Patent US4955628A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4955628A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Mini foldable cycle
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1989-02-16
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Granted: 1990-09-11
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Expires: 2009-02-16
Abstract
Abstract A mini foldable cycle having a single front wheel for steering and a pair of adjacent wheels in tandem located at the rear for propelling the vehicle. The tandem arranged rear wheels, with the front tandem wheel slightly higher than the rear tandem wheel, gives the cycle the feel and comfort of a large wheeled vehicle so that very small wheels are required. The cycle consequently is small and light, and is made foldable so that it can be reduced to a very small package for convenience of being transported.
Inventors
- 👤 David Chiu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 18:30
CPC Classifications
B; B62; B62K; B62K15/00; B62K15/006; B62K15/008; B62K5/00; B62K5/02; B62K5/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
104 words
The method of assembling and propelling a vehicle on a pavement comprising the steps of mounting a steerable single wheel on the front of said vehicle, mounting two single wheels in tandem with each other at the rear of said vehicle and the front wheel in tandem being raised and fixed above the level of the level of the steerable wheel and the rear wheel in tandem so as not to make contact with a smooth pavement during use of said vehicle, and operating said vehicle by transferring drive from a source of power on said vehicle continuously to said rear wheels in unison.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
104 words
The method of assembling and propelling a vehicle on a pavement comprising the steps of mounting a steerable single wheel on the front of said vehicle, mounting two single wheels in tandem with each other at the rear of said vehicle and the front wheel in tandem being raised and fixed above the level of the level of the steerable wheel and the rear wheel in tandem so as not to make contact with a smooth pavement during use of said vehicle, and operating said vehicle by transferring drive from a source of power on said vehicle continuously to said rear wheels in unison.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 in which said source of power includes foot pedals.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 2 in which said vehicle is collapsible and foldable.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1 in which the front wheel in tandem is sufficiently higher than the rear wheel in tandem so that said front wheel makes sufficient contact with said pavement to compensate for the roughness in said pavement.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 3 in which the front single wheel in tandem is about 1/2 inch higher than the rear single wheel in tandem.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 3 in which said vehicle includes means to adjust the height of said front wheel in tandem to match the roughness of said pavement.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
83 words
The method of operating a vehicle having more than two wheels in tandem including a front wheel, a rear wheel and an intermediate wheel between said front and rear wheels raised and fixed so as to not make contact with a smooth riding surface, comprising step of driving continuously said intermediate and rear wheels in unison while maintaining said intermediate wheel sufficiently high so as to not make contact with a smooth riding surfact while making intermittent contact with a rough riding surface.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
83 words
The method of operating a vehicle having more than two wheels in tandem including a front wheel, a rear wheel and an intermediate wheel between said front and rear wheels raised and fixed so as to not make contact with a smooth riding surface, comprising step of driving continuously said intermediate and rear wheels in unison while maintaining said intermediate wheel sufficiently high so as to not make contact with a smooth riding surfact while making intermittent contact with a rough riding surface.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
97 words
The method of assembling and operating a vehicle having more than two wheels in tandem including a front wheel, a rear wheel, and an intermediate wheel between said front and rear wheels, comprising the steps of raising and fixing said intermediate wheel sufficiently high so that the latter does not ordinarily make contact with a smooth riding surface but will make intermittent contact with a rough riding surface, and driving said intermediate and rear wheels in unison, the height of said intermediate wheel above said riding surface being adjusted to match the roughness of said riding surface.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
97 words
The method of assembling and operating a vehicle having more than two wheels in tandem including a front wheel, a rear wheel, and an intermediate wheel between said front and rear wheels, comprising the steps of raising and fixing said intermediate wheel sufficiently high so that the latter does not ordinarily make contact with a smooth riding surface but will make intermittent contact with a rough riding surface, and driving said intermediate and rear wheels in unison, the height of said intermediate wheel above said riding surface being adjusted to match the roughness of said riding surface.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
108 words
The method of assembling and operating a vehicle having more than two wheels in tandem including a front wheel, a rear wheel, and an intermediate wheel between said front and rear wheels, comprising the steps of raising and maintaining said intermediate wheel sufficiently above ground level during operation so that the latter does not make contact with a smooth riding surface but will make intermittent contact with a rough riding surface, and driving said intermediate and rear wheels in unison, the height of said intermediate wheel being fixed during operation of said vehicle but may be adjusted prior to operation to match the roughness of said riding surface.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
108 words
The method of assembling and operating a vehicle having more than two wheels in tandem including a front wheel, a rear wheel, and an intermediate wheel between said front and rear wheels, comprising the steps of raising and maintaining said intermediate wheel sufficiently above ground level during operation so that the latter does not make contact with a smooth riding surface but will make intermittent contact with a rough riding surface, and driving said intermediate and rear wheels in unison, the height of said intermediate wheel being fixed during operation of said vehicle but may be adjusted prior to operation to match the roughness of said riding surface.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-09-10 | 1994-03-12 | 1994-09-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-09-10 | 1998-03-12 | 1998-09-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-09-10 | 2002-03-12 | 2002-09-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |