Patent ID: 7744331

Claim:
A transport vehicle capable of displacement between a first condition for transferring an associated cargo and a second condition for transporting the associated cargo, said transport vehicle comprising: a self-balancing vehicle base including a carrier structure having a balancing axis, a ground-engaging component operatively connected to said carrier structure, and a base structure rotatably supported on said carrier structure for displacement about said balancing axis between a first orientation corresponding to said first condition of said transport vehicle and a second orientation that is different from said first orientation and corresponds to said second condition of said transport vehicle; a platform moveably supported on said vehicle base and displaceable relative thereto in a direction transverse to said balancing axis between a first position corresponding to said first orientation of said vehicle base and a second position corresponding to said second orientation of said vehicle base, said platform including a first end pivotally connected to said base structure and a second end spaced from said first end in said direction transverse to said balancing axis, said second end being free from said base structure such that said platform can be maintained in an approximately fixed orientation during displacement of said base structure between said first and second orientations; and, a support device engaging said second end of said platform and supporting at least a portion thereof during displacement between said first position and said second position such that said platform can be maintained in said approximately fixed orientation during displacement of said base structure between said first and second orientations; wherein a free end of said support device travels beneath at least a portion of said base structure.