Engine guard for a motorcycle engine and associated buffer element

Abstract

Engine protection for an engine (10) of a motorcycle (1) with an engine protection plate (2) which can be fastened below the engine (10) while leaving a free space (4), characterized in that a buffer element (3) made of an elastomer material is provided, at least in some areas, associated with the free space (4), which buffer element (3) is arranged in superficial contact with the engine (10) and / or the engine protection plate (2) in the free space (4) when the engine protection plate (2) is fastened to the engine (10).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an engine guard for a motorcycle engine with an engine protection plate attached below the engine while leaving a free space.

[0002] Such an engine guard for a motorcycle engine is widely known, for example DE 43 30 127 A1. The engine guard is intended to protect the engine from damage caused by stones thrown up during travel or, particularly during off-road travel, from damage caused by the engine hitting faults in the ground, branches lying across it, and the like by means of the engine guard plate, which is mounted at a certain distance from the formation of the free space below the engine. The free space between the engine guard plate and the engine ensures continued cooling of the engine and prevents contact corrosion between the engine guard plate and the engine. The engine guard plate is usually attached to the engine while maintaining the free space using fastening screws screwed into the engine block and guided in spacers or spacer sleeves.However, particularly in the case of heavy collisions with thrown-up stones or heavy impacts of the engine, the engine protection plate can easily become deformed, which can subsequently impair its further protective effect and is also visually undesirable.

[0003] The object of the present invention is therefore to further develop a motor protection of the type mentioned at the outset in such a way that the disadvantages of the prior art are overcome in a simple manner.

[0004] To achieve the stated object, the invention proposes the design of a motor protection according to the features of claim 1.

[0005] Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0006] The engine protection designed according to the invention to achieve the stated object is characterized in that a buffer element made of an elastomer material is provided, at least in part, associated with the free space, which buffer element is arranged in the free space in superficial contact with the engine and / or the engine protection plate when the engine protection plate is attached to the engine.

[0007] According to the invention, a buffer element made of elastomer material, for example, hard rubber or ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM), is provided. This buffer element is arranged at a suitable position in the space between the engine and the engine protection plate, so that the deformation path of the engine protection plate upon impact with a stone or upon contact with the engine protection plate is limited to such an extent that no further plastic deformation of the engine protection plate occurs. For this purpose, the buffer element is arranged so that, in the unloaded installed state, it rests against either the engine or the engine protection plate.

[0008] Ideally, the buffer element rests against both the engine and the engine protection plate when installed without load, so that the engine protection plate is positively supported on the engine via the buffer element. Deformation forces acting on the engine protection plate are thus directly absorbed by the buffer element, which absorbs energy due to its elastomeric material properties and is supported on the engine, effectively counteracting deformation and damage to the engine protection plate. Furthermore, the buffer element arranged in this way also counteracts the generation of unwanted vibrations.

[0009] According to a further proposal of the invention, the engine has a sensor on its underside facing the free space, for example an oil level sensor, which is mounted on the underside of the engine and, together with the associated measuring line, protrudes beyond the underside of the engine and is to be covered by the engine protection plate. According to the invention, it is proposed that the buffer element has a recess adapted to the sensor on its upper side facing the engine and is dimensioned such that the parts of the sensor and, if applicable, its measuring line that protrude when the buffer element is installed are received in the recess, and the buffer element encloses these parts.

[0010] According to a further proposal of the invention, the buffer element has at least one through-hole for receiving a screw that fixes the engine protection plate to the engine, so that the buffer element can be fastened and held captively in the free space between the engine protection plate and the engine using the screws that are already provided for fastening the engine protection plate to the engine.

[0011] Furthermore, according to a further proposal of the invention, the buffer element can comprise a plug-in opening for inserting a retaining bracket and the retaining bracket can in turn be fastened to a screw fixing the engine protection plate to the engine in order to use further screws for fixing the engine protection plate to the engine also for fixing the buffer element according to the invention.

[0012] As already mentioned at the beginning, the buffer element according to the invention can be made of a suitable elastomer material, for example, hard rubber or ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM). Such an elastomer material can be precisely manufactured in appropriate molds with a complex three-dimensional design adapted to the installation situation, so that the buffer element can be manufactured and offered as a block component with a three-dimensional design adapted to the respective motorcycle and the associated engine protection plate.

[0013] The subject matter of the claimed invention is also such a buffer element of a previously explained motor protection according to the invention, which can be used both for the new design of a motor protection and for the retrofitting of already existing motor protection.

[0014] Further embodiments and details of the invention are explained below using an exemplary embodiment in the drawing. They show: Fig. 1 shows a schematic side view of a motorcycle equipped with an engine guard according to the invention; Fig. 2 shows the top view of the underside of a buffer element of the motor protection according to the invention; Fig. 3 the top view of the top of the buffer element according to Fig. 2; Fig. 4 the side view of the buffer element according to Fig. 2; Fig. 5 the buffer element according to Fig. 2 with associated retaining bracket.

[0015] From the Fig. 1 shows a motorcycle 1 in a merely exemplary, simplified representation, which, as is known per se, carries an engine 10 approximately centrally between the front and rear wheels. The engine 10 can be either an internal combustion engine or an electric motor.

[0016] To protect the engine 10 from flying stones or similar objects and to protect it from damage caused by hitting or striking faults in the ground, rocks, branches, and the like, an engine guard is provided below the engine 10. This guard is formed by an engine guard plate 2 fastened to the engine 10 with screws 5, leaving a free space below the engine 10. The engine guard plate 2 can be made, for example, of dimensionally stable and optionally fiber-reinforced plastic, sheet steel, aluminum, or a combination thereof.

[0017] Since the engine protection plate 2 does not lie directly against the engine 10 in order to maintain the air flow for cooling the engine 10 and to use the free space created in the event of a stronger force being applied for deformation and thus to protect the engine 10 from damage, a permanent plastic deformation of the engine protection plate 2 can easily occur.

[0018] To counteract this problem, at least in some areas in the space between the engine protection plate 2 and the engine ten at a correspondingly suitable and highly stressed position a Fig. 2 to 5, a buffer element 3 made of an elastomer material, in particular EPDM, is arranged, which with its Fig. 2 visible underside 31 rests superficially on the engine protection plate 2 already in the unloaded state and with its Fig. 3 visible top side 30 also rests on the motor 10 in the unloaded state.

[0019] For this purpose, the buffer element 3, which is manufactured in one piece, for example in a corresponding shape, is adapted in the area of its top side 30 and bottom side 31, as well as in the overall outline according to Figures 2 and 3, to the specific installation situation prevailing depending on the respective motorcycle model and is designed three-dimensionally. For this purpose, the buffer element 3 also has at least one through-hole 33 through which the screw 5 used to fasten the engine protection plate 2 to the engine 10 is passed without changing its function, i.e., the originally intended fastening of the engine protection plate 2 to the engine 10 is also used for fastening the buffer element 3.

[0020] A further fastening, in particular anti-twist protection of the buffer element 3 in the illustrated installation position is provided by a Fig. 2 and Fig. 5 in the area of the underside 31, into which a correspondingly shaped retaining bracket 35 made of, for example, sheet steel engages with its insertion end 350, which on the other hand is fixed with its opposite end to a further fastening screw (not shown) of the engine protection plate 2 on the engine 10 via a screw opening 351 formed therein.

[0021] It is obvious that such an intermediate layer of an elastomeric, elastically deformable buffer element 3 between the engine protection plate 2 and the engine 10 absorbs the impact energy of an impact on the engine protection plate 2, thus effectively counteracting deformation of the engine protection plate 2 even in the case of large impacts. Furthermore, the buffer element 3 also effectively dampens the generation of unwanted vibrations.

[0022] If the engine 10 is equipped with an externally arranged sensor in the area of its underside, for example an engine oil temperature sensor or an oil level sensor, the buffer element 3 can be arranged in the area of its upper side 30 facing the engine according to Fig. 3 be formed with a corresponding recess 32 which, in the installed state of the buffer element 3, accommodates the sensor and encloses it on all sides, so that the sensor is also optimally protected against damage and external influences.

[0023] It is understood that the Fig. 2 to 5 is merely exemplary and depends on the specific shape of the installation situation depending on the motorcycle 1, the engine 10 used and the engine protection plate 2 used for the engine protection and can be adapted accordingly by a specialist. List of reference symbols: 1 motorcycle 2 engine protection plate 3 Buffer element 4 Free space 5 screw 10 Engine 30 top side facing the engine 31 underside facing the protective plate 32 Recess for sensor 33 through hole 34 plug-in opening 35 support brackets 350 shank 351 screw opening QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 43 30 127 A1

[0002]

Claims

[1] Engine protection for an engine (10) of a motorcycle (1) with an engine protection plate (2) that can be fastened below the engine (10) while leaving a free space (4), characterized by that a buffer element (3) made of an elastomer material is provided, at least in part, associated with the free space (4), which buffer element is arranged in the free space (4) in superficial contact with the motor (10) and / or the motor protection plate (2) when the motor protection plate (2) is fastened to the motor (10). [2] Motor protection according to claim 1, characterized by that the motor protection plate (2) is positively supported on the motor (10) via the buffer element (3) in the unloaded state. [3] Motor protection according to claim 1 or 2, characterized bythat the motor (10) has a sensor on its underside facing the free space (4) and the buffer element (3) has a recess adapted to the sensor on its upper side (30) facing the motor (10), which recess receives the sensor when the buffer element (3) is in the installed state. [4] Motor protection according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by that the buffer element (3) has at least one through-bore (33) for receiving a screw (5) fixing the motor protection plate (2) to the motor (10). [5] Motor protection according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by that the buffer element (3) comprises a plug-in opening (34) for inserting a retaining bracket (35) and the retaining bracket (35) can be fastened to a screw fixing the motor protection plate (2) to the motor (10). [6] Motor protection according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized bythat the buffer element (3) consists of a hard rubber material and / or ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM). [7] Buffer element (3) of a motor protection according to one of the preceding claims.

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