Rear Fender for a Motorcycle

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a motorcycle, particularly to a rear fender and more particularly to mounting members provided in the rear fender of the motorcycle.

BACKGROUND

Typically, the rear frame portion of body frame of a motorcycle receives a mounting of the rear fender and the ta.il lamp from the rear side of the motorcycle through a rear frame bracket provided therein. However, conventionally a sepárate tail lamp mounting bracket sandwiched between the rear frame bracket and the rear fender receives the mounting of the tail lamp. Thus, both the rear fender and the tail lamp are mounted to the rear frame bracket through the tail lamp mounting bracket. Therefore, the conventional mounting assembly of the rear fender and the tail lamp to the rear frame bracket not only involves the use of an extra bracket in the form of tail lamp mounting bracket, but also additional number of fasteners, thereby leading to increase in the number of parts of the motorcycle. Also, since the number of fasteners used is more, much inconvenience is caused in operator handling, leading to increase in assembly time, and thereby leading to decrease in productivity and increase in manufacturing costs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore, an object of the present invention to ease the mounting assembly of the rear fender and the tail lamp to the rear frame portion of body frame of motorcycle.

It is another object of the present invention to reduce the number of parts involved in the mounting assembly of the rear fender and the tail lamp to the rear frame portion of body frame of motorcycle.

The present subject matter described herein relates to mounting members provided in the rear fender of a motorcycle, which function as common mounting members for both the rear fender and the tail lamp. Pursuant to the present invention, a pair of mounting member(s) is provided on an upper portion of the rear fender. The mounting member(s) project perpendicularly upwards from an upper portion of the rear fender. Further, a locating pip and a mounting hole are provided in each of the mounting member(s). The mounting hole in the mounting member(s) is preferably located below the locating pip.

The rear fender is mounted to the rear frame portion of the body frame through a rear frame bracket from the rear side of the motorcycle by engaging the locating pip in an upper receiving hole provided ¡n the rear frame bracket. Engaging the locating pip in the upper receiving hole, automatically aligns the mounting hole provided in the mounting member(s) with a lower receiving hole of the rear frame bracket. Thus, the rear fender gets loosely mounted to the rear frame bracket. Thereafter, the tail lamp is mounted to the mounting member(s) of the rear fender by means of a single fastener. Since the mounting hole in the mounting member(s) gets automatically aiigned with the receiving hole of the rear frame bracket, the tail lamp is capable of being directly mounted to the rear frame bracket through the mounting member(s) provided on the rear fender, without the use of an additional tail lamp mounting bracket.

Thus, the present construction of the rear fender mounting member(s) aids ¡n the convenient mounting of the rear fender and the tail lamp to the rear frame portion of body frame and thereby reduces inconvenience in operator handling and assembly time, increases productivity and reduces manufacturing costs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Figure 1 illustrates a typical motorcycle with a rear fender and a tail lamp.

Figure 2 illustrates a construction of a rear frame bracket.

Figure 3 illustrates a perspective view of the rear fender provided with a pair of mounting member(s) according to the present invention.

Figure 4 illustrates an exploded view of the mounting of the tail lamp and rear fender to the rear frame portion through the rear frame bracket.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF 1NVENTION

Exemplary embodiments of a rear tender of a motorcycle and particularly that of a pair of mounting member(s) provided therein, in accordance to the present invention will be described hereunder with reference to the accompanying drawings. Various features of the mounting members provided in the rear tender in accordance to the present invention will become discernible from the following description set out hereunder. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. It is to be noted that terms "upper", "lower", "right", "left", "front", "rear", "downward", "upward", "top", "bottom" and like terms are used herein based on the illustrated state or in a standing state of the motorcycle with a driver riding thereon. Furthermore, a longitudinal axis refers to a front to rear axis relative to the motorcycle, while a lateral axis refers to a side to side, or left to right axis relative to the vehicle. It is to be noted that the term "motorcycle" refers to a scooter type motorcycle. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

Typically, a rear tender is mounted to a rear frame portion of a body frame of a motorcycle through a rear frame bracket welded to the rear frame portion. Besides the mounting of the rear fender, the rear frame portion of body frame also receives the mounting of a tail lamp from the rear side of the motorcycle. However, conventionally, the tail lamp is not directly mounted to the rear frame bracket. A tail lamp mounting bracket sandwiched between the rear frame bracket and rear tender receives the mounting of the tail lamp. Thus, the conventional mounting of the rear fender and the tail lamp to the rear frame portion, firstly involved mounting of the tail lamp mounting bracket to the rear frame bracket, followed by mounting of the rear fender to the rear frame bracket through the tail lamp mounting bracket. Thereafter, the tail lamp used to be separately mounted to a second mounting hole provided in the tail lamp mounting bracket. Thus, both the rear fender as well as the tail lamp were mounted to the rear frame bracket through the tail lamp bracket. Therefore, the conventional mounting of the rear fender and the tail lamp involved the use of an extra bracket, thereby increasing the number of motorcycle parís. Moreover, the mounting assembly of the rear fender and tail lamp caused inconvenience in operator handling, Ieading to increased assembly time and decreased productivity.

In one embodiment, the present invention provides a pair of mounting member(s) in the rear fender that function as a common mounting structure for the rear fender and the tail lamp, both of which are to be mounted to the rear frame bracket welded to the rear frame portion. The pair of mounting member(s) provided in the rear fender directly receives the mounting of the tail lamp and aid in the direct mounting of the tail lamp to the rear frame bracket, without involving the use of an additional tail lamp mounting bracket.
The embodiments of the present invention shall be explained with respect to Figures 1-4.

Figure 1 illustrates the layout of a typical motorcycle 10. A body frame 11 of the motorcycle 10, comprises a front frame portion 11a and a rear frame portion 11b. While the front frame portion 11a extends rearwardly and downwardly from a head pipe 12 and further extends substantially horizontally, the rear frame portion 11b extends rearwardly and obliquely upwards from the horizontal portion of the front frame portion 11a and further extends horizontally towards a rear end of the motorcycle 10.

The head pipe 12 and the front frame portion 11a, which extends rearwardly and downwardly from the head pipe 12, are covered by a leg shield 13, which is positioned in front of the driver's legs to protect the driver's legs from wind or objects. A foot board 14, on which a rider can place his or her feet, is arranged between the leg shield 13 and a pair of left and right side covers (not shown).

In the illustrated figure, a front fork 23 is pivotally supported by the head pipe 12 such that the front fork 23 is steerable to the left and right. A front wheel 25 is journaled to the lower end of the front fork 23. A steering mechanism such as a handle bar 16 is fixed to an upper end of the head pipe 12. A front tender 30 is arranged on the front fork 23 to cover an upper portion of the front wheel 25.

A rear wheel 40 is journaled to the rear end portion of an engine unit 33 and a rear fender 36 is attached in a way that ¡t covers the upper portion of the rear wheel 40. A rear frame bracket (not shown) is welded to the rear frame portion 11b and an upper portion of the rear fender 36 is abutted to the rear frame portion 11b of the body frame 11 by fastening the rear fender 36 to the rear fender mounting bracket (not shown). A tai! lamp 70 is also mounted to the rear frame portion 11b through the rear frame bracket (not shown).

Referring to Figure 2, the construction of the rear frame bracket 37 welded to the rear frame portion 11b is elaborated. In the present embodiment a rear end of the rear frame portion 11b as seen from a motorcycle forward direction is illustrated. The rear frame bracket 37 welded to the rear frame portion 11b comprises two pairs of receiving holes, including a pair of upper receiving holes 37a and a pair of lower receiving holes 37b.

The construction of the rear fender 36 according to the present invention is exemplified with reference to Figure 3. The rear fender 36 comprising an upper portion 36a and a lower portion 36b, further comprises a pair of mounting member(s) 50. The mounting member(s) 50 projects perpendicularly upwards from an upper portion 36a of the rear fender 36. In the present embodiment a locating pip 50a and a mounting hole 50b are provided in each mounting member(s) 50. The locating pip 50a has a cylindrical shape in the present embodiment. Further, the mounting hole 50b in the mounting member(s) 50 is located below the locating pip 50a in the present embodiment.

In another embodiment of the present invention, múltiple locating pips 50a or mounting holes 50b can be provided in the mounting member(s) 50 as per the construction of the rear trame bracket 37.

In one embodiment, the mounting of the tail lamp 70 and the rear fender 36 to the rear frame bracket 37 is exemplified with reference to Figure 4. In the present embodiment, the rear frame portion 11b of the body frame 11 having a rear frame bracket 11b, the rear fender 36 comprising the pair of mounting member(s) 50 and the tail lamp 70 comprising an extended arm 70a and mounting hole 70b form a rear frame assembly 80. The rear frame assembly 80 is formed in a manner as explained below. In the present embodiment, the rear fender 36 is mounted to the rear frame portion 11b from the rear side of the motorcycle. The rear fender 36 is mounted to the rear frame portion 11 b by engaging the locating pip(s) 50a provided in the mounting member(s) 50 in the upper receiving hole(s) 37a of the rear frame bracket 37. In the above mentioned condition, once the locating pip(s) 50a is engaged in the upper receiving hole(s) 37a of the rear mounting bracket 37, the mounting hole(s) 50b in the mounting member(s) 50 automatically aligns with the lower receiving hole(s) 37b in the rear frame bracket 37 and thus, the rear fender 36 gets loosely fixed to the rear frame bracket 37. Thereafter, an extended arm 70a of the tail lamp 70 having a mounting hole 70b is mounted to the mounting member(s) 50 by aligning the mounting hole 70b with the mounting hole 50b of the mounting member(s) 50 previously aligned with the receiving hole 37b of the rear frame bracket 37. Further, a bolt is used to fasten the extended arm 70a of the tail lamp 70 with the rear frame bracket 37 through the mounting member(s) 50 from the rear side of the motorcycle. Thus, the pair of mounting member(s) 50 gets sandwiched between the rear frame bracket 37 and the tail lamp 70.

An operator action of positioning the mounting hole(s) 50b against the lower receiving hole 37b is eliminated as the mounting hole 50b gets automatically aligned with the lower receiving hole 37b of the rear frame bracket 37 once the locating pip(s) 50a is engaged in the upper receiving hole(s) 37a of the rear frame bracket 37. Thus, the operator's hands are freed to mount the tail lamp 70 to the rear frame bracket 37 by fastening a bolt through the mounting hole 50b of the mounting member 50.

Thus, the present construction of the mounting member(s) 50 provided in the upper portion 36a of the rear fender 36 aids in the convenient mounting of the tail lamp 70 and the rear fender 36 to the rear frame portion 11b, without involving the use of an additional tail lamp mounting bracket and additional fasteners. Only a single fastener is used in the mounting of both the tail lamp 70 and the rear fender 36 to the rear frame bracket 37. Thus, inconvenience in operator handling is reduced, thereby reducing assembly time, increasing productivity and reducing manufacturing costs.

While the present invention has been shown and described with reference to the foregoing preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes in form, connection, and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims:

WE CLAIM:

1. A rear tender (36) for a motorcycle (10), the rear tender (36) comprising: an upper portion (36a) and a lower portion (36b), wherein the upper portion (36a) comprises a pair of mounting member(s) (50), characterized in that, each mounting member(s) (50) comprises at least one locating pip (50a) and at least one mounting hole (50b).

2. The rear tender (36), as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mounting member(s) (50) projects perpendicularly upwards from the upper portion (36a).

3. The rear tender (36), as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locating pip (50a) is preferably disposed above the mounting hole (50b) in the mounting member(s) (50).

4. The rear tender (36), as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locating pip (50a) is preferably cylindrical in shape.

5. The rear tender (36), as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locating pip (50a) is composed of a plastic material.

6. A motorcycle (10) comprising a rear tender (36), as claimed in claims 1-5.

7. A rear frame assembly (80) for a motorcycle, said rear frame assembly (80) comprising: a rear frame portion (11b) of a body 12 frame (11) having a rear frame bracket (37), a rear fender (36) having a pair of mounting member(s) (50), and a tail lamp (70) having an extended arm (70a) and a mounting hole (70b), wherein the mounting member(s) (50) comprises at least one locating pip (50a) and at least one mounting hole (50b) and wherein, the mounting member(s) (50) jointly mounts the rear fender (36) and the tail lamp (70) to the rear frame portion (11 b) of the body frame (11) through the rear frame bracket (37).

8. The rear frame assembly (80) for a motorcycle (10), as claimed in claim 7, wherein the locating pip (50a) engages with an upper receiving hole (37a) of the rear frame bracket (37) and automatically aligning the mounting hole (50b) of the mounting member(s) (50) with a lower receiving hole (37b) of the rear frame bracket (37).