Patent ID: 6173981
Filing Date: 2001-01-16
Classification: B62K,B62M,Y10T

Abstract:
A pedal-operated vehicle comprising:a frame;a front wheel and a rear wheel, the front and rear wheels being rotatably mounted to the frame;first and second independently operable pedals reciprocatingly mounted to the frame so as to be capable of upward and downward movementa drive means comprising first and second shafts having coincident axes which are rotatatably mounted to the frame, the first shaft being operably connected to the first and second pedals so that downward movement of either pedal imparts torque to the first shaft in a first rotational direction and upward movement of either pedal imparts no torque to the first shaft, and the second shaft being operably connected to the rear wheel and selectively engageable with the first shaft, wherein the drive means can be selectively placed in engaged and disengaged modes, and wherein (i) in the engaged mode, the second shaft is engaged with the first shaft so that rotation of the first shaft in the first rotational direction rotates the second shaft and rear wheel in the first rotational direction, and downward movement of either pedal thereby imparts torque to the rear wheel in the first rotational direction to propel the vehicle forward and upward movement of either pedal imparts no torque to the rear wheel, the first shaft as well as the second shaft and rear wheel being substantially nonrotatable in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction, and (ii) in the disengaged mode the second shaft is disengaged from the first shaft so that the second shaft and rear wheel are freely rotatable in the second rotational direction as well as in the first rotational direction; anda control means including a cable which can be manipulated by a user of the vehicle to selectively place the drive means in the engaged mode or disengaged mode.