JP7420693B2 - vehicle - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a foldable 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).

US Patent No. 7,654,356

However, in the vehicle described in Patent Document 1, the handle support portion is simply rotated in the folded position, so there is a risk that the posture of the vehicle may become unstable when the vehicle is transported in the folded position.

One aspect of the present invention is a vehicle configured to be able to change its posture between a running position and a folded position from the running position, the vehicle having a front wheel, a rear wheel, and a wheel extending in the front-rear direction from the front wheel to the rear wheel. a first frame, a second frame, and a steering section supported by the second frame; the steering section is arranged above the front wheels when the vehicle is in the running position, and the steering section is arranged above the rear wheels when the vehicle is in the folding position. A support part that supports the steering part so as to be movable about the rotation axis is disposed above, and a support part is provided integrally with the first frame near the rear wheels, and the support part is provided near the rear wheels to support the steering part so as to be movable when the vehicle is in the folded position. a handle that is provided on the first frame near the front wheels and is grasped when transporting the vehicle in a folded position; and a handle that extends along the second frame to the front wheels and is supported by the handles. a cable to be used.

According to the present invention, it is possible to maintain a vehicle in a stable folded position.

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. FIG. 1 is a side view of a rear wheel of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from inside in the vehicle direction. FIG. 1 is a rear view of a rear wheel of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from behind. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the configuration of main parts of the vehicle shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing characteristic operations of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1A to 9. 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.

1A and 1B are perspective views showing the overall configuration of a vehicle 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and show the running posture of the vehicle 100 when the vehicle is used. 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.

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 driving commands, and the like, 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, which blink 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 a slightly upward slope at the front, and 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 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 surfaces 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. That is, the largest width point of the vehicle 100 is the steering wheel 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.

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. 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.

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.

Since the handle 114 is supported by the front end of the main frame 10 (front frame 11) rather than the vertical frame 20 (vertical pipe 21), the handle 114 is However, the user can stably support the vehicle 100 by operating the handle 114. The cable C1 is inserted into the inner region AR of the handle 114, that is, the region AR between the handle 114 and the front end of the front frame 11. The cable C1 is a brake cable that transmits the operation of the brake lever 23b to the brake unit 5 of the front wheel 1. By inserting the cable C1 into the area AR, the cable C1 extending from the brake lever 23b to the brake unit 5 can be , can be stably supported along the vertical frame 20. The pair of cables C2 is a brake cable that transmits the operation of the brake lever 23b to the brake units 5 of the left and right rear wheels 2, respectively, and the cable C2 is supported by the outer surface of the stay 114b of the handle 114. Thereby, when the vertical pipe 21 is rotated, the cable C2 can be stably supported.

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. In the standing posture, the vehicle 100 is in a folded state, and the standing posture is included in the folded posture. 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. In FIG. 5, of the outer circumferential surface of the front wheel 1, the area covered by the fender 25 is called a first area AR1, and the area exposed from the fender 25 is called a second area AR2.

The configuration of the fender 14 and stand 15 of the rear wheel 2 will be described in detail. FIGS. 6 and 7 are a side view and a rear view, respectively, schematically showing the configuration of main parts around the rear wheel 2 (right rear wheel 2). Note that FIG. 6 is a side view of the right rear wheel 2 viewed from the inside (left side) in the left-right direction. In FIGS. 6 and 7, the position of the handle 23 in the folded position is indicated by a dotted line.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the upper part of the inner side frame 123 is bent inward in the left-right direction at a substantially right angle, and the inner side frame 123 is formed with a flange portion 123a having a flat upper surface. The stand 15 has a pair of front and rear flat plates having a predetermined width in the left-right direction, that is, a front plate 152 and a rear plate 153. The front plate 152 and the rear plate 153 are each bent into a predetermined shape.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, the rear plate 153 includes a flange plate portion 153a fastened to the rear end of the flange portion 123a near the rotation axis 2a of the rear wheel 2 via bolts 123b, and a flange plate portion 153a. An inclined plate part 153b extends diagonally upward and backward from the rear end of the part 153a at a first inclination angle with respect to the horizontal line, and an inclined plate part 153b extends obliquely upward and backward from the upper end of the inclined plate part 153b at a second inclination angle smaller than the first inclination angle. and a joining plate portion 153c extending diagonally. The front plate 152 includes a flange plate part 152a fastened to the flange part 123a via bolts 123b in front of the rotation axis 2a of the rear wheel 2 and behind the front end of the fender 14, and a rear end of the flange plate part 152a. An inclined plate part 152b extends obliquely upward and rearward substantially parallel to the inclined plate part 153b, and an inclined plate part 152b extends rearward in a substantially horizontal direction from the rear end of the inclined plate part 152b above the upper end surface of the rear wheel 2. and a joint plate part 152d that extends diagonally upward and rearward from the rear end of the horizontal plate part 152c substantially parallel to the joint plate part 153c. The joining plate portion 152d and the joining plate portion 153c are joined to each other, and a grounding portion 151 having a substantially circular cross section is formed at the end thereof.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the top surface of the connecting plate 16 is joined to the bottom surface of the horizontal plate portion 152c of the front plate 152 by welding or the like at substantially the same position as the rotating shaft 2a in the longitudinal direction. The bottom surface of the fender 14, more specifically, the bottom surface of the topmost portion of the fender 14, is joined to both left and right ends of the connection plate 16 by welding or the like. Thereby, the fender 14 is supported from the inner side frame 123 via the connection plate 16 and the stand 15.

When the vehicle 100 is in the folded position, the handle 23 (dotted line) is located above the rotating shaft 2a, and the top surface of the stand 15 is located below the top surface of the fender 14 above the rotating shaft 2a. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, in the folded position, the handle 23 comes into contact with the upper surface of the substantially arc-shaped fender 14, thereby preventing the handle 23 from coming into contact with the rear wheel 2.

A hook 50 is rotatably attached to the left end of the horizontal plate portion 152c of the stand 15. As shown in solid lines in FIGS. 6 and 7, the handle 23 is held by a hook 50. Note that the position of the hook 50 shown by a solid line in FIG. 6 is called an engagement position, and the position shown by a two-dot chain line is called an initial position. The hook 50 is located at the initial position before the handle 23 is held (for example, in a running position). FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of the hook 50. In addition, also in FIG. 8, the hook 50 in the engagement position and the initial position is shown by a solid line and a two-dot chain line, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 8, a hook 50 is provided on the left side of the horizontal plate portion 152c. The hook 50 is rotatably supported on the left end surface of the horizontal plate portion 152c with its base end portion being a fulcrum about a rotation shaft 51 extending in the left-right direction. The hook 50 has a substantially arc-shaped engagement portion 50a at its tip, and the engagement portion 50a covers the outer peripheral surface of the handle 23, allowing the handle 23 to engage with the hook 50. A torsion spring 52 is provided on the rotation shaft 51, and the hook 50 is always urged backward (in the direction of arrow A) by the torsion spring 52. A stopper pin 53 is fixed to the upper surface of the horizontal plate portion 152c behind the rotation shaft 51. The stopper pin 53 is provided to protrude to the left of the left end surface of the horizontal plate portion 152c.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the engagement operation of the hook 50. As shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 9, before the vehicle 100 reaches the folded position, the hook 50 is rotated rearward by the biasing force of the torsion spring 52 and comes into contact with the stopper pin 53. This holds the hook 50 at the initial position. When placing the vehicle 100 in the folded position, the user rotates the hook 50 forward from the engagement position (solid line) against the biasing force of the torsion spring 52 as shown by arrow A1 in FIG. The hook 50 is held at a retracted position (two-dot chain line) retracted forward from the movement path PA of No. 23. In this state, when the handle 23 is moved rearward along the movement path PA and the handle 23 comes into contact with the fender 14, the user releases the hook 50.

As a result, as shown by arrow A2 in FIG. 9, the hook 50 is rotated rearward to the engagement position by the biasing force of the torsion spring 52, and the hook 50 is engaged with the handle 23. As a result, the handle 23 is held integrally with the main frame 10 by the hook 50 via the stand 15. Therefore, the position of the handle 23 is stabilized in the standing position, and the vehicle 100 can be transported in a stable position. Since the hook 50 is provided so as to be rotated from the retracted position to the engaged position by the biasing force of the torsion spring 52, the user can easily operate the hook 50 with one hand. Therefore, the handle 23 can be easily held when the vehicle 100 is shifted to the folded position.

According to this embodiment, the following effects can be achieved.
(1) The vehicle 100 according to the present embodiment is configured to be able to change its posture between a traveling posture and a folded posture from the traveling posture (FIGS. 1A and 4). The vehicle 100 includes a front wheel 1 and a rear wheel 2, a main frame 10 extending in the front-rear direction from the front wheel 1 to the rear wheel 2, a vertical frame 20, a handlebar 23 supported by the vertical frame 20, and a steering wheel 23 on which the vehicle 100 runs. The upper pipe portion 211 is moved together with the handle 23 around the pin 41 so that the handle 23 is placed above the front wheel 1 when in the folded position, and the handle 23 is placed above the rear wheel 2 when the folded position is taken. It includes a rotation support part 40 that rotatably supports the rear wheel 2, and a hook 50 that is provided near the rear wheel 2 and holds the handle 23 integrally with the main frame 10 when the vehicle 100 is in the folded position (Fig. 1A, Figure 4, Figure 6). Thereby, when the vehicle 100 is transported in a folded state, the position of the handle 23 is stabilized, and the vehicle 100 can be transported in a stable posture. Since the handle 23 is held using the hook 50, the configuration can be simplified and the handle 23 can be held easily.

(2) The hook 50 is provided on a stand 15 provided to support the fender 14 arranged around the rear wheel 2 (FIG. 8). As a result, the hook 50 is supported from the main frame 10 via the stand 15, so that the handle 23 can be held integrally with the main frame 10.

(3) The rotation support section 40 is configured to rotatably support the vertical frame 20 (FIG. 3). The rotation support part 40 has a rod 45 that locks the rotation support part 40 so that the vehicle 100 is in a running position (FIG. 3). Thereby, the collapsible vertical pipe 21 can be erected in a stable state in the running posture.

(4) The handle 23 extends in the vehicle width direction so as to define the maximum width of the vehicle 100 in the folded position (FIG. 1A). Thereby, when transporting the vehicle 100 in a folded state, it is possible to prevent the fenders 14 of the rear wheels 2 and the like from coming into contact with obstacles.

(5) The vehicle 100 further includes a handle 114 that is provided on the main frame 10 (front frame 11) near the front wheels 1 and is grasped when transporting the vehicle 100 in the folded position (FIG. 5). Thereby, the vehicle 100 can be supported in a stable posture via the handle 114, and the vehicle 100 can be easily transported.

(6) The vehicle 100 has a cable C1, that is, a brake cable, which extends along the vertical frame 20 to the front wheels 1 and is supported by the handle 114 (FIG. 4). Thereby, the cable C1 can always be placed at a position close to the vertical frame 20.

The above embodiments can be modified in various ways. Some modified examples will be described below. In the above embodiment, the hook 50 for holding the handlebar 23 in the folded position is attached to the stand 15, but it may be attached to other locations near the rear wheel 2, such as the fender 14 or the connection plate 16. Good too. For example, a single hook for holding the center portion of the handle 23 may be provided at the center portion of the connection plate 16 in the vehicle width direction. Instead of the hook 50, another steering holding part may be provided to hold the handle 23 as a steering part. That is, as long as the steering wheel 23 is held integrally with the main frame 10 when the vehicle 100 is in the folded position, the steering holding section may have any configuration.

In the embodiment described above, the fender 14 of the rear wheel 2 is supported by the stand 15, but the fender 14 may be supported from the main frame 10, and the configuration of the fender support part is not limited to that described above. In the embodiment described above, the handle 114 is attached to the front end of the main frame 10, but if the vehicle 100 is configured to be held when transporting the vehicle 100 in the folded position, the shape and attachment position of the handle may vary. It is not limited to those mentioned above. In the above embodiment, the cable C1 of the brake unit 5 of the front wheel 1 is supported by the handle 114, but other cables may be supported.

In the above embodiment, the vertical frame 20 as the second frame is rotatably supported by the main frame 10 as the first frame by operating the handle 23 as the steering section. The configurations of the second frame and the steering section are not limited to those described above. For example, the first frame may be configured to be bendable using a shaft portion extending in the vehicle width direction as a fulcrum. That is, the first frame may have any configuration as long as it extends substantially horizontally in the running attitude and forms a skeleton that serves as the base of the vehicle. Here, the substantially horizontal direction refers to the angle with respect to the horizontality of a line connecting the front end of the first frame (for example, the front end of the front frame 11) and the rear end (for example, the rear ends of the side frames 123 and 124). is less than a predetermined value (for example, 30°).

In the above embodiment, the upper pipe portion 211 of the vertical pipe 21 is supported rotatably around the pin 41 via the rotation support portion 40 provided on the vertical pipe 21. The configuration is not limited to this. That is, the handle 23 is movably supported around the rotation axis so that the handle 23 is placed above the front wheel 1 in the running position and the handle 23 is placed above the rear wheel 2 in the folded position. For example, the support portion may have any configuration. In the embodiment described above, the pin 41 as a rotation axis is provided above the main frame 10, but the position of the rotation axis is not limited to this. In the embodiment described above, the rod 45 is moved by operating the lever 43 to lock the rotary support portion 40 so that the vehicle 100 is in the running position, but the configuration of the lock portion is not limited to this.

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, 14 Fender, 15 Stand, 16 Connection plate, 20 Vertical frame, 23 Handle, 40 Rotation support part, 41 Pin, 45 Rod, 50 Hook, 100 Vehicle, 114 Handle, C1 cable

Claims (4)

A vehicle configured to be able to change its posture between a running posture and a folded posture from the running posture, the vehicle comprising:
front wheels and rear wheels;
a first frame extending in the front-rear direction from the front wheel to the rear wheel;
a second frame;
a steering section supported by the second frame;
The steering unit is located above the front wheels when the vehicle is in the running position, and the steering unit is located above the rear wheels when the vehicle is in the folded position. a support part that movably supports the steering part;
a steering holding part that is provided integrally with the first frame near the rear wheels and holds the steering part when the vehicle is in the folded position;
a handle provided on the first frame near the front wheels and gripped when transporting the vehicle in the folded position;
A vehicle comprising : a cable extending along the second frame to the front wheel and supported by the handle . The vehicle according to claim 1,
The vehicle is characterized in that the steering holding section is provided on a fender disposed around the rear wheel or a fender support section supporting the fender. The vehicle according to claim 1 or 2,
The support part is configured to rotatably support the second frame,
The vehicle further includes a locking portion that prevents rotation of the second frame so that the vehicle assumes the traveling attitude. In the vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The vehicle is characterized in that the steering section extends in the vehicle width direction so as to define a maximum width of the vehicle in the folded position.

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