Motorcycle

• US 20080128190A1
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Katayama, Mutsumi, Tsutsumi, Yojiro, Shigetomi, Tadatoshi
• Granted Patent: US 9,238,496 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/219
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/981 Warning systems, e.g. the seat or seat parts vibrates to warn the passenger when facing a danger
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0232 for measuring vehicle parameters and indicating critical, abnormal or dangerous conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 1/12 Box-shaped seats; Bench-type seats, e.g. dual or twin seats
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 1/28 Other additional equipment, e.g. back-rests for children
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 3/14 indicating functioning of other devices, e.g. acoustic warnings indicating that lights are switched on
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/00 Motorcycles, engine-assisted cycles or motor scooters with one or two wheels fairings or streamlining parts not forming part of the frame B62J; transmission of drive from engines to wheels B62M
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/04 characterised by the engine being between front and rear wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 21/26 Handlebar grips twist grips B62K23/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/023 in a chair, pillow

Abstract

Vibration generators are provided on a vehicle to give vibration to the body of an occupant in response to outside information inputted from the outside of the vehicle, or vehicle information outputted from an in-vehicle system. The vibration generators are installed under the seating faces or inside the back of the occupant seats, or in the side wall surface of a fuel tank. The vibration generators are driven by information on predetermined contents among outside information obtained by two-way radio communication with another vehicle using radio communication equipment. The vibration generator provided in the occupant seats can be operated as speaker means producing deep bass sound in response to an audio signal of an in-vehicle audio unit. The resulting configuration enables information to be transmitted to the occupant of the vehicle by vibration given to his/her body, rather than being transmitted audibly or visually.

Claims

1. A motorcycle comprising:

vibration generation means installed in an occupant seat and giving vibration to a body of an occupant; and

driver means driving the vibration generation means in response to at least one of inputted outside information and vehicle information detected by an in-vehicle system to generate vibration.

2. The motorcycle according to claim 1,

wherein the vibration generation means is installed under a seating face of the occupant seat.

3. The motorcycle according to claim 1,

wherein the vibration generation means is installed inside a back of the occupant seat.

4. The motorcycle according to claim 1,

wherein the vibration generation means is installed in a side wall surface of a fuel tank arranged forward of the occupant seat.

5. The motorcycle according to claim 1, further comprising radio communication equipment,

wherein the outside information is information on predetermined contents among information obtained by two-way radio communication with another vehicle.

6. The motorcycle according to claim 5,

wherein the radio communication equipment includes means measuring the distance between a vehicle and the another vehicle based on communication with the another vehicle;

the motorcycle further comprising;

an inertia guidance system, a GPS receiver, and an optical beacon communication system; and

the radio communication equipment detects a self-position based on map information obtained from the another vehicle having a navigation system and position information of the another vehicle and drives the vibration generation means using information that the vehicle is approaching within a predetermined distance to a noted position on the map information, as the outside information.

7. The motorcycle according to claim 5,

wherein the radio communication equipment includes means measuring the distance between a vehicle and the another vehicle based on communication with the another vehicle.

8. The motorcycle according to claim 7, further comprising:

an inertia guidance system, a GPS receiver, and an optical beacon communication system; and

wherein the radio communication equipment detects a self-position based on map information obtained from the another vehicle having a navigation system and position information of the another vehicle and drives the vibration generation means using information that the vehicle is approaching within a predetermined distance to a noted position on the map information, as the outside information.

9. The motorcycle according to claim 1,

wherein the frequency of vibration generated by the vibration generation means is set to 50 hertz or below.

10. The motorcycle according to claim 2,

wherein the frequency of vibration generated by the vibration generation means is set to 50 hertz or below.

11. The motorcycle according to claim 3,

wherein the frequency of vibration generated by the vibration generation means is set to 50 hertz or below.

12. The motorcycle according to claim 4,

wherein the frequency of vibration generated by the vibration generation means is set to 50 hertz or below.

13. The motorcycle according to claim 5,

wherein the frequency of vibration generated by the vibration generation means is set to 50 hertz or below.

14. The motorcycle according to claim 6,

wherein the frequency of vibration generated by the vibration generation means is set to 50 hertz or below.

15. The motorcycle according to claim 7,

wherein the frequency of vibration generated by the vibration generation means is set to 50 hertz or below.

16. The motorcycle according to claim 8,

wherein the frequency of vibration generated by the vibration generation means is set to 50 hertz or below.

17. A motorcycle comprising:

an audio unit;

vibration generation means installed in an occupant seat and giving vibration to the body of an occupant; and

driver means driving the vibration generation means by an output signal of the audio unit to generate vibration.

18. The motorcycle according to claim 17,

wherein the frequency of vibration generated by the vibration generation means is set to 50 hertz or below.

19. The motorcycle according to claim 17,

wherein the vibration generation means is installed under the seating face of the occupant seat.

20. The motorcycle according to claim 17,

wherein the vibration generation means is installed inside the back of the occupant seat.