Patent ID: 12187181

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

In the following, details of a straddled vehicle according to an embodiment of the present teaching will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiment described below is just an example. It should be noted that the embodiment described below never limits the interpretation of the present teaching.

Referring toFIG.1(a), a straddled vehicle10according to an embodiment of the present teaching will be described. The straddled vehicle10includes a vehicle body20, a bar handle22, a seat24, a plurality of wheels30, a plurality of light-emitting parts40, a laser beam source unit50, a fiber optic cable60, and a single laser light-emission-manner converter70.

The vehicle body20supports the bar handle22rotatably. The vehicle body20supports the seat24. A driver of the straddled vehicle10sits on the seat24while driving the straddled vehicle10. When the straddled vehicle10turns in a left direction L, the vehicle body20leans in the left direction L, and when the straddled vehicle10turns in a right direction R, the vehicle body20leans in the right direction R. Various directions in the straddled vehicle10are defined on the basis of the driver sitting on the seat24.

The vehicle body20supports the plurality of wheels30. When the straddled vehicle10turns in the left direction L, the plurality of wheels30lean in the left direction L together with the vehicle body20, and when the straddled vehicle10turns in the right direction R, the plurality of wheels30lean in the right direction R together with the vehicle body20. The plurality of wheels30include a front wheel30F as a steered wheel, and a rear wheel30R as a driving wheel. A manipulation on the bar handle22by the driver of the straddled vehicle10is mechanically transmitted to the front wheel30F as the steered wheel, so that the front wheel30F as the steered wheel is steered in accordance with the manipulation. The rear wheel30R as the driving wheel is rotated by receiving power of a power unit (not shown), which is supported by the vehicle body20, to make the straddled vehicle10travel.

The plurality of light-emitting parts40are disposed so as to be visible from the outside of the vehicle. The plurality of light-emitting parts40include a headlight, a tail light, a flasher, and the like, for example.

The laser beam source unit50produces a laser beam to be outputted to the plurality of light-emitting parts40, and outputs the laser beam thus produced to the plurality of light-emitting parts40. The laser beam source unit50includes a single laser beam source element52and a single shared laser driver board54. A case of the laser beam source unit50including two or more laser beam source elements52is illustrated inFIG.3. The laser beam source element52is configured as a single light source shared by the plurality of light-emitting parts40, to output a laser beam. The shared laser driver board54has a single driver circuit56. The driver circuit56controls the laser beam source element52in common such that the laser beam source element52serves as a single light source that outputs a laser beam to the plurality of light-emitting parts40.

The fiber optic cable60constitutes at least a part of a laser beam path for transmitting an outputted laser beam to each of the plurality of light-emitting parts40via a branch portion or a plurality of branch portions90. The fiber optic cable60connects the laser beam source unit50to the plurality of light-emitting parts40. The fiber optic cable60is branched on the way.

The single laser light-emission-manner converter70is disposed in order to cause some light-emitting parts40out of the plurality of light-emitting parts40to emit light in a light-emission manner different from that of the other light-emitting parts40. A case of the straddled vehicle10including two or more laser light-emission-manner converters70is illustrated inFIG.3. The single laser light-emission-manner converter70is disposed downstream of the most upstream branch portion91, which is positioned most upstream among the one or more branch portions90in a laser beam transmission direction, or is disposed in the most upstream branch portion91. In this embodiment, only a single branch portion90is shown, and therefore the branch portion90corresponds to the most upstream branch portion91. The laser light-emission-manner converter70is, for example, a component that changes the color of light emitted by the light-emitting part40as the tail light. A difference in the light-emission manner is a difference in at least one of the color of light emission in the light-emitting part40or a timing when the luminance of light emission in the light-emitting part40changes, for example. One or more laser light-emission-manner converters70are not a branch portion for causing some of the light-emitting parts40to emit light in a light-emission manner different from that of the other light emitting-parts40. The laser light-emission-manner converter70is a color converter for changing the color of light emission in the light emitting-part40, or a light quantity converter for changing the luminance of light emission in the light-emitting-part40. The laser light-emission-manner converter70is disposed in any of the laser beam path, the light-emitting part40, or an external path. The external path is a path through which light emitted by the light-emitting part40travels from the light-emitting part40to the outside of the vehicle.

Referring toFIG.1(b), at least one of the laser light-emission-manner converter70or the shared laser driver board54is at least partially disposed in an in-body covered region80. The in-body covered region80is disposed further in the downward direction than the seat24so as to overlap the seat24in a plan view.

The straddled vehicle10, which adopts the laser light-emission-manner converter70, allows the plurality of light-emitting parts40to emit light in different kinds of light-emission manners, while sharing the driver circuit56. More specifically, the straddled vehicle10includes the one shared laser driver board54, and the shared laser driver board54has the single driver circuit56, which controls the single laser beam source element52in common such that the single laser beam source element52serves as the single light source that outputs a laser beam to the plurality of light-emitting parts40. Since the driver circuit56is shared, downsizing is enabled. In addition, the laser beam source element52is shared, too. Downsizing of the laser beam source unit50is enabled. The laser light-emission-manner converter70has a size smaller than that of the laser beam source unit50. The laser light-emission-manner converter70can be installed in the light-emitting part40, or can be installed on a path extending to the light-emitting part40, for example. There are few restrictions on a position where a light path is installed, and thus the degree of freedom of installation is high. Accordingly, there are relatively few restrictions on a position where the laser light-emission-manner converter70is installed, too.

As thus far described, it is possible to aim at downsizing of the laser beam source unit50, while arranging the laser light-emission-manner converter70, which has a relatively small size, separately from the laser beam source unit50. This eliminates the need to provide a relatively large space for installation of the laser beam source unit50in the straddled vehicle10. A loss of the installation space can be suppressed or prevented. An influence on a layout of configurations around the laser beam source unit50can be suppressed or prevented. Consequently, in the straddled vehicle10, the degree of freedom of arrangement of configurations in the vehicle body20is increased to allow efficient use of an equipment installation space. Accordingly, the straddled vehicle10can adopt the laser beam source unit50such that the plurality of light-emitting parts40emit light in different light-emission manners, while preventing or suppressing a size increase of the straddled vehicle10.

[Variations of In-body Covered Region]

For example, in a straddled vehicle10A shown inFIG.2(a), the in-body covered region80may be disposed further in the downward direction than a foot board26so as to overlap the foot board26in a plan view.

Alternatively, in a straddled vehicle10B shown inFIG.2(b), the in-body covered region80may be disposed further in the downward direction than a fuel tank28so as to overlap the fuel tank28in a plan view. The fuel tank28may be a dummy tank.

[Variations of Arrangement of Laser Light-Emission-Manner Converter]

For example, in a case of the laser beam path (fiber optic cable60) including a plurality of branch portions90as shown inFIG.4(a), at least some of the one or more laser light-emission-manner converters70may be disposed between the most upstream branch portion91and a single branch portion90positioned downstream of the most upstream branch portion91, or may be disposed in the single branch portion90. In such a case, the laser light-emission-manner converter70is able to cause some light-emitting parts40B to40E out of the plurality of light-emitting parts40A to40E to emit light in a light-emission manner different from that of the other light-emitting part40A. That is, the laser light-emission-manner converter70can all convert together the light-emission manner of the light-emitting parts40B to40E. The light-emitting parts40B,40C are a pair of left and right front flashers, for example. The light-emitting parts40D,40E are a pair of left and right rear flashers, for example.

For example, in a case of the laser beam path (fiber optic cable60) including a plurality of branch portions90as shown inFIG.4(b), the plurality of branch portions90may include the most upstream branch portion91and the most downstream branch portion92, which is positioned most downstream among the plurality of branch portions90in the laser beam transmission direction. In such a case, at least some of the one or more laser light-emission-manner converters70may be disposed between the most downstream branch portion92and a light-emitting part40positioned downstream of the most downstream branch portion92, or may be disposed in the most downstream branch portion92. In such a case, the laser light-emission-manner converter70is able to cause some light-emitting part40H out of a plurality of light-emitting parts40F to40I to emit light in a light-emission manner different from that of the other light-emitting parts40F,40G,40I. That is, the laser light-emission-manner converter70can all convert together the light-emission manner of the light-emitting part40H. The light-emitting part40H is a high beam lamp, for example. The light-emitting part40G, which is positioned at the destination of a path that is branched from a laser beam path leading to the light-emitting part40H by the most downstream branch portion92, is a low beam lamp, for example.

OTHER EMBODIMENTS

The embodiment and variation, of which at least either one of description or illustration has been given herein, are for ease of understanding the present disclosure, and not for limiting the concept of the present disclosure. The foregoing embodiment and variation may be altered and/or adapted without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. The spirit encompasses equivalent elements, modifications, omissions, combinations (for example, a combination of a feature of the embodiment and a feature of any variation), adaptations and/or alterations as would be appreciated by those skilled in the art based on the embodiment disclosed herein. The limitations in Claims are to be interpreted broadly based on the language employed in Claims and not limited to embodiments and variations described herein or during the prosecution of the present application. The embodiments and variations are to be construed as non-exclusive. For example, in this Description, the terms “preferably,” “may,” and “possible” are non-exclusive and mean “preferably, but not limited to,” “may, but not limited to,” and “possibly, but not limited to,” respectively.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

10straddled vehicle20vehicle body22bar handle24seat26foot board28fuel tank30wheel40light-emitting part50laser beam source unit52laser beam source element54shared laser driver board56driver circuit60fiber optic cable70laser light-emission-manner converter80in-body covered region90branch portion91most upstream branch portion92most downstream branch portion