Multi-functional vehicle autonomously operable under multi-terrain conditions

Abstract

A completely transparent spherical body is surrounded externally by a plurality of leaf plates arranged in equal spacing along a main outer ring rack of the spherical body. Two rubber tires are included to wrap the spherical body. A rider inside the spherical body pedals to rotate the spherical body forward. A vehicle having the spherical body can be autonomously operated to move on land or water, and in the air. In addition, to operate this vehicle, no specific road or environmental requirement is needed, and no other obstacle, even a traffic accident can stop its movement.

Claims

1. A multi-functional vehicle operable under multi-terrain conditions, comprising: a spherical body, wherein said spherical body is transparent; two rubber tires circumferentially wrapped on an exterior of said spherical body; an outer ring rack externally furnished on said spherical body, positioned between said two rubber tires, wherein said outer ring rack comprises a plurality of grooves, and said outer ring rack rotates in unison with said spherical body; a plurality of solid balls, each positioned inside and configured to slide along a corresponding one of said plurality of grooves; and a plurality of leaf plates, each pivotally attached to an exterior of said outer ring rack at a corresponding plurality of root positions; wherein said corresponding plurality of root positions are equally-spaced around the outer ring rack; wherein one end of one of said plurality of grooves is adjacent to one of said corresponding root positions; wherein when each said solid ball sliding within said corresponding one of said plurality of grooves becomes adjacent to said one of said corresponding root positions and contacts a corresponding one of said plurality of leaf plates, said corresponding one of said plurality of leaf plates fully extends away from said outer ring rack and spherical body.

2. The multi-functional vehicle as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a pedal set within said spherical body; a small gear within said spherical body; and a meshed gear within said spherical body; wherein a rider rides inside said spherical body and pedals said pedal set to rotate said small gear to drive said meshed gear for rotating said spherical body forward as a whole.

3. The multi-functional vehicle as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a set of gliding wings, wherein said set of gliding wings connects to said spherical body and are isolated kinetically from said spherical body via a bearing; and an actuating handle for controlling rotation of said set of gliding wings.

4. The multi-functional vehicle as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of venting holes.

5. The multi-functional vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said spherical body further comprises a first half and a second half, and said a first half swings open for a rider to enter said multi-functional vehicle.

6. The multi-functional vehicle as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a control link within said spherical body and connected with each lateral side of said spherical body via a corresponding bearing; and a set of gliding wings connected to said control link via said bearings.

7. A multi-functional vehicle operable under multi-terrain conditions, comprising: a transparent spherical body; two rubber tires circumferentially attached to an exterior of said spherical body; an outer ring rack positioned between said two rubber tires, externally furnished on said exterior of said spherical body and rotating in unison with said two rubber tires and said spherical body; a plurality of solid balls; a plurality of grooves in the outer ring rack, each accommodating a corresponding one of the plurality of solid balls sliding within; and a plurality of leaf plates, each pivotally attached on an exterior of said outer ring rack at a corresponding plurality of root positions; wherein said plurality of leaf plates and said corresponding plurality of root positions are uniformly spaced on said outer ring rack; wherein each of said plurality of grooves is positioned adjacent to one of said corresponding root positions, such that when each solid ball sliding within a corresponding one of said plurality of grooves becomes adjacent to said one of said corresponding root positions and contacts a corresponding one of said plurality of leaf plates, said corresponding one of said plurality of leaf plates fully extends away from said outer ring rack and spherical body.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present disclosure and wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 (including sub-FIGS. 1-1, 1-2 and 1-3) demonstrates schematically three embodiments of vehicles for three operation environments in accordance with this disclosure;

(3) FIG. 2 (including sub-FIGS. 2-1, 2-2, 2-3, 2-4 and 2-5) demonstrates schematically that the vehicle of this disclosure is operated on land;

(4) FIG. 3 (including sub-FIGS. 3-1, 3-2 and 3-3) demonstrates schematically that the vehicle of this disclosure is operated on water;

(5) FIG. 4 (including sub-FIGS. 4-1, 4-2 and 4-3) demonstrates schematically that the vehicle of this disclosure is operated in the air; and

(6) FIG. 5 demonstrates schematically the working principle of the leaf plate in accordance with this disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) In the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. It will be apparent, however, that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are schematically shown in order to simplify the drawing.

(8) As shown in FIG. 1, three embodiments of the vehicle in accordance with this disclosure are shown schematically to be operated on land, on water and in the air; in which FIG. 1-1 is for use on land, FIG. 1-2 is for use on water, and FIG. 1-3 is for use in the air.

(9) FIG. 2-1 shows schematically the vehicle is operated on land. It can be seen that, through a rider to step the foot pedals inside the spherical body, a smaller gear 8 would be driven to further rotate a meshed big gear 7, such that the entire spherical body would turn forward (see FIG. 2-5). Two rubber tires 1, 2 wrapping the spherical body are to contact the ground. With a control link as a center, a plurality of air inlets 3 are provided to a central portion at each lateral side of the spherical body. FIG. 2-3 illustrates schematically the spherical body with a door 4 open. Through the door 4, the rider can enter or leave the spherical body. The rider is to manipulate a control link penetrating horizontally through a center of the spherical body. The control link has two brake handles 5. The control link is connected with the lateral sides of the spherical body via two corresponding bearings 6. A right-hand-side knob A at the control link can be used for adjusting directions of the gliding wings (see FIG. 2-4), while a left-hand-side knob B at the control link is a spherical-body accelerating device used for adjusting a rotation speed of the leaf plates (see FIG. 2-4). FIG. 2-2 is a side view of the spherical body.

(10) FIG. 3 demonstrates schematically that the vehicle of this disclosure is operated on water. As shown in FIG. 3-1, the leaf plates 9 are equal-spaced arranged to surround the spherical body between the two rubber tires. The leaf plate 9 would be gradually unfolded from the 12 o'clock position while the spherical body is operated in a counter clock direction, and gradually folded after the 5 o'clock position. While the leaf plate is in an unfolded state, the water would be paddled with the rotation of the spherical body, such that kinetic energy would be provided to rotate the spherical body (FIG. 3-2). The air inlets 3 on the lateral sides of the spherical body shall be always kept above the waterline, so that water won't enter the spherical body. In FIG. 3-3, the wedge design upon the leaf plate 9 is shown to make the top portion thicker and the root portion thinner, and thereby the leaf plate 9 can be quickly unfolded by its own gravity to contribute work after it reaches the 12 o'clock position.

(11) FIG. 4 demonstrates schematically that the vehicle of this disclosure is operated in the air. When the spherical body is to operate in the air, the gliding wings 11 are connected to the control link via the corresponding bearing 10, such that the gliding wings would not rotate with the spherical body (FIG. 4-3). The direction of the gliding wing 11 to guide the flight of the spherical body is adjusted by the knob 4 at the control link (FIG. 4-2). While the vehicle is operated, the rider steps the foot pedals to rotate the small gear, and then the small gear would rotate the meshed big gear mounted to the inner wall of the spherical body, such that the spherical body would be turned forward. Simultaneously, the leaf plates outside the spherical body would be gradually unfolded from the 12 o'clock position as the spherical body rotates in the counter clock direction. After the 5 o'clock position, the leaf plates would be gradually folded. When the leaf plate is in the unfolded state, the air would be paddled as the spherical body rotates, and thus corresponding kinetic energy would be provided to the spherical body (FIG. 4-1 and FIG. 4-2).

(12) FIG. 5 demonstrates schematically the working principle of the leaf plate in accordance with this disclosure. At the right side of each of the leaf plates, a groove accommodating a small solid ball is furnished. While the spherical body rotates, the small solid ball would rotate back and forth along the groove. At the 12 o'clock position where the leaf plate 12 is in the unfolded state, the small solid ball inside the groove would roll to approach the leaf plate 12 as the spherical body rotates. At position 13, the small solid ball is further close to the leaf plate. At position 14, the small solid ball completely contacts and thus fixes the leaf plate at a 90 position. At position 15, the small solid ball would be gradually separated from the leaf plate. At position 16, due to the gravity, the leaf plate 16 would be completely unfolded, and the small solid ball would fix the leaf plate again. At position 17, the small solid ball would begin to roll to another end of the groove from the end thereof close to the leaf plate. At this time, since the resistance of water or air upon the leaf plate is gradually increased, the small solid ball would fail to fix the leaf plate, and thus the leaf plate 17 would form an angle less than 90 with respect to the spherical body. At position 18, the angle between the leaf plate and the spherical body would become smaller in comparison to the position 17. From position 18 to position 12, the leaf plate is completely folded. Thereupon, while the spherical body is rotated in the counter clock direction from position 12 to position 18, the leaf plate would paddle the water or air to provide the kinetic energy to rotate the spherical body. On the other hand, while the spherical body is rotated in the counter clock direction from position 18 to position 12, the leaf plate is completed folded, and thus the resistance thereupon from the water or air can be substantially reduced to affect the rotation of the spherical body.

(13) With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present disclosure.