Patent ID: 9708029
Date: 2017-07-18
CPC Classifications: B62K,B62M

Claim:
1. A stepper scooter, comprising: a frame; at least one drive wheel rotatably mounted to the frame, the wheel having an associated drive sprocket, the drive sprocket configured to drive the wheel in a forward direction only and to free wheel in a reverse direction; a laterally arranged rocker bar assembly pivotally connected to the frame, the rocker bar assembly having at least one rocker guide wheel; at least one frame guide wheel rotatably connected to the frame; step pads, configured for supporting the two feet of a user, are connected to the laterally arranged rocker bar assembly one at each lateral end of the rocker bar assembly, wherein alternating straight vertical movement of the step pads causes the rocker bar assembly to reciprocally pivot and the at least one rocker guide wheel to raise and lower in alternating fashion; at least one drive chain having a first end fixed to the frame, and a second end held taught by the frame but movable, the drive chain being wrapped over the at least one rocker guide wheel, wrapped under the at least one frame guide wheel and wrapped over and around the at least one drive sprocket; and wherein alternate raising and lowering of the at least one rocker guide wheel causes the at least one drive chain to circulate in opposite directions at the at least one drive sprocket, which causes rotation of the at least one drive wheel only in the forward direction; and wherein the rocker bar assembly comprises two rocker bars that are spaced apart vertically substantially in parallel, a vertically-extending center member carried by the frame, and two step pad connectors which support the step pads, wherein the two rocker bars are operatively pivotally connected to the vertically-extending center member of the frame and at each end to a step pad connector, forming four bar linkages with the center member and each step pad connector.