Personal mobility vehicles and methods

• US 6,302,230 B1
• Filed: 06/04/1999
• Issued: 10/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Amesbury, Burl, Ambrogi, Robert R., Field, J. Douglas, Duggan, Robert J., Heinzmann, Richard Kurt, Langenfeld, Christopher C., Kamen, Dean L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUBY, MATTHEW D
• Application Number:
  US09/325,978
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 180/218, 180/271, 180/274, 180/170, 180/171, 180/21, 180/41, 180/440, 340/438, 340/441, 340/440, 340/439, 340/905, 340/936, 318/465, 318/461, 318/798, 188/181.C, 280/455.1, 298/175, 298/5, 298/20.R
• US Class Current: 180/171
• 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 2200/14 Vehicles with one wheel only
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/16 Single-axle vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/22 Microcars, e.g. golf cars
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/46 Wheel motors, i.e. motor connected to only one wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/20 angular
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/461 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/463 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/12 by confirmation, e.g. of the input
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/22 by presence detection
• 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 57/00 Vehicles characterised by having other propulsion or other ground- engaging means than wheels or endless track, alone or in addition to wheels or endless track sledges B62B; motor sledges B62M
• 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: 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: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

An automatically balancing vehicle having a headroom monitor. The headroom monitor determines the difference between the maximum velocity of the vehicle and the present velocity of the vehicle. An alarm receives a signal from the headroom monitor and produces a warning when the headroom falls below a specified limit.

Claims

1. A vehicle for carrying a payload including a user, the vehicle comprising:

a. a platform which supports the user;

b. a ground-contacting module, to which the platform is mounted, which propels the user in desired motion over an underlying surface;

c. a motorized drive arrangement, coupled to the ground-contacting module;

the drive arrangement, ground-contacting module and payload comprising a system being unstable with respect to tipping when the motorized drive is not powered;

the motorized drive arrangement causing, when powered, automatically balanced operation of the system wherein the vehicle has a present velocity and a maximum operating velocity, determined by a requirement of acceleration to maintain balance and, in operation, has a balancing margin determined by the difference between the maximum operating velocity and the present velocity of the vehicle;

d. a balancing margin monitor, coupled to the ground-contacting module, for generating a signal characterizing the balancing margin; and

e. an alarm, coupled to the balancing margin monitor, for receiving the signal characterizing the balancing margin and for warning when the balancing margin falls below a specified limit.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the alarm includes ripple modulation of the power output of the motorized drive arrangement.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the alarm is audible.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the ground-contacting module includes a plurality of laterally disposed ground-contacting members.

5. A method for using a vehicle to carry a payload including a user, the method comprising:

a) supporting the user on a platform, the platform mounted to a ground-contacting module, for propelling the vehicle in desired motion over an underlying surface;

b) operating a motorized drive arrangement to provide automatically balanced operation of the vehicle, the vehicle being unstable with respect to tipping when the motorized drive is not powered, the vehicle having a present velocity and a maximum operating velocity, determined to maintain acceleration potential to ensure balance, and, in operation, has a balancing margin determined by the difference between the maximum operating velocity and the present velocity of the vehicle;

c) monitoring the balancing margin;

d) generating a signal characterizing the balancing margin; and

e) generating an alarm based on the signal to warn when the balancing margin falls below a specified limit.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the step of generating the alarm includes modulating the power output of the motorized drive arrangement in a ripple fashion.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein the step of generating the alarm includes producing an audible warning.