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US 10,435,107 B2Granted
Pole propelled velocipede
OwnerRobert B. Doddsinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A two wheeled vehicle is propelled by the feet of a rider and hand-grasped poles when pushing against the ground. A forward wheel on a forward member and a rear wheel on a rearward member align along a longitudinal axis. The forward member rotates about a vertical steering axis. A saddle supports the rider. A torso brace allows the rider to balance and steer the device.
Claims18
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 and the rear wheel in tandem, the front wheel pivotable about a substantially vertical steering axis, the steering axis and a point of contact of the rear wheel with a ground defining a plane, a point of contact of the front wheel with the ground located rearward of a point at which the steering axis intersects the ground, 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;
- a saddle mountable to the rearward structural member positioned forward of a rear wheel axle and aligned in the plane;
- and
- a torso brace mountable to the forward structural member or the rearward structural member configured to be engaged by contact with a part of a body of a rider other than a limb, whereby a movement of the body of the rider against the torso brace causes the front wheel to pivot about the steering axis;
- wherein the torso brace is configured to engage at least one side of the rider when the rider leans forward, and whereby through the movements of the engaged side of the rider, the front wheel pivots in a direction opposite to the engaged side of the rider;
- and
- wherein the vehicle is configured to be propelled by feet of the rider pushing against the ground on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis.
4 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 and the rear wheel in tandem, the front wheel pivotable about a substantially vertical steering axis, the steering axis and a point of contact of the rear wheel with a ground defining a plane, a point of contact of the front wheel with the ground located rearward of a point at which the steering axis intersects the ground;
- and
- a means attached to said rearward structural member configured to support a mass of a rider positioned with a center-of-mass of the rider located in said plane forward of said point of contact of the rear wheel with the ground and rearward of said steering axis, said means further configured to resist torsion applied about said center-of-mass in a plane substantially parallel to a surface of the ground, said torsion produced from a torque developed by feet of the rider pushing against the ground, whereby said torque tends to twist said rearward structural member with respect to the surface of the ground;
- wherein said forward structural member responds to said torque by pivoting the front wheel about a point of contact with the ground in a direction corresponding to that of said torque.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.