Personal mobility

Abstract

To provide a new type of personal mobility.SOLUTION: A rear wheel support arm 61 of an electric kick scooter 1 is configured to pivot on a fulcrum, which is an attachment 61c to a vehicle body 10, such that a rear wheel 51 is displaced in a separation direction away from the road surface and in a grounding direction toward the road surface. A shock absorber 62 is connected between a pressing device 63 and the rear wheel support arm 61, and is displaceable in conjunction with the rear wheel support arm 61. The pressing device 63 is fixed to the rear portion of the vehicle body 10, and presses the shock absorber 62 displaced by the pivoting of the rear wheel support arm 61 back toward its pre-displacement position thereby pushing the rear wheel support arm 61 back in the grounding direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to personal mobility. [Background technology]

[0002] Personal mobility has been attracting attention as a simple means of transportation for individuals, and electric kick scooters are one such example. Electric kick scooters have developed as so-called kickboards equipped with motor-driven wheels. Such electric kick scooters have a short history of technological development, and there is room for improvement in terms of safety, driving performance, compactness, etc., and there is great potential for future development both technically and in terms of their value as a means of transportation. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7115791 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6895699 [Patent Document 3] Utility Model Registration No. 3232835 [Patent Document 4] JP 2023-96812 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present disclosure aims to provide new personal mobility. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A first aspect of the present disclosure is a personal mobility comprising a vehicle body, front wheels, rear wheels, and a handle, the personal mobility further comprising a rear wheel support arm, a shock absorber, and a pressing device, the rear wheel support arm having an attachment portion to the vehicle body and capable of swinging with the attachment portion as a fulcrum so as to displace the rear wheel in a direction away from the road surface and in a direction toward the road surface, the shock absorber having a front end connected to the pressing device and a rear end connected to the rear wheel support arm and configured to be displaceable by the swinging of the rear wheel support arm, the pressing device being fixed to a rear portion of the vehicle body, and pressing the shock absorber displaced by the swinging of the rear wheel support arm back to its position before displacement, thereby pushing the rear wheel support arm back in the direction toward the ground.

[0006] A second aspect of the present disclosure is a personal mobility comprising a vehicle body, a front wheel, a first rear wheel and a second rear wheel as rear wheels, and a handle, the personal mobility further comprising a first rear wheel support arm and a second rear wheel support arm as rear wheel support arms, a first shock absorber and a second shock absorber as shock absorbers, and a pressing device, the first rear wheel support arm and the second rear wheel support arm have attachment parts to the vehicle body and are swingable about the attachment parts so that the rear wheels are displaced in an away direction away from a road surface and in a ground contact direction toward the road surface, and the first shock absorber and the second shock absorber are supported by the first and second rear wheel support arms. This personal mobility device comprises a shock absorber having a front end connected to the pressing device and a rear end connected to the first rear wheel support arm and configured to be displaced by the swinging of the first rear wheel support arm, and a second shock absorber having a front end connected to the pressing device and a rear end connected to the second rear wheel support arm and configured to be displaced by the swinging of the second rear wheel support arm, and the pressing device is fixed to a rear part of the vehicle body and presses the shock absorber, which has been displaced by the swinging of the rear wheel support arm, to return it to its position before the displacement, thereby pushing the rear wheel support arm back toward the ground. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a left side external perspective view including a plan view of an electric kick scooter according to an embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a partial enlarged view showing the rear of the electric kick scooter shown in FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view showing the bottom surface of the rear part of the body of the electric kick scooter of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] 2 is a perspective view showing a main part of a rear wheel support part of the electric kick scooter of FIG. 1. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of a rear frame of the electric kick scooter of FIG. 1. [Figure 6] 2 is an external perspective view showing a main part of a pressing device of the electric kick scooter of FIG. 1. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic exploded view of the structure of the rear body of the electric kick scooter shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic view of the bottom surface of the rear part of the body of the electric kick scooter shown in FIG. [Figure 9] 3A to 3C are explanatory diagrams illustrating the operation of the pressing mechanism of the electric kick scooter of FIG. 1. [Figure 10] 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a typical connection structure between a pressing mechanism and a shock absorbing part of the electric kick scooter shown in FIG. 1; [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a model development of the electric kick scooter of FIG. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] Hereinafter, one aspect of the present disclosure will be described based on an embodiment with reference to the drawings. The following embodiment does not limit the description of the claims, and all of the configurations provided in the embodiment are not necessarily essential as a solution according to the present disclosure.

[0009] All embodiments and optional embodiments included in this disclosure may be combined with each other to form new embodiments. In addition, all technical features and optional technical features included in this disclosure may be combined with each other to form new technical features.

[0010] The term "or" used in this specification and claims is used as an inclusive term. For example, "A or B" means "A, B, or both A and B." "A," "B," and "both A and B" each satisfy "A or B."

[0011] In the present specification and claims, unless otherwise clearly defined or limited, the terms "attach," "couple," "connect," "fix," and the like are to be understood in a broad sense. For example, fixed connection, removable connection, detachable connection, and integral connection may all be included in these terms. In addition, unless otherwise specified, direct connection without intermediate objects, indirect connection with intermediate objects, and the like may also be included in these terms. "Attachment," other than "connection," and the like may also be understood in a broad sense. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this disclosure according to the specific situation.

[0012] In this specification and claims, when "first," "second,"... "nth" are used to distinguish different elements, they do not indicate a specific order or superiority or inferiority. Components common to the embodiments and having the same effects are given the same reference numerals and redundant explanations are omitted.

[0013] In the present specification and claims, the directions or positional relationships expressed by terms such as "center", "vertical", "horizontal", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "axial direction", "radial direction", "circumferential direction", and terms including these terms are based on the drawings attached to this application and are intended to conveniently explain the invention and embodiments. Therefore, unless otherwise specified, it is not expressly or implied that a specific structural element or its use is necessarily limited to a specific direction or configured in a specific direction, and it should be understood that it does not limit the scope of the claims and embodiments.

[0014] In this specification and claims, the side of the electric kick scooter shown in Figure 1 will be referred to as the "left" and the opposite side as the "right", with the left side as you face the page in Figure 1 being referred to as the "front", the right side being the "rear", the top side being the "upper" and the bottom side being the "lower".

[0015] When the terms "about", "approximately", "substantially", etc. are used in this specification and the claims, the numerical value, shape, structure, and position to which the terms are attached can be understood as including the numerical value and the numerical values ​​before and after the numerical value, including the shape, etc., and those that can be said to be the same as the shape, etc., and further including a specific position and a positional relationship that can be regarded as the same as the shape, etc., respectively. For example, when describing "about 3", the numerical values ​​before and after it can be included in "about 3" as long as it has the technical features and technical significance claimed in this disclosure. In addition, when "B that is substantially the same as A" is used, in addition to the case where B is completely the same as A, as long as it has the technical features and technical significance claimed in this disclosure, the shape, etc. that is not completely the same but has differences can also be included in the range of "substantially". Furthermore, when "A and B are in substantially the same position", in addition to the case where the positions of A and B are completely the same, the case where the positional relationship is partially shifted can also be included in "the same position".

[0016] In this specification and the claims, the term "orthogonal" includes cases where the intersecting elements intersect with each other at an angle of 90°, and may also include cases where the elements intersect with each other at an angle before or after 90°.

[0017] Hereinafter, an embodiment of personal mobility will be described. "Personal mobility" is a "moving body", more specifically, a "vehicle". In this disclosure, an "electric personal mobility", more specifically, an "electric kick scooter 1" will be described as an embodiment of "personal mobility", but this description is not limited to the electric kick scooter 1. For example, "personal mobility" can be configured as an electric bicycle, an electric senior car, an electric wheelchair, an electric cart, etc., and these may be two-wheeled, three-wheeled, or four-wheeled vehicles, and the description of the following embodiment can be applied to various types of personal mobility.

[0018] The electric kick scooter 1 is also called an "electric scooter," "electric kick scooter," or "electric kickboard." The electric kick scooter 1 can be configured as a vehicle that is subject to legal restrictions, or as a vehicle that is not subject to legal restrictions on use. By configuring it according to the conditions stipulated by the laws and regulations of each country, it can also be ridden on public roads. When used in Japan, the electric kick scooter 1 can be configured as a specific small motorized bicycle or motorized bicycle as stipulated in the Road Traffic Act of Japan and the Enforcement Regulations of the same Act.

[0019] The electric kick scooter 1 runs when the wheels are rotated by a motor. The electric kick scooter is powered by a "battery". The "battery" may be, for example, a chemical battery or a physical battery, either alone or in combination. The chemical battery may be, for example, a primary battery, a secondary battery (storage battery), or a fuel cell. The physical battery may be a solar cell. In the following explanation, a storage battery 14 is used as an example of the "battery".

[0020] The "battery" serves as the operating power source for the electric kick scooter and the driving power source for the motor that rotates the wheels, supplying power to various parts. The operating power source is supplied to, for example, the operation panel, various light-emitting parts (headlights, tail lights, brake lights, turn signals, identification flashing lights, etc.), the siren, the control board, the communication module, etc. The driving power source is supplied to, for example, the in-wheel motor built into the wheel.

[0021] Explanation of the structure of the electric kick scooter 1

[0022] The electric kick scooter 1 includes a vehicle body 10, a front frame 20, an operation unit 30, a front wheel unit 40, a rear wheel unit 50, and a rear wheel support unit 60. For ease of explanation, the entire electric kick scooter 1 will be referred to as a "vehicle" or "vehicle body" below.

[0023] Vehicle body 10

[0024] The vehicle body 10 is located in the center of the body of the electric kick scooter 1, and is the part on which a rider rides. The vehicle body 10 includes a deck front portion 11, a deck main body 12, and a deck rear portion 13.

[0025] Deck front 11 The deck front portion 11 functions as a lid that closes the front end of the deck main body 12. The deck front portion 11 is firmly fixed to the front end of the deck main body 12 by welding. A deck connecting portion 22 of the front frame 20, which will be described later, penetrates the front upper plate 11a of the deck front portion 11, and is fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the deck connecting portion 22 by welding. The front upper plate 11a has a metal plate that is placed on the upper surface of the deck front portion 11, and a front tread plate 11b made of a rubber-like elastic sheet laminated on the metal plate. The front tread plate 11b functions to prevent slipping of the soles of the passenger's shoes and to cushion vibrations and shocks during driving (hereinafter referred to as "driving vibrations, etc.").

[0026] Deck body 12 The deck body 12 is formed as a hollow housing that extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body. A hollow battery storage section 12a is provided inside the deck body 12. The deck body 12 has a front partition plate (not shown) provided at the front end side of the deck body 12, a left side plate 12b, a right side plate 12c, a bottom plate 12d, an upper plate 12e, and a rear partition plate 12f provided at the rear end side of the deck body 12 as a "partition wall."

[0027] These plates are merely examples, and the battery accommodating section 12a may be configured by providing other plates inside the deck body 12. For example, a configuration in which further plates are provided inside the left side plate 12b and the right side plate 12c of the deck body 12, or a configuration in which a small box-shaped housing is provided inside the battery accommodating section 12a may be used. In this way, by providing the deck body 12 with multiple plates that isolate the storage battery 14 from the outside of the deck body 12, even if a leak such as high-pressure gas or high-temperature liquid leaks out from the storage battery 14, it is possible to suppress the leak to the outside of the deck body 12, and the safety of the electric kick scooter 1 can be improved. This is particularly suitable when a "non-metallic wall portion" made of a resin material such as the first light-emitting portion 15 described later is provided in the housing forming the deck body 12. This is because, even if the resin material is damaged and the inside of the deck body 12 becomes capable of communicating with the outside, the leak can be prevented from leaking out from the damaged portion.

[0028] The left side plate 12b, right side plate 12c, bottom plate 12d, and top plate 12e that constitute the housing of the deck body 12 are each formed from a metal plate such as aluminum, and adjacent metal plates are connected to each other by chemical or physical fixing means such as welding, adhesive bonding, or bolting.

[0029] These metal plates may be provided with a buffer sheet on the plate surface facing the battery accommodating section 12a. The buffer sheet protects the storage battery 14 from shocks when it is bumped into the battery accommodating section 12a when it is attached to or detached from the battery accommodating section 12a, vibrations during running, and the like. The buffer sheet may be made of, for example, a rubber-like elastic sheet containing a thermally conductive filler (e.g., aluminum oxide, silicon oxide, magnesium oxide, boron nitride, aluminum nitride, etc.). This buffer sheet can efficiently transfer heat released from the storage battery 14 to the metal plate constituting the housing, and dissipate the heat to the outside of the deck main body 12.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 1, the left side plate 12b and the right side plate 12c have a first light-emitting portion 15 as a "side light-emitting portion" of the vehicle body. The first light-emitting portion 15 is formed of a light-transmitting hard resin and functions as a window that can emit light by an internal light source built into the deck body 12. The light-transmitting hard resin of the first light-emitting portion 15 can be colorless transparent, colored transparent, colorless translucent, colored translucent, etc., and a light-emitting portion that can be visually recognized from the outside when illuminated can be selected. An LED can be used as the internal light source. The first light-emitting portion 15 in FIG. 1 is illustrated as a linear shape extending along the front-rear direction of the deck body 12, but the shape, number, and arrangement of the first light-emitting portion 15 are not limited to this, and may be a different shape, number, and arrangement.

[0031] The first light-emitting unit 15 is conductively connected to a control board built into the controller 16 via wiring (not shown). The first light-emitting unit 15 can be configured to perform light emission control such as turning on, off, blinking, changing the illumination brightness and light emission color by the controller 16. For example, the light emission control by the controller 16 can include either control triggered by a switch operation by the rider or control triggered by the use state of the electric kick scooter 1. In the latter case, the controller 16 can perform light emission control using, for example, the traveling speed of the electric kick scooter 1 (which can include a stopped state) as an input signal. In other words, the first light-emitting unit 15 can be configured to have one or more light-emitting modes.

[0032] The light emission of the first light-emitting section 15 can be configured according to the application, for example, as follows. Safety lights: These can be lit red to the side of the vehicle, similar to tail lights. Side lights: These can emit white light like the headlights, directed towards the side of the vehicle or towards the road surface to the side of the vehicle. Traffic division identification light: This can emit green light toward the side of the vehicle body as an identification flashing light, similar to the fourth light-emitting unit 23. In this case, the first light-emitting unit 15 can emit light in a plurality of light-emitting modes, such as being constantly lit in the roadway vehicle mode and flashing in the sidewalk vehicle mode.

[0033] In a modified example of this embodiment, the first light-emitting portion 15 may be replaced with a non-metallic wall portion that does not emit light. The non-metallic wall portion may be made of synthetic resin or a rubber-like elastic material. In this case, a power receiving device for wireless power supply may be provided inside the non-metallic wall portion. This allows the electric kick scooter 1 to be charged by wireless power supply. The non-metallic wall portion may be provided on the left and right side plates or the bottom plate that constitutes the housing of the vehicle body.

[0034] The upper plate 12e, like the deck front portion 11, has a metal plate arranged on the upper surface of the deck main body 12 and a step plate 12g made of a rubber-like elastic sheet laminated on the metal plate. The step plate 12g functions to prevent slipping of the soles of the shoes of the passengers and to cushion vibrations caused by driving.

[0035] The top plate 12e can be attached to and detached from the deck body 12, and when it is removed, the storage battery 14 housed in the battery housing section 12a is exposed. This allows the storage battery 14 to be attached to and detached from the battery housing section 12a. The top plate 12e can be configured to have a key that makes the top plate 12e unremovable. The key can be, for example, an electronic lock device.

[0036] The electronic lock device can be configured to include, for example, an electronic lock provided on the deck body 12 and capable of locking and unlocking the top plate 12e, a receiving device that receives authentication information of the electric kick scooter 1, and a determining device that determines whether the authentication information acquired by the receiving device matches identification information unique to the electric kick scooter 1 and, if it matches, outputs an unlocking signal to the electronic lock. This makes it possible to prevent theft of the storage battery 14 by unauthorized removal of the top plate 12e.

[0037] The receiving device and the determination device of the electronic lock device can be provided in the electric kick scooter 1. For example, the receiving device can be a vehicle information display unit 34 described later. The determination device can be the controller 16. The receiving device can be, for example, an IC card reader, in which case it can be configured as a system further including an IC card equipped with an IC chip that holds authentication information. Furthermore, the receiving device can be a wireless device, in which case it can be configured as a system further including an application that transmits authentication information via a communication device such as a smartphone.

[0038] The rear partition plate 12f is provided as a "partition wall" for isolating the controller 16 from the battery accommodating section 12a that accommodates the storage battery 14. More specifically, the rear partition plate 12f has a vertical partition wall 12f1 located between the battery accommodating section 12a and the controller 16, and an upper partition wall 12f2 that covers the upper part of the controller 16. In this way, the rear partition plate 12f divides the internal space of the deck main body 12 into the battery accommodating section 12a on the front side and the controller 16 accommodating section on the rear side, thereby preventing the control board of the controller 16 from being affected by heat generated by the storage battery 14 and causing malfunctions. If the controller 16 is installed in the battery accommodating section 12a, the controller 16 will be exposed when the upper plate 12e is opened, which may cause a malfunction when the controller 16 is removed or may be damaged by being hit when replacing the storage battery 14. However, even if the top plate 12e of the rear partition plate 12f is opened, the upper partition wall 12f2 covers and conceals the controller 16 without exposing it, thereby reducing the risk of the above-mentioned malfunction or damage.

[0039] Deck aft 13 The rear deck 13 comprises a rear frame 13a and a tail section 13b.

[0040] The rear frame 13a functions as a "connecting portion" for the deck main body 12, and also functions as an "attaching portion" for the rear wheel portion 50 and the rear wheel support portion 60. As shown in Fig. 5, the rear frame 13a has a front plate portion 13c, a pair of left and right side plate portions 13d, a bottom plate portion 13e, and an upper plate portion 13f.

[0041] The front plate portion 13c is formed in a flat plate shape and has a body connecting portion 13c1 that connects to the rear end of the deck body 12. The body connecting portion 13c1 protrudes forward from the front end of the rear frame 13a and is inserted inside the rear end of the deck body 12. As shown in FIG. 5, the body connecting portion 13c1 has a pair of left and right side plate connecting pieces 13c2 and a bottom plate connecting piece 13c3. The side plate connecting piece 13c2 is fixed in a state in which the upper end extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body abuts against the back surface of the upper plate 12e of the deck body 12 and the outer surface abuts against the inner surface of the left plate 12b or the right plate 12c. With such a connecting structure, the rear frame 13a can be easily combined and fixed to the deck body 12 without misalignment. The bottom plate connecting piece 13c3 is fixed in a state in which the lower surface abuts against the inner surface of the bottom plate 12d of the deck body 12. The side plate connecting piece 13c2 and the bottom plate connecting piece 13c3 are fixed to the rear end of the deck main body 12 by chemical or physical fixing means such as welding, adhesive, or bolting.

[0042] The pair of left and right side plate portions 13d are formed with recesses 13d1 recessed toward the center axis of the vehicle body. An insertion portion 13d2 for a support shaft 64 to which a rear wheel support arm 61, which will be described later, is attached is formed in the recess 13d1. By providing the recess 13d1 in the side plate portions 13d, the support shaft 64 can be shortened, and the electric kick scooter 1 can be made lighter and more compact. Furthermore, by providing the recess 13d1, the amount of outward protrusion of the rear wheel support arm 61 in the vehicle width direction can be reduced compared to when the recess 13d1 is not provided, with the rear wheel support arm 61 attached to the support shaft 64, and the electric kick scooter 1 can be made smaller in size in the vehicle width direction.

[0043] The bottom plate portion 13e is formed in a flat plate shape, and is formed with a plurality of mounting holes 13e1 for inserting mounting bolts for fixing a bracket 65 (described later) to the bottom plate portion 13e.

[0044] The upper plate portion 13f is formed in a flat plate shape located at the upper end of the front plate portion 13c and the pair of side plate portions 13d. The upper plate portion 13f is formed as a "mounting and fixing surface" of the tail portion 13b described later, and a plurality of screw holes 13f1 are formed in the upper plate portion 13f for fastening mounting bolts for fixing the tail portion 13b thereto. Since the upper plate portion 13f is formed as a "mounting and fixing surface" that is continuous over three sides of the pair of left and right side plate portions 13d and the front plate portion 13c, the tail portion 13b can be stably fixed.

[0045] The rear frame 13a can be configured as a modularized "vehicle rear unit" including the tail 13b, the rear wheel 50, and the rear wheel support 60. In other words, the tail 13b, the rear wheel 50, and the rear wheel support 60 are directly fixed only to the rear frame 13a, and not directly fixed to the deck body 12. Therefore, when changing the design of the tail 13b, etc., there is no need to change the design of the deck body 12. For example, in this embodiment, an electric kick scooter 1 with two rear wheels 50 is exemplified, but when a design change is required to change the electric kick scooter to one with the rear wheel 50, it is sufficient to change the design of the "vehicle rear unit" such as the rear frame 13a. Since the electric kick scooter 1 has such a basic design, it is relatively easy to develop variations of the vehicle.

[0046] The tail portion 13b is formed in an inclined shape that extends diagonally upward and rearward. The tail portion 13b is also formed in a pointed shape that is narrower in the vehicle width direction at its rear end (the inclined tip side) than at its front end side that is fixed to the rear frame 13a. The pointed shape of the tail portion 13b allows the electric kick scooter 1 to give the viewer a sporty and light impression. The tail portion 13b has an inclined upper surface portion 13b1, an inclined side surface portion 13b2, and a saddle unit 13b3. A license plate attachment portion and a rear reflector are provided on the bottom surface side of the tail portion 13b.

[0047] The inclined upper surface portion 13b1 has a metal plate disposed on the upper surface of the tail portion 13b and a step plate 13b4 made of a rubber-like elastic sheet laminated on the metal plate. The step plate 13b4 can function to prevent the soles of the occupant's shoes from slipping and to absorb vibrations during driving. The metal plate of the inclined upper surface portion 13b1 has countersunk holes. Mounting bolts inserted into the countersunk holes are fastened to multiple screw holes 13f1 in the upper plate portion 13f of the rear frame 13a, thereby fixing the saddle unit 13b3 to the rear frame 13a.

[0048] The inclined side portion 13b2 has a pair of left and right side portions 13b21 and a rear portion 13b22. The inclined side portion 13b2 has a second light emitting portion 13b5 and a third light emitting portion 13b6. The left and right sides of the inclined side portion 13b2 are each formed with a vehicle width direction inclined surface portion 13b7 inclined toward the central axis of the vehicle, and the second light emitting portion 13b5 is disposed on the vehicle width direction inclined surface portion 13b7. Therefore, the second light emitting portion 13b5 can be clearly seen when the electric kick scooter 1 is viewed from either the side or the rear. In addition, if the second light emitting portion 13b5 and the third light emitting portion 13b6 are provided as rod-shaped lighting components protruding outward from the rear of the vehicle body, there is a risk that they may be broken or damaged if the vehicle body is knocked over or hit by another object. However, the second light-emitting portion 13b5 and the third light-emitting portion 13b6 are built into the tail portion 13b, and are provided with flat light-emitting surfaces arranged on the outer surface of the tail portion 13b, thereby eliminating such a problem.

[0049] The second light-emitting portion 13b5 may emit light in any form. As an example, the second light-emitting portion 13b5 may be configured as "multiple linear lamps" that extend obliquely to match the inclination angle of the inclined side portion 13b2 and are arranged parallel to each other. As an example, the multiple linear lamps may include lamps for turn signals and may further include lamps for traffic division identification lamps. By configuring the second light-emitting portion 13b5 as "multiple linear lamps," it is possible to configure it so that multiple types of lighting can be performed.

[0050] The third light-emitting portion 13b6 is formed as a light-emitting surface that covers three surfaces, namely, a pair of left and right side portions 13b21 and a rear portion 13b22 between them. As an example, the third light-emitting portion 13b6 can be configured as a tail lamp, which can emit light as a tail light and a brake light. The third light-emitting portion 13b6 can be configured to have a plurality of linear lighting portions or planar lighting portions, which may include lighting portions for tail lamps and lighting portions for turn signals.

[0051] The above-mentioned light emission forms of the second light-emitting portion 13b5 and the third light-emitting portion 13b6 are examples, and the specific shape of the linear light portion may be a straight line, a curve, a combination thereof, etc. Also, the specific shape of the surface light portion may be a polygon, a circle, a combination thereof, etc. Furthermore, the second light-emitting portion 13b5 and the third light-emitting portion 13b6 may be combined to form one light-emitting portion.

[0052] The second light-emitting unit 13b5 and the third light-emitting unit 13b6 are conductively connected to a control board built into the controller 16 by wiring (not shown), similar to the first light-emitting unit 15. The light emission control by the controller 16 is the same as that of the first light-emitting unit 15, and therefore a duplicated description will be omitted.

[0053] The saddle unit 13b3 has a saddle support portion 13b31 and a saddle 13b32. As described above, the saddle unit 13b3 is detachable from the tail portion 13b. Therefore, when the saddle unit 13b3 is attached, the rider can ride in a seated position, and when the saddle unit 13b3 is removed, the rider can ride in a standing position, and the electric kick scooter 1 allows the rider to easily select between these positions. When the saddle unit 13b3 is configured to be attached to the deck body 12, the mounting portion of the saddle support portion 13b31 occupies the rear portion of the upper surface of the deck body 12, so the footrest space for the rider to place his / her feet becomes small. However, since the saddle unit 13b3 is configured to be attached to the tail portion 13b, it is possible to secure a large space around the rider's feet. However, if such an advantage is not required, the saddle unit 13b3 may be configured to be attached to the deck body 12.

[0054] Front Frame 20

[0055] The front frame 20 comprises a frame main body 21 and a deck connecting portion 22 .

[0056] The frame body 21 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and a handle post 32 of the operation unit 30 described later is inserted and held therein. The frame body 21 is provided with a fourth light emitting unit 23. The fourth light emitting unit 23 is formed in a ring shape that matches the cylindrical shape of the upper end of the frame body 21, and is integrally fitted and fixed to the upper end of the frame body 21. Since the fourth light emitting unit 23 is ring-shaped, it has excellent visibility from all directions and can improve safety. The fourth light emitting unit 23 can have one or more lighting units. Specifically, the lighting units can include, for example, a traffic division identification light (maximum speed indicator light; lit in green and flashing) and a headlight (lighting in white). Since the fourth light emitting unit 23 is formed in a ring shape, it may be in a form in which the ring shape is divided into multiple parts and different types of lighting units are assigned to them. The form can be, for example, a form in which the ring shape is divided into multiple arc parts in the circumferential direction, a form in which the ring shape is divided into upper and lower parts, and a combination thereof. The ring shape exemplified as the fourth light-emitting unit 23 has a constant thickness in the vertical direction, but may have an irregular shape, for example, a higher front side of the vehicle body and a lower rear side. Furthermore, the ring shape may be a circular ring shape or a polygonal ring shape. The fourth light-emitting unit 23 is conductively connected to a control board built into the controller 16 by wiring (not shown) in the same manner as the first light-emitting unit 15. The light-emitting control by the controller 16 is the same as that of the first light-emitting unit 15, so a duplicated explanation will be omitted.

[0057] The deck connecting part 22 is formed in a cylindrical shape, with its front end connected to the front frame 20 and its rear end connected to the vehicle body 10. The deck connecting part 22 penetrates the front upper plate 11a of the deck front part 11, and its outer circumferential surface is welded to the front upper plate 11a. In addition, the rear end side of the deck connecting part 22 is welded to the bottom plate 12d of the deck body 12. A wiring insertion part (not shown) that opens to the deck body 12 is formed at the rear end of the deck connecting part 22, and a power line and a signal line are installed therein.

[0058] Operation unit 30

[0059] The operating section 30 has a handlebar 31, a handlebar post 32, a front fork 33, a vehicle information display section 34, and a rearview mirror 35. The handlebar 31 is the part operated by the rider, and is equipped with a brake lever, operation switches such as turn signals and a warning sounder, and a rearview mirror 35. Turn signals that can be turned on and off by operating a switch are attached to the left and right ends of the handlebar 31, and the vehicle information display section 34 is provided in the center of the handlebar 31.

[0060] The vehicle information display unit 34 displays vehicle information such as remaining battery power, driving speed, and distance traveled on a liquid crystal display. The displayed information is not limited to information directly related to the state of the vehicle, and other information (for example, map information, route information, notification information such as incoming call notifications from a smartphone owned by the rider, etc.) may be displayed. The vehicle information display unit 34 may also be provided with an input member such as a touch panel or a push button switch so that input operations for various functions can be performed in addition to display. The input operations include, for example, turning on / off the main power supply of the electric kick scooter 1, turning on / off the headlights, and switching between driving modes (sidewalk driving mode with a speed limit of 6 km / h and roadway driving mode with a speed limit of 20 km / h).

[0061] The vehicle information display unit 34 may incorporate a control board, a headlight, a warning sounder, a communication module, or the like. The headlight may be installed on the above-mentioned fourth light-emitting unit 23, or may be a light installed below the vehicle information display unit 34 or an integrated type built into the vehicle information display unit 34. By separating the fourth light-emitting unit 23 from the headlight, the visibility of the fourth light-emitting unit 23 can be improved. The warning sounder may not be built into the vehicle information display unit 34, but may be externally attached to the handlebar 31 or the handlebar post 32. The communication module can be used for vehicle management (management of the vehicle's status log, such as the current location, the charge level of the storage battery 14, malfunction information, and error information) by transmitting and receiving vehicle information processed by the control board or the controller 16 to an external server via the Internet.

[0062] The center portion of the handlebar 31 is connected to a handlebar post 32. The handlebar post 32 is formed in a cylindrical shape and is inserted into the frame body 21, with its lower end fixed to a front fork 33. The front fork 33 branches into left and right sides, each of which is provided with a front suspension and a front wheel support portion for mounting a front wheel 41. A detachable front basket 36 is attached to the handlebar post 32.

[0063] Front wheel 40

[0064] The front wheel section 40 has a front wheel 41 consisting of a tire and a wheel, and a front wheel brake 42 operated by a front wheel brake lever attached to the handlebars 31. The front wheel 41 is equipped with an in-wheel motor, and can be rotated by motor output powered by the storage battery 14 to enable the vehicle to travel.

[0065] Rear wheel 50

[0066] The rear wheel section 50 has a pair of rear wheels 51 and a rear wheel brake 52 provided for each rear wheel 51 and operated by a rear wheel brake lever attached to the handlebars 31. The rear wheels 51 are a two-wheel configuration including a left rear wheel 51a as the "first rear wheel" and a right rear wheel 51b as the "second rear wheel".

[0067] Rear wheel support part 60

[0068] The rear wheel support portion 60 includes a pair of left and right rear wheel support arms 61 , a shock absorber 62 , a pressing device 63 , and a support shaft 64 .

[0069] Rear wheel support arm 61 8, the rear wheel support arm 61 has a left rear wheel arm 61a as a "first rear wheel support arm" and a right rear wheel arm 61b as a "second rear wheel support arm". A mounting part 61c incorporating a bearing is provided at the front end of each rear wheel support arm 61, and the mounting part 61c is fixed to each end of a support shaft 64 held by the rear frame 13a. The left rear wheel arm 61a and the right rear wheel arm 61b function as independently movable swing arms and are capable of swinging about each mounting part 61c as a fulcrum so that the rear wheel 51 can be independently displaced in a direction away from the road surface and in a direction toward the road surface.

[0070] The rear end of each rear wheel support arm 61 has a rear wheel support portion 61d that rotatably supports each rear wheel 51, and a rear connecting portion 61e that protrudes from the rear wheel support arm 61 toward the central axis of the vehicle. A rear inner spherical protrusion 61f that constitutes a "spherical bearing" is formed on the tip side of the rear connecting portion 61e, and the rear end portion (rear outer spherical recess portion 62d41) of each impact absorber 62 is connected to this.

[0071] Shock absorber 62 4 and other figures, the pair of shock absorbers 62 includes a left rear wheel shock absorber 62a as a "first shock absorber" and a right rear wheel shock absorber 62b as a "second shock absorber." Each shock absorber 62 can operate independently in response to the behavior of each rear wheel 51 and the rear wheel support arm 61, and improves the ride comfort of the occupants by reducing vibrations during driving and the like.

[0072] Each shock absorber 62 has a compression coil spring 62c and a damper 62d. The compression coil spring 62c functions as a suspension and reduces running vibrations and the like transmitted to the vehicle body 10. The damper 62d quickly damps free vibrations of the compression coil spring 62c. The damper 62d has a damper body 62d1 and a movable rod 62d2.

[0073] The front end of the damper main body 62d1 has a front connecting part 62d3 constituting a "first connecting part," and the rear end of the movable rod 62d2 has a rear connecting part 62d4 constituting a "second connecting part." The front connecting part 62d3 and the rear connecting part 62d4 are each formed in a plate shape, and the front connecting part 62d3 has a front outer spherical recess 62d31 constituting a "spherical bearing," and the rear connecting part 62d4 has a rear outer spherical recess 62d41 constituting a "spherical bearing."

[0074] Pressing device 63 6 and other drawings, the pressing device 63 has a bracket 65 and a pressing mechanism 66. The bracket 65 is fixed to the bottom plate 13e of the rear frame 13a of the deck rear portion 13 of the vehicle body 10. The bracket 65 is fixed by passing a mounting bolt through a screw hole 13f1 in the bottom plate 13e and fastening it to a screw hole 65a1 in the bracket 65.

[0075] As shown in FIG. 6 and other figures, the bracket 65 has a pair of left and right side wall portions 65a, a holding portion 65b, and a holding frame portion 65c. The pair of side wall portions 65a and the holding portion 65b are formed in a gate shape. Therefore, inside them (the gate-shaped bracket 65), a storage space for a spring force adjustment portion 66d (described later) can be provided, which makes it possible to reduce the overall size of the pressing device 63 and to use the small space below the tail portion 13b as an installation space for the pressing device 63. Such a vehicle body structure is preferable for a small electric kick scooter 1, in which it is difficult to secure space for arranging parts and space for movement.

[0076] 6 and other drawings, a rotating shaft holder 65b1 is bolted to the holder 65b. The rotating shaft holder 65b1 rotatably holds a rotating shaft 66b (described later). The pressing mechanism 66 (described later) is held to the bracket 65 by the rotating shaft holder 65b1.

[0077] As shown in Fig. 6 and other figures, the retaining frame 65c is formed in a frame shape extending obliquely downward from the rear ends of the pair of side wall portions 65a. The retaining frame 65c has a horizontal portion 65c1 extending in a direction perpendicular to the central axis of the vehicle body. The horizontal portion 65c1 has a retaining hole 65c2 that opens in an elongated hole shape along the length direction of the horizontal portion 65c1, and a bolt insertion hole 65c3 and a screw hole 65c4 that penetrate the horizontal portion 65c1 in the thickness direction.

[0078] As shown in FIG. 6, FIG. 8 and the like, the pressing mechanism 66 has a connecting operation portion 66a, a rotating shaft 66b, a pusher 66c and a spring force adjustment portion 66d.

[0079] The connecting operation part 66a constitutes a "connecting member" and has a rotating shaft mounting part 66a1 and a front connecting part 66a2 that constitutes a "first connecting part" provided at the left end and the right end of the rotating shaft mounting part 66a1. The front connecting part 66a2 has a pair of branch pieces 66a3 that face each other vertically and a connecting shaft 66a4 inserted between the branch pieces 66a3. The connecting shaft 66a4 is formed with a front inner spherical protrusion 66a5 as a "spherical bearing", to which the front end of the shock absorber 62 (the front outer spherical recess 62d31 of the front connecting part 62d3) is connected. Note that in FIG. 6, only the front connecting part 62d3 and the front end side part of the damper main body 62d1 of each shock absorber 62 are illustrated.

[0080] The rotating shaft 66b is inserted and held in the connecting operation portion 66a. Specifically, the rotating shaft 66b passes through the rotating shaft attachment portion 66a1 and the rotating shaft holding portion 65b1 in the vertical direction, and its lower end is fixed to a block-shaped pusher 66c. The rotating shaft 66b is held so as to be freely rotatable relative to the rotating shaft holding portion 65b1, but is fixed so as not to be rotatable relative to the rotating shaft attachment portion 66a1 and the pusher 66c. Therefore, when the rotating shaft 66b rotates, the rotating shaft attachment portion 66a1 and the pusher 66c rotate together in accordance with the rotation angle of the rotating shaft 66b.

[0081] The pusher 66c rotates with the rotation of the rotating shaft 66b. Specifically, the pusher 66c tilts with respect to the central axis of the vehicle due to the rotation of the rotating shaft 66b, and the tilt causes the pusher 66c to be displaced in a direction that compresses a spring member 66d2 (described later). The pusher 66c has a rotating shaft fixing portion 66c1 and a pusher portion 66c2, and the pusher portion 66c2 has a pressing surface 66c3, a shaft rod mounting pin 66c4, and a shaft rod movable space portion 66c5.

[0082] The spring force adjustment portion 66d has a spring holding portion 66d1, a spring member 66d2, and a support pin 66d3. The spring holding portion 66d1 holds the spring member 66d2 and is configured to be capable of pressing the spring member 66d2 in conjunction with the pusher 66c.

[0083] The spring retaining portion 66d1 includes a shaft rod 66d4, a front spring receiving portion 66d5, and a rear spring receiving portion 66d6.

[0084] The shaft rod 66d4 has a hole on the front end side, through which the shaft rod mounting pin 66c4 is inserted and fixed in a rotatable state relative to the plunger 66c. The rear end side of the shaft rod 66d4 is fixed to the holding frame portion 65c in a rotatable state via a support pin 66d3. The plunger portion 66c2 is formed with a shaft rod movable space portion 66c5, where the front end side of the shaft rod 66d4 can freely rotate. The shaft rod 66d4 holds the front spring receiving portion 66d5 and the rear spring receiving portion 66d6.

[0085] The front spring receiving portion 66d5 is attached to the shaft rod 66d4 so as to be displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the shaft rod 66d4 in response to the expansion and contraction of the spring member 66d2. The front spring receiving portion 66d5 is constantly pressed toward the pusher 66c by the spring member 66d2, and is movable along the shaft rod 66d4 so as to push the spring member 66d2 backward when the pusher 66c is displaced backward.

[0086] The rear spring receiving portion 66d6 engages with an engagement portion 66d7 formed on the shaft rod 66d4. The rear spring receiving portion 66d6 is held immovable relative to the engagement portion 66d7 at any position of the engagement portion 66d7 along the length direction of the shaft rod 66d4. Since the rear spring receiving portion 66d6 screws into the engagement portion 66d7, the preload applied to the spring member 66d2 can be freely set by changing the engagement position with the engagement portion 66d7.

[0087] The spring member 66d2 is a compression coil spring, and is constantly held in a compressed state between the front spring receiving portion 66d5 and the rear spring receiving portion 66d6. The spring member 66d2 can adjust the stiffness of the swing of the rear wheel 51 (the ease of swinging of the rear wheel 51 via the rear wheel support arm 61) by changing the magnitude of the preload constantly acting on the spring member 66d2.

[0088] The support pin 66d3 is located on the central axis of the vehicle body, movably inserted into the bolt insertion hole 65c3 of the holding frame portion 65c, movably inserted into the long hole 66d41 of the shaft rod 66d4, and screwed into the screw hole 65c4. This allows the shaft rod 66d4 to rotate together with the rotation of the pusher 66c, with the support pin 66d3 as the rotation center.

[0089] Description of the features of the electric kick scooter 1

[0090] Based on its configuration, action, and effect, the electric kick scooter 1 has at least the following characteristics.

[0091] (1) The electric kick scooter 1 as a "personal mobility" includes a vehicle body 10, a front wheel 41, a rear wheel 51 (left rear wheel 51a, right rear wheel 51b), and a handlebar 31, as well as a rear wheel support arm 61 (left rear wheel arm 61a, right rear wheel arm 61b), a shock absorber 62 (left rear wheel shock absorber 62a, right rear wheel shock absorber 62b), and a pressing device 63. The rear wheel support arm 61 can swing around an attachment part 61c to the vehicle body 10 as a fulcrum so that the rear wheel 51 is displaced in a direction away from the road surface and in a direction toward the road surface. The shock absorber 62 has a front connecting portion 62d3 on the front end side connected to a front connecting portion 66a2 of the pressing device 63 and a rear connecting portion 62d4 on the rear end side connected to a rear connecting portion 61e of the rear wheel support arm 61, and is configured to be displaceable by the swinging of the rear wheel support arm 61. The pressing device 63 is fixed to the rear part of the vehicle body 10 (the rear frame 13a of the deck rear part 13), and operates to push the rear wheel support arm 61 back toward the ground by pressing the shock absorber 62 displaced by the swinging of the rear wheel support arm 61 back to its state before displacement.

[0092] According to this electric kick scooter 1, the rear wheel support arm 61, which supports the rear wheel 51 relative to the vehicle body 10, can swing in a direction away from the road surface and in a direction toward the road surface. This allows the rear wheel 51 to swing relative to the vehicle body 10 in response to changes in the road surface, thereby improving driving stability and safety.

[0093] The rear end side of the shock absorber 62 is connected to the rear wheel support arm 61. Therefore, the shock absorber 62 absorbs the running vibrations transmitted from the rear wheel 51, thereby making it possible to improve running stability and safety.

[0094] The shock absorber 62 has a front end connected to the pressing device 63 and a rear end connected to the rear wheel support arm 61. Therefore, the shock absorber 62 not only functions to reduce vibrations of the rear wheel 51 while traveling, but also functions as a means for transmitting the pressing force by the pressing device 63 to press the rear wheel support arm 61 back toward the ground. This makes it possible to achieve a compact structure for the rear wheel section 50, which is suitable for the electric kick scooter 1.

[0095] Since the front end of the shock absorber 62 is connected to the pressing device 63, the structure of the rear wheel portion 50 can be made more compact, which is suitable for an electric kick scooter 1, compared to when the front end is directly connected to the structure of the vehicle body 10.

[0096] The front end of the shock absorber 62 is connected to a pressing device 63, which is fixed to the rear of the vehicle body 10 and presses the shock absorber 62 displaced by the swing of the rear wheel support arm 61 to return it to the position before the displacement, thereby pushing the rear wheel support arm 61 back in the direction toward the ground. Therefore, even when the road surface changes during driving and the rear wheel 51 jumps up against the road surface, the rear wheel 51 can be prevented from jumping up, and the rear wheel 51 can travel while following the change in the road surface. Also, even when the vehicle body 10 may tilt against the road surface due to an unbalanced load in the vehicle width direction caused by the weight shift of the occupant when the occupant gets on and off the vehicle, when driving and when stopped, the pressing device 63 can suppress excessive swinging of the rear wheel support arm 61, so that excessive tilting of the vehicle body 10 can be suppressed. This can suppress the occupant's sway in the vehicle width direction, giving the occupant a sense of security.

[0097] The electric kick scooter 1 has multiple rear wheels 51, i.e., a left rear wheel 51a and a right rear wheel 51b, and is a three-wheeled vehicle including the front wheel 41, so it can stand on its own without tipping over without the rider's support. Therefore, compared to two-wheeled electric kick scooters, it is possible to improve stability when getting on, getting off, and stopping, as well as driving stability, allowing the rider to ride with peace of mind.

[0098] The vehicle has a pair of left and right rear wheel support arms 61, i.e., a left rear wheel arm 61a and a right rear wheel arm 61b. Therefore, depending on the road surface conditions, the left rear wheel arm 61a and the right rear wheel arm 61b can grip the road surface while swinging independently, thereby improving driving stability and safety.

[0099] The electric kick scooter 1 has a pair of left and right shock absorbers 62, i.e., a left rear wheel shock absorber 62a and a right rear wheel shock absorber 62b, which can appropriately reduce different traveling vibrations that occur in the left rear wheel arm 61a and the right rear wheel arm 61b depending on the road surface conditions.

[0100] Because the electric kick scooter 1 has the pressing device 63 between the vehicle body 10 and the pair of left and right shock absorbers 62, there is no need to provide a pair of left and right pressing devices, and one pressing device 63 can be shared for both the pair of left and right rear wheels 51. Therefore, the electric kick scooter 1 can achieve a compact structure for the rear wheel section 50, which is suitable for electric personal mobility.

[0101] (3) The vehicle body 10 includes a deck main body 12 having a battery storage section 12a, and a deck rear section 13 connected to the rear end of the deck main body 12, and the rear wheel support arm 61, the shock absorber 62, and the pressing device 63 are held only by the deck rear section 13. As a result, the rear wheel support arm 61, the shock absorber 62, and the pressing device 63, which are the support mechanism for the rear wheel 51, are not attached to the deck main body 12, but are attached to the deck rear section 13, so that the electric kick scooter 1 can achieve a compact structure for the rear wheel section 50, which is suitable for electric personal mobility. Also, by consolidating the running mechanism for the rear wheel 51 in the deck rear section 13, the rear wheel support section 60 can be unitized as a single module. This makes it easier to develop a variety of vehicle models by, for example, configuring the rear wheel section 50 (rear wheel 51 and rear wheel support section 60) as a rear wheel section 70 for standing-type single-wheel riding, a rear wheel section 71 for standing-type two-wheel riding, a rear wheel section 72 for sitting-type two-wheel riding, etc., as shown in Figure 11, depending on the use and form of the electric personal mobility.

[0102] (4) The vehicle body 10 has a rear partition plate 12f as a "partition" that separates the controller 16 that electrically controls the electric kick scooter 1 from the battery housing section 12a that houses the storage battery 14. With this, even if the storage battery 14 generates heat, the controller 16 is separated by the rear partition plate 12f, so that the controller 16 can be prevented from being affected by the heat.

[0103] (5) The shock absorber 62 is supported by a spherical bearing (a spherical bearing formed by combining the front outer spherical recess 62d31 of the shock absorber 62 and the front inner spherical protrusion 66a5 of the pressing mechanism 66, and a spherical bearing formed by combining the rear outer spherical recess 62d41 of the shock absorber 62 and the rear inner spherical protrusion 61f) that is movable in three dimensions with respect to the pressing device 63 and the rear wheel support arm 61. Therefore, the shock absorber 62 can be displaced in three dimensions in response to the swinging of the rear wheel support arm 61. For example, FIG. 10 shows that the "spherical bearing" formed by combining the front outer spherical recess 62d31 of the shock absorber 62 and the front inner spherical protrusion 66a5 of the pressing mechanism 66 can be displaced in three dimensions, and thus the front connecting portion 62d3 of the shock absorber 62 can be displaced in three dimensions. Similarly, the "spherical bearing" formed by the combination of the rear outer spherical recess 62d41 of the shock absorber 62 and the rear inner spherical protrusion 61f of the rear wheel support arm 61 is also capable of being displaced in three dimensions, thereby making the rear connecting portion 62d4 of the shock absorber 62 displaceable in three dimensions.

[0104] (6) The pressing device 63 has a pressing mechanism 66, which has a connecting operation part 66a as a "connecting member" connected to the front end side of the shock absorber 62 and displaceable in conjunction with the displacement of the shock absorber 62, a pusher 66c displaceable in conjunction with the displacement of the connecting operation part 66a, and a spring member 66d2 that generates a repulsive force for pushing the rear wheel support arm 61 back toward the ground via the shock absorber 62 by compressing and deforming under the pressure of the pusher 66c. This will be described in more detail. According to this, the spring member 66d2 compresses and deforms in conjunction with the displacement of the shock absorber 62 to generate a repulsive force, so that the swung rear wheel support arm 61 can be quickly pushed back toward the ground. In addition, the pressing mechanism 66 can be realized with a simple configuration.

[0105] (7) The pressing mechanism 66 further includes a spring force adjustment unit 66d that can adjust the strength of the repulsive force generated by the spring member 66d2. This allows the hardness of the swing of the rear wheel 51 (ease of swinging) to be changed by adjusting the repulsive force of the spring member 66d2. Therefore, the rider can adjust the behavior of the rear wheel 51 of the electric kick scooter 1 according to the shock absorption and other factors felt while riding.

[0106] Furthermore, the spring force adjustment part 66d will be described with reference to Fig. 9. When the rear wheel 51 receives a shock such as a shock caused by vibration during running that pushes it upward in the direction away from the road surface, the rear wheel support arm 61 swings in the direction away from the road surface. This causes the rear connecting part 61e of the rear wheel support arm 61 to swing in the direction away from the road surface, and thereby the shock absorber 62 swings forward.

[0107] At this time, the rear inner spherical protrusion 61f of the rear connecting part 61e of the rear wheel support arm 61 and the rear outer spherical recess 62d41 of the rear connecting part 62d4 of the shock absorber 62 form a "spherical bearing", and the front outer spherical recess 62d31 of the front connecting part 62d3 of the shock absorber 62 and the front inner spherical protrusion 66a5 of the front connecting part 66a2 of the pressing mechanism part 66 form a "spherical bearing", so that the shock absorber 62 can also be displaced in three dimensions in response to the three-dimensional swing of the rear wheel support arm 61.

[0108] Due to the forward displacement of the shock absorber 62, the connecting operation part 66a of the pressing mechanism part 66 receives a force rotating clockwise, for example, as shown in FIG. 9. This causes the rotating shaft 66b, which rotates together with the connecting operation part 66a, to rotate, and the pusher 66c connected to the lower end of the rotating shaft 66b also rotates at the same time. Then, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the pressing surface 66c3 of the pusher 66c, which was perpendicular to the central axis L of the vehicle body, is tilted by the rotation, thereby pressing the front spring receiving part 66d5. The front spring receiving part 66d5 presses the spring member 66d2, generating a repulsive force in the spring member 66d2, and the repulsive force acts to return the rotation of the pusher 66c. In other words, it acts to suppress excessive displacement of the shock absorber 62 and the rear wheel support arm 61. This suppresses excessive swinging of the rear wheel support arm 61, thereby achieving stability during driving. Such swing control of the rear wheel support arm 61 can be performed independently for the left rear wheel arm 61a and the right rear wheel arm 61b, so that stability according to the behavior of each rear wheel 51 can be realized. On the other hand, traveling vibrations can be absorbed by the operation of the shock absorber 62, so that unpleasant vibrations can be reduced. This makes it possible to achieve both stability during driving that gives a sense of security to the occupants and improved ride comfort by reducing vibrations.

[0109] (8) The pressing device 63 has a bracket 65 that is fixed to the rear of the vehicle body 10 (deck rear portion 13), and the pressing mechanism 66 is attached only to the bracket 65. As a result, the pressing mechanism 66 is fixed to the bracket 65 and is fixed to the rear of the vehicle body 10 (deck rear portion 13) via the bracket 65, so that the pressing device 63 can be configured as a single module, and the electric kick scooter 1 can achieve a compact structure for the rear wheel portion 50, which is suitable for use as an electric personal mobility device.

[0110] The pressing mechanism 66 of the pressing device 63 includes a rotating shaft 66b that converts the displacement of the impact absorber 62 into rotational motion, a pusher 66c (pusher portion 66c2) whose pressing surface 66c3 intersecting the central axis of the vehicle body 10 tilts in the front-rear direction in conjunction with the rotation of the rotating shaft 66b, and a spring member 66d2 that generates a repulsive force for returning the tilt of the pusher portion 66c2 by being pressed by the tilting pusher portion 66c2. This makes it possible to reliably generate a repulsive force by the spring member 66d2 while realizing the pressing mechanism 66 of the pressing device 63 that links with the impact absorber 62 with a simple configuration.

[0111] The rotating shaft 66b is disposed along the up-down direction of the vehicle body 10, and the spring force adjustment unit 66d (spring member 66d2) is disposed below the impact absorber 62. This allows the space below the impact absorber 62 to be used for disposing the spring force adjustment unit 66d, and the pressing mechanism unit 66 can be made smaller in size.

[0112] (9) The vehicle body 10 may have a non-metallic wall portion (first light-emitting portion 15) made of synthetic resin or rubber-like elastic material on the wall forming the housing, and may be provided with a wireless power receiving device on the inside of the non-metallic wall portion. This allows the electric personal mobility to be charged by wireless power supply. In this case, the non-metallic wall portion may be provided on the left side plate 12b, the right side plate 12c, or the bottom plate 12d that constitutes the housing of the vehicle body 10.

[0113] Variations

[0114] In the above embodiment, the first light-emitting portion 15 is provided on the left side plate 12b and the right side plate 12c, but the electric kick scooter 1 may be provided with another light-emitting portion (a fifth light-emitting portion). For example, the fifth light-emitting portion may be provided on the bottom plate 12d to illuminate the road surface and improve visibility at night, etc. Also, by providing the fifth light-emitting portion across two adjacent faces of the deck main body 12 (for example, the left side plate 12b and the bottom plate 12d), the visibility of the deck main body 12 at night, etc. can be improved.

[0115] The electric kick scooter 1 of the above embodiment may have a foldable body structure. For example, the frame body 21 of the front frame 20 may be configured to have a folding portion that bends towards the deck body 12. Also, the handle post 32 may be configured to have a folding portion that bends towards the deck body 12. This makes the electric kick scooter 1 smaller, allowing it to be mounted on the luggage rack of an automobile and requiring less space for storage.

[0116] The electric kick scooter 1 in the above embodiment is exemplified as having an in-wheel motor on the front wheel 41, but not only the front wheel 41, but also the left rear wheel 51a and the right rear wheel 51b may be equipped with in-wheel motors powered by the storage battery 14, or only the rear wheel 51 may be equipped with an in-wheel motor. [Explanation of symbols]

[0117] 1. Electric kick scooter (personal mobility) 10 Vehicle body 20 Front Frame 30 Control section 40 Front wheel 50 Rear wheel 60 Rear wheel support section 12 Deck body 12a Battery storage section (first storage section) 12f Rear partition (bulkhead) 13 Deck rear 14 Storage battery 16 Controller 41 Front wheel 51 Rear wheel 61 Rear wheel support arm 62 Shock absorber 63 Pressing device 65 Bracket 65c Holding frame 66 Pressing mechanism 66a Connecting operating part (connecting member) 66b Rotation axis 66c Pusher 66d Spring force adjustment part

Claims

1. A personal mobility device comprising a vehicle body, front wheels, rear wheels, and a handlebar, The personal mobility device further includes a rear wheel support arm, a shock absorber, and a pressing device. the rear wheel support arm has an attachment portion to the vehicle body and is swingable about the attachment portion as a fulcrum so that the rear wheel is displaced in a moving away direction away from a road surface and in a ground contact direction toward the road surface, the shock absorber has a front end connected to the pressing device and a rear end connected to the rear wheel support arm, and is configured to be displaceable by the swinging of the rear wheel support arm, the pressing device is fixed to a rear portion of the vehicle body, and presses the shock absorber displaced by the swing of the rear wheel support arm so as to return the shock absorber to its original position before the displacement, thereby pressing the rear wheel support arm back toward the ground. Personal mobility.

2. A personal mobility device comprising a vehicle body, a front wheel, a first rear wheel and a second rear wheel as rear wheels, and a handlebar, The personal mobility further comprises a first rear wheel support arm and a second rear wheel support arm as rear wheel support arms, a first shock absorber and a second shock absorber as shock absorbers, and a pressing device; the first rear wheel support arm and the second rear wheel support arm have attachment portions to the vehicle body and are swingable about the attachment portions as fulcrums so that the rear wheels are displaced in an away direction away from a road surface and in a ground contact direction toward the road surface, the first shock absorber has a front end connected to the pressing device and a rear end connected to the first rear wheel support arm, and is configured to be displaceable by the swinging of the first rear wheel support arm, the second shock absorber has a front end connected to the pressing device and a rear end connected to the second rear wheel support arm, and is configured to be displaceable by the swinging of the second rear wheel support arm, the pressing device is fixed to a rear portion of the vehicle body, and presses the shock absorber displaced by the swing of the rear wheel support arm so as to return the shock absorber to its original position before the displacement, thereby pressing the rear wheel support arm back toward the ground. Personal mobility.

3. The vehicle body includes a deck body having a battery housing portion and a deck rear portion connected to a rear end of the deck body, The rear wheel support arm, the shock absorber, and the pressing device are supported only by the rear part of the deck.

3. A personal mobility device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The vehicle body has a partition wall that separates a controller that performs electrical control of the personal mobility from a battery housing portion that houses a storage battery.

3. A personal mobility device according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The shock absorber is supported by a spherical bearing that is movable in three dimensions relative to the pressing device and the rear wheel support arm.

3. A personal mobility device according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The pressing device has a pressing mechanism, and the pressing mechanism includes: a connecting member connected to a front end side of the impact absorber and displaceable in conjunction with the displacement of the impact absorber; A pusher that is displaceable in conjunction with the displacement of the connecting member; a spring member that is compressed and deformed by the displacement of the pusher to generate a repulsive force for pushing back the rear wheel support arm via the shock absorber.

3. A personal mobility device according to claim 1 or 2.

7. The pressing mechanism further includes a spring force adjustment unit capable of adjusting the strength of the repulsive force generated by the spring member. The personal mobility device according to claim 6.

8. the pressing device has a bracket fixed to the rear portion of the vehicle body, The pressing mechanism is attached only to the bracket. The personal mobility device according to claim 6.

9. the vehicle body has a wall forming a housing, the wall portion being made of a non-metallic material such as a synthetic resin or a rubber-like elastic material; A power receiving device for wireless power supply is provided inside the non-metallic wall portion.

3. A personal mobility device according to claim 1 or 2.

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