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 Title: |
US5791425:
Control loop for transportation vehiclesCONTROL LOOP FOR TRANSPORTATION VEHICLES
[ Derwent Title ]
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| Country: |
US United States of America
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| Inventor: |
Kamen, Dean L.; Bedford, NH
Ambrogi, Robert R.; Manchester, NH
Duggan, Robert J.; Northwood, NH
Heinzmann, Richard K.; Francestown, NH
Key, Brian R.; Pelham, NH
Dastous, Susan D.; Windham, NH
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| Assignee: |
Deka Products Limited Partnership, Manchester, NH
other patents from DEKA PRODUCTS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP (682759) (approx. 104)
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| Published / Filed: |
1998-08-11
/ 1995-06-07
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| Application Number: |
US1995000482616
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| IPC Code: |
Advanced:
A61G 5/04;
A61G 5/06;
A61G 5/14;
B62D 57/00;
A61G 5/10;
A61G 5/12;
B60K 7/00;
IPC-7:
B62D 61/12;
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| ECLA Code: |
A61G5/06A; A61G5/04; A61G5/06B2; A61G5/06D; A61G5/14; B62D57/00; B62K3/00D; K61G5/10S2; K61G5/10S10; K61G5/10S14; K61G5/12E; K61G5/12H; K61G203/14; K61G203/20; L60K7/00;
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| U.S. Class: |
Current:
180/007.1;
180/008.2;
180/021;
180/065.8;
180/907;
280/005.26;
701/124;
Original:
180/007.1;
180/008.2;
180/021;
180/065.8;
180/907;
280/005.26;
701/124;
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| Field of Search: |
180/7.1,8.2,8.3,8.5,8.6,65.1,65.8,907,118,6.48,6.5,6.54,41,21
280/5.2,5.26,5.28,5.32,6.1,205,DIG. 10
901/001
364/176
701/004,29,33,116,124
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| Priority Number: |
| 1993-02-24 |
US1993000021789 |
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| Abstract: |
There is provided, in a preferred embodiment, a transportation vehicle for transporting an individual over ground having a surface that may be irregular. This embodiment has a support for supporting the subject. A ground-contacting module, movably attached to the support, serves to suspend the subject in the support over the surface. The orientation of the ground-contacting module defines fore-aft and lateral planes intersecting one another at a vertical. The support and the ground-contacting module are components of an assembly. A motorized drive, mounted to the assembly and coupled to the ground-contacting module, causes locomotion of the assembly and the subject therewith over the surface. Finally, the embodiment has a control loop, in which the motorized drive is included, for dynamically enhancing stability in the fore-aft plane by operation of the motorized drive in collection with the ground-contacting module. The ground contacting module may be realized as a pair of ground-contacting members, laterally disposed with respect to one another. The ground-contacting members may be wheels. Alternatively, each ground-contacting member may include a cluster of wheels. In another embodiment, each ground-contacting member includes a pair of axially adjacent and rotatably mounted arcuate element pairs. Related methods are also provided.
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| Attorney, Agent or Firm: |
Bromberg & Sunstein LLP ;
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| Primary / Asst. Examiners: |
Boehler, Anne Marie;
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| INPADOC Legal Status: |
Show legal status actions
Family Legal Status Report
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| Parent Case: |
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/384,705, filed Feb. 3, 1995, now pending, which in turn is a continuation in part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/250,693, filed May 27, 1994, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,701,965, which in turn is a continuation in part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/021,789, filed Feb. 24, 1993 now abandoned. These related applications are hereby incorporated by reference.
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| Family: |
Show 321 known family members
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First Claim:
Show all 14 claims |
What is claimed is:
1. A vehicle, for transporting a human subject over a surface that may be irregular, the vehicle comprising:
- (a) a support for supporting the subject;
- (b) a ground-contacting module, movably attached to the support, for suspending the subject in the support over the surface, the orientation of the ground-contacting module defining fore-aft and lateral planes; the support and the ground-contacting module being components of an assembly;
- (c) a motorized drive, mounted to the assembly for causing locomotion of the assembly and the subject over the surface; and
- (d) a control loop, in which the motorized drive is included, for dynamically maintaining stability in the fore-aft plane by operation of the motorized drive so that the net torque experienced by the assembly about a point of contact with the surface, taking into account torques caused by gravity as well as by all other external forces and by the motorized drive, causes a desired acceleration,
- wherein the control loop performs the following steps on a cyclical basis:
- (1) reading state variable inputs and inputs provided by the subject;
- (2) checking for safety of operation based upon comparison of the state variables with specified ranges of values; and
- (3) performing calculations for controlling the motorized drive based on the subject-provided inputs and the state variable inputs.
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| Background / Summary: |
Show background / summary
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| Drawing Descriptions: |
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| Description: |
Show description
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| Forward References: |
Show 85 U.S. patent(s) that reference this one
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| Foreign References: |
Buy
PDF |
Publication |
Date |
IPC Code |
Assignee |
Title |
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EP0193473
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1986-01 |
A61G 5/06
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Brunet, Pierre
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Motorized transporting device, for example for climbing and descending stairs |
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EP0537698
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1992-10 |
A61G 5/06
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T.G.R. S.r.l.
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Tracked motor-vehicle, particularly adapted for invalid carriages |
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DE2048593
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1971-05 |
A61G 5/06
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DE3128112
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1983-03 |
A61G 5/04
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Heid, Gerhard, Dipl.-Ing., 6100 Darmstadt, DE
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Kleines Elektrofahrzeug |
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DE32428804
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1983-06 |
B62B 5/02
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DE3411489
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1984-10 |
A61G 5/04
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Aisin Seiki K.K., Kariya, Aichi, JP
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Einrichtung zum Betreiben eines medizinischen Geraets |
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JP59073372
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1984-04 |
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JP60255580
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1985-12 |
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JP61031685
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1986-02 |
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JP63305082
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1988-12 |
B62D 61/04
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JP02190277
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1990-07 |
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JP05213240
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1993-08 |
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JP07255780
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1995-07 |
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GB0152664
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1922-02 |
B60B 19/00
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GIUSEPPE GARANZINI
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Improved wheels for vehicles intended to move over soft ground |
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GB1213930
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1970-11 |
B62B 5/02
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WO8605752
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1986-10 |
B62B 5/02
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POST THORKILD SOERENSEN
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STAIR CLIMBING HAND TRUCK |
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WO8906117
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1989-07 |
A61G 5/04
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ANSCHUETZ & CO GMBH
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PROCESS FOR STABILIZING A SINGLE-AXLE WHEELED VEHICLE AND VEHICLE SO STABILIZED |
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| Other Abstract Info: |
DERABS G1998-076064
DERABS G1998-455581
DERABS G1998-455581
DERABS G1999-609847
DERABS G1999-619291
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| Other References: |
Osaka et al., "Stabilization of Unicycle", Systems and Control, vol. 25, No. 3, Japan (1981), pp. 159-166 (Abstract only).
Roy et al., "Five-Wheel Unicycle System", Medical & Biological Engineering & Computing, vol. 23, No. 6, United Kingdom (1985), pp. 593-596.
(4 pages)
Cited by 45 patents
Kawaji, S., "Stabilization of Unicycle Using Spinning Motion", Denki Gakkai Ronbushi, D, vol. 107, Issue 1, Japan (1987), pp. 21-28 (Abstract only).
Schoonwinkel, A., "Design and Test of a Computer-Stabilized Unicycle", Dissertation Abstracts International, vol. 49/03-B, Stanford University (1988), pp. 890-1294 (Abstract only).
Vos et al., "Dynamics and Nonlinear Adaptive Control of an Autonomous Unicycle--Theory and Experiment", American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, A90-26772 10-39, Washington, D.C. (1990), pp. 487-494 (Abstract only).
Kawaji, S., "Stabilization of Unicycle Using Spinning Motion", Denki Gakkai Ronbushi, D, vol. 107, Issue 1, Japan (1987), pp. 21-28.
Schoonwinkel, A. "Design and Test of a Computer-Stabilized Unicycle", Stanford University (1988), UMI Dissertation Services.
Vos, D. "Dynamics and Nonlinear Adaptive Control of An Autonomous Unicycle", Massachusetts Institute of Technology, (1989).
Vos, D. "Nonlinear Control of An Autonomous Unicycle Robot: Practical Issues", Massachusetts Institute of Technology, (1992).
Koyanagi et al., "A Wheeled Inverse Pendulum Type Self-Contained Mobile Robot and Its Posture Control and Vehicle Control", The Society of Instrument and Control Engineers, Special issue of the 31st SICE Annual Conference, Japan (1992), pp. 13-16.
Koyanagi et al, "A Wheeled Inverse Pendulum Type Self-Contained Mobile Robot", The Society of Instrument and Control Engineers, Special issue of the 31st SICE Annual Conference, Japan (1992), pp. 51-56.
Koyanagi et al., "A Wheeled Inverse Pendulum Type Self-Contained Mobile Robot and its Two Dimensional Trajectory Control", Proceeding of the Second International Symposium on Measurement and Control in Robotics, Japan (1992), pp. 891-898.
Watson Industries, Inc., Vertical Reference Manual ADS-C132-1A and ADS-C232-1A, (1992), pp. 3-4.
News article "Amazing Wheelchair Goes Up and Down Stairs".
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