjustment adjuster 13, the needle valve inserted through the hollow portion of the piston rod 12 is moved, and this needle valve is provided in the hollow portion of the piston rod 12 to be connected to the piston side oil chamber and the rod side. Change the opening area of the bypass channel communicating with the oil chamber to adjust the damping force.

  The cylinder-side damping force generation adjusting device is configured to include the expansion-side damping valve and the compression-side damping valve installed in the piston and the needle valve inserted through the piston rod.

  In the hydraulic shock absorber 10, the piston-side oil chamber of the cylinder 11 is communicated with the reservoir tank 22 through a communication passage 21 provided in the extension 11 </ b> A of the cylinder 11 as shown in FIG. 2. The reservoir tank 22 has a function of compensating the hydraulic oil corresponding to the volume change of the piston rod 12 entering or leaving the rod side oil chamber during the compression or extension stroke of the hydraulic shock absorber 10. The reservoir tank 22 includes a rubber diaphragm 24 in a reservoir tank housing 23 and is configured by closing an opening of the reservoir tank housing 23 with a tank closing member 25.

  The reservoir tank 22 divides the interior of the reservoir tank housing 23 into a gas chamber 26 filled with air and an oil chamber 27 filled with hydraulic oil with a diaphragm 24. An air valve 28 for supplying air to the gas chamber 26 is installed in the tank closing member 25. The oil chamber 27 communicates with the piston-side oil chamber of the cylinder 11 via the communication passage 21 formed in the reservoir tank housing 23, and the reservoir tank side as a damping force generation adjusting device is connected to the communication passage 21. A damping force generation adjusting device 30 is installed.

  The reservoir tank-side damping force generation adjusting device 30 includes a communication path 21 provided in the extension portion 11A of the cylinder 11 so as to communicate with the piston-side oil chamber (first chamber) of the hydraulic shock absorber 10, and a reservoir of the hydraulic shock absorber 10. A valve device 40 is provided between the oil chamber 27 of the tank 22.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the valve device 40 includes a valve housing 41 that is fitted into a valve loading hole 11 </ b> B provided in the extension 11 </ b> A of the cylinder 11. The valve housing 41 includes an outer cylinder 41A and an inner cylinder 41B. The outer cylinder 41A is fitted and screwed into the valve loading hole 11B. The inner cylinder 41B is fitted in the concave portion of the outer cylinder 41A so as to sandwich the generally annular return ring 42 in the innermost part of the concave portion on the distal end side of the outer cylinder 41A, and is engaged with the inner periphery on the front end side of the outer cylinder 41A. The worn retaining ring 43 prevents the outer cylinder 41A from coming out of the recess. When the outer cylinder 41A is screwed into the valve loading hole 11B, the front end surface of the inner cylinder 41B in the outer cylinder 41A is pressed against the bottom of the valve loading hole 11B. At this time, the outer edge portion of the return ring 42 is sandwiched and held between the innermost portion of the concave portion of the outer cylinder 41A and the large-diameter annular base end face 41J of the inner cylinder 41B.

  The valve housing 41 is provided with a pressure expansion shared chamber 44 formed in the inner periphery of the intermediate portion of the outer cylinder 41A and a pressure expansion shared flow path 45 penetrating in the axial direction of the inner cylinder 41B. The common pressure expansion chamber 44 communicates with the oil chamber 27 of the reservoir tank 22 at all times, and the common pressure expansion passage 45 communicates with the communication passage 21 provided in the extension portion 11A of the cylinder 11 at all times. The common pressure expansion chamber 44 and the common pressure expansion flow path 45 can communicate with each other via a plate valve 47 and a check valve 48 described later.

  In the valve device 40, a valve support bolt 46 as a valve support member is inserted into a central hole of an inner cylinder 41B provided on the inner peripheral side of the valve housing 41. The valve support bolt 46 is a threaded portion of the valve support bolt 46 that protrudes from the center hole of the inner cylinder 41B, with the stacked pressure side plate valve 47 sandwiched between the head 46A and the small-diameter annular base end face 41K of the inner cylinder 41B. The plate valve 47 is clamped and held by a nut 46B screwed to the inner cylinder 41B, and is fixedly installed on the inner cylinder 41B.

  The valve device 40 forms an annular gap G (FIG. 4) between the inner periphery of the return ring 42 and the outer periphery of the plate valve 47. The return ring 42 is in contact with the large diameter annular base end face 41J of the inner cylinder 41B of the valve housing 41, and the support surface 42A of the return ring 42, and the plate valve 47 is the small diameter annular base end face of the inner cylinder 41B of the valve housing 41. The valve surface 47A of the plate valve 47 in contact with 41K is flush. The large-diameter annular base end face 41J and the small-diameter annular base end face 41K of the inner cylinder 41B are also flush with each other.

  The valve device 40 has an annular plate-like check valve 48 loaded in an annular recess 41L sandwiched between a large-diameter annular base end face 41J and a small-diameter annular base end face 41K in an inner cylinder 41B provided on the inner peripheral side of the valve housing 41. Yes. In the annular recess 41L, the aforementioned pressure-sharing shared flow channel 45 is opened. The outer edge of the check valve 48 can be brought into and out of contact with the inner edge of the support surface 42A of the return ring 42, and the inner edge of the check valve 48 can be brought into and out of contact with the outer edge of the valve surface 47A of the plate valve 47. Is done. A curved plate-like check valve spring 49 that urges the check valve 48 toward the support surface 42A of the return ring 42 and the valve surface 47A of the plate valve 47 is loaded on the inner side of the annular recess 41L of the inner cylinder 41B. Yes.

  In order to eliminate the negative pressure in the piston-side oil chamber caused by the piston rod 12 withdrawing from the rod-side oil chamber of the cylinder 11 during the extension stroke of the hydraulic shock absorber 10, the hydraulic oil in the oil chamber 27 of the reservoir tank 22 is removed. Then, the check valve 48 is opened through the common pressure expansion chamber 44 of the valve housing 41, and flows through the common pressure expansion passage 45 of the valve housing 41 as shown by the solid line arrow (FIG. 3). Flows into the piston side oil chamber.

  Further, in the compression stroke of the hydraulic shock absorber 10, the hydraulic oil corresponding to the increased volume of the piston rod 12 entering the rod-side oil chamber of the cylinder 11 flows through the communication path 21 from the piston-side oil chamber of the cylinder 11 and is indicated by a chain line arrow. As shown in FIG. 3, the plate valve 47 is bent and deformed through the common pressure expansion passage 45 of the valve housing 41, and returns to the oil chamber 27 of the reservoir tank 22. When the hydraulic oil bends and deforms the plate valve 47, a compression side damping force is generated.

  The valve device 40 is provided with a bypass flow channel 51 in parallel with the pressure expansion common flow channel 45 at the center of the valve support bolt 46, and the pressure expansion shared chamber 44 and the extension portion of the cylinder 11 are provided by the bypass flow channel 51. The communication path 21 provided in 11A can be communicated. On the other hand, a pressure side needle valve 52 is liquid-tightly inserted and screwed into the central portion of the outer cylinder 41A of the valve housing 41. By rotating the operation portion 52A facing the outside of the needle valve 52, the tip end portion of the needle valve 52 changes the flow passage area of the bypass flow passage 51 of the valve support bolt 46, and the compression side damping force is adjusted. .

  However, the hydraulic shock absorber 10 has the following configuration in order to stabilize the damping force in the valve device 40.

  That is, in the valve device 40, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the convex portion P (FIG. 4, FIG. 5) and the concave portion C (FIG. 4, FIG. 4) in the circumferential direction of the generally circular inner periphery of the return ring 42. FIG. 5) were provided alternately.

  Therefore, the annular gap G formed between the inner periphery of the return ring 42 and the outer periphery of the plate valve 47 is, as shown in FIG. 4, the convex portion P on the inner periphery of the return ring 42 and the circular outer periphery of the plate valve 47. Between the concave portion C on the inner periphery of the return ring 42 and the circular outer periphery of the plate valve 47.

  In the present embodiment, as described above, the return ring 42 is separated from the valve housing 41 (the outer cylinder 41A and the inner cylinder 41B), and is clamped and fixed between the outer cylinder 41A and the inner cylinder 41B of the valve housing 41. Is done.

According to the present embodiment, the following operational effects can be obtained.
(a) The valve device 40 is provided with convex portions P and concave portions C alternately in the circumferential direction of the inner periphery of the return ring 42. Accordingly, the convex portion P on the inner periphery of the return ring 42 reduces the gap G1 with the outer periphery of the plate valve 47, whereby the support surface 42A of the convex portion P that largely protrudes to the inner periphery of the return ring 42 is formed in the compression stroke. The check valve 48 is supported in a wide radial range, and the elastic deformation of the check valve 48 is suppressed. Thereby, the opening area of the plate valve 47 in the compression stroke is not narrowed by the elastic deformation of the check valve 48, and the opening of the plate valve 47 with the check valve 48 does not become a throttle, so that the compression side damping force in the hydraulic shock absorber 10 is reduced. The setting can be stabilized.

  (b) The concave portion C on the inner periphery of the return ring 42 increases the gap G2 with the outer periphery of the plate valve 47, so that the opening of the plate valve 47 with the return ring 42 is increased in both the compression stroke and the extension stroke. It is possible to stabilize the setting of the compression side damping force and the extension side damping force in the hydraulic shock absorber 10 without using the throttle.

  (c) According to the above (a), since it is not necessary to increase the thickness of the check valve 48 to suppress its elastic deformation, the inertial mass of the check valve 48 is reduced, and the compression side damping force and the extension side damping force in the hydraulic shock absorber 10 are reduced. Responsiveness can be improved.

  (d) As a result of the elastic deformation of the check valve 48 being suppressed by the above (a), the influence of the flatness of the return ring 42 and the size of the chamfer (edge bend) on the compression side damping force in the hydraulic shock absorber 10 can be reduced. .

  (e) A check valve spring 49 for urging the check valve 48 toward the support surface 42A of the return ring 42 and the valve surface 47A of the plate valve 47 is provided. In the compression stroke, the check valve 48 is reliably brought into contact with the support surface 42A of the return ring 42, so that the setting of the compression side damping force in the hydraulic shock absorber 10 can be stabilized and the response can be improved.

  (f) The return ring 42 is separated from the valve housing 41 and is fixed to the valve housing 41. The characteristics of the damping force in the hydraulic shock absorber 10 can be changed in various ways by exchanging and using a plurality of main return rings 42 having different shapes (projections P and recesses C).

Example 2 (FIGS. 6 to 8)
The valve device 60 of the second embodiment is different from the valve device 40 of the first embodiment in that a return ring 61 in place of the return ring 42 of the first embodiment is a valve housing 41, as shown in FIGS. This is because it is integrally formed with the outer cylinder 41 </ b> A of the valve housing 41. Convex portions P and concave portions C are alternately provided in the circumferential direction of the generally circular inner circumference of the return ring 61 integrated with the outer cylinder 41A.

  That is, the return ring 61 is formed by the inner periphery of the intermediate portion of the outer cylinder 41 </ b> A that forms the pressure expansion shared chamber 44 in the outer cylinder 41 </ b> A of the valve housing 41. The return ring 61 extends from the support surface 61A where the large-diameter annular base end face 41J of the inner cylinder 41B comes into contact with the innermost part 41B of the outer cylinder 41A to the innermost part 41B. The convex portion P and the concave portion C are alternately arranged in the circumferential direction of the inner circumference of the substantially circular middle portion of the outer cylinder 41A over a certain range along the axial direction (in this embodiment, the entire range along the axial direction of the pressure-sharing shared chamber 44). Engraved on.

  As in the first embodiment, the inner periphery of the return ring 61 integral with the outer cylinder 41A of the valve housing 41 is formed, and the valve support fixedly installed on the inner cylinder 41B. An annular gap G composed of a small gap G1 and a large gap G2 is formed between the outer periphery of the plate valve 47 held by the bolt 46. Similarly to the first embodiment, the above-described support surface 61A of the return ring 61 and the valve surface 47A of the plate valve 47 are flush with each other. Similarly to the first embodiment, the check valve 48 and the check valve spring 49 are loaded in the annular recess 41L of the inner cylinder 41B of the valve housing 41, and the check valve 48 is a valve of the support surface 61A of the return ring 61 and the plate valve 47. It is provided so as to be able to contact and separate from the surface 47A.

  Therefore, even in the valve device 60 of the second embodiment, the same effects as the above-described (a) to (e) in the valve device 40 of the first embodiment are obtained, and the return ring 61 is provided with the valve housing 41 (the outer cylinder 41A). ), The structure of the valve device 60 can be simplified.

  The embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration of the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and even if there is a design change or the like without departing from the gist of the present invention. It is included in the present invention. For example, in the valve device of the present invention, a valve housing is fixed to a piston rod inserted in a cylinder constituting a hydraulic shock absorber, and can be provided between a piston side oil chamber and a rod side oil chamber of the cylinder. At this time, the plate valve held by the valve support member fixedly installed on the inner peripheral side of the valve housing is disposed on the side facing the rod-side oil chamber, and the check valve loaded on the inner peripheral side of the valve housing is disposed on the piston-side oil chamber. By arranging it on the side facing the cylinder, it is possible to stabilize the setting of the compression side damping force and the extension side damping force in the hydraulic shock absorber and to improve the responsiveness.

  The present invention provides a valve support which is provided between a first chamber and a second chamber of a hydraulic shock absorber, holds a return ring in the valve housing, and is fixedly installed on the inner periphery side of the valve housing. The plate valve is held by the member, an annular gap is formed between the inner periphery of the return ring and the outer periphery of the plate valve, and the support surface provided in the return ring and the valve surface of the plate valve are flush with each other. In a valve device in which a check valve loaded on the circumferential side is provided so as to be able to come into contact with and separate from the support surface of the return ring and the valve surface of the plate valve, convex portions and concave portions are alternately provided in the circumferential direction of the inner periphery of the return ring. It was. Therefore, the damping force can be stabilized in the valve device for the hydraulic shock absorber.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Hydraulic buffer 11 Cylinder 12 Piston rod 21 Communication path (1st chamber)
22 Reservoir tank 27 Oil chamber (second chamber)
40 Valve device 41 Valve housing 42 Return ring 42A Support surface 46 Valve support bolt (valve support member)
47 Plate valve 47A Valve surface 48 Check valve 49 Check valve spring 60 Valve device 61 Return ring 61A Support surface G, G1, G2 Gap P Convex part C Concave part

Claims (4)

Provided between the first chamber and the second chamber of the hydraulic shock absorber;
Hold the return ring in the valve housing,
A plate valve is held on a valve support member fixedly installed on the inner peripheral side of the valve housing.
An annular gap is formed between the inner periphery of the return ring and the outer periphery of the plate valve, and the support surface of the return ring and the valve surface of the plate valve are flush with each other,
In a valve device in which a check valve loaded on the inner peripheral side of the valve housing is provided so as to be able to come into contact with and separate from the support surface of the return ring and the valve surface of the plate valve.
A valve device comprising convex portions and concave portions alternately in the circumferential direction of the inner periphery of the return ring.   2. The valve device according to claim 1, further comprising a check valve spring that urges the check valve toward a support surface of the return ring and a valve surface of the plate valve.   The valve device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the return ring is separated from the valve housing and is fixed to the valve housing.   The valve device according to claim 1, wherein the return ring is formed integrally with the valve housing.

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