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US 10,167,045 B2Granted
Pole propelled velocipede
OwnerRobert B. Doddsinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A two wheel tandem vehicle is propelled by hand-grasped poles. A front wheel on a forward member and a rear wheel on a rearward member align along a longitudinal axis. The forward member pivots about a substantially vertical steering axis. A saddle and footholds support the rider and together with an accessory contact means allow the rider to balance and steer the device. The rider's hands do not contact the vehicle but are used to propel the vehicle with the poles.
Claims12
A two-wheeled vehicle comprising:
- a forward structural member supported by a front wheel rotatably mounted thereto, the forward structural member pivotally connected to a rearward structural member supported by a rear wheel rotatably mounted thereto, the front wheel pivotable about a substantially vertical steering axis, the steering axis and a point-of-contact of the rear wheel with the ground defining a first plane, the steering axis and a point-of-contact of the front wheel with the ground defining a second plane, the point-of-contact of the front wheel with the ground and the point-of-contact of the rear wheel with the ground defining a longitudinal axis, the first plane and the second plane capable of an alignment on the longitudinal axis whereby the front wheel aligns with the rear wheel;
- a first support means attached to the rearward structural member in a fixed, non-rotatable position relative to the steering axis and rearward of the steering axis, configured to support a body mass of the rider above the longitudinal axis disposed symmetrically on opposing sides of the first plane, wherein a first center-of-mass forms that includes the body mass of the rider;
- a second support means attached to the forward structural member extending forward of the steering axis disposed symmetrically on opposing sides of the second plane, and configured to support a weight of feet and legs of the rider at a fixed location relative to the forward structural member, wherein a second center-of-mass forms that includes the weight of the feet and the legs of the rider;
- and
- at least one accessory contact means attached to the vehicle capable of bracing the rider and configured to contact a part of a body of the rider other than a hand or an upper limb;
- wherein when the rider tilts the vehicle in a direction, the first center-of-mass rotates about the longitudinal axis, and the second center-of-mass rotates about the steering axis causing the front wheel to pivot about the steering axis and steers the vehicle in the direction.
3 more elements
A two-wheeled vehicle comprising:
- a forward structural member supported by a front wheel rotatably mounted thereto, the forward structural member pivotally connected to a rearward structural member supported by a rear wheel rotatably mounted thereto, the front wheel pivotable about a substantially vertical steering axis, the steering axis and a point-of-contact of the rear wheel with the ground defining a first plane, the steering axis and a point-of-contact of the front wheel with the ground defining a second plane, the point-of-contact of the front wheel with the ground and the point-of-contact of the rear wheel with the ground defining a longitudinal axis, the first plane and the second plane capable of an alignment on the longitudinal axis whereby the front wheel aligns with the rear wheel;
- a saddle mounted to the rearward structural member in a fixed, non-rotatable position relative to the steering axis and rearward of the steering axis, and disposed in said first plane;
- footholds mounted to the forward structural member extending forward of the steering axis at a fixed location relative to the forward structural member and disposed symmetrically on opposing sides of said second plane;
- at least one accessory contact means mounted on at least one of the forward structural member or the rearward structural member and configured to resist a force applied by a part of a body of a rider other than a hand or an arm, wherein a mass of the rider is stabilized on the saddle and the footholds;
- and
- at least one pole;
- wherein the vehicle is propelled by pushing the at least one pole against the ground to generate thrust.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.