Vehicle and engine unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10220696-B2
Application number	US-201715815720-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2017
Priority date	Nov 18, 2016
Publication date	Mar 5, 2019
Grant date	Mar 5, 2019

Abstract

A vehicle includes, an engine including a crankshaft, a crankcase which is configured to accommodate the crankshaft therein, and a centrifugal clutch which is arranged coaxially with the crankshaft, and a propeller shaft to which rotational power output from the engine and changed in speed is transmitted, the propeller shaft passing through the crankcase and intersecting the crankshaft in plan view, at least a part of the propeller shaft being located between the centrifugal clutch and a support wall portion of the crankcase configured to support the crankshaft and above a lower end of the centrifugal clutch.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle, comprising:
an engine, the engine comprising:
a crankshaft;
a crankcase, which is configured to accommodate the crankshaft therein; and
a centrifugal clutch, which is arranged coaxially with the crankshaft; and
a propeller shaft;
a transmission which receives rotational power of the engine through the centrifugal clutch to transmit the rotational power to the propeller shaft and which changes a rotational speed of the propeller shaft; and

wherein the propeller shaft passes through the crankcase and intersects the crankshaft in a plan view, and wherein at least a part of the propeller shaft is located between the centrifugal clutch and a support wall portion of the crankcase configured to support the crankshaft and above a lower end of the centrifugal clutch.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein at least the part of the propeller shaft is located above a lower end of a crank web of the crankshaft.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the propeller shaft is arranged below the crankshaft.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the crankshaft extends in a right-and-left direction of the vehicle, and the propeller shaft extends in a fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.

5. The vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a transmission case, which is configured to accommodate the transmission therein, and is provided separately from the crankcase.

6. The vehicle according to claim 5 , further comprising a belt type continuously variable transmission, which is configured to transmit the rotational power from the engine to the transmission.

7. The vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein the belt type continuously variable transmission comprises a primary shaft arranged coaxially with the crankshaft.

8. The vehicle according to claim 5 ,
wherein the propeller shaft comprises a first shaft passing through the crankcase, and a second shaft passing through the transmission case, and the rotational power from the transmission is transmitted to the second shaft, and
wherein the first shaft and the second shaft are coupled to each other so as to be configured to transmit the rotational power therebetween.

9. The vehicle according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a first sealing member, which is configured to seal a gap between a first through-hole formed in the crankcase, and the first shaft passing through the first through-hole; and
a second sealing member, which is configured to seal a gap between a second through-hole formed in the transmission case, and the second shaft passing through the second through-hole.

10. The vehicle according to claim 5 ,
wherein the crankcase is dividable in an up-and-down direction of the vehicle, and
wherein the transmission case is dividable in a right-and-left direction of the vehicle.

11. The vehicle according to claim 5 , wherein the crankcase and the transmission case are coupled to each other through intermediation of an adapter.

12. The vehicle according to claim 11 , further comprising:
a first projecting portion, which is formed on an outer wall of the crankcase to protrude to an outside of the crankcase; and
a second projecting portion, which is formed on an outer wall of the transmission case to protrude to an outside of the transmission case,
wherein the crankcase and the transmission case are coupled to each other through intermediation of the adapter under a state in which the first projecting portion and the second projecting portion are held in contact with each other.

13. The vehicle according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a first recessed portion, which is formed in an outer wall of the crankcase to surround the first shaft protruding to an outside of the crankcase;
a second recessed portion, which is formed in an outer wall of the transmission case to surround the second shaft protruding to an outside of the transmission case; and
a collar, which is fitted in both the first recessed portion and the second recessed portion.

14. The vehicle according to claim 5 ,
wherein the transmission comprises an input shaft to which the rotational power from the engine is input, an output shaft configured to transmit the rotational power to the propeller shaft, and a transmission shaft interposed between the input shaft and the output shaft, and
wherein the input shaft and the transmission shaft are aligned in a fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.

15. The vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of seats, which are aligned in a right-and-left direction of the vehicle.

16. The vehicle according to claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of seats, which are aligned in a right-and-left direction of the vehicle,
wherein the transmission case is arranged below seat portions of the plurality of seats.

17. The vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of first row seats, which are aligned in a right-and-left direction of the vehicle; and
a plurality of second row seats, which are aligned in the right-and-left direction of the vehicle and arranged behind the plurality of first row seats,
wherein at least a part of the engine is located between the plurality of first row seats and the plurality of second row seats.

18. An engine unit, comprising:
a crankshaft;
a crankcase, which is configured to accommodate the crankshaft therein;
a centrifugal clutch, which is arranged coaxially with the crankshaft and is connected to the crankshaft;
a first shaft passing through the crankcase and intersecting the crankshaft in a plan view, at least a part of the first shaft being located between the centrifugal clutch and a support wall portion of the crankcase configured to support the crankshaft and above a lower end of the centrifugal clutch; and
a transmission, which is configured to transmit rotational power from a centrifugal clutch to the first shaft.

19. The engine unit according to claim 18 , further comprising:
a second shaft coupled to the first shaft so that the first shaft and the second shaft are able to transmit the rotational power therebetween,
a transmission case, which is configured to accommodate the transmission therein, and is provided separately from the crankcase;
wherein the transmission is configured to change a rotational speed of the second shaft and the first shaft; and
the second shaft passes through the transmission case.

Assignees

• Yamaha Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Uezu Junji

Classifications

• B60F3/003

  Parts or details of the vehicle structure; vehicle arrangements not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B60K17/06

  of change-speed gearing (B60K17/10 - B60K17/16 take precedence) · CPC title

• F02F7/0046

  Shape of casings adapted to facilitate fitting or dismantling of engine parts · CPC title

• B60K17/342

  having a longitudinal, endless element, e.g. belt or chain, for transmitting drive to wheels · CPC title

• F16C3/12

  releasably connected · CPC title