This application claims the benefit of French patent application 1870254 filed Mar. 8, 2018, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
The specification relates generally to a self-balancing vehicle, and in particular, the following relates to one-wheeled self-balancing vehicles with a single central drive wheel and first and second footrests.
The motorized transport vehicle, invented by Simeray (U.S. Pat. No. 8,616,313B2) has been a notable success since 2013. It constitutes a fun and agile means of micro transportation. However, the popularity of the vehicle is hindered by a learning curve, requiring the non-intuitive beginner's balance, and a high device weight (often greater than 12 kilograms).
Mainly equipped with tires having a diameter of 14 or 16 inches, the tread of the tire is narrow (usually around 2 inches). The transverse balance is even more difficult to achieve as the transverse radius of curvature of the tire is small. This difficulty remains for experienced users in terms of fatigue felt after heavy use. The precarious transversal balance has led some manufacturers to equip the motorized transport vehicle with dual tires, which makes the motorized transport vehicle more stable, but which hinders driving when it comes to turning. In light of the rapid success of gyro skateboards (also known as hoverboards) which do not require extensive learning in order to turn without falling, the lack of transverse balance appears to be a major obstacle for large-scale use of motorized transport vehicles.
The high weight of the device has also led some companies to equip the motorized transport vehicle with a telescopic cane (such a trolley) to enable users to transport them without having to carry them. The aesthetics of the product is relegated to the background in favor of practicality.
Additionally, Community design registration number 004425924 held by M SIMERAY is for an industrial design for a generally spherical device.
In one aspect, there is provided a self-balancing vehicle that facilitates learning how to ride the device by introducing an intuitive transverse balance and increased stability relative to some other self-balancing vehicles.
In another aspect, a vehicle is provided that includes a frame, a wheel, a first footrest and a second footrest, a motor and a control system. The wheel is rotatably supported on the frame about an axis of rotation. The wheel has a longitudinal axis, and has a lateral axis that is coaxial with the axis of rotation, and has a geometric center that is on the axis of rotation and on the longitudinal axis. The wheel further has a ground engagement surface that has a longitudinal radius of curvature and a lateral radius of curvature that is at most 10% greater or less than the longitudinal radius of curvature. The first footrest is located on a first side of the wheel and a second footrest located on a second side of the wheel. Each of the first and second footrests has a foot support surface and is movable relative to the frame between a folded position in which the foot support surface is adjacent a respective one of the first and second sides of the wheel, and a deployed position in which the foot support surface faces upwards for receiving and supporting a foot of a user. The self-balancing vehicle is positionable in a stowage position in which the first and second footrests are in the folded position. The self-balancing vehicle possesses a generally spherical outer shape. The center of mass is less than a quarter of the longitudinal radius of curvature away from the geometric center of the wheel. The self-balancing vehicle is positionable in a use position in which the first and second footrests are in the deployed position. The motor drives rotation of the wheel relative to the frame. The control system controls operation of the motor based at least in part on an orientation of the self-balancing vehicle.
Optionally, at least one of the footrests has an exterior surface with a support structure extending therefrom. A first portion of the support structure is positioned longitudinally forward of the lateral axis of the wheel and a second portion of the support structure is positioned longitudinally rearward of the lateral axis of the wheel, such that the self-balancing vehicle is tippable laterally when in the use position such that the support structure engages the ground and cooperates with a ground-engaging point on the wheel to stably support the self-balancing vehicle when a user stands on said at least one of the footrests.
In another example, a vehicle is provided that includes a frame, a wheel, a first footrest and a second footrest, a motor and a control system. The wheel has a longitudinal axis, and has a lateral axis that is coaxial with the axis of rotation, and has a geometric center that is on the axis of rotation and on the longitudinal axis. The first footrest is located on a first side of the wheel and a second footrest located on a second side of the wheel. Each of the first and second footrests has a foot support surface and is movable relative to the frame between a folded position in which the foot support surface is adjacent a respective one of the first and second sides of the wheel, and a deployed position in which the foot support surface faces upwards for receiving and supporting a foot of a user. The self-balancing vehicle is positionable in a stowage position in which the first and second footrests are in the folded position. The center of mass is less than a quarter of the longitudinal radius of curvature away from the geometric center of the wheel. The self-balancing vehicle is positionable in a use position in which the first and second footrests are in the deployed position. The motor drives rotation of the wheel relative to the frame. The control system controls operation of the motor based at least in part on an orientation of the self-balancing vehicle. The first footrest has a handle thereon and is tipped during carrying of the vehicle from an upright position into a carrying position in which the handle is at a top of the vehicle. The self-balancing vehicle further comprises a latch member and a latch receiving surface. The latch member is pivotably connected to one of the frame and the first footrest about a latch pivot axis between a locking position in which the latch member engages the latch receiving surface to lock the first footrest in the folded position, and a release position in which the latch member is disengaged from the latch receiving surface to permit the first footrest to move to the deployed position. The latch receiving surface is on the other of the frame and first footrest. The latch member has a center of mass that is offset from the latch pivot axis, such that when the self-balancing vehicle is in the upright position the center of mass of the latch member causes the latch member to pivot to the release position and when the self-balancing vehicle is in the carrying position, the center of mass of the latch member causes the latch member to pivot to the locking position.
In yet another example, a vehicle is provided that includes a frame, a wheel, a first footrest and a second footrest, a motor and a control system. The wheel has a longitudinal axis, and has a lateral axis that is coaxial with the axis of rotation, and has a geometric center that is on the axis of rotation and on the longitudinal axis. The first footrest is located on a first side of the wheel and a second footrest located on a second side of the wheel. Each of the first and second footrests has a foot support surface and is movable relative to the frame between a folded position in which the foot support surface is adjacent a respective one of the first and second sides of the wheel, and a deployed position in which the foot support surface faces upwards for receiving and supporting a foot of a user. The self-balancing vehicle is positionable in a stowage position in which the first and second footrests are in the folded position. The center of mass is less than a quarter of the longitudinal radius of curvature away from the geometric center of the wheel. The self-balancing vehicle is positionable in a use position in which the first and second footrests are in the deployed position. The motor drives rotation of the wheel relative to the frame. The control system controls operation of the motor based at least in part on an orientation of the self-balancing vehicle. The first footrest has a handle thereon and is tipped during carrying of the vehicle from an upright position into a carrying position in which the handle is at a top of the vehicle. The frame includes a first deflector at the first side of the wheel, and a second deflector at the second side of the wheel. Each one of the first and second deflectors is movable between a laterally retracted position, and a laterally extended position in which the deflector extends laterally from a top region of the respective one of the first and second cavities farther outward than in the laterally retracted position, and laterally outboard from the wheel to inhibit contact between a respective leg of the user with the wheel.
For a better understanding of the various embodiments described herein and to show more clearly how they may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings in which:
For simplicity and clarity of illustration, where considered appropriate, reference numerals may be repeated among the Figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the embodiments described herein. Also, the description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein.
Various terms used throughout the present description may be read and understood as follows, unless the context indicates otherwise: “or” as used throughout is inclusive, as though written “and/or”; singular articles and pronouns as used throughout include their plural forms, and vice versa; similarly, gendered pronouns include their counterpart pronouns so that pronouns should not be understood as limiting anything described herein to use, implementation, performance, etc. by a single gender; “exemplary” should be understood as “illustrative” or “exemplifying” and not necessarily as “preferred” over other embodiments. Further definitions for terms may be set out herein; these may apply to prior and subsequent instances of those terms, as will be understood from a reading of the present description.
Reference is made to
The wheel 102 is rotatably supported on the frame 101 about an axis of rotation AROT. In the present example, the wheel 102 has a hub 112 which includes a first hub portion 112a and a second hub portion 112b which together support a rim 114 via a plurality of mechanical fasteners 116. A tire 1 is shown supported on the rim 114. The hub portions 112a and 112b are rotatably supported on the fixed shaft 15 by means of a first bearing 118a and a second bearing 118b.
The wheel 102 has a longitudinal axis ALONG, a lateral axis ALAT that is coaxial with the axis of rotation AROT and has a geometric center O that is on the axis of rotation AROT and on the longitudinal axis ALONG. In the present example, the lateral axis ALAT is the same as (i.e. is coaxial with) the axis of rotation AROT, and intersects the longitudinal axis ALONG at the geometric center O. The wheel 102 has a ground engagement surface 120 that is, in the present example, the exterior surface of the tire 1. In some embodiments, the ground engagement surface 120 has a longitudinal radius of curvature RLONG and a lateral radius of curvature RLAT that is at most 10% greater or less than the longitudinal radius of curvature RLONG. In a preferred embodiment, RLONG and RLAT are equal.
The motor 104 is provided to drive rotation of the wheel 102 relative to the frame 101. The motor 104 includes a stator 12 that is mounted to the internal component support structure 108, and a rotor 13 that is mounted to an interior surface of the wheel 102, radially outside of and in close proximity to the stator 12. Power for the motor 104 is provided by the batteries 20 via the controller 21. The motor 104 may be a brushless DC motor, or any other suitable kind of motor. Due to the spherical shape of the vehicle 100 the motor 104 may be relative wider than other motors typically used in self-balancing vehicles, which permits the motor to generate a relatively high torque. This permits the motor 104 to be capable of balance correction in a larger range of conditions than other motors in some prior art self-balancing vehicles.
The first footrest 2a is located on a first side 124a of the wheel 102 and the second footrest 2b is located on a second side 124b of the wheel 102. Each of the first and second footrests 2a and 2b has a foot support surface 6 and is movable relative to the frame 101 between a folded position (
In the example embodiment shown, for each footrest 2a, 2b, the frame 101 contains a magnet 128 (
When the vehicle 100 is picked up and carried for transport, it may be held in a carrying position wherein the vehicle 100 is oriented on its side, as shown in
In some embodiments, the magnetic force FMAG is sufficiently strong to hold a weight of the footrest 2 when in the folded position when the vehicle 100 is oriented with the footrest 2 at a bottom of the vehicle 100 (e.g.
It has been found that it is beneficial for the footrest 2a, 2b to have a thickness (a depth) of at least about 30 mm in order for the first and second recesses 134 and 136 to have sufficient depth to be easily useable to carry the vehicle 100.
Accordingly, to keep the magnetic force FMAG sufficiently low, as described above, the self-balancing vehicle 100 may further comprise a latch member 138 and a latch receiving surface 140, shown in
As can be seen in
The latch member 138 and the latch receiving surface 140 may be a first latch member 138 and a first latch receiving surface 140, and the vehicle 100 may include a second latch member 138 and a second latch receiving surface 140 for the second footrest 2b, which operate the same way to hold the second footrest 2b in the folded position as the first latch member 138 and the first latch receiving surface 140 do for the first footrest 2a.
In the presently described example, the latch member 138 and the latch receiving surface 140 provide a way of locking the footrest 2a, 2b whose handle 132 is being used to pick up the vehicle 100, without requiring a complicated mechanism that is composed of many components. Additionally, the latch member 138 and the latch receiving surface 140 operate automatically, without requiring the user to manually activate them or deactivate them.
It will be noted that the latch member 138 and the latch receiving surface 140 would be advantageous on vehicles that do not have a spherical shape, and on vehicles that are not provided with the capability of being tippable laterally when in the use position such that the support structure engages the ground and cooperates with a ground-engaging point on the wheel to stably support the self-balancing vehicle when a user stands on said at least one of the footrests. The latch member 138 and the latch receiving surface 140 could be used with almost any vehicle employing a driven wheel flanked on both sides by laterally outboard footrests, wherein at least one of the footrests has a handle thereon, for picking up the vehicle for transport.
The structure to support the first and second footrests in the deployed position will now be described, with reference to
It will be understood that a resistive moment must be applied by the limit surface 148 on the footrest 2 when supporting the weight of a user, since the user's weight applies a moment on the footrest 2. The resistive moment that must be applied is based on a distance between the axis AF and the middle of the deployment position limit surface 148 (wherein the distance is shown at DF in
Thus, by providing a deployment position limit surface 148 that is inboard of the hinge pin 8 and internal to respective one of the first and second side cavities 142, the distance DF can be made large, which is advantageous as explained above.
It will be noted that, due to the position of the deployment position limit surface 148 relative to the pivot axis AF and the foot support surface 6, the deployment position limit surface 148 faces downwards in order to provide the resistive moment.
The self-balancing vehicle 100 is positionable in a stowage position (
In the use position, the user may stand on the first and second footrests 2a and 2b, and control the operation of the vehicle 100 in any suitable way. For example, the user may tip the vehicle 100 forward or rearward to control the speed of the vehicle. The control system 106 incorporates one or more sensors to detect the orientation of the vehicle 100, and controls the speed of the motor 104 based on signals from the one or more sensors. One of the one or more sensors may be a gyro sensor, for example or a three-axis accelerometer. Furthermore, the control system 106 may control the motor 104 in order to attempt to keep the vehicle in balance, by detecting changes in the orientation of the vehicle 100 and sending power to the motor 104 as appropriate in order to keep the vehicle 100 upright. Based on the above, the control system 106 controls operation of the motor 104 based at least in part on an orientation of the self-balancing vehicle 100.
Prior to driving the vehicle 100, the user gets on the vehicle 100. To do that, the user may step with one foot (e.g. foot F2 as shown in
In some embodiments, a first portion 164a (
In order to maintain the sphericality of the vehicle 100 when in the stowage position, it is preferable for the support structure 164 to not extend outwards from the exterior surface 162 by more than 2.5% of the lateral radius of curvature RLAT of the vehicle 100. In an example, both the longitudinal and the lateral diameters of curvature of the vehicle 100 are approximately 244 mm (which is approximately the dimension of a typical soccer ball (220 mm) or of a typical basketball (234 mm), and the support structure extends by less than 3.4 mm from the exterior surface 162, which is less than about 1.4%. An advantage of the sphericality of the vehicle 100 is that a user can transport the vehicle 100 by rolling it like a ball instead of lifting it and carrying it from one place to another. It has been found that, by keeping the support structures from projecting more than 2.5% of the lateral radius of curvature RLAT of the vehicle 100, the vehicle 100 can still roll sufficiently predictably for the purpose of transport of the vehicle 100.
Additionally, it is beneficial to limit the amount that the support structure 164 projects from the exterior surface 162 of the footrest so as to ensure that the vehicle 100 has enough clearance to avoid scraping the ground when being tipped laterally during a turning maneuver. By limiting the amount by which the support structure 164 projects, as noted above, the vehicle 100 can be tipped by up to 15 degrees or more during a turn, which has been found to be sufficient.
In addition to controlling how much the support structures 164 extend from the exterior surfaces 162 of the footrests 2a and 2b, and in addition to providing not more than a 10% difference between the longitudinal radius of curvature and the lateral radius of curvature, it is also advantageous keep the center of mass CMV close to the geometric center O of the vehicle. In a preferred embodiment, the center of mass CMV is less than a quarter of the longitudinal radius of curvature RLONG away from the geometric center O of the wheel 102. It has been found that when this condition is met, the vehicle 100 is easy to roll along the ground in order to transport it from one place to another. It will also be noted that, while all of these features in combination provide good results for rolling the vehicle 100 in this way, it is possible for the vehicle 100 to have any one of these features and still represent an improvement over vehicles of the prior art.
While it is described above that it is advantageous to keep the center of mass CMV relatively close to the geometric center O, it is also advantageous for the center of mass CMV to be below the geometric center O at least by some small amount, so that, when the vehicle 100 is placed on the ground and the footrests 2a and 2b are opened, the vehicle 100 will find an equilibrium position in which the footrests 2a and 2b face upwards for receiving the feet of the user.
When a user stands on a vehicle with a central wheel and footrests on either side of the central wheel, it is possible for them to accidentally touch the wheel 102 with their leg unless there is some kind of protection to inhibit it. The present vehicle 100, however, is in some embodiments intended to have a spherical shape, which precludes the provision of a fixed guard or fairing that partially surrounds the wheel 102, since such an item would detract from the spherical shape of the vehicle 100. Several optional features may be provided on each of the footrests 2 to inhibit contact between the legs of the user (the legs being shown at L1 and L2) and the wheel 102. For example one optional feature is described as follows, with reference to
By selecting the position of the inboard edge 150, a user that has a typical leg height will clear the wheel 102 with their legs L1 and L2 even if their legs L1 and L2 are placed right at the inboard edge of the foot support surface 6.
In the example embodiment the foot support surface 6 has a length of greater than about 120 mm, and a width of greater than about 60 mm. In some embodiments, the foot support surface 6 may have a mostly circular shape with a diameter of about 150 mm.
Another optional feature to inhibit a user's legs L1 and L2 from contacting the wheel 102 during use is to provide the frame 101 with a first deflector 10a at the first side 124a of the wheel 102, and a second deflector 10b at the second side 124b of the wheel 102. The deflectors 10a and 10b. Each one of the first and second deflectors 10a and 10b is movable between a laterally retracted position (
In the example embodiment shown, for each one of the first and second deflectors 10a and 10b, movement of a respective one of the first and second footrests 2a, 2b to the deployed position holds the deflector 10a, 10b in the laterally extended position and movement of a respective one of the first and second footrests 2a, 2b to the folded position holds the deflector 10a, 10b to the laterally retracted position. In the present example, each deflector 10a, 10b is pivotally mounted to the frame 101 for movement between the laterally retracted position and the laterally extended position. The footrests 2a, 2b each have a deflector retraction drive surface 158 and a deflector extension drive surface 160. During movement of the footrest 2a, 2b to the folded position (
The deflectors 10a and 10b provide another way of protecting the legs L1 and L2 of the user while maintaining the spherical shape of the vehicle 100. It will be noted that the deflectors 10a and 10b could be used on vehicles that do not have a spherical shape so as to provide protection for the user's legs L1 and L2, and on vehicles that are not provided with the capability of being tippable laterally when in the use position such that the support structure engages the ground and cooperates with a ground-engaging point on the wheel to stably support the self-balancing vehicle when a user stands on said at least one of the footrests. The deflectors 10a and 10b could be used with almost any vehicle employing a driven wheel flanked on both sides by laterally outboard footrests.
In some embodiments, the vehicle 100 may be turned on manually by a user via a power switch 168 (
Once the vehicle 100 is powered on, the control system 106 may lock the rotor 13 to the stator 12, instead of waiting until it detects one footrest 2 on the ground G so as to keep the vehicle 100 stable while the user gets on it. Any of the means described above may be used to lock the rotor 13 to the stator 12.
In some embodiments, the control system 106 is programmed for detecting a presence of a user on the vehicle, and is programmed to initiate self-balancing of the motor based on said detecting of a presence of the user on the vehicle. For example, in some embodiments, the control system 106 includes a user sensing arrangement 172 positioned for detecting force applied by a user being supported on at least one of the first and second footrests 2a and 2b and is programmed to initiate control of the motor 104 based on signals from the user sensing arrangement 170. In an example, the user sensing arrangement 172 may include, for example, a limit switch at one or both of the deployment position limit surfaces 148. The limit switch may be equipped with a resistance spring that resists actuation of the limit switch unless a certain amount of weight is applied to the respective footrest 2. For example, the resistance spring may be selected such that the weight of the footrest 2 alone is not sufficient to actuate the limit switch but a weight of 30 lbs or more (or any other suitable weight is sufficient to actuate the limit switch. Thus, for a vehicle 100 that includes two such limit switches a user that weighs 60 lbs will apply 30 lbs of their weight to each footrest 2, actuating the respective limit switch.
Upon detection that the user has gotten on the vehicle 100 (e.g. is standing with one foot on each footrest 2a, 2b applying sufficient force to each), and detection that the user has brought the vehicle 100 to within a selected activation angle from horizontal, the control system 106 may unlock the motor 104 and may initiate the self-balancing function. The selected activation angle from horizontal may be, for example about 10 degrees. Optionally, the control system 106 may require the user to keep the vehicle 100 within the selected angle from horizontal for a selected amount of time, such as 0.25 seconds before initiating the self-balancing function. Being within a selected angle from horizontal as mentioned above means that the axis of rotation AROT is within the selected activation angle from horizontal.
Based on the above, it can be said that the control system is programmed to determine that the user is present on the vehicle based on at least one of the following conditions:
whether a sufficient force is applied to each of the first and second footrests; and
whether the vehicle is within a selected activation angle from horizontal.
As the user rides the vehicle 100 they may, during turning, lean the vehicle 100 over such that the axis of rotation AROT is outside of the selected angle from horizontal. If this is at a speed that is greater than a selected speed, then this will not cause the control system 106 to deactivate the self-balancing or to cut power to the motor 104. However, if the control system 106 detects that the angle of the vehicle 100 is greater than a selected deactivation angle from horizontal, which may be, for example, 20 degrees and detects that the speed of the vehicle 100 is less than a selected deactivation speed, such as, for example, 5 kph or 3 kph, the control system 106 may cut power to the motor 104 and let the vehicle 100 coast to a stop. Optionally, the control system 106 may apply some magnetic braking during this period to assist in stopping the vehicle 100. Optionally, once the control system 106 detects that the vehicle 100 is stopped after cutting power to the motor 104, the control system 106 may lock the rotor 13 to the stator 12 in order to assist in keeping the vehicle 100 stable while the user dismounts from it.
Another optional feature of the vehicle 100 is a safety feature in which the control system 106 is programmed to cut power to the motor 104 if the control system 106 determines an inclination of the lateral axis ALAT for the self-balancing vehicle 100 is greater than 45 degrees away from horizontal, so as to ensure that the user can pick up the vehicle 100 by the handle 132 without inadvertently driving the wheel 102, even in the event that the user forgets to turn the vehicle 100 off via the power switch.
In the present example vehicle 100 it will be noted that the distance between the foot support surface 6 and the axis of rotation AROT is less than 51 mm, which means that the user can quickly pivot the vehicle 100 into a position where the footrests 2 are oriented rearwardly, which initiates magnetic braking by the motor 104. Energy generated during the braking process can be collected and sent to the batteries 20.
It will be noted that the rotor 13 and stator 12 of the motor 104 are able to generate a large amount of torque, due to their large diameter and large width. As a result, heat dissipation is particularly important for the vehicle 100. As can be seen in
The vehicle 100 shown in
Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that there are yet more alternative implementations and modifications possible, and that the above examples are only illustrations of one or more implementations. The scope, therefore, is only to be limited by the claims appended hereto and any amendments made thereto.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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FR 1870254 | Mar 2018 | FR | national |