Single-track, motorized two-wheeler with passenger compartment

Abstract

Single-track, motor-driven two-wheeler (10) with a passenger compartment (16) comprising a roof (22), side-by-side and spaced-apart beams (20) extending upwards from the front to form front pillars (24) and transitioning into roof beams (26) which in turn transition into rear pillars (28) extending downwards, and a seat (33) with a back shell (40), characterized in that the back shell (40) is directly supported on the front (42) of the rear pillars (28) and is directly attached to the rear pillars (28).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a single-track, motor-driven two-wheeler with a passenger compartment.

[0002] To enable helmet-free riding on motorized two-wheelers, especially motorcycles, it is known to equip the motorized two-wheelers with a dome-shaped passenger compartment that simultaneously forms the roof of the two-wheeler. This makes it possible to operate the two-wheeler in public road traffic without having to wear additional protective clothing or a helmet.

[0003] To further improve both safety and comfort, a backrest can be provided for the occupant to lean against. Additional brackets are typically used to attach the backrest to the vehicle structure. However, such reinforcements incur additional costs and increase the vehicle's weight. Furthermore, there is a risk of the additional brackets breaking.

[0004] DE 196 29 879 A1 relates to a vehicle frame with a step-through, in particular for a two-wheeler, wherein the vehicle has a sprung front wheel guidance, a steering device for a front wheel, a sprung rear wheel guidance for at least one rear wheel, as well as at least one seat device for a driver and at least one protective device extending in front of, above and behind the driver, which is designed in such a way that the driver has a laterally open cage that allows passage through.

[0005] DE 196 32 827 A1 relates to a motor scooter with a safety bar made of a lightweight, enclosed tubular frame construction. This bar is attached to the frame with a hinge in front of the steering head and extends over the shoulders to the rear, where it is connected to the roll bar in a height-adjustable, positive-locking manner.

[0006] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a two-wheeler that is optimized in terms of comfort and driving behavior.

[0007] This problem is solved according to the invention by a single-track, motor-driven two-wheeler with a passenger compartment comprising a roof, side-by-side and spaced-apart beams extending upwards from the front to form front pillars and transitioning into roof beams which in turn transition into rear pillars extending downwards, and a seat with a backrest shell, characterized in that the backrest shell is directly supported at the front of the rear pillars and is directly attached to the rear pillars.

[0008] The passenger compartment is preferably a self-supporting, one-piece part made of fiber-reinforced plastic, which is manufactured by cold or hot bonding, i.e., glued together in multiple parts or laminated in one piece.

[0009] In hot bonding, resin-impregnated fabrics with a high fiber volume fraction (prepregs) are cured in an autoclave, or dry non-woven fabrics and / or braided semi-finished products are cured in one piece by subsequent resin infusion in a resin injection process (also called resin transfer molding) at high temperature and high pressure. In cold bonding, finished plastic parts, especially carbon fiber-reinforced ones, are bonded together. With both processes, components bonded in this way cannot be separated from each other without damage.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the frame members can be curved and designed as hollow bodies running continuously from the front lower to the rear lower end of the passenger compartment. Due to this structure and shape, the frame members can elastically deform to a certain degree under load during driving, thereby dissipating forces. This provides particularly good shielding and protection for the occupant within the passenger compartment.

[0011] Preferably, the passenger cell is a fiber-reinforced plastic component. For example, the passenger cell is made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) or glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP). Furthermore, the passenger cell can also be a composite of different fibers, such as CFRP and Kevlar, CFRP and glass fibers, CFRP, Kevlar and glass fibers, or glass fibers and Kevlar. Alternatively or additionally, natural fibers may be included.

[0012] In general, a composite of different layers made of the same material is also conceivable. Such a composite could, for example, comprise one layer of CFRP, two layers of GFRP, and another layer of CFRP. By using a fiber-reinforced component, the weight of the passenger cell is significantly reduced compared to a passenger cell with a structure made of conventional materials, such as aluminum. This reduces the energy consumption of the two-wheeler during operation and improves its handling due to the lowered center of gravity.

[0013] A composite material with different fibers can be produced, for example, by having at least one layer used to manufacture a fiber-reinforced component contain different fibers. Alternatively, several layers can be used to manufacture a component, each containing different fibers, in particular, each layer containing only one type of fiber. The aforementioned examples can also be combined. That is, at least one layer contains different fibers and at least one other layer contains only one type of fiber.

[0014] Because the backrest is supported directly by and attached to the rear pillars, no additional components such as brackets or similar are necessary to properly support the backrest within the vehicle structure. This has a positive impact on manufacturing costs, overall weight, and the safety of the motorcycle.

[0015] In particular, the back shell is supported on the rear columns without force deflection, that is, without additional tabs or angles.

[0016] The roof beams can either merge seamlessly into the rear pillars or be connected to the rear pillars by an additional node element, in particular a gusset plate. Alternatively or additionally, the beams can be connected at another point by an additional node element.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the back shell rests against a front surface of the rear columns. This means that an existing surface of the rear columns can serve to support the back shell. Therefore, the geometry or dimensions of the columns do not need to be adjusted for the additional support function.

[0018] To reliably attach the backrest to the rear pillars, fastening screws, for example, connect the backrest and the rear pillars at the point of contact. Fastening screws offer a particularly simple and reliable way to attach the backrest to the rear pillars. However, other fastening methods are also possible, such as rivets. Alternatively, the backrest can also be glued to the rear pillars. Fastening screws have the advantage over gluing or rivets that they can be loosened, allowing the backrest to be replaced if necessary.

[0019] Because the backrest shell can rest against the rear pillars, no structural fastening of the backrest shell is necessary. This means that the fastening screws only serve to hold the backrest shell in the desired position, as no additional load is exerted on the backrest shell in the event of an impact. In a rear impact, the rear pillars absorb the impact. In a frontal impact, the force is absorbed by the seat belts.

[0020] The backrest shell is preferably a single piece made of fiber-reinforced plastic. This makes the backrest shell particularly stable and able to shield a vehicle occupant from the rear of the vehicle. Furthermore, the weight of the backrest shell can be kept especially low, which in turn has a positive effect on the overall vehicle weight and thus also on the handling of the motorcycle. This is because the center of gravity of the motorcycle is particularly low when the roof and / or backrest shell are lighter.

[0021] Side guardrails, projecting laterally and extending forward, may be molded onto the rear pillars, adjacent to a support area for the backrest. In particular, the side guardrails may be integrally molded onto the rear pillars. These side guardrails can support a vehicle occupant during cornering.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the spars are one-piece components made of fiber-reinforced plastic, in particular carbon fiber-reinforced plastic. This has the advantage that the spars are particularly stable in themselves and are therefore well suited as a support structure for other vehicle components, such as the backrest shell.

[0023] Preferably, both spars merge seamlessly into one another, with the transition area formed by the roof and / or a rear wall. In this way, a single-piece, self-supporting passenger cell is formed.

[0024] According to one embodiment, the stiles are hollow.

[0025] Optionally, the frame members in the support area for the backrest shell have a greater wall thickness than the roof and / or the rear wall. The fact that the frame members are hollow also has a positive effect on the weight of the motorcycle, especially the weight of the passenger compartment. The greater wall thickness ensures that the mounting screws or other fasteners can be securely anchored in the frame members, particularly the rear pillars. This prevents the mounting screws from simply being pulled out of the frame members when the backrest shell is under load.

[0026] However, it is also conceivable that the spars have a constant wall thickness, as this is advantageous with regard to mass production.

[0027] Alternatively or additionally, it is conceivable that threaded inserts are provided in the frame members, especially in the rear pillars, into which the fastening screws can be screwed.

[0028] In principle, the beams can be manufactured entirely using a hollow profile construction. This can be achieved by manufacturing the beams as continuously closed profiles or by manufacturing the beams, at least in sections, from inner and outer parts glued together.

[0029] The rear pillars can be flattened on their front side to provide support for the backrest. This allows the backrest to fit particularly precisely against the rear pillars, minimizing tolerance issues.

[0030] For example, the backrest is supported at its two lateral edges by the rear columns, preferably resting against them. For this purpose, the rear columns can be stepped on their front faces, with each step providing a lateral contact surface for the backrest. This makes it particularly easy to align the backrest with the rear columns during assembly and to attach it to them in a defined position.

[0031] Further advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description and from the following drawings, to which reference is made. The drawings show: - Fig. 1 schematically a two-wheeler according to the invention with a passenger compartment and - Fig. 2 a detailed view in the area of ​​a back wall.

[0032] Fig. Figure 1 schematically shows a single-track, motor-driven two-wheeler 10 according to the invention. The two-wheeler 10 is, for example, electrically driven and comprises a battery pack 12, which is part of a vehicle frame 14.

[0033] The two-wheeler 10 has a one-piece, self-supporting passenger cell 16 with a roof 22, wherein the passenger cell 16 is firmly attached to a vehicle structure, in particular to the vehicle frame 14. The vehicle frame 14 is mainly formed by a housing 18 of the battery pack 12.

[0034] The passenger compartment 16 has two lateral, spaced-apart beams 20, which extend obliquely upwards from the front towards the roof 22 and downwards behind the roof 22. These form front columns 24, roof beams 26, and rear columns 28, with the front columns 24 seamlessly merging into the roof beams 26, and the roof beams 26 seamlessly merging into the rear columns 28. The beams 20 are thus single-piece, specifically arched, components.

[0035] However, it is also conceivable that the beams 20 are separated by a node element, for example at the transition from the roof beams 26 to the rear columns 28 and / or at another point.

[0036] To save material and weight and to allow a certain degree of deformation of the spars 20, these are, for example, hollow.

[0037] With regard to mass production, it is advantageous if the spars have a constant wall thickness.

[0038] In the illustrated embodiment, the beams 20 merge seamlessly into one another, with the transition area forming the roof 22 and a back wall 30. The beams 20 are thus connected to each other, creating a single component. However, it is also conceivable that only the roof 22 or only the back wall 30 is provided to connect the beams 20. The connection of the roof 22 and / or back wall 30 to the beams 20 is achieved via hot or cold bonding, i.e., by laminating in one piece or bonding several separately manufactured parts.

[0039] Both the front pillars 24 and the rear pillars 28 extend to their free ends below a seat surface 32 of a seat 33 for the occupant and are attached to the vehicle frame 14 at their lower end.

[0040] More precisely, the front pillars 24 have a foremost section and the rear pillars 28 have a rearmost section, both located above the vehicle frame 14, with the front pillars 24 extending obliquely downwards and rearwards below their foremost section. The rear pillars 28 extend obliquely downwards and forwards below their rearmost section.

[0041] The front columns 24 are attached behind the front wheel 29 and the rear columns 28 are attached in front of the rear wheel 31.

[0042] Each of the individual columns 24, 28 has at least one attachment point 36, 38 via which the columns 24, 28 are attached to the vehicle frame 14.

[0043] In the illustrated embodiment, the rear pillars 28 are each mounted to the vehicle frame 14 via two rear mounting points 36, meaning that the rear pillars 28 have a total of four mounting points 36. The front pillars 24 are each attached to the vehicle frame 14 via one front mounting point 38, thus a total of two mounting points 38.

[0044] The seat 33 has a back shell 40, which is, for example, a one-piece part made of fiber-reinforced plastic.

[0045] The back shell 40 is supported on a front 42 of the rear columns 28 and is directly attached to the rear columns 28.

[0046] In Fig. 1 is the front 42 of the rear columns 28 concealed by the back shell 40, Fig. Figure 2, however, shows a detailed view in the area of ​​the rear wall 30, where in Fig. 2. The back shell 40 is not shown for better illustration.

[0047] Preferably, the back shell 40 rests directly against the front 42 of the rear columns 28.

[0048] In Fig. 2. Screw holes 44 are visible in the front 42 of the rear columns 28. In this area, where the back shell 40 is in contact with the rear columns 28, fastening screws (not shown) connect the back shell 40 and the rear columns 28 to each other.

[0049] To ensure that the fastening screws can be firmly anchored in the columns 28, the screw holes 44 can be fitted with threaded inserts.

[0050] In the support area 46, the rear columns 28 are flattened at their front face 42. A slight curvature of the support area 46, as shown in Fig. However, it is possible to see 2. The course of the support area 46 can be aligned with the course of the rear columns 28.

[0051] To facilitate easy positioning of the backrest shell 40, the backrest shell 40 can be supported at its two lateral edges by the rear pillars 28, in particular by resting against them. For this purpose, a step 48 is formed on the front face 42 of each of the rear pillars 28. Correspondingly, two lateral steps or an edge can be formed on one rear wall of the backrest shell 40, which can rest positively against the steps 48. In particular, the steps 48 serve to positively position the backrest shell 40 transversely to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

[0052] In addition, side guardrails 50 are molded onto the rear columns 28 to the side of the support area 46 for the back shell 40, projecting laterally and extending forwards, in particular molded in one piece onto the rear columns 28.

[0053] The side guardrails 50 transition tangentially into the back shell 40 at their front 52, that is, at their side facing the vehicle occupant, so that the side guardrails 50 and the back shell 40 together form a support surface that supports a vehicle occupant or against which a vehicle occupant can lean.

Claims

[1] Single-track, motor-driven two-wheeler (10) with a passenger compartment (16) comprising a roof (22), side-by-side and spaced-apart beams (20) extending upwards from the front to form front pillars (24) and transitioning into roof beams (26) which in turn transition into rear pillars (28) extending downwards, and a seat (33) with a backrest shell (40), characterized by , that the back shell (40) is directly supported on the front (42) of the rear columns (28) and is directly attached to the rear columns (28). [2] Two-wheeler (10) according to claim 1, characterized by , that the back shell (40) rests against the front (42) of the rear columns (28). [3] Two-wheeler (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that in the area of ​​contact between the back shell (40) and the rear columns (28) fastening screws connect the back shell (40) and the rear columns (28) to each other. [4] Two-wheeler (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the back shell (40) is a one-piece part made of fiber-reinforced plastic. [5] Two-wheeler (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that side guardrails (50) projecting laterally and extending forwards are formed on the rear columns (28) to the side of a support area (46) for the back shell (40), in particular being formed in one piece on the rear columns (28). [6] Two-wheeler (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the spars (20) are one-piece parts made of fiber-reinforced plastic, in particular carbon fiber-reinforced plastic. [7] Two-wheeler (10) according to claim 6, characterized by , that both beams (20) merge seamlessly into one another and the transition area forms the roof (22) and / or a back wall (30). [8] Two-wheeler (10) according to claim 7, characterized by , that the beams (20) are hollow. [9] Two-wheeled vehicle (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the rear columns (28) are flattened at their front (42) in a support area (46) for the back shell (40). [10] Two-wheeler (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the back shell (40) is supported at its two lateral edges on the rear columns (28), preferably resting against them.

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