Abstract:
A motorcycle is generally provided with a lateral pair of frame bodies, a pivot shaft connected between the frame bodies, a swing arm mechanism supported to the pivot shaft to be swingable and adapted to support a rear wheel. A housing box for accommodating articles is disposed below a seat, and the housing box is composed of an upper portion and a lower extension portion which extends vertically downward so as to pass through a space of the swing arm mechanism between the pivot shaft and the rear wheel in an installed state of the motorcycle.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an article housing device of a motorcycle disposed under a seat and adapted to house a long article such as a U-shaped lock device. 
     A U-shaped lock device commercially available as a lock device for preventing a motorcycle from being stolen is widespread because it is very strong as compared with a chain lock, a wire lock, or the like. However, because the U-shaped lock device can not be folded into a compact size unlike the chain lock, the wire lock, or the like, the U-shaped lock device is difficult to be housed in a housing device having a small capacity and provided under a seat of the motorcycle. A conventional example of a structure for housing the U-shaped lock device under the seat is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 7-89472, for example. 
     Although the structure of the conventional example is suitable to a road sports type of motorcycle in which a position of the seat is relatively high and a front-to-rear (longitudinal) length of the seat is large, the structure is difficult to be applied to an American type of motorcycle, for example, in which the position of the seat is low and the front-to-rear length thereof is short because a thickness of a cushion of the seat can not be increased and a body layout is severely limited. Moreover, the above structure of the conventional example is for housing only a U-shaped lock device and can not house other types of long articles such as a collapsible umbrella. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to substantially eliminate defects or drawbacks encountered in the prior art mentioned above and to provide a housing device, for accommodating articles, of a motorcycle which can comfortably house a long-size article such as U-shaped lock device without being affected by a height and a length of a seat, a body layout, or the like and without affecting a swing arm supporting a rear wheel. 
     This and other objects can be achieved according to the present invention by providing a housing device, for accommodating articles, of a motorcycle which comprises a lateral pair of frame bodies, a pivot shaft connected between the frame bodies, a swing arm supported to be swingable to the pivot shaft and supporting a rear wheel and in which a housing box is disposed below a seat, the housing box being composed of an upper portion and a lower extension portion which extends vertically downward so as to pass through a space of the swing arm between the pivot shaft and the rear wheel in an installed state of the motorcycle. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the housing box has a size decreased downward as viewed from a side of the automobile in an installed state and has a decreased size portion of the housing box passes through the space of the swing arm. 
     The swing arm is provided with a lateral pair of arm members extending both lateral sides of a body of the motorcycle, a bridge member is disposed so as to connect the arm members and the pivot shaft connects both the arm members so as to define a space between the pivot shaft and the bridge member through which the lower extension portion of the housing box passes. 
     The lower extension portion of the housing box has a longitudinal length and a width length which is larger than the longitudinal length. 
     At least an uppermost portion and a lowermost portion of the housing box is provided with fixing portions for fixing the housing box to the body of the motorcycle body. 
     According to the the housing device of the motorcycle of the structure mentioned above, since the housing box disposed under the seat extends downward such that the housing box has a portion vertically passing through the swing arm supporting the rear wheel between the pivot shaft and the rear wheel, the vertical length of the housing box can be increased satisfactory and, accordingly, the long article such as U-shaped lock device can be housed comfortably without being affected by the height and the length of the seat, the body layout or the like. 
     Furthermore, the size of the housing box decreases downward when the housing box is viewed from the side, the longitudinal length of the portion of the housing box is smaller in size than the width of that portion, and only the smaller portion passes through the swing arm, so that the housing box can pass through the swing arm without affecting the swing arm and, accordingly, the long article can be housed. 
     Still furthermore, since the housing device is fixed to the motorcycle body at at least uppermost portion and the lowermost portion, the housing box vertically extending can be firmly mounted to the body. 
     The nature and further characteristic features of the present invention will be made clear in the following descriptions with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the accompanying drawings: 
     FIG. 1 is a left side view of an example of a motorcycle to which an embodiment of a housing device according to the present invention is applied; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion II in FIG.  1  and showing the embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along a line III—III in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a view taken in a direction of an arrow IV in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line V—V in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the housing device; 
     FIG. 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along a line VII—VII in FIG. 4; and 
     FIG. 8 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along a line VIII—VIII in FIG.  4 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     An embodiment of the present invention will be described hereunder with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a left side view of an example of a motorcycle to which the embodiment of the housing device according to the present invention is applied. The motorcycle is of an American type in which a position of a handle-bar is high and a position of a seat is low. 
     A body frame  2  of the motorcycle  1  comprises a thick main pipe  4  and a thin down pipe  5  extending from a head pipe  3  provided to a front head portion rearward and diagonally downward. As shown in FIGS. 2 to  4  and  6 , a rear end of the main pipe  4  is curved downward to be fixed to a center portion of a center pipe  6  extending in a width direction of the vehicle together with a reinforcing member  7  and left and right opposite ends of the center pipe  6  are curved downward to be connected to upper portions of a pair of left and right frame bodies  8 L and  8 R. 
     As shown in FIG. 5, the left and right frame bodies  8 L and  8 R are hollow structures, in which body members  8   a  and  8   b ,  8   c  and  8   d  formed by press molding a metal sheet material are secured to each other with open ends of the body members  8   a  and  8   b ,  8   c  and  8   d  facing each other. A pivot boss  9  is fixedly mounted to each of the frame bodies  8 L and  8 R, and a pivot shaft  11  bridges the respective pivot bosses  9 . On the other hand, a pair of left and right side pipes  12 L and  12 R are extending rearward from a lower end of the down pipe  5  and rear ends of the side pipes  12 L and  12 R are connected to the frame bodies  8 L and  8 R. Lower portions of the left and right frame bodies  8 L and  8 R are connected by a bridge pipe  13 , and a lower bracket  14  extending rearward is fixed to the bridge pipe  13 . 
     A pair of left and right seat stays  16 L and  16 R extend upward from the rear portions of the frame bodies  8 L and  8 R and curve rearward. Rear ends of a pair of left and right seat pipes  17 L and  17 R extending rearward from portions of the main pipe  4  near a curved portion of the main pipe  4  are respectively fixed to portions of the seat stays  16 L and  16 R near the curved portions of the seat stays  16 L and  16 R. The rear ends of the left and right seat pipes  17 L and  17 R are connected by a bridge plate  18 . Seat bases  19  are secured to intermediate portions of the respective seat pipes  17 L and  17 R and cushion brackets  20  are respectively secured to curved portions of the seat stays  16 L and  16 R. 
     Front forks  24  for supporting a front wheel  23  are axially supported to be bilaterally rotatable (pivotal) by the head pipe  3  of the body frame  2  together with the handle-bar  25 , a head light  26 , a front fender  27 , and the like. On the other hand, a swing arm  29  for supporting a rear wheel  28  is axially supported to be rotatable (pivotal) upward and downward by the pivot shaft  11  which bridges the left and right frame bodies  8 L and  8 R, and a rear fender  30  covering an upper portion of the rear wheel  28  is fixed to the seat stays  16 L and  16 R. Cushion units  32  are connected between cushion brackets  20  of the body frame  2  and cushion rods  31  (see FIG. 5) provided to a rear end of the swing arm  29  so as to cushion and restore upward and downward movements of the swing arm  29 . 
     A V-type-two-cylinder engine  35  is mounted to a front half portion of the body frame  2 , an air cleaner  36  is mounted above the engine  35 , and a fuel tank  37  is disposed astride the main pipe  4 . The seat  38  is placed on the seat pipes  17 L and  17 R and a pillion seat  39  is placed on rear half portions of the seat stays  16 L and  16 R. 
     As shown in FIG. 2, a locking hook  41  provided to a lower face of a front portion of the seat  38  is inserted from the rear side into a holder plate  42  provided to the curved portion of the main pipe  4  so as to lock the seat  38 . A lock member  43  provided to a lower face of a rear portion of the seat  38  is fixed to a lock mechanism  44  fixed to an upper face of the bridge plate  18 , and a cushion member  45  provided to a lower face of an intermediate portion of the seat  38  is placed on the seat bases  19  of the seat pipes  17 L and  17 R. The seat  38  can be detached by unlocking the lock mechanism  44 . 
     A housing device  48  according to the present invention is provided under the seat  38 . A main body of the housing device  48  is a housing box  49 . The housing box  49  is integrally formed by molding a synthetic resin material into a deep box shape with its upper portion being opened. 
     As shown in FIG. 2, the housing box  49 , as viewed from a side, is in such a shape that a front-to-rear (longitudinal) length L 2  of a lower box portion  51  which substantially occupies a lower half of the housing box  49  is smaller by one step than a front-to-rear (longitudinal) length L 1  of an upper box portion  50  which substantially occupies an upper half of the housing box  49 . A difference between the front-to-rear lengths L 1  and L 2  forms a stepped portion  52  on a rear face of the housing box  49 . A front face of the housing box  49  is formed into a flat face. 
     As shown in FIG. 5, the front-to-rear length L 2  of the lower box portion  51  is smaller than a width (lateral length) W. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the width W is set at such a value that the U-shaped lock device  54  can be housed horizontally. It is also possible to form a stopper or the like for holding the U-shaped lock device  54  on an inner face of the housing box  49  so as to control a movement of the U-shaped lock device  54 . 
     At left and right opposite sides of an uppermost portion of the housing box  49 , front and rear pairs of box stoppers  56 L,  56 R, and  57 L,  57 R overhanging left and right are formed. A pair of left and right upper portion fixing pieces  58  extending rearward are formed at a rear edge of the uppermost portion of the housing box  49 . A pair of left and right lower portion fixing projections  59  extending downward are formed on a front side of a lowermost portion (bottom face) of the housing box  49 . 
     As shown in FIG. 6, the housing box  49  is inserted from the upper side through a space between the left and right seat pipes  17 L and  17 R of the body frame  2  and the bridge plate  18  and between the left and right frame bodies  8 L and  8 R and is mounted to the vehicle frame  2 . As shown in FIGS. 2,  3 , and  5 , only the lower box portion  51  which is the smaller portion of the housing box  49  vertically passes through the swing arm  29  between the pivot shaft  11  and the rear wheel  28  and extends downward. 
     As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the lower portion fixing projections  59  of the housing box  49  are inserted into cushion grommets  61  which are resilient and fitted into the lower bracket  14  of the bridge pipe  13 , thereby controlling movements in a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction of the lower portion of the housing box  49 . The upper portion fixing pieces  58  of the housing box  49  are fastened by screws  63  to nut members  62  secured to a back face of an upper face of the bridge plate  18  as shown in FIG. 8, thereby preventing the entire housing box  49  from coming out upward. 
     The box stoppers  56 L,  56 R,  57 L, and  57 R at the uppermost portion of the housing box  49  are respectively placed on hatched portions  65 L,  65 R,  66 L, and  66 R in FIG. 6 on upper faces of the left and right seat pipes  17 L and  17 R and weight of the entire housing box  49  is relieved to the seat pipes  17 L and  17 R through the box stoppers  56 L,  56 R,  57 L, and  57 R. The seat bases  19  respectively provided to the intermediate portions of the seat pipes  17 L and  17 R are positioned in advance to be exposed between the front box stoppers  56 L and  56 R and the rear box stoppers  57 L and  57 R. 
     As shown in FIG. 5, the swing arm  29  is assembled by welding a pivot pipe  68  through which the pivot shaft  11  is inserted, a pair of left and right arm members  69 L and  69 R, and a bridge member  70  for connecting the left and right arm members  69 L and  69 R at the rear of the pivot pipe  68  to each other and the lower box portion  51  of the housing box  49  vertically passes through a rectangular space surrounded by the members  68 ,  69 L,  69 R, and  70 . 
     The stepped portion  52  on the rear face of the housing box  49  is disposed at a slightly upper position than the bridge member  70  of the swing arm  29  (see FIG.  2 ). As a result, the bridge member  70  does not interfere with the housing box  49  when the swing arm  29  rotates upward and downward about the pivot shaft  11 . A battery  71  is disposed at a right side portion of the housing box  49 , for example (see FIGS.  3  and  4 ). 
     In the housing device  48  with the above structure, the seat  38  is detached to put or take articles into or out of the housing box  49 . It is also possible to provide a special lid member to an opening portion at the upper portion of the housing box  49 . 
     With the housing device  48 , since the housing box  49  is located so as to vertically pass through the swing arm  29 , a vertical length of the housing box  49  can be increased satisfactory without decreasing a thickness of a cushion of the seat  38  even if the vehicle is of an American type in which the position of the seat  38  is low and the length of the seat  38  is small. As a result, the long article such as the U-shaped lock device  54  and the collapsible umbrella can be housed suitably without being affected by the body layout or the like. 
     Moreover, the housing box  49  is formed into such a shape that the front-to-rear length L 2  of the lower box portion  51  is smaller by one step than the front-to-rear length L 1  of the upper box portion  50  and the length L 2  is smaller than the width W of the lower box portion  51  such that only the lower box portion  51  can vertically pass through a portion between the pivot pipe  68  and the bridge member  70  of the swing arm  29 . 
     As a result, it is possible to keep short a length of the swing arm  29  from the pivot shaft  11  to the rear wheel  28  to prevent an increase in a wheel base of the motorcycle  1  and it is possible to keep large a thickness of the bridge member  70  of the swing arm  29  to avoid a reduction in rigidity of the swing arm  29 . Therefore, the long article such as the U-shaped lock device  54  can be housed without affecting the swing arm  29 . Furthermore, since the front-to-rear length L 1  of the upper box portion  50  is larger than the front-to-rear length L 2  of the lower box portion  51 , not only the long and narrow article but also an article in a relatively large size can be easily housed in the housing box  49 . 
     Furthermore, since the housing box  49  has the structure in which the upper portion fixing pieces  58  provided to the uppermost portion of the housing box  49  and the lower portion fixing projections  59  provided to the lowermost portion of the housing box  49  are respectively fixed to the bridge plate  18  and the lower bracket  14  of the body frame  2 , the housing box  49  vertically extending can be mounted firmly to the body frame  2  and the housing box  49  can be prevented from wobbling even when a heavy article is housed in the housing box  49 . 
     Although the housing box  49  is directly fixed to the body frame  2  in the embodiment, the upper fixing pieces  58 , the lower fixing projections  59 , or other fixing portions of the housing box  49  may be fixed to a member constituting the vehicle other than the body frame  2 . The housing box  49  may not be formed as a single part but may be formed integrally with other parts such as the rear fender  30 , side covers, or the like. 
     Although the swing arm  29  comprises the pivot pipe  68 , the pair of left and right arm members  69 L and  69 R, and the bridge member  70  in the embodiment, the lower portion of the housing box  49  can vertically pass through a space of the swing arm between the pivot shaft  11  and the rear wheel  28  even if the swing arm  29  is of a type without the pivot pipe  68  in which front ends of the left and right arm members  69 L and  69 R are directly and axially supported by the pivot shaft  11  or of a type for cantilevering the rear wheel  28 . 
     It is to be noted that the present invention is not limited to the described embodiment and many other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scopes of the appended claims.