Frame structure of small electric vehicle and small electric vehicle

Abstract

To provide a frame structure of a small electric vehicle which can easily deform in several vehicle body forms with a simple structure, and to provide the small electric vehicle.SOLUTION: A frame structure of a small electric vehicle 10 includes: a steering frame 11 in which a handle 16 is provided at an upper end; a steering shaft support part 18 provided at a lower part of the steering frame 11; a front floor frame 12 pivotally supported by the steering frame 11 through the steering shaft support part 18; a center shaft support part 19 provided at a rear part of the front floor frame 12; a rear floor frame 13 pivotally supported by the front floor frame 12 through the center shaft support part 19; and a lock part 21 which restricts axial movement of the front floor frame 12 and the rear floor frame 13.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a small electric vehicle that a user can push or stand on, and a frame structure thereof. [Background technology]

[0002] Carry carts have been used in various life situations for pedestrians to transport luggage, pets, children, etc. However, on slopes and rough roads, the carts can be an obstacle to walking, and so a cart that can flexibly respond to various changing uses has been required. Therefore, carts that can change their body shape depending on the usage scene have been developed. For example, carts that can be changed between a riding form for driving with a user seated on it and a push form for the user to push by hand to transport objects are known. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-168153 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the above-mentioned conventional technology, the structure is complicated in order to configure the mechanism for performing the deformation of the vehicle body.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a frame structure for a small electric vehicle and a small electric vehicle that have a simple structure and can be easily transformed into a variety of vehicle body forms. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The frame structure of the small electric vehicle in this embodiment comprises a steering frame having a handle at its upper end, a first support portion provided in a lower portion of the steering frame, a front floor frame supported on the steering frame via the first support portion, a second support portion provided in a rear portion of the front floor frame, a rear floor frame supported on the front floor frame via the second support portion, a lock portion that regulates axial movement of the front floor frame and the rear floor frame, and rear wheels connected to the rear floor frame.

[0007] In addition, the small electric vehicle of this embodiment comprises a steering frame having a handlebar provided at its upper end, front wheels provided on the steering frame and steered by the handlebar, a first pivot support portion provided in a lower portion of the steering frame, a front floor frame pivotally supported on the steering frame via the first pivot support portion, a second pivot support portion provided in a rear portion of the front floor frame, a rear floor frame pivotally supported on the front floor frame via the second pivot support portion, a lock portion that regulates the axial movement of the front floor frame and the rear floor frame, rear wheels connected to the rear floor frame, a motor that drives at least one of the front wheels or the rear wheels, and a battery that drives the motor. Effect of the Invention

[0008] The present invention provides a frame structure for a small electric vehicle that has a simple structure and can be easily transformed into a plurality of vehicle body forms, and a small electric vehicle. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are perspective views of a small electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 3A to 3C are rear perspective views of a small electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] (A) to (D) are side views of a small electric vehicle in each usage form. [Figure 4]FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0011] 1(A) and (B) are perspective views of a small electric vehicle (hereinafter simply referred to as "vehicle") 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figs. 1(A) and (B) show an example of use of the vehicle 10 in a standing riding mode, which will be described later. Note that in each drawing and in the following embodiment, the front and rear directions of the vehicle 10 are defined by assuming that the wheels steered by the steering frame 11 are the front wheels 14 and that the wheels not steered by the steering frame 11 are the rear wheels 15.

[0012] 1(A) and (B), the vehicle body frame 20 of the vehicle 10 according to the embodiment is mainly composed of floor frames 12, 13 and a steering frame 11. A handle 16 held by a user 50 is provided at the upper end of the steering frame 11, and a front wheel 14 is provided at the lower end of the steering frame 11. The front wheel 14 is steered by the handle 16 via the steering frame 11. The front wheels 14 are provided, for example, at each end of a front wheel shaft 17 protruding to the left and right from the steering frame 11. However, there is no particular limit to the number of front wheels 14, and the number of front wheels 14 may be one or three or more. In addition, the manner in which the front wheels 14 are connected to the steering frame 11 is not particularly limited to this example.

[0013] The floor frames 12, 13 are composed of a front floor frame 12 connected to the steering frame 11 via a steering shaft support portion (first shaft support portion) 18 (FIG. 1(B)), and a rear floor frame 13 connected to the rear end of the front floor frame 12 via a central shaft support portion (second shaft support portion) 19. The steering shaft support portion 18 and the central shaft support portion 19 are each composed of a bearing, for example. The steering shaft support portion 18 may be integrated with the steering frame 11 or the front floor frame 12. Similarly, the central shaft support portion 19 may also be integrated with the front floor frame 12 or the rear floor frame 13. The steering frame 11, the front floor frame 12, and the rear floor frame 13 form a link mechanism by the steering shaft support portion 18 and the central shaft support portion 19.

[0014] Further, the steering shaft support portion 18 and the central shaft support portion 19 are each provided with a lock portion 21. The lock portion 21 has, for example, a cylindrical shape that is fitted into the shaft supports 18, 19 so that their rotation axes coincide with each other. A knob 21a is provided on one of the circular side surfaces of the lock portion 21. When the knob 21a is rotated by the hand of the user 50, the lock portion 21 is pushed further into the shaft supports 18, 19 to tighten the shaft supports 18, 19, thereby locking the axial rotation of the shaft supports 18, 19. Note that, although the steering frame 11, the front floor frame 12, and the rear floor frame 13 are shown as a single frame in Figs. 1(A) and (B), they may be composed of multiple frames.

[0015] Further, rear wheels 15 are connected to the rear portion of the rear floor frame 13 via rear wheel shafts 22 protruding from the rear floor frame 13 to the left and right, for example. As with the front wheels 14, the number and connection manner of the rear wheels 15 are not particularly limited. A motor (not shown) that drives the rear wheels 15 is connected to the rear wheels 15. The rear floor frame 13 is provided with a battery storage section 25 that stores a battery 24 that drives the motor. The motor may be connected to the front wheels 14 to drive the front wheels 14. Preferably, the rear floor frame 13 is provided with a seat section 26 on which the user 50 stands.

[0016] Further, a removable attachment 27 is attached to the steering frame 11 via a bracket 28. The attachment 27 is, for example, a plurality of loading platforms 27a as shown in FIG. 1(A). A transport box 29 for accommodating parcels and the like is placed and fixed on the loading platforms 27a. Further, the attachment 27 may be replaced with a baby chair 27b for carrying an infant 30 as shown in FIG. 1(B). In this way, the attachment 27 can be freely changed according to the usage purpose of the user 50, thereby increasing the versatility of the vehicle 10. The limiting frames 31, 32 will be described in detail later.

[0017] 2(A) to 2(C) are rear perspective views of the vehicle 10. Fig. 2(A) shows a stored form, Fig. 2(B) shows a push form, and Fig. 2(C) shows a standing form. Figures 3(A) to (D) are side views of vehicle 10 in various usage forms. Figure 3(A) shows the stored form, Figure 3(B) shows the push form, Figure 3(D) shows the standing-riding form, and Figure 3(C) shows the process of transformation from the push form to the standing-riding form. Note that in Figures 2(A) to (C) and onwards, battery 24 and battery storage section 25 are omitted from the illustration.

[0018] 2(A) and 3(A), the storage configuration is a vehicle configuration in which the vehicle frame 20 is folded compactly and stored without taking up storage space. The storage configuration is also a vehicle configuration suitable for the user 50 to move the vehicle 10 by pulling or pushing it without carrying luggage or an infant 30.

[0019] In the stored form, the front floor frame 12 and the rear floor frame 13 of the vehicle 10 are folded and overlapped at the steering axle support 18 and the central axle support 19. In other words, the front floor frame 12 and the rear floor frame 13 are folded so as to overlap in a mountain fold with the central axle support 19 as the apex. As a result, the rear floor frame 13 is closest to the steering frame 11 and is approximately parallel to the steering frame 11. At this time, the vehicle 10 becomes compact and can be stored in a narrow space. Note that, as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 3(A), if the vehicle 10 is designed so that the rear wheels 15 are in contact with the ground 33 in the stored form, the vehicle 10 can stand stably and independently without needing a wall against which it can fall. The stored vehicle 10 is connected to a power cord 34, and the battery 24 is charged.

[0020] 2(B) and 3(B), the push mode is a vehicle body mode in which the user 50 walks and pushes the vehicle 10 with luggage and an infant 30 on board. In the push mode, the user 50 holds the handlebars 16 and walks while pushing or pulling the vehicle 10 with his or her hands.

[0021] In the push-mode, the acute angle of the rear floor frame 13 relative to the front floor frame 12 at the central pivot support portion 19 is wider than in the stowed mode, and the rear wheels 15 are separated from the front wheels 14. If the shapes of the frames 11, 12, 13 are designed so that the mode can be transformed from the stowed mode to the push-mode while the steering pivot support portion 18 remains locked, the transformation of the body frame 20 becomes simpler, making it easier for the user 50 to perform the transformation operation. In this case, the steering frame 11 is pulled by the front floor frame 12 and is inclined when in the push-mode.

[0022] In the hand-pushed mode, the motor assists the rotation of the rear wheels 15 with driving force from the battery 24. Thus, the user 50 can push the vehicle 10 with less force. Furthermore, on a downhill slope, the rotation of the rear wheels 15 can be suppressed by charging the battery 24 with the braking energy of the rear wheels 15. Thus, since the forward acceleration of the vehicle 10 is limited even on a downhill slope, the user 50 can maintain the vehicle 10 at a constant speed and go down a slope with less force.

[0023] The standing riding mode is a vehicle body mode in which a user 50 himself / herself rides on the vehicle 10 and drives it, as shown in Figures 1(A), (B), 2(C) and 3(D). In this vehicle body mode, when the user 50 presses a start button 36 provided on the handlebars 16, power is supplied from the battery 24 to the motor, and the vehicle 10 drives electrically. Note that the user 50 may assist part of the driving by kicking the ground 33 with one foot.

[0024] In the standing riding mode, as shown in Figures 2(C) and 3(D), the acute angle of the rear floor frame 13 relative to the front floor frame 12 at the central pivot support portion 19 becomes even larger, widening to approximately 180 degrees. As a result, the front floor frame 12 and the rear floor frame 13 become approximately in a straight line and approximately parallel to the ground 33. In addition, the steering pivot support portion 18 is unlocked, and the acute angle of the front floor frame 12 relative to the steering frame 11 at the steering pivot support portion 18 also widens. In this way, the floor frames 12, 13 linked to the steering frame 11 are each rotated or moved appropriately, thereby enabling the vehicle body to be deformed in three stages.

[0025] Conversely, when transforming into a standing-riding form by pushing the wheelchair, the front floor frame 12 and the rear floor frame 13 are moved so as to bend at the central pivot support portion 19 in an upwardly convex mountain shape, and the central pivot support portion 19 is brought into contact with the steering frame 11. The front floor frame 12 and the rear floor frame 13 are then further folded, enabling the wheelchair to transform into a stored form.

[0026] Incidentally, it is desirable that the inclination of the steering frame 11 with respect to the ground 33 be maintained as much as possible in both the push-and-ride mode and the stand-on mode. This is to maintain the installation angle of the attachment 27 attached to the steering frame 11 at an optimal inclination. For example, in the case of delivery, it is desirable that the food being transported be maintained horizontal whether in the push-and-ride mode or the stand-on mode. Therefore, in order to prevent the steering frame 11 from rising too high relative to the floor frames 12, 13, the vehicle 10 is provided with limiting frames 31, 32.

[0027] Here, Fig. 4 is an enlarged configuration diagram of the periphery of the limiting frames 31 and 32. However, in Fig. 4, the pedestal portion 26 on the front side of the drawing is omitted. 4, the limiting frames 31, 32 are composed of a front limiting frame 31 and a rear limiting frame 32. A groove 23 is formed in the front limiting frame 31 along the length direction. A pin 35 that fits into and is locked in the groove 23 is provided at the front end of the rear limiting frame 32. The pin 35 slides along the groove 23, so that the rear limiting frame 32 is pivotally supported by the front limiting frame 31 so as to be slidable on the front limiting frame 31.

[0028] The front end of the front limiting frame 31 is journaled in the middle of the steering frame 11, that is, between the steering shaft support portion 18 and the handlebars 16 of the steering frame 11. In addition, the rear limiting frame 32 is journaled at its rear end to the central shaft support portion 19. The front limiting frame 31 is journaled between the steering shaft support portion 18 and the handlebars 16 of the steering frame 11. In addition, the rear limiting frame 32 is journaled on the front limiting frame 31 so as to be slidable along the front limiting frame 31. In addition, the rear limiting frame 32 is also journaled on the central shaft support portion 19.

[0029] In the stored form, the rear limiting frame 32 slides to the front end of the front limiting frame 31 at an obtuse angle. As a result, the steering frame 11, the rear limiting frame 32, and the front floor frame 12 are folded so as to be parallel to each other. In the hand-pushed form, the sliding rear limiting frame 32 is located in the middle of the front limiting frame 31. In the standing-riding form, the rear limiting frame 32 slides to the rear end of the front limiting frame 31 and is located in a straight line with the front limiting frame 31 so as to extend the front limiting frame 31. In this way, the limiting frames 31, 32 deform in each deformation form, so that the inclination of the steering frame 11 with respect to the floor frames 12, 13 in the standing-riding form can be regulated and maintained at an optimal angle without hindering the transformation to the stored form.

[0030] In this way, the limiting frames 31, 32 rotate in conjunction with the steering frame 11 and the floor frames 12, 13, so that the steering shaft support portion 18 and the central shaft support portion 19 rotate within the movable range of the limiting frames 31, 32. Therefore, the limiting frames 31, 32 free the user 50 from the cumbersome task of fixing the steering shaft support portion 18 and the central shaft support portion 19 while always supporting the front floor frame 12 and the rear floor frame 13, and allow the body frame 20 to be easily deformed.

[0031] Incidentally, since the battery 24 is stored in the rear floor frame 13, it is desirable to protect the rear floor frame 13 from impacts. Therefore, it is desirable to arrange the rear end of the rear floor frame 13 forward of the rear end of the pedestal portion 26. With such an arrangement, when the feet of the user 50 hit the rear part of the vehicle 10 or the vehicle 10 falls backward and collides with the ground 33, the pedestal portion 26 hits the feet or the ground 33 first, and the rear floor frame 13 is protected from impacts.

[0032] Similarly, from the viewpoint of protecting the battery 24, it is desirable that the rear floor frame 13 is disposed forward of a straight line C connecting the rear end of the handlebar 16 and the rear end of the rear wheel 15 in a side view of the vehicle. When the vehicle 10 is stored in the storage form, it may fall onto the ground 33 from the rear floor frame 13 side. At this time, the rear wheels 15 and the handlebar 16 come into contact with the ground 33 before the rear floor frame 13 that houses the battery 24 comes into contact with the ground 33, so that the rear floor frame 13 can be protected from impact. Also, when the vehicle 10 is moved in the storage form with the attachment 27 attached to the front side of the steering frame 11, it is assumed that the rear floor frame 13 is moved with the rear floor frame 13 tilted toward the ground side. However, in such a structure, even if the user 50 releases his / her hands from the handlebar 16 and the vehicle 10 falls onto the ground 33 from the rear floor frame 13 side, the handlebar 16 hits the ground 33 first, so that the rear floor frame 13 is protected from impact.

[0033] As described above, the vehicle 10 according to this embodiment has a simple structure and can easily be transformed into a plurality of vehicle body forms. In addition, when the vehicle 10 is transformed into one of the three body forms, it can be used for multiple purposes. Therefore, the vehicle 10 can be used in a variety of situations, such as agriculture, childcare, and home delivery, and can become a last-mile mobility specialized for transportation.

[0034] In addition, the vehicle body frame 20 is mainly composed of the steering frame 11, the floor frames 12, 13, and the limiting frames 31, 32, which is a minimum number of frames, thereby reducing the weight of the vehicle 10. Furthermore, since the vehicle body can be formed compactly in the stored form, it can be easily moved and carried.

[0035] Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, modifications, and combinations can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents described in the claims, as well as in the scope and spirit of the invention.

[0036] For example, the small electric vehicle has been described as being capable of being transformed into three forms: a stored form, a push form, and a stand-up form. However, the vehicle may be capable of being transformed into only two of these three vehicle body forms, for example, only the stored form and the push form. [Explanation of symbols]

[0037] 10...vehicle, 11...steering frame, 12...front floor frame (floor frame), 13...rear floor frame (floor frame), 14...front wheel, 15...rear wheel, 16...handle, 17...front wheel shaft, 18...steering axle support (axle support), 19...central axle support (axle support), 20...vehicle frame, 21 (21a)...lock portion (knob), 22...rear wheel shaft, 23...groove, 24...battery, 25...battery storage section, 26...base portion, 27...attachment, 27a (27)...cargo bed, 27b (27)...baby chair, 28...bracket, 29...transport box, 30...infant, 31...front limit frame (limit frame), 32...rear limit frame (limit frame), 33...ground, 34...power cord, 35...pin, 36...start button, 50...user.

Claims

1. A steering frame having a handle at an upper end thereof; A first support portion provided in a lower portion of the steering frame; a front floor frame pivotally supported on the steering frame via the first pivot portion; A second pivot support portion provided at a rear portion of the front floor frame; a rear floor frame pivotally supported on the front floor frame via the second pivot portion; and a lock portion that restricts axial movement of the front floor frame and the rear floor frame.

2. a front limiting frame pivotally supported between the first pivot support portion and the handle of the steering frame; 2. The frame structure of a small electric vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising: a rear limiting frame that is journaled on the front limiting frame so as to be slidable along the front limiting frame and that is journaled on the second journal portion.

3. 2. A frame structure for a small electric vehicle as described in claim 1, wherein the front floor frame and the rear floor frame are folded at the second pivot support portion so as to be bent in a mountain shape that convex upwardly of the vehicle, so that the second pivot support portion abuts against the steering frame and is transformed from a standing-on mode to a push-type mode.

4. 4. The frame structure for a small electric vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the front floor frame and the rear floor frame are further folded to transform the vehicle from the pushable configuration to the stowed configuration.

5. a battery storage section provided in the rear floor frame for storing a battery; a seat portion provided on the rear floor frame for a user to stand on, 2. The frame structure for a small electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a rear end of the rear floor frame is disposed forward of a rear end of the base portion.

6. A frame structure for a small electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5; a front wheel provided on the steering frame and steered by the handle; rear wheels connected to the rear floor frame; A motor that drives at least one of the front wheels or the rear wheels; A small electric vehicle comprising: a battery that drives the motor.

7. The small electric vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein the rear floor frame is disposed forward of a straight line connecting a rear end of the handlebar and a rear end of the rear wheel in a side view of the vehicle.

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