Marking device for a personal mobility vehicle

Abstract

A marking device that is supported by a personal mobility vehicle, such as a scooter, is movable from a first position, in which the marking device does not contact the riding surface, and a second position, in which the marking device contacts the riding surface. The marking device includes an attachment portion and a marking portion that creates markings on the riding surface as a result of frictional contact with the riding surface. The marking device can also include an actuation portion which is accessible to the user and allows the user to move the marking device to the second position. In one arrangement, the marking device includes an elastic marking member which is configured to bend in order to maintain contact with the riding surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A marking device for a personal mobility vehicle, the marking device comprising:
 an attachment portion configured to be supported by the personal mobility vehicle;   a marking portion that generates markings when in frictional contact with a riding surface, the marking portion comprising at least one elastic portion supporting a marking material, the marking device having a first position in which the marking portion does not contact the riding surface, the marking device having a second position in which the marking portion contacts the riding surface;   an actuation portion accessible to the foot of a user;   a locking mechanism configured to hold the marking device in the second position;   wherein the marking device can be fixed in the second position so that the user does not need to act upon the marking device in order for the marking device to remain fixed in the second position;   wherein the user can move the marking device to the second position by applying a downward force on the actuation portion, and the user can release the marking device from being locked in the second position by applying a downward force on the actuation portion.   
     
     
         2 . The marking device of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment portion of the marking device is rotatably supported relative to the personal mobility vehicle. 
     
     
         3 . The marking device of  claim 1 , wherein the actuation portion is integral with the attachment portion, and wherein the marking device can be moved from the first position to the second position by acting upon the actuation portion. 
     
     
         4 . The marking device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one elastic portion bends along its longitudinal axis, thus biasing the marking material towards contact with the riding surface. 
     
     
         5 . The marking device of  claim 1 , wherein the marking device is normally biased towards the first position and away from the second position. 
     
     
         6 . The marking device of  claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism includes an engagement portion and a latching portion, the engagement portion being configured to engage the latching portion, and the latching portion being rotatable relative to the engagement portion and the attachment portion. 
     
     
         7 . The marking device of  claim 6 , wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a rotation portion and the engagement portion is configured to engage the rotation portion and cause the rotation portion to rotate. 
     
     
         8 . The marking device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one elastic portion is a coil spring, the coil defining a longitudinal axis extending lengthwise through the center of the circular cross-section of the spring when the spring is in a relaxed condition, the spring being configured to bend so that the longitudinal axis curves when the marking material is in frictional contact with a riding surface. 
     
     
         9 . A marking device for a personal mobility vehicle, the marking device comprising:
 an attachment portion rotatably supported by the personal mobility vehicle;   an actuation portion accessible to a user;   a marking portion that generates markings when in frictional contact with a riding surface, the marking device having a marking position in which the marking portion contacts the riding surface;   a locking mechanism configured to hold the marking device in the marking position such that the user does not need to act upon the marking device in order for the marking device to remain in the marking position;   wherein the locking mechanism is configured so that the user can release the marking device from being locked in the second position by applying a downward force on the actuation portion.   
     
     
         10 . The marking device of  claim 9 , wherein the marking portion further comprises at least one elastic member and at least one marking element. 
     
     
         11 . The marking device of  claim 10 , wherein the marking portion comprises multiple elastic members each supporting a marking element. 
     
     
         12 . The marking device of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one elastic member is a spring configured to bend about a longitudinal axis, thus biasing the marking element towards contact with the riding surface. 
     
     
         13 . The marking device of  claim 9 , wherein the marking device is normally biased away from the marking position. 
     
     
         14 . The marking device of  claim 9 , wherein the locking mechanism includes an engagement portion and a latching portion, the engagement portion being configured to engage the latching portion, and the latching portion being rotatable relative to the engagement portion and the attachment portion. 
     
     
         15 . The marking device of  claim 14 , wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a rotation portion, and the engagement portion is configured to engage the rotation portion and cause the rotation portion to rotate. 
     
     
         16 . The marking device of  claim 15 , wherein the rotation portion is coupled to the latching portion such that when the engagement portion causes the rotation portion to rotate, the latching portion also rotates.