Luggage rack and backrest mounting system

• US 6,840,344 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2001
• Issued: 01/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Harley Davidson Motor Company (Harley-Davidson Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Harley-Davidson Motor Company Group Incorporated (Harley-Davidson Incorporated)
• Inventors: Galbraith, Stephen L., Sucharski, Brian R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Morris, Lesley D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROYAL, PAUL
• Application Number:
  US09/903,433
• Publication Number:
  US 20030010556A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: 224/413, 224/418, 224/423, 224427-441, 224/462, 297/215.1, 297/215.11, 180/219, 280/847, 280/288.4
• US Class Current: 180/219
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 1/28 Other additional equipment, e.g. back-rests for children
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 7/04 arranged above or behind the rear wheel

Abstract

A mounting member for mounting a luggage rack and/or a backrest to a motorcycle includes a concave recess on at least one side for snugly receiving a rounded side surface of a backrest assembly. This recess provides support to the back rest assembly such that vertical loads encountered during normal operation are carried by the snug engagement of the concave recess and the rounded side surface, reducing shear stress on fasteners used to couple the backrest to the mounting member. A portion of a motorcycle luggage rack is disposed over a rear portion of the mounting member and fasteners are extended through apertures in the luggage rack and threaded into substantially vertical threaded bores in the mounting member to affix the luggage rack to the mounting member.

Claims

1. A motorcycle comprising:

a frame;

a steering assembly pivotally mounted to said frame;

a front wheel rotatably mounted to said steering assembly and supporting a front end of said motorcycle;

a rear wheel rotatably interconnected with a rear portion of said frame and supporting a rear end of said motorcycle;

a mounting member coupled to said frame, said mounting member including a luggage rack mounting portion, and having a top surface facing away from said frame, and a bottom surface facing toward said frame;

a seat mounted over a portion of said top surface of said mounting member to sandwich a portion of said mounting member between said seat and said frame, wherein said seat is not portioned over said luggage rack mounting portion; and

a luggage rack mounted to said luggage rack mounting portion of said mounting member, wherein said mounting member includes a longitudinal axis and first and second arms positioned on opposite sides of said longitudinal axis, said first and second arms being sandwiched between said seat and said frame.

2. A motorcycle as in claim 1, wherein said luggage rack mounting portion of said mounting member extends rearwardly of said seat.

3. A motorcycle as in claim 1, wherein said luggage rack mounting portion includes an arcuate top surface, wherein said luggage rack mounting portion also includes a substantially flat portion at least partially recessed with respect to said arcuate top surface, and wherein said luggage rack mounting portion also includes a substantially vertical threaded bore extending through said flat portion, said motorcycle further comprising a threaded fastener extending substantially vertically through a portion of said luggage rack and threaded into said threaded bore.

4. A motorcycle as in claim 1, further comprising a rear fender disposed over said rear wheel and extending rearwardly of said seat, said rear fender having an arcuate top surface, wherein said bottom surface of said mounting member has a curvature substantially matching said arcuate top surface of said rear fender, and wherein substantially the entire bottom surface of said mounting member is in continuous contact with said arcuate top surface of said rear fender.

5. A motorcycle as in claim 1, wherein said mounting member includes at least one side surface and a backrest mounting member formed in said at least one side surface, said motorcycle further comprising a backrest mounted to said backrest mounting portion.

6. A motorcycle as in claim 1, wherein said luggage rack extends rearwardly of said mounting member in a generally cantilever fashion.

7. A motorcycle as in claim 1, wherein at least one of said arms includes a mounting aperture therethrough, said motorcycle further comprising a fastener extending through said mounting aperture and securing said mounting member to said frame.

8. A motorcycle as in claim 7, wherein said first and second arms include a collar, the collar having an inverted J-shaped cross section to increases the overall moment of inertia of said mounting member.

9. A motorcycle as in claim 1, wherein said luggage rack mounting portion of said mounting member defines a downwardly-opening cavity and a plurality of stiffening ribs within said cavity, said ribs increasing the overall moment of inertia of said mounting member.

13. A motorcycle as in claim 2, wherein said backrest mounting portion includes at least one substantially horizontal threaded bore extending through said side surface and positioned within said concave recess, said motorcycle further comprising at least one fastener extending through said backrest and threaded into said horizontal threaded bore and mounting said backrest to said backrest mounting portion.

14. The motorcycle of claim 13, wherein when said backrest is under ordinary operating load there is substantially no shear stress on said fastener due to the engagement between said recess and said rounded side surface.

10. A motorcycle comprising:

a frame including a seat pan portion;

a steering assembly pivotally mounted to said frame;

a front wheel rotatably mounted to said steering assembly and supporting a front end of said motorcycle;

a rear wheel rotatably interconnected with a rear portion of said frame and supporting a rear end of said motorcycle;

a mounting member mounted to said seat pan portion, said mounting member including a luggage rack mounting portion, a top surface facing away from said seat pan portion, a bottom surface facing toward said seat pan portion, and side surfaces extending between said top and bottom surfaces, said mounting member further including a backrest mounting portion defined in at least one of said side surfaces;

a seat mounted over said top surface of said mounting member to sandwich a portion of said mounting member between said seat and said seat pan portion;

a luggage rack mounted to said luggage rack mounting portion of said mounting member rearward of said seat; and

a backrest mounted to said backrest mounting portion of said mounting member.

11. A motorcycle comprising:

a frame;

a steering assembly pivotally mounted to said frame;

a front wheel rotatably mounted to said steering assembly and supporting a front end of said motorcycle;

a rear wheel rotatably interconnected with a rear portion of said frame and supporting a rear end of said motorcycle;

a rear fender mounted to said frame over said rear wheel;

a mounting member mounted on top of said rear fender, said mounting member having a top surface facing away from said seat pan portion, a bottom surface facing toward said seat pan portion, and side surfaces extending between said top and bottom surfaces, said mounting member further including a backrest mounting portion defined in at least one of said side surfaces;

a seat mounted over said top surface of said mounting member to sandwich a portion of said mounting member between said seat and said seat pan portion; and

a backrest mounted to said backrest mounting portion of said mounting member.

12. The motorcycle of claim 11, wherein said backrest mounting portion includes a concave recess formed in at least one of said side surfaces, wherein said backrest includes a portion having a rounded side surface snugly received within said concave recess.

15. A motorcycle as in claim 12, wherein said portion of said backrest includes an elongated rod having a circular cross section, wherein said recess is elongated to accommodate a length of said elongated rod, and wherein the curvature of said cross-section substantially corresponds to the curvature of said concave recess.

16. A motorcycle as in claim 12, wherein substantially the entire concave recess is engaged with said rounded side surface of said backrest.

17. A Y-shaped mounting member configured for use on the rear portion of a motorcycle, the mounting member comprising:

a generally arcuate top surface;

a generally arcuate bottom surface;

side surfaces extending between said top and bottom surfaces;

a luggage rack mounting portion defining at least one substantially vertical aperture in a rear portion of said mounting member;

a backrest mounting portion defining at least one substantially horizontal aperture defined in said side surfaces of said mounting member.

18. The mounting member of claim 17, further comprising first and second arms, each of said arms having a collar with an inverted J-shaped cross section.

19. The mounting member of claim 17, further comprising stiffening ribs and arms having a collar with an inverted J-shaped cross section, wherein said stiffening ribs and said J-shaped cross section increase the overall moment of inertia of said mounting member.