Leaning vehicle with tilting front wheels and suspension therefor
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A leaning vehicle comprising:
- a frame having a front portion, a rear portion, a lower portion and an upper portion;
an engine supported by the frame;
a shock tower having an upper end and a lower end, the lower end of the shock tower being pivotally connected to the front portion of the frame through a pivotal connection that defines a frame leaning axis about which the frame can lean to a right side and to a left side relative to the shock tower;
an actuator operatively connected to the frame and to the upper end of the shock tower, the actuator being operatively connected to the upper end of the shock tower at a point laterally offset from the frame leaning axis, the actuator adapted to impart a leaning motion to the frame relative to the shock tower about the frame leaning axis;
a front left wheel and a front right wheel connected to the front portion of the frame via a front left suspension assembly and a front right suspension assembly respectively;
a steering assembly having a rotatable steering column supported by the frame and operatively connected to the front left wheel and the front right wheel;
a rear suspension connected to the rear portion of the frame;
at least one rear wheel connected to the rear suspension, at least one of the wheels being operatively connected to the engine; and
a braking system operatively connected to at least one wheel,each front suspension assembly including;
a lower suspension arm pivotally connected to the frame at a first end and pivotally connected to the wheel at a second end; and
a shock absorber having an upper end connected to the upper end of the shock tower at a point laterally offset from the frame leaning axis on a corresponding side of the frame leaning axis and a lower end connected to the lower suspension arm.
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Abstract
A leaning vehicle has a frame pivotally connected to the lower end of a shock tower, the pivotal connection defining a frame leaning axis wherein the frame is adapted to lean to a right side and to a left side relative to the shock tower about the frame leaning axis. The leaning vehicle includes an actuator operatively connected to the frame and to the shock tower which is adapted to impart a leaning motion to the frame relative to the shock tower about the frame leaning axis.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A leaning vehicle comprising:
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a frame having a front portion, a rear portion, a lower portion and an upper portion; an engine supported by the frame; a shock tower having an upper end and a lower end, the lower end of the shock tower being pivotally connected to the front portion of the frame through a pivotal connection that defines a frame leaning axis about which the frame can lean to a right side and to a left side relative to the shock tower; an actuator operatively connected to the frame and to the upper end of the shock tower, the actuator being operatively connected to the upper end of the shock tower at a point laterally offset from the frame leaning axis, the actuator adapted to impart a leaning motion to the frame relative to the shock tower about the frame leaning axis; a front left wheel and a front right wheel connected to the front portion of the frame via a front left suspension assembly and a front right suspension assembly respectively; a steering assembly having a rotatable steering column supported by the frame and operatively connected to the front left wheel and the front right wheel; a rear suspension connected to the rear portion of the frame; at least one rear wheel connected to the rear suspension, at least one of the wheels being operatively connected to the engine; and a braking system operatively connected to at least one wheel, each front suspension assembly including; a lower suspension arm pivotally connected to the frame at a first end and pivotally connected to the wheel at a second end; and a shock absorber having an upper end connected to the upper end of the shock tower at a point laterally offset from the frame leaning axis on a corresponding side of the frame leaning axis and a lower end connected to the lower suspension arm. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A leaning vehicle comprising:
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a frame having a front portion, a rear portion, a lower portion and an upper portion; an engine supported by the frame; a shock tower having an upper end and a lower end, the lower end of the shock tower pivotally connected to the front portion of the frame through a pivotal connection that defines a frame leaning axis about which the frame can lean to a right side and to a left side relative to the shock tower; a front left wheel and a front right wheel connected to the front portion of the frame via a front left suspension assembly and a front right suspension assembly respectively; a steering assembly having a steering column supported by the frame and operatively connected to the front left wheel and the front right wheel; a rear suspension connected to the rear portion of the frame; at least one rear wheel connected to the rear suspension;
at least one of the wheels being operatively connected to the engine;a braking system operatively connected to at least one wheel, each front suspension assembly including; a lower suspension arm pivotally connected to the frame at a first end and pivotally connected to the wheel at a second end; and a shock absorber having an upper end connected to the upper end of the shock tower and a lower end connected to the lower suspension arm; and an actuated lock to lock the frame to the shock tower and prevent relative movement between the frame and the shock tower about the frame leaning axis. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A leaning vehicle comprising:
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a frame having a front portion, a rear portion, a lower portion and an upper portion; an engine supported by the frame; a shock tower having an upper end and a lower end, the lower end of the shock tower pivotally connected to the front portion of the frame through a pivotal connection that defines a frame leaning axis about which the frame can lean to a right side and to a left side relative to the shock tower; a front left wheel and a front right wheel connected to the front portion of the frame via a front left suspension assembly and a front right suspension assembly respectively; a steering assembly having a steering column supported by the frame and operatively connected to the front left wheel and the front right wheel; a rear suspension connected to the rear portion of the frame; and at least one rear wheel connected to the rear suspension, at least one of the wheels being operatively connected to the engine, each front suspension assembly including; a spindle carrying the corresponding wheel and a braking system; a lower suspension arm pivotally connected to the frame at a first end about a pivot axis generally parallel to the frame leaning axis and pivotally connected to the spindle at a second end, the spindle thereby defining a wheel tilting axis, the wheel tilting axis being generally parallel to the pivot axis, the spindle axis defining a steering axis angled relative to the wheel tilting axis; and a shock absorber having an upper end connected to the upper end of the shock tower and a lower end connected to the lower suspension arm, the spindle being constructed to transmit all of a braking torque produced by the braking system to the lower suspension arm. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A leaning vehicle comprising:
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a frame having a front portion, a rear portion, a lower portion and an upper portion; an engine supported by the frame; a shock tower having an upper end and a lower end, the lower end of the shock tower pivotally connected to the front portion of the frame through a pivotal connection that defines a frame leaning axis about which the frame can lean to a right side and to a left side relative to the shock tower; a front left wheel and a front right wheel connected to the front portion of the frame via a front left suspension assembly and a front right suspension assembly respectively; a steering assembly having a rotatable steering column supported by the frame, the steering column being operatively connected to the front left wheel, to the front right wheel and to the shock tower, a rear suspension connected to the rear portion of the frame; at least one rear wheel connected to the rear suspension, at least one of the wheels being operatively connected to the engine; and a braking system operatively connected to at least one wheel, each front suspension assembly including; a lower suspension arm pivotally connected to the frame at a first end and pivotally connected to the wheel at a second end; a shock absorber having an upper end connected to the upper end of the shock tower and a lower end connected to the lower suspension arm; and a leaning rod connected to the frame at a proximal end and to the corresponding wheel at a distal end, the proximal end being connected to the frame at a position vertically between the frame leaning axis and a connection between the upper end of the shock tower and the shock absorber, the leaning rod imparting a tilting motion to the corresponding wheel about a wheel tilting axis when the frame is leaning. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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Specification