Vehicle approach notification device of saddle-ridden electric-powered vehicle

• US 8,978,797 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2011
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Takewaka, Tomoyuki, Shimizu, Satoru, Akiba, Masahiro, Akiba, Ryuji, Tanaka, Kazuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Shriver, II, J. Allen
• Assistant Examiner(s): JOHNS, HILARY LYNN
• Application Number:
  US13/580,778
• Publication Number:
  US 20120312609A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,484 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 180/65.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/54 for indicating speed outside of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/008 for signaling silent vehicles, e.g. for warning that a hybrid or electric vehicle is approaching
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 17/02 shielding only the rider's front
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 17/10 Ventilation or air guiding devices forming part of fairings
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 3/10 Electrical devices
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 50/30 Means for ventilation within devices provided on the cycle, e.g. ventilation means in a battery container
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2202/00 Motorised scooters
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2204/00 Adaptations for driving cycles by electric motor for driving electrically assisted bicycles B62M6/00

Abstract

Provided is a vehicle approach notification device of a saddle-ridden electric-powered vehicle that outputs a notification sound for notifying the approach of a vehicle. The saddle-ridden electric-powered vehicle includes a front cover that covers the periphery of a head pipe of a vehicle body frame. The sound emission device is located inside the front cover, the front cover has an air opening for taking in air from an outside, and a ventilation passage that is a passage of the air from the air opening and is used for cooling at least one of a power engine of the saddle-ridden electric-powered vehicle and electric components, and the sound emission device is arranged in the ventilation passage.

Claims

1. A vehicle approach notification device of a saddle-ridden electric-powered vehicle that has a sound emission device attached to a vehicle body of a saddle-ridden electric-powered vehicle including an electric motor in a power engine and that outputs a notification sound for notifying approach of the saddle-ridden electric-powered vehicle from the sound emission device to the surroundings,

wherein the saddle-ridden electric-powered vehicle includes a front cover that covers the periphery of the head pipe of the vehicle body frame,

wherein the sound emission device is located inside the front cover,

wherein the front cover is provided with an air opening for taking in air from an outside, and the ventilation passage that is a passage of the air taken in from the air opening, and is used for cooling at least one of a power engine and electric components of the saddle-ridden electric-powered vehicle

wherein the sound emission device is arranged in the ventilation passage,

wherein the sound emission device is arranged at an upper portion of the ventilation passage, and emits sound into the ventilation passage,

wherein upper portions of front forks that extend obliquely forward and downward in order to hang a front wheel are steerably supported by the head pipe, and

wherein at least a portion of the sound emission device is arranged ahead of an axis of the front forks.

2. The vehicle approach notification device of a saddle-ridden electric-powered vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the sound emission device is arranged at an upper portion of the ventilation passage within the ventilation passage, and emits sound into the ventilation passage.

3. The vehicle approach notification device of a saddle-ridden electric-powered vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the ventilation passage is formed by a duct that extends from a front position of the head pipe to a rearward position within the front cover, and

wherein the sound emission device is arranged at an upper wall portion of the duct and emits sound into the ventilation passage.

4. The vehicle approach notification device of a saddle-ridden electric-powered vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the duct is a wind guide duct that crosses a side of the head pipe, and opens toward a front of the vehicle.

5. The vehicle approach notification device of a saddle-ridden electric-powered vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the duct is a cooling duct that cools a battery for traveling.

6. The vehicle approach notification device of a saddle-ridden electric-powered vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the frequency of emitted sound of the sound emission device is from 100 Hz to 800 HZ.