Straddle-type vehicle

Abstract

To provide a straddle-type vehicle suitable for running with combustion energy of gas fuel.SOLUTION: A straddle-type vehicle runs with gas fuel. The straddle-type vehicle is provided with a gas tank (61) having a cylindrical shape with both end portions bulging in a protruded shape; a unit swing engine (41) configured to operate with combustion energy of the gas fuel; and a vehicle body frame supporting the unit swing engine such that it is swingable. The gas tank is disposed in front of the unit swing engine and inside the vehicle body frame such that its longitudinal direction is oriented in a front-rear direction. A fuel hose (71) extends from the rear side of the gas tank toward the upper side of the unit swing engine. The fuel hose passes through a gap between the vehicle body frame and a taper surface (62) of an end portion of the gas tank on one side in the vehicle width direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a saddle-type vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known a saddle-type vehicle that runs by burning gas fuel such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or compressed natural gas (CNG) in an engine and utilizing the combustion energy (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the saddle-type vehicle described in Patent Document 1, a gas tank is installed at the front of the vehicle body, and a unit swing engine is installed at the rear of the vehicle body. The gas tank is supported in a horizontal position at the bottom of the vehicle body frame, and a tank valve of the gas tank faces rearward. A fuel hose extends from the tank valve to the top of the unit swing engine, and gas fuel is supplied from the gas tank to the unit swing engine through the fuel hose. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 4-283128 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the detailed structure of the gas fuel supply path from the gas tank to the unit swing engine has not been fully considered. For example, in the saddle-type vehicle described in Patent Document 1, the fuel hose extends in the vertical direction, so the bending deformation of the fuel hose increases due to the swinging of the unit swing engine. If the installation space for the fuel hose is secured while taking into consideration the interference between the fuel hose and surrounding parts, the vehicle may become larger.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned points, and has an object to provide a saddle-type vehicle suitable for running using the combustion energy of gas fuel. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One embodiment of the saddle-type vehicle of the present invention is a saddle-type vehicle that runs on gas fuel, and is equipped with a cylindrical gas tank with convexly bulged ends, a unit swing engine that operates on the combustion energy of the gas fuel, and a body frame that supports the unit swing engine so that it can swing, wherein the gas tank is installed inside the body frame in front of the unit swing engine with its longitudinal direction facing fore-and-aft, and a fuel hose extends from the rear side of the gas tank to the upper side of the unit swing engine, and the fuel hose passes through the gap between the body frame and the tapered surface of the end of the gas tank on one side of the vehicle width direction, thereby solving the above-mentioned problem. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, the fuel hose passes through the gap between the body frame and the tapered surface of the gas tank, so that bending deformation of the fuel hose is suppressed even when the unit swing engine swings, and the trajectory of the fuel hose when it deforms is stable. Interference between the fuel hose and surrounding parts is suppressed, and there is no need to increase the size of the vehicle to ensure space for laying the fuel hose. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a left side view of the vehicle internal structure of the present embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a right side view of the vehicle internal structure of the present embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a left side view of the center portion of the vehicle body of the present embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a right side view of the center portion of the vehicle body of the present embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an upper part of the engine according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a right side view of the fuel hose and its surroundings according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the fuel hose and its periphery according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] A saddle-type vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention runs on gas fuel. The gas tank is formed in a cylindrical shape, and both ends of the gas tank are bulged in a convex shape. A unit swing engine is supported on the body frame so as to be able to swing, and the unit swing engine is operated by the combustion energy of the gas fuel. A gas tank is installed inside the body frame in front of the unit swing engine with its longitudinal direction facing forward and backward. A fuel hose extends from the rear side of the gas tank to the upper side of the unit swing engine. The fuel hose passes through a gap between the body frame and a tapered surface at the end of the gas tank on one side in the vehicle width direction, so that even if the unit swing engine swings, bending deformation of the fuel hose is suppressed and the trajectory of the fuel hose when deformed is stable. Interference between the fuel hose and surrounding parts is suppressed, and there is no need to increase the size of the vehicle to ensure space for laying the fuel hose. EXAMPLES

[0010] Hereinafter, a saddle-type vehicle of this embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a left side view of the internal structure of the vehicle of this embodiment. Fig. 2 is a right side view of the internal structure of the vehicle of this embodiment. In the following drawings, the arrow Fr indicates the front of the vehicle, the arrow Re indicates the rear of the vehicle, the arrow L indicates the left side of the vehicle, and the arrow R indicates the right side of the vehicle.

[0011] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a saddle-type vehicle 1 is configured by mounting various covers (not shown) as the exterior of the vehicle body to a body frame 10 made of steel or aluminum alloy. A head pipe 11 is provided at the front end of the body frame 10, and a support frame 12 extends diagonally rearward and downward from an upper portion of the head pipe 11. A pair of first down frames 13 branch off to the left and right and extend downward from a lower portion of the support frame 12, and a pair of second down frames 14 branch off to the left and right and extend downward from a lower portion of the head pipe 11. A pair of main frames 15 are connected to the lower portions of the pair of first and second down frames 13, 14.

[0012] The pair of main frames 15 extend toward the rear of the vehicle, and their middle portions are connected by an upper bridge 16. A pair of asymmetrical side frames 17 extend downward from the front ends of the pair of main frames 15. Each side frame 17 is bent rearward under the vehicle and then extends diagonally upward and rearward toward the rear portions of the pair of main frames 15. The pair of main frames 15 and the pair of side frames 17 form the front half of the body frame 10 into a cradle shape. A pair of footboards 18 are attached to the pair of side frames 17.

[0013] A pair of seat frames 19 extend rearward from the rear portions of the pair of main frames 15. The distance between the pair of seat frames 19 increases toward the middle of each frame and then decreases toward the rear ends of each frame. The pair of seat frames 19 are formed in an arch shape, and the rear ends of the pair of seat frames 19 are connected to each other. The front portions of the pair of seat frames 19 are connected by an upper bridge 21. The rear portions of the pair of side frames 17 are connected to the upper bridge 21, and the upper bridge 21 is supported from below by the pair of side frames 17.

[0014] A pair of asymmetric lower frames 22 extend rearward from the lower portions of the pair of side frames 17. The rear ends of the pair of lower frames 22 are connected by a lower bridge 23. A left subframe 28 extends diagonally upward and rearward from the left end of the lower bridge 23, and the left subframe 28 supports the seat frame 19 from below. A side bridge 25 connects the right end of the lower bridge 23 to an intermediate portion of the right side frame 17. A right subframe 29 extends diagonally upward and rearward from the intermediate portion of the side bridge 25, and the right subframe 29 supports the seat frame 19 from below.

[0015] A front fork 33 is supported on the head pipe 11 so as to be steerable, and a front wheel 34 is supported rotatably on the lower part of the front fork 33. A gas tank 61 is installed inside a cradle portion in the front half of the body frame 10, and a tank valve 63 is installed on the rear end part of the gas tank 61. Gas fuel such as hydrogen is stored in the gas tank 61, and the inflow and outflow of the gas fuel is controlled by the tank valve 63. The gas fuel is supplied from the tank valve 63 to an injector 83 (see FIG. 5) above the unit swing engine 41 via gas fuel supply system parts such as multiple pipes and a fuel hose 71.

[0016] A unit swing engine (engine) 41 is supported swingably on the support plates 31 of the left and right subframes 28, 29. The unit swing engine 41 is operated by combustion energy of gas fuel supplied from a gas tank 61. The cylinder axis of the unit swing engine 41 is tilted forward and close to horizontal, and a cylinder assembly 43 extends toward the front of the vehicle from a crankcase 42. The cylinder assembly 43 is inserted between the left subframe 28 and the right subframe 29, and the front end of the cylinder assembly 43 is brought close to a tank valve 63 of the gas tank 61.

[0017] Intake system parts such as an air cleaner 51 are connected to the upper part of the cylinder assembly 43, and exhaust system parts such as an exhaust pipe 56 and a muffler 58 are connected to the lower part of the cylinder assembly 43. A CVT cover 47 is attached to the left side of the crankcase 42. The rear wheel 35 is rotatably supported at the rear part of the CVT cover 47. A belt-type continuously variable transmission (not shown) is housed inside the CVT cover 47, and the driving force of the unit swing engine 41 is transmitted to the rear wheel 35 via the belt. The muffler 58, CVT cover 47, rear wheel 35, and unit swing engine 41 are all swung together.

[0018] In the saddle-type vehicle 1 that runs on gas fuel, the fuel hose 71 extends from the rear side of the gas tank 61 toward the upper side of the unit swing engine 41. The fuel hose 71 is bent and deformed as the unit swing engine 41 swings. For this reason, in consideration of the interference between the fuel hose 71 and surrounding components and the durability of the fuel hose 71, it is desirable to control the trajectory of the fuel hose 71 when it deforms. Therefore, in this embodiment, the fuel hose 71 is passed through the gap between the body frame 10 and the tapered surface 62 of the gas tank 61 (see FIG. 6), and the trajectory of the fuel hose 71 when it deforms is appropriately controlled by this gap.

[0019] The peripheral structure of the unit swing engine will be described with reference to Fig. 3 to Fig. 5. Fig. 3 is a left side view of the center part of the body of this embodiment. Fig. 4 is a right side view of the center part of the body of this embodiment. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the upper part of the engine of this embodiment. Note that Fig. 3 to Fig. 5 are shown without the body frame.

[0020] 3 and 4, the cylinder assembly 43 of the unit swing engine 41 is formed by stacking a cylinder 44, a cylinder head 45, and a cylinder head cover 46. An air cleaner 51 is installed above the cylinder head 45. The air cleaner 51 is connected to an intake port at the top of the cylinder head 45 via a U-shaped outlet tube 52, a throttle body 53, and an intake pipe 54. Air is sent from the air cleaner 51 to the throttle body 53 via the outlet tube 52, and after the intake amount is adjusted by the throttle body 53, the air is supplied to the cylinder head 45 through the intake pipe 54.

[0021] An exhaust pipe 56 is connected to the exhaust port at the bottom of the cylinder head 45. A bent portion 57 that curves rearward from the cylinder head 45 is formed in the exhaust pipe 56, and the downstream side of the bent portion 57 of the exhaust pipe 56 passes to the right side of the crankcase 42 and extends toward the rear of the vehicle. A muffler 58 (see FIG. 2) that is inclined diagonally upward and rearward on the right side of the rear wheel 35 is connected to the rear end of the exhaust pipe 56. Exhaust gas discharged from the unit swing engine 41 flows through the exhaust pipe 56 and muffler 58, which are exhaust system components, and the exhaust gas warms the exhaust pipe 56 and muffler 58 to a high temperature.

[0022] A link mechanism 37 for attaching the suspension 36 to the vehicle body is provided below the cylinder head 45. The link mechanism 37 is provided with a link lever 38 that is arc-shaped in side view, and an intermediate portion of the link lever 38 is swingably connected to a bracket of the vehicle body frame 10 (lower bridge 23). The upper end of the link lever 38 is swingably connected to the lower portion of the crankcase 42 via a link arm 39, and the rear end of the suspension 36 is swingably connected to the lower end of the link lever 38. The suspension 36 expands and contracts in accordance with the swing of the unit swing engine 41, thereby absorbing vibrations transmitted to the vehicle body.

[0023] A gas tank 61 is installed in front of the unit swing engine 41. The gas tank 61 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and both ends of the gas tank 61 are bulged out in a hemispherical shape. The longitudinal direction of the gas tank 61 is directed forward and backward, and the gas tank 61 is slightly tilted so that the front end of the gas tank 61 is higher than the rear end. A tank valve 63 is installed at the rear end of the gas tank 61, and a pipe joint 65 is connected to a relief valve pipe 64 that extends diagonally upward and rearward from the lower part of the tank valve 63. Therefore, the pipe joint 65 is positioned in the space between the tank valve 63 and the cylinder head 45 in a side view.

[0024] A pressure sensor 66 is attached to the upper part of the pipe joint 65, and a relief valve 67 is attached to the lower part of the pipe joint 65. The pressure in the gas flow path is detected by the pressure sensor 66, and when the pressure of the gas fuel rises to or above a predetermined pressure, the relief valve 67 is opened. The gas fuel is released toward the ground from a discharge port facing downward of the relief valve 67. Since the pipe joint 65 is positioned on the left side of the vehicle body (the other side in the vehicle width direction) and the exhaust pipe 56 is positioned on the right side of the vehicle body (one side in the vehicle width direction), the gas fuel released from the relief valve 67 is unlikely to come into contact with the exhaust pipe 56.

[0025] An injector joint 91 is connected to the pipe joint 65 via an upstream pipe 69, a fuel hose 71, and a downstream pipe 72. The upstream pipe 69 and the downstream pipe 72 are formed of a hard pipe material such as metal, and the fuel hose 71 is formed of a soft rubber hose. The upstream pipe 69 crosses below the tank valve 63 and extends from the pipe joint 65 on the left side of the vehicle body to the right side of the vehicle body. On the right side of the vehicle body, the lower end of the fuel hose 71 is connected to the upstream pipe 69, and the fuel hose 71 extends upward through the right side of the gas tank 61. The upper end of the fuel hose 71 is connected to the injector joint 91 above the cylinder head 45 via the downstream pipe 72.

[0026] In this way, a gas flow path from the gas tank 61 to the unit swing engine 41 is formed by the relief valve pipe 64, the pipe joint 65, the upstream piping 69, the fuel hose 71, and the downstream piping 72. Because a part of the gas flow path is formed by the fuel hose 71, the unit swing engine 41 is allowed to swing due to bending deformation of the fuel hose 71. By attaching the relief valve 67 to the pipe joint 65, the relief valve 67 is interposed in the middle of the gas flow path. This increases the degree of freedom in installing the relief valve 67, and allows the relief valve 67 to be installed in a safer location.

[0027] As described above, the pipe joint 65 has an attachment portion for the pressure sensor 66, an attachment portion for the relief valve 67, a connection portion for the relief valve pipe 64, and a connection portion for the upstream piping 69 (fuel hose 71) formed integrally therewith. By forming each attachment portion and each connection portion in the pipe joint 65, the pressure sensor 66 and the relief valve 67 are compactly installed and the relief valve pipe 64 and the upstream piping 69 are compactly connected. The pipe joint 65 is supported via a bracket on a side bridge that connects the side frame 17 on the left side of the vehicle body and the left subframe 28.

[0028] 5, an intake passage between air cleaner 51 and cylinder head 45 is formed by outlet tube 52, throttle body 53, and intake pipe 54. An injector joint 91 is attached to the upper part of intake pipe 54, and injector 83 is fixed to intake pipe 54 by injector joint 91. A fuel hose 71 is connected to injector joint 91 via L-shaped downstream piping 72. A hose stopper (upper holding member) 73 is provided on throttle body 53, and the downstream end of fuel hose 71 is held by hose stopper 73.

[0029] A PCV valve 81 is provided on the right side of the cylinder head cover 46, and the intake pipe 54 is connected to the PCV valve 81 via a PCV hose 82. The PCV valve 81 opens when the intake pipe 54 becomes negative pressure. Blow-by gas inside the cylinder head cover 46 is returned to the intake pipe 54 through the PCV hose 82, and is sent to the intake port of the cylinder head 45 to be re-burned. Because the PCV hose 82 is made of a soft rubber hose, bending deformation of the PCV hose 82 allows the unit swing engine 41 to swing.

[0030] The layout of the fuel hose will be described with reference to Figures 6 and 7. Figure 6 is a right side view of the fuel hose and its periphery in this embodiment. Figure 7 is a bottom view of the fuel hose and its periphery in this embodiment. In Figures 6 and 7, the path of deformation of the fuel hose is shown by a two-dot chain line.

[0031] 6 and 7, pipe joint 65 is installed on the left side of the vehicle body, and a fuel hose 71 is connected to pipe joint 65 (relief valve 67) via upstream piping 69. The upstream piping 69 extends from the left side of the vehicle body to the right side of the vehicle body, and the fuel hose 71 is connected to the upstream piping 69 on the right side of the vehicle body. Since intake system components such as outlet tube 52 are located on the left side of the vehicle body, positioning fuel hose 71 on the right side of the vehicle body prevents interference between the fuel hose 71 and the intake system components. Since the upstream piping 69 is made of a hard material, it can be made to traverse even if there is little space from pipe joint 65 to the right side of the vehicle body.

[0032] On the right side of the vehicle body, a fuel hose 71 extends upward in an arc from the upstream pipe 69, passes along the right side of the gas tank 61, and is connected to an injector joint 91 via a downstream pipe 72 at the rear of the tank. At this time, the fuel hose 71 passes through a gap between the right side frame 17 and main frame 15 and the tapered surface 62 of the gas tank 61. The tapered surface 62 of the gas tank 61 narrows in diameter toward the rear, and the right side frame 17 and main frame 15 are inclined forward from near the tapered surface 62 toward the tank valve 63. By narrowing the gap through which the fuel hose 71 passes, bending deformation of the fuel hose 71 during engine rocking is suppressed.

[0033] The upstream piping 69 is held to the right lower frame 22 by a cable tie (lower holding member) 74 below the gap between the right side frame 17 and the tapered surface 62 of the gas tank 61. The fuel hose 71 is held by a hose stopper 73 above the gap between the right main frame 15 and the tapered surface 62 of the gas tank 61. In a side view, the hose stopper 73 is located rearward of the cable tie 74, and the fuel hose 71 is curved so as to bulge forward. By curving the fuel hose 71, a sufficient hose length is ensured, and sudden bending of the fuel hose 71 is suppressed, improving the lifespan of the fuel hose 71.

[0034] When the unit swing engine 41 swings, the fuel hose 71 bends and deforms while moving back and forth as indicated by the two-dot chain line. The movement of the fuel hose 71 is stopped both above and below the tapered surface 62 of the gas tank 61, so that the bending deformation of the fuel hose 71 is effectively suppressed. At this time, a point P0 where the movement of the fuel hose 71 is greatest in a side view is contained between the front end position P1 and the rear end position P2 of the tapered surface 62 of the gas tank 61. Because the bending deformation of the fuel hose 71 is contained within the front-to-rear range of the tapered surface 62, there is no need to increase the size of the saddle-type vehicle 1 in order to ensure a space for laying the fuel hose 71.

[0035] In top view, cable ties 74 and hose stoppers 73 are lined up front and back with a gap between them on the right side of the vehicle body. When unit swing engine 41 swings, fuel hose 71 bends and deforms while moving left and right as shown by the two-dot chain line. By arranging cable ties 74 and hose stoppers 73 close to each other in the vehicle width direction, bending deformation of fuel hose 71 in the vehicle width direction is also effectively suppressed. Also, in this embodiment, fuel hose 71 and relief valve 67 are installed separately on the left and right. Therefore, fuel hose 71 does not interfere with relief valve 67, and sufficient space can be secured for laying fuel hose 71.

[0036] As described above, according to the saddle riding type vehicle 1 of this embodiment, the fuel hose 71 passes through the gap between the body frame 10 and the tapered surface 62 of the gas tank 61, so that bending deformation of the fuel hose 71 is suppressed even when the unit swing engine 41 swings, and the trajectory of the deformation of the fuel hose 71 is stabilized. Interference between the fuel hose 71 and surrounding parts is suppressed, and there is no need to increase the size of the saddle riding type vehicle 1 in order to ensure a space for installing the fuel hose 71.

[0037] In this embodiment, the fuel hose is installed on the right side of the vehicle body and the relief valve is installed on the left side of the vehicle body, but the fuel hose may be installed on the left side of the vehicle body and the relief valve may be installed on the right side of the vehicle body.

[0038] Further, in this embodiment, the engine is a hydrogen engine using hydrogen gas, but it may be another gas fuel engine using other gas fuel such as methane gas or propane gas.

[0039] Further, in this embodiment, the cylinder axis of the unit swing engine is inclined forward and close to horizontal, but the cylinder axis of the unit swing engine may be horizontal.

[0040] Further, in this embodiment, a single gas tank is provided in the saddle riding type vehicle, but a plurality of gas tanks may be provided in the saddle riding type vehicle.

[0041] In addition, in this embodiment, the gas tank is formed in a cylindrical shape with both ends bulging out in a semispherical shape, but the gas tank may be formed in any cylindrical shape with both ends bulging out in a convex shape.

[0042] In the present embodiment, the upstream pipe is held by a cable tie, but the upstream side of the gas flow passage including the fuel hose may be held to the vehicle frame by a lower holding member. For example, the upstream end of the fuel hose may be held to the vehicle frame by a hose stopper serving as the lower holding member.

[0043] In the present embodiment, the downstream end of the fuel hose is held by the hose stopper, but it is sufficient that the downstream side of the gas flow passage including the fuel hose is held to the engine by an upper holding member. For example, the downstream piping may be held to a part of the engine by another upper holding member.

[0044] In addition, in this embodiment, the relief valve is provided in the pipe joint, but the relief valve may be provided in the tank valve.

[0045] The layout of the fuel hose in this embodiment is not limited to the above-mentioned saddle-ride type vehicle, and may be adopted in other types of saddle-ride type vehicles. Note that a saddle-ride type vehicle is not limited to all vehicles in which the rider sits astride the seat, but also includes scooter-type vehicles in which the rider does not sit astride the seat.

[0046] As described above, the first embodiment is a saddle-type vehicle (1) that runs on gas fuel, and includes a cylindrical gas tank (61) with both ends bulging out in a convex shape, a unit swing engine (41) that operates with the combustion energy of the gas fuel, and a body frame (10) that supports the unit swing engine so that it can swing. The gas tank is installed inside the body frame in front of the unit swing engine with its longitudinal direction facing forward and backward, and a fuel hose (71) extends from the rear side of the gas tank to the upper side of the unit swing engine, and the fuel hose passes through the gap between the body frame and the tapered surface (62) at the end of the gas tank on one side in the vehicle width direction. According to this configuration, the fuel hose passes through the gap between the tapered surface of the body frame and the gas tank, so that bending deformation of the fuel hose is suppressed even if the unit swing engine swings, and the trajectory of the fuel hose when it deforms is stable. Interference between the fuel hose and surrounding parts is suppressed, and there is no need to increase the size of the vehicle to ensure a space for laying the fuel hose.

[0047] In the second embodiment, the upstream side of the gas flow passage including the fuel hose is held to the body frame by a lower holding member (clip-up band 74) below the gap between the body frame and the tapered surface of the gas tank in the first embodiment. With this configuration, the movement of the fuel hose is stopped below the tapered surface of the gas tank, so bending deformation of the fuel hose can be effectively suppressed.

[0048] In the third embodiment, the downstream side of the gas flow passage is held by the unit swing engine by the upper holding member (hose stopper 73) above the gap between the body frame and the tapered surface of the gas tank in the second embodiment, and the lower holding member and the upper holding member are arranged in a front-to-rear arrangement on one side in the vehicle width direction when viewed from above. With this configuration, the movement of the fuel hose is stopped both above and below the tapered surface of the gas tank, so bending deformation of the fuel hose can be effectively suppressed. Bending deformation of the fuel hose in the vehicle width direction can also be effectively suppressed by bringing the lower holding member and the upper holding member closer to each other in the vehicle width direction.

[0049] In the fourth aspect, in the second or third aspect, the downstream side of the gas flow path is held by the upper holding member on the unit swing engine above the gap between the vehicle body frame and the tapered surface of the gas tank, the upper holding member is located rearward of the lower holding member in a side view, and the fuel hose is curved so as to bulge forward. With this configuration, the movement of the fuel hose is stopped both above and below the tapered surface of the gas tank, so bending deformation of the fuel hose can be effectively suppressed. By curving the fuel hose, a sufficient hose length is ensured, and sudden bending of the fuel hose is suppressed, thereby improving the life of the fuel hose.

[0050] In the fifth aspect, in any one of the first to fourth aspects, the portion of the fuel hose that fluctuates the most when the unit swing engine swings in a side view is located between the front end position and the rear end position of the tapered surface of the gas tank. With this configuration, the bending deformation of the fuel hose is contained within the front-to-rear range of the tapered surface, so there is no need to increase the size of the vehicle to ensure a space for laying the fuel hose.

[0051] A sixth aspect is any one of the first to fifth aspects, further comprising a relief valve (67) that opens when the pressure of the gas fuel rises to or exceeds a predetermined pressure, and the relief valve is installed on the other side in the vehicle width direction. With this configuration, the fuel hose and the relief valve are installed separately in the vehicle width direction, so that the fuel hose does not interfere with the relief valve and a sufficient space for laying the fuel hose can be secured.

[0052] In the seventh aspect, in the sixth aspect, a fuel hose is connected to the relief valve via an upstream pipe (69), and the upstream pipe is made of a hard pipe material extending from the other side in the vehicle width direction to one side in the vehicle width direction. With this configuration, since the upstream pipe is made of a hard material, the upstream pipe can be made to traverse even if there is not enough space from the relief valve toward one side in the vehicle width direction.

[0053] Although the present embodiment has been described, other embodiments may be made by combining the above-described embodiments and modifications in whole or in part.

[0054] In addition, the technology of the present invention is not limited to the above examples, and may be modified, substituted, or altered in various ways without departing from the spirit of the technical idea. Furthermore, if the technical idea can be realized in a different way due to the progress of technology or a different technology derived therefrom, the invention may be implemented using that method. Therefore, the claims cover all embodiments that may be included within the scope of the technical idea. [Explanation of symbols]

[0055] 1: Saddle-type vehicle 10: Body frame 41: Unit Swing Engine 61: Gas tank 62: Tapered surface 67: Relief valve 69: Upstream piping 71: Fuel hose 73: Hose stopper (upper holding part) 74: Cable tie (lower retaining member)

Claims

1. A saddle-type vehicle that runs on gas fuel, A cylindrical gas tank with convex ends, A unit swing engine that operates on the combustion energy of gas fuel; a vehicle body frame that supports the unit swing engine so as to be able to swing; The gas tank is installed in front of the unit swing engine and inside the body frame with its longitudinal direction facing forward and backward, A saddle-type vehicle, characterized in that a fuel hose extends from the rear side of the gas tank to the upper side of the unit swing engine, and the fuel hose passes through a gap between the body frame and the tapered surface of the end of the gas tank on one side in the vehicle width direction.

2. 2. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein an upstream side of a gas flow path including the fuel hose is held to the body frame by a lower holding member below a gap between the body frame and the tapered surface of the gas tank.

3. a downstream side of the gas flow passage is held by an upper holding member to the unit swing engine above a gap between the vehicle body frame and the tapered surface of the gas tank; 3. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the lower holding member and the upper holding member are aligned in front-rear direction on one side in the vehicle width direction when viewed from above.

4. a downstream side of the gas flow passage is held by an upper holding member to the unit swing engine above a gap between the vehicle body frame and the tapered surface of the gas tank; 4. The straddle-type vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the upper holding member is located rearward of the lower holding member in a side view, and the fuel hose is curved so as to bulge forward.

5. 3. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the portion of the fuel hose that moves the most when the unit swing engine swings is located between the front end position and the rear end position of the tapered surface of the gas tank when viewed from the side.

6. A relief valve is provided which opens when the pressure of the gas fuel rises above a predetermined pressure, 3. The straddle-type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the relief valve is disposed on the other side in the vehicle width direction.

7. The fuel hose is connected to the relief valve via an upstream pipe, 7. The straddle-type vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the upstream piping is formed of a hard pipe material extending from the other side in the vehicle width direction to the one side in the vehicle width direction.

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