Abstract:
Freestyle pegs for a motorcycle. The pegs permit the motorcycle rider to perform stunts in the same way stunts are performed on a bicycle. Each peg includes two axially aligned, interconnected cylindrical members. The members are coaxial with the axle of the motorcycle and extend outwardly therefrom. As contemplated, the pegs will be disposed on both front and rear axles. Two broad groups of embodiments are disclosed herein. One group has one of the pegs, i.e. a single peg element of the assembly, formed integrally with the interconnecting rod or shaft and the other peg element removably attached to the other end of the shaft. Another group provides an interconnecting shaft with each peg element being removably secured to an end of the shaft.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation in part of U.S. Utility patent application Ser. No. 10/986,204 filed on Nov. 12, 2004, which application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/527,008, filed Dec. 5, 2003. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to wheel axle pegs, and particularly to a motorcycle axle peg that enables a rider to perform particular stunts while operating the motorcycle.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     Freestyle bike riding and stunt performance have long been sources of thrills and entertainment. From wheelies to endos, bike stunts require a great deal of skill, and in some cases, special equipment. One piece of equipment sometimes used for bicycle stunts is an axle peg. Pegs extend out from the axle or forks of the front and rear bike wheels and allow a rider to perform stunts such as sliding down a handrail or standing on the pegs while riding the bike. A similar device adapted for use with motorcycles would enable a motorcycle rider to perform these stunts and many more.  
         [0006]     The related art (as indicated in the accompanying IDS) discloses many foot pegs mounted on motorcycle frames. These pegs are positioned so that the rider can rest his feet when desired. Such positioning would militate against stunt performance. Note that the related art shows foot pegs closely adjacent the wheel axle on bicycles used in stunt riding.  
         [0007]     None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to disclose freestyle pegs for motorcycles as will subsequently be described and claimed in the instant invention.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The instant invention is drawn to freestyle pegs for a motorcycle. The pegs permit the motorcycle rider to perform stunts in the same way stunts are performed on a bicycle. Each peg includes two axially aligned, interconnected, cylindrical members. The members are coaxial with the axle of the motorcycle and extend outwardly therefrom. As contemplated, the pegs will be disposed on both front and rear axles.  
         [0009]     Accordingly, the invention provides freestyle pegs for motorcycles that enable a rider to perform various stunts while operating the motorcycle. The peg structure is strong, durable and warp-resistant. The pegs are easy to attach to the motorcycle wheels and the peg structure functions as a wheel axle. Some embodiments include one cylindrical member (or single peg element of the assembly) and connecting rod (or axle shaft of the assembly) manufactured as an inseparable, monolithic unit with only one separable member from one end of the rod, while other embodiments include two peg elements (cylindrical members) separately attachable to each end of the connecting rod or axle shaft.  
         [0010]     The invention provides improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which are inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing their intended purposes.  
         [0011]     A clear understanding of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]      FIG. 1  is an environmental, perspective view of a motorcycle equipped with the freestyle pegs for motorcycles according to the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a front, environmental view of the freestyle pegs for motorcycles according to the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of a first embodiment of the freestyle pegs for motorcycles according to the present invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the freestyle pegs for motorcycles according to the present invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  is an exploded, perspective view of the freestyle pegs for motorcycles of  FIG. 4 .  
         [0017]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  are exploded, perspective views of a third embodiment of the freestyle pegs for motorcycles according to the present invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of a fourth embodiment peg and connecting shaft assembly, wherein both pegs are separable from the shaft.  
         [0019]      FIG. 8  is an exploded perspective view of a peg and connecting shaft assembly similar to that of  FIG. 7 , but incorporating a rotational stop on the shaft.  
         [0020]      FIG. 9  is an exploded perspective view of a peg and connecting shaft assembly similar to that of  FIG. 7 , with the attachment holes in the pegs being threaded for attachment to the shaft.  
         [0021]      FIG. 10  is an exploded perspective view of a peg and connecting shaft assembly similar to that of  FIG. 9 , but incorporating a rotational stop on the shaft.  
         [0022]      FIG. 11  is an exploded perspective view of a peg and connecting shaft assembly similar to that of  FIG. 7 , but incorporating key slots in the pegs and in the ends of the shaft with keys for preventing relative rotation between pegs and shaft.  
         [0023]      FIG. 12  is an exploded perspective view of a peg and connecting shaft assembly similar to that of  FIG. 11 , but incorporating a rotational stop on the shaft. 
     
    
       [0024]     Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0025]     The present invention is directed to freestyle pegs for motorcycles, designated generally as  10  in the drawings. The freestyle pegs  10  are shown mounted to a motorcycle M having front and rear wheels W in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The freestyle pegs  10  are designed to enable a motorcycle rider to perform stunts, such as standing on the pegs, or hooking the pegs onto the side of a half-pipe.  
         [0026]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the freestyle pegs  10 , include first and second cylindrical members  20   a  and  20   b.  Each respective member has an open end  40  and a closed end  50 . A connecting rod  60 , having a threaded distal end  70 , extends from the closed end  50  of the first cylindrical member  20   a.  The proximate end of connecting rod  60  extends through a peg lock  80  and is attached to the closed end of first cylindrical member  20   a.  The closed end of second cylindrical member  20   b  is provided with a bore  90 , which bore receives the distal threaded end  70  therethrough. A lock nut  150  is tightened onto the threaded end  70  to secure the connecting rod  60  to the second cylindrical member  20   b.  Each cylindrical member  20   a ,  20   b  is provided with a knurled predetermined outer surface area  100  to provide traction for a rider&#39;s shoes. Other options include parallel grooves along the circumferential planes of the cylindrical members or a combination of knurls and grooves. If desired, circular holes may be provided in the cylindrical members for aesthetic enhancement and/or for weight savings. The cylindrical members  20   a ,  20   b  and connecting rod  60  are preferably made of stainless steel or other high-strength, resilient metal that is capable of supporting the rider and motorcycle. Connecting rod  60  can be hollow, semi-hollow or solid as long as it is of the required necessary strength.  
         [0027]     In use, the freestyle motorcycle pegs  10  are attached to the motorcycle by removing the wheel axle and inserting the connecting rod  60  through the passage  15  formerly occupied by the axle, shown in broken lines in  FIG. 2 . Once the second cylindrical member ( 20   b ) is attached to the connecting rod, it is tightened into position against the side of the wheel, creating a tight fit between the cylindrical members and the wheel sides. The cylindrical members extend outwardly from the wheel and are disposed on opposite sides of the wheel ( FIG. 2 ), allowing the rider to perform various stunts, such as standing on the pegs while riding the motorcycle, or hooking the pegs onto the edge of a half-pipe.  
         [0028]     In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the connecting rod  60  has a keyway slot  110  disposed above and behind the threaded end  70 . The threaded end  70  is inserted into the bore  90  in the second cylindrical member  20   b  in such a way that the keyway slot  110  aligns with a second keyway slot  120  disposed above the smooth bore  90 . A rectangular key  130  is inserted into the keyway slots. The size of the key is such that a portion of it extends into both keyway slots  110  and  120 , thereby preventing rotational movement between the second cylindrical member  20   b  and the connecting rod  60 . The closed end  50   a  of first cylindrical member  20   a  is recessed.  
         [0029]     A third embodiment, shown exploded in  FIGS. 6A and 6B , employs respective washers  160 , disk guards  170  and spacers  180 . The aforementioned elements function to enhance stability of the structure. When assembled, each cylindrical member will have a respective washer  160 , disk guard  170  and spacer  180  adjacent thereto.  
         [0030]     The freestyle peg embodiments of  FIGS. 3 through 6   b  all preferably comprise only two major components, i.e. the second cylindrical member (or second peg)  20   b , and the monolithically formed, unitary combination of the connecting rod (or interconnecting shaft)  60  and its first cylindrical member (or first peg) . 20   a  extending therefrom. However, it will be seen that the two pegs (or cylindrical members) may be formed identically to one another for removable attachment to a laterally symmetrical interconnecting shaft (or connecting rod), if so desired.  FIGS. 7 through 12  provide illustrations of a series of embodiments wherein the two peg components are separable from the axle or interconnecting shaft.  
         [0031]      FIG. 7  illustrates a fourth embodiment of the freestyle peg assembly, designated as peg assembly  200   a.  The peg assembly  200   a  of  FIG. 7  includes essentially identical and substantially hollow first and second peg components  202   a , which removably attach to the two opposite ends of a laterally symmetrical interconnecting axle shaft. Each of the separate pegs or peg components  202   a  includes an open end  204   a  and an opposite generally closed end  206   a  having a flat outer surface. The end  206   a  of each peg is not completely closed, in that it includes a concentric passage  208   a  formed therethrough for the attachment of the interconnecting axle or shaft. The interconnecting shaft passages  208   a  of the peg components  202   a  of  FIG. 7  are smoothly surfaced, and are devoid of attachment means (threads, etc.). This allows the peg components  202   a  to slip axially onto the ends of the interconnecting axle or shaft without requiring rotation, as in threading one threaded object onto another cooperatingly threaded object. A portion or all of the outer surfaces of the peg components  202   a  may include knurling or other high friction finish  100  as desired, as indicated in the first three embodiments illustrated in  FIGS. 2 through 6 B.  
         [0032]     The interconnecting axle or shaft  210   a  is laterally symmetrical, with opposite threaded first and second ends  212   a  and  214   a.  The axle shaft  210   a  may comprise a solid rod with threads machined on each end thereof, or may comprise a tube having a hollow central volume  216   a,  with the threaded end components  212   a  and  214   a  comprising relatively short studs affixed (welded, etc.) into the ends of the tubular shaft  210   a.    
         [0033]     The interconnecting shaft passages  208   a  of the peg components  202   a  are of slightly larger diameter than the major diameter of the threaded ends  212   a ,  214   a  of the interconnecting axle shaft  210   a , but of smaller diameter than that of the shaft  210   a  proper between the threaded end portions thereof. This provides a seat for the closed ends  206   a  of each peg component  202   a  at the base of the threads on each end of the interconnecting shaft  210   a.    
         [0034]     The assembly is installed upon a motorcycle, e.g. the motorcycle M of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , by first installing a single one of the peg components  202   a  onto one of the ends of the interconnecting shaft  210   a  and securing the peg component in place with a locknut  150  or the like, as used in the assembly of the first three embodiments of  FIGS. 3 through 6 B. The conventional front or rear wheel axle (or both, if two such assemblies  200   a  are to be installed) is then removed from the motorcycle M, and the partially assembled peg assembly comprising a single peg component  202   a  and interconnecting axle  210   a  is inserted through the axle passage  15  (shown in  FIG. 2 ). The second peg component  202   a  is then installed upon the exposed threads of the interconnecting shaft  210   a , and secured in place by another locknut  150 .  
         [0035]     It will be noted that the embodiment  200   a  of  FIG. 7  does not include any radially disposed protuberance on the axle shaft  210   a  or upon the closed faces  206   a  of the two peg components  202   a.  Thus, the installed assembly may be prone to rotation within the axle passage  15  of the motorcycle, unless some means is provided to prevent such rotation. Accordingly, the fifth embodiment  200   b  illustrated in  FIG. 8  includes such rotation prevention means. The two peg components  202   a  of the embodiment of  FIG. 8  are identical to the pegs  202   a  of the embodiment of  FIG. 7 , as the two opposed ends  212   b  and  214   b  of the interconnecting axle shaft  210   b  of  FIG. 8  are configured the same as the corresponding ends  212   a  and  214   a  of the shaft  210   a  of  FIG. 7 . The only difference between the two embodiments of  FIGS. 7 and 8  is that the interconnecting shaft  210   b  of  FIG. 8  includes a shaft rotation lock  218   b,  i.e. a non-circular flange or the like, extending radially from the shaft adjacent the first threaded end  212   b  thereof. This rotation lock  218   b  seats within a correspondingly shaped receptacle in the wheel axle support structure of the motorcycle M, to prevent rotation of the shaft  210   b  relative to the structure of the motorcycle M.  
         [0036]     The sixth embodiment  200   c  of  FIG. 9  is similar to the fourth embodiment  200   a  of  FIG. 7 , in that the interconnecting axle shaft  210   a  of  FIG. 9  is identical to the shaft  210   a  of  FIG. 7 . The two peg components  202   b  are identical to one another in  FIG. 9 , having opposed open and closed ends  204   b  and  206   b  with the closed end including a shaft attachment passage  208   b  formed concentrically therethrough. The only difference between the peg components  202   b  of  FIG. 9  and the peg components  202   a  of  FIGS. 7 and 8 , is that the shaft attachment passages  208   b  of the peg components  202   b  of  FIG. 9  are internally threaded with cooperating threads  220  which mate with the externally threaded ends  212   a  and  214   a  of the interconnecting shaft  210   a.  Thus, the peg components  202   b  must be threaded onto the ends of the shaft  210   a  for attachment thereto, with mating lock nuts  150  then being installed to lock the assembly together.  
         [0037]     The seventh embodiment  200   d  of  FIG. 10  essentially comprises a combination of the two peg components  202   b  with their internally threaded shaft installation passages  208   b  of the embodiment of  FIG. 9 , and the interconnecting shaft or axle  210   b  with its rotation lock  218   b  of the embodiment of  FIG. 8 . Thus, the two peg components  202   b  thread onto the corresponding threaded ends  212   b  and  214   b  of the shaft  210   b  and are rotationally locked in place by locknuts  150 , with the interconnecting axle shaft  210   b  being rotationally locked to the wheel support structure of the motorcycle M by the shaft rotation lock  218   b  adjacent the first end  212   b  of the interconnecting shaft.  
         [0038]     The eighth embodiment  200   e  of  FIG. 11  illustrates another means for locking the two peg components rotationally relative to the interconnecting shaft or axle. The two peg components  202   c  of  FIG. 11  are configured essentially like the peg components  202   a  of the embodiments of  FIGS. 7 and 8 , I.e. having opposite open and closed ends  204   c  and  206   c  with an interconnecting axle shaft passage  208   c  extending through the closed end of the peg. However, the shaft passage  208   c  differs from the smooth bore passage  208   a  of the peg embodiment  202   a  of  FIGS. 7 and 8 , by having a peg keyway slot  222  cut in the side of the interconnecting shaft attachment passage. The interconnecting shaft  210   c  of  FIG. 11  differs correspondingly from the shaft  210   a  of  FIGS. 7 and 9 , by having first and second shaft keyway slots  224  cut in the side of the interconnecting shaft, adjacent the first and second threaded ends  212   c  and  214   c  thereof. The peg assembly  200   c  is assembled by placing a key  226  in one of the shaft keyway slots  224 , and sliding one of the peg components  202   c  over the end of the shaft having the key installed therein, with the key  226  holding the peg component  202   c  and shaft  210   c  in rotational registry with one another. The peg component  202   c  is secured to the shaft  210   c  by a locknut  150 , as in other embodiments. This subassembly is installed through the axle passage  15  of the front or rear wheel W of the motorcycle M, as shown in  FIG. 2 , and the opposite peg component  202   c  is secured to the remaining free end of the interconnecting axle shaft as described above for the attachment of the first peg component.  
         [0039]     Finally, a ninth embodiment  200   f  is illustrated in  FIG. 12  of the drawings. This ninth embodiment peg assembly  200   f  is similar to the eighth embodiment  200   e  of  FIG. 11 , in that the peg components  202   c  are identical to those components  202   c  of  FIG. 11  and incorporate peg keyway slots  222  in their shaft passages  208   c . However, the interconnecting shaft  210   d  of  FIG. 12  differs from the shaft  210   c  of FIG.  11 , in that the shaft  210   d  includes a shaft rotation lock  218   d  (similar to the shaft rotation lock  218   b  of the shaft embodiment  210   b  of  FIGS. 8 and 10 ) disposed adjacent to its threaded first end  212   d.  This embodiment provides positive rotational locking of the two peg components  202   c  relative to the interconnecting shaft  210   d , and also provides for the rotational locking of the shaft  210   d  relative to the motorcycle structure due to the shaft rotation lock  218   d.    
         [0040]     In conclusion, the present freestyle pegs for motorcycles in their various embodiments enable a motorcyclist to shift his or her weight on the cycle to a considerably greater degree than was previously the case, when the pegs are installed at the front and/or rear wheel axle locations. As an example, the present pegs when installed through the rear wheel hub enable the rider to more easily and effectively shift his or her weight rearwardly, and/or gain a greater rearward weight shift, when standing on those pegs, thus facilitating “wheelie” maneuvers. Some embodiments of the present freestyle pegs may be assembled so as to permit rotation of the pegs relative to the interconnecting shaft, and/or permit rotation of the shaft relative to the motorcycle structure, if so desired. Other embodiments enable the rider to lock the rotation of the pegs relative to the motorcycle structure, thereby providing more secure footing when installed. Accordingly, the present freestyle pegs will find great favor among accomplished and experienced trick riders, enabling those riders to expand their repertoire of tricks, stunts, and maneuvers.  
         [0041]     It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.