Traveling apparatus

• US 10,450,028 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2017
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kama, Takeshi, Kakuchi, Makoto, Mori, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Rocca, Joseph M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stabley, Michael R
• Application Number:
  US15/675,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20180065701A1
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/14 Handlebar constructions, or arrangements of controls thereon, specially adapted thereto hand controls per se B62K23/02
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 15/006 the frame being foldable
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 19/18 Joints between frame members
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 21/00 Steering devices steering devices specially adapted for one particular kind of cycle specified in groups B62K1/00 - B62K17/00, see the relevant group
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2204/00 Adaptations for driving cycles by electric motor for driving electrically assisted bicycles B62M6/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 3/002 without a seat, i.e. the rider operating the vehicle in a standing position, e.g. non-motorized scooters; non-motorized scooters with skis or runners
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/027 Motorcycles with three wheels specially adapted for disabled riders B62K5/023
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

Provided is a traveling apparatus including a front wheel steered by an operation by a user and two rear wheels that are rotationally driven independently from each other disposed along a traveling direction and on which the user rides when traveling, the traveling apparatus including: a front wheel supporting member; a rear wheel supporting member; an adjusting mechanism configured to adjust a wheel base length between the front wheel and the rear wheels by changing, by the user, a relative position of the front wheel supporting member and the rear wheel supporting member; and a controller configured to control a rotational speed of each of the rear wheels based on the wheel base length and a steering angle of the front wheel in such a way that a moving track of the front wheel and moving tracks of the rear wheels draw a concentric arc.

Claims

1. A traveling apparatus comprising a front wheel steered by an operation by a user and two rear wheels that are rotationally driven independently from each other disposed along a traveling direction and on which the user rides when traveling, the traveling apparatus comprising:

a front wheel supporting member configured to rotatably support the front wheel;

a rear wheel supporting member configured to rotatably support the rear wheels;

an adjusting mechanism configured to adjust a wheel base length between the front wheel and the rear wheels by changing, by the user, a relative position of the front wheel supporting member and the rear wheel supporting member; and

a controller configured to control a rotational speed of each of the rear wheels based on the wheel base length and a steering angle of the front wheel in such a way that a moving track of the front wheel and moving tracks of the rear wheels draw a concentric arc,

wherein the controller controls, when a turning angle of the traveling apparatus defined by the wheel base length and the steering angle is constant, the rotational speed of each of the rear wheels based on a target speed that is set in such a way that a first target speed associated with a first wheel base length does not exceed a second target speed associated with a second wheel base length longer than the first wheel base length.

2. The traveling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls, when the wheel base length is constant, the rotational speed of each of the rear wheels based on a target speed that is set in such a way that a third target speed associated with a first turning angle does not exceed a fourth target speed associated with a second turning angle smaller than the first turning angle.

3. The traveling apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a handlebar unit that changes, when the user tilts the handlebar unit along the traveling direction, a relative position between the front wheel supporting member and the rear wheel supporting member since a force of an operation by the user is sent to the adjusting mechanism and changes, when the user turns the handlebar unit, the steering angle since a force of the operation by the user is sent to the front wheel supporting member.