Patent Description:
A straddled vehicle has been known in the art that includes a seat supported on the vehicle body and a hinge for rotatably linking the seat to the vehicle body. For example, <CIT> discloses a motorcycle having a seat rotatably supported by a hinge on the vehicle body.

While the motorcycle is running, vibration from the engine is transmitted to the seat. To reduce the vibration transmitted from the vehicle body to the seat, an elastic member is provided between the vehicle body and the seat. In the motorcycle disclosed in <CIT>, an elastic member is arranged between the seat and the vehicle body, which is compressed from above and below. The elastic member is sandwiched between the seat and the vehicle body.

Patent Document No. <NUM>: <CIT>. Document<CIT>, which discloses all the features of the preamble of independent claim <NUM>, also discloses a known straddled vehicle with a seat rotatably supported by a hinge on the vehicle body.

With the motorcycle described above, an elastic member is sandwiched between the seat and the vehicle body from above and below, and this elastic member suppresses the vibration in the up-down direction transmitted from the vehicle body to the seat. However, the vibration transmitted from the vehicle body to the seat is not limited to vibration in the up-down direction but also includes vibration in the front-rear direction. With the motorcycle described above, vibration in a front-rear direction cannot be sufficiently suppressed.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object thereof is to provide a straddled vehicle having a seat rotatably linked to a vehicle body by a hinge, and being capable of suppressing vibration in the up-down direction and the front-rear direction transmitted from the vehicle body to the seat.

A straddled vehicle disclosed herein includes: a vehicle body; a seat supported on the vehicle body; and a hinge that links together the seat and the vehicle body, wherein. The hinge includes: a pin that is fixed to one of the vehicle body and the seat and is extending in a left-right direction; an outer cylindrical member having a cylindrical shape that is fixed to the other one of the vehicle body and the seat, into which the pin is inserted, and that is capable of rotating relative to the pin; and a damper having a cylindrical shape made of an elastic member that is inserted into the outer cylindrical member and into which the pin is inserted. Note that the term "fix" as used herein refers both to direct fixing and to indirect fixing via another member.

With the straddled vehicle described above, the damper having a cylindrical shape is interposed between the pin fixed to one of the vehicle body and the seat, and the outer cylindrical member having a cylindrical shape fixed to the other one of the vehicle body and the seat. Since the pin is inserted in the damper, the damper covers the periphery of the pin. Since the damper is inserted in the outer cylindrical member, the outer cylindrical member covers the periphery of the damper. A part of the damper is sandwiched between the pin and the outer cylindrical member from above and below, and another part of the damper is sandwiched between the pin and the outer cylindrical member from front and back. Thus, vibration in the up-down direction and vibration in the front-rear direction transmitted from the vehicle body to the seat are suppressed by the damper. With the straddled vehicle described above, vibration in the up-down direction and vibration in the front-rear direction transmitted from the vehicle body to the seat can be suppressed.

A center axis of the outer cylindrical member may extend in the left-right direction.

The pin may extend through inside of the outer cylindrical member.

A center axis of the damper may extend in the left-right direction.

The damper may extend through inside of the outer cylindrical member; and the pin may extend through inside of the damper.

The damper may have an outer circumferential surface; and a plurality of grooves extending in the left-right direction may be formed on the outer circumferential surface.

This makes it easier for the damper to deform when inserting the damper into the outer cylindrical member. The damper can be inserted into the outer cylindrical member relatively easily, thereby facilitating the assembly of the hinge. Since the vibration absorbing performance of the damper is improved, vibration transmitted from the vehicle body to the seat can be more effectively suppressed.

While there is no particular limitation on the number of grooves, if the number of grooves is small, the operation of inserting the damper into the outer cylindrical member tends to be not easy, and if the number of grooves is large, it tends to be more difficult for the vehicle body to stably support the pin via the damper. In view of this, the number of grooves may be <NUM> to <NUM>.

The grooves may be arranged evenly in a circumferential direction on the outer circumferential surface.

This facilitates the operation of inserting the damper into the outer cylindrical member.

The damper may include a first damper having a cylindrical shape and a second damper having a cylindrical shape that is arranged rightward of first damper.

This facilitates the operation of inserting the damper into the outer cylindrical member. For example, by inserting the first damper from the left side of the outer cylindrical member and inserting the second damper from the right side of the outer cylindrical member, the damper can be easily inserted inside the outer cylindrical member. This further facilitates the assembly of the hinge.

A gap may be provided between the first damper and the second damper.

Thus, even if there is a dimension error, for the left-right direction, in the outer cylindrical member, the first damper or the second damper, it is possible to easily arrange the first damper and the second damper inside the outer cylindrical member. This facilitates the assembly of the hinge.

The first damper may include a first cylindrical portion and a first flange portion that extends outward in a radial direction from a left end of the first cylindrical portion. The second damper may include a second cylindrical portion and a second flange portion that extends outward in a radial direction from a right end of the second cylindrical portion.

Thus, the first damper can be positioned by inserting the first damper from the left side of the outer cylindrical member and placing the first flange portion against the left end of the outer cylindrical member. Similarly, the second damper can be positioned by inserting the second damper from the right side of the outer cylindrical member and placing the second flange portion against the right end of the outer cylindrical member. This further facilitates the assembly of the hinge.

According to the invention, the straddled vehicle includes an inner cylindrical member that is inserted into the damper and into which the pin is inserted. One of the pin and the inner cylindrical member may rotatably support the other one of the pin and the inner cylindrical member.

Thus, with the inner cylindrical member interposed between the damper and the pin, one of the pin and the outer cylindrical member can be stably and rotatably supported relative to the other. Thus, the seat can be stably and rotatably supported by the vehicle body.

The straddled vehicle may be configured so that the pin and the outer cylindrical member rotate relative to each other, thereby allowing the seat to rotate relative to the vehicle body with the pin serving as an axis of rotation.

The damper may be made of a rubber having a hardness of <NUM> to <NUM> degrees.

Therefore, it is possible to desirably suppress the vibration transmitted from the vehicle body to the seat, and the seat can be stably supported by the vehicle body.

The inner diameter of the damper may be <NUM> to <NUM>. The outer diameter of the damper may be <NUM> to <NUM>.

The damper may have an inner circumferential surface; and a plurality of grooves extending in the left-right direction may be formed on the inner circumferential surface.

Thus, since the vibration absorbing performance of the damper is improved, vibration transmitted from the vehicle body to the seat can be more effectively suppressed.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a straddled vehicle having a seat rotatably linked to a vehicle body by a hinge, and being capable of suppressing vibration in the up-down direction and the front-rear direction transmitted from the vehicle body to the seat.

An embodiment of a straddled vehicle will now be described with reference to the drawings. <FIG> is a side view of a motorcycle <NUM>, which is an example of a straddled vehicle.

The terms front, rear, left, right, up and down, as used in the description below, refer to these directions as seen from a virtual rider seated on a seat <NUM> while the motorcycle <NUM> is standing upright on a horizontal surface with no rider and no load thereon, unless specified otherwise. The designations F, Rr, L, R, U and D, as used in the figures, refer to front, rear, left, right, up and down, respectively.

The motorcycle <NUM> includes a vehicle body <NUM>, an internal combustion engine (hereinafter referred to as "engine") <NUM> as a driving source for traveling, a front wheel <NUM>, a rear wheel <NUM>, a steering handle <NUM>, and a seat <NUM> supported on the vehicle body <NUM>.

The vehicle body <NUM> is supported on the front wheel <NUM> and the rear wheel <NUM>. The steering handle <NUM> is connected to the front wheel <NUM> via a steering shaft (not shown) and a front fork <NUM>. By turning the steering handle <NUM> left and right, the direction of the front wheel <NUM> can be changed to left and right. The engine <NUM> is supported on the vehicle body <NUM>. The rear wheel <NUM> is linked to the engine <NUM> so that power can be transmitted therebetween. The rear wheel <NUM> is the drive wheel and is driven by the driving force of the engine <NUM>.

The seat <NUM> is arranged rearward of the steering handle <NUM>. The seat <NUM> is arranged upward of the engine <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the motorcycle <NUM> includes a hinge <NUM> that links together the seat <NUM> and the vehicle body <NUM>. The seat <NUM> is linked by the hinge <NUM> so that the seat <NUM> can be turned up and down relative to the vehicle body <NUM>. The hinge <NUM> is located at the front end portion of the seat <NUM>. In the present embodiment, a fuel tank <NUM> is arranged downward of the seat <NUM>. The seat <NUM> is configured so that the seat <NUM> can be repositioned by the hinge <NUM> to the horizontal position (see <FIG>), in which the rider is seated and to the vertical position (see <FIG>) in which there is an opening upward of the fuel tank <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the front end portion of the seat <NUM> is supported on the vehicle body <NUM> via the hinge <NUM>. A supported portion <NUM>, which is supported on the vehicle body <NUM>, is provided at the rear portion of the seat <NUM>. Note that the front portion and the rear portion of the seat <NUM> refer to portions that are respectively forward and rearward of the middle position of the seat <NUM> in the front-rear direction. In the present embodiment, the front portion and the rear portion of the seat <NUM> are supported on the vehicle body <NUM>.

Next, details of the hinge <NUM> will be described. <FIG> is a front view of the hinge <NUM> and the surrounding structure. <FIG> is a side view of the hinge <NUM>. <FIG> is a cross-sectional view of the hinge <NUM> taken along line VI-VI of <FIG>. <FIG> is a cross-sectional view of the hinge <NUM> taken along line VII-VII of <FIG>.

As shown in <FIG>, a link member <NUM> is fixed to a bottom plate <NUM> of the seat <NUM> by a bolt 22A and a nut 22B. The link member <NUM> includes an outer cylindrical member 23A having a cylindrical shape, an arm member 23B, and a fastening member 23C. As shown in <FIG>, the center axis of the outer cylindrical member 23A extends in the left-right direction. When the seat <NUM> is in the horizontal position, the arm member 23B extends upward from the outer cylindrical member 23A. The fastening member 23C has a hole (not shown) through which the bolt 22A is inserted. Here, the outer cylindrical member 23A, the arm member 23B and the fastening member 23C are a single-piece part. The link member <NUM> is made of a metal such as iron, stainless steel or aluminum. Note however that the outer cylindrical member 23A, the arm member 23B and the fastening member 23C may be separate from each other. There is no particular limitation on the material of the link member <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, a damper <NUM> having a cylindrical shape made of an elastic material is inserted inside the outer cylindrical member 23A. The damper <NUM> extends through the inside of the outer cylindrical member 23A. The center axis of the damper <NUM> extends in the left-right direction. While the damper <NUM> may be a single-piece part, the damper <NUM> is composed of two dampers having a cylindrical shape, i.e., a first damper <NUM> and a second damper <NUM>, in the present embodiment. <FIG> is a perspective view of the first damper <NUM>.

The first damper <NUM> includes a first cylindrical portion 31a and a first flange portion 31b extending outward in the radial direction from the left end of the first cylindrical portion 31a. The outer diameter of the first flange portion 31b is larger than the outer diameter of the first cylindrical portion 31a. A plurality of grooves <NUM> extending in the axial direction of the first cylindrical portion 31a are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the first cylindrical portion 31a. In the present embodiment, since the axial direction of the first damper <NUM> coincides with the left-right direction, the grooves <NUM> extend in the left-right direction. In the present embodiment, the grooves <NUM> are formed to have a semicircular cross-sectional shape (see <FIG>). However, there is no particular limitation on the cross-sectional shape of the grooves <NUM>, and it may be a triangular shape or a rectangular shape, for example. In the present embodiment, the grooves <NUM> all have the same shape, but the shape of any one groove <NUM> may be different from the shape of any other groove <NUM>. While there is no particular limitation on the number of grooves <NUM>, it is <NUM> to <NUM>, for example. In the present embodiment, eight grooves <NUM> are formed on the first cylindrical portion 31a. The eight grooves <NUM> are arranged evenly in the circumferential direction of the outer circumferential surface of the first cylindrical portion 31a. The grooves <NUM> are arranged every <NUM> degrees around the axis of the first cylindrical section 31a.

There is no particular limitation on the material of the damper <NUM> as long as the damper <NUM> is an elastic material capable of absorbing vibration. In the present embodiment, the first damper <NUM> is made of rubber with a hardness of <NUM> to <NUM> degrees. There is no particular limitation on the dimension of the damper <NUM>. The inner diameter of the damper <NUM> is <NUM> to <NUM>, for example, and the outer diameter of damper <NUM> is <NUM> to <NUM>, for example. Note that the outer diameter of the damper <NUM> refers to the outer diameter excluding the flange portion. Here, the inner diameter of the first cylindrical portion 31a is <NUM> to <NUM>, for example, and the outer diameter of the first cylindrical portion 31a is <NUM> to <NUM>, for example.

The shape, the material or the dimensions of the first damper <NUM> and the second damper <NUM> may be different from each other, but they are identical in the present embodiment. Therefore, a detailed description of the second damper <NUM> will be omitted. As shown in <FIG>, the first damper <NUM> and the second damper <NUM> are arranged in left-right symmetry. The first damper <NUM> is inserted into the left portion of the outer cylindrical member 23A, and the second damper <NUM> is inserted into the right portion of the outer cylindrical member 23A. The second damper <NUM> is arranged rightward of the first damper <NUM>. The second damper <NUM> includes a second cylindrical portion 32a, and a second flange portion 32b extending outward in the radial direction from the right end of the second cylindrical portion 32a. A plurality of grooves <NUM> extending in the left-right direction are formed on the outer circumference surface of the second cylindrical portion 32a. Eight grooves <NUM> are arranged evenly in the circumferential direction on the outer circumferential surface of the second cylindrical portion 32a (see <FIG>).

As shown in <FIG>, the first damper <NUM> is inserted into the outer cylindrical member 23A from the left side and the second damper <NUM> is inserted into the outer cylindrical member 23A from the right side. The first flange portion 31b of the first damper <NUM> contacts the left end of the outer cylindrical member 23A, thereby positioning the first damper <NUM> relative to the outer cylindrical member 23A. Similarly, the second flange portion 32b of the second damper <NUM> contacts the right end of the outer cylindrical member 23A, thereby positioning the second damper <NUM> relative to the outer cylindrical member 23A. Where the first flange portion 31b contacts the left end of the outer cylindrical member 23A and the second flange portion 32b contacts the right end of the outer cylindrical member 23A, the first damper <NUM> and the second damper <NUM> are separated from each other, forming a gap <NUM> between the first damper <NUM> and the second damper <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, an inner cylindrical member <NUM> having a cylindrical shape is inserted inside the damper <NUM>. The inner cylindrical member <NUM> extends in the left-right direction. The inner cylindrical member <NUM> is arranged inside the outer cylindrical member 23A, and the damper <NUM> is interposed between the outer cylindrical member 23A and the inner cylindrical member <NUM>. While there is no particular limitation on the material of the inner cylindrical member <NUM>, it is made of a metal such as iron, stainless steel or aluminum in the present embodiment.

A pin <NUM> extending in the left-right direction is inserted inside the inner cylindrical member <NUM>. The pin <NUM> extends through the inside of the inner cylindrical member <NUM>. Since the inner cylindrical member <NUM> is arranged inside the outer cylindrical member 23A, the pin <NUM> extends through the inside of the outer cylindrical member 23A. Since the inner cylindrical member <NUM> is inserted into the damper <NUM>, the pin <NUM> is arranged inside the damper <NUM>. The pin <NUM> is inserted into the damper <NUM>. The pin <NUM> extends through the inside of the damper <NUM>. While the pin <NUM> may have a cylindrical shape, it is formed in a columnar shape in the present embodiment. While there is no particular limitation on the material of the pin <NUM>, it is made of a metal such as iron, stainless steel or aluminum in the present embodiment.

As shown in <FIG>, the vehicle body <NUM> includes a support bracket <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the pin <NUM> is fitted into the support bracket <NUM>, and is fixed to the support bracket <NUM>. The pin <NUM> rotatably supports the inner cylindrical member <NUM>. The inner cylindrical member <NUM>, the damper <NUM> and the outer cylindrical member 23A, together as a single piece, can rotate relative to the pin <NUM>. The pin <NUM> rotatably supports the inner cylindrical member <NUM>, the damper <NUM> and the outer cylindrical member 23A. The outer cylindrical member 23A is rotatable relative to the pin <NUM>.

The motorcycle <NUM> is configured such that the pin <NUM> and the outer cylindrical member 23A can rotate relative to each other, thereby allowing the seat <NUM> to rotate relative to the vehicle body <NUM> with the pin <NUM> serving as the axis of rotation. In the present embodiment, the outer cylindrical member 23A of the link member <NUM> fixed to the seat <NUM> rotates relative to the pin <NUM> fixed to the support bracket <NUM> of the vehicle body <NUM>. This causes the seat <NUM> to rotate up and down between the horizontal position (see <FIG>) and the vertical position (see <FIG>).

As described above, with the motorcycle <NUM> according to the present embodiment, the damper <NUM> having a cylindrical shape is arranged between the pin <NUM> fixed to the vehicle body <NUM> and the outer cylindrical member 23A fixed to the seat <NUM>. Since the pin <NUM> is inserted in the damper <NUM>, the damper <NUM> covers the periphery of the pin <NUM>. Since the damper <NUM> is inserted in the outer cylindrical member 23A, the outer cylindrical member 23A covers the periphery of the damper <NUM>. A part of the damper <NUM> is sandwiched between the pin <NUM> and the outer cylindrical member 23A from above and below, and another part of the damper <NUM> is sandwiched between the pin <NUM> and the outer cylindrical member 23A from front and back. Thus, vibration in the up-down direction and vibration in the front-rear direction transmitted from the vehicle body <NUM> to the seat <NUM> are both suppressed by the damper <NUM>. With the motorcycle <NUM> according to the present embodiment, vibration in the up-down direction and vibration in the front-rear direction transmitted from the vehicle body <NUM> to the seat <NUM> can be suppressed.

According to the present embodiment, a plurality of grooves <NUM> extending in the left-right direction are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the damper <NUM> (see <FIG>). This makes it easier for the damper <NUM> to deform when inserting the damper <NUM> into the outer cylindrical member 23A. The damper <NUM> can be inserted into the outer cylindrical member 23A relatively easily, thereby facilitating the assembly of the hinge <NUM>. Since the vibration absorbing performance of the damper <NUM> is improved, vibration transmitted from the vehicle body <NUM> to the seat <NUM> can be more effectively suppressed.

In the present embodiment, the number of grooves <NUM> is <NUM> to <NUM>. The grooves <NUM> are arranged evenly in the circumferential direction on the outer circumferential surface of the damper <NUM>. This makes it easier for the damper <NUM> to deform, thereby facilitating the operation of inserting the damper <NUM> into the outer cylindrical member 23A. It is possible to effectively suppress vibration transmitted from the vehicle body <NUM> to the seat <NUM>.

According to the present embodiment, the damper <NUM> includes the first damper <NUM> and the second damper <NUM> (see <FIG>). By inserting the first damper <NUM> from the left side of the outer cylindrical member 23A and inserting the second damper <NUM> from the right side of the outer cylindrical member 23A, the damper <NUM> can be easily inserted inside the outer cylindrical member 23A. This further facilitates the assembly of the hinge <NUM>.

According to the present embodiment, the gap <NUM> is provided between the first damper <NUM> and the second damper <NUM>. Even if there is a dimension error, for the left-right direction, in the outer cylindrical member 23A, the first damper <NUM> or the second damper <NUM>, it is possible to easily arrange the first damper <NUM> and the second damper <NUM> inside the outer cylindrical member 23A. For example, even if the length of the first damper <NUM> in the left-right direction is slightly longer than the design value, it will only result in the gap <NUM> being smaller, and it is possible to easily arrange the first and second dampers <NUM> and <NUM> inside the outer cylindrical member 23A. This facilitates the assembly of the hinge <NUM>.

According to the present embodiment, the first damper <NUM> includes the first cylindrical portion 31a and the first flange portion 31b, and the second damper <NUM> includes the second cylindrical portion 32a and the second flange portion 32b. The first damper <NUM> can be positioned by inserting the first damper <NUM> from the left side of the outer cylindrical member 23A and placing the first flange portion 31b against the left end of the outer cylindrical member 23A. Similarly, the second damper <NUM> can be positioned by inserting the second damper <NUM> from the right side of the outer cylindrical member 23A and placing the second flange portion 32b against the right end of the outer cylindrical member 23A. This further facilitates the assembly of the hinge <NUM>.

According to the invention, the hinge <NUM> includes the inner cylindrical member <NUM> inserted into the damper <NUM> and into which the pin <NUM> is inserted. The pin <NUM> rotatably supports the inner cylindrical member <NUM>. Thus, with the inner cylindrical member <NUM> interposed between the damper <NUM> and the pin <NUM>, the outer cylindrical member 23A can be stably and rotatably supported by the pin <NUM>. Thus, the seat <NUM> can be stably and rotatably supported by the vehicle body <NUM>.

According to the present embodiment, the damper <NUM> is made of a rubber having a hardness of <NUM> to <NUM> degrees. The damper <NUM> has an appropriate hardness. Therefore, it is possible to desirably suppress the vibration transmitted from the vehicle body <NUM> to the seat <NUM>, and the seat <NUM> can be stably supported by the vehicle body <NUM>.

Although one embodiment of the straddled vehicle has been described above, the embodiment described above is merely an example, and various other embodiments are possible. Examples of other embodiments will be briefly described below.

In the embodiment described above, the inner circumferential surface of the damper <NUM> (the first damper <NUM> and the second damper <NUM>) is a smooth surface, but as shown in <FIG>, a groove 33t extending in the left-right direction may be formed on the inner circumferential surface of the damper <NUM>. This can further improve the vibration absorbing performance of the damper <NUM>. Thus, the vibration transmitted from the vehicle body <NUM> to the seat <NUM> can be effectively suppressed.

In the embodiment described above, the outer cylindrical member 23A of the hinge <NUM> is fixed to the seat <NUM> and the pin <NUM> is fixed to the vehicle body <NUM>. However, the outer cylindrical member 23A may be fixed to the vehicle body <NUM> and the pin <NUM> may be fixed to the seat <NUM>. In this case, the pin <NUM> rotates relative to the outer cylindrical member 23A, causing the seat <NUM> to rotate up and down between the horizontal position and the vertical position.

In the embodiment described above, the hinge <NUM> is connected to the front end of the seat <NUM>, and the seat <NUM> is configured to rotate forward and upward while moving from the horizontal position to the vertical position. However, the location of the hinge <NUM> is not limited to the front end portion of the seat <NUM>. For example, the hinge <NUM> may be connected to the rear end portion of the seat <NUM> and the seat <NUM> may be configured to rotate rearward and upward while moving from the horizontal position to the vertical position.

In the embodiment described above, a plurality of grooves <NUM> are formed evenly in the circumferential direction on the outer circumferential surface of the damper <NUM>. Note however that the grooves <NUM> do not need to be formed evenly in the circumferential direction.

As shown in <FIG>, the number of grooves in the upper portion or the lower portion of the outer circumferential surface of the damper <NUM> may be greater than the number of grooves in the front portion or the rear portion. This makes the vibration absorbing capacity of the damper <NUM> in the front-rear direction greater than the vibration absorbing capacity in the up-down direction. Thus, the vibration transmitted to the seat <NUM> can be effectively suppressed in motorcycles where the vibration in the front-rear direction is greater than the vibration in the up-down direction. Note that the upper portion of the outer circumferential surface of the damper <NUM> is the portion of the damper <NUM> that is less than <NUM> degrees forward and rearward of the vertical line extending upward from the axis of the damper <NUM>. The lower portion of the outer circumferential surface of the damper <NUM> is the portion of the damper <NUM> that is less than <NUM> degrees forward and rearward of the vertical line extending downward from the axis of the damper <NUM>. The front portion of the outer circumferential surface of the damper <NUM> is the portion of the damper <NUM> that is less than <NUM> degrees upward and downward of the horizontal line extending forward from the axis of the damper <NUM>. The rear portion of the outer circumferential surface of the damper <NUM> is the portion of the damper <NUM> that is less than <NUM> degrees upward and downward of the horizontal line extending backward from the axis of the damper <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the number of grooves on the front portion or the rear portion of the outer circumferential surface of the damper <NUM> may be greater than the number of grooves on the upper portion or the lower portion. This makes the vibration absorbing capacity of the damper <NUM> in the up-down direction greater than the vibration absorbing capacity in the front-rear direction. Thus, the vibration transmitted to the seat <NUM> can be effectively suppressed in motorcycles where the vibration in the up-down direction is greater than the vibration in the front-rear direction.

The average groove width of the grooves in the upper portion or the lower portion of the outer circumferential surface of the damper <NUM> may be larger than the average groove width of the grooves in the front portion or the rear portion. This makes the vibration absorbing capacity of the damper <NUM> in the front-rear direction greater than the vibration absorbing capacity in the up-down direction. Thus, the vibration transmitted to the seat <NUM> can be effectively suppressed in motorcycles where the vibration in the front-rear direction is greater than the vibration in the up-down direction.

The average groove width of the grooves in the front portion or the rear portion of the outer circumferential surface of the damper <NUM> may be larger than the average groove width of the grooves in the upper portion or the lower portion. Thus, the vibration absorbing capacity of the damper <NUM> in the up-down direction is greater than the vibration absorbing capacity in the front-rear direction. Thus, the vibration transmitted to the seat <NUM> can be effectively suppressed in motorcycles where the vibration in the up-down direction is greater than the vibration in the front-rear direction.

The average groove depth of the grooves in the upper portion or the lower portion of the outer circumferential surface of the damper <NUM> may be greater than the average groove depth of the grooves in the front portion or the rear portion. Thus, the vibration absorbing capacity of the damper <NUM> in the front-rear direction is greater than the vibration absorbing capacity in the up-down direction. Thus, the vibration transmitted to the seat <NUM> can be effectively suppressed in motorcycles <NUM> where the vibration in the front-rear direction is greater than the vibration in the up-down direction.

The average groove depth of the grooves in the front portion or the rear portion of the outer circumferential surface of the damper <NUM> may be greater than the average groove depth of the grooves in the upper portion or the lower portion. Thus, the vibration absorbing capacity of the damper <NUM> in the up-down direction is greater than the vibration absorbing capacity in the front-rear direction. Thus, the vibration transmitted to the seat <NUM> can be effectively suppressed in motorcycles <NUM> where the vibration in the up-down direction is greater than the vibration in the front-rear direction.

While a plurality of grooves <NUM> are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the damper <NUM> in the embodiment described above, the number of grooves <NUM> may be one. There may be no grooves <NUM> on the outer circumferential surface of the damper <NUM>.

While the damper <NUM> includes the first damper <NUM> and the second damper <NUM> in the embodiment described above, the damper <NUM> may include three or more dampers. The damper <NUM> may be a single damper.

While the gap <NUM> is provided between the first damper <NUM> and the second damper <NUM> in the embodiment described above, the gap <NUM> may be absent.

While the first damper <NUM> includes the first flange portion 31b and the second damper <NUM> includes the second flange portion 32b in the embodiment described above, the first flange portion 31b and/or the second flange portion 32b may be absent. The damper <NUM> may be arranged entirely on the inner side of the outer cylindrical member 23A, or a portion thereof may be arranged on the outer side of the outer cylindrical member 23A.

While the inner cylindrical member <NUM> is provided between the damper <NUM> and the pin <NUM> in the embodiment described above, the inner cylindrical member <NUM> may be absent as long as the damper <NUM> and the pin <NUM> can easily rotate relative to each other.

While the fuel tank <NUM> is arranged downward of the seat <NUM> in the embodiment described above, the vehicle parts downward of the seat <NUM> are not limited to the fuel tank <NUM>. For example, a storage box may be arranged downward of the seat <NUM>. In this case, the upward of the storage box can be opened so that items can be placed in and out of the storage box by rotating the seat <NUM> from the horizontal position to the vertical position.

A straddled vehicle refers to a vehicle that is straddled by a rider. The straddled vehicle is not limited to the motorcycle <NUM>. The straddled vehicle may be an auto tricycle, an ATV (All Terrain Vehicle), or a snowmobile, for example.

Claim 1:
A straddled vehicle (<NUM>) comprising:
a vehicle body (<NUM>);
a seat (<NUM>) supported on the vehicle body (<NUM>); and
a hinge (<NUM>) that links together the seat (<NUM>) and the vehicle body (<NUM>), wherein:
the hinge (<NUM>) including:
a pin (<NUM>) that is fixed to one of the vehicle body (<NUM>) and the seat (<NUM>) and is extending in a left-right direction;
an outer cylindrical member (23A) having a cylindrical shape that is fixed to the other one of the vehicle body (<NUM>) and the seat (<NUM>), into which the pin (<NUM>) is inserted, and that is capable of rotating relative to the pin (<NUM>); and
a damper (<NUM>) having a cylindrical shape made of an elastic member that is inserted into the outer cylindrical member (23A) and into which the pin (<NUM>) is inserted;
characterized by comprising an inner cylindrical member (<NUM>) that is inserted into the damper (<NUM>) and into which the pin (<NUM>) is inserted; and
in that one of the pin (<NUM>) and the inner cylindrical member (<NUM>) rotatably supports the other one of the pin (<NUM>) and the inner cylindrical member (<NUM>).