Instrument panel unit with adjustable tilt for motorcycle

Abstract

The present invention relates to an instrument panel unit (1) for a motorcycle, comprising an instrument panel (2) and a supporting element (4) for the instrument panel, the supporting element (4) being integrated with and fixed to the front of the vehicle. A movable supporting member (13) for the instrument panel is arranged between the fixed supporting element (4) for the instrument panel and the instrument panel (2), the movable supporting member (13) for the instrument panel being fixed to the instrument panel (2), a unit (17) being arranged for adjusting the inclination of the movable supporting member (13) for the instrument panel, the unit being inserted between the instrument panel (2) and the fixed supporting element (4) for the instrument panel, the adjusting unit (17) comprising a cam unit (21) cooperating with the movable supporting member (13) for the instrument panel to change the inclination of the instrument panel (2).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The subject matter of the invention is an instrument panel unit for a motorcycle according to the preambles of the independent claims. Background Art

[0002] As is known, a dashboard is usually associated with the front part of a motorcycle, which part is connected to the handlebars. The dashboard comprises a display unit on which information related to the vehicle and its speed is displayed.

[0003] The instrument panel is usually integrated with a support element which secures it to the front of the vehicle.

[0004] Although the instrument panel is usually partially protected by a small dome attached to the front of the motorcycle, reflections may occur on its display unit, which may be annoying and / or dangerous for the driver. In addition, the height of the driver may also be the reason for the imperfect viewing angle of the display, the position of the display on the vehicle being fixed so that the display can be adapted to the average height of the driver. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide an instrument panel unit comprising a support element fixed to the vehicle and the instrument panel itself provided with its display unit, which is improved compared to known instrument panel units.

[0006] In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide an instrument panel unit in which the display unit is always clearly recognizable in an optimal manner by the driver, regardless of the driver's height.

[0007] A further object is to provide an instrument panel unit in which the display unit is always clearly recognizable in an optimal manner and is completely independent of the light present in the motorcycle's moving environment.

[0008] These objects and others, which will become apparent to a person skilled in the art, are achieved by an instrument panel unit according to the appended independent claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] For a better understanding of the present invention, the following figures are attached, by way of non-limiting example only, in which:

[0010] Figure 1 shows a front perspective view of an instrument panel unit according to the present invention;

[0011] Figure 2 Shown Figure 1 a view from above of the instrument panel unit in;

[0012] Figure 3 Shown Figure 1An exploded front perspective view of the instrument panel unit;

[0013] Figure 4 Shown along Figure 2 A cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 in FIG.

[0014] Figure 5 Shown from below Figure 1 Exploded perspective view of the instrument panel and the portion of the motorcycle to which the instrument panel is fixed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] With reference to the figures, an instrument panel unit for a motorcycle is generally designated 1 and comprises the actual instrument panel 2, which has a display 3 that makes it possible to display various information about the vehicle during use (for example, its speed) to the driver, and an element 4 for supporting the instrument panel, which is fixed in any known manner to a front part 6 of a vehicle (not shown) associated with the handlebars of the motorcycle. In the example shown in the figures, the instrument panel unit 1 is fixed by means of the element 4 for supporting the instrument panel to a part 6 of the motorcycle, which part 6 supports a conventional small dome (not shown) by means of connection means 8 (for example, screws).

[0016] The fixed support element 4 for the instrument panel comprises a body 9 with a substantially flat portion 10 which, with reference to the figures, has an upper face 11 and a lower face 12. The instrument panel 2 is arranged at the upper face 11 such that the display unit 3 can be clearly recognized by the driver.

[0017] Instrument panel 2 is integrally integrated with an instrument panel support 13, which is interposed between instrument panel 2 and its fixed support element 4 and faces the aforementioned upper face 11. This instrument panel support 13 is movable and can adopt different inclinations relative to fixed support element 4, enabling the instrument panel and, consequently, display unit 3 to be tilted in order to prevent reflections on display unit 3 that could prevent the driver from correctly and / or completely reading the content displayed on display unit 3. The tiltability of the instrument panel also enables its spatial position to be adjusted according to the driver's height.

[0018] More specifically, the fixed support element 4 for the instrument panel has, on its upper face 11, a recess or seat 15, relative to which an arched element 16 is elevated, which can hold a unit 17 for adjusting the inclination of the instrument panel 2. This unit 17 comprises a rod 18 which can be partially contained in the aforementioned seat or recess 15 and which can be held by the arched element 16 so as to rotate about its own longitudinal axis W.

[0019] At a first proximal end (i.e. the end close to or facing the driver), the rod 18 carries a knob 20 (or an equivalent control element), and at its second distal end (the end facing away from the driver), the rod 18 carries a cam unit 21, which can directly cooperate with a stop 22 arranged in a distal position (i.e. a position away from the driver), which stop 22 is located on a side 23 of the movable support 13 for the instrument panel facing the fixed support element 4 for the instrument panel.

[0020] The rotation of the rod 18 about the axis W brings different parts of the cam unit 21 into contact with the stop 22 and changes the inclination of the movable support 13 for the instrument panel and therefore changes the inclination of the instrument panel 2 integrated with the movable support 13, which inclination causes the distal side 24 of this support 13 of the fixed support element 4 for the instrument panel to rise.

[0021] More specifically, the cam unit 21 is a body with polygonal edges (in this example, the cam unit 21 is an irregular parallelepiped, but it can also be regular), eccentrically connected to the rod 18 (that is, the rod 18 is not connected to the geometric center of the cam unit 21). The cooperation of the cam unit 21 and the stopper 22 makes it possible to obtain various inclinations of the instrument panel as described above.

[0022] In the upper face 11 of the fixed support element 4 for the instrument panel, distally relative to the driver, a recess 25 is provided, into which a first end 26 of a tension spring 27 penetrates. This end 26 is connected to a cross member 28 disposed in the recess 25. On the other hand, the other end 30 (second end) of the spring 27 is connected near the distal side 24 (away from the driver) to a cross member 31 integral with the movable support 13 for the instrument panel. Thus, the spring 27 resists each movement away from the distal side 24 of the fixed support element 4 for the instrument panel caused by the rotation of the rod 18 about the axis W, thereby causing one of the sides 21A, 21B, 21C, 21D of the cam unit 21 to contact the stop 22 of the movable support 13 for the instrument panel. Due to the eccentric connection of the unit 21 to the rod 18, these sides are located at different distances from the face 11 of the fixed support element 4 for the instrument panel.

[0023] Said movement occurs due to the rotation of opposite pins 35 projecting laterally from the movable support for the dashboard (i.e. in a direction orthogonal to the axis W) in the seat 36 of the articulated unit 38, which is raised relative to the upper face 11 of the part 10 and fixed thereto; this rotation occurs when the knob 20 is rotated and the rod 18 therefore rotates about the axis W.

[0024] In the example in the figures, the articulated unit 38 is an independent element which is fastened, for example by means of screws 41 , to the surface 11 of the part 10 for the fastening support element 4 of the instrument panel.

[0025] Finally, the instrument panel 2 is fixed to the movable support 13 for the instrument panel by means of screws and damping elements 45 which are inserted into seats 46 provided in said support 13 and where they cooperate with nuts 47 .

[0026] Thanks to the present invention, the driver can adjust the inclination of the instrument panel 2 relative to the fixed support element 4 at any time while driving to avoid any light reflection (e.g., sunlight reflection) on the display unit 3. In addition, the driver can also adjust the position of the instrument panel 2 according to his own height so that the display unit 3 is placed in a position where it can be easily read.

[0027] All of this is achieved by acting on knob 20, rotating rod 18 and bringing one of the sides 21A, 21B, 21C, 21D of cam unit 21 into contact with stop 22 of movable support 13 for the instrument panel. Due to the fact that rod 18 is eccentric relative to the geometric center of cam unit 21, even if this unit is a regular parallelepiped, its rotation and contact with stop 22 can cause the distal side 24 of movable support 13 to rise differentially relative to the fixed support element for the instrument panel. On the other hand, if rod 18 is coupled to cam unit 21 precisely at its geometric center, the tiltability of instrument panel 2 can be achieved by manufacturing cam unit 21 with irregular edges or contours, thereby allowing for multiple degrees of tilt of the instrument panel.

[0028] It will be appreciated that the cam unit may have a plurality of polygonal forms to allow a corresponding plurality of tilting positions of the instrument panel 2 relative to the fixed support element 4 .

[0029] The traction spring 27 opposes this movement and holds the movable support for the instrument panel integrally with the fixed support element 4 .

[0030] The resulting instrument panel unit allows the inclination of the instrument panel to be adjusted using an economical yet practical and ergonomic device. The driver can easily perform the adjustment, even with one hand. This adjustment increases vehicle safety by preventing unpleasant and dangerous light reflections on the display unit 3 , and increases motorcycle comfort by allowing the position of the display unit 3 to be adapted to the various heights of users / drivers.

Claims

1. An instrument panel unit (1) for a motorcycle, comprising an instrument panel (2) and a support element (4) for the instrument panel, the support element being integrated with and fixed to the front part of the vehicle, characterized in that: A movable support (13) for the instrument panel is arranged between the fixed support element (4) for the instrument panel and the instrument panel (2), the movable support (13) for the instrument panel is fixed on the instrument panel (2), an adjustment unit (17) is configured to adjust the inclination of the movable support (13) for the instrument panel, the adjustment unit is inserted between the instrument panel (2) and the fixed support element (4) for the instrument panel, and the adjustment unit (17) includes a cam unit (21) that cooperates with the movable support (13) for the instrument panel to change the inclination of the instrument panel (2).

2. The instrument panel unit according to claim 1, wherein The adjustment unit (17) is integrated into the fixed support element (4) for the instrument panel.

3. The instrument panel unit according to claim 1, wherein The adjusting unit (17) is rotatable around its own axis (W) to rotate the cam unit (21), and the cam unit (21) is capable of taking various relative positions relative to the movable support of the instrument panel to change the inclination of the movable support of the instrument panel.

4. The instrument panel unit according to claim 3, characterized in that The adjusting unit (17) has an element (20) for controlling the rotation around the axis (W) of the adjusting unit (17) itself.

5. The instrument panel unit according to claim 4, characterized in that The adjustment unit (17) comprises a rod (18) associated with a seat (15) arranged in the face (11) of the fixed support element for the instrument panel, the element facing the movable support (13) for the instrument panel, the rod (18) carrying at a first proximal end an element (20) for controlling the rotation of the rod (18) around the longitudinal axis (W) of the rod (18) itself, and carrying at a second end the cam unit (21).

6. The instrument panel unit according to claim 4, characterized in that The control elements are oriented towards the driver.

7. The instrument panel unit according to claim 5, characterized in that The movable support (13) for the instrument panel is hinged on the fixed support element (4) for the instrument panel and is connected to the fixed support element via an elastic return unit (27) fixed on a connecting element (28, 31), and the connecting element (28, 31) is located in a distal position on the fixed support element (4) for the instrument panel and the movable support (13) for the instrument panel.

8. The instrument panel unit according to claim 7, characterized in that The movable support (13) for the instrument panel has opposite pins (35) which project laterally and are capable of cooperating with an articulation unit (38) fixed to the fixed support element (4) for the instrument panel, the return unit (27) being a traction spring.

9. The instrument panel unit according to claim 8, characterized in that The hinge unit (38) is fixed to the surface (11) of the fixed support element (4) for the instrument panel, said support facing the movable support (13) for the instrument panel, the hinge unit (38) being elevated relative to the surface (11) and having a seat (36) for the pin.

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