Brake system and vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016347295-A1
Application number	US-201415033544-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 29, 2014
Priority date	Oct 31, 2013
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A brake system includes a brake activator which first activates a central rear brake and lastly activates a front brake of a right front brake and a left front brake which is provided on a front wheel which is an inner wheel by operating an input member. When an operation amount of the input member from an initial state to a maximum operated state thereof is divided equally into three portions which are defined as a low braking force area, a middle braking force area, and a high braking force area, the brake activator activates the central rear brake, the right front brake, and the left front brake to operate in the low braking force area.

First claim

1 - 10 . (canceled)

11 . A brake system for a vehicle, the brake system comprising:
a right front brake provided on a right front wheel of the vehicle to generate a braking force on the right front wheel; a left front brake provided on a left front wheel of the vehicle to generate a braking force on the left front wheel; a central rear brake provided on a central rear wheel of the vehicle to generate a braking force on the central rear wheel; an input which a rider operates from an initial state to a maximum state and that activates the right front brake, the left front brake, and the central rear brake; and a brake activator that, at least while the vehicle is turning with a body frame of the vehicle leaning in a left-and-right direction of the body frame:
activates the central rear brake when an operation amount of the input from the initial state is a first operation amount;
activates either of the right front brake and the left front brake provided on the front wheel that defines an outer wheel having a first turning radius when the operation amount of the input from the initial state is a second operation amount that is larger than the first operation amount; and
activates the other of the right front brake and the left front brake provided on the front wheel that defines an inner wheel having a second turning radius that is smaller than the first turning radius when the operation amount of the input from the initial state is a third operation amount that is the same as or larger than the second operation amount; and
when an operation amount from the initial state to the maximum state is divided equally into three portions which are defined as a low braking force area, a middle braking force area, and a high braking force area, the first operation amount, the second operation amount, and the third operation amount are all included in the low braking force area.

12 . The brake system according to claim 11 , wherein a variation in the operation amount from the first operation amount, in which only the central rear brake is activated, to the second operation amount is smaller than half the low braking force area at least while the vehicle is turning with the body frame leaning in the left-and-right direction of the vehicle.

13 . The brake system according to claim 11 , wherein a maximum braking force of the central rear brake from the first operation amount, in which only the central rear brake is activated, to the second operation amount is smaller than one third a maximum braking force of the central rear brake from the initial state to the maximum operated state at least while the vehicle is turning with the body frame leaning in the left-and-right direction of the vehicle.

14 . The brake system according to claim 11 , wherein a total braking force of a braking force of the front wheel which defines the outer wheel and a braking force of the front wheel which defines the inner wheel is larger than a braking force corresponding to half a braking force of the central rear brake when an operation amount of the input member from the initial state is a fourth operation amount which is the same as or larger than the third operation amount at least while the vehicle is turning with the body frame leaning in the left-and-right direction of the vehicle.

15 . The brake system according to claim 14 , wherein the total braking force of the braking force of the front wheel which defines the outer wheel and the braking force of the front wheel which defines the inner wheel is larger than the braking force of the central rear brake when the operation amount of the input member from the initial state is a fifth operation amount which is the same as or larger than the fourth operation amount at least while the vehicle is turning with the body frame leaning in the left-and-right direction of the vehicle.

16 . A vehicle comprising:
a body frame; a right front wheel and a left front wheel aligned in a left-and-right direction of the body frame when the vehicle is viewed from a front thereof with the body frame being in an upright state; a central rear wheel provided behind the right front wheel and the left front wheel in a front-and-rear direction of the body frame and disposed between the right front wheel and the left front wheel when the vehicle is viewed from the front thereof with the body frame being in the upright state; a right shock absorber that supports the right front wheel at a lower portion thereof and absorbs an upward displacement of the right front wheel in an up-and-down direction of the body frame; a left shock absorber that supports the left front wheel at a lower portion thereof and absorbs an upward displacement of the left front wheel in the up-and-down direction of the body frame; and a link provided above the right front wheel and the left front wheel in the up-and-down direction of the body frame when the vehicle is viewed from the front thereof with the body frame being in the upright state and that supports an upper portion of the right shock absorber and an upper portion of the left shock absorber so as to turn, and at least a portion of which is supported on the body frame so as to turn about a turning axis which extends forwards in the front-and-rear direction of the body frame and upwards in the up-and-down direction of the body frame; and a brake system including: a right front brake provided on the right front wheel to generate a braking force on the right front wheel; a left front brake provided on the left front wheel to generate a braking force on the left front wheel; a central rear brake provided on the central rear wheel to generate a braking force on the central rear wheel; an input which a rider operates from an initial state to a maximum state and that activates the right front brake, the left front brake, and the central rear brake; and a brake activator that, at least while the vehicle is turning with the body frame leaning in the left-and-right direction of the body frame:
activates the central rear brake when an operation amount of the input member from the initial state is a first operation amount;
activates either of the right front brake and the left front brake provided on the front wheel that defines an outer wheel having a first turning radius when the operation amount of the input member from the initial state is a second operation amount that is larger than the first operation amount; and
activates the other of the right front brake and the left front brake provided on the front wheel that defines an inner wheel having a second turning radius that is smaller than the first turning radius when the operation amount of the input member from the initial state is a third operation amount that is the same as or larger than the second operation amount; and

when an operation amount from the initial state to the maximum state is divided equally into three portions which are defined as a low braking force area, a middle braking force area, and a high braking force area, the first operation amount, the second operation amount, and the third operation amount are all included in the low braking force area.

17 . The vehicle according to claim 16 , wherein the right shock absorber includes a right telescopic arm which is able to extend and contract in an extending and contracting direction extending in the up-and-down direction of the body frame so as to allow the right front wheel to be displaced in the extending and contracting direction of the right telescopic arm; and
the left shock absorber includes a left telescopic arm which is able to extend and contract in an extending and contracting direction extending in the up-and-down direction of the body frame so as to allow the left front wheel to be displa

Assignees

• Yamaha Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Seto Hiroaki
• OHASHI Kunihide
• Yamamura Takeshi
• Tsuji Yoshinori
• Takada Hideki
• Kajihara Kunio

Classifications

• B62D61/065

  with single rear wheel · CPC title

• B60T2220/04

  Pedal travel sensor, stroke sensor; Sensing brake request · CPC title

• B60T8/26

  characterised by producing differential braking between front and rear wheels {(using electrical circuitry or regulation means B60T8/17)} · CPC title

• B60T8/1701

  Braking or traction control means specially adapted for particular types of vehicles (for vehicles having more than one drive axle B60T8/1769) · CPC title

• B62K5/10

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