Apparatus and method for control of a vehicle

• US 8,170,780 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2008
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Segway Incorporated (Ninebot Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Segway Incorporated (Ninebot Ltd.)
• Inventors: Field, J. Douglas, Gansler, Michael T., Heinzmann, John D., Stevens, Jon M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US12/266,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20100114468A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,272 Days
• Field of Search: 180/6.5, 180/7.1, 180/8.2, 180/21, 180/65.8, 180/907, 152/52.1, 152/454, 152/209.5, 152/209.27, 152/209.28, 152/526, 280/5.2, 280/5.26, 280/304.1, 248/121, 700/1, 181/401, 701/124
• US Class Current: 701/124
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/045 Longitudinal adjustment by means of articulated rods supporting the seat, e.g. parallelogram mechanisms B60N2/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/06 slidable B60N2/12 , B60N2/2209 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/10 tiltable B60N2/12 , B60N2/2875 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/063 movable from one position into at least one other position, e.g. tiltable, pivotable about a vertical axis, displaceable from one side of the vehicle to the other
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 37/04 by means of movable masses
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 39/00 Vehicle bodies not otherwise provided for , e.g. safety vehicles safety equipment B60R21/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 17/08 Hoods protecting the rider
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/007 Automatic balancing machines with single main ground engaging wheel or coaxial wheels supporting a rider
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0268 using internal positioning means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 181/401 Earth
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 152/10765 Characterized by belt or breaker structure

Abstract

An apparatus and method for transporting a payload over a surface is provided. A vehicle supports a payload with a support partially enclosed by an enclosure. Two laterally disposed ground-contacting elements are coupled to at least one of the enclosure or support. A motorized drive is coupled to the ground-contacting elements. A controller coupled to the drive governs the operation of the drive at least in response to the position of the center of gravity of the vehicle to dynamically control balancing of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle for transporting a payload over a surface, the vehicle comprising:

a support for supporting a payload;

an enclosure for at least partially enclosing the payload;

two laterally disposed ground-contacting elements coupled to at least one of the enclosure or the support;

a drive coupled to the ground-contacting elements;

a controller coupled to the drive, for governing the operation of the drive at least in response to position of the center of gravity of the vehicle to dynamically control balancing of the vehicle,

wherein the enclosure is coupled to the support and comprising

a structure coupling the support and the enclosure to the ground-contacting elements, the structure allows for variation in the position of the center of gravity, and

wherein the structure includes rails allowing the enclosure and support to slide with respect to the ground-contacting elements.

2. A vehicle for transporting a payload over a surface, the vehicle comprising:

a support for supporting a payload;

an enclosure for at least partially enclosing the payload;

two laterally disposed ground-contacting elements coupled to at least one of the enclosure or the support;

a drive coupled to the ground-contacting elements;

a controller coupled to the drive, for governing the operation of the drive at least in response to position of the center of gravity of the vehicle to dynamically control balancing of the vehicle,

wherein the enclosure is coupled to the support; and

comprising two four-bar linkages, each four-bar linkage coupling a ground-contacting element to the support and the enclosure, allowing the enclosure and support to move relative to the ground-contacting elements.

3. A vehicle for transporting a payload over a surface, the vehicle comprising:

a support for supporting a payload;

an enclosure for at least partially enclosing the payload;

two laterally disposed ground-contacting elements coupled to at least one of the enclosure or the support;

a drive coupled to the ground-contacting elements;

a controller coupled to the drive, for governing the operation of the drive at least in response to position of the center of gravity of the vehicle to dynamically control balancing of the vehicle,

wherein the enclosure is coupled to the ground-contacting elements; and

comprising a structure coupling the support to the enclosure and ground-contacting elements, the structure allows for variation in the position of the center of gravity,

wherein the structure includes rails allowing the support to slide with respect to the enclosure and the ground-contacting elements.

4. A vehicle for transporting a payload over a surface, the vehicle comprising:

a support for supporting a payload;

an enclosure for at least partially enclosing the payload;

two laterally disposed ground-contacting elements coupled to at least one of the enclosure or the support;

a drive coupled to the ground-contacting elements;

a controller coupled to the drive, for governing the operation of the drive at least in response to position of the center of gravity of the vehicle to dynamically control balancing of the vehicle,

wherein the enclosure is coupled to the ground-contacting elements; and

comprising two four-bar linkages, each four-bar linkage coupling the support to the enclosure and the ground-contacting elements, and allowing the support to move relative to the ground-contacting elements.

5. A vehicle for transporting a payload over a surface, the vehicle comprising:

a support for supporting a payload;

an enclosure for at least partially enclosing the payload;

two laterally disposed ground-contacting elements coupled to at least one of the enclosure or the support;

a drive coupled to the ground-contacting elements; and

a controller coupled to the drive, for governing the operation of the drive at least in response to position of the center of gravity of the vehicle to dynamically control balancing of the vehicle,

wherein the vehicle is controlled based on a selected operation mode, and

comprising a start mode that is triggered by a change in the position of the center of gravity of the vehicle, the change in the position of the center of gravity initiating dynamic stabilization of the balancing vehicle such that the vehicle is no longer stabilized by a stabilizer ground-contacting element.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the stabilizer ground-contacting element is positioned towards the front of the vehicle and the position of the center of gravity shifts rearward.

7. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the stabilizer ground-contacting element is positioned rearward of the vehicle and the position of the center of gravity shifts forward.

8. A vehicle for transporting a payload over a surface, the vehicle comprising:

a support for supporting a payload;

an enclosure for at least partially enclosing the payload;

two laterally disposed ground-contacting elements coupled to at least one of the enclosure or the support;

a drive coupled to the ground-contacting elements; and

a controller coupled to the drive, for governing the operation of the drive at least in response to position of the center of gravity of the vehicle to dynamically control balancing of the vehicle,

wherein a shift of the position of the center of gravity of the vehicle beyond a threshold triggers a stop mode that decelerates the vehicle.

9. A method for transporting a payload over a surface with a vehicle, the method comprising:

supporting a payload with a support;

at least partially enclosing the support with an enclosure;

controlling operation of a drive coupled to two laterally disposed ground-contacting elements, coupled to at least one of the enclosure or support, in response to position of the center of gravity of the vehicle to dynamically control balancing of the vehicle;

shifting the position of the center of gravity rearward to cause a deceleration of the balancing vehicle,

triggering a start mode when a sensor mounted on the vehicle detects a change in the position of the center of gravity shift and initiating dynamic stabilization of the vehicle; and

shifting the position of the center of gravity rearward to initiate dynamic stabilization of the vehicle.

10. A method for transporting a payload over a surface with a vehicle, the method comprising:

supporting a payload with a support;

at least partially enclosing the support with an enclosure;

controlling operation of a drive coupled to two laterally disposed ground-contacting elements, coupled to at least one of the enclosure or support, in response to position of the center of gravity of the vehicle to dynamically control balancing of the vehicle;

shifting the position of the center of gravity rearward to cause a deceleration of the balancing vehicle,

triggering a start mode when a sensor mounted on the vehicle detects a change in the position of the center of gravity shift and initiating dynamic stabilization of the vehicle; and

shifting the center of gravity forward to initiate dynamic stabilization of the vehicle.

11. A method for transporting a payload over a surface with a vehicle, the method comprising:

supporting a payload with a support;

at least partially enclosing the support with an enclosure;

controlling operation of a drive coupled to two laterally disposed ground-contacting elements, coupled to at least one of the enclosure or support, in response to position of the center of gravity of the vehicle to dynamically control balancing of the vehicle; and

triggering a stop mode of the vehicle by shifting the center of gravity of the vehicle beyond a threshold and decelerating the balancing vehicle.

12. A method for transporting a payload over a surface with a vehicle, the method comprising:

supporting a payload with a support;

at least partially enclosing the support with an enclosure; and

controlling operation of a drive coupled to two laterally disposed ground-contacting elements, coupled to at least one of the enclosure or support, in response to position of the center of gravity of the vehicle to dynamically control balancing of the vehicle,

wherein relative position of the payload to the ground-contacting elements is an input to the controller, and

wherein the input modifies desired pitch of a speed limiting algorithm used to control speed of the vehicle.