Frame structure of small electric vehicle and small electric vehicle

Abstract

To provide a frame structure of a small electric vehicle which can be used for various purposes, and to provide the small electric vehicle.SOLUTION: A frame structure of a small electric vehicle includes: a steering frame 11 in which a handle 16 is provided at an upper end; a front floor frame which is pivotally supported with an acute angle by the steering frame 11; a rear floor frame pivotally supported by a rear end of the front floor frame; and an attachment mechanism 37 which is provided at the steering frame 11 and to which a jig 28 of an attachment may be fixed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a small electric vehicle that a user can push or ride 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 demanded. In response to this, 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 and a push form for the user to push by hand to transport objects are known. This cart is provided with a storage basket as a functional part (attachment) at the front or rear of the vehicle. [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 conventional technology described above, the functional parts are attached non-removably at the vehicle body design stage, which limits the range of uses of small electric vehicles.

[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 can be used for a variety of purposes with a single vehicle. [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 front floor frame journalled to the steering frame at an acute angle, a rear floor frame journalled to the rear end of the front floor frame, and an attachment mechanism provided on the steering frame to which an attachment jig can be fixed.

[0007] The small electric vehicle of this embodiment comprises a steering frame having a handlebar provided at its upper end, a front floor frame journalled at an acute angle to the steering frame, a rear floor frame journalled to the rear end of the front floor frame, an attachment mechanism provided on the steering frame capable of fixing an attachment jig, front wheels provided on the steering frame and steered by the handlebar, rear wheels connected to the rear floor frame, a motor that drives at least one of the front wheels and 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 and a small electric vehicle that can be used for a variety of purposes with a single 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] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a steering frame in which a rail groove is formed as an example of an attachment mechanism. [Figure 4] (A) A horizontal cross-sectional view of the jig and steering frame in an unfixed state, and (B) a horizontal cross-sectional view of the jig and steering frame in a fixed state. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a front view of a steering frame in which rail grooves are formed. 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 riding form described below. 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 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 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 inward into the shaft supports 18, 19 to tighten the shaft supports 18, 19, thereby locking the axial rotation of the shaft supports 18, 19.

[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] Furthermore, 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. The limiting frames 31, 32 maintain the steering frame 11 at an acute angle relative to the front floor frame 12. By limiting the axial movement range of the steering shaft support 18, the angle of the steering frame 11 on the rear wheel 15 side relative to the front floor frame 12 can be maintained at an acute angle even without using the limiting frames 31, 32.

[0017] Further, a removable attachment 27 is attached to the steering frame 11 via a jig 28. The attachment 27 is a functional part that provides a function to the vehicle 10. The attachment 27 is, for example, a plurality of loading platforms 27a as shown in FIG. 1(A). A carrying box 29 for accommodating parcels and the like is placed and fixed on the loading platform 27a. Further, the attachment 27 may be replaced with a baby chair 27b for carrying an infant 30 as shown in FIG. 1(B). The attachment 27 may also be a bottle holder, a carry case, or the like. The manner in which the attachment 27 is attached will be described in detail later with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5.

[0018] 2(A) to (C) are rear perspective views of the vehicle 10. Fig. 2(A) shows the stored form, Fig. 2(B) shows the hand-pushed form, and Fig. 2(C) shows the riding form. Note that in Figs. 2(A) to (C) and onwards, the battery 24 and the battery storage section 25 are omitted from the illustration.

[0019] The storage configuration, as shown in FIG. 2(A), 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 suitable for the user 50 to move the vehicle 10 by pulling or pushing it without carrying luggage or an infant 30. In the storage configuration, the front floor frame 12 and the rear floor frame 13 of the vehicle 10 are folded and stacked at the steering shaft support portion 18 and the central shaft support portion 19. That is, the front floor frame 12 and the rear floor frame 13 are folded so that they are stacked in a mountain fold with the central shaft support portion 19 as the apex. At this time, the vehicle 10 becomes compact and can be stored in a narrow space. The stored vehicle 10 is connected to a power cord 34, and the battery 24 is charged.

[0020] The push mode, as shown in FIG. 2(B), is a vehicle body mode in which the user 50 himself / herself walks and pushes the vehicle 10 with luggage or 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 / her hands. 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. In the push mode, the motor assists the rotation of the rear wheels 15 with the driving force from the battery 24. Thus, the user 50 can push the vehicle 10 with less force. In addition, 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. Therefore, 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 the slope with less force.

[0021] The riding form is a vehicle body form in which the user 50 himself / herself rides on the vehicle 10 and drives it, as shown in Figs. 1(A), (B) and 2(C). In this vehicle body form, when the user 50 presses the start button 36 provided on the handlebar 16, power is supplied from the battery 24 to the motor, and the vehicle 10 drives electrically. The user 50 may assist part of the driving by kicking the ground 33 with one foot. In the riding form, as shown in Fig. 2(C), 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, expanding to approximately 180 degrees. As a result, the front floor frame 12 and the rear floor frame 13 are approximately in a straight line and approximately parallel to the ground 33. In addition, the acute angle of the front floor frame 12 relative to the steering frame 11 at the steering pivot support portion 18 also expands. 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.

[0022] Next, the jig 28 and the attachment mechanism 37 will be described with reference to FIGS. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the steering frame 11 in which a rail groove 37a is formed as an example of the mounting mechanism 37. Fig. 3 shows a part of the periphery of the jig 28 in an enlarged view. In addition, in the enlarged view of Fig. 3, the fixing pin 45 on the front side of the page is represented by a dashed imaginary line. The steering frame 11 is provided with a rail groove 37a for installing a jig 28 for mounting the attachment 27 to the steering frame 11. The cross section of the rail groove 37a is formed in a T-shape having a space 38 (hereinafter referred to as a "vertical space") that extends vertically to the depth direction of the rail groove 37a inside the steering frame 11.

[0023] The jig 28 also includes a U-shaped mounting cover 39 that covers the steering frame 11 together with the rail groove 37a, and a T-shaped fastener 41 that penetrates the mounting cover 39 and is inserted into the rail groove 37a. To ensure strength, the mounting cover 39 has a double structure of an inner wall and an outer wall, each of which is U-shaped.

[0024] The T-shaped fastener 41 has a shape in which, for example, a rod-shaped base rod portion 42 and a locking arm portion 43 are connected at right angles. A rod-shaped grip portion 35 is provided at the end of the base rod portion 42 that protrudes from the mounting cover 39 to the front of the steering frame 11 so that the length direction of the grip portion 35 coincides with that of the locking arm portion 43. The user 50 can rotate the locking arm portion 43 by twisting the grip portion 35. Note that the shape of the grip portion 35 is not limited to this example, and for example, the grip portion 35 may have a shape that extends in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the locking arm portion 43. In addition, the grip portion 35 may be a detachable part that is attached to the top of the base rod portion 42 only when the jig 28 is attached to the steering frame 11.

[0025] 4(A) and (B) are horizontal cross-sectional views of the jig 28 and the steering frame 11. Fig. 4(A) shows the jig 28 in an unfixed state, and Fig. 4(B) shows the jig 28 in a fixed state. When the jig 28 is attached to the steering frame 11, as shown in FIG. 4(A), the T-shaped fastener 41 is inserted into the rail groove 37a, and the locking arm 43 is disposed in the vertical space 38. At this time, the length direction of the locking arm 43 coincides with the length direction of the rail groove 37a. The base rod portion 42 is provided with a helical thread for a 90-degree turn. In addition, the penetration portion of the mounting cover 39 through which the base rod portion 42 passes is also provided with a thread of the same pitch as this thread. Therefore, when the grip portion 35 is rotated 90 degrees to the right with the thread of the T-shaped fastener 41 inserted into the penetration portion, the base rod portion 42 is displaced toward the inner wall side of the mounting cover 39 and enters further inside the rail groove 37a.

[0026] At this time, the locking arm 43 rotates in the vertical space 38, and the length direction of the locking arm 43 becomes perpendicular to the length direction of the rail groove 37a. That is, in the cross-sectional views of the steering frame 11 cut horizontally as in Figs. 4(A) and (B), the T-shaped fastener 41 inserted into the rail groove 37a with its cross section in an "I" shape becomes a "T" shape as shown in Fig. 4(B) due to the rotation of the locking arm 43. Therefore, after the 90-degree rotation, the length direction of the locking arm 43 extends along the width direction of the vertical space 38, so that the T-shaped fastener 41 remains fitted into the rail groove 37a and cannot be removed. Also, when the gripping portion 35 is rotated left from this state, the cross section of the T-shaped fastener 41 returns from the "T" shape to the "I" shape, and the T-shaped fastener 41 becomes removable from the rail groove 37a.

[0027] FIG. 5 is a front view of the steering frame 11 in which the rail grooves 37a are formed. As shown in FIG. 5, the rail groove 37a is provided with a positioning hole 44 for preventing the jig 28 from slipping down on the rail groove 37a. The positioning holes 44 are provided in pairs of two holes of the same shape, such as "square and square," "triangle and triangle," and "circle and circle." As shown in FIG. 5, a user 50 inserts a pair of fixing pins 45 that fit the shape of the positioning holes 44 into each pair of positioning holes 44. The fixing pins 45 are inserted through the surface of the mounting cover 39 of the jig 28 that covers the rail groove 37a so as to be parallel to the base rod portion 42, for example. By inserting the fixing pins 45, the position of the jig 28 is fixed without slipping down on the rail groove 37a.

[0028] The fixing pin 45 desirably has a different shape for each attachment 27. For example, the fixing pin 45 with a cross section of "□ and □" is used to fix the jig 28 to the baby chair 27b, and the fixing pin 45 with a cross section of "◯ and ◯" is used to fix the jig 28 to the loading platform 27a. In this way, by making the positioning holes 44 different shapes, sizes, and drilling heights, and by arranging the cross-sectional shapes of the fixing pins 45 to match the shapes of the positioning holes 44, the attachments 27 can be fixed to the steering frame 11 at the optimal height for each attachment 27. Therefore, even if the user 50 does not memorize the optimal height for each attachment 27, the attachments 27 can be fixed at the optimal height by relying on the shapes of the fixing pins 45 and the positioning holes 44.

[0029] The manner of fixing the attachment 27 to the steering frame 11 is not limited to the above example. For example, the fixing pin 45 may be inserted vertically into the base rod portion 42. The number of fixing pins 45 may be three or more, or one, instead of two. The fixing pin 45 may be abutted against the mounting cover 39 below the mounting cover 39 without penetrating the mounting cover 39, thereby preventing the jig 28 from falling. The jig 28 may be different for each attachment 27. That is, a jig 28 dedicated to each attachment 27 may be prepared as a part. Furthermore, the jig 28 and the attachment 27 may be integrated. If the jig 28 and the attachment 27 are integrated, the jig 28 can be prevented from being lost.

[0030] In addition, the locking arm 43 rotates 90 degrees and advances further into the rail groove 37a, shortening the distance between the mounting cover 39 and the steering frame 11 by the amount of advancement, so that they come into close contact with each other. By increasing the friction coefficient of these contacting surfaces, the jig 28 can be prevented from falling and fixed at a desired height on the steering frame 11 without using the fixing pin 45. Similarly, the jig 28 can be fixed at a desired height on the steering frame 11 by rotating the T-shaped fastener 41 90 degrees and fastening and bringing the locking arm 43 into close contact with the wall surface surrounding the vertical space 38. In addition, when the fixing pin 45 is not used in this way, the user 50 may be notified of the optimal fixing height range of the attachment 27 by lighting a predetermined range on the steering frame 11. The optimal fixing height range may also be notified by voice or liquid crystal display.

[0031] As described above, according to the frame structure of the vehicle 10 according to the embodiment, the attachment 27 can be freely changed according to the usage purpose of the user 50 by devising the mounting mechanism 37 and the jig 28, so that the versatility of the vehicle 10 is increased. In addition, by making the mounting mechanism 37 into the rail groove 37a, the attachment 27 can be attached at any position on the steering frame 11. Therefore, the mounting height on the steering frame 11 can be changed according to the shape and size of the object such as luggage to be placed on the attachment 27. Therefore, the vehicle 10 can be used in various scenes such as agriculture, childcare, and home delivery, and can be a last-mile mobility specialized for transportation.

[0032] 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.

[0033] For example, although an example has been described in which the jig is changed manually, the jig may be permanently attached to a rail and may be electrically moved to an appropriate fixed position depending on the attachment attached to the jig. In addition, although the small electric vehicle has been described as being capable of being transformed into three forms, i.e., a storage form, a push form, and a riding form, it may be capable of being transformed into only two of these three vehicle body forms, for example, the storage form and the push form. Furthermore, the shapes of the floor frame and the base may be significantly different from those in the above-mentioned examples. [Explanation of symbols]

[0034] 10...vehicle, 11...steering frame, 12...front floor frame, 13...rear floor frame, 14...front wheel, 15...rear wheel, 16...handle, 17...front wheel shaft, 18...steering axle support, 19...central axle support, 20...vehicle frame, 21 (21a)...lock portion (knob), 22...rear wheel shaft, 24...battery, 25...battery storage portion, 26...base portion, 27 (27a, 27b)...attachment Chiment (cargo platform, baby chair), 28...jig, 29...transport box, 30...infant, 31, 32...limiting frame, 33...ground, 34...power cord, 35...gripping part, 36...start button, 37 (37a)...mounting mechanism (rail groove), 38...vertical space, 39...mounting cover, 41...T-shaped fastener, 42...base rod part, 43...locking arm part, 44...positioning hole, 45...fixing pin, 50...user.

Claims

1. A steering frame having a handle at an upper end thereof; a front floor frame pivotally supported on the steering frame at an acute angle; a rear floor frame pivotally supported on a rear end of the front floor frame; A frame structure for a small electric vehicle, comprising: a mounting mechanism provided on the steering frame and capable of fixing an attachment jig.

2. The mounting mechanism has a rail groove. The frame structure for a small electric vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the jig is inserted into the rail groove and fixed within the rail groove.

3. 3. The frame structure for a small electric vehicle according to claim 2, wherein a cross section of the rail groove has a T-shape having a space extending perpendicularly to a depth direction of the rail groove inside the steering frame.

4. The steering frame is provided with a positioning hole into which a fixing pin is inserted, 2. The frame structure for a small electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the height of the jig above the steering frame is fixed by the inserted fixing pin.

5. The positioning hole has a different drilling height and shape for each type of attachment, 5. The frame structure for a small electric vehicle according to claim 4, wherein a cross-sectional shape of the fixing pin is matched to a shape of the positioning hole.

6. The steering frame includes: The frame structure for a small electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the optimum range is displayed or notified to a user when the attachment is attached.

7. A frame structure for a small electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 6; 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 and the rear wheels; A small electric vehicle comprising: a battery that drives the motor.

Images