Tilting vehicle

• US 6,435,522 B1
• Filed: 06/22/2000
• Issued: 08/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Brinks Westmaas B.V.
• Original Assignee: Brinks Westmaas B.V.
• Inventors: Van Den Brink, Christopher Ralph, Kroonen, Hendrik Marinus
• Primary Examiner(s): English, Peter C.
• Application Number:
  US09/554,322
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 280/5.509, 280/5.51, 280/124.103, 280/92, 280/93.505, 180/120, 180/215, 180/403, 180/421
• US Class Current: 280/5.509
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 9/02 combined with means for inwardly inclining vehicle body on bends

Abstract

A vehicle (1) provided with a frame having two frame sections (3,4) which are able to tilt with respect to one another. An opposite steer power transmitter (50) is connected to a steerable front wheel (13). The opposite steer power transmitter (50) is controlled as a function of the tilting moment on the frame sections (3,4). By this means, application of opposite steer is achieved, as a result of which the tilting section of the vehicle “drops into the bend” more rapidly and as a result of which increased maneuvrability is obtained. The opposite steer power transmitter (50) can be used on vehicles having an active tilting system with, for example, hydraulic tilting cylinders (9,9′), which are controlled by a sensor depending on the radius of the bend (24). The tilting moment generated by the tilting cylinders (9,9′) can optionally serve as a control signal for the opposite steer power transmitter (50).

Claims

1. A vehicle (1) provided with

at least three wheels (7,7′

,13),

a frame having a first frame section (3) and a second frame section (4), the frame sections being tiltable with respect to one another about a tilt axis located in a longitudinal direction,

the wheels including at least one front wheel (13) which is connected to the first frame section (3) and is rotatable about a front wheel steering shaft (15),

a steerng wheel (17) rotatably connected to the first frame section (3),

tilting means for tilting the first and the second frame sections relative to one another, the tilting means including a signal transmitter that, when driving round a bend having a bend radius, controls the tilting means as a function of the bend radius, and an opposite steer power transmitter (50) which is connected to the front wheel (13), to the signal transmitter, and to the frame, the opposite steer power transmitter (50) exerting a moment on the front wheel (13) that is directed away from the center of curvature of the bend.

2. Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the signal transmitter generates a control signal that is a function of the moment between the first and the second frame section (3,4).

3. Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the tilting means has a drive device (9,9′

) which is connected to the first and the second frame section (3,4) to exert a tilting moment on the first and the second frame section.

4. Vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the drive device comprises one or more cylinders (9,9′

) which are connected via a valve (10) to a pressure source (29), wherein the opposite steer power transmitter (50) comprises a double-acting cylinder which is connected between the valve (10) and the one or more cylinders (9,9′

).

5. Vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the drive device (9,9′

) is controlled by a sensor which generates a signal that is dependent on the force or moment exerted on the front wheel.

6. Vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the steering wheel (17) is connected via a steering shaft (18) to the first frame section (3), wherein the steering shaft (18) is rotatable relative to the front wheel (13), the drive device (9,9′

) being controlled by a turning angle sensor (24) which measures an angle of rotation between the front wheel (13) and the steering shaft (18).