Swingarm supporting structure for motorcycle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9828058-B2
Application number	US-201314108916-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2013
Priority date	Dec 27, 2012
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

A swingarm supporting structure can prevent rigidity of a case from becoming excessive and can improve a degree of freedom of design. The swingarm supporting structure includes: a case in which a power unit is stored; and a bracket for freely pivotally supporting a swingarm up and down through a pivot shaft. The swingarm supports an axle, and the bracket is detachably fixed to the case in a fixed direction intersecting the pivot shaft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A swingarm supporting structure for a motorcycle, comprising:
a case in which a power unit is to be stored;
a bracket for freely pivotally supporting a swingarm up and down via a pivot shaft extending in a vehicle width direction, the swingarm being configured to support an axle; and
a pair of main frames spaced apart in the vehicle width direction, the main frames extending rearward from a head pipe frame;
wherein the bracket has a pivot hole for freely angularly diplaceably supporting the pivot shaft and a case fixing portion detachably fixed to the case in a direction intersecting the vehicle width direction, the case fixing portion being configured to extend in a vertical direction and in the vehicle width direction, and to have a thickness in a fixed direction, the fixed direction being a direction in which the bracket is fixed to the case;
wherein the case fixing portion has an absorber supporting portion for supporting a shock absorber for elastically supporting the swingarm with respect to the bracket;
wherein each of the main frames has a rear portion extending in a vertical direction; and
wherein the bracket is located between the respective rear portions of the pair of main frames to connect to the pair of main frames.

2. A motorcycle comprising:
a vehicle body frame;
a rear frame;
a case for storing a power unit therein;
a bracket for freely pivotally supporting a swingarm up and down via a pivot shaft, the swingarm being configured to support an axle; and
a shock absorber for elastically supporting the swingarm with respect to the bracket,
wherein the bracket is detachably fixed to the case in a direction intersecting a vehicle width direction, the bracket having an absorber supporting portion for supporting the shock absorber, and the bracket being formed separately from the vehicle body frame and the rear frame;
wherein the rear frame is fixed to the vehicle body frame; and
wherein the bracket is fixed to the case and the vehicle body frame at a position further inward than a position at which the rear frame is fixed to the vehicle body frame with respect to the vehicle width direction.

3. The motorcycle according to claim 2 ,
wherein the case has a body portion and a fixing portion for fixing the bracket, and
the fixing portion is formed so as to protrude from the body portion in the direction intersecting the vehicle width direction.

4. The motorcycle according to claim 2 ,
wherein the bracket has a case fixing portion detachably fixed to the case in a direction intersecting the vehicle width direction, the case fixing portion being configured to extend in a vertical direction and in the vehicle width direction, and to have a thickness in a fixed direction, the fixed direction being a direction in which the bracket is fixed to the case; and
wherein the absorber supporting portion is located at a side of the case fixing portion of the bracket with respect to a center of the case fixing portion in the vehicle width direction.

5. The motorcycle according to claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of fastening members for fixing the bracket to the case,
wherein each of the plurality of fastening members is placed at a position away from a region hidden by the shock absorber when viewed along the direction intersecting with the vehicle width direction.

6. The motorcycle according to claim 2 ,
wherein the bracket has a case fixing portion detachably fixed to the case in a direction intersecting the vehicle width direction, the case fixing portion being configured to extend in a vertical direction and in the vehicle width direction, and to have a thickness in a fixed direction, the fixed direction being a direction in which the bracket is fixed to the case; and
wherein a width of the case fixing portion in the vehicle width direction is smaller than a width of the case in the vehicle width direction.

7. The motorcycle according to claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of fastening members for fixing the bracket to the case,
wherein the bracket has a plurality of insertion holes for receiving the plurality of fastening members, respectively, at an upper portion and a lower portion of the bracket.

8. The motorcycle according to claim 2 ,
wherein the bracket has a case fixing portion detachably fixed to the case in a direction intersecting the vehicle width direction, the case fixing portion being configured to extend in a vertical direction and in the vehicle width direction, and to have a thickness in a fixed direction, the fixed direction being a direction in which the bracket is fixed to the case; and
wherein the pivot shaft is adjacent to a front surface of the bracket and arranged within the thickness of the case fixing portion of the bracket.

9. The motorcycle according to claim 2 ,
wherein the bracket has a plurality of recesses formed in the direction intersecting the vehicle width direction, and ribs are formed between adjacent recesses.

10. The motorcycle according to claim 2 ,
wherein the bracket is formed by a mold separated in the direction intersecting the vehicle width direction.

11. The motorcycle according to claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of fastening members for fixing the bracket to the case,
wherein the plurality of the fastening members are arranged on both sides of a divided surface of the case.

12. The motorcycle according to claim 2 , wherein the vehicle body frame supports the case, and the rear frame supports a seat.

13. The motorcycle according to claim 2 , wherein the rear frame is fixed to the vehicle body frame without being fixed to the case.

14. The motorcycle according to claim 2 , wherein the bracket is fixed to the case at a position different from a position at which the rear frame is fixed to the vehicle body frame.

15. The motorcycle according to claim 2 , wherein the bracket is fixed to the case and the vehicle body frame at a position lower than a position at which the rear frame is fixed to the vehicle body frame with respect to a vertical direction.

16. The motorcycle according to claim 2 , wherein the bracket is fastened to the case in a direction intersecting the vehicle width direction; and
wherein the rear frame is fastened to the vehicle body frame in a vehicle width direction.

17. The motorcycle according to claim 2 , wherein the bracket is fastened to the case in a direction intersecting the vehicle width direction, and is fastened to the vehicle body frame in the vehicle width direction.

Assignees

• Kawasaki Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Ishii Hiroshi
• Saeki Daisuke

Classifications

• B62K11/04

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

• B62K25/283 Primary

  for cycles without a pedal crank, e.g. motorcycles · CPC title

• B62K25/286

  the shock absorber being connected to the chain-stay via a linkage mechanism · CPC title