Foldable tricycle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11052932-B2
Application number	US-201816144385-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 27, 2018
Priority date	Sep 27, 2017
Publication date	Jul 6, 2021
Grant date	Jul 6, 2021

Abstract

A foldable tricycle is provided and has a frame having a first end and a second end, a seat connected to the frame, a front wheel adjacent the first end of the tricycle, and a rear wheel adjacent the second end of the tricycle. A head tube housing is provided adjacent the first end of the main frame, and a fork is provided adjacent the first end of the tricycle. The front wheel is rotatedly secured to the fork. A stem extends from the fork and supports a handlebar, wherein a portion of the head tube housing is slidingly connected to the stem, and wherein the tricycle can be manipulated between a use position and a folded position by sliding a portion of the head tube toward the handlebar.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A foldable tricycle that can be manipulated between a use position and a non-use folded position, comprising:
a frame having a first end and a second end, the second end supporting at least one rear wheel;
a seat connected to the frame;
a head tube housing adjacent the first end of the frame;
a fork adjacent the first end of the tricycle and a front wheel rotatedly secured to the fork; and,
a stem fixedly connected to the fork in the use position and during transition to the nonuse folded position, the stem supporting a handlebar, wherein a portion of the head tube housing is slidingly connected to the stem, and wherein the tricycle can be manipulated between the use position and the non-use folded position by sliding a portion of the head tube along the stem and toward the handlebar without removing the stem from the head tube, and by having a rear portion of the frame pivot with respect to a front portion of the frame.

2. The foldable tricycle of claim 1 , wherein the head tube housing comprises an upper head tube housing and a lower head tube housing, wherein the upper head tube housing is slidingly connected to the stem, and wherein the frame can be repositioned from a use position to a folded position by sliding the upper head tube housing toward the handlebar.

3. The foldable tricycle of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the head tube housing that is slidingly connected to the stem is able to traverse axially about a length of the stem.

4. The foldable tricycle of claim 1 , further comprising a first release mechanism adjacent the first end of the frame, and a second release mechanism adjacent the second end of the frame, wherein the tricycle can be manipulated between the use position and the folded position following actuation of the first and second release mechanisms.

5. The foldable tricycle of claim 4 , wherein the first release mechanism comprises a release button, a locking plate engageable by the release button, and a locking pin, and wherein the locking plate operates to transition the locking pin from a locked position to an unlocked position to allow the head tube housing to slide axially on the stem.

6. The foldable tricycle of claim 1 , further comprising a pivot assembly between the frame and the head tube, wherein the tricycle is pivotable about the pivot assembly to transition between the use position and the folded position.

7. The foldable tricycle of claim 6 , further comprising a steering handle removably secured adjacent the second end of the frame, a first end of a rear steering rod operably connected to the parent steer handle, and a first end of a forward steering rod operably connected to the fork, wherein a second end of the rear steering rod is pivotally connected to a second end of the forward steering rod to provide for steering capabilities in a folding tricycle.

8. A foldable tricycle comprising:
a frame having a first end and a second end;
a front wheel adjacent the first end of the tricycle, the front wheel being supported by a fork;
a rear wheel adjacent the second end of the tricycle;
a pivot assembly adjacent a first end of the frame, wherein the tricycle is pivotable about the pivot assembly to transition between a use position and a non-use folded position, and wherein the fork and frame are in different relative locations in the non-use folded position and the use position; and,
a release mechanism adjacent the second end of the frame, wherein the release mechanism has a first lock position to retain the tricycle in the use position, and wherein the release mechanism has a second lock position to retain the tricycle in the non-use folded position.

9. The foldable tricycle of claim 8 , wherein the release mechanism comprises a release button, a receiver connected to the frame, the receiver having a first receiving position and a second receiving position, and a release member, the release button being connected to the release member to have the release member separately engage the receiver in the first receiving position and the second receiving position.

10. The foldable tricycle of claim 9 , further comprising a seat, the seat having a seat bottom and a seat back, the seat bottom being secured to the frame, and the seat back being pivotally connected to the frame, wherein the release member is connected to the seat back.

11. The foldable tricycle of claim 9 , wherein the release member is engaged with the receiver in the first receiving position when the tricycle is locked in the use position, and wherein the release member is engaged with the receiver in the second receiving position when the tricycle is locked in the folded position.

12. The foldable tricycle of claim 8 , wherein the release mechanism adjacent the second end of the frame is a second release mechanism, and further comprising a first release mechanism adjacent the first end of the frame, and wherein the tricycle can be manipulated between the use position and the folded position following actuation of the first and second release mechanisms.

13. The foldable tricycle of claim 8 , further comprising a head tube housing adjacent the first end of the main frame, and a stem extending from the fork and supporting a handlebar, wherein a portion of the head tube housing is slidingly connected to the stem, and wherein the tricycle can be manipulated between the use position and the folded position by sliding a portion of the head tube axially about the step toward the handlebar.

14. A foldable tricycle comprising:
a frame having a first end and a second end, the second end operably supporting at least one rear wheel;
a seat connected to the frame;
a head tube housing adjacent the first end of the frame;
a fork rotatedly secured to the tricycle, the fork rotatedly supporting a front wheel;
a first release mechanism adjacent the head tube housing, the first release mechanism having a release button that is actuated by a user; and,
a second release mechanism adjacent the second end of the frame, the second release mechanism having a release button that is actuated by a user, wherein the tricycle can be manipulated between a use position and a folded position following actuation of the first and second release mechanisms.

15. The foldable tricycle of claim 14 , wherein the first release mechanism further comprises, a locking plate engageable by the release button, and a locking pin, and wherein the locking plate operates to transition the locking pin from a locked position to an unlocked position to allow the head tube housing to slide axially on the stem.

16. The foldable tricycle of claim 14 , wherein the second release mechanism further comprises, a receiver connected to the frame, the receiver having a first receiving position, and a release member, the release button being connected to the release member to have the release member selectively disengage the receiver at the first receiving position to allow a back of the seat to pivot toward a bottom of the seat.

17. The foldable tricycle of claim 16 , wherein the receiver further has a second receiving position, the release member securing the back of the seat in a folded position almost parallel to the bottom of the seat when the release member is secured in the second receiving position of the receiver.

18. The foldable tricycle of claim 14 , wherein the first release mechanism and the second release mechanism both must be actuated to transition the tricycle to the folded position.

19. A foldable tricycle comprising:
a frame having a first end and a sec

Assignees

• Radio Flyer Inc

Inventors

• Debry Garrett
• Packowitz David

Classifications

• B62K15/006 Primary

  the frame being foldable · CPC title

• B62K21/00

  Steering devices · CPC title

• B62B7/066

  the handle bar moves in parallel relation during folding · CPC title

• B62B7/12

  convertible, e.g. into children's furniture or toy (children's chairs convertible to pushchairs A47D1/06) · CPC title

• B62B2301/04

  comprising a wheel pivotable about a substantially vertical axis, e.g. swivelling castors · CPC title