Motorcycle triple clamps

• US 6,976,691 B1
• Filed: 12/01/2003
• Issued: 12/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polaris Industries Incorporated (Polaris Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Polaris Industries Incorporated (Polaris Inc.)
• Inventors: Fredrickson, Danny Jay, Song, Michael M., Nelson, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): WINNER, TONY H
• Application Number:
  US10/725,204
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 280/279, 280/280, 745/518, 296/78.1, D12/118, 180/219
• US Class Current: 280/279
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 21/04 Fork crowns
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 21/18 Connections between forks and handlebars or handlebar stems

Abstract

An apparatus and method are provided for a triple clamp with a central recess contained therein. In combination with a removable cover, the recess can be utilized to conceal a steering stem nut of the motorcycle, as well as to contain and hold a variety of items if so desired.

Claims

1. A motorcycle comprising:

a frame;

a steering fork having a pair of fork tubes;

a lower triple clamp rotatably coupled to the frame and operatively coupled to the pair of fork tubes such that the fork tubes rotate relative to the frame;

an upper triple clamp rotatably coupled to the frame and operatively coupled to the pair of fork tubes such that the fork tubes rotate relative to the frame, the upper triple clamp having an upper surface, the upper surface having a recess therein;

a cap secured on the upper surface of the upper triple clamp wherein the cap is adapted to conceal the recess and adapted to hold an indicator light, the indicator light being integral to an indicator light assembly contained within the recess of the upper triple clamp; and

a fastener assembly adapted to rotatably couple the frame to the upper and lower triple clamps.

2. The motorcycle of claim 1, wherein the recess comprises a bottom surface having at least one aperture.

3. The motorcycle of claim 2, wherein the fastener assembly comprises lower and upper ends, the lower end being operatively coupled to the lower triple clamp and extending upward from the lower triple clamp through a head tube of the frame and through the at least one aperture in the bottom surface of the recess of the upper triple clamp, the upper end being contained completely within the recess of the upper triple clamp and supported by the bottom surface of the recess.

4. The motorcycle of claim 1, wherein the cap has at least one bore therein adapted to accept a fastener utilized in mounting the cap to the upper surface of the upper triple clamp.

5. A motorcycle triple clamp comprising:

a body having an upper surface and a lower surface and a continuous side surface connecting outer edges of the upper and lower surfaces, the upper surface having a recess therein including a bottom surface with at least one aperture, the body defining two outer openings each adapted for receiving a fork tube therein, the body further defining two inner openings each adapted for operatively receiving a riser tube therein, and

a cap secured to the upper surface and entirely covering the recess.

6. A motorcycle comprising:

a frame;

a steering fork having a pair of fork tubes;

a lower triple clamp rotatably coupled to the frame and operatively coupled to the pair of fork tubes;

an upper triple clamp rotatably coupled to the frame and operatively coupled to the pair of fork tubes, the upper triple clamp having an upper surface, the upper surface having a recess therein; and

a fastener assembly rotatably coupling the frame to the upper and lower triple clamps, the fastener assembly terminating within the recess below the upper surface of the upper triple clamp.

7. The motorcycle of claim 6, further including a cap secured to the upper surface of the upper triple clamp to conceal the recess.

8. The motorcycle of claim 7, wherein the cap has at least one aperture therein adapted to hold an indicator light.

9. The motorcycle of claim 8, wherein the indicator light is integral to an indicator light assembly that is contained within the recess of the upper triple clamp.

10. The motorcycle of claim 7, wherein the cap is sized to cover the recess entirely.

11. The motorcycle of claim 6, further including a cap secured to the upper surface of the upper triple clamp to conceal the fastener assembly within the recess.

12. The motorcycle of claim 6, wherein the fastener assembly includes a steering stem nut within the recess.

13. The motorcycle of claim 12, further including a cap that covers the steering stem nut within the recess.

14. The motorcycle of claim 6, wherein the fastener assembly includes a rod extending between the upper and lower triple clamps.

15. The motorcycle of claim 14, further including a cap secured to the lower surface of the lower triple clamp to conceal the recess.

16. The motorcycle of claim 15, wherein the indicator light is integral to an indicator light assembly that is contained within the recess of the upper triple clamp.

17. The motorcycle of claim 14, further including a cap secured to the upper surface of the upper triple clamp to conceal the fastener assembly within the recess.

18. A motorcycle comprising:

a frame;

a steering fork having a pair of fork tubes;

a lower triple clamp rotatably coupled to the frame and operatively coupled to the pair of fork tubes, the lower triple clamp having a lower surface, the lower surface having a recess therein;

an upper triple clamp rotatably coupled to the frame and operatively coupled to the pair of fork tubes; and

a fastener assembly rotatably coupling the frame to the upper and lower triple clamps, the fastener assembly terminating within the recess above the lower surface of the lower triple clamp.

19. The motorcycle of claim 18, wherein the cap has at least one aperture therein adapted to hold an indicator light.