Body frame with a liquid tank secured integrally thereto for a motorcycle

• US 4,461,489 A
• Filed: 09/02/1982
• Issued: 07/24/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Tsukiji, Kensuke, Yamazaki, Yukiho
• Primary Examiner(s): Pekar, John A.
• Application Number:
  US06/414,076
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 180/225, 280/5 A, 280/5 R
• US Class Current: 280/835
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 35/00 Fuel tanks specially adapted for motorcycles or engine-assisted cycles; Arrangements thereof fuel tanks forming part of cycle frames B62K11/00; tanks in general B60K ; closure caps for fuel tanks B60K15/0406

Abstract

An improved body frame with a liquid tank secured integrally thereto for a motorcycle is disclosed which is constructed such that at least a part of the body frame is constituted of a pipe member. The improvement consists in that the liquid tank serving as an oil tank or the like is constituted by a combination of a main pipe fixedly connected to a head pipe and a gusset fixedly secured to said main pipe. The liquid tank includes a first holding chamber and a second holding chamber which are in communication with one another, said first holding chamber being defined by a combination of a part of the main pipe and the gusset, while said second holding chamber being defined by the inside space of the main pipe. Further, the liquid tank includes a defining chamber having a small holding capacity which is communication therewith, said defining chamber being equipped therein with a surface level detecting unit by means of which the surface level of liquid in the liquid tank is detected.

Claims

1. A body frame for a motorcycle, comprising:

a head pipe;

a main pipe fixedly connected at one end to said head pipe and extending rearwardly therefrom; and

a hollow gusset of generally inverted U-shaped cross section open at the front and bottom, the front of said gusset being connected to said head pipe and the bottom edges of said gusset extending longitudinally along the surface of said main pipe and being sealed thereto, whereby said gusset, said head pipe and said main pipe form a liquid-tight enclosure.

2. A body frame as claimed in claim 1 wherein said liquid-tight enclosure includes a first holding chamber defined by the interior of said gusset and the upper outside surface of said main pipe and the surface of said head pipe within said gusset, and a second holding chamber defined by the inner space of said main pipe.

3. A body frame as claimed in claim 2 wherein said first and second holding chambers are in communication with one another via communication holes provided in said main pipe.

4. A body frame as claimed in claim 3 wherein said main pipe is formed with a liquid extracting port in the lower surface thereof.

5. A body frame as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein said liquid-tight enclosure includes within it a defining chamber having a small holding capacity which is in communication therewith, said defining chamber being equipped with a surface level detecting unit by means of which the surface level of liquid in said liquid-tight enclosure may be detected.

6. A liquid tank construction for a motorcycle frame having a generally a vertical head pipe and a generally horizontal main pipe connected to said head pipe and extending rearwardly therefrom, said tank comprising:

A hollow gusset of generally inverted U-shaped cross section open at the front and bottom, the front opening of the said gusset being sealed to said head pipe and the bottom opening of said gusset being sealed to said main pipe to form a first holding chamber within said gusset;

said main pipe being sealed at both ends to form a second holding chamber; and

said main pipe having communication holes form therein between said first and second holding chambers, whereby said head pipe, said main pipe, and said gusset form a liquid-tight tank integral to said motorcycle frame.