AU2006100164A4 - Tiller for a motorised scooter - Google Patents

Description

03/03/2006 21:43 61-3-98901337 PATENT ATTORNEY SERV PAGE 03/15

TILL

This invention relat tillers for use in such scootei The references in tl buggies of the kind used by buggies having three grow wheels. Other analogous expression, such as nmotoris and a tiller arrangement for A motorised scooter kind to which the present connected to the body of tt: axis about which the tillei- c provided at the top of the 1 tiller post at the upper end t scooter body at their low backwards and forwards, i.

user to move the tiller to a provided at the top end of steering handles, and also t when the user is mounting t It is an object of the which can provide improve( According to the pr motorised scooter which ha ER FOR A MOTORISED SCOOTER -s to motorised scooters and more particularly to steering s.

ie specification to motorised scooters includes scooters or elderly, infirm, or handicapped people, including scooters or id engaging wheels and those with four ground engaging kinds of motorised vehicles are also encompassed by the :d golf buggies having three or four ground engaging wheels he user to control the movement of the scooter or buggy.

has a body and multiple ground engaging wheels and, in the invention relates, a tiller assembly which has a tiller post c scooter and extending upwardly along a generally upright an be angularly moved by turning or twisting of handle bars [Her post. The handle bars project on opposite sides of the iereof. Sometimes such tillers are pivotally connected to the er ends to enable limited tilting movement of the tiller about a transverse generally horizontal axis, to enable the o;mfortable position for visibility of any control comrponents the tiller and for comfortable holding and operation of the 3 enable the tiller to be tilted forwardly away from the user ie scooter or is dismounting therefrom.

present invention to provide a tiller for a motorised scooter access or ease of use for a user- ,sent invention or innovation there is provided a tiller for a Sa scooter body and ground engaging wheels, at least one of

I

COMS ID No: SBMI-02863908 Received by IP Australia: Time 21:42 Date 2006-03-03 03/03/2006 21:43 61-3-98901337 PATENT ATTORNEY SERV PAGE 04/15 the wheels being steerable ty manipulation of the tiller, so as to steer the scooter, the tiller including: a tiller post which in use is generally upright and which is located a short distance in front of a user sitting upon a seat mounted by the scooter body, and scooter control means at the ipper end of the tiller post and which the user can operate so as to control movements of he scooter, wherein the tiller post includes a main leg having a generally upright axis, a lower end of the main leg being in use operatively associated with a steering mechanism of the scooter so that in use angulr movement of the main leg about its generally upright axis operates the steering mecha ism of the scooter to control the direction of movement of the scooter, the tiller post termi ating at an upper end at a handle assembly which includes handle means which the user can grasp and by means of which the tiller post is moved angularly about its general y upright axis to effect steering of the scooter, the handle assembly also including control components presented to the user and which the user can operate to control functions ofthe scooter, the tiller post furthe including a pivotal connection between the main leg and the handle assembly enabling pivotal movement of the handle assembly about a transverse axis so that the control comrn onents of the handle assembly can be presented to the user at user selectable angles for optimal visibility and/or for optimal physical accessibility of the control components.

Preferably, the tiller further includes selectively releasable locking means operative to lock the handle assembly in a selected angular relationship to the main leg.

In this embodiment, the locking means associated with the pivotal connection between the handle assembly and main leg of the tiller post preferably includes: a toothed annular rac k of the handle assembly, 2 COMS ID No: SBMI-02863908 Received by IP Australia: Time 21:42 Date 2006-03-03 03/03/2006 21:43 61-3-98901337 PATENT ATTORNEY SERV PAGE 05/15 a complementary to thed annular rack of the main leg co-axially mounted with and facing the handle assem ly rack, and a releasable clampi g member which is operative to clamp the handle assembly rack and the main leg rack gether so that the respective teeth thereof mesh together and prevent relative rotation b een the main leg and the handle assembly, the clamping member being selectively r leasable to allow rotation of the handle assembly rack about a transverse axis which co esponds to the axis of the main leg rack to a new selected angular position where the lamping member can be operated to clamp the racks together against relative rotational m vement.

The tiller may furth include an adjustable holding means operatively associated with the pivotal connectio between the main leg at its lower end and the body of the scooter, the holding means being operative to hold the tiller post in a selected angular position relative to the bod of the scooter and being selectively adjustable to enable the user to change the angular position of the tiller post relative to the body of the scooter and to hold the tiller pos in that selected changed position. In this embodiment, preferably, the holding m ans includes a resilient means operative to enable limited yielding movement of th tiller post backwards and forwards about the pivotal connection with the body o the scooter.

Possible and prefe ed features of the present invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings. However it is to be understood that the features illustrated n and described with reference to the drawings are not to be construed as limiting on the scope of the invention. In the drawings: Fig. I is a rear le side perspective view of a tiller for a motorised scooter according to an embodimen of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a left side e evation of the tiller of Fig. 1, 3 COMS ID No: SBMI-02863908 Received by IP Australia: Time 21:42 Date 2006-03-03 03/03/2006 21:43 61-3-98901337 PATENT ATTORNEY SERV PAGE 06/15 Fig. 3 is a perspecti handle assembly of the tiller Fig. 4 is an exploded Fig. 5 is a front righ the tiller post.

The tiller illustrated generally upright and comp of which there is handle as bottom end of which there the steering mechanism of conventional, for example i bearings for a horizontal pi tiller post 11 can be adjustal the user) to suit the user's cc The handle assembl particular mounted atop the speed control knob, ignition audible horn operating butt< vicinity of a control preser assembly 30 so that a user position somewhat above (a includes handle bars 35, 36 the user grasps to turn the t the tiller about the upright end of the tiller to the steerit ve view of the pivotal connection between the main leg and view of the pivotal connection of Fig. 3, and side perspective view of the main functional components of in the drawings includes a tiller post 11 which in use is ises a main leg 12 and a short upper leg portion 22 at the top :embly 30. The main leg 12 has a main leg shaft 13 at the a pivotal connection 15 where the tiller is in use coupled to the scooter. This pivotal connection 15 can be generally ncluding in the illustrated embodiment a yolk 16 providing ot pin (not shown) which provides an axis about which the ly pivoted backwards and forwards (towards and away from mfort and other preferences.

y 30 located at the upper end of the tiller post 11 and in upper leg portion 22 provides control components 31 such as key, turn indicator operators 33 and displays, light switches, n, etc. These control components are provided on or in the tation panel 32 located on an upper surface of the handle can look down and see the control components 31 from a nd to the rear of) the panel 32. The handle assembly 30 also projecting laterally on opposite sides of the tiller and which iller about the upright axis so that the angular movement of xis is conveyed through the pivotal connection at the lower g mechanism of the scooter.

4 COMS ID No: SBMI-02863908 Received by IP Australia: Time 21:42 Date 2006-03-03 03/03/2006 21:43 61-3-98901337 PATENT ATTORNEY SERV PAGE 07/15 The tiller also inclu upper leg portion 22 with th the handle assembly 30 abot presented to the user at components and/or for be components 31 or handles assembly 30 (shown in brok about axis 41 as shown by a Referring to Figs. 3 releasable locking means relationship relative to the n rack 44 fixed by means of s assembly 30 is provided.

axially with the rack 44 and to the upper end of the shaf compression spring 48 but the upper leg portion 22 abc releasable clamping memb( together so that the teeth clamping member 50 is sel 46 apart thereby allowing angular position and the re-e portion 22 and hence the position relative to the main es a pivotal connection 40 between the main leg 12 and the e handle assembly 30 thereon enabling pivotal movement of t transverse axis 41 so that the control components 31 can be iser selectable angles for better visibility of the control ter or more comfortable access to or use of the control 35, 36. This can be readily seen in Fig. 2 with the handle en line) having been moved to its lowest position by rotation TOW A.

and 4, the illustrated pivotal connection 40 has a selectively 43 to lock the handle assembly in the selected angular iain leg 12. The locking means 43 includes a toothed annular ub shaft 45 to the upper leg portion 22 atop which the handle A complementary toothed annular rack 46 is arranged coaces towards it, the rack 46 being mounted by stub shaft 47 S13 of the main leg 12. The racks 44, 46 are biased apart by in use are releasably engaged together to prevent rotation of 'ut the main leg 12. The assembly in Figs. 3 and 4 includes a r 50 which is operative to clamp the annular racks 44, 46 thereof mesh together and prevent relative rotation. The ctively releasable to allow the spring 48 to urge the racks 44, relative rotation so that the user can select a new relative gage the clamping member 50 to thereby lock the upper leg handle assembly 30 mounted thereby in the new angular leg 12.

COMS ID No: SBMI-02863908 Received by IP Australia: Time 21:42 Date 2006-03-03 03/03/2006 21:43 61-3-98901337 PATENT ATTORNEY SERV PAGE 08/15 In Fig. 5 there is she in a selectively adjustable means 55 includes a resilie movement of the tiller post shown as a gas strut 57 havi connection 15 which in us cylinder 60 of the gas strut 62 which clamps the rod 61 way, the entire tiller nevertl movement of the piston moi the lever 63 can be operate clamp mechanism 62 to ena adjusting the angle of the til It will be seen that motorised scooter in whicl forwards and backwards ab the scooter body, but also i upper end of the tiller abol upper end thereof This enm adjusted for the optimum different users of different s It is to be understool be made to the features of I herein described without de wn an adjustable holding means 55 to hold the tiller post 11 mngular position relative to the scooter body. The holding nt means 56 enabling limited pivotal but resilient yielding 11 relative to the scooter body. The resilient means 56 is ng a piston rod 58 coupled to a point provided by the pivotal s is anchored relative to the scooter frame or body. The 57 is connected by a locking rod 61 to the clamp mechanism against vertical movement. While rod 61 is clamped in this cless can yieldably move to a limited extent as permitted by mnted on rod 58 within cylinder 60 of the gas strut 57. In Fig.

d by the user to selectively release the clamping action of the ble vertical movement of the locking rod 61 when the user is er as a whole about the pivotal connection be tiller described and illustrated herein enables a user of a the tiller is used to adjust not only the angle of the tiller )ut the pivotal connection 15 of the lower end of the tiller to nables pivotal connection of the handle assembly 30 at the t a horizontal axis 41 located through the tiller towards the ibles the control components 31 and the handles 35, 36 to be visibility and comfort and access by the user and to suit lature and physical abilities.

I that various alterations, modifications and/or additions may le possible and preferred embodiment(s) of the invention as arting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

6 COMS ID No: SBMI-02863908 Received by IP Australia: Time 21:42 Date 2006-03-03

Claims (4)

1. A tiller for a inotoris wheels, at least one of the w steer the scooter, the tiller i which is located a short dis scooter body, and scooter co user can operate so as to con wherein the tiller pos end of the main leg being in scooter so that in use angul operates the steering mecha the scooter, the tiller post tennir handle means which the use angularly about its generall assembly also including con operate to control functions the tiller post further handle assembly enabling r axis so that the control com user selectable angles for o the control components.

2. A tiller as claimed i means operative to lock th main leg. ed scooter which has a scooter body and ground engaging heels being steerable by manipulation of the tiller, so as to icluding: a tiller post which in use is generally upright and :ance in front of a user sitting upon a seat mounted by the ntrol means at the upper end of the tiller post and which the trol movements of the scooter, t includes a main leg having a generally upright axis, a lower use operatively associated with a steering mechanism of the r movement of the main leg about its generally upright axis iism of the scooter to control the direction of movement of ating at an upper end at a handle assembly which includes r can grasp and by means of which the tiller post is moved y upright axis to effect steering of the scooter, the handle trol components presented to the user and which the user can f the scooter, including a pivotal connection between the main leg and the ivotal movement of the handle assembly about a transverse onents of the handle assembly can be presented to the user at timal visibility and/or for optimal physical accessibility of Sclaim 1 and further including selectively releasable locking handle assembly in a selected angular relationship to the 7 COMS ID No: SBMI-02863908 Received by IP Australia: Time 21:42 Date 2006-03-03 03/03/2006 21:43 61-3-98901337 PATENT ATTORNEY SERV PAGE 10/15

3. A tiller as claimed pivotal connection between 1 a toothed annular rac a complementary to( and facing the handle assem a releasable clampin rack and the main leg rack t, prevent relative rotation be member being selectively re a transverse axis which cor angular position where the c against relative rotational m

4. A tiller as claimed ii holding means operatively a its lower end and the body tiller post in a selected anj selectively adjustable to en; relative to the body of the position. n claim 2 wherein the locking means associated with the he handle assembly and main leg of the tiller post includes: k of the handle assembly, ithed annular rack of the main leg co-axially mounted with )1y rack, and g member which is operative to clamp the handle assembly )gether so that the respective teeth thereof mesh together and ween the main leg and the handle assembly, the clamping leasable to allow rotation of the handle assembly rack about :esponds to the axis of the main leg rack to a new selected lamping member can be operated to clamp the racks together )vement. any one of claims 1 to 3 and further including an adjustable ssociated with the pivotal connection between the main leg at )f the scooter, the holding means being operative to hold the ular position relative to the body of the scooter and being Lble the user to change the angular position of the tiller post scooter and to hold the tiller post in that selected changed 8 COMS ID No: SBMI-02863908 Received by IP Australia: Time 21:42 Date 2006-03-03 S03/03/2006 21:43 61-3-98901337 PATENT ATTORNEY SERV PAGE 11/15 A tiller as claimed means operative to enable 1 forwards about the pivotal o1 .n claim 4 wherein the holding means includes a resilient imited yielding movement of the tiller post backwards and nnection with the body of the scooter. Dated this 3 "d day of March 006 PATENT ATTORNEY SEPR Attorneys for PRIDE MOBILITY PRODI VICES [CTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD 9 COMS ID No: SBMI-02863908 Received by IP Australia: Time 21:42 Date 2006-03-03