A water shield structure for a transportation device and the transportation device having such a water shield structure. The transportation device is preferably a self-balancing device and may include a friction drive motor. The water shield structure helps reduce the entry of moisture from a riding surface into the wheel envelope or drive mechanism of the device. The water shield structure may extend laterally from a wheel and be enclosed, at least in part, in a housing.

A water shield structure for a transportation device and the transportation device having such a water shield structure. The transportation device is preferably a self-balancing device and may include a friction drive motor. The water shield structure helps reduce the entry of moisture from a riding surface into the wheel envelope or drive mechanism of the device. The water shield structure may extend laterally from a wheel and be enclosed, at least in part, in a housing.

In a propulsion device including a main wheel having a plurality of driven rollers fitted on and arranged circumferentially along an annular core member so as to be rotatable around tangential lines of the annular core member at respective positions thereof on the annular core member, a pair of drive disks positioned on either side of the main wheel in an individually rotatable manner, a plurality of drive rollers supported along an outer periphery of each drive disk so as to be each rotatable around a rotational center line extending in a skewed relationship to a rotational center line of the corresponding drive disk, and a drive unit for individually rotatively driving the drive disks, a plurality of guide rollers are rotatably supported by a body frame and engage at least one driven roller not engaged by any of the drive rollers from either side.

In a propulsion device including a main wheel having a plurality of driven rollers fitted on and arranged circumferentially along an annular core member so as to be rotatable around tangential lines of the annular core member at respective positions thereof on the annular core member, a pair of drive disks positioned on either side of the main wheel in an individually rotatable manner, a plurality of drive rollers supported along an outer periphery of each drive disk so as to be each rotatable around a rotational center line extending in a skewed relationship to a rotational center line of the corresponding drive disk, and a drive unit for individually rotatively driving the drive disks, a plurality of guide rollers are rotatably supported by a body frame and engage at least one driven roller not engaged by any of the drive rollers from either side.

A suspension friction drive system and an auto-balancing personal transportation device having same. The suspension friction drive system may include two wheels (at least one of which is a drive wheel) that contact the rim of a wheel to be driven. The wheels preferably contact the rim at a contact angle that increases friction such that wheel driving performance is enhanced. The wheels are also preferably positioned such that some degree of shock absorption is provided and additional absorption may be supported. Various embodiments and features are disclosed including, but not limited to, a suspension frame coupled between the two wheels, the use of at least two drive wheels, a suspension bias mechanism, and a drive wheel substantially centered on the rim.

A suspension friction drive system and an auto-balancing personal transportation device having same. The suspension friction drive system may include two wheels (at least one of which is a drive wheel) that contact the rim of a wheel to be driven. The wheels preferably contact the rim at a contact angle that increases friction such that wheel driving performance is enhanced. The wheels are also preferably positioned such that some degree of shock absorption is provided and additional absorption may be supported. Various embodiments and features are disclosed including, but not limited to, a suspension frame coupled between the two wheels, the use of at least two drive wheels, a suspension bias mechanism, and a drive wheel substantially centered on the rim.

An inverted pendulum vehicle has a vehicle body frame, a main wheel combining a plurality of driven rollers arranged along a circle, a pair of drive disks rotatably supported by the vehicle body frame around a laterally extending rotational center line, a plurality of drive rollers arranged rotatably on each drive disk along a circumferential direction and configured to engage the driven rollers of the main wheel, a drive unit for individually driving the drive disks, a control unit for controlling the drive units under an inverted pendulum control, a tail wheel arm having a base end pivotally attached to a part of the vehicle body frame around a laterally extending pivot center line, a tail wheel rotatably supported by the tail wheel arm and a skid member attached to the tail wheel arm, the skid member including a pair of side walls slanting outward toward upper edges thereof.

An inverted pendulum vehicle has a vehicle body frame, a main wheel combining a plurality of driven rollers arranged along a circle, a pair of drive disks rotatably supported by the vehicle body frame around a laterally extending rotational center line, a plurality of drive rollers arranged rotatably on each drive disk along a circumferential direction and configured to engage the driven rollers of the main wheel, a drive unit for individually driving the drive disks, a control unit for controlling the drive units under an inverted pendulum control, a tail wheel arm having a base end pivotally attached to a part of the vehicle body frame around a laterally extending pivot center line, a tail wheel rotatably supported by the tail wheel arm and a skid member attached to the tail wheel arm, the skid member including a pair of side walls slanting outward toward upper edges thereof.

Provided is an omni-wheel including an annular core member for rotatively supporting a plurality of free roller that is light, economical and strong. The omni-wheel comprises an annular core member having at least one junction defined by mutually circumferentially opposing ends thereof, a plurality of sleeve members defining an inner bore and passed onto the core member and a free roller rotatably supported on an outer surface of each sleeve member in a coaxial relationship, wherein the mutually opposing ends of the annular core member at each junction are fitted into either end of the inner bore of the corresponding sleeve member.

Provided is an omni-wheel including an annular core member for rotatively supporting a plurality of free roller that is light, economical and strong. The omni-wheel comprises an annular core member having at least one junction defined by mutually circumferentially opposing ends thereof, a plurality of sleeve members defining an inner bore and passed onto the core member and a free roller rotatably supported on an outer surface of each sleeve member in a coaxial relationship, wherein the mutually opposing ends of the annular core member at each junction are fitted into either end of the inner bore of the corresponding sleeve member.