Front fork

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12065212-B2
Application number	US-202117232727-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 16, 2021
Priority date	Dec 19, 2018
Publication date	Aug 20, 2024
Grant date	Aug 20, 2024

Abstract

A front fork includes a tubular outer tube, a tubular inner tube which is provided inside the outer tube and is relatively movably connected to the outer tube, and a connecting member which connects a wheel and the inner tube. The inner tube has a first contact portion which has a first surface and comes into contact with the connecting member. The connecting member includes a second contact portion having a second surface and coming into contact with the first contact portion and a space forming portion which forms a space in an axial direction in a state where the first surface of the first contact portion and the second surface of the second contact portion are in contact with each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A front fork, comprising:
a tubular outer tube which is provided on one side, which is a side on which a steering unit is arranged in an axial direction;
a tubular inner tube which is provided on the other side, which is a side on which a wheel is arranged in the axial direction, and inside the outer tube and is relatively movably connected to the outer tube; and
a connecting member which connects the wheel and the inner tube, wherein
the inner tube includes a first contact portion which has a first surface facing the other side and an end surface provided at an end of the inner tube on the other side, said first surface being located further on the one side than the end surface in the axial direction,
the first contact portion is configured to contact the connecting member, and
the connecting member includes:
a second contact portion having a second surface facing the one side, which is an end surface provided in an end on the one side of the connecting member, and coming into contact with the first contact portion; and

a space forming portion which forms a space against the end surface of the inner tube in the axial direction in a state where the first surface of the first contact portion and the second surface of the second contact portion are in contact with each other.

2. The front fork according to claim 1 , wherein
the first contact portion is provided on an outer peripheral side of the inner tube and the second contact portion of the connecting member comes in contact with the first contact portion on the outer peripheral side of the inner tube.

3. The front fork according to claim 2 , wherein
the inner tube has a first outer diameter portion having the largest outer diameter in the inner tube and a second outer diameter portion having a smaller outer diameter than that of the first outer diameter portion, and
the first surface of the first contact portion is provided between the first outer diameter portion and the second outer diameter portion of the inner tube.

4. The front fork according to claim 3 , wherein
the inner tube includes a first inner diameter portion having a predetermined inner diameter and provided inside the first outer diameter portion and a second inner diameter portion having an inner diameter smaller than that of the first inner diameter portion and provided inside the second outer diameter portion.

5. The front fork according to claim 4 , wherein
the inner tube has a tapered portion connecting the first inner diameter portion and the second inner diameter portion.

6. The front fork according to claim 1 , wherein
the first contact portion is provided on an inner peripheral side of the inner tube and the second contact portion of the connecting member comes in contact with the first contact portion on the inner peripheral side of the inner tube.

7. The front fork according to claim 6 , wherein
the first contact portion protrudes inward in a radial direction on the inner peripheral side of the inner tube and the other side of the first contact portion is provided with the first surface, and further the one side of the first contact portion is provided with a tapered portion.

8. The front fork according to claim 1 , wherein
the inner tube is connected to the connecting member by fastening a screw.

9. The front fork according to claim 2 , wherein
the inner tube is connected to the connecting member by fastening a screw.

10. The front fork according to claim 3 , wherein
the inner tube is connected to the connecting member by fastening a screw.

11. The front fork according to claim 4 , wherein
the inner tube is connected to the connecting member by fastening a screw.

12. The front fork according to claim 5 , wherein
the inner tube is connected to the connecting member by fastening a screw.

13. The front fork according to claim 6 , wherein
the inner tube is connected to the connecting member by fastening a screw.

14. The front fork according to claim 7 , wherein
the inner tube is connected to the connecting member by fastening a screw.

15. A front fork, comprising:
a first tubular member which is provided on one side, which is a side on which a steering unit is arranged in an axial direction;
a second tubular member which is coaxially provided with the first tubular member on the other side, which is a side on which a wheel is arranged in the axial direction, and is relatively movably connected to the first tubular member; and
a connecting member which connects the wheel and the second tubular member, wherein
the second tubular member includes a first contact portion which has a first surface facing the other side and an end surface provided at an end of the second tubular member on the other side, said first surface being located further on the one side than the end surface in the axial direction,
the first contact portion is configured to contact the connecting member, and
the connecting member includes:
a second contact portion having a second surface facing the one side, which is an end surface provided in an end on the one side of the connecting member, and coming into contact with the first contact portion; and
a space forming portion which forms a space against the end surface of the second tubular member in the axial direction in a state where the first surface of the first contact portion and the second surface of the second contact portion are in contact with each other.

Assignees

• Hitachi Astemo Ltd

Inventors

• Morishita Isao

Classifications

• B62K21/08

  Steering dampers (dampers in general F16F) · CPC title

• B62K21/005

  Steering pivot axis arranged within the wheel, e.g. for a hub center steering arrangement · CPC title

• F16F9/3242

  of cylinder ends, e.g. caps · CPC title

• F16F9/065

  Expansion chamber provided on the upper or lower end of a damper, separately there from or laterally on the damper · CPC title

• B62K21/02 Primary

  Front wheel forks or equivalent, e.g. single tine · CPC title