Self-stabilizing skateboard
AssigneeFuture Motion, Inc.
InventorsKyle Jonathan Doerksen, Beau Robertson, Phil Rullman, Ximena Prugue, Daniel Blachinsky
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A self-propelled, one-wheeled vehicle may include a board having two deck portions each having a concave front footpad configured to receive a foot of a rider, and a wheel assembly disposed between the deck portions. The concave front footpad has a rider detection sensor in the form of a membrane switch conforming to the shape of the footpad (e.g., facilitated by one or more slots formed in the membrane switch). A motor assembly drives the vehicle in response to board orientation and rider detection information.
Claims20
A self-balancing electric vehicle, comprising:
- a board including a frame, a first deck portion disposed at a first end portion of the frame, and a second deck portion disposed at a second end portion of the frame, the first and second deck portions each configured to receive a left or right foot of a rider oriented generally perpendicular to a direction of travel of the board;
- a wheel assembly including a wheel rotatable about an axle, wherein the wheel is disposed between and extends above and below the first and second deck portions;
- a bumper coupled to the first end portion of the frame, wherein the bumper comprises a body configured to form a distal external end of the board, and an expanse extending from the body to form a lower external surface of the board;
- wherein each lateral edge of the expanse of the bumper includes a lengthwise channel configured to slidingly mate with a corresponding inward protrusion of a respective side rail of the frame.
A self-balancing electric vehicle, comprising:
- a board including a frame, a first deck portion disposed at a first end portion of the frame, and a second deck portion disposed at a second end portion of the frame, the first and second deck portions each configured to receive a left or right foot of a rider oriented generally perpendicular to a direction of travel of the board;
- a wheel assembly including a wheel rotatable about an axle, wherein the wheel is disposed between and extends above and below the first and second deck portions;
- a motor assembly configured to rotate the wheel about the axle to propel the vehicle;
- and
- a U-shaped bumper coupled to the second deck portion, wherein the bumper comprises a body configured to form an external end of the board, and a pair of legs extending from the body to form lower longitudinal corners of the board;
- wherein each leg of the bumper includes an inward protrusion configured to slidingly mate with a corresponding lengthwise channel of a battery enclosure of the board.
A self-balancing electric vehicle, comprising:
- a wheel assembly including a wheel having an axis of rotation;
- a board including a central opening to accommodate the wheel, such that the board is tiltable about the wheel, first and second deck portions of the board each configured to receive a left or right foot of a rider oriented generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheel;
- a first bumper coupled to the first deck portion, wherein the first bumper comprises a body configured to form a first distal external end of the board, and an expanse extending from the body to form a lower external surface of the board;
- wherein each lateral edge of the expanse of the first bumper includes a lengthwise channel configured to slidingly mate with a corresponding inward protrusion of a respective side rail of the board;
- and
- a second, U-shaped bumper coupled to the second deck portion, wherein the second bumper comprises a body configured to form a second distal end of the board, and a pair of legs extending from the body to form lower longitudinal corners of the board;
- wherein each leg of the second bumper includes an inward protrusion configured to slidingly mate with a corresponding lengthwise channel of a battery enclosure of the board.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.