DESC:TECHNICAL FIELD
[001] The present subject matter relates to a cover assembly for a vehicle, more particularly, a side cover assembly for a vehicle.
BACKGROUND
[002] In recent times, increased pollution levels have provided an impetus to automobile manufacturers to produce a vehicle which causes minimal levels of pollution. Additionally, such vehicles require improved arrangements to prevent over heating of power units of the vehicle. However, the existing cooling arrangements are expansive and thus an improved cooling arrangement for cooling the power units of the vehicle is required.
BRIEF DESCRIPT ION OF THE DRAWINGS
[003] The present invention is described with reference to figures. This invention is implementable in two-wheeled vehicles. The same numbers are used throughout the drawings to reference like features and components. Further, the inventive features of the invention are outlined in the appended claims.
[004] Figure 1 illustrates a left side view of a saddle-type vehicle (100), in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[005] Figure 2 illustrates a rear side view of a cover assembly (130) of the saddle-type vehicle (100), in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[006] Figure 3a illustrates a left side view of the cover assembly (130) of the saddle-type vehicle (100), in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[007] Figure 3b illustrates an access area (202) of the cover assembly (130) for accessing a rear suspension assembly (116) of the saddle type vehicle (100), in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[008] Figure 4a illustrates a cut portion of cover assembly (130) of access area (202) of the saddle type vehicle (100), in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[009] Figure 4b illustrates a left side view of the cover assembly (130) covering a battery (402) of the saddle type vehicle (100), in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[010] Figure 4c illustrates a left side view of a down member (208) of the cover assembly (130), in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[011] In conventional saddle type vehicles, usually a rear suspension assembly comprises of a preload. The preload is required to be adjusted frequently, according to weight of a rider and a pillion rider for comfortable seating. Furthermore, the preload is also required to be adjusted considering driving pattern of the rider on different terrains.
[012] Usually, more preload leads to lesser spring travel and sagging of the spring is more. This leads to a hard feel of the suspension assembly to the rider, which is ideal for highways and smooth terrain driving.
[013] Additionally, less preload leads to higher spring travel and sagging of the spring is less. This in turn, leads to soft feel of the suspension assembly to the rider, which is ideal for uneven and bumpy terrain driving. Therefore, frequent preload adjustment is required for smooth and easy drivability of the vehicle.
[014] Furthermore, the weight of the rider also effects the vehicle riding experience, as with more weight on the vehicle, more sagging of the spring occurs. Therefore, tuning of the preload accordingly becomes a must for providing smooth riding feel to the rider and the pillion rider.
[015] The preload is provided on the rear suspension assembly of a two-wheeled vehicle. In conventional vehicles, the preload is usually covered with a cover assembly of the vehicle. The cover assembly also covers a plurality of vehicle components and provides protection to the internal vehicle components from damage and accidental fatigue.
[016] However, the conventional cover assembly covering the preload has to be completely removed and dismantled in order to access the preload adjustor of the two-wheeled vehicle. Dismantling of the cover assembly becomes a time consuming and effort driven job. Further, disassembly of the cover assembly results in increase of serviceability time and includes human effort, which in turn hampers the safety of the rider by delaying the preload adjustment.
[017] Furthermore, in certain situations, the rider postpones adjusting the preload suspension ring and his seating comfort has to be sacrificed. This delay also puts the rider safety at jeopardy due to uneven sagging of the suspension assembly of the vehicle on uneven terrain leading to accidents.
[018] Additionally, when the cover assembly completely covers the plurality of the vehicular components including the preload, heat from the power units such as electric batteries are trapped inside the vehicle. This leads to uneven ride in temperature of the vehicle and thereby decreases the efficiency of the power unit of the vehicle.
[019] In some related art, multiple side covers are conjoined together to cover the plurality of vehicle components including the preload. However, using multiple side covers not only increases the complexity in design of the vehicle, but also increases the part count, assembly time and cost of manufacturing the vehicle.
[020] Furthermore, individual side covers are required to cover a foot peg, a fuel knob adjustor and a portion of the battery unit of the vehicle. These individual side covers have to be properly aligned to cover all the components of the vehicle. This in turn, increases the vehicle layout complexity and assembly time of the vehicle.
[021] Furthermore, each individual side covers have to be removed during servicing of the vehicle to access each and every vehicular part. Thus, the servicing time of the vehicle also increases.
[022] Hence, it is an object of the present invention to overcome all the above stated and other related problems existing in the prior arts, with respect to a side cover assembly which enables ease of access of a preload of the rear suspension assembly in a saddle type vehicle as well as other problems of known art.
[023] It is further an object of the present invention to provide an enhanced cooling mechanism for the battery unit of the vehicle.
[024] It is further an object of the present invention to reduce multiple side covers covering a plurality of vehicular components.
[025] It is further an object of the present invention to reduce servicing time and assembly time of the vehicle.
[026] It is further an object of the present invention to reduce the number of part count and material cost and manufacturing cost of the vehicle
[027] It is further an object of the present invention to provide a single side cover assembly for protecting multiple vehicular components and reduce complexity in vehicle layout design.
[028] The present subject matter provides a saddle type vehicle comprising, a seat being disposed on a frame assembly of the saddle type vehicle. A cover assembly is disposed below the seat. The cover assembly is disposed in a central portion of the saddle type vehicle. The cover assembly having an access port for accessing a rear suspension assembly of the saddle type vehicle.
[029] As per an aspect of the present invention, a saddle type vehicle comprising, a seat being disposed on a frame assembly of the saddle type vehicle. A cover assembly of the saddle type vehicle is disposed below the seat. The cover assembly is disposed in a central portion of the saddle type vehicle. The cover assembly having an access port for accessing a rear suspension assembly of the saddle type vehicle.
[030] As per another aspect of the present invention, a cover assembly for the saddle type vehicle covers one or more vehicle components. The cover assembly is disposed in a central portion of the saddle type vehicle. The cover assembly having an access port for accessing a rear suspension assembly of the saddle type vehicle.
[031] As per an embodiment, the cover assembly comprising a first member which covers a portion of an engine. The first member comprising a provision for accessing a fuel knob adjustor.
[032] As per another embodiment, the cover assembly comprising a second member being provided with an access area for accessing the rear suspension assembly.
[033] As per another embodiment, the cover assembly comprising a third member having a protruding profile enabling mounting of the cover assembly on the frame assembly.
[034] As per another embodiment, the cover assembly further comprising a down member having an obliquely circular profile for accommodating a foot peg mounting bracket. The cover assembly is disposed in one of left side and right side of the saddle type vehicle.
[035] As per an embodiment, the access area is configured to provide natural air to a battery which is covered by the cover assembly. The cover assembly being a singular part. Further, the access area having a trapezoidal profile.
[036] In accordance with the present configuration, one of the advantages is that a single part cover assembly protectively covers a plurality of vehicular components.
[037] In accordance with the present configuration, one of the advantages is that the access area in the cover assembly enables ease of access of the preload and thereby reduces the servicing time of the vehicle.
[038] In accordance with the present configuration, one of the advantages is that the access area further enables ease in entry of natural air for cooling of the battery inside the frame assembly of the vehicle.
[039] In accordance with the present configuration, one of the advantages is that the single cover assembly has limited mounting portions which enables direct mounting of the cover assembly on the frame assembly without the requirement of multiple mounting brackets.
[040] In accordance with the present configuration, one of the advantages is that assembly and disassembly of a single cover assembly reduces assembly time and also reduces material cost and manufacturing cost of the vehicle.
[041] In accordance with the present configuration, one of the advantages is that a single cover assembly eliminates the requirement of multiple parts and thereby reduces the weight of the vehicle.
[042] The present subject matter is further described with reference to accompanying figures. It should be noted that the description and figures merely illustrate the principles of the present subject matter. Various arrangements may be devised that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, encompass the principles of the present subject matter. Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and examples of the present subject matter, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass equivalents thereof.
[043] The foregoing disclosure is not intended to limit the present disclosure to the precise forms or particular fields of use disclosed. As such, it is contemplated that various alternate embodiments and/or modifications to the present disclosure, whether explicitly described or implied herein, are possible in light of the disclosure. Having thus described embodiments of the present disclosure, a person of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure is limited only by the claims.
[044] Additionally, all numerical terms, such as, but not limited to, “first”, “second”, “third”, “primary”, “secondary”, “main” or any other ordinary and/or numerical terms, should also be taken only as identifiers, to assist the reader's understanding of the various elements, embodiments, variations and/or modifications of the present disclosure, and may not create any limitations, particularly as to the order, or preference, of any element, embodiment, variation and/or modification relative to, or over, another element, embodiment, variation and/or modification.
[045] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[046] Figure 1 illustrates a left side view of a saddle-type vehicle (100), in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. A saddle type vehicle (100) comprising a frame assembly (102). The frame assembly (102) including a main tube and a head tube (not shown). A pair of front suspension (104) extends from the main tube (not shown). The pair of front suspension (104) is supported on a front wheel (108) and the front wheel (108) is covered by a front fender (106), which prevents deposition of mud and dirt on the front wheel (108) of the saddle type vehicle (100).
[047] The frame assembly (102) of the saddle type vehicle (100) further comprising a handlebar assembly (110) being supported on the head tube (not shown). A fuel tank (112) extends rearwardly from the head tube (not shown) on the frame assembly (102) of the saddle type vehicle (100). A rider and a pillion seat (114) extend rearwardly from the fuel tank (112) and is supported on the frame assembly (102). The rear portion of the frame assembly (102) is covered by a side cover (128) for protectively covering the frame assembly (102). A tail lamp assembly (122) is configured to extend below the rider and pillion seat (114) in a rearward direction from the rider and the pillion seat (114). The saddle type vehicle (100) further comprises of a rear wheel (126) which is covered securely by a rear fender (124).
[048] The saddle type vehicle (100) includes an internal combustion (IC) engine (118) being disposed below the fuel tank (112). The frame assembly (102) is covered by a cover assembly (130) on either a left side or a right side of the saddle type vehicle (100). The cover assembly (130) is mounted through fasteners on the frame assembly (102) below the fuel tank (112) and below the rider and pillion seat (114). The cover assembly (130) protectively covers a fuel knob adjustor (120), a rear suspension assembly (116) and a portion of the IC engine (118) from dirt, dust and external side collisions.
[049] Figure 2 illustrates a rear side view of a cover assembly (130) of the saddle-type vehicle (100), in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. The cover assembly (130) includes a first member (204), a second member (210) and a third member (200). The cover assembly (130) is configured to have a plurality of mounting points (204a, 204b) having fasteners to connect the cover assembly (130) to the frame assembly (102) of the saddle type vehicle (100). The second member (210) extends vertically downwards to have a down member (208) with a curvilinear shape. The down member (208) is configured to have an obliquely circular profile (206) for mounting of a foot peg (302) (as shown in figure 3b). The down member (208) of the cover assembly (130) further includes a mounting provision (206a) for mounting the cover assembly (130) on the frame assembly (102). The second member (210) includes an access area (202) for accessing the preload on the rear suspension assembly (116) of the vehicle (100).
[050] Figure 3a illustrates a left side view of the cover assembly (130) of the saddle-type vehicle (100), in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. Figure 3b illustrates an access area (202) of the cover assembly (130) for accessing a rear suspension assembly (116) of the saddle type vehicle (100), in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. For brevity, Figures 3a and 3b will be discussed together.
[051] The cover assembly (130) is disposed below the seat (114) and the fuel tank (112) on the frame assembly (102). The cover assembly (130) is disposed in a central portion of the saddle type vehicle (100) and covers a plurality of vehicle components. The first member (204) is having an asymmetrical profile to cover a portion of the IC engine (118). The first member (204) also comprises of a fuel knob adjustor (300) being disposed just below the fuel tank (112). This arrangement provides a closest distance between the fuel tank (112) and the fuel knob adjustor (300) which enables quicker supply of fuel from main tank to a reserve tank of the saddle type vehicle (100).
[052] The second member (210) comprises of the access area (202) which is a cut out provided on the cover assembly (130). The access area (202) have a trapezoidal profile to provide easy entry of an equipment to adjust the preload. Further the trapezoidal profile enables ease of entry of the equipment, however heavy dirt, pebbles and mud particles are restricted to enter to narrow cross section area of the access area (202). The third member (200) is extended in a rear portion of the vehicle (100) below the seat (114). The third member (200) has a protruding profile which enables mounting of the cover assembly (130) on the frame assembly (102). The protruding profile enables covering of the rear suspension assembly (116) without any additional mounting brackets being required to assemble the cover assembly (130) on the frame assembly (102).
[053] The down member (208) has the obliquely circular profile (206) being cut out to have a provision for accommodating a foot peg mounting bracket (302). Thus, such a profile provides a single protective cover which enables to have a designated area for mounting a foot peg (404) (as shown in figure 4c). Further, a single structure of the cover assembly (130) enables faster assembly of a plurality of vehicular internal components at their designated areas on the frame assembly.
[054] Figure 4a illustrates a cut portion of cover assembly (130) of access area (202) of the saddle type vehicle (100), in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. Figure 4b illustrates a left side view of the cover assembly (130) covering a battery (402) of the saddle type vehicle (100), in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. Figure 4c illustrates a left side view of a down member (208) of the cover assembly (130), in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. For brevity, Figures 4a, 4b and 4c will be discussed together. The access area (202) enables the equipment to be inserted easily to rotate an adjustor (400) of the preload on the rear suspension assembly (116). The access area (202) further enables ease of movement of the equipment like a spanner without disassembly of the cover assembly (130).
[055] A battery (402) is disposed on the frame assembly (102) above the IC engine (118). The first member (204) also covers a portion of the battery (402) and thereby protects the battery (402). Furthermore, the access area (202) provides intake of natural air inside the frame assembly (102) of the vehicle (100) which enables cooling of the battery (402). Therefore, the singular cover assembly (130) also enables natural cooling of the battery (402) while providing protection to the battery (402) from any accidents or collision.
[056] While the present invention has been shown and described with reference to the foregoing preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes in form, connection, and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Reference Numerals:


100 Saddle type vehicle
102 Frame assembly
104 Pair of front suspension
106 Front fender
108 Front Wheel
110 Handlebar assembly
112 Fuel tank
114 Rider and pillion seat
116 Rear suspension assembly
118 IC engine
120 Fuel knob adjustor
122 Tail lamp assembly
124 Rear fender
126 Rear wheel
128 side cover
130 cover assembly
200 third member
202 access area
204 first member
204a, 204b plurality of mounting points
206 obliquely circular profile
206a mounting provision
208 down member
210 second member
300 fuel knob adjustor
302 foot peg
400 adjustor
402 battery
404 foot peg

,CLAIMS:We Claim:
1. A saddle type vehicle (100) comprising:
a seat (114), said seat (114) being disposed on a frame assembly (102) of said saddle type vehicle (100);
a cover assembly (130), said cover assembly (130) being disposed below said seat (114);
wherein said cover assembly (130) being disposed in a central portion of said saddle type vehicle (100);
wherein said cover assembly (130) being configured to have an access port (202) for accessing a rear suspension assembly (116) of said saddle type vehicle (100).
2. A cover assembly (130) for a saddle type vehicle (100);
said cover assembly (130) being configured to cover one or more vehicle components;
wherein said cover assembly (130) being disposed in a central portion of said saddle type vehicle (100);
wherein said cover assembly (130) being configured to have an access port (202) for accessing a rear suspension assembly (116) of said saddle type vehicle (100).
3. The cover assembly (130) for a saddle type vehicle (100) as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said cover assembly (130) comprising a first member (204), said first member being configured to cover a portion of an engine (118), wherein said first member (204) comprising a provision (300) for accessing a fuel knob adjustor (120).
4. The cover assembly (130) for a saddle type vehicle (100) as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said cover assembly (130) comprising a second member (210), said second member (210) being provided with said access area (202) for accessing said rear suspension assembly (116).
5. The cover assembly (130) for a saddle type vehicle (100) as claimed in claim 4, wherein a third member (200) being provided, said third member (200) having a protruding profile enabling mounting of said cover assembly (130) on said frame assembly (102).
6. The cover assembly (130) for a saddle type vehicle (100) as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said cover assembly (130) comprising a down member (208), said down member (208) having an obliquely circular profile (206) for accommodating a foot peg mounting bracket (302).
7. The cover assembly (130) for a saddle type vehicle (100) as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said cover assembly (130) being disposed in one of left side and right side of said saddle type vehicle (100).
8. The cover assembly (130) for a saddle type vehicle (100) as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said access area (202) being configured to provide natural air to a battery (402), said battery (402) being covered by said cover assembly (130).
9. The cover assembly (130) for a saddle type vehicle (100) as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said cover assembly (130) being a singular part.
10. The cover assembly (130) for a saddle type vehicle (100) as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said access area (202) having a trapezoidal profile.