Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Structural detail
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-03
2001-07-17
Pape, Joseph D. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Structural detail
C296S185100, C296S077100, C296S068100, C296S066000, C280S748000, C280S751000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06260913
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a small four-wheeled one-man vehicle. More particularly the present invention relates to a small four-wheeled vehicle provided with a cabin with wide open sides for assuring ease of entering and exiting the cabin, and a driver supporting unit for maintaining a driver in a reliable state in the vehicle.
2. Description of Background Art
Small four-wheeled vehicles usually include a body frame having a lower frame for supporting two front wheels and two rear wheels, and an upper frame which is upwardly curved in order to form a cabin. The vehicles have open right and left sides for allowing a driver to enter and exit the vehicle with ease. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Sho 61-169373 discloses an example of such a vehicle.
Such a small four-wheeled vehicle, having a cabin with wide right and left open sides, assures a driver of such a vehicle superior entry and exit to and from the cabin. However, due to the wide open sides of the vehicle, often the driver of such a vehicle tends to feel uneasy or unsafe while operating the vehicle.
The foregoing small four-wheeled vehicle is relatively narrow, and therefore is easily parked in a small space. However, the driver cannot enter or exit the vehicle when it is parked in a small space that is substantially equal to the width of the vehicle and is surrounded by adjacent vehicles. Therefore, a parking space width has to be determined based on the width of the vehicle and an additional space to allow the driver to enter or exit the vehicle. Thus, the design of the background art fails to provide a vehicle which maximally utilizes available vehicle parking space.
The background art has attempted to reduce the width of such small four-wheeled vehicles, but in doing so it has been found that cabin space must be significantly reduced. A smaller cabin space reduces the comfort level of the driver of such vehicles. Furthermore, there is a lower limit at which the width may be reduced. Exceeding this limit seriously effects the comfort and drivability of the vehicles.
SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, in order to overcome the deficiencies and disadvantages of the background art, a main object of the invention is to provide a small four-wheeled vehicle that can support a driver stably, safely and reliably without sacrificing the advantage of entering and exiting the vehicle with ease, and which maintains a vehicle width which assures comfortable drivability of the vehicle.
According to a first feature of the invention, there is provided a small four-wheeled vehicle including a pair of right and left front wheels and a pair of right and left rear wheels. A cabin is positioned at the center of a vehicle body end having open right and left sides. The cabin interior is provided with shoulder pads for supporting shoulders of a driver, and a driver supporting unit having side supports for supporting hips of the driver.
In accordance with a second feature of the invention, the small four wheeled vehicle further includes flat platforms provided in front of, behind and at opposite sides of the cabin. The flat platforms are contiguous to one another.
The small four-wheeled vehicle further includes front and rear bumpers at the front and rear ends of the vehicle body, and foot steps formed on the front and rear bumpers. The vehicle further includes luggage-fastening rails on the front and rear platforms.
According to the first feature of the invention, the driver can be reliably seated in the vehicle using the shoulder pads and side supports in the cabin even when the cabin has large open right and left sides.
In accordance with the second feature, the platforms are provided in front of, behind the cabin and at the opposite sides of the cabin. The platforms are contiguous to one another. Even when the vehicle is parked in a small space, the driver can enter or exit the vehicle via the right or left side platforms and then via the front or rear platforms. Therefore, even when the vehicle width is increased to a certain degree in order to increase comfort of the driver, the vehicle may still be parked in a relatively small parking space. Furthermore, the foot step on the front or rear bumper further facilitate the ease of entry or exit of the vehicle via the front or rear platform.
The flat front and rear platforms can further be used as luggage loading areas. When front and rear steps are provided with rails, luggage can be easily and reliably loaded on the platforms by engaging luggage fasteners into the rails. Additionally, the luggage fasteners can be locked at any position in the rails, so that luggage can be reliably supported in accordance with its shape and so on.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3215113 (1965-11-01), Roberts
patent: 3331627 (1967-07-01), Schroder et al.
patent: 3409323 (1968-11-01), Schweser
patent: 3632156 (1972-01-01), Schweser
patent: 3983952 (1976-10-01), McKee
patent: 4049309 (1977-09-01), Seal
patent: 4089542 (1978-05-01), Westerman
patent: 4521049 (1985-06-01), Genma et al.
patent: 4537446 (1985-08-01), Roney et al.
patent: 4573546 (1986-03-01), Irimajiri et al.
patent: 4671563 (1987-06-01), Shakespear
patent: 4804199 (1989-02-01), Picard
patent: 4883308 (1989-11-01), Singer
patent: 4946193 (1990-08-01), Oka
patent: 4966408 (1990-10-01), Yura
patent: 5340177 (1994-08-01), Maxam
patent: 61-169373 (1986-07-01), None
Patent Abstract of Japan, vol. 014, No. 417 (C-0756), JP 02 159290A, Jun. 19, 1990, Yamaha Motor Co.,Ltd.*
Patent Abstract of Japan, vol. 014, No. 367 (M-1008), JP 02 133292A, May 22, 1990, Iseki & Co Ltd).*
Patent Abstract of Japan, vol. 007, No. 217 (M-245), P 58 110378A, Jun. 30, 1983, Yamaha Hatsudoki KK).
Murata Yutaka
Sekita Takahito
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Pape Joseph D.
Patel Kiran B.
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