Frame for an electric scooter

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a frame, and more particularly to a frame with a shock-absorbing device for an electric scooter.

[0004] 2. Description of Related Art

[0005] An electric scooter is used to help a person to move from place to place at a low speed. The conventional electric scooter substantially comprises a frame, two front wheels, two rear wheels, a seat, an electric motor and a steering bar. The front wheels are rotatably attached to the front end of the frame. The rear wheels are rotatably attached to the rear end of the frame. The seat is mounted on the frame for a user to sit. The electric motor is mounted on the frame to drive the rear wheels. The steering bar is pivotally mounted on the frame and is connected to the front wheels by a linking device, such that the direction in which the electric scooter travels is controlled by means of pivotally rotating the steering bar.

[0006] However, there is no shock-absorbing device for the front wheels of the conventional electric scooter. When one of the front wheels bumps an object, the force applied to the front wheel will be directly transmitted to the steering bar and frame. To steer the steering bar and to drive the electric scooter are uncomfortable.

[0007] To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides an improved frame to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

[0008] The main objective of the invention is to provide an improved frame for an electric scooter that makes steering and driving the electric scooter easier and keeps any force applied to the front wheel from being transmitted to the frame. The frame has a body, a pivotal bar, two wheel mounts, two resilient members and two tabs. The pivotal bar is pivotally attached to the front end of the body. Each wheel mount is pivotally attached to one end of the pivotal bar in a longitudinal direction. One of the front wheels is rotatably attached to each of the wheel mounts. The resilient members are attached to the top of the pivotal bar. The tabs are secured to the body and respectively abut one of the resilient members. With such an arrangement, one of the resilient members will be compressed to absorb the shock when one of the front wheels is bumped. To steer and to drive the electric scooter is easier.

[0009] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electric scooter with a frame in accordance with the present invention;

[0011] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the frame in accordance with the present invention;

[0012] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the shock-absorbing device on the frame in FIG. 2;

[0013] FIG. 4 is a front plan view of the frame in FIG. 2; and

[0014] FIG. 5 is an operational front plan view of the frame in FIG. 4 showing the operation of the shock-absorbing device when one of the front wheels of the scooter is bumped by an object.

[0015] With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, a frame for an electric scooter in accordance with the present invention comprises a body (10), two tabs (14), a pivotal bar (20), two wheel mounts (18) and two resilient members (24). The body (10) has a lateral beam (12) with a middle and two ends. The middle of the lateral beam (12) is attached to the front end of the body (10). A pivot (122) with an outer thread is securely attached to the middle position of the lateral beam (12) and extends from the front of the lateral beam (12). The two tabs (14) are respectively secured to opposite ends of the lateral beam (12).

[0016] The pivotal bar (20) has a middle position and two ends and is pivotally attached to the lateral beam (12). A longitudinal through hole (202) is defined in the middle position of the pivotal bar (20) through which the pivot (122) extends. A nut (16) is screwed onto the pivot (122) and abuts the pivotal bar (20), such that the pivotal bar (20) is pivotally attached to the lateral beam (12) with the pivot (122) in cooperation with the nut (16). In addition, two bushings (17,172) are mounted in the through hole (202) in the pivotal bar (20) to reduce the friction between the pivot (122) and the inner surface of through hole (202) in the pivotal bar (20). The pivotal rotation of the pivotal bar (20) relative to the pivot (122) will be smoother.

[0017] A vertical tube (22) is mounted on each end of the pivotal bar (20). The two wheel mounts (18) are respectively pivotally attached to the vertical tubes (22) with a pivot pin (not shown). The front wheels (19) of the scooter are respectively rotatably attached to the wheel mounts (18). A linking device (not shown) is arranged between the steering bar (not shown) of the scooter and the wheel mounts (18). Consequently, the wheel mounts (18) with the front wheels (19) can be pivotally rotated relative to the frame by means of pivotally rotating the steering bar. The direction of travel of the electric scooter is controlled.

[0018] Two recesses (204) are defined in the top of the pivotal bar (20) and correspond to the tabs (14) on the lateral beam (12). Each resilient member (24) is mounted in one of the recesses (204) in the pivotal bar (20) and abuts the corresponding tab (14). Each resilient member (24) can be a cylindrical block of a resilient material like rubber or silicon. In another embodiment, each resilient member (24) can be a spring.

[0019] With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, when one of the front wheels (19) of the electric scooter bumps an object, the pivotal bar (20) will pivotally rotate relative to the lateral bar (12) with the pivot (122) due to the force applied to the front wheel (19). The resilient member (24) near the bumped front wheel (19) will be compressed by the corresponding tab (14) to absorb the force applied to the bumped front wheel (19). This can keep the force from being transmitted to the body (10) or the steering bar of the scooter. To steer and to drive the scooter become is easier.

[0020] When the force applied to the front wheel (19) is released, the pivotal bar (20) will pivotally rotate to the original position relative to the body (10) by means of the restitution force provided by the resilient member (24).

[0021] Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.