JP5812426B2 - Spring load adjusting device for shock absorber - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a spring load adjusting device for a shock absorber such as a front fork for a motorcycle.

  The present applicant has proposed the one disclosed in Patent Document 1 as a spring load adjusting device for a motorcycle front fork. The spring load adjusting device described in Patent Literature 1 includes a vehicle body side tube and an axle side tube that are slidably fitted, and a suspension spring is built in an internal space surrounded by the vehicle body side tube and the axle side tube. A cap fixed to the open end facing the outer space of the tube, a fork bolt screwed to the inner periphery of the cap, and pivotally supported on the inner periphery of the fork bolt, and can be rotated from the outer space. An operation element extending inside the bolt, and a nut body that is screwed to a screw portion provided in a portion of the operation element that extends inside the fork bolt, are provided along the axial direction from the nut body. An adjuster nut with an extending claw, and the screw of the operating element and the adjuster nut is a reverse screw to the screw of the cap and the fork bolt. The claw is inserted into a detent hole provided in the intermediate shelf of the cap, protrudes from the detent hole into an internal space surrounded by the vehicle body side tube and the axle side tube and pressurizes the suspension spring so that it can be supported. When the nut is rotated, the claw of the adjuster nut that is screwed with respect to the operating element is prevented from rotating by engaging with the rotation stop hole of the intermediate shelf portion of the cap and moves up and down, and the claw of the adjuster nut is pressurized. The spring load of the suspension spring can be adjusted.

  According to the spring load adjusting device described in Patent Document 1, a subassembly in which an operation element and an adjuster nut are pre-assembled is prepared on a fork bolt, and the fork bolt of the subassembly is fixed to the vehicle body side tube in advance. Assembling can be simplified by screwing on the cap.

JP2011-225198

  However, in the assembly stage of the spring load adjusting device described in Patent Document 1, before starting to tighten the fork bolt of the sub-assembly into the cap, the claw of the adjuster nut is inserted into the detent hole of the intermediate shelf portion of the cap. As a preparation, the adjuster nut that is screwed to the threaded part of the operating element pivotally supported by the fork bolt is positioned on the distal end side of the threaded part, and the length of the adjuster nut claw tip position relative to the fork bolt Need to be long.

  Then, the sub-assembly was loosely inserted into the cap, and while the fork bolt was idled, the adjuster nut claw that was inside the cap and was not visible from the outside was squeezed into the detent hole of the intermediate shelf portion of the cap. After that, it is possible to start tightening the fork bolts of the subassembly to the cap for the first time.

  That is, in the spring load adjusting device described in Patent Document 1, the adjuster nut claw is set against the fork bolt in preparation for inserting the adjuster nut claw of the sub-assembly into the detent hole of the intermediate shelf portion of the cap. It is necessary to lengthen the length of the tip position of the inside, or inside the cap that cannot be seen from the outside, it is necessary to grind the nail of the adjuster nut into the detent hole of the intermediate shelf portion of the cap, There are difficulties in improving assembly.

  An object of the present invention is to improve the assembling performance by screwing a fork bolt of a sub-assembly in which an operator and an adjuster nut are pre-assembled into a cap fixed in advance to one of a vehicle body side tube and an axle side tube. is there.

  The invention according to claim 1 is configured such that the vehicle body side tube and the axle side tube are slidably fitted, and a suspension spring is built in an inner space surrounded by the vehicle body side tube and the axle side tube. A cap fixed to the open end facing one outer space of the tube, a fork bolt screwed to the inner periphery of the cap, and pivotally supported on the inner periphery of the fork bolt, and can be rotated from the outer space An operation element extending inside the fork bolt, and a nut main body screwed to a screw portion provided in a portion of the operation element extending inside the fork bolt, and extending axially from the nut main body An adjuster nut having a claw extending along the screw, and the screw of the operating element and the adjuster nut is a reverse screw with respect to the screw of the cap and the fork bolt. The nut claw is inserted into the anti-rotation hole provided in the intermediate shelf of the cap and protrudes into the internal space surrounded by the vehicle body side tube and axle side tube from the anti detent hole so that the suspension spring can be pressurized and supported. When the child is rotated, the adjuster nut claw that is screwed with respect to the operator is prevented from rotating by engaging with the anti-rotation hole of the intermediate shelf of the cap and moves up and down, and the adjuster nut claw is added. A spring load adjusting device for a shock absorber that makes it possible to adjust the spring load of a suspension spring that presses against an anti-rotation hole of the intermediate shelf portion of the cap at an inner periphery rising from the intermediate shelf portion of the cap. A guide portion provided on the side of the screw advance direction in which the fork bolt on which the adjuster nut is pre-assembled is screwed to the cap at the assembly stage. The adjuster nut claw that has not yet been inserted through the anti-rotation hole at the stage of assembling the cap into the cap is brought into contact with the screw bolt rotation to the cap of the fork bolt, and thus the claw is stopped. The guide portion is slid so as to be inserted into the hole.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the invention according to claim 1, wherein the adjuster nut is screwed to the base end side of the screw portion of the operation element when the fork bolt starts to be screwed to the cap. The adjuster nut claw is axially separated from the intermediate shelf portion of the cap, and after the fork bolt is started to be screwed to the cap, the adjuster nut claw is guided by the rotation of the fork bolt. Set so that the nut body of the adjuster nut does not hit the intermediate shelf of the cap until the fork bolt is completely screwed to the cap. It has been made to be.

(Claim 1)
(a) In the spring load adjusting device for the shock absorber, a fork bolt in which an operating element and an adjuster nut are pre-assembled with respect to the detent hole of the intermediate shelf portion of the cap is provided on the inner periphery rising from the intermediate shelf portion of the cap. A guide portion provided on the side of the screw advance direction that is screwed and rotated when the cap is screwed to the cap, and is still inserted through the locking hole when the fork bolt is assembled to the cap. The adjuster nut claw that has not been provided has a guide portion that is brought into contact with the fork bolt cap as the screw tightening rotation is performed, and that the claw is slid so as to be inserted into the anti-rotation hole. .

  Therefore, at the stage of assembling the sub assembly consisting of the fork bolt, the operation element, and the adjuster nut into the cap, the sub assembly is maintained while the adjuster nut of the sub assembly is screwed to the base end side of the screw portion of the operation element. Can be loosely inserted into the cap, and the fork bolt of this subassembly can be immediately screwed onto the cap and rotated. According to this, the claw of the adjuster nut that has not yet been inserted into the anti-rotation hole of the intermediate shelf portion of the cap at the screw tightening start stage rotates along with the screw tightening rotation of the fork bolt, and hits the guide portion on the inner periphery of the cap. Touch. The claw of the adjuster nut is prevented from rotating by the guide portion with respect to a further follower force, and slides in the vertical axis direction along the guide portion.

  At this time, since the screw screw of the operation element and the adjuster nut is a reverse screw with respect to the screw screw of the cap and the fork bolt, when the fork bolt is advanced downward in the axial direction with respect to the cap, the adjuster for the operation element rotated around the fork bolt The direction in which the nut advances is also downward. As a result, the claw of the adjuster nut slides downward along the guide portion, and as a result, is automatically introduced into and inserted through the detent hole.

  After that, when the fork bolt of the sub-assembly is completely screwed to the cap, the adjuster nut claw that protrudes from the locking hole into the inner space of the vehicle body side tube and the axle side tube pressurizes and supports the suspension spring. To become. As a result, the spring load of the suspension spring can be adjusted by adjusting the position of the claw that is screwed by the operating member that is rotated from the outside and is prevented from rotating by the rotation stop hole and moves up and down.

  Therefore, it is not necessary to lengthen the length of the tip of the adjuster nut claw with respect to the fork bolt in preparation for inserting the adjuster nut claw of the sub-assembly into the detent hole in the intermediate shelf of the cap. There is no need to insert a claw of the adjuster nut into the detent hole of the intermediate shelf portion of the cap inside the cap that cannot be seen from the outside. It is possible to improve the assembling performance by screwing the fork bolt of the subassembly in which the operation element and the adjuster nut are pre-assembled into a cap fixed in advance to one of the vehicle body side tube and the axle side tube.

(Claim 2)
(b) The adjuster nut is screwed to the proximal end side of the screw portion of the operating element when the fork bolt is started to be screwed to the cap, and the claw of the adjuster nut is axially extended from the intermediate shelf portion of the cap. After the fork bolts are screwed to the cap, the adjuster nut claws come into contact with the guide portion, and as a result, the anti-rotation holes in the intermediate shelf portion of the cap. The nut body of the adjuster nut is set so as not to hit the intermediate shelf of the cap until the fork bolt is completely screwed to the cap.

  According to this, the claw of the adjuster nut can be surely brought into contact with the guide portion on the inner periphery of the cap at the stage of assembling the sub-assembly made up of the fork bolt, the operator and the adjuster nut, and the fork Before the bolt is completely screwed to the cap, the lower end surface of the nut body of the adjuster nut does not abut against the intermediate shelf of the cap and the screwing rotation is not hindered.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a shock absorber. FIG. 2 is a lower cross-sectional view of FIG. FIG. 3 is a top sectional view of FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the spring load adjusting device of FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the cap and sub-assembly before assembly. FIG. 6 shows an adjuster nut, (A) is a sectional view, (B) is a bottom view, and (C) is a side view. 7A and 7B show a cap, FIG. 7A is a top view, FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 7A, and FIG. 7C is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. 8A and 8B show a cap and a sub-assembly. FIG. 8A is a perspective cross-sectional view showing a state before assembly, and FIG.

  A spring leg 10 as a shock absorber according to the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 constitutes at least one of left and right legs of a motorcycle front fork, does not include a damper, and includes a suspension spring and an air spring. Built-in spring mechanism. At this time, the other of the left and right legs of the front fork is composed of a damper leg with a built-in damper and no built-in suspension spring mechanism. However, the other leg may be a spring leg similar to the spring leg 10.

  1 to 3, the spring leg 10 is slidable by sealing a vehicle body side tube (outer tube) 11 and an axle side tube (inner tube) 12 via bushes 13A and 13B and a seal member 13C. insert. The spring leg 10 suspends the guide cylinder 21 at the center inside the vehicle body side tube 11, and the tip guide 23 of the guide rod 22 erected at the center inside the axle side tube 12 is slidably inserted into the guide cylinder 21. doing. The spring leg 10 has an oil reservoir chamber 24 outside the guide cylinder 21 and the guide rod 22. In the oil reservoir chamber 24, the oil chamber 25 and the air chamber 26 are in contact via a free interface. Further, the inside of the guide cylinder 21 and the guide rod 22 is an air chamber 27 communicating with each other.

  The vehicle body side tube 11 is supported on the vehicle body side, and the axle side tube 12 is coupled to the axle. The upper opening end of the vehicle body side tube 11 is closed and sealed with a cap 30 and a fork bolt 31. The cap 30 is screwed to the vehicle body side tube 11, and the fork bolt 31 is screwed to the cap 30. A guide cylinder 21 is connected to a small-diameter cylindrical portion 30B, which will be described later, at the lower end of the cap 30, and is fixed and suspended by a lock nut 28.

  An axle bracket 32 is screwed and sealed to the lower end portion of the axle side tube 12, and the lower end portion of the guide rod 22 is erected on the axle bracket 32 inside the axle side tube 12. The lower end portion of the guide rod 22 is screwed to a bottom bolt 32A that is engaged and sealed with the bottom portion of the axle bracket 32 from the outside, and is fixed by a lock nut 32B. A lower spring receiver 43 described later is clamped between the lower end surface of the axle tube 12 and the bottom of the axle bracket 32. The guide rod 22 is slidably supported by a bush 35 of a rod guide 34 screwed to the lower opening end of the guide cylinder 21 and is inserted into the guide cylinder 21. A guide 23 is screwed to the tip of a guide rod 22 inserted into the guide cylinder 21, and a rebound spring 36 is interposed between the guide 23 and the rod guide 34.

  The spring leg 10 is a suspension spring made of a metal spring with the inner circumference of the vehicle body side tube 11 and the axle side tube 12 and the annular gap (oil reservoir chamber 24) between the outer circumference of the guide cylinder 21 and the guide rod 22 as a spring accommodating chamber 41. 40 is disposed in the spring accommodating chamber 41. The suspension spring 40 is interposed between an upper spring receiver 42 and a lower spring receiver 43 provided at the upper opening end of the vehicle body side tube 11. The suspension spring 40 is guided by the outer periphery of the guide cylinder 21 and expands and contracts along the inner periphery of the axle-side tube 12. The initial load of the suspension spring 40 can be adjusted by an operation applied to a later-described operation element 51 of the spring load adjusting device 50.

  In the spring leg 10, the upper portion of the spring accommodating chamber 41 of the suspension spring 40 is an air chamber 26, and the air chamber 26 communicates with the air chamber 27 inside the guide cylinder 21 and the guide rod 22. The operation element 51 includes an air valve 29 that adjusts the enclosed air pressure of the air chambers 26 and 27. An air spring is formed by the air chamber 26 and the air chamber 27 that are compressed in the pressure side stroke of the spring leg 10.

  The spring leg 10 is charged with lubricating oil in the oil chamber 25 of the oil reservoir chamber 24 (spring accommodating chamber 41). The sliding part between the vehicle body side tube 11 and the axle side tube 12, the sliding part between the guide cylinder 21 and the guide rod 22, and the sliding part between the suspension spring 40 and the axle side tube 12 and the guide cylinder 21 are lubricated.

  Therefore, in the front fork, the suspension spring 40 and the air spring (the air chambers 26 and 27 of the spring leg 10) are generated by the damping force generated by the extension side damping force generator and the compression side damping force generator included in the damper leg damper. The vibration of the vehicle body side tube 11 and the axle side tube 12 that accompanies absorption of the impact force due to the vibration is suppressed.

Hereinafter, the spring load adjusting device 50 provided in the spring leg 10 will be described in detail (FIGS. 4 to 8).
That is, the spring leg 10 slidably fits the vehicle body side tube 11 and the axle side tube 12 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, and the vehicle body side tube 11 and the axle side tube 12 are connected to the guide cylinder 21 and the guide rod. A suspension spring 40 is built in an oil reservoir chamber 24, which is an internal space that surrounds 22, and a spring load adjusting device 50 is provided at the upper opening end of the vehicle body side tube 11.

  In the spring load adjusting device 50, the cap 30 is inserted in a sealed state through a sealing member a such as an O-ring on the inner periphery of the upper opening end facing the outer space of the vehicle body side tube 11, and a screw It is screwed and fixed by 30S. The cap 30 includes a tool engaging portion 30R for screwing operation on the outer periphery of the upper end.

  A fork bolt 31 is inserted into the inner periphery of the cap 30 in a sealed state from the outside via a seal member b such as an O-ring, and is screwed and fixed by a screw 31S. In the fork bolt 31, the flange 31 </ b> A provided between the seal member b and the screw 31 </ b> S comes into contact with the inner peripheral step surface of the cap 30 to complete the screw tightening with respect to the cap 30. The fork bolt 31 includes a tool engagement portion 31R for screwing operation on the inner periphery of the upper end.

  A manipulator 51 is pivotally supported on the inner periphery of a pivot hole 31B provided at the center of the fork bolt 31. The operating element 51 is inserted into the pivotal support hole 31B of the fork bolt 31 with the upper outer peripheral portion 51A sealed from the inside via a seal member c such as an O-ring, and the intermediate flange 51B of the operating element 51 is inserted into the pivotal support hole 31B. The thrust plate 52 is abutted against the lower end surface, and a retaining ring 53 engaged with the outer periphery of the upper outer peripheral portion 51A protruding outward from the pivot support hole 31B is locked to the upper end surface of the pivot support hole 31B. Installed. The operating element 51 is provided with a tool engaging part 51R for rotating operation on the outer periphery of the upper outer peripheral part 51A protruding outward from the pivotal support hole 31B of the fork bolt 31, and from this external space using this tool engaging part 51R. Rotation operation is enabled. The operation element 51 is provided with a screw 51S on a lower outer peripheral portion 51C that extends directly under the intermediate flange 51B and extends inside the fork bolt 31. The operating element 51 is provided with the air valve 29 screwed in the air vent hole provided in the center of the upper outer peripheral portion 51A, and the air pressure of the air chambers 26 and 27 is appropriately controlled by the screwing operation of the air valve 29. It can be removed.

  A nut main body 54 </ b> A of an adjuster nut 54 is screwed to a screw 51 </ b> S provided on a lower outer peripheral portion 51 </ b> C extending inside the fork bolt 31 in the operation element 51. As shown in FIG. 6, the adjuster nut 54 includes claws 54 </ b> B extending downward along the axial direction from a plurality of circumferential positions on the lower end side of the cylindrical nut body 54 </ b> A, in this embodiment.

  The screw 51S of the operation element 51 and the adjuster nut 54 is a reverse screw with respect to the screw 30S of the cap 30 and the fork bolt 31. In this embodiment, the screw 31S is a right-hand thread and the screw 51S is a left-hand thread.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 7, the cap 30 has a generally cylindrical shape with openings at both ends. The upper end side has a large-diameter cylindrical portion 30A, the lower end side has a small-diameter cylindrical portion 30B, and the large-diameter cylindrical portion 30A and the small-diameter cylindrical portion 30B. Is connected to the intermediate shelf 30C. The sealing member a and the male screw 30S are provided on the outer periphery of the large-diameter cylindrical portion 30A, the female screw of the screw 31S is provided on the inner periphery of the large-diameter cylindrical portion 30A, and the guide is provided on the inner periphery of the small-diameter cylindrical portion 30B. A thread 21S for suspending the cylinder 21 is provided. And the rotation stop hole 30D which the nail | claw 54B of the adjuster nut 54 can penetrate is drilled in the circumferential direction several positions of the intermediate shelf part 30C, and this embodiment 3 positions.

  Each claw 54B of the adjuster nut 54 is inserted into each rotation stop hole 30D provided in the intermediate shelf portion 30C of the cap 30, and the small diameter cylinder of the cap 30 in the internal space surrounded by the vehicle body side tube 11 and the axle side tube 12 is inserted. It protrudes around the part 30B and pressurizes the suspension spring 40 so that it can be supported. In this embodiment, each claw 54B of the adjuster nut 54 applies the suspension spring 40 via the small-diameter cylindrical portion 30B of the cap 30 and spring collars 42A and 42B loosely inserted into the outer periphery of the guide cylinder 21 and the upper spring receiver 42. Press to make it supportable.

  As a result, when the operating element 51 is rotated, the spring load adjusting device 50 is configured such that the claw 54B of the adjuster nut 54 that is screwed with respect to the operating element 51 is connected to the rotation stop hole 30D of the intermediate shelf 30C of the cap 30. It is prevented from rotating by the engagement and moves up and down. Then, the spring load of the suspension spring 40 supported by the claw 54B of the adjuster nut 54 is made adjustable.

  In the spring load adjusting device, the operating element 51 is rotated from the external space with a moderate feeling by the moderate feeling imparting means 55 provided between the fork bolt 31. The moderation imparting means 55 includes a spring 55A and a ball 55B loaded in the outer peripheral hole portion of the intermediate flange 51B of the operation element 51, and the ball 55B is positioned at a plurality of positions on the inner periphery of the fork bolt 31 for every constant rotation of the operation element 51. It is pushed into the engaging recess 55C provided in the case to give a sense of moderation of rotation stopping.

  However, in the spring load adjusting device 50, the fork bolt 31 which is a subassembly in which the operation element 51 and the adjuster nut 54 are preassembled is screwed to the cap 30 fixed in advance to the vehicle body side tube 11 and assembled. In order to improve assemblability, the following configuration is provided.

  That is, at a plurality of circumferential positions in the lower inner periphery of the large-diameter cylindrical portion 30A that rises from the intermediate shelf portion 30C of the cap 30, in this embodiment, at three positions, with respect to the rotation stop hole 30D of the intermediate shelf portion 30C of the cap 30, The fork bolt 31 in which the operation element 51 and the adjuster nut 54 are pre-assembled is screwed and rotated in the cap 30 at the stage of assembly to the cap 30 in the screw advance direction (N direction in FIGS. 7A and 8). A guide portion 60 was provided on the side. The guide portion 60 is formed in a convex shape on the inner peripheral surface of the cap 30 so as to have a length L from the shelf surface of the intermediate shelf portion 30C and a height H from the inner peripheral surface of the large diameter cylindrical portion 30A (FIG. 5). ). As a result, when the fork bolt 31 of the sub-assembly is assembled to the cap 30, the claw 54B of the adjustment nut 54 that has not yet been inserted into the anti-rotation hole 30D causes the screw 30 to be attached to the cap 30 of the fork bolt 31. The guide portion 60 is brought into contact with the guide portion 60 (the guide surface 61 (FIGS. 7 and 8) opposite to the follower direction N of the claw 54B) as the tightening rotation is performed, so that the guide portion 60 is inserted into the anti-rotation hole 30D. The guide surface 61 is guided while sliding.

Therefore, according to the spring load adjustment apparatus 50, there exist the following effects.
(a) At the stage of assembling the sub-assembly including the fork bolt 31, the operating element 51 and the adjuster nut 54 into the cap 30 (FIG. 8A), the sub-assembly adjuster nut 54 is attached to the threaded portion of the operating element 51 ( The subassembly can be loosely inserted into the cap 30 while being screwed to the base end side of the screw 51S), and the fork bolt 31 of the subassembly can be immediately screwed to the cap 30 and rotated. According to this, the claw 54B of the adjuster nut 54 that has not yet been inserted into the anti-rotation hole 30D of the intermediate shelf 30C of the cap 30 at the screw tightening start stage rotates along with the screw tightening rotation of the fork bolt 31, and the cap 30 It strikes against the inner circumferential guide portion 60. The adjuster nut pawl 54 </ b> B is slid in the vertical axis direction along the guide portion 60 by being prevented from rotating by the guide portion 60 with respect to further accompanying force.

  At this time, since the screw 51S of the operating element 51 and the adjuster nut 54 is a reverse screw to the screw 30S of the cap 30 and the fork bolt 31, when the fork bolt 31 is advanced downward in the axial direction with respect to the cap 30, the fork The advancing direction of the adjuster nut 54 with respect to the operation element 51 that rotates around the bolt 31 is also downward. Thereby, the claw 54B of the adjuster nut slides downward along the guide portion 60, and as a result, is automatically introduced and inserted into the anti-rotation hole 30D.

  Thereafter, when the fork bolt 31 of the sub-assembly is completely screwed to the cap 30 (FIG. 8B), the sub-assembly fork bolt 31 projects into the internal space of the vehicle body side tube 11 and the axle side tube 12 from the rotation stop hole 30D. The claw 54B of the adjuster nut 54 pressurizes and supports the suspension spring 40. Thus, the spring load of the suspension spring 40 can be adjusted by adjusting the position of the claw 54B that is screwed up by the operating element 51 that is rotationally operated from the outside and that is prevented from rotating around the anti-rotation hole 30D and moves up and down. Become a thing.

  Accordingly, as a preparation for inserting the claw 54B of the adjuster nut 54 of the sub-assembly into the rotation stop hole 30D of the intermediate shelf 30C of the cap 30, the length that the tip position of the claw 54B of the adjuster nut 54 forms with respect to the fork bolt 31. It is not necessary to make the length of the cap 30 longer, and it is unnecessary to insert the claw 54B of the adjuster nut 54 into the anti-rotation hole 30D of the intermediate shelf 30C of the cap 30 inside the cap 30 that cannot be seen from the outside. It is possible to improve the assembling property by assembling the fork bolt 31 of the subassembly in which the operation element 51 and the adjuster nut 54 are pre-assembled by screwing to the cap 30 fixed in advance to one of the vehicle body side tube 11 and the axle side tube 12. it can.

At this time, the adjuster nut 54 is set as follows.
(i) When screwing of the fork bolt 31 to the cap 30 is started, the fork bolt 31 is screwed to the base end side (the intermediate flange 51B side) of the screw portion (screw 51S) provided in the lower outer peripheral portion 51C of the operation element 51, The claw 54B of the adjuster nut 54 is separated from the intermediate shelf 30C of the cap 30 in the axial direction.

  (ii) After the screw bolt of the fork bolt 31 is started to be tightened to the cap 30, the adjuster nut 54 is rotated along with the screw bolt rotation of the fork bolt 31, and the claw 54B of the adjuster nut 54 comes into contact with the guide surface 61 of the guide portion 60. As a result, the cap 30 is inserted into the anti-rotation hole 30D of the intermediate shelf 30C.

  (iii) The adjuster nut 54 is set so that the nut main body 54 </ b> A does not hit the shelf upper surface of the intermediate shelf 30 </ b> C of the cap 30 until the fork bolt 31 is screwed to the cap 30.

According to the spring load adjusting device 50, the following operations and effects can be achieved by the above (i) to (iii).
(b) At the stage of assembling the sub-assembly including the fork bolt 31, the operating element 51 and the adjuster nut 54 into the cap 30, the claw 54B of the adjuster nut 54 is securely brought into contact with the guide portion 60 on the inner periphery of the cap 30. In addition, the lower end surface of the nut main body 54A of the adjuster nut 54 abuts against the intermediate shelf 30C of the cap 30 before the fork bolt 31 is completely screwed to the cap 30, and the screwing rotation is not hindered.

According to the spring load adjusting device 50, the following effects are further exhibited.
(c) The seal member c provided at the pivotal support portion of the fork bolt 31 and the operation element 51 enhances the air tightness of the internal space surrounded by the vehicle body side tube 11 and the axle side tube 12 to maintain the air spring characteristics, In addition to preventing the oil leakage by enhancing the performance, the operation element 51 and the adjuster nut 54 can be stably rotated with respect to the screw tightening rotation of the fork bolt 31 to the cap 30.

  (d) Moderation feeling imparting means 55 provided between the fork bolt 31 and the operation element 51 causes the operation element 51 and the adjuster nut 54 to stably rotate with respect to the screw tightening rotation of the fork bolt 31 to the cap 30. To get.

  In the spring leg 10, the guide portion 60 provided on the cap 30 also functions as a reinforcing rib that reinforces the bending strength of the cap 30. That is, in the spring leg 10, when the vehicle body side tube 11 and the axle side tube 12 are bent by an external input, a bending load is also applied to the internal guide cylinder 21. The bending load acting on the guide cylinder 21 extends from the small diameter cylindrical portion 30B of the cap 30 to which the guide cylinder 21 is screwed to the entire cap 30 including the large diameter cylindrical portion 30A. At this time, the guide portions 60 provided at a plurality of circumferential positions (three positions) on the inner circumference of the large-diameter cylindrical portion 30 </ b> A of the cap 30 serve as reinforcing ribs and reinforce the bending strength of the cap 30.

  The embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration of the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and even if there is a design change or the like without departing from the gist of the present invention. It is included in the present invention. For example, the spring load adjusting device of the present invention may be provided at the opening end facing the external space of the axle side tube constituting the shock absorber.

  In the present invention, the vehicle body side tube and the axle side tube are slidably fitted, and a suspension spring is built in an internal space surrounded by the vehicle body side tube and the axle side tube, and one of the vehicle body side tube and the axle side tube is provided. A cap fixed to the open end facing the outer space, a fork bolt screwed to the inner periphery of the cap, and pivotally supported on the inner periphery of the fork bolt, and can be rotated from the outer space. An operating element extending inward, and a claw extending along the axial direction from the nut main body, and having a nut main body screwed to a threaded portion provided on a portion of the operating element extending inside the fork bolt An adjuster nut with a screw, and the screw of the adjuster nut and the screw of the adjuster nut is a reverse screw to the screw of the cap and the fork bolt. , Inserted through the anti-rotation hole provided in the intermediate shelf of the cap, protrudes from the anti-rotation hole into the internal space surrounded by the vehicle body side tube and the axle side tube, pressurizes the suspension spring, and can be supported. The adjuster nut claw that is screwed with respect to the operating element is prevented from rotating by engaging with the anti-rotation hole of the intermediate shelf of the cap and moves up and down, and the suspension spring that pressurizes the adjuster nut claw A spring load adjusting device for a shock absorber that makes it possible to adjust a spring load, and an operator and an adjuster nut are pre-assembled with respect to a detent hole of the intermediate shelf portion of the cap at the inner periphery rising from the intermediate shelf portion of the cap. The fork bolt is a guide portion provided on the side of the screw advance direction in which the fork bolt is screwed to the cap at the assembly stage. The adjuster nut claw that has not yet been inserted into the anti-rotation hole at the stage of assembling to the bolt comes into contact with the screw bolt rotation to the cap of the fork bolt, and eventually the claw is inserted into the anti-rotation hole. The guide portion was slid so as to be inserted. As a result, it is possible to improve the assembling performance by screwing the fork bolt of the sub-assembly having the operator and the adjuster nut pre-assembled into a cap fixed in advance to one of the vehicle body side tube and the axle side tube.

11 Car body side tube 12 Axle side tube 30 Cap 30C Intermediate shelf 30D Non-rotating hole 31 Fork bolt 31S Screw 40 Suspension spring 50 Spring load adjusting device 51 Control element 51S Screw 54 Adjuster nut 54A Nut body 54B Claw 55 Moderation feeling imparting means 60 Guide part 61 Guide surface c Seal member

Claims (2)

The body side tube and the axle side tube are slidably fitted, and a suspension spring is built in the internal space surrounded by the body side tube and the axle side tube.
A cap fixed to an opening end facing one external space of the vehicle body side tube and the axle side tube;
A fork bolt screwed to the inner periphery of the cap;
An operator that is pivotally supported on the inner periphery of the fork bolt, is rotatable from the outside space, and extends inside the fork bolt;
In addition to having a nut main body screwed to a threaded portion provided in a portion extending inside the fork bolt in the operating element, and an adjuster nut having a claw extending in the axial direction from the nut main body,
The screw on the operator and adjuster nut is the reverse screw to the screw on the cap and fork bolt.
The adjuster nut claw is inserted into a detent hole provided in the intermediate shelf of the cap, and protrudes from the detent hole into the inner space surrounded by the vehicle body side tube and the axle side tube so that the suspension spring can be pressurized and supported.
When the operating element is rotated, the adjuster nut claw that is screwed to the operating element is prevented from rotating due to the engagement with the anti-rotation hole of the intermediate shelf of the cap and moves up and down. A spring load adjusting device for a shock absorber that enables adjustment of a spring load of a suspension spring to be pressurized,
In the assembly stage, a fork bolt in which an operator and an adjuster nut are pre-assembled is screwed into the cap on the inner periphery rising from the intermediate shelf portion of the cap with respect to the rotation stop hole of the intermediate shelf portion of the cap. It is a guide part provided on the side of the screw advance direction rotated by screwing,
At the stage of assembling the fork bolt into the cap, the adjuster nut claw that has not yet been inserted through the locking hole comes into contact with the rotation of the screw for tightening the cap of the fork bolt. A spring load adjusting device for a shock absorber having a guide portion that is slid so as to be inserted into a rotation stop hole. The adjuster nut is
When screwing the fork bolt to the cap is started, it is screwed to the base end side of the screw portion of the operation element, and the claw of the adjuster nut is separated from the intermediate shelf portion of the cap in the axial direction,
After the fork bolt starts to be screwed to the cap, the adjuster nut claw comes into contact with the guide portion as the fork bolt is screwed and rotated, and as a result, is inserted into the detent hole in the intermediate shelf portion of the cap,
2. The spring load adjusting device for a shock absorber according to claim 1, wherein the nut body of the adjuster nut is set so as not to hit an intermediate shelf portion of the cap until the fork bolt is screwed to the cap.

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