Tiltable motorcycles with two front steering wheels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9688305-B2
Application number	US-201414301377-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 11, 2014
Priority date	Jul 16, 2010
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

Motorcycles are provided which include a frame, two front steering wheels, a steering pipe rotatably connected to the frame and rigidly connected to two supporting assemblies, one for each front steering wheel and a steering group consisting of two pairs of transversal arms—upper front, lower front, upper rear and lower rear—arranged inverted at the opposite sides of a central steering pipe and laterally connected through two lateral posts. On each of the supporting assemblies the fixed portions of two telescopic elements may be constrained. Each pair of telescopic elements may be cantilever-mounted with respect to the steering wheel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A motorcycle comprising a frame, two front steering wheels, a steering pipe rotatably connected to the frame and rigidly connected to two supporting assemblies, one for each front steering wheel, each supporting assembly being constrained by fixed portions or rods of two telescopic elements, and a steering group comprising two pairs of transversal arms—upper front, lower front, upper rear and lower rear—arranged inverted at the opposite sides of a central steering pipe and laterally connected through two lateral posts, wherein each pair of telescopic elements is cantilever-mounted to its corresponding steering wheel, sliding portions or legs of each pair of telescopic elements being constrained to each other and arranged parallel to each other so as to make both telescopic elements of each pair lie on a plane parallel to the plane of the relative steering wheel, each telescopic element being internally provided with an elastic element and an oscillation damping element in order to provide the motorcycle suspension, said constraint between the sliding portions of the telescopic elements hindering the relative rotation of said sliding portions around their own axis in order to control the steering angle of each wheel with respect to the frame depending on the rotation imparted to the central steering pipe,
wherein said steering group further comprises a control rod screwed onto a steering axle, in turn inserted inside said central steering pipe and wherein on the control rod there rests an inner ring of a ball bearing, and wherein the outer ring of said ball bearing is inserted in a transmission element connected to a steering bar.

2. The motorcycle of claim 1 , wherein on the sliding portion of a first of said telescopic elements of each pair of telescopic elements one or more holes are present which couple with corresponding holes obtained on the sliding portion of the second telescopic element of each pair of telescopic elements, so as to obtain a mutual connection, through fixing elements, of said first and second telescopic elements.

3. The motorcycle of claim 2 , wherein said fixing elements comprise a plurality of screws with corresponding nuts.

4. The motorcycle of claim 3 , wherein said fixing elements further comprise a peg, inserted in at least a first pair of holes and is axially provided with a through hole for the introduction of the corresponding screw, the internal diameter of the holes of said first pair being substantially equal to the external diameter of said peg.

5. The motorcycle of claim 4 , wherein said fixing elements further comprise, at least for said first pair of holes, one or more safety-toothed washers to prevent the accidental unscrewing of the screw from the corresponding nut.

6. The motorcycle of claim 1 , wherein the sliding portions of each pair of telescopic elements are manufactured as one piece, on which two cylindrical housings are provided for telescopic coupling with the fixed portions of said pair of telescopic elements.

7. The motorcycle of claim 1 , wherein on the sliding portion of the first and/or of the second telescopic element of said pair of telescopic elements are provided a sleeve supporting the pin of the relative steering wheel, one or more housings supporting a brake clip for a brake disk of said steering wheel and one or more housings for the fastening of a mudguard of said steering wheel.

8. The motorcycle of claim 1 , wherein the axis defined by the steering pipe is parallel to the axes of said two pairs of telescopic elements.

9. The motorcycle of claim 1 , wherein the steering pipe is inclined differently with respect to the axis direction of said two pairs of telescopic elements.

10. The motorcycle of claim 1 , further comprising a blocking system that restricts the rectilinear movement of the sliding portion of each telescopic element as regards the relative fixed portion.

11. The motorcycle of claim 10 , wherein said blocking system comprises a connection plate constrained to the supporting assembly, on said connection plate being installed a calliper acting on a plate constrained to the sliding portion of one of said telescopic elements, the actuation of said calliper causing both sliding portions of said telescopic elements to be integral with the supporting assembly, so as to prevent rectilinear movement of the steering wheel with respect to the steering pipe.

12. The motorcycle of claim 1 , wherein the central steering pipe is provided with four central support ridges that centrally and rotatably support the two pairs of transversal arms—upper front, lower front, upper rear and lower rear.

13. The motorcycle of claim 12 , wherein the axes of lateral support ridges have the same inclination, with respect to the axes of the two lateral posts, and the central support ridges, and with respect to the axis of the central steering pipe.

14. The motorcycle of claim 13 , wherein the axes of the central support ridges and the axes of the lateral support ridges are inclined with respect to the axis of the central steering pipe and with respect to the axes of the two lateral posts at an angle of between 80° and 120°.

15. The motorcycle of claim 1 , wherein the two lateral posts are each provided with four lateral support ridges that laterally and rotatably support the two pairs of transversal arms—upper front, lower front, upper rear and lower rear.

16. The motorcycle of claim 1 , wherein on the transversal arms—lower front and lower rear—two symmetrical cams, right and left, are provided, which press on shaped profiles obtained on the supporting assemblies, to limit the possibility of steering depending on the angle of inclination of the motorcycle and to avoid possible interference between the components of the steering group.

17. The motorcycle of claim 1 , wherein between the transmission element and the steering bar are interposed two needle bearings and wherein on the ends of said steering bar two cardan joints are constrained, the remaining ends of said two cardan joints being connected to said supporting assemblies.

Assignees

• Piaggio & C Spa

Inventors

• Bartolozzi Stefano
• Bernardi Luca
• Profeti Marco
• Rosellini Walter

Classifications

• B60G3/01 Primary

  the wheel being mounted for sliding movement, e.g. in or on a vertical guide (camber maintaining means B60G3/26) · CPC title

• B62D9/04

  combined with means for {inwardly} inclining wheels on bends (B62D9/02 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60G2300/45

  Rolling frame vehicles · CPC title

• B62K5/10

  with means for inwardly inclining the vehicle body on bends · CPC title

• B62K25/08

  for front wheel · CPC title