RIDING TYPE VEHICLE

• US 20170280621A1
• Filed: 03/29/2017
• Published: 10/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd. (Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd. (Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: KAWAI, Ryoichi, KAWADA, Hirohiko, KOSEGAWA, Seishi, YAMANE, Koga, MIYAKE, Etsuo, WATANABE, Masaki, SAKATA, Koji, SHIBA, Kenji, ONODA, Kosuke, MAEHARA, Hiroki
• Granted Patent: US 10,638,661 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/64 mounted on a vehicle, e.g. a tractor, or drawn by an animal or a vehicle A01D34/695 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/828 Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 75/185 Avoiding collisions with obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 11/001 control systems B62D11/183 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 11/04 by means of separate power sources

Abstract

A riding type vehicle has a driving source, a left wheel and a right wheel, a transmission configured to receive power from the driving source to independently operate and drive the left wheel and the right wheel with regard to a rotation direction and a rotation speed, and caster wheels separately provided in a front-rear direction with respect to the left wheel and the right wheel, the riding type vehicle including two first sensors arranged on both left and right sides more to a front side than a rear end of the vehicle, the two first sensors configured to detect an obstacle target located on a rear side, the obstacle target being a target becoming an obstacle at the time of reversing or turning.

Claims

1. A riding type vehicle having

a driving source,

a left wheel and a right wheel,

a transmission configured to receive power from the driving source to independently operate and drive the left wheel and the right wheel with regard to a rotation direction and a rotation speed, and

caster wheels separately provided in a front-rear direction with respect to the left wheel and the right wheel, the riding type vehicle comprising:

two first sensors arranged on both left and right sides more to a front side than a rear end of the vehicle, the two first sensors configured to detect an obstacle target located on a rear side, the obstacle target being a target becoming an obstacle at the time of reversing or turning.

2. The riding type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the vehicle has a lawnmower, and both left-right direction end parts of a mower deck covering an upper side of a blade of the lawnmower respectively project to an outer side from left and right ends of a longitudinal direction middle part of a vehicle body, and

the two first sensors are arranged separated on left and right end parts protruding from the vehicle body, on an upper side of the mower deck.

3. The riding type vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

the left wheel and the right wheel are respectively arranged more to a rear side than a portion where the mower deck protrudes to an outer side and more on an outer side than left-right direction outer ends, and are covered on at least a part of an upper side by wheel covers, in the vehicle body, and

the riding type vehicle further comprises two second sensors arranged on upper side portions on the left and right wheel covers, the two second sensors configured to detect the obstacle target located on a rear side.

4. The riding type vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a control device for causing a turn to the rear to stop, or causing a turn stop to be maintained, at the time when the obstacle target has been detected by the first sensors.

5. The riding type vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the vehicle has a lawnmower, and further comprises a control device for causing driving of the lawnmower to stop, or causing a drive stop to be maintained, at the time when the obstacle target has been detected by the first sensors.

6. The riding type vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a warning section for warning of an approach to the obstacle target; and

a control device for causing the warning section to operate at the time when the obstacle target has been detected by the first sensors.

7. A riding type vehicle having

a driving source,

a left wheel and a right wheel,

a transmission configured to receive power from the driving source to independently operate and drive the left wheel and the right wheel with regard to a rotation direction and a rotation speed, and

caster wheels separately provided in a front-rear direction with respect to the left wheel and the right wheel, wherein

the riding type vehicle is capable of a rapid turn where only one of the left wheel and the right wheel rotates around a turn center position, or the left wheel and the right wheel rotate in opposite directions, the riding type vehicle comprising:

a sensor, arranged on the vehicle, capable of detecting an obstacle target on a rear side, the obstacle target being a target becoming an obstacle at the time of reversing or turning; and

a control device for causing a rapid turn to the rear to stop, or causing a stop of a rapid turn to be maintained, at the time when the obstacle target has been detected by the sensor.

8. The riding type vehicle according to claim 7, further comprising:

a warning section for warning of an approach to the obstacle target, wherein

the control device causes the warning section to operate, along with causing a rapid turn to the rear to stop, or causing a stop of a rapid turn to be maintained, at the time when the obstacle target has been detected by the sensor.

9. The riding type vehicle according to claim 7, further comprising:

a clutch arranged between an output section of the driving source and an input section of the transmission; and

a switching mechanism including a switching actuator for engaging/disengaging power transmission through the clutch, wherein

the control device causes a rapid turn to the rear to stop, or causes a stop of a rapid turn to be maintained, by cutting power transmission through the clutch by controlling driving of the switching actuator.

10. The riding type vehicle according to claim 7, wherein

the driving source is an engine, and the riding type vehicle further comprises a throttle actuator for adjusting an opening of a throttle valve of the engine, and

the control device causes a rapid turn to the rear to stop, or causes a stop of a rapid turn to be maintained, by closing the throttle valve by controlling driving of the throttle actuator.

11. The riding type vehicle according to claim 7, wherein

the transmission includes

a left hydraulic motor driven by a pressurized oil supply from a left hydraulic pump, and a right hydraulic motor driven by a pressurized oil supply from a right hydraulic pump,

a left main oil path connecting the left hydraulic motor and the left hydraulic pump, and a left bypass valve connected between the left main oil path and an oil reservoir,

a left bypass actuator for switching a closing and opening of the left bypass valve,

a right main oil path connecting the right hydraulic motor and the right hydraulic pump, and a right bypass valve connected between the right main oil path and an oil reservoir, and

a right bypass actuator for switching a closing and opening of the right bypass valve, and

the control device causes a rapid turn to the rear to stop, or causes a stop of a rapid turn to be maintained, by setting the left bypass valve and the right bypass valve to an opened state at a same time by controlling driving of the left bypass actuator and the right bypass actuator.

12. The riding type vehicle according to claim 7, wherein

the transmission includes

a left hydraulic motor driven by a pressurized oil supply from a variable-capacity swash-plate type left hydraulic pump, and a right hydraulic motor driven by a pressurized oil supply from a variable-capacity swash-plate type right hydraulic pump,

a left adjustment shaft for adjusting a hydraulic discharge amount of the left hydraulic pump,

a right adjustment shaft for adjusting a hydraulic discharge amount of the right hydraulic pump,

a left swing angle detection section for detecting a swing angle position of a left operation lever,

a right swing angle detection section for detecting a swing angle position of a right operation lever,

a left actuator, for driving a left swash plate operation lever, connected to the left adjustment shaft, and

a right actuator, for driving a right swash plate operation lever, connected to the right adjustment shaft, and

the control device causes the discharge amount of the left hydraulic pump to change by controlling driving of the left actuator in accordance with a detection signal of the left swing angle detection section, causes the discharge amount of the right hydraulic pump to change by controlling driving of the right actuator in accordance with a detection signal of the right swing angle detection section, and causes a rapid turn to the rear to stop, or causes a stop of a rapid turn to be maintained, by setting the discharge amounts of the left hydraulic pump and the right hydraulic pump to substantially zero by controlling driving of the left actuator and the right actuator.

13. A riding type vehicle having

a driving source,

a left wheel and a right wheel,

a transmission configured to receive power from the driving source to independently operate and drive the left wheel and the right wheel with regard to a rotation direction and a rotation speed, and

caster wheels separately provided in a front-rear direction with respect to the left wheel and the right wheel, wherein

the riding type vehicle is capable of a rapid turn where only one of the left wheel and the right wheel rotates around a turn center position, or the left wheel and the right wheel rotate in opposite directions, the riding type vehicle comprising:

a sensor, arranged on the vehicle, capable of detecting an obstacle target on a rear side, the obstacle target being a target becoming an obstacle at the time of reversing or turning; and

a control device for causing a turn to decelerate, at the time when the obstacle target has been detected by the sensor and a rapid turn is performed to the rear, and causing a turn to stop prior to the vehicle colliding with the obstacle target.

14. The riding type vehicle according to claim 13, further comprising:

a left wheel rotation number detection section for detecting a number of rotations per unit time of the left wheel; and

a right wheel rotation number detection section for detecting a number of rotations per unit time of the right wheel, wherein

the control device calculates an orientation of the vehicle in accordance with detection signals from the left and right wheel rotation number detection sections, calculates a first orientation of the vehicle at the time when the obstacle target has been detected by the sensor, and a second orientation of the vehicle, or a rectangular parallelepiped vehicle simulation model including the vehicle, at the time when the vehicle or the vehicle simulation model collides with the obstacle target, and controls rotation states of the left wheel and the right wheel so as to cause a turn to decelerate from the first orientation until changing to a third orientation prior to the second orientation, and cause the turn to stop at the third orientation.

15. The riding type vehicle according to claim 13, further comprising:

a warning section for warning of an approach to the obstacle target, wherein

the control device causes the warning section to operate, along with causing a turn to decelerate, at the time when the obstacle target has been detected by the sensor and a rapid turn is performed.

16. The riding type vehicle according to claim 13, wherein

the driving source is an engine, and the riding type vehicle further comprises a throttle actuator for adjusting an opening of a throttle valve of the engine, and

the control device causes a turn to decelerate by gradually bringing the throttle valve near to a closed state and causing a turn to the rear to stop by closing the valve, by controlling driving of the throttle actuator.

17. The riding type vehicle according to claim 13, wherein

the transmission includes

a left hydraulic motor driven by a pressurized oil supply from a variable-capacity swash-plate type left hydraulic pump, and a right hydraulic motor driven by a pressurized oil supply from a variable-capacity swash-plate type right hydraulic pump,

a left adjustment shaft for adjusting a hydraulic discharge amount of the left hydraulic pump,

a right adjustment shaft for adjusting a hydraulic discharge amount of the right hydraulic pump,

a left swing angle detection section for detecting a swing angle position of a left operation lever,

a right swing angle detection section for detecting a swing angle position of a right operation lever,

a left actuator, for driving a left swash plate operation lever, connected to the left adjustment shaft,

a right actuator, for driving a right swash plate operation lever, connected to the right adjustment shaft, and

the control device causes the discharge amount of the left hydraulic pump to change by controlling driving of the left actuator in accordance with a detection signal of the left swing angle detection section, and causes the discharge amount of the right hydraulic pump to change by controlling driving of the right actuator in accordance with a detection signal of the right swing angle detection section, causes a turn to decelerate by bringing the discharge amounts of the left hydraulic pump and the right hydraulic pump near to zero and causes a turn to the rear to stop by setting to substantially zero, by controlling driving of the left actuator and the right actuator.

18. The riding type vehicle according to claim 13, further comprising:

a clutch arranged between an output section of the driving source and an input section of the transmission; and

a switching mechanism including a switching actuator for engaging/disengaging power transmission through the clutch, wherein

the control device causes a turn to decelerate by setting power transmission through the clutch to a half-transmission state and causes a turn to the rear to stop by cutting power transmission through the clutch, by controlling driving of the switching actuator.

19. A riding type vehicle having

a driving source,

a left wheel and a right wheel,

a transmission configured to receive power from the driving source to independently operate and drive the left wheel and the right wheel with regard to a rotation direction and a rotation speed, and

caster wheels separately provided in a front-rear direction with respect to the left wheel and the right wheel, wherein

the riding type vehicle is capable of a rapid turn where only one of the left wheel and the right wheel rotates, or the left wheel and the right wheel rotate in opposite directions, the riding type vehicle comprising:

a rapid turn detection section for detecting the vehicle performing a rapid turn; and

a turning speed suppression section for suppressing a turning speed, when a rapid turn is being performed, and a turning stability relationship amount, which is a physical quantity related to turning stability, is equal to or higher than a threshold.

20. The riding type vehicle according to claim 19, further comprising:

a turning stability relationship sensor for detecting the turning stability relationship amount, wherein

the turning speed suppression section suppresses the turning speed, at the time when a rapid turn has been performed, and a detection value of the turning stability relationship amount is equal to or higher than a threshold.

21. The riding type vehicle according to claim 20, wherein

the turning stability relationship sensor is an acceleration sensor for detecting an acceleration in a left-right direction, and

the turning speed suppression section suppresses the turning speed, at the time when a rapid turn has been performed, and a detection value of the acceleration sensor is equal to or higher than a threshold.

22. The riding type vehicle according to claim 20, wherein

the turning stability relationship sensor is an angular velocity sensor for detecting an angular velocity of the vehicle around an axis in a vertical direction, and

the turning speed suppression section suppresses the turning speed, at the time when a rapid turn has been performed, and a detection value of the angular velocity sensor is equal to or higher than a threshold.

23. The riding type vehicle according to claim 19, wherein

the transmission includes

a left hydraulic motor driven by a pressurized oil supply from a variable-capacity swash-plate type left hydraulic pump, and a right hydraulic motor driven by a pressurized oil supply from a variable-capacity swash-plate type right hydraulic pump,

a left adjustment shaft for adjusting a hydraulic discharge amount of the left hydraulic pump,

a right adjustment shaft for adjusting a hydraulic discharge amount of the right hydraulic pump,

a left swing angle detection section for detecting a swing angle position of a left operation lever,

a right swing angle detection section for detecting a swing angle position of a right operation lever,

a left actuator, for driving a left swash plate operation lever, connected to the left adjustment shaft,

a right actuator, for driving a right swash plate operation lever, connected to the right adjustment shaft, and

a swash plate actuator control section for causing the discharge amount of the left hydraulic pump to change by controlling driving of the left actuator in accordance with a detection signal of the left swing angle detection section, and causes the discharge amount of the right hydraulic pump to change by controlling driving of the right actuator in accordance with a detection signal of the right swing angle detection section, and

the turning speed suppression section suppresses the turning speed by bringing the discharge amounts of the left hydraulic pump and the right hydraulic pump near to zero, or setting to substantially zero, by controlling driving of the left actuator and the right actuator.

24. The riding type vehicle according to claim 19, further comprising:

a clutch arranged between an output section of the driving source and an input section of the transmission; and

a switching mechanism including a switching actuator for engaging/disengaging power transmission through the clutch, wherein

the turning speed suppression section suppresses the turning speed by setting power transmission through the clutch to a half-transmission state, or cutting power transmission, by controlling driving of the switching actuator.

25. The riding type vehicle according to claim 19, wherein

the driving source is an engine, and the riding type vehicle further comprises a throttle actuator for adjusting an opening of a throttle valve of the engine, and

the turning speed suppression section suppresses the turning speed by bringing the throttle valve near to a closed state, or closing a valve, by controlling driving of the throttle actuator.

26. The riding type vehicle according to claim 19, wherein

the transmission includes

a left hydraulic motor driven by a pressurized oil supply from a left hydraulic pump, and a right hydraulic motor driven by a pressurized oil supply from a right hydraulic pump,

a left main oil path connecting the left hydraulic motor and the left hydraulic pump, and a left bypass valve connected between the left main oil path and an oil reservoir,

a left bypass actuator for switching a closing and opening of the left bypass valve,

a right main oil path connecting the right hydraulic motor and the right hydraulic pump, and a right bypass valve connected between the right main oil path and an oil reservoir, and

a right bypass actuator for switching a closing and opening of the right bypass valve, and

the turning speed suppression section suppresses the turning speed by setting the left bypass valve and the right bypass valve to an opened state at the same time by controlling driving of the left bypass actuator and the right bypass actuator.

27. The riding type vehicle according to claim 19, further comprising:

a left operation lever and a right operation lever arranged separately on both left and right sides and supported to be capable of swinging forward and backward, on surrounding parts of a driver'"'"'s seat, wherein

the rapid turn detection section has a left swing angle detection section for detecting a swing angle position of the left operation lever, a right swing angle detection section for detecting a swing angle position of the right operation lever, and a rapid turn determination section for determining whether or not a rapid turn is performed from detection values of the left swing angle detection section and the right swing angle detection section, and

the turning speed suppression section suppresses the turning speed, at the time when it is determined that at least one of a swing angle centered on a left lever neutral position of the left operation lever, it is determined that a swing angle centered on a right lever neutral position of the right operation lever, which are turning stability relationship amounts, is equal to or higher than a threshold, and it is determined that a rapid turn has been performed.

28. The riding type vehicle according to claim 20, wherein

the transmission includes

a left hydraulic motor driven by a pressurized oil supply from a variable-capacity swash-plate type left hydraulic pump, and a right hydraulic motor driven by a pressurized oil supply from a variable-capacity swash-plate type right hydraulic pump,

the turning stability relationship sensor is a first pressure sensor, a second pressure sensor, a third pressure sensor, and a fourth pressure sensor,

the first pressure sensor detects a pressure of a first oil path connecting one port from among two ports of the left hydraulic pump, and one port from among two ports of the left hydraulic motor,

the second pressure sensor detects a pressure of a second oil path connecting another port from among two ports of the left hydraulic pump, and another port from among two ports of the left hydraulic motor,

the third pressure sensor detects a pressure of a third oil path connecting one port from among two ports of the right hydraulic pump, and one port from among two ports of the right hydraulic motor,

the fourth pressure sensor detects a pressure of a fourth oil path connecting another port from among two ports of the right hydraulic pump, and another port from among two ports of the right hydraulic motor, and

the turning speed suppression section suppresses the turning speed, at the time when a rapid turn has been performed, and an absolute value of a detection value of at least one pressure sensor from among the first pressure sensor, the second pressure sensor, the third pressure sensor, and the fourth pressure sensor is equal to or higher than a threshold.