Abstract:
A wheeled vehicle includes a platform mounted between a front wheel assembly and a rear wheel assembly. The rear wheel assembly includes a speed control assembly that comprises a pedal, a shoe mounted to the pedal and a spring arranged to bias the shoe away from a rear wheel. The pedal is arranged so that a person standing on the platform may press on the pedal with one foot to move the shoe into contact with the real wheel to produce friction for controlling the speed of the wheeled vehicle.

Description:
[0001]    CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
         [0002]    Applicant claims the benefit of US Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/230,349, filed Sep. 6, 2000 for Scooter. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    This invention relates to a vehicle commonly known as a scooter.  
           [0004]    SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
           [0005]    A wheeled vehicle according to the invention includes a platform mounted between a front wheel assembly and a rear wheel assembly. The rear wheel assembly includes a speed control assembly that comprises a pedal, a shoe mounted to the pedal and a spring arranged to bias the shoe away from a rear wheel. The pedal is arranged so that a person standing on the platform may press on the pedal with one foot to move the shoe into contact with the real wheel to produce friction for controlling the speed of the wheeled vehicle.  
           [0006]    The rear wheel assembly preferably includes a rear fender with the pedal being arranged to extend through a hole in the rear fender and the spring having an end mounted to the rear fender.  
           [0007]    The wheeled vehicle preferably further includes a brake light assembly mounted in the rear fender with the brake light assembly including a light source arranged to turn on when pressure is applied to the pedal. The brake light assembly preferably includes a push button on-off switch arranged to be actuated by the pedal. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a scooter according to the present invention;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of a scooter according to the present invention;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 is a right side elevation view of a scooter according to the present invention;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4 is a rear elevation view of a scooter according to the present invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of a scooter according to the present invention;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a scooter according to the present invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIGS. 7 and 8 are perspective views of a rear fender that may be included in a scooter according to the present invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 9 is a side elevation view of the rear fender of FIGS. 7 and 8 with part of the rear fender being cut away to show a brake assembly and a brake light assembly mounted in the rear fender;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIGS. 10 and 11 are perspective views of a brake assembly that may be included in the rear fender shown in FIGS.  7 - 9 ;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a front portion of a scooter according to the present invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 13 is a side elevation view of the front portion shown in FIG. 12;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 14 is a top plan view of the front portion shown in FIGS. 12 and 13;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 15 is a top plan view of a platform that may be included in a scooter according to the present invention;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 16 is a side elevation view of the platform of FIG. 15;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the platform of FIGS. 15 and 16; and  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a portion of a handlebar assembly that may be included in a scooter according to the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0024]    The prior art is replete with descriptions of scooters and other two wheeled vehicles. However, the present invention is directed to features that the prior art fails to disclose or suggest and that make the scooter according to the present invention more enjoyable to use.  
         [0025]    Referring to FIGS.  1 - 6 , a scooter  10  according to the present invention includes a platform  12  mounted between a front wheel assembly  14  and a rear fender  16 . A steering column  18  extends upward away from the front wheel assembly  14 . A handlebar  20  is mounted to the upper end  22  of the steering column  18 .  
         [0026]    Referring to FIGS.  1 - 3 , and  6 - 11 , a pedal  30  extends through an opening  32  in a front portion  34  of the rear fender  16 . The pedal  30  is a part of a speed control assembly  35  that also includes a spring  36  and a shoe  38 . The pedal  30  and the shoe  38  are mounted on opposite sides of the spring  36  near a first end  40 . A plurality of holes  42  is formed in the spring  36  near the opposite end  44 . Fasteners  46  are inserted in the holes  42  and used to secure the speed control assembly  35  to the rear fender  16  with the spring  36  extending rearward.  
         [0027]    A rear wheel  50  is mounted in the rear fender so that an upper portion of the rear wheel  50  is near the lower surface of the shoe  38 . A person riding the scooter  10  presses on the pedal  30  with one foot to actuate the speed control assembly  35 . Downward pressure on the pedal  30  engages the lower surface of the shoe  38  with the adjacent surface  52  of the rear wheel  50  to produce friction for controlling the speed of the scooter  10 .  
         [0028]    The location of the pedal  30  allows a person riding the scooter  10  to put most of his weight on one foot placed behind the pedal  30 , which allows the rider to lift the front wheel and ride only on the rear wheel (“wheelie”). A fender extension may be added to facilitate this maneuver.  
         [0029]    Referring now to FIG. 9, the scooter  10  may also include a light that turns on and off depending on the pressure applied to the pedal  30 . A battery powered light source  54  such a light emitting diode (LED) or a laser is mounted in the rear fender  16 . The light source  54  includes a push-button on-off switch  56 . A light switch actuator spring  58  is connected to the brake spring  36  and arranged so that downward rotation of the brake spring  36  causes an end  60  of the light switch actuator spring  58  to move upward and actuate the switch  56 . Removal of pressure from the brake pedal  30  disengages the end  60  of the spring  58  from the light switch, which turns off the light. The light source  54  may provide either a continuously on light or a flashing light as long as it is turned on.  
         [0030]    Referring now to FIGS. 7, 8, and  12 - 17 , the platform  12 , the front wheel  14  and the rear fender  16  may be formed as separate modules that are then assembled together. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the rear fender includes horizontal support members  70  and  71  and vertical support members  72  and  73 . An axle hole  76  is formed in the rear fender assembly at the junction of the horizontal support member  70  and the vertical support member  72 . In like manner, an axle hole  77  is formed in the rear fender assembly at the junction of the horizontal support member  71  and the vertical support member  73 .  
         [0031]    A projection  80  extends from the front portion of the rear fender assembly  16 . The projection  80  is formed to fit inside a recess  82  in the rear end of the platform  12 . Fasteners such as bolts or screws (not shown) are used to secure the rear fender assembly  16  and the platform  12  together.  
         [0032]    A flexible rear bumper may be added to the rear fender. As shown in FIG. 7, the rear fender may include a recess  84  into which a battery powered tail light may be mounted.  
         [0033]    Referring to FIGS.  1 - 6 , the front assembly  14  includes a front fender  90 , a fork  92  and a front wheel  94  mounted to the fork  92 .  
         [0034]    Referring to FIGS.  12 - 14 , the front assembly  14  includes a steering column support ring  100  that has a hole  102  therein for receiving the steering column  18 . The lower end of the steering column  18  extends through the hole  102  to be secured to the top of the front fender  90  so that turning movements of the steering column are transferred to the front wheel.  
         [0035]    A yoke  104  extends from the column support ring  100 . A projection  106  extends from an end  108  of the yoke  104 . The projection  106  is formed to fit inside a recess  110  in the rear end of the platform  12 . Fasteners such as bolts or screws (not shown) are used to secure the front assembly  14  and the platform  12  together.  
         [0036]    The platform  12  is formed generally as an elongate rectangle when viewed seen in the top plan view of FIG. 15. As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the platform is relatively thin in relation to its length. For example, the platform could have a length of about 24″ and a thickness of about 0.5 to 1″. The platform  12  includes a holes  115 - 118  that are used to mount the platform  12  to the front and rear assemblies  12  and  16 , respectively.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 17 shows the bottom side of the platform  12 . A pair of grind plates  120  and  122  is mounted to the bottom of the platform  12  via suitable fasteners such as screws or bolts. It is anticipated that users of the scooter  10  will cause the grind plates  120  and  122  to rub (grind) against curbs, steps, stair rails and the like. The grind plates  120  and  122  are replaceable and are preferably formed of a substance such a polyolefin etc. that facilitates sliding.  
         [0038]    The handle bar  20  is mounted to the top of the steering column  18 . Referring to FIG. 18, a handlebar assembly  130  includes a lens  132  that covers a cavity  134  in which a battery powered headlight is mounted. Lights used in the scooter  10  are commercially available.  
         [0039]    The steering column  18  may be hinged mounted so that it can be folded to be generally parallel to the platform  12  as shown in FIG. 2. The hinged connection may also include a commercially available lock.  
         [0040]    The scooter  10  may include a front suspension that includes a coil spring to reduce bouncing and to reduce forces transmitted to the rider from the steering column  18 .