Vehicle

Abstract

The present invention was made in consideration of the aforementioned circumstances, and the purpose thereof is to provide a vehicle capable of easily supplying oil upward by suppressing collision between oil scooped upward and oil falling downward.　This vehicle (10) comprises a power unit (12) having: three or more gears (41-43) that mesh in order; and a gearbox (44) that supports the rotation shafts of the gears at positions shifted in the vertical direction such that one among the first gear (41) and the last gear (43) is positioned at the uppermost end and the other is positioned at the lowermost end in the order of meshing. The vehicle comprises an intermediate gear (42) that is disposed between the gear at the uppermost end and the gear at the lowermost end and that meshes with the gear at the lowermost end, and a guide member (50) that is disposed radially outward of the intermediate gear with a gap therebetween and that is disposed along the outer peripheral part of the intermediate gear. The guide member is disposed on the downstream side in the rotation direction of the intermediate gear and the gear at the lowermost end with respect to a meshing part (P) between the intermediate gear and the gear at the lowermost end.

Description

Vehicle

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle.

[0002] Conventionally, a technique for supplying oil to a predetermined location using a rotating member such as a gear has been disclosed (for example, see Patent Document 1). In Patent Document 1, oil is scooped up from an oil reservoir provided at a lower portion of a casing by rotation of a differential case and a differential ring gear, and supplied to a catch tank provided at an upper portion of the casing.

[0003] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2011-163395

[0004] However, when oil is scooped upward by scattering caused by a rotating member, there is a problem that the oil scooped upward collides with oil falling downward from above, which may inhibit the supply of oil upward. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle that suppresses collision between oil scooped upward and oil falling downward, and facilitates supplying oil upward.

[0005] A vehicle includes a power unit having three or more gears that mesh in sequence, and a gear box that supports rotation shafts of the respective gears at positions shifted in a vertical direction such that at least a first gear and a last gear in the meshing order have one positioned at an uppermost end and the other positioned at a lowermost end, the vehicle comprising: an intermediate gear disposed between the uppermost gear and the lowermost gear, the intermediate gear meshing with the lowermost gear; and a guide member disposed with a gap radially outward of the intermediate gear and along an outer peripheral portion of the intermediate gear, wherein the guide member is disposed downstream in a rotation direction of the intermediate gear and the lowermost gear with respect to a meshing portion of the intermediate gear and the lowermost gear.

[0006] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle that suppresses collision between oil scooped upward and oil falling downward, and facilitates supplying oil upward.

[0007] Figure 1 is a right side view of the saddle-type vehicle. Figure 2 is a right side view of the saddle-type vehicle with the side cowl removed. Figure 3 is a right side view of the power unit. Figure 4 is a rear view of the power unit. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V in Figure 3. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in Figure 4. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in Figure 4. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in Figure 7. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX in Figure 7.

[0008] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the description, directions such as front, back, left, right, and up and down refer to directions relative to the vehicle body unless otherwise specified. 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.

[0009] [Embodiment] Figure 1 is a right side view of a saddle-type vehicle 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The saddle-type vehicle 10 has a body frame 11 divided into a front frame 24 and a rear frame 28, and is a vehicle that includes a power unit 12 supported by the rear frame 28, a front fork 14 that supports the front wheel 13 in a steerable manner, a swing arm 16 that supports the rear wheel 15, a seat 17 for the rider, and a side cowl 18 that covers the side of the vehicle body. The saddle-type vehicle 10 is a vehicle in which the rider sits by straddling the seat 17. The seat 17 is provided above the rear of the body frame 11.

[0010] The front fork 14 is supported by the head pipe 23 so that it can be steered left and right. The front wheel 13 is supported by an axle 13a provided at the lower end of the front fork 14. The steering handle 19, which is held by the rider, is attached to the upper end of the front fork 14.

[0011] The saddle-type vehicle 10 also includes a front fender 20 that covers the front wheel 13 from above, a rear fender 21 that covers the rear wheel 15 from above, and steps 22 on which the rider places their feet. The front fender 20 is attached to the front fork 14. The rear fender 21 and steps 22 are located below the seat 17.

[0012] Figure 2 is a side view of the saddle-type vehicle 10 with the side cowl 18 removed. The front frame 24 has a head pipe 23 provided at the front end of the front frame 24, a main frame 25 extending downward and rearward from the head pipe 23, and a down frame 26 extending rearward from the head pipe 23 below the main frame 25. The main frame 25 and the down frame 26 are each provided in pairs on the left and right sides.

[0013] The battery case 27 houses the battery 27a that supplies power to the electric motor 34. In a side view of the vehicle, the battery case 27 is a roughly L-shaped case that extends rearward and downward from the front frame 24. That is, in a side view of the vehicle, the rear lower part of the battery case 27 is recessed rearward and upward, forming a roughly rectangular space S1 in a side view of the vehicle.

[0014] The rear frame 28 includes a seat frame 29 extending upward and rearward from the upper rear of the battery case 27, and a pivot frame 31 extending upward and rearward from the lower rear of the battery case 27 and connected to the seat frame 29. The seat frame 29 and the pivot frame 31 are provided in pairs, one on the left and one on the right. The seat 17 is supported by the pair of seat frames 29.

[0015] A pivot shaft 32 is inserted through the pivot frame 31. The pivot shaft 32 is an axis that extends horizontally in the vehicle width direction. The pivot shaft 32 is provided so as to pass through the front end of the swing arm 16 and the rear end of the power unit 12. That is, the swing arm 16 and the power unit 12 are supported by the pivot shaft 32. The swing arm 16 swings up and down around the pivot shaft 32. The rear wheel 15 is supported by an axle 15a provided at the rear end of the swing arm 16.

[0016] The power unit 12 is positioned in the space S1 below and behind the battery case 27. The power unit 12 is supported at three points: the battery case 27, the lower frame 30, and the pivot shaft 32. More specifically, the upper end of the power unit 12 is fixed to the battery case 27. The lower end of the power unit 12 is fixed to the lower frame 30. The rear end of the power unit 12 is supported by the pivot shaft 32, which passes through it.

[0017] Figure 3 is a right side view of the power unit 12. Figure 4 is a rear view of the power unit 12. Figure 5 is a diagram showing the V-V cross-sectional line in Figure 3. The power unit 12 comprises an electric motor 34, a PDU (Power Drive Unit) 36, and a high-voltage line connection 37. The PDU 36 is positioned in front of the electric motor 34. The PDU 36 is a motor driver that controls the electric motor 34. The PDU 36 is controlled by an ECU (Electric Control Unit) (not shown). The electric motor 34 of the power unit 12 is driven by power supplied from a battery 27a controlled by the PDU 36. The output of the power unit 12 is transmitted to the rear wheel 15 by a power transmission member (not shown) that connects the power unit 12 to the rear wheel 15.

[0018] The power unit 12 has an electric motor 34. The electric motor 34 is located at the bottom of the power unit 12. The electric motor 34 has a motor shaft (rotating shaft) 35 that extends in the left-right direction. When the electric motor 34 receives power from the battery 27a, it generates a driving force and rotates the motor shaft 35. A drive gear 41 is fixed to the right end (axial end) of the motor shaft 35.

[0019] A gearbox 44 is positioned to the right and above the electric motor 34. The motor shaft 35 enters the gearbox 44. The gearbox 44 has an output shaft (rotating shaft) 39 that is horizontal to the motor shaft 35, and a gear train 40 that transmits the output from the motor shaft 35 to the output shaft 39.

[0020] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in Figure 4, and is a right side view of the power unit 12 with the gear case cover 46 removed. The power unit 12 has a gearbox 44 in which an output gear 43 is arranged to transmit power from the electric motor 34 to the output shaft 39.

[0021] The gearbox 44 comprises a box-shaped gear case 45 with an open right side, and a gear case cover 46 attached to the open surface of the gear case 45. A gear train 40 is housed inside the gearbox 44. In this embodiment, the gear train 40 consists of a drive gear (first gear) 41, an intermediate gear 42, and an output gear (last gear) 43. The drive gear 41 is fitted to the right end of the motor shaft 35. The output gear 43 is fitted to the right end of the output shaft 39. The intermediate gear 42 has a rotation axis 47 horizontal to the output shaft 39. Note that the bearing portions 41A, 42A, and 43A are omitted from the description in Figure 6.

[0022] As shown in Figure 2, in this embodiment, in a side view of the vehicle, the intermediate gear 42 is positioned on a straight line LL connecting the axle 13a supporting the front wheel 13 and the axle 15a supporting the rear wheel 15. By positioning the intermediate gear 42 in this way, the center of gravity of the power unit 12 is lowered, which improves the stability of the saddle-type vehicle 10.

[0023] In this embodiment, each gear 41, 42, and 43 is a helical gear. That is, each gear 41, 42, and 43 has a spiral shape with its tooth traces inclined diagonally. In this embodiment, when viewed from the front of the vehicle, the intermediate gear 42 has a tooth trace that slopes downward to the right, while the drive gear 41 and output gear 43 have a tooth trace that slopes upward to the right.

[0024] The output gear 43 meshes with the drive gear 41, which is fixed to the right end of the motor shaft 35, via the intermediate gear 42. In this embodiment, the rotation axis 47 of the intermediate gear 42 is positioned behind the motor shaft 35 and the output shaft 39. Therefore, in a side view of the vehicle, the rear upper part of the drive gear 41 and the front lower part of the intermediate gear 42 mesh. Also, the front upper part of the intermediate gear 42 and the rear lower part of the output gear 43 mesh.

[0025] In this embodiment, as shown by arrows D1, D2, and D3 in Figure 6, in a view of the right side of the vehicle, the drive gear 41 and output gear 43 rotate clockwise, and the intermediate gear 42 rotates counterclockwise.

[0026] A transmission member 48 (see Figure 4) is fixed to the left end of the output shaft 39. A power transmission member is wrapped around the transmission member 48. More specifically, the power transmission member is wrapped around the transmission member 48 and a driven member (not shown) provided on the axle 15a of the rear wheel 15.

[0027] As a result, when the electric motor 34 is driven, the motor shaft 35 rotates, and the output shaft 39 rotates via the drive gear 41, intermediate gear 42, and output gear 43. The rotation of the output shaft 39 drives the rear wheels 15 via the transmission member 48, power transmission member, and driven member.

[0028] On the tangent line L to the meshing portion P where the drive gear 41 and the intermediate gear 42 mesh, a space S2 is formed downstream of the rotation direction of the drive gear 41 and the rotation direction of the intermediate gear 42. That is, in front of the intermediate gear 42, a space S2 is formed, sandwiched above and below by the drive gear 41 and the output gear 43, and sandwiched front and back by the intermediate gear 42 and the front wall 44aF of the gear case wall 44a.

[0029] A guide member 50 is positioned in space S2. The guide member 50 is positioned above the meshing portion P.

[0030] The gear case 45 has a breather chamber (not shown) that releases air and pressure from inside the gearbox 44. The breather chamber inlet 49, which connects to the breather chamber, is located downstream of the gears 41, 42, and 43 in the rotational direction. In this embodiment, the breather chamber inlet 49 is formed downstream of the output gear 43. More specifically, the breather chamber inlet 49 is the front wall of the gear case 45 and is formed above the guide member 50.

[0031] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII of Figure 4. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII of Figure 7. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX of Figure 7. The guide member 50 is composed of a case-side rib (rib) 50A (see Figure 6) provided on the gear case 45 and a cover-side rib (rib) 50B (see Figure 7) provided on the gear case cover 46. The case-side rib 50A is included within the opening of the gear case 45 in an axial view. The cover-side rib 50B is included within the opening of the gear case cover 46 in an axial view.

[0032] As shown in Figure 5, the case-side rib 50A is composed of a partition portion 51 extending downward and forward, and an oil reservoir portion 52 formed on the upper part of the partition portion 51.

[0033] The oil reservoir 52 forms a recess when viewed from the right side of the vehicle. More specifically, the oil reservoir 52 is formed by a first inclined surface 52a extending from the front and lower (front and upper of the vehicle body) of the output gear 43 toward the intermediate gear 42 (rear and lower of the vehicle body) along the rotational direction of the output gear 43, and a second inclined surface 52b extending rear and upward along the rotational direction of the intermediate gear 42 from the rear end of the first inclined surface 52a. The shape of the recess can be changed as appropriate, such as a V-shape or a U-shape.

[0034] The partition portion 51 is composed of a first partition portion 51a that extends downward along the intermediate gear 42 from the lower end of the oil reservoir portion 52 (the intersection of the first inclined surface 52a and the second inclined surface 52b), and a second partition portion 51b that extends downward and forward from the lower end of the first partition portion 51a.

[0035] The second partition portion 51b extends downward and forward from a position that overlaps with the position occupied by the rotation axis 47 in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the second partition portion 51b covers the area above the drive gear 41 within the space S2. That is, in a side view, the front end of the second partition portion 51b is located in front of the front end of the drive gear 41, and the rear end of the second partition portion 51b is located behind the front end of the drive gear 41.

[0036] The cover-side rib 50B is formed facing the case-side rib 50A in the vehicle width direction. The cover-side rib 50B is in contact with the case-side rib 50A. In this embodiment, the gear case cover 46 has an oil guide portion 57 facing the oil reservoir portion 52 of the case-side rib 50A. Below the oil guide portion 57, a cover-side partition portion 56 extending downward is formed. The cover-side partition portion 56 is formed facing the partition portion 51. In this embodiment, the cover-side rib 50B is composed of the oil guide portion 57 and the cover-side partition portion 56.

[0037] The oil guide portion 57 extends from the front wall of the gear case cover 46 (the surface constituting the front wall 44a of the gearbox 44) at a rearward and downward angle relative to the bearing portion 42A of the intermediate gear 42. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the oil guide portion 57 is in contact with the first inclined surface 52a.

[0038] The cover-side partition 56 is composed of a cover-side first partition 56a that extends downward along the intermediate gear 42, and a cover-side second partition 56b that extends forward and downward from the lower end of the cover-side first partition 56a to the front wall of the gear case cover 46. The cover-side first partition 56a is in contact with the first partition 51a. The cover-side second partition 56b is in contact with the second partition 51b. The cover-side second partition 56b extends from the lower end of the cover-side first partition 56a to the front wall of the gear case cover 46.

[0039] In this embodiment, the gearbox 44 contains oil to lubricate the gear train 40. The amount of oil contained is such that the lower part of the drive gear 41 is submerged when the vehicle is running. The oil is supplied throughout the gearbox 44 by the operation of the gear train 40.

[0040] The oil supply within the gearbox 44 will now be described. When the drive gear 41 is rotated by the drive of the electric motor 34, the oil adhering to the drive gear 41 is scooped up, and the oil scatters toward the radially outer side of the drive gear 41. Accordingly, oil can be supplied into the gearbox 44. Further, since the drive gear 41 meshes with the intermediate gear 42, the oil adhering to the drive gear 41 is supplied to the intermediate gear 42.

[0041] Similarly to the drive gear 41, the oil adhering to the intermediate gear 42 is scattered radially outward by the rotation of the gear, and supplied into the gearbox 44. Further, the oil adhering due to the meshing between the intermediate gear 42 and the output gear 43 is supplied to the output gear 43. Part of the oil adhering to each of the gears 41, 42, 43 and the interior of the gearbox 44 returns to the lower part inside the gearbox 44 under its own weight. In this way, oil circulates inside the gearbox 44.

[0042] In this series of oil flows, the guide member 50 guides the oil scattered from each of the gears 41, 42, 43 in a predetermined direction. More specifically, the oil reservoir 52 and the oil guide portion 57 supply oil to the intermediate gear 42, the output gear 43, and the bearing portion 42A of the intermediate gear 42. Further, the partition portion 51 and the cover-side partition portion 56 partition an oil flow path F1 that is scooped upward and an oil flow path F2 that falls downward.

[0043] Arrows F3 and F4 in FIGS. 8 and 9 indicate the flow paths of the oil. First, part of the oil that falls downward from the output gear 43 accumulates in the oil reservoir 52 of the guide member 50. Thereafter, part of the oil is guided by the oil guide portion 57 to the bearing portion 42A of the intermediate gear 42. Further, part of the oil flows toward the front side of the guide member 50 through a gap in front of the oil reservoir 52.

[0044] Further, the oil accumulated in the oil reservoir 52 scatters toward the intermediate gear 42 side due to the flow of the supplied oil and the inertial force generated during acceleration of the straddle-type vehicle 10, and part of the oil is supplied to the intermediate gear 42 and the output gear 43.

[0045] The oil sump portion 52 is formed such that, in the vertical direction, the height from the lower end of the oil sump portion 52 to the front upper end portion 52a1 of the oil sump portion 52 is equal to the height from the lower end of the oil sump portion 52 to the rear upper end portion 52b2 of the oil sump portion 52. This makes it easy for the oil accumulated in the oil sump portion 52 to be guided rearward, facilitating the supply of oil to the intermediate gear 42 in the gear train. As described above, part of the oil falling downward from the output gear 43 flows to the intermediate gear 42 and the output gear 43 via the oil sump portion 52, and another part of the oil flows to the bearing portion 42A of the intermediate gear 42 via the oil guide portion 57. Therefore, oil can be supplied efficiently.

[0046] The oil guided to the front upper side of the guide member 50 flows downward to the gear box 44 along the gear case wall portion 44a, the partition portion 51, and the cover-side partition portion 56. Specifically, the oil passes through the front-side surfaces of the partition portion 51 and the cover-side partition portion 56, and flows downward through the gap in front of the second partition portion 51b.

[0047] On the other hand, the oil scooped upward is moved by the operation of the drive gear 41 and the intermediate gear 42. Accordingly, the scooped oil flows on the rear side of the partition portion 51 and the cover-side partition portion 56.

[0048] In this way, with the partition portion 51 and the cover-side partition portion 56 serving as a boundary, oil is scooped upward on the rear side, and oil falls downward on the front side. In other words, the guide member 50 separates a flow path F1 for upward-flowing oil and a flow path F2 for downward-flowing oil. Therefore, collision between the scooped oil and the falling oil is easily prevented, which can suppress the problem that oil scattering upward is hindered and the amount of oil supplied to the upper gears is reduced. That is, oil can be efficiently supplied to the entire gear arrangement.

[0049] Furthermore, as described above, each of the gears 41, 42, and 43 is a helical gear. Accordingly, oil flows in the axial direction along the inclination of the teeth of the helical gear.

[0050] In order to improve the lubrication efficiency of the oil, it is preferable that oil that is scattered in a direction that does not contribute to the lubrication of the gears is quickly returned to each gear 41, 42, and 43. In this embodiment, the first partition portion 51a and the cover-side first partition portion 56a are formed along the intermediate gear 42. Therefore, oil that is scattered towards the space S2 side due to the rotation of the intermediate gear 42 is easily returned to the intermediate gear 42 by the first partition portion 51a and the cover-side first partition portion 56a. Thus, the amount of oil that is scooped up to the output gear 43 is increased.

[0051] Furthermore, if oil is scattered forward due to the upward movement of the drive gear 41, it can be received by the second partition 51b and the cover-side second partition 56b before reaching the front wall 44aF of the gear case wall 44a. Therefore, compared to the case where the oil is received by the gear case wall 44a, oil can be supplied to the oil passage F1 and the scattered oil can be quickly returned downward, thereby improving oil lubrication efficiency.

[0052] Furthermore, the gear case wall 44a is formed along the rear of the intermediate gear 42, the front of the output gear 43, and the rear of the output gear 43. Therefore, oil that splashes behind the intermediate gear 42 is easily returned to the intermediate gear 42 and adheres to it. Similarly, oil that splashes in front of and behind the output gear 43 is easily returned to the output gear 43 and adheres to it. These features improve oil lubrication efficiency.

[0053] Furthermore, by providing a gear case wall 44a along the rear of the gear train 40, oil that flows backward due to inertia during vehicle acceleration can easily adhere to the gear train 40. Therefore, oil lubrication efficiency can be improved.

[0054] Furthermore, in the circulation of oil within the gearbox 44, it is preferable that oil does not enter the breather chamber. In this embodiment, since the breather chamber inlet 49 is formed downstream of the output gear 43 and above the guide member 50, oil flows downward in the space between the breather chamber inlet 49 and the output gear 43. Therefore, the oil being stirred up around the breather chamber inlet 49 and the oil falling downward are less likely to collide, and the intrusion of oil into the breather chamber inlet 49 due to collisions between oils can be suppressed.

[0055] As described above, a vehicle having a power unit 12 having three or more gears that mesh in order, and a gearbox 44 that supports the rotational shafts 35, 39, 47 of each gear 41, 42, 43 in positions that are offset vertically, such that in the order of meshing, either the first drive gear 41 or the last output gear 43 is located at the uppermost end and the other is located at the lowermost end, wherein the vehicle is characterized by having an intermediate gear 42 positioned between the uppermost output gear 43 and the lowermost drive gear 41 and meshing with the lowermost drive gear 41, and a guide member 50 positioned radially outward of the intermediate gear 42 with a space S2 and positioned along the outer circumference of the intermediate gear 42, wherein the guide member 50 is positioned downstream in the rotational direction of the intermediate gear 42 and the lowermost drive gear 41 with respect to the meshing portion P between the intermediate gear 42 and the lowermost drive gear 41. With this configuration, the guide member 50 can guide the oil in the vertically aligned gears 41, 42, and 43, thereby creating both an upward-flow channel for the oil and a downward-flow channel within the gearbox 44. This suppresses collisions between the upward-flowing oil and the downward-flowing oil, making it easier to supply oil upwards in the vehicle.

[0056] The intermediate gear 42 is positioned along the inner surface of the gearbox 44. This configuration makes it easier for the oil flowing along the inner surface of the gearbox 44 to adhere to the intermediate gear 42, thereby increasing the amount of oil that can be scooped up by the intermediate gear 42.

[0057] The intermediate gear 42 is located behind the uppermost output gear 43 and the lowermost drive gear 41 in the direction of vehicle travel. With this configuration, oil that accumulates at the rear of the gearbox 44 can be actively collected in the intermediate gear 42 during driving.

[0058] The guide member 50 is provided with an oil reservoir 52 on its upper surface. With this configuration, the oil accumulated in the oil reservoir 52 on the upper surface of the guide member 50 is easily supplied to the intermediate gear 42 when accelerating, thus enabling oil supply to the intermediate gear 42.

[0059] The lowest drive gear 41 is a drive gear that drives the intermediate gear 42, and the guide member 50 covers at least a portion of the lowest drive gear 41 from above. With this configuration, the guide member 50 can receive oil that is being scraped up in a direction that makes it difficult for the oil to adhere to the gears at an early stage, thereby increasing the oil circulation efficiency.

[0060] The guide member 50 is positioned in the space in front of the intermediate gear 42 and the lowest drive gear 41 in the direction of vehicle travel. With this configuration, the oil passage can be made compact by using the space where no gears are located to form the passage.

[0061] Gears 41, 42, and 43 are each composed of helical gears, and oil flows axially along the inclination of the teeth.

[0062] In a side view of the vehicle, the gear 42 is positioned on a straight line LL connecting the axle 13a supporting the front wheel 13 and the axle 15a supporting the rear wheel 15. With this configuration, the gear 42 rotating inside the gearbox 44 is positioned to coincide with the straight line LL connecting the axle 13a of the front wheel 13 and the axle 15a of the rear wheel 15, which helps to lower the center of gravity of the gearbox 44 and improve the stability of the vehicle.

[0063] The gearbox 44 comprises a gear case 45 and a gear case cover 46 that covers the opening of the gear case 45. The guide member 50 is composed of a case-side rib 50A extending from the gear case 45 and a cover-side rib 50B extending from the gear case cover 46. The cover-side rib 50B provided on the gear case cover 46 side is provided with an oil guide portion 57 that extends from an oil reservoir portion 52 to the bearing portion 42A of the intermediate gear 42. With this configuration, oil can be effectively shared with the bearing portion 42A of the intermediate gear 42.

[0064] The gearbox 44 surrounding gears 41, 42, and 43 is provided with a breather chamber inlet 49 positioned with a gap between the gears 41, 42, and 43, and the guide member 50 is located downstream of the breather chamber inlet 49 in the rotational direction of gears 41, 42, and 43. With this configuration, by positioning the guide member 50 downstream of the breather chamber inlet 49 in the rotational direction of the gears (41, 42, and 43), collisions between oil stirred up from other gears and oil falling from above are reduced, thereby suppressing oil intrusion into the breather chamber inlet 49.

[0065] [Other Embodiments] The embodiments described above are merely one aspect of the present invention and can be modified and applied as needed without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0066] In the above-described embodiment, an example was explained in which there is one intermediate gear 42 that meshes between the drive gear 41 and the output gear 43. However, there may be multiple intermediate gears.

[0067] In the embodiment described above, an example was explained in which the drive gear 41, intermediate gear 42, and output gear 43 are arranged in the vertical direction. However, a part of the intermediate gear and either the drive gear or the output gear may be located at the same position in the vertical direction.

[0068] In the above-described embodiment, an example of a gearbox 44 provided in a saddle-type vehicle 10 operated by an electric motor 34 was explained. However, the gearbox 44 may also be provided in vehicles other than saddle-type vehicles, such as a four-wheeled automobile.

[0069] In the embodiment described above, an example was explained in which the intermediate gear 42 is positioned on a straight line LL connecting the axle 13a supporting the front wheel 13 and the axle 15a supporting the rear wheel 15, as viewed from the side of the vehicle. However, the drive gear 41 or output gear 43 may also be positioned on a straight line LL connecting the axle 13a and the axle 15a supporting the rear wheel 15. That is, by positioning the drive gear 41 or output gear 43, which rotates within the gearbox 44, at a position that coincides with the straight line LL connecting the axle 13a of the front wheel 13 and the axle 15a of the rear wheel 15, the center of gravity of the gearbox 44 can be lowered, thereby improving the stability of the vehicle.

[0070] [Configurations supported by the above embodiment] The above embodiment supports the following configurations.

[0071] (Configuration 1) A vehicle equipped with a power unit having three or more gears that mesh in sequence, and a gearbox that supports the rotation axes of each gear at positions offset vertically such that at least one of the first gear and the last gear in the meshing sequence is located at the uppermost end and the other is located at the lowermost end, wherein the power unit further comprises an intermediate gear positioned between the uppermost gear and the lowermost gear and meshing with the lowermost gear, and a guide member positioned radially outward of the intermediate gear with a gap and arranged along the outer circumference of the intermediate gear, wherein the guide member is positioned downstream in the rotational direction between the intermediate gear and the lowermost gear with respect to the meshing portion between the intermediate gear and the lowermost gear. With this configuration, the guide member can guide the oil of the vertically aligned gears, so that a flow path for oil being scooped upward and a flow path for oil falling downward can be formed in the gearbox. Therefore, it is possible to provide a vehicle that suppresses collisions between oil being scooped upward and oil falling downward and makes it easier to supply oil upward.

[0072] (Configuration 2) The vehicle according to Configuration 1, characterized in that the intermediate gear is arranged along the inner surface of the gearbox. With this configuration, the oil flowing on the inner surface of the gearbox is more easily allowed to adhere to the intermediate gear, thereby increasing the amount of oil that is scooped up by the intermediate gear.

[0073] (Configuration 3) The vehicle according to Configuration 1 or 2, characterized in that the intermediate gear is located behind the uppermost gear and the lowermost gear in the direction of vehicle travel. With this configuration, oil that accumulates at the rear of the gearbox can be actively collected in the intermediate gear during driving.

[0074] (Configuration 4) The vehicle according to any one of Configurations 1 to 3, characterized in that the guide member has an oil reservoir on its upper surface. With this configuration, the oil accumulated in the oil reservoir on the upper surface of the guide member flows out during acceleration and is easily supplied to the intermediate gear, thus enabling oil supply to the intermediate gear.

[0075] (Configuration 5) The vehicle according to any one of Configurations 1 to 4, characterized in that the lowest gear is a drive gear that drives the intermediate gear, and the guide member covers at least a part of the lowest gear from above. With this configuration, oil that is scooped up in a direction that makes it difficult for it to adhere to the gear can be received early by the guide member, and the oil circulation efficiency can be increased.

[0076] (Configuration 6) The vehicle according to Configuration 5, characterized in that the guide member is arranged in the space in front of the intermediate gear and the lowest gear in the direction of vehicle travel. With this configuration, the oil passage can be formed compactly by using the space in which no gears are arranged to form a passage.

[0077] (Configuration 7) A vehicle according to any one of Configurations 1 to 6, characterized in that at least one of the gears is positioned on a straight line connecting the axle supporting the front wheel and the axle supporting the rear wheel. With this configuration, the gears rotating inside the gearbox are positioned to coincide with the straight line connecting the axle of the front wheel and the axle of the rear wheel, which leads to a lower center of gravity for the power unit and improves the stability of the vehicle.

[0078] (Configuration 8) The vehicle according to any one of Configurations 1 to 7, wherein the gearbox comprises a gear case and a gear case cover that covers the opening of the gear case, and the guide member is composed of ribs extending from the gear case and the gear case cover, respectively, and the rib provided on the gear case cover side is provided with an oil guide portion that extends from the oil reservoir portion to the bearing portion of the intermediate gear. With this configuration, oil can be effectively shared with the bearing portion of the intermediate gear.

[0079] (Configuration 9) The vehicle according to any one of Configurations 1 to 8, characterized in that the gearbox surrounding the gear is provided with a breather chamber inlet positioned with a gap between it and the gear, and the guide member is located downstream of the breather chamber inlet in the rotational direction of the gear. With this configuration, by positioning the guide member downstream of the breather chamber inlet in the rotational direction of the gear member, collisions between oil stirred up from other gears and oil falling from above are reduced, thereby suppressing oil intrusion into the breather chamber inlet.

[0080] 10 Saddle-type vehicle 12 Power unit 13 Front wheel 13a Axle 15 Rear wheel 15a Axle 35 Motor shaft (rotating shaft) 39 Output shaft (rotating shaft) 41 Drive gear (gear) 42 Intermediate gear (gear) 42A Bearing section 43 Output gear (gear) 44 Gearbox 45 Gear case 46 Gear case cover 47 Rotating shaft 49 Breather chamber inlet 50 Guide member 50A Case side rib (rib) 50B Cover side rib (rib) 52 Oil reservoir section 57 Oil guide section P Meshing section LL Straight

Claims

1. A vehicle equipped with a power unit (12) having three or more gears that mesh in sequence, and a gearbox (44) that supports the rotation axes (35, 39, 47) of each gear at positions offset in the vertical direction such that at least one of the first gear (41) and the last gear (43) in the meshing sequence is located at the uppermost end and the other is located at the lowermost end, wherein the power unit (12) is equipped with an intermediate gear (42) positioned between the uppermost gear (43) and the lowermost gear (41) and meshing with the lowermost gear (41), and a guide member (50) positioned radially outward of the intermediate gear (42) with a gap and positioned along the outer circumference of the intermediate gear (42), The vehicle is characterized in that the guide member (50) is positioned downstream in the rotational direction between the intermediate gear (42) and the lowest gear (41) with respect to the meshing portion (P) between the intermediate gear (42) and the lowest gear (41).

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the intermediate gear (42) is arranged along the inner surface of the gearbox (44).

3. The vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the intermediate gear (42) is located behind the uppermost gear (43) and the lowermost gear (41) in the direction of vehicle travel.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide member (50) is provided with an oil reservoir (52) on its upper surface.

5. The vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the lowest gear (41) is a drive gear (41) that drives the intermediate gear (42), and the guide member (50) covers at least a portion of the lowest gear (41) from above.

6. The vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide member (50) is positioned in the space in front of the intermediate gear (42) and the lowest gear (41) in the direction of vehicle travel.

7. The vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the gears (41, 42, 43) is arranged on a straight line (LL) connecting the axle (13a) supporting the front wheel (13) and the axle (15a) supporting the rear wheel (15).

8. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the gearbox (44) comprises a gear case (45) and a gear case cover (46) covering the opening of the gear case (45), and the guide member (50) is composed of ribs (50A, 50B) extending from the gear case (45) and the gear case cover (46), respectively, and the rib (50B) provided on the gear case cover (46) side is provided with an oil guide portion (57) extending from the oil reservoir portion (52) to the bearing portion (42A) of the intermediate gear (42).

9. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the gearbox (44) surrounding the gears (41, 42, 43) is provided with a breather chamber inlet (49) positioned with a gap between the gears (41, 42, 43), and the guide member (50) is located downstream of the breather chamber inlet (49) in the rotational direction of the gears (41, 42, 43).

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