Patent Publication Number: US-8985416-B2

Title: Mounting interface for a removable motorcycle accessory

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates to motorcycles, and more specifically, to a mounting interface for a removable motorcycle accessory. 
     Removable accessories for motorcycles may leave the mounting surface exposed and susceptible to outdoor elements when removed. These accessories can also leave unsightly hardware behind, reducing the aesthetic appeal of the motorcycle. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one aspect, the invention provides a support assembly for removably attaching an accessory to a fender of a motorcycle. The support assembly includes left and right mounting brackets configured to be coupled to the fender. Each of the mounting brackets includes a receiving slot to provide access to respective mounting locations of the left and right mounting brackets for securing the accessory. Each receiving slot has a width. Left and right inserts are insertable into the respective receiving slots when the accessory is removed. Each of the left and right inserts includes an insertion portion and a shoulder portion. Each insertion portion has a first thickness less than the receiving slot width and is configured to be received by the corresponding receiving slot and to be coupled to the corresponding mounting bracket. The shoulder portion has a second thickness greater than the first thickness. 
     In another aspect the invention provides a support assembly for removably attaching an accessory to a fender of a motorcycle. The support assembly includes left and right mounting brackets configured to be coupled to the fender. Each of the mounting brackets has a receiving slot configured to receive a portion of the accessory. Left and right inserts are insertable into the receiving slots to a seated position when the accessory is removed. Each of the inserts includes a first portion concealed within the mounting bracket when the insert is in the seated position and a second portion adjacent to and substantially filling the receiving slot when the insert is in the seated position. Each receiving slot opens upwardly from a top surface of the corresponding mounting bracket. 
     In yet another aspect the invention provides a method of de-accessorizing a fender of a motorcycle. Left and right mounting brackets are provided on opposing sides of the fender. Each mounting bracket includes a receiving slot, and a detachable accessory is supported by mounting portions of the detachable accessory through engagement with a respective mounting interface of each of the left and right mounting brackets. The mounting portions of the detachable accessory are decoupled from the mounting interfaces of the mounting brackets. The accessory is removed from the mounting brackets by extracting the mounting portions of the detachable accessory from the respective receiving slots. A pair of left and right inserts are provided and each insert has a first portion engageable with one of the mounting interfaces of the mounting brackets. The left and right inserts are inserted into the respective receiving slots. The first portion of each insert is secured to the mounting interface of the corresponding mounting bracket with at least one fastener. The receiving slots of the corresponding mounting brackets are substantially closed with second portions of the corresponding inserts when the first portions of the inserts are secured to the corresponding mounting interfaces. 
     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 side view of a motorcycle including a removable accessory and a mounting interface for the accessory according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of a rear portion of the motorcycle of  FIG. 1 , including a luggage mounting bracket and a support assembly mounted on a rear fender to selectively support the luggage mounting bracket. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the luggage mounting bracket of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the luggage mounting bracket of  FIG. 3  inserted into saddlebag mounting brackets of the support assembly. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the luggage mounting bracket of  FIG. 3  removed from the saddlebag mounting brackets. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view illustrating the insertion of a left insert and a right insert into the saddlebag mounting brackets. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the left insert and the right insert of  FIG. 6  inserted into the saddlebag mounting brackets, with left and right saddlebags coupled to the saddlebag mounting brackets. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-section view of the right insert, taken along line  8 - 8  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. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a motorcycle  10 . The motorcycle  10  includes a frame  14 , a front wheel  18 , and at least one rear wheel  22 . An engine  26  is configured to drive the at least one rear wheel  22 . A front fender  30  and a rear fender  34  are provided as body panels. A support assembly  38  ( FIG. 2 ) is provided for removably attaching an accessory  42  to the frame  14  of the motorcycle  10 . The motorcycle  10  illustrated is a touring motorcycle, provided with a front cowling  46 , a windshield  50 , and integrated luggage containers, such as a pair of saddlebags  58 , and the removable accessory  42 , which includes a top case  62  (e.g., Harley-Davidson TOUR-PAK®). 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the support assembly  38  includes a pair of left and right fender struts, or inner mounting brackets  66  provided at a rearward extent of the frame  14  and coupled to the rear fender  34  at opposing, laterally outward sides  70  of the rear fender  34 . The inner mounting brackets  66  each include a plurality of holes  74 . Each of the inner mounting brackets  66  is fastened directly to the corresponding laterally outward side  70  of the rear fender  34  with threaded rear fender fasteners  78 . For example, the holes  74  may be clearance holes for the fasteners  78 , which are passed through the holes  74  to engage a threaded portion of the rear fender  34 , or a nut on the interior of the rear fender  34 . The rear fender  34  and the inner mounting brackets  66  can also be coupled in other ways, as will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. The inner mounting brackets  66  are secured to or integral with a rear section  82  of the motorcycle frame  14 . The support assembly  38  further includes a pair of left and right outer mounting brackets  86  that are coupled to the rear fender  34  of the motorcycle via the inner mounting brackets  66  and substantially conceal the inner mounting brackets  66  when coupled. 
     Each outer mounting bracket  86  includes two positioning holes  94 . Threaded saddlebag support fasteners  98  are inserted through each of the positioning holes  94  (e.g., clearance holes) to couple the outer mounting brackets  86  to the inner mounting brackets  66  via threaded apertures  174  provided in the inner mounting brackets  66 . A boss  100  protrudes laterally inward from the inside of each of the outer mounting brackets  86 , as seen at the left hand side of  FIG. 2 . The boss  100  abuts with an elongated boss  76  on the corresponding inner mounting bracket  66 , seen at the right hand side of  FIG. 2 , to provide contact control for positioning the outer mounting bracket  86  relative to the inner mounting brackets  66  and the frame  14  when the fasteners  98  are secured. The outer mounting brackets  86  are saddlebag mounting brackets in the illustrated construction, each provided with at least one mounting location or interface  102  for securing a corresponding saddlebag  58  ( FIG. 2 ). The rear fender  34  includes brackets  134  that extend laterally outward from a rear, bottom portion  138  of the rear fender  34 . Each bracket  134  includes a hole  142  through which a threaded saddlebag support fastener  146  is inserted to couple a bottom portion  150  of the outer mounting bracket  86  to the respective bracket  134 . 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 2 , the outer mounting brackets  86  define a substantially curved shape, similar to that of the rear fender  34 . A portion of each of the outer mounting brackets  86 , e.g. a top surface  86 A, defines a receiving slot  114 , that opens upward when coupled to the motorcycle  10  ( FIG. 1 ). The receiving slots  114  each have a first width  118  that is measured laterally, perpendicular to a longitudinal centerline  122  of the motorcycle  10 . Each of the receiving slots  114  provides access for a luggage mounting bracket  126  for mounting a portion of the accessory  42 . A mounting interface is accessible through each of the receiving slots  114 . In the illustrated construction, the mounting interface is provided by the inner mounting brackets  66  and threaded apertures  274  therein. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the luggage mounting bracket  126  is configured to support the luggage container  62  and mount to the support assembly  38 . More specifically, the luggage mounting bracket  126  includes two insertion portions  194  that extend into the receiving slots  114  and are coupled to the respective inner mounting bracket  66  via the threaded apertures  274 . The luggage mounting bracket  126  includes a plate portion  158 . The plate portion  158  includes a plurality of holes  162  for mounting the luggage container  62 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . Together, the luggage mounting bracket  126  and the luggage container  62  form the removable accessory  42 . Other types of removable accessories, such as a backrest or a luggage rack, can be coupled to the support assembly  38  via interface  102 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , two left supporting arms  174  and two right supporting arms  178  extend downwardly from the plate portion  158 . 
     Each of the left and right mounting portions of the luggage mounting bracket  126  includes an insertion portion  194  and a shoulder portion  198  extending between the two corresponding supporting arms  174 ,  178 . Each insertion portion  194  has a first thickness and is configured to extend into the receiving slot  114  on the corresponding outer mounting bracket  86  ( FIG. 2 ). Two mounting holes  202  extend through each insertion portion  194 . The mounting holes  202  are clearance holes that receive the fasteners  210  to secure the luggage mounting bracket  126  on the support assembly  38 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the insertion portions  194  are configured to be removably inserted into the receiving slots  114  to couple the luggage mounting bracket  126  with the inner and the outer mounting brackets  66 ,  86 . Two clearance holes  90  are provided in each outer mounting bracket  86 . The clearance holes  90  receive the corresponding fasteners  210  (e.g. threaded fasteners such as screws or bolts). Each fastener  210  passes through the clearance hole  90 , through the corresponding hole  202  in the insertion portion  194 , and engages one of the threaded apertures  274  in the inner support members  66  to retain or secure the luggage mounting bracket  126  relative to the support assembly  38 .  FIG. 5  illustrates the luggage mounting bracket  126  removed from the outer mounting brackets  86 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , inserts  214  are configured to be inserted into the corresponding receiving slots  114  upon removal of the luggage mounting bracket  126  ( FIG. 3 ). Each insert  214  includes an insertion portion  222  and a shoulder portion  226 . Two mounting holes  234  extend through each of the insertion portions  222  and are configured to receive the fasteners  210  to couple the insert  214  to the mounting interface of the inner support members  66 . The coupling of the insert  214  to the mounting interface of the inner support member  66  defines a seated position of the insert  214 . The insertion portion  222  includes a body portion  236  and a boss portion  237  that surrounds each of the mounting holes  234 . The insertion portion  222  defines different thicknesses at different portions measured laterally, perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline  122  of the motorcycle  10  as shown in  FIG. 8 . A thickness  229  of the boss portion  237  is the thickest portion of the insertion portion  222 . A bottom edge portion of the insert  214  has a thickness  230  less than the thickness  229  of the boss portion  237 . A body portion  236  has a thickness  231  less than the bottom edge thickness  230 . The insertion portion  222  is configured to extend through the corresponding receiving slot  114  such that it is substantially concealed within the outer mounting bracket  86 . A recess  235  is positioned between the mounting holes  234  on the insertion portion  222  and is configured to accept the boss  100  on the interior of the corresponding outer mounting bracket  86 . The inserts  214  can be constructed of a chrome-plated plastic material, or various other non-metallic or metallic materials. A compression limiter  238  (e.g., of carbon steel) is press-fit into each of the mounting holes  234  to provide mounting surfaces of increased strength and hardness within the insertion portions  222 . 
     The shoulder portion  226  is adjacent to and substantially fills the receiving slot  114  when the insert  214  is inserted into the outer mounting brackets  86  to the seated position as shown in  FIG. 7 . The shoulder portion  226  may be partially or fully received into the receiving slot  114 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , the shoulder portion  226  has a thickness  242  as great as, or greater than, the thickness of any part of the insertion portion  222 . The thickness  242  of the shoulder portion  226  is about equal to the width  118  of the receiving slot  114  to substantially close the receiving slot  114 . This can prevent debris or dirt from entering the receiving slot  114  when the accessory  42  is not attached. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates an option for mounting additional accessories, and more specifically, left and right saddlebags  58  to the outer mounting brackets  86 . Other various accessories may also be mounted to the outer mounting brackets  86  as desired by a user. 
     A method of de-accessorizing the rear fender  34  of the motorcycle  10  shown in  FIG. 1  is as follows. Left and right outer mounting brackets  86  are provided on opposing sides  70  of the rear fender  34  as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The luggage mounting bracket  126  of the removable accessory  42  is mounted into the outer mounting brackets  86  as shown in  FIG. 4 . The removable accessory  42  can be decoupled and removed from the outer mounting brackets  86  as desired by a user, leaving the receiving slots  114  on the outer mounting brackets  86  exposed as shown in  FIG. 5 . The left and right inserts  214  are placed into the receiving slots  114  such that the shoulder portions  226  substantially fill and/or conceal the receiving slots  114  ( FIGS. 6 and 7 ). The insertion portion  222  of each insert  214  is secured to the inner mounting bracket  66  with at least one of the fasteners  210 . Thus, the inserts  214  can be secured to the accessory mounting interface with the same fasteners  210  used to secure the accessory  42  such that no additional mounting interface or hardware is required to couple the inserts  214  to the motorcycle  10 . 
     Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.