Future Motion, Inc.

Other

Focus Designs Inc.

Daniel James Wood

Kyle Jonathan Doerksen

Julian De La Rua

Beau Jesse Robertson

Brady Boone

A self-propelled, one-wheeled vehicle may include a board having two deck portions each having a concave front footpad configured to receive a foot of a rider, and a wheel assembly disposed between the deck portions. The concave front footpad has a rider detection sensor in the form of a membrane switch conforming to the shape of the footpad (e.g., facilitated by one or more slots formed in the membrane switch). A motor assembly drives the vehicle in response to board orientation and rider detection information. The vehicle may have a secondary battery chargeable via a three-pin charging port including an input pin, a ground pin, and an identification pin configured to receive an expected identification signal from an external charging circuit.

Self-stabilizing skateboard

A control system for a tiltable vehicle may include a motor controller configured to respond to backward or reverse operation of the vehicle by hindering a responsiveness of the control system (e.g., proportionally) and/or eventually disengaging a drive motor of the vehicle. Accordingly, a user may intuitively and safely dismount the vehicle by selectively commanding reverse operation. In some examples, the backward direction may be user-defined.

Dismount controls for one-wheeled vehicle

A self-stabilizing, one-wheeled electric skateboard may include improved features. In some examples, the vehicle includes a status indicator viewable through a slot formed in an upper surface of the board. In some examples, the vehicle includes a convertible carrying handle transitionable between stowed and deployed positions. In some examples, the vehicle includes an interchangeable fender and fender substitute that may be removably coupled to an upper surface of the board. In some examples, a motor controller of the vehicle may operate a field-oriented control (FOC) scheme configured to control the electric motor by manipulating a direct current aligned with a rotating rotor flux angle and a quadrature current defined at ninety degrees from the rotating rotor flux angle. In some examples, the motor controller may be configured to permit intuitive dismounting of the vehicle by tilting and/or moving the vehicle backward.

An electric weight sensing skateboard using one or more strain gauge systems to detect rider-induced strain on one or both trucks, an inertial sensor to detect accelerations and balance position, and wheel speed sensors. Throttle is controlled by rider position, for example, lean forward to increase speed, lean back to slow down. Several drive methods include a driver position detection velocity setpoint control, torque setpoint control, and direct velocity/torque control. A throttle remote is note required. Rider weight activates the motors.

Electric skateboard with strain-based controls and methods

When an electric vehicle is traveling downhill, experiencing regenerative braking, or otherwise forcing the vehicle motor to turn faster than the commanded motor torque, the vehicle motor produces electrical energy that can be used to recharge a vehicle battery. However, if the vehicle battery is already nearly or fully charged, the excess electrical energy produced may damage the battery. Control systems described herein may reduce and/or dispose of the excess energy by manipulating the motor flux (i.e., direct) current and quadrature current independently.

Control system for electric vehicles

An electric weight sensing skateboard using one or more strain gauge systems to detect rider-induced strain on one or both trucks, an inertial sensor to detect accelerations and balance position, and wheel speed sensors. Throttle is controlled by rider position, for example, lean forward to increase speed, lean back to slow down. Several drive methods include a rider position detection velocity setpoint control, torque setpoint control, and direct velocity/torque control. A throttle remote is not required. Rider weight activates the motors.

An electric vehicle may comprise a board including deck portions each configured to receive a foot of a rider, and a wheel assembly disposed between the deck portions. A motor assembly may be mounted to the board and configured to propel the electric vehicle using the wheel assembly. At least one orientation sensor may be configured to measure orientation information of the board, and at least one pressure-sensing transducer may be configured to determine rider presence information. A motor controller may be configured to receive the orientation information and the rider presence information, and to cause the motor assembly to propel the electric vehicle based on the orientation and presence information.

Rider detection systems

An electric vehicle may include a board having two deck portions each configured to receive a foot of a rider, and a wheel assembly disposed between the deck portions. A motor assembly may drive the wheel assembly in response to board orientation and rider presence information. A rider detection mechanism may include one or more strain gauges, and may be configured to detect rider presence and rider weight information. A responsiveness of the motor may be automatically adjusted based on the rider weight information.

Growing community of inventors

Camas, WA, United States of America

Daniel James Wood