GB2218060A - Collapsible and adjustable windshield for motorcycles - Google Patents

Abstract

The windshield comprises a plurality of panels connected at either end to a lazy-tong type collapsible side frame which are mounted on two locating rods each being positionable on the motorcycle handlebars. <IMAGE>

Description

ADJUSTABLE WINDSHIELD FOR MOTOCYCLES The present invention relates to an adjustable windscreen or windshield for motocycles and particularly one whose wind resistance is adjustable and one which is of compact and collapsible construction. At the present moment, motorcycles are an important means of vehicular transport and a motorcycle windshield serves as an accessary device intended to shield against the wind, sand dust etc whilst travelling.However, most conventionally used motorcycle windshields are monobloc or unitary construction screen which is fixed vertically on the handlebars, which results in several disadvantages and inconveniences, namely: (1) The vertically extending windshield of monobloc construction exhibits high wind resistance (particularly with reverse wind or reduced pressure drag effect), resulting in heaviness in handling the handlebars, in difficulty in driving, instability of the motorcycle body, reduction in driving speed and high fuel consumption, etc; (2) Conventional windshields take much time and labour in assembly and disassembly. Furthermore a motorcycle itself has not enough room to accommodate such windshields; (3) A windshield is supposed to guard the motorcyclist against rait;i, dust, sand particles etc in air.Conventional windshields of monobloc construction are often disassembled in summer because such resist the wind flow. Therefore, such windshields do not suit the purposes of guarding off the dust and sand in all desired conditions.

(4) A few other types of conventional windshields are known which are collapsible in half. In such models, the above disadvantages mentioned in (2) may be overcome, but not (1) and (3). Also, the height of such screens after such are folded is still about a half of its original height and is not that much better than most windshields of monobloc construction, because protruding portions do not permit ready parking of the motorcycles below the stairwell in an apartment building or the like.

The above are some of the existing disadvantages of conventional windshields.

It is an object of the invention to provide a nonmonobloc type (non-unitary) motorcycle windshield that can be collapsed. One of the main objects of the invention is to provide for reduced wind resistance by means of its adjustable characteristics.

A further object of the invention is to provide a windshield which is foldable and convenient, and which is compact in size after it has been folded into its collapsed condition for free application at all necessary times.

Another object of the invention is to provide a screen which permits the storage of motorcycle at the bottom of the stairwell inside a building where reduced overhead space exists.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a screen which acts to deflect sand and dust in summer whilst still permitting appropriate ventilation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means which avoid dust and stains from adhering onto the windshield which would result in obstruction of the view ahead.

Furthermore, the windshield of the invention provides improved confort when driving a motorcycle.

To sum up, the present invention comprises a set of fixed rods on top of which is a set of connecting rods which includes one or more rectangular frames, on the same direction (from upper inside to lower outside) on the connecting rod of each rectangular frame is a windshield; In actual use, by means of several such rectangular frames and connecting rod sets that can be expanded or reduced lengthwise or crosswise to become windshields that can be erected or lowered or collapsed.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a windshield according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a non-exploded perspective view from above and one side of the shield of Fig. 1 in its collapsed or downwardly folded position; Fig. 3 is a perspective view from above and the other side of the shield is in its operative or fully extended position; Fig. 3-1 is a section through a rod portion on the section line of Fig. 3; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 3 of the shield in an intermediate position for partial deflection and ventilation purposes.

A windscreen or windshield is illustrated and comprises a set of locating rods 1 each respectively securableonto the two sides of a motor cycle handlebar assembly (not shown).

On each locating rod 1 are a plurality of connecting bars or rods 2 each arranged as a scissor-like linkage (lazy-tonglike linkage) which are extendable and retractable and which form the frames of a plurality of rectangular constructions.

The sets of connecting rods 2 on each side each comprise a first rod 21 with one end pivotally secured to the rear end of the locating rod 1, and a second rod 22 with one end pivoted to a slide or sliding member 3 which is slidable on said locating rod 1. In the sliding member 3 is a hole 31 and on the middle and front section of the locating rod 3 are locating holes 11 which coordinate and cooperate with an inserting key K to locate the positions of both i.e.

member 3 with key K therein. Between the first rod 21 and the second rod 22 and at the middle points of both, the two rods are interpivoted by a pivoting shaft P and held in position by a C-clip(circlip)pivotally mounted. On the other end of the first rod 21 is a third rod 23 and pivotally mounted on the other end of the second rod 22 is a fourth rod 24. The two rods 23, 24 are also pivotally connected at their middle points. Pivotally mounted on the other end of the third rod 23 is a fifth rod 25 and pivotally mounted on the other end of the fourth rod 24 is a sixth rod 26.

The length of the two rods 25, 26 is slightly less (longer) than that of the others mentioned above, and the other upper ends of the two rods are pivotally interconnected.

Three separate windshield members 41, 42 and 43 are respectively secured by screws onto the rod bodies of the second, fourth and the sixth rods 22, 24 and 26.

The above description is of the general construction of the embodiment of the invention. Based on the interconnection of the above mentioned first to six rods, they form three sets (or two and a half sets) of (equal-length) rectangulars (rhombs), which involve variations of lengthwise and crosswise extension and reduction. In a collapsed portion the sliding units or members 3 are pushed to the front end of the locating rods 1 and located by the keys K by aligning the holes of the sliding members 3 and the locating holes 11 at the front (near end) of the locating rod 1 and thus the whole construction (along with the windshield) is reduced and overlapped lengthwise and laid crosswise on the locating rod 1, as shown in the collapsed position in Fig. 2.

Conversely, to use the windshield, the rider moves the sliding units or members 3 backwards as viewed along the locating rods 1, aligns the appropriate holes 11 and 31 and interconnects the two by means of the key K to form lengthwise extension of said construction, and the thus erected windshield guards against wind and sand. As shown in Fig. 3-1, after the resilient K has been inserted in the hole 11, the vertical section of the key extending therethrough is partly engaged in spring-like manner by the V-channel of the exteriorly extending U-channel portion to prevent slipping and removal. Also, because of the tension after the vertical section of the key engaged the hole and the V-channel, the sliding member 3 connecting rod group and the locating rod 3 can therefore be positioned steadily.

Different positions of adjustment are possible via the other holes in rods 3.

The first, second, third and fourth rods 21, 22, 23 and 24 are of a same length whilst the fifth and the six rods 25, 26 are of half the length thereof and together form the rectangular frames by means of pivotal interconnection at their rod ends or middle points; Furthermore, the number and length of rods can coordinate with each other to form rectangles of different groups to suit windshields of different specification and numbers.

The inside and outside of the screw connections at both sides of the windshields 41, 42, 43 are provided with reinforcing strips which can be located to extend parallelly with the rod bodies. The upper and lower ends of the reinforcing strips do not extend the upper and lower edges of the windshields so as to thereby enable the overlapping sections of windshields when in the fully extended operative position to be closed together or abut.

The preferred measurements of the embodiment of the invention are 510mm in width, 250mm in height, 20mm for overlapped section after all panels are erected, 670mm height of assembled height which will be about the same as such of the unitary formed windshields. The two locating rods of the invention can be formed in a U shape by interconnecting with a connecting rod on which two sides are snapped onto to secure it onto the motorcycle handles.

The windshield according to the invention can be used conveniently or stored on the motorcycle itself (operating time about 3 seconds, which is the most time-saving at the present time). When laid in its collapsed position it is laid downwards with a minimum height so that it will not cause undue wind resistance, and its length is less than the basket often mounted in front of the motorcycle handles.

An important feature of the invention is that, according to actual circumstances, by means of optional adjustment of the sliding members or unit via the various holes on the locating rods, one can adjust the angle and sectional area of the windshields to reduce wind resistance as desired.

Another important feature resides in that by adjusting the angle to obtain low wind resistance as above (see Fig. 4), the front air flow can be guided to the rear of the main panel through the clearances of the panels to obtain low resistance, to avoid vacuum or reduced pressure effects behind the screen condition produced by conventional windshields when driving at high speeds with consequential reduction in driving speed and resultant higher fuel consumption.

Due to the above mentioned flow guiding function in the intermediate position (e.g. Fig. 4) the windshield of the invention can be used even in hot summer without the rider feeling too hot whilst such satisfactorily solves the problems caused by the dust and dirt etc coming from ahead since the windshield protects or deflects such away from the riders face. With the shield according to the invention, the motorcyclist can see the road conditions ahead through the diagonal clearances between the panels, thus avoiding the defect of conventional windshields of unitary construction.

Claims (11)

1. An adjustable windshield for motorcycles, including: two locating members or ro'Thds securable on spaced apart sides of a motorcycle handlebar; a plurality of connecting rods, mounted above (each locating rod with each plurality of rods forming a group defining) one or more parallelogram or rhombic frames, and windshield panels on the corresponding connecting rods of each group extending in the same direction from upper inside to lower outside on each parallelogram or rhombic frame.

2. A windshield as claimed in claim 1, in which rods of equal lengths are included in the rectangular frames formed by said connecting rod sets.

3. A windshield as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which, the connecting rods of each group include: a first rod having one end pivotally secured to the rear end of the locating rod, a second rod having one end pivoted to a sliding unit or member which can freely move on said locating rod, and being pivotally connected to said first rod at their middle points; a third rod having one end pivotally connected to the other end of said first rod; a fourth rod having one end pivotally connected to the other end of the second rod; and to the third rod at their middle points; a fifth rod having one end pivotally connected to the other end of said third rod; and a sixth rod having one end pivotally connected to the other end of said fourth rod and being pivotally interconnected at its other end to the other end of said fifth rod; and three windshield panels, respectively mounted on and extending between the second, fourth and sixth rods.

4. A windshield as claimed in claim 3, in which, the first, second, third and fourth rods of each group are of equal length, and the fifth and the sixth rods are of a length slightly greater than one half of the said mentioned equal length of said first, second, third and fourth rods.

5. A windshield as claimed in claim 4, in which the sliding unit or member of the second rod has holes, and on the middle section of the locating rod are several sets of corresponding holes, the holes of each sliding member being securable in alignment with any one of the holes of the locating rod by a suitable removable key insertable therein.

6. A windshield as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, in which at the two opposite sides of each windshield are reinforcing strips which are tightened by nuts and rib screws.

7. A windshield as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, in which the number of windshield panels is selected according to actual requirements to suit the rhombic shaped mobile frames and may be two, three, four or more in member.

8. A windshield as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7, the length of the windshield is slightly longer than the straight frames, so that the windshield panels can have overlapped areas when the windshield is fully extended.

9. A windshield for a motorcycle or other vehicle or vessel, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10. A windshield for a motorcycle or the like vehicle comprising mounting means for mounting on the vehicle or forming part of the vehicle and upon which extendable and retractable or collapsible carrier means are located, one or more windshield panels carried by said mounting means and displaceable from an inoperative position wherein the mounting means is collapsed and the panels or panels are pivotted into a substantially horizontal, juxtaposed position into an operative position wherein the mounting means is extended and the panel or panels are pivotted to each lie in an upwardly extending disposition to act as a windshield.

11. A windshield as claimed in claim 10, in which the mounting means comprise two spaced apart locating rods mountable on the handles of the vehicle and each having a parallelogram linkage or lazy-tong-like linkage pivotably mounted thereon at one end with one mounted link being secured and the other slidable thereon and securably adjustable thereon, and one or more windshield panels extending between corresponding links or rods forming the linkages and where a plurality of panels are provided such are located on spaced apart links or rods extending in the same direction.