Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Methods and apparatus for reconfigurable autonomous vehicle
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Application No.: US17078807Application Date: 2020-10-23
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Publication No.: US11780531B2Publication Date: 2023-10-10
- Inventor: Kent Larson , Naroa Coretti Sanchez , Michael Lin
- Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Applicant Address: US MA Cambridge
- Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Current Assignee Address: US MA Cambridge
- Agency: DALY, CROWLEY, MOFFORD & DURKEE, LLP
- Main IPC: B62M6/45
- IPC: B62M6/45 ; B62K13/04 ; G05D1/00 ; G01C21/34 ; B62M9/00 ; B62J45/40 ; B62J1/08

Abstract:
A vehicle may have a seat and front wheel similar to those of a bicycle. However, the vehicle may have two rear wheels. The position of the two rear wheels may be adjustable. When the two rear wheels touch each other, the vehicle may function as a bicycle. When they are moved apart, the vehicle may function as a tricycle. In tricycle mode, the vehicle may travel autonomously without a human rider. In bicycle mode, a human may ride the vehicle like a bicycle. To transition between bicycle and tricycle modes, each rear wheel may rotate about a horizontal axis that is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle. In some cases, a bike chain is connected to only one of the rear wheels. In bicycle mode, motion imparted by the chain to one rear wheel may be transferred to the other by friction.
Public/Granted literature
- US20210122442A1 Methods and Apparatus for Reconfigurable Autonomous Vehicle Public/Granted day:2021-04-29
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