EP4669566A1

EP4669566A1 - SYSTEM FOR MOUNTING TOP BOXES FOR MOUNTED SADDLE VEHICLES

Info

Publication number: EP4669566A1
Application number: EP23717634.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Walter Rosellini; Alberto Gracci; Nicola BERNARDINI
Original assignee: Piaggio and C SpA
Current assignee: Piaggio and C SpA
Priority date: 2023-02-23
Filing date: 2023-02-23
Publication date: 2025-12-31
Also published as: CN120731162A; WO2024176071A1; CN120787203A; WO2024176070A1; WO2024175958A1; CN120731163A; EP4669568A1; EP4669567A1

Abstract

The object of the invention is a system for fastening a top box to a rideable saddle vehicle, comprising a coupling element integrated to a luggage carrier or structural part of the vehicle; an interlocking element adapted to be fastened to the top box, or be an integral part of the top box, shaped to be interlocked to the coupling element; locking members configured to selectively prevent the backward translation of the interlocking element with respect to the coupling element when the interlocking element is engaged in the coupling element.

Description

SYSTEM FOR FASTENING TOP BOXES FOR RIDEABLE SADDLE VEHICLES

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates in general to the field of rideable saddle vehicles, and more specifically, it relates to the technical field of fastenings for removable top boxes for rideable saddle vehicles, scooters in particular. BACKGROUND ART

On certain types of rideable saddle vehicles, in particular but not exclusively scooters with two or more wheels, it is common to use a top box which usually is applied to or integrated in the rear part of the vehicle. Known top boxes conventionally comprise a base and a cover hinged to the base. A storage compartment is defined between the base and the cover by virtue of which objects may be transported during the operation of the vehicle or in which the helmet may be placed, for example, when the vehicle is not being used.

It is known to fasten top boxes to luggage carriers which in turn are mounted on the vehicle. The systems for fastening a top box to a luggage carrier have the drawback of making the installation of the top box relatively complicated. Indeed, such fastening systems preliminarily require fastening mounting brackets to one or more bars of the luggage carrier by a plurality of screws, for example. Then the top box is fastened to the mounting brackets by means of further screws which pass through the bottom of the top box and are engaged in corresponding nut screws provided in the mounting brackets.

Systems for fastening a top box to luggage carriers which have a flat surface or resting plate fastened by means of brackets to the frame of the vehicle such as, for example, described in documents EP1661799 and EP3153387, are also known. Also, this type of fastenings makes the installations of the top box relatively complicated. The bottom surface has two front coupling slots and two rear guides which create a longitudinal abutment. The bottom of the top box has corresponding front hooks and rear projections. The mounting of the top box on the luggage carrier occurs by placing the bottom of the top box side-by-side to the horizontal surface of the luggage carrier so that the two hooks are inserted in the front slots and the projections in the rear guides. The safety locking then occurs by means of coupling a hook, carried by a closing lever hinged at the back to the top box, in a retaining portion present in the middle on the rear part of the luggage carrier.

It therefore is the object of the present description to make available fastening systems for a rideable saddle vehicle which allow locking a top box to the luggage carrier of the vehicle in a simple, affordable and reliable manner.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a top box for a rideable saddle vehicle which is particularly adapted to be used with the aforesaid fastening systems.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention achieves the object with a system for fastening a top box to a rideable saddle vehicle, comprising: a coupling element integrated to a luggage carrier or a structural part of the vehicle; an interlocking element adapted to be fastened to the top box, or be an integral part of the top box, shaped to be interlocked to the coupling element; locking members configured to selectively prevent the backward translation of the interlocking element with respect to the coupling element when the interlocking element is engaged in the coupling element.

According to another aspect, the invention relates to a top box for a rideable saddle vehicle, comprising:

- a body shaped to define a housing compartment;

- a cover hinged to the body and configured to close said housing compartment;

- closing means configured to reversibly lock/release the cover to/from the body;

- an interlocking element integrated in the body of the top box, shaped to interlock a coupling element of the vehicle;

- locking members configured to selectively prevent the backward translation of the interlocking element with respect to the coupling element when the interlocking element is engaged in the coupling element.

The invention also relates to a coupling plate for fastening a top box to a coupling element integrated to a luggage carrier or structural part of the frame of a rideable saddle vehicle, comprising: - an interlocking element integrated in the plate, shaped to interlock a coupling element of the vehicle;

- locking members configured to selectively prevent the backward translation of the interlocking element with respect to the coupling element when the interlocking element is engaged in the coupling element;

- means for anchoring the plate to the top box.

The invention also relates to a rideable saddle vehicle comprising a coupling element integrated to a luggage carrier or a structural part of the vehicle. The coupling element comprises a plurality of openings shaped so as to allow the insertion and the sliding of respective projections of a coupling plate or a top box according to the invention. The openings are shaped so that a receiving end of the opening is wider than the opposite engagement end of the opening. The openings extend preferably longitudinally along respective directions of extension which are parallel to one another and parallel to the midplane of the vehicle. There are locking members configured to selectively prevent the backward translation of the coupling plate or the top box with respect to the coupling element when the coupling plate or the top box are engaged in the coupling element.

By virtue of these contrivances, the top box, or a coupling plate of the top box, may be stably fastened to the vehicle with a simple movement of vertical approaching followed by a horizontal translation, without requiring the use of locking hooks.

The further features and improvements are the subject of the sub-claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from reading the following detailed description, given by way of non-limiting example, with the aid of the figures shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a rideable saddle vehicle.

Figure 2 shows an axonometric top view of a top box, without a cover, fastened to the luggage carrier according to the teachings of the present invention.

Figure 3 shows a bottom view of the top box fastened to the luggage carrier in Figure 2. Figure 4 shows a back view of the top box according to the teachings of the present invention.

Figure 5 shows an axonometric bottom view of the top box in Figure 4.

Figure 6 shows an axonometric top view of the coupling element integrated to a luggage carrier of a vehicle according to the teachings of the present invention.

Figure 7A shows a top view of a luggage carrier according to the teachings of the present invention.

Figure 7B shows a side sectional view of the luggage carrier in Figure 7A.

Figures 8 and 9 show a side sectional view of the top box in Figure 4 with locking members activated and deactivated, respectively.

Figures 10A, 10B, 10C and 10D show the coupling sequence of the top box to the coupling element.

Figures 11 A, 11 B and 11 C show the locking members in various operating positions as the position of the key changes.

Figure 12 shows an axonometric top view of a coupling plate which integrates the interlocking element of the fastening system according to an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 13 shows an axonometric bottom view of the coupling plate in Figure 12.

Figure 14 shows an axonometric bottom view of the top box fastened to the luggage carrier in Figure 2.

Figure 15 shows a bottom back view of the top box fastened to the luggage carrier in Figure 2.

Figure 16 shows a side view of the top box fastened to the luggage carrier in Figure 2, and

Figures 17A, 17B, 17C and 17D show diagrammatic views of various coupling steps between a projection of the interlocking element and the opening of the coupling element according to an embodiment of the invention.

The following description of exemplary embodiments relates to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers in the various drawings identify the same elements or similar elements. The following detailed description does not limit the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to Figure 1 , a rideable saddle vehicle 6 has a bracket 22 at the rear end thereof, to which a top box 1 may be fastened.

As better shown in Figures 4, 5, 8, 9, 10 and 11 , the top box 1 comprises a body 101 shaped to define a housing compartment S, a cover 201 hinged to body 101 and configured to close the housing compartment S, and closing means 5 configured to reversibly lock/release cover 201 to/from body 101. Optionally, the top box 1 may further comprise a handle 106 to facilitate the transport of the top box 1 when removed from vehicle 6 and a backrest 107 to improve the comfort for the passenger of vehicle 6.

The closing means 5 of cover 201 to body 101 conventionally comprise a hook 105 supported by one of cover 201 and body 101 and configured to selectively engage a coupling pin 205 associated with the other of cover 201 and body 101 , as shown in Figures 8, 9, 10 and 11. The movement of hook 105 may be, for example, induced by a cam 504 driven by a key lock 204, as shown in Figures 8, 9, 10 and 11 .

The mounting of the top box 1 to vehicle 6 takes place by virtue of a coupling element 2 intended to be fastened with suitable means to bracket 22 of the motor vehicle 6 or made in one piece with bracket 22. The coupling element 2 acts in conjunction with an interlocking element 3 associated or associable with the bottom, i.e., with the lower side 401 of body 101 of the top box 1 .

The interlocking element 3 may be made in one piece or in any case integrated with bottom 401 of the top box 1 as shown in Figures 4 and 5, but may also be a separate integrated component, for example, in a coupling plate 33 adapted to be stably fastened to bottom 401 of the top box 1 , for example, by means of screw tightening, as shown in Figures 12 and 13.

The coupling element 2 comprises a plurality of openings 102, while the interlocking element 3 is provided with a plurality of projections 103. In the configuration shown in the drawings, the interlocking element 3 comprises three projections 103 arranged according to the vertexes of a triangle, and the coupling element 2 comprises three corresponding openings 102. Obviously, the number and arrangement of each projection/opening may vary in any manner. Each projection 103 comprises a distal end 103A which is wider than a base end 103B, and opening 102 is shaped so as to allow the insertion of a respective projection 103 into opening 102 at a receiving end 102A thereof and so as to allow the sliding of projection 103 inserted from the receiving end 102A up to an engagement end 102B in which the removal of projection 103 through opening 102 is prevented.

In particular, each projection 103 is shaped so that the distal end 103A achieves a shape coupling with opening 102 when projection 103 is in the engagement end 102B.

In this regard, each projection 103 advantageously has a stem 103C having a width substantially equal to the width of the base end 103B and a head 103D having a width equal to the width of the distal end 103A and a varying thickness. Each opening 102 in turn has a width at the receiving end 102A which is greater than the width of the head 103D of projection 103, and a width at the engagement end 102B which is greater than the width of stem 103C and less than the width of the head 103D of projection 103. With regard to the thicknesses, the height of stem 103C is at least equal to the thickness of opening 102. Thereby, once it has translated from the receiving end 102A into the engagement end 102B of opening 102, projection 103 creates a dovetail-shaped coupling which prevents the removal in vertical direction of the interlocking element 3 from the coupling element 2.

There may be, at the receiving end 102A of each opening 102, a bottom surface 202 on which the head 103D of projection 103 may abut to facilitate the coupling of the interlocking element 3 on the coupling element 2, as shown in Figure 2. The projections 103 may have heads 103D of the same or also different sizes such as, for example, shown in the drawings in which the head 103D of projection 103, arranged at the back with respect to the direction of motion of the vehicle, is smaller than the one of the other projections 103.

Locking members identified in the drawings by reference numeral 4 are used to prevent the backward translation of the interlocking element 3 with respect to the coupling element 2 when the interlocking element 3 is engaged in the coupling element 2. As shown in detail in Figures 8, 9 and 10, such locking members 4, which are activatable or deactivatable, for example, by virtue of an activation/deactivation mechanism comprising a key lock 204, comprise a tooth 104 guided to come out, in locking position, through a passage 303 of the interlocking element 3 to be inserted into a cavity 602, preferably a blind cavity, provided in the coupling element 2 so as to prevent the backward translation of the interlocking element 3 with respect to the coupling element 2. Cavity 602 is blind, i.e., closed on the bottom, to prevent an ill-intentioned person from moving tooth 104 into release position by acting on the lower part of the luggage carrier, for example with a hammer.

In the configuration shown in the drawings, cavity 602 is arranged close to opening 102 which is located at the back with respect to the direction of motion of vehicle 6, but obviously it may be arranged in any position adapted to prevent a backward motion of the interlocking element 3.

As shown in Figures 8, 9, 10 and 11 , the locking members 4 comprise a lever 304 mounted in oscillating manner around a transverse axis 305. Tooth 104 is associated with an end of lever 304, while the opposite end 404 acts in conjunction with a cam 504 driven by the key lock 204 so that a determined position of the key corresponds to a determined position of tooth 104.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the key lock 204 of the locking members 4 is the same key lock which locks/releases cover 201 to/from body 101 of the top box 1 .

Here, cam 504 driven, by the key lock 204, acts on hook 105 and on lever 304 so that:

- in a first position of key 204 (Figure 11 A), tooth 104 comes out of passage 303 of the interlocking element 3 and hook 105 is engaged to the coupling pin 205 to lock cover 201 to body 101 of the top box 1 ;

- in a second position of key 204 (Figure 11 B), tooth 104 of the fastening system does not come out of passage 303 of the interlocking element 3 and hook 105 is engaged to the coupling pin 205 to lock cover 201 to body 101 ;

- in a third position of key 204 (Figure 11C), tooth 104 of the fastening system comes out of passage 303 of the interlocking element 3 and hook 105 is disengaged from the coupling pin 205 so that cover 201 is released from body 101.

The locking members 4 may be accommodated in body 101 of the top box 1 , in particular at the lower side 401 thereof, or in the coupling plate 33, in those configurations which provide for the interlocking element 3 to be separate from the bottom of the top box 1 , as better clarified below with reference to Figures 12 and 13.

Figure 10 shows, in sequence, the various coupling steps of the interlocking element 4 associated with the top box 1 at the coupling element 2 associated with vehicle 6.

Initially, the top box 1 is neared to the coupling element 2 so that head 103D of the projections 103 is aligned with the receiving end 102A of the corresponding openings 102 (Figure 10A).

Then, the heads 103D of the projections 103 are introduced into the receiving end 102A of the corresponding openings 102 up to reaching the abutment surface 202 (Figure 10B). The projections are pushed into the engagement end 102B of the openings 102 with a horizontal translational movement (Figure 10C). In this position, stem 103C of the projections 103 comes out of opening 102, while head 103D interferes with said opening so as to prevent the vertical translation thereof. In the last step, key 204 is rotated so that lever 304 causes tooth 104 to come out of passage 103 to be engaged in cavity 602 of the coupling element 2 so as to also prevent the horizontal translation (Figure 10D), and therefore, the backward motion.

Figures 14, 15, 16 show further views of a top box 1 coupled to a luggage carrier of a rideable saddle vehicle according to the teachings of the present invention. Here, the coupling element 2 is integrated to a luggage carrier 22 comprising a resting plate adapted to be fastened by means of the brackets to the frame of the vehicle. Three openings 102 are obtained on the plate and extend longitudinally along respective directions of extension which are parallel to one another and to the midplane M of vehicle 6, as shown in Figures 6 and 7.

The openings 102 have a receiving end 102A and an engagement end 102B having different width, in particular the engagement end 102B has a smaller width than the width of the receiving end 102A so as to allow the insertion of a corresponding projection 103 of the interlocking element 3 into the receiving end 102A and the successive sliding of projection 103 up to the engagement end 102B.

The openings 102 have this shape to be coupled with the projections 103 which have a stem 103C which is narrower than head 103D so as to prevent the removal through the openings 102 when projection 103 is positioned in the engagement end 102B.

The projections 103 thus devised have a shape which, at least in part, recalls that of a mushroom, when they are observed laterally, as schematized in Figure 17. In particular, the projections 103 have a stem 103C and a base end 103B with a width W4 and a head 103D and a distal end 103A with a width W2, as shown in Figure 17a.

Opening 102 has a receiving end 102A which has a width W2 which is greater than the width of the engagement end 102B, as shown in Figure 17A. In turn, the receiving end 102A has a width W2 which is greater than the width of head 103D so as to allow the insertion of projection 103 into opening 102, as shown in Figure 17B. Moreover, the engagement end 102B has a width W3 which is greater than the width of stem 103C so as to allow the sliding of projection 103 in opening 102, as shown in Figure 17C, up to when the projection 103 reaches a stroke end position, as shown in Figure 17D.

In one version (not illustrated), thickness T3 of head 103D has a nonconstant thickness. More specifically, the thickness of head 103D increases to the detriment of the height of stem 103C, which decreases. The thickest portion of head 103D is the opposite one with respect to the engagement end 102B when projection 103 has entered opening 102. Thereby, as projection 103 advances in opening 102 towards the aforesaid stroke end, the geometrical interference between head 103D and opening 102 increases and the clearances decrease, making the coupling more stable and less noisy. Alternatively, thickness T2 of the edges of opening 102 may progressively increase, as the same logic above, and the thickness of head 103D remains constant, for the same purpose. Other cases are in any case possible. For example, it is possible to provide for the projections 103 to take on the shape of engagement tabs and the openings 102 of hooks oriented with the engagement opening 102B substantially vertical so as to ensure the coupling between the interlocking element 3 and the coupling element 2 with the same movement, i.e., a vertical approaching translation following a horizontal engagement. All of this is without departing from the abovedescribed inventive concept claimed below.

Claims

1. A system for fastening a top box (1 ) to a rideable saddle vehicle (6), comprising: a coupling element (2) integrated to a luggage carrier or a structural part (22) of the vehicle (6); an interlocking element (3) adapted to be fastened to the top box (1 ), or be an integral part of the top box (1 ), shaped to be interlocked to the coupling element (2); locking members (4) configured to selectively prevent the backward translation of the interlocking element (3) with respect to the coupling element (2) when the interlocking element (3) is engaged in the coupling element (2).

2. A fastening system according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling element (2) comprises a plurality of openings (102), while the interlocking element (3) is provided with a plurality of projections (103), wherein said projection (103) comprises a distal end (103A) which is wider than a base end (103B) and the opening (102) is shaped so as to allow the insertion of a respective projection (103) into said opening (102) at a receiving end (102A) thereof and so as to allow the sliding of the projection (103) inserted from the receiving end (102A) up to an engagement end (102B) in which the removal of said projection (103) through the opening (102) is prevented.

3. A fastening system according to claim 2, wherein the projection (103) is shaped so that the distal end (103A) achieves a shape coupling with the opening (102) when the projection (103) is in said engagement end (102B).

4. A fastening system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the projection (103) has a stem (103C) having a width (W4) equal to the width of the base end (103B) and a head (103D) having a width (W2) equal to the width of the distal end (103A).

5. A fastening system according to claim 4, wherein the opening (102) has a width (W1 ) at the receiving end (102A) which is greater than the width (W2) of the head (103D) of the projection (103), and a width (W3) at the engagement end (102B) which is greater than the width (W4) of the stem (103C) and less than the width of the head (103D) of the projection (103).

6. A fastening system according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the height (T1 ) of the stem (103C) of the projection (103) is at least equal to the thickness (T2) of the opening (102).

7. A fastening system according to claim 6, wherein the head (103D) of the projection (103) has a non-constant thickness.

8. A fastening system according to any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein the interlocking element (3) comprises three projections (102) arranged according to the vertexes of a triangle, and the coupling element (2) comprises three corresponding openings (103).

9. A fastening system according to any one of claims 2 to 8, wherein the openings (102) extend longitudinally along respective directions of extension which are parallel to one another.

10. A fastening system according to any one of claims 2 to 8, wherein the locking members (4) comprise a tooth (104) guided to come out, in locking position, through a passage (303) of the interlocking element (3) to be inserted into a cavity (602), preferably a blind cavity, provided in the coupling element (2) so as to prevent the backward translation of the interlocking element (3) with respect to the coupling element (2).

11. The fastening system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the locking members (4) are activatable or deactivatable by virtue of an activation/deactivation mechanism comprising a key lock (204).

12. A fastening system according to claims 10 and 11 , wherein the locking members (4) comprise a lever (304) mounted oscillating around a transverse axis, the tooth (104) being associated with an end of the lever (304), the opposite end (404) acting in conjunction with a cam (504) driven by the key lock (204) so that a determined position of the key corresponds to a determined position of the tooth (104).

13. A top box (1 ) for a rideable saddle vehicle (6), comprising:

- a body (101 ) shaped to define a housing compartment (S); - a cover (201 ) hinged to the body (101 ) and configured to close said housing compartment (S);

- closing means (5) configured to reversibly lock/release the cover (201 ) to/from the body (101 );

- an interlocking element (3) integrated in the body (101 ) of the top box (1 ), shaped to interlock a coupling element (2) of the vehicle (6);

- locking members (4) configured to selectively prevent the backward translation of the interlocking element (3) with respect to the coupling element (2) when the interlocking element (3) is engaged in the coupling element (2).

14. A top box according to claim 13, wherein the interlocking element (3) comprises a plurality of projections (103), wherein said projection (103) comprises a distal end (103A) which is wider than a base end (103B), the projection (103) preferably has a stem (103C) having a width equal to the width of the base end (103B) and a head (103D) having a width equal to the width of the distal end (103A), even more preferably said projections (103) are three in number and are arranged according to the vertexes of a triangle.

15. A top box according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the closing means (5) of the cover (201 ) to the body (101 ) comprise a hook (105) supported by one of the cover (201 ) and the body (101 ) configured to selectively engage a coupling pin (205) associated with the other of the cover (201 ) and the body (101 ).

16. A top box according to claim 13, 14 or 15, wherein the locking members (4) comprise:

- a tooth (104) guided to come out, in locking position, through a passage (303) of the interlocking element (3);

- a lever (304) mounted oscillating around a transverse axis, wherein the tooth (104) is associated with an end of the lever (304), while the opposite end (404) acts in conjunction with a cam (504) driven by a key lock (204) comprised in the closing means (5) so that a determined position of the key corresponds to a determined position of the projection (104). 17. A top box according to claim 15 and 16, wherein the cam (504) driven by the key lock (204) acts on the hook (105) and on the lever (304) so that:

- in a first position of the key (204), the tooth (104) of the fastening system comes out of the passage (303) of the interlocking element (3) and the hook (105) is engaged to the coupling pin (205) to lock the cover (201 ) to the body (101 );

- in a second position of the key (204), the tooth (104) of the fastening system does not come out of the passage (303) of the interlocking element (3) and the hook (105) is engaged to the coupling pin (205) to lock the cover (201 ) to the body (101 );

- in a third position of the key (204), the tooth (104) of the fastening system comes out of the passage (303) of the interlocking element (3) and the hook (105) is disengaged from the coupling pin (205) so that the cover (201 ) is released from the body (101 ).

18. A coupling plate (33) for fastening a top box to a coupling element (2) integrated to a luggage carrier or structural part of the frame of a rideable saddle vehicle (6), comprising:

- an interlocking element (3) integrated in the plate (33), shaped to interlock a coupling element (2) of the vehicle (6);

- locking members (4) configured to selectively prevent the backward translation of the interlocking element (3) with respect to the coupling element (2) when the interlocking element (3) is engaged in the coupling element (2);

- means for anchoring the plate (33) to the top box (1 ).

19. A coupling plate (33) according to claim 18, wherein the interlocking element (3) comprises a plurality of projections (103), wherein said projection (103) comprises a distal end (103A) which is wider than a base end (103B), the projection (103) preferably has a stem (103C) having a width equal to the width of the base end (103B) and a head (103D) having a width equal to the width of the distal end (103A), even more preferably said projections (103) are three in number and are arranged according to the vertexes of a triangle.

20. A rideable saddle vehicle (6) comprising:

- a coupling element (2) integrated to a luggage carrier or a structural part (22) of the vehicle; wherein the coupling element (2) comprises a plurality of openings (102) shaped so as to allow the insertion and the sliding of respective projections

(103) of a coupling plate (33) or a top box (1 ),said openings (102) being shaped so that a receiving end (102A) of the opening (102) is wider than the opposite engagement end (102B) of the opening (102), preferably said openings (102) extend longitudinally along respective directions of extension which are parallel to one another and parallel to the midplane (M) of the vehicle (6).

21 .A rideable saddle vehicle (6) according to claim 20, further comprising a top box (1 ) according to any one of claims 13 to 17 or a coupling plate (33) for fastening a top box according to claim 18 or 19. 22. A rideable saddle vehicle (6) comprising a fastening system for a top box

(1 ) according to any one of claims 1 to 12.