Display device for saddled vehicle

Abstract

A manufacturing process is simplified to reduce costs. This display device is provided to a saddled vehicle comprising a handle pipe 5 extending in a substantially horizontal direction along a vehicle width direction at a front end part of a vehicle body frame, and a pair of left and right handles respectively provided at the left and right end parts of the handle pipe 5. The display device has a rear exterior cover 2 that covers a rear side of the handle pipe 5, a front exterior cover 1 that covers a front side and an upper side of the handle pipe 5 and that is constituted of one component having no joint, a lamp body part 4 disposed on the handle pipe 5 side of the front end part of the front exterior cover 1, and a gauge part 3 disposed on the handle pipe 5 side of the rear end of the front exterior cover 1. The front exterior cover 1 includes a first transmission part 11 provided in a region corresponding to the lamp body part 4 and having prescribed permeability, and a second transmission part 12 provided in a region corresponding to the gauge part 3 and having prescribed permeability.

Description

Display device for saddle-type vehicle

[0001] The present invention relates to a display device for a straddle-type vehicle, such as a motorcycle or a scooter.

[0002] A known display device for a saddle-ride type vehicle is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1. In this display device, a steering handle extends horizontally above a front fork supported by a head pipe. An instrument unit (meter device) is attached to the upper rear side of the steering handle, and a lamp unit (headlight) is attached to the front side of the front fork.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2023-115518

[0004] However, in the above-mentioned conventional display device, the instrument section and the lamp section are attached to the head pipe and the steering handle, respectively, which complicates the manufacturing process and leads to increased costs.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to provide a display device for a straddle-type vehicle that can be manufactured in a simplified manner to reduce costs.

[0006] The present invention provides a display device 100 for a saddle-riding vehicle that is provided on a saddle-riding vehicle that includes a steering wheel steering shaft 5 that extends substantially horizontally along the vehicle width direction at the front end of a body frame, and a pair of left and right handlebars that are provided at both left and right end portions of the steering wheel steering shaft 5, the display device 100 having a rear exterior cover 2 that covers the rear side of the steering wheel steering shaft 5, a front exterior cover 1 that covers the front and upper sides of the steering wheel steering shaft 5 and is formed from a single seamless part, a lamp unit 4 that is disposed on the steering wheel steering shaft 5 side of the front end of the front exterior cover 1, and an instrument unit 3 that is disposed on the steering wheel steering shaft 5 side of the rear end of the front exterior cover 1, and the front exterior cover 1 includes a first transparent unit 11 that is provided in an area corresponding to the lamp unit 4 and has a predetermined transparency, and a second transparent unit 12 that is provided in an area corresponding to the instrument unit 3 and has a predetermined transparency.

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a display device for a straddle-type vehicle that can simplify the manufacturing process and reduce costs.

[0008] 1 is an external perspective view showing a display device for a saddle-ride type vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, together with a part of the saddle-ride type vehicle to which the display device is applied; an enlarged view of a main part in FIG. 1; a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 2; a perspective view taken in the direction of an arrow B in FIG. 1; a side view taken in the direction of an arrow C in FIG. 1; a front view taken in the direction of an arrow D in FIG. 1; and a top view taken in the direction of an arrow E in FIG. 6.

[0009] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In order to facilitate understanding of the configuration, the forward side in the direction of travel of the saddle-ride type vehicle will be referred to as the "front (Fr.)," the opposite side as the "rear (Re.)," the left side in the direction of travel as the "left (L)," the right side as the "right (R)," and the upper side in the vertical direction as the "upper (U)" and the lower side as the "lower (D)" (see arrows in the drawings).

[0010] The display device 100 for a saddle-ride type vehicle of this embodiment is provided on a saddle-ride type vehicle such as a motorcycle or a scooter. Fig. 1 shows an external perspective view of the display device for a saddle-ride type vehicle 100 together with a portion of the saddle-ride type vehicle to which it is applied, Fig. 2 shows an enlarged view of a main portion in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 shows a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 shows a perspective view taken from the direction B in Fig. 1, Fig. 5 shows a side view taken from the direction C, Fig. 6 shows a front view taken from the direction D, and Fig. 7 shows a top view taken from the direction E in Fig. 6.

[0011] 1 to 7, the saddle-type vehicle includes a handle pipe 5 (steering shaft) extending substantially horizontally along the vehicle width direction at the front end of the body frame, and a pair of left and right handles 6L, 6R provided at both left and right ends of the handle pipe 5, respectively.

[0012] <Overall Configuration of Display Device> The display device 100 for a saddle-riding type vehicle has a front exterior cover 1 that is made up of a single seamless part and covers the front and upper sides of the handle pipe 5, a rear exterior cover 2 that covers the rear side of the handle pipe 5, a lamp unit 4 that is disposed on the handle pipe 5 side in a front region 1F (described later) of the front exterior cover 1, and an instrument unit 3 that is disposed on the handle pipe 5 side in a rear region 1B (described later) of the front exterior cover 1. The handle pipe 5 passes between the instrument unit 3 and the lamp unit 4.

[0013] <Front exterior cover> The front exterior cover 1 is made of a transparent or smoked material and is fixed to the handle pipe 5 via a fixing member (not shown). The front exterior cover 1 includes a front region (front end) 1F, a rear region 1B (rear end), an upper region 1U between the front region 1F and the rear region 1B, a lower region 1L continuing below the front region 1F, and a lowermost region 1D continuing further below the lower region 1L.

[0014] A first transparent portion 11 having a predetermined transparency and formed, for example, from a translucent synthetic resin is provided in a region of the front exterior cover 1 corresponding to the lamp unit 4 (front region 1F), and a second transparent portion 12 having a predetermined transparency and formed, for example, from a translucent synthetic resin is provided in a region of the front exterior cover 1 corresponding to the instrument unit 3 (rear region 1B). Portions of the front exterior cover 1 other than the first transparent portion 11 and the second transparent portion 12 are formed, for example, by two-color molding using a light-blocking synthetic resin and are light-shielded by black painting, film printing, or the like, and the shapes and designs of the instrument unit 3 and the lamp unit 4 are formed by this light-blocking. In other words, the instrument unit 3 and the lamp unit 4 are formed into an integrated structure by the front exterior cover 1, thereby realizing a novel design with a new aesthetic appearance, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 .

[0015] 3, the upper region 1U, front region 1F, and lower region 1L of the front exterior cover 1 cover a space corresponding to an angle α1 (for example, α1 = an appropriate value between 150° and 210°) on the forward side relative to the leading edge P of the handle pipe 5. The first transparent portion 11 is formed within a range of approximately 60° on the front end side of the space, providing a novel appearance. The rear region 1B of the front exterior cover 1 covers a space corresponding to an angle α2 (for example, α1 = an appropriate value between 60° and 120°) on the rear side relative to the leading edge P of the handle pipe 5.

[0016] <Transmitting portion> As shown in Fig. 3, the cross-sectional shape of the first transmitting portion 11 is curved, and the cross-sectional shape of the second transmitting portion 12 is substantially flat (it may be a gently curved surface as shown in Fig. 4). The thickness (first thickness) t1 of the first transmitting portion 11 is greater than the thickness (second thickness) t2 of the second transmitting portion 12. Furthermore, the outer surface 1a of the front exterior cover 1 and the outer surfaces 11a, 12a of the first transmitting portion 11 and the second transmitting portion 12 are configured to be flush with each other.

[0017] 3 , the instrument section 3 includes various instruments 31 such as LED-type instruments, LCD-type instruments, and needle-type instruments, a mounting plate 32 made of a hard circuit board or the like to which the various instruments 31 are attached, and a bracket 33 for fixing the mounting plate 32 to the front exterior cover 1. The various instruments 31 display the functions of a general meter, i.e., a speedometer, a revolution indicator (engine RPM), operation lights, warning lights, etc. The transparent portion 12 of the front exterior cover 1 also serves as a cover lens for the instrument section 3.

[0018] <Lamp Unit> The lamp unit 4 includes left and right illumination units 4L, 4R, which are provided at both ends of the vehicle in the width direction and can function as sidelights and turn signals, and a central illumination unit 4M, which is provided between the left illumination unit 4L and the right illumination unit 4R and performs decorative lighting functions (described below) other than the sidelights and turn signals. Correspondingly, as shown in FIG. 2 and other figures, the first transmissive unit 11 includes a left transmissive unit 11L that transmits the illumination light from the left illumination unit 4L, a central transmissive unit 11M that transmits the illumination light from the central illumination unit 4M, a left transmissive unit 11L that transmits the illumination light from the left illumination unit 4L, and a right transmissive unit 11R that transmits the illumination light from the right illumination unit 4R. As shown in FIG. 3 , each of the illumination units 4L, 4R, and 4M includes a light source 41 such as an LED and a hard circuit board, an optical member 42, and a bracket 43 for fixing the light source 41 to the front exterior cover 1. The transmitting portions 11L, 11M, and 11R also function as cover lenses for the lamp body portion 4.

[0019] The left and right lighting units 4L, 4R have a light-emitting range of approximately 200° in the upward and downward directions in a vertical cross section, and in this example, they operate in the following three patterns. In the first pattern, they function as both sidelights and turn signals. In this case, the left and right lighting units 4L, 4R glow amber to notify the outside of the vehicle of the presence (sidelights) or direction of travel (turn signals). When functioning as sidelights, they are fully lit, and when functioning as turn signals, they flash. In the second pattern, they function only as turn signals. In this case, the left and right lighting units 4L, 4R flash amber to notify the outside of the vehicle of the direction of travel. In the third pattern, they function only as sidelights. In this case, the left and right lighting units 4L, 4R glow white to notify the outside of the vehicle of the presence of a saddle-type vehicle.

[0020] In this example, the central lighting unit 4M is configured to provide decorative lighting in a dot pattern, and has a light-emitting range of approximately 180° in the vertical cross section in both the up and down directions. When the ignition of the saddle-ride type vehicle is turned on, the central lighting unit 4M lights up in white and displays an animation to welcome the user. During normal driving, the central lighting unit 4M is fully lit in white, functioning as a design element for the saddle-ride type vehicle.

[0021] <Wiring Structure> The instrument section 3 is provided with a microcomputer (controller, not shown) that controls the display of the various instruments 31, and this microcomputer is connected to the ECU (not shown) of the saddle-ride type vehicle by a signal wiring S30 (see FIG. 3). At this time, the lamp section 4 and the microcomputer of the instrument section 3 are connected by a signal wiring S34 (see FIG. 3), and the light emission of the lamp section 4 is controlled by the microcomputer via the signal wiring S34.

[0022] <Effects of the Embodiment> As described above, in this embodiment, the front exterior cover 1, which covers at least the front and upper sides of the handlebar pipe 5, is constructed from a single seamless part, and the lamp unit 4 and the instrument unit 3 are disposed on the handlebar pipe 5 side of the front region 1F and rear region 1B of the front exterior cover 1, respectively. This allows the lamp unit 4 and the instrument unit 3 to be integrated into the front exterior cover 1, simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing costs. The integrated structure also improves dustproofness and waterproofness. Furthermore, the first and second transparent portions 11 and 12 are integrally included in the front exterior cover 1 and can also serve as cover lenses for the lamp unit 4 and the instrument unit 3, reducing the number of parts. This also contributes to cost reduction. Furthermore, because the front exterior cover 1 extends forward and backward and has no seams between parts, rainwater is less likely to enter the interior space housing the handlebar pipe 5 from above, improving waterproof performance.

[0023] In this embodiment, the first and second transmission sections 11 and 12 are flush with the surrounding front exterior cover 1, resulting in a step-free structure. This provides a particularly enhanced sense of unity.

[0024] In particular, in this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the first transmission portion 11 for the lamp body portion 4 is curved, thereby ensuring illumination performance over long distances. Furthermore, the cross-sectional shape of the second transmission portion 12 for the instrument portion 3 is substantially flat, thereby ensuring good visibility.

[0025] Furthermore, in this embodiment in particular, by making the thickness t1 of the first transparent portion 11 larger than the thickness t2 of the second transparent portion 12, it is possible to prevent damage due to the large strength even in the event of, for example, a pebble or the like colliding with the vehicle while driving.

[0026] In particular, in this embodiment, both the display control of the instrument unit 3 and the light emission control of the lamp unit 4 are executed by a microcomputer provided in the instrument unit 3. This simplifies the structure and facilitates the control process.

[0027] In particular, in this embodiment, the lamp unit 4 includes a left lighting unit 4L, a right lighting unit 4R, and a center lighting unit 4M. This allows the left and right lighting units 4L, 4R to function as sidelights and direction indicators, which are essential functions for a saddle-ride type vehicle, and the center lighting unit 4M to function as decorative lighting such as animation, thereby improving marketability.

[0028] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Front exterior cover 1a Outer surface 1B Rear region (rear end) 1D Lowermost region 1F Front region (front end) 1L Lower region 1U Upper region 2 Rear exterior cover 3 Instrument section 4 Light body section 4L Left lighting section 4M Central lighting section 4R Right lighting section 5 Handle pipe (steering shaft) 6L Handle 6R Handle 11 First transparent section 11a Outer surface 11L Left transparent section 11M Central transparent section 11R Right transparent section 12 Second transparent section 12a Outer surface 31 Various instruments 32 Mounting plate 33 Bracket 41 Light source 42 Optical member 43 Bracket 100 Display device for saddle-riding type vehicle P Front edge S30 Signal wiring S34 Signal wiring t1 Wall thickness (first thickness) t2 Wall thickness (second wall thickness)

Claims

1. A display device for a saddle-riding vehicle equipped on a saddle-riding vehicle which has a steering wheel steering shaft extending substantially horizontally along the vehicle width direction at the front end of a body frame, and a pair of left and right handlebars respectively provided at both left and right ends of the steering wheel steering shaft, comprising: a rear exterior cover which covers the rear side of the steering wheel steering shaft; a front exterior cover which covers the front and upper sides of the steering wheel steering shaft and is constructed from a single seamless part; a lamp unit disposed on the steering wheel steering shaft side of the front end of the front exterior cover; and an instrument unit disposed on the steering wheel steering shaft side of the rear end of the front exterior cover, wherein the front exterior cover includes: a first transparent unit with a predetermined transparency which is provided in an area corresponding to the lamp unit; and a second transparent unit with a predetermined transparency which is provided in an area corresponding to the instrument unit.

2. The display device for a saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the outer surface of the front exterior cover and the outer surfaces of the first and second transparent portions are flush with each other.

3. The display device for a saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the cross-sectional shape of the first transmissive portion is curved, and the cross-sectional shape of the second transmissive portion is approximately flat.

4. The display device for a saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the first thickness of the first transparent portion is greater than the second thickness of the second transparent portion.

5. A display device for a saddle-type vehicle as claimed in claim 1, further comprising signal wiring connecting the lamp unit and the instrument unit, the instrument unit being provided with a control unit which controls the display of the instruments provided in the instrument unit, and the light emission of the lamp unit being controlled by the control unit via the signal wiring.

6. A display device for a saddle-type vehicle as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the lighting unit includes: a left lighting unit and a right lighting unit, each provided at both ends in the vehicle width direction and capable of functioning as a width light and a direction indicator; and a central lighting unit, provided between the left lighting unit and the right lighting unit, performing decorative lighting functions other than as the width light and the direction indicator.

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