Tri-mode collapsible scooter

Abstract

A tri-mode collapsible scooter includes: a deck; a stem; handlebars; a head tube; a neck hinge; a deck hinge; a wheelset; a neck control; and a deck control. The deck includes: a front deck section; a rear deck section; and a deck hinge interposed between the front deck section and the rear deck section. The neck control is configured to release the neck hinge for transition between an open neck position and a closed neck position. The deck control is configured to release the deck hinge for transition of the deck between an open deck position and a closed deck position. The deck hinge occupies the open deck position and the neck hinge occupies the open neck position in a ride mode; and the deck hinge occupies the closed deck position and the neck hinge occupies the closed neck position in a tow mode.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A scooter comprising:
 a deck comprising:
 a front deck segment defining a front deck surface; 
 a rear deck segment defining a rear deck surface; 
 a deck hinge interposed between the front deck segment and the rear deck segment; 
   a neck hinge coupled to the front deck segment opposite the deck hinge;   a neck coupled to the neck hinge opposite the front deck segment;   a stem rotatably coupled to the neck;   a set of handlebars coupled to a first end of the stem;   a front wheelset coupled to a second end of the stem opposite the set of handlebars;   a rear wheelset coupled to the rear deck segment opposite the deck hinge;   a neck control configured to release the neck hinge for transition between an open neck position and a closed neck position;   a deck control configured to release the deck hinge for transition of the deck between an open deck position and a closed deck position;   wherein the deck hinge occupies the open deck position and the neck hinge occupies the open neck position in a first mode of the scooter for riding by a user; and   wherein the deck hinge occupies the closed deck position and the neck hinge occupies the closed neck position in a second mode of the scooter for towing by the user.   
     
     
         2 . The scooter of  claim 1 :
 wherein the front deck surface and the rear deck surface define a deck angle between 170° and 190° when the deck hinge occupies the open deck position;   wherein the front deck surface and the rear deck surface define the deck angle between −15° and +15° when the deck hinge occupies the closed deck position;   wherein the front deck surface and the stem define a neck angle between 80° and 100° when the neck hinge occupies the open neck position; and   wherein the front deck surface and the stem define the neck angle between −15° and +15° when the neck hinge occupies the closed neck position.   
     
     
         3 . The scooter system of  claim 1 :
 wherein the deck hinge locates the front deck surface tangent the rear deck surface to form a substantially continuous deck surface in the open deck position;   wherein the deck hinge separates the front deck section from the second deck section with the deck hinge located above the rear truck in the closed deck position;   wherein the neck hinge locates the stem at a first angular offset from the front deck section in the open neck position; and   wherein the neck hinge locates the stem proximal and at a second angular offset from the front deck section in the closed neck position, the second angular offset less than the first angular offset.   
     
     
         4 . The scooter system of  claim 1 :
 wherein the stem comprises:
 a first stem section coupled to the front wheelset and pivotably coupled to the neck hinge; 
 a second stem section coupled to the set of handlebars and configured to locate the set of handlebars at a first distance from the front wheelset in an extended stem position and to locate the set of handlebars at a second distance from the front wheelset in a retracted stem position, the second distance less than the first distance; and 
 a stem latch configured to transiently retain the second stem section in the extended stem position and the retracted stem position relative to the first stem section; 
   wherein, in the first mode, the deck hinge occupies the open deck position, the neck hinge occupies the open neck position, and the second stem section occupies the extended position; and   wherein, in the second mode, the deck hinge occupies the closed deck position, the neck hinge occupies the closed neck position, and the second stem section occupies the retracted position.   
     
     
         5 . The scooter system of  claim 4 , further comprising a multistage control:
 comprising the neck control, the deck control, and the stem control; and   manually actuatable between:
 a default stage to latch the neck hinge, the deck hinge, and the stem latch; 
 a first stage to release the neck hinge and to latch the deck hinge and the stem latch, the first stage succeeding the default stage; 
 a second stage to release the neck hinge and the deck hinge and to latch the stem latch, the second stage succeeding the first stage; and 
 a third stage configured to release the neck hinge, the deck hinge, and the stem latch, the third stage succeeding the second stage. 
   
     
     
         6 . The scooter system of  claim 4 :
 wherein, in the second mode:
 the deck hinge and the neck hinge cooperate to locate a frontmost point of the front wheelset within 22″ of a rearmost point of the rear wheelset; and 
 the deck hinge, the neck hinge, and the stem latch cooperate to locate a topmost point of the set of handlebars within 24″ of a bottommost point of the set of front wheels; and 
   wherein the rear wheel comprises a left rear wheel and a right rear wheel, a first outermost point of the left rear wheel within 12″ of a second outermost point of the right rear wheel.   
     
     
         7 . The scooter system of  claim 1 , further comprising a bag mount:
 coupled to the neck;   extending proximal and offset from the stem;   interposed between the stem and the front deck section;   configured to locate a tote between the stem and the front deck section when the scooter occupies the second mode; and   configured to locate the tote between the stem and the user when the scooter occupies the first mode.   
     
     
         8 . The scooter system of  claim 7 :
 further comprising an accessory receptacle coupled to the neck;   wherein the bag mount is configured to removably couple to the accessory receptacle and is transiently located proximal and offset from the stem by the accessory receptacle; and   further comprising a scooter lock configured to removably couple to the accessory receptacle.   
     
     
         9 . The scooter system of  claim 1 :
 wherein the rear wheelset comprises:
 a rear truck comprising a four-bar linkage and coupled to the rear deck segment opposite the deck hinge; 
 a first rear wheel rotatably coupled to a first side of the four-bar linkage; 
 a second rear wheel rotatably coupled to the four-bar linkage opposite the first rear wheel; and 
   wherein the stem comprises a fork opposite the set of handlebars; and   wherein the front wheelset comprises a front wheel rotatably coupled to the fork.   
     
     
         10 . The scooter system of  claim 1 :
 further comprising:
 an electronic neck hinge latch configured to mechanically latch the neck hinge in the open neck position; 
 an electronic deck hinge latch configured to mechanically latch the deck hinge in the open deck position; and 
   wherein the neck control is coupled to the stem proximal the set of handlebars and is configured to trigger the electronic neck hinge latch to unlatch the neck hinge in response to manual selection; and   wherein the deck control is coupled to the stem proximal the neck control and is configured to trigger the electronic deck hinge latch to unlatch the deck hinge in response to manual selection.   
     
     
         11 . The scooter system of  claim 1 , wherein the deck control is configured to release the deck hinge for transition of the deck from the open deck position to the closed deck position in response to the neck hinge entering the closed neck position from the open neck position. 
     
     
         12 . The scooter system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a deck spring coupled to the front deck segment and the rear deck segment and configured to bias the deck hinge from the open deck position toward the closed deck position in response to the deck control releasing the deck hinge from the open deck position; and   a neck spring coupled to the neck and the front deck segment and configured to bias the neck hinge from the open neck position toward the closed neck position in response to the neck control releasing the neck hinge from the open neck position.   
     
     
         13 . The scooter system of  claim 1 , wherein the set of handlebars comprises:
 a pair of lateral handlebars operable in an extended position for riding of the scooter by the user and in a collapsed position for stowing of the scooter; and   a fixed handle coaxial with the stem, interposed between the pair of lateral handlebars, and graspable for towing of the scooter by the user.   
     
     
         14 . The scooter system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a motor coupled to the front wheelset;   a throttle coupled to the set of handlebars; and   a first rechargeable battery located within the front deck segment and configured to supply power to the motor according to a position of the throttle.   
     
     
         15 . A scooter system comprising:
 a front deck segment defining a substantially flat front deck surface configured to carry a rider;   a rear deck segment defining a substantially flat rear deck surface configured to carry the rider;   a deck hinge interposed between the front deck segment and the rear deck segment and configured to transiently engage a ride deck stop and a tow deck stop;   a neck hinge coupled to the front deck segment opposite the deck hinge and configured to transiently engage a ride neck stop and a tow neck stop;   a neck coupled to the neck hinge opposite the front deck segment;   a stem pivotably coupled to the neck and comprising:
 the set of handlebars at a first end; 
 a first stem section coupled to the front wheelset and pivotably coupled to the neck hinge; 
 a second stem section coupled to the set of handlebars and configured to locate the set of handlebars at a first distance from the front wheelset in an extended stem position and to locate the set of handlebars at a second distance from the front wheelset in a retracted stem position, the second distance less than the first distance; and 
 a stem latch configured to transiently retain the second stem section in the extended stem position and the retracted stem position relative to the first stem section; 
   a rear wheel coupled to the rear deck segment opposite the deck hinge;   a front wheel coupled to the stem opposite the set of handlebars; and   a latch release system configured to selectively release the neck hinge, the deck hinge, and the stem latch.   
     
     
         16 . The scooter system of  claim 15 :
 wherein the deck hinge engages the ride deck stop to transiently fix the deck in a ride deck position and the neck hinge engages the ride neck stop to transiently fix the neck in a ride neck position in a ride mode of the scooter for riding by a user; and   wherein the deck hinge engages the tow deck stop to transiently fix the deck in a tow deck position and the neck hinge engages the tow neck stop to transiently fix the neck in a tow neck position in a tow mode of the scooter for towing by the user.   
     
     
         17 . A scooter system comprising:
 a rear truck comprising a rear wheelset;   a deck comprising:
 a front deck section; 
 a rear deck section supporting the rear truck opposite the front deck section; 
 a deck hinge:
 interposed between the front deck section and the rear deck section; 
 operable in an open deck position to locate the front deck section tangent the rear deck section to form a substantially continuous deck surface; and 
 operable in a closed deck position to separate the front deck section from the second deck section with the deck hinge located above the rear truck; and 
 
 a deck latch configured to selectively lock the deck hinge in the closed deck position; 
   a stem comprising a front wheelset arranged on a first end and a handlebar arranged proximal a second end opposite the first end;   a neck:
 pivotably coupled to and retaining the stem above the front wheelset; 
 coupled to the front deck section opposite the rear deck section; 
 comprising a neck hinge:
 operable in an open neck position with the stem angularly offset from the front deck section to separate the stem from the front deck section; and 
 operable in a closed neck position to locate the stem proximal the front deck section; and 
 
 comprising a neck latch configured to selectively lock the neck hinge in the closed neck position; and 
   a latch release system configured to release the deck latch and the neck latch to prepare the scooter for transition between a ride mode and a tow mode; and   wherein the deck hinge occupies the open deck position and the neck hinge occupies the open neck position in the ride mode; and   wherein the deck hinge occupies the closed deck position and the neck hinge occupies the closed neck position in the tow mode.   
     
     
         18 . The scooter system of  claim 17 :
 wherein the deck hinge locates the front deck surface tangent the rear deck surface to form a substantially continuous deck surface in the open deck position;   wherein the deck hinge separates the front deck section from the second deck section with the deck hinge located above the rear truck in the closed deck position;   wherein the neck hinge locates the stem at a first angular offset from the front deck section in the open neck position; and   wherein the neck hinge locates the stem proximal and at a second angular offset from the front deck section in the closed neck position, the second angular offset less than the first angular offset.   
     
     
         19 . The scooter system of  claim 17 :
 wherein the stem comprises:
 a first stem section coupled to the front wheelset and pivotably coupled to the neck hinge; 
 a second stem section coupled to the set of handlebars and configured to locate the set of handlebars at a first distance from the front wheelset in an extended stem position and to locate the set of handlebars at a second distance from the front wheelset in a retracted stem position, the second distance less than the first distance; and 
 a stem latch configured to transiently retain the second stem section in the extended stem position and the retracted stem position relative to the first stem section; 
   wherein, in the first mode, the deck hinge occupies the open deck position, the neck hinge occupies the open neck position, and the second stem section occupies the extended position; and   wherein, in the second mode, the deck hinge occupies the closed deck position, the neck hinge occupies the closed neck position, and the second stem section occupies the retracted position.   
     
     
         20 . The scooter system of  claim 17 :
 wherein the front wheelset comprises:
 a front wheel; and 
 an electric hub motor arranged in the front wheel; and 
   further comprising:
 a first battery arranged in the front deck section; 
 a second battery arranged in the rear deck section; and 
 a throttle control coupled to the set of handlebars and configured to control current supply from the first battery and the second battery to the electric hub motor.