Standing Vehicle Front Wheel Embedded Platform Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electric motor-driven standing vehicles have a high risk of tipping over due to their high center of gravity, especially when navigating obstacles, tight curves, and inclined surfaces, which increases the risk of accidents in environments like factory halls and airports.

Innovation Solution

The design features a steerable front wheel embedded within the standing platform, laterally offset rear wheels forming an isosceles triangle, and support elements that prevent the front wheel from being affected by impacts, ensuring continuous ground contact and enhanced stability through a pivoting handlebar system and integrated support wheels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the standing platform is arranged flat and close to the ground, then the vehicle structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the center of gravity becomes high and the risk of tipping over increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidtipping risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces support wheels that contact the ground laterally, adding a new dimensional element to the vehicle's ground interaction. This lateral support dimension compensates for the high center of gravity caused by the flat standing platform, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and tipping risk.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Area of stationary object

If a two-wheel configuration is used, then the footprint is reduced and the vehicle is compact, but the risk of tipping over increases when navigating obstacles and tight curves

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovefootprintVSAvoidtipping risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the wheel configuration into three wheels (two rear drive wheels and one front steerable wheel) plus lateral support wheels. This segmentation provides multiple contact points with the ground, improving stability during obstacle navigation and tight curve traversal while maintaining a compact footprint.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of operation

If a three-wheeled arrangement with steerable front wheels is used, then maneuverability is improved, but susceptibility to tipping increases on tight curves and inclined surfaces

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovemaneuverabilityVSAvoidtipping susceptibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses lateral support wheels positioned on the vehicle's wide sides to provide counterbalancing support during cornering and incline traversal. These support wheels act as a mechanical counterweight system that offsets the tipping forces generated during high-maneuverability operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #8Anti-weight (Counterweight)

4Ease of operation

If the standing platform is made larger to provide more standing area, then user comfort is improved, but the vehicle's overall dimensions and space requirement increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser comfortVSAvoidspace requirement
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes the lateral dimension by positioning support wheels on the wide sides of the vehicle body. This allows the standing platform to be extended in the lateral direction to provide more standing area, while the support wheels prevent tipping and maintain operational stability without significantly increasing the vehicle's length or width.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP3490878B1Electric driven standing vehicle for personal transport and method
Publication Date: 2021.06.09 BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AG
  • EP3490878B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3490878B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3490878B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The invention relates to an electric-motor-driven standing vehicle (2) for personal transport, having an electric drive motor (28) and a standing platform (4), with a front wheel (20) situated along a centre axis (M) of the standing platform (4), with a handlebar stem (22) coupled thereto, with handlebars (24) for pivoting the front wheel (20) about a rotation axis (D) formed by the handlebar stem (22), and with two rear wheels (40) which are spaced from the front wheel (20) and are each laterally offset relative to the centre axis (M). In the standing platform (4) there is a through-opening (18), which is preferably completely closed around the circumference thereof and through which the handlebar stem (22) passes or in which the front wheel (20) sits. The front wheel (20) is flanked on both sides in each case by at least one supporting element (42) which protrudes from a lower face (8) of the standing platform (4), facing the ground (10).