Saddle-type vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10279859-B2
Application number	US-201615292342-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 13, 2016
Priority date	Oct 13, 2015
Publication date	May 7, 2019
Grant date	May 7, 2019

Abstract

A saddle-type vehicle includes a link-type suspension system configured to make a vehicle support a driving wheel, and a motor configured to rotate the driving wheel. The driving wheel driven by the motor is a steered wheel. The link-type suspension system includes a swing arm having a pair of left and right arm portions that swingably supports the steered wheel. The motor is placed on one of left and right sides of a steering center axis in a width direction of the vehicle. A shock absorber is mounted on another arm portion of the swing arm, the another arm portion being placed on another of the left and right sides of the steering center axis in the width direction of the vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle, configured such that an operator thereof, rides on a saddle seat thereupon, the vehicle comprising:
a swing arm configured to make a vehicle support a driving wheel; and
a motor configured to rotate the driving wheel,
wherein:
the swing arm has left and right arm portions that swingably support the driving wheel;
the motor is placed on one of left and right sides of center of the driving wheel in a width direction of the vehicle; and

a shock absorber is mounted on one of the left or right arm portions of the swing arm such that the shock absorber is positioned only on a side opposite to the motor with respect to the center of the driving wheel in the width direction of the vehicle,
wherein a mounting location of the shock absorber in the arm portion is provided inward of an outer edge of the motor when the vehicle is viewed laterally.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a link suspension system including the swing arm, wherein the driving wheel driven by the motor is a steered wheel,
the link suspension system of the steered wheel includes a steering shaft of a steering mechanism rotatably held to a head pipe of a body frame,
wherein a front fork extends downward from below the steering shaft by branching into left and right fork legs,
wherein the left and right arm portions of the swing arm are swingably supported by the front fork, and
wherein the left and right arm portions of the swing arm rotatably support a wheel axle of the steered wheel.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein a center of gravity of the motor configured to drive the steered wheel is positioned on either the the left or right side of a steering center axis in the width direction of the vehicle, and the shock absorber is provided on the one of the left or right arm portion of the swing arm opposite the side where the center of gravity is located.

4. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the left and right fork legs of the front fork are arranged extending in a vertical direction by being spaced away from the wheel axle of the steered wheel to a rearward side, and is placed rearward of an outer edge of the motor with respect to the vehicle when the vehicle is viewed laterally.

5. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the left and right arm portions of the swing arm are swingably supported by the left and right fork legs of the front fork via a pivot located rearward of an outer edge of the motor with respect to the vehicle when the vehicle is viewed laterally.

6. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the left and right arm portions of the swing arm are swingably supported by the left and right fork legs of the front fork via a pivot located inward of an outer edge of the steered wheel when the vehicle is viewed laterally.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein, when the vehicle is viewed laterally, the mounting location of the shock absorber in the arm portion is provided inward of the outer edge of the motor and is on a side of a pivot of the swing arm with respect to a wheel axle of the driving wheel.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the motor is provided on the one of the left and right sides of the center of the driving wheel in the vehicle width direction, and a braking device and the shock absorber are provided on the one of the left and right sides so as to be positioned on the side opposite to the motor with respect to the center of the driving wheel in the width direction of the vehicle.

9. A vehicle configured such that an operator thereof, rides on a saddle seat thereupon, the vehicle comprising:
a link suspension system configured to make a vehicle support a driving wheel; and
a motor configured to rotate the driving wheel, wherein:
the driving wheel driven by the motor is a steered wheel;
the link suspension system includes a swing arm having left and right arm portions that swingably support the steered wheel;
the motor is placed on one of left and right sides of a steering center axis in a width direction of the vehicle; and

a shock absorber is mounted on one of the left or right arm portions of the swing arm such that the shock absorber is positioned only on a side opposite to the motor with respect to the steering center axis in the width direction of the vehicle,
wherein a mounting location of the shock absorber in the arm portion is provided inward of an outer edge of the motor when the vehicle is viewed laterally.

10. A vehicle configured such that an operator thereof, rides on a saddle seat thereupon, the vehicle comprising:
a link suspension system configured to make a vehicle support a driving wheel; and
a motor configured to rotate the driving wheel,
wherein:
the driving wheel driven by the motor is a steered wheel;
the link suspension system includes a swing arm having left and right arm portions that swingably support the steered wheel;
the motor is placed on one of left and right sides of a steering center axis in a width direction of the vehicle; and
a shock absorber is mounted on at least one of the left and right arm portions of the swing arm such that the shock absorber is at least positioned on a side opposite to the motor with respect to the steering center axis in the width direction of the vehicle,
wherein a mounting location of the shock absorber is provided inward of an outer edge of the motor when the vehicle is viewed laterally.

11. A vehicle, configured such that an operator thereof, rides on a saddle seat thereupon, the vehicle comprising:
a link suspension system configured to make a vehicle support a driving wheel; and
a motor configured to rotate the driving wheel, wherein:
the driving wheel driven by the motor is a steered wheel;
the link suspension system includes a swing arm having left and right arm portions that swingably support the steered wheel;
the motor is placed on one of left and right sides of a steering center axis in a width direction of the vehicle;
a shock absorber is mounted on at least one of the left and right arm portions of the swing arm such that the shock absorber is at least positioned on a side opposite to the motor with respect to the steering center axis in the width direction of the vehicle,
wherein:
the link suspension system of the steered wheel includes a steering shaft of a steering mechanism rotatably held to a head pipe of a body frame;
a front fork extends downward from below the steering shaft by branching into left and right fork legs;
left and right arm portions of the swing arm are swingably supported by the front fork;
the left and right arm portions of the swing arm rotatably support a wheel axle of the steered wheel; and
the left and right arm portions of the swing arm are swingably supported by the left and right fork legs of the front fork via a pivot located rearward of an outer edge of the motor with respect to the vehicle when the vehicle is viewed laterally.

Assignees

• Suzuki Motor Corp

Inventors

• Eguchi Teppei

Classifications

• B62L1/005

  constructional features of brake elements, e.g. fastening of brake blocks in their holders · CPC title

• B62M7/12

  with the engine beside or within the driven wheel · CPC title

• B62K11/02

  Frames (motorcycles or cycles with auxiliary engines characterised by position of engine B62M) · CPC title

• B60Y2400/86

  Suspension systems · CPC title

• B60Y2304/07

  Facilitating assembling or mounting · CPC title