Vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9475535-B2
Application number	US-201314430371-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2013
Priority date	Sep 24, 2012
Publication date	Oct 25, 2016
Grant date	Oct 25, 2016

Abstract

A vehicle includes a center transmission plate, a first center turnable portion configured to turn about a first center turning axis extending in an up-down direction, a second center turnable portion configured to turn about a second center turning axis extending in a front-rear direction, a left transmission plate, a first left turnable portion configured to turn about a first left turning axis extending in the up-down direction, a second left turnable portion configured to turn about a second left turning axis extending in the front-rear direction, a right transmission plate, a first right turnable portion configured to turn about a first right turning axis extending in the up-down direction, and a second right turnable portion configured to turn about a second right turning axis extending in the front-rear direction. A tie rod is supported on the second center turnable portion, the second left turnable portion, and the second right turnable portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body frame including a head pipe;
a steering member including a turning axis supported by the head pipe such that the steering member is turnable relative to the vehicle body frame;
a first front wheel disposed to the left of a center of the vehicle in a vehicle width direction;
a second front wheel disposed to the right of the center of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction;
a first supporting device disposed to the left of the center of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction, and supporting the first front wheel so as to be turnable in accordance with a turning motion of the steering member;
a second supporting device disposed to the right of the center of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction, and supporting the second front wheel so as to be turnable in accordance with turning motion of the steering member; and
a steering force transmitting mechanism including a tie rod extending in a left-right direction of the vehicle, and configured to transmit a steering force, which is input to the steering force transmitting mechanism, to the first front wheel and to the second front wheel; wherein
the steering force transmitting mechanism includes:
a center transmission portion configured to not turn relative to the steering member;
a first turnable portion supported by the center transmission portion, and configured to turn relative to the center transmission portion about a first up-down turning axis extending in an up-down direction;
a first supporting portion connected to the first turnable portion, and supporting a center portion of the tie rod so as to be turnable relative to the first turnable portion about a first front-rear turning axis extending in a front-rear direction;
a second supporting portion supported by a left portion of the tie rod, and configured to turn relative to the left portion of the tie rod about a second front-rear turning axis extending in the front-rear direction;
a second turnable portion connected to the second supporting portion;
a left transmission portion configured to not turn relative to the first supporting device, being connected to the second turnable portion, and configured to turn relative to the second turnable portion about a second up-down turning axis extending in the up-down direction;
a third supporting portion supported by a right portion of the tie rod, and configured to turn relative to the right portion of the tie rod about a third front-rear turning axis extending in the front-rear direction;
a third turnable portion connected to the third supporting portion; and
a right transmission portion configured to not turn relative to the second supporting device, being connected to the third turnable portion, and configured to turn relative to the third turnable portion about a third up-down turning axis extending in the up-down direction.

2. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1 , wherein:
the first supporting portion is connected to a front portion of the first turnable portion;
the second supporting portion is connected to a front portion of the second turnable portion; and
the third supporting portion is connected to a front portion of the third turnable portion.

3. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1 , wherein:
the tie rod is a plate-shaped member extending in the left-right direction; and
a length of the tie rod in the up-down direction is longer than a length of the tie rod in the front-rear direction.

4. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a link mechanism including a turnable member extending in the left-right direction, supported by the vehicle body frame, configured to turn relative to the vehicle body frame about a turning axis disposed above the first front wheel and the second front wheel, and configured to tilt each of the first front wheel and the second front wheel in accordance with a turning motion of the turnable member.

5. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1 , wherein a distance in the left-right direction between the second up-down turning axis and the third up-down turning axis is longer than a distance in the left-right direction between a turning axis of the first supporting device extending in the up-down direction and a turning axis of the second supporting device extending in the up-down direction.

Assignees

• Yamaha Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Iizuka Toshio
• Hirayama Yosuke
• Kubo Yutaka
• Watanabe Takahiro
• Miyamoto Noboru
• Sasaki Kaoru
• Ogawa Hirokatsu

Classifications

• B60G2204/422

  Links for mounting suspension elements · CPC title

• B62K2005/001

  Suspension details for cycles with three or more main road wheels · CPC title

• B62K5/027

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

• B62K5/10

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

• B60G2300/45

  Rolling frame vehicles · CPC title