Self-stabilizing, directionally controllable vehicle with at least three wheels

• US 5,927,424 A
• Filed: 12/10/1996
• Issued: 07/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Brinks Westmaas B.V.
• Original Assignee: Brinks Westmaas B.V.
• Inventors: Van Den Brink, Christopher Ralph, Van Den Brink, Anthonie, Kroonen, Hendrik Marinus
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Lanna
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lerner, Avraham H.
• Application Number:
  US08/750,789
• Time in Patent Office: 959 Days
• Field of Search: 180/210, 180/215, 180/216, 280/124.103, 280/124.1
• US Class Current: 180/216
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0162 mainly during a motion involving steering operation, e.g. cornering, overtaking B60G17/0164 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 21/007 means for adjusting the wheel inclination
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 9/02 the axle or housing being pivotally mounted on the vehicle , e.g. the pivotal axis being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle B60G9/003 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 61/08 with single front wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 9/02 combined with means for inwardly inclining vehicle body on bends
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2005/001 Suspension details for cycles with three or more main road wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/027 Motorcycles with three wheels specially adapted for disabled riders B62K5/023
• 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

Self-balancing vehicle with at least three wheels resting on the ground, at least two of which wheels are arranged on either side of the center of gravity with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and at least one of which wheels is directionally controllable. At least one section of the vehicle is tiltable about the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and a sensor for measuring the magnitude and/or the direction of the load, for the purpose of producing and/or maintaining a change in direction of the directionally controllable wheel during travel, and/or for measuring the magnitude and/or the direction of a change in direction of the directionally controllable wheel during travel, is connected to a control element for controlling the at least one directionally controllable wheel. A power-assisted tilt element is provided for tilting the vehicle section about the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, which tilt element is connected to the sensor, in order to produce a tilt as a function of the registration by the sensor.

Claims

1. Vehicle (1) with at least three wheels (2,3) resting on the ground, at least two of which wheels (2) are arranged on either side of the center of gravity with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and at least one of which wheels (3) is directionally controllable, and wherein at least one section (9) of the vehicle is tiltable about the longitudinal axis of the vehicle for the purpose of producing and/or maintaining a change in direction of the directionally controllable wheel (3) during travel, a control element (6) for controlling the at least one directionally controllable wheel (3), and a power-assisted tilt element (22,22'"'"') for tilting said vehicle section about the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, wherein the vehicle is self-balancing and comprises a sensor (7) connected to the directionally controllable wheel (3) for registering the magnitude and the direction of the load which is to be applied to the directionally controllable wheel (3) for the purpose of producing and/or maintaining a change in direction thereof during travel, the sensor (7) being connected to the tilt element (22,22'"'"') to produce a tilt as a function of the registration by the sensor.

2. Vehicle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the sensor (7) comprises a twistable element (32,34) which connects the control element (6) and the directionally controllable wheel (3) to one another, the degree and direction of twist of twistable element (32,34) being a measure for the magnitude and direction of the load on the directionally controllable wheel (3).

3. Vehicle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one directionally controllable wheel (3) is able to tilt with the tiltable section (9) of the vehicle.

4. Vehicle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the directionally controllable wheel (3) has a castor.

5. Vehicle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the control element (6) comprises a conventional steering wheel or steering bar rotatable about a steering column.

6. Vehicle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the control element (6) can be moved from a neutral position thereof, which corresponds to the vehicle travelling in a straight line, against the action of a restoring force which is generated by the power-assisted tilt element (22,22'"'"').

7. Vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the twistable element (32,34) is provided at the periphery with first and second connecting elements (35,35'"'"',36,36'"'"') which run in the peripheral direction and are arranged some distance part, wherein the first connecting element (35,35'"'"') runs over a greater distance in the peripheral direction than does the second connecting element (36,36'"'"') and wherein first and second actuating contacts and a short-circuit contact are arranged in mutually fixed positions around the twistable element, which twistable element is rotatable about its longitudinal axis with respect to said contacts (37), or vice versa, and wherein said contacts (37) and said connecting elements (35,35'"'"',36,36'"'"') are so arranged that the second connecting element (38,35'"'"') can be brought into contact with the short-circuit contact and either the first or the second actuating contact, the first connecting element (35,35'"'"') can be brought into contact with both the first and the second actuating contact and, when the first connecting element is in contact with both the first and the second actuating contact, the second connecting element (36,36'"'"') is connected solely to the short-circuit contact.

8. Vehicle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the functioning of the sensor (7) is dependent on the speed of the vehicle.

9. Vehicle (1) according to claim 1, wherein a further sensor for measuring the load, for producing a change in direction of the directionally controllable wheel (3), is accommodated between the control element (6) and the directionally controllable wheel (3), which sensor is connected to a power-assisted drive element for reducing the requisite control load to be produced by the control element (6), wherein the effect of said second sensor optionally increases as the vehicle speed decreases.

10. Vehicle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle section (9) is tiltable about the longitudinal axis via the action of two drive elements (22,22'"'"') connected to one another, which drive elements both assume a limit position when the vehicle section (9) is in a neutral position and can be brought into the other respective limit position for respective tilting of the vehicle section (9) in the one or in the other direction.

11. Vehicle (1) according to claim 10, wherein two cylinder/piston (22,22'"'"') assemblies maintain a fixed mutual spacing at one end, whilst the other ends of the respective cylinder/piston assemblies are connected, some distance away from the tilt axis of the vehicle section, to the tiltable vehicle section (9) and, respectively, the other vehicle section (10), and the cylinder/piston assemblies are of the double-acting type.

12. Vehicle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the driven wheels (2) are connected on a common axis of rotation via a differential.

13. Vehicle (1) according to claim 1, wherein a position sensor is fitted, which is incorporated in a control circuit for determining the steering force to be exerted on the steering wheel as a function of the movement of the steering wheel and/or determining the tilt speed or the righting speed as a function of the radius of the bend.

14. Vehicle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the tiltable section (9) of said vehicle is guided in a direction essentially perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the vehicle with respect to a substantially straight guide path (114), the position of said guide path being adjustable about an axis essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

15. Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the guide path is a slit (114) in a rotary element (113) which is rotatable about an axis essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle (101) with respect to the non-tiltable part of the vehicle.

16. Vehicle according to claim 15, with wheel hub steering, wherein the rotary element (113) is rotatable with respect to a front (107) and a rear (106) steering rod and a further guide path (112) is present some distance away from the rotary element (113), seen in the lengthwise direction of the vehicle (101), which further guide path is essentially vertical to the first guide path (114) in the neutral, non-tilted position of the vehicle (101), and along which further guide path (112) the frame (111) is guided.

17. Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein means are provided for generating a counter-torque, acting on the non-tilting section (10) of the vehicle (1), which counter-torque is applied in the opposite direction to, and is preferably of essentially the same magnitude as, the reaction torque generated by the non-tilting section (10) from the torque generated by the tilt mechanism to achieve a tilt movement of the tiltable section (9) of the vehicle (1).

18. Vehicle according to claim 17, further comprises a controlled drive element (200) for engaging on the wheels (2) of the non-tilting section (10) of the vehicle (1) and likewise connected to the non-tilting section (10) for generating a force which attempts to tilt the non-tilting section (10) with respect to the wheels (2).

19. Vehicle according to claim 17 further comprising an element (211) for arbitrary engaging or disengaging respective ports (217, 218), which element (211) has a first element (221) and a second element (222), with a first signal, proportional to the steering torque exerted on the steering wheel (6), acting on the first element (221), whilst a second signal acts on the second element (222) depending on the position of the ports (217, 218), which signals determine an equilibrium position of the element (211), and the signals acting on the second element (222) also act on the drive (200) to generate the counter-torque.

20. A vehicle comprising:

at least three wheels, at least two of the wheels being arranged on either side of a longitudinal axis of the vehicle and at least one of the wheels being directionally controllable;

one section of the vehicle being tiltable about the longitudinal axis for producing or maintaining a change in direction of the directionally controllable wheel during vehicle travel;

a control element for controlling the directionally controllable wheel;

a power assisted tilt element comprising two drive elements connected to one another, one of said drive elements being operably connected to said one tiltable section, both said drive elements assuming a first limit position when said one tiltable section is in a neutral position, said drive elements respectively assuming a second limit position for tilting said one tiltable section in one direction or an opposite direction; and

a sensor connected to the directionally controllable wheel for registering a magnitude and direction of a load that is applied to the directionally controllable wheel, said sensor being connected to said drive elements to produce a tilt as a function of the registration sensed by said sensor.