Motorcycle with inclination sensor

• US 7,523,801 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2007
• Issued: 04/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Inventors: Kawashima, Daihei
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Scharich; Marc A
• Application Number:
  US11/683,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20070222575A1
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 180/219, 180/282, 180/283
• US Class Current: 180/219
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2300/36 Cycles; Motorcycles; Scooters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2422/00 Indexing codes relating to the special location or mounting of sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/18 Roll
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/4151 for sensing lateral inclination of the cycle
• 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 2202/00 Motorised scooters

Abstract

A motorcycle that preserves the detection accuracy of an inclination sensor without use of a component provided exclusively for protection of the inclination sensor and without the necessity for rigid attachment of the inclination sensor. The motorcycle includes an inclination sensor for detecting a lateral inclination angle of a vehicle body. The inclination sensor is disposed below a component that is removably mounted on the vehicle body.

Claims

1. A motorcycle, comprising a body including a seat, the motorcycle further comprising an inclination sensor for detecting a lateral inclination angle of the body, wherein the inclination sensor is positioned below a storage box which is removably mounted on the body of the motorcycle by a plurality of fasteners, wherein the storage box is located below the seat and defines a storage compartment, wherein the inclination sensor is located within an area bounded by the fasteners and the inclination sensor is attached to a bottom surface of the storage box outside of the storage compartment.

2. The motorcycle of claim 1, wherein a width of the area bounded by the fasteners decreases in a direction from the rear toward the front of the vehicle body, and the inclination sensor is located substantially within the forward half of the area.

3. The motorcycle of claim 1, wherein the storage box includes support portions for supporting a load applied to the component by the seat.

4. The motorcycle of claim 3, wherein the support portions are located outside of the area bounded by the fasteners.

5. The motorcycle of claim 1, wherein the storage box supports a relatively heavy item that forms a part of the motorcycle, the inclination sensor being disposed below the space in which the item is supported.

6. The motorcycle of claim 5, wherein the item is a battery.

7. The motorcycle of claim 1, wherein the storage box includes a portion adapted to support a battery, the inclination sensor being positioned below the battery supporting portion of the storage box.

8. The motorcycle of claim 7, wherein the inclination sensor is positioned so as to be substantially intersected by a longitudinal, vertical center plane of the body.

9. A motorcycle, comprising;

a body; and

an inclination sensor for detecting a lateral inclination angle of the body;

wherein the inclination sensor is positioned below a component of the motorcycle and wherein the component is one of a storage box, an air cleaner box and a fuel tank, wherein the inclination sensor is attached to a bottom surface of the component, the component is mounted to the motorcycle by a plurality of fasteners and the inclination sensor is located within an area bounded by the fasteners.

10. The motorcycle of claim 9, wherein a width of the area bounded by the fasteners decreases in a direction from the rear toward the front of the motorcycle, and the inclination sensor is located substantially within the forward half of the area.

11. The motorcycle of claim 9, wherein the component includes support portions for supporting a load applied to the component by a seat of the motorcycle.

12. The motorcycle of claim 11, wherein the support portions are located outside of the area bounded by the fasteners.

13. The motorcycle of claim 9, wherein the motorcycle has a step-through configuration in which the body is generally U-shaped from a side view and defines a generally open space between a seat and a handlebar of the motorcycle.

14. A motorcycle, comprising;

a body; and

an inclination sensor for detecting a lateral inclination angle of the body;

wherein the inclination sensor is positioned below a component of the motorcycle and wherein the component is one of a storage box, an air cleaner box and a fuel tank, wherein the inclination sensor is attached to a bracket and the component is also attached to the bracket, wherein the component is mounted to the motorcycle by a plurality of fasteners and the inclination sensor is located within an area bounded by the fasteners.

15. The motorcycle of claim 14, wherein a width of the area bounded by the fasteners decreases in a direction from the rear toward the front of the motorcycle, and the inclination sensor is located substantially within the forward half of the area.

16. The motorcycle of claim 14, wherein the component includes support portions for supporting a load applied to the component by a seat of the motorcycle.

17. The motorcycle of claim 16, wherein the support portions are located outside of the area bounded by the fasteners.

18. The motorcycle of claim 14, wherein the motorcycle has a step-through configuration in which the body is generally U-shaped from a side view and defines a generally open space between a seat and a handlebar of the motorcycle.