Tool holder device for a vehicle

Field of invention

The present invention relates to 'Tool holder device for a vehicle" and more particularly relates to holding system for tools inside the cover frame or at the underside of the seat base of a scooter type motorcycle.

Background of the invention

In most of the known motorcycles, a separate bag called tool kit bag is provided to house various tools and equipments such as spanner, screw driver, etc. applicable for its maintenance. This tool kit bag is housed in interior region of the cover frame or under the seat base. Housing the tool kit bag in such inconspicuous place makes it difficult for an ordinary user to access the tool kit bag because of accessibility and relative difficulty of handling a fairly large number of tools. Moreover, during regular usage, it may lead to misplacing a certain tool ultimately causing difficulty in service thereafter. Therefore a need arises for a convenient holding system for the tools in the vehicle itself to avert such problems.

Hence the objective of the invention is to provide a snap fit tool holder tool holder system to hold the tools under the body frame or at the seat base to provide better accessibility and storage.

Another objective of the invention is to provide structural integrity of the tools with the snap fit tool holder tool holder system.

Brief description of the invention

The present invention consists of integration of snap fit tool holder tool holders in the underside of the seat base or inside of the cover frame to mount the tools. This way the tools are more readily available than when they are in a tool kit bag. The snap fit tool holder tool holders are designed of the same material of the seat base or cover frame and their geometric dimensions are such that their elastic behavior and structural integrity are maintained throughout the life of the vehicle.

Brief description of the drawings

The above and other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims and accompanying drawings where:

Figure 1 illustrates a scooter type motorcycle

Figure 2A illustrates the underside of the seat base of the seat assembly with a tool holding on to the said seat base

Figure 2B illustrates the enlarged view of Figure 2A

Figure 3 illustrates the underside of the seat base without the holding tool

Detailed description of the invention

A selected Illustrative embodiment of the present invention will be now described with respect to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 illustrates the perspective view of a scooter type motorcycle 203. Scooter-type vehicles, or scooters 203, include a frame assembly 102, which usually supports the body of a scooter, along with front 105 and rear 112 wheels.

Typically, a frame structure 102 for a scooter type motorcycle comprises a main frame and may also have a sub-frame. The sub-frame is attached to the mainframe using appropriate fastening members. All the other components such as the cover frames also called cover frames 201, the engine 109, and the electrical units are mounted on the main frame and the sub frame either directly or by means of holders and fastening members.

The frame assembly 102 includes a head tube, which supports a front wheel suspension assembly 103 of the vehicle. An upper frame extends from the head tube to a rearward end of the vehicle body. A swing arm 110 is pivotally supported by the upper frame and supports a rear wheel 112 of the vehicle.

The frame assembly may include a lower frame removable coupled to the upper frame and defining a space there between.

The sub-frame preferably supports at least one component of the scooter-type vehicle in the space, such as a fuel tank, for example.

Typically, front 103 and rear 111 suspension assemblies are operatively positioned between the front 105 and rear 112 wheels and the frame assembly 102. The front suspension assembly 103 commonly is a telescopic fork arrangement, while the rear suspension assembly 112 is a swing type arrangement. In a scooter, the rear suspension swing arm 110 typically supports a power unit 109, which is configured to drive the rear wheel of the scooter.

The power unit 109, is coupled along with a transmission assembly, such as a drive shaft, drive belt, or chain and sprocket assembly.

The frame assembly 102 of a scooter-type vehicle is an elongated structure, which typically extends from a forward end to a rearward end of the scooter. A scooter frame assembly 102 generally is convex in shape, as viewed from a side lavational view. A handlebar assembly 106 and a seat assembly 113 are supported at opposing ends of the frame assembly 102 and a generally open area is defined there between.

Accordingly, the open area 202 between the handlebar assembly 106 and the seat assembly 113 allows the scooter to be easily straddled, or mounted, as opposed to a typical motorcycle, wherein a motorcycle fuel tank occupies the space between the handlebar assembly and the seat assembly. Such an arrangement may be referred to as a "step-through" frame assembly. The seat assembly 113 provides a means for accomplishing the present invention. The seat assembly comprises of a seat cover, cushioning material and the under side of the seat base 108.

Figure 2A, Figure 2B and Figure 3 illustrates the top view of the seat base 108 with and without a tool 301 respectively, explaining the present embodiment of the invention. It comprises of integration of snap fit tool holders in the underside of the seat base 108 or inside of the cover frames to mount the tools 301. This way the tools 301 are more readily available than when they are in tool kit bag. The snap fit tool holders are integral parts of the seat base 108. A snap fit tool holder consists of two small cantilever like projections 303. The end of each projection 303 has a curved protrusion such that both the protrusions face each other and enclose a gap. The perimeter of the cross section of the gap 304 is less than the perimeter of the cross section of the respective tool 301 to be pressed into the gap 304. When the tool is pressed into the gap 304 of the snap-fit tool holder, the cantilever like projections 303 bend elastically to accommodate the cross section of the tool 301 that is held in position by the protrusions at the end of the cantilever like projections 303. To prevent undesirable motion of the tool 301 in its position, more than one snap fit tool holder may be used along the length of the tool 301.

When there is a need, the tool. 301 is pulled out from its position. After the tool 301 is pulled out, the cantilever like projections 303 restore to their original positions. The snap fit tool holders are designed of the same material of the seat base 108. Similar embodiment is also possible inside of the cover frames and their geometric dimensions are such that their elastic behavior and structural integrity are maintained throughout the life of the vehicle.

Although the subject matter has been described In considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, other embodiments are possible. As such, the spirit and the scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred embodiment contained therein. Part numbers associated with the description and drawings:

102. Frame 112. Rear wheel

103. Front fork 113. Seat assembly

105. Front wheel 201. Cover frames

106. Handle bar 202. Step through space

108. Seat base 203. Scooter type motorcycle

109. Engine unit 301. Tool

110. Swing arm 303. Projections

111. Rear shock absorber 304. Cantilever gap

Claims:

1. A tool holder device incorporated on a seat assembly 113 characterized in that the said seat assembly 113 having a seat base 108 made of resin wherein the underside of the said seat base 108 has at least one pair of elastic projections 303 made of same material as that of the said seat base 108.

2. The tool holder device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elastic projections 303 have curved protrusion such that the protrusions face each other and enclose a gap 304.

3. The tool holder device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cross section of the gap 304 between the said protrusions Is less than that of the tools 301 to be pressed into the gap 304.

4. The elastic projections 303 as claimed in claim 1 wherein the projections 303 bend elastically to accommodate the cross section of the said tool 301 to be pressed into the gap 304.

5. The elastic projections 303 as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said projections 303 restore to their original positions after removal of the said tool 301.

6. A tool holder device for holding tools Inside a cover frame 201 made of resin wherein the Inside of the said cover frame has at least one pair of elastic projections made of same material as that of the cover frame.

7. The tool holder system as claimed substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.