Motorcycle with anti lock brake pipes
Field of the Invention:

The present invention relates to "Motorcycle with anti lock brake pipes" and more particularly to the improved mounting of brake pipe relative to a frame member of the vehicle body.

Background of the Invention:

Antilock brake system (hereinafter referred to as ABS) in motorcycle prevents locking of the front and rear wheels by automatically regulating the braking force acting on the front and rear wheels at the time of braking operation. The antilock brake system consists of a hydraulic-electronic control unit or antilock brake system control unit ( hereinafter referred to as ABS unit) that controls the brake fluid pressure and a typical disc brake system, which includes master cylinders, connecting hoses and callipers for front and rear.

However, in an arrangement in which the ABS unit is arranged in the front oblique downward portion of main tube running from head pipe, needs to be provided with simplified brake piping. The brake piping runs forward and rearward from the ABS unit to front master cylinder and front brake calliper towards front, and rear master cylinder and rear brake calliper towards rear.

In this kind of arrangement, the length of brake piping extending to front and rear from ABS unit, necessarily increases. When the length of the brake piping increases, it becomes difficult to avoid bends in the flexible hoses thereby leading to loss of hydraulic pressure.

In the known art, to overcome the above mentioned problem, motorcycle have been designed with a connecting member disposed behind the head pipe for connecting brake hoses' that are formed of elastic members to respective brake lines that are formed of metal pipes. The brake hoses extend from the connecting member to a front wheel brake, extend frontwardly after passing the left and r right down tube.

Employment of connecting members, to connect the flexible brake hose and metal brake line is an expensive state of affair. Accommodating the connecting member behind the head pipe, requires a space near head pipe, which is a constraint because of various factors like other vehicle elements placement in that place, reinforcement brackets between main tube and down tubes and styling requirements.

Other problems associated with connecting member are leakages, increase in number parts whereby leads to addition of cost and machining of the part.
Therefore, there is a need to simplify piping work, while improving brake feel.
Summary of the Invention:

The present invention has been achieved in an effort to bring out a solution, which overcomes the above mentioned problems.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a motorcycle that is designed to make it easy to perform brake piping.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a good brake feel to motorcycle equipped with ABS.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a brake piping for motorcycle equipped with ABS such that is does not affect the steering movement/ swinging ' movement of the motorcycle.

Further object of the present invention is to provide a brake piping for motorcycle equipped with ABS, which is cost effective.

Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the ♦ detailed description given hereinafter. Howeve?, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

Brief description of the Drawings:

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein

FIG. 1 is a conventional motorcycle.

FIG. 2 shows the right side view of the motorcycle.

FIG. 3 shows brake lines and brake hoses according to the present invention.

FIG.4 shows cross sectional view of clamp according to the present invention.

FIG.5 shows cross sectional view of retainer clip according to the present invention.

Detail Description of the Drawings:

The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with different embodiments. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather those embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

The subject matter of present invention relates to mounting of brake pipe relative to a* frame member of the vehicle body.

The present invention is illustrated with the help of a motorcycle. Referring to figure 1 a motorcycle comprises of a frame (101), front fork (102) attached to a pivot tube (201) of the vehicle frame, a front wheel (103) attached to these front forks (102), a handle bar (104) connected to the front forks (102), a fuel tank (105) attached so as to straddle an upper part of the vehicle frame, a seat (106) attached to the upper rear portion of the vehicle frame, an engine unit (107) attached to the lower front section of the vehicle frame, a swing arm (108) attached to a lower rear section of the vehicle frame, suspended by a rear shock absorber (not shown) from the vehicle frame and a rear wheel attached to a rear end of swing arm (108). The intake system of the engine comprises of a fuel air metering device such as a carburettor (109), intake duct and an air cleaner. The exhaust system of the engine comprises of exhaust pipe and a muffler. The motorcycle is also provided with a side cover for covering a side section of the vehicle frame, a seat cover for covering a rear section of the vehicle frame below the seat, a front fender (110) for covering an upper part of the front wheel (103), and a rear fender (111) for covering an upper part of the rear wheel (112). The drive from the engine (107) is transmitted from the engine to the

driven wheel sprocket mounted on the rear wheel hub mounted on the rear wheel assembly.

As shown in figure 2, with the side covers open, the body frame of the motorcycle includes a head pipe/ steering pivot/pivot tube (201) at the front end of the body frame. From the top portion of the head pipe (201) one main tube (202) extends backwards and obliquely downwards. Both sides of the lower portion of the main tube is provided with a bracket (203) for rear engine mounting. A tube centre stand (204) is disposed horizontally at the lower portion of the main tube (201), extending outward through an opening on the two sides of the bracket (203).

From the lower portion of the head pipe a pair of left and right down tubes (205) extends obliquely downward and backward, while extending parallel in the direction towards the rear engine mounting bracket (203). The end portion of the said down tubes (205) is welded to the said tube centre stand (204).

From the portion where the main tube starts descending, a pair of upper tubes (206) extends backward and slightly upward towards the rear side of the upper tubes (206) with respect to the horizontal direction.

A pair of side tubes (207) extending from a middle portion of the rear engine bracket (203) and extending backward and upward, while extending parallel in a direction so as to get welded with the end rear portion of the upper tubes (206).

Referring to figure 3, an ABS unit (301) is installed in an intermediate position in close proximity to the front of the oblique portion of the main tube (202). The said ABS unit (301) automatically controls the operation of the front and rear brakes by controlling hydraulic pressure of the front wheel brake and the wheel brake under

conditions where the front and rear wheels are likely to be locked. Necessity for using the ABS system is determined in accordance with detected information such as a vehicle speed and the like, and effectively prevents the front and rear wheels from being locked.

A front master cylinder (302) that is installed near the right brake lever of the right handlebar and generates hydraulic pressure in accordance with the manipulation of the right brake lever. A rear master cylinder (303) is mounted to the pillion foot rest.

At least four brake piping (304) are connected to the said ABS unit (301). In more detail at least two brake piping (304) from the ABS unit (301) goes to the front master cylinder (302) and front brake calliper (307). At least two rear brake piping (304) from the ABS unit (301) goes to the rear master cylinder (303) and rear brake calliper (310).

Meanwhile, electric wires are connected to the said ABS unit (301) for inputting signals from vehicle wheel speed sensors detecting rotating states of front and rear wheels and for outputting signals such as ABS alarm signals and the like.

The said respective brake piping is made in two parts. Substantial portion of the brake pipe is made up of metal pipe, also known as brake lines, and rest portions of the brake pipe is made flexible and made up of rubber, also known as brake hoses.

Two brake lines (304a, 304b) which run forwardly towards front master cylinder (302) and front brake wheel calliper are arranged along the side of the main tube (202) of the vehicle. Just before the head tube (201), the front brake lines are connected to the front brake hoses (305, 306). One of the brake hose (306) goes to the front master cylinder (302) disposed in handle bar, following the head tube (201) and

passing through the front forks (102). The other front brake hose (305) follows the head tube (201) from the side and goes to the front brake calliper (307). Since the said brake hose passes through the side of the head tube (201) and its flexible in nature, it doesn't affect the steerability of the vehicle.

The two front brake lines (304a, 304b) are clipped together with the main tube (202) of the vehicle body. The said front brake lines (304a, 304b) are clamped at three different locations on the main tube of the vehicle. The said two clamps (308) are tied to the main tube (202) at 2 locations. The third clamp (309) is held in position by a retainer clip attached to the fuel tank mounting pin on main tube frame of vehicle, which will arrest the longitudinal displacement of the brake lines (shown in figure 4 and figure 5). The said clamps keeps the brake lines at predetermined pitch thereby avoiding any vibration related problems.

Similarly, for rear brake piping, flexible brake hose is used in the swinging portion of the vehicle. One clamp is used to keep the rear brake lines at a predetermined distance from each other.

The said above arrangement of brake lines and brake hoses are done to minimize the length of brake hoses and thereby eliminating the loss in pressure due to bends. Further the elastic brake hoses can be freely curved to have sufficient degree of freedom with respect to the front forks or the left right steering of the front wheel, thereby achieving excellent manipulability of handle bars.

Since the front brake piping is done on the side of main tube, it is covered by fuel tank, thereby giving a neat external appearance to the vehicle.

The above mentioned embodiment is one aspect of the present invention and may be appropriately modified without departing from scope and spirit of the present invention.

The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled
in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the claims.

We Claim:

1. A motorcycle provided with anti lock brake system comprising:
a head tube disposed to a front end portion of the body frame, in which a
handle bar is secured to an upper end portion of the head pipe;
at least one front master cylinder attached to the handle bar;
at least one main tube extending rearwardly obliquely downward;
an ABS unit for antilock control disposed in an intermediate portion, in the
vicinity of the oblique portion of the main tube;
a plurality of brake pipes extending forwardly and rearwardly of ABS unit
wherein :
a portion of brake pipe is metal brake line and rest portion is rubber brake
hose;
at least two front brake lines extends forwardly from the ABS unit along the
side of the main tube;
at least one front brake hose extending from the at least one front brake
line extends to the front master cylinder after extending along the head tube
and passing between the front fork;
at least one front brake hose extending downwardly from at least one front
brake line along the side of head tube to front brake calliper; and
at least two rear brake pipes extends rearwardly from the ABS unit to at
least one rear master cylinder and rear brake calliper, a plurality of clamps to clamp the brake pipes to the vehicle body frame.

2. The motorcycle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said front brake piping is
covered by the fuel tank thereby giving a neat exterior appearance.

3. The motorcycle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said clamps is located at three different locations for front brake piping.

4. The motorcycle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said clamp is located at one location for rear brake piping.