Two-wheeled battery-powered vehicle

• US 9,156,516 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2012
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chris Fawcett, Ulrich Kahlert
• Original Assignee: Chris Fawcett, Ulrich Kahlert
• Inventors: Fawcett, Chris, Kahlert, Ulrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Hurley, Kevin
• Assistant Examiner(s): KNUTSON, JACOB D
• Application Number:
  US14/110,262
• Publication Number:
  US 20140069733A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,286 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.1, 180/21, 180/7.1, 180/218, 180/907, 180/13, 280/208, 280/78, 280/209, 280/205, 280/266, 280/282, 280/87.041
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/16 Single-axle vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/24 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/461 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/34 Stabilising upright position of vehicles, e.g. of single axle vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0007 Measures or means for preventing or attenuating collisions
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/60 using power supplied by batteries in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 1/12 using additional wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 11/00 Supporting arrangements specially adapted for fastening specific devices to cycles, e.g. supports for attaching maps
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 25/02 Knee grips, e.g. on fuel tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 25/04 Floor-type foot rests
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/007 Automatic balancing machines with single main ground engaging wheel or coaxial wheels supporting a rider
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A two-wheel battery-powered vehicle having a platform, two wheels connected to the platform, a battery-powered wheel drive driving the two wheels, an attachment connected to the platform, and a sensor device arranged in the platform. A person standing on the platform and engaging the attachment moves the platform into an angle position corresponding to a body position of the person. Based on the angle position of the platform relative to a horizontal position, the sensor device controls the wheel drive such that the wheel drive, by acceleration or deceleration, keeps the vehicle and the person standing on the platform in a balanced position. The attachment has a leg support device for at least one leg of the person standing on the platform in order to keep the platform at a desired angle position. The leg support device is adjustable.

Claims

1. A two-wheel battery-powered vehicle comprising:

a platform;

two wheels connected to the platform;

a battery-powered wheel drive driving the two wheels;

an attachment connected to the platform; and

a sensor device arranged in the platform, wherein a person standing on the platform and engaging the attachment moves the platform into an angle position corresponding to a body position of the person, wherein, based on the angle position of the platform relative to a horizontal position, the sensor device controls the wheel drive such that the wheel drive, by acceleration or deceleration, keeps the vehicle and the person standing on the platform in a balanced position, wherein the attachment has a leg support device for at least one leg of the person standing on the platform in order to keep the platform at a desired angle position, wherein the leg support device has separate shells for a front and a rear side and the front and the rear shell are arranged at different heights.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the leg support device is provided to lie on a lower portion of the at least one leg of the person.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the leg support device is provided to lie on the leg upon an area of a calf of the person.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the shell of the rear side is provided to sit on a calf of the person and the shell of the front side is provided to sit on or above a knee of the person of the person.

5. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the positions of the shells are adjustable independently of one another, the shells being adjustable in a vertical and/or horizontal direction and/or pivotable about a vertical and/or a horizontal axis.

6. The vehicle according to claim 5, further comprising an equipment to adjust the position of the shells, the equipment including a spindle drive.

7. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the leg support device is provided for swiveling around a vertical axis against the force of a spring.

8. The vehicle according to claim 1, comprising sensor equipment for detecting a swivel angle of the leg support device, the sensor equipment being connected to the sensor device to form a right/left control, wherein the right/left control is operated by swivelling the leg support device.

9. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising for each wheel a fender which partially encloses the respective wheel.

10. The vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the fenders fully encloses at least an upper half of the wheels.

11. The vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the fenders enclose the wheels to a height off the ground which corresponds to a height that the vehicle can climb.

12. The vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the fenders comes down to different heights on a front side and on a rear side.

13. The vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the fender are provided for being connected to a chassis and/or a gear box of the vehicle.

14. The vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the fender are provided for carrying a support for an object to be transported.

15. The vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the support is connectable to the body of the person.

16. A two-wheel battery-powered vehicle comprising:

a platform;

two wheels connected to the platform;

a battery-powered wheel drive driving the two wheels;

an attachment connected to the platform; and

a sensor device arranged in the platform, wherein a person standing on the platform and engaging the attachment moves the platform into an angle position corresponding to a body position of the person, wherein, based on the angle position of the platform relative to a horizontal position, the sensor device controls the wheel drive such that the wheel drive, by acceleration or deceleration, keeps the vehicle and the person standing on the platform in a balanced position, wherein the attachment has a leg support device for at least one leg of the person standing on the platform in order to keep the platform at a desired angle position, further comprising means for automatically stabilizing the vehicle in case of a vehicle cut-off.

17. The vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the stabilizing means comprises at least one extendible support wheel on a front side and on a rear side of the vehicle.

18. The vehicle according to claim 17, wherein the support wheels are arranged on a telescopic rod, wherein the telescopic rod is provided with a spring, by force of which the telescopic rod can be extended.