Patent Description:
The present invention finds particular application in the field of racing motorcycles.

The solutions in use today require the rear brake to be operated by a pump mounted on the half-handlebar (usually the left) and operated by the thumb or via a standard pump operated connected to a pedal placed on the pedalboard (usually the right) and operated by the pilot's foot.

On the half-handlebar there is also the lever for operating the clutch which is used only at the start, because during the race the gear change takes place without the need to operate the clutch lever.

In addition to starting, the clutch operating lever may also be used in case of failure or emergency.

Such known solutions have drawbacks and limitations.

According to a known embodiment, there are two controls on the left half-handlebar that the pilot can operate with his hand (for the clutch) and with his thumb (for the brake).

However, the use of the thumb is not optimal since it does not allow a high and precise modulation of the hydraulic control, certainly not higher than that obtainable with a pedal control. On the other hand, if two controls were used on the half-handlebar, respectively designed to operate the brake and the clutch by means of the <NUM> fingers, this layout would be dangerous in the event of a fall, because the pilot's hand could easily get caught between the levers and the related actuators.

For these reasons, the known solutions provide for the use of a pedal brake control and a clutch control on the half-handlebar, or the use of two lever controls on the same half-handlebar, one of which (typically the brake control) in order to be operated by the thumb. The latter solution, however, as seen, limits the pilot's ability to effectively modulate the brake connected to it. Solutions according to prior art are known, for example, from <CIT> and <CIT>.

The need to solve the drawbacks and limitations mentioned with reference to the prior art is therefore increasingly felt.

Such a need is met by an actuator device according to claim <NUM>.

In particular, such a need is met by an actuator device of a braking device and a clutch comprising.

wherein
the actuator device comprises diverter means suitable for fluidly connecting the output of the pump alternately with the first delivery circuit and with the second delivery circuit, so as to alternately actuate the braking device or the clutch.

According to the invention, said diverter means are operatively connected with a switch able to arrange the diverter means to set the fluid connection of the outlet of the pump with the first delivery circuit or with the second delivery circuit respectively.

According to a possible embodiment, said actuator device comprises a processing and control unit programmed to control the diverter means according to the signal received by said switch.

According to a possible embodiment, said actuation sensor is arranged in the vicinity of the manual actuation device.

According to a possible embodiment, said actuation sensor is arranged in the vicinity of said diverter means.

According to a possible embodiment, said processing and control unit is operatively connected to a pressure sensor arranged on the outlet of the pump.

According to a possible embodiment, said processing and control unit is operatively connected to at least one pressure sensor arranged on each of said first and second delivery circuits.

According to a possible embodiment, the diverter means comprise a first shut-off valve and a second shut-off valve, and wherein the outlet of the pump forks into a first branch and a second branch,.

According to a possible embodiment, said shut-off valves are two-way solenoid valves, switched so that when the first shut-off valve is open, the second shut-off valve is closed and vice versa.

According to a possible embodiment, the diverter means comprise a <NUM>-way shut-off valve, arranged on the outlet of the pump and alternately connectable to the first delivery circuit and the second delivery circuit.

According to a possible embodiment, said three-way shut-off valve is provided with pneumatic actuation.

According to a possible embodiment, said three-way shut-off valve is provided with electric or electromagnetic or manual actuation.

According to a possible embodiment, the actuator device comprises a further manual operating device, separate from said manual operating device, which intercepts the second delivery circuit downstream of the diverter means, so as to be able to directly actuate the clutch.

According to a possible embodiment, the actuator device comprises a further manual operating device, separate from said manual operating device, which intercepts the first delivery circuit downstream of the diverter means, so as to be able to directly operate the braking device.

The present invention also relates to a hydraulic actuator system for a motorcycle comprising an actuator device of a brake and a clutch, wherein the system comprises a braking device fluidly connected to the first delivery circuit and a clutch fluidly connected to the second delivery circuit.

The present invention also relates to a motorcycle comprising an actuator device of a brake and a clutch.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly from the following description of preferred non-limiting embodiments thereof, in which:.

Elements or parts of elements in common to the embodiments described below are referred to with the same reference numerals.

With reference to the aforesaid figures, reference numeral <NUM> generally indicates a hydraulic actuator system for motorcycles, in particular for the hydraulic actuation of at least one brake <NUM> and at least one clutch <NUM> of a motorcycle.

In particular, said hydraulic actuator system <NUM> comprises an actuator device <NUM> for the brake <NUM> and for the clutch <NUM>.

Said actuator device <NUM> comprises a pump <NUM> provided with a manual operating device <NUM> for pressurizing a fluid by means of a float <NUM>, in a known manner.

The manual operating device <NUM> is for example a lever device suitable for being gripped by a user on the handlebar of a motorcycle; it is also possible that the manual operating device <NUM> is a pedal device.

The actuator device is in turn provided with handlebar fixing means (not shown).

The actuator device <NUM> is further provided with a first and a second delivery circuit <NUM>, <NUM> fluidly connected to an outlet <NUM> of said pump <NUM>.

In other words, the first and the second delivery circuits <NUM>, <NUM> may be crossed by the fluid put under pressure by the float <NUM> and coming from the outlet <NUM>.

The first delivery circuit <NUM> is fluidly connectable to the braking device or brake <NUM>; the second delivery circuit <NUM> is fluidly connectable to the clutch <NUM>.

It should be noted that, for the purposes of the present invention, the type of braking device <NUM>, which for example may be a disc brake, or a drum brake, and the type of clutch <NUM>, are not important.

Advantageously, the actuator device <NUM> comprises diverter means <NUM> suitable for fluidly connecting the output <NUM> of the pump <NUM> alternately with the first delivery circuit <NUM> and with the second delivery circuit <NUM>, so as to alternately actuate the braking device <NUM> or the clutch <NUM>.

In other words, the diverter means <NUM> alternately connect the outlet with each of said delivery circuits <NUM>, <NUM> according to the type of actuation requested by the user.

In particular, according to the invention, said diverter means <NUM> are operatively connected with a switch <NUM> able to arrange the diverter means to set the fluid connection of the outlet <NUM> of the pump <NUM> with the first delivery circuit <NUM> or with the second delivery circuit <NUM>, respectively.

In other words, based on the position of the switch <NUM>, the diverter means <NUM> carry out the fluid connection of the outlet <NUM> of the pump <NUM> alternately with the first delivery circuit <NUM> or with the second delivery circuit <NUM>, so as to allow, respectively, the actuation of the braking device <NUM> or of the clutch <NUM>, by means of the same manual operating device <NUM>.

According to an embodiment, the actuator device <NUM> comprises a processing and control unit <NUM> programmed to control the diverter means <NUM> according to the signal received by said switch <NUM>.

Said switch <NUM> may be arranged in the vicinity of the first and second manual actuator device <NUM>, <NUM> or it may also be placed in the vicinity of the diverter means <NUM>.

According to an embodiment, the processing and control unit <NUM> is operatively connected to a pressure sensor <NUM> arranged on the outlet <NUM> of the pump <NUM>.

The processing and control unit <NUM> may also be operatively connected to at least one pressure sensor <NUM> arranged on each of said first and second delivery circuits <NUM>, <NUM>.

According to a further embodiment, the processing and control unit <NUM> can control the diverter means <NUM> according to further control logics, also of the automatic type, that is, not linked to the actuation of a switch <NUM> by the pilot.

For example, since the clutch <NUM> must be usually activated for starting the motorcycle, it is possible to provide that the processing and control unit operates the diverter means <NUM> in the position of fluid connection with the second delivery circuit <NUM> and therefore with the clutch <NUM>, when the forward speed of the motorcycle is lower than a threshold value, close to or if anything equal to zero (i.e. stationary vehicle). It is also possible to provide further operating logics of the actuator means <NUM> by the processing and control unit <NUM>.

The diverter means <NUM> which alternately connect the first and the second delivery circuit <NUM>, <NUM> with the outlet <NUM> may be of various types.

According to a possible embodiment (<FIG>, <FIG>), the diverter means <NUM> comprise a first and a second shut-off valve <NUM>, <NUM>, and the outlet <NUM> of the float <NUM> forks into a first branch <NUM> and a second branch <NUM>.

In particular, the first branch <NUM> is connected/disconnected to/from the first delivery circuit <NUM> by the first shut-off valve <NUM>; the second branch <NUM> is connected/disconnected to/from the second delivery circuit <NUM> by the second shut-off valve <NUM>.

Said shut-off valves <NUM> are, for example, two-way solenoid valves, switched so that when one valve is open the other is closed and vice versa.

For example, in <FIG> and <FIG>, the first shut-off valve <NUM> is actuated in such a way as to disconnect the first branch <NUM> from the first delivery circuit <NUM> and, at the same time, the second shut-off valve <NUM> is actuated so as to fluidly connect the second branch <NUM> with the second delivery circuit <NUM>: in this way, the outlet <NUM> is fluidly connected only with the second delivery circuit <NUM> and can therefore actuate the relative clutch <NUM>.

On the other hand, in <FIG> and <FIG>, the first shut-off valve <NUM> is actuated so as to connect the first branch <NUM> with the first delivery circuit <NUM> and, at the same time, the second shut-off valve <NUM> is actuated so as to fluidly disconnect from each other the second branch <NUM> from the second delivery circuit <NUM>: in this way, the outlet <NUM> is fluidly connected only with the first delivery circuit <NUM> and can therefore actuate the relative braking device <NUM>.

According to a possible embodiment (<FIG>), the diverter means <NUM> comprise a <NUM>-way shut-off valve <NUM>, arranged on the outlet <NUM> of the pump <NUM> and alternately connectable to the first and the second delivery circuit <NUM>, <NUM>.

For example, said three-way shut-off valve <NUM> is provided with pneumatic actuation.

It is also possible to provide that the three-way shut-off valve <NUM> is provided with electric or electromagnetic or manual actuation.

<FIG> shows the condition in which the <NUM>-way shut-off valve <NUM> is operated in such a way as to put the outlet <NUM> in fluid communication with the second delivery circuit <NUM> and disconnect the same outlet <NUM> from the first delivery circuit <NUM>: in this way, the fluid put under pressure by the float <NUM> is able to operate only the clutch <NUM>.

On the other hand, <FIG> shows the condition in which the <NUM>-way shut-off valve <NUM> is operated so as to put the outlet <NUM> in fluid communication with the first delivery circuit <NUM> and disconnect the same outlet <NUM> from the second delivery circuit <NUM>: in this way, the fluid put under pressure by the float <NUM> is able to operate only the braking device <NUM>.

According to a possible embodiment, the actuator device <NUM> comprises a further manual operating device <NUM>, separate from the manual operating device <NUM>, which intercepts the second delivery circuit <NUM> downstream of the diverter means <NUM>, so as to be able to directly actuate the clutch <NUM>.

The manual operating device <NUM> is typically used to manage an emergency situation, due for example to the motorcycle going out of track and/or an engine failure: in these conditions it is important to allow the pilot to operate the clutch or disconnect the engine transmission in order to avoid, for example, dangerous locking of the transmission and therefore of the rear wheel.

The manual operating device <NUM> completely bypasses the actuator device <NUM> so that the clutch <NUM> can be directly operated.

According to a further embodiment, the actuator device <NUM> comprises a further manual or pedal operating device <NUM>, separate from said manual operating device <NUM>, which intercepts the first delivery circuit <NUM> downstream of the diverter means <NUM>, so as to be able to directly operate the braking device <NUM>.

In this case, the manual operating device <NUM> completely bypasses the actuator device <NUM> so as to be able to directly operate the braking device <NUM>.

The manual operating device <NUM> may be implemented by using an additional lever or a pedal or button control.

As can be appreciated from the description, the present invention allows overcoming the drawbacks of the prior art.

In fact, the present solution allows the braking system (typically the rear one) and the clutch system to be actuated with a single actuator device mounted on a half-handlebar of the motorcycle and provided with a single manual operating device.

In this way, risks are avoided for the user in the event of a fall, since the solution prevents the hand of the same from being trapped between the mechanisms of the actuator device, as would happen in the solutions of the prior art.

In addition, the solution allows the rear brake to be operated with the left hand by means of a lever of large or standard dimensions and, therefore, with greater sensitivity compared to known pedal solutions or even compared to known solutions of reduced length (operated with the thumb).

Furthermore, the solution of the present invention, by contemplating the use of a single actuator device for the brake and the clutch, allows the overall weight of the actuator device and therefore of the relative actuator system for the brake and the clutch to be reduced.

Claim 1:
Actuator device (<NUM>) of a braking device (<NUM>) and a clutch (<NUM>) comprising
- a pump (<NUM>) provided with a manually operated device (<NUM>) for pressurizing a fluid by means of a float (<NUM>),
- a first delivery circuit (<NUM>) and a second delivery circuit (<NUM>) fluidly connected to an outlet (<NUM>) of said pump (<NUM>),
- the first delivery circuit (<NUM>) being fluidly connected to a braking device (<NUM>),
- the second delivery circuit (<NUM>) is fluidly connected to a clutch (<NUM>),
wherein
the actuator device (<NUM>) comprises diverter means (<NUM>) suitable for fluidly connecting the output (<NUM>) of the pump (<NUM>) alternately with the first delivery circuit (<NUM>) and with the second delivery circuit (<NUM>), so as to alternately actuate the braking device (<NUM>) or the clutch (<NUM>),
characterized in that
said diverter means (<NUM>) are operatively connected with a switch (<NUM>) able to arrange the diverter means (<NUM>) to set the fluid connection of the outlet (<NUM>) of the pump (<NUM>) with the first delivery circuit (<NUM>) or with the second delivery circuit (<NUM>) respectively.