WATER SHIELD FOR USE IN A FRICTION DRIVE VEHICLE AND A VEHICLE HAVING SAME

Abstract

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.

Claims

1. A transportation device, comprising: a first wheel structure including a first rim structure and a first tire; a friction drive motor having a drive head, the drive head being in contact with a drive surface associated with the rim structure; a foot platform for receiving the feet of a rider; and a water shield member extending laterally from one side of at least one of the first rim structure and the tire and configure to impede the movement of water from the wheel structure to the drive surface when the device is used in wet conditions.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] FIGS. 1 and 2 are a perspective view and a side elevation view, respectively, of a single wheel structure transportation device having a water guard in accordance with the present invention.

[0014] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of wheel structure 20 without housing 12 (and other components) for use in the device of FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0015] FIGS. 4 and 5 are a front end perspective view and a cutaway perspective view, respectively, of one embodiment of water shield arrangements in accordance with the present invention

[0016] FIGS. 6 and 7 are enlarged sectional views from FIGS. 4 and 5, respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a perspective view and a side elevation view of a personal transportation device 10 having water shield arrangements in accordance with the present invention are respectively shown. The water shield arrangements are described in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 3-5.

[0018] Device 10 has a wheel structure 20 that may include a wheel rim 21 and a tire 23. While only one tire is shown in FIG. 1, more than one tire (for example, two parallel tires) may be mounted to rim 21. The term “wheel 20” may also be used herein and it is intended to mean a wheel structure unless otherwise noted. A housing 12 may cover a portion of wheel structure 20. Housing 12 covers more of wheel 20 in FIG. 1 than in FIG. 2. Two foot platforms 35,36 are provided on opposite sides of the wheel, and housing sections 14 may extend from the main housing 12 and support or define the foot platforms 35,36. Lower leg contact surfaces 37,38 that may increase friction and/or be compressive to provide comfort are preferably provided above each of foot platforms 35,36, respectively.

[0019] Housing sections 14 preferably houses drive motors 41 and batteries 51, and may contain electronic control circuitry 53 (see FIG. 2). A gyroscopic or other suitable position sensor 57 is preferably provided, and may be located towards the top (or elsewhere) of the device. As is known for single wheel structure self-balancing devices, the electronic control circuitry 53 receives position data from sensor 57 and sends drive signals to the drive motor(s) 41 to drive wheel structure 20 toward self-balancing. Suitable batteries, sensors and electronic control circuitry are known in the art. Device 10 may also include indicator and/or pathway lighting 58.

[0020] Referring to FIG. 3, a perspective view of wheel structure 20 without housing 12 (and other components) is shown. FIG. 3 illustrates one embodiment of a friction drive arrangement (others are taught in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/811,702 mentioned above). In the embodiment of FIG. 3, rim 21 has a central ridge 24 and two drive surfaces 25,26 that preferably slope away from the ridge. Drive head 44 has two surfaces 45,46 that are preferably complementary to drive surfaces 25,26. Ridge 24 serves to center drive head 44 on rim 21. A drive shaft 42 extends from drive motor 41 to head 44.

[0021] Drive motor 41 may be a suitable drive motor. Many are known in the art. Being lightweight, energy efficient, sufficiently powerful and/or cost-effective are among the criteria for selecting an appropriate drive motor. A significant aspect of friction drive motors is that since they tend to be energy efficient, fewer battery cells are required which lessens vehicle weight considerably. Further, friction drive motors tend to be small which allows for the use of two motors, for example, one to provide redundancy or a slower, safer wind down if another fails.

[0022] FIG. 3 also shows an inner member 61 of a water shield assembly 60 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Inner member 61 and water shield arrangements or assemblies 60 are shown in more detail in FIGS. 4-7.

[0023] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, a front perspective view and a cutaway perspective view of one embodiment of water shield arrangements 60 in accordance with the present invention are respectively shown. Note that for teaching purposes, tire 23 has been removed. FIGS. 6 and 7 are enlarged sectional views from FIGS. 4 and 5, respectively.

[0024] To prevent or significantly reduce moisture movement into the “rim envelope,” the volume defined by the interior or the rim and the two parallel vertical planes that touch the outer edges of the rim (i.e., to eliminate water at the drive head and drive surface), two water shields 60 are provided. The each consist of a pair of overlapping shield members that are termed the inner member 61 and the outer member 71, where inner and outer are relative to distance from the rim. The inner and outer members are separate and preferably not in contact so that the inner may spin freely without contacting the outer. They are preferably partially overlapping yet to an extent that little or no water enters into the gap between them.

[0025] For each pair, the inner edge 64 of inner member 61 is coupled to rim 21 and the outer edge 65 is preferably larger in diameter than inner edge 64. Inner member 61 is preferably contoured, sloped, conical or otherwise arranged such that together with rim 21, a groove or depression 67 is formed between inner member 61 and rim 21. Water landing on the back side of inner member 61 (visible in FIG. 4) flows into groove 67 and down to the bottom of the wheel where it is expelled by gravity. The attachment between the inner member and the rim is preferably continuous.

[0026] The outer member 71 is preferably mounted to the interior of housing 12 or a like frame or structure (see FIG. 4-7). The inner and outer members are configured such that they overlap, in such a manner that much of the spray off tire 23 drips down groove 67 or 77 in one or the other member. The outer member may be fully circular or partially circular. For example, it can be seen in FIGS. 4-5 that the outer member ends just below the platform. During installation, the inner member may be slid into the partially annular outer member.

[0027] While, in FIGS. 5-7, the inner member fits within the outer member, it should be recognized that this may be reversed such that the outer member fits within the inner member. They are preferably co-axial.

[0028] In the embodiment of FIG. 4, inner edge 64 of inner member 61 (the edge which is attached to the rim) has a diameter that is smaller than the diameter of the outer circumference of the rim. The outer edge 65 preferably has a diameter that is greater than that of inner edge 64.

[0029] The inner edge of the outer member (that closer to the rim) preferably has a diameter larger than that of the outer edge of the inner member, but smaller than the diameter of the wheel. The diameter of the outer member's outer edge is smaller than that of its inner edge. The attachment between the outer member and the housing is watertight. Thus water coming from wheel 20 onto the outer member stays close to the housing and flows downward away from the top of the ring, eventually falling out of the vehicle onto the ground. Since the outer member partially encircles the inner member, substantially all water carried into the vehicle by the wheel falls onto one of the two members and is directed out of the vehicle. This prevents water from falling onto the interior surface of the rim and causing slippage between the drive member and the rim. (A slight amount of water may happen to reach the rim's interior surface, but the amount of water is so small as to be negligible. The rapidly rotating drive member will disperse stray droplets and generate heat which helps to dry the rim.)

[0030] The wheel rim water guard of the present invention is useful for a variety of vehicles because it makes friction drive systems more practical, which expands options for lightweight, portable vehicle designs. In particular, this water guard is very important to friction drive designs for vehicles having dynamic pitch balancing, where proper functioning of the balancing system relies on uninterrupted torque.

[0031] It should be noted that while FIGS. 1-2 illustrate a single wheel structure vehicle, the water shield arrangements of the present invention are applicable to vehicles having 2, 3, or 4 wheels and other wheel number and/or type configurations.

[0032] It should be further noted that if only one guard member is provided, the inner member is more important. Furthermore, the inner member may be coupled to the rim or the tire, and it may be formed integrally with the rim or tire or attached subsequently as an add-on.

[0033] The inner and outer members may be formed of plastic, metal, rubber or rubberized plastic, and/or other suitable materials.

[0034] While the invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further modification, and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth, and as fall within the scope of the invention and the limits of the appended claims.