Electrically powered micro-vehicle

Abstract

Electrically powered micro-vehicle (10), in particular a single-person means of transport such as a scooter or hoverboard or longboard or scooter, with a footboard-like base body (11) providing a standing surface (12) for receiving the feet of a driver, with at least two edges (14), with an electric machine (15) for driving at least one of the wheels (14), characterized by at least one sensor (18) for detecting the driver standing on the standing surface (12), namely for detecting a body position and / or a gesture of the driver, and at least one sensor (19) for detecting an environment in front of and next to the micro-vehicle and for detecting weather conditions, a control unit (20) for automatically adapting at least one operating parameter of the micro-vehicle depending on a signal provided by the respective sensor (18, 19).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an electrically powered micro-vehicle.

[0002] Electric micro-vehicles are increasingly being used to transport people. An electric micro-vehicle is an electrically powered single-person means of transport, such as an electric scooter, an electric hoverboard, an electric longboard, or even an electric scooter.

[0003] Such an electrically powered single-person transport device has a footboard-like base, also called a running board, which provides a standing surface for a rider's feet. Furthermore, such an electrically powered single-person transport device comprises at least two wheels and an electric motor for driving at least one of the wheels.

[0004] Due to the lack of a body and thus a crumple zone, traveling on such an electrically powered single-person vehicle is not entirely safe for the driver. In an accident, the driver could fall and sustain injuries.

[0005] There is a need to reduce the risk of accidents for such an electrically powered micro-vehicle and thus the risk of injury for a driver of the micro-vehicle.

[0006] CN 105 460 128 A discloses a micro-vehicle with a footboard-like base body providing a standing surface for a driver's feet, with at least two edges, and with an electric motor for driving at least one of the wheels. The vehicle has a sensor that monitors whether a driver steps onto the base body. An anti-collision sensor detects the environment in front of the micro-vehicle.

[0007] CN 107 512 348 A, CN 109 334 844 A and KR 10 1 794 838 B1 disclose further electrically powered micro-vehicles.

[0008] The object of the invention is to create a novel electrically powered micro-vehicle in which the risk of accidents is reduced.

[0009] This object is achieved by an electrically powered micro-vehicle according to patent claim 1.

[0010] The electrically powered micro-vehicle has at least one sensor for detecting the driver standing on the standing area, namely for detecting a body position and / or gestures of the driver, and at least one sensor for detecting an environment in front of and next to the micro-vehicle and for detecting weather conditions.

[0011] The electrically powered micro-vehicle also has a control unit for automatically adjusting at least one operating parameter of the micro-vehicle depending on a signal provided by the respective sensor.

[0012] By using sensors to detect the driver and the surroundings of the micro-vehicle and automatically adjust at least one of the micro-vehicle's operating parameters based on this, the risk of accidents and thus the risk of injury to the driver of the micro-vehicle can be reduced. The operation of an electrically powered micro-vehicle can be made significantly safer.

[0013] The rider's body position and / or gestures provide information about whether the rider is stable on the platform or whether a fall is likely. At least one sensor for environmental detection detects the weather.

[0014] According to an advantageous development, the control unit automatically adjusts at least one operating parameter of the micro-vehicle to prevent a collision between the micro-vehicle and the driver from falling. This is particularly preferred to reduce the risk of an accident. Depending on a signal from the sensor that detects the surroundings of the micro-vehicle, at least one operating parameter can be automatically adjusted, for example, to prevent a collision between the micro-vehicle and other road users or obstacles. Depending on the signal from the sensor that detects the driver, the risk of the driver falling can be automatically counteracted by adjusting at least one operating parameter.

[0015] According to an advantageous further development, the control unit adjusts a speed and / or a direction of travel as an operating parameter of the micro-vehicle depending on the signal of the respective sensor.

[0016] The speed of the micro-vehicle is changed in particular by automatic braking or acceleration.

[0017] The direction of travel of the micro-vehicle is changed in particular by automatically adjusting the steering angle of the micro-vehicle.

[0018] According to an advantageous development, the control unit is designed such that, prior to the automatic adjustment of at least one operating parameter of the micro-vehicle, it generates an acoustic, visual, and / or haptic warning message for the driver of the micro-vehicle. By generating the warning message, the driver is warned of an impending adjustment of an operating parameter, so that the driver is not surprised by the automatic adjustment of the respective operating parameter. This can further increase safety.

[0019] Preferred developments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims and the following description. Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail, without being limited thereto, with reference to the drawings. Herein: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of an electrically powered micro-vehicle together with a driver and an environment.

[0020] The invention relates to an electrically powered micro-vehicle, such a micro-vehicle being an electrically powered single-person means of transport, such as an electric scooter or an electric hoverboard or an electric longboard or an electric scooter or the like.

[0021] Fig. 1 shows a highly schematic representation of an electrically powered micro-vehicle 10, wherein the micro-vehicle 10 comprises a footboard-like base body or a footboard 11, which provides a standing surface 12 for accommodating the feet of a driver 13. Furthermore, the micro-vehicle 10 comprises at least two wheels 14. The wheels 14 are rotatably mounted on the footboard-like base body or the footboard 11. Furthermore, the electrically powered micro-vehicle 10 comprises an electric motor 15 for driving at least one of the wheels 14.

[0022] In Fig. 1 stands on the micro-vehicle 10, namely on the standing surface 12 of the running board-like base body or the running board 11 of the micro-vehicle 10, the driver 13, whereby Fig.1 further shows the surroundings of the micro-vehicle 10, namely another road user 16 and a road surface elevation 17. The other road user 16 is a pedestrian and thus a movable obstacle. The road surface elevation 17 is a bollard or the like and thus an immovable or fixed obstacle.

[0023] The electrically powered micro-vehicle 10 has at least one sensor 18 for detecting the driver 13 standing on the standing area 12 and / or at least one sensor 19 for detecting the surroundings of the micro-vehicle 10.

[0024] In the embodiment shown, a sensor 18 is arranged at each of two opposite ends of the standing surface 12 for detecting the driver 13 standing on the standing surface 12.

[0025] A sensor 19 for detecting the surroundings of the micro-vehicle is arranged at the front, wherein this sensor 19 detects at least the surroundings located in front of the micro-vehicle 10 in the direction of travel and preferably also the surroundings to the side of the micro-vehicle 10.

[0026] The micro-vehicle 10 further comprises a control unit 20. The control unit 20 serves to automatically adapt at least one operating parameter of the micro-vehicle 10 depending on a signal provided by the respective sensor 18 and / or the respective sensor 19.

[0027] Depending on the signal provided by the respective sensor 18 and / or the respective sensor 19, the control unit 20 automatically adjusts, as operating parameters of the micro-vehicle 10, in particular a speed thereof and / or a direction of travel thereof, in order to reduce the risk of an accident, in particular to avoid a collision of the micro-vehicle 10 with the surroundings and / or to avoid a fall of the driver 13.

[0028] The automatic adjustment of the speed of the micro-vehicle 10 can be achieved by the control unit 20 automatically controlling the electric machine 15 to brake or accelerate.

[0029] The automatic adjustment of the direction of travel is possible in particular in that the control unit 20 of the micro-vehicle 10 automatically adjusts a steering angle thereof.

[0030] The respective sensor 18 for detecting the driver 13 standing on the standing surface 12 detects the driver's posture and / or gestures. The respective sensor 19 for detecting the surroundings detects, in particular, moving obstacles and / or stationary obstacles and / or road surface conditions and weather conditions.

[0031] Depending on the signals provided by the respective sensor 18, 19 to the control unit 20, the control unit 20 can automatically adjust the respective operating parameters, in particular the speed and / or direction of travel of the micro-vehicle 10. This reduces the risk of accidents, in particular the risk of a collision of the micro-vehicle 10 with the surroundings and / or a fall of the driver 13.

[0032] In particular, it is possible, depending on a detected posture or body position of the driver 13, in particular in combination with a detected gesture of the driver 13, to adapt the speed and / or the direction of travel to an extent corresponding to the detected driver position and / or the detected gesture such that longitudinal acceleration forces and / or lateral acceleration forces acting on the micro-vehicle and the driver are only so high or are limited to such an extent that, taking into account the detected body position and / or gesture, a fall of the driver 13 is avoided. The speed of the micro-vehicle primarily influences the effective longitudinal acceleration forces, and the steering angle primarily influences the effective lateral acceleration forces.

[0033] The body position and / or the gestures and / or the environment are recorded in real time by the respective sensor 18 and / or 19.

[0034] As already explained, the environment can be moving obstacles, such as other road users. Other road users include pedestrians, cars, buses, cyclists, or other small vehicles. Furthermore, a stationary obstacle, such as a curb, a parked car, a building, or the like, can be detected as the environment. Furthermore, the road surface can be detected using sensor 19, in particular the presence of potholes or the general condition of the road surface to be traveled, i.e., whether it is an asphalt road, a gravel road, or the like.

[0035] Depending on detected stationary obstacles and / or moving obstacles, in particular in combination with the detected body position and / or gestures of the driver 13, the speed and / or direction of travel of the micro-vehicle 10 can be automatically adjusted, preferably by automatic acceleration and / or automatic braking and / or automatic changing of a steering angle of the micro-vehicle 10.

[0036] The sensor 13 for detecting the surroundings of the micro-vehicle 10 is configured to detect weather conditions. Depending on the detected weather conditions in combination with a detected body position and / or gesture of the driver 13 on the standing area 12, at least one operating parameter of the micro-vehicle 10 can be adjusted to avoid an accident and thus increase safety. Road surface conditions can also be taken into account, further increasing safety.

[0037] In connection with the automatic adjustment of at least one operating parameter of the micro-vehicle 10, it is possible that the respective operating parameter is initially only automatically adjusted to a limited extent, and that further influencing of the respective operating parameter is only possible after a reaction of the driver 13 has been detected and recorded with the aid of the sensor 18. Thus, a change in the steering angle and / or acceleration and / or deceleration can occur in stages, initially only to a relatively small extent and then, after a driver reaction has been recorded, to a greater extent.

[0038] According to a further advantageous development, it is possible for the control unit 20 of the micro-vehicle 10 to be designed such that, prior to the automatic adjustment of at least one operating parameter of the micro-vehicle 10, it generates an acoustically and / or visually and / or haptically perceptible warning message for the driver of the micro-vehicle 10. This makes it possible to warn the driver 13 of the automatic adjustment of the respective operating parameter, so that the driver 13 is not surprised by the automatic adjustment of the respective operating parameter.

[0039] The invention can increase the safety of an electrically powered micro-vehicle, specifically an electrically powered single-person means of transport such as a scooter, hoverboard, longboard, or scooter. The risk of accidents and injuries can be reduced. Furthermore, even inexperienced drivers can be supported in using the electric micro-vehicle.

Claims

[1] Electrically powered micro-vehicle (10), in particular a single-person means of transport such as a scooter or hoverboard or longboard or scooter, with a footboard-like base body (11) providing a standing surface (12) for receiving the feet of a driver, with at least two edges (14), with an electric machine (15) for driving at least one of the wheels (14), characterized by at least one sensor (18) for detecting the driver standing on the standing surface (12), namely for detecting a body position and / or a gesture of the driver, and at least one sensor (19) for detecting an environment in front of and next to the micro-vehicle and for detecting weather conditions, a control unit (20) for automatically adapting at least one operating parameter of the micro-vehicle depending on a signal provided by the respective sensor (18, 19). [2] Micro-vehicle according to claim 1, characterized by that the control unit (20) automatically adjusts the at least one operating parameter of the micro-vehicle to avoid a collision of the micro-vehicle or a fall of the driver. [3] Micro-vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the control unit (20) automatically adjusts a speed of the micro-vehicle as an operating parameter of the micro-vehicle depending on the signal of the respective sensor (18, 19). [4] Micro-vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by that the control unit (20) automatically adapts a direction of travel of the micro-vehicle as an operating parameter of the micro-vehicle depending on the signal of the respective sensor (18, 19). [5] Micro-vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized bythat the at least one sensor (19) for detecting the environment detects moving obstacles such as other road users or the like and / or fixed obstacles such as curbs or the like. [6] Micro-vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by that the at least one sensor (19) for detecting the environment detects a road surface condition. [7] Micro-vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by that the control unit (20) is designed such that it generates an acoustically perceptible warning message and / or a visually perceptible warning message and / or a haptically perceptible warning message for the driver before the automatic adaptation of the at least one operating parameter of the micro-vehicle.

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