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 Title: |
US4293052:
Lightweight two-wheeled vehicle
[ Derwent Title ]
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| Country: |
US United States of America
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| Inventor: |
Daswick, Alexander C.; S. Pasadena, CA 91030
Landry, Archie C.; Canoga Park, CA 91306
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| Assignee: |
None
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| Published / Filed: |
1981-10-06
/ 1978-07-17
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| Application Number: |
US1978000925422
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| IPC Code: |
Advanced:
B62D 31/00;
B62D 61/02;
Core:
B62D 61/00;
more...
IPC-7:
B60R 21/02;
B62D 61/02;
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| ECLA Code: |
B62D31/00B; B62D61/02;
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| U.S. Class: |
Current:
180/219;
180/274;
280/288.2;
296/068.1;
297/216.1;
297/216.19;
Original:
180/219;
180/274;
280/281.W;
296/065.A;
297/216;
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| Field of Search: |
280/281 LP,281 W
296/65 A
297/193,216
180/219,274,271
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| Priority Number: |
| 1978-07-17 |
US1978000925422 |
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| Abstract: |
A lightweight vehicle which utilizes a single large wheel in the rear that carries most of the weight with a single small wheel in front for guidance. The driver's seat is normally positioned immediately in front of the large wheel and the engine is positioned immediately to the rear of the large wheel, with the center of mass of the vehicle being below and forward of the axle of the large wheel. The passenger seat is connected to a frame extending between the two wheels by a parallelogram type linkage which connects to a bumper extending in front of the vehicle. The linkage is arranged such that on impact of the bumper, the parallelogram linkage causes the seat to move upwardly and tilt backwardly over the top of the large wheel to help protect the driver in the event of a crash.
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| Attorney, Agent or Firm: |
Christie, Parker & Hale ;
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| Primary / Asst. Examiners: |
Silverstrim, John P.;
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| Family: |
None
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First Claim:
Show all 8 claims |
What is claimed is:
1. A lightweight vehicle comprising a frame, a single rear drive wheel, means rotatably securing the wheel to the frame at the rear and above the frame, a front wheel rotatably secured to the front of the frame, means including a seat supported on the frame between the front and rear wheels for carrying a passenger, an engine mounted on the frame, transmission means drivably connected the engine to the rear wheel, the center of mass of the vehicle being below the horizontal plane of the axis of rotation of the rear wheel, means for turning the plane of the front wheel to steer the vehicle and means securing the means for carrying a passenger to the frame including a first pair of parallel links pivotally connected at one end to the passenger carrying means along a first common axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the rear wheel and at the other end to the frame to the rear of the seat along a second common axis, the first pair of links extending substantially horizontally, a second pair of links pivotally connected at one end to the passenger carrying means along a third common axis parallel to the first common axis, the third common axis being positioned forward of and below the first common axis, the other end of the links of said second pair being pivotally connected to the frame along a fourth common axis parallel to the other common axes below and to the rear of the second common axis, and means responsive to frontal impact for rotating the first and second links relative to the frame to lift and tilt back the passenger carrying means to protect the passenger.
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| Background / Summary: |
Show background / summary
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| Drawing Descriptions: |
Show drawing descriptions
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| Description: |
Show description
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| Forward References: |
Show 56 U.S. patent(s) that reference this one
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