Title of Invention	"A HANDLEBAR FOR A VEHICLE"
Abstract	A handlebar for a vehicle to be attached to an upper end part of a steering shaft (1) supported for turning on a body frame (F) of a vehicle, said handlebar comprising; a middle covering part (2) formed in a shape to cover instruments disposed above the steering shaft (1); a right grip (3r) formed integrally with the middle covering part (2) to extend from a right end of the middle covering part; and a left grip (31) formed integrally with the middle covering part (2) to extend from a left end of the middle covering part; wherein the middle covering part (2) and the grips (3r, 31) are formed of a synthetic resin in a monolithic structure by molding.

Title of Invention

"A HANDLEBAR FOR A VEHICLE"

Abstract

A handlebar for a vehicle to be attached to an upper end part of a steering shaft (1) supported for turning on a body frame (F) of a vehicle, said handlebar comprising; a middle covering part (2) formed in a shape to cover instruments disposed above the steering shaft (1); a right grip (3r) formed integrally with the middle covering part (2) to extend from a right end of the middle covering part; and a left grip (31) formed integrally with the middle covering part (2) to extend from a left end of the middle covering part; wherein the middle covering part (2) and the grips (3r, 31) are formed of a synthetic resin in a monolithic structure by molding.

Full Text	The present invention relates to a handlebar for a vehicle to be attached to an upper end part of a steering shaft supported for turning on a body frame of a vehicle. [Prior Art] A conventional motorcycle is provided with a bar-shaped handlebar formed by processing a metal pipe and attached to an upper part of a steering shaft supporting a front wheel. Generally, a middle part of the handlebar excluding gripping parts is covered with a top cover consisting of a front and a back half cover, and instruments including meters are placed in a space defined by the front and the back half cover (Registered Utility Model No. 2547379). [Problem to Be Solved by the Invention] In such a"conventional motorcycle, the handlebar and the top cover are separate members made of different materials, and the top cover is fastened to the handlebar with fastening members including screws. Consequently, the conventional handlebar needs many parts, requires much assembling work and costly. Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a novel handlebar for a vehicle, comprising a cover part formed in a shape suitable for covering instruments disposed above a steering shaft, and grip parts formed integrally with the cover part, suitable for reducing the number of parts of the vehicle and assembling work necessary for assembling the vehicle and enabling the considerable reduction in the cost of the vehicle. [0005] [Means for Solving the Problem] Accordingly there is provided a handlebar for a vehicle to be attached to an upper end part of a steering shaft supported for turning on a body frame of a vehicle, said handlebar comprising; a middle covering part formed in a shape to cover instruments disposed above the steering shaft; a right grip formed integrally with the middle covering part to extend from a right end of the middle covering part; and a left grip formed integrally with the middle covering part to extend from a left end of the middle covering part; wherein the middle covering part and the grips are formed o'f a synthetic resin in a monolithic structure by molding. To attain the above objects, according to Claim 2 of the .handlebar, the middle cover part may serve as a component of a top cover assembly for covering the instruments. The handlebar of the present invention reduces the number of parts of the vehicle, assembling work for assembling the vehicle, and the cost of the vehicle. The instruments including meters can be attached to the cover part in an improved accuracy, and the handlebar is lightweight, improves the maneuverability of the vehicle and facilitates, to form the handlebar. [Brief Description of the Drawings] Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a scooter type motorcycle provided with a handlebar in a preferred embodiment according to the present invention. Fig. 2 is a front view of an upper part of the motorcycle shown in Fig. 1, taken in the direction of the arrow 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a partly cutaway side elevation of the upper part of the motorcycle shown in Fig. 1, taken in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 4-4 in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a handlebar assembly. [Preferred Embodiments] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be explained in connection with the accompanying drawings. A handlebar in a preferred embodiment according to the present invention for a scooter type motorcycle will be described hereinafter, in which, "front", "rear", "right", "left", "up (upper)", "down (lower)" and such are used to signify directions, positions and such with respect to the traveling direction of the motorcycle. Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a scooter type motorcycle provided with a handlebar of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a front view of an upper part of the motorcycle shown in Fig. 1, taken in the direction of the arrow 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a partly cutaway side elevation of the upper part of the motorcycle shown in Fig. 1, taken in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 4-4 in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a handlebar assembly. Referring to Fig. 1, a scooter type motorcycle V has a body frame F provided with a head pipe at its front end, a steering shaft 1, i.e., a front fork, supported for turning in the head pipe and supporting a front wheel Wf, and a power unit Up having a front end part pivotally supported on a rear end part of the body frame F and a rear end part supporting a rear wheel Wr. The body frame F is covered with a body cover B. A seat S for a rider is mounted on a rear part of the body cover B. A steering unit for the motorcycle will be described below with reference to Figs. 2 to 6. A handlebar H in a preferred embodiment according to the present invention is fixedly supported on an upper end part of the steering shaft 1. The handlebar H is formed of a hard synthetic resin, such as a polycarbonate resin, a reinforced ABS resin or a polypropylene resin in a monolithic structure by injection molding or the like. The handlebar H has a middle covering part 2, a right grip part 3r' substantially horizontally projecting to the right from the middle covering part 2 and a left grip part 3i substantially horizontally projecting to the left from the middle covering part 2. The middle covering part 2 has a T-shape in a front view and serves as a rear half cover of a top cover assembly A. As best shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 6, the middle covering part 2 has a body 21 facing the rider, a right arm 23 substantially horizontally extending to the right from the body 2i, and a left arm 22 substantially horizontally extending to the left from the body 2i. The middle covering part 2 has a vertical main wall Wm facing the rider, a top wall Wu, a bottom wall Wa, a right side wall Wr and a left side wall Wi. The walls Wu, Wa, Wr and Wi extend forward from the main wall Wm so as to form a vessellike structure defining a space D opening toward the front. A plurality of vertical ribs 4 and horizontal ribs 5 are formed in the shape of a lattice in the space integrally with the middle covering part 2 to provide the handlebar H with sufficient rigidity and strength, and to suppress the aged deformation of the handlebar H. Meters 7 including a speed meter and a fuel meter are placed in a meter chamber 6 demarcated in an upper region of the space D of the body 21. The meters 7 are fixedly mounted on meter mounts 8 formed on the top wall Wu of the body 21. A cable 71 connected to the meters 7 is extended through the body cover B to a power supply, not shown. The width of the body 21 of the middle covering part 2 decreases gradually toward the lower end of the body 21. . A connecting boss 10 is formed integrally with the bottom wall Wd so as to project downward from the bottom wall Wd. An upper end part of the steering shaft 1 is fitted in the boss 10 as shown in Fig. 5 and the boss 10 and the upper end part of the steering shaft 1 are fastened together with a bolt 11. The right grip 3r and the left grip 3i are formed integrally with the right arm 23 and the left arm 22 so as to project outward from the respective end walls of the right arm 23 and the left arm 22, respectively. As best shown in Fig. 6, the handlebar H is provided integrally with a plurality of lugs 12 and a holder 13 on the front surface of the middle covering part 2 . A front cover 15 included in the front cover assembly A is detachably attached to the lugs 12 and the holder 13 . The front cover 15 of the top cover assembly A is made of a hard synthetic resin, such as a polycarbonate resin, an ABS resin or a polypropylene resin, by injection molding or the like. The front cover 15 is provided with a plurality of through holes 17 and 18 at positions respectively corresponding to the lugs 12 and the holder 13 of the middle covering part 2. The front cover 15 is detachably fastened to the middle covering part 2, i.e., a rear cover, with a plurality of fastening members 19, such as self -tapping screws . Since the required strength of the front cover 15 may be lower than that of the rear cover, the front cover 15 may be made of a synthetic resin having a relatively low strength, such as an ABS resin, to form the front cover 15 in a lightweight structure . As shown in Fig. 4, a headlight assembly 22 is detachably attached to inner walls of the front cover 15. The headlight assembly 22 comprises a lamp 23, a lamp housing 24 holding the lamp 23 and having an open front end, and a lens 25 covering the open front end of the lamp housing 23 and fitted in an opening 151 formed in the front cover 15. The headlight assembly 22, and an attaching means for attaching the headlight assembly 22 to the front cover 15 are generally known ones and hence the further description thereof will be omitted. Since the handlebar H is a monolithic structure formed by molding a synthetic resin and integrally having the middle covering part 2 serving as the rear cover of the top cover assembly A, the right grip 3r and the left grip 31, the number of parts of the handlebar H is smaller than that of a corresponding conventional structure built by assembling a metal handlebar and a synthetic resin top cover, and the handlebar H requires reduced assembling work and reduces the cost of the motorcycle. The meters can be attached to the middle covering part 2 in an improved accuracy. The handlebar H integrally having the middle covering part 2, the grips 3r and 31 formed by molding the synthetic resin has a greatly reduced weight, which contributes to improving the maneuverability of the motorcycle. The handlebar of the present invention has been described as applied to a scooter type motorcycle. However, the handlebar of the present invention is applicable also to other two-wheeled vehicles and three-wheeled vehicles. The middle covering part may be formed so as to serve as a front cover assembly, a part of the front cover assembly, such as a front cover . The top cover assembly may comprise three of more parts instead of the front cover and the rear cover. [Effect of the Invention] As described above, according to Claim 1, the handlebar comprises a middle covering part formed in a shape suitable for covering instrument, a right grip and a left grip formed integrally with the middle covering part . The middle covering part and the grips are formed of a synthetic resin in a monolithic structure by molding. Therefore, the handlebar of the invention reduces the number of parts of the vehicle, assembling work for assembling the vehicle, and the cost of the vehicle . The instruments including meters can be attached to the cover part in an improved accuracy. The handlebar comprising the middle covering part is lightweight and improves the maneuverability of the vehicle. According to Claim 2 of the handlebar, the middle cover part may serve as a component of a top cover assembly for covering the instruments. Therefore, the handlebar has further advantage that it can be formed relatively with ease. iDESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCE NUMERALS] 1 ... steering shaft 2 ... middle covering part (rear cover) 31 ... left grip 3r ••• right grip A ... top cover assembly F ... body frame WE CLAIM : 1. A handlebar for a vehicle to be attached to an upper end part of a steering shaft (1) supported for turning on a body frame (F) of a vehicle, said handlebar comprising; a middle covering part (2) formed in a shape to cover instruments disposed above the steering shaft (1); a right grip (3r) formed integrally with the middle covering part (2) to extend from a right end of the middle covering part; and a left grip (31) formed integrally with the middle covering part (2) to extend from a left end of the middle covering part; wherein the middle covering part (2) and the grips (3r, 31) are formed of a synthetic resin in a monolithic structure by molding. 2. The handlebar for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the middle covering part (2) serves as a component of a top cover assembly (A). 3. A handlebar for a vehicle substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Full Text

The present invention relates to a handlebar for a vehicle to be attached to an upper end part of a steering shaft supported for turning on a body frame of a vehicle. [Prior Art]
A conventional motorcycle is provided with a bar-shaped handlebar formed by processing a metal pipe and attached to an upper part of a steering shaft supporting a front wheel. Generally, a middle part of the handlebar excluding gripping parts is covered with a top cover consisting of a front and a back half cover, and instruments including meters are placed in a space defined by the front and the back half cover (Registered Utility Model No. 2547379).
[Problem to Be Solved by the Invention]
In such a"conventional motorcycle, the handlebar and the top cover are separate members made of different materials, and the top cover is fastened to the handlebar with fastening members including screws. Consequently, the conventional handlebar needs many parts, requires much assembling work and costly.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a novel handlebar for a vehicle, comprising a cover part formed in a shape suitable for covering instruments disposed above a steering shaft, and grip parts formed integrally with the cover part, suitable for reducing the number of parts of the vehicle and assembling work necessary for assembling the vehicle and enabling the considerable reduction in the cost of the vehicle.
[0005] [Means for Solving the Problem]
Accordingly there is provided a handlebar for a vehicle to be
attached to an upper end part of a steering shaft supported
for turning on a body frame of a vehicle, said handlebar
comprising;
a middle covering part formed in a shape to cover instruments disposed above the steering shaft;
a right grip formed integrally with the middle covering part to extend from a right end of the middle covering part; and
a left grip formed integrally with the middle covering part to extend from a left end of the middle covering part;
wherein the middle covering part and the grips are formed o'f a synthetic resin in a monolithic structure by molding.
To attain the above objects, according to Claim 2 of the .handlebar, the middle cover part may serve as a component of
a top cover assembly for covering the instruments.
The handlebar of the present invention reduces the number of parts of the vehicle, assembling work for assembling the vehicle, and the cost of the vehicle. The instruments including meters can be attached to the cover part in an improved accuracy, and the handlebar is lightweight, improves the maneuverability of the vehicle and facilitates, to form the handlebar.
[Brief Description of the Drawings]
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a scooter type motorcycle provided with a handlebar in a preferred embodiment according to the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a front view of an upper part of the motorcycle shown in Fig. 1, taken in the direction of the arrow 2 in Fig.
1.
Fig. 3 is a partly cutaway side elevation of the upper part of the motorcycle shown in Fig. 1, taken in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 4-4 in Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line
5-5 in Fig. 4.
Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a handlebar assembly.
[Preferred Embodiments]
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be explained in connection with the accompanying drawings.

A handlebar in a preferred embodiment according to the present invention for a scooter type motorcycle will be described hereinafter, in which, "front", "rear", "right", "left", "up (upper)", "down (lower)" and such are used to signify directions, positions and such with respect to the traveling direction of the motorcycle.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a scooter type motorcycle provided with a handlebar of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a front view of an upper part of the motorcycle shown in Fig. 1, taken in the direction of the arrow 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a partly cutaway side elevation of the upper part of the motorcycle shown in Fig. 1, taken in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 4-4 in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a handlebar assembly.
Referring to Fig. 1, a scooter type motorcycle V has a body frame F provided with a head pipe at its front end, a steering shaft 1, i.e., a front fork, supported for turning in the head pipe and supporting a front wheel Wf, and a power unit Up having a front end part pivotally supported on a rear end part of the body frame F and a rear end part supporting a rear wheel Wr. The body frame F is covered with a body cover B. A seat S for a rider is mounted on a rear part of the body cover B.
A steering unit for the motorcycle will be described below with reference to Figs. 2 to 6. A handlebar H in a preferred embodiment according to the present invention is fixedly supported on an upper end part of the steering shaft 1. The handlebar H is formed of a hard synthetic resin, such as a polycarbonate resin, a reinforced ABS resin or a polypropylene resin in a monolithic structure by injection molding or the like. The handlebar H has a middle covering
part 2, a right grip part 3r' substantially horizontally projecting to the right from the middle covering part 2 and a left grip part 3i substantially horizontally projecting to the left from the middle covering part 2.
The middle covering part 2 has a T-shape in a front view and serves as a rear half cover of a top cover assembly A. As best shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 6, the middle covering part 2 has a body 21 facing the rider, a right arm 23 substantially
horizontally extending to the right from the body 2i, and a left arm 22 substantially horizontally extending to the left from the body 2i. The middle covering part 2 has a vertical main wall Wm facing the rider, a top wall Wu, a bottom wall Wa, a right side wall Wr and a left side wall Wi. The walls Wu, Wa, Wr and Wi extend forward from the main wall Wm so as to form a vessellike structure defining a space D opening toward the front. A plurality of vertical ribs 4 and horizontal ribs 5 are formed in the shape of a lattice in the space integrally with the middle covering part 2 to provide the handlebar H with sufficient rigidity and strength, and
to suppress the aged deformation of the handlebar H. Meters 7 including a speed meter and a fuel meter are placed in a meter chamber 6 demarcated in an upper region of the space D of the body 21. The meters 7 are fixedly mounted on meter mounts 8 formed on the top wall Wu of the body 21. A cable 71 connected to the meters 7 is extended through the body cover B to a power supply, not shown. The width of the body 21 of the middle covering part 2 decreases gradually toward the lower end of the body 21. . A connecting boss 10 is formed integrally with the bottom wall Wd so as to project downward from the bottom wall Wd. An upper end part of the steering shaft 1 is fitted in the boss 10 as shown in Fig. 5 and the boss 10 and the upper end part of the steering shaft 1 are fastened together with a bolt 11.
The right grip 3r and the left grip 3i are formed integrally with the right arm 23 and the left arm 22 so as to project outward from the respective end walls of the right arm 23 and the left arm 22, respectively.
As best shown in Fig. 6, the handlebar H is provided integrally with a plurality of lugs 12 and a holder 13 on the front surface of the middle covering part 2 .
A front cover 15 included in the front cover assembly A is detachably attached to the lugs 12 and the holder 13 . The front cover 15 of the top cover assembly A is made of a
hard synthetic resin, such as a polycarbonate resin, an ABS resin or a polypropylene resin, by injection molding or the like. The front cover 15 is provided with a plurality of through holes 17 and 18 at positions respectively corresponding to the lugs 12 and the holder 13 of the middle covering part 2. The front cover 15 is detachably fastened to the middle covering part 2, i.e., a rear cover, with a plurality of fastening members 19, such as self -tapping screws .
Since the required strength of the front cover 15 may be lower than that of the rear cover, the front cover 15 may be made of a synthetic resin having a relatively low strength, such as an ABS resin, to form the front cover 15 in a lightweight structure .
As shown in Fig. 4, a headlight assembly 22 is detachably attached to inner walls of the front cover 15. The headlight assembly 22 comprises a lamp 23, a lamp housing 24 holding the lamp 23 and having an open front end, and a lens 25 covering the open front end of the lamp housing 23 and fitted in an opening 151 formed in the front cover 15.

The headlight assembly 22, and an attaching means for attaching the headlight assembly 22 to the front cover 15 are generally known ones and hence the further description thereof will be omitted.

Since the handlebar H is a monolithic structure formed by molding a synthetic resin and integrally having the middle covering part 2 serving as the rear cover of the top cover assembly A, the right grip 3r and the left grip 31, the number of parts of the handlebar H is smaller than that of a corresponding conventional structure built by assembling a metal handlebar and a synthetic resin top cover, and the handlebar H requires reduced assembling work and reduces the cost of the motorcycle. The meters can be attached to the middle covering part 2 in an improved accuracy. The handlebar H integrally having the middle covering part 2, the grips 3r and 31 formed by molding the synthetic resin has a greatly reduced weight, which contributes to improving the maneuverability of the motorcycle.
The handlebar of the present invention has been described as applied to a scooter type motorcycle. However, the handlebar of the present invention is applicable also to other two-wheeled vehicles and three-wheeled vehicles. The middle covering part may be formed so as to serve as a front cover assembly, a part of the front cover assembly, such as a front cover . The top cover assembly may comprise three of more parts instead of the front cover and the rear cover.
[Effect of the Invention]
As described above, according to Claim 1, the handlebar comprises a middle covering part formed in a shape suitable for covering instrument, a right grip and a left grip formed
integrally with the middle covering part . The middle covering part and the grips are formed of a synthetic resin in a monolithic structure by molding. Therefore, the handlebar of the invention reduces the number of parts of the vehicle, assembling work for assembling the vehicle, and the cost of the vehicle . The instruments including meters can be attached to the cover part in an improved accuracy. The handlebar comprising the middle covering part is lightweight and improves the maneuverability of the vehicle.
According to Claim 2 of the handlebar, the middle cover part may serve as a component of a top cover assembly for covering the instruments. Therefore, the handlebar has further advantage that it can be formed relatively with ease.
iDESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCE NUMERALS]
1 ... steering shaft
2 ... middle covering part (rear cover)
31 ... left grip
3r ••• right grip
A ... top cover assembly
F ... body frame

WE CLAIM :
1. A handlebar for a vehicle to be attached to an upper end part of a
steering shaft (1) supported for turning on a body frame (F) of a
vehicle, said handlebar comprising;
a middle covering part (2) formed in a shape to cover instruments disposed above the steering shaft (1);
a right grip (3r) formed integrally with the middle covering part (2) to extend from a right end of the middle covering part; and
a left grip (31) formed integrally with the middle covering part (2) to extend from a left end of the middle covering part;
wherein the middle covering part (2) and the grips (3r, 31) are formed of a synthetic resin in a monolithic structure by molding.
2. The handlebar for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the middle
covering part (2) serves as a component of a top cover assembly (A).
3. A handlebar for a vehicle substantially as herein described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

130-del-1999-abstract.pdf

130-del-1999-claims.pdf

130-del-1999-correspondence-others.pdf

130-del-1999-correspondence-po.pdf

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

130-del-1999-drawings.pdf

130-del-1999-form-1.pdf

130-del-1999-form-13.pdf

130-del-1999-form-19.pdf

130-del-1999-form-2.pdf

130-del-1999-form-3.pdf

130-del-1999-form-4.pdf

130-del-1999-form-6.pdf

130-del-1999-gpa.pdf

130-del-1999-petition-137.pdf

130-del-1999-petition-138.pdf

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Patent Number

231083

Indian Patent Application Number

130/DEL/1999

PG Journal Number

13/2009

Publication Date

27-Mar-2009

Grant Date

28-Feb-2009

Date of Filing

22-Jan-1999

Name of Patentee

HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA

Applicant Address

1-1, MINAMIAOYAMA 2-CHOME, MINATO-KU, TOKYO, JAPAN.

Inventors:

#	Inventor's Name	Inventor's Address
1	HIROSHI INAOKA	C/O KABUSHIKI KAISHA HONDA GIJUTSU KENKYUSHO, OF 4-1, CHUO 1-CHOME, WAKO-SHI, SAITAMA, JAPAN
2	TAKASHI INAGAKI	C/O KABUSHIKI KAISHA HONDA GIJUTSU KENKYUSHO, OF 4-1, CHUO 1-CHOME, WAKO-SHI, SAITAMA, JAPAN

PCT International Classification Number

B62K 21/12

PCT International Application Number

N/A

PCT International Filing date

PCT Conventions:

#	PCT Application Number	Date of Convention	Priority Country
1	HEI-10-41609	1998-02-24	Japan