AUTOMATIC TILTING VEHICLE
First Claim
1. An automatic tilting vehicle which includes a pair of laterally spaced front wheels, at least one steerable rear wheel, a vehicle tilting device, and a control unit;
- the pair of front wheels are rotatably supported by corresponding knuckles;
the vehicle tilting device includes a swing member swinging about a swing axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, a tilt actuator for swinging the swing member about the swing axis, and a pair of tie rods that are pivotally attached to the swing member at upper end pivotal attachment portions on both lateral sides of the swing axis and pivotally attached to corresponding knuckles at lower end pivotal attachment portions;
the tilt actuator is connected to a vehicle body via a suspension spring;
the control unit is configured to calculate a target tilt angle of the vehicle for tilting the vehicle to the inner side of a turn and to control the tilt actuator so that a tilt angle of the vehicle conforms to the target tilt angle, whereinthe control unit is configured to calculate a target lateral acceleration of the vehicle based on an amount of steering operation of a driver and a vehicle speed, to calculate gyro moments at least of the pair of front wheels based on wheel speeds and a yaw rate of the vehicle, to estimate a lateral acceleration of the vehicle caused by the gyro moments, and to calculate a target tilt angle of the vehicle based on a sum of the target lateral acceleration and the lateral acceleration caused by the gyro moments.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An automatic tilting vehicle is provided that includes left and right front wheels supported by knuckles, a steerable rear wheel, a vehicle tilting device, and a control unit. The vehicle tilting device includes a swing member, a tilt actuator for swing the swing member, and a pair of tie rods pivotally attached to the swing member and the knuckles. The control unit calculates a target lateral acceleration of the vehicle, estimates a lateral acceleration of the vehicle caused by the gyro moments of the wheels and calculates a target tilt angle of the vehicle based on a sum of the target lateral acceleration and the lateral acceleration caused by the gyro moments.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. An automatic tilting vehicle which includes a pair of laterally spaced front wheels, at least one steerable rear wheel, a vehicle tilting device, and a control unit;
- the pair of front wheels are rotatably supported by corresponding knuckles;
the vehicle tilting device includes a swing member swinging about a swing axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, a tilt actuator for swinging the swing member about the swing axis, and a pair of tie rods that are pivotally attached to the swing member at upper end pivotal attachment portions on both lateral sides of the swing axis and pivotally attached to corresponding knuckles at lower end pivotal attachment portions;
the tilt actuator is connected to a vehicle body via a suspension spring;
the control unit is configured to calculate a target tilt angle of the vehicle for tilting the vehicle to the inner side of a turn and to control the tilt actuator so that a tilt angle of the vehicle conforms to the target tilt angle, whereinthe control unit is configured to calculate a target lateral acceleration of the vehicle based on an amount of steering operation of a driver and a vehicle speed, to calculate gyro moments at least of the pair of front wheels based on wheel speeds and a yaw rate of the vehicle, to estimate a lateral acceleration of the vehicle caused by the gyro moments, and to calculate a target tilt angle of the vehicle based on a sum of the target lateral acceleration and the lateral acceleration caused by the gyro moments. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
- the pair of front wheels are rotatably supported by corresponding knuckles;
Specification