IP Library Granted Patent US 9,682,732
Granted Patent B2
US 9,682,732 · App. 14/480,606 · Granted Jun 20, 2017

Fully self-balanced hands-free portable vehicle

Inventor: Jason Thomas Strack (Orland Park, IL)
B62D31/006A63C17/008B60L3/0076B60L11/18B60L11/1805B60L15/2009B60L15/2036B62D51/02B62K11/007G06F11/1433G11C7/1072B60L2200/16B60L2220/44B60L2240/12B60L2240/20B60L2240/22B60L2240/26B60L2240/421B60L2270/145Y02T10/645Y02T10/7005Y02T10/72Y02T10/7275
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,682,732
App. No.
14/480,606
Granted
Jun 20, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure provides a hands-free, self-balancing vehicle including a tiltable platform for a rider to stand on. The tiltable platform may tilt in any direction and direct the direction of motion of the vehicle. The vehicle is compact and may be disassembled for easy portability.

Claims (41)

1. A vehicle comprising:

a tiltable platform for receiving a rider's feet, wherein, when the vehicle is in a neutral position, a top surface of the tiltable platform is coplanar with a horizontal plane, wherein the tiltable platform is configured to tilt in at least four directions;

a first right wheel in communication with a right motor, wherein the tiltable platform is connected to the right wheel; and

a first left wheel in communication with a left motor, wherein the tiltable platform is connected to the left wheel,

a first spring connects the tiltable platform to a support beam including a first end and second end, wherein the first end of the support beam is attached to a right casing including the right wheel and the right motor, wherein the second end of the support beam is attached to a left casing including the left wheel and the left motor;

wherein a planar position of the top surface of the tiltable platform relative to the horizontal plane indicates the acceleration of the vehicle.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein a second spring connects the tiltable platform to a support beam, wherein the first spring and the second spring are perpendicular to each other.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising an acceleration sensor in communication with a control system, wherein the acceleration sensor is configured to detect the planar position of the tiltable platform relative to the horizontal plane, wherein the control system is configured to:

receive position information from the acceleration sensors;

determine acceleration information from the position information; and

adjust mechanical motion of the right motor and left motor based on the acceleration information.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the at least four directions includes forward, backwards, right, and left.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the tiltable platform may tilt in any direction within 360 degrees.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 further including at least one battery connected to the right motor and the left motor.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 further including a pressure sensor connected to the tiltable platform, wherein, when the pressure sensor detects no pressure on the titlable platform, the vehicle automatically stops motion.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the right wheel and the left wheel may fold under the tiltable platform when the vehicle is not in use.

9. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the right wheel and the left wheel may detach from the tiltable platform when the vehicle is not in use.

10. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the planar position of the top surface of the tiltable platform relative to the horizontal plane indicates a direction of movement of the vehicle.

11. A vehicle comprising:

a tiltable platform for receiving a rider's feet, wherein, when the vehicle is in a neutral position, a top surface of the tiltable platform is coplanar with a horizontal plane, wherein the tiltable platform is configured to tilt in at least four directions, wherein a planar position of the top surface of the tiltable platform relative to the horizontal plane indicates the acceleration of the vehicle;

a tilt sensor connected to the tiltable platform;

at least one right wheel in communication with a right motor, wherein the tiltable platform is connected to the right wheel;

at least one left wheel in communication with a left motor, wherein the tiltable platform is connected to the left wheel; and

a control system in communication with the tilt sensor, the right wheel, the right motor, the left wheel, and the left motor, wherein the control system is configured to:

receive a position information from the tilt sensor;

determine acceleration information from the position information; and

adjust the mechanical motion of the right motor and the left motor based on the acceleration information;

further comprising a second right wheel and a second left wheel, wherein the second right wheel is connected to a right magnet in communication with a right magnetic sensor, wherein the second right wheel is connected to a left magnet in communication with a left magnetic sensor, wherein the right magnetic sensor and the left magnetic sensor are in communication with the control system, wherein the control system is further configured to:

receive magnetic information from the right magnetic sensor and the left magnetic sensor,

determine an angular velocity of the vehicle based on the magnetic information, and

adjust the mechanical motion of the right motor and the left motor based on the angular velocity.

12. The vehicle of claim 11 wherein the tiltable platform may tilt in any direction within 360 degrees.

13. The vehicle of claim 11 further including a pressure sensor connected to the tiltable platform, wherein the pressure sensor is in communication with the control system, wherein, when the pressure sensor detects zero pressure on the titlable platform, the control system powers off the right motor and the left motor.

14. The vehicle of claim 11 wherein the right wheel and the left wheel may fold under the tiltable platform when the vehicle is not in use.

15. The vehicle of claim 11 wherein the right wheel and the left wheel may detach from the tiltable platform when the vehicle is not in use.

16. The vehicle of claim 11 wherein the planar position of the top surface of the tiltable platform relative to the horizontal plane indicates the direction of movement of the vehicle.

17. A vehicle comprising:

a tiltable platform for receiving a rider's feet, wherein, when the vehicle is in a neutral position, a top surface of the tiltable platform is coplanar with a horizontal plane, wherein the tiltable platform is configured to tilt in at least four directions;

a first right wheel in communication with a right motor, wherein the tiltable platform is connected to the right wheel; and

a first left wheel in communication with a left motor, wherein the tiltable platform is connected to the left wheel,

wherein a planar position of the top surface of the tiltable platform relative to the horizontal plane indicates the acceleration of the vehicle and the right wheel and the left wheel may fold under the tiltable platform when the vehicle is not in use.

Continuity (3)
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