Utility vehicle with deployable platform

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11378228-B2
Application number	US-202117235412-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 20, 2021
Priority date	Apr 19, 2019
Publication date	Jul 5, 2022
Grant date	Jul 5, 2022

Abstract

The disclosure provides an electric utility vehicle with detachable platform. The electric utility vehicle may include a load platform supported on a chassis including at least two electrically driven wheels. The detachable platform may be removeably coupled to the load platform. The detachable platform may include a central hub including a top surface. The detachable platform may include three legs coupled to the central hub, each leg including an actuator configured to extend the respective leg to a ground surface while the detachable platform is coupled to the load platform. The detachable platform may include a controller configured to coordinate the actuators to control an orientation of the top surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electric utility vehicle comprising:
a load platform supported on a chassis including at least two extendable legs supporting the load platform on at least two electrically driven wheels; and
a detachable platform removeably coupled to the load platform, wherein the detachable platform comprises:
a central hub including a top surface;
three legs coupled to the central hub, each leg configured to extend the respective leg to a ground surface while the detachable platform is coupled to the load platform; and
a controller configured to coordinate the three legs to control an orientation of the top surface, wherein the controller is configured to periodically control one or more of the legs based on input from one or more sensors to bring the top surface to a desired orientation.

2. The electric utility vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the top surface is expandable.

3. The electric utility vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the top surface comprises a plurality of folded panels and at least one actuator configured to unfold the panels in response to an electric current.

4. The electric utility vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising an electric appliance supported on the top surface, wherein the detachable platform supplies electricity to the electric appliance.

5. The electric utility vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a folding tent supported on the detachable platform.

6. The electric utility vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors include one or more accelerometers that determine the orientation of the detachable platform.

7. The electric utility vehicle of claim 1 , wherein each of the at least two electrically driven wheels include a motor located within the respective wheel.

8. The electric utility vehicle of claim 7 , further comprising a controller configured to individually drive each of the at least two electrically driven wheels at different speeds to turn the electric utility vehicle without mechanical steering of the wheels.

9. The electric utility vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the at least two extendable legs include four legs, each pivotably mounted to the chassis, wherein each leg includes a joint allowing the leg to bend to an acute angle with the wheel adjacent to the chassis.

10. The electric utility vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
a memory storing computer-executable instructions; and
a processor communicatively coupled to the memory and configured to:
drive the utility vehicle to a deployment location with the detachable platform stored on the utility vehicle in a retracted state;
extend, by actuators of the detachable platform, the three legs from the platform to a ground surface; and
drive the utility vehicle away from the deployment location while leaving the detachable platform at the deployment location.

11. The electric utility vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the desired orientation is a level orientation.

12. The electric utility vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to:
receive, via a wireless connection, an indication of the deployment location;
plot a route from a current location to the deployment locations; and
autonomously drive along the route to the deployment location.

13. The electric utility vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to:
receive control signals from a user operated remote control; and
drive one or more electric motors in response to the control signals.

14. The electric utility vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the at least two extendable legs each include a suspension pivot configured to rotate a respective leg in a downward direction.

15. The electric utility vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the suspension pivot is an electro-magnetic actuator, the electric utility vehicle further comprising a controller configured to dynamically adapt a downward biasing force of the electro-magnetic actuator.

16. An electric utility vehicle comprising:
a load platform supported on a chassis including at least two extendable legs supporting the load platform on at least two wheels, wherein the at least two extendable legs each include a suspension pivot configured to rotate a respective leg in a downward direction;
a motor located within a respective wheel of each of the at least two wheels; and
a controller configured to individually drive each of the at least two wheels at different speeds to turn the electric utility vehicle without mechanical steering of the wheels.

17. The electric utility vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the at least two extendable legs include four legs, each pivotably mounted to the chassis, wherein each leg includes a joint allowing the leg to bend to an acute angle with the wheel adjacent to the chassis.

18. The electric utility vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the suspension pivot is an electro-magnetic actuator, the electric utility vehicle further comprising a controller configured to dynamically adapt a downward biasing force of the electro-magnetic actuator.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hsu Ricky Jukuei
• Li Yimeng

Classifications

• B60G2800/912

  Attitude Control; levelling control · CPC title

• B60K7/0007

  the motor being electric · CPC title

• F16M11/2021

  around a horizontal axis (F16M11/2035 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60P1/00

  Vehicles predominantly for transporting loads and modified to facilitate loading, consolidating the load, or unloading (vehicles for carrying harvested crops with means for self-loading or self-unloading A01D90/00; peculiar to refuse collecting-vehicles B65F; loading or unloading vehicles by means not incorporated therein B65G) · CPC title

• B60Y2200/49

  Movable platforms, Load ramps, e.g. working platforms · CPC title