IP Library Granted Patent US 12,434,787
Granted Patent B2
US 12,434,787 · App. 17/822,267 · Granted Oct 7, 2025

Hybrid power unit, hybrid straddle vehicle, and case of hybrid power unit

Inventors: Masaki Nishiyabu (Akashi, JP); Yuji Hida (Akashi, JP); Tetsuji Yamamoto (Akashi, JP)
Assignee: KAWASAKI MOTORS, LTD.
B62M7/02B62M23/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,434,787
App. No.
17/822,267
Granted
Oct 7, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A hybrid power unit includes: an internal combustion engine; a power transmitting shaft to which power from a crank shaft is transmitted and which is housed in a crank case; an electric motor including a motor driving shaft projecting from a motor housing toward a lateral side, the electric motor being located on an outer surface of the crank case; a linkage which extends through a through hole of the crank case and through which power from the motor driving shaft is transmitted to the power transmitting shaft; and a shaft cover defining a shaft space that houses a portion of the motor driving shaft which projects from the motor housing, the shaft cover being detachably fixed to the outer surface of the crank case so as to cover the through hole.

Claims (42)

1. A hybrid power unit comprising:

an internal combustion engine including a crank shaft and a crank case that houses the crank shaft and includes a through hole;

a power transmitting shaft to which power from the crank shaft is transmitted and which is housed in the crank case;

an electric motor including a motor housing and a motor driving shaft projecting from the motor housing toward a lateral side, the electric motor being located on an outer surface of the crank case;

a linkage which extends through the through hole and through which power from the motor driving shaft is transmitted to the power transmitting shaft; and

a shaft cover defining a shaft space that houses a portion of the motor driving shaft which projects from the motor housing, the shaft cover being detachably fixed to the outer surface of the crank case so as to cover the through hole.

2. The hybrid power unit according to claim 1 , further comprising a fastener fastened to the crank case, wherein

a part of the shaft cover is adjacent to the fastener when viewed in a fastening direction of the fastener.

3. The hybrid power unit according to claim 2 , wherein:

the shaft cover includes a contact surface that is in contact with the outer surface of the crank case; and

the part of the shaft cover is a portion projecting toward the motor housing beyond the contact surface when viewed in a direction orthogonal to the contact surface.

4. The hybrid power unit according to claim 3 , wherein:

the motor housing includes:

a housing main body; and

a fitting tubular portion which projects from the housing main body toward the shaft cover and in which the motor driving shaft is;

the shaft cover includes:

a side wall opposed to the motor housing; and

a fitted tubular portion projecting from the side wall toward the motor housing;

the fitting tubular portion of the motor housing is fitted to the fitted tubular portion of the shaft cover through a seal; and

the part of the shaft cover is the fitted tubular portion.

5. The hybrid power unit according to claim 1 , wherein:

the linkage includes a power transmitting loop which extends through the through hole and mechanically connects the motor driving shaft to the power transmitting shaft;

the hybrid power unit further includes a guide which extends through the through hole and guides the power transmitting loop; and

the shaft cover includes a guide support that supports the guide.

6. The hybrid power unit according to claim 1 , wherein the shaft cover includes:

a side wall facing the motor housing; and

a fastening seat portion including a fastening hole in which a second fastener is, the fastening seat portion projecting from the side wall toward the shaft space, the shaft cover being fixed to the crank case by the second fastener.

7. A hybrid straddle vehicle comprising a hybrid power unit,

the hybrid power unit comprising:

an internal combustion engine including a crank shaft and a crank case that houses the crank shaft and includes a through hole;

a power transmitting shaft to which power from the crank shaft is transmitted and which is housed in the crank case;

an electric motor including a motor housing and a motor driving shaft projecting from the motor housing toward a lateral side, the electric motor being located on an outer surface of the crank case;

a linkage which extends through the through hole and through which power from the motor driving shaft is transmitted to the power transmitting shaft; and

a shaft cover defining a shaft space that houses a portion of the motor driving shaft which projects from the motor housing, the shaft cover being detachably fixed to the outer surface of the crank case so as to cover the through hole.

8. A case of a hybrid power unit,

the hybrid power unit comprising:

an internal combustion engine including a crank shaft;

a power transmitting shaft to which power from the crank shaft is transmitted; and

an electric motor including a motor housing and a motor driving shaft and located on an outer surface of the internal combustion engine,

the case comprising:

a crank case that houses the crank shaft and the power transmitting shaft and includes a through hole through which a linkage, which transmits power from the motor driving shaft to the power transmitting shaft, extends; and

a shaft cover defining a shaft space that houses a portion of the motor driving shaft which projects from the motor housing, the shaft cover being detachably fixed to an outer surface of the crank case so as to cover the through hole.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 25, 2022
From: NISHIYABU, MASAKI; HIDA, YUJI; YAMAMOTO, TETSUJI
To: KAWASAKI MOTORS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 060900/0545 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2021-142678 · Sep 1, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230063044A1 · Mar 2, 2023
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Cited By (1)
US 12,734,875