Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PORTABLE MOTORCYCLE SUPPOR'T STAND
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to motorcycle support stands, more
particularly to
portable motorcycle support stands.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Description of the Prior Art
Most motorcycles have at least a kickstand attached to the motorcycle at one
side. The
kickstand swings out from a storage position, generally parallel to the
longitudinal axis of
the motorcycle, to an operating position, generally perpendicular to the
longitudinal axis
of the motorcycle. When the kickstand is to be used, it is moved from the
storage position
to the operating position and the motorcycle is tilted sideways so that a
distal end of the
kickstand touches the ground and keeps the motorcycle generally upright. An
apparent
drawback with these stands is that both wheels of the motorcycle still touch
the ground
and carry the bulk of the motorcycle weight. A further apparent disadvantage
is that the
motorcycle has to lean somewhat to one side in order for the motorcycle to be
in a stable
position, when it leans on the kickstand. The motorcycle is thus possibly
easier tipped
over, than if the stand had more than one support point to the ground. The
ground
furthermore has to be fairly solid, to prevent the kickstand from sinking into
it.
Certain motorcycles have a two support point stand fastened to the motorcycle.
These
stands are inherently more stable than the earlier described type of stands,
but usually
detract from the lowest height of the motorcycle and/or detract from the
aesthetics of the
motorcycle because of their often bulky appearance.
A jack for elevating a motorcycle so that either wheel is off the ground is
shown in US
5,639,067. The jack is relatively compact, for portability, but its
construction is complex,
with higher manufacturing costs and possible easier failure due to breakage as
results. The
jack has a main axle supported at each end by ground supports. A roller
mechanism is
pivotably attached parallel to the axis and is pivoted by the use of a ratchet
wrench (or
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similar) applied to one end of the axle. This means the user :has to crouch
down adjacent
the axle to lift the motorcycle up onto the roller.
A motorcycle stand that is separate from the motorcycle is disclosed in US D
276,988.
This stand works according to the lever principle, having a portion that fits
under the
motorcycle and a lever to lift the motorcycle once the stand is tilted by the
lever. The
described stand has the apparent drawbacks of a weak construction and an
apparently
time-consuming way of disassembling the stand for storage, using a wing nut or
similar.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide a motorcycle stand, which is portable
and which can
be easily stored on the motorcycle when the stand is not in use, thus a stand
which does
not require a large space when stored.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to mitigate and/or obviate the above
mentioned
disadvantages to provide a portable motorcycle stand, which is small in
dimensions but
sturdy enough for heavy motorcycles, and is easy to operate and
assemble/disassemble.
According to a first embodiment of the invention, a portable motorcycle
support stand
comprises:
a main member having a first protruding member arranged at one end of the main
member and a second protruding member arranged at an opposite end of the main
member, the first protruding member and the second protruding member
protruding in the
same general direction;
a movable cross-member, movably arranged on the first protruding member at one
end of the movable cross-member and on the second protriuding member at an
opposite
end of the movable cross-member;
retaining means on said first protruding member and said second protruding
member to secure the movable cross-member at a desired position along the
first
protruding member and the second protruding member, respectively;
an a.rm movably arranged on the first protruding member, the arm being movable
between a storage position, in which the ann is generally parallel to a
longitudinal
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direction of the main member, and an operating position, in which a
longitudinal direction
of the arm is pivoted out at an angle from the longitudinal direction of the
main member.
Preferably, the main member has a first tower and a seconci tower rigidly
connected to
each other by a stationary cross-member, the first tower having the first
protruding
member arranged at one end of the first tower and the second tower having the
second
protruding member arranged at one end of the second tower.
Preferably, the first protruding member has a first end stop and the second
protruding
member has a second end stop, for preventing damage to the motorcycle when the
stand is
in use or being stored.
According to a second embodiment of the invention, a portalble motorcycle
support stand
comprises:
a main member having a first protruding member slidingly arranged at one end
of
said main member and a second protruding member slidingb/ arranged at an
opposite end
of said main member, said first protruding member and said second protruding
member
protruding in the same general direction;
a movable cross-member, attached to a free end of said first protruding member
at
one end of said movable cross-member and to a free end of said second
protruding
member at an opposite end of said movable cross-member;
retaining means on said first protruding member and said second protruding
member to secure said movable cross-member to said first protruding member and
said
second protruding member; .
adjusting means arranged on said first protruding member and said second
protruding member to set a distance from said main member to said movable
cross-
member;
an arm movably arranged on said first protruding member, said arm movable
between a storage position, in which the arm is generally parallel to a
longitudinal
direction of said main member, and an operating position, in which a
longitudinal
direction of said arm is pivoted out at an angle from said :longitudinal
direction of said
main member.
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The main member preferably has a first tower and a second tower rigidly
connected to
each other by a stationary cross-member, the first tower having the first
protruding
member slidingly arranged at one end of the first tower, and the second tower
having the
second protruding member slidingly arranged at one end of the second tower.
The following is for both embodiments of the invention:
Advantageously, an arm hold-down means is movably arranged on the first
protruding
member, for preventing the arm from sliding on the first protruding member,
when the
hold-down means is in a locking position, and enabling the arm to slide on the
first
protruding member, when the hold-down means is in an un-locked position.
A first guide means is preferably arranged on the arm cooperating with a
second guide
means arranged on the first tower, to fix the arrn, with respect to the main
member, when
the arm is in the operating position.
Advantageously, the movable cross-member has a soft cover, for preventing
damage to the
motorcycle when the stand is in use.
The main member is preferably made of a light metal alloy, for example an
aluminum
alloy. Similarly, the arm is preferably made of a light rnetal alloy, for
example an
aluminum alloy.
Other aspects and features of the present invention will, become apparent to
those
ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of
specific
embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example
only,
with reference to the attached Figures, wherein:
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Fig. 1 is an elevational side view of a portable motorcycle stand according to
a first
embodiment of the invention, showing the arm in its operating position;
Fig. 2 is an elevational side view of the stand of Fig. 1 seen from a
different angle;
Fig. 3 is an elevational side view of a portable motorcycle stand according to
the first
embodiment of the invention, showing the arm in its storage position;
Fig. 4 is an exploded elevational side view of a portable motorcycle stand
according to
the first embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 5 is an end view of the stand shown in Fig. 1, showing the stand
perpendicular to a
ground plane;
Fig. 6 is an end view of the stand shown in Fig. 6, but showing the stand
leaning on the
arm;
Fig. 7 is a side view of the stand shown in Fig. 3;
Fig. 8 is an end view of the stand shown in Fig. 7;
Fig. 9 is a top view of the stand shown in Fig. 5;
Fig. 10 is a side view of the main member; .
Fig. 11 is a top view of the main member;
Fig. 12 is an end view of a stand according to the first embodiment of the
invention,
showing the stand in a position under a motorcycle and ready for rolling the
motorcycle up onto the stand;
Fig. 13 is an end view detail of Fig. 12;
CA 02368926 2002-01-22
Fig. 14 is an end view of a stand according to the first embodiment of the
invention,
showing the stand in a position under a motorcycle after the motorcycle has
been
rolled up onto. the stand;
Fig. 15 is an end view detail of Fig. 14;
Fig. 16 is an elevational side view of a motorcycle on a stand according to
the first
embodiment of the invention, as shown in Fig. 14;
Fig. 17 is a front view of Fig. 16;
Fig. 18 is an elevational side view of a portable motorcycle stand according
to a second
embodiment of the invention, showing the arm in its operating position;
Fig. 19 is an elevational side view of the stand of Fig. 18 seen from a
different angle;
Fig. 20 is an elevational side view of a portable motorcycle stand according
to the second
embodiment of the invention, showing the arm in its storage position;
Fig. 21 is an exploded elevational side view of a portable motorcycle stand
according to
the second embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 22 is an end view of the stand shown in Fig. 18, showing the stand
perpendicular to a
ground plane; Fig. 23 is an end view of the stand shown in Fig. 22, but
showing the stand leaning on the
arm;
Fig. 24 is a side view of the stand shown in Fig. 20;
Fig. 25 is an end view of the stand shown in Fig. 24;
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Fig. 26 is an end view of a stand according to the second embodiment of the
invention,
showing the stand in a position under a motorcycle after the motorcycle has
been
rolled up onto the stand; and
Fig. 27 is an end view detail of Fig. 26.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to Figs. 1 to 17, a first embodiment of a portable motorcycle
support stand 1 is
shown, having a main member 2 with a first protruding member 3 arranged at one
end of
the main member and a second protruding member 4, arranged at an opposite end
of the
main member. The first protruding member and the second protruding member are
protruding in the same general direction. Further, a movable cross-member 5 is
movably
arranged on the first protruding member 3 at one end 6 of the movable cross-
member 2
and on the second protruding member 4 at an opposite end 7 of the movable
cross-
member. Retaining means 8 are arranged on the first protruding member and on
the
second protruding member, to secure the movable cross-member 5 at a desired
position
along the first protruding member and the second protrudin;g member,
respectively. The
first protruding member and the second protruding member, are, for example,
threaded
bars onto which the movable cross-member is slidably mounted via through holes
9. The
retaining means 8 is then preferably nuts arranged one on each side of the
movable cross-
member as it is mounted onto the protruding members.
An an:ri 10 is movably arranged on the first protruding meinber 3. The arm is
movable
between a storage position, in which the arm is generally parallel to a
longitudinal
direction of the main member 2 (as shown in Figs. 3 and 7), and an operating
position, in
which a longitudinal direction of the arm is pivoted out at an angle from the
longitudinal
direction of the main member (as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5, 6, 9 and 12 to 17).
The arm
further has a first end 15, which is arranged to slide over the first
protruding member, and
a second end 16, which is arranged to contact the ground or floor, when the
stand is in use
to support a motorcycle 100 (see Figs. 12 to 17).
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In a first embodiment, the main member 2 has a first tower 11 and a second
tower 12
rigidly connected to each other by a stationary cross-member 113, the first
tower having the
first protruding member 3 arranged at one end of the first tower and the
second tower
having the second protruding member 4 arranged at one end of the second tower.
Advantageously, the stationary cross-member has weight-saving holes 17.
An arm hold-down means 14 is preferably movably arranged on the first
protruding
member 3, for preventing the arm from sliding on the first protruding member
3, when the
hold-down means is in. a locking position, and enabling the arm to slide on
the first
protruding member, when the hold-down means is in an un-locked position.
Advantageously, the arm hold-down means 14 is a threaded disc having a grooved
circumference for enhanced grip, the disc being easy to manipulate by screwing
it up or
down to either release or clamp down the arm to the first tower 11 on the
first protruding
member. Preferably, a first guide means 19 (see Fig. 4) is arranged on the arm
10
cooperating with a second guide means 18 (see Fig. 3) arranged on the first
tower, to fix
the arm when it is in the operating position. The first guide means is
preferably a
protrusion on the arm cooperating with a second guide means in the shape of a
notch on
the first tower.
Advantageously, the movable cross-member 5 has a soft cover 20, for preventing
damage
to the motorcycle when the stand is in use. Similarly, the first protruding
member
advantageously has a first end stop 21 and the second protruding member has a
second end
stop 22, for preventing damage to the motorcycle when the stand is in use or
being stored.
Figs. 18 to 27 show a second embodiment of a motorcycle stand according to the
invention. The difference compared to the earlier shown first embodiment is
that the
movable cross-member 5' does not have through holes but: has mounting studs 8'
into
which the threaded first protruding member 3 and the second protruding member
4 are
fixedly attachable. Nuts 8 are preferably used to secure the first and second
protruding
members in the respective stud. The first and second protruding members are
slidably and
removably held in holes 23 in the main member 2, so that the assembled movable
cross-
member with the first and second protruding members, 3 and 4 respectively, can
be moved
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as a unit with respect to the main member. The height of the movable cross-
member is set
by adjusting the arm hold-down means 14, which is attached to both the first
protruding
member 3 and the second protruding member 4. To fold the arm 10 in its storage
position,
the hold-down means 14 of the first protruding member 3 is moved away from the
arm
and the arm swung to its storage position (see Fig. 20). All other technical
features are the
same as for the earlier described first embodiment, and use the same reference
numbers.
The second embodiment of the invention has the added advantage that the part
of the
movable cross-member 5', which contacts the motorcycle, is smooth without any
protruding parts to damage the motorcycle.
For all embodiments of the invention, the main member 2 is preferably made of
a light
metal alloy, for example an aluminum alloy and preferably casst. The arm is
preferably also
made of a light metal alloy, for example an aluminum alloy, and also
preferably cast.
Alternatively, the main member and the arm may be forged or machined, but
these metal
forming operations tend to be more expensive than casting.
It will be appreciated that the above description relates to the preferred
embodiment by
way of example only. Many variations on the invention will be obvious to those
knowledgeable in the field, and such obvious variations are within the scope
of the
invention as described and claimed, whether or not expressly described.
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