FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a scooter type vehicle and more particularly to frame structure of the scooter type vehicle which is made up of the pressed metal.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Generally, the conventional frames are either tubular structure or a combination of tubular and the pressed metal. In some cases pressed metal frames are also available. Frames with tubular structure or combination of tubular structure and the pressed metal has a drawback as in these frames it is difficult to get maximum stiffness by weight ratio, as optimized sections cannot be achieved wherever required.

Further in existing pressed metal frame structures stiffness by weight ratio can be maintained but as the frame members are joined through the outer surface of the frame members, the strength of the joint remains low as compare to the tubular frames as support over the joint does not exist.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An objective of the claimed invention is to provide a scooter type vehicle with a frame structure having a head tube member, a front frame member and a rear frame member. The front frame member is made up of a front frame top cover, a front frame bottom cover and a front frame rear cover joined together in order to form closed structure of the front frame
member. Said front frame member is extending downwards and rearward direction from the head tube member. Further the rear frame member is made up a right rear frame member, a left rear frame member and a first cross bridge member and a second cross bridge member. Said first cross bridge member is joining the tail parts of the right rear frame member and the left frame member and the second cross bridge member is secured between the right rear frame member and the left rear frame member.

In order to fulfil the main objective of the invention right rear frame member and the left rear frame member are arranged such that these are extending inside the closed front frame member and the front frame member rear cover is placed between the extended parts of the right rear frame member and the left rear frame member, inside the front frame member. The front frame member has an increasing surface area in the width wise direction of the vehicle and said left rear frame member and right rear frame member are spaced apart with increasing space between them, in width wise direction of the scooter type vehicle. The left rear frame member and right rear frame member lies parallel to each other, between the first cross bridge member and the second cross bridge member, such that the second cross bridge member is secured between the second cross bridge member and the front frame rear cover.
The novelty of described invention mainly lies in varying size of the closed front frame member and the positioning of the right rear frame member and the left rear frame member parallel to each other at the rear end and the placed inclined towards each other near the joint of the rear and front frame members in order to get optimum weight to stiffness ratio. Secondly, the joint of the rear frame member inside the closed front frame member increases the strength and stiffness at the joint.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings which are incorporated in and constitute embodiments of the invention, illustrate several aspects of the invention and together with a description of the embodiments serve to explain the principles of the invention and thus, are not limited of the present invention and a brief description of the drawings is as follows:
Figure 1 is the perspective view of the frame structure depicting the preferred embodiments of the invention.

Figure 2 is the side view of the frame structure describing the arrangement as per an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 3 is the bottom view of the frame structure describing the arrangement as per an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 4 is the perspective view of the frame structure describing the arrangement as per an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The embodiments disclosed below are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed in the following detailed description. Rather, the embodiments are chosen and described so that others skilled in the art may utilize their teachings. The invention may have application to all types of two wheeled vehicles.

Figure 1 is the perspective view of the frame structure depicting the arrangements of the embodiments of the inventions. Head pipe tube (101) acts a connecting member for the front wheel assembly and the frame structure. Front frame member (F) is connected to the head tube (101) through the welded joint (114) between the head tube (101) and the Front frame member (F). The front frame member (F) is made up of a front frame member top cover (106), a front frame member bottom cover (103) and a front frame member rear cover (not shown in the figure 1, 121 in figure 3), wherein the front frame member top cover (104) and front frame member bottom cover (103) are connected in order to form a closed structure. Further the rear frame member (R) is made up of right rear frame member (111) and left rear frame member (112), first cross bridge member (113) and second cross bridge member (108), wherein first cross bridge member (113) is joining the tail parts of the right and left rear frame members (111,112) and the second cross bridge member (108) is joining the right and left rear frame members (111, 112) towards the front area wherein the second cross bridge member (108) is placed between the first cross bridge member (113) and the joint (115) of the rear frame member (R) and the front frame member (F).

Figure 2 is the side view of the frame structure showing the arrangement of the preferred embodiments as per the invention. Front frame member (F) is joined with the head tube member (101) at the joint (114). The front part (117) of the front frame member (F) is extending downwards from the joint (114) and the rear part (118) of the front frame member (F) is extending in the width wise direction of the vehicle. Rear frame member (R) is joined with the front frame member (F) at the joint (115) wherein this joint (115) is formed by front frame member (F) and rear frame member (R) with a front frame member rear cover (not shown in figure, 121 in figure 4) wherein in the rear frame member (R) is extended inside the front frame member (118). Front part (119) of the rear frame member (R) and rear part (120) of the rear frame member (R) are determined by the location of the second cross bridge member (108), as the part near the joint (115) is the Front part (119) of the rear frame member (R) and the part beyond the second cross bridge member (108) is the rear part (120) of the rear frame member (R) wherein the right and left front parts (119) of the rear frame member (R) are spaced apart with increasing space between them and the right and left rear parts (120) are parallel to each other and the plane of inclination of the rear frame member (R) is increasing with variable amount.

Further, referring to Figure 3, an arrangement of the preferred embodiments is described with the help of the bottom view of the frame structure. Front frame member (F) is connected with the head tube member (101) from the narrow side of the front frame member (F). The front frame member (F) is made up of three sub members, where one is front frame member top cover (106), second is front frame member bottom cover (103) and the third one is front frame member rear cover (121) wherein said three sub- members form a closed front frame member (F). The said front frame member (F) has increasing surface area from the front portion to the rear portion. This changing size of the front frame member (F) is adding advantage in order to get optimum weight to stiffness ratio for the frame structure. Further the rear frame member (R) and the front frame member (F) are joined with each other through internal surfaces as the right and left front parts (122, 123) of the rear frame member (R) are extending inside the front frame member (F) and the front frame member rear cover (121) is further covering the joint in order to provide the stiffness and strength to the joint. The right and left rear portions (111, 112) of the rear frame member (R) are secured parallel to each other which are connected through first and second cross bridge members (113, 108) wherein said cross bridge members (108, 113) are strengthening the rear frame member (R).
Figure 4 is showing the perspective view of the frame structure in order to describe the arrangement of the front frame member rear cover (121) with the joint of the rear frame member (R) and the front frame member (F). The left and the right rear frame members (112, 111) are extended inside the cavity formed by the front frame member top cover (106) and the front frame member bottom cover (103). In order to provide support to the internal area of the joint formed by the front frame member (F) and rear frame member (R), the front frame member rear cover (121) is fitted between the two ends of the cavity wherein the left and right rear frame members (112, 111) are fixed between the front frame rear cover (121) and the horizontal extreme ends of the front frame cavity formed by the front frame top cover (106) and the front frame bottom cover (103).
Due to varying size of the closed front frame member (118) and positioning of the right rear frame member (111) and left rear frame member (112) parallel to each other at rear end and placing them inclined towards each other near the joint (115) of the rear R and front F frame members optimum weight to stiffness ratio for the vehicle can be achieved. Secondly, the joint of the rear frame member inside the closed front frame member increases the strength and stiffness at the joint.

While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof.

Further, the manner of assembling the embodiments described are not necessarily to be performed only in the sequence illustrated or each step only at the time indicated. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1) A frame for a scooter type vehicle comprising:

a) a head tube member;

b) a front frame member comprising a front frame top cover, a front frame bottom cover and a front frame rear cover;

wherein, the front frame member is extending downwards from the head tube member and extending rearwards from the downward extension; and

c) a rear frame member comprising a right rear frame member, a left rear frame member connected through a first cross bridge member at rear end and by a second cross bridge member in the vicinity of centre of the rear frame member;

wherein, the right frame member and the front frame member are extending inside the front frame member such that the front frame member rear cover is secured between extended parts of right rear frame member and left rear frame member.

2) The frame, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the front frame member has increasing surface area in the width wise direction of the scooter type vehicle.

3) The frame, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the left rear frame member
and the right rear frame member are spaced apart with increasing width-
wise space between them in rearward direction of the scooter type vehicle,
between the front frame rear cover and the second cross bridge member.

4) The frame, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the left rear frame member is parallel to the right rear frame member between the first cross bridge member and the second cross bridge member.

5) The frame, as claimed in claim 3 and claim 4, wherein the second cross bridge member is secured between the first cross bridge member and the front frame rear cover.

6) The frame, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the frame is made up of pressed metal.