Three-wheel rolling vehicle with front two-wheel steering

• US 7,073,806 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2004
• Issued: 07/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Piaggio & C SPA (Immsi SPA)
• Original Assignee: Piaggio & C SPA (Immsi SPA)
• Inventors: Bagnoli, Alessandro
• Primary Examiner(s): BOEHLER, ANNE MARIE M
• Application Number:
  US10/860,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20050012291A1
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: 280267-269, 280/279, 280/5.509, 280/124.103, 280/282, 280/62, 180/210
• US Class Current: 280/267
• 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 three-wheel rolling vehicle with front two-wheel steering comprising a frame (13), a handlebar (16), a rear wheel (12) rotating with respect to the frame (13) and a steering group which operates two front wheels (14, 15), in which two horizontal crossbars (21, 22) are foreseen, connected through hinges (40–43) of the side tubes (36, 37) and through additional hinges (23, 24) to the frame (13), the tubes (36, 37) rotatably supporting steering tubes (31, 32).

Claims

1. Three-wheel rolling vehicle with front tow-wheel steering comprising a frame (13), a handlebar (16), a rear wheel (12) rotating with respect to the frame (13) and a steering group which operates on two front wheels (14, 15), wherein two horizontal crossbars (21, 22) are provided, each of said horizontal crossbars (21, 22) being made of a single component and being connected by hinges (40–

43) to side tubes (36, 37) and through additional hinges (23, 24) to said frame (13), said tubes (36, 37) rotatably supporting steering tubes (31, 32) and wherein the lower ends of said steering tubes (31, 32) bear independent suspensions (33, 34) connected to hubs of said front wheels (14, 15), said independent suspensions (33, 34) each being equipped with shock absorbers and being located in an external position with respect to said two front wheels.

2. Three-wheel rolling vehicle according to claim 1, wherein each of said horizontal crossbars (21, 22) is made of two elements connected to the frame (13).

3. Three-wheel rolling vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said handlebar (16) is rotatably connected to said frame (13).

4. Three-wheel rolling vehicle according to claim 1 or 3, wherein from said handlebar (16), which is rotatably connected to said frame (13), a lever (18), integral to said handlebar (16), extends toward the interior of the vehicle (11) and is mounted to the rear of said handlebar (16) , said lever (18) being in turn pivoted at one of its free ends to respective ends of a couple of rigid rods (19, 20), the opposite free ends of which are connected by ball joints (27, 28) to additional levers (29, 30), which transmit the steering movement to two steering tubes (31, 32).

5. Three-wheel rolling vehicle with front tow-wheel steering comprising a frame (13), a handlebar (16), a rear wheel (12) rotating with respect to the frame (13) and a steering group which operates on two front wheels (14, 15), wherein two horizontal crossbars (21, 22) are provided, each of said horizontal crossbars (21, 22) being made of a single component and being connected by hinges (40–

43) to side tubes (36, 37) and through additional hinges (23, 24) to said frame (13), said tubes (36, 37) rotatably supporting steering tubes (31, 32) and wherein the lower ends of said steering tubes (31, 32) bear independent suspensions (33, 34) connected to hubs of said front wheels (14, 15), said independent suspensions (33, 34) each being equipped with shock absorbers and each being located in an internal position with respect to said two front wheels.