Motorcycle With a Seat Arrangement

Abstract

A motorcycle has a seat arrangement that can be entirely or at least partially detached from the motorcycle. The seat arrangement forms a sitting surface for a user and has an electrically operable device. In order to be supplied with electrical power, the electrically operable device is connected to a power transmission device which has a first line section which is associated with a vehicle structure and is coupled to a power source, and a second line section which is associated with the seat arrangement and is electrically conductively connected to the electrically operable device. The power transmission device is designed in such a way that, by way of arranging the seat arrangement in an operating position, the first line section and the second line section are positioned in a transmission position in relation to one another, which transmission position is designed for transmitting the electrical power.

Claims

1.-10. (canceled)

11. A motorcycle, comprising: a seat arrangement which is completely or at least partially detachable from the motorcycle, the seat arrangement forming a seat surface for a user; an electrically operable device of the seat arrangement, the electrically operable device being connected to an energy transmission device in order to be supplied with electrical energy, wherein the energy transmission device comprises: a. a first line section, which is assigned to a vehicle structure and is couplable to an energy source, and b. a second line section, which is assigned to the seat arrangement and is electrically conductively connected to the electrically operable device, wherein the energy transmission device is configured such that the first line section and the second line section are positioned in a transmission position, designed for electrical energy transmission, in relation to one another by arranging the seat arrangement in an operating position on the motorcycle.

12. The motorcycle as claimed in claim 11, wherein the electrically operable device comprises one or more of: a heating device for heating the seat surface, a ventilating device for ventilating the seat surface, or a cooling device for cooling the seat surface.

13. The motorcycle as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first line section and the second line section are electrically conductively and detachably connected to one another in the transmission position.

14. The motorcycle as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first electric line section has at least one first contact surface, the second electric line section has at least one second contact surface, wherein arranging the seat arrangement in the operating position causes the at least one first contact surface to make electrical contact with the at least one second contact surface.

15. The motorcycle as claimed in claim 14, wherein the at least one first contact surface and/or the at least one second contact surface have a movable configuration and are pretensioned by a spring element, in order to subject the respective other contact surface to a load.

16. The motorcycle as claimed in claim 14, further comprising: a movable cover which partially or completely covers the at least one first contact surface when the seat arrangement is in a position detached from the motorcycle and, when the seat arrangement is being arranged in the operating position, is moved such that the movable cover exposes the at least one first contact surface.

17. The motorcycle as claimed in claim 16, wherein the movable cover is a cover plate or a sliding device.

18. The motorcycle as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least the at least one first contact surface is arranged recessed or has a recessable design with respect to a surrounding edge.

19. The motorcycle as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first line section and the second line section in the transmission position are operatively coupled by induction for electrical energy transmission.

20. The motorcycle as claimed in claim 19, wherein the first line section and the second line section each comprise a conductor loop or a conductor coil for electrical energy transmission via induction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a motorcycle with the seat arrangement removed;

[0044] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a top side of a seat of a seat arrangement for the motorcycle according to FIG. 1;

[0045] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an underside of the seat according to FIG. 2;

[0046] FIG. 4 is a sectional side view of the seat according to FIGS. 2 and 3 in an operating position;

[0047] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a motorcycle with the seat arrangement removed;

[0048] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an underside of a seat of a seat arrangement for the motorcycle according to FIG. 5; and

[0049] FIG. 7 is a sectional side view of the seat according to FIG. 6 in an operating position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0050] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a motorcycle 1 with the seat arrangement 10 taken off. The motorcycle 1 is illustrated by way of example as a motorbike which purely optionally comprises a windshield 2, a fuel tank 3 and a vehicle structure 4. In addition, purely optional grab handles 5 for a pillion passenger are also arranged in a rear region of the vehicle structure 4. Instead of a motorbike, the motorcycle 1 may, however, also be another tilting vehicle or single-track vehicle, such as a motor scooter or scooter, or else a quad bike or trike.

[0051] The associated seat arrangement 10 has a two-part form and comprises two (individual) seats 11, a rider's seat and a pillion passenger's seat, which together form the seat arrangement 10. FIGS. 2 to 4 show one of the two seats 11, specifically the rider's seat. The pillion passenger's seat may, however, have an identical structure and possibly differ in terms of the configuration of the seat shape.

[0052] Each of the two seats 11 of the seat arrangement 10 forms a seat surface 11a for the rider or the pillion passenger and has an electrically operable device 13. This device is integrated in the respective seat 11 and constitutes an electrically operable consumer which needs to be supplied with electrical energy, in particular electrical current, to operate.

[0053] The electrically operable device 13 may for example comprise a heating device for heating the seat surface 11a, that is to say a seat heater. As an alternative or in addition, the electric device may comprise a ventilating device for ventilating the seat surface 11a and/or a cooling device for cooling the seat surface 11a and/or an electrically operable seat adjuster and/or an electrically operable massaging device and/or an electrically operable vibration transmitter for tactile signal generation.

[0054] Furthermore, the motorcycle 1 comprises an energy transmission device 14, which is connected to the respective electrically operable device 13 in order to be supplied with electrical energy.

[0055] The energy transmission device 14 comprises: [0056] a. a first line section 14a, which is assigned to the vehicle structure 4 and is coupled to an energy source 15, and [0057] b. a second line section 14b, which is assigned to the respective seat 11 of the seat arrangement 10 and is electrically conductively connected to the electrically operable device 13.

[0058] Furthermore, the energy transmission device 14 is designed such that the first line section 14a and the second line section 14b are positioned in a transmission position, designed for electrical energy transmission, in relation to one another solely by arranging the seat arrangement 10 in an operating position. FIG. 4 shows a merely schematic illustration of this operating position of the seat arrangement 10, in which the latter is arranged on the vehicle structure 4 of the motorcycle 1. In this case, the first line section 14a and the second line section 14b are arranged in the transmission position, which will be described in more detail below and in which the two line sections 14a, 14b are fastened at mutually facing positions of the vehicle structure 4 and of the seat arrangement 10.

[0059] Here, the first line section 14a is electrically conductively connected to the energy source 15 by a current-conducting cable 16 and is integrated in the vehicle structure 4 or mounted fixed to the vehicle underneath the seat arrangement 10.

[0060] The second line section 14b is integrated and fastened in the seat 11 of the seat arrangement 10, and electrically conductively connected to the electrically operable device 13 by a current-conducting cable 17.

[0061] According to the first embodiment (according to FIGS. 1 to 4), the first line section 14a and the second line section 14b are designed such that the two line sections 14a, 14b in the transmission position are electrically conductively and yet detachably connected to one another. To this end, the first line section 14a is brought into electrically conductive contact with the second line section 14b in detachable fashion. As a result, an electrical current can be provided via the first line section 14a and conducted to the electrically operable device 13 via the second line section 14b in order to operate the electrically operable device.

[0062] To this end, the first electric line section 14a has two first contact surfaces 14 which, when the seat arrangement 10 is being arranged in the operating position, are brought into electrically conductive yet detachable contact with two second contact surfaces of the second electric line section 14b. The contact-connection is in this case provided by a detachable application which can be detached or established solely by moving the seat arrangement 10, in order to provide electrical current conduction and thus electrical energy transmission for the purpose of operating the device 13.

[0063] In spite of the fixed arrangement of the first line section 14a and the second line section 14b, the first contact surfaces and/or the second contact surfaces may have a movable design in that they are pretensioned in each case by a spring element, in order to subject the respective other contact surface to load by means of the spring force generated. In this way, an improved contact-connection can be ensured.

[0064] The second embodiment (according to FIGS. 5 to 7) of the motorcycle 1 described corresponds to the first embodiment (according to FIGS. 1 to 4) except for the energy transmission device 14, and therefore reference is made to the description of the first embodiment, which is also applicable to the second embodiment in the same way. A difference is the specific configuration of the energy transmission device 14, which provides energy transmission by means of induction instead of a direct electrically conductive contact-connection between the first line section 14a and the second line section 14b.

[0065] As illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 7, to this end the first line section 14a and the second line section 14b in the transmission position (according to FIG. 7) may be operatively coupled by means of induction for electrical energy transmission. The two line sections 14a, 14b are arranged adjacently but without direct electrical contact in relation to one another, so that a current flow in the second line section 14b is generated by means of induction, the current flow enabling the operation of the electrically operable device 13.

[0066] To this end, the first line section 14a and the second line section 14b each comprise a conductor coil (illustrated merely schematically) for electrical energy transmission by means of induction. For the adjacent arrangement of the two conductor coils, the respective first conductor coil of the first line section 14a is provided in a first position of the vehicle structure 4 facing the seat arrangement 20. Accordingly, the second conductor coil of the second line section 14b is provided in a second position, facing the first position of the vehicle structure 4 and arranged adjoining (or at least adjacent to) the latter, of the vehicle structure 4.