Straddle type vehicle

• US 7,546,829 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2008
• Issued: 06/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsuda, Takeshi, Fujita, Hirokazu, Tozuka, Harutomo, Samoto, Haruhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Cronin; Stephen K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoang; Johnny H.
• Application Number:
  US12/212,548
• Publication Number:
  US 20090071437A1
• Time in Patent Office: 272 Days
• Field of Search: 123/336, 123/399, 123/400, 123/403, 123/361, 123/337, 180/219, 180/170
• US Class Current: 123/399
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 61/02 for driving cycles
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 11/04 characterised by mechanical control linkages F02D11/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2009/0254 Mechanical control linkage between accelerator lever and throttle valve
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2009/0255 with means for correcting throttle position, e.g. throttle cable of variable length
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2009/0277 Fail-safe mechanisms, e.g. with limp-home feature, to close throttle if actuator fails, or if control cable sticks or breaks
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 9/1065 Mechanical control linkage between an actuator and the flap, e.g. including levers, gears, springs, clutches, limit stops of the like
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 9/1095 Rotating on a common axis, e.g. having a common shaft

Abstract

A straddle type vehicle includes a protrusion which is displaced together with a throttle valve, a lever pulley which is displaced in response to the rotation of a throttle grip, a spring and a control device. The spring generates elastic force to return the protrusion to a first original position when the lever pulley is in a second original position. The spring maintains the lever pulley in the second original position by being elastically deformed until the protrusion reaches a predetermined position in which the protrusion is displaced from the first original position in such a direction that the throttle valve opens when the lever pulley is in the second original position. The control device opens the throttle valve by displacing the protrusion until the protrusion reaches the predetermined position in a gear shift change when the throttle grip is fully closed.

Claims

1. A straddle type vehicle, comprising:

an electronically and mechanically controllable throttle valve for adjusting the amount of air intake of an engine;

a first member displaced together with the throttle valve in a state in which a position of the first member when the throttle valve is fully closed is set as a first original position;

a second member displaced in accordance with an acceleration controller in a state in which a position of the second member when the acceleration controller is fully closed is set as a second original position; and

an elastic body operatively coupled between the first member and the second member when at least the first member and the second member are in the first original position and the second original position, respectively, the elastic body generating a restoring force to return the first member to the first original position when the second member is in the second original position, and maintaining the second member in the second original position by being elastically deformed until the first member reaches a predetermined position when the first member is displaced from the first original position in a direction in which the throttle valve opens in a state in which the second member is in the second original position.

3. The straddle type vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a multistage transmission;

an input device for receiving a shift change command from the rider; and

a shift actuator for driving the transmission to perform a shift change when the shift change command is input in the input device, wherein the predetermined control signal is a control signal generated when a gear shift change is performed by the shift actuator when the acceleration controller is fully closed.

4. The straddle type vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a vehicle speed sensor, wherein the predetermined control signal is a signal for adjusting the opening of the throttle valve in a range in which the first member is positioned between the first original position and the predetermined position and so that the vehicle speed becomes a predetermined value.

5. The straddle type vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a multistage transmission;

a drive wheel;

a driven wheel;

a first sensor for detecting the rotational speed of the drive wheel; and

a second sensor for detecting the rotational speed of the driven wheel, wherein the predetermined control signal is a signal for adjusting the opening of the throttle valve so that the difference between the rotational speed of the drive wheel and the rotational speed of the driven wheel is not greater than a predetermined value at a down shift of the transmission.

6. The straddle type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first member is configured as a first rotating body for rotating together with the throttle valve, and the second member is configured as a second rotating body for rotating in response to the operation of the acceleration controller.

7. The straddle type vehicle according to claim 6, further comprising:

a handle bar with a throttle grip;

a throttle cable coupled to the throttle grip;

a pulley with which the throttle cable is engaged; and

a valve shaft for supporting the throttle valve in a freely rotatable manner, wherein the acceleration controller functions as the throttle grip, the first rotating body is connected to the valve shaft directly or indirectly so as to operate in conjunction with the valve shaft, and the second rotating body is connected to the pulley directly or indirectly so as to operate in conjunction with the pulley.

8. The straddle type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined position is set to a position in which the first member may be rotated by at least 30 degrees from the first original position.

9. The straddle type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the second member is displaced toward the second original position while pressing the first member through the elastically deformed elastic body when the acceleration controller is closed from a state in which the first member is displaced in the direction in which the throttle valve is opened beyond the predetermined position, and after the second member reaches the second original position, the first member is pressed to reach the first original position due to the restoring force of the elastic body.

2. A straddle type vehicle, comprising:

a throttle valve for adjusting the amount of air intake of an engine;

an acceleration controller for opening and closing the throttle valve and configured for operation by a rider;

an electric motor for actuating the throttle valve;

a first member displaced together with the throttle valve, the first member having a first original position when the throttle valve is fully closed;

a second member displaced in response to the acceleration controller, the second member having a second original position when the acceleration controller is fully closed;

an elastic body interposed between the first member and the second member when at least the first member and the second member are in the first original position and the second original position, respectively, the elastic body generating a restoring force to return the first member to the first original position when the second member is in the second original position, and maintaining the second member in the second original position by being elastically deformed until the first member reaches a predetermined position when the first member is displaced from the first original position to a direction in which the throttle valve opens in a state in which the second member is in the second original position; and

a control device responsive to a predetermined control signal, the control device being configured to open the throttle valve by driving the electric motor and displacing the first member until the first member reaches at most the predetermined position in response to the predetermined control signal.