US 12,011,997 B2
Self-balancing two-wheeled vehicle
Ian Patterson, Innisfil (CA); Robert Murray O'Brien, Ajax (CA); and Daryl R. Tearne, Toronto (CA)
Assigned to Spin Master Ltd., Toronto (CA)
Filed by Spin Master Ltd., Toronto (CA)
Filed on Jan. 20, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/157,136.
Application 18/157,136 is a continuation of application No. 16/948,519, filed on Sep. 22, 2020, granted, now 11,560,055.
Application 16/948,519 is a continuation of application No. 16/278,538, filed on Feb. 18, 2019, granted, now 10,780,780, issued on Sep. 22, 2020.
Application 16/278,538 is a continuation of application No. 16/023,498, filed on Jun. 29, 2018, granted, now 10,245,952, issued on Apr. 2, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/614,474, filed on Jan. 7, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0150359 A1, May 18, 2023
Int. Cl. B62M 7/12 (2006.01); B60B 19/00 (2006.01); B60B 19/12 (2006.01); B60K 7/00 (2006.01); B60K 31/00 (2006.01); B60K 31/12 (2006.01); B62K 11/00 (2006.01); B62M 11/10 (2006.01); B62M 23/00 (2006.01); B62M 29/00 (2006.01); B62M 7/00 (2010.01)
CPC B60K 31/0083 (2013.01) [B60B 19/003 (2013.01); B60B 19/125 (2013.01); B60K 7/0007 (2013.01); B60K 31/12 (2013.01); B62K 11/00 (2013.01); B62M 7/12 (2013.01); B62M 11/10 (2013.01); B62M 23/00 (2013.01); B62M 29/00 (2013.01); B60K 2007/0046 (2013.01); B60K 2007/0061 (2013.01); B60K 2007/0092 (2013.01); B60Y 2200/12 (2013.01); B62M 7/00 (2013.01)] 5 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A self-balancing two-wheeled vehicle, comprising:
a body;
a first wheel rotatably coupled to the body;
a second wheel rotatably coupled to the body, the second wheel having a plurality of lateral rollers rotatable about a roller axis that is one of oblique and orthogonal to a rotation axis of the second wheel;
at least one motor coupled to the second wheel to control rotation of the second wheel and the plurality of lateral roller;
at least one sensor coupled to the body to generate orientation data therefor; and
wherein the second wheel has a first drive interface and a second drive interface to which the at least one motor is coupled, the first drive interface being rotatable independent of the second drive interface, and wherein the second drive interface is uncoupled from rotation of the second wheel about a rear axle,
wherein the at least one motor includes a first motor coupled to the first drive interface and a second motor coupled to the second drive interface,
wherein the first drive interface includes a first gear face and the second drive interface includes a second gear face that faces the first gear face,
wherein each lateral roller from the plurality of lateral rollers has a roller gear, and is rotatable by a transmission translation member that includes a first gear that is engaged with both the first and second gear faces, and a peripheral gear face, wherein the peripheral gear face is engaged with the roller gear from each lateral roller of the plurality of lateral rollers, such that relative rotation between the first and second gear faces drives rotation of the lateral rollers,
wherein a control module is coupled to the at least one sensor and to the first and second motors to control the relative rotation between the first and second gear faces so as to drive rotation of the lateral rollers in order to maintain a center-of-gravity of the self-balancing two-wheeled vehicle over an area of contact of the first wheel and the second wheel with a travel surface so as to balance the self-balancing two-wheeled vehicle at least partially based on the orientation data generated by the at least one sensor.