Personal mobility vehicles and methods

• US 6,651,766 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2001
• Issued: 11/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Duggan, Robert J., Ambrogi, Robert R., Heinzmann, Richard Kurt, Kamen, Dean L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Morris, Lesley D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUBY, MATTHEW D
• Application Number:
  US09/862,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20010032743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 180/7.1, 180/8.2, 180/8.3, 180/65.1, 180/218, 180/21
• US Class Current: 180/218
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/12 with driving mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 7/00 Disposition of motor in, or adjacent to, traction wheel roller-skate driving mechanisms A63C17/12
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2036 Electric differentials, e.g. for supporting steering vehicles
• 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 2240/22 Yaw angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/461 Speed
• 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: 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 180/907 Motorized wheelchairs

Abstract

A class of transportation vehicles for carrying an individual over ground having a surface that may be irregular. This embodiment has a motorized drive, mounted to the ground-contacting module that causes operation of the vehicle in an operating position that is unstable with respect to tipping when the motorized drive arrangement is not powered.

Claims

1. A device for carrying a user with a desired unassisted motion over a surface, the device comprising:

a. a platform which supports a payload including the user;

b. a ground-contacting module coupled to the platform, the ground-contacting module capable of balanced operation on only two laterally disposed and separately rotatable primary ground-contacting members, the platform and the ground-contacting module being components of an assembly; and

c. a motorized drive arrangement, mounted to the assembly, the motorized drive arrangement causing, when powered, motion of the assembly in such a manner as to be propelled in response to leaning of the device and such that leaning of the device is not cancelled while the device is in motion.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a differential controller actuatable to cause each of the at least two ground-contacting members to be differentially driven so as to cause a specified turning motion of the device about a device-fixed vertical axis.

3. A device in accordance with claim 2, wherein the differential controller is actuatable by the user.

4. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the two laterally disposed primary ground-contacting members are wheels.

5. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the ground-contacting module contacts an underlying surface only through the primary ground-contacting members.

9. A vehicle in accordance with any of claims 1, 6 or 8, wherein the motorized drive arrangement is controllable by the user.

10. A vehicle in accordance with any of claims 1, 6 or 8, wherein the motorized drive arrangement is controllable by leaning of the user.

11. A vehicle in accordance with any of claims 1, 6, or 8, wherein the motorized drive arrangement is controlled solely by leaning of the subject.

12. A method in accordance with any of claims 1, 6, or 8, wherein the motorized drive arrangement is controlled by an orientation of the user with respect to the platform.

13. A device in accordance with either of claims 1 or 6, wherein the motorized drive arrangement is controllable by a user input device for receiving an indication from the user of a direction of desired movement.

14. A device in accordance with either of claims 1 or 6, wherein the motorized drive arrangement is controllable by a user input device for receiving an indication from the user of a direction of desired movement of the vehicle and for causing in response thereto the device to lean in the direction of desired movement.

15. A device in accordance with either of claims 1 or 6, further including a motorized drive arrangement controller that causes the vehicle to be propelled at a specified velocity wherein such specified velocity may be arbitrarily close to zero velocity.

16. A vehicle in accordance with claim 15, wherein the specified velocity is specifiable by the user.

17. A device in accordance with claim 15, wherein the specified velocity is specifiable by a user input device.

18. A device in accordance with claim 15, wherein the specified velocity is specifiable by leaning of the user on the ground-contacting module.

19. A device in accordance with claim 15, wherein the specified velocity is specifiable by orientation of the user with respect to the ground-contacting module.

20. A device in accordance with claim 15, wherein the specified velocity is specifiable by a distribution of weight of the payload with respect to the ground-contacting module.

21. A device in accordance with claim 15, wherein the motorized drive arrangement controller is capable of causing the device to stand substantially at a specified location.

22. A device in accordance with either of claims 1 or 6, wherein operation of the device includes locomotion.

23. A device in accordance with either of claims 1 or 6, further including a motorized drive arrangement controller that causes the device to stand substantially at a specified location.

6. A device for carrying a user, the device comprising:

a. a platform which supports a payload, the payload including the user;

b. a ground-contacting module, mounted to the platform, capable of balanced operation on only two laterally disposed primary ground-contacting members separately rotatable;

c. a motorized drive arrangement, coupled to the ground-contacting module, for propelling the ground-contacting module across an underlying surface in such a manner manner as to be propelled in response to leaning of the device and such that leaning of the device is not cancelled while the device is in motion;

d. a differential controller actuatable to cause each of the two primary ground-contacting members to be differentially driven so as to cause a specified turning motion of the vehicle about a vertical axis fixed with respect to the device.

7. A device in accordance with claim 6, wherein the differential controller is actuatable by the user.

8. A device for carrying a user with a desired motion over a surface, the device comprising:

a. a platform which supports the user, the platform defining a fore-aft plane;

b. a ground-contacting module mounted to the platform, the ground-contacting module including at least two laterally disposed ground-contacting members separately rotatable, the platform and the ground-contacting module being components of an assembly;

c. a motorized drive arrangement, mounted to the assembly, which causes, when powered, locomotion of the assembly in such a manner as to be propelled in response to leaning of the device and such that leaning of the device is not cancelled while the device is in motion; and

d. a differential controller actuatable to cause each of the at least two ground-contacting members to be differentially driven so as to cause a specified turning motion of the device about a device-fixed vertical axis.

24. A method for causing a vehicle to carry a person with a desired unassisted motion over a surface, the method comprising:

a. positioning the person on a pedestal which supports a payload including the person, the pedestal mounted to a ground-contacting module, the ground-contacting module capable of balanced operation on only two laterally disposed primary ground-contacting members separately rotatable, the pedestal and the ground-contacting module being components of an assembly; and

b. operating a motorized drive arrangement, mounted to the assembly, the motorized drive arrangement causing, when powered, locomotion of the assembly in such a manner as to be propelled in response to leaning of the device and such at leaning of the device is not cancelled while the device is in motion.

25. A method in accordance with claim 24, further comprising utilizing a differential controller to cause each of the at least two ground-contacting members to be differentially driven so as to cause a specified turning motion of the device about a device-fixed vertical axis.

26. A method in accordance with claim 25, wherein the differential controller is actuatable by the user.

27. A device in accordance with claim 24, wherein the two laterally disposed primary ground-contacting members are wheels.

28. A method of using a vehicle to carry a user, the method comprising:

a. positioning the user on a platform which supports a payload, the payload including the user, the platform mounted to a ground-contacting module, the ground-contacting module including only two laterally disposed primary ground-contacting members separately rotatable;

b. operating a motorized drive arrangement, coupled to the ground-contacting module, for propelling the ground-contacting module across an underlying surface in such a manner as to be propelled in response to leaning of the device and such that leaning of the device is not cancelled while the device is in motion; and

c. using a differential controller to cause each of the two primary ground-contacting members to be differentially driven so as to cause a specified turning motion of the vehicle about a vertical axis fixed with respect to the device.

30. A method in accordance with either of claims 28 or 29, wherein the ground-contacting members are wheels.

29. A method of using a vehicle to carry a user, the method comprising:

a. positioning the user on a platform which supports a payload, the payload including the user, the platform mounted to a ground-contacting module, the ground-contacting module capable of balanced operation on only two laterally disposed primary ground-contacting members separately rotatable;

b. operating a motorized drive arrangement, coupled to the ground-contacting module, for propelling the ground-contacting module across an underlying surface in such a manner as to be propelled in response to leaning of the device and such that leaning of the device is not cancelled while the device is in motion; and

c. using a differential controller to cause each of the two primary ground-contacting members to be differentially driven so as to cause a specified turning motion of the vehicle about a vertical axis fixed with respect to the device.

31. A method for carrying a user with a desired motion over a surface, the method comprising:

a. positioning the user on a platform, the platform defining a fore-aft plane and mounted to a ground-contacting module, the ground-contacting module including at least two laterally disposed ground-contacting members separately rotatable, the platform and the ground-contacting module being components of an assembly;

b. operating a motorized drive arrangement, mounted to the assembly, to cause, when powered, locomotion of the assembly in such a manner as to be propelled in response to leaning of the device and such that leaning of the device is not cancelled while the device is in motion; and

c. using a differential controller actuatable to cause each of the at least two ground-contacting members to be differentially driven so as to cause a specified turning motion of the device about a device-fixed vertical axis.

32. A method in accordance with claims 31, wherein the at least two ground-contacting.