초록 ▼

A scooter includes a frame having a leading end adjacent the front of the scooter and a trailing end adjacent the rear of the scooter, a front wheel mounted adjacent the leading end of the frame, and a rear wheel mounted adjacent the trailing end of the frame. The front wheel is pivotally mounted to

A scooter includes a frame having a leading end adjacent the front of the scooter and a trailing end adjacent the rear of the scooter, a front wheel mounted adjacent the leading end of the frame, and a rear wheel mounted adjacent the trailing end of the frame. The front wheel is pivotally mounted to a front head set of the scooter frame so as to enable the front wheel to pivot relative to the front head set. The front head set has a longitudinal axis that angles inwardly toward the rear of the scooter so that a lower end of the front head set is closer to the rear of the scooter than an upper end of the front head set. The rear end of the scooter frame has a rear head set that extends along a longitudinal axis that is angled inwardly toward the front of the scooter so that a lower end of the rear head set is closer to the front of the scooter than an upper end of the rear head set.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A scooter comprising: a frame having a leading end adjacent the front of said scooter and a trailing end adjacent the rear of said scooter;a front wheel mounted adjacent the leading end of said frame;a rear wheel mounted adjacent the trailing end of said frame;said front wheel being pivotally mou

1. A scooter comprising: a frame having a leading end adjacent the front of said scooter and a trailing end adjacent the rear of said scooter;a front wheel mounted adjacent the leading end of said frame;a rear wheel mounted adjacent the trailing end of said frame;said front wheel being pivotally mounted to a front head set of said scooter frame so as to enable said front wheel to pivot relative to said front head set, wherein said front head set has a longitudinal axis that angles inwardly toward the rear of said scooter so that a lower end of said front head set is closer to the rear of said scooter than an upper end of said front head set;said rear wheel being pivotally mounted to a rear head set of said scooter frame so as to enable said rear wheel to pivot relative to said rear head set, wherein said rear head set has a longitudinal axis that angles inwardly toward the front of said scooter so that a lower end of said rear head set is closer to the front of said scooter that an upper end of said rear head set;wherein said frame is metal and comprises a horizontally extending front section, a horizontally extending mid-section, and a horizontally extending rear section, a front vertical section extending between a trailing end of said horizontally extending front section and a leading end of said horizontally extending mid-section, and a second vertical section extending between a trailing end of said horizontally extending mid-section and a leading end of said horizontally extending rear section;wherein said horizontally extending mid-section lies within a plane that is below said front and rear frame sections, and wherein the plane of said horizontally extending mid-section is at or below a plane extending through the centers of said front and rear wheels so as to enhance the stability of said scooter, and so as to make it easier for a rider to turn said scooter to the left and right;a rudder connected to the horizontally extending front section adjacent said front wheel, wherein said front and rear wheels turn independently of said rudder, and said rudder is not directly connected to said front and rear wheels for turning said wheels to the left or right;a handle pivotally secured to an upper end of said rudder so that the angle of said handle relative to said rudder may be adjusted and locked in place using a handle locking assembly, wherein the height of said rudder and the distance between said handle and the horizontally extending front section of said frame may be adjusted, and wherein said scooter further comprises a rudder locking assembly for fixing the height of said rudder. 2. The scooter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rear wheel is mounted on a rear fork, which, in turn, is pivotally connected to a lower end of said rear head set, and wherein said front and rear wheels have road engaging surfaces that are convexly curved to provide peaks that enable said scooter wheels to more easily lean to the left or right when turning said scooter. 3. The scooter as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a front fork connected with a lower end of said front head set, wherein said front wheel is mounted to the lower end of said front head set via said front fork. 4. The scooter as claimed in claim 3, wherein said front fork includes a series of mounting holes that enable said front wheel to be mounted on said front fork at different offset distances relative to the longitudinal axis of said front head set for modifying the performance of said front wheel. 5. The scooter as claimed in claim 4, wherein when said scooter is placed atop a road surface, the longitudinal axis of said front head set intersects the road surface at a first point, and a vertical axis drawn through the center of said front wheel mounted on said front fork intersects the road surface at a second point, and wherein the second point is closer to the rear of said scooter than the first point. 6. The scooter as claimed in claim 5, wherein the horizontal distance between the first point and the second point is the front wheel offset distance for said front wheel. 7. The scooter as claimed in claim 6, wherein said rear fork has a series of openings that enable the rear wheel to be secured to said rear fork at different offset distances relative to the longitudinal axis of said rear head set for modifying the performance of said rear wheel. 8. The scooter as claimed in claim 7, wherein when said scooter is placed atop a road surface, the longitudinal axis of said rear head set intersects the road surface at a third point, and a vertical axis drawn through the center of said rear wheel mounted on said rear fork intersects the road surface at a fourth point, and wherein the third point is closer to the rear of said scooter than the fourth point. 9. The scooter as claimed in claim 8, wherein the horizontal distance between the third point and the fourth point is the rear wheel offset distance for said rear wheel. 10. The scooter as claimed in claim 9, wherein said front and rear wheels are attached to said respective front and rear head sets using castor assemblies, wherein said castor assembly for said front wheel includes said front fork, which is normally oriented to extend toward the rear end of said scooter and said castor assembly for said rear wheel includes said rear fork that is normally oriented toward the leading end of said scooter. 11. The scooter as claimed in claim 10, wherein each of said front and rear wheels is adapted to pivot and/or rotate independently of one another. 12. The scooter as claimed in claim 11, wherein said front wheel is coupled with at least one elastic element that normally urges said front wheel to return to a center position, and wherein said at least one elastic element coupled with said front wheel is stretched if said front wheel pivots to the left or the right. 13. The scooter as claimed in claim 12, wherein said at least one elastic element comprises at least one spring, and wherein said at least one spring pulls said front wheel back to the center position when the pivoting forces are no longer applied to said front wheel. 14. The scooter as claimed in claim 13, wherein said rear wheel is coupled with at least one elastic element that normally urges said rear wheel to return to a center position, wherein said at least one elastic element coupled with said rear wheel is stretched if said rear wheel pivots to the left or the right, and wherein said at least one elastic element coupled with said rear wheel pulls said rear wheel back to the center position when the pivoting forces are no longer applied to said rear wheel. 15. The scooter as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a foot platform that is secured atop the horizontally extending mid-section of said frame, wherein said foot platform has a flat top surface or a convex surface having sides that curve down toward the ground. 16. The scooter as claimed in claim 15, further comprising: a steering damper assembly that is coupled with said rear wheel to prevent said rear wheel from kicking out or pivoting violently when striking an object, said steering damper assembly having one end coupled to said frame of said scooter proximal to said rear wheel and another end coupled with said fork of said rear wheel, wherein said steering damper assembly allows normal turning of said rear wheel to the left and right while preventing excessively fast or violent pivoting of said rear wheel. 17. A scooter comprising: a frame having a leading end adjacent the front of said scooter and a trailing end adjacent the rear of said scooter;a front wheel mounted adjacent the leading end of said frame;a rear wheel mounted adjacent the trailing end of said frame;said front wheel being pivotally mounted to a front head set of said scooter frame so as to enable said front wheel to pivot relative to said front head set, wherein said front head set has a longitudinal axis that angles inwardly toward the rear of said scooter so that a lower end of said front head set is closer to the rear of said scooter than an upper end of said front head set;said rear wheel being pivotally mounted to a rear head set of said scooter frame so as to enable said rear wheel to pivot relative to said rear head set; anda rudder connected to the leading end of said frame, wherein said front and rear wheels turn independently of said rudder, and said rudder is not directly connected to said front and rear wheels for turning said wheels to the left or right.