WO2018013070A1

WO2018013070A1 - Enhanced operator mobility

Info

Publication number: WO2018013070A1
Application number: PCT/US2016/041711
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alvaro JIMENEZ; Dante Jaime HERNANDEZ; David ANGELES DE LA CRUZ; Alan SAMPSON; Carlos Hernandez
Original assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Llc
Priority date: 2016-07-11
Filing date: 2016-07-11
Publication date: 2018-01-18

Abstract

A vehicle floor includes a plurality of indentations. A mat includes a base and a plurality of wheels rotatably attached to the base. The indentations are dimensioned to receive the wheels.

Description

ENHANCED OPERATOR MOBILITY

BACKGROUND

[0001] Vehicles transport occupants around cities. However, there are locations within cities that traditional vehicles cannot access. To access such locations, operators can use one-person vehicles, such as mopeds, small electric vehicles, or the like. However, even such small vehicles can be cumbersome for operators to own and operate. For example, such vehicles may not be easily, or at all, portable or storable in a larger vehicle, such as a passenger car.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0002] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an example vehicle portion that includes an example floor mat.

[0003] Figure 2 is top perspective view of an example floor mat.

[0004] Figure 3 is a bottom perspective view of an example floor mat.

[0005] Figure 4 is a side view of an example vehicle portion showing an example floor mat installed in a vehicle floor.

[0006] Figure 5 is a perspective view of the floor mat removed from the vehicle floor of the example vehicle of Figure 1.

[0007] Figure 6 is a block diagram of an example user device in communication with the floor mat.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0008] A host vehicle includes a motorized floor mat. Advantageously, the floor mat can serve as a personal transportation device to provide transport to locations that the host vehicle may not be able to access. The floor mat includes a plurality of wheels and a motor arranged to engage the wheels. An operator can stand on a surface of the floor mat and can actuate the motor with a portable device to actuate movement of the floor mat. The floor mat can be stored in the host vehicle beneath a front seat. A host vehicle floor includes a plurality of indentations arranged to receive the wheels when the floor mat is placed in the vehicle. The host vehicle floor includes a charging port to charge a battery installed in the floor mat and electrically connected to the motor.

[0009] The indentations in the host vehicle floor allow the floor mat to be stored in the vehicle while presenting a substantially flat surface for the occupant. That is, the floor mat is typically substantially flush with the vehicle floor when the indentations receive the floor mat. The vehicle can further store a plurality of floor mats in the constrained space of the vehicle floor, e.g., in each of a plurality of locations where conventional floor mats would normally be found. The occupants can use the floor mats to move from the host vehicle to locations that the host vehicle may not be able to access. The operator may use a portable device to actuate the motor to move the floor mat.

[0010] Figure 1 illustrates a vehicle 10, sometimes referred to as a host vehicle 10 because it hosts, i.e., carries, one or more floor mats 20. The vehicle 10 includes a vehicle seat 12 and a motorized floor mat 20 disposed beneath the vehicle seat 12. The vehicle seat 12 supports the operator in the vehicle 10. The example of Figure 1 shows a front seat 12, e.g., an operator's seat 12.

[0011] The vehicle 10 includes a vehicle floor 14. The vehicle floor 14 supports the operator's feet. The vehicle floor 14 includes a plurality of indentations 16 dimensioned to receive the floor mat 20. When the floor mat 20 is placed on the vehicle floor 14 engaging the indentations 16, the floor mat 20 may be substantially flush with at least a portion of the vehicle floor 14. That is, while the floor mat 20 covers part of the vehicle floor 14, including the indentations 16, the vehicle floor 14 may extend beyond the floor mat 20 substantially flush with the floor mat 20. Thus, the floor mat 20 and the vehicle floor 14 produce a substantially flat surface to support the operator in the seat 12. Accordingly, the indentations 16 may be dimensioned to receive components of the floor mat 20 that would otherwise raise the floor mat 20 above the vehicle floor 14 so that the floor mat 20 and the vehicle floor 14 produce a substantially flat surface, as described below with respect to Figure 4.

[0012] The vehicle 10 includes a pair of seat rails 18 supported on the vehicle floor 14. The seat rails 18, as is known, support the seat 12 and allow the seat 12 to move forward and backward along the rails 18. The floor mat 20 may be disposed completely between the seat rails 18 to allow the seat 12 to mo ve o ver the floor mat 20. The seat rails 18 may be, e.g., metal tracks, a metal bracket, etc., along which the seat 12 moves. The operator may move the seat 12 along the seat rails 18 to, e.g., access the floor mat 20. The seat rails 18 are fixedly mounted in the vehicle floor 14. The seat rails 18 may be substantially flush with the vehicle floor 14.

[0013] Figure 2 illustrates the floor mat 20 in a perspective view. The floor mat 20 includes a base 22. The base 22 supports the operator when operating the floor mat 20. Specifically, the base 22 provides a platform on which the operator stands when operating the floor mat 20. As with a conventional skateboard, the operator may lean to a left side or a right side of the base 22 to turn the floor mat 20 while in motion. The base 22 may be substantially flat at least on an upper surface thereof to allow the base 22 to produce the substantially flat surface with the floor 14 when the floor mat 20 is placed in the indentations 16 of the vehicle floor 14, as shown in Figure 1. The base 22 further supports components of the floor mat 20, as described below. The base 22 of Figure 2 is illustrated with the upper surface having a smooth portion and a textured portion. The smooth and textured portions may be dimensioned to support the operator when the floor mat 20 is placed in the vehicle floor 14.

[0014] The floor mat 20 includes a plurality of wheels 30. The wheels 30 are rotatably connected to the base 22, allowing the floor mat 20 to move. The wheels 30 rotate about a wheel axis A. As described below, the wheel axis A may be substantially parallel to the base 22 when the floor mat 20 is moving forward or backward, and the wheel axis A may define a substantially nonzero angle with the base 22 when the floor mat 20 is turning. That is, when the operator leans on the base 22, the wheels 30 are arranged to maintain the wheel axis A as the base 22 rotates, defining a nonzero angle between the base 22 and the wheel axis A. In the example of Figure 2, the floor mat 20 includes two pairs of wheels 30. When the floor mat 20 is installed in the vehicle floor 14, the wheels 30 are disposed in the indentations 16, as shown in Figure 4.

[0015] Figure 3 illustrates an underside view of the floor mat 20 to show the components of the floor mat 20. As described above, the floor mat 20 includes the base 22. The base 22 supports the components of the floor mat 20. When the floor mat 20 is placed in the vehicle 10, the base 22 presents a surface on which the operator places his or her feet.

[0016] The floor mat 20 includes a motor 24 drivably attached to at least one wheel 30. The motor 24 drives rotation of at least one wheel 30 to move the floor mat 20. The motor 24 is attached to the base 22. The motor 24 drives rotation of the wheel 30 with a belt 48. The belt 48 may transfer rotation of the motor 24 to drive rotation of the wheel 30, moving the floor mat 20. The operator may use the motor 24 to move the floor mat 20. That is, while the floor mat 20 may be propelled by the operator alone, the motor 24 provides additional acceleration to propel the floor mat 20 without exertion by the operator. When the floor mat 20 is placed in the vehicle floor 14, the motor 24 may be disposed in at least one of the indentations 16, as shown in Figure 4.

[0017] The floor mat 20 includes a battery 32. The battery 32 stores electrical charge to power the motor 24. The battery 32 is electrically connected to the motor 24. The battery 32 is electrically connected to a charging port 34. The charging port 34 is arranged to receive an electric charge from the vehicle 10, as described in Figure 4 below. The battery 32 may be, e.g., a lithium-ion battery, a nickel-metal-hydride battery, etc. The battery 32 may be fixedly attached to the base 22. When the floor mat 20 is installed in the vehicle floor 14, the battery 32 may be disposed in at least one of the indentations 16, as shown in Figure 4.

[0018] The floor mat 20 includes two trucks 26 fixedly connected to the base 22. The trucks 26 connect the wheels 30 to the base 22, securing the wheels 30 in a vertical direction while allowing rotation of the wheels 30 about the wheel axis A and allowing the base 22 to rotate relative to the wheels 30. Each truck 26 secures one of the two pairs of wheels 30. The trucks 26 allow the wheels 30 to rotate relative to the base 22, allowing the floor mat 20 to turn. That is, to turn the floor mat 20, the operator may lean to the left or the right, causing the base 22 to rotate relative to the wheels 30. The rotation of the base 22 allows the wheels 30 to turn, turning the floor mat 20.

[0019] Each truck 26 includes a hanger 50, a pivot cup 52, a baseplate 54, and a kingpin 28. The baseplate 54 is fixedly attached to the base 22, housing the pivot cup 52 and the kingpin 28. The baseplate 54 receives the kingpin 28 to vertically secure the hanger 50 to the base 22 while allowing the hanger 50 to rotate about the kingpin 28.

[0020] The hanger 50 is rotatably attached to the wheels 30 and rotatably engaged with the pivot cup 52. The pivot cup 52 allows the base 22 to rotate about an axis B, allowing the hanger 50 to rotate relative the base 22 and to turn the floor mat 20. That is, the pivot cup 52 may be a bushing that allows the base 22 to rotate to a nonzero angle relative to the hanger 50, rotating the wheel axis A to a nonzero angle relative to the base 22. Thus, the pivot cup 52 allows the base 22 to rotate relative to the wheel axis A and the wheels 30 to turn, turning the floor mat 20. For example, when the occupant leans on the base 22 to the left or the right relative to the forward motion of the floor mat 20, the base 22 pushes on the pivot cup 52 and the hanger 50. Because the hanger 50 may be on the ground, the base 22 rotates in the pivot cup 52 about the axis B such that the wheel axis A defines a nonzero angle with the base 22.

[0021] The hanger 50 is attached to the baseplate 54 with the kingpin 28. The kingpin 28 is a pin typically constructed of a metal, e.g., steel, aluminum, etc. The kingpin 28 defines an axis C that is the central axis of the kingpin 28. The hanger 50 is rotatably attached to the kingpin 28. The kingpin 28 allows the hanger 50 to rotate about the axis C while securing the hanger 50 to the base 22. That is, the kingpin 28 may include a bushing (not shown) that rotatably engages the hanger 50, allowing the hanger 50 to rotate about the axis C while vertically securing the hanger 50 to the base 22. The kingpin 28 allows the base 22 to rotate relative to the hanger 50, allowing the floor mat 20 to turn, while preventing the hanger 50 from separating with the baseplate 54.

[0022] For example, to turn the floor mat 20 to the left while moving forward, the operator leans to the left relative to the base 22. When the operator leans to the left, the base 22 rotates about the axis B so that the left side of the base 22 drops and the right side of the base 22 rises. The hangers 50 then rotate about the axis C of the kingpins 28 such that the wheels 30 on the left relative to the forward motion of the floor mat 20 move toward a middle of the base 22 while the wheels 30 on the right relative to the forward motion of the floor mat 20 move away from the middle of the base 22. That is, the hangers 50 rotate so that the distance between the left wheels 30 is smaller than the distance between the right wheels 30, causing the wheels 30 to move in an arc to the left. Thus, the floor mat 20 turns to the left until the operator leans toward the center of the base 22 and distributes his or her weight evenly on the base 22.

[0023] Figure 4 illustrates the vehicle 10 with a plurality of floor mats 20 installed. The floor mats 20 are installed in the indentations 16 between the vehicle seat 12 and the vehicle floor 14. The wheels 30 are disposed in the indentations 16. The indentations 16 are sized to receive components of the floor mat 20, including, e.g., the base 22, the wheels 30, the motor 24, the belt 48, etc. For example, Figure 4 shows one of the indentations 16 dimensioned to receive the base 22, and another of the indentations 16 extending farther and dimensioned to receive the first pair of wheels 30. The indentations 16 then rise to receive the battery 32, which does not extend from the base 22 as far as the wheels 30, and then the indentations 16 extend down to receive the second pair of wheels 30. The indentations 16 are positioned to allow the floor mat 20 to remain substantially flush with the rest of the floor 14 to produce a substantially flat surface for the operator when the wheels 30 are disposed in the indentations 16.

[0024] When the floor mat 20 is installed in the vehicle floor 14, the charge port 34 engages a vehicle charger 46. The vehicle charger 46 is connected to a vehicle 10 battery (not shown). The vehicle charger 46 provides an electric charge from the vehicle 10 battery to the charge port 34 to charge the battery 32. The vehicle charger 46 may contact the charge port 34 to transfer electric charge to the battery 32. Alternatively or in addition, the vehicle charger 46 may wirelessly transfer electric charge to the charge port 34 and the battery 32.

[0025] The example of Figure 4 shows two floor mats 20 disposed beneath two vehicle seats 12. The vehicle floor 14 may include indentations 16 arranged to receive a plurality of floor mats 20, including a floor mat 20 for each seat 12. The plurality of floor mats 20 allow respective users of the vehicle 10 to operate one of the floor mats 20 upon leaving the vehicle 10.

[0026] Figure 5 illustrates one the floor mats 20 removed from the floor 14. The operator may remove the floor mat 20 from the vehicle floor 14 to use outside of the vehicle 10. To remove the floor mat 20, the operator moves the seat 12 along the rails 18 until the operator can grasp the floor mat 20. With the floor mat 20 removed, the indentations 16 are visible in the floor 14 to allow the operator to properly place the floor mat 20 back into the vehicle 10. The indentations 16 may be arranged to allow the operator to install the floor mat 20 in exactly one orientation. As shown in Figure 5, the indentations 16 sized to receive the motor 24 and the battery 32 are positioned such that if the floor mat 20 is installed in the vehicle floor backward, the motor 24 and the battery 32 will rest on the vehicle floor 14, raising the base 22 above the vehicle floor 14 and preventing the vehicle floor 14 and the floor mat 20 from producing the substantially flat surface. Alternatively, the indentations 16 may be dimensioned and positioned to allow the operator to install the floor mat 20 in more than one orientation.

[0027] Figure 6 illustrates the floor mat 20 in selective communication with a portable device 44. The floor mat 20 includes a processor 38 in communication with a memory 40 and the motor 24. The processor 38 includes programming such as is known to actuate the motor 24 to move the wheel 30. The processor 38 may instruct the motor 24 to rotate in a first direction, moving the belt 48 and rotating the wheel 30, propelling the floor mat 20 forward. The processor 38 may also instruct the motor 24 to rotate in a direction opposite the first direction, moving the belt 48 and rotating the wheel 30 opposite to the current motion of the floor mat 20 to slow and stop the floor mat 20 when the floor mat 20 is moving forward and to move the floor mat 20 in reverse when the floor mat 20 reaches a stop.

[0028] The memory 40 stores instructions executable by the processor 38 to actuate the motor 24 according to instructions from the portable device 44. The memory 40 may be of any known type, e.g., hard disk drives, solid state drives, servers, or any volatile or non- volatile media.

[0029] The processor 38 communicates with the portable device 44 over a network 42. The network 42 represents one or more mechanisms by which the processor 38 may communicate with the portable device 44. Accordingly, the network 42 may be one or more of various wired or wireless communication mechanisms, including any desired combination of wired (e.g., cable and fiber) and/or wireless (e.g., cellular, wireless, satellite, microwave, and radio frequency) communication mechanisms and any desired network topology (or topologies when multiple communication mechanisms are utilized). Exemplary communication networks include wireless communication networks (e.g., using Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11, etc.), local area networks (LAN) and/or wide area networks (WAN), including the Internet, providing data communication services.

[0030] The portable device 44 may be any one of a variety of computing devices including a processor and a memory, e.g., a smartphone, a tablet, a smart watch, a remote control, etc. The portable device 44 may use the network 42 to communicate with the processor 38. The operator may use the portable device 44 to send instructions to the processor 38 over the network 42. The portable device 44 may instruct the processor 38 to actuate the motor 24 to move the wheels 30, propelling the floor mat 20.

[0031] As used herein, the adverb "substantially" modifying an adjective means that a shape, structure, measurement, value, calculation, etc. may deviate from an exact described geometry, distance, measurement, value, calculation, etc., because of imperfections in materials, machining, manufacturing, sensor measurements, computations, processing time, communications time, etc.

[0032] Computing devices generally each include instructions executable by one or more computing devices such as those identified above, and for carrying out blocks or steps of processes described above. Computer-executable instructions may be compiled or interpreted from computer programs created using a variety of programming languages and/or technologies, including, without limitation, and either alone or in combination, Java™, C, C++, Visual Basic, Java Script, Perl, HTML, etc. In general, a processor (e.g., a microprocessor) receives instructions, e.g., from a memory, a computer-readable medium, etc., and executes these instructions, thereby performing one or more processes, including one or more of the processes described herein. Such instructions and other data may be stored and transmitted using a variety of computer-readable media. A file in the computing device is generally a collection of data stored on a computer readable medium, such as a storage medium, a random access memory, etc.

[0033] A computer-readable medium includes any medium that participates in providing data (e.g., instructions), which may be read by a computer. Such a medium may take many forms, including, but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media, etc. Non-volatile media include, for example, optical or magnetic disks and other persistent memory. Volatile media include dynamic random access memory (DRAM), which typically constitutes a main memory. Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD, any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, any other physical medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, an EPROM, a FLASH-EEPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, or any other medium from which a computer can read.

[0034] Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present disclosure, including the above description and the accompanying figures and below claims, is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many embodiments and applications other than the examples provided would be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading the above description. The scope of the invention should be determined, not with reference to the above description, but should instead be determined with reference to claims appended hereto and/or included in a non-provisional patent application based hereon, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is anticipated and intended that future developments will occur in the arts discussed herein, and that the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such future embodiments. In sum, it should be understood that the disclosed subject matter is capable of modification and variation.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a vehicle floor including a plurality of indentations; and a mat including a base and a plurality of wheels rotatably attached to the base;

wherein the indentations are dimensioned to receive the wheels.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mat further includes a motor drivably attached to at least one of the wheels.

3. The system of claim 2, the mat further comprising a processor programmed to actuate the motor.

4. The system of claim 3, the processor further programmed to actuate the motor upon receipt of an instruction from a portable device.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the mat further includes a battery electrically connected to the motor.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the vehicle floor includes a charging port in electric communication with the battery.

7. The system of claim 2, further comprising a belt connecting the motor and one of the wheels.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein one of the indentations is dimensioned to receive the motor.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the floor includes a pair of seat rails and the mat is finable completely between the seat rails.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a truck rotatably connected to at least one of the wheels and fixedly connected to the base.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the truck includes hanger and a pin rotatably attached to the hanger.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle floor and the mat produce a substantially flat surface when the wheels are disposed in the indentations.

13. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a vehicle including the vehicle floor and a seat supported by the vehicle floor.

14. A mat, comprising:

a base; and

a plurality of wheels rotatably attached to the base; wherein the wheels are dimensioned to fit in a plurality of indentations of a vehicle floor.

15. The mat of claim 14, further comprising a motor drivably attached to at least one of the wheels.

16. The mat of claim 15, further comprising a processor programmed to actuate the motor.

17. The mat of claim 15, wherein the motor is dimensioned to fit in one of the indentations.

18. The mat of claim 14, wherein the mat is fittable completely between a pair of seat rails.

19. The mat of claim 14, wherein the vehicle floor and the base produce a substantially flat surface when the wheels are disposed in the indentations.

20. The mat of claim 14, further comprising a truck rotatably connected to at least one of the wheels and fixedly connected to the base.