Pedalling machines including scooters and driving mechanisms therefor

Abstract

This invention relates to a drive mechanism for a scooter or similar vehicle. A pair of opposed rotatable crank arms are mounted to a drive gear on the frame. Each crank arm is attached to a footboard that is itself rotatably mounted to the frame. The footboard is mounted further from the axis of the crank arms than the distance from the axis of the crank arms to the point at which they contact the footboards. Reciprocating downward pressure on each footboard drives rotation of the crank arms which in turn drive a wheel of the vehicle.

1 . A pedalling machine including: 
 a main housing,    a pair of co-axially rotable crank members, each of said crank members including a first arm portion extending generally radially from the axis of rotation of said crank members (“said Axis of Rotation”) and a second arm portion extending substantially parallel to said Axis of Rotation from the distal end of said first arm portion, wherein said first arm portions of said crank members being disposed oppositely and diametrically about said Axis of Rotation, and    a pair of pivotally movable footboards both extending from the same side of said Axis of Rotation towards said crank members, each distal end of said footboard being in driving engagement relationship with said second arm portion of the corresponding crank member so that each downward pivotal angular movement of said footboard will bring about movement of said correspond crank member in the same angular direction.    
   
   
       2 . A machine of  claim 1 , wherein the length of each said footboard is longer than the distance between the pivotal axis of said footboard and said Axis of Rotation.  
   
   
       3 . A machine of  claim 1 , further including a drive wheel which is co-axially rotatable with and mounted between said pair of crank members for driving engagement by said crank members.  
   
   
       4 . A machine of  claim 3 , wherein said drive wheel is connected to a load via an endless power transmission link.  
   
   
       5 . A machine of  claim 4 , wherein said power transmission link is a chain or belt surrounding said drive wheel and the load is a driven wheel.  
   
   
       6 . A machine of  claim 5 , wherein the diameter of said driven wheel is substantially larger than the diametric length of said first arm portions of said crank members.  
   
   
       7 . A machine of  claim 5 , further including a second driven wheel not connected to said crank members via an endless power transmission link.  
   
   
       8 . A machine of  claim 7 , wherein each said footboard includes a downwardly dependent member which supports the machine in a tilted upright posture when the second arm portion of the corresponding crank member is at its lowest point in its rotation about said Axis of Rotation.  
   
   
       9 . A machine of  claim 10 , wherein the divergent angle between said pair of footboards is about extend 36°.  
   
   
       10 . A drive mechanism for a vehicle having at least one front and one rear wheel comprising: 
 a pair of co-axle opposed rotatable craned-arms to directly or indirectly drive a wheel of said vehicle;    a pair of rotatably mounted footboards mounted on said vehicle and wherein said footboards are engaged at or adjacent an outer end of said craned-arms such that downward pressure on one footboard may cause downward rotation of the connected craned-arm; and    wherein the distance between the axles of rotation of the footboards and the axles of rotation of the craned-arms is substantially greater than the distance from the centre of rotation of the craned-arms to the point of connection with said footboards.    
   
   
       11 . A drive mechanism for a vehicle having at least one front and one rear wheel as claimed in  claim 1  wherein a drive gear is co-axially mounted with said crank arms to be rotated by rotation of said crank arms.  
   
   
       12 . A drive mechanism for a vehicle having at least one front and one rear wheel as claimed in  claim 2  said drive gear is connected with an axle of a driven wheel to drive rotation of the wheel of the vehicle.  
   
   
       13 . A drive mechanism for a vehicle having at least one front and one rear wheel as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said connection to said drive wheel comprises a chain connecting said drive gear with a gear co-axially mounted to said driven wheel.  
   
   
       14 . A drive mechanism for a vehicle having at least one front and one rear wheel as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said interconnection between said crank arms and said footboards allows movement of the point of connection in the radial direction of extension of the footboards while being substantially fixed in a transverse direction.  
   
   
       15 . A drive mechanism for a vehicle having at least one front and one rear wheel as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said vehicle comprises a scooter or bicycle.  
   
   
       16 . A drive mechanism for a vehicle having at least one front and one rear wheel as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said vehicle comprises a bicycle.  
   
   
       17 . A vehicle including: 
 A pair of wheels interconnected by a frame.    A drive wheel located intermediate between the axles of said pair of wheels, said drive wheel includes a pair of crank members radially extending from said axle of said drive wheel, each said crank member includes a connecting arm at its distal end which is substantially parallel to said axle of said drive wheel, said pair of crank members being separated by the plane of rotation of said drive wheel.    A transmission link connecting said drive wheel to drive at least one of said pair of wheels.    A pair of footboards separated by the plane of rotation of said drive wheel, each said footboard being pivotable about an axle substantially parallel to the axle of said drive wheel, said connecting arm of said crank member being slidable along at least a portion of the footboard on the same side of said drive wheel, said footboard and said connecting arm being disposed so that downward pivotal movements of said footboard cause sliding and rotation of said connecting arm in a direction to drive said vehicle.    
   
   
       18 . A vehicle of  claim 8 , wherein one of said pair of wheels is pivotally movable about an axle which is substantially orthogonal to the axle of said wheel for steering.  
   
   
       19 . A vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein said pairs of footboards and said pair of connecting arms are in alternate driving engagement relationship so that when a connecting arm on one side of said drive wheel is being downwardly driven by a footboard, the footboard on the other side of said drive wheel will be upwardly driven to prepare for the next driving engagement.  
   
   
       20 . A vehicle of  claim 17 , wherein said transmission link connecting said drive wheel to said at least one of said pair of wheels includes a mechanism to convert a counter-clockwise rotation of the drive wheel into clockwise rotation of said wheel.