Motorcycle fuel tank

• US 7,390,023 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2005
• Issued: 06/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamagata, Hiroshi, Hirose, Atsushi, Kitsunai, Toru
• Primary Examiner(s): Morris; Lesley D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Scharich; Marc A
• Application Number:
  US11/274,012
• Publication Number:
  US 20060108369A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 180/219, 220/567.2, 224/413, 280/833, 280/834, 280/835
• 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

A motorcycle fuel tank according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes an upper shell, and a lower shell including a body and fixing portions. The lower shell body is bonded to the upper shell and arranged to define a fuel storage space with the upper shell. The fixing portions are used to fix the lower shell body onto a motorcycle body. The lower shell is made of an aluminum alloy and the lower shell body and the fixing portions are formed by a casting process such that the fixing portions are integral with the lower shell.

Claims

1. A motorcycle fuel tank comprising:

an upper shell; and

a lower shell including fixing portions, the lower shell being bonded to the upper shell and defining a fuel storage space with the upper shell, the fixing portions arranged to attach the lower shell onto a motorcycle body;

wherein

the lower shell is made of a first composition of one of a cast aluminum and a cast aluminum alloy such that the fixing portions are integral with the lower shell;

the upper shell is made of a second composition of one of a press-formed aluminum and a press-formed aluminum alloy material; and

the first composition is different from the second composition.

2. The fuel tank of claim 1, wherein the upper shell is made of one of Al, an Al—

Mg based alloy, and an Al—

Si—

Mg based alloy and the lower shell is made of one of an Al—

Si based alloy, an Al—

Si—

Mg based alloy, and an Al—

Si—

Cu based alloy.

3. The fuel tank of claim 1, further comprising a welded or brazed joint connecting the upper shell and the lower shell.

4. The fuel tank of claim 1, wherein the fixing portions include a first set of fixing portions arranged to be fixed on a first frame of the motorcycle body and a second set of fixing portions arranged to be fixed on a second frame of the motorcycle body.

5. The fuel tank of claim 4, wherein the lower shell includes a bottom and a side surface extending from a periphery of the bottom, the first set of fixing portions being arranged on the side surface.

6. The fuel tank of claim 5, wherein the first set of fixing portions includes two fixing portions and a rib portion arranged on the side surface to connect the two fixing portions of the first set together.

7. The fuel tank of claim 5, wherein the lower shell includes a fuel supply port having an opening through the bottom of the lower shell, and a flange arranged around the opening, wherein the fuel supply port and the lower shell are integral with each other.

8. The fuel tank of claim 5, wherein the second set of fixing portions includes two fixing portions respectively arranged on two opposing sides on the periphery of the bottom of the lower shell.

9. The fuel tank of claim 1, wherein the upper shell includes a plurality of upper sub-portions with welded or brazed joints connecting the sub-portions.

10. A motorcycle comprising:

a frame;

an engine supported on the frame; and

the fuel tank of claim 1, the fuel tank being fixed on the frame.

11. A motorcycle fuel tank comprising:

an upper shell; and

a lower shell including fixing portions, the lower shell being bonded to the upper shell and defining a fuel storage space with the upper shell, the fixing portions arranged to attach the lower shell onto a motorcycle body;

wherein

the upper and lower shells are made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy and have mutually different compositions; and

at least the lower shell is made of an aluminum alloy containing silicon and a weight percentage of silicon in the lower shell is greater than a weight percentage of silicon in the upper shell.

12. The fuel tank of claim 11, wherein the upper shell is made of one of Al, an Al—

Mg based alloy, and an Al—

Si—

Mg based alloy and the lower shell is made of one of an Al—

Si based alloy, an Al—

Si—

Mg based alloy, and an Al—

Si—

Cu based alloy.

13. The fuel tank of claims 11, further comprising a welded or brazed joint connecting the upper shell and the lower shell.

14. The fuel tank of claim 11, wherein the fixing portions include a first set of fixing portions arranged to be fixed on a first frame of the motorcycle body and a second set of fixing portions arranged to be fixed on a second frame of the motorcycle body.

15. The fuel tank of claim 14, wherein the lower shell includes a bottom and a side surface extending from a periphery of the bottom, the first set of fixing portions being arranged on the side surface.

16. The fuel tank of claim 15, wherein the first set of fixing portions includes two fixing portions and a rib portion arranged on the side surface to connect the two fixing portions of the first set together.

17. The fuel tank of claim 15, wherein the lower shell includes a fuel supply port having an opening through the bottom of the lower shell, and a flange arranged around the opening, wherein the fuel supply port and the lower shell are integral with each other by casting.

18. The fuel tank of claim 15, wherein the second set of fixing portions includes two fixing portions respectively arranged on two opposing sides on the periphery of the bottom of the lower shell.

19. The fuel tank of claim 11, wherein the upper shell includes a plurality of upper sub-portions with welded or brazed joints connecting the sub-portions.

20. A motorcycle comprising:

a frame;

an engine supported on the frame; and

the fuel tank of claim 11, the fuel tank being fixed on the frame.