Articulated vehicle

• US 7,308,963 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2006
• Issued: 12/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 2P
• Original Assignee: 2P
• Inventors: Patin, Pierre, Patin, Pierre-Armand
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): COLLADO, CYNTHIA FRANCISCA
• Application Number:
  US11/484,617
• Publication Number:
  US 20060249921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 180/180, 180/205, 180/181, 180/9.22, 180/19.1, 180/65.1, 180/220, 180/87.041, 280/87.041, 280/201, 280/212, 280/87.021, 280/87.01
• US Class Current: 180/180
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/122 Trikes
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/02 Tricycles children's tricycles B62K9/02
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/027 Motorcycles with three wheels specially adapted for disabled riders B62K5/023
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/10 with means for inwardly inclining the vehicle body on bends

Abstract

An articulated vehicle includes a rear frame and a front frame linked by an articulation associated with the device for removably locking controlled by a pendular member mounted oscillating on the front frame between a median position for unlocking the articulation and a spaced apart position for locking the articulation, at least when the vehicle is stopped. The vehicle comprises elements for controlling the unlocking of the articulation, at least during start-up, including an auxiliary platform integral in rotation with the rear frame and comprising, at least, two footrests arranged at substantially the same level relative to the ground, on either side of the articulation axis and constituting each, on the side towards which the front frame is inclined, a support for the front frame to be set upright by the vehicle driver, the pendular member returning to its median position for unlocking the articulation.

Claims

1. Locking device for an articulation having two parts rotatably mounted upon each other around a longitudinal axis (x′

x), wherein said locking device comprises two pieces integral in rotation, respectively, which each of said articulated parts, respectively a piece forming a collar (61) having an internal cylindrical face centered on said longitudinal articulation axis (x′

x) and a piece forming a bracket (64) extending transverse to articulation axis (x′

x) and having an end spaced from said axis (x′

x), and a pendulum type locking piece (62) suspended to said spaced end of bracket (64) and mounted oscillating around an axle (63) parallel to articulation axis (x′

x) and located in a plane (P2) passing by a said axis (x′

x), said pendulum locking piece (62) having a lower end (66) spaced from internal face of collar (61) by a narrow clearance and resting 15 on said internal face in case of inclination of plane (P2) in which is located the suspension axle (63) in relation to the apparent vertical direction that is to say the resultant of gravitational and centrifugal forces, causing buttressing of said pendulum piece (62) on collar (61) and locking of the articulation.

2. Locking device according to claim 1, wherein collar (61) forms a casing into which extends the suspension bracket (64) for the pendulum locking piece (62).

3. Locking device according to claim 1, wherein pendulum locking piece is a crutch (62) mounted oscillating on said bracket (64) around a suspension axle (63) and having a lower part (65) fitted with two swellings (66a, 66b) which are slightly spaced from internal face of said collar (61) by a narrow clearance (J).

4. Locking device according to claim 1, wherein said articulation comprises a central shaft (21) rotatably engaged in a tubular sheath (11).

5. Locking device according to claim 4, wherein central shaft (21) crosses said pendulum locking piece (62) through an aperture with a clearance allowing oscillating motion of said pendulum piece (62).

6. Locking device according to claim 2, wherein pendulum locking piece is a crutch (62) mounted oscillating on said bracket (64) around a suspension axle (63) and having a lower part (65) fitted with two swellings (66a, 66b) which are slightly spaced from internal face of said collar (61) by a narrow clearance (J).

7. Locking device according to claim 2, wherein said articulation comprises a central shaft (21) rotatably engaged in a tubular sheath (11).

8. Locking device according to claim 7, wherein central shaft (21) crosses said pendulum locking piece (62) through an aperture with a clearance allowing oscillating motion of said pendulum piece (62).

9. Articulated vehicle traveling on the ground into a longitudinal direction, comprising two chassis (1, 2) linked with each other by the means of an articulation (3) rotating around longitudinal axis (x′

x), parallel to the traveling direction, both said chassis having their mid planes intersecting in articulation axis, respectively a first chassis (1) resting on the ground by the means of a first rolling part (13) and centered on a first median plane (P1) perpendicular to the ground, and a second chassis (2) resting on the ground by the means of a second rolling part (22), adjustable in relation to the traveling direction and centered on a second median plane (P2), liable to be inclined in relation to the ground by rotation around articulation axis x′

x, and a removable locking device (6) of the articulation (3), comprising a first piece integral in rotation of first chassis (I), and forming a collar (61) surrounding said articulation axis (x′

x) and a second piece integral in rotation of second chassis (2) and forming a bracket (64) extending transverse to articulation axis (x′

x), inside the collar (61), and bound to a commanding pendulum type device fitted with a crutch (62) suspended to one end of said bracket (64), around an axle (63) parallel to articulation axis (x′

x) and located in median plane of second chassis (2), said crutch (62) oscillating inside collar (61), and resting on said collar by a lower end (66), in case of inclination of median plane (P2) in relation to the direction of crutch (62), causing buttressing of said crutch on collar (61) and locking of the inclination of second chassis (2).

10. Articulated vehicle as claimed in claim 9, wherein vehicle is fitted with a removable device (7) for bolting, while traveling, said pendulum device (62) in its median position for which articulation is free, and with a command system (72, 74) operating bolting device (7) at a traveling speed above a given value.

11. Articulated vehicle as claimed in claim 10, wherein bolting device (7) comprises a bolt (71), said bolt being removable between a spaced position releasing pendulum device (62) so as to locate said pendulum device in its median position, a speed detection device (76, 84), and a control device (72, 74) removing the bolt (71) from a spaced position into a bolted position, operated by the speed detector (76, 84) when the speed of vehicle is above a given value.

12. Articulated vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein control device (72, 74) removing the bolt (71) from a spaced position into its locked position, is operated electrically by impulses sent by a speed detector, at a time interval t1 inversely proportional to the traveling speed of vehicle, by the means of a temporized relay (8) comprising a impulse reception circuit U, a supply circuit Z for the control device (74) during a t2 time from the impulse, a primary closing circuit C1 for the supply circuit Z with a given t delay time after each impulse, and a secondary closing circuit C2 for the supply circuit Z from the impulse during a given to time inferior 10 to said t delay time, so as to close continuously supply circuit Z when t1 time between two impulses U1, U2 is inferior to t delay time of primary closing circuit C1, and to open continuously said supply circuit Z, in the opposite circumstance.

13. Articulated vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein control device removing the bolt (71) is a lever (72) pushed towards the direction so as to lock bolt (71), against the action of a return spring (73) conjugated with a controlled leakage by the means of a pusher (78) mounted on a piston (81) of a first jack (80) supplied by a circuit (82) receiving impulses, each of one determining the transfer of a certain 20 amount of hydraulic fluid into the chamber of jack (80), so as to push piston (81) and pusher (78) towards the direction so as to lock bolt (71), said impulses being generated by the means of a speed detector (75), at a frequency determined by the traveling speed of vehicle.