Motor vehicles – Special wheel base – Having only two wheels
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-08
2001-03-13
Hurley, Kevin (Department: 3619)
Motor vehicles
Special wheel base
Having only two wheels
C180S227000, C180S230000, C180S065510
Reexamination Certificate
active
06199651
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a drive wheel assembly for a scooter. More particularly, the invention relates to a scooter wheel driven by a motor housed in an end of a swing arm disposed opposite an end pivotably attached to the scooter body, in which a motor shaft is directly engaged to a transmission mounted within a wheel.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As exacerbation of air pollution by large numbers of internal combustion vehicles has become a significant concern in large cities, efforts are being made worldwide to provide efficient electric powered vehicles which do not discharge pollutant emissions. Large cities in developing countries which include high concentrations of scooters powered by two stroke engines are particularly affected by vehicle pollution. These two stroke scooters produce large quantities of pollutants and significant noise. Electric powered scooters, on the other hand, offer a means of transportation that emits substantially no pollutants and produces very little noise.
Electric-powered two-wheeled vehicles have been developed. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,938 teaches a bicycle with an electric motor mounted inside a front wheel. The motor is disposed within a housing. The motor spins a sun wheel, which spins three planet wheels meshed therewith. The planet wheels are meshed with and rotate against a ring gear that is rotationally fixed to an axle, which is fixed to the bicycle fork. Shafts of the planet wheels are fixed to a swivel block. The rotation of the planet wheels against the fixed ring gear causes the swivel block to rotate about the axle. Through a clutch wheel, the rotating swivel block rotates the housing. The housing is formed from two halves of equal diameter. Wheel spokes are attached to the housing through both housing halves. Thus, rotation of the housing causes the bicycle spokes and wheel to turn, propelling the bicycle.
In the arrangement taught in the '938 patent, however, the motor is unusually thin to fit unobtrusively within the wheel. This arrangement precludes an ideally shaped motor, which is significantly wider and more powerful.
Other electric powered vehicles are also taught, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,141. This reference shows an electric motor housed within a closed casing that is connected to a passenger carrying vehicle through suspension members which are pivoted laterally from the vehicle and from the casing. A shock absorber absorbs mechanical shocks between the casing and the vehicle.
The arrangement taught is unsuitable for a scooter or other small vehicles in which swing arms face aft and pivot parallel to the wheel about an axis transverse to the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,613,569 and 5,647,450 teach electrically powered scooters, each with an electric motor placed in a pivotable swing power unit attached to a main frame and to a wheel. The motor is located at the end of the swing unit attached to the body. As explained in the '569 patent, this placement requires a transmission to provide power to the wheel disposed within the swing unit, such as a belt. The remote placement of the motor from the wheel and the long transmission reduces the potential efficiency of the drive system.
An efficient drive wheel assembly is needed for a scooter suitable for use with an adequately sized motor and which does not suffer from inefficiencies produced by a placement of the motor remotely from the wheel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a vehicle drive assembly for a scooter with a motor configured for driving the vehicle that includes a rotatably driven motor shaft. The scooter preferably has first and second swing arms, each with a first end fixed to the motor and a second end pivotably and supportively attachable to a vehicle body. The first swing arm also preferably includes a substantially rigid elongated portion fixing together its first and second ends. The motor is preferably housed within the first swing arm.
A wheel of the scooter has a gearbox housing that is configured for transmitting torque to a road surface through a road engaging member, such as a tire. A transmission housed within the gearbox housing is directly engaged with the motor shaft, reducing inefficiencies caused by belts, chains, or other transmissions otherwise required to couple operatively engage the motor with the transmission. The transmission is configured for transmitting torque from the motor shaft to the housing.
The transmission preferably includes a gear carrier rotationally fixed to the first swing arm and a plurality of gears operatively associated with the shaft and the gearbox housing such that torque is transmitted between the shaft and the gearbox housing. At least one of the gears is mounted to the gear carrier. The transmission is preferably a planetary gear reduction unit with a sun gear fixed to the shaft, at least one planetary gear mounted to the gear carrier, and a ring gear fixed to the gearbox housing.
In the preferred embodiment, an axle is fixed to the second swing arm, received within the gearbox housing, and attached to the transmission, preferably to the gear carrier. In this way, the transmission supports the second swing arm. In order to attach the second swing arm to the axle, the second swing arm defines an attachment opening to which the axle is fixable when received therethrough.
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Hurley Kevin
Pennie & Edmonds LLP
Vectrix Corporation
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