Lid structure

Abstract

To secure a work space inside a tray to improve workability.SOLUTION: A fuel tank or a battery is installed on a vehicle. A lid structure of the vehicle is provided with a tray (32) covering a circumference of an oil filler port of the fuel tank or of a connection port (27) of the battery and a lid (41) that opens and closes an opening of the tray exposing the oil filler port or the connection port. A recessed part (53) into which an opening end of the lid intrudes is formed at the opposite side across the tray and a bulkhead (54), and a protrusion part (62) protrudes from the bulkhead into the recessed part to lock the lid.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a lid structure. [Background technology]

[0002] Saddle-type vehicles and the like are known to be equipped with a fuel lid that covers the filler opening of a fuel tank (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The base end of the fuel lid described in Patent Document 1 is swingably supported on a fuel tray, and a hook piece is provided at the open end of the fuel lid. A protrusion of a locking mechanism protrudes inward from the edge of the opening of the fuel tray, and the fuel lid is locked when the hook piece of the fuel lid catches on the protrusion of the locking mechanism. Furthermore, the fuel lid is unlocked when the protrusion of the locking mechanism disengages from the hook piece of the fuel lid. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-175312 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The lid structure described in Patent Document 1 requires sufficient space on the fuel tray to prevent hands from touching the protruding parts when attaching or removing the fuel filler cap. However, even if sufficient space is provided on the fuel tray, hands may come into contact with the protruding parts of the locking mechanism that protrude from the edge of the opening of the fuel tray, making the work difficult. This type of problem also occurs when connecting an electrical connector to a connection port such as a charging port or power supply port.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has as its object to provide a lid structure that can secure a working space inside the tray and improve workability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the lid structure of the present invention is a lid structure for a vehicle equipped with a fuel tank or a battery, and comprises a tray that covers the area around the fuel filler port of the fuel tank or the connection port of the battery, and a lid that opens and closes the opening of the tray that exposes the fuel filler port or the connection port, and a recess into which the open end of the lid fits is formed on the opposite side of the tray and the partition, and a protrusion protrudes from the partition into the inside of the recess to lock the lid, thereby solving the above-mentioned problem. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one aspect of the lid structure of the present invention, a protrusion protrudes inside the recess on the opposite side of the partition wall from the tray, and the open end of the lid is locked by the protrusion outside the tray. Because the protrusion does not protrude inside the tray, the protrusion will not come into contact with the protrusion when attaching or detaching a fuel cap or connecting an electrical connector, improving workability. In addition, since the protrusion does not protrude inside the tray, a larger working space can be secured. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view of a saddle-ride type vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the lid structure of the present embodiment. [Figure 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view of the lid structure of FIG. 2 taken along line AA. [Figure 4] 1 is a view of the lid structure of the present embodiment as seen from the direction facing the lid. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are operation transition diagrams of the locking operation of the lid in the present embodiment.

[0009] A vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention is equipped with a fuel tank or a battery. In this vehicle lid structure, the periphery of the fuel tank's filler port or the battery connection port is covered by a tray, and the opening of the tray that exposes the filler port or the connection port is opened and closed by the lid. A recess into which the open end of the lid fits is formed on the opposite side of the tray and the partition wall, and a protrusion protrudes from the partition wall into the recess, locking the open end of the lid outside the tray. Because the protrusion does not protrude inside the tray, the worker's hands will not come into contact with the protrusion when attaching or detaching a fuel filler cap or connecting an electrical connector, improving workability. Furthermore, a larger work space can be secured since the protrusion does not protrude inside the tray. [Example]

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

[0011] As shown in Fig. 1, a saddle-type vehicle 1 is configured by attaching various covers to an underbone-type body frame (not shown) as the exterior of the vehicle body. A front cover 11 is provided at the front of the vehicle, and a front leg shield 12 that protects the rider's legs is provided behind the front cover 11. A floor board 13 extends rearward from the lower end of the front leg shield 12, and a body cover 14 and a pair of side covers 15 are provided behind the floor board 13. A seat 16 is provided above the side cover 15, and a battery 26 is housed below the seat 16.

[0012] A handlebar 21 is provided above the front cover 11, and a front wheel 23 is rotatably supported below the front cover 11 via a pair of front forks 22. A swing arm (not shown) with a motor (not shown) is provided below the side cover 15. The swing arm is swingably connected to the body frame, and a rear wheel 24 is rotatably supported at the rear of the swing arm. The left side of the swing arm is covered by a swing arm cover (not shown), and power is transmitted from the motor to the rear wheel 24 via a belt-type continuously variable transmission (not shown) inside the swing arm cover.

[0013] A tray 32 (see FIG. 2) that houses a charging port 27 (see FIG. 2) for a battery 26 is provided on the upper right side of the front leg shield 12. A lid 41 is connected to the lower edge of the opening of the tray 32 so as to be able to open downward, and exposure of the charging port 27 is reduced by closing the opening of the lid 41. In this lid structure 30, a locking mechanism 61 (see FIG. 3) is installed above the tray 32, and the locking mechanism 61 is provided with a locking pin that latches the open end of the lid 41. The lid 41 is locked by being latched onto the locking pin, and is unlocked by removing the lid 41 from the locking pin.

[0014] Incidentally, the lock pin of a typical locking mechanism protrudes inside the tray. Taking into consideration the possibility of reaching inside the tray when connecting an electrical connector to a charging port, a large space is provided in the tray to prevent the lock pin from coming into contact with the hand. However, even if the tray has a large space, there is a possibility that the lock pin protruding inward from the tray may come into contact with the hand. Therefore, in this embodiment, a recess is provided on the outside of the tray into which the open end of the lid fits, and the lid is locked on the outside of the tray by a lock pin protruding inside this recess.

[0015] The lid structure of a saddle-ride type vehicle will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. Figure 2 is a rear view of the lid structure of this embodiment. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the lid structure of Figure 2 taken along line AA.

[0016] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the upper right side of the front leg shield 12 is recessed in a stepped shape, and the bottom surface of this step 31 is recessed forward to form a tray 32. A charging port 27 protrudes from the inner bottom surface 33 of the tray 32, and a waterproof cap 28 is removably attached to the charging port 27. A battery cable extends from the charging port 27 toward a battery 26 (see Figure 1) at the rear of the vehicle, and the charging port 27 is connected to the battery 26 via the battery cable. The battery 26 is charged when an electrical connector of an external power source is connected to the charging port 27. The periphery of the charging port 27 is covered by the tray 32, preventing foreign matter such as sand and dust from entering the vehicle body.

[0017] The waterproof cap 28 (charging port 27) is exposed rearward from the opening of the tray 32, and a lid 41 is provided on the underside of the tray 32 to cover the opening of the tray 32 from behind. The lid 41 is connected to the front leg shield 12 on the underside of the tray 32 so as to be able to open downward. The lid 41 has a lid main body 42 that corresponds to the outer edge shape of the recess in the step portion 31, and a lid cover 43 that is provided on the back surface of the lid main body 42. A pair of lid arms 44 extend in a C-shape from the bottom of the lid main body 42, and the tips of the pair of lid arms 44 are connected to the front leg shield 12 via a rotation shaft 45.

[0018] The lid 41 swings up and down around a rotation shaft 45 as a fulcrum between an upright position that covers the tray 32 and a reclined position that opens the tray 32. When the lid 41 is closed, the lid 41 is locked in the upright position by a lock pin 62 of a locking mechanism 61. The tray 32 and charging port 27 are covered by a lid cover 43, improving the design. When the lid 41 is open, a restricting piece (not shown) of the lid 41 is hooked onto the front leg shield 12, supporting the lid 41 in the reclined position. Because the lid 41 is reclined below the opening of the tray 32, the waterproof cap 28 is completely exposed from the opening of the tray 32 when viewed from the rear, making it easy to attach and remove.

[0019] Furthermore, a protrusion 46 protrudes from the open end side of the lid body 42, and the protrusion 46 protrudes in a direction substantially perpendicular to the flat surface of the lid body 42. When the lid 41 is in the open state, the tip of the protrusion 46 faces upward, and a slope 47 is formed that slopes downward from the tip of the protrusion 46 and is inclined forward (toward the back of the paper in FIG. 2). When the lid 41 is in the open state, one side of the protrusion 46 faces backward (toward the front of the paper in FIG. 2), and a lock hole 48 is formed in one side of the protrusion 46, into which a lock pin 62 of a locking mechanism 61 is inserted. The base end side of the protrusion 46 is formed thicker, thereby increasing the rigidity of the protrusion 46.

[0020] Furthermore, an opening 51 that is generally trapezoidal in rear view is formed above the tray 32 in the step 31 of the front leg shield 12. An inner member 52 is installed inside the front leg shield 12, and the inner member 52 is exposed from the generally trapezoidal opening 51 in the step 31 of the front leg shield 12. The inner member 52 is provided with a recess 53 into which the protrusion 46 on the open end side of the lid 41 fits. A partition wall 54 is formed by the upper wall of the tray 32 and the lower wall of the recess 53, and the partition wall 54 separates the internal space of the tray 32 from the internal space of the recess 53 into upper and lower spaces. In this way, the recess 53 is positioned on the opposite side of the tray 32 with the partition wall 54 in between.

[0021] A main body 63 of the locking mechanism 61 is installed inside the partition wall 54. The tray 32 and the recessed portion 53 are separated by the partition wall 54, and the main body 63 of the locking mechanism 61 is housed in the dead space inside the partition wall 54. The base end of a locking pin 62 fits into the main body 63 of the locking mechanism 61, and the locking pin 62 protrudes from the partition wall 54 so as to be able to sink into the inside of the recessed portion 53. The locking pin 62 is pushed in the protruding direction by a torsion spring (not shown). When the lid 41 is in the closed state, the locking pin 62 fits into the locking hole 48 of the lid 41, thereby locking the lid 41.

[0022] A key cylinder or the like is connected to the locking mechanism 61 via a cable (not shown). The locking pin 62 is pulled out of the locking hole 48 of the lid 41 by operating the cable, thereby unlocking the lid 41. When the lid 41 is unlocked, the lid 41 opens downward due to its own weight. In this way, in the lid structure 30 of this embodiment, the lid 41 is locked on the outside of the tray 32 by the locking mechanism 61. Because the locking pin 62 does not protrude into the inside of the tray 32, the locking pin 62 cannot be touched by hand when connecting an electrical connector to the charging port 27 inside the tray 32.

[0023] The lid structure 30 will now be described in detail. As shown in FIG. 3, the lock pin 62 is located above the upper wall of the tray 32, and the rotation axis 45 of the lid 41 is located below the lower wall of the tray 32. In other words, the lock pin 62 of the locking mechanism 61 is located on the opposite side of the tray 32 from the rotation axis 45 of the lid 41. Because the lock pin 62 is located at the position farthest from the rotation axis 45 of the lid 41, the lock pin 62 tightly locks the lid 41 in the closed state, making it difficult to pry open the lid 41. Note that the opposite side does not have to be exactly the opposite, as long as the lock pin 62 is sufficiently far from the rotation axis 45.

[0024] The inner peripheral surface of tray 32 is formed so as to narrow from the opening of tray 32 toward charging port 27. The upper wall of tray 32 is inclined so as to become lower toward the front, and the lower wall of tray 32 is inclined so as to become slightly lower toward the front. In this embodiment, the upper wall of tray 32 is inclined downward by 17 degrees from the horizontal, and the lower wall of tray 32 is inclined downward by 3 degrees from the horizontal. The center line L1 of charging port 27 is inclined by 3 degrees so as to be parallel to the lower wall of tray 32. The inner peripheral surface of tray 32 functions as a guide surface, making it easier to connect the electrical connector to charging port 27.

[0025] As described above, main body 63 of locking mechanism 61 is housed inside partition 54. Partition 54 is formed by the upper wall of tray 32 and the lower wall of recess 53, and main body 63 of locking mechanism 61 is housed in a hollow space that is triangular in side view between the upper wall of tray 32 and the lower wall of recess 53. In this case, main body 63 of locking mechanism 61 is located closer to charging port 27 than the upper edge 34 of the opening of tray 32, and the lower end of main body 63 is positioned lower than the upper edge 34 of the opening of tray 32. By bringing main body 63 of locking mechanism 61 close to tray 32, locking mechanism 61 and tray 32 are installed compactly.

[0026] The partition wall 54 is formed so that its wall thickness increases from the tip to the base end. The upper wall of the tray 32 is inclined so that it becomes lower toward the front, and the lower wall of the recessed portion 53 is inclined so that it becomes higher toward the front. The upper wall of the tray 32 is inclined downward at 17 degrees from the horizontal plane, and the lower wall of the recessed portion 53 is inclined upward at 15 degrees from the horizontal plane. The gap between the upper wall of the tray 32 and the lower wall of the recessed portion 53 widens toward the front, ensuring space for installing the main body 63 of the locking mechanism 61 inside the partition wall 54. The inclination of the upper wall of the tray 32 widens the opening of the tray 32, improving the workability of connecting the electrical connector.

[0027] The locking operation of the lid will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. Figure 4 is a view of the lid structure of this embodiment as seen from the direction facing the lid. Figure 5 is a transition diagram of the locking operation of the lid of this embodiment.

[0028] 4 and 5(A), when the lid 41 is in the downward-opened state, the opening of the tray 32 is open and the charging port 27 (waterproof cap 28) faces rearward. A partition wall 54 is provided on the upper side of the tray 32, and a locking mechanism 61 is installed in the partition wall 54. A recess 53 is provided on the upper side of the partition wall 54, and a locking pin 62 of the locking mechanism 61 protrudes from the partition wall 54 into the recess 53. As described above, because the locking pin 62 does not protrude into the inside of the tray 32, the locking pin 62 will not hit the worker's hand or the electrical connector when connecting the electrical connector, and the connection work will not be hindered.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 5(B), when the lid 41 is lifted from its downward-open state, the lock pin 62 is pushed in the retracting direction by the slope 47 of the protrusion 46 of the lid 41, and the protrusion 46 enters the recess 53. When the lid 41 is completely closed, the lock pin 62 disengages from the slope 47 of the protrusion 46 and enters the lock hole 48 of the protrusion 46. The protrusion 46 is hooked by the lock pin 62, and the lid 41 is locked in the closed state. Because the lock pin 62 is sufficiently far from the rotation axis 45 of the lid 41, the lid 41 is tightly locked by the lock pin 62, making it difficult to pry open.

[0030] As described above, according to the lid structure 30 for the saddle-ride type vehicle 1 of this embodiment, the lock pin 62 protrudes inside the recess 53 on the opposite side of the tray 32 across the partition wall 54, and the protrusion 46 of the lid 41 is locked by the lock pin 62 on the outside of the tray 32. Because the lock pin 62 does not protrude inside the tray 32, the lock pin 62 will not come into contact with the worker's hands when connecting the electrical connector, improving workability. Furthermore, since the lock pin 62 does not protrude inside the tray 32, a larger work space can be secured.

[0031] In this embodiment, the lid is formed to be able to open downward, but the lid may be formed to be able to open upward or sideways. For example, if the lid is formed to be able to open upward, a recess is provided below the tray, if the lid is formed to be able to open right, a recess is provided on the left side of the tray, and if the lid is formed to be able to open left, a recess is provided on the right side of the tray.

[0032] In this embodiment, the partition wall is provided with a locking mechanism, but the lid may also be provided with a locking mechanism. For example, a protrusion may protrude from the partition wall toward the inside of the recess, and the lid's locking mechanism may be provided with a movable hook. In this case, the lid is locked in the closed state by the movable hook catching on the protrusion.

[0033] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a battery is installed in the saddle-ride type vehicle, but a fuel tank may also be installed in the saddle-ride type vehicle. In this case, the periphery of the filler opening of the fuel tank is covered by a tray, and the opening of the tray exposing the filler opening is covered by a lid. Even in a configuration in which a fuel tank is installed instead of a battery, the lock pin is less likely to be struck by the operator's hand during refueling, improving workability. Note that the fuel tank is not limited to storing fuel oil, and other fuels such as hydrogen may also be stored.

[0034] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the battery connection port is a charging port such as a charging receptacle terminal, but the battery connection port may be a power supply port such as a power supply socket terminal.

[0035] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the tray is formed on the front leg shield and the recess is formed by the inner member, but both the tray and the recess may be formed on the front leg shield, or both the tray and the recess may be formed on the inner member.

[0036] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the partition wall is formed by the front leg shield and the inner member, but the partition wall may be formed on either the front leg shield or the inner member.

[0037] Furthermore, the lid structure of this embodiment is not limited to the saddle-ride type vehicle described above, and may be employed in other vehicles such as four-wheeled automobiles, etc. Note that the saddle-ride type vehicle is not limited to all vehicles in which the driver rides in a straddling position on the seat, but also includes scooter-type vehicles in which the driver rides without straddling the seat.

[0038] As described above, the first aspect is a lid structure (30) for a vehicle (saddle-type vehicle 1) equipped with a fuel tank or a battery (26). The lid structure (30) includes a tray (32) that covers the periphery of the fuel tank's filler port or battery connection port (charging port 27) and a lid (41) that opens and closes the opening of the tray that exposes the filler port or battery connection port. A recess (53) into which the open end of the lid fits is formed on the opposite side of the tray across a partition wall (54). A protrusion (lock pin 62) protrudes from the partition wall into the recess to lock the lid. With this configuration, the protrusion protrudes into the recess on the opposite side of the partition wall from the tray, and the open end of the lid is locked by the protrusion on the outside of the tray. Because the protrusion does not protrude into the inside of the tray, the worker's hands will not come into contact with the protrusion when attaching or detaching a fuel filler cap or connecting an electrical connector, improving workability. Furthermore, since the protrusion does not protrude into the inside of the tray, a larger work space can be secured.

[0039] In the second embodiment, the protrusion is located on the opposite side of the tray from the lid rotation axis (45) in the first embodiment. With this configuration, the protrusion is located at the farthest position from the lid rotation axis, so the protrusion tightly locks the lid in the closed state, making it difficult to pry open the lid.

[0040] In a third aspect, in the first or second aspect, the inner peripheral surface of the tray is formed so as to narrow from the opening of the tray toward the fuel filler port or the connection port. With this configuration, the inner peripheral surface of the tray acts as a guide surface, making it easy to connect the fuel filler nozzle or the electrical connector to the fuel filler port or the connection port.

[0041] A fourth aspect is any one of the first to third aspects, further comprising a locking mechanism (61) that locks the lid in the closed state using a protrusion, and a main body (63) of the locking mechanism is installed inside the partition wall. With this configuration, the tray and the recess are separated by the partition wall, but the dead space inside the partition wall can be used to accommodate the main body of the locking mechanism.

[0042] In the fifth aspect, the main body of the locking mechanism is positioned closer to the fuel filler port or the connection port than the opening edge (upper edge 34) of the tray in the fourth aspect. This configuration allows the locking mechanism and the tray to be installed compactly.

[0043] In a sixth aspect, in the fourth or fifth aspect, the partition wall is formed so that its thickness increases from the tip end to the base end. With this configuration, it is possible to ensure an installation space for the main body of the locking mechanism inside the partition wall, while widening the opening of the tray to improve the operability of attaching and detaching the fuel filler cap and connecting the electrical connector.

[0044] Although the present embodiment has been described, other embodiments may be made by combining the above-described embodiments and modifications in whole or in part.

[0045] Furthermore, the technology of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes, substitutions, and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the technical idea. Furthermore, if the technical idea can be realized in a different way due to technological advances or other derived technologies, it may be implemented using that method. Therefore, the claims cover all embodiments that may fall within the scope of the technical idea. [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 1: Saddle-type vehicle (vehicle) 26: Battery 27: Charging port (connection port) 30: Lid structure 32: Tray 34: Upper edge (tray opening edge) 41: Lid 45: Rotation axis 53: Recess 54: Bulkhead 61: Locking mechanism 62: Lock pin (protrusion) 63: Main body of locking mechanism

Claims

1. A lid structure for a vehicle in which a fuel tank or a battery is installed, a tray that covers the periphery of the fuel filler port of the fuel tank or the connection port of the battery; a lid that opens and closes an opening of the tray that exposes the fuel fill port or the connection port, A lid structure characterized in that a recess into which the open end of the lid fits is formed on the opposite side of the tray and the partition, and a protrusion protrudes from the partition into the inside of the recess to lock the lid.

2. 2. The lid structure according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion is located on the opposite side of the tray from the rotation axis of the lid.

3. 3. The lid structure according to claim 1, wherein an inner peripheral surface of the tray is formed so as to narrow from the opening of the tray toward the fuel filler port or the connection port.

4. a locking mechanism that locks the lid in a closed state using the protrusion, 3. The lid structure according to claim 1, wherein a main body of the locking mechanism is disposed inside the partition wall.

5. 5. The lid structure according to claim 4, wherein a main body of the locking mechanism is positioned closer to the fuel filler port or the connection port than an opening edge of the tray.

6. 5. The lid structure according to claim 4, wherein the partition wall is formed so that the wall thickness increases from the tip end to the base end.

Images