Stability attachment for a two-wheeled, self-balancing, personal transportation vehicle

A stability attachment for a personal transportation vehicle, the personal transportation vehicle having a main body forming a platform on which an operator stands, the main body having a first lateral end and a second lateral end disposed opposite the first lateral end and extending in a direction therebetween, the personal transportation vehicle further including a first drive wheel situated at the first lateral end of the main body and a second drive wheel situated at the second lateral end of the main body, the stability attachment comprising:

• a frame having a first axial end and a second axial end disposed opposite the first axial end, the frame being selectively mountable on the main body of the personal transportation vehicle and extending outwardly therefrom and generally transversely thereto when mounted thereon;
• and
• at least a first wheel and a second wheel, the first wheel being situated on the frame in proximity to the first axial end thereof, and the second wheel being situated on the frame in proximity to the second axial end thereof, the first wheel and the second wheel being situated on diametrically opposite sides of the main body of the personal transportation vehicle when the stability attachment is mounted thereon;
• and
• means for attaching the frame to the personal transportation vehicle;
• wherein the means for attaching the frame to the personal transportation vehicle includes at least one clamp mechanism affixed to the frame and situated between the first axial end and the second axial end of the frame, the at least one clamp mechanism being engageable with a portion of the main body of the personal transportation vehicle to selectively mount the frame thereto;
• wherein the frame further includes at least an elongated first support arm and an elongated second support arm extending in a substantially opposite direction to that of the first support arm;
• wherein each of the first support arm and the second support arm has a first axial end and a second axial end situated opposite the first axial end;
• wherein the second axial ends of the first support arm and the second support arm are connected to diametrically opposite sides of the clamp mechanism;
• wherein the first wheel is situated on the first support arm in proximity to the first axial end thereof, and the second wheel is situated on the second support arm in proximity to the first axial end thereof;
• wherein at least one of the first support arm and the second support arm includes at least a first telescoping member and a second telescoping member, the second telescoping member being at least partially receivable within the first telescoping member and being selectively extendable therefrom and retractable therein to adjust the overall length of the at least one of the first support arm and the second support arm;
• wherein at least one of the first telescoping member and the second telescoping member has at least one hole formed therein, and at least the other of the first telescoping member and the second telescoping member has a plurality of spaced apart holes formed therein and along at least a portion of the axial length thereof;
• wherein the stability attachment further comprises a pin;
• wherein the overall length of the at least one of the first support arm and the second support arm is fixed by aligning the hole in the first telescoping member with a respective hole of the plurality of holes of the second telescoping member and inserting the pin in the aligned holes;
• wherein the frame includes a bottom surface, and wherein the first wheel and the second wheel respectively extend outwardly from the bottom surface a first distance and a second distance;
• wherein the frame is structured to allow the independent adjustment of the first distance and the second distance the first wheel and the second wheel respectively extend outwardly from the bottom surface of the frame;
• wherein the frame further includes a first wheel mounting flange on which the first wheel is rotatably mounted, and a second wheel mounting flange on which the second wheel is rotatably mounted, each of the first wheel mounting flange and the second wheel mounting flange including an outwardly extending rod;
• wherein each of the first axial end and the second axial end of the frame has an opening formed in the bottom surface of the frame;
• wherein the rod of the first wheel mounting flange is received by the opening formed in the first axial end of the frame, and the rod of the second wheel mounting flange is received by the opening formed in the second axial end of the frame, each rod of the first wheel mounting flange and the second wheel mounting flange extending outwardly from the bottom surface of the frame to define an extended rod portion situated therebelow, the extended rod portion of each rod being adjustable in the distance which the extended rod portion extends outwardly from the bottom surface of the frame so that the first distance and the second distance the first wheel and the second wheel respectively extend outwardly from the bottom surface of the frame are independently adjustable.

A device comprising in combination:

• a personal transportation vehicle, the personal transportation vehicle having a main body forming a platform on which an operator stands, the main body having a first lateral end and a second lateral end disposed opposite the first lateral end and extending in a direction therebetween, the personal transportation vehicle further including a first drive wheel situated at the first lateral end of the main body and a second drive wheel situated at the second lateral end of the main body;
• and
• a stability attachment for mounting to the personal transportation vehicle, the stability attachment including:
• a frame having a first axial end and a second axial end disposed opposite the first axial end, the frame being selectively mountable on the main body of the personal transportation vehicle and extending outwardly therefrom and generally transversely thereto when mounted thereon;
• at least a first wheel and a second wheel, the first wheel being situated on the frame in proximity to the first axial end thereof, and the second wheel being situated on the frame in proximity to the second axial end thereof, the first wheel and the second wheel being situated on diametrically opposite sides of the main body of the personal transportation vehicle;
• and
• at least one clamp mechanism affixed to the frame and situated between the first axial end and the second axial end of the frame, the at least one clamp mechanism being engageable with a portion of the main body of the personal transportation vehicle to selectively mount the frame thereto.