Electric motorcycle

• US 8,596,401 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Jun, Nishimori, Hiroyuki, Nakazawa, Takeo, Tokito, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): WINNER, TONY H
• Application Number:
  US13/616,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20130081894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 180/220, 180/205.1, 180/206.1, 180/206.2, 180/65.1
• US Class Current: 180/220
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2054 by controlling transmissions or clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/50 Structural details of electrical machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/507 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/20 using propulsion power generated by humans or animals
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/04 characterised by the engine being between front and rear wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2204/00 Adaptations for driving cycles by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 7/04 below the frame
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

In a electric motorcycle including a power unit having a motor whose revolving shaft is oriented in the vehicle width direction, and a centrifugal clutch configured to transmit a rotary drive force of the motor to an output shaft, the centrifugal clutch is arrange coaxially with the motor. A primary driven gear arranged coaxially with the output shaft and configured to transmit a drive force transmitted from the centrifugal clutch to the output shaft is provided. The primary driven gear is arranged so as to be interposed between the centrifugal clutch and the motor in the axial direction of the revolving shaft. A clutch outer is fixed to a clutch outer holder which is relatively rotatable with respect to the revolving shaft, and the primary driven gear is engaged with a primary drive gear formed on the outer periphery of the clutch outer holder.

Claims

1. An electric motorcycle comprising:

a power unit including a motor whose revolving shaft is oriented in a motorcycle width direction and a centrifugal clutch configured to transmit a rotary drive force of the motor to an output shaft, said output shaft being provided in parallel to the revolving shaft, wherein

the centrifugal clutch is coaxially arranged with the motor, and includes a primary driven gear arranged coaxially with the output shaft and configured to transmit a drive force transmitted from the centrifugal clutch to the output shaft,

the primary driven gear is disposed so as to be interposed between the centrifugal clutch and the motor in an axial direction of the revolving shaft; and

,

wherein the primary driven gear is arranged so as to overlap with the centrifugal clutch in a side view of the motorcycle so that an outline thereof comes close to the revolving shaft.

2. The electric motorcycle according to claim 1, wherein a clutch plate configured to hold a clutch shoe of the centrifugal clutch is fixed to one end portion of the revolving shaft,

a bottomed cylindrical shaped clutch outer, which constitutes the centrifugal clutch, is disposed at a position closer to the motor with respect to the clutch plate,

the clutch outer is fixed to a clutch outer holder, which is relatively rotatable with respect to the revolving shaft, and

the primary driven gear engages a primary drive gear formed on an outer peripheral portion of the clutch outer holder.

3. The electric motorcycle according to claim 2, wherein the power unit has a configuration in which a clutch case is mounted on one side of a case in the motorcycle width direction, and a motor cover is mounted on the other side, and the revolving shaft is supported by a first bearing fitted to the case and a bearing fitted to the motor cover, and

the output shaft is supported by a second bearing fitted to the case and a bearing fitted to the clutch case.

4. The electric motorcycle according to claim 2, wherein the primary drive gear and the primary driven gear are disposed on a centerline of the electric motorcycle.

5. The electric motorcycle according to claim 4, wherein the power unit has a configuration in which a clutch case is mounted on one side of a case in the motorcycle width direction, and a motor cover is mounted on the other side, and the revolving shaft is supported by a first bearing fitted to the case and a bearing fitted to the motor cover, and

the output shaft is supported by a second bearing fitted to the case and a bearing fitted to the clutch case.

6. The electric motorcycle according to claim 2, wherein the output shaft is disposed so that one end portion thereof projects outward of the motorcycle from the power unit on a back side of the centrifugal clutch with respect to a motorcycle body, and a drive sprocket on which a drive chain is to be wound is fixed to the one end portion of the output shaft.

7. The electric motor according to claim 6, wherein the output shaft is supported by two bearings disposed apart from each other, and

a bearing on a side proximal to the drive sprocket, which is one of the two bearings, is disposed radially outward of the centrifugal clutch.

8. The electric motorcycle according to claim 6, wherein the power unit has a configuration in which a clutch case is mounted on one side of a case in the motorcycle width direction, and a motor cover is mounted on the other side, and the revolving shaft is supported by a first bearing fitted to the case and a bearing fitted to the motor cover, and

the output shaft is supported by a second bearing fitted to the case and a bearing fitted to the clutch case.

9. An electric motorcycle comprising:

a power unit including a motor whose revolving shaft is oriented in a motorcycle width direction and a centrifugal clutch configured to transmit a rotary drive force of the motor to an output shaft, said output shaft being provided in parallel to the revolving shaft, wherein

the centrifugal clutch is coaxially arranged with the motor, and includes a primary driven gear arranged coaxially with the output shaft and configured to transmit a drive force transmitted from the centrifugal clutch to the output shaft,

the primary driven gear is disposed so as to be interposed between the centrifugal clutch and the motor in an axial direction of the revolving shaft; and

, wherein the output shaft is disposed so that one end portion thereof projects outward of the motorcycle from the power unit on a back side of the centrifugal clutch with respect to a motorcycle body, and a drive sprocket on which a drive chain is to be wound is fixed to the one end portion of the output shaft.

10. The electric motor according to claim 9, wherein the output shaft is supported by two bearings disposed apart from each other, and

a bearing on a side proximal to the drive sprocket, which is one of the two bearings, is disposed radially outward of the centrifugal clutch.

11. The electric motorcycle according to claim 9, wherein the power unit has a configuration in which a clutch case is mounted on one side of a case in the motorcycle width direction, and a motor cover is mounted on the other side, and the revolving shaft is supported by a first bearing fitted to the case and a bearing fitted to the motor cover, and

the output shaft is supported by a second bearing fitted to the case and a bearing fitted to the clutch case.

12. An electric motorcycle comprising:

a power unit including a motor whose revolving shaft is oriented in a motorcycle width direction and a centrifugal clutch configured to transmit a rotary drive force of the motor to an output shaft, said output shaft being provided in parallel to the revolving shaft, wherein

the centrifugal clutch is coaxially arranged with the motor, and includes a primary driven gear arranged coaxially with the output shaft and configured to transmit a drive force transmitted from the centrifugal clutch to the output shaft,

the primary driven gear is disposed so as to be interposed between the centrifugal clutch and the motor in an axial direction of the revolving shaft; and

, wherein the power unit has a configuration in which a clutch case is mounted on one side of a case in the motorcycle width direction, and a motor cover is mounted on the other side, and the revolving shaft is supported by a first bearing fitted to the case and a bearing fitted to the motor cover, and

the output shaft is supported by a second bearing fitted to the case and a bearing fitted to the clutch case.