Abstract:
A scooter is provided with an article storage device which is formed of a base and a box body disposed slidably in the base. The base is disposed in a receiving space of the footboard of the scooter. The box body is provided in the top and in the underside with an article holding space to facilitate the storage of an article, such as a hand tool, an emergency medical aid, and the like.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a scooter, and more particularly to an article storage device of the scooter. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The conventional scooter is not provided with a storage compartment for keeping articles, such as hand tools for repairing the scooter, emergency medical aids, etc. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a scooter with a storage device. 
     In keeping with the principle of the present invention, the foregoing objective of the present invention is attained by an article storage device which is disposed in the scooter footboard and is formed of a hollow tubular base and a box body slidably disposed in the base. The box body is provided with a compartment for keeping articles. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 shows a front view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 shows a top view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 shows a bottom view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 shows a front view of the base of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 shows a front view of the box body of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 8 shows a top view of the box body of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 9 shows a bottom view of the box body of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 10 shows a schematic view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention in use. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As shown in FIG. 1, an article storage device  10  of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is mounted on a scooter  12  comprising a footboard  14 , a handlebar  16 , a front wheel  17  pivoted to the bottom end of the handlebar  16 , and a rear wheel  18  fastened to the rear end of the footboard  14  of aluminium. The footboard  14  is provided with a receiving space  15  extending from the front end to the rear end of the footboard  14 . The storage device  10  comprises a base  20 , a box body  30 , and a retaining mechanism  40 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 2-6, the base  20  has a rectangular cross section and is of a hollow tubular construction. The base  20  is disposed in the receiving space  15  of the footboard  14  and is composed of an attachment portion  22  extending outward from the front end of the base  20 . The attachment portion  22  is joined with the front edge of the footboard  14 . A curved slot  23  is disposed in the outer edge of the top wall of the base  20  for receiving a brake cable or control cable of the scooter  12 . A projection  24  is extended from the bottom wall of the base  20 . A U-shaped slot  25  is disposed in the bottom wall of the base  20  such that the U-shaped slot  25  partially encircles an elastic piece  26  which is provided in the underside with a protruded block  27 . The footboard  14  is provided in the bottom wall with an insertion hole  19  for receiving the protruded block  27 , so as to hold the base  20  and the footboard  14  together. The footboard  14  may be devoid of the insertion hole  19 . The inner edge of the receiving space  15  is urged by the protruded block  27 , thereby causing the elastic piece  26  to bend to provide the base  20  and the footboard  14  with friction. 
     As shown in FIGS. 7-9, the box body  30  is slidably disposed in the base  20  and is provided in the top and the bottom thereof with an article storage space  31  and an article insertion space  34 . The article storage space  31  is provided with a plurality of protruded ribs  32  which are so arranged to hold securely a hexagonal wrench  33 . The insertion space  34  is intended to hold a flat wrench  35 . The storage space  31  and the insertion space  34  may be designed in various ways to hold a variety of articles, such as emergency medical aids and the like. The box body  30  has a rectangular through hole  36  extending through the top and the bottom of the box  30 . An elastic rod  37  is extended diagonally from the bottom of the inner edge of the through hole  36 . A long slot  38  is disposed in the underside of the box  30  such that the long slot  38  is in communication with the through hole  36  and the atmospheric air for receiving the projection  24  of the base  20 . As the box  30  slides into the base  20 , the projection  24  slides along the long slot  38  to press the free end of the elastic rod  37 , thereby causing the free end of the elastic rod  37  to deform, as shown in FIG.  5 . The box  30  is thus provided with a prestress enabling the box  30  to be ejected. 
     The retaining mechanism  40  comprises a through hole  41  located in one side wall of the base  20 , a spring  42  disposed in the through hole  41  such that one end of the spring  42  urges the inner edge of the receiving space  15  of the footboard  14 , a retaining member  43  disposed in the through hole  41  such that the retaining member  43  is pushed by the free end of the spring  42  to bias toward the box body  30 , and an insertion slot  44  disposed in the front end of the box body  30  for receiving the retaining member  43 , so as to hold the base  20  and the box body  30  together. The retaining member  30  is further provided with a dial portion  431  for actuating the retaining member  43  to move away from the insertion slot  44 , thereby resulting in separation of the box body  30  from the base  20 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 2-5, when the box body  30  is retracted into the base  20  such that the front ends of the box body  30  and the base  20  are level with each other, the box body  30  and the base  20  are held together by the retaining mechanism  40 . In the meantime, the projection  24  urges the elastic rod  37  to deform so as to cause the box body  30  to have a prestress enabling the box body  30  to be ejected. When the retaining mechanism  40  is not at work, the box body  30  will be ejected from the base  20 , as shown in FIG.  10 . It is therefore readily apparent that the storage device  10  of the present invention can be used with ease without modifying the structural design of the scooter  12 .