Patent Application
20150274233
The present application claims priority under 35 USC 119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-073468 filed Mar. 31, 2014 the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a motorcycle including a vehicle body frame having a head pipe on which a steering handlebar is steerably supported and a main frame extending rearwardly and downwardly from the head pipe with a riding seat supported on the vehicle body frame. A fuel tank is disposed between the steering handlebar and the riding seat and supported on the main frame. More specifically, the present invention relates to an improvement in an article placing structure.
2. Description of Background Art
As set forth in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. Hei 7-215253, a motorcycle is known that includes a main frame extending rearwardly and downwardly from a head pipe on which a steering handlebar is steerably supported with a fuel tank supported on the main frame. A cowling covers a front portion of the fuel tank from lateral sides. An article housing part is formed inside the cowling with a lid supported on the cowling for opening and closing the article housing part.
In the structure as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. Hei 7-215253, when an article is placed on the cowling, reinforcement is required to increase the strength and rigidity of the cowling. The reinforcement in turn causes an increase in the weight.
The present invention has been made in view of such a circumstance. It is an object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide an article placing structure for a motorcycle designed such that an article can be placed, without increasing the weight.
For the purpose of achieving the above-mentioned object, an embodiment of the present invention provides an article placing structure for a motorcycle including a vehicle body frame including a head pipe on which a steering handlebar is steerably supported and a main frame which extends rearwardly and downwardly from the head pipe with a riding seat supported on the vehicle body frame. A fuel tank is disposed between the steering handlebar and the riding seat and supported on the main frame. An article placing part is arranged on an outer lateral side of the fuel tank in such a way so as to be supported on the fuel tank.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the article placing part is configured to hold an article in such a way so as to expose the article to an outside.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a fixing member to which any one of an elastic band and a side carrier is fixable, and a hook with which the elastic band is detachably engageable are fixed to an outer side surface of the fuel tank.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the article placing part is supported on the fuel tank which has high strength and rigidity. Thus, major reinforcement is not required. Accordingly, the article placing part can be formed without a weight increase.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, an article held by the article placing part is exposed to the outside. Thus, a wet article such as a raincoat or sandals can be quickly dried by utilizing air flow during operation of the vehicle. Accordingly, the usefulness is improved.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the article placing part is formed by fixing the side carrier to the fixing member or by engaging the elastic band, which is fixed to the fixing member, with the hook. Thus, an article can be held in a selective way. Accordingly, the usefulness is improved.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:
Hereinbelow, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to accompanying
As illustrated in
A front end portion of a swingarm 17, on a rear end portion of which a rear wheel WR is rotatably supported, is swingably supported on a lower portion of the center frame 15 through a pivot 18. A rear shock absorber 19 is provided between a rear portion of the swingarm 17 and the vehicle body frame F.
An engine body 20 of an internal combustion engine E which produces motive power to drive the rear wheel WR is disposed under the main frame 14 and supported on the down frame 16 and the center frame 15.
A riding seat 21 is supported on the vehicle body frame F at a position rearwardly of the engine body 20. A fuel tank 22 is disposed between the riding seat 21 and the steering handlebar 12 and supported on the main frame 14 of the vehicle body frame F.
An article placing part 29 is arranged on an outer lateral side of the fuel tank 22 in such a way so as to be supported on the fuel tank 22.
As illustrated in
An elastic band 27 can be fixed to the fixing members 24, 25. By detachably engaging the elastic band 27 with the hook 26, the article placing part 29 is formed which holds an article in cooperation with the outer side surface of the fuel tank 22 in such a way so as to expose the article to the outside.
Referring to
Next, the operations and effects of this embodiment will be described. The article placing part 29, 30 is arranged on the outer lateral side of the fuel tank 22 in such a way as to be supported on the fuel tank 22. Thus, the article placing part 29, 30 is supported on the fuel tank 22 which has high strength and rigidity. Therefore, major reinforcement is not required. Accordingly, the article placing part 29, 30 can be formed without an increase in the weight.
Moreover, the article placing part 29, 30 is configured to hold an article in such a way so as to expose the article to the outside. Thus, if, for example, a wet article such as a raincoat or sandals is placed on the article placing part 29, the article can be quickly dried by utilizing a flow of air. Accordingly, the usefulness is improved.
Further, the fixing members 24, 25 to which any one of the elastic band 27 and the side carrier 28 is fixable and the hook 26 with which the elastic band 27 is detachably engageable are fixed to the outer side surface of the fuel tank 22. Thus, an article can be held in a selective way by forming the article placing part 30 by fixing the side carrier 28 to the fixing members 24, 25 or by forming the article placing part 29 by engaging the elastic band 27, which is fixed to the fixing members 24, 25, with the hook 26. Accordingly, the usefulness is improved.
Although the embodiment of the present invention is described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. Various design changes can be made without departing from the present invention described in the scope of claims.
For example, in the above embodiment, the fixing members 24, 25 are attached directly to the side surface of the fuel tank 22. However, the fixing members may be attached to the fuel tank 22 through a cover member covering the fuel tank from the lateral side.
The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-073468 | Mar 2014 | JP | national |
