Stair climbing vehicle

• US 5,507,358 A
• Filed: 06/01/1994
• Issued: 04/16/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Exedy Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Daikin Seisakusho
• Inventors: Takeuchi, Akira, Wakizaka, Ryouji, Kitazawa, Kyousuke, Abe, Minoru, Eguchi, Yasuhiko, Fukutake, Heiji
• Primary Examiner(s): HILL, MITCHELL
• Application Number:
  US08/252,408
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• Field of Search: 180/8.2, 180/8.5, 180/8.7, 180/9.1, 180/9.2, 180/22, 180/23, 180/209
• US Class Current: 180/8.2
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/046 at least three driven wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/061 for climbing stairs
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/063 with eccentrically mounted wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/068 with extensible supports pushing upwards, e.g. telescopic legs
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1051 Arrangements for steering
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 61/00 Motor vehicles or trailers, characterised by the arrangement or number of wheels, not otherwise provided for, e.g. four wheels in diamond pattern
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 180/907 Motorized wheelchairs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 280/10 Stair climbing chairs

Abstract

A vehicle which goes up and down stairs includes a vehicle body 101, front and rear wheels 102 and 103 provided at the front and rear of the vehicle body 101, respectively, front and rear auxiliary wheels 105 and 107 for lifting up or down the front and rear wheels 102 and 103 by one step of stairs, respectively, a driving unit for driving each wheel, a pivoting unit for pivoting the front and rear auxiliary wheels 105 and 107, sensors 121 to 124 for detecting a riser portion of stairs, and a control unit 120 for controlling the driving unit and the rotating unit in accordance with results of the sensors 121 to 124. Since the vehicle goes up and down stairs by rotation of the auxiliary wheels 105 and 107, a corner portion of the step of stairs is not damaged while the vehicle goes up and down stairs.

Claims

1. A vehicle for going up and down stairs comprising:

a generally horizontal, rigid vehicle body having a seat rigidly attached thereto;

a first hydraulic cylinder mounted directly to said vehicle body proximate to a front end of said vehicle body;

at least one front leg mounted to said first hydraulic cylinder;

a pair of front wheels mounted to said front leg;

a second hydraulic cylinder mounted to a rear end of said vehicle body;

a rear leg mounted to said second hydraulic cylinder;

rear wheels mounted to said rear leg;

a third hydraulic cylinder mounted to the underside of said vehicle body generally between said front wheels, adjacent to but spaced apart from the front end of said vehicle body;

an auxiliary wheel mounted to said third hydraulic cylinder;

driving means for selectively powering at least one of said front wheels and said tear wheels;

sensing means associated with each of said auxiliary, front and rear wheels for sensing wheel proximity to obstructions to horizontal movement of said vehicle body; and

a control unit connected to said first, second and third hydraulic cylinders, said driving means and said sensing means for controlling said driving means and said hydraulic cylinders in response to said sensing means.

2. A vehicle as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

a fourth hydraulic cylinder mounted to the underside of said vehicle body, adjacent to but spaced apart from the rear end of said vehicle body;

a second auxiliary wheel mounted to said hydraulic cylinder.

3. A method for controlling a stair climbing vehicle comprising the steps of:

(a) controlling the forward and backward motion of a vehicle, the vehicle having a generally horizontal, rigid vehicle body, a front hydraulic cylinder attached directly to the body, a rear hydraulic cylinder attached directly to the body and at least one auxiliary wheel hydraulic cylinder attached directly to the underside of the body, a pair of front wheels attached to the front hydraulic cylinder, a pair of rear wheels attached to the rear hydraulic cylinder, and an auxiliary wheel attached to the auxiliary wheel hydraulic cylinder;

(b) sensing contact of the front wheels of the vehicle with obstructions to horizontal movement;

(c) stopping the vehicle in response to the sensing in step (b);

(d) controlling vertical movement of the front hydraulic cylinder to move the pair of front wheels in a vertical direction relative to the body of the vehicle to a predetermined height, maintaining the body of the vehicle and the seat in a generally horizontal orientation;

(e) further controlling the forward and backward motion of the vehicle;

(f) repeating step (a)

(g) sensing contact of the auxiliary wheel of the vehicle with obstructions to horizontal movement;

(h) stopping the vehicle in response to the sensing in step (g)

(i) controlling vertical movement of the auxiliary hydraulic cylinder to move the auxiliary wheel in a vertical direction relative to the body of the vehicle to a predetermined height, maintaining the body of the vehicle in a generally horizontal orientation;

further controlling the forward and backward motion of the vehicle.

4. A method for controlling a stair climbing vehicle as in claim 3 further comprising the steps of:

(k) repeating step (a);

(l) sensing contact of the rear wheels of the vehicle with obstructions to horizontal movement;

(m) stopping the vehicle in response to the sensing in step (l);

(n) controlling vertical movement of the rear hydraulic cylinder to move the rear wheels in a vertical direction relative to the body of the vehicle to a predetermined height, maintaining the body of the vehicle in a generally horizontal orientation;

(o) further controlling the forward and backward motion of the vehicle.

5. A method for controlling a stair climbing vehicle as in claim 3 further comprising the steps of:

(k) repeating step (a);

(l) sensing contact of the rear wheels of the vehicle with obstructions to horizontal movement;

(m) stopping the vehicle in response to the sensing in step (l);

(n) controlling vertical movement of the front hydraulic cylinder and auxiliary wheel hydraulic cylinder to move the front wheels and the auxiliary wheel in a vertical direction relative to the body of the vehicle to a predetermined height, maintaining the body of the vehicle in a generally horizontal orientation;

(o) further controlling the forward and backward motion of the vehicle.

6. A method for controlling a stair climbing vehicle comprising the steps of:

(a) controlling the forward and backward motion of a vehicle, the vehicle having a generally horizontal, rigid vehicle body, a front hydraulic cylinder attached directly to the body, a rear hydraulic cylinder attached directly to the body and at least one auxiliary wheel hydraulic cylinder attached directly to the underside of the body, a pair of front wheels attached to the front hydraulic cylinder, a pair of rear wheels attached to the rear hydraulic cylinder, and an auxiliary wheel attached to the auxiliary wheel hydraulic cylinder;

(b) sensing contact of the front wheels of the vehicle with obstructions to horizontal movement;

(c) stopping the vehicle in response to the sensing in step (b);

(d) controlling vertical movement of the auxiliary wheel hydraulic cylinder and the rear hydraulic cylinder to move the auxiliary wheel and the pair of rear wheels in a vertical direction relative to the body of the vehicle to a predetermined height, maintaining the body of the vehicle and the seat in a generally horizontal orientation;

(e) further controlling the forward and backward motion of the vehicle;

(f) repeating step (a);

(g) sensing contact of the auxiliary wheel of the vehicle with obstructions to horizontal movement;

(h) stopping the vehicle in response to the sensing in step (g);

(i) controlling vertical movement of the auxiliary wheel hydraulic cylinder to move the auxiliary wheel in a vertical direction relative to the body of the vehicle to a predetermined height, maintaining the body of the vehicle in a generally horizontal orientation;

(j) further controlling the forward and backward motion of the vehicle.

7. A method for controlling a stair climbing vehicle as in claim 6 further comprising the steps of:

(k) repeating step

(l) sensing contact of the rear wheels of the vehicle with obstructions to horizontal movement;

(m) stopping the vehicle in response to the sensing in step (l);

(n) controlling vertical movement of the rear hydraulic cylinder to move the rear wheels in a vertical direction relative to the body of the vehicle to a predetermined height, maintaining the body of the vehicle in a generally horizontal orientation;

(o) further controlling the forward and backward motion of the vehicle.

8. A method for controlling a stair climbing vehicle as in claim 6 further comprising the steps of:

(k) repeating step (a);

(l) sensing contact of the rear wheels of the vehicle with obstructions to horizontal movement;

(m) stopping the vehicle in response to the sensing in step (l);

(n) controlling vertical movement of the front hydraulic cylinder to move the front wheels in a vertical direction relative to the body of the vehicle to a predetermined height, maintaining the body of the vehicle in a generally horizontal orientation;

(o) further controlling the forward and backward motion of the vehicle.