Patent ID: 7174976

Claim:
A transporter comprising: a support platform for supporting a load, the support platform defining a fore-aft plane and a lateral plane; a plurality of ground contacting elements coupled to the support platform such that the support platform is statically stable with respect to tipping in the fore-aft and the lateral plane; a pivot element pivotally coupled about a rotation axis of at least one of the ground contacting elements such that the pivot element is capable of tilting; a user interface for causing a tilt of the pivot element while the support platform remains statically stable with respect to tipping in fore-aft and the lateral plane; a sensor module for generating a signal indicative of the tilt of the pivot element; a motorized drive arrangement for driving at least one of the plurality of ground contacting elements; and a controller for commanding the motorized drive arrangement based on the tilt of the pivot element.