LIGHT VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY CARGO BICYCLES

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a light vehicle, in particular a cargo bike, with a vehicle frame, a user-operated steering device arranged on the vehicle frame and a steerable wheel mount for a wheel arranged at a longitudinal distance from the steering device, wherein the steering device is coupled to the wheel mount by means of a steering linkage which is arranged at least partially on an underside of the vehicle frame and / or below the wheel mount.

[0002] Cargo bikes, such as those disclosed in DE202014005627U1, and similar light vehicles are now an almost common sight on the roads, as electric auxiliary motors for pedal assistance make it relatively easy to transport bulky and / or heavy loads with such vehicles. Common cargo bikes often have a load-bearing area between the steering mechanism and the steered wheel – usually the front wheel – for example, a box with child seats inside, a cargo platform, or the like. Since the steered wheel is thus located at a relatively large distance from the steering mechanism operated by the rider, a steering linkage is required that connects the steering mechanism to the wheel mount and transmits the steering movement made by the rider from the steering mechanism to the steered wheel.In order not to restrict the space in the load-bearing area, the steering linkage is at least partially located on the underside of the vehicle, in particular below a floor plate of the load-bearing area.

[0003] Since the load-bearing area, in order to achieve a favorable center of gravity for the vehicle, is regularly located significantly lower than a saddle on which the vehicle user sits, the steering linkage is also positioned at a correspondingly low height above the road surface. This can lead to contact with, for example, curbs or other obstacles in traffic, which can potentially create a dangerous situation for the driver, even resulting in a fall.

[0004] The object of the invention is to avoid such dangerous situations when driving a light vehicle of this type. This object is achieved by at least one protective device for at least parts of the steering linkage. The protective device prevents unintentional contact between an obstacle located in the area of ​​the driving path, e.g., a curb, and the part of the steering linkage protected by the protective device, so that it cannot strike the obstacle or even become entangled in it.

[0005] If the steering linkage comprises at least one handlebar arm pivotally mounted on a pivot bearing on the underside of the vehicle frame, the invention provides that the protective device includes a protector covering the underside of the handlebar arm, at least in the area of ​​the pivot bearing. The protector is formed by a protective bar detachably mounted to the vehicle frame and extending under the pivot bearing. This bar preferably comprises a front bar section and a rear bar section, as well as a bar leg or base located below the pivot bearing. The protective bar is fixed to the vehicle frame by means of the two bar sections. For example, the protector can consist of a sturdy sheet of steel or aluminum, angled at the front and rear to form the bar sections. Preferably, the front bar section is inclined at an obtuse angle, preferably greater than 120°, to the base of the bar.It thus forms a sloping ramp surface that can slide onto an obstacle with comparatively little resistance, so that the obstacle is pressed under the protector and thus reliably kept at a distance from the protected part of the steering linkage.

[0006] The protector can be detachably attached to the vehicle frame using a plug-in, snap-in, and / or screw connection. It can therefore be removed without further disassembly, for example, to allow access to the steering linkage for maintenance purposes, or to replace a protector worn out by frequent contact with obstacles.

[0007] In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, in which the wheel mount is formed on a wheel fork arranged on the vehicle frame and can be actuated by the steering mechanism via a connecting rod of the steering linkage, the protective device can include a connecting rod guide by means of which the connecting rod is guided longitudinally relative to the vehicle frame and / or the wheel fork. Preferably, the arrangement is such that the connecting rod guide is essentially formed by a linkage rod which is articulatedly connected to the connecting rod via a first articulated joint and to the vehicle frame or the wheel fork via a second articulated joint. In this arrangement, the connecting rod of the steering linkage, which initiates the steering movement in the wheel mount, receives support in the vertical direction so that it is guided by the connecting rod guide at a sufficiently large distance from the road surface and any obstacles therein.The design with the articulated rod, which pivots around its pivot point at the second joint during steering movements, can also result in the connecting rod being raised when the vehicle is driven around a curve. The distance of the connecting rod from the road surface can therefore be deliberately increased when cornering.

[0008] In an advantageous further development, the articulated rod can be provided with a length adjustment device for adjusting the effective distance between the first and second joint connections. According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the wheel mount is essentially formed by a wheel hub steering system arranged at a free end of at least one wheel fork arm. Such a wheel hub steering system enables particularly precise and sensitive steering of the wheel.

[0009] Particularly in the embodiment with wheel hub steering, the connecting rod between its pivot points on the wheel hub and the steering mechanism or the steering arm can preferably be cranked or angled outwards relative to the wheel to ensure sufficient clearance for the steered wheel at full steering lock. Preferably, the connecting rod guide is then effective in the cranked area or in the area of ​​the angled section of the connecting rod. In particular, the arrangement is preferably such that the linkage rod is articulated with its first joint connection in the cranked area or in the area of ​​the angled section of the connecting rod.

[0010] It is also possible that the wheel fork has at least one fork arm that is cranked or angled outwards relative to the wheel. Preferably, the connecting rod is then articulated with its second joint connection to the cranked section or the area of ​​the angle of the fork arm or one of the fork arms.

[0011] Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the drawing, in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example. It shows: Fig. 1 shows a light vehicle according to the invention in the form of a cargo bike in a side view; Fig. 2 shows the object of the Fig.1 in a bottom view; and Fig. 3 a detail of the steering linkage of the vehicle according to Fig.1 and Fig. 2 in a perspective view from a low angle.

[0012] The cargo bike, designated 10 in the drawing, has a known vehicle frame 11 with a rear fork for a rear wheel driven by a belt or chain drive. In front of the rear fork is a seat tube with a height-adjustable bicycle saddle for the rider. Approximately in the center of the vehicle, the cargo bike is equipped with a steering mechanism 12, which, in a known manner, comprises a handlebar 14 rotatably mounted in a handlebar tube 13 and a handlebar 15 mounted at its upper end for operation by the rider. In the area in front of the handlebar tube, the cargo bike has a low-lying, elongated transport platform 16, at the front end of which a wheel fork 17 with two forward-projecting fork arms 18 is articulated. Between their front fork ends, these arms accommodate a steerable wheel mount 19 in the form of a hub steering system 20 for a front wheel 21.The transport platform 21 extends exactly or approximately at the level of the wheel axle of the front wheel 21. The wheel hub steering 20 can be actuated by means of the steering device 12 via a steering linkage 22, which runs on the underside of the vehicle frame 11 and below the wheel mount 19 for the front wheel 21, as shown in the . Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 is recognizable.

[0013] How to be good at Fig.2 As can be seen, the handlebar (14) protrudes a little way downwards from the bottom of the handlebar tube 13. Fig. 1) is provided with an actuating lever 23 arranged transversely to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, at the free end of which a connecting rod 24 is pivotally connected by a first ball joint 25. The other, front end of the connecting rod 24 is in turn connected by a second ball joint to a steering arm 27 which is rotatably and pivotably mounted on the vehicle frame 11 at a pivot bearing 26, and which it adjusts about its vertical pivot axis when the steering device is actuated. At the outer, free end of the steering arm 27 is a further, third ball joint 28, to which a connecting rod 29 is connected, the other, front end of which in turn pivotally engages a steering lever 30 of the wheel mount.The steering movement initiated by the rider with the handlebars into the steering rod is thus transmitted via the steering linkage 22, which essentially consists of parts 23, 24, 27, 29 and 30 as well as the ball joints 25, 28 and bearings connecting these parts, from the actuating lever 23 via the connecting rod 24, the handlebar lever 27, the connecting rod 29 and the steering lever 30 into the wheel hub steering 20 and causes the steering angle of the front wheel 21 in the desired direction and to the desired extent.

[0014] According to the invention, protective devices 31 are provided for the steering linkage 22 to prevent obstacles on the road from coming into contact with the particularly vulnerable parts of the steering linkage 22 and causing dangerous situations for the driver. The protective devices 31 include, firstly, a protector 32 in the area of ​​the pivot bearing 26 for the handlebar arm 27. The protector 32 is formed by a protective bar 33 made of sturdy, multiply folded aluminum or steel sheet, which has a rear, substantially vertical bar 34 and a front bar 35 inclined forward, as well as a base 36 extending between the two bar sections, which covers the underside of the pivot bearing 26 of the handlebar arm 27, i.e., towards the road surface during vehicle operation.The inclination of the front bar 35, measured from the lower, substantially horizontal bar base 36, is approximately 135° in the illustrated embodiment. The shallower the inclination of the front bar 35, the more easily the protector 32 can glide over an obstacle lying in the roadway or slide over a curb or the like. Since the protective bar 33 is open laterally, the handlebar arm 27 can move freely forwards and backwards by the distance required for steering. The front bar 35 is provided at the top with a mounting tongue projecting substantially horizontally forwards, which engages in a corresponding recess on the vehicle frame. The rear bar 34 has an angled mounting flange 37 with holes for fastening screws, which are accessible through elongated holes in the bar base and are screwed into threaded holes on the vehicle frame using a sufficiently long screwdriver.

[0015] Another element of the protective devices comprises a connecting rod guide 38 for the connecting rod 29, which guides the latter longitudinally relative to the front wheel fork 17. The connecting rod guide 38 is essentially formed by a linkage rod 39, which is articulatedly connected to the connecting rod 29 by a first joint 40 and to the left fork arm 18L of the wheel fork 17 in the illustrated embodiment by a second joint 41.As can be seen, the connecting rod 29 is bent or angled outwards relative to the wheel 21 between its pivot points 28, 30 on the steering arm 27 and the wheel mount 19. Furthermore, the fork arms 18 of the wheel fork 17 are also designed with a corresponding angle to ensure sufficient clearance for the front wheel 21 even at full steering lock, preventing the tire from rubbing against the connecting rod 29 or the fork arm 18 on the outside of the curve, even when cornering sharply. The connecting rod guide, in the form of the articulated rod 39, is pivoted in the area of ​​the angled section of the connecting rod 29 and the fork arm 18L on the left side in this embodiment.It prevents the connecting rod, due to its own weight, from tilting downwards between its front pivot point on the linkage lever 30 and its rear pivot point 28 on the handlebar lever 27, and thus from coming too close to the road surface. This could lead to unwanted contact between the connecting rod and the road surface when cornering, as the vehicle or cargo bike leans to the side on which the connecting rod is located. On the other hand, the pivot rod 39 also prevents the connecting rod from deflecting upwards and striking the fork arm 18L or a part of the vehicle frame 11 in an uncontrolled manner.The advantageous, constructive solution of the connecting rod guide 38, in which the joint rod 39 rotates a short distance on a circular path around the second joint connection 41 as a result of a steering input, also ensures that the lower joint connection 40 is raised a little bit when the driver turns the steering wheel, thus gaining additional ground clearance under the connecting rod 29.

[0016] The length of the connecting rod 39 can be adjusted. For this purpose, the two ball joints of the two joint connections 40, 41 can be screwed onto a threaded rod 42 extending between them to different distances, in order to change the effective distance between the first and the second joint connection and to raise or lower the connecting rod relative to the fork arm running above it.

[0017] The lateral projection of the crank or angle of the wheel fork arm 18L of the wheel fork 17 is at least equal to, preferably slightly larger than, the crank or angle of the connecting rod 29, whereby the associated wheel fork arm can also provide lateral protection for the steering linkage and the connecting rod under certain constellations.

[0018] The light vehicle or cargo bike can also be equipped with an electric drive for pedal assistance and may accordingly have a battery mounted in the vehicle frame or on the luggage rack within the mounting system. Such and other variants, obvious to a person skilled in the art, are intended to fall within the scope of protection of the attached claims.

Claims

1. Light vehicle, in particular cargo bicycle (10), with a vehicle frame (11), a steering device (12) arranged on the vehicle frame (11) and operable by a user, and a steerable wheel mount (19) for a wheel (21) arranged at a longitudinal distance from the steering device (12), wherein the steering device (12) is coupled to the wheel mount (19) by means of a steering linkage (22) which is arranged at least partially on an underside of the vehicle frame (11) and comprises at least one steering arm (27) mounted on a pivot bearing (26) on the underside of the vehicle frame so as to be pivotable, with at least one protective device (31) for at least parts of the steering linkage (22), characterized in that the protective device (31) is mounted on the vehicle frame and has a protective bar (33) as a protector (32) which covers the steering arm (27) at least in the area of the pivot bearing (26) on the underside, is detachably mounted on the vehicle frame (11) and engages under the pivot bearing (26).

2. Light vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the steering linkage (22) is arranged running below the wheel mount (19).

3. Light vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the protective bar (33) has a front bar web (35) and a rear bar web (34) and a bar leg or bar base (36) located below the pivot bearing (26), wherein the protective bar (33) is fixed to the vehicle frame (11) with the two bar webs (34, 35).

4. Light vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that the front bar web (35) is inclined at an obtuse angle of preferably greater than 120° to the bar base (36).

5. Light vehicle according to one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that the front bar web (35) has a mounting tongue projecting forward, which fits into a corresponding recess on the vehicle frame, and the rear bar web has a mounting flange with holes for fastening screws, with which the protective bar is screwed to the vehicle frame.

6. Light vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the protector (32) is detachably fastened to the vehicle frame (11) by means of a plug-in connection, snap-in connection, and / or screw connection.

7. Light vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the wheel mount (19) is formed on a wheel fork (17) arranged on the vehicle frame (11) and is actuable by the steering device (12) by means of a coupling rod (29) of the steering linkage (22), and that the protective device (31) comprises a coupling rod guide (38) by means of which the coupling rod (29) is guided so as to be longitudinally movable relative to the vehicle frame (11) and / or the wheel fork (17).

8. Light vehicle according to claim 7, characterized in that the coupling rod guide (38) is essentially formed by a joint rod (39) which is hinged to the coupling rod (29) by a first joint connection (41) and to the vehicle frame or the wheel fork (17) by a second joint connection (40).

9. Light vehicle according to claim 8, characterized in that the joint rod (39) is provided with a length adjustment device (42) for adjusting the effective distance between the first and second joint connections (41, 40).

10. Light vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the wheel mount (19) is essentially formed by a wheel hub steering mechanism (20) which is arranged at a free end of at least one wheel fork arm (18).

11. Light vehicle according to one of claims 7 to 10, characterized in that the coupling rod (29) is cranked or angled outwards between its pivot points (28, 30) on the wheel mount (19) and the steering device or the steering arm (25) relative to the wheel (21), and that the coupling rod guide (38) is effective in the cranked area or in the area of the angle of the coupling rod (29).

12. Light vehicle according to claim 11, characterized in that the joint rod (39) is articulated with its first joint connection (41) in the cranked area or the area of the angle of the coupling rod (29).

13. Light vehicle according to one of claims 7 to 12, characterized in that the wheel fork (17) has at least one wheel fork arm (18) which is cranked or angled outwards relative to the wheel (21).

14. Light vehicle according to claim 13, characterized in that the joint rod (39) is articulated with its second joint connection (40) on the cranked section or the area of deflection of the wheel fork arm (18L) or one of the wheel fork arms (18).

15. Light vehicle according to claim 14, characterized in that the lateral projection of the offset or angulation of the wheel fork arm (18L) of the wheel fork is equal to or greater than the offset or angulation of the coupling rod (29).