Three wheel vehicle rear suspension
OwnerRonald A. Hollandinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A three wheel vehicle rear drive suspension design reduces unsprung weight to improve safety and efficiency. A motor mount is connected between a swivel and a live rear axle housing. The swivel is positioned to allow free motion of the live rear axle, for example, between front frame mounting points of leaf springs. A first motor is attached to the motor mount near the swivel and as a result is mostly sprung weight. The first motor may be a low speed motor for starting out, and the vehicle may include a second high speed motor mounted vertical opposite the first motor also close to the swivel.
Claims15
A two rear wheel driven three wheel vehicle comprising:
- a frame;
- forks attached to the frame for steering;
- a front wheel held by the forks;
- a live rear drive axle;
- right and left rear wheels;
- a rear suspension system connecting the live rear axle to the frame;
- a motor mount connected to the axle housing at a rear of the motor mount and pivotally connected to the frame a motor mount front;
- a drive unit mechanically coupled to the at least one of the rear wheels for driving the vehicle and residing closer to the motor mount front live rear drive axle than to the live rear drive axle.
An electric powered three wheel vehicle comprising:
- a frame;
- forks attached to the frame for steering;
- a front wheel held by the forks;
- a battery pack carried by the frame;
- a live rear drive axle having right and left axle shafts;
- a leaf spring rear suspension system connecting the live rear axle to the frame;
- a differential supported by the live rear axle and operatively connected to the right and left axle shafts;
- an approximately vertical link;
- an upper swivel joint connecting the link to the frame;
- a motor mount connected to the live rear drive axle housing at a motor mount rear and to the link by a lower swivel joint at a motor mount front;
- and
- an electric drive system residing closer to the motor mount front than to the live rear drive axle and operatively connected to the differential.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.