Saddle-type vehicle

Abstract

This saddle-type vehicle comprises: an internal combustion engine (E) comprising a front bank (33) with a cylinder (33A) inclined forward, and a rear bank (34) with a cylinder (34A) inclined rearward; an air cleaner (40) that comprises an intake port and intakes outside air; a supercharger (50) that is connected to a downstream side of the air cleaner (40) and compresses the intake air; and a surge tank (60) that is connected to a downstream side of the supercharger (50) and supplies the intake air compressed by the supercharger (50) to the internal combustion engine (E). The surge tank (60) is positioned in the middle in the front-rear direction between the front bank (33) and the rear bank (34), the supercharger (50) is positioned rearward of the surge tank (60), and the air cleaner (40) is positioned upward of the supercharger (50).

Description

Straddle-type vehicle

[0001] The present invention relates to a straddle-type vehicle. This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-208567 filed in Japan on November 29, 2024, and incorporates its content herein by reference.

[0002] Conventionally, a turbocharger that utilizes the exhaust energy of an engine (internal combustion engine) and a supercharger that utilizes a part of the driving force of an engine are known as superchargers used for the engine of a vehicle. In recent years, an electric supercharger that uses an electric motor to drive the supercharger has been known (for example, see Patent Document 1).

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-228624

[0004] The arrangement of the supercharger and related components of a straddle-type vehicle is not deeply limited, and there are still problems regarding the mounting property on the vehicle body.

[0005] The present invention provides a straddle-type vehicle capable of efficiently mounting a supercharger used for an internal combustion engine on the vehicle.

[0006] As a means for solving the above problems, an aspect of the present invention has the following configuration. (1) A straddle-type vehicle according to an aspect of the present invention includes a front bank (33) having a cylinder (33A) inclined forward and a rear bank (34) having a cylinder (34A) inclined rearward of an internal combustion engine (E), an air cleaner (40) having an air intake and sucking outside air, a supercharger (50) connected to the downstream side of the air cleaner (40) and compressing the sucked air, and a surge tank (60) connected to the downstream side of the supercharger (50) and supplying the sucked air compressed by the supercharger (50) to the internal combustion engine (E). The straddle-type vehicle (1) is characterized in that the surge tank (60) is located at an intermediate position in the front-rear direction between the front bank (33) and the rear bank (34), the supercharger (50) is located behind the surge tank (60), and the air cleaner (40) is located above the supercharger (50).

[0007] According to the saddle-type vehicle described in (1) above of the present invention, the surge tank can be efficiently positioned by utilizing the space midway between the front and rear banks in the longitudinal direction, and by positioning the supercharger behind the surge tank and the air cleaner above the supercharger, supercharging can be achieved efficiently. In this way, the supercharger and related components do not protrude significantly in the width direction and longitudinal direction of the vehicle, but are positioned closer to the center of the left and right sides of the vehicle body, resulting in good weight balance and efficient arrangement. Thus, with this configuration, a layout can be realized in which the supercharger and the necessary components associated with the supercharger are positioned near the intake of the internal combustion engine within the limited space of the vehicle body, thereby enabling efficient supercharging.

[0008] (2) In the saddle-type vehicle described in (1) above, at least a portion of the air cleaner (40) may be located at the rear of the surge tank (60).

[0009] According to the saddle-type vehicle described in (2) above of the present invention, at least a portion of the air cleaner is positioned near the rear of the surge tank, thereby improving intake efficiency.

[0010] (3) The saddle-type vehicle described in (2) above comprises a head pipe (6) supporting a steering system capable of steering the front wheels, and a pair of left and right main frames (7) extending rearward and downward from the head pipe (6) and supporting the internal combustion engine (E), and a seat frame (9) extending rearward and upward from the main frames (7), and the surge tank (60), the supercharger (50), and the air cleaner (40) may be provided inward from the outermost end of the vehicle width of at least one of the main frames (7) and the seat frame (9).

[0011] According to the saddle-type vehicle described in (3) above of the present invention, the supercharger, which is a drive component, and the surge tank and air cleaner, which are pressure vessels, can be positioned and protected on the inside of the vehicle frame in the vehicle width direction, and the maximum possible space capacity can be secured. As a result, it becomes possible to secure a large volume for the surge tank and air cleaner, and noise and power characteristics can be stabilized.

[0012] (4) In the saddle-type vehicle described in (3) above, the air cleaner (40) and the supercharger (50) may overlap with at least one of the main frame (7) and the seat frame (9) in a plan view.

[0013] According to the saddle-type vehicle described in (4) above of the present invention, the air cleaner and supercharger are arranged to overlap the vehicle frame in a plan view, so they can be more reliably protected by the vehicle frame.

[0014] (5) In the saddle-type vehicle described in (4) above, the supercharger (50) may be provided in a position that overlaps with the seat frame (9) in a side view.

[0015] According to the saddle-type vehicle described in (5) above of the present invention, since seat frames are arranged on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the supercharger, which is a drive component, the supercharger can be protected more reliably by the seat frames.

[0016] (6) In the saddle-type vehicle described in any one of the above items (1) to (5), the supercharger (50) may be installed in a position that overlaps with the surge tank (60) in the front-rear direction.

[0017] According to the saddle-type vehicle described in (6) above of the present invention, the distance between the supercharger and the surge tank can be reduced, minimizing pressure loss and improving engine efficiency.

[0018] (7) In the saddle-type vehicle described in (1) above, the air cleaner (40) may be provided in a position that overlaps with the surge tank (60) in the front-rear direction and in a position that overlaps with the supercharger (50) in the vertical direction.

[0019] According to the saddle-type vehicle described in (7) above of the present invention, the saddle-type vehicle is capable of switching between supercharging by a supercharger and natural aspiration by being directly connected to the air cleaner. By bringing both the supercharger and the surge tank closer to the air cleaner, pressure loss can be minimized and engine efficiency can be improved.

[0020] (8) In the saddle-type vehicle described in (7) above, the air cleaner (40) comprises an air element (42), a dirty side (42a) before the intake air passes through the air element (42), and a clean side (42b) after the intake air passes through the air element (42). The surge tank (60) is connected to a supercharger discharge pipe (53) through which pressurized air from the supercharger (50) is blown, and a bypass pipe (52) through which air is blown from the clean side (42b). The clean side (42b) may be positioned closer to the surge tank (60) than the dirty side (42a).

[0021] According to the saddle-type vehicle described in (8) above of the present invention, air that has passed through the clean side can be introduced to the surge tank over a short distance via bypass piping.

[0022] According to an aspect of the present invention, a supercharger used in an internal combustion engine can be efficiently mounted in a vehicle.

[0023] This is a right side view of a motorcycle in an embodiment of the present invention. This is an explanatory diagram showing an overview of the intake system of a motorcycle. This is a perspective view of the area around the supercharger, viewed from the front at an angle. This is a side view of the area around the supercharger, viewed from the left side. This is a top view of the area around the supercharger, viewed from above. This is a front view of the area around the supercharger, viewed from the front at an angle. This is a perspective view of the main parts around the supercharger of a motorcycle according to a modified example of the present invention, viewed from the front at an angle. This is a side view showing the main parts of a motorcycle according to the modified example shown in Figure 7. This is a top view of the main parts of a motorcycle according to the modified example shown in Figure 7.

[0024] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each embodiment described below, common parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. Unless otherwise specified, directions such as front, rear, left, and right in the following description are the same as the directions of the vehicle described below. In addition, in the drawings used in the following description, arrows FR indicating the front of the vehicle, LH indicating the left side of the vehicle, UP indicating the top of the vehicle, and CL indicating the left-right center of the vehicle body are shown in appropriate places. In this embodiment, "intermediate" means not only the center between the two ends of the object, but also the area inside between the two ends of the object. In the following description, it is assumed that the body of the saddle-type vehicle is stationary in an upright state with no tilt to the left or right and a steering angle of 0 degrees, and furthermore, it is in an unloaded state of 1G on a horizontal plane.

[0025] <Overall Vehicle> Figure 1 shows a motorcycle 1 as an example of a saddle-type vehicle. Figure 1 is a left side view of the motorcycle 1. As shown in Figure 1, the motorcycle 1 is equipped with a front wheel 2 steered by a handle 2a and a rear wheel 12 driven by a power unit PU including a V-type engine (internal combustion engine) E.

[0026] The front suspension component 3A, which supports the front wheel 2, is steerably supported by the head pipe 6, which supports the steering system located at the front end of the vehicle frame 5. The handlebars 2a and the front suspension component 3A are steerably supported by the head pipe 6. The head pipe 6 is cylindrical in shape and tilted backward with respect to the vertical. The front suspension component 3A comprises a pair of left and right front forks 3, and a top bridge 4a and a bottom bridge 4b ​​connecting the upper parts of the left and right front forks 3. A bar-type handlebar 2a is mounted on the top bridge 4a. The steering system is configured as described above to allow the front wheel 2 to be steered relative to the head pipe 6.

[0027] The motorcycle 1 of this embodiment is equipped with a telescopic front fork 3 as the front suspension, but is not limited to this configuration. For example, the front suspension may be of other types, such as a link type using a swing arm. The front end of the vehicle frame 5 may be equipped with a head section with a configuration that replaces the head pipe 6, depending on the type of front suspension.

[0028] A power unit (PU) is mounted in the front-to-rear center of the vehicle frame 5. For example, the front end of a swing arm 11 is supported at the rear of the power unit (PU) so as to be able to swing up and down around a pivot axis 8a. For example, a rear suspension (not shown) is configured between the front of the swing arm 11 and the rear of the power unit (PU).

[0029] In this embodiment, the vehicle frame 5 comprises a front frame 14 including a head pipe 6 and left and right main frames 7, and a rear frame 19 including left and right seat frames 9, with the rear of the front frame 14 and the rear frame 19 being joined together. However, the embodiment is not limited to this one, and the front frame 14 and the rear frame 19 may be separated and each connected to the power unit PU.

[0030] In this embodiment, the vehicle body refers to a portion of the entire vehicle body that is substantially integrated and does not include any movable parts (such as suspension). The vehicle body may include components other than the vehicle frame 5. For example, the pivot portion 8 that supports the front end of the swing arm 11 in this embodiment is provided at the rear end of the body of the power unit PU.

[0031] The power unit PU is located from below the front frame 14 to below the front of the rear frame 19. The power unit PU integrates a V-type multi-cylinder engine E with the crankshaft axis aligned in the left-right direction, and a transmission (not shown) that shifts and outputs the driving force of the engine E. The engine E comprises a crankcase 32 that houses a crankshaft (not shown), and front and rear cylinders 33A and 34A that stand upright above the crankcase 32 and are arranged in a V-shape when viewed from the side. The rear of the crankcase 32 is a transmission case that houses the transmission.

[0032] The front cylinder 33A protrudes diagonally upward and forward of the crankcase 32, extending its cylinder axis C3 diagonally. The rear cylinder 34A protrudes diagonally upward and rear of the crankcase 32, extending its cylinder axis C4 diagonally, and the front cylinder 33A and the rear cylinder 34A are spaced further apart as they extend upward. For example, engine E is a three-cylinder engine having two cylinders in the front cylinder 33A and one cylinder in the rear cylinder 34A, but is not limited to this. For example, engine E may be a two-cylinder engine having one cylinder each in the front and rear cylinders 33A and 34A, a four-cylinder engine having two cylinders each in the front and rear cylinders 33A and 34A, a five-cylinder engine having three cylinders in the front cylinder 33A and two cylinders in the rear cylinder 34A, or a six-cylinder engine having three cylinders each in the front and rear cylinders 33A and 34A.

[0033] Two front intake ports (not shown) for two cylinders are formed on the rear upper surface of the cylinder head of the front cylinder 33A. One rear intake port (not shown) for one cylinder is formed on the upper front surface of the cylinder head of the rear cylinder 34A. Hereinafter, the triangular region sandwiched between the rear upper surface of the front cylinder 33A and the front upper surface of the rear cylinder 34A in a side view will be referred to as the inter-cylinder region R1.

[0034] Multiple throttle bodies 35, 36 are connected to the front and rear intake ports to adjust the intake air volume for each cylinder. Each of the multiple throttle bodies 35, 36 is independently provided for each cylinder. The multiple throttle bodies 35, 36 are arranged so that they are all located in the inter-cylinder region R1 above the crankcase 32. The multiple throttle bodies 35, 36 may partially protrude above the inter-cylinder region R1. The downstream end (lower end) of each throttle body 35, 36 is connected to the front and rear intake ports, respectively.

[0035] The intake port of the front cylinder 33A and the throttle body 35 connected thereto form a linear intake passage that is inclined so that, in a side view, the upper part is positioned further rearward in the vertical direction. Although not shown in the figures, the intake port of the rear cylinder 34A and the throttle body 36 connected thereto form a linear intake passage that is inclined so that, in a side view, the upper part is positioned further forward in the vertical direction. The upper ends (upstream ends) of each throttle body 35, 36 are connected to a surge tank 60, which will be described later, located above the inter-cylinder region R1.

[0036] Two front exhaust ports (not shown) for two cylinders are formed on the front lower surface of the cylinder head of the front cylinder 33A. One rear exhaust port (not shown) for one cylinder is formed on the rear lower surface of the cylinder head of the rear cylinder 34A. Multiple exhaust pipes 37 and 38 are connected to the front and rear exhaust ports to guide the exhaust from each cylinder. The multiple exhaust pipes 37 and 38 are routed below the crankcase 32, converge as appropriate, and are connected to an exhaust muffler 39 located on the rear side of the vehicle body.

[0037] Above the surge tank 60 is a fuel tank (not shown) for storing fuel for engine E. The fuel tank is positioned to cover the surge tank 60 from above. In front of the surge tank 60 are a canister and various electrical components. The fuel tank, surge tank 60, canister, and electrical components are covered by a container-shaped top cover 24 that opens downwards. Behind the top cover 24 and above the rear frame 19 is a seat 25 for the occupant. A rear seat cowl 26 is attached to the rear of the rear frame 19.

[0038] <Front Frame 14> As shown in Figure 1, the front frame 14 comprises a head pipe 6 that is tilted backward with respect to the vertical direction of the vehicle, and a pair of left and right main frames 7 that branch out to the left and right from the rear of the head pipe 6, spread outward in the width direction of the vehicle, and then extend to the rear of the vehicle body. Each main frame 7 comprises an upper frame 15 that extends rearward from the top of the head pipe 6, a lower frame 16 that extends rearward from the bottom of the head pipe 6, and a connecting pipe 17 that spans between the upper frame 15 and the lower frame 16. The upper and lower frames 15 and 16 are connected by the connecting pipe 17 to form a truss structure main frame 7.

[0039] The upper frame 15 extends from the top of the head pipe 6, sloping downwards towards the rear. The upper frame 15 includes a first extension 15a that extends diagonally outward and rearward in the left-right direction, and a second extension 15b that curves rearward from the rear end of the first extension 15a and extends along the side of the vehicle body (the side perpendicular to the vehicle width direction). The rear end of the upper frame 15 is located near the front upper surface of the rear cylinder 34A and is fixed to the rear cylinder 34A by bolts or the like that running along the left-right direction. The rear end of the upper frame 15 is close to the front of the seat frame 9 and the upper front end of the seat frame 9 of the rear frame 19, and these are connected. After extending rearward, the upper frame 15 connects to the seat frame 9 and supports the rear side of the engine by an engine hanger (not shown).

[0040] The lower frame 16 extends rearward from below the head pipe 6, sloping more steeply and downward than the upper frame 15. The lower frame 16 includes a first extension 16a that extends diagonally outward in the rearward and lateral directions, and a second extension 16b that curves rearward from the rear end of the first extension 16a and extends along the side of the vehicle body (the side perpendicular to the vehicle width direction). The rear end of the lower frame 16 is located near the front lower surface of the front cylinder 33A (see Figure 1) and is fixed to the front cylinder 33A by bolts B2 or the like that run along the lateral direction. The lower frame 16 supports the front of the engine after extending rearward at a steeper slope than the upper frame 15.

[0041] <Air Cleaner Device 40> Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an overview of the intake system components of the motorcycle 1. Figure 3 is a perspective view taken from the front at an oblique angle around the supercharger 50. Figure 4 is a side view taken from the right side around the supercharger 50. Figure 5 is a top view taken from above around the supercharger 50. Figure 6 is a front view taken from the front around the supercharger 50. As shown in Figures 2 to 6, an air cleaner device 40 (air cleaner) that filters the intake air to the engine E is located in the center of the front of the vehicle body. The air cleaner device 40 is entirely covered by a top cover 24 and a seat 25, and is formed to fit the space below the top cover 24 and the seat 25. In this embodiment, the air cleaner device 40 has a flattened shape with reduced dimensions in the vehicle width direction (thickness direction). The air cleaner device 40 has a rectangular shape in side view and is located above the upper edge of the seat frame 9. The air cleaner device 40 is positioned inside the top cover 24 and the sheet 25, and is sized to be completely covered by the top cover 24 and the sheet 25. Preferably, the air cleaner device 40 is positioned inside only the top cover 24.

[0042] The air cleaner device 40 is located in the vehicle width direction, in front of the pair of left and right seat frames 9, that is, near the rear end of the main frame 7, and above the supercharger 50, which will be described later. Specifically, as shown in Figure 5, in a plan view from above, the air cleaner device 40 is positioned adjacent to the supercharger 50, with at least a portion of it overlapping with it. At least a portion of the air cleaner device 40 is located at the rear of the surge tank 60, which will be described later, in the front-rear direction, as shown in Figure 4. In other words, in a plan view, the rear end of the air cleaner device 40 overlaps with the front of the supercharger 50, and the front end is positioned close to the rear end of the surge tank 60 in the front-rear direction.

[0043] The air cleaner device 40 includes a case body 41 that forms its outer appearance, and an element 42 supported inside the case body 41. The rear part of the case body 41 is an intake port 41a that opens toward the rear of the vehicle, allowing outside air to be introduced into the case from the rear of the vehicle. The element 42 is supported inside the middle part in the front-rear direction of the case body 41. The internal space of the case body 41 has a dirty side 42a behind the element 42 (on the side of the intake port 41a), and a clean side 42b in front of the element 42. The clean side 42b is arranged closer to the surge tank 60 than the dirty side 42a. Preferably, the clean side 42b is arranged adjacent to the supercharger 50 and the surge tank 60 so as to overlap in plan view and in the vehicle front-rear direction view, respectively.

[0044] The air cleaner device 40 is connected to a supercharger intake pipe 51 connected to the supercharger 50 and a bypass pipe 52 connected to the surge tank 60. The outside air taken into the case body 41 is filtered by passing through the element 42, and then is either sucked from the supercharger intake pipe 51 into the supercharger 50 or selectively introduced from the bypass pipe 52 that does not pass through the supercharger 50 into the surge tank 60 by a control valve (not shown).

[0045] In the figure, reference numeral 44 indicates a first opening that opens in the vehicle front-rear direction on the inner wall portion inside the case body 41 in the vehicle width direction and communicates with the bypass pipe 52, and reference numeral 46 indicates a second opening that opens downward at the lower part of the case body 41 and communicates with the supercharger intake pipe 51.

[0046] <Supercharger 50> Referring to FIGS. 2 to 6, the supercharger 50 compresses the outside air taken in from the air cleaner device 40 and supplies it to the engine E via the surge tank 60. The supercharger 50 is in the form of a so-called blower fan, sucks outside air axially by the rotation of a fan body (impeller) not shown, and discharges this outside air in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction (tangential direction). The supercharger 50 is arranged in the area surrounded by the left and right seat frames 9. Specifically, the supercharger 50 is located at the middle in the vertical direction of the seat frame 9 in a side view, behind the upper end of the rear cylinder 34A. It is at least partially located in front of the rear end of the first extension 15a of the upper frame 15 and / or the first extension 16a of the lower frame 16 in the vehicle body longitudinal direction behind the head pipe 6 and in a plan view.

[0047] The supercharger 50 is arranged at a height overlapping the seat frame 9 in the vertical direction, located behind the surge tank 60 described later in the front-rear direction, and arranged between the pair of seat frames 9 in the vehicle width direction. As shown in FIG. 4, the supercharger 50 is provided at a position overlapping the seat frame 9 in a side view, and is arranged overlapping the front part of the seat frame 9 in a side view at a position adjacent immediately behind the upper part of the cylinder head of the rear bank 34. Therefore, the discharge port of the supercharger 50 is arranged behind the discharge port of the supercharger 50 with respect to the surge tank 60 of the air cleaner device 40. Therefore, the bypass pipe 52 has a shorter pipe length than the supercharger discharge pipe 53.

[0048] The supercharger 50 is at least below the upper edge of the seat frame 9 and above the lower edge of the seat frame 9 in a side view. At least a part of the supercharger 50 is provided between the lower edge and the upper edge of the surge tank 60. The supercharger 50 is provided at the same height in the vehicle body. In a top view, the supercharger 50 is arranged at a position overlapping the rear part of the air cleaner device 40, and most of the supercharger 50 is provided at a position overlapping the dirty side 42a of the air cleaner device 40.

[0049] The supercharger 50 comprises the fan body, a blower case 54 housing the fan body, and an electric motor 55 (drive source) that drives the fan body. The supercharger 50 is an electric device that is driven by the driving force of the electric motor 55, without using the exhaust energy or driving force of the engine E. The electric motor 55 drives the supercharger 50 independently of the engine E. The supercharger 50 is a vortex-flow type with its rotating shaft and discharge port 53a perpendicular to each other, and its axial direction (the axial direction of the fan body) is oriented in the vehicle width direction. In this embodiment, the rotating shaft of the supercharger 50 is parallel to the vehicle width direction, but it may be offset from the vehicle width direction, or it may be inclined more significantly with respect to the vehicle width direction. A drive control unit (not shown) with a rectangular shape in plan view is integrally provided on the upper side of the electric motor 55.

[0050] The vehicle body may be a motorcycle equipped with a battery (not shown) as a power source. In this case, the supercharger 50 is provided integrally with the motor, and this motor drives the fan body (impeller).

[0051] The electric motor 55 is a rotating electric machine with a rotating shaft as its driving center, and outputs rotational power to drive the fan body. The drive of the electric motor 55, and consequently the drive of the supercharger 50, is controlled by an electronic control device (not shown). The electronic control device appropriately drives the supercharger 50 according to, for example, the operating conditions of the engine E, the driving conditions of the vehicle, and the driver's acceleration request.

[0052] The intake port 54a of the blower case 54 is located in the opening region R2 of the seat frame 9 in a side view. A turbocharger intake pipe 51 extends forward from the intake port 54a and is connected to the clean side 42b of the air cleaner device 40 from below. The turbocharger intake pipe 51 extends downward from the first opening 44 provided on the lower side of the air cleaner device 40, then bends rearward between the pair of seat frames 9, and then passes between the upper seat frames 9 to connect to the turbocharger 50.

[0053] A turbocharger discharge pipe 53 extending diagonally upward is connected to the front upper part of the blower case 54. The turbocharger discharge pipe 53 is cylindrical in shape and extends diagonally forward and upward from the turbocharger 50 between a pair of left and right seat frames 9, and is connected to the rear end of the surge tank 60. At the rear end of the turbocharger discharge pipe 53, a discharge port 53a of the turbocharger 50 is formed, which opens toward the front of the vehicle. The turbocharger 50 is connected to the turbocharger discharge pipe 53, which discharges air drawn in from the turbocharger intake pipe 51 to the surge tank 60.

[0054] <Surge Tank 60> As shown in Figures 1 to 6, a surge tank 60 is positioned in front of the turbocharger 50. The surge tank 60 has a hollow tank body 61. A turbocharger discharge pipe 53 extending in the direction of extension of the discharge port 53a is connected to the discharge port 53a located at the front end of the turbocharger 50. Pressurized air from the turbocharger 50 is blown into the turbocharger discharge pipe 53. The front end of the turbocharger discharge pipe 53 is connected to a turbocharger-side intake port 62 provided on the rear wall of the surge tank 60. The turbocharger-side intake port 62 opens towards the rear. The supercharger intake air discharged from the turbocharger 50 reaches the turbocharger-side intake port 62 via the turbocharger discharge pipe 53 and is introduced into the surge tank 60 from the turbocharger-side intake port 62. The supercharged intake air introduced into the surge tank 60 diffuses within the surge tank 60 to stabilize its pressure, and then is supplied to each cylinder through multiple funnels.

[0055] At the rear of the surge tank 60, a bypass-side intake port 63 is provided, which opens toward the rear. The front end of a bypass pipe 52, which extends from a second opening 46 at the front end of the air cleaner device 40, is connected to the bypass-side intake port 63. The turbocharger-side intake port 62 and the bypass-side intake port 63 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction of the vehicle body, and their respective pipe axes are arranged to be approximately parallel. The outside air taken in by the air cleaner device 40 and reaching the clean side 42b can be introduced into the surge tank 60 from the bypass pipe 52. This outside air, as naturally aspirated air not pressurized by the turbocharger 50, diffuses in the surge tank 60 to stabilize its pressure, and then is supplied to each cylinder from multiple funnels 33F, 34F. The bypass-side intake port 63 is provided with a control valve (not shown) to prevent the turbocharged intake air introduced into the surge tank 60 from the turbocharger 50 from flowing back into the bypass pipe 52.

[0056] The turbocharger-side intake port 62 (turbocharger discharge pipe 53) and the bypass-side intake port 63 (bypass pipe 52) are positioned to the right and slightly outward relative to the center CL of the vehicle body.

[0057] The bypass piping 52 is positioned on the inside of the left and right seat frames 9 in the vehicle width direction.

[0058] As shown in Figure 1, the surge tank 60 is located midway between the front bank 33 and the rear bank 34 in the longitudinal direction. The surge tank 60 is positioned above the upper end between the front and rear banks 33 and 34 and is connected to the throttle bodies 35 and 36 located below the tank. In this embodiment, at least a portion of it is located below the upper end of the cylinder. In other words, at least a portion of it is located in the inter-cylinder region R1.

[0059] As shown in Figure 6, the surge tank 60, supercharger 50, and air cleaner device 40 are positioned inward in the vehicle width direction from the outermost end of at least one of the pair of main frame 7 and seat frame 9 (in this embodiment, both main frame 7 and seat frame 9). As shown in Figure 5, the air cleaner device 40 and supercharger 50 are positioned overlapping with at least one of the main frame 7 and seat frame 9 (in this embodiment, only the seat frame 9) in a plan view.

[0060] The surge tank 60, air cleaner device 40, and supercharger 50 are arranged so as not to protrude outward in the vehicle width direction when viewed from the front or rear. Furthermore, the air cleaner device 40 and supercharger 50 are positioned to be at least greater than the minimum width of the main frame 7 or seat frame 9, that is, in this embodiment, further outward in the vehicle width direction than the inner edges of the pair of seat frames 9.

[0061] As described above, the motorcycle 1 in the above embodiment includes an internal combustion engine E having a front bank 33 with a forward-inclined cylinder 33A and a rear bank 34 with a rear-inclined cylinder 34A, an air cleaner device 40 having an intake port and connected to the upstream side of the supercharger 50, a supercharger 50 that compresses and supplies outside air to the internal combustion engine E, and a surge tank 60 connected to the downstream side of the supercharger 50 and supplying intake air to the internal combustion engine E. The surge tank 60 is located midway in the front-rear direction between the front bank 33 and the rear bank 34. The supercharger 50 is located behind the surge tank 60. The air cleaner device 40 is located above the supercharger 50. With this configuration, the surge tank 60 can be efficiently positioned by utilizing the space midway in the front-rear direction between the front bank 33 and the rear bank 34, and supercharging can be efficiently performed by positioning the supercharger 50 behind the surge tank 60 and the air cleaner device 40 above the supercharger 50. In this way, the supercharger 50 and related components are not positioned to protrude significantly in the width direction and front-to-rear direction of the vehicle, but rather are positioned closer to the center of the left and right sides of the vehicle body, resulting in good weight balance and efficient placement. Thus, with this configuration, it is possible to achieve a layout that allows for efficient supercharging by positioning the supercharger 50 and the necessary components associated with the supercharger 50 near the intake of the internal combustion engine within the limited space of the vehicle body.

[0062] In the above-mentioned motorcycle 1, at least a portion of the air cleaner device 40 may be located at the rear of the surge tank 60. With this configuration, at least a portion of the air cleaner device 40 is located near the rear of the surge tank 60, which can improve intake efficiency.

[0063] The above-described motorcycle 1 includes a head pipe 6 that supports the steering system, and a pair of left and right main frames 7 that extend rearward and downward from the head pipe 6 and support the internal combustion engine E. A seat frame 9 extends rearward and upward from the main frames 7. The surge tank 60, supercharger 50, and air cleaner 40 are located inside the vehicle width beyond the outermost end of at least one of the main frames 7 and seat frames 9. With this configuration, the supercharger 50, which is a drive component, and the surge tank 60 and air cleaner device 40, which are pressure vessels, can be positioned and protected inside the vehicle width direction of the vehicle frame, and the maximum possible space capacity can be secured. As a result, it is possible to secure a large volume for the surge tank 60 and air cleaner device 40, and noise and power characteristics can be stabilized.

[0064] In the above-described motorcycle 1, the air cleaner device 40 and the supercharger 50 overlap with at least one of the main frame 7 and the seat frame 9 in a plan view. With this configuration, the air cleaner device 40 and the supercharger 50 are positioned overlapping the vehicle frame in a plan view, so they can be more reliably protected by the vehicle frame.

[0065] In the above-described motorcycle 1, the supercharger 50 is positioned so as to overlap with the seat frame 9 in a side view. With this configuration, the seat frame 9 is positioned on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the supercharger 50, which is a drive component, so the supercharger 50 can be more reliably protected by the seat frame 9.

[0066] In the above-described motorcycle 1, the air cleaner device 40 includes an air element 42, a dirty side 42a before the intake air passes through the air element 42, and a clean side 42b after the intake air has passed through the air element 42. The surge tank 60 is connected to a supercharger discharge pipe 53 through which pressurized air from the supercharger 50 is blown, and a bypass pipe 52 through which air is blown from the clean side 42b. The clean side 42b is located closer to the surge tank 60 than the dirty side 42a. With this configuration, air that has passed through the clean side 42b can be introduced into the surge tank 60 via the bypass pipe 52 over a short distance.

[0067] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the main parts around the supercharger of a modified motorcycle 1A, viewed from the front at an angle. Figure 8 is a side view showing the main parts of the modified motorcycle 1A shown in Figure 7. Figure 9 is a top view of the main parts of the modified motorcycle 1A shown in Figure 7, viewed from above. As shown in Figures 7 to 9, the motorcycle 1A (saddle-type vehicle) is configured such that the clean side 42b of the air cleaner device 40 is located on the front side of the vehicle body. The supercharger 50 is located diagonally below and behind the air cleaner device 40. The surge tank 60 is located above the inter-cylinder region R1 between the front bank 33 and the rear bank 34 in a side view.

[0068] The air cleaner device 40 is located above the surge tank 60 and the supercharger 50, and in a top view, it is positioned adjacent to both the supercharger 50 and the surge tank 60 in the vertical direction, with at least a portion of it overlapping both. Specifically, in a plan view, the rear of the air cleaner device 40 overlaps with the front of the supercharger 50, and the front of the air cleaner device 40 overlaps with the rear of the surge tank 60. The air cleaner device 40 is located above and behind the surge tank 60. The front end of the air cleaner device 40 is located in front of the rear end of the surge tank 60, and the rear end of the air cleaner device 40 is located behind the front end of the supercharger 50. The air cleaner device 40 is provided in a position that overlaps with the surge tank 60 in the front-rear direction. The air cleaner device 40 may also be provided in a position that overlaps with the supercharger 50 in the vertical direction.

[0069] This configuration allows the supercharger 50 and the surge tank 60 to be brought closer together, minimizing pressure loss and improving engine efficiency. Furthermore, this configuration allows the motorcycle 1A to switch between supercharging by the supercharger 50 and natural aspiration via a direct connection from the air cleaner device 40. By bringing both the supercharger 50 and the surge tank 60 closer together relative to the air cleaner device 40, pressure loss can be minimized and engine efficiency can be improved.

[0070] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. For example, the supercharger vehicle structure of the embodiment may be applied to saddle-type vehicles other than motorcycles. The saddle-type vehicles include all vehicles on which the driver straddles the vehicle body, and include not only motorcycles (including mopeds and scooter-type vehicles) but also three-wheeled vehicles (including vehicles with one front wheel and two rear wheels, as well as vehicles with two front wheels and one rear wheel) or four-wheeled vehicles (such as four-wheeled buggies). Furthermore, it includes not only scooter-type vehicles with a straddling space but also vehicles with a straddling section. It may also be applied to vehicles that include an electric motor as the prime mover.

[0071] This can be applied to various types of reciprocating engines, including single-cylinder engines, multi-cylinder engines such as parallel or V-type engines, and longitudinally mounted engines with the crankshaft aligned along the vehicle's front-to-rear direction.

[0072] Furthermore, although the above embodiment shows an example where the air cleaner 40 is positioned above the surge tank 60 and the supercharger 50, it is not limited to being positioned above, and may be configured to be located below the surge tank 60 and the supercharger 50.

[0073] Furthermore, the configuration in the above embodiment is just one example of the present invention, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention, such as replacing the components of the embodiment with well-known components.

[0074] 1.1A Motorcycle (Saddle-type vehicle) 5 Body frame 6 Head pipe 7 Main frame 9 Seat frame 15 Upper frame 16 Lower frame 33 Front bank 33A Front cylinder 34 Rear bank 34A Rear cylinder 40 Air cleaner device 40 (Air cleaner) 42 Element 42a Dirty side 42b Clean side 43 Supercharger intake piping 50 Supercharger 51 Supercharger intake piping 52 Bypass piping 53 Supercharger discharge piping 55 Electric motor 60 Surge tank 61 Tank body 62 Supercharger side intake port 63 Bypass side intake port E Engine

Claims

1. A saddle-type vehicle (1) comprising: an internal combustion engine (E) having a front bank (33) with a forward-inclined cylinder (33A) and a rear bank (34) with a rear-inclined cylinder (34A); an air cleaner (40) having an intake port for drawing in outside air; a supercharger (50) connected downstream of the air cleaner (40) for compressing intake air; and a surge tank (60) connected downstream of the supercharger (50) for supplying intake air compressed by the supercharger (50) to the internal combustion engine (E), wherein the surge tank (60) is located midway between the front bank (33) and the rear bank (34) in the longitudinal direction, the supercharger (50) is located behind the surge tank (60), and the air cleaner (40) is located above the supercharger (50).

2. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the air cleaner (40) is located at the rear of the surge tank (60).

3. A saddle-type vehicle according to claim 2, comprising: a head pipe (6) supporting a steering system capable of steering the front wheels; a pair of left and right main frames (7) extending rearward and downward from the head pipe (6) and supporting the internal combustion engine (E); a seat frame (9) extending rearward and upward from the main frames (7); and the surge tank (60), the supercharger (50), and the air cleaner (40) being provided inward in the vehicle width from at least one of the main frames (7) and the seat frame (9).

4. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the air cleaner (40) and the supercharger (50) overlap with at least one of the main frame (7) and the seat frame (9) in a plan view.

5. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the supercharger (50) is provided in a position that overlaps with the seat frame (9) in a side view.

6. The saddle-type vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the supercharger (50) is provided in a position that overlaps with the surge tank (60) in the front-rear direction.

7. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the air cleaner (40) is provided in a position that overlaps with the surge tank (60) in the front-rear direction and in a position that overlaps with the supercharger (50) in the vertical direction.

8. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the air cleaner (40) comprises an air element (42), a dirty side (42a) before the intake air passes through the air element (42), and a clean side (42b) after the intake air passes through the air element (42); the surge tank (60) is connected to a supercharger discharge pipe (53) through which pressurized air from the supercharger (50) is blown, and a bypass pipe (52) through which air is blown from the clean side (42b); and the clean side (42b) is positioned closer to the surge tank (60) than the dirty side (42a).

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