# US 8,751,110 B2 · Inverted pendulum type vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,751,110 B2 - Document ID: US8751110B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/771,375 - Filed: 2013-02-20 - Published: 2013-11-14 - Granted: 2014-06-10 - Earliest claimed: 2012-05-14 - Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Toru Takenaka; Shinya Shirokura; Makoto Araki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8751110B2 ## CPC - B62D 11/003: {Electric or electronic control systems} - B60B 19/003: {Multidirectional wheels} - B62K 1/00: Unicycles - B62K 11/007: {Automatic balancing machines with single main ground engaging wheel or coaxial wheels supporting a rider} - 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) - B60B: VEHICLE WHEELS (making wheels or wheel parts by rolling B21H1/00, by forging, hammering or pressing B21K1/28); CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION - B62K: CYCLES; CYCLE FRAMES; CYCLE STEERING DEVICES; RIDER-OPERATED TERMINAL CONTROLS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR CYCLES; CYCLE AXLE SUSPENSIONS; CYCLE SIDECARS, FORECARS, OR THE LIKE ## Abstract An inverted pendulum type vehicle having a tiltable rider mounting section includes a first travel operation unit and a second travel operation unit, which are disposed with an interval provided therebetween in the longitudinal direction and which are capable of traveling in all directions. In a situation wherein a predetermined representative point of the vehicle or the first travel operation unit is to be moved rightward or leftward, the traveling operations of the first travel operation unit and the second travel operation unit are controlled such that the travel velocity of the first travel operation unit and the travel velocity of the second travel operation unit in the lateral direction are different from each other so as to cause the vehicle to turn about a turn center at the rear of a ground contact point of the first travel operation unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An inverted pendulum type vehicle having at least a first travel operation unit capable of traveling on a floor surface; a first actuator that drives the first travel operation unit; a base body to which the first travel operation unit and the first actuator are installed; and a rider mounting section attached to the base body such that the rider mounting section is tiltable relative to a vertical direction, wherein the first travel operation unit is configured to be capable of traveling in all directions, including a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction relative to a rider on the rider mounting section, by a driving force of the first actuator, the inverted pendulum type vehicle comprising: a second travel operation unit, which is connected to the first travel operation unit or the base body with an interval provided from the first travel operation unit in the longitudinal direction and which is configured to be capable of traveling in all directions on a floor surface; a second actuator which generates a driving force for causing the second travel operation unit to travel at least in the lateral direction; and a control unit, which controls the first actuator and the second actuator so as to cause the first travel operation unit and the second travel operation unit to carry out travel motions thereof according to at least the tilt of the rider mounting section, wherein the control unit is configured to carry out turning control processing for controlling, through the first actuator and the second actuator, a travel velocity of the first travel operation unit and a travel velocity of the second travel operation unit in the lateral direction to be different from each other so as to cause the inverted pendulum type vehicle to turn about a turn center behind a ground contact point of the first travel operation unit in a situation in which a predetermined representative point of the inverted pendulum type vehicle that has been established beforehand or the first travel operation unit is to be moved leftward or rightward. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The inverted pendulum type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the second travel operation unit is disposed at the rear of the first travel operation unit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The inverted pendulum type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to control, through the first actuator and the second actuator, the travel velocity of the first travel operation unit and the travel velocity of the second travel operation unit in the lateral direction on the basis of a desired value or an observed value of the travel velocity of the predetermined representative point or the first travel operation unit in a forward direction such that a position of the turn center in the longitudinal direction is moved toward a front at a rear side of the rider on the rider mounting section as a magnitude of the desired value or the observed value of the travel velocity of the predetermined representative point or the first travel operation unit in a forward direction increases in the turning control processing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The inverted pendulum type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to carry out the turning control processing in a situation in which a magnitude of a desired value or an observed value of the leftward or rightward travel velocity of the predetermined representative point or the first travel operation unit is a predetermined value or more and to control the first actuator and the second actuator such that the travel velocity of the first travel operation unit and the travel velocity of the second travel operation unit in the lateral direction are the same with each other in a situation in which the magnitude of the desired value or the observed value of the travel velocity is smaller than a predetermined value. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The inverted pendulum type vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the control unit carries out the turning control processing in a situation wherein the magnitude of the observed value of the velocity of the rightward or leftward travel of the predetermined representative point, which has been set beforehand as a point fixed with respect to the rider mounting section, is a predetermined value or more. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The inverted pendulum type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to determine a desired value of a turn angular velocity of the inverted pendulum type vehicle on the basis of at least a desired value or an observed value of the velocity of the rightward or leftward travel of the predetermined representative point or the first travel operation unit and to control the velocities of the travels of the first travel operation unit and the second travel operation unit in the lateral direction on the basis of the desired value of the turn angular velocity through the first actuator and the second actuator, respectively, in the turning control processing. ### Claim 7 An inverted pendulum type vehicle having at least a first travel operation unit capable of traveling on a floor surface, a first actuator that drives the first travel operation unit, a base body to which the first travel operation unit and the first actuator are installed, and a rider mounting section attached to the base body such that the rider mounting section is tiltable relative to a vertical direction, wherein the first travel operation unit is configured to be capable of traveling in all directions, including a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction relative to a rider on the rider mounting section, by a driving force of the first actuator, the inverted pendulum type vehicle comprising: a second travel operation unit, which is connected to the first travel operation unit or the base body with an interval provided from the first travel operation unit in the longitudinal direction and which is configured to be capable of traveling in all directions on a floor surface; a second actuator which generates a driving force for causing the second travel operation unit to travel at least in the lateral direction; and a control unit, which controls the first actuator and the second actuator so as to cause the first travel operation unit and the second travel operation unit to carry out travel motions thereof according to at least the tilt of the rider mounting section, wherein the control unit is configured to carry out turning control processing for controlling a travel velocity of the first travel operation unit and a travel velocity of the second travel operation unit in the lateral direction through the first actuator and the second actuator, respectively, to differ from each other so as to cause the inverted pendulum type vehicle to turn about a turn center on a rear side of a ground contact point of the first travel operation unit in a situation in which the rider on the rider mounting section has shifted his/her center of gravity to the right or left relatively with respect to the rider mounting section. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The inverted pendulum type vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the second travel operation unit is disposed on the rear side of the first travel operation unit. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The inverted pendulum type vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the control unit is configured to control, through the first actuator and the second actuator, the travel velocity of the first travel operation unit and the travel velocity of the second travel operation unit in the lateral direction on the basis of a desired value or an observed value of the travel velocity in a forward direction of the predetermined representative point or the first travel operation unit such that a position of the turn center in the longitudinal direction is moved toward a front on a rear side of the rider on the rider mounting section as a magnitude of the desired value or the observed value of the velocity of the travel of the predetermined representative point of the inverted pendulum type vehicle, which has been set beforehand, or the first travel operation unit in the forward direction increases, in the turning control processing. ### Claim 10 An inverted pendulum type vehicle having at least a first travel operation unit capable of traveling on a floor surface, a first actuator that drives the first travel operation unit, a base body to which the first travel operation unit and the first actuator are installed, and a rider mounting section attached to the base body such that the rider mounting section is tiltable relative to a vertical direction, wherein the first travel operation unit is configured to be capable of traveling in all directions, including a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction relative to a rider on the rider mounting section, by a driving force of the first actuator, the inverted pendulum type vehicle comprising: a second travel operation unit, which is connected to the first travel operation unit or the base body with an interval provided from the first travel operation unit in the longitudinal direction and which is configured to be capable of traveling in all directions on a floor surface; a second actuator which generates a driving force for causing the second travel operation unit to travel at least in the lateral direction; a control unit, which controls the first actuator and the second actuator so as to cause the first travel operation unit and the second travel operation unit to carry out travel motions thereof according to at least the tilt of the rider mounting section; and a total center of gravity offset estimating unit which estimates a lateral total center of gravity offset amount, which is an amount of a lateral relative movement of a total center of gravity of the rider and the inverted pendulum type vehicle with respect to the rider mounting section, the lateral total center of gravity offset amount being accrued due to the rider on the rider mounting section having shifted his/her center of gravity to the right or left relatively with respect to the rider mounting section, wherein the control unit is configured to carry out turning control processing for controlling a travel velocity of the first travel operation unit and a travel velocity of the second travel operation unit in the lateral direction through the first actuator and the second actuator, respectively, on the basis of a lateral total center of gravity offset amount estimated by the total center of gravity offset estimating unit so as to turn the inverted pendulum type vehicle about a turn center on a rear side of a ground contact point of the first travel operation unit in a situation in which the rider on the rider mounting section has shifted his/her center of gravity to the right or left relatively with respect to the rider mounting section. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The inverted pendulum type vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the control unit is configured to carry out the turning control processing in a situation, wherein a magnitude of an estimated value of the lateral total center of gravity offset amount is a predetermined value or more, and to control the first actuator and the second actuator such that the travel velocity of the first travel operation unit and the travel velocity of the second travel operation unit in the lateral direction are the same with each other in a situation wherein the magnitude of the estimated value of the lateral total center of gravity offset amount is smaller than a predetermined value. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The inverted pendulum type vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the control unit is configured to determine a desired value of a turn angular velocity of the inverted pendulum type vehicle on the basis of at least the estimated value of the lateral total center of gravity offset amount and to control the velocities of the travels of the first travel operation unit and the second travel operation unit in the lateral direction on the basis of the desired value of the turn angular velocity through the first actuator and the second actuator, respectively, in the turning control processing. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The inverted pendulum type vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the second travel operation unit is disposed on the rear side of the first travel operation unit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The inverted pendulum type vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the control unit is configured to control, through the first actuator and the second actuator, the travel velocity of the first travel operation unit and the travel velocity of the second travel operation unit, respectively, in the lateral direction on the basis of a desired value or an observed value of the travel velocity of a predetermined representative point or the first travel operation unit in a forward direction such that a position of the turn center in the longitudinal direction is moved toward a front on a rear side of the rider on the rider mounting section as a magnitude of the desired value or the observed value of the travel velocity of the predetermined representative point of the inverted pendulum type vehicle, which has been set beforehand, or the first travel operation unit in the forward direction increases, in the turning control processing.