Tricycle

• US 6,817,617 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2003
• Issued: 11/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avantec Corporation, K&A Design Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Avantec Corporation, K&A Design Company LLC
• Inventors: Hayashi, Masayasu
• Primary Examiner(s): Morris, Lesley D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): YEAGLEY, DANIEL S
• Application Number:
  US10/477,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20040140645A1
• Time in Patent Office: 361 Days
• Field of Search: 280/5.508, 280/5.509, 280/210, 280/282, 280/124.103, 280/62, 280/267, D12/112
• US Class Current: 280/5.509
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 13/04 to a tricycle
• 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

In a tricycle in which left and right front forks (30L, 30R) for rotatably supporting left and right front wheels (WFL, WFR) respectively are disposed on laterally opposite sides of a handle post (21) to extend upwards and downwards and are turnably carried on left and right side posts (29L, 29R) supported on the handle post (21), and an upper link (35U) connected at its opposite ends to the left and right side posts (29L, 29R) and a lower link (35D) connected at its opposite ends to the left and right side posts (29L, 29R) are turnably connected at their central portions to the handle post (21), the left and right side posts (29L, 29R) are disposed in an inclined state, so that the distance between both of the side posts (29L, 29R) is decreased toward their upper portions. Thus, the tricycle can be braced sufficiently by inner one of the front wheels during bank-traveling thereof.

Claims

1. A tricycle in which a steering shaft (27) leading to a steering handlebar (28) is turnably carried on a handle post (21) provided at a front end of a vehicle body frame assembly (F);

left and right front forks (30L, 30R) for rotatably supporting left and right front wheels (WFL, WFR) respectively are disposed on laterally opposite sides of said handle post (21) to extend upwards and downwards and are turnably carried on left and right side posts (29L, 29R) supported on said handle post (21);

said steering shaft (27) is connected to said front forks (30L, 30R) to enable the steering of said front wheels (WFL, WFR) in response to the turning operation of said steering shaft (27);

an upper link (35U) connected at opposite ends thereof to the left and right side posts (29L, 29R) and a lower link (35D) disposed below the upper link (35U) and connected at opposite ends thereof to the left and right side posts (29L, 29R) are turnably connected at central portions thereof to said handle post (21); and

a driven wheel (WR) is supported at a rear portion of the vehicle body frame assembly (F), characterized in that said left and right side posts (29L, 29R) are disposed in an inclined state so that the distance between both of said side posts (29L, 29R) is decreased toward upper portions thereof, and the lengths of said upper and lower links (35U, 35D) are set to be equal to each other, and an amount of protrusion, from the left and right side posts (29L, 29R), of lower brackets (40L, 40R) secured to the left and right side posts (29L, 29R) in order to connect the opposite ends of the lower link (35D) is set to be larger than an amount of protrusion, from the left and right side posts (29L, 29R), of upper brackets (39L, 39R) secured to the left and right side posts (29L, 29R) in order to connect the opposite ends of the upper link (35U).

2. A tricycle according to claim 1, wherein an upright attitude-maintaining means (48A, 48B) for exhibiting a spring force for biasing said handle post (21) to the upright attitude thereof by the either leftward or rightward tilting of said handle post (21) is provided between one of said upper and lower links (35U, 35D) and said handle post (21) on either one of the left or right of said handle post (21).