Patent Description:
As is known, there are many known vehicle with pedals used both for leisure and as a vehicles for usual moving around a city. Moreover, in the last few years, city transport has changed in favor of these environmentally-friendly and easily available means of transport.

These means of transport are above all the classic bicycles made available to users also by numerous Italian Municipalities, to be used instead of traditional means of transport (buses, trams and metro). However, the classic bicycle is not suitable for any type of user, for example for people with stability problems.

Also known for years and available on the market are foldable and transportable two-wheels means.

However, traditional vehicle with pedals are not easily transportable and even those that are commonly folded into different parts to make them comfortable to carry are often provided with extremely small wheels and are therefore difficult to use and require considerable pedaling effort. The document <CIT> discloses a vehicle with pedals in accordance with the preamble of claim <NUM>.

There is therefore the need for an innovative pedestrian transport device that is extremely compact and extremely comfortable to drive, which overcomes the drawbacks of the known pedal devices.

The purpose of the invention is to provide an innovative vehicle with pedals that is extremely compact in its dimensions, both in length and in height, and therefore easily transportable, easy to use and suitable for any type of user, not indeed, it requires special driving or pedaling skills, as specified in the appended independent claim.

This object is achieved by the means of transport in question by means of a series of structural and dimensional expedients, the result of numerous technical tests, which also guarantee extreme comfort and ease, as well as safety, in driving.

The dependent claims outline particular and further advantageous aspects of the invention.

The different ways of carrying out the invention will now be described, by means of examples, with reference to the annexed drawings in which:.

With reference to the aforementioned figures, an innovative vehicle with pedals <NUM> is described. The vehicle <NUM> comprises a saddle <NUM>, a front wheel <NUM>, a supporting body <NUM> which covers said front wheel <NUM>, a pair of pedals <NUM>, <NUM> ', a pair of rear wheels <NUM>, <NUM> ' and an oscillating mechanism <NUM> for the connection between the front wheel <NUM> and the rear wheels <NUM>,<NUM>'. The oscillating mechanism <NUM> allows the inclination and therefore the curvature of the wheels <NUM>, <NUM>' each of which steer on its own vertical axis and synchronously, consequently determining the steering of the vehicle with pedals <NUM>. The supporting body <NUM> could be replaced by a frame.

According to the invention, in order to obtain a greater compactness of the vehicle with pedals <NUM>, the overall dimensions of the rear wheels <NUM>, <NUM>' are reduced thanks to the fact that the three wheels are partially side by side. Therefore there is a partial overlap in the axial direction of the rear wheels <NUM>, <NUM>' with the front wheel <NUM>. These features allow to obtain an overall length of vehicle with pedals <NUM> extremely contained.

Furthermore, the presence of three wheels means that the vehicle in question remains in balance by itself, both when used and when it is left standing. It is therefore not necessary nor an additional support, such as a tripod, nor is there a need for the user to place his feet on the ground during periods of rest, for example at a traffic light. The guide of this vehicle is therefore very simple and intuitive and does not require any particular agility or commitment in the guide.

Advantageously, in fact, the rotation of the rear wheels <NUM>, <NUM>' by means of the oscillating mechanism <NUM> allows the user to make turns and steers without the aid of the hands, which are free during pedaling. Therefore, this vehicle with pedals <NUM> is devoid of the steering wheel.

The front wheel <NUM> is of the standard type, as for common bicycles, for example a <NUM>-inch wheel <NUM> in diameter, on which is mounted the load-supporting body <NUM> which completely covers the rear part of the wheel <NUM> and leaves the front part, in this way, in case of impact, the body <NUM> is not damaged. Said specific shape of the supporting body <NUM> also has the function of a mudguard and a protection for the user. In an alternative embodiment, this supporting body <NUM> also covers the rear wheels <NUM>, <NUM>'.

Advantageously, since the front wheel <NUM> is of large dimensions, with respect to the wheels of the known pedal means, it allows to face obstacles such as holes, sidewalks, etc..

Having adopted the solution of the front wheel <NUM> of the standard type, in order to make the present vehicle with pedals compact in length, the saddle <NUM> is constrained on the upper part of the supporting body <NUM>. Furthermore, the saddle <NUM> is located in a rearward position with respect to the pedals <NUM>, <NUM>' and to a vertical axis X passing through the center point of a horizontal segment Y, joining the pedals <NUM>, <NUM>' themselves.

To reduce also the overall dimensions, the seat is low, slightly higher than the user's inseam. In addition, a lower center of gravity facilitates pedaling and the balance of the user himself, but in any case the saddle <NUM> is adjustable in height.

Still for the purpose of reducing the overall dimensions, the pedals <NUM>, <NUM>' are also mounted on the supporting body <NUM> in an eccentric position with respect to the center C of the front wheel <NUM> (<FIG>). More precisely, the pedals are mounted in the front and lower part (i.e. towards the ground) of the supporting body <NUM> so that the user, sitting on the saddle <NUM>, can comfortably and with greater balance operate the pedals. According to the invention, to make pedaling more comfortable, the saddle <NUM> is inclined with respect to the X axis passing through the center of the Y segment of the pedals <NUM>, <NUM>' of an angle α comprised in a range between <NUM> ° and <NUM> °.

As shown in <FIG>, the kinematics, i.e. the movement of the components of the vehicle with pedals <NUM>, which transmits the power from the legs of the user to the wheel <NUM>, is positioned symmetrically with respect to the front wheel <NUM> itself. The kinematics includes the pedals <NUM>, <NUM>' integral respectively with a toothed crown <NUM>, <NUM>' and a pair of pinions <NUM>, <NUM>' connected to the respective toothed crowns <NUM>, <NUM>' each through a chain <NUM>, <NUM>'. The pair of pinions <NUM>, <NUM>' is positioned at the axis of the front wheel <NUM>. Crown <NUM>, <NUM>' and pinion <NUM>, <NUM> ' respectively on each side of the wheel <NUM> on which they are positioned, are separated from each other to obtain a smaller footprint and to lower the wheel's center of gravity.

Furthermore, the pedals <NUM>, <NUM>' are not bound to each other, i.e. there is no connection between them inside the front wheel <NUM>, otherwise this connection would hinder the movement of the spokes of the wheel itself.

The toothed crown <NUM>, <NUM>' is for example of the type with <NUM> teeth with a diameter of about <NUM>, the pinion <NUM>, <NUM>' is for example with <NUM> teeth with a diameter of about <NUM>.

Advantageously, the dimensions of the crown and pinion may vary, for example to make pedaling easier in places where there are many climbs.

As in traditional bicycles, the kinematic chain ends with the wheel: it transmits the driving torque to the ground and this creates the movement of the vehicle with pedals. In an alternative solution of the present invention, there is also a chain tensioner located on the loose branch of the chain, the lower one.

The oscillating mechanism <NUM>, which allows the easy steering of the vehicle with pedals <NUM> without the aid of the steering wheel or the use of the user's hands, establishes the connection between the supporting body <NUM> and the rear wheels <NUM>, which can be inclined. Said wheels <NUM>, <NUM>', joined together by an axis <NUM> configured so as to achieve a minimum bulk, perform the steering function of the vehicle <NUM>. At the same time the rigidity and balance of the vehicle with pedals <NUM> are guaranteed by a rib <NUM> of curvilinear shape and with concavity turned towards the supporting body <NUM> of the vehicle <NUM>, also configured so as to achieve a minimum bulk. As shown in <FIG>, to make the steering the user only needs to shift his weight to the right or left. In this way the front wheel <NUM> and the oscillating mechanism <NUM> integral with the supporting body <NUM> will be inclined first the front wheel <NUM> and the oscillating mechanism <NUM> integral with the supporting body <NUM>.

According to the invention, the front wheel <NUM> oscillates along an axis Z passing through the center C of the front wheel <NUM> and through a rod <NUM> 'of the oscillating mechanism <NUM>, therefore this axis Z is almost parallel to the ground.

Consequently, the oscillating mechanism <NUM> causes the wheels <NUM>, <NUM> 'to rotate to the right or to the left around their vertical axis and synchronously, bringing the vehicle to perform the steering. According to the invention, the oscillating mechanism <NUM> comprises a rod <NUM>', which is pivoted passively on the axis <NUM> and therefore this rod <NUM>' acts as a cursor, which will push the axis <NUM> to the right or to the left according to the inclination of the supporting body <NUM> and the user. This movement of the axis <NUM> will therefore cause the rotation of the rear wheels <NUM>, <NUM> 'along their vertical axis and synchronously with each other, and consequently with steering of the vehicle with pedals <NUM>.

Elastic means <NUM>, <NUM> ', for example helical springs, positioned along the axis <NUM> or between the axis <NUM> and the rod <NUM>', guarantee the stability of vehicle with pedals <NUM> both from standstill and in movement, both during movement straight, both during steering phases.

Advantageously, the rear wheels <NUM>,<NUM>' have a significantly smaller size than the front wheel <NUM>, for example of <NUM> in diameter, and are at a distance such as to allow at the same time an easy pedaling and a high compactness of the vehicle subject of the present invention. The wheelbase of the rear wheels <NUM>, <NUM>' has a length of about <NUM>.

The means of transport <NUM>, as subject-matter, has very small dimensions and is included in a range of about <NUM>-<NUM> of length, <NUM>-<NUM> of width and <NUM>-<NUM> of height and consequently also has a limited, variable weight between a minimum of <NUM> and a maximum of <NUM>. The height can also vary depending on the height and type of user, depending on whether the latter is a man, woman or child.

These features allow an easy transport, and use everywhere, for example in the elevator, train, bus, car etc.

In an alternative configuration of the present invention, the means according to the present invention can also be realized with pedal assistance. Furthermore, the front wheel can advantageously be fixed or free-wheel.

These last two configurations (freewheel or pedal assisted) would also be equipped with a braking system which, in an alternative configuration of the present invention comprises brakes positioned on the rear wheels <NUM>, <NUM>' connected to the seat <NUM> by means of a backrest which is operated in the moment of need it acts on the rear wheels for braking.

Advantageously, the means in question may comprise a cart for transporting a person both seated and standing, and front and rear spotlights.

Furthermore, connected to the supporting body <NUM> could be connected a coupling system of the means to a pole, to avoid theft.

Advantageously, as already mentioned, the means of the present invention does not require the use of hands (because there is no handlebar), so during its use the user has his hands completely free, for example to hold an umbrella, to speak to the telephone, store, etc. There are also no handlebars or handles in front of the user seated on the saddle <NUM>, so in case of need or in case of rapid descent, this is in no way obstructed.

Claim 1:
Vehicle with pedals (<NUM>) comprising a saddle (<NUM>), a front wheel (<NUM>), a supporting body (<NUM>) or a frame, a pair of pedals (<NUM>, <NUM>') and a pair of rear wheels (<NUM>, <NUM>') and an oscillating mechanism (<NUM>) between the supporting body (<NUM>) of said front wheel (<NUM>) and said rear wheels (<NUM>, <NUM>'), said oscillating
mechanism realizing the equilibrium of the vehicle with pedals (<NUM>) and allowing the inclination of the rear
wheels (<NUM>, <NUM>'), consequently determining the steering of the vehicle with pedals (<NUM>), the oscillating mechanism (<NUM>) comprises a rod (<NUM>') pivoted through an axis (<NUM>) and configured as a cursor to move the axis (<NUM>) to the right or to the left depending on the inclination of the supporting
body (<NUM>) and of the user causing the rotation of the rear wheels (<NUM>, <NUM> ') around their vertical axis and synchronously with each other, said vehicle (<NUM>) being characterized in that, in combination:
- the rear wheels (<NUM>, <NUM>') are connected to each other by a rib (<NUM>) configured to guarantee stability and balance at the vehicle with pedals (<NUM>),
- a kinematic mechanism is positioned on the front wheel (<NUM>) and comprises the pedals (<NUM>, <NUM> ') each of them integral with a toothed crown (<NUM>, <NUM> ') and a pair of pinions (<NUM>, <NUM>') connected to the respective toothed crowns (<NUM>, <NUM> ') by means of a chain (<NUM>, <NUM>'),
- the rear wheels (<NUM>, <NUM>') partially overlap the front wheel (<NUM>) in the axial direction,
- the saddle (<NUM>) is steadily connected to the upper part of the supporting body (<NUM>) in a rearward position with respect to a vertical axis (X) passing through the center of a horizontal segment (Y) connecting the pedals (<NUM>, <NUM>') and is inclined with respect to the vertical axis (X) passing through the center point of the horizontal segment (Y) of the pedals (<NUM>, <NUM>') of an angle (α) comprised in a range between <NUM>° and <NUM>°,
- the front wheel (<NUM>) swings along an axis (Z) passing through the center (C) of the front wheel (<NUM>) and through a rod (<NUM>") of the oscillating mechanism (<NUM>), resulting in this axis (Z) almost parallel to the ground.