A portable inflatable ball-type manned vehicle and a gravity center driving control method thereof

Abstract

This invention discloses a portable, inflatable, ball-shaped passenger vehicle and its center-of-gravity drive control method, belonging to the field of personal transportation technology. The vehicle includes an inflatable ball-shaped shell, an internally suspended inflatable seat, a center-of-gravity offset drive system, and an automatic inflation and folding storage system. Through a built-in micro-air pump and a high-strength, lightweight composite material ball shell, the device achieves rapid automatic inflation and deflation, significantly reducing its storage volume and weight. Employing a center-of-gravity offset technology using eccentric weight blocks and omnidirectional wheels, smooth rolling is achieved by changing the mass distribution inside the ball, eliminating the need for traditional external wheel hub structures, reducing mechanical wear, and minimizing motion resistance. This invention solves the problems of poor portability, large space occupation, complex mechanical structure, and blind spots in existing personal transportation vehicles, making it particularly suitable for short-distance shuttle and sightseeing experiences in enclosed environments such as tourist attractions and large parks.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of personal transportation technology, specifically to a portable, inflatable, balloon-shaped passenger vehicle and its center of gravity drive control method. Background Technology

[0002] With the acceleration of urbanization, the demand for personal short-distance travel is increasing. Existing personal transportation tools mainly include two-wheeled self-balancing scooters, electric scooters, and four-wheeled low-speed mobility scooters. However, these tools generally suffer from the following problems: 1. Poor portability: Traditional mobility scooters mostly use rigid metal frames, which are large and heavy, making them inconvenient to carry into elevators, subways, or store in small spaces. 2. High mechanical wear: Relying on the friction between the exposed wheel hub and the ground for drive, long-term driving can easily lead to tire wear, and the resistance is relatively large when moving. 3. Limited safety and visibility: Rigid body structure lacks cushioning in a collision, and window design often creates blind spots. 4. Parking dependent on parking space: When not in use, it must occupy a fixed parking space and cannot be folded and stored like personal belongings. While some inflatable recreational balls exist on the market, they are mostly used for water recreation or specific venue experiences, lacking self-balancing control and portable storage designs for daily land commutes. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new type of transportation that can break through the limitations of traditional wheeled structures and combine high safety with ultimate portability. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The technical problem to be solved: The present invention aims to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a portable inflatable ball-shaped manned vehicle that is lightweight, foldable and storable, has no exposed mechanical wear, and can achieve smooth rolling through self-balancing of the center of gravity. Technical solution: To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a portable inflatable ball-shaped passenger vehicle, including an inflatable ball-shaped shell, an internally suspended inflatable seat, a center of gravity offset drive system, and an automatic folding and storage system. The inflatable, ball-shaped outer shell is made of high-strength, lightweight composite materials (such as Kevlar fiber composite thermoplastic polyurethane), which have excellent puncture resistance and abrasion resistance. The internal suspended inflatable seat is fixed to the center of the ball by flexible cables, ensuring that the seat remains level no matter how the ball rolls, providing passengers with a stable "roly-poly" experience. The center-of-gravity offset drive system is the core power source of this invention. It abandons the traditional hub motor and instead adopts a combination of "eccentric weight + omnidirectional wheel". When forward movement is required, the eccentric weight is pulled downward by the motor, changing the overall center of gravity of the ball and using gravity to generate a forward eccentric torque; the omnidirectional wheel provides auxiliary friction against the inner wall, enabling the ball to roll smoothly. The automatic folding storage system integrates a miniature high-pressure gas cylinder or a silent air pump. When the folding mode is activated, the air pump works in reverse to extract the air from inside the sphere. Combined with the elastic recovery force of the flexible frame, the sphere can shrink into a flat or backpack shape within minutes, greatly saving storage space. Beneficial effects: 1. Extremely portable: Through its inflation and deflation design, it weighs more than 60% less than traditional electric vehicles and can be folded up and put into a car trunk or a corner of the home. 2. Zero mechanical wear: Power transmission is completed within the sealed sphere, while the outer sphere relies solely on the rotation of the center of gravity, resulting in no tire wear and requiring no maintenance. 3. High safety: The soft inflatable shell acts as a buffer in the event of a collision, and with the multi-chamber isolation design, it will not lose pressure instantly even if punctured by a sharp object. 4. Panoramic sightseeing experience: The transparent or semi-transparent spherical shell design provides a 360-degree unobstructed view, greatly enhancing the sightseeing experience of tourist attractions or parks. Detailed Implementation 1. A portable, inflatable, spherical passenger vehicle, the overall shape of which is spherical. The outer layer is an inflatable spherical shell 1, employing a double-layer composite structure. The outer layer is coated with a wear-resistant and scratch-resistant Kevlar, and the inner layer is made of thermoplastic polyurethane material with excellent airtightness. The sphere is divided into three independent air chambers. Even if one air chamber is punctured by a foreign object, the remaining air chambers can still provide sufficient buoyancy and support to ensure that the passenger lands slowly. 2. An internal inflatable seat 2 is suspended at the center of the sphere, where passengers sit with their seatbelts secured to the inside of the seat. A center-of-gravity offset drive system is installed beneath the seat, including an eccentric weight 3 weighing approximately 10-15 kg (the weight can be optimized for a 100 kg human body load, using high-density tungsten alloy to reduce volume). When the passenger issues a "forward" command using the handle, the drive motor causes the eccentric weight 3 to swing downwards around its axis. At this time, the center of gravity inside the sphere shifts forward, and under the influence of gravity, the sphere begins to roll forward. Simultaneously, three sets of omnidirectional wheel assemblies 4, distributed at the sphere's equator, are in close contact with the inner wall, controlling the sphere's direction through differential rotation to ensure precise and controllable trajectory. 3. When the device needs to be packed away upon arrival at its destination, the user can activate the "packing mode" via a mobile app or physical button. At this time, the miniature air pump 5 switches to suction mode, removing the air from inside the device. As the air pressure decreases, the high-strength composite material shell 1 gradually contracts and folds under its own elasticity, eventually forming a cubic package with sides of approximately 0.8 meters. The user can then drag it to the storage location using the wheels at the bottom or the shoulder strap.

Claims

1. A portable, inflatable, spherical manned vehicle, characterized by, include: The inflatable spherical shell is made of high-strength, lightweight composite material and has an automatic inflation and deflation device inside. An internal suspended inflatable seat is located in the central area of ​​the spherical shell and is connected to the inner wall of the shell via a flexible connector. A center of gravity offset drive system is located inside the spherical shell and is used to drive the spherical shell to roll by changing its own center of gravity position. An automatic folding and storage system is used to fold and compress the spherical shell to a preset volume after deflation.

2. The portable aerodynamic ball-shaped manned vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The center of gravity offset drive system includes: an eccentric weight for moving inside the spherical shell to change the overall center of gravity; an omnidirectional wheel assembly, with at least three sets arranged in a triangle and abutting against the inner wall of the spherical shell, for providing friction and guiding the rolling direction in coordination with the movement of the eccentric weight; and a drive control unit for controlling the displacement trajectory of the eccentric weight and the rotational speed of the omnidirectional wheel assembly.

3. The portable aerodynamic ball-shaped manned vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The automatic inflation and deflation device includes a high-pressure gas cylinder or an electric air pump, and a solenoid valve communicating with the inner cavity of the spherical shell. The electric air pump is electrically connected to the vehicle's battery management system.

4. The portable aerodynamic ball-shaped manned vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The surface of the internally suspended inflatable seat is equipped with a pressure sensor, which is connected to the control unit of the automatic inflation device. When the weight of a person is detected, the air pressure inside the seat is automatically adjusted to provide adaptive lumbar and back support.

5. The portable aerodynamic ball-shaped manned vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer surface of the inflatable ball-shaped shell is coated with a self-healing coating, and the interior is divided into multiple independent sealed air chambers to achieve safe slow descent after a single layer of air is deflated.

6. The portable aerodynamic ball-shaped manned vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that, The omnidirectional wheel assembly includes a drive motor and a McCann wheel, which achieves in-situ rotation and lateral movement of the spherical shell through differential rotation.

7. A center-of-gravity drive control method, applied to the portable inflatable ball-shaped manned vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The process includes the following steps: obtaining the driving command input by the user; calculating the required center of gravity offset angle and direction based on the driving command; controlling the eccentric weight to move to the target position, causing the spherical shell to generate an eccentric torque and begin to roll; monitoring the attitude angle of the spherical shell in real time, and dynamically adjusting the rotation speed of the omnidirectional wheel assembly based on the proportional-integral-derivative control algorithm to maintain dynamic balance.