Vehicle

• US 7,785,161 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2008
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stuart Leslie Wilkinson
• Original Assignee: Stuart Leslie Wilkinson
• Inventors: Wilkinson, Stuart Leslie
• Primary Examiner(s): Olson, Lars A
• Application Number:
  US12/044,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20090227156A1
• Time in Patent Office: 906 Days
• Field of Search: 440/17, 440/21, 440/24, 440/25, 440/26, 440/20, 441/74, 441/76
• US Class Current: 440/21
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 34/56 for use in a standing position, e.g. water shoes, water walking devices or buoyant skis
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 16/12 using hand levers, cranks, pedals, or the like, e.g. water cycles, boats propelled by boat-mounted pedal cycles

Abstract

A vehicle for movement relative to a medium, the vehicle comprising a base, and a carriage mounted on the base for supporting a human operator, the carriage mounted for forward and rearward movement relative to the base upon being driven by bipedal movement of the operator, a thrust mechanism operable to develop vehicle thrust by transmitting a force to the medium upon bipedally driven rearward movement of the carriage and a force mechanism operable to apply a force to the base upon bipedally driven forward movement of the carriage.

Claims

1. A vehicle for movement relative to a medium, the vehicle comprising a base, and two carriages mounted side by side relative to the base for supporting respective feet of a human operator, the carriages mounted for forward and rearward movement relative to the base upon being driven by bipedal movement of the operator, a thrust mechanism operable to develop vehicle thrust by transmitting a force to the medium upon bipedally driven rearward movement of the carriages, and a drive mechanism operable to apply a drive to the base upon bipedally driven forward movement of the carriages, the thrust mechanism including at least one element movable between a deployed position, enabling application of force from a respective one of the carriages to the medium on said rearward movement of said carriage, and a neutral position, disabling application of force from said carriage to the medium, the at least one element presenting in the deployed position a high friction contact with the medium and presenting in the neutral position a low friction contact with the medium.

2. A vehicle for movement relative to a medium, the vehicle comprising a base, and two carriages mounted side by side relative to the base for supporting respective feet of a human operator, the carriages mounted for forward and rearward movement relative to the base upon being driven by bipedal movement of the operator, a thrust mechanism operable to develop vehicle thrust by transmitting a force to the medium upon bipedally driven rearward movement of the carriages, and a drive mechanism operable to apply a drive to the base upon bipedally driven forward movement of the carriages, the base forming part of a wheeled chassis.

3. A vehicle for movement relative to a medium, the vehicle comprising a base, and two carriages mounted side by side relative to the base for supporting respective feet of a human operator, the carriages mounted for forward and rearward movement relative to the base upon being driven by bipedal movement of the operator, a thrust mechanism operable to develop vehicle thrust by transmitting a force to the medium upon bipedally driven rearward movement of the carriages, and a drive mechanism operable to apply a drive to the base upon bipedally driven forward movement of the carriages, the base forming part of a sled.

4. A vehicle for movement relative to a medium, the vehicle comprising a base, and two carriages mounted side by side relative to the base for supporting respective feet of a human operator, the carriages mounted for forward and rearward movement relative to the base upon being driven by bipedal movement of the operator, a thrust mechanism operable to develop vehicle thrust by transmitting a force to the medium upon bipedally driven rearward movement of the carriages, and a drive mechanism operable to apply a drive to the base upon bipedally driven forward movement of the carriages, the thrust mechanism including at least one element movable between a deployed position, enabling application of force from a respective one of the carriages to the medium on said rearward movement of said carriage, and a neutral position, disabling application of force from said carriage to the medium, the at least one element being integral with said carriage, and a transport mechanism engaging said carriage at limiting positions of the forward and rearward movement, respectively to lower and lift said carriage.

5. A vehicle for movement relative to a medium, the vehicle comprising a base, and two carriages mounted side by side relative to the base for supporting respective feet of a human operator, the carriages mounted for forward and rearward movement relative to the base upon being driven by bipedal movement of the operator, a thrust mechanism operable to develop vehicle thrust by transmitting a force to the medium upon bipedally driven rearward movement of the carriages, a drive mechanism operable to apply a drive to the base upon bipedally driven forward movement of the carriages, and a driven, damped harmonic oscillator operable to tap energy from movement of the carriages and to transfer energy to at least one of the thrust mechanism and the drive mechanism.

6. A vehicle for movement relative to a medium, the vehicle comprising a base, and two carriages mounted side by side relative to the base for supporting respective feet of a human operator, the carriages mounted for forward and rearward movement relative to the base upon being driven by bipedal movement of the operator, a thrust mechanism operable to develop vehicle thrust by transmitting a force to the medium upon bipedally driven rearward movement of the carriages, and a drive mechanism operable to apply a drive to the base upon bipedally driven forward movement of the carriages, each carriage having a bearing for mounting the carriage relative to the base to enable the forward and rearward movement of the carriage relative to the base, the bearing having a free bearing action in relation to the carriage moving relative to the vehicle base in the forward direction and having a non-free bearing action in relation to the carriage moving relative to the vehicle base in the rearward direction.