Motorcycle including an auxiliary lighting device for parking operations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10730574-B2
Application number	US-201716312954-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 9, 2017
Priority date	Jun 28, 2016
Publication date	Aug 4, 2020
Grant date	Aug 4, 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) included 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) and at least one rear light (14) fixed to the tail part (4);—at least one kickstand (100) 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 motorcycle body;—one first auxiliary lighting device (50) adapted to light the kickstand (10).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A motorcycle comprising:
a motorcycle 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;
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 and at least one rear light fixed to the tail part;
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 motorcycle body; and
further including a first auxiliary lighting device adapted to light the kickstand or render it luminous, wherein the first auxiliary lighting device is oriented in order to light the kickstand when the kickstand is in the resting position.

2. The motorcycle according to claim 1 , wherein the first auxiliary lighting device is integrated in the kickstand.

3. The motorcycle according to claim 1 , wherein the first auxiliary lighting device is external to the kickstand, it is fastened to the body of the motorcycle and it is oriented towards the kickstand when the kickstand is in the resting position.

4. The motorcycle according to claim 1 , wherein the motorcycle includes an electronic control unit operatively connected to the first auxiliary lighting device in order to activate and deactivate it and wherein the electronic control unit is such to activate the first 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 when the driver getting off from the motorcycle is detected.

5. The motorcycle according to claim 4 , further including a twilight sensor operatively connected to the electronic control unit and wherein the electronic control unit is programmed to keep the first auxiliary lighting device off when detecting a certain degree of ambient lighting.

6. The motorcycle according to claim 4 , further including a radio interface operatively connected to the electronic control unit and wherein the electronic control unit is programmed to activate a second auxiliary lighting device when the speed of the motorcycle is equal to zero and when receiving a radio control signal from said radio interface.

7. The motorcycle according to claim 4 , further including a detecting device adapted to provide an electrical signal carrying an information related to the presence and/or absence of the driver on the motorcycle, being operatively connected to the electronic control unit and wherein, based on the electrical signal provided by the detecting device, the electronic control unit is configured and programmed to activate the first auxiliary lighting device when the electronic control unit detects that the driver got off the motorcycle.

8. The motorcycle according to claim 4 , further comprising a second auxiliary lighting device fixed to the motorcycle body and operatively connected to the electronic control unit in order to be thereby activated and deactivated, wherein the second auxiliary lighting device is arranged and oriented so that, when activated, it lights a ground portion being on the side and/or under the central part of the motorcycle body.

9. The motorcycle according to claim 8 , wherein the electronic control unit is such to automatically activate the second lighting device when the speed of the motorcycle is lower than a threshold speed.

10. The motorcycle according to claim 9 , wherein the absolute value of the threshold speed is greater than zero.

11. The motorcycle according to claim 10 , wherein said threshold speed is greater than or equal to 5 km/h.

12. The motorcycle according to claim 8 , wherein the second auxiliary lighting device is arranged in the central part and it is oriented towards the ground.

13. The motorcycle according to claim 8 , wherein the second auxiliary lighting device has a main emission optical axis being oriented in a direction transversal to the longitudinal axis and facing the ground.

14. The motorcycle according to claim 8 , wherein the motorcycle wherein said central part includes a platform and wherein the second auxiliary lighting device is placed under the platform.

Assignees

• Piaggio & C Spa

Inventors

• Santucci Mario Donato
• Bartolozzi Stefano

Classifications

• F21S41/10

  characterised by the light source · CPC title

• B62J6/04 Primary

  Rear lights · CPC title

• B62J6/022

  specially adapted for motorcycles or the like · CPC title

• B62J6/00 Primary

  Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices on cycles; Mounting or supporting thereof; Circuits therefor · CPC title

• B60Q1/48

  for parking purposes · CPC title