US20030178803A1

US20030178803A1 - Two wheel steering scooter with latitudinal aligned wheels

Info

Publication number: US20030178803A1
Application number: US10/102,161
Authority: US
Inventors: Michael Killian
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-03-20
Filing date: 2002-03-20
Publication date: 2003-09-25

Abstract

A two wheel steering scooter with latitudinal aligned wheels device. A center user support member connects the rear head tube to the front head tube. The rear wheel attaches to the rear fork extending upwards. The rear fork steerer column passes through the rear head tube and can rotate within the rear head tube by means of a bicycle bearing headset. A rear steering handle is connected to the rear fork steerer column. The rear steering handle is designed to contact the user's left hand with arm extended. The front wheel attaches to the front fork extending upwards. The front fork steerer column passes through the front head tube and can rotate within the front head tube by means of a bicycle bearing headset. A front steering handle is connected to the front fork steerer column. The front steering handle is designed to contact the user's right hand with arm extended. The rider's left arm is positioned at the user's left side and contacts the rear steering handle. The rider's right arm is positioned at the user's right side and contacts the front steering handle. The device moves forward to the rider's right. The steering handles should be adjusted so that the rider's body is roughly balanced across the vertical plane of the rear and front wheels. The device moves to the right and the rider keeps the device balanced by constantly correcting the coordinated rear and front steering. It may take some practice to make this correction reflex, but once mastered this device offers more control and artistic expression than a currently available scooter.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to recreational devices like scooters.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to scooters and comprises a support frame and two steerable wheels mounted in a latitudinal direction. More specifically, the present invention relates to scooters which can be used to traverse smooth and rough terrain including mountain slopes.

Human balance can be considered in two separate axes. Human balance left side to right side and human balance front to back. Left to right human balance is relatively inaccurate; as evidenced by trying to stand on one foot. However since the human body has two feet there is a constant correcting mechanism by moving ones hips and upper body relative to both left and right foot. This endless correction makes left to right balance very useful for walking and standing. Left to right human balance is symmetric in that the capabilities to the left are equal to the capabilities to the right. Devices based on human left to right balance, like the scooter tap into this constant correcting mechanism. A scooter is in a constant state of losing its balance and with the endless correcting of the front wheel it is kept in balance. People learn to ride a scooter because this constant correcting is much like the person's natural left to right correction mechanism.

Front to back balance is in many ways much more accurate as evidenced by the operation of the ankle and foot as you lean slightly forward. There is none of the left to right instability as when you stand on one foot. Front to back balance is not symmetric. Front balance has leverage close to the ground for correcting balance; namely the ankle and foot. Back balance has no equivalent to the ankle and foot and must rely on greater precision and a degree of weight shifting. It is more natural to lean forward protected by the leverage of the foot. Leaning backwards is often a frightening experience.

Devices that leverage front to back balance include snowboards and to a lesser extent skateboards. In both cases balance is restored by pushing down on ones toes with respect to ones heels or lifting ones toes. This action in a snowboard causes the board to carve into the snow in a forward or rearward direction and thus recovering balance. These actions in a skateboard causes the truck to change the relative orientation of the rear axle with respect to the front axle and turning toward the front or towards the rear and again regaining balance. Snowboards and skateboards traveling at high speed tend to be difficult to control and are better suited to slow speed artistic expression. This is because the length of a person's foot is relatively short when compared with the distance between left and right foot with feet apart.

Devices that leverage left to right balance include currently available scooters.

The present invention discloses a two wheel steering scooter with latitudinal aligned wheels. This will leverage human front to back balance primarily with left to right balance having only secondary input. The user stands on the scooter platform and balances the device by continuously correcting the orientation of the left and right wheel with his/her left and right hand respectively. The user's body faces perpendicular to the direction of motion. The left and right steering handles should be adjusted to connect with the user's hands with arms extended and positions the user's body to roughly balance the left to right center axis of the device. The user's left hand grips the left wheel steering handle. The user's right hand grips the right wheel steering handle. When the user feels himself/herself falling forward out of balance, the user moves his/her hands in such a way as to track the device forward of the original line of motion and thus regaining balance. The user must be in a state of constant correction which with practice will become natural and reflex. This device moves the user in a sideways direction. Each handle is equipped with a steering lockout lever that locks that particular steering when the user lets go of the handle. This allows the device to be propelled forward in the same way as a currently available scooter. Once the user has mastered the basics of turning the user can start introducing his/her weight into the turns by leaning into the turns. The feedback from this device is strongest when the user uses his/her weight. This device may not compete with a regular scooter with respect to operation on flat ground. However it is expected that this invention will excel at carving turns and will work best on hills. It is expected that this invention will be more expressive than a regular scooter and will reward the operator with much positive feedback of having mastered his/her balance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a two wheel steering scooter with latitudinal aligned wheels.

It is a more particular object of the invention to provide a center planar support member.

It is an object of the present invention to provide front and rear bicycle head tubes attached to each end of the center planar support member.

It is an object of the present invention to provide front and rear wheels supported by forks whose steerer columns extend through respective bicycle headsets and front and rear head tubes.

Each fork steerer column attaches to an associated steering handle.

Each steering handle includes means of contact with the user's hand.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects of the present invention will become more evident upon reading the following description of the preferred embodiment in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: [0014]
FIG. 1 is a side view of the current invention where the rider's back would be visible. [0015]
FIG. 2 is a rear view of a portion of the current invention detailing the rear wheel, rear fork, rear head tube, rear headset, rear steering handle. [0016]
FIG. 3 is a side view of a user riding the current invention where the user's back is visible.[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates the [0018] current invention 100. In FIG. 1 the user rides on planar platform member 102 which is supported from the ground by rear wheel 104 and front wheel 106. Rear wheel 104 supports rear fork 108 from the ground. Rear fork member 108 extends upward through rear head tube 114. Rear fork member is rotably mounted inside rear head tube member 114 using rear headset 116. The upper portion of rear fork member 108 is 110 and connects with rear handle 112. Front wheel 106 supports front fork 118 from the ground. Front fork member 118 extends upward through front head tube 124. Front fork member is rotably mounted inside front head tube member 124 using front headset 126. The upper portion of front fork member 118 is 120 and connects with front handle 122. Rear connector 116 connects planar platform member 102 to rear head tube member 114. Front connector 128 connects planar platform member 102 to front head tube member 124.
FIG. 2 is a rear view of a portion of the [0019] current invention 100. In FIG. 2 rear wheel 104 is connected to rear fork 108 at axle 107. The steerer column of rear fork 108 extends through rear headset 116 and rear head tube 114 to rear steering handle 112 using extension 110.
FIG. 3 illustrates a [0020] rider 302 riding the current invention 300. In FIG. 3 the rider's back 304 is illustrated. The rider's left hand 306 grips rear steering handle 308 with left arm extended. The rider's right hand 310 grips front steering handle 312 with right arm extended. The riders left and right feet 314 and 316 are positioned latitudinally on planar platform member 318.

Claims

What we claim is:

1. A two wheel steering scooter comprising:

a center planar user support member;

a rear head tube member connected to said center planar user support member;

a rear headset member;

a front head tube member connected to said center planar user support member;

a front headset member;

a rear fork member that extends upward with said fork member steerer column pivotably mounted within said rear head tube member using said rear headset member;

a single rear wheel being rototably mounted on said rear fork member;

a front fork member that extends upward with said fork member steerer column pivotably mounted within said front head tube member using said front headset member;

a single front wheel being rototably mounted on said front fork member;

a rear steering member connected to said rear fork member that the user's hand grips;

a front steering member connected to said front fork member that the user's hand grips.

2. A two wheel steering scooter with rider mounted upright facing perpendicular to the direction of motion comprising:

a planar user support member;

a rear head tube member connected to said planar user support member;

a rear headset member;

a front head tube member connected to said planar user support member;

a front headset member;

a single rear wheel being rototably mounted on said rear fork member;

a single front wheel being rototably mounted on said front fork member;

a rear steering member connected to said rear fork member;

a front steering member connected to said front fork member.