Method of installing cruise control for a motorcycle

Described is a method of installing a cruise control on a motorcycle. A throttle member of the motorcycle is initially maintained with an installation fixture. The installation fixture may be a cube having six different sized bores to accommodate different sized throttle members. The cruise control is situated to encircle the throttle member and affixed with attachment means (e.g., screws). The throttle member is then attached or reattached to the handlebar thereby allowing the cruise control to control the motorcycle's speed.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The embodiments of the present invention relate to a cruise control for a motorcycle, and more particularly to a method of installing a cruise control on the motorcycle.

BACKGROUND

Automobiles frequently employ cruise controls that enable a driver to select the speed of the automobile and maintain the set speed without depressing the foot pedal or throttle of the automobile. Likewise, attempts have been made to provide cruise controls for motorcycles. Many of the conventional motorcycle cruise controls that are currently available in the marketplace are either inconvenient to use or, in many instances, are unsafe or unreliable. Furthermore, methods of installing the same cruise controls have also proven to be difficult and challenging.

Therefore, there exists a need for a reliable motorcycle cruise control and method of installing the cruise control on the motorcycle wherein the method is not only simple, quick and safe, but also cost efficient such that a rider can conveniently perform the installation in his or her own garage at home.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, one embodiment of the present invention is a method of installing a cruise control on a motorcycle having a throttle member for controlling the motorcycle's speed attached to a handlebar of the motorcycle, the method comprising maintaining the throttle member with an installation fixture; situating the cruise control such that the cruise control substantially encircles a section of the throttle member; affixing the cruise control to the throttle member with attachment means; and attaching the throttle member with the affixed cruise control to the handlebar of the motorcycle.

In other embodiments, a stabilizing element can also be attached to minimize rotation of a cruise control housing. In an after market embodiment, throttle cables may also need to be loosened or detached prior to removing the throttle member from the handlebar, and may also need to be retightened or reconnected after reattaching the throttle member and the affixed cruise control to the handlebar.

Other variations, embodiments, and features of the present invention will become evident from the following detailed description, drawings and claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential character thereof. The presently disclosed embodiments are therefore considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive.

Initial reference is made toFIG. 1, which illustrates a cruise control100described in a commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,250,173 entitled “Cruise Control for a Motorcycle,” Ser. No. 09/217,146, filed Dec. 21, 1998, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes. It is noted that the cruise control100may be installed during production of the motorcycle or may be an after market product that owners or dealers may install. As illustrated inFIG. 1, the cruise control100fits over a handlebar102of a motorcycle (not shown). The handlebar102may or may not support a grip104. The grip104can be leather or textured to provide for extra friction and/or comfort in handling the motorcycle. The grip104covers a throttle member (not shown), which connects with the fuel feeding system (not shown) of the motorcycle through push/pull throttle cables105. Additional details of the relationship between the grip104and the throttle member are provided below.

FIG. 2illustrates a perspective view of the cruise control100showing some of the major components. All components of the cruise control100are depicted in the drawings of U.S. Pat. No. 6,250,173. As shown, the cruise control100includes a detent ring106with multiple holes110and a central opening108. The cruise control100fits over the throttle member via the central opening108whereby screws (not shown) are inserted through the plurality of holes110thereby securing the cruise control100in a fixed position relative to the throttle member. In one embodiment, the detent ring106of the cruise control100has four holes110.

FIG. 3illustrates throttle member112being removed from the handlebar102of the motorcycle. In accordance with conventional practice, the handlebar102of the motorcycle includes a throttle member112, which may or may not have a grip104covering its exterior surface (the figure as illustrated shows the grip104already removed from the handlebar102). The throttle member112connects with the fuel feeding system of the motorcycle through push/pull throttle cables105. While removing either the grip104or the throttle member112, screws or wires, including the push/pull throttle cables105, connected to the throttle member112may also need to be loosened or removed. In some cases, the cruise control can be installed during motorcycle production such that the throttle member112is initially attached to the motorcycle with the cruise control100in place.

FIG. 4illustrates an installation fixture114for maintaining the throttle member112while the cruise control100is being installed thereon. As shown, the installation fixture114is a metallic cube with bores or enlarged holes116on all six sides thereof. Alternatively, the installation fixture114need not be a cube such that it may have as many or as few bores as needed. Also, instead of using an installation fixture114in the form of a cube or other polygonal shapes, the installation fixture114can be a disc (not shown) with a single bore116. In such an embodiment, multiple discs accommodate different sized throttle members. As shown inFIG. 4, the bores116are enlarged holes of a specific dimension based on pre-measured data, and can be machined by lathes, jig borers, milling machines, or other known methods. For example, throttle members112from different motorcycle manufacturers such as Harley-Davidson, Yamaha, and Honda may be removed and measured. The measurements are then used to determine how deep and how wide to drill in order to properly form the bores116corresponding to each manufacturer's throttle member.

FIG. 5illustrates the removed throttle member112being maintained by the installation fixture114. Since the bores116are machined based on the dimensions of different manufacturer's throttle members, one of the bores116of the installation fixture114properly accommodates the throttle member112. The cruise control100is subsequently slipped over the throttle member112until it rests against a surface of the cube side having the proper bore116as illustrated inFIG. 6. Alternatively, the cruise control100may first be placed on the cube surface having the proper bore106so that the throttle member112may be inserted through opening108in the cruise control100and then into the bore106.

FIG. 7illustrates maintaining and centering, with attachment means, the throttle member112relative to the cruise control100. In one embodiment, the attachment means comprises four screws (not shown) which are suitable for being inserted through the holes110of the detent ring106. Other attachment means includes rivets, adhesives and similar items and materials. Initially, the screws are inserted through holes110to make contact with the throttle member112so the screws can be adjusted with a screwdriver118as necessary to maintain and center the throttle member112with respect to the cruise control opening108. In other words, based on acceptable tolerances, the throttle member112is likely able to slightly shift position within the cruise control opening108such that it should be centered within the cruise control opening108prior to attachment of the cruise control100. However, with accurate tolerances, it will not be necessary to center the throttle member112within the opening108. A suitable screw for attaching the cruise control100is a440screw.

FIG. 8illustrates securing and affixing the screws to the throttle member112. Once the throttle member112has been centered by manipulating the screws in the holes110of the detent ring106, they can be securely affixed to the throttle member112. One method is to remove one of the screws from its corresponding hole110and use a drill120to drill a hole (not shown), in alignment with the corresponding hole110, through the throttle member112as shown inFIG. 8. After drilling the necessary hole in the throttle member112, the screw that was previously removed is repositioned and screwed into the newly drilled hole of the throttle member112. Prior to completely tightening the screw, some sealants or adhesives, such as Loc-tite, epoxy, or glue, may be applied to a portion of these screw for a better and more secure fit. The process is then repeated for each other screw individually. In this instance, the process is repeated three more times since the detent ring106has four holes110with four screws. After securing the other screws, the throttle member112with the newly affixed cruise control100, is removed from the installation cube114. If necessary, the inner surface of the throttle member112is de-burred to remove any sharp edges or roughness as a result of the drilling process.

FIG. 9illustrates the throttle member112with the affixed cruise control100being repositioned and reattached to the handlebar102of the motorcycle. Any cables or wires that were removed, including the push/pull throttle cables105of the throttle wire fuel feeding system, may need to be retightened and reconnected. After reattaching and readjusting the throttle cables105, the rotational movement of the throttle member112should also be checked. The grip104covering the exterior surface of the throttle member112can subsequently be reattached (the figure does not show the grip104being reattached but it would look similar to the throttle member112being reattached to the handlebar102of the motorcycle), if there is a grip104covering the throttle member112.

FIG. 10illustrates the addition of a stabilizing member122to the handlebar102of the motorcycle. The stabilizing member122is a metal or plastic piece that is installed on the handlebar102between the throttle member112and the cruise control100in order to prevent the housing101of the newly installed throttle member112from rotating relative to the throttle member112. In other words, the design of the cruise control100is such that the housing101may, under some circumstances (e.g., when not activated), freely rotate in relation to the detent ring106, which is fixed to the throttle member112by the screws.

FIG. 11illustrates a perspective view of the stabilizing member122ofFIG. 10. The body124of the stabilizing member122is straight and sits beneath the handlebar102as illustrated inFIG. 10. However, the body124of the stabilizing member122can take on any shape or form as necessary in order to situate inconspicuously beneath the handlebar102of the motorcycle and to accommodate various motorcycle designs. The stabilizing member122also includes holes126whereby additional screws (not shown) can be used to fasten the stabilizing member122. In one instance, the stabilizing member122can be fastened to the throttle member112. Alternatively, the stabilizing member122can be fastened to the cruise control100. After the stabilizing member122has been installed, one or more of the throttle push/pull cables105for controlling the wire fuel feeding system are fed through the fork128thereby preventing the housing101of the cruise control100from rotating relative to the throttle member112.