EP0150209A1 - Vehicule a roues - Google Patents

Vehicule a roues

Info

Publication number
EP0150209A1
EP0150209A1 EP84902898A EP84902898A EP0150209A1 EP 0150209 A1 EP0150209 A1 EP 0150209A1 EP 84902898 A EP84902898 A EP 84902898A EP 84902898 A EP84902898 A EP 84902898A EP 0150209 A1 EP0150209 A1 EP 0150209A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
wheel
vehicle
body structure
driving wheel
rotate
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP84902898A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Sergio Benassi
Umberto Benassi
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
BENASSI BOATS Pty Ltd
Original Assignee
BENASSI BOATS Pty Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by BENASSI BOATS Pty Ltd filed Critical BENASSI BOATS Pty Ltd
Publication of EP0150209A1 publication Critical patent/EP0150209A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63G—MERRY-GO-ROUNDS; SWINGS; ROCKING-HORSES; CHUTES; SWITCHBACKS; SIMILAR DEVICES FOR PUBLIC AMUSEMENT
    • A63G25/00—Autocar-like self-drivers; Runways therefor
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63G—MERRY-GO-ROUNDS; SWINGS; ROCKING-HORSES; CHUTES; SWITCHBACKS; SIMILAR DEVICES FOR PUBLIC AMUSEMENT
    • A63G19/00—Toy animals for riding
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
    • B62K—CYCLES; CYCLE FRAMES; CYCLE STEERING DEVICES; RIDER-OPERATED TERMINAL CONTROLS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR CYCLES; CYCLE AXLE SUSPENSIONS; CYCLE SIDE-CARS, FORECARS, OR THE LIKE
    • B62K9/00—Children's cycles

Definitions

  • This invention concerns vehicles which are supported by wheels. More particularly, it concerns lan vehicles with a central driving wheel, a forward steerable wheel, and a plurality of supporting or stabilising castor wheels. BACKGROUND ART
  • the bicycle and the tricycle are usually thought of as being propelled by a pedalling action of its rider, but motorised versions of the bicycle and tricycle are also well known. No instance of a motorised unicycle is known to either of the present inventors.
  • the abovementioned objective is achieved by providing a body structure around a unicycle, supporting the body structure on a number of castor-type wheels to hold the unicycle upright and provide inherent stability of the body structure, and including a steerable wheel (supported on the body structure) to provide directional control for the vehicle so produced.
  • the body structure may be simply a rigid frame.
  • the body structure it is preferable to form the body structure as a moulded body of a strong plastic material (for example, polyethylene or a polycarbonate), with provision for a rider's seat and a steering wheel or handle to control the position of the steerable wheel.
  • the vehicle of the present invention will be propelled by pedals connected directly, or through a gear box, to the central driving wheel of the vehicle.
  • the driving wheel may be rotated about its axle by a motor which is mounted on the body structure.
  • each supporting or balancing wheel must be a castor wheel, or must be mounted on the body structure to rotate freely about a respective vertical axis as well as about its horizontal axle.
  • two supporting wheels are adequate for the present invention, but it has been found that three supporting wheels provide a particularly stable, and easy to control, vehicle for use by a child.
  • the present invention provides a vehicle comprising a ) a body structure ; b ) a driving wheel mounted centrally on said body structure ;
  • a steerable wheel located forward of said driving wheel and spaced therefrom, and means mounted on the body structure to control the position of said steerable wheel; d) a plurality of supporting wheels mounted on said body structure and spaced from each other and from said driving wheel and said steerable wheel, each said supporting wheel being mounted so that it can rotate about its horizontal axle and its horizontal axle is rotatable about a respective vertical axis; and e) means to rotate said driving wheel about its horizontal axle.
  • Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention in the form of a pedal-powered vehicle.
  • Figure 2 is a side view of the embodiment of Figure 1, but with a different body shape.
  • Figure 3 is a bottom view of the embodiments of Figures 1 and 2.
  • Each of the vehicles illustrated in the accompanying drawings has a moulded body structure 10 on which are mounted a driving wheel 11, a steerable wheel 12, two front castor wheels 13 and a single rear castor wheel 14.
  • the steerable wheel 12 has its axle connected to a bracket 12A at the lower end of a steering post 16 which is located in, and supported by, a bush 16A (typically of nylon or other low friction material) that is connected to the body structure 10.
  • the steering post 16 can rotate
  • OMPI within bush 16A Control of the position of the steerable wheel 12 is effected by a steering wheel or handlebar arrangement 17 at the upper end of the steering post 16.
  • the castor wheels 13 and 14 in conjunction with 5 the steerable wheel 12, support and balance the body structure 10 (and the whole vehicle).
  • the castor wheels also permit the vehicle to move in any direction, and to rotate about the point of contact between the driving wheel 11 and the ground.
  • the minimum requirement of the vehicle of the present invention is one pair of castor wheels, mounted
  • the illustrated form of the present invention provides a more stable, and thus a safer, vehicle for use by children.
  • the driving wheel 11 is mounted centrally on the
  • driving wheel 11 can be made from a plastic material, but if the vehicle is to be used by a large child or by a adult, the wheel 11 is preferably provided with a rubber rim, and more preferably the wheel 11 will be fitted with an inflatable rubber tyre.
  • the rim of the steerable wheel 12 should also be of a material which has a significant coefficient of friction relative to the ground.
  • the driving wheel 11 is turned by applying a force to pedals 15 which are mounted on conventional pedal arms 19 that are fixedly attached to the driving wheel 11.
  • pedals 15 which are mounted on conventional pedal arms 19 that are fixedly attached to the driving wheel 11.
  • an internal gearing could be used in the hub of wheel 11, thus making the ratio of pedal rotations to rotations of wheel 11 different from 1:1.
  • Other variations in construction that could be incorporated in connection with the driving wheel 11 include the provision of a free-wheeling hub, an external brake for the wheel 11 and a wheel mounting arrangement including compressible pads or springs.
  • a small motor may be mounted within the body structure 10 to rotate the driving wheel 11.
  • Any suitable form of motor can be used, but a battery-powered electric motor is preferred.
  • the motor can be connected to the driving wheel by any conventional manner, including a chain-and-sprocket wheel arrangement, a geneva mechanism (not preferred), or frictional contact between a rotating shaft and the rim of wheel 11.
  • the speed of such a motor drive for wheel 11 may be controlled in a conventional manner using a throttle control lever or the like which is mounted on the top of the body structure 10.
  • a control lever may be positioned on the steering wheel or handlebar arrangement 17, or the motor control mechanism may comprise a foot-operated device, incorporated into the foot supports that will be affixed to (or formed integrally with) the body structure 10 since the pedals 15 will be omitted.
  • the body structure 10 of the embodiment of Figure 1 is provided with means to support a seat or saddle 18 at a height selected from the range of seat heights that is available using a simple height adjustment arrangement.
  • the embodiment of Figure 2 has a saddle or seat 18A formed integrally with the body structure 10.
  • the vehicle When the illustrated form of the present invention is pedalled, the vehicle will perform like a bicycle when it is travelling at low speeds and is steered to follow a large radius turning circle. That is, at low speeds, the driving wheel 11 will follow the steerable wheel 12. At relatively high speeds, however, or when the vehicle is s _t*eered in a tight turning circle (or is steered to follow a rapidly varying path) , the vehicle can be rotated about the point of contact between the rim of the driving wheel 11 and the ground.
  • the vehicle of the present invention can be used for amusement purposes in a manner which is similar to the way in which the "dodgem cars" or

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Toys (AREA)

Abstract

Un véhicule à roues destiné à être utilisé par des enfants comme un jouet consiste en une structure (10) sur laquelle sont montées plusieurs roues. Une roue centrale (11) est la seule roue utilisée pour propulser le véhicule. Des roulettes (13, 14) supportent la structure (10) et permettent le déplacement de celle-ci dans toute direction désirée. Une roue de direction (12) montée à l'extrémité inférieure d'une colonne de direction (16) assure la commande directionnelle du véhicule.
EP84902898A 1983-07-27 1984-07-26 Vehicule a roues Withdrawn EP0150209A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AUPG050283 1983-07-27
AU502/83 1983-07-27

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0150209A1 true EP0150209A1 (fr) 1985-08-07

Family

ID=3770253

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP84902898A Withdrawn EP0150209A1 (fr) 1983-07-27 1984-07-26 Vehicule a roues

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0150209A1 (fr)
ES (1) ES8505303A1 (fr)
IT (1) IT1209573B (fr)
WO (1) WO1985000531A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11612826B2 (en) * 2020-03-04 2023-03-28 Miriam Emily Rhiannon Elan Multi-function centered wheel ride-on toy

Family Cites Families (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1665103A (en) * 1922-10-03 1928-04-03 Firm Of Lusse Brothers Vehicle controlling apparatus
FR592593A (fr) * 1925-02-03 1925-08-05 Perfectionnements apportés aux voitures à trolley susceptibles de se déplacer en tous sens
GB249981A (en) * 1925-02-14 1926-04-08 Celeste Capitelli Improvements in apparatus for amusement purposes
FR561152A (fr) * 1926-04-02 1923-10-17 Chaise ou charrette à trolley manoeuvrable en tous sens
US1703360A (en) * 1926-05-26 1929-02-26 Phillips John Charles Amusement car
GB445732A (en) * 1935-01-15 1936-04-17 Fred Lawrence Markey Amusement apparatus
US3829127A (en) * 1973-02-20 1974-08-13 Lellan R Mc Four wheeled foot propelled childs toy vehicle steered by balance of rider
US4126326A (en) * 1976-09-15 1978-11-21 Phillips Marjorie E Training roll-on ball with balancing supports
US4176851A (en) * 1978-07-20 1979-12-04 Simonson Robert C Child's bumper bike

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO8500531A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ES534626A0 (es) 1985-05-16
IT8422087A0 (it) 1984-07-27
WO1985000531A1 (fr) 1985-02-14
ES8505303A1 (es) 1985-05-16
IT1209573B (it) 1989-08-30

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

AK Designated contracting states

Designated state(s): AT BE CH DE FR GB LI LU NL SE

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN

18D Application deemed to be withdrawn

Effective date: 19850702

RIN1 Information on inventor provided before grant (corrected)

Inventor name: BENASSI, UMBERTO

Inventor name: BENASSI, SERGIO