Tilt-decoupled steering device of a motorbike

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12012174-B2
Application number	US-201917312492-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 2, 2019
Priority date	Jan 23, 2019
Publication date	Jun 18, 2024
Grant date	Jun 18, 2024

Abstract

A tilt-decoupled steering device of a motorbike includes a handlebar bridge which receives a handlebar, a fork bridge which receives a fork leg, and a decoupling element connecting the handlebar bridge to the fork bridge. The handlebar bridge (11) is rotatable about a steering axis and is secured about a tilt axis orthogonal to the steering axis. The fork bridge is rotatable about the steering axis and about the tilt axis. The decoupling element is elastic and is designed to transfer a steering movement in a steering direction about the steering axis from the handlebar bridge to the fork bridge, and to compensate for a tilting movement in a tilting direction about the tilt axis of the fork bridge relative to the handlebar bridge via elastic deformation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tilt-decoupled steering apparatus of a motorcycle, comprising:
a handlebar bridge configured to receive a motorcycle handlebar;
a fork bridge configured to receive a fork leg; and
a decoupling element configured to connect the handlebar bridge to the fork bridge,
wherein
the handlebar bridge is rotatable about a steering axis and is fixed about a tilt axis orthogonal to the steering axis,
the fork bridge is rotatable about the steering axis and about the tilt axis, and
the decoupling element is elastic and is configured to transmit a steering movement in a steering direction about the steering axis from the handlebar bridge to the fork bridge, and to compensate for a tilt movement in a tilt direction about the tilt axis of the fork bridge relative to the handlebar bridge by elastic deformation.

2. The steering apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a steering pin fixed on the handlebar bridge,
wherein the steering pin extends coaxially along the steering axis and is configured to be mounted rotatably on a motorcycle frame of the motorcycle such that the handlebar bridge is connectable by the steering pin to the motorcycle frame.

3. The steering apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a pivot bearing having an inner ring and an outer ring,
wherein
the inner ring of the pivot bearing is configured to be arranged on the steering pin or the motorcycle frame concentrically with the steering axis,
the outer ring of the pivot bearing is configured to be connected to the fork bridge.

4. The steering apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the decoupling element is arranged in a plane with the tilt axis.

5. The steering apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
the decoupling element is flat and extends substantially in a plane orthogonal to the steering axis.

6. The steering apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein
the decoupling element is formed from spring steel.

7. The steering apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein
the decoupling element has at least one first connecting arrangement by which the decoupling element is fixable on the handlebar bridge and at least one second connecting arrangement by which the decoupling element is fixable on the fork bridge.

8. The steering apparatus according to claim 7 ,
the at least one first connecting arrangement and the at least one second connecting arrangement are configured to connect the decoupling element to the handlebar bridge in a play-free manner in the steering direction about the steering axis.

9. The steering apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein
the decoupling element is of annular configuration, and the at least one first connecting arrangement and the at least one second connecting arrangement comprises two first connecting arrangements and two second connecting arrangements being provided in an alternating manner with respect to one another and distributed uniformly in the circumferential direction, and
the decoupling element is configured to extend around the steering axis.

10. The steering apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein
the decoupling element is of arcuate configuration, with in each case one second connecting arrangement of the at least one second connecting arrangement being arranged on opposite end sections of the decoupling element and the at least one first connecting arrangement being arranged between the second connecting arrangements of the at least one second connecting arrangement, and
the decoupling element is arranged as to extend around the steering axis.

11. The steering apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a safety pin arranged on the handlebar bridge or the fork bridge, the safety pin extending parallel to the steering axis from the handlebar bridge or the fork bridge to a recess in the respective other one of the fork bridge or the handlebar bridge.

12. The steering apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a safety pin arranged on the handlebar bridge or the fork bridge, the safety pin extending parallel to the steering axis from the handlebar bridge or the fork bridge to a recess in the respective other one of the fork bridge or the handlebar bridge.

13. A motorcycle having a steering apparatus, comprising:
two fork legs;
a handlebar bridge configured to receive a motorcycle handlebar;
an upper fork bridge;
a lower fork bridge;
a decoupling element configured to connect the handlebar bridge to the upper fork bridge;
a trailing arm and
a suspension strut,
wherein
the upper and the lower fork bridge are configured to connects the two fork legs to one another,
the trailing arm is configured to connect the lower fork bridge movably to a motorcycle frame of the motorcycle,
the suspension strut is configured to support the trailing arm with respect to the motorcycle frame,
when in an installed position, the handlebar bridge is rotatable about a steering axis and is fixed about a tilt axis orthogonal to the steering axis,
the upper fork bridge is configured to tilt-decouple the fork legs from the handlebar bridge,
the handlebar bridge is rotatable about a steering axis and is fixed about a tilt axis orthogonal to the steering axis,
the upper fork bridge is rotatable about the steering axis and about the tilt axis
the decoupling element is elastic and is configured to transmit a steering movement in a steering direction about the steering axis from the handlebar bridge to the fork bridge, and to compensate for a tilt movement in a tilt direction about the tilt axis of the fork bridge relative to the handlebar bridge by elastic deformation.

14. The motorcycle according to claim 13 , further comprising:
a steering pin fixed on the handlebar bridge; and
a pivot bearing having an inner ring and an outer ring,
wherein
the steering pin extends coaxially along the steering axis and is configured to be mounted rotatably on the motorcycle frame of the motorcycle such that the handlebar bridge is connectable by the steering pin to the motorcycle frame,
the inner ring of the pivot bearing is configured to be arranged on the steering pin or the motorcycle frame concentrically with the steering axis, and
the outer ring of the pivot bearing is configured to be connected to the fork bridge.

15. The motorcycle according to claim 13 , wherein
the decoupling element is flat, is arranged in a plane with the tilt axis, and extends substantially in a plane orthogonal to the steering axis, and
the decoupling element has at least one first connecting arrangement by which the decoupling element is fixable on the handlebar bridge and at least one second connecting arrangement by which the decoupling element is fixable on the upper fork bridge.

Assignees

• Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag

Inventors

• Fischer Dirk
• Forster Gerhard

Classifications

• B62K21/20

  resilient · CPC title

• B62K21/08

  Steering dampers (dampers in general F16F) · CPC title

• B62K21/18

  Connections between forks and handlebars or handlebar stems · CPC title

• B62K21/04 Primary

  Fork crowns · CPC title