FRONT FORK

Abstract

A front fork (FF) comprising: a telescopic fork main body (F) comprising a chassis-side tube (1) and an axle-side tube (2), and capable of expanding and contracting; an attachment (3) attached to a chassis-side end of the chassis-side tube (1); a cylinder (4) provided in the axle-side tube (2); a tubular rod (5) axially movably inserted in the cylinder (4), having one end connected to the attachment (3); an electrical device (S) accommodated in the cylinder (4); a connector (6) provided in the attachment (3); and a connecting element (C) partially incorporated into a wiring harness (7) connected to the connector (6) and the electrical device (S), and capable of electrically connecting and disconnecting the connector (6) and the electrical device (S).

Description

Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to a front wheel fork. Background of the invention

[0002] In the prior art, a front fork supporting a front-steered wheel of a ride-on vehicle (straddle-type vehicle) is known, for example, a telescopic front fork comprising: a fork main body comprising a chassis-side tube and an axle-side tube movably inserted into the chassis-side tube; and a damper accommodated in the fork main body which extends and contracts in accordance with the expansion and contraction of the fork main body.

[0003] The damper comprises a cylinder, a piston that divides the cylinder's interior into an expansion chamber and a compression chamber filled with hydraulic fluid, and a piston rod that is axially movable within the cylinder and connected to the piston. In the damper, for example, the piston rod is connected to an attachment that seals the upper end of the chassis-side tube, and the cylinder is attached to the lower end of the axle-side tube and housed within the fork main body.

[0004] In such a front fork, the damping force generated by the shock absorber can be adjusted to improve the ride comfort of the seated vehicle (straddle type) by a regulator installed outside the fork. In a front fork capable of automatic damping force adjustment, for example, an electroviscous fluid or an electromagnetically viscous fluid is used as the damper's hydraulic fluid, and the damping force is changed by adjusting the current supplied to a coil housed in the piston to alter the viscosity of the hydraulic fluid (see, e.g., patent literature 1). In another front fork capable of automatic damping force adjustment, a solenoid valve is housed in the piston, and the damping force is adjusted by setting the current applied to the solenoid valve. Reference list patent literature

[0005] Patent Literature 1: JP 2014-190405 A Description of the invention: Technical problem

[0006] In the front fork, which is capable of automatically adjusting the damping force as described above, an electrical device such as a coil or a solenoid valve is provided for adjusting the damping force in the damper. Furthermore, it is necessary to supply the electrical device with power from an external power supply or control unit. Therefore, in the prior art of the front fork, the piston rod is tubular, a through-hole for which a cable runs is provided in an attachment, and the cable is routed through the inner side of the piston rod and the through-hole of the attachment to the outer side of the fork main body. The cable connected to the electrical device is sealed and connected to the external power supply or the like.

[0007] In the known prior art of front forks, however, if the fork is disassembled for maintenance, such as replacing a seal, spring, or the like, the wiring cannot be removed from the attachment, making maintenance work very complicated. Furthermore, even if the attachment is equipped with a connector that allows connection and disconnection between the external power supply and the electrical device, it is still necessary to disconnect the wiring from the electrical device from a terminal in the connector in order to remove the attachment. Therefore, maintenance work cannot be performed simply by unplugging the attachment.The problem described above typically occurs in a front wheel fork where an electrical device such as a travel sensor is incorporated into the main fork housing, which is not the same as the coil and solenoid valve.

[0008] One object of the present invention is therefore to provide a front wheel fork that facilitates maintenance work even when the electrical device is provided in it. Solution to the problem

[0009] To solve the problem described above, a front fork for solving the problem of the present invention comprises: a telescopic fork main body comprising a chassis-side tube and an axle-side tube and capable of expanding and contracting; an attachment mounted on a chassis-side end of the chassis-side tube; a cylinder provided in the axle-side tube; a tubular rod axially movably inserted in the cylinder and having one end connected to the attachment; an electrical device accommodated in the cylinder; a connector provided in the attachment; and a connecting element, partially provided in a wiring harness, connected to the connector and the electrical device and capable of electrically connecting and disconnecting the connector and the electrical device.In the front fork configured in this way, the connection and electrical device are separated from part of the wiring by the connecting element, and the attachment can be easily and completely removed from the vehicle frame-side tube to open an upper end opening section of the vehicle frame-side tube without being affected by the wiring.

[0010] Furthermore, the attachment can have an annular shape and include a bushing that is detachably mounted on an inner circumference of the attachment and receives the connector. The connecting element can be designed to pass through the inner circumference of the attachment. With the front fork configured in this way, the bushing is removed from the attachment without removing the attachment from the frame-side tube. The connecting element is removed from the fork main body, the connecting element is disconnected, and thus the wiring can be separated into device-side wiring and connector-side wiring. Because the wiring in the front fork configured in this way can be separated into device-side and connector-side wiring without twisting the wiring, breakage and fatigue of the wiring can be prevented.Furthermore, since the socket and the connection-side wiring can be removed from the connection, the effort required to remove the attachment from the vehicle frame-side tube is also easy to carry out.

[0011] Furthermore, the fitting has an annular shape and includes a bushing that is detachably attached to an inner circumference of the fitting. The bushing accommodates the connector, and the connecting element is designed to pass through the inner circumference of the fitting. The bushing includes a base section that is inserted into the inner circumference of the fitting, and the base section contains a claw that can be inserted into a groove formed in the inner circumference of the fitting. With the front fork configured in this way, attaching and detaching the bushing does not cause any rotation of the bushing relative to the fitting, and the cable is not twisted. Therefore, cable breakage and fatigue are prevented.Since the bushing and the attachment are not enlarged compared to the case where the bushing is attached to the attachment by the screw, it is also possible to prevent the front fork from becoming larger when configured in this way.

[0012] The front fork incorporates a rotation stop that prevents rotation in a circumferential direction while allowing relative movement between the bushing and the attachment in an axial direction. Because the bushing in the front fork configured in this way does not rotate circumferentially with respect to the attachment, and the cable does not twist, cable breakage and fatigue during use of the front fork are prevented.

[0013] Furthermore, the rotation stop comprises a keyed portion located on the outer circumference of the bushing and a toothed groove located on the inner circumference of the attachment into which the keyed portion is inserted. The rotation stop is mounted at two or three points at equal intervals around the circumference of the bushing and the attachment. In the front fork thus configured, the bushing can be mounted to the attachment in two or three different circumferential orientations, and a connector on the external power supply side can be reliably connected to a bushing portion, while avoiding interference between the bushing portion and a handle, regardless of the type of ride-on vehicle (straddle type). Advantageous effects of the invention

[0014] Therefore, maintenance work on the front fork of the present invention can be carried out easily even when the electrical device is provided therein. List of characters Fig. Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a front wheel fork according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section view of an upper end section of a front wheel fork according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. Figure 3 is an enlarged top view of a bushing of a front wheel fork according to an embodiment of the present invention. Description of the embodiments

[0015] The present invention is described below with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings. As shown in Fig. Figure 1 shows a front wheel fork FF according to one embodiment: as shown in the Fig. 1 and Fig. Figure 2 shows a telescopic fork main housing F comprising a chassis-side tube 1 and an axle-side tube 2, and being expandable and contractible; an attachment 3 attached to a chassis-side end of the chassis-side tube 1; a cylinder 4 provided in the axle-side tube 2; a piston rod 5 as a tubular rod inserted axially movably into the cylinder 4, one end of which is connected to the attachment 3; an electromagnet S (solenoid) as an electrical device received in the cylinder 4; a terminal 6 provided in the attachment 3; and a connecting element C, partially provided in a wiring harness 7, which is connected to the terminal 6 and the electromagnet S and is suitable for electrically connecting and disconnecting the terminal 6 and the electromagnet S.

[0016] Each unit of the FF front fork, according to its embodiment, is described in detail below. As in the Fig. 1 and Fig. As shown in Figure 2, the front fork FF comprises the fork housing F with the chassis-side tube 1 and the axle-side tube 2, which is slidably inserted into the chassis-side tube 1. When vibrations act on the fork housing F, the axle-side tube 2 moves in and out of the chassis-side tube 1, and the fork housing F expands and contracts. Note that in the present embodiment, the fork housing F is of the inverted type, in which the axle-side tube 2 is inserted into the chassis-side tube 1. However, the fork housing F can also be of the upright type, in which the chassis-side tube 1 is inserted into the axle-side tube 2.

[0017] In Fig. 2 The ring-shaped attachment 3 is attached to an upper end of the vehicle-frame-side tube 1, which is a vehicle-frame-side end of the fork main housing F. In Fig. 1 is also a lower end of the axle-side tube 2, which is a lower end of the fork main housing F, closed by an axle-side bracket B. In addition, a tubular gap formed in the section where the vehicle-frame-side tube 1 and the axle-side tube 2 overlap is closed by an annular sealing element 20, which is attached to a lower end of the vehicle-frame-side tube 1 and is in sliding contact with an outer circumference of the axle-side tube 2.

[0018] In this way, the interior of the fork main housing F is a closed space, and a damper D is accommodated within the fork main housing F. The damper D comprises the cylinder 4, which is accommodated in the axle-side tube 2, a piston 21 slidably inserted into the cylinder 4, and the piston rod 5, the lower end of which is connected to the piston 21 and the upper end of which protrudes from the cylinder 4 and is connected to the attachment 3.

[0019] Since the attachment 3 is connected to the chassis-side tube 1, the piston rod 5 is connected to the chassis-side tube 1 via the attachment 3. Furthermore, the cylinder 4 is connected to the axle-side tube 2. As described above, the damper D is positioned between the chassis-side tube 1 and the axle-side tube 2, and the piston rod 5 moves axially relative to the cylinder 4 to expand and contract as the fork main body F expands and contracts.

[0020] Furthermore, an annular head element 22 is attached to an upper end of the cylinder 4, and the piston rod 5 movably penetrates an inner side of the head element 22 in the axial direction. The head element 22 slidably supports the piston rod 5, and a support spring 23 formed by a helical spring is arranged between the head element 22 and the attachment 3. The support spring 23 exerts an elastic force to separate the chassis-side tube 1 and the axle-side tube 2 from each other and to preload the fork main body F in an expansion direction. Therefore, the front fork FF elastically supports a vehicle chassis when it is arranged between a front wheel of the ride-on vehicle (straddle type) and the vehicle chassis.

[0021] In the present embodiment, the piston rod 5 further comprises a tubular piston retaining rod 5a connected to the piston 21, a tubular connecting rod 5b connected to a lower end of the attachment 3, and a tubular connecting element 5c connecting the piston retaining rod 5a and the connecting rod 5b. The connecting rod 5b has a larger diameter than the piston retaining rod 5a, and the thick tubular connecting element 5c is inserted into and screwed into the inner circumference of a lower end of the connecting rod 5b. The piston retaining rod 5a is also inserted into and screwed into the inner circumference of a lower end of the connecting element 5c. Therefore, the piston rod 5 has a tubular shape and a form in which the upper end face is Fig. 1 is thicker.

[0022] It should be noted that, according to the present embodiment, the damper D is of the single-rod type, and the piston rod 5 extends from one side of the piston 21 out of the cylinder 4. However, the damper D can also be of the double-rod type, and the piston rods can extend from opposite sides of the piston out of the cylinder. Furthermore, the support spring 23 can also be a type of spring other than the helical spring, for example, an air spring.

[0023] Next, a fluid chamber L, filled with a fluid (e.g., hydraulic oil), is formed in cylinder 4. This chamber is divided by piston 21 into an expansion-side chamber R1 and a compression-side chamber R2. The expansion-side chamber is one of the two chambers divided by the piston when the damper D expands. Conversely, the compression-side chamber is one of the two chambers divided by piston 21 when the damper D contracts.

[0024] Furthermore, a space outside cylinder 4, more precisely a space between the damper D and the fork main casing F, is a fluid storage chamber R. The fluid storage chamber R contains the same fluid as the fluid in cylinder 4, and a gas chamber G filled with a gas such as air is formed above the fluid level. In this way, the fork main casing F functions as the outer shell of a tank that stores a fluid separately from the fluid in cylinder 4.

[0025] It should be noted that the liquid storage chamber R, although not shown, is connected to the compression-side chamber R2, and a damping valve, which resists the flow of liquid from the compression-side chamber R2 to the liquid storage chamber R, and a check valve, which only allows a flow of liquid from the liquid storage chamber R to the compression-side chamber R2, are provided.

[0026] Furthermore, the piston 21 is provided with a damping passage 21a, which connects the expansion-side chamber R1 and the compression-side chamber R2, and with a solenoid valve SV, which resists the flow of fluid through the damping passage 21a. The solenoid valve SV comprises the electromagnet S as an electrical device and a valve body V, which is actuated by the electromagnet S. The resistance to the flow of fluid through the damping passage 21a can be adjusted according to the current applied by the electromagnet S. The damping passage 21a can be provided with an orifice or a damping valve in series or in parallel with the solenoid valve SV.

[0027] The electromagnet S, as an electrical device in the solenoid valve SV, is configured to be powered by an external power supply (not shown) via the wiring 7 housed in the piston rod 5. The wiring 7 connects the terminal 6, held by the attachment 3, and the solenoid valve S, with the connecting element C partially provided. More precisely, the wiring 7 comprises a device-side wiring 7a, one end of which is connected to the electromagnet S and the other end to a plug 10 in the connecting element C, and a terminal-side wiring 7b, one end of which is connected to the terminal 6 and the other end to a socket 11 in the connecting element C.The connecting element C comprises the plug 10 with a pin (not shown) which is electrically connected to the electromagnet S via the device-side wiring 7a therein, and the socket 11 with a contact which is electrically connected to the terminal 6 via the terminal-side wiring 7b therein. When the plug 10 is inserted into the socket 11, the pin is held in a position where it is inserted into the contact to electrically connect the terminal 6 to the electromagnet S, and when the plug 10 is removed from the socket 11, the contact between the pin and the contact is broken to electrically disconnect the terminal 6 and the electromagnet S. Note that the device-side wiring 7a can be connected to the plug 10 and the terminal-side wiring 7b can be connected to the socket 11.

[0028] The maximum width of the connecting element C is smaller than the inner diameter of the connector receiving rod 5b of the piston rod 5, and the connecting element C can be received in the connector receiving rod 5b and can be pulled into and removed from the connector receiving rod 5b from above. Furthermore, the device-side wiring 7a has additional length so that the connecting element C can be removed from an upper end of the vehicle-frame-side tube 1 and is received in the connector receiving rod 5b in a released state when the connecting element C is in the connector receiving rod 5b.

[0029] When the fork main body F and the damper D expand, the piston 21 moves relative to the cylinder 4 in Fig. As the piston 21 moves upwards, the expansion-side chamber R1 is reduced in size and the compression-side chamber R2 is enlarged. The fluid in the compressed expansion-side chamber R1 passes through the damping passage 21a of the piston 21 and moves to the enlarged compression-side chamber R2. Since the solenoid valve SV resists the fluid flow, the pressure in the expansion-side chamber R1 increases, and the damper D generates the damping force that restricts the extension of the fork main body F. Note that at the time of expansion of the damper D, the piston rod 5 is retracted from inside the cylinder 4, and the amount of fluid in the cylinder 4 is insufficient when the piston rod 5 is retracted. Therefore, the insufficient amount of fluid is directed from the fluid reservoir chamber R1 through the check valve into the cylinder 4.

[0030] Conversely, when the fork main body F and the damper D contract, the piston 21 moves in relation to the cylinder 4. Fig. As the damper D moves downwards, the compression-side chamber R2 shrinks and the expansion-side chamber R1 expands. The fluid in the compressed compression-side chamber R2 flows through the damping passage 21a of the piston 21 and moves into the expanded expansion-side chamber R1. At the time of damper D's contraction, the piston rod 5 enters cylinder 4, and the amount of fluid in cylinder 4 at this point is excessive. Therefore, the excess fluid from the compression-side chamber R2 is discharged through the damping valve into the fluid storage chamber R.Since the solenoid valve SV resists the flow of fluid towards the expansion-side chamber R1 and the damping valve resists the flow of fluid towards the fluid storage chamber R, the pressure in the compression-side chamber R2 increases, and the damper D generates the damping force that prevents the fork main body F from contracting.

[0031] Since the solenoid valve SV can adjust the resistance opposed to the fluid flow by adjusting the current supplied to the electromagnet S in the solenoid valve SV, the damping force generated by the damper D in the front fork FF can be adjusted according to the present embodiment both at the time of expansion and at the time of contraction.

[0032] As a result, the attachment 3 has a tubular shape and comprises a bushing receiving cylinder 31, which is inserted into the inner circumference of the upper end of the vehicle frame-side tube 1 via a screw connection, and a rod connecting cylinder 32, which is connected to a lower end of the bushing receiving cylinder 31 in order to be screwed to the outer circumference of an upper end of the connecting receiving rod 5b of the piston rod 5.

[0033] As in the Fig. 1 and Fig. As shown in Figure 2, the bushing receiving cylinder 31 comprises an annular base section 31a connected to an upper end of the rod connecting cylinder 32, a tubular section 31b extending from the outer circumference of the base section 31a and having an outer and inner diameter larger than that of the rod connecting cylinder 32, a screw section 31c provided on the outer circumference of the tubular section 31b and screwed to a screw section 1a provided on the inner circumference of an upper end of the vehicle chassis-side tube 1, an annular groove 31d provided on the inner circumference of the tubular section 31b in a circumferential direction, two toothed grooves 31e provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the inner circumference of an opening end of the tubular section 31b, and a sealing ring 31f.the inner side of the tubular section 31b and the inner side of the fork main housing F below the groove 31d in , Fig. 2. In other words, the toothing grooves 31e are provided on the inner circumference of the bushing receiving cylinder 31 with a phase difference of 180 degrees.

[0034] On the other hand, the rod connecting cylinder 32 comprises a screw section 32a which is suspended on the inner circumference of the lower section 31a of the bushing receiving cylinder 31, extends downwards and is screwed to a screw section 5d which is provided on the outer circumference of the connecting receiving rod 5b on the inner circumference.

[0035] As described above, the narrowest section on the inner circumference of the attachment 3 is the smallest section of the inner diameter of the rod connecting cylinder 32, but the inner diameter of this section is larger than the inner diameter of the connector receiving rod 5b. Therefore, the connecting element C can be guided through the inner circumference of the attachment 3 in both the upper and lower directions.

[0036] A bushing 8, which receives the connection 6, is inserted into the inner circumference of the bushing receiving cylinder 31. As shown in the Fig. 1 to Fig.As shown in Figure 3, the socket 8 comprises a base section 8a, which is attached to the inner circumference of the socket receiving cylinder 31, and an annular socket section 8b, which is provided above the base section 8a to receive the terminal 6 and to allow the attachment of a plug (not shown) connected to an external power supply. Furthermore, two keyed sections 8c are provided at equal intervals around the outer circumference of the base section 8a, which fit into the toothed grooves 31e provided on the inner circumference of the socket receiving cylinder 31, and three arms 8d are provided extending from a bottom surface of the outer circumference of the base section 8a. Each of the arms 8d can be bent towards a central side of the base section 8a and includes a claw 8e that projects towards the outer circumferential side of the base section 8a.It should be noted that the bushing section 8b is not located in the center of the base section 8a, but rather at an eccentric position. In other words, the keyway parts 8c are located on the outer circumference of the base section 8a with a phase shift of 180 degrees.

[0037] The socket 8 is formed in a resin and holds the connector 6, which is connected to the connection-side wiring 7b, to the socket section 8b. The socket section 8b surrounds the circumference of the connector 6 and can be fitted with a plug (not shown) that is attached to a distal end of the wiring on the external power supply side. The socket 8 thus configured is manufactured, for example, as follows. The connector 6, which is connected to the connection-side wiring 7b, is pre-placed in a mold for forming the socket section 8b, and a casting resin formed from a resin is injected into the mold to obtain the socket section 8b by performing an insert molding process to integrate the connector 6, the connection-side wiring 7b, and the socket section 8b.The socket section 8b, obtained by assembling the terminal 6 and the terminal-side wiring 7b, is then inserted into a mold to form the base section 8a. A casting resin is injected into the mold to create the socket 8 by performing insert molding to integrate the assembled socket section 8b and the base section 8a. Because the injection molding is performed twice, the socket section 8b can be integrated with the base section 8a using a single mold, even if the socket section 8b has a different shape than the section to which the connector is attached. Therefore, even if the socket section 8b with the terminal 6 is purchased externally, the socket 8 can be manufactured by integrating the socket section 8b and the base section 8a.It should be noted that in order to obtain the socket section 8b, only the connector 6 can be inserted to integrate the connector 6 and the socket section 8b, and afterwards the connection-side cabling 7b can be attached to the connector 6.

[0038] When the base section 8a of the bushing 8, configured in this way, is inserted into the bushing receiving cylinder 31 until the claw 8e is opposite the groove 31d, the claw 8e enters the groove 31d and is gripped by the bushing receiving cylinder 31 to be held by the attachment 3. It should be noted that if the bushing 8 is removed from the attachment 3, the claw 8e is retracted from inside the groove 31d when the arm 8d is bent towards the side of the base section 8a. Therefore, the bushing 8 is lifted upwards while this condition is maintained. With the claw 8e and the attachment 3 released, the bushing 8 can be easily pulled out of the attachment 3. Several claws 8e are provided on the bushing 8, and the bushing 8 can only be pulled out of the attachment 3 if all arms 8d are bent simultaneously.Therefore, there is no concern that the socket 8 will accidentally detach from the attachment 3 when tools or similar objects are used. In a design where the claw 8e extends into the groove 31d and is attached to the socket 8 and the attachment 3 as described above, there is no rotation of the socket 8 relative to the attachment 3 when the socket 8 is attached to or removed from the attachment 3. Therefore, there is no possibility of the wiring 7 being twisted when the socket 8 is attached to or removed from the attachment 3. Thus, breakage and fatigue of the wiring 7 can be prevented.

[0039] When the bushing 8 is attached to the attachment 3 as described above, each of the key sections 8c engages in each of the corresponding toothed grooves 31e, and the rotation of the bushing 8 in the circumferential direction relative to the attachment 3 is limited. As described above, the key section 8c and the toothed groove 31e act as rotation stoppers, preventing rotation in the circumferential direction while allowing axial relative movement between the bushing 8 and the attachment 3. This prevents rotation of the bushing 8 in the circumferential direction, thus avoiding twisting of the wiring 7 and preventing breakage and fatigue of the wiring 7. Since the two key sections 8c and the two toothed grooves 31e are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction in the bushing 8 and the attachment 3, respectively, the bushing 8 can be attached to the attachment 3 in two orientations.Since the socket section 8b is also provided in a position eccentric to the center of the base section 8a, the socket section 8b can be positioned on any section of two different positions with respect to the attachment 3. The front fork FF is attached to the vehicle frame via an upper bracket; however, a handle is attached to the upper bracket, and the shape of the upper bracket and handle, as well as the mounting structure of the upper bracket and handle, vary depending on the vehicle type. In this way, since the position of socket section 8b of the socket 8 can be appropriately modified, the plug on the external power supply side can be reliably connected to socket section 8b, while interference between socket section 8b and the handle is avoided, regardless of the type of ride-on vehicle (straddle type).It should be noted that in a case where three key sections 8c and three toothed grooves 31e are provided in the bushing 8 and the attachment 3, respectively, at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, the bushing 8 can be attached to the attachment 3 in three different mounting orientations, and the deviations in the position of the bushing section 8b increase accordingly as the number of installed key sections 8c and the number of installed toothed grooves 31e are increased. Since the groove 31d into which the claw 8e is inserted is an annular groove, the claw 8e can be inserted into the groove 31d even when the bushing 8 is attached to the attachment 3 in any mounting orientation in the circumferential direction, and the bushing 8 can be attached to the attachment 3.It should be noted that in a case where the groove 31d is not the annular groove, the claws 8e and the groove 31d only need to be provided such that all claws 8e always face the groove 31d, even if the mounting orientation of the bushing 8 is changed.

[0040] It should be noted that the bushing 8 can be fastened to the attachment 3 using other known fastening structures, e.g., by using a screw that passes through the bushing 8 and is screwed into the lower section 31a of the bushing receiving cylinder 31 in place of the claw 8e and the groove 31d, or by providing a stop on the inner circumference of the attachment 3 and clamping the bushing 8 between a nut screwed to the attachment 3 and the stop. Furthermore, the bushing 8 can be fastened to the attachment 3 by the clamping force of the sealing ring 31f, instead of the claw 8e and the groove 31d.In a case where the bushing 8 is fastened with the screw, the diameter of the base section 8a of the bushing 8 is increased, the outer diameter of the front fork FF is increased, and the number of components is increased because sealing of a section around the screw is additionally required, and a hole is provided in the bushing 8 through which the screw passes. However, in the case where the bushing 8 is fixed by the claw 8e and the groove 31d or the sealing ring 31f, this has the advantage that the front fork FF is not enlarged and the number of components does not increase.

[0041] The front fork FF is configured as described above, and in the event of maintenance, disassembly is performed as follows. First, arm 8d is bent to the side of base section 8a to pull socket 8 out of attachment 3, and connecting element C is pulled out of the fork main body F through the inner circumference of attachment 3. Next, connector 10 of connecting element C is removed from socket 11, the device-side wiring 7a and the connection-side wiring 7b are disconnected, and socket 8, along with device-side wiring 7a, is completely removed from the fork main body F. In this way, attachment 3 can be completely removed from the chassis-side tube 1 without affecting the wiring 7.When the attachment 3 is removed from the vehicle frame-side tube 1, the disassembly work is completed, and the upper end opening section of the vehicle frame-side tube 1 is fully open, allowing maintenance work such as replacing the suspension spring 23 and the seal in the fork main housing F and replacing or supplying the hydraulic oil in the damper D and the fluid storage chamber R to be carried out.

[0042] In a case where the attachment 3 and the socket 8 are attached to the fork main body F after completion of maintenance, the device-side wiring 7a and the connection-side wiring 7b are connected by the connecting element C in a state where the connecting element C and the attachment 3 are separated. Subsequently, the attachment 3 is fastened to the frame-side tube 1, and then the socket 8 is attached to the attachment 3. In the front fork FF of the present embodiment, the attachment 3 can be completely separated from the fork main body F, since the attachment 3 can be attached and removed as described above, and there is no possibility of twisting the wiring 7 when the attachment 3 is attached and removed, thus preventing breakage and fatigue of the wiring 7.

[0043] It should be noted that in the present embodiment, the socket 8, which holds the connector 6, can be removed from the attachment 3. However, even in a case where the connector 6 is directly attached to the attachment 3, when the attachment 3 is removed from the vehicle frame tube 1 and the plug 10 of the connecting element C is removed from the socket 11, a wiring harness 7a does not impede the complete removal of the attachment 3 from the vehicle frame tube 1. That is to say, as described above, the connector 6 can be attached directly to the attachment 3 or indirectly to the attachment 3 by being held by the socket 8, which can be removed from the attachment 3.

[0044] As described above, the front fork FF according to the embodiment comprises: the telescopic fork main housing F, which includes the chassis-side tube 1 and the axle-side tube 2 and is capable of expanding and contracting; the attachment 3, which is attached to the chassis-side end of the chassis-side tube 1; the cylinder 4, which is provided in the axle-side tube 2; the tubular piston rod 5, which is axially movably inserted in the cylinder 4 and one end of which is connected to the attachment 3; the electromagnet S (electrical device), which is received in the cylinder 4; the connection 6, which is provided in the attachment 3;and the connecting element C, which is partially provided in the wiring 7, which is connected to the terminal 6 and the electromagnet (electrical device) S and which is suitable for electrically connecting and disconnecting the terminal 6 and the electromagnet (electrical device) S, and thus the terminal 6 and the electromagnet (electrical device) S are partially separated in the wiring 7 by the connecting element C, and the attachment 3 can be easily and completely removed from the vehicle frame-side tube 1 in order to open the upper end opening section of the vehicle frame-side tube 1 without being obstructed by the wiring 7. Therefore, maintenance work can be easily carried out on the front wheel fork FF of the present embodiment, even when the electromagnet (electrical device) S is provided therein.

[0045] Furthermore, in the front fork FF of the present embodiment, the attachment 3 has an annular shape and contains the bushing 8, which is detachably mounted on the inner circumference of the attachment 3 and receives the connection 6. The connecting element C is suitable for passing through the inner circumference of the attachment 3. In the front fork FF configured in this way, as described above, the bushing 8 is removed from the attachment 3 without removing the attachment 3 from the chassis-side tube 1. The connecting element C is removed from the fork main housing F, the connecting element C is disconnected, and thus the wiring 7 can be separated into the device-side wiring 7a and the connection-side wiring 7b.Since the wiring 7 in the front fork FF of the present embodiment can be separated into the device-side wiring 7a and the connection-side wiring 7b without twisting the wiring 7, interruption and fatigue of the wiring 7 can be prevented. Since the socket 8 and the connection-side wiring 7b can be removed from the connection 3, removing the connection 3 from the chassis-side tube 1 is also easy.

[0046] Furthermore, in the front fork FF according to the present embodiment, the attachment 3 has an annular shape and contains the bushing 8, which is detachably mounted on the inner circumference of the attachment 3 and receives the connector 6. The connecting element C can extend through the inner circumference of the attachment 3. The bushing 8 contains the base section 8a, which is inserted into the inner circumference of the attachment 3, and the base section 8a contains the claw 8e, which can be inserted into the groove 31d formed in the inner circumference of the attachment 3. In the front fork FF configured in this way, no rotation occurs when attaching and detaching the bushing 8 relative to the attachment 3, and the cable 7 is not twisted. Therefore, breakage and fatigue of the cable 7 can be prevented.Since the bushing 8 and the attachment 3 are not enlarged compared to the case where the bushing 8 is attached to the attachment 3 by the screw, it is also possible to avoid enlarging the front fork FF.

[0047] The front fork FF according to the present embodiment includes a rotation stop that prevents rotation in the circumferential direction while allowing relative movement between the bushing 8 and the attachment 3 in the axial direction. In the front fork FF configured in this way, because the bushing 8 does not rotate in the circumferential direction with respect to the attachment 3 and the cable 7 does not twist, breakage and fatigue of the cable 7 can be prevented when the front fork FF is in use. It should be noted that the rotation stop allows axial movement of the bushing 8 with respect to the attachment 3 and thus does not impede the attachment and removal of the bushing 8 with respect to the attachment 3.Furthermore, the sealing ring 31f can be used as a rotation stop by imparting a clamping force to the sealing ring 31f provided in the attachment 3, which restricts the movement of the bushing 8 in the circumferential direction with respect to the attachment 3, and the sealing ring 31f can be provided on the outer circumference of the base section 8a of the bushing 8 instead of the side of the attachment 3.

[0048] Furthermore, the rotation stop comprises the keyed part 8c, which is provided on the outer circumference of the bushing 8, and the toothed groove 31e, which is provided on the inner circumference of the attachment 3 and into which the keyed part 8c is inserted. The rotation stop is mounted at two points at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the bushing 8 and the attachment 3. In the front fork FF configured in this way, the bushing 8 can be mounted on the attachment 3 in two different circumferential orientations. Since the position of the bushing section 8b in the front fork FF of the present embodiment can be changed, the connector on the external power supply side can be reliably connected to the bushing section 8b, while interference between the bushing section 8b and the handle is avoided, regardless of the type of ride-on vehicle (straddle type).It should be noted that the rotation stop with the keyed part 8c and the toothed groove 31e can be attached at three points at equal intervals around the circumference of the bushing 8 and the attachment 3. In this case, the bushing 8 can be attached to the attachment 3 in two different circumferential orientations. Furthermore, the keyed part can be located on the inner circumference of the attachment 3 and the toothed groove on the outer circumference of the bushing.

[0049] In the front fork FF of the present embodiment, the piston rod 5 comprises the tubular piston retaining rod 5a, which is connected to the piston 21, and the tubular connecting rod 5b, which is connected to the lower end of the attachment 3, the connecting rod 5b having a larger diameter than the piston retaining rod 5a. In the front fork FF of the present embodiment, the connecting element C, which is larger than the wiring 7, is received in the large-diameter connecting rod 5b, and only the small-diameter piston retaining rod 5a is inserted into the cylinder 4 of the damper D.In the front fork FF configured in this way, since the large connecting element C is received in the connector receiving rod 5b outside the cylinder 4 and only the piston retaining rod 5a with a small outer diameter is inserted into the cylinder 4, a pressure receiving area of ​​the piston 21 can be ensured without increasing the diameter of the cylinder 4, and an expansion-side damping force can be sufficiently exerted while avoiding an increase in the size of the front fork FF.

[0050] It should be noted that in the front fork FF of the present embodiment, the electrical device is the electromagnet S, but the electrical device is not limited to the electromagnet S. The electrical device can be a coil in a case where the damper D is a damper that uses an electroviscous fluid or a magnetically viscous fluid and uses the coil to change the viscosity. Furthermore, the electrical device can be a sensor or the like for detecting the pressure in the damper D or for detecting the expansion / contraction displacement of the fork main body F, in addition to the electrical device used to adjust the damping force of the damper D in the front fork FF. That is to say, the present invention can be applied to the front fork FF in which the electrical device is housed in the cylinder 4.As long as at least part of the electrical device is inserted into the cylinder 4, even if the electrical device is displaced with respect to the cylinder 4, this fulfills the definition that the electrical device is contained in the cylinder 4.

[0051] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, modifications, variations and changes are possible without deviating from the scope of protection of the claims.

[0052] This application claims priority over Japanese patent application No. 2019-143773, which was filed with the Japanese Patent Office on August 5, 2019, and the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Reference symbol list 1. Vehicle frame-side tube 2 Axial-side tube 3 essays 4 cylinders 5 Piston rod (rod) 6 connection 7 Cabling 8 socket 8a Basic section 8c Keyway part 8e Claw 31e toothed groove C Connecting element F Fork main case S Electromagnet (Electrical device) QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] JP 2014190405 A

[0005] JP 2019143773

[0052]

Claims

[1] A front fork (FF) comprising: a telescopic fork main housing (F) comprising a vehicle frame-side tube (1) and an axle-side tube (2), and capable of expanding and contracting; an attachment (3) which is attached to a vehicle frame-side end of the vehicle frame-side tube (1); a cylinder (4) which is provided in the axle-side tube (2); a tubular rod (5) which is inserted axially movable into the cylinder (4) and has one end that is connected to the attachment (3); an electrical device (S) which is included in the cylinder (4); a connection (6) provided in the extension (3); and a connecting element (C) which is partially provided in a wiring (7) which is connected to the terminal (6) and the electrical device (S) and is suitable for electrically connecting and disconnecting the terminal (6) and the electrical device (S). [2] Front wheel fork (FF) according to claim 1, wherein the attachment (3) has an annular shape and includes a bushing (8) which is detachably attached to an inner circumference of the attachment (3) and receives the connection (6), and the connecting element (C) is suitable to pass through the inner circumference of the attachment (3). [3] Front wheel fork (FF) according to claim 2, wherein the socket (8) contains a base section (8a) which is inserted into the inner circumference of the attachment (3), and the base section (8a) contains a claw (8e) which is suitable for being inserted into a groove (31e) which is formed in the inner circumference of the attachment (3). [4] Front fork (FF) according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising a rotation stop that prevents rotation in a circumferential direction while allowing relative movement between the bushing (8) and the attachment (3) in an axial direction. [5] Front wheel fork (FF) according to one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the rotary stop has a key element (8c) that is provided either on an outer circumference of the bushing (8) or on the inner circumference of the attachment (3), and a toothed groove (31e) that is provided accordingly opposite, either on the outer circumference of the bushing (8) or on the inner circumference of the attachment (3), and into which the key element (8c) is inserted, and the rotary stop is attached at two or three points at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the bushing (8) and the attachment (3).