IP Library Granted Patent US 8,177,012
Granted Patent B2
US 8,177,012 · App. 12/212,283 · Granted May 15, 2012

Saddle-ride type fuel cell three-wheeled vehicle

Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,177,012
App. No.
12/212,283
Granted
May 15, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A saddle-ride three-wheeled vehicle has a fuel cell which generates an electric power by a chemical reaction between a fuel gas and a reaction gas. The three-wheeled vehicle includes a drain pipe which guides water discharged from the fuel cell out of a vehicle body; a rear body to which a pair of left and right rear wheels are journaled; and a linking mechanism which swingably links the rear body and a front body to allow the front body to sway left and right with respect to the rear body, wherein the drain pipe has a drain port between the pair of left and right rear wheels.

Claims (35)

1. A saddle-ride three-wheeled vehicle having a fuel cell which generates an electric power by a chemical reaction between a fuel gas and a reaction gas, the three-wheeled vehicle comprising:

a drain pipe which guides water discharged from the fuel cell out of a vehicle body;

a rear body to which a pair of left and right rear wheels are journaled; and

a linking mechanism which swingably links the rear body and a front body to allow the front body to sway left and right with respect to the rear body,

wherein the drain pipe includes a front drain pipe portion under the linking mechanism and a rear drain pipe portion that has a drain port between the pair of left and right rear wheels, and the front drain pipe portion is circumferentially turnable with respect to the rear drain pipe portion.

2. The saddle-ride three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the drain port is located behind and under an axle of the rear wheels when the vehicle body is viewed sideways.

3. The saddle-ride three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 2 , further comprising a shock unit which suspends the rear body on a body frame and absorbs a vertical swinging motion of the rear body, wherein the drain pipe extends under the shock unit to a bottom side of the rear body.

4. The saddle-ride three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the fuel cell is attached to the front body and located under a seat for a rider to sit on, wherein the front drain pipe portion guides the water from the fuel cell to under the linking mechanism and the rear drain pipe portion guides the water from under the linking mechanism out of the vehicle body.

5. The saddle-ride three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 4 , further comprising a reservoir which temporarily stores the water between the front drain pipe portion and the rear drain pipe portion, wherein the reservoir is attached to the rear body and the front drain pipe portion is circumferentially turnably engaged with the reservoir.

6. The saddle-ride three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising a shock unit which suspends the rear body on a body frame and absorbs a vertical swinging motion of the rear body, wherein the drain pipe extends under the shock unit to a bottom side of the rear body.

7. The saddle-ride three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein the fuel cell is attached to the front body and located under a seat for a rider to sit on, wherein the front drain pipe portion guides the water from the fuel cell to under the linking mechanism and the rear drain pipe portion guides the water from under the linking mechanism out of the vehicle body.

8. The saddle-ride three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 7 , further comprising a reservoir which temporarily stores the water between the front drain pipe portion and the rear drain pipe portion, wherein the reservoir is attached to the rear body and the front drain pipe portion is circumferentially turnably engaged with the reservoir.

9. The saddle-ride three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the fuel cell is attached to the front body and located under a seat for a rider to sit on, wherein the front drain pipe portion guides the water from the fuel cell to under the linking mechanism and the rear drain pipe portion guides the water from under the linking mechanism out of the vehicle body.

10. The saddle-ride three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 9 , further comprising a reservoir which temporarily stores the water between the front drain pipe portion and the rear drain pipe portion, wherein the reservoir is attached to the rear body and the front drain pipe portion is circumferentially turnably engaged with the reservoir.

11. A saddle-ride three-wheeled vehicle having a fuel cell which generates an electric power by a chemical reaction between a fuel gas and a reaction gas, the three-wheeled vehicle comprising:

a drain pipe which guides water discharged from the fuel cell out of a vehicle body;

a rear body to which a pair of left and right rear wheels are journaled; and

a linking mechanism which swingably links the rear body and a front body to allow the front body to sway left and right with respect to the rear body,

wherein the drain pipe has a drain port between the pair of left and right rear wheels, and

wherein the fuel cell is attached to the front body and located under a seat for a rider to sit on, wherein the drain pipe includes a first drain pipe portion which guides the water from the fuel cell to under the linking mechanism and a second drain pipe portion which guides the water from under the linking mechanism out of the vehicle body, and wherein the first drain pipe portion and the second drain pipe portion are supported by the vehicle body in a manner that the first drain pipe portion is circumferentially turnable with respect to the second drain pipe portion.

12. The saddle-ride three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 11 , further comprising a reservoir which temporarily stores the water between the first drain pipe portion and the second drain pipe portion, wherein the reservoir is attached to the rear body and the first drain pipe portion is circumferentially turnably engaged with the reservoir.

13. A three-wheeled vehicle comprising:

a fuel cell which generates an electric power by a chemical reaction between a fuel gas and a reaction gas;

a drain pipe which guides water discharged from the fuel cell out of a vehicle body;

a rear body to which a pair of left and right rear wheels are journaled; and

a linking mechanism which swingably links the rear body and a front body to allow the front body to sway left and right with respect to the rear body,

wherein the drain pipe has a drain port between the pair of left and right rear wheels, and

wherein the drain pipe includes:

a first drain pipe portion which guides the water from the fuel cell to under the linking mechanism; and

a second drain pipe portion which guides the water from under the linking mechanism out of the vehicle body,

wherein the first drain pipe portion is circumferentially turnable with respect to the second drain pipe portion.

14. The three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein the drain port is located behind and under an axle of the rear wheels when the vehicle body is viewed sideways.

15. The three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 13 , further comprising a shock unit which suspends the rear body on a body frame and absorbs a vertical swinging motion of the rear body, wherein the drain pipe extends under the shock unit to a bottom side of the rear body.

16. The three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 13 , further comprising a reservoir which temporarily stores the water between the first drain pipe portion and the second drain pipe portion, wherein the reservoir is attached to the rear body and the first drain pipe portion is circumferentially turnably engaged with the reservoir.

17. The three-wheeled vehicle according to claim 16 , further comprising a cylinder turnably journaled to the linking mechanism, wherein the reservoir is attached to and under a rotary shaft.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 10, 2008
From: HORII, YOSHIYUKI; FURUTA, SHINJI; SAHODA, KATSUMI; NAMIKI, YOSHIHIRO; IMAO, RANJU; WARASHINA, TAKUYA
To: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 021668/0556 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2007-242243 · Sep 19, 2007 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20090075152A1 · Mar 19, 2009