AU2017101379A4 - An Improved Luggage Rack for a Motorcycle - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention is a luggage rack that is attachable to a frame intended for use with motorcycles. Such frames are provided as tubular structures connected to chassis points on either side of the rear fairing of the motorcycle. The luggage rack includes one or more legs that may be moved or swivelled relative to its base such that the luggage rack may be mounted to a variety of motorcycles, regardless of their width. This provides the user with greater flexibility in positioning the luggage rack on the motorcycle. r2a 6b 3 b6a 2b 6

Description

AN IMPROVED LUGGAGE RACK FOR A MOTORCYCLE STATEMENT OF CORRESPONDING APPLICATIONS

This application is based on the provisional specification filed in relation to New Zealand Patent Application No. 707096, filed on 17 April 2015, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a luggage rack for a motorcycle. The invention has particular application to an adjustable luggage rack.

BACKGROUND ART

The use of luggage racks, also known as pack racks, on motorcycles are well known. These racks consist of a substantially horizontal shelf or platform onto which luggage, such as bags, can be secured. An example of such a luggage rack is described in Chinese Utility Model Application No. 201099303Y.

Many such racks may also include a vertical component which may act as an additional bearing surface for luggage to be carried or function as a backrest for a pillion passenger riding the motorcycle. An example is described in Chinese Utility Model Application No. 201128453Y.

These racks include an additional frame structure to allow it to be attached to a motorcycle. However, this adds considerably to the overall size and expense of the luggage rack.

These frame structures are typically formed from tubular components and connected to mounting points on the chassis of the motorcycle and extending along one or both sides of the rear fairing.

At present, luggage racks and their respective frame structures are typically constructed for use with specific models and brands of motorcycles. Therefore, a luggage rack designed for use with a Honda motorcycle may be incompatible with a Kawasaki motorcycle. This is primarily because of the different chassis mounting points for the frame structures.

Should they change motorcycles, the consumer is in the position of having to purchase a new luggage rack, which can be relatively expensive accessories. Likewise, manufacturers and retailers need to stock a variety of luggage racks which represents significant investment in stock, as well as taking up storage capacity.

It is an object of the present invention to address the foregoing problems or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.

All references, including any patents or patent applications cited in this specification are hereby incorporated by reference. No admission is made that any reference constitutes prior art. The discussion of the references states what their authors assert, and the applicants reserve the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinency of the cited documents. It will be clearly understood that, although a number of prior art publications are referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an admission that any of these documents form part of the common general knowledge in the art, in New Zealand or in any other country.

Throughout this specification, the word "comprise", or variations thereof such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.

Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a luggage rack for a motorcycle having a chassis, the luggage rack including: a base, wherein the base has a width dimension, the base also including at least one leg configured to engage with: a mounting frame to be mounted to the chassis of the motorcycle; or directly to the chassis of the motorcycle, characterised in that the at least one leg has an L-shaped configuration, with a first end and a second end which are offset from each other, wherein the first end is mounted to the base such that the second end of the leg can swivel relative to the width dimension of the base and wherein the second end is configured to engage with the mounting frame or the chassis of the motorcycle.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a motorcycle, where in the motorcycle includes a luggage rack substantially as described above.

The invention is a luggage rack that is attachable to a frame intended for use with motorcycles. Such frames are provided as tubular structures connected to chassis points on either side of the rear fairing of the motorcycle.

The luggage rack includes one or more legs that may be moved or swiveled relative to its base such that the luggage rack may be mounted to a variety of motorcycles, regardless of their width. This provides the user with greater flexibility in positioning the luggage rack on the motorcycle. A motorcycle will usually have a rear fairing (bodywork) that covers the rear part of the chassis of the motorcycle. The chassis itself will be configured with mounting points to allow accessories, such as a mounting frame for a luggage rack, to be mounted to the motorcycle.

Reference shall now be made throughout this specification to the luggage rack being used with a mounting frame which is to be secured to a motorcycle. However, this is not meant to be limiting and it should be appreciated that the luggage rack may also be mounted directly to a motorcycle if it has a suitable connection system that corresponds to the chassis mounting points.

The mounting frame may take a variety of forms but is usually formed from mild or stainless steel tubing or a similar metal or metal alloy. However, this is not meant to be limiting and persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the mounting frame may be formed any suitable material including plastic, carbon fibre or fiberglass.

The mounting frame includes tabs or the like with apertures that correspond to the mounting points of the motorcycle chassis and is held in place with nuts and bolts.

The luggage rack should be understood to include a base. In use, the base provides a platform on which luggage to be carried by the motorcycle is to be carried.

In most cases, the base will be substantially horizontal once fitted to the motorcycle however this may be dependent on the configuration of the rear fairings and in some situations the base may be at an incline (or decline) as the case may be.

The base should be understood to have a width dimension which, in use, is orientated to run across the rearing fairing of the motorcycle, i.e. from side to side. It will be appreciated that this means the length dimension of the base is orientated to run to the front and rear of the rear fairing of the motorcycle.

The base may take a variety of forms which ultimately depend on the desired aesthetic appearance of the luggage rack and the motorcycle with which it is to be used.

For example, the base may be moulded from plastics material such as High Density Polyethlene (HDPE) or another suitably durable and robust material such as fibreglass or carbon fibre. It may also be cast from a metal or metal alloy.

Alternatively, the base may be formed from a plurality of members of mild or stainless steel tubing or a similar metal. For sake of appearance, the metal tubing may also be powder coated.

However, this is not meant to be limiting and persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the tubing may also be formed from other materials such as plastic, carbon fibre and so on.

In these embodiments, the tubing may be used to define an outer frame with struts spanning the interior of the frame to provide a surface on which the luggage to be supported may be placed.

However, this is not meant to be limiting and persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the above description of the various embodiments of the base should not be construed as limiting.

The base should be understood to have a top side and an under side. It should be readily apparent that in use, the luggage to be carried by the motorcycle with which the invention is to be used is to be placed on the top side of the base. The underside faces or is in contact with the upper side of the rear fairing.

The base should also be understood to have sides. These should be understood to essentially be determined by the thickness of the base.

The luggage rack of the present invention includes at least one leg having a first end and a second end.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the luggage rack includes two legs and reference shall now be made to this effect throughout the remainder of the specification. It will be appreciated that in preferred embodiments of the invention, a mounting frame is provided for each side of the motorcycle and thus the luggage rack needs to be configured to engage with both frames, hence the preference for two legs, one for each frame. However, this is not meant to be limiting and a single leg is envisaged for some embodiments of the luggage rack in which only one mounting frame is provided for the motorcycle.

The first end of the legs are connected or otherwise linked to the base while the second end of the legs are configured to be connected to the mounting frame with which the luggage rack is to be used.

The legs may be formed from any material suitable for the task but preferably is a length of mild or stainless steel tubing or the like. However, this is not meant to be limiting and another suitably durable and robust material, such as carbon fibre, may also be used for the legs.

Preferably, the legs are connected or otherwise engaged with the underside of the base. This means that when being stored, the legs are retained within the overall footprint of the base and thus takes up less space.

However, this is not meant to be limiting and in some embodiments, the legs may be connected to the sides of the base. For example, the luggage rack may include tabs or protrusions extending laterally from the sides or even the underside of the base. These tabs may include apertures through which fasteners may pass to link the legs to the base.

However, it will be recognised that this may impact on the overall footprint of the invention. It is also possible that in these embodiments that the first end of the legs extends through the sides of the base such that they protrude past the plane of the upper side of the base.

At least a portion of the legs are substantially perpendicular to the base in use and a second portion is substantially horizontal to the base in use. This means that the first and second ends are laterally offset from each other.

This configuration is preferred as it provides greater flexibility to the use of the invention with motorcycles of differing make and models than if the leg was simply a single straight length.

Preferably, the legs have a substantially L-shaped configuration, with the first end being the free or upper end of the vertical stroke of the L (the vertical stroke corresponding to the perpendicular portion of the leg referred to above). The second end of the leg is substantially at the end of the horizontal stroke and is configured to face downwards, such that it is vertically orientated. However, it will be appreciated that this arrangement can easily be reversed if desired. Additionally, it is not beyond the scope of the present invention, that the second end may be provided at the end of a short, downwardly extending, projection from or proximate the end of the horizontal stroke, in which case the legs may have a substantially flattened S-shaped configuration.

This leg configuration allows the spatial separation between them, in both a width and length dimension, to be adjusted thereby allowing the luggage rack to be used with a greater variety of mounting frames.

For ease of manufacture it is preferable that the leg be a unitary structure. However, this is not meant to be limiting. For example, it is possible that the vertical and horizontal lengths of the leg are separate structures; for example, the horizontal length may a flat thin piece of metal fitted to the base at one end via a pin or bolt or the with the vertical length being a tube connected to the other end of the horizontal length. Other variations to this will be readily envisaged by persons skilled in the art.

In some embodiments, the vertical and horizontal lengths of the leg may be configured with a hinge-like structure such that they may be pivoted relative to each other for additional flexibility and customisation when fitting the luggage rack to the motorcycle.

The way in which the leg engages with the base such that it can be moved relative its width dimension may be achieved in a number of ways. For example, in preferred embodiments, the leg is connected to the base via bushes or double socket connections such that the leg is able to swivel relative to the base. This embodiment is more suitable for luggage racks in which the second end of the leg is offset from the first end.

However, this is not meant to be limiting and other ways of connecting the leg to the base such that it may be moved relative to the base will be readily envisaged by persons skilled in the art.

For example, in some embodiments of the invention, the first end of the leg may be slideably mounted to a track or the like spanning at least a portion of the width dimension of the base. Thus, the leg may be slid across the base. This embodiment is more suitable for luggage racks having a leg formed from a single length of tubing.

In some embodiments of the luggage rack, the first end of the legs may be slideably mounted to a track or the like running at least a portion of the length dimension of the base. Thus, the leg may be slid up and down the base. This provides the user with additional functionality as to the location of the luggage rack on the motorcycle. For example, the base may be articulated such that it extends towards to the end of the rear fairing of the motorcycle to which it is to be fitted. Alternatively, the base may be moved so that it sits relatively close to the rider of the motorcycle in use.

It will be appreciated that the second end of the legs are configured to engage with the mounting frame that needs to be secured to the motorcycle in order to use the luggage rack.

Therefore, the second end of the legs may include socket connections or bushes that engage with the complementary structures arising from the mounting frame. These may be held in place with releasable locking devices such as quick release levers or the like. In some embodiments, the second end of the legs may be formed as tabs or protrusions with apertures extending therethrough. Fasteners such as bolts may pass through these and into complementary structures on the mounting frame and secured with nuts.

Persons skilled in the art will readily appreciate other ways in which the legs may be connected to the mounting frame or even directly to the chassis mounting points of the motorcycle with which the luggage rack is to be used.

In some embodiments, the base of the luggage rack may include an additional frame structure extending upwards from its upper side. This can provide an additional bearing surface for luggage and can also function as a pillion post for a passenger. For maximum flexibility, this additional frame structure may be temporarily removable using quick release mechanisms readily apparent to persons skilled in the art.

The present invention has a number of advantages including: • easy to attach and remove as required; • adaptable to differing mounting frames for motorcycles; • changeable between motorcycles of differing manufacturers and models; • at the very least, the present invention offers the public a useful choice.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention; and

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is illustrated in Figure 1, and is the form of a luggage rack (generally indicated by arrow 1).

It will be seen that the luggage rack (1) consists of a horizontally orientated base (2), with an upper side (2a) and a lower side (2b). The upper surface will be understood to be that on which luggage (not shown) to be carried by the motorcycle (not shown) to which the invention is to be fitted is placed.

In this embodiment, the base (2) has an outer frame (3) formed from lengths of mild steel tubing, with struts (4) spanning the frame. The base also includes a second frame (5) extending vertically from its upper side (2a). This can provide an additional surface to which luggage (not shown) may bear in use.

From either side of the underside (2b) of the base (2) depends ‘L’ shaped legs (6), which are connected at a first end (6a) to the base via bushings (not visible).

The bushings (not shown) are mounted such that the legs (6) may be swiveled in the direction indicated by arrows 7. This adjusts the second end (6b) of the legs relative to the width dimension of the base (2).

This means the spatial separation between the other ends (6b) of the legs (6) can be adjusted such that they can engage with mounting frames that are of different shapes, thereby providing the user with flexibility to use the luggage rack (1) with different models and brands of motorcycles.

An alternative embodiment (8) of the luggage rack is depicted in Figure 2.

In this instance, the base (9) is a plastics molding, with a lattice type structure forming the main surface (upper side not shown) on which luggage is to be placed.

It will be seen that the first ends (1 Oa) of the legs (10) of the base (8) are fitted into a track (11) which allows the legs to be slid lengthways along the underside (9a) of the base (9) while still being permitted to swivel relative to the width dimension of the base. This allows the user to position the base relative to the legs to their particular preferences.

Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it should be appreciated that modifications and additions may be made thereto without departing from the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (5)

1. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

   1. A luggage rack for a motorcycle having a chassis, the luggage rack including: a base, wherein the base has a width dimension, the base also including at least one leg configured to engage with: a mounting frame to be mounted to the chassis of the motorcycle; or directly to the chassis of the motorcycle, characterised in that the at least one leg has an L-shaped configuration, wherein the horizontal portion of the L-shape is proximate the base and the vertical portion of the L-shape is proximate the mounting frame, the at least one leg further having a first end and a second end which are offset from each other, wherein the first end is mounted to the base such that the second end of the leg can swivel relative to the width dimension of the base, wherein the second end of the leg is configured to engage with the mounting frame or the chassis of the motorcycle, and wherein the second end of the leg is configured with a socket connection or bushings which, in use, are complementary to a socket connection or bushings provided in the mounting frame or the chassis of the motorcycle.
2. 2. The luggage rack as claimed in claim 1 wherein the base includes a second leg which has an L-shaped configuration, wherein the second leg has a first end and a second end which are offset from each other, wherein the first end is mounted to the base such that the second end of the leg can swivel relative to the width dimension of the base, wherein the second end of the leg is configured to engage with the mounting frame or the chassis of the motorcycle, and wherein the second end of the leg is configured with a socket connection or bushings which, in use, are complementary to a socket connection or bushings provided in the mounting frame or the chassis of the motorcycle.
3. 3. The luggage rack as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the first end of the at least one leg is connected to: an underside of the base; or a side of the base.
4. 4. The luggage rack as claimed in claim 3 wherein the at least one leg is: connected to the base via bushings, or slideably connected to the base via a track on an underside of the base.
5. 5. The luggage rack as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the luggage rack includes a pillion post.