Saddle riding-type vehicle

Abstract

The present invention provides a saddle riding-type vehicle in which an air guide passage is formed between an inner cowl and an outer cowl while an increase in the number of components and weight is suppressed.　A saddle riding-type vehicle (1, 1a) includes: an inner cowl (30) that covers a side portion near a front portion of a vehicle body; an outer cowl (4) that covers an outer side, in a vehicle width direction, of the inner cowl (30); and a power unit (P, Pa) as a power source. The saddle riding-type vehicle (1, 1a) is equipped with a cover member (50) attached to the inner cowl (30) at a position inside the outer cowl (4). An air guide passage (T) is formed between an inner wall (50a) of the cover member (50) and a side wall (31a) of the inner cowl (30), the air guide passage (T) guiding outside air taken in from an inlet (H) at the front portion of the vehicle body to the power unit (P, Pa).

Description

Straddle-type vehicle

[0001] The present invention relates to a straddle-type vehicle, and particularly to a straddle-type vehicle provided with an air guide path that guides outside air taken in from an inlet provided at the front of the vehicle body to a power unit.

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known a straddle-type vehicle provided with an air guide path that guides outside air taken in from an inlet provided at the front of the vehicle body to a power unit.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses, in a motorcycle having a front cowl covering a front portion of a vehicle body, a configuration in which a cylindrical intake duct formed by connecting an inner half body and an outer half body is connected to a rear portion of an inlet provided in the front cowl.

[0004] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-230649

[0005] In recent years, straddle-type vehicles have been known in which a front cowl covering the front portion of a vehicle body is configured by an inner inner cowl and an outer outer cowl. In such a vehicle, when an attempt is made to arrange a cylindrical intake duct as in Patent Document 1 between the inner cowl and the outer cowl, there have been problems that the dimension in the vehicle width direction increases, and the number of parts and the weight also increase.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems of the prior art and provide a straddle-type vehicle capable of forming an air guide path between an inner cowl and an outer cowl while suppressing an increase in the number of parts and weight.

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a straddle-type vehicle (1, 1a) including: an inner cowl (30) covering a side portion closer to the front of a vehicle body; an outer cowl (4) covering an outer side of the inner cowl (30) in the vehicle width direction; and a power unit (P, Pa) serving as a power source, wherein the straddle-type vehicle includes a cover member (50) attached to the inner cowl (30) at a position inside the outer cowl (4), and a first feature is that an air guide path (T) that guides outside air taken in from an inlet (H) at a front portion of the vehicle body to the power unit (P, Pa) is formed between an inner wall (50a) of the cover member (50) and a side wall (31a) of the inner cowl (30).

[0008] Furthermore, a second feature of the inner cowl (30) is that its side wall (31a) is shaped to conform to the cover member (50) when viewed from the side of the vehicle body, and bulges inward in the vehicle width direction.

[0009] A third feature is that at least one through-hole (H1, H2, H3, H4) is formed at the rear of the inner cowl (30), outside the air guide passage (T), connecting the space between the inner cowl (30) and the outer cowl (4) to the outside of the vehicle body.

[0010] Furthermore, a fourth feature is that the through holes (H1, H2, H3, H4) are located behind the cover member (50).

[0011] Furthermore, a fifth feature is that a radiator (25) is disposed on the inside of the inner cowl (30) in the vehicle width direction, and the lower end (50b) of the cover member (50) is located above the upper end (25t) of the radiator (25).

[0012] Furthermore, the through holes (H1, H2, H3, H4) are divided into upper through holes (H1, H2) and lower through holes (H3, H4), and an outer cowl mounting portion (39) that protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction is provided between the upper through holes (H1, H2) and the lower through holes (H3, H4), and the cover member (50) is positioned in front of the outer cowl mounting portion (39), which is a sixth feature.

[0013] Furthermore, a seventh feature is that the inner cowl (30) is provided with flat plate portions (31h) that extend vertically from the upper and lower ends of the side wall (30a).

[0014] Furthermore, an eighth feature is that the lower wall of the air guide (T) is provided with an inclined section (K) that slopes upward towards the rear when viewed from the side of the vehicle body.

[0015] Furthermore, the power unit (P) includes an internal combustion engine, and the air guide (T) has a ninth feature in that it guides outside air to the intake system of the internal combustion engine.

[0016] According to the first feature, in a saddle-type vehicle (1, 1a) having an inner cowl (30) covering the front side of the vehicle body, an outer cowl (4) covering the outside of the inner cowl (30) in the vehicle width direction, and a power unit (P, Pa) as a power source, a cover member (50) is provided attached to the inner cowl (30) at a position inside the outer cowl (4), and an air guide passage (T) is formed between the inner wall (50a) of the cover member (50) and the side wall (31a) of the inner cowl (30) to guide outside air taken in from the front inlet (H) of the vehicle body to the power unit (P, Pa). Therefore, compared to a configuration in which a cylindrical intake duct is arranged between the inner cowl and the outer cowl, for example, it is possible to configure an air guide passage between the inner cowl and the outer cowl while suppressing an increase in dimensions in the vehicle width direction, the number of parts, and weight. This makes it possible to create an air duct that actively directs outside air from the front of the vehicle body to the power unit.

[0017] According to the second feature, the side wall (31a) of the inner cowl (30) is shaped to conform to the cover member (50) when viewed from the side of the vehicle body and bulges inward in the vehicle width direction, making it possible to increase the volume of the air passage while suppressing an increase in the outer dimension in the vehicle width direction. In addition, the bulging portion can straighten the airflow that flows through the inside of the inner cowl in the vehicle width direction.

[0018] According to the third feature, at least one through-hole (H1, H2, H3, H4) is formed in the rear of the inner cowl (30) outside the air guide passage (T), connecting the space between the inner cowl (30) and the outer cowl (4) to the outside of the vehicle body. This makes it possible to efficiently discharge the airflow outside the walls constituting the air guide passage to the outside, thereby enhancing the rectification effect of the airflow.

[0019] According to the fourth feature, since the through holes (H1, H2, H3, H4) are located behind the cover member (50), it is possible to efficiently discharge the airflow that flows outside the wall constituting the air guide outwards, thereby further enhancing the rectification effect of the airflow.

[0020] According to the fifth feature, the radiator (25) is arranged on the inside of the inner cowl (30) in the vehicle width direction, and the lower end (50b) of the cover member (50) is located above the upper end (25t) of the radiator (25). As a result, the airflow passing outside the wall constituting the air passage is less affected by the hot air that has passed through the radiator, and the rectification effect of the airflow is enhanced.

[0021] According to the sixth feature, the through holes (H1, H2, H3, H4) are divided into upper through holes (H1, H2) and lower through holes (H3, H4), and an outer cowl mounting portion (39) that protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction is provided between the upper through holes (H1, H2) and the lower through holes (H3, H4), and the cover member (50) is positioned in front of the outer cowl mounting portion (39), so that the outer cowl mounting portion can divide the airflow from the front into upper and lower. Accordingly, the airflow directed downward from the outer cowl mounting portion prevents the rise of hot air that has passed through the radiator, thereby improving occupant comfort.

[0022] According to the seventh feature, the inner cowl (30) is provided with flat plate portions (31h) that extend vertically from the upper and lower ends of the side wall (30a), making it possible to smoothly straighten the airflow along the flat plate portions.

[0023] According to the eighth feature, since the lower wall of the air guide (T) is provided with an inclined section (K) that slopes upward towards the rear when viewed from the side of the vehicle body, the airflow passing through the air guide collides with the inclined section, which equalizes the internal pressure of the air guide, improves intake efficiency, and generates a moderate intake sound, thereby enhancing occupant comfort.

[0024] According to the ninth feature, the power unit (P) includes an internal combustion engine, and the air guide (T) guides outside air to the intake system of the internal combustion engine, so that the air guide makes it possible to actively perform intake of air into the internal combustion engine.

[0025] This is a left side view of a motorcycle according to one embodiment of the present invention. This is a partially enlarged left side view of the motorcycle with the outer cowl removed. This is a partially enlarged front view of the motorcycle. This is a left side view of the inner cowl on the left side in the vehicle width direction. This is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V in Figure 1. This is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in Figure 1. This is a partially enlarged view of the inner cowl. This is a perspective view of the motorcycle with the outer cowl removed, seen from the left front. This is a left side view of the cover member on the left side in the vehicle width direction. This is a plan view of the cover member. This is a right side view of the cover member. This is a perspective view of the inner cowl seen from the inside in the vehicle width direction. This is a left side view of a modified example of one embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a left side view of a motorcycle 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The motorcycle 1 is a saddle-type vehicle that transmits rotational power from a power unit P including an internal combustion engine to the rear wheel WR via a drive chain 15. Head pipes F1 are attached to the front ends of a pair of left and right main frames F2 that constitute the vehicle body frame F, and support a pair of left and right front forks 23 in a steerable manner. A steering handle 3 is attached to the upper end of the front fork 23, and a front wheel WF is rotatably pivotally supported at the lower end of one of the front forks 23.

[0027] A pivot frame F3 is connected to the rear of the main frame F2, supporting a pivot 11 that pivots the swingarm 15 so that it can swing up and down. Below the pivot frame F3 on the left side in the vehicle width direction, a shift pedal 12 and a side stand 13 are located. A power unit P, which integrates the internal combustion engine and transmission, is suspended in the area enclosed by the pivot frame F3 and the main frame F2. The combustion gases from the power unit P are discharged through the exhaust pipe 22 to the muffler 24 (see Figure 3) on the right side in the vehicle width direction.

[0028] The front of the head pipe F1 is covered by a front cowl 7 that supports the headlight 8. The front cowl 7 supports the windscreen 5 and the rearview mirror 6. A pair of inner cowls 30 (30L, 30R) are adjacent to the left and right ends of the front cowl 7, and a pair of outer cowls 4 are attached to the outside of the inner cowl 30 in the vehicle width direction. An under cowl 10 that covers the front and lower part of the power unit P is connected to the lower part of the inner cowl 30. A radiator 25 that dissipates heat from the cooling water of the internal combustion engine is located in front of the power unit P, inside the inner cowl 30. Behind the radiator 25, a hanger frame F5 is located that extends rearward and downward from the head pipe F1 and supports the front part of the power unit P.

[0029] A front fender 9 is attached to the front fork 23, covering the area above the front wheel WF. A fuel tank 2 is located on the upper part of the main frame F2. A rear frame F4, which supports the seat 21 and seat cowl 20, is connected to the upper rear end of the pivot frame F3. A rear seat 19 is attached to the upper rear of the seat cowl 20. A rear fender 16, which supports the rear flasher lamp 17, is attached below the taillight device 18 mounted on the seat cowl 20.

[0030] Figure 2 is a partially enlarged left side view of the motorcycle 1 with the outer cowl 4 removed. Figure 3 is a partially enlarged front view of the motorcycle 1. The same reference numerals indicate the same or equivalent parts. Between the inner cowl 30 and the outer cowl 4, there is a pair of left and right air ducts T that guide outside air taken in from the inlet H at the front of the vehicle body to the power unit P.

[0031] A cover member 50 (shown as a dotted hatched area in the illustration) with a shape that extends forward and backward is attached to the outer side of the inner cowl 30 in the vehicle width direction. The air guide passage T is formed between the side wall of the inner cowl 30 and the inner wall of the cover member 50. The outside air Wt taken in from the inlet H is guided through the air guide passage T to the intake device of the power unit P. Between the inner cowl 30 and the outer cowl 4, there is a flow of running air Wa passing over the cover member 50 and a flow of running air Wb passing under the cover member 50. A large opening formed towards the rear of the inner cowl 30 reveals the hanger frame F5 extending downward and rearward from the head pipe F1.

[0032] Referring to Figure 3, the pair of left and right cover members 50 are positioned vertically between the headlights and the front fender 9. The cover members 50 have a shape that widens outward in the vehicle width direction from their front end towards the rear. The lower end 50b of the cover member 50 is located above the upper end 25t of the radiator 25. This makes it possible to reduce the influence of the hot air that passes through the radiator 25 on the airflow Wa and Wb passing outside the walls that constitute the air guide passage T, thereby improving the rectification effect of the airflow Wa and Wb.

[0033] Figure 4 is a left side view of the inner cowl 30 (30L) on the left side in the vehicle width direction. The inner cowl 30, made of a hard synthetic resin or the like, is a single molded part having a front portion 36, an upper portion 33, a rear portion 34, a lower front portion 38, and a downwardly extending portion 35. The inlet H of the air guide passage T is provided in the front portion 36. Between the upper portion 33 and the lower front portion 38, there is a bulge portion 31 that is covered by a cover member 50 and bulges inward in the vehicle width direction. The air guide passage T is formed between the side wall 31a of the bulge portion 31 and the inner wall of the cover member 50. At the rear end of the bulge portion 31, there is a cover member mounting portion 32 to which the cylindrical portion of the cover member 50 is attached.

[0034] Large openings H6 and H7 are provided between the lower front portion 38 and the rear portion 34 of the inner cowl 30, facing the hanger frame F5 (see Figure 2). Behind the cover member mounting portion 32, an outer cowl mounting portion 39 is provided, extending forward from the rear portion 34 to support the outer cowl 4. Above the outer cowl mounting portion 39, which is shaped to protrude outward in the vehicle width direction, upper through holes H1 and H2 are formed to discharge the airflow Wa (see Figure 2) passing over the cover member 50 to the rear from the inside of the inner cowl 30. On the other hand, below the outer cowl mounting portion 39, lower through holes H3 and H4 are formed to discharge the airflow Wb passing under the cover member 50 to the rear from the inside of the inner cowl 30. In addition, a central through hole H5 is formed in the outer cowl mounting portion 39.

[0035] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V in Figure 1. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in Figure 1. The air guide passage T is the space formed between the side wall 31a of the bulge portion 31 that bulges inward in the vehicle width direction of the inner cowl 30 and the inner wall 50a of the cover member 50. The air guide passage T gradually widens outward in the width direction as it moves from the inlet H towards the rear, and then curves inward in the vehicle width direction near the rear of the cover member 50. The air guide passage T has a roughly triangular cross-section immediately after the inlet H, and changes from a trapezoidal cross-section to a circular cross-section as it moves towards the rear.

[0036] A sloping section K is provided on the lower wall of the bulging section 31, which slopes upward towards the rear when viewed from the side of the vehicle body. The sloping section K causes the airflow Wt passing through the air duct T to collide with the sloping section K, thereby equalizing the internal pressure of the air duct T and improving intake efficiency. It also generates a moderate intake sound, which enhances occupant comfort.

[0037] Figure 7 is a magnified view of a part of the inner cowl 30L. Figure 8 is a perspective view of the motorcycle 1 with the outer cowl 4 removed, viewed from the left front. The same reference numerals indicate the same or equivalent parts. The outside air Wt taken in from the inlet H of the air guide passage T is guided through the air guide passage T and connected to an intake duct 70 that extends forward from an air cleaner box (not shown).

[0038] The airflow Wa passing over the cover member 50 and the airflow Wb passing under the cover member 50 are separated vertically by the outer cowl mounting portion 39 and discharged outward from the upper through-holes H1, H2 and the lower through-holes H3, H4, respectively. This enhances the rectification effect of the airflow Wa and Wb, and the airflow Wb passing under the cover member 50 prevents the rise of hot air that has passed through the radiator 25, thereby improving occupant comfort. The upper through-holes H1, H2 and the lower through-holes H3, H4 are slit-shaped, inclined upward or downward in a side view of the vehicle body, respectively, to control the direction of airflow discharge. In addition, the upper through-holes H1, H2 and the lower through-holes H3, H4 discharge air between the inner cowl 30 and the outer cowl 4 at an appropriate speed.

[0039] Figure 9 is a left side view of the cover member 50 (50L) on the left side in the vehicle width direction. Figure 10 is a top view of the cover member 50L, and Figure 11 is a right side view of the cover member 50L. The cover member 50, which is elongated in the front-rear direction, is made of a thin plate made of a hard synthetic resin or the like, and has a front end portion 51 that forms the inlet H, a main body portion 52 that extends rearward from the front end portion 51, a tapered portion 53 that bends the air guide passage T upward while decreasing in vertical dimension towards the rear, a cylindrical portion 54 that engages with the cover member mounting portion 32 of the inner cowl 30, and a connecting portion 55 that engages with the intake duct 70 that extends forward from the air cleaner box. The outer circumference of the cover member 50 is provided with four flanges 56 that hold fastening members 80 that engage with the inner cowl 30.

[0040] Figure 12 is a perspective view of the inner cowl 30 from the inside in the vehicle width direction. The bulging portion 31 of the inner cowl 30 is provided with flat plate portions 31h that extend vertically from the upper and lower ends of its side wall 31a. These flat plate portions 31h allow for the smooth flow of the airflow Wd passing over the cover member 50 and the airflow We passing under the cover member 50.

[0041] Figure 13 is a left side view of a modified motorcycle 1a according to one embodiment of the present invention. The motorcycle 1a has an electric power unit Pa consisting of a battery B and a motor M. The same air duct T as in the above embodiment can also be applied to the motorcycle 1a. The air duct T allows for efficient cooling of the battery B and motor M by the airflow while driving, thereby improving the power performance of the motorcycle 1a.

[0042] As described above, the saddle-type vehicle according to the present invention is equipped with a cover member 50 attached to the inner cowl 30 at a position inside the outer cowl 4, and an air guide passage T is formed between the inner wall 50a of the cover member 50 and the side wall 31a of the inner cowl 30 to guide outside air taken in from the inlet H at the front of the vehicle body to the power unit P. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which a cylindrical intake duct is arranged between the inner cowl and the outer cowl, for example, it is possible to configure an air guide passage T between the inner cowl 30 and the outer cowl 4 while suppressing an increase in dimensions in the width direction of the vehicle, the number of parts, and weight. This makes it possible to obtain an air guide passage that actively guides outside air from the front of the vehicle body to the power unit P.

[0043] The form of the motorcycle, the shape and structure of the inner and outer cowls, the shape and structure of the cover members, the shape of the air duct, etc., are not limited to the above embodiment and can be modified in various ways. For example, the air duct is not limited to a pair on the left and right in the vehicle width direction, but may be provided on either the left or right side. The structure of the air duct according to the present invention can be applied to various vehicles such as saddle-type tricycles and saddle-type four-wheeled vehicles having an inner cowl and an outer cowl.

[0044] 1, 1a... Motorcycle (saddle-type vehicle), 4... Outer cowl, 25... Radiator, 25t... Upper end of radiator, 30... Inner cowl, 31a... Side wall of inner cowl, 31h... Flat plate section, 39... Outer cowl mounting section, 50... Cover member, 50a... Inner wall of cover member, 50b... Lower end of cover member, H... Inlet, H1, H2, H3, H4... Through hole, H1, H2... Upper through hole, H3, H4... Lower through hole, K... Inclined section, P, Pa... Power unit

Claims

1. A saddle-type vehicle (1, 1a) having an inner cowl (30) covering the side of the vehicle body near the front, an outer cowl (4) covering the outer side of the inner cowl (30) in the vehicle width direction, and a power unit (P, Pa) as a power source, wherein a cover member (50) is attached to the inner cowl (30) at a position inside the outer cowl (4), and an air guide passage (T) is formed between the inner wall (50a) of the cover member (50) and the side wall (31a) of the inner cowl (30) to guide outside air taken in from the front inlet (H) of the vehicle body to the power unit (P, Pa).

2. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the side wall (31a) of the inner cowl (30) is shaped to conform to the cover member (50) when viewed from the side of the vehicle body and bulges inward in the width direction of the vehicle.

3. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one through-hole (H1, H2, H3, H4) is formed in the rear of the inner cowl (30), outside the air guide passage (T), connecting the space between the inner cowl (30) and the outer cowl (4) to the outside of the vehicle body.

4. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that the through holes (H1, H2, H3, H4) are located behind the cover member (50).

5. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a radiator (25) is disposed on the inside of the inner cowl (30) in the vehicle width direction, and the lower end (50b) of the cover member (50) is located above the upper end (25t) of the radiator (25).

6. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 4, characterized in that the through holes (H1, H2, H3, H4) are divided into upper through holes (H1, H2) and lower through holes (H3, H4), an outer cowl mounting portion (39) protruding outward in the vehicle width direction is provided at a position between the upper through holes (H1, H2) and the lower through holes (H3, H4), and the cover member (50) is disposed in front of the outer cowl mounting portion (39).

7. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the inner cowl (30) is provided with flat plate portions (31h) extending vertically from the upper and lower ends of the side wall (30a).

8. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the lower wall of the air guide (T) is provided with an inclined portion (K) that slopes upward towards the rear when viewed from the side of the vehicle body.

9. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the power unit (P) includes an internal combustion engine, and the air guide passage (T) guides outside air to the intake device of the internal combustion engine.

Images