DESC:FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a step through type vehicle and more particularly, but not exclusively to a secondary storage assembly for the step through type vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Typically, vehicle layout design for a step-through type scooter type motorcycle features a step-through frame and in some cases additionally includes a flat surface called as a floorboard used for disposing legs of a rider when the rider puts his/her feet on the floorboard. Further, the step through vehicle features bodywork, including a front leg shield and body that conceals all or most of the mechanisms and components.
[0003] A primary storage assembly in the form of utility box is disposed under the seat assembly in the scooter type motorcycle. The utility box is used by the rider and the pillion rider to store articles like helmets, handbags and other heavier objects that cannot be carried during riding the vehicle.
[0004] Further, a secondary storage assembly is provided in the vehicle for the ready accessibility of the rider. The secondary storage assembly is used by the rider to store lighter articles like mobile phones, water bottles and other riding accessories including gloves and the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0005] The above and other features, aspects and advantages of the subject matter will be better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims and accompanying drawings where:
[0006] Fig. 1 shows a left side perspective view of the scooter type vehicle.
[0007] Fig. 2 illustrates a rear view of a front portion of the scooter type vehicle.
[0008] Fig. 3 illustrates a detailed view of a portion of the scooter type vehicle comprising the secondary storage assembly.
[0009] Fig. 4 illustrates an exploded view of the secondary storage assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[00010] Fig. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the secondary storage assembly taken along PQ axis as shown in Fig. 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[00011] Fig. 6 illustrates a secondary storage assembly without the one or more padding elements.
[00012] Fig. 7a illustrates a front view of the one or more padding elements of the secondary storage assembly.
[00013] Fig. 7b illustrates a rear perspective view of the one or more padding elements of the secondary storage assembly.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[00014] Generally, in a saddle type vehicle, all or most of the vehicular parts are concealed or covered by a number of body panels. The number of body panels includes a front panel, a rear panel, a front cover, and a rear cover. A rear portion of the vehicle is covered by the side panels including the right side panel and the left side panel. A utility box for storage of articles by the user is disposed below a seat assembly. The utility box is covered by the side panels to protect the utility box from external factors occurring in the environment. The utility box is used by the rider to store helmet, hand bag and other heavy and bigger articles. However, smaller and lighter articles are carried by the user himself/herself during riding conditions.
[00015] The lighter articles carried by the rider may slip-out of the pockets of the user during vehicle riding condition, example, water bottle, mobile phone and the like. This is undesirable by the rider. Therefore, a secondary storage is provided for the purpose of ready usage of the rider. The secondary storage for example, a glove box assembly is disposed at a front portion of the vehicle. The glove box assembly is disposed forwardly to the seat assembly and is readily accessible by the rider. The rider can access the glove box assembly in sitting posture as well. The secondary storage is used by the rider to store smaller and lighter articles, including, gloves, mobile phones, water bottles, and the like.
[00016] It is known in the art wherein; a secondary storage is provided in the vehicle for providing improved utility of the vehicle to the rider. The secondary storage assembly projects outwardly towards the seat assembly from the front cover of the vehicle. Due to this projection of the secondary storage assembly towards the legs of the rider, there are possibilities that the rider’s legs will touch the secondary storage assembly while getting in and out of the vehicle. Further, the rider’s leg might also damage the secondary storage assembly leading to scratches/discoloration of the secondary storage assembly. Further, the secondary storage assembly is made of hard material; the rider might often feel the pain while his legs are rubbing with the outwardly projecting secondary storage assembly. Additionally, during braking, the dive affect tends to push the rider to the forward direction leading to slip of the rider from the seat. The rider in such cases tends to abut his knees / leg portion with the rear cover or the secondary storage system parts. Often with space constraint & especially for tall riders, this physical abutment contact to refrain slip & force to minimise the dive effect arising out of braking type scenario, is undesirable & uncomfortable potentially leading to bruise or injury to the rider. The forces imparted on the storage system can lead to breakage, damage of the storage system.
[00017] Due to the above said reasons, the durability of the secondary storage assembly is affected. However, in order to avoid the above said problems, the space on the floorboard assembly can be increased along the vehicle longitudinal direction, but the same leads to increase in the length of the vehicle, which in turn results in difficulty in handling of the vehicle. Therefore, increasing the space in order to accommodate the rider’s legs is not a desirable option.
[00018] Therefore, in order to address the above said problems, a secondary storage assembly is provided according to the present invention.
[00019] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the secondary storage assembly is disposed in front of the seat assembly and extends rearwardly from the front cover. The secondary storage assembly is provided with one or more padding elements made of much softer material than the secondary storage assembly. The one or more padding elements are disposed on one or more places on the secondary storage assembly.
[00020] Further, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the one or more padding elements are disposed in one or more places including places on the secondary storage assembly interfering with the legs of the rider.
[00021] According to an embodiment of the present invention, one or more provisions are provided on the secondary storage assembly for receiving the one or more padding elements.
[00022] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the secondary storage assembly is made of a group including polymers and the one or more padding elements is made of a much softer material compared to the polymers, for example, the one or more padding elements is made of a material with elasticity, like rubber.
[00023] Fig. 1 shows a left side perspective view of the scooter type vehicle. The vehicle has a body frame assembly made up of several tubes welded together which usually supports the body of the vehicle. The vehicle has a steerable front wheel 101 and a driven rear wheel 102. The body frame assembly of the vehicle is an elongated structure, which typically extends from a forward end to a rearward end of the vehicle. It is generally convex in shape, as viewed from a side elevation view. The frame assembly includes a head tube 104, a main frame 111 and also may have a sub-frame. The sub-frame is attached to the main frame using appropriate joining mechanism. The frame assembly is covered by a plurality of vehicle body covers including a front panel 103, a rear cover (not shown), a left front bottom panel 105, and a side panel 106.
[00023] A handlebar assembly 109 and a seat assembly 116 are supported at opposing ends of the frame assembly and a generally open area is defined there between known as floorboard 108 which functions as a step through space. The seat for a driver and a pillion is placed forward to a fuel tank and rear side of floorboard 108. A front fender 107 is provided above the front wheel 101 to avoid the vehicle 100 and its occupants from being splashed with mud. Likewise, a rear fender 112 is placed between fuel tank and the rear wheel 102, and to the outer side in the radial direction of the rear wheel 102. The rear fender 112 inhibits rain water or the like from being thrown up by the rear wheel 102. A front cover assembly 115 is disposed rearwardly to the floorboard 108.
[00024] Suspensions are provided for comfortable steering of the vehicle on the road. A front suspension assembly is connected to a front fork 118. The rear suspension assembly comprises of at least one rear suspension 117 preferably on the left side of the vehicle. However, a vehicle with two rear suspensions, namely on the left side and the right side is also possible. For the safety of the user and in conformance with the traffic rules, a headlamp assembly 110 in the front portion of the vehicle and a taillight 114 in the rear portion of the vehicle is also provided.
[00025] For the utility of the rider, a rear cover structure 113, in particular a secondary storage assembly is disposed in front of the front cover assembly 115.
[00026] Fig. 2 illustrates a rear view of a front portion of a scooter type vehicle. A rear surface of the front portion of the vehicle is covered by a front cover 201. The front cover 201 is capable of supporting at least a portion of the rear cover structure 113 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The rear cover structure 113 is disposed below the handlebar assembly 109 and is disposed at a substantially mid portion of the front cover 201. The rear cover structure 113 comprises one or more padding elements 203 disposed at a substantially left side to the first axis RS. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the one or more padding elements are disposed substantially towards right side of the first axis RS.
[00027] The one or more padding elements 203 protect the rider’s legs from being rubbed with the hard surface of the rear cover structure 113 that is disposed underneath the one or more padding elements 203.
[00028] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the rear cover structure 113 is disposed at a substantially mid-portion of the front cover 201 and on a front surface 201fs of the front cover 201. Such a rear cover structure 113 disposed at the substantially mid-portion of the front cover 201 is easily accessible to the rider even during seating posture on the vehicle.
[00029] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the one or more padding elements 203 forms an integral part of an entire surface of the rear cover structure 113. According to yet another embodiment, the one or more padding elements 203 are disposed on at least one of a right side and a left side of a first axis (RS).
[00030] Fig. 3 illustrates a detailed view of a portion of the scooter type vehicle comprising the secondary storage assembly. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the rear cover structure 113 projects outwardly rearward from a front cover 201 covering a rear portion of the front panel 103. The rear cover structure 113 is disposed in front of the seat assembly 116. The rider’s legs are disposed in a pre-determined distance G between the rear cover structure 113 and the seat assembly 116. In particular, the rear cover structure 113 is disposed between the pre-determined distance G between the rear cover structure 113 and a front tip portion 116f of the seat assembly 116. The rider’s legs disposed are disposed in the pre-determined distance G during vehicle riding condition. The rider’s legs come in contact with the rear cover structure 113 during getting in and getting out of the vehicle.
[00031] In order to avoid the rubbing of the rider’s legs with the rear cover structure 113, one or more padding elements 203 are disposed on an outer surface of the rear cover structure 113. The one or more padding elements 203 come in direct contact with the legs of the rider, the one or more padding elements 203 are made of up softer material which do not harm the legs of the rider.
[00032] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the one or more padding elements 203 are replaceable upon wear and tear over a period of time. Therefore, a much simpler and cost effective mechanism is provided to improve the riding comfort of the rider, which in turn makes the vehicle more desirable. Furthermore, the one or more padding elements 203 also improve the aesthetic appeal of the vehicle.
[00033] Fig. 4 illustrates an exploded view of the secondary storage assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. The rear cover structure 113 includes one or more padding elements 203 detachably attached to an outer surface 113b of the rear cover structure 113.
[00034] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the one or more padding elements 203 are polygonal in shape. The one or more padding elements 203 include a shape equivalent to the shape of the rear cover structure 113. Further, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the outer surface 113b of the rear cover structure 113 includes one or more provisions 113a configured to receive at least a portion of the one or more padding elements 203.
[00035] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the outer surface 113b of the rear cover structure 113 includes at least one receiving surface 113d configured to receive at least a portion of one or more padding elements 203. In particular, the at least one receiving surface 113d includes one or more cutouts 113c configured to receive one or more arms 203aa of the one or more padding elements 203.
[00036] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the at least one receiving surface 113d of the rear cover structure 113 is disposed in a plane PP` lower to another plane LL` including one or more padding elements 203. The one or more padding elements 203 being in the another plane LL` compared to the plane PP` is first encountered by the legs of the rider. The padding elements that come in frequent contact with the rider’s legs are made of a much softer material than rest of the rear cover structure 113. This way, the rider can comfortably and confidently put his/her legs while riding the vehicle without being subject to discomfort.
[00037] Fig. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the secondary storage assembly taken along PQ axis as shown in the Fig. 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The one or more padding elements 203 are detachably attached to an outer surface 113b of the rear cover structure 113. The one or more padding elements 203 are attached to the outer surface 113b such that they cover most of the outwardly projecting portion of the outer surface 113b. So that, the portion of the outwardly projecting rear cover structure 113 is substantially covered by the one or more padding elements 203. Further, the one or more padding elements 203 so disposed interfere between the outwardly projecting outer surface 113b and the rider’s legs. Because of this interference, the direct contact of the rider’s legs with the much harder rear cover structure 113 is prevented. The one or more padding elements 203 are made of much softer material as compared to the rear cover structure 113.
[00038] Furthermore, according to an embodiment of the present invention, one or more protrusions 203a are disposed on a rear surface (not shown) of the one or more padding elements 203 of the rear cover structure 113. The one or more protrusions 203a are configured to be received by the one or more provisions (not shown).
[00039] The one or more protrusions 203a ensure that the one or more padding elements 203 are appropriately attached to the outer surface 113b of the rear cover structure 113.
[00040] Fig. 6 illustrates a secondary storage assembly without the one or more padding elements. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the rear cover structure 113 is configured to receive the one or more padding elements on right side. The rear cover structure 113 includes one or more provisions 113a configured to receive the one or more padding elements.
[00041] Furthermore, the rear cover structure 113 includes one or more cutouts 113c capable of receiving at least a portion of the one or more padding elements. In addition to the one or more provisions 113a, the one or more cutouts 113c ensure that most portions of the one or more padding elements is received by the rear cover structure 113.
[00042] Fig. 7a illustrates a front view of the one or more padding elements of the secondary storage assembly. The one or more padding elements 203 includes outwardly extending one or more arms 203aa, 203ab. The one or more arms 203aa, 203ab are configured to be received by the one or more cutouts (not shown) on the secondary storage assembly. The one or more arms 203aa, 203ab extend outwardly from a peripheral surface of the one or more padding elements 203. The one or more arms 203aa, 203ab are extending outwardly of an outer peripheral surface 203ps of the one or more padding elements 203. As per an embodiment of the present invention, the shape of the pad is such that the width at the top side being substantially more than the width at the bottom side. The top width as per an embodiment is substantially conforming to the width of the human knee portion contact interface between 5th to 95th percentile of human ergonomic dimensions. As per another embodiment of the present invention, the pad may have a concave dent when viewed from the rider side such that it substantially conforms to the convex profile of the human knee area profile to enable smooth abutment & good guidance thereby not just avoiding bruising but also guiding the legs so as to provide safe & comfortable support during events like braking, pot hole, front dive etc.
[00043] According to another embodiment of the present invention, an inner surface 204 of the one or more padding elements 203 includes the one or more protrusions 203a enabling attachment with the secondary storage assembly as shown in the Fig. 7b. Furthermore, in addition the one or more arms 203aa, 203ab also enable attachment of the one or more padding elements 203 with the secondary storage elements
[00044] Therefore, the secondary storage assembly according to the present invention provides improved utility to the vehicle that is desirable by the rider. The rider is provided with an improved and more comfortable riding experience. The one or more padded elements according to the present invention are made of much softer material that provide cushioning to the knees and other contact points with the rider’s legs.
[00045] Further, the rider is not put to any discomfort during getting into the vehicle and while getting out of the vehicle. Further, the one or more padding elements make the secondary storage assembly in a vehicle more desirable by the rider and also improve the aesthetic appeal of the vehicle.
[00046] Although the subject matter has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain embodiments thereof, other embodiments are possible. It is to be understood that the aspects of the embodiments are not necessarily limited to the features described herein.
,CLAIMS:We claim:
1. A saddle-type vehicle (100), said vehicle (100) comprising:
a front cover (201) disposed forwardly to a seat assembly (116); and
a rear cover structure (113) attached to a front surface (201fs) of said front cover (201),
wherein,
said rear cover structure (113) is disposed at a substantially mid-portion of the front cover (201), at least a portion of an outer surface (113b) of said rear cover structure (113) includes one or more padding elements (203).
2. The saddle-type vehicle (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said outer surface (113b) includes one or more provisions (113a) configured to receive at least a portion of said one or more padding elements (203).
3. The saddle-type vehicle (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said one or more padding elements (203) are disposed on at least one of a right side and a left side of a first axis (RS).
4. The saddle-type vehicle (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rear cover structure (113) including the one or more padding elements (203) is disposed at a pre-determined distance (G) from a front tip portion (116f) of the seat assembly (116).
5. The saddle-type vehicle (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said outer surface (113b) includes at least one receiving surface (113d) disposed at a plane (PP`) lower to another plane (LL`) including said one or more padding elements (203).
6. The saddle-type vehicle (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said one or more padding elements (203) includes one or more arms (203aa, 203ab) projecting outwardly of an outer peripheral surface (203ps) of said one or more padding elements (203).
7. The saddle-type vehicle (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said one or more padding elements (203) includes one or more protrusions (203a) disposed on an inner surface (204).
8. The saddle-type vehicle (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rear cover structure (113) is a secondary storage assembly.
9. The saddle-type vehicle (100) as claimed in claim 1 or claim 7, wherein said one or more arms (203aa, 203ab) are configured to be received by one or more cut outs (113c) on the at least one receiving surface (113d).
10. The saddle-type vehicle (100) as claimed in claim 3 or claim 8, wherein said one or more provisions (113a) are configured to receive said one or more protrusions (203a).