Claims
- 1. A device that can electrically power a push scooter having a footboard mounted between a front wheel and a rear wheel, a steering handle operably associated with the front wheel, and a foot brake that can brake the rear wheel, comprising:
a motor assembly including a motor and a roller adapted to selectively frictionally engage and drive the rear wheel of the scooter; said motor assembly movably mounted above and between the rear wheel and the foot board; and with the foot brake located aft of the motor assembly.
- 2. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said roller is selectably engaged with the rear wheel in a power-assist position and is selectably disengageable from the rear wheel in a free-wheel position.
- 3. The device of claim 2 including a lever for selectively locking the motor and the roller in one of the power-assist position and the free-wheel position.
- 4. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said device further includes a cutoff switch that electrically isolates said motor from a battery when the foot brake is depressed, preventing said motor from driving said roller while the foot brake is depressed.
- 5. The device as recited in claim 4, wherein said cutoff switch is actuated by relative motion between the foot brake and the motor assembly.
- 6. The device of claim 1 wherein said motor assembly is adapted to be movable by use of the foot of a rider from a position where the roller engages the rear wheel to a position where the roller disengages the rear wheel.
- 7. A device that can electrically power a push scooter having a footboard mounted between a front wheel and a rear wheel, a steering handle operably associated with the front wheel, and a foot brake for braking the rear wheel, the foot brake pivotally mounted to said footboard by a foot brake mount, comprising:
a motor assembly including a motor and a roller adapted to selectively frictionally engage and drive the rear wheel of the scooter; and said motor mounted by the foot brake mount to the scooter and forward of the foot brake.
- 8. The device as recited in claim 7, wherein said roller can be selectively placed into a rear wheel engaging power-assist position and a rear wheel disengaged free-wheel position.
- 9. The device as recited in claim 7, wherein said device further includes a cutoff switch that electrically isolates said motor from a battery when the foot brake is depressed, preventing said motor from driving said roller while the foot brake is depressed.
- 10. The device as recited in claim 9, wherein said cutoff switch is activated by relative motion between the foot brake and the motor assembly.
- 11. A device that can selectably electrically power a push scooter having a footboard mounted between a front wheel and a rear wheel, a steering handle operably associated with the front wheel, and a foot brake, comprising:
a battery; a motor assembly including a motor and adapted to frictionally engage and drive the rear wheel of the scooter; and a bracket mechanically connected to the scooter, that supports said motor assembly behind the rear wheel and that supports the battery above the motor assembly and behind the rear wheel.
- 12. The device as recited in claim 11, wherein said motor has a roller that can be placed in a power-assist position and a free-wheel position with regard to the rear wheel.
- 13. The device of claim 11 wherein said rear wheel is mounted to the footboard with a mounting frame and the bracket is adapted to mount onto said mounting frame.
- 14. An electrically powered vehicle, comprising:
a scooter having a footboard mounted between a front wheel and a rear wheel, a steering handle operably associated with said front wheel, and a foot brake that can selectively brake the rear wheel; a motor assembly connected to said scooter for electrically powering said scooter, said motor assembly having a roller for selectively frictionally engaging and driving said rear wheel of said scooter; a mounting bracket for pivotally mounting said motor to the scooter with the motor assembly located between and above said rear wheel and said footboard of said scooter and with the foot brake located aft of the motor assembly; and a throttle assembly that can selectively control the speed of said roller, which throttle assembly is mounted on said steering handle.
- 15. The vehicle as recited in claim 14, wherein said vehicle further includes a cut-off switch that shuts off said motor when the foot brake is depressed.
- 16. An electrically powered vehicle, comprising:
a scooter having a footboard, a front wheel, a rear wheel operably associated with said footboard by a rear fork, a steering handle operably associated with said front wheel, and a foot brake that can selectively brake the rear wheel; a device that can selectively electrically power said scooter, including:
a battery; a motor assembly including a motor that is electrically connected to said battery and a roller for frictionally engaging and driving said rear wheel; a mounting bracket mechanically connected to said rear fork for supporting said motor assembly behind the rear wheel and said battery above the motor assembly and above the rear wheel; and a throttle assembly electrically connected to said battery and said motor and that can selectively control the speed of said roller, said throttle assembly mounted to said steering handle.
- 17. A method of retrofitting a push scooter with a propulsion system comprising the steps of:
removing a rear wheel axle from a rear fork of the push scooter; attaching a mounting bracket on the rear fork of said scooter using the rear wheel axle; having a motor assembly mounted on the mounting bracket such that a roller of said motor assembly can selectively frictionally engage a rear wheel that is mounted on the rear wheel axle; and removably attaching a battery to one of said push scooter and mounting bracket.
- 18. A method of retrofitting a push scooter having a rear wheel and footboard with a propulsion system comprising the steps of:
removing a brake axle of the push scooter; attaching a mounting bracket on the rear fork of said scooter using the brake axle; having a motor assembly mounted on the mounting bracket such that a roller of said motor assembly can selectively frictionally engage the rear wheel of said push scooter; and removably securing a battery to power the motor assembly.
- 19. A device that can electrically power a push scooter having a footboard mounted between a front wheel and a rear wheel, a steering handle operably associated with the front wheel, and a foot brake movably mounted to the scooter so that the foot brake can brake the rear wheel, comprising:
a motor assembly including a motor adapted to selectively frictionally engage and drive the rear wheel of the scooter; and said motor assembly mounted between and above the rear wheel and the footboard with the foot brake located rearwardly of said motor assembly and above the rear wheel so that the foot brake can move relative to a position further rearwardly of said motor in order to brake rear wheel.
- 20. The device of claim 19 wherein:
said motor and said foot brake are mounted at about the same height above the scooter so that both are adapted to be actuated by the foot of a user.
- 21. The device of claim 19 wherein:
the motor assembly is movably mounted to the scooter, with the motor assembly having a first rear wheel engaging position and a second rear wheel disengaged position, and said motor assembly is located adjacent to the foot brake so that both are adapted to be actuated by the foot of a user.
- 22. A device that can electrically power a push scooter having a footboard mounted between a front wheel and a rear wheel, a steering handle operably associated with the front wheel, and a foot brake pivotally mounted to the scooter so that the foot brake can brake the rear wheel, comprising:
a motor assembly pivotally mounted to the footboard including a motor adapted to selectively frictionally engage and drive the rear wheel of the scooter, with the motor pivotable between a rear wheel engaging position and a rear wheel disengaged position; and said motor assembly mounted between and above the rear wheel and the footboard with the foot brake located rearwardly of said motor assembly and above the rear wheel so that the foot brake can move relative to a position further rearwardly of said motor in order to brake rear wheel.
- 23. The device of claim 22 wherein:
said motor and said foot brake are mounted at about the same height above the scooter so that both are adapted to be actuated by the foot of a user.
- 24. A retrofit kit adapted to be fitted to a push scooter to electrically power the push scooter, where the push scooter has a footboard mounted between a front wheel and a rear wheel, a steering handle operably associated with the front wheel, and a foot brake movably mounted to the scooter so that the foot brake can brake the rear wheel, the retrofit kit comprising:
a battery; a motor assembly including a motor adapted to selectively frictionally engage and drive the rear wheel of the scooter; and a mount that enables said motor assembly to be mounted between and above the rear wheel and the footboard with the foot brake located rearwardly of said motor assembly and above the rear wheel so that the foot brake can move relative to a position further rearwardly of said motor in order to brake rear wheel.
- 25. A retrofit kit adapted to be fitted to a push scooter to electrically power the push scooter, where the push scooter has a footboard mounted between a front wheel and a rear wheel mounted to the footboard with a mounting fork, a steering handle operably associated with the front wheel, and a foot brake movably mounted to the scooter so that the foot brake can brake the rear wheel, the retrofit kit comprising:
a battery; a motor assembly including a motor adapted to selectively frictionally engage and drive the rear wheel of the scooter; and a mount that enables said motor assembly to be mounted onto the mounting fork and behind the rear wheel and with the battery located above the motor assembly and behind the foot brake.
PRIORITY CLAIM
[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/385,698, filed on Jun. 4, 2002, and this application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/384,053, filed on May 29, 2002. Each of these provisional patent applications is being incorporated herein by this reference.
Provisional Applications (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60385698 |
Jun 2002 |
US |
|
60384053 |
May 2002 |
US |