Motorcycle Patents (Class 303/137)
  • Patent number: 11912258
    Abstract: A transmission system for a vehicle including a drive, at least one wheel and at least one brake having an ABS system. The drive is configured to drive the at least one wheel and the at least one brake is configured to brake the at least one wheel. The power transmission system is configured to also drive the at least one wheel braked by the at least one brake during a braking process, which enters a control range of the ABS system, at the same time using a drive torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Marcus Baum
  • Patent number: 11273807
    Abstract: The invention obtains a controller and a control method capable of improving safety by an automatic braking operation while preventing a motorcycle from falling over. The invention also obtains a brake system that includes such a controller. In the controller and the control method according to the invention, a control mode that makes the motorcycle execute the automatic braking operation is initiated in response to trigger information generated in accordance with peripheral environment of the motorcycle. In the control mode, distribution of an automatic braking force to a front wheel and a rear wheel is controlled in accordance with travel posture of the motorcycle, and the automatic braking force is a braking force that is applied to the wheels of the motorcycle by the automatic braking operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Yuki Oshida
  • Patent number: 11148749
    Abstract: A supporting structure (100) for phonic wheel sensor (200) and brake caliper (300), comprises: a main body (1) fastened or which can be fastened to a stem of a fork (F) of a motorbike; a wheel support (2) connected to said main body (1) for supporting a wheel of the motorbike; and an extension (3) which develops from said main body (1) and comprises a fastening device (30) for a brake caliper (300). Two pass-through openings (31, 32) are formed in said extension (3), a first pass-through opening (31) for housing the phonic wheel sensor (200) and a second pass-through opening (32) for the passage of a cable (201) of the phonic wheel sensor (200).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: PIAGGIO & C. S.P.A.
    Inventors: Piero Soatti, Alessandro Bonora, Roberto Calo′
  • Patent number: 10974708
    Abstract: A brake control device and a brake system are configured to appropriately apply a braking force to a rotary body of a human-powered vehicle. The brake control device includes an electronic controller that controls a braking portion electrically driven to brake a rotary body rotating in accordance with traveling of a human-powered vehicle. The electronic controller controls the braking portion in accordance with an operation amount of an operating device and a state related to the human-powered vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Takayama, Toshihiko Takahashi, Masahiro Nakakura
  • Patent number: 10857889
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to using Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL) decomposition and a functional deployment strategy to redundantly distribute functionality across existing controllers. Accordingly, each of a plurality of non-redundant controllers of the vehicle can execute a plurality of functions. The controllers can comprise a vehicle controller and a controller for each of a plurality of different powertrain systems. The plurality of functions can comprise one or more functions for each of the plurality of powertrain systems and each of the functions can execute on multiple controllers. When a failure of one controller occurs, this can be detected either by a controller's build-in internal monitor or by a two-way comparison or three-way voting by external controllers. The functions executing on the failed controller can be transitioned to other controllers based on prior execution of those functions by the other controllers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: NIO USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaodong Liu, Bo Guo
  • Patent number: 10640096
    Abstract: A brake fluid pressure control device for vehicles with bar handle which is configured to start a holding control of a fluid pressure of a wheel brake according to wheel deceleration calculated based on a wheel speed of the vehicle is provided. In the brake fluid pressure control device, the vehicle includes an acceleration sensor which is configured to detect acceleration in a front-rear direction of the vehicle, acceleration, detected by the acceleration sensor, which occurs in a rearward direction when the vehicle is decelerating is detected as a positive value, and the holding control is started when it is judged that the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor is larger than or equal to a detection acceleration threshold value and the wheel deceleration is smaller than or equal to a wheel deceleration threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: NISSIN KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Hasegawa, Yuki Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 10345325
    Abstract: A pulsar ring which is a detection target ring includes an annular base wall having pickup holes and a plurality of ring attachment portions protruding from an outer peripheral edge portion of the base wall and being fixed, together with a disc attachment portion of a brake disc, to a wheel of a vehicle wheel assembly. Regions corresponding to positions between adjacent ring attachment portions in an inner peripheral edge portion of the base wall are bent to form reinforcing ribs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mafumi Yasuhara, Keita Mikura, Kei Fukuyama, Takayuki Konishi
  • Patent number: 10118599
    Abstract: A method for braking a vehicle which is operable by a motor or by muscular power, in particular an electric bicycle. During a braking operation, a brake force influencing device is controlled by an electric brake pressure control device, and the brake pressure for the front wheel brake and/or for the rear wheel brake, and thus the brake force thereof, is increased and/or decreased. The brake pressure control device receives brake pressure signals in each case from a brake actuation detector for the front wheel brake and for the rear wheel brake, and an improved distribution of a total brake force on the front wheel and the rear wheel is effectuated which differs from the distribution that is effectuated by the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Tim Dackermann, Rinaldo Greiner
  • Patent number: 9963133
    Abstract: To provide braking-force control capable of suppressing a wheelie of a two-wheeled vehicle by changing braking-force distribution. In a method for controlling a braking force of a combined brake system for the two-wheeled vehicle, a lean angle of a two-wheeled vehicle 1 is detected or computed, and, in the case where the lean angle exceeds a specified value, braking-force distribution to front and rear brake devices 11f, 11r is changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Junya Iwatsuki
  • Patent number: 9821620
    Abstract: A method of operating a tilting running gear for a non-rail-borne vehicle having at least one actuator is disclosed. The method includes calculating an angle of tilt of the vehicle around an axis of rotation based on prevailing values of centrifugal acceleration and gravitational acceleration as the vehicle enters a curve. Based on a comparison between an actual lateral acceleration of the vehicle and a desired lateral acceleration of the vehicle, the vehicle is accelerated or decelerated to achieve the calculated angle of tilt. When the calculated angle of tilt has been achieved, the actuator is deactivated. The actuator provides acceleration of the vehicle and a braking device provides deceleration of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: FORD TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Martin Saeger, Marc Simon, Advait Valluri
  • Patent number: 9132712
    Abstract: Technology is provided that enables vehicle speed to be grasped more accurately utilized for adjusting vehicle height. A vehicle height adjusting device includes: a relative position changing device capable of changing relative positions of a vehicle body frame and a rear wheel of a vehicle; a vehicle speed grasping section configured to grasp vehicle speed, which is moving speed of the vehicle body frame; and a change-over valve control section configured to control the relative position changing device on the basis of the vehicle speed grasped by the vehicle speed grasping section and change the relative positions of the vehicle body frame and the rear wheel to adjust vehicle height, which is the height of the vehicle body frame. The vehicle speed grasping section grasps the vehicle speed on the basis of front wheel rotating speed, which is the rotating speed of a front wheel, and rear wheel rotating speed, which is the rotating speed of the rear wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: SHOWA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Kasuga, Fumiaki Ishikawa, Shunya Senda
  • Patent number: 9022157
    Abstract: A motorcycle with an ABS module disposed to make it hard to affect the layout of other components while suppressing the influence of vibration on the ABS module. A motorcycle includes rear frames joined to corresponding rear portions of the main frames and extending upwardly and rearwardly at a position below the corresponding seat frames. Front wheel braking members apply a braking force to a front wheel. An ABS module is connected to the front wheel braking means. A seat is supported on the upper portions of the seat frames. The ABS module has at least a portion disposed below the seat and between the seat frames and the rear frames as viewed from the side. The ABS module is suspended and supported by front and rear cross stays spanned between the pair of seat frames via a front elastic members and a rear elastic member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Konno, Hidekazu Oshima, Masaomi Yamada, Yoshiaki Sawano
  • Patent number: 9010878
    Abstract: A brake apparatus that can achieve front-rear distribution in accordance with a traveling environment variation. At an intermediate point from a start point of a second mode, first interval to an end point of a second mode, second interval, the increasing rate of braking force for a front wheel with respect to an operation amount is changed. The increasing rate of the operation amount prior to the intermediate point can be represented by a first inclination of a curve while the increasing rate of the operation amount after the intermediate point is represented by a second inclination of the curve. The first inclination is less than the second inclination. Setting the increasing rate after an intermediate point to be higher than the increasing rate before the intermediate point, the vehicle body generation deceleration can be caused to increase in a linear proportion to the operation amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuya Takenouchi, Yoshiaki Sawano, Shuichi Fukaya
  • Patent number: 9010475
    Abstract: An antilock brake control unit in a saddle-riding type vehicle includes a storage box disposed behind a head pipe and above an engine unit with a fuel tank disposed behind the storage box and obliquely above and behind the engine unit. A riding seat is disposed above the fuel tank. A seat supporting frame extends rearwardly and upwardly from rear parts of a pair of left and right main frames and crosses a front part of a fuel tank provided between the pair of left and right main frames with an upper end of the seat supporting frame supporting a front part of a riding seat. An antilock brake control unit is disposed at a position covered with the seat supporting frame from above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuichi Nagai, Tadashi Oshima
  • Patent number: 8910760
    Abstract: In a brake system for a vehicle, a first control mode and a second control mode are provided by which it is possible to cope with variations in the running environments such as changes between traveling on a public road and traveling on a circuit racecourse and variations in road conditions such as changes between a dry road surface and a wet road surface. A mode change-over switch is disposed between a kill switch on the upper side and a starter switch on the lower side, on the vehicle body center side relative to a right grip. Switching between the first control mode and the second control mode is carried out by use of the mode change-over switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuya Takenouchi, Shuichi Fukaya, Tetsuya Kudo, Fuyuki Hosokawa
  • Patent number: 8909451
    Abstract: A motorcycle sets a target slip value based on an accelerator operation by a driver, and prevents a significant decrease in the output torque of the drive power source during execution of traction control to provide a comfortable ride. The motorcycle includes a target slip value calculating section that calculates a target slip value, based on an accelerator operation by a driver; and an actual slip value calculating section that calculates an actual slip value, based on the difference between the rotation speed of the front wheel and the rotation speed of the rear wheel. The motorcycle further includes a drive power source controller arranged and programmed to reduce the output torque of the drive power source, based on the difference between a criterion value different from the target slip value and the actual slip value when the actual slip value is lower than the target slip value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohiro Kinoshita, Hirokazu Fujita
  • Patent number: 8794369
    Abstract: A standard foot-operated rear brake system on a motorcycle is converted to a hand-operated brake assist system by mounting a pneumatic cylinder in close proximity to the rear brake foot pedal such that, when pressurized, the piston of the pneumatic cylinder extends to depress the rear brake foot pedal. The pneumatic cylinder is controlled by a switch on the handlebar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Ride-Able, Inc.
    Inventor: Tyler D. Cruit
  • Patent number: 8746810
    Abstract: A brake fluid pressure control device 10 includes: a block-shaped housing 30, front and rear wheel-use flow paths, mounting holes in each side surface of the housing 30; a pair of front wheel-use switching valve bodies 1a and 2a that are mounted in a pair of mounting holes 31a and 31b that control the pressure of a brake fluid supplied to a front wheel-use wheel cylinder 103; a pair of rear wheel-use switching valve bodies 3a and 4a that are mounted in a pair of mounting holes 31c and 31d that control the pressure of the brake fluid supplied to a rear wheel-use wheel cylinder 106; a pressure sensor 13 that is inserted inside a mounting hole 31j in the first side surface 30a of the housing 30; and an electronic control unit 8 that drives and controls the front wheel-use and rear wheel-use switching valve bodies 1a to 4a.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Bosch Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Atsushi, Tohru Masuno, Makoto Sasaki, Yoshio Tajika, Sirichai Bannasarn
  • Patent number: 8672422
    Abstract: An hydraulic brake apparatus of a motorcycle, including a main frame having a pair of right and left frame members extending rearward from a head pipe, and equipment arranged in a space between the right and left frame members. The hydraulic brake apparatus further includes at least one brake fluid pipe, wherein the at least one brake fluid pipe is arranged so as to extend rearward from near the head pipe along an upper surface at least one of the frame members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Tamura
  • Patent number: 8651213
    Abstract: A braking device of a saddle-ride type vehicle that can reduce a load acting on a joint is provided. A joint 200 at a front-wheel brake output side which connects a metal pipe and a flexible brake hose is mounted on a body frame 2 via a mount rubber 260 under a floating state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Nagakubo, Kotaro Fujiyama, Satoru Ikami
  • Patent number: 8606478
    Abstract: A system and a method are provided for controlling a foundation brake of a vehicle having at least one foundation brake device, wherein the usability of the foundation brake is limited to a predetermined total application-time of the foundation brake within a predetermined time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB
    Inventors: Jens Samsioe, Peter Lingman
  • Patent number: 8480184
    Abstract: A hydraulic motorcycle braking system is disclosed. In the hydraulic motorcycle braking system a pump suction valve, which is situated in a braking circuit that does not contain an isolating valve or a change-over valve, has a higher opening pressure than a pump suction valve which is situated in a braking circuit provided with an isolating valve and a change-over valve. Accordingly, pressure oscillations initiated during the start-up of the pump cannot have a retroactive effect or only have a slight retroactive effect on the actuated brake master cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. oHG
    Inventors: Axel Hinz, Günther Vogel
  • Patent number: 8439455
    Abstract: A brake control system that is received in a waterproof case and can be easily assembled even when a plurality of electric wires or hydraulic pipes is connected thereto is provided. A brake control system for a vehicle is connected to hydraulic brakes through a plurality of brake pipes 116a through 116e and controls hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic brakes, wherein the brake control system is received in a case 100 having a waterproof property, a pipe supporting member 101, which enables the plurality of the brake pipes 116a through 116e to be arranged from an external side of the case 100 into the case 100, is formed on the case 100, and the pipe supporting member 101 and the case 100 are detachably attached to each other through a seal member 102.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kosei Hayashi, Shinji Ito, Masanobu Nagasaki, Naoki Murasawa
  • Patent number: 8424979
    Abstract: A reduction in size, weight and cost of a brake system of a motorcycle provided with a circulating-type ABS is achieved by a brake system provided with a circulating-type ABS and a by-wire-type brake system. In the brake system, solenoid valves, hydraulic pressure sensors, accumulators and pumps are integrated into a unit, and concurrently stroke simulators are attached to the unit as separate bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Tani
  • Patent number: 8371662
    Abstract: A wheel braking controller of a vehicle includes a brake lever operated by a rider, a master cylinder generating a hydraulic pressure according to an operation force of the brake lever, and a brake caliper braking a front wheel based on operation of the brake lever, a channel switching unit provided between the master cylinder and the brake caliper and switching channels of a brake fluid. A hydraulic pressure generator generates a hydraulic pressure based on operation of the brake lever and the driving state of the vehicle and controlling braking of the front wheel using the brake caliper by the hydraulic pressure. A braking controller including the channel switching unit and the hydraulic pressure generator is integrally provided on one body. The wheel braking controller so configured reduces the number of parts, and provides for easy mounting of the controller on the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Nishikawa, Kazuya Takenouchi, Masaie Kato
  • Patent number: 8328295
    Abstract: The present invention provides a motorcycle braking device which can perform a control which does not give discomforts to a rider in a front and rear wheel interlocking brake control by taking a manipulation of the rider into consideration. In the motorcycle braking device according to the present invention, in a front and rear wheel interlocking brake control, an additional target pressure associated with a brake input pressure of one of a front wheel hydraulic circuit and a rear wheel hydraulic circuit is applied to another wheel driven by the front wheel hydraulic circuit or the rear wheel hydraulic circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Bosch Corporation
    Inventor: Helge Westerfeld
  • Patent number: 8287053
    Abstract: In a brake system for a motorcycle in which the operation of a pressure-regulating unit interposed between fluid pressure generator and a wheel brake is controlled by a control unit on the basis of a value detected by operating amount detector for detecting an operating amount of a brake operating element, to prevent the influence of vibrations transmitted from an engine from being exerted on the pressure-regulating unit. A support member for supporting the pressure-regulating unit is flexibly supported, though elastic members, by a pair of frame sections which are arranged on both the left and right sides of an engine body and by a crossmember which connects both the frame sections to each other on the rear side of the engine body so as to constitute a part of a body frame F together with the frame sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuji Tahara, Masatsugu Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20120247858
    Abstract: A motorcycle with an ABS module disposed to make it hard to affect the layout of other components while suppressing the influence of vibration on the ABS module. A motorcycle includes rear frames joined to corresponding rear portions of the main frames and extending upwardly and rearwardly at a position below the corresponding seat frames. Front wheel braking members apply a braking force to a front wheel. An ABS module is connected to the front wheel braking means. A seat is supported on the upper portions of the seat frames. The ABS module has at least a portion disposed below the seat and between the seat frames and the rear frames as viewed from the side. The ABS module is suspended and supported by front and rear cross stays spanned between the pair of seat frames via a front elastic members and a rear elastic member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Inventors: Kenji KONNO, Hidekazu Oshima, Masaomi Yamada, Yoshiaki Sawano
  • Patent number: 8276998
    Abstract: A motorcycle includes a liquid pressure-generating unit, a pressure-regulating unit interposed between the liquid pressure-generating unit and a wheel brake, and a control unit for controlling operation of the pressure-regulating unit. The motorcycle also includes a support case, supportively containing the control unit and disposed on a lateral side of an engine body mounted on a body frame of the motorcycle, with the support case interposed between the control unit and the engine body. Further, a running airflow leading-in part for permitting traveling airflow to pass toward said control unit is formed at a front part of the support case, and a traveling airflow leading-out part is formed at a rear part of the support case for leading out the traveling airflow after the airflow has passed through at least one lateral side of the control unit. This arrangement lessens the influence of the heat from an engine upon the control unit while disposing the control unit in the vicinity of the engine body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuji Tahara, Masatsugu Nishimura
  • Patent number: 8276997
    Abstract: In a brake-by-wire brake system for a motorcycle, a pressure regulator is interposed between a pressure-generating unit and a brake caliper to regulate an output hydraulic pressure of the pressure generator, and to apply the regulated hydraulic pressure to a brake caliper. The pressure regulator is controlled by a control unit, based on input from an applied operating force detector, to minimize or prevent influences of engine vibration and heat on the pressure regulator. The pressure regulator is arranged between an engine body and a fuel tank disposed in back of an intake system connected to and extending upwardly from a cylinder head of the engine body; where the intake system is disposed on an upper side of the engine body. The pressure regulator is flexibly supported, through a flexibly resilient case, by a support cage attached to a body frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuji Tahara, Masatsugu Nishimura
  • Patent number: 8251461
    Abstract: To improve brake force in front and rear combined brake control, a brake control device includes a front wheel brake caliper having at least two front wheel cylinders, and a rear wheel brake caliper having a rear wheel cylinder. A front wheel brake conduit is disposed between a front wheel master cylinder and one of the front wheel cylinders, and a rear wheel brake conduit is disposed between a rear wheel master cylinder and the rear wheel cylinder. A pressure amplification conduit branches from a first position in the rear wheel brake conduit and merges with the rear wheel brake conduit at a second position downstream of the first position. A combined brake conduit branches from a third position in the rear wheel brake conduit positioned downstream of the first position and is coupled to the other of the front wheel cylinders. A first switch control valve is disposed between the first position and the third position in the rear wheel brake conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Bosch Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Atsushi, Tohru Masuno
  • Publication number: 20120211295
    Abstract: An antilock brake control unit in a saddle-riding type vehicle includes a storage box disposed behind a head pipe and above an engine unit with a fuel tank disposed behind the storage box and obliquely above and behind the engine unit. A riding seat is disposed above the fuel tank. A seat supporting frame extends rearwardly and upwardly from rear parts of a pair of left and right main frames and crosses a front part of a fuel tank provided between the pair of left and right main frames with an upper end of the seat supporting frame supporting a front part of a riding seat. An antilock brake control unit is disposed at a position covered with the seat supporting frame from above.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Inventors: Ryuichi NAGAI, Tadashi OSHIMA
  • Patent number: 8246123
    Abstract: A brake control system of a motorcycle is provided which can suppress a malfunction of an anti-lock braking system applied to a rear wheel which would be caused by an abnormal speed difference between the front and rear wheels. A threshold value for a skid rate for the rear wheel is kept to a second skid rate threshold value until a time when a predetermined condition is established. The second skid rate threshold value is larger than a first skid rate threshold value that is usually employed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventor: Asahi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8235473
    Abstract: A hydraulic motorcycle brake system whose brake circuits are provided with a valve circuit which prevents the pressure which can be generated by the pump from reacting on the manually activated or foot-activated master brake cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co., oHG
    Inventors: Axel Hinz, Günther Vogel
  • Patent number: 8186470
    Abstract: A motorcycle includes front and rear brakes that respectively brake a front wheel and a rear wheel, an ABS unit that controls braking force of the brakes, pipes connecting each of the brakes and the ABS unit, a swing arm swingably supported on a body frame, and a rear cushion unit connecting the swing arm to the body frame and located in front of the rear wheel which is supported on a rear end portion of the swing arm. Further, the rear cushion unit is located on a body centerline, extending longitudinally while passing through the center in a vehicle width direction. Additionally, the ABS unit is located rearward of the rear cushion unit and on the body centerline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kota Matayoshi
  • Patent number: 8167382
    Abstract: A brake system for a motorcycle includes a pressure-regulating unit interposed between a fluid pressure-generating unit and a wheel brake. The operation of a pressure-regulating unit is controlled by a control unit on based on a value detected by an operating amount detector. The fluid pressure-generating unit is arranged between an engine body mounted on a body frame and an exhaust pipe extending from the engine body. The exhaust pipe is connected to the front surface of a cylinder head of the engine body, and is extended downwardly from the cylinder head. A support member for supporting the fluid pressure-generating unit is supported, through elastic members, by the engine body and frame members of a body frame of the motorcycle. The body frame extends rearwardly downwards from a head pipe connected to the body frame at a front end portion thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuji Tahara, Masatsugu Nishimura
  • Patent number: 8146698
    Abstract: In a brake system for a motorcycle in which the operation of a pressure-regulating unit interposed between fluid pressure-generating unit and a wheel brake so as to regulate an output fluid pressure of the fluid pressure-generating unit and to apply the regulated fluid pressure to the wheel brake is controlled by a control unit on the basis of a value detected by operating amount detector for detecting an operating amount of a brake operating element, to arrange the fluid pressure-generating unit in a location which is close to the pressure control unit disposed on the rear side of an engine body and in which an installation space is easy to secure. The fluid pressure-generating unit, laid out in plan view between a left-right pair of seat rails which constitute a part of a body frame and which support a riders' seat, is supported by the seat rails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuji Tahara, Masatsugu Nishimura
  • Patent number: 8146697
    Abstract: A brake system for a motorcycle includes a pressure-regulating unit interposed between a fluid pressure-generating unit and a wheel brake. Operation of a pressure-regulating unit is managed and controlled by a control unit, based primarily on an applied force detected by an operating amount detector. The fluid pressure-generating unit is disposed between an engine body, mounted on a body frame, and an exhaust pipe which is connected to a front surface of a cylinder head of the engine body, and which extends downwardly from the cylinder head. The fluid pressure-generating unit is arranged on the body frame such that, during operation of the motorcycle, the fluid pressure-generating unit is substantially shielded and isolated from heat emitted by the engine body and the exhaust pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuji Tahara, Masatsugu Nishimura
  • Patent number: 8132866
    Abstract: A brake hydraulic pressure control apparatus is provided with wheel cylinder pressure inference value acquisition means (step 402) for acquiring an inference value of the wheel cylinder pressure, master cylinder pressure inference value acquisition means (step 404) for acquiring an inference value of the master cylinder pressure by utilizing a wheel cylinder pressure inference initial value, reaction force compensation amount acquisition means (step 406) for acquiring a reaction force compensation amount which is a value depending on the variation of the master cylinder pressure caused by the flowing of brake fluid during an ABS control, and differential pressure inference value acquisition means (step 410) for acquiring an inference value of the differential pressure between the master cylinder pressure and the wheel cylinder pressure by adding the reaction force compensation amount to the difference between the master cylinder pressure inference value and the wheel cylinder pressure inference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignees: Advics Co., Ltd., Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryuzo Tsuruhara, Yutaka Hamamoto, Hiroaki Seto, Hiroyuki Inoue, Yoshinori Tsuji
  • Patent number: 8070237
    Abstract: To predictively determine the occurrence of rear wheel lifting before actual lifting of a rear wheel occurs and enable control of brake force. Vehicle body deceleration is computed on the basis of wheel velocities obtained by wheel velocity sensors 45 and 46 (S102), and when it is determined that that computed value exceeds a predetermined value K1 (S104), then the pressure of a front wheel cylinder 3 is reduced by a predetermined pressure and held at that reduced pressure (S106), and when it is determined that vehicle body deceleration has fallen below a value that is, for example, lower by a predetermined value ? than the predetermined value K1 (S108), then the state of holding of the pressure of the front wheel cylinder 3 is released (S110) and brake control returns to normal brake control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignees: Bosch Corporation, Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Takahiro Ogawa, Helge Westerfeld, Markus Hamm
  • Patent number: 7971941
    Abstract: In a dual-circuit hydraulic motorcycle brake system with two hand or foot-operated master cylinders, at the commencement of the pump operation in one of the brake circuits, the change-over valve (20) and/or the separating valve (19) of that brake circuit assume a switching position in which the pressure which can be generated by the pump (9) is prevented from causing a reactive effect on the associated hand-operated or foot-operated master brake cylinder (7, 13). To this end, the separating valve (19) in the brake line may be switched to a closed or throttling position, while the change-over valve (20) in the suction path is closed. Alternatively, both the change-over valve (20) and the separating valve (19) can be opened at the same time so that the pump conveys brake fluid in a circle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. oHG
    Inventors: Alfred Eckert, Oliver Hoffman
  • Patent number: 7942484
    Abstract: An ABS modulator for a front wheel is supported on the side surface of an inclined portion located forward of a portion, having the largest width, of the right main pipe with a unit supporting stay in between, while being arranged in a space inside the front cowl covering the front side of the inclined portion. The ABS modulator is arranged on the outer side of the main pipe. Accordingly, it is possible to avoid a case where the arrangement space for other components is occupied by arranging the ABS modulator in a space on the inner side of the right and left main pipes, and to support the ABS modulator by utilizing the main pipes having a high rigidity. Further, the resulting configuration allows to ABS modulator to be located in a portion having a high rigidity without occupying a space for other components, such as an induction system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Yamakura, Sosuke Miki, Takero Shibukawa
  • Patent number: 7938495
    Abstract: A motorcycle brake system enables a smooth switching to a hydraulic loss simulator to provide an improved feeling of braking operation. A brake operating unit includes a brake caliper, an electromagnetic on-off valve (V1) which blocks a main brake passage, a pressure sensor, a hydraulic modulator, and a hydraulic loss simulator. The brake system allocates a braking force to front and rear wheels by controlling the hydraulic modulator based on a result of detection by the pressure sensor. The brake operating unit has a brake light switch for detecting the starting of operation thereof, actuates an electromagnetic on-off valve (V1) to block the main brake passage based on a result of detection by the brake light switch, and unblocks the main brake passage when a predetermined amount of time elapses without any input made to the pressure sensor in a standby state with the main brake passage blocked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co.,
    Inventors: Kazuya Takenouchi, Masanobu Nakayama, Hideo Takahashi, Kazuhiko Tani, Masaie Kato, Yutaka Nishikawa
  • Publication number: 20110095599
    Abstract: A brake control system of a motorcycle is provided which can suppress a malfunction of an anti-lock braking system applied to a rear wheel which would be caused by an abnormal speed difference between the front and rear wheels. A threshold value for a skid rate for the rear wheel is kept to a second skid rate threshold value until a time when a predetermined condition is established. The second skid rate threshold value is larger than a first skid rate threshold value that is usually employed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Inventor: Asahi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7918301
    Abstract: A motorcycle includes a head pipe that is disposed at a front portion of a vehicle body and makes front forks pivot, and a pair of left and right down tubes that extend downward from the head pipe and extend to the rear side of an engine under the engine, wherein connecting members for connecting brake hoses that are formed of elastic members to respective brake pipes that are formed of metal pipes are disposed behind the head pipe, and the brake hoses that extend from the connecting members to a brake for a front wheel extend frontward after passing between the pair of the left and right down tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Ito, Kenji Haraguchi
  • Patent number: 7909415
    Abstract: A locking mechanism for installing between a master cylinder and a brake line includes a housing having an internal bore, an inlet port, a passage, and an outlet port. A reciprocating piston is movable within the bore. A locking lever is coupled to the reciprocating piston for actuating the reciprocating piston. A fastener having an internal fluid passage for providing fluid communication between the passage and the master cylinder secures the housing to the master cylinder. The locking lever is moveable between a first position, wherein the hydraulic fluid can flow freely between the master cylinder and the brake line for engaging and disengaging the vehicle brake and a second position, wherein the hydraulic fluid is prevented from returning to the master cylinder for maintaining the vehicle brake in an engaged state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Inventors: John Weber, Steven Kennedy
  • Patent number: 7901013
    Abstract: A motorcycle wheel speed sensor mounting structure, includes an axle holder for supporting a front wheel is disposed below a front fork of the motorcycle and an axle support disposed in a lower part of the axle holder. Further, a caliper mount, for supporting a brake caliper of a disc brake, is disposed on a rear portion of the axle holder and a wheel speed sensor is mounted on the caliper mount, wherein the wheel speed sensor is located above a line connecting a lower end of the axle support to a lower end of the caliper mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinichiro Ishida
  • Publication number: 20110043031
    Abstract: To prevent deterioration of sports driving performance due to the actuation of an ABS in a front-wheel and rear-wheel interlocking brake system of a brake-by-wire system. A brake interlock determining portion starts a front-wheel brake when input hydraulic pressure by a brake operation (pedal operation) on a rear-wheel becomes equal to or greater than an interlocking brake starting pressure value. A threshold selecting switch allows switching of the interlocking brake starting pressure value between when the ABS is active and when the ABS is inactive. When the ABS is active, a lower pressure value is selected as the interlocking brake starting pressure value. When the ABS is inactive, an upper pressure value is selected as the interlocking brake starting pressure value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yutaka Nishikawa, Kazuya Takenouchi, Takehiko Nanri, Kazuhiko Tani
  • Publication number: 20110031054
    Abstract: A motorcycle includes front and rear brakes that respectively brake a front wheel and a rear wheel, an ABS unit that controls braking force of the brakes, pipes connecting each of the brakes and the ABS unit, a swing arm swingably supported on a body frame, and a rear cushion unit connecting the swing arm to the body frame and located in front of the rear wheel which is supported on a rear end portion of the swing arm. Further, the rear cushion unit is located on a body centerline, extending longitudinally while passing through the center in a vehicle width direction. Additionally, the ABS unit is located rearward of the rear cushion unit and on the body centerline.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2010
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kota MATAYOSHI
  • Patent number: 7841671
    Abstract: To enhance a brake feel of a motorcycle adopting a combined brake system. In a braking device for adjusting hydraulic pressure supplied to a brake caliper at a rear wheel according to hydraulic pressure at a front wheel produced by a brake operation at the front wheel of a motorcycle, a pattern for adjusting a brake caliper pressure at the rear wheel is different between a case when a temporal increasing rate of master cylinder pressure at the front wheel is equal to or exceeds a predetermined value and a case when the temporal increasing rate is below the predetermined value. Further, to provide a braking device for a motorcycle wherein a variation of a vertical load of a rear wheel when a brake is applied at a front wheel is inhibited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanobu Nakayama, Kazuya Takenouchi, Kazuhiko Tani