Vehicles and methods using center of gravity and mass shift control system
First Claim
1. A vehicle for transporting a human body, said vehicle comprised of a dynamic attached system for operation, said vehicle having a center of gravity sensing device singly or in combination for producing signals indicative of the direction and rate of change in the center of gravity position and mass shift of said human body relative to said vehicle, a control system device responsive to said signals by controlling an output to said dynamic attached system to improve one or more ride characteristics of said vehicle.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A center of gravity (C/G) control system for a vehicle includes sensors to measure the center of gravity shift and mass shift of the human body in relation to the vehicle, a controller to determine outputs, a dynamically adjustable vehicle system, and a power supply. The sensor measures the direction and rate of shift of the center of gravity and mass shift of the human and creates a representative input signal. The controller determines the appropriate outputs in response to the relative center of gravity shift data received. The dynamically adjustable vehicle system receives the controller output and performs the expected action.
58 Citations
20 Claims
- 1. A vehicle for transporting a human body, said vehicle comprised of a dynamic attached system for operation, said vehicle having a center of gravity sensing device singly or in combination for producing signals indicative of the direction and rate of change in the center of gravity position and mass shift of said human body relative to said vehicle, a control system device responsive to said signals by controlling an output to said dynamic attached system to improve one or more ride characteristics of said vehicle.
-
11. A method for improving one or more ride characteristics of a human body transport vehicle comprising the steps of:
-
a) sensing the direction of and rate of change in the center of gravity position and mass shift of said human body relative to said vehicle, b) producing output control signals indicative of the direction and rate of change in the center of gravity position and mass shift of said human body relative to said vehicle; and
c) controlling one or more physical characteristics of said vehicle in response to said output control signals. - View Dependent Claims (12, 14, 15, 20)
-
-
13. A method for improving the ride characteristics for a vehicle transporting a human body and/or payload comprising the steps of:
-
a) obtaining from a set of sensors one or more signals denoting the position of the relative center of gravity of said human body and/or payload, b) determining from said relative center of gravity signals a set of estimated absolute center of gravity shift values in relation to the vehicle, c) deriving an output control signal from said set of center of gravity value signals, and d) applying the output control signal to a vehicle adjustment system to affect the ride characteristic.
-
-
16. A human and/or payload transport vehicle having a ride characteristic adjustment mechanism, sensor apparatus for sensing the center of gravity position and mass shift of said human and/or payload relative to said vehicle and producing signals corresponding thereto and means coupling said signals to said ride adjustment mechanism to adjust the ride characteristic of said vehicle.
-
17. A human and/or payload transport vehicle having a ride characteristic adjustment mechanism, sensor apparatus for sensing the center of gravity position of said human and/or payload relative to said vehicle and producing signals corresponding thereto and means coupling said signals to said ride adjustment mechanism to adjust the ride characteristic of said vehicle.
-
18. A human and/or payload transport vehicle having a ride characteristic adjustment mechanism, sensor apparatus for sensing the mass shift of said human and/or payload relative to said vehicle and producing signals corresponding thereto and means coupling said signals to said ride adjustment mechanism to adjust the ride characteristic of said vehicle.
-
19. A human body transport vehicle comprising:
-
a) one or more sensors for sensing the direction of and rate of change in the center of gravity position and mass shift of said human body relative to said vehicle, b) signal generator for producing output control signals indicative of the direction and rate of change in the center of gravity position and mass shift of said human body relative to said vehicle; and
c) one or more controllers for controlling one or more physical characteristics of said vehicle in response to said output control signals.
-
Specification