Abstract: A vehicle is disclosed with a seating assembly which is capable of prompting an occupant to take an appropriate riding posture depending on the behavior of the vehicle body. A motorcycle includes tilting mechanisms for tilting seating surfaces of a front seat (rider seating part) and a rear seat (passenger seating part) and an ECU carries out a control process for tilting the seating surfaces to lift rear portions of the seats upwardly in response to an action to accelerate the motorcycle and a control process for tilting the seating surfaces to lift front portions of the seats upwardly in response to an action to decelerate the motorcycle.

Abstract: A motorcycle includes a step operating mechanism that changes the position of pillion steps (passenger steps), and an electronic control unit carries out step inclining control to change the position of the pillion steps, so that footrest surfaces of the pillion steps may each become an inclined surface, in which the steps are pivotally raised such that a portion of the passenger step situated at the vehicle body outside is raised toward the vehicle body upper side relative to a portion of the passenger step situated at the vehicle body inside, in response to at least one of an acceleration operation, a deceleration operation, and a turn operation of the motorcycle. Such arrangement provides a vehicle that can induce an occupant to take a riding posture suitable for the traveling status of the vehicle.

Abstract: A motorcycle includes a step operating mechanism that changes the position of pillion steps (passenger steps), and an electronic control unit carries out step inclining control to change the position of the pillion steps, so that footrest surfaces of the pillion steps may each become an inclined surface, in which the steps are pivotally raised such that a portion of the passenger step situated at the vehicle body outside is raised toward the vehicle body upper side relative to a portion of the passenger step situated at the vehicle body inside, in response to at least one of an acceleration operation, a deceleration operation, and a turn operation of the motorcycle. Such arrangement provides a vehicle that can induce an occupant to take a riding posture suitable for the traveling status of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle is disclosed with a seating assembly which is capable of prompting an occupant to take an appropriate riding posture depending on the behavior of the vehicle body. A motorcycle includes tilting mechanisms for tilting seating surfaces of a front seat (rider seating part) and a rear seat (passenger seating part) and an ECU carries out a control process for tilting the seating surfaces to lift rear portions of the seats upwardly in response to an action to accelerate the motorcycle and a control process for tilting the seating surfaces to lift front portions of the seats upwardly in response to an action to decelerate the motorcycle.

Abstract: A device for attaching and removing a vehicle component to and from a vehicle includes a vehicle body side formed with a contacted portion with which a component can come into contact and a locking device for making a locking action for removably attaching the vehicle component to the vehicle body side in a state of the vehicle component being held in contact with the contacted portion. The vehicle component is made capable of coming from outside into contact with the contacted portion and movable in one direction generally in a straight line while the vehicle component remains held in contact with the contacted portion, and the locking device is adapted to make the locking action as interlocked with a motion of the vehicle component in the one direction.

Abstract: A tail lamp device includes a tail lamp that is attached to the rear fender of a motorcycle. The tail lamp includes a substrate and a plurality of light emitting elements such as LEDs mounted on the substrate, and the substrate is disposed along a rearwardly descending surface of the rear fender to reduce protrusion of the tail lamp from the rear fender. A lens covering the light emitting elements has a directivity that directs light emitted from the light emitting elements generally horizontally to the rear of the motorcycle.

Abstract: A device for attaching and removing a vehicle component to and from a vehicle includes a vehicle body side formed with a contacted portion with which a component can come into contact and a locking device for making a locking action for removably attaching the vehicle component to the vehicle body side in a state of the vehicle component being held in contact with the contacted portion. The vehicle component is made capable of coming from outside into contact with the contacted portion and movable in one direction generally in a straight line while the vehicle component remains held in contact with the contacted portion, and the locking device is adapted to make the locking action as interlocked with a motion of the vehicle component in the one direction.

Abstract: A tail lamp device that is mountable on a rear fender of a motorcycle is disclosed. The tail lamp device includes a tail lamp that is attached to the rear fender. The tail lamp includes a substrate and a plurality of light emitting elements such as LEDs mounted on the substrate, and the substrate is disposed along a rearwardly descending surface of the rear fender.

Abstract: A measuring apparatus of sliding friction coefficient for vehicle running road surface includes a measuring wheel (4) supported rotatably on a support frame (10) and a brake unit (22) for braking said measuring wheel (4). A load cell (2) is disposed on the support frame (10) horizontal to a rotating shaft (19) of the measuring wheel (4) for measuring a tension yielded between the support frame (10) and the measuring wheel (4) by braking the measuring wheel (4), and a load cell (11) is disposed on the support frame (10) vertical to the rotating shaft (19) of the measuring wheel (4) for measuring a carrying weight loaded on the measuring wheel (4). The support frame (10) is arranged elevatably in the inside of a box-like casing (5).

Abstract: A measuring apparatus of sliding friction coefficient for vehicle running road surface includes a measuring wheel (4) supported rotatably on a support frame (10) and a brake unit (22) for braking said measuring wheel (4). A load cell (2) is disposed on the support frame (10) horizontal to a rotating shaft (19) of the measuring wheel (4) for measuring a tension yielded between the support frame (10) and the measuring wheel (4) by braking the measuring wheel (4), and a load cell (11) is disposed on the support frame (10) vertical to the rotating shaft (19) of the measuring wheel (4) for measuring a carrying weight loaded on the measuring wheel (4). The support frame (10) is arranged elevatably in the inside of a box-like casing (5).

Abstract: The flow of a hydraulic fluid caused by sliding movement of a piston is controlled through a sub-disk valve, a main disk valve and a disk valve to generate damping force. A coil is energized to urge a plunger in the valve closing direction against spring force from a spring, thereby adjusting the relief pressure of the disk valve and thus controlling the damping force. The pressure in a back-pressure chamber varies according to the relief pressure of the disk valve. Thus, the valve opening pressure of the main disk valve is also adjusted. An abrupt input is absorbed by relieving the pressure from the back-pressure chamber by deflection of the disk valve. Because “soft” damping force characteristics, which are often used, are maintained with a small electric current, the power consumption can be reduced.

Abstract: A hydraulic shock absorber of a damping force adjustable type generates a damping force by controlling the flow of an oily fluid caused to occur by the slidable movement of the piston in the cylinder by means of a subsidiary disc valve, a main disc valve and a disc valve mounted on the plunger. The damping force is controlled directly regardless of the piston speed by controlling the relief pressure of the disc valve in accordance with an electric current applied to a coil. The pressure in a back pressure chamber is varied with the relief pressure of the disc valve and the pressure for opening the main disc valve is controlled, thereby extending the scope of controlling the damping force. Further, an excessive rise in the damping force can be controlled due to a rapid input, and an impact can be absorbed by allowing the disc valve to bend and relieving oily fluid in the back pressure chamber.

Abstract: A damping force control type hydraulic shock absorber is provided having a broad damping force control range and is capable of obtaining appropriate damping force over the entire piston speed range from a low speed region to a high speed region. A piston is fitted in a cylinder, and a reservoir is connected to the cylinder. A cylinder upper chamber and the reservoir are communicated through a main passage in which a main damping valve is provided. The cylinder upper and lower chambers are communicated through an extension sub-passage in which an extension sub-damping valve and an extension variable orifice are provided. The cylinder lower chamber and the reservoir are communicated through a compression sub-passage in which a compression sub-damping valve and a compression variable orifice are provided.

Abstract: A piston is slidably fitted in a cylinder for dividing the interior of the cylinder into upper and lower cylinder chambers. A reservoir is connected to the piston. A primary passage communicates between the upper cylinder chamber and the reservoir. The primary passage includes a primary damping valve. A secondary passage is connected to the primary passage to bypass the primary damping valve. A constant orifice, a filter, and a damping force adjusting valve are provided in the secondary passage. The primary damping valve includes a pilot line. The pilot line is connected downstream of the filter. The flow resistance of the damping force adjusting valve is directly adjusted by changing the cross sectional flow area of the damping force adjusting valve. The valve opening pressure of the primary damping valve is adjusted by changing the pilot pressure introduced from the pilot line. When the filter becomes clogged, the primary passage ensures the flow of the hydraulic fluid.

Abstract: The present invention provides a hydraulic shock absorber in which a damping force can be changed nearly linearly as a valve body driven by a proportional solenoid is displaced, by utilizing ports and a oil groove which can easily be formed by a conventional machine tool such as a drilling machine or a lathe. Oil passages and an annular groove connected to the oil passages are formed in a surface of a cylindrical guide portion along which a plunger can slide, and, circular oil passages and an annular groove connected to and offset from the oil passages are formed in a surface of a plunger. The oil passages and annular groove in the plunger can easily be formed by a conventional machine tool such as a drilling machine or a lathe. When an oil path is opened, the oil passages are firstly opened and then the associated annular groove is opened. Thus, a damping force can be changed nearly linearly, and response to the switching of the damping force can be improved.

Abstract: In a damping force control type hydraulic shock absorber, the flow path area of a port is changed by moving a spool according to an electric current supplied to an actuator, and thus the flow path area of a passage between cylinder upper and lower chambers is directly changed, thereby controlling orifice characteristics. Moreover, the pressure in a pilot chamber is changed according to the resulting pressure loss so as to change the valve opening pressure of a disk valve, thereby controlling valve characteristics. This enables the damping force characteristic control range to be widened. The pilot chamber is formed by the side wall of a valve member, the disk valve, a seal disk, and a seal member, also, the seal member has no sliding portion. It is therefore possible to minimize the leakage of hydraulic fluid and to obtain stable damping force characteristics. It is also possible to minimize variations in damping force with temperature changes.

Abstract: A piston is slidably fitted in a cylinder for dividing the interior of the cylinder into upper and lower cylinder chambers. The upper cylinder chamber communicates with the lower cylinder chamber through a check valve. The lower cylinder chamber communicates with a reservoir through a check valve. The upper cylinder chamber communicates with the lower cylinder chamber through an extending side damping valve. The lower cylinder chamber communicates with the reservoir through a contracting side damping valve. A piston rod is connected to the piston. When the piston rod is in an extending stroke, a damping force is generated by the extending side damping valve. When the piston rod is in a compressing stroke, a damping force is generated by the contracting side damping valve. The reservoir includes a connecting hole having an opening. A baffle plate is provided within the reservoir and above the opening of the connecting hole.

Abstract: A piston connected to a piston rod is slidably mounted in a cylinder, and a lower cylinder chamber is connected to a reservoir. An extension side passage for communicating an upper cylinder chamber with the lower cylinder chamber and a compression side passage for communicating the cylinder chamber with the reservoir are provided with disc valves, respectively, behind which extension side and compression side back pressure chambers are formed. The extension side back pressure chamber is communicated with the upper and lower cylinder chambers through a fixed orifice and ports. The compression side back pressure chamber is communicated with the lower cylinder chamber and the reservoir through a fixed orifice and ports. By rotating a shutter, flow areas of the ports are changed to adjust orifice features and pressures in the extension side and compression side back pressure chambers are changed to adjust valve features.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a damping force adjustable hydraulic shock absorber including a cylinder filled with a hydraulic fluid, a piston slidably mounted within the cylinder to divide the interior of the cylinder into two chambers, and a piston rod having one end connected to the piston and the other end extending out of the cylinder. A damping force generating mechanism is provided to communicate between the two chambers and to generate a damping force. A communication passage for communicating one of two chambers in the cylinder with the other chamber and a valve are provided in the communication passage and are adapted to generate the damping force by opening in response to one way flow of the liquid. The shock absorber has a valve opening pressure adjusting mechanism having a back pressure chamber communicating with an upstream portion of the communication passage with respect to the valve.

Abstract: A suspension control system has a relative displacement sensor for detecting a relative velocity between a vehicle body and a wheel, and a controller which sets a relatively large value as a damping coefficient for the extension stroke of a hydraulic shock absorber, which is provided between the vehicle body and the wheel, when the magnitude of the relative velocity in the direction of the extension stroke exceeds a preset reference value, with priority to control based on the absolute velocity of the vehicle body. When the magnitude of the relative velocity between the vehicle body and the wheel in the direction of the extension stroke exceeds the reference value during running of the vehicle, for example, due to falling of the wheel into a depression, the damping coefficient for the extension stroke is set at a relatively large value with priority to the control based on the absolute velocity. Accordingly, when the wheel falls into a depression, occurrence of full bounce is prevented.