Saddle-ride type vehicle

Abstract

To suppress enlargement of a saddle-riding type vehicle while appropriately protecting an enclosure structure.SOLUTION: A saddle-riding type vehicle includes: a rear wheel 3; a vehicle body frame 11 including a pivot shaft 45 extending in the vehicle width direction; a swing arm 14 connecting the pivot shaft 45 with the rear wheel 3; and an enclosure structure (20) having a fluid storage space therein. The enclosure structure is arranged between the pivot shaft 45 and the rear wheel 3 and at an overlapped position with the swing arm 14 in side view.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a straddle-type vehicle such as a motorcycle.

Background Art

[0002] A straddle-type vehicle (motorcycle) shown in Patent Document 1 below is known. This straddle-type vehicle includes an engine, a fuel tank that stores fuel supplied to the engine, and a canister that adsorbs evaporated fuel gas generated inside the fuel tank. The evaporated fuel gas adsorbed by the canister is supplied to the engine through a purge pipe.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The canister generally includes an adsorbent that adsorbs evaporated fuel gas and a housing that houses the adsorbent therein. In other words, the canister is a housing structure having a predetermined volume space for accommodating a fluid inside.

[0005] It is desirable to protect the housing structure as described above from foreign objects that may fly during traveling. However, in order to protect the housing structure, if the housing structure is arranged in a dedicated space covered with, for example, a cover, etc., it will lead to an increase in the size of the straddle-type vehicle, which is not preferable.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to suppress an increase in the size of a straddle-type vehicle while appropriately protecting a housing structure.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] To solve the above problems, a saddle-type vehicle according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a rear wheel and, A drive source for rotationally driving the rear wheels, a vehicle body frame including a pivot shaft extending in the vehicle width direction, a swing arm connecting the pivot shaft and the rear wheel, A case body that supports auxiliary equipment disposed between the drive source and the rear wheels, and a housing structure having a fluid accommodation space inside. The housing structure is Including a canister that adsorbs evaporation components of fuel supplied to the drive source, the canister is located below the case body, and further disposed at a position overlapping with the swing arm in side view between the pivot shaft and the rear wheel.

Advantages of the Invention

[0008] According to the saddle-type vehicle of the present disclosure, it is possible to suppress an increase in the size of the saddle-type vehicle while appropriately protecting the housing structure.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] [Vehicle Body Structure of Motorcycle] FIG. 1 is a side view of a motorcycle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure as viewed from the right side. As shown in this figure, the motorcycle includes a vehicle body 1, front and rear wheels 2 and 3, an engine 5, a fuel tank 6, a seat 7, and a handlebar 8. The front wheel 2 and the rear wheel 3 are a pair of front and rear wheels that movably support the vehicle body 1. The engine 5 is a drive source that generates a driving force for rotating the rear wheel 3, in other words, a driving force for running the motorcycle, and is configured by, for example, a four-cycle internal combustion engine. The fuel tank 6 is a tank that stores fuel supplied to the engine 5. The seat 7 is a seat on which a rider (operator) who drives the motorcycle sits. The handlebar 8 is a steering handle that the rider grips when steering the front wheel 2. Thus, the motorcycle according to this embodiment is a two-wheeled motor vehicle that runs by the driving force of the engine 5 and is a type of saddle-riding vehicle.

[0011] The vehicle body 1 includes a vehicle body frame 11, a head portion 12, a front fork 13, and a swing arm 14. The vehicle body frame 11 is a frame structure that forms the skeleton of the vehicle body 1. The head portion 12 is a cylindrical member for holding the front fork 13 at the front end portion of the vehicle body frame 11. The front fork 13 is a member that connects the handlebar 8 and the front wheel 2. The swing arm 14 is a member that connects the vehicle body frame 11 and the rear wheel 3.

[0012] The vehicle body frame 11 has a main pipe 41, a lower pipe 42, a center pipe 43, a rear pipe 44, and a pivot shaft 45. The main pipe 41 is a pipe member that extends from the upper part of the head portion 12 while inclining rearward and downward. The lower pipe 42 is a pipe member that extends from the lower part of the head portion 12 while inclining rearward and downward, and is arranged so as to incline more downward than the main pipe 41. The center pipe 43 is a pipe member that extends from the middle part of the main pipe 41 while inclining rearward and downward, and is arranged so that the distance from the main pipe 41 expands toward the rear. The rear pipe 44 is a pipe member that extends from the lower end of the center pipe 43 while inclining rearward and upward. The rear end portion (upper end portion) of the rear pipe 44 is connected to the rear end portion of the main pipe 41. The pivot shaft 45 is a shaft member that extends in the vehicle width direction, and is connected to the front end portion of the rear pipe 44 (or the lower end portion of the center pipe 43).

[0013] The vehicle body frame 11 has a bilaterally symmetric structure. That is, the above-described pipe group 41 to 44 of the vehicle body frame 11 is provided not only on the right side of the vehicle body 1 shown in FIG. 1 but also on the left side of the vehicle body 1 (see FIG. 4 described later). In other words, the vehicle body frame 11 has a pair of main pipes 41 and a pair of lower pipes 42 that branch and extend left and right from the head portion 12, a pair of rear pipes 44 connected to the rear end portions of the respective main pipes 41, and a pair of center pipes 43 that connect the middle portions of the respective main pipes 41 and the front end portions of the respective rear pipes 44.

[0014] A side cover 15 is attached to the side surface of the vehicle body 1. The side cover 15 is a cover that is attached to the vehicle body frame 11 so as to cover mainly the region below the front portion of the seat 7 on the side surface of the vehicle body 1.

[0015] Figure 2 is a side view of the central part in the front and rear of the motorcycle as seen from the right side. In this Figure 2, the motorcycle is shown with the covers including the side cover 15 and the seat 7 removed from the vehicle body 1. As shown in Figure 2, the vehicle body frame 11 further has an upper cross member 47 as a reinforcing member extending in the vehicle width direction. The upper cross member 47 is a member that connects the rear parts of the left and right main pipes 41 to each other.

[0016] The swing arm 14 is an arm extending in the front-rear direction that connects the vehicle body frame 11 and the rear wheel 3. As also shown in Figures 7 and 8 described later, the swing arm 14 includes a pair of left and right arm members 121 extending from two locations on the left and right of the pivot shaft 45 toward the rear wheel 3, and a cross member 122 (Figure 8) extending in the vehicle width direction that connects the intermediate parts of the respective arm members 121. The front end of each arm member 121 is pivotally supported by the pivot shaft 45, so that it can swing in the vertical direction around the pivot shaft 45. The rear wheel 3 is disposed between the pair of arm members 121 and is pivotally supported at the rear end of each arm member 121 respectively. That is, the swing arm 14 supports the rear wheel 3 so as to be swingable in the vertical direction with respect to the vehicle body frame 11.

[0017] The rear part of the swing arm 14 is connected to the rear end part of the rear pipe 44 via a pair of left and right rear suspensions 17. The pair of rear suspensions 17 are shock absorbing devices including springs, dampers, etc., and connect the rear parts of the respective arm members 121 in the swing arm 14 and the pair of rear pipes 44 in the vertical direction respectively. The lower end part of each rear suspension 17 is connected to the arm member 121 via a bracket 18 (Figure 1).

[0018] The front fork 13 is rotatably supported by the head part 12 via a stem shaft (not shown). A handle 8 is attached to the upper end part of the front fork 13, and a front wheel 2 is pivotally supported at the lower end part of the front fork 13.

[0019] Figure 3 is a side cross-sectional view of the front and rear central portion of the motorcycle as seen from the right side. As shown in this figure, the fuel tank 6 has an internal storage space S for storing fuel to be supplied to the engine 5. The fuel tank 6 is supported by the vehicle frame 11 at the front upper portion of the vehicle body 1 corresponding to above the engine 5. Specifically, the rear end portion of the fuel tank 6 is fastened and fixed to the upper cross member 47 via a bracket 96 (Figure 2). Also, the front end portion of the fuel tank 6 is fastened and fixed to the front end portion of the main pipe 41 via a bracket (not shown). Inside the fuel tank 6, a fuel pump 95 (Figure 3) is attached. The fuel pump 95 pumps the fuel stored in the storage space S to the engine 5 through a fuel supply pipe (not shown).

[0020] Figure 4 is a side view of the front and rear central portion of the motorcycle as seen from the left side. As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the engine 5 includes a cylinder head 72, a cylinder block 73, and a crankcase 74. The cylinder head 72 and the cylinder block 73 are housings that enclose a space (cylinder) where the fuel supplied from the fuel tank 6 burns. The crankcase 74 is a case that rotatably houses the crankshaft which is the output shaft of the engine 5. The rotation of the crankshaft, that is, the output rotation of the engine 5, is transmitted to the rear wheel 3 via the transmission 78 and the chain 79 (Figure 4). The engine 5 is supported by the vehicle frame 11 by fixing the cylinder head 72 etc. between the front portion of the main pipe 41 and the lower pipe 42.

[0021] In front of the engine 5, a radiator 10 (Figure 1) is arranged. The radiator 10 is a heat exchanger that cools the cooling water introduced into the engine 5 by heat exchange.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, an air cleaner 9 is disposed between the engine 5 and the fuel tank 6. The air cleaner 9 removes foreign matter in the intake air introduced into the engine 5, and has a cleaner case 91 and a filter 92 provided inside thereof (see FIG. 3). An intake pipe 75 extending from the cylinder head 72 is introduced into the inside of the cleaner case 91. That is, the intake pipe 75 communicates the inside of the cleaner case 91 with the cylinder so as to introduce the intake air filtered by the filter 92 into the cylinder of the engine 5. A throttle valve 76 for adjusting the flow rate of the intake air is disposed in the middle of the intake pipe 75.

[0023] The air cleaner 9 and the crankcase 74 are connected to each other by a blow-by hose 77. The blow-by hose 77 is a hose for returning the unburned gas existing inside the crankcase 74 to the intake pipe 75. The cleaner case 91 of the air cleaner 9 has an extended portion 91a (FIG. 3) protruding downward from the rear end thereof, and the upper end (downstream end) of the blow-by hose 77 is connected to the extended portion 91a.

[0024] The seat 7 is attached to the upper surface of the rear part of the vehicle body 1 corresponding immediately behind the fuel tank 6. Specifically, the seat 7 is attached to the rear part of the main pipe 41 and the like so as to cover from above the region including above the rear wheel 4.

[0025] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, a side stand 19 is attached to the lower part on the left side of the vehicle body 1. The side stand 19 is a stand used when parking the motorcycle, and is displaceable between a use state (FIG. 1) extending downward from the lower left side of the vehicle body 1 and a storage state (FIG. 4) flipped upward rearward with respect to the use state. The side stand 19 displaced to the use state supports the vehicle body in a state inclined to the left side.

[0026] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, a battery 80 is disposed between the engine 5 and the rear wheels 3. The battery 80 is a capacitor that stores electric power supplied from a generator (not shown) that generates electricity using the driving force of the engine 5. The battery 80 is supported by a battery case 81 fixed to the vehicle body frame 11 between the engine 5 and the rear wheels 3. Note that the battery case 81 corresponds to the "case body" in the present disclosure.

[0027] The battery case 81 is an integrally molded product made of resin, and includes a bottom wall 83, a front wall 84, a rear wall 85, a pair of left and right side walls 86, and a bottom container portion 87. The bottom wall 83 is a wall portion that supports the battery 80 from below. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the bottom wall 83 has a battery mounting portion 83a on which the battery 80 is placed, and an extended portion 83b that extends forward from the battery mounting portion 83a. The front wall 84 is a wall portion that extends upward from the front end of the bottom wall 83 (extended portion 83b). The rear wall 85 is a wall portion that extends upward and rearward while inclining from the rear end of the bottom wall 83 (battery mounting portion 83a). The pair of side walls 86 are wall portions that protrude upward from the left and right side edges of the bottom wall 83, and extend in the front-rear direction from both ends of the front wall 84 to both ends of the rear wall 85. The bottom container portion 87 protrudes downward from the bottom wall 83, and is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape with a bottom 87a (FIG. 6). The bottom container portion 87 functions as a container for housing a reservoir tank 30 described later. Note that the bottom container portion 87 corresponds to the "tank housing portion" in the present disclosure.

[0028] The battery case 81 is fixed to the vehicle body frame 11 via first and second support pieces 113 and 114 shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. The first support piece 113 protrudes rearward from an intermediate portion in the vertical direction of the center pipe 43, and the second support piece 114 protrudes downward from the rear portion of the rear pipe 44. The battery case 81 is fixed to the vehicle body frame 11 between the engine 5 and the rear wheels 3 by fastening its side wall 86 to the first and second support pieces 113 and 114 via bolts or the like.

[0029] As mainly shown in FIG. 3, the upper end of the front wall 84 of the battery case 81 is close to the extended portion 91a of the cleaner case 91. That is, the battery case 81 is fixed to the vehicle body frame 11 in such a positional relationship that the upper end of its front wall 84 is close to the lower rear end of the air cleaner 9.

[0030] A control unit 101 (FIG. 3) is attached on the extended portion 83b of the bottom wall 83. The control unit 101 is a device for controlling the engine 5 and includes electronic devices such as a processor and a memory, as well as a power supply circuit.

[0031] [Mounting Structure of Canister and Reservoir Tank] FIGS. 5 and 6 are side sectional views of the front and rear central portions of the motorcycle as viewed in cross-section from the left side. Note that the positions of the cut surfaces in FIGS. 5 and 6 are different, and the cut surface in FIG. 6 is set to the right of the cut surface in FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 4. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII of FIG. 7. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 8, a canister 20 and a reservoir tank 30 are attached to the battery case 81. The canister 20 is a collector for collecting evaporated fuel gas, which is an evaporated component of fuel. The reservoir tank 30 is a tank for storing cooling water W (FIG. 6) used in the engine 5.

[0032] The canister 20 and the reservoir tank 30 are arranged separately inside and outside the bottom container portion 87 of the battery case 81. That is, the reservoir tank 30 is arranged inside the bottom container portion 87, and the canister 20 is arranged outside the bottom container portion 87. Hereinafter, the detailed structures of the canister 20 and the reservoir tank 30 will be described in order.

[0033] First, the details of the reservoir tank 30 will be described. As mainly shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the reservoir tank 30 includes a tank body 31, a filling port portion 32, and a cap 33. The reservoir tank 30 has an overall long shape that is long in the vertical direction. That is, the vertical dimension of the reservoir tank 30 is larger than either the vehicle width direction dimension or the front-rear direction dimension. Also, the tank body 31, the filling port portion 32, and the cap 33 are all made of resin.

[0034] The tank body 31 is a transparent or translucent hollow body that has an internal space for storing the cooling water W. The tank body 31 has a shape that can be inserted into the bottom container portion 87 of the battery case 81 from above. By being inserted into the bottom container portion 87 from above, most of the tank body 31 except for a part of its upper side is housed inside the bottom container portion 87. Here, the bottom container portion 87 is formed such that its cross-sectional area decreases toward the bottom. This is to facilitate extraction from the mold during the molding of the resin battery case 81. Also, a recess 87b (FIG. 6) that is recessed forward is formed on the lower rear surface of the bottom container portion 87. This is to avoid interference with the cross member 122 of the swing arm 14 that swings during running. The tank body 31 has an outer shape that generally follows the inner surface of the bottom container portion 87 having such a shape so that the gap with the bottom container portion 87 becomes as small as possible. That is, the tank body 31 is formed such that its cross-sectional area decreases toward the bottom and has a recess on its lower rear surface that corresponds to the recess 87b of the bottom container portion 87.

[0035] The filling port portion 32 is a cylindrical body that protrudes upward from the tank body 31. Both ends of the filling port portion 32 are open so that the cooling water W can be replenished through the filling port portion 32. As shown in FIG. 7, the filling port portion 32 is connected to the tank body 31 in a posture inclined to the right. That is, the filling port portion 32 is inclined such that its upper end is located outside the vehicle width direction (right side) of the lower end.

[0036] The cap 33 is a cap that closes the opening at the upper end of the replenishment port 32, and is detachably attached to the upper end portion of the replenishment port 32. The replenishment of the cooling water W to the tank body 31 is performed with the cap 33 removed from the replenishment port 32.

[0037] Here, the bottom container portion 87 that houses the reservoir tank 30 is formed at a position offset to the right side in the battery case 81. For this reason, the reservoir tank 30 is arranged such that its central portion is offset to the right side with respect to the vehicle width center CL (FIG. 7) of the vehicle body 1. Also, in the present embodiment, as described above, the replenishment port 32 is formed to incline to the right side. For this reason, the upper end of the replenishment port 32 is arranged at a position further to the right side away from the vehicle width center CL. In the present embodiment, since the side stand 19 (FIG. 4) is attached to the left side portion of the vehicle body 1, the central portion of the reservoir tank 30 is positioned on the opposite side of the side stand 19 across the vehicle width center CL. In other words, the reservoir tank 30 is arranged to be offset to the opposite side of the side stand 19 with respect to the vehicle width center CL.

[0038] As mainly shown in FIG. 6, a pressing plate 141 for fixing the reservoir tank 30 is attached to the battery case 81. The pressing plate 141 is a plate-like member formed to extend in the front-rear direction passing directly above the tank body 31. Both the front and rear end portions of the pressing plate 141 are respectively fixed to the battery case 81 before and after the reservoir tank 30. That is, the pressing plate 141 holds the reservoir tank 30 in a fixed position within the bottom container portion 87 by sandwiching the tank body 31 between itself and the bottom 87a of the bottom container portion 87.

[0039] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a notch V is formed on the right side (outer side in the vehicle width direction) of the bottom container portion 87. The notch V is a notch for checking the water level of the cooling water W in the reservoir tank 30 (tank body 31). That is, by viewing the battery case 81 from the side on the right side of the vehicle body 1, the tank body 31 inside the bottom container portion 87 can be visually recognized through the notch V. As described above, since the tank body 31 is transparent or translucent, the water level of the cooling water W stored inside the tank body 31 can also be confirmed by visually recognizing the tank body 31 through the notch V. At this time, it is desirable to mark a scale on the tank body 31 of the portion exposed by the notch V so that the height of the water level of the cooling water W can be easily determined.

[0040] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a cooling water hose 34 is connected to the bottom of the tank body 31. The cooling water hose 34 is a hose that connects the radiator 10 (FIG. 1) and the reservoir tank 30. The end of the cooling water hose 34 on the reservoir tank 30 side is connected to the bottom of the tank body 31 so as to communicate with the storage space of the cooling water W (inside the tank body 31). The cooling water W in the reservoir tank 30 is supplied to the radiator 10 through the cooling water hose 34. Further, the cooling water W supplied to the radiator 10 circulates between the engine 5 and the radiator 10. In other words, the reservoir tank 30 is a housing structure having a storage space for the cooling water W (fluid) supplied to the engine 5.

[0041] An extension portion 88 is formed below the bottom container portion 87. As shown in FIG. 9, the extension portion 88 is formed so as to protrude downward from the peripheral edge of the bottom 87a of the bottom container portion 87 so as to cover the periphery of the cooling water hose 34. That is, the cooling water hose 34 is routed so as to change its direction forward after extending downward from the bottom 87a of the bottom container portion 87. The extension portion 88 is formed so as to cover the portion of the cooling water hose 34 that extends downward from the bottom 87a from the rear and both the left and right sides. Specifically, the extension portion 88 has a rear guard wall 88a located behind the cooling water hose 34, and left and right guard walls 88b and 88c located on the left and right of the cooling water hose 34.

[0042] Next, the details of the canister 20 will be described. As mainly shown in FIGS. 5 and 8, the canister 20 includes an adsorbent 21 made of activated carbon or the like that adsorbs evaporated fuel gas, and a resin housing 22 that houses the adsorbent 21 therein. The canister 20 has an elongated shape that is long in the vertical direction as a whole. That is, the dimension of the canister 20 in the vertical direction is larger than either the dimension in the vehicle width direction or the dimension in the front-rear direction.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 5, a first purge pipe 24 and a second purge pipe 25 are connected to the upper surface of the housing 22 of the canister 20. The first purge pipe 24 is a pipe that connects the fuel tank 6 and the canister 20. The second purge pipe 25 is a pipe that connects the intake pipe 75 and the canister 20. The ends of the respective purge pipes 24, 25 on the canister 20 side are connected to the upper surface of the housing 22 so as to communicate with the accommodation space (inside the housing 22) of the adsorbent 21.

[0044] The evaporated fuel gas generated inside the fuel tank 6 is introduced into the housing 22 of the canister 20 through the first purge pipe 24 and is adsorbed (collected) by the adsorbent 21. The adsorbed evaporated fuel gas is introduced into the intake pipe 75 through the second purge pipe 25 and is supplied to the engine 5 through the intake pipe 75. In other words, the canister 20 is a housing structure that has a space for accommodating the evaporated fuel gas (fluid) supplied to the engine 5.

[0045] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the canister 20 is fixed to the battery case 81 via a bracket 131. The bracket 131 is attached along the left side surface of the bottom container portion 87 of the battery case 81 so as to support the canister 20 in the vicinity of the left side of the bottom container portion 87 in the battery case 81. Specifically, the bracket 131 includes an upper fixing portion 132 fixed to the bottom wall 83 of the battery case 81, a lower fixing portion 134 fixed to the bottom container portion 87 of the battery case 81 at a position away downward from the upper fixing portion 132, a backrest portion 133 formed between the upper and lower fixing portions 132 and 134, and a lower end support portion 135 protruding outward (leftward) from the lower end of the lower fixing portion 134. The upper fixing portion 132 and the lower fixing portion 134 are fixed to the battery case 81 via fastening members such as bolts or an adhesive. The backrest portion 133 is a portion that abuts against the back surface of the canister 20 and is formed so as to protrude slightly toward the canister 20 side (left side) than the lower fixing portion 134. The lower end support portion 135 is a portion that supports the canister 20 from below and is formed so as to protrude farther to the left than the backrest portion 133.

[0046] The backrest portion 133 has holding pieces 133a on both sides in its width direction (the front-rear direction of the vehicle body). Each holding piece 133a is arranged along both side surfaces of the canister 20, that is, the surfaces of the canister 20 in the front and rear of the vehicle body. The canister 20 is fixed at a fixed position on the bracket 131 by being sandwiched between the two holding pieces 133a of the backrest portion 133 and supported from below by the lower end support portion 135. In the present embodiment, as a means for fixing the canister 20 to the bracket 131, a rubber band 137 that connects the two holding pieces 133a of the backrest portion 133 is used. The rubber band 137 is attached so as to wrap around the canister 20, thereby fixing the canister 20 to the bracket 131.

[0047] The canister 20 is arranged at a distance below the bottom wall 83 of the battery case 81. In other words, the canister 20 is arranged so as to be separated from the battery 80 with the bottom wall 83 therebetween.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 5, the canister 20 is arranged in an inclined posture forward. That is, the canister 20 is arranged in an inclined posture such that the upper end is located forward of the lower end, in other words, in an inclined posture such that the upper surface of the housing 22 faces upward and forward. So that such an inclined posture of the canister 20 can be obtained, the bracket 131 is formed such that the holding piece 133a inclines forward with respect to the vertical plane and the lower end support portion 135 inclines with respect to the horizontal plane.

[0049] The inclined posture of the canister 20 described above corresponds to the extending directions of the first and second purge pipes 24 and 25 connected to the upper surface of the canister 20. That is, the first and second purge pipes 24 and 25 are routed so as to extend forward while curving from the upper surface of the canister 20. The canister 20 is arranged in an inclined posture forward so that the upper surface of the canister 20 faces the extending direction (forward) of such purge pipes 24 and 25.

[0050] Next, the positional relationship between the canister 20 and the reservoir tank 30 and the vehicle body 1 will be described. The canister 20 and the reservoir tank 30 are arranged so as to partially overlap the swing arm 14 in side view between the pivot shaft 45 and the rear wheel 3. That is, the canister 20 and the reservoir tank 30 are arranged side by side in the vehicle width direction such that their lower portions enter between the pair of left and right arm members 121 of the swing arm 14. In other words, the lower portion of the canister 20, the lower portion of the reservoir tank 30, and the pair of arm members 121 are arranged in a relationship of multiple overlaps in side view.

[0051] In the plan view shown in FIG. 8, the canister 20 and the reservoir tank 30 are disposed between the pivot shaft 45 and the cross member 122. That is, the canister 20 and the reservoir tank 30 are disposed behind the pivot shaft 45 so as to overlap the pivot shaft 45 in the front-rear direction view, and in front of the cross member 122 so as to overlap the cross member 122 in the front-rear direction view. In other words, the lower portions of the canister 20 and the reservoir tank 30 are disposed in a region surrounded by a pair of arm members 121, the pivot shaft 45, and the cross member 122.

[0052] Here, the vertical position (height) of the swing arm 14 shown in the figure is the position under predetermined conditions such as when the rear wheel 3 is in contact with the ground and the rider is not on the vehicle. On the other hand, the swing arm 14 swings upward or downward with respect to the illustrated position in response to the weight of the rider and the load applied during traveling. In the present embodiment, the positions of the canister 20 and the reservoir tank 30 are set such that the swing arm 14 partially overlaps the canister 20 and the reservoir tank 30 in a side view regardless of the position of the swing arm 14 within such a swing range.

[0053] [Operation and Effect] As described above, in the present embodiment, the canister 20 that adsorbs evaporated fuel gas and the reservoir tank 30 that stores the cooling water W are disposed between the pivot shaft 45 and the rear wheel 3 and at a position that overlaps the swing arm 14 in a side view. According to such a configuration, there is an advantage that it is possible to suppress an increase in the size of the motorcycle while appropriately protecting the canister 20 and the reservoir tank 30 as a housing structure.

[0054] That is, in the present embodiment, since the canister 20 is disposed between the pivot shaft 45 and the rear wheel 3, the dead space between the pivot shaft 45 and the rear wheel 3 can be effectively utilized as the arrangement space for the canister 20. As a result, it becomes unnecessary to secure a dedicated space for arranging the canister 20, and it is possible to prevent the motorcycle from becoming larger due to securing such a space. Further, since the canister 20 is disposed at a position that overlaps with the swing arm 14 in side view, in other words, between the pair of arm members 121 of the swing arm 14, the canister 20 can be protected by the swing arm 14 (arm member 121) that covers the side of the canister 20, and the possibility of foreign objects or the like colliding with the canister 20 from the side can be reduced.

[0055] Further, in the present embodiment, since the reserve tank 30 is disposed at the same position as the canister 20 (between the pair of arm members 121), the dead space between the pivot shaft 45 and the rear wheel 3 can be effectively utilized as the arrangement space for the reserve tank 30, and the reserve tank 30 can be appropriately protected by the swing arm 14.

[0056] In particular, in the present embodiment, the battery case 81 that supports the battery 80 is disposed between the engine 5 and the rear wheel 3, and the reserve tank 30 is housed inside the bottom container portion 87 which is a part of the battery case 81, so that more appropriate protection of the reserve tank 30 can be achieved. That is, since the reserve tank 30 is housed in the bottom container portion 87, the bottom container portion 87 can be utilized as a protective cover that covers the reserve tank 30, and the possibility of foreign objects or the like colliding with the reserve tank 30 can be further reduced. Moreover, since a part of the battery case 81 that supports the battery 80 is used as the housing portion (bottom container portion 87) of the reserve tank 30, it is not necessary to separately provide the housing portion of the reserve tank 30, and the structure can be further simplified.

[0057] Note that, unlike the reserve tank 30, no covers (corresponding to the bottom container portion 87) for directly protecting the canister 20 are provided. However, since the canister 20 is protected at least by the swing arm 14, there is no particular problem even without the covers. Thus, in the present embodiment, since no dedicated cover is provided for the canister 20, the number of parts can be reduced and the weight of the motorcycle can be reduced.

[0058] Also, in the present embodiment, the canister 20 is disposed outside the bottom container portion 87, and the reserve tank 30 is disposed inside the bottom container portion 87, and the canister 20 and the reserve tank 30 are disposed adjacent to each other in the vehicle width direction. According to such a configuration, while the arrangement locations of the canister 20 and the reserve tank 30 are dispersed inside and outside the bottom container portion 87, the canister 20 and the reserve tank 30 can be concentrated and arranged between the pivot shaft 45 and the rear wheel 3, and a more efficient layout can be realized. In this case, although the canister 20 is located outside the bottom container portion 87, since the swing arm 14 exists outside the canister 20 in the vehicle width direction (left side in the present embodiment), the canister 20 can be prevented from being visually recognized from the side by the swing arm 14, and the appearance of the motorcycle can be improved.

[0059] Also, in the present embodiment, since the canister 20 and the reserve tank 30 are disposed at a relatively low position between the pivot shaft 45 and the rear wheel 3 (or between the pair of arm members 121), the center of gravity of the vehicle body 1 can be lowered. That is, since the cooling water W is stored in the reserve tank 30, the weight of the reserve tank 30 including the cooling water W is not small. On the other hand, although the evaporated fuel gas (gas) is stored in the canister 20, since the adsorbent 21 that adsorbs the adsorbed fuel gas has a specific gravity larger than that of the gas, the weight of the canister 20 including the adsorbent 21 cannot be ignored. In the present embodiment, since the arrangement locations of the canister 20 and the reserve tank 30 are made sufficiently low, the center of gravity of the vehicle body 1 can be lowered, and the running stability of the motorcycle can be enhanced.

[0060] Moreover, in the present embodiment, since both the material of the reserve tank 30 and the material of the housing 22 of the canister 20 are resin, the total weight of the motorcycle including the canister 20 and the reserve tank 30 can be reduced. Further, even if the materials of the canister 20 (housing 22) and the reserve tank 30 are resin, the canister 20 and the reserve tank 30 are surrounded by the swing arm 14 or the like, so the possibility of damage to the canister 20 and the reserve tank 30 is low. That is, according to the present embodiment, the canister 20 and the reserve tank 30 can be appropriately protected while reducing the weight of the motorcycle.

[0061] Also, in the present embodiment, the purge pipes 24 and 25 are connected to the upper surface of the housing 22 of the canister 20 (see FIG. 5). According to such a configuration, for example, compared with the case where the purge pipes 24 and 25 are connected to the lower surface of the housing 22, the possibility that an obstacle on the road surface collides with the purge pipes 24 and 25 can be sufficiently reduced, and the purge pipes 24 and 25 can be appropriately protected.

[0062] Also, in the present embodiment, the purge pipes 24 and 25 are routed so as to curve from the upper surface of the housing 22 and extend forward, and the canister 20 is arranged in a posture inclined forward (see FIG. 5). According to such a configuration, since the upper surface of the housing 22 faces upward and forward, the bending angle of the purge pipes 24 and 25 can be reduced, and the purge pipes 24 and 25 can be connected to the canister 20 without difficulty.

[0063] Also, in the present embodiment, the canister 20 is arranged outside the bottom container portion 87 and below the bottom wall 83 of the battery case 81 (see FIGS. 5 and 7). According to such a configuration, even if evaporated fuel gas leaks from the canister 20, it is possible to suppress the leaked evaporated fuel gas from entering the inside of the battery case 81 (above the bottom wall 83). Thereby, the possibility that the evaporated fuel gas reaches the vicinity of the electrode portion of the battery 80 can be sufficiently reduced, and the safety can be improved.

[0064] Further, in the present embodiment, a cooling water hose 34 is connected to the bottom of the reservoir tank 30, and an extension portion 88 that covers the periphery of the cooling water hose 34 is formed below the bottom container portion 87 (see FIGS. 6 and 9). According to such a configuration, the cooling water hose 34 can be appropriately protected by the extension portion 88. In particular, since the extension portion 88 is formed so as to cover the cooling water hose 34 at a portion protruding downward from the bottom 87a of the bottom container portion 87 from the rear and both left and right sides, the cooling water hose 34 can be appropriately protected from foreign objects and the like that are likely to fly mainly from the rear as the rear wheel 3 rotates.

[0065] Further, in the present embodiment, the reservoir tank 30 is disposed at a position offset to the right side (the side opposite to the side stand 19) in the battery case 81, and the refill port portion 32 of the reservoir tank 30 is formed to incline to the right side (see FIG. 7). According to such a configuration, since the upper end of the refill port portion 32 is sufficiently separated from the vehicle width center CL to the right side, the operation of refilling the cooling water W through the refill port portion 32 can be easily performed from the right side of the vehicle body 1. In particular, when parking using the side stand 19, as a result of the vehicle body 1 tilting to the left side, the upper end (cap 33) of the refill port portion 32 is easily visible from the right side of the vehicle body 1, so that the operation of refilling the cooling water W can be performed more easily.

[0066] Further, in the present embodiment, the rear portion of the swing arm 14 and the rear portion of the vehicle body frame 11 (rear pipe 44) are connected to each other via the rear suspension 17. According to such a configuration, unlike the case where the lower end portion of the rear suspension is connected to the front portion of the swing arm 14, for example, there is no concern that the rear suspension 17 interferes with the canister 20 or the bottom container portion 87 (or the reservoir tank 30 inside thereof), and the rear suspension 17 can be appropriately attached to the vehicle body 1 while securing the arrangement space for the canister 20 and the reservoir tank 30.

[0067] [Modification Example] In the above-described embodiment, the canister 20 that stores (adsorbs) the evaporated fuel gas supplied to the engine 5 and the reservoir tank 30 that stores the cooling water W supplied to the engine 5 are respectively disposed between the pair of arm members 121 on the left and right in the swing arm 14. In other words, they are disposed at positions overlapping the swing arm 14 in a side view. However, other housing structures that store fluids other than the evaporated fuel gas and the cooling water W may be disposed between the pair of arm members 121.

[0068] In the above-described embodiment, the canister 20 and the reservoir tank 30 are disposed side by side in the vehicle width direction between the pair of arm members 121. However, the canister 20 and the reservoir tank 30 may be disposed side by side in the front-rear direction. Further, only one of the canister 20 and the reservoir tank 30 may be disposed between the pair of arm members 121.

[0069] In the above-described embodiment, the battery case 81 is provided between the engine 5 and the rear wheel 3, and the battery 80 (auxiliary machine) is attached onto the battery case 81. However, an auxiliary machine other than the battery 80 may be attached onto the battery case 81 (case body). That is, the case body provided between the engine 5 and the rear wheel 3 may be any case body that supports some auxiliary machine, and the auxiliary machine supported by the case body is not limited to the battery.

[0070] In the above-described embodiment, the reservoir tank 30 is housed inside the bottom container portion 87 which is a part of the battery case 81. However, the bottom container portion 87 may be omitted and the reservoir tank 30 may be disposed outside the battery case 81.

[0071] In the above-described embodiment, as the swing arm 14 that connects the pivot shaft 45 and the rear wheel 3, one prepared including the pair of left and right arm members 121 is used. However, the swing arm may be a so-called cantilever type swing arm including a single arm member provided only on either the left or the right. In this case, the canister 20 or the reservoir tank 30 as the housing structure may be disposed at a position overlapping the single arm member in a side view.

[0072] In the above embodiment, the canister 20 and the reservoir tank 30 overlap the swing arm 14 in side view regardless of the position of the swing arm 14 within its swing range. However, the overlap may be released when the swing arm 14 is located at the lower swing limit or in the vicinity thereof. That is, the canister 20 and the reservoir tank 30 may be arranged so as to overlap the swing arm 14 in side view at least when the swing arm 14 swings upward.

[0073] In the above embodiment, an example in which the present disclosure is applied to a motorcycle, which is a type of saddle-riding vehicle, has been described. However, the present disclosure is also applicable to other saddle-riding vehicles such as three-wheeled vehicles and four-wheeled buggies.

[0074] [Summary] The above embodiment and its modifications are summarized as follows.

[0075] A saddle-riding vehicle includes a rear wheel, a vehicle body frame including a pivot shaft extending in the vehicle width direction, a swing arm connecting the pivot shaft and the rear wheel, and a housing structure having a fluid storage space therein. The housing structure is disposed between the pivot shaft and the rear wheel and at a position overlapping the swing arm in side view.

[0076] In this aspect, since the housing structure is disposed between the pivot shaft and the rear wheel, the dead space between the pivot shaft and the rear wheel can be effectively utilized as the arrangement space of the housing structure. Thereby, it becomes unnecessary to secure a dedicated space for arranging the housing structure, and it is possible to prevent the motorcycle from becoming larger due to securing of the space. Further, since the housing structure is disposed at a position overlapping the swing arm in side view, the housing structure can be protected by the swing arm covering the side of the housing structure, and the possibility of a foreign object or the like colliding with the housing structure from the side can be reduced.

[0077] Preferably, the swing arm includes a pair of left and right arm members extending from two positions in the vehicle width direction on the pivot shaft toward the rear wheel, and the housing structure is disposed between the pair of arm members.

[0078] In this aspect, the housing structure can be appropriately protected by the arm members on both the left and right sides of the housing structure.

[0079] The saddle-type vehicle may further include a drive source for rotationally driving the rear wheel. In this case, it is preferable that the housing structure houses the fluid supplied to the drive source inside.

[0080] In this aspect, the housing structure that houses the fluid used in the drive source can be appropriately protected.

[0081] The housing structure may include a canister that adsorbs the evaporated components of the fuel supplied to the drive source.

[0082] In this aspect, the dead space between the pivot shaft and the rear wheel can be effectively utilized as the arrangement space of the canister, and the canister can be appropriately protected by the swing arm.

[0083] The saddle-type vehicle may further include a purge pipe connected to the upper surface of the canister. In this case, the purge pipe is routed so as to extend in a predetermined direction while curving from the upper surface of the canister, and the canister is preferably arranged in a tilted posture in the predetermined direction.

[0084] In this aspect, since the purge pipe is connected to the upper surface of the canister, for example, compared with the case where the purge pipe is connected to the lower surface of the canister, the possibility of an obstacle on the road surface colliding with the purge pipe can be sufficiently reduced, and the purge pipe can be appropriately protected. Further, since the canister is arranged in a tilted posture in the extending direction of the purge pipe, the bending angle of the purge pipe can be reduced, and the purge pipe can be connected to the canister without difficulty.

[0085] The housing structure may be a reservoir tank that stores cooling water supplied to the drive source.

[0086] In this aspect, the dead space between the pivot shaft and the rear wheel can be effectively utilized as the arrangement space of the reservoir tank, and the reservoir tank can be appropriately protected by the swing arm.

[0087] The saddle-type vehicle may further include a case body that supports auxiliary machines disposed between the drive source and the rear wheel. In this case, it is preferable that the case body includes a bottomed cylindrical tank housing portion that houses the reservoir tank.

[0088] In this aspect, since the reservoir tank is housed in the tank housing portion, the tank housing portion can be utilized as a protective cover that covers the reservoir tank, and the possibility of foreign objects or the like colliding with the reservoir tank can be further reduced. Moreover, since a part of the case body that supports the auxiliary machines is used as the housing portion (tank housing portion) of the reservoir tank, it is not necessary to separately provide a housing portion for the reservoir tank, and the structure can be further simplified.

[0089] In the aspect where the reservoir tank is housed in the tank housing portion, the saddle-type vehicle may further include a canister that adsorbs evaporation components of fuel supplied to the drive source. In this case, it is preferable that the canister is disposed adjacent to the reservoir tank in the vehicle width direction outside the tank housing portion.

[0090] In this aspect, while dispersing the arrangement locations of the canister and the reservoir tank inside and outside the tank housing portion, the canister and the reservoir tank can be concentrated and arranged between the pivot shaft and the rear wheel, and a more efficient layout can be realized.

[0091] Preferably, the saddle-type vehicle further includes a rear suspension that connects a rear portion of the swing arm and a rear portion of the vehicle body frame.

[0092] In this way, when the rear suspension is connected to the rear portion of the swing arm, for example, unlike the case where the rear suspension is connected to the front portion of the swing arm, there is no concern that the rear suspension interferes with the housing structure, and the rear suspension can be appropriately attached to the vehicle body while securing the arrangement space of the housing structure.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0093] 4: Rear wheel 5: Engine (drive source) 11: Vehicle body frame 14: Swing arm 17: Rear suspension 20: Canister 24: First purge pipe (purge pipe) 25: Second purge pipe (purge pipe) 30: Reservoir tank 45: Pivot shaft 80: Battery (auxiliary machine) 81: Battery case (case body) 87: Bottom container portion (tank housing portion) 121: Arm member

Claims

1. A rear wheel, a drive source for rotationally driving the rear wheel, a vehicle body frame including a pivot shaft extending in the vehicle width direction, a swing arm connecting the pivot shaft and the rear wheel, a case body for supporting an accessory disposed between the drive source and the rear wheel, and a housing structure having an internal fluid accommodation space, wherein the housing structure includes a canister for adsorbing evaporated components of fuel supplied to the drive source, and the canister is located below the case body and is further disposed between the pivot shaft and the rear wheel and at a position overlapping the swing arm in side view, a saddle-type vehicle.

2. In the saddle-type vehicle according to Claim 1, the swing arm includes a pair of arm members extending from two locations in the vehicle width direction on the pivot shaft toward the rear wheel, and the housing structure is disposed between the pair of arm members, a saddle-type vehicle.

3. A rear wheel, a drive source for rotationally driving the rear wheel, a vehicle body frame including a pivot shaft extending in the vehicle width direction, a swing arm connecting the pivot shaft and the rear wheel, a housing structure having an internal fluid accommodation space, and a purge pipe, wherein the housing structure includes a canister for adsorbing evaporated components of fuel supplied to the drive source, the purge pipe is routed to extend in a predetermined direction while curving from the upper surface of the canister, and the canister is disposed between the pivot shaft and the rear wheel and at a position overlapping the swing arm in side view and is further disposed in an inclined posture in the predetermined direction, a saddle-type vehicle.

4. In the saddle-type vehicle according to Claim 3, a reservoir tank for storing cooling water supplied to the drive source, and a cooling water hose connected to the bottom of the reservoir tank are further provided, and the reservoir tank and the canister are arranged side by side in the vehicle width direction, a saddle-type vehicle.

5. A rear wheel, a vehicle body frame including a pivot shaft extending in the vehicle width direction, a swing arm including a pair of arm members connecting the pivot shaft and the rear wheel, a housing structure having an internal fluid accommodation space, and a case body for supporting the housing structure, wherein the housing structure is disposed between the pivot shaft and the rear wheel and at a position overlapping the swing arm in side view. The case body includes a bottom container portion located between the pair of arm members when viewed in the front-rear direction, and a bottom wall located above the swing arm and extending at least in the vehicle width direction from the upper portion of the bottom container portion. It is a saddle-type vehicle.

6. In the saddle-type vehicle according to claim 5, It further includes a drive source for rotationally driving the rear wheel, The housing structure is a reservoir tank for storing cooling water supplied to the drive source, The reservoir tank includes a housing portion housed in the bottom container portion and a support portion extending outward in the vehicle width direction when viewed in the front-rear direction and supported by the bottom wall, A replenishment port for replenishing the cooling water to the reservoir tank is provided in the support portion. It is a saddle-type vehicle.

7. A rear wheel, A drive source for rotationally driving the rear wheel, A vehicle body frame including a pivot shaft extending in the vehicle width direction, A swing arm connecting the pivot shaft and the rear wheel, A case body for supporting an auxiliary machine disposed between the drive source and the rear wheel, A canister for adsorbing evaporation components of fuel supplied to the drive source, A reservoir tank for storing cooling water supplied to the drive source, and The case body includes a bottomed cylindrical tank housing portion for housing the reservoir tank, The reservoir tank is disposed between the pivot shaft and the rear wheel and at a position overlapping the swing arm in side view, The canister is disposed adjacent to the reservoir tank in the vehicle width direction outside the tank housing portion. It is a saddle-type vehicle.

8. In the saddle-type vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 7, It further includes a rear suspension connecting the rear portion of the swing arm and the rear portion of the vehicle body frame. It is a saddle-type vehicle.

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