# US 10,369,453 B2 · Pitch-propelled vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,369,453 B2 - Document ID: US10369453B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/677,641 - Filed: 2017-08-15 - Published: 2017-12-21 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-10-21 - Assignees: Equalia LLC - Applicants: Equalia LLC - Inventors: Robert A. Bigler - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10369453B2 ## CPC - A63C 17/08: single-wheel type {with single axis} - A63C 17/014: {Wheel arrangements} - A63C 17/016: {with wheels arranged in one track} - A63C 17/12: with driving mechanisms - A63C 17/265: {with handles or hand supports} - B60L 50/52: characterised by DC-motors - B62K 11/007: {Automatic balancing machines with single main ground engaging wheel or coaxial wheels supporting a rider} - A63C 2203/10: enabling folding, collapsing - A63C 2203/12: Electrically powered or heated - A63C 2203/18: Measuring a physical parameter, e.g. speed, distance - B60L 2200/14: Vehicles with one wheel only - B60L 2260/34: Stabilising upright position of vehicles, e.g. of single axle vehicles - B62D 37/00: Stabilising vehicle bodies without controlling suspension arrangements - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - A63C: SKATES; SKIS; ROLLER SKATES; DESIGN OR LAYOUT OF COURTS, RINKS OR THE LIKE (water skis B63B32/00, B63B34/00) - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - B62K: CYCLES; CYCLE FRAMES; CYCLE STEERING DEVICES; RIDER-OPERATED TERMINAL CONTROLS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR CYCLES; CYCLE AXLE SUSPENSIONS; CYCLE SIDECARS, FORECARS, OR THE LIKE - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A method, system and apparatus for carrying a user including a board for supporting the user, a plurality of ground-contacting members coupled with the board, a motorized drive assembly coupled with the ground-contacting members and one or more sensors coupled with the drive assembly. In operation, the drive assembly adjusts the velocity of the ground-contacting member based on one or more distances of the board from a surface below the board as detected by the sensors. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle for carrying a user comprising: a board having an elongated dimension and a shorter dimension perpendicular to the elongated dimension; a first ground-contacting member coupled with the board and configured to rotate about a first axis that is parallel to the shorter dimension; a second ground-contacting member coupled with the board and configured to rotate about a second axis parallel to the shorter dimension, wherein the first and second ground-contacting members are adjacent to each other such that when at rest the first ground-contacting member and the second ground-contacting member have a resting alignment with respect to each other; one or more deflection sensors coupled with the drive elements, wherein the deflection sensors determine a misalignment value of the first and second ground-contacting members by measuring a distance that the alignment of the first ground-contacting member and the second ground-contacting member deviates from the resting alignment; and one or more motorized drive elements coupled with the first and the second ground-contacting members, wherein the drive elements: determine a base rotational speed based on a pitch of the board about the first axis; determine a tilt of the board about the elongated dimension based on the misalignment value; and if the tilt exceeds a threshold value, cause the first ground-contacting member to rotate at a first velocity and the second ground-contacting member to rotate at a second velocity, wherein a difference between the first velocity and the second velocity is based on the tilt. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein one or both of the group consisting of the first velocity and the second velocity are different than the base rotational speed in an amount that is based on the tilt. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein, if the base rotational speed is equal to zero and the tilt exceeds the threshold value, the first velocity has a different direction than the second velocity such that the first ground-contacting member rotates in a different direction than the second ground-contacting member. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising one or more tilt sensors coupled with the drive elements, wherein the drive elements determine the tilt with respect to a surface below the board based on one or more distances of the board from the surface as detected by the tilt sensors. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The vehicle of claim 4, wherein at least one of the tilt sensors is positioned on a first end of the shorter dimension of the board and at least another one of the tilt sensors is positioned on a second end of the shorter dimension of the board that is opposite from the first end. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the tilt is calculated by determining a difference between the one or more distances and an average of two or more of the distances. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising one or more gyroscopic sensors coupled with the drive elements, wherein the drive elements determine the tilt with respect to gravity using the gyroscopic sensors. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the distance is measured in a direction perpendicular to the shorter dimension and the elongated dimension of the board. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first ground-contacting member and the second ground-contacting member each have a separate axle such that the axle of the first ground-contacting member and the axle of the second ground-contacting member are able to move with respect to each other. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising one or more pitch sensors coupled with the drive elements, wherein the drive elements determine the pitch based on one or more distances of the board from a surface below the board as detected by the pitch sensors. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the board as balanced by the first and second ground-contacting members is unstable with respect to tipping about the first axis when the motorized drive elements are not in operation, and the motorized drive elements are configured to automatically balance the board with respect to tipping about the first axis when the motorized drive elements are in operation. ### Claim 12 A method of operating a vehicle having an elongated board, the method comprising: providing a vehicle comprising: a board having an elongated dimension and a shorter dimension perpendicular to the elongated dimension; a first ground-contacting member coupled with the board and configured to rotate about a first axis that is parallel to the shorter dimension; a second ground-contacting member coupled with the board and configured to rotate about a second axis parallel to the shorter dimension, wherein the first and second ground-contacting members are adjacent to each other such that when at rest the first ground-contacting member and the second ground-contacting member have a resting alignment with respect to each other; one or more deflection sensors coupled with the drive elements, wherein the deflection sensors determine a misalignment value of the first and second ground-contacting members by measuring a distance that the alignment of the first ground-contacting member and the second ground-contacting member deviates from the resting alignment; and one or more motorized drive elements coupled with the first and the second ground-contacting members; and with the drive elements: determining a base rotational speed based on a pitch of the board about the first axis; determining a tilt of the board about the elongated dimension based on the misalignment value; and if the tilt exceeds a threshold value, causing the first ground-contacting member to rotate at a first velocity and the second ground-contacting member to rotate at a second velocity, wherein a difference between the first velocity and the second velocity is based on the tilt. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein one or both of the group consisting of the first velocity and the second velocity are different than the base rotational speed in an amount that is based on the tilt. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein, if the base rotational speed is equal to zero and the tilt exceeds the threshold value, the first velocity has a different direction than the second velocity such that the first ground-contacting member rotates in a different direction than the second ground-contacting member. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the vehicle further comprises one or more tilt sensors coupled with the drive elements, the method further comprising, with the drive elements, determining the tilt with respect to a surface below the board based on one or more distances of the board from the surface as detected by the tilt sensors. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein at least one of the tilt sensors is positioned on a first end of the shorter dimension of the board and at least another one of the tilt sensors is positioned on a second end of the shorter dimension of the board that is opposite from the first end. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the tilt is calculated by determining a difference between the one or more distances and an average of two or more of the distances. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the vehicle further comprises one or more gyroscopic sensors coupled with the drive elements, the method further comprising, with the drive elements, determining the tilt with respect to gravity using the gyroscopic sensors. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the distance is measured in a direction perpendicular to the shorter dimension and the elongated dimension of the board. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the first ground-contacting member and the second ground-contacting member each have a separate axle such that the axle of the first ground-contacting member and the axle of the second ground-contacting member are able to move with respect to each other. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the vehicle further comprises one or more pitch sensors coupled with the drive elements, the method further comprising, with the drive elements, determining the pitch based on one or more distances of the board from a surface below the board as detected by the pitch sensors. ### Claim 22 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the board as balanced by the first and second ground-contacting members is unstable with respect to tipping about the first axis when the motorized drive elements are not in operation, and the motorized drive elements are configured to automatically balance the board with respect to tipping about the first axis when the motorized drive elements are in operation. ### Claim 23 A motorized skateboard-like vehicle for carrying a user, the vehicle comprising: a board having an elongated dimension and a shorter dimension perpendicular to the elongated dimension; a first ground-contacting member coupled with the board and configured to rotate about a first axis that is parallel to the shorter dimension; a second ground-contacting member coupled with the board and configured to rotate about a second axis parallel to the shorter dimension, wherein the first and second ground-contacting members are adjacent to each other such that when at rest the first ground-contacting member and the second ground-contacting member have a resting alignment with respect to each other; one or more deflection sensors coupled with the drive elements, wherein the deflection sensors determine a misalignment value of the first and second ground-contacting members by measuring a distance that the alignment of the first ground-contacting member and the second ground-contacting member deviates from the resting alignment, and further wherein the board forms a perimeter around the first and second ground-contacting members; a plurality of distance sensors positioned on a bottom surface of the board and configured to measure a distance between the bottom of the board and a surface below the board; and one or more motorized drive elements coupled with the first and the second ground-contacting members, wherein the drive elements: determine a base rotational speed based on a pitch of the board about the first axis; determine a tilt of the board about the elongated dimension based on the misalignment value; and if the tilt exceeds a threshold value, cause the first ground-contacting member to rotate at a first velocity and the second ground-contacting member to rotate at a second velocity, wherein a difference between the first velocity and the second velocity is based on the tilt.