Abstract
Proposed is a wheeled vehicle comprising a frame (2), at least one driving wheel (3) mounted on the frame (2) and swinging pressure levers (5) mounted on the frame (2), and connected to the driving wheel (3) by linkages (12), wherein the swinging pressure lever (5) is a two-arm lever, the first arm (6) of which is designed to apply a muscular force thereto, and a two-arm driving lever (8) is rotatably mounted on the second arm (7), wherein the linkage (12) is connected by the first arm (11) of the driving lever (8) on the first end thereof, and on the second end (28) thereof it is connected to a linkage (12) reset element (30) via a movable sleeve mounted on a shaft (14) of the driving wheel (3) and rotatable in one direction, and the second arm (15) of the driving lever (8) is connected to a driving lever (8) takeup unit.
Claims
1. A wheeled vehicle comprising a frame (2), at least one driving wheel (3) mounted on the frame (2) and swinging pressure levers (5) mounted on the frame (2), and connected to the driving wheel (3) by linkages (12), characterized in that the swinging pressure lever (5) is a two-arm lever, the first arm (6) of which is designed to apply a muscular force thereto, and a two-arm driving lever (8) is rotatably mounted on the second arm (7), wherein the linkage (12) is connected to the first arm (11) of the driving lever (8) on the first end thereof, and on the second end (28) thereof it is connected to a linkage (12) reset element (30) via a movable sleeve mounted on a shaft (14) of the driving wheel (3) and rotatable in one direction, and the second arm (15) of the driving lever (8) is connected to a driving lever (8) takeup unit, configured to provide rotation of the driving lever (8) in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the pressure lever (5) when the pressure lever (5) is turned from the position corresponding to the beginning of the operating stroke to the first predetermined position between positions corresponding to the beginning and the end of the operating stroke; general motionlessness of the driving lever (8) relative to the pressure lever (5) when the pressure lever (5) is turned from the first predetermined position to the second predetermined position between the positions corresponding to the beginning and the end of the operating stroke; and rotation of the driving lever (8) in a direction coinciding with the direction of rotation of the pressure lever (5) when the pressure lever (5) is turned from the second predetermined position between the positions corresponding to the beginning and the end of the operating stroke to the position corresponding to the end of the operating stroke.
2. The vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the driving lever (8) takeup unit comprises a takeup element (16) and a linkage (17), the first end (18) of which is attached to the frame (2) and the second end (19) is connected to the second arm (15) of the driving lever (8).
3. The vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that the end (18) of the linkage (17) of the driving lever (8) takeup unit is attached to the frame (2) to change the operating length of the linkage (17).
4. The vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that it comprises a mechanical or electrical means for changing the operating length of the linkage (17) of the driving lever (8) takeup unit.
5. The vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a seat (39) with a seatpost (38) mounted on the frame (2) by a guide sleeve (40) to move down and up, the driving lever (8) takeup unit comprises a takeup element (16) and a linkage (17), the first end (18) of which is attached to the lower end of the seatpost (38) and the second end (19) is connected to the second arm (15) of the driving lever (8).
Description
[0028] The claimed invention is explained in more detail with the help of the following figures:
[0029] FIG. 1 is a side view of a vehicle according to one of the embodiments of the invention;
[0030] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the vehicle transmission, wherein one of the ends of the linkage of the driving lever takeup unit is attached to the frame, according to one of the embodiments of the invention;
[0031] FIGS. 3 to 7 are schematic side views of the arrangement of the vehicle transmission structural elements according to one of the embodiments of the invention during the driving lever movement of the type rotation 1-motionlessness-rotation 2;
[0032] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the path of motion of the vehicle transmission structural elements according to one of the embodiments of the invention during the driving lever movement of the type rotation 1-motionlessness-rotation 2;
[0033] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a section of the vehicle transmission with a mechanical means for changing the operating length of the linkage of the driving lever takeup unit, according to one of the embodiments of the invention;
[0034] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a section of the vehicle transmission with an electrical means for changing the operating length of the linkage of the driving lever takeup unit, according to one of the embodiments of the invention;
[0035] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a section of the vehicle transmission with an electrical means for changing the operating length of the linkage of the driving lever takeup unit, according to another embodiment of the invention;
[0036] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the vehicle transmission, wherein one of the ends of the linkage of the driving lever takeup unit is attached to the lower end of the seatpost, according to one of the embodiments of the invention.
[0037] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a side view of the vehicle according to one of the embodiments of the invention and a perspective view of the vehicle transmission, respectively. In this embodiment, the vehicle is a bicycle 1 comprising a frame 2, a driving wheel 3 and a swivel wheel 4, as well as pressure levers 5. The first arm 6 of each pressure lever 5 is equipped with a pedal, and a driving lever 8 is rotatably mounted on the second arm 7. Position 9 indicates an axis of rotation of the pressure levers 5 relative to the frame 2, and position 10 indicates an axis of rotation of the driving levers 8 relative to the pressure levers 5. The first arm 11 of the driving lever 8 is connected by a linkage 12 to an overrunning clutch 13 mounted on a shaft 14 of the driving wheel 3. The second arm 15 of the driving lever 8 is connected to a driving lever 8 takeup unit. The said unit comprises a takeup element 16 and a linkage 17, the first end 18 of which is attached to the frame 2 and the second end 19 is connected to the second arm 15 of the driving lever 8. The linkage 17 operating length is a length of the linkage from the point 20 of attachment thereof on the frame 2 to the point 21 of attachment thereof on the arm 15 of the driving lever 8. For convenience, a stroke limiter 22 for the pressure levers 5 is installed on the frame 2, however, the said stroke limiter 22 may be absent, and the stroke of the pressure levers will be limited by the length of the driver's legs or by the predetermined settings of the driving lever 8 takeup unit.
[0038] FIGS. 3 to 7 illustrate side views of the arrangement of the vehicle transmission structural elements according to one of the embodiments of the invention during the driving lever movement of the type rotation 1-motionlessness-rotation 2. These figures illustrate an embodiment of the driving lever 8 takeup unit, wherein the end 23 of the linkage 17 thereof is attached to the frame 2 by an intermediate element 24. The end 23 of the linkage 17 is attached to the first end 25 of the intermediate element 24, and the second end 26 is provided with a thread and secured to the frame 2 by a nut 27. The operating length of the linkage 17 is a length from the attachment point of the end 26 of the intermediate element 24 on the frame 2 to the attachment point of the end of the linkage 17 on the arm 15 of the driving lever 8.
[0039] Also, it is seen in FIGS. 3 to 7 that the linkage 12, which is thrown over the overrunning clutch 13, is connected by its second end 28 to the first 29 of the ends of a linkage 12 reset springing element 30, the second end 31 of which is attached to the frame 2. The linkage 12 reset springing element 30 is located inside the frame 2 in the illustrated embodiment.
[0040] FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of the arrangement of the vehicle transmission structural elements in the position of the pressure lever 5 corresponding to the beginning of the operating stroke. In the illustrated embodiment, in this position of the pressure lever 5, the driving lever 8 occupies a position generally parallel to the position of the arm 7 of the pressure lever 5. The linkage 17 does not pull the driving lever 8 via the takeup element 16 in the described position of the pressure lever 5.
[0041] FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of the arrangement of the vehicle transmission structural elements in the position of the pressure lever 5 between the position corresponding to the beginning of the operating stroke and the first predetermined position (an intermediate position during movement rotation 1). When the pressure lever 5 is turned from the position corresponding to the beginning of the operating stroke in the direction of the first predetermined position, the driving lever 8 rotates in a direction opposite to the direction of the pressure lever 5 rotation. Thus, in the illustrated position of the pressure lever 5, the driving lever 8 is turned relative to it, i.e. an angle between the arm 7 of the pressure lever 5 and the driving lever 8 is decreased in comparison with the angle in the position of the pressure lever 5 corresponding to the beginning of the operating stroke shown in FIG. 3. The linkage 17 in the described position of the pressure lever 5 does not yet pull the driving lever 8 via the takeup element 16, and its rotation is effected by gravity.
[0042] Then, the driving lever 8 continues to rotate relative to the pressure lever 5 from its position illustrated in FIG. 4, until the pressure lever 5 occupies the first predetermined position (the completion of movement rotation 1).
[0043] FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate side views of the arrangement of the vehicle transmission structural elements in the first and second predetermined positions of the pressure lever 5 respectively. When the pressure lever 5 is turned from the first predetermined position to the second predetermined position, motionlessness of the driving lever 8 relative to the pressure lever 5 is generally provided, i.e. the angle between them practically does not change. In the described positions of the pressure lever 5, the linkage 17 pulls the driving lever 8 via the takeup element 16 preventing it from further rotation, which is the reason for the generally constant angle between the arm 7 of the pressure lever 5 and the driving lever 8.
[0044] When the pressure lever 5 is further turned from the second predetermined position, illustrated in FIG. 6, to the position corresponding to the end of the operating stroke (movement rotation 2), the linkage 17 pulls the driving lever 8 via the takeup element 16 (when it rotates about the takeup element 16) such that the driving lever 8 rotates in the direction coinciding with the direction of rotation of the pressure lever 5.
[0045] The directions of rotation of the pressure lever 5 and driving lever 8 when a muscular force is further applied to the pressure levers, which are in their illustrated positions, are indicated by arrows in FIGS. 3-6.
[0046] FIG. 7 is a side view of the arrangement of the vehicle transmission structural elements in the position of the pressure lever 5 corresponding to the end of the operating stroke. In the illustrated position of the pressure lever 5, the driving lever 8 is turned relative thereto to the side opposite to the side shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, i.e. the angle between the arm 7 of the pressure lever 5 and the driving lever 8 is increased in comparison with the angle in the position of the pressure lever 5 corresponding to the first and second predetermined positions shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Moreover, in this particular illustrated embodiment, the said angle is also increased in comparison with the angle in the position of the pressure lever 5 corresponding to the beginning of the operating stroke shown in FIG. 3.
[0047] In FIGS. 3 to 7, the elongation of the springing element 30 of the linkage 12 is seen when the pressure lever 5 is turned from the position corresponding to the beginning of the operating stroke to the position corresponding to the end of the operating stroke.
[0048] Thus, the takeup unit of the driving lever 8 pulls the latter, defining the path of motion of the driving lever 8, which, for the given settings of the driving lever 8 takeup unit, remains constant when the pressure levers 5 are turned with the maximum amplitude between the positions corresponding to the beginning and the end of the operating stroke.
[0049] Obviously, when changing the settings of the driving lever 8 takeup unit, i.e. when the linkage 17 operating length is changed, the path of motion of the driving lever 8 changes in comparison with that shown in the figures when the pressure levers 5 are turned with the maximum amplitude, but it will be constant for the given specific settings.
[0050] It is also obvious that when choosing an optimum transmission ratio directly in the process of the vehicle movement by selecting an amplitude of rotation of the pressure levers any amplitude among the maximum possible ones, the path of motion of the driving lever 8 will also be constant for the given specific amplitude. This means that the driver can move his/her legs in a range of amplitudes providing, for example, only movement rotation 1, or only movement rotation 1-motionlessness, or only movement motionlessness-rotation 2 etc., choosing thereby an optimum transmission ratio for him/herself.
[0051] FIG. 8 presents a diagram showing paths of motion of the vehicle transmission structural elements according to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 7 during the rotation 1-motionlessness-rotation 2 type of movement of the driving lever 8 relative to the pressure lever 5. In this diagram, point O designates an axis 9 of rotation of the pressure lever 5 relative to the frame 2, and point B designates an axis 10 of rotation of the driving lever 8 relative to the pressure lever 5, which are indicated by positions in FIG. 2. The pressure lever 5 has two arms 6 and 7 designated as OA and OB respectively, i.e. point B designates both the said axis 10 and the end of the arm 7 of the pressure lever 5. The driving lever 8 is designated in the diagram as CD, and its arms 15 and 11 are respectively BC and BD. These designations relate to the pressure lever 8 position which corresponds to the beginning of the operating stroke.
[0052] In the mentioned position of the pressure lever corresponding to the beginning of the operating stroke, the driving lever CD occupies a position parallel to the position of the pressure lever arm OB, and angle OBD between them is 180.
[0053] It is seen in the diagram that when the pressure lever is turned to the first predetermined position, in which its arms occupy positions corresponding to intervals OA.sub.1 and OB.sub.1 in the diagram (movement rotation 1), the angle between the corresponding arm of the pressure lever and the driving lever is gradually decreases and is an angle OB.sub.1D.sub.1 in the first predetermined position.
[0054] When the pressure lever is further turned to the second predetermined position, in which its arms occupy positions corresponding to intervals OA.sub.2 and OB.sub.2 in the diagram (movement motionlessness), the angle between the corresponding arm of the pressure lever and the driving lever remains generally constant and is an angle OB.sub.2D.sub.2, i.e. OB.sub.1D.sub.1OB.sub.2D.sub.2, in the second predetermined position.
[0055] Further, when the pressure lever is turned from its second predetermined position to the position corresponding to the end of the operating stroke, in which its arms occupy positions corresponding to intervals OA.sub.3 and OB.sub.3 in the diagram (movement rotation 2), the angle between the corresponding arm of the pressure lever and the driving lever gradually increases and is an angle OB.sub.3D.sub.3 in the position corresponding to the end of the operating stroke, which is a straight angle and accordingly exceeds the angle OBD in the embodiment illustrated in the diagram.
[0056] FIG. 9 presents a perspective view of a section of the vehicle transmission with a mechanical means for changing the operating length of the linkage 17 of the driving lever 8 takeup unit according to one of the embodiments of the invention (the linkage 17 is not shown in this Figure). The said mechanical means comprises a manual control means 32 which can be mounted on a handlebar of the vehicle and connected to the nuts via a flexible cable 33 and a splitter or splitter-multiplier (these structural elements are installed inside a section 34 of the frame 2 and are not visible in the figure) securing the ends of the linkage 17 of the driving lever 8 takeup unit to the vehicle frame 2.
[0057] FIG. 10 presents a perspective view of a section of the vehicle transmission with an electrical means for changing the operating length of the linkage of the driving lever 8 takeup unit according to one of the embodiments of the invention (the linkage 17 is not shown in this Figure). The said electrical means comprises a manual control means 32 which can be mounted on the handlebar of the vehicle and connected to the nuts via an electric motor 33 and the splitter or splitter-multiplier (these structural elements are installed inside the section 34 of the frame 2 and are not visible in the Figure) securing the ends of the linkage 17 of the driving lever 8 takeup unit to the vehicle frame 2. The electric motor 33 is equipped with a battery 35. The said electrical means may further comprise load sensors 36 for the pressure levers 5 and an associated electronic control means 37 which in turn is connected to the electric motor 33, as depicted in FIG. 11. Depending on a muscular force applied to the pressure levers 5, the electronic control means 37 commands the electric motor 33 to change the length of the linkage 17 of the driving lever 8 takeup unit and thus the transmission ratio, which enables to optimize energy consumption under varying movement conditions.
[0058] FIG. 12 presents a perspective view of the vehicle transmission, wherein one of the ends of the linkage 17 of the driving lever 8 takeup unit is attached to the lower end of a seatpost 38 on which a seat 39 is mounted. The said seatpost 38 is mounted on the frame 2 by a guide sleeve 40 to move down and up. In this case, the linkage 17 operating length is changed by the driver's weight when the seatpost 38 is moved down and up. The movement of the seatpost 38 is limited by the linkage 17 of the driving lever takeup unit with the help of the system of structural elements to which it is connected (linkage 17-driving lever 8-linkage 12-linkage 12 reset springing element 30).
[0059] It should be understood that the claimed vehicle as defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features and embodiments described above. In contrast, the specific features and embodiments described above are disclosed as exemplar embodiments of the claims, and other equivalent features may be encompassed by the claims of the present invention.
