Electric circuit system for motorcycle

• US 5,291,067 A
• Filed: 01/31/1991
• Issued: 03/01/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Suzuki Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Suzuki Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Yamashita, Tetsuo, Nakajima, Shinji, Takasaka, Masao
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellinen, A. D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELMS, RICHARD T
• Application Number:
  US07/648,760
• Time in Patent Office: 1,125 Days
• Field of Search: 280/835, 280/202, 307/10.8, 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 307/10.3, 307/10.6, 361/191-193, 70/252, 70/257, 70/264, 70/239, 70/233, 180/219, 180/271, 180/272, 180/289, 224/32 R
• US Class Current: 307/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 5/00 Appliances preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of cycles; Locks integral with cycles fittings for preventing or indicating use or theft of vehicles in general B60R; general features of locks E05B
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 19/46 Luggage carriers forming part of frame luggage carriers per se B62J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/48 by electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5872 For cycles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5956 Steering mechanism with switch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5978 With switch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/65 Central control

Abstract

A motorcycle has an article storage box equipped with a lid member which is locked and unlocked and with a fuel tank having a gasoline injection port which is closed or opened by a lid member. The locking and unlocking of the lid members of the storage box and the fuel tank injection port are controlled by an electric circuit system. The electric circuit system includes a battery, a main switch unit operatively connected to the battery, a solenoid switch connected to the main switch unit for carrying out an on-off operation to the lid locking and unlocking mechanism for the fuel tank injection port lid, and a solenoid switch connected to the main switch unit for carrying out an on-off operation to the lid locking and unlocking mechanism for the storage box. The main switch unit includes a plurality of contact points corresponding to a first point of action at which the battery is switched off, a second point of action at which the battery is switched on and at which the lid of the fuel injection port of the fuel tank is unlocked, a third point of action at which the battery is switched on and a current passes to an ignitor and to a lighting unit, and a fourth point of action at which the battery is switched on and the lid of the storage box is unlocked.

Claims

1. An electric circuit system for a motorcycle having a body frame and a storage box disposed substantially at a central upper portion of the body frame, the storage box including a lid member for opening and closing the storage box and a lock mechanism including a solenoid means and an electromagnetic unlocking means for locking and unlocking the lid member, said electric circuit system having an ignition power circuit and a solenoid power circuit, said electromagnetic unlocking means having a key switch means comprising:

a cylinder lock unit including a rotor; and

a switch unit having a first switch and a second switch, each capable of being opened and closed in association with a rotation of said rotor, said first switch controlling an activation of said ignition power circuit and said second switch controlling an activation of said solenoid power circuit, said first switch being closed at a first point of action taken by the rotation of said rotor from a locked position by a predetermined rotation angle, said second switch being closed at a second point of action taken by further rotation of said rotor from the first point of action, said first switch maintaining a closed position during the rotation of said rotor between the first and second points of action, said rotor including a retention mechanism for retaining the rotor at the first point of action and a spring means for restoring the rotor to the first point of action against a further rotation of the rotor, wherein said lid member can be unlocked while the ignition power circuit is activated.

2. An electric circuit system according to claim 1, comprising a lock lever and a cam member, said lock lever being connected to a steering shaft and operated by the rotation of said rotor through said cam member for providing a steering lock function.

3. An electric circuit system for a motorcycle comprising a body frame, an engine unit disposed substantially at a central portion of the body frame, a storage box disposed at a central upper portion of the body frame, and a fuel tank, said storage box including a lid assembly having a first lid locking and unlocking mechanism, said fuel tank injection port by a second lid locking and unlocking mechanism, said electric circuit system comprising:

a battery;

main switch means operatively connected to said battery;

second switch means connected to said main switch means for carrying out an on-off operation of said second lid locking and unlocking mechanism for the fuel tank injection port lid member;

solenoid means connected to said main switch means for carrying out an on-off operation of said first lid locking and unlocking mechanism for the storage box;

an ignition section operatively connected to said main switch and to the engine unit; and

lighting circuit means for lighting a head lamp of the motorcycle,

said main switch means including a plurality of contact points corresponding to a first point of action at which the battery is switched off, a second point of action at which the battery is switched on and the lid of the fuel tank injection port is unlocked, a third point of action at which the battery is switched on and a current passes to the ignition section and the lighting circuit means, and a fourth point of action at which the battery is switched on, the current passes to the ignition section and the lid of the storage box is unlocked.

4. An electric circuit system according to claim 3, wherein said third and fourth points of action are operatively connected so that the fourth point of action is automatically returned to the third point of action.

5. An electric circuit system according to claim 3, wherein said second point of action is electrically connected to the second switch means that operates a solenoid means for unlocking the fuel tank lid locking mechanism.

6. An electric circuit system according to claim 3, wherein said main switch means further includes a rotor means connected to said battery for selectively indicating one of said plurality of contact points.