CYCLE OR MOTORCYCLE

The present invention relates to an apparatus for assisted lifting a top case lid for a cycle or motorcycle .

In the state of the art, it is known that lids of cases for cycles or motorcycles are lifted manually after an opening command. Assisted lifting systems are known involving springs, pistons or other equivalent systems, for example see the assisted lift system of a car boot tailgate. This automotive lifting system cannot be used in cycle or motorcycle cases because it would cause certain technical disadvantages.

The material of which the case is made comprises polymers that when subjected to automotive-type lifting systems oppose constant and relatively high forces that tend to deform the case. This disadvantage is particularly significant when the operating temperature of the case rises to temperatures of 56-60°C, which normally happens under direct sunlight in summer. As a result of this phenomenon, the elements of the assisted lifting system used for cars, such as springs, pistons or pushers with the force required to lift the lid would cause deformations in the cycle or motorcycle case. These deformations are not acceptable for a cycle or motorcycle case from both an aesthetic and functional point of view as they could compromise the stability and safety of the case itself .

US 2004/118889 and EP 2836419 disclose cases including actuators that do not provide for free configurations of a shell of the case, limiting the opening of a case lid.

A further disadvantage of the known state of the art is if actuators were applied to the case, they would be in positions that would interfere with the contents of a compartment of the case and could either limit the load capacity of the case or damage the luggage.

A further disadvantage is that the known state of the art is limited in the opening extension of the lid. The opening of the lid is in fact determined by the stroke of the pistons and by the fact that in normal use the ideal opening is approximately 60-80°, with 0° being the angle of the closed lid, a situation that is inconvenient in some cases when filling the compartment of the case.

The purpose of the present invention is to make a case for cycles or motorcycles which can be opened in a servo-assisted manner without interfering with the luggage contained therein, which can be opened wide when necessary, can open in a servo-assisted manner without deforming the shape of the case itself, is capable of functioning even in summer temperatures, and which is strong, durable and safe.

According to the invention, this aim is achieved with a motor according to claim 1.

Other features are provided in the dependent claims .

The features and the advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description, which is to be understood as non-limiting example, referred to the appended schematic drawings, in which :

Figure 1 is a plan view from above of a case in a closed configuration according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the case according to lines II-II in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view according to lines III-III in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view according to lines IV- IV of the case in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a front view of the case in an open configuration showing an assisted lifting apparatus in position;

Figure 6 is a sectional view of the case according to lines VI-VI in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a front view of the case in a wide-open configuration showing the assisted lifting apparatus partially out of position;

Figure 8 is a sectional view of the case according to lines VIII-VIII in Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a front view of the lifting apparatus of the case;

Figure 10 is a side view of the lifting apparatus in Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a sectional view of the lifting apparatus according to line XI-XI in figure 9.

With reference to the above figures, a case 100 for a cycle or motorcycle is shown, comprising a lid 130 and a bottom 140 hinged together by means of a hinge 110.

The lid 130 and the bottom 140 by means of hinges 110 change from a closed configuration of the case 100 shown in Figures 1-4 to an open configuration of the case 100 shown in Figures 5, 6 in which it is possible to insert luggage into a compartment 200 defined by internal walls of the case 100, to a wide open configuration of the case 100 as shown in Figures 7 and 8 where it is possible to insert bulkier luggage into the compartment 200 of the case 100.

The lid 130 and the bottom 140 enclose the compartment 200, which comprises an upper compartment 230 defined by inner walls of the lid 130 and a lower compartment 240 defined by inner walls of the bottom 140.

The case 100 comprises two assisted lifting devices 10 mounted with an inner wall of the case 100 where the hinges 110 are located.

Each assisted lifting apparatus 10 comprises an actuator 20, an upper shell 30 mounted with an inner wall 131 of the lid 130 and a lower shell 40 mounted with an inner wall 141 of the bottom 140.

The inner wall 131 of the lid 130 and the inner wall 141 of the bottom 140 are on the side of the case 100 where the hinges 110 are located.

Each actuator 20 comprises an upper portion 23 pivoted with said upper shell 30 and a lower portion 24 which passes from a configuration pivoted with said lower shell 40 to a configuration free from the lower shell 40.

The upper shell 30 accommodates the upper portion 23 of the actuator 20 and comprises at least a dividing wall 32 that separates the upper compartment 230 from the upper portion 23 of the actuator 20.

The upper portion 23 of the actuator 20 comprises an extendible arm 21 or rod. The extendible arm 21 comprises an upper end 22 pivoted with the upper shell 33.

Advantageously, the dividing wall 32 allows the extendible arm 21 of the upper portion 23 of the actuator 20 to be protected from any interference with luggage contained in the upper compartment 230 of the compartment 200 of the case 100. The dividing wall 32 fully accommodates the extendible arm 21 of the upper portion 23 of the actuator 20 in any closing, opening or wide open configuration of the case 100.

The lower shell 40 comprises two bracket walls 42 that pivot the lower portion 24 of the actuator 20.

The lower portion 24 of the actuator 20 comprises a cam 25 that passes from a pivoted configuration with at least one wall 42 of the lower shell 40 to a configuration free from the lower shell 40 in which the lower portion 24 of the actuator 20 is free to move out of the lower shell 40.

In figures 3, 4, 6, 8-11 in particular, the lower shell 40 comprises two walls 42 which are preferably brackets in the embodiment shown in the figures.

The cam 25 is a perforated cylinder keyed to the lower portion 24 of the actuator 20 and fixed with the lower portion 24 in a stable manner.

As shown in particular in Figure 9, the cam 25 comprises two plugs 251 extending from the cylindrical portion of the cam 25 outwards and each plug 251 pivots in a respective seat 41 of each of the two bracket walls 42 when the lower portion 24 of the actuator is in the pivoted configuration with said lower shell 40 as shown in Figures 1-6, 9-11.

As shown in particular in Figures 9-11 each seat 41 of bracket wall 42 includes a lead-in 45 comprising an opening directed towards the hinged walls of the case 100 such that the plugs 251 of the cam 25 can protrude from the lead-in 45 of the seat 41 of bracket wall 42 leaving the lower portion 24 of the actuator 20 free as shown in Figures 7 and 8 in the configuration of the lower portion 24 of the actuator 20 free from the lower shell 40.

More generally, said lower shell 40 comprises at least one wall 42 comprising a seat 41 adapted to pivot said lower portion 24 of said actuator 20, wherein said seat 41 comprises a lead-in 45 adapted to release said lower portion 24 by passing it from the pivoted configuration to the configuration free from the lower shell 40.

More generally, said lower portion 24 comprises a cam 25 comprising at least one plug 251 adapted to be pivoted with said at least one seat 41 of the wall 42 of the lower shell 40 and adapted to be released from the seat 41 by means of the lead-in 45 by passing the lower portion 24 of the actuator 20 from the configuration pivoted with the lower shell 40 to the configuration free from the lower shell 40.

In Figures 1-4 the case 100 is in a closed configuration and the lid 130 and bottom 140 are at an angle of 0 degrees.

The actuator 20 is preloaded in the closed configuration of the case 100.

By pressing a button to open the case 100, the lid 130 and the bottom 140 open to each other driven by a servo-control which is, for example, an air spring.

In Figures 5 and 6, the case 100 is in an open configuration and the lid 130 forms with the bottom 140 a maximum opening angle limited by the dimensions of the actuator 20 in its maximum extension in length. Preferably, but not necessarily, the maximum opening angle is comprised indicatively between 60 and 80 degrees as shown in Figures 5 and 6.

Advantageously, the upper portion 23 of the actuator 20 comprising the extendible arm 21 is completely housed within the upper shell 30 so that it cannot interfere with the luggage contained in the compartment 200.

In Figures 7 and 8, the case 100 is in a wide-open configuration wherein the upper portion 23 of the actuator 20 still remains contained within the housing formed by the upper shell 30 so that the extendible arm 21 of the upper portion 23 of the actuator 20 cannot interfere with the luggage contained in the compartment 200, while the lower portion 24 of the actuator 20 is free from the lower shell 40 and is completely out of the housing formed by the lower shell 40 so that the lid 130 and the bottom can perform an extra stroke and the maximum opening of the lid 130 with respect to the bottom 140 is defined by the mechanical stop of the hinge 110 between the lid 130 and the bottom 140 of the case 100.

Starting from the wide-open configuration of the case 100 shown in Figures 7 and 8 and closing the lid 130 over the bottom 140 causes the cam 25 of the lower portion 24 of the actuator 20 to re-engage within the lead-in 45 of the seat 41 of the bracket wall 42 of the lower shell 40 restoring the pivoted configuration of the lower portion 24 of the actuator 20 and restoring the open configuration of the case 100 shown in Figures 5 and 6.

The pivoted configuration of the lower portion 24 of the actuator 20 corresponds to the closed (Figures 1- 4) and open configurations (Figures 5 and 6) of the case 100.

The configuration free from the lower shell 40 of the lower portion 24 of the actuator 20 corresponds to the wide-open configuration of the case 100 (Figures 7 and 8 ) .

Preferably, the shells 30 and 40 are made of technopolymer, which is a material strong enough to be durable, safe and which resists mechanical deformation by retaining its shape even when subjected to mechanical stresses and pressures such as those continuously exerted by the assisted lifting apparatus 10 of the present invention.

Advantageously, the shells 30 and 40 are mounted with the inner walls 131, 141 of the case 100 so as to be protected from the heat of the direct sun, so as to limit any heat-related deformations of both the shape of the shell and the metal parts of the lifting apparatus 10.

Advantageously, the upper shell 30 comprises an extended inner wall 33 mounted with the inner wall 131 of the lid 130 so that the extended area of the inner wall 33 distributes the force exerted by the assisted lifting apparatus 10 over large areas of the walls of the lid 130, thereby decreasing high pressures that would cause warping of a geometric structure of the case 100.

Advantageously, the lower shell 40 comprises an extended inner wall 43 mounted with the inner wall 141 of the bottom 140 so that the extended area of the inner wall 43 distributes the force exerted by the assisted lifting apparatus 10 over large areas of the walls of the bottom 140, thereby decreasing high pressures that would cause warping of the geometric structure of the case 100.

Advantageously, the configuration of the lower portion 24 of the actuator 20 free from the lower shell 40 allows the lid 130 and bottom 140 to pass from the open configuration of the case 100 to the wide-open configuration of the case 100.

Preferably, the actuator 20 is a pneumatic piston comprising the piston rod as an extendible arm 21, but further alternatives provided by the known state of the art in actuators can be provided.

Advantageously, the case 100 for cycles or motorcycles of the present invention allows it to open in a servo-assisted manner without interfering with the luggage contained therein, to open wide, to open in a servo-assisted manner without deforming the shape of the case 100 itself, to be able to function even in summer temperatures, and to be strong, durable and safe.

Alternatively and more generally, the case 100 comprises an opening mechanism that releases the lid 130 and the bottom 140 causing them to open in a servoassisted manner driven by the assisted lifting apparatus 10, wherein the opening mechanism is, for example, the opening button of the lid 130 relative to the bottom 140 or a lever, or further alternatives provided by the known state of the art relating to opening mechanisms can be provided .

Alternatively, the servocontrol released by the opening button of the lid 130 with respect to the bottom 140 is either a spring element or a hydraulic or compressed air element, or further alternatives provided by the known state of the art in servocontrols can be provided .

Alternatively, there is only one hinge 110.

Alternatively, there may be a plurality of hinges 110 greater than two hinges 110.

Alternatively, it can be provided that there is only one assisted lifting apparatus 10 positioned on the side of the case 100 where there is at least one hinge 110.

Alternatively, the upper shell 30 and the lower shell 40 can be inverted with each other, as can the upper portion 23 and the lower portion 24 of the actuator 20, e.g. by mounting the upper shell 30 with the bottom 40 and the lower shell 40 with the lid 30.

Alternatively, it is possible to provide for the cam 25 of the lower portion 24 of the actuator 20 to have a different geometric shape that allows, as in the embodiment presented above, to switch from the pivoted configuration with the lower shell 40 to the configuration free from the lower shell 40.

Alternatively, the inner walls 131 and 141 of the case 100 are not the bottom walls where the at least one hinge 110 is mounted, but are the side walls of the case 100, and the shells 30 and 40 are mounted with the inner side walls of the lid 130 and bottom 140 of the case 100, respectively.

Alternatively, it is possible to provide for the lower shell 40 to comprise a single bracket wall 42 comprising the seat 41 comprising the lead-in 45 and adapted so that said lower portion 24 of the actuator 20 passes from a pivoted configuration with the seat 41 of the bracket wall 42 to the configuration free from the lower shell 40.

Alternatively, it is possible to provide for the upper shell 30 not to include the dividing wall 32 to protect the upper portion 23 of the actuator 20, but in this pejorative alternative the extendible arm 21 of the actuator 20 would interfere with the luggage contained in the compartment 200 of the case 100.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible to many modifications and variants, all falling within the same inventive concept. In practice, the materials used, as well as their dimensions, can be of any type according to the technical requirements.