US 7,090,040 B2Granted

Motion control of a transporter

AssigneeDEKA Products Limited Partnership

InventorsDean L. Kamen, Robert R. Ambrogi, J. Douglas Field, John D. Heinzmann, Richard Kurt Heinzmann, Christopher C. Langenfeld

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A transporter for transporting a subject over a surface that may be irregular. The transporter includes a support platform for supporting a load, the loaded support platform defining fore-aft and lateral planes and characterized by a load distribution. A plurality of ground contacting elements are coupled to the support platform. At least one of the plurality of ground contacting elements is driven by a motorized drive arrangement. A sensor module generates a signal indicative of the load distribution of the loaded support platform. Based at least on the load distribution, a controller commands the motorized drive arrangement.

Claims6

Dependent claims

A transporter comprising:

a support platform for supporting a load, the support platform defining a fore-aft plane and a lateral plane;
a plurality of ground contacting elements coupled to the support platform;
a pivot element pivotally coupled to at least one of the ground contacting elements such that the pivot element is capable of tilting;
a user interface for allowing a tilt of the pivot element in an operating mode in which the support platform remains statically stable with respect to tipping in the fore-aft and the lateral plane;
a sensor module for generating a signal indicative of the tilt of the pivot element;
a motorized drive arrangement for driving at least one of the plurality of ground contacting elements;
and a controller for commanding the motorized drive arrangement based on the signal indicative of the tilt of the pivot element.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/617,608Filed 11 Jul 2003 · continuation in part
Priority: 24 Feb 1993
Published: US 2004/0069543 A115 Apr 2004
Granted: 15 Aug 2006
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification44 codes

B60K 26/00
Arrangement or mounting of propulsion-unit control devices in vehicles
A61G 5/046
Having a specific drive-type: at least three driven wheels
A61G 5/06
Chairs or personal conveyances specially adapted for patients or disabled persons, e.g. wheelchairs: with obstacle mounting facilities, e.g. for…
A61G 5/1051
Parts, details or accessories: arrangements for steering

Family

Application08/021,789Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 24 Feb 1993
Application08/250,693Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 27 May 1994
Application08/384,705Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 3 Feb 1995
Application08/479,901Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 7 Jun 1995
Application09/325,976Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 4 Jun 1999
Application60/395,299Us provisional application · filed 12 Jul 2002
US 2004/0069543 A1Pre-grant publication · published 15 Apr 2004
US 5,971,091 AParent of this continuation-in-part
US 5,975,225 AParent of this continuation-in-part
US 5,701,965 AParent of this continuation-in-part
US 7,370,713 B1Related patent
US 7,090,040 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.