VEHICLE WITH ELECTRIC MOTOR

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrically driven and collapsible vehicle for local transportation. When collapsed and while being folded up the vehicle remains in vertical position and thus requires little storage space. Folding up and opening are performed either electrically or manually. The device has replaceable modular platforms, and different user profiles for different purposes of use and users can be programmed in a trip computer. The device can be driven by a person who is either sitting, standing up or walking beside it.

Description: Vehicle with electric motor This invention relates to a device for allowing persons to move readily from one place to another. The invention relates specifically to a collapsible vehicle driven by an electric motor. The most closely related prior art vehicles comprise i.a. electrically driven cars and similar covered 4-wheeled devices, electric bicycles, electric scooters and similar 2 and 3 -wheeled devices, as well as other electrically driven vehicles, such as wheelchairs and invalid mopeds. On the other hand, there are prior art vehicles without motor drive, such as fold-up bicycles, scooters and various support walkers. The solutions mentioned above are also available with internal combustion engines. It is also previously known to manufacture a device which is collapsible when not in use, for instance for transport or storage. Such solutions are i.a. the fold-up bicycle mentioned above and various fold-up motor scooters and scooters. US patent specification 5,848,660 discloses a solution for a fold-up scooter driven by an electric motor. US patent specifications 4,874,055 and 5,749,424, in turn, describe elec- trically driven golf carts. Previously known solutions require the use of muscular force for shifting the device from storage position to operating position and vice versa. In addition, to fold up the device, the user has to stoop down, which is not always possible, for instance for the elderly. The devices are awkward to carry in folded state due to their size and weight. The vehicle of this invention allows easy and non-polluting transportation without muscular force in crowded places. The invention combines ease of use, small space requirement in a collapsed state, light weight, adaptability and additional services for the user achieved with current electronics. The vehicle is easy and comfortable in use and can be simply folded from operating position to storage position or vice versa. Compared to the prior art mentioned above, the invention yields the advantages of being easy to carry in a collapsed state (if necessary, aided by an electric motor), small space requirement in a collapsed state, maintaining an upright position without external support in operating position, storage position and during folding (open or up), the device being foldable without the user having to stoop down, easy and rapid adaptability of the device to the requirements in each situation by an easy shift of the modular platform of the device, the device having a storage facility in its trip computer for various user profiles (e.g. acceleration, deceleration and maximum speed) for different users and purposes of use (with the advantageous option of reading the user profile in an authentication key), and a site provided in the device for a personal navigator and a PDA device. The invention is particularly suitable for use at e.g. airports, fair premises, art exhibitions, shopping centres and in any indoor or outdoor transportation over short distances. Owing to the versatility achieved with the modular design and the user pro- files of the device, the user groups may comprise any age group. The device is applicable to any transportation in care-free zones under local traffic rules. The equipment of the device allows i.a. for guidance of the user from one place to another, provision of additional information in the user's own language e.g. on fair premises, at art exhibitions or in city tourism. This is implemented with the use of existing technology (GPS, PDA, Bluetooth). Guidance may be either visual or acoustic information provided directly in the user's earphone. The device comprises preferably at least two wheels. The device is driven by an electrically driven prior art polar engine connected to the leading wheel. Power is supplied from chargeable batteries. The device continually carries all the charging automatism and equipment required for charging, including a wire. The device can thus readily be connected to any ordinary plug contact. When used on bumpy surfaces, such as cobbled or paved roads, the preferred embodiment comprises a bogie construction, which is placed at the rear of the vehicle to replace the trailing wheel and efficiently attenuates any unevenness in the substrate. The bogie construction is made as a modular solution and it is easy to replace if necessary. The device is preferably opened from storage position to operating position and collapsed by electric means, or optionally by hand (for instance when the battery is completely exhausted). The device performs any necessary operations automatically when the user presses a button, and the user does not have to stoop down to fold up the device. The collapsed device has a protruding handle by which its electric motor can be actuated in order to facilitate movement of the device. When the device is moved in a collapsed state, its maximum speed is automatically kept very low. Ow- ing to its light weight and small size, the collapsed device is readily taken indoors to be stored in a cabinet, for instance, or lifted into the boot of a car. When kept in vertical position, the device only requires a floor space equalling about an A4 standard paper size in the optimal case. The device is provided with an identifier to identify and authenticate different users. This allows different user profiles for different types of users to be pre-programmed in its automatism. Identification may be performed using e.g. an electronic, mag- netic or mechanical key, either by wireless communication or by contact. The user profiles may be programmed to comprise e.g. maximum acceleration or deceleration values or top speeds with a view to elderly users, so that the device does not start suddenly or stop too unexpectedly. However, the device comprises a mechanical emergency brake serving to stop the device in the event of technical malfunc- tions (e.g. at any current failure) or danger situations. The device has a modular platform, which is easy to replace and allows the device to be readily adapted to different purposes of use/users. Preferred options for the platform design are a narrow board as those of scooters, a broader continuous plat- form or a fork-like platform, allowing the user to walk between the fork prongs at slower speed and to stand on the prongs at higher speed. This typically applies to elderly users, whose muscular activities can be maintained by motor-aided walking. A fork-like platform also results in a very stable device. In one preferred embodiment, the device comprises a seat member, which can be retracted into the device during use if desired, so that the user is more free to drive the device standing on the platform, and to save space with the device in storage position. The device can also advantageously be equipped with a shopping basket or the like, and it has places for suspending shopping bags and for carrying other small items. The device has preferably been designed for rental in that it includes a pay apparatus, in which a rental fee can be paid e.g. by mobile phone, credit or pay card, pay tokens or money. In this case, there may be a specifically constructed rental termi- nal, where a plurality of devices can be charged at the same time. At the charging stage, the device requires very small space and stands upright by itself. The charging automatism performs correct charging of the battery and gives a signal when the battery is fully charged. The device comprises a charging light signal and/or acoustic signal to give an alarm of a drop in the charge and of charging being required well before the power is out. The device is preferably charged from a normal plug contact and all the necessary equipment, including the wire, is contained in the device. The wire is automatically rewound within the device when charging has ended. The device preferably comprises an anti-theft device and an electronic sensor, by means of which the device is localised in the event of theft by GPS, for instance. The appearance of the device is easily varied with replaceable plastic covers, as is known in the case of mobile phones and cars. This allows each device to be individualised to the user's taste. The device is advantageously suitable for transport in passenger cars, caravans, boats, buses or other means for public transportation. This can be done owing to the light weight and small size of the device. In addition, whenever necessary, the batteries can be charged by connecting the device to the energy and charging system of a mobile vehicle. The shortcomings of known solutions mentioned above are eliminated and the advantages mentioned above are achieved with the solution of this invention. The preferred embodiments of the invention are characterised by the features defined in the claims below. The invention is described in detail below by means of examples and with reference to the following drawings, in which figure 1 shows a drawing in principle of an electrically driven vehicle viewed later- ally, with the seat member of the vehicle in operating position, figure 2 shows a drawing in principle of an electrically driven vehicle viewed laterally, with the seat of the vehicle in retracted position, figure 3 shows a drawing in principle of an electrically driven vehicle viewed laterally, with the vehicle completely folded up, and figures 4a and 4b are top views of a number of preferred embodiments of the platform of the vehicle. Figure 1 shows a simplified drawing of the vehicle, comprising a leading wheel 1 driven by a polar motor (not shown), one or more rear wheels 2, a folding platform with a front part 3 and a rear part 4, platform articulations 5 and 6, a steering post 7, a steering bar/wheel 8, a seat member bar 9 and a seat 10, and also seat articulations 11 and 12. The device may also be manufactured without any seat members 9, 10, 11 and 12, and is then driven with the user standing on the platform. The device can be equipped with an individual navigator and PDA device, which typically communicates with the service provider over a wireless local area network or a wireless telephone network. For navigation, the device uses the public GPS satellite network, or when used indoors, the local base station network, which may also serve as base stations in a wireless local area network. To be taken into use, the device requires an authentication key, which may preferably be a mechanical key, a card or electronic media (e.g. identification with a mobile phone), which can communicate with the device by wireless means or by contact. Besides authentication, this key preferably comprises user profile data (e.g. shape of acceleration and deceleration ramps and maximum speed). Regarding information services, it typically has a domain entitling to the use of the services of the network service provider. Figure 2 shows how the bar 9 of the seat member and the seat 10 are retracted into the rear part 4 of the platform. The preferably electrically driven retraction is allowed by the seat articulations 11 and 12. This allows the vehicle to be run by a user standing up even in crowded places. The seat member bar 9 and the seat proper 10 can be manufactured also in other ways with regard to their fastenings. However, the essential feature is the retraction of the seat within the device when not used as a seat or when the device is in storage position. Figure 3 shows the vehicle in collapsed state. The device remains in balance all the time while being folded up, the folding being preferably performed by electric means, without external support. In this manner, the user does not have to stoop down to fold up the device for storage. The device is automatically collapsed when the user actuates a switch (not shown) integrated e.g. in the handle 8 or in the steering post 7. With the device collapsed, the steering is automatically switched to slow speed, at which the user can carry the device along at walking speed by utilising the electric motor. Figures 4a and 4b show two preferred options for manufacturing the platform. In figure 4a, the platform is stable and suitable as a basic platform, whereas the platform of figure 4b enables e.g. a person with poor mobility to walk between the plat- form prongs at slow speed while using the platform as a walking support, thus allowing the person to maintain his mobility. If desired, the user can rise on top of the platform prongs and drive the vehicle while standing up. The device can also be equipped with a retractable seat plane (not shown), which can be turned aside when the user is walking between the platform prongs. Modular platforms can be readily replaced for different purposes of use. Their shape is not confined to the two examples given above, but may vary for different requirements of use.

Claims: Claims 1. An electrically driven vehicle for local transportation, comprising at least two wheels (1, 2), a frame and one or more steering handles (8), and having an articu- lated (5, 6) frame so that the device is collapsible for storage on a small floor space in an upright position, characterised in that the device comprises a modular replaceable platform and covers, the platform being a narrow board as in scooters, a larger continuous platform or a fork-like platform allowing the user to walk between its fork-like prongs or if necessary, to rise on top of the fork prongs in order to drive the device when standing up. 2. A vehicle as defined in claim 1, characterised in that the device has a switch, which the user actuates to fold up and to open the vehicle electrically. 3. A vehicle as defined in claim 2, characterised in that the device also comprises a manually operated device for folding up and opening the device. 4. A vehicle as defined in claim 3, characterised in that the device comprises at least two articulations (5, 6), the first articulation (6) joining the platform to the steering post and the second articulation (5) dividing the platform into two parts (3, 4), the articulations (5, 6) being blocked when the device is in operating position so as to form a stiff supporting structure. 5. A vehicle as defined in claim 4, characterised in that the device has a trip com- puter, whose memory includes different pre-installed user profiles, among which the desired profile is chosen for use with a switch or is read from an authentication key, the user profiles determining maximum speed, deceleration and acceleration values and the trip computer possibly comprising GPS navigation equipment, a wireless Internet connection to a map server and to a server containing other infor- mation, the information being either visual or acoustic information. 6. A vehicle as defined in claim 5, characterised in that the device has an anti-theft apparatus and a transmitter for GPS localisation. 7. A vehicle as defined in claim 6, characterised in that the device has an emergency brake. 8. A vehicle as defined in claim 7, characterised in that the device has a site for a personal navigator and a PDA device. 9. A vehicle as defined in claim 8, characterised in that the device has an authenti- eating identifier and that the means used for authentication is a mechanical key or card, a magnetic key, an electronic key, or that authentication is obtained with a mobile phone over the telephone or local area network. 10. A vehicle as defined in claim 9, characterised in that the device has a collapsi- ble/removable plane seat member (10), which is folded up by electric or manual means and does not require extra space when the device is folded up or driven by a person standing up. 11. A vehicle as defined in claim 10, characterised in that, with the device col- lapsed in vertical position, the control electronics of the trip computer of the device is set to a mode where the drive wheel (1) has low speed, and the device has a handle (8) for moving the device on its own wheels (1, 2) aided by an electric motor. 12. A vehicle as defined in claim 11, characterised in that the device has means for goods transport. 13. A vehicle as defined in claim 12, characterised in that the device has a connecting member for a trailer and/or sidecar to carry goods and persons.

Inventors: RIEKKINEN MARTTI OLAVI, RIEKKINEN, MARTTI, OLAVI
Applicants: RIEKKINEN MARTTI OLAVI, RIEKKINEN, MARTTI, OLAVI
Application year: 2001
Main classification: B62D61
IPC codes: B62D51, B62D61, B62K3, B62K15