Lightweight transport system

Abstract

A personal conveyance including a flexible substrate, a wheel and an electric motor mounted to a first wheel assembly, the wheel rotatably supported by the first wheel assembly and the electric motor configured to drive the wheel, wherein the first wheel assembly is mounted to the flexible substrate, a battery mounted to the flexible substrate and configured to power the electric motor, and a processor configured to control operation of the electric motor.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A personal conveyance comprising:
 a surface comprising a first and second end;   a first and second member mounted to the first and second ends of the surface, respectively, at a first side of the surface;   a power supply mounted to the first side of the surface, proximal the first end of the surface, between the first and second members;   a processor mounted to the first side of the surface, proximal the second end of the surface, between the first and second members, the processor electrically connected to the power supply by wires extending along a second side of the surface; and   a power and data port mounted to the bottom of the surface, proximal second end of the surface, between the first and second members, the power and data port electrically connected to the processor and the power supply.   
     
     
         2 . The personal conveyance of  claim 1 , further comprising an electric motor mounted to the first member and electrically connected to the processor and the power supply. 
     
     
         3 . The personal conveyance of  claim 2 , wherein the first member comprises a first skateboard truck and the second member comprises a second skateboard truck. 
     
     
         4 . The personal conveyance of  claim 3 , further comprising a belt drive mechanism, wherein the electric motor drives a first wheel of the first skateboard truck using the belt drive mechanism. 
     
     
         5 . The personal conveyance of  claim 4 , wherein the belt drive mechanism comprises a toothed belt passing around a first toothed pulley connected to the electric motor and around a second toothed pulley connected to the first wheel. 
     
     
         6 . The personal conveyance of  claim 5 , further comprising a belt tensioning mechanism comprising an adjustable mounting system that adjustably mounts the electric motor to the first skateboard truck, wherein adjustment of a position of a shaft of the electric motor shaft relative to a rotation axis of the first wheel adjusts a belt tension of the toothed belt. 
     
     
         7 . The personal conveyance of  claim 1 , further comprising a first and second flexible housing, wherein the first flexible housing contains the processor and the second flexible housing contains the power supply. 
     
     
         8 . The personal conveyance of  claim 7 , wherein the second flexible housing further comprises a set of light emitters and a button, the second flexible housing operable in a first mode, wherein in the first mode: depressing the button controls a number of the set of light emitters to emit light, wherein the number is proportional to an instantaneous energy level of the power supply. 
     
     
         9 . The personal conveyance of  claim 3 , wherein the processor controls the electric motor according to a control input, wherein the control input comprises a signal indicative of a magnitude of an applied force, wherein the processor adjusts an output torque of the electric motor based on the indicated magnitude of the applied force. 
     
     
         10 . The personal conveyance of  claim 9 , further comprising a remote control unit that transmits the signal of the control input, wherein the signal is indicative of the magnitude of the applied force to an input mechanism of the remote control. 
     
     
         11 . The personal conveyance of  claim 10 , further comprising a second wheel rotatably fixed to the first skateboard truck and a second electric motor mounted to the first skateboard truck that drives the second wheel, wherein the processor controls the second electric motor according to the control input. 
     
     
         12 . The personal conveyance of  claim 3 , wherein the power and data port is operable between a first and second configuration, wherein in the first configuration, the power and data port is arranged between a base plate and a hangar of the second skateboard truck, wherein the base plate and hangar of the second skateboard truck cooperatively enclose the power and data port. 
     
     
         13 . The personal conveyance of  claim 12 , wherein in the second configuration, the power and data port is arranged external to the second skateboard truck and is coupleable to an external component having a complementary interface to an electromechanical interface of the power and data port. 
     
     
         14 . The personal conveyance of  claim 1 , wherein the surface is symmetric about a longitudinal centerline and a lateral centerline of the surface. 
     
     
         15 . An electric longboard, comprising:
 a flexible substrate defining a riding surface, a mounting surface opposing the riding surface, a first end, and a second end opposing the first end;   a powered truck mounted to the mounting surface proximal the first end;   a passive truck mounted to the mounting surface proximal the second end;   an electric motor assembly mounted to the powered truck, comprising a first and second electric motor;   a control subsystem mounted to the mounting surface proximal the first end and communicatively coupled to the electric motor assembly, and comprising a first and second wireless communication module and a processor that controls operation of the electric motor assembly based on a combination of a signal received from a control input at the first wireless communication module and data received at the second wireless communication module; and   an energy storage device mounted to the mounting surface proximal the second end and electrically coupled to the control subsystem and electric motor assembly.   
     
     
         16 . The electric longboard of  claim 15 , further comprising an accessory port defining an interface, the accessory port electrically coupled to the energy storage device and arrangeable between a first and second configuration. 
     
     
         17 . The electric longboard of  claim 16 , wherein in the first configuration, the interface of the accessory port is arranged between a first and second portion of the second wheel assembly, wherein the first and second portion of the second wheel assembly cooperatively enclose the interface. 
     
     
         18 . The electric longboard of  claim 17 , wherein in the second configuration, the interface of the accessory port is arranged external to the second wheel assembly and is mechanically and electrically coupleable to an external component having a complementary interface. 
     
     
         19 . The electric longboard of  claim 16 , wherein the accessory port is communicatively coupled to the processor. 
     
     
         20 . An electric longboard, comprising:
 a support surface defining a riding surface, a mounting surface opposing the riding surface, a first end, and a second end opposing the first end, a longitudinal centerline, and a lateral centerline perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline;   a first skateboard truck mounted to the mounting surface at the first end and having a first truck mass;   a second skateboard truck mounted to the mounting service at the second end and having a second truck mass;   an electric motor assembly mounted to the first skateboard truck and having a motor assembly mass;   a control subsystem, having a controller mass, mounted to the mounting surface at a first region proximal the first end;   an energy storage subsystem, having an energy storage mass, mounted to the mounting surface at the second end at a second region proximal the second end;   wherein the first region and second region are separated by a distance along the mounting surface, and wherein the first truck mass, the second truck mass, the motor assembly mass, the controller mass, and the energy storage mass cooperatively define a center of mass of the electric longboard positioned proximal an intersection of the longitudinal centerline and the lateral centerline.