straddle seat vehicle

Abstract

Straddle seat vehicle (1) which features: a front fairing (12) configured to cover a front part of the vehicle (1); a windscreen (13) arranged above the front fairing (12); and a detection means (16A, 16B) for detecting a situation in front of the vehicle, characterized in that the detection means (16A, 16B) includes at least one image acquisition means (16A) which is positioned above a lower end (12a) of the front fairing (12) and in a section of the straddle seat vehicle (1) that is central in the direction of the vehicle width, the image acquisition means (16A) is arranged behind an upper section (122) of the front panel (12), a lower edge of the windscreen (13) contains an upwardly recessed recess (13a), and the image acquisition means (16A) is arranged in the recess (13a) in the front view of the vehicle (1) so that the windshield (13) does not interfere with its image acquisition area (R).

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

[0001] The present invention relates to a straddle-seat vehicle with a front detection function. TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

[0002] A straddle-seat vehicle has been proposed with a function to detect the presence of an obstacle or the like in front and to report the detection result to the driver. For example, JP 2017-39487A, on which the preamble of claim 1 is based, discloses a straddle-seat vehicle that includes a sensor, such as an image acquisition unit called a front sensor unit, on the rear of a windshield and detects an obstacle or the like in front of the vehicle.

[0003] EP 3 243 731 A1 shows a camera positioned between the left and right headlights of a motorcycle. TECHNICAL PROBLEM

[0004] Unfortunately, the windshield of a cross-seat vehicle is generally made of transparent plastic, and therefore its color can deteriorate or change over time. In a configuration where the image capture unit is mounted on the back of the windshield, the quality of the captured image decreases over time, sometimes impairing the detection accuracy for an obstacle ahead. As a countermeasure, if the image capture unit is installed in a different section of the vehicle, preferably one where the front detection area is wide, it becomes even more reliable to avoid interference from a vehicle component that shifts due to driving.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a straddle-seat vehicle that is capable of maintaining the front detection accuracy of a vehicle for a long period of time. SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM

[0006] According to the present invention, a straddle-seat vehicle according to claim 1 is specified.

[0007] Preferred embodiments are specified in the dependent claims. ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0008] According to the present invention of claim 1, no image is captured through the windshield, so the image quality does not deteriorate over time due to aging or color changes of the windshield. Therefore, the detection accuracy in front of the vehicle can be maintained for a long period. Since the image acquisition means is also positioned above the lower end of the front fairing, interference, for example with the front wheel cover, can be more reliably avoided. Furthermore, the image acquisition means is positioned in the aforementioned central section, making it possible to obtain a wider image acquisition area in the left and right areas in front of the vehicle and to detect the situation in front of the vehicle without missing anything.

[0009] According to the present invention of claim 1, the image acquisition means can be arranged in a higher position to avoid the windshield, while avoiding an increase in the size of the front part of the vehicle in the vertical direction. Therefore, a wider image acquisition area can be obtained.

[0010] According to the present invention of claim 2, the headlight unit can be reduced in size compared to an arrangement in which the image acquisition means is installed inside the headlight unit.

[0011] According to the present invention of claim 3, the space between the left and right light sources can be effectively used as an installation space for the detection means.

[0012] According to the present invention of claim 4, the image acquisition means is mounted on the main frame, which has a relatively high rigidity among the vehicle components. This makes it possible to improve the load-bearing stiffness of the image acquisition means and to avoid displacement or the like of the image acquisition area when the vehicle is in use.

[0013] According to the present invention of claim 5, the use of the strut can increase the degree of freedom of the installation position and improve the mounting properties of the image acquisition means.

[0014] According to the present invention of claim 6, the same strut can be used for the headlight unit and the image acquisition means. This can reduce the number of parts and improve assembly characteristics.

[0015] According to the present invention of claim 7, the same strut can be used for the measuring display unit and the image acquisition means. This can reduce the number of parts and improve assembly characteristics.

[0016] According to the present invention of claim 8, the image acquisition unit can be arranged at a higher position, thus extending the image acquisition area. Furthermore, it is easily possible to use a layout in which the image acquisition means does not interfere with the detection area of ​​the radar. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a side view of the right side of a straddle-seat vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a front view of the in Fig. 1 straddle-seat vehicle shown; Fig. Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the area surrounding a headlight unit; Fig. 4 is a section view along line II in Fig. 3; Fig. Figure 5 is an exploded view of a vehicle body frame; Fig. Figure 6 is an exploded view of the vehicle body frame; Fig. Figure 7 shows other examples of the arrangement of a detection device; and Fig. Figure 8 shows other arrangement examples of the detection device. DESCRIPTION OF THE EXECUTIONS

[0017] A straddle-seat vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In each drawing, the arrows X, Y, and Z denote directions orthogonal to each other. The X direction denotes the front and rear directions of the straddle-seat vehicle, the Y direction denotes the width direction (left and right direction) of the straddle-seat vehicle, and the Z direction denotes the vertical direction. Left and right of the straddle-seat vehicle are left and right in the direction of travel. Front and rear in the front and rear directions of the straddle-seat vehicle are, in some cases, simply referred to as front or rear. Similarly, inside or outside in the width direction (left and right direction) of the straddle-seat vehicle is, in some cases, simply referred to as inside or outside. <Umriss des Grätschsitzfahrzeugs>

[0018] Fig. Figure 1 is a side view of the right side of a straddle seat vehicle 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. Fig. Figure 2 is a front view of the straddle-seat vehicle 1. Fig. Figure 5 is an exploded view (right side view) of a vehicle body frame 10, from which some parts have been omitted.

[0019] The straddle-seat vehicle 1 is a touring motorcycle suitable for long-distance travel. However, the present invention is also applicable to various types of straddle-seat vehicles, including motorcycles of other designs. The present invention is also applicable to a vehicle that incorporates an internal combustion engine as its power source and an electric vehicle that incorporates an electric motor as its power source. In the following description, the straddle-seat vehicle 1 is sometimes referred to as vehicle 1.

[0020] The vehicle 1 includes a drive unit 2 between a front wheel FW and a rear wheel RW. In this embodiment, the drive unit 2 comprises a 6-cylinder boxer engine 21 and a gearbox 22. The drive force of the gearbox 22 is transmitted to the rear wheel RW via a drive shaft (not shown) and rotates the rear wheel RW.

[0021] The drive unit 2 is mounted on a vehicle frame 3. The vehicle frame 3 includes a pair of left and right main frames 31 extending in the X direction. A fuel tank 5 and an air filter box (not shown) are arranged above the main frames 21. A gauge panel MP for displaying various types of information to the driver is installed in front of the fuel tank 5.

[0022] A head tube 32 for pivotally mounting a steerable shaft (not shown), which is pivoted by a steering rod 8, is attached to the front end sections of the main frames 31. A pair of left and right pivot plates 33 is attached to the rear end sections of the main frames 31. The lower end sections of the pivot plates 33 and the front end sections of the main frames 31 are connected by a pair of left and right lower arms (not shown), and the drive unit 2 is mounted on the main frame 31 and the lower arms. Additionally, a pair of left and right seat rails 34, extending rearward in the rear end sections of the main frames 31, are provided and support, for example, a seat 4a on which the driver sits, a seat 4b on which a passenger sits, and a rear storage box 7b.The rear end sections of the seat rails 34 and the pivot plates 33 are connected by a pair of left and right subframes 35.

[0023] The front end section of a rear swing arm (not shown), extending forward and backward, is pivotally mounted on the pivot plates 33. The rear swing arm pivots vertically, and its rear end section carries the rear wheel RW. An exhaust silencer 6 for soundproofing the exhaust gas of the engine 21 extends in the X direction along the lower side section of the rear wheel RW. Left and right saddlebags 7a are formed on the upper side sections of the rear wheel RW.

[0024] A front suspension mechanism 9 for supporting the front wheel FW is formed in the front end sections of the main frame 31. The front suspension mechanism 9 includes an upper control arm 91, a lower control arm 92, a fork bearing element 93, a damper unit 94, and a pair of left and right front fork legs 95.

[0025] The upper control arm 91 and the lower control arm 92 are arranged vertically apart from each other in the front end sections of the main frame 31. The rear end sections of the upper control arm 91 and the lower control arm 92 are connected to bearing sections 31a and 31b ( Fig. 5) pivotally connected, which are formed in the front end sections of the main frame 31. The front end sections of the upper link 91 and the lower link 92 are pivotally connected to the fork bearing element 93. The upper link 91 and the lower link 92 are arranged such that they extend in the front and rear directions and are practically parallel to each other.

[0026] The damper unit 94 has a structure in which a shock absorber is inserted into a coil spring, and its upper end section is pivotally mounted on the main frame 31. The lower end section of the damper unit 94 is pivotally mounted on the lower control arm 92.

[0027] The fork bearing element 93 is cylindrical and inclined rearward. The front end section of the upper control arm 21 is pivotally connected to the upper front section of the fork bearing section 93. The front end section of the lower control arm 92 is pivotally connected to the lower rear section of the fork bearing element 93.

[0028] The fork bearing element 93 carries a steering shaft 96, allowing it to rotate about its axis. The steering shaft 96 has a shaft section (not shown) that is inserted into the fork bearing element 93. A bridge (not shown) is formed in the lower end section of the steering shaft 96 and carries the pair of left and right front fork legs 95. The front fork legs 95 rotatably support the front wheel FW. The upper end section of the steering shaft 96 is connected via a link 97 to the steerable shaft (not shown), which pivots with the steering rod 8. When the steering rod 8 is steered, the steering shaft 96 rotates and steers the front wheel FW. The upper section of the front wheel FW is covered by a cover 10, and the cover 10 is mounted on the front fork legs 95. <frontstruktur>

[0029] The front structure of vehicle 1 is described in relation to the Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 explained. Fig. Figure 3 shows an enlarged view of the area surrounding a headlight unit 11 of the vehicle 1. The headlight unit 11, which emits light in front of the vehicle 1, is located in the front part of the vehicle 1. In this embodiment, the headlight unit 11 is a two-lamp headlight unit, symmetrically comprising a right-hand light unit 11R and a left-hand light unit 11L. However, it is also possible to use a single-lamp or three-lamp headlight unit, or an asymmetrical two-lamp headlight unit.

[0030] The lighting unit 11R contains several pairs (five pairs in the example shown in the drawing) of light sources 111R and reflectors 112R. The light source 111R is a light source such as an LED. The reflector 112R is designed to surround the light source 111R from behind and to reflect the light emitted by the light source 111R in front of the vehicle 1. The lighting unit 11L has the same arrangement as the lighting unit 11R and contains several pairs (five pairs in the example shown in the drawing) of light sources 111L and reflectors 112L. The light source 111L is a light source such as an LED. The reflector 112L is designed to surround the light source 111L from behind and reflects the light emitted by the light source 111L in front of the vehicle 1. A cover plate 11a is arranged in front of the headlight unit 11. The cover plate 11a is made of transparent plastic or the like.In this version, the cover plate 11a is a single element designed to conceal both light units 11R and 11L.

[0031] The front part of the vehicle 1 is covered by a front fairing 12, and the front side sections of the vehicle 1 are covered by a pair of left and right side fairings 14. A windscreen 13 is located in a section above the front fairing 12 and outside a cover CV that protects the instrument panel MP. The windscreen 13 is a wind deflector for reducing the wind pressure experienced by the driver while driving and is, for example, made of a transparent plastic element. In the central section of the lower edge (in the direction of the vehicle's width), the lower edge of the windscreen 13 has an upwardly recessed indentation 13a. By allowing the airflow between the windscreen 13 and the cover CV, the indentation 13a can sometimes prevent the formation of a low-pressure area behind the windscreen.

[0032] A pair of left and right side mirror units 15 are arranged on the sides of the front fairing 12. The side mirror units 15 carry side mirrors (not shown) through which the driver can visually survey the situation behind the vehicle.

[0033] In this embodiment, the front fairing comprises 12 fairing elements 121 to 123. Fairing element 121 extends in the Y direction and forms the main body of the front fairing 12. Fairing element 122 forms a section above fairing element 121. Fairing element 123 is arranged at a distance below fairing element 121.

[0034] An opening for exposing the headlight unit 11 is formed between the trim elements 121 and 123, as well as between the pair of left and right side trims 14. The trim element 121 defines the upper edge of this opening, the trim element 123 defines its lower edge, and the side trims 14 define the left and right side edges.

[0035] An image acquisition unit 16A and a radar 16B are arranged behind the front panel 12 as detection devices for detecting the situation in front of the vehicle 1. The radar 16B is, for example, a millimeter-wave radar. If these detection devices detect an obstacle in front of the vehicle 1, a display can be shown, for example, on the instrument panel MP to draw the driver's attention.

[0036] In this embodiment, the image acquisition unit 16A is positioned above a lower end 12a of the front fairing 12. Due to the behavior of the front suspension mechanism 9 during driving, the protective cover 10 may move closer to the lower end 12a of the front fairing 12. However, since the image acquisition unit 16A is positioned above the lower end 12a, interference between the image acquisition unit 16A and the protective cover 10 can be avoided even more reliably.

[0037] In this embodiment, the image acquisition unit 16A is arranged behind the trim element 122, which forms the upper section of the front fairing 12. An opening 122a extends through the trim element 122, and the image acquisition unit 16A captures an image in front of the vehicle 1 through this opening 122a. Because the image acquisition unit 16A is positioned above the front fairing 12 when viewed from the front of the vehicle, it is possible to capture an image in front of the vehicle 1 from a higher position, thus obtaining a wider image acquisition area.

[0038] The image acquisition unit 16A is arranged in a position where the windshield 13 does not interfere with the image acquisition area R ( Fig. 1) In this embodiment, the image acquisition unit 16A is positioned below and slightly in front of the windshield 13. Accordingly, no image is captured through the windshield 13, so the image quality does not deteriorate over time due to deterioration or color changes in the windshield 13. This makes it possible to maintain the accuracy with which the image acquisition unit 16A detects the situation in front of the vehicle 1 over a long period of time. The opening 122a can also be covered with a protective glass. Glass causes less deterioration or color change than plastic, so the glass can remain easily transparent even after cleaning.

[0039] The radar 16B is located behind the trim element 121. The presence of the trim element 121 makes the detection unit 16 invisible from the front view of the vehicle 1, thus preventing any deterioration of the vehicle 1's external appearance. The trim element 121 is made of a material that is transparent to electromagnetic waves, for example, plastic.

[0040] The image acquisition unit 16A and the radar 16B are arranged in the front view of the vehicle in the central section of the front fairing 12 along the Y-direction. Figure 1 shows an example of such an arrangement. Fig. 2. An arrangement in which, when a width W of the front fairing 12 is divided into three equal sections in the Y-direction, the image acquisition unit 16A and the radar 16B are arranged such that their centers in the Y-direction are positioned within the area of ​​W / 3 in the center. In this embodiment, the image acquisition unit 16A and the radar 16B, in the front view of the vehicle, are arranged on a centerline CL of the vehicle in the Y-direction. In this embodiment, the centerline CL is also the centerline of the front fairing 12 in the Y-direction.

[0041] Since the image acquisition unit 16A and the radar 16B are located in the central section of the vehicle 1 in the Y-direction, it is possible to obtain an additional image acquisition area and an additional detection area across the left and right surfaces in front of the vehicle 1, and to detect the situation in front of the vehicle 1 without missing anything. Furthermore, one image acquisition unit 16A and one radar 16B can monitor the left and right surfaces in front of the vehicle 1 even more uniformly. This is particularly advantageous in an arrangement that does not contain multiple image acquisition units 16A and multiple radars 16B, but rather one image acquisition unit 16A and one radar 16B.

[0042] Furthermore, the shape of the front fairing 12 is flatter in the central section in the Y-direction than in the two end sections. Therefore, the image acquisition unit 16A and the radar 16B can be easily positioned behind the front fairing 12. This is also advantageous in that the detection surfaces of the image acquisition unit 16A and the radar 16B can be easily aligned in the target direction with respect to the surface in front of the vehicle 1.

[0043] In this configuration, the radar 16B is positioned between the light sources 111R and 111L in the front view of vehicle 1. Therefore, the space between the right and left light sources 111R and 111L can be used effectively. Furthermore, the position of the radar 16B overlaps the positions of the left and right light sources 111R and 111L in the Z-direction. This avoids increasing the size of the front of vehicle 1 in the Z-direction.

[0044] The positions of the image acquisition unit 16A and the radar 16B in the X and Z directions and their mounting structure will now be explained. Fig. 4 is a section view along line II (center line CL) in Fig. 3. The outer surface of the headlight unit 11 of this design is formed by the cover plate 11a and a housing 11b, and an electrical circuit 11d is arranged inside, which is Fig. Figure 4 is shown schematically. The electrical circuit 11d contains the light sources 111R and 111L described above, driver circuits for these, and the like.

[0045] At least one of the image acquisition unit 16A and radar 16B can be arranged inside the headlight unit 11. In this case, however, the headlight unit 11 may be larger or affected by heat generated by the electrical circuitry. Therefore, in this embodiment, both the image acquisition unit 16A and the radar 16B are arranged outside the headlight unit 11.

[0046] The image acquisition unit 16A of this design has a structure in which an image acquisition element 160, such as a CCD image sensor or a CMOS image sensor, and an optical system 161, such as a lens, are integrated into the housing. The image acquisition unit 16A is arranged such that its optical axis is aligned with the area in front of the vehicle 1 through the opening 122a.

[0047] The radar 16B of this design has a structure in which a signal transmitter / receiver 162 and other electrical circuits (not shown) are housed in a box-like enclosure. The signal transmitter / receiver 162 is, for example, a circuit board on which an antenna for transmitting / receiving electromagnetic waves is mounted. The signal transmitter / receiver 162 is positioned such that its substrate surface is approximately orthogonal to the X-direction. The detection accuracy may decrease if a metal part that obstructs the propagation of an electromagnetic wave is positioned in front of the signal transmitter / receiver 162.

[0048] In this embodiment, the signal transmitter / receiver 162 is arranged in the X-direction forward of the rear end 11d of the headlight unit 11. This prevents metal parts present in the headlight unit 11 from interfering with the detection range of the radar 16B. To avoid this interference between the detection range of the detection unit 16 and the metal parts, the signal transmitter / receiver 162 is preferably positioned as far forward of the headlight unit 11 as possible. The signal transmitter / receiver 162 can be positioned not only forward of the rear end 11d, but also forward of the center of the headlight unit 11 in the X-direction. Furthermore, if L is the length of the headlight unit 11 in the X-direction, the signal transmitter / receiver 162 can also be positioned forward of a position L / 4 from the front end.

[0049] In this embodiment, the image acquisition unit 16A is arranged in the X direction behind the signal transmitter / receiver 162. This prevents metal parts located in the image acquisition unit 16A from interfering with the detection range of the radar 16B.

[0050] In this embodiment, the positional relationship between the image acquisition unit 16A and the radar 16B in the Z-direction is such that the image acquisition unit 16A is positioned at the top and the radar 16B at the bottom. However, this positional relationship can also be such that the image acquisition unit 16A is positioned at the bottom and the radar 16B at the top. Using this arrangement, the image acquisition unit 16A can be installed in a higher position, thus achieving a wider image acquisition area. Furthermore, the shape of the front fairing of the straddle-seat vehicle is generally inclined upwards and backwards, like the shape of the front fairing 12 of this embodiment, as shown in Fig. Figure 4 shows that if the image acquisition unit 16A is positioned at the top, it will consequently be located behind the signal transmitter / receiver 162 in the X direction. This layout easily prevents metal parts within the image acquisition unit 16A from interfering with the detection range of the radar 16B.

[0051] In this embodiment, the image acquisition unit 16A and the radar 16B are arranged at a distance from the front fairing 12. In this configuration Fig. In the example shown in Figure 4, a gap is formed between the set of image acquisition unit 16A and radar 16B and the set of fairing elements 122 and 121 positioned in front of them. A viscoelastic element, such as rubber or sponge, can be installed in this gap. Since the image acquisition unit 16A and radar 16B are arranged at a distance from the front fairing 12, vibrations from the front fairing 12 are not readily transmitted to the image acquisition unit 16A and radar 16B. This can prevent displacement of the mounting positions of the image acquisition unit 16A and radar 16B and prevent changes in the direction of the detection surfaces.

[0052] The mounting structure of the image acquisition unit 16A and the radar 16B is now described in relation to the Fig. 4 to 6 explained. Fig. Figure 5 is a side view of the right side of a partial arrangement of the vehicle body frame 3 in the exploded state. Fig. Figure 6 is a front view of the partial arrangement of the in Fig. 5 shown vehicle body frame 3.

[0053] In this configuration, both the image acquisition unit 16A and the radar 16B are mounted on the main frame 31. The main frame 31 is a highly rigid element among the other elements of the vehicle body frame 10. Therefore, the use of this structure, in which the image acquisition unit 16A and the radar 16B are mounted on the main frame 31, makes it possible to improve the load-bearing stiffness of these elements and to prevent a shift in the detection range that occurs when the vehicle 1 is in use.

[0054] The image acquisition unit 16A and the radar 16B can be directly attached to the main frame 31. However, in this case, the degree of freedom in the layout of the image acquisition unit 16A and the radar 16B could decrease, or the degree of freedom in the shape of the main frame 31 could decrease. Therefore, in this embodiment, the image acquisition unit 16A and the radar 16B are mounted to the main frame 31 via a strut.

[0055] Strut 36 serves as a mounting strut for the MP measuring display panel, the 11 headlight unit, the 16A image acquisition unit, and the 16B radar. Using a single strut 36 as the mounting strut for the MP measuring display panel, the 11 headlight unit, the 16A image acquisition unit, and the 16B radar allows for a reduction in the number of parts and improved assembly characteristics. Alternatively, different mounting struts can be used for the MP measuring display panel, the 11 headlight unit, the 16A image acquisition unit, and the 16B radar. It is also possible to use an arrangement in which one mounting strut is used for the MP measuring display panel and at least one for the 16A image acquisition unit and the 16B radar, or an arrangement in which one mounting strut is used for the 11 headlight unit and at least one for the 16A image acquisition unit and the 16B radar.

[0056] The strut 36 of this embodiment is formed by attaching plate-like elements with bolt mounting holes to a frame body obtained by combining metal tubes. The front end sections of the main frames 31 have four mounting sections 31c to which the strut 36 is attached. The strut 36 has four mounting sections 361 corresponding to the mounting sections 31c, and corresponding mounting sections 31c and 361 are fastened to one another by bolts.

[0057] The upper section of strut 36 has four mounting sections 362 to which the measuring display panel MP is attached by bolts. The front section of strut 36 has four mounting sections 363 to which the headlight unit 11 is attached by bolts. The middle section of the front section of strut 36 has a plate-like mounting section 364 to which the image acquisition unit 16A is attached by bolts, and two mounting sections 365 to which the radar 16B is attached by bolts. <Andere Ausführungen>

[0058] In the above embodiment, the image acquisition unit 16A and the radar 16B are examples of detection devices for detecting the situation in front of the vehicle 1. However, only the image acquisition unit 16A can be installed without the radar 16B. It is also possible to install a different detection device, such as an ultrasonic sensor, instead of or in addition to the radar 16B. Furthermore, although one image acquisition unit 16A is installed in the above embodiment, multiple image acquisition units can be installed. In this case, only one of the multiple image acquisition units can be positioned higher than the lower end 12a of the front fairing 12, and in the central section in the Y-direction (the vehicle width direction), where the windshield 13 does not interfere with the image acquisition area R1. Other image acquisition units can be positioned in other locations.

[0059] As in the arrangement example EX1 in Fig. As shown in Figure 7, the image acquisition unit 16A can be positioned between the light sources 111R and 111L in the front view of the vehicle 1. This makes it possible to effectively utilize the space between the right and left light sources 111R and 111L. Furthermore, the position of the image acquisition unit 16A in the Z-direction overlaps the positions of the left and right light sources 111R and 111L in the Z-direction. This avoids enlarging the front of the vehicle 1 in the Z-direction.

[0060] As in the arrangement example EX2 in Fig. As shown in Figure 7, the image acquisition unit 16A can be arranged in the recess 13a in the front view of the vehicle 1. In arrangement example EX2, the image acquisition unit 16A is arranged behind the cover CV, and an opening CV' extends through the cover CV. The image acquisition unit 16A is arranged such that its optical axis is aligned in the forward direction of the vehicle 1 through the opening CV'. In arrangement example EX2, the image acquisition unit 16A can be arranged in a higher position, so that in some cases a further image acquisition area can be achieved. Furthermore, because the image acquisition unit 16A is arranged in the recess 13a, it is possible to avoid an increase in the size of the front part of the vehicle 1 in the vertical direction, while avoiding interference with the windshield 13 with the image acquisition area.

[0061] In this embodiment, the cover plate 11a of the headlight unit 11 is a single element designed to cover both lighting units 11R and 11L. However, the cover plate 11a can also be divided into two elements, that is, one element covering the lighting unit 11R and one element covering the lighting unit 11L. See arrangement examples EX3 and EX4 in Fig. 8 specify arrangements with the image acquisition unit 16A and the like, when the cover plate 11a contains two elements.

[0062] In the arrangement example EX3, the image acquisition unit 16A and the radar 16B are arranged between the left and right cover plates 11a in the front view of the vehicle 1. Compared to the in Fig. In the example shown, the positions of the image acquisition unit 16A and the radar 16B overlap even further in the Z-direction with the positions of the left and right cover plates 11a or the positions of the light sources 111R and 111L. This also avoids an enlargement of the front part of the vehicle 1 in the Z-direction.

[0063] In the arrangement example EX4, the image acquisition unit 16A is arranged, in the front view of the vehicle 1, between the right and left cover plates 11a, in particular between the light sources 111R and 111L. The space between the right and left cover plates 11a can be used as the installation space for the image acquisition unit 16A.

[0064] Incidentally, the headlight unit 11 can also be independent right and left headlight units, instead of an integrated structure of right and left headlight units. In this case, at least one of the image acquisition unit 16A and the radar 16B can be arranged between the right and left headlight units.

[0065] The present invention is not limited to the above descriptions, and various changes and modifications can be made within the idea and scope of the present invention. Therefore, in order to communicate the scope of the present invention to the public, the following claims have been formulated.< / frontstruktur>

Claims

[1] Straddle-seat vehicle (1) which features: a front fairing (12) configured to cover a front part of the vehicle (1); a windscreen (13) arranged above the front fairing (12); and a detection means (16A, 16B) for detecting a situation in front of the vehicle, characterized by , that the detection means (16A, 16B) includes at least one image acquisition means (16A) which is positioned above a lower end (12a) of the front fairing (12) and in a section of the straddle seat vehicle (1) that is central in the direction of the vehicle width, the image acquisition means (16A) is arranged behind an upper section (122) of the front panel (12), a lower edge of the windscreen (13) contains an upwardly recessed recess (13a), and the image acquisition means (16A) is arranged in the recess (13a) in the front view of the vehicle (1) so that the windshield (13) does not interfere with its image acquisition area (R). [2] The straddle-seat vehicle (1) according to claim 1, characterized by , furthermore comprising a headlight unit (11) configured to emit light in the forward direction of the vehicle (1), wherein the image acquisition means (16A) is arranged outside the headlight unit (11). [3] The straddle-seat vehicle (1) according to claim 1, characterized by, furthermore, that it has a headlight unit (11) comprising left and right light units (11L, 11R) configured to emit light in the forward direction of the vehicle (1), wherein the image acquisition means (16A), in front view of the vehicle (1), is positioned between a light source (111L) of the light unit (11C) on a left side and a light source (111R) of the light unit (11R) on a right side. [4] The straddle-seat vehicle (1) according to claim 1, characterized by , furthermore, that it has a vehicle body frame (3) which includes a main frame (31) extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, wherein the image acquisition means (16A) is mounted on the main frame (31). [5] The straddle-seat vehicle (1) according to claim 4, characterized by , that the image taking device (16A) is mounted on the main frame (31) via a strut (36). [6] The straddle-seat vehicle (1) according to claim 5, characterized by, furthermore comprising a headlight unit (11) configured to emit light in the forward direction of the vehicle (1), wherein the strut is a headlight strut (36) supporting the headlight unit (11). [7] The straddle-seat vehicle (1) according to claim 5, characterized by , furthermore, that it has a measuring display unit (MP) configured to display information to a driver, wherein the strut is a measuring display strut supporting the measuring display unit (MP). [8] The straddle-seat vehicle (1) according to claim 1, characterized by , that the detection means (16A) further includes a radar (16B) arranged behind the central section of the front fairing (12), and the image acquisition means (16A) is arranged above the radar (16B).

Images