Human-powered vehicle
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A human-powered vehicle for traversing a ground surface comprising:
- a frame extending from a forward end region to a rear end region along a frame axis;
at least one front wheel rotatably coupled to the forward end region of the frame member to roll over the ground surface and to support the frame member above the ground surface;
at least one rear wheel rotatably coupled to the rear end region of the frame member to roll over the ground surface and to support the frame member above the ground surface;
a seat coupled to the frame portion to receive a human'"'"'s posterior;
a drive member extending from a hands end region to be engaged by the human'"'"'s hands to a feet end region to be engaged by the human'"'"'s feet, wherein the drive member is pivotably coupled to the frame member between the forward end region and the seat about a drive member axis perpendicular to the frame axis, wherein the drive member is operably coupled to the at least one rear wheel to rotate the at least one rear wheel in response to motion of the drive member about the drive member axis in the clockwise direction, wherein the drive member is operably coupled to the at least one rear wheel to rotate the at least one rear wheel in response to motion of the drive member about the drive member axis in the counterclockwise direction, wherein the drive member axis is located closer to the ground surface than the seat, anda transmission comprising;
at least one drive gear operably coupled to the at least one rear wheel to rotate to the at least one rear wheel in response to the at least one drive gear being rotated;
a first gear operably coupled to the at least one drive gear when the hands end region of the drive member is moved about the drive member axis towards the rear end region of the frame member;
a second gear operably coupled to the at least one drive gear when the hands end region of the drive member is moved about the drive member axis towards the forward end region of the frame member;
a drive axle fixedly coupled to the drive member and rotatably coupling the drive member to the frame member about the drive member axis, wherein the first and second gears are rotatably coupled to the drive axle;
a first locking cam to engage the first gear to fixedly couple the first gear to the drive axle when the hands end region of the drive member is moved about the drive member axis towards the rear end region of the frame member and to disengage from the first gear to release the first gear from the drive axle when the hands end region of the drive member is moved about the drive member axis towards the forward end region of the frame member; and
a second locking cam to engage the second gear to fixedly couple the second gear to the drive axle when the hands end region of the drive member is moved about the drive member axis towards the forward end region of the frame member and to disengage from the second gear to release the second gear from the drive axle when the hands end region of the drive member is moved about the drive member axis towards the rear end region of the frame member.
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Abstract
A human-powered vehicle may include a frame and a drive member pivotally coupled to the frame. Pivotal reciprocal motion of the drive member in either direction may generate rotational motion to the wheels of the human-powered vehicle. The seat of the human-powered vehicle may be positioned such that an axis about which the drive member pivots is located below, or closer to the ground surface, than the seat.
48 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A human-powered vehicle for traversing a ground surface comprising:
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a frame extending from a forward end region to a rear end region along a frame axis; at least one front wheel rotatably coupled to the forward end region of the frame member to roll over the ground surface and to support the frame member above the ground surface; at least one rear wheel rotatably coupled to the rear end region of the frame member to roll over the ground surface and to support the frame member above the ground surface; a seat coupled to the frame portion to receive a human'"'"'s posterior; a drive member extending from a hands end region to be engaged by the human'"'"'s hands to a feet end region to be engaged by the human'"'"'s feet, wherein the drive member is pivotably coupled to the frame member between the forward end region and the seat about a drive member axis perpendicular to the frame axis, wherein the drive member is operably coupled to the at least one rear wheel to rotate the at least one rear wheel in response to motion of the drive member about the drive member axis in the clockwise direction, wherein the drive member is operably coupled to the at least one rear wheel to rotate the at least one rear wheel in response to motion of the drive member about the drive member axis in the counterclockwise direction, wherein the drive member axis is located closer to the ground surface than the seat, and a transmission comprising; at least one drive gear operably coupled to the at least one rear wheel to rotate to the at least one rear wheel in response to the at least one drive gear being rotated; a first gear operably coupled to the at least one drive gear when the hands end region of the drive member is moved about the drive member axis towards the rear end region of the frame member; a second gear operably coupled to the at least one drive gear when the hands end region of the drive member is moved about the drive member axis towards the forward end region of the frame member; a drive axle fixedly coupled to the drive member and rotatably coupling the drive member to the frame member about the drive member axis, wherein the first and second gears are rotatably coupled to the drive axle; a first locking cam to engage the first gear to fixedly couple the first gear to the drive axle when the hands end region of the drive member is moved about the drive member axis towards the rear end region of the frame member and to disengage from the first gear to release the first gear from the drive axle when the hands end region of the drive member is moved about the drive member axis towards the forward end region of the frame member; and a second locking cam to engage the second gear to fixedly couple the second gear to the drive axle when the hands end region of the drive member is moved about the drive member axis towards the forward end region of the frame member and to disengage from the second gear to release the second gear from the drive axle when the hands end region of the drive member is moved about the drive member axis towards the rear end region of the frame member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A human-powered vehicle for traversing a ground surface comprising:
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a frame extending from a forward end region to a rear end region along a frame axis; at least one front wheel rotatably coupled to the forward end region of the frame member to roll over the ground surface and to support the frame member above the ground surface; at least one rear wheel rotatably coupled to the rear end region of the frame member to roll over the ground surface and to support the frame member above the ground surface; a drive member extending from a hands end region to be engaged by the human'"'"'s hands to a feet end region to be engaged by the human'"'"'s feet, wherein the drive member is pivotably coupled to the frame member between the forward end region and the rear end region about a drive member axis perpendicular to the frame axis, wherein the drive member is operably coupled to the at least one rear wheel to rotate the at least one rear wheel in response to reciprocal motion of the drive member about the drive member axis in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions; and a transmission to operably couple the drive member to the at least one rear wheel, wherein the transmission comprises; at least one drive gear operably coupled to the at least one rear wheel to rotate to the at least one rear wheel in response to the at least one drive gear being rotated; a first gear operably meshable to the at least one drive gear when the hands end region of the drive member is moved about the drive member axis towards the rear end region of the frame member; and a second gear operably meshable to the at least one drive gear when the hands end region of the drive member is moved about the drive member axis towards the forward end region of the frame member. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A human-powered vehicle for traversing a ground surface comprising:
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a frame extending from a forward end region to a rear end region along a frame axis; at least one front wheel rotatably coupled to the forward end region of the frame member to roll over the ground surface and to support the frame member above the ground surface; at least one rear wheel rotatably coupled to the rear end region of the frame member to roll over the ground surface and to support the frame member above the ground surface; a drive member extending from a hands end region to be engaged by the human'"'"'s hands to a feet end region to be engaged by the human'"'"'s feet, wherein the drive member is pivotably coupled to the frame member between the forward end region and the rear end region about a drive member axis perpendicular to the frame axis, wherein the drive member is operably coupled to the at least one rear wheel to rotate the at least one rear wheel in response to reciprocal motion of the drive member about the drive member axis in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions; and a transmission to operably couple the drive member to the at least one rear wheel, wherein the transmission comprises; at least one drive gear operably coupled to the at least one rear wheel to rotate to the at least one rear wheel in response to the at least one drive gear being rotated; a first gear operably coupled to the at least one drive gear when the hands end region of the drive member is moved about the drive member axis towards the rear end region of the frame member; a second gear operably coupled to the at least one drive gear when the hands end region of the drive member is moved about the drive member axis towards the forward end region of the frame member; and a reversing gear operably coupling the second gear to the at least one drive gear when the hands end region of the drive member is moved about the drive member axis towards the forward end region of the frame member to rotate the at least one drive gear in the same direction as rotated by the first gear when the hands end region of the drive member is moved about the drive member axis towards the rear end region of the frame member. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A human-powered vehicle for traversing a ground surface comprising:
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a frame extending from a forward end region to a rear end region along a frame axis; at least one front wheel rotatably coupled to the forward end region of the frame member to roll over the ground surface and to support the frame member above the ground surface; at least one rear wheel rotatably coupled to the rear end region of the frame member to roll over the ground surface and to support the frame member above the ground surface; a drive member extending from a hands end region to be engaged by the human'"'"'s hands to a feet end region to be engaged by the human'"'"'s feet, wherein the drive member is pivotably coupled to the frame member between the forward end region and the rear end region about a drive member axis perpendicular to the frame axis, wherein the drive member is operably coupled to the at least one rear wheel to rotate the at least one rear wheel in response to reciprocal motion of the drive member about the drive member axis in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions; and a transmission to operably couple the drive member to the at least one rear wheel, wherein the transmission comprises; at least one drive gear operably coupled to the at least one rear wheel to rotate to the at least one rear wheel in response to the at least one drive gear being rotated; a first gear operably coupled to the at least one drive gear when the hands end region of the drive member is moved about the drive member axis towards the rear end region of the frame member; a second gear operably coupled to the at least one drive gear when the hands end region of the drive member is moved about the drive member axis towards the forward end region of the frame member; a drive axle fixedly coupled to the drive member and rotatably coupling the drive member to the frame member about the drive member axis, wherein the first and second gears are rotatably coupled to the drive axle; a first locking cam to engage the first gear to fixedly couple the first gear to the drive axle when the hands end region of the drive member is moved about the drive member axis towards the rear end region of the frame member and to disengage from the first gear to release the first gear from the drive axle when the hands end region of the drive member is moved about the drive member axis towards the forward end region of the frame member; and a second locking cam to engage the second gear to fixedly couple the second gear to the drive axle when the hands end region of the drive member is moved about the drive member axis towards the forward end region of the frame member and to disengage from the second gear to release the second gear from the drive axle when the hands end region of the drive member is moved about the drive member axis towards the rear end region of the frame member. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification