Motorcycle drive train
AssigneeViper Motorcycle Company
InventorsCory McWhorter, Todd Sigfrid
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A motorcycle is described which has a frame and a rear wheel attached to a driven pulley. A drive pulley is rotatably mounted to a rigid bracket attached to the frame such that a relative orientation between the drive pulley and the driven pulley is maintained substantially constant. A drive belt is coupled to the drive pulley and the driven pulley such that a rotation of the drive pulley imparts a rotation of the driven pulley. A transmission output gear is attached to an output of a transmission, and a drive coupler is provided as an interface between the transmission output gear and the drive pulley.
Claims15
A motorcycle comprising:
- a frame;
- a rear wheel attached to a driven pulley;
- a drive pulley rotatably mounted to a rigid bracket, wherein the rigid bracket is attached to the frame such that a relative orientation between the drive pulley and the driven pulley is maintained substantially constant;
- a drive belt coupling the drive pulley and the driven pulley such that a rotation of the drive pulley imparts a rotation of the driven pulley;
- a transmission output gear attached to an output of a transmission;
- and
- a drive coupler located between, and coupled to both, the transmission output gear and the drive pulley.
A motorcycle comprising:
- a frame;
- a rear swing arm attached to the frame to allow the rear swing arm to pivot relative to the frame, wherein the swing arm supports a rear wheel;
- a driven pulley coupled to the rear wheel;
- a drive pulley rotatably mounted to a bracket, wherein the bracket is fixed to the frame such that a relative orientation between the drive pulley and the driven pulley is maintained through an operating pivot range of the swing arm;
- a drive belt coupling the drive pulley and the driven pulley such that a rotation of the drive pulley imparts a rotation of the driven pulley;
- a transmission output gear attached to an output of a transmission;
- a drive coupler located between, and coupled to both, the transmission output gear and the drive pulley;
- a clutch slave cylinder attached to the transmission, wherein the bracket, drive pulley, drive coupler and output gear are located between the clutch slave cylinder and the transmission such that the clutch slave cylinder helps to maintain the engagement of the drive coupler between the output gear and the drive pulley.
A motorcycle drive assembly comprising:
- a drive pulley rotatably mounted to a bracket via a bearing, wherein the bracket is adapted to be attached to a frame of a motorcycle;
- an output gear for attachment to an output shaft of a transmission;
- and
- a drive coupler located between, and coupled to both the output gear and the drive pulley, the drive coupler is fabricated from a resilient compressible material to absorb rotational slap between the drive pulley and the output gear.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.