EP4713245A1

EP4713245A1 - Motorcycle with shaped tank and protections for the rider

Info

Publication number: EP4713245A1
Application number: EP24729392.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Nicola STAINER; Guido Greco; Antonio PAGLIA; Lorenzo SALVUCCI
Original assignee: Piaggio and C SpA
Current assignee: Piaggio and C SpA
Priority date: 2023-05-18
Filing date: 2024-05-16
Publication date: 2026-03-25
Also published as: IT202300010098A1; WO2024236519A1

Abstract

The motorcycle comprises a frame, a rear driving wheel; a front steered wheel, a fork that supports the front steered wheel and that comprises right and left shock absorbers, a steering column connected to the fork, and a fuel tank mounted on the frame and comprising a shell. The shell of the tank has a left front recess and a right front recess, which extend from the bottom upward. The front recesses form respective spaces for housing the left shock absorber and the right shock absorber during a rotation of the fork around the steering axis to the left or to the right, respectively. The front recesses are at least partially covered from above by a respective protection wing, which reduces or eliminates the risk of an air flow, conveyed along the recess as a result of the motion of the motorcycle, striking the rider.

Description

MOTORCYCLE WITH SHAPED TANK AND PROTECTIONS FOR THE RIDER

DESCRIPTION

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention concerns aerodynamic improvements to saddle ride vehicles and specifically to motorcycles.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Motorcycles are equipped with a steering column connected to a fork provided with two telescopic arms defining two shock absorbers for the front steered wheel, arranged between the two telescopic arms. The upper ends of the two telescopic arms of the fork are close to the front part of the tank of the motorcycle, or of a protective shell of said tank. This is also due to the fact that the arms are inclined from the top downward in the direction of forward movement of the motorcycle to provide the necessary trail.

[0003] In some cases, the distance between the suspension fork of the front steered wheel and the front part of the tank is such that the latter must be appropriately shaped to allow the steering column to have a sufficiently wide steering angle, without the upper parts of the fork impacting against the tank. To this end, the tank, or its protective shell, is shaped to form two front recesses, symmetrical to a vertical plane of symmetry of the motorcycle.

[0004] It has been noted that during forward movement, especially at high speed, these recesses define channels inside which an air flow, generated by the movement of the motorcycle, is guided. The air flow is directed from the recesses toward the rider. This phenomenon is annoying during riding and can be dangerous, especially in the case of adverse weather conditions, as the air flow can draw mud or other debris with it.

[0005] The object of the invention is to solve or alleviate this problem.

SUMMARY

[0006] To alleviate the problems of the prior art, there is provided a motorcycle comprising a frame, to which a rear driving wheel and a front steered wheel are connected. A fork supports the front steered wheel via two telescopic arms, which configure a right shock absorber and a left shock absorber. A steering column, integral with a handlebar and with the fork, defines a steering axis of the front steered wheel. The motorcycle further comprises a tank for a fuel to be supplied to an internal combustion engine. The tank comprises a shell which can form the wall of the tank, or an additional element that covers the actual wall of the tank. The shell of the tank has a left front recess and a right front recess, symmetrical to each other relative to a vertical plane of symmetry oriented in the direction of forward movement of the motorcycle. The left front recess and the right front recess extend from the bottom upward and form a space for housing the left shock absorber and the right shock absorber during a rotation of the handlebar around the steering axis to the left and to the right, respectively. The left front recess is at least partially covered from above by a left protection wing and the right front recess is at least partially covered from above by a right protection wing.

[0007] The left protection wing and the right protection wing at least partly divert the air flow which, during forward movement, is channelled in the front recesses and which without the protection wings would impact the rider.

[0008] Further advantageous features and embodiments of the motorcycle according to the invention are defined in the appended claims and will be described in greater detail below.

[0009] In the present description and in the appended claims, “vertical” is meant as a direction parallel to the direction of the force of gravity, “horizontal” is meant as a direction orthogonal to the vertical direction. Direction of forward movement is meant as the direction in which the motorcycle moves when not steered, i.e., with zero steering angle and axis of the front steered wheel parallel to the axis of the rear driving wheel and to the supporting surface of the motorcycle.

[0010] “Right” and “left” are meant as the side on the left and the side on the right of the rider sitting on the saddle of the motorcycle during forward movement. The terms “frontal” or “front”, and “back” or “rear” are referred to the direction of forward movement of the motorcycle, unless otherwise defined. The terms “high” and “low”, “upper”, “lower” and similar position terms refer to the motorcycle in normal riding position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The invention will be better understood by following the description and the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a non-limiting example of embodiment of the invention. More in particular, in the drawing:

Fig.l shows a side view of a motorcycle incorporating the invention;

Fig.2 shows a section of the tank and of the protective shell of the motorcycle of Fig.l, with part of the handlebar and of the fork;

Fig.3 shows a top view of the front part of the protective shell of the tank with the handlebar in neutral position; and

Fig.4 shows a view analogous to the view of Fig.3, with the handlebar turned to the right.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] Fig. l schematically shows a side view of a motorcycle 1. The motorcycle comprises a frame 3, on which a saddle 5, an engine 7 and a tank 9 are mounted. Connected to the frame 3 is a rear driving wheel 12, in turn connected to the engine 7 via a transmission. Also connected to the frame 3 is a handlebar 13 with a steering column 15 pivoting in a steering head and rigidly connected to a fork 17. The fork 17 engages a front steered wheel 19. A-A indicates the steering axis, around which the steering column 15 and the fork 17 rotate.

[0013] The fork 17 comprises a left telescopic arm 17.1, which configures a left shock absorber, and a right telescopic arm 17.2, which configures a right shock absorber of a suspension of the front steered wheel 19.

[0014] Reference number 17.3 indicates the upper end of the left telescopic arm 17.1 and hence of the left shock absorber of the suspension. Reference number 17.4 indicates the upper end of the right telescopic arm 17.2 and hence of the right shock absorber of the suspension.

[0015] As can be seen in Fig.4, in the position of front steered wheel 19 completely steered to the right, the upper portion 17.4 of the right telescopic arm 17.2 moves toward the front portion of the tank 9. Similarly, in the position of front steered wheel 19 completely steered to the left (not shown), the upper portion 17.3 of the right telescopic arm 17.1 moves toward the frontal, or front, portion of the tank 9. In order to allow a sufficient wide steering angle of the fork 17, the front portion of the tank 9 comprises a left front recess 9.1 and a right front recess 9.2, inside which the left telescopic arm 17.1, i.e., the left shock absorber, and the right telescopic arm 17.2, i.e., the right shock absorber, can be partially housed, without interfering with the tank 9.

[0016] More in particular, the front recesses 9.1, 9.2 are formed in a shell 9.3 which, in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, forms a protection element of the actual fuel container, consisting of a hollow body 10, housed at least partially inside the shell 9.3. The reference number 10.1 indicates an access mouth to the tank, i.e., to the container 9.4. In the present context, “tank 9” is meant generically as the assembly comprising both the fuel container 10, and the shell 9.3.

[0017] It would also be possible to produce the tank 9 with a simpler structure, in which the shell directly forms part of the wall of the fuel container, i.e., the shell and the wall of the container form a single element forming the wall of the tank, the inner surface of which is in contact with the fuel and the outer surface of which is directly exposed, without an additional shell.

[0018] As indicated above, during forward movement of the motorcycle 1, in the left front recess 9.1 and in the right front recess 9.2 air flows directed from the bottom upwards are generated and, unless suitable countermeasures are taken, these air flows are directed against the body and the face of the rider.

[0019] To reduce or eliminate this problem, a left protection wing, which at least partially covers or closes from above the left front recess 9.1, is arranged in the upper wall of the left front recess 9.1. Similarly, a right protection wing 11.2, which at least partially covers or closes from above the right front recess 9.2, is arranged in the upper wall of the right front recess 9.2.

[0020] As can be seen in Fig.2, in the illustrated embodiment each protection wing 11.1 and 11.2 consists of a wall that extends from the shell 9.3 and can be made, for example, of plastic material, by moulding in one piece with the shell 9.3 or part of it. For example, the shell 9.3 of the tank 9 can be formed by several components moulded separately and assembled together, one of which also integrates the protection wings 11.1, 11.2.

[0021] More in particular, in the illustrated embodiment, the left protection wing 11.1 and the right protection wing 11.2 are an integral part of an element or portion 9.31 of the shell 9.3 that also forms the covering element of the lock of the motorcycle 1. In the illustrated embodiment, the covering element 9.31 is contiguous and connected to a further covering element 9.32 of the filler hole 10.1 of the tank. In the illustrated example the elements 9.31 and 9.32 are moulded separately and then coupled. In other embodiments, these elements can form a monolithic piece, or part of a larger protective shell of the tank 9.

[0022] In advantageous embodiments, each protection wing 11.1 and 11.2 is inclined from the top downward in the direction of forward movement of the motorcycle indicated with F in Fig. l. Each protection wing 11.1, 11.2 comprises a front edge, indicated with 11.3 and 11.4, for the left protection wing 11.1 and for the right protection wing 11.2, respectively. In the illustrated embodiment, the front edges 11.3 and 11.4 are curved with concavity facing downward and forward in relation to the direction of forward movement, i.e., a concavity facing the telescopic arms 17.1, 17.2 of the fork 17.

[0023] In this way, an effective partial covering or closing of the respective left front recess 9.1 and right front recess 9.2 is obtained, without interference between the front edges 11.3, 11.4 and the upper ends 17.3, 17.4 of the telescopic arms 17.1 and 17.2 during steering.

[0024] As can be seen in Fig.4, when the front steered wheel 19 is completely steered to the right, an upper portion of the right shock absorber formed by the right telescopic arm 17.2 is at least partially housed in the right front recess 9.2 and the right protection wing 11.2 projects above the upper end of the right shock absorber. Similarly, when the front steered wheel 19 is completely steered to the left (position not shown), an upper portion of the left shock absorber formed by the left telescopic arm 17.1 is at least partially housed in the left front recess 9.1 and the left protection wing 11.1 projects above an upper end of the left shock absorber.

[0025] In advantageous embodiments, the left protection wing 9.1 and the right protection wing 9.2 are structured so as to deflect, laterally and externally relative to the vertical plane of symmetry of the motorcycle 1, the air flow that flows through the left front recess 9.1 and the right front recess 9.2 when the motorcycle is moving.

[0026] Moreover, in advantageous embodiments, each of said left protection wing 11.1 and right protection wing 11.2 has a shape that tapers outward. In particular, the left protection wing 11.1 and the right protection wing 11.2 have a thickness that becomes progressively narrower toward the outside, i.e. starting from the shell 9.3 toward the front edge 11.3, 11.4 of the respective protection wing.

Claims

1. A motorcycle comprising:

- a frame;

- a rear driving wheel;

- a front steered wheel;

- a fork that supports the front steered wheel, the fork comprising a right shock absorber and a left shock absorber;

- a steering column connected to the fork and defining a steering axis;

- a fuel tank mounted on the frame and comprising a shell; wherein the shell of the tank has a left front recess and a right front recess, symmetrical to each other relative to a vertical plane of symmetry, oriented in the direction of forward movement of the motorcycle, the left front recess and the right front recess extending from the bottom upward; wherein the left front recess and the right front recess form a space for housing the left shock absorber and the right shock absorber, respectively, during a rotation of the fork around the steering axis to the left or to the right, respectively; and wherein the left front recess is at least partially covered from above by a left protection wing and the right front recess is at least partially covered from above by a right protection wing.

2. The motorcycle of claim 1, wherein each of said left protection wing and right protection wing is inclined from the top downward in the direction of forward movement.

3. The motorcycle of claim 1 or 2, wherein each of said left protection wing and right protection wing comprises a respective concave front edge.

4. The motorcycle of one or more of the preceding claims, wherein when the front wheel is completely steered to the left, an upper portion of the left shock absorber is at least partially housed in the left front recess and the left protection wing projects above an upper end of the left shock absorber; and wherein when the front steered wheel is completely steered to the right, an upper portion of the right shock absorber is at least partially housed in the right front recess and the right protection wing projects above an upper end of the right shock absorber.

5. The motorcycle of one or more of the preceding claims, wherein in a plan view, when the front steered wheel is completely steered to the left, an upper end of the left shock absorber is partially covered by the left protection wing, and when the front steered wheel is completely steered to the right, an upper end of the right shock absorber is partially covered by the right protection wing.

6. The motorcycle of one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the left protection wing and the right protection wing are structured to deflect, laterally and externally relative to the vertical plane of symmetry, the air flow that flows through the left front recess and the right front recess when the motorcycle is moving.

7. The motorcycle of one or more of the preceding claims, wherein each of said left protection wing and right protection wing has a shape that tapers outward.

8. The motorcycle of one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the left protection wing and the right protection wing are an integral part of a covering element of the lock of the motorcycle.

9. The motorcycle of claim 8, wherein said covering element is contiguous and connected to a further covering element of the filler hole of the tank.

10. The motorcycle of one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the left protection wing and the right protection wing are made of plastic material.