Patent Publication Number: US-11390345-B2

Title: Motorcycle rear fender structure

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-169786 filed on Sep. 11, 2018, including specification, drawings and claims is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a motorcycle rear fender structure. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In a motorcycle, a rear fender is configured into two parts by a first fender having a hang portion formed to cover a rear side and an upper side of a rear wheel, and a second fender covering the upper side of the rear wheel, such that the second fender suppresses rainwater or the like from entering into the license plate light and to the harness as described in Patent Document 1, for example. 
     Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-061867 A 
     However, in the rear fender structure as described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to separately provide a dedicated part (the second fender) in order to prevent water from being applied to the electrical wiring and the mounting part of a lighting device. Therefore, there is a problem that the manufacturing cost increases due to the increase in the number of parts and the number of assembling steps. 
     SUMMARY 
     It is at least one of objects of the present disclosure to provide a motorcycle rear fender structure capable of preventing muddy water, rainwater or the like scattered by a centrifugal force of a rear wheel from entering a wiring chamber without increasing the manufacturing cost. 
     According to an aspect of the embodiments of the present disclosure, there is provided a rear fender structure provided at a rear part of a motorcycle, including: a fender stay extending to an upper rear side from one side of left and right rear swing arms rotatably supporting a rear wheel of the motorcycle; a rear fender main body that covers an upper rear side of the rear wheel; a bulging portion that bulges outward and rearward from the rear fender main body integrally, the bulging portion in which a wiring chamber is formed; and a partition wall supported by the fender stay and provided in the rear fender main body, wherein the partition wall is provided with a wiring hole for introducing an electrical wire connected to a lighting device into the wiring chamber, and the fender stay is provided with a lower protruding portion extending in a left-right direction at a lower side of the wiring hole in the rear fender main body. 
     With the above configuration, it is possible to prevent muddy water, rainwater or the like scattered by a centrifugal force of a rear wheel from entering a wiring chamber without increasing the manufacturing cost. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the accompanying drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a left side view showing a rear part of a motorcycle provided with a rear fender structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing the rear fender structure according to the embodiment of the present disclosure from a rear left side; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing the rear fender structure according to the embodiment of the present disclosure from a rear left side; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing a fender stay and a partition wall of the rear fender structure according to the embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view taken along a line A-A in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view taken along a line B-B in  FIG. 5 ; and 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing the rear fender structure according to the embodiment of the present disclosure from a rear side. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     A motorcycle rear fender structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a fender stay extending to an upper rear side from one side of left and right rear swing arms rotatably supporting a rear wheel of the motorcycle; a rear fender main body that covers an upper rear side of the rear wheel; a bulging portion that bulges outward and rearward from the rear fender main body integrally, the bulging portion in which a wiring chamber is formed; and a partition wall supported by the fender stay and provided in the rear fender main body, wherein the partition wall is provided with a wiring hole for introducing an electrical wire connected to a lighting device into the wiring chamber, and the fender stay is provided with a lower protruding portion extending in a left-right direction at a lower side of the wiring hole in the rear fender main body. 
     According to the motorcycle rear fender structure of the embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to prevent muddy water, rainwater or the like scattered by a centrifugal force of a rear wheel from entering a wiring chamber without increasing the manufacturing cost. 
     Embodiment 
       FIG. 1  is a left side view showing a rear part of the motorcycle provided with a rear fender structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;  FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing the rear fender structure according to the embodiment of the present disclosure from a rear left side;  FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing the rear fender structure according to the embodiment of the present disclosure from a rear left side;  FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing a fender stay and a partition wall of the rear fender structure according to the embodiment of the present disclosure;  FIG. 5  is a sectional view taken along a line A-A in  FIG. 3 ;  FIG. 6  is a sectional view taken along a line B-B in  FIG. 5 ; and  FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing the rear fender structure according to the embodiment of the present disclosure from a rear side. When referring to directions in the description of the embodiment of the present disclosure, a driver of the motorcycle is used as a reference. 
     First, with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , a schematic configuration of the rear part of a motorcycle  1  provided with a rear fender structure  10  according to the embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. 
     A pair of left and right rear swing arms  2 L,  2 R are coupled so as to be swingable in an upper-lower direction at the rear part of the motorcycle  1 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , a rear wheel  3  which is a driving wheel is rotatably supported at a rear part of the rear swing arms  2 L,  2 R. A driven sprocket  4  is provided on a left side of an axle of the rear wheel  3  so that power of an engine (not shown) is transmitted to the rear wheel  3  by a chain (not shown) wound around the driven sprocket  4 . The chain is covered by a chain cover  5  and a brake disc (not shown) for the rear wheel  3  is provided on a right side of the rear wheel  3 . A rider seat  71  is disposed on an upper side of the rear wheel  3 . 
     A pair of left and right arm members  6 L,  6 R are formed toward an upper front direction from respective rear end portions of the pair of left and right rear swing arms  2 L,  2 R. As shown in  FIG. 3 , two hose clamps  7  are attached to an upper surface of the right arm member  6 R in front and back, and a rear brake hose  9  is fixed along an upper surface of the right arm member  3 R by the hose clamps  7 . 
     Next, with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 7 , the rear fender structure  10  according to the embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. 
     The rear fender structure  10  according to the embodiment of the present disclosure includes a fender stay  11  extending to an upper rear side from the arm member  6 L of the left rear swing arm  2 L on which the chain is arranged, a partition wall  12  supported on an upper end portion of the fender stay  11 , a rear fender main body  13  covering the upper rear side of the rear wheel  3 , and a bulging portion  14  bulging outward and rearward from the rear fender main body  13  integrally. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 4 , the fender stay  11  is provided with elongated cylindrical upper and lower stay pipes  15 ,  16 . Supporting portions  17 ,  18  are respectively provided at lower end portions of the upper and lower stay pipes  15 ,  16 . The upper stay pipe  15  extends toward the upper rear side in an inclined manner with the supporting portion  17  being fixed by a bolt  19  to an intermediate portion of the left arm member  6 L. The lower stay pipe  16  extends toward the upper rear side in an inclined manner with the supporting portion  18  being fixed by a bolt  20  to a lower portion of the left arm member  6 L. The inclination of the upper stay pipe  15  is smaller than the inclination of the lower stay pipe  16 , and a distance between the upper and lower stay pipes  15 ,  16  is formed to be narrower toward the upper rear side. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , a first coupling plate  21  and a second coupling plate  22  for connecting both stay pipes  15 ,  16  are interposed between the upper and lower stay pipes  15 ,  16  at an upper end side and a lower end side, respectively. Round holes  23 ,  24  and  25  are formed at the center of the first coupling plate  21  and at the center of and an upper part of the second coupling plate  22 , respectively. A protruding piece  26  protruding upward is attached to the intermediate portion of the lower stay pipe  16 , and a round hole  27  is formed in the protruding piece  26 . Further, a protruding piece  28  protruding downward is attached to an upper end side of the lower stay pipe  16 , and a round hole  29  is formed in the protruding piece  28 . 
     The upper and lower stay pipes  15 ,  16 , the first and second coupling plates  21 ,  22 , and the protruding pieces  26 ,  27  are covered by an exterior cover  30 . The round hole  23  at the center of the first coupling plate  21 , the round hole  24  at the center of the second coupling plate  22 , and the round holes  27 ,  29  of the respective protruding pieces  26 ,  28  are used to fix the exterior cover  30 . Further, the round hole  25  on the upper part of the second coupling plate  22  is used to support the electrical wire  31  for the lighting device, which is wired along the upper stay pipe  15  in the exterior cover  30 . 
     An upper protruding portion  32  and a lower protruding portion  33  each having an elongated cylindrical shape are respectively provided on upper end portions of the upper and lower stay pipes  15 ,  16 . The upper protruding portion  32  and the lower protruding portion  33  are parallel to each other and formed to extend in a left-right direction. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the partition wall  12  has a longitudinally long bracket plate  34  bent along the rear wheel  3 , and left and right folded portions  35  that are bent from left and right edges of the bracket plate  34  to the rear wheel  3  side (lower front side). A first wiring hole  36  is formed slightly above the center of the bracket plate  34 . The first wiring hole  36  has an elongated circular shape which is long in the left-right direction. 
     An upper fixing portion  37  and a lower fixing portion  38  are formed on the upper and lower sides of the first wiring hole  36  in the bracket plate  34 , respectively. The fixing portions  37 ,  38  have openings  39 ,  40  and upper and lower fixing pieces  41 ,  42  formed to be bent from upper and lower edges of the openings  39 ,  40  toward the rear wheel  3  side, respectively. An upper cutout portion  43  and a lower cutout portion  44  are formed in the left and right folded portions  35  at positions corresponding to the upper fixing portion  37  and the lower fixing portion  38 , respectively. 
     The upper protruding portion  32  is welded to the upper and lower fixing pieces  41  of the upper fixing portion  37  and the upper cutout portions  43  on the left and right; and the lower protruding portion  33  is welded to the upper and lower fixing pieces  42  of the lower fixing portion  38  and the lower cutout portions  44  on the left and right. Therefore, the partition wall  12  is fixed to the upper end portion of the fender stay  11 . At this time, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the lower protruding portion  33  is attached so as to protrude to a center side of the rear wheel  3  with respect to a tangent line t to the rear wheel  3  passing through an upper edge  36   a  of the first wiring hole  36 . 
     On a rear wheel  3  side surface (inner surface) of the bracket plate  34 , first fixing nuts  45  are welded to two positions at left and right corners on the upper end side, second fixing nuts  46  are welded to two positions on the a lower side of the lower fixing portion  36 , and third fixing nuts  47  are welded to two positions at left and right corners on the lower end side. Further, in order to reduce the weight, through holes  48  are opened at a plurality of positions (six in the illustrated example) of the bracket plate  34 . 
     The rear fender main body  13  is formed by injection molding of resin. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the rear fender main body  13  includes an upper portion  51  where an opening part  50  is formed, and a lower portion  53  to which a license plate  52  is attached at the rear side. First fixing portions  54  are formed at positions corresponding to the first fixing nuts  45  in an upper part of the upper portion  51 , second fixing portions  55  thicker than other parts of the lower portion  53  are formed at positions corresponding to the second fixing nuts  46  in an upper part of the lower portion  53 , and third fixing portions  56  are formed at positions corresponding to the third fixing nuts  47  of the lower portion  52 . 
     A first bolt to a third bolt  57  are respectively screwed to the first fixing nuts  45 , the second fixing nuts  46  and the third fixing nuts  47  via the first fixing portions  54 , the second fixing portions  55  and the third fixing portions  56  from an outer surface side (rear side) of the rear fender main body  13 , so that the rear fender main body  13  is fixed to the partition wall  12 . Thus, the opening part  50  of the upper portion  51  is closed by the partition wall  12  attached to an inner side of the rear fender main body  13 . At this time, since the second fixing portion  54  is formed thick as described above, a gap is formed between the partition wall  12  and the lower portion  52  of the rear fender main body  13 . Due to the gap, a drain passage  56  is formed downward along a surface where the partition wall  12  overlaps with an inner surface of the rear fender main body  13 . 
     The bulging portion  14  is formed in a box shape so as to bulge outward and rearward from left and right edges and a lower edge of the opening part  50  of the rear fender main body  13 . Left and right side walls  61  and a rear side wall  62  of the bulging portion  14  are integrally formed with the rear fender main body  13 , and a wiring chamber  60  is formed therein. In upper portions of the left and right side walls  61  of the bulging portion  14 , wiring holes  63  for direction indicator as second wiring holes are formed. In an upper portion of the rear side wall  62  of the bulging portion  14 , a wiring hole  64  for license plate lamp as a second wiring hole is formed. The wiring hole  63  for direction indicators and the wiring hole  64  for license plate lamp are formed at positions higher than the first wiring hole  36 . 
     An upper wall of the bulging portion  14  is formed by a removable lid member  65 . The lid member  65  has left and right side wall portions  66  and a rear wall portion  67 , the left and right side wall portions  66  are formed to cover the wiring holes  63  for direction indicator from the outside, and the rear wall portion  67  is formed to cover the wiring hole  64  for license plate lamp from the outside. Left and right direction indicators  68  are attached to the left and right side wall portions  66  of the lid member  65 , respectively. A license plate lamp  69  is disposed in a space between the rear side wall  62  of the bulging portion  14  and the rear wall portion  67  of the lid member  65 , and the license plate lamp  69  is attached to the rear side wall  62  of the bulging portion  14 . Further, a first bolt  49  is screwed to the first fixing nut  45  via the first fixing portion  54 , so that a front end portion of the lid member  65  is fastened together with the rear fender main body  13  to the partition wall  12  at two positions, and the left and right side wall portions  66  of the lid member  65  are fixed to the left and right side walls  61  of the bulging portion  14  with screws  70  (refer to  FIG. 7 ) respectively. 
     After passing through the first wiring holes  36  as shown in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , the electrical wire  31  for the lighting device which is wired along the upper stay pipe  15  as shown in  FIG. 2  is connected to the left and right direction indicators  68  through the left and right wiring holes  63  for direction indicator, and is connected to the license plate lamp  69  through the wiring hole for license plate lamp  64  as shown in  FIGS. 5 to 7 . 
     According to the rear fender structure for the motorcycle  1  of the embodiment of the present disclosure as described above, as indicated by the arrows in  FIG. 5 , muddy water, rainwater or the like that is brought up by the rear wheel  3  while the motorcycle  1  is traveling and scattered in a tangential direction from an outer periphery of the rear wheel  3  can be blocked by the lower protruding portion  33  provided on the fender stay. Further, muddy water, rainwater or the like on an upper part of the rear fender main body  13  can be blocked by the upper protruding portion  32  provided on the fender stay. Therefore, muddy water, rainwater or the like can be prevented from entering into the wiring chamber  60  through the first wiring hole  36  without increasing the manufacturing cost. 
     Further, the lower protruding portion  33  is provided so as to protrude to a center side of the rear wheel  3  with respect to a tangent line t (see  FIG. 5 ) to the rear wheel  3  passing through an upper edge  36   a  of the first wiring hole  36 , so that the muddy water, rainwater or the like coming from the rear wheel  3  can be reliably blocked from entering directly into the first wiring hole  36 . 
     According to the rear fender structure  10  for the motorcycle  1  of the embodiment of the present disclosure as described above, the upper protruding portion  32  and the lower protruding portion  33  are used for the upper and lower stay pipes  15 ,  16  as well, so that there is no need to add a dedicated member, and the cost reduction effect can be expected. 
     The present disclosure can be appropriately changed within a scope not contrary to the gist or idea of the present disclosure which can be read from the entire claims and the specification, and a rear fender structure with such a change is also included in the technical concept of the present disclosure.