JP5904808B2 - Electric vehicle - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an electric vehicle in which a rear cushion unit is arranged so as to extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body.

  As an electric vehicle, a rear arm is attached to a lower part of a main frame constituting a body frame so as to be swingable up and down, and a rotating electric machine (electric motor) and a rear wheel driven by the rotating electric machine are attached to a rear end portion of the rear arm. A saddle is attached to the upper rear part of the main frame, a battery for supplying electric power to the rotating electrical machine is supported on the main frame below the saddle, and a rear cushion is passed between the main frame below the saddle and the middle part of the rear arm. A motorcycle is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent No. 4188461

In Patent Document 1, in order to secure the stroke of the rear cushion in order to improve the riding comfort of the electric vehicle, for example, it is conceivable to move the attachment positions at both ends of the rear cushion. Install the rear cushion by moving the upper end of the rear cushion to the upper side of the main frame and moving the lower end of the rear cushion to the rear end of the rear arm, or changing the lower cushion mounting position. If the rear cushion is moved to the upper side of the main frame, the rear cushion increases in length and the stroke of the rear cushion increases. The drivability will change. In addition, if the rear cushion only moves to the rear end side of the rear arm without changing the upper end mounting position of the rear cushion, the rear cushion tilts greatly with respect to the swing arm's vertical swing direction. The overall length of the cushion increases, but the stroke decreases.
Further, in the electric vehicle, in addition to the above-mentioned riding comfort, it is desired to protect the vehicle body mounted parts including the battery from the outside.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an electric vehicle that can improve riding comfort and drivability and protect vehicle-mounted components.

In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a vehicle body frame (11) with a pair of left and right underframes (26) for supporting a floor step (16) on which a driver places his feet, and these underframes (26). A pair of left and right rear frames (27) extending rearward and upward from the rear and a swing arm (37) having a rear wheel (17) attached to the rear end thereof are attached to the rear frame (27) so as to be swingable up and down. A pair of left and right pivot plates (28), and an electric motor (18) for driving the rear wheel (17) is disposed on the swing arm (37, 103), between the left and right rear frames (27). A battery (21) for supplying electric power to the electric motor (18) is disposed at the same time, and the battery (21) is supported on the rear frame (27). The front end portion of the rear cushion unit (41) extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is connected to the front portion (27a) of the rear frame (27), and the cushion is provided at the rear end portion of the swing arm (37, 103). A rear end support portion (72, 103a) extends upward, and a rear end portion of the rear cushion unit (41) is connected to the cushion rear end support portion (72, 103a), and the left and right rear frames ( 27) battery platform (81) is attached to said battery (21) is provided in the battery platform (81), the battery (21) is Ru covered with the laterally rear cushion unit (41) It is characterized by that.

According to this configuration, the rear cushion unit is connected to the cushion rear end support provided at the rear end of the swing arm so that the rear cushion unit extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. Since the stroke of the cushion unit can be ensured and the vibration absorption performance of the rear cushion unit can be enhanced, the riding comfort of the electric vehicle can be improved.
In addition, by connecting the front end of the rear cushion unit to the front part of the rear frame, the rear cushion unit can be disposed close to the center of the vehicle body in the front-rear direction, and the rear cushion unit is a heavy load in addition to the battery. Can be concentrated in the center in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, and drivability such as turning performance of the electric vehicle can be improved.
Furthermore, a rear cushion unit that is long in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body can be arranged on the side of the vehicle over a wide range in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, and the battery and the vehicle-mounted components are covered and protected from the side by the rear cushion unit. be able to. In addition, the rear frame that supports the heavy battery is highly rigid. By connecting the front end of the rear cushion unit to such a highly rigid rear frame, the tensile and compressive forces acting on the rear cushion unit can be reduced. I can take it well.

  In the above configuration, the cushion rear end support portion is a first arm (72) that forms part of a link mechanism (39) that connects the swing arm (37) and the rear frame (27), One end of the first arm (72) is swingably connected to the swing arm (37), and the other end of the first arm (72) is swung to the rear part (27b) of the rear frame (27). The second arm (79) is movably connected to the other end of the second arm (79) so as to be swingable. The connecting portion (76) between the first arm (72) and the second arm (79) is the rear cushion unit. (41) You may be connected with the rear-end part. According to this configuration, the swinging motion of the swing arm in the vertical direction can be easily converted into the axial motion of the rear cushion unit by the extension or compression of the first arm and the second arm of the link mechanism.

In the above configuration, the cushion rear end support portion (72, 103a) extends forward of the vehicle body such that the connecting portion (76) is located in front of the vehicle body relative to the axle (38) of the rear wheel (17). May be. According to this configuration, the swinging motion of the swing arm in the vertical direction can be effectively converted into the axial stretching motion of the rear cushion unit.
In the above configuration, the cushion rear end support portion (72, 103a) may extend upward and forward from the rear end of the swing arm (37, 103). According to this configuration, the swinging motion of the swing arm in the vertical direction can be effectively converted into the axial stretching motion of the rear cushion unit.

In the above configuration, the rear cushion unit (41) may overlap the rear frame (27) in a top view so that the longitudinal direction thereof is along the longitudinal direction of the rear frame (27). According to this configuration, since the rear cushion unit does not protrude greatly outward in the vehicle width direction, the rear cushion unit can be arranged in a compact manner, and the vehicle body can be downsized.
In the above configuration, the rear cushion unit (41) is disposed substantially parallel to the rear frame (27) in a non-riding state in which no occupant is on the vehicle, and the rear cushion unit (41) and the rear frame (27 ), Spaces (86, 108) allowing the rear cushion unit (41) to swing may be secured. According to this configuration, the rear cushion unit can be compactly disposed with respect to the rear frame while allowing the rear cushion unit to swing in the vertical direction when the rear cushion unit expands and contracts due to swinging of the swing arm.

In the present invention, a battery is supported on a rear frame, a front end portion of a rear cushion unit extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is connected to a front portion of the rear frame, and a cushion rear end support portion provided at a rear end portion of a swing arm is provided. Since the rear end portion of the rear cushion unit is connected to the rear end support portion of the cushion, the rear cushion unit is connected by connecting the rear end portion of the rear cushion unit to the rear end support portion of the cushion. Since the rear cushion unit stroke can be secured by extending the vehicle body in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body and the vibration absorption performance of the rear cushion unit can be enhanced, the riding comfort of the electric vehicle can be improved.
In addition, since the front end of the rear cushion unit is connected to the front part of the rear frame, the rear cushion unit can be arranged close to the center of the vehicle body in the front-rear direction. It is possible to concentrate on the center in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, and it is possible to improve drivability such as turning performance of the electric vehicle.
Furthermore, a rear cushion unit that is long in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body can be arranged on the side of the vehicle over a wide range in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, and the battery and the vehicle-mounted components are covered and protected from the side by the rear cushion unit. be able to. In addition, the rear frame that supports the heavy battery is highly rigid. By connecting the front end of the rear cushion unit to such a highly rigid rear frame, the tensile and compressive forces acting on the rear cushion unit can be reduced. I can take it well.

  The cushion rear end support portion is a first arm that constitutes a part of a link mechanism that connects the swing arm and the rear frame. One end of the first arm is swingably connected to the swing arm, The other end of one arm is swingably connected to the other end of a second arm (79) whose one end is swingably connected to the rear portion of the rear frame, and the first arm and the second arm are connected to each other. Since the part is connected to the rear end of the rear cushion unit, the swinging motion of the swing arm in the vertical direction can be expanded and contracted in the axial direction of the rear cushion unit by extending or compressing the first arm and the second arm of the link mechanism. Can be easily converted into motion.

Further, since the cushion rear end support portion extends to the front side of the vehicle body so that the connecting portion is positioned in front of the vehicle body relative to the axle of the rear wheel, the swing arm in the vertical direction of the swing arm can be effectively prevented. It can be converted into an axial stretching motion.
Further, the cushion rear end support portion extends from the rear end of the swing arm so as to incline upward and forward, so that the swinging motion of the swing arm in the vertical direction can be effectively expanded and contracted in the axial direction of the rear cushion unit. Can be converted to

In addition, the rear cushion unit overlaps the rear frame when viewed from above so that the longitudinal direction of the rear cushion unit is along the longitudinal direction of the rear frame. The vehicle body can be reduced in size.
In addition, the rear cushion unit is disposed substantially parallel to the rear frame in a non-riding state where no occupant is in the vehicle, and a space for allowing the rear cushion unit to swing is secured between the rear cushion unit and the rear frame. Therefore, the rear cushion unit can be disposed compactly with respect to the rear frame while allowing the rear cushion unit to swing in the vertical direction when the rear cushion unit expands and contracts due to swinging of the swing arm.

It is a left view which shows the electric vehicle to which 1st Embodiment of this invention is applied. It is explanatory drawing which shows the rear suspension (1st Embodiment) of an electric vehicle. It is a top view which shows arrangement | positioning of a rear cushion unit. It is a left view which shows the electric vehicle to which 2nd Embodiment of this invention is applied. It is explanatory drawing which shows the rear suspension (2nd Embodiment) of an electric vehicle. It is a left view which shows the rear suspension (3rd Embodiment) of an electric vehicle.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description, descriptions of directions such as front and rear, right and left and up and down are the same as directions with respect to the vehicle body unless otherwise specified. Further, in each figure, the symbol FR indicates the front of the vehicle body, the symbol UP indicates the upper side of the vehicle body, and the symbol LE indicates the left side of the vehicle body.
<First Embodiment>
FIG. 1 is a left side view showing an electric vehicle 10 to which the first embodiment of the present invention is applied.
The electric vehicle 10 includes a vehicle body frame 11, a front wheel 12, a bar handle 13 for steering the front wheel 12, a seat 14, a floor step 16 on which a passenger sitting on the seat 14 places his / her foot, a rear wheel 17, and driving of the rear wheel 17. This is a scooter type motorcycle mainly composed of an electric motor 18 as a source, a power drive unit (PDU) 19 for controlling the driving of the electric motor 18, and a battery 21 for supplying electric power to the electric motor 18. A pair of left and right rear cushion units 41, 41 (only the reference numeral 41 on the front side is shown) extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is disposed in the portion.

  The vehicle body frame 11 includes a head pipe 23 provided at a front end thereof, a down frame 24 extending obliquely rearward and downward from the head pipe 23, and a pair of left and right under frames 26 extending downward and rearward from the lower end of the down frame 24, 26 (only the reference numeral 26 on the front side is shown), a pair of left and right rear frames 27, 27 (only the reference numeral 27 on the front side is shown) extending rearward and obliquely upward from the rear ends of the underframes 26, 26, and It consists of a pair of left and right pivot plates 28, 28 (only the reference numeral 28 on the near side is shown) provided on the rear frames 27, 27. The rear frame 27 is connected to the rear end of the underframe 26 and extends obliquely upward and rearwardly, and the rear inclined portion 27a extends rearward horizontally from the rear end of the front inclined portion 27a. Part 27b.

  Specifically, the electric vehicle 10 includes a front fork 31 that is steerably supported by the head pipe 23, a front wheel 12 that is rotatably supported by a lower end of the front fork 31 via an axle 32, and a front fork 31. The bar handle 13 attached to the upper end of the left side, the floor step 16 supported by the pair of left and right under frames 26, 26, and the left and right rear frames are disposed between the left and right rear frames 27, 27 below the seat 14. 27 and 27, a swing arm 37 supported by left and right pivot plates 28 and 28 via a pivot shaft 36 so as to be swingable up and down, an electric motor 18 incorporated in the swing arm 37, and PDU 19 and rear wheel rotatably supported at the rear end of swing arm 37 via axle 38 7 and the front end portion of the left and right rear frames 27, 27 are swingably connected to the front inclined portions 27a, and the rear end portion is linked to the rear end of the swing arm 37 by link mechanisms 39, 39 (reference numerals on the front side). A pair of left and right rear cushion units 41, 41 (only the reference numeral 41 shown on the near side is shown) and a left and right rear frames 27, 27 are connected to the left and right rear frames 27, 27 via a seat support frame (not shown). And a vehicle body cover 44 that covers each part of the vehicle body.

The rear cushion unit 41 is a shock absorber composed of a compression coil spring that supports the vehicle weight and absorbs an impact, and a shock absorber that attenuates input vibration.
The vehicle body cover 44 includes a handle cover 46 that covers the center of the bar handle 13, a front cover 51 that covers the top of the head pipe 23 and the front fork 31 from the front, and extends to the left and right of the front cover 51 and to the left and right of the front cover 51 Leg shield 52 covering the legs of the person from the front, floor step 16 extending rearward from the lower end of the leg shield 52, and floor side covers 54, 54 covering the left and right lower sides of the floor step 16 (only reference numeral 54 on the front side) And a side cover 57 that covers the lower part of the front part of the seat 14 and the lower part of both side parts of the seat 14, and a pair of left and right rear side covers 58, 58 that extend rearward so as to be connected to the side cover 57. 58 only).
Here, reference numeral 60 is a headlamp, 61 is a front fender that covers the front wheel 12 from above, 62 is a side stand, 63 is a loading platform, 64 is a tail lamp, and 65 is a rear fender that covers the rear wheel 17 from above.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing a rear suspension 70 (first embodiment) of the electric vehicle, and FIG. 2A is a side view of a main part showing the rear suspension 70 in a non-riding state in which no occupant is on the vehicle. FIG. 2B is an operation diagram showing a state in which the rear wheel 17 has moved upward with respect to the vehicle body frame 11.
As shown in FIG. 2 (A), the rear suspension 70 for suspending the rear wheel 17 has a swing arm 37 and a pair of left and right upper mounting portions 37a formed at the rear end portion of the swing arm 37. And a pair of left and right lower arms 72, 72 (only front side reference 72 is shown) and rear frame 27, 27 (only front side reference 27 is shown) front inclined portions 27a, 27a. A front end portion 41a is swingably connected to a pair of left and right front brackets 73, 73 (only the front side reference symbol 73 is shown) provided on the front side reference symbol 27a via a support shaft 74. A pair of left and right rear cushion units 41, 41 having a rear end portion 41b connected to the lower arm 72 via a connecting pin 76, and one end portion of the rear frame 27, 27 rear horizontal portions 27b, 27b (front side) The left and right rear brackets 77, 77 (only the front side reference numeral 77 is shown) provided on the left and right rear brackets 77 and 77 (only the front side reference 77 is shown) are connected via the support shaft 78 and the other end is connected to the connecting pin 76. It consists of a pair of upper arms 79,79. Reference numeral 81 denotes a battery mounting table attached to the left and right rear frames 27, 27 for mounting the battery 21.

The lower arm 72, the connecting pin 76 and the upper arm 79 constitute a link mechanism 39. The link mechanism 39 is disposed in front of the vehicle body with respect to a vertical line 83 passing through an axis 38a of the axle 38 of the rear wheel 17 (a line extending in the front-and-back direction in the figure and indicated by a black circle), and the lower arm 72 is The upper arm 79 extends obliquely upward and forward from the vehicle body, and the upper arm 79 extends downward from the rear bracket 77.
The rear cushion unit 41 is disposed directly below the rear frame 27. When the occupant is not in the occupant, the rear cushion unit 41 is disposed substantially horizontally and extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. It is located on the side of the battery 21.
Further, in a non-riding state, the rear cushion unit 41 and the rear horizontal portion 27b of the rear frame 27, and the rear cushion unit 41 and the swing arm 37 are arranged substantially in parallel in a side view. Reference numeral 85 denotes a space between the swing arm 37 and the rear cushion unit 41, and 86 denotes a space between the rear cushion unit 41 and the rear frame 27. The space 85 and 86 allow the rear cushion unit 41 to swing. It can swing without interfering with the arm 37 and the rear frame 27.

  As shown in FIG. 2 (B), for example, when the electric vehicle is running, the rear wheel 17 rises with respect to the vehicle body frame 11 from the state shown in FIG. 2 (A). (A) The lower end position of the rear wheel 17 is shown.) When the swing arm 37 swings upward as indicated by the arrow A about the pivot shaft 36 as shown in FIG. As a result, the lower arm 72 and the upper arm 79 of the link mechanism 39 are vertically compressed, and a pressing force toward the front end portion 41a acts on the rear end portion 41b of the rear cushion unit 41 as shown by a white arrow. When the rear cushion unit 41 is compressed, a damping force is generated so that vibration and impact are not transmitted from the road surface to the vehicle body frame 11 via the rear wheel 17, the swing arm 37, the link mechanism 39, and the rear cushion unit 41. Like that.

  Further, for example, when the rear wheel 17 is lowered with respect to the vehicle body frame 11 from the state shown in FIG. 2A while the electric vehicle is traveling, the swing arm 37 is centered on the pivot shaft 36 with the arrow A. Swings in the opposite direction. As a result, the lower arm 72 and the upper arm 79 of the link mechanism 39 are extended vertically, and the rear end portion 41b of the rear cushion unit 41 is in the direction opposite to the white arrow, that is, the direction away from the front end portion 44a side. A tensile force acts and a damping force is generated when the rear cushion unit 41 is pulled, and vibrations and impacts are applied to the vehicle body frame 11 from the road surface via the rear wheel 17, the swing arm 37, the link mechanism 39, and the rear cushion unit 41. Make sure it is not transmitted.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the arrangement of the rear cushion unit 41.
The left and right rear cushion units 41 and 41 are disposed so as to overlap below the rear frames 27 and 27, respectively. When the outer diameter of the round pipe-shaped rear frame 27 is D1 and the outer diameter of the rear cushion unit 41 is D2, the outer diameter D2 of the rear cushion unit 41 is larger than the outer diameter D1 of the rear frame 27 (D2> D1). .

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 2A, and 2B, a pair of left and right underframes 26 and 26 (symbols on the front side) supporting the floor step 16 on which the driver puts his / her foot on the vehicle body frame 11. 26), a pair of left and right rear frames 27, 27 (only the reference numeral 27 on the near side is shown) extending rearward and upward from the under frames 26, 26, and a swing arm 37 having a rear wheel 17 attached to the rear end. And a pair of left and right pivot plates 28, 28 (only the reference numeral 28 on the front side is shown) attached to the rear frames 27, 27 to drive the rear wheel 17 on the swing arm 37. An electric motor 18 is disposed, a battery 21 for supplying electric power to the electric motor 18 is disposed between the left and right rear frames 27 and 27, and the rear frames 27 and 27 are disposed. In the electric vehicle 10 on which the battery 21 is supported, rear cushion units 41, 41 extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body on front inclined portions 27a, 27a (only the reference numeral 27a on the front side is shown) as the front portions of the rear frames 27, 27. Left and right lower arms 72, 72 (front side) as cushion rear end support portions (first arms) provided at the rear end portion of the swing arm 37 are connected to the front end portions 41a (only the front side reference 41 is shown). (Only the reference numeral 72 on the side is shown) extends upward, and the rear ends 41b of the rear cushion units 41 and 41 are connected to the lower arms 72 and 72, respectively.

According to this configuration, the rear cushion unit 41 is arranged so as to extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body by connecting the rear end portion 41b of the rear cushion unit 41 to the lower arm 72 provided at the rear end portion of the swing arm 37. Thus, the stroke of the rear cushion unit 41 can be ensured, and the vibration absorption performance of the rear cushion unit 41 can be enhanced, so that the riding comfort of the electric vehicle 10 can be improved.
Further, by connecting the front end portion 41a of the rear cushion unit 41 to the front inclined portion 27a of the rear frame 27, the rear cushion unit 41 can be disposed close to the center in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body. Thus, the rear cushion unit 41, which is a heavy object, can be concentrated at the center in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, and the drivability such as turning ability of the electric vehicle 10 can be improved.
Further, the rear cushion unit 41 that is long in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body can be disposed on the side of the vehicle body over a wide range in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. The parts unique to the electric vehicle 10 such as a charger and other electrical components disposed in the vicinity of the vehicle can be covered and protected from the side. Further, the rear frame 27 that supports the heavy battery 21 is highly rigid, and acts on the rear cushion unit 41 by connecting the front end 41a of the rear cushion unit 41 to the highly rigid rear frame 27. The tensile force and the compressive force can be sufficiently received.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the cushion lower end support portion is a lower arm as a first arm that constitutes a part of a link mechanism 39 that connects the swing arm 37 and the rear frame 27. 72, one end of the lower arm 72 is swingably connected to the swing arm 37, and the other end of the lower arm 72 is swingably connected to a rear horizontal portion 27b as a rear portion of the rear frame 27. The second arm is pivotally connected to the other end of the upper arm 79, and a connecting pin 76 as a connecting portion between the lower arm 72 and the upper arm 79 is connected to the rear end 41 b of the rear cushion unit 41. Therefore, the swinging motion of the swing arm 37 in the vertical direction is caused by the extension or compression of the lower arm 72 and the upper arm 79 of the link mechanism 39, and the rear cushion unit. It can be readily converted to the axial direction of the expansion and contraction motion of bets 41.
Further, since the lower arm 72 extends to the front of the vehicle body so that the connecting pin 76 is located in front of the vehicle body with respect to the axle 38 of the rear wheel 17, the swinging movement of the swing arm 37 in the vertical direction can be effectively performed with the rear cushion. This can be converted into an expansion / contraction motion of the unit 41 in the axial direction.
Further, since the lower arm 72 extends from the rear end of the swing arm 37 so as to incline upward and forward, the swinging motion of the swing arm 37 in the vertical direction is effectively expanded and contracted in the axial direction of the rear cushion unit 41. Can be converted into motion.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the rear cushion unit 41 overlaps the rear frame 27 when viewed from above so that the longitudinal direction thereof is along the longitudinal direction of the rear frame 27. Therefore, the rear cushion unit 41 can be arranged in a compact manner, and the vehicle body can be downsized.
Further, as shown in FIG. 2A, the rear cushion unit 41 is disposed substantially parallel to the rear frame 27 in a non-riding state in which no occupant is on the vehicle, and between the rear cushion unit 41 and the rear frame 27. Since the space 86 allowing the rear cushion unit 41 to swing is secured, the rear cushion unit 41 is allowed to swing in the vertical direction when the rear cushion unit 41 expands and contracts as the swing arm 37 swings. The rear cushion unit 41 can be arranged compactly with respect to the rear frame 27.

Second Embodiment
FIG. 4 is a left side view showing an electric vehicle 100 to which the second embodiment of the present invention is applied. The same components as those in the first embodiment shown in FIG.
The electric vehicle 100 is different in a rear suspension 101 from the rear suspension 70 of the electric vehicle 10 shown in FIG.
That is, the electric vehicle 100 includes a swing arm 103 supported by left and right pivot plates 28 and 28 via a pivot shaft 36 so as to be swingable up and down, an electric motor 18 and a PDU 19 built in the swing arm 103, and a swing. The rear wheel 17 is rotatably supported on the rear end portion of the arm 103 via the axle 38, the front end portion is swingably connected to the left and right rear frames 27, 27, and the rear end portion is the swing arm 103. A pair of left and right rear cushion units 41, 41 (only front side reference numeral 41 is shown) is swingably connected to the rear end portion, and the rear wheel 17 is suspended by the rear suspension 101.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a rear suspension 101 (second embodiment) of the electric vehicle, and FIG. 5A is a side view of a main part showing the rear suspension 101 in a non-riding state in which no occupant is on the vehicle. FIG. 5B is an operation diagram showing a state in which the rear wheel 17 has moved upward with respect to the vehicle body frame 11.
As shown in FIG. 5A, the rear suspension 101 for suspending the rear wheel 17 is provided on the swing arm 103 and the front inclined portions 27a of the rear frames 27 and 27 (only the reference numeral 27 on the front side is shown). A pair of left and right front brackets 73 and 73 (only the reference numeral 73 shown on the front side) is connected to a front end portion 41a through a support shaft 74 so as to be swingable, and each rear end portion 41b is connected to a swing arm 103. A pair of left and right rear cushion units 41 coupled to a pair of left and right cushion rear end support portions 103a and 103a (only the reference numeral 103a on the front side is shown) formed on the rear end portion so as to be swingable via a support shaft 106; 41 (only the reference numeral 41 on the near side is shown).

The rear cushion unit 41 is disposed directly below the rear frame 27. When the occupant is not in the occupant, the rear cushion unit 41 is disposed substantially horizontally and extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. It is located on the side of the battery 21.
Furthermore, in the non-riding state, the rear cushion unit 41 and the rear horizontal portion 27b of the rear frame 27, and the rear cushion unit 41 and the swing arm 103 are arranged substantially in parallel in a side view. Reference numeral 107 denotes a space between the swing arm 103 and the rear cushion unit 41, and 108 denotes a space between the rear cushion unit 41 and the rear frame 27. The spaces 107 and 108 cause the rear cushion unit 41 to swing. It can swing without interfering with the arm 103 and the rear frame 27.

  As shown in FIG. 5B, for example, when the electric vehicle is running, the rear wheel 17 rises with respect to the vehicle body frame 11 from the state shown in FIG. 5A (the imaginary line in FIG. (A) The lower end position of the rear wheel 17 is shown.) When the swing arm 103 swings upward as indicated by the arrow B about the pivot shaft 36 as shown in FIG. As a result, the rear end portion 41b of the rear cushion unit 41 is subjected to a pressing force toward the front end portion 41a as shown by a white arrow, and a damping force is generated when the rear cushion unit 41 is compressed. Thus, vibration and impact are prevented from being transmitted from the road surface to the vehicle body frame 11 via the rear wheel 17, the swing arm 103 and the rear cushion unit 41.

  Further, for example, when the rear wheel 17 is lowered with respect to the vehicle body frame 11 from the state shown in FIG. 5A while the electric vehicle is traveling, the swing arm 103 is moved by the arrow B around the pivot shaft 36. Swings in the opposite direction. As a result, a tensile force acts on the rear end portion 41b of the rear cushion unit 41 in the direction opposite to the white arrow, that is, the direction away from the front end portion 44a, and the damping force when the rear cushion unit 41 is pulled. This prevents vibrations and shocks from being transmitted from the road surface to the vehicle body frame 11 via the rear wheel 17, the swing arm 103, and the rear cushion unit 41.

  As shown in FIG. 4 above, a pair of left and right underframes 26 and 26 (only the reference numeral 26 on the near side is shown) for supporting the floor step 16 on which the driver puts his / her foot on the vehicle body frame 11, and these underframes In order to support a pair of left and right rear frames 27, 27 (only reference numeral 27 shown on the front side) extending rearward and upward from 26, 26 and a swing arm 103 having a rear wheel 17 attached to the rear end thereof are swingable up and down. A pair of left and right pivot plates 28, 28 (only the front side reference numeral 28 is shown) attached to the rear frames 27, 27 are provided, and an electric motor 18 for driving the rear wheel 17 is disposed on the swing arm 103, and left and right rear In the electric vehicle 100 in which the battery 21 for supplying electric power to the electric motor 18 is disposed between the frames 27 and 27, the rear frames 27 and 27 The battery 21 is supported, and rear cushion units 41 and 41 (only the front side reference 41 is shown) extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body on the front inclined portions 27a and 27a (only the front side reference 27a is shown) of the rear frames 27 and 27. The rear end portions 41 a of the rear cushion units 41 and 41 are connected to the cushion rear end support portion 103 a provided at the rear end portion of the swing arm 103.

Further, the cushion rear end support portion 103 a and the support shaft 106 that connects the cushion rear end support portion 103 a and the rear cushion unit 41 are disposed in front of the vehicle body with respect to the vertical line 83. By providing such a cushion rear end support portion 103 a integrally with the rear end portion of the swing arm 103, the swinging motion of the swing arm 37 in the vertical direction can be effectively converted into the telescopic motion of the rear cushion unit 41. In addition, the structure of the rear suspension 101 can be simplified and the cost can be reduced.
Further, as shown in FIG. 5A, the rear cushion unit 41 is disposed substantially parallel to the rear frame 27 in a non-riding state in which no occupant is on the vehicle, and between the rear cushion unit 41 and the rear frame 27. In addition, a space 108 that allows the rear cushion unit 41 to swing is secured.

<Third Embodiment>
FIG. 6 is a left side view showing a rear suspension 111 (third embodiment) of the electric vehicle. The same components as those in the first embodiment shown in FIG.
The rear suspension 111 of the electric vehicle differs from the rear suspension 70 of the electric vehicle 10 shown in FIG.
The rear suspension 111 that suspends the rear wheel 17 includes a swing arm 112 and a pair of left and right lower arms 113 that are swingably connected to an upper mounting portion 112a formed on the swing arm 112 via a support shaft 71. , 113 (only the front side reference numeral 113 is shown) and the left and right pair provided on the front inclined portions 27a, 27a (only the front side reference sign 27a is shown) of the rear frames 27, 27 (only the front side reference numeral 27 is shown). The front end portion 41a is swingably connected to the front brackets 73 and 73 (only the reference numeral 73 on the front side is shown) via a support shaft 74, and the rear end portion 41b is connected to the lower arm 113 via a connecting pin 76. A pair of left and right rear cushion units 41, 41 connected to each other, and rear horizontal portions 27b, 27b of one end portion of the rear frames 27, 27 (only the reference numeral 27b on the near side is shown) A pair of left and right upper arms 79 connected to a pair of left and right rear brackets 77, 77 (only reference numeral 77 on the front side) is provided via a support shaft 78 and the other end is connected to a connecting pin 76. , 79.

The lower arm 113, the connecting pin 76, and the upper arm 79 constitute a link mechanism 114. The link mechanism 114 is disposed in front of the vehicle body with respect to a vertical line 83 passing through an axis 38a of the axle 38 of the rear wheel 17 (a line extending in the front-and-back direction in the figure and indicated by a black circle), and the lower arm 113 is The swing arm 112 extends from the upper mounting portion 112 a obliquely upward to the rear of the vehicle body, and the upper arm 79 extends downward from the rear bracket 77.
The rear cushion unit 41 is disposed directly below the rear frame 27. When the occupant is not in the occupant, the rear cushion unit 41 is disposed substantially horizontally and extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. It is located on the side of the battery 21.
Further, in a non-riding state, the rear cushion unit 41 and the rear horizontal portion 27b of the rear frame 27, and the rear cushion unit 41 and the swing arm 37 are arranged substantially in parallel in a side view.

The swing arm 112 is supported on the left and right pivot plates 28 and 28 (only the reference numeral 28 on the near side is shown) via a pivot shaft 36 so as to be swingable up and down. A rear wheel 17 is rotatably supported at the rear end portion of the swing arm 103 via an axle 38, and an electric motor 18 and a PDU 19 are built in the swing arm 103.
Further, the upper mounting portion 112 a of the swing arm 112 is provided in the middle portion of the entire length of the swing arm 112, and the support shaft 71 provided in the upper mounting portion 112 a is disposed in front of the vehicle body with respect to the connecting pin 76.

The above-described embodiment is merely an aspect of the present invention, and can be arbitrarily modified and applied without departing from the gist of the present invention.
For example, in the above embodiment, the rear cushion unit 41 shown in FIG. 1 is a shock absorber composed of a compression coil spring and a shock absorber, but is not limited to this, and other types of springs such as leaf springs, rubbers, etc. Other elastic members, friction materials, or fluids may be used.
Moreover, although the said embodiment demonstrated the case where this invention was applied to the scooter type motorcycle provided with the step floor 16, it is not restricted to this. For example, the present invention can be applied to a saddle-ride type vehicle including other types of motorcycles and other than motorcycles. The saddle-ride type vehicle includes all vehicles that ride on the vehicle body, and includes not only motorcycles (including bicycles with motors) but also three-wheeled vehicles and four-wheeled vehicles classified as ATVs (rough terrain vehicles). It is a vehicle including.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10,100 Electric vehicle 11 Body frame 16 Floor step 17 Rear wheel 18 Electric motor 21 Battery 26 Under frame 27 Rear frame 28 Pivot plate 37, 103 Swing arm 38 Axle 39 Link mechanism 41 Rear cushion unit 72 Lower arm (cushion rear end support) Part, first arm)
76 Connecting pin (connecting part)
79 Upper arm (second arm)
86,108 Space 103a Cushion rear end support

Claims (6)

A pair of left and right underframes (26) for supporting a floor step (16) on which a driver puts his / her foot on the body frame (11), and a pair of left and right rear frames (27) extending rearward and upward from these underframes (26). ) And a pair of left and right pivot plates (28) attached to the rear frame (27) for supporting a swing arm (37) having a rear wheel (17) attached to the rear end thereof so as to be swingable up and down. An electric motor (18) for driving the rear wheel (17) is disposed on the swing arm (37, 103), and power is supplied to the electric motor (18) between the left and right rear frames (27). In the electric vehicle in which the battery (21) is disposed and the battery (21) is supported by the rear frame (27),
A front end portion of a rear cushion unit (41) extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is connected to a front portion (27a) of the rear frame (27), and a cushion rear end provided at a rear end portion of the swing arm (37, 103). A support portion (72, 103a) extends upward, and a rear end portion of the rear cushion unit (41) is coupled to the cushion rear end support portion (72, 103a) .
A battery mounting base (81) is attached to the left and right rear frames (27), the battery (21) is provided to the battery mounting base (81), and the battery (21) is laterally connected to the rear cushion unit ( electric vehicle according to claim Rukoto covered with 41).   The cushion rear end support portion is a first arm (72) that constitutes a part of a link mechanism (39) that connects the swing arm (37) and the rear frame (27), and the first arm ( 72) one end of the first arm (72) is swingably connected to the rear part (27b) of the rear frame (27). The second arm (79) is connected to the other end of the second arm (79) in a swingable manner, and a connecting portion (76) between the first arm (72) and the second arm (79) is connected to the rear cushion unit (41). The electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the electric vehicle is connected to a rear end portion.   The said 1st arm (72) is extended in the vehicle body front side so that the said connection part (76) may be located ahead of a vehicle body rather than the axle shaft (38) of the said rear wheel (17). The electric vehicle as described in.   2. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the cushion rear end support portion (72, 103 a) extends upward and forward from the rear end of the swing arm (37, 103).   The said rear cushion unit (41) overlaps with this rear frame (27) by the top view so that the longitudinal direction may follow the longitudinal direction of the said rear frame (27), The Claim 1 or 4 characterized by the above-mentioned. Electric vehicle.   The rear cushion unit (41) is disposed substantially parallel to the rear frame (27) in a non-riding state in which no occupant rides, and between the rear cushion unit (41) and the rear frame (27), The electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1, 4 and 5, characterized in that a space (86, 108) allowing the swing of the rear cushion unit (41) is secured.

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