JP6978027B1 - Folding vehicle body structure, drive and folding vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a folding vehicle capable of smoothly folding a vehicle and obtaining a folding posture in which the height of the vehicle is substantially maintained. SOLUTION: A folding vehicle 1 connects a front frame portion 12 and a rear frame portion 13 of a main frame 10 via a hinge portion 11 so as to bend in an inverted V shape, and is driven by an electric actuator 74 to connect with the front frame portion 12. The rear frame portion 13 is relatively rotated to move the hinge portion 11 in the vertical direction. According to the folding operation of the main frame 10, the ground contact portion of the vehicle stand 60 is shifted with the rear wheel 2 floating from the ground contact surface GL, and the folding operation is performed with the vehicle stand 60 as the base point. According to the folding operation of the main frame 10, the first link portion 31 tilts the handle 20 rearward to the height of the seat 40, and the second link portion 50 substantially maintains the height of the seat 40. [Selection diagram] FIG. 5

Description

The present invention relates to a technique for folding a vehicle body frame in a vehicle such as a bicycle, an electrically assisted bicycle, an electric scooter, or a vehicle having an electric assist function and a pedaling function on the electric scooter.

In vehicles such as bicycles and electric scooters, various foldable vehicles have been proposed in which the vehicle body frame can be folded and the vehicle can be easily stored in a building or an automobile after traveling.

As a folding structure of the vehicle body frame, for example, the main frame to which the front wheels and the rear wheels are attached is divided into a front frame portion and a rear frame portion in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body frame, and the rear end of the front frame portion and the front end of the rear frame portion are separated. A configuration in which they are connected by a connecting shaft extending in the width direction has been proposed (Patent Document 1).

The folding structure of the vehicle body frame disclosed in Patent Document 1 is a method of folding the front frame portion and the rear frame portion of the bicycle into an inverted V shape with the connecting axis as the apex to shorten the distance between the front wheels and the rear wheels in the front-rear direction. There is. The folding drive mechanism of the bicycle provided with the folding structure of the vehicle body frame is composed of a fixed gear provided at the rear end portion of the front frame portion and a drive gear provided at the tip portion of the rear frame portion, and includes a drive gear and a fixed gear. Has a gear drive portion that meshes with each other to tilt the front frame portion and the rear frame portion relatively with respect to the connecting shaft. Then, when the bicycle is manually pushed backward with the locking means for integrally fixing the front frame portion and the rear frame portion unlocked, the reverse rotational force applied to the rear wheels is applied to the gear drive portion via the chain transmission mechanism. It is transmitted, and the front frame portion and the rear frame portion are bent into an inverted V shape with the hinge axis as a fulcrum.

From the middle of folding to the end, the handle post that supports the handlebars that make up the body frame and the saddle post that supports the saddle are greatly tilted forward and the height of the bicycle decreases. The final folded figure is a state in which the front wheels and the rear wheels overlap in the left-right direction. In addition, the handle post can be manually folded via a hinge provided in the middle.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-232276

In the conventional foldable vehicle described above, when the front frame portion and the rear frame portion of the main frame are rotated in an inverted V shape, the front wheels and the rear wheels move while approaching each other on the same axis in the front-rear direction. The front and rear wheels collide. Further, when the front frame portion and the rear frame portion rotate, the front wheels rub against the rear wheels and move, and the front wheels and the rear wheels overlap in the left-right direction. For this reason, the front wheels and the rear wheels may be damaged, and in particular, when the vehicle is moved backward by holding the steering wheel, the free turning of the front wheels is hindered and smooth folding operation cannot be performed. In addition, since the handle is greatly lowered downward from the middle of the folding operation, the operator is forced to take a cramped posture.

Further, since the final folding posture in which the front wheels and the rear wheels overlap in the left-right direction is low in height, it is not suitable for the operator who performed the folding operation to pull or push in a normal standing posture. For this reason, the operator has to lift and move the folded vehicle by hand, and the movement operability is poor.

On the other hand, the folding drive mechanism utilizes the rotational force of the rear wheels generated by manually pushing the vehicle backward. Therefore, the operator must always touch the vehicle, and it is desired that the operator can automatically fold the vehicle without touching the vehicle. Further, the reverse force of the rear wheels is transmitted to the gear drive unit via the chain transmission mechanism, which complicates the drive system.

An object of the present invention is to obtain a folding posture in which the folding operation of the vehicle can be smoothly performed, the height of the vehicle is substantially maintained, and the body structure and drive device of the folding vehicle can be automated by a simplified drive mechanism. , To provide a folding vehicle.

The configuration of the first invention that achieves the object of the present invention is a frame structure of a folding vehicle that can be folded from a state before folding to a state at the end of folding, and before a handle post for operating a front wheel is pivotally supported at a front end portion. The main frame is divided into two by a frame portion and a rear frame portion that supports the rear wheels at the rear end portion, and is arranged between the front wheels and the rear wheels, and the rear end portion and the rear frame of the front frame portion. The front end surface of the front frame portion and the front end surface of the rear frame portion abut against the front frame portion and the rear frame portion with the hinge axis extending in the left-right direction as a fulcrum, connecting the front end portions of the portions, in the front-rear direction. A hinge part that enables relative movement between the first state before folding and the second state that bends in an inverted V shape, which are connected in series with each other , and the folding vehicle can stand on its own with the rear wheels floating from the ground surface. The vehicle stand has a vehicle stand that can rotate about a rotation fulcrum portion provided in the rear frame portion between a lowered position held in the rear frame and an raised position in a travelable state, and the vehicle stand has a folding operation. A rotation lever that rotates integrally with the rear frame portion around the rotation fulcrum portion according to the operation from the start to the end of the folding operation, and a rotation lever provided at the tip end portion of the rotation lever, which are in contact with each other at the lowered position. It has a ground contact portion that rotates integrally with the rotary lever in contact with the ground, and a rotatable small-diameter wheel provided at the rear end portion of the ground contact portion, and the ground contact portion has a ground contact region at the lowered position. Is set from the tip side to the front side of the small diameter wheel, the small diameter wheel is provided at a position floating from the ground contact surface, and the hinge portion is on the axis line in the left-right direction orthogonal to the axis line along the front-rear direction. On the other hand, when the axis of the hinge shaft is tilted and the front frame portion and the rear frame portion move relative to each other from the first state to the second state, the front frame portion and the rear frame portion move in the left-right direction. Causes misalignment.

The configuration of the second invention that achieves the object of the present invention is the configuration of the vehicle body structure of the folding vehicle of the first invention, wherein the rear frame portion is interposed at the rear end portion of the front frame portion via the hinge portion. It has a rear frame main body portion that is connected to the rear frame main body portion, and a rear wheel support frame portion that is connected to the rear frame main body portion and supports the rear wheels.

The configuration of the third invention that achieves the object of the present invention is the configuration of the vehicle body structure of the folding vehicle of the third invention, wherein the rear wheel support frame portion extends in the left-right direction with respect to the rear frame main body portion. It is rotatably connected via a pivot shaft, and a suspension for shock absorption can be provided between the rear portion of the rear frame main body portion and the rear wheel support frame portion.

The configuration of the fourth invention that achieves the object of the present invention is that in the vehicle body structure of the folding vehicle of the first invention, the ground contact portion is formed on a curved surface in which the ground contact region is convexly curved toward the outer surface side. ing.

A fifth aspect of the present invention, which achieves the object of the present invention, is the mainframe of the handle post whose upper portion can be tilted rearward in the configuration of the body structure of the folding vehicle according to any one of the first to fourth inventions. It has a first link portion that tilts in conjunction with the bending operation of the main frame, and a second link portion that holds the seat at substantially the same height in conjunction with the bending operation of the main frame.

A sixth aspect of the present invention, which achieves the object of the present invention, is a state in which the front frame portion and the rear frame portion are connected before folding in the configuration of the vehicle body structure of the folding vehicle according to any one of the first to fifth inventions. The lock member has a lock portion that allows the lock member to move between the lock position for holding the front frame portion and the lock release position that allows the front frame portion and the rear frame portion to be bent into an inverted V shape.

A seventh aspect of the present invention, which achieves the object of the present invention, has a driving force transmitting portion for driving the lock portion by raising and lowering the vehicle stand in the configuration of the vehicle body structure of the folding vehicle of the sixth invention. The force transmission unit moves the lock member to the lock position by raising the vehicle stand, and moves the lock member to the unlock position by lowering the vehicle stand.

Eighth invention to achieve the object of the present invention is a drive device for bending a front frame portion and a rear frame portion of the main frame in the vehicle body structure of the folding vehicle according to any one of the first to seventh inventions. Between the drive unit driven by the electric drive source, the power supply battery of the electric drive source, the drive force acting unit on which the driving force of the drive unit acts, and the drive unit and the drive force acting unit. The position shift that occurs between the front frame portion and the rear frame portion when the front frame portion and the rear frame portion move between the first state and the second state. The driving unit is provided on either one of the front frame portion and the rear frame portion, and the driving force is provided on either the front frame portion or the rear frame portion. A working part is provided.

In the ninth aspect of the invention, which achieves the object of the present invention, in the configuration of the drive device of the eighth invention, the drive unit is composed of an electric actuator that drives the moving body in a straight line by an electric motor, and the misalignment absorption unit. Consists of a universal joint provided at the tip of the moving body of the electric actuator, and connects the moving body and the driving force acting portion via the universal joint.

A tenth invention that achieves the object of the present invention is a folding vehicle in which the body structure of the folding vehicle according to any one of the first to seventh inventions is applied to a two-wheeled vehicle having front wheels and rear wheels, and is driven. Bicycles that use pedal depression as drive power, electrically assisted bicycles equipped with an auxiliary electric drive system that assists the drive power of the bicycle, electric vehicles that run using electric motors as drive power, or these three types of drive methods. Is one of the vehicles equipped with switchability.

The eleventh invention to achieve the object of the present invention comprises front wheels and rear wheels provided with the drive device of the eighth or ninth invention in the vehicle body structure of the folding vehicle of any one of the first to seventh inventions. A vehicle applied to a two-wheeled vehicle that has a bicycle that uses pedal depression as a drive power, an electrically assisted bicycle equipped with an auxiliary electric drive system that assists the drive power of the bicycle, and an electric motor as the drive power. It is either an electric vehicle that travels as a vehicle or a vehicle that can switch between these three types of drive systems.

According to the first invention, when the front frame portion and the rear frame portion of the main frame are bent in an inverted V shape in the front-rear direction with the hinge axis as the apex, the front wheels and the rear wheels are displaced in the left-right direction. It can be folded in the left-right direction so that the folding vehicle can be made compact. By lifting the hinge portion from the bottom to the top, the folding operation can be easily started, so that the folding operation can be performed by one person, for example. In addition, the vehicle stand can be used as the base point for the folding operation, and the ground contact portion rotates while moving the ground contact patch integrally with the rear frame portion. Dynamic movement can be tolerated.

According to the second invention, since the rear frame portion is divided into a rear frame main body portion to which the hinge portion is attached and a rear wheel support frame portion to which the rear wheel is attached, the rear frame portion has a shape according to the function and the like. Can be formed into.

According to the third invention, the ride quality is improved.

According to the fourth invention, smooth movement of the ground contact portion can be obtained by using the ground contact region of the ground contact portion as a curved surface, and particularly if the curved surface is set to match the rotation locus of the rotary lever, the ground contact portion is further grounded. Smooth movement of the part is possible.

According to the fifth invention, the handle post can be automatically tilted by the folding operation, and the height of the seat can be maintained substantially constant even in the state before the folding operation and the state after the folding operation is completed. can.

According to the sixth invention, the lock portion prevents the front frame portion and the rear frame portion from being inadvertently bent via the hinge portion.

According to the seventh invention, if the vehicle stand is raised to run the vehicle, the lock portion is locked, and the lock portion is unlocked at the lowered position of the vehicle stand, which is the state before the folding operation. The operation of the part is performed automatically.

According to the eighth invention, when the bending operation of the main frame is electrically driven, the position shift absorbing portion acts to absorb the left-right misalignment caused by the bending between the front frame portion and the rear frame portion, and the main frame. Smooth bending operation is possible.

According to the ninth invention, the electric drive unit can be miniaturized. In addition, it can be unitized by attaching it to the main frame in advance.

According to the tenth and eleventh inventions, it is possible to provide an electric vehicle such as a bicycle, an electrically assisted bicycle, or an electric scooter having the effects of the above invention.

The left side view which shows the 1st Embodiment of the folding vehicle by this invention shows the state which the vehicle stun is lowered to the lowered position, and is the state before the folding operation. An enlarged view of the vehicle stand shown in FIG. 1A shows a state in which the vehicle stun is lowered to a lowered position and before the folding operation. It is a figure which shows the position of the vehicle stand in the middle of a folding operation. It is a figure which shows the position of the vehicle stand in the state which the folding operation is completed. The left side view of the main frame shown in FIG. 1 shows a state before the start of the folding operation. It is the A arrow view of FIG. 2A. It is a right side view which shows the locked state of the lock part which locks a main frame in a state where a vehicle stand is raised. It is a right side view which shows the unlocked state of the lock part in the state which lowered the vehicle stand. The driving force transmission part which locks the lock part at the raised position of a vehicle stand is shown, and is the right side view corresponding to FIG. 3A. It is a right side view corresponding to FIG. 3B which shows the driving force transmission part which unlocks a lock part at a lowered position of a vehicle stand. It is a left side view which shows the state which the folding vehicle shown in FIG. 1 is folded halfway. It is a left side view which shows the folding end state in which the folding vehicle shown in FIG. 1 is folded to the end. It is a left side drawing which compares the height of a vehicle before and after folding. FIG. 4B is a perspective view of the folded vehicle in the folded state shown in FIG. 4B as viewed diagonally from the front to the right. FIG. 4B is a perspective view of the folded vehicle in the folded state shown in FIG. 4B as viewed from diagonally left rear. FIG. 4B is a top view of the folded vehicle in the folded state shown in FIG. 4B as viewed from above. FIG. 4B is a bottom view of the folded vehicle in the folded state shown in FIG. 4B as viewed from the bottom. It is a left side view which shows the drive device which bends the main frame of the 2nd Embodiment of this invention, and shows the fixed state of a main frame. FIG. 10A is a left side view in which the main frame is bent and driven to the final bent state by the driving device shown in FIG. 10A. It is a B arrow view of FIG. 10A. The rear part of the vehicle is shown in the left side view of the vehicle showing the third embodiment of the present invention.

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

1st Embodiment

1A to 9 show a first embodiment of a folding vehicle according to the present invention.

First, the configuration of the folding vehicle (hereinafter, abbreviated as vehicle) 1 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3D.

The vehicle 1 is a two-wheeled vehicle having a front wheel 2 and a rear wheel 3, and is a drive type bicycle whose drive power is a depression operation of pedals (not shown) provided on the left and right sides of a crank shaft (not shown), and the drive power of the bicycle. A changeover switch (not shown) for three types of drive systems: an electrically assisted bicycle equipped with an auxiliary electric drive system (not shown) as a drive system, and an electric vehicle with a drive system that runs using an electric motor for driving (not shown) as drive power. It is a vehicle that can be switched by. It may be applied individually to the bicycle, the electrically assisted bicycle, and the electric vehicle. Further, except for the description of FIGS. 3A to 3D, the clockwise direction indicates the reverse rotation direction of the rear wheel 3, and the counterclockwise direction indicates the forward rotation direction of the rear wheel 3.

The vehicle 1 includes a main frame 10 that can be bent into an inverted V shape and extends along a front-rear direction, a handle post 21 having a handle 20 at the upper end, and a first link portion that tilts the handle post 21 toward the rear. It has 30, a seat 40 on which the driver sits, a second link portion 50 that supports the seat 40, and a vehicle stand 60 provided on the rear wheel 3 side. The vehicle stand 60 is movable between a raised position raised upward for traveling and a lowered position for holding the vehicle 1 independently.

Further, the vehicle 1 has a drive device 70 that folds the main frame 10 by electric drive. The crank gear 4a fixed to the crankshaft is arranged on the right side of the main frame 10, and the chain 5 is hung between the crank gear 4a and the rear wheel side gear 4b (see FIG. 6) provided on the rear wheel 3 side. ing. A brake disc 7a is attached to the front wheel 2, and a brake disc 7b is attached to the rear wheel 3.

The main frame 10 is configured such that the front frame portion 12 and the rear frame portion 13 are divided into two with the dividing line 10a as a boundary with the hinge portion 11 interposed therebetween. The front frame portion 12 and the rear frame portion 13 have an inverted V shape with the hinge portion 11 as a bending fulcrum and a state before the start of folding (the first state of the main frame 10) which is connected in series via the hinge portion 11. It rotates relative to the folded state (second state) in which it is folded. The hinge portion 11 is provided at a position substantially intermediate in length in the front-rear direction of the main frame 10.

The rear frame portion 13 has a rear frame main body portion 13A and a bifurcated rear wheel support frame portion 13B fixed to the rear end of the rear frame main body portion 13A. The front frame portion 12 and the rear frame main body portion 13A are formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape in appearance in the first state. The rear wheel 3 is a wheel-in-motor type in which a motor is incorporated in the wheel, and the rotation axis of the motor is the rear wheel axle 3a. The left and right ends of the rear wheel axle 3a are mounted and fixed to the axle mounting holes 131 provided at the rear ends of the left and right rear wheel support frame portions 13B. The rear wheel support frame portion 13B is formed with a lever mounting hole 132 further on the tip side from the axle mounting hole 131. The base of the rotary lever 60c of the vehicle stand 60 is rotatably mounted with the lever mounting hole 132 as a rotary fulcrum. The vehicle stand 60 is rotatable between the lowered position and the raised position with the lever mounting hole 132 as a fulcrum. The configuration of the vehicle stand 60 will be described later.

The battery 6 is housed in the front frame portion 12. The battery 6 is used as a drive power source for the drive device 70, a drive power source for an auxiliary electric drive system, a drive power source for a traveling electric motor, a power source for a drive system switching control circuit, and the like.

A pedal mounting post 14 for mounting the crankshaft is mounted downward on the rear frame portion 13 as a post portion extending downward that constitutes a part of the rear frame portion. In the present embodiment, the rear frame portion 13 is attached with a pedal mounting post 14 for mounting the crankshaft. The pedal mounting post 14 is fixed to the rear end of the main body 13A. A bearing portion 15 that rotatably supports the crankshaft is fixed to the lower end portion of the pedal mounting post 14.

The configuration of the vehicle stand 60 will be further described with reference to FIGS. 6, 7, and 9.

When the vehicle stand 60 is rotated to the lowered position shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a stopper (not shown) provided on the vehicle stand 60 engages with an engaging portion (not shown) formed on the rear wheel support frame portion 13B. Further clockwise rotation is blocked. Further, when the rear wheel support frame portion 13B rotates in the clockwise direction toward the rear, the vehicle stand 60 also integrally rotates in the clockwise direction around the rear wheel axle 3a.

The vehicle stand 60 has left leg portions 60a and right leg portions 60b (see FIG. 6) having a substantially inverted T-shaped side surface arranged on both left and right sides of the rear wheel 3. The left leg portion 60a and the right leg portion 60b fix a metal grounding body 60d formed in a straight line with a rear end portion bent upward to the tip of the rotary lever 60c. A ground pad 60e that is convexly curved toward the outside is attached to the outer surface side of the ground body 60d except for the front end portion, and the ground body 60d and the ground pad 60e form a ground portion. The grounding region of the grounding portion is the tip end portion of the grounding body 60d and the outer peripheral surface of the grounding pad 60e.

The ground pad 60e can be made of, for example, a material and a structure having low friction that is slippery with respect to the ground surface GL. A connecting body 60f (see FIGS. 6 and 9) is provided between the tips of the left and right grounding bodies 60d to integrate the left leg portion 60a and the right leg portion 60b. A roller 60h composed of wheels, tires, etc. having a small diameter is rotatably attached to the rear end of the inclined portion 60g formed at the rear ends of the left and right ground contact bodies 60d and bent upward. In the present embodiment, the left and right grounding bodies 60 and the connecting body 60f can be formed integrally by bending, for example, one rod-shaped member.

As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the lowering position of the vehicle stand 60 before the start of the folding operation is a state in which the tip of the ground contact body 60d is in contact with the ground, and the rotary lever 60c is the axis of the rear wheel axle 3a. The roller 60h is held at an angle to the rear side of the vertical line passing through the ground surface GL, and the roller 60h is located away from the ground plane GL. In this lowered position, the rear wheel 3 is held in a state of floating from the ground plane GL.

FIG. 1C shows a state in the middle of the folding operation, and is rotated backward (clockwise) to a position where the rear end portion of the rear wheel support frame portion 13B is substantially vertical by a predetermined bending operation of the main frame 10. It shows the state. In this state, the rotary lever 60c rotates integrally with the rear wheel support frame portion 13B toward the front side (clockwise direction), and the ground contact body 60d becomes a substantially horizontal state. At that time, the grounding portion becomes the outer peripheral surface of the grounding pad 60e. Even in this state, the rear wheel 3 is floating from the ground plane GL.

FIG. 1D shows a folded state, and the rear wheel support frame portion 13B further rotates clockwise from the state shown in FIG. 1C to stop. The rotation lever 60c of the vehicle stand 60 rotates integrally with the ground contact body 60d by the rotation of the rear wheel support frame portion 13B, and the ground contact portion moves to the rear end portion. At that time, the roller 60h is floating from the ground plane GL.

As shown in FIG. 1B, in the state before the vehicle stand 60 starts to be folded, the tip of the metal ground contact body 60d is in contact with the ground contact surface GL, so that a high friction contact state is maintained. When the folding operation is started, the ground contact portion 60d is rotated in the clockwise direction while holding the rear wheel 3 floating from the ground contact surface GL and the position in the front-rear direction of the rear wheel 3 to bring the ground contact portion of the vehicle stand 60. Move it backwards. As shown in FIGS. 1C and 1D, the curved low-friction ground pad 60e provided on the ground body 60d is in contact with the ground surface GL, and the vehicle stand 60 rotates smoothly, and the rear wheel 3 is rotated in the front-rear direction. A reliable folding operation is performed without moving to. That is, the folding operation is performed with the vehicle stand 60 as the base point. Further, by returning the main frame 10 from the folded state to the original state before the folding start by the reverse operation, the vehicle stand 60 returns to the lowered position in FIG. 1B. Then, the vehicle stand 60 can be flipped up by the foot and moved to the raised position.

A head tube 16 fixed to a front end portion is fixed to the front frame portion 12. The handle post 21 is pivotally supported by the head tube 16 so as to be rotatable and immovable in the axial direction. The handle post 21 is vertically divided into an upper post portion 21A and a lower post portion 21B at a division position 21a provided above the head tube 16. The upper post portion 21A and the lower post portion 21B are connected via a post hinge portion 22. The upper post portion 21A is movable between a position directly connected to the lower post portion 21B and a tilted position in which the upper post portion 21A is tilted backward with respect to the lower post portion 21B. A front fork 23 to which the front wheel 2 is attached is fixed to the lower end of the lower post portion 21B. A handle post lock portion (not shown) for manually locking and unlocking the upper post portion 21A and the lower post portion 21B is provided in front of the post hinge portion 22 so as to face the post hinge portion 22.

The left handlebar 20A and the right handlebar 20B (see FIG. 6) of the handle 20 are configured to be bendable via handle hinge portions (not shown) provided on the left handlebar 20A and the right handlebar 20B, respectively. The left and right handle hinge portions can be manually switched between the fixed state and the bendable state by, for example, sliding the pipe portion covering the outer periphery of the connecting portion along the axial direction.

A rotating ring portion 24 is attached to the upper post portion 21A so as to be rotatable around an axis and immovable in the axial direction. The first link portion 30 has a first link rod 31 connected between the rear frame main body portion 13A and the rotating ring portion 24. The first link portion 30 rotates with the first link rod 31, the rear frame main body portion 13A, the hinge portion 11, the front frame portion 12, the lower post portion 21B, the post hinge portion 22, and the post hinge portion 22. It is composed of an upper post portion 21A between the ring portion 24 and a connecting portion to which both ends of the first link rod 31 are connected.

The sheet 40 is attached to the main frame 10 via the second link portion 50. The second link portion 50 extends in the horizontal direction fixed to the upper part of the first seat link member 51 between the pair of first seat link members 51 arranged to face each other on the left and right and the pair of first seat link members 51. It has a seat base 52 and a second seat link member 53 composed of a turnbuckle that allows the axial length to be adjusted. The seat post 41 that supports the seat 40 is attached to the seat base 52 so that the length can be adjusted. Further, the first seat link member 51 and the seat base 52 form a substantially inverted L-shaped link member (hereinafter referred to as an inverted L-shaped link member 54).

The pair of left and right first seat link members 51 are connected to the pair of left and right rear wheel support frames 13B via the first support shaft 55, respectively. The tip end portion of the seat base 52 constituting the inverted L-shaped link member 54 is connected to one end portion of the second seat link member 53 via the second support shaft 56. The other end of the second seat link member 53 is connected to the rear end of the front frame portion 12 via the third support shaft 57.

The second link portion 50 includes an inverted L-shaped link member 54, a second seat link member 53, a front frame portion 12, and a rear frame main body portion 13A to the rear wheel support frame portion 13B to the first support shaft 52. It is composed of a frame portion 13, a first support shaft 55, a second support shaft 56, a third support shaft 57, and a hinge portion 11.

A pull handle (not shown) is provided at the rear of the seat 40. For example, when the pull handle is pushed downward in the folded state shown in FIG. 6, for example, the vehicle 1 in the folded state shown in FIG. 6 rotates backward with the ground contact portion of the vehicle stand 60 as a fulcrum. In the folded state shown in FIG. 1D, the roller 60h floats slightly above the ground plane GL. In this state, when the pull handle of the vehicle 1 in the folded state is pushed downward, the vehicle 1 tilts slightly toward the rear, so that the roller 60h of the vehicle stand 60 touches the ground contact surface GL. Then, if the vehicle 1 is pulled backward as it is, the vehicle 1 can be moved while being dragged backward by the rolling of the roller 60h.

The seat 40 can be slid in the left-right direction via a slide mechanism (not shown) provided on the seat post 41. In the folded state, the front wheels 2 and the rear wheels 3 are positioned so as to be offset in the left-right direction. Therefore, when the pull handle provided on the seat 40 arranged directly above the rear wheel 3 is pulled toward the rear, the movement line of the front wheel 2 and the action line of the pulling force are displaced in the left-right direction, so that the front wheel 2 may rotate backward while swinging, and the folded vehicle 1 may not be able to move smoothly toward the rear. Therefore, the slide lock (not shown) of the slide mechanism is released, and as shown in FIGS. 6, 8 and 9, the seat 40 is centered in the left-right direction between the front wheels 2 and the rear wheels 3 which are positioned laterally to the left and right (as shown in FIGS. 6, 8 and 9). The center of the pull handle) is moved.

Therefore, by pulling the pull handle toward the rear, the vehicle 1 in the folded state can be smoothly moved toward the rear.

As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the hinge portion 11 has a flat plate-shaped first blade portion 11a and a second blade portion 11b that are rotatable about the hinge shaft 11c as a fulcrum. In FIG. 2B, the upper side of the figure shows the left side of the vehicle 1, and the lower side shows the right side of the vehicle 1. The first blade portion 11a is fixed to the bottom surface of the front frame portion 12, and the second blade portion 11b is fixed to the bottom surface of the rear frame main body portion 13A. Two first tube portions 11d formed in a cylindrical shape rearward from the rear end of the first blade portion 11a project in parallel toward the rear with a gap. Three second tube portions 11e having the same structure as the first tube portion 11d project forward in parallel from the front end of the second blade portion 11b toward the front with a gap. The second tube portion 11e is arranged between the first tube portions 11d, and the hinge shaft 11c is inserted therethrough. The hinge portion 11 may have a configuration in which the first tube portion 11d is integrally formed at the rear end of the front frame portion 12, and the second tube portion 11e is integrally formed at the front end of the rear frame main body portion 13A.

Assuming that the axis in the front-rear direction is X and the axis in the left-right direction orthogonal to the axis X is Y, the axis L of the hinge shaft 11c inserted through the first tube portion 11d (second tube portion 11e) is opposite to the axis Y. It has a tilt angle θ in the clockwise direction. The inclination angle θ is, for example, 6 degrees.

Since the hinge shaft 11c of the hinge portion 11 has the above-mentioned inclination angle θ, when the front frame portion 12 and the rear frame portion 13 are bent in an inverted V shape with the hinge shaft 11c of the hinge portion 11 as a bending fulcrum, the front is bent. The frame portion 12 and the rear frame portion 13 rotate relatively with a positional deviation in the left-right direction. At that time, when the vehicle 1 is viewed from the front, the first frame portion 12 and the second frame portion 13 expand and rotate in an inverted V shape with the hinge shaft 11c as the apex. That is, the front frame portion 12 and the rear frame portion 13 are displaced in the left-right direction. In the present embodiment, the first frame portion 12 is rotated so as to be displaced to the left with respect to the second frame portion 13 to avoid interference between the crank gear 4 arranged on the right side of the main frame 10 and the chain 5. The left and right widths of the vehicle 1 in the folded state are made as compact as possible.

The drive device 70 has an electric actuator 74 in the case 71 that converts the rotation of the electric motor 72 into the linear movement of the operating rod 73, which is a linear moving body. The electric actuator 74 is rotatably attached to the rear end portion of the case 71 via a front support shaft 75 extending in the left-right direction toward the bottom surface side of the first frame portion 12. One end of a universal joint 76 forming a misalignment absorbing portion is attached to the tip of the operating rod 73. The other end of the universal joint 76 is rotatably attached to the bottom surface of the rear frame main body 13A via a rear support shaft 77 extending in the left-right direction.

The drive device 70 moves the operating rod 73 forward and backward by operating an operation unit (not shown). When the folding operation switch of the operation unit is turned on, the operating rod 73 shown in FIG. 2A moves from the runnable state (state before the start of folding) extending to a predetermined length in the backward direction toward the front. Therefore, a pulling force is generated on the front support shaft 75 and the rear support shaft 77 that support both ends of the electric actuator 74 in the directions facing each other.

In the state before folding, as shown in FIG. 2A, the front support shaft 75 is located above the rear support shaft 77, and the rear support shaft 77 is located below the hinge shaft 11c of the hinge portion 11. Therefore, the pulling force causes the front frame portion 12 and the rear frame portion 13 to rotate to the folded end state so as to bend in an inverted V shape with the hinge shaft 11c as a fulcrum. At that time, due to the action of the universal joint 76, the motion of the front frame portion 13 and the rear frame portion 13 being relatively displaced in the left-right direction is absorbed, and a smooth rotation operation is performed.

Contrary to the state shown in FIG. 2A, the universal joint 76 may be attached to the front support shaft 75, and the case 71 may be attached to the rear support shaft 77.

When the folding release operation switch of the operation unit is turned on in the folding end state, the operation opposite to the above-mentioned folding operation is performed, and the main frame 10 is in the travelable state shown in FIG. 1A. Examples of the operation unit include an operation switch (not shown) provided on the handle 20, a remote control switch, an operator's smartphone, and the like.

In a state in which the vehicle 1 can travel (a state before the start of folding), it is necessary for safety that the front frame portion 12 and the rear frame portion 13 of the main frame 10 are locked so as not to be bendable. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the lock portion 80 of the main frame 10 is placed on the right side of the main frame 10 in the vicinity of the abutting portion (dividing line 10a) between the front frame portion 12 and the rear frame main body portion 13A. It is provided.

The lock portion 80 is provided above the hinge portion 11, and has a hook shape in which the lock pin 81 is attached to the front frame portion 12 side with the dividing line 10a interposed therebetween and engages with the lock pin 81 on the rear frame main body portion 13A. Lock lever 82 is rotatably attached via a support shaft 83. The lock lever 82 has a lever portion 84 pivotally supported by the support shaft 83 and a hook-shaped hook portion 85 formed at the tip end portion of the lever portion 84. The lever portion 84 is formed with a first hole 84a and a second hole 84b above and below the support shaft 83.

FIG. 3A shows the first state of the main frame 10, and the rear end surface of the front frame portion 12 and the front end surface of the rear frame main body portion 13A abut on the front and rear with the dividing line 10a interposed therebetween. In the first state, the lock lever 82 rotates clockwise (arrow CW direction) to the lock position, and the hook portion 85 engages with the lock pin 81. Therefore, it is prevented that the main frame 10 is bent into an inverted V shape.

FIG. 3B shows a state in which the lock lever 82 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction (arrow CCW direction) to the unlocked position in the first state of the main frame 10, and the hook portion 85 and the lock pin 81 are disengaged. show. Therefore, the main frame 10 can be bent into an inverted V shape with the hinge portion 11 at the top.

In the present embodiment, the lock lever 82 can be rotated between the lock position and the unlock position by raising and lowering the vehicle stand 60. FIG. 3A shows a traveling state in which the vehicle stand 60 is raised upward (a state before the start of folding), and FIG. 3B shows a state in which the vehicle stand 60 is lowered to independently hold the vehicle 1.

3C and 3D show a driving force transmission unit 61 that remotely controls the lock unit 80 according to the raising / lowering operation of the vehicle stand 60. 3C shows a locked state corresponding to FIG. 3A, and FIG. 3D shows an unlocked state corresponding to FIG. 3B.

The driving force transmission unit 61 has a wire cable 64 in which the control cable 63 is inserted in the tubular outer casing 62. In the wire cable 64, the outer end metal fittings 62a and 62b provided at both ends of the outer casing 62 are provided on the rear frame main body portion 13A, respectively, and the mounting bracket 65a provided on the rear end portion of the rear wheel support frame portion 13B. Fixed to.

One end of the control cable 63 is attached to the first hole 84a of the lock lever 82, and the other end is attached to the rotation center portion of the vehicle stand 60 (the rotation shaft portion of the rotation lever 60c pivotally supported by the lever mounting hole 132). It is attached to a wire reel 66 that is fixed and rotates integrally with the vehicle stand 60. One end of the tension spring 67 is attached to the second hole 84b of the lock lever 82. The other end of the tension spring 67 is fixed to a fixing pin 68 provided behind the support shaft 83. The lock lever 82 is urged by the spring force of the tension spring 67 toward the lock position in the clockwise direction (CW).

In the traveling state shown in FIG. 3C, the control cable 63 is rewound from the wire reel 66, and the hook portion 85 engages with the lock pin 81. As shown in FIG. 3D, when the vehicle stand 60 is lowered, the control cable 63 winds around the wire reel 66 against the spring force of the tension spring 67. Therefore, the lock lever 82 rotates in the counterclockwise direction (CCW direction), the hook portion 85 is disengaged from the lock pin 81, and the lock is released.

In this unlocked state, for example, even if the hinge portion 11 is manually pushed up from the bottom to the top, the operating rod 73 of the electric actuator 74 does not move. Therefore, the main frame 10 does not bend carelessly. Since the electric actuator 74 moves the operating rod 73 linearly in the advancing / retreating direction via, for example, a reduction gear mechanism (not shown), the reduction gear 74 rotates the electric motor 72 even if an external force in the advancing / retreating direction is applied to the operating rod 73. The mechanism locks and the movement of the actuating rod 73 is blocked.

The locking and unlocking operations of the lock portion 80 are not limited to the configuration of the driving force transmission portion 61 shown in FIGS. 3C and 3D, and the lock portion 80 is unlocked from the locked state of the handle post lock portion provided on the handle post 21. You may use the operation to the state. When the handle post lock portion is in the locked state, the lock hook portion 85 engages with the lock pin 81 as shown in FIG. 3C, and when the handle post lock portion is in the unlocked state, the lock pin is as shown in FIG. 3D. The lock hook portion 85 is disengaged from 81. In this case, it is desirable that the lock pin 81 is provided on the rear frame main body 13A and the lock lever 82 is provided on the front frame 12.

Next, the folding operation of the vehicle 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 4A to 9.

As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 1 before the folding operation is started is self-supporting with the vehicle stand 60 lowered and the grounding body 60d grounded on the grounding surface GL. Then, as shown in FIGS. 3B and 3D, the lock portion 80 is in the unlocked state. In this unlocked state, when the operator turns on the folding operation switch of the operation unit that operates the drive device 70, the operating rod 73 that extends by rotating the electric actuator 74 in a predetermined direction moves straight in the direction of contracting forward. , The folding operation is started. The handle 20 manually folds the left handle bar 20A and the right handle bar 20B in advance, and manually unlocks the handle post lock portion.

FIG. 4A shows immediately after the vehicle 1 starts the folding operation, and the main frame 10 has an inverted V shape with the front frame portion 12 and the rear frame portion 13 centered on the hinge shaft 11c while raising the hinge shaft 11c. It bends. The rotation lever 60c of the vehicle stand 60 rotates integrally with the rotation operation of the rear frame portion 13 accompanying the folding operation (in the folding rotation direction). When the rotation lever 60c rotates in the folding rotation direction, the ground contact portion with respect to the ground contact surface GL moves from the tip end portion of the ground contact body 60d to the curved ground contact pad 60e.

In the folding operation of the main frame 10, the front frame portion 12 and the rear frame portion 13 rotate upward with the hinge shaft 11c as a fulcrum, bend in an inverted V shape, and rotate in a direction approaching each other. On the other hand, the folding operation is started with the vehicle stand 60 set in the lowered position and the rear wheel 3 floating from the ground plane GL. That is, the folding operation of the main frame 10 is performed with the vehicle stand 60 as a base point, and the reaction force of the bending operation of the front frame portion 12 and the rear frame 13 is received by the ground contact body 60d and the ground pad 60e of the vehicle stand 60.

Therefore, when the folding operation of the main frame 10 is started, the movement locus of the hinge shaft 11c moves on the arc centered on the rear wheel axle 3a. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4A, the front frame portion 12 is provided with a moving force that moves backward as a whole and a rotational force that moves the front wheel 2 backward with the hinge shaft 11c as a fulcrum. Therefore, the distance in the front-rear direction of the main frame 10 becomes shorter, and the front wheels 2 approach the rear wheels 3.

In the first link portion 30, as the first link rod 31 moves rearward due to the clockwise rotation of the rear frame main body portion 13A, the upper post portion 21A becomes the post hinge portion via the rotation ring portion 24. The tilting motion is started toward the rear with 22 as a fulcrum.

On the other hand, in the second link portion 50, the second seat link member 53 of the seat 40 receives the rotation of the rear wheel support frame portion 13B in the clockwise direction with respect to the inverted L-shaped link member 54 that supports the seat 40. Control the height and posture to be almost constant. The second seat link member 53 moves upward according to the counterclockwise rotation of the front frame portion 12, and at the same time moves rearward according to the rearward movement of the front wheel 2. The second link portion 50 controls the inverted L-shaped link member 54 by the second seat link member 53 so that the seat 40 maintains a horizontal posture according to the bending operation of the main frame 10.

Since the hinge shaft 11c of the hinge portion 11 has an inclination angle θ, the main frame 10 rotates so that the front frame portion 12 extends outward from above to the bottom on the left side of the rear frame portion 13 (FIG. 6). reference). The rear frame portion 13 rotates in the clockwise direction while maintaining a vertical state perpendicular to the rear wheel axle 3a of the rear wheel 3.

When the drive of the drive device 70 is further advanced from the state shown in FIG. 4A, the vehicle 1 proceeds to the folding operation until the folding end state shown in FIG. 4B. In FIG. 4B, the front frame portion 12 and the rear frame portion 13 have a bending angle narrower than 90 degrees via the hinge portion 11, and the rear wheel support frame portion 13B stands up substantially vertically. When the bending inclination angle of the front frame portion 12 becomes narrow as shown in FIG. 4B, the front fork 23 is inclined toward the rear, and the front wheels 2 and the rear wheels 3 overlap each other in the left-right direction. Further, the seat 40 is maintained in a horizontal posture by the second link portion 50, and the height is also maintained at substantially the same height. As for the appearance of the vehicle 1 in the folded state, the steering wheel 20 and the seat 40 are substantially housed between the front wheels 2 and the rear wheels 3 in the front-rear direction. About 5 seconds is set as the operation time from the start to the end of the folding operation.

FIG. 5 shows the appearance of the vehicle 1 before and after the folding operation. In FIG. 5, the height of the seat 40 of the vehicle 1 in the folded state shown on the left side is substantially the same as the height of the seat 40 of the vehicle 1 before starting the folding operation shown on the right side. That is, it is about the same height as the waist of the driver (operator) who performs the folding operation. Therefore, the operator can naturally pull the pull handle to move the vehicle 1 in a folded state by the rollers 60h. Before pulling the vehicle 1, the operator releases the slide lock of the slide mechanism, slides the seat 40 to the left as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, and shifts in the left-right direction to overlap the front wheels 2 and the rear. Move between the rings 3 to lock the slide lock.

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 9, the appearance of the vehicle 1 in the folded state is such that the front wheels 2 and the rear wheels 3 overlap each other in the left-right direction and are folded, and the front wheels 2 avoid interference with the chain 5 and are rear. It is located on the left side of the wheel 3. Therefore, the vehicle 1 is made compact by making the length in the width direction as narrow as possible. In the folded state, the vehicle 1 is not only held in a self-standing posture by the vehicle stand 60, but also by the diagonally inclined front wheel 2. The height of the folded handle 20 of the vehicle 1 is substantially the same as that of the seat 40, thereby improving the storage capacity for automobiles such as station wagons, SUVs, and one-box vehicles.

As shown in FIG. 9, the seat 40 is located between the rear wheels 3 and the front wheels 2. When the vehicle 1 is pulled backward, the left and right rollers 60h provided on the vehicle stand 60 and the three points of the front wheels 3 come into contact with the ground contact surface GL. The rear wheel 3 is located at the center of the left and right rollers 60h in the left-right direction. Therefore, the pulling force acting on the pulling handle is distributed substantially equally to the front wheel 2 and the left and right rollers 60h. Therefore, the smoothly folded vehicle 1 can be smoothly moved without swinging the front wheel 2.

Second Embodiment

10A-10C show a second embodiment of the drive device.

The drive device 90 of the second embodiment is a substantially semicircle in which an electric motor 91 having a motor gear 91a on a rotation shaft driven for deceleration and a cam groove 93a rotating around a support shaft 92 extending in the Y-axis direction as a fulcrum are formed. It has a cam plate 93 having a shape and a cam follower 94 having an axial shape fixed to the front frame portion 12 of the main frame 10 and extending in the Y-axis direction. The electric motor 91 is fixed to the pedal mounting post 14, and the support shaft 92 is fixed to the hinge portion 11 coaxially with the shaft end of the hinge shaft 11c. A gear portion 93b that meshes with the motor gear 91a is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the cam plate 93.

As shown in FIG. 10C, the distance H between the cam plate 93 and the side surface of the main frame 10 is the amount of deviation to the left when the front frame portion 12 rotates from the position before the start of folding to the position at the end of folding. Is also set to a long length. Further, the cam follower 94 has a height capable of maintaining engagement with the cam groove 93a corresponding to the deviation amount. In the state before folding shown in FIG. 10C, the cam follower 94 penetrates the cam groove 93a. When the folding operation is started, the front frame portion 12 approaches the cam plate 93, so that the cam follower 94 has an increased penetration length with respect to the cam groove 93a, so that the engagement with the cam groove 93a is maintained.

In FIG. 10C, when the electric motor 91 is driven to rotate the motor gear 91a in the direction of arrow R1, the cam plate 93 rotates in the direction of arrow R2. When the cam plate 93 rotates in the direction of arrow R2, the cam follower 94 moves toward the support shaft 92 side while engaging with the cam groove 93a. Therefore, when the front frame portion 12 and the rear frame portion 13 rotate relative to each other with the hinge shaft 11c as a fulcrum, the positional deviation between the front frame portion 12 and the rear frame portion 13 in the left-right direction is absorbed. That is, in the drive device 90 of the present embodiment, the misalignment absorbing portion is configured by the distance between the cam plate 93 and the side surface of the main frame 10 and the cam follower 94 that penetrates and engages with the cam groove 93a without much coming off.

The drive device 90 of the present embodiment can perform the folding operation of the main gear 10 with a large torque by setting the gear ratio between the motor gear 91 and the cam plate 93.

Third Embodiment

FIG. 11 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 11, the same members as those shown in FIGS. 1A to 9 are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

In the vehicle 100 of the present embodiment, a suspension 130 for shock absorption is attached to the rear frame portion 113 in order to improve the riding comfort. The main frame 110 of the present embodiment is composed of a front frame portion 12 and a rear frame portion 113. The rear frame portion 113 connected to the front frame portion 12 via a hinge portion (not shown) is composed of a rear frame main body portion 113A and a bifurcated rear wheel support frame portion 113B. This hinge portion has the same structure as the hinge portion 11 of the first embodiment. Unlike the first embodiment, the pedal mounting post 14 forming a part of the rear frame main body 113A is fixed downward at a substantially central position in the front-rear direction of the rear frame main body 113A.

The tip of the rear wheel support frame 113B connected to the rear frame main body 113A is a pedal mounting post 14 that constitutes a part of the rear wheel support frame main body 113A, and is provided in the vicinity of the bearing portion 15 in the left-right direction. It is rotatably supported by the extending pivot shaft 120. That is, the rear wheel support frame portion 113B that supports the rear wheel 3 is configured to be rotatable around the pivot shaft 120 as a fulcrum.

The rear frame main body 113A of the present embodiment is formed in a size extending rearward from the pedal mounting post 14, and is longer in the front-rear direction than the rear frame main body 113A shown in FIG. The first support shaft 55 of the second link portion 50 is attached to the rear of the frame main body portion 113A after this lengthening. In the first embodiment, since the rear wheel support frame portion 13B is directly fixed to the rear end of the rear frame main body portion 13A, the second link portion 50 operates in the same manner as in the first embodiment in the second embodiment. I do.

The suspension 130 has a structure in which a coil spring (not shown) having a push spring configuration is externally mounted around the shock absorber 131. The upper end portion of the shock absorber 131 is rotatably connected to the first support shaft 55, and the lower end portion supports the rear wheels. The frame portion 113B is rotatably connected to the substantially center in the length direction via a support shaft 121.

Therefore, the vertical movement received by the rear wheel 3 while the vehicle 100 is traveling is absorbed by the suspension 130, and the riding comfort is improved. In the folding operation, the rear wheel support frame portion 113B receives rotational power via the pivot shaft 120 that moves according to the clockwise rotation of the rear frame main body portion 113A. Then, the rear wheel support frame portion 113B rotates about the rear wheel axle 3a as the center of rotation.

Next, the battery 6 is housed in the frame main body 113A after being lengthened. In this case, the posture of the vehicle 100 at the end of folding is good in stability at the time of folding because the battery 6 is located substantially directly above the vehicle stand 60. Further, since the rear frame main body 113A for accommodating the battery 60 is located between the pair of left and right first seat link members 51, the battery 6 can be easily replaced.

1, 100: Folding vehicle 2: Front wheel 3: Rear wheel 3a: Rear wheel axle 4a: Crank gear 4b: Rear wheel side gear 5: Chain 6: Battery 7a, 7b: Brake disc 10, 110: Main frame 10a: Dividing line 11: Hinge part 11a: First blade part 11b: Second blade part 11c: Hinge shaft 11d: First tube part 11e: Second tube part 12: Front frame part 13, 113: Rear frame part 13A, 113A: Rear frame Main body 13B, 113B: Rear wheel support frame 131: Axle mounting hole 132: Lever mounting hole 14: Pedal mounting post 15: Bearing 16: Head tube 20: Handle 20A: Left handle bar 20B: Right handle bar 21: Handle Post 21a: Split position 21A: Upper post part 21B: Lower post part 22: Post hinge part 23: Front fork 24: Rotating ring part 30: First link part 31: First link rod 40: Seat 41: Seat post 50: 2nd link part 51: 1st seat link member 52: Seat stand 53: 2nd seat link member 54: Inverted L-shaped link member 55: 1st support shaft 56: 2nd support shaft 57: 3rd support shaft 60: Vehicle Stand 60a: Left leg 60b: Right leg 60c: Rotating lever 60d: Ground body 60e: Ground pad 60f: Connecting body 60g: Inclined part 60h: Roller 61: Driving force transmission part 62: Outer casing 62a, 62b: Outer End bracket 63: Control cable 64: Wire cable 65a, 65b: Mounting bracket 66: Wire reel 67: Tension spring 68: Fixing pin 70: Drive device 71: Case 72: Electric motor 73: Actuating rod 74: Electric actuator 75: Front Support shaft 76: Universal joint 77: Rear support shaft 80: Lock part 81: Lock pin 82: Lock lever 83: Support shaft 84: Lever part 84a: First hole 84b: Second hole 85: Hook part 90: Drive device 91 : Electric motor 91a: Motor gear 92: Support shaft 93: Cam plate 93a: Cam groove 93b: Gear portion 94: Cam follower GL: Ground surface 120: Pivot shaft 121: Support shaft 130: Suspension 131: Shock absorber

Claims (11)

It is a frame structure of a folding vehicle that can be folded from the state before folding to the state after folding.
A main frame divided into two by a front frame portion that pivotally supports a handle post that operates the front wheels at the front end portion and a rear frame portion that supports the rear wheels at the rear end portion, and is arranged between the front wheels and the rear wheels. When,
The rear end portion of the front frame portion and the front end portion of the rear frame portion are connected, and the front frame portion and the rear frame portion are connected to the rear end surface of the front frame portion and the rear end surface of the front frame portion with a hinge axis extending in the left-right direction as a fulcrum. A hinge part that allows relative movement between the first state before folding and the second state that bends in an inverted V shape, where the front end faces of the rear frame part abut and are connected in series in the front-rear direction .
The rear wheel can be rotated around the rotation fulcrum provided in the rear frame portion between the lowered position for holding the folded vehicle independently while floating from the ground plane and the raised position for traveling. Vehicle stand and
Have,
The vehicle stand is provided with a rotation lever that rotates integrally with the rear frame portion around the rotation fulcrum portion according to the operation from the start of the folding operation to the end of the folding operation, and a tip portion of the rotation lever. It has a ground contact portion that rotates integrally with the rotary lever that is in contact with the ground contact surface at the lowered position, and a rotatable small-diameter wheel provided at the rear end portion of the ground contact portion.
In the ground contact portion, the ground contact region is set from the tip side to the front side of the small diameter wheel at the lowered position, and the small diameter wheel is provided at a position where the small diameter wheel floats from the ground contact surface.
The hinge portion tilts the axis of the hinge axis with respect to the axis in the left-right direction orthogonal to the axis along the front-rear direction, and the front frame portion and the rear frame portion move from the first state to the second state. A body structure of a folding vehicle, characterized in that the front frame portion and the rear frame portion are displaced from each other in the left-right direction when they move relative to each other. In the body structure of the folding vehicle according to claim 1,
The rear frame portion is connected to the rear end portion of the front frame portion via the hinge portion, and is connected to the rear frame main body portion to support the rear wheel. When,
The body structure of a folding vehicle characterized by having. In the body structure of the folding vehicle according to claim 2.
The rear wheel support frame portion is rotatably connected to the rear frame main body portion via a pivot shaft extending in the left-right direction, and is rotatably connected between the rear portion of the rear frame main body portion and the rear wheel support frame portion. The body structure of a folding vehicle characterized by the provision of a suspension for shock absorption. In the body structure of the folding vehicle according to claim 1,
The ground contact portion is a body structure of a folding vehicle, characterized in that the ground contact region is formed on a curved surface that is convexly curved toward the outer surface side. In the body structure of the folding vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
A first link portion that tilts the handle post whose upper part can be tilted toward the rear in conjunction with the bending motion of the main frame.
A second link portion that holds the seat at substantially the same height in conjunction with the bending operation of the main frame, and
The body structure of a folding vehicle characterized by having. In the vehicle frame structure of the folding vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5.
Between the lock position that holds the connected state before folding the front frame portion and the rear frame portion and the unlock position that allows the front frame portion and the rear frame portion to be bent into an inverted V shape. The body structure of a folding vehicle, characterized in that the lock member has a movable lock portion. In the body structure of the folding vehicle according to claim 6.
It has a driving force transmission unit that drives the lock portion by raising and lowering the vehicle stand, and the driving force transmission unit moves the lock member to the lock position by raising and lowering the vehicle stand, and lowering the vehicle stand. A body structure of a folding vehicle, characterized in that the lock member is moved to the unlocked position. A drive device for bending a front frame portion and a rear frame portion of the main frame in the vehicle body structure of the folding vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 7.
It is provided between a drive unit driven by an electric drive source, a power battery of the electric drive source, a drive force acting unit on which the driving force of the drive unit acts, and between the drive unit and the drive force acting unit. Absorbs the misalignment that occurs between the front frame portion and the rear frame portion when the front frame portion and the rear frame portion move between the first state and the second state. Misalignment absorber and
Have,
A driving device in which the driving unit is provided on either one of the front frame portion or the rear frame portion, and the driving force acting portion is provided on either the front frame portion or the rear frame portion. In the drive device according to claim 8,
The drive unit is composed of an electric actuator that drives the moving body in a straight line by an electric motor, and the misalignment absorbing unit is composed of a universal joint provided at the tip of the moving body of the electric actuator, via the universal joint. A drive device for connecting the moving body and the driving force acting unit. A folding vehicle in which the body structure of the folding vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 7 is applied to a two-wheeled vehicle having front wheels and rear wheels.
As a drive method, a bicycle that uses pedal depression as a drive power, an electrically assisted bicycle equipped with an auxiliary electric drive system that assists the drive power of the bicycle, an electric vehicle that runs with an electric motor as the drive power, or these three types of drive A folding vehicle that is one of the vehicles equipped with switchable methods. A vehicle applied to a two-wheeled vehicle having front wheels and rear wheels provided with the drive device according to claim 8 or 9 in the body structure of the folding vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 7.
As a drive method, a bicycle that uses pedal depression as a drive power, an electrically assisted bicycle equipped with an auxiliary electric drive system that assists the drive power of the bicycle, an electric vehicle that runs with an electric motor as the drive power, or these three types of drive A folding vehicle that is one of the vehicles equipped with switchable methods.

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