Two-way operating ball enclosed vehicle
US4471567A · kind A · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 10, 1982 |
| Grant date | Sep 18, 1984 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 10, 2002 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA63H33/005
- WIPO fieldFurniture, games
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
A vehicle within a ball self-maneuvers to escape obstacles with which confronted, without need for special sensors or programmed response; the vehicle has four wheels, two in front and two behind, but the wheels are of two different tread widths, wider tread widths being one in front and, for example, one diagonally from it at the rear, and similarly narrower tread widths being supplied on the remaining two wheels; relation of the wheel spacing and ball inner diameter prevents more than three wheels from touching the ball at any one time; this, combined with tumbling causing the vehicle to operate upside down at times and initiated by stoppage of the ball at an obstacle, turns the vehicle as it oscillates within the ball and redirects the ball, freeing it from the obstacle.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.