GB2581787A - A foldable scooter - Google Patents

Abstract

A scooter 1 is arranged to be foldable about a hinge 40 wherein the hinge arrangement is positioned substantially midway between a front and rear wheel, such that when folded a rear wheel 3 is adjacent a handlebar 10. The hinge may comprise apertures 42a, b which align when the scooter is in use and receive a locking pin (42c, figure 8). The scooter 1 may be powered and may comprise a battery pack 20 and motor in wheel 3 which lie on opposite sides of the hinge 40.

Description

A foldable scooter The present invention relates to a scooter which is foldable for ease of transportation on e.g. public transport.

Scooters are becoming an increasingly popular means of transport for adults as well as children. They are often used to travel over relatively short distances in urban and suburban settings. For instance, they may be used to travel from a user's home to a train station as part of a daily commute. Also, they may be used to travel around a town, village, city, holiday resort, sport club or factory.

It is known to provide fully manual scooters, where propulsive power is provided solely by the user. This, unlike a bicycle, involves one foot remaining on the scooter and the other foot being used to propel the vehicle forwards. It is also known to provide electrically powered scooters which are able to replace or supplement manual propulsion. The take up and acceptance of electrically operated scooters is expected to further increase the popularity and use of scooters in daily life.

Electrically operable scooters employ a battery pack which may be recharged from mains power or other sources. The addition of a battery pack and a motor inevitably increase the size and weight of a scooter, compared to a fully manual scooter. If such electrically operable scooters are to be widely adopted, it is desirable that they are made to be as convenient as possible, so that they can be safely and easily transported themselves by car, train or other mode of transport. This will increase their use in commuting, for instance, where a user can travel to a rail station by scooter, safely and conveniently stow the scooter on board the train and then use it again to reach their workplace once the train arrives at its destination.

In prior art scooters, of the manual and electrically operable types, the only form of reconfiguration for storage and transport reasons tends to involve the handlebar column being folded through approximately 90 degrees so that it lies against the foot board. In this way, the major dimension of the scooter i.e. the distance between the front of the front wheel and the rear of the rear wheel is unaltered and this represents a hindrance to stowing the scooter on public transport.

This problem is exacerbated in some electrically operable scooters, since the battery and or motor is typically stored in or in the vicinity of the footboard, meaning that it is not possible to fold the scooter at this point. This then means that the overall length or major dimension of the scooter cannot be reduced for storage or transportation.

It is an aim of embodiments of the present invention to address issues with the prior art, whether mentioned herein or not.

According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus and method as set forth in the appended claims. Other features of the invention will be apparent from the dependent

claims, and the description which follows.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how embodiments of the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a first perspective view of a scooter according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 shows a second perspective view of a scooter according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 shows a side view of a scooter according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 shows a view of a scooter according to an embodiment of the present invention in a folded configuration; Figure 5 shows a view of a footboard according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 shows a side view of a hinge (in an open configuration) according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 shows a perspective view of a hinge (in an open configuration) according to an embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 8 shows a perspective view of a hinge (in a closed configuration) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figures 1 and 2 show generally front and rear perspective views of an electrically operable scooter 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The scooter 1 comprises a front and back wheel 2, 3. The front wheel is rotatably connected to a front fork. Passing through the front fork is a handlebar 10, by means of which the scooter is steered in the usual way.

Also connected to the front fork is a chassis which houses the battery 20 front and rear footboard 35, 30. At the rear of the chassis, a rear fork accommodates the rear wheel 3. The hub of the rear wheel houses a motor, which is of a hub motor type.

In use, the user stands on the footboard 30, 35 and steers the scooter using the handlebar 10. Also provided on the handlebar (not shown) is a control for operating the motor (not shown) and brakes.

The front 35 and rear 30 footboard are disposed either side of a hinge arrangement 40. This can be clearly seen in the side view of Figure 3. The hinge arrangement 40 is located approximately mid-way between the centres of the front 2 and rear 3 wheels. By positioning the hinge arrangement 40 within or very close to the footboard and substantially on an imaginary line joining the front 2 and rear 3 wheels, then it is possible to maximise the benefit of the folding action in terms of reducing the folded scooter to as small a size as possible.

In order to fold the scooter for ease of transport or storage, the folder may be folded about the hinge arrangement 40 such that rear wheel 3 is brought into close proximity with the handlebar 10. This configuration is shown in Figure 4.

This folded configuration, in contrast to the folded configuration discussed in relation to prior art scooters, allows the major dimension of the folded scooter to be greatly reduced. As can be seen in Figure 4, the overall profile is approximately rectangular or square with the vertical size (as shown) being much the same as the horizontal size. This configuration is much better suited for stowing the folded scooter while travelling on public transport.

The handlebar 10 can itself be folded by means of secondary folding mechanism 15, located just above the point where the chassis joins the front fork. This may not be needed in all circumstances but can further reduce the profile of the folded scooter.

Once in the folded configuration, the scooter is maintained in this configuration by means of a suitable strap (not shown). This can be elasticated or fastenable by suitable means, such as a buckle or my means of hook and loop material, such as Velcro (RTM).

Figure 5 shows front 35 and rear 30 portions of the footboard on which the user stands, in use.

The front portion is partially curved, a shown in Figure 3, and provides a natural stop against which the user's toes will abut to indicate to the user where to stand. Located between these two portions, there is a gap which, in use, accommodates the hinge arrangement 40. This can be seen most clearly in Figure 2.

The hinge arrangement 40 is required to support the weight of the user on the scooter and must therefore be designed and manufactured with this requirement in mind. The hinge arrangement must also be lockable in the closed configuration i.e. when the scooter is not folded and is in the operational configuration.

Figures 6 and 7 show views of the hinge arrangement 40 in the open configuration which corresponds to the scooter being folded as shown in Figure 4. The hinge arrangement 40 comprises a first hinge axis 41 about which the two halves of the arrangement relatively rotate.

The arrangement 40 also comprises a lock aperture 42. The lock aperture comprises a pair of outer knuckles 42b and an inner knuckle 42a. In the closed or locked configuration, as shown in Figure 8, the inner knuckle 42a lies between the pair of outer knuckles 42b such that a clear path extends through all three knuckles.

In order to lock the hinge arrangement 40 in the closed configuration so that the scooter may be used, a lock pin 42c is inserted through the knuckles 42a, 42b and a lock nut 42d is provided to engage with the lock pin 42c.

Lock pin 42c may be provided with a key aperture so that the pin 42c and bolt 42d may be securely coupled, such that they may not be uncoupled without the use of a suitable key.

Alternatively, a generic means of fastening, such as an Allen key or bolt may be required.

As can be seen, the lock arrangement 40 may therefore be locked firmly in the closed position so that the scooter may be ridden. The hinge arrangement therefore comprises an axis 41 about which rotation is prevented once the lock mechanism 42c, 42d is engaged. The two effective axes 41, 42, so defined, provide the required degree of mechanical strength to prevent or limit flexing of the baseboard when used.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that the scooter 1 can be easily moved between an in-use configuration (Figure 1), where the scooter may be used for transport, and a folded configuration (Figure 4) for transporting or storing the scooter.

Embodiments of the scooter are therefore suitable for relatively short distance journeys where the scooter 1 may be conveniently stored in e.g. a cat boot or trunk, or on a train or bus.

Although described in terms of an electrically operable scooter, many of the n=benefits associated with embodiments of the invention may be enjoyed by manually operable scooters or, indeed, those powered from alternative power sources, such as internal combustion engines.

Attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims (10)

1. CLAIMS1. A scooter arranged to be foldable about a hinge arrangement, wherein the hinge arrangement is positioned substantially midway between a front and a rear wheel.
2. 2. The scooter of claim 1 wherein the hinge arrangement is positioned substantially on an imaginary line joining the centre of the front and rear wheels.
3. 3. The scooter of any preceding claim wherein the scooter is provided with a propulsion 10 device.
4. 4. The scooter of claim 3 wherein the propulsion device is electrically powered.
5. 5. The scooter of claim 4 wherein the propulsion device comprises a battery and a motor. 15
6. 6. The scooter of claim 5 wherein the battery and motor are provided on opposite sides of the hinge arrangement.
7. 7. The scooter of any preceding claim wherein the hinge arrangement is located within a footboard of the scooter.
8. 8. The scooter of any preceding claim wherein the hinge arrangement comprises an axis of rotation and a locking arrangement.
9. 9. The scooter of claim 8 wherein the locking arrangement comprises complementary apertures arranged to align when the scooter is an operational configuration and to receive a locking pin to secure the operational configuration.
10. 10. The scooter of any preceding claim wherein in a folded configuration, the rear wheel is positioned adjacent a handlebar of the scooter.