JP7376454B2 - vehicle - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle having front wheels and rear wheels.

BACKGROUND ART As a vehicle of this type, an electric vehicle is conventionally known that is configured to be foldable and to be transported while standing up in the folded state (for example, see Patent Document 1). Furthermore, a foldable bicycle is also known (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

US Patent No. 7,654,356 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-220799

However, in the vehicle described in Patent Document 1, when the user folds the vehicle and transports it, there is a risk that the wheels may come into contact with the user's hands or clothes and become dirty. On the other hand, the bicycle described in Patent Document 2 is configured such that a seat cover is placed over the entire folded bicycle. For this reason, it is necessary to prepare a large seat cover separately, and managing the seat cover is troublesome.

One aspect of the present invention is a vehicle configured to be able to change its posture between a running attitude and a non-running attitude, the vehicle including a front wheel, a rear wheel, and a first area in the circumferential direction of at least one of the front wheels and the rear wheel. a fender provided to cover the first area and expose the second area in the driving position, and a cover provided to cover the second area in the non-driving position, of the outer circumferential surface having a second area; It is equipped with a section and a section. The cover part is a band-shaped sheet member that covers a second area of the outer circumferential surface of the wheel, and the fender has mounting parts at one end and the other end in the circumferential direction, to which one end and the other end of the sheet member are respectively attached. have

According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent hands, clothes, etc. from touching the wheels and getting dirty when transporting the vehicle, without separately preparing a large seat cover or the like.

1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed diagonally from the left front. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, and is a view of the vehicle viewed diagonally from the rear left. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a Neidhardt rubber spring provided in a swinging portion of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a rotation support section of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view showing a folded posture of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view showing a standing posture of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a fender provided in a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. A cross-sectional view taken along the line VII-VII in FIG. 6. 1 is a diagram illustrating a characteristic operation of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a side view of a modified example of the vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention, showing a schematic configuration around the front wheels in a running posture. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a modification of the main parts of the vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention, and is a side view showing a schematic configuration around the front wheels in a standing posture. A cross-sectional view taken along the line X-X in FIG. 9A. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another modification of the main parts of the vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1A to 11. A vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention is a three-wheeled vehicle having a single front wheel and a pair of left and right rear wheels, and is configured such that a user can ride the vehicle in a standing position.

FIGS. 1A and 1B are perspective views showing the overall configuration of a vehicle 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and show a running posture of the vehicle 100 when the vehicle is used, that is, a posture in which it can run. Note that the posture in which running is not possible is called a non-running posture. In the following, the front-rear direction (length direction), left-right direction (width direction), and up-down direction (height direction) of vehicle 100 will be defined as shown in the drawings, and the configuration of each part will be explained according to these definitions. FIG. 1A is a diagram of the vehicle 100 viewed diagonally from the front left, and FIG. 1B is a diagram viewed diagonally from the rear of the vehicle 100.

As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the vehicle 100 has a front wheel 1, a rear wheel 2, and a frame FL that constitutes the frame of the vehicle 100, and has a center line CL1 (see FIG. The entire structure is symmetrical with respect to 1B). More specifically, the front wheel 1 is arranged along the center line CL1, and the left and right rear wheels 2 are arranged at symmetrical positions with the center line CL1 in between. The front wheel 1 has the same diameter as the rear wheel 2. Note that the front wheel 1 may have a smaller or larger diameter than the rear wheel 2. The frame FL includes a main frame 10 extending from a front wheel 1 to a rear wheel 2, and a vertical frame 20 erected above the front wheel 1.

The main frame 10 includes a front frame 11 that extends rearward from above the front wheel 1 and a rear frame 12 that is connected to the front frame 11 and extends to the rear wheel 2. The front frame 11 includes a circular arc portion 111 that is wider in the left-right direction than the front wheel 1 and is formed in a substantially arc shape from above to the rear of the front wheel 1 along the outer circumferential surface of the front wheel 1. It has a flat plate part 112 that extends rearward horizontally (strictly speaking, with a gentle downward slope toward the rear). A substantially cylindrical pipe support portion 113 penetrating vertically is provided at the front end of the arcuate portion 111 .

The vertical frame 20 has a substantially cylindrical vertical pipe 21 that extends obliquely along the axis CL2 (FIG. 1A) so that the upper end is located further back than the lower end. The vertical pipe 21 passes through the pipe support portion 113 and is supported by the front end portion of the main frame 10 so as to be rotatable about the axis CL2. A handle 23 is attached to the upper end of the vertical pipe 21, and a front fork 24 is fixed to the lower end.

The rotation shaft 1a of the front wheel 1 is rotatably supported by a pair of left and right front forks 24. The front wheels 1 are steered by rotating the handle 23 (steering). The handle 23 is a bar handle that extends substantially linearly in the left-right direction, and grips 23a made of resin or rubber are provided at both left and right ends of the handle 23 to be held by the user. Inside the pair of left and right front forks 24, a substantially arc-shaped front fender (also simply referred to as fender) 25 is arranged from above to behind the front wheel 1 so as to cover the periphery of the front wheel 1. The fender 25 is supported by the lower end of the vertical pipe 21 or the front fork 24. In order to prevent the fender 25 from being damaged, the fender 25 is provided so that its front end is located behind the front end of the front wheel 1.

Although detailed illustration is omitted, a travel motor 4 (in-wheel motor) and a brake unit 5 are housed inside the front wheel 1. For example, the travel motor 4 is placed on the left side, and the brake unit 5 is placed on the right side. Vehicle 100 is configured as an electric vehicle that travels by driving motor 4 . The brake unit 5 is configured as a drum brake unit that constitutes a drum brake, for example. Note that the rear wheel 2 is also provided with a brake unit 5 in the same manner. These brake units 5 are actuated by operating a brake lever 23b provided in front of a grip 23a of a handle 23, and apply braking force to the front wheels 1 and the rear wheels 2. Note that the traveling motor 4 as an electric motor may be provided not in the front wheel 1 but in the rear wheel 2, or in both the front wheel 1 and the rear wheel 2. Thereby, the traction ability and slope climbing ability of the vehicle 100 can be improved.

A vertically long battery 6 is supported on the rear surface of the vertical pipe 21 via a holder. The battery 6 is a secondary battery such as a lithium ion battery that stores electric power to be supplied to the travel motor 4 , and is connected to the travel motor 4 via a power line passing through the vertical frame 20 . Electric power supplied from the battery 6 to the travel motor 4 is controlled by a power control unit (not shown). Note that the battery 6 may be placed inside the vertical pipe 21, or may be placed around other structural members such as the main frame 10.

Although not shown in the drawings, the handle 23 is provided with a starter switch for instructing on/off of the main power supply, a blinker switch for notifying right/left turns, an accelerator lever for inputting a travel command, etc., which can be operated by the user. A display section that displays vehicle information such as remaining battery capacity and set vehicle speed may also be provided. A pair of left and right turn signal lamps 26 are provided below the handle 23 and are turned on and off when a turn signal switch is operated. A headlamp 27 is provided at the upper end of the vertical pipe 21.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the rear frame 12 includes a substantially cylindrical central frame 121 that extends in the front-rear direction approximately parallel to the flat plate portion 112, that is, with the front end inclined slightly upward, and the left and right sides of the central frame 121. It has a pair of substantially plate-shaped left and right support frames 122 that are respectively joined to the side surfaces and extend substantially horizontally in the left-right direction. A pair of left and right side frames extending in the front-rear direction, more specifically, an inner side frame 123 on the inner side in the vehicle width direction and an outer side frame 124 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, are respectively joined to the upper surface of the left and right support frames 122. .

The right rear wheel 2 is arranged between the right inner side frame 123 and the outer side frame 124, and the rotating shaft 2a of the right rear wheel 2 is rotatably supported by these side frames 123 and 124. Similarly, the left rear wheel 2 is arranged between the left inner side frame 123 and the outer side frame 124, and the rotating shaft 2a of the left rear wheel 2 is rotatably supported by these side frames 123 and 124. .

Steps (foot rests) 13, which are substantially rectangular plates in plan view and extend in the front-rear direction and left-right direction, are arranged on both left and right sides of the central frame 121, respectively. The left and right steps 13 are arranged on side frames 123 and 124, respectively, and supported by the side frames 123 and 124. The left and right steps 13 constitute a placing section on which the user PS in a standing posture places both feet, and the upper surface (placing surface) of the step 13 is configured as a horizontal surface parallel to the road surface. In step 13, the length in the front-rear direction and the width in the left-right direction are defined so that the entire sole of the user's foot can be placed thereon.

Rear fenders (also simply referred to as fenders) 14 are arranged behind the left and right steps 13 so as to cover the periphery of the rear wheel 2 from the front to the upper side of the rear wheel 2. The fender 14 is supported by a pair of left and right stands 15 that project above and rearward of the rear wheel 2. The length from the right end surface of the right fender 14 to the left end surface of the left fender 14 is shorter than the length from the right end to the left end of the handle 23, and the maximum width of the vehicle 100 is defined by the handle 23.

A connecting plate 16 is interposed between the left and right fenders 14. The connecting plate 16 extends in the left-right direction, and both left and right ends thereof are fixed to the fender 14. A brake lamp 17 that lights up when the brake unit 5 is activated is provided at the center of the rear surface of the connection plate 16 in the left-right direction. A pair of left and right turn signal lamps 18 are provided at the rear ends of the left and right fenders 14, which blink when a turn signal switch is operated.

As shown in FIG. 1A, the front frame 11 and rear frame 12 of the main frame 10 are connected via a swinging portion 30. That is, the front frame 11 is connected to the rear frame 12 via the swinging portion 30 so as to be swingable in the left-right direction. The swinging section 30 has a Neidhardt rubber spring 31 fixed to the bottom surface of the flat plate section 112 of the front frame 11.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the Neidhardt rubber spring 31 provided in the swinging section 30. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the Neidhardt rubber spring 31 is housed in a case 311 having a substantially rectangular frame shape in cross section and fixed to the bottom surface of the flat plate portion 112. A shaft 312 is disposed inside the case 311 and is provided integrally with the central frame 121 of the rear frame 12 and extends along the center line CL3 of the central frame 121. Note that the front end of the central frame 121 may be used as the shaft 312. The Neidhardt rubber spring 31 includes a substantially diamond-shaped cam block 313 that is spline-coupled to the shaft 312 so as to be rotatable together with the shaft 312, and rubber rollers that are arranged to face each concave surface of the cam block 313. 314.

FIG. 2 shows an initial state in which the front frame 11 is not swinging, and at this time, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the vertical frame 20 is not tilted and the vehicle 100 is in the standard posture. When torque is applied to the case 311 from this initial state and the case 311 rotates around the center line CL3, the rubber roller 314 is pressed between the case 311 and the cam block 313 and is elastically deformed, causing the rubber roller 314 to become an ellipse. become. At this time, the front frame 11 swings together with the vertical frame 20, and the vehicle 100 assumes a tilted posture. In this case, as the rotation angle of the case 311 increases, the rotational resistance to the case 311 increases. When the torque acting on the case 311 becomes zero, the rubber roller 314 returns to its original shape due to elastic force, and the front frame 11 returns to its standard posture.

By providing the front frame 11 of the main frame 10 to be swingable via the swinging portion 30 in this way, a user who rides the vehicle 100 in a standing position can easily turn the vehicle 100 in the left and right directions. can. For example, when the user turns the vehicle 100 in the left-right direction, the user slightly bends the knees and ankles and tilts the upper body left and right. As a result, while the step 13 integrated with the rear frame 12 is kept horizontal, the vertical frame 20 is swung together with the front frame 11 in a stable posture with both feet placed on the step 13, and the front wheels 1 are moved left and right. Can be tilted. As a result, the vehicle 100 can be turned smoothly and the turning performance is improved.

Further, by providing the Neidhardt rubber spring 31 in the swinging portion 30, when the front frame 11 is swinged left and right from the standard posture, a restoring force acts on the front frame 11, and the swinging of the front frame 11 is suppressed. It can be suppressed well. Note that the restoring force may be applied to the front frame 11 using an elastic member such as a coil spring instead of the Neidhardt rubber spring 31. That is, the structure of the damper member is not limited to the Neidhardt rubber spring 31.

Although not shown, the load points (the center point of the load acting from the soles of the feet) that are applied to the step 13 due to the user's own weight in a standing posture are the grounding point of the front wheel 1 and the pair of left and right rear wheels 2 in a plan view. It is located within the triangular area connecting each ground point. Thereby, the user can ride the vehicle 100 in a stable posture both when the vehicle is running and when the vehicle is stopped.

The vehicle 100 according to this embodiment is provided in a foldable manner. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 1A, the vertical pipe 21 has an upper part (referred to as an upper pipe part 211) and a lower part (lower pipe part 212) of the vertical pipe 21 above the pipe support part 113. A rotation support part 40 is provided to support the rotation support part 40 so as to be rotatable in the rear direction.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the rotation support section 40. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, a bracket 211a is provided at the lower end of the upper pipe section 211 to protrude rearward, and the bracket 211a extends in the left-right direction at the rear end of the upper end of the lower pipe section 212. It is supported so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction using a pin 41 as a fulcrum. Furthermore, at the lower end of the upper pipe portion 211, a lever 43 is supported at the rear end above the bracket 211a so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction using a pin 42 extending in the left-right direction as a fulcrum. The lower end of the lever 43 is connected to the rear end of a rod 45 that extends in the front-rear direction using a pin 44 that extends in the left-right direction as a fulcrum. The rod 45 is provided so as to be movable in the front-rear direction between the lower end of the upper pipe section 211 and the upper end of the lower pipe section 212.

At the front end of the rod 45, a convex portion 45a that engages with an engaging recess 212a provided on the front surface of the upper end of the lower pipe portion 212 is provided to protrude rearward. As shown by the solid line in FIG. 3, in the initial state in which the lever 43 is rotated upward to approach the rear surface of the upper pipe section 211, the rod 45 is pulled rearward and the convex portion 45a engages with the engagement recess 212a. engage. At this time, rearward rotation of the upper pipe portion 211 about the pin 41 is prevented (locked state). Therefore, the vertical pipe 21 is fixed in an upright state along the axis CL2 in FIG. 1A, and the vehicle 100 is in a running position.

From this rotationally locked state, when the lever 43 is rotated downward (in the direction of arrow A) as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 3, the pin 44 moves forward and the rod 45 is pushed forward. be done. As a result, the engagement between the protrusion 45a of the rod 45 and the engagement recess 212a is released (unlocked state). As a result, the upper pipe portion 211 can rotate rearward (in the direction of arrow B) using the pin 41 as a fulcrum, and the vehicle 100 can be placed in a folded position.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of vehicle 100 in a folded position. Note that the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction in FIG. 4 correspond to the directions shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. The folded posture is included in the non-driving posture of vehicle 100. As shown in FIG. 4, in the folded position, the upper pipe part 211 is rotated backwards to the maximum with the rotation support part 40 as a fulcrum, and the upper pipe part 211 and the main frame 10 (front frame 11, rear frame 12 ) are almost parallel to each other. More precisely, the upper pipe part 211 is inserted between the left and right rear wheels 2, and the tip part (rear end part in FIG. 4) of the upper pipe part 211 is located below the base end part (pin 41). , the upper pipe portion 211 slopes gently downward toward the rear.

At this time, the left and right grips 23a abut on the upper surfaces of the left and right fenders 14, respectively. This can prevent the grip 23a from getting dirty in the folded position. Furthermore, when the vehicle 100 is placed in the folded position, the user grasps the grip 23a and moves the handle 23 to the vicinity of the fender 14, but the rear wheels 2 are covered by the fender 14. Therefore, when the vehicle 100 is placed in the folded position, the user's hands can be prevented from touching the surface of the rear wheels 2. Although not shown, the handle 23 in the folded position is coupled to the fender 14, the stand 15, or the connecting plate 16 with a hook member, a binding band, or the like.

A handle 114 is arranged above the front wheel 1. The handle 114 has a grip portion 114a extending in the left-right direction and a pair of left and right stays 114b extending rearward from both left and right ends of the grip portion 114a, and has a generally U-shape as a whole in plan view. The rear end portion of the stay 114b is fixed to the left and right side surfaces of the front end portion of the front frame 11 with bolts or the like. By grasping the handle 114 and lifting the front wheel 1 side upward, the vehicle 100 in the folded position can stand up using the rear wheel 2 as a fulcrum, and can be brought into the standing position.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of vehicle 100 in an upright position. Note that the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction in FIG. 5 correspond to the directions shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. The standing posture is included in the non-driving posture of the vehicle 100. Further, in the standing position, the vehicle 100 is in a folded state, and the standing position is included in the folded position. As shown in FIG. 5, in the standing position, the left and right rear wheels 2 and the tips (ground contact parts 151) of the left and right stands 15 behind the rear wheels 2 are in contact with the ground G, and the vehicle 100 is placed at four points. Stand up with support. At this time, the main frame 10 stands approximately vertically, and the front wheels 1 are located vertically above the rear wheels 2. On the other hand, the vertical frame 20 is located behind the main frame 10, and the center of gravity of the vehicle 100 is located behind the ground contact position of the rear wheels 2. Therefore, by providing the stand 15 projecting behind the rear wheel 2 as shown in the figure, the vehicle 100 can be stably held in an upright position.

When transporting the vehicle 100, the user grasps the handle 114 of the vehicle 100 in an upright position and tilts the vehicle 100 forward (in the direction of arrow A) using the rear wheels 2 as a fulcrum. Thereby, the ground contact portion 151 of the stand 15 is separated from the ground G, and the user can easily transport the vehicle 100 forward while rolling the rear wheels 2.

By the way, when the user grasps the handle 114 to transport the vehicle 100, there is a risk that the user's hand will come into contact with the front wheel 1 and get the user's hand dirty. Alternatively, if the vehicle 100 is held in an upright position, the front wheels 1 may come into contact with the user's hands or objects (clothes, etc.) and become dirty. In order to prevent this, if a separate seat cover is provided that covers the entire vehicle or the entire front wheels, it is necessary to separately manage the seat cover, which is troublesome to manage. Therefore, in this embodiment, the cover is configured as follows so that the area around the front wheel 1 can be easily covered as needed.

Hereinafter, as shown in FIG. 5, among the regions of the outer peripheral surface of the front wheel 1, the region covered by the fender 25 will be referred to as a first region AR1, and the region exposed to the outside will be referred to as a second region AR2. The first region AR1 is a region from the rear to the bottom in the standing posture, and the second region AR2 is the region from the front to the top.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the fender 25, and is a cross-sectional view taken along a cut surface extending in the radial direction from the rotation axis 1a of the front wheel 1. In addition, in FIG. 6, illustration of the vertical pipe 21, the front fork 24, the front frame 11, etc. is omitted. As shown in FIG. 6, guides 25a are provided at both left and right ends of the fender 25, which has a substantially arcuate cross section, to protrude inward in the radial direction and inward in the left and right direction. A cover 250 is provided in a region radially inside the fender 25 and inside the guide 25a so as to be movable along the inner peripheral surface of the fender 25 and the guide 25a.

The cover 250 has an outer cover 251 and an inner cover 252 on the radially outer and inner sides, which are made of a resin material. The outer cover 251 and the inner cover 252 are each formed into a substantially arc shape corresponding to the fender 25, and have substantially the same length as the fender 25 in the circumferential direction. The fender 25 and the cover 250 are provided with a pair of left and right stoppers SP1 and SP2 for restricting the sliding movement of the outer cover 251 with respect to the fender 25 and the sliding movement of the inner cover 252 with respect to the outer cover 251. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 6, showing a schematic configuration of stoppers SP1 and SP2.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, guide grooves 25b are provided on the inner circumferential surface of the fender 25 at two positions of the left and right stoppers SP1 along the circumferential direction around the rotating shaft 1a. The guide groove 25b is formed up to the limiting portion 25c at one end of the fender 25 in the circumferential direction (the upper end in the upright position in FIG. 5). A protrusion 251a that is inserted into the guide groove 25b is provided at one end in the circumferential direction of the outer circumferential surface of the outer cover 251. As shown in FIG. 7, the stopper SP1 has a protrusion 251a and a restriction part 25c, and when the protrusion 251a comes into contact with the restriction part 25c, movement of the outer cover 251 to one side in the circumferential direction with respect to the fender 25 is restricted. be done.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, guide grooves 251b are provided on the inner circumferential surface of the outer cover 251 at two positions of the left and right stoppers SP2 along the circumferential direction centering on the rotating shaft 1a. The guide groove 251b is formed up to the restriction portion 251c at one end of the outer cover 251 in the circumferential direction. A protrusion 252a that is inserted into the guide groove 251b is provided at one end in the circumferential direction of the outer circumferential surface of the inner cover 252. As shown in FIG. 7, the stopper SP2 has a protruding part 252a and a limiting part 251c, and when the protruding part 252a comes into contact with the limiting part 251c, movement of the inner cover 252 to one side in the circumferential direction with respect to the outer cover 251 is prevented. limited.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the cover 250, and is a side view schematically showing the configuration of the fender 25 and the cover 250 in an upright position. As shown in FIG. 8, the fender 25 is provided over a predetermined range in the circumferential direction. More specifically, the fender 25 is provided over a predetermined angle range (for example, about 120°) that is greater than 90° and smaller than 180°.

As shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 8, immediately after the vehicle 100 is in the upright position, the cover 250 is stored inside the fender 25, as in the running position (FIG. 1A). Therefore, like the fender 25, the cover 250 covers the first region AR1 of the outer circumferential surface of the front wheel 1, and one circumferential end and the other end of the cover 250 are both more circumferential than the circumferential end of the fender 25. Located inside. In this state, the second region AR2 of the front wheel 1, that is, the front and upper portions of the front wheel 1 are exposed. The position of the cover 250 in this case is called a first position P1.

From this state, the user grasps the tip of the cover 250 inside the fender 25 and pulls out the cover 250 from the fender 25. For example, a finger is hooked into a recess 252b provided at the tip of the inner peripheral surface of the inner cover 252, and the cover 250 is pulled in the circumferential direction (in the direction of arrow A). When the cover 250 is pulled to the maximum in the circumferential direction, as shown in FIG. It comes into contact with the portion 251c.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 8, while the movement of the cover 250 in the circumferential direction is restricted by the stoppers SP1 and SP2, the cover 250 is moved to a position that covers the second area AR2 of the outer circumferential surface of the front wheel 1 on the circumferential outer side of the fender 25. 250 can be pulled out to the maximum. As a result, the entire circumferential area of the front wheel 1 can be covered by the fender 25 and the cover 250. The position of the cover 250 in this case is called a second position P2. Although not shown, a connecting portion 253 to which the tip of the inner cover 252 is connected may be provided at the end of the fender 25, and the cover 250 may be fixed at the second position P2 via the connecting portion 253. good.

As described above, by providing the slidable and retractable cover 250 inside the fender 25 and configuring it to cover the entire circumferential area of the front wheel 1, the handle 114 can be secured without touching the front wheel 1 with hands or clothes. The vehicle 100 can be easily transported by gripping the vehicle 100. Note that when moving the cover 250 from the second position P2 to the first position P1 in order to put the vehicle 100 in the driving position, the cover 250 may be pushed in and slid to the inside of the fender 25.

According to this embodiment, the following effects can be achieved.
(1) The vehicle according to the present embodiment is configured to be able to change its posture between a running posture and a non-driving posture (folded posture, standing posture) (FIGS. 1A, 4, and 5). This vehicle 100 has a front wheel 1, a rear wheel 2, and a first area AR1 and a second area AR2 in the circumferential direction of the front wheel 1. Of the outer circumferential surface, the vehicle 100 covers the first area AR1 and the second area AR1 in the running posture. The vehicle includes a fender 25 provided to expose the region AR2, and a cover 250 provided to cover the second region AR2 in the non-driving position (FIGS. 6 to 8).

As a result, the entire circumferential area of the front wheel 1 can be covered by the fender 25 and the cover 250, for example, in the standing position. Therefore, the user can easily transport the vehicle 100 without accidentally touching the front wheels 1 of the vehicle 100 in the upright position with his hands, clothes, etc., and the vehicle 100 is easy to handle. Since the cover 250 is provided integrally with the fender 25, management of the cover 250 is easy. That is, for example, if the cover 250 is provided as a separate member of the vehicle 100, the cover needs to be managed separately, which is troublesome, but in this embodiment, such management is unnecessary.

(2) The non-driving position is a transportation position in which the vehicle 100 can be transported, in which the rear wheels 2 are grounded and the front wheels 1 are arranged above the rear wheels 2, that is, the vehicle 100 is moved from the standing position shown in FIG. This includes a posture in which the ground contact portion 151 of the stand 15 is lifted off the ground G by tilting in the direction A (FIG. 5). The cover 250 is provided so as to cover the second region AR2 in the transportation attitude. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the front wheels 1 from being exposed when the vehicle 100 is transported.

(3) The vehicle 100 includes a frame FL that rotatably supports the front wheels 1 and the rear wheels 2, and is provided on the frame FL and disposed on the radially outer side of the fender 25, and is gripped by the user when transporting the vehicle 100. It further includes a handle 114 (FIGS. 1A and 5). When the handle 114 is provided near the front wheel 1 in this way, the user's hands or clothes are likely to come into contact with the front wheel 1 when the user grasps the handle 114 and transports the vehicle 100. However, by providing the cover 250, It is possible to reliably prevent hands, clothes, etc. from touching the front wheel 1.

(4) The cover 250 is slidably provided on the fender 25 in the circumferential direction from a first position P1 exposing the second region AR2 to a second position P2 covering the second region AR2 (FIGS. 6 to 8). That is, the cover 250 is configured as a sliding member. Thereby, the cover 250 can be easily moved from the first position P1 to the second position P2 with a simple configuration. When the cover 250 is moved to the second position, it can cover the entire circumference of the front wheel 1 together with the fender 25.

The above embodiments can be modified in various ways. Some modified examples will be described below. In the embodiment described above, the cover 250 is composed of an outer cover 251 and an inner cover 252. That is, although the cover 250 is configured by a pair of extensible and retractable slide members laminated in the radial direction, the cover portion may be configured by three or more extensible and retractable slide members that are laminated in the radial direction. The angle of the fender 25 may be greater than 180°, and in this case, the cover portion may be configured by a single sliding member.

In the embodiment described above, the stoppers SP1 and SP2 for restricting movement of the cover 250 in the circumferential direction are provided at two locations in the circumferential direction, but they may be provided at one location in the circumferential direction or at three or more locations in the circumferential direction. In the above embodiment, the fender 25 and the cover 250 cover the entire circumference of the front wheel 1, but the cover portion may cover a part of the area that is easily touched by hands, clothes, etc. instead of the entire circumference. A slidable cover portion may be provided on the radially outer side of the fender 25 instead of the radially inner side.

In the embodiment described above, the cover 250 is moved from the first position P1 to the second position P2 along the fender 25 to cover the second area AR2 on the outer circumferential surface of the front wheel 1, but the fender itself is moved. It may be made to cover the second region AR2. This point will be explained below using FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 10. 9A and 9B are side views showing a schematic configuration of the surroundings of the front wheel 1 in a running position and a standing position, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 9A, the fender 25 includes a circular arc portion 254 formed in an arc shape facing the outer peripheral surface of the front wheel 1, a disk portion 255 provided around the rotation axis 1a of the front wheel 1, and a disk portion 255 provided around the rotation axis 1a of the front wheel 1. It has connecting portions 256 that connect the circular arc portion 254 and the disk portion 255 on both left and right sides. The connecting portions 256 are provided, for example, at two locations in the circumferential direction.

The disk portions 255 are arranged on both sides of the wheel 1b of the front wheel 1 in the left-right direction. At least one of the left and right disk sections 255 (for example, the left disk section) 255 is provided with lock holes 255a and 255b at two locations in the circumferential direction, separated from each other by a predetermined angle (for example, about 180 degrees). That is, a first lock hole 255a and a second lock hole 255b are provided. In the running position, the lock pin 257 is fitted into the first lock hole 255a.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. 9A. As shown in FIG. 10, the disk portion 255 is supported via a bearing 259 so as to be rotatable relative to the rotating shaft 1a. Thereby, the relative position of the fender 25 with respect to the front fork 24 can be changed. The lock pin 257 is supported by the front fork 24 so as to be slidable in the left-right direction. More specifically, the lock pin 257 has a large diameter portion 257a and a small diameter portion 257b that passes through the front fork 24, and a stopper 257c is integrally attached to the small diameter portion 257b.

A recess 24a is provided on the right side of the front fork 24, and a stopper 257c is arranged in the recess 24a so that it can be accommodated. A spring (for example, a coil spring) 258 is accommodated in the recess 24a so as to come into contact with the bottom surface of the recess 24a and the end surface of the stopper 257c. As a result, the lock pin 257 is always urged rightward by the spring 258, and the lock pin 257 is fitted into the first lock hole 255a. As a result, the relative position of the fender 25 with respect to the front fork 24 is fixed at the first position P1 shown in FIG. 9A in the running posture. Note that at the first position P1, one end 254a (front end) in the circumferential direction of the arcuate portion 254 of the fender 25 is located further back than the front end of the front wheel 1. Therefore, damage to the front end portion of the fender 25 during driving can be suppressed.

In the standing position, the user pulls the lock pin 257 to the left against the biasing force of the spring 258 to remove the lock pin 257 from the first lock hole 255a. Next, the fender 25 is rotated about the rotating shaft 1a to a second position P2 shown in FIG. 9B, and the lock pin 257 is fitted into the second lock hole 255b by the biasing force of the spring 258. Thereby, the fender 25 can be fixed at the second position P2 in the standing position.

When the fender 25 is located at the second position P2, one end 254a (lower end) in the circumferential direction of the arc portion 254 of the fender 25 is located behind the frontmost portion of the front wheel 1, and the other end in the circumferential direction of the arc portion 254 The portion 254b (upper end portion) is located below the top of the front wheel 1. As a result, the entire second region AR2 from the front to the top of the outer peripheral surface of the front wheel 1 is covered by the fender 25. Therefore, the user can easily transport the vehicle 100 without touching the front wheels 1 with hands or objects.

In this way, in the modified examples shown in FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 10, the vehicle 100 covers the second region AR2 from the first position P1, which covers the first region AR1 and exposes the second region AR2, Further, a support part (fender support part) that movably supports the fender 25 in the circumferential direction extends to the second position P2 exposing the first region AR1, that is, a disk part 255 provided with lock holes 255a and 255b and a lock pin. Equipped with 257 etc. The cover portion that covers the second region AR2 is configured by the fender 25 located at the second position P2. Thereby, there is no need to provide a separate cover section, the number of parts can be reduced, and there is no need to manage the cover section.

A cover portion that covers the front wheel 1 may be detachably provided. FIG. 11 is a side view schematically showing an example of the structure around the front wheel 1. Note that FIG. 11 corresponds to the standing posture of the vehicle 100. In FIG. 11, the fender 25 is made of a magnetic material such as iron. The vertical pipe 21 is also made of a magnetic material. Note that only both ends of the fender 25 in the circumferential direction may be made of a magnetic material.

The cover portion is constituted by a flexible, substantially band-shaped waterproof sheet 50, and mounting portions 25A and 25B to which the waterproof sheet 50 is attached are provided at one end and the other end in the circumferential direction of the fender 25. More specifically, permanent magnets 51 are attached to both longitudinal ends of the waterproof sheet 50, and the waterproof sheet 50 is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the fender 25 via the permanent magnets 51. The width of the waterproof sheet 50 is approximately equal to the width of the front wheel 1.

Thereby, the entire outer peripheral surface of the front wheel 1 can be covered by the fender 25 and the waterproof sheet 50, and it is possible to prevent the user's hands, clothes, etc. from touching the front wheel 1 when the vehicle 100 is being transported. Since the waterproof sheet 50 has the permanent magnet 51, the waterproof sheet 50 can be easily attached and detached. The waterproof sheet 50 that has been removed from the fender 25 in the running position can be wound around the vertical pipe 21 and held attached to the vertical pipe 21 by magnetic force. This makes it easy to manage the waterproof sheet 50. Note that the waterproof sheet 50 may be attached to other positions of the vehicle 100 in the running posture.

In this way, in the modification shown in FIG. 11, the cover section is configured by the band-shaped waterproof sheet 50 that covers the second region AR2 on the outer circumferential surface of the front wheel 1, and a waterproof sheet is provided at one circumferential end and the other end of the fender 25, respectively. Attachment portions 25A and 25B are provided to which one circumferential end and the other end of the sheet 50 are attached. Thereby, with a simple configuration, it is possible to prevent the front wheels 1 from being exposed when the vehicle 100 is transported.

Note that the attachment portion may be provided on the inner circumferential surface of the fender 25 instead of the outer circumferential surface, and the cover portion may be attached to the inner circumferential surface of the fender. Instead of providing permanent magnets at both ends of the waterproof sheet 50, for example, engaging portions may be provided at both ends (attachment portions) of the fender 25, and the sheet member may be attached via the engaging portions. Therefore, the configuration of the sheet member is not limited to that described above.

In the above embodiment, the front wheel 1 is arranged above the rear wheel 2 in the standing posture as the non-driving posture, but the form of the non-driving posture is not limited to this. For example, the rear wheel 2 may be placed above the front wheel 1. In the above embodiment, the vertical pipe 21 is provided with the rotary support portion 40 so that the vertical pipe 21 can be rotated, but the vehicle 100 may be configured to be foldable at another position. In the above embodiment, the handle 114 is provided at the end of the frame FL (main frame 10) so as to be disposed on the outside in the radial direction of the fender 25, but the configuration of the grip provided on the frame is not limited to that described above. .

In the above embodiments and modifications, covers such as the cover 250 (FIG. 8), the fender 25 (FIG. 9B), and the waterproof sheet 50 (FIG. 11) are provided around the front wheel 1 so as to cover the second region AR2 in the non-driving position. However, a cover portion may be provided around the rear wheel 2 instead of the front wheel 1, or on both the front wheel 1 and the rear wheel 2. That is, the cover portion may be provided to cover the second region of the outer peripheral surface of at least one of the front wheel and the rear wheel. Note that providing a cover portion around the rear wheels is particularly effective when the rear wheels are placed above the front wheels with the front wheels in contact with the ground in a non-driving position.

In the above embodiment, the vehicle 100 is configured to have a single front wheel 1 and a pair of left and right rear wheels 2, but it may have a single front wheel and a single rear wheel, or a pair of front wheels and a single rear wheel. The vehicle can also be configured to have: Note that the single front wheel includes, for example, a pair of front wheels provided at one location, that is, a pair of front wheels.

The above description is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications as long as the characteristics of the present invention are not impaired. It is also possible to arbitrarily combine the above embodiment and one or more of the modifications, and it is also possible to combine the modifications.

1 Front wheel, 2 Rear wheel, 10 Main frame, 25 Fender, 250 Cover, 50 Tarpaulin sheet, 100 Vehicle, 114 Handle, 255 Disc part, 257 Lock pin, FL frame, AR1 1st area, AR2 2nd area, P1 2nd area 1st position, P2 2nd position

Claims (3)

A vehicle configured to be able to change its posture between a running posture and a non-driving posture,
front wheels and rear wheels;
Of the outer peripheral surface of at least one of the front wheel and the rear wheel having a first region and a second region in the circumferential direction, the first region is covered and the second region is exposed in the running posture. With a fender set up like this,
a cover portion provided to cover the second region in the non-travelling position ;
The cover portion is a belt-shaped sheet member that covers the second region of the outer peripheral surface of the wheel,
The vehicle is characterized in that the fender has attachment portions at one end and the other end in the circumferential direction, to which the one end and the other end of the seat member are attached, respectively. The vehicle according to claim 1,
The non-driving position is a transporting position in which the vehicle can be transported, in which one of the front wheels and the rear wheels is grounded, and the other wheel is placed above the one wheel. including,
The vehicle is characterized in that the cover portion is provided so as to cover the second region in the transportation attitude. The vehicle according to claim 2,
a frame rotatably supporting the front wheel and the rear wheel;
The vehicle further comprises: a grip part that is provided on the frame, is arranged radially outside of the fender, and is gripped by a user when transporting the vehicle.

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