GB2529531A

GB2529531A - Arrangement of fuel vapor recovery charcoal canister of motorcycle

Info

Publication number: GB2529531A
Application number: GB1511313.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Yi-Chun Wang
Original assignee: Kwang Yang Motor Co Ltd
Current assignee: Kwang Yang Motor Co Ltd
Priority date: 2014-08-21
Filing date: 2015-06-29
Publication date: 2016-02-24
Also published as: TWI515139B; TW201607818A; GB201511313D0; DE102015110378A1

Abstract

The invention relates to simplifying the instalment of a fuel vapour recovery charcoal canister 4 within a motorcycle cover or fairing 27. A fuel tank 23 is arranged rearwards of a steering mechanism and is covered by a decorative fairing/ cover 27. A charcoal canister 4 for fuel vapour recovery is mounted to, shielded by and received in the decoration cover 27. The invention reduces the influence of high temperatures from the engine 24 on the canister 4, thereby improving the operational performance of the motorcycle 2.

Description

TITLE: ARRANGEMENT OF FUEL VAPOR RECOVERY

CHARCOAL CANISTER OF MOTORCYCLE

(a) Teclilhical Field of the hwention

The present invention relates generally to an arrangement of a fuel vapor recovery charcoal canister of a motorcycle, and more particular to an arrangement of a fuel vapor recovery charcoal canister of a motorcycle that helps sirnpht3' a complicated process required for individually installing a charcoal canister on a motorcycle and prevents a high temperature generated by an engine unit from affecting the functionality of the charcoal canister thereby improve the operation perfhrmance of the motorcycle.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

As shown in FIG. 1, a straddling motorcycle I comprises a steering rnechamsm 11 behind which a fuel tank 12 is arranged and an engine unit 13 that is arranged below the fuel tank 12 for generating power.

The fuel tank 12 provides storage of thel for combustion inside the engine unit 13. When the fuel tank 12 is short of fuel, a rider rides the motorcycle Ito a gas station for re-filling of fuel. Fuel is tilled through a fuel filling opening 121 fonned in the fuel tank 12 into the fuel tank 12. However in re-fueling the motorcycle 1, it is often difficult to precisely introduce fuel into the fuel tank 12 to a desired level and over-filling may occur. In other words, the fuel is filled to a level exceeding the maxirnun capacity of the fuel tank 12 so that a fraction of the fuel filled spills outside the fuel tank 12.

To prevent fuel spillover of a motor cycle 1 from causing risks, an overflow mechanism (not shown) may be provided around the fuel filling opening 121 of the fuel tank 12 of the motorcycle 1 so that the overflow mechanism helps collect the spillover of fuel that spills outside the fuel tank 12 and conducts the fuel spiliover to an active carbon based fuel vapor recoveiy charcoal canister 14, whereby the fuel spilling outside the fuel tank 12 can be treated with the charcoal canister 14 before being discharged.

Referring to FIG. I again, a conventional charcoal canister 14 for treating fuel spilling outside the fuel tank 12 is generally arranged below the fuel tank 12 and above the engine unit 13. Such an arrangement apparently sets tile charcoal canister 14 at a location that is subjected to the highest temperature of the engine unit 13 so that the performance of the charcoal canister 14 for treating the fuel is affected by the high temperature. In addition, risks may occur due to the charcoal canister 14 being located in a high temperature site.

Further, to accomnodate the charcoal canister 14, the straddling motorcycle 1 need to preserve a space for the accommodation of the charcoal canister 14.

This causes additional difficult of installing other parts of the straddling motorcycle 1 (such as electronic parts and parts of a water cooling system).

Further, tile charcoal canister 14 is separately and individually mounted to the straddling motorcycle 1, so that the charcoal canister 14 can be instailed only when a straddling motorcycie 1 is being assembied. The charcoal canister 14 comprises a number of hnes that must be connected and this would causes difficult in assembling the straddling motorcycle 1.

Thus, it is a challenge of the motorcycle industry to provide an improved anangernent of a fuel vapor recovery active charcoal canister in order to provide the fuei vapor recovery active charcoal canister with an enviromnent that is not affected by a high temperature and to reduce the interference with installation of other parts and also for easy assembly with a motorcycle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement of a fuel vapor recovery charcoal canister of a motorcycle, which overcomes the drawbacks of a conventional fuel vapor recovery charcoal canister that is hard to install and occupy the space for installation of other parts of the motorcycle.

The primary technical solution adopted in the present invention to achieve the above object is an arrangement of a fuel vapor recovery charcoal canister of a motorcycle. The motorcycle comprises at least a frame unit and a steering mechanism. The steering mechanism is coupled to a head tube of tile frame unit. The steering mechamsm is connected to a shock absorber.

A fuel tank is arranged behind the steering in ech anism and the fuel tank comprises a fuel filling opening formed therein. An engine unit is arranged below the fuel tank for generating power. A seat cushion that receives a rider to sit thereon is arranged rearwards of the fuel tank. The fuel tank is covered by a decoration cover. The decoration cover comprises a fuel vapor recovery charcoal canister mounted thereto. The charcoal canister is shielded by and received in the decoration cover.

An efficacy that can be achieved with the above-described technical solution of the present invention is that an active carbon based charcoal canister that is provided for fuel vapor recovery is mounted to a decoration cover between a fuel tank mid an engine unit of a motorcycle mid is shielded by and accommodated in the decoration cover, whereby the charcoal canister cmi be assembled, in advance, to the decoration cover as a combined, unitary device and thus, when the decoration cover is mounted to the motorcycle mid between the fuel tank and the engine unit, the charcoal canister can be mounted, along with the decoration cover, to the motorcycle, so that a complicated process with which the charcoal canister is individually assembled to the motorcycle can be simplified.

The secondary efficacy of the present invention is that a decoration cover is mounted to a motorcyck between a front side of a fuel tank and an engine unit and the decoration cover projects frontwards with a front section of the decoration cover located between the fuel tank and a shock absorber so that the decoration cover is provided with an increased space for receiving therein parts of the motorcycle mid aesthetics of the outside appearance of the motorcycle can be enhanced.

Another efficacy of the present invention is that an active carbon based charcoal canister that is provided for recovery of fuel vapor is mounted to a decoration cover that is arranged between a fuel tank and an engine unit of a motorcycle; a radiator is arranged below the fuel tank; the radiator is located in front of the engine unit; and the charcoal canister is located between the radiator and the decoration cover so as to achieve full use of a space between the decoration cover and the radiator.

A flirther efficacy of the present invention is that an active carbon based charcoal canister that is provided for recovery of fuel vapor is mounted to a decoration cover that is arranged between a fuel tank and an engine unit of a motorcycle rn such a way that when viewed from one side of the motorcycle, the charcoal canister is located behind a head tube of a frame unit and extends frontwards to be substantially perpendicular to a head tube, where the charcoal canister is arranged at an inner side of the decoration cover at a location close to a front section and is in front of and distant from the engine unit so as to prevent a high temperature generated by the engine unit from affecting tile functionality of the charcoal canister.

A further efficacy of the present invention is that an active carbon based charcoal canister that is provided for recovery of fuel vapor is mounted to a decoration cover that is arranged between a fuel tank and an engine unit of a motorcycle and the decoration cover is located outside and between the fuel tank and the engine umt, where the charcoal canister is arranged at an inner side of the decoration cover, whereby the charcoal canister is set in a spatial range that is far from the motorcycle so that sufficient space is preserved at a location close to the motorcycle for accommodating other parts for improving the utilization of the motorcycle.

Yet a ftirther efficacy of the present invention is that a lower shield is arranged below a decoration cover and a charcoal canister is arranged above the lower shield so that contamination caused by external dirt, dust, and water can be prevented and the operation performance of the charcoal canister can be enhanced.

The foregoing objectives and sunmmiy provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To frilly appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itse1± all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the inventi on and the claims should be read in con juncti on with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.

Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

S

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an arrangement of a conventional fuel vapor recovery charcoal canister of a motorcycle.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing an arrangement of a fuel vapor recovery charcoal canister of a motorcycle according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a decoration cover and a charcoal canister according to the present invention in a detached condition.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the decoration cover and the charcoal canister of the present invention in an assembled condition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Referring first to FIG. 2, a straddling motorcycle 2 according to the present invention comprises, at least, a frame umt 21 and a steering mechanism 22. The steering mechanism 22 is coupled to ahead tube 211 of the frame unit 21. The steering mechanism 22 is connected to a shock absorber 213. The head tube 211 is connected to a down tube 212 that extends downward in a rearward direction. A fuel tank 23 is arranged rearwards of the steering mechanism 22. The fuel tank 23 comprises a fuel filling opening 23 1. An engine unit 24 is arranged below the fuel tank 23 for generating power. A seat cushion 25 that receives a rider to sit thereon is arranged rearwards of the fuel tank 23. Side covers 26 are provided on opposite sides of the motorcycle 2 to cover and extend from a lower side of the fuel tank 23 toward a lower side of the seat cushion 25. A decoration cover 27 is set between and covers outside the fhel tank 23 and the engine unit 24 on each side of the motorcycle 2 in such away that the decoration cover 27 partly shields the engine unit 24 and the down tube 212. A radiator 28 is arranged below the iftel tank 23 and located in front of the engine unit 24.

As shown in FIGS. 2 mid 3, the decoration covers 27 are arranged on the left and right sides to be symmetric. Description will be given by taking one of them as an example. The decoration cover 27 comprises a plate of a substantially V-shape. The decoration cover 27 comprises a front section 271, an upper section 272, and a lower section 273. The front section 271 is located in front of the fuel tank 23 and behind the shock absorber 213. More specifically speaking, the front section 271 is located between the fuel tank 23 and the shock absorber 213 and the front section 271 is arranged to project frontwards so that with the arrangement that the front section 271 of the decoration cover 27 projects frontwards, the decoration cover 27 is provided with an increased space for accommodating parts of the motorcycle 2. The upper section 272 is located above the front section 27 1 and is connected to the fuel tank 23. The lower section 273 is located below the fuel tank 23 so as to shield a front end portion of the engine unit 24. The decoration cover 27 comprises a plurality of fixing posts 274 and at least one flexible hook 5.

The flexible hook S may receive a pipe 41 of a charcoal canister 4 to hook thereon thereby achieving an effect of positioning and retaining. Further, the two decoration covers 27 comprise a lower shield 27a that is arranged at lower ends thereof, namely the lower sections 273 of the two decontion covers 27, for connection of the two decoration covers 27.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, a charcoal canister mountmg structure 3 is mounted to an inner side of the decoration cover 27 (which is the side that faces the engine unit 24) at a location above the lower shield 27a. The charcoal canister mounting structure 3 receives an active carbon based charcoal canister 4 that is provided for recoveiy of fuel vapor to be mounted thereto. More specifically speaking, the charcoal canister 4 is mounted to the lower section 272 of the decoration cover 27 at a location close to the front section 271 so that tile charcoal canister 4 is located between tile engine unit 24 and the shock absorber 213. In other words, the charcoal canister 4 is shielded by and accommodated in the decoration cover 27. The charcoal canister mounting structure 3 comprises a lower clamp piece 31 and an upper clamp piece 32. The lower clamp piece 31 is screwed to the fixing post 274 of the decoration cover 27. The lower clamp piece 31 has an end that fonns a pivot hole 311. The upper clamp piece 32 has an end forming a pivot section 321 and an opposite end fonning a fastening section 322. The pivot section 321 is pivotally coupled to the pivot hole 311 of the lower clamnp piece 31 so that the upper clwnp piece 32 is rotatable about a rotation axis defined by the pivot section 321 The fastening section 322 of the upper clamp piece 32 is screwed, together with the lower clamp piece 31, to the fixing post 274 of the decoration cover 27. The flexible hook 5 is mounted to the decoration cover 27 at a location next to the site where the charcoal canister mounting structure 3 is arranged.

As shown in FIGS. 2,3, and 4, to embody the arrangement of the motorcycle fuel vapor recovery charcoal canister according to the present invention, the charcoal canister 4 is first mounted to the charcoal canister mountmg structure 3 of the decoration cover 27. The charcoal canister 4 is damped and held on the charcoal canister mounting structure 3 of the decoration cover 27 by tile lower clamp piece 31 and the upper clamp piece 32 of the charcoal canister mounting structure 3. As such, the charcoal canister 4 can be assembled with the decoration cover 27 in advance as a unitary device (such as a sub-assembly). The decoration covers 27 are then assembled to the in otorcycle 2 at the two sides thereof between the fuel tank 23 and the engine unit 24 so that the charcoal canister 4 may be assembled to the motorcycle 2 along with the decoration covers 27. In this way, a complicated process with which a charcoal canister 4 is individually assembled to the motorcycle 2 can be simplified. The charcoal canister 4, afier being assembled to the motorcycle 2, when viewed from one side of the motorcycle 2, is located behind the head tube 211 of the frame unit 2 and inclines frontwards to be substantially pempendicular to the head tube 211.

Further, the charcoal canister 4 is arranged at an inner side of the decoration cover 27 and is located in front of amid distant from the engine unit 24. hi other words, the charcoal canister 4 is arranged between the radiator 28 and the decoration cover 27 and is located in front of the engine umt 24 so as to prevent a high temperature generated by the engine unit 24 from affecting the fimctionality of the charcoal canister 4 and also to make frill use of the space between the decoration cover 27 and the radiator 28.

The primary efficacy of the present invention is that an active carbon based charcoal canister 4 that is provided for fuel vapor recovery is mounted to a decoration cover 27 between a fuel tank 23 and an engine unit 24 of a motorcycle 2 and is shielded by and accommodated in the decoration cover 27, whereby the charcoal canister 4 can be assembled, in advance, to the decoration cover 27 as a combined, unitary device and thus, when the decoration cover 27 is mounted to the motorcycle 2 and between the fuel tank 23 and the engine umt 24, the charcoal canister 4 can be mounted, along with the decoration cover 27, to the motorcycle 2, so that a complicated process with which the charcoal canister 4 is individually assembled to the motorcycle 2 can be simplified.

The secondary efficacy of the present invention is that a decoration cover 27 is mounted to a motorcycle 2 between a front side of a fuel tank 23 and an engine unit 24 aiid the decoration cover 27 projects frontwards with a front section 271 of the decoration cover 27 located between the fuel tank 23 arid a shock absorber 213 so that the decoration cover 27 is provided with an increased space for receiving therein parts of the motorcycle 2 and aesthetics of the outside appearance of the motorcycle 2 can be enhanced.

Another efficacy of the present invention is that an active carbon based charcoal canister 4 that is provided for recovery of fuel vapor is iii ounted to a decoration cover 27 that is arranged between a fuel tank 23 and an engine unit 24 of a motorcycle 2; a radiator 28 is arranged below the fuel tank 23; the radiator 28 is located in front of the engine unit 24; and the charcoal canister 4 is located between the radiator 23 and the decoration cover 27 so as to achieve full use of a space between the decoration cover 27 and the radiator 23 A further efficacy of the present invention is that an active carbon based charcoal canister 4 that is provided for recovery of fuel vapor is mounted to a decoration cover 27 that is arranged between a fuel tank 23 and an engine unit 24 of a motorcycle 2 in such a way that when viewed from one side of the motorcycle 2, the charcoal canister 4 is located behind a head tube 211 of a frame unit 21 and extends frontwards to be substantially perpendicular to a head tube 211, where the charcoal canister 4 is arranged at an inner side of the decoration cover 27 at a location close to a front section 271 and is in front of and distant from the engine umt 24 so as to prevent a high temperature generated by the engine unit 24 from affecting tile ftinctionality of the charcoal canister 4.

A further efficacy of the present invention is that an active carbon based charcoal canister 4 that is provided for recoveiy of ftiel vapor is mounted to a decoration cover 27 that is arranged between a fuel tank 23 and an engine unit 24 of a motorcycle 2 and the decorati on cover 27 is located outside and between the ftiel tank 23 arid tile engine unit 24, where the charcoal canister 4 is arranged at an inner side of the decoration cover 27, whereby the charcoal canister 4 is set in a spatial range that is far from the motorcycle 2 so that sufficient space is preserved at a location close to the motorcycle 2 for accommodating other parts for improving the utilization of the motorcycle 2 Yet a fttrther efficacy of the present invention is that a lower shield 27a is arranged below a decoration cover 27 and a charcoal canister 4 is arranged above the lower shield 27a so that contamination caused by external dirt, dust, and water can be prevented and the operati on perfonnance of the charcoal cathster can be enhanced.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useftil application in other types of methods differing from the type described above.

While certain novel features of this invention have been shown arid described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illusfrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the claims of the present invention.

Claims

I CLAIM: 1. An arrangement of a friel vapor recovery charcoal canister of a motorcycle, wherein the motorcycle comprises at least a frame unit and a steering mechanism, the steering mechanism being coupled to a head tube of the frame umt, the steering mechanism being connected to a shock absorber, a ftiel tank being arranged rearwards of the steering mechanism, the fuel tank comprising a fuel filling opening, an engine unit being arranged below the fuel tank for generating power, a seat cushion that receives a rider to sit thereon being arranged rearwards of the ifiel tank, the ftiel tank being covered by a decoration cover, characterized in that the decoration cover comprises a charcoal canister for fuel vapor recovery mounted thereto, the charcoal canister being shielded by and received in the decoration cover.
2. The arrangement of the fuel vapor recovery charcoal canister of the motorcycle according to claim I, wherein the decoration cover projects frontwards and receives a charcoal canister for fuel vapor recovery mounted thereto.
3. The arrangement of the fuel vapor recovery charcoal canister of the motorcycle according to claim 2, wherein the decoration cover comprises a front section, an upper secti on, and a lower section, the front section being located between a front side of the fuel tank and the shock absorber, the charcoal canister being close to the front section.
4. The anangement of the fuel vapor recovery charcoal canister of the motorcycle according to claim 1, wherein a radiator is arranged below the fuel tank and the radiator is located in front of the engine umt, the charcoal canister being located between the radiator and the decoration cover.
5. The anangeinent of the fuel vapor recovery charcoal canister of the motorcycle according to claim 3, wherein the lower section of the decoration cover is located below the fuel tank and the charcoal canister is mounted to the lower section to be located between the front side of the engine unit and the shock absorber.
6. The arrangement of the fuel vapor recovery charcoal canister of the motorcycle according to claim I, 2, 3, or 4, wherein the decoration cover comprises a plurality of fixing posts and at least one flexible hook, the flexible hook receiving a pipe of the charcoal canister to hook thereon, the decoration cover comprising a charcoal canister mountmg structure mounted thereto and comprising a lower clamp piece and an upper clamp piece, the decoration cover comprising a plurality of fixing posts, the lower clamp piece being fixed to the fixing posts of the decoration cover.
7. The arrangement of the friel vapor recovery charcoal canister of the motorcycle according to claim 6, wherein the lower clamp piece has an end that forms a pivot hole and tile upper clamp piece has an end fonning a pivot section and an opposite end forming a fastening section, the pivot section being pivotally coupled to the pivot hole of the lower clamp piece so that the upper clwnp piece is rotatable about a rotation axis defined by the pivot section, the fastening section of the upper clamp piece being fixed, together with the lower clamp piece, to the fixing posts of the decoration cover.
8. The arrangement of the thel vapor recovery charcoal canister of the motorcycle according to claim 1, wherein the charcoal canister, when viewed from one side of the motorcycle, is located behind the head tube of the frame unit and extends frontwards to be substantially perpendicular to the head tube.
9. The arrangement of the fuel vapor recovery charcoal canister of the motorcycle according to claim 1, wherein the decoration cover is located outside and between the fuel tank and the engine unit, the charcoal canister being arranged at an inners side of the decoration cover.
10. The arrangement of the fuel vapor recovery charcoal canister of the motorcycle according to claim 1, 2, 3, 5, or 9, wherein a lower shield is arranged below the decoration cover and the charcoal canister is arranged above the lower shield.