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Title:
MOTORCYCLE BRAKE OR CLUTCH CONTROL ASSEMBLY
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2006/030379
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
The control assembly comprises an operating lever (10, 110) which can be displaced relative to a released position, and á threaded pin (20, 120) associated with the operating lever (10, 110). The pin (20, 120) is rotatable so as to adjust the released position of the operating lever. The assembly also comprises an electric actuating device (30, 130) for rotating the pin. In order to operate electrically the actuating device (30, 130), at least one control pushbutton (31a, 31b) is envisaged, being mounted close to a handle (22) so that it can be reached by the rider preferably without having to let go of the handle.

Inventors:
ACCOSSATO GIOVANNI (IT)
Application Number:
PCT/IB2005/052996
Publication Date:
March 23, 2006
Filing Date:
September 13, 2005
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
S AG SA (IT)
ACCOSSATO GIOVANNI (IT)
International Classes:
B62L3/02; B62K23/06
Foreign References:
US6516682B22003-02-11
US4779482A1988-10-25
US20030101722A12003-06-05
DE20018705U12000-12-28
US5813501A1998-09-29
Other References:
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 1996, no. 10 31 October 1996 (1996-10-31)
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 1998, no. 01 30 January 1998 (1998-01-30)
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
Fioravanti, Corrado (Torino, IT)
Download PDF:
Claims:
CLAIMS
1. A motorcycle brake or clutch control assembly, comprising: an operating lever (10, 110) which can be displaced relative to a released position; a threaded pin (20, 120) associated with the operating lever (10, 110) , said pin (20, 120) being rotatable so as to adjust the released position of the operating lever; characterized in that it comprises an electric actuating device (30, 130) for rotating said pin and at least one control means (31a, 31b) for electrically operating the actuating device (30, 130) , said control means (31a, 31b) being mounted close to a handle (22) so that it may be reached by the rider preferably without having to let go of the handle.
2. An assembly according to Claim 1, characterized in that the pin (20, 120) forms: a threaded portion (20a, 120a) which engages inside a threaded seat formed in the operating lever or in a movable component (24, 124) connected to this lever; and a portion (20b, 120b) rotationally coupled to a rotating drive member (35, 135) of the electric actuating device (30, 130) , wherein the coupling between said portion (20b, 120b) and said rotating drive member (35, 135) allows axial movements of the pin (20, 120) relative to the actuating device (30, 130) .
3. An assembly according to Claim 2, characterized in that said portion (20b, 120b) has a noncircular crosssection.
4. An assembly according to Claim 3, characterized in that said portion (20b, 120b) with a noncircular crosssection is not threaded.
5. An assembly according to Claim 1, characterized in that the electric actuating device (30) is fixed onto the operating lever (10) and in that the threaded pin (20) engages against a transmission lever (16) situated in between the threaded pin (20) and a further pin (17) able to engage with the piston of a pump (18) of the braking system or the hydraulic clutch of the motorcycle.
6. An assembly according to Claim 2, characterized in that the threaded pin (20) also forms a portion (20c) which projects from the lever (10) so as to engage with the piston of a pump (18) of the braking system or hydraulic clutch.
7. An assembly according to Claim 6, characterized in that the electric actuating device (30) is mounted pivoting with respect to the operating lever (10) .
8. An assembly according to Claim 7, characterized in that the threaded portion (20a) of the pin (20) engages inside a threaded hole (23) of a bush (24) mounted rotatably on the operating lever (10) and in that the electric actuating device (30) is linked to said bush (24) .
9. An assembly according . to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: the operating lever is a pedal lever (110) for the brake of a motorcycle, where the pedal lever (110) forms a front portion (110c) for supporting the rider's foot, a middle pivot (115) and a rear section (110a) ; the threaded portion (120a) of the pin (120) engages inside a threaded seat (121) of a block (124) connected to the rear section (110a) of the lever.
10. An assembly according to Claim 9, characterized in that the electric actuating device (130) is mounted on the block (124) so as to engage rotationally with the portion (120b) with a noncircular crosssection of the pin (120) and in that the pin (120) is joined to or integral with a pin portion (117) able to engage with the piston of a pump of the motorcycle braking system.
11. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electric actuating device (30, 130) can also be activated automatically by means of an electronic control unit mounted on the motorcycle, so as to adjust automatically the released position of the operating lever (10, 110) after a predefined time interval from the moment of startup or after the motorcycle has travelled a given number of kilometres.
Description:
Motorcycle brake or clutch control assembly

The present invention relates to a motorcycle brake or clutch control assembly, of the type comprising an operating lever which can be displaced relative to a released position so as to actuate a pump of the braking system or hydraulic clutch of the motorcycle, and a threaded pin associated with the operating lever, where the pin is rotatable so as to adjust the released position of the operating lever.

It is known that the released position of the brake and clutch control levers of a motorcycle, or more specifically, the distance between the lever and the handlebars, very often is not suitable for the needs of many users, both owing to physical differences between persons and because this position inevitably changes during use of the motorcycle, mainly as a result of heat-related factors, in particular when riding in racing conditions. There is therefore the need to be able to adjust rapidly and precisely the position of the brake and clutch control levers. The same need also exists in respect of the brake control pedal. In particular on racing bikes, the riders require controls which are extremely precise in order to obtain the maximum performance from the vehicle.

In order to meet these requirements, it has been proposed using devices capable of adjusting the position of the brake lever with respect to the hydraulic actuator and therefore also with respect to the handlebars of the motorcycle. Adjusting devices comprising a main lever and an adjusting lever connected thereto and intended to operate the braking system pump when the main lever is pulled towards the handlebars are known. A threaded pin is situated between the main lever and the adjusting lever and may be rotated so as to vary the position of the main lever with respect to the adjusting lever and therefore the distance between the handlebars and the main lever which is operated manually by the rider in order to perform braking. In other cases the free position of the control lever is adjusted by rotating a cam member. Examples of adjusting devices of the known type are described for example in the patents US-4,479,482 and US- 6,516,682.

The adjusting devices used hitherto have the disadvantage that they do not allow the abovementioned adjustment to be performed in absolute safety unless the motorcycle is at a standstill, since it is required to remove one hand from the handlebars in order to reach and rotate the abovementioned threaded pin or cam.

The object of the present invention is to provide a motorcycle brake or clutch control assembly which is able to overcome the abovementioned drawbacks of the prior art.

These and other objects and advantages, which will be understood more clearly below, are achieved according to the invention by a control assembly having the characteristic features defined in the accompanying claims.

Some preferred but non-limiting embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: - Figure 1 is an overall perspective view of a first embodiment of the control assembly according to the invention; - Figure 2 is an exploded view of the assembly according to Figure 1; - Figure 3 is a schematic view, from above, of the assembly according to Figures 1 and 2; - Figure 4 is a perspective view which shows the assembly according to Figure 1 with other components of a motorcycle; Figure 5 is a view, similar to that of Figure 3, showing a second embodiment of the control assembly; - Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view, on a larger scale, showing schematically a detail of the assembly according to Figure 5; and Figures 7 and 8 are, respectively, an overall prospective view and an exploded view of a further embodiment of the invention.

With reference initially to Figures 1 to 4, a motorcycle brake or clutch control lever is denoted overall by 10. The lever 10 comprises a gripping portion 11 and a base portion 12, the latter being hinged in a known manner with a fixing bracket 13 (Figure 4) on the handlebars 14 about a pivot 15. 16 denotes an adjusting or transmission lever which is hingeably mounted on the same pivot 15. On the side directed during use towards the handlebars (or rearwardly) , the transmission lever 16 supports a projecting pin 17 for actuating the piston (not shown) of a pump 18 (Figure 4) of the braking system or hydraulic clutch of the motorcycle. At the front, the transmission lever 16 has a surface 19 against which the rear end of a pin 20 makes contact, said pin having a threaded bottom portion 20a which engages in a threaded hole 21 formed in the base portion 12 of the operating lever 10,

The threaded pin 20 may be rotated about its axis (as indicated by the double arrow A in Figure 2) so as to vary the position of the operating lever 10 with respect to the transmission lever 16 and therefore the distance between the handlebars 14 and the operating lever 10.

According to the invention, the threaded pin 20 is rotated by an electric actuating device 30 mounted on the operating lever and controlled electrically by one or more control pushbuttons 31a, 31b (Figure 4) mounted on the handlebars 14 in the vicinity of a handle 22.

With particular reference to Figure 2, the electric actuating device 30 comprises an electric motor 32 with an output shaft 33 having a worm screw 34 which meshes with a toothed wheel 35. The toothed wheel 35 has a central hole 36 with a non- circular shape (in this example a square hole) inside which a corresponding non-threaded portion 20a with square cross- section of the pin 20 is inserted. Therefore, the toothed wheel 35 drives rotationally the pin 20, leaving it free to slide axially as a result of its threaded engagement with the lever 10. Depending on the direction of rotation imparted by the actuating device 30 to the pin 20, the latter varies its own axial position with respect to the lever 10 and therefore displaces the lever 10, causing it to rotate about the pivot 15 away from or towards the handlebars.

The rider is thus able to adjust at any moment the released position of the lever 10 depending on his/her requirements and, as it will be possible to understand, without ever letting go of the handlebars. The rider may even adjust the position of the lever also while operating it, for example during braking.

The toothed wheel 35 and the worm screw 34 are contained in a casing composed of a bottom half-shell 37 and an upper half- shell 38 which are joined together by fixing screws 39. The half-shells 37, 38 have through-holes 37a, 38a allowing the insertion of the pin 20 and its axial movements (indicated in Figure 2 by the double arrow B) .

In the example according to Figures 1-3, the casing 37, 38 is fixed directly onto the base portion 12 of the lever 10 by means of fixing screws 27 screwed into holes 28. In the variant according to Figures 5 and 6, the casing is instead mounted pivotably about the lever 10. This alternative embodiment differs from that of Figure 3 since an intermediate transmission lever of the same type as that indicated by 16 is no longer envisaged. In the embodiment of Figure 4, the threaded pin 20 is longer than that of Figure 3 and forms as one piece also a portion 20c projecting at the rear of the lever so as to actuate directly the pump 18 of the braking system or hydraulic clutch.

As shown schematically in Figure 6, the threaded portion 20a engages in a threaded hole 23 of a bush 24 mounted rotatably in the lever 10. The bottom half-shell 37 of the casing is mounted pivotably on the bush 24.

Figures 7 and 8 show an embodiment of the invention applied to a pedal control lever for the brake of a motorcycle. In Figures 7 and 8 the parts which are equivalent or correspond to those shown in Figures 1 to 6 are indicated as far as possible by the same reference numbers •incremented by 100 and the description thereof will be limited to the characteristics which differ from those illustrated in Figures 1 to 6. The pedal lever 110 is pivotably hinged at 115 on the motorcycle and forms a rear section 110a with a hole 110b which retains a horizontal bush 129. A block 124 with an upper threaded hole 121 is hingeably mounted on the bush 129. A threaded portion 120a of a pin 120 having a non- threaded upper portion 120b with square cross-section is engaged inside this hole. The non-threaded portion 120b is rotationally coupled with a toothed wheel 135 forming part of an electric actuating device 130 which includes an electric motor 132 with an output shaft 133 having a worm screw 134 which meshes with the toothed wheel 135. A half-shell covering element 138 covers the gear mechanism 134, 135 and has a through-hole 138a from which the top end of the pin 120 can emerge. This end has, fixed thereon and axially aligned, a second projecting pin 117 which is able to actuate the piston (not shown) of a pump of the motorcycle braking system. According to a further alternative (not shown) the two pins 120 and 117 may be formed as one piece, in a similar manner to the variant of Figure 5.

Similarly to the embodiments described above, in order to adjust the position of the pedal lever 110, the electric motor 132 is activated by means of control pushbuttons similar to those indicated by 31a and 31b in Figure 4, so as to cause rotation of the toothed wheel 135 such as to produce raising or lowering of the pin 120 as a result of its engagement inside the threaded hole 121. In this way the pin 120 varies its axial position with respect to the block 124 and the operating lever 110 and therefore causes the rotation of the lever 110 about the pivot 115 so as to raise or lower the front portion 110c on which the rider's foot rests.

Still according to the invention, it is envisaged being able to perform the adjustment automatically by means of the electronic control unit (not shown) mounted on the motorcycle. The electronic control unit may be programmed so as to perform automatically the adjustment after a predefined time interval from the moment of start-up or after the motorcycle has travelled a certain number of kilometres. It is understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments which are described and illustrated here and which must be regarded as examples of embodiment of the control assembly; the invention may instead be subject to modifications relating to the form and arrangement of parts as well as constructional and operating details. For example the control pushbuttons on the handlebars may be of any known type, provided that they are able to operate the electric actuating device in the desired manner.