Motorcycle comprising an auxiliary lighting device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10654403-B2
Application number	US-201716312944-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 25, 2017
Priority date	Jun 28, 2016
Publication date	May 19, 2020
Grant date	May 19, 2020

Abstract

A motorcycle ( 1 ) including: a motorcycle body ( 2,3,4 ) extending along a longitudinal axis (L-L) and having a front part ( 2 ), a tail part ( 4 ) and a central part ( 3 ) comprised between the front part ( 2 ) and the tail part ( 4 ); at least two wheels ( 5,6 ) constrained to the motorcycle body ( 2,3,4 ), including a front wheel ( 5 ) and a rear wheel ( 6 ); a traction engine ( 7 ) constrained to the motorcycle body ( 2, 3, 4 ) and operatively connected to at least one of the wheels ( 5, 6 ); at least one headlight ( 12 ) fixed to the front part ( 2 ); at least one rear light ( 14 ) fixed to the tail part ( 4 ). The motorcycle ( 1 ) further includes a first auxiliary lighting device ( 30 ) fixed to the motorcycle body ( 2,3,4 ) and adapted to be electrically controlled in order to be activated and deactivated, wherein the first auxiliary lighting device ( 30 ) is arranged and oriented so that, when activated, it lights a ground portion (G 1 ) being on the side and/or under the central part ( 3 ) of the motorcycle body ( 2,3,4 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A motorized scooter including:
a scooter body extending along a longitudinal axis and having a front part, a tail part and a central part comprised between the front part and the tail part;
a generally horizontal platform disposed in the central part of the scooter body and configured to support the feet of a rider;
a front shield disposed on the front part of the scooter body arranged generally upright relative to the platform and configured to protect legs of the rider during a forward travel;
at least two wheels constrained to the motorcycle body, including a front wheel and a rear wheel;
a traction engine constrained to the motorcycle body and operatively connected to at least one of the wheels;
at least one headlight fixed to the front part;
at least one rear light fixed to the tail part;
a first auxiliary lighting device fixed to the motorcycle body and adapted to be electrically controlled in order to be activated and deactivated, wherein the first auxiliary lighting device is arranged and oriented so that, when activated, said first auxiliary lighting device lights a ground portion being on the side and/or under the central part of the motorcycle body;
an electronic control unit operatively connected to the first auxiliary lighting device and configured to activate and deactivate said first auxiliary lighting device, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to automatically activate the first lighting device when the speed of the motorcycle is lower than a threshold speed;
a twilight sensor operatively connected to the electronic control unit and wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to keep the first auxiliary lighting device off when detecting a certain degree of ambient lighting;
wherein the first auxiliary lighting device is placed under the platform and arranged to illuminate and render visible the ground portion during stopping or parking operations.

2. The motorcycle according to claim 1 , wherein the absolute value of the threshold speed is greater than zero.

3. The motorcycle according to claim 2 , wherein said threshold speed is greater than or equal to 5 km/h.

4. The motorcycle according to claim 1 , wherein the first auxiliary lighting device is arranged in the central part and is oriented towards the ground.

5. The motorcycle according to claim 1 , wherein the first auxiliary lighting device has a main emission optical axis being oriented in a direction transversal to the longitudinal axis and facing the ground.

6. The motorcycle according to claim 1 , further including a radio interface operatively connected to the electronic control unit and wherein the electronic control unit is programmed to activate the first auxiliary lighting device when said speed is equal to zero and when receiving a radio control signal from said radio interface.

7. The motorcycle according to claim 1 , wherein the first auxiliary lighting device includes two auxiliary lighting devices being placed on opposite sides with respect to the longitudinal axis.

8. The motorcycle according to claim 1 , further including at least one kickstand adapted to be moved in order to selectively assume a resting operating position and a working operating position, wherein, in the working operating position, the kickstand has at least one end portion leaning against a ground portion being placed laterally and/or under the body of the motorcycle, also including a second auxiliary lighting device adapted to light the kickstand or to render the kickstand luminous.

9. The motorcycle according to claim 8 , wherein the second auxiliary lighting device is such to light the kickstand when the kickstand is in the resting position.

10. The motorcycle according to claim 8 , wherein the second auxiliary lighting device is operatively connected to the electronic control unit in order to be thereby activated and deactivated, and wherein the electronic control unit is such to activate the second auxiliary lighting device when the speed of the motorcycle is equal to zero and/or the traction engine changes from an on state to an off state and/or the driver getting off from the motorcycle is detected.

11. The motorcycle according to claim 8 , wherein the second auxiliary lighting device is integrated in the kickstand.

12. The motorcycle according to claim 8 , wherein the second auxiliary lighting device is external to the kickstand, is fixed to the body of the motorcycle, and is oriented towards the kickstand when the kickstand is in the resting position.

Assignees

• Piaggio & C Spa

Inventors

• Santucci Mario Donato
• Bartolozzi Stefano

Classifications

• B62J6/02

  Headlights · CPC title

• B60Q1/18 Primary

  being additional front lights {(bracket mounted headlights B60Q1/0483)} · CPC title

• B62J6/04

  Rear lights · CPC title

• B62J6/01 Primary

  Electric circuits · CPC title

• B62J6/022

  specially adapted for motorcycles or the like · CPC title