Windshield apparatus for a motorcycle

• US 5,490,573 A
• Filed: 09/22/1994
• Issued: 02/13/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Shimokawa, Kouji, Hagiwara, Shinji, Kobayashi, Kouichi, Nishimoto, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Focarino, Margaret A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Johnson, Victor E.
• Application Number:
  US08/310,323
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 180/219, 180/68.1, 180/68.2, 180/68.3, 296/180.1, 296/208, 296/78.1, 296/91, D12/107, D12/110
• US Class Current: 180/68.1
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 17/02 shielding only the rider's front
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 17/10 Ventilation or air guiding devices forming part of fairings
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2009/0254 Mechanical control linkage between accelerator lever and throttle valve
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2009/0279 Throttle valve control for intake system with two parallel air flow paths, each controlled by a throttle, e.g. a resilient flap disposed on a throttle
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 9/1095 Rotating on a common axis, e.g. having a common shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/10013 Means upstream of the air filter; Connection to the ambient air
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/10216 Fuel injectors; Fuel pipes or rails; Fuel pumps or pressure regulators
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/116 for engines with cylinders in V-arrangement or arranged oppositely relative to the main shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/162 Motorcycles; All-terrain vehicles, e.g. quads, snowmobiles; Small vehicles, e.g. forklifts

Abstract

A pair of air inlet openings and a pair of air introduction paths are formed in a leftwardly and rightwardly symmetrical relationship on left and right side portions of a windshield. The air introduction paths are each formed as a smooth continuous curved face in a transverse direction, and a body center side curved face of the air introduction path is formed more moderate relative to an outer side curved face. When surface air flows along the surface of the front face flow on the air introduction paths since the body center side curved faces are moderate, exfoliation occurs less likely, and the external air admission efficiency of the air inlet openings is raised.

Claims

1. An ambient air supply for a motorcycle engine comprising:

a windshield adapted for covering a front portion of a motorcycle body, said windshield having a center portion and outer edge portions;

at least one air inlet opening provided on said windshield;

at least one recessed groove being formed in a surface of said windshield forwardly of said at least one air inlet opening providing a substantially longitudinal air introduction path to said at least one air inlet opening, said at least one recessed groove having a smooth, continuously curved surface in a transverse direction of said air introduction path;

a first portion of said curved surface adjacent the center portion of said windshield being convexly shaped having a first radius of curvature;

a second convexly shaped portion of the curved surface adjacent one of the outer edge portions of said windshield having a second radius of curvature substantially less than said first radius; and

an intake conduit being in communication with said at least one air inlet opening for introducing ambient air to the engine.

2. The ambient air supply for a motorcycle engine according to claim 1, wherein said at least one air inlet opening includes a reduced height opening portion positioned adjacent to a center of the windshield which increases in height as the at least one air inlet opening extends outwardly towards one of the outer edge portions of said windshield.

3. The ambient air supply for a motorcycle engine according to claim 1, wherein said at least one recess groove extends a predetermined distance to a first point from said at least one air inlet opening, a width of said at least one recess groove being narrow at said first point and expanding to be equal to a width of said at least one air inlet opening at a point adjacent to said at least one air inlet opening.

4. The ambient air supply for a motorcycle engine according to claim 3, wherein said at least one recess groove extends continuously in a curved surface from said first point to said point adjacent to said at least one air inlet opening.

5. The ambient air supply for a motorcycle engine according to claim 1, and further including an air filter member operatively positioned in said intake conduit.

6. The ambient air supply for a motorcycle engine according to claim 1, wherein said at least one air inlet opening and said at least one recess groove extend at a predetermined angle relative to said center portion of said windshield.

7. An ambient air supply for a motorcycle engine comprising:

a windshield adapted for covering a front portion of a motorcycle body, said windshield having a center portion and outer edge portions;

a first air inlet opening provided on a first side of said windshield and a second air inlet opening provided on a second side of said windshield;

a first recessed groove being formed in a surface of said windshield forwardly of said first air inlet opening providing a first substantially longitudinal air introduction path to said first air inlet opening, said first recessed groove having a smooth, continuously curved surface in a transverse direction of said first air introduction path;

a second recessed groove being formed in a surface of said windshield forwardly of said second air inlet opening providing a second substantially longitudinal air introduction path to said second air inlet opening, said second recessed groove having a smooth, continuously curved surface in a transverse direction of said second air introduction path;

a first portion of each of said curved surfaces of said first and second recessed grooves disposed adjacent the center portion of said windshield being convexly shaped having a first radius of curvature;

a second convexly shaped portion of each of said curved surfaces adjacent a respective one of the outer edge portions of said windshield having a second radius of curvature substantially less than said first radius;

a first intake conduit being in communication with said first air inlet opening for introducing ambient air to the engine; and

a second intake conduit being in communication with said second air inlet opening for introducing ambient air to the engine.

8. The ambient air supply for a motorcycle engine according to claim 7, wherein said first and second air inlet openings include a reduced height opening portion positioned adjacent to a center of the windshield which increases in height as the first and second air inlet openings extend outwardly towards one of the outer edge portions of said windshield.

9. The ambient air supply for a motorcycle engine according to claim 7, wherein said first and second recess grooves extend, respectively, a predetermined distance to a first point from said first and second air inlet openings, a width of said first and second recess grooves being narrow at said first point and expanding to be equal to a width of said first and second air inlet openings at a point adjacent to said first and second air inlet openings, respectively.

10. The ambient air supply for a motorcycle engine according to claim 9, wherein said first and second recess grooves extend continuously in a curved surface from said first point to said point adjacent to said at least one air inlet opening.

11. The ambient air supply for a motorcycle engine according to claim 7, and further including an air filter member operatively positioned in each of said first and second intake conduits.

12. The ambient air supply for a motorcycle engine according to claim 7, wherein said first and second air inlet openings and said first and second recess grooves extend at a predetermined angle relative to said center portion of said windshield.

13. A windshield adapted for covering a front portion of a motorcycle body, said windshield having a center portion and outer edge portions comprising:

at least one air inlet opening provided on said windshield;

at least one recessed groove being formed in a surface of said windshield forwardly of said at least one air inlet opening providing a substantially longitudinal air introduction path to said at least one air inlet opening, said at least one recessed groove having a smooth, continuously curved surface in a transverse direction of said air introduction path;

a first portion of said curved surface adjacent the center portion of said windshield being convexly shaped having a first radius of curvature;

a second convexly shaped portion of the curved surface adjacent one of the outer edge portions of said windshield having a second radius of curvature substantially less than said first radius.

14. The windshield according to claim 13, wherein said at least one air inlet opening includes a reduced height opening portion positioned adjacent to a center of the windshield which increases in height as the at least one air inlet opening extends outwardly towards one of the outer edge portions of said windshield.

15. The windshield according to claim 13, wherein said at least one recess groove extends a predetermined distance to a first point from said at least one air inlet opening, a width of said at least one recess groove being narrow at said first point and expanding to be equal to a width of said at least one air inlet opening at a point adjacent to said at least one air inlet opening.

16. The windshield according to claim 15, wherein said at least one recess groove extends continuously in a curved surface from said first point to said point adjacent to said at least one air inlet opening.

17. The windshield according to claim 13, wherein said at least one air inlet opening and said at least one recess groove extend at a predetermined angle relative to said center portion of said windshield.