Abstract:
A guard for a hand actuated throttle control of a motorized vehicle, wherein the guard comprises a guard member having a dimension defining an opening to receive the hand actuated throttle control, and an interior throttle space in communication with the opening for receiving the throttle control, the interior throttle space having a dimension greater than the throttle control to permit rotation of the guard relative to the throttle control, when in place.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority based on U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/969,507 entitled “GUARD FOR THROTTLE CONTROL OF A MOTORIZED VEHICLE” filed Mar. 24, 2014, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention relates to motorized vehicles having hand actuated throttle controls and in particular, the throttle controls for such vehicles. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Numerous types of motorized vehicles utilize hand actuated controls for controlling the throttle, and thus the power output of the engine. Some examples include motorcycles, snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles, which commonly use twistable controls mounted to the handlebar of the vehicle to control power output. Other examples include several types of light aircraft, which use hand actuated rods to control the power output of the aircraft&#39;s engine. 
         [0004]    Vehicles such as those described above are often placed on display for the public, for example, at motorsport events or in the showrooms of retailers that sell the vehicles. Those viewing these vehicles are often tempted to sit in or on the vehicle, and to use its various controls, such as the throttle control. This is especially the case when the vehicle on display is unattended. While many of the controls are inactive when the vehicle is not running, the throttle control often is not. Rather, the throttle control often is physically connected to throttle mechanism of the engine; actuating the throttle when the engine is not running can therefore flood the engine with too much fuel. As well, actuation of the throttle control while the vehicle is not in use can lead to undue wear on, or damage to the springs and cables used in the linkage between the throttle control and the throttle mechanism, as well as the floats that maintain a suitable level of fuel in the vehicle&#39;s carburetor. As a result, it may be necessary to repair or replace these components before the vehicle is used. 
         [0005]    In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to prevent or impede the actuation of the throttle control of such vehicles when the engine is not running. It also would be desirable to have a device that can prevent or impede the actuation of the throttle control in situations where a vehicle is left on display unattended. 
         [0006]    While there are several covers for throttle controls or switches that are known in the art, none is suitable for the purpose described above. The known throttle covers are intended to prevent only unintentional actuation of the throttle. They are designed specifically to allow the throttle to be actuated by a particular, deliberate movement of the user while the guard is mounted in place. None of the throttle covers known in the art is intended to or capable of preventing or impeding all actuation of the throttle control while the cover is in place. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The invention provides a guard for a hand actuated throttle control of a motorized vehicle, wherein the guard comprises a guard member having a dimension defining an opening to receive the hand actuated throttle control, and an interior throttle space in communication with the opening for receiving the throttle control, the interior throttle space having a dimension greater than the throttle control to permit rotation of the guard relative to the throttle control, when in place. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the throttle control guard of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is an end view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , taken from a first end adjacent the opening  130 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is an end view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , taken from a second end adjacent the cover  115 , opposite the first end. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the throttle control guard of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is an end view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , taken from a first end adjacent the opening  460 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is an end view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , taken from a second end adjacent the cover  415 , opposite the first end. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , taken along the line  7 - 7  shown in  FIG. 4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0015]    The invention will now be described with reference to the particular embodiments thereof depicted in the drawings.  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3  depict one embodiment  100  of the throttle control guard of the present invention. The throttle control guard  100  comprises a guard member  110  that defines an interior throttle space  120  and an opening  130  thereto. 
         [0016]    The guard member  110  is substantially cylindrical. A first end of the cylinder defines the opening  130  to the interior throttle space  120 , while a second end of the cylinder, opposite the first end, comprises an end cover  115  that closes off the second end of the cylinder. 
         [0017]    The guard member  110  and its end cover  115  can be made of any substantially rigid material that will not be substantially compressed by a force exerted by a person&#39;s hand. As will be described in greater detail below, the purpose of the guard member  110  is to prevent the actuation of a throttle control provided in the interior throttle space  120  by a person. Therefore, any substantially rigid material can be used to make the guard member  110  and end cover such that, when the guard member  110  is gripped by a person, the person cannot thereby engage and actuate the throttle control provided in the interior throttle space  120 . One example of a suitable material for the guard member  110  and its end cover  115  is plastic, such as PVC. The guard member  110  also could be made of aluminum, steel or any other composite material. 
         [0018]    The guard member  110 , when made of PVC can be made using any known method for making components out of this material, such as injection molding. The end cover  115  is formed integrally with the guard member  110 , although it will be appreciated that the end cover also could be a separate component that attaches to the guard member  110  by any suitable means. 
         [0019]    The guard member  110  defines the interior throttle space  120  as a cylindrical space within the guard member  110 . The interior throttle space  120  is in communication with the space outside the guard member by way of the opening  130 . 
         [0020]    The dimensions of the guard member  110  and end cover  115  are chosen to ensure that the interior throttle space  120  and opening  130  are properly sized to receive a hand actuated throttle control of a motor vehicle, such as a handlebar-mounted, twistable throttle control of a motorcycle, and to prevent actuation of the throttle control when the throttle guard  100  is in place. By way of example, the guard member  110  is substantially a cylinder having a length of 11 cm and a substantially circular cross section having a diameter of 3.5 cm. The end cover  115  is a substantially circular disc having a diameter matching that of the guard member  110 . 
         [0021]    With the above dimensions, it will be readily appreciated that the guard member  110  defines an opening  130  that is substantially circular and has a diameter of 3.5 cm. The guard member  110  also defines an interior throttle space  120  that is substantially cylindrical, has a length of 11 cm and a diameter of 3.5 cm. These dimensions are suitable to allow the handlebar-mounted twistable throttle control of some motorcycles to be inserted through the opening  130  into the interior throttle space  120 . The dimensions also provide sufficient extra space in the interior throttle space  120  such that the guard member  110  does not fit snugly against the throttle control. 
         [0022]    Those familiar with the field of motorcycles will know that the hand-actuated twist throttles used on these vehicles are not standardized, and come in many different varieties having different dimensions. As well, it is commonly known that other types of hand actuated throttle controls, other than a twist throttle control, are used on a variety of motor vehicles, and that the shapes and dimensions of such throttle controls also are not standardized. While the guard member  110  having the dimensions described above will fit suitably onto some throttle controls, it will not fit suitably onto many other types of throttle controls. Therefore, it will be apparent that the guard member  110  can be made in any shape, and having any dimensions, that are appropriate for a particular design of throttle control with which it is intended to be used. In particular, the guard member  110  can be of any shape or dimensions such that the interior throttle space  120  and opening  130  are appropriately sized to allow the throttle control to be provided therein, without the guard member  110  fitting snugly against the throttle control. 
         [0023]    One example of a throttle guard having an alternative shape is shown in  FIGS. 4-7 . The embodiment  400  of the throttle control guard depicted in  FIGS. 4-7  is intended for use on motorcycles having MX type handle grips installed on the throttle control. Such handle grips have a flared portion or flange at the inside edge of the handle grip and thus, the throttle control guard  400  is shaped to accommodate this flange. 
         [0024]    Throttle control guard  400  comprises guard member  410  and end cover  415  that define an interior throttle space  420  and an opening  430  that are substantially similar to the guard member  100 , end cover  115 , interior throttle space  120  and opening  130  described above. Throttle control guard  400  also comprises a hand grip engaging member  440  that defines an interior hand grip space  450  and an opening  460  thereof. 
         [0025]    The hand grip engaging member  440  is substantially cylindrical. It is formed integrally with the guard member  410  and is made of the same material as the guard member  410 . It will be appreciated, however, that the hand grip engaging member  440  can be a separate component that is made of any material that would be suitable for the guard members  110 ,  410 , and that attaches to the guard member  410  by any suitable means. 
         [0026]    Although the hand grip engaging member  440  is substantially cylindrical like the guard member  410 , it will be seen from the figures that the diameter of the hand grip engaging member  440  is larger than that of the guard member  410 . The hand grip engaging member  440  extends out of the guard member  410  at the opening  430  via an annular end wall  445 , which is integral with both the guard member  410  and the hand grip engaging member  440  and is made of the same material. 
         [0027]    Hand grip engaging member  440  defines a substantially cylindrical interior hand grip space  450  therewithin. The hand grip engaging member  440  is in communication with the interior throttle space  420  defined by the guard member  410 , via the opening  430  also defined by the guard member  410 . The interior hand grip space  450  also is in communication with the area outside of the guard member  410  and hand grip engaging member  440  via the opening  460  defined at an end of the hand grip engaging member  440  opposite the annular end wall  445 . 
         [0028]    The dimensions of the hand grip engaging member  440  are selected such that the interior hand grip space  450  and opening  460  are dimensioned to receive a handlebar-mounted, twistable throttle control of a motorcycle and allow it to pass through the opening  430  into the interior throttle space  420 . The dimensions of hand grip engaging member  440  also are selected such that the interior hand grip space  450  and opening  460  are dimensioned to receive the flared portion or flange at the inside end of an MX type handle grip, such that the hand grip engaging member  440  engages the outer edge of the flange on an interior surface of the member  440 . Thus, if the throttle cover  400  is rotated while disposed on a throttle control, the throttle control will not be actuated. Rather, the throttle guard  400  will rotate harmlessly about the edge of the flange of the handle grip, and the throttle control within the interior throttle space  420  will not be actuated. 
         [0029]    It will be appreciated that the hand grip engaging member  440  can have any suitable dimensions that will allow it to engage the outer edge of the flange of an MX type handle grip with which the throttle guard  400  is intended to be used. By way of example, guard member  440  is substantially cylindrical with a length of 1 cm and a circular cross section having a diameter of 7 cm. 
         [0030]    Annular wall  445  is dimensioned essentially to connect guard member  410  to hand grip engaging member  440 . By way of example, annular wall  445  is a substantially circular annulus having an outer diameter equal to the diameter of hand grip engaging member  440 , and an inner diameter equal to the diameter of guard member  410 . 
         [0031]    To use either the throttle guard  100  or the throttle guard  400 , one slides the throttle guard  100  or  400  over the throttle control to be covered by inserting the throttle control into the interior throttle space  120  or  420 . This is done by inserting the throttle control through either the opening  130 , or the opening  460 , the interior hand grip space  450  and the opening  430 . If the throttle guard  400  is being used and the motor vehicle in question has an MX type handle grip on the throttle control, the flared portion or flange of the MX type handle grip can be inserted into the interior hand grip space  450  via the opening  460 , and the hand grip engaging member  440  can engage the outer edge of the flared portion or flange on the interior surface of the member  440 . 
         [0032]    Once the throttle guard  100  or  400  is in place, the throttle cannot be actuated without first removing the throttle cover  100  or  400 . The interior throttle space  120  or  420  is dimensioned such that the guard member  110  or  410  does not snugly engage the throttle control. Thus, if the throttle guard  100  or  400  is rotated or otherwise moved, the movement does not actuate the throttle control. Furthermore, since the guard member  110  or  410  are made of substantially rigid material such as PVC, the throttle control cannot easily be actuated by squeezing the throttle guard  100  or  400  to engage the throttle control. 
         [0033]    It will be appreciated by those of skill in the art that many variations of the particular embodiments described above are possible. The present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments described above, but rather is intended to include all such possible variations that will be apparent to those of skill in the art. Furthermore, the present invention is defined by the claims provided below, which are to be given the broadest possible interpretation that is consistent with this specification.