Differential steering type motorized vehicle

• US 20080006455A1
• Filed: 06/05/2007
• Published: 01/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kanto Auto Works Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kanto Auto Works Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Torita, Hideki
• Granted Patent: US 7,552,784 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/6.28
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 19/003 Multidirectional wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/23 Ridable golf cars
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/84 Wheelchairs
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 11/003 Electric or electronic control systems
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 11/04 by means of separate power sources
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 11/24 Endless track steering specially adapted for vehicles having both steerable wheels and endless track
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/007 power-driven

Abstract

A differential steering type motorized vehicle is capable of directly steering a front wheel by the turning operation of handlebars, and performing on-the-spot turning around a central position of a vehicle body together with differential rotation type control of drive wheels, and comprises the front wheel as one wheel supported by a lower end of a handlebar shaft provided below the handlebars and located at a central position along the lateral axis, rear wheels as a pair of right and left omnidirectional wheels, a pair of drive wheels which are located between the front wheel and the rear wheels, and drive-controlled so as to perform the differential steering caused by differences in rotational direction and rotational speed between the rear wheels, a rotational position sensor for detecting the turn direction and the turn angle from the reference position of the handlebars to be turned in the right or left direction, and a motor drive wheel control means for controlling the rotational direction and the rotational speed of motors attached to the pair of right and left drive wheels according to the turn angle.

Claims

1. A differential steering type motorized vehicle comprising a pair of right and left drive wheels which are located at an central position between a front wheel and rear wheels, and drive-controlled so as to perform differential steering caused by differences in rotational direction and rotational speed between the drive wheels, wherein the rear wheels are a pair of right and left omnidirectional wheels, and the front wheel is one wheel which is supported by a lower end of a handlebar shaft provided below handlebars and located at a central position in the lateral axis direction, and further comprising:

a rotational position sensor for detecting a turn direction and a turn angle from the reference position of the handlebars to be turned in the right or left direction; and

a motor drive wheel control means for driving motors attached to the pair of right and left drive wheels by controlling the rotational direction and the rotational speed in response to a detection signal of the rotational position sensor so that the drive wheel on the handlebar turning direction side is successively decelerated, stopped, and accelerated in the reverse direction with respect to the drive wheel on the opposite side as the turn angle is increased, and rotates in the reverse direction at a same speed to each other at a turn position of 90°

.

2. The differential steering type motorized vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the omnidirectional rear wheels are of a nonturning type in which a plurality of rollers rotatable in a direction orthogonal to a forward-advancing direction of the wheels are arrayed around the wheels.

3. The differential steering type motorized vehicle according to claim 2, wherein each roller has a half-spindle shape in which the diameter thereof continuously decreases from a base end to a fore end thereof, and the fore end of each roller partially extends into a recess formed in the base end of an adjacent roller so that the fore end is brought close to the base end of the adjacent roller.

4. The differential steering type motorized vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the pair of right and left rear wheels are connected respectively to the right and left drive wheels via belts.