Running object and method of controlling the same

• US 7,640,086 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2006
• Issued: 12/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakashima, Issei, Motozono, Yoshikazu, Fuwa, Toshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Black; Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nolan; Peter D
• Application Number:
  US11/515,946
• Publication Number:
  US 20070073425A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,210 Days
• Field of Search: 180/907, 180/7.1, 180/8.1, 180/8.2, 180/8.3, 280/5.2, 280/5.28, 700/253, 700/261, 701/36
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/007 Automatic balancing machines with single main ground engaging wheel or coaxial wheels supporting a rider
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 17/00 Cycles not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 3/00 Bicycles
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/027 Motorcycles with three wheels specially adapted for disabled riders B62K5/023
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

A running object includes a body, at least two drive wheels disposed on a first axle, and at least one driven wheel disposed on a second axle. The running object is capable of switching between a standing posture in which the driven wheel is suspended in the air and a stable posture in which the driven wheel is placed on the ground. The running object includes a storing device that stores a target incline pattern that chronologically describes the target incline angle of the body during a transition from the standing posture to the stable posture; a detecting device that detects the incline angle and/or the incline angular velocity of the body; a torque calculating device that calculates torque based on a deviation between the target incline pattern stored in the storing device and a detection value detected by the detecting device; and an actuator for applying the torque calculated by the calculating device to the drive wheels.

Claims

1. A running object comprising:

a body;

at least two drive wheels disposed on a first axle;

at least one driven wheel disposed on a second axle, wherein the at least one driven wheel is suspended in the air while the running object is in a standing posture and the at least one driven wheel is placed on a ground while the running object is in a stable posture;

a storing device that stores a target incline pattern that chronologically describes a target incline angle of the body during a transition from the standing posture to the stable posture;

a first detecting device that detects an incline angle and/or an incline angular velocity of the body;

a torque calculating device that calculates torque based on a deviation between the target incline pattern stored in the storing device and a detection value detected by the first detecting device; and

an actuator for applying the torque calculated by the torque calculating device to the drive wheels.

2. The running object as in claim 1, wherein velocity of the target incline angle described in the target incline pattern is restricted to be less than or equal to a predetermined velocity within a range in which the target incline angle exceeds a predetermined incline angle.

3. The running object as in claim 2, wherein the predetermined incline angle is an angle calculated by subtracting a predetermined angle from an incline angle of the body while the running object is in the stable posture on a level surface.

4. The running object as in claim 1, further comprising:

a correcting device that corrects the target incline pattern based on an incline angle and/or an incline angular velocity detected at a start timing of the transition from the standing posture to the stable posture.

5. The running object as in claim 1, further comprising:

a second detecting device that detects a rotational angular velocity of the drive wheels; and

a determining device that determines whether or not the driven wheel is placed on the ground based on the rotational angular velocity of the drive wheels detected by the second detecting device.

6. A method of controlling a running object comprising a body, at least two drive wheels disposed on a first axle, and at least one driven wheel disposed on a second axle, the running object being capable of switching between a standing posture in which the driven wheel is suspended in the air and a stable posture in which the driven wheel is placed on the ground, the method comprising:

storing a target incline pattern that chronologically describes a target incline angle of the body during a transition from the standing posture to the stable posture;

detecting an incline angle and/or an incline angular velocity of the body;

calculating torque based on a deviation between the target incline pattern stored in the storing step and a detection value detected in the detecting step; and

activating an actuator for applying torque to the drive wheels such that the torque calculated in the calculating step is applied to the drive wheels.