IP Library Granted Patent US 9,108,698
Granted Patent B2
US 9,108,698 · App. 14/313,205 · Granted Aug 18, 2015

Suspension apparatus and suspension system

Inventor: Daisuke Ikeda (Fukuroi, JP)
Assignee: SHOWA CORPORATION
B62K25/08B60G11/27
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,108,698
App. No.
14/313,205
Granted
Aug 18, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A first front fork includes an outer tube, an inner tube, a tubular cylinder provided inside the outer tube and the inner tube, a rod member moving relatively in an axial direction of the cylinder and having a space portion inside, which is formed in the axial direction, a piston fixed to an end portion of a wheel side of the rod member and sectioning a space in the cylinder into part of a rebound air spring chamber and an inner air spring chamber and a rod guide fixed to an end portion of a vehicle-body side of the cylinder and sectioning a space in the inner tube into part of the rebound air spring chamber and an outer air spring chamber.

Claims (38)

1. A suspension apparatus comprising:

a vehicle-body side member formed in a tubular shape and positioned on a vehicle body side;

a wheel side member formed in a tubular shape and positioned on a wheel side, the wheel side member connecting to the vehicle-body side member, moving relatively with respect to the vehicle-body side member in an axial direction of the vehicle-body side member;

a tubular cylinder provided inside the vehicle-body side member and the wheel side member;

a rod member positioned inside the vehicle-body side member and the wheel side member, moving relatively in an axial direction of the cylinder with movement of the vehicle-body side member and the wheel side member;

a first sectioning member fixed to an end portion of a wheel side of the rod member and provided in a manner of contacting the cylinder so as to move in the axial direction of the cylinder to thereby section a space in the cylinder; and

a second sectioning member fixed to an end portion of a vehicle-body side of the cylinder and sectioning a space in the wheel side member,

wherein a first chamber positioned on a rod member side of the first sectioning member and on a cylinder side of the second sectioning member to accommodate fluid, a second chamber positioned on an opposite side of the rod member side of the first sectioning member to accommodate fluid, and a third chamber positioned on an opposite side of the cylinder side of the second sectioning member to accommodate fluid are formed by the first sectioning member and the second sectioning member,

each of the first to third chambers includes a filler gas inside in a sealed state so as to function as an air spring, and

the first to third chambers fail to communicate with each other.

2. The suspension apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the cylinder is fixed so as to move with the wheel side member in an end portion of the wheel side, and

the rod member is fixed so as to move with the vehicle-body side member in an end portion of the vehicle-body side.

3. The suspension apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first chamber includes a space on the rod member side in a space sectioned by the first sectioning member in the cylinder, and a space on the cylinder side in a space between the wheel side member and the cylinder, which is sectioned by the second sectioning member.

4. The suspension apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

injection ports for injecting a capacity adjustment material for adjusting a capacity of the first chamber and a capacity of the second chamber.

5. The suspension apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the rod member has a space portion inside, which is formed in an axial direction thereof, and

the space portion is connected to the first chamber.

6. The suspension apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a gas pressure adjustment portion for adjusting a pressure of the filler gas in the second chamber,

wherein the second chamber and the gas pressure adjustment portion communicate with each other through a tube.

7. The suspension apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first sectioning member includes a lateral-pressure reducing member that reduces a lateral pressure generated between the first sectioning member and the cylinder.

8. A suspension system comprising:

a first suspension unit including a suspension spring made of an air spring; and

a second suspension unit including a damping mechanism,

wherein the first suspension unit includes

a vehicle-body side member formed in a tubular shape and positioned on a vehicle body side,

a wheel side member formed in a tubular shape and positioned on a wheel side, the wheel side member connecting to the vehicle-body side member, moving relatively with respect to the vehicle-body side member in an axial direction of the vehicle-body side member,

a tubular cylinder provided inside the vehicle-body side member and the wheel side member,

a rod member positioned inside the vehicle-body side member and the wheel side member, moving relatively in an axial direction of the cylinder with movement of the vehicle-body side member and the wheel side member,

a first sectioning member fixed to an end portion of a wheel side of the rod member and provided in a manner of contacting the cylinder so as to move in the axial direction of the cylinder to thereby section a space in the cylinder, and

a second sectioning member fixed to an end portion of a vehicle-body side of the cylinder and sectioning a space in the wheel side member,

wherein a first chamber positioned on a rod member side of the first sectioning member and on a cylinder side of the second sectioning member to accommodate fluid, a second chamber positioned on an opposite side of the rod member side of the first sectioning member to accommodate fluid and a third chamber positioned on an opposite side of the cylinder side of the second sectioning member to accommodate fluid are formed by the first sectioning member and the second sectioning member,

each of the first to third chambers includes a filler gas inside in a sealed state so as to function as an air spring, and

the first to third chambers fail to communicate with each other.

Assignments (2)
MERGER Recorded Feb 2, 2022
From: SHOWA CORPORATION
To: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
Reel/Frame 059682/0321 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 24, 2014
From: IKEDA, DAISUKE
To: SHOWA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 033167/0518 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2013-202655 · Sep 27, 2013 · national
JP 2013-246560 · Nov 28, 2013 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20150091271A1 · Apr 2, 2015