With Additional Ground Engaging Means Patents (Class 280/1.184)
  • Patent number: 8544853
    Abstract: A two-legged walking transportation device includes an upper body unit for supporting the trunk of the rider, and leg units provided below the upper body unit, each of the leg units includes a link mechanism connected at one end to the upper body unit via a hip joint with at least three degrees of freedom, a foot mechanism connected to the other end of the link mechanism via an ankle joint with at least two degrees of freedom, and a fixing mechanism for fixing the rider's foot to the link mechanism via a multi-axis force sensor so as to be only rotatable with respect to directions in which the ankle joint is movable, the hip join is voluntarily controlled in accordance with operating force and/or operating torque provided by the rider's foot and sensed by the multi-axis force sensor, and control of the ankle joint while standing is automatically performed as balance maintenance control without directly involving the rider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Muscle Corporation
    Inventor: Katsuya Kanaoka