CA1212631A - Three-wheeled motor vehicle - Google Patents
Three-wheeled motor vehicleInfo
- Publication number
- CA1212631A CA1212631A CA000453149A CA453149A CA1212631A CA 1212631 A CA1212631 A CA 1212631A CA 000453149 A CA000453149 A CA 000453149A CA 453149 A CA453149 A CA 453149A CA 1212631 A CA1212631 A CA 1212631A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- vehicle
- vehicle body
- axles
- wheeled motor
- fenders
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Landscapes
- Body Structure For Vehicles (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
A three-wheeled vehicle driven by a engine for normal highway operation is disclosured which is small in size and provides a simple structure for supporting the headlights of the vehicle. The vehicle has a single rear wheel and the front portion of the vehicle has front fenders on the lateral sides thereof covering the two front wheels and the axle there between.
The front fenders have recesses in the front slanted surfaces thereof close to the center of the vehicle body for receiving headlights generally directly above the front rear axle. This provides a aerodynamic front surface portion of the vehicle while still permitting simple assembly and support of the head-lights.
A three-wheeled vehicle driven by a engine for normal highway operation is disclosured which is small in size and provides a simple structure for supporting the headlights of the vehicle. The vehicle has a single rear wheel and the front portion of the vehicle has front fenders on the lateral sides thereof covering the two front wheels and the axle there between.
The front fenders have recesses in the front slanted surfaces thereof close to the center of the vehicle body for receiving headlights generally directly above the front rear axle. This provides a aerodynamic front surface portion of the vehicle while still permitting simple assembly and support of the head-lights.
Description
63~.
THREE-WHEELED MOTOR VEHICLE WITH HEADLIGHTS
The present invention relates to a -three-wheeled vehicle, and more particularly to a small three-wheeled motor vehicle driven by an engine for normal highwary operation.
One of the problems wi-th three-wheeled motor vehicles is that its small size has prevented easy selection of headlight positions that do not adversely effect the aerodynamics, light weight and mechanical strength of the vehicle.
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention., there is a single rear wheel and -the front portion of the vehicle body has front fenders on lateral sides thereof covering the two front wheels and their axles. The front fenders have recesses in front slanted surfaces thereof close to the center of the vehicle body, and headlights are disposed respectively in the recesses directly above the front wheel axles.
The above and further objects, details and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the followi.ng detailed description of preferred embodiments thereoE, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a three-wheeled motor vehicle according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. ~ is a plan view of the three-wheeled motor vehicle shown in FIG. l;
FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the three-wheeled motor vehicle shown in FIG. l;
B
~l2~i3~
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV - IV of FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V - V of FIG. 3;
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view, partly broken awary, of a driver's compartment, showing a control mechanism for a transmission in the three-wheeled motor vehicle shown in FIG. l;
FIG. 7 iS a plan view illustrative of an arrangement of the control mechanism shown in FIG. 6; and FIG. 8 is a side elevational view showing the control mechanism of FIGS. 6 and 7.
FIG. 1 through 3 show the appearance of a three-wheeled motor vehicle constructed in accordance with the pre~erred embodiment of the present invention. The three-wheeled motor ~ehicle comprises a vehicle body 1, a pair of laterally spaced front wheels 2 rotatably suppor-ted on the vehicle body 1, and a single rear wheel 3 rotatably supported on the vehicle body 1, and a single rear wheel 3 rotatably supported on the vehcile body 1 and spaced rearward from the front wheels 2. The vehcile body 1 has a front engine room 4 and a rear compartment 5. The vehicle body 1 also includes a pair of wide front fenders 6 projecting laterally from the engine room 4 in opposite directions away from each other.
~s shown in FIG. 2, the Eront fenders 6 cover the front wheels
THREE-WHEELED MOTOR VEHICLE WITH HEADLIGHTS
The present invention relates to a -three-wheeled vehicle, and more particularly to a small three-wheeled motor vehicle driven by an engine for normal highwary operation.
One of the problems wi-th three-wheeled motor vehicles is that its small size has prevented easy selection of headlight positions that do not adversely effect the aerodynamics, light weight and mechanical strength of the vehicle.
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention., there is a single rear wheel and -the front portion of the vehicle body has front fenders on lateral sides thereof covering the two front wheels and their axles. The front fenders have recesses in front slanted surfaces thereof close to the center of the vehicle body, and headlights are disposed respectively in the recesses directly above the front wheel axles.
The above and further objects, details and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the followi.ng detailed description of preferred embodiments thereoE, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a three-wheeled motor vehicle according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. ~ is a plan view of the three-wheeled motor vehicle shown in FIG. l;
FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the three-wheeled motor vehicle shown in FIG. l;
B
~l2~i3~
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV - IV of FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V - V of FIG. 3;
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view, partly broken awary, of a driver's compartment, showing a control mechanism for a transmission in the three-wheeled motor vehicle shown in FIG. l;
FIG. 7 iS a plan view illustrative of an arrangement of the control mechanism shown in FIG. 6; and FIG. 8 is a side elevational view showing the control mechanism of FIGS. 6 and 7.
FIG. 1 through 3 show the appearance of a three-wheeled motor vehicle constructed in accordance with the pre~erred embodiment of the present invention. The three-wheeled motor ~ehicle comprises a vehicle body 1, a pair of laterally spaced front wheels 2 rotatably suppor-ted on the vehicle body 1, and a single rear wheel 3 rotatably supported on the vehicle body 1, and a single rear wheel 3 rotatably supported on the vehcile body 1 and spaced rearward from the front wheels 2. The vehcile body 1 has a front engine room 4 and a rear compartment 5. The vehicle body 1 also includes a pair of wide front fenders 6 projecting laterally from the engine room 4 in opposite directions away from each other.
~s shown in FIG. 2, the Eront fenders 6 cover the front wheels
2 and front wheel axles 2a connected to the front wheels 2.
The front fenders 6 have recesses 6b in which headlights 7 are disposed, respectively, as illustrated in FIG. 4.
. . .
~2~
The vehicle body 1 has a door 8 including a windshield 9. As shown in FIG. 5, the door 8 covers most of the left side of the compartment 5, the entire upper side of the compartment 5, and the upper portion of the right side of the compartmen-t 5, and is hinged to the upper edge 10 of a righthand side wall of the vehicle body.
A V-type two-cylinder engine 11 is disposed in the engine room 4 with the crank shaft extending laterally to the vehicle body 1. The englne ll is mounted on the vehicle body 1 by an engine mount structure (not shown). The engine 11 includes a lower integral transmission case 31 having an output drive shaft operatively coupled to the front wheels 2. Accordingly, the drive system of the illustrated three-wheeled motor vehicle is of the front-engine front-drive type.
The headlight attachment construction is illustrated in FIG. 4 as well as FIGS. 1 and 2. As shown, the spacing between the front wheels 2 is selected to be considerably wider than the engine room 4. As described above, the front fenders 6 project laterally from the engine room 4 in covering relation ~o the front wheels 2 and the axles 2a. The headlight a~tachment is the same on both sides and thereEore only one side will be described in detail. The recess 6b is defined at the portion of the front slanted surface 6a of each fron~
fender 6 that cove~s the axle 2a and extends from a position di.rectly above the axle 2a toward the front ed~e of the front fend~r 6. The front fender 6 has an opening 6c in the rearmost end of the recess 6b directly above the axle 2a, with the headlight 7 disposed in the opening 6c. The recess 6b is covered with transparent cover 12 having shape smoo-thly contiguous to upper surface of the front fender 6.
~ .~
, . . .
~2~ 3~
With the above construction, the recesses 6b in which lenses of the headlights 7 are exposed are located in portions of the front fenders 6 that are relatively close to the center of the vehicle body 1 and cover the axles 2a of the front wheels 2. The recesses 6b are offset axially of the axles 2a from the front wheels 2, and hence it is not necessary to raise the front fenders 6 with a view to avoi.ding interference between the.recesses 6b and the front wheels 2. This fact, together with that the headlights 7 are placed in the openings 6c in the rear ends of the recesses 6b and below the outer profile of the slanted surfaces 6a of the front fenders 6, makes it possible to reduce the aerodynamic drag on the front fenders 6.
The headlights 7 are positioned directly above the axles 2~ over which the height of the slanted surfaces 6a is substantially at maximum. The height of the headlights 7 above ground can therefore be as large as possible in a limited range to provide a relatively large angle of illumination with respect to a road surface.
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a gear shift spindle 38 projects from the lefthand side of the transmission case 31. A gear selection change or shift can be made in response to rotation of the gear shift spindle 38. As can readily be understood, a wide variety of engines with transmissions for motorcycles are usable for the illustrated engine construction.
As illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the compartment 5 of the monoco~ue vehicle body 1 has a lefthand side sill 39 and a righthand side body member 40 of a relatively increased height. The door 8 is of a gull-wing type hinged to an upper edge 10 of the side body member 40 and extends laterally to ~9 ~Z~ i3~
le side sill 39 for covering the compartment 5. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a shift lever 42 is disposed in the side body member 40 at a position in front of a driver's seat 41 sb as not to in-terfere with the dEiver while gettiny into or out of the compartment 5, the shift lever 42 having a knob projecting into the compartment 5. Therefore, -the year shift spindle 38 and the shift lever 42 are located on opposite sides, i.e., lefthand and right hand sides, of the vehicle body 1. A rod 43 extends laterally of the vehicle body 1 across the compartment 5 and has a righthand end connected to a lower end of the shift lever 42. The lefthand end of the rod 43 is coupled through a connector mechanism 44 to the gear shift spindle 38 of the transmission in the engine room 4. More specifically, the rod 43 is inserted in a tubular attachment member 45 fixed to the floor of the compartment -5 50 that the rod 43 is rotatably attached to the compartment floor. The connector mechanism 44 is composed of crank members 38a, 43a fixed respectively to the gear shift spindle 38 and the rod 43 and a tube-encased wire extending between and connected to the crank members 38a, 43a.
~ n operation, actuation of the shift lever 42 turns the rod 43 about its own axis to cause the connector mechanism 44 to turn the gear shift spindle 38 for thereby making a gear shift in the transmission mechanism in the -transmission case 31. Since the rod 43 and tubular attachment member 45 extends from one side to the other of the compartment transversely of the vehicle body 1 and are fixed to the compartment floor, the rod 43 and member 45 can also serve as a vehicle body reinforcement for increasing the mechanical strength of the vehicle body 1 against a torsional moment caused by external forces imposed on the vehicle body 1.
~B
i3~
Al-though there have been described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of -the present inven-tion, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all aspects as illustrative, and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description.
The front fenders 6 have recesses 6b in which headlights 7 are disposed, respectively, as illustrated in FIG. 4.
. . .
~2~
The vehicle body 1 has a door 8 including a windshield 9. As shown in FIG. 5, the door 8 covers most of the left side of the compartment 5, the entire upper side of the compartment 5, and the upper portion of the right side of the compartmen-t 5, and is hinged to the upper edge 10 of a righthand side wall of the vehicle body.
A V-type two-cylinder engine 11 is disposed in the engine room 4 with the crank shaft extending laterally to the vehicle body 1. The englne ll is mounted on the vehicle body 1 by an engine mount structure (not shown). The engine 11 includes a lower integral transmission case 31 having an output drive shaft operatively coupled to the front wheels 2. Accordingly, the drive system of the illustrated three-wheeled motor vehicle is of the front-engine front-drive type.
The headlight attachment construction is illustrated in FIG. 4 as well as FIGS. 1 and 2. As shown, the spacing between the front wheels 2 is selected to be considerably wider than the engine room 4. As described above, the front fenders 6 project laterally from the engine room 4 in covering relation ~o the front wheels 2 and the axles 2a. The headlight a~tachment is the same on both sides and thereEore only one side will be described in detail. The recess 6b is defined at the portion of the front slanted surface 6a of each fron~
fender 6 that cove~s the axle 2a and extends from a position di.rectly above the axle 2a toward the front ed~e of the front fend~r 6. The front fender 6 has an opening 6c in the rearmost end of the recess 6b directly above the axle 2a, with the headlight 7 disposed in the opening 6c. The recess 6b is covered with transparent cover 12 having shape smoo-thly contiguous to upper surface of the front fender 6.
~ .~
, . . .
~2~ 3~
With the above construction, the recesses 6b in which lenses of the headlights 7 are exposed are located in portions of the front fenders 6 that are relatively close to the center of the vehicle body 1 and cover the axles 2a of the front wheels 2. The recesses 6b are offset axially of the axles 2a from the front wheels 2, and hence it is not necessary to raise the front fenders 6 with a view to avoi.ding interference between the.recesses 6b and the front wheels 2. This fact, together with that the headlights 7 are placed in the openings 6c in the rear ends of the recesses 6b and below the outer profile of the slanted surfaces 6a of the front fenders 6, makes it possible to reduce the aerodynamic drag on the front fenders 6.
The headlights 7 are positioned directly above the axles 2~ over which the height of the slanted surfaces 6a is substantially at maximum. The height of the headlights 7 above ground can therefore be as large as possible in a limited range to provide a relatively large angle of illumination with respect to a road surface.
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a gear shift spindle 38 projects from the lefthand side of the transmission case 31. A gear selection change or shift can be made in response to rotation of the gear shift spindle 38. As can readily be understood, a wide variety of engines with transmissions for motorcycles are usable for the illustrated engine construction.
As illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the compartment 5 of the monoco~ue vehicle body 1 has a lefthand side sill 39 and a righthand side body member 40 of a relatively increased height. The door 8 is of a gull-wing type hinged to an upper edge 10 of the side body member 40 and extends laterally to ~9 ~Z~ i3~
le side sill 39 for covering the compartment 5. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a shift lever 42 is disposed in the side body member 40 at a position in front of a driver's seat 41 sb as not to in-terfere with the dEiver while gettiny into or out of the compartment 5, the shift lever 42 having a knob projecting into the compartment 5. Therefore, -the year shift spindle 38 and the shift lever 42 are located on opposite sides, i.e., lefthand and right hand sides, of the vehicle body 1. A rod 43 extends laterally of the vehicle body 1 across the compartment 5 and has a righthand end connected to a lower end of the shift lever 42. The lefthand end of the rod 43 is coupled through a connector mechanism 44 to the gear shift spindle 38 of the transmission in the engine room 4. More specifically, the rod 43 is inserted in a tubular attachment member 45 fixed to the floor of the compartment -5 50 that the rod 43 is rotatably attached to the compartment floor. The connector mechanism 44 is composed of crank members 38a, 43a fixed respectively to the gear shift spindle 38 and the rod 43 and a tube-encased wire extending between and connected to the crank members 38a, 43a.
~ n operation, actuation of the shift lever 42 turns the rod 43 about its own axis to cause the connector mechanism 44 to turn the gear shift spindle 38 for thereby making a gear shift in the transmission mechanism in the -transmission case 31. Since the rod 43 and tubular attachment member 45 extends from one side to the other of the compartment transversely of the vehicle body 1 and are fixed to the compartment floor, the rod 43 and member 45 can also serve as a vehicle body reinforcement for increasing the mechanical strength of the vehicle body 1 against a torsional moment caused by external forces imposed on the vehicle body 1.
~B
i3~
Al-though there have been described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of -the present inven-tion, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all aspects as illustrative, and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description.
Claims (3)
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A three-wheeled motor vehicle having two front wheels with axles and a single rear wheel comprising: a vehicle body having front fenders covering said front wheels and axles, each said front fender having front downwardly slanting surface and a recess defined thereon at a portion covering said axles closer to the center of said vehicle body than said front wheel and extending forward from a position directly above said axles, and a headlight mounted at the rear of each said recess.
2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein each recess is provided with an opening in the rear thereof in which said headlight is mounted.
3. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein a transparent cover in the shape of said fender covers each said recess.
Applications Claiming Priority (6)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP58-73754 | 1983-04-28 | ||
| JP58-73752 | 1983-04-28 | ||
| JP1983063059U JPS59169226U (en) | 1983-04-28 | 1983-04-28 | Automotive shift lever device |
| JP58-63059 | 1983-04-28 | ||
| JP7375483 | 1983-04-28 | ||
| JP58073752A JPS59202947A (en) | 1983-04-28 | 1983-04-28 | Headlight apparatus of automobile |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1212631A true CA1212631A (en) | 1986-10-14 |
Family
ID=27298029
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000453149A Expired CA1212631A (en) | 1983-04-28 | 1984-04-30 | Three-wheeled motor vehicle |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1212631A (en) |
-
1984
- 1984-04-30 CA CA000453149A patent/CA1212631A/en not_active Expired
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |