Title of Invention

"A FORK COVER MOUNTING STRUCTURE"

Abstract

[PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED] To provide a fork cover separately from a front fender and to facilitate mounting of the fork cover. [SOLUTION] The movable front fender 25 is installed by a bolt at center to the bottom bridge 3, and the right and left sides of the center portion are recessed to allow passage of the front fork 2. The recesses are covered with the fork cover 26. The fork cover 26 is mounted with the front upper engagement lug 51, front lower engagement lug 53, mounting projection 54, and rear lower engagement lug 59 formed on the peripheral edge engaged with the front upper engagement hole 37, front lower engagement hole 39, rear upper engagement hole 43, and rear lower engagement hole 44 formed on the front fender 25 side respectively. Furthermore, the mounting projection 54 provided inside in the vicinity of the front lower engagement lug 53 is superposed on the projection 40 formed on the front fender 25 side and is fastened by the bolt 56 from below. [SELECTED DRAWING] Fig. 1

Full Text

[Industrial Field of Utilization] The present invention relates to a fork cover mounting structure for use on a two-wheeled motorcycle or a three-wheeled motorcycle. [Prior Art] In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 9-30472 is disclosed a front fender which is split into two parts, front and rear; on the right and left sides of a front half of the front fender a fork cover portion covering a front fork is unitarily provided. With the front fork inserted into the fork cover portion, the front and rear halves are connected, the fork cover portion is fastened by bolts at the rear part from the side of the motor vehicle to a bottom bridge together with the front side of the rear half. [Problem to Be Solved by the Invention] In the fork cover mounting structure of the above-described constitution, the fork cover may be formed as one body with the front fender. In this type, however, makes it necessary to provide a threaded hole for bolting on the bottom bridge side in advance. In this case, the number of processes increases, and therefore it is desired to adopt such a structure that can dispense with the mounting of the fork cover to the bottom bridge. [Means for Solving the Problem] To solve the above-described problem, the first embodiment of the fork cover mounting structure according to the present invention is characterized in that a front fender covering the upper part of a front wheel is disposed between a pair of right and left front forks, and a separate fork cover covering the side of a portion which intersects the front fender of the front forks is mounted on the side surface of the front fender. The second embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first embodiment, the engagement portion provided on the periphery of the fork cover is engagement with the counter engagement portion provided on the side of the front fender, and also the lower part of the fork cover is fastened inside to the front fender. [Effect of the Invention] According to the first embodiment, the fork cover is provided separately from the front fender, and is superposed on the side of the front fender to cover the side of the front forks; and therefore if the engagement portion provided on the periphery is engaged with the counter engagement portion provided in advance on the front fender side, the fork cover can be unitarily mounted to the front fender. Besides, because no threaded hole is needed to be formed in the bottom bridge, the number of processes can be reduced. Furthermore, as the covers are mutually fastened, the jointing accuracy can be improved. The engagement portion is meant by a pawl-like engagement projection or an engagement recess such as a slit or hole; and the counter engagement portion is an engagement recess or projection for engagement with an engagement portion. According to the second embodiment of the present invention, if the lower part of the fork cover is fastened inside to the front fender, the fork cover can reliably be mounted as well as engaged with the periphery. Furthermore, the jointing portion, being on the inside of the fork cover, is not externally visible, thereby improving external appearance. Therefore, the present invention relates to a fork cover mounting structure characterized in that a front fender covering the upper part of a front wheel is disposed between a pair of right and left front forks, and that a separate fork cover is attached on the side of the front fender to cover the side of a portion where the front forks intersect the front fender. [BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS] Fig. 1 is a partial view of the side of a front fender on which a fork cover of the present embodiment is mounted; Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a fork cover mounting method; Fig. 4 is a side view showing a fork cover mounting portion of the front fender, Fig. 5 is a top view in the direction of the arrow A); Fig. 6 is a side view of the fork cover; Fig. 7 is a front view thereof; Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8-8 in Fig. 1; Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9-9 of the same; Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken along line 10-10of the same; and Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken along line 11-11 of the same. [Preferred Embodiments] First, the outline of a two-wheeled motorcycle to which the present embodiment is applied will be explained with reference to Fig. 2. A front fork 2 supporting a front wheel 1 is connected at the top end portion with a stem pipe 4 through a bottom bridge 3 . The steering of the motorcycle is performed by means of a handlebar 5 mounted at the top end portion thereof. A main frame 7 with a head pipe 6 disposed at its front end in which the stem pipe 4 is rotatably supported is extended obliquely downward like a backbone at the center of the vehicle body towards the rear; and a pair of right and left rear frames 8 are connected at the front end portions with the main frame 7 at the central portion. The right and left rear frames 8 are extended approximately horizontally and then obliquely upward and further to the rear, where the rear frames 8 support a luggage box 9. The luggage box 9 has a large capacity to hold a large-size material such as a protective helmet 10, and is so designed as to open and close with a seat 11 the opening which opens upward. At either end portion of the right and left rear frames 8 a grab rail 12 protruding sideward is supported. An engine 13 which is inclined forward is supported beneath the main frame 7 by a box-shaped pivot plate 14 extended downward surrounding the intermediate portion of the main frame 7 and the right and left lower end portions of the main frame 7. On the pivot plate 14 a rear swing arm 15 is rotatably mounted at the front end by a pivot shaft 16, and a rear wheel 17 is supported at the rear end. A pair of right and left shock absorbers 18 are mounted between the rear end of the rear swing arm 15 and the rear part of the rear frame 8 disposed above the rear swing arm 15. The vehicle body is covered with various types of covers: first the handlebar 5 is covered with a handlebar cover 20; and the front side of the head pipe 6 is covered with the front cover 21; the part ranging from the rear side of the head pipe 6 to the luggage box 9 is covered with a leg shield 22; the front of the luggage box 9 is covered with a box cover 23 ; and the part beneath the seat 11 including the large part of the side surface of the luggage box 9 behind the box cover 23 is covered with a rear cover 24. Above the front wheel 1 a movable front fender 25 which moves as one unit with the front fork 2 is mounted on the bottom bridge 3. At its central part a fork cover 26 is attached from outside on the part between the right and left front forks 2, thereby covering the outer side of the front fork 2. Next, the mounting structure of the fork cover 26 will be explained. Fig. 1 is a partial view of the side of the front fender 25 with the fork cover 26 attached; Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view sowing a mounting method; Fig. 4 is a side view showing the part of the front fender 25 where the fork cover 26 is attached; Fig. 5 is a top view (in the direction of the arrow A) ; Fig. 6 is a side view of the fork cover 26; Fig. 7 is a front view; Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8-8 in Fig. 1; Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9-9 of the same; Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken along line 10-10 of the same; and Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken along line 11-11 of the same. In these drawings, the front fender 25 has a mounting seat 30 on the top surface of the center portion for mounting to the bottom bridge 3 , and three mounting holes : a pair of front mounting holes 31 on the right and left front sides, and a mounting hole 32 at center. At three points, that is, using these mounting holes 31 and 32, the front fender 25 is secured by bolts 33 and 34 to the bottom bridge 3 from below (Fig. 1). There are formed a recess 35 indented toward the inside of the vehicle body on either of the right and left sides at the center portion of the front fender 25, and a fork housing recess 36 curved in a part thereof toward the center of the vehicle body for passing the front fork 2 through in the vertical direction. At the front side of the vehicle body, engagement holes are provided on both sides of the recess 35: a front upper engagement hole 37 in the upper part, the front side of which forms a sideward protruding step portion 38, and a front lower engagement hole 39 open in the longitudinal direction beneath the step portion 38. In the vicinity of the front lower engagement hole 39 is provided a projection 40 which protrudes in a flat form sideward approximately horizontally toward the rear of the step portion 38. On the vehicle rear side of the recess 35 is formed a step portion 42 projecting toward the vehicle body, and a rear upper engagement hole 43 and a rear lower engagement hole 44 which are open sideward are formed in the upper and lower positions. The rear upper engagement hole 43 and the rear lower engagement hole 44 are of the same structure; as is clear from Fig. 11, the forward end 45 of the step portion 42 is positioned in the rear lower engagement hole 44. In the meanwhile, the fork cover 26 is of a shape capable of covering the recess 35 as shown in Fig. 6 and Fig. 7; and on the inner surface of the upper edge portion 50, in the vicinity of its front side, is unitarily formed a front upper engagement lug 51 protruding downward to engage with the front upper engagement hole 37. On the lower part of the front edge portion 52 a front lower engagement lug 53 is formed projecting forward as shown in Fig. 9. Furthermore, in the vicinity of, and inside the rear part of, the front lower engagement lug 53, there is formed a mounting projection 54 which projects toward the inside of the motor vehicle to be superposed on the projection 40 as shown in Fig. 10. In the mounting projection 54 an embedded nut 55 is provided. The hole of the nut 55 and the bolt hole 41 are properly aligned for insertion of a bolt 56 from under the vehicle body, thereby fastening the projections 40 and 54 as one body. On the rear edge portion 57 are formed a rear upper engagement lug 58 and a rear lower engagement lug 59 of the same structure in the upper and lower positions. These engagement lugs 58 and 59 can be engaged with the rear upper engagement hole 43 and the rear lower engagement hole 44 respectively. Next, the rear lower engagement lug 59 will be explained. As shown in Fig. 11, the rear lower engagement lug 59 is bent to the rear approximately at right angles with the forward end part of the rear edge portion 57 which projects long toward the inside of the vehicle body. This portion enters the vehicle body through the rear lower engagement hole 44, and engages with the end face of the forward end 45. Next, operation of the present embodiment will be explained. As shown in Fig. 3, the right and left fork covers 26 are attached from the side of the vehicle body to cover each recess 35 in relation to the front fender 25 after installation to the bottom bridge 3. At this time, the front upper engagement lug 51 is engaged with the front upper engagement hole 37, and the front lower engagement lug 5.3 is inserted from the* rear of the vehicle body for engagement with the front lower engagement hole 39; and the rear upper engagement lug 58 and the rear lower engagement lug 59 are inserted into the vehicle body through the rear upper engagement hole 43and the rear lower engagement hole 44, being engaged with each forward end 45 of the step portion 42. The fork cover 26, being locked at four points in relation to the front fender 25, can be reliably engaged and fastened by registering the nut 55 superposed on the projection 40 with the bolt hole 41 and tightening the bolt 56 from below. The fork cover 26, as described above, is engaged at a plural ity of engaging points and fastened at one point, decreasing the number of mounting processes to thereby facilitate mounting. Besides the bolt 56 is concealed to improve external appearance. Furthermore, unlike the prior art fork cover mounting structure, the fork cover 26 is not bolted to the bottom bridge 3; therefore no machining is needed to form a mounting boss on the bottom bridge 3 side, thereby facilitating the manufacture of the bottom bridge 3. [Explanation of Reference Numerals] 2 ... front fork; 3 ... bottom bridge; 25 ... front fender; 26 ... fork cover; 35 ... recess; 37 ... front upper engagement hole; 39 ... front lower engagement hole; 40 ... projection; 43 ... rear upper engagement hole; 44 ... rear lower engagement hole; 51 ... front upper engagement lug; 54 ... mounting projection; 55 ... nut; 58 ... rear upper engagement lug; 59 ... rear lower engagement lug CLAIM: 1. A fork cover mounting structure characterized in that a front fender covering the upper part of a front wheel is disposed between a pair of right and left front forks, and that a separate fork cover is attached on the side of the front fender to cover the side of a portion where the front forks intersect the front fender. 2. The structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein an engagement portion provided on the periphery of said fork cover is engaged with a counter engagement portion provided on the side of said front fender, and the lower part of said fork cover is fastened inside to said front fender. 3. A fork cover mounting structure substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

24-del-1999-abstract.pdf

24-del-1999-claims.pdf

24-del-1999-correspondence-others.pdf

24-del-1999-correspondence-po.pdf

24-del-1999-description (complete).pdf

24-del-1999-drawings.pdf

24-del-1999-form-1.pdf

24-del-1999-form-13.pdf

24-del-1999-form-19.pdf

24-del-1999-form-2.pdf

24-del-1999-form-3.pdf

24-del-1999-form-4.pdf

24-del-1999-form-6.pdf

24-del-1999-gpa.pdf

24-del-1999-petition-137.pdf

24-del-1999-petition-138.pdf