JP2020143676A - Solenoid valve and damper - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a solenoid valve capable of curbing a fluctuation in a flow passage area even when subjected to external input of oscillation and to provide a damper capable of exerting targeted damping force.SOLUTION: A solenoid valve V comprises: a holder 6 which has a cylindrical port 6a; spool 7 which is inserted in the holder 6 so as to be able to reciprocate in an axial direction; an energizing spring 8 which energizes the spool 7 in one of moving directions of the spool 7; a solenoid 9 which can apply propulsion force to the spool 7 so as to move the same in the other of the moving directions of the spool 7; a liquid pressure locking chamber RC which is installed between the holder 6 and the spool 7 and blocks movement of the spool 7 with respect to the holder 6 when closed; a shutter 17 which can be reciprocated in directions identical with the moving directions of the spool 7 and switches the liquid pressure locking chamber RC to be opened or closed; and a shutter spring 18 which energizing the shutter 17 so as to set the same at a position to open the liquid pressure locking chamber RC.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to improvements in solenoid valves and shock absorbers.

Conventionally, as a solenoid valve, a housing having a tubular shape and a port for communicating inside and outside, a tubular spool that is slidably inserted into the housing, a spool spring that urges the spool, and a spool spring There is known one provided with a solenoid that drives the spool against the urging force of the above (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

In such a solenoid valve, a solenoid drives the spool with respect to the housing, and the outer circumference of the spool faces the port to open and close the port, and the degree of opening of the port is adjusted to change the flow path area. To. If the solenoid valve configured in this way is provided in the middle of the passage through which the hydraulic oil passes when the shock absorber expands and contracts, the flow path resistance given to the flow of the hydraulic oil passing through the passage can be made variable, and the shock absorber is attenuated. You can adjust the force.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-19319

Since the solenoid valve is responsive to a command to change the flow path area and can change the flow path area, it is suitable for adjusting the damping force of a shock absorber incorporated in the suspension of a vehicle, for example. It facilitates the implementation of active control such as control.

However, in order to make the damping force of the shock absorber incorporated in the suspension of the vehicle variable, it is necessary to incorporate an electromagnetic valve into the shock absorber, and the shock absorber is constantly input with vertical vibration while the vehicle is running. In particular, when traveling on a rough road or the like, a large acceleration that pushes up from below acts on the shock absorber.

On the other hand, in the solenoid valve, the movable parts of the spool and the solenoid are only elastically supported in the axial direction and not fixedly supported. Therefore, when adjusting the damping force by incorporating the solenoid valve into the shock absorber, when acceleration is input to the shock absorber, the spool is displaced by the inertial force and the opening degree of the solenoid valve changes, so that the target damping force is applied. There is a problem that it cannot be demonstrated.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an electromagnetic valve capable of suppressing a change in the flow path area even when there is an external vibration input and a shock absorber capable of exerting a desired damping force.

Solenoid valves that solve the above problems include a holder that is tubular and has a port that communicates inside and outside, and a spool that is tubular and is inserted into the holder so that it can reciprocate in the axial direction and can open and close the port. , Provided between the holder and the spool, an urging spring that urges the spool in one direction of the spool movement, a solenoid that can apply thrust to move the spool in the other direction of the spool movement direction. When closed, the hydraulic lock chamber that suppresses the movement of the spool to one or the other in the movement direction of the spool and the hydraulic lock chamber that can reciprocate in the direction that matches the movement direction of the spool are opened and closed. It is provided with a shutter for switching the shutter and a shutter spring for positioning the shutter at a position where the shutter is urged to open the hydraulic lock chamber.

According to the solenoid valve configured in this way, when vibration is input from the outside, the hydraulic lock chamber is closed by the shutter and the axial displacement of the spool with respect to the holder is suppressed.

Further, the solenoid valve may be configured by slidably mounting the shutter on the outer circumference of the holder. According to the solenoid valve configured in this way, the moving directions of the shutter and the spool can be matched by the holder, so that it is not necessary to add a component that guides the movement while matching the moving direction of the shutter with the moving direction of the spool. The cost can be reduced, the flow path resistance in the spool can be reduced, and no extra pressure loss can be caused.

Further, the solenoid valve may be configured so that the hydraulic lock chamber communicates with the spool when the shutter opens the hydraulic lock chamber. According to the solenoid valve configured in this way, it is possible to prevent a route that bypasses the port and goes back and forth between the outside of the holder and the inside of the spool via the hydraulic lock chamber, and the flow path area can be adjusted accurately. ..

Further, the shock absorber is connected to the cylinder, a piston that is movably inserted into the cylinder and divides the inside of the cylinder into an extension side chamber and a compression side chamber, and one end of the shock absorber protrudes out of the cylinder. A piston rod, a hard side damping element that resists the flow of liquid from the compression side chamber to the extension side chamber, a bypass path that bypasses the hard side damping element and connects the compression side chamber and the extension side chamber, and a bypass path in the middle of the bypass path. The solenoid valve provided in the above and the soft side damping element provided in series with the solenoid valve in the bypass path are provided, and the hard side damping element is configured to have an orifice and a leaf valve provided in parallel with the orifice. The soft side damping element is configured to have a large-diameter orifice having a larger opening area than the orifice. According to the shock absorber configured in this way, even if vibration is input to the shock absorber, the fluctuation of the flow path area of the solenoid valve is suppressed, so that the desired damping force can be exhibited.

According to the solenoid valve according to the present invention, it is possible to suppress a change in the flow path area even if there is a vibration input from the outside, and according to the interference of the present invention, it is possible to exert a damping force as intended.

It is a vertical sectional view of the shock absorber which is the shock absorber which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a vertical sectional view showing a part of FIG. 1 enlarged. It is a damping force characteristic diagram which showed the characteristic of the compression side damping force with respect to the piston speed of the shock absorber which is the shock absorber which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention.

The solenoid valve V and the shock absorber D according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The same reference numerals, given throughout several drawings, indicate the same or corresponding parts. Further, the shock absorber D according to the embodiment of the present invention is used for a front fork that suspends the front wheels of a saddle-mounted vehicle. In the following description, the upper and lower parts of the front fork including the shock absorber D attached to the vehicle are simply referred to as "upper" and "lower" unless otherwise specified.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the solenoid valve V is inserted into a holder 6 which is tubular and has a port 6a for communicating inside and outside, and a holder 6 which is tubular and reciprocating in the axial direction. A spool 7 capable of opening and closing the port 6a, an urging spring 8 for urging the spool 7 toward one of the moving directions of the spool 7, and a thrust for moving the spool 7 toward the other in the moving direction of the spool 7. A solenoid 9 capable of applying a solenoid 9, a hydraulic lock chamber RC provided between the holder 6 and the spool 7, a shutter 17 for switching between opening and closing of the hydraulic lock chamber RC, and a shutter 17 for urging the liquid. A shutter spring 18 for positioning the shutter 17 at a position where the pressure lock chamber RC is opened is provided.

Then, as shown in FIG. 1, the solenoid valve V is applied to the shock absorber D. In the present embodiment, the shock absorber D is a one-sided shock absorber that exerts a damping force only at the time of contraction, and the solenoid valve V is used for adjusting the compression side damping force of the shock absorber D. Although not shown, the shock absorber D is connected to a one-sided shock absorber that exerts a damping force only when extended by a bracket connected to the steering shaft of the saddle-type vehicle. Therefore, the shock absorber D and the shock absorber that exerts damping force only when extended form a pair of front forks that support the front wheels of the saddle-type vehicle, and cooperate with each other to vibrate the vehicle body of the saddle-type vehicle. Suppress. The solenoid valve V may be used as a shock absorber that exerts a damping force only when it is extended.

First, the shock absorber D according to the embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described. As shown in FIG. 2, the shock absorber D includes a telescopic tube member T including an outer tube 10 and an inner tube 11 slidably inserted into the outer tube 10.

Then, when the front wheel vibrates up and down as the saddle-mounted vehicle travels on an uneven road surface, the inner tube 11 moves in and out of the outer tube 10 and the tube member T expands and contracts. The expansion and contraction of the tube member T in this way is also referred to as the expansion and contraction of the shock absorber D. The tube member T may be an upright type, and the outer tube 10 may be an axle side tube and the inner tube 11 may be a vehicle body side tube.

Subsequently, the upper end of the outer tube 10 which is the upper end of the tube member T is closed by the cap 12. On the other hand, the lower end of the inner tube 11 which is the lower end of the tube member T is closed by the bracket B on the axle side. Further, the tubular gap formed between the overlapping portion of the outer tube 10 and the inner tube 11 is closed by an annular sealing member 13 which is attached to the lower end of the outer tube 10 and is in sliding contact with the outer periphery of the inner tube 11. ..

In this way, the inside of the tube member T is a closed space, and the shock absorber main body S is housed in the tube member T. The shock absorber main body S has a cylinder 1 provided in the inner tube 11, a piston 2 slidably inserted into the cylinder 1, a lower end connected to the piston 2, and an upper end outside the cylinder 1. It has a piston rod 3 that protrudes and is connected to the cap 12.

Since the cap 12 is connected to the outer tube 10, it can be said that the piston rod 3 is connected to the outer tube 10. Further, the cylinder 1 is connected to the inner tube 11. In this way, the shock absorber main body S is interposed between the outer tube 10 and the inner tube 11.

An annular head member 14 is mounted on the upper end of the cylinder 1, and the piston rod 3 movably penetrates the inside of the head member 14 in the axial direction. The head member 14 slidably supports the piston rod 3, and a suspension spring 15 made of a coil spring is interposed between the head member 14 and the cap 12.

Then, when the shock absorber D expands and contracts and the inner tube 11 moves in and out of the outer tube 10, the piston rod 3 moves in and out of the cylinder 1 and the piston 2 moves up and down (axially) in the cylinder 1.

Further, when the shock absorber D contracts and the piston rod 3 enters the cylinder 1, the suspension spring 15 is compressed and exerts an elastic force to urge the shock absorber D in the extension direction. In this way, the suspension spring 15 exerts an elastic force according to the amount of compression so that the vehicle body can be elastically supported.

The shock absorber D of the present embodiment is a single rod type, and the piston rod 3 extends from one side of the piston 2 to the outside of the cylinder 1. However, the shock absorber D may be of the double rod type, and the piston rods may extend from both sides of the piston to the outside of the cylinder. Further, the piston rod 3 may protrude downward from the cylinder 1 and be connected to the axle side, and the cylinder 1 may be connected to the vehicle body side. Further, the suspension spring 15 may be a spring other than a coil spring such as an air spring.

Subsequently, a liquid chamber L filled with a liquid such as hydraulic oil is formed in the cylinder 1, and this liquid chamber L is divided into an extension side chamber La and a compression side chamber Lb by a piston 2. The extension side chamber referred to here is the room that is compressed by the piston when the shock absorber is extended, out of the two chambers partitioned by the piston. On the other hand, the compression side chamber is the chamber of the two chambers partitioned by the piston, which is compressed by the piston when the shock absorber contracts.

Further, the space outside the cylinder 1, more specifically, the space between the shock absorber main body S and the tube member T is a liquid storage chamber R. The same liquid as the liquid in the cylinder 1 is stored in the liquid storage chamber R, and a gas chamber G in which a gas such as air is sealed is formed on the upper side of the liquid surface. As described above, the tube member T functions as an outer shell of the tank 16 for storing the liquid separately from the liquid in the cylinder 1.

The liquid storage chamber R in the tank 16 is communicated with the extension side chamber La, and the pressure in the extension side chamber La is always substantially the same as the pressure in the tank 16 (liquid storage chamber R) (tank pressure). Further, the liquid storage chamber R is separated from the compression side chamber Lb by a valve case 4 fixed to the lower end of the cylinder 1. The valve case 4 is provided with a suction passage 4a for communicating the compression side chamber Lb and the liquid storage chamber R, and a suction valve 40 for opening and closing the suction passage 4a.

The suction valve 40 is an extension side check valve, which opens a suction passage 4a when the shock absorber D is extended, and allows the suction passage 4a to flow liquid from the liquid storage chamber R to the compression side chamber Lb. When the shock absorber D contracts, the suction passage 4a is maintained in a closed state. The suction valve 40 of the present embodiment is a leaf valve, but may be a poppet valve or the like.

Further, the piston 2 is formed with an extension side passage 2a and a compression side passage 2b that communicate the extension side chamber La and the compression side chamber Lb, and also has an extension side check valve 20 that opens and closes the extension side passage 2a and a compression side passage 2b. A hard side damping element 21 that resists the flow of liquid from the compression side chamber Lb to the extension side chamber La is mounted.

The hard side damping element 21 is configured to have a leaf valve 21a laminated on the upper side of the piston 2 and an orifice 21b provided in parallel with the leaf valve 21a.

The leaf valve 21a is a thin annular plate made of metal or the like, or a laminated body obtained by stacking the annular plates, and has elasticity, and the piston 2 is allowed to bend on the outer peripheral side (or inner peripheral side). It is attached to. Then, the pressure of the compression side chamber Lb acts in the direction of bending the outer peripheral portion of the leaf valve 21a upward. Further, the orifice 21b is formed by a notch provided on the outer peripheral portion of the leaf valve 21a that is detached and seated on the valve seat (not indicated) of the piston 2R, but is formed by a stamp or the like provided on the valve seat. It may be formed.

The compression side chamber Lb is compressed by the piston 2 when the shock absorber D contracts, and its internal pressure rises, which is higher than the pressure of the extension side chamber La. When the piston speed is in the low speed range when the shock absorber D contracts and the differential pressure between the compression side chamber Lb and the extension side chamber La is less than the valve opening pressure of the leaf valve 21a, the liquid passes through the orifice 21b. Along with moving from the compression side chamber Lb to the extension side chamber La, resistance is imparted to the flow of this liquid. Further, when the differential pressure becomes larger than the valve opening pressure of the leaf valve 21a, the outer peripheral portion of the leaf valve 21a bends, and the liquid passes through the gap formed between the outer peripheral portion and the piston 2 to pass the compression side chamber Lb. As it heads toward the extension chamber La, resistance is imparted to this flow of liquid.

As described above, the hard side damping element 21 having the orifice 21b and the leaf valve 21a parallel to the orifice 21b is a liquid that goes from the compression side chamber Lb to the extension side chamber La when the shock absorber D contracts. It is the first damping element on the compression side that gives resistance to the flow of. The resistance due to the hard side damping element 21 on the compression side is caused by the orifice 21b when the piston speed is in the low speed range, and is caused by the leaf valve 21a when the piston speed is in the medium and high speed range.

On the other hand, the extension check valve 20 opens the extension passage 2a when the shock absorber D is extended, and allows the liquid to flow through the extension passage 2a from the extension chamber La to the compression side chamber Lb. When D contracts, the extension side passage 2a is maintained in a closed state. The extension side check valve 20 of the present embodiment is a leaf valve, but may be a poppet valve or the like. Further, the extension side passage 2a and the extension side check valve 20 may be omitted as long as the suction of the liquid in the cylinder 1 is not insufficient.

Subsequently, the piston rod 3 is provided with a damping force adjusting unit for changing the flow rate of the liquid passing through the hard side damping element 21. The damping force adjusting unit includes a solenoid valve V that can change the flow path area provided in the middle of the bypass path 3a that bypasses the hard side damping element 21 and communicates the extension side chamber La and the compression side chamber Lb, and the bypass path. A soft side damping element 50 provided in series with the solenoid valve V is provided in the middle of 3a.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the piston rod 3 is connected to the piston holding member 30 located at the tip thereof, the solenoid case member 31 connected to the terminal side thereof, and further connected to the terminal side thereof to the outside of the cylinder 1. It has a tubular rod body 32 that extends. The piston holding member 30 includes a bottomed tubular housing portion 30a and a shaft portion 30b protruding downward from the bottom portion of the housing portion 30a, and an annular piston 2 is fixed to the outer periphery of the shaft portion 30b with a nut N. Has been done.

A valve case 5 is fixed to the inner circumference of the tubular portion of the housing portion 30a to partition the inside into an upper chamber 30c and a lower chamber 30d. The valve case 5 is formed with a passage 5a that connects the upper chamber 30c and the lower chamber 30d, and the soft side damping element 50 is provided in the passage 5a. Further, the shaft portion 30b of the piston holding member 30 is formed with a vertical hole 30e that opens downward and communicates with the inside of the housing portion 30a, and the lower chamber 30d and the compression side chamber Lb are communicated with each other by the vertical hole 30e. ..

Subsequently, the solenoid case member 31 includes a tubular portion 31a screwed onto the outer periphery of the upper end of the housing portion 30a. A lateral hole 31b that opens laterally is formed in the tubular portion 31a, and the extension side chamber La and the inside of the solenoid case member 31 are communicated with each other by the lateral hole 31b. A solenoid valve V is provided in the middle of the passage connecting the lateral hole 31b and the upper chamber 30c.

In the present embodiment, a bypass having a lateral hole 31b, an upper chamber 30c, a lower chamber 30d, and a vertical hole 30e formed in the solenoid case member 31 or the piston holding member 30 and bypassing the hard side damping element 21. The road 3a is formed. The solenoid valve V and the soft side damping element 50 are provided in series in the middle of the bypass path 3a.

Further, the outer diameters of the solenoid case member 31 and the piston holding member 30 accommodating the solenoid valve V and the soft side damping element 50 are smaller than the inner diameter of the cylinder 1, and consideration is given so that they do not partition the extension side chamber La. ..

The soft damping element 50 includes a leaf valve 50a laminated on the upper side of the valve case 5 and an orifice 50b provided in parallel with the leaf valve 50a.

The leaf valve 50a is a thin annular plate made of metal or the like, or a laminated body obtained by stacking the annular plates, and has elasticity, and the valve case is in a state where bending on the outer peripheral side (or inner peripheral side) is allowed. It is attached to 5. Then, the pressure of the lower chamber 30d acts in the direction of bending the outer peripheral portion of the leaf valve 50a upward. Further, the orifice 50b is formed by a notch provided on the outer peripheral portion of the leaf valve 50a that is detached and seated on the valve seat of the valve case 5R, but it may be formed by stamping or the like provided on the valve seat. Good.

The pressure in the lower chamber 30d becomes higher than the pressure in the upper chamber 30c when the shock absorber D is contracted and the solenoid valve V opens the bypass path 3a. When the piston speed is in the low speed range when the shock absorber D contracts and the differential pressure between the upper chamber 30c and the lower chamber 30d is less than the valve opening pressure of the leaf valve 50a, the liquid passes through the orifice 50b. From the lower chamber 30d to the upper chamber 30c, that is, from the compression side chamber Lb to the extension side chamber La, resistance is imparted to the flow of this liquid. Further, when the differential pressure becomes larger than the valve opening pressure of the leaf valve 50a, the outer peripheral portion of the leaf valve 50 bends, and the liquid passes through the gap formed between the outer peripheral portion and the valve case 5 to enter the lower chamber. From 30d to the upper chamber 30c, that is, from the compression side chamber Lb to the extension side chamber La, resistance is imparted to the flow of this liquid.

As described above, the soft side damping element 50 having the orifice 50b and the leaf valve 50a parallel to the orifice 50b makes the compression side bypass path 3a from the compression side chamber Lb to the extension side chamber when the shock absorber D contracts. It is the second damping element on the compression side that resists the flow of liquid towards La. The resistance due to the soft damping element 50 is caused by the orifice 50b when the piston speed is in the low speed range, and is caused by the leaf valve 50a when the piston speed is in the medium and high speed range.

Further, the leaf valve 50a of the soft side damping element 50 is a valve having lower valve rigidity (easy to bend) than the leaf valve 21a of the hard side damping element 21, and when the flow rate is the same, it is applied to the flow of liquid. The resistance (pressure loss) is small. In other words, the liquid is more likely to pass through the leaf valve 50a than the leaf valve 21a under the same conditions. Further, the orifice 50b of the soft side damping element 50 is a large diameter orifice having a larger opening area than the orifice 21b of the hard side damping element 21, and when the flow rates are the same, the resistance (pressure loss) given to the liquid flow is increased. small.

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 2, the solenoid valve V includes a tubular holder 6 fixed in the piston rod 3, a tubular spool 7 reciprocally inserted into the holder 6, and the same. Between the holder 6 and the spool 7 and the urging spring 8 that urges the spool 7 upward in FIG. 2, which is one of the moving directions, and the solenoid 9 that can give thrust to the spool 7 in the moving direction. It is provided with a hydraulic lock chamber RC provided in the above, a shutter 17 for switching between opening and closing of the hydraulic lock chamber RC, and a shutter spring 18 for urging the shutter 17. Then, the solenoid valve V adjusts the position of the spool 7 in the holder 6 to adjust the opening degree.

More specifically, the holder 6 has one end in the axial direction on the upper side (solenoid case member 31 side) and the other end on the lower side (valve case 5 side) with respect to the valve case 5 in the piston rod 3. It is arranged along the central axis of the piston rod 3 in a facing state. Further, the holder 6 is formed with one or more ports 6a penetrating in the radial direction. The port 6a is communicated with the extension side chamber La through the lateral hole 31b of the solenoid case member 31, and is opened and closed by the spool 7. Further, the holder 6 is provided on the inner circumference of the housing portion 30a of the piston holding member 30 provided at the large diameter portion 6b on the upper end side in FIG. 2, the small diameter portion 6c on the lower end side in FIG. 2, and the lower end of the small diameter portion 6c. It is provided with a flange portion 6d to be fitted, and the inner circumference of the large diameter portion 6b is set to be larger than the inner diameter of the small diameter portion 6c, and the outer diameters of the large diameter portion 6b and the small diameter portion 6c are set to the same diameter. The diameter is smaller than the inner diameter of the housing portion 30a. Further, a step portion 6e facing upward in FIG. 2 is formed at the boundary between the large diameter portion 6b and the small diameter portion 6c of the holder 6. The port 6a is provided in the large diameter portion 6b and communicates with the inside and outside of the large diameter portion 6b. Further, the holder 6 is a large-diameter portion 6b in addition to the port 6a, which is provided in the vicinity of the step portion 6e below the installation position of the port 6a to communicate the inside and outside of the holder 6, and the small-diameter portion 6c. It is provided with a hole 6g that communicates with the inside and outside of the holder 6.

The spool 7 has a tubular shape and is slidably inserted into the holder 6 so that it can reciprocate in the vertical direction in FIG. More specifically, the spool 7 has a large diameter portion 7a having a large outer diameter on the upper side in FIG. 2, a small diameter portion 7b having a small outer diameter on the lower side in FIG. 2, and a large diameter portion having an outer circumference. A stepped portion 7c formed at the boundary between the 7a and the small diameter portion 7b, an annular groove 7d provided along the circumferential direction on the outer circumference of the large diameter portion 7a, and an annular groove opened from the inner circumference of the large diameter portion 7a. A through hole 7e communicating with 7d, an annular groove 7f provided on the outer circumference of the small diameter portion 7b along the circumferential direction, and a through hole 7g opened from the inner circumference of the small diameter portion 7b and communicating with the annular groove 7f. It is configured with. Then, in the spool 7, the large diameter portion 7a is slidably contacted with the large diameter portion 6b having a large inner diameter of the holder 6, and the small diameter portion 7b is slidably contacted with the small diameter portion 6c having a small inner diameter of the holder 6 in the holder 6. It is slidably inserted. When the spool 7 is inserted into the holder 6 in this way, it is between the inner circumference of the small diameter portion 7b of the spool 7 and the inner circumference of the large diameter portion 6b of the holder 6 and between the step portion 6e and the step portion 7c. A hydraulic lock chamber RC is formed. The hydraulic lock chamber RC always faces the hole 6f provided in the holder 6 and communicates with the hole 6f. Further, the annular groove 7f provided in the spool 7 faces the hole 6g provided in the small diameter portion 6c of the holder 6, and even if the spool 7 moves in the axial direction with respect to the holder 6, the annular groove 7f is always provided. Communication with the hole 6 g is maintained.

Further, when the spool 7 is inserted into the holder 6, the spool 7 opens and closes the port 6a provided in the holder 6. Specifically, in a state where the annular groove 7d provided in the large diameter portion 7a of the spool 7 faces the port 6a of the holder 6, the spool 7 communicates the port 6a into the spool 7. The port 6a is communicated with the extension side chamber La through a lateral hole 31b provided in the solenoid case member 31. On the other hand, the inside of the spool 7 is communicated with the compression side chamber Lb via the upper chamber 30c, the passage 5a provided in the valve case 5, the lower chamber 30d, and the vertical hole 30e. Therefore, an electromagnetic valve V is provided in the middle of the bypass path 3a, and when the port 6a communicates with the spool 7, the solenoid valve V is opened to open the bypass path 3a, and the extension side chamber La and the compression side pass through the bypass path 3a. It communicates with the chamber Lb.

Then, when the spool 7 moves with respect to the holder 6, the area of the port 6a facing the annular groove 7d changes, so that the flow path area can be changed according to the axial position of the spool 7 with respect to the holder 6. When the spool 7 moves downward in FIG. 2 with respect to the holder 6 and the port 6a does not completely face the annular groove 7d and is blocked at the outer circumference of the large diameter portion 7a of the spool 7, the inside of the port 6a and the spool 7 The bypass road 3a is cut off by cutting off the communication with.

A plate 70 is laminated on the upper end of the spool 7, and a plunger 9a described later of the solenoid 9 is in contact with the plate 70. On the other hand, the urging spring 8 abuts on the lower end of the spool 7 and urges the spool 7 upward in FIG. 2, which is one of the moving directions. The urging spring 8 is a spiral-shaped spring that exerts an urging force that returns the inner circumference to the original position when the inner circumference is displaced in the vertical direction in FIG. 2 with respect to the outer circumference. The urging spring 8 is formed by a tubular collar 19 whose outer circumference is below the urging spring 8 of the holder 6 and which is fitted to the inner circumference of the housing portion 30a of the piston holding member 30 and a flange portion 6d of the holder 6. It is sandwiched and fixed to the piston rod 3. The inner circumference of the urging spring 8 is fitted into the annular recess 7h provided on the outer periphery of the lower end in FIG. 2 of the spool 7, and the urging spring 8 has the spool 7 with respect to the holder 6 in the upper part of FIG. The spool 7 is urged toward one of the moving directions, and when the spool 7 is displaced downward in FIG. 2 with respect to the holder 6, the spool 7 exerts an urging force to return the spool 7 to the original position. While the spool 7 is urged by the urging force of the urging spring 8, the spool 7 is positioned at the uppermost position as shown in FIG. 2 in a state where the solenoid 9 does not receive a thrust opposed to the urging force of the urging spring 8. The annular groove 7d is not opposed to the port 6a. Therefore, the solenoid valve V shuts off the bypass path 3a when it is not energized.

Further, the solenoid 9 of the solenoid valve V is housed in the solenoid case member 31, and although not shown in detail, a tubular stator including a coil and a tubular movable insert that is movably inserted into the stator. It has an iron core and a plunger 9a which is attached to the inner circumference of the movable iron core and whose tip abuts on the plate 70. The harness 90 that supplies electric power to the solenoid 9 projects outward through the inside of the rod body 32 and is connected to a power source.

Then, when the solenoid 9 is energized through the harness 90, the movable iron core is pulled downward, the plunger 9a moves downward, and the spool 7 is pushed down against the urging force of the urging spring 8. Then, the annular groove 7d and the port 6a face each other, and the solenoid valve V opens. Further, the relationship between the opening degree of the solenoid valve V and the energization amount to the solenoid 9 is a proportional relationship having a positive proportionality constant, and the opening degree increases as the energization amount increases. Further, when the energization of the solenoid 9 is cut off, the solenoid valve V closes.

As described above, the solenoid valve V of the present embodiment is a normally closed type, and the spool 7 serving as the valve body is urged in the closing direction by the urging spring 8 and the thrust in the opening direction is applied by the solenoid 9. It is designed to give to. Further, the opening degree increases in proportion to the energization amount of the solenoid valve V, and the flow path area of the bypass path 3a increases as the opening degree increases. Therefore, it can be said that the flow path area of the bypass path 3a increases in proportion to the amount of electricity supplied to the solenoid valve V.

Next, a shutter 17 is provided on the outer circumference of the holder 6. The shutter 17 has a tubular shape and is capable of reciprocating in the vertical direction in FIG. 2, which is a direction that is in sliding contact with the outer periphery of the holder 6 and coincides with the moving direction of the spool 7. An annular groove 17a is provided on the inner circumference of the shutter 17. A C ring 24 is mounted on the outer circumference of the holder 6 as a stopper that defines the upper movement limit of the shutter 17 in FIG. Further, an annular spring receiver 17b is provided on the outer periphery of the shutter 17, and the shutter 17 is directed upward in FIG. 2 by the shutter spring 18 interposed between the spring receiver 17b and the flange portion 6d of the holder 6. It is urged and positioned at a position where the upper end abuts on the C ring 24.

In a state where the shutter 17 is located at the upper limit position where it abuts on the C ring 24, the annular groove 17a formed on the inner peripheral side faces the holes 6f and 6g provided in the holder 6. The hole 6f communicates with the hydraulic lock chamber RC, and the hole 6g always faces the annular groove 7f regardless of the position of the spool 7, and the hole 6g communicates with the spool 7. Therefore, when the shutter 17 is in contact with the C ring 24, the hydraulic lock chamber RC is communicated with the spool 7 through the annular groove 17a, and the hydraulic lock chamber RC is opened by the shutter 17. When the hydraulic lock chamber RC is opened in this way, even if the spool 7 moves in the vertical direction in FIG. 2 with respect to the holder 6, the liquid can freely enter and exit the hydraulic lock chamber RC, so that the spool Does not interfere with the movement of 7.

On the other hand, when the shutter 17 moves downward in FIG. 2 against the urging force of the shutter spring 18 and the annular groove 7f cannot face the hole 6f, the hole 6f is blocked by the inner circumference of the shutter 17 and the liquid is liquid. The pressure lock chamber RC is closed. When the hydraulic lock chamber RC is closed, even if the spool 7 tries to move in the vertical direction in FIG. 2 with respect to the holder 6, the liquid cannot enter or leave the hydraulic lock chamber RC. When the spool 7 moves in the direction of compressing the hydraulic lock chamber RC, the pressure in the hydraulic lock chamber RC rises to suppress the movement of the spool 7, and conversely, the spool 7 expands the hydraulic lock chamber RC. When moving in the direction of movement, the pressure in the hydraulic lock chamber RC is reduced to suppress the movement of the spool 7. Therefore, when the hydraulic lock chamber RC is opened by the shutter 17, the spool 7 can freely move in the axial direction with respect to the holder 6, but when the hydraulic lock chamber RC is closed by the shutter 17, the spool 7 can move freely. Axial movement of the holder 6 is suppressed.

If the acceleration in the direction of pushing up from below does not act on the shock absorber D, or if the acceleration is extremely small even if it acts, the acceleration transmitted to the piston rod 3 is also small, so that the shutter 17 has a hydraulic lock chamber by the shutter spring 18. It is maintained in a position where the RC is opened. In this case, the spool 7 can move freely with respect to the holder 6, but since the acceleration is small, even if the spool 7 vibrates with respect to the holder 6, the flow path area of the solenoid valve V does not fluctuate significantly. ..

On the other hand, when the shock absorber D is input with the vibration that pushes up from below and the shock absorber D contracts, the vibration is also transmitted to the piston rod 3 and the acceleration toward the upward side acts. Therefore, the holder 6 attached to the piston rod 3 moves upward, but the shutter 17 is elastically supported by the shutter spring 18 and is allowed to move in the axial direction with respect to the holder 6, so that the shutter 17 moves upward. It tries to stay in place by inertial force. As a result, the shutter 17 moves downward in FIG. 2 relative to the holder 6 to close the hydraulic lock chamber RC, so that the displacement of the spool 7 in the axial direction with respect to the holder 6 is suppressed. In this way, in the solenoid valve V, when a large acceleration acts from below, the hydraulic lock chamber RC is closed by the shutter 17, so that the positional relationship between the spool 7 and the holder 6 does not change, so that a large acceleration acts. However, the flow path area does not change. Therefore, even if vibration is input to the shock absorber D, the fluctuation of the flow path area of the solenoid valve V is suppressed and the damping force generated by the shock absorber D is stable, so that the shock absorber D exhibits the desired damping force. it can.

Subsequently, the shock absorber D of the present embodiment sets the flow rate of the hard side damping element 21 in addition to the damping force adjusting unit for automatically adjusting the flow rate of the hard side damping element 21 including the solenoid valve V. It is equipped with a second damping force adjustment unit for manual adjustment. As shown in FIG. 1, the second damping force adjusting unit is provided at the bottom portion of the shock absorber D, and manually adjusts the flow path area of the discharge passage 4b that communicates the compression side chamber Lb and the liquid storage chamber R. It is configured to have a manual valve 41 that can be changed by operation.

The manual valve 41 includes a needle-shaped valve body 41a that takes off and seats on an annular valve seat (not indicated) provided in the middle of the discharge passage 4b. Then, when the manual valve 41 is rotated, the valve body 41a moves closer to the valve seat depending on the rotation direction, and the flow path area of the discharge passage 4b is adjusted in size. In the present embodiment, when the solenoid valve V is normally energized, the valve body 41a is seated on the valve seat, and the manual valve 41 cuts off the communication of the discharge passage 4b.

Summarizing the above, as shown in FIG. 1, the shock absorber D includes a cylinder 1 and a piston 2 that is slidably inserted into the cylinder 1 and divides the inside of the cylinder 1 into an extension side chamber La and a compression side chamber Lb. A piston rod 3 whose tip is connected to the piston 2 and whose end protrudes to the outside of the cylinder 1 and a tank 16 connected to the extension chamber La in the cylinder 1 are provided, and the pressure of the extension chamber La is the tank pressure. It has become.

Further, the shock absorber D is provided with an extension side passage 2a, a compression side passage 2b, and a bypass passage 3a as a passage for communicating the extension side chamber La and the compression side chamber Lb. The extension side passage 2a is provided with an extension side check valve 20 that allows only one-way flow of the liquid from the extension side chamber La to the compression side chamber Lb, and the liquid from the compression side chamber Lb to the extension side chamber La is provided in the compression side passage. It is designed to pass through 2b or bypass path 3a.

The compression side passage 2b is configured to have an orifice 21b and a leaf valve 21a parallel to the orifice 21b, and is provided with a hard side damping element 21 that gives resistance to the flow of liquid. On the other hand, the bypass path 3a is configured to have an orifice 50b having an opening area larger than that of the orifice 21b and a leaf valve 50a having a valve rigidity lower than that of the leaf valve 21a arranged in parallel with the orifice 50b. A soft side damping element 50 having a reduced resistance is provided.

Further, the bypass path 3a is provided with a solenoid valve V in series with the soft side damping element 50, and the flow path area of the bypass path 3a can be changed by adjusting the amount of electricity supplied to the solenoid valve V. ing. The solenoid valve V is a normally closed type, and is set so that the flow path area of the bypass path 3a is increased in proportion to the amount of energization.

Further, the shock absorber D is provided with a suction passage 4a and a discharge passage 4b as passages for communicating the compression side chamber Lb and the tank 16. The suction passage 4a is provided with a suction valve 40 that allows only one-way flow of liquid from the tank 16 to the compression side chamber Lb. On the other hand, the discharge passage 4b is provided with a normally closed type manual valve 41 that is opened and closed by a manual operation.

The shock absorber D is configured as described above, and when the shock absorber D contracts, the piston rod 3 penetrates into the cylinder 1 and the piston 2 compresses the compression side chamber Lb. Normally, the manual valve 41 closes the discharge passage 4b. Therefore, when the shock absorber D contracts, the liquid in the compression side chamber Lb moves to the extension side chamber La through the compression side passage 2b or the bypass path 3a. A resistance is imparted to the flow of the liquid by the hard side damping element 21 or the soft side damping element 50, and a compression side damping force due to the resistance is generated.

Further, when the shock absorber D contracts in the normal state, the distribution ratio of the liquid passing through the hard side damping element 21 and the soft side damping element 50 changes according to the flow path area of the bypass path 3a, whereby the damping coefficient becomes large or small. The compression side damping force generated is adjusted in magnitude.

Specifically, as described above, the hard side damping element 21 and the soft side damping element 50 are configured to have orifices 21b and 50b, respectively, and leaf valves 21a and 50a parallel thereto. Therefore, when the piston speed is in the low speed range, the damping force characteristic becomes an orifice characteristic proportional to the square of the piston speed peculiar to the orifice, and when the piston speed is in the medium to high speed range, the piston speed peculiar to the leaf valve is obtained. Proportional valve characteristics.

When the amount of electricity supplied to the solenoid valve V is increased to increase the opening degree, the flow rate of the bypass path 3a increases, the proportion of the liquid passing through the hard side damping element 21 decreases, and the liquid passing through the soft side damping element 50 increases. Increases the proportion of. Since the orifice 50b of the soft side damping element 50 is a large-diameter orifice having a larger opening area than the orifice 21b of the hard side damping element 21, the damping coefficient is increased in the soft mode in which the proportion of the liquid toward the soft side damping element 50 increases. Becomes smaller in both the low speed range and the medium and high speed range, and the compression side damping force generated with respect to the piston speed becomes small. When the amount of current supplied to the solenoid valve V is maximized, the damping coefficient is minimized and the compression side damping force generated with respect to the piston speed is minimized.

On the contrary, when the amount of electricity supplied to the solenoid valve V is reduced to reduce the opening degree, the flow rate of the bypass path 3a is reduced, the proportion of the liquid passing through the hard side damping element 21 is increased, and the soft side damping element 50 is used. The percentage of liquid passing through is reduced. Then, the damping coefficient becomes large in both the low speed region and the medium high speed region, and the compression side damping force with respect to the piston speed becomes large. Then, when the energization of the solenoid valve V is cut off and the solenoid valve V is closed, the communication of the bypass path 3a is cut off, so that the total flow rate passes through the hard side damping element 21. Then, the damping coefficient becomes maximum, and the compression side damping force generated with respect to the piston speed becomes maximum.

In this way, when the distribution ratio of the liquid passing through the hard side damping element 21 and the soft side damping element 50, which are the first and second damping elements, is changed by the solenoid valve V, the damping coefficient becomes large or small, as shown in FIG. In addition, the slope of the characteristic line indicating the damping force characteristic on the compression side changes. Then, the compression side damping force is adjusted between the hard mode in which the inclination of the characteristic line is maximized to increase the damping force generated and the soft mode in which the inclination is minimized to decrease the damping force generated.

In the soft mode, the slope of the characteristic line showing the damping force characteristic becomes small in both the low speed range and the medium / high speed range, and in the hard mode, the slope of the characteristic line showing the damping force characteristic becomes small in the low speed range and the medium / high speed range. Both grow larger. Therefore, the change in the damping force characteristic from the orifice characteristic to the valve characteristic is gradual in any mode.

Further, the soft side damping element 50 has a leaf valve 50a having a low valve rigidity in parallel with the orifice 50b. Therefore, even if a valve having high valve rigidity and a high valve opening pressure is adopted as the leaf valve 21a of the hard side damping element 21 and the adjustment range in the direction of increasing the compression side damping force is increased, the damping force in the soft mode is increased. Does not become excessive.

Further, at the time of failure (normal time), the energization of the solenoid valve V is cut off and the mode is switched to the hard mode. At this time, if the manual valve 41 is opened, the liquid in the compression side chamber Lb passes not only through the compression side passage 2b but also through the discharge passage 4b, so that the flow rate of the liquid passing through the hard side damping element 21 is reduced. The compression side damping force is reduced.

Further, the liquid corresponding to 3 volumes of the piston rod that has entered the cylinder 1 when the shock absorber D is contracted is discharged from the extension side chamber La to the tank 16.

On the contrary, when the shock absorber D is extended, the extension side check valve 20 is opened, and the liquid in the extension side chamber La moves to the compression side chamber Lb through the extension side passage 2a. At this time, the liquid can pass through the extension check valve 20 without any resistance. Further, the extension side chamber La is communicated with the tank 16 and is maintained at the tank pressure. Therefore, the shock absorber D does not exert a damping force on the extension side. As described above, the shock absorber D forms a front fork by pairing with a shock absorber that generates a damping force only when the vehicle body is extended. Therefore, when the front wheels and the vehicle body are separated from each other, the shock absorber D is damped only when the vehicle body is extended. A shock absorber that exerts power suppresses the vibration of the vehicle body.

The action and effect of the solenoid valve V and the shock absorber D provided with the solenoid valve V according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

The solenoid valve V includes a holder 6 having a tubular shape and a port 6a that communicates inside and outside, a spool 7 that is inserted into the holder 6 so as to be reciprocally reciprocating in the axial direction, and a spool 7 that can open and close the port 6a. An urging spring 8 that urges the spool 7 toward one of the moving directions, a solenoid 9 that can apply a thrust to move the spool 7 toward the other in the moving direction of the spool 7, and a holder 6 and the spool 7. A hydraulic lock chamber RC that suppresses the movement of the spool 7 to one or the other in the movement direction of the spool 7 with respect to the holder 6 when the spool 7 is provided between them and is closed, and can reciprocate in a direction corresponding to the movement direction of the spool 7. A shutter 17 for switching between opening and closing of the hydraulic lock chamber RC and a shutter spring 18 for urging the shutter 17 to position the shutter 17 at a position where the hydraulic lock chamber RC is opened are provided.

According to the solenoid valve V configured in this way, when vibration is input from the outside, the hydraulic lock chamber RC is closed by the shutter 17 and the axial displacement of the spool 7 with respect to the holder 6 is suppressed. The change in area can be suppressed. Therefore, according to the shock absorber D to which the solenoid valve V is applied, even if vibration is input to the shock absorber D, the fluctuation of the flow path area of the solenoid valve V is suppressed and the damping force generated by the shock absorber D is stabilized. , The shock absorber D can exert the damping force as intended.

In the solenoid valve V of the present embodiment, the direction in which the shutter spring 18 urges the shutter 17 is the upper part in FIG. 2, but the direction in which the shutter spring 18 urges the shutter 17 is the lower part in FIG. The hydraulic lock chamber RC may be closed when the 17 moves upward with respect to the holder 6 due to the vibration input. When the solenoid valve V is configured in this way, the shutter 17 closes the hydraulic lock chamber RC in response to the vibration input in the direction of pushing down the solenoid valve V and the shock absorber. Therefore, depending on the direction of the acceleration input to the solenoid valve V and the shock absorber, whether the hydraulic lock chamber RC is closed when the shutter 17 moves in one or the other of the moving directions of the spool 7. You just have to decide.

Further, in the solenoid valve V of the present embodiment, the shutter 17 is slidably mounted on the outer periphery of the holder 6. In the solenoid valve V configured in this way, the moving directions of the shutter 17 and the spool 7 can be made to coincide with each other by the holder 6, so that the parts that guide the movement while matching the moving direction of the shutter 17 with the moving direction of the spool 7. Since no addition is required, the cost can be reduced. Further, if the shutter 17 is provided on the outer circumference of the holder 6, the inner peripheral diameter of the holder 6 and the inner peripheral diameter of the spool 7 can be largely secured, so that the flow path resistance in the spool 7 can be reduced, and an extra pressure loss is caused. You don't have to.

The annular groove 17a of the shutter 17 is abolished and a hole for communicating inside and outside is provided instead, the hole 6g of the holder 6 and the annular groove 7f and the through hole 7g of the spool 7 are abolished, and the hydraulic lock chamber RC is opened. In this case, the hole of the shutter 17 may be made to face the hole 6f, and the inner circumference of the shutter 17 may be made to face the hole 6f when the hydraulic lock chamber RC is closed. In this way, the hydraulic lock chamber RC may be communicated with the outside of the holder 6, but in the solenoid valve V of the present embodiment, the hydraulic lock chamber RC is in a state where the shutter 17 opens the hydraulic lock chamber RC. In communication with the spool 7. In the solenoid valve V configured in this way, the hydraulic lock chamber RC formed between the holder 6 and the spool 7 is not communicated to the outside of the holder 6, so that there is a sliding gap between the holder 6 and the spool 7. Does not communicate with the outside of the holder 6 via the hydraulic lock chamber RC. Therefore, the sliding gap between the holder 6 and the spool 7 is communicated to the outside of the holder 6 via the hydraulic lock chamber RC, and passes through the port 6a when the liquid moves back and forth between the outside of the holder 6 and the inside of the spool 7. It is possible to prevent the formation of routes other than the route, and the flow path area can be adjusted accurately.

Further, the shock absorber D according to the present embodiment includes a cylinder 1, a piston 2 that is movably inserted into the cylinder 1 in the axial direction and divides the inside of the cylinder 1 into an extension side chamber La and a compression side chamber Lb. It is provided with a piston rod 3 that is connected to the piston 2 and one end of which protrudes to the outside of the cylinder 1.

Further, the shock absorber D bypasses the hard side damping element 21 and bypasses the hard side damping element 21 with the hard side damping element 21 that gives resistance to the flow of the liquid from the compression side chamber Lb to the extension side chamber La. An electromagnetic valve V capable of changing the flow path area of the bypass path 3a communicating with the bypass path 3a and a soft side damping element 50 provided in series with the electromagnetic valve V on the bypass path 3a are provided. The hard side damping element 21 includes an orifice 21b and a leaf valve 21a provided in parallel with the orifice 21b. On the other hand, the soft side damping element 50 is configured to have an orifice (large diameter orifice) 50b having a larger opening area than the orifice 21b.

According to the above configuration, the damping force characteristic generated when the shock absorber D contracts becomes the orifice characteristic peculiar to the orifice when the piston speed is in the low speed range, and when the piston speed is in the medium and high speed range, it becomes the orifice characteristic. The valve characteristics are peculiar to leaf valves. Then, if the opening area of the bypass path 3a is changed by the solenoid valve V, among the liquids that move from the compression side chamber Lb to the extension side chamber La when the shock absorber D contracts, the hard side damping element 21 and the soft side damping element 50 Since the distribution ratio of the flow rate passing through each changes, both the damping coefficient when the piston speed is in the low speed range and the damping coefficient when the piston speed is in the medium and high speed range can be freely set, and the piston speed can be set to the medium and high speed range. The adjustment range of the compression side damping force in a certain case can be increased.

Further, in the soft mode in which the opening area of the bypass path 3a is increased, both the damping coefficient when the piston speed is in the low speed range and the damping coefficient when the piston speed is in the medium and high speed range are small. On the other hand, in the hard mode in which the opening area of the bypass path 3a is reduced, both the damping coefficient when the piston speed is in the low speed range and the damping coefficient when the piston speed is in the medium and high speed range are large. Therefore, when the characteristic of the compression side damping force changes from the orifice characteristic in the low speed region to the valve characteristic in the medium and high speed region, the change in the slope of the characteristic line becomes gentle in any mode. As a result, when the shock absorber D according to the present embodiment is mounted on the vehicle, the discomfort caused by the change in inclination can be reduced and the riding comfort of the vehicle can be improved.

Further, in the shock absorber D of the present embodiment, the soft side damping element 50 includes the orifice (large diameter orifice) 50b and a leaf valve 50a provided in parallel with the orifice 50b. In this way, if the leaf valve 50a is also provided on the soft side damping element 50, even if the leaf valve 21a of the hard side damping element 21 has high valve rigidity and a high valve opening pressure, the damping force in the soft mode is increased. It doesn't become excessive. That is, according to the above configuration, a valve having high valve rigidity can be adopted as the leaf valve 21a of the hard side damping element 21. By doing so, the adjustment range of the damping force increases in the direction of increasing the compression side damping force, so that the adjustment range of the compression side damping force when the piston speed is in the medium-high speed range can be further increased.

Further, in the shock absorber D of the present embodiment, the piston 2 is connected to the other end of the piston rod 3 to form a single rod type. Further, the shock absorber D includes a tank 16 connected to the extension side chamber La, and a suction valve 40 that allows only the flow of liquid from the tank 16 to the compression side chamber Lb. According to this configuration, the volume of the piston rod 3 entering and exiting the cylinder 1 can be compensated by the tank 16. Furthermore, the shock absorber D can be a one-sided shock absorber that exerts a damping force only in the compression stroke.

Further, in the shock absorber D of the present embodiment, the solenoid valve V is set so that the opening degree changes in proportion to the amount of energization. According to this configuration, the opening area of the bypass path 3a can be changed steplessly.

Further, the shock absorber D of the present embodiment includes a manual valve 41 in which the flow path area of the discharge passage 4b communicating the compression side chamber Lb and the tank 16 can be changed by manual operation. According to this configuration, even if the solenoid valve V is closed at the time of failure, the compression side damping force generated by manually opening the manual valve 41 is reduced. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the compression side damping force in the fail mode from becoming excessive, and it is possible to improve the riding comfort of the vehicle.

Further, in the shock absorber D of the present embodiment, a tubular holder 6 in which a port 6a in which the solenoid valve V is connected to the bypass path 3a is formed and a port 6a that is reciprocally inserted into the holder 6 are inserted. A tubular spool 7 that can be opened and closed, an urging spring 8 that urges the spool 7 in one direction of movement of the spool 7, and a thrust force in the direction opposite to the urging force of the urging spring 8 is applied to the spool 7. It has a solenoid 9 to give.

Here, for example, like the solenoid valve described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-7758, a needle valve that can reciprocate as a valve body is provided, and the gap formed between the tip of the needle valve and the valve seat is large or small. When changing the opening degree, it is necessary to increase the stroke amount of the valve body in order to increase the adjustment range of the opening degree, but such a case may not be possible.

Specifically, when the stroke amount of the needle valve is increased, the movable space of the needle valve becomes large and it becomes difficult to secure the accommodation space. Further, in order to increase the stroke amount of the needle valve, if it is attempted to increase the stroke amount of the plunger of the solenoid, it is necessary to change the design of the solenoid, which is complicated. Furthermore, if an attempt is made to increase the stroke amount of the needle valve without changing the design of the solenoid, parts for increasing the movement amount of the needle valve with respect to the movement amount of the plunger are required, and the number of parts increases and the accommodation space increases. It becomes difficult to secure.

On the other hand, in the solenoid valve V of the present embodiment, the spool 7 reciprocally inserted into the tubular holder 6 opens and closes the port 6a formed in the holder 6, thereby opening and closing the solenoid valve V. Is designed to open and close. Therefore, if a plurality of ports 6a are formed in the circumferential direction of the holder 6 or have a long shape in the circumferential direction, the solenoid valve V can be formed without increasing the stroke amount of the spool 7, which is the valve body of the solenoid valve V. The opening can be increased. Therefore, the adjustment range of the opening degree of the solenoid valve V can be increased, and the adjustment range of the compression side damping force can be easily increased.

Further, according to the above configuration, the relationship between the opening degree of the solenoid valve V and the amount of energization can be easily changed. For example, if the relationship between the opening degree of the solenoid valve V and the energized amount is made negatively proportional and the opening degree is to be reduced as the energized amount increases, the port 6a is positioned so that the port 6a opens to the maximum when the energized amount is not energized. , Or an annular groove 7d for opening the port 6a may be arranged. In this way, the relationship between the opening degree of the solenoid valve V and the amount of energization can be freely changed, and whether or not the manual valve 41 is installed can be selected accordingly.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, modifications, modifications, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the claims.

1 ... cylinder, 2 ... piston, 3 ... piston rod, 3a ... bypass path, 6 ... holder, 6a ... port, 7 ... spool, 8 ... urging Spring, 9 ... solenoid, 17 ... shutter, 18 ... shutter spring, 20 ... hard side damping element, 50 ... soft side damping required, D ... shock absorber, La ... Extension side chamber, Lb ... compression side chamber, V ... solenoid valve

Claims (4)

A holder that is tubular and has a port that communicates inside and outside,
A spool that is tubular and can be reciprocally inserted into the holder in the axial direction and can open and close the port.
An urging spring that urges the spool toward one of the moving directions of the spool,
A solenoid capable of applying thrust to the spool to move the spool toward the other side in the moving direction,
A hydraulic lock chamber provided between the holder and the spool and closed to prevent the spool from moving in one or the other direction of the spool with respect to the holder.
A shutter that can reciprocate in a direction that matches the moving direction of the spool and that switches between opening and closing of the hydraulic lock chamber.
A solenoid valve provided with a shutter spring for urging the shutter and positioning the shutter at a position where the hydraulic lock chamber is opened. The solenoid valve according to claim 1, wherein the shutter is slidably mounted on the outer periphery of the holder. The solenoid valve according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the hydraulic lock chamber is communicated with the spool in a state where the shutter opens the hydraulic lock chamber. Cylinder and
A piston that is movably inserted into the cylinder to partition the inside of the cylinder into an extension side chamber and a compression side chamber.
A piston rod that is connected to the piston and one end of which protrudes out of the cylinder.
A hard side damping element that resists the flow of liquid from the compression side chamber to the extension side chamber,
A bypass path that bypasses the hard side damping element and communicates between the compression side chamber and the extension side chamber.
The solenoid valve according to any one of claims 1 to 3 provided in the middle of the bypass path, and the solenoid valve.
The bypass path is provided with a soft side attenuation required provided in series with the solenoid valve.
The hard side damping element is configured to have an orifice and a leaf valve provided in parallel with the orifice.
The soft side damping element is a shock absorber characterized by having a large-diameter orifice having a larger opening area than the orifice.

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