The present invention relates to a frame and body combination for a 3-wheeled vehicle, preferably an electric light vehicle including a front wheel, a frame with the steering head tube attached at the front portion of the frame * and with the rear wheels suspended at the rear part of the

<•> frame.

The human being has been very creative in searching for vehicles using another propelling power than the power of the man himself. Ever since the times when the palanquins were used in that society to transport VIP's by being carried by slaves, up to our present way of transportation in luxurious and comfortabele cars, there exist several periods when new ideas for transportation have come up. During the persia culture for about 10.000 years ago the man used the animals for transportation. The animals were used both to ride and as draught-animals. Thus in the persia culture and in other later culture epokes different types of animal drawn carts and wagons were developed. Both light and heavy drawn vehicles were constructed. Prior to roads and tracks allowed the use of wheeled carts and wagons the animals were mostly used as draught-animals and for riding. For about 2.000 years ago the roman culture used paved roads to facilitate an effective transportation. The main object was essentially to perform fast transportations of troops between strategically important areas in foreign countries and to support invading forces.

Bad roads and quick encreasing needs of transport led to the birth of rail roads in the middle of the 19:th century. Much of this oldfashioned roman way of thinking can be seen to-day in our modern communication systems wherein rapid and *» frequent transports between the main cities are given priorities before flexible surburban transports within and to and from smaller urban areas. To-day about 80 - 90 % of all private trips with private cars and vehicles in a modern society are shorter than 10 kms.

Also an encreased awareness of the need to take care about resourses and finite energy resourses has led to that the cost and the environmental aspects are taken in concideration also when it comes to public transport. Public "transverse" transport in a modern society is carried out with very low average speeds, i.e. caused by changes between different public vehicles. Also the energy consumption per transported person/km is very high for both diesel buses and electric sub¬ ways. This is also the case when the maximum transporting capacity of vehicles is used. Of course, the energy consumption is high when travelling with petrol or diesel cars too and modern passenger cars are from an environmental and resoursal point of view extremely unsuitable to carry out the passenger transport within urban areas, even if they of a comfortable point of view are unsurpassed. Many modern urban areas have been built with the private car for transportation, which means that there exist a built up net of roads with paved driving tracks.

Small light vehicles have during different period of times found an market, and maybe most often during times of scantiness and crises. Often these vehicles were very simple regarding the constructions, they had frugal interiors and were often extraordinarily defective regarding the safety for collisions. EP-A-0 048 659 discloses such a vehicle, the front and rear carriages of which are simply connected without using complicated wheel under carriages. This is of course a simple and cheap way but does not result in a vehicle with acceptable road manners. Also the whole chassi is resilient mounted, and the frame is to low to act as a protection against collisions.

The main object of the present invention is to obtain a technique making it possible to build vehicles, the road manners and the environmental impact of which are such that they allow an individual choice of transportation within urban areas during the use of existing road nets and at the same time obtaining an acceptable degree of safety both regarding the driver and an passenger when driving mixed up with other

heavier vehicles. More exactely the invention consist of a frame and body combination for a three-wheeler light vehicle being extremely low in using resourses both regarding to the manufacturing as well as to the users point of view, and which is well suited to carry out transportation of passengers and light goods within urban areas. Taking in concideration that a vehicle built according to the teaching of the present invention just using electricity as a power source have very modest speeding qualities, the obtained average speed can very well be compared to the speed of public transports.

Another object of the present invention is to obtain a frame and body combination for a light three-wheeler which easily being built of unskilled workers using simple and cheap components being easily replaced and acessible for service.

Yet an other object with the present invention is to obtain a frame and a body combination for a light three-wheeler having good road manners and which in all driving situations behaves consequently and in an expected way.

The above objects are achieved by the invention having the characterizing clauses stated in the claims.

By having having the body with cockpit portion formed as a tray and placed within and essentially buttmounted resting onto the frame having deformable side beams at a hight of 30 - 50 cm, preferably about 40 cm above the ground level, and wherein the floor part of the cockpit is below the frame sides, the vehicle will be light, safe to collisions and will also have excellent road manners.

The vehicle having one wheel in front and two wheels at the rear means that the bearing pressure at the ground will be optimal also with proportionately fast roundings of curves. Thus a complicated front wheel suspention can be avoided. By using the concept of a three-wheeler neither any greater

torsions can exist in the frame, which makes the construction still more simple.

The frame is very rigid and stable and fullfill in this way the two requirements regarding a good safety for collisions and at the same time eliminates any tendencies for a movement between the steering head tube of the front wheel and the rear wheels. This means that the vehicle easily can be safely handled in all driving situations.

The invention will now be decribed with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a digramatic plan view of a frame with a mounted steering head tube and wherein e.g. a rear rim forming a support for a load supporting portion of the vehicle;

Fig. 2 is a digramatic plan view of an alternative embodiment of a frame, wherein the frame is arranged to pass the steering head tube to improve the ability of the frame to withstand a collision; and

Fig. 3 is a diagramatic side view of a vehicle built according to the present invention with a body portion resting onto and within the frame beeing of yet another alternative embodiment.

In fig. 1 the frame 1 comprises square side beams la and transverse profiled tubes lb and lc. The steering head 3 is connected to the forward profiled tube lb. The transverse profiled tubes lb and lc are dimensioned to withstand the forces being transferred by the steering head tube 3 and the socket 5 of the steering head, and by the rear slewing brackets 9 (see fig. 3) .

In fig. 1 also an alternativ embodiment is shown where the frame 1 also is equipped with a rear rim 18 being connected both to the rear transverse profiled tube lc and also to stay

plates 19 covering the rear openings of the side beams. In this way the profiled tube lc is reinforced as the same time as the torsional strength of the frame is improved.

In fig. 2 an alternative embodiment of the frame 1' is shown. This frame is also arranged to pass in front and around the steering head tube with a forward frame part 2 to improve the ability of the vehicle to withstand a collision. As a vehicle built according to the present invention essentially is meant for speeds up to about 50 km/h, i.e. for use in urban areas and not meant to mix with other faster moving traffic, the retarding deformation zones formed by the forward wheel and the rearward wheels together with their suspensions are enough to give a satisfying protection against collisions for the driver (and passenger) from behind or from ahead. The side beams la of the frame form a very good protection against side collisions, especially as this side beams is placed at a hight above the ground level corresponding to the hight of the bumpers of most passenger cars.

In fig. 3 a diagramatic sideview of a vehicle built in according to the present invention is shown with the body portion 12 resting onto and within the frame l''. This constitute yet an other alternativ embodiment. In this embodiment the fram 1'' is also equipped with a rear rim 8. Through the steering head tube 3 passes a steering yoke 7 with a wheel 6. In the rear transverse profiled tube of the frame l ¹¹ the rear wheel suspensions are attached. These suspensions each consists of a slewing bracket 9 and a shock absorber 10, wherin the slewing bracket 9 is articulated connected to a vertical profile portion 16 at a distance below the side beam portions la' ' of the frame. This arrangement places the side beam portions la" at a distance of enough hight above ground level. This hight above ground level is at the vehicle about 40 - 50 cm, preferably about 40 cm to obtain a maximal protection against side collisions.

In fig. 3 the arrangement of the body portion 12 - 15 within and upon the frame 1*' is shown. The body 12 comprises a cockpit 13, outwards and downward bent side portions 14 and a nose compartment 15. The body 12 is laid upon the frame 1' * with the cockpit 13 being placed upon and lowered within the frame 1* ' .

The steering means, the wheel suspensions, the springs and the drive line components can be arranged in several different ways and does not form part of the present invention. Accordingly it is up to the man skilled in the art to arrange these components at the frame and body combination according to the present invention. In the case where the vehicle is electrically propelled it is preferred to place the batteries in a compartment 17 between the rear wheels 11, i.e. outside the cockpit. Preferably this compartment 17 is vented and heat isolated. The body can be manufactured in one pice including said compartment for the batteries. Of course it is also possible to arrange the batteries carried by the rear rim 18 shown in fig. 1.

The invention is not restricted to the above described embodiments, but modifications can be done within the scoop of the appended claims.