APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROL OF A DYNAMICALLY SELF-BALANCING VEHICLE

• Main Authors: STEVENS, JON, M, FIELD, DOUGLAS, J, HEINZMANN, JOHN, D, GANSLER, MICHAEL, T
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 17.08.2011
• Subjects: ACCESSORIES PECULIAR TO CYCLES AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR,e.g. ARTICLE CARRIERS, CYCLE PROTECTORS; ARRANGEMENT OF BRAKING ELEMENTS ON VEHICLES IN GENERAL; BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF, IN GENERAL; CYCLE AXLE SUSPENSIONS; CYCLE FRAMES; CYCLE SADDLES OR SEATS; CYCLE SIDE-CARS, FORECARS, OR THE LIKE; CYCLE STEERING DEVICES; CYCLES; LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS; MOTOR VEHICLES; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PORTABLE DEVICES FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED MOVEMENT OFVEHICLES; RIDER-OPERATED TERMINAL CONTROLS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FORCYCLES; SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS; TRANSPORTING; VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF; VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE COOLING OF BRAKES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; VEHICLES IN GENERAL

An apparatus and method for transporting a payload over a surface is provided. A vehicle supports a payload with a support partially enclosed by an enclosure. Two laterally disposed ground-contacting elements are coupled to at least one of the enclosure or support. A motorized drive is coupled to the ground-contacting elements. A controller coupled to the drive governs the operation of the drive at least in response to the position of the center of gravity of the vehicle to dynamically control balancing of the vehicle.