Machine element or mechanism – Control lever and linkage systems – Elements
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-12
2001-10-30
Luong, Vinh T. (Department: 3682)
Machine element or mechanism
Control lever and linkage systems
Elements
CD12S178000, C362S035000, C074S551900
Reexamination Certificate
active
06308590
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to handlebar grips and extensions, and more particularly to grips and extensions with a light therein and grips and extensions for use on vehicles that employ maximum rider input (i.e., use the rider's weight) when changing the direction of the vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The use of personal outdoor vehicles, for example, snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, and personal watercraft, has grown in popularity as these vehicles have become faster, more responsive, more reliable, and more versatile. Because of the increased speed, reliability, and responsiveness of these vehicles, the rider must have control of the vehicle at all times, particularly at high rates of speed and when the rider is attempting to make tight turns or travel over uneven or sloped terrain. Maneuvering of these vehicles requires the rider to exert substantial force on the ends of the handlebars. For example, a snowmobile rider “bending” the snowmobile in deep powder may shift all of his/her weight to the inside of the turn and pull with both arms on the handlebar grips. In another example, a snowmobile rider turning left in deep powdery snow pulls on the left handlebar grip toward his chest and pushes on the right handlebar grip. The rider primarily pulls instead of pushes because of the risk of the rider's hand slipping off of the right handlebar grip because there is no stop on the end of the handlebar grip. The use of primarily only one arm during these high force turns causes considerable rider fatigue.
The increased speed and ever increasing numbers of personal vehicles in use is generating a need for greater visibility of these vehicles at farther distances away. In addition, these vehicles are commonly ridden at night because of their reliability.
Handlebar grips for helping the rider maintain a grip on the handlebar are well known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,519 shows a handlebar grip having a covering of flexible needles on a cylindrical tubular handgrip body which is slid over the free end of a handlebar and held in place by a stopper and screw anchor which engages the inside of the handlebar. U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,202 describes a motorcycle handlebar safety grip which fits axially onto a handlebar and has an elongated, hollow, main grip body with a stopper on the far end of the grip. U.S. Design Pat. Nos. 323,280 and 314,700 both show hollow handlebar grips which fit over a handlebar.
Devices for improving bicycle safety are also well-known. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,623,954, 4,656,564, 4,716,502, 4,875,142 and 5,247,431 show lights designed to fit into the hollow ends of the bicycle handlebars.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,779,169 shows a running light assembly integrated with the end of a motorcycle handlebar and hand grip. The assembly includes a tubular grip sized to fit over a tubular end portion of the motor cycle handlebar and a light bulb carried within the handlebar.
Handlebar devices which extend beyond the end of the handlebar and project generally perpendicular to the handlebar have been used to allow riders a better surface to pull against (see U.S. Pat. No. Des. 376,124).
Despite the usefulness of each of these devices for their intended purposes, there is a need for a handlebar device for use on outdoor personal vehicles which improves riding performance and vehicle safety.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a device which engages the inside of a handlebar. The present invention anchors to the inside of the handlebar such that the invention can be used with an existing handlebar grip (and heater, if present). However, the device can also be integrally formed with its own grip. The enlarged end of the device has a perimeter greater than the handlebar grip, the rider can push against the device with the side of their hand such as during cornering, or grasp the device, such as during side-hilling (i.e., travelling across a sloping surface) without the rider's hand slipping off the end of the grip and with less fatigue. The enlarged end does not interfere with the rider's safety as the device does not have any long external projections that may contact the rider, windscreen, throttle, or brake lever.
In one aspect of the present invention, the device has an illumination element therewith to provide additional lighting to the vehicle for greater safety for the rider. The illumination element located on the ends of the handlebars can be seen from many directions with respect to the vehicle. In addition, the illumination element is relatively high on the vehicle so as to be seen from greater distance and is less likely to be obstructed by dust, dirt, mud, or snow. The illumination element can be wired to the brake light and turn signal system so as to provide redundancy to that system.
In another aspect of the invention there is provided a device associated with the grasping surface of a handle bar having a rigid first end with a perimeter larger than the perimeter of the grasping surface and an opening therethrough along an imaginary axis of the device, a member extending longitudinally away from the first end along the imaginary axis and dimensioned to fit within an opening in the handle bar, the imaginary axis extending the entire length of the device being coaxial with an imaginary axis of the grasping surface of the handle bar, an element configured to displace the longitudinally extending member, and an elongated member extending through the opening in the first end and engaging the element to force the longitudinally extending member against an internal surface of the handle bar.
In yet another aspect of the invention there is provided a device associated with a grasping surface of a handle bar having a rigid first end having a perimeter larger than the perimeter of the grasping surface and an opening therethrough and along an imaginary access of the device, a member extending longitudinally away from the first end along the imaginary axis and dimensioned to fit within an opening in the handle bar, an element configured to displace the longitudinally extending member, an elongated member extending through the opening in the first end and engaging the element to force the longitudinally extending member against an internal surface of the handle bar, and an illumination element located within the rigid first end.
It is contemplated that the illumination element may be a light bulb or other illuminating devices.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 314700 (1991-02-01), Lurkis
patent: D. 323280 (1992-01-01), Chen
patent: D. 340432 (1993-10-01), Osborne
patent: D. 376124 (1996-12-01), Bernloehr
patent: D. 412306 (1999-07-01), Berto
patent: 628383 (1899-07-01), Bauroth
patent: 3918323 (1975-11-01), Prager
patent: 3937629 (1976-02-01), Hamasaka
patent: 4623954 (1986-11-01), Schott et al.
patent: 4656564 (1987-04-01), Felder
patent: 4716502 (1987-12-01), Schott et al.
patent: 4779169 (1988-10-01), Cruze
patent: 4875142 (1989-10-01), Spector
patent: 4893519 (1990-01-01), Corso et al.
patent: 4900291 (1990-02-01), Patterson
patent: 4964192 (1990-10-01), Marui
patent: 5008782 (1991-04-01), Murray
patent: 5033325 (1991-07-01), Giard, Jr.
patent: 5201243 (1993-04-01), Schneider
patent: 5247431 (1993-09-01), Liu
patent: 5285696 (1994-02-01), Taylor
patent: 5301570 (1994-04-01), Li
patent: 5507202 (1996-04-01), Phillips
patent: 5517878 (1996-05-01), Klein et al.
patent: 5580152 (1996-12-01), Carter
patent: 5836223 (1998-11-01), Lin
Burns Doane , Swecker, Mathis LLP
Luong Vinh T.
LandOfFree
Handlebar device does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Handlebar device, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Handlebar device will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2560184