Granted Patent B2

US 7,000,935 · App. 10/744,977 · Granted Feb 21, 2006

Abstract

Claims (27)

1. A locking mechanism for a steering assembly comprising:

(a) a locking member secured to a rotating member, said locking member having a first groove;

(b) a stationary member having a second groove;

(c) a rotatable cap associated with said steering assembly having an engaging member and including engaged and disengaged positions, wherein said cap is rotatable between said engaged and disengaged positions;

(d) said engaging member configured to selectively engage with said first and second grooves thereby preventing relative rotation between said locking member and said stationary member when in an engaged position.

2. The locking mechanism of claim 1 , further comprising a biasing sleeve associated with said steering assembly and said cap, said biasing member configured to bias said cap toward said stationary member.

3. The locking mechanism of claim 1 , wherein said locking member further comprises a third groove, said engaging member further configured to selectively engage with said third groove thereby preventing said engaging member from moving into said engaged position.

4. A locking mechanism for a steering assembly comprising:

(a) a rotatable member;

(b) a stationary member;

(c) a locking device rotatable relative to said rotatable member and having an engaged position and a disengaged position, said locking device configured to prevent rotation of said rotatable member relative to said stationary member in an engaged position; and

(d) said locking device is rotatable with respect to said stationary member when said locking device is in said disengaged position.

5. The locking mechanism of claim 4 , wherein said rotatable and stationary members each comprise at least one channel, each channel being selectively alignable.

6. The locking mechanism of claim 4 , wherein said locking device comprises an engaging member configured to fit within aligned channels of said rotatable and stationary members.

7. The locking mechanism of claim 6 , wherein said engaging member is at least partially housed within a cap.

8. The locking mechanism of claim 4 , wherein said locking mechanism further comprises a biasing sleeve associated with a cap, said biasing sleeve configured to bias said cap downward toward said stationary member.

9. The locking mechanism of claim 4 , further comprising at least one groove and at least one engaging member, wherein at least one of said rotatable and stationary members comprises either said groove or said engaging member, wherein said locking device comprises the other of said groove or said engaging member to selectively engage with said rotatable and stationary members in said engaged position.

10. The locking mechanism of claim 9 , wherein said rotatable and stationary members must have their respective grooves or engaging members aligned in a predetermined combination for said locking device to be placed in said engaged position.

11. The locking mechanism of claim 4 , wherein said rotatable and stationary members are each provided with a groove, and said locking device comprises an engaging member configured to be received in said grooves when said locking device is in said engaged position.

12. A method for selectively preventing rotation of a rotatable member relative to a stationary member of a steering assembly for a tricycle, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a locking mechanism for the steering assembly having a rotatable member, a stationary member, and a locking device with an engaged position and a disengaged position;

(b) providing at least one groove and at least one engaging member, such that said rotatable and stationary members each have either a groove or an engaging member, both being the same, and the locking device is provided with the other of a groove or an engaging member;

(c) rotating said rotatable member to align the respective grooves or engaging members of said rotatable and stationary members, whereby the steering assembly is placed in a predetermined position;

(d) rotating said locking mechanism into engaged position such that said engaging member or groove engages with aligned corresponding grooves or engaging members of said rotating and stationary members; and

(e) moving said locking mechanism to disengaged position when relative rotation of said rotating and stationary members is desired.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising the step of providing said locking mechanism with a biasing device configured to normally urge said locking mechanism toward said engaged position.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising the step of providing a said locking mechanism in the form of a cap, wherein said cap at least partially houses said locking device.

Assignments (9)