A windscreen assembly for a quadricycle

Abstract

A quadricycle 1 has a windscreen assembly 10, a chassis 20 and a cargo box 100 mounted to said chassis 20 towards the back end 24 thereof. The windscreen assembly 10 includes a screen 11 having a fron

Description

Field The present invention relates to a windscreen for a quadricycle and a quadricycle using said windscreen. More particularly, the present invention relates to a unitary screen and roof and attachments thereof to a quadricycle. Background To address environmental concerns over air-pollution and greenhouse gas emissions there is a demand for alternatives to conventional motorised combustion vehicles which can meet the needs of the supply chain. In urban centres in particular, cargo delivery needs are increasingly met by human powered cycles, with and without electrical assistance to augment the pedal power of the rider. The addition of electrical power increases the range and speed of such cycles whilst retaining their benefits; namely their lack of contribution to air pollution and potential to ease traffic congestion due to their small size relative to other road vehicles. In the current economic climate finding staff is challenging, in particular for manual tasks. In the competitive market for electrically assisted vehicles of this type, rider comfort is important as rider satisfaction and retention are clearly linked. Riders actively seek out more comfortable vehicles since with increasing range, especially as assistance technology improves, riders are able to spend longer periods using the vehicle. The ability remain dry and have good visibility whilst riding for these periods is prized by riders and the mitigation of wetness of the riders’ feet by splash and spray is therefore commercially important, helping to retain customers and drive sales. As with all vehicles, design and manufacture of the passenger environment is complex and consumes a large portion of the budget in producing a vehicle and a correspondingly high portion of the part count of a vehicle for comparatively little performance benefit. The windscreen assembly of a quadricycle must fulfil the many objectives of being sufficiently stiff to avoid shudder and support components mounted thereto such as rear view mirrors, protect the rider from adverse weather conditions and allow sufficient visibility for the rider in all weather conditions. Summary of Invention Aspects and / or embodiments seek to provide a quadricycle with a windscreen assembly that addresses the issues above. According to a first aspect, there is provided: a quadricycle having a windscreen assembly, said quadricycle having a chassis and a cargo box, said chassis having a longitudinally extending central axis, a front end, a rear end and a central vertical plane P extending longitudinally from the front end to the back end and said cargo box being mounted to said chassis towards the back end thereof; characterised in that: said windscreen assembly includes a screen (11) having a front portion extending substantially vertically and a top portion extending substantially horizontally and wherein said front portion of the windscreen assembly is mounted to the front end of the chassis and the top portion is mounted to the cargo box. Optionally, including a support structure mounted to said front end of said chassis and extending vertically and horizontally and having a frontal surface to which the front portion of said front portion of said windscreen assembly is mounted. Optionally, said support structure includes a (substantially planar) bonding portion to which said front portion of said screen assembly is adhesively mounted by means of an adhesive. Optionally, said adhesive comprises a flexible adhesive. Optionally, said chassis includes a central front mounting point at the front end and said support structure includes a central front mounting point and further including a first fixing means for securely fixing the central front mounting point of the support structure to the central front mounting point of the chassis. Optionally, one or more lateral mounting points associated with said chassis and above said central front mounting point and wherein said support structure includes one or more associated lateral support mounting point, and further including second fixing means for fixing said one or more lateral mounting points associated with said chassis to said one or more lateral support mounting points associated with said support structure. Optionally, including two lateral mounting points and wherein said lateral mounting points are positioned at an angle of between 30 and 60 degrees from a line extending vertically through said central mounting point of the chassis. Optionally, wherein said screen assembly includes rearwardly extending front side portions and downwardly extending top side portions and wherein said side portions each comprise returned portions of the same material as form the front portion or the top portion. Optionally, further including a transition portion between said front portion and said top portion and wherein said front portion, said transition portion and said top portion comprise a continuous (unitary) sheet of the same material. Optionally, wherein said screen front and top side portions are formed from the same continuous (unitary) sheet of the same material as the front portion and the top portion. Optionally, the front side portions and the top side portions are joined to form a continuous returns along each side of the front portion the transition portion and the top portion. Optionally, one or other of said front side portions or top side portions include splayed sections (S1 and S2) that are splayed outwardly at or adjoining a point of transition between the front portion and the top portion. Optionally, wherein both of said front and top side portions include splayed sections (S1 and S2) that are splayed outwardly at a point of transition between the front portion and the top portion. Optionally, the windscreen assembly further includes one or more rear view mirrors mounted in the splayed portions sections S1 and S2. Optionally, wherein the screen is manufactured by drape forming a single sheet. Optionally, wherein the perimeter L1 of the screen (11) is the same as the perimeter L2 of the net of the formed screen. Optionally, wherein said top portion includes a rear top portion and wherein said rear top portion is mounted to said cargo box by means of one or more of said mounts. Optionally, the mounts are flexible mounts and / or the adhesive is a flexible adhesive. Optionally^ wherein said one or more mounts comprises a adhesive between the cargo box and said rear portion of said top portion. Optionally, in which said flexible mounting comprises a bolted assembly passing through said rear portion and having a flexible material and preferably a resilient top hat between it and the rear portion. Optionally, in which said support structure includes one or more mounting points for one or more lights and wherein said front portion of said windscreen extends over said one or more mounting points, thereby to protect said one or more lights. Optionally, said windscreen assembly includes front and top side portions and wherein said side portions each comprise returned portions of the same material as form the front portion or the top portion. Optionally, said windscreen assembly further includes a transition portion between said front portion and said top portion and wherein said front portion, said transition portion and said top portion comprise a continuous (unitary) sheet of the same material. Optionally, one or other of said front side portions or top side portions are splayed outwardly at splayed sections S1 and S2 located at a point of transition between the front portion and the top portion. Optionally, the screen is made from acrylic; polycarbonate; PETG; styrene; ABS; PE; HDPE or SINTRA (RTM). Optionally, both of said front and top side portions are splayed outwardly at a point of transition between the front portion and the top portion. Optionally, wherein said top portion includes a rear top portion and wherein said rear top portion includes one or more flexible mounting points for mounting to said cargo box. A windscreen assembly wherein the screen includes an outer face. Optionally, wherein the screen includes an outer face and the outer face includes a hydrophobic and or hard coating. Brief Description of Drawings Embodiments will now be described, by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings having like-reference numerals, in which: Figure 1 shows an exploded side view of the chassis and the support structure of the quadracycle according to the current invention; Figure 2 shows a top view of the quadracycle according to the current invention; Figure 3 shows a quadracycle including a windscreen assembly according to the current invention; Figure 4 shows the support structure of the windscreen assembly of the current invention; Figure 5 shows the screen according to the current invention; and Figure 6 shows one of the flexible mounts for securing the windscreen assembly to the cargo box. Specific Description Referring to figure 1 a first aspect of the invention will now be described. Figures 1 and 2 show a chassis 20 of a quadracycle. Figure 1 shows the chassis 20 from the side with the support structure 30 of the windscreen assembly 10 in exploded view. The chassis 20 has a front end 22 and a rear end 24. Figure 1 also shows vertical direction V and horizontal direction H. Figure 2 shows the chassis 20 from the top having a centreline CL which is located on a longitudinal vertical plane P that extends from the front end 22 to the rear end 24 of the chassis. The chassis 20 has front central mounting point 26 located at the front end 22 on CL and lateral mounting points 28 above and outboard of CL. The supporting structure 30 has complementary central mounting point 36 and lateral mounting points 28. The support structure 30 is fitted to the chassis 20by moving it from the position shown in figure 1 in the direction M. The mounting points 26, 28, 36, 38 provide a ridged connection between the chassis 20 and the front support structure 30, though some compliance may be included. Figure 3 shows a quadricycle 1 with a windscreen assembly 30, a cargo box 100 fitted to the chassis 20. The windscreen assembly 30 includes a screen 11 and a supporting structure 30. The cargo box 100 is mounted to the rear end 24 of the chassis 20, has a top 102 and sides 104. The cargo box 100 also includes one or more screen mounts 80 at the front of the top surface 102 and preferably also at least one screen mount 80 on each of the sides 104. The cargo box 100 shown is one option for the structure, the cargo box 100 may be a cage or a pick up style cargo box 100 as long as there is a top face 102 and side faces 104 for accommodating the one or more screen mounts 80. This would normally be at the top of a vertically extending front face 106 but could be accommodated on a hoop (not shown). The lateral mounting points 28 of the support structure 30 as shown in figure 4 include two mounting points 28a and 28b positioned at an angle 0 of between 30 and 60 degrees from the central plane P. The support structure 30 further comprises a plurality of strengthening ribs 39 extending radially from the central lower mount 26 for supporting the lateral mounts 38. The support structure 30 also includes a vertically extending bonding face 34 for receiving the screen 11. The bonding face 34 is substantially planar in that it has the same profile as the inner face 18 of the screen 11. The support structure 30 also includes one or more headlight mounts 74 and one or more headlights 90, for illuminating the path of the quadricycle 1, and may further include a front bumper 94 and / or front body work of the quadricycle 95. The screen 11 which is shown in isolation in figure 5 includes an inner surface 18, an outer surface 19, a vertically extending front portion 12 and a horizontally extending top portion 14. It will be understood that vertically extending and horizontally extending cover a suitable range and that the front portion 12 is inclined to the vertical leaning slightly to the rear and the top portion 14 is inclined slightly to the horizontal, down toward the front, for aiding drainage and reducing drag. The inner face 18 of both the top portion 14 and the front portion 12 are concave with a dual curvature both across the component and longitudinally. The top portion 14 and the front portion 12 are joined by a transition portion 13 which is also concave on the inner face 18 with a reduced or tighter radius of curvature at the centreline compared to the top portion 14 and the front portion 12. The screen 11 includes front side portions 52 and top side portions 54 or side returns 52 and top returns 54. The top side portions 54 are joined to the top portion and extend from either side of the top portion 14 downward toward the ground. The side portions 52, 54 are preferably joined to form a continuous return along the edge of the top portion 14 and the front portion 12. Where the side portions join the top and front portions there is a radius or fillet. Preferably the inner surface has a radius of greater than 40mm. The front side portions 54 extend from either side of the front portion 12 toward the rear 24 of the quadricycle. The front side portions 52 and / or top side portions 54 include splayed portions (S1, S2) where the side portions are splayed. The splayed portions S1, S2 are located adjacent where the top portion 14 meets the front portion 12 and may include the top side portion 54 or bottom side portion 52 extending from or into the transition portion 13. The top portion 14 of the screen also includes a rear portion 14R including one or more screen mounts 80. The screen 11 is preferably formed from a single sheet of material such that it is a unitary screen 11. The side portions 52, 54 are formed of the same material as the top portion 14 and the front portion 12. The top portion 14 and the front portion 12 are preferably formed of a single unitary sheet of the same material and most preferably the side portions 52, 54 are formed from that same sheet of material. The screen 11 is manufactured using drape forming and is made of the material acrylic; polycarbonate; PETG; styrene; ABS; PE; HDPE or SINTRA (RTM) and most preferably from polycarbonate. The minimum internal radius of the inner face 18 or outer face 19 of the screen 11 is 40mm. The screen 11 is made from a net or flat pattern having a perimeter L1. The screen 11 also has a perimeter having distance L2. Wherein L1 is approximately equal to L2 and preferably L1 is equal to L2. The screen 11 may include a hydrophobic and / or hard coating 98 on the outer face 19. The screen 11 may also include an antifog coating 99 on the inner face 18. The screen 11 includes a masked portion 16. The masked portion 16 includes a lower section 15 of the front portion 12 and may extend along the front and top side portions 52, 54. The front portion 12 extends over said lights 90 in order to protect said lights 90 and the masked section 16 includes an unmasked section 16a adjacent the lights through which they may shine. The windscreen assembly 10 includes the support structure 30, the screen 11, and further includes one or more rear-view mirrors 70. The one or more rear-view mirrors 70 are located in the splayed portions S1, S2. The windscreen assembly 10 may include one or more rearview mirror mounts 72 for connecting the rear-view mirrors to the screen 11. The screen 11 is connected to the support structure 30 at the vertically extending mounting face 34. The mounting face 34 includes a laterally extending portion 34a for receiving the front portion 12 and a longitudinally extending portion 34b for receiving the side portions 52 of the front portion 12. The front portion 12 and the front side portions 52 are bonded to the support structure 30 at the bonding face 34. The screen 11 is bonded to the structure 30 using any suitable adhesive and is preferably rigidly bonded and most preferably bonded using a very high bond adhesive tape. When assembled with the quadricycle 1 the windscreen assembly 10 is attached by the mounts 36, 38 of the support structure 30 to the mounts 26, 28 of the chassis 20. Preferably support structure 30 is rigidly fixed to the chassis 20. The rear portion 14R of the top portion 14 of the screen 11 is connected to the cargo box 100 at the one or more mounts 80. The mounts 80 may comprise flexible mounts 82 or may simply be adhesive 81 as for the support structure. This may be a flexible adhesive 81. In a preferred embodiment the screen 11 is attached to the cargo box 100 by a plurality of fixings 83 including a resilient top hat or washer 84 located between the fixing and the screen 11 and preferably between the screen and the cargo box 100. The fixing 83 may be a threaded bolt, a snap rivet, a quick release fixing such as a quarter turn fixing or other suitable fixing. Any system feature as described herein may also be provided as a method feature, and vice versa. As used herein, means plus function features may be expressed alternatively in terms of their corresponding structure. Any feature in one aspect may be applied to other aspects, in any appropriate combination. In particular, method aspects may be applied to system aspects, and vice versa. Furthermore, any, some and / or all features in one aspect can be applied to any, some and / or all features in any other aspect, in any appropriate combination. It should also be appreciated that particular combinations of the various features described and defined in any aspects can be implemented and / or supplied and / or used independently.

Claims

1. A quadricycle (1) having a windscreen assembly (10), said quadricycle having a chassis (20) and a cargo box (100), said chassis (20) having a longitudinally extending central axis (CL), a front end (22), a rear end (24) and a central vertical plane P extending longitudinally from the front end (22) to the back end (24) and said cargo box (100) being mounted to said chassis (20) towards the back end (24) thereof; characterised in that:said windscreen assembly (10) includes a screen (11) having a front portion (12) extending substantially vertically and a top portion (14) extending substantially horizontally (H) and wherein said front portion (12) of the windscreen assembly (10) is mounted to the front end (22) of the chassis (20) and the top portion (14) is mounted to the cargo box (100).

2. A quadricycle (1) as claimed in claim 1 and the windscreen assembly (10) further including a support structure (30) mounted to said front end (22) of said chassis (20) and extending vertically (V) and horizontally (H) and having a frontal surface (32) to which the front portion (12) of said front portion (12) of said screen(11) is mounted.

3. A quadricycle (1) as claimed in claim 2 and wherein said support structure (30) includes a (substantially planar) bonding portion (34) to which said front portion (12) of said screen (11) is adhesively mounted by means of an adhesive (40).

4. A quadricycle (1) as claimed in claim 3 and wherein said adhesive (40) comprises a flexible adhesive.

5. A quadricycle (1) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 and wherein said chassis (20) includes a central front mounting point (26) at the front end (22) and said support structure (30) includes a central front mounting point (36) and further including a first fixing means (36A) for securely fixing the central front mounting point (36) of the support structure (30) to the central front mounting point (26) of the chassis (20).

6. A quadricycle (1) as claimed in claim 5 and further including one or more lateral mounting points (28) associated with said chassis (20) and above said central front mounting point (26) and wherein said support structure (30) includes one or more associated lateral support mounting points (38) and further including second fixing means (28B) for fixing said one or more lateral mounting points (28) associated withsaid chassis (20) to said one or more lateral support mounting points (38) associated with said support structure (30).

7. A quadricycle (1) as claimed in claim 6 and including two lateral mounting points (28a, 28b) and wherein said lateral mounting points (28a, 28b) are positioned at an angle 0 of between 30 and 60 degrees from a line (P) extending vertically through said central mounting point (26) of the chassis.

8. A quadricycle (1) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 and wherein said screen (11) includes rearwardly extending front side portions (52) and downwardly extending top side portions (54) and wherein said side portions (52, 54) each comprise returned portions (52, 54) of the same material as form the front portion (12) and / or the top portion (14).

9. A quadricycle (1) as claimed in any preceding claim and wherein said screen (11) further includes a transition portion (13) between said front portion (12) and said top portion (14) and wherein said front portion (12), said transition portion (13) and said top portion (14) comprise a continuous (unitary) sheet of the same material.

10. A quadricycle (1) as claimed in claim 9 wherein the screen (11), the front side portions (52) and the top side portions (54) are formed from the same continuous (unitary) sheet of the same material as the front portion (12) and the top portion (14).

11. A quadricycle (1) as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10 wherein the front side portions (52) and the top side portions (54) are joined to form a continuous returns along each side of the front portion (12) the transition portion (13) and the top portion (14).

12. A quadricycle (1) as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 11 and wherein one or other of said front side portions (52) or top side portions (54) include splayed sections (S1 and S2) that are splayed outwardly at a point of transition between the front portion (12) and the top portion (14).

13. A quadricycle (1) as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 11 and wherein both of said front and top side portions (52, 54) include splayed sections (S1 and S2) that are splayed outwardly at a point of transition between the front portion (12) and the top portion (14).

14. A quadricycle (1) as claimed in claims 11 or 12 wherein the windscreen assembly (10) further includes one or more rear view mirrors (70) mounted in the splayed sections S1 and S2.

15. A quadricycle of any preceding claim wherein the screen (11) is manufactured by drape forming a single sheet of material.

16. A quadricycle (1) as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 15 wherein the perimeter L1 of the screen (11) is the same as the perimeter L2 of the net of the formed screen.

17. A quadricycle (1) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 16 and wherein said top portion includes a rear top portion (14R) and wherein said rear top portion (14R) includes a rear screen mount (80) and is mounted to said cargo box (100) by means of one or more of said mounts (80).

18. A quadricycle (1) as claimed in claim 17 and wherein said one or more mounts (80) comprises a adhesive (81) between the cargo box (100) and said rear portion (14R) of said top portion (14)19. A quadricycle (1) as claimed in claim 18 wherein the mounts (80) are flexible mounts (82) and the adhesive (81) is a flexible adhesive.

20. A quadricycle (1) as claimed in claim 19 and in which said flexible mounting (82) comprises a bolted assembly (88) passing through said rear portion (14R) and having a resilient top hat (84) between it and the rear portion (14R).

21. A quadricycle (1) as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 20 and in which said support structure (30) includes one or more mounting points (86, 88) for one or more lights (90, 92) and wherein said front portion (12) of said screen (11) extends over said one or more mounting points (86,88), thereby to protect said one or more lights (90,92).

22. A windscreen assembly (10) for a quadricycle (1) wherein said windscreen assembly (10) includes front and top side portions (56, 58 respectively) and wherein said side portions each comprise returned portions of the same material as form the front portion (12) or the top portion (14).

23. A windscreen assembly (10) as claimed in claim 22 and wherein said windscreen assembly (10) further includes a transition portion (13) between said front portion (12) and said top portion (14) and wherein said front portion (12), said transition portion (13) and said top portion (14) comprise a continuous (unitary) sheet of the same material.

24. A windscreen assembly (10) as claimed in claim 22 or claim 23 and wherein one or other of said front side portions (52) or top side portions (54) are splayed outwardly at splayed sections (S1 and S2) located at a point of transition between the front portion (12) and the top portion (14).

25. A windscreen assembly (10) as claimed in claim 24 and wherein both of said front and top side portions (52, 54) are splayed outwardly at splayed sections (S1 and S2) at a point of transition between the front portion (12) and the top portion (14).

26. A windscreen assembly (10) as claimed in any one of claims 22 to 25 and wherein said top portion includes a rear top portion (14R) and wherein said rear top portion (14R) includes one or more flexible mounting points for mounting to said cargo box (100).

27. A windscreen assembly (10) according to any preceding claim wherein the screen (11) is made from acrylic; polycarbonate; PETG; styrene; ABS; PE; HDPE or SINTRA (RTM).

28. A windscreen assembly (10) according to any preceding claim wherein the screen (11) includes an outer face (11a) and the outer face includes a hydrophobic and or hard coating.

Images