Motorcycle Having a Tensioning Device for Tensioning a Pulling Member, and Tensioning Device for a Motorcycle

Abstract

A motorcycle with a swing arm element pivotably coupled to a holding element of the motorcycle via a rotary bearing is provided with a tensioning element. The motorcycle also includes a pulling member which engages two gear elements which are each spaced from the rotary bearing in a torque-transmitting manner. The first gear element is rotatably mounted separately from the swing arm element, and the second gear element is rotatably mounted on the swing arm element. The tensioning device for tensioning the pulling member is mounted rotatably and/or in an axially displaceable manner relative to the two gear elements on the swing arm element or on a frame of the motorcycle. The tensioning device includes at least two levers pivotable relative to one another, and a tensioning element which biases the levers against the pulling member to maintain consistent tension in the pulling member.

Claims

1-12. (canceled)

13. A motorcycle, comprising at least one swinging fork element configured to be coupled pivotably to a holding element of the motorcycle via a rotary bearing of the motorcycle; at least one pulling member; at least two gear elements, at least one tensioning device configured to tension the at least one pulling member, wherein the at least two gear elements are each spaced apart from the rotary bearing, a first gear element of the at least two gear elements is mounted rotatably separately from the swinging fork element, a second gear element of the at least two gear elements is arranged rotatably on the swinging fork element, the first gear element and the second gear element are each in engagement with the at least one pulling member and are coupled to each other in a torque-transmitting manner via the at least one pulling member, and the at least one tensioning device is mounted on the at least one swinging fork element or on a frame of the motorcycle such that the at least one tensioning device is rotatable, axially displaceable or rotatable and axially displaceable relative to the at least two gear elements.

14. The motorcycle according to claim 13, wherein the tensioning device includes at least two tensioning levers which are movable relative to one another, and at least one spring element configured to act upon the at least two tensioning levers with a spring force such that the at least two tensioning levers biased against the at least one pulling member.

15. The motorcycle according to claim 14, wherein the tensioning device further includes at least two tensioning pulleys between the at least two gear elements, each of the at least two tensioning pulleys is rotatably supported on a respective one of the at least two tensioning levers, and the at least two tensioning pulleys are configured to apply the spring force to the pulling member.

16. The motorcycle according to claim 15, wherein the at least one spring element presses the at least two tensioning pulleys via the at least two tensioning levers onto an outer side of the pulling member that faces away from the at least two gear elements.

17. The motorcycle according to claim 15, wherein the at least one spring element presses the at least two tensioning pulleys via the at least two tensioning levers onto an inner side of the pulling member that engages with the at least two gear elements.

18. The motorcycle according to claim 15, wherein the at least two tensioning levers are pivotable relative to one another or are displaceable in a translatory manner relative to one another.

19. The motorcycle according to claim 18, wherein at least one tensioning lever of the at least two tensioning levers has at least two lever regions at an angle relative to one another and connected at a connecting region.

20. The motorcycle according to claim 19, wherein the at least one tensioning lever of the at least two tensioning levers is mounted rotatably at the connecting region, and the at least one spring element is connected to the at least one tensioning lever at one of the at least two lever regions and at a distance from the connecting region.

21. The motorcycle according to claim 14, wherein the at least one spring element is a helical spring.

22. The motorcycle according to claim 14, wherein the at least one spring element is a torsion spring.

23. The motorcycle according to claim 13, wherein the at least one pulling member is a belt.

24. A tensioning device for a motorcycle, comprising: at least two tensioning levers which are movable relative to one another; at least one spring element configured to act upon the at least two tensioning levers with a spring force; and at least two tensioning pulleys, wherein each of the at least two tensioning pulleys is rotatably supported on a respective one of the at least two tensioning levers, and the at least two tensioning pulleys are configured to apply the spring force via the at least two tensioning levers against at least one pulling member when in the tensioning device is in an installed position on the motorcycle to the pulling member.

25. The tensioning device for a motorcycle according to claim 24, wherein the at least two tensioning pulleys are arranged on the respective ones of the at least two tensioning levers such when the tensioning device is in an installed position on the motorcycle, the at least two tensioning pulleys press against an outer side of the pulling member.

26. The tensioning device for a motorcycle according to claim 24, wherein the at least two tensioning pulleys are arranged on the respective ones of the at least two tensioning levers such when the tensioning device is in an installed position on the motorcycle, the at least two tensioning pulleys press against an inner side of the pulling member.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a partial region of a motorcycle in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, showing a swinging fork element, a pulling member, a variant of a tensioning device for tensioning the pulling member, and two gear elements which are each in engagement with the pulling member.

[0029] FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of the partial region of the motorcycle in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, showing a further variant of the tensioning device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 each show a partial region of a motorcycle 1 in a schematic side view.

[0031] The motorcycle 1 comprises a swinging fork element 2 which is coupled pivotably to a holding element (not shown further here) of the motorcycle 1 via a rotary bearing 3 of the motorcycle 1. The rotary bearing 3 forms a pivot axis of the swinging fork element 2, the pivot axis being oriented here perpendicularly to the plane of the drawing. The swinging fork element 2 can pivot about the pivot axis formed by the rotary bearing 3. The holding element can be in the form, for example, of a frame element of the motorcycle 1. Furthermore, the motorcycle 1 comprises a pulling member 4 which is in the form here of a belt.

[0032] Furthermore, the motorcycle 1 comprises two gear elements 7, 8 which are each spaced apart from the rotary bearing 3. A first gear element 7 of the two gear elements 7, 8 is mounted rotatably here separately from the swinging fork element 2 at a first bearing point 20. The first bearing point 20 can be assigned to a motor housing or to a transmission housing of the motorcycle 1, to mention only some examples. A second gear element 8 of the two gear elements 7, 8 is arranged here rotatably on the swinging fork element 2 at a second bearing point, not shown further here.

[0033] The first gear element 7 and the second gear element 8 are each in engagement with the at least one pulling member 4 and are coupled to one another in a torque-transmitting manner via the pulling member 4 (belt). The first gear element 7 is in the form here of a belt pinion and can be driven at least indirectly by a drive motor (not illustrated further here) of the motorcycle 1. The drive motor can be configured, for example, as an internal combustion engine or as an electric motor. Accordingly, a drive moment or drive power can be transmitted to the second gear element 8 via the first gear element 7 (and the pulling member 4). The second gear element 8 can be coupled to a drive wheel (not illustrated further here) configured as a rear wheel of the motorcycle 1. During the transmission of torque or transmission of power using the first gear element 7, force is transmitted via a load side 6 of the pulling member 4, and therefore the load side 6, as shown in FIG. 1, is tensioned more greatly than a slack side 5 of the pulling member 4.

[0034] In order to avoid too low a tensioning of the pulling member 4, the motorcycle 1 has a tensioning device 9 for tensioning the at least one pulling member 4. The tensioning device 9 is mounted on the swinging fork element 2 at a bearing position 22 and so as to be rotatable and/or axially displaceable relative to the two gear elements 7, 8. Alternatively thereto, the tensioning device 9 could also be mounted on a frame of the motorcycle 1 so as to be rotatable and/or axially displaceable, but this is not shown further here. The tensioning device 9 is mounted here between the two gear elements 7, 8 on the swinging fork element 2 in such a manner that the pulling member 4 circumferentially surrounds the bearing position 22 of the tensioning device 9. This results in a particularly space-saving arrangement.

[0035] The tensioning device 9 comprises two tensioning levers 10, 11 which are movable, in particular pivotable, relative to one another. Furthermore, the tensioning device 9 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a spring element 14 which is in the form of a leg spring and via which the two tensioning levers 10, 11 are acted upon with a spring force F and are thereby braced in relation to the at least one pulling member 4. The spring element 14 is coupled to the two tensioning levers 10, 11 in order to exert the spring force on the two tensioning levers 10, 11. The spring element 14 can generally be in the form, for example, of a helical spring or of a torsion spring.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the two tensioning levers 10, 11 can be mounted pivotably relative to one another. Alternatively thereto, the tensioning levers 10, 11 can also be mounted so as to be displaceable in a translatory manner relative to one another, but this is not shown further here.

[0037] Furthermore, the tensioning device 9 comprises two tensioning pulleys 12, 13 for tensioning the pulling member 4, of which a first tensioning pulley 12 is connected rotatably to a first tensioning lever 10 of the tensioning levers 10, 11 and of which a second tensioning pulley 13 is connected rotatably to a second tensioning lever 11 of the tensioning levers 10, 11.

[0038] The two tensioning pulleys 12, 13 are in engagement here between the at least two gear elements 7, 8 with the at least one pulling member 4, wherein the tensioning pulleys 12, 13 are mounted rotatably and/or axially displaceably on the swinging fork element 2 via the two tensioning levers 10, 11. As already mentioned, the tensioning pulleys 12, 13 could also be mounted rotatably and/or axially displaceably on the frame of the motorcycle 1 via the two tensioning levers 10, 11, but this is not shown here.

[0039] In the variant shown in FIG. 1, the spring element 14 presses the two tensioning pulleys 12, 13 onto an outer side A of the pulling member 4 by means of the two tensioning levers 10, 11. The outer side A of the pulling member 4 faces away from the two gear elements 7, 8. The outer side A of the pulling member 4 in the form of a belt may also be referred to as the belt spine.

[0040] FIG. 2 substantially clarifies the contents of FIG. 1, and therefore only the differences will be discussed.

[0041] In the further variant shown in FIG. 2, the spring element 14 presses the two tensioning pulleys 12, 13 by means of the at least two tensioning levers 10, 11 onto an inner side I of the pulling member 4, on which inner side the pulling member 4 is in engagement with the two gear elements 7, 8. The inner side I of the pulling member 4 faces the gear elements 7, 8.

[0042] The first tensioning lever 10 comprises two lever regions 15, 16 which are connected to one another at a connecting region 19 and enclose an angle a with one another. The first tensioning lever 10 can generally be formed as a single part.

[0043] The second tensioning lever 11 comprises two lever regions 17, 18 which are connected to one another at a further connecting region 21 and likewise enclose an angle a with one another. The second tensioning lever 11 can generally be formed as a single part.

[0044] The two tensioning levers 10, 11 are mounted rotatably on the swinging fork element 2 at the respective connecting regions 19, 21 and at the bearing position 22.

[0045] At the respective connecting regions 19, 21, the tensioning levers 10, 11 can preferably be provided with friction elements, not shown further here, which can be configured, for example, as friction disks, in order to bring about a targeted friction and thereby damping during the rotation of the respective tensioning levers 10, 11 relative to one another.

[0046] The spring element 14 is coupled here to the respective tensioning levers 10, 11 at the lever regions 16, 18 and at a respective distance x from the connecting regions 19, 21.

[0047] In the case of the present motorcycle 1, a complicated concentric arrangement of the rotary bearing 3 and of the first gear element 7 and thus, for example, a coaxial arrangement of a swinging fork mounting, defined by the rotary bearing 3, of the swinging fork element 2 and a motor output shaft or transmission output shaft, which can be coupled to the first gear element 7 (here: belt pinion), can be dispensed with. Although respective distances between the first bearing point 20 of the first gear element 7 and the rotary bearing 3 and between the first bearing point 20 and the second bearing point (not shown) of the second gear element 8 may change because of pivoting movements of the swinging fork element 2 induced by the travel mode, the pulling member 4 (here: belt) can be cut uniformly tensioned permanently and independently of a load change by means of the tensioning device 9. Even if, by dispensing with the concentric arrangement of the rotary bearing 3 and of the first gear element 7, the change in the respective distances occurs as a result of the pivoting movements of the swinging fork element 2 about the pivot axis induced by the travel mode, possible pretensioning changes occurring because of a high rigidity of the pulling member 4 (changes in the pretensioning of the pulling member 4) can be effectively compensated for by means of the tensioning device 9. The tensioning device 9 therefore makes it possible to avoid states where the pretensioning of the pulling member 4 is too low and would threaten destruction of the pulling member 4, for example by skipping of respective teeth of a toothing of the pulling member 4. Furthermore, states where the pretensioning of the pulling member 4 is too high can also be avoided by the tensioning device 9, and therefore possible tearing of the pulling member 4 and, additionally or alternatively, a high shaft loading and bearing loading as a result of the pretensioning being too high can be prevented. Furthermore, the tensioning device 9 advantageously contributes to keep a variance in a tensioning of the pulling member 4 acoustically inconspicuous. This is in particular of advantage if the motorcycle 1 is driven electrically.

[0048] The tensioning device 9 which may also be referred to as a double-arm belt tensioner, permits uniform bracing of the pulling member 4 in mutually opposite load directions, i.e. both in the traction mode, which may also be referred to as the drive state, and in the thrust mode, which may also be referred to as the drag state. A change in length due to expansion of the pulling member 4 can be compensated for here in the mutually opposite load directions by the tensioning device 9.

[0049] With a suitable configuration of the spring element 14, the spring force F ensures the virtually constant pretensioning of the pulling member 4 on the slack side 5 even in the event of the changing distances between the first bearing point 20 of the first gear element 7 and the rotary bearing 3 and between the first bearing point 20 and the second bearing point (not shown) of the second gear element 8. By means of the rotatable mounting of the tensioning device 9 (double-arm belt tensioner), the pretensioning is independent of the load direction in the tensioning member 4, and therefore optimum tensioning of the slack side 5 is ensured even in the thrust mode or recuperation mode. In the event of load changes, the tensioning device 9 can correspondingly pivot around such that the load side 6 can be in each case approximately stretched.

[0050] In comparison to systems known from the prior art, the tensioning device 9 permits a simpler mounting of the swinging fork element 2 via the rotary bearing 3, the mounting being able to be positioned independently of drive motor or transmission output. At the same time, the small constant pretensioning makes it possible to achieve an increase in a respective service life of the pulling member 4 or respective bearings and an improvement in acoustics.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0051] 1 Motorcycle [0052] 2 Swinging fork element [0053] 3 Rotary bearing [0054] 4 Pulling member [0055] 5 Slack side [0056] 6 Load side [0057] 7 Gear element [0058] 8 Gear element [0059] 9 Tensioning device [0060] 10 Tensioning lever [0061] 11 Tensioning lever [0062] 12 Tensioning pulley [0063] 13 Tensioning pulley [0064] 14 Spring element [0065] 15 First lever region [0066] 16 Second lever region [0067] 17 First lever region [0068] 18 Second lever region [0069] 19 Connecting region [0070] 20 First bearing point [0071] 21 Connecting region [0072] 22 Bearing position [0073] a Angle [0074] A Outer side [0075] I Inner side [0076] F Spring force [0077] x Distance