Self-stabilizing vehicle
AssigneeBryant Engineering & Development, LLC
InventorRobert H. Bryant
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method of stabilizing a vehicle are disclosed. In accordance with one aspect, a self-stabilizing vehicle having an articulated frame may generally comprise: a base frame portion coupled to one or more wheels; an operator frame portion to support an operator of the vehicle; a hinge assembly operably coupling the base frame portion and the operator frame portion; and a control unit to drive the hinge assembly causing the operator frame portion to rotate (relative to the base frame portion) about one or more hinge axes as a function of inertial data and speed data, and optionally steering control input signals. In some two-wheeled applications, both wheels are steerable; additionally, both wheels may be driven. Alternative vehicles are disclosed having one wheel and three wheels.
Claims18
A self-stabilizing vehicle comprising:
- a front wheel and a rear wheel substantially aligned along a longitudinal axis;
- a base frame portion coupled to the front wheel and to the rear wheel;
- an operator frame portion to support an operator of the vehicle;
- a hinge assembly operably coupling the base frame portion and the operator frame portion;
- and
- a control unit receiving, from an inertial sensor, inertial data related to deviation of the base frame portion from a vertical plane through the longitudinal axis, receiving, from a speed sensor, instantaneous speed data related to a rate of travel of the vehicle, and receiving, from a steering control input mechanism, a steering control input signal related to an intended direction of travel;
- wherein the control unit is operative to drive the hinge assembly causing the operator frame portion to rotate about a hinge axis as a function of the inertial data and the instantaneous speed data;
- wherein the control unit is further operative to cause each of the front wheel and the rear wheel to deflect, independently, at a respective angle from the longitudinal axis as a function of the steering control input to direct the vehicle in the intended direction of travel;
- and
- wherein the control unit is further operative to vary the deflection angle of at least one of the front wheel and the rear wheel, from the longitudinal axis, additionally as a function of the inertial data and the instantaneous speed data, in combination with the driving of the hinge assembly, to stabilize the vehicle.
A method of stabilizing a vehicle, the method comprising:
- coupling a base frame portion of the vehicle to a front wheel and to a rear wheel, wherein the front wheel and the rear wheel are substantially aligned along a longitudinal axis;
- coupling the base frame portion to an operator frame portion with a hinge having a hinge axis, wherein the operator frame portion is to support an operator of the vehicle and is selectively rotatable relative to the base frame portion about the hinge axis;
- receiving, from an inertial sensor, inertial data related to deviation of the base frame portion from a vertical plane through the longitudinal axis and receiving, from a speed sensor, instantaneous speed data related to a rate of travel of the vehicle;
- receiving, from a steering control input mechanism, a steering control input signal related to an intended direction of travel;
- responsive to the inertial data and the instantaneous speed data, selectively driving the hinge to cause the operator frame portion to rotate about the hinge axis;
- responsive to the steering control input signal, selectively causing each of the front wheel and the rear wheel to deflect at a respective angle from the longitudinal axis to direct the vehicle in the intended direction of travel;
- and
- varying the deflection angle of at least one of the front wheel and the rear wheel, from the longitudinal axis, additionally as a function of the inertial data and the instantaneous speed data, in combination with the driving of the hinge assembly, to stabilize the vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.