Legs apron for a motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11040749-B2
Application number	US-201816482612-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 26, 2018
Priority date	Feb 1, 2017
Publication date	Jun 22, 2021
Grant date	Jun 22, 2021

Abstract

A legs apron for a motor vehicle includes a middle portion having a longitudinal axis; a first side portion and a second side portion, which extend laterally on opposite sides. The side portions define a first and a second folding portion, which extend according in a prevalent direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. The legs apron has an operating configuration in which the side portions are folded along the folding portions to extend over a respective side transversely with respect to the middle portion. The apron has protection against impacts to protect the lower limbs of the driver. First and second protective bar couple to the first and second side portions. The protective bars each extend parallel or substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. The protective bars are proximal to the first and second folding portions, to protect at least the femoral portions of the driver's legs.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A legs apron for a motor vehicle, comprising:
a middle portion having a longitudinal axis;
a first side portion and a second side portion, the first side portion and the second side portion extending laterally on opposite sides with respect to the middle portion;
wherein the first side portion and the second side portion fold along a first folding portion and a second folding portion, respectively, which extend according to a prevalent direction substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis;
wherein the legs apron has an operating configuration wherein the first side portion and the second side portion are folded along the first folding portion and the second folding portion, respectively, so both the first side portion and the second side portion extend over one of said opposite sides transversely with respect to the middle portion;
means for protecting against impacts to protect lower limbs of a driver against impacts, the means for protecting against impacts comprising at least a first protective bar and a second protective bar coupled to the first side portion and to the second side portion, respectively;
wherein said first protective bar and said second protective bar each extend according to a respective prevalent direction of extension parallel or substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis; and
wherein said first protective bar and said second protective bar are made from a material deformable in compression according to a direction substantially orthogonal to said prevalent direction of extension, and wherein said first protective bar and said second protective bar are arranged in position proximal to the first folding portion and to the second folding portion to protect at least femoral portions of the legs of the driver of the motor vehicle an impact or fall.

2. Legs apron according to claim 1 , wherein each of said first protective bar and said second protective bar is connected to the apron to make the bar adhere substantially along a whole length to the respective side portion.

3. Legs apron according to claim 1 , wherein said first protective bar and said second protective bar are made from polyethylene.

4. Legs apron according to claim 1 , wherein said first protective bar and said second protective bar have a section that has a first side having a length between 70 and 120 mm, and a second side having a length between 70 and 120 mm, and wherein the first side is connected to the legs apron, and the second side, is cantilevered with respect to the legs apron.

5. Legs apron according to claim 1 , wherein said first protective bar and said second protective bar comprise at least a first longitudinal portion and at least a second longitudinal portion, respectively, which extend according to a direction which is substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis.

6. Legs apron according to claim 1 , wherein the first protective bar and the second protective bar extend for the whole length over the first side portion and over the second side portion, respectively.

7. Legs apron according to claim 1 , comprising a third protective bar and a fourth protective bar, coupled to the first side portion and to the second side portion, respectively.

8. Legs apron according to claim 7 , wherein the third protective bar and the fourth protective bar extend for the whole length over the first side portion and over the second side portion, respectively.

9. Legs apron according to claim 7 , wherein the third protective bar and the fourth protective bar each extend according to a respective prevalent direction of extension which is parallel or substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis.

10. Legs apron according to claim 7 , wherein the third protective bar extends according to a respective prevalent direction of extension which is transverse to the first folding portion and wherein the fourth protective bar extends according to a respective prevalent direction of extension which is transverse to the second folding portion.

11. Legs apron according to claim 9 , wherein the first, the second, the third protective bar and the fourth protective bar are rectilinear or mainly rectilinear bars, wherein the first protective bar and the third protective bar are parallel to each other and are transversely spaced apart by a predetermined distance, wherein the second protective bar and the fourth protective bar are parallel to each other and are transversely spaced apart by said predetermined distance.

12. Legs apron according to claim 11 , wherein said predetermined distance is comprised between 5 cm and 50 cm.

13. Legs apron according to claim 11 , wherein said means for protecting against impacts comprise a fifth protective bar and a sixth protective bar coupled to the first side portion and to the second side portion, respectively, wherein the fifth protective bar is interposed between and arranged transversely to the first protective bar and to the third protective bar, wherein the sixth protective bar is interposed between and arranged transversely to the second protective bar and to the fourth protective bar.

14. Legs apron according to claim 11 , wherein said means for protecting against impacts comprise a fifth protective bar and a sixth protective bar coupled to the first side portion and to the second side portion, respectively, wherein the fifth protective bar is arranged with the third protective bar substantially like an “L” or a “T”, wherein the sixth protective bar is arranged with the fourth protective bar substantially like an “L” or a “T”.

15. Legs apron according to claim 11 , comprising coupling elements for removably coupling each of said protective bars at the respective side portion of said side portions.

16. Legs apron according to claim 15 , wherein for each of said protective bars, said coupling elements comprise:
a pair of longitudinal fins connected to the respective side portion, the fins of said pair of fins being opposite to each other to removably surround said protective bar on opposite sides; and
first attachment elements for attaching the protective bar to said pair of fins, said first attachment elements being integral with said fins and/or with said protective bar to be interposed between the fins of said pair of fins and the protective bar, to retain the protective bar interposed between the fins of said pair of fins.

17. Legs apron according to claim 16 , wherein said coupling elements comprise second attachment elements for connecting said pair of fins to the respective side portion, said second attachment elements being integral with said fins and/or said side portion to be interposed between the fins of said pair of fins and the side portion.

18. Legs apron according to claim 16 , wherein said first and/or second attachment elements are selected from among: hook and loop fasteners, button elements, and stitching.

19. Legs apron according to claim 1 , wherein each of said protective bars has a cross section selected from among a circular or polygonal shape.

20. A covering kit comprising a legs apron adapted to be applied to a motor vehicle, wherein said motor vehicle comprises a front portion, a rear portion and a sitting plane for a driver,
wherein said legs apron comprises
a middle portion having a longitudinal axis, which extends between said front portion and said rear portion of the motor vehicle;
a first side portion and a second side portion extending laterally on opposite sides with respect to said middle portion;
wherein the first side portion

Assignees

• Piaggio & C Spa

Inventors

• Maffe' Francesco

Classifications

• B62J17/065 Primary

  Apron-like covers for rider protection · CPC title

• B62J23/00

  Other protectors specially adapted for cycles · CPC title