Collapsible vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9522711-B2
Application number	US-201314086430-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 21, 2013
Priority date	Oct 8, 2003
Publication date	Dec 20, 2016
Grant date	Dec 20, 2016

Abstract

A powered vehicle has a rear frame assembly and a front frame assembly that are pivotally attached to one another, and can be pivoted from a normal fully-extended operating position to a folded position in which the frame assemblies are positioned substantially adjacent to one another, effectively reducing overall vehicle length to about half. One or more latch members lock the front and rear frame assemblies in the fully-extended, normal operating position, and they may be used to lock the frame assemblies in the folded position. The seat support structure may be integrated with the front and rear frame assemblies such that pivoting the frame assemblies toward the folded position collapses the seat support. The steering tiller may also be collapsible toward the front frame assembly. The rear wheels may be mounted on a transaxle that is pivotally mounted on the rear frame assembly. An extendable handle may be provided to assist in the folding operation and to tow the collapsed vehicle on its anti-tip rollers.

First claim

We claim:

1. A foldable scooter comprising:
a foldable main frame assembly including a front frame, a rear frame, and a main pivot that pivotably couples the front frame to the rear frame, such that at least one of the front frame and the rear frame is pivotable relative to the other between (i) an open position and (ii) a folded position whereby bottom surfaces of the front and rear frames are drawn toward each other;
at least one front wheel coupled to the front frame;
a tiller coupled to the front frame; and
a seat frame including at least one rear support member that is pivotably coupled to the main frame assembly at a rear support pivot that is spaced apart from and independent from the main pivot, the seat frame further including at least one front support member, the at least one front support member having an upper end and a lower end opposed to the upper end, the lower end of the at least one front support member being pivotably coupled to the main frame assembly at a front support pivot that is spaced apart from and independent from the main pivot, and the at least one front support member is pivotably coupled to the at least one rear support member at a pivot that is fixed relative to the at least one rear support member,
wherein actuation of the main frame assembly from the open position to the folded position causes a) the at least one rear support member to pivot about the rear support pivot, b) the at least one front support member to pivot about the front support pivot, and c) the pivot to move toward the lower end of the at least one front support member to thereby draw at least a portion of the at least one front support member toward the rear frame and draw at least a portion of the at least one rear support member toward the rear frame.

2. The scooter of claim 1 , wherein the rear frame includes a rear end, a forward end spaced from the rear end along a longitudinal direction, a pair of side members that are aligned along the longitudinal direction.

3. The scooter of claim 2 , wherein the pair of side members are parallel with respect to each other.

4. The scooter of claim 3 , wherein each side member is a linear body that extends along the longitudinal direction.

5. The scooter of claim 1 , further comprising a hinged connection that is pivotably coupled to the front frame, wherein the at least one front support member is pivotably coupled to the hinged connection.

6. The scooter of claim 1 , wherein the at least one front support member is pivotably coupled to the front frame.

7. The scooter of claim 1 , wherein the front frame is substantially parallel to the rear frame when the main frame assembly is in the folded position.

8. The scooter of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the at least one front support member is oriented substantially parallel to at least a portion of the at least one rear support member when the main frame assembly is in the folded position.

9. The scooter of claim 8 , wherein the front frame is substantially parallel to the rear frame when the main frame assembly is in the folded position.

10. The scooter of claim 8 , wherein the at least a portion of the at least one front support member and the at least a portion of the at least one rear support member are oriented substantially parallel to the rear frame when the main frame assembly is in the folded position.

11. The scooter of claim 1 , further comprising a pair of rear wheels operably coupled to the rear frame.

12. The scooter of claim 1 , wherein the pivot is fixed to an upper end of the at least one rear support member.

13. The scooter of claim 1 , wherein the at least one rear support member includes a lower end opposed to the upper end, and the rear support pivot is disposed at the lower end of the at least one rear support member.

14. The scooter of claim 1 , wherein the pivot is moveable along at least one front support member from a first location that is disposed toward the at least one rear support member to a second location spaced from the first location in a direction toward the front support pivot.

15. The scooter of claim 1 , wherein the pivot and rear support pivot are aligned along an axis, wherein when the main frame assembly is in the open position, the pivot and the rear support pivot are spaced apart a first distance that is aligned with axis, and when the main frame assembly is in the folded position, the pivot and the rear support pivot are spaced apart a second distance that is aligned with the axis, and the second distance is less than the first distance.

16. The scooter of claim 1 , wherein the front frame defines a first end surface, and the rear frame defines a second end surface that faces the first end surface when the main frame assembly is in the open position.

17. The scooter of claim 16 , wherein the first end surface and the second end surface are parallel in the open position.

18. The scooter of claim 17 , wherein the first end surface and the second end surface are not parallel in the folded position.

Assignees

• Pride Mobility Products Corp

Inventors

• Kosco James M
• Martis Charles J
• Lamoreux Iii Sterling G

Classifications

• H01M50/249

  specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains (constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64) · CPC title

• B60L50/64

  Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles · CPC title

• B62K5/025 Primary

  power-driven · CPC title

• B62K15/006 Primary

  the frame being foldable · CPC title

• B62K5/027

  Motorcycles with three wheels (specially adapted for disabled riders B62K5/023) · CPC title