Vehicle

Abstract

To provide a vehicle capable of preventing a vehicle body from moving in a direction going down a sloping road when a user is parking the vehicle in a direction going up the sloping road.SOLUTION: A self-walking car 10 includes: a front wheel 12 and a rear wheel 13; a vehicle body 11 that supports the front wheel 12 and the rear wheel 13 so as to be freely rotatable; a saddle 15 which is provided on the vehicle body 11 and on which a user P1 sits; and a handle 14 which is provided on the vehicle body 11, is operated by the user P1 sitting on the saddle 15, and adjusts the direction of the front wheel 12. This self-walking car is provided with a reverse run prevention mechanism 16 that defines the rotation direction of the front wheel 12. The reverse run prevention mechanism 16 includes a structure that changes a state between: a first state which allows the front wheel 12 to rotate in a first direction and which prevents the front wheel from rotating in a second direction; and a second state which allows the front wheel 12 to rotate in the first direction and to also rotate in the second direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle that does not have pedals, chains, or a driving force source, and allows a user to move the vehicle body by walking with their own feet. [Background technology]

[0002] An example of a vehicle that does not have pedals, chains, or a driving force source and allows a user to move the vehicle body by walking on their own feet is described in Patent Document 1. The vehicle described in Patent Document 1 is a vehicle having front and rear wheels, a handlebar, and a saddle attached to a vehicle body frame. The vehicle described in Patent Document 1 is configured such that the vehicle body frame can be bent in a direction in which the frames approach each other by connecting the front frame, rear frame, upper frame, and lower frame with tightening pins so as to form a substantially rectangular shape under normal conditions, and a locking means is provided at one of the connecting parts. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 3140848 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The inventors of the present application have recognized a problem with the vehicle described in Patent Document 1 in that, when a user is stopped in an orientation that requires him or her to move forward and climb a slope, there is a possibility that the user may roll down the slope.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a vehicle that can prevent the vehicle body from rolling backwards down a slope when the vehicle body is stopped with the user moving forward and climbing up a slope. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] This embodiment provides a vehicle having front and rear wheels, a body supporting the front and rear wheels rotatably, a saddle provided on the body for a user to sit on, and a handle provided on the body that is operated by a user sitting on the saddle and adjusts the direction of the front wheels, wherein the vehicle is provided with a reverse running prevention mechanism that determines the rotation direction of the front wheels, and the reverse running prevention mechanism is configured to be switchable between a first state that allows the front wheels to rotate in a first direction and prevents them from rotating in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a second state that allows the front wheels to rotate in the first direction and to rotate in the second direction. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present disclosure, when a user parks the vehicle in a position to move forward and up a slope, the vehicle can be prevented from moving backward and down the slope. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view of a self-walking car, an embodiment of a vehicle. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the self-walking car. [Diagram 3] 1A and 1B are plan views of a coupling mechanism installed in a self-walking car. [Figure 4] (A) is a plan view of the self-walking car folded halfway, and (B) is a plan view of the self-walking car folded. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2A is a side view showing a first state of a reverse-running prevention mechanism provided in a self-walking car, and FIG. 2B is a side view showing a second state of the reverse-running prevention mechanism. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] (overview) Recently, when I walk around the city, I notice that I hardly see any elderly people. When I see elderly people walking, they use a cane and it looks like they are in pain, or those who are walking without a cane are pushing a four-wheeled cart for shopping. Either way, the weight of the person is undoubtedly on their feet. Therefore, they walk using a cane or pushing a four-wheeled cart to reduce the burden on their feet even a little. However, the reaction puts a strain on their arms, and if their stiff shoulders get worse, they may not be able to use their hands and may not be able to go out in the city.

[0010] That's when they came up with the idea of ​​a bicycle. When riding a bicycle, your body weight is not placed on your feet. Therefore, there is no strain on your feet. However, to move the bicycle forward you must pedal. However, as users get older, pedaling to ride the bicycle requires a certain degree of speed for the stability of the bicycle, and elderly people find speed frightening. So they came up with the idea of ​​a bicycle that moves forward by walking with your own feet, without pedaling. Of course, the user sits on the saddle.

[0011] This means that the user's weight is not placed on the feet at all, and both feet are always on the ground. The user moves the bicycle forward by walking with their own feet. Therefore, the user does not have to worry about the bicycle falling over. This allows the user to go out and walk whenever they want without worry, and to enjoy the rest of their lives. In addition, because the user walks with their own feet, no pedals, chains, or other driving devices are required.

[0012] The saddle is set low to allow the user to easily get on and off the bicycle, and the overall structure is designed to be small so that the bicycle can be ridden into supermarkets and other places.

[0013] (Specific examples) A bicycle, which is an example of a vehicle, is described with reference to the drawings. The bicycle of this embodiment does not have pedals or a chain, and does not have a driving force source for driving the wheels. The bicycle of this embodiment is structured so that a user straddles the saddle and moves the body by walking with their own feet. A self-walking car, which is an example of a bicycle of this embodiment, can also be called a kick bike or a balance bike (registered trademark). Hereinafter, for convenience, the bicycle shown in FIG. 1 will be referred to as a self-walking car 10. The self-walking car 10 has a body 11, a front wheel 12, a rear wheel 13, a handlebar 14, a saddle 15, and a reverse running prevention mechanism 16.

[0014] The vehicle body 11 has parts such as a head tube 17, a front suspension 18, a down tube 19, an extension tube 20, a rear tube 21, a seat tube 22, a seat stay 23, a basket stay 24, etc. These parts are straight pipes. The materials of these parts may be metal-based materials, fiber-reinforced synthetic resin-based materials, etc., as appropriate. Metal-based materials include, for example, steel, aluminum alloy, titanium, magnesium, etc. Fiber-reinforced synthetic resin-based materials include fiber-reinforced plastics, carbon fiber-reinforced plastics, etc. The handlebars 14 are provided at the upper end of the head tube 17. The handlebars 14 are rod-shaped elements that the user P1 grips with the hand 51 to operate, and the handlebars 14 are made of metal-based materials or fiber-reinforced synthetic resin-based materials.

[0015] The head tube 17 is connected to the approximate center of the handle 14 in the longitudinal direction. The head tube 17 extends in the height direction. The handle 14 is configured to be movable in the height direction relative to the head tube 17. For example, the upper end of the head tube 17 is configured in a cylindrical shape, and a part of the handle 14 is inserted into the head tube 17. In addition, a handle height adjustment mechanism 25 is provided to position and fix the handle 14 in the height direction relative to the head tube 17. The handle height adjustment mechanism 25 has a positioning screw, etc. The user P1 can adjust and fix the position of the handle 14 in the height direction by loosening the positioning screw, moving the handle 14 in the height direction, and tightening the upper positioning screw.

[0016] The head tube 17 is rotatably supported by the down tube 19. The head tube 17 is configured not to move in the height direction relative to the down tube 19. In addition, a front suspension 18 is connected to the lower end of the head tube 17. The front suspension 18 is a pair of elements, and the front wheel 12 is rotatably supported by the front suspension 18. The front wheel 12 is configured by combining a hub, spokes, a rim, and a tire. The outer peripheral surface of the tire of the front wheel 12 comes into contact with the road surface A1.

[0017] The down tube 19 is disposed outside the front wheel 12 in the radial direction of the front wheel 12. When the vehicle body 11 is viewed from the side, the down tube 19 has an arc shape. A first end of the down tube 19 supports the head tube 17 so that the head tube 17 can move within a predetermined angular range. An extension tube 20 is provided behind the down tube 19 in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body 11. The extension tube 20 is connected to a second end of the down tube 19 via a coupling mechanism 26.

[0018] The coupling mechanism 26 has a configuration that can switch the vehicle body 11 between a folded state and an unfolded state, as shown in Figs. 4(A) and (B). The coupling mechanism 26 has a guide groove 27 provided in the extension tube 20, a connection piece 28 connected to the second end 19A of the down tube 19, a core rod 29 provided in the connection piece 28, and a reinforcing pipe 30. The connection piece 28 is operably connected to the second end 19A via a support shaft 31. The connection piece 28 is made of, for example, metal. The guide groove 27 is provided along the longitudinal direction of the extension tube 20. The core rod 29 is disposed in the guide groove 27 and is movable in the longitudinal direction of the extension tube 20 within the guide groove 27. The reinforcing pipe 30 is attached to the extension tube 20 and is movable and stoppable in the longitudinal direction of the extension tube 20.

[0019] As shown in Fig. 3(A), when the second end 19A of the down tube 19, the extension tube 20, and the connection piece 28 are positioned in a straight line, and part of the second end 19A, part of the extension tube 20, and the entire connection piece 28 are disposed inside the reinforcing pipe 30, the vehicle body 11 can be held in an open state when the reinforcing pipe 30 is stopped. In contrast, as shown in Fig. 3(B), when the reinforcing pipe 30 is moved along the extension tube 20, the connection piece 28 is folded relative to the extension tube 20, and the second end 19A is folded relative to the connection piece 28, this is the folded state of the vehicle body 11 shown in Fig. 4(B).

[0020] A footrest frame 32 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 may be provided on the extension tube 20. The footrest frame 32 is operably attached to the extension tube 20 via a hinge 33. The state of the footrest frame 32 can be switched between a use state shown by a solid line in Fig. 1 and a folded state shown by a two-dot chain line. When the footrest frame 32 is in the use state, the user P1 can place his / her feet 50 on the footrest frame 32 when the self-walking car 10 coasts. When the body 11 is folded, the footrest frame 32 can be folded in advance to prevent the footrest frame 32 from getting in the way.

[0021] A rear tube 21 is connected to the rear end of the extension tube 20. A seat stay 23 is connected to the rear tube 21. Two rear tubes 21 and two seat stays 23 are provided. A rear wheel 13 is disposed between the rear tubes 21 and between the seat stays 23. The rear wheel 13 is rotatably supported by the two seat stays 23. The rear wheel 13 is formed by combining a hub, spokes, a rim, and a tire. The outer peripheral surface of the tire of the rear wheel 13 comes into contact with the road surface A1.

[0022] The seat tube 22 is connected to the upper end of the seat stay 23. The seat tube 22 supports a saddle 15. The saddle 15 can move in the height direction relative to the seat tube 22. The saddle 15 is an element on which the user P1 sits. The saddle 15 is, for example, a metal body covered with a covering material. The covering material is made of synthetic resin, synthetic leather, or the like. A saddle height adjustment mechanism 34 is provided to position and fix the saddle 15 in the height direction relative to the seat tube 22. The saddle height adjustment mechanism 34 includes a positioning screw and the like. The user P1 can move the saddle 15 in the height direction relative to the seat tube 22 and fix the position by loosening and tightening the positioning screw.

[0023] The basket stay 24 is connected to the seat stay 23. The basket 35 is supported by the basket stay 24 and the seat tube 22. The basket 35 is disposed above the rear wheel 13 in the height direction. The material of the basket 35 may be a metal material, a fiber-reinforced synthetic resin material, or the like, as appropriate. The mudguard 36 is provided on the outer side of the rear wheel 13 in the radial direction of the rear wheel 13. The material of the mudguard 36 is, for example, a metal or a synthetic resin. The mudguard 36 is fixed to the extension tube 20 and the basket stay 24, for example. A part of the mudguard 36 is disposed between the rear wheel 13 and the basket 35. A part of the mudguard 36 is disposed between the two seat stays 23 and between the two basket stays 24.

[0024] Furthermore, the support legs 37 are attached to the rear tube 21 or the seat stays 23. The support legs 37 are elements that hold the self-walking car 10 in an upright position when the user P1 is not using the self-walking car 10. The support legs 37 are, for example, made of straight rod members. They can be folded and unfolded with respect to the vehicle body 11. When the tip of the unfolded support leg 37 comes into contact with the road surface A1 as shown in FIG. 2, the self-walking car 10 can be held in an upright position. When the support legs 37 are folded as shown in FIG. 1, the tip of the support leg 37 is separated from the road surface A1. The user P1 can sit on the saddle 15 and walk.

[0025] The reverse running prevention mechanism 16 is a mechanism that allows the self-walking car 10 to move forward and prevents it from moving backward. In other words, the reverse running prevention mechanism 16 is a mechanism that allows the front wheels 12 to rotate in a first direction and prevents the front wheels 12 from rotating in a second direction. The first direction is counterclockwise in FIG. 1, and the second direction is clockwise in FIG. 1. In other words, the first direction and the second direction are opposite to each other. As shown in FIGS. 5(A) and (B), the reverse running prevention mechanism 16 includes a gear 40 provided on the front wheels 12, an arm 41 attached to the front suspension 18, a tension spring 42, a release cable 43, and an operating member 44 provided on the handle 14.

[0026] The gear 40 rotates and stops together with the front wheel 12. A large number of teeth 40A are provided on the outer circumferential surface of the gear 40 along the direction of rotation. The arm 41 is operably provided on the front suspension 18 via a support shaft 45. The arm 41 has a claw 46 that engages with and disengages from the teeth 40A of the gear 40. The claw 46 engages with the teeth 40A of the gear 40 forward of the support shaft 45 in the front-rear direction of the self-walking car 10.

[0027] The tension spring 42 connects the front suspension 18 and the arm 41. The tension spring 42 serves to operate the arm 41 counterclockwise in Figs. 5(A) and (B). That is, the tension spring 42 serves to engage the pawl 46 with the teeth 40A of the gear 40. The release cable 43 connects the arm 41 and the operating member 44. The release cable 43 is made of, for example, metal and is flexible. A support 47 is provided on each of the head tube 17 and the front suspension 18, and the release cable 43 is supported by the support 47 so as to be movable along the longitudinal direction.

[0028] The user P1 operates the operating member 44 with the right or left hand 51. When an operating force is applied to the operating member 44 and the release cable 43 is pulled, the arm 41 operates within a predetermined angle range in the clockwise direction in FIG. 5(A) against the force of the tension spring 42 and stops. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5(B), the claw 46 of the arm 41 is released from the teeth 40A of the gear 40. Therefore, the front wheel 12 shown in FIG. 1 can rotate both clockwise and counterclockwise. In other words, the self-walking car 10 can move forward and backward (reverse).

[0029] In contrast, when the user P1 releases the operating force on the operating member 44, the force of the tension spring 42 operates the arm 41 counterclockwise in FIG. 5(B), and as shown in FIG. 5(A), the claw 46 engages with the tooth 40A of the gear 40, and the arm 41 stops. When the claw 46 is engaged with the tooth 40A and the front wheel 12 is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 1, the claw 46 passes over the teeth 40A one after another. Therefore, the self-walking car 10 can move forward. Also, when the claw 46 is engaged with the tooth 40A and the front wheel 12 is rotated clockwise in FIG. 1, the claw 46 is kept engaged with one of the teeth 40A, preventing the front wheel 12 from rotating clockwise. In other words, the self-walking car 10 is prevented from moving backward.

[0030] (Effects of the embodiment) In the self-walking car 10 of this embodiment, a user P1 straddles the saddle 15 with the front wheels 12 and rear wheels 13 in contact with the road surface A1, and the user P1 moves by walking on his / her feet 50. Therefore, part of the user's weight is received by the road surface A1 via the saddle 15, the body 11, the front wheels 12, and the rear wheels 13. This reduces the burden on the feet 50 of the user P1. Also, because both feet 50 are on the road surface A1, the balance of the self-walking car 10 can be easily maintained, and the risk of falling over can be suppressed.

[0031] Furthermore, when the user P1 applies an operating force to the operating member 44, the front wheel 12 can be prevented from rotating in the second direction. Therefore, when the self walking car 10 is stopped in a forward climbing direction up a slope, the self walking car 10 can be prevented from going backwards down the slope. Furthermore, when the self walking car 10 moves forward in a descending direction up a slope, the user P1 can place his / her feet 50 on the footrest frames 32. Also, when the body 11 is folded by the coupling mechanism 26, the user P1 can easily transport and store the self walking car 10.

[0032] (supplementary explanation) An example of the technical meaning of the matters described in this embodiment is as follows. The self-walking car 10 is an example of a vehicle. The front wheel 12 is an example of a front wheel. The rear wheel 13 is an example of a rear wheel. The vehicle body 11 is an example of a vehicle body. The saddle 15 is an example of a saddle. The handlebars 14 are an example of a handlebar. The reverse running prevention mechanism 16 is an example of a reverse running prevention mechanism. FIG. 5(A) shows a first state of the reverse running prevention mechanism 16. FIG. 5(B) shows a second state of the reverse running prevention mechanism 16. The saddle height adjustment mechanism 34 is an example of a saddle height adjustment mechanism. The handlebar height adjustment mechanism 25 is an example of a handlebar height adjustment mechanism. The coupling mechanism 26 is an example of a folding mechanism.

[0033] This embodiment is not limited to those disclosed using the drawings, and various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the footrest frame does not have to be provided. Also, the support legs may be U-shaped members instead of the straight rod members. [Industrial Applicability]

[0034] The vehicle of this embodiment does not have pedals, chains, or a driving force source, and can be used as a vehicle that allows a user to move the vehicle body by walking with their own feet. [Explanation of symbols]

[0035] 10...self-walking car, 11...body, 12...front wheel, 13...rear wheel, 15...saddle, 14...handle, 16...reverse running prevention mechanism, 25...handle height adjustment mechanism, 26...coupling mechanism, 34...saddle height adjustment mechanism

Claims

1. Front and rear wheels; a vehicle body that rotatably supports the front wheels and the rear wheels; A saddle provided on the vehicle body on which a user sits; a handle provided on the vehicle body, operated by a user sitting on the saddle, and configured to adjust the orientation of the front wheel; A vehicle having A reverse running prevention mechanism is provided to determine the rotation direction of the front wheels, The reverse running prevention mechanism includes: a first state in which the front wheels are permitted to rotate in a first direction and prevented from rotating in a second direction opposite to the first direction; a second state in which the front wheels are permitted to rotate in a first direction and also permitted to rotate in the second direction; A vehicle that has a configuration that allows you to switch between the following:

2. 2. The vehicle of claim 1, The vehicle further includes a saddle height adjustment mechanism for adjusting the height of the saddle.

3. 2. The vehicle of claim 1, The vehicle further includes a handle height adjustment mechanism for adjusting the height of the handle.

4. 2. The vehicle of claim 1, The vehicle body is further provided with a folding mechanism, The folding mechanism is configured to switch the vehicle body between a folded state and an unfolded state.

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