Method of fabricating a vehicle body frame for a motorcycle

• US 6,796,030 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2001
• Issued: 09/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/1998
• 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: Nakagawa, Masahiko, Koya, Eitarou, Mochizuki, Shinsuke
• Primary Examiner(s): JIMENEZ, MARC QUEMUEL
• Application Number:
  US10/005,353
• Publication Number:
  US 20020059728A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 298/972, 294/60, 294/58, 295/275, 295/273, 280/281.1, 280/274, 180/219, 164/459, 164/464
• US Class Current: 29/897.2
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 53/86 other parts for bicycles or motorcycles
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/04 characterised by the engine being between front and rear wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 19/12 having cast members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49616 Structural member making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49622 Vehicular structural member making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49885 with coating before or during assembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49888 Subsequently coating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49984 and casting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49988 Metal casting

Abstract

To adopt die casts product as parts of a vehicle body frame. A vehicle body frame is provide with an alumite treating, showing that brightness and appearance of pivot plates which are die cast products differ from those of non-die cast products, head pipes, longitudinal pipes and cross pipe. By carrying out a local coating treatment on the pivot plates, the pivot plates are provided with a color the same as that of the pipe, the longitudinal pipes and the cross pipe. By making die cast products portion of constituent parts, the fabrication cost of the vehicle body frame can be reduced.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a vehicle body frame for a motorcycle comprising the following steps:

integrating aluminum series die cast products and aluminum series non-die cast products fabricated by a method other than die casting to form an integrated article having die cast portions and non-die cast portions;

subjecting the integrated article to an alumite treating coating; and

additionally coating only the die cast portions of the integrated article with a coating having a color generally the same as the alumite coating.

2. The method of fabricating the vehicle body frame for a motorcycle according to claim 1, and further including the step of fabricating at least one of said die cast products with molten aluminum injected into a cavity under high pressure and at least another of said die cast products by gravity die casting molten aluminum into a cavity.

3. The method of fabricating the vehicle body frame for a motorcycle according to claim 2, wherein the high pressure die cast products are pivot plates for the vehicle body, said method further including the step of projecting shot grain onto the pivot plates for finishing the surface.

4. The method of fabricating the vehicle body frame for a motorcycle according to claim 2, wherein said step of additionally coating the die cast products does not include additionally coating the gravity die cast products.

5. The method of fabricating the vehicle body frame for a motorcycle according to claim 1, wherein a gate speed for the die casting is 5-15 m/s for the molten metal.

6. The method of fabricating the vehicle body frame for a motorcycle according to claim 1, wherein said coating having a color generally the same as the alumite coating is a cross linked coating.

7. A method of fabricating a vehicle body frame for a motorcycle comprising the following steps:

forming aluminum series die cast products by high pressure die casting;

forming aluminum series non-die cast products by a method other than high pressure die casting;

integrating said aluminum series die cast products and said aluminum series non-die cast products to form an integrated article having die cast portions and non-die cast portions;

subjecting the integrated article to an alumite treating coating; and

additionally coating only the die cast portions of the integrated article with a coating having a color generally the same as the alumite coating.

8. The method of fabricating the vehicle body frame for a motorcycle according to claim 7, wherein the die cast products are pivot plates for the vehicle body, said method further including the step of projecting shot grain onto the pivot plates for finishing the surface.

9. The method of fabricating the vehicle body frame for a motorcycle according to claim 7, wherein a gate speed for the die casting is 5-15 m/s for the molten metal.

10. The method of fabricating the vehicle body frame for a motorcycle according to claim 7, wherein said coating having a color generally the same as the alumite coating is a cross linked coating.