JP2845379B2 - Hose connection device for vehicle height adjustment device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a vehicle height adjusting device for a motorcycle, in which the length of a front suspension and a rear cushion unit are changed to increase the vehicle height. The present invention relates to a hose connecting device applied to a vehicle height adjusting device that adjusts a vehicle height.

(Prior Art) A vehicle height adjusting device that enables a rider to adjust the vehicle height of a motorcycle using a front suspension and a rear cushion unit is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 1-38554. , But are generally not publicly available.

The vehicle height adjustment device described in the specification of Japanese Utility Model Application No. 1-38554 is provided between the front suspension and the vehicle height adjustment unit,
A hydraulic hose is connected between the vehicle height adjustment unit and the rear cushion unit, and pressure oil is supplied or discharged from the vehicle height adjustment unit to the hydraulic jacks of the front suspension and the rear cushion unit through these hydraulic hoses. The height of the suspension is adjusted by changing the length of the suspension and rear cushion unit.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In the above-described vehicle height adjusting device, since the hydraulic hose is connected to the front suspension via the fork cap, the front fork composed of the front suspension is attached to the body frame in the assembly plant. When mounting, the upper bracket cannot be installed at a predetermined position after the steering shaft is passed through the head pipe of the body frame unless the fork cap is once removed from the front suspension.

Further, once the fork cap is removed, the amount of pressure oil in the front suspension may fluctuate or foreign matter may be mixed into the pressure oil.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is not necessary to remove a fork cap to which a hydraulic hose is connected from a front suspension at the time of assembling a vehicle height adjusting device, so that assemblability can be facilitated. It is another object of the present invention to provide a hose connecting device of a vehicle height adjusting device which does not cause a change in the amount of pressure oil in a front suspension.

[Configuration of the invention]

(Means for Solving the Problems) A hose connecting device for a vehicle height adjusting device according to the present invention includes a rear cushion unit including a hydraulic jack capable of adjusting the vehicle height, and a vehicle for adjusting the vehicle height. Height adjustment having a front suspension provided with a hydraulic jack capable of adjusting the height, and a vehicle height adjustment unit capable of transmitting the oil pressure of the pressure oil in the rear cushion unit to both of the hydraulic jacks via a hydraulic hose. In the apparatus, a hose connecting device is disposed on the hydraulic hose that connects the vehicle height adjusting unit and the hydraulic jack of the front suspension, and the hose connecting device is provided with a front fork-side joint portion that can be divided from each other and a vehicle height adjusting device. And the front fork side joint is connected to the front fork side hydraulic hose. The vehicle height adjustment unit side joint also includes a cylinder connected to a hydraulic hose on the vehicle height adjustment unit and a free piston sliding within the cylinder. The two free pistons are configured to be in contact with each other via a push rod in a state where the two joint portions are connected to each other and to be integrally linked.

(Operation) The hydraulic hose is connected to the front fork via the fork cap, and guides the pressure oil to the hydraulic jack of the front suspension. The hose connecting device of the vehicle height adjusting device according to the present invention can divide the front fork side joint portion and the vehicle height adjusting portion side joint portion, and at this time, the pressure oil in the hydraulic hose flows out by the pistons of both joint portions. Since the front fork side joint and the vehicle height adjustment section side joint are separated, the upper bracket can be set in place without removing the fork cap when attaching the front fork to the frame. Adhesion can be improved. Further, at this time, since the pressure oil in the front suspension does not flow out, the fluctuation of the oil amount and the intrusion of foreign matter are not caused.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of a hose connecting device of a vehicle height adjusting device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a motorcycle to which a vehicle height adjusting device including the hose connecting device of FIG. 1 is applied. It is an overall side view showing a car.

As shown in FIG. 2, a front fork 2 supporting a front wheel 1 is disposed in front of a vehicle body frame 3, and a rear wheel 5 supported by a rear suspension 4 is disposed behind the vehicle body frame 3. . A seat 6 is arranged above the vehicle body frame 3, and a rider straddles the seat 6 and operates by operating a steering wheel 7.

The front fork 2 is an inverted type front fork, and includes two left and right front suspensions 8 and 9. These front suspensions 8 and 9 consist of an upper bracket 10 and an under bracket
11 supports the vehicle body frame 3 via a steering shaft and a head pipe (not shown). These front suspensions 8, 9 absorb the impact from the front wheels 1 and attenuate the vibration.

The rear suspension 4 has a swing arm 13 pivotally supporting the rear wheel 5 and supported by the body frame 3 by a pivot 12, an upper end supported by the body frame 3, and a lower end via a link mechanism (not shown). And a rear cushion unit 14 supported by the swing arm 13. The rear cushion unit 14 absorbs the vertical swing of the swing arm 13 about the pivot 12 and attenuates the vibration, so that the impact on the rear wheel 5 is reduced.

Now, the front suspensions 8 and 9 and the rear cushion unit 14 have hydraulic jacks 42, 4 described later.
1 are formed, and a vehicle height adjusting unit 15 is arranged near the rear cushion unit 14. The hydraulic jacks 42 of the front suspensions 8 and 9 and the vehicle height adjusting unit 15 are connected by a vehicle front side hydraulic hose 16, and the hydraulic jack 41 of the rear cushion unit 14 and the vehicle height adjusting unit 15 are connected to the vehicle rear side hydraulic hose 17. To form a vehicle height adjusting device 18. And the vehicle front side hydraulic hose 16
A hose connecting device 19 is provided in the middle of the process.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 20 denotes a front fender, and reference numeral 21 denotes a front fender.
Is a headlamp housing, 22 is a seat rail of the body frame 3, 23 is a stand, and 24 is an engine, and 25 is an exhaust pipe connected to the engine 24.

As shown in FIG. 3, the rear cushion unit 14
A coil spring 27 is arranged on the outer periphery of a rear oil damper 26. The rear oil damper 26 is provided with a coil spring 27 due to the resistance when the pressure oil filled in the cylinder 28 passes through the small hole of the piston 29 and the valve 29A.
Vibration is rapidly attenuated. This cylinder 28
The inside is connected to the oil chamber of the reserve tank 31 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 through the connecting hose 30 and the oil passage of the vehicle height adjusting unit 15.
Communicating with 32, the amount of pressure oil in the cylinder 28 is adjusted. The inside of the reserve tank 31 is partitioned by the piston 33 into the oil chamber 32 and the air chamber.

The front suspensions 8, 9 shown in FIG.
An inner tube 35 supported on the wheel side of the front wheel 1,
The outer tube 36 includes a front oil damper. The front oil damper rapidly attenuates the vibration of the spring 37 disposed in the inner tube 35.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the vehicle height adjustment unit 15 of the vehicle height adjustment device 18 has a spool valve 39 rotatably disposed at a center position of the adjustment unit main body 38. The adjustment operation unit 40 shown in FIG. 6 is integrally connected. By rotating the adjustment operation section 40, the spool valve 39 is switched to the High side for increasing the vehicle height or to the Low side for decreasing the vehicle height.

That is, the spool valve 39 is operated by operating the adjustment operation section 40.
When switched to the high side, the swing of the swing arm 13 causes the piston 29 in the rear oil damper 26 shown in FIG. 3 to move up and down, and the pressure oil in the cylinder 28 is displaced by arrows A and B,
Further, the fluid flows as shown by arrows C and D shown in FIG. 5 and the arrow E shown in FIG. 3, and flows into the hydraulic jack 41 of the rear cushion unit 14 through the vehicle body rear side hydraulic hose 17 as shown by the arrow F. . Further, the pressure oil flowing in the vehicle height adjusting unit 15 as shown by the arrow E flows through the vehicle front side hydraulic hose 16 to the vehicle height adjusting unit side joint 62 of the hose connecting device 19 as shown by the arrow G. , The hydraulic pressure of this pressure oil
The power is transmitted to the hydraulic jacks 42 of the front suspensions 8 and 9 via the front fork-side joint 61 shown in the drawing.

In the hydraulic jack 41, as shown in FIG. 3, a jack piston 44 is arranged in a jack cylinder chamber 43, and the movement amount of the jack piston 44 is transmitted to a spring guide 46 via a spacer 45, and the spring 27 It changes the initial load. Therefore, when pressure oil flows from the vehicle height adjustment unit 15 into the jack cylinder chamber 43 of the hydraulic jack 41, the jack piston 44 moves and pushes down the spring guide 46, so that the rear cushion unit 14 is extended to increase the vehicle height. .

As shown in FIG. 4, the hydraulic jacks 42 of the front suspensions 8 and 9
A jack piston 48 is arranged in a jack cylinder chamber 47 installed therein, and the amount of movement of the jack piston 48 is transmitted to a spring guide 52 via a plunger 49, a ring 50 and a spacer 51. The two vehicle front hydraulic hoses 16 are connected to the fork caps 52A of the left and right front suspensions, respectively, and pressurize the hydraulic oil in the vehicle front hydraulic hoses 16 into the jack cylinder chamber 47.
Lead inside. Therefore, when the hydraulic pressure of the pressure oil is transmitted to the hydraulic jack 42 via the hose connecting device 19, the jack piston 48 moves downward, and the spring guide 52 pushes down the spring 37 to increase the initial load of the spring 37, The front suspensions 8 and 9 extend to increase the vehicle height.

When the vehicle height is to be lowered, the spool valve 39 is switched to the Low side by rotating the adjustment operation unit 40. Then, due to the weight of the vehicle, the pressure oil in the hydraulic jack 41 (see FIG. 3) of the rear cushion unit 14 passes through the vehicle rear-side hydraulic hose 17 and the oil passage of the vehicle height adjustment unit 15 and the oil in the reserve tank 31 Return to room 32. Further, the pressure oil in the hydraulic jacks 42 (see FIG. 4) of the front suspensions 8 and 9 returns to the front fork side joint 61 of the hose connecting device 19 due to the weight of the vehicle, and thereby the vehicle height adjustment unit side joint The pressure oil in the section 62 returns to the oil chamber 32 of the reserve tank 31 via the vehicle height adjusting section 15. Thus, the initial loads of the coil spring 27 of the rear cushion unit 14 and the springs 37 of the front suspensions 8 and 9 are reduced, and the rear cushion unit 14 and the front suspensions 8 and 9 are contracted, and the vehicle height is reduced.

In addition, a first blow valve 53 and a second blow valve 54 are arranged in the adjusting section main body 38 as shown in FIG.
The first blow valve 53 is configured such that a piston 55 is urged by a spring 56. This first blow valve 53
When the pressure oil flowing from the rear oil damper 26 through the connection hose 30 (see FIG. 3) becomes higher than a predetermined pressure when the spool valve 39 is switched to the high side, the piston 55 responds to the urging force of the spring 56. As a result, a part of the pressure oil is discharged into the oil chamber 32 of the reserve tank 31 as shown by an arrow H.

Further, the second blow valve 54 is such that a ball 57 is loosely fitted to a push piece 58, and a spring 60 is disposed between the push piece 58 and a spring guide 59. Screwed into 38.
When the vehicle jumps while the vehicle is running with the spool valve 39 switched to the High side, the hydraulic jack 41 of the rear cushion unit 14 and the hydraulic jack 4 of the front suspensions 8, 9
When the oil pressure of the pressure oil in 2 rises, the ball 57 moves against the urging force of the spring 60, and the hydraulic hose 16
Then, the pressure oil in the vehicle rear side hydraulic hose 17 is returned into the oil chamber 32 of the reserve tank 31 as shown by the arrow I. This prevents the hydraulic hoses 16 and 17 from being damaged.

The hose connecting device 19 provided on the hydraulic hose 16 is connected to a front fork-side joint 61 and a vehicle height adjusting unit-side joint 62 as shown in FIGS. Be composed.

The front fork side joint portion 61 is provided with a free piston 64 slidably disposed in a cylinder 63.
The hose connecting portion 65 is fixed to one end of the hose. The cylinder 63 is filled with pressure oil, and two hydraulic hoses 16 on the front side of the vehicle are connected to the hose connecting portion 65.
Are connected to the hydraulic jacks 42 of the front suspensions 8 and 9 respectively. An oil seal 66 is mounted on the outer periphery of the free piston 64 to prevent pressure oil from leaking. Also, a push rod 67a is attached to the free piston 64,
It is provided to protrude outward.

Further, an outer cylinder 67 is loosely fitted around the outer periphery of the cylinder 63.
The position of the outer cylinder 67 in the longitudinal direction of the cylinder 63 is regulated by a ring 68 fixed to the cylinder 63. Also,
A female screw 69 is engraved on the inner periphery of the distal end side of the outer cylinder 67.

On the other hand, the vehicle height adjustment section side joint section 62 is also configured in the same manner as the front fork side joint section 61, a free piston 71 is provided in the cylinder 70, and a hose connection section 72 is fixed to an end of the cylinder 70. One vehicle front side hydraulic hose 16 is connected to the hose connecting portion 72, and the vehicle front side hydraulic hose 16 is connected to the vehicle height adjusting section 15. Free piston
An oil seal 73 is also attached to 71. Also, cylinder 70
An outer cylinder 74 is loosely fitted around the outer periphery of the outer cylinder 74. The position of the outer cylinder 74 is regulated by a ring 75, and a male screw 76 is engraved at the tip.

A wrench (not shown) is fitted to the nut portions 77 and 78 of the outer cylinders 67 and 74, and the female screw 69 of the front fork side joint portion 61 and the male screw 76 of the vehicle height adjustment portion side joint portion 62 are joined. By the front fork side joint
61 and the vehicle height adjusting portion side joint portion 62 are combined. In this coupled state, the push rod 67a of the front fork side joint 61 abuts on the free piston 71 of the vehicle height adjustment section side joint 62, and both free pistons 64 and 71
Are linked together by a push rod 67A. The upper and lower halves of FIG.
71 shows left and right movement respectively.

According to the above embodiment, when traveling on uneven terrain,
By turning the adjustment operation unit 40 of the vehicle height adjustment unit 15 to switch the spool valve 39 to the high side, the hydraulic jack 41 of the rear cushion unit 14 and the hydraulic jack 42 of the front suspension units 8 and 9 are moved to the rear cushion. The pressure oil in the unit 14 is pumped through the vehicle height adjusting unit 15 to extend the lengths of the rear cushion unit 14 and the front suspension units 8 and 9 to increase the vehicle height and increase the road clearance. When traveling in an urban area or the like, the spool valve 39 of the vehicle height adjustment unit 15 is switched to the low side to eliminate the pressure oil in the hydraulic jacks 41 and 42, and the length of the rear cushion unit 14 and the length of the front suspension units 8 and 9 are reduced. The height can be shortened, the vehicle height can be reduced, and the legging performance can be improved.

In addition, the hose connecting device 19 disposed on the vehicle front side hydraulic hose 16 is provided with a front fork side joint portion 61 and a vehicle height adjusting portion side joint portion 62 without leaking pressure oil.
When assembling the front fork 2 as a part of the vehicle height adjusting device 18 to the body frame 3, the fork cap 52A to which the vehicle front side hydraulic hose 16 is connected is provided.
The upper bracket 10 can be installed at various positions without removing the vehicle, and the assemblability of the vehicle height adjusting device 18 can be improved.

Further, since there is no need to remove the fork cap 52 in this manner, the amount of pressure oil in the front suspension units 8, 9 does not fluctuate, and no foreign matter enters the pressure oil.

Furthermore, if the front fork-side joint 61 and the vehicle height adjustment unit-side joint 62 of the hose connecting device 19 are divided, the front fork 2 and the rear cushion unit 14 can be connected when the vehicle height adjustment device 18 is assembled. Assembly to the body frame 3 can be performed separately. As a result, when the front fork 2 and the rear cushion unit 14 are individually damaged, only one side can be replaced, and when the front fork 2 and the rear cushion unit 14 individually cause oil leakage, one of them can be replaced. Oil leaks do not affect the other.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the hose connecting device of the vehicle height adjusting device according to the present invention, the hose connecting device is disposed on the hydraulic hose that connects the vehicle height adjusting unit and the hydraulic jack of the front suspension. The hose connecting device comprises a front fork side joint portion and a vehicle height adjusting portion side joint portion which can be separated from each other, and the The fork side joint has a cylinder connected to the hydraulic hose on the front fork side and a free piston sliding in this cylinder,
The vehicle height adjusting unit side joint also includes a cylinder connected to the hydraulic hose on the vehicle height adjusting unit side and a free piston that slides in the cylinder. The hydraulic path is divided between the front fork side and the vehicle height adjustment section side so that it can be easily separated, and even if the hydraulic path is disconnected, the free piston of both joints Can prevent pressure oil from escaping from the front fork and the vehicle height adjustment part beforehand and reliably.In addition, when assembling the vehicle height adjustment device, the front fork side joint and the vehicle height adjustment part side joint are separated. The upper bracket can be set in place without removing the fork cap to which the hydraulic hose is connected from the front fork, facilitating assembly. It can be. At the same time, it is not necessary to remove the fork cap, and the pressure oil in the front suspension does not flow out, so that the oil amount of the pressure oil in the front suspension does not fluctuate and foreign matter is not mixed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of a hose connecting device of a vehicle height adjusting device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a motorcycle to which a vehicle height adjusting device including the hose connecting device of FIG. 1 is applied. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the rear cushion unit and the vehicle height adjusting unit and the like in FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the front suspension and the like in FIG. 2, and FIG. 3
FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line VV in FIG. 6, and FIG. 6 is a view taken in the direction of arrow VI in FIG. 2. Front fork, 8, 9 Front suspension, 10 Upper bracket, 14 Rear cushion unit, 15 Vehicle height adjustment unit, 16 Front vehicle hydraulic hose, 17 Rear vehicle Hydraulic hose, 18… Height adjustment device, 19… Hose connecting device, 26… Rear oil damper,
39 …… Spool valve, 40 …… Adjustment operation part, 41,42 ……
Hydraulic jack, 61: Front fork side joint, 62: Vehicle height adjustment side joint, 63: Cylinder, 64: Free piston, 67A: Push rod, 6
7 ... outer cylinder, 69 ... female thread, 70 ... cylinder, 71 ... free piston, 74 ... outer cylinder, 76 ... male thread.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A rear cushion unit having a hydraulic jack capable of adjusting the vehicle height, a front suspension having a hydraulic jack capable of adjusting the vehicle height, and a hydraulic pressure of the pressure oil in the rear cushion unit being hydraulically controlled. In a vehicle height adjusting device having a vehicle height adjusting portion capable of transmitting to both hydraulic jacks via a hose, a hose connecting device is connected to the hydraulic hose connecting the vehicle height adjusting portion and a hydraulic jack of the front suspension. This hose connecting device is composed of a front fork side joint portion and a vehicle height adjusting portion side joint portion which can be divided from each other, and the front fork side joint portion is provided with a cylinder connected to a front fork side hydraulic hose. A free piston that slides in the cylinder is provided, while the vehicle height adjustment section side joint is A cylinder connected to the hydraulic hose on the adjusting part side and a free piston sliding in the cylinder are provided, and in a state where the two joints are connected, the two free pistons are in contact with each other via a push rod so that they are integrally linked. A hose connecting device for a vehicle height adjusting device, characterized in that: