Combination wheeled vehicle and article carrier

A combination wheeled vehicle and article carrier capable of being converted between selected configurations, including a rider-carrying scooter configuration and a rider-carried pack configuration, the combination comprising:

• a main frame;
• a front wheel assembly on the main frame;
• a handle having a handle shaft mounted upon the main frame and extending in a generally altitudinal direction upwardly from a given location adjacent the front wheel assembly;
• a pack member on the main frame, adjacent the front wheel assembly, the pack member extending in a generally altitudinal direction upwardly from the front wheel assembly and juxtaposed with the handle shaft;
• a carrier compartment within the pack member for carrying articles;
• a foot board assembly having a near end and a far end spaced away from the near end, the foot board assembly including a foot board extending between the near end and the far end;
• a mount mounting the foot board assembly upon the main frame for pivotal movement between an extended position, wherein the foot board extends in a generally longitudinal direction for the reception of a rider, and a retracted position, wherein the foot board extends in the generally altitudinal direction in juxtaposition with the pack member;
• and
• a rear wheel assembly adjacent the far end of the foot board assembly for selectively being spaced from the front wheel assembly in the longitudinal direction, when the foot board assembly is in the extended position, thereby placing the combination in the scooter configuration so as to support the rider on the foot board between the front wheel assembly and the rear wheel assembly, and for selectively being retracted into juxtaposition with the pack member, when the foot board assembly is in the retracted position, thereby placing the combination in the pack configuration;
• the front wheel assembly including at least one front wheel, and a wheel retraction mechanism for selectively moving the front wheel between a running position, wherein the front wheel is spaced altitudinally downwardly from the pack member, and a wheel-retracted position, wherein the front wheel is retracted into juxtaposition with the pack member.

A combination wheeled vehicle and article carrier capable of being converted between selected configurations, including a rider-carrying scooter configuration and a rider-carried pack configuration, the combination comprising:

• a main frame;
• a front wheel assembly on the main frame;
• a handle having a handle shaft mounted upon the main frame and extending in a generally altitudinal direction upwardly from a given location adjacent the front wheel assembly;
• a pack member on the main frame, adjacent the front wheel assembly, the pack member extending in a generally altitudinal direction upwardly from the front wheel assembly and juxtaposed with the handle shaft;
• a carrier compartment within the pack member for carrying articles;
• a foot board assembly having a near end and a far end spaced away from the near end, the foot board assembly including a foot board extending between the near end and the far end;
• a mount mounting the foot board assembly upon the main frame for pivotal movement between an extended position, wherein the foot board extends in a generally longitudinal direction for the reception of a rider, and a retracted position, wherein the foot board extends in the generally altitudinal direction in juxtaposition with the pack member;
• and
• a rear wheel assembly adjacent the far end of the foot board assembly for selectively being spaced from the front wheel assembly in the longitudinal direction, when the foot board assembly is in the extended position, thereby placing the combination in the scooter configuration so as to support the rider on the foot board between the front wheel assembly and the rear wheel assembly, and for selectively being retracted into juxtaposition with the pack member, when the foot board assembly is in the retracted position, thereby placing the combination in the pack configuration;
• the foot board assembly including a sub-frame for selective extension and retraction along a longitudinal axis extending between the near end and the far end of the foot board assembly, the selective extension enabling selective increase and decrease of the longitudinal spacing between the rear wheel assembly and the front wheel assembly in the scooter configuration of the combination, and enabling decreased spacing between the near end and the far end in the pack configuration of the combination.

A combination wheeled vehicle and article carrier capable of being converted between selected configurations, including a rider-carrying scooter configuration and a rider-carried pack configuration, the combination comprising:

• a main frame;
• a front wheel assembly on the main frame;
• a handle having a handle shaft mounted upon the main frame and extending in a generally altitudinal direction upwardly from a given location adjacent the front wheel assembly;
• a pack member on the main frame, adjacent the front wheel assembly, the pack member extending in a generally altitudinal direction upwardly from the front wheel assembly and juxtaposed with the handle shaft;
• a carrier compartment within the pack member for carrying articles;
• a foot board assembly having a near end and a far end spaced away from the near end, the foot board assembly including a foot board extending between the near end and the far end;
• a mount mounting the foot board assembly upon the main frame for pivotal movement between an extended position, wherein the foot board extends in a generally longitudinal direction for the reception of a rider, and a retracted position, wherein the foot board extends in the generally altitudinal direction in juxtaposition with the pack member;
• and
• a rear wheel assembly adjacent the far end of the foot board assembly for selectively being spaced from the front wheel assembly in the longitudinal direction, when the foot board assembly is in the extended position, thereby placing the combination in the scooter configuration so as to support the rider on the foot board between the front wheel assembly and the rear wheel assembly, and for selectively being retracted into juxtaposition with the pack member, when the foot board assembly is in the retracted position, thereby placing the combination in the pack configuration;
• the front wheel assembly including a truck having at least two wheels, the two wheels being spaced laterally from one another and journaled for rotation about front lateral axes in response to a forward movement of the main frame, the truck being mounted upon the main frame for pivotal movement about a directional axis lying in an intermediate plane passing between the front wheels, the directional axis making an acute angle with the altitudinal direction and being located forward of the front lateral axes such that upon tilting of the main frame in a tilting direction about a longitudinal axis lying in the intermediate plane, the truck is biased into pivotal movement in a steered direction corresponding to the tilting direction, in response to the forward movement of the main frame.