JPS6119997Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] The present invention is an attitude control system for motorcycles and other vehicles that allows the operator to arbitrarily control a pneumatic suspension system with a vehicle height adjustment function to obtain a desired vehicle height. Regarding.

In general, adjusting the vehicle height according to road surface conditions, the number of passengers, and the amount of cargo is extremely effective in improving the vehicle's driving performance and ride comfort, and especially when adjusting the vehicle height of a motorcycle. ,
In order to obtain a proper vehicle height, it is necessary to do this while the driver is stepping with both feet and applying the full load to the vehicle body, ie, while the vehicle is running.

Therefore, the present invention is a simple and effective method that allows the operator to arbitrarily adjust the pressure in the air spring chamber of the pneumatic suspension system to obtain the desired vehicle height regardless of whether the vehicle is stopped or running. The purpose is to provide equipment.

In order to achieve such an object, the present invention provides a pneumatic suspension system that suspends wheels on a vehicle body; an air pump mounted on the vehicle body; and a discharge port of this air pump and an air spring chamber of the suspension system that communicates with each other. Conduit and;
a manual pressure booster valve installed in the conduit so as to be able to open and close at will regardless of the effective length of the suspension; a manual pressure reducing valve installed in the leak pipe so that it can be opened and closed at will regardless of the effective length of the suspension device; provided in the leak pipe in series with the pressure reducing valve;
an orifice configured to regulate the air discharge speed when the pressure reducing valve is opened; a pressure gauge capable of detecting the pressure in the air spring chamber of the suspension device; and each operation of the pressure increasing valve and the pressure reducing valve. The pressure gauge is installed at a location where the operator can manually operate the pressure gauge even while the vehicle is running, and the pressure gauge is installed at a location where the operator can visually see the pressure gauge even when the vehicle is running.

Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a motorcycle will be explained with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 2r is suspended in a cushioning manner.

The suspension devices Sf and Sr are configured to be at least pneumatic, and in the illustrated example, are configured to be hydraulic/pneumatic. That is, as clearly shown in FIG. 2, a pair of air cylinders 3 and 3' each having an air spring chamber inside, and hydraulic dampers 4 and 4' combined to transmit the load of the vehicle body 1 to these cylinders are provided. The conduits 5, 5' extending from both air cylinders 3, 3' are connected to a pressure equalizer 6 mounted on the vehicle body 1 so as to communicate with each other.

The pressure equalizer 6 has two inlets 7, 8 communicating with both conduits 5, 5', one inlet 7 to which a conduit 9 is connected and the other inlet 8 an emergency air injection valve 1.
0 is set. Further, a pot 11 is provided at the inlet 7, and this is kept open at all times unless there is a failure on the conduit 9 side.

A discharge port of an electric air pump 12 is connected to the tip of the conduit 9, and a dehumidifier 13 is connected to the suction port.
An air cleaner 14 is also provided to supply clean pressurized air to the conduit 9.

Further, a manual pressure increasing valve 15 is installed in the conduit 9 immediately after the discharge port of the air pump 12. This pressure increase valve 15 has a poppet-shaped valve body 18 which is urged toward the closing side by a spring 17 within a valve case 16.
A push button 19 and a movable contact 21 pressed by the push button 19 via a spring 20 are attached to the valve rod 18a projecting outside the valve case 16 of No. 8. This movable contact 2
A pair of fixed points 22, 22' are provided on the valve case 16 opposite to the normally open switch 2.
3 is composed. The electric motor section of the air pump 12 is connected to a battery 25 via this switch 23 and a main switch 24. The main switch 24 is opened and closed in conjunction with the engine's ignition switch.

Furthermore, a detection pipe 27 connected to a pressure gauge 26 and a leak pipe 28 having an opening to open to the atmosphere are connected to the conduit 9 in the section between the pressure increase valve 15 and the pressure balancer 6, and a manual pressure reduction valve is connected to the leak pipe 28. 29 and orifice 30 are interposed in series with each other. Pressure reducing valve 2
9 has a poppet-shaped valve body 33 that is urged in the valve-closing direction by a spring 32 within the valve case 31;
A push button 34 is attached to a valve rod 33a that protrudes outside the valve box 31 of No. 3.

The air pump 12, pressure increase valve 15, pressure reduction valve 2
9. Pressure gauges 26 and the like are all permanently installed in the vehicle body 1, and an example of their installation location is shown in FIG. The pressure gauge 26 is installed at a location where the operator can manually operate it even while the vehicle is running (in the illustrated example, on the top of the fuel tank), and the pressure gauge 26 is also installed at a location where the operator can see it while the vehicle is running (in the illustrated example, at the front end of the speedometer). be done.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained. When it is necessary to raise the vehicle height, the push button 19 of the pressure increase valve 15 is pressed after the main switch 24 is closed.
Then, the valve body 18 is opened and the conduit 9 is opened, and at the same time the switch 23 is closed and the air pump 12 is activated, so that the pressurized air discharged from the valve body is supplied to the conduit 9, the pressure equalizer 6, and the conduits 5, 5'. The air is supplied into the cylinders 3 and 3' through the air cylinders 3 and 3', and the vehicle height increases due to the extension of the suspension system Sr. When the push button 19 is released when the desired vehicle height is obtained, the valve body 18 returns to the closed position due to the elastic force of the spring 17, cutting off the conduit 9, and the switch 23 opens to release the air. The operation of the pump 12 is stopped.

Conversely, if it is necessary to lower the vehicle height, the push button 34 of the pressure reducing valve 29 is pressed. Then, the valve body 33 is opened and the leak pipe 28 is opened, so that the pressurized air in the air cylinders 3, 3' is discharged into the atmosphere through the leak pipe 28, and the discharge speed is regulated by the orifice 30. The suspension system Sr gradually contracts to accurately lower the vehicle height. Then, when the desired vehicle height is obtained, if the push button 34 is released, the valve body 33 is activated by the spring 3.
Due to the elastic force of 2, the valve returns to the closed position and the leak pipe 2
8 is cut off, so air discharge stops.

Incidentally, the present invention can be applied to the front suspension system Sf as well as to various suspension systems of a four-wheeled vehicle.

As described above, according to the present invention, the wheels 2 are mounted on the vehicle body 1.
a pneumatic suspension system Sr for suspending the vehicle body 1;
The air pump 12 mounted on; this air pump 1
a conduit 9 communicating between the discharge port of No. 2 and the air spring chamber of the suspension Sr; a manual type installed in the conduit 9 and capable of opening and closing at will regardless of the effective length of the suspension Sr; a pressure increase valve 15; a leak pipe 28 connected to the conduit 9 between the pressure increase valve 15 and the suspension system Sr; and a leak pipe 28 having an opening opening to the atmosphere; a manual pressure reducing valve 29 that can be opened and closed at will regardless of
The operating portions of the pressure increase valve 15 and the pressure reduction valve 29 are installed at locations where the operator can manually operate them even while the vehicle is running, and the pressure gauge 26 is installed at locations where the operator can see them even when the vehicle is running. Not only while the vehicle is stopped, but also while the vehicle is running, the operator operates the pressure increase valve 1 while visually checking the pressure display in the air spring chamber using the pressure gauge 26, which serves as a guide for adjusting the vehicle height.
5 and the pressure reducing valve 29 manually without any trouble, the pressure in the air spring chamber and therefore the effective length of the suspension system Sr can be arbitrarily and simply and precisely adjusted at any time. Even while driving, the desired vehicle height can be easily obtained depending on the road surface conditions, number of passengers, cargo amount, etc., and it is also possible to correct the tilt of the vehicle body due to unbalanced loads, improving driving performance and ride comfort. can.

Furthermore, the leak pipe 28 is provided with an orifice 30 in series with the pressure reducing valve 29 to regulate the air discharge speed when the pressure reducing valve 29 is opened, so that when the pressure reducing valve 29 is opened, the leak pipe 28 The orifice 30 determines the speed of air discharged to the outside.
The effective length of the suspension system Sr can be gradually reduced by regulating the length of the suspension system Sr, and the vehicle height can therefore be accurately lowered.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is an overall side view of a motorcycle equipped with the device of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the device of the present invention. Sr... Rear suspension as pneumatic suspension, 3,3'... Air cylinder with air spring chamber, 9... Conduit, 12... Air pump, 15...
Pressure increase valve, 26...pressure gauge, 28...leak pipe, 29...pressure reducing valve, 30...orifice.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A pneumatic suspension system that suspends wheels 2r on a vehicle body 1
Sr; Air pump 12 mounted on the vehicle body 1
and; the discharge port of this air pump 12 and the suspension device
a conduit 9 that communicates between the air spring chambers of Sr; a manual pressure increase valve 15 that is interposed in this conduit 9 and can be opened and closed at will irrespective of the effective length of the suspension device Sr; this pressure increase valve 15 and the conduit 9 between the suspension device Sr, and a leak pipe 28 having an opening for opening to the atmosphere; the leak pipe 28 is interposed in the leak pipe 28 and can be opened and closed at will irrespective of the effective length of the suspension device Sr. a manual pressure reducing valve 29 configured as shown in FIG. Device
A pressure gauge 26 capable of detecting the pressure in the air spring chamber of Sr;
In this vehicle attitude control device, each operating section 9 is installed at a location where the driver can manually operate the vehicle even while the vehicle is running, and the pressure gauge 26 is installed at a location where the driver can visually see the pressure gauge 26 even while the vehicle is running.