Illuminator in storage box of motorcycle

• US 6,428,191 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2001
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Ohura, Kousei
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ton, Anabel
• Application Number:
  US09/870,864
• Publication Number:
  US 20010055210A1
• Time in Patent Office: 433 Days
• Field of Search: 362/473, 362/496, 362/154, 362/483, 362/488, 362/155, 362/156
• US Class Current: 362/473
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/225 Small compartments, e.g. glove compartments
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 6/01 Electric circuits

Abstract

A storage box illuminator for a motorcycle in which a storage box having a top opening is arranged under the seat so that the bottom plate of the seat can cover the opening in an openable and closable manner is so configured that an illuminating lamp is arranged inside a depressed portion which is formed on the underside of the seat bottom plate of the seat and indented upward approximately as deep as the height of the illuminating device so that the illuminating lamp can illuminate the inside of the storage box when the seat is set open.

Claims

1. A storage box illuminator for a motorcycle wherein a storage box having a top opening is arranged under the seat so that the bottom plate of the seat can cover the opening in an openable and closable manner, the illuminator comprising:

an illuminating device for illuminating the inside of the storage box; and

a depressed portion which is formed on the underside of the seat bottom plate of the seat and indented upward approximately as deep as the height of the illuminating device, characterized in that the illuminating device is arranged inside the depressed portion so that the illuminating device can illuminate the inside of the storage box when the seat is set open.

2. The storage box illuminator for a motorcycle according to claim 1, further comprising:

wiring cord holders provided on the undersurface of the seat bottom plate for leading the wiring cord from the illuminating device to the outside of the storage box; and

a sealing element arranged on the underside of the seat bottom plate opposing the opening of the storage box, wherein the wiring cord is arranged on the underside of the seat covering the storage box in an openable and closable manner and extended along the wiring cord holders, and a pair of passage holes are formed in the seat bottomplate at positions on the inner and outer sides of the opening of the storage box so that the wiring cord is arranged passing through these passage holes to bypass the sealing element.

3. The storage box illuminator for a motorcycle according to claim 1, characterized in that:

the seat has a seat hinge portion at the front part thereof and is supported on the bodywork by the seat hinge portion so that the seat can open and close the opening of the storage box by being pivoted vertically;

the wiring cord is arranged from the illuminating device to the power supply on the bodywork, passing by the seat hinge portion at the front part of the seat, and is comprised of a body-side wiring part extended from the power supply on the body side and a seat-side wiring part arranged from the illuminating device on the underside of the seat bottom plate along the seat bottom plate so that they can be joined and disjoined at a joining portion; and

the joining portion between the body-side wiring part and seat-side wiring part of the wiring cord is disposed at the seat hinge portion on the bodywork side.

4. The storage box illuminator for a motorcycle according to claim 2, characterized in that:

the seat has a seat hinge portion at the front part thereof and is supported on the bodywork by the seat hinge portion so that the seat can open and close the opening of the storage box by being pivoted vertically;

the wiring cord is arranged from the illuminating device to the power supply on the bodywork, passing by the seat hinge portion at the front part of the seat, and is comprised of a body-side wiring part extended from the power supply on the body side and a seat-side wiring part arranged from the illuminating device on the underside of the seat bottom plate along the seat bottom plate so that they can be joined and disjoined at a joining portion; and

the joining portion between the body-side wiring part and seat-side wiring part of the wiring cord is disposed at the seat hinge portion on the bodywork side.