Patent Publication Number: US-2013240585-A1

Title: Carrier for a Motorcycle

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to co-pending U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/531,751 entitled “Carrier for a Motorcyle”, filed Sep. 7, 2011 and is expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     This invention relates to the field of carriers for motorcycle. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Motorcycles represent a convenient and easy form of transportation for one or two people. While convenient, the drawback to motorcycle transportation is that there are limitations on the amount and type of cargo that can be carried on a motorcycle. Some types of suitcases and carry-on luggage have been adapted to fit onto the sides of the motorcycle frame, however suitcases can only contain items of a size and volume limited to the size of the suitcase. Occasionally, trailers are hitched to the motorcycle to tow larger cargo, however trailers are vulnerable to theft and cause a drag on the mobility of a motorcycle. The swaying motion can also cause unexpected disruptions in balance. Moreover, when one or more riders wish to transport golf clubs or an item of similar dimensions, the options are limited. There are some golf club carriers which mount to the side of the frame of the motorcycle but these types of devices cause the driver to have to compensate for the weight imbalance that occurs when the golf club bag is carried on the side of the motorcycle. Mounting a golf club bag on the side also interferes with the ability to carry passengers or other types of cargo. Finally, such carriers are limited to carrying one golf club bag at a time. What is required is a form of carrier which can carry one or two golf club bags, or similar items, without compromising the balance of the motorcycle. 
     SUMMARY 
     There is provided a golf club carrier for a motorcycle which includes a frame that has a front and a back, a top and a bottom. Two vertical supports are provided as the back. The vertical supports each have a first upper end and a second lower end. A horizontal support extends perpendicular from the second lower end of the vertical supports. A mounting means is provided for mounting the horizontal support to a rear of a motorcycle body. A golf club bag support platform extends outwardly from the second end of the vertical support and over the horizontal support. A securing means is provided for securing one or more golf club bags within the frame. A cross support member is secured to the golf club bag support platform and as well as being secured to and traversing the horizontal support. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features will become more apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the appended drawings, the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to be in any way limiting, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a golf club carrier for a motorcycle. 
         FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the golf club carrier illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a side elevation view of the golf club carrier illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a front elevation of the golf club carrier illustrated in  FIG. 1  carrying a golf club bag. 
         FIG. 5  is a side elevation view of the golf club carrier mounted on a motorcycle. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the golf club carrier for a motorcycle configured for carrying two golf club bags. 
         FIG. 7  is a rear view of the golf club carrier illustrated in  FIG. 6  carrying two golf club bags. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A golf club carrier for a motorcycle generally identified by reference numeral  10 , will now be described with reference to  FIG. 1 through 7 . 
     Structure and Relationship of Parts: 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , here is illustrated a golf club carrier for a motorcycle  10  which includes a frame  12  that has a front  14 , a back  16 , a top end  18  and bottom end  20 . Top end  18  is open. Two vertical supports  22  are provided on the back  16 . The vertical supports  22  each have a first upper end  24  and a second lower end  26 . A horizontal support  28  extends along the bottom end  20  of golf club carrier  10  perpendicular to the second end  26  of the vertical supports  22 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , a mounting means  29  in the form of a hitch  30  is provided for mounting the horizontal support  28  to a hitch receiver  32  provided on a rear  34  of a motorcycle body  36  as shown in  FIG. 5 . It will be appreciated and understood that there are differing types of mounting means, including various known hitching mechanisms, which could be used to secure golf club carrier  10  to the motorcycle body  36 . 
     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , a golf club bag support platform  38  extends outwardly from the second end  26  of the vertical supports  22  and over the horizontal support  28 . The golf club bag support platform  38  is substantially planer, and has opposed sides  39 . Opposed sides  39  can be provided with an upwardly extending lip (not shown) to prevent contents from sliding during use. In the illustrated embodiment, golf club bag support platform  38  is mounted to the horizontal support  28  such that the horizontal support  28  centrally located and is equidistant from either of opposed sides  39  of the golf club bag support platform  38 . Golf club bag support platform  38  can be of many configurations including a flat panel, perforated panel, or cross hatched metal. It fabricated from intersecting wire, cable, fabric straps or other materials if desired. A textured coating can be applied to prevent slippage of contents. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , a first securing means in the form of a metal band  40  and a second securing means in the form of polypropylene straps  42  are provided on the front  14  of frame  12  for securing one or more golf club bags  44  within the frame  12 . Straps  42  should be used to restrain golf club bags  44  securely within frame  12  such that golf club bags  44  do not shift or slide around during transportation. It will be appreciated that there are other types of devices are known that can also be used to secure golf club bag  44  within frame  12  including but not limited to bungee cords, elastic bands, and mating tape closing straps. 
     A cross support member  46  is secured to the golf club bag support platform  38  at opposed sides  39  as well as being secured to and traversing the horizontal support  28 . Referring to  FIG. 4 , cross support member  46  provides the necessary stability to the carrier  10  for maintaining golf club bag  44  in an upright and balanced position on the motorcycle  36 . Any changes in balance or direction of the motorcycle  36  are transmitted through the cross support member  46  to the horizontal support  28  so that the carrier  10  moves the same manner as the motorcycle  36  minimizing any unexpected shifts in load or balance. The operator of the motorcycle  36  should have minimal compensation adjustments to make in his riding style despite having added cargo and weight being carried by his motorcycle  36 . It will be appreciated that there can be one or more cross support members  46 , however they must positioned so as to transmit the vertical load from the golf club bag support platform  38  to the horizontal support bar  28  for stability. The horizontal support  28  and cross support member  46  must have sufficient strength and stiffness to meet this criteria. As motorcycles  36  have two wheels in alignment, they do not have the stabilizing wheel base that four wheel cars and trucks have, as such small variations in weight and movement cause a motorcycle to destabilize and require an operator to adjust his riding style to compensate. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , as carrier  10  is supported by and detachable by means of a hitch engagement  29 , it can be quickly and easily mounted to a motorcycle  36  or detached quickly as needed. Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , in the illustrated embodiment hitch engagement  29  involves hitch  30  provided on a first end  47  of the horizontal support  28  which is inserted into the hitch receiver  32  provided on the rear  34  of a motorcycle body  36 , although it will be appreciate that other types of hitching means can also be used. Referring to  FIG. 5 , as carrier  10  is mounted to a rear  34  of the motorcycle  36  as opposed to the sides, it will not cause unnecessary drag on the motorcycle  36  during operation, nor does it interfere with having a passenger on the motorcycle  36  or other cargo  48  such as side carrying cases (not shown) that may be mounted on the sides of the motorcycle  36 . 
     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , frame  12  is preferably constructed of intersecting lightweight wires  50 , however as noted previously other materials can also be used. Likewise, golf club bag support platform  38  is constructed with crossing wires  50 , but could be fabricated from other types of materials as noted above. In the illustrated embodiment, wires  50  are used as they are resilient, reasonably weather proof, and have a suitable strength for holding golf bags  44  securing. Wires  50  also allow for the carrier  10  to have suitable strength without adding bulkiness or extra weight to the motorcycle  36 . Furthermore, wires  50  allow for air to flow through the carrier  10  thereby limiting the amount of drag on the motorcycle  36  during operation. It is preferred that during manufacturing, wires  50  are bent and shaped so that frame  12  has smooth rounded edges so as not to scratch or catch on the contents. Ensuring that the carrier  10  is very light also allows for ease of transportation when disengaged from the motorcycle  36 . One can easily remove carrier  10  and carry it to a storage facility, garage or a hotel room to prevent theft. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a mounting plate  52  is provided on the front  14  of the carrier  10  to mount the license plate  54  and ensure its visibility. Mounting plate  52  can be secured to a second end  53  of horizontal support as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , or elsewhere on the front  14  of the carrier  10  so long as it is visible. The mounting plate  52  is provided with apertures  56  which allow for brake lights  58  and signal lights  60  to be mounted as shown in  FIG. 5 .  FIG. 5  also illustrates a wiring harness  62  that is carried and protected within horizontal support  28 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment, a horizontal support  28  is shown which has an upward angled portion  64  so as to ensure that carrier  10  is carried at a height that ensures adequate road clearance during travel. 
     Variations 
     Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , there is illustrated a golf club carrier for a motorcycle  100  which is adapted to hold two golf club bags  144 . As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the frame  112  and golf club bag support platform  138  are of a width to accommodate two golf club bags  144  as shown in  FIG. 7 . The cross support member  146  is also of a corresponding width such that the weight from the two golf club bags  144  is properly distributed and supported by the golf club bag support platform  138 . 
     In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be one and only one of the elements. 
     The following claims are to be understood to include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptually equivalent, and what can be obviously substituted. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the described embodiments can be configured without departing from the scope of the claims. The illustrated embodiments have been set forth only as examples and should not be taken as limiting the invention. It is to be understood that, within the scope of the following claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically illustrated and described.