Electric saddle-ridden vehicle

Abstract

This electric saddle-ridden vehicle comprises: a battery case 30 that is formed so as to be capable of accommodating a battery 31; a front frame 20 that is connected to a front portion of the battery case 30 and that has a steering system; a rear frame 40 that is connected to a rear portion of the battery case 30 and that supports a rear wheel 12 so as to be capable of swinging around a pivot shaft 43; and a drive unit 50 that outputs a driving force to the rear wheel 12 by means of electric power from the battery 31. The front frame 20 and the rear frame 40 are provided spaced apart from each other. An output shaft C2 of the drive unit 50 (speed reducer 52) is positioned forward of the pivot shaft 43. The drive unit 50 is supported only by the rear frame 40 in a state spaced apart from the battery 31. The rear frame 40 is supported by the battery case 30.

Description

Electric saddle-riding type vehicle

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electric saddle-riding type vehicle.

[0002] Conventionally, as disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1, there is known a saddle-riding type vehicle in which a battery for vehicle drive is used as a strength member, and a front frame having a head pipe and a rear frame that pivotally supports a swing arm are separated. In such a saddle-riding type vehicle, it is not just about having high strength, but rather by giving it an appropriate compliance, the riding comfort during driving and the handling performance are improved.

[0003] International Publication No. 2020 / 012791

[0004] However, in the electric saddle-riding type vehicle described in Patent Document 1, when the components such as the battery, frame, and motor are connected to each other, it is possible to provide sufficient support strength, but it may result in excessive vehicle body rigidity, making it difficult to fully exhibit the riding comfort and handling performance. On the other hand, simply reducing the fastening points or simply lowering the overall rigidity cannot achieve the balance of the entire vehicle body, and it becomes difficult to make appropriate adjustments when adapting the vehicle body configuration to other vehicle models. Therefore, a structure that can appropriately set the vehicle body rigidity for each vehicle is required, and there is room for improvement in this regard.

[0005] Therefore, the present disclosure aims to provide an electric saddle-riding type vehicle that can appropriately set the vehicle body rigidity for each vehicle.

[0006] To solve the above problems, the electric saddle-type vehicle according to this disclosure employs the following configuration: (1) Embodiment 1 of the electric saddle-type vehicle according to this disclosure comprises a battery case (for example, a battery case 30 in the embodiment) formed to accommodate a battery (for example, a battery 31 in the embodiment), a front frame (for example, a front frame 20 in the embodiment) connected to the front of the battery case and having a steering system, a rear frame (for example, a rear frame 40 in the embodiment) connected to the rear of the battery case and supporting a rear wheel (for example, a rear wheel 12 in the embodiment) so as to be able to swing around a pivot axis (for example, a pivot axis 43 in the embodiment), and a drive unit (for example, a drive unit 50 in the embodiment) that outputs driving force to the rear wheel using the power of the battery, wherein the front frame and the rear frame are spaced apart, the output shaft of the drive unit is located in front of the pivot axis, the drive unit is supported only by the rear frame while spaced apart from the battery, and the rear frame is supported by the battery case.

[0007] According to the electric saddle-type vehicle of this disclosure, the drive unit can be supported only by the rear frame of the vehicle body frame. Therefore, the drive unit, which houses the motor and other components, can be positioned away from the battery, thereby preventing the vehicle body rigidity from becoming excessively high, and allowing the rigidity of the vehicle body frame to be adjusted. As a result, the vehicle body rigidity can be appropriately set for each vehicle, and the motor and battery that make up the drive unit can be reused in other vehicle types.

[0008] (2) Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure is an electric saddle-type vehicle of Embodiment 1, wherein the front frame is connected to the front upper part of the battery case, the rear frame is connected to the rear lower part of the battery case, and the battery case is positioned between the front frame and the rear frame.

[0009] In this case, the front and rear frames are fastened diagonally to the battery case, allowing for stable support of the vehicle body. Specifically, they can be fastened to support two sides that make up the front upper and rear lower corners of the battery case, and since the front frame, battery case, drive unit, and rear frame are aligned in a straight line, the stability of the vehicle body can be improved.

[0010] (3) Embodiment 3 of the present disclosure is an electric saddle-type vehicle of Embodiment 2 in which the drive unit may be positioned between a first straight line connecting the upper battery case fastening point of the front frame (for example, the upper battery case fastening point 24a in the embodiment) and the rear battery case fastening point of the rear frame (for example, the first battery fastening point 40b in the embodiment) and a second straight line connecting the front battery case fastening point of the front frame (for example, the front battery case fastening point 24b in the embodiment) and the lower battery case fastening point of the rear frame (for example, the second battery fastening point 40c in the embodiment).

[0011] In this case, the vehicle body structure can be stably supported by arranging the battery (battery case) and the drive unit diagonally opposite each other in the battery case.

[0012] (4) Embodiment 4 of the present disclosure is an electric saddle-type vehicle of Embodiment 3, wherein the rear frame has a first battery fastening point (e.g., a first battery fastening point 40b in the embodiment) and a second battery fastening point (e.g., a second battery fastening point 40c in the embodiment) fastened to the battery case, wherein the first battery fastening point is located above the pivot axis and the second battery fastening point is located below and forward of the pivot axis.

[0013] In this case, the rear frame is fastened to the battery case at the first battery fastening point on the rear side of the battery and the second battery fastening point on the underside of the battery, and the pivot axis that receives the load from the road surface is stably supported by being sandwiched between the first and second battery fastening points.

[0014] (5) Embodiment 5 of the present disclosure is an electric saddle-type vehicle of Embodiment 4, wherein the battery case has a recess (for example, a recess 32 in the embodiment) formed by cutting out the middle part in the front-rear direction of the lower part of the battery case from the middle part in the vertical direction of the rear surface of the battery case in a side view, the first battery fastening point is fastened to the rear end portion of the recess, the second battery fastening point is fastened to the lower end portion of the recess, the rear frame has an intermediate portion (for example, a joint portion 40k in the embodiment) connecting the first battery fastening point and the second battery fastening point, and the drive unit may be arranged in a region formed by the side surface of the recess and the intermediate portion in a side view.

[0015] In this case, space efficiency can be improved by placing the drive unit in the recess of the battery case. Also, since the drive unit is partially housed within the recess, it is not necessary to enclose the entire drive unit with the vehicle frame alone, allowing the vehicle body to be formed with fewer parts. Furthermore, in this case, since the drive unit is positioned in the area formed by the battery case and the rear frame, it can be adequately supported without being enclosed by the rear frame, and the rigidity of the vehicle body can be easily adjusted in the design using only the vehicle frame.

[0016] (6) Embodiment 6 of the present disclosure is an electric saddle-type vehicle of Embodiment 5, wherein the rear frame has a vertical portion (for example, a vertical portion 41 in the embodiment) that extends vertically behind the drive unit and a horizontal portion (for example, a horizontal portion 42 in the embodiment) that extends in the front-rear direction below the drive unit, the upper end of the vertical portion and the front end of the horizontal portion are fastened to the battery case, and the drive unit may be arranged in a space enclosed by the recess of the battery case, the vertical portion and the horizontal portion in a side view.

[0017] In this case, a space can be formed enclosed by the recess and the vertical and horizontal parts of the rear frame, and this space can be adjusted to accommodate the drive unit, thereby improving space efficiency.

[0018] (7) Embodiment 7 of the present disclosure is an electric saddle-type vehicle of Embodiment 6 in which the second battery fastening point is located in front of the vehicle body than the first battery fastening point, and a drive pulley (for example, drive pulley 52a in the embodiment) that outputs power to the rear wheel is provided on a straight line connecting the first battery fastening point and the second battery fastening point.

[0019] In this case, the drive pulley is positioned midway in both the front-to-back and up-to-down directions of the battery fastening point, and is located on a straight line connecting the first and second battery fastening points, thereby efficiently absorbing the load due to half-torque.

[0020] (8) Embodiment 8 of the present disclosure is an electric saddle-type vehicle of Embodiment 6, wherein the first battery fastening point is provided at the upper end of the vertical section, the pivot shaft is provided in the middle of the vertical section, the second battery fastening point is provided at the front end of the horizontal section, and the drive unit is supported only by the vertical section.

[0021] In this case, the drive unit containing the motor is supported at a relatively rigid position with a pivot axis, and the horizontal section extending forward from there does not have any fastening points (support points) for the drive unit. Therefore, the horizontal section of the rear frame can be effectively flexed, and the rigidity of the vehicle body can be easily adjusted. Moreover, it has the advantage of not affecting the motor with vehicle body twisting.

[0022] (9) Embodiment 9 of the present disclosure is an electric saddle-type vehicle of Embodiment 8, wherein the lower part of the vertical portion is formed with a tapered portion (for example, the tapered portion 40s of the embodiment) that is inclined downward toward the inside in the vehicle width direction, and the horizontal portion may extend from the tapered portion along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body.

[0023] In this case, the width of the rear frame can be reduced by cradle the motor of the drive unit at the lower end of the vertical section of the rear frame, thereby making the vehicle body more compact. Furthermore, in this case, the horizontal section of the rear frame can be extended parallel to the front and rear, making it easier to adjust the rigidity of the vehicle body.

[0024] (10) Embodiment 10 of the present disclosure is an electric saddle-type vehicle of Embodiment 6, wherein the vertical portion includes an extension portion (for example, an extension portion 44 in the embodiment) that extends forward from the first battery fastening point to the vehicle body, the extension portion is provided with a first drive unit fastening point (for example, a first drive unit fastening point 40a in the embodiment) that fastens to the drive unit, and the first drive unit fastening point may be located forward of the vehicle body than the first battery fastening point.

[0025] In this case, the drive unit can be supported by the vertical section via the extension. Furthermore, in this case, the drive unit is fastened to a first drive unit fastening point provided on the extension that extends forward from the vertical section, so that the drive unit equipped with the motor can be stably supported with respect to the rear frame without being cantilevered.

[0026] (11) Embodiment 11 of the present disclosure is an electric saddle-type vehicle of Embodiment 10, wherein the vertical portion includes a vertical portion-side fastening point (for example, a vertical portion-side fastening point 40f in the embodiment) that fastens with the drive unit, and in a side view, a third straight line connecting the first battery fastening point and the second battery fastening point and a fourth straight line connecting the first drive unit fastening point and the vertical portion-side fastening point may intersect each other.

[0027] In this case, the third line connecting the battery fastening points that fasten the battery case and the fourth line connecting the fastening points that fasten the drive unit intersect with each other, allowing the load from the vehicle body and driving force to be effectively received, while the drive unit is not fastened to the battery case, thus avoiding excessive rigidity.

[0028] (12) Embodiment 12 of the present disclosure is an electric saddle-type vehicle of Embodiment 11, wherein the vertical fastening point connects a pair of left and right rear frames, and the first drive unit fastening point may have a vehicle body right-side fastening point and a vehicle body left-side fastening point with respect to the pair of left and right rear frames.

[0029] In this case, the first drive unit fastening point, which is located forward of the vertical fastening point, does not have a cross frame equivalent structure. This allows it to deflect movement in the torsional direction of the vehicle body, preventing the vehicle body from becoming excessively rigid and making it easy to adjust the vehicle body rigidity.

[0030] The electric saddle-type vehicle according to this disclosure can promote cooling of adjacent parts in the circumferential direction of the coil, where the ambient temperature is highest.

[0031] Figure 1 is a left side view of the motorcycle according to this embodiment. Figure 2 is a left side view of the motorcycle according to this embodiment, with the seat and body cover omitted. Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the main parts of the rear frame and drive unit shown in Figure 2. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I shown in Figure 2. Figure 5 is a side view of the drive unit.

[0032] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each embodiment described below, common parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the following description, front and rear, up and down, and left and right refer to the front and rear, up and down, and left and right of a vehicle facing forward, unless otherwise specified. Arrows UP pointing to the top of the vehicle, FR pointing to the front of the vehicle, and LH pointing to the left side of the vehicle are indicated in appropriate places in the drawings.

[0033] <Embodiment> Figure 1 is a left side view of the motorcycle 1 of this embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the motorcycle 1 of this embodiment is an electric saddle-type vehicle. The motorcycle 1 comprises a body frame 10, a front wheel 11, a rear wheel 12, a swing arm 13, a body cover 14, a seat 15, and a rear cushion 16.

[0034] The front wheel 11 is pivotally supported at the lower ends of a pair of front forks 21. The upper parts of the front forks 21 are supported at the front end of the vehicle frame 10 via a steering stem 23 so as to be steerable. A steering handlebar 17 is attached to the upper part of the steering stem 23.

[0035] Figure 2 is a left side view of the motorcycle 1 of this embodiment, in which the seat 15 and body cover 14 are omitted from the illustration. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the body frame 10 comprises a head pipe (not shown), a front frame 20, and a rear frame 40. The head pipe is located at the front end of the front frame 20 of the body frame 10. The head pipe supports the steering system components, including the front wheel 11, in a steerable manner. A steering stem 23 is inserted through the head pipe.

[0036] The front frame 20 extends rearward from the head pipe. The rear frame 40 is positioned further rearward than the front frame 20. The rear frame 40 is provided separately from the front frame 20.

[0037] The battery case 30 houses the battery 31 that supplies power to the motor 51. The battery case 30 is positioned in front of the rear frame 40. The battery case 30 is connected to the front frame 20.

[0038] The drive unit 50 houses a motor 51 having a stator and rotor, which is powered by the battery. The drive unit 50 is located behind the front frame 20 and behind the battery case 30. The drive unit 50 is connected to the rear frame 40. The drive unit 50 also houses a reduction gear 52 (or transmission) and a PDU 53. Details of the vehicle frame 10 will be described later.

[0039] Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the main parts of the rear frame 40 and drive unit 50 shown in Figure 2. As shown in Figure 3, the PDU (Power Drive Unit) 53, which is a motor driver housed in the drive unit 50, is a control device controlled by an ECU (Electric Control Unit) or the like that controls the PDU 53. The PDU 53 is located at the front of the drive unit 50.

[0040] As shown in Figure 2, the swing arm 13 is located below the rear of the vehicle body. The swing arm 13 extends in the front-rear direction. The front end of the swing arm 13 is supported by the rear frame 40 of the vehicle body frame 10 so as to be able to swing up and down. Specifically, the swing arm 13 is supported by the rear lower part of the rear frame 40 via a pivot shaft 43 so as to be able to swing up and down.

[0041] The rear wheel 12 is rotatably supported at the rear end of the swing arm 13. The rear wheel 12 is connected to the motor 51 via a transmission mechanism (not shown) consisting of an endless member located on the left side of the rear of the vehicle body. In this embodiment, the endless member is a belt-type transmission mechanism utilizing a drive belt.

[0042] The rear cushion 16 is located at the center of the vehicle width at the rear of the vehicle body. The rear cushion 16 integrally incorporates a shock absorber and damper having a compression coil spring. The rear cushion 16 is interposed between the rear frame 40 and the swing arm 13. Specifically, the upper end of the rear cushion 16 is connected to a rear connecting piece 45 of the rear frame 40, which will be described later. The lower end of the rear cushion 16 is connected to the front of the swing arm 13.

[0043] The seat 15 is positioned above the drive unit 50 and the rear frame 40, and behind the top of the battery case 30. The seat 15 is supported from below by a seat frame 27, which is supported by the rear frame 40. The front end of the seat frame 27 is fixed to the rear upper part of the rear frame 40, and it extends rearward from that fixing point. The seat 15 is positioned to cover the top of the seat frame 27.

[0044] Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along line I-I shown in Figure 2. As shown in Figures 2 and 4, a pair of seat frames 27 are provided on the left and right. The pair of seat frames 27 are fastened to the upper end of the rear part of the battery case 30 and the upper end of the rear frame 40. The pair of seat frames 27 are arranged at intervals in the vehicle width direction, and extend rearward and upward from the rear end of the rear frame 40. The rear ends of the pair of seat frames 27 are connected to each other by a plate-like rear connection piece 45 extending in the vehicle width direction.

[0045] As shown in Figure 1, the body cover 14 covers the body frame 10 and the like. The body cover 14 is formed of, for example, synthetic resin. The body cover 14 covers the upper part of the front frame 20 and the upper part of the battery case 30 from above and both the left and right sides.

[0046] Hereinafter, the structure of the body frame 10 of the present embodiment will be described in detail. The motorcycle 1 of the present embodiment includes a battery case 30 formed to be able to accommodate the battery 31 described above, a front frame 20 connected to the front part of the battery case and having a steering system, a rear frame 40 connected to the rear part of the battery case and supporting the rear wheel 12 so as to be swingable about the pivot shaft 43, and a drive unit 50 that outputs a driving force to the rear wheel 12 by the power of the battery 31. As shown in Figure 2, the front frame 20 and the rear frame 40 are provided at intervals in the front-rear direction with the battery case 30 interposed therebetween.

[0047] The front frame 20 is connected to the upper front part of the battery case 30. The front frame 20 includes a head pipe (not shown), a pair of upper frames 242 extending rearward from the head pipe and connected to the side surface (upper surface) of the battery, and a pair of lower frames 243 extending downward and rearward of the head pipe and connected to the front side of the battery below the upper frames 242. The upper frame 242 is connected to the substantially central part of the upper surface of the battery. The lower frame 243 is connected to both ends of the vehicle width of the front surface of the battery case. In the front frame 20, the fastening position and the fastening method can be appropriately changed according to the setting of the vehicle body rigidity.

[0048] The pair of upper frames 242 are formed of, for example, pipe materials. The pair of upper frames 242 extend outward in the vehicle width direction so as to be spaced apart from each other as they go from the front to the rear. At the rear end of each upper frame 242, a battery case upper side fastening point 24a for fastening to the battery case 30 is provided. A bolt screwed into the battery case 30 is inserted through the battery case upper side fastening point 24a. The battery case upper side fastening point 24a connects the front frame 20 and the battery case 30 to each other.

[0049] The pair of lower frames 243 are formed of, for example, pipe materials. The pair of lower frames 243 are provided below the pair of upper frames 242. The pair of lower frames 243 extend outward in the vehicle width direction so as to be spaced apart from each other as they go from the front to the rear. The rear end of each lower frame 243 is provided below the rear end of the upper frame 242. At the rear end of each lower frame 243, a battery case front side fastening point 24b for fastening to the battery case 30 is provided. A bolt screwed into the battery case 30 is inserted through the battery case front side fastening point 24b. The battery case front side fastening point 24b connects the front frame 241 and the battery case 30 to each other.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 2, the front frame 20 and the rear frame 40 are diagonally fastened via the battery case 30. The upper front part of the battery case 30 is fastened to the battery case upper side fastening point 24a and the battery case front side fastening point 24b of the front frame 20, and the lower rear part of the battery case 30 is fastened to the first battery fastening point 40b and the second battery fastening point 40c of the rear frame 40 described later. That is, the upper front part of the battery case 30 is supported at the first part where the horizontal straight line L3 passing through the battery case upper side fastening point 24a and the vertical straight line L4 passing through the battery case front side fastening point 24b intersect, and the lower rear part of the battery case 30 is supported at the second part where the vertical straight line L5 passing through the first battery fastening point 40b and the horizontal straight line L6 passing through the second battery fastening point 40c intersect, and the first part and the second part are diagonal to each other.

[0051] As shown in Figure 2, the battery case 30 is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy. The battery case 30 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape that extends in the front-to-back, up-to-down, and left-to-right directions. In a side view, the battery case 30 is larger in the vertical direction than in the front-to-back direction. The battery case 30 is positioned between the front frame 20 and the rear frame 40.

[0052] The battery case 30 has bosses formed on its surface that bulge outwards and are sandwiched between the left and right body frames 10. The outer end surfaces of the bosses are offset inwards from the outer end surface of the battery case 30, so that the body frames 10 do not protrude outwards from the vehicle width.

[0053] As shown in Figure 3, the battery case 30 has a recess 32 formed in the side view, which extends approximately horizontally forward from the middle of the vertical direction of the rear surface of the battery case and extends approximately vertically upward from the middle of the front-to-rear direction of the bottom surface of the battery case. The front portion of the drive unit 50 is positioned in the recess 32. The recess 32 has a lower recess surface 32a that extends approximately horizontally downward and a rear recess surface 32b that extends approximately vertically backward. In other words, the battery case 30 has an approximately L-shape when viewed from the side, with the lower rear part of the vehicle body recessed towards the front of the vehicle body, and the drive unit 50 is positioned in the recess 32 that forms this recessed portion. When viewed from the side, an approximately rectangular area is formed between the recess 32 and the L-shaped rear frame 40, and the drive unit 50 is positioned in this area. In this embodiment, the drive unit 50 is positioned at least inside the outer edge of the rear frame 40 when viewed from the side, and the output shaft of the drive unit 50 is positioned above the pivot axis in front of the vehicle body. Furthermore, it is sufficient that the recess 32 forms a space between it and the rear frame 40, and it is not limited to a rectangular space. For example, when arranging a cylindrical motor, a combination of an arc-shaped recess 32 and the rear frame 40 is also acceptable. In short, it is desirable to form the recess 32 and the rear frame 40 along the outer shape of the drive unit 50.

[0054] As shown in Figure 2, the battery case 30 includes a first front fastening point 30a and a second front fastening point 30b that are fastened to the front frame 20, and a first rear fastening point 30c and a second rear fastening point 30d that are fastened to the rear frame 40.

[0055] The first front fastening points 30a are provided in pairs on the upper front of the battery case 30, one on each side. The left and right first front fastening points 30a are each coaxially positioned with the battery case upper fastening points 24a of the front frame 20, and bolts inserted from the outside in the left-right direction are screwed into them together with the battery case upper fastening points 24a. The second front fastening points 30b are provided in pairs on the upper front of the battery case 30, one on each side. The left and right second front fastening points 30b are each coaxially positioned with the battery case front fastening points 24b of the front frame 20, and bolts inserted from the outside in the left-right direction are screwed into them together with the battery case front fastening points 24b. This fastens the battery case 30 to the front frame 20.

[0056] The first rear fastening points 30c are located in the middle of the vertical direction on the rear surface of the battery case 30, and a pair of them are provided on the left and right sides at the rear end portion of the lower surface 32a of the recess 32. The left and right first rear fastening points 30c are each coaxial with the first battery fastening points 40b of the rear frame 40 (described later), and bolts inserted from the outside in the left-right direction are screwed into them together with the first battery fastening points 40b. The second rear fastening points 30d are located in the lower rear of the battery case 30, and a pair of them are provided on the left and right sides at the lower end portion of the recess 32. The left and right second rear fastening points 30d are each coaxial with the second battery fastening points 40c of the rear frame 40, and bolts inserted from the outside in the left-right direction are screwed into them together with the second battery fastening points 40c. This fastens the battery case 40 and the rear frame 40.

[0057] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the rear frame 40 is supported at the rear of the battery case 30. The rear frame 40 is connected to the lower rear of the battery case 30. The rear frame 40 is fastened at the vehicle width end of the battery case 30 at the lower rear end of the battery and at the vehicle width end of the battery case 30 in the middle of the rear surface in the vertical direction.

[0058] The rear frame 40 has a pair of left and right vertical sections 41 that extend vertically behind the drive unit 50, and a pair of left and right horizontal sections 42 that extend in the front-rear direction below the drive unit 50, and is formed in a substantially L-shape when viewed from the side. The rear frame 40 is made up of two separate left and right sections and is attached to the drive unit 50 and battery case 30 so as to sandwich them from the outside of the vehicle width.

[0059] As shown in Figure 4, the rear frame 40 is fastened to the battery case 30 at the end of the vertical section 41 and the front end of the horizontal section 42. The lower parts of the pair of vertical sections 41 each have a tapered section 40s that slopes downward and inward in the vehicle width direction. The tapered section 40s extends from approximately the same height as the motor shaft C1 of the motor 51, sloping inward in the vehicle width, and its lowest end is approximately the same as the motor width and battery width. A side stand 29 is fixed to the tapered section 40s on the left side of the vehicle body via a side stand bracket 28. The upper end of the vertical section 41 is also shaped to taper inward in the vehicle width.

[0060] A first battery fastening point 40b is provided at the upper end of the vertical section 41, which is bolted to the first rear fastening point 30c of the battery case 30. A pivot shaft 43 is provided in the middle section of the vertical section 41. The first battery fastening point 40b is positioned in front of and above the pivot shaft 43.

[0061] The rear frame 40 has a C-shape or L-shape with open ends at the first battery fastening point 40b and the second battery fastening point 40c, which will be described later. The first battery fastening point 40b is provided on the front edge of the vertical portion 41 of the rear frame 40. The first battery fastening point 40b may be positioned behind the pivot shaft 43, depending on the configuration of the drive unit 50, in order to support the seat frame 27 and to ensure that the pivot plate is positioned rearward to avoid the motor 51. The first battery fastening point 40b only needs to be positioned above the pivot shaft 43. In addition, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, a pillion step bracket 18 is attached to the side of the vertical portion 41. The pillion step bracket 18 is positioned inward in the vehicle width direction from the side of the vertical portion 41, and its outer end in the vehicle width direction bulges outward from the vertical portion 41.

[0062] The vertical section 41 includes an extension section 44 that extends forward from the first battery fastening point 40b. The extension section 44 is provided with a first drive unit fastening point 40a, which is bolted to the drive unit 50. The first drive unit fastening point 40a is located forward of the vehicle body compared to the first battery fastening point 40b. The first drive unit fastening point 40a has a right-side fastening point and a left-side fastening point for the pair of left and right rear frames 40. The first drive unit fastening point 40a is fastened to the extension section 44 in the reduction gear case 55 (see Figure 5) of the reduction gear unit 50.

[0063] The vertical section 41 further includes a vertical section-side fastening point 40f for fastening to the drive unit 50. The vertical section-side fastening point 40f is located at the joint 40k (intermediate section) with the lower horizontal section 42 of the vertical section 41. The joint 40k is the part that connects the first battery fastening point 40b and the second battery fastening point 40c.

[0064] Figure 5 is a side view of the drive unit 50. As shown in Figure 5, the vertical fastening point 40f is provided coaxially with the fastening point (see Figure 5) located at the lower rear of the drive unit 50, and is fastened to this fastening point. The vertical fastening point 40f connects the left and right pair of rear frames 40. The vertical fastening point 40f fastens the drive unit 50 and also fixes the side stand bracket 28 by bolt fastening.

[0065] The vertical section 41 is provided with a second drive unit fastening point 40e, which is coaxial with the pivot shaft 43, and a third drive unit fastening point (vertical section side fastening point 40f) that fastens the side stand bracket 28. The second drive unit fastening point 40e and the vertical section side fastening point 40f have cylindrical bolt insertion holes formed to connect the left and right rear frames 40. A straight line L10 connecting the first drive unit fastening point 40a and the second drive unit fastening point 40e intersects with a straight line L7 connecting a pair of battery fastening points 40b and 40c, and the drive pulley 52a of the reduction gear 52 of the drive unit 50 is positioned at the intersection of these two straight lines L7 and L10. The reference numeral L9 in Figure 3 indicates a straight line connecting the second drive unit fastening point 40e and the vertical section side fastening point 40f.

[0066] The left and right rear frames 40 are connected by a pivot shaft 43 provided on the vertical section 41 and a vertical-side fastening point 40f that fastens the side stand 29, which is provided near the connection point 40k between the vertical section 41 and the horizontal section 42. Since both the pivot shaft 43 and the vertical-side fastening point 40f are provided on the vertical section 41 and are arranged side by side in the vertical direction, the configuration does not restrict the movement of the vehicle body in the twisting direction to a relatively small extent.

[0067] As shown in Figure 3, the horizontal section 42 extends forward from the constricted section 40s along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body and is fastened to the battery case 30. The front end of the horizontal section 42 is provided with a second battery fastening point 40c, which is fastened to the second rear fastening point 30d of the battery case 30. The second battery fastening point 40c is positioned below and in front of the pivot shaft 43. The second battery fastening point 40c is positioned in front of the first battery fastening point 40b and the motor shaft C1 of the drive unit 50 and the output shaft C2 of the reduction gear 52. Since the horizontal section 42 does not have a support point for the drive unit 50 and has fastening points only for the battery, it can be deflected in response to vehicle body twisting.

[0068] Furthermore, in the rear frame 40, a third straight line L7 connecting the first battery fastening point 40b and the second battery fastening point 40c intersects with a fourth straight line L8 connecting the first drive unit fastening point 40a and the vertical section side fastening point 40f when viewed from the side. It is preferable that the drive pulley 52a of the reduction gear 52, which will be described later, is positioned at the intersection of the third straight line L7 and the fourth straight line L8.

[0069] As shown in Figure 3, the drive unit 50 is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy. In a side view, the drive unit 50 is positioned in the region formed by the side surface of the recess 32 (the lower surface 32a and the rear surface 32b of the recess) and the joint 40k. The upper end of the drive unit 50 is positioned below the upper end of the battery case 30. The overall shape of the drive unit 50 is substantially rectangular in a side view. Thus, the drive unit 50 is positioned sandwiched between the rear frame 40 and the battery case 30. That is, the drive unit 50 is positioned inside a closed region formed by the outer surface of the battery case 30 in the vehicle width direction and the outer edge of the rear frame 40, at least in a side view. The drive unit 50 may be positioned sandwiched between the battery case 30 and the rear frame 40 in the vertical direction or in the front-to-back direction. In this embodiment, since the drive unit 50 is positioned within the recess 32 of the battery case 30, it is positioned sandwiched between the rear frame 40 and the battery case 30 in both the vertical and front-to-back directions. The drive unit 50 is entirely positioned within a region formed by at least the side of the battery and the rear edge of the intermediate portion of the battery case 30 in the vehicle width direction.

[0070] The drive unit 50 incorporates a motor 51, a reduction gear 52, and a PDU 53. The motor 51 is located at the lower rear of the unit, with its motor shaft C1 oriented in the vehicle width direction. The reduction gear 52 is located at the upper rear of the unit, with its output shaft C2 oriented in the vehicle width direction. The output shaft C2 of the drive unit 50 is located in front of the pivot shaft 43. The reduction gear 52 is located above the motor 51. The PDU 53 is located at the front of the unit.

[0071] The drive unit 50 is supported only by the vertical portion 41 of the rear frame 40, while being separated from the battery case 30. In a side view, the drive unit 50 is positioned in the space enclosed by the recess 32 of the battery case 30, the vertical portion 41, and the horizontal portion 42.

[0072] As shown in Figure 2, the drive unit 50 is positioned in the region between a first straight line L1 connecting the upper battery case fastening point 24a of the front frame 20 and the first battery fastening point 40b of the rear frame 40, and a second straight line L2 connecting the front battery case fastening point 24b of the front frame 20 and the second battery fastening point 40c of the rear frame 40. In this embodiment, the entire drive unit 50 and a part of the battery case 30 are positioned in the region between the first straight line L1 and the second straight line L2.

[0073] The drive pulley 52a of the reduction gear 52 that outputs power to the rear wheels 12 is located on a straight line L7 connecting the first battery fastening point 40b and the second battery fastening point 40c. The drive pulley 52a is positioned between a line running vertically and a line running longitudinally, passing through the first battery fastening point 40b and the second battery fastening point 40c, respectively.

[0074] <Effects of the Embodiment> The electric saddle-type vehicle 1 of this embodiment includes a battery case 30 formed to accommodate a battery 31, a front frame 20 connected to the front of the battery case 30 and having a steering system, a rear frame 40 connected to the rear of the battery case 30 and supporting the rear wheels 12 so that they can swing around a pivot shaft 43, and a drive unit 50 that outputs driving force to the rear wheels 12 using the power of the battery 31. The front frame 20 and the rear frame 40 are provided spaced apart. The output shaft C2 of the drive unit 50 (reduction gear 52) is located in front of the pivot shaft 43. The drive unit 50 is supported only by the rear frame 40 while spaced apart from the battery 31. The rear frame 40 is supported by the battery case 30. As a result, in this embodiment, the drive unit 50 can be supported only by the rear frame 40 of the vehicle body frame 10. Therefore, the drive unit 50, which houses the motor 51 and other components, can be positioned at a distance from the battery 31, thereby preventing the vehicle body rigidity from becoming excessively high, and allowing the rigidity to be adjusted by the vehicle body frame 10. Consequently, when this configuration is adopted, the vehicle body rigidity can be appropriately set for each vehicle, and the motor 51 and battery 31 that constitute the drive unit 50 can be reused in other vehicle models.

[0075] Furthermore, in this embodiment of the electric saddle-type vehicle 1, the front frame 20 is connected to the front upper part of the battery case 30. The rear frame 40 is connected to the rear lower part of the battery case 30. The battery case 30 is positioned between the front frame 20 and the rear frame 40. Therefore, in this embodiment, the front frame 20 and the rear frame 40 are fastened diagonally to the battery case 30, so the vehicle body can be stably supported. Accordingly, when this configuration is adopted, the battery case 30 can be fastened to support two sides that constitute the front upper and rear lower corners, and the front frame 20, battery case 30, drive unit 50, and rear frame 40 are aligned in a straight line, so the stability of the vehicle body can be improved.

[0076] Furthermore, in this embodiment of the electric saddle-type vehicle 1, the drive unit 50 is positioned between a first straight line connecting the upper battery case fastening point 24a of the front frame 20 and the rear battery case fastening point (first battery fastening point 40b) of the rear frame 40, and a second straight line connecting the front battery case fastening point 24b of the front frame and the lower battery case fastening point (second battery fastening point 40c) of the rear frame 40. As a result, the battery 31 (battery case 30) and the drive unit 50 are positioned diagonally across the battery case 30, thereby providing stable support for the vehicle body structure.

[0077] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the electric saddle-type vehicle 1 has a rear frame 40 which has a first battery fastening point 40b and a second battery fastening point 40c that are fastened to the battery case 30. The first battery fastening point 40b is positioned above the pivot shaft 43. The second battery fastening point 40c is positioned below and in front of the pivot shaft 43. Therefore, in this embodiment, the rear frame 40 is fastened to the battery case 30 at the first battery fastening point 40b on the rear side of the battery and the second battery fastening point 40c on the underside of the battery, and the pivot shaft 43 which receives load from the road surface is stably supported by being sandwiched between the first battery fastening point 40b and the second battery fastening point 40c.

[0078] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the electric saddle-type vehicle 1 has a battery case 30 in which a recess 32 is formed by cutting out the middle part of the rear surface of the battery case in the vertical direction and the middle part of the lower surface of the battery case in the front-rear direction when viewed from the side. The first battery fastening point 40b is fastened to the rear end portion of the recess 32. The second battery fastening point 40c is fastened to the lower end portion of the recess 32. The rear frame 40 has a joint portion 40k that connects the first battery fastening point 40b and the second battery fastening point 40c. In a side view, the drive unit 50 is arranged in the area formed by the side surface of the recess 32 and the joint portion 40k. Therefore, in this embodiment, space efficiency can be improved by arranging the drive unit 50 in the recess 32 of the battery case 30. Also, in this case, since the drive unit 50 is partially housed in the recess 32, it is not necessary to surround the entire drive unit 50 with the vehicle body frame 10 alone, and the vehicle body can be formed with fewer parts. Furthermore, in this case, since the drive unit 50 is positioned in an area formed by the battery case 30 and the rear frame 40, the drive unit 50 can be sufficiently supported without being enclosed by the rear frame 40, and the rigidity of the vehicle body can be easily adjusted in the design using only the vehicle body frame 10.

[0079] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the electric saddle-type vehicle 1 has a rear frame 40 which includes a vertical portion 41 extending vertically behind the drive unit 50 and a horizontal portion 42 extending in the front-rear direction below the drive unit 50. The upper end of the vertical portion 41 and the front end of the horizontal portion 42 are fastened to the battery case 30, and the drive unit 50 is positioned in a space enclosed by the recess 32 of the battery case 30, the vertical portion 41, and the horizontal portion 42 in a side view. Therefore, in this embodiment, a space can be formed enclosed by the recess 32 and the vertical portion 41 and the horizontal portion 42 of the rear frame 40, and this space can be adjusted to accommodate the drive unit 50, thereby improving space efficiency.

[0080] Furthermore, in this embodiment of the electric saddle-type vehicle 1, the second battery fastening point 40c is located in front of the vehicle body compared to the first battery fastening point 40b. A drive pulley 52a that outputs power to the rear wheels 12 is provided on a straight line connecting the first battery fastening point 40b and the second battery fastening point 40c. Therefore, in this embodiment, the drive pulley 52a is positioned midway between the battery fastening points 40b and 40c in the front-rear and vertical directions, and is provided on a straight line connecting the first battery fastening point 40b and the second battery fastening point 40c, thereby efficiently receiving loads due to half-torque.

[0081] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the electric saddle-type vehicle 1 has a first battery fastening point 40b at the upper end of the vertical section 41. A pivot shaft 43 is provided in the middle of the vertical section 41. A second battery fastening point 40c is provided at the front end of the horizontal section 42. The drive unit 50 is supported only by the vertical section 41. Therefore, in this embodiment, the drive unit 50 having the motor 51 is supported at a relatively rigid position with the pivot shaft 43, and the horizontal section 42 extending forward from there does not have fastening points (support points) for the drive unit 50. Consequently, when this configuration is adopted, the horizontal section 42 of the rear frame 40 can be effectively flexed, and the rigidity of the vehicle body can be easily adjusted. Moreover, there is the advantage of a structure that does not affect the motor 51 with vehicle body twisting.

[0082] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the electric saddle-type vehicle 1 has a tapered portion 40s formed at the lower part of the vertical portion 41 that slopes downward and inward in the vehicle width direction. The horizontal portion 42 extends from the tapered portion 40s along the front-rear direction of the vehicle body. Therefore, in this embodiment, the width of the rear frame 40 can be narrowed so that the lower end of the vertical portion of the rear frame 40 embraces the motor 51 of the drive unit 50, thereby making the vehicle body more compact. Moreover, in this case, the horizontal portion 42 of the rear frame 40 can be extended parallel to the front-rear direction, making it easy to adjust the rigidity of the vehicle body.

[0083] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the electric saddle-type vehicle 1 has an extension portion 44 that extends forward from the first battery fastening point 40b to the front of the vehicle body in the vertical portion 41. The extension portion 44 is provided with a first drive unit fastening point 40a for fastening to the drive unit 50. The first drive unit fastening point 40a is located in front of the vehicle body than the first battery fastening point 40b. Therefore, in this embodiment, the drive unit 50 can be supported by the vertical portion 41 via the extension portion 44. Moreover, in this case, by fastening the drive unit 50 to the first drive unit fastening point 40a provided in the extension portion 44 that extends forward from the vertical portion, the drive unit 50 equipped with the motor 51 can be stably supported with respect to the rear frame 40 without being cantilevered.

[0084] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the electric saddle-type vehicle 1 has a vertical section 41 that includes a vertical section-side fastening point 40f for fastening to the drive unit 50. In a side view, a third straight line (straight line L7) connecting the first battery fastening point 40b and the second battery fastening point 40c intersects with a fourth straight line (straight line L8) connecting the first drive unit fastening point 40a and the vertical section-side fastening point 40f. Therefore, in this embodiment, the straight line L7 connecting the battery fastening points 40b and 40c that fasten the battery case 30 and the straight line L8 connecting the fastening points that fasten the drive unit 50 intersect with each other, allowing the load received from the vehicle body and driving force to be effectively received, while the drive unit 50 is not fastened to the battery case 30, thus avoiding excessive rigidity.

[0085] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the electric saddle-type vehicle 1 has vertical-side fastening points that connect a pair of left and right rear frames 40. The first drive unit fastening point 40a has a right-side fastening point and a left-side fastening point for the pair of left and right rear frames 40. Therefore, in this embodiment, the first drive unit fastening point 40a, which is located in front of the vertical-side fastening point 40f, does not have a configuration equivalent to a cross frame, which allows it to deflect movement in the torsional direction of the vehicle body, preventing the vehicle body from becoming excessively rigid and making it easy to adjust the rigidity of the vehicle body.

[0086] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various design modifications are possible without departing from its essence. For example, in the embodiments described above, the battery case 30 is made of aluminum, but is not limited to this, and may be made of steel, for example.

[0087] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the components of the vehicle frame 10 are connected to each other by fastening, but the method of connection is not limited to this, and they may be connected by welding or the like, for example.

[0088] Furthermore, without departing from the spirit of the present invention, it is possible to replace the components in the above-described embodiments with well-known components, and the above-described embodiments may be combined as appropriate.

[0089] 1...Motorcycle (electric saddle-type vehicle), 10...Body frame, 11...Front wheel, 12...Rear wheel, 13...Swing arm, 14...Body cover, 15...Seat, 16...Rear cushion, 20...Front frame, 24a...Upper fastening point of battery case, 24b...Front fastening point of battery case 24b, 30...Battery case, 30a...First front fastening point, 30b...Second front fastening point, 30c...First rear fastening point, 30d...Second rear fastening point, 31...Battery, 32...Recess, 40...Rear frame, 40 a...First drive unit fastening point, 40b...First battery fastening point (battery case rear side fastening point), 40c...Second battery fastening point (battery case bottom side fastening point), 40e...Second drive unit fastening point, 40f...Vertical side fastening point, 40k...Joint (intermediate part), 40s...Constricted part, 41...Vertical part, 42...Horizontal part, 43...Pivot shaft, 44...Extension part, 50...Drive unit, 51...Motor, 52...Reduction gear, 52a...Drive pulley, C1...Motor shaft, C2...Output shaft, L1-L10...Straight line

Claims

1. An electric saddle-type vehicle comprising: a battery case formed to accommodate a battery; a front frame connected to the front of the battery case and having a steering system; a rear frame connected to the rear of the battery case and supporting the rear wheels so as to be able to swing around a pivot axis; and a drive unit that outputs driving force to the rear wheels using the power of the battery, wherein the front frame and the rear frame are spaced apart, the drive unit is supported only by the rear frame while spaced apart from the battery, and the rear frame is supported by the battery case.

2. The electric saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the front frame is connected to the front upper part of the battery case, the rear frame is connected to the rear lower part of the battery case, and the battery case is positioned between the front frame and the rear frame.

3. The electric saddle-type vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the drive unit is positioned between a first straight line connecting the upper battery case fastening point of the front frame and the rear battery case fastening point of the rear frame, and a second straight line connecting the front battery case fastening point of the front frame and the lower battery case fastening point of the rear frame.

4. The electric saddle-type vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the rear frame has a first battery fastening point and a second battery fastening point that are fastened to the battery case, the first battery fastening point is positioned above the pivot axis, and the second battery fastening point is positioned below and forward of the pivot axis.

5. The electric saddle-type vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the battery case has a recess formed in a side view, cut out from the middle of the rear surface of the battery case in the vertical direction to the middle of the lower surface of the battery case in the front-rear direction, the first battery fastening point is fastened to the rear end portion of the recess, the second battery fastening point is fastened to the lower end portion of the recess, the rear frame has an intermediate portion connecting the first battery fastening point and the second battery fastening point, and the drive unit is arranged in a region formed by the side surface of the recess and the intermediate portion in a side view.

6. The rear frame has a vertical portion extending vertically behind the drive unit and a horizontal portion extending in the front-rear direction below the drive unit, the upper end of the vertical portion and the front end of the horizontal portion being fastened to the battery case, and the drive unit is arranged in a space enclosed by the recess of the battery case, the vertical portion and the horizontal portion in a side view, as described in claim 5.

7. The electric saddle-type vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the second battery fastening point is located in front of the vehicle body than the first battery fastening point, and a drive pulley that outputs power to the rear wheel is provided on a straight line connecting the first battery fastening point and the second battery fastening point.

8. The electric saddle-type vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the first battery fastening point is provided at the upper end of the vertical section, the pivot shaft is provided in the middle section of the vertical section, the second battery fastening point is provided at the front end of the horizontal section, and the drive unit is supported only by the vertical section.

9. The lower part of the vertical section has a tapered section formed therein that slopes downward toward the inside in the vehicle width direction, and the horizontal section extends from the tapered section along the front-rear direction of the vehicle body, as described in claim 8.

10. The electric saddle-type vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the vertical portion includes an extension portion extending forward from the first battery fastening point, the extension portion is provided with a first drive unit fastening point for fastening to the drive unit, and the first drive unit fastening point is located forward of the vehicle than the first battery fastening point.

11. The electric saddle-type vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the vertical portion has a vertical portion side fastening point for fastening to the drive unit, and in a side view, a third straight line connecting the first battery fastening point and the second battery fastening point and a fourth straight line connecting the first drive unit fastening point and the vertical portion side fastening point intersect each other.

12. The electric saddle-type vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the vertical fastening point connects the left and right pair of rear frames, and the first drive unit fastening point has a vehicle body right-side fastening point and a vehicle body left-side fastening point with respect to the left and right pair of rear frames.

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