VEHICLE

Abstract

A vehicle, in particular bicycle, with a frame, a handlebar connected to the frame rotatably about a steering axis, two front wheels and a rear wheel. In order to achieve a particularly pleasant driving behavior, the front wheels are rotatably mounted in front wheel hearings rigidly connected to the frame about front wheel axles, the rear wheel being mounted rotatably about a rear wheel axle in at least one rear wheel bearing, wherein at least one rear wheel bearing is rigidly connected to a swing arm which is pivotably connected to the frame about an articulation axis, the handlebar being coupled to the swing arm in this way that a movement of the handlebar about the steering axis causes an opposite movement of the swing arm about the articulation axis.

Claims

1. A vehicle, in particular bicycle, with a frame, a handlebar connected to the frame rotatably about a steering axis, two front wheels and a rear wheel, wherein the front wheels are rotatably mounted in front wheel bearings rigidly connected to the frame about front wheel axles, the rear wheel being mounted rotatably about a rear wheel axle in at least one rear wheel bearing, wherein at least one rear wheel bearing is rigidly connected to a swing arm which is pivotably connected to the frame about an articulation axis, the handlebar being coupled to the swing arm in this way that a movement of the handlebar about the steering axis causes an opposite movement of the rocker arm about the articulation axis.

2. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the articulation axis is oriented at an angle (α) of less than 90 degrees to a direction of travel, in particular at an angle (α) of 60 degrees to 89 degrees, preferably 75 degrees to 85 degrees.

3. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the front wheels are arranged symmetrically in relative to a center plane of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a loading area is arranged between the front wheels.

5. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the handlebar is connected to the rocker arm via a mechanism which has a linkage attached to the rocker arm on the one hand and to the handlebar on the other hand in opposite directions.

6. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a linkage is rotatably connected on the one hand to the handlebar via a first lever and on the other hand to the rocker arm via a second lever, wherein a length of the first lever in a plane normal to a first linkage axis, about which the linkage is rotatably connected to the first lever, corresponds to 0.5 times to 2 times a length of the second lever in this plane.

7. The vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein a double linkage is provided, a second linkage being arranged above a first linkage, the first linkage and second linkage intersecting or crossing one another in a plan view.

8. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is designed as an electric scooter.

9. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is designed as an electric bicycle.

10. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a saddle can be connected to the frame in different vertical positions, the rear wheel being pivotable about the articulation axis relative to the saddle by the rocker arm.

11. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a saddle receptacle for receiving a saddle is arranged between the articulation axis and the rear wheel axis.

12. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a distance between the rear wheel axle and the articulated axle corresponds to at least one radius of the rear wheel, preferably 1.05 times to 1.3 times the radius of the rear wheel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Description of Drawings

[0030] Further features, advantages and effects of the invention emerge from the exemplary embodiment shown below. In the drawings to which reference is made:

[0031] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a vehicle according to the invention in different views;

[0032] FIG. 3 shows a detail of a vehicle according to the invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Best Mode

[0033] Input the paragraph which describes the best mode here.

Mode for the Invention

Mode for Invention

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a vehicle according to the invention, which is designed as a bicycle 1, in a side view. As can be seen, the bicycle 1 has a frame 2 and a handlebar 4 connected to the frame 2 rotatably about a steering axis 3 and a saddle 21 detachably and rigidly connected to the frame 2, which saddle 21 can be attached at different positions relative to the frame 2, namely here by means of a saddle tube 22. The bicycle 1 also has a rear wheel 6 and two front wheels 5, via which the bicycle 1 is supported against a floor and with which the bicycle 1 can be moved along a direction of travel 13.

[0035] The front wheels 5 are mounted rotatably about front wheel axles 8, which are coaxial, in front wheel bearings 7, which front wheel bearings 7 are rigidly connected to the frame 2 and thus also to the saddle 21, namely via connecting elements 24 arranged on the frame 2, which protrude from the loading area 15.

[0036] The rear wheel 6 is mounted rotatably around a rear wheel axle 10 in rear wheel bearings 9, which rear wheel bearings 9 are not arranged in the frame 2 itself, as in a conventional bicycle 1, but in a rocker arm 12, which rocker arm 12 can be pivoted or rotated about the articulated axis 11 and is connected to the frame 2 and extends from frame 2 against the direction of travel 13 or backwards to the rear wheel axle 10.

[0037] In contrast to a conventional bicycle 1, the front wheel 5 is not rotatably connected to the frame 2 or the saddle 21 about a vertical or approximately vertical axis, but the rear wheel 6. For an actuation corresponding to a conventional bicycle 1, however, the handlebar 4 is connected to the rocker arm 12 via a linkage 16, so that a movement of the handlebar 4 causes the rocker arm 12 to move in opposite directions. Thus, for example, a clockwise movement of the handlebar 4 about the steering axis 3 causes the rocker arm 12 to move counterclockwise about the articulated axis 11. This brings about a reaction to a steering movement on the handlebar 4 corresponding to a conventional bicycle 1, which makes the bicycle 1 easy to handle.

[0038] FIG. 2 shows this linkage 16 in detail, wherein FIG. 2 shows a plan view of a bicycle 1 according to the invention. In order to be able to recognize the steering linkage particularly well, the handlebars 4 and the saddle 21 are not shown here particularly.

[0039] As can be seen, the handlebar 4, which is connected to the frame 2 rotatably about a steering axis 3, has a first lever 17 in one area, which is rigidly connected to the handlebar 4. The linkage 16 is connected to this first lever 17 rotatably about a first linkage axis 19 on the one hand. On the other hand, the linkage 16 is connected to a second lever 18 rotatably about a second linkage axis 20, which second lever 18 is in turn rigidly connected to the rocker arm 12.

[0040] In the view shown, the linkage 16 is connected to the first lever 17 on a left side of the central plane 14 viewed in the direction of travel 13 and to the rocker arm 12 on a right side of the central plane 14, so that there is a correspondingly opposite movement of the rocker arm 12 relative to the movement of the handlebar 4. The first linkage axis 19 and the second linkage axis 20 are oriented here approximately parallel and vertically or normal to a plane of a ground 26, which plane is defined, for example, by the rear wheel axis 10 and the direction of travel 13. The linkage 16, which is formed here by a single inherently rigid component, thus intersects the center plane 14 between the steering axis 3 and the articulation axis 11, as shown.

[0041] A steering behavior can in particular be influenced by the length of the first lever 17 and the second lever 18 or by a ratio of the lengths of the two levers 17, 18, wherein a length of the first lever 17 roughly corresponds to a length of the second lever 18 in the illustrated embodiment.

[0042] As can be seen in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the front wheels 5 of the bicycle 1 designed as a cargo bike are horizontally spaced from one another, so that there is sufficient space between them for a loading area 15 on which, for example, luggage can be arranged.

[0043] As shown, the rocker arm 12 has a length from the articulation axis 11 to the rear wheel axis 10, which is slightly larger than a radius 23 of the rear wheel 6, so that good mobility of the rear wheel 6 relative to the frame 2 is ensured.

[0044] Furthermore, it can be clearly seen in FIG. 2 that the rocker arm 12 extends on both sides of the rear wheel 6, so that the rear wheel 6 is supported on both sides or symmetrically in rear wheel bearings 9 fastened in the rocker arm 12, although only one-sided support is also possible.

[0045] FIG. 3 shows a detail of a bicycle 1 according to the invention, which brings about a particularly pleasant driving behavior, namely a part of the frame 2, to which the rocker arm 12 is connected pivotably about an articulated axis 11, the rocker arm 12 and the rear wheel 6 including the rear wheel bearing 9. Furthermore a ground 26 is shown on which the bicycle 1 is positioned.

[0046] As can be seen particularly clearly here, the articulation axis 11, which is generally in the central plane 14 or parallel thereto, is deflected from a vertical or oriented at an angle a of less than 90 degrees in relative to the direction of travel 13. This also results in a vertical movement of the rear wheel 6 relative to the frame 2 during a steering movement, which vertical movement causes the frame 2 and a driver possibly sitting on the saddle 21 to be raised or lowered by a height difference 25 shown schematically in FIG. 3.

[0047] An energy minimum in terms of potential energy is achieved when the rocker arm 12 is oriented exactly backwards or against the direction of travel 13, as shown in FIG. 3, especially the frame 2 supported by the articulated axle 11 and the rear wheel 6 and the front wheels 5 is then at the lowest possible position, which is indicated here by a lower horizontal dash-dotted line. Each deflection from this position thus leads to a lifting of the driver or a lifting of a weight connected to the frame 2 up to a highest maximum position, which is indicated here schematically by an upper dash-dotted line. A distance between the lowest possible position and the highest possible position is referred to here as a height difference 25.

[0048] As a result of this lifting of the frame 2 over the rocker arm 12, a restoring torque acts on the rocker arm 12 about the articulation axis 11 in the event of a deflection from driving straight ahead, wherein the restoring torque causes the rocker arm 12 to move back into the position shown in FIG. 3, if this restoring torque is not counteracted by a corresponding steering torque to maintain or increase a steering angle. As a result, the bicycle 1 is automatically steered back in the direction of driving straight ahead when the handlebar 4 is released, as well as the vehicle is comfortable to drive.

[0049] The bicycle 1 can be designed for purely manual confirmation and/or as an electric bicycle, wherein both the front wheels 5 and the rear wheel 6 are able to be driven.

[0050] Alternatively, the vehicle according to the invention can also be designed as a vehicle driven entirely without muscle power, for example as a motorcycle or electric scooter. A drive then takes place by means of an internal combustion engine and/or an electric motor, actuation preferably being made possible via a throttle grip arranged on the handlebar 4.

[0051] With a vehicle according to the invention, in particular an electric scooter, a cargo bike or a cargo bike is thus achieved, which on the one hand is simple in construction and on the other hand can be operated in a sporty manner and is pleasant to drive so that this vehicle enables loads to be transported comfortably, even for inexperienced users.