GB2504447A

GB2504447A - Treadle driven scooter

Info

Publication number: GB2504447A
Application number: GB1207595.8A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gordon George Cook
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-05-01
Filing date: 2012-05-01
Publication date: 2014-02-05
Also published as: GB201207595D0

Abstract

A scooter is provided with propulsion means which include a pedal 24 to be operated by a rider of the scooter. The scooter has a platform on which the rider can stand and the pedal 24 is connected to a pivoting member 20 which, in turn, is connected to a first end of a chain 18 which is movable with respect to a cog 16 mounted on the scooter in order to allow a drive force to be exerted on the scooter or wheeled vehicle. A second end of a chain 18 may be connected to the frame of the scooter by a spring 22. A cog 30 may guide the movement of the chain.

Description

Scooter with propulsion means The invention to which this application relates is a scooter having front and rear wheels which are mounted for rotation on a frame and, intermediate the front and rear wheels, there is provided a platform on which at least one foot of the user of the scooter can be placed to allow the users to be propelled across the surface.

Typically, a scooter is manually powered in as much that the person, when on the scooter, places one of their feet on the platform and as and when required, places their other foot onto the surface to cause a propulsion force to be created on the scooter and hence propel the scooter, with the person thereon across the surface. Typically, the scooter also comprises upstanding handle bars which can be gripped by the person when on the scooter so to allow the person to be maintained in at least a partially standing position while on the scooter.

The use of manual propulsion by contact of a persons foot with the surface, is successful, especially when the surface may be downhill or on a flat surface. I lowever, after time and/or when it is necessary to move the scooter uphill, the person can quickly become tired and hence the use of the scooter can be stopped or minimise d.

There is therefore a need to provide increased propulsion of the scooter across the surface and one known system is to provide a motor or engine but this adds weight to the scooter and may in fact lead to the scooter still not being as useful or be used as much as desired.

The aim of the present invention is therefore to provide a means whereby a scooter can be propelled more efficiently across the surface using manual means.

Tn the first aspect of the invention, there is provided a scooter, said scooter having a frame, first and second, spaced, wheels, a platform on which at least one foot of a user can be placed and a handle bar means to allow the scooter to be held by the hands of the person when on the scooter and wherein the scooter further includes a pedal which is pivotally movable with respect to the platform and which includes a member connected to one end of a chain, said chain passing round a cog connected to at least one of the wheels and the opposing end of the chain connected to the frame of the scooter.

In one embodiment, the pivotal movement of the pedal causes the chain to be moved around the cog of the said wheel and hence causes the wheel to be rotated.

In one embodiment, a guide wheel is mounted between the end of the pedal member and the cog so is to guide the movement of the chain.

In one embodiment the opposing end of the chain is connected to a frame via a biasing member such as a spring and against which the pedal is pivotally moved such that when the pedal is moved to its furthest extension point by the application force thereon, the biasing means is extended and, when the pedal is released, the biasing means cause the chain to be moved to its first position. Typically, with the wheel on the surface along which the scooter is to be propelled, the pedal movement, causes the wheel to be propelled along the surface and hence driven so as to move the scooter along the surface in the direction which is controlled by the user control of the handle bars.

Typically the pivotal axis of the pedal member is located at a position intermediate, the pedal at a first end and the connection with the chain, at the opposing end.

Typically, the pedal member is formed so that the pedal, in its first position, is positioned above the platform on which the person places their foot and, when moved to a second position, is positioned at a lower height with respect to the platform.

Specific embodiments of the invention are now described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a scooter in accordance writh one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 illustrates the pedal and chain arrangement of the scooter of Figure 1 in greater detail with the pedal in a first position; and Figure 3 illustrates the pedal and chain arrangement of Figure 2, with the pedal moved to a second position.

Referring firstly to Figure 1, there is iUustrated a scooter in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, said scooter comprising first and second, spaced, wheels 4, 6 and a platform 8 positioned intermediate said wheels. The platform and wheels are mounted on a frame 10 which includes handle bars 12 thereon such that a person on the scooter, can place at least one of their feet on the platform and grip the handle bars with their hands so as to guide the direction of movement of the scooter.

The first wheel 4, is provided to be free wheeling and the second wheel 6 is connected to a cog 16 which receives thereon a length of chain 18. The length of chain has, at one end, a connection 26 to a pedal member 20 and, at the other end, a connection to a biasing means 22 which, in turn, is connected to the frame 10 of the scooter.

The pedal member 20 includes, at a first end, a pedal 24 for contact with a persons foot and, at the opposing end, the connection 26 to the chain 18. Intermediate these two points, there is provided a pivot axis 28 on the frame 10 and about which the pedal member 20 is pivoted.

Tn Figure 2, there is illustrated the pedal member 20 in a first position and it will be seen that the pedal 24 is raised above the platform 8 and frame 10 and the biasing means spring 22 is in a relaxed non-extended position. Figure 2 also shows the guide wheel 30 about the which the chain 18 is guided prior to reaching the cog 16 on the wheel 6.

In Figure 3, the pedal member is shown having been moved, typically by the application of force in the direction of arrow 32 via the persons foot when on the scooter, to a second position and this causes the chain 18 to be moved relative to the cog 16 and hence rotate the cog and the wheel 6 connected thereto. It also serves to extend the biasing means spring 22 as shown in Figure 3. Furthermore, when the pedal 24 is released, the biasing means 22 return to the relaxed position of Figure 2 and as it does moves the chain 18 with respect to the cog 16 which is in a freewheeling mode in this direction of rotation and so returns the pedal member 20 to the position shown in Figure 2 without causing any braking effect on the wheel.

The invention therefore allows a person on as scooter to provide a propulsion force on the scooter which can be achieved

S

via the pedal member and without unduly affecting the weight of the scooter.

Claims

Claims ii. A scooter, said scooter having a frame, first and second, spaced, wheels mounted on the frame, a platform on which at least one foot, of a user can be placed and a handle bar means to allow the scoter to be held by the person when on the scooter --and wherein the scooter further includes a pedal which is pivotally' movable with respect to the platform and which is connected to one end of a chain, said chain passing around a * cog coitinected to at least one of the wheels and the opposing end of the chain is connected to the frame of the scooter.

2. A scooter according to clahn 1 wherein the pivotal movement * of the pedal causes the chain to be moved around the cog of the said wheel to rotate the wheel.

3. A scooter according to claim I wherein the pedal is connected to the chain via a pedal member.

4 A scooter according to claith 3 wherein a guide wheel is mounted between the end of the pedal member and the cog to guide the movement of the chain.

A scooter according to claim 1 wherein the opposing end of the chain is connected to the frame via a biasing member.

* 6 A scooter according to claim 5 wherein the biasing member is a spring.

7 A scooter according to claims 5 or 6 wherein the pedal is pivotally moved against the force of the biasing member such that when the pedal is moved to its furthest extension point by the application force thereon, the biasing means is extended and, when the pedal is released, the biasing means causes the chain to be moved to a: first position.8. A scooter according to claim I wherein with the wheel on a surface along which the scooter is to be propelled, the pedal moveméñt, causes the wheel to be propelled along the surface and be driven so as to move the scooter along the surface in a direction which is controlled by the user control of the handle bar means.

8 A scootef according to claim 3 wherein a pivotal axis of the pedal member is located intermediate the pedal at a first end and the connection with the chain, at the opposing end.

9. A scooter according to any of the precediflg claims wherein the pedal in a first position is positioned above the platform and, when mdved to a second position, is positioned at a lower * height with respect to the platform.

10. A propulsion mechanism for a wheeled vehicle, said * mechanism including a pedal which is pivotably moveable about an axis to allow a propulsion force to be applied thereto, said pedal connected at or adjacent to one end of a pedal member and at, or adjacent to, the oppo.sing end of the said pedal member there is onnected a length * of chain, said chain * connected at it's opposing end to the wheeled vehicle and said chain arranged to pass at least partially around a cog and be * movable with respect thereto so as to exert the propulsion force on the said cog and in turn the vehicle to which the cog is mounted. *0* -.