Tricycle

• US 6,367,824 B1
• Filed: 03/21/2000
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avantec Corporation, DOX Corporation, K&A Design Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Avantec Corporation, DOX Corporation, K&A Design Company LLC
• Inventors: Hayashi, Masayasu
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, J. J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DIVINE, DAVID A
• Application Number:
  US09/508,501
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: 180/210, 180/217, 280/62, 280/267, 280/442, 280/124.103, 280/124.116, 280/124.13, 280/124.136, 280/22.1, 280/124.127, 280/259, 280/282
• US Class Current: 280/62
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 15/00 Collapsible or foldable cycles
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 15/008 foldable about 2 or more axes
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/05 characterised by a single rear wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/08 with steering devices acting on two or more wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/10 with means for inwardly inclining the vehicle body on bends

Abstract

A tricycle includes left and right front wheel support members which rotatably support left and right front wheels, respectively, and which are disposed on laterally opposite sides of a handle post and pivotally supported on left and right leg members which are supported by the handle post, a steering shaft which is connected to the front wheel support members to steer the front wheels in response to the turning operation of the steering shaft, and a driven wheel supported at a rear portion of a vehicle body frame structure. In this tricycle, a banking travel is possible, leading to an enhanced steering travelability. The handle post 21 and the left leg member 29_L are connected to each other through a pair of left upper and lower links 38_L, 39_L to form a left parallel link arrangement 37_L, while the handle post 21 and the right leg member 29_R are connected to each other through a pair of right upper and lower links 38_R, 39_R to form a right parallel link arrangement 37_R, 94_R. The left and right parallel link arrangements 37_L, 37_R are formed laterally symmetrically with each other with respect to the handle post 21.

Claims

1. A tricycle including a pair of left and right front steerable wheels (W_FL, W_FR) supported at a front portion of a vehicle body frame structure (F₁), and a single rear drivable wheel (W_R) supported at a rear portion of the vehicle body frame structure (F₁), wherein said tricycle comprises a cylindrical handle post (21) which is fixedly mounted at a front end of said vehicle body frame structure (F₁) and which turnably supports a steering shaft (27) connected to a steering handlebar (28), left and right upper links (38_L, 38_R) which are integrally connected to each other and pivotally supported at an upper end of said handle post (21), left and right lower links (39_L, 39_R) which are integrally connected to each other and pivotally supported at a lower end of said handle post (21), a cylindrical left leg member (29_L) which is pivotally supported at upper and lower opposite ends thereof to outer ends of said left upper and lower links (38_L, 39_L), a cylindrical right leg member (29_R) which is pivotally supported at upper and lower opposite ends thereof to outer ends of said right upper and lower links (38_R, 39_R), a left front wheel support member (30_L) rotatably supported on said left leg member (29_L), a right front wheel support member (30_R) rotatably supported on said right leg member (29_R) , said left front wheel (W_FL) being supported on said left front wheel support member (30_L) and disposed immediately below said left leg member (29_L), said right front wheel (W_FR) being supported on said right front wheel support member (30_R) and disposed immediately below said right leg member (29_R), and a steering operatively-connecting means (31 to 34) being disposed below said handle post (21) and both said leg members (29_L, 29_R) for operatively connecting said steering shaft (27) and said left and right front wheel support members (30_L, 30_R) to each other.

3. A tricycle according to claim 1 or 2, further including a left upright attitude maintaining means (44_L, 110_L) which is provided between said handle post (21) and one of said left upper and lower links (38_L, 39_L, 95_L, 96_L,) for exhibiting a spring force for returning said handle post (21) to upright attitude thereof in response to said handle post (21) inclining leftwards from the upright attitude, but for avoiding exhibiting a spring force, when said handle post (21) is inclined rightwards from the upright attitude, and a right upright attitude maintaining means (44_R, 110_R,) which is provided between said handle post (21) and one of the right upper and lower links (38_R, 39_R, 95_R, 96_R,) for exhibiting a spring force for returning said handle post (21) top upright attitude thereof in response to said handle post (21) inclining rightwards from the upright attitude, but for avoiding exhibiting a spring force, when said handle post (21) is inclined leftwards from the upright attitude, and a spring force for biasing said handle post (21) in the direction toward the upright attitude being applied to said left and right upright attitude maintaining means (44_L, 110_L, 44_R, 110_R,) even in the upright state of said handle post (21), wherein said left and right upright attitude maintaining means maintain said tricycle in an upright manner.

2. A tricycle including a pair of left and right front steerable wheels (W_FL, W_FR) supported at a front portion of a vehicle body frame structure (F₂), and a single rear drivable wheel (W_R) supported at a rear portion of the vehicle body frame structure (F₂), wherein said tricycle comprises a cylindrical handle post (21) which is fixedly mounted at a front end of said vehicle body frame structure (F₂) and which turnably supports a steering shaft (27) connected to a steering handlebar (28) left and right upper links (95_L, 95_R) which are independent from each other and pivotally supported at an upper end of said handle post (21), left and right lower links (96_L, 96_R) which are independent from each other and pivotally supported at a lower end of said handle post (21), a cylindrical left leg member (29_L) which is pivotally supported at upper and lower opposite ends thereof to outer ends of said left upper and lower links (95_L, 96_L), a cylindrical right leg member (29_R) which is pivotally supported at upper and lower opposite ends thereof to outer ends of said right upper and lower links (95_R, 96_R), a left front wheel support member (30_L) turnably supported on said left leg member (29_L), a right front wheel support member (30_R) turnably supported on said right leg member (29_R), left and right connecting frames (105_L, 105_R) which are fixedly mounted on at least ones of:

said left and right upper links (95_L, 95_R); and

said left and right lower links (96_L, 96_R), respectively, a connecting member (106) which is turnably connected at opposite ends thereof to said connecting frames (105_L, 105_R), said left front wheel (W_FL) being supported on said left front wheel support member (30_L) and disposed immediately below said left leg member (29_L), said right front wheel (W_FR) being supported on said right front wheel support member (30_R) and disposed immediately below said right leg member (29_R), and a steering operatively-connecting means (30 to 34) being disposed below said handle post (21) and both said leg members (29_L, 29_R) for operatively connecting said steering shaft (27) and said left and right front wheel support members (30_L, 30_R) to each other.