VEHICLE WITH LOCKABLE TILT SYSTEM

• US 20100044977A1
• Filed: 04/25/2007
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GP Technology & Innovation Limited
• Original Assignee: Vectrix International Limited (Gold Peak Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Twombly, Andrew H., Hughes, Peter S., Bliss, Craig
• Granted Patent: US 8,141,890 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 2300/122 Trikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/45 Rolling frame vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/012 Rolling condition
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/412 Speed sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/4151 for sensing lateral inclination of the cycle
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2204/00 Adaptations for driving cycles by electric motor
• 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 5/10 with means for inwardly inclining the vehicle body on bends

Abstract

A vehicle that includes a vehicle body and a vehicle support assembly. The vehicle body has a longitudinal axis and is configured for supporting a rider thereon. The support assembly includes first (421A) and second (421B) tilting wheels disposed respectively at different lateral positions with respect to the longitudinal axis, a tilt-mechanism (452) supportively associating the vehicle body from the tilting wheels to enable the vehicle body to tilt through a first tilt range with respect to a surface on which the tilting wheels are disposed, and a tilt-limiter (456) operably associated with the tilt-mechanism (452) to restrict the tilting of the vehicle body to less than the first tilt range, and releasable to allow the tilting through the first tilt range.

Claims

23. A vehicle support assembly, comprising:

first and second tilting wheels disposed respectively at different lateral positions with respect to a longitudinal axis;

a tilt-mechanism configured for supportively associating a vehicle body from the tilting wheels to enable the vehicle body to tilt substantially freely through a first tilt range with respect to a surface on which the tilting wheels are disposed; and

a tilt-limiter operably associated with the tilt-mechanism to restrict the tilting of the vehicle body to less than the first tilt range, and releasable to allow the tilting through the first tilt range.

24. A vehicle, comprising:

the support assembly of claim 23;

a vehicle body in supported association with the tilt-mechanism for tilting laterally;

a plurality of batteries housed within the vehicle body; and

an electric motor powered by the batteries and configured to propel the vehicle body.

25. The vehicle support assembly of claim 23, further comprising:

a sensor configured to sense a parameter related to the movement of the vehicle; and

a tilt-limiter controller configured to operate the tilt-limiter to restrict or allow the tilting of the vehicle body based on a value of the sensed parameter.

26. The vehicle support assembly of claim 23, further comprising:

an inclination sensor configured to sense the inclination of the vehicle with respect to the vertical at least when the vehicle is at rest; and

a tilt adjusting mechanism operatively associated with the inclination sensor and tilt-mechanism to reposition the tilt-mechanism to adjust the inclination of the vehicle body to a predetermined inclination with respect to the vertical based on the sensed inclination when the tilt-limiter is engaged.

27. The vehicle support assembly of claim 23, wherein the tilt-limiter is operable to lock the tilt-mechanism to fix the vehicle body in a locked tilt position.

28. The vehicle support assembly of claim 23, wherein the tilt-limiter is operable to restrict said tilting to within a second tilt range that is smaller than the first tilt range.

29. The vehicle support assembly of claim 23, wherein:

the tilt-mechanism is configured to allow the tilting wheels to move vertically with respect to each other and the vehicle body as the vehicle tilts with the tilting wheels remaining generally in a same inclination with respect to the vehicle body;

the tilting wheels are disposed on opposite lateral sides of the vehicle body; and

the tilt-mechanism allows the each of the first and second tilting wheels to concurrently move vertically in opposite directions from each other with respect to the vehicle body.

30. The vehicle support assembly of claim 23, wherein tilting wheels are rear wheels of the vehicle, and the vehicle further comprises at least one front wheel in supportive association with the vehicle body.

31. The vehicle support assembly of claim 30, wherein:

the at least one front wheel comprises third and fourth tilting wheels disposed respectively at different lateral positions with respect to the longitudinal axis and being in supportive association to allow the vehicle body to tilt with respect to the surface; and

the vehicle further comprises another tilt-mechanism supportively associating the vehicle body and third and fourth tilting wheels to enable the vehicle body to tilt with respect to the surface on which the tilting wheels are disposed.

32. The vehicle support assembly of claim 23, further comprising a steering mechanism that includes a handle bar to enable the rider to steer the first and second wheels for steering the vehicle while substantially retaining longitudinal positions and inclinations of the wheels relative to the body and handle bar, wherein the tilt-mechanism is associated with the steering mechanism to enable the tilting substantially independent of the handlebar.

33. The vehicle support assembly of claim 23, wherein the tilt mechanism includes a suspension system configured for absorbing shocks between the first and second wheels and the vehicle body, and the tilt limiter is configured for locking the suspension system to prevent relative movement between the first and second wheels when the tilt limiter is operated to restrict the tilting.

34. The vehicle support assembly of claim 33, wherein the tilt mechanism includes left and right linkages connected, respectively, to first and second tilting wheels;

and the suspension system is connected between the left and right linkages for absorbing shocks upon independent movement of the left and right linkages with respect to each other; and

the tilt limiter is configured for fixing the position of both the left and right linkages with respect to the body.

35. The vehicle support assembly of claim 34, further comprising a tilt adjusting mechanism operatively associated with the tilt limiter to move the tilt-limiter with respect to the vehicle body, such that when the tilt limiter is engaged to restrict the tilting, the tilt adjusting mechanism moves the left and right linkages via the tilt-limiter to adjust the vehicle tilt.

36. The vehicle support assembly of claim 34, wherein the suspension system is configured to allow the first and second linkages to move vertically in a same direction with respect to the vehicle body.

37. A vehicle support assembly, comprising:

first and second tilting wheels disposed respectively at different lateral positions with respect to a longitudinal axis;

a tilt-mechanism configured for supportively associating a vehicle body from the tilting wheels to enable the vehicle body to tilt through a first tilt range with respect to a surface on which the tilting wheels are disposed;

a tilt-limiter operably associated with the tilt-mechanism to restrict the tilting of the vehicle body to less than the first tilt range, and releasable to allow the tilting through the first tilt range;

a sensor configured to sense a parameter related to the movement of the vehicle; and

a tilt-limiter controller configured to operate the tilt-limiter to restrict or allow the tilting of the vehicle body based on a value of the sensed parameter.

38. The vehicle support assembly of claim 37, wherein the sensor comprises a speed sensor and the sensed parameter is speed of the vehicle, the tilt-limiter controller being configured to operate the tilt-limiter to restrict the tilting of the vehicle body when the sensed speed drops below a predetermined first speed threshold.

39. The vehicle support assembly of claim 38, wherein the tilt-limiter controller is configured to operate the tilt-limiter allow vehicle tilting when the sensed speed climbs through a predetermined second speed threshold.

40. The vehicle support assembly of claim 37, further comprising:

an inclination sensor configured to sense the inclination of the vehicle with respect to the vertical at least when the vehicle is at rest; and

a tilt adjusting mechanism operatively associated with the inclination sensor and tilt-mechanism to reposition the tilt-mechanism to adjust the inclination of the vehicle body to a predetermined inclination with respect to the vertical based on the sensed inclination when the tilt-limiter is engaged.

41. A vehicle support assembly, comprising:

first and second tilting wheels disposed respectively at different lateral positions with respect to a longitudinal axis;

a tilt-mechanism configured for supportively associating a vehicle body from the tilting wheels to enable the vehicle body to tilt through a first tilt range with respect to a surface on which the tilting wheels are disposed;

an inclination sensor configured to sense the inclination of the vehicle with respect to the vertical at least when the vehicle is at rest;

a tilt-limiter operably associated with the tilt-mechanism to restrict the tilting of the vehicle body to less than the first tilt range, and releasable to allow the tilting through the first tilt range; and

a tilt adjusting mechanism operatively associated with the inclination sensor and tilt-mechanism to reposition the tilt-mechanism to adjust the inclination of the vehicle body to a predetermined inclination with respect to the vertical based on the sensed inclination when the tilt-limiter is engaged.