Technical field

This invention relates to an internal frame for a cabin of a quadricycle.

More specifically, the invention relates to the field of electric quadricycles.

Background art

In particular, the invention relates to a vehicle of category L6e (light quadricycles) or L7e (heavy quadricycles).

More specifically, category L6e includes four-wheeled vehicles with a maximum speed of less than or equal to 45 km/h, a weight of less than or equal to 425 kg, a power of less than or equal to 6 kW and a maximum of two seats, including the driver’s seat.

Category L7e includes quadricycles similar to those classified as L6e but which have a maximum speed of less then or equal to 90 km/h, a weight of less than or equal to 450 kg, a power of less than or equal to 15 kW and a maximum of four seats, including the driver’s seat.

These quadricycles are equipped with at least two seats, including the driver’s seat.

This type of vehicle is relatively new and, thanks to the reduced dimensions and the considerable efficiency, is considered to be an alternative both to the so-called ‘city car’ and mopeds, which are particularly valid in urban contexts.

Due to the reduced dimensions, these quadricycles do not have sufficiently large spaces to guarantee a good mobility of the driver and the passenger.

In particular, the quadricycles have internal spaces which, in the case of movement of the passenger (for example for retrieving something left at the rear of the cabin), would result in‘interference’ with the driver.

Disadvantageously, following these interferences both the driver and the passenger would come into contact with each other, resulting in uneasy movements for both. Even more disadvantageously, on account of these contacts between the driver and the passenger, the former would risk losing control of the vehicle, for example following contact of the passenger against the arm of the driver.

Disclosure of the invention

The technical purpose of the invention is therefore to provide an internal frame for a cabin of a light quadricycle which is able to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art.

The aim of this invention is therefore to provide an internal frame for a cabin of a quadricycle which allows the inner space of the quadricycle cabin to be optimised.

A further aim of the invention is to provide an internal frame for a cabin of a quadricycle which allows contact between the driver and the passenger to be avoided.

The technical purpose indicated and the aims specified are substantially achieved by an internal frame for a cabin of a quadricycle comprising one or more of the technical features described in one or more of the appended claims. The dependent claims can correspond to possible different embodiments of the invention.

Further features and advantages of the invention are more apparent in the non-limiting description which follows of a preferred embodiment of an internal frame for a cabin of a quadricycle illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawings

The description is set out below with reference to the accompanying drawings which are provided solely for purposes of illustration without restricting the scope of the invention and in which:

- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a frame according to the invention;

- Figure 2 is a schematic view of a cabin comprising the frame according to the invention. Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention

With reference to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 denotes in its entirety an internal frame for a cabin ‘A’ of a quadricycle which, for simplicity of description, will be referred to as the internal frame 1.

In this description, reference will be made to a quadricycle for driving on the right (with the steering wheel on the left of the vehicle). Despite what is illustrated in this description, it may be suitably mirrored for a left-hand drive quadricycle (with the steering wheel on the right of the vehicle).

In particular, the invention relates to an electric quadricycle of category L6e or L7e.

As shown in Figure 1 , the internal frame 1 comprises a platform 2 defined by a front crosspiece 3a and a rear crosspiece 3b, a right longitudinal side profile 4a and a left longitudinal side profile 4b and a right longitudinal central profile 5a and a left longitudinal central profile 5b.

The terms“right” and“left”, as well as“front” and“rear”, refer to the normal direction of forward travel of a car.

The right longitudinal side profile 4a, the left longitudinal side profile 4b, the right longitudinal central profile 5a and the left longitudinal central profile 5b are operatively connected to the front crosspiece 3a and to the rear crosspiece 3b. In other words, the profiles 4a, 4b, 5a and 5b are connected at an end to the front crosspiece 3a and at the opposite end to the rear crosspiece 3b, thus forming the platform 2.

As shown in Figure 1 , the front crosspiece 3a is located in a front portion of the internal frame 1 whilst the rear crosspiece 3b is located in a rear portion of the internal frame 1. The front and rear portion of the internal frame 1 correspond to a front and rear portion of the cabin‘A’.

Preferably, the platform 2 is designed to define a supporting surface 2a which may be stood on (by the driver and by a passenger). The supporting surface 2a is obtained by means of suitable coverings of the platform 2. Preferably, the internal frame 1 also comprises a right sill 6a and a left sill 6b located laterally relative to the platform 2. The supporting surface 2a is raised relative to the right sill 6a and the left sill 6b. In this way, the entrance inside the cabin‘A’ by the driver (and/or by the passenger) is facilitated and less laborious for them. Preferably, the supporting surface 2a is raised with respect to the sills 6a and 6b by a height of 45 mm.

The internal frame 1 also comprises a first fixing profile 7a for a seat for a driver‘G’ and a second fixing profile 7b for a seat for a passenger‘PT. The first fixing profile 7a and the second fixing profile 7b are associated with the platform 2 in a left-hand portion and in a right-hand portion of it, respectively. In other words, the first fixing profile 7a is located in a left- hand portion of the platform 2 (defined by the left longitudinal side profile 4b and by the left longitudinal central profile 5b) and the second fixing profile 7b is located in a right-hand portion of the platform 2 (defined by the right longitudinal side profile 4a and by the longitudinal central profile 5a). Preferably, the first fixing profile 7a comprises vertical profiles 8a designed to raise it. In other words, the first fixing profile 7a is raised relative to the platform 2 in such a way that the seat for a driver‘G’ is at an optimum level for the comfort of the driver when seated for driving.

Preferably, the first fixing profile 7a is composed of a first right profile 9a and a first left profile 9b. The first right profile 9a is raised relative to the platform 2 by means of a vertical profile 8a associated with the left longitudinal central profile 5b and the first left profile 9b is raised relative to the platform 2 by means of a vertical profile 8a associated with the left longitudinal side profile 4b.

Preferably, the second fixing profile 7b comprises vertical profiles 8b designed to raise it. In other words, the second fixing profile 7b is raised relative to the platform 2 in such a way that the seat for a passenger‘P1’ is at an optimum level for the comfort of the passenger when seated.

Preferably, the second fixing profile 7b is composed of a second right profile 10a and a second left profile 10b. The second right profile 10a is raised relative to the platform 2 by means of a vertical profile 8b associated with the right longitudinal side profile 4a and the second left profile 10b is raised relative to the platform 2 by means of a vertical profile 9a associated with the right longitudinal central profile 5a.

Preferably, the first fixing profile 7a and the second fixing profile 7b comprise sliding guides 1 1 respectively for the seat for a driver‘G’ and for the seat for a passenger‘P1 \

The sliding guides 1 1 are designed to allow an adjustment of the seats and are preferably mounted on the first right profile 9a, the first left profile 9b, the second right profile 10a and the second left profile 10b.

According to the invention, the first fixing profile 7a and the second fixing profile 7b are designed to allow an offset positioning of the seat for a driver ‘G’ and the seat for a passenger‘PT. In this way, the seat for a driver‘G’ and the seat for a passenger‘PT are offset along the platform 2 in such a way that the seat for a driver‘G’ is always in a forward position of the platform 2 relative to the seat for a passenger‘P1 \

In other words, whether the seats‘G’ and‘P1’ are fixed or can be adjusted by means of the sliding guides 1 1 , the seat for a driver‘G’ is located in a position closer to the front crosspiece 3a relative to the seat for a passenger‘PT (which is in a position closer to the rear crosspiece 3b relative to the seat for a driver‘G’).

If the sliding guides 11 are present, they are positioned in such a way that if the seat for a driver‘G’ is positioned at a rear end of the relative guides 1 1 and the seat for a passenger‘PT is positioned at a front end of the relative guides 1 1 , the seat for a driver‘G’ will in any case be in a position advanced along the platform 2 relative to the seat for a passenger‘P1 \ Preferably, as shown in Figure 1 , the first fixing profile 7a has a length‘L1’ greater than a length‘L2’ of the second fixing profile 7b. The length‘LT and‘L2’ of the two profiles is measured from the rear crosspiece 3b to a front end of the two profiles 7a and 7b. In other words, the first right profile 9a and the first left profile 9b have a length‘L1’ from the rear crosspiece 3b and the second right profile 10a and the second left profile 10b have a length‘L2’ from the rear crosspiece 3b.

The lengths‘LT and‘L2’ are selected according to the dimensions of the platform 2 (that is, of the internal frame 1 ).

Preferably, the length ‘LT is between 600 and 700 mm. Even more preferably, the length‘L1’ is equal to 630 mm.

Preferably, the length ‘L2’ is between 450 and 500 mm. Even more preferably, the length‘L2’ is equal to 510 mm.

Advantageously, this solution makes it possible to create a gap ‘g’ between the seat for a driver‘G’ and the seat for a passenger‘PT. The gap‘g’ is calculated from a centre of the seat for a driver‘G’ to a centre of the seat for a passenger‘P1 \

The gap‘g’, if there are the guides 1 1 , is variable between a minimum distance of 50 mm and a maximum distance of 250 mm. Still more advantageously, the gap‘g’ makes it possible to avoid contact between the passenger and the driver, in particular if the driver must turn round to pick up something from the rear portion of the cabin‘A’.

In particular, the driver is in a forward position relative to the passenger and, in this way, the passenger never enters into contact with the driver. Preferably, the first fixing profile 7a is also shaped in such a way as to allow the presence of a further seat for a passenger‘P2’ inside the cabin ‘A’, as shown in Figure 2. The further seat for a passenger ‘P2’ is positioned close to the rear crosspiece 3b behind the seat for a driver‘G’. Preferably, the second fixing profile 7b is shaped in such a way as to allow the presence of a loading compartment‘V’ inside the cabin‘A’, as shown in Figure 2. The loading compartment‘V’ is positioned behind the seat for a passenger‘P2’ close to the rear crosspiece 3b.

Preferably, the loading compartment ‘V’ and the further seat for a passenger‘P2’ are positioned side by side in the proximity of the rear crosspiece 3b.

Advantageously, the positioning of the two fixing profiles 7a and 7b makes it possible to optimise the spaces inside the cabin‘A’ in such a way as to allow the addition of a further seat for a passenger V2’ and/or, if necessary, of a loading compartment‘V’ which can be within reach of the driver and/or the passenger seated on the front seat (the passenger seat ‘P1’) and the passenger seated on the further passenger seat‘P2\

The internal frame 1 described above may also comprise additional components such as the uprights for the windscreen and the crosspieces for the roof (not illustrated in detail in the accompanying drawings and not described above for simplicity of description).

The internal frame 1 described above makes it possible to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art.

Advantageously, the internal frame 1 described above makes it possible to optimise the spaces within the cabin‘A’ of the quadricycle belonging to category L6.

Still more advantageously, the internal frame 1 makes it possible to prevent the driver and the passenger from getting in each other’s way following various movements (firstly, those related to the passenger if it is necessary for him/her to turn towards the rear portion of the cabin).

Another advantage of the internal frame 1 described above is due to the presence of a further seat for a passenger ‘P2’ and/or of a loading compartment‘V’ allowing a vehicle of notoriously small dimensions to have a further seat inside the cabin‘A’ and a further space in which to insert objects which would normally be placed between the legs of the passenger or loose on the rear portion of the cabin‘A’.