Vehicle grip structure

Abstract

To provide a vehicle grip structure that can improve grip performance. [Solution] The vehicle grip structure of the present disclosure is a grip structure attached to the handlebar 2 of a vehicle, and comprises a grip body 4 fixed to the handlebar 2 and in contact with the handlebar 2, and projections 6 that protrude from the grip body 4 in a direction perpendicular to the axis AX of the handlebar 2 and are arranged in the axial direction. The projections 6 have a plurality of main projections 10 that constitute the grip portion to be grasped by the user, and a plurality of sub-projections 12 that protrude less than the main projections 10.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a grip structure for a vehicle such as a water motorcycle, for example.

Background Art

[0002] In a vehicle such as a water motorcycle, a grip is provided for a driver to hold during driving (for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Such a grip is required to have grip performance, that is, gripping performance, in order to improve the operability of the vehicle.

[0005] The disclosure of the present application provides a grip structure for a vehicle that can improve grip performance.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A grip structure for a vehicle according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a grip structure attached to a handlebar of a vehicle, and includes a grip body fixed to the handlebar and in contact with the handlebar, and protrusions protruding from the grip body in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the handlebar and arranged axially. The protrusions have a plurality of main protrusions that constitute a grip portion gripped by a gripper, and a plurality of sub-protrusions having a smaller protrusion amount than the main protrusions.

Effects of the Invention

[0007] According to the vehicle grip structure of this disclosure, the amount of deformation of the grip in the gripping state can be adjusted by providing multiple types of protrusions with different heights, i.e., protrusion amounts. This makes it possible to provide the grip with varying degrees of strength, i.e., hard and soft parts, thereby improving grip performance. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a front view showing the steering handle of a personal watercraft, which is a type of vehicle equipped with a grip structure according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a plan view of the grip structure as seen from the radial direction of the handlebar. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of the grip structure as seen from the outside of the vehicle. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view along line IV-IV in Figure 2. [Figure 5] This is a cross-sectional view along the VV line in Figure 2. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 shows the upper half of the steering handle of a personal watercraft, which is a type of vehicle equipped with a grip structure according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. The grip structure of this embodiment is attached to a pair of left and right handlebars 2 of the personal watercraft. In this embodiment, each handlebar 2 is cylindrical in shape.

[0010] In the following explanation, "axial direction" refers to the direction parallel to the axis AX of the handlebar 2, and "circumferential direction" refers to the circumferential direction of the axis AX of the handlebar 2. "Radial direction" refers to the radial direction of the handlebar 2, that is, the direction perpendicular to the axis AX of the handlebar 2.

[0011] As shown in Figure 2, the grip structure of this embodiment comprises a grip body 4 fixed to the handlebar 2 and a projection 6 projecting radially from the grip body 4. The grip body 4 has a gripping area 4a on which the projection 6 is formed, and ends 4b, 4b at both axial ends thereof. The gripping area 4a is the area that the driver grips while driving. The ends 4b, 4b are formed to have a larger diameter than the projection 6.

[0012] The grip body 4 and the projection 6 are integrally formed from the same material, which in this embodiment is rubber. The material of the grip body 4 and the projection 6 is not limited to this, and may be a resin material other than rubber, for example. From the viewpoint of anti-slip and vibration transmission mitigation, a flexible material that deforms when gripped by the driver is preferably used. The material of the grip body 4 and the projection 6 may also be different.

[0013] The grip body 4 is cylindrical in shape and is fitted onto the outer surface of the handlebar 2. In other words, the grip body 4 is fixed in contact with the handlebar 2.

[0014] The grip body 4 in this embodiment is a one-piece structural component molded in a two-part mold. Specifically, the grip body 4 in this embodiment is divided in the vertical direction, which is set when the handlebar 2 is mounted on a vehicle. In other words, in this embodiment, there are two joint portions 8 that are spaced apart in the circumferential direction and extend in the axial direction. In this embodiment, the grip body 4 is fitted onto the handlebar 2 and the handlebar 2 and bonded to the grip body 4 with adhesive. The grip body 4 is bonded with adhesive while positioned at predetermined positions in the circumferential and axial directions relative to the handlebar 2.

[0015] Positioning marks 14 are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the grip body 4. The positioning marks 14 indicate the circumferential position of the grip body 4 relative to the handlebar 2 when attaching the grip body 4 to the handlebar 2. Providing the positioning marks 14 improves the ease of assembly of the grip. In this embodiment, the positioning marks 14 are protrusions formed on the axial end 4b of the grip body 4. However, the position and shape of the positioning marks 14 are not limited to this. For example, the positioning marks 14 may be concave, have a different tactile feel due to texturing, or have a different color.

[0016] The positioning marker 14 in this embodiment is formed in a protruding shape that extends outward from the remaining portion. The positioning marker 14 is integrally formed with the grip body 4 by mold molding, and its shape differs in the circumferential direction. By forming the positioning marker 14 by mold molding, the number of work steps can be reduced compared to when it is formed by methods other than mold molding. In addition, by forming the positioning marker 14 at the axial end, it is possible to prevent the positioning marker 14 from affecting the grip feel compared to when it is formed on the grip portion.

[0017] In this embodiment, a groove 16 is formed around the entire circumference of the axial end 4b of the grip body 4. Providing such a full-circumferential groove 16 adds an accent to the appearance and improves the design. However, one of the positioning marks 14 and the groove 16 may be omitted, or both the positioning marks 14 and the groove 16 may be omitted.

[0018] The projection 6 consists of multiple projections arranged in the axial direction. More specifically, the projection 6 has multiple main projections 10 that constitute the grip portion held by the driver, and multiple secondary projections 12 that protrude less than the main projections 10. That is, as shown in Figure 4, the protrusion amount h1 of the main projections 10 is greater than the protrusion amount h2 of the secondary projections 12 (h1 > h2). Here, "protrusion amount" refers to the amount of protrusion from the outer circumferential surface of the grip body 4 (gripping area 4a), that is, the radial length from the base end of the projection 6 to the tip of the projection 6.

[0019] The gripping region 4a, which is the region where the protrusions 6 are formed on the grip body 4, has a uniform cylindrical outer shape. In the present embodiment, the protrusions 6 formed by molding have different radial protrusion amounts h1 and h2 depending on their circumferential positions. Further, the protrusion amounts h1 and h2 may increase as they move away from the horizontal plane passing through the center of the handlebar 2 in the vertical direction.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 2, in the present embodiment, the main protrusions 10 are formed on the entire circumference of the grip body 4, that is, the handlebar 2. Specifically, the main protrusions 10 are composed of a plurality of disk-shaped portions extending in the radial direction and arranged in the axial direction of the handlebar 2. In the present embodiment, the protrusion amount h1 of each main protrusion 10 is the same in the axial direction. That is, the outer edge of the main protrusion 10 forms a cylindrical shape as a whole. The protrusion amounts h1 and h2 of the main protrusions 10 and the sub-protrusions 12 may be different depending on their circumferential positions.

[0021] The sub-protrusions 12 have a different external shape from the main protrusions 10 when viewed from the radial direction of the grip body 4. Specifically, as shown in FIG. ④, the sub-protrusions 12 are arranged between the main protrusions 10 arranged in the axial direction. In other words, the sub-protrusions 12 are arranged between the main protrusions 10 in the axial direction and connect the main protrusions 10 arranged in the axial direction in the axial direction. Thereby, the amount of deformation when an external force is applied depending on the location of the grip can be changed, and a difference can be made in the amount of deformation of the grip body 4 when the handlebar 2 is gripped.

[0022] [[ID=I2]]Specifically, the position where the sub-protrusions 12 indicated by the arrow H1 are formed is hard, and the position where the sub-protrusions 12 indicated by the arrow H2 are not formed is soft. As a result, the grip property, that is, the gripping property, is improved, and the operability of the vehicle is improved. Also, in the portion indicated by the arrow H1, even when gripped with the same force, the sub-protrusions 12 with a short radial length are difficult to deform and difficult to bend, so they become hard. Here, the "grip property" refers to the feeling of fit when the handlebar 2 is gripped and the ease with which the grip force when the handlebar 2 is gripped is transmitted to the handlebar 2. In the present embodiment, the protrusion amounts h1 and h2 of the main protrusions 10 and the sub-protrusions 12 are the same in the axial direction, but they may be different depending on their axial positions.

[0023] Multiple sub-projections 12, arranged in the axial direction, are formed with different shapes in the axial direction. In this embodiment, the sub-projections 12 are configured symmetrically with respect to the plane passing through the axis AX of the handlebar 2 as the axis of symmetry.

[0024] As shown in Figure 5, the multiple sub-projections 12 are formed in different shapes with respect to the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, the sub-projections 12 are configured symmetrically with respect to a plane passing through an axis perpendicular to the axis AX of the handlebar 2. Specifically, the sub-projections 12 are configured symmetrically with respect to a plane passing through a horizontal line L1 extending in the front-rear direction through the axis AX of the handlebar 2, and the sub-projections 12 are configured symmetrically with respect to a vertical line L2 extending in the up-down direction through the axis AX of the handlebar 2 as the axis of symmetry.

[0025] Thus, in this embodiment, the secondary projections 12 are formed with different shapes in both the axial and circumferential directions. Furthermore, in the circumferential direction, the joint portion 8 of the grip body 4 has a different pattern and shape of secondary projections 12.

[0026] The secondary projection 12 may include a design shape such as a logo. The design shape may be, for example, a collection of geometric patterns. In this embodiment, the secondary projection 12 constitutes a collection of rhombuses. The size and number of rhombuses are set so that when the rhombuse pattern completes one revolution in the circumferential direction, the corners of the rhombuses connect. The design shape is not limited to a collection of rhombuses; for example, it may be a collection of hexagons, or a combination of multiple figures.

[0027] As shown in Figure 2, when viewed from the radial direction of the handlebar 2, the diamond pattern of the inner secondary protrusion 12 is visible. In other words, the diamond pattern of the secondary protrusion 12 is visible from the driver's perspective while seated in a vehicle. As shown in Figure 3, when viewed from an oblique angle to the outside, the diamond pattern of the inner secondary protrusion 12 is hidden by the outer main protrusion 10 and cannot be seen. Thus, in this embodiment, the grip structure allows the inner secondary protrusion 12 to be seen or not seen depending on the viewing angle. This achieves a dual appearance.

[0028] As shown in Figure 5, in this embodiment, the multiple sub-projections 12 have approximately the same protrusion amount h2. However, the sub-projections 12 may be formed such that, when fixed to the handlebar 2, the protrusion amount h2 increases from both ends in the first radial direction toward both ends in the second radial direction. In this case, the first radial direction may be, for example, the front-to-back direction, and the second radial direction may be, for example, the up-and-down direction. This makes it easier to increase the deformation amount at both ends in the front-to-back direction compared to both ends in the up-and-down direction of the grip structure.

[0029] According to the above configuration, as shown in Figure 4, multiple types of protrusions 6 with different heights, i.e., protrusion amounts, are provided, allowing the amount of deformation of the grip in the gripping state to be adjusted. This makes it possible to provide the grip with areas of large and small deformation, thereby improving grip performance.

[0030] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the secondary projection 12 includes design elements such as logos and other aesthetic features. This allows for a balance between grip and aesthetic appeal. Furthermore, even if the main projection 10, which is the grip portion, wears down, the secondary projection 12 does not wear down, so the aesthetic features remain intact.

[0031] In this embodiment, the main projection 10 consists of a plurality of plate-like members extending radially, aligned in the axial direction of the handlebar 2. In other words, when viewed from the radial direction of the grip body 4, the external shapes of the main projection 10 and the secondary projection 12 are different. With this configuration, the design shape of the secondary projection 12 is visible from the driver's line of sight, but not visible from the outside. This creates a dual appearance.

[0032] In this embodiment, the multiple sub-protrusions 12 arranged in the axial direction as shown in Figure 4 are formed with different shapes in the axial direction. Furthermore, the multiple sub-protrusions 12 shown in Figure 5 are formed with different shapes in the circumferential direction. This configuration makes it easy to adjust the amount of deformation of the grip for each axial and circumferential portion of the grip. It also makes it easy to create different appearances using the sub-protrusions 12.

[0033] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the secondary projection 12 is positioned between the axial positions of the main projections 10 which are aligned in the axial direction. With this configuration, the appearance of the secondary projection 12 can be made different depending on whether it is hidden by the main projections 10 or exposed between the main projections 10.

[0034] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, a positioning mark 14 is formed on the grip body 4. This improves the ease of assembling the grip.

[0035] In this embodiment, the main projection 10 is formed around the entire circumference of the handlebar 2. With this configuration, water drains well from the grip even when exposed to rain, splashes, etc., while riding. Therefore, it can be applied to vehicles that are prone to being exposed to rain and splashes while riding, such as motorcycles and jet skis.

[0036] In this embodiment, the outer edge of the main projection 10 has a cylindrical shape. This configuration makes it easy to grip the main projection 10, which is the grip portion, even when the driver's posture is different.

[0037] The grip structure of this disclosure can be suitably used on the handlebars of a personal watercraft. Furthermore, the grip structure of this disclosure can be applied to the handlebars of other vehicles besides personal watercraft, such as motorcycles, tricycles, and ATVs, or to the handlebars of other vehicles. For example, the grip structure of this disclosure can be applied to the handlebars of a four-wheeled vehicle that travels on rough terrain. In this case, it may be applied to a T-shaped handlebar gripped by a passenger other than the driver to support their body against vehicle sway and changes in inertial force when traveling on uneven roads.

[0038] The vehicle grip structure of this disclosure includes the following embodiments 1 to 16. [Aspect 1] A grip structure attached to the handlebars of a vehicle, A grip body fixed to the handlebar and in contact with the handlebar, The grip body comprises projections that extend axially from the handlebar axis in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the handlebar, The aforementioned protrusion is Multiple main protrusions that constitute the grip portion held by the user, Multiple secondary protrusions, which protrude less than the main protrusion, A vehicle grip structure that has the following features. [Aspect 2] A vehicle grip structure according to Embodiment 1, wherein the secondary projection includes a design shape. [Aspect 3] A vehicle grip structure according to Embodiment 2, wherein the external shapes of the main projection and the secondary projection are different when viewed from the radial direction of the grip body. [Aspect 4] A grip structure for a vehicle according to Embodiment 3, wherein the main projection is made up of a plurality of plate-shaped members that extend radially in line with the axial direction of the handlebar. [Aspect 5] A vehicle grip structure according to any one of embodiments 1 to 4, wherein the plurality of sub-projections arranged in the axial direction are formed in different shapes with respect to the axial direction. [Aspect 6] A vehicle grip structure according to any one of embodiments 1 to 4, wherein the plurality of sub-projections are formed in different shapes with respect to the circumferential direction. [Aspect 7] A vehicle grip structure according to any one of embodiments 1 to 4, wherein the plurality of sub-projections arranged in the axial direction are formed in different shapes with respect to the axial direction and the circumferential direction. [Aspect 8] A vehicle grip structure according to any one of embodiments 1 to 7, wherein the sub-projection is arranged between the axial positions of the main projections which are aligned in the axial direction. [Aspect 9] A grip structure for a vehicle according to any one of embodiments 1 to 8, wherein the plurality of sub-projections are fixed to the handlebar and have a large amount of protrusion from both ends in the front-rear direction to both ends in the up-down direction. [Aspect 10] A vehicle grip structure according to any one of embodiments 1 to 9, wherein a positioning mark is formed on the grip body. [Aspect 11] A vehicle grip structure according to any one of embodiments 1 to 10, wherein the main projection is formed around the entire circumference of the handlebar. [Aspect 12] A vehicle grip structure according to any one of embodiments 1 to 11, wherein the outer edge of the main projection forms a cylindrical shape. [Aspect 13] A personal watercraft having a grip structure according to any one of embodiments 1 to 12. [Aspect 14] A vehicle having a grip structure according to any one of embodiments 1 to 13. [Aspect 15] A grip body fixed to the handlebar and in contact with the handlebar, The grip body comprises a plurality of projections that extend axially from the handlebar axis in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the handlebar, The aforementioned protrusion is The part that the gripper holds consists of a plurality of main protrusions arranged at intervals in the axial direction of the handlebar, A plurality of secondary protrusions are arranged between some of the main protrusions aligned in the axial direction, and have a smaller protrusion amount than the main protrusions, connecting the main protrusions aligned in the axial direction in the axial direction, A vehicle grip structure that has the following features. [Aspect 16] In the vehicle grip structure described in embodiment 15, the plurality of sub-projections have a large amount of protrusion from both ends in a first direction extending radially through the axis center to both ends in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction through the axis center.

[0039] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various additions, modifications, or deletions are possible without departing from the gist of this disclosure. For example, in the embodiments described above, the projection 6 has a two-layer structure consisting of a main projection 10 and a secondary projection 12, but it may have three or more layers. Therefore, such a structure is also included within the scope of this disclosure. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0040] 2 Handlebars 4. Grip body 6 Protrusion 10 Main projection (grip section) 12 Secondary process 14 Positioning Markers AX Handlebar Axle

Claims

1. A grip structure attached to the handlebars of a vehicle, A grip body fixed to the handlebar and in contact with the handlebar, The grip body comprises projections that extend axially from the handlebar axis in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the handlebar, The aforementioned projection is Multiple main protrusions that constitute the grip portion held by the user, Multiple secondary protrusions, which protrude less than the main protrusion, A vehicle grip structure that has this feature.

2. A vehicle grip structure according to claim 1, wherein the secondary projection includes a design shape.

3. A vehicle grip structure according to claim 2, wherein the external shapes of the main projection and the secondary projection are different when viewed from the radial direction of the grip body.

4. The grip structure for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the main projection is made up of a plurality of plate-shaped members that extend radially in line with the axial direction of the handlebar.

5. A vehicle grip structure according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of sub-projections arranged in the axial direction are formed in different shapes with respect to the axial direction.

6. A vehicle grip structure according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of sub-projections are formed in different shapes with respect to the circumferential direction.

7. A vehicle grip structure according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of sub-projections arranged in the axial direction are formed to have different shapes with respect to the axial direction and the circumferential direction.

8. A vehicle grip structure according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the secondary projection is arranged between the axial positions of the main projections that are aligned in the axial direction.

9. A grip structure for a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the plurality of sub-projections are fixed to the handlebar and have a large amount of protrusion from both ends in the front-rear direction to both ends in the up-down direction.

10. A grip structure for a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a positioning mark is formed on the grip body.

11. A grip structure for a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the main projection is formed around the entire circumference of the handlebar.

12. A vehicle grip structure according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the outer edge of the main projection forms a cylindrical shape.

13. A personal watercraft having the grip structure described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

14. A vehicle having the grip structure according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

15. A grip body fixed to the handlebar and in contact with the handlebar, The grip body comprises a plurality of projections that protrude from the grip body in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the handlebar and are aligned in the axial direction, The aforementioned projection is The part that the gripper holds consists of a plurality of main protrusions arranged at intervals in the axial direction of the handlebar, A plurality of secondary protrusions are arranged between some of the main protrusions aligned in the axial direction, and have a smaller protrusion amount than the main protrusions, connecting the main protrusions aligned in the axial direction in the axial direction. A vehicle grip structure that has this feature.

16. A grip structure for a vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the plurality of sub-projections have a large amount of protrusion from both ends in a first direction extending radially through the axis center toward both ends in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction through the axis center.

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