Arrangement structure of inclination angle sensor

• US 8,205,707 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2010
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Takao, Inami, Shigeto
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wilhelm, Timothy
• Application Number:
  US12/823,992
• Publication Number:
  US 20100258373A1
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 180/282, 180/311, 280/735
• US Class Current: 180/283
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/415 Inclination sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/423 on or besides the wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/01 Motorcycles with four or more wheels specially adapted for disabled riders B62K5/003

Abstract

In a vehicle of a type which does not bank a vehicle body at the time of turning, an inclination angle sensor is provided which receives the least influence of a centrifugal force at the time of turning. In a four-wheeled buggy that includes a vehicle body frame, four longitudinal wheels including front wheels and rear wheels are provided together with an engine, a fuel tank and a fuel pump. A steering shaft is connected to a steering handle with an inclination angle sensor arranged above a seat and being positioned in front of the steering shaft. Accordingly, the inclination angle sensor is hardly influenced by a centrifugal force at the time of turning.

Claims

1. An arrangement structure of an inclination angle sensor mounted on a four-wheeled buggy for traveling on irregular ground which includes a frame, four wheels with balloon tires which are supported on the frame, and a steering shaft which is connected to a steering handle, the arrangement comprising:

an inclination angle sensor,

said inclination angle sensor being arranged in front of the steering shaft above and in a vicinity of an axis of the front wheels and behind an upper portion of a radiator,

wherein the frame of the buggy includes;

a cross member extending between intermediate portions of left and right front down frames,

wherein the cross member is adapted to support the inclination angle sensor on a lower central portion thereof.

2. The arrangement structure of an inclination angle sensor according to claim 1, wherein the inclination angle sensor is positioned behind the axis of the front wheels.

3. The arrangement structure of an inclination angle sensor according to claim 2, wherein the inclination angle sensor is arranged behind the radiator in a spaced-apart manner.

4. The arrangement structure of an inclination angle sensor according to claim 2, wherein an electric wire is connected to an upper portion of the inclination angle sensor.

5. The arrangement structure of an inclination angle sensor according to claim 1, wherein the inclination angle sensor is arranged behind the radiator in a spaced-apart manner.

6. The arrangement structure of an inclination angle sensor according to claim 1, wherein an electric wire is connected to an upper portion of the inclination angle sensor.

7. The arrangement structure of an inclination angle sensor according to claim 1, further comprising a pair of front shock absorbers having upper end portions supported on the cross member.

8. The arrangement structure of an inclination angle sensor according to claim 1, wherein the buggy includes a fuel tank mounted behind the steering shaft and the front wheels, so that when the buggy is viewed in side elevation view, the inclination angle sensor is seen to be mounted behind the axis of the front wheels and forward of the fuel tank.

9. The arrangement structure of an inclination angle sensor according to claim 1, further comprising left and right reinforcing pipes extending downwardly and rearwardly from the intermediate portions of the left and right front down frames.

10. The arrangement structure of an inclination angle sensor according to claim 1, wherein the steering shaft has a lower end mounted on a bracket connected to left and right lower frames of the buggy.

11. An arrangement structure of an inclination angle sensor mounted on a four-wheeled buggy for traveling on irregular ground which includes a frame, four wheels with balloon tires which are supported on the frame, and a steering shaft which is connected to a steering handle, the arrangement comprising:

an inclination angle sensor, said inclination angle sensor being arranged in front of the steering shaft above and in a vicinity of an axis of the front wheels and behind an upper portion of a radiator,

wherein the inclination angle sensor is provided with a swinging shaft located parallel to and directly above a centerline C of the buggy, and a pendulum float pivotally mounted on a swinging shaft,

wherein the frame of the buggy includes;

a cross member extending between intermediate portions of left and right front down frames,

wherein the cross member is adapted to support the inclination angle sensor on a lower central portion thereof.

12. The arrangement structure of an inclination angle sensor according to claim 11, wherein the cross member is adapted to support upper end portions of left and right front shock absorbers on left and right ends thereof.

13. The arrangement structure of an inclination angle sensor according to claim 11, wherein the buggy includes a fuel tank mounted behind the steering shaft and the front wheels, so that when the buggy is viewed in side elevation view, the inclination angle sensor is seen to be mounted behind the axis of the front wheels and forward of the fuel tank.

14. The arrangement structure of an inclination angle sensor according to claim 11, further comprising left and right reinforcing pipes extending downwardly and rearwardly from the intermediate portions of the left and right front down frames.

15. The arrangement structure of an inclination angle sensor according to claim 11, wherein the steering shaft has a lower end mounted on a bracket connected to left and right lower frames of the buggy.

16. An arrangement structure of an inclination angle sensor mounted on a four-wheeled buggy for traveling on irregular ground which includes four wheels with balloon tires which are supported on a frame, the frame having a pair of upper frames and a pair of upper brackets for attaching a steering shaft to the upper frames, the arrangement comprising:

an inclination angle sensor arranged in a position forward of the steering shaft, the position being below and forward of where the upper brackets attach the steering shaft to the upper frames, and above and in a vicinity of an axis of the front wheels and behind an upper portion of a radiator,

wherein the frame of the buggy includes;

a cross member extending between intermediate portions of left and right front down frames,

wherein the cross member is adapted to support the inclination angle sensor on a lower central portion thereof.

17. The arrangement structure of an inclination angle sensor according to claim 16, where the cross member is adapted to support upper end portions of left and right front shock absorbers on left and right ends thereof.

18. The arrangement structure of an inclination angle sensor according to claim 16, wherein the buggy includes a fuel tank mounted behind the steering shaft and the front wheels, so that when the buggy is viewed in side elevation view, the inclination angle sensor is seen to be mounted behind the axis of the front wheels and forward of the fuel tank.

19. The arrangement structure of an inclination angle sensor according to claim 16, further comprising left and right reinforcing pipes extending downwardly and rearwardly from the intermediate portions of the left and right front down frames.

20. The arrangement structure of an inclination angle sensor according to claim 16, wherein the steering shaft has a lower end mounted on a bracket connected to left and right lower frames of the buggy.