DESC:FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] The present subject matter relates to a two-wheeled vehicle. The present subject matter particularly relates to a backrest assembly for said two-wheeled saddle type vehicle.
BACKGROUND
[0002] A pillion rider is the rider who rides on the two-wheeled vehicle along with the driver and the pillion rider sits on the rear end of the vehicle’s seat. Generally, scooters have a grab rail at the rear end to provide aid to the pillion to hold on during the journey. The grab rail is also referred as a pillion handle and is mounted on the rear frame to make it sturdy so that the pillion can hold it. The pillion handle can be cast type or a tubular type. In case of tubular pillion handle there are caps to close the pillion handle ends.
[0003] The pillion rider sits very close the pillion handle and also grabs the pillion handle based on the person’s comfort. Since the rider is sitting close to the hard pillion handle and when the scooter travels over uneven road, there are chances that the pillion rider might get hit by the hard pillion handle. Impact between the hard pillion handle and pillion rider may result in pelvic or tail bone injury. Holding the pillion handle for too long may also cause jamming of fingers and may get squeezed between the body of the pillion rider and the pillion handle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0004] The detailed description of the present subject matter is described with reference to the accompanying figures. Same numbers are used throughout the drawings to reference like features and components.
[0005] Figure 1 illustrates a left side view of the exemplary two-wheeled vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[0006] Figure 2 illustrates a side view of rear part of the two-wheeled vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[0007] Figure 3 illustrates a side view of the rear part of the two-wheeled vehicle with external fuel assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[0008] Figure 4 illustrates an isometric rear view of backrest assembly, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[0009] Figure 5 illustrates an exploded isometric front view of the backrest assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[00010] Figure 6 illustrates an exploded isometric rear view of the backrest assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[00011] Figure 7 illustrates a cross sectional view of the back rest assembly, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[00012] Figure 8 illustrates an isometric front view of the back cover in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[00013] Figure 9 illustrates isometric rear view of the back cover in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[00014] Figure 10 illustrates a top view of the backrest assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[00015] Figure 11 illustrates an isometric rear view of the backrest assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[00016] Figure 12 illustrates a cross section view of the pillion handle and end caps of the backrest assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[00017] Figure 13 illustrates an isometric front view of the pillion handle in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[00018] In order to provide support to the pillion rider the two-wheelers are, in most of the case, provided with pillion handle. Pillion handle are generally either injection molded or metal casting. Holding it for a longer period of time, the fingers may get jammed and it also does not provide the necessary lumbar support to the pillion rider. So, backrests are included in some of the two wheelers models for the comfort of the driver and/or the passenger. The backrests are, generally, provided with cushion to support the back of the person and it is mounted on the rigid handrail structure. The handrail structure gets support either from the saddle or the vehicle frame of the two-wheeled vehicle. But the conventional handrail structures with backrest are very high, which are enough to block the legs of the pillion rider while trying to mount on the seat. Also, the padding or cushion provided in the conventional backrest on the handrail structure doesn’t provide any provision which may give better grip and comfort without hurting or jamming the fingers of the pillion rider. The conventional backrest structure doesn’t allow ease in closing and opening the seat without any obstruction. One has to either adjust or remove the backrest assembly in order to open and close the seat. Adjustable backrest assembly also incorporates additional costs because of additional parts. The present subject matter tries to solve the above mentioned limitations by providing a pillion backrest assembly for two-wheelers. The present subject matter provides a solution for the problem of the gripping on backrest for the pillion rider and also the inconvenience caused due to the elevation of the handrail structure and providing easy mounting and unmounting of the body of the pillion rider on the seat without blocking the legs.
[00019] In early history, two-wheelers were designed and intentionally built for one person. Only one person could have used the vehicle and that used to be the rider itself. The structure used to be very light and easy to maneuver. Modern days’ two-wheeler evolved from bicycles that offered several advantages like stability, braking, speed, convenient mounting. After its popularity it didn't take much time to add an important feature which was an internal combustion engine. After adding functional parts to a two-wheeler, the aesthetic aspects became the main focus to get the attention of the growing customers. Aesthetic features in a two-wheeler not only provide an improved appearance but it also offers important functionalities.
[00020] Hence, an object of the present subject matter is to provide a backrest assembly for two-wheeled vehicles. The backrest assembly for two-wheeler vehicle comprising a cushion member mounted on pillion handle above the rear end of the seat and a back cover with a concave contour to provide better grip, comfort and prevents the problem of jamming of the fingers between the pillion rider’s body and pillion handle. According to one aspect of the present subject matter, backrest assembly for two-wheeled vehicle also provides a predetermined gap between the seat and the cushion to enable obstruction free opening and closing of the seat.
[00021] Referring to one embodiment, the present subject matter also provides a predetermined radii of the pillion handle to further enable the person to access the external fuel assembly without blocking the fuel nozzle.
[00022] Further, the present subject matter also provides an end cap on the pillion handle with rectangular slot and right angle cut for improved alignment and to match the shape of the end caps with the pillion handle to give an appearance of a single unit. The rectangular slot and right angle cut on the end cap structure provided on the pillion handle prevents the wear and tear of the end cap. The present invention is also cost effective. The assembly may be of injection molding or metal casting.
[00023] Again in an embodiment, a two-wheeled vehicle comprises a vehicle frame. The vehicle frame includes a rear frame and a seat is disposed on the rear frame. A pillion handle is disposed behind seat assembly and fixedly attached on the mounting brackets.
[00024] Further in an embodiment, a cushion member is mounted on the mounting brackets which are fixedly attached to the pillion handle. The cushion member is mounted on the front side of the pillion handle, facing the pillion rider.
[00025] In an embodiment, a back cover is detachably secured to said cushion member using snap fits on the top and fastening means in the bottom in order to cover the cushion member from the back.
[00026] In an embodiment, said back cover is provided with concave contour facing away from the pillion rider. The said concave contour provided on the side back provides gripping means to the pillion rider without jamming the fingers.
[00027] In an embodiment, said pillion handle is bent at a predetermined angle in order to provide extra space for pillion rider and ease in opening the seat (40) to access the utility box (not shown) provided under the seat (40). This also allows ease in accessing fuel tank provided immediately behind the seat with at least some portion of the fuel tank located under the seat assembly.
[00028] In an embodiment, said cushion is spaced apart from the seat at a predetermined distance to create an extra space for the pillion rider of variable size and also allowing the opening and closing of the seat by inserting the hands between the seat and pillion handle without causing any obstruction.
[00029] In an embodiment, the pillion handle may be of cast aluminum or plastic where the mountings will be machined if it is aluminum and insert molded in case of plastic. The back cover may be integrated with the pillion handle when made up of plastic or in case metal casting the mountings may be machined.
[00030] The aforesaid and other advantages of the present subject matter would be described in greater detail in conjunction with the figures in the following description.
[00031] Arrows provided in the top right corner of each figure depicts direction with respect to the vehicle, wherein an arrow F denotes front direction, an arrow R indicated Rear direction as and where applicable.
[00032] Fig. 1 illustrates a left side view of the exemplary two-wheeled vehicle (1) in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. The two-wheeled vehicle comprising a mainframe (200) made of carbon fiber and resin material and is conventionally an underbone chassis frame which provides a generally open central area to permit “step-through” mounting by a rider. The head assembly comprising a Visor (101) located immediately above headlamp (103) protecting the instrument cluster (not shown) from external factors and different weather conditions such as direct contact with wind, dust, water, sunlight and also enable the rider to see the plurality of two-wheeler vitals, but not limited to, speed, fuel level, distance covered. Likewise, Visor (101) comes in different type of designs and mounting like fixed visor structure, adjustable visor, and removable visor etc. Mirror (102) to provide the rear view to the rider in order to detect the vehicles approaching. The mirror (102) is generally provided on the head assembly along with head lamp (103), visor (101) steering handle (104) and the entire assembly mounted on the head tube (not shown). On the front part of the two-wheeled vehicle also comprises a front fender (116) which is essentially an U-shaped in cross section. The purpose of providing a font fender (116) is to cover the upper part of the two-wheeler for the purpose of preventing mud splashing on the vehicle and the rider caused by motion or the rotation caused in the front wheel during driving. a light assembly (105) provided on the front part, mounted in the cavity, on left and right side provided on the front cover (117). The light assembly (105) provides extra illumination while driving. Front suspension (106) serving multiple purpose-providing safety and comfort to the rider by isolating the road noise, bumps and vibrations. Front suspension (106) also enables vehicle's maneuvering and braking. Footrest (107) providing comfort to the rider so that the rider can place his feet on it. The footrest (107) area can be very well used as a utility area to keep luggage or any other item. Side cowl (108) giving protection to the rider's body from the heat generated by the engine (not shown) and also to provide an aerodynamic structure. External fuel assembly (112) to enable easy refueling without causing any obstruction to the fuel nozzle (44). Generally, the fuel cap is situated below the seat of the two-wheeler which makes refueling process cumbersome as to fill the fuel a person has to open the seat and then close the seat again and again. Also, the rider has to unmount himself from the seat in order to fill the fuel. Tail lamp (111) provides illumination on the rear side of the two-wheeler and making it convenient for other vehicles to spot the location of the two-wheeler during low light conditions. The tail lamp (111) also makes the number plate visible from the back. For the comfort of the rider the two-wheeler is provided with a seat (115). The seat (115) is usually made up of foam or any other cushion like material. Although, earlier designs allowed only the rider to accommodate the seat (115) but the design has evolved over many years and now a pillion rider can sit behind the rider. The rider, while driving, has the support of steering handle (104) to get the needed balance during the ride but the pillion rider lacks that support. So, to provide balance and support during the ride, pillion rider can either hold the rider from the back and the pillion rider has to lean forward towards the rider or the pillion handle (10) is provided on the rear side of the two-wheeler. Sometimes, the pillion handle is also provided with a backrest or lumbar support. The backrest may be simply made up of some soft material, also called cushion member (11).
[00033] Fig. 2 illustrates seat (40) in opening position. The seat (40) is situated at an access distance (43) in the range 30mm to 35 mm from the cushion member (11). The access distance (43) between the seat (40) and cushion member (11) enable the person to put the fingers in that gap and the seat (40) can be easily opened or closed without hurting the fingers and no obstruction is created during the opening and closing process. A distance lower than 30 will hinder comfortable entry of fingers & more than 35 will give rise to big gap adversely affecting the aesthetics quality of the vehicle. The access distance (43) between the seat (40) and the cushion member (11) also creates an extra space to accommodate a pillion rider of variable shape and it reduces the chances of the pillion rider getting hit by the pillion handle (10) and therefore giving protection when the ride is jerky and bumpy. The external fuel cap (41) is situated on the rear side of the two-wheeler, below the pillion backrest assembly. While refueling the two-wheeler, the space is the major constraint as the fuel nozzle (44) may get hit by the pillion handle (10). Here, the external fuel assembly (112) is situated at an access distance (43) from the pillion handle (10) in order to provide ease in fueling without obstructing the fuel nozzle (44). The distance between the pillion handle (10) and the external fuel assembly (112) is same as distance between the pillion handle (10) and the seat (40).
[00034] Fig. 3 illustrates the vertical height (A’) of the pillion handle (10) from the rear end of the seat (40). Generally, the handrail in prior art with cushion which are provided in the two-wheeler are usually mounted at certain elevation which aims to provide backrest to the pillion rider. But when a pillion rider mounts or unmounts his/her body, the handrail blocks the legs and it becomes very inconvenient to put legs across the two-wheeler on both the sides. In the present subject matter, the pillion handle (10) is mounted at a vertical height (A’) in the range 50 to 80 mm which enables the pillion rider to mount and unmount his body on/ from the seat (40) without blocking the legs. It also provides comfort to the back and /or lumbar area at the same time. Seat- foot peg distance (C) is a predetermined distance, between the foot peg (45) and seat (40) allowing pillion rider to rest foot or climb in order to mount on the seat. The angle created by inclined line (b’) and horizontal line (d’) is predetermined for providing ease in seating. The inclined line (b’) is the first point of contact on the cushion member (11) by the pillion rider’s back and horizontal line (d’) is highest point of the seat (40) at the rear portion. The ratio of seat-foot peg distance to vertical height (C/A’) is predetermined.
[00035] Fig. 4 illustrates the backrest assembly (100) comprising a pillion handle (10) mounted on rear frame (201) of the vehicle mainframe (200) of the two-wheeler on both left and right hand side immediately below the seat (115) using two mounting plates (19, 20). Both ends on the left and right side of the pillion handle (10) extends towards the rear end of the seat (115) in upward direction to form a smooth edged U-shaped pillion handle (10). Both ends of the pillion handle (10) mounted on the vehicle rear frame (201) of the two-wheeler are provided with end caps (14, 15) in order to provide smooth finish and no sharp edges. The U-shaped part of pillion handle (10) is provided with a cushion member (11) mounted on the pillion handle (10). The cushion member (11) provides the back and/or lumbar support to the pillion rider and prevents the back from getting injured during jerky ride. Back cover (12) is provided on the rear side of the pillion handle (10) mounted on the pillion handle (10) using fasteners (17,18) on the receiving means (16a, 16b) and snap fits (21,22) to enable the back cover (12) to fit from the top.
[00036] Fig. 5 illustrates the exploded view of the pillion back rest assembly displaying individual components of the pillion backrest assembly comprising, cushion member (11) with soft material like foam to provide back and /or lumbar support to the pillion rider. The cushion member (11) also helps the pillion rider from getting hit on the lower part of the body due to sudden jerk, brakes. Pillion handle (10) without cushion member (11) may also cause jamming of the fingers due to the hard material of which pillion handle (10) is made of. The cushion member (11) rests on pillion handle (10) and gets support from it. The cushion member (11) is mounted on the pillion handle (10) using mounting bracket (13). The mounting bracket (13) has been provided with receiving means (16a, 16b) where the back cover (12) is fastened using fastening means (17,18). The cushion member (11) is securely disposed on the back cover (12) such that the cushion member (11) is covered from the back using back cover (12) which is snap fitted using the snap fits (21, 22).The lower portion is fastened using the fastener (17, 18).The back cover in the pillion backrest assembly serves two purpose, one is for covering the back portion of the cushion member (11) and the other purpose of the back cover (12) is to provide grip to the pillion rider by placing the fingers inside the concave or negative contour (12a). The back cover (12) may be integrated with the pillion handle (10) by using plastic through the method of injection molding or by using metal through the method of aluminum casting. Similarly, the mounting bracket (13) can be machined as aluminum in case of aluminum casting or plastic in case of injection molding. The pillion handle (10) and the back cover (12) can be integrated into a single part in which a metal member can be used as an insert where it will be mounted on the vehicle rear frame (201) of the two-wheeler and the rest of the parts can be plastic injection molded. The cushion member (11) will be of foam molding.
[00037] Fig. 6 illustrates the rear isometric exploded view of the backrest assembly with mounting receiving means (50a, 50b) on the back side of the cushion member (11) to be mounted on the mounting bracket (13).
[00038] Fig. 7 illustrates the cross section of the pillion backrest assembly. Cushion member (11) mounted on the pillion handle (10). Immediately below the pillion handle (10) is back cover (12) provided with a concave or negative contour (12a). The pillion rider can firmly place the fingers in the contour (12a) which provides stable grip without jamming the fingers between he pillion handle (10) and body of the pillion ride. Fig. 3 illustrates the height (A’) of the pillion handle (10) from the rear end of the seat (40). Generally, the hand rail with cushion which are provided in the two-wheeler are usually mounted at certain elevation which aims to provide backrest to the pillion rider. But when a pillion rider mounts or unmounts, the handrail blocks the legs and it becomes very inconvenient to put legs across the two-wheeler on both the sides. In the present subject matter, the pillion handle (10) is mounted at a height (A’) which enables the pillion rider to mount and unmount the seat (40) without blocking the legs. It also provides comfort to the back and /or lumbar area at the same time. As per another aspect of the present invention, height A’ less than 50 mm does not provide adequate support to the lumbar area & thus not good for comfort. From the human anthropometric study, the height A is restricted to be not more than 80 mm to enable comfortable reach for the legs of the rider / pillion to be able to get on to the vehicle with ease.
[00039] Fig. 8 illustrates the front isometric view of the back cover (12) provided with snap projections (71, 72) which are used to mount the cover (12) from the top between pillion handle (10) and cushion member (11), receiving means (73,74) to fasten the back cover (12) on the mounting bracket (13) fixedly attached on the pillion handle (10).
[00040] Fig. 9 illustrates the rear isometric view back cover (12) with receiving means (73, 74) to fasten the back cover (12) on the mounting bracket (13) through mounting means (16a, 16b). The back cover (12) is provided with a concave or negative contour (12a) on the rear side. The contour (12a) provides cavity which allows the pillion rider to put the fingers into it. The contour (12a) provides firm grip to the pillion rider fingers without causing any kind of fingers jamming. The contour (12a) also provides balance and stability to the pillion rider during the ride.
[00041] Fig. 10 provides the top view of the pillion backrest assembly where the hands of the pillion rider have been depicted and the way fingers will rest on the back cover (12) of the pillion backrest assembly. Without cushion member (11) the rider will get to hold only the pillion handle (10) which provides less area for gripping. The pillion rider has to curl the finger which, for long duration, may cause jamming of the fingers and more force is required to hold the pillion handle (10) to provide better grip and balance. The concave or negative contour (12a) along with cushion member (11) and pillion handle (10) provides large surface area and better grip without jamming the fingers and putting more pressure on fingers in order to get a good grip.
[00042] Fig. 11 illustrates the isometric view of the rear side of the backrest assembly where immediately below the concave contour (12a) has been provided with an area which can be used for embossing the brand name (12b).
[00043] Fig. 12 provides the cross sectional view of the end cap (14) and pillion handle (10). The extreme ends of the pillion handle (10) have sharp edges which may hurt the rider or the pillion rider. To prevent from any kind of injury which may be caused due to the sharp ends of the pillion handle (10) ends, pillion handle (10) is provided with end caps (14,15). The end caps (14,15) is further provided with rectangular slot (31, 32) and right angle cut (33, 34). Similarly, end cap 15 (not shown in the figure) is also provided with rectangular slot and right angle cut in similar fashion. The end cap (14, 15) structure provides better alignment with the pillion handle (10) and the rectangular slot (31, 32) and right angle cut (33, 34) helps in reducing the wear and tear of the end cap and looks aesthetically more appealing. The length of the rectangular slot (31, 32) is in the range 4 mm to 6mm.
[00044] Fig. 13 provides isometric front view of the pillion handle (10) resting on the imaginary planes (122,123) in order to show the angles at which the pillion handle (10) has been bent at a predetermined radius in the range 50mm to 60 mm. The bends (121 a, 121 b, 121 c and 121 d) are provided at four locations with same radii creating an inclination in the pillion handle (10). Bends (121 a, 121 b, 121 c and 121 d) provided on the pillion handle (10) allows the person to easily open and close the seat and it also provides obstruction free access to the external fuel assembly (112) without compromising the comfort of the pillion rider.
[00045] It is to be understood that the aspects of the embodiments are not necessarily limited to the features described herein. Many modifications and variations of the present subject matter are possible in the light of above disclosure. Therefore, within the scope of claims of the present subject matter, the present disclosure may be practiced other than as specifically described.
,CLAIMS:We Claim:
1. A saddle type vehicle (1) comprising:
a main frame (200), said main frame (200) including a rear frame (201); a seat (40) disposed on said rear frame (201); an external fuel assembly (112) disposed on rear side of said seat (40); a backrest assembly (100) comprising a pillion handle (10) mounted on said rear frame (201); a cushion member (11) mounted on a front part of said pillion handle (10); a mounting bracket (13) attached to said pillion handle (10), said cushion member (11) securely adapted on said mounting bracket (13) provided with receiving means(16a,16b); a back cover (12) detachably secured on said cushion member (11), said back cover (12) detachably secured to said cushion member (11) with at least a portion of said back cover (12) provided with a concave shaped contour (12a).
2. The saddle type vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mounting bracket (13) is fixedly attached to said pillion handle (10).
3. The saddle type vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said back cover (12) is detachably secured on said cushion member (11) by snap fits (21, 22).
4. The saddle type vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said back cover (12) is fastened through said receiving means (73, 74).
5. The saddle type vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pillion handle (10) mounted on said rear frame (201) through a pair of mounting plates (19, 20).
6. The saddle type vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pillion handle (10) ends are provided with one or more end caps (14, 15).
7. The saddle type vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cushion member (11) located above a rear end of said seat (40) at a vertical height (A’) in the range 50mm to 80mm.
8. The saddle type vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pillion handle (10) bent with a radius in the range 50mm to 60mm.
9. The saddle type vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cushion member (11) positioned at an access distance (43) from said seat (40) where said access distance (43) is in the range of 30mm to 35 mm to create extra seating space for a pillion rider.
10. The saddle type vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said one or more end caps (14, 15) comprising one or more rectangular slot (31, 32).
11. The saddle type vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said one or more end caps (14, 15) comprising one or more right angled cut (33, 34).
12. The saddle type vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 1 or claim 10, wherein said one or more rectangular slot (31, 32) length is in the range of 4 mm to 6 mm.
13. The saddle type vehicle (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pillions handle (10) is made-up of injection molding or aluminum casting.
14. A back cover (12) of a backrest assembly (100) comprising:
one or more snap projections (71,72) to adapt said back cover (12) on a cushion member (11), one or more receiving means (73,74) to fasten said back cover (12) on a mounting bracket (13), said mounting bracket (13) fixedly attached to said pillion handle (10); and at least a portion of said back cover (12) provided with a contour (12a).
15. The back cover (12) of a backrest assembly (100) as claimed in claim 14; wherein said contour (12a) provided in said back cover (12) is concave in shape.
16. The back cover (12) of a backrest assembly (100) as claimed in claim 14; wherein said cushion member (11) is detachably secured to said back cover (12).