U.S. patent application number 10/340566 was filed with the patent office on 2003-09-11 for scooter drive device.
This patent application is currently assigned to SBS Enterprises, LLC. Invention is credited to Ducharme, Leonard A., Meyers, David O., Peterson, Thomas W., Ressler, Paul R..
Application Number | 20030168273 10/340566 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26995287 |
Filed Date | 2003-09-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030168273 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ducharme, Leonard A. ; et
al. |
September 11, 2003 |
Scooter drive device
Abstract
A scooter motor assembly for easily attaching and detaching from
a scooter. The assembly may include a housing containing components
such as a battery and an electric motor. An arm and attachment
lever may be movably attached to the housing. The assembly may also
include a motor support for attaching to the front of the scooter.
The motor support may be configured to allow the housing to move in
a vertical direction with respect to the scooter. The housing may
be spring biased to allow contact with the scooter front wheel so
that the motor assembly is adjustable and can be used with scooters
having different sized front wheels. The housing may be easily
attached and detached from the scooter by operating the release
arm. Thus, the scooter may be used with or without the motor.
Inventors: |
Ducharme, Leonard A.;
(Chico, CA) ; Ressler, Paul R.; (American Fork,
UT) ; Meyers, David O.; (North Salt Lake, UT)
; Peterson, Thomas W.; (North Salt Lake, UT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KARL R CANNON
PO BOX 1909
SANDY
UT
84091
US
|
Assignee: |
SBS Enterprises, LLC;
|
Family ID: |
26995287 |
Appl. No.: |
10/340566 |
Filed: |
January 10, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60347488 |
Jan 10, 2002 |
|
|
|
60351327 |
Jan 21, 2002 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
180/181 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02T 10/7005 20130101;
B62M 6/75 20130101; B62K 3/002 20130101; B62M 13/00 20130101; B60L
50/52 20190201; Y02T 10/70 20130101; B62M 6/90 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
180/181 |
International
Class: |
A63C 017/12 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An attachment mechanism for attaching a motor to a transport,
said attachment mechanism comprising: a housing for containing said
motor; and attachment means for attaching said housing in a fixed
relationship with said transport, said attachment means being
movably attached to said housing; wherein said attachment mechanism
is configured such that when the housing containing the motor is
attached to said transport, said attachment means is fixed with
respect to said transport and said housing is moveable with respect
to said transport.
2. The attachment mechanism of claim 1, further comprising a motor
support for attaching to said transport and to the housing.
3. The attachment mechanism of claim 2, wherein said motor support
comprises at least one projection for attaching to said
housing.
4. The attachment mechanism of claim 3, wherein said at least one
projection comprises two projections disposed on opposing sides of
a bottom of said motor support.
5. The attachment mechanism of claim 2, wherein said motor support
comprises a mounting slot for receiving said attachment means.
6. The attachment mechanism of claim 5, wherein said attachment
means further comprises a tab, and said mounting slot is defined in
part by an abutment wall for contacting said tab to hold said motor
to said transport.
7. The attachment mechanism of claim 2, wherein said motor support
further comprises a bracket for attaching said motor support to
said transport.
8. The attachment mechanism of claim 7,wherein said bracket has an
interior surface and said motor support has a complementary
interior surface, said interior surface and said complementary
interior surface being configured to engage posts having different
diameters.
9. The attachment mechanism of claim 1, wherein said housing
further comprises a groove for defining a movement path of said
housing with respect to said transport.
10. The attachment mechanism of claim 9, further comprising a motor
support for attaching to said transport, said motor support
comprises at least one projection, wherein said at least one
projection is received in said groove to limit movement of said
housing to said movement path.
11. The attachment mechanism of claim 1, further comprising an arm
for operating said attachment means.
12. The attachment mechanism of claim 1, wherein said housing
further comprises an oblong opening for receiving said attachment
means.
13. The attachment mechanism of claim 1, further comprising a front
cover attached to said housing.
14. The attachment mechanism of claim 13, wherein said front cover
comprises a vent for allowing air to circulate within said
housing.
15. The attachment mechanism of claim 13, wherein said front cover
is pivotally attached to said housing.
16. The attachment mechanism of claim 15, wherein said front cover
further comprises a latch to connect said front cover to said
housing.
17. The attachment mechanism of claim 1, further comprising a
biasing member attached to said housing and said attachment means
for biasing said motor into engagement with a wheel of said
transport.
18. The attachment mechanism of claim 1, wherein said attachment
means further comprises a tab for interlocking with a mounting slot
affixed to said transport.
19. The attachment mechanism of claim 18, wherein said attachment
means further comprises a shaft for connecting with an arm to
operate said attachment means.
20. An attachment mechanism for attaching a motor to a transport,
said attachment mechanism comprising: a motor support configured to
be attached to said transport; a housing for said motor; and an
attachment lever for attaching said housing to said motor support;
wherein said attachment mechanism is configured such that when said
housing is attached to said motor support, said attachment lever is
fixed with respect to said motor support and said housing is
permitted to move with respect to said motor support.
21. The attachment mechanism of claim 20, wherein said motor
support comprises at least one projection for attaching to said
housing.
22. The attachment mechanism of claim 20, wherein said motor
support comprises a mounting slot for receiving said attachment
lever.
23. The attachment mechanism of claim 22, wherein said attachment
lever further comprises a tab, and said mounting slot is defined in
part by an abutment wall for contacting said tab to hold said motor
to said transport.
24. The attachment mechanism of claim 20, wherein said motor
support further comprises a bracket for attaching said motor
support to said transport.
25. The attachment mechanism of claim 24, wherein said bracket has
an interior surface and said motor support has a complementary
interior surface, said interior surface and said complementary
interior surface being configured to engage posts having different
diameters.
26. The attachment mechanism of claim 25, wherein said interior
surface of said bracket and said complementary interior surface of
said motor support have a substantially V shape.
27. The attachment mechanism of claim 21, wherein said housing
further comprises a groove for receiving said at least one
projection to define a movement path of said housing with respect
to said transport.
28. The attachment mechanism of claim 20, wherein said attachment
lever further comprises a shaft.
29. The attachment mechanism of claim 28, wherein said housing
further comprises an oblong opening for receiving said shaft.
30. The attachment mechanism of claim 29, further comprising an arm
attached to said shaft for operating said attachment lever.
31. The attachment mechanism of claim 30, further comprising a
biasing member attached to said housing and said attachment lever
for biasing said motor into engagement with a wheel of said
transport.
32. The attachment mechanism of claim 31, further comprising a
spring bracket attached to said shaft and said biasing member.
33. An attachment mechanism for attaching a motor to a transport,
said attachment mechanism comprising: a housing for said motor,
said housing including a groove defining a movement path; and a
motor support configured to be attached to said transport, said
motor support including a projection; wherein said groove is
configured to receive said projection to allow movement of said
housing with respect to said motor support along said movement
path.
34. The attachment mechanism of claim 33, wherein said movement
path is configured to extend in a substantially vertical direction
when said motor is attached to said transport.
35. The attachment mechanism of claim 33, further comprising an
attachment lever rotatably attached to said housing for attaching
said housing to said motor support.
36. The attachment mechanism of claim 35, wherein said motor
support further comprises a mounting slot for receiving said
attachment lever.
37. The attachment mechanism of claim 36, wherein said attachment
lever further comprises a tab, and said mounting slot is defined in
part by an abutment wall for contacting said tab to hold said motor
to said transport.
38. The attachment mechanism of claim 35, wherein said attachment
lever further comprises a shaft and said housing comprises an
oblong opening extending parallel to said movement path, said shaft
being received in said oblong opening.
39. The attachment mechanism of claim 38, further comprising an arm
attached to said shaft for operating said attachment lever.
40. The attachment mechanism of claim 33, further comprising a
biasing member attached to said housing for biasing said motor into
engagement with a wheel of said transport.
41. An attachment mechanism for attaching a motor device having a
friction wheel and containing a motor, to a wheel of a transport,
said attachment mechanism comprising: a housing for containing said
motor; an attachment lever for attaching said housing to said
transport; and a biasing member attached to said housing and said
attachment lever; wherein said biasing member is configured and
arranged to force the friction wheel into contact with the wheel of
said transport such that said attachment mechanism is adjustable to
fit wheels of different sizes.
42. The attachment mechanism of claim 41, wherein said attachment
lever comprises a shaft defining a pivot axis of said attachment
lever.
43. The attachment mechanism of claim 42, wherein said housing
comprises an oblong opening for receiving said shaft such that said
housing is configured to allow movement of said shaft with respect
to said housing in said oblong opening.
44. The attachment mechanism of claim 42, wherein said biasing
member is connected to said attachment lever through a spring
bracket.
45. The attachment mechanism of claim 44, wherein said spring
bracket is attached to said shaft such that said shaft is allowed
to rotate with respect to said spring bracket.
46. The attachment mechanism of claim 42, further comprising an arm
attached to said shaft for operating said attachment lever.
47. A method of attaching a motor device to a transport, said motor
device comprising a housing and an arm, said method comprising the
steps of: (a) joining said housing with said transport such that
said housing is allowed to move along a movement path with respect
to said transport; (b) rotating said arm to attach said arm to said
transport; and (c) allowing said housing to move along said
movement path while said arm is fixed to said transport.
48. The method of claim 47, wherein step (a) further comprises
inserting a projection on said transport into a groove on said
housing.
49. The method of claim 47, wherein step (a) further comprises
inserting an attachment lever into a mounting slot.
50. The method of claim 47, wherein step (b) comprises rotating
said arm through an angle of less than 180 degrees.
51. The method of claim 47, wherein step (c) further comprises
allowing said housing to move in a substantially vertical movement
path.
52. The method of claim 51, further comprising preventing said
housing from moving in a lateral direction with respect to said
transport.
53. A method of detaching a motor device from a transport, said
motor device comprising a housing and an arm, said method
consisting essentially of the steps of: (a) rotating said arm
through an angle of less than 180 degrees; and (b) sliding said
housing with respect to said transport until said motor device is
detached from said transport.
54. A method of operating a transport comprising the steps of: (a)
providing a first motor device and a second motor device; (b)
attaching said first motor device to said transport for driving
said transport; (c) detaching said first motor device from said
transport; (d) operating said transport without said first motor
device or said second motor device; and (e) attaching said second
motor device to said transport for driving said transport.
55. The method of claim 54, wherein step (c) further comprises
recharging at least one battery in said first motor device.
56. The method of claim 54, wherein step (b) comprises inserting a
projection on said transport into a groove on said motor
device.
57. The method of claim 56, further comprising inserting an
attachment lever into a mounting slot.
58. The method of claim 57, further comprising rotating an
attachment arm through an angle of less than 180 degrees.
59. The method of claim 58, further comprising allowing a portion
of said motor device to move along a movement path while said motor
device is attached to said transport.
60. The method of claim 54, wherein step (c) further comprises
rotating an attachment arm through an angle of less than 180
degrees.
61. The method of claim 60, wherein step (c) further comprises
sliding said motor device with respect to said transport.
62. A method of operating a scooter comprising the steps of: (a)
providing a scooter; (b) providing a motor device for attachment to
said scooter; (c) attaching said motor device to said scooter for
driving said scooter; (d) detaching said motor device from said
scooter; (e) recharging said motor device; and (f) re-attaching
said motor device to said scooter.
63. The method of claim 62, wherein step (c) comprises inserting a
projection on said scooter into a groove on said motor device.
64. The method of claim 63, wherein step (c) further comprises
inserting an attachment lever into a mounting slot.
65. The method of claim 64, wherein step (c) further comprises
rotating an attachment arm through an angle of less than 180
degrees.
66. The method of claim 62, further comprising allowing said motor
device to move along a movement path while said motor device is
attached to said scooter.
67. The method of claim 62, wherein step (d) further comprises
rotating an attachment arm through an angle of less than 180
degrees.
68. The method of claim 62, wherein step (d) further comprises
sliding said motor device with respect to said scooter.
69. The method of claim 62, further comprising operating said
scooter while said motor device is detached from said scooter.
70. The method of claim 62, wherein step (c) further comprises
attaching a motor support to said scooter, and attaching said motor
device to said motor support.
71. A motor support for attaching a motor device to a post of a
transport, said motor support comprising: a front face configured
to face said motor device; a rear face configured to face said
post; a mounting slot for receiving an attachment lever of said
motor device; and means for attaching said motor support to said
post such that a plurality of points on said post are contacted to
provide a stable attachment to posts of different sizes.
72. The motor support of claim 71, wherein said means for attaching
said motor support to said post comprises a bracket.
73. The motor support of claim 72, wherein said bracket has an
interior surface and said motor support has a complementary
interior surface on said rear face, said interior surface and said
complementary interior surface each having a substantially V
shape.
74. The motor support of claim 72, wherein said bracket includes
fasteners to attach said bracket to said rear face.
75. The motor support of claim 71, further comprising at least one
projection for inserting in a groove in the motor device for
preventing lateral movement of said motor device with respect to
said motor support.
76. The motor support of claim 75, wherein said at least one
projection comprises two projections extending from opposing sides
of said motor support.
77. The motor support of claim 71, further comprising an opening
formed in said motor support to facilitate viewing said post
through said motor support to assist in installation of the motor
support.
78. The motor support of claim 71, wherein said mounting slot
extends across said front face and is defined in part by an
abutment wall, said abutment wall defining a plane substantially
parallel to said front face.
79. The motor support of claim 71, further comprising a support
base on a bottom portion of said motor support for contacting a
front fork of said transport.
80. The motor support of claim 79, wherein said support base
comprises a fork slot for receiving said front fork to align said
motor support with said fork.
81. The motor support of claim 71, further comprising a fork
support configured for abutting an upper portion of a fork of said
transport to restrict vertical movement of said motor support.
82. The motor support of claim 71, further comprising at least one
protruding ledge extending from a bottom portion of said motor
support for abutting a front fork of said transport to align the
motor support with said front fork.
83. A motor device for driving a transport, said motor device
comprising: a housing having a back side configured to be attached
to a post of said transport, and a front side configured to face
away from said transport; a friction wheel disposed on said housing
for driving a wheel of said transport; a motor positioned in said
housing for powering said friction wheel; and an attachment arm for
operating an attachment mechanism to attach said motor device to
said transport, said attachment arm being connected to said back
side of said housing.
84. The motor device of claim 83, wherein said attachment arm
extends from said back side of said housing to said front side of
said housing.
85. The motor device of claim 84, wherein said attachment arm
extends across said front side of said housing.
86. The motor device of claim 83, further comprising means for
attaching the motor device to the transport, said means including
the attachment arm and the attachment mechanism.
87. The motor device of claim 86, wherein said means for attaching
the motor device to the transport comprises a shaft attached to
said attachment arm.
88. The motor device of claim 87, wherein said housing comprises an
oblong opening for receiving said shaft such that said shaft is
configured to move with respect to said housing within said oblong
opening.
89. The motor device of claim 88, further comprising a biasing
member to bias said shaft toward an end of said oblong opening.
90. The motor device of claim 83, further comprising at least one
battery disposed in said housing for providing power to said
motor.
91. The motor device of claim 90, wherein said at least one battery
comprises a plurality of rechargeable batteries wherein in a low
speed setting, electricity may be drawn from one of the batteries,
whereas in a high speed setting, electricity may be drawn from more
than one of the batteries.
92. The motor device of claim 83, further comprising a clutch
attached to the friction wheel to allow the friction wheel to be
disengaged from the motor so that the friction wheel can spin
freely without a force being exerted by the motor on the friction
wheel.
93. The motor device of claim 83, wherein said friction wheel has a
diameter measuring at least 0.5 inches.
94. The motor device of claim 93, wherein said diameter of said
friction wheel is approximately one inch.
95. The motor device of claim 83, wherein said friction wheel
comprises a plurality of ridges formed on an exterior surface of
said friction wheel, said ridges extending substantially parallel
to an axis of said friction wheel.
96. The motor device of claim 95, wherein said friction wheel
comprises at least fifty ridges.
97. The motor device of claim 96, wherein said friction wheel
comprises at least seventy-five ridges.
98. The motor device of claim 83, wherein said motor is configured
to have dual modes of operation.
99. The motor device of claim 98, wherein said dual modes of
operation include a switchable voltage.
100. The motor device of claim 83, further comprising a control
switch for attaching to handlebars of the transport for activating
the motor.
101. The motor device of claim 100, further comprising a cord
extending from said housing to said control switch.
102. The motor device of claim 101, further comprising a plug and a
jack attached to said cord.
103. The motor device of claim 102, wherein said plug and jack are
positioned on said cord a distance spaced apart from said housing
to allow portions of said cord to be pulled apart and
separated.
104. The motor device of claim 102, wherein said plug is located on
said housing.
105. The motor device of claim 89, further comprising an adjustable
connection for connecting said biasing member to said housing.
106. The motor device of claim 105, wherein said adjustable
connection comprises a spring bracket comprising a plurality of
openings positioned for receiving the biasing member at different
locations.
107. A motorized scooter comprising: a platform for enabling a user
to stand on said scooter; a handlebar attached to a post for
steering said scooter; a front wheel and a rear wheel, said front
wheel being steerable by said handlebar; a motor device removably
attachable to said post for driving said front wheel; and
attachment means for attaching said motor device to said scooter
such that such that said motor device can be attached and released
from said scooter by rotation of an arm.
108. The motorized scooter of claim 107, further comprising a motor
support attached to said post for supporting said motor device.
109. The motorized scooter of claim 107, further comprising a
control switch attached to the handlebar for operating said motor
device.
110. The motorized scooter of claim 107, wherein said motor device
comprises a friction wheel for driving said front wheel.
111. The motorized scooter of claim 110, wherein said friction
wheel is configured to have a diameter ratio with respect to a
diameter of said front wheel of at least 0.1.
112. The motorized scooter of claim 111, wherein said diameter
ratio is at least 0.25.
113. A motor support for attaching a motor device to a post of a
transport, said motor support comprising: a front face configured
to face said motor device; a rear face configured to face said
post; and means for attaching said motor support to said post;
wherein said motor support comprises a support base positioned on a
lower portion of said motor support, and at least one fork slot
formed in said support base for receiving a fork of said transport
therein to align said motor support with a wheel of said
transport.
114. The motor support of claim 113, further comprising at least
one knob extending from said support base for contacting said fork
for aligning said motor support with said wheel of said
transport.
115. The motor support of claim 113, further comprising at least
one projection for inserting in a groove in the motor device for
preventing lateral movement of said motor device with respect to
said motor support.
116. The motor support of claim 113, further comprising a mounting
slot formed in said motor support for receiving an attachment lever
of said motor device.
117. The motor support of claim 113, said motor support defining a
frontal line, and wherein the support base comprises a second fork
slot, and wherein both fork slots are defined by orthogonal edges
forming a square-shaped slot end, said slots being configured and
arranged for receiving prongs of the fork to thereby position the
motor support such that the frontal line of said motor support is
parallel to an axis of rotation of the wheel of the transport.
118. A motor assembly for driving a transport, said motor assembly
comprising: a motor device having a friction wheel, said motor
device being configured to be attached to a post of the transport
such that the friction wheel is held in continuous contact with a
wheel of the transport; and a motor support having a front face
configured to face the motor device, a rear face configured to face
said post, a mounting slot for receiving an attachment lever of
said motor device, and a means for attaching said motor support to
said post such that a plurality of points on said post are
contacted to provide a stable attachment to posts of different
sizes.
119. The motor support of claim 73, wherein the interior surface of
the bracket and the complementary interior surface of the rear face
of the motor support are configured to be collectively disposed in
contact with four points on the post of the transport when they
have been installed.
120. The motor support of claim 73, wherein said plurality of
points on said post comprises four points for allowing a stable
attachment to be accomplished with posts of different sizes.
121. A motor device for driving a front wheel of a scooter, said
motor device comprising: a housing, said housing containing at
least one battery and a motor; a motor support for attaching to
said scooter; and attachment means for attaching said housing to
said scooter, said attachment means being movably attached to said
housing such that when said motor is attached to said scooter, said
attachment means is fixed with respect to said scooter and said
housing is moveable with respect to said scooter; wherein said
motor support comprises at least one projection for attaching to
said housing; wherein said at least one projection comprises two
projections disposed on opposing sides of a bottom of said motor
support; wherein said motor support comprises a mounting slot for
receiving said attachment means; wherein said attachment means
further comprises a tab, and said mounting slot is defined in part
by an abutment wall for contacting said tab to hold said motor to
said scooter; wherein said motor support further comprises a
bracket for attaching said motor support to said scooter; wherein
said bracket has an interior surface and said motor support has a
complementary interior surface, said interior surface and said
complementary interior surface being configured to engage scooters
having posts of different diameters; wherein said housing further
comprises a pair of grooves for receiving said projections and for
defining a movement path of said housing with respect to said
scooter; wherein said attachment means further comprises a shaft
connected to an arm for operating said attachment means; wherein
said housing further comprises oblong opening for receiving said
shaft; wherein said motor device further comprises a front cover;
wherein said front cover comprises a vent for allowing air to
circulate within said housing; wherein said front cover is
pivotally attached to said housing; wherein said front cover
further comprises a latch to connect said front cover to said
housing; and wherein said motor device further comprises a biasing
member attached to said housing and said attachment means for
biasing said motor device into engagement with said front wheel of
said scooter.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 60/347,488, filed Jan. 10, 2002, and U.S.
Provisional Application No. 60/351,327, filed Jan. 21, 2002 which
applications are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their
entireties, including but not limited to those portions that
specifically appear hereinafter, the incorporation by reference
being made with the following exception: In the event that any
portion of the above-referenced applications is inconsistent with
this application, this application supercedes said above-referenced
applications.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not Applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] 1. The Field of the Invention
[0004] The present invention relates generally to scooter
accessories, and more particularly, but not necessarily entirely,
to drive and attachment accessories for scooters that allow the
drive to be easily attached and detached from the scooter.
[0005] 2. Description of Related Art
[0006] Scooters are well known devices for use in transportation
and for recreational purposes. Powered devices are also known in
the art for driving scooters to reduce the effort required to
operate the scooters. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,274 (granted
Aug. 1, 2000 to Patmont) discloses a scooter having a gasoline
engine fixed atop the rear wheel of the scooter. Gasoline engines
commonly generate considerable noise and pollution. Furthermore,
the engines are typically heavy and therefore make operation and
handling of the scooter more difficult if the engine is not
running.
[0007] Electric powered assemblies are also known in the art for
driving scooters. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,452 (granted
Jul. 7, 1998 to Patmont), and U.S. Pat. No. 6,227,324 (granted May
8, 2001 to Sauve) each disclose an electric powered scooter having
batteries mounted on a bottom side of the scooter standing
platform. The batteries provide power to a drive assembly that is
fixed on the rear wheel of the scooter. A bracket for securing the
batteries is fastened by a bolt making removal of the batteries
difficult. The increased weight of the scooter due to the batteries
and the drive assembly makes it difficult to manipulate the scooter
when performing tricks. Also, the increased weight makes handling
the scooter more difficult and cumbersome in certain situations.
Furthermore, the position of the batteries under the scooter makes
them vulnerable to damage due to contact with objects on the drive
path. Moreover, since the batteries are difficult to remove, the
operator of the scooter cannot easily interchange depleted
batteries with charged batteries to enable use of the scooter while
batteries are being charged.
[0008] In view of the drawbacks inherent in the available art, it
would be a significant advancement in the art to provide a scooter
drive device that is easy to attach and detach from a scooter so
that the scooter may be used either with or without the drive
device. It would also be an advancement in the art to provide a
scooter drive device that may be attached to scooters of different
sizes and positioned above the front wheel of the scooter so that
the drive device is not damaged if the scooter contacts an object
in the drive path.
[0009] The prior art is thus characterized by several disadvantages
that are addressed by the present invention. The present invention
minimizes, and in some aspects eliminates, the failures, and other
problems of the prior art, by utilizing the methods and structural
features described herein.
[0010] The features and advantages of the invention will be set
forth in the description which follows, and in part will be
apparent from the description, or may be learned by the practice of
the invention without undue experimentation. The features and
advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means
of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the
appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The features and advantages of the invention will become
apparent from a consideration of the subsequent detailed
description presented in connection with the accompanying drawings
in which:
[0012] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a scooter and
motor device detached therefrom in accordance with the principles
of the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a scooter and a motor device
attached thereto in accordance with the principles of the present
invention;
[0014] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the motor device
and motor support in accordance with the principles of the present
invention;
[0015] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the motor support
on a scooter;
[0016] FIG. 5 is a break-away perspective view of the motor device
being installed on the scooter;
[0017] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the rear side of the
housing;
[0018] FIG. 7 is a rear view of the motor device;
[0019] FIG. 8 is a rear perspective view of the motor support;
[0020] FIG. 9 is a plan view of the motor support and mounting
bracket attached to a section of a scooter post;
[0021] FIG. 10 is a break-away perspective view of a motor support
being attached to a scooter;
[0022] FIG. 11 is a bottom view of a motor support; and
[0023] FIG. 12 is a break-away side view of one embodiment of a
locking mechanism used to lock the motor device on the scooter.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0024] For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the
principles in accordance with the invention, reference will now be
made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific
language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be
understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is
thereby intended. Any alterations and further modifications of the
inventive features illustrated herein, and any additional
applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated
herein, which would normally occur to one skilled in the relevant
art and having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered
within the scope of the invention claimed.
[0025] It must be noted that, as used in this specification and the
appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include
plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
Also, as used herein, "comprising," "including," "containing,"
"characterized by," and grammatical equivalents thereof are
inclusive or open-ended terms that do not exclude additional,
unrecited elements or method steps.
[0026] As used herein, "consisting of" and grammatical equivalents
thereof exclude any element, step, or ingredient not specified in
the claim.
[0027] As used herein, "consisting essentially of" and grammatical
equivalents thereof limit the scope of a claim to the specified
materials or steps and those that do not materially affect the
basic and novel characteristic or characteristics of the claimed
invention.
[0028] Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, perspective views of a
scooter and motor device assembly, indicated generally at 10, are
shown in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
The assembly 10 may include a motor support 12, shown in FIG. 1,
secured to the front of a scooter 14. The motor support 12 may
include a front face 12a and a rear face 12b. The front face 12a
may include either planar portion or a rounded portion or some
other suitable shape, and in any such case the front face 12a
defines an imaginary frontal line 12c described as follows: If the
front face 12a is planar, the frontal line 12c is an extension of
the front face 12a; if the front face 12a is symmetrically rounded,
the frontal line 12c is tangential to a center portion of said
symmetrically rounded front face.
[0029] A friction-drive motor device 16 may be detachably mounted
to the motor support 12, by a manually operable engagement/release
arm 18. The motor device 16 may be configured and arranged such
that when it is attached to the motor support 12 for operation, a
friction wheel or drive wheel 20 (as best shown in FIG. 7) may be
disposed in contact with a front wheel 22 of the scooter 14. A
control switch 24 may be attached to handle bars 26 of the scooter
14, and the switch 24 may be electrically connected to the motor
device 16. It will be appreciated that the front wheel 22 includes
an axis of rotation 22a.
[0030] The assembly is very convenient and user friendly. The motor
support 12 may remain attached to the scooter 14 and does not
affect the normal operation of the scooter 14. When a user desires
to motorize the scooter, the user may simply attach the motor
device 16 to the motor support 12 by sliding the motor device 16 in
place and securing it by pressing the arm 18 into the locked
position, as discussed in greater detail below. A cord 80 may then
be plugged into the switch 24, as shown in FIG. 2. The user then
simply mounts the scooter 14, engages the switch 24 and speeds
away. If the user thereafter desires to do "scooter tricks" or
other feats in which the bulkiness of the motor device 16 would
interfere, the user may simply operate the arm 18 to remove the
motor device 16 from motor support 12.
[0031] One feature of the present invention is that the ease in
which the motor device 16 is attached and detached from the scooter
14 enables the user to utilize multiple motor devices 16 with the
scooter 14. The user may simply detach the motor device 16 from the
scooter 14 to recharge the batteries, and attach a replacement
motor device 16 to the scooter 14 so that the scooter 14 may be
used while the batteries in the detached motor device are being
recharged. This feature is not available in the prior art
scooters.
[0032] The motor device 16 will now be described in more detail
with reference to FIG. 3, which shows an exploded prospective view
of one embodiment of the motor device 16 and motor support 12 in
accordance with the principles of the present invention. The motor
device 16 may include a chassis or housing 28 for housing a power
unit or battery pack 30. The battery pack 30 may include a single
battery or a grouping of batteries connected together. The battery
pack 30 may include a rechargeable sealed lead, nicad, or nickel
metal hydride battery for example, or any other type of battery
known to those skilled in the art. The battery pack 30 may include
two six volt, eight amp batteries forged into one twelve volt unit,
or a single twelve volt battery, for example. It will be
appreciated that batteries of different types, voltages, and
amperages may be used within the scope of the present
invention.
[0033] The battery pack 30 may be configured such that in a low
speed setting, electricity may be drawn from just one of the
batteries, whereas in a high speed setting, electricity may be
drawn from more than one battery. The low speed setting may allow
the motor device 16 to draw electricity out of one battery until
the electricity is depleted, then automatically begin drawing
electricity from another battery. The motor device 16 may be
switched from the low speed setting to the high speed setting by
activating a voltage switch 74. This dual mode/voltage system
allows more efficient use of electrical power. However, it will be
appreciated that the motor device 16 may be also have other modes
of operation, such as intermediate speeds or a variable speed mode,
within the scope of the present invention. The variable speed mode
may be operated using a variable speed switch (not shown) such as a
switch that includes a potentiometer, for example, to adjust the
amount of power supplied by the motor device 16. Moreover, the
principles of the present invention may also be used with power
units other than batteries, such as gas operated motors for
example.
[0034] The motor device 16 may also include various components such
as those shown for illustrative purposes in FIG. 3 including an
electric motor 32, a motor cover 34, and a front cover 36 to house
and protect the battery pack 30 and the electric motor 32. The
front cover 36 may have vents 37 to allow air to circulate within
the housing 28 for cooling and ventilation purposes. The motor
device 16 may also include components such as gears 56, drive wheel
shafts 58, clutch bearings 60, bearings 62, wheels 64, and control
circuit boards 66. The motor device 16 may be configured such that
the electric motor 32 may be positioned in substantial upward
alignment with the drive wheel 20, rather than laterally offset
with the drive wheel 20 so that the width of the motor device 16
may be reduced. Other components that may be included in the motor
device 16 include devices for controlling the electronics of the
motor device 16 such as circuit breakers 68, relays 70, on-off
switches 72, and voltage switches 74 for example. It will be
appreciated that various other mechanical or electrical devices may
also be included as part of the motor device 16 within the scope of
the present invention.
[0035] The clutch bearing 60 may be attached to the drive wheel 20
so as to allow the drive wheel 20 to be disengaged from the motor
32. This allows the drive wheel 20 to spin freely without a force
being exerted by the motor 32. For example, if the driver of the
scooter 14 desires to coast down a hill or push the scooter 14 with
the motor 32 turned off, engagement of the drive wheel 20 with the
motor 32 may serve as a brake since the drive wheel 20 may be
turning faster than the motor 32. Thus, the control switch 24 may
be operated to activate the clutch bearing 60 to disengage the
drive wheel 20 from the motor 32 so that the drive wheel 20 can
spin without resistance from the motor 32.
[0036] The drive wheel 20 may be configured to frictionally engage
the front wheel 22 of the scooter 14. The drive wheel 20 may have
ridges 21, shown most clearly in FIGS. 3 and 7, to assist in
gripping the front wheel 22. The ridges 21 may be formed on an
exterior surface of the drive wheel 20 and may be oriented parallel
to an axis of the drive wheel 20. In one embodiment of the present
invention, the drive wheel 20 may have a diameter of at least one
half inch, such as approximately one inch. The drive wheel 20 may
have ridges 21 configured on the surface of the drive wheel 20 such
that more than approximately thirty ridges 21 extend along the
length of the drive wheel 20. Other embodiments of the drive wheel
20 may be configured to have more than approximately fifty ridges
21, or more than approximately seventy-five ridges 21, for example.
It will be appreciated that the diameter of the drive wheel 20 and
the number of ridges 21 may be configured to provide suitable
gripping and driving characteristics, and that drive wheels 20
having other diameters and numbers of ridges 21 may be used within
the scope of the present invention. The drive wheel 20 may also be
configured to have a diameter ratio with respect to the front wheel
22 of the scooter 14 of at least approximately 0.1, such as
approximately 0.25, for example. Accordingly, a drive wheel 20
having a diameter of one inch, and a front wheel 22 having a
diameter of approximately four inches, would have a diameter ratio
of approximately 0.25.
[0037] The control circuit board 66 may be used to control features
of the electric motor 32 such a "push start" feature. For example,
the circuit board 66 may be programmed to require the front wheel
22 of the scooter 14 be moving at a certain speed before the
electric motor 32 may be engaged. This may allow the motor 32 to
operate more efficiently and reduce wear and damage to the motor
32.
[0038] The motor device 16 may also include an attachment lever,
also referred to as a lever cam 38 on each side of the arm 18. The
lever cam 38 may form part of an attachment means for attaching the
motor device 16 to the scooter 14. The lever cam 38 may be fixedly
attached to the arm 18 through a shaft 52 such that the lever cam
38 rotates with the arm 18 about the shaft 52. The lever cam 38 may
also have a tab 39 configured to be received within the motor
support 12 to attach the motor device 16 to the motor support 12. A
spring bracket 40 may also be attached to the shaft 52 and to a
biasing member or spring 42 so that the motor device 16 may be
biased into engagement with the scooter front wheel 22 as discussed
more fully below.
[0039] A switch housing 76 may be provided for supporting the
control switch lever 24, and for attaching the control switch lever
24 to the scooter handle bars 26 as shown in FIGS. 1-3. The switch
housing 76 may have a handlebar clamp 77 and/or a post clamp 79 in
the form of opposing curved projections. The handlebar clamp 77 and
the post clamp 79 may be formed of a resilient material adapted to
deform elastically. This allows the handlebar clamp 77 to receive
the handlebar between the opposing curved projections, and the post
clamp 79 to similarly receive the post 15. Thus the switch housing
76 may be snapped into position on the scooter 14. It will be
appreciated that the switch housing 76 may be configured to fit on
handlebars 26 and posts 15 of different dimensions due to the
elasticity of the handlebar clamp 77 and the post clamp 79. Tape or
other shimming mechanism may be used to increase the dimension of
the handlebar 26 or post 15 in the event the handlebars 26 or posts
15 are too small. Accordingly, the switch housing 76 may be adapted
to fit on scooters 14 having handlebars 26 or posts 15 of various
different dimensions. It will be appreciated that other attachment
mechanisms, such as fasteners or straps for example, may be used to
attach the switch lever 24 to the handle bars 26 within the scope
of the present invention.
[0040] A switch trigger 78, as shown in FIG. 3, may also be
supported within the switch housing 76 to be operated by the switch
lever 24. The switch trigger 78 may be attached to a cord 80 and
connected to the housing 28 through a jack 82 and a plug 84. In one
embodiment of the present invention, the plug 84 may be positioned
on the housing 28. However, it will be appreciated that the cord 80
may have the jack 82 and plug 84 located in a middle portion of the
cord 80, a distance spaced apart from the housing 28 to allow the
cord 80 to be separated. This may improve safety for a rider and
reduce damage to the system 10 in the event the cord 80 strikes an
object during operation of the scooter 14, in that the jack 82 and
plug 84 are releasably connected to each other to enable them to
release response to the force of the object striking the cord. A
further advantage of this feature is that the jack 82 and plug 84
detach if the motor device 16 detaches and falls from the scooter
14, thereby preventing the falling motor device 16 from damagably
yanking the cord 80 from the control switch 24 or pulling the
switch 24 from the handle bars 26. It will also be appreciated,
that other types of switches and connecting devices may be used to
operate the motor device 16 within the scope of the present
invention. Moreover, a wireless operating system may also be used
to operate the motor device 16 if so desired.
[0041] The front cover 36 may be hingedly attached to the housing
28 near the bottom, and the top portion of the front cover 36 may
include a latch 86. In one embodiment, the latch 86 may be a
resilient member fixed to the front cover 36 and having a catch 88
that may be received in a keeper 90 in the housing 28. The keeper
90 may be in the form of an opening for example, having a sidewall
that may be configured to abut with the catch 88 to prevent opening
of the front cover 36. The catch 88 may be depressed causing the
latch 86 to deflect such that the catch 88 may be removed from the
keeper 90 and the front cover 36 may then be opened. It will be
appreciated that the latch 86 and keeper 90 may be formed in
various different configurations within the scope of the present
invention. The front cover 36 and latch 86 of the present invention
provide advantages over other prior art devices in that the battery
pack 30 may be easily accessed without undertaking the laborious
task of loosening bolts or screws. Accordingly, the battery pack 30
may be easily removed for maintenance or recharging, if desired,
without the use of tools such as screw drivers or wrenches.
[0042] The motor support 12 may include a mounting bracket 44 which
may be attached to a post 15 of the scooter 14 using fasteners 46
as shown most clearly in FIG. 4. The bracket 44 may have a curved
or substantially "V" shaped interior surface 45, as shown in FIG.
9, such that posts 15 of different sizes may fit within the
mounting bracket 44 in a stable manner without appearing
cumbersome. The motor support 12 may also have a complementary
curved or substantially "V" shaped interior surface 47. Thus, the
motor support 12 and mounting bracket 44 may be configured to
contact the post 15 at multiple contact points 51 to provide a
stable fit with posts 15 of different sizes. As shown in the
embodiment of FIG. 9, four contact points 51 may be established.
Two of the contact points 51 may be positioned between the motor
support 12 and the post 15, and the other two contact points 51 may
be positioned between the mounting bracket 44 and the post 15. It
will be appreciated that posts 15 having a smaller diameter may
contact the mounting bracket 44 and the motor support 12 at contact
points 51 closer to a bottom of the "V" shaped surface, whereas
posts 15 having a larger diameter may contact the mounting bracket
44 and the motor support 12 at contact points 51 positioned closer
to the top of the "V" shaped surface. It will be further
appreciated that the bracket 44 and motor support 12 may have other
contacting shapes within the scope of the present invention.
[0043] The motor support 12 may also be configured such that a
single mounting bracket 44 may be used to firmly attach the motor
support 12 to the post 15 of the scooter 14 at a single
connectivity area, or multiple mounting brackets 44 may be used
within the scope of the present invention.
[0044] Additionally, the motor support 12 may include a mounting
slot 48 configured to receive the tab 39 of the lever cam 38. The
mounting slot 48 may be defined in part by an abutment wall 49 that
engages with the tab 39 when the motor device 16 is installed to
prevent the motor device 16 from moving forward, away from the
scooter 14. The motor support 12 may also include pegs or
projections 50 for inserting in grooves 92 (see FIG. 6) of the
housing 28 to provide additional lateral support of the motor
device 16 on the motor support 12.
[0045] The motor support 12 may be configured to be relatively thin
and non-obtrusive so it can be substantially permanently attached
to the scooter 14 without limiting use of the scooter 14 when the
motor device 16 is not attached. Thus, once the motor support 12 is
attached to the scooter 14, it need not be removed and re-installed
each time the motor device 16 is removed and re-installed.
[0046] The motor support 12 may be aligned when it is installed as
shown most clearly in FIG. 10. The bottom of the motor support 12
may include fork slots 53 formed in a support base 59 for receiving
a front fork 55 of the scooter 14. The fork slots are defined by an
end edge 53a and opposing side edges 53b, which edges may comprise
orthogonal edges forming a square-shaped slot end. The front fork
55 includes two yoked prongs as shown, the fork being separate from
the post 15. The fork-slots 53 may be dimensioned to receive forks
55 of most scooters 14 such that the motor support 12 may be
properly oriented on the post 15. An additional option is that the
slots 53 may be configured and arranged to receive the prongs of
the front fork 55 to thereby position the motor support 12 such
that the frontal line 12c of the front face 12a of said motor
support 12 is parallel to the axis of rotation 22a of the wheel 22
of the scooter 14. It will be appreciated that the scooter 14 is
one type of transport, and may be referred to herein as a
transport. The term "transport" as used herein shall be construed
broadly to include scooters or other user operable transports.
[0047] The motor support 12 may be stabilized against vertical
movement on the post 15 by the support base 59 and a fork support
57 which may be positioned near the bottom of the motor support 12
as shown most clearly in FIG. 8. The fork support 57 may be
positioned above a top portion of fork 55, and the support base 59
may be positioned beneath the top portion of the fork 55 so that
vertical movement of the motor support 12 may be prevented by the
fork 55. A window 63 or opening may be formed in the motor support
12 so that the post 15 may be more easily viewed during
installation of the motor support 12 to facilitate positioning the
motor support 12 with respect to the post 15. Also, the window 63
may be configured such that projections or strap rings on the post
15 may be received in the window 63.
[0048] In the event a particular model of scooter 14 has atypical
forks 55 that are dimensioned too wide, narrow, or thick to fit
within the fork slots 53, the motor support 12 may be supported on
top of the fork 55 by the support base 59. Alignment of the motor
support 12 may be accomplished by contacting the protruding ledges
61, as best shown in FIG. 8, on a front edge of the top of the fork
55. The motor support 12 may also include knobs 65, as best shown
in FIGS. 10 and 11 to facilitate alignment of the motor support 12
with the fork 55. It will be appreciated that the knobs 65 may be
formed in various different shapes, sizes and configurations within
the scope of the present invention, for contacting a front edge of
the top of the fork 55 for additional stability. Accordingly, the
motor support 12 may be adapted to be quickly installed on scooters
14 having various different sizes and configurations. Moreover, the
motor support 12 may be configured to be easily aligned so that the
motor device 16 can properly contact the front wheel 22.
[0049] An advantage of the present invention is provided in that
the motor device 16 is capable of being attached to, and detached
from, the motor support 12 easily and still provide a proper fit
between the scooter front wheel 22 and the drive wheel 20.
Furthermore, as the front wheel 22 wears, the present invention
still allows a proper automatic fit between the front wheel 22 and
the drive wheel 20.
[0050] Attachment of the motor device 16 to the motor support 12 on
the scooter 14 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 3-6.
The motor device 16 may be brought into contact with the
projections 50 at the bottom of the motor support 12. The
projections 50 fit into grooves 92 in the housing 28, as shown in
FIG. 6, such that the housing 28 may be allowed to move along a
movement path defined by the grooves 92. The grooves 92 may extend
in a linear, up and down direction as the motor device 16 is
positioned on the scooter 14 and the scooter 14 is oriented in an
upright position. Accordingly, the movement path may be oriented in
a substantially vertical direction with respect to the scooter 14
as the projections 50 slide within the grooves 92. However, the
projections 50 may be confined within the grooves 92 to prevent
movement of the housing 28 in a lateral direction with respect to
the scooter 14.
[0051] The lever cams 38, which may be attached to the arm 18, may
then be placed into the mounting slots 48 of the motor support 12,
as best shown in FIG. 5. As the arm 18 is rotated downwardly, the
lever cams 38 rotate to draw the housing 28 into contact with the
motor support 12 to fasten the motor device 16 to the scooter
14.
[0052] The arm 18 and the lever cams 38 may be attached to the
housing 28 by the shaft 52 on the lever cams 38 passing through
oblong openings 54 in the housing 28. This allows the housing 28 to
move vertically with respect to the arm 18 and the lever cams 38,
since the oblong openings 54 create a vertical path within which
the shaft 52 may move. The arm 18, the lever cams 38, the shafts 52
and the spring brackets 40 may be attached together and move
together as a unit with respect to the housing 28 and the front
cover 36. As the lever cams 38 are locked into the mounting slot 48
of the motor support 12, the arm 18, the lever cams 38, the shafts
52 and the spring brackets 40 may remain fixed with respect to the
scooter 14. However, the remainder of the components of the motor
device 16, including the housing 28 and the front cover 36, may be
allowed to move with respect to the scooter 14 in an up and down
direction.
[0053] The springs 42 may be connected to the housing 28 and to the
spring bracket 40, as shown most clearly in FIG. 5. The springs 42
bias movement of the housing 28 with respect to the motor support
12 in a downward direction to force the friction wheel 20 into
contact with the front wheel 22 when the motor device 16 is
installed on the motor support 12. This feature of the present
invention allows the motor device 16 to be attached to scooters 14
having different dimensions and having different sized front wheels
22. Moreover, as the front wheel 22 wears and becomes smaller, the
springs 42 allow the position of the motor device 16 to be
automatically adjusted to properly fit against the front wheel 22.
The spring bracket 40 may have an adjustable connection between the
bracket 40 and the springs 42. For example, a plurality of openings
41 may be positioned on the bracket 40 for receiving the springs 42
at different locations. This will allow the tension of the springs
42 to be adjusted so that the proper tension can be achieved
despite different sized scooters 14, or front wheels 22.
[0054] The arm 18 may be configured to attach and release the motor
device 16 by simple rotational movement of the arm 18 through less
than 180 degrees. In one embodiment of the present invention, the
arm 18 may be attached to two oblong openings 54 on opposing sides
of the back side of the housing 28, or the side of the housing 28
configured to face the scooter 14. The arm 18 may extend from one
oblong opening 54 around the front cover 36, which forms a side
configured to face away from the scooter 14, to the other oblong
opening 54 on the opposite side of the housing 28. Accordingly, the
arm 18 may form a loop or handle that may be grasped to facilitate
handling of the motor device 16. However, it will be appreciated
that the arm 18 may have various different configurations, such as
a lever on only one side of the housing 28 for example, within the
scope of the present invention.
[0055] The arm 18 may also achieve an over-center or buckle type
connection such that the arm 18 may be biased to engage with the
front cover 36 when the motor device 16 is attached to the scooter
14. This helps secure the motor device 16 in place by preventing
the arm 18 from inadvertently being raised and being disengaged
from the scooter 14 if the scooter 14 hits a bump for example.
Moreover, the motor device 16 may be equipped with a locking
mechanism for locking the arm, 18 in a desired position. For
example, a resilient protrusion 94, as best shown in FIGS. 7 and
12, may be provided to engage the lever cam 38 to hold the arm 18
in a locked position. The protrusion 94 may be integrally formed as
part of the housing 28, or may be formed of a resilient material
having an elastic memory attached to the housing 28. In one
embodiment, the lever cam 38 may be released from the protrusion 94
by lifting on the arm 18 and utilizing the leverage created by the
arm 18 to force the lever cam 38 in the direction of arrow 95 to
unlock the arm 18 from the protrusion 94, whereas the forces caused
by use of the scooter 14 would not cause a large enough force to
release the arm 18. In another embodiment, the protrusion 94 may
include a tab or button that may be depressed to deflect the
protrusion 94 in the direction of arrow 96 to release the lever cam
38 so that the motor device 16 can be removed from the scooter 14.
Likewise, other locking mechanisms such as straps or braces may be
used to hold the arm 18 in a desired position, and any such
mechanism for locking the arm 18 are considered to be within the
scope of the present invention.
[0056] The motor device 16 can be removed from the scooter 14 by
simply lifting up on the arm 18 to disengage the tab 39 of the
lever cam 38 from the mounting slot 48, and lifting up on the motor
device 16 to slide the projections 50 out of the vertical grooves
92 in the housing 28.
[0057] Those skilled in the relevant art will understand that the
principles of the present invention may be used with other types of
vehicles in addition to scooters. For example, transports such as
bicycles, tricycles, carts, or other types of vehicles having any
number of wheels may be used within the scope of the present
invention.
[0058] It will be appreciated that the structure and apparatus
disclosed herein is merely one example of an attachment means for
attaching a housing to a transport, and it should be appreciated
that any structure, apparatus or system for attaching a housing to
a transport which performs functions the same as, or equivalent to,
those disclosed herein are intended to fall within the scope of a
means for attaching a housing to a transport, including those
structures, apparatus or systems for attaching a housing to a
transport which are presently known, or which may become available
in the future. Anything which functions the same as, or
equivalently to, a means for attaching a housing to a transport
falls within the scope of this element.
[0059] In accordance with the features and combinations described
above, a method of operating a transport with a motor device
comprises the steps of:
[0060] (a) joining a housing of the motor device with the transport
such that the housing is allowed to move along a movement path with
respect to the transport;
[0061] (b) rotating an arm to attach the motor device to the
transport;
[0062] (c) allowing the housing to move along the movement path
while the arm is fixed to the transport;
[0063] (d) powering the transport with the motor device;
[0064] (e) rotating the arm to detach the motor device from the
transport;
[0065] (f) operating the transport without the motor device;
[0066] (g) recharging the motor device; and
[0067] (h) attaching a second motor device to the transport.
[0068] Those having ordinary skill in the relevant art will
appreciate the advantages provide by the features of the present
invention. For example, it is a feature of the present invention to
provide a scooter drive device that is easy to attach and detach
from a scooter so that the scooter may be used either with or
without the drive device. It is another feature of the present
invention to provide a scooter drive device that may be attached to
scooters of different sizes and positioned above the front wheel of
the scooter so that the drive device is not damaged if the scooter
contacts an object in the drive path. It is a further feature of
the present invention to provide a scooter drive device that can be
interchanged so that one drive device may be recharged while
another drive device is used to power the scooter.
[0069] It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements
are only illustrative of the application of the principles of the
present invention. Numerous modifications and alternative
arrangements may be devised by those skilled in the art without
departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and
the appended claims are intended to cover such modifications and
arrangements. Thus, while the present invention has been shown in
the drawings and described above with particularity and detail, it
will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that
numerous modifications, including, but not limited to, variations
in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation,
assembly and use may be made without departing from the principles
and concepts set forth herein.
* * * * *