Windshield impact reduction system suitable for motorcycles
View Patent ↗Replaceable forward foldable curved motorcycle windshield assemblies, systems, devices and methods with a base separated from an upper curved main section attached together with a pair of hinges which allows the main section to fold outward away in a vertical to horizontal direction forward of the motorcycle when force is applied to the main section of windshield. An elongated trim covers the upper leafs of the hinges between of the windshield. The base of the windshield is hidden beneath the existing mounting frame on the motorcycle.
1. A foldable windshield for a motorcycle comprising:
a windshield having an upper section with a top edge and a bottom edge, a front, a rear, and a base section with a top edge similar to the bottom edge of the upper section, a front and a rear, the base section having a bottom end for mounting to a motorcycle;
hinges spaced apart from one another and attached to a mid-portion on the front of the upper section and to a mid-portion on the front of the base section; and
each hinge having a top leaf attached at a mid-point to a front portion of the upper section of the windshield adjacent to the bottom edge, and each hinge having a bottom leaf attached at a mid-point to a front portion of the base section adjacent to the top edge of the base section, each hinge having a knuckles length, each top leaf having a width length with opposite facing side ends, the side ends extending beyond the knuckles length, so that top fasteners attach the top leaf to the upper section through the side ends of the top leaf, each bottom leaf having a width length no greater than the knuckles length, so that bottom fasteners attach the bottom leaf to the base section through the bottom leaf, wherein the windshield is foldable forward of the motorcycle.
2. The foldable windshield of claim 1 , wherein the windshield includes a curved windshield.
3. The foldable windshield of claim 1 , wherein the pair of hinges includes curved hinges.
4. The foldable windshield of claim 3 , wherein the pair of curved hinges includes a left hand curved hinge and a right hand curved hinge.
5. The foldable windshield of claim 1 , wherein the top and bottom fasteners includes:
mounting studs with threaded ends extending to one side of the top leaf and the bottom leaf, the studs for passing through openings in the upper windshield section and the windshield base section; and
nuts for threading onto the threaded ends of the mounting studs.
6. The foldable windshield of claim 5 , wherein the nuts include acorn nuts.
7. The foldable windshield of claim 1 , wherein each hinge includes:
a spring for biasing the hinge in an open extended position.
8. The foldable windshield of claim 1 , further comprising:
a trim across the front face of the upper windshield section covering the top leaf of each hinge.
9. The foldable windshield of claim 8 , wherein the trim includes a length of at least as long as a length between a left side outer edge and a right side outer edge of the upper windshield section.
10. The foldable windshield of claim 8 , wherein the trim includes a length greater than a length between a left side outer edge and a right side outer edge of the upper windshield section.
11. The foldable windshield of claim 10 , further comprising:
a flexible gasket between the trim and the upper windshield section.
12. The foldable windshield of claim 11 , further comprising:
mounting fasteners for fastening the trim and gasket to the upper windshield section.
13. The foldable windshield of claim 1 , wherein the upper section includes a one piece translucent section, and the base section includes another one piece translucent section.
14. A folding windshield assembly for motorcycles, comprising:
a windshield having an upper section with a top edge and a bottom edge, a front and a rear, and a base section with a top edge having a contour similar to the bottom edge of the upper section, a front and a rear, the base section having a bottom end being mountable to a motorcycle;
hinges, each having a top leaf attached to the upper section of the windshield adjacent to the bottom edge, and each hinge having a bottom leaf attached to the front of the base section adjacent the top edge of the base section; and
each hinge having a knuckles length, each top leaf having a width length with opposite facing side ends, the side ends extending beyond the knuckles length, so top fasteners attach the top leaf to the upper section through the side ends of the top leaf, each bottom leaf having a width length no greater than the knuckles length, so that bottom fasteners attach the bottom leaf to the base section through the bottom leaf, wherein the windshield is foldable forward of the motorcycle.
15. The windshield assembly of claim 14 , wherein the pair of hinges includes a pair of curved hinges.
16. The windshield assembly of claim 14 , further comprising:
a single trim with a gasket rear surface fastened across the front face of the upper windshield section covering the top leaf of the hinge.
17. The windshield assembly of claim 16 , wherein the trim includes:
a flexible gasket between the trim and the upper windshield section.
18. The windshield assembly of claim 14 , wherein the upper section includes a one piece translucent section, and the base section includes another one piece translucent section.
19. The windshield assembly of claim 14 , wherein the upper section and the base section are formed from a single translucent curved windshield section that is cut into the upper section and the base section with the lower edge of the upper section has the similar contour to the upper edge of the bottom section.
20. A forward folding windshield, comprising:
an upper section with a top edge and a bottom edge, a front, a rear, and a base section with a top edge having a contour similar to the bottom edge of the upper section, a front and a rear, the base section having a bottom end being mountable to a vehicle; and
hinges, each having a top leaf attached to the front of the upper section of the windshield adjacent to the bottom edge, and each hinge having a bottom leaf attached to the front of the base section adjacent to the top edge of the base section, each hinge having a knuckles length, each top leaf having a width length with opposite facing side ends, the side ends extending beyond the knuckles length, so top fasteners attach the top leaf to the upper section through the side ends of the top leaf, each bottom leaf having a width length no greater than the knuckles length, so that bottom fasteners attach the bottom leaf to the base section through the bottom leaf, wherein the windshield is foldable forward of the vehicle.