Electric mobility vehicle

• US 9,452,097 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2014
• Issued: 09/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clive Lu
• Original Assignee: Clive Lu
• Inventors: Lu, Clive
• Primary Examiner(s): Hurley, Kevin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Craciun, Gabriela C
• Application Number:
  US14/230,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20150272793A1
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/30 characterised by sensor means
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/061 for climbing stairs
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/065 with three or more wheels mounted on a rotary cross member, e.g. spiders or spoked wheels with small wheels at the end of the spokes
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2202/00 Motorised scooters
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/007 power-driven
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/023 specially adapted for disabled riders, e.g. personal mobility type vehicles with three wheels wheelchairs A61G5/00

Abstract

An electric powered mobility vehicle includes a main support having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the main support also includes a front end and a rear end. The mobility vehicle also includes a seat assembly secured to the upper surface of the main support adjacent the rear end and a steering assembly extends upwardly from the upper surface of the main support along the front end thereof. A control assembly and a power drive transmission assembly are linked to a plurality of rotating forked assembly units secured to the main support for creating the forces necessary to move and maneuver the present mobility vehicle. Each of the plurality of rotating forked assembly units includes a plurality of fork arms extending outwardly from a central hub and wheels coupled to free ends of the plurality of fork arms.

Claims

1. An electric powered mobility vehicle, comprising:

a main support having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the main support also includes a front end and a rear end;

a seat assembly secured to the upper surface of the main support adjacent the rear end;

a steering assembly extends upwardly from the upper surface of the main support along the front end thereof;

a control assembly and a power drive transmission assembly linked to a plurality of rotating forked assembly units secured to the main support for creating the forces necessary to move and maneuver the present mobility vehicle, each of the plurality of rotating forked assembly units includes a plurality of fork arms extending outwardly from a central hub and wheels coupled to free ends of the plurality of fork arms, and each of the plurality of rotating forked assembly units includes concentric drive shafts acting upon the plurality of fork arms and the wheels to selectively allow for the application of power to either the wheels or the rotating forked assembly unit, one of the drive shafts being mechanically coupled to the wheels for rotation thereof upon the application of rotational motion to the one of the drive shafts by the power drive transmission assembly and another of the drive shafts being mechanically coupled to the rotating forked assembly unit for rotation of the forked assembly unit upon the application of rotational motion to the another of the drive shafts by the power drive transmission assembly.

2. The mobility device according to claim 1, wherein the rear end of the main support is substantially flat and the front end of the main support is curved upwardly.

3. The mobility device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of rotating forked assembly units includes first and second front rotating forked assembly units secured to the main support at a position adjacent the front end of the main support and first and second rear rotating forked assembly units secured to the main support at a position adjacent the rear end of the main support.

13. The mobility device according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of rotating forked assembly units includes three fork arms extending outwardly from the central hub.

14. The mobility device according to claim 13, wherein the three forks arms are symmetrically positioned and respectively define 120 degree angles between adjacent fork arms.

15. The mobility device according to claim 1, wherein the control assembly includes a microprocessor receiving sensor signals.

4. An electric powered mobility vehicle, comprising:

a main support having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the main support also includes a front end and a rear end;

a seat assembly secured to the upper surface of the main support adjacent the rear end;

a steering assembly extends upwardly from the upper surface of the main support along the front end thereof;

a control assembly and a power drive transmission assembly linked to a plurality of rotating forked assembly units secured to the main support for creating the forces necessary to move and maneuver the present mobility vehicle, each of the plurality of rotating forked assembly units includes a plurality of fork arms extending outwardly from a central hub and wheels coupled to free ends of the plurality of fork arms, and each of the plurality of rotating forked assembly units includes concentric drive shafts acting upon the plurality of fork arms and the wheels to control rotation thereof;

wherein the plurality of rotating forked assembly units includes first and second front rotating forked assembly units secured to the main support at a position adjacent the front end of the main support and first and second rear rotating forked assembly units secured to the main support at a position adjacent the rear end of the main support; and

wherein the power drive transmission assembly includes a front power drive transmitting unit controlling rotation of the first and second front rotating forked assembly units and a rear power drive transmitting unit controlling rotation of the first and second rear rotating forked assembly units.

5. The mobility device according to claim 4, wherein the concentric drive shafts of each of the front power drive transmitting unit and the rear power drive transmitting unit includes concentric inner and outer drive shafts selectively controlling rotation of the wheels and the forked assembly units.

6. The mobility device according to claim 5, wherein transmission of power to the inner drive shaft causes rotation of the wheels and transmission of power to the outer drive shaft causes rotation of the rotating forked assembly units.

7. The mobility device according to claim 6, wherein the outer drive shaft is fixedly coupled to the rotating forked assembly units.

8. The mobility device according to claim 4, wherein the rear power drive transmitting unit includes first and second electric motors and the rear power drive transmitting unit includes first and second electric motors.

9. The mobility device according to claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of rotating forked assembly units includes three fork arms extending outwardly from the central hub.

10. The mobility device according to claim 9, wherein the three forks arms are symmetrically positioned and respectively define 120 degree angles between adjacent fork arms.

11. The mobility device according to claim 8, wherein the control assembly includes a microprocessor receiving sensor signals.

12. The mobility device according to claim 11 wherein the sensor signals are received from a radar detection device, a vibration detection device and a level detection device.

16. An electric powered mobility vehicle, comprising:

a main support having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the main support also includes a front end and a rear end;

a seat assembly secured to the upper surface of the main support adjacent the rear end;

a steering assembly extends upwardly from the upper surface of the main support along the front end thereof;

a control assembly and a power drive transmission assembly linked to a plurality of rotating forked assembly units secured to the main support for creating the forces necessary to move and maneuver the present mobility vehicle, each of the plurality of rotating forked assembly units includes a plurality of fork arms extending outwardly from a central hub and wheels coupled to free ends of the plurality of fork arms, and each of the plurality of rotating forked assembly units includes concentric drive shafts acting upon the plurality of fork arms and the wheels to control rotation thereof;

wherein the control assembly includes a microprocessor receiving sensor signals; and

wherein the sensor signals are received from a radar detection device, a vibration detection device and a level detection device.