Patents Assigned to WHILL, Inc.
  • Patent number: 9436207
    Abstract: There is provided an operation device provided with: an operation member displaceable by an operator; a two-dimensional support mechanism in which a pair of one-dimensional support mechanisms that individually displaceably supports the operation member 11 in mutually crossing two directions are connected in series; and a pair of potentiometers that individually biases the operation member 11 toward a neutral position of displacement by the respective one-dimensional support mechanisms, in which biasing forces that the pair of potentiometers applies to the operation member against displacement of the operation member are different from each other, and in which a command signal according to the displacement of the operation member of the respective one-dimensional support mechanisms is output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: WHILL Inc.
    Inventors: Muneaki Fukuoka, Naoto Sakakibara
  • Patent number: 9365076
    Abstract: Provided is an omni-directional wheel including a substantially cylindrical hub provided so as to be rotatable around an axle; a plurality of rollers which have axes extending in a direction intersecting a radial direction of the hub and of each of which an outline has a curvature equal to a curvature of a circle centered at the axle; a support part which allows the rollers to be mounted so as to be rotatable around the respective axes, which supports the rollers such that the outlines are arranged on a single circumference; and rubber tubes which are held between and in contact between the outer circumferential surface of a cylindrical part of the hub and the inner circumferential surface of the support part in the radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: WHILL, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuo Bando, Junpei Naito
  • Publication number: 20160137222
    Abstract: An operation unintended by a helper due to an incorrect operation or the like by an operator is prevented. An electric mobility includes a manual operation unit, a wireless operation unit, and a control unit that controls a driving wheel on the basis of either a first command signal output by the manual operation unit or a second command signal output by the wireless operation unit. The control unit sets a first control mode enabling an operation of the electric driving wheel by the manual operation unit and a second control mode disabling an operation of the electric driving wheel by the manual operation unit on the basis of a wireless signal transmitted from a wireless terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: WHILL Inc.
    Inventors: Muneaki Fukuoka, Yoshihiro Hirata, Shuichi Tsutsumi
  • Patent number: 9242508
    Abstract: The omni-directional wheel includes first support parts and second support parts which support large-diameter rollers and small-diameter rollers. Each of the first support parts is disposed at a position where the first support part is held between a pair of the large-diameter rollers, while each of the second support parts is disposed at a position where the second support part is held between a pair of the small-diameter rollers. The large-diameter rollers and the small-diameter rollers are disposed such that their outlines are arranged on a single circumference, with a part of the small diameter-side end face of the small-diameter rollers partially inserted in the recessed portions of the large-diameter rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: WHILL, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuo Bando, Junpei Naito