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EP-4036422-B1 - FOLDING DEVICE AND SCOOTER

EP4036422B1EP 4036422 B1EP4036422 B1EP 4036422B1EP-4036422-B1

Inventors

  • WANG, CAN
  • WEI, Huocheng

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20220118

Claims (11)

  1. A folding device for a scooter, comprising: a first folding seat (1) and a second folding seat (2) arranged opposite to each other and rotatably coupled to each other, the first folding seat (1) being located above the second folding seat (2); a first locking assembly (3) rotatably coupled to the second folding seat (2), the first locking assembly (3) being rotatable between a first position where the first locking assembly (3) presses the first folding seat (1) against the second folding seat (2) and a second position where the first locking assembly (3) releases the first folding seat (1); a second locking assembly (4) coupled to at least one of the first folding seat (1) and the first locking assembly (3) to clamp or release the first folding seat (1) and the first locking assembly (3); and a reset member coupled to at least one of the first locking assembly (3) and the second locking assembly (4), and configured to reset the first locking assembly (3) after the first locking assembly (3) is rotated from the first position to the second position, and/or reset the second locking assembly (4) after the second locking assembly (4) releases the first folding seat (1) and the first locking assembly (3), wherein the first folding seat (1) comprises a first body (11) and a first protrusion (12) protruding outwards from a periphery of the first body (11), and the second folding seat (2) comprises a second body (21) and a second protrusion (22) protruding outwards from a periphery of the second body (21), the first protrusion (12) being arranged opposite to the second protrusion (22), wherein a first groove (121) is formed in a side of the first protrusion (12) away from the second protrusion (22); and wherein the first locking assembly (3) is rotatably coupled to the second protrusion (22), in the first position, at least a part of the first locking assembly (3) is clamped in the first groove (121), and in the second position, at least the part of the first locking assembly (3) is away from the first groove (121), a first bump (122) is arranged on a side of the first protrusion (12) away from the second protrusion (22), and the first bump (122) is spaced apart from the first body (11), and the first groove (121) is formed between the first bump (122) and the first body (11), the first locking assembly (3) comprises: an unlocking wrench (31) having a cavity; and a locking block (32) fitted in the cavity, wherein the unlocking wrench (31) is rotatably coupled to the second protrusion (22); and the locking block (32) is movable along a length direction of the unlocking wrench (31) relative to the unlocking wrench (31) to enable the outer end of the locking block (32) to be clamped in the first groove (121) in the first position and enable the outer end of the locking block (32) to be away from the first groove (121) before the unlocking wrench (31) moves from the first position to the second position, characterized in that a second groove (321) is formed in an outer end of the locking block (32), and the unlocking wrench (31) is configured to move from the second position to the first position via a transition position, wherein in the transition position, the first bump (122) is clamped in the second groove (321), and wherein the first bump (122) is away from the second groove (321) when the unlocking wrench (31) is in the first position, in the second position, between the first position and the transition position, or between the second position and the transition position.
  2. The folding device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first locking assembly (3) further comprises an unlocking knob (33) coupled to the locking block (32), and wherein the unlocking knob (33) is arranged on the unlocking wrench (31) and movable along the length direction of the unlocking wrench (31) to drive the locking block (32) to move in the cavity.
  3. The folding device according to claim 2, wherein a mounting groove is formed in a side of the unlocking wrench (31) away from the first body (11), the locking block (32) has a second bump (322), and the second bump (322) is fitted in the mounting groove; the reset member comprises a reset compression spring (34) arranged in the mounting groove, and the reset compression spring (34) has a first end coupled to an end of the second bump (322) away from the second folding seat (2), and a second end coupled to a wall surface of the mounting groove.
  4. The folding device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the reset member further comprises a reset torsion spring (35) arranged at a junction of the unlocking wrench (31) and the second protrusion (22), and the reset torsion spring (35) exerts an action force to turn the unlocking wrench (31) to the first position.
  5. The folding device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein a side surface of the first bump (122) away from the first body (11) is inclined towards the first body (11) along a direction from the second folding seat (2) to the first folding seat (1), and a side surface of the locking block (32) adjacent to the first body (11) is inclined towards the first body (11) along the direction from the second folding seat (2) to the first folding seat (1).
  6. The folding device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the second locking assembly (4) is a linkage assembly (41), and the linkage assembly (41) has a first end rotatably coupled to the first folding seat (1) and a second end rotatably coupled to the first locking assembly (3), wherein in the second position, an angle is formed between a length direction of the linkage assembly (41) and a length direction of the first locking assembly (3), and in the first position, the length direction of the linkage assembly (41) is substantially parallel to the length direction of the first locking assembly (3).
  7. The folding device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the second locking assembly (4) is a pressing member (42) coupled to the first locking assembly (3), and the first folding seat (1) is provided with a positioning member (43), wherein in the first position, the pressing member (42) presses against a side of the positioning member (43) away from the second folding seat (2) to clamp the first folding seat (1) and the first locking assembly (3), and in the second position, the pressing member (42) is away from the positioning member (43) to release the first folding seat (1) and the first locking assembly (3).
  8. The folding device according to claim 7, wherein the pressing member (42) is substantially cylindrical, and a flange is arranged on an end of the pressing member (42) away from the first locking assembly (3) and is able to press against the positioning member (43) and be away from the positioning member (43), wherein the positioning member (43) is substantially cylindrical, and an axial direction of the pressing member (42) is perpendicular to an axial direction of the positioning member (43).
  9. A scooter, comprising: the folding device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, a vertical tube (5) coupled to an end of the first folding seat (1) away from the second folding seat (2); and a front stem and fork (6) coupled to an end of the second folding seat (2) away from the first folding seat (1).
  10. The scooter according to claim 9, wherein the first locking assembly (3), the second locking assembly (4), the first folding seat (1) and the second folding seat (2) are rotatably coupled end to end in sequence to form a four-link mechanism.
  11. The scooter according to claim 10, wherein the first folding seat (1) and the second folding seat (2) are coupled by a first rotating shaft (13), and the first locking assembly (3) and the second folding seat (2) are coupled by a second rotating shaft (23); and wherein the second locking assembly (4) comprises a connecting rod (413), as well as a third rotating shaft (411) and a fourth rotating shaft (412) located at both ends of the connecting rod (413); and wherein the connecting rod (413) is coupled to the first locking assembly (3) by the third rotating shaft (411), and the connecting rod (413) is coupled to the first folding seat (1) by the fourth rotating shaft (412).

Description

FIELD The present invention relates to the field of transportation tools, and more particularly to a folding device for a scooter and a scooter with the folding device. BACKGROUND Scooters are easy to store and carry due to their reduced overall volume by folding vertical tubes. In the related art, a vertical tube of a scooter is folded and locked by a four-link mechanism, a lock nut or a hook. However, the safety of folding and locking the vertical tube with the above structure is poor, which is easy to loosen due to vibration during riding. Hence, a locking mechanism of the vertical tube will fail and the vertical tube will suddenly fold during riding, causing poor safety of the scooter. The document EP 2 471 701 A1 discloses a folding device for a scooter according to the preamble of claim 1. SUMMARY The present invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems in the related art to some extent. To this end, embodiments of the present invention propose a folding device having a double locking function, which can effectively improve the stability of locking. Embodiments of another aspect of the present invention propose a scooter with the above folding device. The present invention is set out in the appended set of claims. For the folding device according to the embodiments of the present invention, through a two-stage locking arrangement of the first locking assembly and the second locking assembly, the locking stability of the folding device can be improved, preventing locking failure caused by false touch or mechanical vibration, and effectively enhancing the reliability and safety of the folding device. In addition, the automatic locking of the folding device can be achieved by the reset member, improving user experience. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a folding device according to an embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a linkage assembly of a folding device according to an embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a folding device according to an embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating that a locking block of a folding device is separated from a first groove according to an embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a first locking assembly of a folding device in a transition position according to an embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 6 is a schematic view of another first locking assembly of a folding device in a transition position according to an embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 7 is a partial enlarged view of part A of the folding device illustrated in FIG. 6.FIG. 8 is a side view of a folding device according to an embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a folding device according to an embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 10 is a schematic view of a first locking assembly of a folding device in a second position according to an embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 11 is a schematic view of a folding device according to another embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 12 is a schematic view of a scooter according to an embodiment of the present invention. Reference numerals: first folding seat 1, first body 11, first protrusion 12, first groove 121, first bump 122, first rotating shaft 13,second folding seat 2, second body 21, second protrusion 22, second rotating shaft 23,first locking assembly 3, unlocking wrench 31, locking block 32, second groove 321, second bump 322, unlocking knob 33, reset compression spring 34, reset torsion spring 35,second locking assembly 4, linkage assembly 41, third rotating shaft 411, fourth rotating shaft 412, connecting rod 413, pressing member 42, positioning member 43,vertical tube 5,front stem and fork 6,frame 7. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, and examples of the embodiments are illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are merely exemplary and intended to explain the present invention, and shall not be construed as limitation on the present invention. As illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, a folding device according to embodiments of the present invention includes a first folding seat 1, a second folding seat 2, a first locking assembly 3, a second locking assembly 4, and a reset member. The first folding seat 1 and the second folding seat 2 are arranged opposite to each other, the first folding seat 1 is located above the second folding seat 2, and a lower end face of the first folding seat 1 is opposite to an upper end face of the second folding seat 2. The first folding seat 1 is rotatably coupled to the second folding seat 2. The first locking assembly 3 is rotatably coupled to the second folding seat 2, and the first locking assembly 3 is rotatable between a first position and a second position. In the first posi