Handlebar switch mounting structure

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority under 35 USC 119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-239063 filed on Aug. 7, 2000 the entire contents thereof are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a split handlebar switch mounting structure for installation on the handlebar of for instance a motorcycle.

2. Description of Background Art

There has been proposed an improved art of a handlebar switch case as set forth, for example, in Japanese Utility Model No. Sho 57-59426 Handlebar Switch Case For Motorcycle.

FIG. 4

illustrated in this utility model application will be used herein with the designations of members changed.

FIG. 10

is a sectional view showing a conventional handlebar switch mounting structure. A handlebar switch

100

is of such a design that, with a bracket

102

set on a handlebar

101

, a first case half

103

made of an alloy is attached by bolts

104

,

104

to a first lug

102

a

of the bracket

102

, then the handlebar

101

is tightened by the bracket

102

and the first case half

103

, thereby firmly fastening the first case half

103

to the handlebar

101

.

Subsequently, a second case half

105

is installed by bolts

106

,

106

to a second lug

102

b

of the bracket

102

, thus installing the second case half

105

to the handlebar

101

.

According to the handlebar switch

100

, since the first case half

103

is made of an alloy, it is possible to reliably install the first case half

103

to the handlebar

101

by firmly tightening the bracket

102

.

Furthermore, the second case half

105

can be reliably installed, like the first case half, to the handlebar

101

by attaching the second case half

105

to the bracket

102

.

The first and second case halves

103

and

105

of the handlebar switch

100

, however, are produced of different kinds of materials, and therefore there exists a difference in the outward appearance between the first case half

103

and the second case half

105

. The outward appearance of the handlebar switch

100

is hard to improve; therefore the practical use of the handlebar switch

100

of an improved outward appearance is in demand depending on the type of motorcycle.

In some handlebar switch mounting structure, the material of the first case is changed from alloy to resin for the purpose of improving the outward appearance of the handlebar switch.

The first and second case halves can be matched with each other in external appearance by thus forming the first case half of the same resin as the second case half, thereby improving the outward appearance of the handlebar switch. In the next drawing, the handlebar switch will be explained.

FIG. 11

is a sectional view showing a conventional handlebar switch mounting structure. In a handlebar switch

110

, a bracket

111

is positioned by a lock pin

112

on a handlebar

113

. Flange portions

114

,

114

of the bracket

111

are so set as to be sandwiched by both a first case half

115

and a second case half

116

. Screws

117

a

and

117

b

are inserted into through holes

116

a

and

116

b

of the second case half

116

. Thereafter, the screws

117

a

and

117

b

thus inserted are screwed into screw holes

115

a

and

115

b

of the first case half

115

.

A circular portion

115

c

of the first case half

115

is thus pressed against the upper half of the periphery of the handlebar

113

, and a circular portion

116

c

of the second case half

116

is pressed against the lower half of the periphery of the handlebar

113

.

The first and second case halves

115

and

116

can be thus mounted unrotatably on the handlebar

113

.

There is a certain amount of clearance between the lock pin

112

installed on the handlebar

113

and the mounting hole of the handlebar

113

. Therefore, to install the first and second case halves

115

and

116

unrotatably on the handlebar

113

, it is necessary to firmly press the circular portion

115

c

of the first case half

115

and the circular portion

116

c

of the second case half

116

against the handlebar

113

.

Therefore, it is necessary to provide a clearance S

1

for instance between the flange portion

114

,

114

of the bracket

111

and the opposite surface

116

d

,

116

d

of the second case half

116

, and to firmly tighten by the screws

117

a

and

117

b

the first and second case halves

115

and

116

.

However, the presence of the clearance S

1

between the flange portion

114

,

114

and the opposite surface

116

d

,

116

d

impairs the outward appearance. To improve the outward appearance, the screws

117

a

and

117

b

must be firmly tightened to reduce or eliminate the clearance S

1

.

Therefore the first and second case halves

115

and

116

are sometimes subject to deformation, which will adversely affect the outward appearance of the handlebar switch

110

.

SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a handlebar switch mounting structure which has good outward appearance and can be reliably mounted on the handlebar.

To attain the above-described object, a split handlebar switch mounting structure is provided for mounting the handlebar switch on the handlebar by joining the second case half made of a resin to the first case half made of a resin. The handlebar switch mounting structure is provided with the first bracket having a circular portion so formed so as to be attached on about a half of the periphery of the handlebar with a pair of flange portions protruding from both ends of the circular portion. The second bracket includes at least the circular portion so formed so as to be attached on the remaining half of the periphery of the handlebar. The second bracket is joined to the first bracket placed on the handlebar, thereby securing the first and second brackets on the handlebar. Then the first and second case halves are joined to sandwich the flange portion, thereby mounting the first and second case halves to the handlebar through the flange portion.

The first and second brackets are secured on the handlebar, thus permitting the firm attachment of the first and second brackets to the handlebar. Then, the first and second case halves are attached to the flange portion of the first bracket installed firmly on the handlebar. Therefore the first and second case halves can be firmly attached to the handlebar.

Furthermore, since the first and second brackets are fixed on the handlebar, there is no need to tighten the handlebar by the first and second case halves. It is, therefore, possible to prevent deformation of the first and second case halves without applying an unnecessarily great tightening force to the first and second case halves.

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 hereinbelow 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 perspective view of a motorcycle equipped with the handlebar switch mounting structure according to the present invention;

FIG. 2

is a side view of a left handlebar equipped with the handlebar switch mounting structure according to the present invention;

FIG. 3

is a front view of the handlebar switch mounting structure of the present invention;

FIG. 4

is an exploded perspective view of the handlebar switch mounting structure according to the present invention;

FIG. 5

is an enlarged view showing a major portion of the handlebar switch mounting structure according to the present invention;

FIGS.

6

(

a

),

6

(

b

) and

6

(

c

) are views explaining the first installation procedure for installing the handlebar switch mounting structure according to the present invention;

FIGS.

7

(

a

) and

7

(

b

) are views explaining the second installation procedure for installing the handlebar switch mounting structure according to the present invention;

FIG. 8

is a view for explaining the third installation procedure for installing the handlebar switch mounting structure according to the present invention;

FIG. 9

is a view for explaining the fourth installation procedure for installing the handlebar switch mounting structure according to the present invention;

FIG. 10

is a sectional view showing a conventional handlebar switch mounting structure; and

FIG. 11

is a sectional view showing a conventional handlebar switch mounting structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The preferred embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1

is a perspective view of a motorcycle equipped with the handlebar switch mounting structure of the present invention. The motorcycle

10

is equipped with a front fairing

12

attached at the front part of the vehicle body; a windshield

13

attached above the front fairing

12

; a fuel tank

14

, a rider's seat

15

, a pillion's seat

16

, and a rear box

17

mounted in this order from the front fairing

12

toward the rear. An engine

18

is mounted below the fuel tank

14

. Right and left side boxes

19

,

19

are mounted below the rear box

17

. The side boxes

19

,

19

cover the upper part of a rear wheel

20

. A steering handlebar

25

is installed on the upper portion of the front fork which supports a front wheel

21

.

The steering handlebar

25

is a separate type including a right handlebar

26

and a left handlebar

30

. The right handlebar

26

is provided with a right switch panel

28

which has, near a right grip

27

, a STARTER/REVERSE switch and a REVERSE SHIFT SWITCH. The left handlebar

30

will be explained in detail by referring to FIG.

2

.

FIG. 2

is a side view of the left handlebar on which the handlebar switch mounting structure of the present invention is mounted. The left handlebar

30

includes a mounting portion

31

that is secured by bolts

32

a

and

32

b

to an unillustrated top bridge of the vehicle body. An inclined portion

33

rises obliquely upwardly toward the outside from the mounting portion

31

. A handlebar (handlebar pipe portion)

34

extends horizontally towards the outside from the inclined portion

33

. A left grip

35

is mounted on the end portion of the handlebar pipe portion

34

, and a handlebar switch (handlebar switch unit)

40

mounted in the vicinity of the left grip

35

.

The handlebar switch unit

40

is mounted adjacent to the left grip

35

of the handlebar pipe portion

34

. The rider, therefore, can easily operate each of the switches on the handlebar switch unit

40

by using a finger while gripping the left grip

35

by the left hand

37

.

FIG. 3

is a front view of the handlebar switch mounting structure according to the present invention. The handlebar switch unit

40

is provided with an indication-warning system switch cluster

41

located near the left grip

35

, an audio switch cluster

44

is located on the right of the indication-warning system switch cluster

41

, that is, removed from the left grip

35

. A wireless communication switch cluster

47

is located above the indication-warning system switch cluster

41

and the audio switch cluster

44

.

The indication-warning system switch cluster

41

includes a dimmer switch

41

a

placed on the upper stage, a winker switch

41

b

placed on the middle stage, and a horn switch

41

c

placed on the lower stage.

The audio switch cluster

44

is a switch cluster for operating a radio, CD (compact disk) player, and audio tape deck, including a volume control switch

44

a

placed on the upper stage, a station-selection switch

44

b

placed on the middle stage, and a mute switch

44

c

placed on the lower stage.

Furthermore, the wireless communication switch cluster

47

includes a wireless volume switch

47

a

located near the left grip

35

, a wireless channel switch

47

b

placed nearly at the center, and a wireless squelch switch

47

c

placed far from the left grip

35

.

FIG. 4

is an exploded perspective view of the handlebar switch mounting structure according to the present invention. The mounting structure of the handlebar switch unit

40

is a split type designed to be installed on the handlebar pipe portion

34

by joining the second case half

61

made of a resin to the first case half

51

made of a resin.

The mounting structure for mounting the handlebar switch unit

40

includes the first bracket

70

inclusive of a circular portion

71

which can be attached on nearly a half of the periphery (i.e., the lower half of the periphery) of the handlebar pipe portion

34

and a pair of flange portions (front and rear flange portions)

72

and

73

extended from both ends of the circular portion

71

. The second bracket

90

includes at least a circular portion

91

which can be attached on the remaining half of the periphery (i.e., the upper half of the periphery) of the handlebar pipe portion

34

. The first and second brackets

70

and

90

are securely fixed with a frictional force on the handlebar pipe portion

34

by mechanically joining the second bracket

90

to the first bracket

70

set on the handlebar pipe portion

34

. Thereafter, the first and second case halves

51

and

61

are attached to the handlebar pipe portion

34

through the front and rear flange portions

72

and

73

by mechanically joining the first and second case halves

51

and

61

with the front and rear flange portions

72

and

73

sandwiched therebetween.

The first case half

51

is made of a resin and is a member forming the upper half of the handlebar switch unit

40

. The first case half

51

is provided with a dimmer switch

41

a

of the indication-warning system switch cluster

41

, a volume control switch

44

a

of the audio switch cluster

44

, and furthermore a wireless volume switch

47

a

, a wireless channel switch

47

b

and a wireless squelch switch

47

c

of the wireless communication switch cluster

47

.

The first case half

51

made of a resin has the inner and outer circular portions

54

and

55

(only the inner circular portion

54

is shown) on the inner wall

52

and the outer wall

53

, and built-in metal screw members

56

and

57

inside.

The inner and outer circular portions

54

and

55

are so formed so as to cover nearly half of the periphery (i.e., the upper half of the periphery) of the handlebar pipe portion

34

. The screw members

56

and

57

have internal threads

56

a

and

57

a

for installation of the screws

58

and

59

.

The second case half

61

made of a resin and is a member forming the lower half of the handlebar switch unit

40

. The second case half

61

is provided with a winker switch

41

b

and a horn switch

41

c

of the indication-warning system switch cluster

41

, and a station-selection switch

44

b

and a mute switch

44

c

of the audio switch cluster

44

.

The second case half

61

is made of a resin and has circular portions

64

and

65

on the inner wall

62

and the outer wall

63

respectively, and through holes (shown in FIG.

7

(

b

))

66

and

67

for installation of the screws

58

and

59

.

The inner and outer circular portions

64

and

65

are so formed so as to cover nearly half of the periphery (the lower half of the periphery) of the handlebar pipe portion

34

.

FIG. 5

is an enlarged view showing a major portion of the handlebar switch mounting structure according to the present invention. The first bracket

70

consists of the circular portion

71

and the front and rear flange portions

72

and

73

as described above. The circular portion

71

can be attached on the lower half of the periphery of the handlebar pipe portion

34

. The hole

75

is nearly at the center in which the lock pin

74

can be inserted.

The front flange portion

72

is formed approximately as a rectangular lug extending in the radial direction of the circular portion

71

, and includes a screw hole

76

in the outer end

72

a

. A screw hole

77

is provided for attaching the second bracket

90

approximately at the center. A weld nut

78

is provided on the back side of the front flange portion

72

.

The rear flange portion

73

is formed approximately as a rectangular lug extended in the radial direction of the circular portion

71

, and includes a screw hole

81

in the inner end

73

a

. First and second insertion holes

83

and

84

are provided for attaching the second bracket

90

to the bent portion

82

between the circular portion

71

and the rear flange portion

73

.

The second bracket

90

is provided with the circular portion

91

, a front flange portion

92

is bent at the front end of the circular portion

91

, and first and second lugs

93

and

94

are bent at the rear end of the circular portion

91

. The circular portion

91

is so formed about a half of the length of the first bracket

70

so as to be attached on the remaining half of the periphery (i.e., the upper half of the periphery) of the handlebar pipe portion

34

.

The front flange portion

92

is an ear extending in the radial direction of the circular portion

91

, and includes a screw hole

95

for installing to the first bracket

70

nearly at the center.

The first lug

93

is a lug extend radially outwardly of the circular portion

91

, and is a member which can be inserted into the first insertion hole

83

of the first bracket

70

.

The second lug

94

is a lug extended radially outwardly of the circular portion

91

, and is a member which can be inserted into the second insertion hole

84

of the first bracket

70

.

The second bracket

90

can be integrally installed to the first bracket

70

by inserting the first and second lugs

93

and

94

of the second bracket

90

into the first and second insertion holes

83

and

84

of the first bracket

70

, inserting the screw

96

into the screw hole

95

of the second bracket

90

and the screw hole

77

of the first bracket

70

, and then by tightening to the weld nut

78

.

Because of the structure wherein the first and second lugs

93

and

94

of the second bracket

90

are inserted into the first and second insertion holes

83

and

84

of the first bracket

70

, it is possible to attach the first bracket

70

to the second bracket

90

simply by tightening one screw

96

. Therefore, the first bracket

70

can be attached relatively easily to the second bracket

90

, thereby enabling a decrease in the time to install the handlebar switch.

Next, the procedure for attaching the mounting structure for mounting the handlebar switch unit

40

will be explained.

FIGS.

6

(

a

) to

6

(

c

) provide explanatory views for explaining the first installation procedure for installing the handlebar switch mounting structure according to the present invention.

In FIG.

6

(

a

), the lock pin

74

is inserted into the hole

75

of the first bracket

70

. The lock pin

74

is integrally installed to the hole

75

of the first bracket

70

by spot welding for example. In the present state, the first bracket

70

is moved in the direction of the arrow

1

enclosed in a circle. Then with the circular portion

71

placed on the lower half of the periphery of the handlebar pipe

34

, the lock pin

74

is inserted into the hole

39

a

of the boss

39

as indicated by the arrow

2

enclosed in a circle.

Now, in this state, there exists some clearance between the lock pin

74

and the hole

39

a

and accordingly the first bracket

70

can slightly turn along the outer periphery of the handlebar pipe

37

.

In FIG.

6

(

b

), the first and second lugs

93

and

94

of the second bracket

90

are inserted into the first and second insertion holes

83

and

84

of the first bracket

70

as indicated by the arrow

3

enclosed in a circle. Subsequently, the second bracket

90

is attached on the handlebar pipe

34

as indicated by the arrow

4

enclosed in a circle.

Finally in FIG.

6

(

c

), the screw

96

is inserted into the screw hole

95

of the second bracket

90

and the screw hole

77

of the first bracket

70

as indicated by the arrow

5

enclosed in a circle, then the screw

96

is tightened into the weld nut

78

of the fist bracket

70

.

FIGS.

7

(

a

) and

7

(

b

) are provided as explanatory views for explaining the second installation procedure for installing the handlebar switch mounting structure according to the present invention.

In FIG.

7

(

a

), the first bracket

70

and the second bracket

90

are mechanically joined by tightening the screw

96

, securely fastening the handlebar pipe

34

by the circular portion

71

of the first bracket

70

and the circular portion

91

of the second bracket

90

and locking the circular portion

71

and the circular portion

91

to the handlebar pipe

34

with a frictional force.

Therefore a slight turn of the first bracket

70

resulting from the presence of the clearance between the lock pin

74

and the hole

39

a

can be restrained, thus firmly attaching the first bracket

70

and the second bracket

90

to the handlebar pipe

34

.

In FIG.

7

(

b

), with the front and rear flange portions

72

and

73

of the first bracket

70

(including, in more specifically, the front flange portion

92

of the second bracket

90

and the first and second insertion lugs

93

and

94

) are held in a sandwiched manner, the first and second case halves

51

and

61

are joined as indicated by the arrow

6

enclosed in a circle.

Next, the screws

58

and

59

are inserted into the through holes

66

and

67

of the second case half

61

as indicated by the arrow

7

enclosed in a circle.

FIG. 8

is an explanatory view showing the third installation procedure for installing the handlebar switch mounting structure according to the present invention.

As the screws

58

and

59

are tightened into the internal threads

56

a

and

57

a

of the first case half

51

, the first and second case halves

51

and

61

are mechanically joined to the front and rear flange portions

72

and

73

, to thereby attach the first and second case halves

51

and

61

to the handlebar pipe

34

through the front and rear flange portions

72

and

73

.

According to the mounting structure of the present invention, as described above, the first and second brackets

70

and

90

are firmly attached to the handlebar pipe

34

by thus locking with a frictional force as described above, and the first and second case halves

51

and

61

are installed by screws

58

and

59

to the front and rear flange portions

72

and

73

of the first bracket

70

.

Accordingly, it is possible to provide a clearance S between the outer circular portion

55

of the first case body

51

and the upper half of the periphery of the handlebar pipe

34

, and also a clearance S between the outer circular portion

65

of the second case body

61

and the lower half of the periphery of the handlebar pipe

34

. Therefore, the opposite surface

51

a

of the first case body

51

can be reliably held on the front and rear flange portions

72

and

73

of the first bracket

70

. And furthermore the opposite surface

61

a

of the second case body

61

can also be reliably held on the front and rear flange portions

72

and

73

of the first bracket

70

.

Therefore, it is possible to reliably install the first and second case halves

51

and

61

to the front and rear flange portions

72

and