Drive-and-chassis mechanisms used in the design of compact, carry-on vehicles
The teachings provided herein are generally directed to compact vehicle drive mechanisms that can be used in the design of a foldable, carry-on vehicle. The compact drive mechanisms presented herein, for example, have contributed to the advent of the compact, carry-on bicycles set-forth in the teachings which include drive-and-steering units and drive-and-chassis units.
1. A compact, combination drive-and-chassis unit for a vehicle, the unit comprising:
a chassis having a one-piece c-channel, a releasably-lockable front strut; a releasably-lockable rear strut; a drive assembly; and a shared chassis space;
the shared chassis space comprising at least a substantial portion of a chassis assembly that encloses at least a substantial portion of the drive assembly; and,
the drive assembly including a crankshaft having a crank axis, the crankshaft in an operable communication with a drive member, the drive member in an operable communication with a wheel assembly having a wheel, the drive assembly transferring a power from the crankshaft to drive the wheel;
wherein,
the substantial portion of the chassis assembly comprises the c-channel and functions as a protective casing for the substantial portion of the drive assembly, the substantial portion of the drive assembly comprising the crankshaft and at least a substantial portion of the drive member;
the drive member has at least one fixably rotatable pivot point corresponding to a fixably rotatable joint in the chassis assembly for at least one re-direction of the power from the crankshaft to the wheel;
the releasably-lockable front strut has a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end attaching to the chassis at a rotatably-lockable front strut pivot, and the distal end operably attaching to a front wheel assembly;
the crankshaft and the rotatably-lockable front strut pivot share a central axis; and,
the shared chassis space creates a compact, combination drive-and-chassis unit for the vehicle.
2. The drive-and-chassis unit of claim 1 , wherein the drive member comprises a linkshaft.
3. The drive-and-chassis unit of claim 1 , wherein the drive member comprises a chain.
4. The drive-and-chassis unit of claim 1 , wherein the drive member comprises a belt.
5. The drive-and-chassis unit of claim 1 , wherein the releasably-lockable rear strut has a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end attaching to the remainder of the chassis at a rotatably-lockable rear strut pivot at the fixably rotatable pivot point, and the distal end operably attaching to the wheel assembly.
6. The drive-and-chassis mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is a bicycle.
7. The drive-and-chassis unit of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is a folding bicycle.
8. The drive-and-chassis unit of claim 1 , further comprising an electric motor in an operable communication with the crankshaft.
9. A compact, combination drive-and-chassis unit for a pedal-powered vehicle, the unit comprising:
a chassis having a one-piece c-channel, a releasably-lockable front strut; a releasably-lockable rear strut; a drive assembly; and a shared chassis space;
the shared chassis space comprising at least a substantial portion of a chassis assembly that encloses at least a substantial portion of the drive assembly; and,
the drive assembly including a pair of pedals attached to a pair of crankarms, the pair of crankarms attached to a crankshaft, the crankshaft having a crank axis and in an operable communication with a drive member, the drive member in an operable communication with a wheel assembly having a wheel, the drive assembly transferring a pedal power from the crankshaft to drive the wheel;
wherein,
the substantial portion of the chassis assembly comprises the c-channel and functions as a protective casing for the substantial portion of the drive assembly, the substantial portion of the drive assembly comprising the crankshaft and at least a substantial portion of the drive member;
the drive member has at least one fixably rotatable pivot point corresponding to a fixably rotatable joint in the chassis assembly for at least one re-direction of the power from the crankshaft to the wheel;
the releasably-lockable front strut has a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end attaching to the chassis at a rotatably-lockable front strut pivot, and the distal end operably attaching to a front wheel assembly;
the crankshaft and the rotatably-lockable front strut pivot share a central axis;
and,
the shared chassis space creates a compact, combination drive-and-chassis unit for the vehicle.
10. The drive-and-chassis unit of claim 9 , wherein the drive member comprises a linkshaft.
11. The drive-and-chassis unit of claim 9 , wherein the drive member comprises a chain.
12. The drive-and-chassis unit of claim 9 , wherein the drive member comprises a belt.
13. The drive-and-chassis unit of claim 9 , wherein the releasably-lockable rear strut has a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end attaching to the remainder of the chassis at a rotatably-lockable rear strut pivot at the fixably rotatable pivot point, and the distal end operably attaching to the wheel assembly.
14. The drive-and-chassis unit of claim 9 , wherein the vehicle is a bicycle.
15. The drive-and-chassis unit of claim 9 , wherein the vehicle is a folding bicycle.
16. A compact, combination drive-and-chassis unit for a pedal-powered vehicle, the unit comprising:
a chassis having a one-piece c-channel, a releasably-lockable front strut; a releasably-lockable rear strut; a drive assembly; and a shared chassis space;
the shared chassis space comprising at least a substantial portion of a chassis assembly that encloses at least a substantial portion of the drive assembly; and,
the drive assembly including a pair of pedals attached to a pair of crankarms, the pair of crankarms attached to a crankshaft, the crankshaft having a crank axis and a first sprocket, the crankshaft in an operable communication with a chain set having a roller chain and a second sprocket having a second sprocket axis, the chain set in an operable communication with a wheel assembly having a wheel, and a third sprocket, the drive assembly transferring a pedal power from the crankshaft to drive the wheel;
wherein,
the substantial portion of the chassis assembly comprises the c-channel and functions as a protective casing for the substantial portion of the drive assembly, the substantial portion of the drive assembly comprising the crankshaft and at least a substantial portion of the drive member;
the chain set has a fixably rotatable pivot point at the second sprocket axis corresponding to a fixably rotatable joint in the chassis assembly for a re-direction of the pedal power from the crankshaft to the second sprocket, and from the second sprocket to the wheel;
the releasably-lockable front strut has a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end attaching to the chassis at a rotatably-lockable front strut pivot, and the distal end operably attaching to a front wheel assembly;
the crankshaft and the rotatably-lockable front strut pivot share a central axis; and,
the shared chassis space creates a compact, combination drive-and-chassis unit for the vehicle.
17. The drive-and-chassis unit of claim 16 , wherein the releasably-lockable rear strut has a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end attaching to the remainder of the chassis at a rotatably-lockable rear strut pivot at the fixably rotatable pivot point, and the distal end operably attaching to the wheel assembly.
18. The drive-and-chassis unit of claim 16 , wherein the vehicle is a bicycle.
19. The drive-and-chassis unit of claim 16 , wherein the vehicle is a folding bicycle.
20. The drive-and-chassis unit of claim 16 , further comprising an electric motor in an operable communication with the crankshaft.