Saddle-type vehicle

Abstract

The objective of the present invention is to allow others outside a saddle-ridden vehicle to easily recognize the saddle-ridden vehicle when the vehicle is tilted to the left or right.　In a saddle-ridden vehicle having a lighting device (45), the lighting device (45) emits predetermined light (LA) capable of providing a higher brightness than headlight light and taillight light at a predetermined position separated from the vehicle, and an emission direction of the predetermined light (LA) is at least one of a direction toward the side at the front of the vehicle, a direction toward the side at the rear of the vehicle, and a direction toward the side of the vehicle, and is at least one of an upward direction or a downward direction when the vehicle stands upright.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Some vehicles have an auxiliary lamp in the headlight unit that illuminates an area other than the illumination area of the headlight. For example, in the vehicle described in Patent Document 1, a large-deflection angle lamp, a medium-deflection angle lamp, and a large-diffusion lamp are arranged from the center side to the outside of the vehicle in this order, and the large-diffusion lamp is configured to illuminate the side front, side, and further side rear areas of the vicinity of the own vehicle, making it easier for the driver to confirm pedestrians, bicycles, etc. existing in the vicinity of the own vehicle.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the conventional configuration mainly aims at enabling the driver to confirm pedestrians, bicycles, etc., and does not mainly aim at making it easy for the drivers of other vehicles and pedestrians to notice the vehicle. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to make it easy for others outside the vehicle to recognize the saddle-riding type vehicle when the saddle-riding type vehicle tilts left and right.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] This specification includes all the contents of Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-059391 filed on March 31, 2023. The present invention provides a saddle-type vehicle equipped with a lighting device, wherein the lighting device emits a predetermined light at a predetermined position spaced apart from the vehicle, which has a higher brightness than the headlight and taillight lights, and the direction of the emission of the predetermined light is at least one of the front side of the vehicle, the rear side of the vehicle, and the side of the vehicle, and at least one of the upward and downward directions when the vehicle is upright. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] When a saddle-type vehicle tilts from side to side, it becomes easier for others outside the vehicle to recognize it. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a side view of a saddle-type vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the light unit as viewed from above the vehicle body. [Figure 3] Figure 3 schematically shows the first beam of light shining downwards when the vehicle is upright, viewed from the front of the vehicle. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a diagram showing a driving situation with multiple vehicles, viewed from above. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows the saddle-type vehicle along with other vehicles from above. [Figure 6] Figure 6 schematically shows the first beam of light shining upwards when the vehicle is upright, viewed from the front of the vehicle. [Figure 7] Figure 7 shows the saddle-type vehicle along with other vehicles from above. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing a rear light unit of another embodiment as viewed from above the vehicle body. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a diagram showing a saddle-type vehicle according to another embodiment, along with other vehicles, viewed from above. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a diagram showing a saddle-type vehicle according to another embodiment, along with other vehicles, viewed from above. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

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

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

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

[0011] The front fork 14 is supported by a head pipe 18 so that it can be steered left and right. The front wheel 13 is supported by an axle 13a located at the lower end of the front fork 14. A steering handle 21, which is held by the rider, is attached to the upper end of the front fork 14.

[0012] The swingarm 16 is supported by a pivot shaft 22 which is supported by the vehicle frame 11. The pivot shaft 22 is an axis that extends horizontally in the vehicle width direction. The pivot shaft 22 is inserted through the front end of the swingarm 16. The swingarm 16 swings up and down around the pivot shaft 22. The rear wheel 15 is supported by an axle 15a provided at the rear end of the swing arm 16.

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

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

[0015] The saddle-type vehicle 10 includes a vehicle body cover 30 that covers the vehicle body. The vehicle body cover 30 includes a front cover 31 that covers the front portion of the vehicle body from the front and the left and right sides, and an inner cover 32 that covers the front frame 19 from above. The front cover 31 has a cover shape that expands in the vehicle width direction and the vertical direction as it goes rearward, and is formed in a bilaterally symmetric shape with respect to the center of the vehicle width. A light unit 41 that irradiates headlight light is attached to the front cover 31. The headlight light includes a low beam (so-called passing headlight) and a high beam (so-called driving headlight). Further, a rear light unit 45 that irradiates taillight light is attached to the rear portion of the saddle-type vehicle 10. The taillight light is light corresponding to a taillight (tail lamp) or a brake lamp. Note that the saddle-type vehicle 10 is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 1, and the configuration and shape of each part may be changed.

[0016] The light unit 41 is a unit that constitutes part of the lighting system of the saddle-type vehicle 10, and is also referred to as a headlight unit or front light unit. The light unit 41 is located in front of the front-to-rear center of the saddle-type vehicle 10, and more specifically, in front of the steering handlebars 21a and the vehicle frame 11. This light unit 41 may be either a so-called handle-mount type supported by the handlebars 21, or a so-called frame-mount type supported by the vehicle frame 11. This light unit 41 has the function of emitting light LA ​​to improve the visibility of the saddle-type vehicle 10 to others outside the vehicle. This light LA ​​employs light with a small divergence angle, such as parallel or quasi-parallel light, resulting in light that provides higher brightness at a predetermined position away from the saddle-type vehicle 10 than the generally diffused light of headlights, taillights, and turn signals. The predetermined position is the position in the direction from which the light LA ​​is emitted, and can also be described as a position farther away from the headlights, taillights, and turn signals, or a position away from the illumination range of the headlights, taillights, and turn signals. The predetermined position includes the position of the driver of other vehicles 111 (Figure 5, etc.) relative to the saddle-type vehicle 10 which is tilted to the left and right, as described later. This light LA ​​corresponds to the "predetermined light" of the present invention.

[0017] When viewing the vehicle from the front or rear, the direction of light LA ​​can be either downward when the vehicle is upright or upward when the vehicle is upright. The following describes each case. Furthermore, "downward when the vehicle is upright" can also be defined as the direction directed outwards to the left and right of the vehicle and downwards when the vehicle is upright, or, in this embodiment, the direction directed downwards from the height of the reflector 61b (see Figure 2), which will be described later. Similarly, "upward when the vehicle is upright" can also be defined as the direction directed outwards to the left and right of the vehicle and upwards when the vehicle is upright, or, in this embodiment, the direction directed upwards from the height of the reflector 61b. For the sake of explanation, in the following description, light LA ​​will be appropriately referred to as "irradiated light LA".

[0018] <When the direction of light LA ​​irradiation is downward when the vehicle is upright> Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the light unit 41 as viewed from above the vehicle. In Figure 2, the symbol LC indicates the center of the vehicle width. Figure 2 also shows the configuration related to the illumination / deactivation of the illumination light LA, which will be described later. The light unit 41 has a housing 42 (also called a casing) that extends outward to the left and right with respect to the vehicle width center LC, and within the housing 42 are a pair of left and right light sources 61a and a pair of left and right reflectors 61b that reflect the light from each light source 61a so that it becomes the emitted light LA.

[0019] Each light source 61a is a known light source such as an LED, and emits visible light. The light source 61a is not limited to a point light source, but may also be a planar light source that emits planar light by densely arranging multiple light-emitting elements. Examples of planar light sources are COB (Chips on Board) type or SMD (Surface Mount Device) type LEDs.

[0020] Each reflector 61b is formed as a reflector that reflects light from the light source 61a in the direction of the illumination of the light LA. Each reflector 61b employs a reflector in which a region of the paraboloid of revolution with the position of the light source 61a as the focal point is formed, and the region of the reflector surface is capable of illuminating light LA ​​of a predetermined width in a desired direction. As a result, the reflector 61b illuminates the light LA, which consists of parallel light. By making the illumination light LA ​​parallel, it becomes easier to maintain a brightness above a certain level that is higher than the surrounding light (e.g., headlight light, taillight light, turn signal light, and ambient light), making it easier for others to perceive the illumination light LA. The width of the parallel light can be set as appropriate. Furthermore, the irradiated light LA ​​is not limited to parallel light; for example, quasi-parallel light may also be used. Quasi-parallel light is divergent light that is close to parallel light. Because quasi-parallel light has a small divergence angle, it can irradiate light of a certain brightness or higher over relatively long distances, similar to parallel light. For example, the reflective surface of each reflector 61b can be made to approximate a paraboloid of revolution.

[0021] In this embodiment, each reflector 61b and light source 61a is fixed to the light unit 41. Therefore, the direction of illumination of each light LA ​​from the saddle-type vehicle 10 is fixed. In this configuration, as shown in Figure 2, each reflector 61b emits illumination light LA ​​to the left and right when viewed from above the vehicle.

[0022] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the irradiated light LA ​​from the front of the vehicle. Figure 3 shows the saddle-type vehicle 10 in an upright position and in an inclined position tilted to one side (also called a banked position). The upright position is when the vehicle body is perpendicular to the running surface GR (corresponding to the road or ground), and the inclination angle of the vehicle body relative to the running surface GR is θK = 90° (corresponding to a banked angle of 0°). As shown in Figure 3, each light LA ​​is projected towards the lower left and lower right sides of the vehicle, respectively, when viewed from the front of the vehicle.

[0023] By setting the irradiation direction of each light LA ​​in this way, as shown in Figure 3, when the tilt angle θK of the saddle-type vehicle 10 to the left or right is a predetermined angle θK1, the irradiation direction of the light LA ​​on the outward side, which is opposite the tilt direction, can be made more horizontal than the irradiation direction in the upright state. This makes it easier to irradiate the light LA ​​towards other people on the outward side who you want to recognize the saddle-type vehicle 10 when banking. It also makes it easier to irradiate the light LA ​​to a distant location.

[0024] Next, the illumination light LA ​​and predetermined angle θK1 of the saddle-type vehicle 10 will be explained in relation to the driving conditions. Figure 4 is a diagram showing a driving situation with multiple vehicles, viewed from above. Figure 4 shows an intersection (also called a crossroads) 100 where two roads intersect, along with its surroundings. The road containing lane 101A on which the other vehicle 111 (hereinafter referred to as "other vehicle 111") travels is labeled "First Road 101," and the road intersecting First Road 101 is labeled "Second Road 102."

[0025] As an example of the saddle-type vehicle 10 in this embodiment, we will use vehicle 10A located at intersection 100. Vehicle 10A is located on the second road 102 and is attempting to turn left into lane 101A of the first road 101 (the lane in which another vehicle 111 is traveling). Figure 5 shows vehicle 10A together with other vehicles 111 from above. In Figure 5, vehicle 10A is stopped just before turning left, with the steering wheel 21 turned to the left, and vehicle 10A is banked to the left (corresponding to the inside) by a predetermined angle θK1. Note that in Figure 5, for the sake of clarity, only the light LA ​​on the outside, which is opposite the direction of the incline, is shown.

[0026] The predetermined angle θK1 is set appropriately based on the inclination angle θK of the vehicle 10A when turning on a perpendicular road. As shown in Figure 5, the vehicle 10A emits light LA ​​in the direction of angle θ1, which corresponds to either the front side, side, or rear side of the vehicle when viewed from above. When the light unit 41 is a handle-mounted type, this angle θ1 is the direction in which the light LA ​​is emitted towards the driver of the other vehicle 111 when the other vehicle 111 is at position P1 and the steering wheel 21 of the vehicle 10A is turned to the left and banking. Figure 2 illustrates the case where the angle is the rear side of the vehicle with respect to the vehicle 10A. By directing the illumination direction of the light LA ​​downwards and towards the rear side of the vehicle when the vehicle is upright, the light unit 41 can more easily illuminate the driver of other vehicles 111 with respect to vehicle 10A when the steering wheel 21 of the handle-mounted vehicle 10A has a steering angle for left turns. However, depending on the set angle θ1, the direction of the emitted light LA ​​may be either below the vehicle when the vehicle is upright, and either to the side of the vehicle or to the front side of the vehicle. Position P1 is the distance d1 from vehicle 10A, and is set to a position suitable for other vehicles 111 to avoid contact with vehicle 10A based on simulations and experiments.

[0027] If the light unit 41 is frame-mounted, the angle θ1 is the direction in which the illumination light LA ​​is directed toward the driver of the other vehicle 111 when the other vehicle 111 is at position P1. For example, the direction of illumination of the illumination light LA ​​is directed downwards from the vehicle when the vehicle is upright, and toward the front side of the vehicle, the side of the vehicle, or the rear side of the vehicle. Here, the other vehicle 111 shown in Figure 5 is a vehicle traveling on the first road 101 and is a vehicle that could become a vehicle following vehicle 10A after vehicle 10A turns left.

[0028] Position P1 is set, for example, to a position where another vehicle 111 can avoid vehicle 10A without making contact, or to a position where it can stop. This allows the illumination light LA ​​to be directed towards the driver of the other vehicle 111 at position P1 when viewed from above the vehicle. In this case, since the vehicle 10A is tilted to the left at a predetermined angle θK1, the illumination light LA ​​can be directed closer to the horizontal than in an upright position, and the illumination light LA ​​can be directed at a height that is easily perceived by the driver of the other vehicle 111. Therefore, the driver of another vehicle 111 that may be following can be made aware of the illuminated light LA, or in other words, the driver of the other vehicle 111 can be made aware of the presence of vehicle 10A. As a result, the driver of the other vehicle 111 can be made aware of vehicle 10A, and the visibility of vehicle 10A is improved.

[0029] As shown in Figure 2, the saddle-type vehicle 10 includes an information acquisition unit 81 and a vehicle control unit 82 as components related to the irradiation / stopping of the irradiation light LA. The information acquisition unit 81 is a device that detects information from each part of the saddle-type vehicle 10. The information acquisition unit 81 includes at least a vehicle speed detection unit 81a that detects the vehicle speed of the saddle-type vehicle 10 and a tilt angle detection unit 81b that detects the tilt angle θK of the saddle-type vehicle 10 to the left or right.

[0030] The vehicle control unit 82 is a device that controls various parts of the saddle-type vehicle 10 and has an illumination control unit 82a that controls the illumination / stopping of the illumination light LA. In addition to the function of controlling the illumination / stopping of the illumination light LA ​​based on the information acquisition unit 81, the illumination control unit 82a may also have a function of controlling the illumination / stopping of the headlights, turn signals, taillights, brake lights, etc.

[0031] The illumination control unit 82a controls the illumination of the light source 61a and emits illumination light LA ​​only when the vehicle 10A is stopped, based on the vehicle speed of the vehicle 10A. As a result, the illumination light LA ​​is emitted when the vehicle 10A is stopped. Therefore, as illustrated in Figure 5, it becomes easier for the driver of other vehicles 111 that may become following vehicles after turning right or left to recognize the vehicle 10A, and it becomes easier to suppress situations in which the illumination light LA ​​is emitted when the vehicle is not stopped.

[0032] Furthermore, since the driver of another vehicle 111 that may become a following vehicle after the right or left turn will be illuminated by the light LA ​​on the outside, the illumination control unit 82a may be configured to illuminate only the light LA ​​on the outside, which is opposite to the direction of the inclination. For example, the illumination control unit 82a can determine the direction of inclination by using the inclination angle θK detected by the inclination angle detection unit 81b, and control the system to illuminate only the light LA ​​on the outside and not the light LA ​​on the inside.

[0033] Alternatively, the irradiation control unit 82a may be configured to irradiate the vehicle 10A with irradiation light LA ​​only when the vehicle 10A is stopped and the inclination angle θK of the vehicle 10A is within a predetermined range. In this case, even if the vehicle 10A is stopped, if it is not in a banked state (corresponding to when the inclination angle θK is outside the predetermined range), the irradiation light LA ​​can be prevented from being irradiated.

[0034] In addition to the above, the description describes a case where the illumination light LA ​​is emitted only when the vehicle 10A is stopped. However, the control may also be configured to emit the illumination light LA ​​when the vehicle 10A is moving at a low speed, such as when turning left or right. For example, the illumination control unit 82a may be configured to emit the illumination light LA ​​only when the vehicle speed of the vehicle 10A is below a predetermined speed. The predetermined speed may be set so that this range substantially includes only when the vehicle is stopped, or it may be set so that it includes both when the vehicle is stopped and when it is moving at a low speed. By including the low-speed state when turning left or right, it becomes possible to emit the illumination light LA ​​while the vehicle 10A is turning left or right while banking, which is expected to improve the visibility of the vehicle 10A. Furthermore, by setting the above-mentioned predetermined speed to an appropriate speed, it is possible to avoid emitting the illumination light LA ​​while driving at high speeds where the vehicle is not making right or left turns. Therefore, even if an occupant of another vehicle is in a position where the illumination light LA ​​from vehicle 10A is shining while driving straight at high speeds, it is possible to avoid a situation where the illumination light LA ​​is shining on that occupant.

[0035] <When the direction of light LA ​​is upward when the vehicle is upright> Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing the irradiated light LA ​​from the front of the vehicle. Figure 6 shows the saddle-type vehicle 10 in an upright position and in a tilted position (also called a banked position) where it is tilted to one side. As shown in Figure 6, each light LA ​​is projected towards the upper left and upper right sides of the vehicle, respectively, when viewed from the front of the vehicle.

[0036] By setting the irradiation direction of each light LA ​​in this way, as shown in Figure 6, when the tilt angle θK of the saddle-type vehicle 10 is a predetermined angle θK1, the irradiation direction of the light LA ​​on the inward side, which is the tilting direction, can be made more horizontal than the irradiation direction in the upright state. This makes it easier to irradiate the light LA ​​towards other people on the inward side who you want to recognize the saddle-type vehicle 10 when banking. It also makes it easier to irradiate the light LA ​​to a distant location.

[0037] Figure 7 shows a saddle-type vehicle 10, specifically vehicle 10B, from above, just before it turns right at intersection 100. This vehicle 10B is located on the first road 101 (the opposite lane (also called the opposing road) 101B of lane 101A) and is about to turn right onto the second road 102, which intersects the first road 101. As vehicle 10B is about to turn right, the steering wheel 21 is steered to the right while the vehicle is stopped, and vehicle 10B is banked to the right (corresponding to the inside) at a predetermined angle θK1.

[0038] As shown in Figure 7, vehicle 10B emits illumination light LA ​​in an angle corresponding to either the front-side or side of the vehicle when viewed from above. This angle θA is the direction in which the illumination light LA ​​is perceived by the driver of vehicle 111 when the other vehicle 111 is at position PA and the steering wheel 21 of vehicle 10B is turned to the right. Figure 7 illustrates the case where the illumination light LA ​​is directed to the front-side of vehicle 10B. By directing the illumination direction of the light LA ​​upwards towards the front and side of the vehicle when the vehicle is upright, even when the light unit 41 is handle-mounted and the steering wheel 21 of the vehicle 10A has a steering angle for turning left or right, it becomes easier to illuminate the light LA ​​towards the driver of the other vehicle 111 with the vehicle 10A as the reference point. However, depending on the set angle θA, the direction of illumination of the light LA ​​may be set to be above the vehicle when the vehicle is upright and to the side of the vehicle. Position PA is the distance dA from vehicle 10B and is set to a position suitable for other vehicle 111 to avoid contact with vehicle 10A based on simulations and experiments. If the light unit 41 is frame-mounted, angle θA is the direction in which the light LA ​​is emitted towards the driver of other vehicle 111 when the other vehicle 111 is at position P1. For example, the direction of illumination of the light LA ​​may be set to be above the vehicle when the vehicle is upright and to be directed either to the front side of the vehicle or to the side of the vehicle. Here, the other vehicle 111 shown in Figure 7 is a vehicle traveling on the second road 102, which is the destination of vehicle 10B's right turn, and is a vehicle that could become an oncoming vehicle to vehicle 10B after vehicle 10A has turned right.

[0039] Position PA is set, for example, to a position where another vehicle 111 can avoid vehicle 10B without making contact, or to a position where it can stop. This allows the illumination light LA ​​to be directed towards the driver of the other vehicle 111 at position PA when viewed from above the vehicle. Furthermore, because vehicle 10B is tilted to the right at a predetermined angle θK1, the illumination light LA ​​can be directed closer to the horizontal, and the illumination light LA ​​can be directed at a height that is easily perceived by the driver of the other vehicle 111. Therefore, the driver of another vehicle 111 that may be an oncoming vehicle can recognize the illuminated light LA ​​and recognize vehicle 10B, thereby improving the visibility of vehicle 10B. Note that in Figure 7, only the light LA ​​on the inward side, which is the side in the direction of the incline, is shown for the sake of clarity.

[0040] As described above, the irradiation control unit 82a controls the irradiation light LA ​​to be emitted only when the vehicle 10B is stopped, so the irradiation light LA ​​is emitted when the vehicle 10B is stationary. Therefore, as illustrated in Figure 7, it becomes easier for the driver of other vehicles 111 that may become oncoming vehicles after turning right or left to recognize the vehicle 10B, and it becomes easier to suppress situations in which the irradiation light LA ​​is emitted when the vehicle is not stopped.

[0041] Furthermore, since the driver of another vehicle 111 that may become an oncoming vehicle after turning right or left will be illuminated by the light LA ​​on the inside, the illumination control unit 82a may be configured to illuminate only the light LA ​​on the inside, which is the direction of the inclination. For example, the illumination control unit 82a can determine the direction of the inclination by using the inclination angle θK detected by the inclination angle detection unit 81b, and control the system to illuminate only the light LA ​​on the inside and not the light LA ​​on the outside. Furthermore, the vehicle 10B may be a vehicle that is about to make a U-turn or is in the process of making a U-turn. In this case, when the vehicle is banked just before making a U-turn, the driver of another vehicle 111 traveling on the perpendicular second road 102 can recognize vehicle 10B.

[0042] Furthermore, the irradiation control unit 82a controls the irradiation light LA ​​only when the vehicle speed of the vehicle 10B is below a predetermined speed and the inclination angle θK of the vehicle 10B is within a predetermined range, thereby preventing the irradiation light LA ​​from being emitted when the vehicle 10B is stopped but not in a banked state. Furthermore, the condition that the vehicle speed of vehicle 10B is below a predetermined speed does not have to be limited to when vehicle 10B is stationary; for example, it may be set to include the low-speed state when vehicle 10B is turning right or left (including U-turns). This makes it possible to illuminate vehicle 10B with the illumination light LA ​​while it is banking and turning right or left or making a U-turn at low speed, which is expected to improve the visibility of vehicle 10B.

[0043] Alternatively, the irradiation control unit 82a may be configured to irradiate the vehicle 10B with irradiation light LA ​​only when the vehicle 10B is stopped and the inclination angle θK of the vehicle 10B is within a predetermined range. In this case, even if the vehicle 10B is stopped, if it is not in a banked state (corresponding to when the inclination angle θK is outside the predetermined range), the irradiation light LA ​​can be prevented from being irradiated. Furthermore, control may be implemented to illuminate the illumination light LA ​​even when the vehicle 10B is in a low-speed state when turning left or right. For example, the illumination control unit 82a may be configured to illuminate the illumination light LA ​​only when the vehicle speed of the vehicle 10B is below a predetermined speed, and this predetermined speed may be set so that it substantially includes only when the vehicle is stopped, or it may be set so that it includes both when the vehicle is stopped and when it is in a low-speed state. By including the low-speed state when turning left or right, it becomes possible to illuminate the illumination light LA ​​while the vehicle 10B is turning left or right while banking, which is expected to improve the visibility of the vehicle 10B. Furthermore, by setting the above-mentioned predetermined speed to an appropriate speed, it is possible to avoid emitting the illumination light LA ​​while driving at high speeds where right or left turns (including U-turns) are not being made. Therefore, even if an occupant of another vehicle is in a position where the illumination light LA ​​from vehicle 10B is shining while driving straight at high speeds, it is possible to avoid a situation where the illumination light LA ​​is shining on that occupant.

[0044] As explained above, the light unit 41 constituting the lighting device emits illumination light LA ​​at a predetermined position spaced apart from the saddle-type vehicle 10, which has a higher brightness than the headlights and taillights. The direction of illumination light LA ​​is either to the front side of the vehicle, to the rear side of the vehicle, or to the side of the vehicle, and is either upward or downward when the vehicle is upright. As a result, when the saddle-type vehicle 10 tilts to the left or right, the direction of illumination light LA ​​becomes closer to the horizontal than the direction of illumination when the vehicle is upright, making it easier to illuminate other vehicles 111 or pedestrians located in the direction of illumination light LA. This makes it easier for others outside the vehicle to recognize the vehicle when it is tilted to the left or right.

[0045] Furthermore, by directing the illumination direction of the light LA ​​downwards towards the rear and side of the vehicle when the vehicle is upright, the light unit 41 can more easily illuminate the drivers of other vehicles 111 that may become following vehicles after a right or left turn, when the steering wheel 21 of the vehicle 10, which is a handle-mounted saddle-type vehicle 10, is steered when turning left or right. In other words, when the steering wheel 21 of the saddle-type vehicle 10 is steered when turning left or right, causing the saddle-type vehicle 10 to tilt to one side, the light LA ​​can more easily illuminate the drivers and pedestrians of other vehicles 111 located on the opposite side of the tilt or in the vicinity.

[0046] Furthermore, by directing the illumination direction of the light LA ​​upwards and toward the front and side of the vehicle when the vehicle is upright, the light unit 41 can more easily illuminate the drivers of other vehicles 111 that may become oncoming vehicles after turning right or left, when the steering wheel 21 of the vehicle 10, which is a handle-mounted saddle-type vehicle 10, has a steering angle when turning left or right. In other words, when the steering wheel 21 of the saddle-type vehicle 10 has a steering angle when turning left or right, causing the saddle-type vehicle 10 to tilt to one side, the light LA ​​can more easily illuminate the drivers and pedestrians of other vehicles 111 located on or around the tilting side.

[0047] Furthermore, the saddle-type vehicle 10 has a vehicle speed detection unit 81a that detects the vehicle speed, and the illumination light LA ​​is emitted only when the vehicle speed is below a predetermined speed. With this configuration, the illumination light LA ​​is emitted when the vehicle is stopped or turning left or right, and the illumination light LA ​​is not emitted when the vehicle is traveling at a speed higher than the predetermined speed.

[0048] Furthermore, the direction of illumination of the light LA ​​is directed towards the front and side of the vehicle, and the brightness of the light LA ​​is higher than that of the headlights and turn signals at a predetermined position spaced away from the saddle-type vehicle 10 in the direction of illumination of the light LA. With this configuration, when the saddle-type vehicle 10 tilts to the left or right in the front and side of the vehicle, the direction of illumination of the light LA ​​becomes closer to the horizontal than the direction of illumination when the vehicle is upright, making it easier to illuminate other vehicles and pedestrians around the vehicle with the predetermined light. As a result, it becomes easier for others outside the vehicle to recognize the vehicle when it is tilted to the left or right.

[0049] [Other embodiments] The saddle-type vehicle 10 according to other embodiments has the same configuration as the above embodiment, except that the rear light unit 45 has the function of emitting the illumination light LA. The following describes the differences from the above embodiment, and components the same as in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and descriptions that overlap with the above embodiment are omitted as appropriate. Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing the rear light unit 45 as viewed from above the vehicle. The rear light unit 45 has a housing 46 (also called a casing) that extends outward to the left and right with respect to the vehicle width center LC, and the housing 46 is equipped with a pair of left and right light sources 71a and a pair of left and right reflectors 71b that reflect the light from each light source 71a so that it becomes the emitted light LA.

[0050] Each light source 71a is a known light source such as an LED, and emits visible light. Each reflector 71b is formed as a reflector that directs light from the light source 71a in the direction of illumination of the illuminated light LA. Each reflector 71b converts the illuminated light LA ​​into light with a small divergence angle, such as parallel light or quasi-parallel light, so that it is light that can obtain a higher brightness at a predetermined position far from the saddle-type vehicle 10 than the diffused light of the headlights, taillights, and turn signals.

[0051] Each reflector 71b and light source 71a is fixed to the rear light unit 45. Therefore, the direction of illumination of each light LA ​​from the saddle-type vehicle 10 is fixed. In this configuration, as shown in Figure 8, each reflector 71b illuminates the light LA ​​to the sides of the vehicle (including the front and rear sides) when viewed from above. In other embodiments as well, when viewed from the front-rear direction of the vehicle body, the direction of illumination of the light LA ​​can be downward when the vehicle is upright or upward when the vehicle is upright, and each case will be explained.

[0052] <When the direction of light LA ​​irradiation is downward when the vehicle is upright> Figure 9 shows a saddle-type vehicle 10, specifically vehicle 10A located at intersection 100, along with other vehicles 111, viewed from above. In Figure 9, vehicle 10A is stopped just before turning left, with the steering wheel 21 turned to the left, and vehicle 10A is banked to the left (corresponding to the inside) by a predetermined angle θK1. As shown in Figure 9, vehicle 10A emits light LA ​​in a direction corresponding to an angle θ1 that, when viewed from above, is either to the front side, to the side, or to the rear side. This angle θ1 is the direction in which the driver of another vehicle 111 will perceive the emitted light LA ​​when the other vehicle 111 is at position P1 on lane 101A. Figure 8 illustrates the case where the angle is to the rear side of vehicle 10A. Depending on the set angle θ1, the direction of the emitted light LA ​​may be either to the front side or to the side of vehicle. Position P1 is set at a distance d1 from vehicle 10A, and is determined based on simulations and experiments to be a suitable position for other vehicle 111 to avoid contact with vehicle 10A.

[0053] This configuration allows the rear light unit 45 to emit light LA ​​downwards when the vehicle is upright, and when viewed from above, the emitted light LA ​​can be positioned at P1 and directed towards the driver of another vehicle 111 that may be following behind. In this case, since the vehicle 10A is tilted to the left at a predetermined angle θK1, the emitted light LA ​​on the right side, which is the outside, can be directed closer to the horizontal than in the upright position, and the emitted light LA ​​can be directed at a height that is easily perceived by the driver of the other vehicle 111. Therefore, the illumination light LA ​​can be directed towards the driver of other vehicles 111 that may be following vehicles, making it easier for the driver to recognize the illumination light LA ​​and thus recognize vehicle 10A. This improves the visibility of vehicle 10A.

[0054] Since the emitted light LA ​​is directed towards the rear of the vehicle in the left-right directions L and R (see Figure 8), the light LA ​​is not obstructed by the occupants of vehicle 10A. This also improves the visibility of vehicle 10A. Note that in Figure 9, only the light LA ​​on the outward side, which is opposite the direction of the incline, is shown for the sake of clarity.

[0055] The irradiation control unit 82a performs the same control as in the above embodiment, such as driving the light source 71a to light up and irradiate the irradiation light LA ​​only when the vehicle 10A is stopped, based on the vehicle speed of the vehicle 10A. This makes it easier for the driver of other vehicles 111 that may become following vehicles after turning right or left to recognize the vehicle 10A, and makes it easier to suppress situations in which the irradiation light LA ​​is irradiated when the vehicle is not stopped.

[0056] <When the direction of light LA ​​is upward when the vehicle is upright> Figure 10 shows a saddle-type vehicle 10, specifically vehicle 10B, from above, just before turning right or making a U-turn at intersection 100. Because vehicle 10B is just before turning right or making a U-turn, the steering wheel 21 is steered to the right while the vehicle is stationary, and vehicle 10B is banked to the right (corresponding to the inside) at a predetermined angle θK1. As shown in Figure 10, vehicle 10B emits illumination light LA ​​in an angle θA that corresponds to either the front side of the vehicle or the side of the vehicle when viewed from above. This angle θA is the direction in which the illumination light LA ​​is perceived by the driver of another vehicle 111 when that vehicle is located at position PA on the second road 102 and may become an oncoming vehicle after turning right, etc. Figure 10 illustrates the case where the illumination light is directed to the front side of the vehicle with respect to vehicle 10B. Depending on the set angle θA, the direction of illumination light LA ​​may be to the side of the vehicle. Position PA is a distance dA from vehicle 10B and is set to a position suitable for other vehicle 111 to avoid contact with vehicle 10A, based on simulations and experiments.

[0057] This configuration allows the rear light unit 45 to project the emitted light LA ​​upwards when the vehicle is upright, and when viewed from above the vehicle, the emitted light LA ​​can be directed towards the driver of another vehicle 111 that may be an oncoming vehicle at position P1. In this case, since the vehicle 10A is tilted to the left at a predetermined angle θK1, the emitted light LA ​​on the left side, which is the inner side, can be projected closer to the horizontal than in the upright state, and the emitted light LA ​​can be projected at a height that is easily perceived by the driver of the other vehicle 111. Therefore, the illumination light LA ​​can be directed towards the driver of other vehicles 111 that may be oncoming vehicles, making it easier for the driver to recognize the illumination light LA ​​and thus recognize vehicle 10B. This improves the visibility of vehicle 10B.

[0058] In this case as well, the irradiation control unit 82a performs the same control as in the above embodiment, such as driving the light source 71a to light up and irradiate the irradiation light LA ​​only when the vehicle 10B is stopped, based on the vehicle speed of the vehicle 10B. This makes it easier for the driver of other vehicles 111 that may become oncoming vehicles after turning right or left, etc., to recognize the vehicle 10B, and makes it easier to suppress situations in which the irradiation light LA ​​is irradiated when the vehicle is not stopped.

[0059] As described above, the rear light unit 45 constituting the lighting device emits illumination light LA ​​at a predetermined position spaced apart from the saddle-type vehicle 10, with a brightness higher than that of the headlights or taillights. The direction of illumination light LA ​​is either to the front side of the vehicle, to the rear side of the vehicle, or to the side of the vehicle, and is either upward or downward when the vehicle is upright. As a result, when the saddle-type vehicle 10 tilts to the left or right, the direction of illumination light LA ​​becomes closer to the horizontal than the direction of illumination when the vehicle is upright, making it easier to illuminate other vehicles 111 or pedestrians located in the direction of illumination light LA. This makes it possible to obtain various effects similar to those of the above embodiment, such as making it easier for others outside the vehicle to recognize the vehicle when the vehicle is tilted to the left or right.

[0060] Furthermore, the direction of illumination of the illumination light LA ​​is directed towards the rear and side of the vehicle, and the brightness of the illumination light LA ​​is higher than that of the taillights and turn signals at a predetermined position spaced away from the saddle-type vehicle 10 in the direction of illumination of the illumination light LA. With this configuration, when the saddle-type vehicle 10 tilts to the left or right at the rear and side of the vehicle, the direction of illumination of the illumination light LA ​​becomes closer to the horizontal than the direction of illumination when the vehicle is upright, making it easier to illuminate other vehicles and pedestrians around the vehicle with the predetermined light. As a result, it becomes easier for others outside the vehicle to recognize the vehicle when it is tilted to the left or right.

[0061] The embodiments described above are merely examples of one aspect of the present invention and can be modified and applied at will without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, in each of the embodiments described above, the irradiation direction of the irradiated light LA ​​was described as being either the front side of the vehicle, the side of the vehicle, or the rear side of the vehicle, and either upward or downward when the vehicle is upright, but the invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, by irradiating the irradiated light LA ​​in at least one of the front side of the vehicle, the rear side of the vehicle, and the side of the vehicle, and either upward or downward when the vehicle is upright, other vehicles and pedestrians located in at least one of the front side of the vehicle, the rear side of the vehicle, or the side of the vehicle become more likely to recognize the saddle-type vehicle 10.

[0062] Furthermore, in each of the embodiments described above, the vehicle control unit 82 may perform control to vary the direction of the emitted light LA ​​according to the tilt angle θK detected by the tilt angle detection unit 81b. In this case, for example, a movable mechanism is provided to move each reflector 61b, 71b, and the vehicle control unit 82 controls the movable mechanism to vary the direction of the emitted light LA ​​so that the emitted light LA ​​becomes horizontal according to the tilt angle θK. With this configuration, it becomes easier to change the direction of the emitted light LA ​​to a direction that is more easily noticed by others outside the vehicle, according to the tilt angle of the vehicle 10, which is a saddle-type vehicle. However, the direction of the emitted light LA ​​is not limited to horizontal, and should be any direction that makes it easier for others outside the vehicle, which is a saddle-type vehicle 10, to recognize the vehicle. Furthermore, the vehicle control unit 82 may also perform control to vary the direction of the emitted light LA ​​in the front-rear direction according to the tilt angle θK, thereby changing the direction of the emitted light LA ​​to a direction that is more easily noticed by others outside the vehicle.

[0063] Furthermore, the configuration for irradiating with a pair of left and right irradiation lights LA is not limited to the configurations of the embodiments described above, and the number and orientation of the irradiation lights LA may be changed. Furthermore, the saddle-type vehicle to which the present invention can be applied is not limited to the motorcycle shown in Figure 1; the present invention can be applied to any saddle-type vehicle in which the vehicle body tilts from side to side. Also, the direction of light irradiation is the direction of the optical axis.

[0064] [Configurations supported by the above embodiment] The above embodiment supports the following configuration.

[0065] (Configuration 1) A saddle-type vehicle having a lighting device, wherein the lighting device emits a predetermined light at a predetermined position spaced apart from the vehicle, which has a higher brightness than the headlights and taillights, and the direction of the emission of the predetermined light is at least one of the front side of the vehicle, the rear side of the vehicle, and the side of the vehicle, and at least one of the upward and downward directions when the vehicle is upright. With this configuration, when the vehicle, which is a saddle-type vehicle, tilts from side to side, the direction of the predetermined light illumination becomes closer to the horizontal than the illumination direction when the vehicle is upright, making it easier to illuminate other vehicles and pedestrians around the vehicle. As a result, it becomes easier for others outside the vehicle to recognize the vehicle when it is tilted from side to side.

[0066] (Configuration 2) The saddle-type vehicle according to Configuration 1, wherein the predetermined direction of light irradiation is downward on the vehicle when the vehicle is upright and directed toward the rear side of the vehicle. With this configuration, when the steering wheel of the vehicle, which is a handlebar-mounted, saddle-type vehicle, is turned, the light can be more easily directed towards the drivers of other vehicles that may become following vehicles after the turn, relative to the vehicle itself.

[0067] (Configuration 3) The saddle-type vehicle according to Configuration 1 or 2, wherein the predetermined direction of light irradiation is upward when the vehicle is upright and is directed toward at least one of the front side of the vehicle and the side of the vehicle. With this configuration, when the steering wheel of the vehicle, which is a handle-mounted, saddle-type vehicle, is turned, the lights can be more easily directed towards the drivers of other vehicles that may become oncoming vehicles after the turn, using the vehicle as a reference.

[0068] (Configuration 4) A saddle-type vehicle according to any one of Configurations 1 to 3, having a vehicle speed detection unit that detects the vehicle speed, wherein the predetermined light is emitted only when the vehicle speed is less than or equal to the predetermined speed. This configuration allows for the illumination of a predetermined light when the vehicle is stopped or turning left or right, and to refrain from illuminating the vehicle when it is traveling at a speed higher than a predetermined speed.

[0069] (Configuration 5) A saddle-type vehicle according to any one of Configurations 1 to 4, comprising: an inclination angle detection unit for detecting the inclination angle of the saddle-type vehicle to the left and right; and a control unit for changing the direction of the predetermined light according to the inclination angle. This configuration makes it easier to change the direction of the predetermined light illumination in a way that makes it more noticeable to others outside the vehicle, depending on the tilt angle of the vehicle itself, which is a saddle-type vehicle.

[0070] (Configuration 6) The saddle-type vehicle according to Configuration 1, wherein the direction of illumination of the predetermined light is to the front and side of the vehicle, and the brightness of the predetermined light is higher than that of the headlights and turn signals at a predetermined position spaced away from the vehicle in the direction of illumination of the predetermined light. With this configuration, when the vehicle, which is a saddle-type vehicle, tilts to the left or right at the front and sides, the direction of the predetermined light illumination becomes closer to the horizontal than the illumination direction when the vehicle is upright, making it easier to illuminate other vehicles and pedestrians around the vehicle. As a result, it becomes easier for others outside the vehicle to recognize the vehicle when it is tilted to the left or right.

[0071] (Configuration 7) The saddle-type vehicle according to Configuration 1, wherein the direction of illumination of the predetermined light is to the rear side of the vehicle, and the brightness of the predetermined light is higher than that of the taillights and turn signals at a predetermined position spaced away from the vehicle in the direction of illumination of the predetermined light. With this configuration, when the vehicle, which is a saddle-type vehicle, tilts to the left or right at the rear or side, the direction of the predetermined light illumination becomes closer to the horizontal than the illumination direction when the vehicle is upright, making it easier to illuminate other vehicles and pedestrians around the vehicle. As a result, it becomes easier for others outside the vehicle to recognize the vehicle when it is tilted to the left or right. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0072] 10. Saddle-type vehicles 10A, 10B Vehicles (Saddle-type vehicles) 11. Body frame 21 Handle 21a Handlebars 41 Light Unit (Lighting Device) 45. Rear light unit (lighting device) 61a light source 61b, 71b reflector 81 Information acquisition department 81a Vehicle speed detection unit 81b Tilt angle detection unit 82 Vehicle Control Unit (Control Unit) 82a Irradiation control unit 111 Other vehicles LA irradiation light (predetermined light) LC vehicle width center

Claims

1. In a saddle-type vehicle equipped with lighting devices (45), The lamp (45) emits a predetermined light (LA) at a predetermined position spaced apart from the vehicle, which has a higher brightness than the headlight and taillight lights. The direction of irradiation of the predetermined light (LA) is at least one of the front side of the vehicle, the rear side of the vehicle, and the side of the vehicle, and at least one of the upward and downward directions when the vehicle is upright. A vehicle speed detection unit (81a) that detects the vehicle speed, An inclination angle detection unit (81b) for detecting the left and right inclination angle of the saddle-type vehicle, The system includes a control unit (82) that varies the direction of the predetermined light (LA) according to the tilt angle, The control unit (82) controls the system so that when the vehicle is stopped and banked to the left or right, the predetermined light (LA) is directed outwards, opposite to the direction of the inclination, so that the direct light of the predetermined light (LA) reaches outwards and to other people outside the vehicle. When the vehicle is stopped but not banked to the left or right, the control unit (82) does not direct the predetermined light (LA). A saddle-type vehicle.

2. The direction of irradiation of the predetermined light (LA) is downwards towards the rear side of the vehicle when the vehicle is upright. A saddle-type vehicle as described in claim 1.

3. The control unit (82) performs control such that when the vehicle is stopped and banked to the left or right, it does not irradiate the predetermined light (LA) on the inward side, which is the side in the direction of the inclination. A saddle-type vehicle as described in claim 1.

4. The predetermined light (LA) is emitted only when the vehicle speed is below a predetermined speed. A saddle-type vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The direction of illumination of the predetermined light (LA) is towards the front side of the vehicle, and at a predetermined position spaced away from the vehicle in the illumination direction of the predetermined light (LA), the brightness of the predetermined light (LA) is higher than that of the headlights and turn signals. A saddle-type vehicle as described in claim 1.

6. The direction of illumination of the predetermined light (LA) is to the rear side of the vehicle, and at a predetermined position spaced away from the vehicle in the illumination direction of the predetermined light (LA), the brightness of the predetermined light (LA) is higher than that of the taillights and turn signals. A saddle-type vehicle as described in claim 1.

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