US 11,745,819 B2
Narrow three wheeled vehicle with stabilizing and modular mechanisms
Kraig Schultz, Grand Haven, MI (US); and Cesar Manuel de Castro Guimarães Lopes Barbosa, Sintra (PT)
Assigned to TUGA-GLOBAL, INC., Grand Haven, MI (US)
Filed by TUGA-GLOBAL, INC., Grand Haven, MI (US)
Filed on Jan. 27, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/159,507.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/966,186, filed on Jan. 27, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0229770 A1, Jul. 29, 2021
Int. Cl. B62K 5/06 (2006.01); B62K 5/027 (2013.01); B62J 43/16 (2020.01); B62M 7/00 (2010.01); B62J 23/00 (2006.01); B62K 25/00 (2006.01); B62J 1/00 (2006.01); B62J 1/14 (2006.01); B60L 15/20 (2006.01)
CPC B62K 5/06 (2013.01) [B60L 15/20 (2013.01); B62J 1/00 (2013.01); B62J 1/14 (2013.01); B62J 23/00 (2013.01); B62J 43/16 (2020.02); B62K 5/027 (2013.01); B62K 25/00 (2013.01); B62M 7/00 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A motorized vehicle, comprising:
a chassis having a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion having a front wheel and a driver seat, the rear portion having a first rear wheel, a second rear wheel, and a rear axle assembly configured to be selectively moved between a retracted position and an extended position to maintain stability at various speeds, the rear axle assembly including a linear actuator in communication with a first rear wheel axle and a second rear wheel axle, and the rear axle assembly is in communication with a rear axle assembly controller configured to one of manually and automatically move the rear axle assembly between the retracted position and the extended position; and
a prime mover disposed in the rear portion of the chassis and configured to selectively move the rear axle assembly between the retracted position and the extended position;
wherein the linear actuator is a rack-and-pinion actuator, and each of the first rear wheel axle and the second rear wheel axle has a gear rack, and the linear actuator includes a pinion in communication with the prime mover and the gear rack of each of the first rear wheel axle and the second rear wheel axle, whereby with a rotation of the pinion by the prime mover the first rear wheel axle and the second rear wheel axle are moved between the retracted position and the extended position.