JPS5979320A - Air pressure regulating device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To indicate abnormality accurately without increasing wiring and number of parts by indicating abnormality of action at a pressure indicator when abnormality is identified basing on data read out from a memory that stores normal condition by a controlling device. CONSTITUTION:In an air pressure regulating device of air spring used in front and rear wheels suspension system of a motor cycle, air chambers 14, 20 of front and rear wheels connected throgh valves 32, 34 are formed at the discharge port of an air pump 22 driven by an electric motor 24. A semiconductor pressure sensor 36 and an exhausting valve 38 are installed in the upper stream side of the valves 32, 34. A controlling unit 40 is provided with a pressure indicator 42 that indicates pressure detected by the sensor 36, a memory 44 that stores normal condition and a controlling device 46. The device 46 indicates abnormality of action in an indicator 42 when it judges abnormality of action basing on the data read out from the memory 44.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an air pressure adjusting device for controlling the air pressure of an air spring or the like, and particularly to a device that can also display abnormalities in the device on a pressure display that displays the air pressure.

In air springs and the like, it is necessary to detect air pressure and control it to a predetermined air pressure. Conventionally, this type of device often uses Bourdon tube pressure gauges, but since Bourdon tubes require long piping, the piping may become loose or clogged. However, even if such piping abnormalities occur and the equipment no longer functions properly, these abnormalities are extremely difficult to resolve, so the electric motor that drives the air pump continues to be operated with overload for a long time, sometimes resulting in Sometimes the motor was damaged.

Also, to warn of abnormalities such as motor overload operation,
Although it is conceivable to separately provide an indicator lamp or the like, there are also problems in that the number of parts increases and the wiring becomes complicated.

The present invention was developed in view of this main situation, and it is possible to display abnormalities in the device without increasing the number of parts or wiring, and it is also possible to identify and display multiple types of operational abnormalities. The purpose is to provide an air pressure regulating device.

In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention includes an air pump driven by an electric motor, an air chamber communicating with a discharge port of the air pump via an on-off valve, and a pressure sensor communicating with an upstream side of the on-off valve. and an exhaust on/off valve, a pressure indicator that displays the pressure detected by the pressure sensor, a memory that stores a normal state in advance, and a control device, and the control device is configured to display an operating state based on data read from the memory. The pressure indicator is configured to detect an abnormality in the operation and display the abnormality in the operation on the pressure indicator. 11 The present invention will be described in detail below based on the embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view of its control unit, and FIG. 3 is a flow chart of its operation. This embodiment is for adjusting the air pressure of an air spring used in a front and rear wheel suspension system of a motorcycle.

That is, the front wheel 10 is supported by a known front fork 12 that uses both an air spring and a coil spring, and an air chamber 14 is formed in the upper part of the fork 12. rear wheel 16
is similarly supported by a cushion unit 18 that uses both an air spring and a coil spring, and an air chamber 20 is formed within this unit 18.

22 is a plunger type air 2 pump, 24 is this pump 22
The motorized morph 26 that drives the pump 26 is an air filter that is installed in the puke passage of the pump 22. This Bon 7'
The air pressurized and discharged at 22 passes through a dryer 28, a one-way valve 30, and is further led to the air chambers 14, 20 via electromagnetic on-off valves 3', 2, and 34, respectively. In addition, on-off valve 3
2.34 is made to close the air passage when de-energized.

Further, a semiconductor pressure sensor 36 and an exhaust on-off valve 38 are installed upstream of these on-off valves 32, 34, that is, between the one-way valve 30 and the on-off valves 32, 34.

Reference numeral 40 is a control unit, which includes a liquid crystal pressure display 42 that displays a two-digit number consisting of seven segments, a memory 44 that stores normal operating conditions in advance, and a known digital microcomputer. A control device 46 is provided. Note that the display 42 also displays displays indicating other operating states. Further, front and rear air chamber switching switches 50a, 50b-, air pressure control switches 52a, 52b, 52'c, and an auto/manual selection switch 54 are attached to the top plate of the control unit 40.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained based on FIG. When the main switch of the vehicle is turned on (step 100), the control device 40 starts operating and first lights up all the displays on the display 42 for 1 second (for example, 3 seconds) (step 10).
2). Thereby, it is possible to check whether or not there is a failure in the display 42 and the control unit 40. After L seconds have elapsed, the two-digit number is set to zero and other displays disappear.

Next, only the exhaust valve 38 is opened and the atmospheric pressure is detected by the pressure sensor 3.
6 and measure the atmospheric pressure. The semiconductor pressure sensor 36 has a characteristic that a predetermined positive output voltage vP is generated even at atmospheric pressure, and that this output voltage vP increases as the pressure increases.

The control device 46 determines whether the output voltage 2 is O volts or not (step 104), and if it is 0 volts, the sensor 36
It is determined that there is an abnormality, and the display unit 42 displays, for example, El.

That is, E is displayed in the second digit and 1 is displayed in the first digit (step 106).

If the output voltage VP is not O volts, the controller 46 reads from the memory 44 the minimum A and maximum B of the normally considered atmospheric pressure.
It is determined whether the voltage (2) is within this range (step 108). If the voltage V is outside the range A-B, it is assumed that there is an abnormality in the on-off valve 38, etc., and the display 42 displays, for example, E2 (step 110).

Voltage ■.

If it is within the range of A-B, then mode determination is performed (step 112).

If either of the air chamber selector switches 50a, 50b in FIG. 2 is pressed, the exhaust on-off valve 38 closes,
4 is opened, and the air pressure in the air chamber 14 or 20 at that time is displayed on the display 42 (internal pressure measurement/display step 114).

If the switch 54 is pressed once while either the switch 50a or 50b is pressed, the pressure will be automatically adjusted (step 116), and if it is pressed again, the pressure will be adjusted manually (step 118). In automatic pressure regulation, switches 52a, 52
b, 52c, the control device 46 switches to this switch 52a.

Read out one of the low pressure value, medium pressure value, and high pressure value from the memory 44 corresponding to 52b and 52C = #; -==nχ1Esi 畔饩たき. Then, the motor 24 and pump 22 are operated. When the pressure detected by the sensor 36 reaches a predetermined pressure, the on-off valve 32 opens. When the air pressure in the air chamber 14 reaches the value selected by the switches 52a to 52c, the motor 24 is stopped and the on-off valve opens. 3
2 is closed. In order to adjust the air chamber 20 of the cushion unit 18 for the rear wheel 16, it is sufficient to press the switch 50b and then select the switches 52a to 52c. Note that during this automatic pressure adjustment, the air pressure detected by the sensor 36 is displayed on the display 42 (step 116).

Switch 50a to either air chamber 14 or 20.

50b and further presses the switch 54 to enter manual adjustment (step 118). In this state, the motor 24 operates until the predetermined air pressure is reached, and the on-off valve 32.3
4 will open. During this time, the sensor 36 is displayed on the display 42.
The detected pressure is displayed. If the switch 52a is pressed while looking at this display, the exhaust on-off valve 38 will open and the air chamber pressure will drop, and if the switch 52c is pressed, the motor will operate again and the air pressure will rise.

In the auto-manual adjustment of these steps 116 and 118, the operating time of the motor 24 is measured (step 120). Kneading focuses on the fact that under normal operating conditions, the motor 24 is not continuously rotated for more than 30 seconds, and when the motor 24 is continuously rotated for more than 30 seconds, the indicator 42 is displayed.
For example, E3 is displayed to indicate an abnormality, and the motor 24 is stopped to protect the motor 24 (step 122).

Also, during auto/manual adjustment (step 116.1)
18) Measure the rate of change in air pressure (step 1)
24). If this rate of change falls outside the allowable range stored in the memory 44, it is assumed that there is an abnormality in any of the on-off valves 32, 34, 38, the pump 22, the filter 26, the dryer 28, or the one-way valve 30, and the display 42 indicates For example, display E4 (
Step 126).

In this embodiment, the operation has been explained based on the flow shown in FIG. 3, but the present invention allows various operations and abnormality display operations to be performed by changing the program built in the control device 44. For example, an operation is added to automatically correct the high pressure value, medium pressure value, and low pressure value during automatic adjustment in response to atmospheric pressure, and the control unit 40 performs its own self-diagnosis and displays an abnormality display. You can do it like this.

As described above, the present invention uses the pressure indicator to display abnormalities in each part, so that abnormalities can be accurately displayed without increasing the number of wiring or parts. Additionally, multiple operational abnormalities can be identified and displayed simply by changing the program of the control device, making it easier to predict the location of the abnormality.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view of a control unit, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart of its operation 1-1. 14.20...Air chamber, 22...Air pump, 24
...Electric motor, 32.34...Opening/closing valve, 36...
Air pressure sensor, 38...Exhaust on/off valve, 42 River indicator, 44...Memory, 46...Control device. Patent applicant Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] an air pump driven by an electric motor; an air chamber communicating with a discharge port of the air pump via an on-off valve; a pressure sensor and an exhaust on-off valve communicating with an upstream side of the on-off valve; It includes a pressure indicator that displays the detected pressure, a memory that stores normal conditions in advance, and a control device, and the control device determines abnormality in the operating condition based on the data read from the memory and displays the pressure in the pressure indicator. An air pressure adjustment device characterized by displaying abnormalities in operation.