A foldable scooter

Abstract

This invention discloses a foldable mobility scooter, belonging to the field of mobility tool technology. Existing foldable mobility scooters suffer from unnecessary end-stage displacement and impact on the seat during the final stage of folding, near the unfolded state. This results in uneven movement, poor user experience, and increased wear on hinge points. The foldable mobility scooter of this invention includes a chassis, a seat, a backrest, a drive link, and a linkage mechanism connecting the chassis and the seat. The drive link drives the linkage mechanism, causing the seat and backrest to fold and unfold in conjunction with the frame. A preset angle range exists near the unfolded state, within which the drive link continues to move with minimal angular displacement of the seat. This invention effectively improves folding smoothness and riding comfort, reduces hinge point wear, and extends product lifespan by providing a resting area for the seat during the final stage of folding.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of personal mobility vehicle technology, specifically to a foldable personal mobility vehicle that achieves coordinated folding of the seat and chassis through a multi-hinged linkage mechanism, and keeps the seat essentially stationary within a preset angle range when folded to near the unfolded state. Background Technology

[0002] Foldable mobility scooters are increasingly favored by the elderly and people with mobility impairments due to their portability and ease of storage. To achieve rapid folding and unfolding, current technologies generally use linkage mechanisms to achieve coordinated folding of the seat and frame.

[0003] However, existing technologies and conventional folding solutions in this field all follow the design concept of "full-stroke linkage"—that is, throughout the entire folding or unfolding process, the movement of the drive component always drives the seat to move synchronously until it is fully folded or unfolded. After extensive experimentation and research, the inventors of this invention have discovered that this "full-stroke linkage" mode has the following long-neglected technical defects in this field: 1. Lack of buffer zone at the beginning or end of the unfolding / retracting process. The seat lacks a "pause and buffer" when approaching the unfolded state, resulting in uneven movement and a tendency to cause impact and jerking.

[0004] Second, the wear and tear on hinge points accumulates rapidly. In existing foldable mobility scooters, the movement of the drive components always causes the seat to move synchronously. When the seat is fully extended, the relevant hinge points continue to rotate, which means that the user is more likely to sway and experience wear and tear on the hinge points. Over time, this leads to a decrease in structural precision and a loosening of the seat.

[0005] For a long time, those skilled in the art have been influenced by the technical mindset that "the closer the linkage, the better," and have always focused on shortening the motion transmission path between the drive linkage and the seat, and enhancing the synchronization of the two, without ever realizing the value of the reverse approach of "allowing the seat to actively stop within a preset angle range." How to provide a "stopping range" for the seat at the beginning or end of the folding and unfolding process, while ensuring the integrity of the folding and unfolding functions, so that the rotation of the drive linkage is no longer transmitted as displacement of the seat, thereby improving the smoothness of folding and unfolding and reducing wear, is a long-standing and unrecognized technical problem in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the technical problems of unevenness, impact, and wear at the end of the travel caused by the full-stroke linkage of existing mobility scooters, this invention provides a foldable mobility scooter that achieves a smooth transition between seat folding and unfolding by optimizing the kinematics of the linkage mechanism. This allows the chassis and drive linkage to continue rotating within a preset angle range close to the unfolded state, while the seat remains essentially stationary with an angular displacement of approximately zero. This results in improved user comfort and structural durability.

[0007] The objective of this invention is achieved as follows: A foldable mobility scooter includes: The chassis includes a front frame connecting the front wheel assembly and a rear frame connecting the rear wheel assembly; A seat, wherein the seat is disposed above the chassis; A backrest, which is rotatably connected to the rear end of the seat; A linkage mechanism is provided, which connects the chassis and the seat. A drive link, which connects the chassis and the linkage mechanism; Driven by the drive linkage, the linkage mechanism can drive the seat to switch between an unfolded state and a folded state relative to the chassis; the foldable mobility scooter also has a preset angle range close to the unfolded state, within which the drive linkage continues to move, and the angular displacement of the seat is basically zero.

[0008] Furthermore, the linkage mechanism includes: The first link is located between the chassis and the seat, and its two ends are respectively hinged to the rear frame and the bottom of the seat; The second link, one end of which is hinged to the rear frame; The third link is located between the first link and the chassis, and its two ends are respectively hinged to the middle of the first link and the middle of the second link; The fourth link is hinged at both ends to the rear end of the seat and the second link, so as to realize the linkage of the seat's extension and retraction.

[0009] Furthermore, the second link, the third link, the first link, and the rear frame form a four-link mechanism, and the second link and the third link are nearly collinear when the seat is unfolded.

[0010] Furthermore, the first link, the third link, the second link, the fourth link, and the seat also form another five-bar linkage mechanism. When the seat is unfolded, the second link and the fourth link are nearly collinear.

[0011] Furthermore, one end of the drive link is hinged to the second link. When the foldable mobility scooter is in a preset angle range close to the unfolded state, the second link is nearly collinear with the third and fourth links. The displacement of the drive link causes the linkage mechanism to only swing slightly, and the first link and the seat are in an approximately stationary state.

[0012] Furthermore, the front frame and the rear frame are hinged together. When the vehicle is folded, the front frame rotates and folds relative to the rear frame, and the front wheel assembly and the rear wheel assembly come together.

[0013] Furthermore, the two ends of the drive linkage are respectively hinged to the front frame and the second linkage. When the mobility scooter is folded or unfolded, the front frame, the rear frame and the seat move closer together or further apart in a coordinated manner.

[0014] Furthermore, the preset angle range is the angle range within which the front frame rotates relative to the rear frame to a position approximately 35° away from being fully extended.

[0015] Furthermore, the angular displacement of the seat within the preset angle range is less than 2°.

[0016] Furthermore, the linkage mechanism also includes a fifth link, with the backrest and the fourth link hinged at both ends, and the backrest can move in conjunction with the seat position.

[0017] Furthermore, when the foldable mobility scooter is in the folded state, the backrest and seat are close together, the front wheel assembly and the rear wheel assembly are on the ground at the same time, and the foldable mobility scooter is in an upright storage posture.

[0018] Furthermore, when the foldable mobility scooter unfolds from its folded state, the front frame rotates away from the rear frame, and the linkage mechanism drives the seat and backrest to unfold synchronously under the action of the drive linkage; when it moves to a preset angle range, the front frame and drive linkage continue to move, and the hinge points of the second linkage with the third linkage and the fourth linkage approach the dead point, and the seat and backrest are almost at rest until the foldable mobility scooter is fully unfolded.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: (1) The unfolding and retraction process is smoother and the user experience is better. By setting a seat resting interval at the end of the unfolding process, the end rotation of the drive linkage no longer causes seat displacement, effectively avoiding the impact and jerking sensation caused by the continuous movement of the seat when it is close to the end in the existing solution.

[0020] (2) Enhanced safety during riding. The extended end of the seat remains essentially stationary, making it less likely for users to experience body swaying, which significantly improves the sense of security, especially for the elderly and users with weaker balance.

[0021] (3) Reduced wear at hinge points and extended service life. The seat is almost at rest at the end, which means that unnecessary relative rotation and impact are reduced at the relevant hinge points of the seat during each extension and retraction process, effectively delaying the accumulation of wear.

[0022] (4) It provides room for optimization of the retraction and extension speed. Since the end section has a pause and buffer, even if the retraction and extension speed is appropriately increased, the impact of the end section will not increase significantly, thus breaking the contradiction between speed and smoothness in the existing scheme. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a foldable mobility scooter in its fully unfolded state.

[0024] Figure 2 This is a side view of an embodiment of a foldable mobility scooter in its fully unfolded state.

[0025] Figure 3 This is a side view of an embodiment of a foldable mobility scooter in its folded state.

[0026] Figure 4 This is a side view of an embodiment of a foldable mobility scooter in its first folded motion phase.

[0027] Figure 5 This is a side view of an embodiment of a foldable mobility scooter within a preset angle range.

[0028] Figure 6 This is a simplified structural diagram of a linkage mechanism for a foldable mobility scooter within a preset angle range.

[0029] Figure 7 This is a partial structural diagram of a locking mechanism for a foldable mobility scooter.

[0030] The structures shown in the attached diagram are as follows: 100-mobility vehicle; 1- Chassis; 11-Front frame; 12-Rear frame; 13 - Front wheel assembly; 14 - Rear wheel assembly; 2- Seats; 3-Backrest; 4-Linkage linkage mechanism; 41 - First Link; 42 - Second Link; 43 - Third Link; 44 - Fourth Link; 45 - Fifth Link; 5-Drive linkage; 6-Locking mechanism; 61-Locking pin; 62-hook; 621 - Card slot; 7-Electric linear actuator; B - Hinge point B; Detailed Implementation

[0031] A specific embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0032] like Figures 1 to 5 As shown, the present invention provides a foldable mobility scooter 100, which includes a chassis 1, a seat 2, a backrest 3, a linkage mechanism 4, and a drive linkage 5.

[0033] The chassis 1 includes a front frame 11, a rear frame 12, a front wheel assembly 13, and a rear wheel assembly 14. The front wheel assembly 13 is connected to the front end of the front frame 11, and the rear wheel assembly 14 is located at the rear end of the rear frame 12. The front frame 11 and the rear frame 12 are hinged together. When the mobility scooter 100 is folded, the front frame 11 can rotate relative to the rear frame 12 around the hinge axis, and the front wheel assembly 13 and the rear wheel assembly 14 move closer together, further reducing the folded size of the mobility scooter 100.

[0034] The linkage mechanism 4 is a connecting mechanism that connects and supports the seat 2 and the chassis 1, and enables the seat 2 to move in conjunction with the extension and retraction of the vehicle frame. It includes: a first link 41, a second link 42, a third link 43 and a fourth link 44.

[0035] See Figure 1 When the mobility scooter 100 is fully extended, the first link 41 is inclined between the seat 2 and the rear frame 12, with its two ends hinged to the bottom of the seat 2 and the rear end of the rear frame 12, respectively; one end of the second link 42 is hinged to the middle of the rear frame 12, and the other end is rotatably connected to the fourth link 44 hinged to the rear end of the seat 2; the two ends of the third link 43 are hinged to the middle of the first link 41 and the middle of the second link 42, respectively.

[0036] like Figure 2 As shown, the second link 42, the third link 43, the first link 41, and the rear frame 12 form a four-bar linkage. When the mobility scooter 100 is fully extended, the second link 42 and the third link 43 are nearly collinear, that is, their hinge point B is close to the dead point. At this time, the second link 42, as the driving member of the four-bar linkage, causes the hinge point B to swing in the vicinity of the dead point's extreme position, and the driven member (the acute angle between the first link 41 and the rear frame 12) enters an approximately stationary state.

[0037] In addition, the first link 41, the third link 43, the second link 42, the fourth link 44, and the seat 2 form another five-bar linkage. The first link 41, the second link 42, and the third link 43 are also components of the aforementioned hinged four-bar linkage with a near-pause function. When the seat is unfolded, the second link 42 and the fourth link 44 are nearly collinear. Similar to the driven member (the acute angle between the first link 41 and the rear frame 12), the angular displacement of the seat 2 is also basically zero within the aforementioned pause range, and the seat 2 is in a near-pause state.

[0038] See Figures 1 to 3 The two ends of the drive link 5 are respectively hinged to the front frame 11 and the second link 42, so that the extension and retraction of the front frame 11 relative to the rear frame 12 can be linked with the extension and retraction of the seat. Preferably, the end of the drive link 5 corresponding to the second link 42 is hinged at the hinge point B to balance effort saving and transmission accuracy.

[0039] In addition, the linkage mechanism 4 also has a fifth link 45, which is hinged at both ends to the fourth link 44 and the backrest 3 respectively. At the same time, the backrest 3 is rotatably connected to the rear end of the seat 2. The seat 2, the backrest 3, the fifth link 45 and the fourth link 44 form another four-bar linkage mechanism.

[0040] like Figure 3 As shown, when the foldable mobility scooter 100 is in the folded state, the seat 2 and backrest 3 are stacked together, and the rear frame 12, front frame 11, and rear frame 12 are folded together. The front wheel assembly 13 and rear wheel assembly 14 are on the ground simultaneously, and the mobility scooter 100 is placed in an upright storage position. This design allows the folded mobility scooter 100 to be placed upright in small spaces such as car trunks, corners of homes, or aisles in vehicles, without the need for additional brackets or support devices.

[0041] When the foldable mobility scooter 100 transitions from a folded state to an unfolded state, the seat 2 undergoes the following two movement stages in sequence: First stage of movement -- such as Figures 3 to 4 As shown, the front frame 11 rotates relative to the rear frame 12, and the front wheel assembly 13 gradually moves away from the rear wheel assembly 14. The drive link 5 rotates with the front frame 11 and pushes against the hinge point B, driving the seat 2 and backrest 3 to move through the first link 41 and the fourth link 44. During this stage, the seat 2 and backrest 3 move synchronously with the front frame 11, gradually transitioning from a folded state to an unfolded state.

[0042] The second stage of movement -- such as Figure 4 As shown, the front frame 11 and drive linkage 5 continue to rotate to a preset angle range close to the unfolded state. At this time, the hinge point B where the second link 42 and the third link 43 intersect is close to the limit position of the dead point, and the angular displacement of the seat 2 and the backrest 3 is basically zero. Specifically, when the front frame 11 rotates relative to the rear frame 12 to an angle range of about 35° away from the fully unfolded position, the angular displacement of the seat 2 is less than 2°.

[0043] The aforementioned "preset angle range" is defined as follows: with the angle of the front frame 11 in the fully extended position as the reference, when the front frame 11 rotates from the folding direction to the unfolding direction until it is 35° away from the fully extended position, it enters the preset angle range. Within this range, the front frame 11 and the drive bracket 5 continue to rotate until they reach the fully extended position, while the seat 2 remains basically in an extended, stationary state.

[0044] To achieve this motion characteristic, the positions of each hinge point and the length of each link in the linkage mechanism 4 have been optimized. See [link / reference needed]. Figure 6 The schematic diagram of the linkage mechanism 4 with a pause function shown is as follows: In this specific embodiment, the rear frame 12 is a fixed frame, the second link 42 is an active swing rod, the third link 43 is an intermediate transmission rod, and the first link 41 is a driven output rod. This ensures that when the mobility scooter 100 enters the preset angle range close to the unfolded position, the hinge point B of the second link 42 and the third link 43 swings in the vicinity of the dead point position, and the acute angle between the first link 41 and the rear frame 12 approaches the maximum limit position, entering a near-pause state.

[0045] Furthermore, within the preset angle range, the second link 42 and the fourth link 44 are also nearly collinear, meaning that when the second link 42 swings within this range, the first link 41 and the seat 2 remain essentially stationary. Those skilled in the art should understand that the length ratios and hinge point positions of the aforementioned links can be adjusted according to specific vehicle models and size requirements, as long as the kinematic effect of "the seat angular displacement being essentially zero within the predetermined angle range" can be achieved.

[0046] Through the two-stage movement described above, the foldable mobility scooter 100 achieves a smooth transition from the folded state to the unfolded state. The main unfolding action is completed in the first stage, and the second stage provides a buffer by pausing with the seat 2, avoiding impact and jerking of the seat 2 at the end.

[0047] In addition, to ensure the reliability and stability of the deployed state, a separate locking mechanism 6 can be provided to lock the mobility scooter 100 in the deployed state. Since the seat 2 remains essentially stationary within a preset angle range close to the deployed state, as... Figure 7 As shown, the locking mechanism 6 is preferably mounted on the chassis 1 so that the front frame 11 and the drive linkage 5 are locked relative to the rear frame 12 in the unfolded state.

[0048] like Figure 7 As shown, in this embodiment, the locking mechanism 6 is mainly implemented by a locking pin 61 and a hook 62. The locking pin 61 is fixed to the rear frame 12, and the hook 62 is rotatably connected to the front frame 11 and has a slot 621 that can lock with the locking pin 61. An elastic element is also provided so that the hook 62 always tends to lock relative to the locking pin 61. When fully unfolded, the slot 621 and the locking pin 61 are locked together, and the front frame 11 and the drive linkage 5 are locked relative to the rear frame 12. Rotating the hook 62 and disengaging the slot 621 from the locking pin 61 unlocks the front frame 11 relative to the rear frame 12. Continuing to lift the hook 62 causes the front frame 11 to rotate relative to the rear frame 12, and the mobility scooter 100 changes from an unfolded state to a folded state.

[0049] In another embodiment, the locking mechanism can also take the form of an elastic buckle, a pawl, or an electromagnetic lock, as long as it can reliably lock the linkage mechanism 4 in the unfolded state.

[0050] To further reduce effort, an electric drive mechanism can be used to replace the locking mechanism 6 and manual drive. The fixed end of the electric push rod 7, which serves as the drive mechanism, is hinged to the rear frame 12, and the other output end is hinged to the front frame 11. The self-locking force of the electric push rod fixes the front frame 11 relative to the rear frame 12, thus maintaining the locked state of the mobility scooter 100. Figures 4 to 5 As shown, by operating the electric push rod 7 to extend or retract, the front frame 11 rotates relative to the rear frame 12, the drive link 5 drives the linkage mechanism 4 and can also change the state of the seat 2 and backrest 3, that is, the mobility scooter 100 can switch between the unfolded state and the folded state.

[0051] Preferably, the drive mechanism can also be configured to be compatible with both electric drive and manual drive modes simultaneously—when the electric drive fails or the power is insufficient, the user can manually complete the folding or unfolding operation.

[0052] Compared with the prior art, the present invention optimizes the linkage mechanism 4 to provide a resting interval for the seat 2 at the end of the retraction and extension, so that the seat 2 will not have unnecessary end displacement as the drive linkage 5 continues to move, thereby effectively improving the smoothness of retraction and extension and the comfort of riding, reducing wear at the hinge point, and extending the service life of the product.

[0053] The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, which are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art, upon learning of the present invention, can make various modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and all such modifications fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0054] For example, in another embodiment, the linkage mechanism 4 can employ a greater number of links to achieve a near-pause motion of the seat 2. In yet another embodiment, the near-pause motion of the seat 2 can also be achieved through a cam mechanism, a Geneva mechanism, or other intermittent motion mechanism. In yet another embodiment, the foldable mobility scooter 100 may not have a backrest 3, but only achieve the linkage folding of the seat 2 and the chassis 1. Alternatively, the rear wheel assembly 14 may not be connected to the chassis 1, but to the bottom of the first linkage 41; or it may have additional auxiliary support wheels, which, in the folded state, replace the front wheel assembly 13 and / or the rear wheel assembly 14 for standing on the ground.

Claims

1. A foldable mobility scooter, characterized in that, include: The chassis includes a front frame connecting the front wheel assembly and a rear frame connecting the rear wheel assembly; A seat, wherein the seat is disposed above the chassis; A backrest, which is rotatably connected to the rear end of the seat; A linkage mechanism is provided, which connects the chassis and the seat. A drive link, which connects the chassis and the linkage mechanism; Driven by the drive linkage, the linkage mechanism can drive the seat to switch between an unfolded state and a folded state relative to the chassis; the foldable mobility scooter also has a preset angle range close to the unfolded state, within which the drive linkage continues to move, and the angular displacement of the seat is basically zero.

2. The foldable mobility scooter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The linkage mechanism includes: The first link is located between the chassis and the seat, and its two ends are respectively hinged to the rear frame and the bottom of the seat; The second link, one end of which is hinged to the rear frame; The third link is located between the first link and the chassis, and its two ends are respectively hinged to the middle of the first link and the middle of the second link; The fourth link is hinged at both ends to the rear end of the seat and the second link, so as to realize the linkage of seat extension and retraction.

3. A foldable mobility scooter according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second link, the third link, the first link, and the rear frame form a four-link mechanism. When the seat is unfolded, the second link and the third link are nearly collinear.

4. A foldable mobility scooter according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first link, the third link, the second link, the fourth link, and the seat also form another five-bar linkage. When the seat is unfolded, the second link and the fourth link are nearly collinear.

5. A foldable mobility scooter according to claim 4, characterized in that, One end of the drive link is hinged to the second link. When the foldable mobility scooter is in a preset angle range close to the unfolded state, the second link is nearly collinear with the third and fourth links. The displacement of the drive link causes the linkage mechanism to only swing slightly, and the first link and the seat are in an approximately stationary state.

6. A foldable mobility scooter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The front frame and the rear frame are hinged together. When the vehicle is folded, the front frame rotates and flips relative to the rear frame, and the front wheel assembly and the rear wheel assembly come together.

7. A foldable mobility scooter according to claim 6, characterized in that, The drive linkage is hinged to the front frame and the second linkage at both ends. When the vehicle is folded or unfolded, the front frame, the rear frame and the seat move closer together or further apart.

8. A foldable mobility scooter according to claims 1-7, characterized in that, The preset angle range is the angle range within which the front frame rotates relative to the rear frame to a position approximately 35° away from being fully extended.

9. A foldable mobility scooter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The angular displacement of the seat within the preset angle range is less than 2°.

10. A foldable mobility scooter according to claim 2, characterized in that, The linkage mechanism also includes a fifth link, with the backrest and the fourth link hinged at both ends, and the backrest can move in conjunction with the seat position.

11. A foldable mobility scooter according to claim 10, characterized in that, When the foldable mobility scooter is in the folded state, the backrest and seat are close together, the front wheel assembly and the rear wheel assembly are on the ground at the same time, and the foldable mobility scooter is in an upright storage posture.

12. A foldable mobility scooter according to claim 11, characterized in that, When the foldable mobility scooter unfolds from its folded state, the front frame rotates away from the rear frame, and the linkage mechanism drives the seat and backrest to unfold synchronously under the action of the drive linkage. When it moves to a preset angle range, the front frame and drive linkage continue to move, and the hinge points of the second linkage with the third linkage and the fourth linkage approach the dead point. The seat and backrest are almost at rest until the foldable mobility scooter is fully unfolded.

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