Land vehicles – Tank or boiler – Saddle type; vehicle frame straddling
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-10
2001-02-13
Johnson, Brian L. (Department: 3618)
Land vehicles
Tank or boiler
Saddle type; vehicle frame straddling
C280S831000, C180S225000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06186550
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a frame structure of a motorcycle including an oil tank integrated into the frame structure.
2. Description of the Background Art
It is known to utilize an inner portion of a vehicle body frame as an oil tank. One example is shown in JP-A-10-71983, wherein respective inner spaces of frame portions are utilized as an oil tank. The oil tank is formed in a main pipe extending rearwardly from a head pipe, a down pipe extending downwardly from the head pipe, as well as a reinforcement pipe connecting the main pipe and the down pipe.
When the oil tank is formed as described above, a rear portion of the main pipe must be hermetically sealed. Further, respective connecting portions must be welded in a liquid-tight manner, and a connector of a gauge or the like must similarly be welded in a liquid-tight manner. When hermetically sealing an end portion of the main pipe, and when the number and length of weld portions requiring liquid-tight performance are increased in this way, much time and labor is needed. Therefore, it is desired to dispense with hermetically sealing of such an end portion of the main pipe and to make the number and lengths of the weld portions requiring liquid-tight performance as small as possible and as short as possible.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to solve the above problem, according to a first aspect of the present invention, a frame integrated oil tank is provided in a motorcycle having a vehicle body frame. The body frame includes a head portion integrally formed with a head pipe. A main pipe extends rearwardly from the head portion above an upper side of an engine. A down pipe extends downwardly from the head portion at a front side of the engine. The head portion is a hollow casting integrally formed with a main body portion having joint portions for joining with the main pipe, the down pipe, and the head pipe. An oil tank is formed by communicating respective inner spaces of the main body portion and the down pipe. The joint portion joining the head portion with the main pipe is integrally formed with a seal wall for prohibiting the oil tank from communicating with the main pipe.
Accordingly, the only welds requiring liquid-tight performance for constituting the oil tank are a weld between the joint portion of the head portion and the down pipe, and a weld for closing a lower end portion of the down pipe. Additional welding requiring liquid-tight performance at connecting portions of respective members and weld portions of other attaching parts as in the conventional example can be dispensed with.
As a result, a number of the welds requesting liquid-tight performance can be made as small as possible and weld lengths can be made as short as possible. Further, by integrally forming the seal wall in the head portion, a step of hermetically sealing the main pipe can be omitted and accordingly, assembling of the vehicle body frame is facilitated.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a plurality of ribs are integrally formed in the inner space of the main body portion. Accordingly, even when a hollow portion having a large capacity is constituted by utilizing the inside of the main body portion as a portion of the oil tank, sufficient strength can be provided. Further, the inner surface area of the oil tank can be enlarged and therefore, the cooling efficiency can be promoted by expediting heat radiation.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3945463 (1976-03-01), Okano et al.
patent: 4690236 (1987-09-01), Shinozaki et al.
patent: 5054571 (1991-10-01), Takasaka
patent: 5701853 (1997-12-01), Takahashi
patent: 3-82687 (1991-04-01), None
patent: 1071983 (1998-03-01), None
patent: 10-67375 (1998-03-01), None
Horii Yoshiyuki
Matsuno Toshio
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Johnson Brian L.
Lerner Avraham H.
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