Ridden vehicle with integrated fuel tank

• US 8,919,483 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2012
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hero Motocorp. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hero MotorCorp Ltd.
• Inventors: Buell, Erik, Stefanelli, Anthony, Battaglini, Giancarlo, Fox, John, Bunne, Jonathan, Antczak, Chad, Iwinski, Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): Rocca, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Scharich, Marc A
• Application Number:
  US13/731,072
• Publication Number:
  US 20130168170A1
• Time in Patent Office: 730 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.21, 180/210, 180/211, 180/212, 180/213, 180/214, 180/215, 180/216, 180/217, 180/219, 180/225, 280/279, 280/280, 280/835
• US Class Current: 180/225
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• 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: B62K 11/02 Frames motorcycles or cycles with auxiliary engines characterised by position of engine B62M
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/04 characterised by the engine being between front and rear wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/10 characterised by the engine being over or beside driven rear wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2202/00 Motorised scooters
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2204/00 Adaptations for driving cycles by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/951 Assembly or relative location of components

Abstract

A ridden vehicle comprising a seat configured to be ridden and an internal combustion engine a frame configured for supporting the seat and the engine during operation of the ridden vehicle, the frame comprising a front frame portion having a steering head, a rear frame portion configured to support at least the seat and the engine, and a lower frame portion connecting the front frame portion and the rear frame portion to support a leg portion of a rider a fuel tank integrated with the front frame portion below the steering head and configured to store fuel for operation of the engine and a filler tube communicating with the fuel tank disposed in the ridden vehicle to provide an entrance to the fuel tank in front of the steering head.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a seat configured to be ridden and an internal combustion engine;

a frame configured for supporting the seat and the engine during operation of the vehicle, the frame comprising a front frame portion having a steering head, a rear frame portion configured to support at least the seat and the engine, and a lower frame portion connecting the front frame portion and the rear frame portion, where the lower frame portion is configured to support a leg portion of a rider;

a fuel tank integrated with the front frame portion below the steering head and configured to store fuel for operation of the engine, such that the fuel tank provides structural support for the vehicle; and

,

a filler tube communicating with the fuel tank, where the filler tube is disposed in the vehicle to provide an entrance to the fuel tank located in front of the steering head.

2. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, where the vehicle is a motorized scooter.

3. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, where the vehicle is

a motorcycle.

4. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, where the fuel tank provides torsional support for the front frame portion.

5. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, where the lower frame portion comprises at least one hollow section, and the fuel tank is in fluid communication with the internal combustion engine through the at least one hollow section of the lower frame portion.

6. The vehicle as claimed in claim 5, where the at least one hollow section of the lower frame portion is configured to store fuel for the internal combustion engine.

7. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, where the frame further comprises at least one tubular portion housing a fuel line extending from the fuel tank through the at least one tubular portion to the engine.

8. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, where a fuel storage capacity of the integrated fuel tank is between 2 and 6 liters.

9. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, where the internal combustion engine is adapted to provide a drive for the vehicle.

10. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, where the internal combustion engine has a displacement of at least 100 cubic centimeters.

11. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a rechargeable battery configured to be supported by the frame and to be recharged by the internal combustion engine, and

an electric motor supported by the frame and electrically connected to the rechargeable battery and adapted to provide a drive for the vehicle.

12. The vehicle as claimed in claim 11, where the internal combustion engine has a displacement of no more than 250 cubic centimeters.

13. The vehicle as claimed in claim 11, where the internal combustion engine has a displacement of between 50 and 190 cubic centimeters.

14. The vehicle as claimed in claim 11, where the rechargeable battery is a lithium-ion rechargeable battery.

15. The vehicle as claimed in claim 11 further comprising:

an electronic controller configured to start the internal combustion engine based upon a charge level of the rechargeable battery.

16. The vehicle as claimed in claim 11 further comprising:

an electronic controller configured to start the internal combustion engine based upon a rate of discharge of the rechargeable battery.

17. The vehicle as claimed in claim 11, where the internal combustion engine is configured to operate at a substantially constant speed while recharging the rechargeable battery.

18. The vehicle as claimed in claim 11, where the vehicle is a motorized scooter having a floorboard, and where the rechargeable battery is mounted to a portion of the frame under the floorboard.