Saddle-type vehicle

Abstract

To provide a saddle-riding type vehicle which enables an inverter to be arranged compactly.SOLUTION: A saddle-riding type vehicle includes: an engine E arranged between front and rear wheels; a fuel tank 38 disposed above the engine E; a power generator attached to a crank shaft of the engine E; and an inverter 54 which supplies an output of the power generator to a battery. The inverter is disposed rearward of a head tube 4, above a crank case, and below the fuel tank 38.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to a saddle-type vehicle including an engine, a generator attached to the crankshaft of the engine, and an inverter that supplies the output of the generator to a battery.

Background Art

[0002] Some saddle-type vehicles such as motorcycles include an inverter that supplies regenerative power from a motor to a battery for the purpose of energy regeneration during vehicle deceleration (for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in a saddle-type vehicle such as a motorcycle, since the equipment layout space is limited, it may be difficult to secure the layout space for the inverter.

[0005] The disclosure of this application provides a saddle-type vehicle in which the inverter can be arranged compactly.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a saddle-type vehicle includes an engine disposed between front and rear wheels, a fuel tank disposed above the engine, a generator attached to the crankshaft of the engine, and an inverter that supplies the output of the generator to a battery, and the inverter is disposed behind the head pipe and above the crankcase and below the fuel tank.

Effects of the Invention

[0007] According to the saddle-type vehicle of this disclosure, the inverter is positioned behind the head pipe and above the engine crankcase, utilizing the available space in the saddle-type vehicle below the fuel tank. Therefore, the inverter can be compactly positioned within the limited space of the saddle-type vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a side view showing a motorcycle, which is a type of saddle-type vehicle according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a plan view of the motorcycle. [Figure 3] This is a side view of the front of the motorcycle. [Figure 4] This is a close-up front view of the motorcycle. [Figure 5] This is a side view of the front half of the motorcycle's frame. [Figure 6] This is a side view showing the wiring of the inverter for the motorcycle. [Figure 7] This is a side view showing the front of a motorcycle, which is a type of saddle-type vehicle according to the second embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 8] This is a side view showing the body frame and engine of the motorcycle. [Figure 9] This is a front view showing a close-up of the front of the motorcycle. [Figure 10] This is a side view showing the cowling removed from Figure 7. [Figure 11] This is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the front of the vehicle. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Preferred embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a side view showing the front of a motorcycle, which is a type of saddle-type vehicle according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. In this specification, "right" and "left" refer to the "right" and "left" as seen from the perspective of the driver riding in the vehicle. Also, "front" and "rear" refer to the "front" and "rear" in the direction of travel of the vehicle.

[0010] The motorcycle of this embodiment is a hybrid vehicle having an engine E as a first power source and a motor M as a second power source. In other words, depending on the driving mode, the motorcycle of this embodiment can run using only the engine E, which is an internal combustion engine, only the motor M, which is an electric motor, or using both the engine E and the motor M simultaneously.

[0011] The motorcycle's chassis frame (FR) is made of pipes and consists of a main frame (1) that forms the front half and a rear frame (2) that forms the rear half. The main frame (1) extends diagonally downward and rearward from the head pipe (4) at the front end, then curves downward and extends vertically. The rear frame (2) extends rearward from the rear of the main frame (1).

[0012] The front fork 6 is supported by the head pipe 4. The front wheel 8 is supported by the lower end of the front fork 6, and the handlebars 10 are attached to the upper end of the front fork 6.

[0013] At the rear end of the main frame 1, the swingarm bracket 3 A swingarm bracket is provided. 3 The swingarm 14 is supported so as to be able to swing up and down. The rear wheel 16 is attached to the rear end of the swingarm 14.

[0014] An engine E is disposed below the main frame 1 between the front and rear wheels 8 and 16 and is supported by the vehicle body frame FR. The power of the engine E is transmitted from the sprocket of the engine output shaft OS to the rear wheel 16 via the power transmission member 18, and the rear wheel 16 is driven. The power transmission member 18 is, for example, a drive chain. However, the power transmission member 18 is not limited to a drive chain.

[0015] The engine E has a crankshaft 20 extending in the vehicle width direction, a crankcase 22 that rotatably supports the crankshaft 20, a cylinder 23 protruding upward from the crankcase 22, and a cylinder head 24 above it. In the present embodiment, the axes AX of the cylinder 23 and the cylinder head 24 are inclined forward upward. Above the crankcase 22, the motor M is disposed.

[0016] The front and rear portions of the cylinder 23 and the cylinder head 24 are supported by the vehicle body frame FR. Specifically, the vehicle body frame FR has a first frame piece 25 extending vertically in front of the cylinder head 24 and a second frame piece 26 extending vertically behind the cylinder head 24. The first frame piece 25 extends obliquely rearward downward from a portion of the head pipe 4 below the main frame 1. The second frame piece 26 extends obliquely slightly rearward downward from the intermediate portion in the front-rear direction of the main frame 1.

[0017] At the lower ends of the first and second frame pieces 25 and 26, first and second mount portions M1 and M2 are respectively provided. The first mount portion M1 and the second mount portion M2 are connected by a first connecting member 29 extending in the front-rear direction. The first connecting member 29 is located outside the vehicle width direction from the cylinder 23. The front side portion of the cylinder head 24 is supported by the first mount portion M1, and the rear side portion of the cylinder head 24 is supported by the second mount portion M2 using a fastening member such as a bolt. That is, the first frame piece 25 and the first mount portion M1 constitute a first engine support portion 27 that supports the front side portion of the cylinder 23 and the cylinder head 24 of the engine E, and the second frame piece 26 and the second mount portion M2 constitute a second engine support portion 28 that supports the rear side portion of the cylinder 23 and the cylinder head 24.

[0018] More specifically, in the plan view of FIG. 2, the main frame 1 extends obliquely outward in the vehicle width direction from the head pipe 4 toward the rear, and then bends at the bending portion P and extends obliquely inward in the vehicle width direction toward the rear. The first frame piece 25 extends obliquely outward in the vehicle width direction as it proceeds rearward from the head pipe 4. As shown in FIG. 5, the main frame 1 and the first frame piece 25 are connected by second and third connecting members 31 and 33. The second connecting member 31 connects the front end portion of the main frame 1 and the front end portion of the first frame piece 25, and the third connecting member 33 connects the middle portion in the front-rear direction of the main frame 1 and the rear portion of the first frame piece 25.

[0019] On one side in the axial direction of the crankshaft 20, which is one end in the axial direction, in this embodiment, on the left side, a generator 30 is provided. The generator 30 of this embodiment is a generator with a starter motor function (ISG). The generator 30 generates electricity by the power of the engine E, that is, by the rotation of the crankshaft 20. A generator cover 32 is detachably attached to the left side surface of the crankcase 22. The generator cover 32 covers the generator 26 from the outside in the vehicle width direction.

[0020] An exhaust pipe 34 is connected to the exhaust port 24a on the front of the cylinder head 24. The exhaust pipe 34 extends rearward along the bottom of the engine E and is connected to an exhaust muffler 36 on the right side of the rear wheel 16. The exhaust muffler 36 silences the exhaust from the exhaust pipe 34 and discharges it to the outside. A radiator 35 is located in front of the engine E. The radiator 35 cools the engine coolant using the airflow from the vehicle.

[0021] A fuel tank 38 is positioned on top of the main frame 1, and a seat 40 on which the pilot sits is mounted on the rear frame 2. The fuel tank 38 is located directly above the engine E, behind the head pipe 4, and in front of the seat 40.

[0022] A resin cowling 46, indicated by a dashed line, is provided on the front half of the vehicle body. In this embodiment, the cowling 46 covers the area from the front of the head pipe 4 to the side of the engine E. A headlamp 45 is mounted on the cowling 46. As shown in Figure 3, an exhaust port 46a is formed at the rear of the upper part of the cowling 46.

[0023] As shown in Figure 1, a pair of resin rear cowls 47, indicated by the dashed lines, are provided behind the cowling 46. The rear cowls 47 cover the gap between the seat 44 and the rear frame 2 from the outside.

[0024] Below the fuel tank 38, a pair of left and right knee grip covers 48, indicated by a dashed line, are provided. The knee grip covers 48 cover the area in front of and below the seat 40 from the outside. As shown in Figure 2, the knee grip covers 48 have recesses 48a that are recessed inward in the vehicle width direction. These recesses 48a constitute the knee grip area that is gripped by the driver's knees when driving. The knee grip area 48a covers the area from the rear to the lower central part of the fuel tank 42, as shown in Figure 1, from the outside.

[0025] The knee grip area 48a is a step Pu and seat 40It is located in front of the straight line connecting the front end and the lower part of the side wall of the fuel tank 42. The knee grip portion 48a is located, for example, above the engine E. In this embodiment, it is formed in a region above the travel motor M and the cylinder head 24. The knee grip portion 48a is located above the seat 40 It may be formed in a region extending from the boundary with the fuel tank 42 to an intermediate position in the front-rear direction of the fuel tank 42.

[0026] A rear fender 50, indicated by a dashed line, is provided below the rear cowl 47 and above the rear wheel 16. The rear fender 50 prevents mud and water splashed up by the rear wheel 16 from reaching the driver. A battery 52 is housed inside the rear fender 50. In other words, the rear fender 50 constitutes a battery case that houses the battery 52. ​​The battery 52 is located below the seat 40 and above the crankcase 22. The battery 52 in this embodiment is a 48V lithium-ion battery. However, the battery 52 is not limited to this. In addition, a control battery 53 is housed in the area behind the driving battery 52 inside the rear fender.

[0027] The motorcycle of this embodiment is equipped with an inverter 54 located on the side of the upper part of the engine E, which supplies the output of the generator 30 to the battery 52. ​​The inverter 54 of this embodiment is an inverter with an integrated DC / DC converter. In other words, the inverter 54 of this embodiment supplies the output of the generator 30 to the 48V driving battery 52, and also converts it to, for example, 12V to supply power to the control power battery 53.

[0028] As shown in Figure 5, the inverter of this embodiment has a rectangular main body case 55 in side view. The main body case 55 has a front side 55f and a rear side 55r that extend inclined backward from the top end to the bottom end, and an upper side 55t and a lower side 55b that extend inclined upward from the front end to the rear end.

[0029] Through holes 56 facing the vehicle width direction are provided in the vertical intermediate portions of the front edge 55f and the rear edge 55r. In addition, three connectors 58 are provided on the lower edge 55b. A first wire going to the generator 30, a second wire going to the battery 52 for the motor M, and a third wire going to the battery 53 for the control power supply are connected to each connector 58.

[0030] More specifically, as shown in Figure 6, the first wiring W1 extends rearward from the inverter 54, then curves downward and connects to the generator 30. The second wiring W2 is connected to the motor battery 52 via the motor M. In other words, the second wiring W2 extends rearward from the inverter 54 and connects to the terminals of the motor M, then extends inward in the vehicle width direction, then curves rearward and connects to the motor battery 52. ​​The third wiring W3 extends rearward from the inverter 54 and connects to the control battery 53.

[0031] As described above, the output of the generator 30 shown in Figure 1 is supplied to the battery 52 via the inverter 54, and the battery 52 is charged. In detail, the generator 30 is an AC generator, and its output is converted to DC power by the inverter 54 and supplied to the traction battery 52. ​​The power charged in the battery 52 is supplied to the motor M, which drives the motor M. In electric and hybrid driving modes, the driving force of this motor M rotates the engine output shaft OS, and the driving force is transmitted to the rear wheels 16 via the power transmission member 18. Also, when starting the engine, power is supplied from the battery 52 to the generator 30, and the generator 30 functions as a starter.

[0032] The output of the generator 30 is also supplied to the control battery 53, which has a lower voltage than the traction battery 52, after being stepped down by the inverter 54. In order to supply power to the traction battery 52, which has a higher voltage than the control battery 53, the inverter 54 in this embodiment can be made larger than a conventional regulator.

[0033] The inverter 54 is located behind the head pipe 4 and above the crankcase 22, and below the fuel tank 38. In a side view, the inverter 54 is located forward of the axis A1 of the crankshaft 20. In a side view, the inverter 54 is located in the area enclosed by the main frame 1, the first frame piece 25, the second frame piece 26, and the first connecting member 29. In a side view, the inverter 54 is located on the cylinder axis AX.

[0034] The inverter 54 is positioned outside the crankcase 22 of the engine E in the vehicle width direction. In this embodiment, the inverter 54 is positioned outside the cylinder head 24 in the vehicle width direction, and in a side view, its lower half overlaps the cylinder head cover 24b.

[0035] The inverter 54 is positioned in front of the knee grip portion 48a shown in Figure 2. In a plan view, the inverter 54 is positioned on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the main frame 1. In a plan view, the inverter 54 is positioned inward of the outer edge 32a in the vehicle width direction of the generator cover 32.

[0036] In terms of the vehicle width, the inverter 54 is positioned on the opposite side of the central axis C1 extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body from the exhaust muffler 36. In other words, the inverter 54 is located on the left side of the vehicle body, and the exhaust muffler 36 is located on the right side of the vehicle body.

[0037] As shown in Figure 3, the inverter 54 is positioned inside the cowling 46. This prevents the inverter 54 from coming into contact with external objects and also provides waterproofing for the inverter 54. Furthermore, since the support and wiring parts of the inverter 54 are not exposed to the outside, the appearance is improved.

[0038] In the plan view of Figure 2, the front of the inverter 54 protrudes forward of the bend in the main frame 1. In the plan view, the inverter 54 extends in the longitudinal direction along the portion of the main frame 1 that extends rearward from the bend P. The inverter 54 is located in front of the middle of the fuel tank 42 in the longitudinal direction, more specifically, in front of the part of the fuel tank 42 that bulges the most in the vehicle width direction.

[0039] As shown in Figure 1, the lower end of the inverter 54 is located below the upper end of the engine E, and the upper end of the inverter 54 is located above the upper end of the engine. In this embodiment, the inverter 54 is located above the cylinder 23 and the cylinder head 24. Specifically, the inverter 54 is located on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the cylinder head cover 24b above the cylinder head 24.

[0040] The inverter 54 is located behind the radiator 35. More specifically, the inverter 54 is positioned adjacent to the radiator 35 in the front-rear direction and diagonally above and behind the radiator 35. As shown in Figure 2, in a plan view, the inverter 54 is positioned further outward in the vehicle width direction than the radiator 35. The airflow A that has passed through the radiator 35 passes inside the inverter 54 below it, which prevents the temperature of the inverter 54 from rising.

[0041] As shown in Figure 3, the inverter 54 is positioned near the exhaust port 46a of the cowling 46. In this embodiment, a portion of the inverter 54 overlaps with the exhaust port 46a in a side view. An air intake 60 is formed in the front portion of the cowling 46 where the inverter 54 is located. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, one air intake 60 is provided on the front surface of the cowling 46. The air intake 60 in this embodiment is formed to bulge inward in the vehicle width direction from the boundary between the cowling 46 and the knee grip cover 48. However, the number, shape, and location of the air intake 60 are not limited thereto.

[0042] When the motorcycle is running, the airflow A shown in Figure 3 is drawn into the cowling 46 through the air intake 60. The airflow A drawn into the cowling 46 cools the inverter 54 and is then discharged to the outside of the cowling 46 through the exhaust port 46a. In this embodiment, the inverter 54 is cooled by the airflow A, so the operation of the inverter 54 is stabilized.

[0043] The inverter 54 is supported by the first engine support section 27 and the second engine support section 28 of the vehicle frame FR shown in Figure 1. More specifically, as shown in Figure 5, a first bracket 62 is provided on the first frame piece 25, which is the first engine support section 27, and a second bracket 64 is provided on the second frame piece 26, which is the second engine support section 28. The first and second brackets 62 and 64 are made of metal plates and are joined to the first and second frame pieces 25 and 26, for example, by welding.

[0044] Fastening members 65, such as bolts, are inserted from the outside in the vehicle width direction through the front and rear insertion holes 56, 56 of the main body case 55 of the inverter 54 and are tightened into the threaded holes of the first and second brackets 62, 64. The threaded holes are formed, for example, by weld nuts. In this way, the inverter 54 is detachably attached to the vehicle body frame FR. However, the support structure of the inverter 54 is not limited to this.

[0045] For example, when attaching the inverter 48 to the vehicle frame FR, a bracket may be used. Specifically, the inverter 48 may first be fixed to the bracket, and then the bracket may be attached to the vehicle frame FR. Alternatively, a shock-absorbing damper may be added between the vehicle frame FR and the inverter 48.

[0046] According to the above configuration, the inverter 54 is positioned behind the head pipe 4 shown in Figure 1, above the crankcase 22, and below the fuel tank 38. Furthermore, in a side view, the inverter 54 is positioned in front of the axis A1 of the crankshaft 20. This allows the inverter to be compactly positioned within the limited space of a saddle-type vehicle.

[0047] As can be seen in Figure 2, the inverter 54 is positioned further outward in the vehicle width direction than the crankcase 22. This reduces the distance in the vehicle width direction between the generator 30, which is positioned at the end of the crankshaft 20, and the inverter 54, which is positioned further outward in the vehicle width direction than the crankcase 22, thereby shortening the first wiring M1, which is the power cable between the generator 30 and the inverter 54 as shown in Figure 6.

[0048] In Figure 1, the battery 52 is positioned below the seat 40 and above the crankcase 22. This reduces the vertical difference between the battery 52, which is positioned above the crankcase 22, and the inverter 54, allowing the second wiring M2, which is the power cable between the battery 52 and the inverter 54 as shown in Figure 6, to be shortened.

[0049] The inverter 54 is positioned in front of the knee grip portion 48a shown in Figure 2. This prevents the inverter 54 from interfering with the knees of a rider straddling a motorcycle.

[0050] As shown in Figure 5, the inverter 54 is rectangular in side view, with its rear edge 55r extending in a sloping manner from the top to the bottom. As shown in Figure 3, the rear edge 55r faces the front edge 48f of the knee grip cover 48 with a gap in the front-rear direction and extends parallel to the front edge 48f of the knee grip cover 48. This prevents the inverter 54 from interfering with the knees of a rider straddling a motorcycle.

[0051] As shown in Figure 5, the inverter 54 is positioned on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the main frame 1. This prevents the inverter 54 from interfering with other components located inside the main frame 1.

[0052] The inverter 54 is supported by the first engine support portion 27 and the second engine support portion 28 of the vehicle body frame FR. By supporting the front and rear of the inverter 54 with the engine support portions 27 and 28, the inverter 54 can be firmly supported by the vehicle body frame FR.

[0053] As shown in Figure 2, the inverter 54 is positioned on the opposite side of the exhaust muffler 36 from the central axis C1 that extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, with respect to the vehicle width. This suppresses the inverter 54 from being affected by exhaust heat from the exhaust muffler 36.

[0054] In a plan view, the inverter 54 is positioned inside the outer edge 32a of the generator cover 32 in the vehicle width direction. This prevents damage to the inverter in the event of a vehicle rollover.

[0055] The area where the inverter 54 is placed should be a location with few interfering objects in the surrounding area and easy to place even if it is enlarged by also incorporating functions such as a DC-DC converter. In this embodiment, it has the function of a DC-DC converter, but it may also have the functions of other electrical components such as a relay device or a fuse.

[0056] By positioning the inverter 54 on the outside in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle frame FR, it can be positioned closer to the outer surface of the vehicle body compared to when it is located on the inside in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle frame FR, thereby suppressing the temperature rise of the inverter 54. By positioning the inverter 54 on the left side, opposite to the right side where the exhaust pipe 34 extends, the influence of heat from the exhaust pipe 34 can be suppressed, thereby suppressing the temperature rise of the inverter 54.

[0057] The inverter 54 is formed in a box shape and positioned so that its thickness direction matches the vehicle width direction. This allows the inverter 54 to be mounted while preventing the vehicle body from becoming larger in the vehicle width direction. The inverter 54 is positioned to be rectangular with a surface aligned with the direction in which the main frame 1 extends. This reduces the amount of protrusion from the main frame 1 and allows it to be easily supported by the main frame 1. The inverter 54 has a portion that protrudes forward from the bend P of the main frame 1. The protruding portion extends forward away from the main frame 1, creating a gap in the vehicle width direction between the main frame 1 and the inverter 54. Airflow through this gap further improves cooling performance.

[0058] In this embodiment, the inverter 54 is formed in a rectangular shape when viewed from the side, with its front and rear edges extending substantially along the cylinder axis. This makes it easier to support the vehicle body frame FR along the frame portions 25 and 26 that support the engine E. A connector 58 is provided on the underside of the inverter 54, which prevents rainwater and other liquids from accumulating in the connector 58.

[0059] In this embodiment, the traction battery 52 is located below the seat 44 and below the fuel tank 42, and the inverter 54 is located at approximately the same position as the traction battery 52 in the vertical direction. In other words, in a front view of the vehicle body, the inverter 54 and the traction battery 52 partially overlap. This allows for an even shorter cable to connect the inverter 54 and the battery 52.

[0060] In this disclosure, as described above, the inverter may be positioned outside the crankcase of the engine in the vehicle width direction. This configuration allows for a reduction in the vehicle width direction distance between the generator and the inverter, which are located at the crankshaft end, thereby shortening the power cable between the generator and the inverter.

[0061] The battery may be positioned below the driver's seat and above the engine's crankcase. This configuration reduces the vertical difference between the battery and the inverter, allowing for a shorter power cable between the battery and the inverter.

[0062] The inverter may be positioned in front of the knee grip area. This configuration prevents the inverter from interfering with the knees of the driver straddling the vehicle.

[0063] In this case, the inverter may be rectangular in side view and have sides that incline backward from the top end to the bottom end.

[0064] The inverter may be positioned in front of the axis of the crankshaft when viewed from the side. This configuration allows the inverter to be compactly arranged in the limited space of a saddle-type vehicle.

[0065] The inverter may be positioned on the outside in the vehicle width direction of the main frame of the vehicle body. This configuration makes it possible to avoid interference between the inverter and other components positioned inside the main frame.

[0066] The vehicle frame has a first engine support portion that supports the front portion of the engine cylinder and a second engine support portion that supports the rear portion of the cylinder, and the inverter may be supported by the first and second engine support portions of the vehicle frame. With this configuration, the front and rear portions of the inverter can be firmly supported by the vehicle frame using the first and second engine support portions.

[0067] The inverter may be positioned on the opposite side of the central axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body from the exhaust muffler, which is located on the outside in the vehicle width direction. This configuration makes it possible to suppress the inverter from being affected by exhaust heat from the exhaust muffler.

[0068] The outer end of the inverter in the vehicle width direction may be positioned inward in a plan view from the outer end of the generator cover that covers the generator from the outside in the vehicle width direction. This configuration prevents damage to the inverter when the vehicle body rolls over.

[0069] As described above, the generator in this embodiment is an ISG (Integrated Starter Generator) motor, which combines the functions of a starter motor for starting and a generator for power generation into a single motor. The generator is implemented by a three-phase AC motor and can generate the driving force to rotate the crankshaft when starting the engine. The generator is also set to operate at a higher voltage (e.g., 48V) than the voltage used to drive other actuators and sensors (e.g., 12V).

[0070] The inverter of this embodiment is connected to a generator, which is a three-phase AC motor, via three high-voltage cables. It is also connected to a high-voltage battery via two high-voltage cables. The inverter converts the DC current from the high-voltage battery into three-phase AC currents with different phases and supplies them to the generator. Based on motor control commands from the control device, the inverter changes the current supplied to the motor and its frequency. When the inverter receives three-phase AC current from the generator, it rectifies and converts it to DC current, which is then supplied to the high-voltage battery. Therefore, the inverter of this embodiment includes an inverter circuit that converts DC current to three-phase AC current, a converter circuit that converts three-phase AC current to DC current, and a control circuit that controls each circuit to change the state of the current generated according to commands from the control device. Because of its complex functions, the inverter of this embodiment is relatively large. Furthermore, because a large current flows through the inverter, it tends to generate more heat compared to other components that carry smaller currents.

[0071] Figures 7 to 11 show a second embodiment of the present disclosure. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment mainly in the arrangement of the inverter 54 and a part of the shape of the cowling 46. In the following description of the second embodiment, components that are the same as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions are omitted.

[0072] As shown in Figure 7, the front end of the inverter 54 is located in front of the front end of the cylinder 23 of the engine E in a side view. More specifically, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 8, the front edge 54f of the rectangular inverter 54 extends inclined forward from the upper end downward, and the upper piece 54u extends inclined downward from the front end rearward, with the entire front edge 54f located in front of the front end of the cylinder head 24.

[0073] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the entire inverter 54 is located in front of the front end of the cylinder. By positioning the inverter 54 in front of the cylinder 23 in this way, the inverter 54 is moved away from the engine E on the upstream side in the direction of travel. As a result, the inverter 54 is less affected by the heat of the engine E when the vehicle is in motion. In addition, the inverter 54 is positioned above the exhaust port 24a and outward in the vehicle width direction. By positioning the inverter 54 away from the exhaust port 24a, the effects of radiant heat from the exhaust can be reduced.

[0074] As shown in Figure 8, the front end of the inverter 54 is positioned further forward than the front end of the engine compared to the first embodiment. The inverter 54 is positioned between the frame of the upper main frame 1 and the lower first frame piece 25, and the upper and lower portions of the inverter 54 are fixed to both the upper and lower frames 1 and 25. The inverter 54 is positioned adjacent to the connecting member 33 that connects the upper and lower frames 1 and 25. This increases the support rigidity of the inverter 54. In this embodiment, the connecting member 33 extends in the vertical direction along the direction in which the inverter 54 extends vertically. By positioning the inverter 54 at an angle in a side view, the lower end portion can be positioned as far forward as possible, making it easier to prevent interference with the driver's knees.

[0075] As shown in Figure 7, in this embodiment, the structure of the exhaust port 70 of the cowling 46 differs in part from that of the first embodiment. The inverter 54 is located on the outside in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle body frame FR and on the inside in the vehicle width direction of the cowling 46, and the exhaust port 70 is located in the region of the cowling 46 that faces the inverter 54 in the vehicle width direction. In addition, a lower opening 71 (Figure 11) is formed below the exhaust port 70, which connects the space in which the inverter 54 is housed with the space below.

[0076] As shown in Figure 9, the cowling 46 has an air intake 60 at its front end. The cowling 46 has an air passage 72 inside that goes from the air intake 60 to the inverter 54. In this embodiment, the cowling 46 has an inner cowl 46i that is attached to the vehicle body frame FR and an outer cowl 46o that is attached to the outside of the inner cowl 46i in the vehicle width direction, and an air passage 72 is formed between these cowls 46i and 46o.

[0077] The air intake 60 is located on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the cowling 46. This allows it to take in the airflow A that collides with the front end of the cowling 46 and the headlight 45 and flows outwards in the vehicle width direction, and guide it toward the inverter 54. The inner cowl 46i, which forms part of the air intake 60, is formed in a shape that is recessed inwards in the vehicle width direction, thereby increasing the amount of airflow A taken in as the air intake 60. In addition, the inner cowl 46i bulges outwards in the vehicle width direction from the front end toward the rear, which makes it easier to prevent the internal structure of the vehicle body from being undesirably exposed when viewed from the front.

[0078] As shown in Figure 11, the air passage 72 has a nozzle portion 74 on the upstream side of the inverter 54, which has a smaller passage area compared to the inlet side. More specifically, as shown in Figure 10, the rear edge 46ir of the inner cowl 46i and the front edge 54f of the inverter 54 are opposite each other in the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the rear edge 46ir of the inner cowl 46i and the front edge 54f of the inverter 54 are parallel and do not overlap in a side view. In other words, the inner cowl 46i and the inverter 54 are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction, and the inverter 54 is covered from the outside in the vehicle width direction by the outer cowl 46o. The exhaust port 70 is located on the outer cowl 46o.

[0079] A groove 76 is formed on the outer surface of the inner cowl 46i, recessed inward in the vehicle width direction. The groove 76 extends in the longitudinal direction from the front edge of the inner cowl 46i to the midpoint P1 in the longitudinal direction, with the largest recess at the front edge and the smallest recess at the midpoint P1 in the longitudinal direction. In other words, the recess of the groove 76 gradually decreases from the front edge toward the rear. Furthermore, the region of the inner cowl 46i rearward from the midpoint P1, that is, the region between the midpoint P1 and the inverter 54, is inclined inward in the vehicle width direction toward the rear.

[0080] Therefore, as shown in Figure 11, the passage area of ​​the air passage 72 between the inner cowl 46i and the outer cowl 46o is largest at the air intake 60, gradually decreases toward the intermediate point P1, is smallest at the intermediate point P1, and gradually increases toward the inverter 54 toward the rear from the intermediate point P1. In other words, the intermediate point P1 of the air passage 72 constitutes the nozzle portion 74.

[0081] In this configuration of the air passage 72, the air intake 60 is positioned with its inner end in the vehicle width direction forward of its outer end in the vehicle width direction, and extends at an inclination with respect to the vehicle width direction. This allows the air intake 60 to be relatively large compared to the cross-sectional area of ​​the passage, enabling a large amount of airflow to be taken into the air passage 72. The airflow A introduced into the air passage 72 is gradually increased in velocity towards the nozzle section 74. After passing through the nozzle section 74, the airflow A is diffused and flows to the inverter 54 at the rear. As a result, the increased-velocity airflow A collides with the inverter 54.

[0082] As shown in Figure 10, the inverter 54 has a plurality of cooling fins 78 on its outer surface. Each cooling fin 78 extends along the upper piece 54u of the inverter 54, and in this embodiment, parallel to the upper piece 54u. The cooling fins 78 extend in a direction perpendicular to the front edge 54f of the inverter 54, that is, in a direction perpendicular to the trailing edge 46ir of the inner cowl 46i. Therefore, the airflow A guided by the inner cowl 46i flows along the cooling fins 78 of the inverter 54.

[0083] According to the second embodiment, in the side view shown in Figure 8, the front end of the inverter 54 is positioned in front of the front end of the cylinder 23. This makes it easier to position the inverter 54 in front of the knee grip portion 48a (Figure 7), preventing the inverter 54 from interfering with the rider's legs. Furthermore, by moving the inverter 54 away from the cylinder 23, the influence of radiant heat from the cylinder 23 can be reduced.

[0084] As shown in Figure 11, the inverter 54 is positioned on the outside in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle frame FR and on the inside in the vehicle width direction of the cowling 46. This positions the inverter 54 inside the outer surface of the vehicle body, preventing external people or objects from coming into contact with the inverter 54.

[0085] Furthermore, the cowling 46 has an exhaust port 70 in the region facing the inverter 54 in the vehicle width direction, as shown in Figure 7. This creates a flow of airflow A that passes through the exhaust port 70 and is discharged, making it easy to position the inverter 54 within the flow of airflow A. In addition, the airflow A that passes through the exhaust port 70 flows outward in the vehicle width direction, away from the vehicle body. This prevents the hot air from the inverter 54 from being directed towards the driver, thereby reducing driver discomfort.

[0086] Furthermore, the outward flow of hot air from the exhaust port 70 prevents heat from the inverter 54 from accumulating inside the cowling 46 when the vehicle is parked. In particular, the exhaust port 70 is positioned opposite the top of the inverter 54, making it easier to discharge the hot air that has been heated by the inverter 54 and accumulated upwards. In addition, a lower opening 71 is formed below the inverter 54, connecting the air passage 72 to the space below, which facilitates the introduction of fresh air and helps to reduce the temperature rise around the inverter 54 when parked.

[0087] Furthermore, the cowling 54 has an air intake 60 at its front end. This allows airflow to enter the cowling 46 through the air intake 60 and be discharged outwards in the vehicle width direction from the exhaust port 70. This airflow cools the inverter 54 and also directs the hot air away from the rider. The inverter has control functions for adjusting the motor output and generator, and incorporates a control circuit board and integrated circuits. Therefore, it has stricter thermal requirements compared to analog circuit components such as regulators. With the above configuration, the inverter 54 can be effectively cooled by the airflow.

[0088] As shown in Figure 11, the cowling 46 has an air passage 72 leading to the inverter 54 inside, and the air passage 72 has a nozzle portion 74 where the passage area is smaller upstream of the inverter. This increases the airflow velocity in the nozzle portion 74, thereby improving the cooling effect during operation.

[0089] This disclosure includes the following aspects 1 to 17. [Aspect 1] The saddle-type vehicle according to Embodiment 1 is a saddle-type vehicle comprising an engine E positioned between the front and rear wheels 8, 16, a fuel tank 38 positioned above the engine E, a generator 30 attached to the crankshaft 20 of the engine E, and an inverter 54 that supplies the output of the generator 30 to a battery 52, The inverter 54 is located behind the head pipe 4, above the crankcase 22, and below the fuel tank 38. [Aspect 2] A saddle-type vehicle according to Embodiment 1, wherein the inverter 54 is positioned outward in the vehicle width direction from the crankcase 22 of the engine E. [Aspect 3] In the saddle-type vehicle according to embodiment 1 or 2, the battery 52 is located below the seat 40 on which the driver sits, and above the crankcase 22 of the engine E. [Aspect 4] In a saddle-type vehicle according to any one of embodiments 1 to 3, the vehicle is further provided with a cowling 46 that covers the front of the vehicle body from the outside in the width direction, A saddle-type vehicle in which the area of ​​the cowling 46 behind the inverter 54 constitutes a knee grip area 48a. [Aspect 5] In the saddle-type vehicle described in Embodiment 4, the inverter 54 is rectangular in side view and has sides that extend inclined backward from the upper end to the lower end. [Aspect 6] A saddle-type vehicle according to any one of embodiments 1 to 5, wherein the inverter 54 is positioned in front of the axis A1 of the crankshaft 20 in a side view. [Aspect 7] A saddle-type vehicle according to embodiment 6, wherein the front end of the inverter 54 is located in a side view in front of the front end of the cylinder 23 of the engine E. [Aspect 8] A saddle-type vehicle according to any one of embodiments 1 to 7, wherein the inverter 54 is located on the outside in the width direction of the main frame 1 of the vehicle body. [Aspect 9] In the saddle-type vehicle according to any one of embodiments 1 to 8, the vehicle frame FR has a first engine support portion M1 that supports the front portion of the cylinder 23 of the engine E, and a second engine support portion M2 that supports the rear portion of the cylinder 23. The inverter 54 is supported by the first engine support portion M1 and the second engine support portion M2 of the vehicle body frame FR in a saddle-type vehicle. [Aspect 10] A saddle-type vehicle according to any one of embodiments 1 to 9, wherein the inverter 54 is positioned on the opposite side of the central axis C1 extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body from the exhaust muffler 36 located on the outside in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle body. [Aspect 11] A saddle-type vehicle according to any one of embodiments 1 to 10, wherein the outer end of the inverter 54 in the vehicle width direction is positioned inward in a plan view from the outer end of the generator cover 32 that covers the generator 30 from the outside in the vehicle width direction. [Aspect 12] In the saddle-type vehicle described in Embodiment 1, a cowling 46 is further provided that covers the front of the vehicle body from the outside in the width direction, The inverter 54 is positioned on the outside in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle body frame FR and on the inside in the vehicle width direction of the cowling 46 in a saddle-type vehicle. [Aspect 13] In the saddle-type vehicle described in embodiment 11, the cowling 46 has an exhaust port 70 in a region facing the inverter 54 in the vehicle width direction. [Aspect 14] A saddle-type vehicle according to embodiment 13, wherein the cowling 46 has an air intake 60 at its front end. [Aspect 15] A saddle-type vehicle according to embodiment 13 or 14, wherein a lower opening is formed below the exhaust port 70, which communicates with the space below the cowling 46. [Aspect 16] In the saddle-type vehicle according to any one of embodiments 13 to 15, the cowling 46 has an air passage 72 inside it that leads to the inverter 54, The aforementioned air passage 72 has a nozzle portion 74 on the upstream side of the inverter 54 where the passage area is reduced. [Aspect 17] The saddle-type vehicle according to embodiment 16 is a saddle-type vehicle comprising an engine E which is a drive source, a generator 30 attached to the crankshaft 20 of the engine E, an inverter 54 which supplies the output of the generator 30 to a battery 52, and a cowling 46 which covers the front of the vehicle body from the outside in the width direction, The inverter 54 is positioned on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle body frame FR and on the inner side in the vehicle width direction of the cowling 46. The cowling 46 has an air intake 72 located at its front end and an exhaust port 70 located in a region facing the inverter 54 in the vehicle width direction, making it a saddle-type vehicle.

[0090] This disclosure is not limited to the forms described above, and various additions, modifications, or deletions are permitted as long as they do not deviate from the gist of this disclosure. For example, although the above forms describe motorcycles, this disclosure is also applicable to other types of vehicles such as saddle-type vehicles, tricycles, and four-wheeled buggies.

[0091] Furthermore, this disclosure is applicable to both series-type and parallel-type hybrid vehicles. In particular, this disclosure is preferably used in vehicles equipped with an ISG motor. This disclosure is also applicable to engine vehicles having an ISG motor. The vehicle frame is not limited to a pipe frame, but may be a die-cast frame. Furthermore, the inverter 54 does not have to have functions other than inverter, such as a DC-DC converter. The orientation of the inverter 54 is not limited to the above-described form, and for example, in a side view, it may be a rectangle having two sides extending in the vertical direction and two sides extending in the front-rear direction, and the connector 58 may be provided on the rear surface.

[0092] Furthermore, the position of the inverter 54 is not limited to the above embodiment and may be mounted in a different position than that of the above embodiment. Also, this disclosure is applicable not only to hybrid vehicles but also to electric vehicles. Therefore, such vehicles are also included within the scope of this disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0093] 1 Mainframe 4 Headpipes 8 Front wheels 16 Rear wheels 20 Crankshaft 22 Crankcase 23 liters 24 Cylinder Head 27 First engine support section 28 Second engine support section 30 Generators 32 Generator cover 36 Exhaust muffler 38 Fuel Tank 40 sheets 46 Cowling 46a,70 Ventilation port 48a Knee grip area 52 batteries 54 Inverter 60 Air intake 72 Air passage 74 Nozzle part A1 Crankshaft axis C1: The central axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. E Engine (main power source) M Auxiliary motor (motor)

Claims

1. A saddle-type vehicle comprising an engine positioned between the front and rear wheels, a fuel tank positioned above the engine, a generator attached to the crankshaft of the engine, and an inverter that supplies the output of the generator to a battery, The inverter is positioned behind the head pipe and above the engine's crankcase, and below the fuel tank. The vehicle frame has a first engine support portion that supports the front portion of the engine cylinder and a second engine support portion that supports the rear portion of the cylinder. The inverter is supported by a first engine support portion and a second engine support portion of the vehicle body frame in a saddle-type vehicle.

2. A saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the inverter is positioned outward in the vehicle width direction from the crankcase.

3. A saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the battery is located below the seat on which the driver sits and above the crankcase.

4. A saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a cowling that covers the front of the vehicle body from the outside in the width direction, A saddle-type vehicle in which the area of ​​the cowling behind the inverter constitutes a knee-grip area.

5. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the inverter is rectangular in side view and has sides that inclined backward from the upper end to the lower end.

6. A saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the inverter is positioned in front of the axis of the crankshaft in a side view.

7. A saddle-type vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the front end of the inverter is located in a side view in front of the front end of the cylinder of the engine.

8. A saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the inverter is located on the outside in the width direction of the main frame of the vehicle body.

9. A saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the inverter is positioned on the opposite side of the central axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body from the exhaust muffler located on the outside in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle body.

10. A saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the outer end of the inverter in the vehicle width direction is positioned inward in a plan view from the outer end of the generator cover that covers the generator from the outside in the vehicle width direction.

11. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1 is further provided with a cowling that covers the front of the vehicle body from the outside in the width direction, A saddle-type vehicle in which the inverter is positioned on the outside in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle frame and on the inside in the vehicle width direction of the cowling.

12. A saddle-type vehicle comprising an engine positioned between the front and rear wheels, a fuel tank positioned above the engine, a generator attached to the crankshaft of the engine, an inverter that supplies the output of the generator to a battery, and a cowling that covers the front of the vehicle body from the outside in the width direction, The inverter is positioned behind the head pipe and above the engine's crankcase, and below the fuel tank. The inverter is positioned on the outside of the vehicle width direction of the vehicle frame and on the inside of the vehicle width direction of the cowling. The cowling has an exhaust port in the region facing the inverter in the vehicle width direction, A saddle-type vehicle having an air intake located in front of the aforementioned exhaust port, which allows air to flow into the interior of the cowling.

13. A saddle-type vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the air intake is an opening formed at the front end of the cowling.

14. In the saddle-type vehicle according to claim 12 or 13, the cowling has an air passage inside it that leads to the inverter, Below the aforementioned exhaust port, a lower opening is formed that communicates with the space below the cowling. A saddle-type vehicle in which the lower opening is formed below the inverter and connects the air passage to the space below.

15. In the saddle-type vehicle according to claim 12 or 13, the cowling has an air passage inside it that leads to the inverter, The aforementioned air passage has a nozzle portion on the upstream side of the inverter where the passage area becomes smaller.

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