Saddle-type electric vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9545968-B2
Application number	US-201414533482-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 5, 2014
Priority date	Nov 6, 2013
Publication date	Jan 17, 2017
Grant date	Jan 17, 2017

Abstract

An electric two-wheel vehicle includes a battery case that accommodates two batteries. The battery case is open in an upward direction. A head pipe supports a steering shaft and is connected to a front portion of the battery case. The battery case includes a beam portion that is disposed between the two batteries and extends rearward from a front wall portion of the battery case. Accordingly, it is possible to easily attach and detach the batteries with respect to a vehicle body for charging, protect the batteries, and secure the rigidity of a vehicle body frame.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A saddle-type electric vehicle comprising:
an electric motor configured to drive a rear wheel;
at least two batteries aligned in a lateral direction of the vehicle, and configured to supply electrical power to the electric motor;
a battery case for accommodating the at least two batteries, the battery case including an open upper surface and a length in a front-rear direction greater than a lateral width of the battery case, the battery case further including a left wall, a right wall, a front wall connecting front ends of the left wall and the right wall, and a rear wall connecting rear ends of the left wall and the right wall;
a steering shaft supporting a front wheel;
a head pipe supporting the steering shaft; and
a seat rail located below a seat; wherein
the battery case includes a beam portion disposed between the at least two batteries, connected to an inner surface of the front wall of the battery case, and extending rearward from the front wall of the battery case, and the beam portion includes a first attachment portion attached to an upper portion of the front wall of the battery case, and a second attachment portion attached to an upper portion of the rear wall of the battery case;
at least a portion of the front wall of the battery case is located rearward of the head pipe and is positioned higher than a lower end of the head pipe;
the head pipe is connected to an attachment portion on the front wall of the battery case;
the seat rail is fixed to the rear wall of the battery case; and
the seat rail and the head pipe are connected to each other through the battery case.

2. The saddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the beam portion includes a third attachment portion attached to an inner surface of the battery case.

3. The saddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the third attachment portion is attached to a bottom portion of the battery case.

4. The saddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the beam portion includes a first portion and a second portion which respectively extend in two directions that are inclined with respect to each other in a side view of the vehicle.

5. The saddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein the first portion extends in the front-rear direction, and extends from an upper portion of the front wall of the battery case to an upper portion of the rear wall of the battery case; and
the second portion is positioned below the first portion and extends obliquely with respect to the first portion.

6. The saddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 5 , wherein the second portion is connected to a bottom portion of the battery case.

7. The saddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein each of the right and left side walls includes a step on an outer surface thereof.

8. The saddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the battery case includes right and left case half bodies that are assembled together in the lateral direction of the vehicle, and each of the right and left case half bodies is an integral member.

9. The saddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising a motor case accommodating the electric motor; wherein
the motor case is separate from the battery case, and is fixed to the battery case.

10. The saddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising a motor case accommodating the electric motor, wherein the motor case is integral with the battery case.

11. The saddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising a foremost frame portion that includes the head pipe and is connected to the front wall of the battery case, wherein a vertical height of the foremost frame portion gradually increases toward a rear of the vehicle.

12. The saddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising a rear suspension disposed rearward of the battery case; wherein
the rear suspension is attached to an attachment portion on the rear wall of the battery case.

13. A saddle-type electric vehicle comprising:
an electric motor configured to drive a rear wheel;
at least two batteries aligned in a lateral direction of the vehicle and configured to supply electrical power to the electric motor, each of the at least two batteries including a connector on an outer surface thereof;
a battery case for accommodating the at least two batteries, the battery case including an opening in an upper surface and a length in a front-rear direction greater than a lateral width of the battery case, the battery case further including, on an inner surface of the battery case, connectors configured to be connected to the connectors of the at least two batteries;
a steering shaft supporting a front wheel;
a head pipe supporting the steering shaft and connected to a front portion of the battery case; and
a seat rail located below a seat; wherein
the battery case includes a beam portion disposed between the at least two batteries, connected to an inner surface of a front wall of the battery case, and extending rearward from the front wall portion of the battery case;
the at least two batteries are configured to be inserted into and removed from the battery case through the opening;
the connectors of the battery case are respectively located at positions corresponding to positions of the connectors of the at least two batteries accommodated in the battery case;
the seat rail is fixed to a rear wall of the battery case; and
the seat rail and the head pipe are connected to each other through the battery case.

14. A saddle-type electric vehicle comprising:
an electric motor configured to drive a rear wheel;
at least two batteries aligned in a lateral direction of the vehicle, and configured to supply electrical power to the electric motor;
a battery case for accommodating the at least two batteries, the battery case including an open upper surface and a length in a front-rear direction greater than a lateral width of the battery case, the battery case further including a left wall, a right wall, a front wall connecting front ends of the left wall and the right wall, and a rear wall connecting rear ends of the left wall and the right wall;
a steering shaft supporting a front wheel; and
a head pipe supporting the steering shaft;
a rear suspension disposed rearward of the battery case; wherein
the battery case includes a beam portion disposed between the at least two batteries, connected to an inner surface of the front wall of the battery case, and extending rearward from the front wall of the battery case to be connected to the rear wall of the battery case, the beam portion including a first attachment portion attached to an upper portion of the front wall of the battery case, and a second attachment portion attached to the rear wall of the battery case;
at least a portion of the front wall of the battery case is located rearward of the head pipe and is positioned higher than a lower end of the head pipe;
the head pipe is connected to an attachment portion on the front wall of the battery case; and
the rear suspension is attached to an attachment portion on the rear wall of the battery case.

15. The saddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 14 , wherein the attachment portion on the rear wall of the battery case is located in the upper portion of the rear wall of the battery case, and the second attachment portion of the beam portion is attached to the upper portion of the rear wall of the battery case.

16. The saddle-type electric vehicle according to cl

Assignees

• Yamaha Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Miyashiro Shidehiko
• Shirazawa Hideki
• Shimizu Tsukasa

Classifications

• B62J43/23

  dismounted when charging · CPC title

• B60L50/66

  Arrangements of batteries · CPC title

• B60K2001/0466

  from above · CPC title

• B62K11/04 Primary

  characterised by the engine being between front and rear wheels · CPC title

• Y02T10/7072

  Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors · CPC title