JP3141414B2 - Protector device for inverted front fork - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[Object of the invention]

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an inverted front fork protector.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art A motorcycle is, for example, an off-road motorcycle, and a front wheel 1 is supported by left and right inverted front forks 2 as shown in FIG. The front forks 2 and 2 have a telescopic structure. That is, the inner tube 4 is inserted into the outer tube 3, and the inner tube 4 expands and contracts inside the outer tube 3 when the front wheel 1 is cushioned by the buffer mechanism incorporated therein so as to buffer the impact due to the unevenness of the road surface. I have.

In such a front fork 2, a protector 5 is provided to protect the inner tube 4,
The inner tube 4 is protected from flying stones and splashing of mud so that mud and the like do not enter the sliding portion of the outer tube 3 that slides with the protector guide 6.

The conventional protector 5 has a lower portion fastened to an axle bracket 7 and an upper portion slidably mounted along a protector guide 6 fixed to the outer tube 3. As shown in FIG. 9, sliding portions 8 provided on both sides of the protector guide 6 are attached to sliding portions 8 by the protector guide 6.
a and 5b are engaged and guided, or one side edge 5a of the protector 5 is guided and engaged with a sliding portion 8 provided on one side of the protector guide 6 as shown in FIG. It has a one-sided sliding structure.

[0006]

However, in any of the above sliding structures, since the outer edge of the protector 5 slides with respect to the protector guide 6, the resistance of the sliding portion where mud and the like adhere to the protector 5 is reduced. As a result, the cushioning property of the front fork 2 is impaired, the performance is reduced, and at the same time, the sliding portion of the protector 5 is scratched, and the appearance is soiled and the quality is reduced.
In addition, there is a problem that the claw-like portion of the sliding portion of the protector guide 6 is damaged by a flying stone or the like.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and the slide portion of the protector does not come out of the outer surface of the protector, and the adhesion of mud or the like to the slide portion is reduced to prevent an increase in slide resistance. An object of the present invention is to provide a protector device for an inverted front fork, in which abrasion marks do not appear on an outer surface, quality is not deteriorated, and an emblem is not hindered.

[Configuration of the Invention]

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an protector device for an inverted front fork according to the present invention is provided such that an inner tube is inserted from below into an outer tube disposed on both left and right sides of a front wheel. Are inserted and configured to be expandable and contractable, and a protector guide is externally fitted and fastened to a lower portion of the outer tube, and a protector that covers an outer side of the inner tube from the vehicle front side of the inner tube is fixed to a lower portion of the inner tube. In the inverted front fork of a motorcycle described above, the protector guide is provided with a sliding groove having an irregularly shaped cross section having a wide inner deep portion at an inner position on the vehicle front side of the inner tube center and closer to the wheel side. The protector includes a sliding protrusion formed along the axial direction of the tube and slidably fitted in the sliding groove. The protector guide is provided on an upper inner surface, and a fastening portion of the protector guide is provided at a position outside of the center of the inner tube on the vehicle front side and away from the wheel. It is intended to receive the inner surface of.

[0010]

When the front fork expands and contracts due to the vertical movement of the front wheel, the sliding projection of the protector slides along the sliding groove of the protector guide and follows the expansion and contraction of the front fork. Even if stones or mud fly during traveling, there is no sliding portion on the outer surface of the protector, so that mud does not adhere to the sliding portion of the protector or is not damaged by stones, and the sliding resistance does not increase. In addition, external force applied to the protector is withstanding because the fastening portion of the protector guide receives the inner surface of the protector.

[0011]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.

The overall structure of the inverted front forks 2, 2 is configured as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, and the outer tubes 3, 3 are disposed on the left and right sides with the front wheel 1 interposed therebetween. FIG. 1 shows, for example, an outer tube 3 of the left front fork 2, and an inner tube 4 is inserted into the outer tube 3 so as to be extendable and contractible. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, the protector 10 covers a substantially half circumferential surface so as to cover the front side of the front fork 2, that is, the outer side away from the wheels (front wheels) 1 from the vehicle front side in the vehicle width direction. Having. The lower end of the protector 10 is fixed to the axle bracket 7 below the inner tube 4 with bolts 11. The right front fork is also provided symmetrically with the left front fork 2.

A protector guide 12 is externally fitted to the lower end of the outer tube 3 and fastened. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the protector guide 12 is a ring-shaped member that is cut off at one location and externally fitted to the outer tube 3.
Fastening portions 13, 13 projecting radially outward in a boss shape are provided on the outer surface of the separated end portion. Protector Guide 1
2 is a bolt 1 which is screwed by using the fastening portions 13
4 fastens the outer tube 3. The fastening portions 13, 13 are formed on the vehicle front side of the center O of the inner tube 4 and at an outer position (right side in FIG. 2) away from the front wheel 1 in the vehicle width direction.

A guide projection 15 is provided on the outer surface of the protector guide 12 and on the inner side (wheel side) closer to the front wheel 1 than the center O of the inner tube 4 and toward the front of the vehicle. A sliding groove 16 is provided. The sliding groove 16 is formed in the inner tube 4
Are formed along the axial direction. The sliding groove 16 has, for example, an L-shaped cross section, and a deep inner portion has a wide-width irregular cross section. A sliding protrusion 16 formed on the inner surface of the protector 10 is slidably fitted. Sliding protrusion 16 of protector 10
Has a complementary shaped cross section, such as an L-shaped cross section, protruding from the center O of the inner tube 4 at a position inward of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction (wheel side). This protector 1
0 indicates that the sliding protrusion 17 is the sliding groove 1 of the protector guide 12.
6, the outer ends of the fastening portions 13, 13 of the protector guide 12 face the inner surface of the protector 10 against external force. To withstand.

As shown in FIG. 2, a protector guide 12 which is externally fitted to the lower portion of the outer tube 3 and fastened thereto is provided with a guide projection 15 and a fastening portion 13, as shown in FIG.
13 are provided side by side. Guide protrusion 15 and fastening part 1
Reference numerals 3 and 13 are formed so as to protrude forward on both left and right sides of the center O of the front fork 2 (the inner tube 4) on the front side of the vehicle.

Accordingly, when the inner tube 4 of the front fork expands and contracts with respect to the outer tube 3, the sliding projection 17 of the protector 10 slides along the sliding groove 16 of the protector guide 12 with the expansion and contraction of the front fork. Follow. Even if stones or mud flies during traveling, there is no sliding part on the outer surface of the protector 10, so the protector 10
This prevents adhesion of mud and the like to the slide portion, thereby preventing an increase in sliding friction and scratching the inner tube 4. Also, even if a force is applied to the protector 10 from the outside, the fastening portions 13 of the protector guide 12 receive the inner surface to withstand.

[0017]

As described above, according to the present invention, even if mud adheres to the protector, the sliding portion does not appear on the outer surface of the protector, and the mud is effectively and effectively prevented from adhering to the sliding portion. Can be prevented, and the friction when the front fork expands and contracts does not increase, so that the ability to travel on rough roads is improved. Since there is no sliding part on the outer surface of the protector, it is possible to attach an emblem etc., and since the sliding part is inside the protector, it is less likely to be damaged or scratched by external force, and smooth sliding Is kept. In addition, since the protector guide itself has the sliding groove, no extra parts are required, the structure is simplified, and the weight can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing one embodiment of a protector device for an inverted front fork according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a protector used in the protector device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a protector guide attached to an outer tube of a front fork.

FIG. 5 is a view taken along the line VV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a plan sectional view taken along the line VI-VI in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a side view of a motorcycle to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 8 is a front view of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing a conventional protector device for an inverted front fork.

FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view showing another example of a conventional inverted front fork protector device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 3 outer tube 4 inner tube 10 protector 12 protector guide 13 fastening part 15 guide protrusion 16 sliding groove 17 sliding protrusion

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An inner tube is inserted from below into outer tubes arranged on both left and right sides of a front wheel so as to be expandable and contractable, and a protector guide is externally fitted to a lower portion of the outer tube and tightened. On the other hand, in an inverted front fork of a motorcycle in which a protector that covers an outer side of the inner tube from the vehicle front side is fixed to a lower portion of the inner tube, the protector guide is located on a vehicle front side with respect to a center of the inner tube. At the inner position near the wheel side, a sliding groove having a deformed cross section whose inner deep portion is wide is formed along the axial direction of the inner tube, and a sliding protrusion slidably fitted to the sliding groove. Is provided on the upper inner surface of the protector, and the fastening portion of the protector guide is located on the vehicle front side with respect to the inner tube center and away from the wheels. Outside position,
A protector device for an inverted front fork, wherein an inner end surface of the protector is received at an outer end surface of the fastening portion projecting radially outward.