Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

J.d Components Co., Ltd.

Matthew B Staal

Ming Hsein Lee

Sheng Yu Huang

Ding Jong Chou

Michael Jin Kim

Jackie P Porchay

David Wong Cun

Peter Wendt

Robert Uyeki

Nicholas P Ziraldo

Jonathan G Moss

Nelson Vanwagoner

Christopher John Tarchala

Hanna Gee

Rudolph Carruolo

Bradford D Kent

Bharat Naran

Jeremy N Rolon

Macarena Rojas Bustamante

A system and method for regulating temperatures inside of a vehicle while an electric personal transport device is charging inside the vehicle by a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) controller including at least one processor is described. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a signal from at least one of an electric personal transport device presence sensor or a charging unit for an electric personal transport device, the signal indicating that an electric personal transport device is charging inside the vehicle. The method also includes receiving an ambient temperature inside the vehicle from a temperature sensor and comparing the ambient temperature inside the vehicle to a threshold temperature. Based on the comparison of the ambient temperature to the threshold temperature, the method further includes operating at least one heating and cooling system of the vehicle to regulate the temperature inside the vehicle within a temperature range.

System and method for temperature control while charging an electric transport device inside a vehicle

A compact personal transport device convertible between a riding configuration and a stowed configuration is described. In one embodiment, a latching mechanism for the compact personal transport device includes a frame post attached internally to the personal transport device and a seat post including an opening on one side. The seat post fits onto the frame post. The latching mechanism also includes a latch spring that extends outwards from one side of the frame post in an extended position and retracts inside the frame post in a retracted position. The latch spring extends through the opening in the seat post when the seat post is attached to the frame post and the latch spring is in the extended position to mechanically lock the seat post to the frame post.

Seat post and handlebar latching mechanism for personal transport device

A foldable seat assembly for a personal transport device is described. The seat assembly includes a seat having a seat surface and a seat post attached to an underside of the seat. The seat assembly also includes a latching mechanism having a pivot mechanism, a clamp located above the pivot mechanism, a latch arm attached to the pivot mechanism at a pivot end of the latch arm, a hooked catch disposed at a catch end of the latch arm opposite the pivot end, and a catch receiver associated with the underside of the seat. The catch receiver engages with the hooked catch of the latch arm. When the clamp is in a locked position, the hooked catch exerts a downward clamping force on the catch receiver to secure the seat in a riding configuration so that the seat surface has a horizontal orientation.

Foldable seat with latching mechanism for personal transport device

A personal transport device convertible between a riding configuration and a stowed configuration is described. In one embodiment, a rear wheel locking mechanism for the personal transport device includes a bracket having a recess on an underside of the bracket. The recess is configured to mate with a protruding knuckle on a rear wheel arm of the personal transport device. A securing tab is attached to a back end of the bracket at a pivot mechanism. The securing tab includes a top end and a bottom end opposite the top end. The pivot mechanism causing the top end and the bottom end of the release tab to move in opposite directions. The bottom end of the securing tab is configured to engage with a knob on a rear wheel arm of the personal transport device to secure the rear wheel arm in place to prevent linear movement.

Rear wheel locking mechanism for personal transport device

A compact personal transport device convertible between a riding configuration and a stowed configuration is described. In one embodiment, a steering assembly for the compact personal transport device includes a telescopic steering shaft, a neck disposed at a top of the telescopic steering shaft, and a rotatable collar connected via a rotation mechanism to the neck. A handlebar is secured to the rotatable collar and the steering assembly also includes a handlebar latching mechanism. In a locked configuration, the handlebar latching mechanism secures the rotatable collar from being rotated. In an unlocked configuration, the handlebar latching mechanism permits the rotatable collar to rotate relative to the neck.

Handlebar latching mechanism for personal transport device

A personal transport device convertible between a riding configuration and a stowed configuration is described. In one embodiment, a rear wheel and foot peg linking mechanism for the personal transport device includes foot pegs, including a first peg and a second peg, and a gear mechanism connected to the foot pegs. The gear mechanism is configured to rotate to move the foot pegs between an open position and a closed position. The rear wheel and foot peg linking mechanism also includes an arm connected to a rear wheel of the personal transport device and a post member extending outwards from the arm. The post member is configured to contact the gear mechanism to cause the gear mechanism to move the foot pegs from the open position to the closed position.

Rear wheel and foot peg linkage mechanism for personal transport device

An electric transport device included an outer casing including a top, a bottom, a front, a back, and an interior space. A rear wheel assembly is mounted to the outer casing. The rear wheel assembly extends rearward of the back of the outer casing when the electric transport device is in a riding configuration. A locking mechanism is configurable in a first configuration to engage the rear wheel assembly to lock the rear wheel assembly in a riding position. The locking mechanism is configurable in a second configuration to disengage the locking mechanism from the rear wheel assembly permitting the rear wheel assembly to be moved relative to the outer casing to move the rear wheel assembly from the riding position to a stowed position.

Reconfigurable compact electric transport device

A seat for a personal transport device is provided. The seat includes a first seat body portion and a second body portion disposed on an opposite side of a midline from the first seat body portion. The midline is aligned along a longitudinal direction of the seat. The seat also includes a folding mechanism attached to the first seat body portion and the second seat body portion. The folding mechanism is configured to fold the seat along the midline to transition the seat between an unfolded configuration and a folded configuration. In one embodiment, the folding mechanism includes a spine extending underneath the seat in the longitudinal direction, a pair of plates disposed at opposite ends of the spine, a plurality of support members attached at one end to the spine and at an opposite end to the first seat body portion or the second seat body portion.

Butterfly folding seat mechanism for personal transport device

A system and method for pairing a rider to a suitable electric transport device based on a variety of input parameters is described. The system involves a service provider that deploys at least two differently configured electric transport devices, and processes inputs from a user/rider such as biometric data, the rider's physical characteristics, rider experience level and preferences to pair the rider to a suitable electric transport device based on the inputs.

System and method for optimized pairing of personal transport device to rider

A server and method for social interaction-based display control is provided. The server acquires information associated with a first user of an electronic device. The server determines social connections of the first user based on the acquired information. The server analyzes an interaction of the first user with second users based on a communication between the second users and the first user. The second users may be associated with the social connections. The server determines, based on the analyzed interaction a connection score indicating a degree of interaction between the second users and the first user. The server transmits display information indicating the determined connection score to the electronic device. The electronic device may adjust display characteristics of a user interface (UI) element associated with the second users based on the display information.

Social interaction based display control

A method for providing guided navigation for personal transport devices is described. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a list of predetermined destinations associated with a geographic area, projecting directions to one or more of the destinations on a ground surface located in front of a personal transport device, and providing an option to a user of the personal transport device to select between at least two different destinations. A direction associated with each destination of the at least two destinations may be projected on the ground surface located in front of the personal transport device. The method also includes receiving an input from the user indicating a selection of one of the at least two different destinations and projecting directions to the selected destination on the ground surface located in front of the personal transport device to guide the user to the selected destination.

Guided navigation for personal transport devices

A method and system for synchronizing the start of group ride rentals of electric transport devices is described. In one embodiment, a method for initiating a group ride for a plurality of users of electric transport devices includes receiving a request from a first user of an electric transport device to initiate a group ride from a first location to a second location. The method also includes adding one or more additional users to the group ride. Each user is associated with a separate billing account with a service provider for the electric transport devices. The method further includes delaying a start of billing for each user included in the group ride by the service provider until each user has located an electric transport device.

Method and system for synchronizing start of group ride rentals

A vehicle and passenger carrying apparatus usable with a vehicle, wherein the passenger carrying portion includes a seating surface and a moveable footrest below the seating surface. The footrest is moveable from an ingress/egress position to a transport position that is closer to the seating surface than the ingress/egress position. The passenger carrying portion further includes a footrest movement mechanism, wherein the footrest movement mechanism controls movement of the moveable footrest between the ingress/egress position the transport position.

Active vehicle footrest

A vehicle, vehicle frame, and steering system usable with the vehicle and vehicle frame. The steering system including a first and second knuckle mounted to a vehicle frame and configured to rotate with respect to the vehicle frame to turn the wheels, and a pitman arm link rotatable relative to the vehicle frame. The steering system further includes a first tie rod operably connected to the first knuckle to the pitman arm link bracket via a pitman arm and pitman connector, and a second tie rod connecting the second knuckle to the pitman arm link. A pitman connector is rotatably operatively connected to the pitman arm link, wherein the pitman arm thereby transfers pivoting or rotational motion applied via a steering input from the pitman arm to the pitman arm link, to respective knuckles via the first and second tie rods.

Growing community of inventors

Torrance, CA, United States of America

Matthew B Staal