Abstract: In a wheel for use in an omni-directional vehicle, gravel and other foreign matters are prevented from being trapped between free rollers forming the wheel, and traveling vibrations and noises are minimized at the same time. The wheel includes an annular member and a plurality of free rollers each rotatably supported by the annular member around a corresponding tangential line of the annular member, and a gap member is placed between each adjacent pair of the free rollers to fill a gap defined between the free rollers.

Abstract: A drive unit includes a main wheel having an annular member, and a plurality of driven rollers that are rotatably attached to the annular member, a plurality of first drive rollers and a plurality of second drive rollers, which are provided with the annular member between them and arranged such that they make contact with the outer peripheral faces of the driven rollers, a first holder and a second holder, which are arranged with the annular shaft between them and respectively hold the plurality of first drive rollers and the plurality of second drive rollers while allowing them to rotate, and a first drive unit and a second drive unit that rotationally drive the first holder and the second holder respectively; grooves are formed in the outer peripheral faces of the driven rollers at an angle to the circumferential direction thereof.

Abstract: In an inverted pendulum type vehicle configured to travel on a ground surface while maintaining an upright posture under an inverted pendulum control, comprising a base frame supporting a propulsion unit, the propulsion unit including a main wheel configured to roll on the ground surface, and a seat unit provided on the base frame for supporting hips of a rider, the seat unit includes a saddle having at least a center located ahead of an axial line extending between a rotational center line of the main wheel and a gravitational center of the inverted pendulum type vehicle. Thereby, even when there is an obstacle on the ground surface behind the vehicle, the main wheel rolling on the ground surface is prevented from coming into contact with the obstacle, and the boarding of the rider on the vehicle is facilitated.

Abstract: Heat generated by a drive source of a friction drive device such as an electric motor is allowed to efficiently dissipate to the atmosphere, and the friction drive device and an omni-directional vehicle using the same is designed in a highly compact manner. Left and right electric drive devices are placed on a central axial line of left and right rotatable drive members, and external teeth members serving as output members of the electric drive devices are directly connected to the respective rotatable drive members in a torque transmitting and heat transmitting relationship.

Abstract: [Task] To allow a wheel that provides a performance required for use in an omni-directional vehicle to be manufactured in an efficient manner. [Solution] An annular member (51) comprises a C-shaped main body (61) and a complementary member (62) defining an endless annular shape jointly with the main body (61), a joint (63) between the main body (61) and complementary member (62) includes mating surfaces that are non-perpendicular to the cross sectional center line of the annular member, and the main body (61) and the complementary member (62) are fixedly joined to each other by using a threaded bolt (64) passed radially through the mating surfaces.

Abstract: In a friction drive device comprising first free rollers and second free rollers contacting each other at the outer circumferential surfaces thereof to frictionally transmit power from the second free rollers to the first free rollers, in order to minimize the slippage between the first and second free rollers, minimize the power loss and cause the first free rollers to move as designed, an outer peripheral part of each first free roller defining an outer circumferential surface thereof has a different stiffness from that of an outer peripheral part of each second free roller defining an outer circumferential surface thereof.

Abstract: An inverted pendulum type moving body moving over a floor surface in a self standing manner, the inverted pendulum type moving body comprising: an information acquisition unit obtaining a state information indicating a current state of an another moving body; and a movement control unit controlling a movement of a self moving body, based on the state information, so that a state of the self moving body with respect to the current state of the another moving body satisfies a predetermined condition established so that the self moving body and the another moving body moves in alignment.

Abstract: The omni-directional drive device comprises a main wheel (2) comprising an endless annular member rotatable around a center of cross section perpendicular to a corresponding tangential line, electric motors (5R and 5L) for producing rotative forces around the rotation axis of the main wheel (2) and around the center of cross section perpendicular to a corresponding tangential line of the main wheel (2) and an arrangement (rotary members (4R and 4L) fitted with free rollers (3R and 3L)) for converting the rotational forces of the electric motors (5R and 5L) to the rotational forces around the rotation center of the main wheel (2) and around the center (C) of cross section perpendicular to a corresponding tangential line of the main wheel (2).

Abstract: Provided is a vehicle that can make tight turns without significantly changing an attitude of a rider, and is highly convenient in narrow places. A omni-directional one-wheeled vehicle comprises a vehicle body (7) and a secondary wheel (35) configured to contact a ground surface at a point displaced from a contact point of a driven road wheel (2).

Abstract: Provided is an inverted pendulum mobile vehicle such as a single-passenger coaxial two-wheel vehicle which is capable of turning with a small turning radius without causing discomfort to a rider or a vehicle occupant or causing a cargo or the like on the vehicle from shifting or falling off from the vehicle. The vehicle comprises a wheel supporting frame (12), a body frame (12) supported by the wheel supporting frame so as to be rotatable around a vertical axial line and carry a rider and or a cargo and a body coupler (52, 78, 70) that couples the body frame relative to the wheel supporting frame in a prescribed dynamic positional relationship.

Abstract: In an inverted pendulum type vehicle (1) configured to travel on a ground surface (G) while maintaining an upright posture under an inverted pendulum control, comprising a base frame (2) supporting a propulsion unit (3), the propulsion unit including a main wheel (85) configured to roll on the ground surface, and a seat unit (4) provided on the base frame for supporting hips of a rider (H), the seat unit includes a saddle (63) having at least a center (C) located ahead of an axial line (B) extending between a rotational center line (A) of the main wheel and a gravitational center (Gt1) of the inverted pendulum type vehicle. Thereby, even when there is an obstacle on the ground surface behind the vehicle, the main wheel rolling on the ground surface is prevented from coming into contact with the obstacle, and the boarding of the rider on the vehicle is facilitated.

Abstract: In a frictional drive vehicle, a load acting on the vehicle such as the weight of a rider is converted into a force that urges two frictionally engaging parts (3L, 3R, 25) toward each other. Thereby, the contact pressure between the two frictionally engaging parts is maintained at an optimum level under all conditions. A weight of a rider may be transmitted to a drive member that frictionally engages a main wheel via a four-link parallel link mechanism (40, 50).

Abstract: Heat generated by a drive source of a friction drive device such as an electric motor is allowed to efficiently dissipate to the atmosphere, and the friction drive device and an omni-directional vehicle using the same is designed in a highly compact manner. Left and right electric drive devices are placed on a central axial line of left and right rotatable drive members, and external teeth members serving as output members of the electric drive devices are directly connected to the respective rotatable drive members in a torque transmitting and heat transmitting relationship.

Abstract: [Task] To allow a wheel that provides a performance required for use in an omni-directional vehicle to be manufactured in an efficient manner. [Solution] An annular member (51) comprises a C-shaped main body (61) and a complementary member (62) defining an endless annular shape jointly with the main body (61), a joint (63) between the main body (61) and complementary member (62) includes mating surfaces that are non-perpendicular to the cross sectional center line of the annular member, and the main body (61) and the complementary member (62) are fixedly joined to each other by using a threaded bolt (64) passed radially through the mating surfaces.

Abstract: In a friction drive device comprising first free rollers and second free rollers contacting each other at the outer circumferential surfaces thereof to frictionally transmit power from the second free rollers to the first free rollers, in order to minimize the slippage between the first and second free rollers, minimize the power loss and cause the first free rollers to move as designed, an outer peripheral part of each first free roller defining an outer circumferential surface thereof has a different stiffness from that of an outer peripheral part of each second free roller defining an outer circumferential surface thereof.

Abstract: In a wheel for use in an omni-directional vehicle, gravel and other foreign matters are prevented from being trapped between free rollers forming the wheel, and traveling vibrations and noises are minimized at the same time. The wheel includes an annular member and a plurality of free rollers each rotatably supported by the annular member around a corresponding tangential line of the annular member, and a gap member is placed between each adjacent pair of the free rollers to fill a gap defined between the free rollers.

Abstract: [Task] Provided is a vehicle that can make tight turns without significantly changing an attitude of a rider, and is highly convenient in narrow places. [Solution] A omni-directional one-wheeled vehicle comprises a vehicle body (7) and a secondary wheel (35) configured to contact a ground surface at a point displaced from a contact point of a driven road wheel (2).

Abstract: Provided is an omni-directional drive device that does not complicate the arrangement for a power source for a drive source such as an electric motor, and achieves a high durability and an ease of maintenance. A drive force in a first direction is produced by a movement of a first moveable member (10) itself, and a drive force in a second direction is produced by the rotation of first free rollers (14) retained by the first moveable member, the rotation of the first free rollers (14) being caused by engagement with second free rollers (15) that are retained by a second moveable member (11) and rotative actuation of the second moveable member (11). Electric motors serving as drive sources may be mounted on base members (4 and 5).

Abstract: A drive unit includes a main wheel having an annular member, and a plurality of driven rollers that are rotatably attached to the annular member, a plurality of first drive rollers and a plurality of second drive rollers, which are provided with the annular member between them and arranged such that they make contact with the outer peripheral faces of the driven rollers, a first holder and a second holder, which are arranged with the annular shaft between them and respectively hold the plurality of first drive rollers and the plurality of second drive rollers while allowing them to rotate, and a first drive unit and a second drive unit that rotationally drive the first holder and the second holder respectively; grooves are formed in the outer peripheral faces of the driven rollers at an angle to the circumferential direction thereof.

Abstract: An inverted pendulum type moving body moving over a floor surface in a self standing manner, the inverted pendulum type moving body comprising: an information acquisition unit obtaining a state information indicating a current state of an another moving body; and a movement control unit controlling a movement of a self moving body, based on the state information, so that a state of the self moving body with respect to the current state of the another moving body satisfies a predetermined condition established so that the self moving body and the another moving body moves in alignment.