# US 10,479,434 B2 · Saddle-riding-type electric vehicle fuel cell stack fixation structure

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- Number: US 10,479,434 B2
- Document ID: US10479434B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/706,344
- Filed: 2017-09-15
- Published: 2018-03-29
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2016-09-29
- Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Kanta Yamamoto
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10479434B2

## CPC

- B62K 11/04: characterised by the engine being between front and rear wheels
- B60L 50/71: Arrangement of fuel cells within vehicles specially adapted for electric vehicles
- B62J 35/00: Fuel tanks specially adapted for motorcycles or engine-assisted cycles; Arrangements thereof (fuel tanks forming part of cycle frames B62K11/00; tanks in general B60K {; closure caps for fuel tanks B60K15/0406})
- B62M 7/02: with engine between front and rear wheels
- B60L 2200/12: Bikes
- Y02T 90/40: Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells
- B62K: CYCLES; CYCLE FRAMES; CYCLE STEERING DEVICES; RIDER-OPERATED TERMINAL CONTROLS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR CYCLES; CYCLE AXLE SUSPENSIONS; CYCLE SIDECARS, FORECARS, OR THE LIKE
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- B62J: CYCLE SADDLES OR SEATS; AUXILIARY DEVICES OR ACCESSORIES SPECIALLY ADAPTED TO CYCLES AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, e.g. ARTICLE CARRIERS OR CYCLE PROTECTORS
- B62M: RIDER PROPULSION OF WHEELED VEHICLES OR SLEDGES; POWERED PROPULSION OF SLEDGES OR {SINGLE-TRACK} CYCLES; TRANSMISSIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR SUCH VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of transmissions in vehicles in general B60K; transmission elements per se F16)
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

In a saddle-riding-type electric vehicle fuel cell stack fixation structure, a vehicle body frame includes: a pair of right and left main frames that extend rearward from a head pipe and that are arranged on an outer side in a vehicle width direction of a fuel cell stack; a pair of right and left downward frames that extend rearward from the head pipe and that are arranged below the pair of right and left main frames; and a cross member that bridges a space in a vehicle width direction between at least the right and left downward frames and that fixes the fuel cell stack.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A fuel cell stack fixation structure for a saddle riding electric vehicle, the fuel cell stack fixation structure comprising:
a fuel cell stack; and
a vehicle body frame that supports the fuel cell stack, wherein
the vehicle body frame includes:
a pair of right and left main frames that extend rearward from a head pipe and that are arranged on an outer side in a vehicle width direction of the fuel cell stack;
a pair of right and left downward frames that extend rearward from the head pipe and that are arranged below the pair of right and left main frames; and
a cross member that bridges a space in a vehicle width direction between at least the right and left downward frames and that fixes the fuel cell stack thereto, the cross member comprising a lower cross member including:
a pair of spaced apart front and rear connection plates that extend in a vehicle width direction between the right and left downward frames, and
a fuel cell support plate that is disposed on top of the connection plates and which fixes a position of a lower part of the fuel cell stack.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell stack fixation structure according to claim 1, wherein the cross member includes:
an upper cross member that bridges a space in a vehicle width direction between the right and left main frames and that fixes the fuel cell stack, the upper cross member having an inverted U-shape and extending above a portion of the head pipe where the main frames are connected, the upper cross member including a plate-like top wall that extends in the vehicle width direction and a pair of left and right side walls integrally connected to opposite sides of the top wall; and
the lower cross member, that bridges a space in a vehicle width direction between the right and left downward frames and that fixes the fuel cell stack.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell stack fixation structure according to claim 1, further comprising:
a vehicle component accommodation part that is arranged below the downward frame and that is configured to accommodate a vehicle component; and
an accommodation part support member that is attached to the vehicle body frame and that supports the vehicle component accommodation part.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell stack fixation structure according to claim 1, wherein
the cross member includes a plate-like member that fixes an upper surface or a lower surface of the fuel cell stack.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell stack fixation structure according to claim 1, wherein
the cross member includes:
an upper cross member that bridges a space in a vehicle width direction between the right and left main frames; and
the lower cross member that bridges a space in a vehicle width direction between the right and left downward frames, and
the upper cross member is lighter than the lower cross member.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell stack fixation structure according to claim 1, wherein
the cross member includes an upper cross member that bridges a space in a vehicle width direction between the right and left main frames, and
the upper cross member includes a vehicle component fixation part that fixes a vehicle component at an upper surface of a plate-like member.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell stack fixation structure according to claim 1, further comprising
a seat frame that is dividable into upper and lower parts.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The fuel cell stack fixation structure according to claim 7, wherein
the seat frame is formed of an electrically conductive member and includes a hydrogen tank accommodation part that accommodates a hydrogen tank.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The fuel cell stack fixation structure according to claim 1, further comprising
a seat frame having a tube shape, wherein
an opening part that covers an exhaust port which is provided at a rear part of the fuel cell stack is provided at a front part of the seat frame, and
a connection member that connects the seat frame and the vehicle body frame, the connection member provided at an outer position of the opening part.

### Claim 10

A fuel cell stack fixation structure for saddle-riding electric vehicle, said fixation structure comprising a vehicle body frame configured to support a fuel cell stack thereon, the vehicle body frame comprising:
a head pipe;
a pair of right and left main frames that extend rearward from the head pipe and that are configured to receive the fuel cell stack therebetween;
a pair of right and left downward frames that extend rearward from the head pipe and that are arranged below the main frames;
an upper cross member that bridges a space in a vehicle width direction between the right and left main frames, the upper cross member having an inverted U-shape and extending above a portion of the head pipe where the main frames are connected, the upper cross member including a plate-like top wall that extends in the vehicle width direction and a pair of left and right side walls integrally connected to opposite sides of the top wall;
a lower cross member that bridges a space in a vehicle width direction between the right and left downward frames and that fixes the fuel cell stack thereto, the lower cross member comprising:
a pair of spaced apart front and rear connection plates that extend in a vehicle width direction between the right and left downward frames, and
a fuel cell support plate that is abuttingly disposed on top of the connection plates and which fixes a position of a lower part of the fuel cell stack.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The fuel cell stack fixation structure according to claim 10, further comprising:
a vehicle component accommodation part that is arranged below the downward frame and that is configured to accommodate a vehicle component therein; and
an accommodation part support member that is attached to the vehicle body frame and that supports the vehicle component accommodation part.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The fuel cell stack fixation structure according to claim 10, further comprising a seat frame that is dividable into upper and lower parts, wherein the seat frame is formed of an electrically conductive material, and includes a hydrogen tank receptacle that is configured to receive a hydrogen tank.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The fuel cell stack fixation structure according to claim 10, further comprising a seat frame having a tubular shape, wherein an opening part, that covers an exhaust port which is provided at a rear part of the fuel cell stack, is provided at a front part of the seat frame, and
further comprising a connection member that connects the seat frame and the vehicle body frame, the connection member provided at an outer position of the opening part.