Front fork assembly for motorcycle

• US 5,092,421 A
• Filed: 11/13/1989
• Issued: 03/03/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Suzuki Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Suzuki Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Sonoda, Tsuneyoshi, Tsurumaki, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): HILL, MITCHELL
• Application Number:
  US07/435,691
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• Field of Search: 280/288, 280/288.4, 280/152.1, 280/152.2, 280/281.1, 280/279, 280/264, 280/304.3, 280/275, 280/276, 188/24.21, 188/24.12, 188/24.19, 188/24.22, 188/344, 74/551.1, 74/551.2, 74/551.8, 180/219, 180/84, 296/198
• US Class Current: 180/219
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 23/00 Other protectors specially adapted for cycles
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 25/08 for front wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B62L 1/00 Brakes back-pedalling brakes B62L5/00; Arrangements thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2055/0037 Protective covers

Abstract

A front fork assembly of a motorcycle comprises a pair of inverted type front forks each comprising an upper outer tube and a lower inner tube, upper and under brackets mounted to the front fork which are operatively connected to a body of the motorcycle, an axle bracket secured to the lower end of each of the front forks, a caliper bracket secured to the axle bracket, a caliper mounted to the caliper bracket, a disc plate supported by the axle bracket, a protector disposed in front of the front fork for protecting the front fork and a brake hose extending therealong, and a guide member secured to the front fork to vertically slidably support the front fork protector. The lower end portion of the brake hose is protected by a protector of specific structure so as not to contact to the road surface during the running of the motorcycle. The outer tube is prevented from slipping off upwardly by an engaging member specifically formed on the top end of the outer tube and the front wheel is prevented from contacting to a front fender by the specific arrangement of the engaging member. The guide member has a structure for preventing the accidental rotation of the front fork protector.

Claims

1. A front fork assembly for a motorcycle comprising:

a front fork having a pair of legs each comprised of upper and lower tubular members telescopically mounted one within the other to undergo telescopic extension and retraction;

an axle bracket connected to the lower ends of the lower tubular members;

a caliper bracket connected to the axle bracket;

a fluid-actuated brake caliper mounted on the caliper bracket;

a brake hose disposed in front of and extending downwardly along one front fork leg and rearwardly beneath the brake caliper, the brake hose having one end connected to the brake caliper for applying fluid pressure thereto to actuate the brake caliper; and

protecting means connected to the axle bracket and having a first portion extending beneath that part of the brake hose which extends rearwardly beneath the brake caliper for protecting said brake hose part.

2. A front fork assembly according to claim 1;

wherein the protecting means has a second portion covering a side portion of the brake caliper for protecting said brake caliper side portion.

3. A front fork assembly according to claim 2;

wherein the second portion of the protecting means has holes therethrough for providing ventilation for the brake caliper.

4. A front fork assembly according to claim 1;

wherein the axle bracket and caliper bracket comprise a unitary structure.

5. A front fork assembly according to claim 1;

further including upper and lower brackets clamped to upper portions of the upper tubular members; and

engaging means carried by the upper tubular members and engageable with the underside of the upper bracket in the event the upper tubular members are displaced upwardly relative to the upper bracket for limiting the extent of upward displacement thereof.

6. A front fork assembly according to claim 5;

wherein the engaging means comprises a stepped portion of the upper tubular members.

7. A front fork assembly according to claim 5;

wherein the engaging means comprises a tapered portion of the upper tubular members.

8. A front fork assembly for a motorcycle, comprising:

a front fork having a pair of legs each comprised of upper and lower tubular members telescopically mounted one within the other to undergo telescopic extension and retraction;

an axle bracket connected to the lower ends of the lower tubular members;

a caliper bracket connected to the axle bracket;

a fluid-actuated brake caliper mounted on the caliper bracket;

a brake hose disposed in front of and extending downwardly along one front fork leg and rearwardly to the brake caliper, the brake hose having one end connected to the brake caliper for applying fluid pressure thereto to actuate the brake caliper;

upper and lower brackets clamped to upper portions of the upper tubular members;

engaging means carried by the upper tubular members and engageable with the underside of the upper bracket in the event the upper tubular members are displaced upwardly relative to the upper bracket for limiting the extent of upward displacement thereof; and

protecting means connected to the axle bracket and having a first portion extending beneath that part of the brake hose which extends rearwardly to the brake caliper for protecting said brake hose part.

9. A front fork assembly according to claim 8;

wherein the engaging means comprises a stepped portion of the upper tubular members.

10. A front fork assembly according to claim 8;

wherein the engaging means comprises a tapered portion of the upper tubular members.

11. A front fork assembly of a motorcycle, comprising:

a pair of inverted type front forks for supporting a front wheel of a motorcycle, each front fork comprising an outer tube and an inner tube slidably inserted into said outer tube from a lower side thereof;

upper and under brackets mounted on said front forks for connecting said front forks to a body of the motorcycle;

an axle bracket secured to a lower end of each of said front forks;

a caliper bracket secured to said axle bracket;

a caliper mounted to said caliper bracket;

a brake hose downwardly extending along one front fork in front thereof, said brake hose having a lower end portion downwardly extending below said front fork and then said caliper and having a front end connected to said caliper;

a protector means secured to said axle bracket together with said caliper bracket by bolt means so as to cover a side portion of said caliper and protect the lower end portion of said brake hose;

a front fender secured to a lower end of said under bracket;

a protector disposed in front of said front fork for protecting said brake hose, said protector means having a lower end supported by said axle bracket;

a guide means mounted to said outer tube for slidably supporting an upper end of said protector to be vertically slidable by limiting displacement in bilateral position and to-and-fro position thereof;

means mounted to said outer tube for preventing said guide means from rotating about said outer tube, and

engaging means disposed on said outer tube below a lower end of said upper bracket for preventing said outer tube from slipping off upwardly;

said engaging means being disposed in spaced relation from the lower end of said upper bracket by a distance equal to or smaller than a displacement of the front wheel defined by a distance between an outer periphery of the front wheel and a lower surface of said front fender against which the outer periphery of the front wheel abuts when said front forks retract.

12. A front fork assembly of a motorcycle, comprising:

a pair of front forks;

upper and under brackets mounted on said front forks for connecting said front forks to a body of a motorcycle;

an axle bracket secured to a lower end of each of said front forks;

a caliper bracket secured to said axle bracket;

a caliper mounted to said caliper bracket;

a brake hose downwardly extending along one front fork in front thereof, said brake hose having a lower end portion downwardly extending below said front fork and below said caliper and having a front end connected to said caliper; and

a protector means secured to said axle bracket together with said caliper bracket by bolt means so as to cover a side portion of said caliper and protect the lower end portion of said brake hose, said protector means comprising a lower portion formed in a substantially L-shape having a recessed portion into which the lower end of said brake hose is accommodated, a flat portion extending vertically from said lower portion, said flat portion being provided with a plurality of ventilation holes for ventilating said caliper, and an upper portion secured to said axle bracket together with said caliper bracket by bolt means.

13. A front fork assembly according to claim 12, wherein said front fork is of an inverted type comprising an outer tube and an inner tube slidably inserted into said outer tube from a lower side thereof.

14. A front fork assembly of a motorcycle, comprising:

a pair of front forks;

upper and under brackets mounted on said front forks for connecting said front forks to a body of a motorcycle;

an axle bracket secured to a lower end of each of said front forks;

a caliper bracket secured to said axle bracket;

a caliper mounted to said caliper bracket;

a disc plate supported by said axle bracket;

a brake hose downwardly extending along one front fork in front thereof, said brake hose having a lower end portion bent along a side of said disc plate at a lower end of said front fork and then bent upwardly above said caliper and having a front end connected to said caliper; and

a protector disposed in front of said front fork and connected at a lower end to said axle bracket and slidably supported at an upper end by said front fork;

said axle bracket being provided with an engaging projection integrally formed on an outer periphery thereof on a side facing said disc plate, said engaging projection being arranged so as to support the lower end portion of said brake hose from an underside thereof, said protector having a channel structure having an opening towards said front fork, and the lower end portion of said brake hose having a portion extending between a lower end of said channel-shaped protector and said engaging projection, said extending portion of the brake hose being supported by a supporting means formed by a pair of arms connected at one of their ends to an inner surface of said channel-shaped protector and a connecting member connecting the other ends of said arms so as to define a space through which said portion of said brake hose extends in a supported manner between said inner surface of the protector, said arms and said connecting member.

15. A front fork assembly according to claim 14, wherein said caliper bracket is integrally formed with said axle bracket.

16. A front fork assembly according to claim 14, wherein said front fork is of an inverted type comprising an outer tube and an inner tube slidably inserted into said outer tube from a lower side thereof.

17. A front fork assembly of a motorcycle, comprising:

a pair of inverted type front forks for supporting a front wheel of a motorcycle, each front fork comprising an outer tube and an inner tube slidably inserted into said outer tube from a lower side thereof;

upper and under brackets mounted on said front forks for connecting said front forks to a body of the motorcycle;

an axle bracket secured to a lower end of each of said front forks;

a caliper bracket secured to said axle bracket;

a caliper mounted to said caliper bracket;

a brake hose downwardly extending alone one front fork in front thereof, said brake hose having a lower end portion connected to said caliper;

a front fender secured to a lower end of said under bracket; and

engaging means disposed on said outer tube below a lower end of said upper bracket for preventing said outer tube from slipping off upwardly;

said engaging means being disposed in spaced relation from the lower end of said upper bracket by a distance equal to or smaller than a displacement of the front wheel defined by a distance between an outer periphery of the front wheel and a lower surface of said front fender against which the outer periphery of the front wheel abuts when said front forks retract, said outer tube having an upper end portion composed of a large diametered portion and a small diametered portion to which said upper bracket is secured, and said engaging means being disposed at a front end of said large diametered portion and defined by a staged portion formed by a difference in diameters between said large and small diametered portions of said outer tube.

18. A front fork assembly according to claim 17, wherein said engaging means has a tapered portion formed between said large and small diametered portions of said outer tube.

19. A front fork assembly of a motorcycle, comprising:

a pair of inverted type front forks for supporting a front wheel of a motorcycle, each front fork comprising an outer tube and an inner tube slidably inserted into said outer tube from a lower side thereof;

upper and under brackets mounted on said front forks for connecting said front forks to a body of the motorcycle;

an axle bracket secured at a lower end of each of said front forks;

a caliper bracket secured to said axle bracket;

a caliper mounted to said caliper bracket;

a brake hose downwardly extending along one front fork in front thereof, said front fork and said brake hose having a lower end portion connected to said caliper;

a protector disposed in front of said front fork for protecting said brake hose, said protector having a lower end supported by said axle bracket;

a guide means mounted to said outer tube for slidably supporting an upper end of said protector; and

means mounted to said outer tube for preventing said guide means from rotating about said outer tube, said means for preventing the guide means from rotating comprising a cap member mounted to said outer tube and a projection integrally formed on an outer periphery of said cap member and projecting towards said guide means.

20. A front fork assembly according to claim 19, wherein said guide means comprises a cylindrical portion mounted on said cap member and a frame portion surrounding said protector and supporting said protector for vertical sliding movement, said frame portion being provided with opposing base end portions between which said projection is firmly engaged in a manner that a central portion of said cap member, said projection, and a center of said projector supported by said frame portion are substantially aligned with each other.

21. A front fork assembly according to claim 19, wherein said projection has substantially a rectangular cross section.