Electric straddled vehicle

Abstract

The present invention balances increasing battery capacity and securing swing arm rigidity.　This electric straddled vehicle comprises a vehicle body frame, a battery mounted on the vehicle body frame, and a swing arm, the front end of which is connected to the vehicle body frame and the rear end of which supports a drive wheel axle. The swing arm has a pair of left and right arm parts extending from the front end to the rear end, and a cross part which connects the left and right arm parts. The front end of the swing arm is arranged at a position which overlaps the battery and the cross part is arranged to the rear of the battery in a side view of the vehicle body frame. One or more arm parts among the left and right arm parts have an arm front section which has a front end and to which the cross part is connected, an arm rear section which has a rear end, and a curved section which curves toward the vehicle center between the arm front section and the arm rear section.

Description

Electric straddle-type vehicle

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric straddle-type vehicle.

[0002] Conventionally, electric straddle-type vehicles driven by a drive motor are known. Patent Document 1 discloses an electric two-wheeled vehicle in which battery capacity is increased by arranging batteries side by side in the front-rear direction below a floor portion.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-105149

[0004] Incidentally, in a conventional electric two-wheeled vehicle, the front end of a swing arm that supports a rear wheel is rotatably connected to a vehicle body frame. A swing arm generally has a pair of left and right arm portions and a cylindrical member bridging between the front ends of the pair of left and right arm portions, and has a structure in which the cylindrical member is connected to the vehicle body frame using a single pivot bolt. However, in conventional battery mounting structures, the cylindrical member may restrict the rear position of the battery. Further, even if there is no such restriction, if the distance between the left and right arm portions is increased to mount a wide battery, there is a restriction that it becomes difficult to ensure the rigidity of the swing arm.

[0005] In order to solve the above problem, an object of the present application is to provide an electric straddle-type vehicle that can achieve both an increase in battery capacity and ensuring the rigidity of the swing arm.

[0006] One aspect for achieving the above object includes: a vehicle body frame; a battery mounted on the vehicle body frame; and a swing arm having a front end connected to the vehicle body frame and supporting an axle of a drive wheel at a rear end thereof, wherein the swing arm includes: a pair of left and right arm portions extending from the front end to the rear end; and a cross portion connecting the pair of left and right arm portions, wherein in a side view of the vehicle body frame, the front end of the swing arm is arranged at a position overlapping the battery, the cross portion is arranged rearward of the battery, and at least one of the pair of left and right arm portions includes: an arm front portion having a front end and to which the cross portion is connected; an arm rear portion having a rear end; and a bent portion bent toward the vehicle center side between the arm front portion and the arm rear portion. The above is the electric straddle-type vehicle.

[0007] According to the above embodiment, it is possible to provide an electric saddle-type vehicle that can achieve both increased battery capacity and ensured rigidity of the swingarm.

[0008] Figure 1 is a side view of an electric saddle-type vehicle according to an embodiment. Figure 2 is a plan view taken along line II-II in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the area corresponding to line II-II in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a side view of Figure 3. Figure 5 is a plan view taken along line VV in Figure 1. Figure 6 is a side view of the main stand connection area. Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a case where the battery is housed at an angle. Figure 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a case where the terminals are located at the left and right corners on the upper side of the vehicle body. Figure 9 is a side view taken along line IX-IX in Figure 8. Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX in Figure 8.

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the description, unless otherwise specified, directions such as front and rear (vehicle length), left and right (vehicle width), and up and down (height) refer to the direction relative to the vehicle body. In each figure, the symbol FR indicates the front of the vehicle body, the symbol UP indicates the top of the vehicle body, and the symbol LH indicates the left side of the vehicle body.

[0010] Furthermore, for paired components on the left and right sides of the vehicle body, the designation may be distinguished by adding L (left component) or R (right component) to the end of the alphanumeric code. However, if paired components on the left and right sides of the vehicle body are not distinguished, L or R should not be added to the end of the code. Furthermore, for paired components at the front and rear of the vehicle body, the designation may be distinguished by adding F (front component) or B (rear component) to the end of the alphanumeric code. However, if paired components at the front and rear of the vehicle body are not distinguished, F or B should not be added to the end of the code.

[0011] [Overall Structure of the Vehicle] Figure 1 is a side view of an electric saddle-type vehicle according to an embodiment. In the following description, the electric saddle-type vehicle 10 will be referred to as the electric vehicle 10. Also, in Figure 1, the vehicle body cover 21, drawn with a dashed line, is designed to allow the internal structure of the electric vehicle 10 to be seen through it. Figure 2 is a plan cross-sectional view taken along line II-II of Figure 1. Specifically, Figure 2 is a plan view of line II-II with the vehicle body cover 21 removed. The dashed line F1 shown in Figure 2 indicates the rear end of the lower frame 33. Figure 3 is a perspective cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of Figure 2. In Figure 3, the vehicle body cover 21 has been removed. Figure 4 is a side view of the cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of Figure 2, viewed from the left. The dashed line U1 shown in Figure 4 indicates the center line in the height direction of the battery, and the front and rear battery center lines indicate the same height position.

[0012] As shown in Figure 1, the electric vehicle 10 comprises a body frame 11, a rear wheel 12 which is the drive wheel, a pair of left and right front forks 15 that support the front wheel 14 in a steerable manner, a swing arm 16 that supports the rear wheel 12, a rear suspension 17 that suspends the swing arm 16, a seat 18 on which the rider sits, a luggage box 19 located below the seat 18, a battery case 20 that houses the battery 201, and a body cover 21 that covers the body frame 11. The rear wheel 12 is equipped with a motor 13a that drives the rear wheel 12 and a brake 13b that brakes the rear wheel 12. In other words, the electric vehicle 10 is an electric motorcycle.

[0013] The electric vehicle 10 is a saddle-type vehicle in which the occupant sits straddling the seat 18, and is a step-through type scooter vehicle with a low floor section 22 in the center of the front and rear of the vehicle body.

[0014] The vehicle body frame 11 includes a head pipe 31 located at the front of the vehicle body, a front frame 32 extending downward from the head pipe 31, a lower frame 33 extending rearward from the front frame 32, and a rear frame 34 extending from the lower frame 33 to the rear of the vehicle body. The front frame 32 and the lower frame 33 constitute the main frame extending from the front to the rear of the vehicle body.

[0015] The head pipe 31 supports the front wheel 14 so that it can be steered left and right by supporting the pair of left and right front forks 15 and the steering handle 23 so that they can rotate left and right.

[0016] The front frame 32 is a frame that connects the head pipe 31 and the lower frame 33, and has a pair of left and right frames that extend downward from the head pipe 31 and branch out to the left and right and downward and rearward. The lower end of each front frame 32 is connected to the front of each of the left and right lower frames 33.

[0017] Specifically, as shown in Figure 2, the lower end of the left front frame 32L is connected to the front of the lower frame 33L that extends rearward on the left side of the vehicle body. Similarly, the lower end of the right front frame 32R is connected to the front of the lower frame 33R that extends rearward on the right side of the vehicle body.

[0018] The left and right front frames 32 are formed in a symmetrical shape with respect to the center of the vehicle width. Furthermore, since there is space between the left and right front frames 32, it is possible to arrange control devices such as an ECU that controls the electrical components of the electric vehicle 10, and lead-acid batteries used for auxiliary batteries, etc.

[0019] The left and right lower frames 33 are formed in a symmetrical shape with respect to the center of the vehicle width. Specifically, as shown in Figure 2, the lower frames 33L and 33R are formed to extend in the front-rear direction with a predetermined distance between them in the left-right (vehicle width) direction with respect to the center of the vehicle width. Below the floor portion 22, between the lower frames 33L and 33R, is a battery case 20 housing the battery 201.

[0020] A side stand 35 is provided near the center of the lower frame 33L in the front-to-rear direction. The side stand 35 is a stand that tilts the vehicle to the left and supports the electric vehicle 10 at the point where the rear wheel 12, front wheel 14, and side stand 35 touch the ground. In addition, a main stand 36 is provided below the connection point (details to be described later) that connects the vehicle frame 11 and the swingarm 16, which can support the vehicle in an upright position.

[0021] As shown in Figure 1, the rear frame 34 is the frame at the rear of the vehicle body and supports the rear components of the vehicle body, including the seat 18, the luggage box 19, and the junction box 40 to which the wiring 205 from the battery 201 is connected. The junction box is located inside the rising portion of the vehicle body cover 21 below the front end of the seat 18 and is fixed to a cross frame that connects to the left and right rear frames, which will be described later, and crosses the front upper part in a loop shape. The rear frame 34 has a pair of left and right frames that extend from the rear of the lower frame 33 with a gap between them and rising towards the rear. Specifically, the rear frame 34 includes a pair of left and right first rear frames 34a that extend from behind the center of the lower frame 33 in the front-rear direction with a gap between them and rising towards the rear, and a pair of left and right second rear frames 34b that extend from further rear than the first rear frames 34a with a gap between them and rising towards the rear.

[0022] As shown in Figure 2, the left first rear frame 34aL extends upward from between the center and rear end of the lower frame 33L in the longitudinal direction. The right first rear frame 34aR extends upward from between the center and rear end of the lower frame 33R in the longitudinal direction, symmetrically to the left first rear frame 34aL.

[0023] The left second rear frame 34bL extends upward from near the rear end of the lower frame 33L, behind the first rear frame 34aL. The left second rear frame 34bR extends upward from near the rear end of the lower frame 33R, behind the first rear frame 34aR, symmetrically to the left second rear frame 34bL. With this pair of left and right first rear frames 34a and second rear frames 34b, the rear parts of the vehicle body, including the seat 18, luggage box 19, and junction box 40, are reliably supported in the longitudinal and lateral directions.

[0024] The member supported by the rear frame 34 may be any member that is positioned between the left and right pair of first rear frames 34a and second rear frames 34b. For example, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, an example of a member positioned between the left and right pair of first rear frames 34a and second rear frames 34b is an electrical component such as a power control unit 42 and a DC / DC converter 41, which are positioned behind the junction box 40.

[0025] [Battery Configuration] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the battery case 20 is a box-shaped structure with an open top and sides and bottom made of metal or other sheet material. The battery case 20 is positioned between the lower frames 33L and 33R, and its sides or bottom are locked to the lower frames 33L and 33R by locking members (not shown).

[0026] The battery case 20 houses two roughly rectangular batteries 201, with their sides 203, which are provided with terminal portions 204 such as electrodes, facing each other. Specifically, battery 201F is housed in the front of the battery case 20, with the side 203F, which is provided with terminal portions 204F, facing rearward. Battery 201B is housed in the rear of the battery case 20, with the side 203B, which is provided with terminal portions 204B, facing forward. In this way, the battery case 20 houses the two batteries 201F and 201B arranged so that the longitudinal direction of the roughly rectangular parallelepiped, with the distance between the first surface (203F, 203B) having the terminal portions (204F, 204B) and the opposing surface being the longitudinal direction, is the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle body.

[0027] Batteries 201F and 201B are both batteries having the same approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape. Here, the approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape includes shapes that approximate a rectangular parallelepiped. For example, the approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape includes shapes with rounded corners, shapes with bulges on the surfaces, etc.

[0028] Terminal portions 204F and 204B are formed at the corners of one side surface 203F and 203B of the batteries 201F and 201B. The corners where the terminal portions 204F and 204B are formed may be any of the four corners of the side surface 203F and 203B. Furthermore, the terminal portions 204F and 204B only need to be formed near the corners.

[0029] By arranging the batteries 201F and 201B with their sides 203F and 203B, which are provided with terminals 204F and 204B, facing each other, the terminals 204F and 204B are positioned so that they are located at opposite corners of the opposing sides 203F and 203B.

[0030] For example, if terminals 204F and 204B are provided at the same corners of the four corners of sides 203F and 203B, then one of the batteries 201F and 201B is inverted upside down, and the batteries 201F and 201B are placed side by side 203F and 203B facing each other. As a result, as shown in Figures 2 to 4, the terminals 204F and 204B are positioned at opposite corners of the opposing sides 203F and 203B, for example, at the upper and lower corners on the left side of the vehicle body.

[0031] Furthermore, if batteries 201F and 201B are arranged so that their sides 203F and 203B face each other without being inverted, the terminal sections 204F and 204B will be positioned towards the opposing corners of the sides 203F and 203B, for example, the left and right corners on the underside of the vehicle body.

[0032] Furthermore, if terminals 204F and 204B are provided at different corners among the four corners of sides 203F and 203B, for example, one of the batteries 201F and 201B is inverted upside down, and the batteries 201F and 201B are arranged so that sides 203F and 203B face each other. As a result, the terminals 204F and 204B are positioned towards the opposite corners of sides 203F and 203B, for example, the upper left and lower right corners.

[0033] In this configuration, when batteries 201F and 201B are positioned, the terminal portions 204F and 204B are less likely to interfere with each other between the sides 203F and 203B facing each other. Therefore, the distance between the sides 203F and 203B facing each other can be shortened, allowing batteries 201F and 201B to be housed in a compact shape that reduces the overall length of the vehicle. The aforementioned opposing positions are directly below the raised portion of the vehicle body cover 21, with battery 201F positioned below the floor and battery 201B positioned in the space below the luggage box 19, which is covered by the vehicle body cover.

[0034] Alternatively, the two batteries 201 may be placed side by side in the battery case 20 with their terminal sections 204 facing each other on their respective sides 203, and then housed in the battery case 20. In this case as well, the distance between the two opposing sides 203 can be shortened, allowing the two batteries 201 to be housed in a compact shape that reduces the width of the vehicle body.

[0035] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the terminal section 204F, located near the lower left corner of the vehicle body, is connected to the wiring 205F from the junction box 40. The wiring 205F is routed in the gap between the side panels 203F and 203B on the opposite side from the terminal section 204F, i.e., the right side. Similarly, the terminal section 204B, located near the upper left corner of the vehicle body, is connected to the wiring 205B from the junction box 40. The wiring 205B is routed in the gap between the side panels 203F and 203B on the opposite side from the terminal section 204F, i.e., the right side. In this way, the wiring 205F and 205B are routed in the gap between the side panels 203F and 203B so as not to interfere with the terminal sections 204F and 204B.

[0036] Wires 205F and 205B, which are routed to the right side opposite to terminals 204F and 204B, converge into the main harness 400, which is routed along the lower frame 33R. In this way, the wires 205F and 205B from terminals 204F and 204B converge into the main harness 400 without any difficulty.

[0037] The upper surfaces 202 of the two batteries 201 housed in the battery case 20 are fastened to support members 301, 302, and 303, such as metal brackets, whose ends are fastened to the lower frame 33. Specifically, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the upper surface 202F of the battery 201F is fastened to the lower frames 33R and 33L by fastening parts 311, and is pressed and fixed by a plurality of rubber cushions 310 provided on the support member 301, which is arranged to cover the upper surface 202F across the lower frames 33R and 33L.

[0038] The front side of the upper surface 202B of the battery 201B is fastened to the lower frames 33R and 33L by fastening portion 321 and is pressed and fixed by a plurality of rubber cushions 320 provided on a support member 302 which is arranged in an I-shape across the lower frames 33R and 33L. The rear side of the upper surface 202B of the battery 201B is fastened to a member bridging the lower frames 33R and 33L by fastening portion 331 and is pressed and fixed by a plurality of rubber cushions 330 provided on a support member 303 which is arranged in an I-shape on the rear side of the upper surface 202B.

[0039] Since the batteries 201F and 201B are supported by these support members 301, 302, and 303, the vertical movement of the batteries 201F and 201B is reliably restricted. Furthermore, by providing these support members 301, 302, and 303, the rigidity of the floor section 22 against the load of the occupants can be improved.

[0040] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, battery 201F is provided extending from the top surface 202F to the side surface 203F and is fixed to the battery case 20 by a mounting member 340, one end of which is fastened to the bottom of the battery case 20. Similarly, battery 201B is provided extending from the top surface 202B to the side surface 203B and is fixed to the battery case 20 by a mounting member 350, one end of which is fastened to the bottom of the battery case 20. In this way, batteries 201F and 201B can be fixed in a way that prevents misalignment or interference between the batteries when their sides 203F and 203B face each other.

[0041] Specifically, the mounting members 340 and 350 are Z-shaped stays or the like. For example, the mounting member 340 is provided with a central portion 343 extending from an end portion 341 across from the upper surface 202F to the side surface 203F of the battery 201F, and an end portion 342 opposite to the end portion 341 is fastened to the bottom of the battery case 20 by a fastening portion 360. The mounting member 350 is provided with a central portion 353 extending from an end portion 351 across from the upper surface 202B to the side surface 203B of the battery 201B, and an end portion 352 opposite to the end portion 351 is fastened to the bottom of the battery case 20 by a fastening portion 360.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 4, the batteries 201F and 201B have the same height in a side view of the vehicle body. Therefore, in the electric vehicle 10, the floor portion 22 located above the batteries 201F and 201B can be formed into a flat shape.

[0043] Further, the junction box 40 to which wires 205F and 205B from the batteries 201F and 201B are connected is provided above the battery 201B. More specifically, the junction box 40 is provided above the battery 201B at a position closer to the battery 201F. Therefore, in the electric vehicle 10, the wiring distance between the batteries 201F, 201B and the junction box 40 can be shortened. After removing the floor portion and the rising portion of the vehicle body cover 21, removing the mounting members 340, 350 and the support members 301, 302 from the vehicle body frame, lifting the battery 201F upward and disconnecting the terminal portion 204 allows the battery 201F to be taken out upward, and then after disconnecting the terminal portion 205, the battery 201B can be pulled forward on the battery case 20 and taken out upward.

[0044] [Swing arm configuration] FIG. 5 is a flat sectional view taken along line V-V of FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a side view of a connection portion of the main stand 36. In FIG. 5, the alternate long and short dash line LC indicates the center of the vehicle body in a top view of the vehicle body. The alternate long and short dash line L1 indicates the left end in the vehicle width direction of the front arm portion 161L in a top view of the vehicle body. The alternate long and short dash line R1 indicates the right end in the vehicle width direction of the front arm portion 161R in a top view of the vehicle body.

[0045] As shown in Fig. 5, the swing arm 16 has a split pivot structure in which pivot portions 180, which are fulcrums connected to a rear frame 34 on a vehicle body frame 11, are independently provided on the left and right sides. With this structure, the swing arm 16 eliminates the need for a long cylindrical portion that connects the front portions of the pair of left and right arm portions 160 of the swing arm 16. Accordingly, since components can be mounted between the left and right pivot portions 180, the degree of freedom in design can be further improved. For example, this is effective for expanding the storage space for a battery 201 and the like.

[0046] The swing arm 16 includes a pair of left and right arm portions 160L, 160R extending in the front-rear direction, and a cross portion 170 bridging between the arm portions 160L, 160R.

[0047] The arm portion 160L includes a front arm portion 161L, a bent portion 162L, and a rear arm portion 163L. The front arm portion 161L has a pivot portion 180L connected to the rear frame 34 at a front end, and extends rearward from the rear frame 34. Further, the cross portion 170 is connected to a rear end portion of the arm portion 160L.

[0048] The bent portion 162L extends further rearward from the rear end of the front arm portion 161L, and bends toward the vehicle width center side behind the cross portion 170. In the arm portion 160L, a gusset member 171L bridging between the cross portion 170 and the arm portion 160L is provided from a position rearward of a location where the cross portion 170 is connected to a location where the arm portion 160L bends. This can increase the rigidity of the connecting portion between the arm portion 160L and the cross portion 170.

[0049] The rear arm portion 163L extends rearward from the bent portion 162L, and is provided with a suspension support portion 181L that supports the left rear suspension 17L, and an axle support portion 182L that supports the axle of the rear wheel 12.

[0050] The arm portion 160R comprises an arm front portion 161R, a bent portion 162R, and an arm rear portion 163R. The arm front portion 161R has a pivot portion 180R at its front end that connects to the rear frame 34, and extends rearward from the rear frame 34. A cross portion 170 is also connected to the rear end portion of the arm portion 160R.

[0051] The bent portion 162R extends further rearward from the rear end of the front portion 161R of the arm and bends toward the center of the vehicle width behind the cross portion 170. In the arm portion 160R, a gusset member 171R is provided that bridges the gap between the cross portion 170 and the arm portion 160R, from the rear of the point where the cross portion 170 connects to the point where it bends. This increases the rigidity of the connection portion between the arm portion 160R and the cross portion 170.

[0052] The rear portion 163R of the arm extends rearward from the bent portion 162R and is provided with a suspension support portion 181R that supports the right rear suspension 17R and an axle support portion 182R that supports the axle of the rear wheel 12.

[0053] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, in a side view of the vehicle body, the left and right pivot portions 180 at the front end of the swing arm 16 are positioned to overlap with the battery 201B. The cross portion 170 connecting the arm portions 160L and 160R is positioned behind the battery 201B. In this way, in the electric vehicle 10, the battery 201B can be positioned between the left and right pivot portions 180 of the swing arm 16, thus providing ample space for the battery and increasing its capacity. Furthermore, the rigidity of the swing arm 16 can be ensured by the cross portion 170 and the bent portion 162 that bends toward the center of the vehicle width behind the cross portion 170.

[0054] Furthermore, since the bent sections 162L and 162R are provided on the left and right pair of arm sections 160L and 160R, the swing arm 16 can be made narrower on both the left and right sides in the electric vehicle 10.

[0055] As shown in Figure 5, in a top view of the vehicle body, the outer end (left end) of the suspension support portion 181L in the vehicle width direction is closer to the dashed line LC than to the dashed line L1. That is, the left end of the suspension support portion 181L is inward of the left end of the front arm portion 161L in the vehicle width direction. Similarly, the outer end (right end) of the suspension support portion 181R in the vehicle width direction is closer to the dashed line LC than to the dashed line R1. That is, the right end of the suspension support portion 181R is inward of the right end of the front arm portion 161R in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, in the electric vehicle 10, the suspension support portion 181 can be prevented from bulging out beyond the swing arm 16 in the vehicle width direction.

[0056] A brake cable 401, which connects to the brake 13b of the rear wheel 12, is routed along the front part 161L of the arm, the bent part 162L, and the rear part 163L of the arm.

[0057] The arm section 160R is routed along the front section 161R, the bent section 162R, and the rear section 163R of the arm, and a main harness 400 is provided to consolidate the wiring that connects to the motor 13a of the rear wheel 12.

[0058] In this way, in the electric vehicle 10, the main harness 400, which brings together the wiring connected to the motor 13a, and the brake cable 401, which connects to the brake 13b, are routed to the left and right sides of the vehicle. As a result, the electric vehicle 10 can balance the weight on the left and right sides.

[0059] As shown in Figure 6, a main stand 36 is provided below the pivot portion 180L at the connection point where the front part 161L of the swing arm 16 connects to the second rear frame 34bL of the vehicle frame 11. Specifically, the main stand 36 is supported so that it can be raised and lowered via a main stand stay 37 that is welded and hangs down, bridging the space between the pivot portion 180L and the front part 161L of the arm. A spring 38 is also placed between the main stand stay 37 and the main stand 36. Due to the elastic force of this spring 38, the main stand 36 is normally maintained in the raised position.

[0060] In the electric vehicle 10, the main stand stay 37, which bridges the gap between the pivot portion 180L and the front portion 161L of the arm, serves both to reinforce the area of ​​the swingarm 16 where stress is concentrated and to mount the main stand 36.

[0061] Since the embodiments described above are for illustrative purposes only, various modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc., can be made within the claims or their equivalents.

[0062] [Other Embodiments] In the above embodiment, a configuration was illustrated in which two batteries 201 are placed side by side with their narrower side surfaces 203 facing each other. However, the side on which the terminal portion 204 is provided may be the side with a larger area, or the top or bottom surface. For example, if the terminal portion 204 is provided on the top or bottom surface of the battery 201, the battery 201 can be placed diagonally to accommodate it in the electric vehicle 10.

[0063] Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a case where the battery 201 is stored at an angle. As shown in Figure 7, the batteries 201a and 201b are configured to have terminal portions 204a and 204b at the corners of their upper or lower surfaces, for example. In this case as well, by arranging the batteries 201a and 201b so that their upper or lower surfaces with terminal portions 204a and 204b face each other, the terminal portions 204a and 204b are positioned, for example, towards different corners.

[0064] Furthermore, when batteries 201a and 201b are arranged so that their upper or lower surfaces, which have terminal portions 204a and 204b, face each other, their shape becomes close to a cube. Therefore, batteries 201a and 201b can be stored in the electric vehicle 10 by arranging them diagonally in the area corresponding to the luggage box 19, rather than below the floor portion 22.

[0065] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a configuration in which the bent portion 162 is provided on both the left and right pair of arm portions 160L and 160R was illustrated. However, the bent portion 162 may be provided on at least one of the arm portions 160L and 160R.

[0066] Furthermore, the terminal sections 204F and 204B may be positioned closer to the opposing corners of the sides 203F and 203B, for example, to the left and right corners on the upper side of the vehicle body.

[0067] Figure 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the case where the terminals are located at the left and right corners on the upper side of the vehicle body. Figure 9 is a side view of Figure 8, taken from point IX-IX. Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 8, taken from point XX.

[0068] For example, in batteries 201F and 201B, terminals 204F and 204B are provided at the same upper corners of the four corners of the sides 203F and 203B. If batteries 201F and 201B are placed side by side with their sides 203F and 203B facing each other, without inverting them, then as shown in Figures 8 to 10, the terminals 204F and 204B will be positioned towards the opposing corners of the sides 203F and 203B, for example, the left and right corners on the upper side of the vehicle body.

[0069] At this time, the wiring 205F and 205B from terminals 204F and 204B are routed inward in the vehicle width direction from terminals 204F and 204B in the gap between the opposing sides 203F and 203B. The wiring 205F and 205B routed in this manner are then gathered near the center of the gap between the opposing sides 203F and 203B and connected to the junction box 40 located above the battery 201B.

[0070] By arranging the wiring 205F and 205B in this manner, the wiring 205F and 205B can be routed in the gap between the opposing sides 203F and 203B so as not to interfere with the terminals 204F and 204B, thereby increasing the design flexibility of other components, for example. In addition, since the terminals 204F and 204B are positioned closer to the left and right corners on the upper side of the vehicle body where the opposing corners of the sides 203F and 203B meet, the risk of water exposure can be reduced compared to when the terminals 204F and 204B are positioned on the lower side of the vehicle body.

[0071] [Configurations supported by the above embodiments] The above embodiments support the following configurations.

[0072] (Configuration 1) An electric saddle-type vehicle comprising a vehicle frame, a battery mounted on the vehicle frame, and a swing arm whose front end is connected to the vehicle frame and which supports the rear wheel, wherein the swing arm has a pair of left and right arm portions extending in the front-rear direction and a cross portion connecting the left and right arm portions, wherein in a side view of the vehicle body, the front end of the swing arm is positioned to overlap with the battery, and the cross portion is positioned behind the battery, and at least one of the left and right arm portions extends rearward from the vehicle frame and comprises a front arm portion to which the cross portion is connected, a bent portion that extends rearward from the front arm portion and bends toward the center of the vehicle width behind the cross portion, and a rear arm portion that extends rearward from the bent portion.

[0073] (Configuration 2) The electric saddle-type vehicle according to Configuration 1, wherein the bent portion is provided on both the left and right pair of arm portions. With this configuration, the swing arm can be made narrower on both the left and right sides.

[0074] (Configuration 3) The electric saddle-type vehicle according to Configuration 1, wherein the rear part of the arm has a cushion support part that supports a cushion for suspending the rear wheel. With this configuration, the cushion support part can be provided at the rear part of the arm that extends rearward from a bent part that bends toward the center of the vehicle width, so that the cushion support part does not bulge in the direction of the vehicle width.

[0075] (Configuration 4) An electrically operated saddle-type vehicle as described in Configuration 3, wherein, in a top view of the vehicle body, the outer end of the cushion support portion in the vehicle width direction is positioned inward from the outer end of the front of the arm in the vehicle width direction. With this configuration, the cushion support portion can be prevented from bulging out beyond the swing arm in the vehicle width direction.

[0076] (Configuration 5) An electric saddle-type vehicle according to Configuration 1, further comprising a gusset member that bridges the gap between the cross section and the arm section. This configuration allows for a stronger connection between the cross section and the arm section.

[0077] (Configuration 6) An electric saddle-type vehicle according to Configuration 1, comprising a motor provided on the rear wheel, wiring connected to the motor, and a brake cable connected to a brake that brakes the rear wheel, wherein the wiring and the brake cable are routed to the left and right sides of the vehicle, respectively. With this configuration, the weight balance between the left and right sides of the vehicle can be adjusted.

[0078] (Configuration 7) An electric saddle-type vehicle according to Configuration 1, wherein a main stand is provided below the connection point where the swing arm and the vehicle frame are connected, and a main stand stay is welded to bridge the gap between the pivot portion and the front portion of the arm and hangs down, and supports the main stand. With this configuration, the reinforcement of the part of the swing arm where stress is concentrated and the mounting of the main stand can be combined.

[0079] 10...Electric vehicle, 11...Body frame, 12...Rear wheel, 13a...Motor, 13b...Brake, 14...Front wheel, 15...Front fork, 16...Swing arm, 17...Rear suspension, 18...Seat, 19...Luggage box, 20...Battery case, 21...Body cover, 22...Floor section, 23...Handlebars, 31...Head pipe, 32...Front frame, 33...Main frame, 34...Rear frame, 34a...First rear frame, 34b...Second rear frame, 35...Side stand, 36...Main stand, 37...Main stand stay, 38...Spring, 40...Junction box, 41...Electrical components, 42...Electrical components, 160...Arm section, 161...A Front of arm, 162...bend, 163...rear of arm, 170...cross section, 171...gusset member, 180...pivot section, 181...suspension support section, 182...axle support section, 201...battery, 202...top surface, 203...side surface, 204...terminal section, 205...wiring, 301...support member, 302...support member, 303...support member, 310...rubber cushion, 311...fastening section, 320...rubber cushion, 321...fastening section, 330...rubber cushion, 331...fastening section, 340...mounting member, 341...end, 342...end, 343...center section, 350...mounting member, 351...end, 352...end, 353...center section, 360...fastening section, 400...main harness, 401...brake cable.

Claims

1. An electric saddle-type vehicle comprising: a vehicle frame (11); a battery (201) mounted on the vehicle frame; and a swing arm (16) whose front end is connected to the vehicle frame and which supports the rear wheel, wherein the swing arm has a pair of left and right arm portions (160) extending in the front-rear direction, and a cross portion (170) connecting the pair of left and right arm portions, wherein in a side view of the vehicle body, the front end of the swing arm is positioned to overlap with the battery, and the cross portion is positioned behind the battery, and at least one of the pair of left and right arm portions (160L, 160R) comprises: a front arm portion (161) extending rearward from the vehicle frame and to which the cross portion is connected, a bent portion (162) extending rearward from the front arm portion and bending toward the center of the vehicle width behind the cross portion, and a rear arm portion (163) extending rearward from the bent portion.

2. The electric saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the bent portion is provided on both of the left and right pair of arm portions.

3. The rear part of the arm has a cushion support part (181) that supports the cushion (17) that suspends the rear wheel, as described in claim 1.

4. In a top view of the vehicle body, the outer end of the cushion support portion in the vehicle width direction is positioned inward from the outer end of the front of the arm in the vehicle width direction, as described in claim 3.

5. The electric saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a gusset member (171) that bridges the gap between the cross portion and the arm portion.

6. The electric saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1, comprising: a motor (13a) provided on the rear wheel; wiring (400) connected to the motor; and a brake cable (401) connected to a brake (13b) that brakes the rear wheel, wherein the wiring and the brake cable are routed to the left and right sides of the vehicle, respectively.

7. The electric saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a main stand (36) is provided below the pivot portion connecting the swing arm and the vehicle frame, and a main stand stay (37) is welded and hangs down, bridging the space between the pivot portion and the front portion of the arm, and supporting the main stand.

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