Ultra-narrow automobile stabilized with ballast

• US 6,328,121 B1
• Filed: 03/31/1999
• Issued: 12/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bryan A. Woodbury, Richard W. Woodbury
• Original Assignee: Bryan A. Woodbury, Richard W. Woodbury
• Inventors: Woodbury, Bryan A., Woodbury, Richard W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, J. J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): McClellan, James S.
• Application Number:
  US09/282,789
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.1, 180/68.5, 180/216, 180/65.2, 280/755, 280/758, 280/759
• US Class Current: 180/65.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/00 Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00; electric transmission arrangements B60K17/12; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles per se B60L; current-collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 37/00 Stabilising vehicle bodies without controlling suspension arrangements

Abstract

An ultra-narrow automobile is comprised of a body with an enclosed cabin, a pair of tandem seats inside the cabin, four wheels at the corners of the body, a propulsion system driving at least some of the wheels, and ballast positioned in the body for stability. The cabin is preferably narrow enough to enable two of such automobiles to travel side-by-side on a lane. The ballast is heavy enough and positioned low enough for providing a low center of gravity and a high rollover threshold of preferably about 50 degrees or more. The propulsion system is preferably comprised of an electric motor powered by a fuel cell, and the ballast is preferably comprised of a tank of metal hydride for fueling the fuel cell. The ballast may include dead weight for providing a desired rollover threshold when the batteries are not heavy enough, or when the motor is not an electric motor.

Claims

1. A ultra-narrow automobile comprising:

a body with an enclosed cabin for tandem seating having a length and a width defining four corners and being basically rectangular in shape;

at least one seat in said tandem seating cabin of said body;

said body being about 3 feet or 0.92 meters wide for allowing two of said ultra-narrow automobiles to be driven side-by-side in a standard 12 foot wide traffic lane;

four wheels located one each at said four corners of said body for turning stability, two of said four wheels being front wheels, and two of said four wheels being rear wheels; and

a dead weight ballast having a predetermined weight of no less than 500, said ballast positioned low in said body and lying between said front and rear wheels, said ballast providing a center of gravity to a body width ratio such that a safe rollover threshold of at least 38 degrees from vertical is provided despite the narrowness of said automobile.

2. The ultra-narrow automobile of claim 1 wherein said ballast comprises dead weight, such as lead.

3. The ultra-narrow automobile of claim 1 wherein said ballast comprises in part a battery and motor combination.

4. The ultra-narrow automobile of claim 1 wherein said ballast comprises a combination of dead weight, a battery and a motor.

5. The ultra-narrow automobile of claim 1 wherein said ratio of said body width to said center of gravity are such that a safe rollover threshold of about 60 degrees from vertical is provided while still allowing for two of said ultra-narrow automobiles to be able to be driven side-by-side in a standard 12 foot wide traffic lane.

6. The ultra-narrow automobile of claim 1 wherein said predetermined ballast weight of about 950 pounds with a predetermined curb weight for said automobile.

7. The ultra-narrow automobile of claim 1 wherein said safe rollover threshold is about 50 degrees with a predetermined ballast weight of about 950 pounds and a curb weight for said automobile of about 1600 pounds.

8. The ultra-narrow automobile of claim 1 further comprising two seats in tandem within said tandem seating cabin of said body.

9. The ultra-narrow automobile of claim 1 further comprising an electric motor powered by a battery.

10. The ultra-narrow automobile of claim 1 further comprising an electric motor powered by a hydrogen fuel cell.

11. The ultra-narrow automobile of claim 10 wherein said ballast is a tank of mental hydride containing hydrogen for powering said fuel cell.