Abstract:
A power scooter, in which the base frame defines a battery chamber, which holds a storage battery, and the footplate on which the power scoter rider stands is pivoted to the base frame and can be turned relative to the base frame to close/open the battery chamber.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to power scooters and, more particularly, to a frame structure for a power scooter.  
           [0002]    [0002]FIGS. 1 and 2 show a combination frame structure for kick scooter according to the U.S. patent Ser. No. 09/885,766. this combination frame structure is comprised of a base frame supported on a rear wheel, the base frame having two parallel side frame plates, a bottom plate connected between the side frame plates, supported on a rear wheel, a mounting frame fixedly fastened to the base frame remote from the rear wheel, a plurality of screw bolts fastened to the side frame plates of the base frame and the mounting frame to secure the mounting frame and the side frame plates together, and a head tube and handlebar assembly pivoted to the mounting frame and holding a front wheel. According to this design, a motor drive system can be installed in the base frame and controlled to drive the rear wheel. However, when a motor drive system is installed in the base frame, the storage battery of the motor drive system is exposed to the outside and tends to be damaged. FIG. 3 shows a power scooter according to the prior art. This structure of power scooter has a footplate A fixedly fastened to the base frame C by screws B to close the battery chamber. When battery low, the footplate A must be opened so that the user can be accessible to the storage battery in the battery chamber. However, because the footplate is fixedly fastened to the base frame C by screws B, it is complicated to open the footplate.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is one object of the present invention to provide a power scooter frame structure, which uses the footplate to protect the storage battery. It is another object of the present invention to provide a power scooter frame structure, which has its footplate openable, so that the user can conveniently get to the storage battery to charge the storage or to replace it. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0004]    [0004]FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a combination frame structure for kick scooter according to the U.S. patent Ser. No. 09/885,766.  
         [0005]    [0005]FIG. 2 is a perspective assembly view of the combination frame structure for kick scooter of FIG. 1.  
         [0006]    [0006]FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a power scooter constructed according to the prior art.  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a power scooter frame structure according to the present invention.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 5 is an assembly view of the present invention, showing the footplate closed.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 5 but showing the footplate opened.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 7 shows an alternate form of the power scooter frame structure according to the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0011]    Referring to FIGS. From  4  through  6 , a power scooter frame structure in accordance with the present invention is generally comprised of a head tube and handlebar assembly  2 , a mounting frame  3 , and a base frame  4 . The head tube and handlebar assembly  2  is supported on a front wheel  22 , having a connecting bar  21  obliquely extended from the head tube thereof. The base frame  4  has its rear side supported on a rear wheel  5 , and its front side coupled to the head tube and handlebar assembly  2 . The mounting frame  3  is connected between the front side of the base frame  4  and the connecting bar  21  of the head tube and handlebar assembly  2 . The mounting frame  3  comprises two sector-like side plates  31  arranged in parallel. The sector-like side plates  31  are fastened to the base frame  4 . The connecting bar  21  of the head tube and handlebar assembly  2  is connected between the sector-like side plates  31  of the mounting frame  3 .  
         [0012]    The base frame  4  is comprised of two parallel side frame plates  41 , and a bottom plate  42 . The side frame plates  41  are fastened together by screw bolts  43 . The bottom plate  42  is horizontally supported on the screw bolts  43  between the side frame plates  41 . Further, the side frame plates  41  have respective front and rear sides curved inwards such that a narrow open is respectively provided at the front side as well as the rear side of the base frame  4  between the side frame plates  41  for receiving the mounting frame  3  and the rear wheel  5 . A storage battery  46  is replaceably mounted on the bottom plate  4  between the side frame plates  41  (the side frame plates  41  and the bottom plate  42  define a battery chamber adapted to hold the storage battery  46 ), and adapted to provide the necessary working voltage to the motor (not shown) of the power scooter. A footplate  6  is covered on the base frame  4  to protect the storage battery  46  and to keep the storage battery  46  from sight. The footplate  6  has a forked front side  61  pivoted to the sector-like side plates  31  of the mounting frame  3 . Because the footplate  6  is pivoted to the sector-like side plates  31  of the mounting frame  3 , it can be opened from the base frame  4  when charging or replacing the storage battery  46 .  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 7 shows an alternate form of the present invention. According to this alternate form, the footplate  7  is hinged to one side frame plate  41  of the base frame  4  by hinges  71 , and turned to close/open the battery storage chamber defined between the side frame plates  41  and the bottom plate  42 .  
         [0014]    A prototype of power scooter has been constructed with the features of FIGS.  4 ˜ 7 . The power scooter functions smoothly to provide all of the features discussed earlier.  
         [0015]    Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.