Abstract:
A vehicle comprising a frame, at least one wheel operable to contact a substantially horizontal support surface, a prime mover supported by the frame and in driving engagement with the at least one wheel, a suspension system operable to maintain the frame in an upright position while driving along a straight path and to permit the frame to lean relative to the support surface while cornering, and at least two headlights coupled to the suspension system and arranged in a substantially horizontal configuration, wherein the headlights remain in the substantially horizontal configuration when the frame is in the upright position and when the frame is leaning.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   Priority is hereby claimed to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/722,115 filed on Sep. 30, 2005, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. 

   BACKGROUND 
   The present invention relates to vehicles with leaning suspension systems. In particular, the present invention relates to a headlight mounting arrangement for vehicles with leaning suspension systems. 
   SUMMARY 
   The present invention provides a vehicle including a frame, at least one wheel operable to contact a substantially horizontal support surface, a suspension system operable to maintain the frame in an upright position while driving along a straight path and to permit the frame to lean relative to the support surface while cornering, and at least one headlight coupled to the suspension system and arranged in a substantially horizontal configuration, wherein the headlight remains in the substantially horizontal configuration when the frame is in the upright position and when the frame is leaning. 
   The present invention further provides a vehicle including a leaning suspension system. The vehicle further includes a frame defining a longitudinal vehicle axis, at least one wheel rotatably coupled to the frame, a suspension system including a substantially horizontal transverse beam connected to the frame and pivotable about the vehicle axis, and first and second lean actuators pivotably connected between the frame and the transverse beam, the first and second actuators actuable to lean the vehicle while cornering. The vehicle further includes at least one headlight supported by the transverse beam. 
   The present invention further provides a vehicle including a frame, at least one wheel operable to contact a substantially horizontal support surface, a suspension system, and at least one headlight. The suspension system is operable to maintain the frame in an upright position while driving along a straight path and to permit the frame to lean relative to the support surface while cornering. The headlight is coupled to the suspension system and arranged in a first orientation when the frame is in the upright position while driving along a straight path. The headlight leans an angle relative to the first orientation while cornering. The angle of the lean of the headlight is less than the angle of the lean of the frame while cornering. 
   Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a three-wheeled motorcycle including a leaning front suspension and a headlight mounting arrangement embodying the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the three-wheeled motorcycle of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a front view of the three-wheeled motorcycle of  FIG. 1 , illustrating the three-wheeled motorcycle in an upright position. 
       FIG. 4  is a front view of the three-wheeled motorcycle of  FIG. 1 , illustrating the three-wheeled motorcycle in a leaning position. 
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged perspective view of the front suspension of the three-wheeled motorcycle of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view of the front suspension of the three-wheeled motorcycle of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the headlights and mounting brackets of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 8  is an exploded perspective view of the headlight mounting arrangement of  FIG. 7 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless specified or limited otherwise, the terms “mounted,” “connected,” “supported,” and “coupled” and variations thereof are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mountings, connections, supports, and couplings. Further, “connected” and “coupled” are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings. 
     FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate a three-wheeled motorcycle or trike  10  having an engine  12 , handlebars  14 , a frame  16 , a single rear wheel  20 , first and second front wheels  22 ,  24 , and headlights  26 . The rear wheel  20  is rotatably mounted to a rear portion of the frame  16 , and the front wheels  22 ,  24  are coupled to the frame  16  via a leaning suspension system  18 . The frame  16  includes a front bulkhead  40  and a main bulkhead  42  defining the front portion of the frame  16 . The front bulkhead  40  is connected to the main bulkhead  42  to stiffen and strengthen the entire suspension system  18 . The engine  12  is coupled to the rear wheel  20  through a drive assembly (not shown) to propel the trike  10 . The handlebars  14  are pivotally coupled to the front portion of the frame  16  and coupled to the front wheels  22 ,  24  through a steering system to controllably turn the front wheels  22 ,  24 . 
   The illustrated embodiment is for a trike  10  having two steerable front wheels  22 ,  24  and a single, driven rear wheel  20 . It should be noted that it is within the scope of the invention to employ the suspension of the present invention in a vehicle having two rear wheels and a single front wheel. Also, in other embodiments, the suspension can be used for the front wheel, the rear wheels, or both the front and rear wheels in a vehicle having four wheels, such as an ATV. 
     FIG. 3  illustrates a front view of the trike  10  of  FIG. 1 , showing the leaning suspension system  18  in an upright position. This position illustrates the orientation of the suspension system  18  while the trike  10  tracks a straight line on a flat surface.  FIG. 4  illustrates the same front view of the trike  10  as  FIG. 3 , but in a leaning configuration. This view shows how the suspension system  18  is oriented when the trike  10  is turning, or tracking an arcuate path. It should be noted that in order to highlight the different positions of the suspension system  18  between  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the handlebar  14  and wheel  22 ,  24  positions are illustrated in the same, center, straight-forward position for both  FIGS. 3 and 4 . Although this position is correctly illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the handlebar  14  position and the wheel  22 ,  24  positions in  FIG. 4  should be pivoted and turned, respectively, toward or into the direction of the turn. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the leaning suspension system  18  includes a transverse beam  30 , upper control arms  32 , lower control arms  34 , spring dampers  36 , hydraulic actuators  38 , and spindles  44 . The spindles  44  each include upper and lower pins  102 ,  100 , as well as means for rotatably coupling to one of the front wheels  22 ,  24 , such as a hole  101  for receiving a wheel axle  103 . The structure of the spindle  44  is well known to those skilled in the art. 
   The transverse beam  30  is rigid and remains substantially horizontal during operation of the trike  10 . The transverse beam  30  has a center pivot point  60 , end pivot points  62 , and intermediate pivot points  64 . The transverse beam  30  is pivotally coupled to the main bulkhead  42  at the center pivot  60 . The center pivot  60  is positioned to coincide with the longitudinal centerline of the trike  10  and defines a pivot axis that is parallel to the vehicle centerline. The end pivot points  62  are pivotally coupled to upper pivots  70  on the spring dampers  36 . 
   With reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the vehicle lean angle A and the pivot angle B of the substantially horizontal transverse beam  30  are illustrated. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the transverse beam  30  defines a line between its pivot points  62 , and this line defines the pivot angle B relative to the horizontal riding surface. In  FIG. 3 , the vehicle is upright (i.e., a lean angle A of 0 degrees) and the transverse beam  30  is horizontal (i.e., parallel to the horizontal riding surface with a pivot angle B of 0 degrees). In  FIG. 4 , the vehicle is leaning to the right approximately 30 degrees with respect to vertical (i.e, a lean angle A of 30 degrees), and the transverse beam  30  remains substantially horizontal while pivoting only approximately 5 degrees relative to horizontal (i.e., pivot angle B of 5 degrees). As used herein, the transverse beam  30  is said to be substantially horizontal when the pivot angle B is less than 10 degrees relative to horizontal, more specifically less than 5 degrees relative to horizontal, and even more specifically less than 3 degrees relative to horizontal. 
   The lower control arms  34  have trunnions  80  rotatably coupled to one end and adapted to rotatably receive the lower pin  100  on the spindles  44 . These trunnions  80  allow the suspension to operate independent of wheel steering by permitting the spindles  44  to pivot and turn regardless of the position of the lower control arms  34 . The two remaining ends of the lower control arms  34  include front and rear pivot points  82 ,  84  that are pivotally connected to the main bulkhead  42 . A central pivot  86  is located centrally on the lower control arms  34  and is adapted to pivotally couple to lower pivot points  72  on the spring dampers  36 . 
   The upper control aims  32  also have trunnions  80  rotatably coupled to one end and adapted to rotatably receive the upper pin  102  on the spindles  44 . These trunnions  80  allow the suspension to operate independent of wheel steering. The two remaining ends of the upper control arms  32  include front and rear pivot points  90 ,  92  that are pivotally connected to the main bulkhead  42 . 
   In the illustrated embodiment, the transverse beam  30  is positioned between the front and real pivots  90 ,  92  on the upper control arms  32 . In other embodiments, the transverse beam  30  could he positioned in front of the front pivots  90 , behind the rear pivots  92 , or coupled to a different location than the upper control arms  32  (i.e. coupled to a different bulkhead). 
   As mentioned above, the spring dampers  36  include upper and lower pivot points  70 ,  72  connecting the transverse beam  30  to the lower control arms  34 . The spring dampers  36  include a shock absorbing member surrounded by a biasing member. This style of spring damper  36  is well known to those skilled in the art, and will not be discussed in further detail. Alternative embodiments may utilize a different method of biasing and shock absorbing, such as leaf springs, coil springs, or air springs. 
   The hydraulic actuators  38  include upper and lower pivot points  110 ,  112 . The illustrated embodiment shows the upper pivot points  110  of the hydraulic actuators  38  are pivotally coupled to the intermediate pivot points  64  on the transverse beam  30  at a location between the center pivot point  60  and one of the end pivot points  62 . Other embodiments could include the hydraulic actuators  38  pivotally coupled to the end pivot points  62  and the spring damper  36  pivotally coupled to the transverse beam  30  at a location between the center pivot point  60  and one of the end pivot points  62 . The hydraulic actuators  38  and spring dampers can also be pivotally coupled to other points along the transverse beam  30 . 
   The hydraulic actuators  38  shown in the illustrated embodiment include a cylinder having top and bottom fluid ports  114 ,  116 . A piston (not shown) exists at the end of a shaft  118  within each cylinder. When hydraulic fluid is forced into the top fluid port  114  by a hydraulic pump (not shown), the internal piston is forced down, and the shaft  118  retracts. While this is happening, hydraulic fluid is being forced out of the bottom fluid port  116  and into a reservoir (not shown). When hydraulic fluid is forced into the bottom fluid port  116 , the internal piston is forced up, and the shaft  118  extends. While this is happening, hydraulic fluid is being forced out of the top fluid port  114  and into the reservoir. 
   The hydraulic actuators  38  act to control the vertical orientation of the trike  10 . When entering a turn, one of the hydraulic actuators  38  extends in length while the other retracts, moving the trike  10  into a leaning position as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . When the trike  10  is leaving the turn, the hydraulic actuators  38  act to bring the trike  10  back to a vertical orientation as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The hydraulic actuators are controlled by a leaning suspension control system that monitors at least one characteristic of the trike such as handlebar position (i.e., steering angle), speed, acceleration, etc. Safety features can be present to ensure the trike  10  is returned to the vertical orientation when the engine  12  is turned off, or if there is a malfunction in the control of the hydraulic system. 
   The substantially horizontal orientation of the transverse beam  30  is maintained by the influence of the spring dampers  36 . The lower control arms  34  are connected to the front wheels  22 ,  24  through the spindles  44  and to the transverse beam  30  by the spring dampers  36 . The front wheels  22 ,  24 , and thus the lower control arms  34 , remain substantially parallel to the road during normal operation. The road is generally substantially planar for the width of the trike  10  meaning that as long as both front wheels  22 ,  24  are in contact with the road, whether cornering or tracking a straight line, the spring dampers  36  will bias the transverse beam  30  to a position that is substantially parallel to the road. The hydraulic actuators  38  connect the frame  16  to the transverse beam  30 , and control the lean of the trike  10 . As the hydraulic actuators  38  extend, they push the frame  16  away from the transverse beam  30 , initiating lean. The biasing force from the spring dampers  36  acting on the transverse beam creates a larger moment about the central pivot  86  than the hydraulic actuators  38 , so extension of the hydraulic actuators  38  moves the frame  16  with respect to the beam  30 . 
   The steering system includes spindles  44 , tie rods  46 , and the steering box  48 . The handlebars  14  are coupled to the steering box  48  such that when an operator turns the handlebars  14 , an output shaft (not shown) on the steering box  48  rotates. The output shaft is pivotally coupled to a first end of each tie rod  46 . The second end of each tie rod  46  is pivotally coupled to one of the spindles  44 . As the output shaft on the steering box  48  rotates, the tie rods  46  follow, pulling one spindle  44  and pushing the other. The spindles  44  are rotatably coupled to the upper and lower control arms  32 ,  34  by upper and lower pins  102 ,  100 . Thus the pushing or pulling action initiated by the tie rods  46  causes the spindles  44 , and thus the front wheels  22 ,  24 , to rotate about the upper and lower pins  102 ,  100 . 
   Using hydraulic actuators  38  as discussed affords some major advantages to trikes. First, since the lean of the trike  10  is controlled by the hydraulic actuators  38 , the upper and lower control arms  32 ,  34 , spring dampers  36 , and steering components are free to act normally, regardless of the trike&#39;s  10  lean. This allows the trike  10  to absorb bumps while tracking an arcuate path in the same manner it would if it were tracking a straight line, making for a consistent suspension action, even while turning. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the headlight bracket  130  includes a top surface  131  that defines an aperture  132 , and matching front and rear surfaces  134  defining apertures  136  that include counter bores. The headlight bracket  130  defines a space between the front and rear surfaces  134  allowing the headlight bracket  130  to straddle an end of the transverse beam  30 . The apertures  136  allow the headlight bracket  130  to be coupled to the transverse beam by threading a fastener (not shown) through the apertures  136 , the transverse beam  30 , and the upper pivot point  70  of the spring damper  36 . This fastener defines the end pivot points  62  at each end of the transverse beam  30 . 
   The headlight  26  includes a housing  150 , a retaining ring  152 , a reflective portion  154 , a lens  156 , and a trim ring  158 . The retaining ring  152  is of a diameter slightly less than that of the interior of the housing  150 , and is intended to be positioned within the housing  150  where it will fit to a predetermined depth. At this depth, the retaining ring  152  could be held in place by tabs (not shown) protruding from the inside of the housing  150 , or by a friction fit. 
   The reflective portion  154  is concave in shape, and is also of a diameter slightly less than that of the interior of the housing  150 . An aperture  155  is defined by and is located substantially in the center of the reflective portion  154 . The aperture  155  is adapted to receive a bulb  160 . A boot  164  is adapted to receive the bulb and provide a seal for wires to leave the housing. When the bulb  160  is positioned within the aperture  155  and connected to a power source the reflective portion  154  will direct most of the generated light into a beam in a forward direction. The reflective portion  154  is positioned in the housing  150 , and rests against spacers  162  that are in abutment with the retaining ring  152 . 
   The lens  156  is generally disk-shaped and is made of a clear material such as plastic or glass. The diameter of the lens  156  is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the reflective portion  154 . This allows the lens  156  to be positioned inside of the reflective portion, where it can protect the bulb  160  while still allowing the light generated by the bulb  160  to be transmitted. 
   The trim ring  158  includes a break and a fastener  159  joining the two ends of the trim ring  158 . The inner surface of the trim ring  158  has a concave shape with the front and rear edges extending towards the center of the trim ring  158 . When assembled, the front and rear edges of the trim ring  158  will surround the reflective portion  154  and the lens  156 . Tightening the fastener  159  will decrease the diameter of the trim ring  158  and hold the reflective portion  154  and the lens  156  together. 
   The housing  150  is adapted to couple to the top surface  131  of the headlight bracket  130 . This is accomplished via a mounting block  166  and a mounting pivot  168 . The mounting block  166  can be coupled to the housing  150  by any suitable fastener. A fastener (not shown) can be threaded into the mounting pivot  168  through the aperture  132  defined by the top surface  131  of the headlight bracket  130 . The mounting block  166  is coupled to the mounting pivot by means of a pin or any suitable fastener (not shown). These fasteners are ideally of the locking variety, which can allow rotation of the mounting pivot  168  with respect to the mounting bracket  130 , and rotation of the mounting block  166  with respect to the mounting pivot  168 , while still holding the pieces tightly together. This affords both rotation and tilting of the headlights  26  to aim them. 
   As mentioned above, the transverse beam  30  remains substantially horizontal, even when the trike  10  is leaning. By coupling the headlights  26  to the transverse beam  30 , they also will main substantially horizontal. This provides an operator of the trike  10  with consistent lighting while in motion, including while cornering, focuses the headlight on the road directly in front of the trike  10 , and reduces glare for oncoming motorists.