FR3069839A1 - THREE-WHEEL ELECTRIC VEHICLE WITH SWIVEL FORK - Google Patents

Abstract

Tricycle (1) having a chassis (8) elongated along a chassis CH-CH axis, said chassis (8) carrying two motorized rear wheels (2) and, opposite the rear wheels, a retractable assembly ( 4) comprising a fork (6) extending along an axis FF fork and cooperating with a steering column (7), said fork (6) being surmounted by a handlebar (5) and carrying a front wheel (3) , the frame (8) carrying a seat (24) and footrest (18), and the fork (6) being pivotally mounted relative to the frame (8).

Description

ELECTRIC VEHICLE WITH THREE WHEELS WITH PIVOTING FORK

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a tricycle comprising an elongated frame carrying two motorized rear wheels and, opposite the rear wheels, an assembly comprising a steering column and a fork surmounted by a handlebar and carrying a front wheel, the steering column extending the chassis towards the handlebars.

PRIOR ART [0002] Bicycles and tricycles with electric motorization are means of transport more and more used and appreciated in cities, in particular in big agglomerations because they constitute an economical and non-polluting alternative to thermal vehicles. On the other hand, for a given trip, the potential time saving by using such a vehicle compared to a four-wheeled vehicle can be considerable. In addition, parking is simpler and often free.

In general, in large cities, there are a very large number of bicycles and tricycles. As a result, on many sites, such as stations or other public places with a high attendance, the bicycle parks are saturated. It is therefore increasingly difficult to find a place to park your bicycle or tricycle. There is therefore a need for a vehicle which is as compact as possible.

To facilitate their storage when they are not in use, several tricycles have a foldable frame in two parts. The parts are pivotally mounted relative to each other. Such an arrangement allows the tricycle to be folded up when it is not in use. Folding tricycles partially solve the problem of lack of space.

However, there is a need for a compact vehicle which is stable, easy to handle and effortlessly transportable.

Numerous documents disclose various solutions of foldable tricycles. For example, document DE2804993 describes a tricycle composed of two wheels at the rear and an "X" shaped frame which can fold in on itself.

Document EP1927539 describes a tricycle provided with two wheels at the front and having a folding frame.

Document WO2015055875 describes a tricycle composed of two wheels at the rear.

Document WO2016082738 describes a tricycle having two wheels at the rear and an "X" shaped frame, ideal for transport but unstable during the driving phase.

Document FR2962403 describes a folding tricycle having two wheels at the front and a fork which folds over the rear of the frame.

These various embodiments offer complex implementations, to obtain folded positions occupying substantially high volumes.

Document TWM526975 describes an electric bicycle with two wheels that can fold or unfold in two successive phases. This vehicle is described in more detail in the following, in relation to FIGS. 1a to 1c, schematically illustrating such a type of vehicle. This vehicle has three main bars, articulated and pivoting therebetween. The whole is therefore relatively complex and heavy. In addition, the transition from one mode to the other (deployed to folded or vice versa) requires the implementation of two successive phases, with intervention on two separate lock elements. This approach is tedious and presents a significant risk of accidental unlocking, which can have serious consequences in terms of security. In fact, to switch from driving mode to "closed" mode, the user must carry out two successive phases, each of them involving several stages. Phase 1 is made up of the steps: (i) unlocking at the level of the saddle, (ii) folding the footrest bar against the chassis, (iii) locking these two bars in "closed" mode. Phase 2 consists of: (i) unlocking the fork lock,

2017-366en (ii) pivoting the fork to place the front wheel in the chassis, (iii) lock the fork in folded mode. The construction and implementation of this bike is very complex. This type of architecture also presents a double risk of accidental unlocking.

To overcome the various drawbacks previously mentioned, the invention provides different technical means.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION First of all, a first objective of the invention consists in providing an urban means of transport complementary to conventional urban transport such as the bus, the tram and the metro.

Another objective of the invention is to provide an ecological and economical means of urban transport.

Another objective of the invention is to provide an urban means of transport that does not require a public or private parking space.

Another objective of the invention is to provide a light and compact means of urban transport to allow it to be transported with oneself to the office, to public places or other places.

Another objective of the invention is to provide an urban means of transport that is easy to drive for any type of user.

Another objective of the invention is to provide an urban means of transport with a high level of security.

To do this, the invention provides a tricycle comprising an elongated chassis along a chassis CH-CH axis, said chassis carrying two motorized rear wheels and, opposite the rear wheels, a retractable assembly comprising a fork extending along a fork axis FF and cooperating with a steering column, said fork being surmounted by a handlebar and carrying a front wheel,

2017-366en characterized in that the chassis carries a saddle and footrests, and the fork is pivotally mounted relative to the chassis. This architecture makes it an easily and almost instantly transformable vehicle by the user in two modes. The first is a driving mode where the vehicle is ready to serve as a means of transport for the user. The second mode provides a retracted position in which the device is particularly compact, thus promoting the transport of the tricycle and its storage. The simplified frame, using a single assembly connecting the fork to the rear of the vehicle allows a simple, light and compact construction. In deployed mode, a single lock is required to hold the fork in place and prevent unintentional pivoting movement.

In the retracted position, the handlebars serve as a gripping means for lifting and moving the tricycle. The front part of the tricycle comprising the handlebars, the fork and the front wheel constitutes a relatively light assembly and can thus be easily lifted to place the tricycle in abutment on its rear wheels.

Advantageously, the chassis comprises two substantially parallel arms cooperating with the steering column, a pivot being provided between the arms and the steering column. This architecture frees up a space between the arms to allow the front wheel to pass when passing into the retracted or deployed position.

According to an advantageous embodiment, each arm comprises a pivot rod cooperating with a pivot housing provided in the steering column. This arrangement is robust and simple to implement.

According to another advantageous embodiment, the arms define a front wheel housing in the retracted position.

This characteristic makes it possible to obtain a compact vehicle. In retracted mode, the front wheel is fully protected, with no prominent area and without the risk of causing any discomfort.

Advantageously, the pivot provides an actuatable lock. This lock prevents involuntary rotation of the fork in the retracted position when it is in the unfolded position.

Advantageously, the tricycle includes a rear end. The rear wheels are positioned so as to provide, beyond said rear end of the tricycle, a rolling zone for the retracted position.

A pull handle is advantageously arranged in the central part of the handlebars to facilitate gripping in the retracted position.

According to another advantageous embodiment, the chassis comprises a support bar on the ground. This bar allows the tricycle to hold in a vertical position when it is in the retracted position to facilitate its storage and / or its arrangement.

According to an advantageous embodiment, footrests are fixed to each of the chassis arms. They allow the user to have a comfortable and very stable position.

According to another embodiment, a steering column support extends the chassis towards the handlebars and carries the steering column on which the fork is pivotally mounted. This alternative embodiment makes it possible to provide an original, simple and reliable architecture.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the tricycle comprises an engine housing, mounted on the chassis and with which the rear wheels cooperate. This arrangement also makes it possible to concentrate the mass towards the rear of the tricycle.

The invention also provides a method for locking a front wheel of a tricycle in the retracted position, comprising the steps consisting in: (i) rotating the retractable assembly towards the retracted position; (ii) crossing the intermediate zone by exerting a displacement force making it possible to compress the tire and / or the suspension, said displacement force being greater than the locking force.

Advantageously, the invention provides a method for locking a front wheel of a tricycle in the rolling position, comprising the unlocking steps consisting in: (i) rotating the retractable assembly towards the rolling position; (ii) crossing the intermediate zone by exerting a displacement force making it possible to compress the tire and / or the suspension, said displacement force being greater than the locking force; (iii) end of rotation of the retractable assembly when said assembly is locked in the rolling position.

These configurations allow the tricycle to have only one lock, which reduces the risk of accidental unlocking.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES All the details of embodiment are given in the description which follows, supplemented by FIGS. 1a to 11, presented only for the purposes of nonlimiting examples, and in which:

Figures 1a to 1c illustrate an example of an electric vehicle with two wheels with a pivoting fork from the prior art;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of a first embodiment of an electric tricycle according to the invention;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the tricycle of Figure 2;

Figures 4a and 4b are top sectional views of the pivot area of the retractable assembly of the tricycle of Figure 2;

Figures 5a and 5b schematically illustrate the passage of the intermediate zone of the tricycle of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is an elevational view of the tricycle of Figure 2 in the retracted position in vertical support on the ground;

Figure 7 is a top view of the tricycle of Figure 2 in the riding position;

FIG. 8 illustrates a second embodiment of the tricycle according to the invention;

Figure 9 illustrates the tricycle of Figure 8 in front view;

Figure 10 illustrates the tricycle of Figure 8 in the "intermediate zone" position;

2017-366en Figure 11 illustrates the tricycle of Figure 8 in the retracted position, in vertical support on the ground.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

PRIOR ART Figures 1a, 1b and 1c illustrate a bicycle 30 with two-wheel electric motor 35 and 36 of known type. This vehicle is modular between a deployed rolling position and a folded position, to facilitate its storage. In the deployed position, as shown in Figure 1a, the frame 31 is oriented longitudinally, and slightly inclined. It is connected to the rear wheel 36 and the fork 32 which it cuts in the middle position. A saddle and footrest bar 33 is pivotally mounted on the chassis. A horizontal bar 34 connects the top of the bar 33 and the fork.

Figure 1b shows a partially folded position. In this position, the saddle bar and footrest are unlocked and pivoted backwards. It pivots until it ends up parallel to chassis 31.

Figure 1c shows the fully folded position. In this position, the fork 32 is unlocked and pivoted backwards until the front wheel 35 is positioned at the level of the chassis 31. The bicycle is then fully folded.

This architecture is relatively complex, both in terms of implementation and that of construction. Indeed, the user must carry out two successive manipulations in order to fold or unfold the bicycle. He must also activate two locks. The construction includes three pivotally mounted bars, and two latches. The two pivots cause a loss of rigidity of the assembly. The two locks add additional parts and high risks of unlocking one or the other, or even both locks.

FIRST EMBODIMENT FIGS. 2 to 7 illustrate a first embodiment of a tricycle according to the invention.

The structure of the tricycle 1 provides two wheels 2 at the rear and a single wheel 3 at the front, which allows it to have good stability, in particular when stationary. This architecture also makes it possible to produce a light, compact vehicle, at low cost. A chassis 8 substantially elongated along an axis CH-CH serves as a structural support for most of the elements of the tricycle 1. Towards the front, the chassis forms two chassis arms 13 and 14 which extend towards the column of direction. At the rear of the chassis 8, a central box 22 makes it possible to house the elements conventionally known for ensuring the motorization of the vehicle, in particular the battery. The tricycle 1 uses at least one electric motor installed so as to motorize the two rear wheels 2. As a variant, each rear wheel is coupled to an independent motor, mounted off-wheel, or in the axis of the wheel. A charger is advantageously provided to facilitate recharging, for example with a wire which can be connected to the mains (220V or 110V).

A retractable assembly 4 is arranged at the front of the chassis 8. As illustrated, the retractable assembly 4 comprises a steering column 7 formed in the extension of the chassis 8, and oriented at an angle D relative to this last. In this exemplary embodiment, the angle D is preferably 72 °. More generally, the angle D is between 60 ° and 80 °.

In the steering column 7, a fork 6, of axis FF, is pivotally fixed, in order to allow the angular displacement (to the right and to the left) of the front wheel 3 mounted at the lower end of the fork 6. The handlebar 5 is mounted at the other end of the fork 6.

The steering column 7 comprises a pivot 9 oriented perpendicular to the axis F-F of the fork. The pivot 9 makes it possible to move the fork between two extreme positions, that is to say a deployed rolling position, in which the axis FF of the deployed fork forms an angle D greater than 60 ° relative to the axis CH-CH of the chassis ( see for example in FIG. 2), and a retracted position, in which the fork axis FF 6 approaches substantially the axis CH-CH of the chassis 8, as shown for example in FIG. 6.

In this embodiment, the pivot 9 consists of a pivot rod 10 and

2017-366en of a pivot housing 11 which allows the passage of the pivot rod 10. In the example illustrated in FIGS. 4a and 4b, the pivot housings 11 are mounted in the steering column 7 and the pivot rods 10 are fixed on the arms 13 and 14. As a variant, the position of the rods 10 and the position housings 11 can be reversed.

The transition from the deployed mode shown for example in Figures 2, 3 and 7 to the folded mode illustrated in Figure 6 is carried out in a particularly simple manner. In deployed mode, the fork is locked to prevent accidental or unintentional folding. A fork lock is provided for this purpose. It can for example be a system with a movable finger, fixed to the chassis, which is inserted into a locking tunnel provided in the fork. Other locking modes of known types can also be used. The user unlocks the fork 6 and rotates it around the pivot 9 so that the front wheel 3 goes towards the chassis 8. A stop 19, fixed to the chassis and provided at the end of the race, prevents the wheel from go beyond its retracted position.

In the retracted mode, shown for example in Figure 6, the front wheel is surrounded on either side by the arms of the chassis 8. Figure 6 illustrates the housing area 12 of the front wheel provided in the chassis. The housing area also allows the wheel 3 to be protected during transport and storage. The user and the surrounding environment are protected if the wheel becomes dirty.

In the retracted mode, the vehicle is particularly compact, and can easily be stored virtually anywhere. In the standing position, as illustrated in FIG. 6, it rests on the two rear wheels 2 and on a ground support bar 17, provided in the extension of the chassis 8. This architecture allows the vehicle not to fall and to be stored more easily, in a minimalist space.

A pull handle 21, in the central area of the handlebar 5, allows the tricycle to be easily manipulated to move it with ease given its low weight and its small size. A locking means in retracted mode is advantageously provided to prevent the fork from involuntarily pivoting towards the deployed position.

Figures 5a and 5b schematically illustrate a preferred example of locking mode in the folded position. In FIG. 5b, in the retracted position, the wheel is in the housing zone 12, surrounded on the upper side by the end-of-travel stop 19, and on the lower side by a stop 26 in the intermediate zone 27.

The intermediate zone 27 is provided for compressing the fork 6 and / or the tire of the front wheel when crossing this zone. In the example illustrated in FIG. 5a, the suspension 20 of the fork is compressed as well as the tire of the wheel. Some force must be applied to achieve this compression. This force corresponds to a locking / unlocking force. Thus, to cross the intermediate zone 27, the user must push the fork and allow generating a pushing force against the wheel greater than the locking / unlocking force. Thanks to the intermediate zone, the wheel can be locked in the retracted mode, and any accidental return to the deployed position is prevented.

As shown in Figure 5b, the chassis adopts in the retracted position a profile complementary to or corresponding to that of the wheel, so as to release the fork and / or the tire from the compressive forces. In the example illustrated, the front suspension and the tire are substantially uncompressed.

Alternatively, the profile of the intermediate zone 27 can be adapted so as to generate different locking and unlocking forces, for example by modifying the angle of attack between the intermediate zone and the tire. Still alternatively, provision is made for an arrangement with a lower locking force than the unlocking force. Such an arrangement allows, on the one hand, ease of folding and, on the other hand, reinforced support in folded mode, for example to avoid unwanted unfolding when the folded tricycle is being pulled while walking.

ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENT As a variant, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the central box 22 makes it possible to house one or more saddle-carrying tubes 25. In the example, two parallel tubes are retractably mounted in the central box 22. The seat 24 is placed

2017-366en at the free ends of the tubes 25. The retractable saddle 24 makes it possible to reduce the size of the tricycle when necessary, in particular when the front wheel is in the retracted position, as described later. The housing 22 can also provide storage space for user objects.

SECOND EMBODIMENT [0057] Figures 8 to 11 illustrate a second embodiment of a tricycle. The reference numbers corresponding to elements already described in the first embodiment are unchanged. This embodiment differs from the first mainly in the connection between the fork 6 and the chassis 8. A support 15 of the steering column is provided in the extension of the chassis 8, and goes up to the level of the handlebar 5. The column of direction 7 is fixed against this support

15. The pivot 9 making it possible to pivot the fork 6 is provided at the base of the support 15, as clearly visible in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10.

Figures 8 and 9 illustrate the tricycle of this second embodiment in deployed mode, ready to ride. In FIG. 10, the fork is in the process of tilting, and pivots around the pivot 9. In this figure, the wheel begins to penetrate into the housing zone 12 of the chassis.

Figure 11 illustrates the tricycle in retracted mode, the front wheel then being fully housed in the housing area 12. The saddle 24 is lowered, with the saddle tubes 25 inserted in the central housing 22. A lock is advantageously provided to ensure the maintenance in retracted mode and to avoid any unwanted deployment. The lock can be similar to that described for the first embodiment, or of any other known type.

Alternatively, for one or other of the embodiments previously described, to improve the dynamic behavior of the tricycle, the chassis is made in two parts separated by an axis mounted free in rotation, allowing the front of the tricycle to move freely in roll while keeping the rear fixed.

2017-366fr

Reference numbers used in the figures

Tricycle

Rear wheels

Front wheel

Retractable set

Handlebar

Fork

Steering column

Frame

Front wheel tilting pivot pivot rod pivot housing

Front wheel housing area in retracted position Chassis arm Chassis arm

Steering column support

Rear end

Ground grab bar

Footrest

End of travel stop

Front suspension

Pull handle

Central housing

Front wheel clearance

Saddle

Saddle tube

Intermediate zone stop

Intermediate zone

2017-366fr

Foldable electric bike of the prior art

Frame

Fork

Saddle bar and footrest

Horizontal bar

Front wheel

Rear wheel

2017-366fr

Claims (10)

1. Tricycle (1) comprising a chassis (8) elongated along a chassis CH-CH axis, said chassis (8) carrying two motorized rear wheels (2) and, opposite the rear wheels, an assembly retractable (4) comprising a fork (6) extending along a fork axis FF and cooperating with a steering column (7), said fork (6) being surmounted by a handlebar (5) and carrying a front wheel ( 3), characterized in that the chassis (8) carries a saddle (24) and footrests (18), and the fork (6) is pivotally mounted relative to the chassis (8). 2. Tricycle (1) according to claim 1, in which the chassis (8) comprises two arms (13, 14) substantially parallel cooperating with the steering column (7), a pivot (9) being provided between the arms (13 , 14) and the steering column (7). 3. Tricycle (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein each of the arms (13, 14) extends on one side of the steering column (7). 4. Tricycle (1) according to one of claims 2 to 3, in which the pivot (9) comprises a pivot rod (10) in each arm (13, 14) cooperating with a pivot housing (11) provided in the steering column (7). 5. Tricycle (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the arms (13, 14) delimit a housing (12) of the front wheel in the retracted position. 6. Tricycle (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the pivot (9) provides an actuatable lock. 7. Tricycle (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a rear end (16) and in which the rear wheels (2) are positioned so as to provide, beyond said rear end (16) of the tricycle ( 1), a rolling area for the retracted position. 2017-366fr 8. Tricycle (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 8 wherein footrests (18) are fixed to each of the chassis arms (13, 14). 5 9. Tricycle (1) according to claim 1, in which a support (15) of the steering column extends the frame (8) towards the handlebar (5) and carries the steering column (7) on which the fork (6) is pivotally mounted. 10. Tricycle (1) according to any one of claims 1 or 10, comprising 10 an engine housing (21), mounted on the chassis (8) and with which the rear wheels (2) cooperate.