Multilayer structure, particularly for providing aesthetic protection for motorcycle-like vehicles and the like, and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

A multilayer structure (1a, 1b), particularly for providing aesthetic protection for motorcycle-like vehicles and the like, comprising at least two layers (2, 3) made of ethyl vinyl acetate which are mutually coupled to each other and the first layer (2) of which has, at its face that is opposite with respect to the face for coupling to the other of said at least two layers (2, 3), an adhesive layer (4) adapted to allow the association of the multilayer structure (1a, 1b) with an object to be protected.

Description

[0001] MULTILAYER STRUCTURE, PARTICULARLY FOR PROVIDING AESTHETIC PROTECTION FOR MOTORCYCLE-LIKE VEHICLES AND THE LIKE, AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF

[0002] The present invention relates to a multilayer structure, particularly for providing aesthetic protection for motorcycle-like vehicles and the like, and to a manufacturing method for providing the multilayer structure.

[0003] In the field of motorcycling and, more generally, in the speed sports sector, the use of inserts capable of withstanding abrasion and / or scratches is known.

[0004] In greater detail, these are actual protections which are applied, for example, to the clothing of riders and / or on the protruding parts of motorcycle-like vehicles and perform the function of protecting the human body or the part of the motorcycle-like vehicle from abrasion in the event of accidental or systematic scraping due, for example, to falls or to the normal use of the motorcycle-like vehicle (consider, for example, the rubberized stickers that are applied to the fuel tank of a motorcycle-like vehicle where scraping of zip fasteners applied to the rider's clothing is possible).

[0005] Typically, such protections consist of plates made of metal, of plastic material - rigid or rubber-like - or made of composite materials.

[0006] The aim of the present invention is to provide a multilayer structure, particularly for providing aesthetic protection for motorcycle-like vehicles and the like, capable of protecting the parts of the motorcycle-like vehicles to which it is applied from abrasions as a result of impacts and / or slipping, while at the same time ensuring a pleasing and refined aesthetic appearance.

[0007] Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for providing the multilayer structure, particularly for providing said aesthetic protection.

[0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide a multilayer structure, particularly for providing aesthetic protection, capable of giving the greatest assurances of reliability, efficiencies and operation. This aim, as well as these and other objects that will become better apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a multilayer structure, particularly for providing aesthetic protection for motorcycle-like vehicles and the like, characterized in that it comprises at least two layers made of ethyl vinyl acetate which are mutually coupled to each other and the first layer of which has, at its face that is opposite with respect to the face for coupling to the other of said at least two layers, an adhesive layer adapted to allow the association of said multilayer structure with an object to be protected.

[0009] Additionally, this aim, as well as these and other objects that will become better apparent hereinafter, are achieved by an aesthetic protection, particularly for motorcycle-like vehicles and the like, characterized in that it is provided by means of the aforementioned multilayer structure.

[0010] Moreover, this aim, as well as these and other objects that will become better apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a method for providing an aesthetic protection for motorcycle-like vehicles and the like, characterized in that it comprises the steps of:

[0011] - providing a plurality of ethyl vinyl acetate sheets having a density substantially comprised between 160 and 180 kg per cubic meter and a hardness substantially comprised between 60 and 65 Shore C;

[0012] - mutually bonding said sheets to form a multilayer structure;

[0013] - applying an adhesive layer to the face of said multilayer structure that is designed to be associated with an object to be protected;

[0014] - machining the face of said multilayer structure that is opposite to the one designed to be associated with an object to be protected in order to obtain at least one from surface brushing, surface scoring, and milling with an ornamental pattern;

[0015] - shaping said multilayer structure to obtain an aesthetic protection for motorcycle-like vehicles and the like.

[0016] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a multilayer structure, particularly for providing aesthetic protections for motorcycle-like vehicles and the like, illustrated by way of non-limiting example with the aid of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0017] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of the multilayer structure according to the invention;

[0018] Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view of the multilayer structure shown in Figure 1;

[0019] Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of a variation of the multilayer structure shown in the preceding figures;

[0020] Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view of the multilayer structure shown in Figure 3;

[0021] Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view of the multilayer structure shown in Figure 1 with an ornamental decoration on its outer surface;

[0022] Figure 6 is a schematic perspective view of an aesthetic protection provided with the multilayer structure shown in Figure 5 and applied to a tank of a motorcycle-like vehicle.

[0023] With reference to the figures, the multilayer structure, particularly for providing aesthetic protection for motorcycle-like vehicles and the like, according to the present invention, is generally designated by the reference numeral la and comprises at least two layers 2 and 3 made of ethyl vinyl acetate, which are mutually coupled to each other and of which the first layer 2 has, at its face that is opposite to the one for coupling to the other layer, an adhesive layer 4 adapted to allow its association with an object to be protected. The second layer 3 has, at its face that is opposite to said face for coupling to the other layer, an outer surface 5 having an ornamental pattern obtained by machining processes to give the multilayer structure a refined aesthetic appearance.

[0024] For example, depending on the desired aesthetics, such machining processes can comprise at least one machining process chosen from the group constituted by: brushing, scoring and chip-forming milling, so as to create three-dimensional ornamental patterns, for example creating grooves such as to reach the first layer so as to make it visible or even creating actual through grooves.

[0025] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, in one possible variation lb of the multilayer structure la, in order to increase its thickness and thus its protective capacity, a plurality of first layers 2 mutually associated with each other can be provided, and the ornamental pattern obtained by chipforming machining can be provided on one or more of said layers.

[0026] In this embodiment, the association between one layer and another is provided by adhesive bonding and the layers 2 and 3 are made of ethyl vinyl acetate and have a density substantially comprised between 160 and 180 kg per cubic meter with a hardness substantially comprised between 60 and 65 Shore C.

[0027] With reference to Figure 5, with the multilayer structure la or lb, according to the invention, it is possible to provide an aesthetic protection 100, particularly for motorcycle-like vehicles and the like.

[0028] The method for providing the aesthetic protection for motorcycle-like vehicles and the like, mentioned above, comprises the steps of:

[0029] - providing a plurality of ethyl vinyl acetate sheets having a density substantially comprised between 160 and 180 kg per cubic meter and a hardness substantially comprised between 60 and 65 Shore C;

[0030] - mutually bonding said sheets to form a multilayer structure la or lb;

[0031] - applying an adhesive layer 4 to the face of the multilayer structure la or lb that is designed to be associated with an object to be protected;

[0032] - machining the face of the multilayer structure la or lb that is opposite to the one designed to be associated with an object to be protected in order to obtain at least one from surface brushing, surface scoring, and milling with an ornamental pattern;

[0033] - shaping the multilayer structure la or lb to obtain an aesthetic protection 100 for motorcycle-like vehicles and the like.

[0034] Then, by removing the film protecting the adhesive layer 4, the aesthetic protection 100 can be applied to the object to be protected.

[0035] In practice it has been found that the multilayer structure, the aesthetic protection that can be provided with it, and the method for providing it, according to the present invention, achieve the intended aim and objects.

[0036] The multilayer structure, the aesthetic protection that can be provided with it, and the method for providing it are susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the accompanying claims.

[0037] All the details may furthermore be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.

[0038] In practice, the materials used, so long as they are compatible with the specific use, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to the requirements and the state of the art.

[0039] The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. 102023000023136 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

[0040] Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A multilayer structure (la, lb), particularly for providing aesthetic protection for motorcycle-like vehicles and the like, characterized in that it comprises at least two layers (2, 3) made of ethyl vinyl acetate which are mutually coupled to each other and the first layer (2) of which has, at its face that is opposite with respect to the face for coupling to the other of said at least two layers (2, 3), an adhesive layer (4) adapted to allow the association of said multilayer structure (la, lb) with an object to be protected.

2. The multilayer structure (la, lb) according to claim 1, characterized in that the second layer (3) of said at least two layers (2, 3) has, at its face that is opposite with respect to said face for coupling to the other of said at least two layers (2, 3), an outer surface (5) having an ornamental pattern obtained by means of processes of the mechanical type to give said multilayer structure (la, lb) a refined aesthetic appearance.

3. The multilayer structure (la, lb) according to claim 2, characterized in that said processes of the mechanical type comprise at least one process selected from the group constituted by: brushing, scoring and chip-forming milling.

4. The multilayer structure (lb) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said at least two layers (2, 3) comprise a plurality of said first layer (2), mutually associated with each other.

5. The multilayer structure (la, lb) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said at least two layers (2, 3) are mutually associated by adhesive bonding.

6. The multilayer structure (la) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said outer surface (5) has an ornamental pattern obtained by chip-forming on one or more of said at least two layers (2, 3).

7. The multilayer structure (la, lb) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said at least two layers (2, 3) made of ethyl vinyl acetate have a density substantially comprised between 160 and 180 kg per cubic meter.

8. The multilayer structure (la, lb) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said at least two layers (2, 3) made of ethyl vinyl acetate have a hardness substantially comprised between 60 and 65 Shore C.

9. An aesthetic protection (100), particularly for motorcycle-like vehicles and the like, characterized in that it is provided by means of a multilayer structure (la, lb) according to one or more of the preceding claims.

10. A method for providing an aesthetic protection for motorcyclelike vehicles and the like according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises the steps of:- providing a plurality of ethyl vinyl acetate sheets having a density substantially comprised between 160 and 180 kg per cubic meter and a hardness substantially comprised between 60 and 65 Shore C;- mutually bonding said sheets to form a multilayer structure (la, lb);- applying an adhesive layer (4) to the face of said multilayer structure (la, lb) that is designed to be associated with an object to be protected;- machining the face of said multilayer structure (la, lb) that is opposite to the one designed to be associated with an object to be protected in order to obtain at least one from surface brushing, surface scoring, and milling with an ornamental pattern;- shaping said multilayer structure (la, lb) to obtain an aesthetic protection for motorcycle-like vehicles and the like.

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