Control of a personal transporter based on user position

• US 10,370,052 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2018
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Kamen, Dean, Ambrogi, Robert R., Dattolo, James J., Duggan, Robert J., Field, J. Douglas, Heinzmann, Richard Kurt, McCambridge, Matthew M., Morrell, John B., Piedmonte, Michael D., Rosasco, Richard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pope, Daryl C
• Application Number:
  US15/989,269
• Publication Number:
  US 20180275662A1
• Time in Patent Office: 438 Days
• Field of Search: 340905, 340441, 340936, 340439, 701 93, 701117, 701119, 180170, 246182 R
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/01 Skateboards A63C17/02 - A63C17/28 take precedence; rolling devices on skis A63C5/035
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/08 single-wheel type with single axis
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/12 with driving mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/16 Single-axle vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/24 Personal mobility vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/46 Wheel motors, i.e. motor connected to only one wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/18 lateral
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/22 Yaw angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/22 by presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/24 by lever actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/34 Stabilising upright position of vehicles, e.g. of single axle vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 37/00 Stabilising vehicle bodies without controlling suspension arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 51/002 comprising safety arrangements safety devices for vehicle propulsion unit control B60K28/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 51/02 the driver standing in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 61/00 Motor vehicles or trailers, characterised by the arrangement or number of wheels, not otherwise provided for, e.g. four wheels in diamond pattern
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/4151 for sensing lateral inclination of the cycle
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/4152 for sensing longitudinal inclination of the cycle
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 1/00 : Unicycles
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/007 : Automatic balancing machines with single main ground engaging wheel or coaxial wheels supporting a rider
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 3/002 : without a seat, i.e. the rider operating the vehicle in a standing position, e.g. non-motorized scooters; non-motorized scooters with skis or runners
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0212 : with means for defining a desired trajectory involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0223 : involving speed control of the vehicle vehicle fittings for automatically controlling, i.e. preventing speed from exceeding an arbitrarily established velocity or maintaining speed at a particular velocity, as selected by the vehicle operator B60K31/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0891 : specially adapted for land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 : Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

An apparatus controller for prompting a rider to be positioned on a vehicle in such a manner as to reduce lateral instability due to lateral acceleration of the vehicle. The apparatus has an input for receiving specification from the rider of a desired direction of travel, and indicating means for reflecting to the rider a propitious instantaneous body orientation to enhance stability in the face of lateral acceleration. The indicating may include a handlebar that is pivotable with respect to the vehicle and that is driven in response to vehicle turning.

Claims

1. A steerable personal transporter comprising:

a chassis;

two wheels mounted to the chassis;

two pivoting footplates, each of the pivoting footplates associated with one of the two wheels, each of the pivoting footplates sitting atop the chassis;

at least one sensor sensing the positions of the two pivoting footplates; and

a controller steering the transporter based at least on the positions.

2. The transporter as in claim 1 further comprising:

a platform between the two pivoting footplates and the chassis, the platform sliding laterally in line with linear accelerations of the transporter.

3. The transporter as in claim 2 further comprising:

a linear slide mechanism mounted between the platform and the chassis, the linear slide mechanism enabling the platform to slide laterally; and

blocks underlying the linear slide mechanism.

4. The transporter as in claim 3 further comprising:

ball plungers counterbalancing the combined weight of the platform and the linear slide mechanism.

5. The transporter as in claim 2 further comprising:

a ground rod, including linear ball bearings, mounted between the platform and the chassis, connecting the platform to the chassis.

6. The transporter as in claim 2 further comprising:

a sensor sensing the distance the platform slides.

7. The transporter as in claim 6 further comprising:

a measurement of shear force based at least on the distance, the steering of the transporter being based in part of the shear force.

8. The transporter as in claim 7 wherein the foot plates are sensitive to the shear force.

9. The transporter as in claim 1 wherein the foot plates move vertically up to about six inches.

10. The transporter as in claim 1 further comprising:

at least two rider detect switches sensing when a rider is upon the transporter.