Four-Wheeled Scooter Pivot Platform for Stable Low-Speed Steering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Scooters are perceived as unstable, unsafe, and difficult to handle by some users, limiting their use to a narrower audience.
Innovation Solution
A scooter-type vehicle with a frame, pivoting platform, steered wheels, and distinct mechanisms for turning and inclination, allowing independent control of wheel turning and platform inclination for enhanced stability and maneuverability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the platform is made pivotable about a longitudinal inclination axis and wheels are steered independently, then maneuverability and stability are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle is divided into functionally independent segments: the platform can incline about a longitudinal axis while the wheels can steer independently about their own axes. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function without being constrained by the other, improving maneuverability while managing complexity through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic control where the platform's inclination angle and the wheels' steering angles are independently adjustable. The platform can be inclined to counteract centrifugal force during turns, while the wheels steer to change direction, creating a dynamically adaptable system that enhances stability and maneuverability
2Stability of the object's composition
If four wheels with independent steering are used, then stability at low speeds and during rapid direction changes is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The four wheels are arranged asymmetrically with respect to their steering mechanisms, allowing independent control of each wheel's steering angle. This asymmetric configuration enables differential steering where inner wheels can turn at different angles than outer wheels, improving stability during rapid direction changes while maintaining a manageable structural complexity through strategic placement of steering components
3Weight of moving object
If the vehicle is designed to be compact and lightweight, then ease of handling is improved, but stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The platform is equipped with an inclination mechanism that can be activated before turns or speed changes occur. By preliminarily inclining the platform in the direction of the intended turn, the system counteracts centrifugal force in advance, maintaining stability during maneuvering despite the vehicle's lightweight and compact design
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the inclination angle parameter of the platform based on operational conditions. During turns, the platform inclines to shift the center of gravity and counteract centrifugal force, while during straight-line travel, it returns to a horizontal position. This parameter adjustment allows a lightweight vehicle to achieve stability comparable to heavier vehicles
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle having: a crossmember; a platform that pivots on the crossmember about a first median longitudinal inclination axis; two running gears each including a front wheel and a rear wheel, an arm linked to the axis of the wheel being mounted on a connecting piece so as to pivot about a steering axis, the connecting piece being mounted on the crossmember so as to pivot about a second lateral longitudinal inclination axis; a steering column mounted so as to pivot about its axis on the platform, allowing the wheels to be turned; two coupling members connecting the platform and each connecting piece in order that the inclination of the platform causes the inclination of each running gear.