Granted Patent B2

US 12,559,187 · App. 17/567,000 · Granted Feb 24, 2026

Inventors: Ernestine Fu (Superior Township, MI); Grey Parker (West Bloomfield, MI); John Suh (Palo Alto, CA); Daniel Chan (Superior Township, MI); David Byron (Southfield, MI); Prasanna Natarajan (Aldie, VA)

Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Corporation

B62D57/028B60B19/003B60K7/0007B60K2007/0092B62D57/024

Abstract

Claims (18)

1 . A vehicle comprising:

a plurality of wheel-leg components,

wherein the plurality of wheel-leg components provide wheeled locomotion and walking locomotion,

wherein each wheel-leg component has multiple degrees of freedom and the total degrees of freedom of the wheel-leg components is at least 6, and

wherein the plurality of wheel-leg components utilize at least one of a mammalian walking gait in which the wheel-leg components extend outwards in a direction of travel of the vehicle or a reptilian walking gait in which the wheel-leg components extend outwards perpendicular to the direction of travel during the walking locomotion.

2 . The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a chassis coupled to the wheel-leg components.

3 . The vehicle of claim 1 wherein one or more of the wheel-leg components can be operated and articulated independently of one or more other of the wheel-leg components.

4 . The vehicle of claim 1 wherein each of the wheel-leg components can be operated and articulated independently with respect to each of the other wheel-leg components.

5 . The vehicle of claim 1 wherein each of the wheel-leg components can be operated and articulated independently and in coordination with one or more of the other wheel-leg components.

6 . The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the total degrees of the wheel-leg components is at least 24 or 28.

7 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the wheel-leg components provide the wheeled locomotion in a retracted position and provide the walking locomotion in an extended position.

8 . A method comprising:

(a) providing a vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle comprises passenger space for one or more passengers;

(b) moving the vehicle across an uneven ground surface while maintaining the passenger space substantially even.

9 . The method of claim 8 wherein the ground surface comprises an incline of at least 3 degrees.

10 . The method of claim 8 wherein the ground surface comprises one or more obstacles.

11 . The method of claim 8 wherein the one or more of a plurality of wheel-leg components of the vehicle are operated in a walk mode.

12 . The method of claim 8 wherein each of a plurality of wheel-leg components of the vehicle are operated in a walk mode.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (13)