SINGLE-AXLE VEHICLE WITH A PLATFORM AND/OR A SEAT FOR A DRIVER

• US 20090078485A1
• Filed: 09/19/2008
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Evonik Degussa GmbH (Rag-Stiftung)
• Original Assignee: Evonik Degussa GmbH (Rag-Stiftung)
• Inventors: Bramsiepe, Holger, Schulze, Michael, GUTSCH, Andreas
• Granted Patent: US 8,091,672 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/218
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/67 hand-guided by a walking operator
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 20/47 Vacuum or blower devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/16 the tools being disc brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4005 Arrangements of batteries or cells; Electric power supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4055 for lifting the tools to a non-working position
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4061 Steering means; Means for avoiding obstacles; Details related to the place where the driver is accommodated
• 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 2200/16 Single-axle vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/44 Wheel Hub motors, i.e. integrated in the wheel hub
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/28 Four wheel or all wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/34 Stabilising upright position of vehicles, e.g. of single axle vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 37/00 Stabilising vehicle bodies without controlling suspension arrangements
• 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: E01H 5/04 Apparatus propelled by animal or engine power; Apparatus propelled by hand with driven dislodging or conveying levelling elements, conveying pneumatically for the dislodged materialE01H5/10, E01H5/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

An electrically driven single-axle vehicle with a platform for a driver, driven about a common wheel axis to improve its handling and its range of uses. The vehicle includes at least one attachment, the attachment being connected to the single-axle vehicle pivotably about at least one first attachment axis.

Claims

1. A single-axle vehicle comprising:

a base structure;

at least two wheels sharing a common axis of rotation about a wheel axis;

a first attachment pivotably secured to a first attachment axis proximate the base structure; and

a support disposed along a side of the first attachment substantially opposite the first attachment axis,

wherein the support is operatively arranged to engage terrain on which the vehicle is traversing.

2. The single-axle vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a control column; and

a support column extending from the first attachment to the control column.

3. The single-axle vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the support column selectively controls a pivot angle of the first attachment relative to the base structure.

4. The single-axle vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the support column is operatively arranged to vary the pivot angle of the first attachment so as to maintain a substantially parallel relationship with terrain located directly below the attachment.

5. The single-axle vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first attachment axis is arranged substantially parallel to the wheel axis.

6. The single-axle vehicle according to claim 5, further including a second attachment axis, wherein:

the first attachment is pivotably connected to the second attachment axis, and

the second attachment axis is disposed substantially perpendicular to the wheel axis.

7. The single-axle vehicle according to claim 6, further including a third attachment axis, wherein:

the first, second and third attachment axes are arranged substantially perpendicularly to one another;

the third attachment axis is arranged substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the single-axle vehicle in a standard operating configuration; and

the third attachment axis is proximately disposed along a center line between the at least two wheels.

8. The single-axle vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the first attachment axis forms an included angle with the wheel axis of less than 30°

.

9. The single-axle vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the included angle is less than 4.5°

.

10. The single-axle vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the support is freely pivotable.

11. The single-axle vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the support includes at least one of a wheel, a slide and a skid.

12. The single-axle vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the support is fixed in a direction of traveling straight ahead.

13. The single-axle vehicle according to claim 1, further including a second support, wherein both the support and the second support are arranged substantially along a track width of the vehicle.

14. The single-axle vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first attachment is pivotably secured to the first attachment axis by a ball coupling.

15. The single-axle vehicle according to claim 1, further including means for pivotably raising and lowering the attachment relative the base structure.

16. The single-axle vehicle according to claim 15, further including an arresting device for maintaining the attachment in a raised position.

17. The single-axle vehicle according to claim 1, further including:

at least one battery; and

at least one electric motor.

18. The single-axle vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the attachment is an electrically powered tool having at least one electric motor.

19. The single-axle vehicle according to claim 18, wherein the at least one electric motor for the electrically powered tool is disengaged if the tool is pivotably raised above an operating level.

20. The single-axle vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the attachment is selected from a list consisting of a lawnmower, a reel mower, a bar mower, a rotary mower, a rotary mower having two rotating cutter bars, a rotary snow plough, a snow dozer, a leaf blower, a polishing machine, a sweeping attachment and a sweeping attachment having at least one circular brush.

21. The single-axle vehicle according to claim 1, further including:

a data interface configured with the attachment; and

a position regulating system,

wherein the data interface transmits operating parameters of the attachment to the position regulating system to compensate for disturbance variables and changes in an operating state of the attachment.

22. The single-axle vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a lithium-ion or lithium metal battery, wherein the battery includes:

a separator having a ceramic surface and filled with an electrolyte composition, wherein the electrolyte composition includes a conducting salt and a base component, and the base component includes at least one ionic liquid with a melting point lower than 100°

C. in a proportion of greater than 50% by mass; and

a flexible substrate having a plurality of openings and a ceramic coating, wherein the substrate is electrically non-conductive and fibrous, and the ceramic coating is porous and electrically insulating.

23. The single-axle vehicle according to claim 22, wherein the base component of the electrolyte composition includes:

80 to 99.5% by weight of at least one ionic liquid with a melting point of less than 100°

C.;

0.5 to 10% by weight of a film former;

0 to 10% by weight of a viscosity modifier; and

and a lithium compound conducting salt,

wherein the conducting salt concentration in the base component is in a range from 0.25 mol/(kg of the base component) up to the solubility limit.

24. The single-axle vehicle according to claim 22, wherein the separator further comprises a flexible perforated carrier coated with a porous first ceramic material, wherein the first ceramic material includes:

a porous structure having an average pore size arranged for receiving an electrolyte for ion conduction, and

a porous surface of the first ceramic material arranged to contact the electrolyte composition is covered with fine particles of a further material to increase the service life,

wherein an average particle size of the fine particles is in the range of 0.5 to 30% of the average pore size of the ceramic material.

25. The single-axle vehicle according to claim 24, wherein the average particle size of the fine particles is in the range of 1 to 15% of the average pore size of the ceramic material.

26. The single-axle vehicle according to claim 24, wherein the separator of the battery further includes means for shutting down, the means for shutting down including:

a porous carrier with a porous inorganic, electrically nonconductive coating on and in the porous carrier, wherein the porous carrier includes polymer or glass fibers; and

a porous shutdown layer of a material that melts at a predetermined temperature and closes the pores of the porous inorganic, electrically nonconductive coating, wherein the porous shutdown layer includes at least one oxide particles of the elements Al, Si and Zr, the at least one oxide particles having an average particle size range of 0.5 to 10 μ

m, and the shutdown layer is formed from a porous film structure.

30. The single-axle vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the base structure includes a seat.

31. The single-axle vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the attachment is positioned in front of the base structure from the perspective of operating the single-axle vehicle in the forward direction.

27. A single-axle vehicle comprising:

a base structure;

at least two wheels sharing a common axis of rotation about a wheel axis;

a first attachment pivotably secured to a first attachment axis proximate the base structure; and

means for supporting the attachment at a distal end of the attachment,

wherein the support is operatively arranged to engage terrain on which the vehicle is traversing.

28. The single-axle vehicle according to claim 27, further comprising:

means for pivotably raising and lowering the attachment relative terrain on which the single axle vehicle is traversing.

29. The single-axle vehicle according to claim 28, wherein the means for pivotably raising and lowering the attachment is automatically controlled by a controller, and the controller is arranged to pivot the attachment so as to maintain a substantially parallel relationship with terrain located directly below the attachment when the attachment is in an engaged position.