Foot brake device and scooter

Abstract

The utility model provides a kind of foot brake device and scooter, including footboard, the footboard can be connected in the lower end of vehicle frame to switch between initial position and brake position with up-down rotation, the rear end of the footboard is equipped with the brake plate corresponding with the rear wheel of scooter, the footboard is equipped with elastic reset piece between the vehicle frame, to make the brake plate always have the tendency of rotating towards initial position.The utility model discloses a kind of foot brake device and scooter, brake structure is simple, convenient to operate, and low in cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of bicycle technology, and more specifically, to a foot brake device and a balance bike. Background Technology

[0002] Balance bikes, also known as pedal-less bicycles, are designed specifically for toddlers and children. They rely on children's feet to push off the ground for power and speed control. Their core design aims to improve children's balance, coordination, and reaction time, while also positively impacting cerebellar development and fostering an interest in sports. Due to their simple design and significant educational value, balance bikes have become an important tool in children's development.

[0003] However, the widespread use of balance bikes comes with a significant safety hazard—the lack of a braking system. A foot brake is a crucial component for the safety of any wheeled vehicle, achieving deceleration and braking by limiting wheel speed. Currently, due to considerations of manufacturing costs and vehicle structural simplicity, the vast majority of balance bikes on the market are not equipped with any form of braking system. Children, when needing to slow down or stop urgently, can only rely on directly rubbing their feet against the ground, a method that is inefficient and prone to failure on wet or slippery surfaces.

[0004] To improve safety, a few balance bikes equipped with manual braking systems have appeared on the market. These systems typically mimic the structure of a traditional bicycle handbrake, including: a brake lever mounted on the handlebars, a brake body (such as a caliper brake or drum brake) mounted on the frame (usually near the rear wheel), and a brake cable connecting the lever and the brake body. When riding, children squeeze the brake lever with their fingers, transmitting force through the cable, which in turn causes the brake body to create friction against the wheel, thus achieving braking. This handbrake system is complex and places certain demands on the frame structure; furthermore, the increased cost of numerous components and assembly leads to a higher overall price, hindering widespread market adoption. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to overcome at least one of the defects of the above-mentioned related technologies and provide a foot brake device and a balance bike with a simple braking structure, convenient operation and low cost.

[0006] The technical solution of this utility model is to provide a foot brake device, including a foot pedal, which is rotatably connected to the lower end of the frame to switch between the initial position and the braking position. The rear end of the foot pedal is provided with a brake plate corresponding to the rear wheel of the balance bike. An elastic reset member is provided between the foot pedal and the frame so that the front end of the foot pedal always tends to rotate upward and reset to the initial position.

[0007] Compared with related technologies, the foot brake device of this utility model has the following advantages: The foot brake structure of this utility model adopts a foot pedal type brake, which includes a foot pedal installed at the lower end of the frame and near the rear side. The foot pedal can rotate up and down. When the rider steps on the front end of the foot pedal, the entire foot pedal tilts upward, thereby causing the brake plate, which tilts downward at the rear end, to rotate upward until it contacts and rubs against the rear wheel to achieve the braking function. In addition, an elastic return member is provided between the frame and the foot pedal. After the rider removes his foot from the brake pedal, the elastic return member can drive the foot pedal to rotate and return to its initial position, which is very convenient. The entire foot brake device has few parts, a simple structure, and low cost.

[0008] Furthermore, it also includes a mounting plate, to which the foot pedal is rotatably connected, and the elastic reset member is located between the mounting plate and the foot pedal to form an integrated assembly. The mounting plate is used to connect to the vehicle frame. Pre-assembling the foot pedal and elastic reset member into an integrated structure via the mounting plate facilitates frame assembly and reduces installation difficulty.

[0009] As an improvement, the foot pedal is provided with symmetrically arranged first connecting plates extending upwards on both sides, and the mounting plate is provided with symmetrically arranged second connecting plates extending downwards on both sides, and the two first connecting plates and the two second connecting plates are rotatably connected by a pivot.

[0010] In a further improvement, the elastic reset element is a torsion spring, which is sleeved outside the rotating shaft, with its two ends abutting against the mounting plate and the foot pedal, respectively. The torsion spring has a simple structure, provides a stable elastic reset force, and is low in cost.

[0011] In a further improvement, the torsion spring is a double torsion spring, comprising two helical portions and a connecting portion. The connecting portion connects one end of each of the two helical portions, and the other end of each helical portion is connected to a connecting foot. The foot pedal has two positioning holes. The two helical portions are fitted onto the outside of the rotating shaft. The connecting portion abuts against the lower end face of the mounting plate, and the outer ends of the two connecting feet are respectively fitted into the two positioning holes. The double torsion spring structure makes the automatic reset force of the foot pedal more stable and reliable.

[0012] In a further improvement, a limiting part is provided between the mounting plate and the foot pedal to prevent the front end of the foot pedal from contacting the frame under the action of the torsion spring.

[0013] In a further improvement, the limiting part includes a first limiting block and a second limiting block. The first limiting block is protrudingly disposed on any of the first connecting plates, and the second limiting block is protrudingly disposed on the corresponding second connecting plate. In the initial position, the upper end of the first limiting block abuts against the lower end of the second limiting block.

[0014] In a further improvement, the rear end of the pedal is bent downwards to form the brake plate; the front end of the pedal is bent upwards to form the drive plate, and both sides of the drive plate are exposed outside the frame. The drive plate, which is wider than the frame, allows the rider to brake by using their foot to operate the pedal.

[0015] In a further improvement, a silicone pad is provided on the side of the brake plate closest to the rear wheel. Adding a silicone pad to the brake plate increases braking friction, thereby improving braking performance and enhancing safety.

[0016] Another technical solution of this utility model is to provide a balance bike, including a frame, and a foot brake device is provided at the lower end of the frame and on the side near the rear wheel.

[0017] Other improvements and advantages of this invention will be set forth in the detailed description that follows, and will be apparent in part from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention. The objectives and other advantages of this invention can be realized and obtained through the structures particularly pointed out in the description and drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a partial structural diagram of the balance bike of this utility model; Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of the foot brake device of this utility model; Figure 3 for Figure 2 Exploded view of the foot brake device.

[0019] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Foot pedal; 2. Frame; 3. Brake plate; 4. Elastic return component; 401. Spiral part; 402. Connecting part; 403. Connecting foot; 5. Mounting plate; 6. First connecting plate; 7. Second connecting plate; 8. Shaft; 9. Positioning hole; 10. First limit block; 11. Second limit block; 12. Drive plate; 13. Silicone pad; 14. Rear wheel. Detailed Implementation

[0020] First, those skilled in the art should understand that these embodiments are merely used to explain the technical principles of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make adjustments as needed to adapt to specific application scenarios.

[0021] In the description of the embodiments of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the term "connection" should be interpreted broadly. For example, it can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0022] In this embodiment of the utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the first feature at the "upper end" or "lower end" of the second feature may be in direct contact with the first feature, or indirect contact with the first feature through an intermediate medium. Moreover, the first feature at the "lower end" or "lower side" of the second feature may be directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicate that the horizontal height of the first feature is less than that of the second feature.

[0023] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0024] See Figures 1-3 As shown in the figure, this utility model embodiment discloses a foot brake device, which is mainly used in children's balance bikes. It includes a foot pedal 1 that extends along the front and rear direction of the balance bike frame 2. The foot pedal 1 is rotatably connected to the lower end of the frame 2 to switch between the initial position and the braking position. The rear end of the foot pedal 1 is provided with a brake plate 3 that corresponds to the rear wheel 14 of the balance bike and is inclined downward. An elastic reset member 4 is provided between the foot pedal 1 and the frame 2 so that the front end of the foot pedal 1 always has the tendency to rotate upward and reset to the initial position. In the initial position, under the action of the elastic reset member 4, the brake plate 3 does not contact the rear wheel 14 of the balance bike, and the balance bike can glide normally. When braking is required, the rider presses down on the front end of the pedal 1, and the rear end of the pedal 1 rotates upward until the brake plate 3 is in contact with the rear wheel 14 of the balance bike, thus achieving the braking function. Similarly, when the force applied to the front end of the pedal 1 disappears, under the action of the elastic reset member 4, the pedal 1 rotates back to the initial position, and the brake plate 3 releases the brake on the rear wheel 14. The braking device has a simple structure, few parts, is lightweight and intuitive, has low cost, and requires almost no maintenance in the later stage, which is conducive to market popularization and promotion.

[0025] In this embodiment, a mounting plate 5 is further included. The foot pedal 1 is rotatably connected to the mounting plate 5, and the elastic reset member 4 is located between the mounting plate 5 and the foot pedal 1, so that the mounting plate 5, the foot pedal 1, and the elastic reset member 4 form an integrated assembly. The mounting plate 5 is used to connect to the frame 2. Before being assembled to the frame 2, the braking device can be pre-installed as an integrated structure. Later, only the mounting plate 5 needs to be connected and fixed to the frame 2, which is very convenient and reduces the installation difficulty.

[0026] In some embodiments, the foot pedal 1 has symmetrically arranged upwardly extending first connecting plates 6 on both sides, and the mounting plate 5 has symmetrically arranged downwardly extending second connecting plates 7 on both sides. The two first connecting plates 6 and the two second connecting plates 7 are rotatably connected by a pivot 8. Preferably, the two first connecting plates 6 and the foot pedal 1 are integrally formed, and the two second connecting plates 7 and the mounting plate 5 are integrally formed. The integral structure simplifies the manufacturing process and provides higher strength at the joint.

[0027] In this embodiment, preferably, the elastic reset member 4 is a torsion spring, which is sleeved on the outside of the rotating shaft 8, with its two ends abutting against the mounting plate 5 and the foot pedal 1, respectively. Furthermore, the torsion spring is a double torsion spring, comprising two helical portions 401 and a connecting portion 402. The connecting portion 402 connects one end of the two helical portions 401, and the other ends of the two helical portions 401 form two connecting feet 403. During installation, the two helical portions 401 are respectively sleeved on the outside of the rotating shaft 8, the connecting portion 402 abuts against and limits the lower end face of the mounting plate 5, and the two connecting feet 403 abut against and limit the foot pedal 1. In this structure, to ensure the stability of the double torsion spring connection structure, two positioning holes 9 are provided on the foot pedal 1, and the outer ends of the two connecting feet 403 are respectively inserted into the two positioning holes 9.

[0028] On the other hand, due to the action of the elastic reset member 4, a certain angle will be formed between the mounting plate 5 and the foot pedal 1. In this embodiment, under the action of the elastic reset member 4, the front end of the foot pedal 1 will rotate upward, thereby causing collision and interference with the frame 2. For this reason, a limiting part is also provided between the mounting plate 5 and the foot pedal 1 to limit the front end of the foot pedal 1 from contacting the frame 2 under the action of the torsion spring. That is, under the action of the limiting part, in the initial position, the front end of the foot pedal 1 will not contact the frame 2, avoiding direct contact between metal parts, preventing collision, and eliminating noise.

[0029] See appendix Figure 3 Specifically, the limiting part includes a first limiting block 10 and a second limiting block 11. The first limiting block 10 is protrudingly disposed on any of the first connecting plates 6, and the second limiting block 11 is protrudingly disposed on the corresponding second connecting plate 7. In the initial position, the upper end of the first limiting block 10 abuts against the lower end of the second limiting block 11, thereby restricting the front end of the foot pedal 1 from directly contacting the frame 2.

[0030] In one embodiment, the rear end of the pedal 1 is bent downward to form a brake plate 3; the front end of the pedal 1 is bent upward to form a drive plate 12, and the two sides of the drive plate 12 are exposed on the frame 2, so that the rider can use his foot to drive the front end of the pedal 1 downward to achieve braking.

[0031] In some other embodiments, the brake plate 3 and the drive plate 12 may also be separate structures from the foot pedal 1, and then connected or welded together later by fasteners.

[0032] In this embodiment, a silicone pad 13 is provided on the side of the brake plate 3 near the rear wheel 14 of the balance bike. The silicone pad 13 is glued to the brake plate 3. When braking, the silicone pad part abuts against the rear wheel 14 of the balance bike, resulting in high friction and good braking effect.

[0033] See appendix Figure 1 On the other hand, another embodiment of this application also discloses a balance bike, which includes a frame 2. The aforementioned foot brake device is connected to the lower end of the frame 2 and near the rear wheel 14. A fixing plate is provided at the lower end of the frame 2. The mounting plate 5 is connected and fixed to the fixing plate by two connecting screws. The structure is simple, the installation is convenient, and the safety performance of the balance bike during use is improved.

[0034] In the description of the embodiments of this utility model, it should be noted that the terms "front and back", "up and down", etc., indicating the direction or positional relationship are based on the direction or positional relationship shown in the drawings. This is only for the convenience of description and does not indicate or imply that the device or component must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, it should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model.

[0035] In the description of this utility model, the reference to terms such as "this embodiment," "some embodiments," etc., indicates that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this utility model. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in a suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0036] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this utility model, but the protection scope of this utility model is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this utility model should be included within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A foot brake device, characterized in that: Includes a foot pedal (1), which is rotatably connected to the lower end of the frame (2) to switch between the initial position and the braking position. The rear end of the foot pedal (1) is provided with a brake plate (3) that corresponds to the rear wheel (14) of the balance bike and is tilted downwards. An elastic reset member (4) is provided between the foot pedal (1) and the frame (2) so that the front end of the foot pedal (1) always tends to rotate upwards to reset to the initial position.

2. The foot brake device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a mounting plate (5), the foot pedal (1) is rotatably connected to the mounting plate (5), and the elastic reset member (4) is located between the mounting plate (5) and the foot pedal (1) to form an integral assembly. The mounting plate (5) is used to connect to the frame (2).

3. The foot brake device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The foot pedal (1) has symmetrically arranged first connecting plates (6) extending upward on both sides, and the mounting plate (5) has symmetrically arranged second connecting plates (7) extending downward on both sides. The two first connecting plates (6) and the two second connecting plates (7) are rotatably connected by a pivot (8).

4. The foot brake device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The elastic reset component (4) is a torsion spring, which is sleeved outside the rotating shaft (8). The two ends of the torsion spring abut against the mounting plate (5) and the foot pedal (1), respectively.

5. The foot brake device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The torsion spring is a double torsion spring, which includes two helical parts (401) and a connecting part (402). The connecting part (402) is used to connect one end of the two helical parts (401). The other end of the two helical parts (401) is connected to a connecting foot (403). The foot pedal (1) is provided with two positioning holes (9). The two helical parts (401) are fitted outside the rotating shaft (8). The connecting part (402) abuts against the lower end face of the mounting plate (5). The outer ends of the two connecting feet (403) are respectively fitted into the two positioning holes (9).

6. The foot brake device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that: A limiting part is also provided between the mounting plate (5) and the foot pedal (1) to limit the front end of the foot pedal (1) from contacting the frame (2) under the action of the torsion spring.

7. The foot brake device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The limiting part includes a first limiting block (10) and a second limiting block (11). The first limiting block (10) is convexly disposed on any of the first connecting plates (6), and the second limiting block (11) is convexly disposed on the corresponding second connecting plate (7). In the initial position, the upper end of the first limiting block (10) abuts against the lower end of the second limiting block (11).

8. The foot brake device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rear end of the foot pedal (1) is bent downward to form the brake plate (3); the front end of the foot pedal (1) is bent upward to form the drive plate (12), and the two sides of the drive plate (12) are exposed on the frame (2).

9. The foot brake device according to claim 1 or 8, characterized in that: The brake plate (3) has a silicone pad (13) on the side near the rear wheel (14).

10. A balance bike, comprising a frame (2), characterized in that: The lower end of the frame (2) and the side near the rear wheel (14) is provided with a foot brake device as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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