Saddle-riding type vehicle

Abstract

To provide a saddle-riding type vehicle which keeps favorable a communication state of a positional information transmitting device mounted on an own vehicle, which suppresses disturbance to the positional information transmitting device, and which can enhance a crime prevention property.SOLUTION: A saddle-riding type vehicle includes: a positional information transmitting device (GPS tracker 40) which includes a GPS receiving device which specifies the position of an own vehicle, and a communication device for transmitting the positional information received by the GPS receiving device; a head pipe 21a positioned at a front end part of a vehicle frame 21; and a front side cover (front cover 11a) and a rear side cover (inner cover 11b) for covering the head pipe 21a from front and rear sides. The GPS tracker 40 is arranged between the front cover 11a and the inner cover 11b, and is arranged being offset further to the right than the vehicle body left-to-right center.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for disposing a GPS vehicle-mounted unit from the viewpoint of preventing theft of a saddle-ride type vehicle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5470104 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The above-described GPS in-vehicle unit detects the vehicle's position information and transmits this information wirelessly. The GPS in-vehicle unit receives signals from satellites, and the operating condition is that the reception sensitivity must be above a certain level. Because radio waves from satellites are received vertically from above, it is desirable that the antenna surface of the GPS in-vehicle unit be positioned upwards, and that there be as few components around the antenna surface as possible. On the other hand, it is desirable that the GPS in-vehicle unit be positioned in a way that suppresses disturbances to the in-vehicle GPS unit and enhances security.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a saddle-type vehicle that can maintain good communication conditions for a location information transmission device installed in the vehicle, suppress external disturbances to the location information transmission device, and improve security. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] As a means for solving the above problem, a first aspect of the present invention is a saddle-ride type vehicle (1) equipped with a location information transmission device (40) including a GPS receiving device (42) that identifies the location of the vehicle and a communication device (43) that transmits location information received by the GPS receiving device (42), characterized in that the vehicle is equipped with a head pipe (21a) located at the front end of a body frame (21), and a front cover (11a) and a rear cover (11b) that cover the head pipe (21a) from the front and rear, and the GPS receiving device (42) is disposed between the front cover (11a) and the rear cover (11b) and is disposed offset to the right of the center (CL) of the vehicle body. A second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect, a side stand (7) is provided to support the vehicle body in an upright position tilted to the left.

[0007] According to this configuration, by locating at least the GPS receiver of the location information transmitter that transmits the vehicle's location information inside the body cover to the right of the center of the vehicle, the following effects are achieved. That is, by locating the location information transmitter inside the body cover, disturbances to the location information transmitter can be suppressed and crime prevention can be improved. Furthermore, in a saddle-type vehicle equipped with a side stand that supports the vehicle body in an upright position tilted to the left, the right side of the vehicle body is higher in the vertical direction when the side stand is used and the vehicle is parked. Therefore, by locating the location information transmitter on the right side of the vehicle body, the position of the location information transmitter is higher when the side stand is in use, making it easier to send and receive radio waves. This allows the communication status of the location information transmitter to be maintained in good condition.

[0008] A third aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first or second aspect, the main harness is positioned offset to the right of the center (CL) of the vehicle body, and a harness (40a) connected to the main harness extends from the right side of the location information transmission device (40). According to this configuration, a harness extends from the right side of the location information transmission device, which is offset to the right side of the vehicle body, and this harness is connected to the main harness routed on the right side of the vehicle body, thereby shortening the harness of the location information transmission device, which contributes to cost reduction and weight reduction.

[0009] A fourth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first or second aspect, a first stay (61) is provided that is fixed to the body frame (21), and the location information transmission device (40) is fixed to the first stay (61). According to this configuration, by fixing the positional information transmission device to the first stay that is fixed to the body frame, the positional information transmission device can be stably supported and fixed by the dedicated first stay.

[0010] A fifth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the above-mentioned fourth aspect, a second stay (71) is provided that is fixed to the body frame (21) and fixes a second electrical device (50), and the first stay (61) is fixed to the second stay (71). According to this configuration, the first stay is fixed to the second stay, and the location information transmission device is fixed to the vehicle frame via the first stay and the second stay. This makes it easier to fix the location information transmission device and the second electrical equipment in an installation state that is appropriate for each, and since the two stays are separate from each other, assembly can be made easier. Furthermore, even if a load is input to either the location information transmission device or the second electrical equipment during a vehicle collision, for example, damage to the mounted components can be reduced by, for example, disconnecting the two stays from each other.

[0011] A sixth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the above-mentioned fifth aspect, the first stay (61) has a flat portion (62) along the front-to-rear and left-to-right directions and a pair of fastening portions (64L, 64R) located on both sides of the flat portion (62) in the first direction, the location information transmission device (40) is fixed above the flat portion (62), and the first stay (61) is fixed to the second stay (71) at the pair of fastening portions (64L, 64R). With this configuration, the location information transmission device is fixed onto the horizontal flat portion of the first stay, and the first stay is fixed to the second stay with fastening portions on both sides of the location information transmission device, allowing the location information transmission device to be stably fixed.

[0012] A seventh aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the sixth aspect, the flat portion (62) of the first stay (61) is located higher in the vertical direction than the pair of fastening portions (64L, 64R). According to this configuration, by placing the location information transmission device in a position as high as possible, it is possible to achieve an advantageous placement for transmitting and receiving radio waves from the location information transmission device.

[0013] An eighth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the above-mentioned fourth aspect, the location information transmission device (40) comprises a housing (41) that houses the GPS receiving device (42) and the communication device (43) and has a breathing hole (48), the first stay (61) has a flat portion (62) that is along an outer surface (41b) of the housing (41) where the breathing hole (48) opens, the location information transmission device (40) is fixed to the first stay (61) with the outer surface of the housing (41) facing the flat portion (62), and the flat portion (62) forms an opening (67) at a position that does not overlap with the breathing hole (48) when viewed from the normal direction. According to this configuration, the housing of the location information transmission device is provided with a breathing hole, the first stay has a flat portion facing the breathing hole of the location information transmission device, and an opening is formed in the flat portion at a position that does not overlap with the breathing hole when viewed in the normal direction, which makes it possible to reduce the weight of the first stay and drain water from the device side, while also preventing foreign matter such as water from entering the breathing hole from the opening side.

[0014] A ninth aspect of the present invention is the fourth aspect, wherein the first stay (61) includes a harness support portion (65b) for fixing a harness (27a). According to this configuration, by providing the harness support portion on the first stay, the harness inside the body cover can be supported with a small number of parts, and the harness path can be fixed.

[0015] A tenth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first or second aspect, a license plate (17) is supported on the front side of the front cover (11a), and the location information transmission device (40) is arranged in a position that does not overlap with the license plate (17) when viewed from above. According to this configuration, the location information transmission device is positioned so that it does not overlap with the front license plate, so that the front license plate does not become an obstruction when the location information transmission device transmits and receives radio waves, and the communication status of the location information transmission device can be maintained in good condition.

[0016] An eleventh aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first or second aspect, a second GPS receiver (55) that identifies the position of the vehicle is provided separately from the location information transmission device (40), and the second GPS receiver (55) is positioned offset to the left of the center (CL) of the vehicle body. According to this configuration, by providing the GPS receiver for security purposes on the left side of the vehicle body and the second GPS receiver for car navigation on the right side of the vehicle body, interference between the two GPS receivers can be avoided and good communication conditions can be maintained for the GPS receiver for security purposes, which is mainly used when the vehicle is stopped. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the present invention, a saddle-type vehicle can be provided that can maintain good communication conditions of a location information transmission device installed in the vehicle, suppress external disturbances to the location information transmission device, and improve security. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a left side view of a motorcycle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2]1 is a block diagram of a theft tracking system applied to the motorcycle. [Figure 3] FIG. 4 is a left side view showing the arrangement of parts inside a front body cover of the motorcycle. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a front view showing the arrangement of components inside the front body cover. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a top view showing the arrangement of components inside the front body cover. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an arrangement of components inside the front body cover. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the area around the GPS tracker inside the front body cover, viewed from above. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 7, showing a stay assembly supporting the GPS tracker. [Figure 9] 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX in FIG. 7, showing a cross section of the GPS tracker. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the periphery of the GPS tracker as viewed from below. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, directions such as front, rear, left, and right are the same as directions in the vehicle described below unless otherwise specified. In addition, in the drawings used in the following description, an arrow FR indicating the front of the vehicle, an arrow LH indicating the left side of the vehicle, an arrow UP indicating the top of the vehicle, and a line CL indicating the center of the vehicle body to the left and right are shown in appropriate positions. The term "middle" used in this embodiment refers not only to the center between both ends of an object, but also to the range inside the both ends of an object.

[0020] <Entire vehicle> Fig. 1 shows a scooter-type motorcycle 1 as an example of a saddle-ride type vehicle of an embodiment. The motorcycle 1 has a front wheel 3, which is a steering wheel, and a rear wheel 4, which is a drive wheel. The front wheel 3 is supported by a pair of left and right front forks 3a and can be turned (steered) by a handlebar 2. The rear wheel 4 is supported by a swing-type power unit 8 and can be driven by the power unit 8. In the figure, reference numeral 2a denotes grip portions on both the left and right sides of the handlebar 2, reference numeral 2b denotes a handle cover that covers the periphery of the handlebar 2 except for the left and right grip portions 2a, and reference numeral 3b denotes a front fender that is supported by the left and right front forks 3a and covers the top of the front wheel 3.

[0021] Steering system components 9, including the handlebars 2, front forks 3a, and front wheel 3, are supported rotatably (steerable) via a steering shaft on a head pipe 21a at the front end of a body frame 21. The front portion of a power unit 8 is supported at the bottom of the body frame 21 so as to be able to swing up and down. The body frame 21 includes a head pipe 21a, a down frame 21b extending downward and rearward from the head pipe 21a, a lower frame 21c extending rearward from the lower portion of the down frame 21b, and a rear frame 21d extending rearward and upward from the rear of the lower frame 21c. The head pipe 21a and the down frame 21b are provided singly at the lateral center CL of the vehicle body.

[0022] A floor step 6 on which the driver places his or her feet is provided between the front wheel 3 and the rear wheel 4. A front body 14 is provided in front of the floor step 6. A rear body 15 is provided behind the floor step 6. A space K1 above the floor step 6 between the front body 14 and the rear body 15 serves as a straddle space K1 for the driver to straddle the vehicle body. A handlebar 2 is located above the front body 14. A seat 5 on which a passenger sits is supported above the rear body 15. A foldable side stand 7 is provided on the lower left side of the floor step 6, which can support the vehicle body in an upright position with it tilted to the left.

[0023] The power unit 8 includes, for example, an electric motor M as a drive source, and a transmission mechanism (for example, a gear-type reducer) T that transmits the drive force generated by the electric motor M to the rear wheels 4. The electric motor M and the transmission mechanism T are provided on the left arm portion of the power unit 8, which is configured as a swing arm. The power unit 8 may have various configurations, and may, for example, include an internal combustion engine as a drive source. A traction battery BT that stores power for traveling is mounted below the seat 5. A sub-battery SB for driving accessories is mounted inside the floor step 6.

[0024] The periphery of the body frame 21 of the motorcycle 1 is covered with a body cover 11. The body cover 11 includes a front cover 11a that covers the area around the head pipe 21a from the front, an inner cover 11b that covers the area around the head pipe 21a from the rear, a floor cover 11c that covers the lower part of the body frame 21 from above, and a rear body cover 11d that covers the rear part of the body frame 21 from the front and sides.

[0025] The front cover 11a and the inner cover 11b constitute a front body cover 16 that forms the outer surface of the front body 14. The front body cover 16 also serves as a leg shield that covers the front left and right legs of the driver.

[0026] The upper surface of the floor cover 11c constitutes a floor step 6. The floor step 6 forms a flat upper surface (footrest surface) across the entire width of the vehicle, for example. The floor step 6 may include a center tunnel that protrudes upward on the inner side in the vehicle width direction. The rear body cover 11d forms the outer surface of the rear body 15. The body cover 11 is fixed directly or indirectly to the body frame 21, except for the handle cover 2b and the front fender 3b.

[0027] <Front body cover 16> As shown in Fig. 1, the front body cover 16 has a shallow V-shape that protrudes forward in a side view. For example, the front end position of the front body cover 16 in a side view separates the front body cover 16 into an upper and lower section. The upper section of the front body cover 16 is formed to follow the slope of the head pipe 21a in a side view. The lower section of the front body cover 16 is formed to follow the slope of the down frame 21b in a side view.

[0028] A region on the inside of the front cover 11a in the vehicle width direction is cut out at the bottom of the front body cover 16. A wheel well cover (not shown) that is concave when viewed from the front of the vehicle is provided in the cutout region at the bottom of the front body cover 16. A front license plate 17 is supported in front of the front surface of the front cover 11a via a license plate stay 17a.

[0029] FIG. 3 is a left side view showing the arrangement of parts inside the front body cover 16 of the motorcycle 1, FIG. 4 is a front view showing the arrangement of parts, FIG. 5 is a top view showing the arrangement of parts, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the arrangement of parts. 3 to 6, various functional parts and cord-like members connected to the respective functional parts are arranged inside the front body cover 16.

[0030] The functional components include vehicle body electrical components such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) charger 27, a main switch 29, a GPS tracker 40, an IVI (In-Vehicle Infotainment) unit 50, and a horn 49, as well as various locking mechanisms and operating units. The functional components are supported by the vehicle body 22 excluding the steering system components 9. The functional components are held (fixed) in a positioned state by the vehicle body 22 without rotating integrally with the steering system components 9. The "vehicle body 22" in the embodiment includes the vehicle body frame 21 that supports the steering system components 9, as well as components fixed to the vehicle body frame 21.

[0031] Examples of the cable-like member include a wire harness (hereinafter simply referred to as a harness) connected to a vehicle body side electrical component, and an operating cable (or hydraulic hose) extending from a vehicle body side mechanism or an operating element. The cable-like member of the embodiment includes a vehicle body side branch harness that branches off from the main harness and is connected to a vehicle body side electrical component. The main harness is routed offset to the right side of the vehicle body at least within the front body cover 16. The above-mentioned functional parts and cord-like members are arranged in an internal space K2 formed between the front cover 11a and the inner cover 11b, or on the outer surface of the covers.

[0032] An inner box (not shown) capable of storing items is disposed on the left side of the front body cover 16 toward the rear of the vehicle (on the passenger side, on the inner cover 11b side). The inner box is provided with a socket for a USB charger 27 with power supply function. An operating section for a main switch 29 including a power switch and switches for unlocking various locks is disposed on the right side of the front body cover 16 toward the rear of the vehicle.

[0033] <Theft Tracking System> FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a theft tracking system applied to the motorcycle 1. As shown in FIG. As shown in Fig. 2, motorcycle 1 is equipped with a location information transmitting device (hereinafter referred to as GPS tracker) 40 as an on-board device of the theft tracking system, which acquires location information of the vehicle from a GPS (Global Positioning System) and transmits this location information to the outside of the vehicle. GPS tracker 40 is equipped with a GPS receiving device (antenna) that identifies the location of the vehicle, a communication device (TCU: Telematics Control Unit) 43 that transmits the location information received by the GPS receiving device, a dedicated communication battery 45 that is independent of the on-board power supply, and a housing 41 (see Fig. 9, etc.) that serves as a case to house antenna 42, TCU 43, and communication battery 45.

[0034] The TCU 43 performs bidirectional information communication between the vehicle and an external network. In this embodiment, the TCU 43 acquires the vehicle's location information from the GPS via wireless communication using the antenna 42 housed in the housing 41. The TCU 43 transmits the acquired location information along with the vehicle's identification information to an external location. When the information transmitted from the TCU 43 is received by a base station B external to the vehicle, the base station B transmits the vehicle's location information to a pre-registered user terminal C (an information terminal such as a personal computer or smartphone) based on the identification information. This allows the user of the vehicle to check the vehicle's location information using an application in the information terminal, even if the vehicle is stolen. Even when the vehicle power is off, the communication battery 45 in the GPS tracker 40 enables transmission and reception of location information. The configuration of the GPS tracker 40 will be described in detail later.

[0035] 3 to 6, the GPS tracker 40 is disposed near the upper end of the front cover 11a. Below the front of the GPS tracker 40, the IVI unit 50 is disposed. The housing 51 of the IVI unit 50 forms the outer shape of the IVI unit 50. The outer shape of the IVI unit 50 (housing 51) is a flat rectangular parallelepiped with a reduced thickness dimension. The thickness direction is one of three mutually perpendicular directions, and the thickness dimension is smaller than the other two dimensions. The housing 51 of the IVI unit 50 is disposed upright with its thickness direction facing the vehicle's fore-and-aft direction. The housing 51 of the IVI unit 50 is disposed upright so that its front and rear surfaces 51a, 51b are perpendicular to the fore-and-aft direction (more specifically, so that the front surface 51a is slightly inclined upward). The housing 51 of the IVI unit 50 is disposed so that its upper and lower edges are aligned with the left-right direction and its left and right side edges are aligned with the up-and-down direction when viewed in the fore-and-aft direction. The IVI unit 50 houses a board (not shown) on which various electronic components are mounted within a housing 51. A heat dissipation opening 51a1 is formed on the front surface 51a of the housing 51 to improve the cooling performance of the board. Inside the housing 51, there are a communication battery 45, a TCU 43, an antenna 42, a control device, etc., but their locations are omitted (not shown).

[0036] A USB charger 27 is disposed on the left side of the GPS tracker 40. A main switch 29 is disposed on the lower right side of the GPS tracker 40. The USB charger 27 receives power from a sub-battery SB located under the floor. A main harness (not shown) is routed under the floor on the right side (right of the vehicle body center line CL). The sub-battery SB is connected to the main harness. A power supply line 27a extends from the main harness and extends upward along the right side of the front cover 11a. The power supply line 27a bends to the left at the top inside the front cover 11a, crosses the vehicle body center line CL, and is connected to the USB charger 27 on the left side of the vehicle body. The portion of the power supply line 27a that crosses the vehicle body center line CL is supported (fixed) via a harness clip 65c to a tracker stay 61 that supports the GPS tracker 40.

[0037] A horn 49, which is circular in front view, is disposed below and in front of the IVI unit 50. A headlight unit 19, which has a horizontally elongated lens surface, is disposed below and in front of the IVI unit 50. A cover support portion 19a, which supports the front body cover 16, is provided at the top of the housing of the headlight unit 19. A harness 40a extends rightward from the right side surface of the housing 41 of the GPS tracker 40. The harness 40a is connected to a main harness routed on the right side inside the front cover 11a.

[0038] A second GPS antenna 55, which is used during normal use of the motorcycle 1 (for example, when using car navigation), is disposed on the left side of the GPS tracker 40. A harness 55a of the second GPS antenna 55 extends leftward, then bends downward, and extends downward along the left side of the IVI unit 50.

[0039] <GPSトラッカ40> FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the area around the GPS tracker 40 inside the front body cover 16, as seen from above; FIG. 8 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 7 of the stay assembly 60 that supports the GPS tracker 40; FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX in FIG. 7 (cross-sectional view of the GPS tracker 40); and FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the area around the GPS tracker 40, as seen from below.

[0040] 7 to 10, the housing 41 of the GPS tracker 40 is divided, for example, in the vertical direction (thickness direction) into upper and lower case halves 46 and 47. A ventilation hole 48 is formed in the lower wall of the lower case half 47 to keep the pressure inside the housing 41 at approximately the same level as atmospheric pressure. A filter 48a is disposed inside the ventilation hole 48 to prevent foreign matter from entering.

[0041] The housing 41 of the GPS tracker 40 forms the outer shape of the GPS tracker 40. The outer shape of the GPS tracker 40 (housing 41) is a flat rectangular parallelepiped with a reduced dimension in the thickness direction. The thickness direction is one of three mutually orthogonal directions, and the dimension in this thickness direction is smaller than the dimensions in the other two directions. The housing 41 of the GPS tracker 40 is placed flat with the thickness direction facing the vertical direction of the vehicle. The housing 41 of the GPS tracker 40 is placed so that the top and bottom surfaces 41a, 41b are approximately horizontal, and the front and rear sides are aligned in the left-right direction in a plan view, and the left and right side edges are aligned in the front-to-rear direction.

[0042] The GPS tracker 40 is disposed so that the left-right center 41c of the housing 41 is located to the right of the left-right center CL of the vehicle body (opposite the side stand 7 in the left-right direction) when viewed from the top-bottom and front-to-back directions. In the embodiment, the left side of the housing 41 is disposed so as to overlap with the left-right center CL of the vehicle body when viewed from the top-bottom and front-to-back directions, but the entire housing 41 may be disposed to the right of the left-right center CL of the vehicle body.

[0043] When the motorcycle 1 is parked using the side stand 7, the right side of the vehicle body is higher in the vertical direction. Therefore, by offsetting the GPS tracker 40 to the right side of the vehicle body, the position of the GPS tracker 40 is raised when the motorcycle 1 is parked using the side stand 7, making it easier for the antenna 42 and the TCU 43 to send and receive radio waves.

[0044] The GPS tracker 40 is disposed with the top surface (antenna surface) 41a of the housing 41 close to the inner surface of the front cover 11a (see FIG. 3). This eliminates the space required for arranging other components between the antenna surface 41a and the inner surface of the front cover 11a, making it easier for the GPS tracker 40 to send and receive radio waves. In a plan view, the GPS tracker 40 is located behind the front license plate 17 and license plate stay 17a and does not overlap with them, making it less likely that radio waves will be obstructed by the front license plate 17 and license plate stay 17a.

[0045] <Stay assembly 60> 3 to 10, the GPS tracker 40 and the IVI unit 50 are supported by a stay assembly 60 that is fixed to the head pipe 21a from the front. That is, the GPS tracker 40 and the IVI unit 50 are fixed to the body frame 21 via the stay assembly 60. The stay assembly 60 includes a tracker stay 61 that is disposed along the underside 41b of the GPS tracker 40, and a unit stay 71 that is disposed along the rear side 51b of the IVI unit 50. Each stay 61, 71 is, for example, a one-piece molded product formed by pressing a steel plate into a predetermined shape.

[0046] The tracker stay 61 comprises a flat portion 62 arranged along a horizontal plane and extending in the left-right direction, a pair of inclined pieces 63L, 63R bending downward and extending from the left and right ends of the flat portion 62, a pair of fastening flanges 64L, 64R extending outward in the left-right direction from the lower ends of the inclined pieces 63L, 63R, a front support piece 65 extending forward from the front edge of the flat portion 62, and a rear support piece 66 extending rearward from the rear edge of the flat portion 62.

[0047] The flat portion 62 is disposed along the underside 41b of the GPS tracker 40. In a plan view, the flat portion 62 has a narrower front-to-rear width than the GPS tracker 40 and a horizontally elongated rectangular shape that is long in the left-right direction. The pair of inclined pieces 63L, 63R extend downward from the left and right ends of the flat portion 62, sloping downward so that the lower ends are positioned outward in the left-right direction. The pair of fastening flanges 64L, 64R are displaced downward in a stepped manner via the inclined pieces 63L, 63R relative to the flat portion 62 and are disposed along a common horizontal plane. The pair of fastening flanges 64L, 64R are fastened (fixed) to a pair of left and right upper end fastening flanges 73L, 73R of the unit stay 71 (described later) by bolts B1 extending along the vertical direction.

[0048] The flat portion 62 is positioned so that the center of its left-right length is located at the left-right center CL of the vehicle body. The GPS tracker 40 is positioned offset so that the center of its left-right width is located to the right of the left-right center CL of the vehicle body. That is, the GPS tracker 40 is positioned offset to the right in the left-right direction relative to the flat portion 62. The GPS tracker 40 is positioned offset so that the center of its front-to-rear width is located rearward of the center of the front-to-rear width of the flat portion 62. That is, the GPS tracker 40 is positioned offset rearward in the front-to-rear direction relative to the flat portion 62. Because the flat portion 62 does not overlap the entire surface of the GPS tracker 40 in a plan view, the tracker stay 61 is lighter, the heat dissipation of the GPS tracker 40 is improved, and radio waves transmitted to and received from the GPS tracker 40 are less likely to be obstructed.

[0049] A pair of oval openings 67, e.g., elongated in the left-right direction, are formed in the flat portion 62 at a location that overlaps with the GPS tracker 40 in a planar view. Each opening 67 is positioned to avoid overlapping with the breathing holes 48 of the GPS tracker 40 in a planar view. The bridge portions 68 left between the openings 67 overlap with the breathing holes 48 in a planar view, preventing water and other foreign matter from directly entering the breathing holes 48 from below. A predetermined gap is maintained between the flat portion 62 and the GPS tracker 40. Each opening 67 functions as a drainage hole that drains water and other foreign matter that has entered the gap between the flat portion 62 and the GPS tracker 40. Each opening 67 contributes to reducing the weight of the tracker stay 61, improving the heat dissipation of the GPS tracker 40, and preventing radio wave interference.

[0050] The front and rear support pieces 65, 66 extend forward and rearward, respectively, from the front and rear edges of the flat portion 62 at locations that overlap the GPS tracker 40 in a plan view. The front and rear support pieces 65, 66 are offset from one another in the left-right direction. Specifically, the front support piece 65 is positioned so that its left edge is adjacent to the vehicle body center CL in a plan view. The rear support piece 66 is positioned offset to the right of the front support piece 65 in a plan view. In the figure, reference numerals 65a, 66a indicate front and rear fastening portions provided on the front and rear support pieces 65, 66, respectively, and fasten the GPS tracker 40 with bolts B2, B3 extending in the vertical direction. Front and rear fixing portions 41d1, 41d2 protrude from the front and rear of the housing 41 of the GPS tracker 40, respectively, so as to overlap the front and rear fastening portions 65a, 66a in a plan view. The front and rear fastening portions 65a, 66a may be provided with a vibration-proof structure such as vibration-proof rubber. The front and rear fastening portions 65a, 66a (and the front and rear fixing portions 41d1, 41d2) are offset in the left-right direction so as not to overlap each other entirely. A harness support portion 65b is formed at the front end of the front support piece 65, extending further forward than the front fastening portions 65a, 66a.

[0051] The unit stay 71 is disposed in front of the head pipe 21a so as to straddle the vehicle body lateral center CL from side to side. The unit stay 71 includes a flat plate portion 72 formed along a vertical plane perpendicular to the front-rear direction, and a vertical plate portion 75 disposed behind the lateral center portion of the flat plate portion 72 with its thickness oriented in the lateral direction.

[0052] The flat plate portion 72 is disposed along the rear surface 51b of the IVI unit 50. The flat plate portion 72 forms an outer peripheral wall (reinforcement wall) 73 that stands rearward on its outer periphery when viewed in the front-to-rear direction. A pair of upper-end fastening flanges 73L, 73R are formed on both the left and right sides of the upper end of the outer peripheral wall 73. The upper-end fastening flanges 73L, 73R partially extend rearward so as to overlap with the pair of fastening flanges 64L, 64R of the tracker stay 61 in a plan view, and enable the pair of fastening flanges 64L, 64R to be fastened to each other.

[0053] The flat plate portion 72 has a plurality of openings 72a formed inside its rectangular outer shape, and a displacement portion 72b formed on the inside of the upper edge, which is displaced downward in the left-right direction. The upper and lower left and right sides of the flat plate portion 72 are provided with a total of four fastening portions 74 that fasten the IVI unit 50 with bolts B4 extending in the front-to-rear direction. The upper and lower left and right sides of the housing 51 of the IVI unit 50 are provided with a total of four front-to-rear fixing portions 51d that protrude, respectively, so as to overlap the fastening portions 74 in a plan view. Each fastening portion 74 may be provided with a vibration-proof structure such as vibration-proof rubber.

[0054] Forming multiple openings 72a and displacement portions 72b in the flat plate portion 72 along the rear surface 51b of the IVI unit 50 contributes to reducing the weight of the IVI unit 50 and improving heat dissipation, and forming displacement portion 72b on the upper edge portion on the GPS tracker 40 side that displaces away from the GPS tracker 40 makes it less likely to obstruct radio waves sent and received to the GPS tracker 40.

[0055] The vertical plate portion 75 is disposed at a position overlapping with the head pipe 21a in a front view. A mounting bracket 76 that protrudes forward is fixed to the front side of the head pipe 21a. A rear lower portion 75a of the vertical plate portion 75 is fastened (fixed) to the mounting bracket 76 with a plurality of bolts B5 that extend along the left-right direction.

[0056] When a load is input from the front of the vehicle to the front body cover 16, such as when an obstacle collides from the front of the vehicle, this load may be input from the front cover 11a to each unit. At this time, the load input to the front cover 11a transmits the load between the stays of the stay assembly 60. By making the connecting portions between the stays fragile portions that are easily deformed, the load is absorbed between the stays and damage to both units is suppressed. The connecting portions between the stays may be configured to be disconnected by the input of a load, for example. In this case, the load transmission between the stays is further suppressed, making it possible to suppress damage to both units.

[0057] As described above, the motorcycle 1 in the above embodiment is a saddle-ride type vehicle equipped with a location information transmitting device (GPS tracker 40) including a GPS receiving device (antenna 42) that identifies the location of the vehicle and a communication device (TCU 43) that transmits location information received by the antenna 42, and is equipped with a head pipe 21a located at the front end of the body frame 21, a front cover (front cover 11a) and a rear cover (inner cover 11b) that cover the head pipe 21a from the front and rear, and a side stand 7 that supports the vehicle body in an upright position tilted to the left, and the GPS tracker 40 is positioned between the front cover 11a and the inner cover 11b and is offset to the right of the center CL of the vehicle body.

[0058] According to this configuration, the GPS tracker 40, which transmits the vehicle's location information, is positioned within the body cover 11 to the right of the center CL of the vehicle body, achieving the following effects. Specifically, positioning the GPS tracker 40 within the body cover 11 suppresses disturbances to the GPS tracker 40 and improves security. Furthermore, in a saddle-type vehicle equipped with a side stand 7 that supports the vehicle body in an upright position tilted to the left, the right side of the vehicle body is higher in the vertical direction when parked using the side stand 7. Therefore, by positioning the GPS tracker 40 on the right side of the vehicle body, the position of the GPS tracker 40 is elevated when the side stand 7 is in use, making it easier to send and receive radio waves. This allows the GPS tracker 40 to maintain good communication conditions.

[0059] Furthermore, in the embodiment, by arranging the GPS tracker 40 at a height that overlaps with the head pipe 21a in the vertical direction of the vehicle, the GPS tracker 40 is less likely to get wet and its waterproofing can be improved. Furthermore, even if someone tries to intentionally disconnect the GPS tracker 40 through mischief or the like, by arranging the GPS tracker 40 inside the front body cover 16 and in front of the head pipe 21a, which is difficult to access from the outside, the theft prevention of the GPS tracker 40 can be improved.

[0060] In the motorcycle 1, a main harness is disposed offset to the right of the center CL of the vehicle body, and a harness 40a extends from the right side of the GPS tracker 40 to connect to the main harness. According to this configuration, a harness 40a extends from the right side of the GPS tracker 40, which is offset to the right side of the vehicle body, and this harness 40a is connected to the main harness routed on the right side of the vehicle body, thereby making it possible to shorten the harness 40a of the GPS tracker 40, which contributes to cost reduction and weight reduction.

[0061] The motorcycle 1 includes a tracker stay 61 fixed to the body frame 21, and the GPS tracker 40 is fixed to the tracker stay 61. According to this configuration, by fixing the GPS tracker 40 to the tracker stay 61 that is fixed to the vehicle body frame 21, the GPS tracker 40 can be stably supported and fixed by the dedicated tracker stay 61.

[0062] The motorcycle 1 includes a unit stay 71 that is fixed to the body frame 21 and that fixes the second electrical equipment (IVI unit 50), and the tracker stay 61 is fixed to the unit stay 71. According to this configuration, the tracker stay 61 is fixed to the unit stay 71, and thus the GPS tracker 40 is fixed to the vehicle body frame 21 via the tracker stay 61 and the unit stay 71. This makes it easier to fix the GPS tracker 40 and the IVI unit 50 in an installation state that is appropriate for each, and since the stays 61, 71 are separate from each other, assembly can be made easier. Furthermore, even if a load is input to either the GPS tracker 40 or the IVI unit 50 during a vehicle collision or the like, damage to the mounted components can be reduced by, for example, disconnecting the stays 61, 71 from each other.

[0063] In the motorcycle 1, the tracker stay 61 has a flat portion 62 that extends in the front-rear and left-right directions, and a pair of fastening flanges 64L, 64R located on both sides of the flat portion 62 in a first direction (left-right direction, longitudinal direction), and the GPS tracker 40 is fixed above the flat portion 62, and the tracker stay 61 is fixed to the unit stay 71 at the pair of fastening flanges 64L, 64R. According to this configuration, the GPS tracker 40 is fixed onto the horizontal flat portion 62 of the tracker stay 61, and the tracker stay 61 is fixed to the unit stay 71 by the fastening flanges 64L, 64R on both sides of the GPS tracker 40, thereby enabling the GPS tracker 40 to be stably fixed.

[0064] In the motorcycle 1, the flat portion 62 of the tracker stay 61 is located higher in the up-down direction than the pair of fastening flanges 64L, 64R. According to this configuration, by placing the GPS tracker 40 in a position as high as possible, the GPS tracker 40 can be placed in an advantageous position for transmitting and receiving radio waves.

[0065] In the motorcycle 1, the GPS tracker 40 includes a housing 41 that houses the antenna 42 and the TCU 43 and has a ventilation hole 48, the tracker stay 61 includes a flat portion 62 that follows the outer surface (lower surface 41b) of the housing 41 where the ventilation hole 48 opens, the GPS tracker 40 is fixed to the tracker stay 61 with the lower surface 41b of the housing 41 facing the flat portion 62, and the flat portion 62 forms an opening 67 that does not overlap with the ventilation hole 48 (avoiding the ventilation hole 48) when viewed from the normal direction. According to this configuration, the housing 41 of the GPS tracker 40 is provided with a breathing hole 48, the tracker stay 61 has a flat portion 62 facing the breathing hole 48 of the GPS tracker 40, and an opening 67 is formed in the flat portion 62 at a position that does not overlap with the breathing hole 48 when viewed in the normal direction, thereby making it possible to reduce the weight of the tracker stay 61 and drain water from the GPS tracker 40 side, and also preventing foreign matter such as water from entering the breathing hole 48 from the opening 67 side.

[0066] In the motorcycle 1, the tracker stay 61 includes a harness support portion 65b for fixing the harness 27a. According to this configuration, by providing the harness support portion 65b on the tracker stay 61, the harness inside the body cover 11 can be supported with a small number of parts, and the harness path can be fixed.

[0067] In the motorcycle 1, the license plate 17 is supported on the front side of the front cover 11a, and the GPS tracker 40 is positioned so as not to overlap the license plate 17 (avoiding the license plate 17) when viewed from above. According to this configuration, the GPS tracker 40 is positioned so as not to overlap with the front license plate 17, so that the front license plate 17 does not become an obstruction when the GPS tracker 40 transmits and receives radio waves, and the communication status of the GPS tracker 40 can be maintained in good condition.

[0068] The motorcycle 1 is provided with a second GPS receiving device (second antenna 55) that identifies the position of the vehicle separately from the GPS tracker 40, and the second antenna 55 is positioned offset to the left of the center CL of the vehicle body. According to this configuration, by providing the GPS tracker 40 including the security antenna 42 on the left side of the vehicle body and the second antenna 55 for car navigation on the right side of the vehicle body, it is possible to avoid interference between the GPS tracker 40 and the second antenna 55 and maintain good communication conditions for the security antenna 42, which is mainly used when the vehicle is stopped.

[0069] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, in the embodiment, the GPS tracker 40 is fixed to the tracker stay 61 in a horizontal position by a pair of left and right fixing bolts B1 along the vertical direction, but the arrangement and orientation of the fastening parts can vary. Furthermore, the arrangement of the GPS tracker 40 is not limited to being horizontal, and the antenna surface 41a may also be arranged at an angle. The configuration of this embodiment may be applied to saddle-ride type vehicles other than motorcycles. The saddle-ride type vehicle includes all vehicles on which a rider straddles the body, including not only motorcycles 1 (including motorized bicycles and scooter-type vehicles), but also three-wheeled vehicles (including vehicles with one front wheel and two rear wheels, as well as vehicles with two front wheels and one rear wheel) or four-wheeled vehicles (such as four-wheeled buggies). The configurations in the above-described embodiments are merely examples of the present invention, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention, such as replacing the components of the embodiments with well-known components. [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] 1. Motorcycles (saddle-type vehicles) 7 Side stand 11 Body cover 11a Front cover (front cover) 11b Inner cover (rear cover) 16 Front body cover 17 Front license plate (license plate) 21 Body frame 21a head pipe 27 USB Charger 27a Harness 40 GPS tracker (location information transmission device) 40a harness 41 Case 41a Antenna surface 41b Bottom surface (outside surface) 41c left and right center 42 Antenna (GPS receiver) 43 TCU (communication equipment) 48 Breathing hole 50 IVI unit (secondary electrical component) 55 Second Antenna 61 Tracker stay (first stay) 62 Flat area 64L, 64R Fastening flange (fastening part) 65b Harness support part 67 Aperture 71 Unit stay (second stay) CL Center of the body left and right

Claims

1. A saddle-ride type vehicle (1) equipped with a position information transmission device (40) including a GPS receiving device (42) that identifies the position of the vehicle and a communication device (43) that transmits position information received by the GPS receiving device (42), a head pipe (21a) located at the front end of the body frame (21); a front cover (11a) and a rear cover (11b) that cover the head pipe (21a) from the front and rear, The GPS receiver (42) is disposed between the front cover (11a) and the rear cover (11b), and A saddle-type vehicle characterized in that the seat is offset to the right of the center (CL) of the vehicle body.

2. 2. The saddle-ride type vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a side stand (7) for supporting the vehicle body in an upright position with the body tilted to the left.

3. The main harness is positioned offset to the right of the center (CL) of the vehicle body.

3. The saddle-ride type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a harness (40a) connected to the main harness extends from a right side of the position information transmission device (40).

4. a first stay (61) fixed to the body frame (21); 3. The saddle-ride type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the position information transmission device (40) is fixed to the first stay (61).

5. a second stay (71) fixed to the vehicle body frame (21) and for fixing a second electrical device (50); 5. The saddle-ride type vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the first stay (61) is fixed to the second stay (71).

6. The first stay (61) includes a flat portion (62) extending along the front-rear direction and the left-right direction, and a pair of fastening portions (64L, 64R) located on both sides of the flat portion (62) in the first direction, The location information transmission device (40) is fixed above the flat portion (62), 6. The saddle-ride type vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the first stay (61) is fixed to the second stay (71) at the pair of fastening portions (64L, 64R).

7. 7. The saddle-ride type vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the flat portion (62) of the first stay (61) is positioned higher in the up-down direction than the pair of fastening portions (64L, 64R).

8. The location information transmission device (40) includes a housing (41) that houses the GPS receiving device (42) and the communication device (43) and has a breathing hole (48), The first stay (61) has a flat portion (62) along an outer surface (41b) of the housing (41) where the breathing hole (48) opens, The location information transmission device (40) is fixed to the first stay (61) in a state where the outer surface of the housing (41) faces the flat portion (62), 5. The saddle-ride type vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the flat portion (62) has an opening (67) formed at a position that does not overlap with the breathing hole (48) when viewed from the normal direction.

9. 5. The saddle-ride type vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the first stay (61) is provided with a harness support portion (65b) for fixing a harness (27a).

10. A license plate (17) is supported on the front side of the front cover (11a), 3. The saddle-ride type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the location information transmission device (40) is disposed at a position that does not overlap with the license plate (17) in a top view.

11. a second GPS receiver (55) for identifying the position of the vehicle separately from the position information transmitter (40); 3. The saddle-ride type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the second GPS receiving device (55) is disposed offset to the left of the center (CL) of the vehicle body.

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