Rear fender assembly for a saddle-type vehicle

Abstract

Rear fender assembly (21) for a saddle-type vehicle (10). The assembly projects above a rear wheel (19) and includes an upper fender member (22), a lower fender member (24) and a rear light unit (54). The upper fender member forms a rear portion of the vehicle bodywork and extends above the rear wheel towards a distal end (23). The lower fender member is formed as a unitary body that includes a mudguard portion (25) and a socket portion (33). The mudguard portion defines a proximal section (26) mounted to the frame, and a concave surface (29) curving above the rear wheel towards a further distal end (30). The socket portion is on an upper side of the mudguard portion opposite to the concave surface. The rear light unit is accommodated in the socket portion in-between the upper and lower fender members and includes coupling members interconnecting the upper and lower fender members and restricting relative vertical movement of the distal ends (23, 30).

Description

Rear Fender Assembly for a Saddle-Type VehicleTechnical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a rear fender assembly for a saddle-type vehicle and to a saddle-type vehicle provided with such a rear fender assembly. Furthermore, the invention relates to a kit of parts for forming the rear fender assembly, and to methods of manufacturing or retrofitting a saddle-type vehicle.Background Art

[0002] Saddle-type vehicles, such as motorcycles, are often provided with fenders that extends forward and rearward from the frame. Such fenders cover the front and rear wheels, and act as a mudguard which prevents splashing and protects the rider from flying debris, water, mud, etc. In addition, the fenders provide other functionalities such as mounting sites for lights, luggage carriers, ornaments, and other parts.

[0003] The term “mudguard” refers to the specific part of the saddle-type vehicle that shields the rider, vehicle body and vulnerable components by catching and redirecting mud, water, and debris caused by the rotating wheel. By contrast, the term “fender” refers in a broad sense to the overall part of the saddle-type vehicle that covers and frames the wheel area, which not only forms a mudguard etc but also contributes to structural, functional and aerodynamic properties.

[0004] Rear fenders are typically assembled and secured to the vehicle frame using a combination of bolts and nuts, screws, and mounting brackets. The selection of mounting points and means ensures that the rear fender and various components attached thereto remain fixed, even in off-road conditions.

[0005] A problem experienced with known rear fenders is that the various components and mounting points negatively affect durability of and aerodynamic drag on the rear fender assembly.

[0006] Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a rear fender assembly with improved durability and aerodynamics.Summary of Invention

[0007] Therefore, according to a first aspect, there is provided a rear fender assembly for a saddle-type vehicle, configured to be mounted to a frame and to project above a rear wheel of the vehicle. The assembly includes: an upper fender member, a lower fender member, and a rear light unit. The upper fender member forms a rear portion of a bodywork of the vehicle and is configured to extend above the rear wheel towards a distal end. The lower fender member is formed as a unitary body that includes a mudguard portion and a socket portion. The mudguard portion defines a proximal section configured to be mounted to the frame, and a concave surface which faces and curves along with the rear wheel to extend above the rear wheel towards a further distal end. The socket portion is provided on an upper side of the mudguard portion opposite to the concave surface. The rear light unit is configured to be accommodated in thesocket portion and in-between the upper and lower fender members. The rear light unit includes coupling members for interconnecting the upper and lower fender members and restricting relative movement of the distal ends in at least one direction.

[0008] The proposed fender assembly with integrated rear light unit effectively protects the rider and the vehicle while providing tail and brake light functionality to improve visibility and safety for on-road use. The rear light unit is smoothly integrated into the rear fender assembly and reinforces the assembly by providing a structural connection between the upper and lower fender members. Preferably, the coupling members are configured to interlock with the upper and lower fender members without passing through (i.e. piercing) an uppermost surface of the upper fender member and / or through a lowermost surface of the lower fender member, thus yielding a simpler and more robust construction.

[0009] The lower fender member is formed as a unitary structure of continuous material, for instance by casting or moulding techniques. The lower fender member may for instance be formed of flexible but impact-resistant plastic, which can withstand repeated vibrations, impact, and flexing without cracking or breaking. This plastic may for instance be polypropylene (PP). The plastic may be a fibre reinforced plastic (FRP), such as glass fibre (GFRP) or carbon fibre (CFRP) for increased durability.

[0010] In embodiments, the mudguard portion continues rearward beyond a rear edge of the socket portion and beyond the distal end of the upper fender member. The mudguard portion may thereby form a projection that extends in a rearward-downward slanting direction. This projection may define a plate holder portion with one or more mounting members configured for mounting a licence plate on the upper side of the mudguard portion. The mounting members may for instance be formed as through holes extending vertically through the plate holder portion.

[0011] In this embodiment, the unitary body of the lower fender member includes not only the mudguard portion and the light socket portion, but also the license plate holder portion. This resulting lower fender member with integrated license plate mounting functionality, has a singlebody continuous structure with an increased durability and crash resistance.

[0012] In addition, the plate holder portion and the further distal end of the mudguard portion may project rearward beyond the socket portion and the rear light unit. The projecting plate holder portion thus ensures that both the rear light unit and the upper fender member are shielded from splashing mud / debris / water. The rearward-downward direction of the plate holder portion ensures that a license plate mounted thereon can be seen by other road users and / or pedestrians, whereas the taillight and / or brake light are not exposed to debris ejected by the rear wheel and will thus remain visible to other road users.

[0013] In further embodiments, the socket portion may define a rear edge that supports the rear light unit from below. The rear light unit defines a rear surface that may project rearward beyond the rear edge of the socket portion.

[0014] The projecting of the rear surface of the light unit beyond a distal rear edge of the socket portion allows the beam pattern of light emitted by the light unit a line of sight at least partly downward towards the license plate mounted at the plate holder portion.

[0015] In embodiments, the concave surface of the mudguard portion - which is adapted to face downward towards the rear wheel - has an apex that is essentially aligned with a top point of the rear wheel. In a section of the assembly that is located rearward from the apex and remote from the frame, the mudguard portion may diverge vertically from the upper fender member as function of position progressing from the apex and rearward to the distal ends. A sector-shaped space may thereby be formed between the upper fender member and the mudguard portion. The socket portion and the rear light unit may occupy this sector-shaped space.

[0016] In this case, the socket portion and rear light unit are located in the sector-shaped space behind the apex and between the mutually diverging mudguard portion and upper fender member. This allows a seamless integration of the rear light unit into the rear fender assembly.

[0017] By contrast, in a section of the assembly that is located forward from the apex and closer to the frame, the mudguard portion may be converging vertically towards the upper fender member as function of position progressing from the frame rearward towards the apex.

[0018] In embodiments, the rear light unit may include one or more light sources and a housing. In this case, the housing may be formed of a material with a high bending stiffness and a large thermal conductivity. The material may have a Young’s Modulus larger than 50 Gpa and a thermal conductivity larger than 45 W nr1K’1. The material may be a corrosion-resistant metal, and may for instance consist essentially of aluminium. The one or more light sources may be mechanically fixed and thermally connected to the housing.

[0019] The rear light unit may be configured to operate both as a taillight and as a brake light. The light sources may be light emitting diodes (LEDs). LEDs are preferred, for being energyefficient, durable, and having fast response time. Other types of light sources, such as halogen or incandescent light bulbs, may be used in alternative embodiments, though. The housing acts as rigid structure that strengthens the light unit and increases the moment of inertia of the distal end of the fender assembly, and further acts as a heat sink that prevents overheating of the light source(s).

[0020] In a further embodiment, the housing defines a first projection above the one or more light sources, and a second projection below the one or more light sources. The first and second projections may form a rigid shape-stable unit with the housing. The first projection may be adapted to interlock with a first receiving member provided on a lower side of the upper fender member. The second projection may be adapted to interlock with a second receiving member inside the socket portion and on the upper side of the mudguard portion.

[0021] The housing and its projections may thus form a rigid structure that not only strengthens the light unit itself, but also strengthens the overall fender assembly by reinforcing and holding together the upper and lower fender members. Preferably, the light unit holds the upper and lower fender members together in vertical direction. Alternatively, or in addition, the light unit holds the upper and lower fender members together in longitudinal and / or transverse directions.

[0022] Preferably, both the first and second projections extend in rearward direction from the housing towards the distal ends of the upper and lower fender members, to minimize vertical footprint inside the fender assembly.

[0023] In embodiments, the fender assembly includes mounting members for fixing the rear light unit to the upper side of the lower fender member. The mounting members may project into, or are otherwise embedded into, the socket portion without extending downward up to or beyond the concave surface of the mudguard portion.

[0024] The absence of mounting / openings / passages at the lower concave surface of the mudguard portion ensures that mud / water / dirt expelled by the rear wheel is prevented from reaching into the socket portion and the rear light unit, thus increasing the potential lifespan of the light unit.

[0025] In embodiments, the socket portion defines a raised edge that projects upward towards the upper fender member. The raised edge may define a central cup and two upstanding lateral walls that extend forward from the cup. The cup and upstanding walls may jointly enclose a recess for accommodating the rear light unit. The upstanding walls may extend forward along the lower fender member until the walls merge into respective lateral edges of the mudguard portion.

[0026] In this case, the raised edge formed by the socket portion partly encloses and fixes the position of the rear light unit. The resulting forward concave shape of this raised edge has upstanding side walls that merge into the lateral edges of the mudguard portion. The combined curvatures of the lateral mudguard edges and upstanding walls confer an increased bending stiffness to the lower fender member. The term “bending (or flexural) stiffness” refers herein to the resistance of a structure to bending deformation (e.g. deformation transversely away from a nominal axis or plane associated with an unperturbed “at rest” position) when subjected to external loads. In this case, the curvatures of the lateral edges combined with the upstanding walls increases the resistance of the lower fender member to bending, making it even stiffer than would be obtained by the synclastically curved shape of the mudguard portion alone.

[0027] In a further embodiment, the raised edge of the socket portion and the rear surface of the rear light unit may jointly define a rear outer surface with an anticlastic saddle shape. This anticlastic-shaped outer surface defines a rearward concave outer contour in vertical direction and a forward convex outer contour in horizontal direction, respectively. The concave outer contour diverges rearward and vertically outward towards the distal end of the upper fender member and towards the mudguard portion of the lower fender member. The convex outer contour diverges forward and laterally outward towards the lateral edges of the mudguard portion.

[0028] The term "anticlastic" refers herein to a surface that has two curvatures which are oppositely directed when viewed in two distinct dimensions. In an anticlastic surface, a first curvature of the surface viewed along one spatial direction is positive (e.g. concave), whereas a second curvature of the surface viewed along a different spatial direction is negative (e.g. convex), typically resulting in saddle-like shape. In this example, the anticlastic rear surface includes the rearward concave outer contour in a sagittal (longitudinal-vertical) plane of the fender assembly and the forward convex outer contour in a transverse (longitudinal-lateral) plane of the fender assembly. The rear outer surface forms a smoothly curved and preferably contiguous surface. The anticlastic shape of the rear outer surface may thus further increase thebending stiffness of the fender assembly, while simultaneously providing a smooth external shape with good aerodynamic properties that lowers drag forces at the rear of the vehicle.

[0029] In further embodiments that include the light source(s) and housing, the rear light unit may include a translucent cover configured to be placed over the light source(s) and over a rear portion of the housing, thereby forming an IP69K-grade protected unit.

[0030] In alternative embodiments, the translucent cover may be moulded directly over the light source(s) and a rear portion of the housing, rendering the light unit into a contiguous body which does not provide room for water / condensate to reach the light source(s) and circuit board, and increases the impact resistance of the rear light unit.

[0031] In embodiments, the concave surface of the mudguard portion has a synclastic shape which in operational position faces generally downward and curves along with a sagittal cross- sectional outer periphery of the rear wheel as well as with a coronal cross-sectional outer periphery of the rear wheel.

[0032] The term "synclastic" is used herein to refer to a surface of a structure that has two curvatures that are in the same direction when viewed in two distinct dimensions. In a synclastic surface, the first centre of curvature associated with the first spatial direction is on the same side of the surface as the second centre of curvature associated with the second spatial direction, such as for instance in a dome-like shape. In this case, the two radii of curvature of the downward concave surface of the mudguard portion differ by about an order of magnitude (i.e. factor of ten).

[0033] In further embodiments in which the mudguard portion defines a concave surface with the apex, the mudguard portion may include a rib lattice at the upper side and at or near the apex. The rib lattice is configured to structurally reinforce the mudguard portion and maintain a curved shape of the concave surface.

[0034] The rib lattice may form a two-dimensional grid of self-supporting walls, which extend upwards from the mudguard portion, and which extend in two horizontal directions to mutually intersect and enclose spaces (cells). The walls of the lattice may extend upwards from the mudguard portion to almost identical heights, to form a (low weight) spacer for supporting and holding the upper fender member at a predetermined fixed distance from the mudguard portion.

[0035] According to a second aspect, and in accordance with advantages and effects described herein above with reference to the first aspect, there is provided a saddle-type vehicle including a frame, front and rear wheels rotatably coupled to the frame, and a rear fender assembly including the upper fender member, lower fender member, and rear light unit in accordance with (various embodiments of) the first aspect. The vehicle may for instance be a motorcycle.

[0036] In a further aspect, there is provided a kit of parts for forming a rear fender assembly in accordance with (various embodiments of) the first aspect.

[0037] In yet a further aspect, there is provided a method of manufacturing or retrofitting a saddle-type vehicle so that the resulting vehicle includes a rear fender assembly in accordance with (various embodiments of) the first aspect.Brief Description of Drawings

[0038] Embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings in which corresponding reference symbols indicate corresponding parts. In the drawings, like numerals designate like elements. Multiple instances of an element may each include separate labels appended to the reference number (for instance “31a” and “31 b”). The reference number may be used without an appended label (e.g. “31”) to generally refer to an unspecified instance or to all instances of that element.

[0039] Figure 1 schematically shows a side view of a saddle-type vehicle according to an embodiment.

[0040] Figure 2 schematically shows a perspective view of the vehicle from figure 1 .

[0041] Figure 3a schematically shows a medial sagittal cross-sectional view of (part of) a rear fender assembly, according to an embodiment.

[0042] Figure 3b schematically shows an exploded side view of (part of) the rear fender assembly from figure 3a.

[0043] Figures 4a and 4b schematically show perspective views of a lower fender member forming part of the rear fender assembly from figures 3a-b.

[0044] The figures are meant for illustrative purposes only, and do not serve as restriction of the scope or the protection as laid down by the claims.Description of Embodiments

[0045] The following is a description of certain embodiments of the invention, given by way of example only and with reference to the figures. The relative directional terms like “upper”, “lower”, “above”, “rear”, “longitudinal”, “vertical” etc. are defined with respect to a coordinate system corresponding to the vehicle in an operational position wherein the vehicle is moving forward and in a balanced position relative to gravity. It will be understood that, if the orientation of the vehicle is changed and / or its driving direction is reversed, then the relative directional terms should be changed accordingly.

[0046] Figure 1 schematically shows a side view of a saddle-type vehicle 10 according to an embodiment, which in this example is an electric off-road motorcycle. Relative directional terms like “forward”, “rear”, “above” and “vertical” are defined with respect to a coordinate system corresponding to the motorcycle 10 in its typical upright position and driving direction.

[0047] The exemplary motorcycle 10 includes, among other things, a bodywork 11 , a vehicle frame 12, an electric engine 13, a seat 14, a steering 15, a wheel fork 16, a front wheel 17, a rear suspension 18, a rear wheel 19, and a rear fender assembly 21 that is integrated with a trailing portion 20 of the bodywork.

[0048] The engine 13 is mounted within and supported by the frame 12, located in-between the front wheel 17 and the rear wheel 19. The seat 14 is arranged at a top side of the frame 12 and above the engine 13.

[0049] The steering unit 15 is arranged a front side of the motorcycle 10 and is provided with left and right handle members and a vehicle control interface. The steering unit 15 is fixed to thesteering shaft and wheel fork 16, which are jointly coupled to the frame 12 in a way that allows the steering unit 15, fork 16 and front wheel 17 to pivot about a vertical-and-rearward-tilted central axis. The front wheel 12 is coupled at a lower distal end of the wheel fork 16, in a way that allows the front wheel 12 to rotate about a substantially lateral-horizontal axis.

[0050] The rear suspension 18 includes a rear arm that is pivotably attached with a proximal end to a lower portion of the frame 12, and near the electric engine 13. The rear wheel 19 is and arranged behind the engine 13 and is rotatably coupled to a distal end of the rear suspension 18.

[0051] The rear fender assembly 21 is mounted to the frame 12 and extends at a rear side of the motorcycle 10 behind the seat 14 and above the rear wheel 19. The rear fender assembly 21 forms a continuation of the rear portion 20 of the bodywork 11 . The assembly 21 defines a concave smooth curvature on a lower side, with a shape that largely follows an outer curvature of the rear wheel 19 and which has a highest region that (approximately) coincides with a top point (or apex) 40 of the rear wheel 19.

[0052] The proposed rear fender assembly 21 allows seamless and aerodynamically beneficial integration into the bodywork 11 of the motorcycle 10. Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment of the rear fender assembly 21 will be described.

[0053] Figure 2 schematically shows a perspective view of the motorcycle 10 with rear fender assembly 21 from figure 1 . The fender assembly 21 includes an upper fender member 22, a lower fender member 24, and a rear light unit 54.

[0054] The fender assembly 21 with integrated rear light unit 54 effectively protects the rider and the motorcycle 10 while providing tail and brake light functionality to improve visibility and safety also for on-road use. The rear light unit 54 is smoothly integrated into the rear fender assembly 21 and reinforces the assembly by providing a structural connection between the upper and lower fender members 22, 24, as will be explained below.

[0055] The upper fender member 22 forms a rear portion of the bodywork 11 , which forms a smooth and streamlined continuation rearward from the seat 14, and which extends above the rear wheel 19 towards a distal end 23.

[0056] The lower fender member 24 is formed as a unitary body that includes a mudguard portion 25, a light socket portion 33, and a license plate mounting portion 34.

[0057] The mudguard portion 25 defines a proximal section 26 that is mounted to the frame 12 of the motorcycle 10. The mudguard portion 25 further defines a concave surface 29, which faces generally downward and curves along with the rear wheel 19. The mudguard portion 25 continues into the plate mounting portion 34 and then terminates a distal end 30 which project above (and possibly rearward beyond the) the rear wheel 19.

[0058] The mudguard portion 25 is adapted to deflect dirt, debris, mud and water that is flung away by the rear wheel 19, and to minimize splashback to the rider and to the engine 13 and rear suspension 18. The mudguard portion 25 continues rearward beyond the socket portion 33 and beyond the distal end 23 of the upper fender member 22. At this trailing location, the mudguard portion 25 forms a projection that extends in a rearward-downward slanting direction. The projection defines the plate mounting portion 34, which includes through holes 35 that areadapted to allow mounting of a licence plate 36 to an upper distal side of the lower fender member 24. As the mounting portion 34 projects rearward-downward and beyond both the light unit 54 and the upper fender member 22, a license plate 36 mounted onto portion 34 remains visible for pedestrians and other road users, while the light and license plate 36 are shielded from splashing mud, debris or water. The continuous single-body lower fender member 24 with integrated license plate mounting portion 34 has increased durability and crash resistance, compared to prior art fender assemblies in which a license plate mounting portion is composed of a separate unit that is fixed above the rear wheel and to an upper side of the mudguard (typically by means of bolts and through holes).

[0059] The socket portion 33 is arranged on an upper side of the mudguard portion 25, which is opposite to the downward concave surface 29. The rear light unit 54 is accommodated within the socket portion 33 and arranged in-between the upper fender member 22 and the lower fender member 24, as will be explained in more detail with reference to figures 3a-b.

[0060] Figure 3a schematically shows a medial sagittal cross-sectional view of part of the rear fender assembly 21 from figure 2. Figure 3b schematically shows an exploded side view of part of this fender assembly 21 .

[0061] The lower fender member 24, including the mudguard portion 25, light socket portion 33, and license plate mounting portion 34, is formed as a unitary structure of continuous material, for instance by casting or moulding techniques. In this example, the lower fender member 24 is formed of flexible but impact-resistant polypropylene (PP).

[0062] The concave surface 29 defined by the mudguard portion 25 has a generally synclastic shape which faces downward and curves in longitudinal direction along with a sagittal cross- sectional outer periphery of the rear wheel 19, and curves in transverse direction along with a coronal cross-sectional outer periphery of the rear wheel 19. These two curvatures have two associated radii of curvature that both lie on the same side below the curved surface 29, but which differ by an order of magnitude, corresponding with the circumference of the entire wheel and with the characteristic width of the wheel tire, respectively.

[0063] The downward concave surface 29 of the mudguard portion 25 defines a top point (or apex) 38 that is essentially aligned with a top point 40 of the rear wheel 19. In a first section 41 of the fender assembly 21 that is located forward relative to the apex 38 and closer to the frame 12, the mudguard portion 25 converges vertically towards the upper fender member 22 as function of longitudinal / horizontal position from the frame 12 towards the apex 38. In the first section 41 and near the apex 38, the mudguard portion 25 includes a rib lattice 39 at the upper side 32. This rib lattice 39 is configured to keep the upper fender member 22 at a fixed height from the apex 38. In addition, the rib lattice 39 structurally reinforces the mudguard portion 25 to maintain the curved shape of the concave surface 29 when subjected to torsional stress e.g. by gravity acting on the rearmost part of the fender assembly 21 and on the light unit 54.

[0064] In a second section 42 of the fender assembly 21 that is located rearward from the apex 38 and further away from the frame 12, the mudguard portion 25 diverges vertically away from the upper fender member 22 as function of longitudinal / horizontal position from the apex 38 andfurther rearward towards the distal ends 23, 30. Rearward from the apex 38, a sector-shaped space 43 is formed between the upper fender member 22 and the mudguard portion 25 (figure 3b). The socket portion 33 and the rear light unit 54 are located within this sector-shaped space 43.

[0065] The positioning of the socket portion 33 and rear light unit 54 in the space 43 between the mutually diverging mudguard portion 25 and upper fender member 22 allows a seamless integration of the rear light unit 54 into the rear fender assembly 21 .

[0066] The socket portion 33 defines a raised edge 44, which projects upward towards the upper fender member 22. The raised edge 44 defines a central cup 47 for accommodating and holding the rear light unit 54 in a fixed position. At this central cup 47, the socket portion 33 defines a support flange 48, which terminates in a rear edge 46 and which supports the rear light unit 54 from below. The light unit 54 is positioned inside this cup 47. A gasket member 68 is placed at the interface between the light unit 54 and the raised edge 44 of the cup 47. The gasket member 68 is composed of flexible water-resistant material, and has a shape that generally conforms to the lower and lateral sides of the light unit 54. The gasket 68 serves as shock absorber for the light unit 54 and prevents ingress of dirt or fluid into the socket 33.

[0067] The rear light unit 54 includes light sources 59, 60 and a housing 55. In this example, the light sources 59, 60 include a light emitting diode (LED) operating as a taillight 59 and another LED operating as a brake light 60. The LEDs 59, 60 are mounted on a circuit board 61 with LED driver, and the resulting LED assembly is covered on a trailing side by an optical guide 62 for projecting the emitted light in desired rearward directions.

[0068] In this example, the housing 55 is formed as a solid body consisting essentially of aluminium, providing a high bending stiffness against mechanical stresses exerted on the rear fender assembly during vehicle handling. The housing 55 defines a first projection 57 above the LEDs 59, 60, and a second projection 58 below the LEDs 59, 60. Both projections 57, 58 form rigid continuations of the aluminium housing body. The projections 57, 58 have sufficient bending stiffness to resist typical upward / downward flexural stresses exerted during ordinary vehicle handling, thus forming a rigid shape-stable unit together with the bulk of the housing 55.

[0069] Both the first and second projections 57, 58 extend in rearward directions from the housing 55 towards the respective distal ends 23, 30 of the upper and lower fender members 22, 24, thereby minimizing a vertical space occupied by the light unit 54 within the fender assembly 21 and allowing the latter to remain sleek and thin. The first projection 57 is be adapted to interlock with a first receiving member 72 (e.g. a forward flange) provided on a lower inner side 71 of the upper fender member 22. The second projection 58 is adapted to interlock with the second receiving member 74 (e.g. another forward flange) provided inside the socket portion 33 and on the upper side 32 of the mudguard portion 25. In the interlocked arrangement shown in figure 3a, the first and second projections 57, 58 interconnect the upper and lower fender members 22, 24 via the first and second receiving members 72, 74, restricting relative movement of the distal ends 23, 30 at least in vertical directions.

[0070] The housing 55 with projections 57, 58 thus forms a rigid structure that strengthens the light unit 54 and the overall fender assembly 21 , by reinforcing and holding together the upper and lower fender members 22, 24. Furthermore, the weight of the housing 55 increases the moment of inertia of the distal end of the fender assembly 21 relative to the centre of mass of the motorcycle 10. The weight of the housing 55 represents a controllable parameter for finetuning the dynamic balance of the motorcycle 10.

[0071] The LEDs 59, 60 and circuit board 61 are mechanically fixed and thermally connected to the housing 55, so that the thermal capacitance and thermal conductivity of the aluminium body can efficiently absorb and / or dissipate heat generated by the LEDs 59, 60 and driver, to prevent overheating.

[0072] The optical guide 62 protrudes rearward along with and in-between the upper and lower projections 57, 58. In a medial sagittal cross-sectional view (figure 3a), the housing 55 with projections 57, 58 and the interposed optical guide 62 jointly define a peripheral contour with a trident-shape oriented in horizontal rearward direction. The rear light unit 54 further includes a translucent cover 63, which is placed over the light guide 62 and over a rear portion of the housing 55, thereby forming an IP69K-grade protected unit. The light cover 63 defines a rear surface that projects rearward beyond the rear edge 46 of the socket portion 33. The projecting of the light unit 54 beyond the rear edge 46 of the socket portion 33 allows the light beam 66 emitted by the light unit 54 to project at least partly downward towards the license plate 36 on the plate mounting portion 34, thus allowing the taillight 59 to illuminate and improve visibility of the license plate 36 during low ambient lighting conditions.

[0073] The trailing surface of the socket portion 33 and trailing surface of the light unit 54 jointly define a rear outer surface 50 with an anticlastic saddle shape. When viewed from a lateral side (figure 3a), this saddle-shaped surface 50 defines a smooth concave outer contour that diverges rearward and vertically outward towards the distal end 23 of the upper fender member 22 and towards the licence plate mounting portion 34 of the lower fender member 24, resulting in a smooth aerodynamic fork-tailed shape in medial sagittal cross-sectional view.

[0074] As shown in figure 3b, the exemplary fender assembly 21 includes mounting means 69, 56, which connect the rear light unit 54 to the upper side 32 of the lower fender member 24. Mounting bolts 69 are inserted into through holes 56 provided in the housing 55, and then into corresponding blind holes 70 provided in the upper side 32 of the lower fender member 24 (see e.g. figure 4a). By tightening the bolts 69, the light unit 54 is fixed to the lower fender member 24.

[0075] Figures 4a and 4b schematically show perspective views of the lower fender member 22 forming part of the rear fender assembly from figures 3a-b.

[0076] As shown in figure 4a, the raised edge 44 of the socket portion 33 defines a central cup 47 and two upstanding lateral walls 49a, 49b that extend forward from the cup 47. The cup 47 and walls 49 jointly enclose a recess 45 that is configured to accommodate the rear light unit 54 (see figure 4b). The recess 45 includes the lower receiving member 74, which is formed as a flange that extends in forward and sideways directions and bridges an accommodations space for the second projection 58 on the light housing 55. Forward from the recess 45 are two forward-slanted cylindrical pillars, which define the two oblique blind holes 70a-b. As shown in figure 4a, the exemplary fender assembly 21 includes two mounting bolts 69a-b that project in slanted orientation through corresponding openings in the housing 55 and then into the two blind holes 70 at the upper side 32 of the lower fender member 24. The blind holes 70 and bolts 69 do not extent downward up to the concave surface 29 of the mudguard portion 25, thus ensuring that mud / water / dirt expelled by the rear wheel 19 cannot penetrate the socket portion 33 and interfere with the rear light unit 54.

[0077] The upstanding walls 49 of the socket portion 33 extend essentially linearly forward along the lower fender member 24. Each of the walls 49 then merges into a respective curved lateral edge 31 a, 31 b of the mudguard portion 25. The combined curvatures of the lateral mudguard edges 31 and upstanding walls 49 confer increased bending stiffness to the lower fender member 24.

[0078] In the position shown in figure 4b, the light unit 54 is placed in the socket 33. A wire 67 for carrying electrical power and control signals to the light units 54 is encapsulated inside the fender assembly 21 . In this example, the wire 67 runs from the bodywork 11 and frame 12, at a lateral region adjacent to one mudguard edge 31a and lateral wall 49a, and through the lattice structure 39, into the socket 33 and the light housing 55, where the wire 67 connects to the circuit board 61 inside the light unit 54.

[0079] As mentioned above, the raised edge 44 of the socket portion 33 and the rear surface 63 of the light unit 54 jointly define the rear outer surface 50 with anticlastic saddle shape. This anticlastic-shaped outer surface 50 defines a concave outer contour 52 in vertical-rearward directions, and a convex outer contour 53 in horizontal-forward direction. The concave outer contour 52 diverges rearward and vertically outward towards the distal end 23 of the upper fender member 22 and towards the mudguard portion 25 of the lower fender member 24. By contrast, the convex outer contour 53 diverges forward and laterally outward towards the lateral edges 31 a, 31 b of the mudguard portion 25. The rear outer surface 50 thus forms a smoothly curved and (almost) contiguous surface. This anticlastic shape of the rear outer surface 50 further increases the bending stiffness of the fender assembly 21 , and simultaneously provides a smooth external shape with good aerodynamic properties that lowers drag forces at the rear of the motorcycle 10.

[0080] The cover 63 of the light unit 54 defines a smoothly curved U-shaped rear edge 64, which curves forward and upward so that its rear edge 64 is aligned with, and continues at essentially constant vertical level, into the upstanding walls 49. As a result, a joint upper rim that is formed by the upstanding walls 49 and the rear edge 64 has a forward projecting U-shape, which is configured to support the upper fender member 22 on its lower side 71 . A lateral outer rim of the upper fender member 22 has a smooth U-shape that is essentially congruent with the U-shape of the rear edge 64 and upstanding walls 49. This yields a closely matching transition between the upper fender member 22 and the lower fender member 24 at the upper rim of the light socket 33 and light unit 54, with a smooth and aerodynamically beneficial profile.

[0081] The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. It will be apparent to the person skilled in the art that alternative embodiments of the invention can be conceived and reduced to practice. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope, to the extent permitted by applicable national laws and / or intergovernmental agreements.

[0082] Those skilled in the art and informed by the teachings herein will realize that the lower fender member may be made from another kind of plastic, and possibly a fibre reinforced plastic (FRP), such as glass fibre (GFRP) or carbon fibre (CFRP) for increased durability. Other suitable strong but preferably light-weight materials known in the art may be used as well.

[0083] In the example shown in figure 3a, the taillight 59 and brake light 60 were formed using LEDs, and a rigid transparent cover 63 was placed over the LEDs 59, 60. In alternative embodiments, other types of light sources (e.g. halogen or incandescent light bulbs) may be used. Alternatively, or in addition, the light cover may be moulded directly over the light source(s) and a rear portion of the housing, e.g. formed by a continuous body of silicone. This renders the light unit into a contiguous body which improves impact resistance and does not provide room for water / condensate to reach the light source(s) and circuitry.

[0084] The rear fender assembly 21 , in any of its conceivable embodiments, may initially be provided as a kit of parts. The kit may be assembled and mounted onto a newly manufactured saddle-type vehicle (e.g. a motorcycle) or be used as retrofit when repairing or replacing a rear side of an existing saddle-type vehicle.List of Reference Symbols10 saddle-type vehicle (e.g. motorcycle)11 bodywork12 structural frame13 engine14 seat15 steering16 wheel fork17 front wheel18 rear suspension19 rear wheel20 rear body / cover portion21 rear fender assembly22 upper fender member23 distal end24 lower fender member25 mudguard portion26 proximal section29 concave surface30 further distal end31 lateral edge32 upper side33 socket portion34 license plate holder portion35 mounting hole36 license plate37 license plate fastener38 apex39 rib lattice40 wheel top point41 converging section42 diverging section43 sector-shaped region44 raised structure45 inner recess46 rear edge47 cup shape48 support flange49 lateral wall50 anti-clastic rear surface52 concave contour53 convex contour54 rear light unit55 metal housing56 mounting members (e.g. through holes)57 first projection58 second projection59 taillight (e.g. LED)60 brake light (e.g. LED)61 circuit board (e.g. with LED driver)62 optical guide63 light cover64 upper rear edge66 emission pattern67 electrical signal wire68 housing gasket69 light unit fastener (e.g. bolt)70 blind hole71 lower side72 first receiving member74 second receiving member76 further receiving member77 further fastener (e.g. bolt)

Claims

Claims1 . A rear fender assembly (21) for a saddle-type vehicle (10), the assembly being configured to be mounted to a frame (12) and to project above a rear wheel (19) of the vehicle, the assembly comprising: an upper fender member (22) forming a rear portion of a bodywork (11) of the vehicle and configured to extend above the rear wheel towards a distal end (23); a lower fender member (24), formed as a unitary body that includes a mudguard portion (25) and a socket portion (33), the mudguard portion defining a proximal section (26) configured to be mounted to the frame, and a concave surface (29) which faces and curves along with the rear wheel to extend above the rear wheel towards a further distal end (30), the socket portion (33) being provided on an upper side (32) of the mudguard portion opposite to the concave surface, and a rear light unit (54) configured to be accommodated in the socket portion and inbetween the upper and lower fender members (22, 24), the rear light unit including coupling members (57, 58) for interconnecting the upper and lower fender members and restricting relative movement of the distal ends (23, 30) in at least one direction.

2. The assembly (21) according to claim 1 , wherein the mudguard portion (25) continues rearward beyond a rear edge (46) of the socket portion (33) and beyond the distal end (23) of the upper fender member (22), thereby forming a projection that extends in a rearward-downward slanting direction and defines a plate holder portion (34) with one or more mounting members (35), such as through holes, configured for mounting a licence plate (36) on the upper side (32) of the mudguard portion.

3. The assembly (21) according to claim 2, wherein the socket portion defines a rear edge (46) that supports the rear light unit from below, and wherein the rear light unit defines a rear surface (63) that projects rearward beyond the rear edge (46) of the socket portion.

4. The assembly (21) according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the concave surface (29) of the mudguard portion (25) has an apex (38) that is essentially aligned with a top point (40) of the rear wheel (19), wherein in a section (42) of the assembly (21) that is located rearward from the apex and remote from the frame (12), the mudguard portion diverges vertically from the upper fender member (22) as function of position progressing from the apex and rearward to the distal ends (23, 30), thereby defining a sector-shaped space (43) between the upper fender member and the mudguard portion, the socket portion (33) and the rear light unit (54) being located in the sectorshaped space (43).

5. The assembly (21) according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein the rear light unit (54) comprises one or more light sources (59, 60) and a housing (55), wherein the housing is formed of a material with a high bending stiffness and with a large thermal conductivity, for instance a corrosion-resistant metal and preferably aluminium, and wherein the one or more light sources are mechanically fixed and thermally connected to the housing.

6. The assembly (21) according to claim 5, wherein the housing (55) defines a first projection (57) above the one or more light sources (59, 60), and a second projection (58) below the one or more light sources, the first and second projections forming a rigid shape-stable unit with the housing, the first projection being adapted to interlock with a first receiving member (72) provided on a lower side (71) of the upper fender member (22), and the second projection being adapted to interlock with a second receiving member (74) inside the socket portion (33) and on the upper side (32) of the mudguard portion (25).

7. The assembly (21) according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein the fender assembly (21) includes mounting members (69, 70, 58, 74, 75) for fixing the rear light unit (54) to the upper side (32) of the lower fender member (24), wherein the mounting members project or are otherwise embedded into the socket portion (33) without extending downward up to or beyond the concave surface (29) of the mudguard portion (25).

8. The assembly (21) according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein the socket portion (33) defines a raised edge (44) projecting upward towards the upper fender member (22), thereby defining a central cup (47) and two upstanding lateral walls (49a, 49b) that extend forward from the cup (47), the cup (47) and upstanding walls (49) jointly enclosing a recess (45) for accommodating the rear light unit (54), wherein the upstanding walls (49) extend forward to merge into respective lateral edges (31a, 31 b) of the mudguard portion (25).

9. The assembly (21) according to claim 8, wherein the raised edge (44) of the socket portion (33) and the rear surface (63) of the rear light unit (54) jointly define a rear outer surface (50) with an anticlastic saddle shape, having a concave outer contour (52) that diverges rearward and vertically outward toward the distal end (23) of the upper fender member (22) and to the mudguard portion (25) of the lower fender member (24), and having a convex outer contour (53) that diverges forward and laterally outward towards the lateral edges (31a, 31 b) of the mudguard portion (25).

10. The assembly (21) according to any one of claims 5-9 when dependent on claim 5, wherein the rear light unit (54) includes a translucent cover (63) configured to be placed over the one or more light sources (59, 60) and over a rear portion of the housing (55), thereby forming an IP69K-grade protected unit.- 17 -11. The assembly (21) according to any one of claims 1-10, wherein the concave surface (29) of the mudguard portion (25) has a synclastic shape which in operational position faces generally downward and curves along with a sagittal cross-sectional outer periphery of the rear wheel (19) as well as with a coronal cross-sectional outer periphery of the rear wheel.

12. The assembly (21) according to any one of claims 4-11 when dependent from claim 4, wherein the mudguard portion (25) includes a rib lattice (39) at the upper side (32) and at or near the apex (38), configured to structurally reinforce the mudguard portion and to maintain a curved shape of the concave surface (29).

13. A saddle-type vehicle (10), for instance a motorcycle, the vehicle comprising: a frame (12); front and rear wheels (17, 19) rotatably coupled to the frame; a rear fender assembly (21) including the upper fender member (22), lower fender member (24), and rear light unit (54) in accordance with any one of claims 1 -12.

14. A kit of parts for forming a rear fender assembly (21) in accordance with any one of claims 1-12.

15. A method of manufacturing or retrofitting a saddle-type vehicle (10) so that the resulting vehicle includes a rear fender assembly (21) in accordance with any one of claims 1-12.

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