Auxiliary transport vehicle, auxiliary transport system and method for operating an auxiliary transport vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10569795-B2
Application number	US-201816138810-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 21, 2018
Priority date	Oct 13, 2017
Publication date	Feb 25, 2020
Grant date	Feb 25, 2020

Abstract

An auxiliary transport vehicle according to the disclosure comprises a drive unit and an attachment that is placed thereon, wherein the drive unit comprises just two wheels with a common axis of rotation and each with an electric drive, an electronic control device and an electrical energy storage device, and wherein the control device is embodied for actuating the drives in such a way that the auxiliary transport vehicle is kept in an upright position, and for autonomously driving the auxiliary transport vehicle to a specifiable destination and for following an external control device. The disclosure also concerns an auxiliary transport system and a method for operating an auxiliary transport vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An auxiliary transport vehicle, comprising:
a drive unit comprising
at least one first drive part, and
at least one second drive part, wherein at least one service station is configured for charging the at least one first drive part and/or for replacing the at least one first drive part with the at least one second drive part; and

an attachment placed on the drive unit,
wherein the drive unit comprises two wheels with a common axis of rotation and each with an electric drive, an electronic control device, and an electrical energy storage device, wherein the electronic control device is configured to actuate each electric drive such that the auxiliary transport vehicle is kept in an upright position to autonomously drive the auxiliary transport vehicle to a specifiable destination and to follow an external control device.

2. The auxiliary transport vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the attachment is reversbly placed on the drive unit.

3. The auxiliary transport vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the attachment is a frame or a shell configured to accommodate an insert.

4. The auxiliary transport vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the attachment and/or the insert comprise a retaining and/or securing device for retaining or securing a load to be transported or a person to be transported.

5. The auxiliary transport vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the attachment or the insert comprise a slotted cover of an elastic material.

6. The auxiliary transport vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the drive unit comprises an electrical connector for supplying an external load with electrical energy.

7. The auxiliary transport vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the specifiable destination is specified by a wireless transmission.

8. The auxiliary transport vehicle claim 1 , wherein the electronic control device is configured such that the auxiliary transport vehicle follows the external control device at a specifiable distance or within a specifiable range of distances.

9. A method for operating the auxiliary transport vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary transport vehicle is located at a parking place or in at least one service station, the method comprising:
driving the auxiliary transport vehicle autonomously to a user location after a user carrying the external control device enters a request; and
following, by the auxiliary transport vehicle, the user after reaching the user location.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein, after receiving a termination signal, the auxiliary transport vehicle autonomously drives back to the parking place or to the at least one service station.

11. An auxiliary transport vehicle, comprising:
a drive unit comprising two wheels with a common axis of rotation, wherein each of the two wheels comprise an electric drive, an electronic control device, and an electrical energy storage device; and
an attachment configured to be reversbly attached to the drive unit,
wherein the electronic control device is configured to: actuate the electric drives to keep the auxiliary transport vehicle in an upright position; autonomously drive the auxiliary transport vehicle to a specifiable destination; and follow an external control device, and
wherein the electronic control device is configured control the auxiliary transport vehicle to follow the external control device at a specifiable distance or within a specifiable range of distances.

12. The auxiliary transport vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the attachment is a frame or a shell configured to accommodate an insert.

13. The auxiliary transport vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the attachment and/or the insert comprise a retaining and/or securing device for retaining or securing a load to be transported or a person to be transported.

14. The auxiliary transport vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the attachment or the insert comprise a slotted cover of an elastic material.

15. The auxiliary transport vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the drive unit comprises an electrical connector for supplying an external load with electrical energy.

16. The auxiliary transport vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the specifiable destination is specified by a wireless transmission.

17. A method, comprising:
providing an auxiliary transport vehicle, comprising:
a drive unit; and
an attachment placed on the drive unit,
wherein the drive unit comprises two wheels with a common axis of rotation and each with an electric drive, an electronic control device, and an electrical energy storage device, wherein the electronic control device is configured to actuate each electric drive such that the auxiliary transport vehicle is kept in an upright position to autonomously drive the auxiliary transport vehicle to a specifiable destination and to follow an external control device;

locating the auxiliary transport vehicle at a parking place or in a service station;
driving, after a user carrying the external control device enters a request, the auxiliary transport vehicle autonomously to a user location; and
following, by the auxiliary transport vehicle, the user after reaching the user location.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising autonomously driving, after receiving a termination signal, the auxiliary transport vehicle back to the parking place or to the service station.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Castinel Anais

Classifications

• B62B5/0033

  Electric motors · CPC title

• B60L53/30

  Constructional details of charging stations · CPC title

• B62B5/0076 Primary

  Remotely controlled · CPC title

• B60L2200/16

  Single-axle vehicles · CPC title

• B60L15/20 Primary

  for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed · CPC title