Battery

Abstract

To improve workability of replacement work of a circuit component conducted by a worker.SOLUTION: A battery (60) is fixed to the inner side of a vehicle body frame (10) of an electric saddle-riding type vehicle. The battery is provided with: a battery module in which electric power for travelling is charged; a circuit component (94) connected to the battery module; and a battery case (61) which houses the battery module and the circuit component. In the battery case, an opening (95) for exposing the circuit component to the outside is formed and a cover member which covers the opening is detachably attached. The opening is formed at a position which avoids the vehicle body frame in a side view.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to batteries. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, electric straddle-type vehicles that run on electricity have been developed. A known example of an electric straddle-type vehicle is a scooter-type vehicle that houses a battery and the like under the seat (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The straddle-type vehicle described in Patent Document 1 is provided with a pair of left and right seat frames as a vehicle body frame, and a battery is installed inside the pair of seat frames. A battery module and circuit components are housed in a battery case, and multiple fixing parts on the outer surface of the battery case are screwed to the pair of seat frames via brackets or the like. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-081324 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When the circuit components described in Patent Document 1 are damaged, the circuit components inside the battery case cannot be replaced unless the battery case is removed from the vehicle frame, which makes replacing the circuit components a hassle for workers.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a battery that can improve the workability of a worker when replacing circuit components. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A battery according to one aspect of the present invention is a battery fixed to the inside of a body frame of an electric saddle-ride type vehicle, and includes a battery module in which power for driving is charged, circuit components connected to the battery module, and a battery case that houses the battery module and the circuit components, the battery case having left and right case halves, one of which is partially formed with an opening that exposes the circuit components to the outside, and a cover member that covers the opening is removably attached, and the opening is formed in a position that avoids the body frame in a side view. A case fixing portion that is fixed to the vehicle body frame is formed at an opening edge of the opening. This solves the above problem. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to a battery of one aspect of the present invention, the cover member is removed from the side of the vehicle body frame, and the circuit components are exposed to the outside through the opening of the battery case in a side view. When the circuit components are damaged, the cover member can be removed from the battery case and the circuit components can be replaced through the opening of the battery case without removing the battery from the vehicle body frame. This allows a worker to easily replace the circuit components, and improves the workability of replacing the circuit components. Although the rigidity of the battery case near the opening is reduced, the battery is protected from the outside by the vehicle body frame, and therefore strong external forces do not directly act on the vicinity of the opening of the battery case. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view of a saddle-type vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a right side view of the vehicle body frame and the electric equipment according to the embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the vehicle body frame and the battery of the embodiment as viewed from the right front. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the vehicle body frame and the battery of the embodiment as viewed from the left front. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a left side view of the right half case of the present embodiment. [Figure 6]FIG. 2 is a left side view of the battery with the left half case removed in this embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the battery with the left half case removed in this embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the vehicle body frame and the battery of the embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a left side view of the vehicle body frame and the battery of the embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a left side view of the fuse cover removed from FIG. 9. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] A battery according to one aspect of the present invention is fixed to the inside of a body frame of an electric straddle-type vehicle. A battery case of the battery contains a battery module that is charged with power for driving and circuit components connected to the battery module. An opening is formed in the battery case at a position that avoids the body frame in a side view, and the opening is covered by a cover member that is detachably attached to the battery case. When a circuit component is damaged, the circuit component exposed to the outside through the opening of the battery case can be replaced by removing the cover member from the side of the body frame without removing the battery from the body frame. Therefore, a worker can easily replace the circuit components, and the workability of replacing the circuit components can be improved. Although the rigidity of the battery case near the opening is reduced, a strong external force does not directly act on the vicinity of the opening of the battery case because the battery is protected from the outside by the body frame. EXAMPLES

[0010] Hereinafter, the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this embodiment, the saddle-type vehicle is a scooter-type saddle-type vehicle, but the saddle-type vehicle may be another electric or hybrid saddle-type vehicle. In addition, in the following drawings, the arrow FR indicates the front of the vehicle, the arrow RE indicates the rear of the vehicle, the arrow L indicates the left side of the vehicle, and the arrow R indicates the right side of the vehicle. Figure 1 is a left side view of the saddle-type vehicle of this embodiment.

[0011] As shown in Fig. 1, a scooter-type saddle-ride vehicle 1 is configured by mounting various covers as the exterior of the vehicle body to an underbone-type body frame 10 (see Fig. 2). A front frame cover 21 is provided at the front of the vehicle, and a leg shield 22 that protects the rider's legs is provided at the rear of the front frame cover 21. A footboard 23 extends rearward from the lower end of the leg shield 22, and a seat frame cover 24 is provided behind the footboard 23. A space for the rider's feet is formed in front of the seat 34 by the leg shield 22 and the footboard 23.

[0012] A handlebar 31 is provided above the front frame cover 21, and a front wheel 33 is rotatably supported below the front frame cover 21 via a pair of front forks 32. A seat 34 is provided above the seat frame cover 24, and a swing arm (not shown) covered by a swing arm cover 36 is provided below the seat frame cover 24. A rear wheel 37 is rotatably supported at the rear of the swing arm, and the rear of the swing arm is connected to the body frame 10 via a suspension 38. In addition, a battery 60 (see FIG. 3) is housed below the seat 34.

[0013] The battery 60 is provided with a fuse 94 that is blown by an overcurrent as a circuit component of the high-voltage circuit (see FIG. 6). When blowing the fuse 94, the fuse 94 inside the battery case 61 cannot be replaced unless the battery case 61 is removed from the body frame 10. Therefore, the battery case 61 of this embodiment is formed with an opening 95 for replacement work that exposes the fuse 94 (see FIG. 10). Generally, a battery must be provided with a service plug that cuts off the high-voltage circuit, but in this embodiment, the high-voltage circuit can be cut off by removing the fuse 94 instead of the service plug.

[0014] The body frame and the battery of this embodiment will be described below with reference to Fig. 2 to Fig. 4. Fig. 2 is a right side view of the body frame and the electric equipment of this embodiment. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the body frame and the battery of this embodiment as viewed from the right front. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the body frame and the battery of this embodiment as viewed from the left front. Figs. 3 and 4 show a state in which the electric equipment other than the battery has been removed from the body frame.

[0015] As shown in Fig. 2, a head pipe 11 into which a steering shaft (not shown) is inserted is provided at the front portion of the body frame 10. A front frame 12 extends downward from the head pipe 11, and a pair of lower frames 13 extend rearward from a lower portion of the front frame 12. A pair of seat frames (upper frames) 14 rise obliquely rearward from approximately the middle portions of the pair of lower frames 13, and a pair of support frames (lower frames) 15 rise obliquely rearward from rear portions of the pair of lower frames 13. The rear portions of the pair of seat frames 14 are connected from below to the rear portions of the pair of support frames 15.

[0016] Between the pair of seat frames 14 and the pair of support frames 15, i.e., inside the seat frame cover 24, an accommodation space for a battery 60 is formed. A charger 41 that converts power from a power source into DC power of a predetermined voltage, a battery 60 that charges the DC power from the charger 41, and a DCDC converter 42 that reduces the voltage of the DC power are installed on the upper side of the installation space. A motor 43 that is driven by AC power is installed on the lower part of the installation space. An inverter 44 that converts DC power into AC power is installed in front of the motor 43, and the motor 43 is connected to the battery 60 via the inverter 44.

[0017] The pair of seat frames 14 and the pair of support frames 15 are connected in the front-rear direction via a pair of pivot brackets 16, respectively. A swing arm (not shown) is connected to the pair of pivot brackets 16 so as to be swingable in the vertical direction, and as described above, the swing arm cover 36 is attached to the swing arm. A sprocket (not shown) and a chain (not shown) of the motor 43 are covered by the swing arm cover 36. Electricity from a battery 60 is supplied to the motor 43, and a driving force is output from the motor 43 to the rear wheel 37 via the sprocket and the chain.

[0018] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, below the seat 34 (see Figure 1), a storage space for a battery 60 is formed between the pair of seat frames 14 and the pair of support frames 15. The pair of seat frames 14 are provided with holder plates 51, and a front bridge 52 extending in the vehicle width direction is fixed to the pair of holder plates 51. The pair of seat frames 14 are connected via the pair of holder plates 51 and the front bridge 52. The battery 60 is attached to the upper side of the front bridge 52, and the motor 43 (see Figure 2) is attached to the lower side of the front bridge 52.

[0019] A pair of holder brackets 53 are provided on both ends of the front bridge 52, and the pair of holder brackets 53 are fixed to the pair of holder plates 51. The pair of holder plates 51 protrude forward beyond the pair of seat frames 14, and the pair of holder brackets 53 protrude forward beyond the pair of holder plates 51. The pair of holder brackets 53 and the pair of holder plates 51 position the front bridge 52 forward of the seat frames 14. In addition, the front bridge 52 curves forward from the pair of holder brackets 53 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction toward the inner side in the vehicle width direction so as not to interfere with the lower front side of the battery 60.

[0020] The front bridge 52 is provided with a pair of battery brackets 54 and a pair of motor brackets 55 spaced apart in the vehicle width direction. The pair of battery brackets 54 protrude upward from the front bridge 52 to support the battery 60 from below, and the pair of motor brackets 55 protrude downward from the front bridge 52 to support the motor 43 from above. The base end of each bracket 54, 55 is joined to the surface of the front bridge 52, and the tip end of each bracket 54, 55 is formed with a mounting hole for screwing. The pair of battery brackets 54 supports the battery 60 near the center of the front bridge 52, and the pair of motor brackets 55 supports the motor 43 on the outer side of the pair of battery brackets 54 in the vehicle width direction. The pair of support frames 15 are connected via a rear bridge 56 extending in the vehicle width direction behind the battery 60.

[0021] The battery case 61 of the battery 60 has a left-right split structure, and has a left case half 62 and a right case half 63. The left case half 62 is formed in a box shape with an opening on the right side, and the right case half 63 is formed in a box shape with an opening on the left side. The left case half 62 is positioned toward the left of the storage space, and the right case half 63 is positioned in the center of the storage space. The total dimension in the vehicle width direction of the left and right case halves 62, 63 is smaller than the dimensions in the vehicle length direction and height direction of each case half 62, 63. The battery 60 is mounted on the vehicle body frame 10 so that the short side direction faces the vehicle width direction.

[0022] The front surface of the left case half 62 is inclined so that the dimension in the vehicle width direction increases from the front to the rear of the vehicle. A pair of high-voltage harness connectors 64 is provided on the front surface of the left case half 62. A fuse cover (cover member) 65 is attached to the lower left side surface of the left case half 62. A left case fixing part (case fixing part) 66 is formed near the fuse cover 65 on the left side surface of the case half 62, and the left case fixing part 66 is fixed to the left support frame 15 via a left bracket 67. A rear case fixing part 68 (see FIG. 8) protrudes rearward from the rear surface of the case half 62, and the rear case fixing part 68 is fixed to the rear bridge 56.

[0023] A vertically long protrusion 71 protrudes forward from the front of the battery 60 near the mating surfaces of the left and right case halves 62, 63. A seat connecting part 72 protrudes forward from the upper part of the front surface of the right case half 63, and a front case fixing part 73 protrudes forward from the lower part of the front surface of the case half 63. A partition wall 74 is formed in the center of the front surface of the case half 63 to divide the space to the right of the protrusion 71 into upper and lower parts. A low-voltage harness connector 75 is provided on the right side of the protrusion 71 between the seat connecting part 72 and the partition wall 74, and a high-voltage harness connector 76 is provided on the right side of the protrusion 71 between the partition wall 74 and the front case fixing part 73.

[0024] A seat hinge bracket (not shown) fixed to the seat 34 is supported to be able to swing on the seat connecting part 72. The seat 34 is supported from below by the battery 60 inside the seat frame cover 24 (see FIG. 1) via the seat hinge bracket. When the seat 34 is opened with the front end portion of the battery 60 as a fulcrum, the battery 60 inside the seat frame cover 24 is exposed to the outside. Since the seat connecting part 72 is molded integrally with the right case half 63, the supporting rigidity of the seat connecting part 72 against the downward load from the seat 34 when the seat 34 is in the opened state is increased.

[0025] The front case fixing part 73 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a mounting hole penetrating in the vehicle width direction. A long bolt is inserted into the mounting hole of the front case fixing part 73 and the mounting holes of the pair of battery brackets 54, and the front case fixing part 73 is fixed to the pair of battery brackets 54 via the long bolt. A right case fixing part 77 protrudes rightward from near the front case fixing part 73 on the right side surface of the right case half 63, and a rear case fixing part 78 protrudes rightward from near the rear end of the right side surface of the right case half 63. The right case fixing part 77 is fixed to the right holder plate 51, and the rear case fixing part 78 is fixed to the rear bridge 56.

[0026] In this manner, a front case fixing portion 73 and a rear case fixing portion 68, 78 are formed on the outer surface of the battery case 61 and are fixed to locations spaced apart in the fore-aft direction of the body frame 10. The front case fixing portion 73 is fixed to the front bridge 52, and the rear case fixing portions 68, 78 are fixed to the rear bridge 56, connecting the front bridge 52 and the rear bridge 56, which are spaced apart in the fore-aft direction of the body frame 10, via the battery case 61. The front bridge 52 and the rear bridge 56 are integrated via the battery 60, and the rigidity of the battery 60 increases the rigidity of the body frame 10 against loads in the fore-aft direction.

[0027] The detailed configuration of the battery will be described with reference to Fig. 5 to Fig. 7. Fig. 5 is a left side view of the right half case of this embodiment. Fig. 6 is a left side view of the battery with the left half case of this embodiment removed. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the battery with the left half case of this embodiment removed.

[0028] As shown in Fig. 5, the right case half 63 has a right side wall 81 that is wide in the up-down and front-rear directions, and an upper wall 82, a bottom wall 83, a front wall 84, and a rear wall 85 that extend in the vehicle width direction from the outer edge of the right side wall 81. On the inner surface of the right side wall 81, connector openings 86, 87 for harness connectors 75, 76 (see Fig. 6) that are spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction are formed near the front wall 84, and front module fixing portions 88a-88c that are aligned vertically are formed rearwardly of the connector openings 86, 87. Also, on the inner surface of the right side wall 81, a rear module fixing portion 88d is formed along the rear wall 85, an upper module fixing portion 88e is formed along the top wall 82, and lower module fixing portions 88f, 88g are formed along the bottom wall 83.

[0029] Thus, front module fixing portions 88a-88c that fix the front side of the battery module 90 and rear module fixing portion 88d that fixes the rear side of the battery module 90 are formed on the inner surface of the right case half 63. Also, upper module fixing portion 88e that fixes the upper side of the battery module 90 and lower module fixing portions 88f, 88g that fix the lower side of the battery module 90 are formed on the inner surface of the case half 63. The battery module 90 is fixed to the right case half 63 around the entire periphery, and the rigidity of the battery module 90 increases the rigidity of the case half 63 against loads in the front-rear and up-down directions.

[0030] The front module fixing portion 88a is formed on the opposite side of the seat connecting portion 72 with the front wall 84 in between. The seat connecting portion 72 is reinforced by the rigidity of the battery module 90, improving the rigidity of the seat connecting portion 72 against a load from the seat 34 side. The front module fixing portion 88c is formed on the opposite side of the front case fixing portion 73 with the front wall 84 in between, and the rear module fixing portion 88d is formed on the opposite side of the rear case fixing portion 78 with the rear wall 85 in between. The front case fixing portion 73 and the rear case fixing portion 78 are reinforced by the rigidity of the battery module 90, improving the rigidity of the fixing position of the battery 60 to the body frame 10.

[0031] As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the battery case 61 houses a battery module 90, various electronic components, and various circuit components. The battery module 90 is formed in a box shape by electrically connecting a plurality of battery cells and stacking the plurality of battery cells. The battery module 90 is charged with power for traveling. The outer edge of the battery module 90 is formed along the peripheral wall of the case half 63, and is formed in a stepped shape in which the rear side of the lower edge of the battery module 90 is positioned lower than the front side of the lower edge. The outer edge of the battery module 90 is provided with mounting portions 91a-91g that are fixed to the respective module fixing portions 88a-88g (see Fig. 5).

[0032] The right side of the battery module 90 is in contact with the right side wall 81 of the right case half 63 via a heat transfer sheet (not shown). The left side of the battery module 90 protrudes leftward from the case half 63, and a plate-shaped module bracket 92 is positioned to the left of the battery module 90. The module bracket 92 is fixed to any of a number of module fixing portions 88a-88g (see FIG. 5) of the right case half 63. Attached to the left side of the module bracket 92 are a battery control device 93 that controls the battery 60, electronic components such as a relay that relays power, and circuit components such as a fuse 94 that is blown by an overcurrent.

[0033] A battery control device 93 is provided so as to overlap the upper rear side of the battery module 90 in a side view, and a fuse 94 is provided so as to overlap the lower rear side of the battery module 90. The fuse 94 is located below the battery module 90 and is located behind the fuse cover 65 (see FIG. 9 ). In a side view, other electronic components and circuit components also overlap the battery module 90 and are installed inside the projection plane of the left side of the battery module 90. Therefore, the battery module 90, electronic components, and circuit components are compactly housed inside the battery case 61.

[0034] The electronic components and circuit components on the module bracket 92 are covered by the left case half 62. At this time, the battery module 90, which is a heavy object, and the electronic components and circuit components on the module bracket 92 are attached to the right case half 63, and the load of the battery module 90, electronic components, and circuit components is not applied to the left case half 62. Therefore, it is sufficient that the left case half 62 is spaced apart from the components inside the case, and the degree of freedom in the shape of the left case half 62 is increased. It is also possible to prioritize weight reduction over the strength of the case half 62.

[0035] The support structure for the battery will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the body frame and the battery of this embodiment. Fig. 8 shows a state in which electrical devices other than the battery have been removed from the body frame.

[0036] 8, a front case fixing portion 73 of the battery case 61 is fixed to a front bridge 52 of the body frame 10, and rear case fixing portions 68, 78 of the battery case 61 are fixed to a rear bridge 56 of the body frame 10. By connecting the front bridge 52 and the rear bridge 56 via the battery case 61, the rigidity of the body frame 10 is improved by the rigidity of the battery case 61. In order to further improve the rigidity of the body frame 10, it is necessary to increase the rigidity of the battery case 61 itself by utilizing the rigidity of the battery module 90 fixed inside the battery case 61.

[0037] Usually, the battery module 90 is fixed to the inside of the battery case 61 via a cushioning material, and the battery module 90 is not directly fixed to the inside of the battery case 61. In this embodiment, the battery module 90 is directly fixed to the inside of the battery case 61, and the battery case 61 is supported from the inside by the battery module 90, thereby increasing the rigidity of the battery case 61 itself. By utilizing the rigidity of the battery module 90, there is no increase in material costs due to increasing the material strength of the battery case 61. There is no need to attach a cushioning material to the battery case 61, and the assembly work is simplified.

[0038] Since a heavy battery module 90 is housed inside the battery case 61, it is necessary to balance the left and right weight in order to maintain the steering stability of the saddle riding type vehicle 1. For this reason, the case half 63 on the right side of the battery case 61 is positioned in the center, and the case half 63 and the battery module 90 fixed to the case half 63 are overlapped on the center line L extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. The left and right weight balance of the saddle riding type vehicle 1 becomes more uniform, improving steering stability, and the restoring force when the saddle riding type vehicle 1 is tilted left or right becomes more uniform, improving turning performance during cornering.

[0039] The fuse replacement work will be described with reference to Figures 9 and 10. Figure 9 is a left side view of the vehicle body frame and the battery of this embodiment. Figure 10 is a left side view of Figure 9 with the fuse cover removed.

[0040] 9, the battery case 61 is installed between a pair of seat frames 14 and a pair of support frames 15. In a side view, the pair of seat frames 14 extend obliquely upward from the front of the vehicle toward the rear of the vehicle so as to pass through the center of the battery 60. In a side view, the pair of support frames 15 extend obliquely upward from the front of the vehicle toward the rear of the vehicle so as to pass under the rear of the battery case 61. The support frame 15 is connected to the seat frame 14 behind the battery case 61, and the lower side of the seat frame 14 and the lower side of the support frame 15 are connected via a pivot bracket 16.

[0041] An opening 95 (see FIG. 10) that exposes a fuse 94 (see FIG. 10) inside the battery case 61 to the outside is formed in the battery case 61 (case half 62). In a side view, the opening 95 is formed at a position that avoids the vehicle body frame 10, and is positioned inside the seat frame 14, the support frame 15, and the pivot bracket 16. Specifically, the opening 95 is positioned between the seat frame 14 and the support frame 15, and rearward of the pivot bracket 16. A fuse cover 65 that covers the opening 95 is detachably attached to the battery case 61 with a plurality of machine screws 96.

[0042] As shown in Fig. 10, an insertion path for a tool such as a screwdriver is secured between the seat frame 14, the support frame 15, and the pivot bracket 16. When a machine screw 96 (see Fig. 9) of the fuse cover 65 is removed with a tool, the fuse 94 inside the battery case 61 is exposed to the outside through the opening 95. When the fuse 94 is cut, the fuse 94 inside the battery case 61 can be replaced through the opening 95. At this time, the fuse 94 can be easily replaced with the battery case 61 fixed to the body frame 10, so that the workload of replacing the fuse 94 can be reduced.

[0043] In addition to replacing the fuse 94, when removing electric devices such as the motor 43 and the inverter 44 (see FIG. 2) from the body frame 10, the high voltage circuit can be easily shut off by first removing the fuse 94. Because the fuse 94 of the battery 60 can be easily replaced, it is possible to reduce the number of parts by substituting the fuse 94 without providing a service plug for the battery 60. In addition, because the opening 95 is formed below the battery case 61, the seat 34 is sufficiently separated from the fuse 94 to which high voltage is applied, ensuring the safety of the rider seated on the seat 34.

[0044] A fuse cover 65 (see FIG. 9) is attached near the opening 95 of the battery case 61, but the rigidity of the vicinity of the opening 95 of the battery case 61 is lower than other portions. The left side of the opening 95 of the battery case 61 is protected by the seat frame 14, the support frame 15, and the pivot bracket 16, so that a strong external force does not directly act on the vicinity of the opening 95 of the battery case 61. Therefore, deformation of the vicinity of the opening 95 of the battery case 61 is suppressed, and the sealing performance of the opening 95 by the fuse cover 65 is improved. An O-ring 97 that improves sealing performance is attached to the edge of the opening of the battery case 61.

[0045] The opening edge of the battery case 61 is fixed to the support frame 15 via the left case fixing part 66. The left case fixing part 66 reinforces the vicinity of the opening 95, suppressing deformation of the battery case 61 near the opening 95 and improving the sealing performance of the opening 95 by the fuse cover 65. The left case fixing part 66 that supports the battery case 61 is used to reinforce the vicinity of the opening 95 of the battery case 61. There is no need to increase the material strength of the battery case 61 near the opening 95 or to increase the thickness of the battery case 61 near the opening 95, and the cost of increasing the strength of the battery case 61 near the opening 95 is reduced.

[0046] As described above, according to this embodiment, the fuse cover 65 is removed from the side of the body frame 10, and the fuse 94 is exposed to the outside through the opening 95 of the battery case 61 in a side view. When the fuse 94 is cut, the fuse cover 65 is removed from the battery case 61, and the fuse 94 can be replaced through the opening 95 of the battery case 61 without removing the battery 60 from the body frame 10. This allows an operator to easily replace the fuse 94, and improves the workability of replacing the fuse 94. Although the rigidity of the vicinity of the opening 95 of the battery case 61 is reduced, the battery 60 is protected from the outside by the body frame 10, and therefore strong external force does not directly act on the vicinity of the opening 95 of the battery case 61.

[0047] The battery of this embodiment is not limited to a scooter-type saddle-ride vehicle, and may be used in other types of saddle-ride vehicles. Furthermore, the saddle-ride vehicle is not limited to a motorcycle, and may be any vehicle in which a battery is installed under the seat.

[0048] Further, in this embodiment, the battery module is formed in a box shape, but the shape of the battery module is not particularly limited as long as it can hold a plurality of battery cells.

[0049] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the left case half is formed in a box shape, but the left case half may be formed in a flat plate shape.

[0050] In this embodiment, the battery module is fixed to the right case half, but the battery module may be fixed to the left case half. In this case, the right case half is positioned toward the right of the storage space, and the left case half is positioned in the center of the storage space.

[0051] Further, in this embodiment, an opening is formed in the battery case to expose the fuse, but the battery case may also have openings formed therein to expose other circuit components such as a relay or a current sensor.

[0052] Further, in this embodiment, the left case fixing portion is provided on the opening edge portion of the battery case, but the case fixing portion does not necessarily have to be provided on the opening edge portion of the battery case.

[0053] Further, in this embodiment, the vehicle body frame has a pair of seat frames and a pair of support frames, but it is sufficient that the vehicle body frame has at least a pair of seat frames.

[0054] Further, in this embodiment, the battery is fixed to the vehicle body frame, but a battery holder may be fixed to the vehicle body frame and the battery may be detachably attached to the battery holder.

[0055] As described above, the battery (60) of this embodiment is a battery fixed inside the body frame (10) of the electric straddle-type vehicle (1), and includes a battery module (90) that is charged with power for traveling, circuit components (fuses 94) connected to the battery module, and a battery case (61) that houses the battery module and the circuit components. The battery case is formed with an opening (95) that exposes the circuit components to the outside, and a cover member (fuse cover 65) that covers the opening is detachably attached, and the opening is formed at a position that avoids the body frame in a side view. According to this configuration, the cover member is removed from the side of the body frame, and the circuit components are exposed to the outside from the opening of the battery case in a side view. When the circuit components are damaged, the cover member can be removed from the battery and the circuit components can be replaced through the opening of the battery case without removing the battery from the body frame. Therefore, an operator can easily replace the circuit components, and the workability of replacing the circuit components can be improved. Although the rigidity of the battery case near the opening is reduced, the battery is protected from the outside by the vehicle body frame, so strong external forces do not act directly on the area near the opening of the battery case.

[0056] In the battery of this embodiment, the vehicle body frame has an upper frame (seat frame 14) and a lower frame (support frame 15) that pass along the sides of the battery case, and an opening is positioned between the upper and lower frames. With this configuration, an entry path for tools is secured between the upper and lower frames, and the cover member can be removed using a tool to replace circuit components through the opening in the battery case. Because the battery is protected from the outside by the upper and lower frames, strong external forces do not directly act on the vicinity of the opening in the battery case.

[0057] In the battery of this embodiment, a case fixing part (left case fixing part 66) that is fixed to the vehicle body frame is formed at the opening edge of the opening. With this configuration, the case fixing part increases the rigidity near the opening, making it possible to suppress deformation of the battery case.

[0058] In the battery of this embodiment, the circuit component is a fuse (94) that is blown by an overcurrent. With this configuration, the fuse can be replaced through an opening in the battery case without removing the battery from the vehicle frame when the fuse is blown. Also, the number of parts can be reduced by replacing the battery with a fuse rather than providing a service plug.

[0059] 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.

[0060] In addition, the technology of the present invention is not limited to the above examples, and may be modified, substituted, or altered in various ways without departing from the spirit of the technical idea. Furthermore, if the technical idea can be realized in a different way due to the progress of technology or a different technology derived therefrom, the invention may be implemented using that method. Therefore, the claims cover all embodiments that may be included within the scope of the technical idea. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 1: Saddle-type vehicle 10: Body frame 14: Seat frame (upper frame) 15: Support frame (lower frame) 60: Battery 61: Battery case 65: Fuse cover 66: Left case fixing part (case fixing part) 90: Battery module 94: Fuse (circuit component) 95 :Aperture

Claims

1. A battery fixed to an inside of a body frame of an electric saddle-type vehicle, A battery module in which power for driving is charged; A circuit component connected to the battery module; a battery case that houses the battery module and the circuit components, the battery case has left and right case halves, one of the case halves is partially formed with an opening for exposing the circuit components to the outside, and a cover member for covering the opening is detachably attached; The opening is formed at a position that avoids the vehicle body frame in a side view, The battery according to claim 1, wherein a case fixing portion for fixing to the vehicle body frame is formed on an edge portion of the opening.

2. the vehicle body frame has an upper frame and a lower frame passing along sides of the battery case, The battery of claim 1 , wherein the opening is located between the upper frame and the lower frame.

3. 3. The battery according to claim 2, wherein the upper frame and the lower frame are disposed at positions overlapping with the battery case when viewed from the side of the vehicle body.

4. 4. The battery according to claim 1, wherein the circuit component is a fuse that is blown by an overcurrent.

Images