Abstract:
A strut assembly for a motorcycle includes an elongate strut member having opposed upper and lower ends; a first mounting device for securing the upper end of the strut assembly to a portion of an handle bar of a motorcycle; and a second mounting device for securing the lower end of the strut assembly to a portion of a front end of the motorcycle, wherein the second mounting device includes an end that is rotatable and pivotable and the lower end of the strut assembly is slidably engaged through the rotatable and pivotable end of the second mounting bracket. Desirably, the second mounting device is a swivel bolt. The elongate strut assembly may a series of securably joined links of a chain, in the shape of an elongate shield, in the shape of a sword, or any other suitable elongate and rigid configuration or design.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/700,394, filed Jul. 19, 2005, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention is directed to a strut assembly for the front end of a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention is a motorcycle strut assembly for the front end thereof.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE OF INVENTION  
       [0003]     The front end of a motorcycle is subject to stresses during use. For example, when the motorcycle is being turned, the front end is subjected to rotational stresses. Further, when the motor cycle is traveling over bumpy roads or terrain, the front end is subjected to axial stresses. Accordingly, a front end strut assembly for a motorcycle has not been proposed because of the difficulty in overcoming the problems associated with such front end stresses.  
         [0004]     Thus, there is a need in the art for a motor strut assembly that can withstand the stresses associated with motorcycle usage while not adversely affecting the performance of the motorcycle.  
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0005]     In one aspect of the present invention, a strut assembly for a motorcycle includes an elongate strut member having opposed upper and lower ends; a first mounting device for securing the upper end of the strut assembly to a portion of an handle bar of a motorcycle; and a second mounting device for securing the lower end of the strut assembly to a portion of a front end of the motorcycle, wherein the second mounting device includes an end that is rotatable and pivotable and the lower end of the strut assembly is slidably engaged through the rotatable and pivotable end of the second mounting bracket. Desirably, the second mounting device is a swivel bolt. The elongate strut assembly may a series of securably joined links of a chain, in the shape of an elongate shield, in the shape of a sword, or any other suitable elongate and rigid configuration or design. The elongate strut member may be a metallic member, for example, a chrome-plated member.  
         [0006]     In another aspect of the present invention, a strut assembly for a motorcycle includes an elongate strut member having opposed upper and lower ends; a first mounting device for securing the upper end of the strut assembly to a portion of an upper portion of a motorcycle; and a second mounting device for securing the lower end of the strut assembly to a lower portion of the motorcycle, wherein the second mounting device comprises an end that is rotatable and pivotable and the lower end of the strut assembly is slidable engaged through the rotatable and pivotable end of the second mounting bracket. The lower portion of the motor cycle may be a front end of the motor cycle, a rear end of the motor cycle, a front axle of the motor cycle, a rear axle of the motor cycle or combinations thereof. The upper portion of the motor cycle may be a handle bar of the motor cycle, a rear upper frame of the motor cycle, a front upper frame of the motor cycle, a seat portion of the motor cycle, a seat support portion of the motor cycle or combinations thereof. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  is a side elevational view of a motorcycle.  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of one embodiment of a motorcycle strut assembly according to the present invention.  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is a front elevational view of another embodiment of a motorcycle strut assembly according to the present invention.  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  is a front elevational view of yet another embodiment of a motorcycle strut assembly according to the present invention.  
         [0011]      FIG. 5  is side elevation view of a first mounting bracket according to the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 6  is side elevation view of a second mounting bracket according to the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 7  is a top view of a swivel support or bolt according to the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 8  is a schematic view of a portion of the strut assembly of the present invention slidably engaged with the swivel support of  FIG. 7 .  
         [0015]      FIG. 9  is a top view of a swivel support or bolt according to the present invention depicting a rotatable ball positioned within the bolt.  
         [0016]      FIG. 10  is a top view of the ball of  FIG. 9 .  
         [0017]      FIG. 11  is a top view of a swivel support or bolt according to the present invention having a pivotable and rotatable head portion.  
         [0018]      FIG. 12  is a side elevation view of a cover for secured to the swivel support of bold of  FIG. 11 , according to the present invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 13  is a front elevations view of the cover of  FIG. 12  illustrating an oval-shaped cover. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION  
       [0020]     Now referring to the figures, wherein like elements are identically or similarly numbered,  FIG. 1  depicts a motorcycle  10  having a front end  12 , handle bars  14 , front tire  16 , rear tire  18  and engine  20 , interrelated as shown. The motor cycle  10  further includes a front headlight  22  and a pair of front end shock absorbers or assemblies  24 . The strut assemblies of the present invention, which are described below, are securable to the front end  12  and the handle bars  14  of motorcycle  10 . The strut assemblies of the present invention, however, are not limited to use with just motorcycles and other vehicles having a shock-absorbing front end may suitable be fitted with the strut assemblies of the present invention. Non-limiting examples of other such suitable vehicles may include, but are not limited to, dirt bikes, snow mobiles, motorized tricycles, and the like.  
         [0021]      FIG. 2  depicts one embodiment of strut assembly  30  of the present invention. As depicted in  FIG. 2 , strut assembly  30  includes left and right handle bar mounts  32  and  34  for securing the strut assembly  30  to respective left and right handle bars  48  and  50 . Descending from the left and right handle bar mounts  32  and  34  are elongate members or struts  36  and  38 , respectively. The struts  36  and  38  may include lower portions  40  and  42 , respectively, which are slidably securable to the left and right front end mounts  44  and  46 . The left front end mounts  44  and  46  are secured to left and right front end portions  52  and  54 , respectively, of the motorcycle  10 .  
         [0022]     Desirably, the strut assembly  30  is a relatively rigid, for example, a substantially rigid, assembly. While the struts  36  and  38  are depicted as chains in  FIG. 2 , adjacent links of the chains are desirably welded (not shown) to one and the other to provide rigidity to the struts  36  and  38 . The lower portions  40  and  42  may also be welded to the bottom terminal chain of the struts  36  and  38 . The present invention, however, is no so limited and the lower portions  40  and  42  may be secured to the struts  40  and  42  by other mechanical means, for example by bolting.  
         [0023]     The left and right handle bar mounts  32  and  34  may be secured to the left and right handle bars  48  and  50  by clamping, bolting, welding, and the like. The left and right handle mounts  32  and  34  may further include handles  32 ′ and  34 ′. The handles  32 ′ and  34 ′ are useful for extending the struts  36  and  38  away from the handle bar  48  and  50 . Desirably, the handles  32 ′ and  34 ′ may include a decorative design, such as brass knuckles as depicted in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0024]      FIG. 3  depicts another embodiment of a strut assembly  60  according to the present invention. The strut assembly  60  may include left and right handle bar mounts  62  and  64  for securing the strut assembly  60  to respective left and right handle bars  48  and  50 . Descending from the left and right handle bar mounts  62  and  64  are elongate members or struts  66  and  68 , respectively. The struts  66  and  68  may also include lower portions  70  and  72 , respectively, which are slidably securable to the left and right front end mounts  44  and  46 . The left and right front end mounts  44  and  46  are secured to left and right front end portions  52  and  54 , respectively. The strut assemblies  66  and  68  are also relative rigid elongate members and are depicted as being in the shape of a shield-like member. The assembly  60  may further include handles  62 ′ and  64 ′ for extending the top portion of the struts  66  and  68  away from the handle bars  48  and  50 . The struts  66  and  68  may include lower portions  70  and  72  which are desirably slidably securable to the left and right front end mounts  44  and  46 . The left front end mounts  44  and  46  are also securable to left and right front end portions  52  and  54 , respectively.  
         [0025]     As depicted in  FIG. 4 , the strut assembly  80  may also be in the design of a pair of swords  86 ,  88 . For example, left and right handle bar mounts  82  and  84  may be in the shape of hands or gloves and are useful for securing the strut assembly  80  to respective left and right handle bars  48  and  50 . Descending from the left and right handle bar mounts  82  and  84  are the elongate members or struts  86  and  88 , respectively, which, as depicted in  FIG. 4 , are in the shape of a sword. The struts  86  and  88  may also include lower portions  90  and  92  which are slidably securable to the left and right front end mounts  44  and  46 . The left front end mounts  44  and  46  are securable to left and right front end portions  52  and  54 , respectively.  
         [0026]     As depicted in  FIG. 4 , the strut assemblies of the present invention are useful for securing banners, shields and the like  93  having depictions such as symbols and/or lettering  95 , for example advertisements, club names, and the like. The strut assemblies of the present invention may also be useful for securing a deflector against snow and rain and may be further useful for securing a wind guard. The strut assemblies of the present invention may also be used to support additional lights (not shown) to provide additional safety features to a motorcycle so fitted with the inventive strut assembly.  
         [0027]      FIGS. 5 and 6  depict mounting brackets  94  and  96 . The mounting brackets  94  and  96  are useful for securing the strut assemblies of the present invention to the front end portion  52  and  54 .  
         [0028]      FIG. 7  further depicts additional details of the left and right front end mounts  44  and  46  of the present invention. Desirably, the mounts  44  and  46  are swivel supports or swivel eye bolts. The swivel bolts  44  and  46  have an orifice  100  through which the lower portions  40 ,  42 ,  70 ,  72 ,  90 ,  92  of the struts  36 ,  38 ,  66 ,  68 ,  86 ,  88  may slide therethrough. Although the orifice is depicted as being circular, the present invention is no so limited and other shaped orifices, such as oval, rectangular, square, and the like, may suitably be used. The head  102  of the swivel bolt  44 ,  46  is desirably rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the bolt, as indicated by vector “R”. Further, it is desirable that the head  102  of the swivel bolt  44 ,  46  may also be pivotable about the longitudinal axis of the bolt as indicated by vector “P”. Such rotatable and pivotable movement of the swivel supports  44  and  46  are useful for securing the strut assemblies  30 ,  60 ,  80  of the present invention to the front end  52 ,  52  of motorcycles while not interfering with the performance or handling of the motorcycle. For example, when the handle bars  48 ,  50  of the motorcycle  10  are turned to steer the motorcycle  10  around a bend, the swivel bolt  44 ,  46  may rotate to accommodate the relative movement of the handle bars  48 ,  50  and the front end axis, where the mounting brackets  94  and  96  secure the swivel supports  44  and  46  to the front end axle of the motorcycle  10 . The pivotable movement of the swivel head  102  is also useful for maintaining stability of the strut assembly  30 ,  60 ,  80  of the present invention and the motorcycle  10  so mounted with the inventive strut assembly  30 ,  60 ,  80  as the axial stresses or movements are placed upon the front end of the motorcycle  10 , for example when traveling over bumpy roads or making sharp turns. Vertical stresses are minimized as the strut assemblies  30 ,  60 ,  80  of the present invention have portions  40 ,  42 ,  70 ,  72 ,  90 ,  92  slidable through the eye  100  of the swivel bolt  44 ,  46 . The end  36 ,  38 ,  66 ,  68 ,  86 ,  88  of the strut  40 ,  42 ,  70 ,  72 ,  90 ,  92  may also contain a pin, bolt, knob or other member (not shown) to prevent the end  40 ,  42 ,  70 ,  72 ,  90 ,  92  of the strut  36 ,  38 ,  66 ,  68 ,  86 ,  88  from separating or exiting from the eye  100  of the swivel bolt  44 ,  46 . The swivel bolt  44 ,  46  may be bolted to the mounting brackets  94 ,  96  by use of the bolt  104  over threaded portion  106  of the swivel support  44 ,  46 . The threaded portion  106  of the swivel bolt  44 ,  46  may be a male threaded portion or a female threaded portion (not shown).  
         [0029]      FIGS. 9-11  depict additional details of swivel bolts useful with the present invention. As depicted in  FIGS. 9-10  the swivel bolts  44 ′,  46 ′ may include a ball  102 ″ having an orifice  100  therethrough. The ball  102 ″ is rotatably mounted with the head  102 ′ of the swivel bolt  44 ′,  46 ′, for example by a press fit with a bearing mechanism for ease of rotation of the ball  102 ″ within the head  102 ′. Such an arrangement permits both rotational (R) and pivotable (P) movement of the ball  102 ″ with the swivel bolt head  102 ′. Such a swivel bolt  44 ′,  46 ′ is commonly referred to as a rod end bearing and is commercially available from Buyers Products Co., model number 440-841-8003 for size ½×20. Another embodiment of for the swivel bolt  44 ″,  46 ″ is depicted in  FIG. 11 . As depicted in  FIG. 11 , the head  102  is rotatable and pivotable about the body (or length)  106  at arrangement  104 . The arrangement  104  may be any useful design, for example a ball and socket arrangement (not shown) which allows for the desired movement of the head  102  of the eyebolt or swivel bolt  44 ″,  46 ″.  
         [0030]      FIG. 8  depicts the lower portion  40 ,  42  of the strut assembly  30  being slidably engaged, as indicated by vector “S”, with the swivel support  44 ,  46 . As depicted in  FIG. 8  the lower portion  40 ,  42  of the strut assembly  30  is safely secured away from the axle  98  of the motorcycle.  
         [0031]      FIGS. 12-13  depict a cover  120 ,  122  secured to the swivel supports  44 ,  46 , respectively. As depicted in  FIG. 13 , the cover  120 ,  122  may cover or block or overlay the lower portions  40 ,  42  of the strut assembly. The shape of the cover  120 ,  122  is depicted as being oval in  FIG. 13 , but the present invention is not so limited. The cover  120 ,  122  may be any useful shape, such as but not limited to circular, triangular, rectangular, square, multi-sided polygon and the like. Further, the cover  120 ,  122  may include decorative shapes, such as but not limited to shields, wings, banners and the like.  
         [0032]     Desirably, the struts  36 ,  38 ,  66 ,  68 ,  86 ,  88  of the present invention are made from or may include metal or metallic portions. Steel, including stainless steel, is a useful metal, but other metals may suitably be used. The struts  36 ,  38 ,  66 ,  68 ,  86 ,  88  of the present invention may also be painted, plated, polished, finished and the like to provide a desired finish to the assemblies.  
         [0033]     While the struts assemblies of the present invention have been described as being relatively rigid metallic members, the present invention is not so limited. For example, the strut assemblies may be made from other materials such as plastics, rubbers and the like. Desirably, these other materials should have sufficient strength and rigidity to withstand of the stresses associated with motorcycle usage.  
         [0034]     Further, the strut assemblies of the present invention are not limited just to the use of swivel bolts for securing the assemblies to the front ends of motorcycles. Other connections that provide rotational and pivotable flexibility may suitably be used. For example, a middle portion of the strut  36  and  38  may include a spring (not shown) to hold the struts under tension after the top and bottom portions of the struts are securely bolted or otherwise secured to the motorcycle. The spring may compress and expand to provide for the vertical movement of the strut assembly. Further, the spring may rotatably engage the strut portion to provide for rotational movement of the strut assembly.  
         [0035]     Further, the strut assemblies of the present invention are not limited to designs that are placeable at the front end of a motorcycle. Strut assemblies of the present invention may be secured to a rear axle or frame portion the motorcycle. Such a strut assembly may be useful as a back rest for the motorcycle, which are commonly referred to as “sissy” bars.  
         [0036]     The invention being thus described, it will now be evident to those skilled in the art that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.