Saddle-type vehicle

Abstract

The present invention provides a saddle-type vehicle that prevents the vehicle from becoming excessively large and allows outside observers to identify it as a saddle-type vehicle. [Solution] The vehicle is equipped with a plurality of reflectors (30, 50) that reflect light backward. The reflectors (30, 50) include mirror reflectors (30) provided on each of a pair of left and right mirrors, and a rear fender reflector (50) provided on the rear fender that covers the rear upper part. The mirror reflector (30) has vertically extending portions that extend in the vertical direction, and the rear fender reflector (50) has two vertically extending portions that extend in the vertical direction, and in a view from the rear of the vehicle, the vertically extending portions of the mirror reflector (30) and the vertically extending portions of the rear fender reflector (50) are oriented in the same direction on the left and right sides, respectively.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a saddle-type vehicle, and more particularly to a saddle-type vehicle provided with a reflector that reflects light outward.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, various techniques have been known to make it easier for external viewers to recognize the presence of vehicles such as motorcycles and to distinguish the types of vehicles.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for making it easier for external viewers to identify that a vehicle is a motorcycle by attaching a plurality of self-luminous markers using infrared LEDs to the front and rear of the motorcycle. In addition, a method of making it easier for rear viewers to identify that a vehicle is a large four-wheeled vehicle by arranging reflectors in a square shape on the rear surface of the loading platform of a large four-wheeled vehicle is also known.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, techniques such as adding a plurality of LEDs or increasing the size of a lighting device as in the technique of Patent Document 1 have problems of causing an increase in the size of the vehicle body and an increase in power consumption. In addition, there is still room for improvement in techniques for enabling external viewers to distinguish that the vehicle is a saddle-type vehicle rather than a four-wheeled vehicle or the like.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the above-mentioned conventional techniques, prevent an increase in the size of the vehicle body, and provide a saddle-type vehicle that can enable external viewers to distinguish that the vehicle is a saddle-type vehicle.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a saddle-type vehicle (1,80) having a pair of left and right mirrors (3,83) and an outer cover (4,5,11,13,14,82,84,99,101,97,95) fixed to the vehicle body frame (F), wherein the vehicle is equipped with a plurality of reflectors (30,50) that reflect light backward, and the reflectors (30,50) include a mirror reflector (30) provided on each of the left and right mirrors (3,83) and the outer cover (4,5,11,13,14,82,84,99, The mirror reflector (30) includes an outer cover reflector (50) provided on 101, 97, 95), the mirror reflector (30) has an upper and lower extension portion (30UL) that extends in the vertical direction, and the outer cover reflector (50) has two upper and lower extension portions (50UL) that extend in the vertical direction, and the first feature is that, in a view from the rear of the vehicle, the upper and lower extension portions (30UL) of the mirror reflector (30) and the upper and lower extension portions (50UL) of the outer cover reflector (50) are oriented in the same direction on the left and right sides, respectively.

[0008] Furthermore, the outer cover (4, 5, 11, 13, 14, 82, 84, 99, 101, 97, 95) includes at least the rear fender (14, 95), and the outer cover reflector (50) is a rear fender reflector (50) provided at the lower end of the rear fender (14, 95). The second feature is that, in a view from the rear of the vehicle, the vertical extension portion (50UL) of the rear fender reflector (50) extends toward the vertical extension portion (30UL) of the mirror reflector (30).

[0009] Furthermore, the outer cover (4, 5, 11, 13, 14, 82, 84, 99, 101, 97, 95) includes at least a rear cowl (13, 97), and in a view from the rear of the vehicle, an intermediate reflector (40) that reflects light backward is provided at a position between the pair of left and right mirror reflectors (30) and the rear fender reflector (50). The intermediate reflector (40) is attached to the rear cowl (13, 97) and has an upper and lower extension portion (40UL) that extends vertically, and in a view from the rear of the vehicle, the upper and lower extension portion (40UL) of the intermediate reflector (40) is oriented in the same direction as the upper and lower extension portion (30UL) of the mirror reflector (30) and the upper and lower extension portion (50UL) of the rear fender reflector (50), which is a third feature.

[0010] Furthermore, a fourth feature is that, at a predetermined distance rearward from the saddle-type vehicle (1), the vertical extension portion (30UL) of the mirror reflector (30), the vertical extension portion (40UL) of the intermediate reflector (40), and the vertical extension portion (50UL) of the rear fender reflector (50) are visible aligned in a straight line.

[0011] Furthermore, the mirror reflector (30) has left and right extensions (30LR) that extend in the left and right direction, and the left and right extensions (30LR) of the pair of left and right mirror reflectors (30) are aligned in a straight line with each other and extend inward in the vehicle width direction from the upper end of the upper and lower extension (30UL) of the mirror reflector (30). The rear fender reflector (50) has left and right extensions (50LR) that extend in the left and right direction, and the upper and lower extensions (50UL) of the rear fender reflector (50) extend upward from both ends of the left and right extensions (50LR) of the rear fender reflector (50), which is a fifth feature.

[0012] Furthermore, a sixth feature is that, in a side view of the vehicle, the intermediate reflector (40) is located behind the driver (H) of the saddle-type vehicle (1, 80).

[0013] Furthermore, the seventh feature is that the mirror (3,83) includes a mirror member (3b) and a housing (3a) that covers the periphery of the mirror member (3b) and supports the mirror member (3b), and the mirror reflector (30) is disposed on the upper part of the housing (3a).

[0014] Furthermore, the pair of left and right mirrors (3, 83) are provided with front mirror reflectors (60) that reflect light forward, and the outer cover (4, 5, 11, 13, 14, 82, 84, 99, 101, 97, 95) includes an under cowl (11, 101) positioned towards the front and lower part of the saddle-type vehicle (1, 80), and the under cowl (11, 101) is provided with a pair of left and right under cowl reflectors (70) that reflect light forward, and the eighth feature is that the distance between the pair of left and right front mirror reflectors (60) is longer than the distance between the pair of left and right under cowl reflectors (70).

[0015] Furthermore, a ninth feature is that the mirror (3,83) is provided with angle adjustment members (35,37) for adjusting the angle of the mirror reflector (30).

[0016] Furthermore, a tenth feature is that the mirror (3,83) is provided with angle adjustment members (65,67) for adjusting the angle of the front mirror reflector (60). [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the first feature, in a saddle-type vehicle (1,80) having a pair of left and right mirrors (3,83) and an outer cover (4,5,11,13,14,82,84,99,101,97,95) fixed to the vehicle frame (F), the vehicle is equipped with a plurality of reflectors (30,50) that reflect light backward, and the reflectors (30,50) include a mirror reflector (30) provided on each of the left and right mirrors (3,83) and an outer cover reflector (50) provided on the outer cover (4,5,11,13,14,82,84,99,101,97,95), and the mirror reflector (30) has an upper and lower extension portion (30) that extends in the vertical direction The outer cover reflector (50) has two vertically extending portions (50UL) that extend in the vertical direction, and in a view from the rear of the vehicle, the vertically extending portions (30UL) of the mirror reflector (30) and the vertically extending portions (50UL) of the outer cover reflector (50) are oriented in the same direction on the left and right sides, respectively. By providing reflectors that reflect light backward on the mirror, which is located higher up on the saddle-type vehicle, and on the rear fender, which is located lower down on the saddle-type vehicle, it becomes possible to make the presence of the saddle-type vehicle more easily recognizable to a viewer from behind compared to when only standard lighting equipment is provided. Furthermore, by having a mirror reflector positioned towards the upper part of the vehicle body and a rear fender reflector positioned towards the lower part of the vehicle body, the vehicle appears to have a larger vertical dimension to those viewing it from behind, and evokes the image of an inverted triangle with its apex at the bottom, making it easy to identify the vehicle as a motorcycle or similar vehicle rather than a four-wheeled vehicle. In addition, by improving visibility from the rear without increasing the size of the lighting equipment, it becomes possible to miniaturize the vehicle.

[0018] According to the second feature, the outer cover (4, 5, 11, 13, 14, 82, 84, 99, 101, 97, 95) includes at least the rear fender (14, 95), and the outer cover reflector (50) is a rear fender reflector (50) provided at the lower end of the rear fender (14, 95). In a view from the rear of the vehicle, the vertical extension (50UL) of the rear fender reflector (50) extends toward the vertical extension (30UL) of the mirror reflector (30). By providing the rear fender reflector at the lower end of the rear fender, the distance between it and the mirror reflector is increased, making it possible to give the impression of a larger vertical dimension of the saddle-type vehicle to a viewer from behind. Furthermore, the mirror reflector and rear fender reflector make it even easier to recall that the reflected light forms part of an inverted triangle.

[0019] According to the third feature, the outer cover (4, 5, 11, 13, 14, 82, 84, 99, 101, 97, 95) includes at least a rear cowl (13, 97), and in a view from the rear of the vehicle, an intermediate reflector (40) that reflects light backward is provided at a position between the pair of left and right mirror reflectors (30) and the rear fender reflector (50), and the intermediate reflector (40) is attached to the rear cowl (13, 97) and extends in the vertical direction. The intermediate reflector (40) has an extendable upper and lower extension portion (40UL), and in a view from the rear of the vehicle, the upper and lower extension portion (40UL) of the intermediate reflector (40) is oriented in the same direction as the upper and lower extension portion (30UL) of the mirror reflector (30) and the upper and lower extension portion (50UL) of the rear fender reflector (50). By arranging the intermediate reflector between the mirror reflector and the rear fender reflector, it becomes even easier to recall that the reflected light forms part of an inverted triangle.

[0020] According to the fourth feature, at a predetermined distance rearward from the saddle-type vehicle (1), the vertical extension portion (30UL) of the mirror reflector (30), the vertical extension portion (40UL) of the intermediate reflector (40), and the vertical extension portion (50UL) of the rear fender reflector (50) are aligned in a straight line and visible, making it easier for a viewer from behind to recall that the reflected light from the reflectors forms an inverted triangle.

[0021] According to the fifth feature, the mirror reflector (30) has left and right extensions (30LR) that extend in the left and right direction, and the left and right extensions (30LR) of the pair of left and right mirror reflectors (30) are aligned in a straight line with each other and extend inward in the vehicle width direction from the upper end of the upper and lower extension (30UL) of the mirror reflector (30). The rear fender reflector (50) has left and right extensions (50LR) that extend in the left and right direction, and the upper and lower extensions (50UL) of the rear fender reflector (50) extend upward from both ends of the left and right extensions (50LR) of the rear fender reflector (50). As a result, the reflective parts of the mirror reflector and the reflective parts of the rear fender reflector each form a roughly V shape as a whole, making it even easier to recall that the reflected light as a whole forms an inverted triangle.

[0022] According to the sixth feature, in a side view of the vehicle, the intermediate reflector (40) is located behind the driver (H) of the saddle-type vehicle (1, 80), so that the reflector can be compactly arranged in the saddle-type vehicle while preventing the reflected light from the intermediate reflector from being blocked by the driver.

[0023] According to the seventh feature, the mirror (3,83) includes a mirror member (3b) and a housing (3a) that covers the periphery of the mirror member (3b) and supports the mirror member (3b), and the mirror reflector (30) is disposed on the upper part of the housing (3a), so that rearward visibility is ensured by the mirror while making the size of the saddle-type vehicle appear larger.

[0024] According to the eighth feature, a front mirror reflector (60) for reflecting light forward is provided on the pair of left and right mirrors (3, 83), and the outer shape covers (4, 5, 11, 13, 14, 82, 84, 99, 101, 97, 95) include an under cowl (11, 101) disposed at a position closer to the lower front of the saddle-type vehicle (1, 80). A pair of left and right under cowl reflectors (70) for reflecting light forward are provided on the under cowl (11, 101). Since the distance between the pair of left and right front mirror reflectors (60) is longer than the distance between the pair of left and right under cowl reflectors (70), it is possible to make a viewer from the front feel that the size of the saddle-type vehicle is larger by the reflected light of the front mirror reflector and the under cowl reflector. Also, by configuring the reflected light whose dimension in the vehicle width direction becomes narrower as it goes downward, it is possible to identify that the vehicle is a motorcycle or the like rather than a four-wheeled vehicle or the like.

[0025] According to the ninth feature, an angle adjustment member (35, 37) for adjusting the angle of the mirror reflector (30) is provided on the mirror (3, 83). Therefore, even when the angle of the housing is changed by adjusting the angle of the mirror, it is possible to adjust the mirror reflector to an appropriate angle.

[0026] According to the tenth feature, an angle adjustment member (65, 67) for adjusting the angle of the front mirror reflector (60) is provided on the mirror (3, 83). Therefore, even when the angle of the housing is changed by adjusting the angle of the mirror, it is possible to adjust the mirror reflector to an appropriate angle.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0027] [Figure 1] It is a left side view of a motorcycle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a front view of a motorcycle. [Figure 3] It is a rear view of a motorcycle. [Figure 4] It is an enlarged rear view of a mirror reflector. [Figure 5] This is an enlarged rear view of the intermediate reflector. [Figure 6] This is a close-up rear view of the rear fender reflector. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view of a motorcycle from the front left. [Figure 8] This is a rear view showing how a motorcycle looks in the dark. [Figure 9] This is a left side view of a modified motorcycle according to the present invention. [Figure 10] This is a front view of a modified motorcycle according to the present invention. [Figure 11] This is a rear view of a motorcycle. [Figure 12] This is a schematic plan view showing the reflector angle adjustment mechanism. [Figure 13] This is a schematic plan view showing a modified reflector angle adjustment mechanism. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0028] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a left side view of a motorcycle 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a front view of the motorcycle 1, and Figure 3 is a rear view of the motorcycle 1.

[0029] Motorcycle 1 is a scooter-type saddle-type vehicle with a low floor 10 between the steering handle 2 and the seat 20 on which the driver H rests their feet. A head pipe F1 is fixed to the front end of the main frame F2 that constitutes the vehicle frame F, and pivotally supports a steering stem (not shown). The steering handle 2 and bottom bridge 6 are fixed above and below the steering stem. A pair of rearview mirrors (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as mirrors) 3 are attached to the steering handle 2. A pair of front forks 8 are fixed to the bottom bridge 6, pivotally supporting the front wheel WF. A front fender 9 is attached to the front upper part of the front wheel WF, which is covered above the front of the front wheel WF.

[0030] At the rear end of the underframe F3, which is connected to the lower end of the mainframe F2 and extends rearward, there is a pivot 12 that pivots a unit-swing type power unit P so that it can swing up and down. The rear of the power unit P, which integrates the internal combustion engine and the transmission, is suspended from the rear frame F4 by a pair of left and right rear cushions 19. The rear wheel WR, which serves as the drive wheel, is pivotally supported at the rear end of the power unit P. The combustion gases from the power unit P are discharged from the muffler 21 on the right side in the vehicle width direction. The power unit P may also be configured as an integrated motor and transmission.

[0031] The front of the head pipe F1 is covered by a front cowl 5 that supports the headlight 7 and windscreen 4. An under cowl 11 covering the left and right sides of the under frame F3 is connected to the lower rear of the front cowl 5. A rear cowl 13 covering the left and right sides of the rear frame F4 is connected to the upper rear of the under cowl 11. A taillight device 18 is supported at the rear of the rear cowl 13. Inside the outer lens of the taillight device 18 are an upper light-emitting section 18a and a lower light-emitting section 18b that extend in the vehicle width direction and emit light from a light source such as an LED. Below the taillight device 18 is a rear fender 14 that covers the upper rear of the rear wheel WR. A license plate light 17, a standard reflector 16, and a license plate 15 are mounted on the rear fender 14. The windscreen 4, front cowl 5, under cowl 11, rear cowl 13, and rear fender 14 are each directly or indirectly fixed to the vehicle frame F, and may be collectively referred to as the outer cover.

[0032] The motorcycle 1 according to this embodiment is characterized by the placement of multiple reflectors at predetermined positions to make the presence of the motorcycle 1 easily recognizable to observers from the outside, and to make it easy to identify that the vehicle is a motorcycle and not a four-wheeled vehicle. Specifically, for observers from the front, a front mirror reflector 60 is provided on the mirror 3, and an under cowl reflector 70 is provided on the under cowl 11, configured to reflect white light forward. On the other hand, for observers from the rear, a mirror reflector 30 is provided on the mirror 3, a rear fender reflector 50 is provided on the rear fender 14, and an intermediate reflector 40 is provided on the rear cowl 13, configured to reflect red light backward. Each reflector can be made of a thin plate-shaped corner reflector or a reflective sheet that enables retroreflection.

[0033] The front mirror reflector 60 is provided with three reflective sections 61, 62, and 63, and the overall shape is L-shaped due to the parts that extend in the left-right direction and the parts that extend with a slight incline in the up-down direction. The under cowl reflector 70 also has an L-shape overall due to the parts that extend in the left-right direction and the parts that extend with a slight incline in the up-down direction.

[0034] On the other hand, the mirror reflector 30 is provided with three reflective sections 31, 32, and 33, and is L-shaped overall due to the parts that extend in the left-right direction and the parts that extend in the up-down direction. The intermediate reflector 40 is provided with two reflective sections 41 and 42, and is shaped to extend with a slight incline in the up-down direction. Furthermore, the rear fender reflector 50 is provided with four reflective sections 51 and 52 that form a V-shape in pairs on the left and right.

[0035] Figure 4 is an enlarged rear view of the mirror reflector 30. The same reference numerals indicate the same or equivalent parts. The mirror 3 includes a mirror member 3b for the driver H to see behind, and a housing 3a that covers the periphery of the mirror member 3b and supports it. The mirror reflector 30, which is provided on the upper part of the housing 3a, is configured to support three reflective parts 31, 32, and 33 by a case 30a. The reflective parts 31, 32, and 33 consist of left and right extending parts 30LR (shown by dashed lines) that extend in the left and right direction, and upper and lower extending parts 30UL (shown by dashed lines) that extend with a slight inclination in the up and down direction. The left and right extending parts 30LR of the pair of left and right mirror reflectors 30 are aligned in a straight line with each other and extend inward in the vehicle width direction from the upper end of the upper and lower extending part 30UL.

[0036] Figure 5 is an enlarged rear view of the intermediate reflector 40. The same reference numerals indicate the same or equivalent parts. The intermediate reflector 40, which is provided on the rear cowl 13, is configured with two reflective sections 41 and 42 on the case 40a. The reflective sections 41 and 42 constitute an upper and lower extended section 40UL (shown by the dashed-dot line in the figure) that extends with a slight inclination in the vertical direction.

[0037] Figure 6 is an enlarged rear view of the rear fender reflector 50. The same reference numerals indicate the same or equivalent parts. The rear fender reflector 50, which is provided at the lower end of the rear fender 14, is configured with a total of four reflective parts 51, 52 provided symmetrically on the case 50a. The reflective parts 51, 52 consist of left and right extending parts 50LR (shown by dashed lines) that extend in the left and right direction, and a pair of left and right upper and lower extending parts 50UL (shown by dashed lines) that extend with a slight inclination in the up and down direction. The upper and lower extending parts 50UL are shaped to extend upward from both ends of the left and right extending parts 50LR.

[0038] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the motorcycle 1 from the front left. The same reference numerals indicate the same or equivalent parts. The left and right extensions of the front mirror reflector 60, which reflect light forward, are arranged to be in a straight line from left to right. Similarly, the left and right extensions of the under cowl reflector 70 are also configured to be in a straight line from left to right. In this embodiment, the distance between the left and right pair of front mirror reflectors 60 is longer than the distance between the left and right pair of under cowl reflectors 70. This makes it possible to make the dimensions of the motorcycle 1 appear larger to a viewer from the front. Furthermore, by configuring the reflected light so that the dimensions in the vehicle width direction narrow as it goes downwards, it is possible to easily identify the vehicle as a motorcycle 1 and not a four-wheeled vehicle or the like.

[0039] The vertical extensions of the under cowl reflector 70 extend from the outer ends in the vehicle width direction of the left and right extensions toward the vertical extensions of the front mirror reflector 60, and both are oriented in the same direction. As a result, the reflected light from the front mirror reflector 60 and the under cowl reflector 70 evokes a trapezoid shape in the viewer's mind, where the upper base is longer than the lower base, making it easy to identify the vehicle as a motorcycle 1 rather than a four-wheeled vehicle.

[0040] Figure 8 is a rear view showing how the motorcycle 1 appears in the dark. The same reference numerals indicate the same or equivalent parts. When light is shone from the rear in the dark, the upper light-emitting part 18a and lower light-emitting part 18b of the taillight device 18, the standard reflector 16, and the license plate 15 will light up, and the reflective parts of the pair of left and right mirror reflectors 30, the pair of left and right intermediate reflectors 40, and the rear fender reflector 50 will also appear to light up. Since the intermediate reflectors 40 are located behind the driver H, the reflected light from the intermediate reflectors 40 is not blocked by the driver H. In addition, in this embodiment, since the mirror reflectors 30 are provided on the mirrors 3 attached to the steering handle 2, when the steering handle 2 is operated, the change is more easily recognized by a viewer behind.

[0041] The reflected light from the mirror reflector 30, the intermediate reflector 40, and the rear fender reflector 50, when viewed from a predetermined distance behind the motorcycle 1, is particularly visible when the vertical extensions 30UL of the mirror reflector 30, 40UL of the intermediate reflector 40, and 50UL of the rear fender reflector 50 are aligned in a straight line. This allows a viewer from behind to perceive an inverted triangle with its apex pointing downwards. This makes it possible to identify the vehicle as a motorcycle, etc., rather than a four-wheeled vehicle, etc.

[0042] Furthermore, since the mirror reflector 30 is located on the upper part of the mirror 3 and the rear fender reflector 50 is located on the lower end of the rear fender 14, it is possible to make the vertical dimensions of the motorcycle 1 appear larger to a person viewing from behind.

[0043] Figure 9 is a left side view of a modified motorcycle 80 according to the present invention. Figure 10 is a front view of the motorcycle 80, and Figure 11 is a rear view of the motorcycle 80. The same reference numerals indicate the same or equivalent parts. The motorcycle 80 is a sports-type saddle-type vehicle in which a fuel tank 100, which the driver H holds between both feet, is positioned between the steering handle 81 and the seat 102. The reflector according to the present invention can be applied regardless of the type of saddle-type vehicle.

[0044] A head pipe F1, which pivotally supports a steering stem (not shown), is fixed to the front end of the main frame F2 that constitutes the vehicle frame F. A steering handle 81 and a bottom bridge 103 are fixed to the top and bottom of the steering stem. A pair of left and right front forks 87, which pivotally support the front wheel WF, are fixed to the bottom bridge 103. A front fender 86, which covers the front and upper part of the front wheel WF, is attached to the front forks 87.

[0045] At the lower end of the main frame F2, which extends downward and rearward from the head pipe, is a pivot 88 that pivots the swingarm 89 so that it can swing up and down. At the rear end of the swingarm 89, the rear wheel WR, which rotates with the driving force transmitted via the drive chain 90, is pivotally supported so that it can swing freely. Below the main frame F2, a power unit P1, which integrates the internal combustion engine and the transmission, is suspended. The combustion gases from the power unit P1 are discharged from the muffler 91 on the right side in the vehicle width direction. The power unit P may also be configured as an integrated motor and transmission.

[0046] The front of the head pipe F1 is covered by a front cowl 84 that supports the headlight 85 and windscreen 82. Mirrors 83, which have front mirror reflectors 60 and mirror reflectors 30, are mounted on the front cowl 84. Below the front cowl 84 are side cowls 99 and under cowl 101, which cover the left and right sides of the power unit P1. Under cowl 101 is provided with an under cowl reflector 70.

[0047] The intermediate reflector 40 is provided on the rear cowl 97 that supports the seat 102 and the tandem seat 98. A taillight device 96 is supported at the rear of the rear cowl 97. Below the taillight device 96, a rear fender 95 is supported that covers the rear upper part of the rear wheel WR. The license plate light 94, the standard reflector 93 and the license plate 92 are mounted on the rear fender 95. The windscreen 82, front cowl 84, side cowl 99, under cowl 101, rear cowl 97 and rear fender 95 are each directly or indirectly fixed to the vehicle frame F and may be collectively referred to as the outer cover.

[0048] The mirror 83 includes a mirror member 83b and a housing 83a that supports the mirror member 83b. The mirror reflector 30 is provided on the upper part of the housing 83a, and the rear fender reflector 50 is provided on the lower end of the rear fender 95. This makes it possible to make the vertical dimensions of the sports type motorcycle 80 appear larger to a viewer from behind.

[0049] Furthermore, the reflected light from the mirror reflector 30, the intermediate reflector 40, and the rear fender reflector 50, when viewed at a predetermined distance behind the motorcycle 80, is particularly visible when the vertical extensions 30UL of the mirror reflector 30, 40UL of the intermediate reflector 40, and 50UL of the rear fender reflector 50 are aligned in a straight line. This gives the viewer from behind the motorcycle an overall shape reminiscent of an inverted triangle with its apex pointing downwards, making it easy to identify the vehicle as a motorcycle rather than a four-wheeled vehicle.

[0050] Furthermore, for observers from the front, the distance between the pair of front mirror reflectors 60 is longer than the distance between the pair of under cowl reflectors 70, making the motorcycle 80 appear larger. Additionally, by composing the reflected light so that the width of the vehicle narrows as it extends downwards, it becomes easy to identify the vehicle as a motorcycle 80 rather than a four-wheeled vehicle.

[0051] Figure 12 is a schematic plan view showing the reflector angle adjustment mechanism. The same reference numerals indicate the same or equivalent parts. The mirror 3 can be provided with an angle adjustment mechanism that allows the angles of the mirror reflector 30 and the front mirror reflector 60 to be adjusted independently. In a configuration where changing the angle of the mirror 3 to adjust the rear view changes the angle of the housing 3a, the mirror reflector 30 and the front mirror reflector 60 can be pivoted around the pivot axis 66 by operating the dials 35 and 65, which are angle adjustment members protruding from the upper part of the cases of the mirror reflector 30 and the front mirror reflector 60, respectively, thereby adjusting the angle. This ensures that good reflected light can always be obtained.

[0052] Figure 13 is a schematic plan view showing a modified reflector angle adjustment mechanism. The same reference numerals indicate the same or equivalent parts. The dials 37 and 67 for adjusting the angles of the mirror reflector 30 and the front mirror reflector 60 may be configured to protrude from the side of the case of the mirror reflector 30 and the front mirror reflector 60. This configuration makes it easier to increase the diameter of the dials 37 and 67 and reduces the operating force required for adjustment.

[0053] As described above, according to the present invention, in a motorcycle 180 having a pair of left and right mirrors 3 and a rear fender 14 covering the rear upper part of the rear wheel WR, the motorcycle is equipped with a plurality of reflectors 30, 50 that reflect light backward, and the reflectors 30, 50 include a mirror reflector 30 provided on each of the left and right mirrors 3 and a rear fender reflector 50 provided on the rear fender 14, the mirror reflector 30 has an upper and lower extending portion 30UL that extends in the vertical direction, and the rear fender reflector 50 has an upper and lower extending portion 2 The mirror reflector 30 has two vertically extending parts 50UL, and when viewed from the rear of the vehicle, the vertically extending parts 30UL of the mirror reflector 30 and the vertically extending parts 50UL of the rear fender reflector 50 are oriented in the same direction on the left and right sides, respectively. By providing reflectors that reflect light backward on the mirror 3, which is located higher up on the motorcycle 1, and on the rear fender, which is located lower down on the motorcycle 1, it becomes easier for people viewing from behind to recognize the presence of the motorcycle 1 compared to when only standard lighting equipment is installed. Furthermore, by having the mirror reflector 30 located higher up on the vehicle body and the rear fender reflector 50 located lower down on the vehicle body, it gives people viewing from behind the impression that the vertical dimensions of the motorcycle 1 are larger, and it evokes the image of an inverted triangle with its apex at the bottom, making it easy to identify the vehicle as a motorcycle and not a four-wheeled vehicle.

[0054] The form of the motorcycle, the shape and structure of the mirrors, the shape and structure of the under cowl, rear cowl, and rear fender, the shape and structure of each reflector, the structure and material of the reflective part, the number and arrangement of each reflector, etc., are not limited to the above embodiments and can be modified in various ways. The reflector arrangement according to the present invention is not limited to motorcycles but can be applied to various vehicles such as three-wheeled vehicles. In addition, the color of each reflector may be a color other than those listed in the above embodiments. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0055] 1.80…Motorcycle (saddle-type vehicle), 3.83…Mirror, 3a…Housing, 3b…Mirror member, 13.97…Rear cowl, 14.95…Rear fender, 30…Mirror reflector (reflector), 30UL…Upper and lower extension of mirror reflector, 30LR…Left and right extension of mirror reflector, 40…Intermediate reflector, 40UL…Upper and lower extension of intermediate reflector, 50…Rear fender reflector (reflector), 50UL…Upper and lower extension of rear fender reflector, 50LR…Left and right extension of rear fender reflector, 60…Front mirror reflector, 70…Under cowl reflector, 11.101…Under cowl, 35.37…Angle adjustment member, WR…Rear wheel, H…Driver

Claims

1. In a saddle-type vehicle (1.80) having a pair of left and right mirrors (3, 83) and an outer cover (4, 5, 11, 13, 14, 82, 84, 99, 101, 97, 95) fixed to the vehicle frame (F), It is equipped with multiple reflectors (30, 50) that reflect light backward, The reflectors (30, 50) include mirror reflectors (30) provided on each of the left and right pair of mirrors (3, 83) and outer cover reflectors (50) provided on the outer covers (4, 5, 11, 13, 14, 82, 84, 99, 101, 97, 95). The mirror reflector (30) has vertically extending portions (30UL) that extend in the vertical direction, The outer cover reflector (50) has two vertically extending portions (50UL) that extend in the vertical direction, A saddle-type vehicle characterized in that, when viewed from the rear of the vehicle, the vertically extended portion (30UL) of the mirror reflector (30) and the vertically extended portion (50UL) of the outer cover reflector (50) are oriented in the same direction on the left and right sides, respectively.

2. The aforementioned outer cover (4, 5, 11, 13, 14, 82, 84, 99, 101, 97, 95) includes at least the rear fender (14, 95), The aforementioned outer cover reflector (50) is a rear fender reflector (50) provided at the lower end of the rear fender (14, 95), The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, in a view from the rear of the vehicle, the vertically extended portion (50UL) of the rear fender reflector (50) extends toward the vertically extended portion (30UL) of the mirror reflector (30).

3. The aforementioned outer cover (4, 5, 11, 13, 14, 82, 84, 99, 101, 97, 95) includes at least the rear cowl (13, 97), In a view of the rear of the vehicle, an intermediate reflector (40) that reflects light backward is provided at a position between the pair of left and right mirror reflectors (30) and the rear fender reflector (50). The intermediate reflector (40) is attached to the rear cowl (13, 97) and has an upper and lower extension portion (40UL) that extends in the vertical direction. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, in a view from the rear of the vehicle, the vertical extension portion (40UL) of the intermediate reflector (40) is oriented in the same direction as the vertical extension portion (30UL) of the mirror reflector (30) and the vertical extension portion (50UL) of the rear fender reflector (50).

4. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that, at a position a predetermined distance rearward from the saddle-type vehicle (1), the vertical extension portion (30UL) of the mirror reflector (30), the vertical extension portion (40UL) of the intermediate reflector (40), and the vertical extension portion (50UL) of the rear fender reflector (50) are aligned in a straight line and visible.

5. The mirror reflector (30) has left and right extended portions (30LR) that extend in the left and right directions, The left and right extensions (30LR) of the pair of left and right mirror reflectors (30) are aligned in a straight line with each other, and extend inward in the vehicle width direction from the upper end of the upper and lower extension (30UL) of the mirror reflector (30). The rear fender reflector (50) has left and right extended portions (50LR) that extend in the left and right direction, The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the upper and lower extensions (50UL) of the rear fender reflector (50) extend upward from both ends of the left and right extensions (50LR) of the rear fender reflector (50).

6. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that, in a side view of the vehicle, the intermediate reflector (40) is located behind the driver (H) of the saddle-type vehicle (1, 80).

7. The mirror (3,83) includes a mirror member (3b) and a housing (3a) that covers the periphery of the mirror member (3b) and supports the mirror member (3b). The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that the mirror reflector (30) is disposed on the upper part of the housing (3a).

8. The pair of left and right mirrors (3, 83) are provided with front mirror reflectors (60) that reflect light forward. The outer cover (4, 5, 11, 13, 14, 82, 84, 99, 101, 97, 95) includes an under cowl (11, 101) positioned towards the front and lower part of the saddle-type vehicle (1, 80), The under cowl (11, 101) is provided with a pair of under cowl reflectors (70) on the left and right sides, which reflect light forward. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the distance between the pair of left and right front mirror reflectors (60) is longer than the distance between the pair of left and right under cowl reflectors (70).

9. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 7, characterized in that the mirrors (3, 83) are provided with angle adjustment members (35, 37) for adjusting the angle of the mirror reflector (30).

10. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 8, characterized in that the mirrors (3, 83) are provided with angle adjustment members (65, 67) for adjusting the angle of the front mirror reflector (60).

Images