Portable Covering for Removable Touring Motorcycle Storage Unit

DESCRIPTION

5 TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to coverings for motorcycle storage units and the like.

BACKGROUND ART

Modern touring motorcycles are built to give riders the ability to travel long distances both comfortably and compactly. Because of the great distances riders travel with the touring 0 motorcycles, these touring motorcycles are often fitted with removable storage units (e.g., the storage unit sold under the trademark TOUR-PAK) for a rider's possessions, which when these storage units are fitted on the motorcycle are located posterior to the seat of the motorcycle and above the rear tire rim. Such storage units are also often affixed to the backrest pad of the motorcycle thereby forming an entire removable unit comprising of the storage unit and back rest 5 pad.

A drawback related to touring motorcycles that contain such removable storage units is that when the removable storage unit is removed or detached for traveling shorter distances or to make the motorcycle lighter in weight, there is no convenient and safe way of protecting such storage units from being scratched or damaged. A further drawback to touring motorcycles that O contain such removable storage units is that since there is limited storage space available on a motorcycle, there is no compact, portable way of protecting such storage units that have been removed or detached from being scratched or damaged.

It therefore would be desirable to provide a covering for these touring motorcycle removable storage units which overcome these drawbacks. 5 Toward this end, a goal of the invention is to design a covering for a touring motorcycle removable storage unit in such fashion that it can be easily and compactly transported.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

O Briefly, the invention is directed to a covering comprising a shell having an opening at one end which fits over the removable storage unit when the storage unit has been detached from the

motorcycle. To achieve the goal of designing a covering that is both easily and compactly transported, the covering further is comprised of a fastening means for transforming the shell into a portable pouch that is joined by a seam to the outer surface of the shell along and interior to the perimeter of the top of the shell. The shell can be converted into a portable pouch by folding the sides of the shell extending from the top inwardly across the opening such that the fastening means can be engaged to enclose the sides of the shell and form a portable pouch. To serve as a protective covering again, the fastening means can be easily disengaged to expand into the open ended shell to fit over the removable storage unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a removable motorcycle storage unit covering designed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective, inverted view of the covering revealing its underside and an opening 8; FIG. 3 is a perspective, inverted view of the covering where the sides of the covering have been flattened such that the sides are folded into the same plane as the top; FIG. 4 is a perspective, inverted view of the covering after a pair of parallel sides have been folded inwardly across the opening 8;

FIG. 5 is a perspective, inverted view of the covering where the remaining pair of parallel sides shown in FIG. 4 are folded inwardly across the opening 8;

FIG. 6 is a perspective, inverted view of the covering shown in FIG. 5 now shown folded in half by bringing the edges of the top of the shell together;

FIG. 7 is a perspective, side view of the cover now shown with the fastening means,, in this case a zipper, engaged to cause the top 3 of the covering, shown in FIG. 6 to form a seal around the remainder of the covering.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the top 1, bottom opening 8, and sides 4, 5, 6, and 7 of an embodiment of a motorcycle storage unit covering (shown generally at 10 in the Figures) while it is in its fully expanded form. FIGS. 3 to 6 illustrate the steps that convert the covering 10 from its expanded form, as shown in FIGS. 1-2, to its compact pouch form, as shown in FIG. 7. FIGS. 1, 6, and 7 particularly illustrate the fastening means for such conversion, in this embodiment a zipper 2 having a zipper pull 9. FIG. 7 illustrates the covering 10 folded and zipped into its fastened,

compact pouch form where the sides 4, 5, 6, and 7 of the covering are enclosed.

In FIG. 1, the covering 10 is comprised first of the top 1 and of the fastening means 2, an open zipper which is spread out into a circle or rectangle as shown and is seamed to the outer surface of the top 1 as is shown in this figure. The fastening means 2 is located along and interior to the perimeter 3 of the top 1, the perimeter 3 at which the top 1 joins with the front side 4 and the right side 5 of the cover 10.

FIG. 2 illustrates the opening 8 in the bottom of the covering 10 which is formed by all four sides of the covering: the front side 4, the right side 5, the back side 6, and the left side 7.

Preferably, the covering 10 is made from a nylon material such as that sold under the trademark TASLAN SUPPLEX NYLON and which has a polyurethane coating, although other suitable materials such as the synthetic nylon-like material sold under the trademark GORTEX or other similar lightweight materials which are water and weather resistant may also be used. A lining to provide further protection from scratches and damages, such as woven natural or synthetic fibers, goose down, felt, or other insulative materials is also preferably provided. The bottom edges of the sides 4, 5, 6, and 7 forming the opening 8 shown in FIG. 2 are preferably provided with an elastic band so as to provide a snug fit around the bottom of the motorcycle's removable storage unit when the covering 10 is in use. The bottom edges of the sides 4, 5, 6, and 7 forming the opening 8 may alternatively be provided with a drawstring that can be pulled to provide the same type of snug fit. . . •

The fastening means 2 may comprised of a zipper closure. The fastening means 2 may also be formed from Velcro ™ strips or other types of fasteners, such as cloth ties or straps with a belt buckle on one side and belt holes or notches on the other side or flexible tabs with a snap locking closure or the like. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, the covering 10 may also be made in any conventional style as desired.

As is shown in the sequential figures FIGS. 3-6, the covering 10 converts into a compact pouch, as shown in FIG. 7. In successive steps, the front side 4, right side 5, back side 6, and left side 7 are folded inwardly toward the opening 8 in of the covering 10 to allow the fastening means 2 to

then be engaged and to enclose all of the sides 4, 5, 6, and 7 within a small pouch formed by the top 1 folded in on itself to contain all of the remaining sides 4, 5, 6, and 7. The resulting pouch that is formed, as is shown in FIG. 7, allows the covering 10 to be transported and stored easily and compactly.

The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention provides a convenient, safe and portable way of protecting removable storage units of touring motorcycles from being scratched or damaged.