Compactible Scooter with Tensioned Body

Abstract

Foldable electrical vehicles and related charging infrastructure are described. The foldable electrical vehicle generally includes three structural members (front and rear wheel-bearing structural members and a seat-bearing structural member) that are pivotally interconnected along their lengths such that they may be pivoted between a closed position wherein the three structural members are disposed roughly parallel to each other in a compact folded configuration, and an open riding configuration wherein an angular relation is formed between the structural members.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle comprising:
 a front wheel-bearing structural member and a rear wheel-bearing structural member each having first and second ends and each defining a wheel-bearing structural member longitudinal axis, each of said wheelbearing structural members having at least one wheel assembly interconnected to the second end thereof and two wheel-bearing structural member pivot interconnections disposed along the length thereof;   at least one seat-bearing structural member having first and second ends and defining a seat-bearing structural member longitudinal axis, the seat-bearing structural member having a seating platform interconnected to the second end thereof and at least two seat-bearing pivot interconnections disposed along the length thereof;   wherein at least one of the wheel-bearing structural member pivot interconnections of each of the front and rear wheel-bearing structural members are pivotably interconnected together, and wherein at least one of the wheel-bearing structural member pivot interconnections of each of the front and rear wheel-bearing structural members are pivotably interconnected with the seat-bearing pivot interconnections, and wherein the collective pivot interconnections are configured to cooperatively form a vehicle pivot mechanism such that the structural members are movable between at least two configurations:
 a riding configuration wherein the longitudinal axes of the two wheel bearing structural members and the seat-bearing structural members have angular offsets relative to each other, and 
 a folded configuration wherein the longitudinal axes of the two wheel-bearing structural members and the seat-bearing structural member are roughly parallel to each other; and 
   wherein a first support wire is interconnected between the seat-bearing structural member and the front wheel-bearing structural member, and a second support wire is interconnected between the rear and front wheel-bearing structural members, the first and second support wires being under tension in the riding configuration and slack in the folded configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein a steering mechanism is mounted to a front wheel-bearing structural member, the steering mechanism being configured to controllably pivot the wheel assembly mounted to the front wheel-bearing structural member about the longitudinal axis of the front wheel-bearing structural member. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle of  claim 2 , wherein the front wheel is locked in a non-pivoting configuration relative the longitudinal axis of the front wheel-bearing structural member in the folded configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the front wheel-bearing structural member pivots with the wheel assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the front wheel-bearing structural member has an energy storage device disposed thereon. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicle of  claim 5 , wherein the energy storage device is removable from the vehicle. 
     
     
         7 . The vehicle of  claim 2 , wherein the steering mechanism comprises at least one handlebar, and wherein the height and angle of the handlebar relative to the vehicle is adjustable. 
     
     
         8 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the front wheel-bearing structural member is tubular. 
     
     
         9 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising a pivot locking mechanism configured to disengageably lock the structural members in at least the folded configuration. 
     
     
         10 . The vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein the pivot locking mechanism comprises a latch disposed on the seat-bearing member and configured to engage one of the at least two wheel-bearing structural members. 
     
     
         11 . The vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the latch is configured to engage a portion of the rear wheel-bearing structural member. 
     
     
         12 . The vehicle of  claim 10 , wherein the latch is configured to disengage when the seat-bearing structural member is pivoted upward when in the second compacted configuration. 
     
     
         13 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the rear wheel assembly comprises at least two wheels interconnected via a fixed axle. 
     
     
         14 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one electric motor disposed within at least one of the wheel assemblies and an energy storage device interconnected therewith. 
     
     
         15 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein in the folded configuration the seating platform is disposed above the first ends of the wheel-bearing structural members. 
     
     
         16 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the rear wheel-bearing structural member and the seat-bearing structural member are pivotably interconnected through a linkage member. 
     
     
         17 . The vehicle of  claim 16 , wherein the linkage member is interconnected to pivot interconnections on the seat-bearing structural member and rear wheel-bearing structural member along the length of each structural member between the first and second ends thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The vehicle of  claim 17 , wherein the seat-bearing structural member and the front wheel-bearing structural member are interconnected through pivot interconnections disposed on the first end of the seat-bearing structural member and along the length of the front wheel-bearing structural member between the first and second ends thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The vehicle of  claim 18 , wherein the front and rear wheel-bearing structural members are interconnected through pivot interconnections disposed proximal to the first ends of each of the front and rear wheel-bearing structural members. 
     
     
         20 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the wheel-bearing structural members comprises a plurality of fenestrations configured to provide access to the internal volume thereof.