Title of Invention

FRONT LAMP DEVICE FOR MOTOR BICYCLE OR TRICYCLE

Abstract

A front lamp device for a motor bicycle or tricycle comprising a headlamp (41) disposed between a left-right pair of lamps (42, 42') fixed by a handle cover (38) covering a bar handle (18), wherein support shafts (53) possessed by said headlamp (41) on both sides are turnably supported by said left-right pair of said lamps (42, 42'). 2. A front lamp device for a motor bicycle or tricycle as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said lamps (42, 42) comprises a housing (43, 43) opened forwards and fixed to said handle cover, a bulb (44, 44) contained in said housing (43, 43) and supported by said housing (43, 43) and a lens (45) fitted to said housing (43, 43) so as to cover the front end of said housing (43, 43) and is provided with a recessed portion (54) for fitting and supporting said support shaft (53) of said headlamp (41) between said housing (43, 43) and said lens (45) on the side of said headlamp (41). 3. A front lamp device for a motor bicycle or tricycle substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 23rd day of July, 2001.

Full Text

FORM 2 THE PATENTS ACT 1970 [39 OF 1970] COMPLETE SPECIFICATION [See Section 10] "FRONT LAMP DEVICE FOR MOTOR BICYCLE OR TRICYCLE" HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, a corporation of Japan, having a place of business at 1-1, Minamiaoyama 2-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan, The following specification particularly describes the nature of the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed:- [DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION] [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a front lamp device used for a motor bicycle or a motor tricycle, and particularly to an improvement in a front lamp device for a motor bicycle or tricycle in which a headlamp is disposed between a left-right pair of lamps fixed by a handle cover covering a bar handle. [Prior Art] Hitherto, in a front lamp device disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Publication No. 62-9077 (1987), a headlamp is fastened and fixed to support bases of direction indicator lamps which are left and right lamps. [Problems to Be Solved by the Invention] However, according to the structure of the lamp device of the prior art mentioned above, at the time of adjusting the optical axis of the headlamp, it is necessary to oscillate the headlamp and the left-right pair of direction indicator lamps up and down, so that it is difficult to adjust the optical axis of the headlamp singly on a headlamp basis. The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned situations, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a front lamp device for a motor bicycle or tricycle in which the optical axis of the headlamp can be easily adjusted singly on a headlamp basis. [Means for solving the Problems] In order to attain the above object, the invention resides in a front lamp device for a motor bicycle or tricycle comprising a headlamp disposed between a left-right pair of lamps fixed by a handle cover covering a bar handle, wherein support shafts possessed by the headlamp on both sides are turnably supported by the left-right pair of the lamps. According to such a constitution as above, the support shafts possessed by the headlamp on both left and right sides are turnably supported respectively by the lamps disposed on both sides of the headlamp and fixed to the handle cover, so that the optical axis of the headlamp can be easily adjusted singly on a headlamp -3- basis and with a compact constitution. The invention is further characterized in that each of the lamps comprises a housing opened forwards and fixed to the handle cover, a bulb contained in the housing and supported by the housing, and a lens fitted to the housing so as to cover the front end of the housing, and is provided with a recessed portion for fitting and supporting the support shaft of the headlamp between the housing and the lens on the side of the headlamp; according to such constitution, the structure for turnably supporting the headlamp can be simplified. Accordingly, there is provided a front lamp device for a motor bicycle or tricycle comprising a headlamp disposed between a left-right pair of lamps fixed by a handle cover covering a bar handle, wherein support shafts possessed by said headlamp on both sides are turnably supported by said left-right pair of said lamps. -4- [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention] Now, modes for carrying out the present invention will be described based on embodiments of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings. First, in FIG. 1, a front fork 17 supporting a front wheel WF through a shaft is steerably supported by a head pipe 16 which a vehicle body frame 15 of a motor bicycle comprises at the front end thereof. A bar handle 18 is connected to the top end of the front fork 17, and a front fender 19 covering the upper side of the front wheel WF is supported by the front fork 17. A rear fork 20 supporting a rear wheel WR through a shaft is supported by an intermediate portion of the vehicle body frame 15, and a rear cushion 21 is provided between a rear portion of the vehicle body frame 15 and the rear fork 20. A power unit P comprising a water-cooled type engine E and a transmission M is supported on an intermediate portion of the vehicle body frame 15, and 5 the output of the transmission m is transmitted to the rear wheel wR through a chain 22. An engine main body 33 of the engine E and a radiator 24 supported by the vehicle body frame 15 are disposed on the upper side of the engine E, an air cleaner 23 is disposed on the upper side of the engine E, and a fuel tank 25 disposed on the upper side of the transmission M and a storage box 26 disposed on the upper side of the fuel tank 25 and capable of containing electric parts are supported by the vehicle body frame 15. An exhaust pipe 27 for conducting exhaust gas from the engine E is connected to an exhaust muffler 28 disposed between the power unit P and the rear wheel WR. A front portion of the vehicle body frame 15, the engine E, the air cleaner 23 and the radiator 24 are covered by a synthetic resin-made leg shield 29 fitted to the vehicle body frame 15, and the air cleaner 23 is supported by the leg shield 29. A rear portion of the vehicle body frame 14, the fuel tank 25 and the storage box 26 are covered by a synthetic resin-made rear cover 30 fitted to the vehicle body frame 15, and a rear fender 31 covering the upper side of a rear portion of the rear wheel WR is provided adjacently to the rear cover 30. A seat 32 capable of opening and closing an upper end opening portion of the storage box 26 is provided on the rear cover 30, and a driver can be seated on the seat 32. Referring to FIG. 2 as well, the bar handle 18 comprising grips 34, 35 at both left and right ends and provided at both left and right ends thereof with levers 36, 37 operatable by hands gripping the grips 34, 35 is covered by a handle cover 38 so that the grips 34, 35 and the levers 36, 37 are projected from both sides, and a light-transmitting wind screen 39 is fixed to the handle cover 38 so that it is disposed on the front side of the driver seated on the seat 32. Referring further FIGS. 3 to 5 as well, an opening portion 40 is provided at a front portion of the handle cover 38, and a headlamp 41 and a pair of direction indicator lamps 42, 42 as other lamps disposed on both sides of the headlamp 41 are disposed in the opening portion 40. The direction indicator lamp 42 comprises a housing 43 opened forwards and fixed to the handle cover 38, a bulb 44 contained in the housing 43 and supported by the housing 43, and a lens 45 covering the front end of the housing 43. The inside surface of the housing 43 formed from a synthetic resin is formed so as to function as a reflector for reflecting the light from the bulb 44 to the front side, and the lens 45 made of a synthetic resin is provided with a plurality of engaging claws 46, 46 ... capable of elastically engaging with a front end portion of the housing 43. The lens 45 is disengageably fitted to the front end portion of the housing 43 so that it can be engaged and disengaged from the front side of the housing 43. The headlamp 41 comprises a housing 47 opened forwards and having an inside surface formed as a reflector, a bulb 48 contained in the housing 47 and supported by the housing 47, and a lens 49 covering the front end of the housing 47. Referring further to FIG. 7 and 8 as well, a groove 50 having a front end opened at the front end of the housing 43 and extending in the front-rear direction with a rear end closed is provided at a side face on the side of the headlamp 41 of the housing 43 in the direction indicator lamp 42, and the lens 45 is provided integrally with a base end of a fitting arm 51 to be fitted in the groove 50. The fitting arm 51 is provided at its tip end with a semi - circular cutout portion 51a, and when the lens 45 is fitted to the housing 43 so that the fitting arm 51 is fitted in the groove 50, a recessed portion 54 is constituted of the rear end of the groove 50 provided in the housing 43 and the cutout portion 51a at the tip end of the fitting arm 51. On the other hand, base ends of support arms 52, 52 are integrally provided at both sides of the housing 47 in the headlamp 41 so that tip end portions of the support arms 52, 52 correspond to the recessed portions 54, 54 of the direction indicator lamps 42, 42 on both sides of the headlamp 41, and the tip end portions of the support arms 52, 52 are provided integrally with support shafts 53, 53 fitted and supported in the recessed portions 54, 54 of the direction indicator lamps 42, 42. Namely, the headlamp 41 is vertically turnably 9 supported by the direction indicator lamps 42, 42 fixedly supported on the handle cover 38 disposed on both sides of the headlamp 41, so that the optical axis of the headlamp 41 can be adjusted singly on a headlamp basis. Paying attention to FIG. 4, a support portion 47a with a nut 55 mold-connected thereto is provided at a lower portion of the front end of the housing 47 in the headlamp 41 so as to be opposed to the inside surface of a lower portion of the handle cover 38, and a bolt 56 passed through a slit 57 provided in the handle cover 38 so as to extend in the front-rear direction at a portion opposed to the support portion 47a is engaged with the nut 55. By loosening the bolt 56, the headlamp 41 can be vertically oscillated about the axis of the support shafts 53, 53 to adjust the optical axis, and the optical axis of the headlamp 41 is fixedly maintained by fastening the bolt 56. Next, the effects of the first embodiment will be described. Since the support shafts 53, 53 possessed by the headlamp 41 on both sides are turnably supported by the left-right pair of the direction indicator lamps 42, 42 fixedly supported by the handle cover 38, the optical 10 axis of the headlamp 41 can be easily adjusted singly on the basis of the headlamp 41 and with a compact constitution. In addition, the direction indicator lamp 42 comprises the housing 43 opened toward the front side and fixed to the handle cover 38, the bulb 44 contained in the housing 43 and supported by the housing 43, and the lens 45 detachably fitted to the housing 43 so as to cover the front end of the housing 43, and the recessed portion 54 for fitting and supporting the support shaft 53 of the headlamp 41 is provided between the housing 43 and the lens 45 on the side of the headlamp 41, so that the structure for turnably supporting the headlamp 42 can be constituted simply. FIGS. 9 and 10 show a second embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 9 is a front view corresponding to FIG. 2, and FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 9. A headlamp 41 and a pair of direction indicator lamps 42', 42' as other lamps disposed on both sides of the headlamp 41 are disposed at a front portion of a handle cover 38. The direction indicator lamp 42' comprises a housing 43 provided as one body with the handle cover 38 and opened toward the front side, a bulb 44 contained in the housing 43 and supported by the housing 43 , and a lens 45 covering the front end of the housing 43'. The inside surface of the housing 43' is so formed as to function as a reflector for reflecting the light from the bulb 44 to the front side, and the lens 45 having a plurality of engaging claws 46, 46 ... capable of elastically engaging with a front end portion of the housing 43 is detachably fitted po the front end portion of the housing 43 ' so that it can be engaged and disengaged from the front side of the housing 43'. A headlamp 41 is disposed between the housings 43', 43' of the left-right pair of the direction indicator lamps 42', 42', and comprises a housing 47, a bulb 48 and a lens 49. ' A side surface on the side of the headlamp 41 of the housing 43' in the direction indicator lamp 42' is provided with a groove 50 having a front end opened at the front end of the housing 43 and extending in the front-rear direction with a rear end closed, whereas the lens 45 is provided integrally with a base end of a fitting arm 51 to be fitted in the groove 50, and, when the lens 45 is fitted to the housing 43 so that the fitting arm 51 is fitted in the groove 50', a recessed portion 54 for fitting and supporting the support shaft 53 of the headlamp 41 is provided between the rear end of the groove 50 provided in the housing 43 and the tip end oF the fitting arm 51 provided in the lens 45. According to the second embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be displayed. While the embodiments of the present invention have been described, the present invention is not limited to or by the above embodiments, and various design modifications can be made without departure from the present invention as set forth in claims. For example, while the lamps on both sides of the headlamp 41 have been direction indicator lamps 42, 42, they may be other lamps than the direction indicator lamps. Besides, the present invention can be applied also to a motor tricycle. [Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the invention, the optical axis of the headlamp can be easily adjusted singly on a headlamp basis and with a compact constitution. In addition, according to the invention, the structure for turnably supporting the headlamp can be simplified. 14 WE CLAIM:- 1. A front lamp device for a motor bicycle or tricycle comprising a headlamp (41) disposed between a left-right pair of lamps (42, 42') fixed by a handle cover (38) covering a bar handle (18), wherein support shafts (53) possessed by said headlamp (41) on both sides are turnably supported by said left-right pair of said lamps (42, 42'). 2. A front lamp device for a motor bicycle or tricycle as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said lamps (42, 42) comprises a housing (43, 43) opened forwards and fixed to said handle cover, a bulb (44, 44) contained in said housing (43, 43) and supported by said housing (43, 43) and a lens (45) fitted to said housing (43, 43) so as to cover the front end of said housing (43, 43) and is provided with a recessed portion (54) for fitting and supporting said support shaft (53) of said headlamp (41) between said housing (43, 43) and said lens (45) on the side of said headlamp (41). 3. A front lamp device for a motor bicycle or tricycle substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 23rd day of July, 2001.

Documents:

702-mum-2001-cancelled pages(23-7-2001).pdf

702-mum-2001-claims(granted)-(1-3-2006).doc

702-mum-2001-claims(granted)-(1-3-2006).pdf

702-mum-2001-correspondence(16-5-2006).pdf

702-mum-2001-correspondence(ipo)-(24-7-2006).pdf

702-mum-2001-drawing(23-7-2001).pdf

702-mum-2001-form 1(1-3-2006).pdf

702-mum-2001-form 18(13-7-2005).pdf

702-mum-2001-form 2(granted)-(1-3-2006).doc

702-mum-2001-form 2(granted)-(1-3-2006).pdf

702-mum-2001-form 3(1-3-2006).pdf

702-mum-2001-form 3(23-7-2001).pdf

702-mum-2001-form 4(6-3-2006).pdf

702-mum-2001-form 5(23-7-2001).pdf

702-mum-2001-petition under rule 138(1-3-2006).pdf

702-mum-2001-power of authority(1-3-2006).pdf

702-mum-2001-power of authority(31-10-2001).pdf

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