GB2357266A

GB2357266A - Convertible wheeled vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2357266A
Application number: GB9929549A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Samuels
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-12-14
Filing date: 1999-12-14
Publication date: 2001-06-20
Also published as: WO2001044041A1; AU1541201A; GB9929549D0

Abstract

The vehicle, e.g. child's pedal vehicle, capable of assembly to constitute a selected one of a plurality of different modes comprises a front wheel frame assembly 5A,B on which a front wheel is mounted, a chassis assembly 3 on which a pair of rear wheels are mounted, and connecting means 4 for pivotally connecting the chassis assembly and the front wheel assembly in a selected one of two relative orientations corresponding to different modes. The connecting means 4 comprises a pivot rod having a first portion 21 for connection to the front wheel frame assembly 5A,B to define a steering pivot about which the front wheel frame assembly is pivotable to steer the vehicle, a second portion 24 extending at one angle to the first portion and a third portion 30 extending at another angle to the first portion, first clamping means 31 for clamping the pivot rod to the front wheel frame assembly, and second clamping means for selectively clamping the chassis assembly 3 to either the second or the third portion of the pivot rod.

Description

2357266 DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION "A Convertible Wheeled Vehicle" THIS

INVENTION relates to a convertible wheeled vehicle which is capable of assembly to constitute a selected one of a plurality of different vehicles and, in particular, to such a vehicle which is suitable for use by children.

A wide variety of tricycles, scooters, go-carts and so on are available for use by children and, in order to meet the desires of children, it is often necessary for a family to purchase separately two or more of these vehicles for a single child. Clearly the child can only use one of these vehicles at a time and thus, at any given time, any remaining vehicles is not in use. If more than one vehicle is bought, more space is required to store the vehicles, for example during the winter months, and the expense of purchasing more than one vehicle may be prohibitive, considering the relatively short period of time that a child will be able to use a vehicle of a particular size.

The present invention claims to provide a vehicle which may be readily assembled in plurality of configurations to solve the problems outlined above.

Accordingly, in its broadest aspect, the present invention provides a convertible wheeled vehicle which is capable of assembly to constitute a selected one of a plurality of different vehicles, which vehicle comprises: a front wheel frame assembly; means for mounting at least one wheel on the front wheel frame assembly; a chassis assembly; means for mounting at least one wheel on the chassis assembly; and connecting means for pivotally connecting the chassis assembly and the front wheel assembly in a selected one of a 2 plurality of different relative orientation corresponding to a respective different vehicle; in which vehicle the connecting means comprises: a pivot rod having a first portion for connection to the front wheel frame assembly to define a steering pivot about which the front wheel frame assembly is pivotable to steer the vehicle, a second portion extending at one angle to the first portion and a third portion extending at another angle to the first portion; first clamping means for clamping the steering pivot to the front wheel frame assembly; and second clamping means for selectively clamping the chassis assembly to either the second or the third portion of the pivot rod.

Preferably, the second portion of the pivot rod extends substantially at right angles to the first portion.

Desirably, the third portion of the pivot rod extends at an obtuse angle to the first portion.

Advantageously, the free ends of the pivot rod are enlarged to form abutments.

In an embodiment of the invention, the first clamp comprises a pair of clamping plates defining therebetween respective recesses for accommodating the steering pivot and a pair of uprights of the front wheel frame assembly when the clamping plates are secured together so that the steering pivot and uprights are pivotally connected together with the steering pivot disposed substantially parallel to and between the uprights.

3 The second clamp may comprise a pair of clamping plates defining therebetween respective recesses for accommodating a pair of coupling portions of the chassis assembly and either the second or third portions of the pivot rod so that the coupling portions and the second or third portion of the pivot rod are secured together with the portion of the pivot rod disposed substantially parallel to and between the coupling portions.

In a preferred embodiment, the clamping plates of the or each pair are identical.

Conveniently, the front wheel assembly comprises a wheel mounted between two parallel frame members on a cranked axle which is rotatably supported by the frame members and which carries pedals.

According to a preferred feature of the invention, the chassis assembly comprises a first chassis frame which is connected to the second or third pivot rod portion by the second clamp and which rotatably supports a rear axle carrying a pair of wheels.

An upper chassis frame may be mounted on the lower chassis frame to carry a seat structure.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, an embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a convertible vehicle embodying the invention; 4 Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a front wheel frame assembly and a chassis assembly of the vehicle connected together by means of a connecting arrangement which enables the relative orientation of the front wheel frame assembly and the chassis assembly to be selectively varied; Figure 3 is a schematic side view of the connecting arrangement showing the front wheel frame assembly and the chassis assembly connected together in a first orientation with the front wheel frame assembly in an upright position; and Figure 4 is a schematic side view of the connecting arrangement showing the front wheel frame assembly and the chassis assembly connected together in a second relative orientation in which the front wheel frame assembly slopes rearwardly relative to the chassis assembly.

Referring firstly to Figure I of the drawings, a vehicle I embodying the invention comprises a front wheel frame assembly 2 which is connected to a chassis assembly 3 by a connecting arrangement 4.

The front wheel frame assembly 2 comprises a pair of tubular uprights 5A and 5B each of which telescopically receives a lower end portion of a respective tubular handlebar 6A, 6B provided with a sleeve-like rubber hand grip 6C, 6D. The handlebars 6A and 6B can be located in a desired adjusted position by respective clips 7A and 7B which are adapted to be received in the lower ends of the handlebars 6A and 6B. The clips 7A and 7B present resiliently mounted pins 7E and 7F which project through respective holes 7C and 7D in the lower end portion of the handlebars 6A and 6B when the clips are located within the handlebars. When the lower ends of the handlebars 6A and 6B are inserted in the upper ends of the uprights 5A and 5B, the pins 7E and 7F each engage in a selected one of a series of apertures 5C and 5D in the uprights 5A and 5B to adjustably connect the handlebars 6A and 6B and the uprights 5A and 5B together in a desired position. Transverse bores 8A and 8B are formed in the uprights 5A and 5B adjacent the lower ends thereof to receive spindles 9A and 9B of a front axle 9 disposed between the lower end of the uprights 5A and 5B. A front wheel 10 having wheel trims I I is received on the axle 9 for rotation therewith and cranked drive rods 12A and 12B carrying respective pedals 13A and 13B are drivingly engaged with the respective spindles 9A and 9B.

The chassis assembly 3 comprises lower and upper substantially U- shaped chassis frame members 14 and 15 which are coupled together by means of a coupling rod 16 which extends through matching apertures in the frame members and has threaded ends to receive locking nuts 16A and 16B.

A pair of wheels 17 and 18 with wheel trims 19 are mounted on the lower frame 14 of the chassis assembly by means of a rear axle 20 which passes through apertures in the opposite arms of the frame member 14 adjacent the rear of the frame member and which has threaded ends 20A to receive wheel nuts 20B. A seat 21 is secured to the upper frame 15 and a backrest 22 is mounted on a seat frame 23 which is adjustably secured to the upper and lower frame members 14 and 15 by means of mounting bolts 24 and 25 passed through pairs of apertures 23A and 23B in the seat frame 23 and selected ones of two series of apertures 14A and 15A in the upper and lower frames 14 and 15. At its forward end, the lower frame 14 of the chassis assembly presents two coupling portions 26A and 26B which extend out of the general plane of the frame member 14 and are secured to the front wheel frame assembly 2 by the connecting arrangement 4.

6 As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the connecting arrangement 4 comprises a pivot rod 27 and two clamps 31 and 34.

Referring more particularly to Figure 2, the pivot rod has a first portion 28 defining a steering pivot about which the front wheel frame assembly 2 is pivotable to steer the vehicle. A second portion 29 of the pivot rod 27 extends substantially at right angles to the steering pivot, while a third portion 30 of the pivot rod extends at an obtuse angle to the steering pivot 28.

The first clamp 31 of the connecting arrangement 4 consists of two identical clamping plates 32A and 32B defining therebetween respective clamping recesses 33A, 33B and 33C to accommodate the steering pivot 28 and the uprights 5A and 5B of the front wheel frame assembly when the clamp 31 is closed and the clamping plates 32A and 32B are secured together, so that the steering pivot 28 and the uprights 5A and 5B are pivotally connected together with the pivot 28 extending parallel to and disposed between the uprights 5A and 5B.

The second clamp 34 of the connecting arrangement 4 consists of two identical clamping plates 32C and 32D defining therebetween three clamping recesses 35A, 35B and 35C to accommodate the coupling portions 26A and 26B of the frame 14 and either of the second and third portions 28 and 29 of the pivot rod 27 when the plates 32C and 32D are secured together, so that the coupling portions 26A and 26B and the pivot rod portion 28 or 29 are connected together with the pivot rod portion 28 or 29 extending parallel to and disposed between the coupling portions..

7 In this way, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the front wheel frame assembly 2 and the chassis assembly 3 may be clamped together, as desired, in either of two orientations to provide two different vehicle configurations, namely the go-cart configuration of Figure 3 with the clamp 34 engaging the pivot rod portion 29 so that the uprights 5A and 5B are rearwardly inclined and the tricycle configuration of Figure 4 with the clamp 34 engaging the pivot rod portion 30 so that the uprights 5A and 5B are substantially vertical.

Spherically shaped enlarged free ends 28A and 30A on the pivot rod 27 prevent the pivot rod becoming disengaged from the clamps 31 and 34.

In the present specification "comprise" means "includes or consists of' and %omprisinj means "including or consisting of'.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed fimction, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

8

Claims

1. A convertible wheeled vehicle which is capable of assembly to constitute a selected one of a plurality of different vehicles, which vehicle comprises: a front wheel frame assembly; means for mounting at least one wheel on the front wheel frame assembly; a chassis assembly; means for mounting at least one wheel on the chassis assembly; and connecting means for pivotally connecting the chassis assembly and the front wheel assembly in a selected one of a plurality of different relative orientation corresponding to a respective different vehicle; in which vehicle the connecting means comprises:

a pivot rod having a first portion for connection to the front wheel frame assembly to define a steering pivot about which the front wheel frame assembly is pivotable to steer the vehicle, a second portion extending at one angle to the first portion and a third portion extending at another angle to the first portion; first clamping means for clamping the steering pivot to the front wheel frame assembly; and second clamping means for selectively clamping the chassis assembly to either the second or the third portion of the pivot rod.

2. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the second portion of the pivot rod extends substantially at right angles to the first portion.

3. A vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the third portion of the pivot rod extends at an obtuse angle to the first portion.

4. A vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the free ends of the pivot rod are enlarged to form abutments.

9

5. A vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first clamp comprises a pair of clamping plates defining therebetween respective recesses for accommodating the steering pivot and a pair of uprights of the ftont wheel frame assembly when the clwnping plates are secured together so that the steering pivot and uprights are pivotally connected together with the steering pivot disposed substantially parallel to and between the uprights.

6. A vehicle according to any preceding claim, wherein the second clamp comprises a pair of clamping plates defining therebetween respective recesses for accommodating a pair of coupling portions of the chassis assembly and either the second or third portions of the pivot rod so that the coupling portions and the second or third portion of the pivot rod are secured together with the portion of the pivot rod disposed substantially parallel to and between the coupling portions.

7. A vehicle according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the clamping plates of the or each pair are identical.

8. A vehicle according to any preceding claim, wherein the front wheel assembly comprises a wheel mounted between two parallel frame members on a cranked axle which is rotatably supported by the frame members and which carries pedals.

9. A vehicle according to any preceding claim, wherein the chassis assembly comprises a first chassis frame which is connected to the second or third pivot rod portion by the second clamp and which rotatably supports a rear axle carrying a pair of wheels.

10. A vehicle according to claim 9, wherein an upper chassis frame is mounted on the lower chassis frame and carries a seat structure.

11. A vehicle convertible wheeled vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.