JP2002145159A - Motor-assisted bicycle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simplify the body frame of a motor-assisted bicycle. SOLUTION: The body frame 2 is formed of a mutually connected front frame 22 and rear frame 23. The rear frame 23 is made of an aluminum die casting divided into a left frame part 23L and a right frame part 23R, and a battery box 16 for housing a battery is provided between both the parts. An assist unit 1 is suspended on the rear frame 23. A hanger part 70b for the assist unit is arranged between bosses 25BR and 25BL, and co-fastened with the rear frame 23.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a battery-assisted bicycle, and more particularly, to a battery-assisted bicycle having a simplified body frame structure.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An electric motor having a human-powered driving system for transmitting a pedaling force applied to a pedal to a rear wheel, and a motor driving system capable of adding auxiliary power to the human-powered driving system in accordance with the pedaling force. Assisted bicycles are known. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-239286 discloses an electric assist bicycle in which a down tube (a front body frame) extending downward and rearward from a head pipe is formed in a box shape. In this electric assist bicycle, a battery and an electric assist system using the battery as a power source are accommodated in the box-shaped front body frame.

[0003]

Generally, a down tube of a bicycle is formed of a pipe having a simple shape, which is considered to be simple in appearance, and one pipe can sufficiently function in practical use. . On the other hand, the down tube described in the above-mentioned publication has a complicated structure, for example, is formed in a box shape in order to accommodate the electric assist system and the like.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems and to provide an electric assisted bicycle having a frame whose structure is simplified while satisfying functional requirements.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a human-powered driving system for transmitting a pedaling force applied to a pedal, and adding auxiliary power to the human-powered driving system in accordance with the pedaling force. An electric assisted bicycle including a motor drive system, comprising: a body frame including a front frame and a rear frame; a seat post held by the rear frame; and an assist unit including the human drive system and the motor drive system. The first feature is that the rear frame is composed of a left frame portion and a right frame portion, and the assist unit is suspended from the vicinity of the seat post to the rear frame at a rear portion.

A second feature of the present invention is that the left frame portion and the right frame portion are connected to each other near the front of the vehicle body, and the seat post holding portion is formed at the connection portion. There is. According to the first and second features, the assist unit is collectively arranged rearward from the seat post, so that the structure of the front frame and its surroundings is simplified.

The present invention has a third feature in that the left frame portion and the right frame portion are made of aluminum die-cast. According to the third feature, the weight of the vehicle body can be reduced, and a boss or the like for suspending the assist unit can be easily formed on the rear frame.

A fourth feature of the present invention is that a battery mounting portion is provided at a rear portion of the seat post between the left frame portion and the right frame portion. According to the fourth feature, the space between the left and right frame portions can be effectively used.

A fifth feature of the present invention resides in that the rear frame is formed wide in a portion immediately behind the seat post in a side view. According to the fifth feature, since the side surface of the battery can be covered with the wide portion, the protection of the battery is sufficient and the appearance can be improved.

[0010] The present invention further includes rear fastening means for fastening the left frame portion and the right frame portion to each other behind the assist unit suspension position and in front of a rear wheel. The sixth point is that it also serves as a means for connecting the assist unit to the rear frame.
There is a feature. According to the sixth feature, it is possible to serve as a means for connecting the assist unit to the rear frame and a means for fastening the left frame portion and the right frame portion.

[0011] The present invention further comprises a chain provided around a driving sprocket provided on the output shaft of the assist unit and a driven sprocket on the rear wheel side, and substantially the entire length of the chain on the tension side in the length direction is provided. There is a seventh feature in that it overlaps with the right frame portion in a side view.
According to the seventh feature, the tight side of the chain is covered by the right frame portion over substantially the entire area.

Still further, the present invention further includes a front fastening means provided below the connecting portion and fastening the left frame portion and the right frame portion to each other, wherein the front fastening means is provided on the seat post. An eighth feature resides in that the boss has a boss portion which can contact the seat post in cooperation with the holding portion and support the seat post at two points. According to the eighth feature, the seat post is supported at two points by the holding portion above the rear frame and the front fastening means.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view of an electric assist bicycle according to one embodiment of the present invention. The body frame 2 of the battery-assisted bicycle includes a head pipe 21 located in front of the body.
A front frame 22 extending substantially horizontally rearward from the head pipe 21, and a rear frame 23 connected to the rear end of the front frame 22. The rear frame 23 is a split frame made of a pair of left and right aluminum die-cast products. This divided frame forms a forked structure having a joint 231 near the front of the vehicle body.
Is formed with a boss 232 for holding the seat post 3 extending obliquely rearward and upward therefrom. The boss 232 is provided with an interference, and the seat post 3 is securely held by the boss 232 by tightening the clamper 233. By loosening the clamper 233, the seat post 3 can slide vertically with respect to the boss 233, and the height of the seat 4 mounted on the upper end of the seat post 3 can be adjusted.

The head pipe 21 has a front fork 5
Is rotatably held via a shaft formed on the upper part of the shaft. A handle post 7 is connected to an upper end of the shaft via a joint 6, and a steering handle 8 is connected to an upper portion of the handle post 7. The joint 6 can be loosened by operating the knob 61, and this operation allows the handle post 7 to be folded around the joint 6. The folding mode will be described later with reference to FIGS. A front wheel WF is rotatably supported at the lower end of the front fork 5. The tip of a wire 82 extending downward from a brake lever 81 of the steering handle 8 is connected to a front brake 9 provided on the front wheel WF.

The rear frame 23 is connected to the front frame 22 by a hinge 24 and a lock device provided on the opposite side of the hinge 24, that is, on the left side of the vehicle body. By releasing the lock of the lock device, the vehicle body can be folded around the hinge 24 as a pivot. Further, by releasing the connection of the hinge 24, the front frame 22 and the rear frame 23 can be separated from each other. . Details of the lock device and the hinge 24 will be described later.

The appearance of the rear frame 23 in a side view is such that a portion near the front of the vehicle body is wide and the width is narrowed toward the rear. A rear wheel WR as a drive wheel is supported between the rear ends of the pair of left and right rear frames 23. A rear brake 10 is provided on the rear frame 23, and a wire 83 is extended from the steering handle 8 and connected to the rear brake 10.

An electric auxiliary unit (assist unit) 1 is disposed at a wide portion of the rear frame 23, that is, at a lower portion closer to the front than the extension of the seat post 3.
Is suspended. The electric auxiliary unit 1 includes a rear frame 23
The rear frame 23 is fixed together by the fastening bolts 25 and the bolts 27 in the left and right divided portions when the rear frame 23 is assembled. The electric assist unit 1 has an electric motor M for assisting pedaling arranged at the lowermost part thereof, and a crankshaft 11 arranged above and forward of the motor M. A crank 12 is fixed to each of the left and right ends of the crankshaft 11, and a pedal 13 is provided at a tip of the crank 12. The pedal 13 is used while extending horizontally in the left-right direction of the vehicle body.
A hinge can be employed at the connection between the crank 3 and the crank 12 so that the pedal 13 can be folded along the crank 12 when not in use.

The pedaling force input from the pedal 13 and the assisting force generated by the motor M so as to reduce the pedaling force in accordance with the pedaling force are combined via a transmission device including gears in the electric assist unit 1, and the output thereof is output. Is taken out as the rotation of the driving sprocket (indicated by reference numeral 33 in FIG. 4) covered by the sprocket cover 14. A chain 15 for transmitting the rotation of the drive sprocket to the rear wheel WR is provided. The diameters of the front wheel WF and the rear wheel WR are both 16 inches.

The electric motor is provided in a space surrounded by the wide portion of the rear frame 23 and the connecting portion 231, and a bolt 25 (or a boss supporting the bolt) connecting the pair of right and left rear frames 23 to each other at the rear. A battery box 16 containing a battery serving as a power source for M and other electrical components is mounted. In order to connect the left and right divided frames 23 to each other, the bolt 2
5 and 27 are provided, and fastening portions 26 and 239 are provided in the vicinity of the connection portion with the front frame 22 with a knock pin interposed to improve fastening accuracy.

The seat post 3 is supported by a boss 231 provided on the upper portion of the rear frame 23, and an extension protruding downward from a supported portion thereof passes between the fastening portions 26 and 239. The seat post 3 is supported by the boss 231 fastened by the clamper 233, and is also positioned by the fastening portions 26 and 239, and is supported with high accuracy. In particular, the driver's load applied to the seat post 3 acts so as to rotate the seat post 3 clockwise about the boss 231 in FIG. At this time, the rotation of the seat post 3 is restricted by the boss formed on the fastening portion 26, and the load is received on the side surface of the boss of the fastening portion 26. As described above, since the load applied to the seat post 3 is dispersed at a plurality of positions, the strength of the rear frame 23 itself is not increased more than necessary.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the rear frame 23 as viewed from the front left side of the vehicle body, and FIG. 3 is a plan view of the same. In both figures, the rear frame 23 includes a left portion 23L and a right portion 23R, and the boss 25B through which the bolts 25 and 27 can be inserted.
L, 25BR, 27BL, and 27BR are provided. A boss for supporting the knock pin is also formed on the fastening portion 26, but is not shown in FIGS. Boss 25B
A hanger portion 70b (see also FIG. 4) formed at the upper end of the electric auxiliary unit 1 is disposed between the left portion 23L and the right portion 23R, and between the bosses 27BL and 27BR. It is fastened and attached.

On the upper surface of the rear frame 23, seats 234, 235, 236 for attaching the battery box 16 are provided.
And a seat 237 for mounting the rear brake 10
L, 237R are formed. At the front of the seat post boss 232 on the upper surface of the rear frame 23, there is formed a mounting seat 238 for mounting a power switch for supplying electric current from a battery to the electric auxiliary unit 1 and the like.

Further, a boss 241 which is one part of a hinge 24 and a pin (not shown) of a lock device are provided on a front end of the rear frame 23, that is, a mating surface with the front frame 22.
A boss 28 that rotatably supports is formed. Boss 24
1, a pin 242 is inserted, and a washer 2
43 and a retaining ring 244 are mounted. A hook (described later) on the front frame 22 side, which forms a part of the hinge, is engaged with the pin 242.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a main part showing a mounting positional relationship between the rear frame 23, the battery box 16, and the electric auxiliary unit 1. FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.
4 is a sectional view taken along line BB. In FIG. 4, hangers 70a for connecting the electric auxiliary unit 1 to the rear frame 23 are provided around a case body 70 of the electric auxiliary unit 1.
70b is formed. Bosses are formed at the tips of the hangers 70a and 70b, respectively, and bolts 25 and 27 penetrate these bosses, respectively. These bolts 25,
27 further passes through the boss 25BL of the rear frame 23 and fastens the hangers 70a, 70b to the rear frame 23,
Thereby, the electric auxiliary unit 1 is suspended on the rear frame 23.

As described above, the fixed portion of the electric auxiliary unit 1 with respect to the rear frame 23 and the fastening portion between the left and right divided portions of the rear frame 23 are integrally provided at one place, so that the number of parts is reduced. In addition to this, the space for providing the fixing portion and the fastening portion can be reduced, and the size of the rear frame 23 can be reduced at this portion.

The pedaling force input gear 30 is connected to the crankshaft 11 via a one-way clutch (not shown). The pedaling force input gear 30 is a small gear 31 of the composite gear 31.
meshes with a. On the other hand, a large gear 32a of an auxiliary power gear (assist gear) 32 is provided on the pinion 29 of the motor M so as to mesh with the small gear 32b, which rotates integrally with the large gear 32a. Mesh with each other. The large gear 31 b of the composite gear 31 meshes with an output gear 34 fixed to the shaft of the driving sprocket 33.
The case body 70 and the assist gear 3 of the electric auxiliary unit 1
2 is preferably made of a resin molded product for weight reduction, and the assist gear 32 is preferably a helical gear from the viewpoint of quietness and the like.

An axle 331 for supporting the rear wheel WR is provided at the rear end of the rear frame 23. The axle 331 is connected to the driven sprocket 3 via a one-way clutch (not shown).
32 are combined. The chain 15 is stretched between the driving sprocket 33 and the driven sprocket 332.

In FIG. 14, the symbol H indicates the subsequent frame 2
3 shows the range of the position in the height direction of the tight side 15T of the chain 15 within the right frame 23R. As can be seen from FIGS. 4 and 14, the tight side 15T of the chain 15 is almost entirely covered by the right frame 23R in a side view. Therefore, the chain 15 can be covered without providing a dedicated cover for the chain 15, and the number of parts can be reduced.

Thus, the rotation of the motor M is controlled by the pinion 2
The pedaling force transmitted from the crankshaft 11 is transmitted to the composite gear 31 via the pedaling force input gear. The pedaling force and the auxiliary power are combined by the combined gear 31 and transmitted to the driving sprocket 33, and further transmitted to the rear wheel WR via the driven sprocket 332. The controller 37 arranged at the front part in the case 70 controls the rotation of the motor M based on the pedaling force value input from the pedaling force detecting means (not shown).

At the lower rear part of the main body case 70, a pivot 36 for rotatably supporting the main stand 35 made of an aluminum molded product is mounted. The protrusion 70c provided at the lower end of the main body case 70 is
When the rear frame 23 is separated from the rear frame 23, the rear frame 2
3 is a foot portion for making the rear part of the bicycle including the tire 3 independent, and when the bicycle is placed on the ground, the projection 70c and the rear wheel WR can stand on the ground.

The boss 2 provided at the front end of the rear frame 23
Lock pins 39 having lock levers 38 are provided at 8 and 28.
Is inserted. A bolt 391 is provided rotatably around the lock pin 39, and a nut 392 is screwed to the bolt 391. The bolt 391 is passed through a groove (refer to FIGS. 6 and 7 for a detailed shape) of the engaging portion 40 formed so as to protrude from the front frame 22, and one surface of the nut 392 contacts the engaging portion 40 and is tightened. Form an attachment surface. The central portion of the lock pin 39 to which the bolt 391 is attached is eccentric with respect to the hole of the boss 28, and the contact strength between the nut 392 and the engaging portion 40 is adjusted by rotating the lock lever 38. Is done. When the lock lever 38 is rotated to a position along the rear frame 23 as shown in the drawing, the nut 39
The front frame 22 and the rear frame 23 are strongly connected to each other by strongly contacting the engagement portion 40 with the engagement portion 40.

On the other hand, the lock lever 38 is
The nut 392 moves away from the engaging portion 40 in accordance with the amount of eccentricity of the lock pin 39 by rotating the nut 392 in a direction away from the body, that is, in a direction perpendicular to the vehicle body (front of the vehicle body).
And the tightening by the nut 392 is weakened. As a result, the bolt 391 can be rotated with respect to the lock pin 39 to release the engagement between the nut 392 and the engaging portion 40, and the front frame 22 and the rear frame 23 can be folded around the hinge 24.

A power switch 50 operated by a key K is mounted on the mounting seat 238 (FIG. 2) provided at the front of the rear frame 23, that is, at the front of the boss 232 for holding the seat post.

The battery box 16 has seats 234 and 23
5,236, the left portion 23 of the rear frame 23
It is housed between L and the right portion 23R. A battery 41 is housed in the battery box 16. Battery 41
Is formed in a pack structure in which a plurality of cells 411 made of, for example, nickel-metal hydride batteries are accommodated in a case 412.
The upper part of the case 412 has an indicator 42 for displaying the remaining amount by LED display. The charging connector 43 and a fuse (not shown) used for removing the battery 41 from the battery box 16 for charging are also provided in the case 4.
12 are provided. A terminal (not shown) for connecting the battery 41 and the controller 37 is accommodated in the protrusion 161 at the bottom of the battery box 16.

A lid 162 is provided on the battery box 16, and the lid 162 is attached to the battery box 16 using a hinge 163. The two-dot chain line in the figure indicates the lid 162.
Indicates an open state. The indicator 4 is provided on the lid 162.
A window (not shown) is provided so that you can see
A key device 44 is provided. The key device 44 has a claw 441 which can be turned by a key (preferably shared with the key K for operating the power switch). The claw 441 is engaged with the battery box 16 to be locked.

Next, the hinge 24 for connecting the front frame 22 and the rear frame 23 will be described in detail. FIG. 6 is a plan sectional view of the rear end of the front frame 22 including the hinge 24,
FIG. 7 is a front view (view from the rear of the vehicle body). In addition,
The rear end portion can be constituted by a rear end part (hereinafter, referred to as an “end block”) that is integrated with the pipe-shaped part constituting the front frame 22 by welding. In both figures, a hook 451 is formed on the end block 45, and this hook 4
51 denotes the bosses 241 and 241 provided on the rear frame 23.
41 so that it can be engaged with the pin 242,
The dimensions and position are set.

A lock plate 452 is provided so as to close the opening of the hook 451 formed in a U-shape. The lock plate 452 is pivotally supported on the end block 45 by pins 453. Further, the end block 45
Is provided with an operation lever 455 pivotally supported by a spring pin 454. The operation lever 455 has an operation unit 455a for pressing a finger and a hook 455b. The operation lever 455 is connected to the lock plate 452 by a tension spring 456, and the hook 455b faces the front side of the lock plate 452, that is, the rear frame 23 side from the cutout window 452a formed in the lock plate 452,
It is engaged with the frame of the cutout window 452a. This hook 4
The engagement of the lock plate 452 with the lock plate 452 restricts the rotation of the lock plate 452 in the direction of the arrow R despite the action of the tension spring 456. The operation lever 455 has a contact portion 455c that comes into contact with the end block 45 in the vicinity of the pivot support portion, and rotation of the operation lever 455 from the illustrated position in the arrow RR direction is prohibited.

According to this configuration, since the opening of the hook 451 is closed by the tip of the lock plate 452, the pin 242 engaged with the hook 451 cannot escape from the hook 451. Therefore, even if the lock device operated by the lock lever 38 is released, the vehicle body frame (consisting of the front frame and the rear frame) can only be folded about the pin 242.

This body frame is further attached to the front frame 22.
Operation lever 4 to separate the
The 55 operation unit 455a is pushed into the end block 45 (in the direction of the arrow RF). Then, the operation lever 455
Rotates about the pin 454, the lock plate 452 rotates about the pin 453, and the opening of the hook 451 is opened. Therefore, the pin 242 can escape from the hook 451, and the vehicle body frame is
2 and the connecting portion of the rear frame 23 can be completely separated.

Operation lever 455 and lock plate 452
As a result, the hook 455 of the operation lever 455 is rotated.
Even after the engagement between b and the lock plate 452 is released and the pressing of the operation lever 455 is stopped, the open state of the opening is maintained. Therefore, the pressing operation of the operation lever 455 and the separating operation of the vehicle body frame can be easily performed stepwise using both hands.

When assembling the separated vehicle body frame again, the pin 242 is hooked on the hook 451, and then the lock plate 452 is pushed into the hook 451, so that the hook 456b of the operation lever 455 and the lock plate 452 are engaged. Combine. With this operation, the hook 45
The opening 1 is closed. Subsequently, the joining surfaces of the front frame 22 and the rear frame 23 are opposed to each other, the nut 392 of the lock device shown in FIG. 4 is hooked on the engagement portion 40, and the lock lever 38 is rotated in the direction along the rear frame 23. Let me lock. The lock lever 38 is connected to the rear frame 23.
Nut 392 and engaging portion 4 when positioned along
The tightness with 0 can be adjusted by the position of the nut 392 with respect to the bolt 391.

Next, a modification of the hinge 24 will be described. FIG. 8 is a plan sectional view of the rear end of the front frame 22 according to a modified example of the hinge 24, and FIG. 9 is a front view of the same, and the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. In the figure,
The pivot pin 242 fixed to the rear frame 23 is engaged with the hook 451, and a lock plate 457 is provided at a position to close the opening (notch) of the hook 451 so that the pivot pin 242 cannot escape. The lock plate 457 has an operation portion 45 formed so that a finger can be hooked.
7a and a lock portion 457b for closing the notch, and is pivotally supported by the end block 45 using a pin 453. A spring (torsion coil spring) 458 is engaged with the lock plate 457 such that a force acts in a direction in which the operation portion 457a approaches the end block 45, in other words, a direction in which the lock portion 457b is separated from the end block 45. ing. However, since the rear end of the lock portion 457b, that is, the end portion 452c on the operation portion 457a side abuts on the end face of the end block 45, the lock plate 457 is located at a position above the position where the lock portion 457b faces the cutout portion. It is not rotated in the direction away from 45.

On the other hand, a relief portion (recess) 459 is formed in the end block 45 so that the lock portion 457b can rotate in a direction approaching the end block 45 (arrow RA). The depth of the escape portion 459 is set so that the lock portion 457b escapes toward the end block 45 and the notch portion of the hook 451 is opened.

With this configuration, since the lock plate 457 is urged by the spring 458 and the opening of the hook 451 is closed by the lock portion 457b, the pivot pin 242 cannot escape from the hook 451. Therefore, only by releasing the lock device operated by the lock lever 38, the body frame can only be folded about the pivot pin 242.

In order to further separate the body frame into the front frame 22 and the rear frame 23 after being folded, a direction in which the finger is hooked on the operation portion 457a of the lock plate 457 and separated from the end block 45 (in the direction of arrow RR) )
To pull. Then, the lock portion 457b becomes the escape portion 4
The hook 451 is retracted into the opening 59 and the opening portion of the hook 451 is opened. Therefore, the pivot pin 242 can escape from the hook 451, and the body frame can be completely separated at the connecting portion of the front frame 22 and the rear frame 23.

When assembling the separated vehicle body frames again, the pivot pin 242 is pressed against the lock portion 457b to retract the lock portion 457b into the escape portion 459. If the pivot pin 242 is set on the hook 451,
The pressing force of the pivot pin 242 against the lock portion 457b is released. As a result, the urging force of the spring 453 causes the lock portion 457b to rotate in the direction opposite to the arrow RA and
The opening 1 is closed.

In the embodiment of the hinge 24, the pivot pin 242 is provided on the rear frame 23 side, and
The hook 451 with which the lock member 42 is engaged, the lock plate 45
2, 457 and a lock device including an operation lever 455 are provided on the front frame 22 side. However, in the opposite manner, the pivot pin 242 may be provided on the front frame 22 side, and the lock plate 452 and the like may be provided on the rear frame 23 side.

FIG. 10 shows a four-wheeled vehicle equipped with an electric assisted bicycle (here, a wagon-type vehicle or an RV vehicle is assumed).
FIG. 11 is a perspective view from the front of the vehicle. In both figures, a tray 58 for accommodating an electric assisted bicycle is provided at the rear of the vehicle WGN so as to be freely put in and out of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction. The front frame 56 is a car W
Fixed below the rear seat 57 in the GN, it defines the limit of the front position of the tray 58 in the automobile WGN. The upper frame 59 is fixed to the WGN in the vehicle behind the front frame 56, and supports a shelf (not shown) at the upper part. The tray 58, which is preferably made of a resin material,
The vehicle is guided by rails (not shown) in a space surrounded by the upper frame 6 and the upper frame 59 so as to be slidable in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The upper frame 59 has a battery 41 on its left side.
Charger 60 is held.

Next, a description will be given of a mounting procedure for folding the electric assisted bicycle and mounting it on an automobile. In order to mount the battery-assisted bicycle on the automobile WGN, first, the tray 58 is pulled out toward the rear of the automobile, and a free space is provided above the tray 58. Then, first, the lid 162 of the battery box 16 is opened, the battery 41 is removed from the battery-assisted bicycle, and is stored in the front center of the tray 58. Next, the clamper 233 is loosened, the seat post 3 is pulled out from the rear frame 23, and the seat post 3 and the seat 4 are separated. The seat 4 is stored on the right side of the battery 41, and the seat post 3 is stored on the right corner of the tray 58.

Subsequently, the vehicle body frame is separated. Prior to this separation, the handle post 7 is folded from the joint 6 by operating the knob 61 of the joint 6. And
The lock lever 38 is operated to unlock the connection between the front frame 22 and the rear frame 23, and the body frame is folded around the pivot pin 242. Then, by pushing the operation lever 455 (example of FIG. 6) or pulling the lock plate 457 (example of FIG. 8), the pivot pin 242 is disengaged from the hook 451 of the front frame 22, and Is separated. Front frame 22, handle post 7,
Handle 8, front fork 5, and front wheel WF
It is stored integrally with the left side of the tray 58. On the other hand, the rear frame 23, the electric auxiliary unit 1, and the rear wheel WR
After the pedal 13 is folded, the pedal 13 is integrally moved to the right side of the tray 58 and stored.

FIG. 12 is a rear perspective view of the automobile WGN, and FIG.
3 is a sectional view of the main part. As shown in FIG. 12, when the tray 58 is pulled out, most of the electric assisted bicycle has escaped from the area entirely covered by the shelf 65 to the rear of the automobile, and the user is obstructed by the shelf 65. The electric vehicle can be easily lifted and lowered from the vehicle without the need.

Also, AC1 is provided on the inner side wall of the automobile WGN.
A 00 volt outlet 66 is provided. As shown in FIG. 13, the charger 60 mounted on the back side of the shelf board 65 is supplied with power from an outlet 66 through a cord 67, and the DC of a predetermined voltage rectified by the charger 60 is supplied through a cord 68 to the battery 41. Supplied to The cord 68 and the battery 41 are connected through the connector 43.

As described above, by using the AC outlet 66, for example, the battery 41 can be charged by the generator driven by the engine of the automobile WGN by effectively using the time required to reach the destination such as a resort. Can be.

[0054]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the first and second aspects of the present invention, since the assist units are collectively arranged rearward from the seat post, the structure of the front frame and its surroundings is simplified. I do.

According to the third aspect of the invention, the weight of the vehicle body can be reduced, and a boss or the like for suspending the assist unit can be easily formed. Also,
According to the invention of claim 4, the space between the left and right frame portions can be effectively used.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the side portion of the battery can be covered by the wide portion of the rear frame, so that the battery can be sufficiently protected and the appearance can be improved.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, since it is not necessary to secure dedicated means and space for mounting the assist unit on the rear frame, the number of parts can be reduced and the size of the rear frame can be reduced. Can be.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, there is no need to provide a cover exclusively for the chain, so that it is not necessary to reduce the number of parts and secure an extra space. Further, according to the invention of claim 8, the load applied to the seat post can be reliably received without increasing the strength of the rear frame more than necessary.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of an electric assist bicycle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a rear frame as viewed from the front left.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a rear frame.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a main part around an assist unit.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a plan sectional view of an end block provided on a front frame.

FIG. 7 is a front view of an end block provided on a front frame.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional plan view according to a modification of the end block.

FIG. 9 is a front view according to a modified example of the end block.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a tray storing the electric assisted bicycle.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a tray storing the battery-assisted bicycle.

FIG. 12 is a rear perspective view of a four-wheeled vehicle provided with a tray.

FIG. 13 is a rear sectional view of a four-wheeled vehicle provided with a tray.

FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 4;

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Electric auxiliary unit, 2 ... Body frame, 3 ... Seat post, 6 ... Joint, 7 ... Handle post, 8 ... Steering handle, 11 ... Crankshaft, 13 ...
Pedals, 14 sprocket covers, 16 battery boxes, 22 front frames, 23 rear frames, 24 hinges, 25, 26, 27 bolts,
28: boss, 29: pinion, 32: assist gear, 33: drive sprocket, 38: lock lever, 70: case body, 70b: hanger part, 3
32: driven sprocket

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Hidenori Nakura 1-4-1, Chuo, Wako, Saitama Prefecture Inside Honda R & D Co., Ltd. (72) Hiroyuki Shinmura 1-4-1, Chuo, Wako, Saitama F-term in Honda R & D Co., Ltd. (reference) 3D011 AG02 AH01 AK41 3D012 BE01 BN03 BN05

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An electric assist bicycle comprising: a human-powered driving system for transmitting a pedaling force applied to a pedal; and a motor driving system for adding auxiliary power to the human-powered driving system in accordance with the pedaling force. A body frame including a frame, a seat post held by the rear frame, and an assist unit including the human-powered driving system and the motor driving system, wherein the rear frame is constituted by a left frame portion and a right frame portion. An electric assist bicycle, wherein the assist unit is suspended from the vicinity of the seat post to the rear frame at a rear portion. 2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the left frame portion and the right frame portion are connected to each other near the front of the vehicle body, and a holding portion for the seat post is formed at the connection portion. Electric assisted bicycle. 3. The battery-assisted bicycle according to claim 1, wherein the left frame portion and the right frame portion are made of an aluminum die-cast. 4. The battery-assisted bicycle according to claim 1, wherein a battery mounting portion is provided at a rear portion of the seat post between the left frame portion and the right frame portion. 5. The battery-assisted bicycle according to claim 4, wherein the rear frame is formed wide in a portion immediately behind the seat post in a side view. 6. A rear fastening means for fastening the left frame part and the right frame part to each other behind the assist unit suspension position and in front of a rear wheel, wherein the rear fastening means connects the assist unit to the assist unit. 2. The electric assist bicycle according to claim 1, wherein the electric assist bicycle also serves as a means for coupling to the rear frame. 7. A chain extending between a drive sprocket provided on an output shaft of the assist unit and a driven sprocket on a rear wheel side, and substantially the entire length of the chain on the tension side is viewed from the side. 2. The electric assist bicycle according to claim 1, wherein the electric assist bicycle overlaps the right frame portion. 8. A front fastening means provided below the coupling part and fastening the left frame part and the right frame part to each other, wherein the front fastening means cooperates with a holding part of the seat post. 3. A boss portion which contacts the seat post and can support the seat post at two points.
Listed electric assist bicycle