Title of Invention

A MOTORCYCLE

Abstract

A motorcycle comprising a front cover (10), a leg shield cover (11) arranged along left and right side edges of the front cover (10), a leg shield arranged along left and right side edges of the front cover, a handle cover (23) extending over a bar handle and an inner cover positioned behind the left shield characterized in that a turn signal unit is provided having left and right turn signal lamps which are provided as left and right sides of the front cover (50, 51) and are covered by left and right lenses fitted in spaces defined by an upper side edge of the leg shield, left and right side edges (52, 53) of the front cover (10) and a side edge of the inner cover wherein each turn signal lamp lens has a trailing area with normal lines oriented rearward and upward.

Full Text

FORM 2 THE PATENTS ACT 1970 [39 OF 1970] & THE PATENTS RULES, 2003 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION [See Section 10; rule 13] “TURN SIGNAL UNIT FOR MOTOR VEHICLE" 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 invention and the manner in which it is to be performed. ORIGINAL 839/MUMNP/2000 GRANTED 22-5-2001 The present invention relates to a turn signal unit for motor vehicle. There is known a scooter type motorcycle which is provided with front turn signal lamps fitter in openings on a front surface of a leg shield and at positions slightly up form the vertical center thereof. Some scooter type motorcycles have front turn signal lamps provided on a handle cover (as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 7-291165). In this reference, a transparent cover for a headlight lens, turn signal lamp lenses and turn signal confirming lamp lens are attached to the handle cover. A turn signal confirming lamp (called the "confirmation lamp")is provided at a position where a rider can easily confirm that a turn signal lamp is flashing. With respect to the first related art, it has been difficult for the rider to confirm that a turn signal lamp provided on the leg shield is flashing. In the second related art, the rider can easily check that the turn signal lamp is flashing. However, since the handle cover is usually compact and is provided with the headlight and meters, there is little space left for the turn signal lamps, which puts restriction on the size of the turn signal lamps. If the turn signal lamps are enlarged to make it easier to confirm that they are flashing, the handle cover has to b,e made larger and heavier. The invention has been contemplated in order to overcome the foregoing problems of the related art, and is intended to provide' a turn signal lamp unit which allows large design tolerance to size and shape and facilitates confirmation of the flashing turn signal lamp. According to the present invention there is provided a motorcycle comprising a front cover, a leg shield cover arranged along left and right side edges of the front cover, a leg shield arranged along left and right side edges of the front cover, a handle cover extending over a bar handle and an inner cover positioned behind the left shield characterized in that a turn signal unit is provided having left and right turn signal lamps which are provided as left and right sides of the front cover and are covered by left and right lenses fitted in spaces defined by an upper side edge of the leg shield, left and right side edges of the front cover and a side edge of the inner cover wherein each turn signal lamp lens has a trailing area with normal lines oriented rearward and upward. The lenses of the turn signal unit are fitted in the spaces defined by the three side edges of the front cover, leg shield and inner cover. Therefore, the size and shape of the turn signal lamps can be designed by appropriately modifying length and shapes of the three foregoing side edges, which enables the rider and other persons to reliably confirm the flashing turn signal lamp. Further, even when the lenses are enlarged, the front cover, leg shield and inner cover may be dqwnsized to be compatible with such lenses rather than increasing the size and weight of these members. Since the turn signal lamps are positioned above the upper side edge of the leg shield, the rider can confirm the flashing of the turn signal lamps without any problem. With the foregoing turn signal unit, each turn signal lamp lens has a trailing area with normal lines oriented rearward and upward. The turn signal lamp lenses have trailing areas with rearward and upward normal lines, so that the rider can easily confirm the flashing of the turn signal lamps. [Embodiment of the Invention] The invention will be described with reference to an embodiment shown in accompanying Fig. 1 to Fig. 3. [Brief Description of the Drawings] Fig. 1 is a left side elevation of a scooter type motorcycle provided with the turn signal unit according to the invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the motorcycle, showing the essential parts at the front part thereof. Fig. 3 is a perspective of the motorcycle, viewed, from a right upper part of the motorcycle. Fig. 1 is a left side elevation of a scooter type motorcycle 1 including the turn signal unit of the invention. In this specification, the terms "front, rear, left and right" refer to the directions viewed in the running direction of the motorcycle. The motorcycle 1 includes an under-bone type main frame constituted by a front frame 3 and a pair of rear frames 4 coupled by a bolt 2. A front suspension mechanism for suspending a front wheel 5 and a steering mechanism for the front wheel 5 are disposed in front of the front frame 3. A power unit 7 is provided behind front parts of and under the rear frames 4 in order to drive a rear wheel 6. A rear suspension mechanism is provided behind the rear frames 4, and a seat 8 is provided above the l'ear frames 4. The motorcycle 1 further includes: a front mudguard 9; a front cover 10; a leg shield 11; an inner cover 12; a footrest 13; a frame body cover 14; and a rear mudguard 15, all of which are arranged one after another between the front and rear parts of the motorcycle 1. Apair of left and right side covers 16L and 16R are provided along the left and right sides of the foot rest 13 (the right side cover 16R being shown in Fig. 3). The frame body cover 14 under the seat 18 has a storage compartment 17 for housing a helmet or the like. The front suspension mechanism is positioned at the right side of the front wheel 5, and includes not only a swing arm 18 which is supported by a shaft at a front lower end of the front frame 3 and can swing up and down, but also a shock absorber 19 having one end thereof pivotally coupled to the swing arm 18 and the other end thereof pivotally coupled to the front frame 3. An axle holder 21 is attached to the front end of the swing arm 18 via a kingpin 20 and is laterally swingable. Further, the front wheel 5 is rotatably supported by an axle shaft 22 attached to the axle holder 21. The steering mechanism is movably supported by a head pipe 25 attached to the top end of the front frame 3. A synthetic resin handle cover 23 provided with meters such as a speed meter and so on, and a bar handle 24 whose one end is covered by the handle cover 23 are also attached to the head pipe 25. The steering mechanism includes: a handle post 26 having an upper end thereof fixedly attached to the bar handle 24; a steering arm 27 supported by a support shaft at the bottom of the handle post 26 and being swingable up and down; and a link 28 having one end thereof pivotally supported by the steering arm 27 and the other end thereof pivotally supported by an arm 21a of the axle holder 21. The steering mechanism and the front suspension mechanism are independent from each other in order to improve the handling of the motorcycle. The power unit 7 has its front part movably supported by a bracket 29 which is fixedly attached to a pair of rear frames 4, and the rear part of the power unit 7 is attached to the rear part of the left rear frame 4 via the shock absorber 30 constituting the rear suspension mechanism. Therefore, the power unit 7 swings up and down in accordance with roughened road surfaces during movement of the motorcycle. The power unit 7 includes an internal combustion engine 31, and a power transfer unit 32 constituted by a transmission 32 and a final speed reducing device 33. In the internal combustion engine 31, air is supplied to a combustion chamber from an air cleaner 35, positioned under the frame body cover 14, via a throttle body 36 and an intake pipe 37 at the right side of the rear wheel 6 and via an intake port of a cylinder head. Fuel is supplied from a fuel tank 39 under the footrest 13 to a fuel injection valve 38 connected to the intake pipe 37. A silencer 40 is attached to the right side of the rear wheel 6 and communicates with an exhaust port of the cylinder head. Further, a radiator 41 is disposed above a crankcase of the internal combustion engine 31. In the power transfer unit 34, driving force is input to the transmission 32 via a crankshaft 42 of the internal combustion engine 31, and is output to the axle of the rear wheel 6 via a drive shaft 43 of the final speed reduction unit 33, thereby driving the rear wheel 6. Arrangement and structure of left and right turn signal lamps 50 and 51 will be described with reference to Fig. 2 which schematically shows the essential parts provided at the front part of the motorcycle 1, and Fig. 3 which is a perspective view of the front cover 10 and members around the front cover 10, observed from a front upper part of the motorcycle 1. When viewed from the front part of the motorcycle 1, the synthetic resin leg shield 11 is concave approximately between the upper part and center thereof. The leg shield 11 is fixedly attached such that an inner peripheral edge 11a of the concave portion is brought into contact with left and right side edges 10a and 10b of the synthetic resin front cover 10, which are substantially straight. Further, the inner peripheral edge 11a of the leg shield 11 is also substantially straight. Left and right shield parts 11L and 11R of the leg shield 11 extend upward at the left and right side edges of the front cover 10. The left shield part 11L extends from a left side of a headlight 54, which is at the lateral center and upper part of the front cover 10, to a left side cover 16L and the footrest 13. The right shield part 11R extends from the right side of the headlight 54 to a right side cover 16R and the footrest 13. Further, the left shield part 11L has a surface facing left while the right shield part 11R has a surface facing right. Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, below the handle cover 23, the left and right side edges 12a and 12b of the synthetic resin inner cover 12 are fixedly attached so as to be brought into contact with the mating side edges of the front cover 10 and leg shield 11. The side edge of the inner cover 12 which is at the left side with respect to the center C of the motorcycle body is referred to as the "left side edge 12a" while the side edge of the inner cover 12 at the right side with respect to the center C of the motorcycle body is referred to as the "right side edge 12b". The left and right turn signal lamps 50 and 51 are symmetrically positioned at the upper part of the front cover 10 with respect to the center C of the motorcycle 1, i.e. at the left and right sides of the headlight 54. The structure and assembling of the right turn signal lamp 51 is identical to those of the left turn signal lamp 50 except for that they are opposite to each other with respect to their directions. Therefore, only the left turn signal lamp 50 will be described as a typical example. A lens 52 of the left turn signal lamp 50 is made of synthetic resin, and is fitted in a space defined by the substantially straight upper side edge 11b of the left shield part 11L, the left side edge 10a of the front cover 10 and the left side edge 12a of the inner cover 12, i.e. the peripheral edge of the lens 52 is in contact with the foregoing side edges 10a, 11b and 12a. Needless to say, the peripheral edge of the lens 52 is in agreement with the profiles of the side edges 10a, 11b and 12a. Especially, a part of the peripheral edge of the lens 52, which is brought into contact with the left side edge 10a of the front cover 10, and a lower side edge 52c of the lens 52, which is brought into contact with the upper side edge 11b of the left shield part 11L, are substantially straight. Further, the lower side edge 52c of the lens 52 is in contact with the whole upper side edge 11b of the left side shield 11L. The surface of the fitted lens 52 is substantially identical to the surfaces of the front cover 10, leg shield 11 and inner cover 12, so that the lens 52 looks as if it is a part of the foregoing covers. The lens 52 has a leading area 52a where normal lines are oriented forward (and obliquely), and a trailing area 52b where the normal lines are oriented rearward (and upward). Therefore, the rider can easily observe the trailing area 52b of the lens 52. When the lens 52 has a rough surface, the term "the normal lines of the surface" refers to normal lines of the envelope of the rough surface. The operation and effect of the foregoing turn signal lamp unit will be described hereinafter. The lenses 52 and 53 of the left and right turn signal lamps 50 and 51 are fitted into the spaces defined by the left and right side edges 10a and 10b of the front cover 10, the upper side edges 11b and 11c of the left and right shield parts 11L and 11R of the leg shield 11, and the left and right side edges 12a and 12b of the inner cover 12. Therefore, in order to improve visibility of the turn signal lamps 50 and 51, the size and shape of these lamps 50 and 51 can be freely determined by changing the length and shapes of the foregoing side edges 10a, 10b, 11b, 11c, 12a and 12b of the covers 10, 11 and 12. If the lenses 52 and 53 are enlarged, the front cover 10, leg shield 11 and inner cover 12 may be downsized accordingly without increase in the size and weight thereof. [0028}-'- Further, the lenses 52 and 53 of the turn signal lamps 50 and 51 are positioned above the upper side edges 11b and 11c of the left and right shield parts 11L and 11R of the leg shield 11, so that the rider can easily confirm the flashing turn signal lamp 50. or 51. The trailing areas 52a and 53a of the lenses 52 and 53 of the turn signal lamps 52 and 53 have the normal lines oriented rearward and upward, which further facilitates the rider's confirmation of the flashing turn signal lamp 50 or 51. The left shield part 11L faces left while the right shield part 11R faces right, which facilitates the confirmation of the flashing turn signal lamps 50 and 51 arranged above the upper side edges 11b and 11c of the shield parts 11L and 11R, from the left and right sides of the motorcycle. . Further, the left and right side edges 10a and 10b of the front cover 10 and the inner side edge 11a of the leg shield 11 which is brought into contact with the foregoing side edges 10a and 10b are substantially straight, and have a simple structure. This enables the front cover 10 and the leg shield 11 to be easily brought into contact with each other. A part of the peripheral edge of the lens 52 or 53 which is brought into contact with the left or right side edge 10a or 10b of the front cover 10, and the lower side edge 52c or 53c of the lens 52 or 52 which is brought into contact with the upper side edge 11b or l1c of the left or right shield part 11L or 11R are substantially straight, and has a simple structure. This facilitates the contacting of the lenses 52 and 53 with the front cover 10 and leg shield 11. A modified example of the foregoing embodiment will be described hereinafter. In the foregoing embodiment, the lenses 52 and 53 have the trailing areas 52b and 53b. Alternatively, in the modified example, the lenses 52 and 53 have surfaces having normal lines but no trailing areas. Further, the lenses have front upward normal lines or vertical normal lines on their surfaces. With respect to the turn signal lamp 50 of the foregoing embodiment, the lower side edge 52c of the lens 52 is brought into contact with the whole upper side edge l1b of the left leg shield 11L (and the lower side edge 53c of the lens 53 of the right turn signal lamp 51 is in contact with the whole upper side edge l1c of the right shield part 11R). Alternatively, it is also possible to fit the lenses in such a manner that a part of the lower side edge of each lens is brought into contact with the whole upper side edge of the left shield part, and the remaining part of the lower side edge of each lens is brought into contact with the left side edge of the inner cover. Further, the entire area of the lower side edge of each lens is brought into contact with a part of the side edge of the left shield part. Still further, another part of the lower side edge of each lens is brought into contact with the left side edge of the inner cover, and the remaining part of the lens is brought into contact with a left side edge of a part projecting to the left of the front cover. In any case, the lens of the right turn signal lamp is fitted similarly to the lens of the left turn signal lamp. [Description of Reference Numerals] 1 ... motorcycle, 2 ••• bolt, 3 ... front frame, 4 ... rear frames, 5 ... front wheel, 6 ... rear wheel, 7 ... power unit,.8 ... seat, 9 ... front mudguard, 10 ... front cover, 10a ... left side edge, 10b ... right side edge, 11 ... leg shield, l1b, l1c ... upper side edges, 12 ... inner cover, 12a ... left side edge, 12b ... right side edge, 13 ... footrest, 14 ... frame body cover, 15 ... rear mudguard, 16L, 16R ... side covers, \1 ... storage compartment, 18 ... swing arm, 19 ... shock absorber, 20 ... kingpin, 21 ... axle holder, 22 ... axle, 23 ... handle cover, 24 ... bar handle, 25 ... head pipe, 26 ... handle post, 27 ... steering arm, 28 ... link, 29 ... bracket, 30 ... shock absorber, 31 ... internal combustion engine, 32 ... transmission, 33 ... final speed reduction device, 34 ... power transfer unit, 35 ••• air cleaner, 36 ... throttle body, 37 ... intake pipe, 38 ... fuel injection valve, 39 ... fuel tank, 40 ... silencer, 41 ... radiator, 42 ... crankshaft, 43 ... drive shaft, 50 and 51... turn signal lamps, 52 and 53 ... lenses, 54 ...headlight. WE CLAIM: 1. A motorcycle comprising a front cover (10), a leg shield cover (11) arranged along left and right side edges of the front cover (10), a leg shield arranged along left and right side edges of the front cover, a handle cover (23) extending over a bar handle and an inner cover positioned behind the left shield characterized in that a turn signal unit is provided having left and right turn signal lamps which are provided as left and right sides of the front cover (50, 51) and are covered by left and right lenses fitted in spaces defined by an upper side edge of the leg shield, left and right side edges (52, 53) of the front cover (10) and a side edge of the inner cover wherein each turn signal lamp lens has a trailing area with normal lines oriented rearward and upward. 2. A motorcycle substantially as hereinbefore descried with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 13th day of September, 2000. [RITUSHKA ANEGI] OF REMFRY & SAGAR ATTORNEY FOR THE APPLICANTS

Documents:

839-mum-2000-cancelled pages(22-05-2001).pdf

839-mum-2000-claims(granted)-(22-05-2001).doc

839-mum-2000-claims(granted)-(22-05-2001).pdf

839-mum-2000-correspondence(03-09-2007).pdf

839-mum-2000-correspondence(ipo)-(20-05-2004).pdf

839-mum-2000-drawing(22-05-2001).pdf

839-mum-2000-form 1(13-09-2000).pdf

839-mum-2000-form 13(06-09-2007).pdf

839-mum-2000-form 19(13-04-2004).pdf

839-mum-2000-form 1a(06-09-2007).pdf

839-mum-2000-form 2(granted)-(22-05-2001).doc

839-mum-2000-form 2(granted)-(22-05-2001).pdf

839-mum-2000-form 3(09-03-2001).pdf

839-mum-2000-form 3(13-09-2000).pdf

839-mum-2000-form 5(13-09-2000).pdf

839-mum-2000-petition under rule 138(09-05-2005).pdf

839-mum-2000-power of attorney(09-05-2005).pdf

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