Handlebar switch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9517808-B2
Application number	US-201414191661-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2014
Priority date	Mar 21, 2013
Publication date	Dec 13, 2016
Grant date	Dec 13, 2016

Abstract

A handlebar switch can include a switch case housing switches, and manipulation members arranged on the switch case and configured to be manipulated by a driver to operate the respective switches. A center portion of the switch case 66 on which the manipulation members are arranged is formed as an expanded section expanded in radial directions of a main body section beyond a right end portion, and a left an end portion of the main body section. The manipulation members are arranged in a center part of the expanded section.

First claim

We claim:

1. A handlebar switch, comprising:
a switch case configured to house switches, which are configured to operate electric components of a vehicle; and
manipulation members configured to be manipulated by an operator of the vehicle to operate the respective switches,
wherein at least one of the manipulation members is disposed in a center portion of the switch case,
wherein the center portion of the switch case comprises an expanded section that is configured to expand in a direction crossing a handlebar beyond both end portions of the switch case in a direction along the handlebar,
wherein the at least one of the manipulation members is located in a center part of the expanded section, and
wherein a width of remaining margins of the expanded section, which are obtained by excluding an arrangement part of the at least one of the manipulation members from a width of the expanded section in the direction along the handlebar, is narrower than a width of the end portions of the switch case.

2. The handlebar switch according to claim 1 , wherein
the expanded section has a first face opposed to the operator, and a second face extending seamlessly from the first face and being distant from the operator, the at least one of the manipulation members being disposed not in the second face, but in the first face,
wherein a thickness of the expanded section on a first face side is a predetermined thickness, and
wherein a thickness of the expanded section on a second face side decreases as a distance from the first face increases.

3. The handlebar switch according to claim 1 , wherein
the at least one of the manipulation members is disposed in the expanded section, and
wherein a portion of the at least one of the manipulation members is configured to protrude from the expanded section in a front view.

4. The handlebar switch according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one of the manipulation members comprises a manipulation member for a switch to operate a front light of the vehicle as the electric component.

5. The handlebar switch according to claim 1 , wherein corner parts of the expanded section and corner parts of both the end portions of the switch case are chamfered to incline with respect to the expanded section.

6. The handlebar switch according to claim 1 , wherein the handlebar switch is attached to the handlebar, and wherein the handlebar is configured to be used to steer the vehicle.

7. A handlebar switch, comprising:
a switch case configured to house switches, which are configured to operate electric components of a vehicle; and
manipulation members configured to be manipulated by an operator of the vehicle to operate the respective switches,
wherein at least one of the manipulation members is disposed in a center portion of the switch case,
wherein the center portion of the switch case comprises an expanded section that is configured to expand in a direction crossing a handlebar beyond both end portions of the switch case in a direction along the handlebar,
wherein the at least one of the manipulation members is located in a center part of the expanded section,
wherein corner parts of the expanded section and corner parts of both the end portions of the switch case are chamfered to incline with respect to the expanded section, and
wherein an inclination width of the corner parts of both the end portions of the switch case is larger than an inclination width of the corner parts of the expanded section.

8. A handlebar switch, comprising:
accommodating means for accommodating switches for operating electric components of a vehicle are housed; and
manipulating means for operating the respective switches,
wherein a manipulation member of the manipulating means is disposed in a center portion of the accommodating means,
wherein the center portion of the accommodating means is an expanded section that is configured to expand in a direction crossing a steering means for steering the vehicle, beyond both end portions of the accommodating means in a direction along the steering means,
wherein the at least one manipulation member is located in a center part of the expanded section, and
wherein a width of remaining margins of the expanded section, which are obtained by excluding an arrangement part of the manipulating means from a width of the expanded section in the direction along the steering means, is narrower than a width of the end portions of the accommodating means.

9. The handlebar switch according to claim 8 , wherein
the expanded section has a first face opposed to the operator, and a second face extending seamlessly from the first face and being distant from the operator, the manipulating means being disposed not in the second face, but in the first face,
wherein a thickness of the expanded section on a first face side is a predetermined thickness, and
wherein a thickness of the expanded section on a second face side decreases as a distance from the first face increases.

10. The handlebar switch according to claim 8 , wherein
at least one manipulation member of the manipulating means is arranged in the expanded section, and
wherein a portion of the manipulation member is configured to protrude from the expanded section in a front view.

11. The handlebar switch according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one manipulation member is a manipulation member for a switch to operate a front light of the vehicle as the electric component.

12. The handlebar switch according to claim 8 , wherein corner parts of the expanded section and corner parts of both the end portions of the accommodating means are chamfered to incline with respect to the expanded section.

13. The handlebar switch according to claim 8 , wherein the handlebar switch is attached to the steering means.

14. A handlebar switch, comprising:
accommodating means for accommodating switches for operating electric components of a vehicle are housed; and
manipulating means for operating the respective switches,
wherein a manipulation member of the manipulating means is disposed in a center portion of the accommodating means,
wherein the center portion of the accommodating means is an expanded section that is configured to expand in a direction crossing a steering means for steering the vehicle, beyond both end portions of the accommodating means in a direction along the steering means,
wherein the at least one manipulation member is located in a center part of the expanded section,
wherein corner parts of the expanded section and corner parts of both the end portions of the accommodating means are chamfered to incline with respect to the expanded section, and
wherein an inclination width of the corner parts of both the end portions of the accommodating means is larger than an inclination width of the corner parts of the expanded section.

15. A method of operating a handlebar switch, the method comprising:
using switches housed in a switch case to operate electric components of a vehicle; and
manipulating manipulation members configured to be manipulated by an operator of the vehicle to operate the respective switches,
wherein at least one of the manipulation members is disposed in a center portion of the switch case,
wherein the center portion of the switch case comprises an expanded section that is configured to expand in a direction crossing a handlebar beyond both end portions of the switch case in a direction along the handlebar,
wherein the at least one of the manipulation members is located in a center part of the expanded section, and
wherein a width of remaining margins of the expanded section,

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kikuchi Yutaka
• Kuriki Daisuke
• Inoue Takeshi
• Yamauchi Tomoki
• Otsuji Miku
• Hattori Makoto

Classifications

• H01H2009/068

  with switches mounted on a handlebar, e.g. for motorcycles, fork lift trucks, etc. · CPC title

• B62K11/14 Primary

  Handlebar constructions, or arrangements of controls thereon, specially adapted thereto (hand controls per se B62K23/02) · CPC title

• H01H9/06

  Casing of switch constituted by a handle serving a purpose other than the actuation of the switch, e.g. by the handle of a vacuum cleaner · CPC title

• B62K23/02

  hand actuated (arrangements of controls on handle-bars of engine-driven cycles B62K11/14) · CPC title