The present invention is an integrated disk caliper brake and disk lock for a motorcycle. The illustrative caliper brake is a hydraulic system involving an internal fluid passage but it may be a mechanical caliper brake that has a pull cable and an integral lock engaging one of a at least one holes of the disk brake. As is well known in the cycle technology and illustrated in Vince Costa's U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/225475 entitled Fluid Passage Layout For Integrated Motorcycle Brake And Suspension System the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference and Pelfrey's U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,483, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, and disk brake calipers for motorcycles have opposing brake pads to grip a rotating member about the wheel axle in response to an activation of handle lever. The rotating member may be a one or more sprocket in a motorcycle that interacts with the caliper to stop the rotation of a wheel and thus the motorcycle.
Referring to
Caliper brake 10 of the present invention is adapted to work for a wheel rotationally fixed to a motorcycle frame not shown. Caliper brake 10 has an elongated main body 11 of metal, which extends generally in parallel with suspension members 7, 8 connected through a joint member or rocker arm 12 to a wheel axle 13. Main body 11 has a lower bore 14 for receiving wheel axle 13. Caliper body 11 extends upwards from its proximal end 15 about axle 13 and beyond a peripheral edge 16 of a disk 17, which is also connected rotationally about axle 13. Upper portion of caliper body 11 is connected to suspension member 8 via an adjustable link 18, which has a threaded rod 19 and two end tubes 20 with nuts 21 for receiving the rod 19 adjustably.
Caliper body 11 has a first chamber half 22, which accommodates a piston-activated brake pad 23. Chamber 22 communicates with a fluid reservoir (not shown) through the flexible brake line 9. The locking latch can be mounted to the first chamber half.
Brake pad 23 may be advanced or retracted by a hydraulic force transmitted through brake line 9. At the opposite side of the disk 17 is a second chamber half 24 for holding another piston-activated brake pad 25. Chambers 22, 25 are joined together straddling a top area of disk 17 allowing an uninterrupted rotation of the disk 17 and the associated wheel.
Upon activation of a handle lever by the driver of the motorcycle two brake pads 23, 25 move toward disk 17 to pinch it between them stopping any rotational movement of the wheel axle 13 and the wheel.
Alternatively, for bicycles where power to break may be substantially lower, a pull cable may replace brake line 9 in operating brake pads 23, 25.
In order to facilitate faster cooling of disk 17, which may abruptly reach at a very high temperature during repetitive breakings, disk 17 may have several large holes 26 near its rotational axis and multiple smaller perforations 27 distributed peripherally in the disk 17 where cooling air can pass. These cooling holes 26, 27 are transversely oriented, usually perpendicular to the disk rotor 17 surface. Cooling holes may not all be catch holes, but catch holes can function as cooling holes.
According to the present invention, a series of catch holes 28 are disposed at an even distance along a circle about the center of the wheel axle 13. At an area of main body 11 of caliper 10 opposing disk 17, a latch 30 is positioned to engage one of the holes 28. Latch 30 has a locking mechanism 31, which is integral to main body 11 of caliper brake 10. Latch 30 itself may be chosen from different generic tubular key lock cylinders depending upon the security level appropriate versus cost affordable and it may be readily integrated into main body 11 of caliper 10 by welding.
Referring further to
The latch formed as a latch body with a protruding latch member can pass through the disk via a catch hole 28 and engage a receiver 88. It the receiver is opposite the latch body 31, the receiver will provide additional security for the latch member 33. The receiver should be formed as a metal member having a hollow bore securely receiving the latch member. The receiver 88 preferably is attached to the caliper member 11, 24 and can be integrally formed with the caliper member. The receiver 88 is preferably mounted as close to the rotor as possible.
The lockable caliper of the present invention is constantly adaptable to evolving tactics of trying to defeat existing lock structures by integrating newer designs of latch 30 into caliper body 11 in the same way as described above. Such a renewed caliper 10 may easily replace old versions to keep the vehicle secure as the street environment changes.
With reference to
While safeguarding the cycle, the latch 30 is advantageously surrounded by steel masses of caliper body 11, rocker arm 12 and suspension members 7, 8 blocking the access of a cutting tool. This fortifies the latching mechanism to discourage theft.
If the rider tries to start the motorcycle neglecting a front locked wheel, the front tire will react to the adverse force preventing rotation. A conventional lock may damage the motorcycle by powered wheel. Here, a brief skidding of the locked tire will immediately remind the driver of the existence of the latch 30 saving the latching system from damage as well as maintaining the driver's own safety. The user can unlock the motorcycle front wheel and ride the motorcycle.
Therefore, while the presently preferred form of the monolithic caliper brake and lock for cycles has been shown and described, and several modifications thereof discussed, persons skilled in this art will readily appreciate that various additional changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as defined and differentiated by the following claims.
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the sole embodiment describe above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.