Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
  • B62M—RIDER PROPULSION OF WHEELED VEHICLES OR SLEDGES; POWERED PROPULSION OF SLEDGES OR SINGLE-TRACK CYCLES; TRANSMISSIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR SUCH VEHICLES
  • B62M1/00—Rider propulsion of wheeled vehicles
  • B62M1/24—Rider propulsion of wheeled vehicles with reciprocating levers, e.g. foot levers
  • B62M1/28—Rider propulsion of wheeled vehicles with reciprocating levers, e.g. foot levers characterised by the use of flexible drive members, e.g. chains
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
  • B62K—CYCLES; CYCLE FRAMES; CYCLE STEERING DEVICES; RIDER-OPERATED TERMINAL CONTROLS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR CYCLES; CYCLE AXLE SUSPENSIONS; CYCLE SIDE-CARS, FORECARS, OR THE LIKE
  • B62K3/00—Bicycles
  • B62K3/002—Bicycles without a seat, i.e. the rider operating the vehicle in a standing position, e.g. non-motorized scooters; non-motorized scooters with skis or runners

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a scooter of the type equipped with alternate operating footboards.
• a known scooter of this type is described in document EP 1 572 527 entitled to the Applicant.
• This document describes and illustrates a scooter equipped with a basic frame on which two elongate footboards are installed which overlap the upper surface of the basic frame and which are pivoted at a front area of the scooter close to the steering, and are movable in an alternating manner between a point of minimum distance from the upper surface and a point of maximum distance from the mentioned upper surface.
• a unit for transmitting the motion comprises a deformable element directly attached to the two footboards, which also acts on two free-wheels positioned on the axis of the rear wheel, for converting the alternating motion of the footboards into a rotary motion of the rear wheel.
• the known document US 5,368,321 also illustrates a two-wheeled vehicle operated by a pair of pivoted footboards.
• the footboards are pivoted at their front ends and are both coupled to a transmission mechanism.
• the transmission mechanism comprises two chains presenting one end linked to a respective footboard and an opposite end linked to a flexible steel cable which runs on a pair of pulleys mounted on the vehicle frame.
• Each chain runs on a toothed idle wheel and then on a coupled idle wheel, through a free-wheel mechanism, to a transmission shaft which carries a main toothed wheel.
• a further chain is wound around the main toothed wheel and on a sprocket of the rear wheel.
• scooters like the ones described above can be improved under several aspects, in particular relating to the overall dimensions of the transmission, which affects the overall size of the scooter, and relating to the accuracy and to the reliability of the transmission, which affect the accuracy, the reliability and the smoothness of driving the scooter.
• the transmission of the scooter in known document US 5,368,321 is very bulky, so bulky that it has to be enclosed in containment casing.
• the transmission of the scooter in described in document EP 1 572 527 has reliability problems.
• the technical purpose of the present invention is to provide a scooter which overcomes the drawbacks described above for the background art.
• the main aim of the present invention is to provide a scooter which is safe, stable and reliable and thereby offers the driver total control of the vehicle.
• a scooter comprising: a frame, a front wheel linked to a front part of the frame, a rear wheel linked to a rear part of the frame; a first footboard and a second footboard placed over the frame, one in side-by- side relationship with the other, and pivoted to the frame on respective pivots at the front part; the first and second footboard being movable in an alternating manner about the pivots between a point of minimum distance from the frame and a point of maximum distance from the frame; a fixed structure protruding from the frame and a flexible body placed astride the fixed structure and presenting opposite ends each linked to a footboard; a transmission operatively connected to the footboards and to the rear wheel to transform the alternating motion of the footboards into rotation of the rear wheel; in which the flexible body synchronizes the alternating motion of the footboards and transmits the pushing movement exerted by the user to the transmission; in which the transmission comprises: a flexible element having a first end part operative
• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a scooter according to the present invention.
• FIG. 2 is perspective view of the transmission of the scooter in Figure 1;
• Figure 2a shows an alternative embodiment of the transmission in Figure
• Figure 3 is a view from above of the transmission in Figure 2;
• Figure 4 shows a cross-section of an element of the transmission shown in Figures 2, 2a and 3;
• FIG. 5 shows an enlarged portion of the scooter in Figure 1;
• Figure 6 shows a detail of the portion of figure 5
• Figure 7 shows a side view of the scooter in Figure 1, in the closed configuration
• Figure 8 is a view from above of the scooter in figure 7.
• reference number 1 indicates the scooter in its entirety, of the type equipped with alternate operating footboards.
• the scooter 1 comprises a frame 2 ( Figures 1 and 7), which is preferably defined by box body elongated like a beam, extending between a rear part 3 and a front part 4.
• the rear part 3 which preferably extends like a rear fork, carries a pivoted rear wheel 5.
• the front part 4 is linked to a tube 6 which carries a steering-column 7.
• a handlebar 8 is mounted to one end of the steering-column 7 and a fork 9 carries a front wheel 10 at an opposite end.
• a first footboard 11 and a second footboard 12 are installed on the frame 2, each of these being shaped like an elongate plate with an upper surface designed to support the user's feet.
• the two footboards 11, 12 are side-by-side and parallel to each other and partly overlap an upper surface of the frame 2.
• the figures show that each of the two footboards 11, 12 lies partly overlapping the upper surface of the frame 2 and partly protrudes laterally from the frame 2 ( Figures 1 and 8).
• Each of the two footboards 11, 12 is pivoted to the frame 2 at a pivot 13 about an axis which is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the rear wheel 5.
• the pivot 13 is located at the front part 4 of the frame 2 and each footboard 11, 12 extends towards the rear part 3, up to an area of the frame 2 close to the rear wheel 5.
• a fixed structure 14 (relative to the frame 2) extends vertically along a direction substantially perpendicular to the frame, at the area of the frame 2.
• the fixed structure 14 extends like an upright between the rear ends of the two footboards 11, 12 and carries, on its upper end, an idle roller 15 ( Figures 2, 2a, 3 and 5) whose axis of rotation is perpendicular to the axis of the pivots 13 and is substantially parallel to the frame 2.
• the linking between flat belt 16 and each of the footboards 11, 12 is at each of the rear ends of the footboards 11, 12 opposite to the pivots 13.
• each footboard 11, 12 comprises a plate 17, which extends below the footboard 11, 12.
• Each of the opposite ends of the flat belt 16 is joined to a rigid connecting body 18, which is in turn pivoted to the respective footboard 11, 12.
• Figure 6 shows in greater detail that each of the opposite ends of the flat belt 16 is turned back around a rigid core 19 and inserted in a seat 20 of the rigid connecting body 18.
• Pivots 21 (for example screws or riveted pins) run through the entire thickness of the rigid connecting body 18 and cross the flat belt 16 and the core 19 to securely join the rigid connecting body 18 with the flat belt 16.
• the rigid connecting body 18 and the plate 17 are in a side- by-side relationship and joined with a pin 22.
• the rigid connecting body 18 and the plate 17 are free to rotate, relative to each other, about an axis which is substantially parallel to the pivoting axis of the footboards 11, 12.
• the flat belt 16 serves to synchronize the alternating movement of the footboards 11, 12 and to transmit the pushing movement exerted by the user to the transmission: when the user pushes downwards with a foot on one of the footboards 11, 12 the other footboard 11, 12 is pulled upwards by the flat belt 16.
• the footboards 11, 12 are operatively linked to the rear wheel 5 through a transmission 23 designed to transform the alternating movement described above and exerted by the user, into the rotary motion of the rear wheel 5 thereby causing the scooter 1 to travel forward.
• the transmission 23, illustrated as a whole in Figures 2, 2a and 3, comprises a main shaft 24 installed on the frame 2 (preferably inside the box structure defined by the frame 2) and rotating about a main axis "X-X" parallel to the axis of rotation of the rear wheel 5.
• the main shaft 24 is preferably installed by the fixed structure 14, that is by the rear ends of the footboards 11, 12.
• the main shaft 24 carried by bearings, turns about a main pivot 25 which is integral with the frame 2, and carries a main wheel 26, preferably toothed, which is integral with it.
• the main shaft 24 carries a first free- wheel 27 and a second free-wheel 28, preferably case-like with a rolling support.
• Each of the free-wheels 27, 28 advantageously has a ring with a toothed crown wheel 27a, 28a.
• the transmission 23 also comprises a first drive wheel 29 in a side-by-side relationship with the first free-wheel 27 and a second drive wheel 30 in a side-by- side relationship with the second free-wheel 28 mounted to idle on a pivot 31 which is integral with the frame 2, and rotating about an axis parallel to the main axis "X-X".
• Each drive wheel 29, 30 has a peripheral part in a side-by-side relationship with a peripheral part of the respective free-wheel 27, 28.
• the drive wheels 29, 30 are toothed and preferably metal but according to variants not illustrated, these drive wheels 29, 30 may be pulleys without teeth, for example made of plastic or elastomeric material.
• drive elements made of low- friction material such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) guides, are used in place of the drive wheels 29, 30.
• PTFE polytetrafluoroethylene
• the transmission 23 also comprises a drive pulley 32 ( Figures 2, 2a and 3), which is preferably placed by the front part 4 of the frame 2.
• the drive pulley 32 is free to rotate about a vertical axis which is perpendicular to the main axis "X- X".
• the drive pulley 32 is rotatably mounted on a support 33 which is in turn installed on a guide 34 defined, in the non-limiting embodiment illustrated, by a pair of rods fixed to the frame 2 and parallel to a longitudinal axis "Y-Y" of the frame 2 which lies on the centre line.
• the support 33 has a "U” shaped profile where the drive pulley 32 is placed between the appendages of the "U” and slides on the rods is 34.
• the rods 34 extend offset towards the free-wheels 27, 28 and have threaded ends carrying respective nuts serving as stops.
• a spring 35 is located between each of the nuts and the support 33, to serve a function described below.
• the transmission 23 also comprises a first roller 36 pivoted to the first footboard 11 and a second roller 37 pivoted to the second footboard 12. This is more clearly visible in Figure 5, with reference to the second roller 37 (but the structure is also the same for the first roller 36), where each roller 36, 37 is rotatably mounted on a support 38 which protrudes below the respective footboard 11, 12 beside the plate 17 which is linked to the flexible body 16.
• Each roller 36, 37 is free to rotate about an axis which is parallel to the main axis "X-X" and may be a simple pulley made of plastic and/or elastomeric material or a toothed wheel.
• the transmission 23 comprises a flexible element 39 which has a first end 40 joined to the frame 2 at its surface near to the fixed structure 14 and below the first roller 36 (figure 2). In the interests of clarity, the flexible element 39 is not shown in Figures 1, 5 and 7.
• the flexible element 39 then extends upwards, and has a first end part (which ends with the first end 40) which is partly wound on the first roller 36, returns downwards and winds partly around the ring with the toothed crown 27a of the first free-wheel 27, returns upwards running between the first free-wheel 27 and the first drive wheel 29, also winds partly around the first drive wheel 29 and extends towards the drive wheel 32 along a length parallel to the longitudinal axis "Y-Y" of the frame 2.
• the flexible element 39 runs around the drive pulley 32, returns towards the second drive wheel 30 along a length parallel to the longitudinal axis "Y-Y" of the frame 2, winds partly around the second drive wheel 30 and then extends downwards while running between the second free-wheel 28 and the second drive wheel 30, winds partly around the ring with the toothed crown 28a of the second free-wheel 28 and then returns upwards and has a second end part partly wound on the second roller 37.
• the flexible element 39 returns downwards from the second roller 37 towards the frame 2 and has a second end 41 directly joined to the frame 2 at its surface close to the fixed structure 14 and below the second roller 37 ( Figure 2).
• the springs 35 located between the nuts and the support 33 serve to keep the flexible element 39 tensioned because they push the support 33 and the drive pulley 32 away from the main shaft 24 against the action exerted by the flexible element 39. Therefore, the drive pulley 32 also performs the function of tensioner.
• the flexible element 39 comprises a first length of chain 39a and a second length of chain 39b (which always remain meshed with the teeth of the free-wheels 27, 28 and possibly with the teeth of the drive wheels 29, 30 and of the rollers 36, 37) and an intermediate cable preferably consisting of braided micro-wire steel cable.
• the transmission 23 comprises a sprocket 42 which is integral with the rear wheel 5 and an auxiliary flexible element 43, preferably another chain, wound around the main wheel 26 and the sprocket 42.
• the transmission 23 differs from the one described above in that the flexible element 39 has its ends 40, 41 directly joined to the footboards 11, 12 (and not to the frame 2) without the rollers 36, 37.
• an auxiliary tensioner 44 which acts on the auxiliary flexible element 43 may also be provided.
• the auxiliary tensioner 44 preferably comprises a flat spring 45 having a first end fixed to the frame 2 in a position close to the sprocket 42 and a second offset end carrying a shoe 46 in sliding contact with a lower part of the auxiliary flexible element 43.
• the scooter according to the present invention may adopt two configurations: an open one ( Figure 1) for use as a scooter, and a closed one, shown in Figures 7 and 8, used when transporting and storing the scooter.
• the steering- column 7 with the handlebar 8 is folded so as to arrange it substantially parallel and in a side -by-side relationship with the frame 2.
• the scooter 1 comprises a connection body 47, preferably consisting of a tubular bar, which extends from the front part 4 of the frame 2 to the tube 6.
• the joining of the connection body 47 with the tube 6 is rigid while the joining of the connection body 47 with the frame 2 is defined by an articulated joint 48.
• the articulated joint 48 comprises two plates 49 which are parallel and separated, between which an end of the connection body 47 is located.
• the end of the connection body 47 is pivoted to the two plates 49 so as to rotate the tube 6 and the connection body 47 (together with the steering-column 7, with the handlebar and with the front wheel 10) between a first position, corresponding to the open configuration of the scooter 1 in Figure 1, and a second position, corresponding to the closed configuration of the scooter 1 in Figures 7 and 8.
• Opportune locking means allow fastening of the tube 6 and the connection body 47 in one or the other of the two positions.
• the joint 48 is offset with respect to the centre line of the scooter 1 and furthermore, the two plates 49 are tilted relative to the centre line.
• the flexible body 16 pulls the second footboard 12 upwards.
• the lifting of the second footboard 12 pulls - directly (embodiment in Figure 2a) or through the second roller 37 (Embodiment in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 5) - the second length of chain 39b of the flexible element 39 upwards, which causes the second free-wheel 28 to rotate in a clockwise direction (with reference to Figures 2 and 2a) corresponding to the forward direction of travel of the rear wheel 5.
• the second free-wheel 28 is blocked on the main shaft 24 and therefore pulls the main wheel 26, the sprocket 42 and the rear wheel 5 so that they rotate.
• the first length of chain 39a of the flexible element 39 causes the first free-wheel 27 to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction (again with reference to Figures 2 and 2a).
• the first free-wheel 27 is in the unblocking step on the main shaft 24 and therefore, turns freely on the main shaft 24.
• the movements described above are inverted: the first free-wheel 27 turns clockwise and is in the blocking step on the main shaft 24 and therefore pulls the main wheel 26, the sprocket 42 and the rear wheel 5 so that they rotate.
• the present invention achieves the aims proposed and results in significant advantages.
• the scooter according to the present invention is safe, stable and reliable thereby providing the driver with complete control over the vehicle.
• the implementation of the drive wheels 29, 30 or of other drive elements such as the PTFE guides makes it possible to increase the winding angle of the flexible element 39 on the free-wheels 27, 28 and hence the transmission of the power from the footboards 11, 12 to the rear wheel 5.
• the drive wheels 29, 30 ensure the work of the chains on a larger number of teeth and prevent the risk of the chain from jumping of the wheels.
• the tensioner 33, 34, 35 which acts on the drive pulley 32, ensures the correct and constant tension of the flexible element 39 during the entire pushing step.
• the auxiliary tensioner 44 keeps the tension of the auxiliary chain 43 constant and correct.
• the resistance of the system for synchronizing and transmitting the pushing movement of the alternating movement of the footboards 11, 12 to the transmission (fixed structure 14, flexible body 16 and idle roller 15) is ensured by the special joining of the flexible body 16 with the footboards 11, 12.
• the scooter according to the present invention is compact both in the configuration when in use and when folded.
• the transmission disclosed and claimed herein makes it possible to reduce the size of the frame 2 to the minimum while taking advantage of the length of the frame 2 without there being a need to increase its lateral and/or vertical dimensions.
• the handlebar 8 and the steering-column 7 can be placed in a side -by- side relationship with the upright 14, thereby reducing the overall dimensions of the scooter 1.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Transportation (AREA)
• Motorcycle And Bicycle Frame (AREA)
• Iron Core Of Rotating Electric Machines (AREA)
• Reciprocating, Oscillating Or Vibrating Motors (AREA)
• Photoreceptors In Electrophotography (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Cited By (3)

Citations (5)

• 2011
  • 2011-03-31 IT IT000526A patent/ITMI20110526A1/it unknown
• 2012
  • 2012-03-21 WO PCT/IB2012/051340 patent/WO2012131537A1/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (6)

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