Patent Application
20160089285
1. Fields of the Invention
The present invention relates to a folding device, and more particularly, to a folding device for a power scooter.
2. Descriptions of Related Art
The conventional power scooters are used for helping disables to move conveniently by themselves. These conventional power scooters are designed for one or two persons to use and the scooters are driven by a motor and the users operate the handlebar to control the speed and directions that they want to access. However, these conventional power scooters are bulky and heavy, and occupy a certain space which may not be available for some of the users.
The present invention intends to provide a folding device for a power scooter so as to eliminate the shortcomings mentioned above.
The present invention relates to a power scooter and comprises a base having a rear wheel unit located at the underside of the rear end thereof. A motor is connected to the base and drives the rear wheel unit. A front wheel unit is connected to the underside of the front end of the base. A seat unit is connected on the top of the rear end of the base. A steer rod is connected to the base and connected to the front wheel unit. Two folding units are located on two sides of the base to control the base to be horizontal or folded. Two L-shaped slides are respectively connected to the base and located close to the folding units. Each slide has a first section connected to the base, and a second section of each slide extends perpendicularly from the base and has a slot defined therethrough. Two support frames are pivotably connected between the seat unit and the base. Each support frame has two top connections and two bottom connections. The two top connections are connected to the underside of the seat unit. The two bottom connections are respectively connected to the base and the slot of the slide corresponding thereto. The motor is electrically connected to the steer rod. The two folding units are connected to the steer rod by wires.
When folding the power scooter, the folding units release the base from the horizontally pose, and the motor drives the rear wheel unit toward the front wheel unit. The folding units are operated to fold the base. The bottom connections of the support frames move along the slots to fold the seat unit.
Preferably, the two folding units define the base into a front portion and a rear portion, wherein the front portion has the front wheel unit connected thereto and the rear portion has the rear wheel unit connected thereto.
Preferably, the base has two axial tubes and two transverse tubes. The axial tubes and the transverse tube form a rectangular frame. Each of the front portion and the rear portion has one of the two transverse tubes. The two axial tubes are connected to the front portion and the rear portion. The two folding units are connected to the two axial tubes. One of the two bottom connections of each support frame is connected to the transverse tube corresponding thereto. The two slides are located on the two axial tubes and located close to the folding units.
Preferably, the steer rod has a U-shaped support unit connected to the lower end thereof. The support unit is located close to the transverse tube of the front portion. The support unit has a transverse plate and two end pieces are connected to two ends of the transverse plate. Two passive tubes each have the first end connected to the transverse tube, and the second end of each of the passive tubes contacts the conjunction portion of the transverse plate and the end piece. The second end of each of the passive tube has an aperture which is located corresponding to the end piece. Two locking members extend through the end pieces and are inserted into the apertures of the two passive tubes. When the two locking members are removed from the apertures of the passive tubes, the steer rod is folded toward the base.
Preferably, each of the folding units defines the axial tube corresponding thereto into a front section and a rear section. Each folding unit has a female member, a male member and a positioning member. The female member is mounted to the rear section. The male member is connected to the front section and located corresponding to the female member. The female member has two separated lugs. The male member has a rounded member located between the two lugs. A bolt extends through the two lugs and the rounded member. The positioning member is a U-shaped member and connected to one end of the rear section. The positioning member is pivotable relative to the rear section and covers a connection area between the male member and the female member.
Preferably, the positioning member is pivotably connected to one end of the female member. A first protrusion, a second protrusion and a third protrusion extend from one side of the positioning member. The third protrusion has a hole. The female member has a notch in which a spring which is compressed by the first protrusion when the positioning member is mounted to the female member. The male member has a first recess and a second recess. The second protrusion and the third protrusion are located corresponding to the first and second recesses. A locking unit is received in the recessed area in the inside of the second recess. The locking unit is connected to the steer rod by wires and is retractably inserted into the hole of the third protrusion to position the positioning member.
Preferably, the locking unit has a tongue, a control bar and a shaft. The tongue is located at the connection portion between the male member and the front section. The first end of the tongue normally protrudes beyond the inside of the second recess. The control bar has the first end thereof fixed to the tongue and the second end of the control bar is connected to the rear section. The shaft has the first end thereof extending through one side of the male member and connected to the tongue. The second end of the shaft extends beyond the male member and is connected to the steer rod by wires. A spring is mounted to the control bar and biased between the second end of the tongue and the rear section. The steer rod controls the movement of the shaft, and the shaft moves the tongue and the control bar, and compresses the spring mounted to the control bar.
Preferably, a leg unit is located between two front wheels of the front wheel unit and has two first portions and two second portions. A transverse shaft is connected between two first ends of the two first portions. The two second portions are connected to two second ends of the two first portions. Each second portion has a connection section connected to the first portion, a multiple-bent-portions contact section and a transverse bar which is connected between the connection section and the contact section. The contact section extends to the direction opposite to that of the first portion. A step rod extends from each of the second portion and is located away from the transverse bar. The leg unit is pivotable relative to the front wheel unit. The contact section of each of the second portions and the transverse shaft contact against the floor to raise the front wheel unit.
Preferably, a retractable rod is connected to one side of the seat and pulled away from the seat when the base is in the folded status. Two rollers are connected to two sides of the rear wheel unit and the base is moved by the rollers when pulling the retractable rod.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a power scooter wherein the folding action can be done by operating the motor to drive the rear wheel unit toward the front wheel unit to fold the base of the scooter.
The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.
Referring to
When folding the power scooter, the folding units 13 release the base 1 from the horizontally pose, and the motor 2 drives the rear wheel unit 11 toward the front wheel unit 12. The folding units 13 are operated to fold the base 1. The seat unit 3 is also folded toward the base 1 by moving the bottom connections 322 of the support frames 32 along the slots 141 to fold the seat unit 3. Therefore, the user can easily fold the power scooter as shown in
As shown in
Each of the folding units 13 defines the axial tube 17 corresponding thereto into a front section 171 and a rear section 172. Each folding unit 13 has a female 131 member 131, a male member 132 and a positioning member 133. The female member 131 is mounted to the rear section 172. The male member 132 is connected to the front section 171 and located corresponding to the female member 131. The female member 131 has two separated lugs 134. The male member 132 has a rounded member 135 located between the two lugs 134. A bolt 136 extends through the two lugs 134 and the rounded member 135, so that the axial tubes 17 can be folded and overlapped to each other. The positioning member 133 is a U-shaped member and connected to one end of the rear section 172. The positioning member 133 is pivotable relative to the rear section 172 and covers a connection area between the male member 132 and the female member 131. The positioning members 133 are used to make the base 1 to be horizontal and prevents the folding units 3 from being folded unexpectedly.
As shown in
As shown in
In order to secure the front portion 15 to ensure that the rear portion 16 is steadily folded toward the front portion 15, a leg unit 6 is located between two front wheels of the front wheel unit 12 and has two first portions 61 and two second portions 62. A transverse shaft 63 is connected between two first ends of the two first portions 61. The two second portions 62 are connected to two second ends of the two first portions 61. Each second portion 62 has a connection section 621 connected to the first portion 61, a multiple-bent-portions contact section 622 and a transverse bar 623 which is connected between the connection section 621 and the contact section 622. The contact section 622 extends to the direction opposite to that of the first portion 61. A step rod 624 extends from each of the second portion 62 and is located away from the transverse bar 623. The leg unit 6 is pivotable relative to the front wheel unit 12. The contact section 622 of each of the second portions 62 and the transverse shaft 63 contact against the floor to raise the front wheel unit 12. In detail, before folding the base 1, the user steps the step rod 624 downward to allow the transverse shaft 63 to move toward the front portion 15 and the leg unit 6 is pivoted toward the front wheel unit 12. The second portions 62 then contact against the floor to raise the front wheel unit 12 so that the front portion 15 and the rear portion 16 are folded to each other as shown in
The folding of the seat unit 3 is made by the two X-shaped support frames 32. Each support frame 32 has a first link 323 and a second link 324 which is pivotably connected to the first link 323 at the middle portion thereof so as to form the X-shaped arrangement. The two support frames 32 are located parallel to each other at a distance, and multiple transverse links 325 are connected between the two support frames 32 so that the two support frames 32 are operated simultaneously. Each support frame 32 has the two top connections 321 connected to the underside of the seat 31 and the two bottom connections 322 are connected to the transverse tube 18 of the rear portion 16 and the slide 14 respectively. When the front portion 15 and the rear portion 16 are folded toward each other, the bottom connection 322 of each second link 324 moves along the slot 141 of the slide 14, and the first and second links 323, 324 are pivoted toward each other, therefore, the underside of the seat 31 is moved toward the rear portion 16 to finish the folding action as shown in
The steer rod 4 controls the direction that the power scooter moves, it also controls the operation of the motor 2 to fold the base 1. When the base 1 is folding, the steer rod 4 is also folded to avoid from being hit.
The steer rod 4 has a U-shaped support unit 7 connected to the lower end thereof. The support unit 7 is located close to the transverse tube 18 of the front portion 15. The support unit 7 has a transverse plate 71 and two end pieces 72 are connected to two ends of the transverse plate 71. Two passive tubes 8 each have the first end connected to the transverse tube 18, and the second end of each of the passive tubes 8 contacts the conjunction portion of the transverse plate 71 and the end piece 72. The second end of each of the passive tube 8 has an aperture 81 which is located corresponding to the end piece 72. Two locking members 9 extend through the end pieces 72 and are inserted into the apertures 81 of the two passive tubes 8. When the two locking members 9 are removed from the apertures 81 of the passive tubes 8, the steer rod 4 is operated back and forth to control the folding action as shown in
Preferably, a retractable rod 33 is connected to one side of the seat 31 and pulled away from the seat 31 when the base 1 is in the folded status. Two rollers 34 are connected to two sides of the rear wheel unit 11. By the retractable rod 33, the user can easily hold the retractable rod 33 and pulls the base 1 to move by the rollers 34 as shown in
While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
