Electric motor cycle

Abstract

To provide an electric motor cycle capable of improving flexural rigidity of a sheet frame.SOLUTION: An electric motor cycle is provided with a body frame. The body frame is provided with: a hollow main frame comprising a handle support part to support a handle, a sheet support part placed behind the handle support part to support a sheet, and a space part extending rearward from the handle support part to the sheet support part as inclining downward and capable of receiving a battery; a sheet frame extending vertically, supporting the sheet on its upper part and connected the sheet support part of the main frame on its lower part; and a bridge frame extending in a longitudinal direction, connected to the sheet frame on its rear part, and connected to a rear part further than the handle support part of the main frame on its front part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electric motorcycle. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Various electric motorcycles that run on the driving force of a motor have been proposed.

[0003] The electric two-wheeler described in Patent Document 1 comprises a body frame, front and rear wheels rotatably supported on the body, a handlebar, a seat for a rider, a battery housed in the body frame, and a motor electrically connected to the battery for driving and rotating the rear wheel.

[0004] The vehicle body frame includes a hollow main frame which is the main body of the vehicle body frame, and a seat frame which supports the seat.

[0005] The hollow main frame is a hollow tubular body that extends downward toward the rear of the vehicle. The main frame has a handlebar support portion at its front that supports a handlebar, and a seat support portion at its rear that supports a seat. The main frame further has a space that extends rearward while sloping downward from the handlebar support portion to the seat support portion and is capable of accommodating a battery.

[0006] The seat frame extends in the vertical direction, supports a seat at an upper portion, and is connected at a lower portion to a seat supporting portion at the rear of the main frame. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] US Patent Application Publication No. 2023 / 0062620 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] In the above structure, the seat frame is connected only to the seat support portion at the rear of the main frame and is installed independently in an upright or nearly upright state. Therefore, when the electric motorcycle is traveling, the weight of the rider acts downward from the upper part of the seat frame, and a bending load acts on the seat frame mainly in the front-rear direction. Therefore, there is a concern that the seat frame may be deformed or deteriorated due to the bending load acting on it while traveling, and improving the bending rigidity of the seat frame has become an issue.

[0009] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and has an object to provide an electric motorcycle that is capable of improving the bending rigidity of a seat frame. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] An electric motorcycle according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a body frame, a front wheel and a rear wheel, a handlebar disposed above the front wheel, a seat on which a rider sits, a battery, and a motor electrically connected to the battery and configured to rotate and drive at least one of the front wheel and the rear wheel. the body frame comprises: a handlebar support portion for supporting a handlebar, a seat support portion arranged rearward of the handlebar support portion for supporting a seat, a hollow main frame extending rearward while inclining downward from the handlebar support portion to the seat support portion and having a space capable of accommodating the battery, a seat frame extending in the vertical direction, supporting the seat at an upper portion and connected at a lower portion to the seat support portion of the main frame, and a bridge frame extending in the front-rear direction, having a rear portion connected to the seat frame and a front portion connected to a portion of the main frame rearward of the handlebar support portion. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the electric motorcycle of the present disclosure, the bending rigidity of the seat frame can be improved. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a right side view showing an overall configuration of an electric motorcycle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the electric motorcycle of FIG. [Diagram 3] 2 is a partially cutaway cross-sectional view of the main frame and the seat frame of FIG. 1 taken in the vertical direction. [Figure 4] 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the inside and the periphery of the main frame of FIG. 3. [Diagram 5] 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a portion where a front portion of the bridge frame in FIG. 1 is joined to an upper surface of the main frame. FIG. [Figure 6] 2 is a perspective explanatory view showing a truss structure formed by the main frame, the seat frame, and the bridge frame in FIG. 1, and the inside and the periphery of the main frame. FIG. [Figure 7] 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the main frame and its peripheral portion in FIG. 3 with the cover removed, as viewed from the lower right. [Figure 8] 8 is an enlarged perspective view showing a structure in which the controller in FIG. 7 is held on the underside of the main frame via a controller bracket. FIG. [Figure 9] IX-IX line cross-sectional view of FIG. 4. [Figure 10] 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. 4. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, an electric motorcycle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0014] 1 to 10, the front-rear direction of the electric motorcycle 100 is indicated by an arrow X (forward X1, backward X2), the left-right direction is indicated by an arrow Y (rightward Y1, leftward Y2), and the up-down direction is indicated by an arrow Z (upward Z1, downward Z2).

[0015] As shown in Figs. 1 to 6, the electric two-wheeler 100 of this embodiment, a so-called electric bike, includes a body frame 1, a front wheel 2 and a rear wheel 3, a handlebar 5, a seat 6 on which a rider sits, a pair of steps 4, a battery 74, a motor 72, and a controller 76. The front wheel 2 and the rear wheel 3 are rotatably supported by the body frame 1. The handlebar 5 is disposed above the front wheel 2, Z1. The pair of steps 4 are portions on which the rider places his / her feet. The motor 72 is electrically connected to the battery 74, and drives the rear wheel 3 to rotate. The controller 76 controls the motor 72.

[0016] The vehicle body frame 1 has a hollow main frame 11 which is a main body portion, a seat tube 14 (seat frame) which supports the seat 6, a bridge tube 13 (bridge frame), a rear tube 12 which supports the rear wheel 3, a head tube 15, and a front fork 16. The bridge tube 13 extends in the front-rear direction X, and bridges the seat tube 14 and the main frame 11.

[0017] The vehicle body frame 1 is made almost entirely of a metal material, such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy, that is lightweight and has sufficient rigidity to support the weight of a passenger, or a resin material.

[0018] The hollow main frame 11 is a hollow member extending downward toward the rear X2 of the vehicle. The main frame 11 has a handlebar support portion 11a for supporting the handlebars 5 at its front portion, and a seat support portion 11b for supporting the seat 6 at its rear portion. The main frame 11 further has a space portion 11c extending rearward X2 from the handlebar support portion 11a to the seat support portion 11b while inclining downward Z2. The space portion 11c extends along the central axis C1 of FIGS. 1 and 2, and can accommodate a long rectangular parallelepiped battery 74. The main frame 11 also has a flat upper surface 11d. An opening 11e through which the seat tube 14 passes is formed in the upper surface 11d in the range of the seat support portion 11b constituting the rear portion of the main frame 11.

[0019] Specifically, the main frame 11 is a long hollow body having a substantially U-shaped cross section and an opening 11f formed on the lower surface as shown in Figures 7 to 9. As shown in Figure 9, the main frame 11 has The cabinet 11 includes a top plate 111, a pair of left and right side walls 112, 113, and a pair of left and right lower flanges 114, 115. The top plate 111 is a flat plate-like portion having the above-mentioned flat upper surface 11d. The pair of left and right side walls 112, 113 extend downward Z2 from the edges of both the left and right sides (both sides in the left-right direction Y) of the top plate 111. The pair of left and right lower flanges 114, 115 are bent from the lower ends of the pair of side walls 112, 113 toward the center of the main frame 11 in the left-right direction Y. The top plate 111, the pair of side walls 112, 113, and the pair of lower flanges 114, 115 form a long, approximately rectangular parallelepiped space portion 11c extending along the central axis C1 of the main frame 11 (see Figures 1 and 2). The rear end of the main frame 11 is closed by a rear wall 116 as shown in Figures 4, 6, and 9. The front wall, headlights, etc. are arranged at the front end of the main frame 11.

[0020] An opening 11f communicating with the space 11c is formed between the pair of lower flanges 114, 115. The battery 74 can be accommodated inside the space 11c of the main frame 11 through this opening 11f.

[0021] 1, 3, and 6, when the electric motorcycle 100 is in a normal state, the opening 11f is closed by a cover 77. The cover 77, with the controller 76 covered, is detachably fixed to a pair of lower flanges 114, 115 (see FIGS. 8 to 9) by screws or the like.

[0022] As described above, the main frame 11 is formed with a U-shaped cross section with the top surface 11d being flat, so that it is easy to accommodate the rectangular parallelepiped battery 74. Also, the main frame 11 is a member with a U-shaped cross section that has a larger cross section than the other frames (seat tube 14, seat stays 121, etc.) that make up the body frame 1, so it is larger and more rigid than the other frames. This makes it possible to suppress deformation of the bridge tube 13 and seat tube 14 connected to the main frame 11.

[0023] 1 to 4 and 6, the seat tube 14 is a cylindrical body extending in the up-down direction Z. The seat tube 14 supports the seat 6 (specifically, a seat post 61 described later) at an upper portion, and is connected to a seat support portion 11b of the main frame 11 at a lower end portion 14a (lower portion).

[0024] The seat tube 14 communicates with the space 11c through an opening 11e formed in the top surface 11d of the main frame 11. Specifically, as shown in Figures 3-4 and 6, the lower end 14a of the seat tube 14 penetrates the top surface 11d through the opening 11e of the main frame 11 and protrudes into the space 11c of the main frame 11. The entire peripheral portion of the opening 11e of the main frame 11 is welded to the outer circumferential surface of the lower end 14a of the seat tube 14.

[0025] The seat tube 14 communicates with the space 11c through an opening 11e formed in the top surface 11d of the main frame 11. Therefore, the seat post 61 can pass through the seat tube and descend to a position where its lower end 61a is inserted into the space 11c of the main frame 11, ensuring a large amount of vertical movement of the seat post 61.

[0026] An upper end 14b of the seat tube 14 is located below the upper end of the rear wheel 3 at a position Z2.

[0027] 1 to 6, the bridge tube 13 (bridge frame) is a cylindrical body extending in the front-rear direction X. A rear end portion 13b (rear portion) of the bridge tube 13 is connected to the seat tube 14. The rear end portion 13b is welded over the entire circumference in a state where it is butted against the front surface on the outer circumferential side of the seat tube 14.

[0028] A front end 13a (front portion) of the bridge tube 13 is connected to a portion of the main frame 11 that is rearward X2 from the handlebar support portion 11a. The connection position between the bridge tube 13 and the main frame 11 is located Z1 above the upper end of the rear wheel 3. The front end 13a of the bridge tube 13 is connected to the main frame 11. The front end 13a is welded over its entire circumference while being abutted against the flat upper surface 11d of the main frame 11.

[0029] In the above configuration, the body frame 1 includes the bridge tube 13, which makes it possible to improve the bending rigidity of the seat tube 14. Specifically, the seat tube 14 that supports the seat 6 has its lower portion connected to a handle support portion 11a at the rear of the main frame 11 and extends in the up-down direction Z, and is connected to the main frame 11 via the bridge tube 13 that extends in the front-rear direction X. In this structure, the main frame 11, the seat tube 14, and the bridge tube 13 are connected to each other to form a triangle when viewed from the left-right direction Y of the electric motorcycle 100, constituting a so-called truss structure. In this structure, the seat tube 14 is reinforced by the top frame, which makes it possible to improve the bending rigidity, particularly in the front-rear direction X of the electric motorcycle 100.

[0030] Furthermore, in the above configuration, the bridge tube 13 is connected to a portion X2 rearward of the handle support portion 11a of the main frame 11, which makes it easy to prevent the bridge tube 13 from becoming too long and to reduce its weight. Furthermore, the bridge tube 13 is connected to the main frame 11 that houses the battery 74, which makes it possible to reinforce the main frame 11. This makes it possible to prevent deformation of the space housing the battery 74 even if the electric motorcycle 100 falls over or is hit. As a result, it is possible to prevent damage to the battery 74 and a decrease in the ease of attaching and detaching the battery 74.

[0031] As described above, the front end 13a of the bridge tube 13 is abutted against the upper surface 11d of the main frame 11, but is not inserted into the space 11c of the main frame 11. Therefore, the space 11c of the main frame 11 is formed in the vertical direction Z with respect to the connection portion with the front end 13a of the bridge tube 13. In this configuration, the front end 13a of the bridge tube 13 is connected to the upper surface 11d of the main frame 11, so it does not enter into the space 11c of the main frame 11. Therefore, interference between the space 11c of the main frame 11 and the bridge tube 13 can be prevented, and the space 11c can be enlarged. As a result, a large battery 74 can be used.

[0032] As described above, the joint surface between the front end 13a of the bridge tube 13 and the top surface 11d of the main frame 11 is formed as a plane by the flat top surface 11d of the main frame 11. Therefore, when the bridge tube 13 is butted against the main frame 11 during welding of the front end of the bridge tube 13, the bridge tube 13 can be prevented from falling off the main frame 11, making the connection work easy to perform, i.e., easy to weld.

[0033] In addition, since the joint surface between the bridge tube 13 and the main frame 11 is formed by a flat surface, gaps are less likely to occur when the bridge tube 13 and the main frame 11 are butted together, compared to when the joint surface is formed by a curved surface.

[0034] As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the rear tube 12 has a configuration for rotatably supporting the rear wheel 3 of the body frame 1. Specifically, the rear tube 12 has a pair of left and right rear wheel support parts 123, a pair of left and right seat stays 121, and a pair of left and right lower stays 122. The pair of left and right rear wheel support parts 123 rotatably support the rear wheel 3. The pair of left and right seat stays 121 extend in the front-rear direction X between the pair of rear wheel support parts 123 and the seat tube 14. As shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the pair of left and right lower stays 122 extend in the front-rear direction X between the pair of rear wheel support parts 123 and the rear wall 116 of the main frame 11 below the pair of seat stays 121.

[0035] 6 and 7, front end portions 121a of the pair of left and right seat stays 121 are connected to the outer circumferential surface of the seat tube 14 by welding or the like. A pair of upper and lower brackets 124 are connected to the pair of seat stays 121 and the seat tube 14 by welding or the like, with the front end portions 121a of the pair of seat stays 121 sandwiched between them. The pair of upper and lower brackets 124 can suppress deformation of not only the seat tube 14 but also the pair of seat stays 121.

[0036] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 and 6 to 7, the seat 6 includes a seat post 61 extending in the vertical direction Z, a saddle 62 fixed to the upper end of the seat post 61 for supporting the buttocks of a rider, and a clamp 63.

[0037] As shown in Figure 4, at least the lower end 61a of the seat post 61 is inserted into the upper part of the seat tube 14. The seat post 61 is fixed by tightening the upper part of the seat tube 14 from the outside with a clamp 63, with the saddle 62 positioned at a height that makes it easy for a rider to sit on it. It is preferable that a slit is formed in the upper part of the seat tube 14. The presence of the slit makes it easier to reduce the opening diameter of the seat tube 14 when the seat tube 14 is tightened from the outside with the clamp 63.

[0038] By inserting the seat post 61 into the seat tube 14 as described above, an overlapping portion S (see Figs. 3-4 and 7) is formed between the seat post 61 and the seat tube 14. The rear end 13b of the bridge tube 13 is connected to the outer circumferential surface of the seat tube 14 within the overlapping portion S. In addition, the front ends of the seat stays 121 are connected to the seat tube 14 within the overlapping portion S. In the above configuration, by connecting the bridge tube 13 to the seat tube 14 within the overlapping portion S, the load from the seat post 61 can be easily transmitted to the bridge tube 13, and deformation of the seat tube 14 can be prevented.

[0039] At the rear side of the seat tube 14, the seat stay 121 is connected to the range of the overlapping portion S of the seat tube 14. This makes it easier to transmit the load from the seat post 61 to both the bridge tube 13 and the seat tube 14, and further prevents deformation of the seat tube 14.

[0040] The connection position between the bridge tube 13 and the seat tube 14 (i.e., the position of the rear end of the bridge tube 13) is disposed above Z1 the connection position between the seat stays 121 and the seat tube 14 (i.e., the position of the front end of the seat stays 121). In this configuration, the seat tube 14 is connected to the bridge tube 13 at a portion close to its upper end. Therefore, compared to when the bridge tube 13 is connected at a portion away from the upper end of the seat tube 14, it is easier to prevent the upper end of the seat tube 14 from deforming forward.

[0041] The bridge tube 13 is inclined upward Z1 as it advances forward X1. The bridge tube 13 extends approximately parallel to the seat stays 121. Moreover, the bridge tube 13 is connected to the main frame 11 at approximately the middle position in the longitudinal direction (the direction along the central axis C1).

[0042] 1 and 3, the head tube 15 is a generally cylindrical pipe material extending in the vertical direction at the handlebar support portion 11a in the front portion of the main frame 11. A middle portion of the head tube 15 in the vertical direction Z is inserted inside the main frame 11. The middle portion of the head tube 15 is joined to the handlebar support portion 11a of the main frame 11 by welding or the like.

[0043] As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the front fork 16 includes a steering column 161 and a pair of left and right leg portions 162. The steering column 161 is a substantially cylindrical pipe material extending in the up-down direction Z. An intermediate portion of the steering column 161 is fixed to the head tube 15 while being inserted inside the head tube 15. The steering column 161 is inserted inside the head tube 15 coaxially with the head tube 15. The steering column 161 is rotatable around the central axis of the head tube 15. The pair of leg portions 162 are pipe materials extending downward from the lower end portion of the steering column 161 while branching out to the left and right. The front wheel 2 is fixed to the front fork 16 by fastening both ends of the axle 21 to the lower ends of the leg portions 162.

[0044] The battery 74 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and is housed in the space 11c of the main frame 11. The battery 74 is inserted into the space 11c from an opening 11f on the lower side of the main frame 11 shown in Figures 7 to 9. The battery 74 is fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the space 11c via four brackets 81 to 84 by screwing or the like, as shown in Figures 6 to 10.

[0045] The four brackets 81-84 secure the battery 74 at two locations, one above and one below, at the front end and two locations, one above and one below, at the rear end. Specifically, the four brackets 81-84 are referred to as the battery front upper bracket 81, the battery front lower bracket 82, the battery rear upper bracket 83, and the battery rear lower bracket 84, respectively.

[0046] The battery front upper bracket 81 and the battery rear upper bracket 83 are inverted U-shaped members each having a pair of arms extending downward. The battery front upper bracket 81 and the battery rear upper bracket 83 are fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the space 11c of the main frame 11 by screw fastening or the like, and fix the front upper end and the rear upper end of the battery 74 in a clamped state.

[0047] The battery lower front bracket 82 has portions that come into contact with the lower front surface, lower left and right side surfaces, and the front portion of the lower surface of the battery 74 in order to support the lower front portion of the battery 74. The battery lower front bracket 82 is fixed to the left and right side walls 112, 113 and the left and right lower flanges 114, 115 of the main frame 11 by screws or the like while supporting the lower front portion of the battery 74.

[0048] The battery lower rear bracket 84 has portions that come into contact with the lower rear surface, lower left and right side surfaces, and rear surface of the battery 74 in order to support the lower rear surface of the battery 74. The battery lower rear bracket 84 is fixed to the left and right side walls 112, 113 and the left and right lower flanges 114, 115 of the main frame 11 by screws or the like while supporting the lower rear surface of the battery 74.

[0049] The center of gravity G of the battery 74 (see FIG. 4) is located at a position Z2 below the portion of the main frame 11 where the battery 74 is connected to the front end 13a of the bridge tube 13. Therefore, the battery 74, which is one of the heavy components that make up the electric motorcycle 100, is disposed at a low position within the main frame 11, improving the riding stability of the electric motorcycle 100.

[0050] An opening 11f (see FIGS. 7 to 9) for inserting the battery 74 into the main frame 11 is formed on the underside of the main frame 11, excluding the upper surface 11d which is the connection position between the main frame 11 and the bridge tube 13. As a result, when the battery 74 is attached to or detached from the main frame 11 through the opening 11f on the underside of the main frame 11, the battery 74 does not come into contact with the bridge tube 13. As a result, the battery 74 can be easily attached and detached.

[0051] In addition, the opening for inserting the battery 74 into the main frame 11 can achieve the above-mentioned effect as long as it is formed on a surface other than the top surface 11d of the main frame 11, so it may be formed on both the left and right side surfaces of the main frame 11.

[0052] The fixed position of the battery 74 in the space 11c is set at a position X1 forward of the lower end 14a of the seat tube 14. This makes it possible to prevent interference between the battery 74 and the lower end of the seat post 61 even if the seat 6 is lowered and the lower end of the seat post 61 is positioned protruding into the space 11c of the main frame 11.

[0053] 1, 3-4, and 6-9, the controller 76 is attached to a pair of lower flanges 114, 115 of the main frame 11 via a controller bracket 85. This allows the controller 76 to be disposed in a state of hanging down from the lower side of the main frame 11. In addition, the controller 76 is covered with a cover 77, and is therefore protected from foreign matter outside the cover 77.

[0054] As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the controller bracket 85 has a controller holding portion 85a, a battery holding portion 85b, and a pair of left and right connecting portions 85c. The controller holding portion 85a holds the controller 76. The battery holding portion 85b extends into the space 11 and holds the battery 74. The pair of left and right connecting portions 85c are detachably fixed to a pair of lower flanges 114, 115 of the main frame 11 by screws SW or the like. The controller bracket 85 is integrally molded from metal or resin material.

[0055] In the above-described controller bracket 85, the pair of connecting portions 85c are fixed to a pair of lower flanges 114, 115 on both the left and right sides of the lower opening 11f of the main frame 11. As a result, the controller bracket 85 connects the pair of lower flanges 114, 115 across the opening 11f, thereby contributing to reinforcement of the main frame 11, which has a substantially U-shaped cross section and has the opening 11f on its lower side. In particular, it contributes to reinforcement of the periphery of the opening 11f of the main frame 11.

[0056] The controller 76 is disposed below the connection position Z2 between the front end 13a of the bridge tube 13 and the main frame 11. Moreover, the controller 76 is disposed above the connection position Z1 between the lower end 14a of the seat tube 14 and the main frame 11 (i.e., the seat support portion 11b of the main frame 11).

[0057] As shown in Figs. 1-2 and 6-7, each of the pair of steps 4 has a support surface 41a on which a rider can place his / her feet. The pair of steps 4 are fixed to the rear of the main frame 11 (near the seat support portion 11b to which the seat tube 14 is connected) and extend in the left-right direction Y. By placing the rider's feet on the support surfaces 41a of the steps 4 while riding, the rider can maintain a comfortable riding posture.

[0058] Each of the pair of steps 4 has a step body 41, a support shaft 42, a side bracket 43, and a rotating shaft 44. The step body 41 is a flat plate-shaped portion having a mounting surface 41a. The support shaft 42 has a central axis C2 (see FIG. 2) extending in the left-right direction Y and supports the step body 41 rotatably in the front-rear direction X. The side bracket 43 is fixed to a side wall of the main frame 11. Both ends of the rotating shaft 44 are rotatably supported by the side bracket 43. The rotating shaft 44 supports the support shaft 42 rotatably between a normal position extending in the left-right direction Y and a storage position folded toward the top surface 11d of the main frame 11.

[0059] When the electric motorcycle 100 is traveling by being driven by the motor 72, the support shaft 42 is in a normal position extending in the left-right direction Y. This allows the rider to place his / her feet on the mounting surface 41a of the step main body 41 and to assume a comfortable riding posture. In addition, by folding the support shaft 42 to a storage position toward the top surface 11d of the main frame 11, the rider can also drive the electric motorcycle 100 with the motor 72 stopped by kicking the ground with his / her feet.

[0060] 3-4 and 10, an inner bracket 45 and a lower bracket 46 for reinforcing the main frame 11 are fixed at the positions where the side brackets 43 of the pair of steps 4 are attached at the rear of the main frame 11. The inner bracket 45 is disposed so as to abut against the inner peripheral surface of the space 11c of the main frame 11. The lower bracket 46 is disposed so as to abut against the lower peripheral surface of the main frame 11. The inner bracket 45 and the lower bracket 46 are fixed to the main frame 11 by screws or the like.

[0061] Other configurations of the electric motorcycle 100 are as follows.

[0062] As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the front wheel 2 includes an axle 21, a wheel body 22, and a tire 23. The wheel body 22 is attached to the axle 21 via a bearing. The tire 23 is a rubber part attached to the outer periphery of the wheel body 22. Similarly, the rear wheel 3 includes an axle 31, a wheel body 32, and a tire 33. The wheel body 32 is attached to the axle 31 via a bearing. The tire 33 is a rubber part attached to the outer periphery of the wheel body 32.

[0063] The motor 72 is connected to the rear wheel 3. The motor 72 is an electric motor that rotates by receiving power from the battery 74 as described above. The motor 72 mounted on the electric two-wheeled vehicle 100 of this embodiment is a so-called in-wheel motor, and is coaxially attached to a hub, which is the center of the wheel body 32 of the rear wheel 3, so as to directly rotate the rear wheel 3. The motor 72 incorporates a stator that cannot rotate with respect to the axle 31, and a rotor that rotates with respect to the stator when current is applied. The rotation of the rotor is transmitted to the wheel body 32 via an output shaft that is coaxial with the wheel body 32, thereby driving the rear wheel 3 to rotate. In the electric two-wheeled vehicle 100 of this embodiment, an in-wheel motor is used as the motor 72 as described above, thereby simplifying and reducing the weight of the drive system.

[0064] It is sufficient that the motor 72 rotates and drives at least one of the front wheels 2 and the rear wheels 3. Although the motor 72 in Fig. 1 rotates and drives the rear wheels 3, it may also rotate and drive the front wheels 2. The motor may also rotate and drive both the front wheels 2 and the rear wheels 3.

[0065] The handlebar 5 includes a handlebar 51, an accelerator grip 52, a brake side grip 53, a brake lever 54, and other driving mode changeover switches and the like. The handlebar 51 is a bar extending in the left-right direction, and is fixed to an upper end of a steering column 161 of the front fork 16 via a stem portion 55. When the handlebar 51 is steered in the front-rear direction, the front fork 16 rotates about its axis, changing the direction of the front wheel 2 and changing the traveling direction of the electric motorcycle 100. The accelerator grip 52 is a grip that is twisted by the rider when driving the electric motorcycle 100 by electric power, and is attached so as to cover the right side portion of the handlebar 51. The accelerator grip 52 is attached to the handlebar 51 in a state that is rotatable about an axis extending in the left-right direction. The brake side grip 53 is a grip that the rider holds with his left hand, and is attached so as to cover the left side portion of the handlebar 51. The brake lever 54 is a lever that the rider holds and operates when decelerating the electric motorcycle 100. The brake lever 54 is attached to the handlebar 51 in a state in front of the brake side grip 53 and extending in the left-right direction.

[0066] The accelerator grip 52 is electrically connected to the controller 76 via a cable CB1 (see Fig. 1, Figs. 3-4, Figs. 7-9). The cable CB1 is led from the handlebar 5 through the cable cover CV into the inside of the cover 77. The controller 76 is electrically connected to the motor 72 via a cable CB2. When the rider twists the accelerator grip 52, a signal indicating the amount of operation of the twisting operation is input to the controller 76. The controller 76 controls the power supply from the battery 74 through the cable CB3 to the motor 72 so that the motor 72 is driven to rotate at a desired rotation speed based on the input operation signal. The brake lever 54 is mechanically connected to a brake attached to the rear tube 12 via a cable CB4. When the rider grips the brake lever 54, the operating force on the brake lever 54 is transmitted to the brake via the cable CB4. As a result, a braking force that restricts the rotation of the rear wheel 3 is applied from the brake to the wheel body 32 of the rear wheel 3. As shown in Figures 6, 9 and 10, the cables CB3 and CB4 are routed so as to pass through both the left and right sides of the battery 74 in the space 11c inside the main frame 11. The cables CB3 and CB4 extending toward the brake and motor 72 extend rearward from the main frame 11 through through holes formed in the rear wall 116 of the main frame 11.

[0067] (Modification) In the above explanation, the seat tube 14 is given as an example of a seat frame of the present invention, but the seat frame may be any configuration capable of extending in the vertical direction and supporting the seat, and may be a solid columnar body in addition to a tubular shape.

[0068] In the above explanation, the bridge tube 13 is given as an example of a bridge frame of the present invention, but the bridge frame may be configured to extend in the fore-and-aft direction and connect the seat tube 14 (seat frame) and the main frame 11, and may be a solid columnar body in addition to a tubular shape.

[0069] [Summary of this disclosure] The specific embodiments described above include disclosures having the following configurations.

[0070] An electric motorcycle according to a first aspect of the present disclosure includes a body frame, front and rear wheels, a handlebar disposed above the front wheel, a seat on which a rider sits, a battery, and a motor electrically connected to the battery and configured to rotate at least one of the front and rear wheels. The body frame includes a handlebar support portion for supporting the handlebars, a seat support portion disposed behind the handlebar support portion for supporting a seat, a hollow main frame extending rearward from the handlebar support portion while inclining downward to the seat support portion and having a space capable of accommodating the battery, a seat frame extending in a vertical direction, supporting the seat at an upper portion and connected at a lower portion to the seat support portion of the main frame, and a bridge frame extending in a front-rear direction, having a rear portion connected to the seat frame and a front portion connected to a portion of the main frame rearward of the handlebar support portion.

[0071] According to the first aspect, the body frame includes the bridge frame, which improves the bending rigidity of the seat frame. Specifically, the seat frame that supports the seat has its lower portion connected to a handle support portion at the rear of the main frame and extends in the up-down direction, and is connected to the main frame via a bridge frame that extends in the front-rear direction. In this structure, the main frame, the seat frame, and the bridge frame are connected to each other to form a triangle when viewed from the left and right direction of the electric motorcycle, constituting a so-called truss structure. In this structure, the seat frame is reinforced by the top frame, which can improve the bending rigidity, particularly in the front-rear direction of the electric motorcycle.

[0072] In addition, in this configuration, the bridge frame is connected to a portion of the main frame that is rearward of the handlebar support portion, which makes it easier to prevent the bridge frame from becoming too long and to reduce its weight. Also, the bridge frame is connected to the main frame that houses the battery, which makes it possible to reinforce the main frame. This makes it possible to suppress deformation of the space that houses the battery even if the electric motorcycle falls over or hits a collision. As a result, it is possible to prevent damage to the battery and a decrease in the ease of attaching and detaching the battery.

[0073] An electric two-wheeler according to a second aspect of the present disclosure is the electric two-wheeler according to the first aspect, wherein the seat includes a seat post extending in a vertical direction and a saddle fixed to an upper end of the seat post and supporting a rider's buttocks. At least a lower end of the seat post is inserted into the seat frame to form an overlapping portion between the seat post and the seat frame. The bridge frame is connected to the seat frame within the range of the overlapping portion.

[0074] According to the second aspect, the bridge frame is connected to the seat frame in the area of ​​the overlapping portion, so that the load from the seat post can be easily transmitted to the bridge frame and deformation of the seat frame can be prevented.

[0075] An electric motorcycle according to a third aspect of the present disclosure is the electric motorcycle according to the first and second aspects, wherein the body frame further includes a rear wheel support part that rotatably supports the rear wheel, and a seat stay that extends in the front-rear direction, has a rear part connected to the rear wheel support part and a front part connected to the seat frame, and the seat stay is connected to a range of the overlapping part of the seat frame.

[0076] According to the third aspect, since the seat stays are connected to the overlapping area of ​​the seat frame, the load from the seat post can be easily transmitted to both the bridge frame and the seat frame, further preventing deformation of the seat frame.

[0077] An electric two-wheeler according to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure is an electric two-wheeler according to the first to third aspects, wherein the connection position between the bridge frame and the seat frame is positioned higher than the connection position between the seat stay and the seat frame.

[0078] According to the fourth aspect, the seat frame is connected to the bridge frame at a portion close to the upper end thereof, which makes it easier to prevent the upper end of the seat frame from deforming forward, compared to when the bridge frame is connected at a portion away from the upper end of the seat frame.

[0079] An electric motorcycle according to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure is the electric motorcycle according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the seat frame communicates with the space through an opening formed in an upper surface of the main frame.

[0080] According to the fifth aspect, the seat post can pass through the seat tube and descend to a position where its lower end is inserted into the space in the main frame, thereby ensuring a large amount of vertical movement of the seat post.

[0081] An electric motorcycle according to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure is an electric motorcycle according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the center of gravity of the battery is located below a connection portion of the main frame with a bridge frame.

[0082] According to the sixth aspect, the battery, which is one of the heavy components constituting the electric motorcycle, is disposed at a low position within the main frame, thereby improving the running stability of the electric motorcycle.

[0083] An electric two-wheeler according to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure is an electric two-wheeler according to the first to sixth aspects, further comprising a pair of steps fixed to the main frame, extending in the left-right direction, and each having a support surface on which a rider's feet can be placed.

[0084] According to the seventh aspect, by placing the feet of the occupant on the support surface of the step while driving, it is possible to maintain a comfortable driving posture.

[0085] An electric motorcycle according to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure is an electric motorcycle according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein a front end portion of the bridge frame is connected to an upper surface of the main frame, and the space of the main frame is formed across the vertical direction from a portion where the bridge frame is connected to the main frame.

[0086] According to the eighth aspect, the front end of the bridge frame is connected to the upper surface of the main frame, and therefore does not extend into the space of the main frame. This prevents interference between the space of the main frame and the bridge frame, and allows the space to be enlarged. As a result, it becomes possible to use a large battery. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 1 Body frame 2 Front wheels 3 Rear wheel 4 Steps 5 Handle 6 sheets 11. Mainframe 13 Top tube (bridge frame) 14 Seat tube (seat frame) 72 Motor 74 Battery 100 Electric motorcycles

Claims

1. The vehicle frame, Front and rear wheels; A handle located above the front wheel; A seat for the passenger to sit on; Battery and a motor electrically connected to the battery and configured to rotate and drive at least one of the front wheels and the rear wheels; Equipped with The vehicle body frame includes: a hollow main frame having a handlebar support portion for supporting a handlebar, a seat support portion disposed rearward of the handlebar support portion for supporting a seat, and a space portion extending rearward from the handlebar support portion to the seat support portion while inclining downward, and capable of accommodating the battery; a seat frame extending in a vertical direction, supporting the seat at an upper portion and connected to the seat supporting portion of the main frame at a lower portion; a bridge frame extending in the front-rear direction, the rear portion of which is connected to the seat frame, and the front portion of which is connected to a portion of the main frame rearward of the handle support portion; An electric two-wheeled vehicle comprising:

2. The electric motorcycle according to claim 1, The seat includes a seat post extending in a vertical direction and a saddle fixed to an upper end of the seat post and supporting a rider's buttocks; At least a lower end of the seat post is inserted into the seat frame to form an overlapping portion between the seat post and the seat frame; The bridge frame is connected to the seat frame in an area of ​​the overlapping portion.

3. The electric motorcycle according to claim 2, The vehicle body frame includes: a rear wheel support portion that rotatably supports the rear wheel; a seat stay extending in a front-rear direction, the rear portion of which is connected to the rear wheel support portion and the front portion of which is connected to the seat frame; Further equipped with The seat stay is connected to the seat frame in the area of ​​the overlapping portion.

4. The electric motorcycle according to claim 3, a connection position between the bridge frame and the seat frame is disposed above a connection position between the seat stay and the seat frame.

5. The electric motorcycle according to claim 2, The seat frame is in communication with the space through an opening formed in an upper surface of the main frame.

6. The electric motorcycle according to claim 1 or 2, a center of gravity of the battery is located below a connection portion of the main frame with a bridge frame.

7. The electric motorcycle according to claim 1 or 2, The electric two-wheeled vehicle further includes a pair of steps fixed to the main frame, extending in the left-right direction, and each step having a support surface on which a rider's feet can be placed.

8. The electric motorcycle according to claim 1 or 2, The front end of the bridge frame is connected to the top surface of the main frame, the space of the main frame is formed across the top and bottom of a connection portion with a bridge frame.

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