JPH0569721A - Car height adjust device for air suspension car - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To adjust a car height suitable for the getting in/out of passenger and the load/unload of goods in a car stopping, meantime maintain the adjusted car height even in a load change and maintain the car height by returning back to the prescribed car height automatically in a running. CONSTITUTION:A pair of leveling valves 14a, 14b and a solenoid valve 17 by which either one of these leveling valves 14a, 14b is worked are installed in an air flow passage 15 between an air tank 12 and an air spring 13. The upper ends of drive links 18a, 18b are pivoted on the changeover levers 16a, 16b on leveling valves 14a, 14b and the drive link 18b is connected to an axle 11 rotatably by a control link 19 and displaced forcely by an actuator 21 for remote operation. The leveling valve 14b is not worked when the solenoid valve 17 is in a running status by a control circuit 30.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle equipped with an air suspension mechanism. More specifically, the present invention relates to a device for adjusting the vehicle height by an air suspension mechanism.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a vehicle equipped with an air suspension mechanism such as a bus or a truck, an air spring is provided between a chassis frame and an axle, and compressed air is supplied to the air spring from an air tank through a leveling valve. The chassis frame is suspended by air springs. When the axle is displaced in the direction perpendicular to the chassis frame, the link mechanism pivotally attached to the axle rotates the switching lever of the leveling valve, and the rotation of this lever supplies and discharges the compressed air of the leveling valve. I try to keep the chassis frame at a certain height. Conventionally, using this air suspension mechanism, in order to facilitate the loading and unloading of passengers in a vehicle such as a bus, or the loading and unloading of luggage in a vehicle such as a truck, compression in an air spring is performed. A kneeling device that discharges air to lower the vehicle height has been proposed (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59-59).
-160610).

Furthermore, when passengers get on and off and luggage is loaded and unloaded,
In addition to adjusting the height of the car body to an arbitrary height, the height of the car body can be maintained at the adjusted height even if the load applied to the air suspension mechanism fluctuates while passengers are getting on and off or loading and unloading luggage. A possible vehicle height adjusting device has been proposed (for example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 60-188809). In this vehicle height adjusting device, the switching lever of the leveling valve is composed of two parts, one part is pivotally supported by the leveling valve, the other part is pivotally supported by the axle, and both parts are rotatable relative to each other. Be connected. The lever of the part pivotally supported by the axle is configured to be remotely operable, and when the lever of the part pivotally supported by the axle is remotely operated, the compressed air of the leveling valve can be forcibly supplied and discharged, and the desired Vehicle height can be obtained.

[0004]

However, the vehicle height adjusting device described above can travel even when the vehicle height is changed by remote control, or an unexpected vehicle height may occur if remote control is performed while traveling. was there.

The object of the present invention is to adjust the vehicle height suitable for passengers getting on and off and loading and unloading of luggage when the vehicle is stopped.
Secondly, the adjusted vehicle height is maintained even if there are load fluctuations when passengers get on and off and luggage is loaded and discharged. To provide a vehicle height adjusting device for an air suspension vehicle.

[0006]

A structure of the present invention for achieving the above object will be described with reference to FIG. 1 corresponding to an embodiment. The vehicle height adjusting device of the present invention includes an air spring 13 provided between the chassis frame 10 and the axle 11 for suspending the chassis frame 10 by compressed air from the air tank 12, and an air spring between the air tank 12 and the air spring 13. First and second leveling valves 14a, 14b provided in the flow passage 15 to control the supply and discharge of compressed air to keep the chassis frame 10 at a constant height, and the first and second leveling valves provided in the air flow passage 15 Leveling valves 14a, 14b
A solenoid valve 17 for activating either one of them, and a first and a second leveling valves 14a, 14b which are rotatably provided respectively and which switch supply and discharge of compressed air of each leveling valve in accordance with a rotation angle. 1st and 2nd switching lever 16
a and 16b. Further, the vehicle height adjusting device of the present invention further includes a first drive link 18a for pivotally supporting the upper end of the first switching lever 16a and a lower end of the axle 11 for pivoting the switching lever 16a by displacement, and a second switching lever. 16
a second drive link 18b whose upper end is pivotally supported by b to rotate the switching lever 16b by displacement, and a second drive link 18b.
A control link 19 for rotatably connecting the shaft 11 to the axle 11 and forcibly displacing the second drive link 18b, an actuator 21 for rotating the control link 19 to displace the second drive link 18b, and an electromagnetic And a control circuit 30 for switching the valve 17.

[0007]

When the vehicle is stopped, the control circuit 30 switches the solenoid valve 17 to activate the second leveling valve 14b. When the actuator 21 is operated here, the control link 19 is rotated and the second switching lever 16b is moved through the second drive link 18b.
Rotate. As a result, the leveling valve 14b is switched, compressed air is supplied to and discharged from the air spring 13, and a desired vehicle height is obtained. In this state, when the load on the vehicle body fluctuates due to the change in the loading amount, the second drive link 18b rotates the switching lever 16b and the leveling valve 14b maintains a desired vehicle height. In the traveling state, the control circuit 30 further switches the solenoid valve 17 to activate the first leveling valve 14a and deactivate the second leveling valve 14b. In this state, when the load on the vehicle body fluctuates due to the change in the loading amount, the first drive link 18a rotates the switching lever 16a and the leveling valve 14a maintains the desired vehicle height.

[0008]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, an air spring 13 for suspending the frame 10 by compressed air from an air tank 12 is provided between a chassis frame 10 of a truck or a bus and an axle 11. A pair of leveling valves 14a, 14b for controlling the supply and discharge of compressed air in the air flow path 15 between the air tank 12 and the air spring 13 to keep the frame 10 at a constant height are provided to the frame 10 via the base 22. It is fixed. One leveling valve 14
a is a valve for automatically adjusting the vehicle height when traveling,
The other leveling valve 14b is a valve for obtaining an arbitrary vehicle height when the vehicle is stopped. These leveling valves 14
One of a and 14b is switched by a solenoid valve 17 provided in the air flow path 15 so that one of them is in an operating state.
A switching lever 16a is provided rotatably on the leveling valve 14a, and a switching lever 16b is provided on the leveling valve 14b. These switching levers 16a, 16b are provided.
By the rotation of, the compressed air of the valves 14a and 14b is supplied and discharged.

The upper end of the first drive link 18a is pivotally supported by the tip of the switching lever 16a, and the upper end of the second drive link 18b is pivotally supported by the tip of the switching lever 16b. The lower end of the first drive link 18a is pivotally supported directly on the axle 11, and the lower end of the second drive link 18b is pivotally supported on the axle 11 via a control link 19. That is, the control link 19 is formed in an L shape, the lower end of the second drive link 18b is pivotally supported at one end thereof, and the central portion thereof is pivotally supported at the axle 11.
One end of a push-pull cable 23 for remotely operating this control link 19 is attached to the other end of the control link 19, and the other end of the cable 23 is connected to an operating lever 24. The operating lever 24 is the bracket 2 fixed to the vehicle body 10a.
5 is rotatably attached. By operating the operating lever 24, the second drive link 18b can be forcibly displaced via the control link 19. The push-pull cable 23 and the operating lever 24 constitute an actuator 21 for remote operation.

The air flow path 15 is provided with a solenoid valve 17 for activating one of the first and second leveling valves 14a and 14b. The control output of the control circuit 30 is connected to the solenoid valve 17. The control circuit 30 is connected in series with a battery 31, a normally closed return switch 32, a parking switch 33 that is turned on when the parking brake is operated, and a neutral switch 34 that is turned on when the transmission is in neutral. A vehicle height adjusting switch 35 and a holding relay 36 that is turned on and off by switching the switch 35 are connected to the neutral switch 34. Further, a pilot lamp 37, a delay circuit 38 and a buzzer 39 are connected to the holding relay 36. The output of the delay circuit 38 is connected to the solenoid valve 17 described above.

The operation of the vehicle height adjusting device thus configured will be described. First, when a truck or a bus is stopped to load or unload luggage or passengers get on or off, when the driver operates the parking brake to set the gear position of the transmission to the neutral position, the switches 33 and 34 are activated. Turn on. When the driver or another occupant turns on the vehicle height adjustment switch 35 in this state, the holding relay 36 is turned on, the pilot lamp 37 is turned on, and the solenoid valve 17 is gradually switched by the delay circuit 38 and the second leveling valve 14b.
To activate. While switching the solenoid valve 17, the buzzer 3
9 sounds. When the driver lights up the pilot lamp 37 and stops the sound of the buzzer 39, the driver or the like knows that the vehicle body can be adjusted to an arbitrary height, and the operation lever 24 is indicated by a solid arrow here. Turn clockwise to the desired angle and stop. The control link 19 is the second drive link 1
8b is pulled down, and the switching lever 16b is turned counterclockwise.
As a result, the leveling valve 14b is attached to the air spring 1
The compressed air of 3 is discharged into the atmosphere to lower the vehicle height. When the desired height is reached, the switching lever 16b moves to the neutral position and compressed air is no longer discharged from the air spring 13,
The descent of the vehicle body 10a stops. On the contrary, when raising the vehicle height, the operation lever 24 is turned counterclockwise by a desired angle as shown by the broken arrow to stop. The control link 19 pushes up the second drive link 18b and turns the switching lever 16b clockwise. As a result, the leveling valve 14b supplies compressed air to the air spring 13 to raise the vehicle height. When the desired height is reached, the switching lever 16b is in the neutral position, compressed air is not supplied to the air spring 13, and the ascending of the vehicle body is stopped. The delay circuit 38 prevents the vehicle height from being sharply adjusted even if the operating lever 24 was previously set at a desired angle.

When the load applied to the air spring 13 fluctuates due to loading and unloading of luggage and passengers getting on and off, and the vehicle height changes, the leveling valve 14b supplies and discharges the compressed air of the air spring 13 to obtain the above-mentioned desired value. Maintain the height of. For example, when the load decreases and the vehicle body begins to rise, the switching lever 16b is rotated counterclockwise, and the leveling valve 14b discharges compressed air from the air spring 13 to prevent the vehicle body 10a from rising and maintain a desired height. On the contrary, when the load increases and the vehicle body begins to lower, the switching lever 16b rotates clockwise and the leveling valve 14b
Supplies compressed air to the air spring 13 to prevent the vehicle body from descending and maintain a desired height.

Next, loading and unloading of luggage and passengers are finished,
When the driver turns off the return switch 32, the holding relay 36 is turned off, the pilot lamp 37 is turned off, the solenoid valve 17 is switched, and the second leveling valve 14b is switched.
Is deactivated and the first leveling valve 14a is activated. The first leveling valve 14a rotates the switching lever 16a according to the displacement of the first drive link 18a, and compressed air is supplied to and discharged from the air spring 13 according to the rotation direction of the switching lever 16a, so that the vehicle height becomes suitable for traveling. Further, even if the driver forgets to turn off the return switch 32, if the parking brake is deactivated in order to drive the vehicle and the gear position of the transmission is changed from the neutral position to the traveling gear position, the switches 33 and 34 are turned off. , The holding of the holding relay 36 is released, the solenoid valve 17 is switched, and the second leveling valve 14b is inactivated, and the first leveling valve 1
4a is activated. As a result,. Similar to the above, the vehicle height suitable for traveling is automatically restored by the rotation of the switching lever 16a.

In FIG. 1, the leveling valve 14
Although a and 14b are provided on the left and right chassis frames, and the control link 19 is L-shaped to simplify the description, the structure shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is specifically shown. In both figures,
The same reference numerals denote the same components. In this specific example, the leveling valves 14a and 14b are fixed to one chassis frame 10 via a single base 22. The lower end of the drive link 18a pivotally supported by the switching lever 16a of the leveling valve 14a is pivotally supported by the central portion of a horizontally-arranged linear control link 19b. The left end of the link 19b is pivotally supported by the chassis frame 10, and the right end thereof is the link 1
It is pivotally supported by the axle 11 via 9c. The lower end of the drive link 18b pivotally supported by the switching lever 16b of the leveling valve 14b has a linear control link 1 provided horizontally.
It is pivotally supported at the center of 9a. One end of a push-pull cable 23 is attached to the left end of the link 19a, and its right end is pivotally supported by the link 19b. As shown in FIG. 3, one end of the push-pull cable 23 has an L-shaped lever 19d.
And is preferably attached to the right end of the link 19a via the link 19e. With such a structure,
Only a single link 19c needs to be pivotally supported with respect to the axle 11, and the entire device can be assembled upward, which is advantageous in terms of installation space of the device. Since the operation of this specific example is the same as that of the above-described embodiment, the repeated description will be omitted.

[0015]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the vehicle is stopped, the control means 30 switches the solenoid valve 17 to activate the second leveling valve 14b, so that the actuator 21 for remote operation is operated. As a result, the vehicle height can be adjusted to be suitable for passengers getting on and off and luggage to be loaded and unloaded. Further, when the vehicle height to be constantly adjusted such as the height of the platform is determined, if the operating lever 24 is always in the fixed position, the control circuit 30 alone can change the vehicle height to the predetermined vehicle height. , It is possible to memorize the vehicle height when working. Further, at that time, even if the load fluctuates when the passengers get on and off or the luggage is loaded and unloaded, the link 18b rotates the switching lever 16b to operate the leveling valve 14b to maintain the adjusted vehicle height. .. In particular, although the conventional vehicle height adjusting device can adjust the vehicle height to an arbitrary vehicle height due to a malfunction or the driver's intention even during traveling, in the device of the present invention, the control means 30 switches the solenoid valve 17 during traveling to perform the second leveling. Since the valve 14b is deactivated and the first leveling valve 14a is activated, malfunctions and the like can be prevented, and the vehicle height can be automatically restored to a predetermined vehicle height and maintained at a vehicle height suitable for traveling. ..

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle height adjusting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a main part configuration diagram showing a specific example thereof.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a more specific form of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10a vehicle body 10 chassis frame 11 axle 12 air tank 13 air springs 14a, 14b leveling valves 16a, 16b switching levers 18a, 18b drive link 19 control link 21 actuator 30 control circuit

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An air spring (13) provided between a chassis frame (10) and an axle (11) for suspending the chassis frame (11) by compressed air from an air tank (12), and the air tank (12). ) And the air spring (13) are provided in the air flow path (15) to control the supply and discharge of compressed air to keep the chassis frame (10) at a constant height. 14a, 14b), an electromagnetic valve (17) provided in the air flow path (15) for operating one of the first and second leveling valves (14a, 14b), and the first and second Air provided with first and second switching levers (16a, 16b), which are rotatably provided on the two leveling valves (14a, 14b) and which switch the supply and discharge of the compressed air of each leveling valve according to the turning angle. A vehicle height adjusting device for a suspension vehicle, wherein the upper end is pivotally supported by the first switching lever (16a) and the lower end is The first drive link (18a) pivotally supported by the axle (11) to rotate the switching lever (16a) by the displacement, and the upper end pivotally supported by the second switching lever (16b) and the switching lever (16b) by the displacement. A second drive link (18b) for rotating the second drive link (18b) and the second drive link (18b) rotatably connected to the axle (11) and forcibly displacing the second drive link (18b) A control link (19) and the second drive link (1) by rotating the control link (19).
A vehicle height adjusting device for an air suspension vehicle comprising an actuator (21) for displacing 8b) and a control circuit (30) for switching the solenoid valve (17).