Two-wheeled self-balancing motorized personal vehicle with tilting wheels
First Claim
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1. A personal vehicle comprising:
- a first wheel and a second wheel, independently rotatable, positioned opposite from each other, and separated by a distance;
a first motor for driving said first wheel and a second motor for driving said second wheel;
a first frame attached to said first wheel and a second frame attached to said second wheel;
a linking structure coupled to both said first frame and said second frame; and
at least one electronic control means for controlling said first and second motors;
wherein each of said first and second wheels are capable of tilting side-to-side in unison about a respective wheel tilting axis, relative to the riding surface; and
wherein said at least one electronic control means enacts fore-and-aft balancing of said vehicle such that each of said wheel tilting axes is maintained in a generally horizontal orientation; and
further comprising at least one leg contact surface on each of said first and second frames that is adapted to contact a user'"'"'s leg during use, said leg contact surfaces being fabricated from a yielding material and also being slightly curved concavely around a generally vertical axis.
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Abstract
A vehicle with two independently rotatable wheels arranged opposite from each other and bridged by a linking structure, having a driving motor for each wheel, and having electronic fore-and-aft self-balancing capabilities. The two wheels are capable of tilting side-to-side in unison to execute turns. The vehicle is operated by the rider leaning forward, backward, or sideways to direct travel in the direction of leaning. Further means are provided for producing advantages in stability and portability.
62 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A personal vehicle comprising:
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a first wheel and a second wheel, independently rotatable, positioned opposite from each other, and separated by a distance; a first motor for driving said first wheel and a second motor for driving said second wheel; a first frame attached to said first wheel and a second frame attached to said second wheel; a linking structure coupled to both said first frame and said second frame; and at least one electronic control means for controlling said first and second motors; wherein each of said first and second wheels are capable of tilting side-to-side in unison about a respective wheel tilting axis, relative to the riding surface; and wherein said at least one electronic control means enacts fore-and-aft balancing of said vehicle such that each of said wheel tilting axes is maintained in a generally horizontal orientation; and further comprising at least one leg contact surface on each of said first and second frames that is adapted to contact a user'"'"'s leg during use, said leg contact surfaces being fabricated from a yielding material and also being slightly curved concavely around a generally vertical axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A personal vehicle comprising:
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a first wheel and a second wheel, independently rotatable, positioned opposite from each other, and separated by a distance; a first motor for driving said first wheel and a second motor for driving said second wheel; a first frame attached to said first wheel and a second frame attached to said second wheel; a linking structure coupled to both said first frame and said second frame; and at least one electronic control means for controlling said first and second motors; wherein each of said first and second wheels are capable of tilting side-to-side in unison about a respective wheel tilting axis, relative to the riding surface; and wherein said at least one electronic control means enacts fore-and-aft balancing of said vehicle such that each of said wheel tilting axes is maintained in a generally horizontal orientation; and wherein said vehicle is capable of converting between an unfolded position and a folded position, in which said distance between said first and second wheels is less in said folded position than in said unfolded position. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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7. A personal vehicle comprising:
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a first wheel and a second wheel, independently rotatable, positioned opposite from each other, and separated by a distance; a first motor for driving said first wheel and a second motor for driving said second wheel; a first frame attached to said first wheel and a second frame attached to said second wheel; a linking structure coupled to both said first frame and said second frame; and at least one electronic control means for controlling said first and second motors; wherein each of said first and second wheels are capable of tilting side-to-side in unison about a respective wheel tilting axis, relative to the riding surface; and wherein said at least one electronic control means enacts fore-and-aft balancing of said vehicle such that each of said wheel tilting axes is maintained in a generally horizontal orientation; and further comprising; a first foot platform and a second foot platform respectively associated with the first and second wheels; and first and second lower leg contact members positioned substantially above the first and second foot platforms, respectively, and configured to be contacted by a portion of the lower leg of a user during use to facilitate control of the device. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A personal vehicle comprising:
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a first wheel and a second wheel, independently rotatable, positioned opposite from each other, and separated by a distance; a first motor for driving said first wheel and a second motor for driving said second wheel; a first foot platform associated with and positioned below the top of the first wheel, and a second foot platform associated with and positioned below the top of the second wheel; a first frame attached to said first wheel and a second frame attached to said second wheel; a linking structure coupled to both said first frame and said second frame; and at least one electronic control means for controlling said first and second motors; wherein each of said first and second wheels are capable of tilting side-to-side in unison about a respective wheel tilting axis, relative to the riding surface; wherein said at least one electronic control means enacts fore-and-aft balancing of said vehicle such that each of said wheel tilting axes is maintained in a generally horizontal orientation; and wherein the wheels, linkage structure and motors are configured for a user to achieve turning of the vehicle without a vertically ascending control handle. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification