Illumination – Supported by vehicle structure – Bicycle or motorcycle
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-24
2002-06-25
Sember, Thomas M. (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Supported by vehicle structure
Bicycle or motorcycle
C362S548000, C362S549000, C362S432000, C362S370000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06409366
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lighting device for a motorcycle having improved workability in mounting to a vehicle body.
2. Background Art
FIG. 12
of the present application is a sectional view of a conventional direction indicator for a motorcycle. The direction indicator
100
has an electric bulb
104
contained in a bulb container
103
composed of a base
101
, and a front lens
102
serving as a cover. The direction indicator
100
is mounted to a vehicular body
106
via a stay
105
connected to the base
101
. A mounting plate
107
mounted to one end of the stay
105
is fixed to the base
101
with a bolt
108
, and a mounting plate
109
mounted to the other end of the stay
105
is fixed to the vehicular body
106
with a bolt
110
and a nut
111
. A claw
112
functioning as a rotation stop member is formed on the mounting plate
109
. The bolt
110
is integrally formed within the stay
105
, and has a through hole formed coaxially with a hole
113
formed in the stay
105
. A power feeding cord
114
, which is connected to the electric bulb
104
, is guided to the vehicular body
106
side via the through-hole formed in the bolt
110
. A direction indicator having such a structure is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Hei 1-21115.
FIG. 13
is a sectional view of another example of a conventional direction indicator. In this figure, parts corresponding to those shown in
FIG. 12
are designated by like reference numerals. A direction indicator
100
is configured such that a hole
115
used for fastening a bolt
108
provided for fixing a stay
105
to a base
101
is formed in a side end portion of the stay
105
. The hole
115
serves as a passage for guiding a cord
114
to the vehicular body
106
side. In this way, the conventional art example shown in
FIG. 13
is different from the conventional art example shown in
FIG. 12
, in that a hole for guiding the cord
114
is not formed in a bolt
116
.
The above-described conventional direction indicators have the following shortcomings: In each direction indicator, since the stay
105
must be molded so that the bolt
110
or
116
is integrally formed within the stay, the molding of the stay
105
is complicated. In general, a connector for connecting two cord portions on the electric bulb side to two cord portions on the vehicular body side is provided at the leading end of the cord
114
.
If a connection part (coupler connector) is used to unify the two cord portions, a large hole for allowing the coupler connector to pass through must be formed in the bolt
110
, and the sizes of the bolt
110
and the nut
111
must be increased. Also since the nut
111
must be fastened to the bolt
110
such that the cord
114
has passed through the bolt
110
, it is difficult to use an automatic fastening apparatus to hold the entire nut
111
. This is disadvantageous in that the nut
111
must therefore be manually fastened to the bolt
110
.
In the example of
FIG. 13
in which the bolt
108
is passed through the hole
115
, to advance the bolt
108
, a screwdriver must be inserted in the hole
115
such that the cord
114
is offset to one side. This decreases the ease of installation of the bolt.
Further, in the example of
FIG. 13
, since the stay
105
is fixed to the vehicular body
106
by a relatively small bolt
116
, excess stress is concentrated at the mounting portion of the bolt
116
. This limitation restricts the degree of freedom in design of the stay. If the vehicular body is formed from a resin material, it is difficult to securely fasten the stay
105
to the vehicular body
106
with the bolt
116
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the conventional art and to achieve other advantages not contemplated by the conventional art.
The present invention is in part addressed to a lighting apparatus for a motorcycle which has a simplified structure for the stay, thereby improving the workability in molding and assembling the apparatus, and also reducing design restrictions.
The present invention provides a lighting device for a motorcycle having a bulb container and a stay for fixing the bulb container to a mounting member of a vehicle body. The stay is formed into a cylindrical shape having a through-hole, and has an engagement groove engaged with a bulb container mounting hole provided in the mounting member. The engagement groove is formed in the outer periphery of the stay at a position on the mounting member mounting side. The stay includes a fixing member having at least a cylindrical portion to be fitted in an opening of the stay at an end portion on the mounting member mounting side.
Because the bulb container is supported by the stay engaged with the mounting member on the vehicle body side, and the cylindrical portion of the fixing member is fitted in the hole of the cylindrical stay, the engagement portion between the mounting member and the stay can be reinforced.
The present invention also provides a flange formed on the cylindrical portion of the fixing member, and an engagement hole in at least one of the cylindrical portion and the flange. A projection to be engaged in the engagement hole is provided on the stay. According to this feature, since engagement of the projection and the engagement hole prevents the fixing member from slipping off of the stay, it is possible to more securely fix the bulb container to the vehicle body.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1646807 (1927-10-01), Benjamin
patent: 3094220 (1963-06-01), Harling
patent: 3950727 (1976-04-01), Smith
patent: 5655833 (1997-08-01), Raczynski
patent: 5820254 (1998-10-01), Duenas
patent: 2121115 (1989-06-01), None
Kondo Tetsuya
Yamamoto Takao
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Sember Thomas M.
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