Self-balancing Vehicle with Lobed Battery and Unitary Support Bar
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Solution Overview
Problem
Self-balancing vehicles face challenges in reducing the size and weight of their body structure while maintaining structural integrity and protecting internal components from dust, water, and debris without relying on secondary frame elements.
Innovation Solution
A self-balancing vehicle design featuring a unitary support bar integrated within the housing, which extends along the top and bottom covers, providing structural reinforcement and supporting the drive wheels, sensors, and battery, while eliminating the need for inner top and bottom covers, and utilizing a battery with a central depression to accommodate the support bar and space apart battery lobes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a secondary frame structure is used to provide structural reinforcement, then structural integrity is improved, but device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the structural support function with the battery housing by integrating a support bar directly into the battery assembly. The support bar is positioned within the battery housing and extends between the left and right sides of the vehicle body, providing structural reinforcement without requiring separate frame elements. This merging of functions reduces overall device complexity while maintaining structural integrity.
2Ease of manufacture
If the battery is designed with a conventional shape, then manufacturing is simplified, but space utilization and structural integration are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The battery is segmented into two distinct lobes (first and second lobes) separated by a partition wall, with the support bar positioned between them. This segmentation allows the battery to conform to the specific spatial requirements of the vehicle body while maintaining manufacturability through modular construction. The lobed design enables better space utilization and structural integration compared to a conventional single-mass battery shape.
3Strength
If the support structure is made more extensive, then structural integrity is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support bar serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural reinforcement for the vehicle body, acts as a mounting structure for the battery lobes, and serves as a structural element that the top and bottom covers are mounted upon. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate structural components, reducing overall weight while maintaining structural integrity.
Data Source
AI summary
A self-balancing vehicle includes a vehicle body having a housing with a top cover and a bottom cover. It includes a unitary support bar disposed between the top and bottom covers, about which the top and bottom covers are mounted, and which extends entirely along the top and bottom covers between opposed left and right ends of the unitary support bar. The vehicle includes a left drive wheel and an opposed right drive wheel, each indirectly coupled to the unitary support bar. The vehicle further includes a battery electrically coupled to the left and right drive wheels, wherein the battery includes a central depression receiving the unitary support bar and spacing apart two opposed lobes of the battery about the unitary support bar.