Controlled balancing toy

• US 6,837,327 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2002
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Heinzmann, Richard K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Morris, Lesley D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUBY, MATTHEW D
• Application Number:
  US10/159,700
• Publication Number:
  US 20020170754A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 180/7.1, 180/21, 180/218, 180/282, 446/233, 446/234, 446/237, 446/440, 446/468, 333/18
• US Class Current: 180/218
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 7/00 Disposition of motor in, or adjacent to, traction wheel roller-skate driving mechanisms A63C17/12
• 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

Abstract

A balancing toy having a chassis and a pair of laterally disposed wheels coupled to the chassis for motor-driven rotation with respect to the chassis. A circuit governs wheel rotation to maintain balance of the toy on the basis of chassis tilt as measured by a sensor. The sensor may include a gyroscope, and the balancing toy may have a single motor driving both wheels, or separate motors driving each wheel.

Claims

1. A balancing toy comprising:

a. a chassis incapable of supporting any person, the chassis characterized by an instantaneous tilt in a fore/aft plane with respect to a vertical direction;

b. a pair of laterally disposed wheels coupled to the chassis for motor-driven rotation with respect to the chassis;

c. a sensor for measuring the tilt of the chassis;

d. a circuit for governing wheel rotation to maintain balance of the toy on the basis of the tilt of the chassis; and

e. a power source for powering the wheels in motor-driven rotation, the power source enclosed within a structure having dimensions less than 5 cm.

2. A balancing toy according to claim 1, further including a second sensor for measuring the angular rate of change of tilt of the chassis.

3. A balancing toy according to claim 2, wherein the second sensor is a gyroscope.

4. A balancing toy according to claim 1, further comprising a motor for driving the wheels.

5. A balancing toy according to claim 1, further comprising a first motor for driving one of the wheels and a second motor for driving another of the wheels.

6. A balancing toy comprising:

a. a chassis incapable of supporting any person, the chassis characterized by a center of gravity;

b. a pair of laterally disposed wheels rotatable about an axis, the wheels rotatably coupled to the chassis and the axis disposed beneath the center of gravity of the chassis;

c. a motor for driving the wheels in such a manner as to maintain balance of the toy with respect to tipping in a fore/aft direction during operation; and

d. a power source for powering the wheels in motor-driven rotation, the power source enclosed in a structure having dimensions less than 5 cm.