ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLE

• US 20100078251A1
• Filed: 09/29/2009
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Takamura, Toshiaki, Kanno, Yoshihisa, NISHIURA, Hisao
• Granted Patent: US 7,931,110 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/229
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/60 using power supplied by batteries in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/12 Motorcycles, Trikes; Quads; Scooters
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/126 Scooters
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 43/16 on motorcycles or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 50/30 Means for ventilation within devices provided on the cycle, e.g. ventilation means in a battery container
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2202/00 Motorised scooters
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2204/00 Adaptations for driving cycles by electric motor for driving electrically assisted bicycles B62M6/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 7/12 with the engine beside or within the driven wheel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

An electric motorcycle is provided that can air-cool a power drive unit without the provision of a plurality of cooling fans. In an electric vehicle in which a battery box housing batteries is disposed below a foot rest space and electricity supplied from the batteries is supplied to a running-purpose power-generating motor via a power drive unit, the power drive unit is attached to a swing arm turning around a pivot shaft and the battery box is formed with an air introduction port and an air discharge port used to cool the batteries. A cooling fan is provided which sucks air in the battery box from the air discharge port and sends the air toward the power drive unit. The cooling fan is disposed rearward of the air discharge port of the battery box and close to the pivot shaft.

Claims

1. An electric motorcycle, comprising;

a battery box disposed below a foot rest space;

a battery housed within the battery box,

a power drive unit; and

a running-purpose power-generating motor, electricity supplied from the battery being supplied to the power-generating motor via the power drive unit,

wherein the power drive unit is attached to a swing arm turning around a pivot shaft and the battery box is formed with an air introduction port and an air discharge port used to cool the battery,

a cooling fan is provided which sucks air in the battery box from the air discharge port and sends the air toward the power drive unit, and

the cooling fan is disposed rearward of the air discharge port of the battery box and close to the pivot shaft.

2. The electric motorcycle according to claim 1, wherein the swing arm is formed with an air introduction space where the power drive unit can be air-cooled and air sent from the cooling fan is sent toward the air introduction space.

3. The electric motorcycle according to claim 2, wherein an opening portion of the air introduction space is disposed close to the pivot shaft and the cooling fan is attached to the opening portion.

4. The electric motorcycle according to claim 3, wherein an air guide duct adapted to lead air discharged from the air discharge port is attached to the opening portion of the air introduction space.

5. The electric motorcycle according to claim 1, wherein the swing arm includes an air introduction space and a device installation space, the air introduction space being in communication with the air discharge port of the battery box and the device installation space housing the power drive unit and the power generating motor.

6. The electric motorcycle according to claim 5, wherein the air introduction space includes a plurality of cooling fins formed thereon, the plurality of cooling fins extending into the air introduction space from a device installation space side of the air introduction space.

7. The electric motorcycle according to claim 5, wherein a partition wall separates the air introduction space from the device installation space, the partition wall is formed with the power drive unit attachment surface and a power-generating motor-mounting portion on a device installation space side thereof, the power-generating motor-mounting portion is formed with a plurality of air holes formed therethrough to communicate the air introduction space side of the partition wall with the device installation space side of partition wall.

8. The electric motorcycle according to claim 7, wherein the power-generating motor-mounting portion includes an air guide wall formed on a device installation space side thereof, the air holes being air holes being in communication with a space formed by the air guide wall, and the air guide wall is in communication with the atmosphere.

9. The electric motorcycle according to claim 8, wherein the air guide wall is generally circularly formed to provide a discharge path K which guides air toward the power-generating motor clockwise in a circumferential direction of the power-generating motor-mounting portion from a leftward oblique lower side to a rightward oblique lower side.

10. An electric motorcycle, comprising;

a vehicle body;

a swing arm pivotably mounted to the vehicle body, said swing arm including an air introduction space and a device installation space formed therein;

a battery box mounted to the vehicle body; and

a power drive unit mounted within the device installation space of the swing arm,

wherein the battery box is formed with an air introduction port and an air discharge port, said air introduction space being in communication with the air discharge port, and

a cooling fan is located downstream of the air discharge port to suck air from the air discharge port and send the air into the air introduction space.

11. The electric motorcycle according to claim 10, wherein a power generating motor is mounted within the device installation space of the swing arm, and air from the air discharge port cools the power generating motor.

12. The electric motorcycle according to claim 11, wherein an opening portion of the air introduction space is disposed close to a pivot shaft of the swing arm, and the cooling fan is attached to the opening portion.

13. The electric motorcycle according to claim 12, wherein an air guide duct adapted to lead air discharged from the air discharge port is attached to the opening portion of the air introduction space.

14. The electric motorcycle according to claim 10, wherein the device installation space is in communication with the air introduction space at a location adjacent the power generating motor.

15. The electric motorcycle according to claim 14, wherein the air introduction space includes a plurality of cooling fins formed thereon, the plurality of cooling fins extending into the air introduction space from a device installation space side of the air introduction space.

16. The electric motorcycle according to claim 14, wherein a partition wall separates the air introduction space from the device installation space, the partition wall is formed with the power drive unit attachment surface and a power-generating motor-mounting portion on a device installation space side thereof, the power-generating motor-mounting portion is formed with a plurality of air holes formed therethrough to communicate the air introduction space side of the partition wall with the device installation space side of partition wall.

17. The electric motorcycle according to claim 16, wherein the power-generating motor-mounting portion includes an air guide wall formed on a device installation space side thereof, the air holes being air holes being in communication with a space formed by the air guide wall, and the air guide wall is in communication with the atmosphere.

18. The electric motorcycle according to claim 17, wherein the air guide wall is generally circularly formed to provide a discharge path K which guides air toward the power-generating motor clockwise in a circumferential direction of the power-generating motor-mounting portion from a leftward oblique lower side to a rightward oblique lower side.