STORAGE DEVICE ON MOTORCYCLE

Abstract: A motorcycle has a rear frame (2) extending longitudinally centrally through a motorcycle body and inclined rearwardly from a lower position to an upper position below a driver's seat (11). A storage device on the motorcycle includes a container (30) disposed below the driver's seat and having a bottom wall (34) having a bulging portion (36) avoiding a portion (2c) of the rear frame, and a side wall (31) extending upwardly from a peripheral edge of the bottom wall and surrounding the bottom wall, the side wall including an upper portion defining an opening which opens toward the driver's seat, hinge means (13) through which the driver's seat is coupled to the storage device so as to serve as a cover which is openable and closable with respect to the opening.

Description: The present invention relates to a motorcycle having a storage container, and more particularly to a relatively small-size motorcycle such as a scooter having a storage space for effectively storing a comparatively bulky article such as a driver's helmet. There have been proposed a variety of motorcycles having storage spaces. Small-size motor-cycles such as scooters include relatively large components such as a fuel tank positioned in the rear part of the motorcycle body. As a result, it is difficult to provide a space for storing a large article such as a helmet in the motorcycle body itself, because of the required aerodynamic design and frame rigidity thereof. Such a storage space can only be defined below the driver's seat or saddle. A storage space having a substantially flat bottom for receiving an article to be stored could be provided below the driver's seat, above a rear frame extending beneath the seat, but this would result in an increased seat height. In order to reduce the seat height, the rear frame underneath the seat could be composed of two laterally spaced side members positioned above the bottom of a storage space and extending alongside the storage space. With this modification, however, the motorcycle body would not be of a narrow compact size, but of an increased width. One known helmet storage arrangement in a motorcycle is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication No. 59-26089 published February 17, 1984. In this disclosure a storage space is provided below the driver's seat, the storage space having a size larger than the outer profile of a helmet to be stored therein. The motorcycle also includes a fuel tank disposed in the storage space and having a substantially hemispherical shape complementary to the inner profile of the helmet. A helmet stored in the storage space below the seat also covers the fuel tank. Although in this arrangement the space beneath the seat is used as the helmet storage space, the fuel tank is limited in its volume since it is disposed in the helmet storage space and its outer shape is limited by the inner dimensions of the helmet. This publication also shows a different embodiment in which the fuel tank is shaped to increase its volume within the storage space. According to this alternative, the fuel tank includes a main tank portion which is of a bulging shape for supporting the helmet thereon in interfitting relation, and an auxiliary tank portion communicating with the main tank portion which is doughnut-shaped and surrounds the lower part of the main tank portion. The helmet stored in this storage space has its lower peripheral edge portion received in the recess defined between the main tank portion and the doughnut-shaped auxiliary tank portion. While this modified fuel tank is of an increased volume, its shape is however complex and the storage space lacks versatility since articles other than a helmet cannot readily be stored therein. In view of these drawbacks, it is an object of the present invention to provide a motorcycle with a storage container of a size which is sufficient to store a helmet or similarly bulky article, while utilizing a driver's seat as a cover for the storage container, so that the storage container can be of a useful size while retaining a good appearance of the motorcycle. US-A-4487283 discloses a motorcycle having a rear frame extending longitudinally centrally through the motorcycle body and inclined rearwardly from a lower position to an upper position below a driver's seat, and an upwardly open storage container located beneath the said seat, the seat being hingedly mounted to serve as an openable and closable top cover for said storage container. However, this storage container is only a battery box and is thus not capable of receiving a helmet. The present invention is characterised in that the said storage container is of bifurcated configuration having two opposite side portions which extend downwardly one on each side of the rear frame, a portion of the bottom wall of the container between said side portions thereof bulging upwardly to avoid said frame, and a side wall of the container extending upwardly from a peripheral edge of the bottom wall thereof and surrounding said bottom wall and having an upper portion which defines the top opening of the container, whereby a driver's helmet may be stored in said storage container with the said bulging portion of the container bottom wall inside the helmet and the side portions of the helmet received in the said downwardly extending side portions of the container. Two embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the relevant parts of a motorcycle according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a plan view of the motorcycle of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the relevant parts of a motorcycle according to a second embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V of FIG. 4; FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a rear cover which partly defines the storage container in this second embodiment; and FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a storage tray of the storage container of the second embodiment. FIG. 1 shows in side elevation a rear portion of a motorcycle equipped with a storage container in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, a main frame 1 of the motorcycle is in the form of a single pipe with its rear end joined to the front side of a lower end 2a of a rear frame 2 which is of an inverted L shape as viewed in side elevation. The rear frame 2 comprises a front portion 2b inclined rearwardly from the lower end 2a to an upper position, a curved junction portion 2c contiguous to the upper end of the front portion 2b and positioned at the top of the L shape, and a rear portion 2d extending slightly upwardly from the curved portion 2c but substantially rearwardly horizontally. The rear frame 2 is constructed of a single tubular component in the form of a pipe or two joined pieces pressed from steel sheet. The frames 1, 2 extend longitudinally of the motorcycle body in a substantially central area relative to the transverse direction of the motorcycle body, as shown in FIG. 2. A rear stay 3 of a U shape as viewed in plan has a pair of laterally spaced bars 3a having front ends 3b fastened by bolts 4 to the opposite sides of the rear frame 2 where the curved portion 2c and the rear portion 2d are joined to each other. A bracket 5 is mounted on the rear side of the lower end 2a of the rear frame 2, and a swingable power unit 8 comprising an engine 6 and a transmission case 7 has a front portion pivotally joined by a link 9 to the bracket 5. A rear wheel 100 is rotatably mounted on a rear portion of the transmission case 7, which has a bracket 7a connected to the lower end of a rear cushioning unit 10 with its upper end coupled to the attachment bolt 4 fastened to the front end 3b of one of the bars 3a of the U-shaped rear stay 3. The rear cushioning unit 10 therefore supports the power unit 8 in a cantilevered fashion, and has its upper end supported, together with the front ends 3b of the rear stay 3, on the rear frame 2. The rear frame 2 doubles as a support post for a driver's seat 11 and for a storage container 30. The storage container 30 is disposed above the front portion 2b of the rear frame 2 and on the curved portion 2c and the rear portion 2d thereof, the storage container 30 opening upwardly. The storage container 30 is of substantially the same width as that of the seat 11 and has a longitudinal dimension rather smaller than that of the seat 11. The storage container 30 is in the form of a container which includes a surrounding side wall 31 having a front panel curved and reduced in width in complementary relation to the shape of the seat 11 as viewed in plan, and a rear panel extending laterally outwardly and increased in width. The storage container 30 has a bottom wall 34 including a front portion 35 displaced deeply downwardly and a rear portion 38 higher than the front portion 35. More specifically, the bottom wall 34, and thus also the container itself, is of bifurcated configuration, including a first bulging portion 36 disposed centrally in the transverse direction of the bottom wall 34 and bulging upwardly from the front portion 35 to allow the curved portion 2c of the rear frame 2 to extend therein in the longitudinal direction, a pair of laterally spaced side portions 35 disposed one on each side of the bulging portion 36 and depending downwardly therefrom to a boundary area between the front and curved portions 2b, 2c of the rear frame 2, and a joint bottom portion 37 located at the lower end of the bulging portion 36 at the same level as the side portions 35 and interconnecting the front ends of the side portions 35 flatwise at the boundary area. The rear portion 38 of the bottom wall 34 has a second bulging portion 39 located at substantially the same level as the rear portion 2d of the rear frame 2 and bulging upwardly to allow an upper portion of the rear portion 2d to extend therein. The extent to which the second bulging portion 39 bulges upwardly is relatively small, so that the rear portion 38 is substantially flat in its entirety. The front portion 35 and rear portion 38 of the bottom wall 34 of the storage device 30 are joined to each other by means of a curved portion 40 behind which the bolt 4 connecting the upper end of the rear cushioning unit 10 to the rear frame 2 is positioned. The side wall 31 of the storage container 30 includes a rear wall panel 32 behind which there is disposed a substantially cubic auxiliary container 33 which is joined to the rear surface of the rear wall panel 32. The auxiliary container 33 opens upwardly and serves as a battery storage box with a battery 12 stored therein. The storage container 30 thus constructed can be installed on the rear frame 2 in the following manner. Attachment legs 41 extend downwardly from inner panel portions of the depending side portions 35, i.e., from outer panel portions of the central bulging portion 36. The attachment legs 41 are held in sandwiching relation to the upper end of the front frame portion 2b and fastened by bolts 42 to the lateral panels of the lower portion of the curved portion 2c of the rear frame 2. Attachment legs 43 project from the rear wall panel 32 laterally of the bulging portion 39 of the rear bottom wall portion 38. The attachment legs 43 are fastened to the rear portion 2d of the rear frame 2 by bolts 44 which are downwardly applied. The storage container 30 is thus installed astride the curved portion 2c and the rear portion 2d of the rear frame 2. A bracket 46a projects forwardly from an upper portion of a front wall panel 45 of the side wall 31. A bracket 46b on the front end of the seat 11 is pivotally joined to the bracket 46a by means of a pin 13. The brackets 46a, 46b and the pin 13 jointly constitute a hinge means. The bottom panel 11a of the seat 11 thus serves a cover for openably covering the upper opening of the storage container 30. The bottom panel 11a of the seat 11 extends rearwardly in overhanging relation to the auxiliary container 33 and a fuel tank 14 (described below). The fuel tank 14 is positioned behind the auxiliary container 33. As shown in FIG. 2, the fuel tank 12 has a lower portion surrounded by the rear stay 3. An oil tank 15 is positioned laterally of the auxiliary container 33 which is of a reduced width. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the oil tank 15 is of a shape extending downwardly from one side of the auxiliary container 33 and then inwardly around the bar 3a of the rear stay 3 below the bar 3a, thus achieving a required tank volume. The tanks 14, 15 have bottoms disposed over the top 16a of a rear fender 16. The rear frame 2, the storage container 30, the auxiliary container 33, and the tanks 14, 15 are laterally surrounded by a rear cover 17 on which a carrier 18 is mounted. Since the single rear frame 2 extends longitudinally through the center of the bottom wall of the storage container 30, the width of the storage container 30 may be the same as or larger than the width of the seat 11. Therefore, the storage space in the storage container 30 is large for high storage capability. For example, if a helmet A with a projecting sun visor is to he stored in the storage container 30 as shown in FIG. 1, the opposite depending pieces of the helmet are inserted toward the depending side portions 35 of the bottom wall 34 with the first bulging portion 36 projecting into the space in the helmet A, and the sun visor placed on the rear portion 38 of the bottom wall 34. The helmet A thus positioned is stably stored in the storage container 30. A storage container 300 for a motorcycle according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 through 7. As shown in FIG. 4, the storage container 300 is positioned on a rear frame 20 of the motorcycle which is illustrated as a scooter, the rear frame 20 being inclined rearwardly from a lower position to an upper position within a rear cover 118 of the motorcycle. As illustrated in FIG. 6, a U-shaped stay 102 extending laterally is mounted on a front end of a rear portion 20e of the rear frame 20. The stay 102 has a pair of bars projecting laterally from the rear frame portion 20e and having two upstanding arms 102a with their upper ends bent outwardly away from each other. The bent upper ends of the upstanding arms 102a are positioned over and held in engagement with the upper edges of side members 118a of the rear cover 118. The rear cover 118 defines a space S opening upwardly and disposed below a driver's seat 11. A fuel tank 114 is disposed in a rear portion of the rear cover 118 and has a shape including a portion extending downwardly on one side of the rear portion of the rear frame 20. A shallow container unit or tray 130 as shown in FIG. 7 is disposed in the space S. The container unit 130 is again bifurcated, having a bottom wall 134 including an upwardly bulging portion 136 positioned centrally in the transverse direction of the container unit 130 and fitting complementarily over the rear frame 20. The container unit 130 also has a pair of laterally spaced side walls 131 having respective recessed portions 132 extending vertically and displaced transversely toward each other into the container unit 130. The recessed portions 132 are fitted respectively over the upstanding arms 102a of the stay 102. The container unit 130 is disposed in the space S which is defined by the rear frame 20, the stay 102, and the side members 118a and the rear wall 118b of the rear cover 118. The container unit 130 may be a molded component shaped complementarily to a configuration composed of the rear frame 20, the stay 102, and the side members 118a and the rear wall 118b of the rear cover 118. As shown in FIG. 6, the rear cover 118 is composed of two separate bodies. The seat 11 is hinged to the rear frame 20 by brackets 113 projecting upwardly from the rear end of the rear frame 20 and brackets 11b projecting downwardly from the rear end of the bottom panel 11a of the seat 11, the brackets 113, 11b being pivotally joined by a bolt 103. The storage container 300 of the second embodiment includes a portion of the rear cover 118 and has a sufficient storage space for storing a helmet or other article. While the rear frame 20 in the second embodiment is shown as being a single component, it may be constructed of a plurality of joined pipes. With the arrangement of the present embodiments, the storage container disposed below the driver's seat which serves as the cover is not limited in width by the rear frame which extends centrally through the storage container. Therefore, the width of the storage container may be selected to cover the width of the motorcycle or the seat thereof. The depending side portions of the bottom wall of the storage container may be of a desired shape which is not affected by the rear frame, thereby allowing the storage container to have increased utility for storing objects therein. The depending side portions of the bottom wall of the storage container positioned in dead spaces located on opposite sides of the rear space. The storage containers of the embodiments are thus advantageous in effective utilization of the available space in the motorcycle. A helmet can be stably stored in the storage container because it is partly received in the depending side portions and on the rear portion of the rear frame.

Claims: A motorcycle having a rear frame (2;20) extending longitudinally centrally through the motorcycle body and inclined rearwardly from a lower position to an upper position below a driver's seat (11), and an upwardly open storage container (30;300) located beneath the said seat, the seat being hingedly mounted to serve as an openable and closable top cover for said storage container, characterised in that the said storage container is of bifurcated configuration having two opposite side portions which extend downwardly one on each side of the rear frame, a portion (36;136) of the bottom wall (34;134) of the container between said side portions thereof bulging upwardly to avoid said frame, and a side wall (31;131,118a) of the container extending upwardly from a peripheral edge of the bottom wall thereof and surrounding said bottom wall and having an upper portion which defines the top opening of the container, whereby a driver's helmet may be stored in said storage container with the said bulging portion of the container bottom wall inside the helmet and the side portions of the helmet received in the said downwardly extending side portions of the container. A motorcycle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said storage container (30;300) is at least as wide as the driver's seat (11). A motorcycle as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the said rear frame (2;20) has an upwardly and rearwardly inclined portion (2b;20) located below the front end region of the driver's seat (11) and a rearward portion (2d;20e) connected to said inclined portion and extending rearwardly beneath the said seat. A motorcycle as claimed in claim 3, wherein the said bifurcated portion of the storage container (30) is a forward portion thereof located below the front end region of the driver's seat (11) and the said two opposite side portions thereof extend downwardly one on each side of the junction (2c) between the said inclined (2b) and rearward (2d) portions of the rear frame (2). A motorcycle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the bottom wall (34) of the storage container comprises a joint bottom wall portion (37) interconnecting front ends of said opposite side portions, and an upper bottom wall portion (38) positioned higher than said joint bottom portion and rearwardly thereof. A motorcycle as claimed in claim 5, wherein a cushioning unit (10) for the power unit (8) of the motorcycle has its top end located below said upper bottom wall portion (38). A motorcycle as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein said bottom wall (34) has a pair of first attachment legs (41) extending downwardly therefrom near said joint bottom portion (37), said first attachment legs sandwiching an upper end portion of said inclined frame portion (2b) therebetween and being fastened to each other by a bolt (42), said upper bottom portion (38) having a second attachment leg (43) on a rear portion thereof, said second attachment leg being fastened by a bolt (44) to said rearward frame portion (2d) extending therebelow. A motorcycle as claimed in any of claims 4 to 7, wherein said storage container (30) includes a side wall (31) having a front panel (45) and a rear panel (32), said side wall having a cross-sectional shape which is of an outer profile that is substantially the same as the shape of said driver's seat (11) as viewed in plan. A motorcycle as claimed in claim 8, wherein said rear panel (32) of the side wall (31) of the storage container (30) has a substantially cubic auxiliary container (33) joined to a rear surface thereof, and said rear frame (2) includes a rear stay (3), of U-shape as viewed in plan, coupled to a rear end of said rearward frame portion (2d), said auxiliary container and a fuel tank (14) being disposed within said rear stay. A motorcycle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the said driver's seat (11) is hinged to the said storage container (30). A motorcycle as claimed in claim 10, wherein the hinge comprises a first bracket (46b) mounted on a front end of said driver's seat (11), a second bracket (46a) projecting forwardly from an upper end of a front panel (45) of the side wall (31) of the storage container (30), and a pin (13) by which said first and second brackets are pivotally joined to each other. A motorcycle as claimed in any preceding claim, including an oil tank (15) having an upper portion with a filling opening extending vertically adjacent the side wall (31) of the storage container (30), and a lower storage portion (35) extending laterally beneath a portion of the storage container. A motorcycle as claimed in claims 5 and 12, wherein the said lower storage portion (35) of the oil tank (15) extends below the said upper bottom wall portion (38) of the storage container (30). A motorcycle as claimed in claim 3, wherein the said bifurcated portion of the storage container (300) extends rearwardly along the said rearward portion (20e) of the rear frame (20) from a location close to the junction between the said inclined (20) and rearward portions of the frame. A motorcycle as claimed in any preceding claim, further including a rear cover (17;118) having a surrounding side wall defining a space which at least partially defines said storage container (30;300). A motorcycle as claimed in claims 14 and 15, wherein the said rear cover (118) has a surrounding side wall (118a,118b) and the said storage container (300) comprises an upper container portion which is defined by the said surrounding side wall of the rear cover, and a lower container portion in the form of a tray (130) having a bottom wall (134) formed with the said bulging portion (136) and a side wall (131) extending upwardly from a peripheral edge of said bottom wall and fitting within the said side wall of the rear cover. A motorcycle as claimed in claim 16, further including a stay (102) having a pair of bars projecting laterally from said rearward portion (20e) of rear frame (20) and a pair of upstanding arms (102a) extending upwardly from outer ends of said bars, respectively, and having upper ends engaging upper edges of said side wall (118a) of the rear cover (118), a bracket (113) mounted on said rearward portion of said rear frame, a further bracket (11b) mounted on a rear end of said driver's seat (11), and a pin (103) by which said brackets are pivotally coupled to each other.

Inventors: KITASEI, YASUJI
Applicants: HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1987
Main classification: B62J11
IPC codes: B62J11, B62J9, B62K19