Straddle vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11639098-B2
Application number	US-202117367880-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 6, 2021
Priority date	Jul 7, 2020
Publication date	May 2, 2023
Grant date	May 2, 2023

Abstract

A straddle vehicle includes: an on-vehicle part disposed behind an engine and including a battery; and a traveling wind passage structure disposed at a lateral side of the on-vehicle part. The battery includes a heat radiator exposed a side surface of the battery. The traveling wind passage structure includes: an inflow port into which traveling wind flows; a outflow port from which the traveling wind flows; and a side wall that is located between the inflow port and the outflow port and defines a passage between the side wall and a side surface of the on-vehicle part. The passage includes: a heat exchange region adjacently located at a lateral side of the heat radiator; and an upstream region adjacently located upstream of the heat exchange region. A passage sectional area of the heat exchange region is smaller than a passage sectional area of the upstream region.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A straddle vehicle comprising:
an engine that generates traveling power to be transmitted to a driving wheel;
an electric motor that generates traveling power to be transmitted to the driving wheel;
an on-vehicle part disposed behind the engine and including a battery that stores electric power to be supplied to the electric motor; and
a traveling wind passage structure disposed at a lateral side of the on-vehicle part, wherein:
the battery includes at least one heat radiator exposed on at least one of side surfaces of the battery;
the traveling wind passage structure includes
at least one inflow port into which traveling wind flows,
at least one outflow port from which the traveling wind flows, and
at least one side wall that is located between the inflow port and the outflow port and defines a passage between the at least one side wall and a side surface of the on-vehicle part;

the passage includes
a heat exchange region adjacently located at a lateral side of the heat radiator and
an upstream region adjacently located upstream of the heat exchange region; and

a passage sectional area of the heat exchange region is smaller than a passage sectional area of the upstream region.

2. The straddle vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein a dimension of an outer shape of the traveling wind passage structure in the heat exchange region in a vehicle width direction is smaller than a dimension of an outer shape of the traveling wind passage structure in the upstream region in the vehicle width direction.

3. The straddle vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein:
the passage includes a downstream region adjacently located downstream of the heat exchange region; and
the passage sectional area of the heat exchange region is smaller than a passage sectional area of the downstream region.

4. The straddle vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein:
the passage extends in a front-rear direction; and
the heat radiator includes fins extending in the front-rear direction.

5. The straddle vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein:
the inflow port is open forward; and
the outflow port is open inward in a vehicle width direction.

6. The straddle vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the inflow port is located outside the engine in a vehicle width direction.

7. The straddle vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the inflow port is located in front of the engine.

8. The straddle vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein upper and lower sides of the heat exchange region are closed.

9. The straddle vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one heat radiator comprises a pair of heat radiators disposed at both respective side surfaces of the battery in a vehicle width direction;
the at least one side wall comprises a pair of side walls; and
the traveling wind passage structure covers the battery from both sides in the vehicle width direction and a lower side.

Assignees

• Kawasaki Motors Ltd

Inventors

• Takeuchi Hiroshi

Classifications

• B60Y2306/05

  Cooling · CPC title

• B60K11/06 Primary

  with air cooling · CPC title

• B60K11/08

  Air inlets for cooling; Shutters or blinds therefor · CPC title

• B62M7/02

  with engine between front and rear wheels · CPC title

• B60Y2200/12

  Motorcycles, Trikes; Quads; Scooters · CPC title