GB2353772A

GB2353772A - Foot operated collapsible scooter

Info

Publication number: GB2353772A
Application number: GB0027303A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anjum Mobrik
Original assignee: LTC DISTRIBUTORS Ltd
Current assignee: LTC DISTRIBUTORS Ltd
Priority date: 2000-11-08
Filing date: 2000-11-08
Publication date: 2001-03-07
Also published as: GB0027303D0

Abstract

To prevent finger entrapment, the scooter comprises a footplate (10), a steering column a strut member attached to the steering column, hinge means comprising a bracket (25) attaching a front end of the footplate (10) and an end of the strut member wherein a forward wall of the strut member adjacent the front end of the footplate (10) is provided with an opening extending from the end of the said strut member. The rearward wall of the strut member also has an opening. The scooter is locked in its operational position by a ferrule (65) on a hinged arm, and in its collapsed position by a pin in the strut engaging a hole in the bracket (25) and operated by a button.

Description

2353772 IMPROVED SCOOTER

Technical Field of the Invention

This invention relates to scooters, and in particular, to foot propelled collapsible scooters.

Background of the Invention

There has recently been increased popularity in the area of collapsible scooters. However, it has been realised that some of these scooters may have inherent problems, e.g. in the form of finger entrapment hazards, particularly for children and young adults.

It is amongst objects of the present invention to obviate or mitigate the foregoing disadvantages.

Summary of the Invention

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a collapsible scooter comprising:

a footplate; steering column; strut member attached to the steering column; and hinge means attaching a front end of the footplate and an end of the strut member, wherein a side of the strut member adjacent the front end of the footplate is provided with an opening extending from the said end of the said member.

2 In this way the opening provides that there is at all times a gap between the front end of the footplate and the adjacent side of the strut member so as to obviate or at least mitigate the possibility of finger entrapment - particularly during erection of the scooter from a folded position to an unfolded or riding position and/or also during collapsing of the scooter from the riding position to the folded position.

Preferably, the opening is substantially concave extending away from the said end of the strut member, and may be arch-shaped.

Preferably, the opening substantially extends between left and right sides of the strut member.

Conveniently left and right sides of the strut member are rotatably mounted on a pivot pin of the hinge means so as to allow the strut member to pivot around the pivot pin.

Preferably the hinge means further comprises a bracket fixed to the footplate which bracket may have left and right sides, the pivot pin being mounted therebetween.

Conveniently another end of the strut member is welded or otherwise rigidly fixed to the steering column.

Preferably, a further side of the strut member opposite the side of the strut member adjacent the front of the footplate is alternatively or also provided with an opening extending away from the said end of the strut member.

3 Preferably, there is provided a first releasible locking mechanism advantageously at least partly provided within the strut member - to retain the scooter in a folded position. Manual release of the first releasible locking mechanism allows for erection of the scooter to the riding position.

Preferably the strut member extends substantially diagonally between the steering column and footplate when the scooter is in the riding position.

Preferably, there is provided a second releasible locking mechanism for retaining the scooter in the riding position, in one embodiment comprising a jointed collapsible lockable arm provided between the steering column and the footplate. The locking arm may act to is retain the scooter in the riding position, in use.

Preferably, there is provided a spring biased knurled ferrule or the like that functions as a releasible locking means on the collapsible arm to retain the scooter in the riding position.

Preferably, there is provided a frictional braking device at least on a rear wheel of the scooter.

Desc=:LRtic>n of the D:rawincrs An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are:

4 Figure 1 a side view of an embodiment of a scooter according to the present invention in a first (riding) position; Figure 2 a side view of the scooter of Fig. 1 in a second (folded) position; Fig. 3 an enlarged perspective view from a side of a portion of the scooter of Fig. 1 in the second position; Fig. 4 an enlarged perspective view from the front of a portion of the scooter of Fig. 1 in the first position; Fig. 5 an enlarged perspective view from the rear of a portion of the scooter of Fig. 1 in the first position; Fig. 6 a perspective view from below of a front portion of the scooter of Fig. 1 with a front wheel removed; Fig. 7 a front end view of the scooter of Fig. 1 with the front wheel removed; Fig. 8 a bottom view of a steering column of the scooter of Fig. 1; Fig. 9 a partial side view of the steering column of the scooter of Fig. 1.

Detailed Description of D=awinqs

Referring to the drawings there is shown a collapsible scooter, generally designated 5, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The scooter 5 comprises: a footplate 10, a steering column 15, a strut member 20 attached by a weld or the like to the steering column 15, a hinge means 23, the hinge means 23 comprising a pivot pin upon which the strut 20 is rotatably mounted. A bracket is welded to the footplate 10, the pivot pin 60 being mounted in apertures formed on first and second portions of the bracket 25. The scooter also includes a frictional braking device 35.

The embodiment of Figure 1 provides a telescopic section 40 of the steering column 15 that is shown in Figure 1 in an extended riding position. Both the telescopic section 40 and handle bars 45 are releasibly locked into position by means of depressable location pins (not shown) Figure 1 also shows a jointed collapsible locking arm 30 extended in Figure 1 in a locked position.

The collapsible locking arm 30 comprises a first portion 37 and second portion 39 hinged together, the first portion 37 being hingeably attached to a first hinge arm bracket 32 on the steering column 15, while the second portion 39 is hingeably attached to the footplate 10 by a second arm hinge bracket 34 on the footplate 10.

Referring now to Figure 2 and 3 the scooter 5 is shown in a folded position with the telescopic section 40 of the steering column 15 retracted into the steering column 15.

6 The collapsible locking arm 30 is shown in a folded position and the handle bars 45 are shown in a disengaged position from the steering column 15.

Handlebars 45 are attached to the telescopic section 40 by means of an elasticated cord (not shown) attached between the handlebars 45 and the telescopic section 40.

In the folded position the scooter 5 is held fast by means of a locking pin 50 which is manually operable by means of a depressible button 55 allows the locking pin 50 to retract into the strut member 20 and disengage from a locating hole 38 formed in the bracket 25, thus allowing the strut member 20 and steering column 15 to rotate around the pivot pin 60, so that the scooter 5 can be erected from its folded position to its riding position.

is Referring to Figures 4 and 5 the scooter 5 is shown in its riding position. The scooter 5 is secured in this position by means of the jointed collapsible locking arm 30. This is achieved by means of a spring biased knurled ferrule 65 that extends over a centre hinged point 42 of the jointed collapsible arm 30. To move the scooter 5 from the riding position to the folded position the spring biased knurled ferrule 65 is manually moved in a direction towards the steering column 15 so that it is clear of the centre hinge point 42 of the jointed collapsible locking arm 30. This allows the footplate 10 and steering column to rotate around the pivot pin 60 and the collapsible 7 arm 30 can fold down around its hinge points 32 and 34.

Referring also to Figures 6 and 7 there areshown openings 80 and 85 in the strut member 20 which in this embodiment are arch shaped. The openings 80, 85 provide that at all times there is a gap between the side of the strut member 20 provided with the respective opening 80, 85 and the footplate 10, so as to obviate or at least mitigate the possibility of finger entrapment particularly during erection of the scooter 5 from a folded position to an unfolded or riding position, and/or also during collapsing of the scooter 5 from the riding position to the folded position. The openings 80, 85 are formed such that the gap permitted for between the strut member 20 and footplate 10 is always greater than 12mm.

is Referring now to Figure 8 there is shown a configuration of locking mechanism 90 incorporated within the strut member 20 and its associated locking pin 50 and depressable button 55. Figure 9 shows the steering column of the scooter 5 separated from the footplate 10 and the profile of the strut member 20.

8

Claims

1. A collapsible scooter comprising:

a footplate; a steering column; a strut member attached to the steering column; and hinge means attaching a front end of the footplate and an end of the strut member, wherein a side of the strut member adjacent the front end of the footplate is provided with an opening extending from the said end of the said member.

2. A collapsible scooter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the opening in the strut member is substantially concave extending away from the said end of the strut member, and may be arch-shaped.

is A collapsible scooter as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the opening extends substantially between left and right side of the strut.

4. A collapsible scooter as claimed in any of claims 1 to claim 3, wherein the left and right sides of the strut member are rotatably mounted on a pivot pin of the hinge means so as to allow the strut member to pivot around the pivot pin.

9

5. A collapsible scooter as claimed in claim 4 wherein the hinge means further comprises a bracket fixed to the footplate which bracket has left and right sides, the pivot pin being mounted therebetween.

6. A collapsible scooter as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the strut member extends substantially diagonally between the steering column and the footplate when the scooter is in the riding position.

7. A collapsible scooter as claimed in any preceding claim wherein another end of the strut member is welded t-o the steering column.

8. A collapsible scooter as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a side of the strut member opposite the side of the strut member adjacent the front of the footplate is is also provided with an opening extending away from the said end of the strut member.

9. A collapsible scooter as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein there is provided a first releasible locking mechanism to retain the scooter in a folded position.

10. A collapsible scooter as claimed in claim 9, wherein there is provided a second releasible locking mechanism for retaining the scooter in a riding position.

11. A collapsible scooter as claimed in claim 10, wherein the second releasible locking mechanism comprises a jointed collapsible lockable arm provided between the steering column and the footplate.

12. A collapsible scooter as claimed in claim 11, wherein there is provided a spring-biased knurled ferrule that functions as a releasible locking means on the collapsible arm to retain the scooter in the riding position.

13. A collapsible scooter as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein there is provided a frictional braking device at least on a rear wheel.

14. A collapsible scooter as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.