Title of Invention

"A VEHICLE BODY COVER MOUNTING STRUCTURE FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE"

Abstract

A seat lock cover and a box cover are tightly jointed to protect the seat lock from tampering. [SOLUTION] A seat lock 43 for locking the rear part of a seat is disposed on a stay 45 supported on a sub-frame 44, and a seat lock cover 40 is mounted on the seat lock 43. Furthermore, with the mounting portion 37 of the rear cover 24 overlapped on a flat portion 56 provided at the rear part of the seat lock cover 40, the seat lock 43 is secured together to the seat lock 43 by a fastener 58. On the side of the seat lock cover 40 a grip cover portion 51 is mounted and a cutout 52 of the grab rail 12 is formed, so that when the seat lock cover 40 and the rear cover 24 are mounted, the upper side of the opening portion 31 in the rear cover 24 is covered with the grip cover portion 51, forming no clearance through which the hand can be inserted from outside into the opening portion 31.

Full Text

[DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION] [OOOf} [Industrial Field of Utilization] The present invention relates to a vehicle body cover mounting structure for covering the rear part of a vehicle body below a seat on a two-wheeled motorcycle or a three-wheeled motorcycle. [Prior Art] A vehicle body cover structure for a two-wheeled motorcycle has been disclosed by Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 4-224483 . The vehicle body cover comprises right and left side covers for covering both lower sides of a seat, a rear cover for covering the surrounding of a taillight, and further an upper cover for covering the upper part thereof; these covers are engaged with the upper part of the right and left side covers. [Problem to Be Solved by the Invention] The seat lock for locking the rear part of the seat is in some cases provided at the rear part of the vehicle body; in this case, it becomes necessary to employ a gapless vehicle cover mounting structure which can prevent tampering. The use of the rear cover only to connect the right and left side covers as in the prior art example is insufficient. [0004] The vehicle body cover is sometimes supported with a stay extended from the vehicle frame; this type of support, however, the cover jointing accuracy will be affected by the assembling accuracy on the vehicle frame side and accordingly it will become difficult to joint the covers to eliminate the aforesaid clearance. [Means for Solving the Problem] To solve the above-de scribed problem, the first embodiment of the vehicle body cover mounting structure according to the present invention is characterized in that, in a motor vehicle in which a seat lock member for locking the rear part of a seat is provided at the rear part of the motor vehicle and the rear part of the motor vehicle below the seat including the seat lock is covered with a vehicle body cover, a seat lock cover for covering the upper part of the seat lock is provided below the seat, and that the vehicle body cover is installed and supported on the seat lock cover. The second embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that grips are installed outside on the side of said vehicle body cover, with both ends thereof inserted into said vehicle body cover through an opening which is open in the upper part of the vehicle body cover and installed to a vehicle body side, and with one end of the opening provided in the vicinity of the seat lock; and the open part of the opening is covered with the seat lock cover. [Effect of the Invention] According to the first embodiment of the present invention, the seat lock is covered with the seat lock cover arranged underneath the seat and at the same time the vehicle body cover is installed and supported on the seat lock cover, thereby enabling tighter jointing of the vehicle body cover to the seat lock cover. It is, therefore, possible to prevent formation of a clearance between these cover members through which the hand can be inserted from outside, so that the seat lock will not be tampered with. Furthermore, unlike the prior art cover mounting structure that the vehicle body cover is installed to a stay extended from the vehicle frame side, the vehicle body cover is directly attached to the seat lock cover, improving the seat lock cover-to-vehicle body cover jointing accuracy without giving any adverse effect to the assembling accuracy on the vehicle frame side. As described above, therefore, it is possible to closely joint these covers and besides to reduce the number of components by abolishing the installation of the stay. [0009] According to the second embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the formation of the clearance: in to which the hand will be inserted from outside, and accordingly to prevent tampering with the seat and also to allow effective use of the seat lOCK cover, by covering the open part of the opening with the seat lock coyer even if the vehicle body cover is provided, in the vicinity of the seat lock, with the opening which is open in the upper part for mounting the grips therethrough. A vehicle body cover mounting structure for a motor vehicle in which a seat lock member for locking the rear part of a seat is provided at the rear part of said motor vehicle and said rear part of said motor vehicle below said seat including said seat lock is covered with a vehicle body cover, characterized in that a seat lock cover for covering the upper part of said seat lock is provided below said seat, and that said vehicle body cover is installed and supported on said seat lock cover. [BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS] Fig. lis a perspective view showing a method of mounting the rear cover of the preferred embodiments; Fig. 2 is a side view of a two-wheeled motorcycle to which the present embodiment is applied; Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the motor vehicle cover mounting portion at the rear part of the motor vehicle; Fig. 4 is an upper perspective view showing the seat lock cover portion exclusive of the seat; Fig. 5 is a view showing the rear cover before mounting; and Fig. 6 is a top view of the whole body of the rear cover. .[0010] [Preferred Embodiments] First, the outline of a two-wheeled motorcycle to which the present embodiment is applied will be explained with reference to Fig. 2. A front fork 2 supporting a front wheel 1 is connected at the top end portion with a stem pipe 4 through a bottom bridge 3. The steering of the motorcycle is performed by means of a handlebar 5 mounted at the top end portion thereof. A main frame 7 with a head pipe 6 disposed at its front end in which the stem pipe 4 is rotatably supported is extended obliquely downward like a backbone at the center of the vehicle body towards the rear; and a pair of right and left rear frames 8 are connected at the front end portions with the main frame 7 at the central portion. [0012] The right and left rear frames 8 are extended approximately horizontally and then obliquely upward and further to the rear, where the rear frames 8 support a luggage box 9 . The luggage box 9 has a large capacity to hold a large-size material such as a protective helmet 10, and is so designed as to open and close with a seat 11 the opening which opens upward. •EO013] At either end portion of the right and left rear frames 8 a grab rail 12 protruding sideward is supported. The grab rail 12 is equivalent to the grip in the present invention. -[0014] An engine 13 which is inclined forward is supported beneath the main frame 7 by a box-shaped pivot plate 14 extended downward surrounding the intermediate portion of the main frame 7 and the right and left lower end portions of the main frame 7. [0015] On the pivot plate 14 a rear swing arm 15 is rotatably mounted at the front end by a pivot shaft 16, and a rear wheel 17 is supported at the rear end. A pair of right and left shock absorbers 18 are mounted between the rear end of the rear swing arm 15 and the rear part of the rear frame 8 disposed above the rear swing arm 15. The vehicle body is covered with various types of covers: first the handlebar 5 is covered with a handlebar cover 20; and the front side of the head pipe 6 is covered with the front cover 21; the part ranging from the rear side of the head pipe 6 to the luggage box 9 is covered with a leg shield 22; the front of the luggage box 9 is covered with a box cover 23; and the part beneath the seat 11 including the large part of the side surface of the luggage box 9 behind the box cover 23 is covered with a rear cover 24. Above the front wheel 1 a movable front fender 25 which moves as one unit with the front fork 2 is mounted on the bottom bridge 3. At its central part a fork cover 26 is attached from outside on the part between the right and left front forks 2, thereby covering the outer side of the front fork 2. Next, the rear cover 24 mounting structure will be explained. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a method for mounting the rear cover 24. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the rear part of the vehicle body showing the mounting portion. Fig. 4 is a top view showing the seat lock cover portion excluding the seat. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the rear part of the motor vehicle off the rear cover. Fig. 6 is a top view of the whole part of the rear cover. As shown in Fig. 6, the rear cover 24 is produced from a suitable resin such as ABS, and is separated to the right and left sides at the center of the vehicle body, either of which is attached to the box cover 23 by a mounting portion 26 formed on the forward end side of the front end upper portion 25 (Fig. 2) , and to the rear end portion of the leg shield 22 by a mounting piece 28 protruding forward to the front end lower portion 27 (Fig. 2) . In the rear upper peripheral portion of the side of each rear cover 24, cutout-like openings 30 and 31 which open upward are formed at the front and rear of the rear cover 24. The rear end portion 32 is connected at the joint line 33 , forming a housing portion for housing the taillight 29 (Fig. 3). Along the joint line 33 an engagement piece 34 protrudes from one half o'f the rear cover 24 and an engagement slot is provided on the other half (Fig. 1) - The front end edge 36 of the rear end portion 32 continues to the opening portion 31 at the side, and, at the central side, to a mounting portion 37 which is raised one step high. The mounting portion 37 is extended forward in a form of visor, and has a mounting hole 3 8 for mounting on a later-described seat lock cover. A seat lock cover 40 is attached on a seat lock 43 for locking a fastening hardware 42 protruding downward from the rear central part of the underside of the bottom plate 41 of the seat 11 as shown in Fig. 3. The seat lock 43 welded on a sub-frame 44 is disposed in an approximately U shape projecting to the rear, in the top view, within the rear inside space of the rear cover 24, and is extended to the rear to be supported on a stay 45. The sub-frame 44 is welded at the right and left front ends to the upper end (also the rear end) of the rear frame 8. Furthermore at the upper end of the rear frame 8, an angle-shaped bracket 46 is attached. On this bracket 46 the grab rail 12 is mounted by a bolt 47 at the front end. The rear end of the grab rail 12 is fastened by a bolt on the stay 45. Within the space enclosed by the sub-frame 44 a fuel tank 48 is housed. A flange 48a thereof is supported on the bracket 46 and on a stay 49 welded at the center of the rear end of the sub-frame 44. The seat lock cover 40 is molded as a rigid part from a resin such as polypropylene; and a visor portion 50 covering the whole body of the seat lock 43 and extending forward goes in between a thick wall portion 41a into which the base portion of the fastening hardware 42 of the bottom plate 41 is inserted, and the rear end upper surface portion 48b of the fuel tank 48, to thereby fill the clearance in order to prevent the insertion of a hand from outside (Fig. 3). The under side of the seat lock 43 is closed with the sub-frame 44, the stay 45, the rear end side portion extended long to the rear of the flange 48a, a case of the seat lock 43 itself, and a taillight 29, to the extent that the hand can not be inserted from below. Furthermore, a grip cover portion 51 is extended sideward on both the right and left sides of the seat lock cover 40, thereby forming an approximately U-shaped downward cutout 52 ; and the grip cover portion 51 overlaps the opening portion 31. The cutout 52 and the opening portion 31 form a hole through which the grab rail 12 is inserted in and out, and only the surrounding of the hole is closed so that the hand can not be inserted into the opening portion 31 (Fig. 4). At the center of the seat lock cover 40 a slot 53 open at the front is formed on both the right and left sides, for housing the fastening hardware 42, and the seat lock cover 40 is attached to a flat stepped portion 54 by screws 55 to the front side of the seat lock 43. A flat portion 56 is also formed at the right and left rear of the seat lock cover 40, in either of which a mounting hole 57 is formed. On the flat portion 56 a mounting portion 37 of the rear cover 24 is placed with the mounting holes 38 and 57 registered, so that a fastener 58 is inserted from above to attach the seat lock cover as one unit to the seat lock 43, thus closely overlapping the mounting portion 37 with the seat lock cover 40. The fastener 58 is covered from above with the bottom plate 41 of the seat 11, preventing the insertion of the hand from outside (Fig. 3) . The fastener 58 is a quick-fit member that can easily be installed and removed. Next, operation of the present embodiment will be explained. In Fig. 1 and Fig. 5, to mount the rear portion of the rear cover 24, the seat lock cover 40 is set on the seat lock 43, and then the front part thereof is fastened by the screws 55 . In this state, the rear cover 24 is mounted, with the mounting portion 37 set on the flat portion 56. Then, with the mounting hole 38 and the mounting hole 58 properly aligned, the rear cover 24 is secured to the seat lock 43 by the fastener 58. Thus the rear cover 24 is secured to the sub-frame 44 side through the seat lock cover 40 and the seat lock 43 . At this time the rear cover 24 is not directly attached to the vehicle body frame, but attached through the seat lock cover 40. These cover members are mutually directly attached easily and accurately, and therefore the hand can not be inserted from outside. The mounting of the vehicle cover is not affected by the assembly accuracy of the vehicle body unlike the-direct mounting of the rear cover 24 to the vehicle body frame side. Therefore, a good jointing accuracy can be achieved and besides the welding of the mounting stay to the vehicle frame is not needed. This, therefore, can not only decrease the number of assembling processes but the number of component parts. Furthermore, since the grip cover portion 51 formed on either of the right and left sides of the seat lock cover 40 covers the upper part of the opening portion 31, the hand can not be inserted into the opening portion 31 if a structure to mount the grab rail 12 protruding out through to the side of the rear cover 24 is adopted, thereby achieving the structure that the seat lock 43 will not easily be tampered with. [Explanation of Reference Numerals] 8 ... rear frame; 11 ... seat; 12 ... grab rail (grip); 24 ... rear cover (vehicle body cover); 31 ... opening portion; 37 ... mounting portion; 40 ... seat lock cover; 41 ... bottom plate,-42 . . .fastening hardware; 43 ... seat lock; 44 ... sub-frame; 45 . . . stay; 48 ... fuel tank; 51 ... grip cover portion; 52 ... cutout; 56 ... flat portion; 58 ... fastener We Claim: "1. A vehicle body cover mounting structure for a motor vehicle in which a seat lock member for locking the rear part of a seat (11) is provided at the rear part of said motor vehicle and said rear part of said motor vehicle below said seat (11) including said seat lock (43) is covered with a vehicle body cover (24), characterized in that a seat lock cover (40) for covering the upper part of said seat lock (43) is provided below said seat (11), and that said vehicle body cover is installed and supported on said seat lock cover (40). 2. A vehicle body cover mounting structure as claimed in claim 1, Wherein grips (12) are installed outside on the side of said vehicle body cover (24), with both ends thereof inserted into said vehicle body cover (24) through cutouts (30, 31) which are open in the upper part of said vehicle body cover (24) and installed to a vehicle body side, and one of said cutouts (30, 31) is provided vicinity of said seat lock (43); and said open part of said cutout (31) is covered with said seat lock cover (40). 3. A vehicle body cover mounting structure for a motor vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

34-del-1999-abstract.pdf

34-del-1999-claims.pdf

34-del-1999-correspondence-others.pdf

34-del-1999-correspondence-po.pdf

34-del-1999-description (complete).pdf

34-del-1999-drawings.pdf

34-del-1999-form-1.pdf

34-del-1999-form-13.pdf

34-del-1999-form-19.pdf

34-del-1999-form-2.pdf

34-del-1999-form-3.pdf

34-del-1999-form-4.pdf

34-del-1999-form-6.pdf

34-del-1999-gpa.pdf

34-del-1999-petition-137.pdf

34-del-1999-petition-138.pdf

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