Retractable bipod motorcycle stand

A retractable powered bipod motorcycle stand, attaching below a frame of a motorcycle, retracts and extends below the motorcycle to maintain the motorcycle in a upright position, the motorcycle stand being remotely controlled under power to retract and extend from a travel position to a parked position and back, the retractable motorcycle stand providing an upper mounting frame assembly attached below the motorcycle frame, a bipod lower leg assembly rotating between an elevated position and an extended position, a shaft providing a pivotal relationship between the upper mounting frame assembly and the lower leg assembly, a pusher assembly driving a drive gear attached to the shaft to provide forced rotation of the lower leg assembly, the pusher assembly attaching to a remote activated actuator to provide linear movement to the pusher assembly to drive the pusher assembly in a forward and reverse position to raise and lower the lower leg assembly under intentional force by a remote activation means.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

I. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

A retractable powered bipod motorcycle stand, attaching below a frame of a motorcycle, retracts and extends below the motorcycle to maintain the motorcycle in a upright position, the motorcycle stand being remotely controlled under power to retract and extend from a travel position to a parked position and back, the retractable motorcycle stand providing an upper mounting frame assembly attached below the motorcycle frame, a bipod lower leg assembly rotating between an elevated position and an extended position, a shaft providing a pivotal relationship between the upper mounting frame assembly and the lower leg assembly, a pusher assembly driving a drive gear attached to the shaft to provide forced rotation of the lower leg assembly, the pusher assembly attaching to a remote activated actuator to provide linear movement to the pusher assembly to drive the pusher assembly in a forward and reverse position to raise and lower the lower leg assembly under intentional force by a remote activation means.

2. Description of Prior Art

A preliminary review of prior art patents was conducted by the applicant which reveal prior art patents in a similar field or having similar use. However, the prior art inventions do not disclose the same or similar elements as the present retractable powered bipod motorcycle stand, nor do they present the material components in a manner contemplated or anticipated in the prior art.

Stationary motorcycle stands are indicated in several prior art patents, intended to stabilize the vertical stability of the stationary motorcycle. These are independent from the motorcycle and are designed to engage the motorcycle frame or the motorcycle axles. This prior art includes U.S. U.S. Pat. No. 7,028,850 to Sargisian, No. 82991841 to Correia de Castro, U.S. Pat. No. 8,616,514 to Baxter, and U.S. Pat. No. 9,180,922 to Glover.

Remotely powered motorcycle stand incorporated into the motorcycle are also presented in prior art. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,679,054 to Doveri, a hydraulic actuator pivots a stand from a standing position to a resting position. This device focuses on the actuator, which could be used in the present device, but is not essential to the subject matter of the present bipod stand, which instead focuses on the retractable stand and its distinct components. A two-legged balancing stand defines two wheeled legs that expand and retract by an upper housing to raise or lower the two legs independently to present the stationary motorcycle into a vertical position, the device using a hydraulic pump to inject fluid into each hydraulic cylinder comprising each leg of the stand. Again, a hydraulic cylinder can be incorporated into the present stand, but in a distinctly different stand application and component structure and operation as the present stand. In U.S. patent, an actuator acting as a strut is used to raise and lower a side stand, which is only lowered when the motorcycle is placed in a neutral gear. See also, U.S. Pat. No. 7,681,902 to Suzuki. A worn-driven actuator raises and lowers a single leg stand in U.S. Pat. No. 7,584,979 to LaBonte, using an assembly comprising a stationary upper assembly mounted to a motorcycle and a moving lower assembly for ground contact. The stationary assembly includes a horizontal driven shaft coupled to an electric motor (coupled). Using gear reduction, torque is transferred from the horizontal shaft to a vertical screw shaft that extends to a ground contact position and retracts into a protective housing. The vertical screw shaft is pinned so that it does not rotate and is restricted to linear movement. Its component composition and function are distinguished from the present motorcycle retractable bipod stand.

II. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Motorcycle stands are included in motorcycles to retain the motorcycle in a relative vertical position when they are parked. Without them, the motorcycle would be laid upon its side. When there is no rider. Most motorcycles come with a kickstand that is raised and lowered by the rider, placed downward in a vertical position below the motorcycle frame when the rider chooses to park the motorcycle and raised by the motorcycle prior to placing the motorcycle in motion manually. The motorcycle also may use an auxiliary motorcycle support to maintain a vertical orientation for repairs, as seen in the stationary stand not attached to the motorcycle in the prior art. These are commonly referenced by those skilled in the art as a jack stand.

Several motorcycle stands seen in the prior art use various components and means to raise and lower an on-board stand system to retain the motorcycle in a vertical position while parked, also seen in the prior art. However, they do not demonstrate the motorcycle stand having a lower base plate assembly mounting to the lower frame of a motorcycle that employ a remote controlled actuator which provides horizontal movement to a push plate assembly having a lower surface providing a plurality of horizontally aligned gear teeth extensions, a leg assembly pivotally attaching to the base plate assembly by a square profiled pivot shaft, the pivot shaft providing a cylindrical gear extension on a lateral end engaging the horizontal gear teeth extensions of the push plate assembly, the gear teeth and the cylindrical gear extension acting to compel the leg assembly from a raised to a lowered position and reversed, with the push plate sliding horizontally as compelled by the actuator rotating the leg assembly. The leg assembly provides a bipod ground support which places the motorcycle in a vertical stabilized stationary position.

IV. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A retractable motorcycle stand10, applied to a cross-member B of a motorcycle frame A, is shown inFIGS. 1-7of the drawing figures. The purpose of the present retractable motorcycle stand10is to provide a remotely activated stable laterally-oriented bipod stand to support the motorcycle when parked in a vertical position. The retractable motorcycle stand10comprises four interacting components which are remotely activated using an actuator C which extends between a stationary end D and an actuator extension E providing a horizontal linear motion to extend and retract the retractable motorcycle stand10from an elevated position to an extended position with movement between those two positions at approximately 90 degrees.

The four basic components of the retractable motorcycle stand10include an upper mounting frame assembly20,FIGS. 1-3, and securing to the cross-member B of the motorcycle frame A below the motorcycle,FIG. 6, a lower leg assembly200,FIG. 4, pivotally attaching to the upper mounting frame assembly10by a cylindrical axle shaft60,FIG. 7, defining a non-rounded first end62secured to a drive gear70extending a plurality of radial drive gear teeth71, the drive gear70rotating on a vertical axis while secured to the axle shaft60, the axle shaft60further securing to the lower leg assembly200in an attached manner so that the lower leg assembly200rotates with the axle shaft60while the axle shaft60rotates freely within the upper mounting frame assembly20, and a pusher assembly100, sliding forward and backward in a horizontal line within the upper mounting frame assembly20, the pusher member100,FIG. 5, defining a pusher drive plate135having a lower surface136defining a plurality of uniform depending pusher drive teeth138engaging the radial gear teeth71of the drive gear70, wherein the linear extension of the pusher member assembly100forces rotation of the drive gear70, in turn rotating the lower leg assembly200from the elevated position to the extended position and linear withdrawal of the pusher member assembly100rotates the lower leg assembly200from the extended position to the elevated position, the linear movement of the pusher member assembly100compelled by the activation of the actuator C. The motorcycle frame B and the actuator C are not included within the claimed subject matter of the retractable motorcycle stand10deferring to those subject matter to the prior art, but including them in the disclosure of the movements and interactions of the present retractable motorcycle stand10.

Upper mounting frame assembly20, in a preferred embodiment shown inFIG. 3, provides a base plate30defining an upper surface31providing a lateral frame clamp channel32and a rear frame channel ridge34, a lower surface33, and extends a pair of rear axle brackets36defining aligned rounded transverse axle bores38. The base plate30further defines a plurality of base plate bores35. A top plate40defining a plurality of threaded rear top plate bores45and at least two threaded spacer bores48is secured above the base plate30by a plurality of threaded clamp bolts90which insert through each base plate bore35and engages each respective aligned threaded top plate bore45or threaded spacer bore48. The top plate40further defines an upper surface42and a lower surface46. A front spacer47defining a pair of smooth spacer bores49is placed between the top plate40and the base plate30, with a clamp bolt90inserted through each respective base plate bore35, through the front spacer and engaging each respective front spacer bore48. The connection of the top plate40, front spacer47and the base plate30securely capture and secure to the cross member B of the motorcycle frame A, with the cross-member B located within the lateral frame clamp channel32, against the rear frame channel ridge34, the and against the front spacer47, with the components constructed in such manner as dimensionally adapting to the cross-member B of the motorcycle frame A or the motorcycle cross member B adapting to the provided components of the upper mounting frame assembly20. The upper surface42of the top plate40further defines a pusher channel41with a pusher assembly recess43, the pusher assembly recess43defining a plurality of pusher assembly bores44. The upper mounting frame assembly20is stationary and immovable once secured to the cross member B of the motorcycle frame A during operation and use.

The lower leg assembly200, as shown in the preferred embodiment ofFIG. 4, further comprises a frame support member202extending a pair of lateral upper axle brackets204providing non-rounded axle bores206, an upper stop ridge203, the frame support member202depending a pair of lateral lower leg extensions210, each lower leg extension210providing a lower end212with at least two threaded spacer bores214. Each threaded spacer bore214is provided to receive a spacer bolt94which attach one or more optional elevation spacers220to increase the length of each respective lower leg extension210to provide each lower leg extension210with an adaptable length depending on the height of the motorcycle frame A, making the retractable motorcycle stand A adaptable to different motorcycles by adding elevation spacers220to each respective lower leg extension210to properly level the motorcycle while parked.

The cylindrical axle shaft60, shown in a preferred embodiment ofFIG. 7, further comprises the non-rounded first end62having an threaded axle bore63and a non-rounded second end64having a threaded axle bore65. The non-rounded first end attaches through to the non-rounded gear axle bore72defined within the drive gear70, securing the drive gear70to the first end62, held in place by an axle bolt69through an axle washer76secured within the threaded axle bore63of the first end62. The non-rounded first end62also engages one of the non-rounded axle bores206of the upper axle bracket204of the lower leg assembly200. The non-rounded second end64attaches to a non-rounded axle end recess68within an axle sleeve cap66further defining a cap expansion67, the axle sleeve cap66held onto the second end64by an axle bolt69through the axle sleeve cap66secured within the threaded axle bore65of the second end64. The non-rounded second end64also engages the other non-rounded axle bore206of the upper axle bracket204of the lower leg assembly200. The cylindrical axle shaft60, as previously defined, rotates freely within the rounded axle bore38of the rear axle brackets36, which lie in between the upper axle brackets204of the lower leg extension200when engaging the axle shaft60. This provides the cylindrical axle shaft60freely rotating within both rear axle brackets36, while secured by inclusion of the non-rounded first end62to the drive gear70and one non-rounded axle bore206of the upper axle bracket204and the non-rounded second end64to the non-rounded axle end recess68of the axle sleeve cap66and the other non-rounded axle bore206of other upper axle bracket204.

The pusher assembly100, shown in a preferred embodiment ofFIG. 5, further defines a U-shaped pusher support collar110, a pusher alignment shim120and a pusher member130. The U-shaped pusher support collar110defines a slide channel keeper112with a plurality of collar bores114, an inner threaded rear front limiter bore116and a lower surface118. The pusher alignment shim120further defines an upper surface122, a lower surface124, a plurality of shim bores126matching the orientation of the plurality of collar bores114of the U-shaped pusher support collar110, and a pair of depending lateral guide extensions128. The upper surface122of the pusher alignment shim120is placed against the lower surface118of the U-shaped pusher support collar110with the lower surface124of the pusher alignment shim120located within the pusher assembly recess43of the top plate40. Pusher collar bolts92are secured through the aligned collar bores114of the U-shaped support collar110, the shim bores126of the pusher alignment shim120and within the threaded pusher assembly bores44of the top plate40to secure the U-shaped support collar110and pusher alignment shim120within the pusher assembly recess43, with the lateral guide extensions128extending below the slide channel keeper112.

The pusher member130further comprises a pair of actuator bracket extensions131having aligned transverse actuator bores132, a horizontal limiter slide bore134, and the rear extending pusher drive plate135defining the lower surface136providing the plurality of pusher drive teeth138. The pusher member130is contained within the slide channel keeper112, limiting the movement of the pusher member130to a forward to rear sliding horizontal linear movement. The pusher member130is further restricted in distance of forward to rear sliding horizontal linear movement by a limiter140. The limiter140is further defined by a threaded end142which inserts through the limiter slide bore134and secures within the front limiter bore116of the U-shaped pusher support collar110, the limiter140further extending a smooth limiter shaft144within which the limiter slide bore134of the pusher member130slides, with a limiter stop148terminating into a limiter expansion head146which provides a rear sliding limitation to the pusher member130.

When assembled, the pusher member130is compelled to slide forward and backward within the upper mounting frame assembly20by the actuator C,FIG. 6, the actuator extension E of the actuator C secured within the actuator bracket extension131of the pusher member130while the stationary end D of the actuator C is secured to another location, either within the retractable motorcycle stand10or the motorcycle frame A. The actuator C would be extended and contracted by a remote activator means, not shown. When the actuator C is retracted, the lower leg assembly200pivots into the elevated position (horizontal) and when the actuator C is extended, the lower leg assembly200is deployed into the extended position (vertical). This is caused by the rear driven interaction of the pusher drive teeth138of the pusher drive plate135engaging the radial gear teeth71of the drive gear70, forcing rotation of the drive gear70and the axle shaft60which in turn forces rotation of the lower leg assembly200downward. The forward withdrawal of the pusher drive teeth138reverses the direction of the drive gear70, forcing an opposite rotation of the drive gear70and the axle shaft60which in turn forces rotation of the lower leg assembly200upward. The limiter140is included to limit the range of motion of the pusher member130to a predetermined and measured rotation of the lower leg assembly200to prevent over rotation of the lower leg assembly200between the elevated position and the extended position.

To prevent secondary over-rotation of the lower leg assembly200, there is a stop limitation provided by an interaction between the upper stop ridge203of the lower leg assembly200, which limits the rotation of the lower leg assembly200to a lower 90 degree angle by contact with the lower surface33of the base plate30. The lower leg assembly200also cannot extend beyond an upper 90 degree angle due to the limitation restriction between the frame support member202of the lower leg assembly200and the upper mounting frame assembly20, but the upper 90 degree angle is an angle not contemplated within the operational movement of the retractable motorcycle stand10.

Installation of the retractable motorcycle stand10consisting first by attaching the upper mounting frame assembly20to a selected cross frame support member B below the motorcycle frame A at a desired location,FIG. 6. Next, the actuator C is attached to the actuator bracket extension131and the pusher drive plate135and the drive gear70are set in relative position to place the lower leg assembly200in the extended position when the actuator C is extended and in the elevated position when the actuator C is withdrawn, placing the lower leg assembly200in line with the upper mounting frame assembly20in the elevated position and the lower leg assembly200at a 90 degree lower angle with the upper mounting frame assembly20in the extended position. Once again, the operation of the actuator C is preferably by a remote means. There may be some type of override system built into the remote means to prevent movement of the retractable motorcycle assembly during engagement of the transmission in an operating mode.

The objective benefits of the retractable motorcycle assembly10is provided in the lower leg assembly200providing greater stability of the present motorcycle stand10over prior art motorcycle stand that have a singular contact with the ground. Another benefit is provided in the level orientation provided by the present motorcycle stand10when in the extended position, placing the motorcycle in a near, if not exacting vertical position. A third benefit is provided in the interaction of the pusher member130and the pusher drive plate135with the linear pusher drive teeth138being extended along a horizontal linear pathway urging rotation of the radial gear teeth71of the drive gear70attached to the lower leg assembly200by the present axle shaft60rotating the lower leg assembly200under intentional user directed force between the elevated and extended positions, preventing accidental or incidental movement of the retractable motorcycle stand10unless intended by the motorcycle operator. Other benefits of the present retractable motorcycle stand10will be observed by those skilled in the art of motorcycle stand over the prior art. Thus, while the retractable motorcycle stand10has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.