Motorcycle

• US 8,276,702 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2010
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Inaoka, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Morris, Lesley D
• Assistant Examiner(s): STABLEY, MICHAEL R
• Application Number:
  US12/724,041
• Publication Number:
  US 20100243360A1
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• Field of Search: 180/219
• US Class Current: 180/219
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 37/00 Arrangements of fuel supply lines, taps, or the like, on motor cycles or engine-assisted cycles
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 19/46 Luggage carriers forming part of frame luggage carriers per se B62J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2202/00 Motorised scooters
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/089 Layout of the fuel vapour installation
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 37/007 characterised by its use in vehicles, in stationary plants or in small engines, e.g. hand held tools

Abstract

A motorcycle is provided having an engine disposed on a vehicle body frame, a storage box disposed downward of a rider seat, a fuel tank for storing fuel to be supplied to the engine, and a canister for adsorbing fuel vapors generated in the fuel tank. The canister does not restrict the shape of the fuel tank, and the storage box and the fuel tank are disposed longitudinally. A storage box and a fuel tank are disposed in a longitudinally parallel arrangement. A rear cross frame forming part of a vehicle body frame and disposed between the storage box and the fuel tank connects rear frames which form part of the vehicle body frame and are disposed on both lateral sides of the storage box and the fuel tank. Further, a canister is disposed downwardly of the rear cross frame between the storage box and the fuel tank.

Claims

1. A motorcycle, comprising:

a vehicle body frame including rear frames and a rear cross frame connecting said rear frames;

an engine disposed on said vehicle body frame;

a rider seat;

a storage box disposed downward of said rider seat;

a fuel tank for storing fuel to be supplied to said engine; and

a canister for adsorbing fuel vapors generated in said fuel tank,

wherein said storage box and said fuel tank are disposed in a longitudinally parallel arrangement such that either (i) said storage box is disposed forward of said fuel tank, or (ii) said fuel tank is disposed forward of said storage box,

wherein said storage box and said fuel tank are disposed on opposite sides of said cross frame forming part,

wherein said storage box and said fuel tank are both disposed between said rear frames,

wherein said canister is disposed downward of said rear cross frame and between said storage box and said fuel tank, said canister being fixed to said rear cross frame by a stay attached to said rear cross frame and a plurality of engagement members each surrounding said canister and being fixedly retained by said stay,

wherein an axis of said canister is disposed in a direction parallel to said rear cross frame,

wherein said fuel tank includes a lower portion tank half body and an upper portion tank half body, said lower portion tank half body and said upper portion tank half body being connected at an outwardly bulging flange portion, and

wherein said outwardly bulging flange portion is disposed upward of said rear cross frame.

2. The motorcycle according to claim 1, wherein said canister is supported below said rear cross frame.

3. The motorcycle according to claim 2, wherein said engine is disposed downward of at least one of said storage box and said fuel tank.

4. The motorcycle according to claim 3,

wherein said engine includes a crankcase and a cylinder that protrudes forwardly from said crankcase;

and

wherein a front side upper portion of said crankcase is swingably supported by said vehicle body frame.

5. The motorcycle according to claim 1, wherein said engine is disposed downward of at least one of said storage box and said fuel tank.

6. The motorcycle according to claim 5,

wherein said engine includes a crankcase and a cylinder that protrudes forwardly from said crankcase;

and

wherein a front side upper portion of said crankcase is swingably supported by said vehicle body frame.

7. The motorcycle according to claim 1, further comprising a purge control valve fixedly attached to an inclined portion of one of said rear frames.

8. The motorcycle according to claim 7, wherein said purge control valve is disposed forward of said canister.

9. The motorcycle according to claim 1, wherein said stay is fixed to a lower portion of said rear cross frame.

10. The motorcycle according to claim 1, wherein said engagement members are engaged with lock tabs on said stay.

11. The motorcycle according to claim 1, wherein said engagement members are formed of an elastic material.