Transportation apparatus and method for carrying a payload in a desired plane independent of 3D tilting of said apparatus

• US 9,452,691 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2013
• Issued: 09/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kipax AB, Zoomability AB (Zoomability Int AB)
• Original Assignee: Kipax AB, Zoomability AB (Zoomability Int AB)
• Inventors: Lfstrand, Mikael
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, ROBERT T
• Application Number:
  US14/031,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20140019011A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,104 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/42 for inclination
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/04 motor-driven A61G5/06 takes precedence; motor-operated rests A61G5/12; for vehicles with handlebars, equipped with three or more wheels B62K5/003, B62K5/023
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/06 with obstacle mounting facilities, e.g. for climbing stairs, kerbs or steps
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/061 for climbing stairs
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1056 Arrangements for adjusting the seat
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/107 positioning the whole seat forward or rearward
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1075 tilting the whole seat backwards tilting forwards for standing-up or sitting-down aids A61G5/14
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0244 with logic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0268 using sensors or detectors for adapting the seat or seat part, e.g. to the position of an occupant
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/04 the whole seat being movable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/062 transversally slidable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0745 the slide path being curved
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/39 Seats tiltable to compensate for roll inclination of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/064 Adjustable inclination or position of seats
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2011/0092 Arrangements for mounting stretchers in aircraft cabins
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/20 Undercarriages with or without wheels

Abstract

A transportation apparatus includes a payload receiving unit, a transportation body, and a compensation system arranged there between providing adjustment of a desired spatial relationship of a payload surface of the compensation unit. The compensation system has at least one of a first compensation unit and a second compensation unit for adjustment of the spatial relationship. The compensation units adjust the spatial relationship in different directions. Thus the compensation system maintains a desired orientation of the payload surface independent of changes of orientation of the transportation surface. Further, the compensation system substantially maintains a common point of gravity of the transportation apparatus including the payload by displacing the center of gravity of the payload receiving unit and the payload substantially opposite to a displacement of a center of gravity of the transportation apparatus. At least one of the compensation units are extendable from at least one end thereof during operation.

Claims

1. A method of sustaining an orientation of payload surface (250) of a payload receiving unit (30) of transportation apparatus (1), independent of changes of orientation of a transportation surface (150) of a transportation body (10) of said transportation apparatus (1) in motion, said method comprising:

real-time adjustment of a desired spatial relationship between said payload surface (250) and said transportation surface (150) by a compensation system (20) attached to said payload receiving unit (30) and said transportation body (10), wherein said real-time adjustment comprises adjustment of said spatial relationship with at least a first compensation unit (210) and a second compensation unit (230) of said compensation system (20), and

adjustment of said spatial relationship in a first direction by said first compensation unit (210) along a rail, and adjustment of said spatial relationship in a second direction different from said first direction by said second compensation unit (230) along a second rail, and

maintaining a common point of gravity of said transportation apparatus (1) including a payload by displacing a center of gravity of said payload receiving unit (30) and said payload with said compensation system (20) opposite to a displacement of a center of gravity of said transportation apparatus (1), and moving said payload surface along a first and second curvature independently in a translatory motion with said first and second compensation units.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said compensation system provides a displacement of said payload surface (250) while maintaining a desired plane in a direction opposite of a direction center of gravity displacement of said transportation body (10).

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said compensation comprises an automatic proportional adjustment of said first compensation unit (210) and said second compensation unit (230) with regard to maintaining a common center of mass of said transportation apparatus (1) including a payload.

4. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer program for processing by a computer, said computer program comprising:

a code segment for real-time adjustment read by the computer from the non-statutory computer-readable medium and executed by the computer, the computer making real-time adjustment of a desired spatial relationship between a payload surface (250) and a transportation surface (150) by a compensation system (20) attached to a payload receiving unit (30) of a transportation body (10) of a transportation apparatus (1), wherein said real-time adjustment comprises adjustment of said desired spatial relationship with at least a first compensation unit (210) and a second compensation unit (230) of said compensation system (20), and

a code segment for adjustment of said spatial relationship read by the computer from the non-statutory computer-readable medium and executed by the computer, the computer making said spatial adjustment in a first direction by said first compensation unit (210), and adjustment of said spatial relationship in a second direction different from said first direction by said second compensation unit (230), and

a code segment for maintaining a common point of gravity read by the computer from the non-statutory computer-readable medium and executed by the computer, the computer maintaining a common point of gravity of said transportation apparatus (1) including a payload by displacing a center of gravity of said payload receiving unit (30) and said payload with said compensation system (20) opposite to a displacement of a center of gravity of said transportation apparatus (1), and moving said payload surface along a first and second curved rail independently in a translatory motion with said first and second compensation units.

5. A transportation apparatus (1), said apparatus comprising:

a payload receiving unit (30), a transportation body (10), and a compensation system (20) arranged there between and devised to allow adjustment of a desired spatial relationship between a payload surface (250) of said compensation system (20) for attachment of said payload receiving unit (30) and a transportation surface (150) of said transportation body (10), wherein

said compensation system (20) comprises at least a first compensation unit (210) and a second compensation unit (230) arranged for adjustment of said spatial relationship, wherein said

first compensation unit (210) is arranged for adjustment of said spatial relationship in a first direction and said second compensation unit is arranged for adjustment of said spatial relationship in a second direction different from said first direction, whereby said compensation system (20) is configured to maintain a desired orientation of said payload surface (250) independent of changes of orientation of said transportation surface (150) of said transportation apparatus (1),

wherein said compensation system (20) maintains a common point of gravity of said transportation apparatus (1) including a payload by displacing a center of gravity of said payload receiving unit (30) and said payload opposite to a displacement of a center of gravity of said transportation apparatus (1), and wherein said first compensation unit provides translational movement along a first rail of said payload surface along a first curvature, and said second compensation unit provides translational movement along a second rail of said payload surface along a second curvature, both independently.

6. The transportation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said first and second compensation units are arranged in series.

7. The transportation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said first and second compensation units are attached to each other.

8. The transportation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said first and second compensation units comprise at least one curved rail each having a curvature and being arranged in a crossed configuration.

9. The transportation apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said at least one curved rail is an in gravitational direction downwardly open curved rail having a circular curvature.

10. The transportation apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said curvature of said rails is chosen such that said common point of gravity is situated below said transportation apparatus, and wherein said curvature is continuous without a straight portion.

11. The transportation apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said at least one rail of said first compensation unit is arranged at a different height than said at least one rail of said second compensation unit, and wherein said rails of said compensation units have different curvatures having a common virtual center point.

12. The transportation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said compensation system comprises a sensor actuator unit configured to provide a control feedback loop for said adjustment in real time, wherein said sensor actuator unit comprises at least two sensor systems, including a first sensor system configured to provide a payload surface measurement value for the orientation in space of said payload supporting surface, and a second sensor system configured to provide a transportation surface measurement value for the orientation in space of said transportation surface, wherein said control feedback loop has a difference between said payload surface measurement value and said transportation surface measurement value as a feedback value.

13. The transportation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said transportation apparatus is configured to travel along a topography with said transportation surface (150) having an angle in the range of 0 to 70 degrees in relation to a horizontal plane.

14. The transportation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said first direction and said second direction are perpendicular to each other.

15. The transportation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said transportation apparatus is a land based vehicle having at least two axis with at least two wheels each, and a wheelbase between said axis.

16. The transportation apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said compensation system is configured to keep said common point of gravity within said wheelbase.

17. The transportation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said fastening unit is fastened to a seat for receiving a person, and wherein said desired orientation is a horizontal plane of a seat surface of said seat.