Foldable electric skater

Abstract

To provide a foldable electric skater which has a handle shaft and a seat support pillar foldable toward a running board, and which facilitates, in a folded state, fastening the handle shaft and the seat support pillar and unlocking the fastening thereof.SOLUTION: A foldable electric skater 100 includes, at the internal side of a handle shaft 300, a depressing portion 301 that has a tip region P formed of an axial member, and a receiving portion 501 engaged with the axial member at the external side of a seat support pillar 500. The receiving portion 501 includes: a rotation frame that includes a plurality of recesses which allows the axial member to pass therethrough, and a plurality of protrusions which prevents the axial member from passing therethrough, the recesses and protrusions being provided alternately in the circumferential direction of a front surface; and a lock mechanism portion that makes the rotation frame rotatable by a predetermined amount in a clockwise direction via the depressing force by the axial member in a state in which the rotation frame is attached.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a foldable electric skater in which the handle shaft and seat support posts can be folded toward the board. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, various vehicles such as electric skaters and electric kick scooters have been developed as new means of transportation. These electric skaters and electric kick scooters are equipped with electric motors and batteries on two- or three-wheeled platform scooters or seat support posts.They are small, maneuverable, easy to operate, and environmentally friendly, and are attracting attention as a new form of transportation that can be used daily for commuting, shopping, and other activities. As a conventional technique showing such an electric skater or electric kickboard, for example, Patent Document 1 listed below is known. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 3232835 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The above-mentioned Patent Document 1 is a device related to an electric kick scooter, which has the advantage of reducing the hassle of charging the battery. Among these conventional electric kick scooters and electric skaters, there are foldable types in which the handle shaft and seat support pillar can be folded toward the footboard, but none of them allow the handle shaft and seat support pillar to be easily and reliably fixed and released in the folded state. Therefore, when transporting the electric kick scooter or electric skater in the folded state, there is a possibility that the folded state of the handle shaft and seat support pillar may be released at an unexpected time, and therefore there has been a demand for the development of an electric skater or electric kick scooter in which the handle shaft and seat support pillar can be easily and reliably fixed and released in the folded state.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional type and to provide a folding electric skater in which the handle shaft and seat support pillars can be folded toward the footboard side, and in which the handle shaft and seat support pillars can be easily fixed and released in the folded state. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the folding electric skater of the present invention is a folding electric skater in which the handle shaft and seat support pillar can be folded toward the footboard side, and has a pressing part with a tip region made of an axis-shaped member on the inside of the handle shaft or the outside of the seat support pillar, and a receiving part that fits with the axis-shaped member on the outside of the seat support pillar or on the inside of the handle shaft, and the receiving part has a rotating frame that has a plurality of recesses that allow the axis-shaped member to pass through and a plurality of protrusions that prevent the axis-shaped member from passing through, arranged alternately in the circumferential direction on its front surface, and a locking mechanism that, when the rotating frame is attached, allows the rotating frame to rotate a predetermined amount in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction via the pressing force of the axis-shaped member that is fitted into the receiving part. Furthermore, in addition to the first feature, the folding electric skater of the present invention has the following features: the rotating frame is made of an annular member; the locking mechanism comprises at least a substantially circular mechanism body having a predetermined thickness that allows the rotating frame to be attached to its outer periphery; the mechanism body has a notch that can receive a pressing part so that it can move back and forth; and within the notch is a pressing force transmission part that is pressed by the pressing part; and a first locking piece that protrudes from the outer periphery of the mechanism body and is spring-biased outward from the mechanism body at one end; the other end is fixed within the mechanism body; and when pressed by the pressing force transmission part, the first locking piece locks the mechanism with the other end as a fulcrum. The rotating frame is provided with a thin slide plate that can move in an arc within a predetermined range on the outer periphery of the structural body, and a spring that spring-loads the slide plate toward the pressing force transmission part. The rotating frame has a plurality of locking grooves on its back surface that are arranged at predetermined intervals around the circumference of the rotating frame and that engage with the first locking pieces of the slide plate, allowing the rotating frame to rotate a predetermined amount in response to the arcuate movement of the slide plate that is activated when a pressing force is applied to the pressing force transmission part. A second feature is that the rotating frame has connecting grooves arranged between adjacent locking grooves that connect adjacent locking grooves without engaging with the first locking pieces. In addition to the second feature, the folding electric skater of the present invention has a third feature in that when the first locking piece of the slide plate is locked with one of the locking grooves on the rotating frame, a second locking piece protrudes from the outer periphery of the main mechanism body and locks with one of the remaining locking grooves to prevent reverse rotation of the rotating frame, and the second locking piece is spring-biased outward from the main mechanism body. Furthermore, in addition to the second or third feature, the folding electric skater of the present invention has a fourth feature in that the locking mechanism comprises a base for placing the rotating frame and the mechanism body thereon, the base being made of a thin, circular member having approximately the same diameter as the outer diameter of the rotating frame, and in an area of ​​the base overlapping with the area where the sliding plate makes its arcuate movement, a sliding groove is provided in an arcuate shape with the other end of the sliding plate as its centre point, the length of the sliding plate's arcuate movement being approximately the same as the length of the arc, and a protrusion that fits into the sliding groove is provided on the back surface of the sliding plate. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] With the folding electric skater according to the first aspect, when the rotating frame is attached, the rotating frame can be rotated a predetermined amount in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction simply by applying a pressing force from the shaft-shaped member fitted to the receiving part. This makes it possible to easily and quickly fasten and release the handle shaft and seat support pillar when the electric skater is folded. Therefore, it is possible to provide a foldable electric skater that is highly maneuverable and convenient.

[0008] Furthermore, with the folding electric skater according to the second feature, in addition to the effects of the first feature, each time the pressing unit presses the pressing force transmission unit, the rotating frame rotates a predetermined amount in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, alternating between stopping at a position where the recessed portion of the rotating frame overlaps with the notch in the main body and stopping at a position where the protruding portion of the rotating frame overlaps with the notch in the main body. As a result, when the recessed portion of the rotating frame overlaps with the notch in the main body, the pressing unit releasably engages with the receiving portion, thereby disengaging the connection between the handle shaft and the seat support pillar. On the other hand, when the protruding portion of the rotating frame overlaps with the notch in the main body, the pressing unit irreleasably engages with the receiving portion, thereby maintaining the connection between the handle shaft and the seat support pillar. Therefore, by simply performing the slight action of pressing the receiving part with the pressing part, it is possible to make a folding electric skater that can more easily, quickly and reliably fix and release the handle shaft and seat support pillar in the folded state. Therefore, the folding electric skater can be made even easier to operate and more convenient.

[0009] Furthermore, with the folding electric skater according to the third feature, in addition to the advantageous effects of the second feature, the second locking piece can be provided as a receiving part that can more reliably prevent the rotating frame from rotating in the opposite direction.

[0010] Furthermore, with the folding electric skater according to the fourth feature, in addition to the advantageous effects of the second or third feature, the base is provided with a slide groove, which allows the arcuate movement of the slide plate to be performed with even greater precision. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing a folding electric skater according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a front view and (b) is a perspective view. [Figure 2] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing a folding electric skater according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a right side view and (b) is a perspective view showing the folded state. [Figure 3] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing a part of a pressing portion and a receiving portion according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a front view of the receiving portion, and (b) is a perspective view showing a state in which the pressing portion presses the receiving portion. [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing a receiving part according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is an exploded view of the receiving part, (b) is a side view of a rotating frame, and (c) is a front view of the rotating frame. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a partial exploded view of a locking mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 5A to 5C are diagrams illustrating the movement of a locking mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating the movement of a receiving portion according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating the movement of a receiving portion according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating the movement of a receiving portion according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, a folding electric scooter according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings to help understand the present invention. However, the following description does not limit the present invention as defined in the claims.

[0013] First, referring to Figures 1 to 3, a folding electric skater 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is a so-called folding electric three-wheeled skater that mainly comprises a handlebar 200, a handlebar shaft 300, a seat 400, a seat support pole 500, a footboard 600, and three tires 700, and is equipped with an electric motor, battery, etc. (not shown) on the seat support pole 500, footboard 600, etc. In addition, the folding electric skater 100 in this embodiment is configured so that the handle shaft 300 can be folded toward the platform 600 by operating the folding lever 302, and the seat support pillar 500 can be folded toward the platform 600 by operating the folding lever 502. Furthermore, although not shown in detail, the seat portion 400 is configured so that the seat portion 400 can be folded and stored inside the seat support pillar 500 by sliding the slide plate S along the slide groove 401.

[0014] Furthermore, the folding electric skater 100 in this embodiment is configured so that after folding the handle shaft 300 and the seat support pillar 500 with the seat 400 stored in place toward the footboard 600, the handle shaft 300 and the seat support pillar 500 can be easily fixed and released from each other. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a pressing portion 301 is provided on the upper inner side of the handle shaft 300, and a receiving portion 501 that fits with the pressing portion 301 is provided on the lower outer side of the seat support pillar 500. The pressing portion 301, which is fitted into the receiving portion 501, presses the receiving portion 501, and when the pressing portion 301 is irremovably fitted into the receiving portion 501, the handle shaft 300 and the seat support pillar 500 are fixed together. On the other hand, when the pressing portion 301, which is fitted into the receiving portion 501, presses the receiving portion 501, and when the pressing portion 301 is removably fitted into the receiving portion 501, the fixation between the handle shaft 300 and the seat support pillar 500 can be released.

[0015] As described above, the pressing portion 301 is a member for pressing the receiving portion 501. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, a configuration is adopted in which the pressing portion 301 has a tip region P formed of a shaft-shaped member. More specifically, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3(b), the pressing portion 301 is formed of a metal member having a generally U-shaped flat plate shape and a tip region P formed of a shaft-shaped member bent into an L shape. Here, "shaft-shaped member" means a long, thin member that can be fitted into receiving portion 501, and its shape may be any shape that can be fitted into receiving portion 501, such as cylindrical, elliptical, or flat. Furthermore, the material of the pressing portion 301 is not limited to metal, and any material that can ensure a certain level of strength, such as hard resin, can be used, but considering durability, it is preferable to use metal such as steel or stainless steel.

[0016] The receiving portion 501 is a member that fits with a shaft-shaped member that constitutes the tip region P of the pressing portion 301 . As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the receiving portion 501 is made up of a cover 1, a rotating frame 2, and a locking mechanism portion 3. As shown in FIGS.

[0017] The cover 1 is a member that covers the locking mechanism 3 to prevent damage to the locking mechanism 3 and to prevent the rotating frame 2 from coming off the locking mechanism 3. 3 and 4(a), in this embodiment, the cover 1 is configured to use a circular member with a long, narrow, U-shaped notch 1a in the upper center portion. This notch 1a is formed to receive the shaft-shaped member that constitutes the tip region P of the pressing part 301 so that it can move back and forth. Therefore, the width of the notch 1a needs to be larger than the width of the shaft-shaped member that constitutes the tip region P of the pressing part 301. Although not shown in detail, the outer edge of the cover 1, excluding the cutout 1a portion, is folded back approximately 90 degrees to the back side by a predetermined width, and this folded portion is configured to cover the outer periphery of the locking mechanism portion 3 exposed from the rotating frame 2. The cover 1 may be made of any material that has a certain level of strength, but in consideration of durability, it is preferable to use a metal such as steel or stainless steel.

[0018] The rotating frame 2 is a member that rotates a predetermined amount in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction when the shaft-shaped member that constitutes the tip region P of the pressing portion 301 presses the locking mechanism portion 3, thereby enabling the handle shaft 300 and the seat support pillar 500 to be fixed or released from the fixed state. In the present embodiment, the rotating frame 2 is rotated a predetermined amount in the clockwise direction by the pressing portion 301, and the following description will be given assuming this. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, this rotating frame 2 is formed of a flat, annular member that has multiple convex portions 2a that prevent the passage of the shaft-shaped member that constitutes the tip region P of the pressing portion 301 and multiple concave portions 2b that allow the passage of the shaft-shaped member that constitutes the tip region P of the pressing portion 301, arranged alternately in the circumferential direction of the front surface E.

[0019] 4(c), a plurality of locking grooves 2c are arranged at predetermined intervals around the circumference of the rotating frame 2 on the back surface F. These locking grooves 2c are engaged with first locking pieces G1 provided in the locking mechanism 3 to allow the rotating frame 2 to rotate a predetermined amount. In addition, connecting grooves 2d are arranged between adjacent locking grooves 2c, which do not engage with the first locking pieces G1 but connect the adjacent locking grooves 2c and form a movement path for the first locking pieces G1. Specifically, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4(c), eight locking grooves are provided, namely, a first locking groove 2c1, a second locking groove 2c2, a third locking groove 2c3, a fourth locking groove 2c4, a fifth locking groove 2c5, a sixth locking groove 2c6, a seventh locking groove 2c7, and an eighth locking groove 2c8, which are configured to have the same shape and the same size. 4(c), the locking groove 2c is shaped so that its upper right end is bent inward in an L-shape to connect with the connecting groove 2d, and its upper left end is not bent and connects with the connecting groove 2d. The connecting groove 2d is shaped so that its width is narrower than the locking groove 2c and its vertical width increases from the portion connected to the upper right end of the locking groove 2c toward the portion connected to the upper left end of the locking groove 2c.

[0020] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the width of the protrusion 2a is larger than the width of the notch 1a of the main body 1, and the width of the recess 2b is approximately the same as the width of the notch 1a of the main body 1. The material of the rotating frame 2 may be any material that has a certain level of strength, but if durability is taken into consideration, it is preferable to use a metal such as steel or stainless steel, and if manufacturing costs are taken into consideration, it is preferable to use the same material as the cover 1.

[0021] The locking mechanism part 3 forms the base of the receiving part 501 and has a mechanism that, when the rotating frame 2 is attached, allows the rotating frame 2 to rotate clockwise by a predetermined amount via the pressing force of the shaft-shaped member that forms the tip region P of the pressing part 301. The locking mechanism 3 is made up of a base 4 and a mechanism main body 5. In this embodiment, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the locking mechanism 3 has a generally disk-like shape as a whole.

[0022] The base 4 constitutes a foundation for placing the rotating frame 2 and the mechanism main body 5. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 4 and 5(c), the base 4 is formed from a thin, circular metal member having approximately the same diameter as the outer diameter of the rotating frame 2. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5(c), in the area of ​​the base 4 that overlaps with the area where the slide plate 53 of the mechanism main body 5 performs an arcuate motion, an arc-shaped slide groove 41 is provided with the other end of the slide plate 53 as the center point, and has a length approximately equal to the arc length of the arcuate motion of the slide plate 53. As shown in FIG. 5(c), the base 4 is provided with a spring fixing groove 42 formed as a through-hole having a substantially arc shape for fixing a spring 54 provided in the mechanism main body 5. Furthermore, there are provided a circular fixing through-hole 43 for crimping and fixing a fixing device M consisting of a metal cylindrical member for fixing the mechanism main body 5 to the base 4, and a circular screw insertion through-hole 44 for fixing a screw N for fixing the mechanism main body 5 to the base 4. The base 4 may be made of any material that has a certain level of strength, but in consideration of durability, it is preferable to use a metal such as steel or stainless steel. The diameter of the base 4 can be changed as needed, but is preferably set to about 4 cm.

[0023] The mechanism main body 5 is designed to enable the rotating frame 2 to rotate a predetermined amount clockwise via the pressing force of the shaft-shaped member that constitutes the tip region P of the pressing portion 301 when the rotating frame 2 is attached. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the mechanism body 5 is made up of a case 51, a pressing force transmitting section 52, a slide plate 53, a spring 54, and a second locking piece holder 55. In addition, in Figure 5, for the sake of convenience of explanation, all components shown in Figure 5(a) and all components except for the base 4 and components related to the base 4 in Figure 5(b) are shown in their shapes as viewed from the back side. The broken lines in FIG. 5 indicate that the members connected by the broken lines are fitted together and fixed.

[0024] The case 51 serves as a holder for storing and fixing various members that constitute the mechanism main body 5. The case 51 is made of a cylindrical resin member having a predetermined thickness and a generally circular shape when viewed from the front. 4, the upper center portion is provided with a notch 51a that can freely receive the shaft-shaped member that constitutes the tip region P of the pressing portion 301. Therefore, the width of the notch 51a needs to be larger than the width of the shaft-shaped member that constitutes the tip region P of the pressing portion 301. Furthermore, the case 51 is provided at predetermined positions with a plurality of circular protrusions 51b (two in this embodiment) for fitting and fixing various members that make up the mechanism main body 5. Furthermore, a plurality of circular through holes H (three in this embodiment) are provided for fixing the mechanism main body 5 to the base 4 by crimping with a fixing tool M. The case 51 may be made of any material that has a certain level of strength, but considering that the outer surfaces of the cover 1 and the rotating frame 2 are covered, and considering weight reduction and cost, it is desirable to use a resin material.

[0025] The pressing force transmitting portion 52 is a member for transmitting the pressing force from the shaft-shaped member constituting the tip region P of the pressing portion 301 to the slide plate 53 . In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5(a), the pressing force transmitting portion 52 is configured to use a resin member whose overall shape is substantially rectangular (approximately oblong) when viewed from the front. A substantially trapezoidal projection 52a is provided in the center of the front surface that contacts the tip region P of the pressing portion 301, and a projection 52b that presses the slide plate 53 is provided in the center of the back surface.

[0026] The slide plate 53 is a member that rotates the rotating frame 2 clockwise by a predetermined amount in response to the pressing force of the pressing portion 301 . In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the slide plate 53 is made up of a slide plate body 53a and a first locking piece holder 53b.

[0027] The slide plate body 53a forms the framework of the slide plate 53 and also forms a space for storing the first locking piece holder 53b. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the slide plate main body 53a is formed from a thin plate-like member made of metal and having a substantially rectangular (approximately oblong) shape. More specifically, the slide plate main body 53a is formed of a thin metal plate-like member having an opening Q formed by a pair of opposing side walls W at one end and a circular through-hole H at the other end that fits over the protrusion 51a of the case 51. This opening Q constitutes an entrance for receiving the first locking piece holder 53b into the slide plate main body 53a, with the pair of side walls W acting as so-called slide rails. Furthermore, one of the pair of opposing side walls W serves as a pressing surface that is pressed by the pressing force transmission part 52, and the other side wall W serves as an abutting surface that abuts against the tip of the spring 54. In addition, the opening Q also serves as a support wall for supporting the received first locking piece holder 53b. In this embodiment, the pair of side walls W includes a side wall W formed from near the through hole H to the tip of the opening Q side of the sliding plate main body 53a, and a side wall W formed near the tip on the opening Q side. More specifically, the side walls W are vertically erected from a pair of longitudinal sides of a substantially rectangular (approximately oblong) metal thin plate member. Here, the side wall W formed near the tip on the opening Q side needs to be at least long enough to abut against the tip of the spring 54 when the sliding plate main body 53a is attached to the case 51.

[0028] Furthermore, on the side of the opening Q, a substantially rectangular (approximately oblong) through-hole H is formed extending a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction of the slide plate main body 53a, and a protrusion T that fits into a hollow portion formed in the first locking piece holder 53b is provided at the end of this through-hole H opposite the opening Q. This protrusion T is caught on the first locking piece holder 53b when the first locking piece holder 53b is stored in the slide plate main body 53a, and serves to prevent the first locking piece holder 53b from falling out of the slide plate main body 53a. The material for forming the slide plate main body 53a is not limited to metal, and any material having a certain strength may be used, but considering durability, it is desirable to use metals such as steel or stainless steel.

[0029] The first locking piece holder 53b holds a locking piece that is to be locked in the locking groove 2c of the rotating frame 2. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 5, the first locking piece holder 53b is composed of a main body D1, a spring B1 stored inside the main body D1, and a first locking piece G1 that is spring-biased outward toward the mechanism main body 5 by the spring B1.

[0030] The main body D1 is housed within the slide plate main body 53 and is formed from a resin member having an approximately rectangular (nearly oblong) shape, and is used to store the spring B1 in an expandable and contractible manner in a hollow space provided inside. The material for forming the main body D1 is not limited to resin and can be changed as appropriate as long as it has a certain level of strength. However, taking into consideration weight reduction, cost, manufacturing efficiency, etc., it is desirable to use the same resin material as the case 51.

[0031] The first locking piece G1 has a tip portion which is locked into a locking groove 2c of the rotatable frame 2 to rotate the rotatable frame 2. In this embodiment, although not shown in detail, the first locking piece G1 is formed from a substantially T-shaped resin member whose tip portion has substantially the same shape and size as the locking groove 2c. In addition, as shown in Figure 4, the first locking piece G1 is attached to the main body D1 in a direction and angle that allows it to engage with the locking groove 2c when its tip portion engages with the locking groove 2c of the rotating frame 2. The first locking piece G1 is inserted into the main body D1 so that the tip portion thereof is exposed from the main body D1, and is biased outward from the mechanism main body 5 by a spring B1. Furthermore, as shown in a simplified manner in FIG. 5, a circular protrusion U that fits into the slide groove 41 of the base 4 and moves along the slide groove 41 is provided on the back surface of the first locking piece G1. As shown in Figure 4(a), the first locking piece G1 must have a shape and size that allows it to protrude from the outer periphery of the mechanism main body 5 when attached to the mechanism main body 5. Furthermore, the material for forming the first locking piece G1 is not limited to resin and can be changed as appropriate as long as it has a certain level of strength, but considering weight reduction, cost, manufacturing efficiency, etc., it is desirable to use the same resin material as the case 51 and main body D1.

[0032] The slide plate 53 having such a configuration is fixed by fitting the through hole H of the slide plate main body 53a into the protrusion 51a of the case 51, and when pressed by the pressure force transmission part 52, the first locking piece G1 can move in an arc within a predetermined range on the outer periphery of the mechanism main body 5, with the through hole H at the other end as a fulcrum.

[0033] The spring 54 is for biasing the slide plate 53 toward the pressing force transmitting portion 52 . In this embodiment, a so-called torsion coil spring is used as the spring 54, and one end is fitted into and fixed in the spring fixing groove 42 of the base 54, while the other end is abutted against the side wall W of the slide plate main body 53a of the slide plate 53.

[0034] The second locking piece holder 55 is intended to engage with any one of the remaining locking grooves 2c to prevent reverse rotation of the rotating frame 2 when the first locking piece G1 of the slide plate 53 is engaged with any one of the multiple locking grooves 2c provided on the rotating frame 2. The second locking piece holder 55 is made up of a main body D2, a spring B2, and a second locking piece G2.

[0035] The main body D2 is fitted and fixed to the mechanism main body 5, and is used to store the spring B2 in an expandable and contractible manner, and is formed from a thin plate-shaped resin member. A circular through-hole H is provided in a part of the main body D2 to fit with a protruding piece 51a provided on the case 51. A notch K is provided along the outer periphery, and a second locking piece G2 is provided to extend outward from this notch K. Furthermore, a spring B2, which is a thin, approximately U-shaped leaf spring that spring-biases the second locking piece G2 outward from the mechanism main body 5, is fitted and fixed between the notch K and the second locking piece G2. As shown in FIG. 5(b), the main body D2 in this embodiment is configured to be fitted and fixed to the same protrusion 51a as the protrusion 51a of the case 51 to which the slide plate main body 53a is fitted and fixed. Furthermore, the material for forming the main body D2 is not limited to resin and can be changed as appropriate as long as it has a certain level of strength. However, taking into consideration weight reduction, cost, manufacturing efficiency, etc., it is desirable to use the same resin material as the case 51.

[0036] The second locking piece G2 is engaged with the locking groove 2c to prevent the rotation frame 2 from rotating in the reverse direction. In this embodiment, the second locking piece G2 is formed of a resin member having substantially the same shape and size as the first locking piece G1 and the locking groove 2c. 4, the second locking piece G2 is arranged on the main body D2 in a direction and angle that allows it to be locked with the locking groove 2c when locked with the locking groove 2c of the rotating frame 2. As described above, the second locking piece G2 is biased outward from the mechanism main body 5 by the spring B2. As shown in Figure 4(a), the second locking piece G2 must have a shape and size that allows it to protrude from the outer periphery of the mechanism main body 5 when attached to the mechanism main body 5. Furthermore, the material for forming the second locking piece G2 is not limited to resin and can be changed as appropriate as long as it has a certain level of strength, but considering weight reduction, cost, manufacturing efficiency, etc., it is desirable to use the same resin material as the case 51, main body D1, and first locking piece G1.

[0037] The receiving part 501 according to this embodiment of the present invention can be formed by assembling each component of the mechanism main body 5 to the case 51, fixing the spring 54 to the base 4, and fixing the mechanism main body 5 to the base 4, and then attaching the rotating frame 2 to the locking mechanism part 3 with the locking groove 2c of the rotating frame 2 engaged with the first locking piece G1 and the second locking piece G2, and attaching the cover 1 to the locking mechanism part 3.

[0038] Next, with reference to FIG. 6, a basic movement when the receiving portion 501 having such a configuration is pressed by the pressing portion 301 will be described. For ease of explanation, in FIG. 6, components that would normally be shown with broken lines are shown with solid lines.

[0039] 6(a), pressing the pressing portion 301 in the direction of the black arrow presses the pressing force transmission portion 52 downward. As a result, as shown in FIG. 6(b), the sliding plate 53 is moved by the pressing force transmission portion 52 in a clockwise circular arc by a predetermined distance from the position when no pressing force is applied, indicated by the dashed line, with the center point of the through-hole W in the sliding plate main body 53a as the fulcrum C. At this time, the sliding plate 53 is moved in an arc along the sliding groove 41 against the biasing force of the spring 54. Thereafter, by releasing the pressure from the pressing portion 301 as shown by the black arrow in Fig. 6(b), the slide plate 53 moves counterclockwise in an arc along the slide groove 41 by a predetermined amount from the position shown by the dashed line due to the return force of the spring 54, returning to its initial position as shown in Fig. 6(c). In addition, the pressing force transmission portion 52 is also moved upward from the position shown by the dashed line due to the return force of the spring 54, returning to its initial position.

[0040] Next, with reference to FIGS. 7 to 9, the movement of the rotating frame 2 when the receiving portion 501 having such a configuration is pressed by the pressing portion 301 will be further described. For ease of explanation, components that would normally be shown with dashed lines are shown with solid lines in Figures 7 and 8. Also, illustration of pressing portion 301 is omitted in Figures 7(b), 8(b), and 8(c).

[0041] First, referring to FIG. 7(a), when the recess of the rotating frame 2 is positioned so that it overlaps with the notch 1a of the cover 1 and the notch 51a of the case 51, i.e., when the pressing portion 301 can be releasably fitted into the receiving portion 501, the pressing force transmission portion 52 is pressed downward by moving the pressing portion 301 in the direction indicated by the black arrow in the left diagram of FIG. 7(a). As a result, the sliding plate 53 starts to move in an arc by the pressing force transmission portion 52, as shown in FIG. 7(b). At this time, the first locking piece G1 of the sliding plate 53 is engaged with the third locking groove 2c3 of the locking grooves 2c provided on the back surface of the rotating frame 2, and therefore the rotating frame 2 starts to rotate clockwise by a predetermined amount by the first locking piece G1, as shown in FIG. 7(b). Furthermore, as the rotating frame 2 rotates, the second locking piece G2 changes position from being locked with the seventh locking groove 2c7 to being in contact with the connecting groove 2d that connects the seventh locking groove 2c7 and the sixth locking groove 2c6. At this time, because the connecting groove 2d is narrower than the second locking piece G2, the second locking piece G2 comes into contact with the connecting groove 2d while being pressed against the inside of the mechanism main body 5.

[0042] Thereafter, the pressing force transmission part 52 is pressed to the lowest position by the pressing force of the pressing part 301, and as a result, the arcuate motion of the slide plate 53 is stopped and the rotation of the rotatable frame 2 by the first locking piece G1 is also stopped, as shown in Fig. 8(a). At this time, the third locking groove 2c3 is rotated to the position where the fourth locking groove 2c4 was originally located. Additionally, the second locking piece G2 is locked with the sixth locking groove 2c6. 8(a), the protrusion 2a of the rotating frame 2 moves to a position where it overlaps with the notch 1a of the cover 1 and the notch 51a of the case 51. In other words, the pressing portion 301 is inseparably fitted with the receiving portion 501.

[0043] 8(b), the pressing force of the pressing unit 301 on the pressing force transmission unit 52 is released, and the slide plate 53 starts to move back to its original position due to the return force of the spring 54. At this time, the first locking piece G1 of the slide plate 53 starts to move counterclockwise in an arc from the third locking groove 2c3 through the connecting groove 2d to the second locking groove 2c2 of the locking grooves 2c provided on the back surface of the rotating frame 2. Note that because the connecting groove 2d is narrower than the first locking piece G1, the first locking piece G1 moves while being pressed against the inside of the mechanism main body 5 as it passes through the connecting groove 2d. Then, as shown in FIG. 8(c), the slide plate 53 returns to its original position due to the restoring force of the spring 54, and the first locking piece G1 is locked with the second locking groove 2c2. 8(c), the protrusion 2a of the rotating frame 2 has still moved to a position where it overlaps with the notch 1a of the cover 1 and the notch 51a of the case 51. In other words, the pressing portion 301 is in a state of being irremovably fitted into the receiving portion 501.

[0044] As a result of the above, the operation is completed from a state in which the recessed portion of the rotating frame 2 is in a position overlapping with the notch 1a of the cover 1 and the notch 51a of the case 51, i.e., a state in which the pressing portion 301 can be releasably fitted into the receiving portion 501, to a state in which the protruding portion 2a of the rotating frame 2 has moved to a position overlapping with the notch 1a of the cover 1 and the notch 51a of the case 51, i.e., a state in which the pressing portion 301 is irremovably fitted into the receiving portion 501.

[0045] After this, as shown in Figure 9, each time the pressing portion 301 is pressed, the same operation as above can be performed to alternate between a state in which the pressing portion 301 can be releasably engaged with the receiving portion 501 and a state in which the pressing portion 301 is irremovably engaged with the receiving portion 501.

[0046] The folding electric skater 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention configured as described above has the following advantages.

[0047] Each time the pressing portion 301 presses the pressing force transmission portion 52, the rotating frame 2 is rotated clockwise by a predetermined amount, and the rotating frame 2 alternately stops at a position where the recessed portion 2b of the rotating frame 2 overlaps with the notch 1a of the cover 1 and the notch 51a of the case 51, and stops at a position where the protruding portion 2a of the rotating frame 2 overlaps with the notch 1a of the cover 1 and the notch 51a of the case 51. As a result, when the recessed portion 2b of the rotating frame 2 overlaps with the notch 1a of the cover 1 and the notch 51a of the case 51, the pressing portion 301 releasably fits with the receiving portion 501, and the connection between the handle shaft 300 and the seat support pillar 500 can be released. In other words, the folded state of the handle shaft 300 and the seat support pillar 500 can be released. On the other hand, when the protrusion 2a of the rotating frame 2 overlaps with the notch 1a of the cover 1 and the notch 51a of the case 51, the pressing portion 301 is irremovably fitted into the receiving portion 501, and the connected state of the handle shaft 300 and the seat support pillar 500 can be maintained. In other words, the folded state of the handle shaft 300 and the seat support pillar 500 cannot be released, and the handle shaft 300 in the folded state is fixed to the seat support pillar 500 in the folded state. Therefore, by simply performing the slight action of pressing the pressing portion 301, the folding electric skater 100 can easily, quickly, and reliably fasten and release the handle shaft 300 and the seat support pillar 500 in the folded state. Therefore, the folding electric skater 100 can be made highly maneuverable and convenient.

[0048] Furthermore, both the first locking piece G1 and the second locking piece G2 are spring-biased outward from the mechanism main body 5, and are made to have approximately the same shape and size as the slide groove 2c, and are further arranged in a direction and angle that allows them to engage with the locking groove 2c.In addition, the width of the connecting groove 2d is narrower than the width of the locking groove 2c, so that simply by rotating the rotating frame 2, the first locking piece G1 and the second locking piece G2 can be easily and reliably engaged with the desired locking groove 2c. Therefore, the receiving portion 501 can be made to have excellent operability.

[0049] Furthermore, by providing the pair of side walls W on the sliding plate main body 53a, the sliding plate main body 53a can be easily and reliably received in the first locking piece holder 53b simply by sliding the first locking piece holder 53b into the sliding plate main body 53a. Furthermore, by providing a configuration in which the side walls W are erected vertically from a pair of longitudinal sides of a substantially rectangular (approximately oblong) metal thin plate member, one side wall W can be used as a pressing surface that is pressed by the pressing force transmission part 52, and the other side wall W can be used as an abutting surface that abuts against the tip of the spring 54, despite the simple configuration. Additionally, the side walls W can also be used as support walls for supporting the received first locking piece holder 53b. Furthermore, by providing the protrusion T on the slide plate main body 53a, when the first locking piece holder 53b is stored in the slide plate main body 53a, the protrusion T becomes caught on the first locking piece holder 53b, effectively preventing the first locking piece holder 53b from falling out of the slide plate main body 53a.

[0050] Furthermore, by providing the locking mechanism 3 with the second locking piece G2, the receiving portion 501 can be made to be able to prevent the rotatable frame 2 from rotating in the reverse direction even more reliably. Furthermore, by configuring the main body D2 having the second locking piece G2 to be fitted and fixed to the same protrusion 51a of the case 51 as the protrusion 51a to which the slide plate main body 53a is fitted and fixed, the total number of protrusions 51a provided on the case 51 can be reduced, thereby achieving cost savings and, by efficiently arranging each component to be placed in the case 51, the case 51 can be made smaller.

[0051] Furthermore, by providing the slide groove 41 on the base 4, the arcuate movement of the slide plate 53 can be performed with even greater precision.

[0052] The shape, size, number, etc. of the locking groove 2c, the first locking piece G1, and the second locking piece G2 are not limited to those of this embodiment, and can be changed appropriately to match the size and shape of the receiving portion 501 as long as the locking groove 2c can be locked with the first locking piece G1 and the second locking piece G2. Furthermore, in the embodiment of the present invention, the cover 1, rotating frame 2, and locking mechanism 3 that constitute the receiving part 501 are configured to have circular outer shapes, but this is not necessarily limited to such a configuration. For example, the outer shape of at least one of the cover, rotating frame, and locking mechanism may be square (rectangular), or may be a shape other than square. In other words, the outer shapes of the cover, rotating frame, and locking mechanism that constitute the receiving part may be any shape as long as they are configured to allow the rotating frame to rotate a predetermined amount in either the clockwise or counterclockwise direction when the rotating frame is attached via the pressing force of the shaft-shaped member (pressing part) that is fitted into the receiving part. Furthermore, in the embodiment of the present invention, the receiving portion 501 is configured so that the rotatable frame 2 rotates in the same direction as the clockwise direction, but the rotatable frame 2 may be configured so that it rotates counterclockwise instead. Furthermore, in the embodiment of the present invention, the handle shaft 300 is provided with a pressing portion 301, and the seat support pillar 500 is provided with a receiving portion 501. However, this is not necessarily limited to such a configuration, and it is also possible to provide a receiving portion on the handle shaft and a pressing portion on the seat support pillar. Furthermore, in the embodiment of the present invention, a three-wheeled folding electric skater is used, but a two-wheeled folding electric skater may also be used. [Industrial Applicability]

[0053] According to the present invention, in a folding electric skater in which the handle shaft and the seat support pillar can be folded toward the footboard side, the handle shaft and the seat support pillar can be easily fixed and released in the folded state, which has high industrial applicability in the field of folding electric skaters. [Explanation of symbols]

[0054] 1 cover 1a Notch 2 Rotating Frames 2a Convex part 2b Recess 2c Locking groove 2c1 First locking groove 2c2 Second locking groove 2c3 Third locking groove 2c4 Fourth locking groove 2c5 Fifth locking groove 2c6 Sixth locking groove 2c7 Seventh locking groove 2c8 Eighth locking groove 2d connecting groove 3 Locking mechanism 4 Foundation 5 Mechanism main body 41 Slide groove 42 Spring fixing groove 43 Fixing through hole 44 Screw insertion through hole 51 cases 51a Notch 51b Projection piece 52 Pressing force transmission section 52a protrusion 52b Projection piece 53 Slide plate 53a Slide plate body 53b First locking piece holder 54 Spring 55 Second locking piece holder 100 Folding Electric Skater 200 handle 300 Handle shaft 301 Pressing part 302 Folding lever 400 seat 401 Slide groove 500 Seat support column 501 Receiving Department 502 Folding lever 600 Tread 700 tires B1 spring B2 spring C fulcrum D1 main unit D2 main unit E Front F Back G1 First locking piece G2 Second locking piece H through hole K notch M Fixture N screw P Tip area Q Opening S slide plate T protrusion U protrusion W side wall

Claims

1. a rotating frame having a plurality of recesses that allow the shaft to pass through and a plurality of protrusions that prevent the shaft from passing through, arranged alternately in the circumferential direction of the front surface; and a locking mechanism that, when the rotating frame is attached, allows the rotating frame to rotate a predetermined amount in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction via the pressing force of the shaft that is engaged with the receiving part.

2. The rotating frame is composed of an annular member, and the locking mechanism comprises at least a substantially circular mechanism body having a predetermined thickness that allows the rotating frame to be attached to its outer periphery, and the mechanism body has a notch that can receive a pressing part so that it can move back and forth, and the notch contains a pressing force transmission part that is pressed by the pressing part, and a first locking piece that protrudes from the outer periphery of the mechanism body and is spring-biased outward from the mechanism body at one end, and the other end is fixed within the mechanism body, and when pressed by the pressing force transmission part, the first locking piece can move in an arc within a predetermined range on the outer periphery of the mechanism body, with the other end as a fulcrum.

2. The folding electric skater of claim 1, comprising: a thin sliding plate; and a spring that biases the sliding plate toward the pressing force transmission part; the rotating frame has a plurality of locking grooves arranged at predetermined intervals around the circumferential direction of the rotating frame on its underside. The locking grooves engage with the first locking pieces of the sliding plate, allowing the rotating frame to rotate a predetermined amount in response to the arcuate movement of the sliding plate that occurs when a pressing force is applied to the pressing force transmission part, and connecting grooves are arranged between adjacent locking grooves without engaging with the first locking pieces.

3. 3. The foldable electric skater according to claim 2, wherein a second locking piece protrudes from the outer periphery of the mechanism body and is adapted to lock with one of the remaining locking grooves to prevent reverse rotation of the rotating frame when the first locking piece of the sliding plate is locked with one of the plurality of locking grooves provided on the rotating frame, and the second locking piece is spring-biased outward from the mechanism body.

4. 4. The folding electric skater according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a base on which the rotating frame and the mechanism main body are placed, the base being made of a thin, circular member having approximately the same diameter as the outer diameter of the rotating frame, and the base has an arc-shaped sliding groove with the other end of the sliding plate as its center point in an area of ​​the base that overlaps with the area where the sliding plate makes its arc-shaped movement, the arc-shaped sliding groove having a length approximately the same as the length of the arc where the sliding plate makes its arc-shaped movement, and a protrusion that fits into the sliding groove is provided on the back surface of the sliding plate.

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