Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

Akito Enokimoto

Tatsuo Masuda

Toshio Tsuchiya

Suwaji Takano

Akio Handa

Eiji Hosoya

Makoto Ishiwatari

Keiji Kasa

Kousei Mizumoto

Kazuhiro Iwai

Sadao Mizushima

Seiji Watanabe

Takerou Shibukawa

Yoshitaka Kato

Hiroshi Enomoto

Kazutoshi Ohtsuka

An off-road vehicle comprises a frame assembly constructed of a plurality of pipes including at least one lateral pipe extending horizontally and transversely of the vehicle, two front wheel suspensions having respective knuckle arms, two front wheels rotatably supported respectively on the front wheel suspensions, two rear wheels rotatably supported on lateral sides of a rear portion of the frame assembly, an engine mounted on the rear portion of the frame assembly for driving the rear wheels, and a steering mechanism having a steering column supporting a central steering arm on a lower end thereof and a central steering handle on an upper end thereof, and tie rods having first ends coupled to the central steering arm and second ends coupled to the knuckle arms, respectively. Also, the central steering arm is located upwardly of the lateral pipe of the frame assembly.

Off-road vehicle

An off-road vehicle has a hydraulic brake operating assembly mounted on a steering handle. The steering handle has a base, a rectangular handle portion integral with the base, and a cover covering the base. The brake operating assembly has a brake oil reservoir, two brake levers pivotally supported on lateral sides of the handle portion for braking front and rear wheels, respectively, and two brake master cylinders communicating with the brake oil reservoir through hoses and responsive to operation of the brake levers for generating hydraulic pressure. The brake oil reservoir is centrally fixedly mounted on the rectangular handle portion. The brake master cylinders are fixedly mounted respectively on the lateral sides of the handle portion.

An off-road vehicle has a vehicle frame of piping, a power unit including an engine, a fuel tank, an air cleaner, and other components, and a double-wishbone suspension supporting a rear wheel on the vehicle frame. The vehicle frame has a side frame member positioned laterally of the power unit and a rear frame member positioned rearwardly of the power unit. The suspension comprises a knuckle having a proximal end and an upward extension, a lower arm assembly coupled between the proximal end of the knuckle and the side frame member, and a bifurcated upper arm having a vertex end pivotally coupled to the upward extension of the knuckle, a front leg pivotally coupled to the side frame member, and a rear leg being pivotally coupled to the rear frame member.

Rear suspension for off-road vehicle

A wheel suspension in a vehicle having a frame structure and a drive shaft mounted on the frame structure for driving a wheel to rotate about a wheel shaft thereof, includes a trailing arm having a front end pivotably connected to the frame structure and a rear end supporting the wheel shaft of the wheel, a propeller shaft having a first end coupled to the drive shaft through a first universal joint and an opposite end coupled to the wheel shaft through a second universal joint, a link rod having a first end pivotably connected to the frame structure and an opposite end pivotably connected to the rear end of the trailing arm, and a cushioning unit supporting the trailing arm on the frame structure for dampening movement of the trailing arm with respect to the frame structure. The propeller shaft extends substantially transversely of the frame structure, and the link rod is spaced substantially vertically from the propeller shaft and, also, extends substantially transversely of the frame structure. The wheel suspension has an increased minimum height from the ground on which the wheel rests, is relatively simple in structure, small in size or volume, and has a small unsprung weight.

Wheel suspension for a vehicle

A motor vehicle which includes two front wheels and at least one rear wheel. A steering handle is arranged at a widthwise center of the frame of the vehicle, and a driver's seat is arranged substantially at a longitudinal center of the vehicle frame. The floor of the frame upon which the feet of the driver are positioned has substantially the same width as the width of the driver's seat, such that the handling and driving operations of the vehicle can be simplified and improved.

Motor vehicle

A motor vehicle which includes at least two rear wheels, wherein two leaf springs extend rearwardly from both sides of the frame of the vehicle, below the driver's seat, for supporting the axles of the rear wheels, respectively. An engine is interposed between the leaf springs.

A vehicle with at least one front wheel and two rear wheels comprises a rear cushion unit for use in damping repelling forces from the ground surface and other vibratory forces developed by chain driving and the like. The upper end of the rear cushion unit is supported at a position axially rearward of a main frame member of a frame structure, while the lower end thereof is supported at a position forward of a rear axle bearing member. On each side of the rear axle bearing member there is mounted either a sprocket wheel or a braking device. A chain adjustment mechanism of the rear wheel assembly is constructed in such a manner that the front end of the swing arm is pivotally connected to the frame structure via elongated holes located in a lower portion of the frame structure, the elongated holes allowing the front end of the swing arm to be adjustable in position in the longitudinal direction, so that the rear wheel assembly comprising the rear axle bearing member, a rear axle and the rear wheels is adjustable in position in the longitudinal direction.

Vehicle

A small-sized vehicle having two front wheels steerable by a handlebar is provided with a windshield unit extending from a front end of a vehicle body upwardly and rearwardly in overhanging relation to the handlebar and a driver's seat mounted on the vehicle body rearwardly of the handlebar. The windshield unit is cross-sectionally channel-shaped and includes a lower cover fastened to the body and a windshield panel extending upwardly of the lower cover, the windshield panel supporting a pane of glass having an extensive area in front of the head of a seated driver. The unit further includes a roof plate attached to and extending from an upper end of the windshield panel rearwardly in overhanging relation to the seat so as to cover the driver's head. The windshield unit is provided with a container therein, the container being disposed forwardly of and adjacent to a column supporting the handlebar, and being adapted to accommodate therein articles desired to be transported. The windshield unit is detachably mounted on the vehicle body such that the unit can be easily dismounted for separate shipment and for facilitating maintenance and servicing.

Small-sized vehicle

A front wheel suspension mechanism for a vehicle having two front wheels. The suspension mechanism includes two transverse leaf springs mounted on a front portion of the frame of the vehicle and vertically spaced apart from each other, supports for supporting the front wheels, and elastic members for connecting both ends of the leaf springs and the front wheel supports.

Growing community of inventors

Asaka, Japan

Akito Enokimoto