IP Library Granted Patent US 10,260,463
Granted Patent B2
US 10,260,463 · App. 15/026,929 · Granted Apr 16, 2019

Motorcycle incorporating a supercharger

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,260,463
App. No.
15/026,929
Granted
Apr 16, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a motorcycle incorporating a supercharger which can prevent an increase in a size of a vehicle body. A motorcycle comprises a supercharger which compresses intake air; an air-intake chamber which is placed downstream of the supercharger, stores the intake air compressed in the supercharger, and guides the intake air from the air-intake chamber to a combustion chamber of an engine; a fuel tank placed above the engine, wherein the air-intake chamber is placed between the fuel tank and the engine, and wherein the fuel tank includes a recess-forming section provided with a recess on a bottom surface of the fuel tank in such a manner that the bottom surface of the fuel tank does not interfere with the air-intake chamber.

Claims (51)

1. A motorcycle incorporating a supercharger, the motorcycle comprising:

the supercharger which compresses intake air;

an air-intake chamber which is placed downstream of the supercharger, stores the intake air compressed in the supercharger, and guides the intake air from the air-intake chamber to a combustion chamber of an engine; and

a fuel tank placed above the engine,

wherein the air-intake chamber is placed between the fuel tank and the engine, and

wherein the fuel tank includes a recess-forming section provided with a recess at a bottom surface of the fuel tank in such a manner that the bottom surface of the fuel tank does not interfere with the air-intake chamber, and a rearward extension section which extends rearward and downward from the recess-forming section,

wherein the rearward extension section is placed below a seat of the motorcycle, and

wherein the rearward extension section includes a portion located below a cylinder head of the engine in a location which is rearward relative to the air-intake chamber.

2. The motorcycle incorporating the supercharger according to claim 1 ,

wherein the fuel tank is provided to cover an entire periphery of the air-intake chamber when viewed from above, in a state in which the air-intake chamber is placed in the recess of the recess-forming section.

3. The motorcycle incorporating the supercharger according to claim 1 ,

wherein the supercharger is located in front of the rearward extension section.

4. The motorcycle incorporating the supercharger according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a fuel pump which pumps fuel stored in the fuel tank,

wherein the fuel pump is accommodated in the fuel tank and placed in a region of the fuel tank which is located rearward relative to the supercharger.

5. The motorcycle incorporating the supercharger according to claim 1 ,

wherein the fuel tank is configured in such a manner that a lower surface of a front region located in front of the recess-forming section is continuous with a lower surface of a lateral region located on at least one of right and left sides of the recess of the recess-forming section, and a lower surface of the fuel tank is inclined downward, in a direction from the lower surface of the front region toward the lower surface of the lateral region, in a forward and rearward direction.

6. The motorcycle incorporating the supercharger according to claim 1 ,

wherein a specified gap is provided between the fuel tank and the air-intake chamber in the recess of the recess-forming section.

7. The motorcycle incorporating the supercharger according to claim 1 ,

wherein the supercharger is placed rearward relative to a crankcase of the engine, and

wherein the recess-forming section has a shape conforming to a shape of a connection portion at which the air-intake chamber and the supercharger are connected to each other.

8. The motorcycle incorporating the supercharger according to claim 1 ,

wherein an upper surface of the air-intake chamber has a curved surface protruding upward.

9. The motorcycle incorporating the supercharger according to claim 1 ,

wherein an upper end portion of the supercharger is located above a lower end portion of the fuel tank.

10. The motorcycle incorporating the supercharger according to claim 9 ,

wherein the supercharger is placed in such a manner that an inlet of the supercharger faces a side surface of a vehicle body.

11. The motorcycle incorporating the supercharger according to claim 1 , comprising:

an L-shaped case which has a unitary structure including a crankcase of the engine and a transmission case of a transmission which are arranged in such a manner that the transmission case is located behind the crankcase,

wherein the supercharger is placed above the transmission case and is driven by driving power generated in the engine.

12. A motorcycle incorporating a supercharger, the motorcycle comprising:

the supercharger which compresses intake air;

an air-intake chamber which is placed downstream of the supercharger, stores the intake air compressed in the supercharger, and guides the intake air from the air-intake chamber to a combustion chamber of an engine;

a fuel tank placed above the engine; and

a fuel pump which pumps fuel stored in the fuel tank,

wherein the air-intake chamber is placed between the fuel tank and the engine,

wherein the fuel tank includes a recess-forming section provided with a recess at a bottom surface of the fuel tank in such a manner that the bottom surface of the fuel tank does not interfere with the air-intake chamber, and a rearward extension section which extends rearward and downward from the recess-forming section,

wherein the rearward extension section is placed below a seat of the motorcycle,

wherein the fuel pump is accommodated in the fuel tank and placed in a region of the fuel tank which is located rearward relative to the supercharger,

wherein the fuel pump is placed to be spaced apart from the supercharger in a forward and rearward direction, and

wherein a high-heat-resistance component having a heat resistance higher than a heat resistance of the fuel pump, is placed between the fuel pump and the supercharger.

13. A motorcycle incorporating a supercharger, the motorcycle comprising:

the supercharger which compresses intake air;

an air-intake chamber which is placed downstream of the supercharger, stores the intake air compressed in the supercharger, and guides the intake air from the air-intake chamber to a combustion chamber of an engine; and

a fuel tank placed above the engine,

wherein the air-intake chamber is placed between the fuel tank and the engine, and

wherein the fuel tank includes a recess-forming section provided with a recess at a bottom surface of the fuel tank in such a manner that the bottom surface of the fuel tank does not interfere with the air-intake chamber, and a rearward extension section which extends rearward and downward from the recess-forming section,

wherein the rearward extension section is placed below a seat of the motorcycle,

wherein a specified gap is provided between the fuel tank and the air-intake chamber in the recess of the recess-forming section, and

wherein the air-intake chamber includes an inlet provided on a rear end portion thereof and an outlet provided in front of the rear end portion.

Assignments (2)
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Jun 2, 2022
From: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
To: KAWASAKI MOTORS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 060300/0504 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 1, 2016
From: ISHII, HIROSHI; SAEKI, DAISUKE; YAMAMOTO, TOMO
To: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 038176/0375 →