Abstract:
A leg scooter device having a platform to receive the foot of a user that is positioned between forward and aft wheels. An ascending member extends above the platform and contacts the lower leg of a user during use. It is through the lower leg&#39;s contact with the ascending member and the placement of one or both of the user&#39;s feet on the platform that the user “senses” the devices and controls it. The ascending member may be movable and/or configured to be biased toward contact with the user. Various embodiments are disclosed.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a “leg scooter”, i.e., a scooter that is not controlled by a vertically ascending handlebar but rather through connection to a rider&#39;s lower leg. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Various scooters are known in the art. Conventional scooters typically have a substantially horizontal foot platform, a vertically ascending handlebar, and front and rear wheels. In one conventional embodiment, there is a single front wheel and a handlebar connected to the wheel. Turning of the scooter is achieved by turning the handlebar which then turns the front wheel. 
     In another conventional embodiment, there are two substantially parallel front wheels that are pivotally connected to the foot platform such that a tilting of the platform achieves a turning of the paired front wheels. These types of scooters may have a vertically ascending handlebar that terminates in a ball grip or the like. The ball grip provides a secure connection between the rider and scooter, permit the rider to initiate leaning (and turning) and forward and rearward movement of the scooter relative to the rider. 
     What is lacking in the prior art is a scooter device that is operable without the use of hands or a vertically ascending handlebar. Hands free operation provides the convenience of having one&#39;s hands free (to carry objects, signal others, use mobile communication or music devices, etc.) and creates a different riding experience, among other benefits (more akin to surfing). 
     It should be recognized that there are skateboard devices that permit hands-free board skating, yet skate boards are a different devices. They typically have four small wheels (a front pair and a rear pair) and a platform elevated above the wheel pivot shafts. The elevated platform may be less stable than a lower platform and is more dangerous to fall off of. Further, the small wheels are more readily stopped by small stones and cracks/irregularities in a surface, and thus, they are quite limited in where they can be used. The larger wheels of scooters makes them more universally usable, among other features. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a leg scooter device that affords a hands-free scooter experience. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide such a hands-free experience with sufficiently secure connection from rider to the platform to assure appropriate device control and safety. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a lower leg contact structure instead of a vertically ascending control handle to facilitate such control. 
     These and related objects of the present invention are achieved by use of a leg scooter device as described herein. 
     The attainment of the foregoing and related advantages and features of the invention should be more readily apparent to those skilled in the art, after review of the following more detailed description of the invention taken together with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1 and 2  are a side elevation and a perspective view of a leg scooter in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a side elevation view of another embodiment of a leg scooter in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a view of another embodiment of a leg scooter in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a leg scooter having two parallel front wheels in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIGS. 6 and 7  are perspective views of another embodiment of a leg scooter, in the extended and collapse positions, in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , one embodiment of a leg scooter device  100  in accordance with the present invention is shown. Scooter device  100  may include a frame  101 , a foot platform or surface  102  coupled to the frame, a front wheel  110  and a rear wheel  111 , and a leg engaging structure (LES)  120  coupled toward a forward portion of frame  101 . Frame  101  is preferably an elongated rigid structure oriented in the direction of travel. 
     Foot surface  102  may be formed integrally with frame  101  or as a separate component that is affixed thereto. Surface  102  may be substantially flat. It may be configured to permit a user to position both feet on the surface, as a rider might in a conventional scooter. Alternatively, frame  101  and foot surface  102  may be of a different size, yet of sufficient length to support at least one of the rider&#39;s feet, and may have a width comparable to that of the average rider&#39;s foot, or other. Rear wheel  111  is coupled toward the rear of frame  101 , and in this embodiment, is a standard wheel. 
     Front wheel  110  is preferably coupled toward the front of frame  101 . In the embodiments of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , front wheel  110  is a caster wheel mounted on an incline or tilted so as to be biased toward a forward-facing position. The inclined or biased direction caster  110  is coupled to frame  101  such that as the surface  102  and frame  101  are tilted lateral (from side to side) , the front wheel pivots thus turning the scooter device without a handlebar. The amount of turn that results from a given amount of tilt depends on the degree of incline of the caster (as is known). 
     In the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the front wheel is preferably a caster and the rear wheel is a standard wheel mounted directly to the frame, but in other possible embodiments, the front and rear wheels may be configured differently, according to methods known in the art. 
     LES  120  may include an ascending member  121  and a leg contacting surface  122 . Ascending member  121  may be formed in an elongated curved shape, or other shape, and extend upwardly (vertically or diagonally) toward a riders lower leg. The ascending member  121  may be coupled to a forward portion of frame  101  at a position in front of foot surface  102  and behind front wheel  110 , or other. Leg contact surface  122  is the inward-facing surface of an end piece or leg contact member  123  coupled to the upper end of ascending member  121 . Thus leg contact surface  122  is disposed at a height where it can contact the front of the rider&#39;s lower leg. Various other implementations of the leg contact surface and ascending member are possible without deviating from the present invention. These alternatives may include providing a leg contact member  123  which is pivotably coupled to the ascending member to better fit with a rider&#39;s leg, or a leg contact surface which is continuous with the ascending member without a distinct end piece. 
     Leg contact surface  122  have a slight concave curvature and/or have a recess, at least in part, to receive and the leg of a rider, and may be made of or have an outer material that is soft or yielding for comfort, and/or selected to provide friction, such as rubberized materials. 
     To propel the vehicle, a rider preferably stands with one foot  61  (drawn in phantom lines) on foot surface  102  and pushes against the ground with the other foot  62 . When gliding, the propelling foot may also rest fully or partially upon the foot support surface, depending on the size of the foot support surface. 
     In the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-2 , the toe  63  of the propelling foot may rest upon the rear portion of foot support surface  102  (as shown in  FIG. 1 ), with the heel  64  near brake  140 . During use, the rider can press his/her forward leg  65  against contact surface  122 , providing direct connection to and control of the scooter by the legs and lower torso of a rider. This control may be similar to that provided by a handle bar, yet is different in that it is generated primarily through the more powerful lower torso, rather than the upper torso. This, in turn, may create a riding experience more resembling surfing. 
     The leg contact surface  122  may have a curvature such that there is contact with the left and right sides of the rider&#39;s leg. These areas of side contact or partial side contact  122 A,  122 B, in addition to friction from the larger area of contact on the front of the leg, enable LES  120  to securely and/or sufficiently connect to the leg  65  of the rider. Without LES  120  or the like, it may be difficult for a rider to keep the vehicle laterally stable. 
     The base  124  of LES  120  may include an anchoring structure  131  affixed to frame  101 . Ascending member  121  is coupled to anchoring structure  131  through a joint  130  which enables it to pivot substantially in the fore-and-aft plane to allow for changes in angle of the rider&#39;s lower leg  65  while riding. Joint  130  preferably does not allow for substantial side-to-side movement relative to frame  101 . A flexible rod or cushion  132  may be coupled at its upper end to ascending member  121  and at its lower end to anchoring structure  131  (as shown in the figure), for biasing LES  120  toward a certain position. When the rider bends his knee, effectively pushing the ascending member  121  to pivot slightly forward, flexible cushion  132  resists the change in position so that leg contact surface  122  remains in contact with the rider&#39;s leg and continues to provide stabilization and/or connection. 
     Other embodiments may have other mechanisms for biasing the LES toward a certain position. Alternately, the ascending member  121  may be formed from a slightly flexible material, eliminating the need for additional spring or supplemental resilient member. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , another embodiment of a leg scooter device  200  in accordance with the present invention is shown. Scooter device  200  may include a frame  201 , a foot platform or surface  202 , a front wheel  210 , a rear wheel  211 , and LES  220 . Unlike the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , LES  220  of this embodiment is configured, relative to the frame, to contact the back side of a rider&#39;s leg. In the embodiment of  FIG. 3 , LES  220  is coupled toward a rear portion of frame  201 , rearward of foot surface  202  and forward of rear wheel  211 , though it may be elsewhere coupled. LES  220  may have a joint  230 , analogous to joint  130  of  FIG. 1 , but oriented in the opposite direction. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , another embodiment of a leg scooter device  300  in accordance with the present invention is shown. The LES  320  of leg scooter  300  preferably has primary contact with the side of a rider&#39;s leg, more so than the front or back of the leg. Depending on whether LES  320  is coupled to the left or right side of the scooter, and depending on the rider&#39;s preference for a propulsion leg, leg contact surface  323  may contact the inward or outward side of a rider&#39;s leg. While not shown, LES  320  may or may not have a joint such as  130 , 230  discussed above. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , another embodiment of a leg scooter device  400  in accordance with the present invention is shown. Leg scooter  400  preferably has two parallel front wheels  410 , which is a more stable configuration than to a single wheel. The two front wheels may be configured to turn when frame  401  is tilted laterally, i.e., to the left or right, such that the vehicle can be steered by shifting of a rider&#39;s weight. Parallel, turning wheel structures are known in the art. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , perspective views of another embodiment of a leg scooter device  500 , in the extended and collapse positions, in accordance with the present invention are shown. Leg scooter  500  may have a LES  520  that includes an ascending member  521  and leg contacting surfaces  522 . Ascending member  521  may include two elongated members  525 , 526  attached respectively to the left and right sides of frame  501  and extending diagonally upward and rearward. The elongated members  525 , 526  converge until they meet at a point where they are attached to each other (through welding, initial molding, fasteners or some other mechanism) and then diverge into a V, U or like recessed shape which can receive a rider&#39;s leg. Each elongated member may have a soft cover  522  or the like on its upper end  523 , particularly the inward-facing surfaces that effectively make up the leg contact surface  522 . LES  520  may be pivotably coupled to frame  501  through a joint  530  at a base of each elongated member, or otherwise coupled. When leg scooter  500  is in use, LES  520  may be configured to pivot forward and backward through a range that allows leg contact surfaces  522  to follow changes in angle of a rider&#39;s leg as the rider shifts his/her weight or bends a knee. 
     Joints  530  also allow leg scooter  500  to collapse for carrying and stowing, by folding LES  520  backward toward or into contact with frame  501  (the collapsed or storage arrangement). A mechanism may be provided for selectively locking LES  520  into its slightly pivotable in-use position, and into its substantially non-pivotable collapsed position. 
     Front wheel  510  may be implemented as a biased direction caster. Wheel  510  may be coupled about a pivot shaft  509  which is inclined at tilt angle, a, or be otherwise arranged 
     While the invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further modification, and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the essential features herein before set forth, and as fall within the scope of the invention and the limits of the appended claims.