Exterior component structure

Abstract

To provide an exterior component structure capable of suppressing the disturbance of running wind around a middle cowl while suppressing the reduction of a design characteristic.SOLUTION: A front unit 60 according to an aspect of the present invention includes: a middle cowl 72 placed outwardly relative to a vehicular body 2 in the vehicle widthwise direction; and a duct wing 62 that includes an inclined portion 93a which extends outwardly in the vehicular widthwise direction from the middle cowl 72, and which extends upwardly toward the back side. At a portion in the middle cowl 72 located below the inclined portion 93a, formed is a communication portion 100 that causes the interior of the middle cowl 72 and the exterior thereof to be in communication with each other. The inclined portion 93a at least partially covers the communication portion 100 from the front side of the communication portion 100.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an exterior component structure. [Background technology]

[0002] A saddle-type vehicle such as a motorcycle is provided with a cowl unit that surrounds the vehicle body from the front to the sides. A known cowl unit of this type has a middle cowl that covers the sides of the vehicle body and includes an inner middle cowl and an outer middle cowl that is disposed on the outside of the inner middle cowl in the vehicle width direction (see, for example, Patent Document 1 below). An air passage is formed between the inner middle cowl and the outer middle cowl. With this configuration, the air passage and the inner middle cowl communicate with each other through an opening formed in the inner middle cowl. This is said to facilitate the airflow that passes through the radiator in the cowl unit to be discharged to the outside of the vehicle through the air passage. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-109673 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Recently, the provision of a duct wing that protrudes from the middle cowl outward in the vehicle width direction and is inclined downward toward the front has been considered. In this case, the running wind that enters the space below the duct wing from the front of the duct wing is discharged to the rear of the duct wing through the space below the duct wing. At this time, the pressure in the space below the duct wing is lower than the pressure in the space above the duct wing. Therefore, the negative pressure generated in the space below the duct wing easily generates turbulence, making it difficult to improve operability.

[0005] The present invention provides an exterior component structure that can suppress turbulence of the wind around a middle cowl while suppressing deterioration of the design. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following aspects. <1> An exterior part structure according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a first exterior part (72) that is arranged on the outside in the vehicle width direction with respect to a vehicle body (2) and covers the vehicle body from a side, and a second exterior part (62) that extends outward in the vehicle width direction from the first exterior part (72) and has an inclined portion (93a) that extends upward toward a first side in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction, and forms a space (S) that penetrates between the first exterior part (72) and the first exterior part (72), wherein a communication portion (100) that communicates between the inside and outside of the first exterior part (72) is formed in a portion of the first exterior part (72) that is located on the first side in the up-down direction with respect to the inclined portion (93a), and the inclined portion (93a) covers at least a portion of the communication portion (100) from the front of the communication portion (100).

[0007] According to this aspect, the outside air in the first exterior part flows out through the communication part into the space on the first side in the vertical direction with respect to the inclined part. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the pressure difference between the space on the first side and the space on the second side in the vertical direction with respect to the inclined part. This makes it possible to suppress turbulence of the traveling wind around the first exterior part. As a result, it is possible to improve operability. In particular, in this embodiment, since the inclined portion covers at least a portion of the communication portion from the front, the communication portion is difficult to see when viewed from the front of the vehicle, and therefore, a decrease in the design of the vehicle appearance due to the formation of the communication portion can be suppressed.

[0008] <2> the above <1> In the exterior part structure relating to this aspect, it is preferable that the communication portion (100) has a plurality of communication holes (101), and when viewed from the front of the vehicle, the inclined portion (93a) entirely covers at least one of the plurality of communication holes (101). According to this aspect, since the communication portion is formed by a plurality of communication holes, it is possible to ensure the opening area of ​​the communication portion and to suppress a decrease in strength of the first exterior component due to the formation of the communication portion. Furthermore, since at least one communication hole is covered from the front by the inclined portion, it is possible to suppress a decrease in design due to the formation of the communication hole.

[0009] <3> the above <1> or <2> In the exterior part structure relating to the embodiment, a front exterior part (71) is provided that is arranged in front of the vehicle body (2) and covers the vehicle body (2) from the front, and it is preferable that an inlet (83a) that connects the inside and outside of the front exterior part (71) is formed in a portion of the front exterior part (71) that is located closer to the first exterior part (72) with respect to the center in the vehicle width direction and that is located within the height range of the communication part (100) in the vertical direction. According to this aspect, it is possible to effectively take in the wind generated by traveling into the exterior component structure, and therefore the wind can be effectively supplied to the space on the first side in the up-down direction with respect to the inclined portion through the communication portion.

[0010] <4> the above <3> In the exterior part structure relating to this aspect, it is preferable that a guide surface (83a1) is formed on the inner surface of the inlet (83a) that is located on the inside in the vehicle width direction, the guide surface (83a1) extending outward in the vehicle width direction as it moves rearward. According to this aspect, the traveling wind flows along the guide surface in the process of flowing through the inlet, and is guided outward in the vehicle width direction. This makes it easier to guide the traveling wind that has flowed into the exterior component structure to the communication portion. Therefore, the traveling wind can be effectively supplied to the space on the first side in the vertical direction with respect to the inclined portion through the communication portion.

[0011] <5> In the exterior component structure according to any one of the above aspects (1) to (4), it is preferable that the communication portion (100) extends along the extending direction of the inclined portion (93a). According to this aspect, it is easy to set the distance between the communication portion and the inclined portion uniform over the entire area in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and therefore it is easy to supply the running wind through the communication portion over the entire area in the vehicle longitudinal direction of the space on the first side in the up-down direction of the inclined portion.

[0012] <6> the above <5> In the exterior part structure according to the aspect, it is preferable that the dimension of the communication part (100) in a direction intersecting the extension direction when viewed from the opening direction of the communication part (100) increases toward the rear. According to this aspect, it is possible to reduce pressure loss when passing through the communication portion toward the rear, which makes it easier to supply the running wind through the communication portion to the entire area in the front-rear direction of the vehicle in the space on the first side in the up-down direction of the inclined portion.

[0013] <7> the above <1> from <6> In the exterior part structure according to any one of the above aspects, it is preferable that the inclined portion (93a) extends to a first side in the up-down direction as it moves toward the outside in the vehicle width direction, and covers at least a portion of the communicating portion (100) from the outside in the vehicle width direction relative to the communicating portion. According to this aspect, the communication portion is difficult to see when viewed from the side of the vehicle, so that a decrease in the design of the vehicle exterior caused by the formation of the communication portion can be suppressed. Effect of the Invention

[0014] According to the above aspect, it is possible to suppress turbulence of the wind around the middle cowl while suppressing deterioration of the design. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view of a motorcycle according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a motorcycle according to an embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a partial front view of a motorcycle according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a partial side view of a motorcycle according to an embodiment. [Diagram 5]4 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to the line VV in FIG. 3. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the results of a CFD analysis of the motorcycle according to the embodiment when viewed from the side. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing the results of a CFD analysis of the motorcycle according to the comparative example when viewed from the side. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the results of a CFD analysis of the motorcycle according to the embodiment when viewed from the front. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing the results of a CFD analysis of a motorcycle according to a comparative example when viewed from the front. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the results of a CFD analysis in a cross-sectional view of the motorcycle according to the embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing the results of a CFD analysis in a cross-sectional view of a motorcycle according to a comparative example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the embodiments and modifications described below, the same reference numerals may be used to designate corresponding configurations, and the description thereof may be omitted. In the following description, a motorcycle (one example of a saddle-ride type vehicle) will be taken as an example of a vehicle equipped with an exterior part structure. Unless otherwise specified, directions such as front, rear, left and right in the following description are the same as directions on motorcycle 1. In this case, arrow FR in the figure indicates the front of motorcycle 1, arrow UP in the figure indicates the upper side of motorcycle 1, arrow LH in the figure indicates the left side of motorcycle 1, and center line CL indicates the center position of motorcycle 1 in the vehicle width direction.

[0017] In the following description, expressions indicating relative or absolute arrangements, such as "parallel," "orthogonal," "center," and "coaxial," do not only strictly indicate such arrangements, but also indicate a state in which they are relatively displaced with an angle or distance to an extent that allows a tolerance or the same function to be obtained. In addition, in this embodiment, "facing" does not only mean a case in which the orthogonal directions (normal directions) of two surfaces are aligned with each other, but also includes a case in which the orthogonal directions intersect with each other.

[0018] [Motorcycle 1] FIG. 1 is a side view of a motorcycle 1 according to an embodiment. 1, a motorcycle 1 according to an embodiment is, for example, a racer type. The motorcycle 1 includes a body 2 and a body cover 3.

[0019] <Vehicle 2> The vehicle body 2 comprises a front wheel 10, a rear wheel 11, a front fork 12 supporting the front wheel 10, a swing arm 13 supporting the rear wheel 11, a body frame 14 supporting the front fork 12 and the swing arm 13, and an engine 15 (internal combustion engine, prime mover) supported by the body frame 14.

[0020] The front forks 12 are provided on both sides (a pair of left and right) of the front wheel 10 in the vehicle width direction. Each front fork 12 supports the front wheel 10 at its lower end. A front fender 20 is provided on a portion of each front fork 12 that is located above the front wheel 10.

[0021] The body frame 14 includes a head pipe 21, a pair of left and right main frames 22, a pair of left and right pivot frames 23, and a seat frame 24. The head pipe 21 is provided at the front end of the body frame 14 in a state inclined with respect to the up-down direction. The head pipe 21 rotatably supports a steering stem 25. The upper parts of the front forks 12 are connected to the steering stem 25. A bar-type handle 26, for example, is attached to the top bridge of the steering stem 25. This allows the front forks 12 (front wheel 10) to be steered via the handle 26.

[0022] Each main frame 22 extends rearward in two directions from the head pipe 21. Specifically, each main frame 22 extends downward toward the rear in a side view of the vehicle. A fuel tank 30 is attached to the top of each main frame 22 so as to straddle each main frame 22. Each pivot frame 23 extends downward from the rear end of each main frame 22 . The seat frame 24 is connected to the rear ends of the main frames 22. The seat frame 24 extends upward as it moves rearward. A seat 31 is attached to the seat frame 24.

[0023] The swing arm 13 is connected to the pivot frame 23 so as to be able to swing up and down. The swing arm 13 extends downward toward the rear from the pivot frame 23. The rear wheel 11 is supported at the rear end of the swing arm 13.

[0024] The engine 15 is mounted on the body frame 14. The prime mover of the motorcycle 1 is not limited to the engine 15, and may be an electric motor or the like.

[0025] <Car body cover 3> The vehicle body cover 3 constitutes an exterior portion of the vehicle body 2. Specifically, the vehicle body cover 3 includes a rear unit 50 and a front unit (exterior component structure) 60. The rear unit 50 surrounds the vehicle body 2 from the rear and both sides in the vehicle width direction at the rear of the vehicle body 2. Specifically, the rear unit 50 includes a side cover 51 and a rear cowl 52. The side covers 51 cover a portion of the body frame 14 (seat frame 24) that is located below the fuel tank 30 from both sides in the vehicle width direction. The rear cowl 52 is connected to the rear of the side cover 51. The rear cowl 52 surrounds the seat frame 24 below the seat 31 from both sides in the vehicle width direction and from the rear.

[0026] The front unit 60 includes a cowl main body 61 and a duct wing (second exterior part) 62. The cowl main body 61 surrounds the vehicle body 2 from the front and both sides in the vehicle width direction at the front part of the vehicle body 2. Specifically, the cowl main body 61 includes an upper cowl (front exterior part) 71, a middle cowl (first exterior part) 72, and a lower cowl 73.

[0027] Fig. 2 is a front perspective view of the motorcycle 1. Fig. 3 is a partial front view of the motorcycle 1. 2 and 3, the upper cowl 71 constitutes the upper end portion of the front unit 60. The upper cowl 71 covers upper front component parts of the vehicle body 2 (e.g., the upper part of the front fork 12, the steering stem 25, etc.) from the front.

[0028] FIG. 4 is a partial side view of the motorcycle 1. FIG. The upper cover 81 extends upward toward the rear in a vehicle side view shown in FIG. 4, and extends outward in the vehicle width direction toward the outside in an upward direction in a vehicle front view shown in FIG. The lower cover 82 is connected to the lower edge of the upper cover 81. In a side view of the vehicle shown in FIG. 4, the lower cover 82 extends rearward as it goes downward. In a front view of the vehicle shown in FIG. 3, the dimension of the lower cover 82 in the vehicle width direction gradually decreases as it goes downward. An intake port 82a is formed in the center of the lower cover 82 in the vehicle width direction. The intake port 82a penetrates the lower cover 82 in the vehicle front-rear direction. Air taken in from the intake port 82a is supplied to the engine 15 through an air cleaner (not shown) or the like. In the lower cover 82, light openings 82b are formed in portions located on both sides of the intake port 82a in the vehicle width direction. Headlights 84 are arranged in the light openings 82b.

[0029] 4, the protruding portion 83 is connected downwardly to the lower end edge of the lower cover 82. The protruding portion 83 protrudes forward relative to the lower cover 82 in a side view of the vehicle.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 3, in the overhanging portion 83, an inlet 83a is formed in a portion located below each light opening 82b. Each inlet 83a penetrates the overhanging portion 83 in the front-rear direction. Each inlet 83a communicates the inside and outside of the front unit 60. Each inlet 83a is formed in a polygonal shape (for example, a trapezoidal shape) in a front view of the vehicle. The opening area (cross-sectional area perpendicular to the opening direction) of each inlet 83a gradually decreases from the front to the rear. Specifically, a portion of the inner peripheral surface of each inlet 83a located on the inside in the width direction (hereinafter referred to as a guide surface 83a1) is formed as an inclined surface extending outward in the vehicle width direction toward the rear. Therefore, in a front view of the vehicle, a part of the front end opening of each inlet 83a overlaps with the corresponding front fork 12, and the rear end opening is located outside the corresponding front fork 12 in the vehicle width direction. In the present embodiment, the guide surface 83a1 has a gradually smaller dimension in the vehicle width direction toward the upper side in a front view of the vehicle. The position and shape of the introduction port 83a can be appropriately changed.

[0031] As shown in Fig. 1, the middle cowls 72 are disposed on both sides of the vehicle body 2 in the vehicle width direction, respectively, in portions located below the handlebars 26. Each middle cowl 72 covers a central portion in the up-down direction of the front portion of the vehicle body 2 (e.g., the front fork 12, the steering stem 25, the front portion of the main frame 22, etc.) from both sides in the vehicle width direction. Each middle cowl 72 has a bilaterally symmetrical configuration. Therefore, the middle cowl 72 will be described in detail below using one (right) middle cowl 72 as an example.

[0032] 3 and 4, the middle cowl 72 extends downward and rearward from a portion of the lower edge of the upper cowl 71 (lower cover 82) that is located on the right side in the vehicle width direction. The middle cowl 72 includes an upper middle portion 85 and a lower middle portion 86 in a front view of the vehicle. The upper middle portion 85 extends outward in the vehicle width direction downward from the lower edge of the upper cowl 71 in front view of the vehicle shown in Fig. 3. The upper edge of the upper middle portion 85 is located inward in the vehicle width direction with respect to the outer edge of the upper cover 81 in the vehicle width direction. The upper middle portion 85 extends upward toward the rear in side view of the vehicle shown in Fig. 4. The vertical dimension of the upper middle portion 85 gradually increases toward the rear.

[0033] The lower middle portion 86 is continuous with the lower edge of the upper middle portion 85. In a front view of the vehicle shown in FIG. 3, the lower middle portion 86 extends downward in a curved state so as to bulge outward in the vehicle width direction. In a side view of the vehicle shown in FIG. 4, the lower middle portion 86 extends rearward as it extends downward. A protrusion 86a is formed at the upper front end of the lower middle portion 86. The protrusion 86a protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction from the lower middle portion 86 and extends in the front-rear direction. As shown in FIG. 3, the protrusion 86a is formed in a trapezoidal shape in a plan view of the vehicle such that the amount of protrusion in the vehicle width direction from the lower middle portion 86 gradually increases from both sides in the front-rear direction toward the center.

[0034] A pedestal portion 86b is formed in a portion of the lower middle portion 86 that is located below the protrusion portion 86a. The pedestal portion 86b bulges outward in the vehicle width direction from the lower middle portion 86 and extends in the vehicle front-rear direction. In a front view of the vehicle, the amount by which the pedestal portion 86b protrudes from the lower middle portion 86 gradually decreases as it extends downward. The upper surface of the pedestal portion 86b is formed into an inclined surface that extends upward toward the rear. A through hole 86c is formed in a portion of the lower middle portion 86 that is rearward of the protrusion portion 86a and above the base portion 86b. In a side view, the through hole 86c extends obliquely upward and forward like a slit. The through hole 86c penetrates the lower middle portion 86 in the vehicle width direction, thereby providing communication between the inside and outside of the cowl body 61.

[0035] 1, the lower cowl 73 extends downward from the lower end edges of the middle cowls 72. The lower cowl 73 constitutes the lower end portion of the front unit 60. The lower cowl 73 covers components in the front lower portion of the body 2 (e.g., the engine 15 and the lower portion of the main frame 22) from both sides in the vehicle width direction and from the front.

[0036] 3, the duct wings 62 are provided on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the cowl main body 61. Each duct wing 62 has a bilaterally symmetrical configuration. Therefore, in the following, the details of the duct wing 62 will be described using the duct wing 62 provided on the right side as an example.

[0037] The duct wing 62 is an aerodynamic member that changes the flow of airflow on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the cowl main body 61. Specifically, the duct wing 62 includes an upper mounting piece 91, a lower mounting piece 92, and a duct portion 93.

[0038] The upper mounting piece 91 is formed in a trapezoid shape whose dimension in the vehicle front-rear direction gradually decreases as it goes upward in the vehicle side view shown in FIG. 4. The upper mounting piece 91 is overlapped from the right side with a portion of the upper cowl 71 that reaches the lower cover 82 and the protruding portion 83. The upper end edge of the upper mounting piece 91 is connected to a portion of the lower end edge of the upper cover 81 that is located rearward of the light opening 82b. The front end edge of the upper mounting piece 91 extends along the opening edge of the light opening 82b and the opening edge of the introduction port 83a. Specifically, the front end edge of the upper mounting piece 91 extends downward as it goes forward in the vehicle side view, while it extends toward the inside in the vehicle width direction as it goes downward in the vehicle front view shown in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 4, the lower end edge of the upper mounting piece 91 extends upward as it goes rearward along the upper end edge of the upper middle portion 85. Therefore, the outer surface of the upper mounting piece 91 constitutes the outer surface of the front unit 60 together with the outer surface of the upper cowl 71 (top cover 81).

[0039] The lower mounting piece 92 is overlapped with a side surface of the base portion 86b facing outward in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, the outer surface of the lower mounting piece 92, together with the outer surface of the middle cowl 72, constitutes the outer surface of the front unit 60. The lower mounting piece 92 extends outward in the vehicle width direction as it extends upward in the vehicle front view shown in FIG.

[0040] The duct portion 93 is formed in a semi-cylindrical shape extending in the front-rear direction. The duct portion 93 connects between the lower end edge of the upper mounting piece 91 and the upper end edge of the lower mounting piece 92. The duct portion 93 includes an inclined portion 93a and a connecting portion 93b.

[0041] The inclined portion 93a extends outward in the vehicle width direction from the lower end edge of the upper mounting piece 91. That is, the inclined portion 93a extends outward in the vehicle width direction from a portion of the middle cowl 72 that is located at the upper end edge of the upper middle portion 85. As shown in FIG. 4, the inclined portion 93a extends upward toward the rear (first side in the vehicle front-rear direction). In the example of FIG. 4, the inclination angle of the inclined portion 93a with respect to the front-rear direction is equal to the inclination angle of the upper middle portion 85 with respect to the front-rear direction. The inclined portion 93a extends downward toward the outside in the vehicle width direction. In addition, the front and rear end edges of the inclined portion 93a extend in directions approaching each other in the vehicle front-rear direction toward the outside in the vehicle width direction.

[0042] As shown in Fig. 3, the connection portion 93b connects between the outer end edge of the inclined portion 93a in the vehicle width direction and the upper end edge of the lower mounting piece 92. Specifically, the connection portion 93b extends downward from the outer end edge of the inclined portion 93a in the vehicle width direction while bulging outward in the vehicle width direction. In the vehicle side view shown in Fig. 4, the connection portion 93b extends rearward as it extends downward. Therefore, the front end edge of the connection portion 93b is located rearward of the front end edge of the inclined portion 93a, and the rear end edge of the connection portion 93b is located rearward of the rear end edge of the inclined portion 93a.

[0043] The space between the middle cowl 72 and the duct portion 93 constitutes a flow passage S through which the wind passes while the vehicle is traveling. The flow passage S extends upward as it approaches the rear. Therefore, the front end opening of the flow passage S opens diagonally downward toward the front, and the rear end opening opens diagonally upward toward the rear. In a front view of the vehicle, at least a portion of the front end opening of the flow passage S is located below the inlet port 83a. However, the front end opening of the flow passage S may be located above the inlet port 83a. In this embodiment, the flow passage S has a flow path cross-sectional area (area perpendicular to the extension direction) that gradually increases as it approaches the rear.

[0044] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to the line VV in FIG. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, a communication portion 100 that communicates between the inside and outside of the cowl body 61 is formed in a portion of the upper middle portion 85 that is located within the flow passage S. The communication portion 100 is composed of a plurality of communication holes 101 that penetrate the upper middle portion 85 in the vehicle width direction. The communication holes 101 are arranged at equal intervals in the extending direction of the upper middle portion 85 (inclined portion 93a). In a side view of the vehicle shown in Fig. 4, each communication hole 101 is formed in a parallelogram shape that is inclined with the upper end portion positioned forward relative to the lower end portion, with the longitudinal direction being the up-down direction. However, the shape of each communication hole 101 in a side view can be changed as appropriate.

[0045] In a side view of the vehicle, the dimensions of each communication hole 101 in the short direction (the extension direction of the upper middle portion 85) are equal to each other. On the other hand, the dimensions of each communication hole 101 in the long direction (the dimensions in the direction intersecting the extension direction of the upper middle portion 85) gradually increase from the front communication hole 101 to the rear communication hole 101. Therefore, the vertical dimension of the communication portion 100 gradually increases from the front to the rear. However, the dimensions of each communication hole 101 can be changed as appropriate.

[0046] In the front view of the vehicle shown in Fig. 3, at least a part of the communication part 100 is located within the vertical height range T of the introduction port 83a (overlapping in the vertical direction). In this embodiment, among the communication holes 101, the communication holes 101 located in the front half (for example, the four communication holes 101 from the front) are located within the vertical height range T of the introduction port 83a. However, the entire communication part 100 may be located within the vertical height range T of the introduction port 83a, or the entire communication part 100 may be shifted in the vertical direction with respect to the introduction port 83a.

[0047] In a front view of the vehicle, the inclined portion 93a covers the entire communicating portion 100 from the front. That is, in a front view of the vehicle, the communicating portion 100 overlaps with the inclined portion 93a, making it invisible from the front of the motorcycle 1. Note that it is sufficient that the inclined portion 93a covers at least a portion of the communicating portion 100 from the front of the communicating portion 100, and it is preferable that the inclined portion 93a entirely covers at least one of the communicating holes 101. In this case, in a front view of the vehicle, a portion of the communicating portion 100 may be shifted in the up-down direction or the vehicle width direction relative to the inclined portion 93a.

[0048] 4, in a side view of the vehicle, the entire communication part 100 is covered by the duct part 93 from the outside in the vehicle width direction. That is, in a side view of the vehicle, the communication part 100 overlaps with the duct part 93, making it invisible from the sides of the motorcycle 1. In this embodiment, the entire communication part 100 overlaps with the inclined part 93a in a side view of the vehicle. However, the communication part 100 may overlap with the connection part 93b in a side view of the vehicle. Furthermore, the communication part 100 may be disposed offset in the front-rear direction with respect to the duct part 93 in a side view of the vehicle.

[0049] In the motorcycle 1 of this embodiment, a portion of the traveling wind received by the front unit 60 from the front flows into the flow passage S through the front end opening of the flow passage S. As described above, the inclined portion 93a extends upward toward the rear. Therefore, the pressure in the flow passage S (the space below the inclined portion 93a) is lower than the pressure in the space above the inclined portion 93a and in the cowl main body 61.

[0050] Of the traveling wind that the front unit 60 receives from the front, a portion of the traveling wind is introduced into the cowl body 61 through the inlet 83a. As the portion of the traveling wind introduced into the cowl body 61 flows through the cowl body 61, it is discharged into the flow passage S through the communication part 100 (each communication hole 101) due to the influence of negative pressure generated in the space below the inclined part 93a, etc. As a result, the traveling wind that has flowed into the flow passage S from the front end opening of the flow passage S is discharged from the flow passage S through the rear end opening of the flow passage S together with the traveling wind discharged into the flow passage S from the communication part 100.

[0051] In this manner, in the motorcycle 1 of this embodiment, the communication portion 100 that communicates between the inside and outside of the middle cowl 72 is formed in the portion of the middle cowl 72 that is located below the inclined portion 93a. According to this configuration, the outside air inside the middle cowl 72 flows out into the space below the inclined portion 93a through the communication portion 100. This reduces the pressure difference between the space below the inclined portion 93a and the space above the inclined portion 93a. This reduces turbulence of the wind around the middle cowl 72. As a result, operability can be improved. In particular, in motorcycle 1 of this embodiment, inclined portion 93a is configured to cover at least a portion of communicating portion 100 from the front of communicating portion 100. According to this configuration, the communication portion 100 is difficult to see when viewed from the front of the vehicle. Therefore, a decrease in the design of the vehicle exterior due to the formation of the communication portion 100 can be suppressed.

[0052] In motorcycle 1 of this embodiment, inclined portion 93a is configured to entirely overlap at least one of the communication holes 101. According to this configuration, the communication portion 100 is formed by a plurality of communication holes 101, so that the opening area of ​​the communication portion 100 is ensured and a decrease in strength of the middle cowl 72, etc., associated with the formation of the communication portion 100 can be suppressed. Furthermore, at least one communication hole 101 is covered from the front by the inclined portion 93a, so that a decrease in design associated with the formation of the communication hole 101 can be suppressed.

[0053] In the motorcycle 1 of this embodiment, an inlet 83a is formed in a portion of the upper cowl 71 that is located closer to the duct wing 62 than the center in the vehicle width direction and that is located within the height range of the communication portion 100 in the vertical direction. According to this configuration, it is possible to effectively take in the traveling wind into the cowl body 61. Therefore, the traveling wind can be effectively supplied to the space below the inclined portion 93a through the communication portion 100.

[0054] In motorcycle 1 of this embodiment, a guide surface 83a1 is formed on the inner circumferential surface of introduction port 83a at a portion located on the inside in the vehicle width direction, and extends outward in the vehicle width direction as it moves rearward. According to this configuration, the traveling wind flows along the guide surface 83a1 while flowing through the inlet 83a, and is guided outward in the vehicle width direction. This makes it easier to guide the traveling wind that has flowed into the cowl body 61 to the communication portion 100. Therefore, the traveling wind can be effectively supplied to the space below the inclined portion 93a through the communication portion 100.

[0055] In the motorcycle 1 of this embodiment, the communication portion 100 is configured to extend along the extending direction of the inclined portion 93a. This configuration makes it easy to set the distance between the communication portion 100 and the inclined portion 93a uniform over the entire area in the vehicle front-rear direction. Therefore, it is easy to supply the running wind through the communication portion 100 to the entire area in the vehicle front-rear direction of the space below the inclined portion 93a.

[0056] In motorcycle 1 of this embodiment, the dimension of communicating portion 100 (communicating hole 101) in a direction intersecting the extending direction of inclined portion 93a when viewed from the opening direction of communicating portion 100 increases toward the rear. This configuration can reduce pressure loss as the air passes through the communication part 100 toward the rear. This makes it easier to supply the airflow through the communication part 100 to the entire area of ​​the space below the inclined part 93a in the vehicle front-rear direction.

[0057] In motorcycle 1 of this embodiment, inclined portion 93a extends downward toward the outside in the vehicle width direction, and covers at least a portion of communication portion 100 from the outside in the vehicle width direction. According to this configuration, the communication portion 100 is difficult to see when viewed from the side of the vehicle. Therefore, a decrease in the design of the vehicle exterior due to the formation of the communication portion 100 can be suppressed.

[0058] Here, the inventors of the present application verified the effect of the communication part 100 of this embodiment by a Computational Fluid Dynamics (hereinafter simply referred to as CFD) analysis. In this verification, a motorcycle 1 having the communication part 100 as in the above-mentioned embodiment was used as an example, and a motorcycle 1 not having the communication part 100 was used as a comparative example. In addition, in each of the figures from FIG. 6 onwards, the same reference numerals are used for configurations similar to those of the motorcycle 1 of the embodiment. In addition, in each of the figures from FIG. 6 onwards, the flow of the traveling wind is shown linearly, and the flow speed or pressure of the traveling wind is shown by the shade of color. In this case, the darker the color, the greater the flow speed or pressure.

[0059] Fig. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the results of a CFD analysis of the motorcycle 1 according to the embodiment when viewed from the side. Fig. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the results of a CFD analysis of the motorcycle 1 according to the comparative example when viewed from the side. Fig. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the results of a CFD analysis of the motorcycle 1 according to the embodiment when viewed from the front. Fig. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing the results of a CFD analysis of the motorcycle 1 according to the comparative example when viewed from the front. In Figs. 6 to 9, the flow speed of the traveling wind is indicated by the shade of color. 7 and 9, in a configuration without the communication portion 100, it can be seen that the flow speed of the traveling wind decreases and negative pressure occurs in the space below the inclined portion 93a in the flow passage S. As a result, turbulence of the traveling wind occurs in the space below the inclined portion 93a. On the other hand, in the embodiment shown in Figs. 6 and 8, the traveling wind is supplied to the space below the inclined portion 93a through the communication portion 100, so that it is understood that the generation of turbulence is suppressed.

[0060] Fig. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the results of a CFD analysis in a cross-sectional view of the motorcycle 1 according to the embodiment. Fig. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing the results of a CFD analysis in a cross-sectional view of the motorcycle 1 according to the comparative example. In Figs. 10 and 11, the pressure of the traveling wind is indicated by the shade of color. As shown in FIG. 11, in the configuration without the communication portion 100, it is found that the pressure drops in the space below the inclined portion 93a within the flow passage S. On the other hand, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 10, it is seen that the airflow caused by running is supplied to the space below the inclined portion 93a through the communication portion 100, so that the drop in pressure is suppressed.

[0061] [Other variations] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Addition, omission, substitution, and other modifications of the configuration are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The present invention is not limited by the above description, but is limited only by the scope of the attached claims. In the above embodiment, the configuration of the present invention is applied to a racer-type motorcycle 1, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration and can be applied to various types of motorcycles 1. In the above embodiment, the exterior component structure according to the present invention has been described as being applied to a motorcycle 1, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The exterior component structure may be applied to a three-wheeled vehicle (including vehicles with one front wheel and two rear wheels, as well as vehicles with two front wheels and one rear wheel) or four-wheeled vehicles (such as a four-wheeled buggy). In the above embodiment, the inclined portion 93a extends upward toward the rear (first side in the vehicle front-rear direction), but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The inclined portion may extend upward toward the front (first side in the vehicle front-rear direction). In this case, the communication portion is formed in a portion of the middle cowl 72 that is located above the inclined portion 93a (first side in the up-down direction).

[0062] In the above-described embodiment, the inclined portion 93a and the connecting portion 93b constitute the duct portion 93, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The duct wing 62 may be configured not to include the connecting portion 93b, and the inclined portion 93a may be formed as a cantilever. In this case, the space below the inclined portion 93a (the space surrounded by the inclined portion 93a and the middle cowl 72) constitutes a flow passage S that is open downward and outward in the vehicle width direction. In the above embodiment, the front unit 60 is provided with the duct wing 62, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The rear unit 50 may be provided with the duct wing.

[0063] In the above embodiment, the configuration in which the introduction port 83a is formed in the upper cowl 71 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. In the above embodiment, the communication part 100 is formed by a plurality of communication holes 101, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The communication part 100 may be formed by a single hole. In the above embodiment, the communication portion 100 extends along the extending direction of the inclined portion 93a, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The communication portion 100 may extend in a direction intersecting the extending direction of the inclined portion 93a. In the above embodiment, the communication holes 101 are arranged in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The communication holes 101 may be arranged in the up-down direction, for example.

[0064] In addition, within the scope of the invention, the components in the above-described embodiments may be replaced with well-known components, and the above-described modified examples may be combined as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 2: Body 60: Front unit (exterior parts structure) 62: Duct wing (second exterior part) 71: Upper cowl (front exterior part) 72: Middle cowl (first exterior part) 83a: Entrance 83a1: Guide surface 93a: Inclined part 100: Communication part 101:Communication hole

Claims

1. A first exterior component (72) is disposed on the outer side of the vehicle body (2) in the vehicle width direction and covers the vehicle body from the side; a second exterior part (62) that has an inclined portion (93a) extending outward in the vehicle width direction from the first exterior part (72) and extending upward toward a first side in the vehicle front-rear direction, and that forms a space (S) penetrating in the vehicle front-rear direction between the second exterior part (62) and the first exterior part (72); A communication portion (100) that communicates the inside and outside of the first exterior part (72) is formed in a portion of the first exterior part (72) that is located on a first side in the up-down direction with respect to the inclined portion (93a), The inclined portion (93a) is an exterior component structure that covers at least a portion of the communication portion (100) from the front of the communication portion (100).

2. The communication portion (100) includes a plurality of communication holes (101), The exterior part structure according to claim 1, wherein, in a front view of the vehicle, the inclined portion (93a) entirely covers at least one of the plurality of communication holes (101).

3. A front exterior part (71) is disposed in front of the vehicle body (2) and covers the vehicle body (2) from the front, 3. The exterior part structure according to claim 1, wherein an inlet (83 a) that connects the inside and the outside of the front exterior part (71) is formed in a portion of the front exterior part (71) that is located closer to the first exterior part (72) with respect to the center in the vehicle width direction and that is located within a height range of the communication part (100) in the vertical direction.

4. 4. The exterior part structure according to claim 3, wherein a guide surface (83a1) is formed on an inner peripheral surface of the introduction port (83a) that is located on the inside in the vehicle width direction and extends outward in the vehicle width direction as it moves rearward.

5. 3. The exterior part structure according to claim 1, wherein the communication portion (100) extends along an extending direction of the inclined portion (93a).

6. 6. The exterior part structure according to claim 5, wherein a dimension of the communication part (100) in a direction intersecting the extension direction when viewed from an opening direction of the communication part (100) increases toward the rear.

7. 3. The exterior part structure according to claim 1, wherein the inclined portion (93a) extends toward a first side in the vertical direction as it moves toward the outside in the vehicle width direction, and covers at least a portion of the communication portion (100) from the outside in the vehicle width direction relative to the communication portion.

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