GB2263258A

GB2263258A - Scooter convertible to trike by means of a folding seat.

Info

Publication number: GB2263258A
Application number: GB9127318A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard John Satherley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-12-23
Filing date: 1991-12-23
Publication date: 1993-07-21
Anticipated expiration: 2011-12-23
Also published as: GB2263258B; GB9127318D0

Abstract

A combined scooter/trike 10 for a child comprising a frame 11 which extends both fore and aft. A steerable front wheel assembly 19 is mounted at the forward end and a wide track rear wheel assembly 30 is mounted at the rearward end. A seat 29 and means 25, 28, 32 to mount a seat 29 in a raised or lowered position are provided such that the seat 29 may be raised fig 1, for a child to sit on and use the scooter/trike in a trike mode or the seat 29 may be lowered out of the way fig 5, so a child may stand and use the scooter/trike in a scooter mode. The seat mounting 25 may be provided in the form of a U-shaped handle which may be pushed by a third party. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO SCOOTER/TRIKES This invention relates to a scooter/trike which is suitable for use by a toddler or young child.

The invention provides a scooter/trike comprising a fore and aft-extending frame member having a steerable front wheel assembly mounted at its forward end, a wide wheelbase rear wheel assembly at its rearward end to provide stability, a seat member and means to mount the seat member in alternative raised and lowered positions with respect to the frame member for a child to sit on whilst using the scooter/trike in trike mode or to stand on whilst propelling the scooter/trike in scooter mode.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention a seat support member may be hinged to the frame to pivot about a horizontal axis in front of the rear wheel assembly between an erect position and a lowered position in which it extends horizontally along the frame from the pivotal mounting and means are provided for mounting the seat on the support member in a raised horizontal position to be sat on when the support member is erect and to lie horizontally along the frame member when the support member is in said lowered position to be stood on.

More particularly the seat may be pivotally mounted at one end on the seat support member and a strut is provided for supporting the other end of the seat which is releasably engageable with the frame to hold the seat in said horizontal position when the seat support member is erect and to lower with the seat and seat support member to lie horizontally along the frame when the support member is in its lowered position.

In one particular arrangement the strut may be pivotally mounted to the seat and may be releasably engageable in a socket on the frame to support the seat as aforesaid.

According to a further feature of the invention the seat support member may be a U-shaped member pivotally mounted to the seat frame at the free ends of the U with the seat pivotally mounted to the arms of the U partway along the arms and the closed end of the U forming an upstanding handle when the U-shaped member is in its erect position for a third party to guide or assist in supporting or propelling the scooter/trike.

In the latter arrangement the length of the U-shaped member may be such that when the member is in said lowered position, the member extends beyond said front wheel, the spacing of the arms of the U being such that the forward part of the frame can pass between the arms as the member is moved from its erect to its lowered position in which the front wheel is located between the arms of the U which are spaced sufficiently to allow steering of the wheel.

In any of the above arrangements the front wheel assembly may be mounted on a rotatable column supported in the frame at the forward end thereof, the upper end of which column terminates in a handle-bar for steering the wheel.

Preferably the column is adjustable telescopically between a retracted position for use in trike mode and an extended position for use in scooter mode.

In the latter arrangement the telescopic joint in the column may permit the handle-bar to be removed to facilitate lowering of the U-shaped frame member over the front part of the frame into its horizontal position.

The following is a description of a specific embodiment of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a side view of a scooter/trike intended for use by a toddler/child in trike mode; Fig. 2 is a front view of the scooter/trike as shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a rear view of the scooter/trike a shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the scooter/trike as shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the scooter/trike in scooter mode.

Referring firstly to Fig. 1 of the drawings, there is shown a scooter/trike in trike mode comprising a frame indicated generally at 10, having a fore and aft extending member 11 which, at is rearward end terminates in a hub assembly 12 in which a rear axle (not shown) is mounted to project on either side of the hub and carry a pair of "flat" rear wheels 30, providing together a wide wheel base for stability.

The forward end of the frame member 11 has an upswept "swan-neck" part 14 and a steering column indicated at 15 is mounted in a bearing 16 housed in frame part 14 to pivot about a rearwardly inclined steering axis 17. The lower part of the steering column 15 comprises a downwardly extending tongue 18 on which a relatively narrow pair of front wheels 19 are mounted. The upper end of the steering column projecting above the bearing 16 is in the form of a two-part telescopic column having a lower outer part 20 and an upper inner part 21 with a handle-bar 22 formed integrally with the latter.A clamp (not shown) is provided for locking the inner and outer parts of the column in a required position of rotational adjustment so that the handle-bars lie across the trike with the front wheels in the true fore and aft position and with the handle-bars adjusted to the required vertical position to suit the user. Normally, when in trike mode, the handle-bar is set at the lowest position with the inner part 21 of the column fully retracted into the outer part of the column as shown in Fig. 1. The handle-bar 22 has hand-grips 23 at either end of the handle-bar.

Towards the rear of the frame 11 there is an upwarding and rearwardly inclined inverted U-shaped member 25, the lower, free ends of which are connected by pivots 26 to the mounted or laterally extending lugs ila on the frame 11 for pivotal movement of the frame about a horizontal axis 27 extending across the frame. The U-shaped member has an integral cross-member 28 extending across the member at seat height when the member 25 is in the erect position shown in Fig. 1 to support the rearward end of a seat 29. The seat 29 has a downardly open recess 30 at its rearward end which fits on the cross-member 28 and at its forward end is pivotally mounted at 31 on the upper end of a strut 32 extending upwardly from and detachably locked in the aforesaid hub 12.

The U-shaped frame 25 extends upwardly above the seat 29 to provide a seat back for the user of the trike and the upper end of the U-shaped frame provides a handle which can be used by a third party to assist in propelling or guiding the trike.

When used in trike mode as illustrated in Figs.

1 to 4 a child sits on the seat 29 and propels the trike with his/her feet engaging the ground on either side of the frame. The child can be assisted by an adult who can grasp the upper end of the U-shaped member to help propell and/or guide the trike. The trike is converted to operate in scooter mode as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings by disengaging the handle-bar 22 from the upper end of the steering column, disengaging the strut 32 from the hub 12 and the rear of the seat 29 from the cross-member 28 in the U-shaped frame and then swinging the U-shaped frame 25 forwardly over the part of the frame 11 to lie horizontally along the frame with the front wheel 20 between the limbs of the U. At the same time the seat and strut assembly fold down onto the frame 11 behind the front part and the seat to provide a foot rest for the user to stand on. The handle-bar/inner column assembly is then refitted to the outer column 20 with the column extended and the scooter/trike is then ready for use in scooter mode. The relatively wide rear wheel assembly 13 preserves the stability of the trike so that the scooter form is easily used by a young child.

Claims

1. A scooter/trike comprising a fore and aft-extending frame member having a steerable front wheel assembly mounted at its forward end, a wide wheelbase rear wheel assembly at its rearward end to provide stability, a seat member and means to mount the seat member in alternative raised and lowered positions with respect to the frame member for a child to sit on whilst using the scooter/trike in trike mode or to stand on respectively whilst propelling the scooter/trike in scooter mode.

2. A scooter/trike as claimed in Claim 1, wherein a seat support member is hinged to the frame pivot about a horizontal axis in front of the rear wheel assembly between an erect position and a lowered position in which it extends horizontally along the frame from the pivotal mounting and means are provided for mounting the seat on the support member in a horizontal position to be sat on when the support member is erect and to lie horizontally along the frame member when the support member is in said lowered position to be stood on.

3. A scooter/trike as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the seat is pivotally mounted at one end on the seat support member and a strut is provided for supporting the other end of the seat which is releasably engageable with the frame to hold the seat in said horizontal position when the seat support member is erect and to lower with the seat and seat support member to lie horizontally along the frame when the support member is in its lowered position.

4. A scooter/trike as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the strut is pivotally mounted to the seat and is releasably engageable in a socket on the frame to support the seat as aforesaid.

5. A scooter/trike as claimed in any of Claims 2-4, wherein the seat support member is a U-shaped member pivotally mounted to the seat frame at the free ends of the U with the seat pivotally mounted to the arms of the U partway along the arms and the closed end of the U forming an upstanding handle when the U-shaped member is in its erect position for a third party to guide or assist in supporting or propelling the scooter/trike.

6. A scooter/trike as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the length of the U-shaped member is such that when the member is in said lowered position, the member extends beyond said front wheel, the spacing of the arms of the U being such that the forward part of the frame can pass between the arms as the member is moved from its erect to its lowered position in which the front wheel is located between the arms of the U which are spaced sufficiently to allow steering of the wheel.

7. A scooter/trike as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the front wheel assembly is mounted on a rotatable column supported in the frame at the forward end thereof, the upper end of which terminates in a handle-bar for steering the wheel.

8. A scooter/trike as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the column is adjustable telescopically between a retracted position for use in trike mode and an extended position for use in scooter mode.

9. A scooter/trike as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the telescopic joint in the column permits the handle-bar to be removed to facilitate lowering of the U-shaped frame member over the front part of the frame into its horizontal position.

10. A scooter/trike substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.