JP7192452B2 - Straddle-type vehicle fuel tank mounting structure - Google Patents

Description

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a fuel tank mounting structure for a straddle-type vehicle that can be lifted around the rear portion of the fuel tank.

Many conventional on-road vehicles welded a bracket to the rear of the fuel tank, tightened a separate bracket to this bracket, and formed a hinge mechanism with this separate bracket and the bracket on the vehicle body side (for example, Reference 1).
Also known is a technique in which a flange at the rear of the fuel tank is extended toward the rear of the vehicle, and a fastening hole is provided in the extension to directly fasten it to a bracket on the vehicle body side.
It should be noted that the fuel tank is attached, detached or lifted up not only when it is assembled at the production plant, but also when a mechanic or the user himself/herself accesses the area around the engine from above the vehicle.

JP-A-60-161285

The technology to fix the rear part of the fuel tank with a hinge mechanism requires a space for the separate bracket, which poses a problem in terms of parts layout. Also, with this technique, the number of parts increases by the amount of the separate bracket.

In addition, the technique of extending the flange at the rear of the fuel tank toward the rear of the vehicle does not have a hinge function. . For example, it is necessary for one person to support the fuel tank and another person to perform the wiring and routing work. Also, it is difficult for the user to check under the fuel tank or remove the fuel tank.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in consideration of such circumstances, and provides a fuel tank for a saddle-ride type vehicle in which the rear mounting portion, on which the pivot shaft of the fuel tank is formed, is made smaller and simpler, and the ease of assembly is improved. The object is to provide a mounting structure.

A fuel tank mounting structure according to the present embodiment includes a flange formed at the rear portion of a fuel tank mounted on a vehicle body frame and extending rearward; a support bracket having a stopper portion for rotatably abutting the rear end portion of the flange when the tightening fixation of the support bracket is released; A concave groove extending in the width direction is formed .

The present invention provides a fuel tank mounting structure for a saddle-ride type vehicle in which the rear mounting portion, in which the pivot shaft of the fuel tank is formed, is made small and simple, and the assembly is improved.

1 is an exploded perspective view of a vehicle body frame to which the fuel tank mounting structure according to the present invention can be applied, viewed from the left rear upper side; FIG. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the vehicle body frame shown in FIG. 1 having a fuel tank to constitute a rotation support mechanism; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the periphery of the rotation support mechanism that constitutes the fuel tank mounting structure according to the present invention; FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the periphery of the rotation support mechanism that constitutes the fuel tank mounting structure according to the present invention, showing a state in which the front side of the fuel tank is lifted; Fig. 3 is a left side view of the vehicle body frame showing a state in which the front end of the fuel tank is lifted using the rear end of the fuel tank as a support shaft; The left sectional view which shows the modification of a support bracket. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a modified example of the support bracket, in which the fixed seat surface portion and the flange of the support bracket are cut along the vehicle width direction and the fuel tank is viewed from the rear;

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
In the following embodiments, an example in which the fuel tank mounting structure according to the present invention is applied to a twin-spar type vehicle body frame will be described, but the type of vehicle body frame is not limited to this. For example, a cradle type or underbone type fuel tank is applicable as long as the fuel tank is mounted on the vehicle body frame.

In the following embodiments, expressions of up and down, left and right, and front and back are based on the driver (rider) when riding the vehicle. Further, in each figure, an arrow FW indicates the front of the vehicle, an arrow BW indicates the rear of the vehicle, an arrow L indicates the left direction of the vehicle, an arrow R indicates the right direction of the vehicle, an arrow U indicates the upward direction of the vehicle, and an arrow D indicates the downward direction of the vehicle. In addition, in each figure, for the sake of simplification, part of the configuration is omitted as appropriate.

First, a body frame 10 and a fuel tank 20 of a straddle-type vehicle to which the fuel tank mounting structure according to the embodiment is applied will be outlined with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG.
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a vehicle body frame 10 to which the fuel tank mounting structure according to the present invention can be applied, viewed from the left rear upper side.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the vehicle body frame 10 shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the fuel tank mounting structure according to the embodiment is, for example, a so-called twin spar type vehicle body frame 10 composed of a main frame 12 (13 to 16) and a rear frame 17 (17a). Applies to

The twin-spar type vehicle body frame 10 includes a head pipe 13 arranged in the front part of the vehicle body frame 10, a front head block 14 connected to the head pipe 13, and a front head block 14 branched left and right and obliquely rearward and downward. A main frame is formed by integrating a pair of left and right tank frames 15 extending to the left and right, and a body frame 16 that is connected to the rear ends of the tank frames 15 and connected to the left and right at the rear ends and that bends and hangs downward. 12.

The left and right tank frames 15 of the main frame 12 expand to the same width as the engine, and the body frame 16 is connected to the left and right tank frames 15 to have an annular shape in a plan view. A body bridge 18 that connects the body frames 16 to the left and right is bridged over the left and right bent portions of the body frames 16 .

A rear frame 17 including a pair of left and right seat rails 17a and a pair of left and right seat rail stays (not shown) is provided at the hanging portion of the body bridge 18 and the body frame 16 .
The seat rail 17a is connected to the body bridge 18 and extends obliquely upward and rearward while being reinforced by a reinforcing member 19 on the lower surface. The seat rail 17a is joined at its rear end to a seat rail stay that extends upward and rearward from the intermediate portion of the body frame 16 . The rear construction stays 26 are constructed on the left and right on the front portions of the left and right seat rails 17a. A support bracket 27 is fixed to the rear erection stay 26 at two points with fasteners 25 such as bolts and nuts.
Further, a front section installation stay 21 is installed on the front end upper surfaces of the left and right tank frames 15 .

A fuel tank fixing base 22 having two left and right fixing blocks 22a is fixed to the front installation stay 21, as shown in FIG. Then, the front end of the fuel tank 20 is fixed to the left and right fixed blocks 22a by means of fixtures 23 such as bolts and nuts. On the other hand, on the left and right seat rails 17 a , flanges 24 provided at the rear ends of the fuel tanks 20 are fastened and fixed to support brackets 27 with fixing bolts 31 .

Next, the fuel tank mounting structure according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5. FIG.
3 and 4 are cross-sectional views around the rotation support mechanism 11 constituting the fuel tank mounting structure according to the present invention.
4 shows a state in which the fixing bolt 31 is removed from the support bracket 27 and the front side of the fuel tank 20 is lifted in FIG.
5 is a left side view of the vehicle body frame 10 showing a state in which the front end of the fuel tank 20 is lifted using the rear end of the fuel tank 20 as a support shaft.

As shown in FIG. 3, the support bracket 27 has a fastening seat surface portion 28 that fastens and fixes a flange 24 extending rearward from the rear end portion of the fuel tank 20, and a rear portion (folded-up portion) 29 that is folded upward. and a stopper portion 30 that rotatably abuts the rear end portion of the flange 24 when the flange 24 is released from tightening.
When the fuel tank 20 is fixed, the flange 24 comes into surface contact with the tightening seat surface portion 28 and is tightened and fixed to the tightening seat surface portion 28 with a fixing bolt 31 and a nut 32 . When lifting the front side of the fuel tank 20, the fixing bolt 31 is removed from the support bracket 27, and the fixture 23 is removed from the fixing block 22a at the front end of the fuel tank 20, as shown in FIG.

By removing the fixture 23 from the fixing block 22a, the front portion of the fuel tank 20 becomes a free end.
When the front portion of the fuel tank 20 is lifted in this state, the fuel tank 20 is supported on the body frame 10 only by the flange 24 as shown in FIG. Therefore, since the load of the fuel tank 20 is applied downward and rearward to the flange 24 , the rear end of the flange 24 slides rearward while being rotated while being in contact with the support bracket 27 , and the stopper portion 30 is moved. butt against the folded-up portion 29 of the . In other words, the front portion of the fuel tank 20 is lifted while the rear end portion of the flange 24 is kept in contact with the support bracket 27 by its own weight.

In order to prevent the fuel tank 20 from falling off from the support bracket 27, it is preferable to provide a concave groove 36 extending in the vehicle width direction between the fastening seat surface portion 28 of the support bracket 27 and the stopper portion 30. preferable.
Due to the recessed groove 36 continuing to the stopper portion 30 , the rear end of the flange 24 is fitted into the recessed groove 36 due to the load of the fuel tank 20 when the front side of the fuel tank 20 is lifted. The rear end portion of the flange 24 rotates and is supported while being in contact with the inner side of the concave groove 36 . Since the bottom of the recessed groove 36 is lower than the seat surface of the tightening seat surface 28 in a vehicle side view, the front surface of the recessed groove 36 serves as a wall surface to prevent the flange 24 from sliding forward. In addition, since the groove 36 extends in the vehicle width direction, the flange 24 fitted in the groove 36 is prevented from rotating to the left or right (rotation about the central axis of rotation in the vertical direction).

Moreover, it is desirable that the support bracket 27 is provided with a drop-off preventing portion 33 for preventing the flange 24 from dropping off from the stopper portion 30 also on the vehicle body frame 10 .
The drop-off preventing portion 33 is, for example, a frame cover member 33 a such as a rectifier cover projecting forward of the folded-up portion 29 from behind the stopper portion 30 so as to cover the upper side of the folded-up portion 29 .
Normally, the rear frame 17 accommodates electrical components such as a battery, and the electrical components are covered with a rectifier cover. By extending the front end of the rectifier cover, the front end prevents the fuel tank 20 from over-rotating, thereby preventing the fuel tank 20 from falling off the vehicle.
Note that the frame cover member 33a is not limited to a rectifier cover as long as it is a cover member that is detachably attached to the vehicle body frame 10 .

With such a configuration, the fuel tank 20 rotates as if there is a hinge mechanism while maintaining the state in which the flange 24 is in contact with the support bracket 27 .
Further, when the front end of the fuel tank 20 is supported by the support rods 37, the fuel tank 20 is supported at two points, the rear end and the front end, which are in surface contact with the body frame 10, and has a space above the tank frame 15. become independent.

Next, a modification of the rotation support mechanism 11 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG.
FIG. 6 is a left sectional view showing a modification of the support bracket 27. As shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 6, the drop-off preventing portion 33 may be formed by, for example, a hook portion 33b formed by bending the upper end of the stopper portion 30 forward instead of the frame cover member 33a.
That is, by further bending the upper end of the folded-up portion 29 forward to form a hook shape, the upper surface of the flange 24 abuts the front end of the hook portion 33b, and the rotation of the fuel tank 20 is restricted.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the fuel tank 20 viewed from behind by cutting the fastening seat surface portion 28 of the support bracket 27 and the flange 24 along the vehicle width direction.
FIG. 7 shows a state in which the flange 24 covers the upper surface and left and right side surfaces of the tightening seat surface portion 28 and is fixed with the fixing bolts 31 .

In the modification shown in FIG. 7, the flange 24 has a flange-side recessed portion 34 having an inverted U-shape with a downwardly concave cross section along the vehicle width direction.
Further, the support bracket 27 has a bracket-side convex portion 35 having an upwardly convex inverted U-shaped cross section along the vehicle width direction. When the flange 24 is attached to the support bracket 27, the flange-side concave portion 34 and the bracket-side convex portion 35 overlap vertically. That is, by forming the bracket-side protrusion 35 into a shape that fits into the flange-side recess 34 , when the flange 24 tries to slide in the vehicle width direction, the bracket-side protrusion 35 is positioned on the upright surface of the flange-side recess 34 . , and the sliding of the flange 24 is blocked.

As described above, according to the fuel tank mounting structure according to the embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) A stopper portion 30 is provided at the rear portion of the support bracket 27 .
Therefore, the structure of the rotation support mechanism 11 for the fuel tank 20 is simplified compared to a hinge mechanism that rotates around the rotation shaft.
In addition, the stopper portion 30 makes it possible to regulate the abutment position when the fuel tank 20 is lifted. That is, the fuel tank 20 can be lifted up using the rear end of the fuel tank 20 as a support shaft. Therefore, the user can independently maintain equipment around the tank frame 15, such as an air cleaner box.
Furthermore, since it is not necessary to attach a rotating shaft when attaching and detaching the fuel tank 20, attachment and detachment of the fuel tank 20 from the vehicle is facilitated.

(2) A concave groove 36 is formed in the support bracket 27 .
When the front part of the fuel tank 20 is lifted, the flange 24 is prevented from shifting forward and backward, and the fuel tank 20 can be lifted up in a stable posture.

(3) A flange-side concave portion 34 is provided on the flange 24 and a bracket-side convex portion 35 is provided on the support bracket 27 so that the flange-side concave portion 34 and the bracket-side convex portion 35 overlap vertically.
Therefore, it is possible to restrict the movement of the flange 24 in the vehicle width direction and prevent the fuel tank 20 from being displaced in the left-right direction. Therefore, attachment and detachment of the fuel tank 20 is facilitated.

(4) The drop-off preventing portion 33 is formed by using the frame cover member 33a or by deforming the support bracket 27 itself.
Therefore, the lift-up angle when the fuel tank 20 is lifted is regulated, and the flange 24 of the fuel tank 20 can be stably supported.
Also, by restricting the lift-up angle, it is possible to prevent the hoses and lead wires from being stretched.
In particular, since the frame cover member 33a can be removed before the fuel tank 20 when the fuel tank 20 is attached and detached, it does not interfere with attachment and detachment of the fuel tank 20. As shown in FIG.

While embodiments of the invention have been described, the embodiments have been presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
Embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, changes, and combinations can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as the scope of the invention described in the claims and its equivalents.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Body frame, 11... Rotation support mechanism, 12... Main frame, 13... Head pipe, 14... Front head block, 15... Tank frame, 16... Body frame, 17 (17a)... Rear frame (seat rail), 18 Body bridge 19 Reinforcement member 20 Fuel tank 21 Front construction stay 22 (22a) Fuel tank fixing base (fixing block) 23 Fixing tool 24 Flange 25 Fastener 26 ... rear construction stay, 27 ... support bracket, 28 ... tightening seat surface portion, 29 ... folded-up portion, 30 ... stopper portion, 31 ... fixing bolt, 32 ... nut, 33 (33a, 33b) ... fall prevention portion (frame cover member, hook portion), 34... Flange-side concave portion, 35... Bracket-side convex portion, 36... Groove, 37... Support rod.

Claims (4)

a rearwardly extending flange formed at the rear portion of a fuel tank attached to the vehicle body frame;
a support bracket having a fastening seat surface portion for fastening and fixing the flange, and a stopper portion for folding the rear portion upward and rotatably abutting the rear end portion of the flange when the fastening and fixing of the flange is released; A fuel tank mounting structure for a saddle-ride type vehicle, wherein a groove extending in the vehicle width direction is formed between the fastening seat surface portion of the support bracket and the stopper portion . The flange has a flange-side concave portion having an inverted U-shaped cross section along the vehicle width direction that is concave downward,
The support bracket has a bracket-side convex portion having an upwardly convex inverted U-shaped cross section along the vehicle width direction,
2. The fuel tank mounting structure for a straddle-type vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the flange-side concave portion and the bracket-side convex portion vertically overlap each other when the flange is attached to the support bracket. 3. The fuel tank mounting structure for a straddle-type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle body frame is provided with a drop-off preventing portion for preventing the flange from dropping off from the stopper portion. 4. The saddle-ride according to claim 3 , wherein the fall prevention portion is formed by a hook portion in which the upper end of the stopper portion is bent forward, or by a frame cover member detachably provided on the vehicle body frame. Fuel tank mounting structure for type vehicle.

Images