阅读说明：本技术 具有双向选择性阻塞的减震器、轮组及其摩托车 (Shock absorber with bidirectional selective blocking function, wheel set and motorcycle with shock absorber ) 是由 安德烈亚·拉法埃利 于 2018-05-04 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种减震器(8),包括：主护套(48)和沿滑动方向(X-X)在主护套(48)内滑动的主活塞(50),主活塞(50)包括从主护套(48)中出来的主杆(52)和容纳在主护套(48)内部的主头部(54),主护套(48)填充有液压油；副护套(56),流体地连接到主护套(48)并设有至少一个阻尼阀(60)。有利的是,副护套(56)通过沿滑动方向(X-X)放置在相对于主活塞(50)的主头部(54)的相对端部的第一通道和第二通道(64、68)连接到主护套(48)。副护套(56)包括控制阀(72),该控制阀可根据调节行程在解锁位置与阻塞位置之间移动,在解锁位置中,控制阀不干扰所述第一通道和第二通道(64、68),在阻塞位置中,控制阀闭塞所述第一通道和第二通道(64、68),以实现选择性的双向阻塞。(A shock absorber (8) comprising: a main jacket (48) and a main piston (50) sliding within the main jacket (48) along a sliding direction (X-X), the main piston (50) comprising a main rod (52) coming out of the main jacket (48) and a main head (54) housed inside the main jacket (48), the main jacket (48) being filled with hydraulic oil; a secondary sheath (56) fluidly connected to the primary sheath (48) and provided with at least one damper valve (60). Advantageously, the secondary sheath (56) is connected to the primary sheath (48) by means of first and second channels (64, 68) placed at opposite ends of the primary head (54) with respect to the primary piston (50) along the sliding direction (X-X). The secondary sheath (56) comprises a control valve (72) movable according to an adjustment stroke between an unlocked position, in which it does not interfere with said first and second channels (64, 68), and a blocking position, in which it blocks said first and second channels (64, 68) to achieve selective bidirectional blocking.)

1. A shock absorber (8) comprises

-a main jacket (48) and a main piston (50) sliding inside the main jacket (48) along a sliding direction (X-X), the main piston (50) comprising a main rod (52) coming out of the main jacket (48) and comprising a main head (54) housed inside the main jacket (48), the main jacket (48) being filled with hydraulic oil,

-the main bar (52) and the main sheath (48) are adapted to be mechanically connected to the wheel (20, 28) and the frame (12), respectively, or vice versa,

-a secondary sheath (56) fluidly connected to the primary sheath (48) and provided with at least one damping valve (60) comprising an orifice (62) adapted to allow calibrated passage of hydraulic oil of the primary sheath (48),

the method is characterized in that:

-the secondary sheath (56) is connected to the primary sheath (48) by first and second channels (64, 68) positioned at opposite ends of the primary head (54) with respect to the primary piston (50) along a sliding direction (X-X), the first channel (64) allowing a flow of fluid when the primary head (54) approaches the first channel (64) with a compression movement and the second channel (68) allowing a flow of fluid when the primary head (54) approaches the second channel (68) with an extension movement,

-wherein the secondary sheath (56) comprises a control valve (72) movable according to an adjustment stroke between an unlocked position, in which it does not interfere with the first and second channels (64, 68), and a blocking position, in which it blocks the first and second channels (64, 68) to achieve a selective bidirectional blocking in the compression movement and in the extension movement.

2. The shock absorber (8) of claim 1 wherein the damping valve (60) includes a damping plate (74) secured to the secondary sheath (56) and at least partially perforated to pass hydraulic oil.

3. A shock absorber (8) as set forth as in claim 1 wherein said control valve (72) is an axial valve sliding according to said adjustment stroke and is integrated with said damping valve (60) equipped with a damping plate (74) perforated at least partially for the passage of hydraulic oil.

4. A shock absorber (8) as set forth as in any one of claims 1-3 wherein said control valve (72) includes a pair of occluders (76, 78) disposed on opposite sides of said damping plate (74) for selectively occluding each of said first and second passages (64, 68), respectively.

5. A shock absorber (8) as set forth as in claim 4 wherein the obturator (76, 78) is a disc-shaped member provided with side edges (77) adapted to occlude the first and second channels (64, 68) when placed at the channels and provided with through holes (79) for the passage of fluid within the secondary sheath (56).

6. A shock absorber (8) as set forth as in any one of claims 1-5 wherein said control valve (72) is fitted with a secondary rod (80) operatively connected to an actuator device (82) to actuate said secondary rod along said adjustment stroke.

7. The shock absorber (8) of claim 6 wherein the secondary rod (80) exits the secondary sheath (56).

8. Shock absorber (8) according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the secondary sheath (56) is provided with at least one compensation volume (84) fluidly separated from the secondary fluid and delimited by a movable diaphragm (88) subjected to the pressure of the fluid coming from the primary sheath (48).

9. The shock absorber (8) of claim 8 wherein the compensation volume (84) is filled with a compressible fluid.

10. Shock absorber (8) according to any of claims 8 to 9, wherein said movable diaphragm (88) is connected to elastic means housed inside said compensation volume (84).

11. The shock absorber (8) as set forth as in any one of claims 1-10, wherein the main and secondary sheaths (48, 56) are parallel with respect to the sliding direction (X-X) and are juxtaposed to each other.

12. The shock absorber (8) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the main and secondary sheaths (48, 56) are parallel with respect to the sliding direction (X-X) and coaxial with each other.

13. The shock absorber (8) of claim 12 wherein the secondary sheath (56) is fitted on the outside of the primary sheath (48).

14. The shock absorber (8) as set forth as in any one of claims 12-13 wherein said control valve (72) and said damping valve (60) are fitted around said main sheath (48).

15. A shock absorber (8) as set forth as in any one of claims 12-14 wherein said control valve (72) and said damping valve (60) are integral.

16. The shock absorber (8) of any of claims 12-15 wherein the secondary sheath (56) has no rod and is slidable on the primary sheath (48) to block.

17. The shock absorber (8) as set forth as in any one of claims 12-16 wherein said secondary sheath (56) is operatively connected to an actuator device (82) for sliding relative to said primary sheath (48).

18. Wheel set (40) comprising a shock absorber (8) according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the main rod (52) and the main sheath (48) are mechanically connected to the wheels (20, 28) and to the frame (12) of the motor vehicle (4), or vice versa.

19. Motor vehicle (4) comprising a front bogie (16) supporting two front steering wheels (20', 20 ") and comprising a rear axle (24) supporting at least one rear wheel (28), wherein at least one of said front wheels (20', 20") is mechanically connected to said front bogie (16) by means of a shock absorber (8) according to any one of claims 1 to 17.

20. Motor vehicle (4) according to claim 19, wherein it is a tilting motorcycle, having two front steering wheels (20', 20 ") at the front bogie (16) and at least one rear wheel (28) at the rear axle (24), wherein each front steering wheel (20', 20") is connected to the front bogie (16) by means of a shock absorber (8) according to any one of claims 1 to 17.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a shock absorber with bidirectional selective blocking, a wheel set comprising said shock absorber with bidirectional selective blocking, and an associated motor vehicle.

Background

As is known, a suspension is the connecting element of the vehicle frame to the wheel: said connecting element comprises at least one elastic element, typically a spring, which allows the vibration of the suspended mass (frame) with respect to the unsprung mass (wheel set), and at least one shock absorber or damper for said vibration of the suspended mass.

Various solutions are known in the art which adjust the damping level of a shock absorber according to the driving conditions of the vehicle. These solutions aim at modifying the dynamic characteristics of the suspension in order to provide comfort or performance according to the user's needs. In most cases, the adjustment is not performed automatically, but manually by means of a special adjustment (usually of the screw type).

Automated solutions are also known in which the user needs to make certain adjustments, for example by means of an instrument panel or a handlebar button, and the system makes said adjustments by automatic adjustment through suitable actuators.

There are also some improved solutions which provide for the use of magnetorheological fluids which, if subjected to magnetic and/or electromagnetic fields, will change their rheological characteristics and thus the performance of the shock absorbers containing them.

Such a solution can significantly alter the response of the shock absorber, adding it almost to the entire blocking damping in one direction only.

Disclosure of Invention

However, such prior art solutions have some drawbacks.

In fact, on the one hand, they are rather complex and expensive to implement.

On the other hand, known solutions are able to block the damping and therefore the suspension in a single direction, generally in the compression direction, whereas they do not enable bidirectional selective blocking.

This selective jamming can be useful, for example, in the case of a motorcycle stopping or advancing at very low speeds, in order to jam the motorcycle in predetermined trim conditions in terms of rolling and/or pitching.

Obviously, roll chocking may be performed in applications of unstable multi-track vehicles, i.e. vehicles provided with at least three wheels (two of which are connected to the front bogie or the rear axle), or four-wheel vehicles.

Therefore, there is a need to address the disadvantages and limitations mentioned with reference to the prior art.

This need is met by a shock absorber according to claim 1, a wheel set according to claim 18 and a motor vehicle according to claim 19.

Drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clearer from the following description of a non-limiting preferred embodiment thereof, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a shock absorber in an unlocked configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the shock absorber of FIG. 1 in a blocking configuration;

FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a shock absorber in an unlocked configuration according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the shock absorber of FIG. 3 in a blocking configuration;

FIG. 5 shows a perspective front view of a motorcycle including a shock absorber according to the present invention;

figure 6 shows a perspective view of another motorcycle comprising a shock absorber according to the invention.

The same elements or portions of elements as those of the embodiments described below are denoted by the same reference numerals.

Detailed Description

With reference to the preceding figures, the reference numeral 4 generally designates a schematic overall view of a motor vehicle comprising at least one shock absorber 8 according to the invention.

For the purposes of the present invention, it should be noted that the term "motor vehicle" must be considered in a broad sense; preferably, but not exclusively, the invention is applied to motorcycles.

The concept of a motorcycle must also be considered in a broad sense, including any motorcycle having a frame 12 including a front bogie 16 supporting at least one front steerable wheel 20 and a rear axle 24 supporting at least one rear wheel 28.

Thus, the definition also includes tilting motor tricycles, such as pairs of two front wheels 20', 20 "and a steered wheel on the front bogie 16 and a rear drive wheel 28 on the rear axle 24, however the definition also includes motorcycles that include only one steered front wheel 20 on the front bogie 16 and two rear drive wheels 28 on the rear axle. Finally, the definition of motorcycle also includes a so-called four-wheel motorcycle, which has two front wheels 20', 20 "at the front bogie 16 and two rear wheels 28 at the rear axle 24.

The frame 12, front truck 16 and rear axle 24 may be of any shape, size, and may be, for example, truss-type, box-type, die-cast, etc.

The frame 12 may be one piece or have several parts.

The rear axle 24 typically includes a rocker arm 32 that supports a saddle for the driver and/or passenger. The rocker 32 is hinged to the frame 12, for example by a pivot pin 36. It should be noted that the connection between the rocker 32 and the frame 12 can be made directly by direct articulation, or can also be achieved by interposing a crank mechanism and/or an intermediate frame.

The wheels, whether front or rear, are mechanically connected to the front bogie and the rear axle by respective wheel sets 40.

The wheel set 40 includes front or rear wheels 20, 28, a resilient element (typically a spring, not shown) adapted to allow deflection of the wheels 20, 28, and a shock absorber 44 adapted to dampen vibration/deflection of the wheels 20, 28.

The shock absorber 44 comprises a main sheath 48 and a main piston 50 slidable within the main sheath 48 along a sliding direction X-X.

The main jacket 48 is hollow in a known manner and filled with hydraulic oil.

The primary piston 50 includes a primary stem 52 projecting from the primary sheath 48 and a primary head 54 contained within the primary sheath 48.

The main rod 52 and the main sheath 48 are mechanically connected to the wheel (front wheel 20 or rear wheel 28) and the frame 12 portion (front 16 or rear 24), respectively, and vice versa.

In other words, both the main axle 52 and the main sheath 48 may alternatively be connected to the wheels (front wheels 20 or rear wheels 28) or the frame portion (front bogie 16 or rear axle 24).

The shock absorber 44 further comprises a secondary sheath 56, which is fluidly connected to the main sheath 48 and is provided with at least one damping valve 60 comprising an orifice 62 adapted to allow calibrated passage of hydraulic oil of the main sheath 48.

According to a possible embodiment, said damping valve 60 comprises a damping plate fixed to the secondary sheath 56 and perforated at least partially for the passage of the hydraulic oil.

Advantageously, the secondary sheath 56 is connected to the primary sheath 48 by means of first and second channels 64, 68 positioned at opposite ends of the primary head 54 with respect to the primary piston 50 along the sliding direction X-X.

In particular, the first passage 64 allows fluid flow when the main head 54 approaches the first passage 64 in a compressive motion; the second passage 68 allows fluid flow when the primary head 54 approaches the second passage 68 in an extension motion.

The secondary sheath 56 comprises a control valve 72 movable according to an adjustment stroke between an operating position (in which the control valve does not interfere with said first and second passages 64, 68) and a blocking position (in which the control valve blocks said first and second passages 64, 68), so as to achieve a selective bidirectional blocking in said compression and extension movements.

The occlusion of the first and second passages 64, 68 effectively forms a bi-directional obstruction of the main piston 50 that cannot move within the main sheath 48 because the main sheath is filled with an incompressible fluid.

According to an embodiment, the control valve 72 is an axial valve sliding according to the adjustment stroke and is integrated with the damping valve 60, which is equipped with a damping plate 74 perforated at least partially for the passage of hydraulic oil.

For example, the control valve 72 includes a pair of obturators 76, 78 disposed on opposite sides of the damping plate 74 to selectively occlude the first and second passages 64, 68, respectively.

According to a possible embodiment, said obturator 76, 78 is a disc provided with lateral edges 77 suitable for occluding the first and second channels 64, 68 when placed at the latter and provided with through holes 79 for the passage of the fluid inside the secondary sheath 56.

According to an embodiment, the control valve 72 is equipped with a secondary rod 80 operatively connected to an actuator device 82 for actuation thereof along an adjustment stroke.

For example, a secondary stem 80 projects from the secondary sheath 56 to mechanically connect to the actuator device 82.

The secondary sheath 56 is provided with at least one compensation volume 84 fluidly separate from the secondary fluid, bounded by a movable diaphragm 88 that is subjected to the pressure of the fluid from the primary sheath 48.

The compensation volume 84 is filled with a compressible fluid, typically a gas.

According to a possible embodiment, the movable membrane 88 is connected to elastic means housed inside the compensation volume 84.

The shock absorber 8 according to the invention can have different architectures.

According to a possible embodiment (figures 1-2),

the primary and secondary sheaths 56 are parallel and side-by-side with respect to the sliding direction X-X.

According to another possible embodiment (fig. 3-4), the primary and secondary sheaths 56 are parallel and coaxial with respect to the sliding direction X-X.

In particular, the secondary sheath 56 fits outside the primary sheath 48.

The control valve 72 and the damper valve 60 are fitted around the main sheath 48. In particular, the control valve 72 and the damper valve 60 are mutually exclusive (exclusive); the secondary sheath 56 has no secondary rod 80 and slides in a block over the primary sheath 48.

For example, the secondary sheath 56 may be operatively connected to the actuator device 82 so as to slide relative to the primary sheath 48.

The operation of the shock absorber for a motor vehicle according to the present invention will now be described.

In particular, in the unlocked configuration (fig. 1, 3), the first and second passages 64, 68 are free or vertical, since the obturators 76, 78 of the control valve 72 do not obturate said first and second passages 64, 68.

In this manner, fluid is free to flow between the primary and secondary sheaths 48, 56, being urged by the primary piston 50 in both its compression and its extension movements.

The compensation volume 84 decreases or expands in a known manner depending on greater or lesser penetration of the primary shaft 52 within the primary sheath 48.

Fluid flow through the damper valve 60 is inhibited by passage through the corresponding orifice 62.

Furthermore, in the blocking configuration (fig. 2, 4), the obturators 76, 78 occlude the first and second channels 64, 68; in this way, incompressible fluid is trapped within the main sheath 48 and thus the main piston 50 is contained within the main sheath.

Thus, the shock absorber and associated wheel 20, 28 are not free to vibrate, but are constrained in their position at the time of occlusion of the first and second passages 64, 68.

The blocking configuration is obtained by translating the control valve 72 by a relative adjustment stroke, by using for example an actuating means 82 acting on the secondary lever 80 (if provided). Alternatively (fig. 3-4), the secondary sheath 56 may be translated relative to the primary sheath 48 by the actuation device 82.

It will be apparent that subsequent unlocking of the shock absorber occurs simply by moving the control valve 72 to return the first and second passages 64, 68 to a clear condition.

The purpose of the damper blocking can be varied.

For example, if the shock absorber can perform the function of controlling/blocking the travel of the relative wheel; furthermore, by blocking the wheel travel, it can perform the function of locking the pitch and/or roll movements of the motor vehicle.

It is clear that by means of the invention roll chocks can be achieved in motor vehicles comprising at least three wheels, two of which are connected to a front bogie or a rear axle, as well as in motor vehicles with four wheels.

Furthermore, the blocking of the wheel travel can also be used as an anti-theft function for motor vehicles.

As can be appreciated from the description, the present invention allows overcoming the drawbacks of the prior art.

In particular, the shock absorber with bidirectional selective blocking allows to completely block the suspension in both compression and extension directions, in contrast to the known solutions.

This bi-directional blocking occurs in a simple, reliable and economical manner.

The invention therefore allows to fix a specific trim (trim) of the motorcycle in terms of rolling and/or pitching under stopped or limited speed conditions (below a given threshold).

This solution is simple and inexpensive and can also be applied to pre-existing suspension solutions, such as add-on or retrofit devices.

To satisfy contingent and specific requirements, a person skilled in the art may apply to the shock absorber and suspension described above many modifications and variants, all of which fall within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.