Compact swing arm structure for a shaft-driven vehicle, and vehicle incorporating same
AssigneeHonda Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorsKenji Kofuji, Koichi Nozoe
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A swing arm structure, in a shaft-driven vehicle, is configured and arranged compactly to minimize the size and weight thereof. A drive shaft of the vehicle is housed in a right arm portion of a swing arm. A front end of the drive shaft is connected to a powertrain output shaft via a universal joint. A pivot sleeve is disposed such that a central axis thereof is disposed downwardly and rearwardly of a central portion of the universal joint, and a front-end opening protrudes forwardly of the pivot sleeve. The central portion of the universal joint, having the largest diameter, is disposed forwardly of the center of a pivot shaft. This helps to keep the opening diameter small at the front of the right arm portion.
Claims18
A shaft-driven vehicle, comprising:
- a vehicle body frame;
- a power unit disposed on the vehicle body frame and comprising an output shaft;
- a pivot shaft extending through a rear portion of the vehicle body frame;
- a swing arm having a front end pivotally movably supported by the pivot shaft on the vehicle body frame, the swing arm having a hollow space defined therein;
- a drive shaft disposed longitudinally in the space inside the swing arm;
- a rear wheel rotatably supported on a rear end of the swing arm, the power unit operatively driving the rear wheel via the drive shaft;
- and
- a universal joint connecting a front end of the drive shaft with the output shaft of the power unit, the drive shaft and the pivot shaft being disposed so as to cross each other in a plan view and such that an axis of the drive shaft is offset vertically from an axis of the pivot shaft,
- wherein the universal joint has a center of pivotal motion disposed forwardly of a center of pivotal motion of the swing arm.
In a shaft-driven vehicle of the type having a vehicle body and a power unit operatively attached to the vehicle body, the improvement comprising a swing arm structure comprising:
- a swing arm having a front end pivotally supported by a pivot shaft on the vehicle body frame;
- a drive shaft disposed longitudinally in a space formed inside the swing arm;
- and
- a universal joint connecting a front end of the drive shaft with an output shaft of the power unit disposed on a side of the vehicle body, the drive shaft and the pivot shaft being disposed so as to cross each other in a plan view and such that an axis of the drive shaft is offset vertically from an axis of the pivot shaft;
- wherein the swing arm includes a pair of arm portions comprising hollow pipes disposed on either side of a rear wheel, the drive shaft is disposed inside a first of the arm portions, a lower wall on an outer periphery of the first arm portion is connected to a pivot support portion, a second of the arm portions is disposed such that a centerline in a vertical width overlaps, in a side view, with a line connecting the pivot shaft and a rear wheel axle, the first and the second arm portions are connected together by a cross portion at longitudinally intermediate portions thereof, and the cross portion extends downwardly at an inclined angle from the first arm portion to the second arm portion.
In a shaft-driven vehicle of the type having a vehicle body frame and a power unit operatively attached to the vehicle body frame, the improvement comprising a swing arm structure comprising:
- a swing arm having a front end pivotally movably supported by a pivot shaft on the vehicle body frame, the swing arm including first and second arm portions, each arm portion being hollow and connected together by a pivot sleeve which receives the pivot shaft therein,
- wherein the second arm portion has a diameter smaller than the first arm portion, and
- wherein the first and second arm portions of the swing arm structure are integrally formed in a single piece.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.