Patent ID: 11952072
Assignee: BRYANT ENGINEERING & DEVELOPMENT, LLC
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 9:
10. A method of stabilizing a vehicle, the method comprising:
coupling a base frame portion of the vehicle to a front wheel and to a rear wheel, wherein the front wheel and the rear wheel are substantially aligned along a longitudinal axis;
coupling the base frame portion to an operator frame portion with a hinge having a hinge axis, wherein the operator frame portion is to support an operator of the vehicle and is selectively rotatable relative to the base frame portion about the hinge axis;
receiving, from an inertial sensor, inertial data related to deviation of the base frame portion from a vertical plane through the longitudinal axis and receiving, from a speed sensor, instantaneous speed data related to a rate of travel of the vehicle;
receiving, from a steering control input mechanism, a steering control input signal related to an intended direction of travel;
responsive to the inertial data and the instantaneous speed data, selectively driving the hinge to cause the operator frame portion to rotate about the hinge axis;
responsive to the steering control input signal, selectively causing each of the front wheel and the rear wheel to deflect at a respective angle from the longitudinal axis to direct the vehicle in the intended direction of travel; and
varying the deflection angle of at least one of the front wheel and the rear wheel, from the longitudinal axis, additionally as a function of the inertial data and the instantaneous speed data, in combination with the driving of the hinge assembly, to stabilize the vehicle.