Abstract:
An automated side stand for a two wheeled vehicle. A side stand assembly comprises a rotatable strut and an actuator attachable to the frame of a vehicle having two wheels. The actuator operates to rotate the strut between an up position and a down position. In the down position, the strut comes in contact with the ground and maintains the vehicle in a substantially upright position. The side stand assembly may sense when a transmission of the vehicle is in a neutral position and allow operation of the assembly only in neutral. When the vehicle is not in neutral, the actuator moves the strut to the up position and locks the side stand assembly.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/543,998, filed on Feb. 13, 2004, the contents of which are incorporated herein fully by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a two-wheel vehicle, for example, a motorcycle or a scooter. More particularly, the invention related to a two-wheel vehicle with an automatically-activated side stand. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A two-wheel vehicle may have a side stand, a center stand, or both, which rotate relative to the vehicle from between a “down” position and an “up” position. When the vehicle rider controls the vehicle motion, the side stand or center stand is usually maintained in the up position. When the rider dismounts from the vehicle, the side stand or center stand is usually maintained in the down position to keep the vehicle in a substantially upright position. In this position, the vehicle typically contacts the ground at three points. 
     A center stand typically has two points for contacting the ground. While the center stand is deployed in the down position, one of the vehicle wheels rises. The three points of contact of the vehicle with the ground is the one wheel that did not rise and the two contact points of the center stand. The center stand may be designed to have a horizontal bar at the lowermost position where the center stand contacts the ground. In such a case, only two parts of the vehicle, one wheel and the horizontal bar of the center stand, contact the ground. 
     A side stand generally has one point for contacting the ground. When the side stand is deployed in the down position, the vehicle tilts slightly to the side where the side stand is. In such a case, the vehicle&#39;s three points of contact with the ground are the two wheels and the lowermost point of the side stand. 
     The side stand is typically rotated between the up position and down position by the rider exerting a force with his foot. Hence, the side stand is commonly referred to as a “kick-stand.” 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a side stand assembly for a vehicle having two wheels joined by a frame. The said side stand assembly comprises a first frame mount, a strut pivotally attached to the first frame mount, and an actuator configured to movably attach to the strut. The actuator is operative to rotate the strut between a down position and an up position. 
     In an alternative embodiment, the present invention is for a vehicle comprising two wheels, a frame configured to join the two wheels, and a side stand assembly. The side stand assembly comprises a first frame mount attachable to the frame, a rotatable strut configured to pivotally attach to the first frame mount, and an actuator attachable to the frame. The actuator is configured to movably connect to the rotatable strut and is operative to rotate the strut between a down position and an up position. 
     In yet another embodiment, the present invention comprises a method for operating a side stand assembly for a two-wheeled vehicle. The method comprises the steps of sensing when a transmission of the vehicle is not in a neutral position, moving a strut of the side stand assembly to an up position, and locking the strut of the side stand assembly in the up position. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a side elevation of a two-wheeled vehicle having a kick-stand built in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a partial view of the vehicle of  FIG. 1 , showing the kick-stand in a down position. 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of the components of the kick-stand of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates the strut and actuator of an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference now to the drawings in general, and to  FIG. 1  in particular, there is shown therein a two-wheeled vehicle  10 , for example, a motorcycle or a scooter. The vehicle  10  comprises a frame  12  joining a front wheel  14  and a rear wheel  16 . An engine  18  supported by the frame  12  provides power for the vehicle  10 . The vehicle  10  further comprises a transmission  19  supported by the frame  10 ; the transmission comprising at lease one gear and a neutral position for use in operating the vehicle. A rider/operator (not shown) generally straddles the frame  12 , sitting on a seat  20  and gripping a set of handlebars  22  supported on the frame. The vehicle  10  also comprises an automatic side stand assembly  24  attachable to the frame  12 . 
     The side stand assembly  24  comprises a first frame mount  26 , a strut  28 , and an actuator  30 . The first frame mount  26  is attachable to the frame  12 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the first frame mount  26  is preferably secured to the frame  12  at a bottom of the frame and proximate a mid-line of the frame. The first frame mount  26  may be attached to the frame  12  on either a left side or a right side of the frame. Generally, and as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the mount  26  is secured to the left side of the frame  12 . 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 2 , the strut  28  comprises a pivot point  32 , a pivot arm  34  and a base  36 . The strut  28  is pivotally attached to the first frame mount  26  at the pivot point  32 . Preferably, the strut  28  is rotatable between an up position, (as shown in FIG.  1 ,) and a down position, as shown in  FIG. 2 . In the down position, the base  36  of the strut  28  is positioned to come in contact with the ground as the vehicle  10  is leaned to the left side. When the base  36  contacts the ground, the vehicle  10  is maintained in a substantially upright position with the front wheel  14 , the rear wheel  16 , and the base  36  of the strut  28  as the three contact points with the ground. 
     The actuator  30  operates to move the pivot arm  34  of the strut  28  so that the strut rotates about the pivot point  32 . Preferably, the actuator  30  has a first end  38  and a second end  40 . The actuator  30  is pivotally attached to the pivot arm  34  of the strut  28  at the first end  38  of the actuator. Preferably, the actuator  30  attaches to the pivot arm  34  of the rotatable strut  28  via a ball (or “universal”) joint. At the second end  40  of the actuator  30 , the actuator is attached to the frame  12  of the vehicle  10 . Preferably, the actuator  30  is attached to the frame  12  by way of a second frame mount  42 . The second frame mount  42  may be integrally formed with the actuator  30  or may be separately attachable to the frame  12 . 
     With reference now to  FIG. 3 , there is shown therein a block diagram for the side stand assembly  24  of the present invention. As shown in the drawing, the side stand assembly  24  further comprises a manually operated activation switch  44 , a neutral indicator  46 , and a system lock  48 . The activation switch  44  is preferably located proximate the handle bars  22  and in a position convenient for access by the rider of the vehicle  10 . The activation switch  44  is operatively connected to the system lock  48  and the actuator  30 . By pressing or moving the switch  44 , the rider can operate the side stand assembly  24  to move the strut  28  between the up position and the down position. In the preferred embodiment, the switch  44  comprises a first button to move the strut  28  to the up position and a second button to move the strut to the down position. 
     The neutral indicator  46  is operatively connectable to the vehicle  10  and, more preferably, to the transmission  19 . The neutral indicator  46  functions to indicate when the transmission  19  of the vehicle is in a neutral position. In a preferred embodiment, the neutral indicator  46  is an indicator light (not shown) located proximate the handle bars  22  and operatively connected to the transmission  19 . 
     The system lock  48  is operatively connected to the actuator  30 , the activation switch  44 , and the neutral indicator  46 . The system lock  48  functions to permit the actuator  30 , and the side stand assembly  24 , to be operative only when the vehicle  10  is in neutral. When the neutral indicator  46  indicates that the vehicle  10  is in gear and not in neutral, the system lock  48  causes the actuator  30  to move the strut  28  to the up position and then lock the actuator. If the neutral indicator  46  indicates the vehicle  10  is in neutral, the system lock  48  allows the activation switch  44  to communicate with the actuator  30  so that the strut  28  can be freely moved between the up position and the down position. In the preferred embodiment, the system lock  48  comprises an electrical relay operatively connected to the activation switch  44 , the neutral indicator  46 , and the actuator  30 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , there is shown therein a preferred embodiment for the actuator  30  and the strut  28  of the side stand assembly  24 . In the preferred embodiment, the actuator  30  comprises a fluid actuator. The fluid used may be air, gas, or liquid. More preferably, the actuator  30  comprises a pneumatic actuator. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the actuator  30  may alternatively comprise other fluid actuators such as an hydraulic actuator, or alternatively an electric actuator or other suitable system for pivoting the strut. 
     The actuator  30  preferably comprises a pneumatically activated cylinder  50  or piston that extends to move the pivot arm  34  of the strut  28 . The cylinder  50  further comprises first  52  and second  54  flow control knobs. The flow control knobs  50  and  52  may be used to adjust the rate of retraction and extension of the cylinder  58 , and thereby the speed of rotation of the strut  28 . The cylinder  50  may further comprise a threaded adjuster  56  for setting a desired amount of rotation for the strut. 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 4 , the actuator  30  further comprises a fluid switch  58  and a pump  60  or a fluid-reserve tank, or both. The switch  58  is operatively connected to the cylinder  50  and is adapted to cause the actuator  30  to operate between a first and second mode. In the first mode, the cylinder  50  retracts to pivot the strut  28  to the down position. In the second mode, the cylinder  50  extends to pivot the strut  28  to the up position. In the preferred embodiment, the switch  58  operates to direct a fluid, compressed air, to the cylinder  50  so that the cylinder retracts or extends as appropriate. 
     The pump  60  or fluid tank is adapted to supply fluid to the actuator  30 . In the preferred embodiment the pump  60  is an air compressor. A fluid or air reservoir, not shown, may be used to provide fluid to the pump  60  or cylinder  50 . The compressor may also be connected to a pressure switch, not shown. The pressure switch functions to maintain pressurized air from the compressor at a predetermined level. Preferably, the air pressure is maintained at approximately 70 psi. Use of the pressure switch functions as a safety feature so that the vehicle rider&#39;s foot does not inadvertently get caught and injured when the strut is moved to the up position. 
     By describing example embodiments of the invention, it is apparent that various alterations, modifications, and improvements will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Such modifications, and improvements, though not expressly described above, are nonetheless intended and implied to be within the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing discussion is intended to be illustrative only.