Adjustable height windshield apparatus for motorcycles
First Claim
1. An adjustable height windshield apparatus for a motorcycle having frame means including a cowling of substantially bilateral symmetry with respect to the median plane of the motorcycle, the windshield apparatus comprising:
- (a) a windshield to be disposed across the median plane of the motorcycle for reciprocating movement relative to the cowling and frame means along a predetermined path, the windshield having a pair of opposite sides extending along the predetermined path;
(b) a pair of guide means to be rigidly mounted behind portions of the cowling on both sides of the frame means of the motorcycle in symmetrical arrangement with respect to the median plane of the motorcycle so as not to obstruct a driver'"'"'s field of view forwardly of the motorcycle, the guide means including a pair of windshield guide portions which extend along the opposite sides of the windshield and which define the predetermined path of the windshield;
(c) a pair of elongate, flexible drive assemblies slidable longitudinally one along each guide means;
(d) connector means for connecting the opposite sides of the windshield to the pair of drive assemblies, respectively, in order to cause the displacement of the windshield along the predetermined path with the longitudinal movement of the drive assemblies along the guide means; and
(e) drive means including a pair of drive wheels to be rotatably mounted to the frame means for driving engagement with the pair of drive assemblies, respectively, the drive wheels being adapted to be jointly revolved bidirectionally to cause the joint longitudinal displacement of the drive assemblies along the guide means and, in consequence, of the windshield back and forth along the windshield guide portions of the guide means.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
For adjustably moving a motorcycle windshield up and down with respect to a motorcycle cowling, there are employed a pair of drive ball assemblies each comprising a series of rigid plastic balls strung on a length of wire. The drive ball assemblies are slidably received in respective guide tubes having a pair of windshield guide portions disposed just behind the cowling in parallel spaced relation to each other. Disposed between the windshield guide portions of the guide tubes, the windshield has its opposite sides coupled to the drive ball assemblies via longitudinal slits formed in the windshield guide portions for joint movement with the drive ball assemblies back and forth along the windshield guide portions. A pair of drive wheels are coaxially and rotatably mounted to the motorcycle frame, and preferably coupled to a reversible electric motor, for driving engagement with the balls of the drive ball assemblies. Thus, upon bidirectional rotation of the drive wheels, the drive ball assemblies slide longitudinally back and forth through the guide tubes thereby moving the windshield up and down along the windshield guide portions of the guide tubes.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An adjustable height windshield apparatus for a motorcycle having frame means including a cowling of substantially bilateral symmetry with respect to the median plane of the motorcycle, the windshield apparatus comprising:
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(a) a windshield to be disposed across the median plane of the motorcycle for reciprocating movement relative to the cowling and frame means along a predetermined path, the windshield having a pair of opposite sides extending along the predetermined path; (b) a pair of guide means to be rigidly mounted behind portions of the cowling on both sides of the frame means of the motorcycle in symmetrical arrangement with respect to the median plane of the motorcycle so as not to obstruct a driver'"'"'s field of view forwardly of the motorcycle, the guide means including a pair of windshield guide portions which extend along the opposite sides of the windshield and which define the predetermined path of the windshield; (c) a pair of elongate, flexible drive assemblies slidable longitudinally one along each guide means; (d) connector means for connecting the opposite sides of the windshield to the pair of drive assemblies, respectively, in order to cause the displacement of the windshield along the predetermined path with the longitudinal movement of the drive assemblies along the guide means; and (e) drive means including a pair of drive wheels to be rotatably mounted to the frame means for driving engagement with the pair of drive assemblies, respectively, the drive wheels being adapted to be jointly revolved bidirectionally to cause the joint longitudinal displacement of the drive assemblies along the guide means and, in consequence, of the windshield back and forth along the windshield guide portions of the guide means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. An adjustable height windshield apparatus for a motorcycle having frame means including a cowling of substantially bilateral symmetry with respect to the median plane of the motorcycle, the windshield apparatus comprising:
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(a) a windshield to be disposed across the median plane of the motorcycle for reciprocating movement relative to the cowling and frame means of the motorcycle along a predetermined path, the windshield having a pair of opposite sides extending along the predetermined path; (b) a pair of tubular guide means to be rigidly mounted behind portions of the cowling on both sides of the frame means of the motorcycle in symmetrical arrangement with respect to the median plane of the motorcycle so as not to obstruct a driver'"'"'s field of view forwardly of the motorcycle, the guide means including a pair of windshield guide portions which extend along the opposite sides of the windshield and which define the predetermined path of the windshield; (c) a pair of drive ball assemblies engaged one in each tubular guide means for longitudinal sliding movement therethrough, each drive ball assembly comprising a linear flexible element and a series of balls strung thereon; (d) connector means for connecting the opposite sides of the windshield to the pair of drive ball assemblies, respectively, in order to cause the displacement of the windshield along the predetermined path with the longitudinal movement of the drive ball assemblies through the tubular guide means; and (e) a pair of drive wheels to be rotatably mounted to the frame means for driving the drive ball assemblies through the guide means, each drive wheel having a series of concavities defined circumferentially therein for driving engagement with one of the drive ball assemblies, the drive wheels being adapted to be jointly revolved bidirectionally to cause the joint longitudinal displacement of the drive ball assemblies back and forth along the guide means and, in consequence, of the windshield along the windshield guide portions of the guide means. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. In a motorcycle having a median plane, in combination:
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(a) frame means including a cowling facing forwardly of the motorcycle; (b) the first pair of guide tubes rigidly mounted to the frame means and including a pair of windshield guide portions disposed just behind the cowling and on opposite sides of the median plane in parallel relation thereto so as not to obstruct a driver'"'"'s field of view forward of the motorcycle, the windshield guide portions having each defined therein a longitudinal slit and extending from first ends of the guide tubes toward second ends thereof; (c) a second pair of guide tubes rigidly mounted to the frame means and each having a first end held opposite the second end of one of the first pair of guide tubes with a spacing therebetween; (d) a pair of drive ball assemblies each received in one of the first pair of guide tubes and one of the second pair of guide tubes for longitudinal sliding movement therethrough, each drive ball assembly comprising a linear flexible element and a series of balls strung thereon and being partly exposed through the spacing between the second end of one of the first pair of guide tubes and the first end of one of the second pair of guide tube; (e) a windshield disposed between the windshield guide portions of the first pair of guide tubes and having a pair of opposite sides coupled respectively to the pair of drive ball assemblies through the longitudinal slits in the windshield guide portions for movement with the drive ball assemblies back and forth along the windshield guide portions; (f) slider means extending from the opposite sides of the windshield and slidably engaged in the windshield guide portions of the first pair of guide tubes via the longitudinal slits therein, so that the windshield is guided by and along the windshield guide portions; and (g) a pair of drive wheels rotatably mounted to the frame means and disposed between the second ends of the first pair of guide tubes and the first ends of the second pair of guide tubes for driving engagement with the balls of the pair of drive ball assemblies, respectively, the drive wheels being effective, when jointly revolved bidirectionally, to cause the joint longitudinal displacement of the drive ball assemblies through the first and second pairs of guide tubes and, in consequence, of the windshield back and forth along the windshield guide portions of the first pair of guide tubes. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification