JPH023758B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to a vehicle height adjustment device for a motorcycle, which lowers the vehicle height when stopped and automatically raises the vehicle height when driving, regardless of the loaded state or road surface condition. It was made so that it would become so.

Before starting a motorcycle or when stopping at an intersection, the driver of a motorcycle assumes a stopping position with his or her feet in contact with the road surface. For this reason, it is better to keep the vehicle height as low as possible, but it is desirable for the vehicle height to be somewhat higher during driving in terms of driving stability. The present invention has been made in view of this point, and is designed to automatically change the vehicle height of a motorcycle, regardless of the loaded state, and to distribute the load between the front and rear wheels due to changes in posture such as when driving on a slope. Even if the vehicle height changes, the vehicle height value will change to the preset value.

One embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to the figures.
is a motorcycle, 2 is a body frame, 3 is a front fork, 4 is a handle, 5 is a front wheel, 6
is the rear wheel. Although an engine, a fuel tank, a seat, etc. are attached to the vehicle body frame 2, illustration thereof is omitted. The front end of a swing arm 7 is pivotally connected to the rear lower part of the vehicle body frame 2 by a shaft 8, and the rear wheel 6 is pivotally connected to the rear end by an axle 9.

A cushion unit 10 using an air spring is installed between the rear end of the swing arm 7 and the rear upper part of the vehicle body frame 2. The cushion unit 10 is connected to solenoid valves 13 and 14, which are valve devices, through a pipe 11 and a pipe 12 branched from the pipe 11. The cushion unit 10 changes the distance between the axle 9 and the upper part of the vehicle body frame 2 by moving air, which is a fluid, in and out.

The body frame 2 is equipped with an air compressor 15 that is driven by a motor that is rotated by the engine or a battery mounted on the body frame 2. The air compressor 15 is kept at a constant pressure at all times in an air tank 17 connected to a pipe 16. It is designed to store compressed air. The air tank 17 is connected to the inlet side of the above-mentioned solenoid valve 13 by a pipe 18. This connection allows compressed air in the air tank 17 to be applied to the cushion unit 10 and the solenoid valve 14 when the solenoid valve 13 is opened. In addition,
The solenoid valve 14 is provided with an atmosphere opening 19.

A high vehicle height sensor 20 and a low vehicle height sensor 20' are installed between the rear intermediate portion of the vehicle body frame 2 and approximately the intermediate portion of the swing arm 7.
The vehicle height (degree of inclination of the swing arm 7) which changes depending on the operation of the cushion unit 10 is detected. Both vehicle height sensors 20 and 20' not only detect the vehicle height, but also compare the detected value with preset height values and generate signals. Both vehicle height sensors 20 and 20' are connected to the input side of a control section 22 by an electric wire 21. The output side of the control section 22 is connected to the solenoid valve 1 by electric wires 23 and 24.
3 and 14.

A gear 26 having square teeth 25 carved around the entire circumference is attached to the front wheel 5 so as to rotate together with the front wheel 5. And this gear 26
A vehicle speed sensor 27 is provided near the outer periphery of the vehicle. This vehicle speed sensor 27 detects the vehicle speed by counting the number of teeth 25 on the rotating gear 26. The output signal is then given to the control section 22 via the electric wire 28.

In a motorcycle equipped with this vehicle height adjustment device configured in this way, the high vehicle height sensor 20 is set to the higher limit of the vehicle height, and the low vehicle height sensor 20' is set to the higher limit of the vehicle height.
Set to the lower limit of vehicle height and use. This allows the low vehicle height sensor 2 to
Maintains the low vehicle height set at 0', thereby improving the driver's footing, and maintains the vehicle height set by the high vehicle height sensor 20 at speeds above the set speed to obtain minimum ground clearance, bank angle, etc. be able to.

To explain the operation, when the vehicle speed becomes less than the set speed, the vehicle speed sensor 27 detects the speed and notifies the controller 22 that the vehicle speed is less than the set value.

The control unit 22 issues a command to open the solenoid valve 14. As a result, the solenoid valve 14 is connected to the cushion unit 10 and the pipe 1.
The air in 1 and 12 is released to the atmosphere from the atmosphere opening 19, and the vehicle height is lowered.

Since lowering the vehicle height means that the cushion unit 10 contracts, the vehicle height sensors 20 and 20' also contract, and a signal commensurate with the degree of contraction is given to the control section 22. When the vehicle height drops to the height set by the low vehicle height sensor 20', the solenoid valve 14 closes in response to a command from the control section 22. As a result, the vehicle height is maintained at that position.

Next, when the vehicle changes from a stopped state to a running state,
The vehicle speed sensor 27 notifies the control unit 22 that the vehicle speed has exceeded the set speed. Accordingly, the control section 22 issues a command to open the solenoid valve 13. When the solenoid valve 13 opens, the air tank 1
The compressed air stored in pipe 7 is transferred to pipes 18 and 1.
2 and 11 to the cushion unit 10, and by extending this, the vehicle height is increased. In this case, the solenoid valve 13 closes when the vehicle rises to the vehicle height set by the high vehicle height sensor 20, and the higher vehicle height is maintained.

The above operations will be performed regardless of the loading state. In other words, even when the rear wheel side of the vehicle body frame 2 sinks due to two people riding or heavy luggage being loaded onto the cargo bed, the low vehicle height sensor 20' detects this and issues an output signal to adjust the vehicle height. It acts to return to the initially set value. On the other hand, even if the posture of the vehicle body changes when driving on a slope and the load shared between the front and rear wheels changes, the vehicle height can be kept constant accordingly. In this way, even when the load or the attitude of the vehicle body changes, the cushion unit 1 is adjusted based on the vehicle height detection by both vehicle height sensors 20, 20'.
Since 0 is a variable spring constant, it is possible to obtain good ride comfort without being affected by loading conditions, etc.

In the embodiment described above, the high vehicle height sensor 20 and the low vehicle height sensor 20' are used as vehicle height sensors.
Although two pieces are used, it can also be composed of one piece. That is, the cushion unit 10 should be equipped with both a coil spring and an air spring, and the lower vehicle height position should be set at a position where the air pressure inside the cushion unit 10 is atmospheric pressure and can be supported only by the coil spring. Ba,
The low vehicle height sensor 20' becomes unnecessary.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the vehicle height is automatically changed depending on the vehicle speed, but if the automatic operation can be canceled according to the driver's will, usability will be improved. It will further improve.

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it has the following effects.

When the vehicle is stopped, the vehicle height is lower, making it easier to get on and off the vehicle.

When stopping at an intersection to wait for a traffic light, etc., the height of the vehicle is lowered just before the stop, so it is easy to place your feet on the vehicle.Also, while the vehicle is stopped, give yourself plenty of room to place your feet on the vehicle and keep it in a stable condition. I can wait.

Even when the load on the vehicle changes or the posture of the vehicle changes, such as when driving on a slope, the vehicle height is adjusted to the preset value without being affected by these changes. Therefore, good riding comfort can always be obtained.

Since seat height restrictions are removed from the parts layout during vehicle manufacture, the degree of freedom in design increases.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The figure is a system diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. 1...Motorcycle, 2...Body frame, 7...
...Swing arm, 8... Axis, 9... Axle, 10
...Cushion unit, 13, 14...Solenoid valve, 15...Air compressor, 17
...Air tank, 20,20'...Vehicle height sensor,
22...control unit, 27...vehicle speed sensor.

[Claims]

1. The outboard motor stem, which hangs down from the engine and has a screw at the lower end, is held in two upper and lower holders 31,
37, the suspension system 11 includes a bracket 13 attached to the hull, a subframe 21 that is swingably locked to the bracket with a horizontal pin 18, and a subframe 21. a link 26 rotatably locked at one end by a vertical pin 25 and rotatably locking the upper holder 31 at the other end by a vertical pin 33; and a link 26 rotatably connected to the subframe 21 around a horizontal axis 1. A suspension system for an outboard motor, comprising: a bearing 36 for pivotally supporting a 37;