Toner wheel mounting structure for a motorcycle

Field of the invention:

The present invention relates to a "Toner wheel mounting structure for a motorcycle " and more particularly to an improved structure for mounting the toner wheel for detecting the speed of a wheel.

Background of the invention:

Typically, in motorcycles having an ABS (anti-lock braking system), a wheel speed sensor is provided for detecting the rotation condition of the wheel. The wheel speed sensor includes the toner wheel and the speed sensor. The toner wheel is a circular wheel attached to the protruding boss formed on the wheel and has a plurality of slots in the circumferential direction below the protruding boss in the radial direction. The speed sensor attached to the front fork of the motorcycle can sense the slots of the toner wheel. Thus, in a motorcycle, the toner wheel and the speed sensor is used to detect the speed of rotation of the wheel. The speed sensor located below the front fork is placed at a predetermined air gap from a sensing slot of the toner wheel, which rotates together with the wheel, in order to detect the number of sensing slots of the toner wheel, which pass through the speed sensor area during rotation.

In a situation where too much braking is applied to the wheels of the motorcycle, the said wheel is likely to get locked on all kind of roads such as dry asphalt, wet asphalt, ceramic road surface and the like. To overcome this, an (anti-lock brake system) ABS is provided which detects the locking condition of the wheel. The signal detected by the speed sensor is sent to the control unit of the ABS (antilock braking system) where the signal is used to prevent the wheel from locking during braking. When such locking condition is detected the controller controls the system by regulating the fluid pressure directed to the brake callipers. Thus a stable braking force is obtained. Motorcycles with a toner wheel and speed sensor for detecting the speed of a wheel are already known in the prior art. The mounting direction of a brake caliper is set to be along an axial direction of the wheel to enhance the ease of attaching and detaching the brake caliper.

Japanese Patent (Patent application No. JP 2006207433) describes about a wheel speed sensor attachment structure for a motorcycle, wherein the toner wheel is mounted on to a rib structure connecting the attachment boss to the wheel hub and the brake disc is attached on to the spoke structure. Two separate attachment bosses are provided to mount the said toner wheel and brake disc. This arrangement increases the mass of the said wheel assembly. Another prior art (Japanese Patent No. 3000531) uses a configuration of the wheel, wherein a large toner wheel and brake disc attachment portion is provided on the external portion of the bearing housing. This large area in turn increases the weight of the entire wheel.

Hence in both the known prior arts, the mass of the wheel assembly is more, thereby increasing the rotating inertia mass and the overall weight of the vehicle.

In another type of known vehicles the toner wheel is mounted inside the bearing housing. This makes the serviceability of the wheel difficult and also increases the assembly time thereby decreasing productivity.

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to alleviate the problems associated with the prior art and to provide a toner wheel attachment structure for a motorcycle without increasing the mass of the wheel assembly.

Brief description of the invention

The present invention relates to a vehicle wheel speed sensor attachment structure for a motorcycle adapted to attach a sensor for detecting the locking tendency of a vehicle wheel. If braking is excessively applied in a motorcycle, a vehicle wheel is likely to lock particularly on the slippery road surface or the like. To solve such a problem, an (anti-lock brake system) ABS is used in which after the locking tendency of the vehicle wheel is detected, a control unit controls fluid pressure delivered to a caliper, thereby exhibiting a stable braking force.

The controller controls the system based on the wheel speed sensed by the sensor. The sensor and a toner wheel assembly sense the wheel speed. According to this invention toner wheel is attached to the integral with the brake disc-mounting bosses. Disc mounting bosses formed from the plurality of spokes connecting the wheel hub and wheel rim.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 illustrates side view of a motorcycle according to the present invention

Figure 2 illustrates a perspective view of a die cast alloy wheel along with toner wheel mounting portions according to the present invention

Figure 3 illustrates front view of toner wheel in association with brake disc according to the present invention

Figure 4 illustrates front view of toner wheel and brake disc along with alloy wheel according to the present invention

Detailed description of the invention:

A selected illustrative embodiment of the present invention will be now described with respect to the accompanying figures 1,2,3 and 4. A motorcycle comprises of a frame 101, front fork 102 attached to a pivot tube 103 of the vehicle frame 101, a front wheel 104 attached to these front forks 102, a handle bar 105 connected to the front forks 102, a fuel tank 106 attached so as to straddle an upper part of the vehicle frame 101, a seat 107 attached to the upper rear portion of the vehicle frame 101, an engine unit 108 attached to the lower front section of the vehicle frame 101, a swing arm 109 attached to a lower rear section of the vehicle frame 101, suspended by a rear shock absorber 110 from the vehicle frame 101 and a rear wheel 111 attached to a rear end of swing arm 109. The intake system of the engine (not shown in the figure) comprises of a carburettor, intake duct and an air cleaner. The exhaust system of the engine (not shown in the figure) comprises of exhaust pipe and a muffler.

The motorcycle is also provided with a side cover 112 for covering a side section of the vehicle frame 101, a seat cover (not shown in the figure) for covering a rear section of the vehicle frame 101 below the seat 107, a front fender 113 for covering an upper part of the front wheel 104, and a rear fender 114 for covering an upper part of the rear wheel 111.

The present invention embodies a motorcycle equipped with die cast alloy wheels 104,105. The wheel formed with a bearing housing is adapted to provide a plurality of connecting arms. The connecting arms are adapted to extend radially from the bearing housing 201 to the outer wheel rim 202. The toner wheel 203 is mounted on the said wheel 202 and is attached in a way so as to enable it to rotate together with the wheel 202. The speed sensor (not shown in figure) attached to the front fork 102 of the vehicle body detects the wheel speed by measuring the number of slots of the toner wheel 203 that pass through the sensor area.

The connecting arms 204 are formed with a "S" shaped portion substantially extending from the bearing housing 201. The said arms 204 are each equipped with a protruding boss 205 and the protruding boss 205 is formed on the connecting arms 204 at a portion which lies on the line that radially extends to join the bearing housing 201 to the outer wheel rim 202 and is formed nearer to the said housing 201. The said boss 205 is provided with a threaded hole 206. Brake disc 207 is attached to the said wheel 202. Toner wheel 203, which is used to sense the wheel speed, is integrally mounted with the brake disc 207 on the protruding bosses 205.

This mounting arrangement of the toner wheel 203 aims at reducing the weight of the wheel 202. With this configuration, the "S" shaped portion formed in the connecting arms 204 reduces the weight of the wheel. As, the connecting arms 204 are each provided with the protruding boss 205 adapted to attach the brake disc 207 and the toner wheel 203 integrally and used to connect the bearing housing 201 to the protruding bosses 205 by using only one common mounting structure for both the toner wheel 203 and brake disc 207, the requirement of additional bosses is eliminated thereby reducing the overall weight of the wheels.

Also since, the projecting surface is provided at a position which is located in close proximity to the bearing housing 201 and on the outer surface of the said housing 201, the boss 205 itself acts as the reinforcement and the thickness of the joint between the connecting arms 204 and the bearing housing 201 is further reduced.

Furthermore, the number of part counts for mounting the toner wheel 203 is reduced as this arrangement calls for an integral mounting of the brake disc 207 with the toner wheel 203.

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.

Claims:

1. A toner wheel mounting structure for a motorcycle comprising:

a wheel with a bearing housing and a plurality of connecting arms extending radially from the bearing housing to the outer wheel rim; a brake disc attached to the said wheel;

a toner wheel attached to the wheel for detecting the wheel speed; wherein the connecting arms are adapted to provide a protruding boss on which the toner wheel and the brake disc is mounted.

2. A toner wheel mounting structure for a motorcycle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting arms are formed with a concave portion substantially extending from the bearing housing to the outer wheel rim.

3. A toner wheel mounting structure for a motorcycle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protruding boss is provided with a threaded hole for housing the disc brake and the toner wheel.

4. A toner wheel mounting structure for a motorcycle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protruding boss is formed at the centre of the line on the connecting arms which radially extends so as to join the bearing housing to the outer wheel rim.

5. A toner wheel mounting structure for a motorcycle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protruding boss is adapted to integrally house the toner wheel and the disc brake.

6. A motorcycle having a toner wheel mounting structure comprising a wheel with a bearing housing and a plurality of connecting arms extending radially from the bearing housing to the outer wheel rim;

a brake disc attached to the said wheel;

a toner wheel attached to the wheel for detecting the wheel speed; wherein the connecting arms are adapted to provide a protruding boss on which the toner wheel and the brake disc is mounted.

7. The toner wheel mounting structure for a motorcycle substantially described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings