Motorcycle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9573645-B2
Application number	US-201314769521-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2013
Priority date	Nov 15, 2013
Publication date	Feb 21, 2017
Grant date	Feb 21, 2017

Abstract

A motorcycle of the present invention comprises a vehicle body; and a protruding section which is mounted to the vehicle body such that the protruding section protrudes from the vehicle body to at least one of right and left, and the protruding section has a structure which causes air to flow from front to back along an upper surface of the protruding section to generate a force for pushing the vehicle body downward.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A motorcycle comprising:
a vehicle body;
a cowling mounted to a side surface of the vehicle body; and
a protruding section which is mounted to a side surface of the cowling such that the protruding section protrudes from the vehicle body to at least one of right and left,
wherein the protruding section includes a blade-shaped portion which has an upper surface and a lower surface and causes air to flow from front to back along the upper surface and the lower surface to generate a force for pushing the vehicle body downward by a pressure difference of the air between upper and lower sides of the protruding section, and a guide wall which protrudes from an outer end portion of the blade-shaped portion in a vehicle width direction and is located outward in the vehicle width direction relative to both the blade-shaped portion and the cowling and apart from the cowling.

2. The motorcycle according to claim 1 ,
wherein a portion of the protruding section is located in a rear portion of a region of the cowling which region swells outward in the vehicle width direction, from a front portion of the cowling toward a rear portion of the cowling.

3. The motorcycle according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a radiator placed rearward relative to a front wheel,
wherein the cowling has an opening which is located forward relative to the radiator, covers the radiator from outside in the vehicle width direction, guides the air to the radiator, and has a discharge outlet through which the air which has flowed through the radiator is discharged, and
wherein the protruding section is placed forward relative to the discharge outlet, and located between upper and lower ends of the radiator in a vertical direction.

4. The motorcycle according to claim 1 ,
wherein a front end portion of the protruding section has a shape in which its width increases as the protruding section extends forward, when viewed from above.

5. The motorcycle according to claim 1 ,
wherein a lower end portion of the guide wall is curved inward in the vehicle width direction.

6. The motorcycle according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a front guide member which is placed forward relative to the cowling provided with the protruding section to guide the air outward in the vehicle width direction,
wherein the protruding section is located between upper and lower ends of the front guide member in a vertical direction.

7. A motorcycle comprising:
a vehicle body;
a cowling mounted to a side surface of the vehicle body; and
a protruding section which is mounted to the cowling such that the protruding section protrudes from the vehicle body to at least one of right and left,
wherein the protruding section has a structure which causes air to flow from front to back along an upper surface of the protruding section to generate a force for pushing the vehicle body downward, and a guide wall protruding downward from an outer end portion of the protruding section in a vehicle width direction,
wherein the protruding section is divided into a front protruding section and a rear protruding section, and
wherein the front protruding section and the rear protruding section are arranged at a front side and a rear side, respectively, such that there is a gap between the front protruding section and the rear protruding section in a travelling direction of the motorcycle.

8. The motorcycle according to claim 1 ,
wherein the upper surface of the protruding section is inclined upward as the upper surface extends rearward.

9. The motorcycle according to claim 1 ,
wherein a portion of the protruding section is located in a region of the cowling which region swells outward in the vehicle width direction as the cowling extends rearward, and
wherein the portion of the protruding section has a width which decreases as the portion extends rearward.

10. The motorcycle according to claim 1 , comprising:
a radiator placed rearward relative to a front wheel,
wherein the cowling has an opening which is located forward relative to the radiator, covers the radiator from outside in the vehicle width direction, and guides the air to the radiator,
wherein the protruding section is located between upper and lower ends of the radiator in a vertical direction.

11. The motorcycle according to claim 1 ,
wherein the guide wall protrudes downward from the outer end portion of the blade-shaped portion in the vehicle width direction.

12. A motorcycle comprising:
a vehicle body;
a front fork;
a cowling mounted to a side surface of the vehicle body; and
a protruding section which is mounted to a side surface of the cowling such that the protruding section protrudes from the vehicle body to at least one of right and left,
wherein the protruding section has a structure which causes air to flow from front to back along an upper surface of the protruding section to generate a force for pushing the vehicle body downward, and a guide wall which protrudes downward from an outer end portion of the structure in a vehicle width direction and is located outward in the vehicle width direction relative to both the structure and the cowling and apart from the cowling, and
wherein the protruding section is mounted to the cowling at a location that is rearward relative to the front fork.

Assignees

• Kawasaki Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Ishii Hiroshi
• Yamamoto Tomo
• Saeki Daisuke
• Kimura Toshiyuki
• Sonoda Seiichi
• Yoshida Akira
• Morikawa Manabu

Classifications

• B62D35/008

  Side spoilers (B62D35/001 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B62J17/02 Primary

  shielding only the rider's front · CPC title

• B60K11/08

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

• B62J17/00 Primary

  Weather guards for riders; Fairings or stream-lining parts not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B62J99/00

  Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass · CPC title