JP6748864B1 - Drive device and electric vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electric vehicle provided with a folding mechanism capable of safely and hands-free folding and unfolding of a vehicle. A saddle-mounted electric vehicle 1 has a steering unit 30 having front wheels 3 and rear wheels 5 driven by a battery 6. In the electric vehicle 1, a driven frame portion 13 having a steering portion 30 at the tip of the rotating frame portion 11 is connected by a connecting shaft 12, and the steering portion 30 can be moved in the front-rear direction in accordance with the rotation of the rotating frame portion 11. The main frame portion 10 is rotationally driven by the main frame portion 10, the sub-frame portion 20 having the seat 2 and expanding and contracting in the front-rear direction by the rotational operation of the rotating frame portion 11, and the electric motor of the rear wheel 5, and the rotating frame portion 11 is driven to rotate. The power transmission unit 60 that transmits the power transmission unit 60, the clutch mechanism 70 that switches between the power transmission to the power transmission unit 60 and the power cutoff state that cuts off the power transmission, and the rear wheels 5 are lifted from the ground surface and the front wheels 3 are grounded on the ground surface. It is composed of a stand 50 that supports the electric vehicle 1 so as to be self-supporting. [Selection diagram] Fig. 1

Description

The present invention relates to a saddle-ride type electric vehicle such as a scooter that drives a folding mechanism that allows the vehicle to be folded between a deployed state in which the vehicle can travel and a folded state in which the vehicle is folded.

In an electric vehicle equipped with a folding mechanism, a technique of driving the folding mechanism by an electric drive device has been proposed (Patent Document 1).

The saddle-ride type vehicle disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a folding mechanism in which a front structure portion and a rear structure portion that are respectively connected to a front wheel side portion and a rear wheel side portion are rotatably connected to each other by a connecting pin. .. Further, in the folding operation, when the rear wheels are driven forward while the front wheels are being braked, the rear structure section pushes the front structure section, and the rear structure section and the front structure section with the connecting pin as a fulcrum. The rear structure part and the front structure part are folded close to each other by rotating in directions opposite to each other. A steering portion such as a seat or a steering wheel is linked to a rotational movement of the rear structural portion and a front structural portion to perform a predetermined folding operation. The operation from the folded state to the runnable unfolded state is performed by the opposite operation to the folded state.

Special table 2005-507811 (WO2003/037678) publication

In the saddle-ride type electric vehicle disclosed in Patent Document 1, the vehicle structure is folded and unfolded by actually driving the vehicle with the driving wheels grounded to drive the vehicle structure. At this time, it is necessary for the driver to keep the front wheels braking. That is, the electric vehicle disclosed in Patent Document 1 uses a straight-ahead movement in which the drive wheels travel straight toward the braked non-drive wheels as the driving force for driving the folding mechanism.

For example, when folding an electric vehicle equipped with such a folding mechanism, the driver must keep his hands on the brake lever and be careful about the structural parts before and after moving with the folding operation. There is a problem in.

Further, when the folding and unfolding operations are performed by operating the operation buttons or by remote control using a mobile terminal such as a smartphone, the operator must perform a braking operation, and the hands-free folding and unfolding operations cannot be performed.

An object of the present invention is to provide a drive device that can safely drive a folding mechanism of a vehicle.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an electric vehicle having a folding mechanism that allows the vehicle to be safely folded and unfolded, and that enables hands-free folding and unfolding.

The structure of the drive device that realizes the object of the present invention includes an expansion mechanism that allows movement of a body of an electric vehicle between a folded position in which the body of the electric vehicle is folded in the front-rear direction and an original expanded position. A driving device for driving, which is rotatable in a first rotation direction and a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction, and is rotationally driven about a rotation axis along a width direction of the electric vehicle. A drive unit that includes a drive output unit and is electrically driven by a battery, and can rotate about a rotation axis along the width direction of the electric vehicle that transmits the rotational force of the drive output unit to the input unit of the expansion mechanism. A power transmission section, and a support section that supports the electric vehicle in a self-sustaining manner and receives a driving reaction force of the driving section.

In this drive device, the drive unit includes an electric motor that drives drive wheels of the electric vehicle, a transmission state that transmits the rotational force of the drive output unit to the power transmission unit, and a cutoff state that cuts off the transmission state. It is possible to have a configuration including a switching unit that performs switching of the switching unit and a switching operation unit that performs switching operation of the switching unit.

Further, the support portion may be a stand that supports the electric vehicle in a self-sustaining manner with the drive wheels floating from the ground.

Further, the power transmission unit drives the telescopic mechanism to the folded state when the input unit of the telescopic mechanism in the expanded state is rotated integrally with the drive output unit in the second rotation direction, and the telescopic mechanism is in the folded state. It is possible to adopt a configuration in which the expansion/contraction mechanism is driven to the unfolded state by rotating in the first rotation direction integrally with the drive output unit.

The configuration of an electric vehicle that achieves the object of the present invention is a saddle-ride type electric vehicle, in which a steering unit including front wheels, rear wheels electrically driven by a battery mounted therein, and a width direction of the electric vehicle A driven body portion having the steering portion is connected to a tip end portion of a rotation body portion that rotates around a rotation axis along a connecting shaft, and the steering portion is moved back and forth by being driven by the rotation operation of the rotation body portion. A main body part that is movable in the direction, a sub-body part that includes a seat and that is capable of expanding and contracting in the front-rear direction in association with the rotational movement of the rotary body part, and a rotation axis along the width direction of the electric vehicle. A power transmission unit that is rotationally driven by an electric driving force that rotates about a center and that transmits the rotary driving force to the rotary body unit, a power transmission state that transmits power to the power transmission unit, and a power transmission state is cut off. It has a switching part which switches a power cut-off state, and a stand which floats the rear wheel from a grounding surface and grounds the front wheel to the grounding surface to support the electric vehicle in a self-sustaining manner.

In this electric vehicle, the steering unit has a handle post configured in a two-divided structure that can be folded in the vertical direction, and a handle that drives the handle post into a folded state and a deployed state in cooperation with the rotational movement of the power transmission unit. And a post drive unit.

Further, in the electric vehicle, the drive source that rotationally drives the power transmission unit may be a drive unit that drives the rear wheels.

Further, in the electric vehicle, the steering unit is a foldable left and right handlebar, and a handlebar driving unit that drives the handlebar between a folded state and an unfolded state in association with folding and unfolding operations of the handlepost. And a configuration having

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the rotational force of the power transmission unit is provided between the folding position and the unfolded position of the body of the electric vehicle that is the driving target, with the support portion that is in contact with the road surface and supports the electric vehicle as a fixed point. Can be driven by. When driving the expansion/contraction mechanism, the support part that receives the driving reaction force is fixed to the road surface, and therefore the drive part does not move, so that the expansion/contraction operation can be safely performed.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the rotational force can be transmitted to the power transmission unit by using the drive unit that electrically drives the rear wheels, and the rotational force is erroneously transmitted to the power transmission unit during traveling or during simple parking. Can be prevented.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the power transmission unit performs the expansion/contraction operation of the electric vehicle, the rear wheels idle, so that it is possible to prevent the electric vehicle from accidentally traveling.

According to the invention of claim 4, it is possible to perform the folding operation and the unfolding operation of the expansion/contraction mechanism simply by rotating the power transmission unit in the forward and reverse directions that are the first rotation direction and the second rotation direction. Can be done easily.

According to the invention of claim 5, the steering body is moved along the front-rear direction only by folding the main body portion in the front-rear direction, thereby shortening the front-rear direction of the electric vehicle. For this reason, it is not necessary to hold the steering wheel of the steering section for braking, and the driver can safely perform the extension/contraction operation away from the electric vehicle. At that time, since the front wheels approach the rear wheels, the folded electric vehicle can be made compact, and when the folded electric vehicle is pulled, it is possible to easily move the electric vehicle while rolling the rear wheels.

According to the invention of claim 6, since the handle post can be folded, the folded shape can be shortened in the vertical direction.

According to the invention of claim 7, since the power transmission unit can be rotationally driven by using the drive source such as the electric motor for driving the rear wheels, for example, the existing in-wheel motor can be used to easily drive the power. The transmission unit can be driven.

According to the invention of claim 8, since the handlebar can also be folded, the width of the folded electric vehicle can be narrowed, and the electric vehicle can be moved into the trunk, the cargo bed, the elevator, or the house. Can be moved. Therefore, it is possible to charge the battery in the house while the electric vehicle is equipped with the battery.

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a saddle-ride type electric vehicle showing an embodiment of an electric vehicle according to the present invention. It is a front view of the saddle riding type electric vehicle shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is an external perspective view showing a state in which the saddle riding type electric vehicle shown in FIG. 1 is folded to a final folding position. FIG. 2 is a top view of a drive device having a clutch mechanism for expanding and contracting an electric vehicle equipped in the saddle riding type electric vehicle shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is an external perspective view of the clutch mechanism when the drive device shown in FIG. 4 is viewed from the front side toward the rear side. FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 4. It is a figure explaining a clutch mechanism, and is a top view showing a state where a cylindrical cam part was set to a neutral position with a stand raised. FIG. 8 is an external perspective view of the clutch mechanism shown in FIG. 7 viewed from the front side toward the rear side. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a clutch mechanism, showing a state in which a stand is lowered to a lower position while a cylindrical cam portion is set to a power transmission position which is a cam operation position. FIG. 10 is an external perspective view of the clutch mechanism shown in FIG. 9 viewed from the front side to the rear side. FIG. 3 is a view for explaining a folding operation of the saddle riding type electric vehicle shown in FIG. 1, and is a front view showing an initial state of folding. FIG. 2 is a front view showing a state in which the folding operation is further advanced from the folded state shown in FIG. 11 and the rotating frame portion is rotated up to an angle of about 90 degrees. It is a front view showing the final folded state. FIG. 13 is a front view showing a state in which the clutch lever is moved to the power transmission position and the rear wheels are grounded in the final folded state. FIG. 15 is a top view of the saddle riding type electric vehicle shown in FIG. 14. The front view of the electric scooter which shows other embodiment is shown. FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the electric scooter shown in FIG. 16. It is a front view which shows the state which folded the electric scooter shown in FIG.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on embodiments shown in the drawings.

1 to 3 are external views showing an embodiment in which an electric vehicle according to the present invention is applied to an electric scooter which is a straddle-type electric vehicle. FIGS. 1 and 2 show a deployable state in which the vehicle can travel, and FIG. The folded state is shown. 4 to 10 show the clutch mechanism. As shown in FIG. 1, in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis orthogonal to each other, the X-axis direction is the front-rear direction, the Y-axis direction is the left-right direction, and the Z-axis direction is the vertical direction, and the Y-axis direction is the front wheel. The direction is along the axis of rotation of the rear wheels.

The electric scooter 1 of the present embodiment includes a main frame portion 10 having a frame structure, which is a main body portion configured as an extension/contraction mechanism capable of extending/contracting between a folded position and a deployed position in a used state as a vehicle body, It has a sub-frame portion 20 having a frame structure which is a sub-body portion including the seat 2. In addition, the electric scooter 1 includes a steering unit 30 having an expansion/contraction mechanism that can be expanded/contracted between a folded position including the front wheels 3 and a deployed position in use, and an electric drive unit 4 including an electric motor (see FIG. 4, the rear wheel 5 driven by the electric motor, the battery 6 for supplying electric power to the electric motor of the electric drive unit 4, the forward/reverse rotation energization control for the electric motor, and the control for controlling energization start/stop. And part 7. Further, the electric scooter 1 includes a stand 50 that supports the electric scooter 1 in a self-supporting state with the rear wheel 5 floating from the ground surface, and a rotation output of the electric drive unit 4 for transmitting power for expansion/contraction operation of the main frame unit 10. The unit 60 (see FIGS. 4 to 10) and a switching unit that switches between a power transmission state that transmits the rotation of the electric drive unit 4 to the power transmission unit 60 and a power interruption state (neutral state) that interrupts the power transmission state. It has a certain clutch mechanism 70 (see FIGS. 4 to 10).

The configuration of each frame portion and the like of the electric scooter 1 will be described on the basis of the travelable developed state shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Structure of main frame section 10

The main frame portion 10 has a structure in which a driven frame portion 13 which is a driven body portion is rotatably connected to a tip end portion of a rotation frame portion 11 which is a rotating body portion via a main connecting shaft 12, and has an open loop structure link. The mechanism constitutes a telescopic mechanism. The rotating frame portion 11 has a main connecting shaft 12 mounted between the front ends of a straight left rotating frame 11a and a right rotating frame 11b provided on the left and right sides of the rear wheel 5. The other ends of the left rotation frame 11a and the right rotation frame 11b are rotatably attached to a left sleeve 45 and a right sleeve 46, which are mounted on a non-rotatable motor shaft 42 of the rear wheel 5 described later. The driven frame portion 13 has a driven frame main body 13c having a structure in which a front portion 13a in the front-rear direction is bent upward with respect to a linear rear portion 13b so that a driver's foot seated on the seat 2 can ride on the foot. A pipe-shaped bearing 13d extending in the left-right direction is fixed to the rear end of the driven frame body 13c. The bearing 13d is arranged at the tip of the left rotating frame 11a and the right rotating frame 11b, and the main connecting shaft 12 is inserted therethrough.

In the main frame portion 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a stopper plate 13e provided at the rear end of the driven frame body 13c in the horizontal state of the rotating frame portion 11 is provided on the upper surfaces of the tip portions of the left rotating frame 11a and the right rotating frame 11b. The abutting state holds the deployed state, and prevents the main frame portion 10 from rotating to a position inclined downward.

Configuration of steering unit 30

The steering portion 30 has a handle portion 32 attached to an upper portion of a handle post portion 31, and a front wheel 3 attached to a fork 33 fixed to a lower portion. The handle post portion 31 has a vertically divided structure, and has an upper post portion 31a to which the handle portion 32 is attached and a lower post portion 31b to which the fork 33 is attached. The upper post portion 31a can be folded rearward with respect to the lower post portion 31b via the hinge shaft 34 to form an expansion/contraction mechanism. The tip portion of the driven frame body 13c is fixed to the lower post portion 31b, and the steering portion 30 is integrally connected to the main frame portion 10.

The upper flange portion 31c provided at the lower end of the upper post portion 31a and the lower flange portion 31d provided at the upper end of the lower post portion 31b are joined together to linearly connect the upper post portion 31a and the lower post portion 31b. At that time, steering shafts (not shown) inserted through the inside of the upper post portion 31a and the lower post portion 31b are integrally connected, and the operating force of the handle portion 32 is transmitted to the front wheels 3. The upper flange portion 31c and the lower flange portion 31d are detachably locked by a post-lock member (not shown) including a bolt and nut.

The handle portion 32 constitutes a telescopic mechanism by attaching the left handlebar 32a and the right handlebar 32b to the handlebar attachment portion 32c so as to be vertically foldable. The base ends of the left handlebar 32a and the right handlebar 32b are attached to the handlebar attachment portion 32c by a support shaft (not shown) provided in the front-rear direction. In order to keep the left handlebar 32a and the right handlebar 32b in a substantially horizontal and usable state, the lock plate 32d is rotatably attached to the handlebar attachment portion 32c by the hinge portion 32e, and the lock plate 32d is attached. The left handlebar 32a and the right handlebar 32b are fixed by covering the base end portions thereof. The lock plate 32d is detachably attached to the handlebar attachment portion 32c by a handlebar lock member 32f (see FIG. 11) formed of a hook member.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the stand 50 holds the electric scooter 1 so that it can stand on its own, and the rear wheels 5 are floated from the ground contact surface while the front wheels 3 are grounded. Therefore, even if the rear wheels 5 are rotationally driven by the electric drive unit 4, the rear wheels 5 only idle and the electric scooter 1 does not run. In the state shown in FIG. 2, when the rotating frame portion 11 is rotated clockwise by the rotational force of the electric drive portion 4, the driven frame portion 13 moves upward while moving rearward via the main connecting shaft 12. It will be in a broken state. At that time, the front wheel 3 moves while rolling with the ground contact surface facing rearward, and the steering portion 30 moves rearward to start the folding operation.

Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the steering frame 30 is lowered in the vertical direction in association with the clockwise rotation of the rotary frame unit 11 and is narrowed in the left-right direction so that it can be folded more compactly. Specifically, the handle post folding mechanism 35 folds the upper post portion 31a with respect to the lower post portion 31b of the handle post portion 31, and the handlebar folding mechanism 36 links the folding operation of the upper post portion 31a to the left handle. An operation of folding the bar 32a and the right handlebar 32b downward is performed.

The handle post folding mechanism 35 uses the left rotation frame 11a as a rotation link, and the driven frame portion 13, a bending rod 35a bent into a shape similar to that of the driven frame portion 13, and a short length fixed to the upper post portion 31a. A link mechanism is constituted by the link plate 35c, the hinge shaft 34, and a support shaft 35b connecting the tip end of the link plate 35c and the bending rod 35a. One end of the bending rod 35a is connected to a bracket 35d provided on the lower portion of the left rotation frame 11a via a support shaft 35e.

When the left rotation frame 11a rotates clockwise from the horizontal position shown in FIG. 2 for folding, the handle post portion 31 rotates counterclockwise around the grounding point of the front wheel 3 as a fulcrum, thereby bending the bending rod 35a and the driven frame. The bending rod 35a rotates the link plate 35c in the clockwise direction by the operation with the portion 13. Therefore, the upper post portion 31a bends rearward via the hinge shaft 34. Since the handle post folding mechanism 35 is composed of a link mechanism, when the left rotation frame 11a is rotated counterclockwise from the folding position, the handle post folding mechanism 35 returns to the original deployed position.

The handlebar folding mechanism 36 connects the lower ends of the left rod 36a, the right rod 36b, and the central rod 36c to the connecting body 36d, connects the upper end of the left rod 36a to the left handlebar 32a, and connects the upper end of the right rod 36b. Is connected to the right handlebar 32b, and the upper end of the central rod 36c is connected to the lock plate 32d. The connecting body 36d is attached to a mounting bracket 36e provided on a lower flange portion 32d provided at the upper end of the lower post portion 31b. The mounting bracket 36e is attached to the lower post portion 31b so as to be rotatable about its axis. Therefore, in the final folded posture shown in FIG. 3, even if the lower post portion 31b is displaced from the upper post portion 31a in the axial direction, the left rod 36a, the right rod 36b, and the central rod 36c are not twisted. I have to.

Configuration of sub-frame unit 20

The sub-frame portion 20 has a left link portion 21 and a right link portion 22 having the same structure and configured by link mechanisms provided on the left and right sides of the rear wheel 5, respectively. The left link part 21 and the right link part 22 are composed of four-bar links, and parts of the left rotary frame 11a and the right rotary frame 11b are respectively left drive links 22a and right drive links 22b. The left and right link members extending in the direction are a left fixed link 23a and a right fixed link 23b.

A connecting bar 24 is fixed midway in the length direction between the left rotating frame 11a and the right rotating frame 11b, and a left first supporting shaft 24a and a right first supporting shaft (not shown) are provided at both left and right ends of the connecting bar 24. Is attached. A left first driven link 25a and a right first driven link 25b extending in the up-down direction are connected to the left first support shaft 24a and the right first support shaft. At the upper ends of the left first driven link 25a and the right first driven link 25b, the tips of the left second driven link 27a and the right second driven link 27b are respectively attached via the left second support shaft 26a and the right second support shaft 26b. Be connected.

The rear ends of the second left driven link 27a and the second right driven link 27b are connected to the upper ends of the left fixed link 23a and the right fixed link 23b via the third left support shaft 28a and the third right support shaft 28b. As shown in FIG. 6, the lower ends of the left fixed link 23a and the right fixed link 23b are non-rotatably fixed to the left shaft end 42c and the right shaft end 42d of the motor shaft 42 of the electric drive unit 4. Therefore, the left fixed link 23a and the right fixed link 23b receive the rotational reaction force of the electric motor M that constitutes the electric drive unit 4.

In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the left first support shaft 24a (right first support shaft) is arranged rearward in the front-rear direction with respect to the left second support shaft 26a (right second support shaft 26b), and is left The second driven link 27a (the right second driven link 27b) is arranged horizontally. Further, the seat 2 is arranged so as to straddle over the left second driven link 27a and the right second driven link 27b.

Structure of stand 50

As described above, the stand 50 holds the electric scooter 1 so that it can stand on its own in the lowered position, and the rear wheel 5 floats above the ground contact surface with the front wheel 3 grounded. For this reason, the stand 50 is configured such that the left leg 51 and the right leg (not shown) arranged on the left and right of the rear wheel 5 are fixed at their bottom plates 52 to each other, and the left leg is smaller than the radius of the rear wheel 5. The radius of the portion 51 and the right leg portion is increased. A base end portion 51a (see FIG. 4) of the left leg portion 51 and a base end portion (not shown) of the right leg portion are rotatably attached to a left sleeve 45 and a right sleeve 46 of an electric drive unit 4 described later. ing.

The base end portion 51a of the left leg portion 51 is arranged axially inward of the base end portion of the left rotating frame 11a of the rotating frame portion 11. The stand 50 is movable between a lowered position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and a raised position raised rearward until it becomes substantially horizontal. An elliptical ground plate 54 extending in the front-rear direction is fixed to the tips of the left leg 51 and the right leg. A small diameter roller 54a is rotatably attached to the rear portion of the ground plate 54. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the left ground plate 54 is grounded at two points by the tip portion 54b and the roller 54a, and is supported at four points by the right ground plate. The lower end of the roller 54a slightly protrudes below the lower end of the ground plate 54.

Configuration of electric drive unit 4, power transmission unit 60, clutch mechanism 70

4 to 10 show the electric drive unit 4, the power transmission unit 60, and the clutch mechanism 70.

When the stand 50 is raised to the raised position, the electric scooter 1 is in the running preparation state or the running state, and therefore the main frame portion 10 is not shifted from the unfolded state to the folded state. On the other hand, the state in which the stand 50 is lowered to the lowered position is assumed to be a state in which the electric scooter 1 is simply parked and an extension/contraction preparation state for performing an extension/contraction operation of the electric scooter 1 which is a folding operation or an expanding operation. ..

The clutch mechanism 70 transmits the rotational force of the electric drive unit 4 that drives the rear wheels 5 to the power transmission unit 60 when the extension/contraction preparation state is instructed, provided that the stand 50 is in the lowered position. , The transmission is cut off when the expansion/contraction preparation state is not instructed.

In the present embodiment, the clutch mechanism 70 is provided to rotationally drive the rotary frame portion 11 of the main frame portion 10 by utilizing the rotational force of the electric drive portion 4 that drives the rear wheel 5 to drive the electric scooter 1. By providing a dedicated drive source for rotationally driving the rotary frame portion 11 in order to perform the expansion/contraction operation, it is possible to switch the drive between the electric drive portion 4 and the dedicated drive source with an electrical configuration.

First, the configuration of the electric drive unit 4 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6.

As shown in FIG. 6, the electric drive unit 4 is an in-wheel motor in which the electric motor M is built in the wheel 41 of the rear wheel 5, and is a non-rotating motor provided on the same axis as the rotation center axis L of the rear wheel 5. An electromagnet Ma is provided on the motor shaft 42, and a permanent magnet portion Mb is provided on the inner circumference of the wheel 41. When a forward current is applied to the coil of the electromagnet Ma from the battery 6 for traveling forward, the rear wheel 5 rotates counterclockwise, and when a reverse current is applied to the coil of the electromagnet Ma, the rear wheel rotates clockwise. Rotate to. In the rotation of the electric motor M, the counterclockwise rotation is the first rotation direction and the clockwise rotation is the second rotation direction. The power supply line is led to the right side of the rear wheel 5. Further, on the left side of the wheel 41, a rotating disc 43 constituting the clutch mechanism 70 is attached via a hub 41a fixed to the wheel 41, and the hub 41a is rotatably attached to the motor shaft 42. .. Although the electric drive unit 4 is an in-wheel motor, the electric motor and the rear wheel 5 may be connected via a power transmission means such as a belt or a chain.

The motor shaft 42 includes a left extension portion 42a and a right extension portion 42b extending from the wheel 41 on both left and right sides, and a left sleeve 45 and a right sleeve 46, which are formed with flanges 45f and 46f on the inner end surface side, respectively, by spline coupling. It is attached so that it cannot rotate. The electric drive unit 4 outputs the rotational force of the rotating disc 43 as the rotational force of the main frame unit 10.

The left extension portion 42a of the motor shaft 42 extends from the left sleeve 45 to the left shaft end portion 42c, and the right extension portion 42b extends from the right sleeve 46 to the right shaft end portion 42d. The outer peripheral portion of the left sleeve 45 is formed with a first shaft portion 45a, a second shaft portion 45b, and a third shaft portion 45c whose outer diameters gradually decrease from the flange 45f outward in the axial direction. The outer peripheral portion is formed with a first shaft portion 46a and a second shaft portion 46b whose outer diameters gradually decrease from the flange 46f outward in the axial direction. The left shaft end portion 42c and the right shaft end portion 42d have a two-face width shape in which a part of the outer peripheral surface faces each other to form a flat surface. A power transmission unit 60 and a clutch mechanism 70 are arranged on the left sleeve 45.

Structure of power transmission unit 60 and structure of clutch mechanism 70

As shown in FIG. 5, the power transmission unit 60 is provided with a rectangular flat plate-shaped transmission plate 61, a hub 62 provided at a base end portion of the transmission plate 61, and a distal end portion of the transmission plate 61 opposed to each other in the width direction. It has an engaging portion 63 composed of a pair of upper and lower upper engaging shafts 63a and lower engaging shafts 63b. In the present embodiment, the power transmission unit 60 forms a part of the clutch mechanism 70 and has a function as a movable unit that is movable along the axial direction of the motor shaft 4.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of elongated hole-shaped engagement holes 64 are formed at the base end portion of the transmission plate 61 along a circumferential direction on a circle having a radius r centered on the central axis of the hub 62. The engaging holes 64 are formed at equal intervals, and six engaging holes 64 are formed in this embodiment. Corresponding to the plurality of engagement holes 64, half the number of the engagement holes 64, that is, the number of engagement pins 47 corresponding to the plurality of engagement holes 64, are expended outward in the axial direction on the circumference of the radius r. There is. The pitch of the engaging pins 47 in the circumferential direction is double the pitch of the engaging holes 64, and by forming the engaging holes 64 as elongated holes, the engaging of the engaging pins 47 is performed regardless of the stop position of the rotary disc 43. The pin 47 can be engaged with the engagement hole 64. Although the number of the engaging pins 47 is three, which is half the number of the engaging holes 64, the number is not limited to this, and all the engaging pins 47 are irrespective of the position of the rotary disc 43. The length of the long holes of the engagement holes 64 may be set according to the pitch at which different engagement holes 64 can be simultaneously engaged.

The power transmission unit 60 covers the hub 62 on the first shaft portion 45a of the left sleeve 45 so as to be axially movable and rotatable about the axis. In the hub 62, the inner diameter d of the inner diameter portion 62a is formed to be the same as the outer diameter of the flange 45f, and the inner flange 62b is formed at the outer end of the inner diameter portion 62a. The inner diameter of the inner flange 62b is formed to be the same as the outer diameter of the first shaft portion 45a.

A compression coil spring 65 is provided in the inner diameter portion 62a between the inner flange 62b and the flange 45f. When the transmission plate 61 is pressed and moved toward the rotating disc 43 against the spring force of the compression coil spring 65, each engagement hole 64 of the transmission plate 61 engages with each engagement pin 47, and the transmission plate 61 moves. 61 and the rotating disk 43 can be integrally rotated in the direction around the axis of the motor shaft 42. When the pressing force is released, the transmission plate 61 moves axially outward, and the engagement holes 64 disengage from the engagement pins 47. Therefore, the transmission of the rotational force of the rotary disc 43 to the transmission plate 61 is released. That is, the pressing and releasing operation of the transmission plate 61 is the operation of the clutch mechanism 70.

On the first shaft portion 45a of the left sleeve 45, a cylindrical cam portion 71 having a cylindrical shape is mounted on the axially outer side of the transmission plate 61 so as to be rotatable and axially movable. The cylindrical cam portion 71 has a flat surface having an axial inner end surface 71a (see FIG. 4) in contact with the hub 62 of the transmission plate 61 as a cam height reference surface, and the cam 72 on the opposite axial end surface. Has formed.

A shaft hole 51b formed in the base end portion 51a of the left leg portion 51 of the stand 50 is rotatably attached to the second shaft portion 45b of the left sleeve 45. Further, as shown by the broken line in FIG. 3, a shaft hole 11d formed in the base end portion 11c of the left rotation frame 11a is rotatably attached to the third shaft portion 45c.

The left rotating frame 11a is arranged between the upper engaging shaft 63a and the lower engaging shaft 63b of the engaging portion 63 as shown by the broken lines in FIGS. 4 and 5, and the base end side is L-shaped. It is bent and arranged axially outside the left leg portion 51 of the stand 50. A roller 63c is rotatably attached to the upper engagement shaft 63a and the lower engagement shaft 63b to make smooth contact with the left rotation frame 11a.

The left fixed link 23a has a spanner opening-shaped opening 23c (see FIG. 2) formed at the lower end of the left fixed link 23a inserted into the left shaft end 42c, so that the left fixed link 23a is non-rotatably fixed. Further, the bolt 42e is screwed to the end surface of the left shaft end portion 42c, and the left fixed link 23a mounted on the left sleeve 45, the left rotating frame 11a, the left leg portion 51, the cylindrical cam portion 71, and the transmission plate 61 are removed. To prevent.

The right shaft 46a of the right sleeve 46 is rotatably attached to each of the base ends of the right rotation frame 11b and the right leg 51b as shown by a broken line, and the second shaft 46b is a dummy cylinder. A member 46c is mounted, the right fixed link 23b is non-rotatably fixed to the right shaft end 42d, and a bolt 42f screwed into the end surface of the right shaft end 42d prevents these members from coming off.

In FIG. 4, the cam 72 of the cylindrical cam portion 71 that constitutes the clutch mechanism 70 has a neutral area 73 whose axial length (cam height) is H1 from the axial inner end surface 71a which forms the cam height reference surface. The cam height H2 of the cam top 74 is set to be higher than the cam height H1 of the neutral region 73. The cylindrical cam portion 71 is formed with a notch portion 75 having a depth H3 that is the difference between the cam height H2 and the cam height H1 along the circumferential direction. The cutout portion 75 is formed in a predetermined angle range θ1 between the one end portion 75a and the other end portion 75b. The predetermined angle range θ1 is an angle range in which the stand 50 moves between the lowered position and the raised position, and the one end portion 75a of the cutout portion 75 is a right-angled wall surface. A portion between the other end portion 75b and the cam top portion 74 in the clockwise direction is connected to the cam top portion 74, which is the axially outer end surface of the cylindrical cam portion 71, as an inclined surface 75c. The angle in the circumferential direction of the sloped surface 75c from the other end portion 75b to the cam top portion 74 is θ2.

The left leg portion 51 of the stand 50 constitutes a part of the clutch mechanism 70, and the base end portion 51a of the left leg portion 51 faces the cutout portion 75 side of the cylindrical cam portion 71 and is a protrusion that is a cam follower. 76 is provided toward the end surface of the cylindrical cam portion 71. When the protrusion height of the protrusion 76 is set to H3, which is the same as the depth of the cutout portion 75, and the protrusion portion 76 enters the cutout portion 75, the engagement hole 64 of the transmission plate 61 is closed as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The rotary disc 43 is disengaged from the engaging pin 47. This state is set as the neutral state, and the position of the cylindrical cam portion 71 is set as the neutral position.

4 and 5 show a state in which the cylindrical cam portion 71 is set to the neutral position. When the stand 50 is lowered to the lowered position at the neutral position of the cylindrical cam portion 71, the protrusion 76 is located at the other end 75b of the cutout portion 75. When the left leg portion 51 of the stand 50 is raised to a substantially horizontal raised position while the cylindrical cam portion 71 is held at the neutral position, the protrusion 76 contacts the wall surface of the one end 75a of the cutout portion 75. The position where the protrusion 76 is in contact with the one end 75a of the notch 75 is referred to as the retracted position.

At the retracted position, the cam operating position is a position obtained by rotating the cam top portion 74 of the cylindrical cam portion 71 toward the protrusion 76 by an angle θ4 (an angle further than the angle θ2 and further rotated by an angle θ3). Set to the power transmission position. When the stand 50 is lowered from the raised position to the lowered position in the power transmission position, the protrusion 76 moves to the cam top portion 74 while contacting the inclined surface 75c of the cam 72 when rotating and moving to the original position by the angle θ1. Therefore, the transmission plate 61 moves together with the cylindrical cam portion 71 toward the rotating disc 43, and the engaging pin 47 of the rotating disc 43 engages with the engaging hole 64 of the transmitting plate 61.

The clutch mechanism 70 rotationally moves the cylindrical cam portion 71 between the neutral position and the power transmission position by the clutch operating portion 77. When the clutch operating portion 77 operates the clutch lever 78 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in the front-rear direction, the clutch operating portion 77 rotationally moves between the power transmission position and the neutral position via the connecting rod 79. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the connecting rod 79 is connected between the clutch lever 78 and the arm plate 80 fixed to the outer peripheral portion of the cylindrical cam portion 71 via the upper connecting pin 79a and the lower connecting pin 79b, respectively. ing. As shown in FIG. 4, the lower connecting pin 79b is fixed to the arm plate 80, the shaft hole 79c of the rod lever 78 is movably connected to the lower connecting pin 79b in the left-right direction, and the transmission plate 61 is in the power transmission position and the neutral position. It can be moved to and from the position.

The clutch lever 78 has a structure in which an arm bar 78c extending in the left-right direction is fixed between the tip ends of the left arm lever 78a and the right arm lever 78b. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the left arm lever 78a and the right arm lever 78b are rotatably attached to a support plate 78d fixed between the upper end of the left fixed link 23a and the upper end of the right fixed link 23b. It is installed. The upper end of the connecting rod 79 is connected to the rear end of the left arm lever 78b via the upper connecting pin 79a.

The position of the clutch lever 78 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is the power transmission position, and the position shown in FIG. 3 is the neutral position. When the clutch lever 78 is tilted forward from the neutral position, the connecting rod 79 is pulled upward, the arm plate 80 is moved in the counterclockwise direction, and the cylindrical cam portion 71 rotates by the angle θ4 to perform the cam operation. Move to the power transmission position, which is the position.

When the clutch lever 78 is pulled backward from the power transmission position to the neutral position, the connecting rod 79 moving downward moves the arm plate 80 in the clockwise direction, and the cylindrical cam portion 71 rotates in the clockwise direction by the angle θ4. Then move to the neutral position. By providing a clutch lever lock mechanism that restricts the rotation of the clutch lever 78 and holds the neutral position, it is possible to prevent the clutch lever from accidentally moving to the power transmission position.

FIG. 3 shows a state in which the clutch lever 78 is switched from the power transmission position to the neutral position after the folding operation of the electric scooter 1 is completed. Since the rotary disc 43 is separated from the transmission plate 61, the rear wheel is shown. 5 is rollable. Further, in order to hold the electric scooter 1 in a completely folded state, a handle portion locking mechanism for holding the handle portion 32 on the support plate 78d or the like is provided, so that the folded electric scooter 1 is directed toward the deployed position. It can be prevented from moving.

The control unit 7 for controlling the folding and unfolding operation of the electric scooter 1 is composed of a CPU or the like, and when an expansion/contraction operation start switch (not shown) is turned on, if the electric scooter 1 is in the unfolded state, the electric motor M is moved in the backward direction. Then, the folding operation is started by rotating the electric motor M in the forward direction to start the unfolding operation.

The control unit 7 includes frame position information from a detection sensor (not shown) that detects the folded position and the unfolded position of the main frame unit 10, the sub frame unit 20, the handle post unit 31, and the handle unit 32, and lowers the stand 50. The stand position information from a detection sensor (not shown) that detects the position and the raised position, and the clutch information from a detection sensor (not shown) that detects the neutral position and the power transmission position of the cylindrical cam portion 71 are acquired.

When all the acquired frame position information indicates the expanded position, the stand position information indicates the lowered position, and the clutch information indicates the power transmission position, when the control unit 7 acquires the ON signal from the expansion/contraction operation switch, the electric motor M Is instructed to rotate in the second rotation direction which is the reverse rotation direction. After that, when all the frame position information is switched to the folding position, the driving of the electric motor M is stopped.

When all the frame position information indicates the folding position, the stand position information indicates the lowered position, and the clutch information indicates the neutral position, when the electric assist switch is turned on, the control unit 7 shows the state shown in FIG. When the clutch lever 78 is held by hand and pulled downward while being slightly lowered, the rear wheel 5 comes into contact with the ground and assists the rearward moving force electrically.

When all the frame position information indicates the folding position, the stand position information indicates the lowered position, and the clutch information indicates the power transmission position, the control unit 7 obtains the ON signal from the expansion/contraction operation switch, and moves forward to the electric motor M. The rotation in the first rotation direction, which is the rotation direction, is instructed. After that, when all the frame position information is switched to the expanded position, the driving of the electric motor M is stopped. The extension/contraction operation switch and the electric assist switch may be provided on the electric scooter 1 or may be remotely operated by a smartphone or the like.

In the present embodiment, when the expansion/contraction operation of the electric scooter 1 is performed, the reaction force of the electric motor M is transmitted to the left fixed link 23a and the right fixed link 23b via the motor shaft 42. Therefore, in order to receive the reaction force of the electric motor M at the stand 50, the left fixed link 23a, the right fixed link 23b, and the stand 50 are rotated clockwise (second rotation direction) and counterclockwise in the lowered position of the stand 50. A reaction force receiving portion (not shown) is fixed so as not to rotate with respect to the (first rotation direction). As the reaction force receiving portion, for example, an electromagnetic solenoid can be used. When the electromagnetic solenoid is energized, the engaging shaft spends in the left-right direction, and when the energization is cut off, it retracts. The electromagnetic solenoids are attached to the left fixed link 23a and the right fixed link 23b, respectively, and with the stand 50 lowered to the lower position, the electromagnetic solenoids are provided in engagement holes (not shown) formed in the left leg portion 51 and the right leg portion, respectively. The engagement shaft of is engageable.

When the clutch information indicates the power transmission position and the stand position information indicates the lowered position, the control unit 7 energizes the electromagnetic solenoid to spend the engagement shaft, and the left fixed link 23a and the right fixed link are engaged. Engage the dowel. When the frame position information is reversed from the folded position to the unfolded position or from the unfolded position to the folded position, the control unit 7 determines that the expansion/contraction operation has ended, and cuts off the energization of the electromagnetic solenoid. Although the case where the reaction force receiving portion is electrically configured is illustrated, the reaction force receiving portion may be mechanically configured.

Next, the operation of the cam mechanism 70 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10.

4 and 5 show the case where the cylindrical cam portion 71 is set to the neutral position and the stand 50 is lowered to the lowered position. Since the protrusion 76 of the left leg 51 is located at the other end 75b of the neutral region 73, it does not contact the cam top 74. Therefore, the state in which the engagement pin 47 of the rotating disc 43 is disengaged from the engagement hole 64 of the transmission plate 61 is maintained, and the transmission plate 61 does not rotate even if the rear wheel 5 of the electric scooter 1 rotates.

That is, when the driver lowers the stand 50 for the purpose of temporarily parking, it is assumed that the rear wheel 5 is rollable and can be moved while being pulled while the electric scooter 1 is folded.

7 and 8 show the case where the cylindrical cam portion 71 is set to the neutral position and the stand 50 is raised. In the neutral area 73 of the cam 72, the protrusion 76 of the left leg 51 does not contact the cam top portion 74 because it contacts the wall surface of the one end 75a. Therefore, the state in which the engagement pin 47 of the rotating disc 43 is disengaged from the engagement hole 64 of the transmission plate 61 is maintained, and the transmission plate 61 does not rotate even if the rear wheel 5 of the electric scooter 1 rotates. That is, it is assumed that the driver is driving the electric scooter 1.

9 and 10 show a case where the cylindrical cam portion 71 is set to the power transmission position and the stand 50 is lowered to the lowered position. Since the transmission plate 61 is in the horizontal state, the electric scooter 1 is in the folding standby state. Since the projection 76 of the left leg 51 is in contact with the cam top 74 of the cam 72, the cylindrical cam 71 moves toward the rotating disc 43 while pressing the transmission plate 61. Since the engagement hole 64 of the transmission plate 61 is formed as an elongated hole along the circumferential direction, the engagement pin 47 of the rotary disc 43 is reliably engaged with the engagement hole 64. Therefore, when the electric motor M is rotated in the second rotation direction in order to fold the electric scooter 1, the transmission plate 61 rotates in the second rotation direction integrally with the rotating disc 43. When the transmission plate 61 rotates in the second rotation direction, the lower engagement shaft 63b of the transmission plate 61 pushes upward while contacting the lower surface of the left rotation frame 11a. The left rotating frame 11a rotates about the rotation center axis line L of the motor shaft 42 in the second rotation direction, whereby the folding operation of the electric scooter 1 is started.

The folding operation of the electric scooter 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 to 15.

As described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10, when the left rotation frame 11a starts rotating in the second rotation direction, as shown in FIG. 11, the sub-frame portion 20 and the handle are interlocked with the folding operation of the main frame portion 10. The folding operation of the post portion 31 is started, and the folding operation of the handle portion 32 is started in synchronization with the folding operation of the handle post portion 31.

FIG. 11 shows a state in which the rotating frame portion 11 is rotated (an angle of about 50 degrees) from the substantially horizontal direction in the clockwise direction (the second rotation direction), and the driven frame portion 13 is moved in the rearward direction and is in a substantially horizontal state. The front wheel 3 moves rearward while rolling on the ground contact surface in accordance with the change in posture to, and the length of the electric scooter 1 in the front-rear direction starts to decrease.

In the sub-frame unit 20, since the left link unit 21 and the right link unit 22 perform the same operation, only the operation of the left link unit 21 will be described, and the operation description of the right link unit 22 will be omitted. Since the first left driven link 25a moves upward, the second left driven link 27a inclines upward on the front end side, the seat 2 becomes higher, and the front becomes inclined upward.

In the handle post folding mechanism 35, the link plate 35c is rotated in the clockwise direction by the operation of the bending rod 35a and the driven frame portion 13, and the handle portion 32 is folded backward together with the upper post portion 31a via the hinge shaft 34. The operation is started. As the left rotation frame 11a rotates in the clockwise direction (second rotation direction), the backward folding operation of the upper post portion 31a proceeds.

In the handlebar folding mechanism 36, since the handle portion 32 moves rearward together with the upper post portion 31a, the lock plate 32d connected to the connecting body 36d rotates in the opening direction. Along with the opening operation of the lock plate 32d, a folding operation in which the left handlebar 32a and the right handlebar 32b connected to the left rod 36a and the right rod 36b connected to the connecting body 36d are bent so as to approach the upper post portion 31a is started. To be done.

In the state shown in FIG. 11, the folding operation of the left handlebar 32a and the right handlebar 32b is still in progress.

12 shows a state in which the left rotation frame 11a is further rotated in the clockwise direction (second rotation direction) from the state shown in FIG. 11 and the left rotation frame 11a is rotated up to an angle of about 90 degrees. Is located under the seat 2.

In the folded state shown in FIG. 12, the front wheel 3 is closer to the rear wheel 5, and the upper post portion 31a is folded to a position closer to the horizontal state. Even if the left rotation frame 11a is rotated from the state shown in FIG. 11 to the state shown in FIG. 12, since the left first support shaft 24a provided on the left rotation frame 11a has a short vertical and forward-backward movement distance, The 1st driven link 25a moves slightly upward and backward, and the position of the seat 2 hardly changes. Therefore, the steering portion 30 moves toward the rear wheel 5 side and the folding operation of the upper post portion 31a progresses, and the handle portion 32 is folded to a position below the seat 2 at the front position of the seat 2, and the handle portion 32 is folded under the seat 2. Go under.

FIG. 13 shows a final folded state in which the left rotation frame 11a is further rotated in the clockwise direction (second rotation direction) by an angle of about 50 degrees from the position shown in FIG. When the left rotation frame 11a rotates in the clockwise direction (second rotation direction) from the state shown in FIG. 12, the position of the support shaft 35b connecting the bending rod 35a and the link plate 35c moves upward, and thus the link plate 35c. Rotates further clockwise. Therefore, the upper post portion 31a, which is integrated with the folded left handlebar 32a and right handlebar 32b, is folded to the inclined position in which it is further lowered rearward from the horizontal position, and is moved to a position approaching the left fixed link 23a. .. At that time, the front wheel 3 hits the rear wheel 5 and the steering portion 30 further moves rearward, so that the front wheel 3 changes its direction while contacting the rear wheel 5. Therefore, the length of the electric scooter 1 in the front-rear direction is the shortest and the width thereof is the narrowest.

On the other hand, the sub link portion 20 moves downward as the left first support shaft 24a moves rearward from the peak position shown in FIG. Therefore, the left first driven link 25a moves downward while moving downward, so that the tip portion of the left second driven link 27a moves downward. Therefore, the electric scooter 1 has the lowest vertical height.

In the final folded state of the electric scooter 1 shown in FIG. 13, the clutch lever 78 is set to the power transmission position in which the clutch lever 78 is tilted forward. In this state, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the rotating disc 43 and the transmission plate 61 are connected to each other. 5 does not rotate. Therefore, it is difficult to move the folded and compact electric scooter 1 by hand.

FIG. 14 shows a state in which the clutch lever 78 is switched to the backward pulled position (neutral position), and the clutch lever 78 is pushed downward, whereby the electric scooter 1 folded around the roller 54a as a fulcrum is rotated in the clockwise direction. FIG. 15 is a top view showing a state in which the rear wheels 5 are in contact with each other, the rear wheels 5 are in contact with the ground, and the front wheels 3 are floating.

As shown in FIG. 14, since the rollers 54a and the rear wheels 5 are grounded on the road surface, when the driver holds the clutch lever 78 by hand and lowers it downward while pulling it backward, It is possible to move the electric scooter 1 in the folded posture while rolling the rear wheels 5 with the front wheels 3 floating. For example, it can be easily moved to the inside of a building or the inside of a reta. In particular, since the battery 6 of the electric scooter 1 is heavy, the electric scooter 1 can be moved to the inside of the building in a folded posture and charged without removing the battery 6 from the electric scooter 1.

As shown in FIG. 15, in the final folded state, the left first driven link 25a and the right first driven link 25b are located on the outermost side in the left-right direction, and the left handlebar 32a and the right handlebar 32b are located between them. The upper post portion 31a is located substantially in the center in the width direction along the front-rear direction. The left handlebar 32a and the right handlebar 32b are located between the front end and the rear end of the left first driven link 25a and the right first driven link 25b in the front-rear direction. Further, the front wheel 3 is located between the left first driven link 25a and the right second driven link 27b even in the inclined posture. By tilting the front wheel 3, the length in the front-rear direction of the electric scooter 1 in the folded posture can be shortened as much as possible.

In the above-described embodiment, the sub-frame unit 20 moves the movement trajectory of the seat 2 upward from the initial folding stage to the end of the folding operation, and finally moves downward, but is limited to such a movement trajectory. Instead, the main frame portion 10 may be folded as the main frame portion 10 rotates in the clockwise direction for the folding operation.

Although the left and right handlebars 32a and 32b are folded in association with the folding operation of the upper post portion 31a, they may be folded manually.

Other Embodiments FIGS. 16 to 18 show another embodiment.
1 to 3, the above-described embodiment has a frame structure using a frame member as a body structure, and only a skeleton is shown for ease of explanation. The electric scooter 1 of the present embodiment has a structure in which an exterior member is attached to the body structure.

As shown in FIG. 16, a main cover 110 that covers the driven frame portion 13 and the lower post portion 31 b is attached to the main frame portion 10, and a sub cover 120 is attached to the sub frame portion 20. A front wheel cover 103 is attached to the front wheel 3, and a rear wheel cover 105 is attached to the rear wheel 5. The main cover 110 has a footrest 110a on which the driver's foot rests, and a front cowl 110b that covers the front surface of the lower post portion 31b and both left and right sides of the driven frame body 13c. The front cowl 110b has rear end portions 110c on both left and right sides formed in a square shape.

The sub-cover 120 has three side parts, a sub-left cover part 120a that covers the left link part 21, a sub-right cover part 120b that covers the right link part 22, and a sub-back cover part 120c that covers the back part, and a seat is provided on the top. A sheet cutout 121 that surrounds 2 is formed, and the front surface is opened. The sub cover 120 is attached to the left fixed link 23a and the right fixed link 23b.

Therefore, the sub-cover 120 does not move with the folding operation and the unfolding operation. On the other hand, when the folding operation of the sub-frame part 20 is started, the seat 2 moves backward while moving upward with the left third support shaft 28a and the right third support shaft 28b as fulcrums, and is folded up to form the upper post part 31a. Is housed between the left link portion 21 and the right link portion 22. After that, the seat 2 moves forward while moving downward with the third left support shaft 28a and the third right support shaft 28b as fulcrums, and then returns to the original position and fits in the seat cutout 121 of the sub-cover 120.

In the final folded state, the main cover 110 covers the front opening of the sub cover 120. The sub-left cover portion 120a and the sub-right cover portion 120b of the sub-cover member 120 are formed with relief portions 122 that are largely cut out in a triangular shape toward the front surface. Further, the corner portions formed on the rear end portions 110c of the left and right side surfaces of the front cowl 110b are engaged with the relief portions 122 of the sub left cover portion 120a and the sub right cover portion 120b. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 18, the electric scooter 1 has an appearance in which it is wrapped by the main cover 110, the sub cover 120, the front wheel cover 103, and the rear wheel cover 105 in the folded state. A windshield cover 131 is attached to the upper post portion 31a. In the final folded state, the windshield cover 131 is housed in the sub frame portion 20 integrally with the upper post portion 31a.

In the present embodiment, the sub-frame unit 20 includes the left first driven link 25a and the right first driven link 25b that are shock absorbers, absorbs a shock during traveling, and provides a comfortable ride for the driver sitting on the seat 2. I am doing well. The configuration of the exterior member is not limited to the above embodiment. The battery 6 may also be arranged on the left and right of the rear wheel, and the arrangement position of the control unit 7 is not particularly limited.

1: Electric Scooter 2: Seat 3: Front Wheel 4: Electric Drive M: Electric Motor Ma: Electromagnet Mb: Permanent Magnet L: Rotation Center Axis 41: Wheel 41a: Hub 42: Motor Shaft 42a: Left Extension 42b: Right extending portion 42c: Left shaft end portion 42d: Right shaft end portion 42e, 42f: Bolt 43: Rotating disc 45: Left sleeve 45a: First shaft portion 45b: Second shaft portion 45c: Third shaft portion 45f, 46f: Flange 46: Right sleeve 46a: 1st shaft part 46b: 2nd shaft part 46c: Cylindrical member 47: Engagement pin 5: Rear wheel 6: Battery 7: Control part 10: Main frame part 11: Rotating frame part 11a : Left rotation frame 11b: Right rotation frame 11c: Base end portion 11d: Shaft hole 12: Main connecting shaft 13: Driven frame portion 13a: Front portion 13b: Rear portion 13c: Driven frame body 13d: Bearing 13e: Stopper plate 20: Sub Frame part 21: Left link part 22: Right link part 22a: Left drive link 22b: Right drive link 23a: Left fixed link 23b: Right fixed link 23c: Opening part 24: Connecting bar 24a: Left first support shaft 25a: Left First driven link 25b: Right first driven link 26a: Left second support shaft 26b: Right second support shaft 27a: Left second driven link 27b: Right second driven link 28a: Left third support shaft 28b: Right first 3 support shaft 30: steering part 31: handle post part 31a: upper post part 31b: lower post part 31c: upper flange part 31d: lower flange part 32: handle part 32a: left handle bar 32b: right handle bar 32c: handle bar Attachment part 32d: Lock plate 32e: Hinge part 32f: Handle bar lock member 33: Fork 34: Hinge shaft 35: Handle post folding mechanism 35a: Bending rod 35b, 35e: Spindle 35c: Link plate 35d: Bracket 36: Handle bar Folding mechanism 36a: left rod 36b: right rod 36c: central rod 36d: connecting body 36e: mounting bracket 50: stand 51: left leg 51a: base end 51b: shaft hole 52: bottom plate 54: ground plate 54a: roller 60 : Power transmission part 61: Transmission plate 62: Hub 62a: Inner diameter part 62b: Inner flange 63: Engagement part 63a: Upper engagement shaft 63b: Lower engagement shaft 63c: Roller 64: Engagement hole 65: Compression coil spring 70 : Clutch mechanism 71: Cylindrical cam portion 71a: Axial inner end surface 72: Power 73: Neutral area 74: Cam top 75: Notch 75a: One end 75b: Other end 75c: Slope 76: Protrusion 77: Clutch operating part 78: Clutch lever 78a: Left arm lever 78b: Right arm lever 78c : Arm bar 78d: Support plate 79: Connecting rod 79a: Upper connecting pin 79b: Lower connecting pin 79c: Shaft hole 80: Arm plate 110: Main cover 120: Sub cover 103: Front wheel cover 105: Rear wheel cover 110a: Foot rest 110b: Front cowl 110c: Rear end 120a: Sub-left cover 120b: Sub-right cover 120c: Sub-rear cover 121: Seat cutout 122: Escape 131: Windshield cover

Claims (8)

A drive device for driving an expansion/contraction mechanism that enables movement of a body of an electric vehicle between a folding position in which the body of the electric vehicle is folded in the front-rear direction and an original expanded position,
A first rotation direction and a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction; and a drive output unit that is driven to rotate about a rotation axis along the width direction of the electric vehicle. A drive unit that is electrically driven,
A power transmission unit that is rotatable about a rotation axis along the width direction of the electric vehicle that transmits the rotational force of the drive output unit to the input unit of the expansion mechanism.
A support portion that supports the electric vehicle so as to be self-supporting and that receives a driving reaction force of the drive portion,
Drive having a. The drive device according to claim 1,
The drive unit switches between an electric motor that drives the drive wheels of the electric vehicle, and a transmission state in which the rotational force of the drive output unit is transmitted to the power transmission unit and a disconnection state in which the transmission state is cut off. And a switching operation unit that performs a switching operation of the switching unit. The drive device according to claim 2,
The drive unit is characterized in that the support section is a stand that supports the electric vehicle in a self-sustaining manner with the drive wheels floating from the ground. The drive device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The power transmission unit drives the expansion/contraction mechanism to the folded state when the input unit of the expanded/contracted mechanism is rotated in the second rotation direction integrally with the drive output unit to the input unit of the expansion/contraction mechanism. A drive device characterized in that, when integrally rotating with the drive output unit in the first rotation direction, the expansion mechanism is driven to the expanded state. A saddle-type electric vehicle,
A steering unit with front wheels,
The rear wheels that are electrically driven by the onboard battery,
A driven body portion having the steering portion is connected to a tip end portion of a rotating body portion that rotates about a rotation axis along the width direction of the electric vehicle by a connecting shaft, and is driven by a rotating operation of the rotating body portion. And a main body part that allows the steering part to move in the front-rear direction,
A sub-body part that includes a seat and is capable of expanding and contracting in the front-rear direction in association with the rotational movement of the rotary body part;
A power transmission unit that is rotationally driven by an electric driving force that rotates about a rotation axis along the width direction of the electric vehicle, and that transmits the rotational driving force to the rotary body unit;
A switching unit for switching between a power transmission state for transmitting power to the power transmission unit and a power cutoff state for cutting off the power transmission state;
A stand that floats the rear wheels from the grounding surface and grounds the front wheels to the grounding surface to support the electric vehicle in a self-sustaining manner.
Electric vehicle having. The electric vehicle according to claim 5,
The steering unit includes a handle post configured in a two-divided structure that is vertically foldable, and a handle post drive unit that drives the handle post into a folded state and a deployed state in cooperation with a rotational movement of the power transmission unit. An electric vehicle, comprising: The electric vehicle according to claim 5 or 6,
An electric vehicle, wherein a drive source that rotationally drives the power transmission unit is a drive unit that drives the rear wheels. The electric vehicle according to claim 6 ,
The steering unit includes left and right handlebars configured to be foldable, and a handlebar driving unit that drives the handlebars into a folded state and a deployed state in cooperation with folding and unfolding operations of the handle post,
An electric vehicle, comprising: