Self-centering return mechanism

• US 20060255550A1
• Filed: 05/12/2006
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BWI Company Limited SA (Shougang Corporation)
• Original Assignee: BWI Company Limited SA (Shougang Corporation)
• Inventors: Fulks, Gary C., Pfeil, Michael C., Haerr, Timothy A., Saiki, Scott J., Roth, Andrew H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,568,541 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/5.509
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 21/007 means for adjusting the wheel inclination
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/144 with two lateral arms forming a parallelogram
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/44 steerable
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/128 Damper mount on vehicle body or chassis
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/129 Damper mount on wheel suspension or knuckle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/143 on the vehicle body or chassis
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/148 on the unsprung part of the vehicle, e.g. wheel knuckle or rigid axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/414 Cardan joints
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/43 Fittings, brackets or knuckles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/4308 Protecting guards, e.g. for rigid axle damage protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/122 Trikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/45 Rolling frame vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 9/02 combined with means for inwardly inclining vehicle body on bends
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/027 Motorcycles with three wheels specially adapted for disabled riders B62K5/023
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/05 characterised by a single rear wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/08 with steering devices acting on two or more wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/10 with means for inwardly inclining the vehicle body on bends

Abstract

An auxiliary lean control system is provided for controlling a lean angle of at least a portion of a vehicle. The auxiliary lean control system includes an energy storage device for storing energy to actuate the lean control system, a stabilizing mechanism coupled to the energy storage device and to the at least a portion of the vehicle for applying energy received from the energy storage device to the at least a portion of the vehicle to adjust the lean angle of the at least a portion of a vehicle, and a linkage coupled to the energy storage device and to the stabilizing mechanism for transferring energy from the energy storage device to the stabilizing mechanism. The auxiliary lean control system controls the lean angle of the portion of the vehicle in an absence of control of the lean angle by a primary lean control system. In another aspect, the present invention provides a vehicle including a vehicle suspension apparatus and a vehicle lean control system coupled to the vehicle suspension apparatus for controlling a lean of at least a portion of the vehicle, the suspension apparatus being operable independent of the vehicle lean control system.

Claims

1. A lean control system for controlling a lean angle of at least a portion of a vehicle, the lean control system comprising:

an energy storage device for storing energy to actuate the lean control system;

a stabilizing mechanism coupled to the energy storage device and to the at least a portion of the vehicle for applying energy received from the energy storage device to the at least a portion of the vehicle to adjust the lean angle of the at least a portion of a vehicle; and

a linkage coupled to the energy storage device and to the stabilizing mechanism for transferring energy from the energy storage device to the stabilizing mechanism.

2. The lean control system of claim 1 wherein the a linkage comprises a shaft translatably coupled to the at least a portion of the vehicle so as to provide rotation of the shaft in correspondence with rotation of the at least a portion of the vehicle, the shaft having a first portion coupled to the energy storage device and a second portion coupled to the stabilizing mechanism, and wherein the stabilizing mechanism comprises a cam secured to the vehicle so as to substantially prevent rotation of the cam with respect to the vehicle and a roller rotatably coupled to the second portion of the shaft for rollingly engaging a surface of the cam during translation of the shaft, whereby rolling engagement between the roller and the surface of the cam produces rotation of the shaft, thereby producing a corresponding rotation of the at least a portion of the vehicle.

3. The lean control system of claim 1 wherein the energy storage device comprises:

a housing;

a hollow cylinder formed within the housing;

a piston slidably positioned within the cylinder and adapted to form a substantially fluid-tight seal between a first portion of the cylinder proximate a first end of the piston and a second portion of the cylinder proximate a second end of the piston; and

a compressible fluid positioned within the first portion of the cylinder between the first end of the piston and a first end of the cylinder.

4. The lean control system of claim 3 wherein the linkage is coupled to the piston such that a sliding movement of the piston along the cylinder provides a corresponding movement of the linkage to transfer energy to the stabilizing mechanism, thereby activating the stabilizing mechanism to adjust the lean angle of the at least a portion of a vehicle.

5. The lean control system of claim 4 in combination with another vehicle lean control system wherein the other vehicle lean control system is a primary lean control system controlling the lean angle of the at least a portion of the vehicle, and the lean control system is an auxiliary lean control system coupled to the at least a portion of the vehicle for controlling a lean angle of the at least a portion of the vehicle when operation of the primary lean control system is interrupted.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein the primary lean control system is coupled to the cylinder so as to enable fluid communication with the second portion of the cylinder between the second end of the piston and a second end of the shaft whereby, when the primary lean control system is active, a fluid pressure is applied by the primary lean control system to the second end of the piston to compress the compressible fluid positioned within the first portion of the cylinder, and when operation of the primary lean control system is interrupted, the fluid pressure on the second end of the piston is reduced, permitting the compressible fluid in the first portion of the piston to expand thereby moving the piston along the cylinder to activate the stabilizing mechanism.

7. The combination of claim 5 wherein the auxiliary lean control system engages automatically upon inactivation or malfunction of the primary lean control system.

8. The lean control system of claim 1 wherein the lean control system adjusts the lean angle of the at least a portion of the vehicle from a first lean angle to a second lean angle, and wherein the lean control system substantially prevents further adjustment of the lean angle when the at least a portion of the vehicle resides at the second lean angle.

9. A vehicle comprising:

a primary lean control system for controlling a lean angle of at least a portion of the vehicle; and

an auxiliary lean control system for controlling the lean angle of the at least a portion of the vehicle in an absence of control of the lean angle by the primary lean control system

10. The vehicle of claim 9 wherein the auxiliary lean control system comprises:

an energy storage device for storing energy to actuate the lean control system;

a stabilizing mechanism coupled to the energy storage device and to the at least a portion of the vehicle for applying energy received from the energy storage device to the at least a portion of the vehicle to adjust the lean angle of the at least a portion of a vehicle; and

a linkage coupled to the energy storage device and to the stabilizing mechanism for transferring energy from the energy storage device to the stabilizing mechanism.

11. The vehicle of claim 9 wherein the auxiliary lean control system is adapted for securing the at least a portion of the vehicle in a predetermined lean angle in the absence of control of the lean angle by the primary lean control system.

12. A vehicle including:

a vehicle suspension apparatus; and

a vehicle lean control system coupled to the vehicle suspension apparatus for controlling a lean of at least a portion of the vehicle, the suspension apparatus being operable independent of the vehicle lean control system.

13. The vehicle of claim 12 wherein the vehicle lean control system comprises:

an electronic control unit; and

at least one hydraulic actuator coupled to the electronic control unit and to the at least a portion of the vehicle for adjusting the lean of the at least a portion of the vehicle responsive to a signal from the control unit.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 wherein the suspension apparatus includes a transverse beam pivotably coupled to the at least a portion of the vehicle, the at least one hydraulic actuator is coupled to the at least a portion of the vehicle and to the transverse beam, and wherein actuation of the at least one hydraulic actuator produces pivoting of the at least a portion of the vehicle with respect to the transverse beam responsive to the signal from the control unit, to adjust the lean of the at least a portion of the vehicle.