A dolly for indoor and outdoor use including a supporting frame extending along a main axis of extension and a loading platform mounted above said frame. The dolly also includes at least one steering and drive wheel coupled to the bottom of the frame and at least one pair of idle wheels coupled to the bottom of the frame and positioned symmetrically relative to the main axis of extension. The dolly also comprises includes a control structure including a plurality of sensors configured for measuring a plurality of operating parameters of the dolly and for generating respective signals representing operating parameters and a processing unit configured to receive the representative signals and to impart a steering command to the at least one steering and drive wheel at least as a function of the representative signals.

Drifting karts in accordance with embodiments of the invention are described that include a front wheel drive train and rear caster wheels that can be dynamically engaged to induce and control drift during a turn. One embodiment of the invention includes a chassis to which a steering column is mounted, where the steering column includes at least one front steerable wheel configured to be driven by an electric motor, a battery housing mounted to the chassis, where the battery housing contains a controller and at least one battery, wiring configured to provide power from the at least one battery to the electric motor, two caster wheels mounted to the chassis, where each caster wheel is configured to rotate around a rotational axis and swivel around a swivel axis, and a hand lever configured to dynamically engage the caster wheels to induce and control drift during a turn.

Drifting karts in accordance with embodiments of the invention are described that include a front wheel drive train and rear caster wheels that can be dynamically engaged to induce and control drift during a turn. One embodiment of the invention includes a chassis to which a steering column is mounted, where the steering column includes at least one front steerable wheel configured to be driven by an electric motor, a battery housing mounted to the chassis, where the battery housing contains a controller and at least one battery, wiring configured to provide power from the at least one battery to the electric motor, two caster wheels mounted to the chassis, where each caster wheel is configured to rotate around a rotational axis and swivel around a swivel axis, and a hand lever configured to dynamically engage the caster wheels to induce and control drift during a turn.

A leaning vehicle, including a vehicle body, one steerable front wheel and two rear wheels, or two steerable front wheels and one or two rear wheels, a suspension mechanism, a steering mechanism, a steering controller, and an up-down direction acceleration detector attached to the vehicle body or the suspension mechanism. The two steerable front wheels or the two rear wheels are arranged side by side to form a left-right pair of wheels. The up-down direction acceleration detector detects an acceleration in an up-down direction of the leaning vehicle or the vehicle body, generated as one wheel in the left-right pair of wheels passes a bump or a pothole in a road. The steering controller so controls the one or two steerable front wheels that the one or two steerable front wheels are in a free-steering state, so as to swivel around a steering axis freely, based on the detected acceleration.

A leaning vehicle, including a vehicle body, one steerable front wheel and two rear wheels, or two steerable front wheels and one or two rear wheels, a suspension mechanism, a steering mechanism, a steering controller, and an up-down direction acceleration detector attached to the vehicle body or the suspension mechanism. The two steerable front wheels or the two rear wheels are arranged side by side to form a left-right pair of wheels. The up-down direction acceleration detector detects an acceleration in an up-down direction of the leaning vehicle or the vehicle body, generated as one wheel in the left-right pair of wheels passes a bump or a pothole in a road. The steering controller so controls the one or two steerable front wheels that the one or two steerable front wheels are in a free-steering state, so as to swivel around a steering axis freely, based on the detected acceleration.

A microtransporter system includes a plurality of microtransporters and a housing. The microtransporters each include a rigid base structure, three wheels rotatably mounted in the base structure, an electric motor drivingly connected to one of the wheels, and a load support surface connected to the base structure. The housing includes a storage chamber sized to store a plurality of microtransporters, and a passageway connecting the chamber to an outside of the housing.

A microtransporter system includes a plurality of microtransporters and a housing. The microtransporters each include a rigid base structure, three wheels rotatably mounted in the base structure, an electric motor drivingly connected to one of the wheels, and a load support surface connected to the base structure. The housing includes a storage chamber sized to store a plurality of microtransporters, and a passageway connecting the chamber to an outside of the housing.

Drifting karts in accordance with embodiments of the invention are described that include a front wheel drive train and rear caster wheels that can be dynamically engaged to induce and control drift during a turn. One embodiment of the invention includes a chassis to which a steering column is mounted, where the steering column includes at least one front steerable wheel configured to be driven by an electric motor, a battery housing mounted to the chassis, where the battery housing contains a controller and at least one battery, wiring configured to provide power from the at least one battery to the electric motor, two caster wheels mounted to the chassis, where each caster wheel is configured to rotate around a rotational axis and swivel around a swivel axis, and a hand lever configured to dynamically engage the caster wheels to induce and control drift during a turn.

Drifting karts in accordance with embodiments of the invention are described that include a front wheel drive train and rear caster wheels that can be dynamically engaged to induce and control drift during a turn. One embodiment of the invention includes a chassis to which a steering column is mounted, where the steering column includes at least one front steerable wheel configured to be driven by an electric motor, a battery housing mounted to the chassis, where the battery housing contains a controller and at least one battery, wiring configured to provide power from the at least one battery to the electric motor, two caster wheels mounted to the chassis, where each caster wheel is configured to rotate around a rotational axis and swivel around a swivel axis, and a hand lever configured to dynamically engage the caster wheels to induce and control drift during a turn.

The present invention relates generally to motorized vehicles and more specifically to a three wheeled motorized vehicle providing a hybrid crossover between an automobile and a motorcycle that is able to take tight corners like a motorcycle by provision of a segment enclosing the operator that can lean into turns, The front segment contains two wheels for both steering and propulsion and is conventionally constructed like any typical front wheel drive vehicle. The rear segment contains the operator (and optionally passenger) supported on a single wheel, The two segments are joined together via a coupling that both supports the assembly and allows rotation of the rear segment about the longitudinal axis to perform the lean for operator and or passenger comfort, while transmitting critical control functions.