Ergonomic wing grips for motorcycle tanks

Abstract

The purpose of the invention is to improve and customize the ergonomics of the motorcycle rider. The essence of the invention, the idea behind it is to increase and optimize the rider-motorcycle contact surface by focusing on the motorcycle tank and seat area (1). The purpose of this is to direct as much force as possible from the rider (10 and 11) (Figure 8) to control the motorcycle. 1. An ergonomic motorcycle tank wing grip, characterized in that it comprises: a thin sheet (3) made of flexible material placed on the motorcycle tank (1), a detachable connection between the sheet and the motorcycle tank, and an adjustable and replaceable ergonomic wing grip (8) placed on the motorcycle tank with either a fixed (5) or with a detachable connection (9); 2. an ergonomic tank wing grip according to claim 1, characterized in that its outer surface is of a bumpy design; 3. an ergonomic tank wing grip according to claim 1, characterized in that a bracket is provided as part of the thin sheet made of flexible material placed on the motorcycle tank (1).

Description

[0001] Ergonomic wing grips for motorcycle tanks

[0002] The invention aims to improve and customize the ergonomics of a motorcycle rider.

[0003] Ergonomics are of particular importance for motorcycles compared to other motorized vehicles, as the rider's weight accounts for 30-50% of the vehicle's weight, thus greatly influencing the vehicle's control by moving his body weight. As a result, riding a motorcycle can be physically demanding. The situation is made more difficult by the fact that with modern motorcycles and tires, the rider has to endure accelerations of over 1G, while also having to use various control elements with load-bearing body parts, such as the throttle, brake lever, shift lever or steering wheel.

[0004] According to the current state of technology, the tank ergonomics of motorcycles and especially racing motorcycles are already being studied, but there is currently no quick, general and accessible solution for customizing the motorcycle tank. The solutions can currently be divided into two groups. The largest racing teams create tank shapes in unique, slow and expensive production, or fixed elements that can be mounted on the tank, which are not adjustable, so after testing, a new unique part has to be manufactured based on feedback. The solutions available on the market are also fixed solutions, where a predefined general shape is created, which is different from the factory one, but is not adjustable and not personalized. In addition, these solutions only fit the tank of a specific motorcycle type, so products with a special design have to be manufactured for each motorcycle tank shape. In contrast to the above solutions, the invention can be easily and quickly mounted on the tanks of all racing and sports motorcycles, and can be adjusted in a minute based on feedback, and can be manufactured relatively easily and cheaply.

[0005] Patent document JP 2017121923 demonstrates a solution where a detachable grip can be attached to a motorcycle tank cover and also the tank cover part recalls a wing shape. The differences compared to our ergonomic wing grips 5 are following: the wing-shaped cover doesn’t have an ergonomic function; the wing-shaped cover is not made out of thin flexible material so it can’t deform to adjust to any 3D surface; the cover is premade to an exact model and it’s not applicable to other models nor is adjustable in position; the flexible grip part on the sides doesn’t contain an ergonomic wing part to support the thigh; the patent clearly states that it was made for the so-called knee-grip position when the rider squeezes the knees to the tank from the sides — it’s not capable of the support of a single leg in the middle of the corner in a hang off position while withstanding high lateral acceleration forces.

[0006] Patent document US 1753826 demonstrates a solution where a detachable grip is applicable in different positions on the sides of a motorcycle tank. The differences compared to our ergonomic wing grips are the following: the shape of the grip is described as “being normally flat or only slightly concave” so it’s not capable of transforming the tank shape in a major way; in the era of the invention (1929) the state of technology wasn’t on a level to create high lateral acceleration in corners nor was the hang-off riding technique known where the ergonomic wing grips play a role; the flexible knee grip is inter-molded with a metal plate which is not flexible as a result it can’t deform to adjust to any 3D surface; the motorcycle tank had to be prepared with a point of attachment by the manufacturer to use the invention.

[0007] The subject of the invention is an ergonomic wing grip 56 that can be placed on the tank of a motorcycle 1 , which is placed on a flexible plate that can be connected to a tank of a motorcycle 34 with a detachable connection, and therefore 9 is replaceable and easily adjustable. Thanks to its adjustability, it can be adapted to the needs and body shape of the rider.

[0008] The two links below show individually implemented solutions for racing teams. Their disadvantage is that they can only be fitted to a specific motorcycle tank, they cannot be adjusted and can only be mounted in a fixed position and in case of a change, a lengthy and expensive process starts again.

[0009] There are two general solutions available on the market. Their disadvantages are that they can only be fitted to a specific motorcycle tank, they are not customized, they cannot be adjusted and can only be mounted in a fixed position, and if a change is required, a new product must be purchased.

[0010] The purpose of the invention, the idea behind it is to increase and optimize the surface area of the driver-motorcycle connection by focusing on the area of the motorcycle tank and seat 1. The aim of this is to direct as much force from the rider 10 and 11 directly to control the motorcycle. The invention supports this in three ways.

[0011] • it increases the contact surface by adjusting the ergonomic wing grip 5 and 6 that fit the rider's legs (Figure 2),

[0012] • it increases the adhesion factor between the rider and the motorcycle by using the material and the surface design 8 (Figure 3),

[0013] • and with the help of the protruding ergonomic wing grip 5 and 6, it increases the angle of attack of the force vectors 10 and 11 exerted by the rider on the tank, thanks to which a larger proportion of the force vectors are directed towards controlling the motorcycle (Figure 8).

[0014] The two main elements of the invention are the flexible plates 3 and 4 and the protruding ergonomic wing grip 5 and 6.

[0015] • The main role of the flexible plates 3 and 4 is to easily take the shape of the tank 1 and connect it to the tank of the motorcycle 1 with 9 detachable joints (Figure 2). Its secondary function is to have a high adhesion factor when in contact with the motorcycle rider’s leather clothing due to its material and the 8 bumpy surface (Figure 3). In its alternative form, it has 4 built-in brackets to which the desired ergonomic wing grip 5 and 6 can be adjusted with 9 detachable joints.

[0016] • The ergonomic wing grips 5 and 6 are designed to conform to the motorcycle rider's legs. This can be achieved with wing grips of different sizes and shapes in different cases (Figure 2). Regarding the attachment to the flexible sheets 3 and 4, the two main methods are the 5 fixed, non-releasable attachment (Figure 4) and the 6 removable and adjustable attachment (Figure 5, Figure 6, Figure 7). The 6 adjustable version facilitates quick adjustment, while the 5 fixed version facilitates easier and simpler use.

[0017] Concrete, structural presentation of the invention based on the figures

[0018] The general arrangement on the motorcycle tank 1 is described based on figures 1 and 2, where the flexible sheet 3 takes the form of the motorcycle tank, and the ergonomic wing grip 5 modifies the original ergonomics of the tank.

[0019] A preferred implementation of the invention is shown in figure 3, where the flexible sheet 3 has a double-sided adhesive 7 on the inner side and a bumpy surface 8 on the outer side. The flexible sheet 3 has a fixed solution 5 and the ergonomic wing grip.

[0020] Figure 4 shows the fixed ergonomic tank wing grip 3 and 5 from three views.

[0021] Figures 5 and 6 show the flexible sheet with a built-in console 4 and the ergonomic wing grip 6 that can be connected to it with a detachable connection.

[0022] Figure 7 shows the flexible plate with 4 built-in brackets and the adjustable wing grips 6 assembled with it using screws.

[0023] Figure 8 shows how the force exerted by the motorcycle rider’s foot is distributed and utilized in the case with and without the ergonomic wing grips 5. In the case with the left wing grip 5, the main force vector exerted by the motorcycle rider’s foot 10 coming from below meets the surface of the ergonomic wing grip at almost 90°, therefore most of the force 11 is utilized in controlling the motorcycle. In the case without the right wing grip 5, most of the main force vector 10 is lost 12 due to the low angle of encounter.

[0024] In an exemplary implementation, fixed ergonomic wing grip 3 and 5 made of rubber are placed on a motorcycle tank. In this solution, it is made of a vulcanized material where there is an indissoluble bond between the flexible plate 3 and the ergonomic wing grips 5. On the inner side of the flexible sheet 3, there is a double-sided adhesive 7 to help attach it to the motorcycle tank. The surface of the product has an exceptionally high adhesion factor thanks to the rubber material and the 0.5-1 mm high protruding elements created on its surface 8. The ergonomic wing grip 5 forms a slice of the negative shape of the thigh, which greatly increases the contact surface between the rider and the motorcycle. In addition, the force vectors exerted by the motorcycle rider's leg 10 can meet the surface of the ergonomic wing grip at an angle of attack of up to 90°, 11 through which it also meets the motorcycle itself. Thus, maximizing the efficiency of the force exerted by the rider in controlling the motorcycle. Legend

[0025] 1 - Motorcycle tank

[0026] 2 - Motorcycle ergonomic tank wing grip (invention)

[0027] 3 - Flexible sheet

[0028] 4 - Flexible sheet with built-in bracket

[0029] 5 - Ergonomic wing grip

[0030] 6 - Adjustable ergonomic wing grip

[0031] 7 - Double-sided adhesive

[0032] 8 - Bumpy surface

[0033] 9 - Releasable and adjustable bond

[0034] 10 - Force exerted by the motorcycle rider's leg

[0035] 11 - Part of the force exerted by the motorcycle rider's leg that is used to control the motorcycle

[0036] 12 - Part of the force exerted by the motorcycle rider's leg that is lost

[0037] Figures

[0038] 1. Figure 1. - Fixed ergonomic tank wing grip mounted on a motorcycle (side view)

[0039] 2. Figure 2. - Fixed ergonomic tank wing grip mounted on a motorcycle (rear view)

[0040] 3. Figure 3. - Ergonomic tank wing grip with flexible sheet, fixed wing grip, double-sided adhesive inner part, studded / knurled outer part

[0041] 4. Figure 4. - Ergonomic tank wing grip with flexible sheet, fixed with wing grip (3 views)

[0042] 5. Figure 5. - Flexible plate with built-in bracket. 7x5 screw thread matrix ensures adjustability. (3 views)

[0043] 6. Figure 6. - Adjustable ergonomic wing grip with screw thread

[0044] 7. Figure 7. - Assembling flexible plate with built-in bracket and adjustable ergonomic wing grip with screw

[0045] 8. Figure 8. - Distribution of force exerted by the rider into useful and lost parts. Due to the shape of the wing grip (left), the force exerted by the rider meets the surface at a steeper angle, therefore more force is available for steering the bike. Without a wing grip (right), most of the force is lost.

Claims

Claims1. An ergonomic motorcycle tank wing grip, characterized in that it comprises: a thin sheet (3) made of flexible material placed on the motorcycle tank (1), a detachable connection between the sheet and the motorcycle tank, and an adjustable and replaceable ergonomic wing grip (6) placed on the motorcycle tank with either a fixed (5) or with a detachable connection (9),2. an ergonomic tank wing grip according to claim 1, characterized in that its outer surface is of a bumpy design,3. an ergonomic tank wing grip according to claim 1, is characterized in that a bracket is provided as part of the thin sheet made of flexible material placed on the motorcycle tank (1).

Images