Motorcycle drive wheel suspension system

• US 4,544,044 A
• Filed: 10/21/1983
• Issued: 10/01/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Performance Minded, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Performance Minded, Inc.
• Inventors: Boyesen, Eyvind
• Primary Examiner(s): Pekar, John A.
• Application Number:
  US06/544,091
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: 180/227, 180/219, 280/284, 280/285, 267/15 R, 267/15 A
• US Class Current: 180/227
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 25/26 for rear wheel

Abstract

A suspension system for the drive wheel of a motorcycle driven by a chain cooperating with sprockets on the engine and wheel shafts. The suspension system comprises a linkage arrangement associated with the swing arm, with the linkage parts positioned in the region between the wheel and the motor, with the swing arm substantially in a plane containing the axes of the engine and wheel sprockets, and with linkage components defining or approximating a parallelogram configuration.

Claims

1. In a motorcycle having a frame, a drive wheel, a motor, and wheel drive mechanism including a motor sprocket, a wheel sprocket, and a drive chain connecting the sprockets, a drive wheel suspension system comprising first and second levers pivotally mounted on first axes spaced one above the other in a first generally upright plane in the region of the axis of the motor sprocket, first linkage pivotally interconnecting said levers on second axes in a second generally upright plane between the motor sprocket and the forward edge of the drive wheel, a swing arm for the drive wheel extended forwardly of the wheel and pivotally connected with said first linkage on a transverse axis between the motor sprocket and the front of the wheel, one of said levers having an extension beyond the first linkage, a generally upright swing arm link pivotally interconnecting the swing arm and said extension, and means connected with the wheel suspension system for resisting drive wheel deflection.

2. In a power-driven vehicle having a frame, a drive wheel, a motor, and wheel drive mechanism including a motor sprocket, a wheel sprocket, and a drive chain connecting the sprockets, a drive wheel suspension system comprising first and second levers pivotally mounted on first axes spaced one above the other in a first generally upright plane in the region of the axis of the motor sprocket, first linkage pivotally interconnecting said levers on second axes in a second generally upright plane between the motor and wheel sprockets, a swing arm for the drive wheel extended forwardly of the wheel sprocket and pivotally connected with said first linkage on a transverse axis between the motor and wheel sprockets, one of said levers having an extension beyond the first linkage, a generally upright swing arm link pivotally interconnecting the swing arm and said extension, and means connected with the wheel suspension system for resisting drive wheel deflection.

3. A construction as defined in claim 2 in which said first and second levers are substantially parallel to each other.

4. A construction as defined in claim 3 in which said first and second levers are located one above and the other below the level of the driving sprocket.

5. A construction as defined in claim 3 in which said first and second levers are both located in generally horizontal planes vertically offset in the same direction from the driving sprocket.

6. A construction as defined in claim 2 in which said second axes are spaced from each other a distance greater than said first axes.

7. A construction as defined in claim 2 in which said second axes are spaced from each other a distance less than said first axes.

8. A construction as defined in claim 2 in which said second axes are spaced from each other a distance equal to the spacing between said first axes.

9. In a motorcycle having a frame, a drive wheel, a motor, and wheel drive mechanism including a motor sprocket, a wheel sprocket, and a drive chain connecting the sprockets, a drive wheel suspension system comprising two pairs of pivoted levers located toward opposite sides of the motorcycle, each pair of levers including first and second levers pivotally mounted on first axes spaced one above the other in a first generally upright plane in the region of the axis of the motor sprocket, for each pair of levers first linkage pivotally interconnecting said levers on second axes in a second generally upright plane between the motor sprocket and the forward edge of the drive wheel, a swing arm for the drive wheel extended forwardly of the wheel and pivotally connected with said first linkage on a transverse axis between the motor sprocket and the front of the wheel, at least one of said levers having an extension beyond the first linkage, a generally upright swing arm link pivotally interconnecting the swing arm and said extension, and means connected with the wheel suspension system for resisting drive wheel deflection.

10. In a motorcycle having a frame, a drive wheel, a motor, and wheel drive mechanism including a motor sprocket, a wheel sprocket, and a drive chain connecting the sprockets, a drive wheel suspension system comprising first and second levers pivotally mounted on first axes spaced one above the other in a first generally upright plane in the region of the axis of the motor sprocket, first linkage pivotally interconnecting said levers on second axes in a second generally upright plane between the motor and wheel sprockets, a swing arm for the drive wheel extended forwardly of the wheel sprocket and pivotally connected with said first linkage on a transverse axis between the motor and wheel sprockets, said transverse axis lying substantially in a plane containing the axes of the motor sprocket and the wheel sprocket, one of said levers having an extension beyond the first linkage, a generally upright swing arm link pivotally interconnecting the swing arm and said extension, and means connected with the wheel suspension system for resisting drive wheel deflection.

11. In a motorcycle having a frame, a drive wheel, a motor, and wheel drive mechanism including a motor sprocket, a wheel sprocket, and a drive chain connecting the sprockets, a drive wheel suspension system comprising two pairs of pivoted levers located toward opposite sides of the motorcycle, each pair of levers including first and second levers pivotally mounted on first axes spaced one above the other in a first generally upright plane in the region of the axis of the motor sprocket, for each pair of levers first linkage pivotally interconnecting said levers on second axes in a second generally upright plane between the motor and wheel sprockets, a swing arm for the drive wheel extended forwardly of the wheel sprocket and pivotally connected with said first linkage on a transverse axis between the motor and wheel sprockets, at least one of said levers having an extension beyond the first linkage, a generally upright swing arm link pivotally interconnecting the swing arm and said extension, and means connected with the wheel suspension system for resisting drive wheel deflection.

12. In a power-driven vehicle having a frame, a drive wheel, a motor, and wheel drive mechanism including a motor sprocket, a wheel sprocket, and a drive chain connecting the sprockets, a drive wheel suspension system comprising first and second levers pivotally mounted on fixed axes spaced one above the other in a plane containing the axis of the motor sprocket, first linkage pivotally interconnecting said levers said levers on axes spaced to provide a first parallelogram linkage, a swing arm for the drive wheel pivotally connected with said first linkage on an axis lying in a plane containing the axes of the motor and wheel sprockets, one of said levers having an extension beyond the first linkage, a swing arm link pivotally interconnecting the swing arm and said extension and forming a second parallelogram linkage with said first linkage, the swing arm and said lever extension, and means connected with the wheel suspension system for resisting drive wheel deflection.

13. A construction as defined in claim 12 in which the fixed axes for the first and second levers are both located below the axis of the driving sprocket.

14. A construction as defined in claim 12 in which the fixed axes for the first and second levers are both offset vertically and in the same direction from the axis of the driving sprocket.

15. A construction as defined in claim 12 in which said first and second levers comprise pairs of such levers, with one pair located at one side of the vertical plane of the drive wheel and with the other pair located at the other side of said vertical plane.

16. In a power-driven vehicle having a frame, a drive wheel, a motor, and wheel drive mechanism including a motor sprocket, a wheel sprocket, and a drive chain connecting the sprockets, a drive wheel suspension system comprising two pairs of pivoted levers located toward opposite sides of the frame, each pair of levers including first and second levers pivotally mounted on fixed axes spaced one above the other in a plane containing the axis of the motor sprocket, for each pair of levers first linkage pivotally interconnecting said levers on axes spaced to provide a first parallelogram linkage, a swing arm for the drive wheel pivotally connected with said first linkage on an axis lying in a plane containing the axes of the motor and wheel sprockets, at least one of said levers having an extension beyond the first linkage, a swing arm link pivotally interconnecting the swing arm and said extension and forming a second parallelogram linkage with the swing arm, said lever extension, and said first linkage for each of said pair of levers, and means connected with the wheel suspension system for resisting drive wheel deflection.

17. In a power-driven vehicle having a frame, a drive wheel, a motor, and wheel drive mechanism including a motor sprocket, a wheel sprocket, and a drive chain connecting the sprockets, a drive wheel suspension system comprising first and second levers pivotally mounted on first and second axes spaced one above the other in a first generally upright plane in the region of the axis of the motor sprocket, and extended from said plane toward the drive wheel, coupling means interconnecting said levers and providing for concurrent pivotal motion of said levers on said first and second axes, a swing arm for the drive wheel extended forwardly of the wheel sprocket and pivotally connected with said coupling means on a swing arm mounting axis lying substantially in a plane containing the axes of the motor and wheel sprockets, connection means providing for interrelating the motion of the swing arm and at least one of said levers, the connection means having a pivotal connection with the swing arm intermediate the axis of the drive wheel and said swing arm mounting axis, and means connected with the wheel suspension system for resisting drive wheel deflection.

18. A construction as defined in claim 17 in which the coupling means interconnecting the levers includes at least one generally upright link with which the swing arm is pivotally connected, and further in which the connection means providing for interrelating the motion of the swing arm and one of said levers includes a swing arm link pivoted to the swing arm.

19. In a power-driven vehicle having a frame, a drive wheel, a motor, and wheel drive mechanism including a motor sprocket, a wheel sprocket, and a drive chain connecting the sprockets, a drive wheel suspension system comprising first and second levers pivotally mounted on first and second axes spaced one above the other in a first generally upright plane in the region of the axis of the motor sprocket and extended from said plane toward the drive wheel, coupling means interconnecting said levers and providing for concurrent pivotal motion of said levers on said first and second axes, the coupling means including at least one generally upright link lying in a second generally upright plane between said first upright plane and the drive wheel, a swing arm for the drive wheel extended forwardly of the wheel sprocket and pivotally connected with said upright link on a swing arm mounting axis lying substantially in a plane containing the axes of the motor and wheel sprockets, linkage connected with at least one of said levers and including a swing arm link having a pivotal connection with the swing arm and with said one lever, the axis of the pivotal connection of the swing arm link with said one lever being offset from said second generally upright plane, and means connected with the wheel suspension system for resisting drive wheel deflection.

20. A construction as defined in claim 19 in which the axis of the pivotal connection of the swing arm link with said one lever is offset from said second generally upright plane in a direction toward the driving wheel.