Vehicle, vehicle control device and variable control method

• US 7,467,681 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2005
• Issued: 12/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Inventors: Hiramatsu, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis; Christopher P
• Assistant Examiner(s): WALTERS, JOHN DANIEL
• Application Number:
  US11/112,496
• Publication Number:
  US 20050241864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,341 Days
• Field of Search: 180/180, 180/181, 180/65.1, 180/907, 280/11.24, 280/87.01, 280/87.042, 280/87.041, 280/78
• US Class Current: 180/188
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/004 with auxiliary wheels not contacting the riding surface during steady riding
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/01 Skateboards A63C17/02 - A63C17/28 take precedence; rolling devices on skis A63C5/035
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/016 with wheels arranged in one track
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/08 single-wheel type with single axis
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/12 with driving mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/14 Vehicles with one wheel only
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/34 Stabilising upright position of vehicles, e.g. of single axle vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 37/00 Stabilising vehicle bodies without controlling suspension arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 61/00 Motor vehicles or trailers, characterised by the arrangement or number of wheels, not otherwise provided for, e.g. four wheels in diamond pattern
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

A motorized balance board includes a wheel rotation angle detecting sensor, a gyrosensor, and an acceleration sensor. An arithmetic operation unit calculates a rotation angle change value, a rotation angle value, a tilt angle change value, and a tilt angle value, based on signals output from the wheel rotation angle detecting sensor, the gyrosensor, and the acceleration sensor. When the control mode is a riding mode, a control mode switch element switches the control mode to a standby mode based on the rotation angle change value, the rotation angle value, the tilt angle change value, and the tilt angle value.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a body on which a user rides;

a wheel that is rotatably supported on said body;

a driver that drives said wheel;

a detector that detects a rate of change of a tilt angle of said body; and

a controller that controls said driver to move said body;

wherein

said controller controls said driver so that said body rises from a non-horizontal position on the ground to place said body in a horizontal position spaced above the ground when said driver is powered, and said rate of change of the tilt angle of said body detected by said detector is kept in a zero state for not shorter than a predetermined period.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said detector includes a first detector that detects data concerning rotation of said wheel, and a second detector that detects data concerning motion and a position of said body;

and said controller controls said driver to finish movement of said body based on at least one of said data concerning the rotation of said wheel, said data concerning the motion of said body, and said data concerning the position of said body.

3. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said data concerning the rotation includes a rate of change of a rotation angle of said wheel, and said controller controls said driver to finish said movement of said body when said rate of change of the rotation angle satisfies a first condition.

4. The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein said rate of change of the rotation angle is an amount of change in the rotation angle per a predetermined period.

5. The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein said first condition includes a condition that said rate of change of the rotation angle is not less than a predetermined first threshold value.

6. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said data concerning the motion and the position of said body includes an acceleration of said body, and said controller controls said driver to finish said movement of said body when said acceleration satisfies a predetermined condition.

7. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein said predetermined condition includes a condition that said acceleration continues to be not less than a predetermined threshold value for a predetermined period or longer.

8. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein said predetermined condition includes a condition that fluctuations of said acceleration occur at periods not more than a specified time within a predetermined duration, and a maximum value of amplitudes exceeds a specified threshold value within said predetermined duration.

9. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said data concerning the rotation includes a rate of change of the rotation angle of said wheel, said data concerning the motion and the position of said body includes the tilt angle of said body and the rate of change of the tilt angle, and said controller calculates a drive torque instruction value for said driver based on said rate of change of the rotation angle, said tilt angle, and said rate of change of the tilt angle, so as to control said driver to provide said movement based on said drive torque instruction value, and also to control said driver to finish said movement of said body when said rate of change of the rotation angle and said instruction value satisfy a predetermined condition.

10. The vehicle according to claim 9, wherein said predetermined condition includes a condition that said rate of change of the rotation angle continues to be zero, and said drive torque instruction value continues to be not less than a predetermined threshold value, for a predetermined period or longer.

11. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said data concerning the motion and the position of said body includes a tilt angle of said body, and said controller controls said driver to finish said movement of said body when said tilt angle satisfies a predetermined condition.

12. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein said predetermined condition includes a condition that said tilt angle continues to be not less than a predetermined threshold value for a predetermined period or longer.

13. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said wheel is arranged on a bottom surface of a central portion of said body so as to rotate about an axis in a direction that intersects with a moving direction of said body.

14. The vehicle according to claim 13, wherein said body is arranged so as to vertically incline with said wheel defining a supporting point.

15. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said controller controls said driver, after said movement of said body has been finished, to stop said wheel based on said data concerning the rotation.

16. The vehicle according to claim 15, wherein said data concerning the rotation includes a rate of change of a rotation angle of said wheel.

17. The vehicle according to claim 16, wherein said rate of change of the rotation angle is an amount of change in the rotation angle of said wheel per a predetermined period.

18. A vehicle control device for controlling a vehicle that includes a body on which a user rides, a wheel that is rotatably supported on said body, and a driver that drives said wheel, said control device comprising:

a detector that detects a rate of change of a tilt angle of said body; and

a controller that controls said driver to move said body;

wherein

said controller controls said driver so that said body rises from a non-horizontal position on the ground to place said body in a horizontal position spaced above the ground when said driver is powered, and said rate of change of the tilt angle of said body detected by said detector is kept in a zero state for not shorter than a predetermined period.

19. A vehicle control method for controlling a vehicle that includes a body on which a user rides, a wheel that is rotatably supported on said body, and a driver that drives said wheel, said method comprising the steps of:

detecting a rate of change of a tilt angle of said body; and

controlling said driver so that said body rises from a non-horizontal position on the ground to place said body in a horizontal position spaced above the ground when said rate of change of the tilt angle of said body is kept in a zero state for not shorter than a predetermined period.