Patent ID: 6659566
Filing Date: 2003-12-09
Classification: B62D,B62J

Abstract:
A straddle-type vehicle comprising:a frame; a pair of front wheels suspended from a front portion of the frame and defining a front axle axis; a pair of rear wheels suspended from a rear portion of the frame and defining a rear axle axis; a straddle seat mounted on a central body portion of the vehicle; a left foot rest disposed on a left side of the straddle seat and a right foot rest disposed on a right side of the straddle seat, wherein said left foot rest is arranged between the left front wheel and the left rear wheel and said right foot rest is arranged between the right front wheel and the right rear wheel; a steering mechanism including a pair of handle bars provided to steer the pair of front wheels; a pair of head lights mounted on a front body portion of the vehicle; an engine mounted on the frame; a front storage rack mounted on a front top body portion of the vehicle; a rear storage compartment pivotably mounted to and disposed above the rear portion of the frame; a pivoting frame that is pivotably connected to the frame, the pivoting frame including a pair of first links supporting the rear storage compartment, a pair of second links extending away from the pair of first links and pivotally coupled to the frame and cross-links transverse to and linking said pair of first links and adjacent to the rear storage compartment; a piston assembly connected between the frame and the pivoting frame, said piston assembly being constructed and arranged to facilitate pivoting of the storage compartment, said piston assembly extending as the storage compartment is pivoted to an open, tilted position and retracting as the storage compartment is pivoted into a closed position; a pair of receptacles provided on the frame; and a pair of pins associated with at least one of the cross-links in the pivoting frame, the pair of pins being insertable into a pair of apertures of the pair of receptacles, each one of said pair of pins comprising a shaft having first and second portions, said first portion having a conical tapered form, said second portion including a fixture for fastening the pin to the pivoting frame and a spring surrounding said shaft and arranged between said first portion and said second portion, wherein the rear storage compartment comprises: a substantially flat portion to support a load; a front wall portion connected to and extending upwardly with respect to the substantially flat portion, the front wall portion including a first side facing the substantially flat portion and a second side, opposite the first side, that faces the seat, the second side having a back seat rest attached thereto; a pair of upwardly extending side wall portions facing each other and connected to said substantially flat portion and further connected to left and right portions of said front wall portion; and a rear wall portion hingedly connected to said substantially flat portion and moveable with respect to said side wall portions between an open position and a closed position.