Motorized vehicle

• US 20020053479A1
• Filed: 10/29/2001
• Published: 05/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kuroiwa, Kenji, Wakitani, Tsutomu, Hanafusa, Jitsumi, Inui, Tsutomu
• Granted Patent: US 6,805,218 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/315
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2036 Electric differentials, e.g. for supporting steering vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 11/04 by means of separate power sources
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 11/183 Control systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 51/04 the driver walking
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2204/00 Adaptations for driving cycles by electric motor for driving electrically assisted bicycles B62M6/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/01 Motorcycles with four or more wheels specially adapted for disabled riders B62K5/003
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/00 Programme-control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

A motorized vehicle includes left and right electric motors mounted on a vehicle body for independently rotating left and right driving wheels, respectively, at variable speeds, and an actuator for causing the left and right electric motors to rotate simultaneously in opposite directions, thereby ensuring that the vehicle making a turn through a desired angle while staying at the same position. The actuator includes left and right turn control levers respectively mounted to left and right handlebars so as to extend along left and right handgrips. The turn control levers are operationally connected to left and right brakes and the left and right electric motors for causing the simultaneous rotation of the motors in opposite direction based on the position of the turn control levers.

Claims

1. A motorized vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body;

a left driving wheel and a right driving wheel that are rotatably mounted on the vehicle body;

a left electric motor and a right electric motor that are mounted on the vehicle body for independently rotating the left and right driving wheels, respectively, at variable speeds; and

an actuator for causing one of the left and right electric motors to rotate in one direction and, at the same time, causing the other of the left and right electric motors to rotate in the opposite direction, thereby ensuring that the vehicle making a turn while staying at the same position.

2. The motorized vehicle according to claim 1, further including a pair of left and right handlebars extending from the vehicle body in a rearward direction of the motorized vehicle, each of the handlebars having a handgrip adapted to be gripped by the operator, wherein the actuator comprises a left brake and a right brake that are mounted on the vehicle body for independently applying brake forces to the left and right driving wheels, respectively, and a pair of left and right turn control levers pivotally mounted to the left and right handlebars, respectively, so as to extend along the corresponding handgrips, the left and right turn control levers being operatively connected to both the left and right brakes and the left and right electric motors, respectively, such that the left and right electric motors are caused to rotate simultaneously in opposite directions based on the angular positions of the left and right turn control levers.

3. The motorized vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the left and right brakes are associated with the left and right electric motors, respectively, and separately apply the brake forces to the left and right driving wheels via the left and right electric motors.

4. The motorized vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the left and right turn control levers are angularly movable between an initial zero-brake position and a stroke end position opposite to the zero-brake position across a full-brake position, the left and right turn control levers being operatively linked with the left and right brakes and the left and right electric motors such that when the left turn control lever moves within a first range defined between the zero-brake position and the full-brake position, the brake force applied from the left brake varies linearly with the amount of displacement of the left turn control lever, when the left turn control lever moves within a second range defined between the full-brake position and the stroke end position, the left electric motor is rotated in the reverse direction, and the right electric motor is rotated in the forward direction, when the right turn control lever moves within the first range, the brake force applied from the right brake varies linearly with the amount of displacement of the right turn control lever, and when the right turn control lever moves within the second range, the right electric motor is rotated in the reverse direction, and the left electric motor is rotated in the forward direction.

5. The motorized vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a left spot turn switch operatively connected to the left and right electric motors and manually operable to cause the left electric motor to rotate in the reverse direction and the right electric motor to rotate in the forward direction, and a right spot turn switch operatively connected to the left and right electric motors and manually operable to cause the right electric motor to rotate in the reverse direction and the left electric motor to rotate in the forward direction.

6. The motorized vehicle according to claim 5, further including an operator control panel mounted to the vehicle body, the left and right spot turn switches being provided on the operator control panel.

7. The motorized vehicle according to claim 1, further including a pair of left and right crawler belts driven by the left and right driving wheels.