초록 ▼

A folding scooter has an upright handlebar position, suitable for riding the scooter, and a folded handlebar position, suitable for storing the scooter. The folding scooter features a base, a handlebar shaft having locking hinge plates, and a base shaft having a lower locking hinge plate. The lockin

A folding scooter has an upright handlebar position, suitable for riding the scooter, and a folded handlebar position, suitable for storing the scooter. The folding scooter features a base, a handlebar shaft having locking hinge plates, and a base shaft having a lower locking hinge plate. The locking hinge plates of the handlebar shaft rotate with respect to the lower locking hinge plate as the handlebar shaft moves from the upright position to the folded position. A locking mechanism has a first locked position when the handlebar shaft is in the upright position, and a second locked position when the handlebar shaft is in the folded position.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A folding scooter comprising: a base;a rear wheel rotatably connected to the base;a base shaft connected to the base and having at least one lower locking hinge plate, the lower locking hinge plate comprising a central aperture, a first pair of locking apertures, and a second pair of locking aper

1. A folding scooter comprising: a base;a rear wheel rotatably connected to the base;a base shaft connected to the base and having at least one lower locking hinge plate, the lower locking hinge plate comprising a central aperture, a first pair of locking apertures, and a second pair of locking apertures;a front wheel rotatably connected to the base shaft;a handlebar shaft having an upright position and a folded position, the handlebar shaft comprising at least a first locking hinge plate having a central aperture and a pair of locking apertures; anda locking mechanism, the locking mechanism comprising: a locking key having a handle, at least two locking pins, and a central pin that extends through the central apertures of the first locking hinge plate and the lower locking hinge plate;a push button, the button being at the terminal end of the locking key opposite the handle;a bias spring, the bias spring being located between the button and the first locking hinge plate, and exerting spring force on the button;said base shaft and said handlebar shaft pivoting with respect to the base so that the folding scooter may be steered; anda locking hinge housing covering said locking mechanism, said locking hinge housing including an upper section that engages the handlebar shaft and a lower section that is connected to the base shaft and is positioned adjacent to the base, the lower section including a button aperture through which the push button protrudes, and said upper and lower sections of the locking hinge housing pivoting with respect to the base when the folding scooter is steered and said upper section of the locking hinge housing sliding with respect to the lower section of the locking hinge housing as the handlebar shaft moves between the upright position and the folded position. 2. The folding scooter of claim 1, wherein the handlebar shaft further comprises a second locking hinge plate, the second locking hinge plate comprising: a central aperture that corresponds to the central aperture of the first locking hinge plate; anda pair of locking apertures that correspond to the locking apertures of the first locking hinge plate. 3. The folding scooter of claim 2, wherein the lower locking hinge plate of the base shaft is received between the first and second locking hinge plates of the handlebar shaft in an interlocking manner. 4. The folding scooter of claim 3, wherein, when the handlebar shaft is in the upright position, the locking pins of the locking key engage the locking apertures of the first and second locking hinge plates and the first pair of locking hinge apertures of the lower locking hinge plate. 5. The folding scooter of claim 4, wherein the exertion of manual force to overcome the spring force exerted on the button by the bias spring releases the locking mechanism and allows the handlebar shaft to be rotated from the upright position to the folded position. 6. The folding scooter of claim 5, wherein release of the locking mechanism comprises outward displacement of the handle of the locking key, away from the first locking hinge plate, the displacement being of sufficient amount that the locking pins disengage from the locking apertures of at least the second locking hinge plate and the lower locking hinge plate. 7. The folding scooter of claim 3, wherein, when the handlebar shaft is in the folded position, the locking pins of the locking key engage the locking apertures of the first and second locking hinge plates and the second pair of locking hinge apertures of the lower locking hinge plate. 8. The folding scooter of claim 1, wherein rotation of the handlebar shaft from the upright position to the folded position has an angle of rotation of about 90 degrees. 9. The folding scooter of claim 1, wherein the folding scooter comprises one rear wheel, and further comprises a handlebar assembly having a recessed section sized and shaped to receive a portion of the rear wheel or a rear wheel guard that engages the rear wheel, or a rear wheel guard connected to the base of the scooter, when the folding scooter is in the folded position. 10. The folding scooter of claim 1 wherein said first locking hinge plate includes a guide groove and said lower locking hinge plate includes a guide pin that engages said guide groove. 11. The folding scooter of claim 1, wherein the locking key has a first locked position when the handlebar shaft is in the upright position and a second locked position when the handlebar shaft is in the folded position. 12. The folding scooter of claim 1, wherein the folding scooter further comprises a handlebar assembly having a recessed section sized and shaped to receive a portion of the rear wheel or a rear wheel guard. 13. The folding scooter of claim 2, wherein the recessed section of the handlebar assembly engages the rear wheel, or a rear wheel guard connected to the base of the scooter, when the folding scooter is in the folded position. 14. A folding scooter comprising: a base;a rear wheel rotatably connected to the base;a base shaft connected to the base;a front wheel rotatably connected to the base shaft;a handlebar shaft having an upright position and a folded position;a locking mechanism connected between the base shaft and the handlebar shaft including: a first locking hinge member attached to the base shaft or the handlebar shaft and having a central aperture and first and second locking apertures;a second locking hinge member attached to the handlebar shaft or the base shaft and having a central aperture and a third locking aperture;a central pin extending through the central apertures of the first and second locking hinge members;a locking pin passing through the third locking aperture of the second locking hinge member and sized to selectively engage the first or second locking apertures of the first locking hinge member,a push button positioned at a terminal end of the locking pin;a bias spring urging the locking pin towards engagement with the first or second locking apertures of the first locking hinge member so that the push button may be pushed to remove the locking pin from engagement with the first or second locking apertures so that the handle bar shaft may be moved between the upright position and the folded position;said base shaft and said handlebar shaft pivoting with respect to the base so that the folding scooter may be steered; anda locking hinge housing covering said locking mechanism, said locking hinge housing including an upper section that engages the handlebar shaft and a lower section that is connected to the base shaft and is positioned adjacent to the base, the lower section including a button aperture through which the push button protrudes, and said upper and lower sections of the locking hinge housing pivoting with respect to the base when the folding scooter is steered and said upper section of the locking hinge housing sliding with respect to the lower section of the locking hinge housing as the handlebar shaft moves between the upright position and the folded position. 15. The folding scooter of claim 14, wherein the first locking hinge member of the locking mechanism includes first and second locking hinge plates, wherein the first and second locking hinge plates include corresponding central apertures and corresponding first and second locking apertures. 16. The folding scooter of claim 15, wherein the second locking hinge member of the locking mechanism is received between the first and second locking hinge plates of the first locking hinge member. 17. The folding scooter of claim 16 wherein the first and second locking hinge plates of the first locking member are attached to the handlebar shaft and the second locking member is attached to the base shaft. 18. A folding scooter comprising: a base having a socket;a rear wheel rotatably connected to the base;a base shaft connected to the base;a front wheel rotatably connected to the base shaft;a handlebar shaft having an upright position and a folded position;a locking mechanism connected between the base shaft and the handlebar shaft including: a first locking hinge member attached to the base shaft or the handlebar shaft and having a central aperture and first and second locking apertures;a second locking hinge member attached to the handlebar shaft or the base shaft and having a central aperture and a third locking aperture;a central pin extending through the central apertures of the first and second locking hinge members;a locking pin passing through the third locking aperture of the second locking hinge member and sized to engage the first or second locking apertures of the first locking hinge member,a push button positioned at a terminal end of the locking pin;a bias spring urging the locking pin towards engagement with the first or second locking apertures of the first locking hinge member so that the push button may be pushed to remove the locking pin from engagement with the first or second locking apertures so that the handle bar shaft may be moved between the upright position and the folded position;said base shaft and said handlebar shaft pivoting with respect to the base so that the folding scooter may be steered; anda locking hinge housing covering said locking mechanism, said locking hinge housing including an upper section that engages the handlebar shaft and a lower section that is connected to the base shaft and is positioned within the socket of the base, the lower section including a button aperture through which the push button protrudes, and said upper and lower sections of the locking hinge housing pivoting with respect to the base when the folding scooter is steered and at least said upper section of the locking hinge housing pivoting with respect to the base as the handlebar shaft moves between the upright position and the folded position. 19. The folding scooter of claim 18 wherein the locking hinge housing covering is a single assembled piece. 20. A folding scooter comprising: a base;at least one rear wheel rotatably connected to the base;a handlebar shaft having an upright position and a folded position, the handlebar shaft comprising a first locking hinge plate having a central aperture and a pair of locking apertures and a second locking hinge plate having a central aperture and a pair of locking apertures;a base shaft having at least one lower locking hinge plate that is received between the first and second locking hinge plates of the handlebar shaft in an interlocking manner, the lower locking hinge plate comprising a central aperture, a first pair of locking apertures, and a second pair of locking apertures;a front wheel rotatably connected to the base shaft; anda locking mechanism, the locking mechanism comprising a locking key having a push button, said locking key having a first locked position when the handlebar shaft is in the upright position and a second locked position when the handlebar shaft is in the folded position;said base shaft and said handlebar shaft pivoting with respect to the base so that the folding scooter may be steered; anda locking hinge housing covering said locking mechanism, said locking hinge housing including an upper section that engages the handlebar shaft and a lower section that is connected to the base shaft and is positioned adjacent to the base, said lower section including a button aperture through which the push button protrudes, and said upper and lower sections of the locking hinge housing pivoting with respect to the base when the folding scooter is steered and said upper section of the locking hinge housing sliding with respect to the lower section of the locking hinge housing as the handlebar shaft moves between the upright position and the folded position.