Rear lighting device for motorcycles

• US 6,939,028 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2003
• Issued: 09/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Inventors: Miyamoto, Takehiro
• Primary Examiner(s): CARIASO, ALAN B
• Application Number:
  US10/624,430
• Publication Number:
  US 20040075543A1
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 362/369, 362/390, 362/473, 362/506, 362540-543, 362/549, 340/432, 340/468, 340470- 47, 340/475
• US Class Current: 362/473
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 15/00 Mud-guards for wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 6/04 Rear lights

Abstract

A rear lighting device for a motorcycle is disclosed. The rear lighting device is mounted on a rear fender that covers a rear wheel of the motorcycle. The rear lighting device includes a flasher stay that is mounted on the rear fender through a stay bracket, and flashers mounted on right and left mounting end sections of the flasher stay. The flasher stay includes a mounting plane surface section provided in a generally central area of the flasher stay along its length direction and right and left end sections on both sides of the mounting plane surface section. The mounting plane surface section is defined by a plate like section that is generally flat in a direction perpendicular to the length direction of the flasher stay, and the mounting plane section extends generally horizontally as the flasher stay is mounted on the stay bracket.

Claims

1. A rear lighting device for a motorcycle mounted on a rear fender that covers a rear wheel, the rear lighting device comprising:

a metal stay bracket attached to the rear fender;

a metal flasher stay that is mounted on the metal stay bracket through a gasket, the metal flasher stay including a mounting plane surface section in a generally central area thereof along a length direction thereof, and right and left end sections on both sides of the mounting plane surface section, wherein the mounting plane surface section extends generally horizontally; and

flashers are mounted at the right and left end sections of the flasher stay.

2. A rear lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the mounting plane surface section defines a plate-like section that is generally flat in a direction perpendicular to the length direction of the flasher stay, and the mounting plane section extends horizontally when the flasher stay is mounted on the stay bracket that is fixed to the rear fender.

3. A rear lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the mounting plane surface section is wider than the right and left end sections in a width direction perpendicular to the length direction of the flasher stay.

4. A rear lighting device according to claim 1, wherein each of the right and left end sections of the flasher stay is generally round.

5. A rear lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the flasher stay is made of a generally round metal pipe, and a central area of the round metal pipe is pressed to define the mounting plane surface section and both ends of the round metal pipe are left uncompressed to define the right and left end sections of the flasher stay.

6. A rear lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the flasher stay bends such that the mounting plane section is positioned higher than the right and left end sections as the flasher stay is mounted on the stay bracket.

7. A rear lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the flasher stay bends such that the right and left end sections of the flasher stay are displaced lower than the mounting plane section as the flasher stay is mounted on the stay bracket.

8. A rear lighting device according to claim 6, wherein the flasher stay covers the stay bracket from above.

9. A rear lighting device according to claim 6, further comprising a license lamp that is mounted on the mounting plane section of the flasher stay.

10. A rear lighting device according to claim 6, wherein the license lamp is mounted on a lower side of the mounting plane section of the flasher stay.

11. A rear lighting device according to claim 10, wherein the mounting plane section of the flasher stay has an opening section and the license lamp emits light upward through the opening section of the flasher stay.

12. A rear lighting device according to claim 9, further comprising a tail lamp that is independent of the license lamp.

13. A rear lighting device according to claim 12, wherein the tail lamp comprise a plurality of light emitting elements.

14. A rear lighting device for a vehicle mounted on a rear fender of the vehicle, the rear lighting device comprising:

a generally horizontal surface section formed on a metal stay bracket attached to the rear fender;

a metal flasher stay that is mounted on the generally horizontal surface section through a gasket, the flasher stay including a central plane area and end sections on both sides of the central plane area, wherein the central plane area of the flasher stay extends generally horizontally as the flasher stay is mounted on the generally horizontal surface section.

15. A rear lighting device according to claim 14, wherein the central plane area of the flasher stay is wider than the end sections thereof in a longitudinal direction generally perpendicular to a lengthwise direction of the flasher stay.

16. A rear lighting device according to claim 14, wherein the central plane area of the flasher stay defines a generally flat surface extending in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to a lengthwise direction of the flasher stay, and the central plane area extends horizontally as the flasher stay is mounted on the generally horizontal surface section.

17. A rear lighting device according to claim 14, wherein the mounting plane section is curved in a shallow arc shape as viewed from rear of the motorcycle such that the end sections of the flasher stay are positioned lower than the mounting plane section as viewed from rear.

18. A rear lighting device according to claim 14, wherein the flasher stay is made of a generally round metal pipe, and a central area of the round metal pipe is pressed to define the mounting plane surface section and both ends of the round metal pipe are left uncompressed to define the end sections of the flasher stay.

19. A rear lighting device according to claim 14, further comprising a license lamp that is mounted on the mounting plane section of the flasher stay.

20. A rear lighting device according to claim 19, wherein the license lamp is mounted on a lower side of the mounting plane section of the flasher stay.

21. A rear lighting device according to claim 20, wherein the mounting plane section of the flasher stay has an opening section and the license lamp emits light upward through the opening section of the flasher stay.

22. A rear lighting device according to claim 19, further comprising a tail lamp composed of a plurality of light emitting elements, the tail lamp being independent of the license lamp.