Front-and-rear foldable electric mobility scooter

Abstract

A foldable electric mobility scooter, including a front section 1, a rear section 2, a linear actuator 5 mounted on the rear section 2, and two link rod assemblies 6. The bottom of front section 1 is

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a front-and-rear foldable electric mobility scooter, and more particularly to an electric mobility scooter, wherein a front seat, a rear seat, a linear actuator, and link rod assemblies thereof can fold the front seat with the rear seat easily and quickly, thereby saving the storage space for the mobility scooter. (b) Description of the Prior Art In a conventional electric mobility scooter, normally plural front wheels and rear wheels are disposed at the bottom of seat, and a chair, a motor, and a steering rod are disposed on the seat. A user can sit on the chair and operate the motor to drive the rear wheels and the front wheels to move the mobility scooter. Furthermore, the moving direction of the mobility scooter is controlled by operating the steering rod to turn the front wheels. However, this kind of electric mobility scooter takes up a lot of area, which is difficult to save the storage space for the mobility scooter. To store the mobility scooter, there exists in the market a mobility scooter that the chair and the steering rod are folded downward. Nevertheless, for this kind of mobility scooter, only the height of mobility scooter is decreased, and the entire area that the mobility scooter takes up is still not reducible. Accordingly, the present inventor, drawing on years of research and practical experience in related fields, has specially developed a front-and-rear foldable electric mobility scooter to improve the shortcomings of the existing technology mentioned above. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The primary object of the present invention is to provide a front-and-rear foldable electric mobility scooter that the entire length of electric mobility scooter can be adjusted, thereby saving the storage space for the mobility scooter. To achieve the abovementioned object, the front-and-rear foldable electric mobility scooter of the present invention comprises a front seat, the bottom of which is provided at least with a front wheel, with the top of front seat being provided with a steering rod; a rear seat, the bottom of which is provided with two rear wheels, with the top of rear seat being provided with a chair; a linear actuator, which is disposed on the rear seat and is provided with an extensible push rod; and two link rod assemblies, which are connected between the front seat and the rear seat respectively, with each link rod assembly constituting a pedal. Each link rod assembly includes a front link rod which is disposed on the front seat in the vertical direction; a rear link rod which is disposed between the front link rod and the rear seat in the vertical direction; a first upper link rod, which is disposed between the rear link rod and the front link rod in the front-rear direction, with the rear end of first upper link rod being pivoted on the top end of rear link rod; a second upper link rod, which is disposed between the first upper link rod and the front link rod in the front-rear direction, with the rear end of second upper link rod being pivoted on the front end of first upper link rod, and the front end of second upper link rod being pivoted on the top end of front link rod; and a lower link rod, which is disposed between the rear link rod and the front link rod in the front-rear direction, with the rear end of lower link rod being pivoted on the bottom end of rear link rod, and the front end of lower link rod being pivoted on the bottom end of front link rod. In addition, the front end of push rod in the linear actuator is pivoted on the top end of rear link rod. Accordingly, the push rod drives the top end of rear link rod to swing toward the front seat to drive the said first upper link rod and second upper link rod to push the top end of front link rod, forcing the bottom end of front link rod to drive the lower link rod to abut at the bottom end of rear link rod toward the rear seat, so that the rear ends of second upper link rod and lower link rod can swing upward, folding the front seat toward the rear seat. The methods of implementation of each element are described further as follows. Upon implementation, the top of rear seat is provided at least with a bracket assembly, and the chair is disposed on the top end of bracket assembly. Each link rod assembly further includes a base, which is disposed between the front link rod and the rear seat, with the bottom end of rear link rod being pivoted on the bottom end of base, and the rear end of lower link rod being pivoted on the bottom end of base; a rear support arm, the rear end of which is fixed on the rear seat, with the base being fixed on the front end of rear support arm, and the rear support arm being provided with a stroke slot; a lower pull rod, the rear end of which is slidingly disposed in the stroke slot, with the front end of lower pull rod being pivoted on the rear end of second upper link; and an upper pull rod, the top end of which is pivoted on the bracket assembly, with the bottom end of upper pull rod being pivoted on the rear end of lower pull rod. Through the second upper link rod, the push rod drives the rear end of lower pull rod to move toward the front seat along the stroke slot, forcing the upper pull rod to drive the said bracket assembly and chair to swing toward the front seat, thereby folding the rear seat toward the front seat. Upon implementation, the said bracket assembly is plural, and each bracket assembly is disposed on each side of the rear seat. Each bracket assembly includes a link arm, the front end of which is pivoted on the front end of chair; a front bracket rod, which is pivoted between the front end of rear seat and the front end of link arm, with the top end of upper pull rod being pivoted on the front bracket rod; and a rear bracket rod, which is pivoted between the rear end of rear seat and the rear end of link arm, with the front bracket rod being parallel to the rear bracket rod. Upon implementation, the bottom of rear seat is provided with a guide slot which is extended toward the front seat, the linear actuator is slidingly disposed in the guide slot, and the rear end of linear actuator is provided with a positioning hole. The bottom of rear seat is pivoted with a handle, the handle is provided with a retaining pin, and the retaining pin is inserted in the positioning hole of the linear actuator to fix the linear actuator on the bottom of rear seat. In addition, the handle drives the retaining pin to escape from the positioning hole, so as to release the linear actuator that the linear actuator can slide in the guide slot. Upon implementation, the linear actuator is a compression cylinder. 5 Upon implementation, the said front wheel is disposed on the bottom of front seat by using an independent suspension structure. Upon implementation, the said rear wheels are disposed on the bottom of rear seat by using an independent suspension structure. Upon implementation, the rear seat is provided with a motor to drive 10 the said rear wheels, and a battery to drive the motor. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a top view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a bottom view of FIG. 1. 15 FIG. 3 shows a cutaway view of FIG. 1. FIG. 4 shows a cutaway view of a second use state of FIG. 3. FIG. 5 shows a cutaway view of a second use state of FIG. 4 FIG. 6 shows a cutaway view of a second use state of FIG. 5. FIG. 7 shows a bottom view of a use state of FIG. 2 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, it shows the drawings of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the abovementioned drawings, a front-and-rear foldable electric mobility scooter of the present invention comprises a front seat 1, a rear seat 2, a steering rod 3, a chair 4, a linear actuator 5, and two link rod assemblies 6. The bottom of front seat 1 is provided at least with a front wheel 11, and the top of front seat 1 is provided with the steering rod 3. The bottom of rear seat 2 is provided with two rear wheels 23, and the top of rear seat 2 is provided with the chair 4. In the present embodiment, the top of rear seat 2 is provided at least with a bracket assembly 7, and the chair 4 is disposed on the top end of bracket assembly 7. The rear seat 2 is provided with a motor 8 to drive the said rear wheels 23, and a battery 9 to drive the motor 8. The linear actuator 5 is disposed on the bottom of rear seat 2, and is provided with a push rod 51 which is extensible toward the front seat 1. The battery 9 is connected electrically to the linear actuator 5. In the present embodiment, the linear actuator 5 can be a compression cylinder which can be a pneumatic cylinder or a hydraulic cylinder. In the preferred embodiment, the two ends of said two link rod assemblies 6 are connected respectively between the said front seat 1 and rear seat 2, and each said link rod assembly 6 constitutes a pedal for the mobility scooter. Each link rod assembly 6 includes a front link rod 61, a rear link rod 62, a first upper link rod 63, a second upper link rod 64, a lower link rod 65, a base 66, a rear support arm 67, a lower pull rod 68, and an upper pull rod 69. As shown in FIG. 3, the front link rod 61 is disposed on the front seat 1 in the vertical direction. The rear link rod 62 is disposed between the front link rod 61 and the rear seat 2 in the vertical direction. The first upper link rod 63 is disposed between the rear link rod 62 and the front link rod 61 in the front-rear direction, and the rear end 632 of first upper link rod 63 is pivoted on the top end 621 of rear link rod 62. The second upper link rod 64 is disposed between the first upper link rod 63 and the front link rod 61 in the front-rear direction, and the rear end 642 of second upper link rod 64 is pivoted on the front end 631 of first upper link rod 63. The front end 641 of second upper link rod 64 is pivoted on the top end 611 of front link rod 61. The lower link rod 65 is disposed between the rear link rod 62 and the front link rod 61 in the front-rear direction, and the lower link rod 65 is disposed below the said first upper link rod 63 and second upper link rod 64. The rear end 652 of lower link rod 65 is pivoted on the bottom end 622 of rear link rod 62, and the front end 651 of lower link rod 65 is pivoted on the bottom end 612 of front link rod 61. The front end 511 of push rod 51 in the linear actuator 5 is pivoted on the top end 621 of rear link rod 62. The base 66 is disposed between the front link rod 61 and the rear seat 2. The bottom end 622 of rear link rod 62 is pivoted on the bottom end 661 of base 66, and the rear end 652 of lower link rod 65 is pivoted on the bottom end 661 of base 66. The rear support arm 67 is disposed between the rear seat 2 and the base 66 in the front-rear direction, and the rear end 672 of rear support arm 67 is fixed on the rear seat 2. The base 66 is fixed on the front end 671 of rear support arm 67, and the rear support arm 67 is provided with a stroke slot 673. As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the rear end 682 of lower pull rod 68 is slidingly disposed in the stroke slot 673, and the front end 681 of lower pull rod 68 is pivoted on the rear end 642 of second upper link rod 64. The top end 691 of upper pull rod 69 is pivoted on the bracket assembly 7, and the bottom end 692 of upper pull rod 69 is pivoted on the rear end 682 of lower pull rod 68. In a feasible embodiment, the said bracket assembly 7 can be plural, and each bracket assembly 7 is disposed on each side of the rear seat 2. Each bracket assembly 7 includes a link arm 71, a front bracket rod 72, and a rear bracket rod 73. As shown in FIG. 3, the front end 711 of link arm 71 is pivoted on the front end 41 of chair 4. The front bracket rod 72 is pivoted between the front end 21 of rear seat 2 and the front end 711 of link arm 71, and the top end 691 of upper pull rod 69 is pivoted on a middle section of the front bracket rod 72. The rear bracket rod 73 is pivoted between the rear end 22 of rear seat 2 and the rear end 712 of link arm 71, and the front bracket rod 72 is parallel to the rear bracket rod 73. Referring to FIGS. 3 to 6, in using the mobility scooter, the battery 9 can provide electricity to drive the linear actuator 5, allowing the push rod 51 of linear actuator 5 to force the top end 621 of rear link rod 62 to swing toward the front seat 1 (as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4), so as to drive the said first upper link rod 63 and second upper link rod 64 to push the top end 611 of front link rod 61. By the second upper link 64, the folding angle is amplified, forcing the bottom end 612 of front link rod 61 to drive the lower link rod 65 to abut at the bottom end 622 of rear link rod 62 (as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6) toward the rear seat 2, so that the rear end 642 of second upper link rod 64 and the rear end 652 of lower link rod 65 can swing upward, folding the front seat 1 toward the rear seat 2. In the meantime, the push rod 51 of linear actuator 5 also drives the rear end 682 of lower pull rod 68 to move toward the front seat 1 along the stroke slot 673 through the second upper link rod 64, forcing the upper pull rod 69 to drive the bracket assembly 7, the front bracket rod 72, and the chair 4 to swing toward the front seat 1, so that the rear seat 2 can be folded toward the front seat 1. In this period of time, the bottom end 622 of rear link rod 62 and the bottom end 612 of front link rod 61 can act as auxiliary pivots to fold the link rod assemblies 6, allowing the front link rod 61, the first upper link rod 63, the second upper link rod 64, and the rear support arm 67 to swing upward for folding. Accordingly, in the present invention, each said link rod assembly 6 constitutes a pedal of the mobility scooter, and the function of lifting upward to fold the front seat 1 and the rear seat 2 is achieved by the said link rod assemblies 6, allowing the said link rod assemblies 6 and chair 4 to be filled in the upper space of mobility scooter, which can easily and quickly fold the mobility scooter with a convenient operation. In addition, when the mobility scooter is folded, the distance between the front seat 1 and the rear seat 2 is reduced, and the entire length of mobility scooter can be adjusted to reduce the area that the mobility scooter takes up, thereby decreasing the space that the mobility scooter takes up after folding. Besides, when the mobility scooter is folded, the front wheel 11 and the rear wheels 23 of mobility scooter keep touching the ground flat, so that a user can pull the steering rod 3 to drag the mobility scooter, which can also prevent the mobility scooter from falling. Furthermore, when the mobility scooter is folded, the battery 9 will face toward the rear side of mobility scooter following the swing of rear seat 2 and rear support arm 67, and the chair 4 can be lifted upward automatically, which facilitates the user to replace the battery 9 that the user can carry the battery 9 easily to a charging place for recharging, preventing the battery 9 from being stolen. When the push rod 51 of linear actuator 5 drives backward the top end 621 of rear link rod 62 to swing toward the rear seat 2, the rear link rod 62 will link the first upper link rod 63, the second upper link rod 64, the front link rod 61, the lower link rod 65, the rear support arm 67, the lower pull rod 68, the upper pull rod 69, and the bracket assembly 7 to reversely link and restore positions. At this time, the first upper link rod 63, the second upper link rod 64, and the rear support arm 67 are in a horizontal state, allowing the user to sit on the mobility scooter. Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, in another feasible embodiment, the bottom of rear seat 2 can be also provided with a guide slot 24 which is extended toward the front seat 1. The linear actuator 5 is slidingly disposed in the guide slot 24, and the rear end 52 of linear actuator 5 is provided with a positioning hole 53. The bottom of rear seat 2 is pivoted with a handle 25, the handle 25 is provided with a retaining pin 26, and the retaining pin 26 is inserted in the positioning hole 53 of linear actuator 5 to fix the linear actuator 5 on the bottom of rear seat 2. Referring to FIG. 7, when the mobility scooter is unfolded and if the battery 9 is dead or the linear actuator 5 malfunctions, the user can manually pull the handle 25, forcing the handle 25 to drive the retaining pin 26 to escape from the positioning hole 53 on the rear end 52 of linear actuator 5, releasing the linear actuator 5 that the linear actuator 5 can slide in the guide slot 24. Thus, the user can manually lift up the link rod assemblies 6; in this period of time, the push rod 51 of the linear actuator 5 will be driven by the link rod assemblies 6, forcing the linear actuator 5 to slide toward the front seat 1 along the guide slot 24, so as to achieve the function of manually folding the mobility scooter. Furthermore, the said front wheel 11 can be disposed on the bottom of front seat 1 by using an independent suspension structure; whereas, the said rear wheels 23 can be also disposed on the bottom of rear seat 2 by using an independent suspension structure, so as to improve the shock-proofing ability of the mobility scooter. 5

Claims

1. A front-and-rear foldable electric mobility scooter, comprisinga front seat, the bottom of which is provided with a front wheel, with the top of front seat being provided with a steering rod;a rear seat, the bottom of which is provided with two rear wheels, with the top of rear seat being provided with a chair;a linear actuator, which is disposed on the rear seat and is provided with an extensible push rod; andtwo link rod assemblies, each of which is connected between the front seat and the rear seat, with each link rod assembly constituting a pedal, and each link rod assembly including a front link rod which is disposed on the front seat in the vertical direction; a rear link rod which is disposed between the front link rod and the rear seat in the vertical direction; a first upper link rod which is disposed between the rear link rod and the front link rod in the front-rear direction, with the rear end of first upper link rod being pivoted on the top end of rear link rod; a second upper link rod which is disposed between the first upper link rod and the front link rod in the front-rear direction, with the rear end of second upper link rod being pivoted on the front end of first upper link rod, and the front end of second upper link rodbeing pivoted on the top end of front link rod; a lower link rod which is disposed between the rear link rod and the front link rod in the front-rear direction, with the rear end of lower link rod being pivoted on the bottom end of rear link rod, and the front end of lower link rod being pivoted on the bottom end of front link rod;wherein, the front end of push rod of the linear actuator is pivoted on the top end of rear link rod, the push rod drives the top end of rear link rod to swing toward the front seat, driving the first upper link rod and the second upper link rod to push the top end of front link rod, which forces the bottom end of front link rod to drive the lower link rod to abut at the bottom end of rear link rod toward the rear seat, so that the rear ends of second upper link rod and lower link rod swing upward, folding the front seat toward the rear seat.

2. The front-and-rear foldable electric mobility scooter, according to claim 1, wherein the top of rear seat is provided with a bracket assembly, the chair is disposed on the top end of bracket assembly, and each link rod assembly further includes:a base, which is disposed between the front link rod and the rear seat, with the bottom of rear link rod being pivoted on the bottom of base, and the rear end of lower link rod being pivoted on the bottomend of base;a rear support arm, the rear end of which is fixed on the rear seat, with the base being fixed on the front end of rear support arm, and the rear support arm being provided with a stroke slot;a lower pull rod, the rear end of which is slidingly disposed in the stroke slot, with the front end of lower pull rod being pivoted on the rear end of second upper link rod; andan upper pull rod, the top end of which is pivoted on the bracket assembly, with the bottom end of upper pull rod being pivoted on the rear end of lower pull rod; andwith the push rod driving the rear end of lower pull rod to move toward the front seat along the stroke slot through the second upper link rod, which forces the upper pull rod to drive the bracket assembly and the chair to swing toward the front seat, folding the rear seat toward the front seat.

3. The front-and-rear foldable electric mobility scooter, according to claim 2, wherein the bracket assembly is plural, and each bracket assembly is disposed on each side of the rear seat, with each bracket assembly including:a link arm, the front end of which is pivoted on the front end of chair;a front bracket rod, which is pivoted between the front end of rear seat and the front end of link arm, with the top end of upper pull rod being pivoted on the front bracket rod; anda rear bracket rod, which is pivoted between the rear end of rear seat and the rear end of link arm, with the front bracket rod being parallel to the rear bracket rod.

4. The front-and-rear foldable electric mobility scooter, according to claim 1 or 2 or 3, wherein the bottom of rear seat is provided with a guide slot which is extended toward the front seat, the linear actuator is slidingly disposed in the guide slot, the rear end of linear actuator is provided with a positioning hole, the bottom of rear seat is pivoted with a handle, the handle is provided with a retaining pin, the retaining pin is inserted in the positioning hole of linear actuator to fix the linear actuator on the bottom of rear seat, and the handle drives the retaining pin to escape from the positioning hole to release the linear actuator, allowing the linear actuator to slide in the guide slot.

5. The front-and-rear foldable electric mobility scooter, according to clam 4, wherein the linear actuator is a compression cylinder.

6. The front-and-rear foldable electric mobility scooter, according to claim 4, wherein the front wheel is disposed on the bottom of frontseat by using an independent suspension structure.

7. The front-and-rear foldable electric mobility scooter, according to claim 4, wherein the rear wheels are disposed on the bottom of rear seat by using an independent suspension structure.5 8. The front-and-rear foldable electric mobility scooter, according toclaim 4, wherein the rear seat is provided with a motor to drive the rear wheels, and a battery to drive the motor.

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