Transport means for transporting a transport good and/or a person, method of operating a transport means, and transport system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11034369-B2
Application number	US-201916360291-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 21, 2019
Priority date	Mar 22, 2018
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

A transport for transporting a transport good and/or a person. Therein, a storage space formed in a body of the transport for receiving the transport good as well as a standing and/or seating surface for the person are provided, wherein a cover is displaceable with respect to the body and/or the storage space, which closes the storage space in a first position and exposes it in a second position, wherein the cover has a retaining mechanism for the person, which is disposed above the standing and/or seating surface in the second position for retaining the person. The disclosure also relates to a method of operating a transport means as well as a transport system having multiple transport means movable independently of each other.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A transport for transporting a transport good and/or a user, comprising:
a storage space formed in a body of the transport for receiving the transport good,
a standing and/or seating surface for the user which is separate from the storage space,
a screen,
wherein a cover is displaceable with respect to the body and/or the storage space, the cover closing the storage space in a first position and exposing the storage space in a second position,
wherein the storage space and the cover are configured to enclose at least one baggage item when the cover is in the first position,
wherein the cover has a retaining mechanism for the user, which is disposed above the standing and/or seating surface in the second position for retaining the user,
wherein the cover is pivotably mounted around a rotation axis which coincides with a wheel axle of the transport,
wherein the screen is disposed at the cover and provided above the standing and/or seating surface when the cover is in the second position,
wherein the user may set a transport destination at the transport so that the transport may autonomously transport the transport good to the transport destination without the user while the cover is in the first position or the user to the transport destination with the user on the seating and/or standing surface while the cover is in the second position.

2. The transport as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cover is rotatably mounted to a wheel hub associated with the wheel axle.

3. A method of operating a transport comprising:
selecting a mode of operation, by a user, at the transport, and
transporting a transport good and/or the user via the transport,
wherein the transport comprises a storage space formed in a body of the transport for receiving the transport good and a standing and/or seating surface for the user which is separate from the storage space,
wherein a cover is displaceable with respect to the body and/or the storage space, the cover closing the storage space in a first position and exposing the storage space in a second position,
wherein the storage space and the cover are configured to enclose at least one baggage item when the cover is in the first position,
wherein the cover has a retaining means for the user, which is disposed above the standing and/or seating surface in the second position for retaining the user,
wherein the cover is pivotably mounted around a rotation axis which coincides with a wheel axle of the transport,
wherein the user selects between a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation,
wherein, in the first mode of operation, the cover is disposed in the first position, the user sets a transport destination, and the transport drives from an origin to the transport destination autonomously and without the user,
wherein, in the second mode of operation, the cover is disposed in the second position, the user sets the transport destination, and the transport drives from the origin to the transport destination autonomously with the user on the standing and/or seating surface.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein, in the first mode of operation, the storage space is maintained closed by means of the cover until the transport destination is reached and/or the user sets the cover to open at the transport.

5. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein a screen is disposed at the cover, which is deactivated in the first position and via which at least one piece of information is displayed in the second position.

6. A transport system having a plurality of transports, the plurality of transports movable independently of each other,
wherein each transport is provided for transporting a transport good and/or a user,
wherein at least one of the transports comprise a storage space formed in a body of the at least one transports for receiving the transport good and a standing and/or seating surface for the user which is separate from the storage space,
wherein a cover is displaceable with respect to the body and/or the storage space, the cover closing the storage space in a first position and exposing the storage space in a second position,
wherein the storage space and the cover are configured to enclose at least one baggage item when the cover is in the first position,
wherein the cover has a retaining means for the user, which is disposed above the standing and/or the seating surface in the second position for retaining the user,
wherein the cover is pivotably mounted around a rotation axis which coincides with a wheel axle of the transport,
wherein the user of one of the plurality of transports selects between a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation,
wherein, in the first mode of operation, the cover of the one of the plurality of transports is disposed in the first position, the user sets a transport destination, and the one of the plurality of transports drives from an origin to the transport destination autonomously and without the user,
wherein, in the second mode of operation, the cover of the one of the plurality of transports is disposed in the second position, the user sets the transport destination, and the one of the plurality of transports drives from the origin to the transport destination autonomously with the user on the standing and/or seating surface.

Assignees

• Audi Ag

Inventors

• Beutler Stephan
• Ertl Maximilian

Classifications

• B62K15/006

  the frame being foldable · CPC title

• B62J7/00 Primary

  Luggage carriers · CPC title

• B62K7/04

  having a carrying platform (article-carrying accessories B62J7/00 - B62J11/00) · CPC title

• B62K3/002

  without a seat, i.e. the rider operating the vehicle in a standing position, e.g. non-motorized scooters; non-motorized scooters with skis or runners · CPC title

• B60P3/00

  Vehicles adapted to transport, to carry or to comprise special loads or objects (ambulances or other vehicles with special provisions for transporting patients or disabled persons, or their personal conveyances A61G3/00; hearses A61G21/00; fire-fighting land vehicles A62C27/00; refuse-collecting vehicles B65F3/00, B65F7/00; snow-removing vehicles E01H; armoured or armed vehicles F41H7/00; self-propelled mine-clearing vehicles F41H11/16) · CPC title