Two-wheeled vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9958111-B2
Application number	US-201615183638-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 15, 2016
Priority date	Nov 12, 2012
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

Abstract

A coupling system for a vehicle includes a first coupler having an outer annual surface and an opening defining an inner surface. The outer surface and the inner surface define gripping surfaces for gripping one or more alternative vehicle attachments.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A coupling system for a vehicle, comprising:
a first coupler having an outer annular surface and an inner surface, where the outer annular surface and the inner surface define contact surfaces for contacting one or more vehicle attachments; and
a second coupler having a radially expandable member to contact the inner surface.

2. The coupling system of claim 1 , further comprising a lip adjacent an outer end of the first coupler, defining a diameter less than the diameter of the inner annular surface.

3. The coupling system of claim 2 , wherein the radially expandable member is expandable to a diameter greater than the lip diameter, wherein the radially expandable member is locked behind the lip when expanded.

4. The coupling system of claim 2 , further comprising an outer annular lip defining an outer annular stop surface for the outer annular surface.

5. The coupling system of claim 4 , wherein the outer annular lip has an annular groove therein.

6. A coupling system for a vehicle, comprising:
a first coupler having:
a first annular attachment surface, where the first annular attachment surface defines a first contacting surface configured to contact one or more vehicle attachments, and an inner surface of the first annular attachment surface includes a lip extending radially inwardly therefrom;
a second annular attachment surface, where the second annular attachment surface defines a second contacting surface configured to contact one or more of the vehicle attachments; and
the first and second annular attachment surfaces are collinear with each other.

7. The coupling system of claim 6 , further comprising a second coupler for contacting the inner surface.

8. The coupling system of claim 7 , wherein the second coupler includes a radially expandable member to contact the inner surface.

9. The coupling system of claim 7 , wherein a first vehicle attachment is a saddlebag.

10. The coupling system of claim 9 , further comprising an actuation member for engaging the second coupler.

11. The coupling system of claim 10 , wherein the actuation member is located on an interior of the saddlebag.

12. The coupling system of claim 9 , wherein a second of the vehicle attachments is one of a backrest or a trunk, and the second vehicle attachment attaches to the second annular attachment surface.

13. The coupling system of claim 6 , wherein the second annular attachment surface is an outer surface of the first coupler.

14. A coupling system for a vehicle accessory, comprising:
a first coupler having:
a first annular attachment surface, where the first annular attachment surface defines a outer contact surface configured to receive one or more vehicle attachments,
a second annular attachment surface, where the second annular attachment surface defines an inner contact surface configured to receive one or more of the vehicle attachments; and
a lip adjacent an outer end of the coupler and having a diameter larger than a diameter of the outer contact surface diameter; and

a second coupler coupled to the vehicle accessory and configured to be attached to at least one of the outer and inner contact surfaces of the first coupler, and the second coupler is fixed to the vehicle accessory when the second coupler is attached to the at least one of the first and second contact surfaces and also is fixed to the vehicle accessory when the second coupler is removed from the at least one of the first and second contact surfaces.

15. The coupling system of claim 14 , wherein the second coupler has a first contact member on a first side of an accessory wall and an actuation lever on a second side of the accessory wall.

16. The coupling system of claim 15 , wherein the first contact member is connected to the actuation lever through a slot in the accessory wall.

17. The coupling system of claim 16 , wherein the first contact member is a radially expandable member to contact the inner surface.

18. The coupling system of claim 14 , wherein the second coupler has a second contact member that is configured to engage the lip of the first coupler.

19. The coupling system of claim 18 , wherein the second contact member has a semi-annular surface for contacting the first annular surface of the first coupler.

Assignees

• Indian Motorcycle International Llc

Inventors

• Oltmans Jeffrey D

Classifications

• B60R25/06

  operating on the vehicle transmission · CPC title

• B60K28/04

  responsive to presence or absence of the driver, e.g. to weight or lack thereof · CPC title

• B60K28/02

  responsive to conditions relating to the driver · CPC title

• B62K11/04

  characterised by the engine being between front and rear wheels · CPC title

• F02B61/02

  for driving cycles · CPC title