Folding scooter
The foldable scooter addresses structural weaknesses by incorporating a handlebar with notches and a movable element for secure folding, enhancing reliability and safety through stable joint connections and reduced gaps.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- DE202024106021
- Authority / Receiving Office
- DE · DE
- Patent Type
- Utility models
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-10-18
- Publication Date
- 2025-01-30
- Estimated Expiration
- 2034-10-31
AI Technical Summary
Existing foldable scooters have structural weaknesses, particularly in their folding mechanisms, which lack reliability and safety due to inadequate locking mechanisms and large gaps that can trap users, compromising structural strength and ease of use.
A foldable scooter design featuring a handlebar composed of two bars with notches and a movable element that can lock or unlock, allowing for secure folding and unfolding through a mechanism that ensures stable joint connections and prevents relative rotation when locked.
The design provides a simple, quick, and reliable folding mechanism with enhanced structural strength and safety by ensuring stable joint connections and minimizing gaps, thereby improving user safety and convenience.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
Technical field
[0001] The invention relates to a kick scooter, in particular a foldable kick scooter. State of the art
[0002] Kick scooters are an extremely common means of transportation in everyday life. To facilitate portability and storage, their size must be reduced as much as possible. Therefore, telescopic and foldable designs have been developed. For example, the folding mechanism of existing kick scooters is often based on a larger handlebar or footboard, which significantly reduces the overall size.
[0003] The existing handlebar consists of two rods that are pivotally connected on one radial side and snapped together on the other, thus achieving the folding function. When this structure is folded, a large gap appears between the two rods, which can easily trap the operator. Furthermore, the two rods are only connected at two points radially. Its structural strength is low, and there is no release or locking mechanism. It is easily detached and raises safety concerns.
[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a foldable kick scooter to solve the problems mentioned above. Object of the invention
[0005] The object of the invention is to provide a foldable kick scooter in which the assembly is simple, the folding is convenient and quick, and the locking mechanism is reliable, so that good reliability and safety are achieved.
[0006] This task is accomplished by the collapsible kick scooter, which comprises: a main body having a footboard and at least one first wheel provided on the footboard; a handlebar rotatably arranged on the main body and connected at one end to at least one second wheel, the handlebar consisting of a first rod and a second rod, the first rod having two opposing articulated walls, at least one of the two articulated walls being provided with at least one notch, the second rod having an articulated end, and the articulated end being rotatably connected to the two articulated walls;and an actuating mechanism comprising a movable element and at least one latch, wherein the movable element is provided on the second rod and can slide along the axial direction of the second rod between a locking position and an unlocking position, and wherein the at least one latch is provided on the movable element; wherein, when the movable element is in the locking position, the at least one latch engages in the at least one notch so that the joint end and the two joint walls cannot rotate relative to each other, and when the movable element is in the unlocking position, the at least one latch does not engage in the at least one notch so that the joint end and the two joint walls can rotate relative to each other. Brief description of the drawings Fig. 1 a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. 2 an exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. 3 an enlarged representation according to Fig. 2, Fig. 4 a sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. 5 an enlarged representation according to Fig. 4, Fig. 6 to 8 illustrations of the folding of the preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. 9 to 10 illustrations of the folded state of the preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. 11 an enlarged representation according to Fig. 10, Fig. 12 A partial exploded view showing the preferred embodiment of the invention. Ways to implement the invention
[0007] The following embodiments serve only to illustrate the possible implementation of the present invention, but are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0008] Fig. Figures 1 to 12 show a preferred embodiment of the invention. The foldable kick scooter 1 of the present invention comprises a main body 10, a handlebar 20 and an actuating mechanism 30.
[0009] The main body 10 has a footboard 11 and at least one first wheel 12, which is provided on the footboard 11. The handlebar 20 is rotatably arranged on the main body 10 and connected at one end to at least one second wheel 40. The handlebar 20 consists of a first rod 21 and a second rod 22. The first rod 21 has two opposing articulated walls 211. At least one (preferably both) of the two articulated walls 211 is provided with at least one notch 212. The second rod 22 has an articulated end 221. The articulated end 221 is rotatably connected to the two articulated walls 211. The actuating mechanism 30 includes a movable element 31 and at least one latch 32. The movable element 31 is provided on the second rod 22 and can be moved along the axial direction of the second rod 22 between a locking position ( Fig. 5) and an unlocking position ( Fig.6) sliding. The at least one locking bar 32 is provided on the movable element 31. When the movable element 31 is in the locked position, the at least one locking bar 32 engages in the at least one notch 212, preventing the joint end 221 and the two joint walls 211 from rotating relative to each other. When the movable element 31 is in the unlocked position, the at least one locking bar 32 does not engage in the at least one notch 212, allowing the joint end 221 and the two joint walls 211 to rotate relative to each other. This makes assembly simple, folding convenient and quick, and the locking reliable, thus achieving good reliability and safety.
[0010] In the present embodiment, the first rod 21 is the lower part of the handlebar 20. In other possible embodiments, the first rod 21 can be the upper part of the handlebar 20. The first rod 21 further comprises a first rod element 213 and two extension elements 214. The two extension elements 214 are fixedly connected (optionally detachably) to the first rod element 213 opposite each other. The extension elements 214 each form a hinge wall 211. Each extension element 214 also has a half-tube section 215. The half-tube section 215 is connected to the hinge wall 211. The half-tube section 215 is attached to the first rod element 213. The two extension elements 214 are independent components to facilitate assembly, disassembly, replacement, and maintenance. Preferably, the first rod 21 further comprises two arcuate shells 216.The two arc-shaped shells 216 are stacked with the half-pipe sections 215 of the two connecting elements 214 and fastened to the first rod element 213 with at least one fastening element 50 (optionally detachably connected). The upper ends of the two arc-shaped shells 216 rest against the two hinge walls 211 to support the two connecting elements 214 and improve the overall structural strength.
[0011] The second rod 22 further comprises a second rod element 222. The second rod element 222 is inserted into the joint end 221. A joint pin 60 extends through the two joint walls 211 and connects the two joint walls, the pivot end 221, and the second rod element 222. The movable element 31 is tubular and is inserted into the second rod element 222. The movable element 31 is provided with a through-hole 311. The second rod element 222 is provided with a guide hole 223. The at least one latch 32 is guided through the through-hole 311 and the guide hole 223. The at least one latch 32 can be moved along with the movable element 31 to slide along the guide hole 223. The movable element 31 is provided with ribs 312 on its exterior. The through-hole 311 passes through the ribs 312. The ribs 312 can increase the structural strength of the movable element 31.Preferably, the folding scooter 1 also includes an elastic element 70. The elastic element 70 can be arranged between the actuating mechanism 30 and the pivot pin 60 or between the actuating mechanism 30 and the second rod element 222 (e.g., the pin 80). This allows the movable element 31 to automatically return to the locking position after actuation.
[0012] The joint end 221 has an outer circumferential surface 224, a plug recess 225, and at least one (preferably several) notches 226. The outer circumferential surface 224 extends in an arc around the joint pin 60. The plug recess 225 extends radially inward from the outer circumferential surface 224. The at least one notch 226 penetrates axially through the end faces of the joint end 221 and forms openings in the radial direction. The second rod element 222 is inserted into the plug recess 225, which facilitates assembly, disassembly, replacement, and maintenance, and achieves greater structural strength. When the movable element 31 is in the locking position, the at least one latch 32 rests in the at least one notch 226, thus holding the at least one latch 32 securely and firmly.
[0013] Preferably, the first rod 21 also has an end structure 217. The end structure 217 extends in an arc shape relative to the joint pin 60. The end structure 217 faces the outer circumferential surface 224 of the joint end 221 and has a modified shape, which effectively reduces the gap between the components, facilitates smooth rotation, and provides good support. The end structure 217 can be integrally formed on the two arc-shaped shells 216 or the two attachment elements 214, or it can be integrally formed on both the attachment elements 214 and the two arc-shaped shells 216 simultaneously.
[0014] The actuating mechanism 30 also includes a pull rod 33, a lever 34, and an axle element 35. The pull rod 33 extends axially through the movable element 31 and the second rod 22. At least one latch 32 is provided on the pull rod 33 (either as a single piece or separately). One end of the pull rod 33 is provided with an enlarged head 331 (which can be screwed on). The enlarged head 331 is locked outside a hinge wall 211. The axle element 35 extends through the lever 34 and is connected to the other end of the pull rod 33 (e.g., by screws). The lever 34 can be rotated about the axle element 35 to clamp the two hinge walls 211, so that the two hinge walls 211 bear against two opposite sides of the hinge end 221, thereby improving the reliability of the locking mechanism. Preferably, the part of the tie rod 33 with the at least one locking bar 32 is not circular (e.g. rectangular).The through-hole 311 of the movable element 31 is also not circular, which prevents rotation of the pull rod 33 and ensures locking stability.
[0015] In the present embodiment, the footboard 11 has a first part 111 and a second part 112, which are pivotally connected to each other. The upper end of the handlebar 20 is provided with a stop 23. The stop 23 is preferably a flexible element (e.g., rubber, plastic, silicone, etc.). One end of the first part 111 has a recessed section 113. One end of the second part 112 has a projecting section 114. The projecting section 114 is received in the recessed section 113. When the footboard 11 is folded, the projecting section 114 extends transversely to the recessed section 113. When the handlebar 20 is folded towards the footboard 11, the stop 23 can project into the recessed section 113 and is located on the outside of the second part 112.Preferably, the width of the stop 23 can be greater than, equal to or slightly less than the width of the recessed section 113 in order to effectively maintain the folded structure and avoid wobbling, thus preventing damage to the folding points, collisions between the components and noise from collisions.
[0016] The invention relates to a foldable kick scooter comprising: a main body comprising a footboard and at least one first wheel provided on the footboard; a handlebar rotatably mounted on the main body and connected at one end to at least one second wheel, the handlebar comprising a first rod and a second rod, the first rod having two opposing articulated walls, at least one of the two articulated walls being provided with at least one notch, the second rod having an articulated end, and the articulated end being rotatably connected to the two articulated walls; and an actuating mechanism comprising a movable element and at least one latch, the movable element being provided on the second rod and being able to slide along the axial direction of the second rod between a locking position and an unlocking position, and the at least one latch being provided on the movable element;wherein, when the movable element is in the locking position, the at least one latch engages in the at least one notch, so that the joint end and the two joint walls cannot rotate relative to each other, and when the movable element is in the unlocking position, the at least one latch does not engage in the at least one notch, so that the joint end and the two joint walls can rotate relative to each other. Reference symbol list 1 folding scooter 10 main bodies 11 Running board 111 Part One 112 Part Two 113 in-depth section 114 preceding section 12 first wheel 20 handlebars 21 first pole 211 Joint wall 212 notch 213 first rod element 214 Approach element 215 Half-pipe section 216 arc-shaped bowl 217 Final structure 22 second pole 221 Joint ends 222 second rod element 223 Guide hole 224 external perimeter area 225 Plug recess 226 recess 23 attacks 30 Actuating mechanism 31 movable element 311 Through hole 312 rib 32 bars 33 Pull rod 331 enlarged head 34 levers 35 Axis element 40 second wheel 50 fastening elements 60 hinge bolts 70 elastic element 80 pens
Claims
[1] Folding scooter, with a main body (10) having a footboard (11) and at least one first wheel (12) provided on the footboard (11); a handlebar (20) rotatably arranged on the main body (10) and connected at one end to at least one second wheel (40), wherein the handlebar (20) consists of a first rod (21) and a second rod (22), wherein the first rod (21) has two opposite hinge walls (211), wherein at least one of the two hinge walls (211) is provided with at least one notch (212), wherein the second rod (22) has a hinge end (221), and wherein the hinge end (22) is rotatably connected to the two hinge walls (211); and an actuating mechanism (30) comprising a movable element (31) and at least one latch (32), wherein the movable element (31) is provided on the second rod (22) and can slide along the axial direction of the second rod (22) between a locking position and an unlocking position, and wherein the at least one latch (32) is provided on the movable element (31); wherein, when the movable element (31) is in the locking position, the at least one latch (32) engages in the at least one notch (212) so that the hinge end (221) and the two hinge walls (211) cannot rotate relative to each other, and when the movable element (31) is in the unlocking position, the at least one latch (32) does not engage in the at least one notch (212) so that the hinge end (221) and the two hinge walls (211) can rotate relative to each other. [2] Folding scooter according to claim 1, characterized by that the first rod (21) has a first rod element (213) and two attachment elements (214), wherein the two attachment elements (214) are fixedly connected to the first rod element (213) in an opposite manner, and wherein the attachment elements (214) each form a joint wall (211). [3] Folding scooter according to claim 2, characterized by that each attachment element (214) further comprises a half-pipe section (215), wherein the half-pipe section (215) is connected to the joint wall (211), and wherein the half-pipe section (215) is fixed to the first rod element (213). [4] Folding scooter according to claim 3, characterized byin that the first rod (21) further comprises two arcuate shells (216), wherein the two arcuate shells (216) are stacked with the half-pipe sections (215) of the two attachment elements (214) and are fastened to the first rod element (213) with at least one fastening element (50). [5] Folding scooter according to claim 1, characterized by in that the second rod (22) further comprises a second rod element (222), wherein the second rod element (222) is inserted into the joint end (221), wherein a joint pin (60) extends through the two joint walls (211) and connects the two joint walls, the joint end (221) and the second rod element (222). [6] Folding scooter according to claim 5, characterized byin that the movable element (31) is tubular and is plugged onto the second rod element (222), wherein the movable element (31) is provided with a through hole (311), wherein the second rod element (222) is provided with a guide hole (223), wherein the at least one latch (32) is guided through the through hole (311) and the guide hole (223), and wherein the at least one latch (32) can slide along the guide hole (223). [7] Folding scooter according to claim 6, characterized byin that the joint end (221) has an outer peripheral surface (224), a plug-in recess (225) and at least one cutout (226), wherein the outer peripheral surface (224) extends in an arc around the joint pin (60), wherein the plug-in recess (225) is recessed radially inwardly from the outer peripheral surface (224), wherein the at least one recess (226) axially penetrates the end surfaces of the joint end (221) and forms openings in the radial direction, wherein the second rod element (222) is inserted into the plug-in recess (225), and wherein, when the movable element (31) is in the locking position, the at least one latch (32) lies in the at least one notch (226). [8] Folding scooter according to claim 7, characterized byin that the first rod (21) further comprises an end structure (217), wherein the end structure (217) extends in an arcuate manner relative to the pivot pin (60), and wherein the end structure (217) faces the outer peripheral surface (224) of the pivot end (221) and has an adapted shape. [9] Folding scooter according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized byin that the actuating mechanism (30) further comprises a pull rod (33), a lever (34) and an axle element (35), wherein the pull rod (33) extends axially movably through the movable element (31) and the second rod (22), wherein the at least one latch (32) is provided on the pull rod (33), wherein one end of the pull rod (33) is provided with an enlarged head (331), wherein the enlarged head (331) is blocked outside a joint wall (211), wherein the axle element (35) extends through the lever (34) and is connected to the other end of the pull rod (33), and wherein the lever (34) can be rotated about the axle element (35) in order to clamp the two joint walls (211). [10] Folding scooter according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized byin that the footboard (11) has a first part (111) and a second part (112) which are pivotally connected to one another, the upper end of the handlebar (20) being provided with a stop (23), one end of the first part (111) having a recessed section (113), one end of the second part (112) having a projecting section (114), when the footboard (11) is folded, the projecting section (114) running transversely to the recessed section (113), and when the handlebar (20) is folded towards the footboard (11), the stop (23) can protrude into the recessed section (113) and is located on the outside of the second part (112).