GB2337498A

GB2337498A - Motorcycle covers

Info

Publication number: GB2337498A
Application number: GB9907005A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Colin Frederick Deavin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-05-21
Filing date: 1999-03-29
Publication date: 1999-11-24
Also published as: GB9811002D0; GB9907005D0

Abstract

A cover (25) for a non-roofed vehicle comprises a sheet (26) of impervious flexible material and a container (28) therefor, connected to the sheet (26) and for enveloping the sheet (26) when the latter is collapsed for stowage in the container (28), characterised in that the container (28) is a flexibly-walled container (28) and is provided with attachment means for attachment of the container (28) to the vehicle. The attachment means may be located below a lockable fitting e.g. a seat or the rear top box. A lockable security cable may secure the container to the motorcycle.

Description

1 2337498 VEHICLE COVERS

DESCRIPTIO

Technical Field

This invention relates to vehicle covers and in particular to covers for a non-roofed vehicle, e.g. two-wheeled vehicles such as cycles, motorcycles, motorised scooters and cycles (mopeds), and bicycles. The invention is considered especially, but not exclusively, applicable to such two-wheele vehicles provided with a pillion or like rear seat for a passenger.

Background Art

A prior proposal for a protective cover for a motorcycle, disclosed in Netherlands Patent Application No. 8203883, suggests fixing a rigid box to the rear mudguard of the motorcycle and flexibly attaching a cover to the rigid box, the cover (when folded) being accomodated in the box. This is of limited application and usefulness since most modern motorcycles either have no mudguard or only a lightweight one of thin plastics material that would be unable to carry a heavy rigid- walled box and its contents. In addition, this proposal requires the box to be fixed in position via special fixings designed to render it difficult to remove the rigid box from off the motorcycle. Furthermore, apart frpm the fact that such a rigid, fixed box would occupy space that could otherwise be used as a more general storage compartment, it is likely to give considerable discomfort to any passenger sitting on the pillion seat of the motorcycle.

For these and other reasons it is considered desirable to provide a cover for a non-roofed vehicle that can overcome or at least reduce the abovementioned and/or other disadvantages of the prior art.

Summary of the Invention

According to this invention there is provided a cover for a non-roofed vehicle (e.g. a two-wheeled vehicle), said cover comprising a sheet of impervious flexible material and a container therefor, connected to the sheet and for enveloping the sheet when the latter is collapsed for stowage in the container, characterised in that the container is a flexibly-walled container and is provided with attachment means for attachment of the container to the vehicle.

Preferably the attachment means comprises readily releasable fastening means for location below a lockable fitting. For example, with a twowheeled vehicle, e.g. a motorcycle, the lockable fitting may comprise a seat (e.g. the driver's or the pillion seat) and/or the rear top box of the vehicle.

Preferably the attachment means comprises a pair of elongate elements extending in opposite directions from the container and provided at their free ends with mutually interengageable fastening means for use in attaching the container to the vehicle e.g. motorcycle.

Preferably the flexible walled container, with the cover therein, is located on the two-wheeled vehicle (e.g. motorcycle) to serve as a back support pad or cushion for a passenger on the rear pillion seat of the vehicle (e.g. motorcycle).

Advantageously the container is provided with retention means for a lockable security cable'that is to secure the container in a keyreleasable fashion to the motorcycle.

Preferably the cable retention means comprises a pair of eyelets in the container through which a said cable can threadingly extend.

The container may be provided by an extension of the sheet that is to provide a wrap-around portion when the sheet is collapsed e.g. folded and/or rolled up, or - as is preferred - may be a closable bag to fully enclose and house (in stowed condition) the collapsed sheet.

Figure 5 is Brief Description of the Drawings

By way of example one embodiment of this invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a side view of a motorcycle supporting a cover therefor according to this invention, in stowed condition; Figure 2 is a similar view to Figure 1 showing the cover in deployed condition; Figure 3 is a front perspective view of the cover of Figures 1 and 2 as it is about to be deployed; Figure 4 is a rear perspective view of the cover of Figures 1 to 3 in stowed condition illustrating one arrangement for mounting it on the motorcycle; and illustrates another arrangement for mounting the cover on the motorcycle.

Detailed Description of Exam-ple(s) of the Invention The illustrated motorcycle 10 comprises front and rear wheels 11 and 12 with the front wheel 11 steerable by means of handlebars 13 to which guages and instruments 14 are attached. optionally, a windshield 9 may also be mounted on the handlebars 13. A seat 15 is provided for the driver of the motorcycle and a pillion seat 16 for a passenger mounted behind the driver's seat 15. The pillion seat has the form of a padded structure that is pivotably or removably mounted on the body 18 of the motorcycle and is key-lockable in position thereon. The body 18 below the pillion seat 16, P may be formed as a stowage compartment for storage of tools or other items. Lower portions of the body 18 are provided with foot rests 17 provided for both the driver and for the passenger of the motorcycle, and adjacent the rear of the pillion seat 16 the body is also provided with grab handles 19 for the passenger. A rear stowage container 20 (a so-called "top box") is optionally is provided to the rear of the pillion seat 16, this stowage container 20 being removably mounted on a multi-apertured rack or like frame 22 that is permanently or fixedly attached to the motorcycle body 18. The container 20 is normally locked in position on the frame 22 via a key operable lock.

is 16 In accordance with this embodiment of the present invention, a cover 25 for the motorcycle is provided as a sheet of impervious flexible material 26, e.g. lightweight pvc, that is large enough to cover the seats 15 and 16, the handlebars 13 and the guages and instruments 14 as well as any windscreen or windshield 9 that may be mounted on the handlebars. The sheet 26 is attached to a flexible-walled container 28 for the sheet such that the two items are 30 integral with one another. As shown in Fig 1 the container 28 serves in use as a flexible-walled storage envelope for the sheet 26 when the latter is collapsed, e.g. folded up and/or rolled up, for stowage in an out-of-use condition. This container 28 is also provided with means 30 to permit attachment of the container to the motorcycle in a readily releasable manner. The attachment means 30 thus allow the cover 25 to be a wholly separate and removable item that, whenever desired, can be quickly taken of f the vehicle either for security or for use elsewhere, e.g. for another purpose (for example as a ground cover sheet for a picnic).

To further this aim of ready removability, the attachment means 30 of this embodiment is provided as a pair of straplike webs 31,32 (Fig 4) extending away from opposite sides of the container 28, the free ends of the webs being 10 provided with mutually engageable snap-fitting fasteners 33,34 (e.g. of the kind currently used for baggage straps).

The container 28 can be attached to the motorcycle in a number of different locations.

Firstly - and especially if no rear stowage compartment 20 is provided the webs 31,32 can be trapped beneath the pad forming the pillion seat 16 and the latter then key-locked in position in the conventional way. This pad, providing the pillion seat 16, usually provides a lockable cover for a stowage compartment and, by now trapping the interengaged buckle-parts 33,34 within that locked compartment, serves to prevent theft of the cover as a whole.

Secondly - if neither a rear stowage compartment 20 nor a pillion seat 16 is provided - the webs 31,32 can be trapped beneath the pad forming the driver's seat 15 and the latter then key-locked in position in the conventional way. This pad 15 usually provides a cover for a compartment housing tools and/or battery for the vehicle. By now trapping the interengaged buckle-parts 33,34 within that locked compartment, the pad 15 serves to prevent theft of the cover as a whole.

Thirdly again, if no rear stowage compartment 20 is provided the webs 31,32 can be threaded through the grab handles 19 and their ends then mutually interengaged by the snap-fitting fasteners 33,34. To avoid theft (the fasteners 33,34 being visible and accessible), a steel cable 35 (Fig 5) may be threaded through eyelets 29 provided in the flexible wall of container 28, the cable ends being interlocked by a key-operable lock.

Fourthly, where,,a removable rear stowage compartment 20 is provided (as shown in phantom lines in Fig 4), the latter is temporarily removed from off its support rack or frame 22, the webs 31,32 are then interlaced through the apertures in the rack or frame before interengaging their snap-fasteners 33 and 34, and finally the stowage compartment 20 is replaced on the support frame 22 and locked thereto. This ensures that access to the fasteners 33,34 is prevented and prevents theft of the cover as a whole. It also leaves the container 28 (enveloping therein the cover sheet 26) disposed forwardly of compartment 20 where it can serve as a soft, flexible cushion or pad for 20 the lower back of a passenger seated on the pillion seat 16.

The possibility of attaching the the cover 25 in any one of several possible ways enables it to be used on a wide variety of vehicles of different sizes and makes.

Nevertheless, each such manner of locked attachment of the cover to the vehicle enables the cover 25 (with sheet 26 stowed in the bag 28) to be nevertheless readily removed, as a whole, from off the vehicle by simply unlocking the mechanism retaining it to the vehicle. The removed bag can then be used on another vehicle, or for some quite different purpose, e.g. as a pillow or a container for goods (additional to the cover 26) or for deployment of the cover 26 as, say, a ground sheet or a cover for some other object.

It will be appreciated that, with any of the foregoing mounting arrangements, the cover 25 can be readily deployed (see Figs 2 and 3) by simply opening the bag 28, pulling out the sheet 26 and spreading it over the seats 15 and 16, the handlebars 13 and the guages and instruments 14 (as well as any windscreen or windshield 9 that may be mounted in front of the handlebars). To secure the sheet 26 in this deployed condition, elasticated loops 27 at opposite edges of the sheet 26 may be looped around the foot rests 17 of the motorcycle.

In a modification of the illustrated embodiment, the elasticated loops 27 may be replaced by an elongate resilient cord that extends sinuously through eyelets provided at intervals all around the edge of sheet 26. When the cover sheet 26 is deployed for the first time over the motorcycle, this elongate cord can be hooked - at any convenient location around its edge - to a projection of the vehicle, and the resilient cord then tightened (in the manner of a draw string) to secure the sheet 26 in position. The ends of the cord can then be tied together to form the cord into an elastic loop - or, if the cord ends were previously so connected, a knot can be tied to shorten the effective overall length of the loop. The elastic loop of cord thus enables its use on vehicles of different sizes and makes, and (whatever the vehicle size) dimensions the hem of the cover sheet 26 to fit well the contour of the particular cycle. In other words, the provision of such an elongate resilient cord enables the cover to be readily adapted for fitting over a wide variety of different motorcycles.

Although the above-described and illustrated embodiments, and their several possible mounting arrangements, have been described with reference to a cover for a motorcycle, it will be appreciated that each can be readily applied to any non-roofed vehicle - be it a two-wheeled vehicle or not. Examples include, without limitation, vehicles such as cycles, motorcycles, motorised scooters and cycles (mopeds), and bicycles.

Furthermore, although the above-described and illustrated embodiment provides for the cover to be a separate item directly attachable to (and readily removable from) the body of the motorcycle, it will be appreciated that the cover's flexibly walled container 28 may alternatively be indirectly attached to the body 18 of the vehicle. For example, the cover's flexibly walled container 28 may be attached to an item - e.g. the top box 20 - that is itself attached to (but readily removable from) the vehicle's is body.

Other modifications and embodiments of the invention, which will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art, are to be deemed within the ambit and scope of the invention, and the particular embodiment (s) hereinbef ore described may be varied in construction and detail, e.g. interchanging (where appropriate or desired) different features of each, without departing from the scope of the patent monopoly hereby sought.

Claims

1. A cover (25) for a non-roofed vehicle (18) (e.g. a two-wheeled vehicle), said cover (25) comprising a sheet (26) of impervious flexible material and a container (28) therefor, connected to the sheet (26) and for enveloping the sheet (26) when the latter is collapsed for stowage in the container 28), characterised in that the container (28) is a flexibly-walled container (28) and is provided with attachment means (31-34; 29,35) for attachment of the container (28) to the vehicle (18).

2. A cover according to Claim 1, characterised in that the attachment means (31-34; 29,35) comprises readily releasable fastening means (33,34) for location below a lockable fitting (15; 16; 20).

3. A cover according to Claim 2, characterised in the non-roofed vehicle (18) is a two-wheeled vehicle, e.g.

a motorcycle (18), and the lockable fitting (15; 16; 20) comprises a seat (15;16), eg. the driver's (15) or the pillion seat (16), and/or the rear top box (20) of the vehicle.

that

4. A cover according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the attachment means (31-34; 29,35) comprises a pair of elongate elements (31,32) extending in opposite directions from the container (28) and provided at their free ends with mutually interengageable fastening 30 means (33,34) for use in attaching the container (28) to the vehicle e.g. motorcycle (18).

5. A cover according to and one of Claims 1 to 4 characterised in that the non-roofed vehicleis a two- wheeled vehicle (e.g. motorcycle) (18), and in that the flexible walled container (28), with the cover (26) therein, is located on the two-wheeled vehicle (18) to serve as a back support pad or cushion for a passenger on the rear pillion seat (16) of the vehicle (e.g. motorcycle) (18).

6. A cover according to any one of Claims 1 to s, characterised in that the container (28) is provided with retention means % (29) for a lockable security cable (35) that is to secure the container (28) in a keyreleasable fashion to the motorcycle (18).

7. A cover according to Claim 6, characterised in that the cable retention means (29) comprises a pair of eyelets (29) in the container (28) through which a said cable (35) can threadingly extend.

is

8. A cover for a motorcycle, said cover being substantially as herein described with reference to and/or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

7. A cover according to Claim 6 characterised in that the cable retention means (29) comprises a pair of eyelets (29) in the container (28) through which a said cable (35) can is threadingly extend.

8. A cover for a nonroofed, two-wheeled vehicle, said cover being substantially as herein described with reference to and/or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been riled as follows c 9 CLAIMS k 2, A cover according to Claim 1, characterised in that said attachment means (3134; 29,35) comprises readily releasable fastening means (33,34) for location below said existing lockable fitting (15; 16; 20).

0 1. A cover (25) for a motorcycle (18) having an existing lockable fitting (15; 16; 20), said cover (25) comprising a sheet (26) of impervious flexible material and a container (28) therefor, connected to the sheet (26) and for enveloping the sheet (26) when the latter is collapsed for stowage in the container (28), the container (28) being a flexibly-walled container (28) provided with attachment means (31-34; 29,35) for attachment of the container (28) to the motorcycle (18), characterised in that said attachment means (31-34; 29,35) comprises means for location below the said existing lockable fitting (15; 16; 20) of the motorcycle (18) whereby the cover (25) and its container (28) can be located to the exterior of said existing lockable fitting (15; 16; 20) but be attached to the motorcycle (18) - and/or be removed as a whole from the motorcycle (18) - by unlocking and opening said existing lockable fitting (15; 16; 20).

3. A cover according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterised in that the lockable fitting (15; 16; 20) comprises a seat (15;16), eg. the driver's (15) or the pillion seat (16), and/or the rear top box (20) of the motorcycle (18).

4. A cover according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the attachment means (31-34; 29,35) comprises a pair of elongate elements (31,32) extending in opposite directions from the container (28) and provided at their free ends with mutually interengageable fastening means (33,34), said mutually interengageable fastening means (33,34) being in use located below the existing lockable fitting (15; 16; 20) of the motorcycle (18).

j.

1W 5. A cover according to and one of Claims 1 to 4 characterised in that the flexible walled container (28), w;ith the cover (26) therein, is located on the motorcycle (18) to serve as a back support pad or cushion for a person seated on a seat (15, 16) of the motorcycle (18) - preferably passenger on the rear pillion seat (16) of the motorcycle (18).

1 6. A cover according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the container (28) is provided with retention means (29) for a lockable security cable (35) for optional alternative use in securing the container (28) in a key-releasable fashion to the motorcycle (18).