FIELD OF TH E INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to "Cover for a swing arm", and more particularly relates to a cover for a swing arm assembly having a mono shock absorber, in a two-wheeled vehicle.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Conventionally, in a frame layout for two-wheeled vehicles with a mono shock absorber, the mono shock absorber is disposed behind the engine and in-between the frame and the rear wheel, substantially inclined or horizontal to the ground level. [0003] More particularly, one end of the mono shock absorber is connected to the frame and the other end is connected to the swing arm.
The swing arm further supports the rear wheel assembly, where the rear wheel assembly constitutes a chain sprocket for transferring power from the engine to the rear wheel by means of a flexible drive member.
[0004] In case of an inclined mounting of the mono shock absorber, one end of the mono shock is.operably attached to the frame and the other end is directJy connected to a bridge tube provided on the swing arm. In such an arrangement the mono shock absorber is within the vehicle protection covers and is protected from mud and water splashes from therear wheel by means of a rear fender.
[0005] Where both the engine and the mono shock absorber are mounted substantially horizontally with respect to the ground level, one above the other, one end of the mono shock absorber is connected to the frame and the other end is connected to the swing

arm link members, such that the shock absorber is positioned above the engine and away
from the bridge tube of the swing arm.
[0006] In this kind of arrangement, the mono shock absorber is positioned above the
engine and is exposed to the environment and exposure to water splash. Too much
exposure to such environmental will result in corrosion and wilt affect durability of the
rear suspension over a period of time. The link members are also subjected to corrosion
since they are projected beyond the vehicle protection covers.
[0007] Therefore, a need exists to protect the swing arm assembly from environmental
factors by covering them with a separate cover.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention proposes a cover for a swing arm assembly having a mono
shock absorber, mounted substantially horizontally with respect to the ground level.
[0009] Therefore it is an object of the present invention to provide a cover for effective
protection of the swing arm assembly and the link members attached to the swing arm.
[00010] It is another objective of the present invention to integrate the chain case cover
and the swing arm cover so as to form a single assembly.
[00011] Yet another objective of the present invention is to incorporate two features in a
single cover for covering the swing arm, link members and any other system such as the
disc brake system, linked to the wheel.
It is further an object of the present invention to effectively cover visual defects occurring
due to fabrication.

|00012] It is also an object of the present invention to provide for variations in fabrication of swing arm covers since the cover is split into two equal halves.
[00013] Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings that illustrate by the way of example, various features of the embodiment of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[00014] 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:
[00015] Fig.lA illustrates the left side view representing a two-wheeled vehicle incorporating an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[00016] Fig.lB shows the isometric view of the middle portion of the two-wheeled vehicle, illustrating the mono shock absorber operably attached to the swing arm assembly.
[00017] Fig. 2 illustrates the swing arm assembly of the present invention.
[00018] Fig. 3 illustrates the exploded view of the swing arm assembly.along with the three swing arm covers.
[00019] Fig. 4 illustrates the swing arm cover left of the present invention as viewed from the vehicle rear side.

|00020] Fig 4A shows an embodiment of the present invention where the swing arm covers protect a system linked to the wheel.
[00021] Fig. 5 illustrates the mounting locations for the swing arm cover centre.
[00022] Fig. 6. illustrates the left side view of the swing arm assembly of the present invention with all the three covers mounted on it.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[00023] To address the aforementioned needs, according to an embodiment of the present subject matter, a two-wheeled vehicle is provided with a mono shock absorber that is mounted substantially horizontally to the ground level, above an engine and in-between a swing arm assembly and a frame.
[00024] The frame of the two-wheeled vehicle extends longitudinally and supports the front wheel and the rear wheel on front and rear ends of the two-wheeled vehicle respectively. A rider seat is disposed substantially horizontally and upwardly of the frame. The engine, is disposed substantially horizontally and downwardly of the frame. The swing arm is pivotally mounted onto the frame and supports the rear wheel. The mono shock absorber is operably disposed in-between the swing arm assembly and the frame in such a way that the mono shock absorber is located above the engine and beneath the rider seat. Further, the mono shock absorber is oriented substantially horizontal to the ground level.

|00025] In this arrangement the shock absorber is positioned above the engine and away from the bridge tube of the swing arm assembly. Also the link members project beyond the vehicle protection covers.
In such a case a need exists to effectively protect the mono shock and cover the link . members and the swing arm assembly from environmental factors. |00026] Fig.lA illustrates a left side view representing a two-wheeled vehicle 100 incorporating an embodiment of the present subject matter. The embodiments disclosed herein are described in the context of two-wheeler having an engine 130 rigidly mounted to the frame. However, the embodiments and the subject matter herein can also be applied to other vehicles, such as step-through two-wheelers or two-wheeled vehicles having swinging type engines with smaller wheels, all terrain vehicles, and the like. (00027] As used herein, the terms "front", "rear", "left", "right", "up", and "down", correspond to the direction assumed by a driver of the vehicle. The two-wheeled vehicle 100 is configured for accommodating two persons, a rider and a pillion. The two-wheeled vehicle 100 includes the frame 105 for supporting a handlebar 110 that is disposed towards a front end thereof. The frame 105 also supports a front wheel 115 and a rear wheel 120 on the front and the rear ends, respectively, thereof. A rider seat 125 extends upwardly and substantially horizontally of the frame 105. The engine 130, preferably an internal combustion engine, is rigidly mounted downwardly and substantially horizontally of the frame 105. A swing arm assembly 103 comprising of the swing arm 135, the first link member 170 and second link member 175, is pivotally mounted to the frame 105. The swing arm.assembly 103 resiliency supports the rear wheel 120 with the frame 105. A mono-shock absorber 140 is operably disposed substantially horizontally,

preferably at an angle of about 10 degrees to the ground level, in-between the frame 105 and the swing arm assembly 103. The mono-shock absorber 140 is oriented in such a way that it is located above the engine 130 and beneath the rider's seat 125. [00028] As shown in Fig.lA, the mono shock 140 of the two-wheeled vehicle is operably attached to the frame. 105. One end of the mono shock is coupled to the frame 105 by means of a hinge joint 185. The other end of the mono shock 140 is attached to the swing arm assembly 103. The first and second link members 170 and 175 are mounted on the swing arm 135 respectively which forms the complete.swing arm assembly 103. [00029] As shown in Fig IB, the other end of the mono-shock absorber 140 is pivotally attached to the first link member 170 by means of a hinge joint 180. A common junction is formed at a point 180 where all the three members that is the mono shock absorber 140, the first link member 170 and the second link member 175 are coupled.
|00030] Fig. 2 shows the swing arm assembly 103 of the present invention which
comprises of swing arm 135 which can be further subdivided, into the swing arm tube left
136, swing arm tube right 137 and the bridge tube 138 which joins the swing arm tubes
left and right 136 and 137 to form the swing arm 135, on which the swing arm first link
member 170 and the swing arm second link member 175 are mounted.
[00031] An embodiment of the present invention involves the swing arm cover left 177
and swing arm cover right 176 mounted to the motorcycle swing arm assembly 103 on to
the respective sides of the vehicle as shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4.
[00032] As shown in Fig. 3, the swing arm cover right 176 is designed in such a way that
it covers the swing arm second link member 175 from the right side and any system

which is linked to the wheel such as a disc brake system 181 as shown in Fig. 4A. The said swing arm cover right 176 is secured to the swing arm assembly 103 at three locations respectively. The first location for attaching the cover to the right side of the swing arm is provided on the swing arm tube right 137 and the other two locations are provided on the swing arm second link member 175. The point at which the swing arm cover right 176 is mounted on the swing arm tube right 137 is denoted by 182. Similarly the other two points at which the swing arm cover 176 is secured to the swing arm assembly is denoted by reference numerals 183 and 184, which lie on the second link member 175 respectively.
|00033] A similar swing arm cover left 177, as shown in Fig. 4, is designed in such a way that it covers the swing arm second link member 175 from the left side. The said swing arm cover left 177 is designed such a way that it covers the swing arm structural member. which is an inverted U-shaped member 175 and the chain sprocket assembly. The swing arm cover left 177 is secured to the swing arm assembly 103 at three locations, one on the swing arm tube left 136 and two on the swing arm second link member 175 from the left side. The mounting points are denoted by reference numerals 192, 193 and 194 respectively where 192 lies on the swing arm tube left 136 and the other two mounting points are located on the swing arm second link member 175.
[00034] In another embodiment of the present invention the swing arm cover centre 179 is designed in such a way that it protects the swing arm first link member 170 and the junction point 180 from contaminants and is secured along with the swing arm covers left 177 and swing arm cover right 176. The said swing arm cover centre 179 is secured at

three mounting locations to the swing arm assembly 103. The left and right sides of the swing arm cover centre 179 are secured to mounting points 184 and 194, which lie on the swing arm second link member 175 on the right and the left sides respectively. Another additional mounting point of the swing arm cover centre 179 is at point 200, which lies on the first link member 170.
|00035] The present invention therefore provides for effective protection of the swing arm assembly comprising of the link members attached to it and the horizontal mono shock absorber from environmental factors by covering them with separate covers. [00036] In another embodiment of the present invention the swing arm cover left, swing arm cover right and swing arm cover centre along with wheel can be a sub assembly which can be bolted to the main assembly.
[00037] Also the integration of the said elements give rise to single cover for covering the swing arm, link members and any other system such as the disc brake, linked to the wheel. Moreover the above embodiments provide for variations in fabrication of swing arm covers since the cover is split into two equal halves.
[00038] Although the subject matter has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, other embodiments are possible. As such, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred embodiment contained therein.