IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0889467
(2013-05-08)
|
등록번호 |
US-8882124
(2014-11-11)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
3 인용 특허 :
6 |
초록
▼
A vehicle is configured for conversion between an expanded arrangement in which forward and rearward portions of a main frame member are coincident and a folded arrangement in which the forward and rearward portions are non-coincident. A hinge coupling enables relative pivoting of forward and rearwa
A vehicle is configured for conversion between an expanded arrangement in which forward and rearward portions of a main frame member are coincident and a folded arrangement in which the forward and rearward portions are non-coincident. A hinge coupling enables relative pivoting of forward and rearward portions about a main frame pivot axis extending at acute angles relative to both a rear vertical transverse plane and a horizontal plane. A method of providing the vehicle in a folded arrangement includes configuring an elongate main frame member such that longitudinal axes of forward and rearward portions of the main frame member are non-coincidental, configuring a steering tube such that a longitudinal axis of a proximal portion of the steering tube lies within a plane parallel to and spaced apart from the front longitudinal plane while a distal portion lies within the vertical longitudinal plane.
대표청구항
▼
1. A vehicle configured for conversion between expanded and folded arrangements, comprising: a front wheel having a circumference defining a front vertical longitudinal plane and an axle defining a front vertical transverse plane orthogonal to the front vertical longitudinal plane;a rear wheel havin
1. A vehicle configured for conversion between expanded and folded arrangements, comprising: a front wheel having a circumference defining a front vertical longitudinal plane and an axle defining a front vertical transverse plane orthogonal to the front vertical longitudinal plane;a rear wheel having a circumference defining a rear vertical longitudinal plane and an axle defining a rear vertical transverse plane orthogonal to the rear vertical longitudinal plane;a main frame member having forward and rearward portions extending between the front wheel and the rear wheel and including, for receiving a steering tube, a head tube formed at a distal end of the forward portion and, for receiving a seat post, a seat tube formed at a distal end of the rearward portion; anda hinge coupling enabling relative pivoting of the forward and rearward portions about a main frame pivot axis extending at an acute angle relative to the rear vertical transverse plane and at an acute angle relative to a horizontal plane orthogonal to both the rear vertical longitudinal and rear vertical transverse planes;wherein longitudinal axes of the forward and rearward portions are coincident in the expanded arrangement and non-coincident in the folded arrangement; andwherein the front vertical longitudinal plane and the rear vertical longitudinal plane are spaced apart and parallel, in the folded arrangement. 2. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein when the vehicle is in the folded arrangement, the front vertical transverse plane is spaced apart from the rear vertical transverse plane. 3. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a steering tube including a distal portion configured for receipt by the head tube, a proximal portion including a handlebar extending generally perpendicular to the front vertical longitudinal plane and a steering hinge enabling relative pivoting of the proximal and distal portions about a steering tube pivot axis extending at an angle relative to the front vertical longitudinal plane. 4. The vehicle as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a lock configured to secure the steering hinge against pivoting. 5. The vehicle as set forth in claim 3, wherein when the vehicle is in the folded arrangement, the front vertical longitudinal plane lies between the rear vertical longitudinal plane and the steering tube. 6. The vehicle as set forth in claim 3, wherein the steering tube pivot axis extends at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the front vertical longitudinal plane. 7. The vehicle as set forth in claim 3, wherein the steering tube pivot axis extends at an angle relative to a horizontal plane orthogonal to both the rear vertical longitudinal and rear vertical transverse planes. 8. The vehicle as set forth in claim 7, wherein when the vehicle is in the folded arrangement, the front wheel, rear wheel, main frame member and steering tube are contained within a right rectangular prism defining a base edge parallel to the rear vertical longitudinal and rear vertical transverse planes and having a length equal to the distance between the most lateral surface of the hinge coupling and the most lateral surface of the rear wheel. 9. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1, further comprising co-axial roller wheels configured such that a plane tangent to the roller wheels and the rear wheel is parallel with the front and rear transverse vertical planes. 10. The vehicle as set forth in claim 9, wherein when the vehicle is in the folded arrangement, the front wheel, rear wheel, main frame member and steering tube are contained within a right rectangular prism defining a base edge parallel to the rear vertical longitudinal and rear vertical transverse planes and having a length equal to or less than the distance between the most lateral surface of the roller wheels and the most lateral surface of the rear wheel. 11. The vehicle as set forth in claim 9, wherein, in the folded arrangement, the vehicle is configured such that the roller wheels in combination with the rear wheel are sufficient to support the vehicle in an upright position with the front and rear transverse vertical planes horizontal. 12. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein when the vehicle is in the folded arrangement, the front vertical longitudinal plane and the rear vertical longitudinal plane are spaced apart by a distance not greater than the sum of one-half of the length of the axle of the front wheel and one-half of the length of the axle of the rear wheel. 13. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein the main frame pivot axis lies generally below a center of a cross section of the hinge coupling. 14. The vehicle as set forth in claim 13, wherein, applying a force to the main frame member near the main frame pivot axis in a direction towards a surface of the main frame member generally opposite the hinge coupling promotes conversion from the expanded arrangement to the folded arrangement. 15. The vehicle as set forth in claim 13, wherein, with the vehicle upright and in the expanded arrangement, lifting of a rear portion of the main frame allows gravity to promote conversion from the expanded arrangement to the folded arrangement. 16. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein the seat tube is open at both ends such that a seat post may extend completely therethrough. 17. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein, in the folded arrangement, the forward portion of the main frame member extends at an oblique angle with respect to the rear vertical longitudinal plane. 18. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein, in the folded arrangement with the front and rear transverse vertical planes horizontal, the vehicle is configured to be grasped by a standing user without flexion of user knees or hips. 19. The vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein, in the folded arrangement, the vehicle is configured to roll in a direction parallel with the rear vertical longitudinal plane. 20. A vehicle configured for conversion between expanded and folded arrangements, comprising: a front wheel having a circumference defining a front vertical longitudinal plane and an axle defining a front vertical transverse plane orthogonal to the front vertical longitudinal plane;a rear wheel having a circumference defining a rear vertical longitudinal plane and an axle defining a rear vertical transverse plane orthogonal to the rear vertical longitudinal plane;a main frame member having forward and rearward portions extending between the front wheel and the rear wheel and including, a steering tube received by a head tube formed at a distal end of the forward portion and, a seat post received by a seat tube formed at a distal end of the rearward portion; anda hinge coupling enabling relative pivoting of the forward and rearward portions about a main frame pivot axis extending at an acute angle relative to the rear vertical transverse plane and at an acute angle relative to a horizontal plane orthogonal to both the rear vertical longitudinal and rear vertical transverse planes;wherein the forward and rearward portions include longitudinal axes and the longitudinal axes of the forward and rearward portions are coincident in the expanded arrangement and non-coincident in the folded arrangement;wherein, when the vehicle is in the folded arrangement, the front vertical longitudinal plane and the rear vertical longitudinal plane are parallel and spaced by a distance not greater than the sum of one-half the length of the axle of the front wheel and one-half the length of the axle of the rear wheel;wherein, when the vehicle is in the folded arrangement, the front vertical transverse plane is spaced apart from the rear vertical transverse plane;wherein, when the vehicle is in the folded arrangement, the front wheel, rear wheel, main frame member and steering tube are contained within a right rectangular prism defining a base edge parallel to the rear vertical longitudinal and rear vertical transverse planes and having a length equal to the distance between the most lateral surface of the hinge coupling and the most lateral surface of the rear wheel; andwherein, in the folded arrangement with the front and rear transverse vertical planes horizontal, the vehicle is configured to be grasped by a standing user without flexion of the user's knees or hips. 21. A vehicle configured for conversion between expanded and folded arrangements, comprising: a front wheel having a circumference defining a front vertical longitudinal plane and an axle defining a front vertical transverse plane orthogonal to the front vertical longitudinal plane;a rear wheel having a circumference defining a rear vertical longitudinal plane and an axle defining a rear vertical transverse plane orthogonal to the rear vertical longitudinal plane;a main frame member having forward and rearward portions extending between the front wheel and the rear wheel and including, for receiving a steering tube, a head tube formed at a distal end of the forward portion and, for receiving a seat post, a seat tube formed at a distal end of the rearward portion;a hinge coupling enabling relative pivoting of the forward and rearward portions about a main frame pivot axis extending at an acute angle relative to the rear vertical transverse plane and at an acute angle relative to a horizontal plane orthogonal to both the rear vertical longitudinal and rear vertical transverse planes;andco-axial roller wheels configured such that a plane tangent to the roller wheels and the rear wheel is parallel with the front and rear transverse vertical planes, wherein when the vehicle is in the folded arrangement, the front wheel, rear wheel, main frame member and steering tube are contained within a right rectangular prism defining a base edge parallel to the rear vertical longitudinal and rear vertical transverse planes and having a length equal to the distance between the most lateral surface of the roller wheels and the most lateral surface of the rear wheel; andwherein longitudinal axes of the forward and rearward portions are coincident in the expanded arrangement and non-coincident in the folded arrangement;wherein the front vertical longitudinal plane and the rear vertical longitudinal plane are parallel and spaced apart by a distance not greater than the sum of one-half the length of the axle of the front wheel and one-half the length of the axle of the rear wheel, in the folded arrangement; andwherein with the vehicle in the folded arrangement and with the front and rear transverse vertical planes horizontal, the vehicle is configured to be grasped by a standing user without flexion of the knees or hips.
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