JPH05262267A - Inverted type front fork protecting device for motorcycle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To protect both of inner and outer tubes from flying stone and an impact and prevent deformation and breakage and dislocation of a protector with which the inner tube is covered. CONSTITUTION:Inner and outer tube protectors 18 and 19 with which outer and inner tubes 7 and 8, respectively, are covered in a longitudinal direction. When the front tube is shrunk, the inner tube protector 19 is overlapped with the outer tube protector 18. A slide engaging means 24 to regulate other movement than relative slide in a longitudinal direction between the two protectors 18 and 19 is formed throughout the overall length of a maximum lap margin length between the two protectors. The slide engaging means 24 comprises a guide groove 25 formed along the longitudinal direction of the outer tube protector 18 and a guide rail 26 formed along the longitudinal direction of the inner protector 19, and a guide rail 26 is slidably engaged with the guide groove 25.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an inverted front fork protection device for a motorcycle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Inverted front forks that have been adopted in many motorcycles in recent years are constructed by inserting a pair of left and right inner tubes into a pair of left and right outer tubes slidably from below. By arranging the outer tube with a large outer diameter on the base end side of the front fork, the rigidity of the front fork is greatly improved.

When a motorcycle such as a motocrosser that races on rough terrain is equipped with such an inverted front fork, the front and side surfaces of the inner tube are lengthened in order to protect the inner tube located near the ground. A protector that covers the direction is installed to prevent stones and mud from the vehicle traveling in front when the vehicle travels on rough terrain and damage or stain the inner tube.

Generally, the lower end of the protector is fastened to the lower end of the inner tube, and the upper end is slidably supported by a guide portion provided at the lower end of the outer tube. It is supposed to move together with the dynamic movement.

If the inner tube is damaged or soiled by flying stones or mud, the inner tube and the outer tube will not slide smoothly, and the oil seal provided between the inner tube and the outer tube will be damaged, resulting in oil leakage. Occurs, and the function of the front fork is significantly impaired, so the installation of the protector is very effective.

[0006]

However, since the conventional protector protects only the inner tube as described above and the outer tube is not protected, the outer tube may be damaged by flying stones or impact. There was a fear that the function of the front fork would be impaired.

Further, when a load is applied to the front fork and the inner tube is deeply inserted into the outer tube, the protector protrudes upward in a cantilever shape from a guide portion provided at a lower end portion of the outer tube. Therefore, at this time, if some kind of impact (for example, contact with another vehicle during the race) is applied to the protector, the protector may be deformed or damaged, or the upper end of the protector may come off from the guide part. There was a concern that the function would be impaired.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and can protect both the inner tube and the outer tube from flying stones, impacts, and the like, and also protects the inner tube from deformation and deformation. It is an object of the present invention to provide an inverted front fork protection device for a motorcycle that can prevent damage or detachment.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, an inverted front fork protection device for a motorcycle according to the present invention is an inverted tube in which an inner tube is slidably inserted from below into an outer tube. In an inverted front fork protection device for a motorcycle, in which the front fork is covered with a protector, an outer tube protector and an inner tube protector are installed to cover the outer tube and the inner tube in the longitudinal direction. While allowing the inner tube protector to overlap the outer tube protector, a sliding engagement means for restricting movements other than relative sliding in the longitudinal direction between the both protectors is provided with a maximum overlap length of both protectors over the entire length. What was formed It is an feature.

[0010]

[Function] By constructing the inverted front fork protection device for the motorcycle as described above, the outer tube and the inner tube are covered by the outer tube protector and the inner tube protector, respectively, and are effectively protected from flying stones and impacts. To be done.

Further, as the front fork expands and contracts, the inner tube protector overlaps with the outer tube protector and slides relative to the outer tube protector through the sliding engagement means, and the overlap with the outer tube protector over the entire length. Engaged in the outer tube protector.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a left side view of a motorcycle to which the present invention is applied. For example, the motorcycle 1 is a motocrosser, and a front fork 3 and a swing arm 4 supported by a body frame 2 rotatably support a front wheel 5 and a rear wheel 6 with long suspension strokes.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the front fork 3 taken along the line II in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a left side view of the front fork 3, and FIGS. 4, 5, 6, and 7 are IV in FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line -IV, VV, VI-VI, VII-VII.

The front fork 3 is an inverted type in which an inner tube 8 is slidably fitted from below into a pair of left and right outer tubes 7. The left and right outer tubes 7 are firmly fixed by a top bracket 9 and a bottom bracket 10, and a steering shaft 11 installed between the top bracket 9 and the bottom bracket 10 is pivotally attached to the body frame 2. The handlebar 13 shown in FIG. 1 is fixed to the pair of handle brackets 12 provided on the top bracket 9.

An oil seal 1 is provided at the lower end of the outer tube 7 for liquid-tightly sealing the space between the outer tube 7 and the inner tube 8.
5 is fitted and the front wheel 5 is attached to the lower end of the inner tube 8.
Bracket 16 supporting the axle shaft of
Is fixed.

When the motorcycle 1 travels on rough terrain or the like, the movement of the front wheel 5 which swings up and down following the ups and downs of the road surface is caused by the relative sliding of the outer tube 7 and the inner tube 8 to expand and contract the front fork 3. The front fork 3 is always buffered by the force of the built-in spring and always tries to return to the most extended state shown in FIGS.

The front fork 3 is provided with an inverted front fork protection device 17 according to the present invention. The inverted front fork protection device 17 includes an outer tube protector 18 that covers the outer tube 7 and the inner tube 8 in the longitudinal direction.
And an inner tube protector 19.

The outer tube protector 18 is
As shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, the lower half of the bottom bracket 10 to the lower end of the outer tube 7 covers the front half peripheral surface of the outer tube 7, and the clamps 20a of the band portions 20 and 21 provided at both ends. , 21a are fastened to the outer tube 7 by fastening screws 21a.

On the other hand, the inner tube protector 19
As shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 7, there is a space between the inner tube 8 and the inner tube 8 to cover substantially the front half surface of the inner tube 8. When the front fork 3 is contracted, it moves integrally with the inner tube 8 toward the outer tube 7 and overlaps the front of the outer tube protector 18.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, between the outer tube protector 18 and the inner tube protector 19, there is a sliding member for restricting movement of the protectors 18 and 19 other than relative sliding in the longitudinal direction. A coupling means 24 is formed. The sliding engagement means 24 includes, for example, a guide groove 25 formed along the front surface longitudinal direction of the outer tube protector 18, and a guide rail 26 formed along the back surface longitudinal direction of the inner tube protector 19. The guide rail 26 is slidably engaged with the guide groove 25.

The guide groove 25 and the guide rail 26 are provided.
Is the length of the maximum overlap length L (see FIG. 2) of the outer tube protector 18 and the inner tube protector 19 when the front fork 3 is most contracted.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, in this embodiment, the guide groove 25 of the sliding engagement means 24 is formed in the tube center C.
With respect to the frame center, the clamps 20a, 21a of the band portions 20, 21 at both ends of the outer tube protector 18 are arranged outward with respect to the tube center C, and the tips of the clamps 20a, 21a are fixed to the inner tube protector 19. The inner tube protector 19 is supported from the back by contacting the back of the inner tube protector 19. Note that FIG.
Also, one of the jaws 20 ', 21' of the upper and lower clamps 20a, 21a shown in FIG. 6 is continuous along the longitudinal direction of the outer tube protector 18, and the guide edge 27 shown in FIGS. The inner tube protector 19 comes into contact with the back surface of the inner tube protector 19 in the longitudinal direction.

A cable guide 28 is formed on the back surface of the inner tube protector 19 so that cables such as a brake hose can be held between the sliding engagement means 24 and the guide edge 27.

The inverted front fork protection device 17 constructed as described above has the following actions and effects.

First, the outer tube 7 and the inner tube 8 are respectively protected by the outer tube protector 18.
Since it is covered with the inner tube protector 19 and is effectively protected from flying stones, impacts, etc., the function of the front fork 3 can be kept in good condition from beginning to end even in a severe race run.

As the front fork 3 expands and contracts, the inner tube protector 19 overlaps the front surface of the outer tube protector 18 and slides relative to the outer tube protector 18 via the sliding engagement means 24. At that time, since the inner tube protector 19 is engaged with the outer tube protector 18 over the entire length of the overlap with the outer tube protector 18, the inner tube protector 19 is cantilevered upward as the front fork 3 is contracted no matter how short. Even when an impact or the like is applied to the inner tube protector 19 when the front fork 3 is contracted, the inner tube protector 19 is not deformed or damaged, and is not detached from the outer tube protector 18. It will not be damaged.

Although the outer tube protector 18 is in close contact with the front surface of the outer tube 7 in the present embodiment, it may be structured so as to have a gap with the outer tube 7. In this case, the inner tube protector 19 may be inserted into the gap.

[0029]

As described above, in the inverted front fork protection device for a motorcycle according to the present invention, the inverted front fork having the inner tube slidably inserted into the outer tube from below is used as the protector. In an inverted front fork protection device for a motorcycle covered by, an outer tube protector and an inner tube protector that respectively cover the outer tube and the inner tube in the longitudinal direction are installed, and the inner tube protector is installed when the front fork is contracted. Sliding engagement means for overlapping the outer tube protector and restricting movements other than relative sliding in the longitudinal direction between the two protectors are formed over the maximum overlap length of the two protectors. With That.

Therefore, both the outer tube and the inner tube are covered by the outer tube protector and the inner tube protector, respectively, and are effectively protected from flying stones and impacts, so that the function of the front fork is maintained in a good state. ..

The inner tube protector overlaps the outer tube protector as the front fork expands and contracts, slides relative to the outer tube protector through the sliding engagement means, and overlaps with the outer tube protector over the entire length. Engage with tube protector. Therefore, no matter how short the front fork is shrunk, the inner tube protector does not project upward like a cantilever, and the inner tube protector will be deformed even when a shock is applied to the inner tube protector when the front fork contracts. Or, there is no concern about damage or disconnection.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a left side view of a motorcycle to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the front fork taken along the line II in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a left side view of the front fork.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in FIGS. 2 and 3.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VV of FIGS. 2 and 3.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIGS. 2 and 3, showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIGS. 2 and 3.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Motorcycle 3 Front fork 7 Outer tube 8 Inner tube 17 Inverted front fork protector 18 Outer tube protector 19 Inner tube protector 20, 21 Band part 20a, 21a Clamp 22 Screw 24 Sliding engagement means 25 Guide groove 26 Guide rail L Maximum overlap length

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An inverted front fork protection device for a motorcycle, wherein an inverted front fork having an inner tube slidably inserted from below into an outer tube is covered with a protector, wherein the outer tube and the inner tube are provided. Install an outer tube protector and an inner tube protector that respectively cover the lengthwise direction so that the inner tube protector overlaps the outer tube protector when the front fork is contracted, and the relative lengthwise sliding between the protectors is performed. An inverted front fork protection device for a motorcycle, wherein sliding engagement means for restricting movements other than movement is formed over the maximum overlap length of the protectors and over the entire length.