Transporter oscillating alarm

• US 6,651,763 B1
• Filed: 02/18/2000
• Issued: 11/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Ambrogi, Robert R., Field, J. Douglas, Kamen, Dean L., Amsbury, Burl
• Primary Examiner(s): Morris, Lesley D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUBY, MATTHEW D
• Application Number:
  US09/507,148
• Time in Patent Office: 1,376 Days
• Field of Search: 180/7.1, 180/8.2, 180/8.3, 180/271, 180/218, 180/209, 180/282, 180/274, 180/170, 180/171, 180/283, 280/5.507, 280/5.513, 340/438, 340/441
• 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

A vehicle capable of an extraordinary mode of motorized motion programmed to draw the attention of an operator. When one or more sensors sense a condition requiring attention of the operator, an oscillatory motion is superposed upon the motion of the ground-contacting members.

Claims

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

a. ground-contacting module which supports a payload including the user, the ground-contacting module contacting an underlying surface and including at least one ground-contacting member;

b. a motorized drive for actuating the at least one ground-contacting member so as to propel the vehicle in a normal mode of locomotion;

c. a sensor for sensing a specified condition of the vehicle; and

d. a controller for causing the vehicle, in response to the specified condition, to be accelerated with a vehicle acceleration modulated with a periodic modulation such that the vehicle acceleration alternates between braking and speeding up and braking over each period of the modulation.

2. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the ground-contacting module includes two laterally disposed wheels.

3. A vehicle according to claim 1, further including a control loop in which the motorized drive is included, for propelling the vehicle in a condition of dynamic balance with respect to tipping in the fore-aft plane.

4. A vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the controller provides an input to the control loop upon occurrence of a triggering condition, the input having a periodic factor.

5. A vehicle according to claim 4, the input further having a multiplicative coefficient.

6. A vehicle according to claim 4, the input contributing differentially to a torque applied to a left wheel and a torque applied to a right wheel.

7. A vehicle according to claim 4, the triggering condition including at least one of low battery power, a specified vehicle speed, and receipt by the controller of conflicting values from redundant subsystems.