Vehicle and vehicle components

Abstract

A rear wheel suspension adjusting arrangement for use in a vehicle includes a configuration adjusting arrangement and an activating arrangement. The vehicle includes a frame having a front and a back, a suspended rear drive wheel that supports the frame, and a suspension system for connecting the rear drive wheel to the frame. The configuration adjusting arrangement is capable of changing the positioning of the suspension system relative to the frame such that the suspension system may be moved into an uphill configuration when the vehicle is traveling uphill and such that the suspension system may be moved into a downhill configuration when the vehicle is traveling downhill. The activating arrangement activates the changing of the configuration adjusting arrangement to cause the configuration adjusting arrangement to change the positioning of the suspension system relative to the frame while the vehicle is being used.

1 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A rear wheel suspension adjusting arrangement for use in a vehicle including a frame having a front and a back, a suspended rear drive wheel that supports the frame, and a suspension system for connecting the rear drive wheel to the frame, the suspension adjusting arrangement comprising:
 a configuration adjusting arrangement for changing the positioning of the suspension system relative to the frame such that the suspension system may be moved into an uphill configuration when the vehicle is traveling uphill and such that the suspension system may be moved into a downhill configuration when the vehicle is traveling downhill, and   an activating arrangement for activating the configuration adjusting arrangement to cause the configuration adjusting arrangement to change the positioning of the suspension system relative to the frame while the vehicle is being used.   
     
     
         32 . A suspension adjusting arrangement according to  claim 31  wherein
 the vehicle includes a front wheel, 
 the vehicle has a wheel base that is defined by the distance between the front wheel and the rear wheel, and 
 the suspension adjusting arrangement changes the wheel base of the vehicle as the configuration adjusting arrangement moves the suspension system between the uphill configuration and the downhill configuration. 
 
     
     
         33 . A suspension adjusting arrangement according to  claim 31  wherein the vehicle is a human powered vehicle selected from the group of vehicles consisting of a bicycle, a tricycle, and a quadracycle. 
     
     
         34 . A suspension adjusting arrangement according to  claim 31  wherein the activating arrangement includes a sensor arrangement for sensing when the vehicle is traveling uphill and downhill. 
     
     
         35 . A suspension adjusting arrangement according to  claim 31  wherein the activating arrangement is manually controlled by an operator of the vehicle. 
     
     
         36 . A suspension adjusting arrangement according to  claim 31  wherein the configuration adjusting arrangement includes an actuator selected from the group of actuators consisting of a motorized actuator, a pneumatic actuator, a hydraulic actuator, a cable driven actuator, a push rod driven actuator, and a magnetic actuator. 
     
     
         37 . A suspension adjusting arrangement according to  claim 31  wherein
 the vehicle further includes a crank set assembly having a crank set rotational axis, the crank set being configured to allow a rider to input a rotational drive about the crank set rotational axis for driving the rear drive wheel, 
 the rear wheel has a rear wheel axis, 
 the suspension system has an effective swing arm length that extends from the crank set rotational axis to the rear wheel axis, and 
 the configuration adjusting arrangement decreases the effective swing arm length when the vehicle is traveling uphill and increases the effective swing arm length when the vehicle is traveling downhill. 
 
     
     
         38 . A suspension adjusting arrangement according to  claim 37  wherein
 the activating arrangement includes a pivoting member that is pivotally connected to the frame of the vehicle about a pivoting member rotational axis that is parallel to, but spaced apart from, the crank set rotational axis, the crank set rotational axis being located below the pivoting member rotational axis when the vehicle is in an upright position such that the weight of the rider on the crank set causes the pivoting member to pivot causing the crank set rotational axis to move toward the front of the frame when the vehicle is traveling downhill and causing the crank set rotational axis to move toward the rear of the frame when the vehicle is traveling uphill, and 
 the configuration adjusting arrangement includes a suspension pivot point that is located on the pivoting member above the pivoting member rotational axis when the vehicle is in the upright position, the suspension system being pivotally connected to the suspension pivot point of the pivoting member of the suspension adjusting arrangement such that the weight of the rider on the crank set causes the pivoting member to pivot with the suspension pivot point moving toward the rear of the frame causing the suspension system to move into a downhill configuration when the vehicle is traveling downhill and with the suspension pivot point moving toward the front of the frame causing the suspension system to move into a uphill configuration when the vehicle is traveling uphill. 
 
     
     
         39 . A suspension adjusting arrangement according to  claim 38  wherein the suspension adjusting arrangement includes a dampening arrangement for dampening the speed of the pivoting of the pivoting member of the activating arrangement. 
     
     
         40 - 69 . (canceled)