JP2529993Y2 - Inverted front fork - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a front fork which is interposed between a vehicle body such as a two-wheeled vehicle and a three-wheeled vehicle and an axle and serves as a fork and a hydraulic shock absorber for attenuating vibrations and the like from a road surface.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional front fork, as shown in FIG. 2, an inner tube 2 is slidably inserted into an outer tube 1, and a damper cylinder 3 is erected at the lower center of the inner tube 2. The piston rod 5 is inserted into the damper cylinder 3 via the piston 4.
Is movably inserted, the upper end of the piston rod 5 is connected to the outer tube 1 via a cap 6, and a suspension spring 7 is interposed between the upper end of the damper cylinder 3 and the cap 6, so that the outer tube 1 and the piston The outer tube 1 is constantly urged in the direction of extension with the rod 5, the outer tube 1 is connected to the vehicle body side via a bracket, and the inner tube 2 is
A so-called inverted type front fork in which the lower end of a fork is connected to an axle on the wheel side via an axle bracket 8 has been developed.

[0003]

In the above-described front fork, the suspension spring 7 is interposed between the upper end of the damper cylinder 2 and the cap 6 at the upper end of the outer tube. It is feared that the bending effect may be adversely affected, for example, the upper end of the cable may interfere with the suspension spring.

In addition, during the operation of the suspension spring, the vicinity of the oil level A is also agitated, so that gas such as air in the volume compensation chamber B is mixed into the hydraulic oil to induce aeration, which causes unstable damping force. Has become.

Further, when the front fork is compressed, the piston rod 5 penetrates into the damper cylinder 3, so that the amount of oil corresponding to the penetrating volume passes through the pressure side valve C and between the damper cylinder 3 and the inner tube 2. To the oil reservoir D.

When the front fork reaches the vicinity of the maximum compression, the rod-side lock piece 10 is fitted into the damper cylinder-side lock case 11, and the oil in the lock case 11 is discharged through the throttle passage formed by the fitting gap. By doing so, the impact at the time of maximum compression is reduced.

However, in the conventional front fork described above, when the front fork is compressed at a high speed and the lock piece 10 is fitted to the lock case 11, for example, when the auto high lands from a jumping state. In addition, there is a problem that the damping force characteristic sharply rises and the ride comfort is deteriorated.

This phenomenon becomes more pronounced as the compression operation speed increases.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an inverted front fork in which the tip of the inner tube does not interfere with the suspension spring, and the suspension spring does not agitate the hydraulic oil and thus does not induce aeration.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, according to the structure of the present invention, an inner tube connected to a wheel side is slidably inserted into an outer tube connected to a vehicle body side. A piston rod is movably inserted via a piston into a damper cylinder standing upright at the lower center of the inverted fork which is connected to an outer tube at the upper end of the piston rod. While the lower end of the suspension spring is supported on the inner tube side while the upper end is supported on the outer tube side via the spacer, the upper end of the suspension spring is always It is characterized in that it is located below the upper end of the inner tube.

It is preferable that the spacer is inserted between the inner tube and the damper cylinder to provide a throttle effect during the compression operation.

[0012]

Since the upper end of the suspension spring is always located below the upper end of the inner tube, the end of the inner tube does not interfere with the suspension spring.

Further, since the suspension spring is interposed between the inner tube and the damper cylinder, the suspension spring does not agitate the oil level above the hydraulic oil.

Further, the lower part of the spacer is inserted between the inner tube and the damper cylinder at the time of the compression operation, and a throttle effect is provided between the spacer and the damper cylinder for the flow of oil.

[0015]

FIG. 1 shows a front fork according to another embodiment of the present invention.

An inner tube 44 connected to the axle via bearings 43 and 45 is slidably inserted into an outer tube 42 connected to the vehicle body, and a front tube is inserted between the outer tube 42 and the inner tube 44. A vertical damper 46 is incorporated.

The outer tube 42 is lubricated by an oil chamber 78 between the outer tube 42 and the inner tube 44.

A damper 46 has a piston rod 49 slidably inserted into a damper cylinder 47 via a piston 48. The piston 48 defines two upper and lower oil chambers 50a and 50 in the damper cylinder 47.

In the outer tube 42 and the inner tube 44, a reservoir 5 comprising an oil chamber 51 and a gas chamber 52 is provided.
3 are sectioned.

The piston rod 49 and the outer tube 4
2 are connected via an upper cap 54.

A cylindrical oil lock piece 56 is screwed into the upper part of the damper cylinder 47.

A sleeve 57 is inserted into the upper outer periphery of the piston rod 49, and a piston-shaped lock piece 58 is fitted to the lower portion of the sleeve 57. The lock piece 58 is inserted into the oil lock case 56 near the time of maximum compression. The fitting makes the cushion work and is oil-locked.

In the piston 48, upper and lower oil chambers 50a, 50
0, a port 59 for passing through, and a valve 60 are provided,
The piston rod 49 also has two oil chambers 50a, 50
Passages 61 and 62 are formed to allow the passages 61 and 6 to pass through.
A valve for damping force adjustment is provided in the middle of 2.

The valve is composed of, for example, a needle valve. The needle valve is formed integrally with the control rod 63, and the control rod 63 is vertically moved via a push rod 64 from the outside.

The spring seats 6 are provided on the inside of the upper part of the damper cylinder 47 and the outer periphery of the lower part of the piston rod 49, respectively.
5, 66 are provided, and these spring seats 65, 66 are provided.
A cushion spring 67 is interposed between the pistons 66 so that the cushion is effective in the vicinity of the maximum extension of the piston rod 49.

A bearing 68 is incorporated on the inner peripheral side of the oil lock case 56 to guide the piston rod 49 and to seal the upper oil chamber 50a.

The lower part of the damper cylinder 47 and the inner tube 44 is provided with a bracket 6 for mounting the axle and the caliper.
9.

A base valve 70 is incorporated in a lower portion of the damper cylinder 47, and a rod 72 having a passage 71 is inserted into the center of the base valve 70.
A damping force adjusting valve is vertically movably inserted therein.

The damper cylinder 47 is formed with a through hole 73 opening to the reservoir 53, and this through hole 73 communicates with the lower oil chamber 50 via the base valve 70 and the passage 71.

The valve is composed of a needle valve 74, which is screwed with a rotary member 75,
The needle valve 74 that rotates the valve 5 moves in the vertical direction, and adjusts the opening area of the passage 71.

Reference numeral 76 denotes a detent mechanism, and 77 denotes a stopper for regulating the stroke of the needle valve 74.

At the time of the extension operation, the oil in the upper oil chamber 49 flows out to the lower oil chamber 50, and the extension side damping force is generated by the action of the valve 60 and the passage 62, and the oil amount corresponding to the discharge volume of the piston rod 49 becomes the reservoir 53. It is introduced into the lower oil chamber 50.

During the compression operation, part of the oil in the lower oil chamber 50 flows from the piston to the upper oil chamber, and part of
The fluid flows out to the reservoir 53 through the passage 0 and the passage 71, and a pressure-side damping force is generated by the area of the base valve 70 and the passage 71.

The compression damping force is adjusted by adjusting the stroke of the needle valve 74, and the operation is performed from below, so that the operation is not hindered by the vehicle body or the like.

The suspension spring 79 is provided for the damper cylinder 4.
The suspension spring 7 is axially interposed in an annular gap between the outer periphery of the inner spring 44 and the inner periphery of the inner tube 44.
The lower end 9 is in contact with the lower surface of the bracket 69 whose inner tube is on the inner tube side, and the upper end is supported by a seat 81 at the lower part of a cylindrical collar 80 provided on the piston rod 49, and the piston is inserted through the cylindrical collar 80. Rod 49
And the outer tube 42 are constantly urged in the extending direction.

That is, a spacer 83 is constituted by the sleeve 57, the collar holder 82 connected to the sleeve 57, and the collar 80 attached to the collar holder 82, and the upper end of the suspension spring 79 is supported by the outer tube 42 via the spacer 83. doing.

At this time, the upper end of the suspension spring 79 is always located below the upper end of the inner tube 44.

Further, a collar 80 which forms a part of the spacer 83
The lower part of the collar 80 is located below the position of the lock piece 58, and the lower part of the collar 80 is fitted between the damper cylinder 47 and the inner tube 44 before the lock piece 58 is fitted to the oil lock case 56 during compression. Get an effect.

Since the suspension springs 59 and 79 are disposed outside the damper cylinder 47, the suspension springs 59 and 79 do not damage the inner periphery of the damper cylinder 47 during expansion and contraction.

[0040]

[Effect of the Invention] During the operation of the front fork, the tip of the suspension spring is located below the tip of the inner tube, so it is always guided on the inner peripheral surface of the inner tube and expands and contracts. Problems such as interference of the tip with the suspension spring can be eliminated. Further, since the suspension spring is disposed between the inner tube and the damper cylinder, the suspension spring can be immersed in oil, thereby suppressing a problem that gas in the volume compensation chamber enters the oil during operation. Done
It can solve the unstable factor of damping force.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial longitudinal front view of a front fork according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of a conventional front fork.

[Explanation of symbols]

 42 outer tube 44 inner tube 47 damper cylinder 48 piston 49 piston rod 50 oil chamber 53 reservoir 57 sleeve 58 lock piece 79 suspension spring 80 collar 81 seat 83 spacer

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. An inner tube connected to a wheel side is slidably inserted into an outer tube connected to a vehicle body side, and a piston rod is inserted through a piston into a damper cylinder standing upright at a lower center of the inner tube. The upper end of the piston rod is movably inserted, and the upper end of the piston rod is connected to the outer tube.
A suspension spring is interposed in the annular gap between the damper cylinder and the inner tube along the axial direction, and the lower end of the suspension spring is supported on the inner tube side, while the upper end is supported on the outer tube side via the spacer. In addition, an inverted front fork in which the upper end of the suspension spring is always located below the upper end of the inner tube.