JP2007253921A - Damper with vehicle height adjusting function and vehicle equipped with the damper - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a damper with a vehicle height adjusting function that can adjust the vehicle height even when the vehicle is stopped and has an excellent sealing property, and to suppress an increase in vehicle body weight and cost.
A damper 2 is interposed between a vehicle body side member C and a wheel side member A to attenuate the vertical vibration of the vehicle body, and a hydraulic oil supply / discharge device 21 which supplies and discharges hydraulic oil 3 to and from the damper 2. And the damper 1 with a vehicle height adjustment function is comprised from the air supply / discharge device 31 which supplies / discharges the compressed air 23 with respect to the hydraulic-oil supply / discharge device 21. FIG. The hydraulic oil supply / discharge device 21 includes a hydraulic cylinder chamber 22 that communicates with the cylinder tube 4 and stores the hydraulic oil 3, and a pneumatic cylinder chamber 24 that has a larger cross-sectional area than the hydraulic cylinder chamber 22 and that supplies and discharges compressed air 23. The cylinder 25 includes a pneumatic piston 26 that defines a pneumatic cylinder chamber 24, and a hydraulic piston 27 that defines the hydraulic cylinder chamber 22 and moves integrally with the pneumatic piston 26.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a damper with a vehicle height adjustment function and a vehicle having a damper with a vehicle height adjustment function used in a vehicle suspension.

  A suspension of an automobile or the like is configured by a buffer spring, a vibration damping damper, and an arm that connects a vehicle body side member and a wheel side member. Generally, a damper includes a cylindrical cylinder tube filled with hydraulic oil, and a piston rod having a piston sliding at the tip of the cylinder tube. The piston (piston rod) moves along with the movement of the piston. A cylindrical shape that employs a structure for moving hydraulic oil between a plurality of oil chambers is widely adopted. Normally, the piston of the cylindrical damper is provided with an orifice and a disc valve made of a thin steel plate or the like, and a damping force is generated by a flow resistance when hydraulic oil flows by pushing the disc valve.

As described above, the damper has a function of attenuating the vertical vibration of the vehicle body, but some of these dampers have a vehicle height adjustment function. In other words, the vehicle body is supported by springs, but the vehicle body sinks when the load increases due to an increase in the number of passengers and cargo volume. It is a damper with a function to keep it safe. As a method of providing the vehicle height adjustment function to the damper, a high pressure hydraulic pump is provided outside the damper and the hydraulic oil is pumped into the cylinder, so that the piston rod is pushed out by the volume of the pumped hydraulic oil. There is a way to raise the vehicle height. Also, a self-pumping damper that adjusts the vehicle height by increasing the reaction force of the rod by pressurizing the hydraulic oil in the cylinder using the pumping action when the damper that has become high pressure due to the increase in weight strokes (patent Reference 1) and a damper provided with an actuator that pumps hydraulic oil stored in an oil tank independently of the damper so that the vehicle height can be adjusted even when the vehicle is stopped while having a self-pumping function (Patent Document 2) Have been proposed).
JP-A-60-261713 JP-A-11-342716

  However, in order to provide a high-pressure hydraulic pump independently of the damper to pump hydraulic fluid, a dedicated hydraulic pump, oil tank, accumulator, etc. are required, which increases costs and increases the weight of the vehicle. Absent. Moreover, in the self-pumping type damper with a vehicle height adjustment function described in Patent Document 1, when the pressure in the cylinder is low in response to a small load, a load is loaded or a passenger gets in. When the loaded load increases, the vehicle height decreases by the increased load. However, there is a problem that it is necessary to continue traveling with the vehicle height lowered until the damper repeatedly expands and contracts due to traveling and raises the vehicle height. Furthermore, in the damper provided with the actuator for pressure-feeding the hydraulic oil described in Patent Document 2 separately, a dedicated high-pressure pressurizing unit is required, and the hydraulic oil for pumping the hydraulic oil in the oil tank is required. The gas chamber interposed between the piston and the piston must be sealed under the same high pressure as that of the hydraulic oil, which may cause gas leakage. In addition, when a gas leak occurs, it is difficult to refill the gas.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a background, and provides a damper with a vehicle height adjusting function that can adjust the vehicle height even when the vehicle is stopped and has an excellent sealing property, and also increases the vehicle weight and the cost. The purpose is to suppress.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, a vehicle height adjuster according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a damper that is interposed between a vehicle body side member and a wheel side member and attenuates vertical vibrations of the vehicle body, and compressed air. Hydraulic fluid supply / discharge means for supplying and discharging hydraulic fluid to and from the damper by being supplied and discharged; and air supply / discharge means for supplying and discharging compressed air to the hydraulic fluid supply and discharge means, A damper with a vehicle height adjusting function for separating or approaching the vehicle body side member and the wheel side member by supplying and discharging the hydraulic fluid to the vehicle body, the damper being filled with the hydraulic fluid and the vehicle body A cylinder tube connected to any one of the side member and the wheel side member, a piston that defines the inside of the cylinder tube as a first liquid chamber and a second liquid chamber, and at least one of the piston and the cylinder tube Formed on one side A flow path for moving the working fluid between the first liquid chamber and the second liquid chamber, and a piston rod that connects the other of the vehicle body side member and the wheel side member and the piston are provided. The hydraulic fluid supply and discharge means stores the hydraulic fluid and communicates with the cylinder tube, and a pneumatic cylinder having a larger cross-sectional area than the hydraulic cylinder chamber and supplying and discharging the compressed air A cylinder having a chamber; a pneumatic piston defining the pneumatic cylinder chamber; and a hydraulic piston defining the hydraulic cylinder chamber and moving integrally with the pneumatic piston. Provide dampers with vehicle height adjustment function.

  A vehicle height adjuster according to a second aspect of the present invention is the vehicle height adjuster according to the first aspect, wherein the pneumatic piston and the hydraulic piston are connected by a connecting rod. Provide damper with high adjustment function.

  A vehicle according to a third aspect of the present invention is a vehicle including at least one pair of dampers with a vehicle height adjusting function according to claim 1 or 2, wherein one of the dampers with a vehicle height adjusting function is operated. The first pneumatic cylinder constituting the liquid supply / discharge means and the first pneumatic cylinder constituting the hydraulic fluid supply / discharge means of the other damper with a vehicle height adjusting function are opposed to each other so that the axial centers thereof substantially coincide with each other. A first opposed piston that is slidably disposed within the first pneumatic cylinder to define a pneumatic cylinder chamber, and is slidably disposed within the second pneumatic cylinder. A second opposing piston that defines a pneumatic cylinder chamber; a connecting means that connects the first opposing piston and the second opposing piston; and the connecting means that is connected to the first pneumatic cylinder side and the An actuator for driving to the second pneumatic cylinder side; To provide a vehicle, characterized in that it comprises.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle according to the third aspect, wherein the at least one pair of dampers with a vehicle height adjusting function are arranged on the left and right of the vehicle body.

  According to the damper with the vehicle height adjusting function of the first aspect, the following effects are exhibited. That is, even if the pressure of compressed air supplied to and discharged from the pneumatic cylinder is small, the hydraulic fluid is damped at a high pressure that is doubled by the sectional area ratio by using a piston with a different sectional area as the hydraulic fluid supply / discharge means. It becomes possible to supply and discharge with respect to. Thereby, even if an air pump having a relatively low discharge pressure is employed, the vehicle height can be raised or lowered by separating or approaching the vehicle body side member and the wheel side member. Further, since the pneumatic cylinder side is at a low pressure, the seal between the cylinder and the piston becomes easy.

  Furthermore, since the volume of hydraulic fluid in the cylinder changes by the volume of the piston rod when the piston strokes, the hydraulic fluid and gas reserve chambers are usually used, as in the twin tube type and monotube de carvone type. Alternatively, a high-pressure gas chamber defined by a free piston must be provided in the damper. However, in the damper with a vehicle height adjusting function according to the present invention, the hydraulic cylinder chamber serves as a hydraulic fluid reserve chamber, and the pneumatic cylinder chamber serves as a gas reserve chamber to absorb the volume change of the piston rod. Can have a simple structure.

  Further, according to the damper with the vehicle height adjusting function of the second aspect, the pneumatic piston, the hydraulic piston and the rod are separately manufactured and assembled, thereby facilitating the manufacturing and reducing the cost, and further adjusting the vehicle height. The weight of the damper with the function can be reduced.

  Further, according to the vehicle of claim 3, by driving the connecting means, the pressure of the pneumatic cylinder chamber of the two hydraulic fluid supply / discharge means to be paired is changed to adjust the pressure of the hydraulic cylinder chamber, The pair of dampers can be expanded and contracted. As a result, the vehicle height can be controlled without supplying or discharging air to the paired pneumatic cylinder chambers, and energy consumption can be suppressed.

  Further, according to the vehicle of the fourth aspect, the roll posture of the vehicle body can be controlled without supplying and discharging air when the vehicle is turning by arranging the pair of dampers on the left and right sides of the vehicle.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a damper with a vehicle height adjusting function according to the embodiment, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the damper with a vehicle height adjusting function according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a damper according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the hydraulic oil supply / discharge device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the hydraulic oil supply / discharge device according to the second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a schematic rear view of the vehicle according to the third embodiment. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the hydraulic oil supply / discharge unit mounted on the vehicle according to the third embodiment.

  << Configuration of Embodiment >>

  As shown in FIG. 1, the damper 1 with a vehicle height adjusting function of the present embodiment is interposed between a vehicle body side member (wheel house upper and the like) C and a wheel side member (suspension arm, knuckle and the like) A. For a damper 2 that attenuates vertical vibrations of the vehicle body, a hydraulic oil supply / discharge device 21 (hydraulic oil supply / discharge means) that supplies / discharges hydraulic oil 3 (hydraulic fluid) to / from the damper 2, and a hydraulic oil supply / discharge device 21 And an air supply / discharge device 31 (air supply / discharge means) for supplying and discharging the compressed air 23. The damper 1 with a vehicle height adjusting function adjusts the vehicle height by separating or approaching the vehicle body side member C and the wheel side member A by supplying and discharging the hydraulic oil 3 to and from the damper 2. In addition, although the damper 1 with a vehicle height adjustment function is each provided with the same structure for every wheel W, in order to avoid description becoming complicated, only the thing with respect to one wheel W is shown in FIG. Show.

  The damper 2 includes a cylinder tube 4 filled with the hydraulic oil 3 and having a lower end connected to the wheel side member A, and a piston 6 that defines the inside of the cylinder tube 4 into a first liquid chamber 5a and a second liquid chamber 5b. And an orifice 7 (flow path) that is formed in the piston 6 and moves the hydraulic oil 3 between the first liquid chamber 5a and the second liquid chamber 5b, and a piston rod that connects the vehicle body side member C and the piston 6. 8.

  The hydraulic oil supply / discharge device 21 stores hydraulic oil 3 and has a hydraulic cylinder chamber 22 (hydraulic cylinder chamber) communicating with the cylinder tube 4, and has a larger cross-sectional area than the hydraulic cylinder chamber 22 and supplies / discharges compressed air 23. From a cylinder 25 having a pneumatic cylinder chamber 24, a pneumatic piston 26 defining the pneumatic cylinder chamber 24, and a hydraulic piston 27 defining the hydraulic cylinder chamber 22 and moving integrally with the pneumatic piston 26 It is configured. The hydraulic oil 3 is a dedicated oil that is highly viscous and has little temperature dependency.

  Here, the cylinder 25 is a composite cylinder in which a pneumatic cylinder 25 a that forms the pneumatic cylinder chamber 24 and a hydraulic cylinder 25 b that forms the hydraulic cylinder chamber 22 are coaxially connected. Further, the hydraulic oil supply / discharge device 21 itself does not have a drive source such as an electric motor, but the piston built therein slides when the compressed air 23 is supplied / discharged by the air supply / discharge device 31, and the compressed air 23. It functions as a pressure intensifier and air-oil converter that supplies and discharges the hydraulic oil 3 at a high pressure that is doubled by the cross-sectional area ratio of the piston.

  << Operation of Embodiment >>

  When the load on the vehicle increases, the spring 32 contracts by the increased load and the vehicle height decreases. In such a case, the damper 2 has a vehicle height adjustment function for lifting the vehicle body by retracting the piston rod 8 by the amount of contraction of the spring 32 in order to keep the vehicle body horizontal and at a constant height regardless of the load. ing. In other words, the damper 1 with a vehicle height adjusting function drives the air supply / discharge device 31 to supply / discharge compressed air to / from the hydraulic oil supply / discharge device 21, whereby the hydraulic oil supply / discharge device 21 adds the hydraulic oil 3. To supply and discharge the damper 2 with pressure. When the hydraulic oil 3 is injected into the cylinder tube 4, the piston rod 8 retracts from the cylinder tube 4 by an amount corresponding to the volume of the injected hydraulic oil 3 to separate the vehicle body side member C and the wheel side member A. To raise the vehicle height. On the other hand, when the hydraulic oil 3 is discharged from the cylinder tube 4, the vehicle height decreases.

  Here, when the load is increased and the vehicle height is lowered, and when the piston 6 strokes due to an impact from the running road surface, the hydraulic oil 3 is cylinder tube by the volume of the inserted piston rod 8. In this embodiment, the hydraulic cylinder chamber 22 serves as a reserve chamber for the hydraulic oil 3, and the compressed air 23 in the pneumatic cylinder chamber 24 changes in volume to absorb the piston rod volume. .

  As shown in FIG. 2, the damper 1 with a vehicle height adjusting function of this embodiment is applied to a so-called McPherson strut suspension. The upper end of the damper 2 is connected to the wheel house upper 11 (vehicle body side member C), and the knuckle 41 (wheel side member A) is fixed to the lower end of the damper 2. The lower end of the knuckle 41 is connected to a suspension member (not shown) by a lower arm 42, and the wheel W is rotatably supported via a hub bearing (not shown) attached to the knuckle 41. The lower arm 42 swings around a pivot shaft 42a provided at the front end, and tilts in various directions within a predetermined range or moves back and forth.

  A spring 32 is disposed above the damper 2 so as to surround the damper 2. When the spring 32 contracts, an impact from a road surface while the vehicle is traveling is absorbed. The damper 2 imparts resistance when the contracted spring 32 returns to damp vibration. A hydraulic hose 33 is connected to the damper 2, and the hydraulic oil 3 is supplied and discharged from the hydraulic oil supply / discharge device 21. An air hose 34 is connected to the hydraulic oil supply / discharge device 21, and the compressed air 23 is supplied / discharged from the air supply / discharge device 31. The air supply / discharge device 31 and the hydraulic oil supply / discharge device 21 may be installed at any location of the vehicle body, such as around the wheel house.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the damper 2 of this embodiment is a monotube type, and in addition to the main components of the cylinder tube 4, the piston 6, the orifice 7 and the piston rod 8 described above, A cover 9 for preventing dust from adhering, a bump stopper 10 for buffering at the time of full bound, and the like are provided. The upper end of the piston rod 8 is rotatably supported by the wheel house upper 11. The piston rod 8 has a flow path 8a drilled in its axial center, and the hydraulic oil 3 is supplied to and discharged from the cylinder tube 4 through the flow path 8a. Above the piston rod 8, a hydraulic hose connection portion 8b for connecting the hydraulic hose 33 to the flow path 8a is projected.

  The upper end of the spring 32 is supported by an upper spring seat 35 attached above the piston rod 8, and the lower end is supported by a lower spring seat 36 attached to the cylinder tube 4. In the contraction process in which the spring 32 contracts in response to an impact from the road surface, the piston 6 and the piston rod 8 enter the cylinder tube 4 deeply. At this time, the hydraulic oil 3 in the second liquid chamber 5b passes through the orifice 7 and moves to the first liquid chamber 5a. In the contraction process, since the hydraulic oil 3 moves through the orifice having a small flow resistance, the piston 6 slides while receiving a relatively small resistance. Thereafter, the piston 6 and the piston rod 8 are retracted from the cylinder tube 4 in an extension process in which the spring 32 attempts to return to the original length by the restoring force. At this time, since the hydraulic oil 3 in the first liquid chamber 5a moves to the second liquid chamber 5b through the orifice 7 having a large flow resistance, the piston 6 slides while receiving a large resistance, and the spring 32 is moved. Vibration is attenuated.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the hydraulic oil supply / discharge device 21 according to the present embodiment includes main components of a cylinder 25, a pneumatic side piston 26, and a hydraulic side piston 27. In the cylinder 25, a cylindrical hydraulic cylinder 25 b in which the hydraulic cylinder chamber 22 is formed and a cylindrical pneumatic cylinder 25 a in which the pneumatic cylinder chamber 24 is formed are coaxially connected. The hydraulic cylinder chamber 22 is fitted with a hydraulic piston 27, and the hydraulic cylinder chamber 22 closed by the hydraulic piston 27 is filled with hydraulic oil 3. The hydraulic oil 3 is supplied to and discharged from the cylinder tube 4 of the damper 2 through the hydraulic hose 33. On the other hand, a pneumatic piston 26 is fitted into the pneumatic cylinder chamber 24, and compressed air 23 is filled in the hydraulic cylinder chamber 22 closed by the pneumatic piston 26. The compressed air 23 is supplied and discharged from the air supply / discharge device 31 through the air hose 34.

  The hydraulic side piston 27 has a cylindrical shape, and is directly connected to a pneumatic side piston 26 having a cylindrical shape having a larger diameter. Both pistons are connected (coaxially) so that the cylinder axes are on the same line. The hydraulic oil supply / discharge device 21 supplies / discharges the hydraulic oil 3 to / from the cylinder tube 4 from the hydraulic hose 33 when the compressed air 23 is supplied / discharged through the air hose 34. Below the peripheral edge of the hydraulic side piston 27, O-rings 28 are double-wrapped as a sealing material for preventing leakage of the hydraulic oil 3. Similarly, the compressed air 23 is provided at the peripheral edge of the pneumatic side piston 26. An O-ring 29 is double-wrapped as a sealing material for preventing leakage.

  Since the pressure receiving area of the pneumatic piston 26 is larger than the pressure receiving area of the hydraulic piston 27, the hydraulic oil 3 can be supplied and discharged at a high pressure even when the compressed air 23 is supplied and discharged at a low pressure. it can.

  The air supply / discharge device 31 includes, for example, an air pump, an electromagnetic switching valve, a control device that performs information processing, and the like, and supplies / discharges the compressed air 23 to / from the hydraulic oil supply / discharge device 21 by controlling the compressed air 23 to a predetermined pressure. The pressure control of the air supply / discharge device 31 is performed by attaching a sensor (not shown) for measuring the distance between the vehicle body side member C and the wheel side member A (the expansion / contraction distance of the damper 2) and using the microcomputer of the control device. It is performed by information processing based on information.

  As a specific process of information processing, the loaded load is calculated based on the change in distance and the characteristics of the spring 32 used for the suspension, and the diameter of the piston rod 8 and the area of both sides of the piston of the hydraulic oil supply / discharge device 21 are calculated. The control air pressure is calculated based on the ratio and other factors. The other elements include, for example, the piston friction force of the hydraulic oil supply / discharge device 21 and the pressure loss of the hydraulic oil 3. Various elements are incorporated depending on the embodiment, and the air supply / discharge device is supplied and discharged. The relational expression between the air pressure and the actual load that the damper supports the vehicle body is established. It is also desirable to incorporate a program that performs correction based on the controlled pressure and the distance information measured as a result.

  Since hydraulic oil 3 can be supplied and discharged at a high pressure with low air pressure in this way, a small, lightweight, and low-power air pump can be used, and air supply can be performed without applying a load to the engine by taking the power source from the battery. The exhaust device 31 can be driven, and fuel consumption can be improved. Moreover, since a dedicated high-pressure hydraulic pump is not required, it is possible to suppress an increase in vehicle body weight or an increase in manufacturing cost. Further, since high pressure is not applied to the pneumatic piston 26, sealing with the pneumatic cylinder chamber 24 can be easily performed.

  Incidentally, as described above, in the contraction process of the damper 2, when the piston rod 8 enters the cylinder tube 4 deeply, the hydraulic oil 3 must flow out of the cylinder tube 4 by the volume of the piston rod 8 that has entered. Therefore, in general, a twin tube type or mono tube type de carvone method is adopted, and the change in the oil volume in the cylinder tube is absorbed by the air in the reservoir chamber or the high pressure gas chamber below the cylinder tube. . In the damper 1 with a vehicle height adjusting function according to the present invention, when a predetermined load or more is applied to the damper 2, the piston rod 8 enters the cylinder tube, and the hydraulic oil 3 corresponding to the volume of the entered piston rod 8 flows into the flow path. It is extruded into the hydraulic cylinder chamber 22 of the hydraulic oil supply / discharge device 21 via 8a. The hydraulic piston 27 and the pneumatic piston 26 slide toward the pneumatic cylinder chamber 24, and the volume of the piston rod 8 that has entered by absorbing the volume of the compressed air 23 is absorbed.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the hydraulic oil supply / discharge device 21 according to the second embodiment includes a pneumatic piston 26 fitted in the pneumatic cylinder chamber 24, and a hydraulic piston 27 fitted in the hydraulic cylinder chamber 22. Are connected by a connecting rod 30. By using the connecting rod 30, the hydraulic side piston 27 is formed to the minimum necessary thickness similarly to the pneumatic side piston 26, and the hydraulic oil supply / discharge device 21 is reduced in weight. Further, by separately manufacturing and assembling the pneumatic-side piston 26, the hydraulic-side piston 27, and the connecting rod 30, the manufacturing is facilitated and the manufacturing cost is reduced.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the automobile 51 (vehicle) of this embodiment includes a vehicle height adjusting damper unit 52 in which a pair of dampers 1 with a vehicle height adjusting function are arranged on the left and right sides of the vehicle body. The vehicle height adjusting damper units 52 are mounted on the front and rear sides of the vehicle body, respectively, but only the components arranged on the rear wheels are shown in the figure in order to avoid complicated description. In the description, for the reference numerals of the members constituting the vehicle height adjusting damper unit 52, the same numerals as those used in the first and second embodiments are used, and the suffixes indicating the left and right are respectively attached to the numerals. For example, the damper 2L (left) and the damper 2R (right) are described.

  The vehicle height adjustment damper unit 52 is interposed between the wheel house uppers 11R and 11L and the knuckles 41R and 41L, respectively, and two dampers 2R and 2L that attenuate the vertical vibration of the vehicle body, and compressed air is supplied and discharged. Or by driving the drive motor 60, the hydraulic oil supply / discharge unit configured by opposingly arranging the two hydraulic oil supply / discharge devices 21R and 21L for supplying and discharging the hydraulic oil 3 to and from the dampers 2R and 2L, respectively. 53 and an air supply / discharge device 31 that supplies / discharges compressed air to / from the hydraulic oil supply / discharge devices 21R, 21L.

  The hydraulic oil supply / discharge unit 53 includes a drive motor 60 for adjusting the hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic oil 3 with respect to the dampers 2R, 2L, in addition to the two hydraulic oil supply / discharge devices 21R, 21L. The hydraulic oil supply / discharge devices 21R and 21L are connected to the dampers 2R and 2L by hydraulic hoses 33R and 34L, respectively, and are connected to the air supply and discharge device 31 by air hoses 34R and 34L, respectively.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the hydraulic oil supply / discharge unit 53 of this embodiment includes two cylinders 25R, 25L, two pneumatic pistons 26R, 28L, two hydraulic pistons 27R, 27L, and a pneumatic cylinder. Opposed piston 54R (first opposed piston) slidably disposed in 25aR (first pneumatic cylinder) and slidable disposed in pneumatic cylinder 25aL (second pneumatic cylinder) The opposed piston 54L (second opposed piston), the slide rod 55 (connecting means) for coupling the opposed piston 54R and the opposed piston 54L, and the slide rod 55 on the pneumatic cylinder chamber 24R side and the pneumatic cylinder chamber 24L side A driving motor 60 (actuator) for driving the motor is a main component.

  The two cylinders 25R and 25L are arranged so that the pneumatic cylinder 25aR and the pneumatic cylinder 25aL face each other, and the cylindrical pneumatic cylinders 25aR and 25aL and the cylindrical hydraulic cylinders 25bR and 25bL are all coaxial. Concatenated above.

  The hydraulic cylinder chambers 22R and 22L are respectively fitted with hydraulic side pistons 27R and 27L. The hydraulic cylinder chambers 22R and 22L closed by the hydraulic side pistons 27R and 27L are filled with hydraulic oil 3. Yes. The hydraulic oil 3 can be supplied and discharged to the cylinder tubes 4R and 4L of the dampers 2R and 2L (see FIG. 6) through the hydraulic hoses 33R and 33L. On the other hand, pneumatic pistons 26R and 26L are fitted in the pneumatic cylinder chambers 24R and 24L, respectively, and opposed pistons 54R and 54L are fitted so as to be sandwiched between the pneumatic piston 26R and the pneumatic piston 26L, respectively. It is inserted. The pneumatic cylinder chamber 24R closed by the pneumatic piston 26R and the opposed piston 54R and the pneumatic cylinder chamber 24L closed by the pneumatic piston 26L and the opposed piston 54L are filled with compressed air 23. Yes. The compressed air 23 can be supplied and discharged from the air supply / discharge device 31 through the air hoses 34R and 33L.

  A rack 56 having teeth formed at regular intervals is fixed to the slide rod 55, and a small gear 61 is attached to the output shaft of the drive motor 60. A large gear 57 supported by a shaft 58 is engaged between the small gear 61 and the rack 56, and the rotational motion of the drive motor 60 is transmitted via the large gear 57, and is linearly transmitted by the rack 56. Converted into movement.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a pair of dampers 1R, 1L with a vehicle height adjustment function are arranged on the left and right of the automobile 51, and the two hydraulic oil supply / discharge devices 21R, 21L are connected to drive the slide rod 55. By making it possible, for example, when the automobile 51 makes a left turn while traveling, the pressure in the pneumatic cylinder chamber 24R is increased, the pressure in the pneumatic cylinder chamber 24L is decreased, and the hydraulic oil of the damper 2R on the right side of the vehicle body It is possible to prevent the automobile 51 from rolling to the right side by setting the hydraulic oil 3 of the damper 2L on the left side of the vehicle body to a low pressure at the same time. Thus, the compressed air 23 is not discharged from the hydraulic oil supply / discharge device 21L for the damper 2L on the left side of the vehicle body, and the compressed air 23 is not supplied to the hydraulic oil supply / discharge device 21R for the damper 2R on the right side of the vehicle body. Since the vehicle height can be adjusted by adjusting the pressure of the hydraulic oil 3 of the left and right dampers 2R, 2L, energy consumption can be suppressed.

  This is the end of the description of the specific embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. For example, in the first and second embodiments, the present invention is applied to a monotube damper that constitutes a front suspension of a four-wheeled vehicle. However, the present invention is naturally applied to a damper for a rear suspension and a twin tube damper. Applicable. In the embodiment, the air supply / discharge means and the hydraulic oil supply / discharge means are provided for each wheel. However, both of these or the air supply / discharge means are used in common, and the hydraulic oil whose pressure is adjusted is supplied to each damper. It is good also as a structure which supplies / discharges. In the above embodiment, the hydraulic oil 3 is supplied and discharged from the hydraulic hose 33 through the hydraulic hose connection 8b through the flow path 8a in the piston rod 8, but directly to the cylinder tube 4 using a metal pipe. It is good also as forms, such as connecting. Further, the hydraulic-side piston 27 of the hydraulic oil supply / discharge device 21 is connected to the pneumatic-side piston 26 so that the cylinder axes are on the same line, but may be connected so that the two axes are parallel. The same applies to the cylinder 25. In addition, the sealing method of the hydraulic-side piston 27 and the pneumatic-side piston 26 and the dimensions and materials of each member can be appropriately changed without departing from the scope of the present invention.

  Furthermore, in the automobile provided with the damper with the vehicle height adjusting function described in the third embodiment, the following configuration may be adopted in addition to the selective configuration described above. For example, the automobile 51 includes the pair of dampers 1 with a vehicle height adjusting function at the front and rear of the automobile 51, but may be configured to be provided only on the front wheels or only on the rear wheels. Further, the damper 1 with the vehicle height adjusting function may be paired with respect to the left and right front and rear wheels. In this case, it is possible to control the pitch of the vehicle body during acceleration / deceleration. In the embodiment, one air supply / discharge device 31 is provided for the pair of hydraulic oil supply / discharge devices 21R, 21L, but each of the hydraulic oil supply / discharge devices 21R, 21L or One air supply / discharge device may be prepared for the two pairs of front and rear dampers having a vehicle height adjustment function. Further, instead of fixing the rack 56 to the slide rod 55, a linear tooth shape may be formed on the slide rod to form a rack. In the third embodiment, a large gear 57 is interposed between the small gear 61 and the rack 56. However, the small gear 61 of the driving motor 60 may be directly engaged with the rack 56. Further, as the actuator, a linear motor may be used instead of the rack and pinion by the rotary motor.

It is a typical block diagram of the damper with a vehicle height adjustment function which concerns on embodiment. 1 is a perspective view of a damper with a vehicle height adjusting function according to a first embodiment. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a damper according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a hydraulic oil supply / discharge device according to a first embodiment. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a hydraulic oil supply / discharge device according to Embodiment 2. FIG. FIG. 6 is a schematic rear view of a vehicle according to a third embodiment. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a hydraulic oil supply / discharge unit according to a third embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Damper with vehicle height adjustment function 2 Damper 3 Hydraulic oil 4 Cylinder tube 5a 1st liquid chamber 5b 2nd liquid chamber 6 Piston 7 Orifice 8 Piston rod 8a Flow path 8b Hydraulic hose connection part 11 Wheel house upper 21 Hydraulic oil supply / discharge device 22 Hydraulic cylinder chamber 23 Compressed air 24 Pneumatic cylinder chamber 25 Cylinder 25a Pneumatic cylinder 25b Hydraulic cylinder 26 Pneumatic piston 27 Hydraulic pistons 28, 29 O-ring 30 Connecting rod 31 Air supply / discharge device 41 Knuckle 51 Car 52 Vehicle height Adjustment damper unit 53 Hydraulic oil supply / discharge unit 54 Opposing piston 55 Connecting rod 60 Driving motor C Car body side member A Wheel side member W Wheel

Claims (4)

A damper interposed between the vehicle body side member and the wheel side member to attenuate the vertical vibration of the vehicle body;
Hydraulic fluid supply and discharge means for supplying and discharging hydraulic fluid to and from the damper by supplying and discharging compressed air;
Air supply / discharge means for supplying / exhausting compressed air to / from the hydraulic fluid supply / discharge means, and supplying / exhausting the hydraulic fluid to / from the damper to separate the vehicle body side member from the wheel side member or It is a damper with a vehicle height adjustment function to approach,
The damper is
A cylinder tube filled with the hydraulic fluid and connected to one of the vehicle body side member and the wheel side member;
A piston defining the inside of the cylinder tube into a first liquid chamber and a second liquid chamber;
A flow path formed in at least one of the piston and the cylinder tube to move the hydraulic fluid between the first liquid chamber and the second liquid chamber;
A piston rod that connects the other side of the vehicle body side member and the wheel side member and the piston;
The hydraulic fluid supply / discharge means is
A hydraulic cylinder chamber that stores the hydraulic fluid and communicates with the cylinder tube, and a cylinder having a pneumatic cylinder chamber that has a larger cross-sectional area than the hydraulic cylinder chamber and that is supplied and discharged with the compressed air;
A pneumatic piston that defines the pneumatic cylinder chamber;
A damper with a vehicle height adjusting function, wherein the damper has a hydraulic cylinder that defines the hydraulic cylinder chamber and moves integrally with the pneumatic piston.   The damper with a vehicle height adjusting function according to claim 1, wherein the pneumatic piston and the hydraulic piston are connected by a connecting rod. A vehicle comprising at least one pair of dampers with a vehicle height adjusting function according to claim 1 or 2,
The first pneumatic cylinder constituting the hydraulic fluid supply / discharge means of the damper with one vehicle height adjustment function and the first pneumatic cylinder constituting the hydraulic fluid supply / discharge means of the other damper with vehicle height adjustment function Are arranged so that the axes are substantially coincident,
A first opposed piston slidably disposed within the first pneumatic cylinder and defining a pneumatic cylinder chamber;
A second opposed piston slidably disposed within the second pneumatic cylinder and defining a pneumatic cylinder chamber;
Connecting means for connecting the first opposed piston and the second opposed piston;
A vehicle comprising: an actuator for driving the connecting means to the first pneumatic cylinder side and the second pneumatic cylinder side.   The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the at least one pair of dampers with a vehicle height adjusting function are arranged on the left and right sides of the vehicle body.

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