Step Holder Assembly

Field of the Invention:

This invention relates to step holder assembly and more particularly the rider's step holder assembly for a motorcycle.

Background of the Invention:

A motorcycle includes a foot peg on which a rider who sits on the rider seat can place his or her foot. In the prior art the rider's foot peg is mounted to the crankcase and towards the front of the vehicle. Gradually with increase in demand for sportier motorcycle, the motorcycles were designed economically keeping the rider's foot peg position substantially towards the rear. In doing so, the rider's foot peg is isolated from the crankcase and is mounted to the frame of the motorcycle. Since in this arrangement the foot peg assembly is directly mounted to the frame member, the engine vibration is transmitted to the frame and finally to the foot peg which is undesirable. In order to overcome the above problem, known in the art is to provide a step holder on each side of the vehicle body. The said step holder is generally mounted to the swing arm pivot at one end and mounted to frame at other end to ensure better rigidity. This arrangement of mounting results in a substantially V shaped step holder wherein one end of V is mounted to swing arm pivot and the other end to the frame. The intermediate or intersection end is generally used for mounting foot peg thereby resulting in cantilever mounting for foot peg.

The said step holder on one side of the vehicle body side accommodates one rider foot peg, gear shift lever and the step holder on the other vehicle body side accommodates one rider foot peg with brake lever. However, even with this arrangement, the riders are subjected to high vibration level of more than 11g in the engine speed range of around 150 Hz.(9000rpm). Therefore the present invention tries to overcome the problem of the existing arrangement and provides an improved step holder assembly with minimum vibration level

Summary of the Invention:

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved step holder assembly which reduces the vibration felt at the rider's foot peg.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved step holder assembly with improved stiffness.

Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, 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

Figure 1 illustrates a conventional motorcycle.

Figure 2 illustrates a step holder assembly mounted to frame of a vehicle in accordance with one embodiment of the present subject matter.

Figure 3 illustrates a step holder assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present subject matter.

Figure 4 illustrates a exploded view of a step holder assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present subject matter.

Detail Description of the Invention:

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.

With reference 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 carburetor (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.

According to the present invention and referring to Figure 2, an improved step holder assembly 200 for a motorcycle comprises atleast two step holder ( 201, 201a) mounted to swing arm pivot 202 and frame 203 on either side of the vehicle.. As shown in Figure 3, at least one foot peg 204 attached to the each of the said step holders (201, 201a) via a U shaped bracket integrally cast to said step holder(s) (201, 201a) ; a gear shift lever (205) provided on the step holder (201) (LH Side); a brake lever 206 provided on the step holder(RH Side ,201 a) and an tie bar 207 connects the said step holders (201, 201 a) from the inside surface. The said tie bar 207 is in compressed state (pre stressed) when assembled with the said step holders (201, 201 a).

Figure 4 illustrates the tie bar 207 connection with the step holders (201, 201a). The said tie bar 207 is mounted to the mounting pips 208. The mounting pips are provided on the back side of the step holders (201, 201a). The tie bar is mounted to the mounting pips using a punched washer 209, spring washer 210 and a hex screw 211. The locating of the tie bar 207 to the mounting pip 208 is in the following order of mounting pip 208 over that tie bar 207 then the punched washer 209, then spring washer 210 and finally screwed with hex screw 211.

The said tie bar 207 can be preferably of a tubular construction with flattened section or solid section with variable thickness so as to shift the critical vibration of the system. With this means the vibration level has reduced considerably from 11g to 3 g at 150 Hz.

Although embodiments for step holder assembly have been described in the language specific to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited to the specific features described. Rather such variations in features 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 step holder assembly for a motorcycle comprising; at least two step
holders (201, 201a) mounted to a swing arm pivot (202)
and frame (203), with the step holder (201) being disposed on motorcycle body side;
at least one foot peg (204) mounted to each step holder(s)(201, 201
a);
a gear shift lever (205) provided on one of the step holders (201);
a brake lever (206) provided on the other step holder (201a); characterized in that, said step holder assembly comprises a tie bar (207) interconnecting the step holders (201,201a) on each side of the motorcycle.
2. The improved step holder assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tie bar (207) is of a tubular construction with variable thickness such that resonance frequency is capable of being adjusted.
3. The improved step holder assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tie bar (207) is of a solid section with variable diameter or thickness such that resonance frequency is capable of being adjusted.

4. The improved step holder assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said foot peg(s) (204) is provided with mounting boss to mount said tie bar (207).