Two-wheeled electric vehicle

Abstract

Provided is a two-wheeled electric vehicle which, when provided with a battery accommodating unit that opens and closes in a vehicle-body width direction, is capable of suppressing forceful opening of the battery accommodating unit when opened, and in which the rigidity of a down frame is utilized to attach hinges firmly to a vehicle body.　A pair of battery accommodating units (41) are disposed on the left and right above an electric motor (12), each battery accommodating unit (41) being provided with a hinge (92) supported on a down frame (22) and a battery attachment / detachment opening (41a) provided at the rear, and being supported so as to be capable of opening and closing about the hinge (92), wherein: the hinges (92) extend obliquely downward in a front view of the vehicle body, are disposed on the left and right of the down frame (22), and extend along the down frame (22) in a side view of the vehicle body; and batteries (40) have a rectangular shape or a substantially rectangular shape, and are accommodated in the battery accommodating units (41) with the rear end raised.

Description

electric motorcycle

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric motorcycle.

[0002] A saddle-type electric vehicle in which a drive battery is detachably supported is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In Patent Document 1, a battery storage section is provided between main frames, and the battery is attached and detached from above the main frames.

[0003] Patent No. 5504352

[0004] Generally, batteries are heavy. Therefore, a configuration in which batteries are attached and detached from above the main frame, as described in Patent Document 1, presents a problem of poor workability when replacing the battery. To address this problem, a battery storage unit that opens and closes in the vehicle body width direction could be provided on the motorcycle, allowing the battery to be attached and detached from the vehicle body width direction. However, a problem exists in that the motorcycle may be stopped in a tilted position, requiring measures to prevent the vehicle body from tilting. Specifically, when the motorcycle is tilted, the battery, being a heavy object, applies a biased load to the hinge of the battery storage unit, requiring the rigidity of the hinge mounting portion of the battery storage unit to be increased. Furthermore, there is a risk that the battery storage unit will open forcefully due to the weight of the battery. The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-described circumstances. It is an object of the present invention to provide an electric motorcycle that, when provided with a battery storage unit that opens and closes in the vehicle body width direction, can firmly attach the hinge to the vehicle body using the rigidity of the down frame, while preventing the battery storage unit from opening forcefully.

[0005] This specification includes the entire contents of Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-114125, filed on July 17, 2024. The electric motorcycle comprises a body frame having a down frame, a battery storage section supported by the down frame, a battery stored in the battery storage section, and an electric motor driven by power supplied from the battery. The battery storage sections are provided above the electric motor and are arranged in pairs on the left and right sides of the center of the vehicle width direction when viewed from the front of the vehicle body, the pair of left and right battery storage sections each having a hinge supported by the down frame and a battery attachment / detachment opening provided on the rear side of the vehicle body in the fore-and-aft direction, and are supported so as to be openable and closable in the vehicle width direction around the hinge, the pair of left and right hinges are arranged on the left and right sides of the down frame so as to extend diagonally downward when viewed from the front of the vehicle body, and extend obliquely along the down frame when viewed from the side of the vehicle body, the battery has a rectangular or approximately rectangular appearance shape with short sides and long sides when viewed from the side of the vehicle body, and the battery is stored in the battery storage section with the rear rising.

[0006] When a battery storage section that opens and closes in the vehicle body width direction is provided, an electric motorcycle can be provided that utilizes the rigidity of the down frame to firmly attach the hinge to the vehicle body while preventing the battery storage section from opening too forcefully when opened.

[0007] FIG. 1 is a left side view of an electric motorcycle according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of essential parts of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a plan view of essential parts of an electric motorcycle according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a battery. FIG. 5 is a left side view of a battery basket in a left battery storage unit. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the battery basket in the left battery storage unit. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the pair of left and right battery storage units as seen from the rear left. FIG. 8 is a front view of the pair of left and right battery storage units. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the hinge mechanism of the left battery storage unit as seen from the front left. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which the battery storage units have been moved to the detachable position compared to FIG. 9. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the left battery storage unit as seen from the lower left. FIG. 12 is a bottom view of the electric motorcycle showing the periphery of the pair of left and right battery storage units. FIG. 13 is a view showing a state in which the left battery storage unit has been moved to the detachable position from FIG. 10. FIG. 14 is a front view of essential parts of the electric motorcycle showing the battery storage units as moved to the traveling position. FIG. 15 is a front view of the main parts of the electric motorcycle, showing the battery storage section moved to the attachment / detachment position.

[0008] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description, directions such as front, rear, left, right, up and down are the same as directions relative to the vehicle body unless otherwise specified. In addition, the symbol FR in each drawing indicates the front of the vehicle body, the symbol UP indicates the upper side of the vehicle body, and the symbol LH indicates the left side of the vehicle body.

[0009] 1 is a left side view of an electric motorcycle 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The electric motorcycle (electric vehicle) 10 is a saddle-ride type vehicle in which a battery-powered electric motor 12 is supported on a body frame 11, a front fork 15 supporting a front wheel 13 is supported at the front end of the body frame 11 so as to be steerable, a swing arm 17 supporting a rear wheel 16 is supported at the rear part of the body frame 11 so as to be swingable, and a seat 18 on which a rider sits astride is supported above the rear part of the body frame 11.

[0010] The body frame 11 has a head pipe 20 provided at the front end, a main frame 21 extending rearward and downward from the head pipe 20, a down frame 22 extending downward from the head pipe 20 below the main frame 21, a lower frame 23 extending from the lower end of the down frame 22 and connected to the lower end of the main frame 21, and a gusset portion 24 covering the front end of the main frame 21 and the front end of the down frame 22 from both sides in the vehicle width direction.

[0011] The main frame 21 has a center frame portion 25 extending rearward and downward from the head pipe 20 along the center of the vehicle width, and a pivot frame portion 26 extending downward from the lower end of the center frame portion 25. The pivot frame portion 26 has an upper cross member portion 26a connected to the lower end of the center frame portion 25 and extending in the vehicle width direction, a pair of left and right pivot frame main body portions 26b extending downward from both ends of the upper cross member portion 26a in the vehicle width direction, and a lower cross member portion 26c extending in the vehicle width direction and connecting the lower ends of the pair of left and right pivot frame main body portions 26b.

[0012] The lower frame 23 has a pair of left and right main body portions 23a (see FIGS. 12 and 13) that extend downward from the lower end of the down frame 22 and then extend rearward, and cross portions 23b (see FIGS. 12 and 13) that connect the main body portions 23a. The front main body portions 23a are inclined outward in the vehicle width direction as they extend rearward (see FIGS. 12 and 13), and the rear main body portions 23a extend linearly rearward and are connected to the lower ends of the pivot frame portions 26. The cross portions 23b connect the linear portions of the main body portions 23a (see FIGS. 12 and 13).

[0013] The body frame 11 also has a pair of left and right seat frames 27 extending rearward from a vertical midpoint of the center frame portion 25 of the main frame 21, and a pair of left and right rear subframes 28 extending rearward and upward from a vertical midpoint of the pivot frame portion 26 of the main frame 21. The front portion of the seat frames 27 is inclined outward in the vehicle width direction as it extends rearward (see FIG. 7), and the rear portion extends linearly rearward. The rear ends of the rear subframes 28 are connected to the longitudinal midpoint of the seat frames 27 (see FIG. 1).

[0014] A center stand 37 is rotatably supported at the lower end of the pivot frame portion 26. Furthermore, a side stand 38 is rotatably supported at the lower end of the left pivot frame portion 26.

[0015] The front forks 15 are steerably attached to the head pipe 20. A steering handle 31 is attached to the upper part of the front forks 15. The front wheel 13 is supported at the lower end of the front forks 15 via a front wheel shaft (axle) 13a.

[0016] The swing arm 17 is supported by a pivot shaft 32 that is supported by the pivot frame portion 26 of the main frame 21. The pivot shaft 32 is an axis that extends horizontally in the vehicle width direction. The swing arm 17 swings up and down around the pivot shaft 32. The rear end of the swing arm 17 is suspended from the seat frame 27 via a rear cushion 33. The rear wheel 16 is supported at the rear end of the swing arm 17 via a rear wheel axle (axle) 16a.

[0017] Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the main parts of Figure 1. A battery 40 is supported above the electric motor 12. The battery 40 is supported in a battery storage section 41. The electric motorcycle 10 is equipped with a PCU (Power Control Unit). The PCU is configured to include an inverter and the like, and, for example, converts DC power supplied from the battery 40 into AC power and supplies the converted AC power to the electric motor 12. Furthermore, when the electric motor 12 is in regeneration mode, the PCU converts AC power generated by the electric motor 12 into DC power and charges the battery 40. The PCU controls the electric motor 12 in accordance with the operation of the electric motorcycle 10.

[0018] A headlight 44 is supported on the front fork 15. A pair of left and right front blinkers 45 are supported on the rear of the headlight 44.

[0019] 3 is a plan view of a main portion of the electric motorcycle 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. A body cover 50 is supported on the body frame 11. The body cover 50 in this embodiment has a center cowl 51 disposed above the main frame 21, and a pair of left and right side cowls 52 that are located rearward of the center cowl 51 and cover the vehicle body from the outside in the vehicle width direction.

[0020] The center cowl 51 is a bowl-shaped cover that is concave upward. The center cowl 51 has an external shape that imitates the fuel tank of a saddle-ride vehicle that has an internal combustion engine. The center cowl 51 is disposed between the head pipe 20 and the seat 18 so as to straddle the main frame 21. The center cowl 51 covers the upper front portion of the electric motorcycle 10.

[0021] An opening 51a is formed in the upper rear surface of the center cowl 51. In a plan view, an operation switch 47 is disposed inside the opening 51a. The operation switch 47 extends in the left-right direction. The operation switch 47 has a hinge extending in the front-rear direction at the center of the left-right direction. In this embodiment, the operation switch 47 is a seesaw-type switch that can be swung left and right when the left or right side is pressed. The opening 51a is closed by a lid 53 that is supported so as to be able to open and close. Therefore, the operation switch 47 is also closed by the lid 53.

[0022] The side cowls 52 are connected to the rear of the center cowl 51 and cover the space between the seat frame 27 and the rear sub-frame 28 from the outside in the vehicle width direction.

[0023] A front fender 54 that covers the front wheel 13 from above is attached to the front fork 15. A rear fender 55 that covers the rear wheel 16 from above is attached to the seat frame 27.

[0024] 4 is a perspective view of the battery 40. The battery 40 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped block shape. When the battery 40 is arranged so that the largest side faces the vehicle body width direction, the generally rectangular parallelepiped shape can have a short side 40S and a long side 40L that is longer than the short side 40S in a side view of the vehicle body. In other words, the largest side has the short side 40S and the long side 40L.

[0025] The battery 40 of this embodiment has a case 40a that is generally rectangular in appearance. A battery main body composed of cells and the like is housed inside the case 40a. Openings on both sides of the case 40a in the central axis direction are closed by side case sections 40b and 40c. One of the side case sections 40b is provided with a grip section 40d that can be gripped by an operator. A connector (terminal port) 40e electrically connected to the battery main body is provided around the grip section 40d. In this embodiment, the connector 40e is provided on one of the side case sections 40b. The grip section 40d and the connector 40e are formed so as not to overlap in the longitudinal direction of the short side 40S.

[0026] The direction of attachment to and detachment from the connector 40e is the direction of the central axis of the case portion 40a. A connector 43 provided at the end of a harness 42 extending from the vehicle body is connected to the connector 40e. This enables power to be supplied from the battery 40 to the electric motor 12. In addition, a charging connector from outside the vehicle body, for example, a charging station, is connected to the connector 40e. This enables the battery 40 to be charged.

[0027] FIG. 5 is a left side view of the battery basket 60 of the left battery storage section 41. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the battery basket 60 of the left battery storage section 41. The battery 40 is stored in the battery storage section 41. In this embodiment, a pair of battery storage sections 41 are provided, one on the left and one on the right (see FIGS. 7 and 8). The left battery storage section 41 and the right battery storage section 41 have the same basic configuration. As long as the left battery storage section 41 and the right battery storage section 41 have the same basic configuration, they may be symmetrical or asymmetrical. The left battery storage section 41 will be described below.

[0028] The battery storage section 41 includes a battery basket (battery holding section) 60 that holds the battery 40. The battery basket 60 is a frame member. In this embodiment, the battery basket 60 is mainly made of metal pipe material. The battery basket 60 has a substantially U-shaped basket front section 61, a substantially U-shaped basket bottom section 62 that extends rearward from the lower end of the basket front section 61, an outer side section 63 that connects the left side of the basket front section 61 with the left side of the basket bottom section 62, and an inner side section 64 that connects the right side of the basket front section 61 with the right side of the basket bottom section 62.

[0029] The basket front section 61 has a pair of left and right standing sections 61a extending in the vertical direction. A front connection section 61b is connected to the upper ends of the standing sections 61a, connecting the upper ends of the standing sections 61a together. A plate-shaped hinge mounting stay 65 is fixed between the left and right standing sections 61a. The hinge mounting stay 65 is fixed so as to cover the front surfaces of the standing sections 61a.

[0030] The basket bottom 62 has a pair of left and right extension portions 62a that extend from the lower ends of the pair of left and right upright portions 61a of the basket front portion 61, respectively. The extension portions 62a extend in the front-to-rear direction. A rear end connecting portion 62b that connects the rear ends of the extension portions 62a is connected to the rear ends of the extension portions 62a. A plate-shaped cross portion 66 that extends left and right is fixed between the left and right extension portions 62a. A pair (multiple) of cross portions 66 are provided in the front-to-rear direction.

[0031] A hook member 67 that protrudes rearward is fixed to the center of the rear end connecting portion 62b in the left-right direction. A plate-shaped damper stay 68 that extends outward in the vehicle width direction is fixed to the lower end of the extending portion 62a on the inner side portion 64 side (see Figures 5, 12, and 13). The damper stay 68 is located below the extending portion 62a.

[0032] The outer side portion 63 has a generally L-shaped outer frame portion 63a. The outer frame portion 63a connects the upright portion 61a on the left side of the basket front portion 61 and the extension portion 62a on the left side of the basket bottom portion 62. The outer frame portion 63a, together with the basket front portion 61 and the basket bottom portion 62, form an enclosed frame shape in a side view of the vehicle body. A plurality of reinforcing portions 63b, 63c are arranged between the outer frame portion 63a and the basket front portion 61.

[0033] Specifically, the outer frame portion 63a has a parallel portion 63a1 that extends from the upright portion 61a of the basket front portion 61 in parallel to the extending portion 62a of the basket bottom portion 62. The outer frame portion 63a also has an inclined portion 63a2 that bends downward from the rear end of the parallel portion 63a1 and extends toward the basket bottom 62. The inclined portion 63a2 is inclined relative to the upright portion 61a. That is, in a side view of the vehicle body, the inclined portion 63a2 moves away from the upright portion 61a as it approaches the basket bottom 62. Therefore, the upright portion 61a of the basket front portion 61 and the inclined portion 63a2 of the outer side portion 63 form a shape that widens toward the end in a side view of the vehicle body.

[0034] The inclined portion 63a2 and the upright portion 61a are connected by a plurality of reinforcing portions 63b, 63c. The reinforcing portions 63b, 63c extend parallel to the parallel portion 63a1 and the extending portion 62a. A battery support portion 63d that supports the stored battery 40 is provided on the upper portion of the outer side portion 63. The battery support portion 63d is a plate-like member bent into a generally U-shaped cross section. The battery support portion 63d is fixed so as to cover the parallel portion 63a1 of the outer frame portion 63a from the inside in the vehicle width direction. Rubber, an example of a cushioning member, is supported on the surface of the battery support portion 63d that faces the battery 40. The outer frame portion 63a, the reinforcing portions 63b, the reinforcing portions 63c, and the battery support portion 63d constitute the outer side portion 63 of this embodiment.

[0035] The inner side portion 64 has a generally L-shaped outer frame portion 64a. The outer frame portion 64a is connected to an upright portion 61a on the right side of the basket front portion 61 and an extension portion 62a on the right side of the basket bottom portion 62. The outer frame portion 64a, together with the basket front portion 61 and the basket bottom portion 62, form an enclosed frame shape in a side view of the vehicle body.

[0036] Specifically, the outer frame portion 64a has a parallel portion 64a1 that extends from the upright portion 61a of the basket front portion 61 in parallel to the extending portion 62a of the basket bottom portion 62. The outer frame portion 64a also has an inclined portion 64a2 that bends downward from the rear end of the parallel portion 64a1 and extends toward the basket bottom 62. In a side view of the vehicle body, the inclined portion 64a2 moves away from the upright portion 61a as it approaches the basket bottom 62. Here, the parallel portion 64a1 of the inner side portion 64 extends further rearward than the parallel portion 63a1 of the outer side portion 63. Furthermore, the inclined portion 64a2 of the inner side portion 64 is inclined more parallel to the upright portion 61a than the inclined portion 63a2 of the outer side portion 63. Therefore, the inner side portion 64 and the outer side portion 63 have different frame shapes.

[0037] A battery support portion 64d that supports the stored battery 40 is provided on the upper portion of the inner side portion 64. The battery support portion 64d is plate-shaped and bent to have a generally U-shaped cross section. The battery support portion 64d is fixed to cover the parallel portion 64a1 of the outer frame portion 64a from the outside in the vehicle width direction. A rubber, which serves as an example of a shock-absorbing material, is supported on the surface of the battery support portion 64d that faces the battery 40. The outer frame portion 64a and the battery support portion 64d form the inner side portion 64 of this embodiment. The U-shaped opening shape of the basket bottom 62, the inclined portion 63a2 of the outer side portion 63, and the inclined portion 64a2 of the inner side portion 64 when viewed from the rear forms the battery attachment / detachment opening 41a of this embodiment.

[0038] When the battery 40 is stored in the battery storage section 41, the basket bottom 62 has a length L2 that is equal to or greater than half the length of the long side 40L of the battery 40 in a side view of the vehicle body (see FIG. 2). The inclined portions 63a2 of the outer side portions 63 and the inclined portions 64a2 of the inner side portions 64 are connected to the extending portions 62a at positions that are equal to or greater than half the length L2 of the long side 40L relative to the basket bottom 62 (see FIG. 2).

[0039] 7 is a perspective view of the pair of left and right battery storage compartments 41 as viewed from the left rear. A saucer-shaped battery guide (battery guide portion) 70 is supported on each of the battery baskets 60 of the pair of left and right battery storage compartments 41. The battery guide 70 is made of resin. The battery guide 70 extends in the front-to-rear direction. The battery guide 70 has a bottom wall portion 71, a front wall portion 72 formed at the front end of the bottom wall portion 71, an outer wall portion 73 extending rearward from the outer end of the front wall portion 72 in the vehicle width direction, and an inner wall portion 74 extending rearward from the inner end of the front wall portion 72 in the vehicle width direction.

[0040] A rib 71a extending in the front-rear direction is formed on the upper surface of the bottom wall portion 71. The rib 71a protrudes upward. A plurality of ribs 71a are formed at intervals in the left-right direction. Recessed portions 71b are formed on the left and right sides of the rib 71a. A pair of recessed portions 71b are formed in the front-rear direction. Thus, in this embodiment, four recessed portions 71b are formed. A hole (not shown) is formed in the recessed portion 71b, and a bolt is inserted from above. The bolt inserted from above passes through the hole and is fixed to the cross portion 66 of the basket bottom portion 62. In this way, the battery guide 70 is integrally assembled to the battery storage portion 41.

[0041] The outer wall portion 73 and the inner wall portion 74 each have a generally bow-like shape when viewed from above. That is, the outer wall portion 73 and the inner wall portion 74 form a narrow width portion 70a where the distance between them is narrow in the center in the front-to-rear direction. At the rear end in the front-to-rear direction, the outer wall portion 73 and the inner wall portion 74 form an opening-side wide portion 70b where the distance between them, i.e., the width, increases as they move rearward. At the front end in the front-to-rear direction, the outer wall portion 73 and the inner wall portion 74 form a rear-side wide portion 70c where the width increases as they move forward. The opening-side wide portion 70b and the rear-side wide portion 70c have a width that is wider than the width of the narrow width portion 70a.

[0042] Here, the rear end 71c of the bottom wall 71 is located on the rear end connection portion 62b of the basket bottom 62. In other words, in a plan view, the rear end 71c of the bottom wall 71 overlaps the rear end connection portion 62b of the basket bottom 62. Furthermore, in the attachment / detachment opening wide portion 70b, the outer wall 73 overlaps the outer frame portion 63a of the outer side portion 63. Furthermore, in the attachment / detachment opening wide portion 70b, the inner wall 74 overlaps the outer frame portion 64a of the inner side portion 64. The outer wall 73 is formed with abutment portions 73a that protrude upward corresponding to the position of the outer frame portion 63a. The abutment portion 73a abuts against the outer frame portion 63a. The inner wall 74 is formed with abutment portions 74a that protrude upward corresponding to the position of the outer frame portion 64a. The abutment portions 73a, 74a increase the contact area of ​​the battery guide 70 with the outer frame portion. Therefore, the load from the battery guide 70 that supports the battery 40 can be easily received by the outer frame portions 63a and 64a.

[0043] The rear end of the battery guide 70 is held in an open state behind the outer frame portions 63a, 64a of the battery storage section 41. Therefore, when installing the battery 40, the battery 40 can be easily installed on the upper surface of the battery guide 70 without getting caught on the pipe shape of the battery storage section 41. Furthermore, the rib 71a reduces the contact area with the lower surface of the battery 40, making it easier to reduce sliding resistance when inserting the battery 40 all the way along the battery guide 70.

[0044] Fig. 8 is a front view showing a pair of left and right battery storage compartments 41. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the hinge mechanism 90 of the left battery storage compartment 41 as seen from the front left. Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which the battery storage compartment 41 has been moved to the detachable position from Fig. 9. Fig. 8 shows a state in which the hinge mechanism 90 of the left battery storage compartment 41 is exposed and the hinge mechanism 90 of the right battery storage compartment 41 is covered with a hinge cover 57.

[0045] A hinge bracket 80 is welded to the down frame 22. In this embodiment, the hinge bracket 80 is formed symmetrically. The hinge bracket 80 has a stay portion 81 bent to have a generally U-shaped cross section, and a pair of upper and lower bracket support portions 82, 83 provided on the left and right sides of the stay portion 81, respectively.

[0046] The hinge bracket 80 is fixed to the down frame 22 by welding the stay portion 81 so that it covers the down frame 22 from the front.

[0047] The bracket support portions 82, 83 are formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the left-right direction. The upper bracket support portion 82 is provided in front of the down frame 22. The lower bracket support portion 83 is disposed rearward of the upper bracket support portion 83 in a side view of the vehicle body (see FIG. 2). The bracket support portions 82, 83 are inclined upward as they proceed outward in the vehicle width direction in a front view of the vehicle body.

[0048] A hinge mechanism 90 is supported on the bracket support portions 82 and 83. The hinge mechanism 90 has a fixed portion 91 supported by the bracket support portions 82 and 83, and a rotating portion 93 rotatably supported by the fixed portion 91 via a hinge 92.

[0049] The fixing portion 91 has a bent plate shape and is formed in a crank shape when viewed from the front of the vehicle body. In detail, the fixing portion 91 has a pair of upper and lower plate-shaped base portions 91 a, 91 b that extend in the vertical direction and are fixed to the bracket support portions 82, 83, plate-shaped hinge insertion portions 91 c, 91 d that extend outward in the vehicle width direction from the inner vertical ends of the base portions 91 a, 91 b, and a plate-shaped connecting portion 91 e that connects the outer vehicle width direction ends of the hinge insertion portions 91 c, 91 d to each other.

[0050] The rotating portion 93 has a folded plate shape. The rotating portion 93 has a plate-like mounting portion 93a that is thick in the front-rear direction and extends in the up-down direction, and a pair of upper and lower arms 93b, 93c that extend forward from the upper and lower ends of the mounting portion 93a. The mounting portion 93a is fixed to the front surface of a stay 95 of the battery basket 60. This secures the rotating portion 93 to the battery basket 60. The upper arm 93b of the rotating portion 93 is disposed above the upper hinge insertion portion 91c of the fixed portion 91. The lower arm 93c of the rotating portion 93 is disposed below the lower hinge insertion portion 91d of the fixed portion 91. The hinge 92, indicated by the dashed dotted line, is passed through the arm 93b, hinge insertion portion 91c, hinge insertion portion 91d, and arm 93c. This supports the rotating portion 93 so that it can rotate around the hinge 92 relative to the fixed portion 91.

[0051] Here, the hinge 92 is inclined outward in the vehicle width direction as it extends downward in a front view of the vehicle body. Furthermore, the hinge 92 is inclined rearward as it extends downward in a side view of the vehicle body. In the present embodiment, the hinge 92 extends rearward and downward along the down frame 22 in a side view of the vehicle body (see FIG. 2). Specifically, the hinge 92 extends parallel to the down frame 22.

[0052] A stopper 94, separate from the hinge mechanism 90, is fixed to the outer side of the rotating portion 93 in the vehicle width direction. The stopper 94 has a plate-shaped mounting portion 94a extending in the vertical direction and a piece-shaped abutting portion 94b fixed to the vertical center of the mounting portion 94a. The abutting portion 94b has a thickness in the vertical direction. The abutting portion 94b extends rearward of the connecting portion 91e of the fixed portion 91. The stopper 94 abuts against the connecting portion 91e of the fixed portion 91 to prevent the rotating portion 93 from rotating in a direction that would cause it to open excessively relative to the fixed portion 91.

[0053] 11 is a perspective view of the left battery storage section 41 as viewed from below on the left side. The main frame 21 is provided with locking mechanisms (open / close locking units) 120 corresponding to the left and right battery storage sections 41. The battery storage section 41 is provided with the locking mechanism 120 at a position where the main frame 21 intersects with a line L1 (see FIG. 2 ) that is parallel to the long side 40L of the stored battery 40 in a side view of the vehicle body. In this embodiment, the locking mechanism 120 is provided at a position where the main frame 21 intersects with the line L1 that passes through the underside of the battery storage section 41.

[0054] A hook member 67 is fixed to the rear end of the battery storage section 41. The hook member 67 has a bent plate-shaped stay portion 67a and a generally U-shaped rod-shaped hook portion 67b that is fixed to the stay portion 67a and extends inward in the vehicle width direction.

[0055] A stay 121 is provided on the center frame portion 25 of the main frame 21 in accordance with the movement position of the hook member 67. A locking mechanism 120 engageable with the hook portion 67b is provided on the stay 121. The locking mechanism 120 is released by operating the operation switch 47. When the left side of the operation switch 47 is pressed, the left locking mechanism 120 is activated, and the engagement between the left locking mechanism 120 and the hook portion 67b of the left battery storage portion 41 is released. When the right side of the operation switch 47 is pressed, the right locking mechanism 120 is activated, and the engagement between the right locking mechanism 120 and the hook portion 67b of the right battery storage portion 41 is released.

[0056] Figure 12 is a bottom view of the electric motorcycle 10 showing the area around the pair of left and right battery storage sections 41. Figure 13 is a view showing the state in which the left battery storage section 41 has been moved to the attachment / detachment position from Figure 10. A damper 100, which serves as an example of a shock-absorbing mechanism, is provided between the down frame 22 and the battery storage section 41. The damper 100 has a cylindrical cylinder section 101 and a rod section 102 that is extendable and slidable on the cylinder section 101. The front side of the damper 100 is connected to a damper bracket 110 of the down frame 22. The rear side of the damper 100 is connected to a damper stay 68 of the battery storage section 41.

[0057] A damper bracket 110 is welded to the down frame 22. The damper bracket 110 in this embodiment is formed symmetrically (see FIG. 8). The damper bracket 110 has a stay portion 111 bent to have a generally U-shaped cross section, and a pair of left and right connecting stay portions 112 (see FIG. 8) that protrude outward in the left and right direction from the left and right side surfaces of the stay portion 111.

[0058] The damper bracket 110 is fixed to the down frame 22 by welding the stay portion 111 to cover the down frame 22 from the front. The connection stay portion 112 of the damper bracket 110 has a thickness in the vertical direction. A pair of connection holes 112a, 112b are formed in the connection stay portion 112 in the vehicle width direction.

[0059] Here, the connecting portion 102a of the rod portion 102 of the damper 100 is swingably connected to one of the connecting holes 112a, 112b of the damper bracket 110. In this embodiment, the connecting portion 102a of the rod portion 102 is connected to the connecting hole 112a on the inner side in the vehicle width direction. Also, the connecting portion 101a of the cylinder portion 101 of the damper 100 is swingably connected to one of the connecting holes 68a, 68b of the damper stay 68. In this embodiment, the connecting portion 101a of the cylinder portion 101 is connected to the connecting hole 68a on the outer side in the vehicle width direction.

[0060] The damper 100 can prevent the battery storage section 41 from being suddenly opened or closed. To weaken the function of the damper 100, the connecting portion 102a of the rod portion 102 is connected to the connecting hole 112b of the damper bracket 110, and the connecting portion 101a of the cylinder portion 101 is connected to the connecting hole 68b of the damper stay 68. This allows the function of the damper 100 to be weakened.

[0061] Figure 14 is a front view of essential parts of the electric motorcycle 10 with the battery storage unit 41 moved to the traveling position. Figure 15 is a front view of essential parts of the electric motorcycle 10 with the battery storage unit 41 moved to the attachment / detachment position. For example, the electric motorcycle 10 is stopped using the center stand 37. At this time, when the lid 53 of the center cowl 51 is opened and the operation switch 47 is pressed, the locking mechanism 120 of the battery storage unit 41 is activated and unlocked. Therefore, for example, when the left side of the operation switch 47 is pressed, the locking mechanism 120 of the left battery storage unit 41 is activated and unlocked, allowing the left battery storage unit 41 to be opened.

[0062] In this embodiment, the hinge 92 slopes downward to the right in a side view of the vehicle body, and inclines outward in the vehicle width direction as it extends downward in a front view of the vehicle body, as shown in Figures 14 and 15. Therefore, when the electric motorcycle 10 is stopped using the center stand 39 and an attempt is made to move the battery storage compartment 41 to the open position, the battery attachment / detachment opening 41a moves upward and outward in the vehicle width direction, as shown in Figures 14 and 15. This prevents the battery storage compartment 41, which contains the heavy battery 40, from opening forcefully. In particular, in this embodiment, a damper 100 is attached to prevent the battery storage compartment 41 from opening forcefully.

[0063] After the connector 43 is disconnected with the battery storage section 41 moved to the open position (see FIG. 15 ), the battery 40 is grasped by the grip 40d and removed from the battery storage section 41. At this time, the battery 40 tends to be pulled from the outside in the vehicle width direction at the grip 40d side, so the grip 40d side tends to move at an angle toward the outside in the vehicle width direction relative to the narrow portion 70a. In this embodiment, the battery 40 can move at an angle because the rear wide portion 70c is located at the rear side across the narrow portion 70a. This makes it easier for the worker to remove the battery 40.

[0064] After the battery 40 is removed, a new battery 40 is installed through the battery opening 41a. At this time, the battery 40 is guided onto the battery guide 70 by the opening-side wide portion 70b, and the rib 71a supports the battery 40, making it easy to store the battery 40 in the battery storage section 41 with little sliding resistance. When the battery 40 is stored, it is held between the left and right battery support portions 63d, 64d and the narrow portion 70a. When the connector 40e of the stored battery 40 is connected to the connector 43 from the vehicle body, and the battery storage section 41 is moved to the closed, traveling position (see FIG. 14 ), the locking mechanism 120 engages with the hook member 67, locking the battery storage section 41 from being open. This enables the electric motorcycle 10 to be driven.

[0065] As described above, according to this embodiment to which the present invention is applied, in the electric motorcycle 10 including the body frame 11 including the down frame 22, the battery storage section 41 supported by the down frame 22, the battery 40 stored in the battery storage section 41, and the electric motor 12 driven by the power supplied from the battery 40, the battery storage section 41 is provided above the electric motor 12, and is arranged in pair on the left and right sides of the center in the vehicle width direction when viewed from the front of the vehicle body, and the pair of left and right battery storage sections 41 are each provided on the down frame 2 2, and a battery attachment / detachment opening 41a provided on the rear side in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle body, and is supported so as to be openable and closable in the vehicle body width direction around the hinges 92, the pair of left and right hinges 92 are disposed on the left and right sides of the down frame 22 so as to extend obliquely downward when viewed from the front of the vehicle body, and extend obliquely along the down frame 22 when viewed from the side of the vehicle body, the battery 40 has a substantially rectangular appearance having short sides 40S and long sides 40L when viewed from the side of the vehicle body, and the battery 40 is stored in the battery storage section 41 with the rear raised. With this configuration, it is possible to provide an electric motorcycle 10 that can firmly attach the hinge 92 to the vehicle body by utilizing the rigidity of the down frame 22 depending on the position and attitude of the hinge 92 of the battery storage section 41, while preventing the battery storage section 41 from opening forcefully.

[0066] In this embodiment, the vehicle body frame 11 includes a main frame 21, and the battery storage section 41 includes a locking mechanism 120 attached to a position where, in a side view of the vehicle body, a straight line L1 parallel to the long side 40L of the stored battery 40 intersects with the main frame 21. With this configuration, the rigidity of the main frame 21 can be utilized to firmly attach the locking mechanism 120 to the vehicle body, making it easier to suppress rattling of the locked battery storage section 41.

[0067] In this embodiment, the battery storage section 41 includes a frame-shaped battery basket 60 that holds the battery 40. The battery basket 60 has a frame shape that widens obliquely downward when viewed from the side of the vehicle. With this configuration, the battery basket 60 has a frame shape that widens obliquely downward, allowing the battery 40 to be securely held.

[0068] In this embodiment, the battery storage section 41 is provided with a battery guide 70 that guides the lower part of the battery 40. The battery guide 70 includes a narrow section 70a that is set to a battery storage width that corresponds to the left-right width of the battery 40 and can store the battery 40, an opening-side wide section 70b that is located closer to the battery attachment / detachment opening 41a than the narrow section 70a and is wider than the narrow section 70a, and a rear-side wide section 70c that is located on the opposite side of the battery attachment / detachment opening 41a across the narrow section 70a and is wider than the narrow section 70a. With this configuration, when the battery 40 is attached, the opening-side wide section 70b guides the battery 40 into the narrow section 70a, and the narrow section 70a positions the battery 40 in the width direction before storing it. Furthermore, when removing the battery 40, a force tends to act on the battery 40 in the outward direction of the vehicle width, but since the rear wide portion 70c is set on the rear side of the narrow portion 70a, the battery 40 is allowed to sway sideways, making it easier for the worker to remove the battery 40.

[0069] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the battery storage section 41 is disposed so that the battery guide 70 corresponds to the position of the battery basket 60. With this configuration, the battery guide 70 corresponds to the position of the battery basket 60, improving the adhesion between the battery basket 60 and the battery guide 70, making it easier for the battery basket 60 to hold the battery 40 supported by the battery guide 70.

[0070] In this embodiment, the battery guide 70 includes a rib 71a that extends in the direction of attachment / detachment of the battery 40. This configuration reduces the contact area between the battery 40 and the battery guide 70, thereby reducing the sliding resistance when attaching or detaching the battery 40 and facilitating the attachment / detachment of the battery 40.

[0071] In this embodiment, the battery 40 is stored in the battery storage section 41 so that the short sides 40S extend in the vertical direction and the long sides 40L extend in the front-to-rear direction when viewed from the side of the vehicle body. With this configuration, the short sides 40S of the stored battery 40 are stored so that they extend in the vertical direction, so that the vehicle height can be reduced while making maximum use of the layout of an existing motorcycle equipped with an internal combustion engine.

[0072] In this embodiment, the battery 40 includes a grip 40d provided on one short side 40S in a side view of the vehicle body and a connector 40e provided adjacent to the grip 40d. The battery 40 is stored in the battery storage section 41 so that the connector 40e faces the battery attachment / detachment opening 41a. With this configuration, the battery 40 can be charged while removed from the battery storage section 41, while the battery 40 is stored in the open battery storage section 41 (i.e., in the attachment / detachment position), or while the battery 40 is stored in the closed battery storage section 41 (i.e., in the traveling position). This allows the battery 40 to be charged according to the operator's situation.

[0073] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a damper 100 is provided that connects the down frame 22 and the battery storage section 41. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the battery storage section 41 from being suddenly opened or closed.

[0074] In this embodiment, the body frame 11 is a semi-double cradle frame. With this configuration, the body frame 11 is a semi-double cradle frame, and therefore the main frame 21 above the down frame 22 has a single frame shape. This makes it easier to enjoy the benefits of a configuration in which a pair of battery storage sections 41 are arranged on the left and right and are supported so as to be openable and closable in the width direction of the vehicle body.

[0075] Other Embodiments The above-described embodiment merely shows one aspect of the present invention, and any modifications and applications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0076] In the above embodiment, the vehicle body frame 11 has been described as having a semi-double cradle frame configuration in which the lower frame 23 branches to the left and right, but it may also have a single cradle frame configuration in which the lower frame 23 does not branch to the left and right.

[0077] In the above embodiment, the battery 40 has been described as having a grip 40d provided on one short side 40S and a connector 40e provided adjacent to the grip 40d in a side view of the vehicle body, but this is not limiting. For example, the battery 40 may have the grip 40d provided on one long side 40L instead of on one short side 40S, and the connector 40e may be provided adjacent to the grip 40d. In this case, the battery 40 may be stored in the battery storage section 41 so that the connector 40e faces the battery attachment / detachment opening 41a.

[0078] In the above embodiment, the battery 40 is stored in the battery storage section 41 in a so-called horizontal orientation, with the short side 40S extending in the up-down direction and the long side 40L extending in the front-to-rear direction. However, this is not limiting. For example, the battery 40 may be stored in the battery storage section 41 in a so-called vertical orientation. That is, the battery 40 may be stored in the battery storage section 41 in a so-called vertical orientation, with the long side 40L extending in the up-down direction and the short side 40S extending in the front-to-rear direction.

[0079] [Configurations Supported by the Above-described Embodiments] The above-described embodiments support the following configurations.

[0080] (Configuration 1) An electric motorcycle including a body frame having a down frame, a battery storage section supported by the down frame, a battery stored in the battery storage section, and an electric motor driven by power supplied from the battery, wherein the battery storage sections are provided above the electric motor and are arranged in pair on the left and right sides of the center of the vehicle width direction in a front view of the vehicle body, the pair of left and right battery storage sections each include a hinge supported by the down frame and a battery attachment / detachment opening provided on the rear side of the vehicle in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle body, and are supported so as to be openable and closable in the vehicle width direction around the hinge, the pair of left and right hinges are arranged on the left and right sides of the down frame so as to extend obliquely downward in a front view of the vehicle body, and extend obliquely along the down frame in a side view of the vehicle body, the battery has a rectangular or approximately rectangular external shape having short sides and long sides in a side view of the vehicle body, and the battery is stored in the battery storage section with the rear rising. With this configuration, it is possible to provide an electric motorcycle that can utilize the rigidity of the down frame to firmly attach the hinge to the vehicle body by adjusting the position and posture of the hinge of the battery storage section, while preventing the battery storage section from opening too forcefully when opened.

[0081] (Configuration 2) The electric motorcycle according to Configuration 1, wherein the body frame includes a main frame, and the battery storage section includes an open / close locking unit attached to a position where a straight line parallel to the long side of the stored battery intersects with the main frame in a side view of the vehicle body. With this configuration, the open / close locking unit can be firmly attached to the vehicle body by utilizing the rigidity of the main frame, making it easier to suppress rattling of the locked battery storage section.

[0082] (Configuration 3) The electric motorcycle according to Configuration 1 or 2, wherein the battery storage section includes a frame-shaped battery holding portion that holds the battery, and the battery holding portion has a frame shape that widens obliquely downward when viewed from the side of the vehicle. According to this configuration, the battery holding portion has a frame shape that widens obliquely downward, so that the battery can be securely held.

[0083] (Configuration 4) The electric motorcycle according to Configuration 3, characterized in that the battery storage section is provided with a battery guide section that guides a lower portion of the battery, the battery guide section including a narrow section set to the battery storage width, an opening-side wide section that is located closer to the battery attachment / detachment opening than the narrow section and is wider than the narrow section, and a rear-side wide section that is located on the opposite side of the battery attachment / detachment opening across the narrow section. With this configuration, when installing the battery, the opening-side wide section guides the battery into the narrow section, while the narrow section positions the battery in the width direction, allowing the battery to be stored. Furthermore, when removing the battery, although a force is likely to act on the battery outward in the vehicle width direction, the rear-side wide section is located on the rear side across the narrow section, allowing the battery to sway sideways, making it easier for an operator to remove the battery.

[0084] (Configuration 5) The electric motorcycle according to Configuration 4, wherein the battery storage section is disposed so that the battery guide section corresponds to the position of the battery holding section. With this configuration, since the battery guide section corresponds to the position of the battery holding section, the adhesion between the battery holding section and the battery guide section is improved, making it easier for the battery holding section to hold the battery supported by the battery guide section.

[0085] (Configuration 6) The electric motorcycle according to Configuration 4 or 5, wherein the battery guide portion includes a rib extending in the direction of attachment / detachment of the battery. With this configuration, the contact area between the battery and the battery guide portion can be reduced, thereby reducing sliding resistance when attaching or detaching the battery and facilitating the attachment / detachment of the battery.

[0086] (Configuration 7) The electric motorcycle according to any one of Configurations 1 to 6, wherein the battery is stored in the battery storage section so that the short sides extend along the vertical direction and the long sides extend along the front-to-rear direction in a side view of the vehicle body. With this configuration, since the short sides of the stored battery are stored along the vertical direction, it is possible to reduce the vehicle height while making maximum use of the layout of an existing motorcycle equipped with an internal combustion engine.

[0087] (Configuration 8) The electric motorcycle according to any one of Configurations 1 to 7, wherein the battery includes a grip provided on one of the short sides or one of the long sides in a side view of the vehicle body and a terminal port provided adjacent to the grip, and the battery is stored in the battery storage section so that the terminal port faces the battery attachment / detachment port. With this configuration, the battery can be charged while removed from the battery storage section, while the battery is stored in an open battery storage section, or while the battery is stored in a closed battery storage section. This allows the battery to be charged according to the operator's situation.

[0088] (Configuration 9) The electric motorcycle according to any one of Configurations 1 to 8, further comprising a damper that connects the down frame and the battery storage section. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the battery storage section from being suddenly opened or closed.

[0089] (Configuration 10) The electric motorcycle according to any one of Configurations 1 to 9, wherein the body frame is a single cradle frame or a semi-double cradle frame. With this configuration, the body frame is a single cradle frame or a semi-double cradle frame, and the main frame above the down frame is a single frame. This makes it easier to enjoy the benefits of a configuration in which a pair of battery storage compartments are arranged on the left and right and are supported so that they can be opened and closed in the width direction of the vehicle body.

[0090] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Electric two-wheeled vehicle 11 Body frame 12 Electric motor 21 Main frame 22 Down frame 40 Battery 40d Grip portion 40e Connector (terminal port) 40L Long side 40S Short side 41 Battery storage section 41a Battery attachment / detachment opening 60 Battery basket (battery holding section) 70 Battery guide (battery guide section) 70a Narrow width section 70b Wide width section on attachment / detachment opening side 70c Wide width section on rear side 71a Rib 92 Hinge 100 Damper 120 Opening / closing lock section (lock mechanism) L1 Straight line

Claims

1. An electric motorcycle comprising a body frame (11) having a down frame (22), a battery storage section (41) supported by the down frame (22), a battery (40) stored in the battery storage section (41), and an electric motor (12) driven by power supplied from the battery (40), wherein the battery storage section (41) is provided above the electric motor (12) and is arranged in pair on the left and right sides of the center of the vehicle width direction when viewed from the front of the vehicle, and each of the pair of left and right battery storage sections (41) has a hinge (92) supported by the down frame (22) and a battery attachment / detachment opening (41a) provided on the rear side in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and is supported so as to be openable and closable in the vehicle width direction around the hinge (92), the pair of left and right hinges (92) are arranged on the left and right sides of the down frame (22) inclined so as to extend obliquely downward when viewed from the front of the vehicle body, and extend obliquely along the down frame (22) when viewed from the side of the vehicle body; the battery (40) has a rectangular or approximately rectangular external shape having a short side (40S) and a long side (40L) when viewed from the side of the vehicle body; and the battery (40) is stored in the battery storage section (41) with the rear raised.

2. The electric two-wheeled vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the body frame (11) comprises a main frame (21), and the battery storage section (41) comprises an open / close lock section (120) attached at a position where, in a side view of the vehicle body, a straight line (L1) parallel to the long side (40L) of the stored battery (40) intersects with the main frame (21).

3. The electric motorcycle according to claim 1, characterized in that the battery storage section (41) is provided with a frame-shaped battery holding section (60) that holds the battery (40), and the battery holding section (60) has a frame shape that widens obliquely downward when viewed from the side of the vehicle body.

4. The electric motorcycle according to claim 3, characterized in that the battery storage section (41) is provided with a battery guide section (70) that guides the lower part of the battery (40), and the battery guide section (70) comprises a narrow section (70a) set to the battery storage width, a wide section (70b) on the battery attachment / detachment opening (41a) side of the narrow section (70a) and wider than the narrow section (70a), and a rear wide section (70c) on the opposite side of the battery attachment / detachment opening (41a) with the narrow section (70a) in between, and wider than the narrow section (70a).

5. The electric motorcycle according to claim 4, wherein the battery storage section (41) is arranged so that the battery guide section (70) corresponds to the position of the battery holding section (60).

6. The electric motorcycle according to claim 4, wherein the battery guide portion (70) is provided with a rib (71a) extending in the direction of attachment / detachment of the battery (40).

7. An electric motorcycle according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the battery (40) is stored in the battery storage section (41) so that, in a side view of the vehicle body, the short side (40S) extends in the up-down direction and the long side (40L) extends in the fore-and-aft direction.

8. An electric two-wheeled vehicle as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the battery (40) has a grip portion (40d) provided on one of the short sides (40S) or one of the long sides (40L) in a side view of the vehicle body, and a terminal port (40e) provided adjacent to the grip portion (40d), and the battery (40) is stored in the battery storage portion (41) so that the terminal port (40e) is on the battery attachment / detachment port (41a) side.

9. The electric motorcycle according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a damper (100) that connects the down frame (22) and the battery storage section (41).

10. An electric motorcycle according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the body frame (11) is a single cradle frame or a semi-double cradle frame.

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