US20050046249A1

US20050046249A1 - Motorcycle seat cover

Info

Publication number: US20050046249A1
Application number: US10/638,644
Authority: US
Inventors: Randall Crumley; Ann Crumley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-08-12
Filing date: 2003-08-12
Publication date: 2005-03-03

Abstract

The motorcycle seat cover is formed from a flexible sheet of heat resistant material. The sheet is shaped to custom fit the front seats, back seats or backrests of motorcycles. The sheet is provided with a seam along its free edges. An elastic cord is sewn into the free edges to form the seam or an elastic loop is enclosed within the seam to form an elastic opening for slipping the cover over a motorcycle seat or backrest. The elastic opening draws and gathers the free edges of the sheet underneath a seat or behind the backrest of a motorcycle to securely affix the cover thereto. A pair of back-to-back sheets of heat resistant material may be used to form the cover so that it becomes reversible to give the motorcycle a different aesthetic look. A vinyl sheet is placed between the sheets to make the cover reversible and waterproof.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to seat covers and more particularly to protective seat covers for the seats and backrest of a motorcycle.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is well known that leaving a motorcycle seat unprotected in the environment results in the degradation of the seat material in the form of discoloration and cracking for example. It is further known that considerable physical discomfort can be given to a rider who sits on a cold wet seat or an intensely hot seat. Attempts have been made in the past to protect motorcycle seats from exposure to the environment and additionally provide comfort to a rider. For example, the U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,145 issued to Pearson, Sr. Oct. 16, 1979 teaches a retractable protective covering in the form of a heavy waterproof panel. The panel is rolled upon a spring-loaded spool mounted within a housing attached behind a motorcycle seat. To provide protection the panel is unrolled from the spring-loaded spool and spread across the motorcycle seat and tank. The panel includes a top panel and two side panels attached thereto for covering the sides of the seat and tank of the motorcycle.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,431 issued Jan. 14, 1992 to Frazier a retractable cover is also taught that can be extended to shield the surface of a motorcycle seat from exposure to the environment. Frazier teaches the use of a cover formed from material that is both waterproof and heat resistant that is retractable into a housing affixed underneath the bottom of the motorcycle seat. Various means are taught for securing the free end of the cover so that the cover extends and is retained across the seat.
In U.K. Patent Application 2,373,785 of Tillyer et al. published Aug. 7, 2002 a motorcycle seat cover is taught which is formed of a high friction flexible material. The cover has a bias binding and a drawstring for securing the cover to a motorcycle seat. The cover makes it easier for a rider wearing clothing made of materials like leather to remain securely seated upon the motorcycle seat during acceleration, breaking and cornering.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a motorcycle seat cover solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The motorcycle seat covers of the present invention are formed from flexible sheets of heat resistant and waterproof material. The covers are shaped so as to custom fit the front seat, back seat and backrest of motorcycles. An elastic opening is provided in the covers for slipping the cover over a motorcycle seat or backrest. Elastic cords are stitched around the openings of the covers or elastic loops are enclosed within a seam forming elastic openings for slipping the cover over a motorcycle seat or backrest and for drawing and gathering the free edges of the seat covers underneath a seat or behind a backrest to securely affix the covers thereto.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide covers for the seats and backrest of motorcycles that protect seats and backrests from the degrading effects of exposure to the environment.
It is another object of the invention to provide seat covers for motorcycles that eliminate the discomfort associated with a rider sitting on a soggy wet seat or an intensely hot seat.
It is a further object of the invention to provide seat covers for motorcycles that look decorative including pleasing decorative designs, symbols, emblems and/or logos.
Still another object of the invention is to provide seat covers that are reversible for allowing the changing the aesthetic appearance of the motorcycle when desired.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an environmental, perspective view of a motorcycle seat cover, according to the present invention, attached to the seat of a motorcycle.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the seat cover, according to the present invention, showing the seam of the cover.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the bottom of a seat cover, according to the present invention, showing the shape of the cover.
FIG. 4 is an environmental perspective view of seat covers, according to the present invention, formed from material having a selected ornamental pattern and affixed to the front seat back seat and backrest of a motorcycle.
Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring first to FIG. 1, the present invention provides a motorcycle seat cover 60 on the front seat of a motorcycle 50. Cover 60 is formed from a sheet of flexible heat resistant material.
The sheet of material is shaped so as to custom fit the front seat, back seat or backrest of a motorcycle 50. FIG. 3 shows that cover material 62 is shaped to fit over the front seat of a motorcycle and includes an elastic opening 62 for slipping the cover 60 over the front seat of the motorcycle. The cover 60 may be formed from two sheets of flexible heat resistant material placed back-to-back so that the decorative patterns on the front and back sides of the cover 60 may be different so that the cover 60 is reversible to allow a rider to give a different aesthetic look to the motorcycle with one cover.
FIG. 2 shows a preferred construction wherein an elastic loop 70 having a diameter less than the perimeter of the motorcycle seat is enclosed within a hem sewn in the free edges of the material to form the elastic opening 62. Also shown in FIG. 2 is a sheet of vinyl or other waterproof plastic material placed between a front sheet 63 and a back sheet 64 of cover 60. This arrangement of the sheets provides waterproofing in that the vinyl sheet prevents sheet 64 from becoming wet when sheet 63 is exposed to rain. To make the seat comfortable, a rider need only remove the cover 60 turn it inside out and reattach it to the motorcycle seat. Alternatively, as best seen in FIG. 3, an elastic cord or band may be stitched to the free edges of the sheet of material to form the elastic opening 62 in the cover 60 for allowing the cover 60 to be slipped over the front seat of the motorcycle 50.
The elastic cord may be formed of any suitable elastic material such as polyester elastic, rubber or the material used in forming bungy cords. The elastic cord 62 draws and gathers the free edge of the material underneath the seat to securely affix the cover 60 thereto.
Additional covers are provided that are shaped and sized for slipping over the rear seat and backrest of a motorcycle to form a set with each cover in the set being constructed for a custom fit in a manner similar to the construction of cover 60. FIG. 4 shows a custom fit matching set of covers 80, 90 and 100 for the front seat, back seat and backrest, respectively of a motorcycle 50.
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A cover for the front seat, back seat or backrest of a motorcycle, comprising:

a first sheet of heat resistant material, said sheet being shaped to custom fit around the front seat, back seat, or a backrest of a motorcycle and said sheet further having free edges; and

an elastic cord sewn onto said free edges of said sheet defining an elastic opening for slipping said cover over the front seat, back seat or backrest of the motorcycle, and said elastic cord drawing and gathering said free edges of said sheet of material underneath the front seat or back seat or behind the backrest to securely affix the cover thereto.

2. The cover according to claim 1, wherein said cover is shaped to fit around the front seat of a motorcycle.

3. The cover according to claim 1, wherein said cover is shaped to fit around the back seat of a motorcycle.

4. The cover according to claim 1, wherein said cover is shaped to fit around the backrest of a motorcycle.

5. The cover according to claim 1, wherein said cover comprises a plurality of matching decorative covers forming a set of covers shaped to fit around the front seat, back seat and backrest, respectively of a motorcycle.

6. The cover according to claim 1, wherein said cover includes a second sheet of heat resistant material placed back-to-back with said first sheet so that the cover is reversible.

7. The cover according to claim 1, wherein said cover includes a second sheet of heat resistant material and a sheet of waterproof material placed between said first and second sheets so that the cover is both reversible and waterproof.

8. A cover for the front seat, back seat or backrest of a motorcycle, comprising;

a first sheet of heat resistant waterproof material having free edges, said sheet being shaped to a custom fit around the front seat, back seat or backrest of a motorcycle;

an elastic loop having a diameter less than the perimeter of the front seat of the motorcycle;

wherein the free edges of said first sheet include a seam enclosing said elastic loop defining an elastic opening for slipping said cover over the front seat, back seat or backrest of the motorcycle, and said elastic loop drawing and gathering said free edges of said first sheet of material underneath the front seat or back seat or behind the backrest to securely affix the cover thereto.

9. The cover according to claim 8, wherein said cover is shaped to fit around the front seat of a motorcycle.

10. The cover according to claim 8, wherein said cover is shaped to fit around the back seat of a motorcycle.

11. The cover according to claim 8, wherein said cover is shaped to fit around the backrest of a motorcycle.

12. The cover according to claim 8, wherein said cover comprising a plurality of matching decorative covers shaped to fit around the front seat, back seat and backrest, respectively of a motorcycle.

13. The cover according to claim 8, wherein said cover includes a second sheet of heat resistant material placed back-to-back with said first sheet so that said cover is reversible.

14. The cover according to claim 8, wherein said cover includes a second sheet of heat resistant material and a sheet of waterproof material placed between said first and second sheets so that the cover is both reversible and waterproof

15. A set of covers for the front seat, back seat and backrest of a motorcycle, comprising:

a first cover in the form of a first sheet of heat resistant waterproof material having free edges, said sheet being shaped to custom fit around the front seat of a motorcycle;

a first elastic loop having a diameter less than the perimeter of the front seat of the motorcycle;

wherein the free edges of said sheet include a seam enclosing said elastic loop, said seam defining an elastic opening for slipping said cover over the front seat of the motorcycle, and said first elastic loop drawing and gathering said free edges of said sheet of material underneath the front seat to securely affix the cover thereto

a second cover formed from a second sheet of heat resistant waterproof material having free edges, said sheet being shaped to custom fit around the back seat of a motorcycle;

a second elastic loop having a diameter less than the perimeter of the back seat of the motorcycle;

wherein the free edges of said sheet include a seam enclosing said elastic loop, said seam defining an elastic opening for slipping said second cover over the back seat of the motorcycle, and said second elastic loop drawing and gathering said free edges of said sheet of material underneath the back seat to securely affix the cover thereto

a third cover formed from a third sheet of heat resistant waterproof material having free edges, said sheet being shaped to custom fit around the backrest of a motorcycle;

a third elastic loop having a diameter less than the perimeter of the backrest of the motorcycle;

wherein the free edges of said third sheet include a seam enclosing said third elastic loop, said seam defining an elastic opening for slipping said third cover over the backrest of the motorcycle, and said elastic loop drawing and gathering said free edges of said sheet of material behind the backrest to securely affix the third cover thereto.

16. The set of covers according to claim 15, wherein said covers are formed from the same heat resistant material.

17. The cover according to claim 16, wherein each said cover includes a second sheet of heat resistant material so that the covers are reversible.

18. The cover according to claim 16, wherein each said cover includes a sheet of waterproof material placed between said sheets of heat resistant material.

19. The set of covers according to claim 18, wherein said heat resistant sheets of materials have different decorative patterns thereon.