Motorcycle rider cooling device

Abstract

To provide a motorcycle rider cooling device which can efficiently cool the inside of clothing of a motorcycle rider, enables improvement of flexibility of selection of the clothing, and can suppress influence on the design and washing etc. and inhibit deterioration of a clothing internal environment and failure of a blower fan caused by rain fall.SOLUTION: A motorcycle rider cooling device includes: a fan unit 20 attached to a vehicle that a motorcycle rider rides; and an airline connected to the fan unit 20 and inserted into clothing of the motorcycle rider. The airline has an air outlet which is open in the clothing of the motorcycle rider and the fan unit 20 has: a blower fan 21 with which the airline is connected; and a cover body 22 which covers the blower fan 21 at least from the upper side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a motorcycle rider cooling device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, for the clothes worn by motorcycle riders who ride on motorcycles such as motorcycles, thick materials such as fabrics are used to ensure the safety of the rider. In addition, long-sleeved tops and long pants are recommended to protect the rider's arms and legs in the event of a vehicle fall.

[0003] During the running of the vehicle, since the rider's body is exposed to the running wind, the rider can feel cool due to the action of the heat of vaporization when the sweat on the body surface evaporates. However, for example, in the high-temperature summer, when the vehicle stops during signal waiting or traffic jams, the temperature inside the rider's clothes rises rapidly, leading to an uncomfortable situation. In some cases, there is also a risk of the rider suffering from heat stroke.

[0004] Therefore, for example, by using a fan-integrated air-conditioning suit as described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, outside air can be taken into the rider's clothes, sweating can be promoted, and the body can be cooled efficiently.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] However, in the case of an air-conditioned suit integrated with a fan, the degree of freedom for a biker to select clothes is low, and the impact on the design is significant. Furthermore, since it is a piece of clothing with a fan, handling during washing, cleaning, etc. (hereinafter abbreviated as washing, etc.) is troublesome.

[0007] Therefore, the inventor of the present invention has, for example, housed a blower fan in a small bag or the like and fixed it to the fuel tank of a vehicle or the like, connected an air supply pipe such as a hose or a tube to this blower fan, inserted the air supply pipe inside the clothes of the biker, and devised a configuration in which air flows out from the air supply pipe into the clothes. According to this configuration, since it is not necessary to assemble a blower fan to the clothes, the degree of freedom for a biker to select clothes is high, and the impact on the design can be kept small. Also, handling during washing of the clothes, etc. is less likely to be restricted.

[0008] However, in any of the cases described above, if there is a sudden rainfall or the like while the vehicle is running, the blower fan will suck in rainwater together with the outside air. As a result, there is a risk that raindrops or wet air containing raindrops will flow into the biker's clothes, resulting in an uncomfortable situation, or that the blower fan will malfunction due to the intrusion of rainwater.

[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide a biker cooling device that can efficiently cool the inside of a biker's clothes, increase the degree of freedom in selecting clothes, minimize the impact on design, washing, etc., and suppress the deterioration of the environment inside the clothes and the failure of the blower fan due to rainfall or the like.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0010] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides the following means.

[0011] 〔Aspect 1 of the Present Invention〕 A motorcycle rider cooling device, comprising: a fan unit attached to a vehicle on which the motorcycle rider rides; and an air supply pipe connected to the fan unit and inserted inside the clothing of the motorcycle rider, wherein the air supply pipe has an air outlet opening inside the clothing of the motorcycle rider, and the fan unit includes a blower fan to which the air supply pipe is connected, and a cover body that covers the blower fan at least from above.

[0012] 〔Aspect 2 of the present invention〕 The blower fan has an air intake opening facing downward, and the cover body has a top wall that holds the blower fan on the lower surface, and a wall portion that extends downward from the top wall, and a part of the wall portion protrudes below the air intake opening. The motorcycle rider cooling device according to Aspect 1.

[0013] 〔Aspect 3 of the present invention〕 The wall portion has a pair of side walls connected to both left and right ends in the left - right direction of the top wall, and the pair of side walls extend outward in the left - right direction so as to be spaced apart from each other as they go downward. The motorcycle rider cooling device according to Aspect 2.

[0014] 〔Aspect 4 of the present invention〕 The cover body is made of resin and is integrally formed by a single member. The motorcycle rider cooling device according to any one of Aspects 1 to 3.

[0015] 〔Aspect 5 of the present invention〕 The cover body has an eaves portion that covers at least from above the connection portion between the blower fan and the air supply pipe. The motorcycle rider cooling device according to any one of Aspects 1 to 4.

[0016] 〔Aspect 6 of the present invention〕 The motorcycle rider cooling device according to any one of Aspects 1 to 5, further comprising a base plate disposed on the vehicle and having the fan unit attached to the upper surface thereof, and an opening through which outside air flows toward the air intake opening of the blower fan is provided between the cover body and the upper surface of the base plate.

[0017] [Aspect 7 of the present invention] The base plate has a pocket disposed on the upper surface of the base plate, and a battery electrically connected to the blower fan is housed in the pocket. With the fan unit attached on the base plate, the opening of the pocket and a part of the fan unit or the air supply pipe are disposed opposite to each other. The motorcycle rider cooling device according to Aspect 6.

[0018] [Aspect 8 of the present invention] The cover body has a holder for detachably holding the air supply pipe. The motorcycle rider cooling device according to any one of Aspects 1 to 7. [Advantages of the Invention]

[0019] According to the motorcycle rider cooling device of the above aspect of the present invention, the inside of the rider's clothes can be efficiently cooled, the degree of freedom in choosing clothes is increased, the influence on design and washing is also minimized, and the deterioration of the environment inside the clothes due to rainfall or the like and the failure of the blower fan can be suppressed. [Brief Description of the Drawings]

[0020]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] The motorcycle rider cooling device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the motorcycle rider cooling device 10 may be simply referred to as a cooling device, a device, etc.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 1, the motorcycle rider cooling device 10 of this embodiment is used to cool the body of a motorcycle rider 1 who rides on a vehicle 100 such as a motorcycle. The motorcycle rider cooling device 10 includes a base plate 11 disposed on the vehicle 100 on which the motorcycle rider 1 rides, a battery 12 detachably held on the base plate 11, a fan unit 20 attached to the vehicle 100 via the base plate 11, and an air supply pipe 30 connected to the fan unit 20 and inserted inside the clothes of the motorcycle rider 1.

[0023] In this embodiment, an XYZ orthogonal coordinate system (three-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system) is set in each figure, and each component will be described. In each figure, the X-axis direction corresponds to the left-right direction. Among the left-right direction (X-axis direction), the left side is the -X side, and the right side is the +X side. Also, the Y-axis direction is a direction orthogonal to the X-axis direction and corresponds to the front-back direction. Among the front-back direction (Y-axis direction), the front side is the +Y side, and the rear side is the -Y side. The Z-axis direction is perpendicular to the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, corresponding to the vertical direction. Among the vertical directions (Z-axis direction), the upper side is the +Z side, and the lower side is the -Z side.

[0024] In this embodiment, the left side, right side, front side, rear side, upper side, and lower side are convenient names for easily explaining the relative positional relationships of the respective components. Therefore, the actual arrangement relationships, etc. during the use of the cooling device are not limited by these names.

[0025] In this embodiment, the left-right direction (X-axis direction) of the cooling device corresponds to the left-right direction of the vehicle 100, the front-rear direction (Y-axis direction) of the cooling device corresponds to the front-rear direction of the vehicle 100, and the up-down direction (Z-axis direction) of the cooling device corresponds to the up-down direction of the vehicle 100.

[0026] The base plate 11 is disposed on the upper surface of the fuel tank 101 of the vehicle 100. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the base plate 11 has a plate shape or a sheet shape. The base plate 11 may be appropriately bendable and deformable in accordance with the curved surface shape of the upper surface of the tank. In this embodiment, the base plate 11 has a square shape in the top view shown in FIG. 3.

[0027] Although not particularly shown, the base plate 11 has a multi-layer structure in which a plurality of layers are laminated in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the base plate 11 has a three-layer structure. For example, the upper layer is made of leather, the lower layer is made of synthetic fiber made of polyester fabric, and the intermediate layer between the upper layer and the lower layer is made of synthetic resin made of a plastic plate. Further, the intermediate layer is a core material having a rigidity of a predetermined level or more, and the upper layer and the lower layer are cover materials having flexibility. Since the base plate 11 is a member that directly contacts the fuel tank 101 (that is, the vehicle 100), it is sewn so as not to easily damage the vehicle 100.

[0028] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the base plate 11 has a fold portion 13, a pocket 14, a connection belt (not shown), and a suction cup (not shown).

[0029] The fold line portion 13 extends linearly on the base plate 11. The fold line portion 13 extends in the left - right direction and, in this embodiment, is arranged over the entire left - right length of the base plate 11. The fold line portion 13 is provided so as to enable the folding of the base plate 11.

[0030] In this embodiment, the fold line portion 13 is located on the rear side of the center of the base plate 11 in the front - rear direction. By providing the fold line portion 13, as shown in FIG. 5, with respect to the portion of the base plate 11 located on the front side of the fold line portion 13, the portion located on the rear side of the fold line portion 13 can be folded downward.

[0031] The pocket 14 is arranged on the upper surface of the base plate 11. Specifically, the pocket 14 is arranged on the upper surface of the base plate 11 on the rear side of the fold line portion 13. The pocket 14 has a bag - like shape made of, for example, a mesh fabric or the like.

[0032] The pocket 14 has an opening 14a. In this embodiment, the opening 14a is arranged at the right - end portion of the pocket 14 and opens toward the right side. The battery 12 is removably stored in the pocket 14 through the opening 14a. That is, the battery 12 is detachably held on the base plate 11 by the pocket 14.

[0033] Although not particularly shown, the connection belt is provided on the upper surface of the base plate 11. The connection belt is detachably connected to connection belt attachment portions 47, 48 of a cover body 22 (described later) of the fan unit 20. In this embodiment, a plurality of connection belts are provided on the base plate 11. The plurality of connection belts include a pair of left - side connection belts arranged at the left - end portion of the upper surface of the base plate 11 and a pair of right - side connection belts arranged at the right - end portion of the upper surface of the base plate 11. The pair of left - side connection belts are arranged side - by - side in the front - rear direction. The pair of right - side connection belts are arranged side - by - side in the front - rear direction.

[0034] Also, although not particularly shown, the suction cups are provided on the lower surface of the base plate 11. The suction cups can adsorb to the fuel tank 101 to which the base plate 11 is attached. The suction cups detachably attach the base plate 11 to the fuel tank 101 by the adsorption force. A plurality of suction cups are provided on the base plate 11. The plurality of suction cups include at least one left suction cup disposed at the left end of the lower surface of the base plate 11 and at least one right suction cup disposed at the right end of the lower surface of the base plate 11.

[0035] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the fan unit 20 is attached to the upper surface of the base plate 11. In this embodiment, the fan unit 20 is detachably attached to the upper surface of the base plate 11. As shown in FIG. 6, the fan unit 20 includes a blower fan 21, a cover body 22, a fall-preventing belt 28, a switch (not shown), and a wiring member (not shown). The battery 12 is electrically connected to the blower fan 21 via the wiring member. Also, the switch is provided on a part of the wiring member.

[0036] The blower fan 21 of this embodiment is a blower fan. The blower fan 21 includes a motor 23 that is rotationally driven by electric power supplied from the battery 12, an impeller 24 that is rotated by the motor 23 around the central axis C, a casing 25 that houses the impeller 24, an air inlet 26 that is opened in a wall portion of the casing 25 facing the impeller 24, and a connection cylinder 27 that is connected to the casing 25.

[0037] The central axis C of the motor 23 extends in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the motor 23 is housed in the casing 25 together with the impeller 24. The casing 25 is fixed to the lower surface of a top wall 40 (described later) of the cover body 22 by fastening members such as bolts. The air inlet 26 is opened in the lower surface of the casing 25 and faces downward. That is, the air inlet 26 sucks outside air into the casing 25 from below the blower fan 21. The connection cylinder 27 has a cylindrical shape extending in the front-rear direction and extends rearward from the connection portion with the casing 25.

[0038] The blower fan 21 sucks air into the casing 25 from the air inlet 26 that opens downward when the impeller 24 is rotationally driven by the motor 23. The sucked air is pushed out by the rotating impeller 24 to the outside in the radial direction perpendicular to the central axis C and around the central axis C, and is sent out in one direction around the central axis C along the inner peripheral surface of the casing 25. The air sent out in one direction from the casing 25 is ejected to the outside of the blower fan 21 through the connection cylinder 27, as indicated by reference numeral A in FIG. 6. Specifically, the blower fan 21 of the present embodiment blows out the air A toward the rear side from the connection cylinder 27.

[0039] The blower fan (axial fan) 21 configured in this way has a stronger blowing force of the blown air compared to a so-called axial flow fan or the like. In other words, the blower fan 21 has a higher static pressure (wind pressure) of the blown air A and a stronger wind force compared to an axial flow fan or the like.

[0040] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 8, the cover body 22 has a substantially top cylindrical shape. The cover body 22 is made of a material that does not allow rainwater to pass through and has waterproof properties. In the present embodiment, the cover body 22 is made of resin and is integrally formed by a single member. The cover body 22 is detachably attached to the upper surface of the base plate 11 by the above-described connection belt (not shown).

[0041] The cover body 22 covers at least the upper side of the blower fan 21. In the present embodiment, the cover body 22 covers at least the motor 23, the impeller 24, and the casing 25 of the blower fan 21 from the upper side, both sides in the front-rear direction (front side, rear side), and both sides in the left-right direction (left side, right side). The lower side (air inlet 26 side) of the blower fan 21 is not covered by the cover body 22 and is open.

[0042] Here, in the present embodiment, among the left-right direction (X-axis direction), the direction from both ends of the cover body 22 toward the central portion is sometimes referred to as the inner side or the central side in the left-right direction, and the direction from the central portion of the cover body 22 toward both ends is sometimes referred to as the outer side in the left-right direction.

[0043] The cover body 22 has a top wall 40, a wall portion 41, an eaves portion 42, a holder 43, a belt attachment portion 44 for preventing detachment, a switch attachment hole 45, and a wiring guide wall 46.

[0044] The top wall 40 is in the shape of a plate that extends in a direction (plane direction) perpendicular to the vertical direction. The top wall 40 is in the shape of a polygonal plate, and in this embodiment, it is in the shape of a rectangular plate. The top wall 40 is disposed above the blower fan 21. As described above, the casing 25 is fixed to the lower surface of the top wall 40 by a fastening member such as a bolt. Thereby, the top wall 40 holds the blower fan 21 on its lower surface.

[0045] The wall portion 41 extends downward from the top wall 40. Specifically, the wall portion 41 is connected to the outer peripheral portion (the four sides in this embodiment) of the top wall 40 over the entire circumference and extends downward from the outer peripheral portion of the top wall 40. The wall portion 41 has a front wall 41a, a rear wall 41b, and a pair of side walls 41c and 41d.

[0046] The front wall 41a is connected to the front end portion of the top wall 40. The front wall 41a extends downward from the front end portion of the top wall 40. The front wall 41a is in the shape of a plate that extends in a direction (plane direction) perpendicular to the front-rear direction. Both end portions of the front wall 41a in the left-right direction protrude downward more than the intermediate portion located between both end portions of the front wall 41a in the left-right direction.

[0047] Specifically, both end portions of the front wall 41a in the left-right direction (that is, a part of the wall portion 41) protrude downward more than the intake port 26 of the blower fan 21. Both end portions of the front wall 41a in the left-right direction are in contact with the upper surface of the base plate 11. With this configuration, a space (intake space) through which air sucked into the intake port 26 flows is secured between the intake port 26 of the blower fan 21 and the upper surface of the base plate 11.

[0048] Also, a space is provided in the vertical direction between the intermediate portion located between both end portions in the left - right direction of the front wall 41a and the upper surface of the base plate 11. This space is the front - side opening 71 through which outside air flows from the outside of the cover body 22 to the intake port 26 of the blower fan 21 (see Fig. 7). That is, an opening 70 through which outside air flows toward the intake port 26 of the blower fan 21 is provided between the cover body 22 and the upper surface of the base plate 11, and the front - side opening 71 constitutes a part of this opening 70.

[0049] The rear wall 41b is connected to the rear end portion of the top wall 40. The rear wall 41b extends downward from the rear end portion of the top wall 40. The rear wall 41b is plate - shaped and spreads in a direction (plane direction) perpendicular to the front - rear direction. Both end portions in the left - right direction of the rear wall 41b protrude downward more than the intermediate portion located between both end portions in the left - right direction of the rear wall 41b.

[0050] Specifically, both end portions in the left - right direction of the rear wall 41b (that is, a part of the wall portion 41) protrude downward more than the intake port 26 of the blower fan 21. Both end portions in the left - right direction of the rear wall 41b are in contact with the upper surface of the base plate 11. With this configuration, a space (intake space) through which air sucked into the intake port 26 flows is secured between the intake port 26 of the blower fan 21 and the upper surface of the base plate 11.

[0051] Also, a space is provided in the vertical direction between the intermediate portion located between both end portions in the left - right direction of the rear wall 41b and the upper surface of the base plate 11. This space is the rear - side opening 72 through which outside air flows from the outside of the cover body 22 to the intake port 26 of the blower fan 21 (see Fig. 4). That is, an opening 70 through which outside air flows toward the intake port 26 of the blower fan 21 is provided between the cover body 22 and the upper surface of the base plate 11, and the rear - side opening 72 constitutes a part of this opening 70.

[0052] A pair of side walls 41c and 41d are connected to both left and right ends of the top wall 40 in the left - right direction. Of the pair of side walls 41c and 41d, one is the left wall 41c and the other is the right wall 41d. Each side wall 41c, 41d is in a plate - like shape that spreads in a direction (plane direction) substantially perpendicular to the left - right direction. Specifically, the pair of side walls 41c and 41d extend outward in the left - right direction so as to be spaced apart from each other as they go downward. That is, the left wall 41c extends toward the left as it goes downward. The right wall 41d extends toward the right as it goes downward.

[0053] Portions of each side wall 41c, 41d other than the central portion in the front - rear direction protrude downward more than the central portion of each side wall 41c, 41d in the front - rear direction. Specifically, portions of each side wall 41c, 41d other than the central portion in the front - rear direction (that is, a part of the wall portion 41) protrude downward more than the intake port 26 of the blower fan 21. Portions of each side wall 41c, 41d other than the central portion in the front - rear direction are in contact with the upper surface of the base plate 11. With this configuration, a space (intake space) through which air sucked into the intake port 26 flows is secured between the intake port 26 of the blower fan 21 and the upper surface of the base plate 11.

[0054] Also, a gap is provided in the vertical direction between the central portion of each side wall 41c, 41d in the front - rear direction and the upper surface of the base plate 11. This gap serves as side openings 73, 74 for allowing outside air to flow from the outside of the cover body 22 to the intake port 26 of the blower fan 21. Note that the side opening 73 may also be referred to as the left - hand opening 73, and the side opening 74 may also be referred to as the right - hand opening 74. That is, an opening 70 through which outside air flows toward the intake port 26 of the blower fan 21 is provided between the cover body 22 and the upper surface of the base plate 11, and the side openings 73, 74 constitute a part of this opening 70.

[0055] In addition, each side wall 41c, 41d has connection belt attachment portions 47, 48. The connection belt attachment portions 47, 48 are arranged at the lower ends of the respective side walls 41c, 41d. The connection belt attachment portions 47, 48 each have a through hole penetrating the respective side walls 41c, 41d in the left - right direction. Through the through holes, the above - mentioned connection belt (not shown) on the upper surface of the base plate 11 is detachably attached to the connection belt attachment portions 47, 48.

[0056] Specifically, a pair of connection belt attachment portions 47 are provided on the left wall 41c. The pair of connection belt attachment portions 47 are arranged at intervals in the front - rear direction. A pair of left - side connection belts (not shown) at the left end of the upper surface of the base plate 11 are fixed to the pair of connection belt attachment portions 47.

[0057] Also, a pair of connection belt attachment portions 48 are provided on the right wall 41d. The pair of connection belt attachment portions 48 are arranged at intervals in the front - rear direction. A pair of right - side connection belts (not shown) at the right end of the upper surface of the base plate 11 are fixed to the pair of connection belt attachment portions 48.

[0058] The eaves portion 42 is in the shape of a flange protruding rearward from the rear wall 41b. The eaves portion 42 covers at least the connection portion between the blower fan 21 and the air supply pipe 30 from above. In this embodiment, the eaves portion 42 is U - shaped and opens downward in a cross - sectional view perpendicular to the front - rear direction. Specifically, the eaves portion 42 covers a part of the connection cylinder 27 of the blower fan 21 and the base end portion 30a (see FIG. 3) of the air supply pipe 30 connected to the connection cylinder 27 from above and from both sides (left side, right side) in the left - right direction.

[0059] The holder 43 protrudes forward from the front wall 41a. As shown in FIG. 3, the holder 43 has an L - shaped recess 43a into which an L - shaped hook 30c provided at the tip portion 30b of the air supply pipe 30 can be locked. When the hook 30c is locked in the recess 43a, the holder 43 detachably holds the air supply pipe 30.

[0060] The anti-drop belt attachment portion 44 has a ring shape protruding forward from the front wall 41a. A pair of anti-drop belt attachment portions 44 are provided at intervals in the left-right direction. As shown in FIG. 6, both ends of the anti-drop belt 28 are attached to the pair of anti-drop belt attachment portions 44. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, in the present embodiment, the anti-drop belt attachment portion 44 is disposed below the holder 43. Thereby, interference between the anti-drop belt attachment portion 44 and the air supply pipe 30 held by the holder 43 is suppressed.

[0061] As shown in FIG. 2, the switch mounting hole 45 is provided to penetrate the top wall 40 in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 6, the switch mounting hole 45 is disposed at a position where it does not overlap with the blower fan 21 when viewed from below. Thereby, interference between the switch attached to the switch mounting hole 45 and the blower fan 21 is suppressed. For this reason, the vertical dimension of the fan unit 20 can be suppressed to be small and the fan unit 20 can be made compact.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 8, the wiring guide wall 46 is disposed over the lower surface of the top wall 40 and the inner surface of the wall portion 41. The wiring guide wall 46 has a pair of rib-shaped wall portions protruding from the lower surface of the top wall 40 and the inner surface of the wall portion 41. The pair of rib-shaped wall portions extend in parallel with each other. A wiring member (not shown) is disposed between the pair of rib-shaped wall portions.

[0063] In the present embodiment, the wiring guide wall 46 includes a motor wiring guide wall 46a that houses a wiring member (motor wiring member) extending from the motor 23, a battery wiring guide wall 46b that houses a part of a wiring member (battery wiring member) extending from the battery 12, and a switch wiring guide wall 46c that houses a wiring member (switch wiring member) extending from the switch. The motor wiring guide wall 46a, the battery wiring guide wall 46b, and the switch wiring guide wall 46c are connected to each other. By providing such a wiring guide wall 46, the work of routing the wiring members during the assembly of the fan unit 20 becomes easy. Further, the rigidity of the cover body 22 is enhanced.

[0064] As shown in FIG. 6, the anti-drop belt 28 is attached to the cover body 22 via a pair of anti-drop belt attachment portions 44. The anti-drop belt 28 is hooked on, for example, a part of the vehicle 100. Thereby, even when the suction force of the suction cup of the base plate 11 decreases due to aging deterioration or the like, it is possible to prevent the cooling device from accidentally falling from the vehicle 100.

[0065] Although not particularly shown, the switch is attached to the switch attachment hole 45. The switch is in a state where it can be operated from the upper side of the cover body 22 and is fixed to the top wall 40. By the motorcycle rider 1 operating the switch, the blower fan 21 can be switched, for example, between an air supply mode (air supply ON) and an air supply stop mode (air supply OFF). Alternatively, by the motorcycle rider 1 operating the switch, the blower fan 21 may be switched, for example, between a strong wind mode and a weak wind mode.

[0066] Although not particularly shown, the wiring member includes a motor wiring member extending from the motor 23, a battery wiring member extending from the battery 12, and a switch wiring member extending from the switch. A wiring connector or the like may be provided on a part of the wiring member (for example, the battery wiring member).

[0067] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the air supply pipe 30 has a cylindrical shape, and specifically, is a flexible hose, tube, or the like. The air supply pipe 30 is configured to be able to freely bend and deform without breaking as long as it has a curved shape with a radius of curvature larger than a predetermined value. In FIG. 3, the illustration of the portion of the air supply pipe 30 other than both end portions (the base end portion 30a and the tip end portion 30b) is omitted.

[0068] Of both end portions in the extending direction in which the air supply pipe 30 extends, one end portion (the base end portion 30a) is connected to the blower fan 21 of the fan unit 20. Specifically, the base end portion 30a of the air supply pipe 30 is connected to the connection cylinder 27 of the blower fan 21 by fitting or the like.

[0069] Also, among both end portions of the air supply pipe 30 in the extending direction, the other end portion (the tip portion 30b) is inserted into the clothing of the motorcycle rider 1 when the cooling device is in use, as shown in FIG. 1. Note that the "clothing of the motorcycle rider 1" in the present embodiment includes, in addition to the clothing (such as an upper garment and trousers) worn by the motorcycle rider 1 on the upper body and lower body, a helmet 6 worn by the motorcycle rider 1 on the head, etc.

[0070] Also, when the cooling device is not in use, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, the air supply pipe 30 is held by the fan unit 20 by the hook 30c provided at the tip portion 30b of the air supply pipe 30 being locked to the holder 43. Note that the hook 30c functions as a locking means for locking the air supply pipe 30 to a part of the clothing of the motorcycle rider 1 (such as a waist belt) when the cooling device is in use.

[0071] The air supply pipe 30 has an air outlet 31 that opens inside the clothing of the motorcycle rider 1. In the present embodiment, the air outlet 31 is in the form of a hole that opens at the other end portion (the tip portion 30b) in the extending direction of the air supply pipe 30. The air outlet 31 allows the air A sent through the inside of the air supply pipe 30 from the blower fan 21 to flow out to the outside of the air supply pipe 30. The air outlet 31 allows the air A sent from the fan unit 20 to flow out into the clothing of the motorcycle rider 1.

[0072] The air outlet 31 is arranged, for example, in any one of the waist portion 2, the torso portion 3, the arm portion 4, the leg portion 5, and the helmet 6 of the motorcycle rider 1. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the air outlet 31 is arranged in the waist portion 2 of the clothing of the motorcycle rider 1.

[0073] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, with the fan unit 20 attached on the base plate 11, the opening 14a of the pocket 14 for housing the battery 12 and a part of the fan unit 20 or the air supply pipe 30 are arranged to face each other. Specifically, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, when viewed from the left - right direction, the pocket 14 and the battery 12, the eaves portion 42 of the cover body 22, the connection cylinder 27 of the blower fan 21, and the base end portion 30a of the air supply pipe 30 (not shown) are arranged overlappingly. In other words, by the eaves portion 42, the connection cylinder 27, and the base end portion 30a of the air supply pipe 30, the battery 12 housed in the pocket 14 is restricted from coming out of the opening 14a to the right side.

[0074] According to the motorcycle rider cooling device 10 of the present embodiment described above, a part of the air supply pipe 30 is inserted into the clothing of the motorcycle 1, and the air A sent from the blower fan 21 of the fan unit 20 to the air supply pipe 30 can be made to flow out from the outlet 31 inside the clothing. Thereby, the evaporation of the sweat on the body surface of the motorcycle rider 1 is promoted, and the body can be efficiently cooled by the action of the heat of vaporization and the like.

[0075] For example, even when the vehicle 100 stops during signal waiting or traffic congestion in high - temperature summer or the like, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to cool the inside of the clothing of the motorcycle rider 1, so that the inside of the clothing can be maintained in a comfortable environment. Also, heat stroke of the motorcycle rider 1 can be prevented.

[0076] In the present embodiment, since the above - mentioned operational effects can be obtained by inserting the air supply pipe 30 into the clothing of the motorcycle rider 1, the influence on the type and design of the clothing worn by the motorcycle rider 1 can be minimized. That is, the degree of freedom when the motorcycle rider 1 selects clothing is high. Also, since the cooling device is provided separately from the clothing, the clothing can be washed and dry - cleaned alone in the same way as ordinary clothing, and handling during washing and the like is easy.

[0077] And the fan unit 20 attached to the vehicle 100 has a blower fan 21 connected to the air duct 30 and a cover body 22 that covers the blower fan 21 at least from above. Since the cover body 22 covers the blower fan 21 from above, even if there is sudden rainfall or the like during the running of the vehicle 100, it is possible to prevent the blower fan 21 from sucking in rainwater together with the outside air.

[0078] Therefore, it is possible to prevent problems such as raindrops or wet air containing raindrops from flowing into the clothes of the motorcycle rider 1 and causing an uncomfortable situation. In addition, it is possible to prevent the blower fan 21 from malfunctioning due to the intrusion of rainwater, and the blowing function of the blower fan 21 can be maintained well regardless of the weather or the like. According to the present embodiment, particularly in bad weather, the function of the cooling device can be stably exhibited.

[0079] As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to efficiently cool the inside of the clothes of the motorcycle rider 1, increase the degree of freedom in the selection of clothes, minimize the influence on design and washing, etc., and suppress the deterioration of the environment inside the clothes due to rainfall or the like and the failure of the blower fan 21.

[0080] Also, in the present embodiment, the blower fan 21 has an air inlet 26 facing downward, and the cover body 22 has a top wall 40 that holds the blower fan 21 on the lower surface and a wall portion 41 that extends downward from the top wall 40, and a part of the wall portion 41 protrudes below the air inlet 26. In this case, since the air inlet 26 of the blower fan 21 faces downward, it is possible to more stably prevent rainwater or the like from being sucked in from the air inlet 26 during rainfall or the like while running. In addition, since a part of the wall portion 41 of the cover body 22 protrudes below the air inlet 26 of the blower fan 21, it is possible to sufficiently secure a space for the blower fan 21 to suck in air (a space through which the intake air flows) below the air inlet 26. Therefore, the blowing function of the blower fan 21 is stably enhanced.

[0081] In addition, in the present embodiment, the wall portion 41 has a pair of side walls 41c and 41d connected to both left and right ends of the top wall 40 in the left - right direction, and the pair of side walls 41c and 41d extend outward in the left - right direction so as to be spaced apart from each other as they go downward. In this case, the cover body 22 has a trapezoidal appearance shape when viewed from the front - rear direction. Since the cover body 22 has a shape like an arch structure, when the fan unit 20 is attached to the upper surface of the fuel tank 101 of the vehicle 100, it can have a silhouette (appearance shape) that conforms to the curved surface of the upper surface of the tank, and the appearance design is good. Also, when an external force that presses the cover body 22 from above acts on it, the deformation of the cover body 22 can be suppressed to a small extent by the arch structure, and damage to the cover body 22 can be suppressed.

[0082] In addition, in the present embodiment, the cover body 22 is made of resin and is integrally formed by a single member. In this case, since the cover body 22 is composed of an integrally - molded resin member, it is easy to manufacture and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. Specifically, the cover body 22 of the present embodiment can be manufactured, for example, by injection molding using a set of molds (upper mold and lower mold) not shown. Also, when the cover body 22 is made of resin, it is easier to impart waterproofness than, for example, a small cloth bag, and the intrusion of rainwater into the blower fan 21 can be further suppressed.

[0083] In addition, in the present embodiment, the cover body 22 has an eaves portion 42 that covers at least the connection portion between the blower fan 21 and the air supply pipe 30 from above. In this case, the eaves portion 42 of the cover body 22 suppresses problems such as rainwater intruding from the connection portion between the blower fan 21 and the air supply pipe 30. Problems such as raindrops or wet air containing raindrops flowing into the clothes of the motorcycle rider 1 and deteriorating the in - clothes environment are more stably suppressed. Also, by covering the connection portion between the blower fan 21 and the air supply pipe 30 with the eaves portion 42, the appearance of the fan unit 20 becomes simpler and the design property is improved.

[0084] In addition, the motorcycle rider cooling device 10 of the present embodiment is disposed on the vehicle 100 and includes a base plate 11 to which a fan unit 20 is attached on the upper surface. In this case, since the fan unit 20 is attached to the vehicle 100 via the base plate 11, even when the cover body 22 is formed of a hard resin material or the like, the vehicle 100 is prevented from being damaged.

[0085] In addition, the motorcycle rider cooling device 10 of the present embodiment includes an opening 70 through which outside air flows toward the intake port 26 of the blower fan 21 between the cover body 22 and the upper surface of the base plate 11. In this case, since the opening 70 is provided between the cover body 22 and the upper surface of the base plate 11, sufficient outside air can be supplied to the intake port 26 of the blower fan 21 through the opening 70. Thereby, the blowing function of the blower fan 21 is stably enhanced. Specifically, in the present embodiment, as the opening 70, a front opening 71, a rear opening 72, and side openings 73 and 74 are provided. Further, each through hole of the connection belt attachment portions 47 and 48 also functions as a part of the opening.

[0086] In addition, by providing the front opening 71 and the rear opening 72, the cover body 22 has an arch shape when viewed from the front-rear direction. For this reason, each lower end portion of both left and right ends of the cover body 22 stably fits on the convex curved surface of the upper surface of the fuel tank 101. Thereby, the mounting posture of the fan unit 20 on the fuel tank 101 becomes more stable.

[0087] In addition, in the present embodiment, with the fan unit 20 attached on the base plate 11, the opening 14a of the pocket 14 and a part of the fan unit 20 or the air supply pipe 30 are arranged to face each other. According to the above configuration, when the vehicle 100 is running or the like, it is possible to prevent the battery 12 housed in the pocket 14 from accidentally coming out of the opening 14a and dropping.

[0088] Also, when the cooling device is removed from the vehicle 100, as shown by the dashed-dotted line in FIG. 5, by bending the base plate 11 downward along the fold line portion 13, the state where the opening 14a of the pocket 14 and a part of the fan unit 20 or the air supply pipe 30 are opposed to each other can be released. That is, by a simple operation of bending the base plate 11 at the fold line portion 13, it becomes possible to extract or insert the battery 12 through the opening 14a of the pocket 14.

[0089] Further, in the present embodiment, the cover body 22 has a holder 43 that detachably holds the air supply pipe 30. When the cooling device is not used, by holding the air supply pipe 30 in the holder 43, it is possible to prevent the air supply pipe 30 from swaying during the running of the vehicle 100.

[0090] Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and for example, as described below, configuration changes and the like are possible without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0091] In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the base plate 11 includes a suction cup has been given, but the present invention is not limited to this. The base plate 11 may include, for example, a magnet. In this case, the base plate 11 is detachably attached to the fuel tank 101 by magnetic force. However, in the case of a configuration in which the base plate 11 is fixed to the fuel tank 101 by the suction force of the suction cup as in the above-described embodiment, it is more preferable because the attachment can be performed regardless of whether the fuel tank 101 is a magnetic material or a non-magnetic material, that is, regardless of the material of the fuel tank 101.

[0092] Also, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which the fan unit 20 is indirectly attached to the vehicle 100 via the base plate 11 has been given, but the present invention is not limited to this. When the fan unit 20 can be stably fixed to the vehicle 100, the base plate 11 may not be provided. That is, the fan unit 20 may be directly attached to the vehicle 100.

[0093] In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the cover body 22 has a rectangular plate-shaped top wall 40 was given, but the present invention is not limited to this. The top wall 40 only needs to be able to cover the blower fan 21 from above, and for example, various shapes such as a polygonal plate shape other than a rectangular plate shape, a circular plate shape, and an elliptical plate shape can be adopted.

[0094] Also, although not particularly shown, the air supply pipe 30 may have an attachment that is detachable from the tip 30b of the air supply pipe 30. In this case, the air outlet 31 of the air A is arranged in the attachment. Examples of the attachment include a wide attachment, a branch attachment, an extension attachment, and the like.

[0095] The wide attachment has a larger width dimension than the portion of the air supply pipe 30 other than the wide attachment. For example, a plurality of air outlets 31 are opened in the wide attachment. The plurality of air outlets 31 are arranged apart from each other or opened in different directions. In this case, the air A flowing out from the plurality of air outlets 31 can efficiently cool the body of the motorcycle rider 1 over a wider range. Further, the wide attachment may have an air outlet 31 having a wide slit shape.

[0096] The branch attachment has a plurality of branch pipes that branch from the tip 30b of the air supply pipe 30. Each branch pipe extends inside the clothes of the motorcycle rider 1, for example, inside the waist 2, the torso 3, the arms 4, the legs 5, or the helmet 6. Each branch pipe has, for example, a plurality of air outlets 31 arranged at intervals along the extending direction of the branch pipe. In this case, the air A flowing out from the plurality of air outlets 31 can efficiently cool the body of the motorcycle rider 1 over a wide range at a plurality of locations.

[0097] Further, the extension attachment can extend the entire length of the air supply pipe 30 to a desired length by being connected to the tip 30b of the air supply pipe 30.

[0098] In the above-described embodiment, an example was given in which the blower fan 21 is switched manually by a switch (not shown) between the air supply mode (air supply ON) and the air supply stop mode (air supply OFF), or alternatively, between the strong wind mode and the weak wind mode. That is, the operation mode of the blower fan 21 is manually switched. Instead of this, the following configuration may be adopted.

[0099] Although not particularly shown, the motorcycle rider cooling device 10 includes a control unit electrically connected to the blower fan 21, and this control unit may automatically switch the operation mode of the blower fan 21 based on predetermined vehicle information input to the control unit.

[0100] Specifically, for example, when the motorcycle rider 1 applies the brake of the vehicle 100 or shifts the vehicle 100 into the neutral range, etc., the control unit starts air supply with the blower fan 21 in the air supply mode (air supply ON). Specifically, when it is predicted that the vehicle 100 stops or travels slowly and the motorcycle rider 1 is less likely to receive the traveling wind, by starting air supply in advance, the body of the motorcycle rider 1 can be cooled efficiently.

[0101] Also, for example, when the motorcycle rider 1 releases the brake or shifts into a range other than neutral, etc., the control unit stops air supply with the blower fan 21 in the air supply stop mode (air supply OFF). Specifically, when it is predicted that the vehicle 100 starts traveling and the motorcycle rider 1 receives the traveling wind and a cooling effect can be obtained, by stopping the air supply from the blower fan 21, the power consumption of the battery 12 can be reduced.

[0102] Also, instead of or together with the battery 12 described in the above embodiment, the vehicle battery mounted on the vehicle 100 may be used. In this case, the vehicle battery and the blower fan 21 are electrically connected by wiring members or the like. According to the above configuration, when the capacity (remaining capacity) of the electricity stored in the battery 12 decreases, electricity can be supplied from the vehicle battery to the blower fan 21. Further, when the voltages of the battery 12 and the vehicle battery are different, it is possible to select whether to connect the battery 12 or the vehicle battery to the blower fan 21 by a changeover switch or the like, so that the air pressure (wind force, air volume) of the blower fan 21 can be switched between strong and weak.

[0103] In addition, the motorcycle rider cooling device 10 described in the above-described embodiment can also be used by removing the motorcycle rider 1 from the vehicle 100. If an environment where sufficient air can be stably supplied to the intake port 26 of the blower fan 21 is provided, for example, the device may be used with the fan unit 20 placed in a bag or the like.

[0104] The present invention may combine the respective configurations described in the above-described embodiments and modification examples within a range not departing from the gist of the present invention, and addition, omission, substitution, and other changes of the configuration are possible. Further, the present invention is not limited by the above-described embodiments and the like, and is limited only by the scope of the claims.

Industrial Applicability

[0105] According to the motorcycle rider cooling device of the present invention, the inside of the motorcycle rider's clothing can be efficiently cooled, the degree of freedom in clothing selection is increased, the influence on design and washing is also reduced, and the deterioration of the environment inside the clothing due to rainfall or the like and the failure of the blower fan can be suppressed. Therefore, it has industrial applicability.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0106] 1... Motorcycle rider, 10... Motorcycle rider cooling device, 11... Base plate, 12... Battery, 14... Pocket, 14a... Opening, 20... Fan unit, 21... Blower fan, 22... Cover body, 26... Intake port, 30... Air supply pipe, 31... Outlet, 40... Top wall, 41... Wall portion, 41c, 41d... Side walls, 42... Eaves portion, 43... Holder, 70... Opening, 100... Vehicle, A... Air

Claims

1. A fan unit attached to a vehicle on which a motorcycle rider rides, and an air supply pipe connected to the fan unit and inserted inside the clothing of the motorcycle rider, comprising: the air supply pipe has an air outlet opening inside the clothing of the motorcycle rider, the fan unit has a blower fan to which the air supply pipe is connected, and a cover body that covers the blower fan at least from above, a motorcycle rider cooling device.

2. The blower fan has an air intake opening facing downward, the cover body has a top wall that holds the blower fan on the lower surface, and a wall portion extending downward from the top wall, a part of the wall portion protrudes below the air intake opening, The motorcycle rider cooling device according to claim 1.

3. The wall portion has a pair of side walls connected to both left and right ends of the top wall in the left-right direction, the pair of side walls extend outward in the left-right direction so as to be separated from each other as they go downward, The motorcycle rider cooling device according to claim 2.

4. The cover body is made of resin and integrally formed by a single member, The motorcycle rider cooling device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The cover body has an eaves portion that covers at least from above the connection portion between the blower fan and the air supply pipe, The motorcycle rider cooling device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

6. further comprising a base plate disposed on the vehicle and having the fan unit attached to the upper surface thereof, an opening through which outside air flows toward the air intake opening of the blower fan is provided between the cover body and the upper surface of the base plate, The motorcycle rider cooling device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

7. The base plate has a pocket disposed on the upper surface of the base plate, a battery electrically connected to the blower fan is housed in the pocket, with the fan unit attached to the base plate, the opening of the pocket and a part of the fan unit or the air supply pipe are disposed opposite to each other, The motorcycle rider cooling device according to claim 6.

8. The cover body has a holder for detachably holding the air supply pipe, The motorcycle rider cooling device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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