AU2004100950B4

AU2004100950B4 - Single rear centre drive wheel scooter

Info

Publication number: AU2004100950B4
Application number: AU2004100950A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Dongning Zhang
Original assignee: T TEK Pty Ltd
Current assignee: T-TEK Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2004-11-09
Filing date: 2004-11-09
Publication date: 2005-05-19
Anticipated expiration: 2012-11-09
Also published as: AU2004100950A4

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT SINGLE REAR CENTRE DRIVE WHEEL SCOOTER The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: SINGLE REAR CENTRE DRIVE WHEEL SCOOTER Many mobility scooters have differential gearbox for the two rear drive wheels. The differential gearbox is normally expensive and differential drive wheels may loss driving torque while turning. Or a foot paddled tricycle has one rear drive wheel on one side and a rear wheel on other side, its turning performance is poor when turning towards the rear drive wheel side, and the tricycle frame and the front steering wheel will handle a twist torque while A paddling.

The single rear centre drive wheel scooter in accordance with this invention comprises a scooter, which has at least two rear wheels and at least one front steering wheel and a single rear centre drive wheel located nearly in the middle point of two rear wheels. The axles of three rear wheels are arranged for the three contact points of the three wheels and floor to be nearly in a same line when the three wheels are on flat floor, and the single rear centre drive wheel frame is pivot joint to the scooter frame and the pivot to be nearly in parallel with the rear drive axle, and a driver seat is support fully or partially on the drive wheel frame.

The pivot may be in between the front steering wheel and the two rear support wheels or behind the two rear support wheels. The driver seat of the scooter may be support fully or partially on the drive wheel frame to apply load to the drive wheel to ensure driving and turning friction.

The scooter wheels may joint to the scooter frame by fixed or spring suspension axles, so that the front steering wheel and two rear support wheels may support the scooter like a normal scooter or tricycle. The drive wheel frame is support by the scooter with the pivot and the drive wheel.

2 4KI The rear wheels may be different in size. Ideally the contact points of the rear wheels with ground are required in a same line. When the contact points of the three rear wheels with ground are in a same line, the three wheels may turn around a same turning centre.

D The structure is not ideal while turning on uneven surface, as the n contact points of the three rear wheels with ground may be not in a same line. But it is practical and good enough, and the turning and driving capability is better as the drive wheel is always contact the Sground to support the driver and to provide sufficient turning and driving torque.

The drive wheel frame may pivot joint to the scooter frame either in front of or after the two rear support wheels. The front pivot joint forms a push driving structure, and the length of the pivot arm, the distance between the pivot and the drive axle, can be longer, so the scooter turns better on uneven surface. The front pivot joint is good for either foot paddle or motor drive. The rear pivot joint forms a pull driving structure. The pivot arm is normally short, so the turning centre of the rear wheels is a bigger area when turning on uneven ground. The rear pivot joint is good on forward brake and suit for motor drive. The rotating range of the drive wheel frame may be limited with a fixed or spring buffer limiter.

Tricycle is safer for aged people. This invention may provide people a foot paddle scooter as a safer traffic tool and/or an exercise apparatus with better performance on driving and turning.

This invention may save the expensive differential gearbox for a motorized scooter and improve the driving and turning performance of the scooter.

The invention may be better understood with reference to the illustrations of embodiments of the invention which:- 3 Figure 1 is an elevation of a single rear centre drive wheel scooter on uneven ground. The driver seat is support by the drive wheel frame. The drive wheel frame is pivot joint to the scooter frame in front location.

n Figure 2 is an elevation of a single rear centre drive wheel scooter D on flat ground. The driver seat is support by the drive wheel frame.

The drive wheel frame is pivot joint to the scooter frame in front S location.

Figure 3 is a top view of a single rear centre drive wheel scooter.

The drive wheel frame is pivot joint to the scooter frame in front location. The driver seat is removed.

Figure 4 is an elevation of a single rear centre drive wheel scooter on uneven ground. The driver seat is support by the drive wheel frame. The drive wheel frame is pivot joint to the scooter frame in rear location.

Figure 5 is an elevation of a single rear centre drive wheel scooter on flat ground. The driver seat is support by the drive wheel frame.

The drive wheel frame is pivot joint to the scooter frame in rear location.

Figure 6 is a top view of a single rear centre drive wheel scooter.

The drive wheel frame is pivot joint to the scooter frame in rear location. The driver seat is removed.

One example of a single rear centre drive wheel scooter, illustrate in figure 1, 2 and 3, has a front steering wheel 1, two rear support wheel 2, a rear centre drive wheel 3. The drive wheel frame 5 is pivot joint to the scooter frame 4 with the front pivot 6. The driver seat 7 is support by the drive frame 5. The moving range of the drive frame 5 is limit with the limiter 8 like in figure 1. The limiter 8 is optional, and it may be a fixed stopper or a flexible buffer on the scooter frame 4.

Another example of a single rear centre drive wheel scooter, illustrate in figure 4, 5 and 6, has a front steering wheel 1, two rear support wheel 2, a rear centre drive wheel 3. The drive wheel frame is pivot joint to the scooter frame 4 with the rear pivot 6. The driver seat 7 is support on the seat frame 9. The seat frame 9 is pivot joint to the scooter frame 4 with the pivot 7 and the drive frame 5 with a spring buffer 10. The moving range of the drive frame 5 is limit with the limiter 8 like in figure 4. The limiter 8 may be a fixed stopper or a flexible buffer on the scooter frame 4.

Claims

1. A scooter, which has at least two rear wheels and at least one Dfront steering wheel, has a single rear centre drive wheel located D nearly in the middle point of two rear wheels, the axles of two n rear wheels and drive wheel are arranged for the three contact D, points of the three wheels and floor to be nearly in a same line when the three wheels are on flat floor, and the single rear centre drive wheel frame is pivot joint to the scooter frame and the pivot to be nearly in parallel with the rear drive axle, and a driver seat or other load support fully or partially on the drive wheel frame, so that the drive wheel is always engaged on the floor and automatically adjusted for the uneven floor to provide sufficient driving torque during normal driving.

2. A scooter as claimed in claim 1 use either a motor or manpower as power source, the motor can be either an electric motor or a combustion engine, the manpower may be the driver himself.

3. A scooter as claimed in claim 1 has the single rear centre drive wheel frame, which is pivot joint to the scooter frame, and the pivot can be located either in front of two rear wheels or in back of two rear wheels.

4. A scooter as claimed in claim 1 has an optional position limiter, which can be a fixed stopper or a flexible buffer, to limit the moving range of the drive wheel frame. A scooter substantially as herein before described with reference to the description and/or the accompanying drawings. T-TEK PTY LTD 16 March 2005 DONGNING ZHANG 16 March 2005