Dual power recumbent tricycle

• US 6,572,129 B1
• Filed: 07/24/2000
• Issued: 06/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gregory Bean
• Original Assignee: Gregory Bean
• Inventors: Bean, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Morris, Lesley D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): YEAGLEY, DANIEL S
• Application Number:
  US09/624,509
• Time in Patent Office: 1,044 Days
• Field of Search: 280/233, 280/282, 280/230, 280/234, 280/240, 280/240.1, 280/244, 280/247, 280/248, 280/288.1, 741/37
• US Class Current: 280/234
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 3/005 Recumbent-type bicycles
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/05 characterised by a single rear wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 1/12 operated by both hand and foot power
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/1545 Spring or weight return

Abstract

A recumbent tricycle which includes a propulsion system which includes a combination of foot and arm power for propulsion. Pedals are operated with the rider'"'"'s legs. Handles are also connected to the drive mechanism, with the handles pulled back and pushed forward to add to propulsive power. The handles are also connected through a tie rod arrangement to the front wheels such that the wheels may be turned so that the vehicle can be steered by moving the handles toward one side or the other. Preferably, two large front wheels similar to conventional bicycle wheels are provided in front, with a single smaller diameter but wider driven rear wheel. The rear wheel is mounted on a sub-frame pivotally secured to the vehicle frame and supported on a shock absorber. Brake and gear change mechanism controllers are mounted on the handles.

Claims

1. A three-wheeled, dual-power, vehicle which comprises:

a frame;

a rider'"'"'s seat secured to said frame;

three wheels mounted on said frame for carrying said vehicle across the ground, at least one wheel mounted forward of said seat and at least one wheel mounted aft of said seat;

a pedal assembly operable by a rider'"'"'s feet and connected to at least one of said wheels to cause rotation of said one wheel;

said pedal assembly circularly rotatable about an axis about the same distance above the ground as said seat;

said pedal assembly further including a first sprocket circularly rotatable about said axis;

a hand power assembly comprising two hand levers operable by a rider'"'"'s hand at a distal end of said hand levers, a lower end of each of said hand lever pivotally mounted to outer ends of a crosspiece of a yoke linking the said two said hand levers, said yoke pivotally mounted on said frame for parallel forward and rearward movement of said hand levers to cause said hand levers to move alternatively forward and rearward together, each said pivoted lower end of said two hand levers are further pivotally fastened at one end of two connecting rods which are pivotally fastened at the other end of each said connecting rod to a pivot member which is pivotally mounted on said yoke to pivot said hand levers to a left side or a right side for sideways parallel movement of said two hand levers with said distal ends of said two hand levers substantially equidistant from said ground when steering said vehicle to said left side or said right side;

said hand power assembly including a ratchet sprocket secured to said first sprocket for circular rotation with said first sprocket in one direction;

said hand power assembly connecting said hand levers and to at least one of said wheels for translating said rearward lever movement into wheel rotation;

a steering assembly connecting said hand levers and to at least one of said wheels for translating said sideways movement into rotation of said at least one wheel about a generally vertical axis to steer said vehicle; and

a braking assembly including brake operating means mounted on at least one of said hand levers and wheel brake means mounted on at least one wheel.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1 wherein said three wheels include two wheels forward of said seat and one wheel aft of said seat.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1 wherein said pedal assembly includes at least one gear ratio changing means and drive means connected from said pedals through said gear ratio changing means to said at least one wheel aft of the seat.

4. A dual-power recumbent tricycle for traverse across the ground, which comprises:

a frame;

two spaced, approximately parallel forward wheels mounted on said frame;

one rear wheel mounted on said frame;

a seat secured to said frame between said forward and said rear wheels for supporting a rider in a generally recumbent position with legs extending forward;

a pedal assembly mounted forward of said seat for operation by a rider'"'"'s feet, including drive means comprising a first sprocket mounted on an axis for connecting said pedal assembly and said wheels for rotating said wheels;

a hand power assembly comprising two hand levers each said hand lever having a first end and terminating at a distal end, said first end of each said hand lever pivotally mounted to outer ends of a yoke linking the two said hand levers together, said yoke pivotally mounted on said frame at a first pivot means for allowing said hand levers to be pivotally moved alternately forward and rearward together in parallel;

two connecting rods each having a first end pivotally connected to a second pivot means at the first end of each said hand lever and a second end of said connecting rods pivotally connected to a pivot member which is pivotally mounted on said yoke, wherein each said hand lever is pivotally connected to said connecting rods to said second pivot means at said first end of said hand levers to pivot said hand lever to a left side or a right side in parallel for allowing said hand levers to be pivoted alternately sideways together with both said distal ends of said hand levers substantially equidistant from said ground when steering said vehicle to said left side or said right side;

a hand power assembly comprising a ratchet sprocket mounted on said axis for rotating with said first sprocket when said hand levers are pivoted rearwardly for connecting said first pivot means to said drive means to further cause said wheels to rotate; and

a steering assembly connected to said second pivot means for causing said two forward wheels to rotate about an approximately vertical axis to steer said tricycle.

5. The tricycle according to claim 4 further including brake operating means mounted on each of said levers, said brake operating means on one lever operatively connected to brake said two forward wheels and said brake operating means on the other hand lever operatively connected to brake said rear wheel.

6. The tricycle according to claim 5 wherein said brake operating means comprises caliper brakes on forward wheels and a disk brake on said rear wheel.

7. The tricycle according to claim 4 wherein said hand power assembly comprises a ratchet mechanism connected to said drive means and a drive chain extending between said hand power assembly, said ratchet mechanism and, through an extension spring, to said frame to engage said drive means and increase power on said drive means when moved in one direction and to disengage from said drive means when moved in a direction opposite said one direction.

8. The tricycle according to claim 4 wherein said steering assembly comprises a tie rod extending between said two forward wheels and at least one cable connecting said tie rod to said second pivot means so that sideways movement of said had levers moves said tie rod to steer said tricycle.

9. The tricycle according to claim 4 wherein said drive assembly comprises a first gear changing means adjacent to said pedals and a second gear changing means adjacent to said rear wheel, power transmission chains connecting, in order, from said pedals to said first gear changing means, to said second changing means to said rear wheel, and control means on said levers for operating said first and second gear changing means.

10. The tricycle according to claim 9 further including a chain tightening means engaging said power transmission chain between said first gear changing means and said second gear changing means.

11. The tricycle according to claim 4 wherein said rear wheel is mounted on a sub-frame pivotally secured to said frame for upward and downward pivoting and further including a shock absorber between said sub-frame and said frame.