Patent Description:
Cargo bikes are generally known and comprise a frame that positions a front and rear wheel of the cargo bike at distance along a longitudinal axis of the cargo bike. Typically the cargo bike includes a cargo holder that is e.g. used to hold and/or transport goods and/or people, in particular children, in a convenient way. Commonly the cargo holder includes a face that extends transversely to the longitudinal axis of the cargo bike, such as a transverse side face or bottom face of the cargo holder. The cargo holder causes the cargo bike to be relatively large compared to for example conventional bi- or tricycles. Cargo bikes generally include two- and three-wheeled arrangements. In case of a three-wheeled arrangement, such as a tricycle, for example two front wheels are provided at either side of the longitudinal axis of the cargo bike on respective longitudinal side faces of the cargo holder and the frame positions the front wheels at a distance from the rear wheel along the longitudinal axis of the cargo bike. Furthermore, cargo bikes usually comprise a drivetrain for driving the bike, pedals connected to a crankshaft for engaging the drivetrain, a seating arrangement for a user to take a seat on, and a steering arrangement for steering the cargo bike. Although, as mentioned above, cargo bikes are convenient e.g. for transporting goods and/or people/children, a downside of the known cargo bikes is their relatively large size which leads to parking and storage problems of the cargo bike.

To alleviate disadvantages, cargo bikes with a foldable frame have been proposed in the past that are designed to fold between an elongate state and a folded state. Compared to the elongate state, the frame generally positions the front and rear wheel(s) at a smaller distance along the longitudinal axis of the cargo bike in the folded state. This may be desirable for facilitating parking and/or storage of the cargo bike.

Publication <CIT> discloses a collapsible cargo bike having a main frame which comprises at least two sub-frames, which are connected to one another such that they can be collapsed via an articulation, wherein at least one driven rear wheel is fitted on the rear sub-frame, as seen in the direction of travel, and at least two front wheels and a transporting apparatus are fitted on the front sub-frame, as seen in the direction of travel, wherein said cargo bike can be transferred, by a collapsing movement, between a travelling position and a pushing position, wherein during this collapsing movement, there is a change in the angle between the two sub-frames in the articulation, wherein the cargo bike here is distinguished in that the collapsing movement from the travelling position into the pushing position reduces the distance between the transporting apparatus and the driven rear wheel in that the articulation pivots upwards, in the direction of the transport apparatus, in relation to the wheel axis, while the rear sub-frame pivots downwards, and in the direction of the front sub-frame, in relation to the articulation.

Although known cargo bikes with foldable frames can be quite satisfactory for holding/transporting goods and/or people/children it has been found that the compactness of the cargo bike in the folded state leaves something to be desired. In particular, it has proven difficult in practice to provide a cargo bike with an easy to operate foldable frame that is suitably compact in the folded state.

The invention aims at alleviating one or more of the aforementioned disadvantages. In particular, the invention aims to provide a cargo bike with a collapsible frame with improved parking and/or storage capability while maintaining a user-friendly collapsible construction.

To that end, the invention provides a cargo bike comprising a collapsible frame, the collapsible frame being adjustable between an elongate state in which the collapsible frame positions a front and rear wheel of the cargo bike at a first distance along a longitudinal axis of the cargo bike, and a collapsed state in which the collapsible frame positions the front and rear wheel at a second, smaller distance along the longitudinal axis of the cargo bike, a cargo holder for holding cargo that comprises a face that extends substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis, and wherein in the collapsed state of the collapsible frame at least one of the wheels extends substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the cargo bike and at least partially overlaps with the substantially transversely extending face, wherein at least a portion of a wheel support structure of the cargo bike forms a pivotable portion of the collapsible frame, wherein said pivotable portion of the collapsible frame is hingedly connected to a remaining portion of the collapsible frame by means of at least one hinge so as to be pivotable about an upright axis that extends substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the cargo bike, wherein said at least one hinge is provided on the wheel support structure in between a wheel suspension of the rear wheel and a crank shaft of the cargo bike.

By allowing at least one of the wheels to extend transversely to the longitudinal axis of the cargo bike and at least partially overlap the transversely extending face of the cargo holder, the relevant wheel can conveniently be placed out of the way. In particular, the transversely extending face, such as a transverse side face or bottom face of the cargo holder, may provide space for at least partly accommodating the relevant wheel, preferably accommodating a section of the wheel, such as a circular sector of the wheel.

Within the context of this application, for a wheel to extend transversely to the longitudinal axis of the cargo bike is to be understood as that a side face of the wheel extends substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the cargo bike. Such side face may in particular imply a circular side face of the wheel. The term `extends transversely' may in the context of this application be considered to mean as extends across, that is to say deviations with respect to at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the cargo bike should fall within the scope. For instance, when the wheel or face extends transversely to the longitudinal axis of the cargo bike, it may diverge from the right angle to the longitudinal axis of the cargo bike by -<NUM> to <NUM> degrees, preferably less than -<NUM> to <NUM> degrees, such as for example -<NUM> to <NUM> degrees. Also, within the context of this application, the term `partially overlaps with' is to be construed as part of the wheel or part of a wheel support structure of the wheel, in particular a wheel stay, is placed onto the transversely extending face. In particular, part of the wheel or wheel face may extend along e.g. the transverse side face of the cargo holder and follow the inclination of the transverse side face of the cargo holder. That is to say, part of the wheel or face may e.g. extend substantially parallel to the (inclined) transverse side face of the cargo holder. This way, in the collapsed state a lower part of the wheel or wheel face may extend underneath the bottom face of the cargo holder. Thereby, the wheel may be stowed away even more conveniently.

Preferably, a locking mechanism is provided for releasably securing the relevant wheel in an end position of the collapsed state, for example part of the wheel and/or wheel support structure that overlaps the transversely extending face may be secured thereto. Thereby, the relevant wheel may conveniently be secured out of the way and be released to return to the elongate state.

If in the collapsed state of the frame a wheel hub of the at least one wheel that at least partially overlaps with the transversely extending face lies substantially within an envelope defined by transverse boundaries of the cargo bike, it can be counteracted that the wheel hub protrudes transversely to the cargo bike. Preferably, the wheel hub lies within an envelope defined by a quarter of the distance between the transverse boundaries extending on either side of the longitudinal axis. This way, it may be achieved that a substantial part of the wheel lies in the envelope defined by the transverse boundaries of the cargo bike, which in turn may lead to a more compact cargo bike in the collapsed state. Transverse boundaries are for example defined by longitudinal side faces of the cargo holder, or in case of a tricycle e.g. by side faces or planes of symmetry of the front wheels that extend along the longitudinal side faces of the cargo holder.

When in the collapsed state of the frame a wheel hub of the at least one wheel that at least partially overlaps with the transversely extending face is located at or near the longitudinal axis, in particular near or along the plane of symmetry of the cargo holder, it may be facilitated that the wheel protrudes even less transversely to the cargo bike. Thus, the construction can be made even more compact in the collapsed state.

By hingedly connecting at least a portion of the collapsible frame, in particular a wheel support structure of the cargo bike, to the collapsible frame so as to be pivotable about an upright axis that extends substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis, pivoting the relevant wheel to extend substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the cargo bike may be facilitated. In particular, by hingedly connecting the wheel support structure, such as a wheel stay, it may be facilitated that the wheel support structure may be placed onto the transversely extending face. The wheel support structure or so-called wheel stay may comprise a seat stay and/or chain stay. Preferably, a stay hinge is provided to allow at least a portion of the collapsible frame to pivot with respect to the collapsible frame. This way, a relatively simple collapsible construction may be achieved.

Thus is described a cargo bike comprising a collapsible frame, the collapsible frame being adjustable between an elongate state and a collapsed state as described above, further comprising a cargo holder having a face that extends substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the cargo bike, wherein in the collapsed state of the collapsible frame at least one of the wheels extends transversely to the longitudinal axis of the cargo bike and at least partially overlaps with the transversely extending face. In particular, when at least a portion of a wheel support structure of the cargo bike as portion of the collapsible frame is hingedly connected to a remaining portion of the collapsible frame, the portion of the wheel support structure and/or wheel stay may conveniently be pivoted about a pivot axis that extends substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the cargo bike. This way, the portion of the wheel support structure and/or wheel stay may be collapsed towards the transversely extending face of the cargo holder such that the respective front and/or rear wheel in the collapsed state at least partially overlaps with the transversely extending face, hence allowing the respective front and/or rear wheel to be conveniently placed out of the way, in particular together with at least a portion of the wheel support structure such as the saddle stay and/or chain stay. Thus, a particularly compact construction in the collapsed state may be achieved that is accessible and relatively easy to adjust between the elongate and collapsed state. In this way, the cargo bike may conveniently be provided with typical bike wheels, that is to say relatively common, commercially available wheels and tires having a nominal rim and tire size such as circa <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM> according to the European Tyre and Rim Technical Organization (ETRTO) standard. Thereby, the cargo bike provided with a portion of the wheel support structure that is hingedly connected to the remaining portion of the collapsible frame may be equipped with typical wheels that benefit the cycling comfort of the cargo bike in the elongate state, whilst maintaining a particularly compact construction in the collapsed state that is relatively easy to operate and adjust between the respective elongate and collapsed state. In particular, the portion of the wheel support structure may be hingeclly connected via at least one hinge, e.g. provided on a chain stay member, a seat stay member and/or fork member(s) of the wheel support structure. That is to say, the at least one hinge is provided on the wheel support structure inbetween a wheel suspension and e.g. a crankshaft.

When at least a portion of the collapsible frame, preferably the entire frame, is pivotable about a horizontal axis which, in the elongate state, substantially extends along the longitudinal axis of the cargo bike, pivoting the relevant wheel to extend substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the cargo bike may be facilitated. In the context of this application, the term `extends along' is to be construed to mean parallel to or to coincide with e.g. the longitudinal axis of the cargo bike.

If the collapsible frame comprises a base part and a telescoping part that is slidable relative to the base part along the longitudinal axis between the elongate state and the collapsed state, and vice versa, then it may be allowed that the telescoping part is slid into and out of the base part. This way, in the collapsed state a relatively compact construction may be obtained. By arranging the base part as a sleeve around the telescoping part, such that the telescoping part is slidable through the base part, a relatively simple construction for collapsing the frame may be accomplished. Preferably, the base part is slidable relative to a further sleeve that is provided on the cargo holder such that the base part can slide telescopingly with respect to the cargo holder along the longitudinal axis. This allows a particularly compact construction in the collapsed state of the cargo bike.

By providing a first hinge that hingedly connects a first part to a second part of the collapsible frame, the two parts may be folded towards each other. If the first hinge is lockable in the respective elongate and collapsed states, a relatively stable construction of the cargo bike may be accomplished in both respective states. Preferably, the first hinge is located underneath a bottom face of the cargo holder. That is to say, the first hinge is preferably located within an envelope defined by the boundaries of the bottom face of the cargo holder. By locating the first hinge underneath the bottom face, it may be facilitated that in the collapsed state the two parts may conveniently be stowed away underneath the bottom face of the cargo bike.

By further providing a second hinge that hingedly connects the second part to a third part of the collapsible frame, and wherein the second hinge is lockable in the respective elongate and collapsed states, it can be facilitated that the respective parts may collapse towards each other, not unlike an accordion. This way a particularly compact construction may be accomplished in the collapsed state. In particular, when the first and second hinge are placed such that at least two parts of the collapsible frame are allowed to partly extend along each other in the collapsed state.

If a drivetrain of the cargo bike includes a toothed belt for power transmission in the drivetrain, a flexible construction of the drivetrain can be achieved that is foldable. This is particularly useful in combination with the pivotable portion, in particular a wheel support structure, of the collapsible frame as this may allow a portion of the drivetrain to pivot with this pivotable portion. A toothed belt guide may be placed, e.g. near or as part of the stay hinge, to guide the toothed belt and facilitate pleating of the toothed belt, e.g. around the stay hinge.

When a seat tube of the cargo bike for receiving a seat and/or seat post is fixed to the pivotable portion, in particular the wheel support structure, of the cargo bike, such that they are pivotable together with the collapsible frame or with respect to the collapsible frame, a particularly simple and elegant construction can be achieved that allows the seat to be conveniently stowed along the transverse side or bottom face of the cargo holder together with the relevant wheel. This facilitates the ease of use of the collapsible frame whilst maintaining or improving the compactness of the cargo bike in the collapsed state.

If a seat tube of the cargo bike for receiving a seat and/or seat post is hingedly connected to the collapsible frame, such that the seat tube is foldable between a folded-in position in which the seat tube is located nearer a plane that extends underneath and substantially parallel to the transverse bottom face of the cargo holder, and a folded-out position in which the seat tube is located further away from said plane, in particular such that the seat tube extends substantially upright to said plane to provide a seating arrangement in the elongate state of the collapsible frame, stowing away of the collapsible frame underneath the bottom face of the cargo holder in the collapsed state can be further facilitated. Thereby, in the collapsed state the seat tube including the seat and/or seat post may extend substantially underneath the bottom face of the cargo holder. This way a particularly elegant and compact construction can be achieved in the collapsed state. Preferably, a quick lock mechanism is provided, e.g. on the cargo bike or on the seat post, that allows simple lowering and raising of the seat height. This way, the seat tube and seat assembly may be adjusted between a lowered and raised state relatively easily, e.g. while taking a user's preferred use height of the seat into account.

If in the collapsed state substantially the entire collapsible frame is stowed away along faces of the cargo holder that extend transversely to the longitudinal axis, such as the transverse side face and bottom face of the cargo holder, and the collapsible frame lies substantially within an envelope defined by transverse boundaries of the cargo bike, it can be counteracted that parts of the collapsible frame protrude outside said envelope. Thereby, in the collapsed state a particularly elegant and compact construction may be obtained.

A further drawback of conventional cargo bikes, with or without foldable frames, is that goods and/or people/children should not be left behind unattended in the cargo holder, for example while doing errands or during shopping. The invention further aims to mitigate this drawback of conventional cargo bikes. In particular, the invention aims to provide a cargo bike with a collapsible frame that in the collapsed state may relatively easily be brought along by foot.

As mentioned before, by arranging at least one wheel of the cargo bike in the collapsed state of the collapsible frame to be placed along and onto the transversely extending face, such that the at least one wheel at least partially overlaps with the transversely extending face, allows the relevant wheel to be placed out of the way. In addition, by placing the relevant wheel along and onto the transversely extending face, such as the transverse side face or bottom face of the cargo holder, allows a user to relatively easily position his/herself substantially squarely behind the transverse side face of the cargo bike. Thereby, the cargo bike in the collapsed state may readily be used as a pushcart. In this manner, goods and/or people/children do not have to be removed from the cargo holder, e.g. while doing errands or when going shopping. This saves a lot of time and hassle, especially when taking the children. Purchased goods, e.g. groceries, may conveniently be transported in the cargo holder even together with people/children. After shopping the cargo bike may relatively easily be converted back to a riding state and can be ridden relatively quickly. This may save a lot of time and energy.

If the cargo bike further comprises at least one support supported on the frame and/or the cargo holder for supporting the cargo bike on a surface, in particular the ground, a relatively simple and stable construction, in particular in the collapsed state, may be achieved relatively easily.

When the cargo bike comprises a retractable assembly for the at least one support that is adjustable between a retracted state in which the at least one support is retracted in a direction of the frame and/or cargo holder, and a support state in which the at least one support is lowered for supporting the cargo bike on a surface, a relatively simple construction may be provided for stowing the at least one support away, e.g. while riding, or lowering it for stability, e.g. in the collapsed state, relatively easily.

When the at least one support comprises or is formed by a wheel, in particular a swivel wheel, the cargo bike may be displaced relatively easily and stably in the collapsed state. This is particularly useful when the cargo bike is used as a pushcart in the collapsed state.

The invention will be further elucidated on the basis of exemplary embodiments which are represented in the drawings. In the drawings:.

In the Figures identical or corresponding parts are represented with the same reference numerals. The drawings are only schematic representations of embodiments of the invention, which are given by manner of non-limiting exemplary embodiments.

<FIG> shows a first embodiment of a cargo bike <NUM> in a collapsed state II. The collapsible cargo bike <NUM> comprises a collapsible frame <NUM>. The collapsible frame is adjustable between an elongate state I in which the collapsible frame <NUM> positions a front <NUM> and rear wheel <NUM> of the cargo bike <NUM> at a first distance L1 (see <FIG>) along a longitudinal axis <NUM> of the cargo bike <NUM>, and a collapsed state II in which the collapsible frame <NUM> positions the front <NUM> and rear wheel <NUM> at a second, smaller distance L2 along the longitudinal axis <NUM> of the cargo bike <NUM>. The cargo bike <NUM> comprises a cargo holder <NUM> for holding cargo. The cargo holder <NUM> comprises a face <NUM> that extends substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis <NUM> of the cargo bike <NUM>, such as a transverse side face 7a and a bottom face 7b of the cargo holder <NUM>. This exemplary embodiment is a tricycle, such that the cargo bike <NUM> comprises two front wheels <NUM> placed along longitudinal side faces <NUM> of the cargo holder <NUM>. A two-wheeled arrangement wherein a single front wheel <NUM> is placed at or near an opposite end of the cargo holder <NUM> with respect to the rear wheel <NUM> is shown in <FIG> and discussed in more detail later on. The front wheel(s) <NUM> may e.g. be arranged on the cargo holder <NUM>, on the collapsible frame <NUM> or a wheel support structure <NUM> of the cargo bike. In this exemplary embodiment, the front wheels <NUM> are arranged on a wheel support structure <NUM> that is connected to the cargo holder <NUM>.

Here, in the collapsed state II of the collapsible frame <NUM> of <FIG>, the rear wheel <NUM> extends transversely to the longitudinal axis <NUM> of the cargo bike <NUM> and at least partially overlaps with the transversely extending face <NUM>, i.e. the wheel support structure <NUM> for the rear wheel <NUM> is placed onto the transverse side face 7a. The cargo bike <NUM> further comprises a locking mechanism <NUM> for releasably securing the rear wheel <NUM> in an end position of the collapsed state II on the transversely extending face <NUM>.

The wheel support structure <NUM> of the cargo bike <NUM> for the rear wheel <NUM>, is hingedly connected to the collapsible frame <NUM>. In this exemplary embodiment, the wheel support structure <NUM> for the rear wheel <NUM> is connected to the collapsible frame <NUM> by a stay hinge <NUM>. Here, the stay hinge <NUM> is provided on a chain stay member (lower) and connects the wheel support structure <NUM> via the stay hinge <NUM> to a remaining portion of the collapsible frame <NUM>. Alternatively, the stay hinge may be provided on the seat stay member (upper) or both the seat stay member and the chain stay member. That is to say, the stay hinge <NUM> hingedly couples the chain stay member to a main tube of the frame as remaining portion of the collapsible frame <NUM>. The stay hinge is positioned in between a wheel suspension of the rear wheel <NUM> and a crankshaft of the cargo bike <NUM>. Additionally or alternatively, the wheel support structure <NUM> for the rear wheel <NUM> may be comprised by or form part of the collapsible frame <NUM> such that a portion of the collapsible frame <NUM> is pivotable relative to the collapsible frame <NUM>. Here, in the collapsed state II the wheel support structure <NUM> is pivoted about the stay hinge <NUM> with respect to the collapsible frame <NUM>, such that the rear wheel <NUM> at least partially overlaps with the transverse side face 7a. The stay hinge <NUM> defines a substantially upright axis <NUM> that extends substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis <NUM> of the cargo bike <NUM>. Preferably, the upright axis <NUM> of the stay hinge <NUM> extends substantially parallel to the transverse side face 7a of the cargo holder <NUM> such that at least a portion of the wheel overlaps the transverse side face 7a in the collapsed state II.

In this exemplary embodiment, the front <NUM> and rear wheels <NUM> of the cargo bike <NUM> are provided as typical wheels, that is to say relatively common, commercially available wheels and tires having a nominal rim and tire size of <NUM> according to the European Tyre and Rim Technical Organization (ETRTO) standard. However, any common, commercially available wheel may be provided, e.g. having a nominal rim and tire size in the range between circa <NUM> - <NUM>, such as circa <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>.

The cargo bike <NUM> comprises a first hinge <NUM> that hingedly connects a first part <NUM> to a second part <NUM> of the collapsible frame <NUM>, which can be seen more clearly in <FIG> and is described later on. The first hinge <NUM> is located underneath a bottom face 7b of the cargo holder <NUM>. A seat tube <NUM> of the cargo bike <NUM>, for receiving a seat <NUM> and/or seat post, is fixed to the wheel support structure <NUM> of the cargo bike <NUM>. The seat tube <NUM> and the wheel support structure <NUM> are pivotable together with respect to collapsible frame <NUM>.

<FIG> shows an example of the cargo bike <NUM> in the collapsed state II of the collapsible frame <NUM>. The wheel support structure <NUM> for the rear wheel <NUM> forms part of the collapsible frame <NUM>. A wheel hub <NUM> of the rear wheel <NUM> that at least partially overlaps with the bottom face 7b of the cargo holder <NUM> lies substantially within an envelope <NUM> defined by transverse boundaries of the cargo bike <NUM>. As can be seen in <FIG>, the transverse boundaries may be defined by longitudinal side faces <NUM> of the cargo holder <NUM>, i.e. envelope <NUM>', or by planes of the front wheels <NUM> extending along said side faces <NUM>, i.e. envelope <NUM>. Here, the wheel hub <NUM> of the rear wheel <NUM> lies within an envelope <NUM>". Envelope <NUM>" is defined by a quarter of the distance between the transverse boundaries extending on either side of the longitudinal axis <NUM> of the cargo bike <NUM>. Furthermore, the wheel hub <NUM> of the rear wheel <NUM> is located near the longitudinal axis <NUM> of the cargo bike <NUM>. In this exemplary embodiment, the longitudinal axis <NUM> of the cargo bike coincides with the plane of symmetry of the cargo holder <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, at least a portion of the collapsible frame <NUM> is pivotable about a horizontal axis <NUM> which in the elongate state of the collapsible frame <NUM> substantially extends along the longitudinal axis <NUM> of the cargo bike <NUM>. Here, the collapsible frame <NUM> is pivotable about the horizontal axis <NUM> by a quarter turn, e.g. by a provision in the form of one or more stops provided on the collapsible frame <NUM> that limits the movement about the horizontal axis <NUM> (not shown). A seat tube <NUM> of the collapsible frame <NUM>, for receiving a seat <NUM> and/or seat post, is fixed to the wheel support structure <NUM>, of the collapsible frame <NUM> and also forms part of the frame <NUM>. The seat tube <NUM> and the wheel support structure <NUM> are pivotable together with collapsible frame <NUM>.

The collapsible frame <NUM> comprises a base part <NUM> and a telescoping part <NUM> that is slidable relative to the base part <NUM> along the longitudinal axis <NUM> between the elongate state I and the collapsed state II. Conversely, the telescoping part <NUM> is slidable from the collapsed state II to the elongate state I along the longitudinal axis <NUM>. The base part <NUM> is arranged as a sleeve around the telescoping part <NUM>, such that the telescoping part <NUM> is slidable through the base part <NUM>. Also, the base part <NUM> is slidable relative to a further sleeve <NUM> that is provided on the cargo holder such that the base part can slide telescopingly with respect to the cargo holder along the longitudinal axis. In this embodiment the cargo bike <NUM> comprises a drivetrain <NUM> that includes a chain <NUM> for driving the drivetrain <NUM>. Alternatively, e.g. a toothed belt may be included for driving the drivetrain <NUM> or the drivetrain <NUM> can comprise a driveshaft that cooperates directly with a driven shaft. In the latter case, the driveshaft and driven shaft are e.g. adjustable between a coupled state in which they are in direct contact with each other and a decoupled state in which they are uncoupled and spaced apart. This way, in the decoupled state, the driveshaft and driven shaft can pivot relative to each other together with a pivotable portion of the collapsible frame <NUM>, in particular the wheel support structure <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a third embodiment of the cargo bike <NUM> in an elongate state I. The collapsible frame <NUM> positions the front <NUM> and rear wheel <NUM> of the cargo bike <NUM> at the first distance L1 along the longitudinal axis <NUM> of the cargo bike <NUM>. The cargo bike <NUM> comprises two front wheels <NUM> rotatably mounted to the cargo holder <NUM> via a wheel support structure <NUM>. Steering controls <NUM>, in particular handlebars, are provided on the cargo holder <NUM>. A pivotable steering mechanism <NUM> of the cargo bike <NUM> pivotably connects the collapsible frame <NUM> to the cargo holder <NUM>. The seat tube <NUM> of cargo bike <NUM> is hingedly connected to the collapsible frame <NUM>. Thereto, a seat tube hinge <NUM> is provided. The seat tube <NUM> is in a folded-out position α in which the seat tube <NUM> is located further away from a plane that extends underneath and substantially parallel to the bottom face 7b of the cargo holder <NUM>, in particular such that the seat tube <NUM> extends substantially upright to said plane to provide a seating arrangement in the elongate state I of the collapsible frame <NUM>. A locking means c is provided for releasably securing the seat tube in the folded-out position α. The locking means c also functions as the locking mechanism for releasably securing the first hinge <NUM> in the respective elongate I and collapsed state II. Also a securing mechanism d is provided for releasably securing the wheel support structure <NUM> of the rear wheel <NUM> to the collapsible frame <NUM>. Additionally or alternatively, the securing mechanism d may be provided for releasably securing the seat tube <NUM> to a wheel support structure <NUM> of the rear wheel <NUM>. In particular, the securing mechanism d may be controlled by a switch provided on the seat tube <NUM> (not shown). A quick lock mechanism b is provided for lowering and raising the seat <NUM> relatively quickly. This way, the seat tube <NUM> and seat <NUM> assembly may be adjusted between a lowered and raised state relatively easily, e.g. while taking a user's preferred use height of the seat <NUM> into account. In particular, the lowering and/or raising of the seat <NUM> may be used to conveniently control the switch provided on the seat tube <NUM>. Additionally or alternatively, a handle a may conveniently be provided at or near the seat <NUM> to operate the quick lock mechanism b for lowering and raising the seat <NUM> (see <FIG>).

Additionally or alternatively, the pivotable steering mechanism <NUM> may be arranged to include a steering linkage provided with one or more control rods, a rocker and a steering rod connected to each front wheel <NUM> or a steering shaft provided with a pinion gear that cooperates with a steering rack of the front wheels <NUM>. In this latter case, the steering rack is connected to each front wheel <NUM> via a respective pivot joint. Each front wheel <NUM> mounted on the cargo holder <NUM> e.g. via a wheel support structure <NUM> is arranged to pivot around an upright axis that extends substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis <NUM> of the cargo bike <NUM> to allow steering thereof. In case of steerable front wheels <NUM>, a pivot locking mechanism (not shown) for releasably securing the cargo holder <NUM> to the collapsible frame <NUM> can be provided, for example to lock the cargo bike <NUM> in the elongate state I.

<FIG> shows a simplified schematic top view of the cargo bike <NUM> of <FIG> in the collapsed state II. Here it can be seen that the pivotable steering mechanism <NUM> acts as a second hinge that hingedly connects the first part <NUM> of the collapsible frame <NUM> to the cargo holder <NUM>. The first and second parts <NUM>, <NUM> are collapsed towards each other. In particular, the first hinge <NUM> and second hinge in the form of the pivotable steering mechanism <NUM> are placed such that the first and second parts <NUM>, <NUM> of the collapsible frame <NUM> are partly extended alongside each other in the collapsed state II. Additionally or alternatively, the cargo bike <NUM> may comprise a second hinge that hingedly connects the second part <NUM> to a third part of the collapsible frame <NUM>, wherein the second hinge is lockable in the respective elongate and collapsed states (not shown). For example, this could advantageously be implemented in a two wheeled cargo bike <NUM> to achieve the same result.

In <FIG>, the seat tube <NUM> including seat and seat post are in a folded-in position β. In the folded-in position β the seat tube <NUM> is located nearer the plane that extends underneath and substantially parallel to the bottom face 7b of the cargo holder <NUM>. As shown, in the collapsed state II of the collapsible frame <NUM>, the seat tube <NUM> in the folded-in position β extends underneath the bottom face of the cargo holder <NUM> and within the envelope <NUM> defined by transverse boundaries of the cargo bike <NUM> (<FIG>). In the exemplary embodiments, the seat tube hinge <NUM> is inclined with respect to the collapsible frame <NUM> such that the seat tube <NUM> is offset from the collapsible frame <NUM> in the folded-in position β. However, the seat tube hinge <NUM> may also be provided substantially transverse to the collapsible frame <NUM> such that the seat tube <NUM> extends substantially along the collapsible frame <NUM> in the folded-in position β. Preferably, the seat tube hinge <NUM> is arranged such that in the folded-in position β, the seat tube <NUM> including the seat and/or seat post lie within the envelope <NUM> defined by the transverse boundaries of the cargo bike <NUM>. More preferably, in the collapsed state II of the collapsible frame <NUM> and the folded-in position β of the seat tube <NUM>, the seat tube <NUM> including the seat and/or seat post lie underneath the bottom face 7b of the cargo holder <NUM>. In the exemplary embodiments of <FIG>, the drivetrain <NUM> of the cargo bike <NUM> includes a toothed belt <NUM> for power transmission in the drivetrain <NUM>. The toothed belt <NUM> is partly folded around the stay hinge <NUM>. Thereto, the stay hinge <NUM> may be provided with a guide (not shown) to guide the toothed belt <NUM> safely between an operating state and a folded state of the toothed belt <NUM> in a manner known to the skilled person.

<FIG> shows a simplified schematic side view of the cargo bike <NUM> of <FIG> in collapsed state II comprising a retractable support wheel assembly <NUM>. The retractable assembly <NUM> for at least one support <NUM>, in particular a swivel wheel, is mounted to the cargo holder <NUM>. The retractable assembly <NUM> is in a support state Ia in which the at least one support <NUM> is lowered for supporting the cargo bike <NUM> on a surface. The retractable assembly <NUM> is adjustable to a retracted state in which the at least one support is retracted in a direction of the collapsible frame <NUM> and/or cargo holder <NUM> (not shown).

As in the other embodiments in the collapsed state II of the collapsible frame <NUM>, the rear wheel <NUM> is placed out of the way. Here, the steering controls <NUM>, in particular handlebars, are accessible to a user for pushing the cargo bike <NUM> as a pushcart.

<FIG> shows a simplified schematic top view of a fourth embodiment, in particular a two-wheeled arrangement, of the cargo bike <NUM> in the collapsed state II. In the collapsed state II, the collapsible frame <NUM> positions the front <NUM> and rear wheel <NUM> at a distance L2 along the longitudinal axis <NUM> of the cargo bike <NUM>. Here, the front wheel <NUM> is provided in front of the transverse side face 7a of the cargo holder <NUM> to allow room for pivoting the front wheel <NUM> relative to the collapsible frame <NUM>. Thereto, the wheel support structure <NUM>, in particular the front fork, for supporting the front wheel <NUM> is pivotably arranged on the collapsible frame <NUM>. The wheel hub <NUM> of the front wheel <NUM> is rotatably mounted to the wheel support structure <NUM> of the front wheel <NUM>. The steering controls <NUM>, in particular handlebars, are connected to the wheel support structure <NUM> of the front wheel <NUM> via the pivotable steering mechanism <NUM> in a manner known to the skilled person. Thereby, the front wheel <NUM> is steerable by the steering controls <NUM>.

The wheel support structure <NUM> of the rear wheel <NUM> is hingedly connected to the collapsible frame <NUM> through stay hinge <NUM>. As can be seen in <FIG>, in the collapsed state II of the collapsible frame <NUM> the rear wheel <NUM> extends substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis <NUM> of the cargo bike <NUM> and at least partially overlaps with the transversely extending face <NUM>. Furthermore, the wheel hub <NUM> of the rear wheel <NUM> that at least partially overlaps with the transversely extending face <NUM> lies substantially within the envelope <NUM> defined by transverse boundaries of the cargo bike <NUM>. Preferably, the wheel hub <NUM> of the rear wheel <NUM> lies within the envelope <NUM>' defined by a quarter of the distance between the transverse boundaries extending on either side of the longitudinal axis <NUM> of the cargo bike <NUM> to allow a compact construction in the collapsed state. The drivetrain <NUM> includes a toothed belt <NUM> to enable pivoting of the wheel support structure <NUM> of the rear wheel <NUM>.

In this embodiment, the base part <NUM> of the collapsible frame <NUM> is arranged as a sleeve around the telescoping part <NUM> of the collapsible frame <NUM>, such that the telescoping part <NUM> is slidable through the base part <NUM>. The telescoping part <NUM> is slidable relative to the base part <NUM> along the longitudinal axis <NUM> between the elongate state I and the collapsed state II, and between the collapsed state II and the elongate state I. A locking mechanism may be provided that locks the collapsible frame <NUM> in each of the respective elongate I and collapsed state II. To slide the collapsible frame <NUM> into the elongate state I, the telescoping part <NUM> slides out of the base part <NUM>. Subsequently, the seat tube <NUM> is folded upright into the folded-out position α about seat tube hinge <NUM>, and then the wheel support structure <NUM> and rear wheel <NUM> are pivoted about stay hinge <NUM> to extend along the longitudinal axis <NUM> of the cargo bike <NUM>. Preferably, the wheel support structure <NUM> of the rear wheel <NUM> is secured to the collapsible frame <NUM> by a securing mechanism. Preferably, the two-wheeled arrangement of the cargo bike <NUM> also comprises a retractable support assembly <NUM> with support wheels <NUM> to provide stability in the collapsed state II of the collapsible frame <NUM>. In this case, the cargo bike <NUM> in the collapsed state II of the frame may be operated as a pushcart with a steerable front wheel <NUM>.

Additionally or alternatively, in the collapsed state II, the front wheel <NUM> may extend transversely to the longitudinal axis <NUM> of the cargo bike <NUM> and at least partially overlap with the transversely extending face <NUM>. In this manner, the front wheel <NUM> can be collapsed and a side face of the front wheel <NUM> and/or the wheel support structure <NUM> of the front wheel <NUM> may be placed along the transversely extending face <NUM> at least partly. In this case, a further retractable support assembly <NUM> with support wheels <NUM> may be provided to allow the cargo bike <NUM> in the collapsed state II of the collapsible frame <NUM> to be used as a pushcart.

Claim 1:
Cargo bike (<NUM>) comprising a collapsible frame (<NUM>), the collapsible frame (<NUM>) being adjustable between an elongate state (I) in which the collapsible frame (<NUM>) positions a front and rear wheel (<NUM>, <NUM>) of the cargo bike (<NUM>) at a first distance (L1) along a longitudinal axis (<NUM>) of the cargo bike (<NUM>), and a collapsed state (II) in which the collapsible frame (<NUM>) positions the front and rear wheel (<NUM>, <NUM>) at a second, smaller distance (L2) along the longitudinal axis (<NUM>) of the cargo bike (<NUM>), a cargo holder (<NUM>) for holding cargo that comprises a face (<NUM>) that extends substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis (<NUM>), and wherein in the collapsed state (II) of the collapsible frame (<NUM>) at least one of the wheels (<NUM>, <NUM>) extends substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis (<NUM>) of the cargo bike (<NUM>) and at least partially overlaps with the substantially transversely extending face (<NUM>), characterised in that at least a portion of a wheel support structure (<NUM>) of the cargo bike (<NUM>) forms a pivotable portion of the collapsible frame (<NUM>), wherein said pivotable portion of the collapsible frame (<NUM>) is hingedly connected to a remaining portion of the collapsible frame by means of at least one hinge (<NUM>) so as to be pivotable about an upright axis (<NUM>) that extends substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis (<NUM>) of the cargo bike (<NUM>), wherein said at least one hinge (<NUM>) is provided on the wheel support structure (<NUM>) in between a wheel suspension of the rear wheel (<NUM>) and a crank shaft of the cargo bike (<NUM>).