Saddle-type vehicle

JP2026166789APending Publication Date: 2026-10-14HONDA MOTOR CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2025059968
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2025-03-31
Publication Date
2026-10-14

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Abstract

Even if the ECU becomes larger, this vehicle provides a saddle-type vehicle that makes it easy to place the ECU on a tray while ensuring theft prevention of the ECU. [Solution] The saddle-type vehicle comprises a tray (74) having a bottom plate (110) and vertical walls (113) extending upward from at least one of the left or right ends of the bottom plate (110), a vehicle body component (102) housed in the tray (74), and an ECU (200) that constitutes the control unit of the vehicle. The ECU (200) is positioned along the vertical walls (113) such that its vertical length is longer than its width, and is sandwiched between a lid member (120) attached to the tray (74) and the vertical walls (113). The vehicle body component (102) is positioned on the side of the lid member (120) opposite to the ECU (200).
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Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a saddle-ride type vehicle is known in which an ECU is disposed on a tray having a bottom plate and vertical walls extending upward at left and right end portions of the bottom plate (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In Patent Document 1, the ECU is arranged along the bottom plate so as to be larger in the width direction than in the height direction, disclosing a so-called horizontally placed configuration.

Prior Art Literature

Patent Document

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, ECUs tend to increase in size due to functional integration, and when the ECU becomes larger, it tends to be difficult to arrange the ECU as in the technique described in Patent Document 1. That is, various vehicle body components are often arranged on the bottom plate, which causes restrictions in the width direction, making it difficult to arrange the ECU along the bottom plate. In addition, in general, the ECU needs to be arranged in a manner that prevents theft. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a saddle-ride type vehicle in which the ECU can be easily arranged on a tray while ensuring anti-theft performance of the ECU even when the ECU is increased in size.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0005] A saddle-type vehicle comprises a tray having a bottom plate and vertical walls extending upward from at least one of the left or right ends of the bottom plate, vehicle body components housed in the tray, and an ECU that constitutes the control unit of the vehicle, wherein the ECU is arranged along the vertical wall such that its vertical length is longer than its width, and is sandwiched between a lid member attached to the tray and the vertical wall, and the vehicle body components are arranged on the side of the lid member opposite to the ECU. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] Even if the ECU becomes larger, it is possible to provide a saddle-type vehicle that makes it easy to place the ECU on a tray while ensuring theft prevention of the ECU. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This is a side view of a saddle-type vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a front view showing the upper part of a saddle-type vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a left rear view of a saddle-type vehicle with the body cover removed. [Figure 4] This is a rear right side view of a saddle-type vehicle with the body cover removed. [Figure 5] This is a plan view of the main parts of a saddle-type vehicle, showing it with the seat removed. [Figure 6] Figure 5 is a plan view showing the air cleaner box and fuel tank removed. [Figure 7] This figure corresponds to the cross-section along line VII-VII in Figure 4. [Figure 8] This diagram shows the relationship between the rear center cover, the ECU, and the ECU retaining lid. [Figure 9] This is a plan view of the rear center cover. [Figure 10] This is a diagram of the ECU holding lid. [Figure 11]This figure shows the ECU retaining lid from a different angle than Figure 10. [Figure 12] This is a view from below of the rear center cover where the ECU is installed. [Figure 13] This is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIII-XIII in Figure 8. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the description, directions such as front, back, left, right, and up and down refer to directions relative to the vehicle body unless otherwise specified. In each figure, the symbol FR indicates the front of the vehicle body, the symbol UP indicates the top of the vehicle body, and the symbol LH indicates the left side of the vehicle body.

[0009] [Embodiment] Figure 1 is a side view of a saddle-type vehicle 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The saddle-type vehicle 10 is a vehicle that comprises a body frame 11, a power unit 12 supported by the body frame 11, a front fork 14 that supports the front wheel 13 in a steerable manner, a swing arm 16 that supports the rear wheel 15, and a seat 17 for the rider. The saddle-type vehicle 10 is a vehicle in which the occupant sits straddling the seat 17. The seat 17 is located above the rear of the vehicle frame 11.

[0010] The vehicle frame 11 comprises a head pipe 18 located at the front end of the vehicle frame 11, a front frame 19 located behind the head pipe 18, and a rear frame 20 located behind the front frame 19. The front end of the front frame 19 is connected to the head pipe 18. The seat 17 is supported by the rear frame 20.

[0011] The front fork 14 is supported by the head pipe 18 so as to be steerable left and right. The front wheel 13 is supported by an axle 13a provided at the lower end portion of the front fork 14. A steering handle 21 gripped by a rider is attached to the upper end portion of the front fork 14.

[0012] The swing arm 16 is supported by a pivot shaft 22 supported by the vehicle body frame 11. The pivot shaft 22 is a shaft extending horizontally in the vehicle width direction. The pivot shaft 22 is inserted through the front end portion of the swing arm 16. The swing arm 16 swings vertically about the pivot shaft 22. The rear wheel 15 is supported by an axle 15a provided at the rear end portion of the swing arm 16.

[0013] The power unit 12 is disposed between the front wheel 13 and the rear wheel 15, and is supported by the vehicle body frame 11. The power unit 12 is an internal combustion engine. The power unit 12 includes a crankcase 23 and a cylinder portion 24 that accommodates a reciprocating piston. An exhaust device 25 is connected to an exhaust port of the cylinder portion 24. The output of the power unit 12 is transmitted to the rear wheel 15 by a driving force transmission member that connects the power unit 12 and the rear wheel 15.

[0014] Further, the saddle-type vehicle 10 includes a front fender 26 that covers the front wheel 13 from above, a rear fender 27 that covers the rear wheel 15 from above, steps 28 on which a rider places their feet, and a fuel tank 29 that stores fuel used by the power unit 12. The front fender 26 is attached to the front fork 14. The rear fender 27 and the steps 28 are provided below the seat 17. The fuel tank 29 is supported by the vehicle body frame 11.

[0015] In the present embodiment, the front frame 19 has a main frame 31 extending rearward and downward from the head pipe 18, and a pivot frame 32 extending downward from the rear end of the main frame 31. The rear frame 20 includes a pair of left and right seat frames 33 extending rearward from the middle of the longitudinal direction of the main frame 31, and a pair of left and right rear subframes 34 extending rearward from the rear end of the main frame 31 and connected to the middle of the seat frames 33 in the front-rear direction.

[0016] The seat 17 of this embodiment has a front rider seat portion 17a and a pillion seat portion 17b behind the rider seat portion 17a. A step 28 is positioned below the rider seat portion 17a. The step 28 is provided at both ends of a step rod 28a that extends in the vehicle width direction. The step rod 28a is fixed to the lower surface of the crankcase 23. A side stand 36 is rotatably supported on the left side (one side in the vehicle width direction) of the crankcase 23.

[0017] A pillion step 37 is provided on the front lower side of the pillion seat portion 17b. The pillion step 37 is supported by the swingarm 16 via a step bracket 37a. A pair of rear grabs 38 are positioned above the pillion step 37. The rear grabs 38 extend in the front-rear direction below the pillion seat section 17b. The front ends of the rear grabs 38 are fixed to the seat frame 33 together with the upper end of the rear suspension 39. The lower end of the rear suspension 39 is connected to the swingarm 16.

[0018] A steering system 40 is supported on the head pipe 18 so as to be steerable. The steering system 40 has a steering stem 41 inserted through the head pipe 18. The steering stem 41 is rotatably supported on the head pipe 18. A bridge member 42 extending in the vehicle width direction is provided at the lower end of the steering stem 41. Front forks 14 are supported on both the left and right sides of the bridge member 42. Thus, a pair of left and right front forks 14 are supported on the bridge member 42. The front forks 14 in this embodiment are telescopic shock absorbers and have a spring and damper built in.

[0019] A handle 21 extending in the left-right direction is supported at the upper end of the steering stem 41. The steering system 40 of this embodiment is composed of a steering stem 41, a bridge member 42, a pair of left and right front forks 14, a handle 21, and the like.

[0020] Figure 2 is a front view showing the upper part of a saddle-type vehicle 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the steering system 40 has a handle 21 which is a cylindrical bar handle that extends in the left-right direction. More specifically, the handle 21 has a substantially U-shaped handle center portion 21a fixed to the upper end of the steering stem 41, and handle side portions 21b and 21c which extend linearly from both ends of the handle center portion 21a. The handle side portions 21b and 21c extend rearward as they move outward in the vehicle width direction.

[0021] A cylindrical right grip 51 extending in the left-right direction is attached to the right side of the handlebar section 21b. The right grip 51 is attached to the right side of the handlebar section 21b via a throttle pipe (not shown). A right handlebar switch 52 is positioned to the left of the right grip 51 (one side in the vehicle width direction, inward in the vehicle width direction). The right handlebar switch 52 rotatably supports the throttle pipe (not shown). The right handlebar switch 52 is fixed to the handlebar section 21b.

[0022] A right brake lever mechanism 53 is located to the left of the right handle switch 52. The right brake lever mechanism 53 is fixed to the handle side portion 21b. The right brake lever mechanism 53 has a right brake lever 54. The right rearview mirror 55 is also supported by the right brake lever mechanism 53. In other words, the right rearview mirror 55 is supported by the handle side portion 21b via the right brake lever mechanism 53.

[0023] A cylindrical left grip 61 extending in the left-right direction is mounted on the left handle side portion 21c. A left handle switch 62 is positioned to the right of the left grip 61 (on the opposite side in the vehicle width direction, and inward in the vehicle width direction). The left handle switch 62 is fixed to the handle side portion 21c. A left brake lever mechanism 63 is supported to the right of the left handle switch 62. The left brake lever mechanism 63 has a left brake lever 64. The left brake lever mechanism 63 is fixed to the handle side portion 21c. A left rearview mirror 65 is supported by the left brake lever mechanism 63. In other words, the left rearview mirror 65 is supported by the handle side portion 21c via the left brake lever mechanism 63. In this embodiment, the left brake lever mechanism 63 includes a CBS (Combined Brake System) mechanism.

[0024] Here, harnesses 56 and 57 extending to an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) (not shown) are connected to the right handlebar switch 52. Also, a pair of throttle cables 58 and 59 are connected to the throttle pipe (not shown) of the right handlebar switch 52. Furthermore, the front wheel brake cable 92 is connected to the right brake lever mechanism 53.

[0025] Furthermore, a harness 66 extending to an ECU (not shown) is connected to the left handlebar switch 62. A switch harness 67 and other components are connected to the left brake lever mechanism 63. Additionally, a rear brake cable 95 and a front wheel linked brake cable 96 are connected to the left brake lever mechanism 63.

[0026] As shown in Figure 1, the saddle-type vehicle 10 is equipped with a body cover 70 that covers the body, which is made up of a body frame 11 and the like. The body cover 70 has a front cover 71 that covers the front of the head pipe 18, a pair of left and right front side covers 72 that are positioned behind the front cover 71 and cover the main frame 31 from above and the sides, and a pair of left and right body covers 73 that extend rearward from the front side covers 72 and cover the main frame 31 and seat frame 33 from the sides. In this embodiment, the front side covers 72 and the body cover 73 are formed integrally.

[0027] Furthermore, the vehicle body cover 70 includes a rear center cover 74 positioned between a pair of left and right body covers 73 and covering the rear frame 20 from below, a pair of left and right rear side covers 75 extending rearward from the rear ends of the pair of left and right body covers 73 and covering the rear end of the seat frame 33 from the side, and a rear cover 76 positioned between the rear ends of the rear side covers 75. The rear fender 27 covers the rear frame 20 from below between the pair of left and right rear side covers 75.

[0028] The headlight unit 81 is supported around the front cover 71. An instrument cluster 82 is positioned above the headlight unit 81. A pair of front turn signals 83 are positioned behind the headlight unit 81. A stop lamp 84 is positioned around the rear cover 76. In front of the stop lamp 84, a pair of rear turn signals 85 are positioned on the left and right sides.

[0029] The front wheel 13 is equipped with a front wheel brake 91 for braking the front wheel 13. In this embodiment, the front wheel brake 91 is a drum brake. The front wheel brake 91 includes a brake panel 91a, a brake arm 91b, a cable support 91c, and brake shoes (not shown). A front wheel brake cable 92 is connected to the brake arm 91b of the front wheel brake 91 from the rear. In addition, a front wheel interlocking brake cable 96 extending from the rear is connected to the brake arm 91b of the front wheel brake 91.

[0030] The rear wheel 15 is provided with a rear wheel brake 93 for braking the rear wheel 15. In this embodiment, the rear wheel brake 93 is a drum brake. The rear wheel brake 93 includes a brake panel 93a, a brake arm 93b, and brake shoes (not shown). A torque rod 94 extending in the front-rear direction is connected to the lower part of the rear wheel brake 93. The torque rod 94 is supported at the front end of the swing arm 16. A rear wheel brake cable 95 extending from the front is connected to the brake arm 93b of the rear wheel brake 93.

[0031] Figure 3 is a left rear side view of the saddle-type vehicle 10 with the body cover 73 removed. Figure 4 is a right rear side view of the saddle-type vehicle 10 with the body cover 73 removed. As an example of a tray, above the rear center cover 74, the battery 101, air cleaner box 102, and fuel tank 29 are positioned between the rear center cover 74 and the seat 17. The battery 101, air cleaner box 102, and fuel tank 29 are body components that make up the saddle-type vehicle 10 of this embodiment. An ECU 200 is positioned to the right of the air cleaner box 102.

[0032] Figure 5 is a plan view of the main parts of the saddle-type vehicle 10 with the seat 17 removed. Figure 6 is a plan view of Figure 5 with the air cleaner box 102 and fuel tank 29 removed. Figure 7 is a diagram corresponding to the cross-section along line VII-VII in Figure 4. The air cleaner box 102 has an external appearance that is roughly rectangular in shape. In this embodiment, the air cleaner box 102 is formed to be larger in the vertical and horizontal directions than in the front-to-back direction. The air cleaner box 102 has a container-shaped box case 102a that is recessed downwards and a container-shaped box cover 102b that is recessed upwards.

[0033] The box cover 102b is fixed to the box case 102a at its four corners. The combined structure of the box cover 102b and the box case 102a forms the internal space S (see Figure 7) of the air cleaner box 102. The air cleaner box 102 is supported by the box support portion 110c (see Figure 9) and fixed to the cross member 35 located behind the air cleaner box 102. The cross member 35 is provided so as to straddle the left and right seat frames 33.

[0034] A filter element 103 is positioned between the box case 102a and the box cover 102b. The filter element 103 divides the internal space S into a dirty side Sa and a clean side Sb. A pipe section 102c protruding downward is provided at the lower end of the box case 102a. A breather hose (not shown) is connected to the pipe section 102c. The breather hose is connected to the inside of the crankcase 23.

[0035] An intake duct 104 extends from the dirty side Sa. The intake duct 104 is supported by the box cover 102b. The intake duct 104 is directed towards the rear (see Figure 5).

[0036] A connecting tube 105 extends from the clean side Sb. The connecting tube 105 is led out from the box case 102a to the outside and connected to the front throttle body 106 (see Figure 1). The throttle body 106 is connected to the intake port of the cylinder section 24 in the power unit 12 via the intake pipe 107 (see Figure 1).

[0037] A fuel tank 29 is located behind the cross member 35. The fuel tank 29 is fixed to the left and right seat frames 33 and the cross member 35. A connector 211, which is connected to a fuel pump module (not shown), is located on the top surface of the fuel tank 29. A pump harness 212 extending forward is connected to the connector 211. The pump harness 212 is routed on the right side, crossing the cross member 35 from rear to front. The pump harness 212 is bundled with the rear lamp harness 213 and other harnesses to form a harness 214 (see Figure 6). The harness 214 is routed forward along the side of the air cleaner box 102.

[0038] Furthermore, an evaporative gas recovery pipe 29a extends in the front-rear direction from the top surface of the fuel tank 29, adjacent to the pump harness 212, to recover evaporated gas from within the fuel tank 29. The evaporative gas recovery pipe 29a is connected to a canister (not shown).

[0039] Figure 8 shows the relationship between the rear center cover 74, the ECU 200, and the ECU retaining lid 120. Figure 9 is a plan view of the rear center cover 74. In other words, Figure 9 is a diagram of Figure 8 with the ECU 200 and the ECU retaining lid 120 omitted. The rear center cover 74 has a bottom plate portion (bottom plate) 110, a front plate portion 111 extending upward from the front end of the bottom plate portion 110, and a pair of left and right side wall portions (vertical walls) 112, 113 provided at both the left and right ends of the bottom plate portion 110 and extending upward.

[0040] The bottom plate portion 110 is a plate-like shape that forms the largest surface area of ​​the rear center cover 74. The bottom plate portion 110 has thickness in the vertical direction. The bottom plate portion 110 extends upward towards the rear. The bottom plate portion 110 has a pair of left and right frame engagement portions 110a formed on it in accordance with the pair of left and right rear subframes 34. The frame engagement portions 110a extend along the seat frame 33. The frame engagement portions 110a are recessed upward so as to accommodate the upper surface of the rear subframe 34.

[0041] A center cover fixing portion 110b is formed at the rear end of the bottom plate portion 110. The center cover fixing portion 110b is formed between a pair of left and right frame engagement portions 110a. The front end of the rear fender 27 is fixed to the center cover fixing portion 110b. In front of the frame engagement portion 110a, a frustoconical box support portion 110c is formed that protrudes upward. The air cleaner box 102 is supported by the box support portion 110c. A square-shaped engagement hole 110d is formed on the right side of the box support portion 110c. A round-shaped pipe outlet portion 110e is formed on the left side of the box support portion 110c. The pipe portion 102c of the air cleaner box 102 is led downward from the pipe outlet portion 110e.

[0042] The front plate portion 111 has a tube outlet 111a that is cut out from top to bottom, corresponding to the front side of the pipe outlet portion 110e. The connecting tube 105 is led forward from the tube outlet 111a. An opening 111b is formed around the tube outlet 111a.

[0043] The side wall portions 112 and 113 have thickness in the left-right direction overall. The side wall portions 112 and 113 are formed in a stepped shape. The side wall portions 112 and 113 include lower side wall portions 112a and 113a extending upward from the bottom plate portion 110, stepped surface portions 112b and 113b extending outward in the vehicle width direction from the upper ends of the lower side wall portions 112a and 113a, upper side wall portions 112c and 113c extending upward from the outer ends of the stepped surface portions 112b and 113b in the vehicle width direction, and upper edge portions 112d and 113d projecting outward in the vehicle width direction from the upper ends of the upper side wall portions 112c and 113c.

[0044] On the right side wall portion 113, a substantially U-shaped connector cover portion 114 is formed at the front end of the stepped surface portion 113b. More specifically, the connector cover portion 114 has a pair of upper and lower legs 114a extending inward from the side wall portion 113 in the vehicle width direction, and a connecting portion 114b connecting the pair of upper and lower legs 114a.

[0045] A pair of engagement holes 113d1 and 113d2 are formed in the upper edge portion 113d. Covering portions 113e and 113f (see Figures 4, 7, 12, and 13), which have a roughly U-shaped cross-section, are formed around the engagement holes 113d1 and 113d2. The covering portions 113e and 113f extend downward from the upper edge portion 113d. Together with the upper part of the side wall 113c, the covering portions 113e and 113f form a cylindrical shape.

[0046] On the right side wall portion 113, an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 200, which electronically controls each part of the saddle-type vehicle 10, is installed on the stepped surface portion 113b, the upper part of the side wall 113c, and the connector cover portion 114. The ECU 200 in this embodiment has a plate-like appearance with thickness. The ECU 200 comprises a roughly rectangular plate-shaped main body portion 201 (see Figure 4) that houses a circuit board and the like, and a connector portion 202 (see Figure 4) provided at the front end of the main body portion 201.

[0047] The main body portion 201 has different thicknesses (left-right widths) in the front-rear direction. That is, as shown in Figure 8, the main body portion 201 has a flush mounting surface 203, and the surface opposite to the mounting surface 203 has irregularities. The main body portion 201 has a front end (tip) 201a which has the maximum thickness, and a rear end (inner end) 201b which is thinner than the front end 201a. The connector portion 202 protrudes from the main body portion 201.

[0048] Figure 10 is a diagram of the ECU retaining lid 120. Figure 11 is a view of the ECU retaining lid 120 from a different angle than that shown in Figure 10. The ECU 200 is installed on the rear center cover 74, sandwiched between the ECU retaining lid (cover member) 120 and the side wall portion 113. The ECU retaining lid 120 has a main body portion 121 that extends in the vertical direction. The main body portion 121 has a shape that corresponds to the uneven shape of the ECU 200. The main body portion 121 has a rear portion 121a, an inclined portion 121b formed at the front end of the rear portion 121a that inclins inward in the vehicle width direction as it extends forward, and a front portion 121c formed at the front end of the inclined portion 121b that extends forward.

[0049] The main body portion 121 has a harness engagement portion 121d that protrudes inward in the vehicle width direction. The harness engagement portion 121d is composed of a pair of claw shapes. A downward extension portion 122 is formed at the lower end of the main body portion 121. The lower end of the downward extension portion 122 is bent inward in the vehicle width direction. A lower end engagement portion 122a, which is thinner than the downward extension portion 122, is formed at the tip of the downward extension portion 122.

[0050] An upper plate portion 123 is formed at the upper end of the main body portion 121, curving outward in the vehicle width direction. A pair of front and rear openings 123a are formed in the upper plate portion 123. A pair of front and rear upper engaging portions 124 are formed on the outer side of the front and rear openings 123a in the vehicle width direction, projecting downward. The pair of front and rear upper engaging portions 124 are equipped with claw portions 124a that project inward in the front and rear direction. The ECU retaining lid 120 has reinforcing ribs 125 that extend appropriately in the left-right and up-down directions.

[0051] Figure 12 is a view from below of the rear center cover 74 where the ECU200 is installed. Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIII-XIII in Figure 8. Next, we will explain one example of how to install the ECU200 on the rear center cover 74. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, in the rear center cover 74, the ECU 200 is positioned on the stepped surface portion 113b of the rear center cover 74 with its mounting surface 203 aligned with the right side wall portion 113. At this time, the connector portion 202 is inserted into the connector cover portion 114. In this state, the ECU 200 is held in place by the ECU holding lid 120. That is, the lower end engaging portion 122a of the ECU holding lid 120 is positioned along the vertical direction, and the lower end engaging portion 122a is inserted into the engaging hole 110d of the rear center cover 74 from above. Then, using the lower end engaging portion 122a as a pivot point, the ECU holding lid 120 is tilted to the right, causing the upper plate portion 123 to move to the right.

[0052] At this time, the upper plate portion 123 overlaps the upper edge portion 113d of the right side wall portion 113 from above. Therefore, by pushing the upper plate portion 123 downward, the upper engaging portion 124 is pushed into the engaging holes 113d1 and 113d2 of the upper edge portion 113d, and the claw portion 124a of the upper engaging portion 124 catches on the engaging holes 113d1 and 113d2. Thus, the ECU 200 is held covered by the ECU holding lid 120, and the ECU 200 is sandwiched between the upper part of the side wall 113c and the ECU holding lid 120, and the ECU 200 is installed on the rear center cover 74. At this time, the ECU 200 is positioned such that its height is greater than its width, in other words, it is positioned vertically. Therefore, it is easy to utilize the degree of freedom in the height direction, and it is expected that even if the ECU 200 is enlarged, it will be positioned while maintaining the layoutability on the rear center cover 74.

[0053] In this embodiment, the front connector portion 202 of the ECU 200 enters the connector cover portion 114. Also, the thick front end portion 201a of the ECU 200 interferes with the inclined portion 121b of the ECU retaining lid 120. Therefore, it is easier to prevent the ECU 200 from coming out in the front-rear direction. Furthermore, since the ECU retaining lid 120 overlaps with the seat frame 33 in a plan view of the vehicle body (see Figures 5 and 6), it is difficult to access the ECU retaining lid 120 from above.

[0054] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4, 12, and 13, the upper engaging portion 124 has a claw shape in the front-rear direction that intersects the direction of oscillation with the lower engaging portion 122a as the pivot point, making it difficult to remove the ECU retaining lid 120 from the rear center cover 74 by oscillation operation alone. In addition, the claw portion 124a of the upper engaging portion 124 is hidden from the outside by the covering portions 113e and 113f. The presence of the covering portions 113e and 113f makes the claw portion 124a difficult to see and hinders external access, making it difficult to release the engagement of the claw portion 124a of the ECU retaining lid 120.

[0055] With the ECU 200 installed on the rear center cover 74, the fuel tank 29 and air cleaner box 102 are mounted on top of the rear center cover 74. That is, as shown in Figure 6, the harness 214 is clamped and engaged with the harness engagement portion 121d, making it possible to install the air cleaner box 102 while minimizing interference with the harness 214. At this time, the air cleaner box 102 is positioned to the side of the ECU retaining lid 120 (see Figure 7). Therefore, it is difficult to swing the ECU retaining lid 120, and difficult to remove the ECU retaining lid 120 and the ECU 200. Thus, theft prevention of the ECU 200 is ensured.

[0056] Furthermore, the air cleaner box 102 covers the ECU retaining lid 120 and the ECU 200 from above (see Figures 5 and 6). More specifically, the air cleaner box 102 is positioned so as to overlap with the lower end engaging portion 122a in a plan view. Therefore, the ECU 200 is less likely to be exposed externally by the air cleaner box 102, and is also less likely to be easily accessed from above. In addition, since the lower end engaging portion 122a is covered by the bottom surface of the air cleaner box 102, it is difficult to swing the ECU retaining lid 120, and therefore the theft prevention of the ECU 200 is increased.

[0057] As described above, according to this embodiment to which the present invention is applied, a saddle-type vehicle 10 comprises a rear center cover 74 having a bottom plate portion 110 and a side wall portion 113 extending upward from at least one of the left or right ends of the bottom plate portion 110, an air cleaner box 102 housed inside the rear center cover 74, and an ECU 200 which constitutes the control unit of the vehicle. The ECU 200 is arranged along the side wall portion 113 such that its vertical length is longer than its length in the vehicle width direction, and is sandwiched between the ECU retaining lid 120 attached to the rear center cover 74 and the side wall portion 113, with the air cleaner box 102 positioned on the side of the ECU retaining lid 120 opposite to the ECU 200. With this configuration, when the ECU 200 is placed on the rear center cover 74 having a side wall portion 113, by installing the ECU 200 along the side wall portion 113, it is possible to arrange the ECU 200 compactly in the width direction while utilizing the freedom in the height direction. Furthermore, since the ECU 200 is sandwiched between the ECU retaining lid 120 and the side wall portion 113, and the air cleaner box 102 is placed on the opposite side of the ECU retaining lid 120 from the ECU 200, it is possible to make it difficult to remove the ECU retaining lid 120 and enhance the theft prevention of the ECU 200. Therefore, with this configuration, even if the ECU 200 is enlarged, it is possible to provide a saddle-type vehicle 10 that makes it easy to place the ECU 200 on the rear center cover 74 while ensuring the theft prevention of the ECU 200.

[0058] In this embodiment, the rear center cover 74 is positioned below the seat 17, and the ECU retaining lid 120 is covered by the air cleaner box 102 in a plan view of the vehicle body. This configuration makes it difficult to access the ECU retaining lid 120 from above, thus making it easier to ensure theft prevention of the ECU 200.

[0059] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a seat frame 33 is provided to support the seat 17, and the ECU holding lid 120 is positioned below the seat frame 33 and overlaps with the seat frame 33 in a plan view of the vehicle body. This configuration makes it more difficult to access the ECU retaining lid 120 from above, thus making it easier to ensure the theft prevention of the ECU 200.

[0060] [Other embodiments] The embodiments described above represent only one aspect of the present invention and can be modified and applied as needed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0061] In the above embodiment, the configuration of the rear center cover 74 was described as an example of a tray, but the tray is not limited to the vehicle body cover 70. For example, the tray may be a tray member covered by the vehicle body cover 70. For example, it may be a tray member other than the vehicle body cover that is housed between the seat 17 and the rear fender 27.

[0062] In the above embodiment, a motorcycle having a front wheel 13 and a rear wheel 15 was used as an example to describe the saddle-type vehicle 10. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and can be applied to three-wheeled saddle-type vehicles having two front or rear wheels, or saddle-type vehicles having four or more wheels.

[0063] [Configurations supported by the above embodiment] The above embodiment supports the following configuration.

[0064] (Configuration 1) A saddle-type vehicle comprising a tray having a bottom plate and vertical walls extending upward from at least one of the left or right ends of the bottom plate, a vehicle body component housed in the tray, and an ECU that constitutes the control unit of the vehicle, wherein the ECU is arranged along the vertical wall such that its vertical length is longer than its length in the vehicle width direction, and is sandwiched between a lid member attached to the tray and the vertical wall, and the vehicle body component is arranged on the side of the lid member opposite to the ECU. With this configuration, when arranging the ECU on a tray with vertical walls, the ECU can be positioned along the vertical walls, allowing for a compact arrangement in the width direction while utilizing the freedom in the height direction. Furthermore, since the ECU is sandwiched between the lid member and the vertical wall, and the vehicle body components are positioned on the side of the lid member opposite the ECU, the lid member is made difficult to remove, thereby enhancing theft prevention of the ECU. Therefore, with this configuration, even if the ECU is large, it is possible to provide a saddle-type vehicle that makes it easy to arrange the ECU on a tray while ensuring theft prevention of the ECU.

[0065] (Configuration 2) The saddle-type vehicle according to Configuration 1, characterized in that the tray is positioned below the seat, and the lid member is covered by the vehicle body component in a plan view of the vehicle body. This configuration makes it difficult to access the cover from above, thus making it easier to ensure theft prevention of the ECU.

[0066] (Configuration 3) A saddle-type vehicle according to Configuration 2, comprising a seat frame that supports the seat, wherein the lid member is positioned below the seat frame and overlaps with the seat frame in a plan view of the vehicle body. This configuration makes it more difficult to access the cover from above, thus making it easier to ensure theft prevention of the ECU. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0067] 10. Saddle-type vehicles 17 seats 33 Seat Frame 74 Rear center cover (tray) 102 Air cleaner box (vehicle body component) 110 Bottom plate part (bottom plate) 113 Side wall section (vertical wall) 120 ECU holding member (lid member) 200 ECU

Claims

1. A saddle-type vehicle comprising a tray (74) having a bottom plate (110) and vertical walls (113) extending upward from at least one of the left or right ends of the bottom plate (110), a vehicle body component (102) housed in the tray (74), and an ECU (200) that constitutes the control unit of the vehicle, The ECU (200) is positioned along the vertical wall (113) such that its vertical length is longer than its width, and is sandwiched between the lid member (120) attached to the tray (74) and the vertical wall (113). On the side of the cover member (120) opposite to the ECU (200), the vehicle body component (102) is positioned. A saddle-type vehicle characterized by its design.

2. The tray (74) is positioned below the sheet (17). The cover member (120) is covered by the vehicle body component (102) in a plan view of the vehicle body. The saddle-type vehicle according to feature 1.

3. The seat (17) is supported by a seat frame (33), The cover member (120) is positioned below the seat frame (33) and overlaps with the seat frame (33) in a plan view of the vehicle body. The saddle-type vehicle according to feature 2.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Saddle-riding type vehicle

    JP2024047439A