JPH0516424Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a spring load adjustment mechanism that adjusts the load of a suspension spring by moving a spring receiver provided on the outer periphery of a cylinder of a shock absorber in the axial direction of the cylinder.

(Prior art) For example, in a hydraulic shock absorber used for the reaction of a motorcycle, etc., a spring load adjustment mechanism adjusts the load of a suspension spring in order to adjust the vehicle height or to obtain an appropriate shock absorbing effect according to road surface conditions. It has been known.

In the conventional spring load adjustment mechanism, as shown in FIG. 6, an adjustment cam cylinder 52 which also serves as a spring receiver for receiving a suspension spring (not shown) is rotatably fitted on the outer periphery of a cylinder 51. A stepwise cam surface 53 is formed on the lower end surface of the cylinder 51, and a stopper pin 54 that engages with the stepwise cam surface 53 is fixed to the outer periphery of the cylinder 51, and the adjusting cam cylinder 52 is rotated to form a stepwise cam surface. 53 is selectively engaged with the stopper pin 54, the adjustment cam cylinder 52 is moved in the axial direction of the cylinder 51 to adjust the load of the suspension spring.

(Problem to be solved by the invention) In the spring load adjustment mechanism described above, the stopper pin 54 fixed to the outer periphery of the cylinder 51 receives the full reaction force of the suspension spring, so when adjusting the load, it is necessary to resist this strong reaction force. It is necessary to move and rotate the adjusting cam cylinder 52, and since the cam surface 53 that engages with the stopper pin is stepped, when the set load of the suspension spring is high, the rotational torque becomes high to turn the adjusting cam cylinder. It takes a lot of effort to
Poor operability.

Further, the processing for forming the stepped cam surfaces 53 on the adjustment cam cylinder 52 is troublesome, and each cam surface of the stepped cam surfaces 53 must be able to engage with the stopper pin 54 reliably, so the number of cams is required. is small, making it impossible to finely adjust the spring load.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to solve the above problems, the present invention makes the slope of each tapered surface of the annular stopper uniform, and forms the tapered surfaces that come into contact with each of the tapered surfaces on the annular adjuster. At the same time, a cylindrical rotating ring facing the outer periphery of the stopper is fixed to this adjuster, and a plurality of elongated holes forming the axial movement length of the stopper are penetrated at the dividing positions of the rotating ring. A stopper pin that selectively engages with this elongated hole to restrict the rotation of the adjuster and is released from the engagement by a pressing force from the outside of the engaged elongated hole can be moved forward and backward into the stopper. It was established in

(Function) If the rotary ring is rotated while pressing and retracting the movable stopper pin, the adjuster can be moved with a small force due to the uniform slope of each tapered surface and the distribution of the load on the contact surface due to surface contact. The stopper position is moved in the axial direction of the cylinder to adjust the spring load, and the adjuster is rotated by engaging the stopper pin on the stopper side with the long hole in the rotating ring on the adjuster side. The movement is restricted, and the abutting tapered surface acts as a stopper, so a constant spring load is maintained.

(Example) An example of the present invention will be described below based on the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a half-sectional view of a hydraulic shock absorber equipped with a spring load adjustment mechanism according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of main parts of the spring load adjustment mechanism of Fig.
FIG. 4 is a developed view of essential parts of the spring load adjustment mechanism, and FIG. 5 is a plane sectional view for explaining load adjustment by the spring load adjustment mechanism.

The hydraulic shock absorber 1 includes a cylinder 2 filled with hydraulic oil, which is slidably fitted into a cylindrical body 3, and a seal cover 3a is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the upper end of the cylindrical body 3. The upper part is in sliding contact with the outer peripheral part of the cylinder 2. A cap 4 is attached to the bottom surface of the cylinder 3, and a bump rubber 5 is attached to the top surface of the cap 4.

Further, a piston rod 7 whose rear end is fixed to the lower bracket 6 is inserted and fixed from the lower side of the cylinder 3 via the cap 4.
A piston 8 is attached to the tip of the cylinder 2 to slide on the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder 2 to define the inner circumference of the cylinder 2 into an upper oil chamber and a lower oil chamber.Furthermore, plate valves 9 and 9 are attached to the lower and upper surfaces of the piston 8, respectively. There are 10.

Furthermore, a cylinder cap 11 is fitted to the lower end of the cylinder 2, a guide 12 is fitted above the cylinder cap 11, and an oil seal 13 that slides on the outer circumference of the piston rod 7 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the guide 12. Furthermore, an upper metal 14 is attached to the upper end of the cylinder 2.

A spring seat 16 is fitted on the upper outer periphery of the cylinder 2, and a spring seat 17 as a spring receiver is fitted on the middle outer periphery of the cylinder 3 so as to be movable in the axial and circumferential directions of the cylinder. , these spring seats 16 and spring seats 1
A suspension spring 18 is stretched between the spring seat 17 and the spring seat 17, and a spring load adjustment mechanism 20 is provided below the spring seat 17.

This spring load adjustment mechanism 20 is constructed by fixing an adjuster 21 to the lower surface of the spring seat 17 and
The adjuster 21 is rotatably fitted around the outer circumference of the adjuster 21.
Two tapered surfaces 22, 22 with a uniform gradient at a phase of 180° are formed on the lower end surface of the
At the starting end of 22, there is a stopper part 2 that bulges downward.
3,23 are formed.

Further, a stopper 25 is fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder 3 below the adjuster 21, and the upper end surface of this stopper 25 has two tapered surfaces 26, 2 with a phase of 180°.
6, and the tapered surfaces of stopper portions 23, 23, which form part of the tapered surfaces 22, 22 of the adjuster 21, are brought into contact with the tapered surfaces 26, 26.
Further, the stopper portions 23, 2 of the adjuster 25 are provided at the terminal ends of the tapered surfaces 26, 26 of the stopper 25.
3, an upwardly bulging stopper portion 27 that can be engaged with
27 is formed.

A cylindrical body 28 is fixed to the outer periphery of the stopper 25 so as to protrude outward.
The stopper pin 29 is slidably inserted into the inside of the cylinder 8, and a coil spring 30 is compressed between the stopper pin 29 and the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder 3, and the spring 30 urges the stopper pin 29 in the projecting direction. are doing. A flange is formed at the bottom of the stopper pin 29, and a flange is also formed at the open end of the cylindrical body 28 to prevent the stopper pin 29 from falling out from the cylindrical body 28.

Further, a rotating ring 32 is fixed to the lower surface of the spring seat 17, located outside the adjuster 21 and the stopper 25. This rotating ring 32
A plurality of elongated holes 33 are formed around the periphery at predetermined intervals so that the stopper pins 29 of the stopper 25 can engage with each other. Further, on the outer circumferential surface of the rotary ring 32, a number 34 is engraved below each elongated hole 33 to indicate the initial set position of the spring load.

In the above, when adjusting the spring load,
As shown in FIG. 5, for example, protrusions 42 and 43 that can be inserted into the elongated hole 33 of the rotation ring 32 are formed at the base and tip of the arm 41, respectively.
A tool 40 having a grip portion 44 formed at the base thereof is used to rotate the rotary ring 32 and rotate the adjuster 21.

That is, the protrusion 42 of the arm 41 of the tool 40 is inserted into the elongated hole 33 of the rotating ring 32 into which the stopper pin 29 is fitted, and the protrusion 43 of the arm 41 is engaged with the other required elongated hole 33 of the rotating ring 32. By fitting together, the tool 40 and the rotation ring 32 are fixed, and at this time, the stopper pin 29 is pushed by the protrusion 42 of the tool 40 against the urging force of the spring 30 and pushed into the cylinder body 28. , the engagement between the stopper pin 29 of the stopper 25 and the elongated hole 33 of the rotating ring 32 is disengaged, and the rotating ring 32 can freely rotate relative to the stopper 25.

Therefore, by rotating the tool 40, for example, in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 5, the rotation ring 32 is also rotated in the direction of arrow A. In this case, adjuster 2
1 and the stopper 25 is in the state shown in FIG. 4 (minimum load state), the adjuster 21 integrated with the rotating ring 32 rotates in the direction of arrow B in FIG. Since the lower end surface of the stopper portion 23 of the adjuster 25 moves smoothly on the tapered surface 26 of the stopper 25, the adjuster 21 moves upward in the axial direction of the cylinder 3, that is, in the axial direction of the cylinder 2, while rotating.

Due to the upward movement of the adjuster 25, the spring seat 17 rises on the outer periphery of the cylindrical body 3, so the suspension spring 18 is compressed.
The spring load of is adjusted higher.

When adjusting the spring load to a high value in this way, when the spring load is at its maximum, the stopper part 23 of the adjuster 21 is moved to the stopper part 27 of the stopper 25.
This prevents the adjuster 21 from rotating any further, and therefore prevents the adjuster 21 from suddenly moving from the highest load position to the lowest load position and generating an impact between it and the stopper 25. .

Also, from the state where the spring load is adjusted high, the tool 4
0 in the opposite direction, the spring seat 17 moves down the outer periphery of the cylindrical body 3 contrary to the above, the suspension spring 18 is extended, and the spring load of the suspension spring 18 is adjusted to be low. Ru.

The long hole 33 corresponding to the required spring load of the rotation ring 32 is located on the stopper pin 29 of the stopper 25.
After adjusting the spring load by rotating the adjuster 21 to the position where it engages with the
By removing it from the tool 40, the pressure on the stopper pin 29 by the protrusion 42 of the tool 40 is released, and the stopper pin 29 protrudes by the biasing force of the spring 30 and fits into the elongated hole 33 of the corresponding rotary ring 32 to engage. do.

As a result, the rotation ring 32 is locked by the stopper pin 29 and held at the current position, so that the adjuster 21 is also stopped from rotating and the load on the suspension spring 18 is maintained. At this time, the adjuster 21 and the stopper 25 come into contact with the tapered surface of the stopper portion 23 and the tapered surface 26 of the stopper 25, and since this contact portion is wide, the reaction force of the suspension spring 18 applied to the adjuster 21 is transferred to the adjuster 21. It is received by the entire stopper 25 via the stopper part 23 of 21. Further, in this case, by looking at the number 34 attached to the lower side of the elongated hole 33 with which the stopper pin 29 is engaged, the degree of the spring load at that time can be easily determined.

(Effects of the invention) As explained above, according to the invention, the slopes of the taper surfaces of the stopper and adjuster are made uniform, the rotary ring passing through the elongated hole is fixed to the adjuster, and the elongated hole is selectively attached to the adjuster. By providing a stopper pin that can move forward and backward as it engages and is disengaged by the pressing force from the outside of the engaged elongated hole, the adjuster can be moved smoothly with a small force by pushing the stopper pin back. The stopper position is moved in the axial direction of the cylinder to adjust the spring load, and the stopper pin engages with the long hole of the rotary ring to restrict rotation of the adjuster and prevent contact. Since the tapered surface acts as a stopper, a constant spring load is maintained.

Therefore, compared to the operation of a conventional adjustment mechanism consisting of a stepwise cam surface, adjustment can be easily performed with a small force, greatly improving operability. Forming a surface is much easier to process than a stepped cam surface, and production costs can be reduced.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a half-sectional view of a hydraulic shock absorber equipped with a spring load adjustment mechanism according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the main part of the spring load adjustment mechanism of FIG. 1, and FIG.
4 is a developed view of the main parts of the spring load adjustment mechanism, and FIG. 5 is a plane sectional view for explaining load adjustment by the spring load adjustment mechanism.
FIG. 6 is a side view of essential parts of a conventional spring load adjustment mechanism. In the drawing, 1 is a hydraulic shock absorber, 2 is a cylinder, 3 is a cylindrical body, 16, 17 are spring seats, 18 is a suspension spring, 21 is an adjuster, 22 is a tapered surface, 2
3 is a stopper part, 25 is a stopper, 26 is a tapered surface, 27 is a stopper part, 29 is a stopper pin, 3
2 is a rotating ring, and 33 is a long hole.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] An annular shape in which at least two or more tapered surfaces in the same circumferential direction are formed on the upper surface on the outer periphery of a cylinder of a shock absorber that is vertically expandable or retractable, or on the outer periphery of a cylindrical body that engages with a piston rod. Fix the stopper of the
an annular adjuster that comes into contact with the tapered surface of the stopper on the outer periphery of the cylinder or cylindrical body and adjusts the spring load by changing its axial position in response to rotation within an angular range of 180 degrees or less; In the spring load adjustment mechanism in which the stopper is rotatably fitted, each tapered surface of the stopper has a uniform slope, and the annular adjuster is formed with a tapered surface that comes into contact with each of the tapered surfaces, and a A cylindrical rotating ring facing the outer periphery of the stopper is fixed, and a plurality of elongated holes corresponding to the axial movement length of the stopper are penetrated at dividing positions of the rotating ring, and selective holes are inserted into the elongated holes. The stopper pin is provided in the stopper so as to be movable forward and backward, the stopper pin being engaged with the adjuster to restrict the rotation of the adjuster and releasing the engagement by a pressing force from the outside of the engaged elongated hole. Shock absorber spring load adjustment mechanism.