AU2005205787A1 - Electric tricycle - Google Patents

Description

Regulation 3.2 teo

;Z,

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

(ORIGINAL)

Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: THE RUSH FACTOR PTY. LTD.

ANTHONY JOSEPH MORGAN GRAHAM BEEFORTH SANDERCOCK COWIE SUITE 8C, 50-54 ROBINSON STREET DANDENONG VIC 3175 ELECTRIC TRICYCLE I The-following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 1 Fc2005-08-31,Z:aLceaetnr h file ,pd, -la- 0 0 r- In in TITLE: ELECTRIC TRICYCLE FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention concerns electric tricycles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION These are commonly used by disabled and elderly persons who wish to travel at sedate speeds on hard surfaces such as paved areas and on vinyl flooring in shopping areas. 12v 2005.0830,Z:Spccificalio nsh cap wpd.I o vehicle batteries are the source of current and the vehicle is built for stability, safety and to a lesser extent, weather protection.

More recently electric tricycles have been made with a tubular T-shaped frame supporting a seat about 400mm from the ground with cranks and pedals extending from the front wheel. The user pedals the tricycle in a recumbent position. The T-frame supports stub 00 00 axles which are about 800mm apart, with wheels about 250mm in diameter and a front owheel about 200mm in diameter. The frame has a battery housing and the dc motor drive is to the rear wheels. The riders feet are supported in foot rests extending from the axle of the front wheel. These tricycles are ridden by young riders from 9-18 years. They enjoy inducing drift, sliding and skidding and the tricycle is usedas a recreational vehicle instead of a means of transport.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The apparatus aspect of this invention provides an electric tricycle having a tubular frame supporting a seat for recumbent riding, a battery housing between the rear wheels, a hub motor in the front pneumatic wheel, footrests associated with the front pneumatic wheel.

A pair of spare rear wheels may be carried on the tricycle.

The spare wheels may be the same type as the permanent rear wheels. The spare wheels are preferably different type from the permanent rear wheels. The rear wheels may be moulded in one piece from nylon or similar hard wearing polymer with a wide tread and a metal bush to receive a stub axle of the tricycle. Such moulded wheels may be fitted in pairs without tyres. These may be exchanged for pneumatic wheels on conventional metal hubs which are carried like spare wheels. The spare/exchange wheels may be mounted on wheel bolts extending from the frame on the battery housing.

The tricycle may have a power cable extending from the housing to the hub motor via a front wheel fork. The hub may have a static hub member supported by the fork and a hub rotor to which the wheel is fixed. The motor may deliver drive through an epicyclic gear train. A twist grip speed control may determine the speed of the tricycle.

2005-08-30,2 ~Specifcatiossh cap wpd,2 oBRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS ;ZOne embodiment of the invention is now described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: ¢€3 Figure 1 is a perspective view of the tricycle.

00oO oFigure 2 is an enlarged view of the rear of the tricycle.

Figure 3A is a diagrammatic side view of a tricycle showing the position of the batteries in a 24v version.

Figure 3B is a plan of the embodiment of Figure 3A.

Figure 3C is a plan of an embodiment with 36v supply.

Figure 3D is a plan of an embodiment with a 48v supply.

Figure 4A is a diagrammatic side view of the rear part of a tricycle showing the position of the batteries in a 48v version.

Figure 4B is a plan of the embodiment of Figure 4A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH RESPECT TO THE DRAWINGS The tricycle has a T-shaped tubular frame 2 with front forks 4 and a rear transverse bar 6. The bar is 500mm long and is braced by a tubular seat frame 8. A moulded polypropylene seat 10 is secured to the frame by screws. A sheet metal battery housing 12 is fixed to the seat frame to the rear of the seat. The housing is only 175mm above the ground in order to give a low centre of gravity. The bar 6 has terminal sockets 14 which receive the stub axles 16 of paired wheels 18. The wheels are nylon mouldings with a flat tread 20, The wheels are 240mm in diameter with a ball bearing 22. The terminal sockets 14 each have a spring loaded plunger 24 which enters a blind bore 26 in the stub 2005O8.3 Z: SpcificationsVts cap. wpdI -4in 0 oshaft of the wheel. This allows the moulded wheels to be quickly detachable. The N housing 12 has a pair of tubular sockets 28 which are likewise provided with a pair of ;Zspring loaded plungers The housing sockets allow the rider to carry a pair oftyred wheels 32, each with a stub axle 34 capable of replacing the moulded wheels. The early interchangeability ensures 00oO that the rider experiences no difficulty in making the changeover.

In iThe tubular frame has a conventional head stock 36 and front forks 38. A tyred front S 10 wheel 40 (400mm diameter) is supported on an axle which also mounts footrests 42. The hub 44 of the wheel has a static housing 46 which contains the de motor and a rotor 48 to which the wheel is fixed.

Electrical leads 50 from the battery are clipped to the frame and the front forks 38. A twist grip control 52 varies the motor speed through a potentiometer. In Figures the batteries 54 are arranged in different floor plans in the housing.

It is to be understood that the word "comprising" as used throughout the specification is to be interpreted in its inclusive form, ie. use of the word "comprising" does not exclude the addition of other elements.

It is to be understood that various modifications of and/or additions to the invention can be made without departing from the basic nature of the invention. These modifications and/or additions are therefore considered to fall within the scope of the invention.

2005-0830OZ: Spcciflcaciomjrinh.cap wpd,4

Claims (10)

1. An electric tricycle having a tubular frame supporting a seat for recumbent riding, a battery housing between the rear wheels, a hub motor in the front pneumatic wheel and footrests associated with the front pneumatic wheel. oO 0 2. An electric tricycle as claimed in Claim I, including a pair of spare rear wheels ocarried on the tricycle.

3. An electric tricycle as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the spare rear wheels are carried on the battery housing.

4. An electric tricycle as claimed in Claims 2 or 3, wherein the spare wheels are of a type different from the permanent rear wheels, An electric tricycle as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the spare wheels are hard wearing polymeric mouldings without pneumatic tyres.

6. An electric tricycle as claimed in any one of Claims 2-5, wherein the spare wheels have a flat tread.

7. An electric tricycle as claimed in any one of Claims 2-6, wherein the permanent wheels and the spare wheels are each mounted on a stub axle and the tubular frame has rear wheel mounts adapted to locate dud lock the stub axles in a quickly detachable manner.

8. An electric tricycle as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the rear wheel mounts are axle sockets each with a spring loaded retainer capable of manual retraction for the exchange of wheels.

9. An electric tricycle as claimed in any one of Claims 1-8, wherein the battery housing is beneath the seat and accommodates multiple 12v batteries side by side 2005 .8OI30.Z\Specifiarronsmh.cp.wpds5 teo ;Z, which deliver 24v, 48v, 36v or 72v, An electric tricycle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the front fork supports a static hub member and a hub rotor to which the front wheel is attached.

11. An electric tricycle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a handlebar speed control determines motor speed.

12. An electric tricycle substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3A, 3B or as modified by Figure 3C, 3D, 4A and 4B. Dated this 31st day of August, 2005. SANDERCOCK COWIE PATENT ATTORNEYS FOR THE RUSH FACTOR PTY. LTD.

200502-31 2X:Spwifntiomnjh ap wpd,6