CENTRAL WHEEL STRUCTURE AUTO-BALANCING DEVICE
An ergonomic and rider-friendly auto-balancing personal transportation device. The device may have a central wheel structure with one or more tires and deployable foot platforms located on both sides of the central wheel structure. The platforms may be linked to a handle, such that lifting the handle retracts the foot platforms and releasing the handle may deploy them. The tire size and platform size may be set so that the device is easy to step on to, and the distance to ground when dismounting is reduced. Dual tire and single wider tire embodiments. Embodiments that allow different or multiple rider orientations are also disclosed, as are other features and embodiments.
1 . An auto-balancing transportation device, comprising:
a wheel structure;
a platform including a first foot platform and a second foot platform and, in use, a rider stands with one foot on the first platform and the other foot on the second foot platform; and
a motor, a control circuit and a sensor configured, in part, to drive the wheel structure towards auto-balancing the device based on data from the sensor;
wherein the platform is configured such that the first and second foot platforms can move relative to the live of travel of the device, thereby allowing a rider to change riding orientation; and
wherein the first and second foot platforms are on opposite sides of the wheel structure.
2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the platform is configured to allow a rider to stand oriented substantially perpendicular to the line of travel of the device or to stand parallel with the line of travel of the device.
3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the platform extends annularly, at least in part, from the wheel structure to form platform surface disposed circumferentially around the wheel structure.
4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the platform includes a plurality of at least four sub-sections that are disposed about the wheel structure.
5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the platform includes a plurality of sub-sections that are disposed at least one of 90, 60, 45 and 30 degrees from each other around the wheel structure.
6 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a handle configured at least one of through the platform, in the platform and on a support for the platform.
7 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a housing that covers the wheel structure.
8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the platform is movable relative to the wheel structure.
9 . The device of claim 8 , wherein the platform includes a coupling member and the wheel structure includes a coupling member and the platform and wheel structure coupling members provide releasable secure coupling to one another such that the platform may be released, repositioned to a different orientation and re-coupled.
10 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a position sensor.
11 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the sensor is a position sensor and is physically associated on the wheel structure such that when the movable platform is re-oriented, the sensor does not move.
12 . An auto-balancing transportation device, comprising:
a wheel assembly including a wheel structure and a drive motor;
a platform including a first foot platform that receives one foot of a rider and a second foot platform that receives the other foot of a rider, during use, the first and second foot platforms being located on opposite side of the wheel assembly; and
a control circuit and sensor;
wherein the platform is configured to allow a rider to stand in at least two different riding orientations substantially 90 degrees from one another; and
wherein the motor, control circuit and sensor and configured, at least in part, to drive the wheel structure toward auto-balancing the device.
13 . The device of claim 12 , wherein the platform is releasably coupleable to the wheel assembly at different rider orientations.
14 . The device of claim 13 , wherein the sensor is a gyroscopic sensor and is physically coupled to the wheel assembly.
15 . The device of claim 12 , wherein the platform extends annularly, at least in part, from the wheel assembly to form platform surface disposed circumferentially around the wheel assembly.
16 . The device of claim 12 , further comprising a handle configured at least one of through the platform, in the platform and on a support for the platform.
17 . The device of claim 12 , further comprising a housing that covers the wheel assembly and is formed integrally with a surface of the platform.
18 . An auto-balancing transportation device, comprising:
a wheel structure;
a first foot platform and a second foot platform, provided on opposite sides of the wheel structure;
a motor, control circuit and sensor configured, in part, such that the motor drives the wheel towards auto-balancing the device based on data from the sensor;
wherein the foot platforms are configured to allow a rider to stand in different orientations relative to the line of travel of the device.
19 . The device of claim 18 , wherein in the foot platforms are formed upon a larger platform surface that extend in multiple orientations from the wheel structure allowing a rider to stand in different orientations relative to the line of travel of the device.
20 . The device of claim 19 , further comprising a wheel structure associated coupling mechanism and a foot platform associated coupling mechanism and wherein the wheel structure and foot platform coupling mechanism are releasably, securably coupleable to one another and permit a user to release and re-secure the foot platform relative to the wheel structure to yield at least two different riding orientations relative to the line of travel of the device.