IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,505,668
Granted Patent B2
US 8,505,668 · App. 13/496,124 · Granted Aug 13, 2013

Electric two/three-wheeled vehicle

Inventors: Hiroshi Iwakami (Wako, JP); Kaori Goto (Wako, JP); Yusaku Yamashita (Wako, JP)
Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,505,668
App. No.
13/496,124
Granted
Aug 13, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electric two/three-wheeled vehicle includes: a battery case which houses a battery supplying electric power to an electric motor; a leg shield which covers, from a front, legs of a rider sitting on a riding seat; a cooling air inlet duct which has a downstream end portion thereof connected to the battery case; and a cooling fan which introduces cooling air into the battery case through the cooling air inlet duct. In the electric two/three-wheeled vehicle, an opening ( 90 ) open toward a rear of the vehicle is provided in the leg shield ( 43 ), and an upstream end of the cooling air inlet duct ( 88 ) is connected to the leg shield ( 43 ) in such a manner as to continue to the opening ( 90 ). Accordingly, it is possible to cool a battery while preventing entry of dust into a battery case as much as possible.

Claims (20)

1. An electric two/three-wheeled vehicle including: an electric motor ( 23 ) which exerts power for driving a driven wheel (WR); a battery ( 36 ) which supplies electric power to the electric motor ( 23 ); a battery case ( 37 ) which houses the battery ( 36 ); a leg shield ( 43 , 125 ) which covers, from a front, legs of a rider sitting on a riding seat ( 39 ); a cooling air inlet duct ( 88 ) which has a downstream end portion thereof connected to the battery case ( 39 ); and a cooling fan ( 105 ) which introduces cooling air into the battery case ( 37 ) through the cooling air inlet duct ( 88 ), characterized in that an opening ( 90 ) that is open toward a rear of the vehicle is provided in the leg shield ( 43 , 125 ), an upstream end of the cooling air inlet duct ( 88 ) is connected to the leg shield ( 43 , 125 ) in such a manner as to continue to the opening ( 90 ), a depressed portion ( 91 ) is formed in the leg shield ( 43 ) in such a manner as to be depressed frontward from a rear surface thereof, and has the opening ( 90 ) provided in an upper portion thereof, and an air inlet opening ( 97 ) which communicates with the opening ( 90 ) is formed between a lower portion of the depressed portion ( 91 ) and a lower edge of a lid ( 94 ) attached to the leg shield ( 43 ) to cover the opening ( 90 ).

2. The electric two/three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein a first projection ( 98 , 99 ) which extends long in a vehicle width direction and projects rearwardly is formed in the depressed portion ( 91 ) in such a projecting manner as to form a space for air circulation between the depressed portion ( 91 ) and the lid ( 94 ).

3. The electric two/three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein a second projection ( 100 , 101 ) which extends long in the vehicle width direction and projects frontwardly is formed on an inner surface of the lid ( 94 ) in such a projecting manner as to form a space for air circulation between the lid ( 94 ) and the depressed portion ( 91 ).

4. The electric two/three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein respective pluralities of the first and second projections ( 98 , 99 ; 100 , 101 ) are arranged alternately in an up-and-down direction.

5. The electric two/three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein an axle ( 102 ) of a front wheel (WF) is arranged forward of the leg shield ( 43 , 125 ), and at least a part of the opening ( 90 ) is arranged above an upper end of the front wheel (WF) as seen in a side view.

6. The electric two/three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 4 , further comprising: a down frame ( 27 ) extending rearwardly and downwardly from a head pipe ( 26 ) which supports in a steerable manner a front fork ( 24 ) pivotally supporting the front wheel (WF); a pair of left and right under frames ( 28 ) extending rearwardly from a lower portion of the down frame ( 27 ); and a pair of left and right rear frames ( 29 ) extending rearwardly and upwardly from a rear portion of the under frames ( 28 ), wherein the battery case ( 37 ) is arranged between the pair of left and right under frames ( 28 ), and the cooling air inlet duct ( 88 ) is arranged in the leg shield ( 43 , 125 ) in such a manner as to extend along the down frame ( 27 ).

7. The electric two/three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein an axle ( 102 ) of a front wheel (WF) is arranged forward of the leg shield ( 43 , 125 ), and at least a part of the opening ( 90 ) is arranged above an upper end of the front wheel (WF) as seen in a side view.

8. The electric two/three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 3 , further comprising: a down frame ( 27 ) extending rearwardly and downwardly from a head pipe ( 26 ) which supports in a steerable manner a front fork ( 24 ) pivotally supporting the front wheel (WF); a pair of left and right under frames ( 28 ) extending rearwardly from a lower portion of the down frame ( 27 ); and a pair of left and right rear frames ( 29 ) extending rearwardly and upwardly from a rear portion of the under frames ( 28 ), wherein the battery case ( 37 ) is arranged between the pair of left and right under frames ( 28 ), and the cooling air inlet duct ( 88 ) is arranged in the leg shield ( 43 , 125 ) in such a manner as to extend along the down frame ( 27 ).

9. The electric two/three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein the cooling fan ( 105 ) whose inlet side is connected to the battery case ( 37 ) covered with a vehicle cover ( 41 ) and whose discharge opening ( 106 ) is open toward one side of the battery case ( 37 ) in a width direction, is attached to a rear upper surface of the battery case ( 37 ) at a position offset to the other side from a center of the battery case ( 37 ) in the width direction.

10. The electric two/three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein an axle ( 102 ) of a front wheel (WF) is arranged forward of the leg shield ( 43 , 125 ), and at least a part of the opening ( 90 ) is arranged above an upper end of the front wheel (WF) as seen in a side view.

11. The electric two/three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 2 , further comprising: a down frame ( 27 ) extending rearwardly and downwardly from a head pipe ( 26 ) which supports in a steerable manner a front fork ( 24 ) pivotally supporting the front wheel (WF); a pair of left and right under frames ( 28 ) extending rearwardly from a lower portion of the down frame ( 27 ); and a pair of left and right rear frames ( 29 ) extending rearwardly and upwardly from a rear portion of the under frames ( 28 ), wherein the battery case ( 37 ) is arranged between the pair of left and right under frames ( 28 ), and the cooling air inlet duct ( 88 ) is arranged in the leg shield ( 43 , 125 ) in such a manner as to extend along the down frame ( 27 ).

12. The electric two/three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the cooling fan ( 105 ) whose inlet side is connected to the battery case ( 37 ) covered with a vehicle cover ( 41 ) and whose discharge opening ( 106 ) is open toward one side of the battery case ( 37 ) in a width direction, is attached to a rear upper surface of the battery case ( 37 ) at a position offset to the other side from a center of the battery case ( 37 ) in the width direction.

13. The electric two/three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein an axle ( 102 ) of a front wheel (WF) is arranged forward of the leg shield ( 43 , 125 ), and at least a part of the opening ( 90 ) is arranged above an upper end of the front wheel (WF) as seen in a side view.

14. The electric two/three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising: a down frame ( 27 ) extending rearwardly and downwardly from a head pipe ( 26 ) which supports in a steerable manner a front fork ( 24 ) pivotally supporting the front wheel (WF); a pair of left and right under frames ( 28 ) extending rearwardly from a lower portion of the down frame ( 27 ); and a pair of left and right rear frames ( 29 ) extending rearwardly and upwardly from a rear portion of the under frames ( 28 ), wherein the battery case ( 37 ) is arranged between the pair of left and right under frames ( 28 ), and the cooling air inlet duct ( 88 ) is arranged in the leg shield ( 43 , 125 ) in such a manner as to extend along the down frame ( 27 ).

15. The electric two/three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 14 , wherein a pair of left and right cooling air inlet ducts ( 88 ) are arranged in such a manner as to sandwich the down frame ( 27 ) from opposite sides thereof.

16. The electric two/three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the cooling fan ( 105 ) whose inlet side is connected to the battery case ( 37 ) covered with a vehicle cover ( 41 ) and whose discharge opening ( 106 ) is open toward one side of the battery case ( 37 ) in a width direction, is attached to a rear upper surface of the battery case ( 37 ) at a position offset to the other side from a center of the battery case ( 37 ) in the width direction.

17. An electric two/three-wheeled vehicle including: an electric motor ( 23 ) which exerts power for driving a driven wheel (WR); a battery ( 36 ) which supplies electric power to the electric motor ( 23 ); a battery case ( 37 ) which houses the battery ( 36 ); a leg shield ( 43 , 125 ) which covers, from a front, legs of a rider sitting on a riding seat ( 39 ); a cooling air inlet duct ( 88 ) which has a downstream end portion thereof connected to the battery case ( 39 ); and a cooling fan ( 105 ) which introduces cooling air into the battery case ( 37 ) through the cooling air inlet duct ( 88 ), characterized in that an opening ( 90 ) that is open toward a rear of the vehicle is provided in the leg shield ( 43 , 125 ), an upstream end of the cooling air inlet duct ( 88 ) is connected to the leg shield ( 43 , 125 ) in such a manner as to continue to the opening ( 90 ), a filtration member ( 133 ) is held between the leg shield ( 125 ) and a lid ( 128 ) attached to the leg shield ( 125 ), the filtration member ( 133 ) forming a purified-air room ( 131 ) communicating with the opening ( 90 ) between the filtration member ( 133 ) and the leg shield ( 125 ) and forming an unpurified-air room ( 132 ) between the filtration member ( 133 ) and the lid ( 128 ), and a plurality of inlet openings ( 134 ) are provided to the lid ( 128 ).

18. The electric two/three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 17 , wherein an axle ( 102 ) of a front wheel (WF) is arranged forward of the leg shield ( 43 , 125 ), and at least a part of the opening ( 90 ) is arranged above an upper end of the front wheel (WF) as seen in a side view.

19. The electric two/three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 17 , further comprising: a down frame ( 27 ) extending rearwardly and downwardly from a head pipe ( 26 ) which supports in a steerable manner a front fork ( 24 ) pivotally supporting the front wheel (WF); a pair of left and right under frames ( 28 ) extending rearwardly from a lower portion of the down frame ( 27 ); and a pair of left and right rear frames ( 29 ) extending rearwardly and upwardly from a rear portion of the under frames ( 28 ), wherein the battery case ( 37 ) is arranged between the pair of left and right under frames ( 28 ), and the cooling air inlet duct ( 88 ) is arranged in the leg shield ( 43 , 125 ) in such a manner as to extend along the down frame ( 27 ).

20. An electric two/three-wheeled vehicle including: an electric motor ( 23 ) which exerts power for driving a driven wheel (WR); a battery ( 36 ) which supplies electric power to the electric motor ( 23 ); a battery case ( 37 ) which houses the battery ( 36 ); a leg shield ( 43 , 125 ) which covers, from a front, legs of a rider sitting on a riding seat ( 39 ); a cooling air inlet duct ( 88 ) which has a downstream end portion thereof connected to the battery case ( 39 ); and a cooling fan ( 105 ) which introduces cooling air into the battery case ( 37 ) through the cooling air inlet duct ( 88 ), characterized in that an opening ( 90 ) that is open toward a rear of the vehicle is provided in the leg shield ( 43 , 125 ), an upstream end of the cooling air inlet duct ( 88 ) is connected to the leg shield ( 43 , 125 ) in such a manner as to continue to the opening ( 90 ), and the cooling fan ( 105 ) whose inlet side is connected to the battery case ( 37 ) covered with a vehicle cover ( 41 ) and whose discharge opening ( 106 ) is open toward one side of the battery case ( 37 ) in a width direction, is attached to a rear upper surface of the battery case ( 37 ) at a position offset to the other side from a center of the battery case ( 37 ) in the width direction.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 2, 2012
From: IWAKAMI, HIROSHI; GOTO, KAORI; YAMASHITA, YUSAKU
To: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 027974/0239 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20120175178A1 · Jul 12, 2012