Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to apparatus and method for providing a tiltable steering handlebar for vehicles such as snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs).  
         [0002]     The steering mechanisms currently sold for snowmobiles and ATVs are nearly universally in the form of a handlebar. Furthermore, these handlebars have a nearly universal “one-size, one-position-fits-all” construction. That is, the handlebars are unable to tilt to provide increased comfort for the operator as well as increased safety in the operation of a snowmobile or ATV.  
         [0003]     The tilt mechanisms currently used to provide a tilting action to automobile steering wheels are configured to receive therethrough the steering column and do not rotate as the steering wheel is rotated. That is, this form of tilt apparatus is fixed relative to the vehicle and allows the steering shaft to rotate relative thereto. This apparatus is not conducive to use on a snowmobile or similar vehicles with handlebar steering designs without alterations to the configuration of the snowmobile or other vehicle.  
         [0004]     It would be desirable to have a tiltable steering handlebar on a snowmobile or ATV to enable the operator to dispose the handlebar in a position that affords the operator increased comfort in the operation of the snowmobile or ATV and increases operational safety as a result and that does not require significant alterations to the snowmobile or ATV or significant increased costs.  
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     It is an object of the present invention to provide new and useful apparatus that is not subject to the previously recited limitations of the prior art.  
         [0006]     It is another object of the present invention to provide increased comfort for the operator of a snowmobile, ATV or other motorized vehicle that utilizes a handlebar for steering.  
         [0007]     It is still another object of the present invention to increase the ability of an operator to safely and reliably operate a snowmobile, ATV, or other vehicle that utilizes a handlebar for steering.  
         [0008]     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide apparatus for adjusting the tilt of the handlebar of a snowmobile, ATV, or other motorized vehicle that utilizes a handlebar for steering.  
         [0009]     It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide apparatus for adjusting the tilt of the handlebar of a snowmobile, ATV, or other motorized vehicle that utilizes a handlebar for steering without incurring significant costs or requiring significant alterations to the vehicle.  
         [0010]     The foregoing objects are provided by the present invention, which provides apparatus and method for a tiltable steering handlebar for snowmobiles and ATVs. The present invention can be an option on newly manufactured snowmobiles and ATVs or can be manufactured and sold as a retrofit kit for existing snowmobiles and ATVs.  
         [0011]     The present invention provides a handlebar tilting apparatus having upper and lower brackets, a lever, and appropriate connectors to fasten the brackets and lever to each other in accordance with the present invention. In the embodiment shown in the Figures, the brackets, while not identical, each adopt a generally U-shaped configuration with opposing side members and a transition member extending therebetween and integral therewith. As shown, the lower bracket is sized appropriately to be received between the opposing sides of the upper bracket. The lower bracket is stationary and is non-rotationally attached to the steering column of the snowmobile or ATV in any known manner. The upper bracket is attached to the handlebar of the snowmobile or ATV. A hinge pin pivotally attaches the two brackets to each other. The lever is pivotally attached to the upper bracket by a lever pin. The lower bracket may have a plurality of notches along the upper edges of its sides that are configured to receive a latching pin carried by the lever. Pivoting the lever relative to the upper bracket engages and disengages the latch pin with respect to the notches in the lower bracket sides, thus allowing the upper bracket to pivot forwardly and rearwardly relative to the lower bracket and the vehicle. Since the handlebar is carried by the upper bracket, it will pivot along with the upper bracket, thus pivoting the handlebar relative to the vehicle and its operator. Appropriately sized springs may be used to control the action of the lever as well as to counterbalance the action of the upper bracket and the handlebar.  
         [0012]     In a method in accord with the present invention, a handlebar is tilted relative to its previous position to the vehicle and its operator by providing nesting upper and lower, pivotally attached U-shaped brackets with the lower bracket being attached to the stationary steering column of the vehicle and the upper bracket being attached to the handlebar; providing a lever pivotally attached to the upper bracket, the lever having a latch pin engaging notches on the lower bracket; pivoting the lever to disengage the latch pin from the lower bracket notches; tilting the upper bracket relative to the lower bracket thereby pivoting the handlebar relative thereto and to the vehicle and its operator; and pivoting the lever to re-engage the latch pin with different lower bracket notches.  
         [0013]     The preferred embodiments of the inventions are described in the following Detailed Description. Unless specifically noted, the words and phrases in the specification and claims are intended to have their ordinary and accustomed meaning to those of ordinary skill in the applicable arts. If any other meaning is intended, the specification will specifically state that a special meaning is being applied to a word or phrase. Likewise, the use of the words “function” or “means” in the Detailed Description is not intended to indicate a desire to invoke the special provisions of 35 U.S.C. Section 112, paragraph 6 to define the invention. To the contrary, if the provisions of 35 U.S.C. Section 112, paragraph 6, are sought to be invoked to define the inventions, the claims will specifically state the phrases “means for” or “step for” and a function, without also reciting in such phrases any structure, material, or act in support of the function. Even when the claims recite a “means for” or “step for” performing a function, if they also recite any structure, material or acts in support of that means of step, then the intention is not to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. Section 112, paragraph 6. Moreover, even if the provisions of 35 U.S.C. Section 112, paragraph 6, are invoked to define the inventions, it is intended that the inventions not be limited only to the specific structure, material or acts that are described in the preferred embodiments, but in addition, include any and all structures, materials or acts that perform the claimed function, along with any and all known or later-developed equivalent structures, materials or acts for performing the claimed function.  
         [0014]     The present invention, as well as its various features and advantages, will become evident to those skilled in the art when the following description of the invention is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings as briefly described below and the appended claims. Throughout the drawings, like numerals refer to similar or identical parts.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]      FIG. 1  illustrates a handlebar tilt apparatus in accord with the present invention positioned for use on a vehicle such as a snowmobile or an ATV.  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  illustrates the handlebar tilt apparatus of  FIG. 1  in a front plan view  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  depicts the handlebar tilt apparatus of  FIG. 1  in a side elevation view.  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  shows a cross-sectional view of the handlebar tilt apparatus of  FIG. 1  taken along viewing plane  4 - 4  of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  illustrates the handlebar tilt apparatus shown in  FIG. 1  wherein it is disposed in the forwardmost tilted position.  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  depicts the handlebar tilt apparatus shown in  FIG. 1  in its rearwardmost tilt position. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0021]     The present invention will be described with reference to  FIGS. 1-6 . A handlebar tilt apparatus  10  is shown attached to a vehicle  12  that utilizes a handlebar  14  for steering. Vehicle  10  is indicated in phantom and should be understood to be a generic representation of vehicles that utilize handlebars for steering. Apparatus  10  will typically be housed in a “boot”  16  made of a synthetic material, though any material appropriate for such use may be used.  
         [0022]     In the description that follows below, it will be understood that the “forward” direction refers to the forward end of the vehicle  12  and that “rearward” direction refers to the rearward end of the vehicle.  
         [0023]     Apparatus  10  includes upper and lower brackets  20  and  22 , respectively. Upper bracket  20  includes opposing upper bracket side members  24  and  26  and upper bracket attachment member  28  extending between the side members  24  and  26 . The side members  24  and  26  extend generally downwardly from the member  28  when attached to a vehicle  12 . Upper bracket  20  also includes a spring attachment member or tab  30  (best seen in  FIGS. 3-6 ) extending forwardly from the bracket  20 . Tab  30  includes a through hole  31  which may be used to attach a spring to the upper bracket as described further below. As shown in the Figures, upper bracket  20  is formed as an integral structure, though each of the members  24 - 30  could be formed individually and attached to each other in any known manner, such as by welding.  
         [0024]     Upper bracket side member  24  includes a slot  32  that extends therethrough from the outer surface  34  thereof to the inner surface  36  thereof. Similarly, upper bracket side member  26  includes a slot  38  that extends therethrough from the outer surface  40  thereof to the inner surface  42  thereof.  
         [0025]     As seen in the Figures, the handlebar  14  is attached to the upper bracket handlebar attachment member  28  in any known manner, including but not limited to bolting or welding.  
         [0026]     Lower bracket  22  includes opposing lower bracket side members  50  and  52  and lower bracket attachment member  54  extending between the side members  50  and  52 . The side members  50  and  52  extend generally upwardly from the member  54  when attached to a vehicle  12 . Lower bracket  22  also includes a lower bracket spring attachment tab  56  having a through hole  58  that may be utilized in the attachment of a spring to the lower bracket as will be described below in greater detail. As shown in the Figures, lower bracket  22  is formed as an integral structure, though each of the members  50 - 56  could be formed individually and attached to each other in any known manner, such as by welding.  
         [0027]     As seen in the Figures, the steering column  62  is attached to the upper bracket handlebar attachment member  54  in any known manner, including but not limited to bolting or welding. This attachment between the member  54  and the steering column  62  is a fixed, non-rotational attachment. Thus, rotation or turning of the handlebar  14  will cause the simultaneous rotation of the tilt apparatus  10  and the steering column  62 .  
         [0028]     Each lower bracket side member  50  and  52  includes an upper edge  66  and  68 , respectively, each of which in turn includes a plurality of tilt adjustment notches  70 . These notches  70  are utilized during the handlebar tilting process as will be described below.  
         [0029]     Upper and lower brackets  20  and  22  are pivotally attached to each other. To form this pivotal attachment, each of the bracket side members includes appropriately sized and located through holes (not shown for purposes of clarity) configured to receive a hinge pin  72 . As best seen in  FIG. 2 , the hinge pin  72  includes a hinge pin head  74  and a shaft  76 . The shaft  76  may included a pair of circumferentially extending grooves  78 . The shaft may also include a third circumferential groove, not shown in the Figures for purposes of clarity, that is configured to receive a hinge pin retaining ring  80  ( FIG. 2 ). Thus to pivotally attach the upper and lower brackets together, the pin  72  will be inserted through aligned bracket side member through holes and the hinge retaining pin  80  will be attached to the shaft  76 .  
         [0030]     Handlebar tilting apparatus  10  also includes a lever  90  that is useful for tilting the upper bracket  20  relative to the lower bracket  22 , and hence the handlebar  14  relative to the vehicle  12 . Lever  90  is pivotally attached to the upper bracket  20 . Lever  90  includes a pair of opposing side plates  92 ,  94  each including a through hole  96  configured to receive a lever pin  98  and a through slot  100  configured to receive a latch pin  102 . Slot  100  is provided to facilitate the tilting or pivoting action of the lever  90  by providing some “play” in the motion of the latch pin  102 . That is, the latch pin  102  is able to slide within the slot  100  as the lever  90  is pivoted and thereby prevents substantial binding or interference between the latch pin  102  and the slots  32  and  28 , which could otherwise make movement of the lever  90  and thereby the tilting motion difficult for the operator. The lever pin  98  and latch pin  102  can each be retained in position by any known means such as retaining rings or push nuts. The lever  90  also includes a push plate  104  that extends between the side plates  92  and  94 . Push plate  104  preferably has a substantially planar configuration that is presented towards the rear of the vehicle  12 .  
         [0031]     As best seen in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , tilt apparatus  10  may include one or more latch springs  110 . Latch springs  110  are attached at one end to the shaft  76  of the hinge pin  72 . As shown, each spring includes a hooked end  112  that is received by the circumferential groove  78  of the hinge pin  72 . The other end of each spring  110  also includes a hooked end  114  that is hooked over the latch pin  102 . The latch pin  102  may also include circumferential grooves akin to those on the hinge pin  72  if desired. Such circumferential grooves aid in maintaining the position of the springs relative to the pins  72  and  102  at the desired locations. It will be observed that the latch pin  102  has a length that exceeds the width not only of the lower bracket but also the upper bracket. That is, the ends of the latch pin  102  extend through the slots  32  and  38 , which guide the motion of the latch pin as the lever is pivoted, thus enabling the ends of the latch pin  102  to selectively engage the notches  70 . During the pivoting motion of the lever  90  to unlatch the pin  102  from the notches, the ends of the latch pin  102  will slide upward in the slots  32  and  38  of the upper bracket sides  24  and  26 , respectively. Conversely, as the push plate pivots back upwardly returning the latch pin into a notch engagement, the ends of the pin  102  will slide downward within the slots  32  and  38 . Stated otherwise, the lever  90  is operatively engaged with the latch pin  102  such that pivoting the lever causes the simultaneous engagement of the latch pin, guided within the slots  32 ,  38  of the upper bracket  20 , with a selected opposing pair of notches  70  in the lower bracket, thus latching or locking the brackets together.  
         [0032]     Apparatus  10  may also include one or more counterbalance springs  120 . Such springs  120  will be attached at one end to the spring tab  30  of the upper bracket  20  and at the other end to the spring tab  56  of the lower bracket  22 . As shown in the present embodiment of the invention, only one such counterbalance spring  120  is utilized, though more such springs could be if desired.  
         [0033]     With the present invention having been described, its operation relative to the embodiment shown in the Figures can be discussed. When an operator of a vehicle  12  wishes to change the angle of the handlebar  14  relative to the vehicle, the operator can push as indicated by arrow  130  ( FIG. 3 ) on the push plate  104  of the lever  90  through the boot  16 , pivoting the push plate  104  downwardly about its pivotal connection through the lever pin  98  to the upper bracket  20 . This pivoting motion will cause the forward end  122  of the lever  90  to pivot upwardly, disengaging the latch pin  102  from the notch  70 . Removing the latch pin  102  from the notches  70  frees the upper bracket  20  to pivot about its hinged attachment through hinge pin  72  relative to the lower bracket  22 , thus changing the angle of the handlebar  14  relative to the operator. Referring specifically to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the unlatched position  124  of the lever  90  is shown in phantom outline after the latch pin has been disengaged from a notch  70 .  
         [0034]     As shown in the Figures, three sets of opposed notches  70  are provided in the upper edges  66  and  68  of lower bracket sides  50  and  52 , respectively, thus enabling the upper bracket to assume three separate angular positions relative to the lower bracket; that is, the handlebar  14  may be tilted to three positions relative to the vehicle  12 . The range of tilting motion of the upper bracket/handlebar is shown in  FIG. 3  by the double-headed arrow  132 . The forwardmost tilt of the handlebar  14  is shown in  FIG. 5 , the central position of the handlebar is shown in  FIG. 4 , and the rearwardmost tilt is shown in  FIG. 6 . It will be understood that fewer or greater tilt positions can be provided by the present invention by decreasing or increasing the number of notches and changing the size of the latch pin  102  accordingly.  
         [0035]     During normal operation, the latch pin is held in place in a selected one of the notches by the biasing or retraction action of the latch springs  110 . Pivoting the lever  90  to disengaged the latch pin  102  will cause the latch springs  110  to elongate, creating a restoring force in the springs  110  that acts to pull the latch pin  102  into engagement with one of the notches  70  and prevent its unintentional disengagement from the selected pair of notches  70  during operation of the vehicle.  
         [0036]     One or more counterbalance springs  120  are attached, as noted earlier, to the spring tabs  30  and  56  of the upper bracket  20  and lower bracket  22 , respectively. As shown, only one such spring  120  is utilized in the embodiment shown in the Figures, though more could be used if desired. It will be observed by comparison in order of  FIGS. 5, 4 , and  6 , that as the handlebar  14  is tilted rearwardly toward the operator that the counterbalance spring  120  is extended, thus exerting a biasing force that seeks to return the handlebar to the forwardmost position shown in  FIG. 5 . These springs  120  may be provided to balance the motion and weight of the handlebar  14 .  
         [0037]     As shown in the Figures, an embodiment of the present invention can be manufactured of sheet metal of the appropriate thickness and strength. Each of the brackets and the lever can be punched out as an integral part and manipulated in known manner to form the appropriate configuration, or could be formed as individual parts and then attached in any known, appropriate manner.  
         [0038]     It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many modifications may be made within the scope of the present invention without departing from the spirit of thereof, and that the invention includes all such modifications.

Technology Category: b