Saddle riding type vehicle

• US 8,265,820 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2009
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Inventors: Hara, Nobuo, Watanabe, Kenichi, Oomura, Yasuhiro, Nonaka, Takafumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): FIGUEROA, JAIME
• Application Number:
  US12/471,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20090299565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,204 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29.1, 280/5.52, 280/5.509, 280/6.15, 280/6.154, 280/282, 280/304.3, 280/29, 280/200, 180/65.1, 180/210
• US Class Current: 701/29.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 21/007 means for adjusting the wheel inclination
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/124 Quads
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/45 Rolling frame vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 3/14 the arm being rigid
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/10 with means for inwardly inclining the vehicle body on bends

Abstract

A saddle riding type vehicle includes a support mechanism arranged to support a pair of wheels to be movable up and down relative to a vehicle body, a lock mechanism connectable to the support mechanism and arranged to limit up-and-down motion of the pair of wheels, various sensors arranged to detect vehicle states, and a controller arranged to control the lock mechanism based on results of detection by the various sensors. The controller controls the lean limitation to the up-and-down motion of the pair of wheels and its cancellation automatically. The rider need not carry out a special control for operating the lock mechanism. In addition, the lock mechanism is controlled according to the vehicle states, which allows the rider to travel lightly and comfortably.

Claims

1. A saddle riding type vehicle capable of making turns by leaning a vehicle body, comprising:

a support mechanism arranged to support at least a pair of wheels provided at opposite sides of the vehicle body to be movable up and down relative to the vehicle body;

a lean limiting mechanism connected to the support mechanism and arranged to limit up-and-down motion of the pair of wheels;

a state detecting device arranged to detect vehicle states; and

a controller arranged to control the lean limiting mechanism based on results of detection obtained by the state detecting device;

wherein

the state detecting device includes a vehicle speed detector arranged to detect a vehicle speed, and a throttle position detector arranged to detect a throttle opening; and

the controller is arranged to cause the lean limiting mechanism to set a lean limitation when the vehicle speed is below a predetermined first speed and the throttle opening is below a predetermined first opening.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:

the state detecting device further includes a brake detector arranged to detect a brake operation; and

the controller is arranged to cause the lean limiting mechanism to set the lean limitation when the vehicle speed is below a predetermined second speed that is higher than the predetermined first speed, the throttle opening is below the predetermined first opening, and the brake operation is detected.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:

the controller is arranged to cancel the lean limitation by the lean limiting mechanism when the throttle opening exceeds a predetermined opening that is larger than the predetermined first opening.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:

the controller is arranged to cancel the lean limitation by the lean limiting mechanism when the vehicle speed exceeds a predetermined speed that is higher than the predetermined first speed.

5. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:

the state detecting device further includes a brake detector arranged to detect a brake operation; and

the controller is arranged to cancel the lean limitation by the lean limiting mechanism when the vehicle speed exceeds a predetermined speed that is higher than the predetermined first speed and the brake operation is off.

6. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:

the state detecting device further includes a brake detector arranged to detect a brake operation; and

the controller is arranged to cancel the lean limitation by the lean limiting mechanism when the vehicle is in at least one of;

a state in which the vehicle speed exceeds a third speed that is higher than the predetermined first speed and the brake operation is off, and a state in which the vehicle speed exceeds a fourth speed that is higher than the third speed.

7. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the controller is arranged to cancel the lean limitation by the lean limiting mechanism when the vehicle is in at least one of the following states:

state (a) in which the throttle opening exceeds a second opening that is larger than the predetermined first opening;

state (b) in which the vehicle speed exceeds a third speed which is higher than the predetermined first speed and lower than the predetermined second speed, and the brake operation is off; and

state (c) in which the vehicle speed exceeds a fourth speed higher than the second speed.

8. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising an input unit arranged to accept a command from a rider to request at least one of a lean limitation by the lean limiting mechanism and cancellation of the lean limitation, wherein the controller is arranged to control the lean limiting mechanism based on the command from the input unit.

9. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising an operation detector arranged to detect an operating state of the lean limiting mechanism, wherein the controller is arranged to determine, based on a result of detection by the operation detector, whether the lean limiting mechanism is operating normally.

10. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:

the lean limiting mechanism includes a solenoid having a movable portion, and a connector to which the movable portion is connected, the movable portion being arranged to connect to and withdraw from the connector to set a lean limitation to limit up-and-down motion of the pair of wheels and to cancel the lean limitation; and

the controller is arranged to control electrical current to the solenoid to connect to and withdraw the movable portion and the connector.

11. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the support mechanism includes:

a right side support mechanism arranged to vertically movably support a right wheel of the pair of wheels;

a left side support mechanism arranged to vertically movably support a left wheel of the pair of wheels; and

a balancer mechanism rotatably supported by the vehicle body and interlocked with the right side and left side support mechanisms to allow the right wheel and the left wheel to move up and down in corresponding amounts in opposite directions; and

the lean limiting mechanism is arranged to lock the balancer mechanism against rotation, thereby to limit up-and-down motion of the pair of wheels.