Abstract:
A device for adjusting the position of the seat-back mounted on a travel luggage pack on the back of a motorcycle is disclosed. The device consists of a slide assembly mounted between the motorcycle and the luggage pack. The slide assembly comprises two parallel slide rails movably mounted on fixed lower tracks which are mounted to the back of the motorcycle. The slide rails are attached to the combined luggage pack and seat-back to allow movement of the seat-back. The device further comprises a latching mechanism to lock the slide assembly into place in selected positions.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not Applicable 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
       [0003]    Not Applicable 
       INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC 
       [0004]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0006]    The present invention relates to an accessory for a motorcycle, and more particularly to a device that can be used to adjust the position of a luggage pack with incorporated seat-back that is mounted on the back of the motorcycle. This adjustment device provides a method to allow the passenger on the second seat of the motorcycle to adjust the seat-back position for comfort and safety. 
         [0007]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0008]    Motorcycles are well known, and are commonly ridden and operated by a single rider or driver. It is not uncommon, however, for a second person to ride on the back of the motorcycle. In many cases the passenger will simply hold on to the driver to remain secure on the motorcycle. Some motorcycles, however, have a second seat for use by the passenger. This is particularly common for touring motorcycles, which are often called touring bikes. (Note, the terms motorcycle, cycle, and bike will be used synonymously throughout.) Touring bikes often have a seat-back or back rest which allows the passenger to rest back against the seat-back and not have to hold on to the driver. Examples of such seat-backs are seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,138 to Zagrodnik, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,220 to Galbraith et al. These motorcycles also commonly have seat extensions or second seats, as well as a foot rest on either side of the frame of the bike for passenger comfort. 
         [0009]    Most of these seat-backs are bolted to the motorcycle and are not movable. However, there is at least one previous invention drawn to a device that allows the seat-back, such as described above, to be moved. U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,138 to Zagrodnik, discloses a luggage rack and a second seat seat-back. There is pivoting arm attached to the rear fender of the motorcycle that attaches to a post that is held in a small channel. The post is secured in the channel by bolts. The seat-back is attached to the post. When the bolts are loosened the seat-back can be slid inside the channel, and then when the desired position in selected, the seat-back is secured by tightening the bolts on the post. While the &#39;138 patent allows the seat-back to be moved, it is only movable with the use of tools to loosen and tighten the bolts. 
         [0010]    There are a wide variety of accessories for touring bikes. These motorcycles are frequently ridden on long trips, and so there is a need for luggage for the rider and passenger to store clothing, sleeping equipment, toiletries, and a variety of other gear. There are a variety of configurations for luggage compartments used on these motorcycles. One common configuration is the “saddle-bag” which are twin compartments that hang on either side of the back wheel, much like the saddlebags used on horses from which they get their name. Another common configuration is a luggage compartment that is mounted above the back wheel. Because it is common for passengers to accompany the rider on long rides on a touring bike, many manufacturers have combined the luggage compartment with a seat-back to provide a unitary device. American motorcycle manufacturer Harley Davidson markets a popular combination called the Tour-Pak®. The Tour-Pak® mounts above the back wheel and provides storage as well as a seat-back for the passenger. Virtually all other manufacturer of touring motorcycles have similar combination seat-back and luggage compartments. These combined seat-back luggage compartments will be referred to herein as a tour pack. 
         [0011]    One problem with the Tour-Pak®, and other similar products made by other manufacturers, is that they are mounted on the back of the motorcycle by bolts. This means that they cannot be adjusted. Motorcycle riders and their passengers come in many shapes and sizes, yet the common tour pack provides a fixed seat-back. This means that some larger riders and passengers are pressed together, which can be both uncomfortable and unsafe, particularly on lengthy trips. There is a need, therefore, for a device that will allow the passenger to adjust the position of the seat-back of the second seat. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    This invention provides an adjustable mounting frame, referred to as the slide assembly, that mounts to the back of the motorcycle. The tour pack mounts onto the adjustable mounting frame, and can be adjusted by the passenger. Most motorcycles have mounting points on the rear fender that are used to mount a variety of accessories, including different luggage mounting accessories such as saddle bags, luggage racks and luggage compartments. When the rider wishes to attach a luggage rack or compartment over the rear wheel, a mounting plate is attached to the rear fender. Every motorcycle is different, so the actual configuration of the mounting hardware will be somewhat different, but the most common configuration is at least two mounting points on either side of the fender. The luggage mounting plate is attached to the mounting points on the fender by means of bolts or other standard hardware. 
         [0013]    The present invention comprises a slide assembly that attaches to the luggage mount, and the tour pack is attached to the slide assembly. The slide assembly has two parallel rails that slide on a fixed track, and is locked into place by a latch. The slide assembly has a series of locking points so that the slide assembly can be moved and locked into different places, thereby allowing the tour pack to be moved on the back of the motorcycle. This allows the rider and passenger to adjust the position of the second seat seat-back. 
         [0014]    The present invention also comprises a method for using the slide assembly to produce extra room for the passenger on a motorcycle. This method is accomplished by providing a slide assembly mounted between the rear fender or rear frame of the motorcycle and the tour pack. The method further comprises adjusting the position of the slide assembly by manipulating the latch to allow movement of the slide assembly. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a side elevation showing a motorcycle, with a luggage mount, the slide assembly and a tour pack. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a top perspective view of the slide assembly. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a top perspective view of the slide assembly with the slide rails extended. 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a bottom detailed perspective of the latch portion of the slide assembly. 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a side elevation sectional view of the inner components of the slide assembly. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0020]    Detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein. It is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, and there may be a variety of other alternate embodiments. The figures are not necessarily to scale, and some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specified structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the varying embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0021]    A representative motorcycle with the basic components of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 1 . All motorcycles have common features and they are described herein merely for reference purposes. The basic components of a motorcycle are a frame F with an engine E, a fuel tank T, and a seat  11  mounted to the frame F. There is a rear wheel  12  mounted to the back of the frame F and operably connected to the engine E. Most motorcycles transfer power from the engine E to the rear wheel  12  by means of a chain, but some motorcycles use a drive shaft. The power transfer mechanism of a motorcycle has no bearing on the present invention. At the front of the motorcycle is a front wheel W which is connected to the handlebars H. The handlebars are used to steer the motorcycle  10 . Some, but not all, motorcycles also have fenders over the wheels, including a rear fender  14 . Motorcycles are operated by a rider, and occasionally the rider also carries a passenger. As a result, some but not all motorcycles  10  have a second seat  15 , which can either be mounted behind the main seat  11 , or in some cases (as shown in the motorcycle depicted in  FIG. 1 ) integral to the main seat  11 . 
         [0022]    If the rider desires, luggage racks or other storage devices can be mounted on the rear portion of the motorcycle. Most touring motorcycles have tubing that runs along the rear fender that is specifically designed for mounting luggage racks or luggage compartments. In many cases this tubing is directly connected to the frame F of the motorcycle  10 . Other motorcycles, however, do not have this tubing, and so there is a need to mount a special mounting plate  20 . In these configurations the mounting plate  20  is attached to the rear portion of the motorcycle  10 . There are a wide variety of mounts and mounting plates  20 , but the present invention will be defined in relation to a Harley-Davidson mount. The mounting plate  20  provides a flat place for the rider to store luggage or other gear. The specific attachment hardware and connecting procedures are well known in the art, and form no part of the present invention. While the mounting plate  20  depicted in  FIG. 1  is bolted to the rear fender, the term mounting plate  20  as used herein incorporates the tubing on the back of many motorcycles, as well as any other configuration required to mount storage equipment to the back of a motorcycle  10 . 
         [0023]    Many manufacturers also make luggage compartments to store luggage and other gear. The luggage compartments are of a wide variety of sizes and configurations, and can be attached to a variety of different places on the motorcycle. The most common are storage compartments attached to the handlebar, hang over the frame like saddlebags, or attach to the rear of the motorcycle. One common luggage compartment attaches to the mounting plate  20  on the rear of the motorcycle  10 . In this configurations, some manufacturers have incorporated a seat-back which allow a passenger sitting on the second seat  15  to have a back rest, which allows them to lean back comfortably and securely on the motorcycle. 
         [0024]      FIG. 1  depicts a combination luggage compartment, referred to as a tour pack  90 , having a luggage bin  91  with an attached seat-back  93 . The luggage bin  91  portion of the tour pack  90  is typically constructed of a hard formed plastic. The seat-back  93  is typically constructed of a hard backing plate made of metal, a soft cushioning material placed over the backing plate, and a covering over the cushioning material and backing plate. Typically the covering is made of leather, which makes the seat-back compatible with most motorcycle seats, which are also made of leather. Leather is also used because of its durable and aesthetic properties. The seat back  93  is securely attached to the luggage bin  91 . The components can be bolted together or glued together. The specific make and construction of the tour pack  90  are well known within the motorcycle accessory industry and form no part of the present invention. 
         [0025]    The tour pack  90  is typically attached to the mounting plate  20  by means of corresponding holes and nuts and bolts that run through the holes. In the present configuration the mounting plate  20  has four mounting holes  29 , two on each side. The tour pack  90  has four tour pack mounting holes  92 , which are designed to correspond to and align with the mounting holes  29  of the mounting plate  20 . The luggage bin  91  is a container defining an inside volume, and the holes  92  are on the bottom of the bin and so are accessible when the luggage bin is opened. Each motorcycle accessory manufacturer ensures that the holes of their mount corresponds to the holes of the associated luggage compartments. To attach the tour pack  90  to the mounting plate  20 , four sets of corresponding nuts and bolts are used. In some cases there is additional mounting hardware such as washers, pads and bushings, but the specific configuration of mounting hardware is well known in the art and forms no part of this invention. The tour pack  90  is attached to the mounting plate  20  such that the seat-back  93  sits just behind the second seat  15  to provide a back rest for the passenger. One of the drawbacks of this configuration is that the seat-back  93  is fixed. The present invention is designed to provide a slide mechanism to allow the tour pack  90 , and hence the seat-back  93 , to be moved to accommodate different sized riders and passengers, and to provide for increased passenger comfort and safety. 
         [0026]      FIG. 1  shows that the slide assembly  30  of the present invention is attached between the mounting plate  20  and the tour pack  90 .  FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the slide assembly  30  showing most of its components. The slide assembly  30  has two parallel slide rails, a left slide rail  31  and a right slide rail  32 . The slide rails  31  &amp;  32  must be essentially parallel so that they slide together and don&#39;t bind. In the most preferred embodiment the two slide rails  31  &amp;  32  are attached by two cross beams, a front cross beam  71  and a rear cross beam  72 . The cross beams  71  &amp;  72  ensure that the two slide rails  31  &amp;  32  slide together. In the preferred embodiment, the slide rails  31  &amp;  32  and the cross beams  71  &amp;  72  are made of stainless steel. The cross beams  71  &amp;  72  are welded to the slide rails  31  &amp;  32  so that the slide assembly  30  is relatively flat or in a single plane. In general the slide assembly  30  is roughly one inch to one and a half inches thick. It could be somewhat thicker or thinner, though it is designed to be relatively unobtrusive when in place on the back of the motorcycle  10 . It is possible that the cross beams  71  &amp;  72  could be attached between the slide rails  31  &amp;  32  in any conventional manner such as bolting or riveting. The cross beams  71  &amp;  72  are attached to the upper slide  50  portion of the slide rails  31  &amp;  32 . It is also within the conception of the invention that the cross beams  71  &amp;  72  and two upper slide portions  50  could be made from the same piece of material. It is also within the conception of the invention to have a single cross beam, and it is also possible to have no cross beams, because when the tour pack  90  is attached to the slide assembly it will lock the slide rails  31  &amp;  32  in place and ensure that they slide together. In the preferred embodiment however, the cross beams  71  &amp;  72  are incorporated to make the slide assembly  30  a single mechanism, which makes it easier to handle and attach. 
         [0027]    Each slide rail  31  &amp;  32  has the same components, with the exception of the latch mechanism which will be described below. Each slide rail  31  &amp;  32  is made up a U-shaped fixed lower track  40  and a U-shaped movable upper slide  50  that sits over and slides on the lower track  40 . The slide rails  31  &amp;  32  are shown in more detail in  FIGS. 2 &amp; 3 . In the preferred embodiment, the fixed lower track  40  is designed to be secured to the mount  20  by means of four downwardly extending bolts  49  fixedly attached to the lower track  40 . The bolts  49  are positioned to correspond to the mounting holes  29  in the mounting plate  20 . In the preferred embodiment, the bolts  49  are welded to the lower track, but they can be attached in any conventional manner. The bolts  49  extend through the mounting holes  29 , and are secured in the conventional manner by means of washers and nuts. It is also possible, and within the conception of the invention, for the lower track  40  to have a nut attached to the underside of the assembly, and to be attached to the mounting plate  20  by means of bolts extending upward through the mounting holes  29  to securely attach to the nuts. 
         [0028]    As seen in more detail in  FIG. 3 , the lower track  40  has a U-shaped cross section with outwardly extending upper flanges. More particularly it has a bottom plank  41 , upwardly extending walls  42  &amp;  43  attached to the plank  41 , and outwardly extending flanges  44  &amp;  45  at the upper ends of these walls  42  &amp;  43 . The junctures between these portions of the track are curved rather than sharp. The upwardly extending walls  42  &amp;  43  have a series of evenly spaced apertures  48  that run longitudinally along the walls  42  &amp;  43 . 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the upper slide  50  has an inverted U-shape with inwardly directed flanges. More particularly, it has an upper plank  51  disposed above and extending to both sides of the flanges  44  &amp;  45  of the lower track  40 . A pair of downwardly extending walls  52  &amp;  53  are provide at the opposite sides of the upper plank  51 , these walls being spaced outwardly from the outer edges of the flanges  44  &amp;  45 . A pair of inwardly directed flanges  54  &amp;  55  are formed at the lower edges of the walls  52  &amp;  53 , these inwardly directed flanges  54  &amp;  55  are disposed essentially below the outwardly extending upper flanges  44  &amp;  45 . The junctures of the upper plank  51 , the walls  52  &amp;  53 , and the flanges  54  &amp;  55  are curved. 
         [0030]    The movable upper slide  50  has four integrated nuts  59  fixedly attached on the on the upper portion of the slide  50 . The nuts  59  can be attached in any conventional manner, though in the preferred embodiment they are welded to the upper slide. These nuts  59  are positioned to correspond to the tour pack mounting holes  92  such that the tour pack  90  can be attached to the slide assembly  30 . The tour pack  90  is attached in the conventional manner to the slide assembly  30  by means of bolts and washers. It is also possible, and within the conception of the invention for there to be four integrated bolts that correspond to the tour pack mounting holes  92 , and are attached by nuts and appropriate mounting hardware. 
         [0031]    As can be seen in  FIG. 5 , a longitudinal space  61  is formed between the bottom plank  41  and the upper plank  51  in the space created between the upwardly extending walls  42  &amp;  43  of the lower track  40 . Rollers  60  are disposed in this longitudinal space  61 . The rollers  60  are load bearing and allow the upper slide  50  to move smoothly and easily on the lower track  40 . There are at least two rollers  60  disposed within the longitudinal space  61 . There are two top tabs  65 , one at the front and the other near the back of the longitudinal space  61 . The position of these two top tabs  65  form an internal cage that prevents to the rollers  60  from rolling out of the longitudinal space  61 . The top tabs  65  are small pieces of material attached to the inside portion of the upper plank  51 . In the most common configuration the upper tabs  65  are small pieces of metal cut on three sides from the upper plank and bent inward into the longitudinal space. There are also two bottom tabs  64 , which are also designed to prevent the rollers  60  from rolling out of the longitudinal space  61 . The bottom tabs  64  can be constructed in much the same manner as the top tabs  65 . It is within the conception of the invention for the top tabs  65  and bottom tabs  64  to be attached in any conventional manner. The top tabs  65  and bottom tabs  64  are sized so that they do not conflict when the upper slide  50  moves over the lower rail  40 . There are also at least two bottom nipples  67  that jut into the longitudinal space  61 . The bottom nipples can be created by pressing an inwardly extending node into the metal of the bottom plank  41 . The position of the bottom nipples  67  will determine how far the rollers  60  can move, and this in turn will determine how far the upper slide  50  can move in relation to the lower track  40 . 
         [0032]    In one embodiment, the rollers  60  are relatively flat wheel-like cylinders. In other embodiments the rollers can be standard ball bearings. The rollers  60  can be made from a variety of different materials, from metals to plastics. The rollers  60  are load bearing, but it should be understood that they only have to bear the weight of the tour pack  90  and contents. As a result the rollers  60  need to be durable, but not unusually strong. In the most preferred embodiment the slide assembly  30  is made of stainless steel, which is used for its durability, but it is also possible that the slide assembly  30  could be constructed of another suitably strong and durable metal or other material such as hard plastic. 
         [0033]    In some configurations of the slide assembly  30  there is a longitudinal channel space that is formed between the downwardly extending walls  52  &amp;  53  the upwardly extending walls  42  &amp;  43  of the lower track  40 . In those configurations, a multiplicity of ball bearings can be added to the channel space, and will essentially ride on the inwardly directed flanges  54  &amp;  55 . There will also be a series of tabs to retain the ball bearing within the channel space. The purpose of the ball bearings within the channel space is to prevent the upper slide  50  from moving side to side on the lower track  40 , or to prevent twisting or binding. 
         [0034]    As shown in detail in  FIG. 4 , there is a latch  80  connected to one of the slide rails  31  or  32 . The operation of the latch  80  is the same regardless of which slide rail  31  or  32  that it is attached to. In the preferred embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the latch  80  is attached to the left slide rail  31 . As shown in  FIGS. 2 &amp; 3 , the latch  80  is pivotally mounted by a pin  73  to the top of the upper slide  50 . The pin  73  runs through the latch body  85  and rotatably attaches to the top of the upper slide. The latch  80  has a body  85 , and a handle  81  that extends rearwardly from the body  85  and past the rear cross beam  72 . In the preferred embodiment the handle  81  has a slight bend to allow it to fit under the rear cross beam  72 . In the preferred embodiment the handle  81  is attached to the body  85  by a pair of rivets, but the handle  81  can be attached to the body in any conventional manner, and it is within the conception of the invention for the handle  81  to be integral with, and made from the same piece of material as, the body  85 . In at least one embodiment there is a grip or handle cover made of a soft rubbery material at the end of the handle  81  away from the latch  80 . 
         [0035]    The latch  80  is forced in place by a coil spring  87  that connects from the body  85  to the rear cross beam  72 . The spring  87  pulls the body  85  towards the rear of the slide assembly  30 , which causes the body to rotate about the pin  73 , thus pulling the body  85  against the slide rail  31 . The body  85  has a downwardly extending portion  82  that sits outside the wall  54  of the slide rail  31 , and a toothed portion  84  that extends inwardly into the slide rail  31  from the downwardly extending portion  82 . In the preferred embodiment the body  85 , the downwardly extending portion  82  and the toothed portion  84  are made of a single piece of material. In the preferred embodiment the material is stainless steel, but any suitably strong and durable material can be used. The toothed portion  84  has at least one, and in the preferred embodiment, two teeth  84 . The teeth  84  pass through a slot  57  in the downwardly extending wall  52  of the upper slide  50 . The teeth  84  are sized to engage the apertures  48  in the upwardly extending wall  42  of the fixed lower track  40 . 
         [0036]    When the user moves the latch handle  81  away from the left slide  31 , the teeth  84  are removed from the apertures  48 , which allows the upper slide  50  to move. When the user moves the latch handle  81  back toward the left slide, the teeth  84  engage the apertures  48  and lock the upper slide  50  into place. The coil spring  87  forces the latch  80  around the pin  73  and holds the teeth  84  into place in the apertures  48  such that the slide assembly  31  cannot move. This prevents the slide assembly  30  from adjusting its position. It is important that the teeth  84  be sized to snuggly fit into the apertures  48 , to prevent inadvertent movement of the slide assembly  30 . 
         [0037]    In the preferred embodiment, the apertures  48  are approximately one quarter of an inch wide, and are spaced apart approximately one quarter of an inch. This means that the slide assembly  30  can be moved in one quarter inch increments. It is to be understood that these dimensions are representative only, and it is possible and within the conception of the invention for the apertures  48  to be slightly smaller or slightly larger, and to be spaced slightly further apart and slightly closer together. The main limitation of the spacing on the apertures  48  is that the material between the apertures  48  must be of sufficient width to provide structural stability. If the material between the apertures  48  is too thin there is the possibility that it could break. 
         [0038]    In the preferred embodiment the slide assembly  30  is approximately 16 inches long. This size is designed to accommodate the Harley Davidson® style mounting plates  20  and tour packs  90 . Other motorcycle manufacturers make mounts of slightly different sizes, and it is within the conception of the invention for the slide assembly to be appropriately sized to correspond the mounts  20  and tour packs  90  produces by any manufacturer. In the preferred embodiment the slide assembly is designed to move no more than four inches in one quarter inch increments. The position of the top tabs  65 , bottom tabs  64 , and bottom nipples  67  will determine how far the slide assembly  30  can move. 
         [0039]    The disclosed preferred embodiment was drawn to the lower track  40  as fixed to the mount  20  and the upper slide  50  movable by means of the rollers  60  on the lower track  40 , but it is within the conception of the invention for the slide assembly  30  to be inverted. The present invention was described with the latch  80  attached to the left slide  31 , but it is within the conception of the invention for the latch  80  to be attached to the right side. It is also within the conception of the invention for the upper slide  50  to be secured to the lower rail  40  by the means of other types of connectors. For example a simple sling mounted pawl could be attached the upper slide  50  which could be pulled out of the apertures  48  to allow movement of the upper slide  50  over the lower track  40 . 
         [0040]    In use, the user will attach the mounting plate  20  to the rear portion of the motorcycle  10  by the method described by the manufacturer. The user will then attach the slide assembly  30  to the mounting plate  20 . In the preferred embodiment the bolts  49  will be inserted into the mounting holes  29 , and secured by nuts. Next the user will attach the tour pack  90  to the slide assembly  30  such that the seat-back  93  sits behind the second seat  15 . The rider and passenger can then mount the motorcycle  10  and determine if the seat-back  93  is in the desired position. If the passenger wishes to change the position of the seat-back  93 , he or she can adjust the position by manipulating the latch  80  and sliding the tour pack  90  into the desired position. When the latch  80  is released, the teeth  84  will engage the apertures  48  and lock the slide assembly  30  into place. 
         [0041]    The present invention is well adapted to carry out the objectives and attain both the ends and the advantages mentioned, as well as other benefits inherent therein. While the present invention has been depicted, described, and is defined by reference to particular embodiments of the invention, such reference does not imply a limitation to the invention, and no such limitation is to be inferred. The depicted and described embodiments of the invention are exemplary only, and are not exhaustive of the scope of the invention. Consequently, the present invention is intended to be limited only be the spirit and scope of the claims, giving full cognizance to equivalents in all respects.