[001] The present subject matter relates, in general, to two wheeled
vehicles and, particularly but not exclusively, to techniques of adjusting
footrest of a two wheeled vehicle.
BACKGROUND
5 [002] Two wheeled vehicles, as a mode of transportation, offer a sense
of freedom and exhilaration that is often unmatched by other vehicles. A
major part of this experience is the rider's interaction with the vehicle, which
includes the positioning of the rider's feet on footrests. Footrests, also
known as foot pegs, are an integral part of a two-wheeler’s design,
10 providing a place for the rider to rest their feet while riding.
[003] Footrests come in various designs and configurations,
depending on the type of the two-wheeler and the intended use. For
instance, racing motorcycles often have footrests positioned higher and
further back to allow for aggressive cornering, while touring motorcycles
15 have footrests positioned lower and further forward for comfort during long
rides. The position of the footrests can greatly influence the rider's comfort,
control, and overall riding experience.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[004] The detailed description is described with reference to the
20 accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference
number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears.
The same numbers are used throughout the drawings to reference like
features and components.
[005] Figure 1 illustrates an isometric view of a footrest positioning
25 apparatus for a two wheeled vehicle, in accordance with an implementation
of the present subject matter.
[006] Figures 2A, 2B and 2C illustrate a top view, a side view and a
front view, respectively, of the footrest positioning apparatus, in accordance
with an implementation of the present subject matter.
[007] The figures are not necessarily to scale, and the size of some
parts may be exaggerated to more clearly illustrate the example shown.
Moreover, the drawings provide examples and/or implementations
consistent with the description; however, the description is not limited to the
5 examples and/or implementations provided in the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[008] Conventionally, the position of the footrests on a two-wheeler is
either fixed or requires manual adjustment. This typically involves loosening
and tightening of bolts and may require the use of tools. This process can
10 be time-consuming and inconvenient, particularly for riders who frequently
switch between different riding styles or conditions.
[009] While automated systems have been implemented for various
aspects of two-wheeler's configuration, such as suspension or height of
seat of the two-wheeler, the application of such systems for footrest
15 adjustment is not widespread. The development and implementation of an
automated footrest adjustment system presents its own set of challenges,
including the complexity of the mechanism, cost of the components, and
durability and reliability of the system under the harsh conditions of riding a
two-wheeler. Existing automated systems for footrest positioning require
20 several components, such as multiple actuators to allow positioning of the
footrest in different directions resulting in complex and costly systems. Also,
conventional systems do not offer positioning of footrest at multiple
positions with respect to the vehicle.
[0010] To this end, the present subject matter provides techniques for
25 positioning a footrest in a two wheeled vehicle automatically to overcome
the above-described problems.
[0011] In accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter,
a footrest positioning apparatus for a two-wheeled vehicle is described. The
apparatus comprises a control unit to determine a change in mode of
30 driving of the two-wheeled vehicle. The apparatus also comprises a curved
rail affixed to a frame connected to a chassis of the vehicle. The curved rail comprises a guide slot along a length of the curved rail. The apparatus
further comprises an actuator that is to be actuated to change a position of
a footrest of the vehicle. The actuator is mounted on the frame and
connected to a slotted block. The slotted block moves in response to an
5 actuation of the actuator. The actuator is configured to be actuated by the
control unit based on the determination of the change in mode of driving.
The footrest is connected to the curved rail via a connecting slot formed in
the slotted block such that the footrest is slide able along the guide slot of
the curved rail with respect to a movement of the slotted block.
10 [0012] The footrest positioning apparatus allows for motion of the
footrest in two dependent axes with the help of a single linear actuator
effectively to position the footrest at multiple footrest positions when the
vehicle is in motion. The single linear actuator pushes or pulls the footrest
along the guide slot of the curved rail. The use of a single linear actuator
15 as the source of motion reduces implementation costs and also helps the
rider to explore more footrest positions and to switch to a position
depending on the preference of the rider providing a relatively inexpensive
automatically adjustable footrest.
[0013] The above and other features, aspects, and advantages of the
20 subject matter will be better explained with regard to the following
description and accompanying figures. It should be noted that the
description and figures merely illustrate the principles of the present subject
matter along with examples described herein and, should not be construed
as a limitation to the present subject matter. It is thus understood that
25 various arrangements may be devised that, although not explicitly
described or shown herein, embody the principles of the present disclosure.
Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and examples
thereof, are intended to encompass equivalents thereof. Further, for the
sake of simplicity, and without limitation, the same numbers are used
30 throughout the drawings to reference like features and components.
[0014] Figure 1 illustrates an isometric view of a footrest positioning
apparatus for a two wheeled vehicle, in accordance with an implementation
of the present subject matter.
[0015] In an implementation of the present subject matter, the footrest
5 positioning apparatus 100 for the two wheeled vehicle is disclosed. As
described earlier, footrests in a two wheeled vehicle provide a place for the
rider of the vehicle to rest his feet while riding. The rider of the vehicle may
require to change the positioning of his feet while riding in order to have
greater control over the vehicle or a comfortable ride. While riding, the rider
10 may also require switching to another mode of driving which may in turn
require change in positioning of rider’s feet. The footrest positioning
apparatus 100 allows a rider to change the position of a footrest of the two
wheeled vehicle while riding. Since, a two wheeled vehicle comprises one
footrest on either side of the vehicle, one footrest positioning apparatus
15 may be provided on either side of the vehicle to change the position of
respective footrest. Each apparatus is similar in construction and operation.
Figure 1 depicts one footrest positioning apparatus.
[0016] The footrest positioning apparatus 100 comprises a control unit
(not shown in Figure 1). The control unit may be implemented as
20 microprocessors, microcomputers, microcontrollers, digital signal
processors, central processing units, state machines, logic circuitries,
and/or any devices that manipulate signals based on operational
instructions. Among other capabilities, the control unit is configured to fetch
and execute computer-readable instructions stored in a memory, for
25 example, in order to receive an input from a rider of the two wheeled vehicle
and accordingly change position of the footrest on either side. In an
example, the input may be provided to the control unit through a push
button corresponding to each mode of driving. The mode of driving may
comprise at least two modes including a first mode and a second mode.
30 The first mode may be a city-drive mode and the second mode may be a
sports mode. A position of the footrest with respect to a chassis of the vehicle may be predefined for each mode of driving. For a comfortable
posture or ride in a sports mode, footrests are generally positioned higher
and further back to allow for aggressive cornering, while in a city drive
mode, footrests are generally positioned lower and further forward for
5 comfort during long rides.
[0017] In an example, the control unit may determine a change in mode
of driving of the two-wheeled vehicle based on the input received from the
rider of the vehicle. The footrest positioning apparatus may comprise a
frame 102 attached to a chassis of the vehicle. The footrest positioning
10 apparatus 100 may further comprise an actuator to be actuated to change
a position of the footrest of the vehicle. The actuator may be mounted inside
an actuator holder 104 which may be affixed to the frame 102 of the
apparatus 100.
[0018] In an example, the actuator holder 104 may be cubicle container
15 holding the actuator in position. The actuator holder 104 has a hole at the
bottom, allowing a spoke of the actuator to travel therethrough, while
locking the actuator in position. The actuator may be linear actuator which
converts an energy supplied to the actuator into a linear motion in a
controlled manner. The energy may be supplied through an electrical,
20 mechanical or hydraulic source and may be controlled through the control
device. In an example, the actuator is rotary like a stepper motor. To
convert the rotary motion of a stepper motor into linear motion, a
mechanism, such as a lead screw or threaded rod may be used. The lead
screw is a threaded rod that engages with a nut. As the stepper motor
25 rotates, the rotation is translated into linear motion as the nut moves along
the threaded rod. The direction of the linear motion can be changed by
switching the polarity of the voltage. Based on the determination of the
change in mode of driving, the control unit may actuate the actuator to
change a position of the footrest of the vehicle. Based on the determination
30 of the change in mode of driving, the control unit may be configured to
actuate the actuators of both the footrest positioning apparatuses placed
on either side of the vehicle to change the position of the respective
footrest.
[0019] In an example, the footrest positioning apparatus 100 may also
comprise a slotted block 106. The slotted block 106 may comprise a
5 connecting slot 108 to allow the footrest 110 to be mounted thereon. The
actuator is connected to the slotted block 106 via an actuator spoke 112.
An end of the actuator spoke 112, after passing through the hole at the
bottom of the actuator holder 104, is connected to the slotted block 106 via
a pin. Accordingly, when the actuator is actuated by the control unit, the
10 actuator spoke moves and the slotted block 106 also moves along with the
actuator spoke 112.
[0020] In an example implementation, the footrest positioning apparatus
100 may comprise a curved rail 114 affixed to the frame 102. The curved
rail 114 may be affixed to the frame 102 using the bolts. The curved rail 114
15 may comprise a guide slot 116 along a length of the curved rail. The footrest
110 of the vehicle may be connected to the curved rail 114 via a connecting
slot 108 formed in the slotted block 106 such that the footrest 110 is slidable
along the guide slot 116 of the curved rail 114 with respect to a movement
of the slotted block 106. In an example, the slotted block 106 may be
20 aligned with the chassis of the vehicle through the curved rail 114 at a
position and the footrest 110 may be mounted to the slotted block 106 at
said position such that the footrest 110 passes through the slotted block
106 and the curved rail 114. The guide slot 116 of the curved rail 114
defines a path that the footrest 110 will follow to change its position
25 prevents the footrest 110 from deviating from the intended path. The path
comprises both a linear path and a curved path. Thus, the footrest 110
performs both translational and curvilinear motion along the guide slot 116.
The footrest 110 performs translational motion for a short distance along
the linear path before traveling along the curved path. Therefore, while the
30 actuator is able to handle both motions independently, the footrest 110 is
unable to move in a single linear axis independently.
[0021] The footrest positioning apparatus 100 may also comprise a hall
sensor to determine a current position of the footrest 110. In an example,
the hall sensor may be attached to the chassis of the vehicle at a point
along the curved rail 114. In another example, the hall sensor may also be
5 connected to the curved rail 114. The control unit may also receive an input
comprising the current position of the footrest 110. Based on the
determination of the change in mode of driving and the current position of
the footrest 110 as received from the hall sensor, the control unit may
determine a final position of the footrest 110 with respect to the chassis of
10 the vehicle. The control unit is configured to determine the energy to be
supplied to the actuator to allow the footrest 110 to travel through the
curved rail 114 to reach to the final position. In response to the change in
mode of driving, the control unit may actuate the actuator with the required
energy. The actuator spoke may accordingly move the slotted block 106
15 which in turn cause the footrest 110 to perform both performs both
translational and curvilinear motion along the guide slot 116 of the curved
rail 114.
[0022] Introducing a curved motion of the footrest 110 offers significant
advantages over linear motion, providing riders with a superior riding
20 position, increased adaptability for riders of different height, and improved
control over the vehicle. An optimal riding position for enhanced comfort
during the ride is provided through the apparatus, as curved motion of the
footrest allows riders to position their feet more naturally, promoting a more
relaxed and comfortable riding posture. The curvature of the footrest
25 mimics the arch of the foot, reducing strain on the ankles and knees during
long rides. This optimal riding position helps minimize fatigue and
discomfort, enhancing rider endurance.
[0023] Further, riders of different heights can be accommodated as with
a curved motion of the footrest 110, the adjustability range is expanded,
30 enabling the riders to customize the footrest position that complements
their body proportions. Moreover, a curved motion of the footrest 110 allows riders to make smoother weight shifts during turns and manoeuvres. The
natural positioning of the feet on the curved footrest enhances the rider's
balance and control over the vehicle. As a result, riders can confidently
navigate corners and varying road conditions, leading to improved safety
5 and reduced risks of accidents.
[0024] Figure 2A, 2B and 2C illustrate a top view, a side view and a front
view, respectively, of the footrest positioning apparatus 100, in accordance
with an implementation of the present subject matter.
[0025] Although implementations of a footrest positioning apparatus
10 100 for a two wheeled vehicle are described, it is to be understood that the
present subject matter is not necessarily limited to the specific features of
the apparatus described herein. Rather, the specific features are disclosed
as implementations for the footrest positioning apparatus 100.

I/We Claim:
1. A footrest positioning apparatus100 for a two-wheeled vehicle, the
apparatus comprises:
a control unit to
5 determine a change in mode of driving of the two-wheeled
vehicle;
a curved rail 114 affixed to a frame 102 connected to a chassis of
the vehicle, the curved rail 114 comprising a guide slot 116 along a length
of the curved rail 114; and
10 an actuator to be actuated to change a position of a footrest 110 of
the vehicle, the actuator being mounted on the frame 102 and connected
to a slotted block 106, wherein the slotted block 106 moves in response to
an actuation of the actuator, the actuator configured to be actuated by the
control unit based on the determination of the change in mode of driving,
15 wherein the footrest 110 is connected to the curved rail 114 via a
connecting slot 108 formed in the slotted block 106 such that the footrest
110 is slidable along the guide slot 116 of the curved rail 114 with respect
to a movement of the slotted block 106.
20 2. The apparatus 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mode of
driving comprises at least two modes including a first mode and a second
mode, the first mode being a city-drive mode and the second mode being
a sports mode.
25 3. The apparatus 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuator is a
linear actuator.
4. The apparatus 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuator is
connected to the slotted block 106 via a connecting pin.
5. The apparatus 100 as claimed in in claim 1, wherein slotted block
106 is aligned with the chassis of the vehicle through the curved rail 114 at
a position and the footrest 110 is mounted to the slotted block 106 at said
position such that the footrest 110 passes through the slotted block 106
5 and the curved rail 114.
6. The apparatus 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus 100
comprises a hall sensor coupled to the control unit and the hall sensor is to
provide an input comprising a current position of the footrest 110 to the
10 control unit.
7. The apparatus 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is
to:
determine a final position of the footrest 100 based on the input
15 received from the hall sensor and the determination of change in mode of
driving; and
to actuate the actuator to enable the footrest 110 to move to the final
position.