JPH10155838A - Miniaturized vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a miniaturized vehicle with which turning performance can be improved, property in getting-on/off can be improved, and further, portability at the time of handling or carrying the vehicle can be improved. SOLUTION: This vehicle is provided with a car body frame 2 arranged closer to the center in car breadthwise direction so as to be extended in the lengthwise direction of vehicle and supported by a pair of left and right fore wheels 21 and 21 and a pair of left and right rear wheels 45 and 45, seat 7 arranged above a rear half part 2b of this car body frame 2 so as to be positioned closer to the fore wheels, axle arm member 19 arranged almost orthogonally to a fore half part 2a of this car body frame 2 so as to support a pair of left and right fore wheels 21, foot frame 75 extended further forward from the fore half part 2a of car body frame 2 more than the fore wheels 21, and step 84 constituted by forming foot parts on the left and right sides at the fore part of this foot frame 75. Then, left and right getting-on/off spaces A continuous to the left and right side spaces of vehicle are formed so as to face the surface of road while being surrounded with the rear end of step 84, foot frame 75, axle arm member 19 and fore wheels 21 in plane view.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a small electric vehicle in which wheels are driven by a motor powered by a battery.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, attention has been paid to electric small vehicles for the physically handicapped and the elderly who have difficulty walking. This small vehicle is configured to supply current from a battery to a motor by operating an accelerator member, and to rotate wheels by the motor.

As a small vehicle of this type, a three-wheeled vehicle having one front wheel and two rear wheels having a simple steering structure has been proposed (for example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-82027). In this type of tricycle, in order to stabilize the running posture, a heavy battery is placed at a low position on the vehicle body to reduce the center of gravity, or the weight of the vehicle body itself is increased to increase the center of gravity due to the weight of the occupant. It is common to suppress the occurrence.

Recently, a four-wheeled vehicle has been proposed from the viewpoint of stabilizing the running posture (for example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 5-1).
1927). This four-wheeled vehicle has a structure in which a wide footrest step is disposed between a front wheel and a rear wheel, and a seat is disposed near the rear wheel on the rear side of the step.

[0005]

However, any of the above-mentioned conventional small vehicles has a structure in which a footrest is provided between the front wheel and the rear wheel, so that the wheel base becomes longer and the minimum turning radius becomes smaller. There is a problem that it becomes larger. Further, in the above-described conventional four-wheeled vehicle, there is a problem that the step is obstructive when getting on and off, and it is necessary to climb up on the step once in order to sit on the seat.

Further, in the structure in which the weight of the whole vehicle is increased to suppress the height of the center of gravity of the whole vehicle as in the above-mentioned conventional vehicle, it is difficult to handle and carry the vehicle when it is not in use or when it breaks down. There is a problem of poor transportability.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional circumstances, and provides a small vehicle capable of improving turning performance, improving getting on and off the vehicle, and improving the handling of the vehicle and the transportability when carrying the vehicle. It is intended to be.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle body frame which is disposed near a center in a vehicle width direction to extend in a vehicle front-rear direction and supported by a pair of left and right front wheels and a pair of left and right rear wheels. A seat disposed above the rear half of the vehicle body frame and near the front wheel, and an axle arm disposed substantially perpendicular to the front half of the vehicle body frame and supporting the pair of left and right front wheels. A member, a footrest frame extending further forward from the front wheel from the front half of the vehicle body frame, and a step of forming a footrest on the front left and right sides of the footrest frame; To form a left and right getting on / off space surrounded by the rear end of the step, the footrest frame, the axle arm member, and the front wheel, facing the road surface, and continuous with the left and right spaces of the vehicle. In a small vehicle that features is there.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the rear half of the vehicle body frame is extended so as to extend upward from a rear side of the seat arrangement position, and a backrest is provided in the extended portion. Features.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, the center portion in the vehicle width direction of the axle arm member is supported by the front half of the body frame so as to be rotatable around a vehicle longitudinal axis. A rotation angle of the axle arm member is regulated by interposing an elastic member between the arm member and the front half.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to third aspects, the front end of the rear arm supporting the rear wheel at the rear end is pivotally movable up and down by the seat lower portion of the body frame. Support, the rear arm, left and right of the rear half of the vehicle body frame, the left and right arm members that are arranged so as to be closer to the front of the vehicle so as to be closer to each other, are connected by a connecting member, A shock absorber is provided between the rear arm of the rear arm of the body frame and the rear arm.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect, the pivot portion of the rear arm is located near the center in the vehicle width direction,
In addition, the width is set so as to be hidden below the sheet when viewed from above.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to fifth aspects, the footrest frame is configured to be foldable upward with respect to the body frame.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to sixth aspects, a battery serving as a power source for a vehicle driving motor is provided in a space below the pivotal support portion of the rear arm and between the front wheel and the rear wheel. A battery storage box for housing is provided.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 to FIG.
FIGS. 1 to 4 are views for explaining an electric small four-wheeled vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 1 to 4 are a side view, a plan view, a rear view, and FIG. a), FIG.
(B) is a sectional front view of the swing support mechanism of the axle arm member, FIG.
7 is a cross-sectional side view of the swing support mechanism, FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional plan view showing a pivot portion of the rear arm, and FIG. 8 is a front view of a step.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an electric small four-wheeled vehicle, which comprises a body frame 2, a drive system 3, a front wheel suspension mechanism 4, a rear wheel suspension mechanism 5, and a footrest mechanism 6. The body frame 2 is made of a single iron pipe and is disposed at the center in the vehicle width direction so as to extend in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. The front half 2a extends substantially in the horizontal direction, and substantially follows the front half 2a. And a rear half 2b extending vertically upward and substantially horizontally rearward from the upper end. An extension 2c is formed integrally with the rear end of the rear half 2b of the vehicle body frame 2 to extend substantially vertically upward.

A seat 7 is provided on the upper surface of the rear half 2b, and a backrest 8 is provided above the extension 2c via a seat frame 9, respectively. The seat frame 9 has a substantially inverted L shape along the rear half 2b and the extension 2c, and is fixed to the rear half 2b of the vehicle body frame 2 via mounting brackets 9a and 9b. The front part 7a of the seat 7 projects overhanging forward from the rear half part 2b and is located above the front half part 2a.

A movable armrest 11 and a fixed armrest 10 are provided on the left and right sides of the seat 7, respectively. The base 10a of the fixed armrest 10 goes around the backrest 8 and is fixed to the upper end of the extension 2c. At the front end of the fixed armrest 10, an operation portion 10b extending to the front of the seat 7 is integrally formed. In addition, 10c is a cushion member.

The operating section 1 of the fixed armrest 10
A front wheel brake lever 12 is swingably mounted below the front end of Ob. An operation box 15 is disposed above the front end of the operation section 10b via a support member 14.
The operation box 15 can adjust the traveling direction and speed of the vehicle by swinging the stick-type operation element 16.

The movable armrest 11 is rotatable between a substantially horizontal use position and a substantially vertical non-use position, and a base 11 a of the armrest 11 is supported by a rotation support member 13 via the rotation support member 13. Base 10a of fixed armrest 10
Are connected so as to be coaxial with each other. In addition, 11c is a cushion member.

An axle arm member 19 constituting the front wheel suspension mechanism 4 is disposed in the front half 2a in the vehicle width direction. The left and right ends of the axle arm member 19 have the front wheel 21, 21 is supported. This axle arm member 19
Is supported by the front half 2a via a swing support mechanism 20, which swings the axle arm member 19 up and down as shown in FIGS. If so, it pivots around the vehicle longitudinal axis and regulates the swing angle of the axle arm member 19, and has the following structure.

A rocking shaft 22 is fixed to the center of the axle arm member 19 in the vehicle width direction so as to penetrate in the vehicle front-rear direction.
The oscillating shaft 22 is provided at both ends of the outer cylinder 23 with the left and right bushes 2.
4 and 24 are inserted, a collar 25 is inserted into the bush 24, and caps 26 are fitted to both ends of the outer cylinder 23. The outer cylinder 23 is fixed to the axle arm member 19. Further, a first swing regulating plate 29 is disposed above the swing shaft 22 and is fixed to the axle arm member 19.

A pair of front and rear brackets 27b, 27b are arranged and fixed on the lower surface of the front half 2a so as to abut against both end surfaces of the dust covers 26, 26 of the outer cylinder 23, between the brackets 27b, 27b. The rocking shaft 22 is supported by the inserted bolt 28, whereby the axle arm member 19 is supported so as to be vertically swingable.

The first swing regulating plate 29 disposed on the upper surface of the axle arm member 19 so as to extend along the longitudinal direction thereof.
Are bent to form an arc having a large curvature. On the lower surface of the front half 2a, a second swing regulating plate 30 extending so as to cover the first swing regulating plate 29 is reinforced with a gusset 27a and fixed.
0 is substantially straight and formed to be longer than the first swing regulating plate 29. Then, the first and second swing regulating plates 29,
An elastic member 31 made of rubber is interposed between the members 30.
The vertical swing angle of the axle arm member 19 is regulated by the deformation resistance (elastic force) of the elastic member 31.

A front end of a rear arm 35 constituting the above-described rear wheel suspension mechanism 5 is pivotally supported on a rear half portion 2b of the body frame 2 via a pivot shaft 39 so as to be vertically swingable. The rear arm 35 has a pair of left and right arms 35a, 35b having bosses 36a, 36b at the front ends, and the rear ends of the pair of arms 35a, 35b are connected by a cross pipe 37.
a and 35b are arranged so that the interval becomes wider toward the rear side and narrower toward the front side in plan view. The front end of the rear arm 35 is located at the center in the vehicle width direction, and is arranged so as to be hidden in the projection plane of the seat 7 in plan view.

The pivot shaft 39 is connected to the left and right arm portions 3.
Left and right boss portions 36 fixed to the front ends of 5a and 35b
a, 36b, and the pivot tube 3 fixed to the rear half 2b.
4 and is fastened and fixed by a nut 39a. The pivot tube 34 is, as shown in FIG.
The elastic member 41 formed by burning rubber 41c is inserted between the outer cylinder 41a and the inner cylinder 41b at both axial ends. The cylindrical body 40 penetrates the rear half 2b at right angles and is fixed to the rear half 2b. Thus, the rear arm 35 is vertically swingably supported around the pivot shaft 39, and is rotatable around the vehicle longitudinal axis within an angle regulated by the elastic force of the elastic member 41. Reference numeral 43 denotes a collar disposed between the left and right elastic members 41, 41 for regulating the position of the elastic member 41 in the vehicle width direction.

At the left and right ends of the cross pipe 37, caster-type rear wheels 45 are provided, respectively.
Each rear wheel 45 has a structure in which an axle 45a that supports the rear wheel 45 is supported by an inverted U-shaped arm 46, and the arm 46 is supported by a support portion 47 so as to be rotatable around a vertical axis. A support portion 47 is fixed to an end face of the cross pipe 37. The distance between the left and right rear wheels 45, 45 is set smaller than the distance between the left and right front wheels 21, 21. Thus, the difference between the outer wheel trajectory of the rear wheel 45 and the outer wheel trajectory of the front wheel 21 at the time of turning is determined. It can be made smaller and the rear wheel is less likely to contact obstacles on the outer wheel side. The front wheel 2
1 has a larger diameter than the rear wheel 45, which makes it easier to get over relatively large steps.

The cross pipe 3 of the rear arm 35
7, the lower end of one shock absorber 50 is pivotally supported at the center in the vehicle width direction. The upper end of the shock absorber 50 is inclined forward and pivotally supported by the rear end of the extension 2c. I have.

The drive system 3 includes motors 60, 60 provided independently on the left and right front wheels 21, 21, and a battery 61 for supplying power to each motor 60. The motor 60 is attached to a fixed member of the front wheel 21 via a gear box 62 containing a reduction gear group. A current corresponding to the swing operation amount of the operation lever 16 is supplied from the battery 61 to each front wheel 21. When the operation lever 16 is tilted forward, it moves forward, and when it is tilted left and right, it turns left and right, respectively. Here, since the front wheels 21 are independently driven and the rear wheels 45 are casters, the minimum turning radius can be reduced. Further, since the seat 7 is arranged near the front wheel 21, the weight of the occupant acts on the front wheel 21 and the ratio to the rear wheel 45 can be reduced, the movement of the rear wheel 45 becomes smooth, and the turning performance is also improved in this respect. it can.

The battery 61 is housed in a battery housing box 65 so that it can be taken in and out. The storage box 65 is located below the pivot shaft 39 of the rear half 2b and on the left,
They are arranged in the space between the right front wheels 21, 21 and the rear wheels 45, 45 in the front-rear direction. The storage box 65
Is mounted on the vehicle body frame 2 by fastening its front end 65a to the vehicle body frame 2 by bolting and supporting its rear end by a support pipe 63 suspended from the rear half 2b.

The storage box 65 has a bottomed rectangular tube shape, and a rear end opening 65a thereof faces the rear of the vehicle from a space surrounded by the cross pipe 37 and the left and right rear wheels 45.

A cover 66 for opening and closing the opening 65a of the storage box 65 is provided.
6 is connected to the right edge of the opening 65a by a hinge 66a. Further, a lock mechanism 67 for locking the lid member 66 in a closed state is provided on the lid member 66 so that the theft,
We try to prevent mischief.

The bottom wall (front end wall) in the storage box 65
As shown in FIG. 2, a male connector 68 for connecting a battery power supply to the motor 60 side is arranged, and a female connector 69 electrically connected to the male connector 68 is provided on the bottom surface of the battery 61. Is arranged. When the battery 61 is stored in the storage box 65, the female connector 69 is automatically connected to the male connector 68.

A U-shaped handle 70 is connected to the upper surface of the battery 61 so as to be able to move up and down, so that the handle 70 can be taken in and out. The battery 61
A charging connection terminal 71 is arranged on the side surface of. A charging opening is formed in a portion of the side wall of the storage box 65 corresponding to the charging terminal 71, and a lid 7 is formed in the opening.
2 are arranged to be openable and closable.

Here, the battery 61 can be charged in either a vehicle-mounted state or a state where it is detached outside. When charging externally, the lock of the lid member 66 is released, the battery 61 is pulled out, the battery 61 is brought to a place where the charger is installed, and a charging plug is connected to the charging terminal 71 to perform charging. When charging in a vehicle-mounted state, the plug of the charger is connected to the charging terminal 71 from the charging opening by opening the lid 72 of the storage box 65.

A footrest frame 75 constituting the footrest mechanism 6 is provided at the front end of the front half 2a of the vehicle body frame 2.
Are foldably connected upward. The footrest frame 75 extends from the front wheels 21 to the front of the vehicle and extends.
Also, it is bent slightly upward so as to be away from the road surface. A bumper 76 extending in the vehicle width direction is fixed to the front end of the footrest frame 75. The bumper 76 has a structure in which a rubber member 78 is attached to the outer periphery of an iron pipe 77, and the bumper function is secured with a simple structure.

A U-shaped connecting member 79 is fixed to the rear end of the footrest frame 75. The connecting member 79 is connected to the front end of the front half 2a by a support pin 80 so as to be vertically rotatable. In addition, it can be locked in a use state by a lock pin 81 (see FIG. 2).

A pair of left and right steps 84, 84 are provided in the front half of the footrest frame 75. Each step 84 has a structure in which a plurality of transfer rods 84b are bridged over a rectangular frame-shaped frame pipe 84a. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 8, each step 84 is fixed on a U-shaped frame member 85, and the inner end of each frame member 85 in the vehicle width direction is a lower surface of the footrest frame 75. Is rotatably connected to a bracket 86 fixed to the bracket via a hinge pin 87. Thus, each of the steps 84 can be rotated between a substantially horizontal use position and a substantially vertical non-use position.

An outer end portion of each of the frame members 85 in the vehicle width direction is formed to be bent upward, and the bent portion 85a functions as a foot rest stopper for preventing a foot from slipping down in a use state, and in a non-use state. Functions as a handle for holding by hand. An auxiliary caster 8 is provided on the lower surface of the bracket 86.
8 is mounted so as to be rotatable about a substantially vertical axis in use, and the auxiliary caster 88 is for preventing the vehicle from leaning forward, for example, on a downhill or sudden braking.

As shown in FIG. 3, a portion surrounded by the left and right steps 84, the rear ends of the right and left steps 84, 84, the footrest frame 75, the axle arm member 19, and the front wheel 21 in a plan view. Is formed with a boarding space A. This boarding space A
Faces the road surface and continues to the left and right spaces of the vehicle. The user can stand in the immediate vicinity of the seat 7 from the side of the vehicle through the boarding space A, and can sit down as it is.

Next, the operation and effect of this embodiment will be described. According to the small four-wheeled vehicle 1 of the present embodiment, an iron pipe body having a front half portion 2a extending substantially horizontally forward and a rear half portion 2b which is bent upward from a rear end thereof and then extends substantially horizontally rearward. Frame 2 is divided into front wheels 21 and 21 and rear wheels 4
Since they are supported by 5, 45, the frame structure can be simplified while ensuring strength and rigidity, and the whole vehicle can be reduced in size and weight. As a result, when not in use or when there is a failure, handling and carrying can be facilitated, the transportation by loading on a transport vehicle is also facilitated, and the cost can be reduced. In the above embodiment, the body frame is configured by arranging one pipe at the center in the vehicle width direction. However, the body frame is configured by arranging two or more pipes in parallel and near the center in the vehicle width direction. It is also possible to configure.

The footrest frame 75 is provided on the front half 2a of the body frame 2 so as to extend forward from the front wheels 21, and the step 84 is provided in the front half of the footrest frame 75. Spacing (wheel base)
Can be greatly reduced as compared with the conventional case in which a step is arranged between the front and rear wheels, the minimum turning radius can be reduced accordingly, and the turning performance can be improved.

In the present embodiment, the rear ends of the left and right steps 84, 84, the footrest frame 75, the axle arm member 1
9 and the portion facing the road surface surrounded by the front wheels 21 is the boarding space A which is continuous to the left and right sides of the vehicle, so that the user can stand on the road surface immediately adjacent to the seat 7 and sit down by sitting down. 7, the disability and the aged who have difficulty walking can get on and off when getting on and off. In addition, since the boarding space A and the side of the vehicle are continuous, the user does not hit his / her feet or the like on the vehicle components when approaching the seat 7, so that the boarding / alighting property can be improved from this point as well.

Further, since the step 84 can be rotated between the use position and the non-use position, the step A can be raised at the time of getting on and off, so that the getting on and off space A can be further expanded. When the vehicle is moved, the step 84 standing at the non-use position can be gripped.

Further, since the footrest frame 75 is connected to the vehicle body frame 2 so as to be foldable upward, the whole vehicle can be made compact by folding the footrest frame 75 for storage or transportation. The storage space can be reduced, and handling during transportation can be facilitated. Further, the footrest frame 75 is connected to one lock pin 81.
Since the locking or unlocking can be performed by attaching and detaching, the folding operation can be easily performed.

In the present embodiment, the rearward portion 2b of the body frame 2 is integrally formed with the extension 2c extending vertically upward, and the backrest 8 is provided on the extension 2c. The backrest 8 can be firmly supported with a simple structure.

In this embodiment, the axle arm 19 is supported on the front half 2a of the vehicle body frame 2 via the swing support mechanism 20 to rotate the axle arm 19 up and down around the vehicle longitudinal axis. Since the rotation angle of the axle arm member 19 is restricted by the elastic member 31, independent suspension of the left and right front wheels 21 and 21 can be realized with a simple structure. For example, when the left front wheel 21 rides on a protrusion on the road surface, the axle arm member 19 rotates so as to be higher on the left side, so that impact can be absorbed and the grounding of the front wheels 21 and 21 can be ensured.

Also, since the body frame 2 is constituted by a single pipe arranged at the center in the vehicle width direction, the front wheels 21 and
1 can also be expected to absorb the vertical movement of the pipe by twisting the pipe. Even when the axle arm member 19 strongly hits the elastic member 31, the shock to the occupant can be absorbed by the elastic member 31.
And the torsion of the pipe can be suppressed, and the riding comfort can be improved.

In this embodiment, a rear arm 35 is pivotally supported on a lower portion of the rear portion 2b of the vehicle body frame 2 below the seat 7 via a pivot shaft 39 so as to be vertically swingable. Since the shock absorber 50 is interposed between the extension 2c and the upper end of the extension 2c, it is easy to secure the mounting position of the shock absorber 50, and a special mounting bracket or the like can be eliminated,
The rear wheel suspension structure can be simplified. In the above embodiment, one shock absorber is arranged at the center in the vehicle width direction.
A buffer may be arranged on each of the right arm portions 35a and 35b.

Left and right arm portions 35 of the rear arm 35
Since a and 35b are arranged so as to be narrower toward the front side in plan view, the rear arm 35 can be made compact, and the swing angle can be sufficiently secured without interfering with the body frame 2. Further, since the pivot shaft 39 is arranged to be hidden below the seat 7, the seat 7
Protrusions around the periphery can be eliminated, and from this point also, getting on and off can be improved.

Since the rear arm 35 is rotatably supported around the vehicle longitudinal axis by interposing an elastic member 41 between the rear arm 35 and the pivot shaft 39, independent suspension of the left and right rear wheels 45, 45 is simplified. With a simple structure. For example, right rear wheel 45
When the vehicle rides on a bump on the road surface, the rear arm 35
However, the rear wheels 45 are rotated about the front-rear direction axis so that the right side of the rear end of the rear wheels becomes higher to absorb the impact and to make the rear wheels 45, 45.
Can ensure the grounding of the vehicle.

The rear arm 35 is configured to be longer in the front-rear direction and narrower toward the front, and the elastic members 41, 41 are disposed closer to the center in the vehicle width direction, and the rear wheels 45, 45 are positioned closer to the outside in the vehicle width direction. The arrangement allows the large displacement of the rear wheel 45 to be absorbed with a small amount of deformation of the elastic member 41.

In this embodiment, the battery storage box 65 is disposed below the rear half 2b of the vehicle body frame 2 and in the space surrounded by the front wheels 21 and the rear wheels 45, so that the dead space can be effectively used. Lowering the center of gravity of the vehicle,
Mass concentration can be achieved.

Since the storage box 65 is arranged in the space surrounded by the left and right rear wheels 45 and the cross pipe 37 of the rear arm 35, the battery 61 can be inserted and removed from the rear of the vehicle without interfering with other parts. Can be easily performed. In addition, since the battery 61 is detachable, it is not necessary to move the vehicle itself to a position near the charger, and an extension cord that obstructs the battery is unnecessary, so that the charging operation can be easily performed.

In the above embodiment, the rear arm 35
The front end of the rear arm 35 is pivotally supported via elastic members 41, 41 arranged near the center axis in the vehicle front-rear direction. However, the pivotal support structure of the rear arm 35 may be the structure shown in FIG. FIG. 9
7, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 7 indicate the same or corresponding parts.

The pivot structure shown in FIG.
The elastic members 41, 41 are inserted and arranged in the right boss portions 36a, 36b, the pivot shaft 39 is inserted through the elastic members 41, 41 and the axis of the cylindrical body 40, and the collars 43, 43 are interposed. The structure is tightened and fixed with a nut 39a.

In the pivot structure shown in FIG. 9, the pivot shaft 39 is fixed to the rear half 2b of the body frame 2. Since the elastic members 41 are located at the left and right ends of the rear arm 35, the rotatable angle of the rear arm 35 around the vehicle front-rear direction axis is the same as that shown in FIG. Is smaller than the one shown. As a result, the torsional rigidity around the vehicle front-rear direction axis when viewed as a whole body frame is higher than that in FIG. 7, which is suitable for users who prefer a relatively hard ride.

[0058]

According to the small vehicle according to the first aspect of the present invention, since the body frame is disposed so as to extend in the vehicle front-rear direction near the center in the vehicle width direction, the frame structure can be simplified, and the entire vehicle can be reduced in size. This has the effect of reducing the size and weight and reducing the cost.

Further, the footrest frame is extended further forward than the front wheels from the front half of the vehicle body frame, and steps are provided on the front left and right sides of the footrest frame. This has the effect that the wheelbase can be shortened and the turning performance can be improved as compared with the one provided with.

Further, in plan view, left and right entry / exit spaces surrounded by the rear end of the step, the footrest frame, the axle arm member, and the front wheels and facing the road surface and continuous with the left and right spaces of the vehicle. Is formed, it is possible to sit on the vehicle from the state of standing on the road surface in the immediate vicinity of the seat, and it is possible to prevent the occupant from hitting the vehicle components when approaching the seat, thereby improving the ease of getting on and off.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the rear half of the vehicle body frame is extended so as to extend upward from the rear side of the seat arrangement position, and the backrest is fixed to the upper portion of the extended portion. The backrest can be firmly supported, and there is an effect that a special seat supporting frame is not required and the number of parts can be reduced.

According to the third aspect of the invention, the axle arm member is supported by the front half of the body frame so as to be rotatable around the vehicle longitudinal axis, and an elastic member is interposed between the axle arm member and the front half. As a result, the left and right front wheels can be independently suspended with a simple structure, so that the grounding of the left and right front wheels can be ensured and the riding comfort can be improved.

Further, since the turning angle of the axle arm member is restricted by elastic force, and the body frame is arranged near the center in the vehicle width direction and has a long structure in the front and rear direction, the body frame is twisted to the wheels by the twist. Can also be expected to absorb the impact of the vehicle, and has the effect of reducing the impact on the occupant.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a rear arm is pivotally supported on the lower portion of the seat of the vehicle body frame so as to be vertically swingable.
The left and right arm members of the rear arm are distributed so as to be narrower toward the front of the vehicle, and a shock absorber is interposed between the rear end of the rear arm and the rear portion of the body frame from the pivot portion. Therefore, the rear arm can be made compact and the vertical swing angle can be sufficiently secured.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, since the pivot portion of the rear arm is disposed at a position hidden below the seat, it is possible to eliminate the protrusion around the seat and to improve the getting on and off.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, since the footrest frame is configured to be foldable upward with respect to the body frame, the vehicle can be made compact, the storage space can be reduced, and handling during transportation can be facilitated. effective.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the battery storage box is disposed below the pivot shaft of the rear arm and in the space surrounded by the front wheels and the rear wheels. There is an effect that the center of gravity and the mass can be concentrated.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating an electric small four-wheeled vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the small four-wheeled vehicle in a state where a footrest frame is folded.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the small four-wheeled vehicle.

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the small four-wheeled vehicle.

FIG. 5 is a sectional front view showing a swing support mechanism of an axle arm member of the small vehicle.

FIG. 6 is a sectional side view of the swing support mechanism.

FIG. 7 is a sectional plan view showing a pivot portion of a rear arm of the small four-wheeled vehicle.

FIG. 8 is a front view showing steps of the footrest frame.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional plan view showing a modification of a pivot portion of a rear arm of the small four-wheeled vehicle.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 1 electric small four-wheeled vehicle 2 body frame 2a front half 2b rear half 2c extension 7 seat 8 backrest 19 axle arm member 21 front wheel 31 elastic member 39 pivot shaft 35 rear arm 35a, 35b arm portion 37 cross pipe (connecting member) 45 rear wheel 50 shock absorber 65 battery storage box 75 footrest frame 84 step A getting on and off space

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A vehicle body frame which is disposed near the center in the vehicle width direction and extends in the vehicle front-rear direction, and is supported by a pair of left and right front wheels and a pair of left and right rear wheels, and above a rear half of the vehicle body frame and A seat arranged to be located closer to the front wheel, and an axle arm member arranged substantially perpendicular to the front half of the body frame, and the left and right front wheels being pivotally supported,
A footrest frame extending from the front half of the body frame further forward than the front wheels; and a step of forming a footrest on the front left and right sides of the footrest frame. , Surrounded by the rear end, the footrest frame, the axle arm member, and the front wheels, and facing the road surface,
A small vehicle characterized by forming left and right getting on / off spaces that are continuous with the left and right spaces of the vehicle. 2. The small-sized vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a rear half of the vehicle body frame is extended so as to extend upward from a rear side of the seat arrangement position, and a backrest is provided in the extended portion. . 3. The axle arm member and the front half according to claim 1, wherein a front portion of the vehicle body frame supports a center portion of the axle arm member in a vehicle width direction so as to be rotatable around a vehicle longitudinal axis. A small vehicle characterized in that the rotation angle of the axle arm member is restricted by interposing an elastic member between the vehicle and the vehicle. 4. The rear arm according to claim 1, wherein a front end portion of a rear arm supporting the rear wheel at a rear end portion is vertically pivotally supported by a lower portion of the seat of the vehicle body frame. The left and right arm members arranged so as to be closer to the front of the vehicle on the left and right sides of the rear half of the body frame are connected to each other by a connecting member, and A small vehicle characterized in that a shock absorber is provided between the rear arm of the rear arm and the rear arm. 5. The small vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the pivot portion of the rear arm is located near the center in the vehicle width direction and is set to have a width that is hidden below the seat when viewed from above. . 6. The small vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the footrest frame is configured to be foldable upward with respect to the body frame. 7. A battery storage box according to claim 1, wherein a battery serving as a power source of a vehicle drive motor is stored in a space below a pivot portion of the rear arm and between a front wheel and a rear wheel. A small-sized vehicle characterized by being provided.