Abstract:
The present invention discloses a barrier-overpassing transporter, which comprises: a support frame carrying a rider or another load; a sensing/adjusting module detecting a tilting state of the support frame and maintaining the support frame in a horizontal state; a ground contact module arranged below the support frame supporting an effective load and lifting the support frame to overpass a surface of a barrier; and a wireless transceiver module collecting and transmitting information to enable adjustments and activities responding to interior states of the transporter. Thereby, the present invention can provide a safe, stable, reliable, comfortable, convenient and low-cost barrier-overpassing transporter.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a barrier-overpassing transporter, particularly to an intelligent level-adjust barrier-overpassing transporter. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    There are everywhere stairs in the world; however, free-barrier accesses are not always sophisticated enough. Facing stairs, a common transporter can just do nothing. When uphill, the rider not only must be frightened by a tilting seat but also has to risk turning upside down. There have been researches and developments of intelligent barrier-overpassing and stair-climbing transporters or auxiliary instruments for many years. However, the prevalence is still very low. When a transporter overpasses a barrier or goes up/downstairs, the rider often tilts with the transporter. However, the conventional transporters rarely have a level-adjust function. If there is, it is usually too high in cost or not so perfect in performance because it adopts too expensive technology or uses a low-precision sensor. Briefly to speak, the poor popularization of barrier-overpassing transporters may be attributed to insufficient functions, low safety, fabrication hardness, bulky volume and high price. 
         [0005]    A Taiwan patent No. 567159 disclosed “Mechanical Improvements to a Personal Vehicle”, wherein a set of rotary wheeled arms and a complicated sensing method are used to overpass a barrier and maintain the horizontality of a support frame. Although the prior art can take the rider to overpass a barrier, a safe stair-climbing action of such a machine still needs a human assistance or an environmental aid (such as a stair rail). Besides, once the electronic system of the conventional machine malfunctions or the power supply is interrupted, the rider together with the vehicle may tilt and then fall down from a staircase. 
         [0006]    Accordingly, the present invention proposes a barrier-overpassing transporter to effectively overcome the abovementioned problems. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a barrier-overpassing transporter, which integrates a ground contact module, a sensing/adjusting module and a wireless transceiver module to promote the safety, stability and convenience of a barrier-overpassing transporter. 
         [0008]    Another objective of the present invention is to provide a barrier-overpassing transporter, which utilizes a ground contact module to decrease the torque required to advance the transporter and reduce the cost of the transporter. 
         [0009]    Still another objective of the present invention is to provide a barrier-overpassing transporter, which utilizes a sensing/adjusting module to implement multi-directional level detection, tilt adjustment and level control. 
         [0010]    Further another objective of the present invention is to provide a barrier-overpassing transporter, which utilizes a wireless transceiver module to implement realtime monitoring, promote motion prediction accuracy and provide instant convenience for a user. 
         [0011]    To achieve the abovementioned objectives, the present invention proposes a barrier-overpassing transporter, which comprises: a support frame carrying a rider or another load; a sensing/adjusting module coupled to the support frame, detecting a tilting state of the support frame and maintaining the support frame in a horizontal state; a ground contact module supporting an effective load and utilizing ground contact elements to lift the support frame to overpass a surface of a barrier; and a wireless transceiver module collecting and transmitting information to enable adjustments and activities responding to interior states of the transporter and enhance safety and interactivity between the transporter and environment. 
         [0012]    Below, the embodiments are described in detail in cooperation with the attached drawings to make easily understood the objectives, technical contents, characteristics and accomplishments of the present invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a barrier-overpassing transporter according to the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a barrier-overpassing transporter according to the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a top view of a barrier-overpassing transporter according to the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a diagram showing the flowchart of an automatic control process of a barrier-overpassing transporter according to the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view of a multi-directional tilt-sensing device according to the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 6A  is a diagram schematically showing a barrier-overpassing transporter and a balance mechanism device on a horizontal ground according to the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6B  is a sectional view of a sensing device according to the present invention when a barrier-overpassing transporter on a horizontal ground; 
           [0020]      FIG. 7A  is a diagram schematically showing that a support frame has been adjusted by a balance mechanism device according to the present invention when a barrier-overpassing transporter on a forward-tilting ground; 
           [0021]      FIG. 7B  is a sectional view of a sensing device according to the present invention when a barrier-overpassing transporter on a forward-tilting ground; 
           [0022]      FIG. 8A  is a diagram schematically showing that a support frame has been adjusted by a balance mechanism device according to the present invention when a barrier-overpassing transporter on a side-tilting ground; 
           [0023]      FIG. 8B  is a sectional view of a sensing device according to the present invention when a barrier-overpassing transporter on a side-tilting ground; 
           [0024]      FIG. 9  is a side view schematically showing that a barrier-overpassing transporter moves on a flat ground according to the present invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 10  is a side view schematically showing that the flat ground and the rotation arm contain a non-zero angle when a barrier-overpassing transporter moves on a flat ground according to the present invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view schematically showing that the contact points between the ground contact elements and the flat ground form a plane when a barrier-overpassing transporter moves on a flat ground according to the present invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 12  is a diagram schematically showing that the body&#39;s gravity center is moved forward when a barrier-overpassing transporter moves uphill according to the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 13  is a diagram schematically showing that the body&#39;s gravity center is moved backward when a barrier-overpassing transporter moves downhill according to the present invention; 
           [0029]      FIG. 14  is side view schematically showing that the flat ground and the rotation arm contain a non-zero angle when a barrier-overpassing transporter moves downhill according to the present invention; 
           [0030]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view schematically showing that the contact points between the ground contact elements and the downhill ground form a plane when a barrier-overpassing transporter moves downhill according to the present invention; 
           [0031]      FIG. 16  is a side view schematically showing that a barrier-overpassing transporter is moving upstairs according to the present invention; 
           [0032]      FIG. 17  is a side view schematically showing that a barrier-overpassing transporter has been upstairs according to the present invention; 
           [0033]      FIG. 18  is a side view schematically showing that a barrier-overpassing transporter is moving downstairs according to the present invention; and 
           [0034]      FIG. 19  is a flowchart for the cooperation of a barrier-overpassing transporter and a wireless transceiver module according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0035]    Refer to  FIG. 1  a side view of a barrier-overpassing transporter according to the present invention. The barrier-overpassing transporter  10  of the present invention comprises: a support frame  12  carrying a rider or another load; a sensing/adjusting module  100  coupled to the support frame  12 , detecting a tilting state of the support frame  12  and maintaining the support frame  12  in a horizontal state; and a ground contact module  16  used to transport the support frame to overpass a ground, an equivalent ground or another surface. The sensing/adjusting module  100  further comprises a multi-directional tilt-sensing device  102  used to sense a tilting state of the support frame  12  and a balance mechanism device  150  covered by a deformable protection housing and maintaining the support frame  12  in a horizontal state according to signals output by the multi-directional tilt-sensing device  102 . A rider or another load is referred to as an “effective load” in the specification and the attached claims. The terminology “ground” includes any surface supporting the transporter in the specification and the attached claims. The terminology “balance mechanism device” includes any device capable of adjusting the support frame  12  and maintaining a horizontal state of the support frame  12  in the specification and the attached claims, and the device may include a deformable protection housing. 
         [0036]    Refer to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3  respectively a perspective view and a top view of a barrier-overpassing transporter according to the present invention. The operation mode described herein can apply to a transporter having at least one ground contact elements wherein each said ground contact element pivotally coupled to ends of rotation arm and driven by said rotation arm to rotate with respect to center of said rotation arm to enable said transporter to overpass a barrier. Each lateral side of the transporter has a first rotation arm  20  and a second rotation arm  30 .The ground contact elements include wheels  40 ,  42 ,  44 ,  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52 , and  54 . The movement that one ground contact element is driven by rotation arm to rotate with respect to the center of rotation arm is referred to as a “cluster motion” in the specification and the attached claims. The cooperation of the motions of the ground contact elements enables the movement of the transporter. The summation of the ground contact elements includes a first cluster  36  and a second cluster  38 . The first cluster  36  includes wheels  40 ,  42 ,  44  and  46 , which are driven to rotate by the first rotation arms  20  with respect to the centers of the first rotation arms  20 , and the second cluster  38  includes wheels  48 ,  50 ,  52  and  54 , which are driven to rotate by the second rotation arms  30  with respect to the centers of the second rotation arms  30 . The first cluster  36  or the second cluster  38  is referred to as a “cluster” elsewhere in the specification and the attached claims. The first rotation arm  20  or the second rotation arm  30  is referred to as a “cluster jointer” elsewhere in the specification and the attached claims. The motion that the cluster is driven to rotate by the cluster jointer can change the height of the support frame  12  with respect to the ground. The height of the support frame  12  can also be changed by other mechanism or mechanical skills. Refer to  FIG. 4  a diagram showing the flowchart of an automatic control process of a barrier-overpassing transporter according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In the preferred embodiment, a driving device  14  controls six motors  13  and the balance mechanism device  150 . The driving device  14  is controlled by a user&#39;s interface  19 , the sensing device  102  or a server  17  to perform adjustments of the transporter. When the sensing device  102  detects a condition needing an adjustment, it enables the driving device  14  to operate via contact electrodes  110  coupled to the driving device  14 . When the driving device  14  receives a signal for adjustment, it controls the six motors  13  to drive the ground contact module  16  and the support frame  12  to operate and controls the balance mechanism device  150  to balance the transporter. 
         [0037]    Refer to  FIG. 5  a sectional view of a multi-directional tilt-sensing device  102  according to the present invention. In the multi-directional tilt-sensing device  102 , a container  104  contains a liquid dielectric  120  and has at least two pairs of contact electrodes  110  thereinside. The container  104  also has a circuit connection module  160  thereinside used to separate the positive and negative electrodes of the contact electrodes  110  and a bottom electrode  112  to prevent the electrodes from short circuit lest the circuit be damaged. When the support frame  12  is tilted, the liquid dielectric  120  still maintains horizontal and triggers the conduction state of the contact electrode  110  in the tilting direction. Then, the balance mechanism changes the tilt angle of the support frame  12  and restores the support frame  12  back to a horizontal state. 
         [0038]    Refer to  FIG. 6A  to  FIG. 8B .  FIG. 6A  is a diagram schematically showing a barrier-overpassing transporter and a balance mechanism device on a flat ground according to the present invention.  FIG. 6B  is a sectional view of a sensing device according to the present invention when a barrier-overpassing transporter on a flat ground.  FIG. 7A  is a diagram schematically showing that a support frame has been adjusted by a balance mechanism device according to the present invention when a barrier-overpassing transporter on a forward-tilting ground.  FIG. 7B  is a sectional view of a sensing device according to the present invention when a barrier-overpassing transporter on a forward-tilting ground.  FIG. 8A  is a diagram schematically showing that a support frame has been adjusted by a balance mechanism device according to the present invention when a barrier-overpassing transporter on a side-tilting ground.  FIG. 8B  is a sectional view of a sensing device according to the present invention when a barrier-overpassing transporter on a side-tilting ground. When the barrier-overpassing transporter is in a horizontal state, the height differences between the liquid dielectric  120  and the contact electrodes  110  are equal, and the liquid dielectric  120  does not contact the contact electrodes  110 . When the barrier-overpassing transporter is on a forward-tilting or side-tilting ground, a part of contact electrodes  110  contact the liquid dielectric  120 . Thus, the liquid dielectric  120  enables the conduction state between the contact electrode  110  and the bottom electrode  112  at the bottom of the hemispherical container  120 . When the barrier-overpassing transporter is on a forward-tilting ground, the level plane of the liquid dielectric  120  and the extension line of the bottom contain an angle θ 1 . When the barrier-overpassing transporter is on a side-tilting ground, the level plane of the liquid dielectric  120  and the extension line of the bottom contain an angel θ 2 . Thereby, the sensing device  102  can detect the tilt of the support frame  12  and feedback signals to the balance mechanism device  150 . Then, the balance mechanism device  150  adjusts the support frame  12  to a horizontal state. 
         [0039]    Refer to  FIG. 9  a diagram schematically showing that a barrier-overpassing transporter moves on a flat ground according to the present invention. When the barrier-overpassing transporter  10  moves on a flat ground  200 , the first rotation arms  20  of the first cluster  36  and the second rotation arms  30  of the second cluster  38  are parallel to the flat ground  200 , and all the ground contact elements contact the ground. Refer to  FIG. 10  and  FIG. 11 . When the barrier-overpassing transporter  10  moves on a flat ground  200 , the flat ground  200  and the first rotation arm  20  of the first cluster  36 /the second rotation arm  30  of the second cluster  38  may contain a non-zero angle θ 3 . Then, a part of ground contact elements contact the flat ground  200 , and the contact points form a plane  220 . Via the plane  220 , the transporter can move stably on the flat ground  200 . 
         [0040]    Refer to  FIG. 12  and  FIG. 13  diagrams respectively schematically showing that a barrier-overpassing transporter moves uphill or downhill according to the present invention. When the barrier-overpassing transporter moves on a tilting ground  230 , e.g., moves uphill, the support frame  12  can be maintained in a horizontal state via the multi-directional tilt-sensing device  102  and the balance mechanism device  150 , and the body&#39;s gravity center  80  moves toward the advance direction with respect to the transporter (moving forward). When the transporter moves downhill, the body&#39;s gravity center  80  moves opposite to the advance direction with respect to the transporter. Refer to  FIG. 14  and  FIG. 15 . When the barrier-overpassing transporter  10  moves on the tilting ground  230 , the tilting ground  230  and the first rotation arm  20  of the first cluster  36 /the second rotation arm  30  of the second cluster  38  may contain a non-zero angle θ 4 . No matter what degree the angle has, the contact points between the tilting ground and the ground contact elements can form a plane  222 . Via the plane  222 , the transporter can move stably on the tilting ground  230 . 
         [0041]    Refer to  FIG. 16  and  FIG. 17  diagrams respectively schematically showing that a barrier-overpassing transporter is moving upstairs and has been upstairs according to the present invention. When the barrier-overpassing transporter  10  meets a barrier  300  and intends to overpass the barrier  300 , the pedal  58  will be adjusted to an appropriate angle to facilitate overpassing the barrier  300 . The first and second clusters synchronously rotate until the ground contact elements of the first cluster contact the third stairstep  302  of a staircase. Firstly, the barrier-overpassing transporter  10  begins to tilt; at the same time, the support frame  12  can be maintained at a horizontal state and moved forward via the multi-directional tilt-sensing device and the balance mechanism device, and the body&#39;s gravity center  80  is thus also moved forward. The first and second clusters keep on synchronously rotating, and the tilting degree is maintained fixed until the first and second rotation arms  20  and  30  resumes horizontality. While the transporter is going to finish climbing one stairstep, the tilting degree changes again. Before the tilting degree changes, the barrier-overpassing transporter  10  can climb the stair stably. When the tilting degree increases, the multi-directional tilt-sensing device and the balance mechanism device can maintain the support frame  12  at a horizontal state and move the support frame  12  forward, and the body&#39;s gravity center  80  can thus be moved forward also. The tilting degree of the barrier-overpassing transporter  10  in the specification and the attached claims is defined by an angle θ 5  contained by the long axis  62  of the transporter base and the horizontal surface  92 . When the ground contact elements of the first cluster contact the first stairstep  306  of the staircase, the ground contact elements of the second cluster contact the second stairstep  304 , and the first rotation arms  20  and the second rotation arms  30  are vertical to the horizontal plane. Then, the tilting degree decreases; via the multi-directional tilt-sensing device and the balance mechanism device, the support frame  12  is maintained at a horizontal state and moved backward, and the body&#39;s gravity center  80  is thus also moved backward. Finally, all the ground contact elements of the first cluster and a part of the ground contact elements of the second cluster contact the first stairstep  306 , and the first rotation arms  20  and the second rotation arms  30  are parallel to the horizontal plane. At this time, the barrier-overpassing transporter  10  resumes horizontality; via the multi-directional tilt-sensing device and the balance mechanism device, the support frame  12  also resumes horizontality as if it had not gone upstairs, and the pedal  58  is also adjusted to an appropriate angle. Thus, the stair-climbing activity is completed. As the support frame  12  is capable of rotation, the barrier-overpassing transporter  10  may also undertake stair climbing after the support frame  12  has 180 degrees rotated. 
         [0042]    Refer to  FIG. 18  a diagram schematically showing that a barrier-overpassing transporter is moving downstairs according to the present invention. When the barrier-overpassing transporter  10  meets a barrier  300  and intends to overpass the barrier  300 , the pedal  58  will be adjusted to an appropriate angle to facilitate overpassing the barrier  300 . At beginning, the barrier-overpassing transporter  10  advances continuously, the first rotation arms  20  and the second rotation arms  30  are parallel to the horizontal plane. Once the ground contact elements of the first cluster do not contact a ground but hangs in the air, the barrier-overpassing transporter  10  begins to tilt. At this time, the support frame  12  can be maintained at a horizontal state and moved backward via the multi-directional tilt-sensing device and the balance mechanism device, and the body&#39;s gravity center  80  is thus also moved backward. The tilting degree is maintained fixed until the transporter is going to finish stair descending. Before the tilting degree changes, the barrier-overpassing transporter  10  can move downstairs stably. At this time, the first and second clusters keep on synchronously rotating to stably descend stairs. Via the multi-directional tilt-sensing device and the balance mechanism device, the support frame  12  can be maintained at a horizontal state and moved backward, and the body&#39;s gravity center  80  is thus also moved backward. The first and second clusters keep on synchronously rotating, and the tilting degree is maintained fixed; thus, the barrier-overpassing transporter  10  can descend the staircase stably. The first and second clusters keep on synchronously rotating until the ground contact elements of the first cluster  36  contact a ground  240  and the ground contact elements of the second cluster  38  contact the first stairstep  306 . At this time, the first and second rotation arms  20  and  30  resumes horizontality. Then, the tilting degree decreases, and the multi-directional tilt-sensing device and the balance mechanism device maintains the support frame  12  at a horizontal state and moves the support frame  12  forward, and the body&#39;s gravity center  80  can thus be moved forward. Then, a part of ground contact elements of the first and second clusters contact the ground  240 , and the first and second clusters keep on synchronously rotating; the multi-directional tilt-sensing device and the balance mechanism device maintains the support frame  12  at a horizontal state and moves the support frame  12  forward, and the body&#39;s gravity center  80  is moved forward. Finally, the pedal  58  is adjusted to an appropriate angle. Thus, the stair-descending activity is completed. As the support frame  12  is capable of rotation, the barrier-overpassing transporter  10  may also undertake stair descending after the support frame  12  has 180 degrees rotated. 
         [0043]    Refer to from  FIG. 16  to  FIG. 18  for further functions of the barrier-overpassing transporter according to the present invention. In addition to rotating synchronously, the first and second clusters can also operate in another mode via the control of a rider or another control means to make the motion smoother when the barrier-overpassing transporter  10  is going to move up/downstairs. The barrier-overpassing transporter  10  is apt to be unstable while it is going to finish stair climbing or while it just begins to descend a staircase. At this time, non-synchronous rotation of the first and second clusters can make stair climbing/descending more stably. The non-synchronous rotation can be manually operated by a rider (via a user&#39;s interface) or automatically operated by a control system. Via the multi-directional tilt-sensing device and a wireless transceiver module, the driving device can adjust and operate the transporter. When receiving signals, the driving device controls the balance mechanism device to perform adjustment and controls six motors to operate the first and second clusters to move the transporter up/downstairs stably. 
         [0044]    Refer to  FIG. 19  a flowchart for the cooperation of a barrier-overpassing transporter and a wireless transceiver module according to the present invention. The wireless transceiver module comprises: a RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag  504  recording the identity of the user of the transporter and the related information and a user side wireless signal module  520  used to transmit and receive signals. In a campus environment  524 , RFID information transmission systems are installed in the places wherein a disabled person may need help, such as a staircase. Thus, at least one RFID receiver  502  and at least one terminal side wireless signal module  522  are equipped in each staircase. When a barrier-overpassing transporter of the present invention intends to go upstairs, the RFID receiver  502  receives a signal from the RFID tag  504 . Then, the information about the operational safety of the barrier-overpassing transporter, such as the position and speed of the barrier-overpassing transporter, the staircase slope, the status of the rider, etc., is sent to a control center  600 . The control center  600  processes the information and feedback the processed information to the user side wireless signal module  520  via the terminal side wireless signal module  522 . The information received by the user side wireless signal module  520  includes the length, width and height of the staircase which the rider intends to climb. According to the information, whether the transporter can climb the staircase is determined. If the result is positive, the first and second clusters are controlled to synchronously or non-synchronously rotate so that the transporter can climb the staircase at the highest efficiency. Further, the operational states of the components of the transporter are also feedbacked to the control center  600  so that the control center  600  can learn whether the rider needs a special aid or whether the transporter malfunctions. Besides, the transporter and the control center  600  can feedback information to each other to update information so that the rider can have higher safety and more convenience. 
         [0045]    Those embodiments described above are to exemplify the present invention to enable the persons skilled in the art to understand, make and use the present invention. However, it is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Any equivalent modification or variation according to the spirit of the present invention is to be also included within the scope of the claims stated below.