1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tricycle, and more particularly to a portable jogging tricycle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, with more convenient transportation options, such as motorcycles, cars, trains, subways, and elevators, people have less and less opportunity to exercise, and busy modern lifestyles are causing increasing numbers of people to be less and less healthy. Consequently, some people have added exercise regimens to their daily routines, such as bicycle riding. Furthermore, in typical metropolitan areas, parking spaces are difficult to find and fuel prices are high, and so more and more people are choosing two-wheeled vehicles, such as bicycles or motorcycles, for their mode of daily transportation.
However, most people would prefer to reduce their commuting times to have time for other activities, and so riding a bicycle is more practical for relatively short commuting distances. But, in typical metropolitan areas, people still usually need to walk from public transportation stops to their final destinations. Therefore, some people like to ride and carry bicycles instead of walking to save on commute time.
Nevertheless, typical bicycles are not very portable, and so it is difficult to travel with them when using public transportation. Some foldable bicycles can be folded up into smaller sizes, but a folded bicycle is not itself mobile and so needs to be lifted and carried around.
Furthermore, current jogging exercise machines are in the form of treadmills, which provide a rolling belt upon which a user runs. However, this machine is an indoor exercise machine which may make the user feel that exercising with it is boring.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a portable jogging tricycle to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems.
An objective of the present invention is to provide a portable jogging tricycle, which is easy to travel with and that provides an exciting exercising option.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned objectives, a portable jogging tricycle comprises a main frame having two ends respectively connected to a handle base and a rear wheel support frame. A first guiding slot is disposed adjacent to a bottom end of the handle base, and a rear wheel is pivoted to a bottom end of the rear wheel support frame. At least two front wheel support frames are respectively connected to both sides of the handle base, with a front wheel pivoted to a bottom of each front wheel support frame to form a common plane with the two front wheels and the rear wheel. A second guiding slot is disposed adjacent to a bottom end of each front wheel support frame and is symmetrical with the first guiding slot of the handle base. At least two foldable frames are respectively attached to each front wheel support frame on both sides of the handle base and comprise a plurality of scissor lifts pivoted between the handle base and the front wheel support frame. Ends of at least two scissor lifts of the foldable frame are respectively slidably attached to the first and second guiding slots of the handle base and the front wheel support frame to close or open the foldable frames. The first and second guiding slots help to horizontally close or open the foldable frames. Therefore, the two front wheels and the front wheel support frames are simultaneously and horizontally pulled together, which reduces the width of the tricycle of the present invention. A first pivot shaft is disposed at a top end of the handle base above the first guiding slot, a second pivot shaft is disposed at a top end of the front wheel support frame, and an end of each scissor lift of the foldable frames is pivoted onto the first pivot shaft and the second pivot shaft.
The foldable frames comprise a first rod having one end pivoted onto the first pivot shaft of handle base; a second rod having one end pivoted onto the second pivot shaft of the front wheel support frame, and other ends of the first rod and the second rod being pivoted together; a third rod having one end slidably attached to the first guiding slot of the handle base, and a middle position of the third rod pivoted onto a middle position of the first rod; and a fourth rod having one end attached to the second guiding slot of the front wheel support frame, other ends of the third rod and the fourth rod being pivoted together, and a middle position of the fourth rod being pivoted onto a middle position of the second rod.
In another embodiment, a portable jogging tricycle comprises a main frame having two ends respectively connected to a handle base and a rear wheel support frame. A front slot is disposed on a bottom end of the handle base, and a rear slot is disposed on a bottom end of the rear wheel support frame. A rear wheel is pivoted to a bottom end of the rear wheel support frame. At least two front wheel support frames are respectively connected to both sides of the handle base. A front wheel is pivoted to a bottom of each front wheel support frame to form a common plane with the two front wheels and the rear wheel. The main frame further comprises a plurality of scissor lifts pivoted between the handle base and the rear wheel support frame. Ends of at least two scissor lifts of the main frame are respectively attached to the front and rear slots to expand the handle base and the rear wheel support frame and are capable of detaching from the front and rear slots to fold up the handle base and the rear wheel support frame together to reduce the length of the tricycle. A first pivot shaft is disposed on a top end of the handle base above the front slot, a second pivot shaft is disposed on a top end of the rear wheel support frame, and an end of each scissor lift of the foldable frames is pivoted onto the first pivot shaft and the second pivot shaft.
The main frame further comprises a first arm having one end pivoted onto the first pivot shaft of the handle base, and another end of the first arm attached to the rear slot; a second arm having one end pivoted onto the second pivot shaft of the rear wheel support frame, another end of the second arm attached to the front slot, and a middle position of the second arm pivoted onto a middle position of the first arm; a first pole having one end pivoted to a middle position of the handle base and another end pivoted between a middle position of the second arm and its lower end to guide the lower end of the second arm to engage or disengage with the front slot; and a second pole having one end pivoted to a middle position of the rear wheel support frame and another end pivoted between a middle position of the first arm and its lower end to guide the lower end of the first arm to engage or disengage with the rear slot. The front slot faces downward and toward the rear wheel support frame, and the rear slot faces downward and toward the handle base. A foldable mechanism is disposed between the handle and the handle base and used for folding up or opening the handle. A folding mechanism is disposed on the lower telescoping tube and between the handle and the handle base and is used for folding up or opening the handle 6. Therefore, the handle is shortened into the handle base to reduce the height of the tricycle.
The rear wheel support frame further comprises a gear set. The rear wheel is driven by the gear set, and two pedal are respectively installed on both sides of the rear wheel support frame and used for driving the gear set. The gear set comprises a first large gear coaxially arranged with the pedals and driven by the pedals; a first small gear placed below the first large gear, engaged with the first large gear, and being driven by the first large gear; a second large gear coaxially arranged with the first small gear and driven by the first small gear; and a second small gear placed below the second large gear, engaged with the second large gear, and coaxially arranged with the rear wheel and driven by the second large gear. The gear set has all gear parts to avoid use of a chain that can become loose, is noisy and parties subject to breakage.
A seat is installed on the top of the rear wheel support frame, and a plurality of telescoping tubes are disposed between the seat and the rear wheel support frame so that the seat can be lifted or lowered.
A shock absorber is installed between the front wheel and the front wheel support frame.
Accordingly, the two front wheels and the rear wheel are aligned on the ground to form a common plane, so that the user can stably stand on the rear wheel support frame, even when the user pedals the two pedals. The relative positions among the handle and the two pedals are designed based upon the typical human jogging posture; in other words, the movements of the two pedals are similar to the jogging movement of two legs. Furthermore, a relative distance and position between the two foldable frames and the main frame are also designed based upon the normal human jogging posture, and the height of the handle is adjustable. Therefore, the relative distances and positions among the handle, the rear wheel support frame and the two pedals satisfy ergonomics and kinesiology. Accordingly, the user can be in an upright posture while jogging and stepping on the two pedals to drive the gear set to rotate the rear wheel to drive the front wheels. Consequently, the user can ride the tricycle outdoors and perform jogging exercises at the same time for more variety in his or her exercise routine.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Please refer to
The main frame 1 further comprises a plurality of scissor lifts pivoted between the handle base 2 and the rear wheel support frame 3. Ends 112, 122 of at least two scissor lifts of the main frame 1 are respectively attached to the front and rear fillisters 21, 31 to expand and position the handle base 2 and the rear wheel support frame 3. Furthermore, the ends 112, 122 of at least two scissor lifts are capable of detaching from the front and rear fillisters 21, 31 to fold the handle base 2 and the rear wheel support frame 3 together, thereby reducing the length of the tricycle. It will be appreciated that more than one front and rear fillisters 21, 31 may be employed.
In a preferred embodiment, a first pivot shaft 23 is disposed at a top end of the handle base 2 above the first guiding slot 22 (as shown in
Another side of the bottom end of the handle base 2 has a first lower bearing base 25 (as shown in
The main frame 1 further comprises a first arm 11, a second arm 12, a first pole 13 and a second pole 14 (as shown in
Therefore, the first and second arms 11, 12 at two ends of the main frame 1 are cross-pivoted to each other, and the first and second arms 11, 12 are respectively pivoted to the first pivot shaft 261 of the handle base 2 and the second pivot shaft 331 of the rear wheel support frame 3 so that the main frame 1 is capable of being folded and unfolded (as shown in
The handle base further includes a handle 6 (as shown in
Two pedals 81, 82 are respectively installed on both sides of the rear wheel support frame 3 (as shown in
A shock absorber 91 is installed between the front wheel 40 and the front wheel support frame 4 (as shown in
Accordingly, the two front wheels 40 and the rear wheel 30 are aligned on the ground (as shown in
When the user wants to travel with the tricycle, he or she first horizontally folds up the front wheel support frame 4 so that the front wheels 40 are against both sides of the handle set 2 (as shown in
According to the above-mentioned description, the two foldable frames 5 can be folded up, the main frame 1 can be shortened, and the handle 6 can also be folded down, so the tricycle can be folded in all three different dimensions. Furthermore, after the foldable frames 5 and the main frame 1 are folded, the relative positions of the two front wheels 40 and the rear wheel 30 are maintained, therefore, the tricycle can still have mobility. In addition, the folded tricycle is portable and movable, which is convenient for the user to travel with and store. The jogging tricycle of the present invention has a portable size, is easy to operate, and has a strong flexible structure.
Please refer to
Although the present invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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98117707 A | May 2009 | TW | national |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20100301582 A1 | Dec 2010 | US |