Patent Description:
Modern bikes use pedals to rotate wheels using a chain and gear system. The chain and gear system includes pedals attached to an axis with at least one gear. There is a larger gear that is connected to the back wheel of the bike. These two gears are connected using a chain. As the pedals are pushed, the gears rotate transferring the rotational motion of the pedals through the chain to the gear attached to the wheel, and this rotates the wheel propelling the bike forward. A gear and chain system uses a relatively small group of muscles and utilizes short strokes. <CIT> describes a vehicle which includes a first track fixed in position relative to a frame. The first track extends from a first position to a second position in a straight line. A first rack is moveable along the straight line of the first track. A first rack gear runs along at least one side of the rack. A first pinion is coupled to the frame and includes a first pinion gear that is rotatable and engages with the first rack gear such that the first pinion gear is turned in a first direction as the first rack moves along the first track from the first position to the second position. A drive element is coupled to the frame and the first pinion, and the drive element converts rotational motion of the first pinion gear in the first direction into movement of the vehicle. <CIT> describes a bicycle with straight pedals provided to make an operation direction of a weight be consistent with an operation direction of the pedals, such that the weight of a user operates the pedals in a vertical direction, thereby enabling the user to easily ride the bicycle.

Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a rack driven human powered vehicle that may include at least two wheels, at least one rack and pinion system, and at least one user-controlled element. The at least one rack and pinion system may include at least one freewheel sprocket, at least one driving rack, at least one guiderail, and a single guide block. The at least one freewheel sprocket may have teeth that allow it to be received by the at least one driving rail. The guide block may then be attached to the at least one driving rail. The guide block also may include at least one mounting post. The at least one mounting post may be configured to be received by top and bottom guide tracks of the guiderail so that it can move freely back and forth through the guiderail. The vehicle may be a bike and/or a wheelchair. If the at least one rack and pinion system is being used with a wheelchair as the vehicle, the at least one rack and pinion system may be positioned so that the user of the wheelchair may still control the wheelchair by moving the wheels by hand. The at least one user-controlled element may be a handlebar and/or a pedal. A handlebar may feature handbrakes.

Other embodiments of the present disclosure provide wheel forks that may be attached to the guiderail. The wheel forks may hold a pin that may allow the at least two wheels to spin. The pin may be attached to the at least one freewheel sprocket that may be configured to allow the at least two wheels to be propelled forward when pushed in one direction. At least one freewheel sprocket may be attached to each of the at least two wheels. The at least one user-controlled element may return the at least one freewheel sprocket to its starting position without propelling the at least two wheels in a wrong direction. The teeth of the at least one freewheel sprocket may run along a track in the at least one driving rack to propel the vehicle. When a user engages the at least one user-controlled element, the guide block may push through the guiderail. The at least one rack and pinion system may transfer the linear motion of the at least one driving rack into rotational motion in the at least one freewheel sprocket. A pin may run through a center of the at least two wheels, and the pin may be attached to the at least one freewheel sprocket. The at least two wheels may include an axle that may be attached to the at least one freewheel sprocket. The at least one driving rack may be connected to the user-controlled element by the guide block, the at least one user-controlled element may be attached to the at least two wheels and the guide block of the at least one rack and pinion system.

Other technical features may be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, descriptions and claims.

Embodiments of the present disclosure may generally provide a rack driven human powered vehicle that may provide at least two wheels, a rack and pinion system, and a user-controlled element. The rack driven human powered vehicle may use the rack and pinion system for a more efficient form of propulsion.

<FIG> depicts a side view of rack driven human powered bike <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. More specifically, <FIG> depicts bike <NUM> with rack and pinion system <NUM>. Stationary guiderails <NUM> may be attached to wheel forks <NUM>. At least one freewheel sprocket <NUM> may be attached to the inside of wheel forks <NUM>. The at least one freewheel sprocket <NUM> may allow pedals <NUM> to propel bike <NUM> in one direction but will not affect the rotation of wheels <NUM> if pedaled in the other direction. There may be at least one freewheel sprocket <NUM> attached to each wheel <NUM>. At least one guide block <NUM> may fit into guiderails <NUM>, allowing them to slide back and forth, and also may be attached to a user-controlled element. As depicted in the embodiment in <FIG> the user-controlled element may be handlebars <NUM> and/or pedals <NUM>, depending on the wheel to which the user-controlled element is attached. At least one driving rack <NUM> may be fixedly attached to the guide block <NUM>. When a user engages, such as by pushing, either handlebars <NUM> or pedals <NUM>, at least one guide block <NUM> may be moved, which also may move driving rack <NUM>, rotate at least one freewheel sprocket <NUM>, which may rotate wheels <NUM> and propel bike <NUM>. Using at least one freewheel sprocket <NUM> may allow handlebars <NUM> or pedals <NUM> to be reset to their starting positions without propelling wheels <NUM> in the wrong direction, thereby negating any progress that was made.

<FIG> depicts a close-up view of the rack and pinion system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. More specifically, <FIG> depicts how the guide block <NUM> may connect to guiderail <NUM>. Guide block <NUM> may include user-controlled element <NUM> and driving rack <NUM>. An inside portion of guide block <NUM> may include at least one mounting post <NUM> that allows it to be attached. At least one mounting post <NUM> may be gripped by upper and lower guide tracks <NUM>. Guide tracks <NUM> may be configured to hold at least one mounting post <NUM> steady while still allowing it to slide back and forth.

<FIG> depicts a two-block version of a bike according to an example. More specifically, <FIG> depicts bike <NUM> using two guide blocks <NUM>. In an example guide blocks <NUM> may be blocks of material that may be fixedly attached to driving rack <NUM>. Guide blocks <NUM> may also be configured to slide into guiderail <NUM> allowing guide blocks <NUM> to slide back and forth as they are controlled by the user. Inclusion of two guide blocks <NUM> may allow the user's weight to be more evenly distributed across driving rack <NUM> as he/she puts pressure onto it.

<FIG> depicts a one-block version of a bike according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. More specifically, <FIG> shows the embodiment of bike <NUM> having one guide block <NUM>, which may function the same and at the same efficiency as bike <NUM> of <FIG> which includes two guide blocks. Bike <NUM> having guide block <NUM> as depicted in <FIG> may still contain the other features of bike <NUM> as described in connection with <FIG>. Guide block <NUM> may be attached to driving rack <NUM> which may work with at least one freewheel sprocket <NUM> to rotate wheel <NUM> and may propel bike <NUM> forward.

<FIG> depicts a front view of a rack driven human powered bike according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. More specifically, <FIG> shows a front facing view of how the different components may fit together to make rack and pinion system <NUM> work. Wheel fork <NUM> may be connected to the body of bike <NUM> and may hold pin <NUM> that may allow wheel <NUM> to spin. Attached to pin <NUM> is at least one freewheel sprocket <NUM> that may allow wheel <NUM> to be propelled forward when pushed one direction. The at least one freewheel sprocket <NUM> may work to allow wheel <NUM> to be propelled forward but then reset in the other direction without affecting the momentum or direction of wheel <NUM>. The teeth on the bottom of the at least one freewheel sprocket <NUM> may run along the track in driving rack <NUM>, to create rack and pinion system <NUM> that may propel bike <NUM>. Driving rack <NUM> may be attached to at least one guide block <NUM>. At least one guide block <NUM> may fit into and may be configured to slide along guiderails <NUM>. At least one guide block <NUM> may move because it may be attached to user-controlled element <NUM>. User controlled element <NUM> in the embodiment may be handlebars and/or pedals, depending to which wheel they are attached. When a user engages or moves user-controlled element <NUM>, this may push at least one guide block <NUM> through guiderail <NUM>. Since at least one guide block <NUM> may be attached to driving rack <NUM>, this may be moved as well. The gear teeth on driving rack <NUM> may turn at least one freewheel sprocket <NUM> as it is moved. As the driving rack <NUM> moves at least one freewheel sprocket <NUM>, rack and pinion system <NUM> may be created. Rack and pinion system <NUM> may transfer the linear motion of driving rack <NUM> into rotational motion in at least one freewheel sprocket <NUM>. This transference of motion allows for more of the energy and motion of the user to be directly transferred into the rotation of wheels <NUM> creating a more efficient system than in a traditional bike. If driving rack <NUM> is being moved in one direction, this may rotate wheel <NUM> of bike <NUM> as at least one freewheel sprocket <NUM> is being rotated. If driving rack <NUM> is being moved in the opposite direction, then rotation of freewheel sprocket <NUM> may not counteract the rotation of wheel <NUM>, which may continue to rotate in the direction it was going.

<FIG> depicts a side view of one wheel of the rack driven human powered bike of <FIG> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. More specifically, <FIG> depicts a side view of wheel <NUM> with rack and pinion system <NUM> attached according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. At least one freewheel sprocket <NUM> may be attached to pin <NUM> that runs through the center of wheel <NUM>. The teeth of the at least one sprocket <NUM> may fit into teeth <NUM> of driving rack <NUM> allowing linear movement of driving rack <NUM> to be transferred to rotational movement of sprocket <NUM>. Driving rack <NUM> may then be attached to at least one guide block <NUM>. At least one guide block <NUM> may then also be attached to handlebar <NUM> and guiderail <NUM>. Guiderail <NUM> may be configured to have a track with top and bottom guide tracks <NUM>. Guide tracks <NUM> of guiderail <NUM> may be configured to receive a portion of at least one guide block <NUM>, with guide tracks <NUM> keeping at least one guide block <NUM> on guide tracks <NUM>. Handlebar <NUM> may be fixed to at least one guide block <NUM>, while at least one guide block <NUM> and guiderail <NUM> may be fitted together allowing block <NUM> to slide back and forth. Guiderail <NUM> may be attached to wheel fork <NUM> which may hold pin <NUM>. Wheel fork <NUM> may attach to the main body of bike <NUM>.

<FIG> depicts a front view of rack driven human powered wheelchair <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. More specifically, <FIG> depicts rack and pinion system <NUM> as it may be attached to wheelchair system <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Wheelchair <NUM> may allow wheels <NUM> to still be moved in the conventional method by moving wheels <NUM> by hand if that is needed. At least one freewheel sprocket <NUM> may be attached to axel <NUM> of wheel <NUM>. The teeth of at least one sprocket <NUM> may fit into driving rack <NUM> which may allow them to function as a rack and pinion system. Driving rack <NUM> may be attached to a single guide block <NUM> which may then be attached to handlebars <NUM>. Handlebars <NUM> may also feature hand brakes <NUM> which may allow the user to make turns and stops. Guide block <NUM> may be fitted into guiderail <NUM> that may allow at least one guide block <NUM> to move smoothly and not fall off track. When the user pulls handlebars <NUM> back, guide block <NUM> may move driving rack <NUM> which then may rotate at least one freewheel sprocket <NUM>, which may rotate wheel <NUM> forward. Pushing handlebars <NUM> forward may move wheelchair system <NUM> but freewheel sprocket <NUM> may not affect the rotation of wheels <NUM> and allow drive rack <NUM> to reset.

<FIG> depicts a side view of the wheelchair of <FIG> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. More specifically, <FIG> shows a side view of wheelchair system <NUM> with rack and pinion system <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. This side view depicts how handlebars <NUM> may connect to the guide block <NUM> which may then be fit into and may be able to slide back and forth along guiderail <NUM>. <FIG> also shows how guiderail <NUM> may be attached to wheels <NUM>, which may allow rack and pinion system <NUM> to function and propel wheelchair <NUM> forward.

The vehicle depicted in the figures has been described as a bike or wheelchair, but it should be appreciated that the system may be used on connection with types of other vehicles. In the present embodiments, while the vehicle is depicted as having a rack and pinion system including two freewheel sprockets, but it should be appreciated that more or fewer freewheel sprockets may be used without departing from the present disclosure. The vehicles depicted in the figures have been described as using at least two wheels, but it should be appreciated that a vehicle with this system may use more wheels without departing from the present disclosure In addition, while the user-controlled element has been described as handlebars or brakes, it should be appreciated that other user-controlled elements may be used without departing from the present disclosure.

Claim 1:
A rack driven human powered vehicle (<NUM>, <NUM>) comprising:
at least two wheels (<NUM>);
at least one rack and pinion system (<NUM>) comprising:
at least one freewheel sprocket (<NUM>) having teeth;
at least one driving rack (<NUM>) configured to receive the teeth of the at least one freewheel sprocket (<NUM>);
characterised by a single guide block (<NUM>) fixedly attached to the at least one driving rack (<NUM>), guide block (<NUM>) having at least one mounting post (<NUM>); and
a guiderail (<NUM>) configured to receive the guide block (<NUM>), wherein the guiderail (<NUM>) has upper and lower guide tracks (<NUM>) that are configured to receive the at least one mounting post (<NUM>), and are configured to allow the at least one mounting post (<NUM>) free movement back and forth; and
at least one user-controlled element (<NUM>) attached to the at least two wheels (<NUM>) and the guide block (<NUM>) of the at least one rack and pinion system (<NUM>).