A motorized self-balancing vehicle is provided. The vehicle may include at least two wheels. The vehicle may include a self-balancing mechanism. The vehicle may include a manual-drive mechanism. The self-balancing mechanism may constantly update the self-balancing vehicle in order to maintain the balance of a rider of the vehicle, while the rider is engaged in human motion on the manual-drive mechanism. The human motion may include pedaling and/or stepping. The vehicle may include an electric motor. The vehicle may include only an electric motor. The vehicle may include only a manual-drive mechanism. The vehicle may include both the manual-drive mechanism and the electric motor. In the embodiment including the manual-drive mechanism and the electric motor, the power generated by the electronic motor may be combined with power generated by the manual-drive mechanism in order to move the vehicle.

A motorized self-balancing vehicle is provided. The vehicle may include at least two wheels. The vehicle may include a self-balancing mechanism. The vehicle may include a manual-drive mechanism. The self-balancing mechanism may constantly update the self-balancing vehicle in order to maintain the balance of a rider of the vehicle, while the rider is engaged in human motion on the manual-drive mechanism. The human motion may include pedaling and/or stepping. The vehicle may include an electric motor. The vehicle may include only an electric motor. The vehicle may include only a manual-drive mechanism. The vehicle may include both the manual-drive mechanism and the electric motor. In the embodiment including the manual-drive mechanism and the electric motor, the power generated by the electronic motor may be combined with power generated by the manual-drive mechanism in order to move the vehicle.

A Steerable Crank System including a Steerer Base firmly connected to the chassis/mainframe of a machine, said Steerer Base containing and supporting Grooved Cog Wheel situated in-line and parallel to the power driving direction in a manner that allows said Grooved Cog Wheel to rotate around its axis and drive the machine power, said Steerer Base containing and supporting a Fork in a manner that allows said Fork to rotate around its main axis and by that rotation movement it controls the steering, said Fork containing a 2.sup.nd axis supporting and housing a Crank Shaft in a manner that allows said Crank Shaft to rotate around its own axis, on said Crank Shaft attached a Butterfly Connector, said Butterfly Connector coupling together said Crank Shaft and Grooved Cog Wheel.

A Steerable Crank System including a Steerer Base firmly connected to the chassis/mainframe of a machine, said Steerer Base containing and supporting Grooved Cog Wheel situated in-line and parallel to the power driving direction in a manner that allows said Grooved Cog Wheel to rotate around its axis and drive the machine power, said Steerer Base containing and supporting a Fork in a manner that allows said Fork to rotate around its main axis and by that rotation movement it controls the steering, said Fork containing a 2.sup.nd axis supporting and housing a Crank Shaft in a manner that allows said Crank Shaft to rotate around its own axis, on said Crank Shaft attached a Butterfly Connector, said Butterfly Connector coupling together said Crank Shaft and Grooved Cog Wheel.

The power transmission system for a vehicle includes a side flex chain assembly that transmits rotational drive from a power transfer assembly to at least one direction wheel, resulting in propulsion of the vehicle. The orientation of the side flex chain in relation to the axis of the crank sprocket and the side flex chain sprocket and the convex inner face of the bushings of the side flex chain allow the side flex chain to twist when the at least one directional wheel turns left or the right without disengaging from the crank sprocket or the side flex chain sprocket. The power transmission system is designed to be used with a steering system that allows the power transfer assembly to remain substantially in the sagittal plane when steering.

The power transmission system for a vehicle includes a side flex chain assembly that transmits rotational drive from a power transfer assembly to at least one direction wheel, resulting in propulsion of the vehicle. The orientation of the side flex chain in relation to the axis of the crank sprocket and the side flex chain sprocket and the convex inner face of the bushings of the side flex chain allow the side flex chain to twist when the at least one directional wheel turns left or the right without disengaging from the crank sprocket or the side flex chain sprocket. The power transmission system is designed to be used with a steering system that allows the power transfer assembly to remain substantially in the sagittal plane when steering.

A wheel chair with several new and useful features is provided. Those new and useful features provide the wheel chair with enhanced lateral stability, automatic cocking of an automatic locking device whenever an occupant sits in the wheel chair, and a holding mechanism that enables the wheel chair to be freely wheeled about when there is no occupant, and automatically move to a cocked state as soon as an occupant sits on the chair. The result is an automatic locking system for a manual wheelchair that unlocks the wheels for intentional motion when the chair is occupied, and locks the wheelchair wheels immediately when it is unoccupied, yet in no way interferes with the typical locking mechanism of the standard manual wheelchair when so desired.

The disclosure provides a wheel, drive wheel and wheel chair. The wheel includes an annular rim and a disk covering the rim on one side in an axial direction of the rim. The disk of the wheel includes a skin and a cushion member. The skin is formed of a fiber-reinforced material. The cushion member includes a cushion part and a shape retaining part. The cushion part is formed of a shock absorbing material and is disposed adjacent to the skin. The shape retaining part is formed of a fiber-reinforced material and is disposed adjacent to the cushion part.

The disclosure provides a wheel, drive wheel and wheel chair. The wheel includes an annular rim and a disk covering the rim on one side in an axial direction of the rim. The disk of the wheel includes a skin and a cushion member. The skin is formed of a fiber-reinforced material. The cushion member includes a cushion part and a shape retaining part. The cushion part is formed of a shock absorbing material and is disposed adjacent to the skin. The shape retaining part is formed of a fiber-reinforced material and is disposed adjacent to the cushion part.

Hand pedals for turning the crank set of an arm driven tricycle have modular interchangeable components including a bearing which mounts on the spindle of the crank. A bridge connects the bearing to a handle. The bridge has two legs connected by a transverse spar. Different bridges and handles may be used having different sizes, shapes, lengths and angular orientations which allow the hand pedals to be customized to accommodate a particular user. Hand pedals may also be used on hand cranked bicycles, stationary hand cranked bicycles and industrial equipment.