Utility Box for a Motorcycle

Field of the Invention:

The present invention relates to a "Utility Box for a Motorcycle". In particular this invention relates to utility box for a scooter type motorcycle provided below the seat.

Background of the Invention:

The utility box for scooter type motorcycle is typically a box body, which allows accommodating articles by effectively utilizing the large space available below the seat. Generally the said utility box is located above the engine and below the seat at rear side of the vehicle. In this kind of arrangement, a larger storage capacity is easily ensured, since the utility box available space extends from the rear end of scooter to the front-hinged portion of the rider's seat, without any space being utilized out for any reasons. The above type utility box structure provides a good strength to the box body. But however when a space needs to be carved out from below the front end hinged portion of the utility box to accommodate controller unit for the engine or like components, than that portion below which the space is carved out tends to become weak causing flexing. Further, in long run it will lead to cracking of the utility box. The present invention overcomes this flexing and provides more stiffness to the utility box body.

Summary of the invention:

It is an object of the present invention to provide a structure of the utility box, wherein, a utility space is carved out for accommodating the controller unit or like component. For achieving the above mentioned objective, according to the present invention, a scooter type motorcycle has a utility box extending longitudinally of the vehicle body. The utility box is placed above the rear wheel and a seat is disposed above it. A portion of utility space is carved out from the bottom of front-end utility box, in the shape of square, wherein the supporting ribs are added to provide strength to the utility box. The supporting ribs also serve another purpose of restraining the electronic controller unit's or like components' lateral movement placed besides it and between them.

Another object of the present is to provide a space for cell phone charger, whereby the cell phone can be kept safely inside the utility box during charging. For achieving this objective, a portion is carved out and a circular opening provided into utility box and a space with two mounting boss is provided on the rear side right corner bottom. 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

FIG. 1 is a left side view of a two wheeled motor vehicle according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG.2 is the front view of the utility box according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG.3 is the left side view of the utility box according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG.4 is the bottom view of the utility box according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Drawings
Embodiments of the present invention now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, "front", "rear", "upper", "lower", "right", "left" and "bottom" represent directions viewed from the perspective of the vehicle rider.

First with reference to FIGS 1 to 4, a description will now be given concerning a utility box structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

First the whole structure of the vehicle will be roughly described. A reference number 1 in Fig.1 denotes a front wheel, 2 denotes a front fork, 3 denotes a front fender, 4 denotes a front cover, 5 denotes a leg shield made of resin or metal, 6 denotes a handle bar cover, 7 denotes a headlight, 8 denotes a handle bar ,17 denotes a rear fender and 18 denotes tail lamp.

The center of the body forms a low floor board 9 for functioning as a part for putting feet and a under cowl 10 which is located below the rider's seat and covers at least a part of the engine, The under cowl is made up of metal or resin. The under cowl is hinged to the seat 11. A utility box 12 opens from the rear end to hinged portion. The utility box 12 is provided under the seat extending longitudinally of a vehicle body and the inside of the utility box has a large capacity so that a large article can be housed. A main frame 14 extended along the center of the body before and behind and made of a metallic pipe and is provided under the floor board 9. A swing type power unit 13 is coupled to the rear end of the main frame 14.

A rear wheel 15 is supported on one side of the rear end of the swing type power unit 13. The swing type power unit 13 is suspended in the rear of a body frame. The side covers 16 both on left and right sides, covers the utility box 12 and other parts of the vehicle, thereby providing a good appearance to the vehicle. Next, the utility box 12 of the present invention embodiment will be described. The utility box 12 extends longitudinally of a vehicle body and is disposed above a rear wheel 15 and a seat 11 is disposed on the said utility box. The utility box 12 is hinged to the front end tip of the rider's seat 11, thereby allowing the utility box 12 to be open and closed from the rear side of the said utility box 12.

When viewed from the top, the utility box 12 has got a substantially rectangular shape. Two mounting boss (201) are provided at the front end tip of the utility box 12 to get hinged to the rider's seat 11. A space is carved out at the rear side right hand corner of the utility box 12 for cell phone charging, which is provided with two mounting boss.

The utility box 11 when viewed from the side (as shown in figure 3) has an uneven height. The rear side of the utility box 12 has a height more than the front side of the utility box 12. The top contour of the utility box takes a slanting downward direction from the rear end to atleast two third of the distance and then takes a straight horizontal line till the hinged portion below the rider's seat. The left side rear bottom of the utility box is carved out in an arc shaped to provide space for adjacent parts like air filter, rider foot rest etc.

A square portion is carved out from the below the front end hinged portion of the utility box 12, to provide a space for battery mounting. In this carved out square portion, two supporting ribs (302) are provided, which when viewed from the side has got a triangular shape.

The utility box 12 is also provided with two attaching means (301), one on each right and left side of the utility box 12 to get attached with the side panels 16 and the under cowl 10. These attaching means are located at a distance near to the mid length of the utility box 12 but more towards the front end side of the utility box 12.

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 following claims.

We claim:

1. An utility box for motorcycle, extending longitudinally of a vehicle body is
disposed above a rear wheel and a seat is disposed on said utility box, the
utility box comprising
a box body of hollow rectangular construction, wherein the said box body
height gradually decreases from the rear end to the rider's seat front end when
viewed from left;
a square recess formed at bottom side of the said box body's front end to
accommodate the battery; and
at least two supporting ribs provided in the square recess portion to strengthen
the said box body.

2. The utility box as claimed in claiml, wherein the said utility box is provided with two attaching means to attach it with the side panels and under cowl.

3. The utility box as claimed in claim 1, wherein the material of the utility box is preferably of plastic.

4. The utility box as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hinged portion below the rider's seat of the said utility box is provided with two mounting boss.

5. An utility box for motorcycle, extending longitudinally of a vehicle body is disposed above a rear wheel and a seat is disposed on said utility box, the utility box comprising
a box body of hollow rectangular construction, wherein the said box body height gradually decreases from the rear end to the rider's seat front end when viewed from left; and
a cell phone charger mounting provided on the said box body on the rear side right corner.

6. The utility box as claimed in claim"!, wherein the said cell phone charger mounting is provided with the two mounting boss.

7. A utility box for a motor vehicle substantially as herein described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.