PERSONAL MOBILITY VEHICLE

摘要

A personal mobility vehicle (10 or 80) having a very low center of gravity and compact overall size which facilitates travel in narrow hallways and in negotiating sharp turns as into a doorway along a narrow hall. The vehicle (10 or 80) includes a generally horizontally disposed preferably circular, disc-shaped frame (12 or 82) supported in close proximity above the ground by a steerable, motor-driven front or rear wheel (14 or 84) and two spaced rear or front wheels (20/22 or 100/102). A battery arrangement is connected to and supported by the frame (12 or 82) and operably connected between a control lever (44 or 162) in electrical communication with an electronic circuit (Figure 17 or 80) and the motors for propelling and steering the rear wheel 84. A seat (16 or 85) is provided whereby a user's feet may be comfortably supported on the frame (12 or 82). A circular cushioning ring (36 or 92), either fixed or preferably rotatably mounted and extending radially from the perimeter of the frame (12 or 82), contacts fixed objects such as walls, doorways and the like to facilitate tight maneuvers not heretofore possible with other such vehicles. Outrigger type anti-scuff and anti-tip wheels (118 and 122) may also be provided with vehicle 80.