Patent Publication Number: US-2023159123-A1

Title: Bag for motorcycles

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a bag for motorcycles. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     One of the problems faced by motorcycle riders is the lack of space for placing personal objects in the motorcycle. To that end, the use of containers and bags fixed to the body of the motorcycle, and which allow placing objects therein is known. 
     These containers and bags can be placed in different positions of the motorcycle, such as e.g., on the rear sides of the motorcycle or on the rear portion of the motorcycle. 
     Furthermore, these containers and bags can be rigid or flexible. Usually, these containers and bags are detachably mounted on the motorcycle, e.g., by belts, so that the user can fix and remove the containers and bags from the motorcycle. One example of a device for fastening these containers and bags to a motorcycle is disclosed in EP3121097A1, of the same applicant than the present application. 
     For preventing the unauthorized access to the rigid containers, they comprise a lock that can be opened and closed by a key or code, but in the case of flexible bags, it is difficult to provide a secure bag. 
     In practice the user usually removes the flexible bags when he/she does not use the motorcycle, to prevent an unauthorized access to the bag or even the theft of the whole bag. 
     Furthermore, during a short stop, e.g., in gas stations or in border controls, it is also important to prevent an unauthorized access to the bag. 
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, an objective of the present invention is to provide a bag for motorcycles that provides an enhanced security, permitting to fix the bag to the motorcycle in a secure way and also closing the bag for prevent or reduce the risk of an unauthorized access to the bag. 
     With the bag for motorcycles of the invention said disadvantages are solved, presenting other advantages that will be described below. 
     The bag for motorcycles according to the present invention comprises at least one closing element for closing the bag, wherein the bag also comprises a plate that includes:
         at least one housing for housing said at least one closing element, and   at least one stop element that is movable between a releasing position and a retaining position, so that in the releasing position the at least one closing element can be removed from the at least one housing and in the retaining position the at least one closing element is prevented to be removed from the at least one housing.       

     Thanks to these features, the bag for motorcycles according to the present invention can be closed, preventing, or making more difficult an unauthorized access to it, while the motorcycle is parked. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, the at least one stop element is placed on a shaft that is rotatable about its longitudinal axis, and the shaft preferably comprises at one of its ends a lock cylinder for driving the rotation of the shaft. 
     Preferably, the plate also comprises at least one fixing element for fixing the bag to a motorcycle, said at least one fixing element being movable between an engagement position and a detachment position, so that in the engagement position the bag is fixed to a motorcycle and in the detachment position the bag can be detached from the motorcycle. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, the at least one fixing element is mounted on an arm and their movement is driven by a lever. 
     Furthermore, the plate can also comprise a lock that permits or locks the movement of the lock cylinder and/or the lever, and preferably the lock comprises a key for permitting or locking the movement of the lock cylinder and/or the lever. 
     This way, the user can easily lock the fixation of the bag to the motorcycle and also closing the bag. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, the at least one closing element is a hook, and the at least one housing is a through hole. 
     Furthermore, the at least one stop element, in its retaining position, preferably protrude from the plate and is placed besides one end of the at least one housing. 
     The at least one closing element is preferably joined at one end of a strap in a fixed position, so that the at least one closing element cannot be moved along said strap. Therefore, this position determines the maximum capacity of the bag, because if the bag is filled with an excessive capacity, the at least one closing element could not be inserted inside the at least one housing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For better understanding of what has been disclosed, some drawings in which, schematically and only by way of a non-limiting example, a practical case of embodiment is shown. 
         FIG.  1    is a rear view of the bag for motorcycles according to the present invention; 
         FIG.  2    is a perspective view of the plate of the bag for motorcycles according to the present invention, in the position in which the stop elements are in their releasing position and the fixing elements are in their detachment position; 
         FIG.  3    is a perspective view of the plate of the bag for motorcycles according to the present invention, in the position in which the stop elements are in their retaining position and the fixing elements are in their engagement position; and 
         FIG.  4    is a perspective view of the internal mechanism that releases or closes both the fixing elements that fix the bag to the motorcycle and the stop elements that prevent the removal of the closing elements of the bag. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The bag for motorcycles according to the present invention is design generally by numeral reference  1 , and it is preferably a flexible bag comprising a plate  3  attached on one of its sides. 
     The bag  1  can be closed by closing elements  2 , which according to the shown embodiment are hooks, that can be housed in housings  4  provided in the plate  3 , for closing the bag  1 . The number of closing elements  2  and housings  4  can be of one or more, and in the shown embodiment, this number is two. 
     Said housings  4  are, according to the shown embodiment, through holes, inside which the closing elements  2  are housed for closing the bag  1 . 
     To prevent the removal of the closing elements  2  from the housings  2 , the plate  3  comprises stop elements  5 , that are movable between a releasing position (shown in  FIG.  2   ) and a retaining position (shown in  FIG.  3   ). 
     In the releasing position the closing elements  2  can be removed from the housings  4 , i.e., the stop elements  5  do not protrude from the plate  3 , and in the retaining position the closing elements  2  are prevented to be removed from the housings  4 , i.e., the stop elements  5  protrude from the plate  3  and are placed besides one end of the housings  4 , so that if the closing elements  2  are moved for their removal from the housings  4 , they will contact the stop elements  2 , preventing their removal. 
     The mechanism that permits the movement of the stop elements  5  is shown in  FIG.  4   , and it comprises a shaft  6  on which the stop elements  5  are placed, preferably on both ends of the shaft  6 . This shaft  6  can be made from one or more pieces. 
     This shaft  6  is rotatable along its longitudinal axis, and its rotation is driven manually by a rotor  8  that is placed on an end of the shaft  6 . The rotation of this rotor  8  can be locked by a lock cylinder  7  using a key  12 , preventing an unauthorized driving of the rotor  8 . 
     According to a preferred embodiment, the stop elements  5  are protrusions, and they are placed substantially perpendicular with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft  6 . 
     The closing elements  2  are preferably joined at one end of respective straps  14 , so that the closing elements  2  cannot be moved along said straps  14 . Therefore, this position determines the maximum capacity of the bag  1 , because if the bag  1  is filled with an excessive capacity, the closing elements  2  could not be inserted inside the housings  4 . 
     Furthermore, the plate  3  also comprises fixing elements  9 , that permit to fix the bag  1  to a motorcycle, not shown in the drawings. The number of fixing elements  9  can be of one or more, and in the shown embodiment, this number is two. 
     Said fixing elements  9  are movable between an engagement position (shown in  FIG.  3   ) and a detachment position (shown in  FIG.  2   ), so that in the engagement position the bag  1  is fixed to a motorcycle and in the detachment position the bag  1  can be detached from the motorcycle. 
     According to the shown embodiment, the fixing elements  9  are curved protrusions, and in the engagement position they protrude from the plate  3  to be engaged with complementary elements, such as rods, of the motorcycle. 
     In the detachment position, the fixing elements  9  do not protrude from the plate  3 , and they are not engaged with the complementary elements, so that the bag  1  can be removed from the motorcycle. 
     The mechanism that permits the movement of the fixing elements  9  is also shown in  FIG.  4   . According to this embodiment, the fixing elements  9  are mounted on an arm  10  and their movement is driven by a lever  11 . E.g., when a user drives the lever  11 , the fixing elements  9  can be moved, i.e., rotated about a rotation axis  13  that is preferably parallel with respect to the arm  10 . 
     The rotation about the rotation axis  13  is driven by a torsion spring. When the user moves the lever  11  for detaching the bag  1  from the motorcycle, the arm  10  is also moved, so that the fixing elements  9  are not engaged with the complementary elements of the motorcycle. 
     When the user moves the lever  11  for fixing the bag  1  to the motorcycle, the arm  10  slides horizontally, rotating the axis  13  by chamfers or the like, fixing the bag  1  to the motorcycle. 
     The lever  11  preferably can be also locked by the rotor  8 , so that with the use of the key  12 , the user can also lock the movement of the fixing elements  9 . 
     The use of the bag  1  according to the present invention is very simple. The user can engage or fix the bag  1  to a motorcycle using the fixing elements  9  just placing the bag  1  with the fixing elements  9  engaging the complementary elements of the motorcycle. 
     Furthermore, for closing the bag  1 , the user can place the closing elements  2  inside the housings  4 . 
     During the use of the motorcycle, it is not necessary to lock neither the closing elements  2 , but when the motorcycle is parked in a public parking or similar spaces, the user can lock both the closing elements  2  and the fixing elements  9  at the same time, just using the key  12  with the lock cylinder  7 . 
     The key  12  cannot be removed from the lock cylinder  7  with the lever  11  in the open position. This is for preventing the detachment of the bag  1  during the use of the motorcycle. 
     Once locked, it is prevented, or at least is more difficult, the unauthorized access to the bag  1  and its removal from the motorcycle. 
     Although reference has been made to specific embodiments of the invention, it is apparent to a person skilled in the art that the described bag for motorcycles is susceptible of numerous variations and modifications, and that all the details mentioned can be replaced by other technically equivalents, without departing from the scope of protection defined by the appended claims.