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US 6,367,817 B1Granted
Personal mobility vehicles and methods
AssigneeDEKA Products Limited Partnership
InventorsDean L. Kamen, Robert R. Ambrogi, Robert J. Duggan, J. Douglas Field, Richard Kurt Heinzmann, Burl Amsbury, Christopher C. Langenfeld
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A class of transportation vehicles for carrying an individual over ground having a surface that may be irregular. Various embodiments have a motorized drive, mounted to the ground-contacting module that causes operation of the vehicle in an operating position that is unstable with respect to tipping when the motorized drive arrangement is not powered. Related methods are provided.
Claims4
A device for carrying a user, the device comprising:
- a. a platform which supports a payload including the user,
- b. a ground-contacting module, mounted to the platform, including at least one ground-contacting member and defining a fore-aft plane;
- c. a motorized drive arrangement, coupled to the ground-contacting module;
- the drive arrangement, ground-contacting module and payload constituting a system being unstable with respect to tipping when the motorized drive is not powered;
- the motorized drive arrangement causing, when powered, automatically balanced operation of the system in an operating position that is unstable with respect to tipping in at least a fore-aft plane when the motorized drive arrangement is not powered;
- and
- d. a user input control that receives an indication from the user of a specified pitch of the device under conditions of motion at uniform velocity.
4 more elements
A method for carrying a user, the method comprising:
- a. assuming a position on a platform which supports a payload including the user, the platform being coupled to a ground-contacting module, the module including at least one ground-contacting member and defining a fore-aft plane;
- b. operating a motorized drive arrangement, coupled to the ground-contacting module;
- the drive arrangement, ground-contacting module and payload constituting a system being unstable with respect to tipping when the motorized drive is not powered;
- the motorized drive arrangement causing, when powered, automatically balanced operation of the system in an operating position that is unstable with respect to tipping in at least a fore-aft plane when the motorized drive arrangement is not powered;
- and
- c. providing via a user input control an indication from the user of a specified pitch of the system under conditions of motion at uniform velocity.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.