Patent ID: 6250173
Filing Date: 2001-06-26
Classification: B62K,F02D,Y10T

Abstract:
A cruise control for a motorcycle having a throttle member for controlling the motorcycle's speed attached to a handlebar of the motorcycle and adapted to be turned manually using a normal torque to increase the speed of the motorcycle, said cruise control includinga housing adapted to be attached in a fixed position to the handlebar of the motorcycle,said housing at least partially enclosing at least one ball member, an engagement ring, a ball member retainer ring, and a detent ring,said engagement ring, ball member retainer ring, and detent ring being concentricity aligned within the housing so that, upon attaching the housing to the handlebar, the throttle member extends through the rings and the engagement ring is seated on the throttle member to turn relative to the throttle member,said ball member retainer ring being in a fixed position between the engagement ring and the detent ring, and said detent ring being adapted to be fixedly attached to the throttle member upon attaching the housing to the handlebar, so that said detent ring moves in unison with the throttle member,a spring member that brings said ball member, engagement ring, ball member retainer ring, and detent ring into engagement with each other,an actuator member extending outward from said engagement ring and the housing for manually turning said engagement ring,at least one pair of grooves in said engagement ring, one groove being a deep groove corresponding to a neutral position and the other groove being a shallow groove corresponding to a cruise position, said ball member being seated within one of said grooves and moveable between said grooves with rotation of the engagement ring,said ball member retainer ring having at least one opening therein that receives at least a portion of the ball member to hold the ball member so that, with the rotation of the engagement ring, the ball member moves between the grooves,said detent ring having a series of teeth which engage a portion of the ball member, there being a lesser force of engagement between said ball member and teeth when the ball member is in the deep groove, so that essentially a normal torque repositions the throttle member, and there being a greater force of engagement between said ball member and teeth when the ball member is in the shallow groove, so that a substantially greater than normal torque repositions the throttle member and the throttle member remains in a selected position until manually repositioned using such greater torque.