Abstract:
A two-wheel battery-powered vehicle has a platform and two wheels connected to the platform, wherein a battery-powered wheel drive drives the wheels. An attachment is connected to the platform and a sensor device is arranged in the platform. A person standing on the platform and engaging the attachment moves the platform into an angle position corresponding to a body position of the person. Based on the angle position of the platform, the sensor device controls the wheel drive such that, by acceleration or deceleration, the vehicle and the person standing on it are kept in a balanced position. A right/left control controls turning of the vehicle in a traveling direction by driving the wheels at different speed. The attachment has a leg support device for at least one leg of the person standing on the platform for keeping the platform at a desired angle position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The invention relates to a two-wheel battery-powered vehicle for a person that is standing on a platform of the vehicle and keeps the platform in an angle position corresponding to a body position of the person by means of an attachment arranged on the platform, wherein, based on a sensor device that determines the angle position of the platform relative to a horizontal position, a wheel drive is controlled such that the wheel drive, by acceleration and deceleration, keeps the vehicle with the person balanced, and wherein a separately actuatable right/left control is provided by different driving velocities applied to the two wheels. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Such a vehicle is in use and is known under the name “Segway”. The platform of this known vehicle has the configuration of a flat box in which the battery, the sensors, and the control are arranged. The standing surface is positioned at the comfortable height of a usual stair step. The person steps from the rear onto the platform and grips two handles that, similar to a bicycle handlebar, are arranged on a column arranged on the platform. One handle is a rotary handle with which the control right/left is achieved. The speed control is achieved by a special type of balance control: The more the person and the column supporting the handles move forwardly, the faster the vehicle moves forwardly. When tilting to the rear, the vehicle moves to the rear. When the vehicle stands still, the balance is maintained by acceleration and counter acceleration instead of by acceleration and deceleration. The vehicle continuously moves back and forth within small fractions of a second. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an object of the present invention to develop further utilizations of the vehicle. 
   In accordance with the present invention, this is achieved in that the aforementioned attachment is designed for resting against at least one leg of the person in order to keep the platform in the aforementioned angle position. 
   The control right/left can be foot-actuated. However, it could also be realized in several different ways, for example, by slight tilting of the attachment to the side by means of the legs or by means of tilting sensors arranged on the head and by tilting the head to the appropriate side. 
   In the embodiment of the vehicle in accordance with the present invention, the person utilizing the vehicle therefore has arms and hands free. The person can point, gesticulate, carry out manipulations, carry objects etc . . 
   The possible applications are manifold. They include leisure time activities, performance art events, actual transport of persons, for example, on plant premises and in manufacturing halls. 
   In an advantageous embodiment, the attachment that extends preferably minimally past the knee rests with a curved and/or angled shell, preferably on the inner side, against the first leg. In addition, a more flat rest for the second leg can be provided such that the person with his second leg can press the shell against the first leg. In this way, the slanted positioning of the platform in accordance with the body position, on which principle the vehicle function is based, is ensured under all conditions. 
   The embodiments can and should be designed such that above the lateral areas of the platform on either side of the attachment there is space for the legs for leaving the platform even toward the front. 
   In this way, when arriving at a target location, the remaining transport on foot can be shortened. In a possible danger situation, it is also possible to jump from the vehicle in the forward direction (toward the front). The vehicle is mounted from the rear as is conventional. 
   An expedient embodiment of the invention is characterized by a replacement part that is designed for contacting the leg. The replacement part is connectable to the base column of a commercially available vehicle of the aforementioned kind in place of the usual commercially provided height-adjustable column having handles. 
   The replacement part enables retrofitting of the vehicle but also an economic variation within the production. 
   In particular for retrofitting, for the right/left control of the vehicle it is proposed to provide two foot pedals; furthermore, the replacement part is provided with a rocker device that is provided with the foot pedals; by means of at least one arm projecting upwardly from the rocker device, an electric control member mounted on the replacement part is actuated for the control right/left. Preferably, the electric control member is a control member that is removed from the rotary handle of a commercially available attachment of the vehicle. 
   Moreover, the control member can be provided with a drive means cooperating with the arm, preferably a pin that is mounted on a rotary disk that engages a slotted hole or a bifurcation of the arm. 
   When the vehicle is produced from the start in accordance with the present invention, the control right/left will be realized preferably in a different way, for example, by pressure switches or by means of sensors in the platform that react to weight shifting from one foot to the other. 
   Finally, according to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, a support, preferably a bow-shaped support, is provided for an object to be carried on the vehicle; the support is arranged to be pivotable to the front and to the rear on the vehicle, preferably on or near the wheel axle, and can be connected to the body, preferably by a bracket laterally engaging the body. 
   The support that extends approximately to the waist of the person is provided in particular as a hard mount of a camera. 
   A kit for retrofitting a commercially available vehicle comprises preferably the replacement part with the attachment and the extension, the rocker device, the pedals including attachment means, and the strand, optionally also the aforementioned support. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     In the drawing: 
       FIG. 1  shows a vehicle in accordance with the invention in a view from the front which vehicle has been created by a simple mechanical retrofitting of a commercially available vehicle; 
       FIG. 2  shows the vehicle of  FIG. 1  in a view from the side; 
       FIG. 3  shows a detail in an isometric illustration from the front in a view from above; 
       FIG. 4  shows in an isometric illustration a replacement part that is different from that shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  for the vehicle that is the same in other respects; 
       FIG. 5  shows the replacement part according to  FIG. 4  in the same isometric illustration but showing also the parts that are actually invisible or hidden; 
       FIG. 6  shows schematically a detail; 
       FIG. 7  shows a further modification of a detail in isometric illustration; 
       FIG. 8  shows a vehicle with accessory in a front view; 
       FIG. 9  shows a detail of the vehicle according to  FIG. 8  in a view at an angle; and 
       FIG. 10  shows a plan view onto the accessory. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   On the platform  1  configured as a flat box two wheels  2  are arranged. They are driven by wheel motors  3  that are powered by a battery arranged in the platform. 
   An attachment  4  at the front end of the vehicle extends upwardly from the platform  1 . It is comprised of a rigid base column  5  fixedly connected to the platform  1  and an extension part in the form of aluminum welded fabrication  6 . 
   The latter is positioned with a socket  7  on the hollow base column  5 . A rod  8  welded to the socket  7  extends at a slant upwardly and supports a leg support device comprising a shell  9  that is approximately semi-circular in cross-section and a flat support plate  10 . The shell  9  is provided for contacting a first leg of a person using the vehicle and the flat support plate  10  is provided for contacting the second leg of the person. The shell  9  and the support plate (rest)  10  are understood to be padded. 
   The two wings of the shell  9  could be provided with hinges about which a wing can fold away when a force, that should not be too small, is surpassed. 
   The aluminum welded fabrication  6  is designed as an replacement part for retrofitting. 
   On a projection  11  of the rod  8  a box  12  for receiving control elements is mounted as well as a collar  13  in which a rotary handle  14  is secured that has been taken from a vehicle of the prior art and effects the control right/left. 
   Moreover, a rod  15  as an extension is connected by welding to the socket  7  and extends downwardly adjacent to the base column  5 . A rocker device  17  is pivotably connected to the rod  15  so that it can swivel about a horizontal axis  16 . The rocker device  17  has freedom of movement within a cutout  18  of the platform. However, it projects with two plates  19  welded thereto upwardly past the surface of the platform  1 . 
   Two foot pedals  20  connected to the platform  1  project past the plates  19 . These foot pedals  20  are comprised of flat tongues, visible in  FIG. 1  only from the front, and are connected to be pivotable about a horizontal axis, respectively, on a holding plate  21  screwed onto the platform  1 . 
   Two rods  22  connected to the rocker device  17  by welding project upwardly away from the rocker device. A thin wire cable  23  is attached to the rods  22  and is looped about the rotary handle  14  and fastened thereto with the center of the loop. 
   Reference numeral  24  indicates textured standing surfaces for both feet. Finally, on the box  12  an on/off switch  25  is provided; at the upper end of the rod  8  an emergency off switch  26  can be seen. 
   The person utilizing the vehicle steps onto the two standing surfaces  24 ; a first leg is positioned in the shell  9  and the second leg is placed against the support plate  10 . The front part of the feet rests on a foot pedal  20 , respectively. 
   When the person tilts forwardly, the vehicle moves forwardly the faster the greater the forward slant angle. When the person tilts backwardly, the vehicle moves to the rear. 
   For moving to the right, the right foot presses onto the right pedal  20  and the left foot yields the left pedal  20 . The rocker device  17  adjusts accordingly and thereby rotates by means of the cable  23  the rotary handle  14 . The left wheel  2  now rotates faster than the right wheel so that the vehicle carries out a right hand turn. The degree of pivoting of the rocker device  17  by means of the feet determines the radius of the curve. Turning to the left is carried out in the same way in reverse. 
     FIG. 4  shows a replacement part  31  that is modified in comparison to the aluminum welded fabrication  6 . 
   The replacement part  31  is attached by means of a slanted socket  32 , corresponding to the socket  7 , on the base column  5  of the vehicle. It has the configuration of a box-shaped column  33  that provides a holder  34  for a shell  35  and a support plate  36 , comparable to elements  9  and  10  of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 . 
   The column  33  has a wide section  37  positioned above the base column  5  that passes into a narrow section (extension)  38  positioned in front of the base column  5  and extending downwardly. 
   The wide section  37  has a bottom  39  and an intermediate bottom  40  arranged above bottom  39 ; the socket  32  is secured to the bottoms  39 ,  40 . 
   A rear wall  41  of the wider section  37  adjoins the bottom  39  and extends upwardly; a rear wall  42  of the narrow section  38  adjoin the bottom  39  and extends downwardly. The side walls  43  of the box-shaped column  33  project downwardly and to the rear somewhat past the bottom  39  and the rear wall  42  and form a curved transition between the wide section  37  and the narrow section  38 . In the cover part  44  and the front wall  45  of the box-shaped column  33 , removable lids  46  and  47  are provided that are screw-connected. 
   On the rear wall  41  a receptacle  48  in the form of a small upwardly open box for the holder  34  is mounted. 
   The lower part  49  of a telescoping rod is pivotably connected, not illustrated in detail, with its lower end in the receptacle  48  and is supported laterally by means of two rubber stops arranged in the receptacle on opposed sides. The upper part  50  of the telescoping rod is securable in different positions relative to the lower part  49  and supports an arm  51  on which the shell  35  and the support plate  36  are attached. The position of the shell  35  end of the support plate  36  on the arm  51  can be changed. 
   On the rear wall  42  a hinge  52  supports a rocker device  53 . The rocker device  53  passes through two slots  54  in the sidewalls  43  out of the column  33  and supports at its ends two pedals  55 . The pedals  55  have a position at a minimal height above the platform  1  of the vehicle; the rocker device  53  is positioned in front of the platform  1 . 
   A control member  56  of a commercially available vehicle is arranged above the rocker device  53  on the rear wall  42 . It has a rotary disk  57  with pin  58  as a driver that engages an arm  59  with bifurcation  60  projecting from the rocker device  53 . By actuating the rocker device  53  by means of pedals  55  and transmitting the movement via the arm  59  and the rotary disk  57  onto the control member  56 , the vehicle can be controlled and steered. This type of control as well as speed control have been described above. 
   The lid  47  makes the control member  56  accessible. Underneath the lid  46  the electronics is accessible. 
     FIG. 7  shows the arrangement of the curved shell and the flat support plate (rest), identified at  61  and  62 , and modified relative to  FIG. 5 . On the arm  51  a holder  64  is provided that can be moved by means of base part  63  of U-shaped cross-section and secured in different positions; this arrangement enables the shell  61  and the support plate  62  to be moved into differently spaced relative positions to one another in order to provide adjustment to a body configuration, respectively. 
   At the end of the base part  63  an upwardly projecting console  65  is arranged on which ends of two holding arms  68  and  69  are mounted pivotably between an upper angle portion  66  and a lower angle portion  67 . The other end of the holding arms  68  and  69  support the shell  61  and the plate  62 , respectively. The holding arms  68  and  69 , again of a U-shaped cross-section, are connected to one another by a slanted stay  72  that is pivotably connected to the holding arm  69  and engages a slotted hole  71  of the holding arm  68  by means of pin  70 . 
   By fixation of the pin  70  at an appropriate location within the slotted hole  71 , an appropriate spread-apart position of the holding arms  68 ,  69  relative to one another can be secured and the desired spacing between the shell  61  and the support plate  62  can be adjusted. For this purpose, the pin  70  can be provided with a thread and a clamping nut. 
   The shell  61  is of a two-part configuration. One half  73  is fixedly mounted on the holding arm  68 . The other half  74  is connected to the first half  73  by means of a hinge  75 , for example, a tension hinge. When surpassing the tension force, the half  74  can thus fold away, if needed. 
   The shell  61  and the support plate  62  are illustrated without their padding. 
     FIG. 8  shows an accessory in the form of a bow-shaped support  81  for an object to be carried. In particular, this concerns a heavy camera that is carried on the body. 
   In addition to the above mentioned applications, the vehicle according to the invention is suitable in particular for camera operators that want to move parallel to a moving object. For this purpose, there are currently body supports available and devices for compensating the irregularities that are caused by each step when running. The vehicle according to the invention enables a camera operator to carry out a uniform movement by having available full freedom of movement of arms and hands. 
   With the support  81  this advantage is improved even more. The camera is provided with a “hard mount”, which is usually possible only for standing operation of the camera. 
   The camera or a holder for the camera is attached to the mounting plate  82  that can be moved into position and fastened on a horizontal bow section  83 . 
   The support  81  is provided with two lateral bow sections  84  pivotably on the geometric wheel axis. For this purpose, a central fastening nut has been removed and replaced with an axle bolt  85  that is provided with an inner thread and serves at the same time as a nut ( FIG. 9 ). On the axle bolt  85  a hub  86  is mounted, either directly or by means of a ball bearing; the hub  86  serves by means of a radially attached socket  87  as a holder for the support  81 . The ends of the bow-shaped support  81  are inserted into the socket  87  and fastened thereto by means of the clamp  88 . In particular for a somewhat greater length of the socket  87  than the illustrated length, the height of the support  81  can be changed and adjusted telescopingly. 
   As can be seen in  FIG. 10 , an angle member  90  with padding  91  at one end can be attached to the horizontal bow section  83  of the support  81  by means of a tension hinge  89 . The user of the vehicle stands upright, as illustrated at  92  in dashed lines, in the intermediate space between the horizontal bow section  83  and the padding  91 . The person moves laterally into this intermediate space and/or pivots the angle member  90  by using the tension hinge  89  back and forth. 
   For adjusting the angle member to body dimensions, the angle member  90  can be configured to be adjustable lengthwise in a telescoping fashion within areas indicated by the brackets  93  and  94 . 
   The horizontal bow section  83  is positioned for example at a level slightly below the waist. 
   In order to reduce the width of the bow-shaped support  81 , it could also be pivotably attached for example at the locations of the wheel motors  3  indicated by arrows  95  or on the platform  1 . The attachment on the wheel axles is however preferred because the mass of the camera or of other objects has no disturbing effect on the position of the platform  1 . 
   As mentioned above, the operator controls the vehicle speed by means of the shell  35 , the column  33  and the position of the platform  1  rigidly connected thereto. When the person tilts the pelvis past the position of his legs forwardly or to the rear, the person entrains the support  81 . The acceleration or deceleration effects balancing of the mass or weight of the camera or of the other object in the same way as for the body weight. 
   When the user wants to or must step down from the platform  1  toward the front, this is still possible by entraining the support  81 . 
   Finally, a handle  76  that is rigidly connected to the column  33  as well as the possibility of connecting a saddle or the like for the user to the support  81  that would then have a reduced height should also be mentioned. 
   While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.