Power unit swinging type motor cycles

• US 4,169,512 A
• Filed: 05/25/1977
• Issued: 10/02/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Enoki, Shigenaga, Ishikawa, Masaru, Katagiri, Nagatoshi, Ohta, Kozo
• Primary Examiner(s): Silverstrim, John P.
• Application Number:
  US05/800,172
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 180/33 R, 180/33 A, 180/33 B, 180/33 C, 180/35, 180/30, 180/32, 280/288, 280/284, 55/385 B, 55/DIG. 28, 123/179 SE, 123/198 E
• US Class Current: 180/205.5
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/04 characterised by the engine being between front and rear wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 7/04 below the frame
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 61/02 for driving cycles
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 75/16 Engines characterised by number of cylinders, e.g. single-cylinder engines F02B75/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/28 Carburetor attached

Abstract

A swinging power unit type motorcycle having an engine swingably hung and pivoted on a body frame, and a pair of plates forming a rear fork connected to the engine. A chain drive transmits power from the engine to a reduction gearbox which incorporates the rear wheel axle and is supported between the rear fork. Shock absorbers are connected between the body frame and the rear fork. The engine, rear fork, rear wheel axle, chain drive, and reduction gearbox are interconnected to swing as a unit relative to the body frame.

Claims

1. A motorcycle, comprising:

a body frame;

an engine swingably hung on said body frame;

a pair of right and left plates forming a rear fork connected in the front end portions thereof to said engine;

a rear wheel axle supported between the rear end portions of said pair of right and left plates;

power transmitting means for transmitting power from said engine to said rear wheel axle;

shock absorbers connected between said body frame and said pair of right and left plates whereby said engine, said rear fork, said rear wheel axle, and said power transmitting means swing as a unit relative to said body frame of said motorcycle;

a concavity made in their intermediate portion of one of said rear fork plates; and

an ignition coil housed and secured in said concavity.

2. A motorcycle according to claim 1, including:

a high tension cord extending through said one of said plates for connecting said ignition coil to said engine.

3. A motorcycle comprising:

a body frame;

an engine swingably hung on said body frame;

a pair of right and left plates forming a rear fork connected in the front end portions thereof to said engine;

a rear wheel axle supported between the rear end portions of said pair of right and left plates;

power transmitting means for transmitting power from said engine to said rear wheel axle;

shock absorbers connected between said body frame and said pair of right and left plates whereby said engine, said rear fork, and said power transmitting means swing as a unit relative to said body frame of said motorcycle; and

an air cleaner, said air cleaner including a hollow vertically elongated, box-shaped body mounted between said plates, an air cleaner element mounted within said body, said element sectioning said body into a first, upper chamber communicating with a suction port of a carburetor of said motorcycle, and a second, lower chamber communicating with outside atmosphere, said second chamber being larger than said first chamber.

4. A swinging power unit type motorcycle, comprising:

a body frame;

an engine swingably hung on said body frame;

a pair of right and left plates forming a rear fork connected in the front end portions thereof to said engine;

a rear wheel axle supported between the rear end portions of said pair of right and left plates;

power transmitting means for transmitting power from said engine to said rear wheel axle;

a hollow box-shaped air cleaner case mounted between said plates;

said air cleaner case being formed by a vertically extending elongated body and being sectioned intermediately by an air cleaner element;

a first chamber being formed in the upper part of said air cleaner case sectioned by said air cleaner element;

a second chamber being formed in the lower part of said air cleaner case sectioned by said air cleaner element, said second chamber being larger than said first chamber; and

shock absorbers connected between said body frame and said pair of right and left plates whereby said engine, said rear fork, said rear wheel axle, and said power transmitting means swing as a unit relative to said body frame of said motorcycle.

5. A motorcycle according to claim 4, wherein:

said second chamber is connected to communicate with a box-shaped body having a volume to form an expansion chamber for said box-shaped body and said second chamber.

6. A motorcycle according to claim 4, wherein:

said second chamber is connected with an upwardly extended vertically provided suction tube, and is made to communicate with the outside atmosphere through an upwardly opened suction port of said suction tube.

7. A motorcycle according to claim 4, wherein:

an opening is made in the front surface of said first chamber;

a connecting tube, made of a flexible elastic body and connected to the suction port of a carburetor of said engine, is fitted at its tip into said opening; and

said opening is sealed on the outside peripheral surface with a lip part provided in the intermediate portion of said connecting tube.

8. A motorcycle according to claim 4, wherein:

holding members are provided in the front and rear of the inside walls in the intermediate portion in the vertical direction of said air cleaner case; and

said air cleaner element is fitted to said holding members to transversely section said case.

9. A motorcycle according to claim 8, wherein:

an inserting port is made in the rear fork plate positioned on the side surface of said holding members so that said air cleaner element can be inserted and pulled out through said inserting port.

10. A motorcycle according to claim 9, wherein:

said air cleaner element is fitted with a filter element within said air cleaner element;

engaging projections to contact said holding members are provided on the right and left on the upper and lower surfaces of said air cleaner case; and

a lid part to close said inserting port is provided at one end of said case;

a knob for inserting and pulling out said case is provided outside said lid part; and

projections for preventing said case from escaping out of said inserting port are provided in positions adjacent to said inserting port as fitted.

11. A swinging power unit type motorcycle comprising:

a body frame;

an engine swingably hung on said body frame;

a pair of right and left plates forming a rear fork connected in the front end portions thereof to said engine;

a rear wheel axle supported between the rear end portions of said pair of right and left plates;

power transmitting means for transmitting power from said engine to said rear wheel axle;

an air cleaner case having a vertically extending elongated body mounted between said plates;

shock absorbers connected between said body frame and said pair of right and left plates whereby said engine, said rear fork, said rear wheel axle, and said power transmitting means swing as a unit relative to said body frame of said motorcycle;

said body of said air cleaner case being sectioned by an air cleaner element into a first chamber communicating with a carburetor of said engine and a second chamber communicating with a suction tube; and

said second chamber being larger than said first chamber.

12. A swinging power unit type motorcycle comprising:

a body frame;

a reduction gearbox;

means for pedaling said motorcycle;

an engine swingably hung on said body frame;

a pair of right and left plates forming a rear fork connected in the front end portions thereof to said engine;

a rear wheel axle supported between the rear end portions of one of said pair of right and left plates;

said reduction gearbox being mounted to the rear end of the other of said pair of plates and operatively connected to said rear wheel axle;

power transmitting means for transmitting power from said engine and from said pedaling means to said rear wheel axle;

a hollow box-shaped air cleaner case arranged between said right and left rear fork plates and made integral with said fork plates;

shock absorbers connected between said body frame and said pair of right and left plates whereby said engine, said means for pedaling said motorcycle, said rear fork, said rear wheel axle, and said power transmitting means swing as a unit relative to said body frame of said motorcycle;

said air cleaner case being formed to be vertical and being sectioned intermediately by an air cleaner element;

a chamber formed in the upper part of said air cleaner case sectioned by said air cleaner element; and

a chamber formed in the lower part of said air cleaner case sectioned by said air cleaner element, said lower chamber of said air cleaner case being larger than said chamber formed in said upper part of said air cleaner case.

13. A motorcycle according to claim 12, wherein:

said upper chamber communicates with a suction port of a carburetor of said engine; and

said lower chamber communicates with the outside atmosphere.

14. A motorcycle according to claim 12, wherein:

said lower chamber is connected to communicate with a box-shaped body having a volume to form an expansion chamber for said box-shaped body and said lower chamber.

15. A motorcycle according to claim 12, wherein:

said lower chamber is connected with an upwardly extended vertically provided suction tube, and is made to communicate with the outside atmosphere through an upwardly opened suction port of said suction tube.

16. A motorcycle according to claim 12, wherein:

an opening is made in the front surface of said upper chamber;

a connecting tube, mad of a flexible elastic body and connected to the suction port of a carburetor of said engine, is fitted at its tip into said opening; and

said opening is sealed on the outside peripheral surface with a lip part provided in the intermediate portion of said connecting tube.

17. A motorcycle according to claim 12, wherein said power transmitting means comprises:

a belt and a plurality of pulleys interposed between said engine and said reduction gearbox;

a one-way clutch affixed to said rear wheel axle; and

a chain and a plurality of sprockets interposed between said pedaling means and said one-way clutch.