Arrangement of air cleaner for a motorcycle

Air cleaner for a motorcycle is disposed in an internal space of a hollow fairing of the motorcycle, and is communicatively connected with a carburetor of an engine of the motorcycle through a conduit pipe.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to an air cleaner for a motorcycle, and, more 
particularly, it is concerned with a particular arrangement of the air 
cleaner utilizing a space in a hollow fairing with a head light fitted at 
its front center part. 
At present, in the medium- or large-sized motorcycles, an air cleaner 
device is arranged in a space below a rider's seat. In this space, 
however, there are also accommodated battery, electrical appliances, and 
other component parts, on account of which the capacity of the air cleaner 
is considerably restricted. In order to eliminate such restriction, the 
space below the rider's seat needs be broadened. With such measures, 
however, the height of the seat becomes unnecessarily increased, or the 
width of the motorcycle body in the left and right directions thereof 
becomes wider with the consequence that there arises such a problem that 
the motorcycle lacks in stability when the rider rides on the motorcycle 
and touches his feet on the ground. 
On the other hand, there has been known, as this kind of motorcycle, such 
one that is provided with a hollow fairing having a head light in the 
upper front side of the motorcycle body, which is to be used as a glove 
box, etc.. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved 
arrangement for the air cleaner device having sufficient capacity without 
increasing the space below the rider's seat. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved 
arrangement for the air cleaner device, wherein an internal space of the 
abovementioned hollow fairing is utilized, to accommodate the air cleaner 
therein. 
According to the present invention, in its general aspect, there is 
provided arrangement of air cleaner for a motorcycle, wherein the air 
cleaner is disposed in an internal space of a hollow fairing of the 
motorcycle and is communicatively connected with a carburetor of an engine 
of the motorcycle through a conduit tube. 
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important feature of 
the present invention in order that the detailed description thereof that 
follows may be better understood, and in order that the present 
contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, 
additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter 
and which will form the subject of the claims appended hereto. Those 
skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this 
disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing 
of other structures for carrying out the several purposes of the present 
invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as 
including such equivalent construction so far as they do not depart from 
the spirit and scope of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
In the following, the present invention will be explained in detail in 
reference to the accompanying drawing showing a preferred embodiment 
thereof. 
In the drawing, a reference numeral 1 designates a motorcycle body. The 
motorcycle body 1 has, on its front upper part, a hollow faring 3 in a 
substantial form of a letter "U" in its cross-section with a head light 2 
being provided at its front center part. Around the outer periphery of the 
head light in the fairing 3, there is formed an air passage opening 4 
which permits air to flow in and out of the hollow fairing. In 
confrontation to the air passage opening 4, there is disposed an air 
cleaner 5 within the faring 3. 
The air cleaner 5 comprises a casing 5a, an air inlet port 5b which is 
formed within the casing 5a in confrontation to the air passage hole 4, an 
air outlet tube 5c provided at the rear surface of the casing 5a, and a 
doughnut-shaped filter 5d interposed between the air inlet port 5b and the 
air outlet port 5c. The air cleaner 5 is fixedly provided in the internal 
space of the hollow fairing 3 by screwing threaded bolts 6 into a bracket 
5e provided on the rear surface of the casing 5a from the back side of the 
faring 3. 
Both side parts 3a, 3b of the hollow faring 3 are used as the glove boxes. 
In one of the side parts (for instance, 3a), there is integrally formed a 
conduit section 3C, one end of which is connected with the air outlet tube 
5c of the air cleaner 5, and the other end of which is connected with a 
pre-chamber 8 through a connecting tube 7 such as rubber tube, etc. to 
reduce the dynamic pressure at the time of cruising. When the connecting 
tube 7 is directly connected with a carburetor 9, the opening face of the 
air inlet port 5b may be changed to the lateral side or rear side. 
In the above-described construction, air which has been led through the air 
passage opening 4 around the outer periphery of the head light 2 is 
cleaned in the air cleaner 5, and then introduced into the pre-chamber 8, 
carburetor 9, and engine 10 through the conduit part 3c. A reference 
numeral 3d designates a compartment for small articles, and 11 refers to a 
fuel tank. The conduit section 3c is not always necessary to be formed 
integrally with the faring 3. 
As stated in the foregoing, the present invention is capable of providing 
the air cleaner having sufficient capacity without widening a space below 
the rider's seat by utilizing the internal space of the hollow fairing, in 
which the air cleaner is disposed. Further, since the air passage opening 
to the air cleaner is provided around the outer periphery of the head 
light, relatively clean external air can be introduced into the air 
cleaner, which is effective in maintaining the function of the air cleaner 
over a long period of time. In addition, since the conduit section is 
provided within the space of the hollow fairing, there accrues such a 
design merit that the outer appearance thereof is aesthetically pleasing.