Autotricycle

Abstract

To improve stability of a motor tricycle during operation with a simple and inexpensive configuration.SOLUTION: A motor tricycle (1) includes a pair of left and right front wheels (11) and a single rear wheel (12). A seat (41) disposed behind the front wheels and a motor (51) disposed in front of the rear wheel are provided on the motor tricycle. The seat is disposed in front of the motor, and at least a portion of the seat is located in a height range from a lower end to an upper end of the motor.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an autotricycle.

Background Art

[0002] There is a front two-wheel type autotricycle that can turn by tilting the vehicle body. The front two-wheel type autotricycle has a pair of left and right front wheels and a single rear wheel. As this type of autotricycle, one in which components are intensively arranged below the seat has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the autotricycle described in Patent Document 1, the engine is compactly arranged below the seat to reduce the size of the vehicle. Further, as a front two-wheel type autotricycle, a vehicle has been proposed in which a pair of left and right front wheels are steered and the vehicle body is tilted like a motorcycle to turn.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the autotricycle described in Patent Document 1, since the engine is arranged below the seat, when the driver gets on the vehicle, the center of gravity of the vehicle body becomes high and the stability in the vehicle width direction decreases. Further, when turning by tilting the vehicle body of this autotricycle at low speed, the restoring force when returning the tilt of the vehicle body increases in proportion to the height of the center of gravity, and electronic components such as an actuator are required to assist the restoring force, which complicates the structure of the vehicle body and increases the number of components and costs. Furthermore, by increasing the tread width of a pair of left and right front wheels, the stability in the vehicle width direction can be improved, but there is a problem that the vehicle body becomes large.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and an object thereof is to provide a three-wheeled vehicle that can improve the stability during operation with a simple and inexpensive configuration.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A three-wheeled vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention is a three-wheeled vehicle including a pair of left and right front wheels and a single rear wheel, a seat disposed behind the front wheels, and disposed in front of the rear wheel Engine and A vehicle body frame that supports the engine so as to be swingable, comprising The engine has a cylinder assembly disposed on the front surface of the crankcase, and the engine the seat is disposed in front of The cylinder assembly at least a part of the seat is located within the height range from the lower end to the upper end of , The vehicle body frame has a pair of left and right side frames, and the cylinder assembly is inserted between the pair of left and right side frames to solve the above problems.

Effects of the Invention

[0007] According to a three-wheeled vehicle of one aspect of the present invention, since the seat is disposed in front of the prime mover, the seat layout is not restricted by the prime mover. By disposing the seat low to lower the center of gravity of the vehicle body, the stability in the vehicle width direction is improved without increasing the tread width. At this time, although the prime mover is disposed behind the seat and the wheelbase is enlarged, the virtual tread width at the seat position is also enlarged, improving the stability in the vehicle width direction. Also, when turning by tilting the vehicle body at low speed, it is not necessary to rely on electronic components such as actuators to return the tilt of the vehicle body due to the low center of gravity of the vehicle body. Therefore, the structure of the vehicle body becomes simple, and the number of parts and costs can be reduced.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] The autotricycle according to one aspect of the present invention includes a pair of left and right front wheels and a single rear wheel. A seat is disposed behind the front wheels, and a prime mover is disposed in front of the rear wheel. A seat is disposed in front of the prime mover, and at least a part of the seat is located in the height range from the lower end to the upper end of the prime mover. Since the seat is disposed in front of the prime mover, the seat layout is not restricted by the prime mover. By disposing the seat low to lower the center of gravity of the vehicle body, the stability in the vehicle width direction is improved without increasing the tread width. At this time, although the prime mover is disposed behind the seat and the wheelbase is enlarged, the virtual tread width at the seat position is also enlarged, improving the stability in the vehicle width direction. Also, when turning by tilting the vehicle body at low speed, it is not necessary to rely on electronic components such as actuators to return the tilt of the vehicle body due to the low center of gravity of the vehicle body. Therefore, the structure of the vehicle body becomes simple, and the number of parts and costs can be reduced.

Examples

[0010] Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, this embodiment will be described in detail. FIG. 1 is a left side view of the autotricycle of this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a top view of the autotricycle of this embodiment. In the following figures, arrow FR indicates the front of the vehicle, arrow RE indicates the rear of the vehicle, arrow L indicates the left side of the vehicle, and arrow R indicates the right side of the vehicle, respectively.

[0011] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the autotricycle 1 is a two-wheel type vehicle with a pair of left and right front wheels 11 and a single rear wheel 12. The vehicle body frame 13 of the autotricycle 1 includes a base frame 15 at the bottom of the vehicle, a front frame 21 on the front side of the vehicle body, and a pair of left and right side frames 31 on the lateral side of the vehicle body. The base frame 15 forms the skeleton of the bottom of the vehicle, the front frame 21 forms the skeleton of the front side of the vehicle body, and the pair of left and right side frames 31 form the skeleton of the lateral side of the vehicle body. Exterior parts such as cowls and covers (not shown) are attached to the base frame 15, the front frame 21, and the pair of side frames 31.

[0012] The base frame 15 is formed in a ladder shape by a pair of left and right main rails 16 extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and a plurality of base pipes 17 connecting the pair of left and right main rails 16. The front frame 21 is formed in a box shape by a pipe material, a plate material, or the like. A pair of left and right suspension arms 22 (see FIG. 2) are swingably supported on the front frame 21. Each suspension arm 22 extends outward in the vehicle width direction, and a front wheel 11 is rotatably supported at the tip of each suspension arm 22. The suspension arm 22 is connected to the front frame 21 via a front suspension 24 (see FIG. 2).

[0013] An arch-shaped steering frame 23 is provided on the front frame 21, and a steering shaft 25 is steerably supported on the steering frame 23. A handle 26 is joined to the upper end of the steering shaft 25, and a steering device 27 is connected to the lower end of the steering shaft 25. A pair of left and right front wheels 11 are connected to the steering device 27, and the operating force of the handle 26 is transmitted to each front wheel 11 via the steering device 27. When the handle 26 is operated left and right, each front wheel 11 is steered left and right by the steering device 27, and a turning force is generated on the vehicle body while each front wheel 11 maintains a substantially perpendicular state to the road surface.

[0014] The side frame 31 is formed in a triangular shape with the main rail 16 as the base by a main pipe 32 extending obliquely upward rearward from the front end of the main rail 16 and a rear pipe 33 rising obliquely rearward from the rear end of the main rail 16. The main rail 16 and the main pipe 32 are connected by a plurality of side pipes 34 so that the side frame 31 has a truss structure. A pair of left and right seat pipes 35 extend forward from the rear pipe 33, and a plate-shaped seat 41 is provided on each seat pipe 35. An arch-shaped back frame 36 is provided at the rear part of the main pipe 32, and a backrest (not shown) is attached to the back frame 36.

[0015] In this way, a driver's seat is formed inside a pair of left and right side frames 31. The driver's seat extends from the seat 41 to the vicinity of the front wheels 11, enabling the driver to stretch their legs and adopt a low riding posture. The width of the base frame 15 is about that of one driver, but the distance between the pair of left and right main pipes 32 is wider than the width of the base frame 15 and is formed to be the largest at the position of the seat 41. A fuel tank 45 is arranged below the seat 41 in the driver's seat, and the fuel filler port 46 at the upper part of the fuel tank 45 extends forward of the seat 41. The fuel tank 45 is arranged by utilizing the space below the seat 41.

[0016] At the rear part of the base frame 15, an engine (prime mover) 51 is swingably supported via a suspension bracket 48. As the engine 51, a unit swing engine with a cylinder assembly 53 arranged on the front surface of a crankcase 52 is used. The left side of the crankcase 52 extends rearward, and a rear wheel 12 is rotatably supported at the rear end of this crankcase 52. A CVT cover 55 is attached to the open left side surface of the crankcase 52. Inside the CVT cover 55, a belt-type continuously variable transmission (not shown) is housed, and the driving force of the engine 51 is transmitted to the rear wheel 12 via a belt.

[0017] A magnet cover 56 (see FIG. 2) is attached to the open right side surface of the crankcase 52. A magnet is housed inside the magnet cover 56, and the magnet supplies an ignition voltage to the ignition device. An exhaust pipe (not shown) is connected to the cylinder assembly 53 via a muffler 57 (see FIG. 2), and the muffler 57 is positioned on the right side of the rear wheel 12. The rear ends of the pair of left and right side frames 31 are connected via a bridge pipe 37, and the rear end portion on the left side of the crankcase 52 is connected to this bridge pipe 37 via a rear suspension 58 that absorbs impacts to the vehicle body frame 13.

[0018] As described above, the rear wheel 12 is supported at the rear end of the crankcase 52, and the rear wheel 12 is tilted together with the vehicle body in conjunction with the operation of the steering device 27, thereby turning the vehicle body. At this time, in order to improve the stability and turning performance in the vehicle width direction, a lower center of gravity of the vehicle body is required. Therefore, in the three-wheeled vehicle 1 of the present embodiment, the seat 41 is disposed behind the front wheel 11, the engine 51 is disposed in front of the rear wheel 12, and the seat 41 is disposed in front of the engine 51. Thereby, the seat layout is not restricted by the position and swing of the engine 51, and the seat 41 of the driver's seat is disposed low to achieve a lower center of gravity of the vehicle body.

[0019] Referring to FIG. 3, the seat layout will be described. FIG. 3 is a side view of the rear part of the vehicle of the present embodiment.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 3, the cylinder assembly 53 is formed by assembling a cylinder (not shown), a cylinder head (not shown), and a cylinder head cover 54, and covering the cylinder and the cylinder head with an engine cover 49. The axial direction of the cylinder of the cylinder assembly 53 is directed obliquely upward, and the crankcase 52 connected to the cylinder assembly 53 is disposed substantially horizontally. By directing the cylinder assembly 53 forward, a lower center of gravity of the engine 51 is achieved. The front part of the cylinder assembly 53 is the cylinder head cover 54, and the seat 41 is disposed in front of the cylinder head cover 54. Since there is no seat 41 directly above the engine 51, the height of the seat 41 is not restricted by the position and swing of the engine 51. For this reason, the seat 41 is disposed at a low position in front of the engine 51.

[0021] At this time, it is preferable that at least a part of the seat 41 is located in the height range H from the lower end to the upper end of the cylinder assembly 53. Further, it is preferable that the seat surface 42 of the seat 41 is located below the upper end of the cylinder assembly 53. The center of gravity O of the entire vehicle body is around the waist of the driver 50 sitting on the seat 41, but by lowering the seat 41 in front of the engine 51, the center of gravity of the entire vehicle body including the engine 51 is lowered. In addition, since the seat 41 is arranged to avoid the hot air rising upward from the engine 51, heat damage to the driver 50 on the seat 41 from the engine 51 can be suppressed.

[0022] A fuel tank 45 is arranged below the seat 41, but the fuel filler port 46 of the fuel tank 45 is offset from directly below the seat 41, and it is possible to bring the seat 41 closer to the upper surface of the fuel tank 45 and lower the seat surface 42. The axle 19 of the rear wheel 12 is located in the height range H from the lower end to the upper end of the cylinder assembly 53, and the seat 41, the cylinder assembly 53, and the axle 19 of the rear wheel 12 are arranged in a horizontal row in side view. Thereby, the center of gravity of the entire vehicle body including the seat 41, the engine 51, and the rear wheel 12 is lowered. A space is created above the engine 51 and the rear wheel 12, and the degree of freedom in the layout of other components such as intake system components (not shown) is improved.

[0023] In addition, the impact transmitted to the rear wheel 12 is suppressed by the rear suspension 58. The lower end of the rear suspension 58 is attached to the rear end of the crankcase 52 above the axle 19 of the rear wheel 12. The upper end of the rear suspension 58 is located in front of the lower end. The upper end of the rear suspension 58 is attached to the bridge pipe 37 at the rear end of the side frame 31 via a link member 59 behind the cylinder assembly 53 and above the seat 41. The front part (cylinder head cover 54) of the engine 51 is located relatively in front of the rear end (rear pipe 33) of the side frame 31, and the seat 41 is brought closer to the engine 51 to minimize the expansion of the wheelbase.

[0024] In this case, each seat pipe 35 extends forward from each rear pipe 33 of the pair of left and right side frames 31, and both side edges in the vehicle width direction of the seat 41 are supported from below by the pair of left and right seat pipes 35. The distance between the pair of left and right rear pipes 33 and seat pipes 35 is made larger than the width dimension of the cylinder assembly 53 of the engine 51 (see Fig. 2). The cylinder assembly 53 of the engine 51 is inserted between the pair of left and right rear pipes 33 and seat pipes 35. The front part of the engine 51 is inserted inside the vehicle body frame 13, and the engine 51 is brought closer to the seat 41.

[0025] Referring to Fig. 4, the stability in the vehicle width direction will be described. Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the relationship between the wheelbase and the virtual tread width. Note that Fig. 4(A) shows the relationship between the wheelbase and the virtual tread width of the comparative example, and Fig. 4(B) shows the relationship between the wheelbase and the virtual tread width of the present embodiment.

[0026] As shown in Fig. 4(A), in the three-wheeled vehicle 60 of the comparative example, a seat (not shown) is arranged above the engine 63, and the axles of the front wheel 61 and the rear wheel 62 are brought closer, so that the wheelbase L1 becomes smaller. Since the seat surface of the seat becomes higher, when the driver 50 sits on the seat, the center of gravity O of the vehicle body becomes higher and the stability in the vehicle width direction decreases. Also, the centers of the pair of left and right front wheels 61 and the center of the rear wheel 62 are connected by line segments A and B, and the distance between these line segments A and B is defined as the virtual tread width. At the seat position where the center of gravity O of the vehicle body is located, since the virtual tread width W1 is small, sufficient stability in the vehicle width direction cannot be obtained.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 4(B), in the three-wheeled vehicle 1 of the present embodiment, a seat 41 (see FIG. 2) is disposed in front of the engine 51, and the axles of the front wheel 11 and the rear wheel 12 are separated from each other, increasing the wheelbase L2. Since the seat surface of the seat 41 is lowered, the center of gravity O of the vehicle body when the driver 50 sits on the seat 41 is lowered, improving the stability in the vehicle width direction. Also, the wheelbase L2 of the present embodiment is larger than the wheelbase L1 of the comparative example. For this reason, at a certain seat position of the center of gravity O of the vehicle body, the virtual tread width W2 of the present embodiment is larger than the virtual tread width W1 of the comparative example, ensuring the stability in the vehicle width direction.

[0028] As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the seat 41 is disposed in front of the engine 51, the seat layout is not restricted by the engine 51. By disposing the seat 41 low to lower the center of gravity of the vehicle body, the stability in the vehicle width direction is improved without increasing the tread width. At this time, the engine 51 is disposed behind the seat 41 to expand the wheelbase, and the virtual tread width at the seat position is also expanded, improving the stability in the vehicle width direction. Also, when turning the vehicle body by tilting it at low speed, it is not necessary to rely on electronic components such as an actuator to return the tilt of the vehicle body due to the low center of gravity of the vehicle body. Therefore, the structure of the vehicle body becomes simple, and the number of parts and the cost can be reduced.

[0029] In the present embodiment, a unit swing engine is exemplified as the engine, but the engine is not limited to the unit swing engine. The engine does not have to face the front in the cylinder axis of the cylinder assembly, and the engine may face upward in the cylinder axis of the cylinder assembly.

[0030] Also, in the present embodiment, an engine is used as the prime mover, but a motor may be used as the prime mover. When a motor is used as the prime mover, a swing arm is swingably supported at the rear part of the vehicle body frame, and a rear wheel is rotatably supported at the rear end of the swing arm. The motor may be provided on the vehicle body frame, or the motor may be provided on the swing arm.

[0031] Also, in this embodiment, the seating surface of the seat is positioned below the upper end of the cylinder assembly, but at least a part of the seat may be positioned within the height range from the lower end to the upper end of the prime mover. For example, the seating surface of the seat may be positioned above the upper end of the cylinder assembly, as long as the lower surface of the seat is positioned below the upper end of the cylinder assembly.

[0032] Also, in this embodiment, the seat is fixed to the vehicle body frame, but the seat may be attached to the vehicle body frame so that the height of the seat can be changed.

[0033] Also, in this embodiment, the driver's seat is formed such that the driver can extend their feet forward, but the driver's seat may be formed in a straddle type.

[0034] Also, in this embodiment, the axle of the rear wheel is positioned within the height range from the lower end to the upper end of the cylinder assembly, but the height of the axle of the rear wheel is not particularly limited. For example, the axle of the rear wheel may be positioned above the upper end of the cylinder assembly.

[0035] Also, in this embodiment, the upper end of the rear suspension is attached to the vehicle body frame behind the cylinder assembly and above the seat, but the attachment position of the upper end of the rear suspension is not particularly limited. For example, the upper end of the rear suspension may be attached to the vehicle body frame in front of the cylinder assembly and above the seat.

[0036] Also, in this embodiment, the seat is arranged in front of the engine, but as long as the seat is arranged in front of the engine, the seat may be arranged at a position offset from the front of the engine. For example, the engine and the seat may be arranged with a lateral displacement in the vehicle width direction.

[0037] Also, in this embodiment, the seat is formed in a plate shape, but the shape of the seat is not particularly limited.

[0038] In addition, the cylinder assembly may be composed of a plurality of parts including at least a cylinder head. For example, in an engine in which a cylinder is integrated with a crankcase, an assembly obtained by assembling a cylinder head and a cylinder head cover may be used as the cylinder assembly.

[0039] As described above, the three-wheeled vehicle (1) of this embodiment is a three-wheeled vehicle including a pair of left and right front wheels (11) and a single rear wheel (12), and includes a seat (41) disposed behind the front wheels and a prime mover (engine 51) disposed in front of the rear wheel. The seat is disposed in front of the prime mover, and at least a part of the seat is located within the height range from the lower end to the upper end of the prime mover. According to this configuration, since the seat is disposed in front of the prime mover, the seat layout is not restricted by the prime mover. By disposing the seat low to lower the center of gravity of the vehicle body, the stability in the vehicle width direction is improved without increasing the tread width. At this time, although the prime mover is disposed behind the seat and the wheelbase is increased, the virtual tread width at the seat position is also increased, improving the stability in the vehicle width direction. Further, when the vehicle body is tilted and turned, it is not necessary to rely on electronic components such as an actuator to return the tilt of the vehicle body due to the lower center of gravity of the vehicle body. Therefore, the structure of the vehicle body becomes simple, and the number of parts and costs can be reduced.

[0040] In the three-wheeled vehicle of this embodiment, the prime mover is an engine in which a cylinder assembly (53) is disposed on the front surface of a crankcase (52), and at least a part of the seat is located within the height range from the lower end to the upper end of the cylinder assembly. According to this configuration, the cylinder assembly is directed forward, achieving a lower center of gravity of the engine. By lowering the seat in front of the engine, a lower center of gravity of the entire vehicle body including the engine is achieved.

[0041] In the three-wheeled vehicle of this embodiment, the seating surface of the seat is located below the upper end of the cylinder assembly. According to this configuration, further lowering of the center of gravity of the vehicle body can be achieved. In addition, heat damage from the engine to the driver on the seat can be suppressed.

[0042] In the three-wheeled vehicle of this embodiment, the axle (19) of the rear wheel is located in the height range from the lower end to the upper end of the cylinder assembly. According to this configuration, it is possible to achieve a lower center of gravity of the vehicle body including the seat, the engine, and the rear wheel. A margin is created in the upper space of the engine and the rear wheel, and the degree of freedom in the layout of other components is improved.

[0043] In the three-wheeled vehicle of this embodiment, a vehicle body frame (13) that supports the engine so as to be swingable and a rear suspension (58) that absorbs impacts on the vehicle body frame are provided. The lower end of the rear suspension is attached to the crankcase, and the upper end of the rear suspension is attached to the vehicle body frame behind the seat. According to this configuration, the seat layout is not restricted by the swing of the engine, and the seat can be arranged low in front of the engine to achieve a lower center of gravity of the vehicle body.

[0044] In the three-wheeled vehicle of this embodiment, the upper end of the rear suspension is attached to the vehicle body frame behind the cylinder assembly and above the seat. According to this configuration, the front part of the engine is positioned relatively forward of the rear end of the side frame, the seat can be brought closer to the engine, and the expansion of the wheelbase can be minimized.

[0045] Although this embodiment has been described, as another embodiment, those obtained by combining the above embodiments and modified examples in whole or in part may also be used.

[0046] In addition, the technology of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various changes, substitutions, and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the technical idea. Furthermore, if the technical idea can be realized in another way by the progress of technology or another derived technology, that method may be used for implementation. Therefore, the scope of the claims covers all embodiments that can be included within the scope of the technical idea.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0047] 1: Three-wheeled vehicle 11: Front wheel 12: Rear wheel 13: Vehicle body frame 19: Axle 41: Seat 42: Seat surface 51: Engine 52: Crankcase 53: Cylinder assembly 58: Rear suspension

Claims

1. A three-wheeled vehicle comprising a pair of left and right front wheels and a single rear wheel, a seat disposed behind the front wheels, an engine disposed in front of the rear wheel, and a vehicle body frame that supports the engine so as to be swingable. The engine has a cylinder assembly disposed on the front surface of the crankcase, the seat is disposed in front of the engine, at least a part of the seat is located within the height range from the lower end to the upper end of the cylinder assembly, The vehicle body frame has a pair of left and right side frames, and the cylinder assembly is inserted between the pair of left and right side frames. A three-wheeled vehicle characterized by this.

2. The three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the seat surface of the seat is located below the upper end of the cylinder assembly.

3. The three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the axle of the rear wheel is located within the height range from the lower end to the upper end of the cylinder assembly.

4. It is provided with a rear suspension that absorbs impacts on the vehicle body frame, the lower end of the rear suspension is attached to the crankcase, The three-wheeled vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the upper end of the rear suspension is attached to the vehicle body frame behind the seat.

5. The three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the upper end of the rear suspension is attached to the vehicle body frame behind the cylinder assembly and above the seat.

6. It is provided with a fuel tank disposed below the seat, The three-wheeled motor vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the fuel filler opening at the upper part of the fuel tank extends forward of the seat.

7. The vehicle body frame has a base frame at the bottom of the vehicle, The base frame is formed in a ladder shape by a pair of left and right main rails extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and a plurality of base pipes connecting the pair of left and right main rails, The pair of left and right side frames are formed in a triangular shape with the pair of left and right main rails as the base by a pair of left and right main pipes extending obliquely upward rearward from the front ends of the pair of left and right main rails and a pair of left and right rear pipes rising obliquely rearward from the rear ends of the pair of left and right main rails, The three-wheeled motor vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the distance between the pair of left and right main pipes is wider than the width of the base frame and is formed to be the largest at the seat position.

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