Leaning-type vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11932345-B2
Application number	US-202017757976-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 9, 2020
Priority date	Dec 26, 2019
Publication date	Mar 19, 2024
Grant date	Mar 19, 2024

Abstract

A leaning vehicle includes a vehicle body, a left wheel, a right wheel, left and right bearings, left and right axle, left arm, right arm, and lean mechanism. The left arm supports the left wheel from inside in a vehicle width direction. The right arm supports the right wheel from inside in the vehicle width direction. The lean mechanism causes the left wheel and the right wheel to lean about a front-rear direction as a rotation center when the vehicle body leans about the front-rear direction as a rotation center. The single bearing is inserted into a hub hole of the left wheel. The single bearing is inserted into a hub hole of the right wheel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A leaning vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle body;
a first wheel positioned on a first side in a vehicle width direction;
a second wheel positioned on a second side opposite to the first side in the vehicle width direction;
a first bearing inserted into a hub hole of the first wheel;
a second bearing inserted into a hub hole of the second wheel;
a first axle inserted into the first bearing;
a second axle inserted into the second bearing;
a first supporter supporting the first wheel from inside in the vehicle width direction;
a second supporter supporting the second wheel from inside in the vehicle width direction; and
a lean mechanism configured to cause the first wheel and the second wheel to lean about a front-rear direction as a rotation center when the vehicle body leans about the front-rear direction as a rotation center,
wherein the first bearing is a single bearing inserted into the hub hole of the first wheel,
wherein the first bearing includes an inner portion and an outer portion, such that the first axle is attached to the inner portion of the first bearing, the first wheel is attached to the outer portion of the first bearing, and the first wheel rotates integrally with the outer portion of the first bearing relative to the vehicle body,
wherein the second bearing is a single bearing inserted into the hub hole of the second wheel, and
wherein the second bearing includes an inner portion and an outer portion, such that the second axle is attached to the inner portion of the second bearing, the second wheel is attached to the outer portion of the second hearing, and the second wheel rotates integrally with the outer portion of the second bearing relative to the vehicle body.

2. A leaning vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle body;
a first wheel positioned on a first side in a vehicle width direction;
a second wheel positioned on a second side opposite to the first side in the vehicle width direction;
a first bearing inserted into a hub hole of the first wheel;
a second bearing inserted into a hub hole of the second wheel;
a first axle inserted into the first bearing;
a second axle inserted into the second bearing;
a first supporter supporting the first wheel from inside in the vehicle width direction;
a second supporter supporting the second wheel from inside in the vehicle width direction; and
a lean mechanism configured to cause the first wheel and the second wheel to lean about a front-rear direction as a rotation center when the vehicle body leans about the front-rear direction as a rotation center,
wherein the first bearing is a single bearing inserted into the hub hole of the first wheel,
wherein the second bearing is a single bearing inserted into the hub hole of the second wheel,
wherein a center of an axis length of the first bearing is more inner side than a center of an axis length of the hub hole of the first wheel in the vehicle width direction and wherein a center of an axis length of the second bearing is more inner side than a center of an axis length of the hub hole of the second wheel in the vehicle width direction, and
wherein the first bearing is positioned entirely inside of the hub hole and the second bearing is positioned entirely inside of the hub hole.

3. A leaning vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle body;
a first wheel positioned on a first side in a vehicle width direction;
a second wheel positioned on a second side opposite to the first side in the vehicle width direction;
a first bearing inserted into a hub hole of the first wheel;
a second bearing inserted into a hub hole of the second wheel;
a first axle inserted into the first bearing;
a second axle inserted into the second bearing;
a first supporter supporting the first wheel from inside in the vehicle width direction;
a second supporter supporting the second wheel from inside in the vehicle width direction;
a lean mechanism configured to cause the first wheel and the second wheel to lean about a front-rear direction as a rotation center when the vehicle body leans about the front-rear direction as a rotation center;
a first tire attached to the first wheel; and
a second tire attached to the second wheel,
wherein the first bearing is a single bearing inserted into the hub hole of the first wheel,
wherein the second bearing is a single bearing inserted into the hub hole of the second wheel,
wherein the first bearing is positioned more outer side than a tire width center position of the first tire in the vehicle width direction,
wherein the second bearing is positioned more outer side than a tire width center position of the second tire in the vehicle width direction, and
wherein the lean mechanism is positioned between the first bearing and the second bearing in the vehicle width direction.

4. The leaning vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein a rotation center in which the lean mechanism rotates the first wheel coincides with a center of a tire width of the first tire, and wherein a rotation center in which the lean mechanism rotates the second wheel coincides with a center of a tire width of the second tire.

5. The leaning vehicle according to of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first member attached to the first axle,
wherein the first axle and the first member are connected via an anti-rotation structure preventing relative rotation.

6. The leaning vehicle according to claim 5 , wherein an inner member and an outer member of the first member are included, wherein the inner member is positioned more inner side of the first bearing in the vehicle width direction, wherein the outer member is positioned more outer side of the first bearing in the vehicle width direction, and wherein the anti-rotation structure prevents relative rotation of any two of the inner member, the outer member, and the first axle.

7. The leaning vehicle according to claim 5 , wherein the anti-rotation structure includes:
a groove formed along an axial direction of one of the first axle and the first member, and
a projection formed along an axial direction of the other of the first axle and the first member.

8. The leaning vehicle according to of claim 1 , further comprising:
a disk bracket attached to a hub of each of the first wheel and the second wheel; and
a brake disc attached to the disk bracket.

9. The leaning vehicle according to of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first brake disc; and
a first knuckle member,
wherein, in a rotation axis direction of the first axle, the first knuckle member is positioned on a first side of the first bearing and the first brake disc is positioned on a second side of the first bearing.

Assignees

• Kawasaki Motors Ltd

Inventors

• Nakajima Takeshi
• Ishii Hiroshi
• Iwamoto Taro
• Nagasaka Kazuya
• Inaba Taichi

Classifications

• B62K5/10 Primary

  with means for inwardly inclining the vehicle body on bends · CPC title

• B62K5/027

  Motorcycles with three wheels (specially adapted for disabled riders B62K5/023) · CPC title

• B62K5/05

  characterised by a single rear wheel · CPC title

• B62K5/08

  with steering devices acting on two or more wheels · CPC title

• B62K21/12

  Handlebars; Handlebar stems · CPC title