Auxiliary transport vehicle, auxiliary transport system and method for operating an auxiliary transport vehicle

Abstract

An auxiliary transport vehicle according to the disclosure comprises a drive unit and an attachment that is placed thereon, wherein the drive unit comprises just two wheels with a common axis of rotation and each with an electric drive, an electronic control device and an electrical energy storage device, and wherein the control device is embodied for actuating the drives in such a way that the auxiliary transport vehicle is kept in an upright position, and for autonomously driving the auxiliary transport vehicle to a specifiable destination and for following an external control device. The disclosure also concerns an auxiliary transport system and a method for operating an auxiliary transport vehicle.

Claims

1. An auxiliary transport vehicle, comprising: a drive unit comprising at least one first drive part, and at least one second drive part, wherein at least one service station is configured for charging the at least one first drive part and/or for replacing the at least one first drive part with the at least one second drive part; and an attachment placed on the drive unit, wherein the drive unit comprises two wheels with a common axis of rotation and each with an electric drive, an electronic control device, and an electrical energy storage device, wherein the electronic control device is configured to actuate each electric drive such that the auxiliary transport vehicle is kept in an upright position to autonomously drive the auxiliary transport vehicle to a specifiable destination and to follow an external control device.

2. The auxiliary transport vehicle of claim 1, wherein the attachment is reversbly placed on the drive unit.

3. The auxiliary transport vehicle of claim 1, wherein the attachment is a frame or a shell configured to accommodate an insert.

4. The auxiliary transport vehicle of claim 3, wherein the attachment and/or the insert comprise a retaining and/or securing device for retaining or securing a load to be transported or a person to be transported.

5. The auxiliary transport vehicle of claim 3, wherein the attachment or the insert comprise a slotted cover of an elastic material.

6. The auxiliary transport vehicle of claim 1, wherein the drive unit comprises an electrical connector for supplying an external load with electrical energy.

7. The auxiliary transport vehicle of claim 1, wherein the specifiable destination is specified by a wireless transmission.

8. The auxiliary transport vehicle claim 1, wherein the electronic control device is configured such that the auxiliary transport vehicle follows the external control device at a specifiable distance or within a specifiable range of distances.

9. A method for operating the auxiliary transport vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary transport vehicle is located at a parking place or in at least one service station, the method comprising: driving the auxiliary transport vehicle autonomously to a user location after a user carrying the external control device enters a request; and following, by the auxiliary transport vehicle, the user after reaching the user location.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein, after receiving a termination signal, the auxiliary transport vehicle autonomously drives back to the parking place or to the at least one service station.

11. An auxiliary transport vehicle, comprising: a drive unit comprising two wheels with a common axis of rotation, wherein each of the two wheels comprise an electric drive, an electronic control device, and an electrical energy storage device; and an attachment configured to be reversbly attached to the drive unit, wherein the electronic control device is configured to: actuate the electric drives to keep the auxiliary transport vehicle in an upright position; autonomously drive the auxiliary transport vehicle to a specifiable destination; and follow an external control device, and wherein the electronic control device is configured control the auxiliary transport vehicle to follow the external control device at a specifiable distance or within a specifiable range of distances.

12. The auxiliary transport vehicle of claim 11, wherein the attachment is a frame or a shell configured to accommodate an insert.

13. The auxiliary transport vehicle of claim 12, wherein the attachment and/or the insert comprise a retaining and/or securing device for retaining or securing a load to be transported or a person to be transported.

14. The auxiliary transport vehicle of claim 12, wherein the attachment or the insert comprise a slotted cover of an elastic material.

15. The auxiliary transport vehicle of claim 11, wherein the drive unit comprises an electrical connector for supplying an external load with electrical energy.

16. The auxiliary transport vehicle of claim 11, wherein the specifiable destination is specified by a wireless transmission.

17. A method, comprising: providing an auxiliary transport vehicle, comprising: a drive unit; and an attachment placed on the drive unit, wherein the drive unit comprises two wheels with a common axis of rotation and each with an electric drive, an electronic control device, and an electrical energy storage device, wherein the electronic control device is configured to actuate each electric drive such that the auxiliary transport vehicle is kept in an upright position to autonomously drive the auxiliary transport vehicle to a specifiable destination and to follow an external control device; locating the auxiliary transport vehicle at a parking place or in a service station; driving, after a user carrying the external control device enters a request, the auxiliary transport vehicle autonomously to a user location; and following, by the auxiliary transport vehicle, the user after reaching the user location.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising autonomously driving, after receiving a termination signal, the auxiliary transport vehicle back to the parking place or to the service station.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The disclosure is described in detail below using the drawings by way of example In the figures:

(2) FIGS. 1a through 1c show exemplary embodiments of an auxiliary transport vehicle according to the disclosure;

(3) FIGS. 2a and 2b show two exemplary embodiments of an auxiliary transport vehicle according to the disclosure with an item of luggage;

(4) FIG. 3 shows by way of example two possible inserts and a suitably designed auxiliary transport vehicle;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a further exemplary embodiment of an auxiliary transport vehicle according to the disclosure;

(6) FIG. 5 shows symbolically an auxiliary transport vehicle and a service station according to the disclosure; and

(7) FIG. 6 shows by way of example the replacement of a drive unit of an auxiliary transport vehicle according to the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) In FIG. 1a, the auxiliary transport vehicle 1 is illustrated in individual parts and in FIGS. 1b and 1c in the assembled state. The auxiliary transport vehicle 1 comprises a drive unit 2 and an attachment 3 placed thereon. The drive unit 2 comprises two adjacent wheels 4, 4 disposed on the same axle and a housing 5, in which further components of the drive unit are housed, in particular an electronic control device with a suitable sensor arrangement and communications means for data transmission as well as the drives of the wheels 4, 4 and one or more accumulators as the electrical energy storage device. The drives can for example have a power of approximately 2 kW. The attachment 3 can, as shown in FIG. 1a, be embodied as a frame that is open to the rear or, as shown in FIG. 1c, in a shell form, possibly with an upholstered rear wall 6. Furthermore, the attachment 3 comprises four eyelets 7 for fastening retaining means.

(9) As shown in FIG. 2a, an item of luggage to be transported, for example a bag 8, can be secured by means of a cover 9 inserted in the eyelets 7. FIG. 2b illustrates that the bag 8 can alternatively be secured by means of retaining belts 10 that are pulled through the eyelets 7.

(10) FIG. 3 shows by way of example that inserts of different designs can be alternatively inserted in the attachment 3 and can be fastened therein. As examples of possible inserts, an inflatable baby seat 11 and a cool bag 12 are represented in FIG. 3.

(11) An auxiliary transport vehicle 1 with a further embodiment of an insert is shown in FIG. 4. The insert 13 is embodied as a container of a flexible material comprising a frontal slot 14 and a flap 15 at the top. For loading the insert 13, the flap 15 can be pulled up and/or the slot 14 can be opened. Because of the elasticity of the material, the slot 14 closes itself after loading, so that cargo that has been inserted is securely retained in the insert 13. For unloading, a corresponding procedure can be carried out.

(12) In FIG. 5, a charging station 16 is represented symbolically, into which an auxiliary transport vehicle 1 can be autonomously controlled to drive for charging the electrical energy storage device of the drive unit 2. Charging the energy storage device can be carried out by cable by automatically making an electrical connection to a charging connector of the charging station 16 or for example even inductively.

(13) As shown symbolically in FIG. 6, the attachment 3, possibly including a load such as for example a bag 8, can be lifted from the drive unit 2 and placed on a further drive unit 2. This enables the drive unit 2, if the energy storage device thereof is substantially discharged, to be replaced by the further drive unit 2, the energy storage device of which is fully charged. Said process can also be carried out automatically.

(14) For the sake of clarity, all reference characters are not shown in all figures. Reference characters that are not explained for a figure have the same meaning as in the other figures.

REFERENCE CHARACTER LIST

(15) 1 auxiliary transport vehicle

(16) 2, 2 drive unit

(17) 3 attachment

(18) 4, 4 wheel

(19) 5 housing

(20) 6 rear wall

(21) 7 eyelets

(22) 8 bag

(23) 9 cover

(24) 10 retaining belt

(25) 11 baby seat

(26) 12 cool box

(27) 13 insert

(28) 14 slot

(29) 15 flap

(30) 16 charging station