Air intake duct for motorcycle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10113518-B2
Application number	US-201615372767-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 8, 2016
Priority date	Jun 16, 2014
Publication date	Oct 30, 2018
Grant date	Oct 30, 2018

Abstract

An air intake duct ( 50 ) for a motorcycle supplies air taken in through an air inlet ( 24 ) in a front portion of a vehicle body to an engine (E) located at a center portion, in a longitudinal direction of the motorcycle, of the vehicle body. The air intake duct ( 50 ) includes a duct front ( 69 ) having the air inlet ( 24 ) formed at a front end thereof, and a duct body ( 70 ) removably coupled to a rear end portion of the duct front ( 69 ). The duct body ( 70 ) extends in the longitudinal direction so as to pass through an outer lateral side of the engine (E) and is removably connected at a rear end portion thereof to an air cleaner ( 40 ). In a state in which the duct body ( 70 ) is removed from the air cleaner ( 40 ), a cleaner element ( 87 ) can be attached and removed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An air intake duct for a motorcycle, which air intake duct supplies air taken in through an air inlet in a front portion of a vehicle body to an engine located at a center portion, in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, the air intake duct comprising:
a duct body extending in the longitudinal direction so as to pass through a lateral side, in a vehicle widthwise direction, of the engine and removably connected at a rear end portion thereof to the engine; and
a duct front removably coupled to a front end portion of the duct body, the duct front having the air inlet and being supported by a vehicle body frame, wherein
the duct front is covered from an outer lateral side by a fairing located at the front portion of the vehicle body, and the duct body is exposed to the outer lateral side from the fairing, and
in a state in which the duct body is removed from the engine, at least a portion of an inner device located inward of the duct body in the vehicle widthwise direction is exposed to enable the inner device to be attached and removed.

2. The air intake duct for the motorcycle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the front end portion of the duct body is coupled to a rear portion of the duct front by insertion in the longitudinal direction.

3. The air intake duct for the motorcycle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the duct body and the duct front are formed of materials different from each other.

4. The air intake duct for the motorcycle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
the duct body and the duct front are removably connected at upper portions thereof by means of a fastening member, and
the fairing covers the fastening member from the outer lateral side and has an opening for exposing the fastening member upward.

5. The air intake duct for the motorcycle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the front end portion of the duct body covers a rear end portion of the duct front around an entire periphery thereof from a radially outer side.

6. The air intake duct for the motorcycle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the duct body is foitned as a unitary article obtained by blow molding.

7. An air intake duct for a motorcycle which air intake duct supplies air taken in through an air inlet in a front portion of a vehicle body to an engine located at a center portion, in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, the air intake duct comprising:
a duct body extending in a longitudinal direction so as to pass through a lateral side, in a vehicle widthwise direction, of the engine and removably connected at a rear end portion thereof to the engine; and
a duct front removably coupled to a front end portion of the duct body, the duct front having the air inlet and being supported by a vehicle body frame, wherein
in a state in which the duct body is removed from the engine, at least a portion of an inner device located inward of the duct body in the vehicle widthwise direction is exposed to enable the inner device to be attached and removed,
a projection protruding toward the vehicle body frame is integrally formed on the duct body by molding, and
the projection is engaged with an engagement hole formed in the vehicle body frame.

8. An air intake duct for a motorcycle, which air intake duct supplies air taken in through an air inlet in a front portion of a vehicle body to an engine located at a center portion, in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, the air intake duct comprising:
a duct body extending in the longitudinal direction so as to pass through a lateral side, in a vehicle widthwise direction, of the engine and removably connected at a rear end portion thereof to the engine; and
a duct front removably coupled to a front end portion of the duct body, the duct front having the air inlet and being supported by a vehicle body frame, wherein
in a state in which the duct body is removed from the engine, at least a portion of an air cleaner located inward of the duct body in the vehicle widthwise direction is exposed to enable the air cleaner to be attached and removed.

9. An air intake apparatus for a motorcycle, comprising:
an air intake duct, which supplies air taken in through an air inlet in a front portion of a vehicle body to an engine located at a center portion, in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body;
a cleaner element configured to clean air taken in from the air intake duct;
a supercharger connected to a downstream side of the cleaner element with respect to a flow direction of the air;
a relief valve configured to adjust a pressure at a downstream side of the supercharger with respect to the flow direction of the air; and
a relief passage through which an outlet of the relief valve communicates with a clean chamber located at a downstream side of the cleaner element with respect to the flow direction of the air, wherein
the air intake duct comprises:
a duct body extending in the longitudinal direction so as to pass through a lateral side, in a vehicle widthwise direction, of the engine and removably connected at a rear end portion thereof to the engine; and
a duct front removably coupled to a front end portion of the duct body, the duct front having the air inlet and being supported by a vehicle body frame,
in a state in which the duct body is removed from the engine, at least a portion of an inner device located inward of the duct body in the vehicle widthwise direction is exposed to enable the inner device to be attached and removed, and
the clean chamber is provided with a protection member configured to prevent relief air discharged from an outlet of the relief passage from directly striking the cleaner element.

Assignees

• Kawasaki Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Arai Kozo
• Tsubone Toshiyuki

Classifications

• F02M35/10262

  Flow guides, obstructions, deflectors or the like (for generating a charge motion in the cylinder F02B31/00; for re-atomising condensed fuel or homogenising fuel-air mixture F02M29/00) · CPC title

• F02M35/10255

  Arrangements of valves; Multi-way valves (F02M35/10032 takes precedence; valves in the plenum chamber F02M35/10065; check valves F02M35/10275) · CPC title

• F02M35/024

  using filters, e.g. moistened (F02M35/026 takes precedence; cleaning of the filtering material F02M35/08) · CPC title

• F02M35/02

  Air cleaners · CPC title

• F16L25/08

  in the form of screws, nails or the like · CPC title