Abstract:
A case assembly for motorcycles comprises a frame ( 11 ) for coupling to the motorcycle and a case ( 12 ) including means that allow its removable coupling to the frame. The means which allow the removable coupling include U-shaped elements ( 17 ) which move between a non-active position to accommodate therein a complementary element ( 13 ) of the frame and an active rotated position to secure therein said element ( 13 ) of the frame. Conveniently, between the case and the frame there are other passive coupling means ( 14, 15 ) at a distance of the U-shaped elements for positioning the case before the coupling movement of the U-shaped elements.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention. This invention relates to a case assembly for motorcycle including an innovative coupling system. 
     2. Description of the Related Art. In the field of equipments for motorcycles there is the common known problem to provide a stable and safe coupling system for removable side cases. Usually the case assembly includes a specific frame which is fixed irremovably to the motorcycle and a case including suitable coupling means for the removable coupling to the frame. Various types of coupling means have been proposed in the prior art in the attempt to supply a secure coupling of the case avoiding accidental disengagements or false couplings and at the same time to allow the user to easily intentionally engage and disengage the case. 
     The general object of this invention is to supply a case assembly for motorcycles with safety and stability features greatly improved in comparison to known systems, retaining at the same time operational easiness and a simple but strong structure. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A case assembly for motorcycles according to the invention comprises a frame for coupling to the motorcycle and a case including means that allow its removable coupling to the frame, the characterizing feature of the assembly is that the coupling means include U-shaped elements which move between a non-active position to accommodate therein a complementary element of the frame and an active rotated position to secure therein said element of the frame. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In order to further explain the innovative principles of this invention and its advantages in comparison to the prior art, an embodiment of the invention is described hereinafter by reference to the enclosed drawings. Therein: 
         FIG. 1  shows a schematic and prospective view of the case assembly according to the invention, 
         FIG. 2  shows a lateral, schematic and partial view of the coupling system of the case assembly according to  FIG. 1 , in a position of partial engagement, 
         FIG. 3  shows a view similar to the one of  FIG. 2  but in a position of full engagement, 
         FIG. 4  shows an enlarged partial view of the coupling mechanism of the case assembly according to  FIG. 1 , 
         FIG. 5  shows a further detail of the coupling means according to the invention, and 
         FIG. 6  shows an embodiment of the coupling system according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the figures, in  FIG. 1  a case assembly according to the invention, generally indicated as  10 , is depicted. 
     Such case assembly  10  comprises a frame  11  which has to be fixed to a motorcycle by known means, not shown herein, and a rigid case  12 . Between the frame  11  and the case assembly  10  there are suitable means for the removable coupling. The case  12  has a shape and features which are already known, thus, it will not be described in detail herein. 
     Conveniently, the frame  11  is a tubular frame adequately shaped to obtain lateral support points for the case  12  and an upper hooking bar  13 . The case  12  has a side to be coupled with the frame  11  on which there are coupling means. The coupling means include a pair of passive coupling means  14  conveniently having mushroom shape (better visible in  FIG. 2 ), to be coupled with adequate hollows  15  made near the lower edge of the case  12 . The hollows  15  are open at the bottom in order to allow the insertion of the mushroom shaped coupling means  14  by moving the case  12  downwards. 
     Near the upper edge, the case  12  has an active coupling mean  16  including a pair of movable U-shaped elements  17  aligned to form a tube to accommodate the horizontal hooking bar  13  of the frame  11 . 
     The U-shaped elements  17  can be rotated on demand (conveniently along a common axis  20  parallel to the hooking bar  13 ) to move between a disengaged non-active position and an active position of fix engagement onto the horizontal hooking bar  13  of the frame  11 . 
     In the disengaged position, shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the U-shaped elements  17  look outward from the back side of the case  12 , in particular, they are aligned horizontal having the opening looking outward, so that the hooking bar  13  can freely enter or exit the tube formed by the two aligned U-shaped elements. In the engaged position shown in  FIG. 3 , the U-shaped elements  17  are parallel to the back side of the case  12 , in particular they look downward so that they prevent the case  12  to move away from the frame  11 . 
     Conveniently, the case  12  has also a resting groove  34  above the hooking bar  13  when the U-shaped elements  17  are in the active position, so that the weight of the case  12  is partially relieved from the U-shaped elements  17 . 
     The pivoting of the U-shaped elements  17  is in an upper position relative to the horizontal hooking bar  13  in such a manner, that the thrust of the hooking bar  13  inside the U-shaped elements  17  makes them automatically rotate into the engaged position. 
     There are also blocking means in order to prevent the case  12  to slide upward when being engaged onto the frame  11 . Conveniently, these blocking means comprise a central tooth  18  protruding from the frame  11  and inserting into a specific seat  19  in the wall of the case  12  when the case  12  is in the engaged position of  FIG. 3 . 
     In  FIG. 6  an alternative embodiment is shown in which the central tooth  18  is replaced by a pair of rigid protuberances  118  which projects from the wall of the case  12  in order to be placed immediately beneath the horizontal hooking bar  13  of the frame  11  in such a manner, that the engaged case  12  cannot move upward. 
     Hence, as it will be clear, the movement from the non-active position of  FIG. 2  to the engaged active position of  FIG. 3  is obtained by means of a spring simply pushing the case  12  against the frame  11  after having inserted the lower mushrooms shaped coupling means  14  into their seats in the case  12 . Once in the active position, the U-shaped elements  17  are steadily kept in such position by a block mechanism  21  which can be released through a push button  22 . Conveniently, further, a lock  23  can be added to prevent the possibility of disengagement of the case  12 . Further conveniently, the lock  23  can also at the same time block the locking mechanism of the case  12 , for example realized by a hook  24  which engages a complementary rim in the covershell of the case  12 . 
     In  FIG. 4  the detail of the block mechanism  21  is shown from the back, after removing the covershell of the case  12  (the mechanism is in engaged position, with the U-shaped elements  17  facing downward). As it can be seen in this FIG., each U-shaped element  17  has a spring  25  required to push it in the non-active horizontal position, and a tooth  26  on the back which inserts in the end of a sliding element  27  when the U-shaped element  17  is in active position. The two sliding elements  27  are pushed toward the engagement position respectively by two springs  28 . In this way, when the U-shaped element  17  is pushed in the active position by the action of its spring  25 , the sliding element  27  clicks into the engagement position under the tooth  26 , blocking the U-shaped element  17  into the active position. 
     The push button  22  operates on the sliding elements  27  in such a way that, when it is pushed, it retreats the sliding elements  27  from the engagement position with the U-shaped elements  17  releasing back into the non-active position. 
     As it can be easily seen in the enlarged detail of  FIG. 5 , the push button  22  operates on each sliding element  27  by an inclined plane  29  which slides on a corresponding inclined plane  30  of the sliding element  27 . The lock  23  can operate in a known way to prevent the operation of the push button  22 . 
     As it can be seen in  FIG. 4 , the push button  22  operates also, by the action of springs  31 , a bolt  32  which has a protuberance  33  inserting into a seat in the tooth  18 . In this way, a further protection against the disengagement of the case  12  is provided. 
     At this point it is clear how the objects of the invention have been reached. Having the frame  11  mounted on the motorcycle, it is sufficient to insert the lower hollows  15  in the protruding mushrooms shaped coupling means  14 , which are a position reference, and to push the case  12  from the top against the frame  11  in order to engage the central tooth  18  in the corresponding seat and cause the rotation toward the block or lock position of the U- shaped elements  17  in order to engage the case  12 . In this manner, the case  12  is fixed in at least four points. The case  12  can be disengaged with only one movement by pressing the push button  22  with the lock unlocked. 
     Moreover, the free movement of the U-shaped elements  17  toward the operating position allows engaging the case  12  to the frame  11  even when the lock is already in the block position. 
     The system according to the invention grants high security, stable and reliable engagement, no vibrations and operational easiness. 
     As a matter off course, the description mentioned above refers to one embodiment of the innovative principles of this invention and is an exemplification of such innovative principles only, and does not have to be considered limitative for the scope of the invention hereby claimed. For example, the means which prevent the case  12  to move upward can be different from the tooth  18 . For example, they may include a tooth protruding from the case  12  to insert into the frame  11 . 
     In the embodiment described, the whole mechanism including the movable elements is close to the upper edge of the case  12 , this allows to easily realize a functional assembly including all the movable elements, the handle, the lock, and the push button. The frame  11  can also be different from the tubular frame described.