Gyroscope device

• US 8,833,189 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2012
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Richard Alan Fahnline
• Original Assignee: Richard Alan Fahnline
• Inventors: Fahnline, Richard Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Chambers, Troy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Agendia, Jude
• Application Number:
  US13/633,150
• Publication Number:
  US 20140090493A1
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 74/51.2, 74/51.4, 74/53.7, 74/54, 74 541- 543, 74/54.7, 74/57, 74/56.D, 74/59, 466233-235, 466/237, 466/259
• US Class Current: 74/5.7
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/08 electrically driven G01C19/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/1282 with rotor drive

Abstract

A gyroscope device and method are disclosed. An example of the gyroscope device includes a gyroscope element and a frame. A drive element for spinning the gyroscope element which also results in torque on the frame parallel to an axis of rotation of the gyroscope. A first torque application element is mounted on the frame to counter torque produced by the drive element to subsequently restrict the frame from freely rotating in a direction counter to the gyroscope element. A second torque application element imposes a torque on the frame perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the gyroscope element to tilt the axis of the gyroscope and effect direction of motion.

Claims

1. A gyroscope device, comprising:

a gyroscope element;

a frame;

a drive element mounted on the frame for spinning the gyroscope element which results in a torque on the frame which is parallel to an axis of rotation of the gyroscope element and which reverse the torque imposed on the gyroscope element to spin the gyroscope element;

a first torque application element mounted on the frame to counter the torque produced by the drive element on the frame and to subsequently restrict the frame from freely rotating in a direction counter to that of the gyroscope element, the first torque application element stabilizing the frame against the torque produced by the drive element and thereby enabling a second torque application element to control the linear motion of the gyroscope device; and

a second torque application element to impose a torque on the frame perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the gyroscope element to tilt the axis of the gyroscope element through gyroscopic effect and control direction of motion of the device.

2. The gyroscope device of claim 1, further comprising a drive shaft located at the axis of rotation of the gyroscope element, the drive shaft connected at a top end to the drive element, and the drive shaft having a substantially rounded bottom end.

3. The gyroscope device of claim 2, wherein the second torque application element can impose a torque on the frame perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the gyroscope element which tilts the axis of rotation of the gyroscope element through gyroscopic effect in a direction perpendicular to torque imposed by the second torque application element, and subsequently tilts the drive shaft so that the bottom of the drive shaft makes rolling contact with a surface and propels the gyroscope device forward, backward, and sideways, based upon the orientation of the torque imposed on the frame.

4. The gyroscope device of claim 1, wherein the first torque application element includes at least one air jet configured to produce a force to counter torque generated by the drive element against the frame of the device.

5. The gyroscope device of claim 1, wherein the second torque application element is configured to shift weight on the frame to alter the center of gravity of the device thereby generating the torque on the gyroscope element.

6. The gyroscope device of claim 5, wherein the second torque application element includes batteries for the drive element which are movable to alter a center of gravity of the device.

7. The gyroscope device of claim 1, wherein the first torque application element includes a tail section on the frame, the tail section configured in combination with restraining barriers on a track to restrict the rotational motion of the frame of the device.

8. The gyroscope device of claim 1, wherein the drive element is configured to impose a torque on the frame.

9. The gyroscope device of claim 8, wherein the first torque application element is configured to produce a counter-torque relative to the torque imposed on the frame by the drive element.

10. The gyroscope device of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to tilt due to gyroscopic effect as a result of the torque imposed by the second torque application element upon the frame which results in rolling contact between the bottom of the rounded shaft and a generally flat surface to propel the device along that surface.

11. The gyroscope device of claim 1, wherein the gyroscope element includes a shaft and a disk, the shaft and the disk configured to rotate together in a same direction.

12. A method comprising:

providing a gyroscope element in association with a frame;

driving the gyroscope element independent of the frame;

applying a torque on the frame to move a bottom portion of a shaft of the gyroscope along a surface; and

applying a countering torque, the countering torque countering the torque on the frame, the countering torque restricting the frame from freely rotating in a direction counter to the gyroscope element, the countering torque stabilizing the frame against the torque on the frame and thereby enabling control of linear motion of the device; and

applying a perpendicular torque on the frame, the perpendicular torque applied perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the gyroscope element to tilt the axis of the gyroscope element and control a direction of motion of the frame.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising applying a downward force on a front of the frame to impose the perpendicular torque on the frame for forward motion of the device, and applying a downward force on a back of the frame to impose the perpendicular torque on the frame for reverse motion of the device.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising applying a downward force on a side of the frame to impose the perpendicular torque on the frame for sideways motion of the device.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising applying a downward force to the frame in a direction parallel to an axis of the gyroscope to impose the perpendicular torque on the frame for motion in a same direction as an orientation of the downward force.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising restricting free rotation of the frame.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising tilting the frame from a neutral axis to cause rolling contact of the bottom portion of the shaft of the gyroscope with the surface and thereby cause the device to move along the surface.

18. A gyroscope device comprising:

means for driving a gyroscope element independent of a frame connected to the gyroscope element; and

driving means for developing a torque parallel to an axis of rotation of the gyroscope element, the driving means mounted for countering the torque produced by the driving means to subsequently restrict the driving means from freely rotating in a direction counter to the gyroscope element; and

means for imposing a torque on the frame perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the gyroscope element to tilt the axis of the gyroscope and effect direction of motion, a first torque countering the torque produced by the drive means and subsequently restricting the frame from freely rotating in a direction counter to the gyroscope element, the first torque stabilizing the frame against the torque produced by the drive means and thereby enabling control of the linear motion of the device, and a second torque imposed on the frame perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the gyroscope element to tilt the axis of the gyroscope element and control a direction of motion of the device.

19. The gyroscope device of claim 18, further comprising means for applying a downward force on a front of the frame to impose a torque on the frame for forward motion of the device, and means for applying a downward force on a back of the frame to impose a torque on the frame for reverse motion of the device.

20. The gyroscope device of claim 18, wherein the torque imposed on the frame perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the gyroscope tilts the axis of rotation of the gyroscope in a direction perpendicular to torque imposed on the frame, and subsequently tilts a drive shaft so that the bottom of the drive shaft makes rolling contact with a surface and propels the gyroscope device forward, backward, and sideways, based upon the orientation of the torque imposed on the frame.