JP2585418Y2 - Height adjustment device - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement of a vehicle height adjusting device which is optimally used for a hydraulic shock absorber serving as a rear cushion unit of a motorcycle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent motorcycles, a hydraulic shock absorber used as a rear cushion unit is generally equipped with a vehicle height adjusting device. There are proposed an external power type as shown in FIG. 5, and a self-pumping type as described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 3-69727.

In the former external power type, the oil pressure from the tank b is forcibly supplied to the hydraulic jack portion c by the driving of the external hydraulic pump a, so that the piston d resists the spring force to the right in the drawing. And the spring seat e is moved to raise the vehicle height.

The hydraulic pump a is driven electrically or manually. For example, when the hydraulic pump a is reversed, the oil from the hydraulic jack c returns to the tank b and the vehicle height Goes down.

On the other hand, the latter self-pumping type stores the oil from the damper in a reservoir by a pumping action when the damper expands and contracts, or forcibly supplies the oil to the hydraulic jack portion of the damper while storing the oil in the reservoir. This is configured to increase the vehicle height.

Incidentally, since the latter has an operation lever, the operation of the operation lever can open and close the operation check valve to control the supply and discharge of oil to and from the hydraulic jack portion.

Accordingly, in the former case, the vehicle height can be adjusted by selecting the forward / reverse rotation of the hydraulic pump a, and in the latter case, the vehicle height can be adjusted by selecting the opening / closing of the operation check valve. Will be possible.

[0008]

However, in the case of the former, the arrangement of the hydraulic pump a is indispensable. Therefore, since the hydraulic pump a is generally expensive, the height of the hydraulic shock absorber is high. There is a disadvantage that the price is increased and the versatility cannot be expected.

On the other hand, in the case of the latter, the oil is supplied to the hydraulic jack by self-pumping to adjust the vehicle height. Therefore, the oil is supplied to the hydraulic jack during the compression operation of the hydraulic shock absorber. Will be.

As a result, the reaction force from the hydraulic jack acts upon the compression operation of the hydraulic shock absorber.
There is a disadvantage of a so-called rugged ride.

If the reaction force in the hydraulic jack portion is set to be small, a problem arises that a rapid rise in vehicle height cannot be realized.

This invention has been devised in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is not only to realize a desired vehicle height adjustment, but also to reduce the cost and its versatility. An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle height adjusting device which can be expected to improve mountability and is optimally used for a hydraulic shock absorber serving as a rear cushion unit in a motorcycle.

[0013]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the structure of the present invention is achieved by combining a damper cylinder forming a damper with a piston rod which is inserted into and retractable from the damper cylinder to form a damper. A first spring serving as a suspension spring disposed therebetween, and a second spring disposed in series at a lower end of the first spring via a spring seat and a piston.
, A cylinder accommodating the second spring and the piston, and a chamber defined by the piston in the cylinder and serving as a pressure chamber accommodating the second spring through an operation check valve. And a lift amount of the spring seat or the piston is regulated by a stopper provided on the outer periphery of the cylinder so as to be movable in a sliding direction of the piston. The second valve is configured to exhibit a check valve function for preventing oil from flowing out of the chamber and an open valve function for allowing oil to flow out of the chamber by an external signal.
When the piston is lifted in the cylinder by the extension of the spring and the pressure in the chamber becomes a negative pressure, the oil from the reservoir is formed to flow into the chamber through the operation check valve. is there.

The spring constant of the second spring is set to be larger than the spring constant of the first spring, so that the second spring is preferentially extended when the first spring is extended. .

The amount of expansion and contraction of the second spring is set to be slightly larger than the amount of stroke of the piston in the cylinder.

[0016]

Therefore, since the first and second springs having different spring constants are arranged in series via the spring seat and the piston, when the damper expands and contracts, it expands and contracts in inverse proportion to each spring constant. Do.

When the damper extends, the first spring and the second spring extend, respectively, and when the second spring extends, the piston is raised in the cylinder.

At this time, the interior of the chamber in the cylinder has a negative pressure, so that oil from the reservoir is sucked into the interior of the chamber via the operating check valve.

Next, when the damper tries to contract, the oil in the cylinder is prevented from flowing out toward the reservoir by the operation check valve, so that the interior of the chamber is kept in the oil locked state.

As a result, the contraction of the second spring, that is, the lowering of the piston in the cylinder, is prevented, and the height position of the lower end of the first spring, ie, the upper end of the first spring is maintained high. As a result, the vehicle height is adjusted higher.

When the above-mentioned extension is repeated in the first spring, the second spring is extended each time, and therefore, finally, the height position substantially corresponding to the extended state of the second spring is finally reached. , That is, the vehicle height can be raised to a desired height position.

The desired height position is realized by restricting the lift amount of the spring seat or the piston by a stopper arranged on the outer periphery of the cylinder so as to be movable in the sliding direction of the piston.

Also, by forcibly opening the operation check valve by an external signal, oil in the cylinder is returned to the reservoir, and at this time, the piston moves in the cylinder until the first spring and the second spring are balanced. The vehicle descends and the vehicle height decreases.

[0024]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiment. A damper 1 has a damper cylinder 11 and a piston rod 12 which can be inserted into and retracted from the damper cylinder 11. A first spring 2 serving as a suspension spring is provided between the cylinder 11 and the piston rod 12.

The damper cylinder 11 is provided with a stopper 13 for receiving an upper spring for locking the upper end of the first spring 2 on the outer periphery on the upper end side.

A guide 14 is fixed to the lower end of the piston rod 12, and a cylinder 51 is disposed on the outer periphery of the guide 14.

The cylinder 51 has the first
And the piston 5 adjacent to the upper end of the second spring 3 is housed.

The lower end of the first spring 2 has a cylinder 51.
A spring seat 4 disposed outside of the spring seat 4 is adjacent, and the piston 5 is adjacent to the spring seat 4.

A stopper 55 is fixed to the outer periphery of the upper end of the cylinder 51 to adjust the stroke of the piston 5 by screwing operation, that is, to restrict the lift of the spring seat 4 adjacent to the piston 5.

The stopper 55 is arranged to be movable by a screwing operation, that is, to be movable in the sliding direction of the piston 5 in the illustrated example.

In the cylinder 51, the piston 5 is provided.
A compartment R is defined by the compartment R. The compartment R is communicated with a reservoir 7 disposed outside through an operation check valve 6.

As shown in FIG. 2, the operation check valve 6 includes a cylinder 51 and a reservoir 7 in a housing 60.
Are provided, and the push rod 63 makes the movable piece 66 adjacent via the spring 65,
A poppet 62 urged by a spring 64 is disposed above the push rod 63, and the poppet 62 is formed in a structure that blocks the passage 61.

A link 67 is mounted on a bracket fixed to the push rod 60 by a pin 67a.
Reference numeral 7 denotes a transmission means such as a wire 68 for transmitting an external signal A to the movable piece 66.
It is configured to be able to transmit to.

In the present invention, the first spring 2 and the second spring 3 have different spring constants. In particular, the spring constant of the second spring 3 is different from that of the first spring 2. It is set so as to be larger than the spring constant, and is set so that the second spring 3 is preferentially extended when the first spring 2 is extended.

The amount of expansion and contraction of the second spring 3 is set to be slightly larger than the amount of stroke of the piston 5 in the cylinder 51.

Therefore, in the vehicle height adjusting device according to this embodiment formed as described above, the first spring 2 and the second spring
Are arranged in series via the spring seat 4 and the piston 5, so that when the damper 1 expands and contracts, the springs 2 and 3 expand and contract in inverse proportion to their spring constants.

At this time, since the spring constant of the second spring 3 is set to be larger than the spring constant of the first spring 2, when the first spring 2 extends, the second spring 3 It will expand preferentially.

When the second spring 3 extends,
The piston 5 rises in the cylinder 51, so that the chamber partitioned by the piston 5 in the cylinder 51 has a so-called negative pressure tendency. As a result, the oil from the reservoir 7 is discharged from the operation check valve 6 and the cylinder 51. The air flows into the chamber through the through hole 52 formed in the hole.

Then, when the first spring 2 reverses and contracts following the above, the oil that has flowed into the cylinder 51 does not flow out to the reservoir 7 because of the arrangement of the operation check valve 6, and therefore, Then, the inside of the cylinder 51 is in an oil lock state, so that the lowering of the piston 5 in the cylinder 51 and the contraction of the second spring 3 are prevented.

As a result, the spring seat 4 that locks the lower end of the first spring 2 has risen from its initial height position, and therefore, the height position of the upper end of the first spring 2 Is higher than the initial height position, that is, for example, the vehicle height of the motorcycle is adjusted to be higher.

When the first spring 2 expands and contracts again due to road surface vibration and the like, oil is further introduced into the cylinder 51 by the extension operation of the first spring 2 at this time. Therefore, the vehicle height of the motorcycle is adjusted even higher.

That is, in this device, the motorcycle height is gradually adjusted every time the motorcycle moves up and down due to road surface vibrations, etc., that is, the vehicle height is adjusted to be high by the expansion and contraction operation of the damper 1. Will be done.

As a result, even before the motorcycle starts traveling, even if the height of the motorcycle is adjusted to be low for the convenience of the driver, it is desired to increase the height when the motorcycle travels. We will be able to meet your needs.

In addition, the supply of oil into the cylinder 51
Since it is based on the vacuum phenomenon which will be generated in the cylinder 51, it is needless to say that the hydraulic pump a (see FIG. 5) for forcibly supplying oil into the cylinder 51 is not required. It is not necessary to forcibly supply the oil into the cylinder 51 itself.

Even if the reservoir 7 is provided, the so-called back pressure is not required in the reservoir 7, so that the reservoir 7 itself does not need to be constructed robustly, and, of course, the structure of the reservoir 7 itself. It is not necessary to set a closed structure.

The vehicle height raised as described above is reduced by opening the operation check valve 6 by inputting the external signal A.

When the operation check valve 6 is opened, the piston 5 moves down in the cylinder 51 until the first spring 2 and the second ninth spring 3 are balanced.

The external signal A can be freely set, for example, supplied in conjunction with a so-called sudden braking operation, or supplied by a separate manual operation.

In particular, as shown in FIG. 1, for controlling the rising speed of the piston 5, a variable throttle 6a may be connected in series with the operation check valve 6, and the rising speed may be adjusted by the variable throttle 6a.

The lift amount of the spring seat 4 can be changed by a screwing operation of a stopper 55 screwed around the outer periphery of the cylinder 51, that is, a rotating operation.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the present invention. When the damper 1 according to the above embodiment is a so-called inverted type, the damper 1 in the illustrated example is a so-called upright type. Is what is done.

In the illustrated example, the cylinder 51
Is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the damper cylinder 11 serving as the lower end member, while the damper cylinder 11 is provided with a through hole 52a communicating with the operation check valve 6, and the reservoir also serves as the reservoir 15 of the damper 1. In addition, the operation check valve 6 is provided with the damper cylinder 11 and the cylinder 51.
It is supposed that it is arranged so as to be adjacent to.

In the illustrated example, the stopper 55 is shown in the figure.
The arrangement of the stopper 5 (see FIG. 1) is omitted.
Of course, 5 is provided.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the device for adjusting the stroke amount of the piston 5 in the cylinder 51. In this embodiment, the stopper 54 is provided as in the above-described embodiment. Instead of locking the spring seat 4, the piston 5 is locked directly.

That is, while the step 53 is provided by cutting the outer periphery of the upper end of the piston 5, the outer periphery of the upper end of the cylinder 51 has an inverted L-shaped cross section so that it can be engaged with the step 53. It is assumed that the formed stopper 54 is screwed.

Therefore, in the case of this embodiment, the stopper 54 does not interfere with the spring seat 4 which locks the lower end of the first spring 2 serving as the suspension spring, and accordingly, the first spring 2 serving as the suspension spring does not interfere. The expansion and contraction is smoothly realized.

When rotating the stopper 54,
By lifting the spring seat 4 by using an appropriate tool or the like and keeping the first spring 2 in a contracted state,
The stopper 54 can be easily rotated.

[0058]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to raise the vehicle height only by using the expansion and contraction operation of the damper, and the supply of oil into the cylinder is performed within the cylinder. Since it is based on the so-called negative pressure phenomenon that occurs, it is not necessary to dispose a hydraulic pump for forcibly supplying oil into the cylinder. Neither does the reservoir need to be configured to generate so-called back pressure.

As a result, since it is not necessary to dispose a hydraulic pump and a reservoir having a robust structure, the provision of the vehicle height adjusting device does not cause an increase in the cost of the hydraulic shock absorber, and also reduces the cost of the hydraulic shock absorber. There is an advantage that the mountability on a motorcycle is not reduced.

According to the present invention, even if the system is similar to the self-pumping system, a so-called positive reaction force is generated in the hydraulic jack portion in the direction of extension of the damper during the compression operation of the damper. Therefore, there is no fear of generating a so-called rugged feeling, and there is an advantage that the riding comfort of the motorcycle is not deteriorated.

Further, according to the present invention, the vehicle height can be cumulatively increased, and if there is a large expansion and contraction movement, the vehicle height can be increased to a desired height by one operation.
Further, there are a number of advantages such as the realization thereof can be quickly performed and the height can be freely set.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway front view showing a damper equipped with a vehicle height adjusting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of an operation check valve.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a vehicle height adjusting device according to another embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view showing another embodiment of adjusting the lift amount of the piston.

FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway front view showing a conventional hydraulic shock absorber equipped with an externally powered vehicle height adjusting device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Damper 2 1st spring which is a suspension spring 3 2nd spring 4 Spring seat 5 Piston 6 Operate check valve 7 Reservoir 11 Damper cylinder 12 Piston rod 13 Upper spring receiving stopper 14 Guide 51 Cylinder 54, 55 Stopper R Pressure chamber Room

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] A first spring serving as a suspension spring disposed between a damper cylinder forming a damper and a piston rod inserted into and out of the damper cylinder so as to protrude and retract from the damper cylinder; A second spring disposed in series at the lower end of the spring via a spring seat and a piston, a cylinder accommodating the second spring and the piston, and a second partition defined by the piston in the cylinder. And a reservoir that communicates with a pressure chamber, which accommodates the spring, via an operation check valve, and the lift amount of the spring seat or the piston moves to the outer periphery of the cylinder in the sliding direction of the piston. The operated check valve is controlled by a stopper provided so that the operation check valve prevents oil from flowing out of the chamber and an external signal from the chamber. When the second spring is extended, the piston is raised in the cylinder and the pressure in the chamber becomes negative, so that the oil from the reservoir is released. Height adjusting device, which is formed so as to flow into the chamber through an operating check valve.